Gilmore Girls

Uncanny

A/N: It's been awhile, I know. I have had hardly any computer time and I shouldn't really be on here right now, not until I get my glasses. Sigh. Reading glasses. This is kind of a nothing chapter but I like it and I'm happy with the way it worked out. It just kind of flowed. Happy reading! Evie. xx

Summary: The voice on the answering machine. The picture on the entertainment. Both are eerily, uncannily familiar. L/R/T in London.

Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Gilmore Girls in anyway.

Chapter Ten

"Promise to call every day?" Rory asked.

"Of course," Tristan replied, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. He pulled her close and breathed in the smell of her raspberry and grapefruit shampoo. "I'm going to miss you."

"It's only for little bit more than a week, right?" she asked. "We've been apart longer than that before."

"And it was hell," he shot-back. She smiled lightly and pressed her cheek into his shoulder. "Hey, you'll get my shirt wet."

"You'll live," she whispered. A door opened and Logan's footsteps were heard stomping down the hall. Tristan loosened his grip and Rory stepped slightly away.

"Oh, sorry guys," he mumbled. "I didn't realize you were out here."

"It's okay," Tristan said, stepping fully away from Rory. The phone rang and Rory leant over and scooped it up. She said a few curt words as Tristan quickly zipped up his bag and Logan filled his travel mug with coffee.

"That was Laurie," Rory frowned. "He's waiting downstairs. You'd better go."

Laurie Ranger was a good friend of Tristan's and he had a part-share in the café. He would be driving up with Tristan and Tristan would spend a good part of the 'holiday' trying to keep the good-looking man out of mischief and a better part of the week regaling Rory with the stories of his many activities over the telephone.

"What's with the frown, Mar?" Tristan asked softly.

"He had a girl with him," she answered.

"Cass," Logan murmured.

"What?" Rory and Tristan snapped.

"Clarissa. Your best friend in the country. Cass, Clarissa," he replied.

"She's downstairs with Laurie?" Rory asked, confused. Logan looked up and noticed that they were looking at him.

"Huh? What? No, I have a missed call from her," he said, flashing his mobile at them. He crinkled his brow. "Who's Laurie?"

"It doesn't matter. Say goodbye to Tristan," Rory broke-in, rolling her eyes. She watched as the two men in her life walked over to each other and shook hands. A shiver ran down her spine as she realized just exactly who she wished was leaving and for how long.

"Hey, good luck and have fun," Logan smiled. "But don't have too much fun."

"Take good care of my girl," Tristan parried. Rory noticed Logan slightly flinch but if Tristan had noticed, he didn't show it.

"Of course," Logan replied. He waved his travel mug at Rory. "I'll meet you downstairs. I ordered us a town car today."

"You read my mind," she replied dryly as Logan exited stage left. She moved closer to Tristan and he slipped his arms around her again. Their lips clashed together in a passionate kiss. "Is it just me or was there an awful lot of goodbye in that kiss?"

"I am going away for a week and a half," Tristan replied. Rory shivered and a thought she had never had before entered her mind.

"Tristan, you are coming back aren't you?" she asked. "I mean, you aren't going to stay up there…"

"Of course I'm coming back," he whispered. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. She swallowed and bit her lip nervously. "Umm, call me when you get there so I know you're safe, okay. You know how Laurie drives."

"That I do," he laughed lightly. "Are you going to be okay here while I'm gone?"

"I'll be fine."

"It sucks that you couldn't get anytime off. I thought for sure that Logan would say yes," Tristan continued.

"He didn't say flat out no," Rory corrected. "But I can tell he wasn't pleased with the idea. I mean, it is my newspaper and it's not right for me to exploit him and dump all this work on him. And besides, I have been waiting for the twentieth anniversary edition years."

"I know. I guess it was selfish of me to ask you to come when I knew how excited you were about. I just hate being apart from you," he replied. Rory felt a funny feeling growing in her stomach. He was trying too hard, going too far and she suddenly wanted him gone. She leant forward and pulled him into another kiss. He pulled a small box out of his pocket and placed it in her hands. "I love you, Rory."

"I love you," she whispered. She pulled away. "We'd better go downstairs. Laurie and Logan will be waiting."

-

Logan and Rory stood outside waving as the black zippy convertible shoots down the road. They turn to each other and sigh as they wait for their town car. Logan reached over and pried the small box out of Rory's hand. Shocked and immobilized, she let him.

"You and Tristan took awhile upstairs," he mused. He turned the box over and over in his hands.

"He didn't want to let go," she whispered. She took a step closer and he threw his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against his shoulder and he kissed her cheek, dropping the box into her open bag.

-

"I give up!" Lorelai screamed. "What's in the box?"

"I don't know," Rory replied. "I haven't opened it."

"Well, could you please hurry up and do it because I'm not sure if you're aware how expensive international phone calls are," Lorelai gasped.

"Umm, mother, do you actually remember the last time you paid a phone bill? I thought not because you don't have to pay phone bills," Rory answered dryly.

