-1Disclaimer: Guess what? I don't own Gilmore Girls. You're shocked, right?

A/N: Hello my lovely reviewers. I must say that I love each and every one of you. And even if you don't review, I'm still thrilled that you've taken the time to read my little story. Well… I guess after 17 chapters it's not so little anymore lol ;) Anywho, thank Christi for improving the story with her wicked beta skills!!!

Previously:

"Oh, I got it! She must be a great lay," Billy joked.

"Shit Billy! Don't ever talk about her like that."

"Okay, okay. Damn, what's your problem?"

Tristan sighed, "Nothing, okay. I'm just really tired."

"Then go take a nap. Call me as soon as you return to your normal charming self and tell me you'll come to my party," Billy complained.

"Billy, comrade, whining is not your most attractive quality."

"Shut up, dickhead," Billy remarked while hanging up on Tristan.

Chapter 17: Hell, Hell, Hell. Damn, Damn, Damn.

Tristan rolled his eyes at the phone and put it back on the coffee table. An intrigued Lorelai followed him into the living room. Tristan spun around to return to the kitchen and almost ran smack into Lorelai.

"Jesus!" he yelled, startled.

"So, who was that? What did you forget? What did the mystery caller say about Rory? And when is the party?" Lorelai inquired.

"That was Billy Cranson. I forgot that his party was Saturday night. I'm not telling you what he said about Mary, but I will tell you that he'll never say it again unless he wants his teeth knocked out. And I don't know how you know we were talking about another party because I never said anything about it, but its next Saturday," Tristan replied in one breath.

"Why is he throwing two parties in a row?"

"His parents are out of town for three weeks, so he volunteered his house as the designated party spot for two weeks. I believe Josh McClellan is hosting the following week's because his parents are going to Florida."

"Interesting. I had no idea the Chilton kids could be such partiers. Are you going?"

Tristan sighed. "I don't know, yet."

"Wrong answer," Lorelai replied, glaring into Tristan's blue-green eyes.

"What?"

"You were supposed to say, 'No Lorelai, of course I'm not going to a kegger the week after…"

Rory's door swung open at that moment, shooting daggers with her eyes.

"Could you two please stop fighting? I am not in the mood to hear any of it. Mom, if Tristan wants to go to a party, I don't blame him. The past few weeks, especially this weekend, have been stressful and awful. It would be nice to just escape from it all."

Tristan was shocked at her response. He expected her to be, well, like Rory.

"Do you want to come?" he asked her, tentatively.

"No, I have three tests next week, so I'll have to study all weekend. Speaking of which, I need to study for my history quiz, tomorrow."

Lorelai gaped at Rory. "You're not planning on going to school tomorrow, are you?"

"Of course," she said. "What did you expect me to do?"

"Well I expected you to take some time off. Try to get emotionally past this."

"This. This is something I will never fully get over," Rory told her mother, a little angrily.

"Rory…"

"No, Mom, I want to go back to school," Rory said adamantly.

Lorelai conceded. "If you're sure, then I guess it's your decision, but if you change your mind…"

" I won't. Thanks Mom."

Rory gave her mom a hug and returned to her room. Tristan followed her and watched her pull out her history book and notes. She opened them up and began reading through the stack of papers. Rory tried to concentrate on the information in front of her, but it seemed so trivial. The only reason she even wanted to go to school was to avoid the looks and the questions as to why she was absent. So, even though she'd rather stay in bed for the rest of her life, she knows she has to get up and go back to Hell.

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Monday Morning

Rory felt a cramping in her lower abdomen as she opened her eyes. Glancing at her alarm, she realized she had three minutes before it began the annoying beeping. Rory gritted her teeth as the cramping worsened. The doctors told her this was normal. Since she refused the D&C, her body had to clean out her uterus on its own. She was on pain medication for the cramps as well as a dose of antibiotics to keep her from getting a pelvic infection. She knew she should get up and take a pain pill, but her body wouldn't let her. Her alarm began the horrendous Beep Beep Beep. She groaned, annoyed at the loud, piercing tones and also for the muscle contractions she continuously felt.

