See first chapter for all necessary information. The song "All I Need" is by Mat Kearney. I recommend listening to it while you read this, but if you don't it's not really going to confuse you. Thanks for the reviews! They really, truly mean a lot.

--

Autumn: Because Reality Awaits Us Outside These Doors

"So, when do you plan on divorcing my girlfriend?"

His jaw clenches at the question. He wants to punch the blonde prick for asking it. And he wants to grab Rory and kiss her senseless. Correction: he wants to grab Rory and kiss her and fuck her senseless in front of the blonde prick. He chooses, instead to smirk and shrug. He does not want to ruin this night for her. Her birthday. Her twenty-fifth birthday to be exact.

Rory does not meet his eyes. He knows it is because she feels guilty. Guilty for sending him the papers. Guilty for being with Logan. Guilty for not answering every time he has called her. He knows the running total for his calls is reaching ninety. But he will not stop calling. He refuses to give up on her that easily.

It has been three months since she sent him the papers. Three months since he finally decided to fight for her. And fighting he has done. He has called her everyday at exactly three in the afternoon, when he knows the blonde prick is not there. She does not answer. He is not unhappy about that, though. Because every Wednesday she sends him an e-mail. She asks how he is doing, how Paris is doing, how work is going. The questions are general. The words she writes him are simple. But those e-mails mean the world to him.

"Oh, Rory, Tristin!" Emily's greeting leaves him satisfied. She does not even address Logan. She simply smiles at him, before directing her attention to the pair. "You must come and cut your cake!" Before any of them have a chance to protest or agree, she is guiding them to the center of the room. He takes this opportunity to really study her. He has not seen her since she left him alone in their house. Tonight, though, he is being given an opportunity to study his wife for the first time in ages.

Her hair is longer now. She looks older. She looks happier. He knows that he is not the reason for her happiness. She smiles at him and he smiles in return. Emily forces their hands together, and he intertwines his fingers with hers. It is then he notices the biggest difference of all as his thumb grazes over her all-important left ring finger. Her wedding rings are no longer there.

He looks down at her, and he knows that she has realized what he's discovered. She opens her mouth to say something, but is cut off by singing. She offers him a smile, but he averts his gaze. He is unsure if it is proper to be upset with her. He did, after all, let her leave. He let the papers print that he was dating Paris (even though he did clear that up with her when he called her the first time). He did not answer the blonde prick's question. And he, too, no longer wore his wedding ring. Not on his finger, at least. His wedding ring was on a chain that he wore around his neck everyday. Because a part of him still believed they would make it work. But with this discovery, that she no longer wears her rings, his doubts have come back in full force.

She smiles at everyone and thanks them, and takes the knife her grandmother has offered her. She cuts a slice of cake and hands it to her grandmother. Her grandmother wheels the cake off to the kitchen to be cut by the kitchen staff. He shakes his head. He never really understood the ceremonial cake cutting. But he has always played along nonetheless. And though his doubts were back, he was reveling in the fact that he was standing next to her and holding her hand. It is a dream come true for him.

Logan goes and stands behind her, not-so-subtly forcing their hands apart as he laces his hands through hers, resting them at her waist. Tristin forces back his remark. He wants to keep a promise to her. And when she had sent him the last e-mail, asking him to be at her birthday party, she had also requested that he not say anything unkind to Logan. He had written her back quickly, promising her he would not say anything. And so far, two hours into it, he has managed to keep his promise.

He catches sight of Lorelai. She smiles at him as she joins Rory and Logan. Rory had informed him in her first e-mail to him that they had patched things together. That Lorelai had softened to the idea of Logan. Especially after Rory had told Lorelai what precisely had happened between her and Tristin.

"I guess this is also a congratulations party, huh, Ace?" He sees Rory visibly stiffen at Logan's words. He narrows his eyes at her curiously. Wanting to know precisely what Logan means. He sees Lorelai's raised eyebrows and takes comfort in the fact that he is not the only one perplexed by Logan's remark. Lorelai nudges Rory with her elbow and he sees Rory force a smile as she looks to both him and Lorelai.