"Yes, I do suppose you're boyfriend's father owning he biggest telecommunications company in the world helps a fair bit with these calls," Lorelai drawled. "But I still want to know."

"Mum, what do I do if it's a ring?" Rory asked.

"You try it on and see if it fits," Lorelai suggested. "If it is a ring and it doesn't fit and you decide not to marry Tristan, you have a perfect out. He'd be the first to agree that an engagement ring that doesn't fit is a bad omen."

"I bet it isn't a ring and I'm freaking out for no reason," Rory sighed.

"You know, hon, it never occurred to me that Logan being there had thrown you that much. I know you still love him and that you aren't over him, I just never realized that you were still in love with him," Lorelai said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that two months ago, if Tristan had proposed, you wouldn't have thought twice about saying yes," Lorelai explained. "I never realized that it would be something you would have to think about. I just figured you and Tristan were more solid than that."

"But you said yourself that Logan would always be your favourite," Rory interrupted. "And besides, I supported you when you broke up with Max. I packed all my clothes in an overnight bag, ate nothing but an Altoid and stayed in some cheesy B&B. I even sacrificed going to the Harvard library to keep you company. I mean, who knows when I'll ever have that opportunity again? And all you can say is 'I didn't know you would have to think about it? 'So what if I'm not sure I want to marry Tristan. I mean why does that automatically mean I want to be with Logan? Maybe I just don't think it's the right time to get married."

"Whoa! Slow down, pony," Lorelai cut in. "Babe, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't even know what's in the box."

"I know. I'm just saying that a little bit of support is all I need," Rory explained. "I just need you to say that you will love me and support me if I decide I don't want to marry Tristan, whether or not it means I'm with Logan or not."

"They both love you and you would be happy with either of them. I just wonder which one would be happier with you. Tristan who gave up everything to be with you or Logan who gave up on you?" Lorelai asked. She went on before Rory could voice her opinion. "Don't get me wrong. I love them both dearly and in another universe on another planet, I would have jumped for joy at the thought of you being Logan's wife."

"That's not true. You have never wanted me and Logan to work out. You love him like a son but you don't want him as one," Rory argued. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Wow. Mum, why are we even having this conversation?"

"I don't know, Angel, but you clearly have some sorting out to do," Lorelai pointed out. She sighed dramatically. "In answer to your demand, of course I will love and support you, whoever you choose. But I retain the right to make many observations I see fit and give you my opinion at anytime. The truth is, I'll be thrilled no matter who you end up with. I just want it to be your decision and I want you to be the one who makes it. I mean, I don't want you to pick Logan just because Tristan isn't there or stay with Tristan because Logan leaves. In fact, why don't you come home for a while? Maybe some time apart from them will do you good."

"I don't know, Mum, work is pretty hectic right now," Rory answered. She was glad her mother had suggested the idea though. It provided a good distraction from the previous conversation. "I can't get away."

"Hence you aren't on your way to the freezing cold seaside town of Newcastle right now," Lorelai pointed out. "Babe, you haven't been home in almost two years."

"I know. I just can't stand being there anymore," she admitted. "I just get so… I just can't handle it and I don't like the feeling of not being in control."

"You know, most of the town is back to normal…"

"Is the gazebo still pink? And are the streets still painted in sparkly gold?" she asked, in reference to the Wizard of Oz festival that Taylor had organized, the festival at which she had discovered her grandparents were paying Christopher to visit her, the festival at which she and Lane had had their first major fight, the festival at which she found out Lindsay and Dean had reunited and were having their first child. When Logan had told Rory he was being shipped out to London and had asked her to come, it was a relief.

"Well, yes. You don't have to come back to Stars Hollow. We can stay in New York or Hartford or even Boston," Lorelai suggested. "I just miss you and I want you to come home."

"If I tell you I'll think about it, will you leave me alone?" Rory asked.

"If you open the box, I won't even mention it again," Lorelai agreed a giddy tone in her voice.

"Deal," Rory sighed. She picked up the box from off her desk and steeled herself for what might be inside. "I'm picking it up, I'm opening the lid and…"

"And what?" Lorelai asked quietly. She was barely breathing, so scared was she at the thought of what could be inside.

"It's a locket with an 'R' engraved on top," Rory in answered in one relieved breath.

"It sounds beautiful, hon," Lorelai smiled, seemingly relieved too.

"It is. Look, I'd better go," she continued. "I have so much work piled up. I love you and I promise I'll think about coming back to the States."

"Good. Love you, kid," Lorelai chirped. She hung up the phone and rested against the heavy oak counter at the Dragonfly Inn. She looked at Michel and smiled. "Rory's not getting married. It wasn't a ring."

"And this is a good thing?" Michel asked, for once his accent not sounding obnoxious. Lorelai looked at him, her brow furrowed. "I meant that as a statement. My apologies. This is a good thing."

"Yeah," Lorelai replied. "This is a good thing."