Tristan heard the noise of an alarm, and it stirred him from his slumber. Emotionally, he didn't think he was ready to go back to school, but if Rory could do it then so could he. She was in a much weaker state than he, so Tristan sucked it up and rolled off the couch. Although the couch was pretty comfortable, it was still a couch; Tristan rubbed his neck and stretched, in order to wake himself up.

The alarm had stopped blaring, but there was no hint of movement coming from the door. Tristan wasn't sure if Rory was the kind of girl that hit the alarm three times before getting up. Somehow, he didn't think so. Yawning, he stood up and walked through the kitchen. Knocking on the door, he waited for a response. There was none.

"Hey Mary."

Nothing.

"Time to wake up, sleepy head."

Silence.

"Rory, babe. Are you okay?"

This time he heard a faint wail from the other side of the door. He opened the door and found Rory curled up in the fetal position with one hand on her stomach. She was whimpering and her eyes were closed tightly.

"Mary, are you okay?"

Rory moaned. "My stomach hurts."

"Okay. Do you need your medicine?"

Rory nodded vehemently and Tristan sprung up to grab the bottle of pills. Quickly extracting one, he filled a glass of water and hurried back to Rory. He helped her painfully sit up and she took the pill without hesitation. Tristan rubbed her back while they waited for the medicine to take effect.

"Are you sure you want to go to school, today?"

"Yes, God. Why do you and my mother keep asking me that?"

Tristan looked hurt when he heard the anger and annoyance in her tone. "We're just worried about you. Rory, you lost the baby on Friday. That was only two days ago. There's no way you can be fine. You're pushing your real feelings aside, and I know you. There is no way you're ready to go back to school."

"Yes I am," Rory adamantly replied.

"Oh really. Then how come I'm not?"

Rory didn't reply.

Tristan's hurt and anger with Rory's indifference finally spilled over. "You were pregnant. I know I can never understand what that is really like, but I know you feel a hell of a lot worse than I do. And honestly, I feel like shit."

"You're right. You have no idea what it feels like to be pregnant. And guess what? I'm kind of glad that I'm not pregnant anymore."

"You don't mean that," Tristan whispered.

"Yes I do," Rory told him, with tears threatening to fall as she said the lie she had been telling herself since this awful thing happened. "At least now no one will find out."

Tristan knew she was lying. He knew in his heart of hearts that she didn't mean any of the words leaving her sweet, innocent lips. So, he gave her a free pass. He nodded and stood up to go shower and get dressed. Rory walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a donut.

When they were both dressed and ready, they climbed into Tristan's car and headed to school. Rory decided that if anybody asked her why they were in the same car, she'd just tell them that Tristan was nice enough to give her a ride. That would end any suspicion. As Rory walked into school, she was relieved to find no one looking at her. No fingers pointed. No laughing. No whispering. The young almost mother took a deep breath and headed into Chilton with the fair-haired boy she had grown to love.

Tristan and Rory had different first periods, so Tristan pulled Rory close to him and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She melted into him for a moment, but the warning bell brought her out of her happy place and back into the Chilton reality.

"Good luck on your history quiz," Tristan smiled.

"Thanks. See you at lunch?"

"Yup."

The two lovers parted ways and went about their days. Surprisingly, Rory was able to focus enough to do well on her history quiz. The rest of her classes were a nice distraction and a good source of normalcy. Even though she would have rather been in bed, she knew it was good to get out and keep her mind off of the incident. Lunch came around quickly and she hurried into the cafeteria to meet Tristan.

As she walked through the halls, she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. All around her, people were staring and whispering. She tried telling herself that it was all in her head, but it was pretty obvious. As she waited in line for her food, unseen by the group in front of her, she overheard what they were talking about.

"… she came into the hospital completely unconscious. She was pregnant."

"No way. She would never…"

"I swear to God. She had a miscarriage and she's already back at school. I think it's because she doesn't want anyone to know about it."

"Who's the father?" another voice asked.

