Disclaimer: I don't own GG

X

Tristan knocked on the Gilmore Home. He had decided to stop over other then call Rory. Lorelei answered. "Hi, you must be Tristan"

"Yep, I'm afraid so"

"Hi. I'm Lorelei, Rory's Mom"

"Hello Lorelei How are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Good. Is Rory home?"

"Yeah she's in her room. Right around the corner" Lorelei stepped back and pointed to the kitchen.

Rory sat on her bed reading a book. It was Sunday. She hadn't gone out all day. Just stayed in her room, reading. Or just staring off into space. She had already read this book but she didn't have anything else to do and it was a good book so she decided to read it anyways.

"Hey" She looked up to see Tristan leaning down to her height.

"Hey" She said turning back to her book. Tristan took the book away and set it on her nightstand.

"Hey! I was reading that" Rory exclaimed sitting up.

"Come on, We need to talk" Tristan sat next to her.

"I'm fine"

"Really? So why haven't you gone out of the house yet?"

"How did you-"

"Your mom told me"

Rory nodded. "I don't want to bump into him again"

Tristan sighed. "Yeah I figured this much. Look Rory, you have no reason to hide from him. He should be hiding from you. You did nothing wrong"

She looked down. He put a finger under her chin and made her look at him. "You Did nothing wrong" he repeated. "You understand?"

She nodded as a tear fell down her cheek. "I hate that it happened like this. I wish the break up would've happened better" He wrapped his arms around her. "I know you do. But this is the way it is and we can't change that. We just have to learn how to deal with it. But I promise, the next time I see him I will punch his lights out just for you."

Rory laughed through the tears. "You already did that once. Your gonna break your knuckles"

"My knuckles will survive. The question is will he?"

"Thanks for coming over"

He shrugged. "No problem."

Lorelei watched as Tristan hugged her daughter once more and smiled. If she didn't know he was Tristan she wouldn't have guessed it was the guy who tortured Rory during her first year. She knew Tristan loved Rory. She could tell by the way he looked at her. She only hoped Rory wouldn't break his heart by making him wait longer. He was nothing like Dean, that's for sure. He treated her with care but not so much care like he was afraid he would break her if he touched her. Lorelei was anxious to see what would happen between the two teenagers in these upcoming months.

"I'll be here in the morning to pick you up" Tristan said as he walked to the front door. Rory followed him.

"You don't have to take me in the mornings you know"

"Yeah but I like to. And besides, you might see Dean waiting at the bus stop"

"True. Thanks again Tristan"

Lorelei came walking in with a smile on her face. "Mom?"

"I have an idea"

"Oh boy" Rory said getting nervous

"No it's a good idea. Let's have a movie night. We can rent all of the Rocky movies and Willy Wonka, of course, and gets lots of candy and other junk food that will rot our insides and have a movie night. Tristan you want to join?"

He looked skeptical. "Sure, If its alright with Rory"

"Yeah its fine"

"Alright, you two go get the movies and I'll get the food, meet at Luke's afterwards so we can get coffee. Ready Set Go" they all set out to their jobs. Tristan and Rory talking the entire way.

Lorelei walked into Doose's Market and grabbed all the junk food she could find. She looked at the time and knew it was time to go. When she walked over to pay she realized there was only one register open. The cashier was none other then Dean. She sighed and looked around. There was no one else in the store and Dean was looking straight at her. She walked to the door that said "Manager" and opened the door. Taylor was inside sleeping. "Taylor wake up" She shouted. He jumped. "Lorelei! You scared me! I was sleeping you should never wake a man when he's sleeping. It's not polite."

"Taylor I want another cashier"

"What?"

"Dean is the cashier. He's the only one open. I want another one"

"What's wrong with Dean?"

Lorelei stared at him. "You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Dean hit Rory"

"What?"

"Please don't make me repeat myself"

"Oh yes, well lets go" He walked out and Lorelei followed him.

"Dean you can go home now, I'll take care of Lorelei" Taylor said pushing him out of the cashier side.

"Whatever" Dean left.

Lorelei paid and went to meet Rory and Tristan.

"There you are! What took you so long?" Rory asked once she saw her mother walking up.

"Oh nothing, Taylor just took awhile to ring it all up"

"Oh ok" They walked in, got their coffee, and walked back to the house.

2 hours and one Rocky movie later Lorelei was asleep on the couch and Rory was asleep on Tristan's shoulder. Tristan sighed and looked down at Rory. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. He didn't want to move but he was tired himself and he needed to turn the movie off. He quietly grabbed a free pillow off the couch and placed it under Rory's head. He got up and turned the movie off.