"CNN hired me," she explains. Tristin can't help himself. He throws his arms around Rory, ignoring the glare he receives from Logan, who has been pushed out of the way. He notices that Rory does not hesitate to hug him back. And he wonders if this is a good thing. He kisses her cheek and tells her congratulations. Lorelai congratulates her by grabbing her and hugging her tightly before making her jump up and down with her. He smiles at the scene, remembering when he had first witnessed this.

The night Rory decided to go back to Yale. He remembers driving her to see her mother and watching from the car as Rory and Lorelai hugged and danced around the front yard. It was one of his favorite memories of the two women. And watching them now makes him realize just how much he has missed being a part of Rory's life.

Emily and Richard hug her, and as Richard is walking away Tristin sees a mischievous glint in Emily's eye. She has something up her sleeve, and Tristin is almost afraid to guess what she has planned. As she is grabbing both him and Rory by the elbow, though, he gets the idea. A song is playing. And Emily not-so-subtly insists that they share a dance "for old time's sake." He is forced to rest his left hand at her waist, and takes her right hand in his. He glides her across the floor mockingly, and hears her let out a small laugh. And for once, he is satisfied with himself. He has finally made her smile. For the first time in forever, he feels like he has accomplished something.

Logan's glare eggs him on. He pulls Rory closer to him, and she rests her head on his chest. He kisses her hair, and she looks up at him. She shakes her head and looks to Logan, and he sighs. He knows he should have expected this. He knew she would go back to him. She always does. Always.

She releases herself from his grip and stands in front of him as if contemplating something. She nods, and his confusion kicks into overdrive. He studies her, wanting to know what she is thinking. Other than she has to go home and fuck Logan tonight. She kisses his cheek, and her lips linger near his ear. And he suppresses the smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth.

"Don't lock the front door tonight."

It is autumn. And he realizes that the words of the song – their song – have never rung more true than now.

Everything we got is blowing away
We gotta rock and rock 'til our dying day

--

She is not sure what has overcome her. What has led her to lying to Logan, telling him she is staying the night with Paris and Doyle. The old her, the one who left with Logan nearly six months ago, would not have run back to Tristin. This new her, this woman who is now twenty-five, has taken over her body. The new her is giving Tristin the benefit of the doubt. And she's not so sure that it's a bad idea.

He has changed. He calls her everyday. And though she does not answer, she enjoys the messages he leaves her. And he ends each one with an 'I love you.' No matter how much Logan says it, it always means more coming from him. At first, she reasoned that it was because he was her husband. But now… now she realizes it is because she loves him, too. And not Logan. And tonight… tonight she will figure out if it is really Tristin she needs in her life.

She nears the front door of his house – their house. She opens the front door and smiles. Part of her had expected him to lock every damn door and window. But deep down, she knew he would keep them unlocked. Because she knows that he needs her just as much as she needs him. She climbs the stairs to their bedroom, and her heart is pounding in her ears. She smiles even more at the thought of actually being home and going to their bedroom. Honestly, she does not know what she is doing here tonight. All she really wants right now is to see him.

She opens the door to their bedroom and sees him sitting on the bed flipping through the channels. He looks over to her and smiles. She has never been more nervous than this moment. When he pats the bed beside him, though, she feels more at ease. She has wondered for six months what it would be like to be with him again. And as she crosses over to him, unfolding her arms from her chest, her heart pounds even more.

He turns off the TV and focuses on her. She feels her cheeks heat up under his gaze. She hopes he is not too upset with her for the events of her party. She meets his eyes and sees he is no longer smiling. She takes a deep breath, preparing herself what he will – or, perhaps, will not – say.

"Where are your rings?" The question should have unnerved her. But this was one she had been expecting. She searches for the words to tell him, but cannot find the right ones. She shows him her hand now, which bears both her engagement ring and her wedding ring, and she sees his frown turn into a small smile. He takes her hand in his and shows her his hand, which is now bearing his wedding ring. She had noticed it earlier when they were dancing, dangling from his neck on a chain she had bought for him for his twenty-first birthday.

