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Chapter 28

"So are you all ready?" Lorelai asked the four teenagers as they stood in the living room ready to go to Yale to have a look around. Tristan was offered a tour after receiving his scholarship and he was due to meet the Dean as well. He had told Jess about it who was interested in tagging along seeing as he was applying there too. It then turned into a road trip as the girls decided to go along as well.

"Yep think so." Rory nodded. She turned to Tristan. "You got everything?" She asked.

"Yep. Don't need much anyway. Got the letter from the Dean." Tristan said.

"So what car are you taking?" Luke asked appearing from the kitchen.

"Mine." Rory said.

"Ok." Luke said.

They all stood quietly for a moment knowing what happened the last time they were in a car together.

"We should...uh...get going." Rory said. "You don't want to be late." She said to Tristan.

He nodded. He glanced at Luke and Lorelai. "Uh..we'll see you later." He said.

"Yeah. Drive carefully." Luke said gruffly.

Tristan nodded. "I will."

"We'll call when we get there." Rory said giving her mom a hug and a kiss and then doing the same with her dad. "Love you."

"Love you too." Lorelai smiled. "Be safe. And have a good time."

"We will." Rory smiled.

Luke and Lorelai watched as they went outside and Tristan got into the driving seat with Rory getting into the passenger seat and Jess and Paris getting into the back. They watched as they drove off, the car disappearing from sight. Lorelai took a deep breath and felt Luke's hand take hers. "They'll be fine." He said.

"I know. I just...worry..." Lorelai sighed.

"I know. I do too. But they'll be fine." Luke said.

Lorelai sighed but nodded. "Come on, let's go back inside. I promised the kids I'd take them to the park today." She said.

"This is amazing. It's a lovely campus." Rory said as the four of them walked through the Yale grounds.

"Yeah it's nice." Tristan nodded. "What do you think?" He asked Jess.

"Not too shabby." Jess agreed.

"The libraries at Harvard are bigger." Paris said.

"There's my supportive girlfriend." Jess smirked putting his arm round her and kissing her cheek.

"I'm just saying..." Paris said but couldn't help but smile at Jess calling her his girlfriend.

Jess just smirked. "You will still visit though, won't you? Even though Harvard has bigger libraries."

Paris smirked. "I'm sure I can find the time." She said.

"Seriously you two, find a room!" Tristan joked.

"You can talk! Who was it who didn't lock their hotel bedroom door while they're were making out?" Jess smirked.

Both Tristan and Rory blushed.

"Jess!" Rory hissed.

Jess grinned. "What? I love holding that over you."

"Nice." Rory mumbled.

"Come on, we're here." Tristan said leading them into the main hall where the Dean's office is. He looked at his watch. "I better go in. It's time."

Rory gave him a kiss. "Good luck! Not that you'll need it. He'll love you."

"Thanks." Tristan said nervously.

"We'll wait here." She said gesturing to the seats in the hall.

"Ok. See you in a bit." Tristan said kissing her again and then disappearing off the the Dean's office.

Rory, Jess and Paris sat down in the armchairs waiting for him to reappear. "It really is nice here." Rory commented.

"See that's what a supportive girlfriend looks like." Jess teased Paris.

"Shut up. I swear you love baiting me." Paris playfully hit him on the arm.

"Ah that's why you love me." Jess smirked.

Paris blinked as she realised what he had said. She blushed and gave him a small smile. "I guess that must be the reason."

Jess grinned and kissed her on the cheek.

Rory smiled at their interaction and sighed, looking round the hall again.

"You ok?" Jess asked.

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Rory said.

"Are you sure? You seem...distracted..." Jess said.

Rory smiled at him. "I'm fine. Honestly. It's just sinking in that we'll be off to college soon. Next step of our lives."

"Yeah.." Jess said.

After a few more minutes, Tristan reappeared.

"How'd it go?" Rory asked getting up.

"Yeah it was good. He was really nice." Tristan nodded.

"Good!" Rory smiled.