"Tristan?" Rory said opening her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just turning the movie off" he whispered.

"Oh. Are you leaving?"

"Yeah I got to get back home. Not that my parents would care but, It's a school night. And I don't want to give my dad any reason at all to send me back to Military School"

She nodded. "Thanks for coming over"

"Your welcome. go back to bed" He kissed her forehead and left.

The next day Tristan was waiting outside with two cups of coffee in hand. he rang the doorbell and Lorelei answered. "Hey Tristan"

"Good morning Lorelei. Here I brought you a coffee" Tristan handed her a cup.

"Score! You're my new hero!"

Tristan laughed. "Glad to be of service"

"Rory! Brad Pitt look alike is here!"

Rory came walking in from the kitchen shaking her head. "I'm here"

Tristan handed her the last cup. "For me?"

"No. the other Rory"

"Oh. Darn" Rory chuckled taking a drink. She said goodbye to Lorelei and followed Tristan out of the house.

"So I look like Brad Pitt?"

Rory blushed. "Your ego is getting too big again"

They climbed into the car and Tristan drove off.

Rory opened her locker. It was the last class of the day and she was excited. She hated Mondays. Mondays were the worst.

"Hey Mary"

She smiled. "Hey Tristan"

He leaned against the locker next to hers. "So, what are you doing tonight?"

"Homework"

"Of course"

She shut her locker. "What class do you have next?"

"Biology I"

She nodded. "Sounds fun"

"Oh yeah very. You?"
"American History"

"Oh even more fun"

"Actually it is. Mr. Bennett is actually quite nice"

"Your crazy" He shook his head.

"Yeah whatever Dugrey"

"I'll see you at your locker after class" and with that he was gone. Off to his next class. She turned the corner and walked into her own classroom. She sat down by Paris and took out a book, waiting for the class to begin.

"Hey Gilmore."

"Hey Paris"

"What'd you do this weekend?"

"Nothing, just hung out"

Paris nodded.

"How'd your dinner go?"

"Disaster. Dad showed up in the middle of it and he and mom got in a fight then the maid spilled the wine all over the new white carpet. She's gone"

Rory laughed. "I'm sorry"

"Eh, it was doomed to begin with"

"It's always good to have a positive attitude before starting something"

"I thought so too"

After class Rory opened her locker and got all the books she needed out. She put them in her bag and sighed. She looked around She didn't see Tristan anywhere. She sighed and closed her locker. She'd just have to wait for him. She walked out to the entrance.

"Rory" She looked up expecting to see Tristan. but no, she didn't have that luck

"D…..De…Dean what are you doing here?" She asked backing up.

"I came to Apologize" He said stepping towards her. She subconsciously stepped even farther back. "Listen I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hit you. You deserve better. My anger got the best of me. I'm so sorry"

Tristan walked to Rory's locker. She wasn't there. Mr. Paxton had kept him after class to tell him how good he thought Tristan was doing. He walked outside knowing Rory would go and wait for him there. He saw Rory. Then Dean. Shit.

"What are you doing here?" Tristan snarled as he walked up, putting a protective arm around Rory. She leaned into him.

"Listen man" Dean put up his hands. "I just came to apologize to her."

Tristan looked down at Rory and could tell she was uncomfortable. "Dean I think you should go" He said not taking his eyes off of Rory who was staring at the ground. Then he remembered his promise to punch his lights out. "Dean wait!" Rory looked startled to see him call Dean back. Dean turned around. Tristan walked up to him and punched him. "That's all I wanted. Thank you" Tristan grabbed Rory's hand and led him to his car. He got her in and then went to get himself in.

Tristan turned to Rory once they were inside. "Are you okay?"

Rory nodded not taking her eyes off of the floor.

"Rory don't lie to me"

"What do you expect Tristan?" She exclaimed, surprising him. "Do you expect me to be happy? My ex-boyfriend who hit just showed up at my school! What do you expect me to be!"

He looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay" She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day"

"Don't be sorry. You can be anything else in the world right now, just don't be sorry"

"Why'd you punch him?"

Tristan smiled. "I told you I'd punch his lights out the next time I saw him"

She smiled.

He made a fist and pretended to examine his knuckles very carefully. "Look at that. My knuckles are still intact"

She laughed. "Just drive bible boy. Just drive"

X

Ok, I think this is my favorite chapter so far. I know it was short but it was nice to write that scene. and I know you probably can't break your knuckles but I thought it was cute so whatever. I love the reviews you guys are my heroes for just taking the time to tell me how you liked it. I would have stopped a long time ago and its fun to write this so I thank you so very very much.

Thanks again.

xoxox

Mary Jane