Title: Of Mice and Men
Author: RightSide
A/N: To view disclaimer, summary, and other essential materials, refer to chapter one because I'm too lazy to post it twice.
A/N2: Sorry for the hold up, kids. It looks like this is going to be a long one. There will be a lot of pairings suggested, but the one posted still stands in case you were wondering. Thank you for your support on this. I never would have thought I'd get so many reviews from two chapters... you guys are amazing.
HELP: I'm looking for an editor. Although I do speak English, I sometimes have trouble writing it down. If you think you're up for the task, let me know. Thanks.
Chapter 3: Suffering the Consequences
Rory knew from the moment it began that something was wrong. At first it was little things. She couldn't handle her grandfather's aftershave. Grapefruit became appealing as an after school snack. Then coffee lost its flavor. Caffeine no longer filled her with comfort as she slept walked through her classes at Chilton. The gossip became unbearable at times but not worth the tears that she hid as she ducked into the girl's bathroom.
Her mother had noticed as well, and that was when everything went to hell.
"What's this all about?" Dean asked as Lorelai nearly dislocated his arm as she dragged him out of the market. Trying to collect herself, her first attempt at speaking was a complete failure. She took in a deep breath, inhaling the fumes radiating from her coffee cup.
"I need for you to tell me the truth-"
"I haven't done anything!"
"Hey! No interrupting! If you start to interrupt then I'll get even crankier then I already am. Got it?" He nodded, not understanding the reason for her hostility but willing to cooperate.
"Have you had sex with Rory?" Dean laughed anxiously.
"Is that what this is about?"
"Answer the question, Dean." Lorelai's voice lacked any type of emotion.
"No, I haven't." he said defensively. She side stepped him and began to walk purposefully towards Luke's. Dean caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
"I think I deserve an explanation."
"For what?" she scoffed.
"For you acting like this. Pulling me out of work to ask personal questions you honestly have no right to ask."
"No right to ask! My daughter has suddenly become distant and given up her favorite thing in the world. I have every right to ask whatever I damn well please. Now let go of me." he did with a completely confused look on his face, and she rushed to Luke's.
"Where is he?" her rampage was still going strong.
"Where's who?" Luke asked, placing a plate full of fries on the counter haphazardly. For some reason he felt like another car crash was headed his way.
"You know who," she shouted. A few of the customers left.
"What's going on?" Jess asked as he came down the stairs. Lorelai pushed him back up to stop herself from making a scene in front of half of the town. He cursed more than normal as he fell across the threshold to the room.
"What's your problem?"
"You. You are my problem. You used her. You manipulated her-"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you impregnating Rory!" she screamed. Jess stood frozen before he grabbed his coat and shoved his way past her, ignoring her snide remarks.
"Where do you think you're going, you little punk?" she said, not allowing him to get to the stairs.
"I'm going to go see if Rory needs me, because unlike you I'm going to go do something constructive instead of making an ass out of myself by alerting the entire town of what's going on as I scream at a few bystanders."
"So you admit you did it. You ruined my daughter's life." she crossed her arms in front of her. It acted as a protective barrier as the two began to throw insults at one another. When Luke finally arrived he was able to keep Lorelai busy long enough for Jess to sneak out. Dean was there when he arrived at Rory's house.
"Dean, I'm so-" he could hear her sob between words.
"Don't say it Rory. I'm tired of this. First I think you're with me, you know. I think you're really with me. Then Jess starts coming around more often. You talk to him more than you do me. And this…" Dean trailed off, "I'm not sure if I can do it anymore, Rory. I… I need time to sort this all out. Figure out if there can even be an us anymore. I'm sorry." he pushed open the door and walked out. Inside a tearstained Rory was standing in her pajamas watching him leave. Jess began to clap.
"Nice job. Leave the girl you love when things get hard. You're a real catch, you know that." Lorelai pulled into the driveway, but wasn't out of the car yet.
"Yeah, I am. And I don't deserve this."
"What?" Jess spat out.
"She cheated on me. Forgive me if I'm having second thoughts about our relationship."
"And you have every right to, Dean. I'm sorry that I blew up at you." Lorelai chimed in, patting Dean on the back. Jess looked at them both and had to fight the urge to vomit. He ran to Rory, realizing his disgust was less important than her current condition. She began to spout more tears and explained how her mother caught her having a bout of morning sickness. A fight had ensued, and when Rory didn't give answers Lorelai ran to Dean.