"He said he'll see you if you want." Tristan said turning to Jess.

"What?" Jess said surprised.

"I mentioned that you were wanting to come here too and he said he'd be happy to have a chat with you if you wanted." He said.

"But I haven't prepared anything." Jess said.

"You don't need to. It'll just be an informal chat. It's your choice. You don't have to see him." Tristan said. "I'm sorry if I overstepped the mark. I just thought if you had a chat with him, he'd put in a good word for you."

"It can't hurt." Paris said.

Everyone turned to Paris surprised.

"You think I should do this?" Jess asked.

"Tristan's right. It can only help your chances." Paris said.

"When did you suddenly become in favour of Yale?" Jess asked.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe I'm trying to be a supportive girlfriend?" She smirked. "That's what you wanted right?"

Jess smirked. He then sighed. "I don't want to make a bad impression."

"You won't." Paris said standing up. "You're bright, Jess. You deserve a place here and the Dean will see that. Just be yourself and it can't go wrong." She said.

Jess couldn't help but go over and kiss her. "I love you." He said softly.

Paris smiled. "I love you too. Now go see the Dean." She said.

Jess smiled and disappeared off to the office.

Tristan turned to Rory. "Since when did they start declaring their love for each other?" He whispered.

Rory smirked. "It must be them knowing they're going to be separated soon." She said. "It's nice though, isn't it?"

Tristan smiled. "I never thought I'd hear either of them say I love you." He admitted.

"Well love can change you." Rory smiled.

Tristan smiled and glanced at her. "Yeah it can." He said softly.

They were nearly back in Stars Hollow when Rory's cell rang. She smiled as she saw the caller ID. "Hey mom! We're nearly here." She answered cheerfully. Her smile soon faded though. "What?" She exclaimed. "What do you mean, a fire? Is everyone ok?"

Everyone fell silent in the car as they took in what Rory was saying.

"Ok...uh..yeah we're literally two minutes away. Ok see you there." She said and then hung up.

"Rory?" Jess said worried.

"There was a fire at the inn." Rory said in shock.

"What?" Jess said shocked. "How?"

"I don't know. Mom doesn't know how it started yet but it spread pretty quickly. They got everyone out though. Noone was hurt." She said.

"Well that's good at least." Tristan said.

"Yeah..." Rory said quietly.

"Rory?" Tristan said concerned.

"That inn meant so much to mom. It was her first home." Rory said quietly. "This is really going to devastate her."

"Maybe they can get it back up and running?" Jess said.

"I don't know. It sounds like it was bad." Rory said glancing back at him.

"Your mom at the inn?" Tristan asked.

Rory just nodded. She did give him a small smile though when she realised that was where Tristan was driving. They got there and Rory rushed out. She spotted her mom at the front of the crowd staring at the inn. "Mom!"

Lorelai turned and gave her daughter a small smile. "Hey hon."

"Mom, I'm so sorry." Rory said giving her a hug.

"Thanks sweets." Lorelai said sadly.

"I'm sorry." Jess said as the other three approached them. He looked at the inn and knew they wouldn't be able to get it back to how it was.

"Thanks Jess." Lorelai said. She then forced on a smile. "How was Yale?" She asked.

"It was good." Tristan nodded.

"Yeah not too shabby." Jess agreed.

"Good. That's good." Lorelai said quietly glancing back at the inn.

"It'll be ok." Rory tried to reassure her.

Lorelai sighed. "Will it? How do you know?"

Rory shrugged. "Because whenever things were bad when I was younger, you'd always tell me the same thing." She said.

Lorelai had to smile and she pulled Rory into her. "Thanks hon." She said softly.

Rory kissed her cheek. "It'll be ok." She said softly.

They all stood there looking at the inn and they all knew this would need a lot more than fixing up for it to be in working condition again. Lorelai blinked back tears in her eyes knowing that it was a lost cause. She didn't know what she was going to do now. It really worried her.

So I hope you liked it! :) Please keep the reviews coming. I love reading them! :)