"Logan doesn't like them." It is the best response she can come up with. It is the truth. Logan has pitched more than one bitch at her for wearing them. He has told her on numerous occasions that she is either all in or all out. And she has made the decision that tonight will determine which of those she is. She has a feeling that it will be the former. And that thought warms her heart.

She bites her lip, contemplating her next move. She knows it has to be on her part. She was the one to leave. She was the one to send him the divorce papers. She has been the one to push him away. And he has been the one to try and hold on. He has called and responded to each and every one of her e-mails. This, though… this is her move to make. Her chance to show him that she wants him back in her life.

She cups his face in her hands and kisses him softly. She figures that testing the waters is the best route to go. She thinks that maybe if she does this, then his next move will determine what, precisely, she is doing here. She finds her answer as his fingers run through her hair and grip the back of her neck. When he covers her lips with his own, and his tongue begs for entrance to her mouth. And she realizes as she kisses him that this is what has been missing from her life for the last six months.

He pulls back slowly, and his eyes are dark with lust. She has missed those eyes. His bedroom eyes. And all she can think about is getting him out of his clothes. And getting out of her clothes. As if reading her mind, he pulls his shirt over his head. She touches his chest gently, feeling him tense under her fingers. She feels like a virgin again… it has been so long since she has felt this way.

He kisses her again, and gently pushes the straps of her dress down. She remembers him telling her long, long ago that he has always enjoyed the idea of dresses, as they allow easier access. The thought is erased when she feels him leaving open-mouthed kisses down her neck and to the valley between her breasts. She gasps at the sensation.

"You're far over-dressed, Mrs. DuGrey." His voice is husky, full of lust and want. And, she knows, that behind those two emotions, love resides. She can feel it. Much like she can feel his throbbing member on her thigh. She briefly wonders how she ended up on top of him, but when he kisses her again she pushes the thought away. Technicalities are not important right now, she decides, as she pushes down his sweats, revealing the boxers she bought him two years ago for Christmas.

She catches his confused eye as she lets her hand dip below his boxers. He throbs in her hand, and she hears him moan as she runs her hand up and down his hardened length. He kisses her fiercely, and she loses herself in the kiss. Before she knows what is happening, her dress is off. And he has flipped them. She is, for the first time in half a year, completely naked in front of her estranged husband. And she sees the shock in his eyes when he realizes she was not wearing panties.

She gives him a wicked grin, and he returns it as his hand travels between her legs. He inserts a finger into her and she moans, arching into it. He kisses her again and inserts another finger. She cannot stand the torture. She brings his ear down to her lips, nibbling softly on it, before saying, "Now." He understands, and as soon as the word has left her lips, he thrusts into her.

There is nothing slow about this. It is a rough, needing pace. And she is not complaining. She meets him thrust for thrust, and does not blush when he tells her precisely what he wants to do to her. When profane words are uttered from his lips, she says even more profane things.

They cry out each other's names within seconds of each other. And she melts into his embrace as he holds her close, and whispers words of love to her. She has missed this pillow talk they have shared.

But for the first time in what seems like forever, she does not fall asleep. She stays awake, and the realization of what she has done comes crashing down too soon. She has slept with her estranged husband. She has lied to her boyfriend. She has done all this without thinking. And she is not surprised. It is how she operates.

She waits for him to fall asleep, and releases herself from his grasp. She realizes that, yet again, she is running from him. Because she has betrayed Logan… the one for whom she betrayed Tristin.

She sighs in frustration as she pulls her dress on. She prays that he will, one day, forgive her for what she has done. She kisses his forehead, and decides against writing a note. A note will not fix what she has ruined – a good, steady friendship. A road back to togetherness and wedded bliss. Sex will not solve their problems. Sex will not solve anything, she realizes… three hours too late.

She glances back at him once more and feels her heart shattering. She highly doubts he will forgive her for this. But she still holds out hope. She slides her rings on her finger and quietly opens and closes the door. She walks out into the cool October night and cries at the song that is playing when she starts the car.

It is autumn, and she tells herself that the words of the song mean nothing to her.

Baby, it's all we got but it's all I need
You're all I need