"Wait here a moment, okay baby?" he said, ducking inside for a second. Lorelai waved Dean off and came inside. Neither of them spoke.
"Come on, Rory." Jess said, emerging from her room, "We're going."
"Like hell you are!" Lorelai screamed.
"This doesn't involve you," he said, dismissing her easily and gathering a broken Rory in his arms. Lorelai grabbed her daughter back, nearly hissing at Jess.
"Get out now." she ordered him.
"And leave Rory here with you? I think she's been traumatized enough."
"She did this to herself and now she'll have to suffer the consequences of her actions."
"You know what, Rory's too nice of a person to tell you this, but I've just about had it with you and your self-righteous attitude."
"Jess, no." Rory whispered half-heartedly. She was growing weaker, though she couldn't understand why.
"Shut up, Rory. Let me hear what he has to say." Lorelai's tone was certain as she once again folded her arms and huffed.
"I was raped!" Rory yelled at her mother, "I didn't want to tell you, but to hell with it now! You're not worth protecting! I went to Tristan's party and was drugged and raped about a month ago. But it got complicated. Chilton is hell enough with the gossip, I didn't want a lawsuit."
"Emily would have known about this by-"
"Kids aren't stupid, Mother. They know when not to talk." Rory took on her mother's stance.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know how."
"I don't know what to say." tears were welling in Lorelai's eyes, and when no other words could come to her she repeated, "I don't know what to say."
"I think you've said enough." Rory walked out the door with Jess in tow. Lorelai grabbed the phone and dialed. A machine greeted her and she fought her first impulse to throw the phone to the ground.
"Chris," she sniffled, "Chris, I messed up. I need you here. Please." she hung up and began to cry uncontrollably. Then she did something she didn't think was possible. She picked up the phone again and chose a different number.
"Mom…" again she began to sob.
Rory jumped in Jess's car, and though she unsure of herself she was certain of one thing. She couldn't come back. No matter what her future held, Star's Hollow was out of her life.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jess asked as he turned the ignition. She nodded, and he absent-mindedly wiped away a tear that was falling in slow motion down her face. She smiled slightly. A fake, reassuring smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"I don't want them to see me that way," she muttered.
"What way?" he pulled out of her driveway.
"Like I'm one of those girls who lost herself along the way. I don't want to come back until everything's okay again." she sounded as if she was telling herself as well as him.
"I know a place we could go."
"We?"
"Yeah," he stopped in the middle of the road and held her hand in his, "we."
"Let's go to California."
"What's in California?"
"My dad." Jess nodded, but then a thought came to him.
"Why don't we go to Hartford and then to California?" he asked slowly. She understood his meaning and agreed. After much discussion and many stops where Jess needed to remind her she didn't owe Tristan anything, it was decided she would write a letter in case she lost her nerve at the door. Jess told her to check the back seat after she noticed her lack of paper and saw two duffle bags. One filled with her clothing and the other, smaller version with her favorite books that she kept in a drawer along with her writing supplies.
"How did you…?" she let it go after she noticed his smirk.
"I grabbed some essentials after I came in. When I told you to wait." she grinned at his thoughtfulness, changed, and began a short letter to Tristan. By the time they arrived at his mansion in Hartford, it was complete and sealed inside of a plain envelope with his name written clearly on the back. Shaking slightly, she opened her door and made her way to the entrance. A servant answered before she even reached for the bell.
"You're late." he stated and left the door wide open as he turned and left. Not knowing what to do with herself, she decided to make her way upstairs. It wasn't until it was too late that she heard the crash and feminine moan illicit from inside the hallway that lead to his bedroom.
"Oh my gosh." the blonde girl exclaimed, picking up her discarded shirt and holding it to her bare chest. Tristan's eyes went wide as he realized who had intruded on his steamy session.
"Rory?" he murmured, not believing his eyes.
"This was a mistake," she said, watching the girl duck into the bathroom to replace her blouse. She turned to leave, but Tristan wrapped an arm around hers to stop her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, stealing a glance at the bathroom door. In the mad rush the girl had made, Rory hadn't been able to register that Tristan was also lacking a shirt and was now showing off an incredible six-pack. He opened his bedroom door, and she followed him inside.
"I'm leaving town permanently, and I just wanted to say goodbye."
