AN: Hey, hope everyone's till enjoing the story! Oh and to avoid confudion, Italics are either a flashback, letter or thoughts. I hope it's clear enough which.

Disclaimer: hese things are so stupid but to humour the law- I don't own GG

Louise woke late the next morning. She cursed under her breath; she wouldn't have time for breakfast. She glanced over at Rory's bed. The Cow! She thought, She didn't even wake me! It wasn't until she had showered that she saw the folded piece of paper on her bedside table. She opened it up.

Dear Louise,

I'll be brief. I've gone with Tristan to find someone who might be able to close Liz's case. I know you'll think I'm being rash and stupid but I know what I'm doing. Can you please tell Jay? I know you'll be mad at me but I had to do this. We won't be gone long, only a few days.

Thank you, and I'm sorry,

Rory

Louise's eyes widened and before she really knew what she was doing she was pounding down the stairs and running towards the school building. Jay stood out the front with Matt and Finn.

"Jay!" She cried.

He turned to look at her and grinned.

"Lollie, hey"

She grabbed his arm ragging him away.

"Sorry guys," She said, "but I need to talk to him"

Matt and Finn shrugged.

"What's up Lou?" Jay asked, she looked upset.

"It's Rory"

Jay's face darkened.

"What about her?" He asked.

"She' run away…with Tristan"

"What!" Jay exclaimed.

Louie handed him the note. He read it quickly.

"Oh shit!" He cried, kicking the ground so a tuft of grass flew up.

Louise watched him grimly.

"What are we going to do?" Louise asked.

"First of all, think of something to tell the teachers before she gets her ass expelled"

"I think that's the least of our worries" Louise whispered.

Lorelai rang her message service the next morning, smiling when she heard Rory's voice, but the smile soon faded as the message went on.

"Mom, remember on Saturday night and I said there were things I might do that you wouldn't understand. Well this is one of them. I'm going with Tristan, to find someone who could clear his name. He needs me right now. I'll be safe, I promise. Please try to understand"

Oh God, Lorelai thought, what has she done?

Jay's cell rang as he and Louise made their way to their first class after fetching her books from her room.

"Oh great," He said to Louise, "It's mom…hey mom" He said, flipping open his cell.

"Jay have you seen your sister?" What should he say?

"Um…not this morning no…" He shrugged at Louise.

"Well she left a message on my cell last night saying she was running off with Tristan, is her car at school" came Lorelai's strained voice down the line.

Jay's eyes widened and he covered the mouthpiece, turning to talk to Louise.

"Rory left a message on mom's cell telling her she was going with Tristan, what should I say?"

"That she did go, duh" Louise replied in the same loud whisper.

"Jay?" Lorelai was crying.

Jay uncovered the mouthpiece.

"I'm here mom," He said, "with Louise…um…Rory left her a note…she…she'd gone mom, they took her car. Louise said it must have been late last night"

Lorelai started crying.

"Mom, mom it'll be okay" He said, trying to soothe her. "Mom, we have to think about what to tell people. She said in her letter to Louise that they'd only be gone a few days. Perhaps we should give the school some excuse" He suggested. "Otherwise she could be expelled when she gets back"
"Jay," Lorelai said, through gritted teeth. "You know I can't do that, we have to tell the authorities they're missing. Being expelled is the least of Rory's problems at the moment"

"But Tristan could be in more trouble" Jay said half-heartedly.

"And Tristan DuGrey is the least of my problems at the moment" Lorelai finished. Her tears had been replaced by a kind of calm fury.

She told Jay to go to class like normal. She was calling the school, the police, Tristan's grandparents and his lawyer.


Rory had driven through the night to get some distance between them and Hartford. Tristan watched her from the passenger seat. Every street lamp they drove under splashed light across her face, dancing off her cute nose and her lips…He closed his eyes but couldn't keep them closed for long, couldn't deprive them of her. How was he feeling this so soon after Liz? He shook his head, it was nothing, just an attraction. It was completely natural, she was beautiful anyway, and plus, she had been his rock ever since the day they had found Liz. He would be attracted to a lamppost who had shown half as much kindness and compassion…right? She glanced over at him, catching his eye and smiled reassuringly.

"Perhaps we should stop somewhere," She suggested, "you know, refuel, get some coffee, food…sleep?"

He laughed.

"The next town we reach" He promised.

The next town was dead. It was still the early hours of the morning. Rory looked over at Tristan questioningly. He shrugged.