"Oh didn't you know? She and Tristan DuGrey have been very chummy ever since the Winter Dance when they left together."

"Wait, weren't you Tristan's date at that dance?"

"Yes, but he blew me off and had one of his buddies take me home," the girl bitterly replied.

Rory felt herself hyperventilating as she realized they were talking about her. How did they know? How could they possibly know? In a bit of a trance, Rory bought her food and sat down in her usual seat. Tristan was no where in site, and Rory wanted to cry. She opened her book and a note fell out. She picked it up and miserably read it.

Hey Mary,

Sorry, I'm not going to be able to make lunch. Bobby insisted I go see his new car. I agreed before he asked too many questions about why I wasn't at his party. insert groan, and not the sexy kind ;) I'll see you right after, though, in Lit.

XXXXOOOO

Tristan

Rory sat in her lonely bubble and ate her lunch while the rest of the world gossiped about her. She pretended not to notice by staring at her book and occasionally turning the page. As tears threatened to fall, she held them inside. After what seemed an eternity, lunch was over. She jumped up and ran to her locker. Quickly, she switched out her books and rushed to Mr. Medina's class. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what was drawn on the board.

There was a picture of a girl holding a dead baby in her arms. Above the girl's head, Tristan's Latest Conquest was written in big bold letters. Before Rory had a chance to react, Tristan entered the classroom with a group of friends, including a very boisterous Bobby exclaiming that his car had eight cylinders and could go 0-60 in under five seconds. Tristan took one look at the chalk board and froze. Rory didn't even know he was there before she turned around and started to run. Tristan grabbed Rory before she could leave the classroom and pulled her towards his chest. He felt her body shudder in silent sobs.

"I'm so sorry, Mary. I don't know how they found out. I swear, I didn't know anything about this. It's okay. They don't know anything," Tristan whispered soothingly into her ear.

At that moment, Mr. Medina walked into the classroom.

"Good afternoon class. I hope…"

He froze when he saw the gruesome drawing on the board. Rory Gilmore was crying into Tristan DuGrey's chest and he was holding her. All in all it was one of the most awkward situations he had ever come across as a teacher. The rumors had reached the teachers, but he really doubted any truth in the matter. Well, until he saw the reactions of the two star players in the rumors. Mr. Medina wasn't so sure the rumors were just rumors. Calmly, he walked to the board and erased the horrific sketch.

"Paris Gellar. Could you please help Rory to the restroom?"

Paris nodded and gripped Rory's shoulders. Tristan hesitated before letting go, but he kissed the top of her head and released her. The class was silent as Paris helped Rory out the door and down the hall. Tristan, filled with hatred for whomever drew the cruel picture, turned towards the class. His jaw was set and his teeth were clenched.

"Who drew that?" he asked.

"Mr. DuGrey, please take your seat."

Tristan ignored him. "Believe me. I will find out. And when I do, you will be sorry."

The revulsion and abhorrence in Tristan's eyes was enough to make even the innocent squirm in their chairs. The class was silent and Mr. Medina again told Tristan to sit down. This time, Tristan obeyed, but his eyes still smoldered as he faced the front of the class. Mr. Medina even felt uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny.

"Whomever drew that on the board better be ashamed of themselves. That was completely unacceptable behavior, and I will never see anything like that again in my classroom. Unfortunately, I can't prove who did it; but if I could, you better believe I would insure their immediate suspension. Furthermore, I would like a written apology on my desk by the end of the day," Mr. Medina sternly told the class.

He felt bad that there wasn't anything more he could do, but his hands were tied. Because he didn't see anyone drawing on the blackboard, he couldn't punish anyone. Mr. Medina felt awful, and he was shocked when a well-composed Rory returned to class and took her seat. He half expected her to stay in the rest room the rest of the day. As one student read Beowulf aloud, Mr. Medina laid a note on both Tristan and Rory's desk asking them to stay after class.

A/N:What did you think? Please review, because sometimes I use reviewers' suggestions in my stories. Thanks for reading.