"Okay," he put on a shirt, "Goodbye." His eyes were faded, all feeling drained from them.
"Is that all you have to say to me?" she didn't feel as much sorrow as she was showing him, but the day's events were taking enough of a toll on her to make her overly emotional. A droplet of water fell from her face for the hundredth time.
"Oh, Mary. What did you want me to say?" his voice was soft but serious, "I haven't spoken to you in weeks. You've been avoiding me, not returning my phone calls, and all of the sudden you're expecting me to what? What do you want from me, Mar?" he cupped her face with his hand.
"Nothing. You know, I didn't even want to come. Jess told me to write a letter in case words didn't work… and they're not. I just…" her voice broke, "I want you to know I could have loved you. When you read this, you'll understand. If things had been different… if I wasn't Rory Gilmore, you weren't Tristan DuGrey, and we didn't have this mess to clean up, I could have loved you. You deserve to know that." She kissed his cheek as he stood unable to move and pressed the letter into his palm.
"Tristan, what's going on?" the blonde asked, now completely dressed. A brunette also appeared, and Rory understood why the man who opened the door was so rude to her. He thought she was one of Tristan's toys, too.
"Nothing, ladies. I was just leaving," she looked back to Tristan, "Goodbye." With that she left. Tristan turned to the girls who were now eyeing him as if he was some sort of pastry.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do this tonight." he said, and after a convincing act he persuaded them to take a rain check. With a humble kiss on the lips each, they also disappeared. Tristan tore open the letter.
Dear Tristan,
There are so many things I wish I could tell you. I'm sorry I didn't have the courage or the will to speak to you after what happened. I didn't know where to start, so I didn't. I know you were careful, but I'm pregnant. Don't try to race the clock to find me or do anything heroic. Just live the life you want to lead, Tristan. You're an amazing person underneath. Don't waste what you have attempting to please society. I want you to know I'll never forget you, and you'll always have a place in my heart.
-Rory-
The letter began to shake violently in his hand, and he grabbed the table beside him in an attempt to steady himself. He cursed everything he could think of, including her. There was a dead silence that spread through the household, giving him a feeling of true loneliness.
"To hell with it." he told himself, grabbing the set of keys closest to him. Driving to Star's Hollow at life or death speeds, he arrived believing she had been on her way home when she left. When he stormed inside, he nearly tripped over Lorelai's body. Her face was pale as she lied on the floor, a bottle of some sort of alcohol in one hand and her cell phone in the other.
"Ms. Gilmore!" he called as he knelt by her side. After trying to make her open her eyes and seeing that she was truly unconscious, he grabbed his own phone and dialed emergency.
"Hello?" he asked as soon as someone answered, "Yes, there's a woman passed out on the floor and I think she's been drinking. I can't get her to wake up. Jesus, I don't think she's breathing." The woman on the other side of the line asked if there were pills lying around and other idiotic questions Tristan didn't know the answers to. When the word 'ambulance' finally came out of her mouth he hung up and tried to once again wake her up.
Five hours later she was stabilized.
"Do you know what happened to her?" he asked, although he already knew part of the answer.
"It looks like a suicide attempt, but we can't be sure. We pumped her stomach to clear her system as much as we could. She should be fine."
"How does too much alcohol lead you to think she's suicidal?" he asked, not liking where this was going. Suicidal meant psychologists, therapy, and medication.
"Listen, you're not a family member. I honestly shouldn't have told you anything. Does she have a sister or someone we could contact?"
"She has a daughter."
"Great, do you have her number?"
"No, no I don't." he answered, half in a daze.
"Fine. Stick around another couple of hours and she'll be up on her feet. Then we'll let you escort her out of here, okay?" the doctor was pitying him, he had a look in his eye that made Tristan feel like a three year old who's wandered away from his parents in the middle of the grocery store.
"Okay. I'll stay," he said, sitting down in an uncomfortable black chair in the waiting room. Lorelai had tried to commit suicide. If she'd succeeded, it would have been his fault. Her blood would have been on his hands, all because of one stupid night. One incredibly moronic decision that changed not only his life, but also Rory's and her mother's. There was only one thing he could do. Find her, and somehow piece her life back together before it was too late.
A/N3: Please review. I know a lot of you didn't want this sort of development to occur, but I have some ideas that I hope will make up for it. Input is always appreciated! Oh, and remember, editor wanted!