"We'll see if there's a motel," He told her, "and there'll be somewhere open to get food"

Soon enough they passed a service station, which stocked a few, limited groceries. Tristan picked up some coffee, donuts, a couple of burgers and some chips while Rory filled the car with petrol.

"The guy told me there's a motel round the corner" He said as he walked towards the car.

Rory nodded.

"Cool"

The motel was a cheap one, but it was clean, and comfortable. They got a room together.

"We can share the bed" Tristan said, "…uh, as long as you don't have a problem with that?"

(AN: I hate in some TRORY's where Tristan and Rory end up pussy-footing around actually sleeping in the same bed together. I mean God, it's just sharing a bed, not wild animalistic sex)

Rory just shook her head as she went into the bathroom to change into a pair of track pants and a singlet for bed. Tristan showered once she was finished. When he came out of the bathroom she sitting at the small desk brushing her hair. The coffee-coloured curtain tumbled gently over her shoulder and down her delicate back. Where the light bounced off it shone a brilliant gold. He caught his breath. She heard him and turned, laughing at his pyjamas. They were blue and grey plaid flannel pyjama pants and he was wearing a blue wife-beater with them.

"What?" He asked, hurt.

"Nothing, it's just, you're the first I've ever met who actually wears pyjamas"

He smiled tiredly at her.

"I'm going to sleep Ror"

"Yeah, me too"

They climbed into the bed together, both lying on their backs.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this" He said.

She laughed.

"No you're not, you didn't sound t all sorry just then"

He shrugged.

"I thought I should say that"

She leaned on her elbow, pushing herself up.

"You didn't. You didn't have to say that"

He nodded silently.


RORY'S POV

It was a couple of hours later when Rory woke up. During their short sleep she and Tristan had moved against each other and his arm was around her. She blushed furiously and was glad she was the only one up. Gently she tried to lift his arm and wriggle out from under him but he just sort of growled and pulled her back closer to him.

"Liz" He whispered and Rory froze.

She tried again to wriggle free from his embrace.

"Liz come back here" He mumbled, pulling her close. He was half-awake now and his lips pressed against her shoulder in a soft kiss.

"I'm not Liz" She said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"I'm not Liz, Tristan" Her voice was louder this time. He woke up fully then.

"Rory?"

"Yes, me Rory" She said sarcastically, pointing to herself. She finally moved free of his arms. "I'm not Liz"

"No, you're not" He said and Rory paled, hearing the wistful note in his voice. Of course I'm not Liz, she thought bitterly, I could never measure up to Liz, so beautiful, so poised, so popular, smart, funny, beloved by all. She finally came back to her senses. What was she thinking?

"I'm sorry I woke you up" She whispered, curling into a ball on her side and squeezing her eyes shut.

"Rory I'm sorry" Tristan said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay" She mumbled, I'll just have to get used to being a consolation prize.


TRISTAN'S POV

Liz was trying to move away from him. She did that, when she had to get back to her dorm. He hated that, that sneaking away. He pulled her closer but her voice, when she spoke, wasn't Liz's.

"I'm not Liz" Her voice came to him softly, as though from a dream.

"Hmm?" He scrunched his eyes shut tighter.

"I'm not Liz, Tristan" The voice was louder this time and he was jolted awake completely. Of course it wasn't Liz in his arms, Liz was gone. It was Rory now.

"Rory?"

"Yes, me Rory" She pointed to herself as she reiterated who, indeed, she was. She threw his arm off her. "I'm not Liz"

"No, you're not" Tristan said before he could stop himself. He mentally slapped himself. She was right, she wasn't Liz, would Liz have done this for him? Somehow, as much as he loved her, he doubted it. Liz had been cautious, not dispassionate, but definitely not rash like he and Roy had been lately.

"I'm sorry I woke you up" She said as she curled into a ball on her side. What had he said?

"Rory, I'm sorry" He said, patting her shoulder.

"It's okay" She mumbled. No, it wasn't, nothing was all right at the moment. Liz had been the love of his life. But then this girl had come along, had shown more passion in the past few weeks than he'd ever seen before. Nothing was all right.

AN: My ex used to wear that for pyjamas adhe made it look so cute. Come to think of it he had gorgeous blue eyes as well...maybe it was just the eyes. Ooh and I have a new fic called "It's Only the Idea" check it out if you can. And remember to R&R!