Story summary: Lorelai and Rory are still at odds over Tristan and Dean is still in the dark. Dean’s time may be coming to an end but will he go quietly?

 

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in my story. The characters belong to the WB show and its affiliates.

 

 

INT: RORY’S BEDROOM-DAY

 

Rory is sleeping in her bed when there is a knock at her window. Hearing the knock she groans and turns over. The knocking becomes more insistent. Finally Rory opens her eyes and crawls out of bed over to the window. Pulling back her curtain she sees Dean.

 

RORY: What are you doing here?

 

Dean crawls in the window and stands next to Rory.

 

DEAN: I came to take you to breakfast. I thought since we didn’t get to go out last night that we could make a day of it.

 

RORY:  Oh…I can’t.

 

DEAN: You mean you can’t make breakfast or you can’t spend the day with me?

 

RORY: Breakfast I can do. But I have to go to Hartford later today.

 

DEAN: Again?

 

RORY: Uh…things didn’t go as well as planned last night so Paris is gathering us all together again. I’m really sorry.

 

DEAN: What about tonight?

 

RORY: Tonight should be fine.

 

DEAN:  Good…I’m starved…let’s go eat.

 

RORY: Just let me change.

 

DEAN: It’s just Luke’s Rory…what you’re wearing is fine.

 

Suddenly Rory is very aware that she is wearing Tristan’s sweatshirt.

 

RORY: No…I should change. It will just take a minute.

 

Rory hurriedly takes off the hooded sweatshirt which causes something to fall from the deep front pocket. Dean watches Tristan’s Chilton Id falling to the floor and immediately looks at Rory.

 

DEAN: What is that?

 

Rory looks down at the ID…panic stricken. Dean bends over and picks it up. He turns the ID over and sees immediately that it belongs to Tristan. He looks at Rory for an explanation.

 

DEAN: (cont) Why do you have Tristan’s ID in your sweatshirt?

 

The door to Rory’s bedroom is opened and Lorelai comes bouncing in.

 

LORELAI: Rise and shine sweet pea…Dean…hi, I didn’t expect to see you here.

 

DEAN: I uh…came to take Rory to breakfast. But I think I’m just going to go.

 

Dean hands the ID back to Rory and walks out her bedroom door.

 

LORELAI: Did I miss something?

 

Rory holds up Tristan’s ID for Lorelai to see.

 

RORY: This fell out of Tristan’s sweatshirt…right in front of Dean.

 

LORELAI: Good picture…but…Ooh…that’s very, very, bad.

 

RORY: I should go after him…but what can I say that isn’t going to be just another lie in the string of lies that surround me?

 

LORELAI: Tell him the truth.

 

RORY: Mom…I can’t.            

 

LORELAI: This is ridiculous Rory. Tristan needs to be a man here and just tell his dad where to shove his business deal.

 

RORY: Right. So then he could send him to military school…you’d like that, wouldn’t you.

 

LORELAI: You did not just go there.

 

RORY: I’m sorry…but Tristan is this amazing thing that has happened to me…I need you to be on my side mom.

 

Lorelai looks at Rory…Rory waits for her to agree and is stunned when she doesn’t

 

LORELAI: You should probably go after Dean.

 

Upset Rory starts past her mother but Lorelai stops her.

 

LORELAI: Rory hon…wait. I’m just concerned for you…that’s all. I will wear the supportive hat from now on…if that’s what you want. But if you tell me to be honest with you…I’m going to. We don’t keep secrets from each other…remember?

 

RORY: I have to go mom.

 

LORELAI: I’m not the enemy here Rory.

 

RORY: I know…but I’ve really got to find Dean and try to fix this.

 

Rory grabs her jean jacket and heads out the door…Chris pokes his head into the room.

 

CHRIS: Is it safe to assume that didn’t go so well.

 

LORELAI: Perceptive as always.

 

CHRIS: Can I make an observation?

 

LORELAI: Can I stop you?

 

CHRIS: Probably not.

 

LORELAI: Then observe away.

 

CHRIS: I think you’re hanging on too tight.

 

LORELAI: You could not be more wrong.

 

CHRIS: I see what’s going on here Lor…you see Rory developing an interest outside of you and it’s eating you up…you are jealous of Tristan.

 

LORELAI: Take that back.

 

CHRIS: Own up to it…it will help speed up the recovery process.

 

LORELAI: Fine…my name is Lorelai…and I’m a…what am I?

 

CHRIS: A mother.

 

LORELAI: God…don’t say that. I am not a mother…I’m Rory’s best friend. We’re best friends dammit.

 

CHRIS: Of course you are…but what she needs right now is her mother. She has met this guy that turns her inside out and she not only needs your approval…she wants it.

 

 As Chris’ words hit home Lorelai walks out of Rory’s bedroom …With a fleeting look of concern he closes Rory’s bedroom door and follows Lorelai.

 

INT: LUKE’S DINER-DAY

 

Dean walks into Luke’s and sits down at a table. The look he bears is one of a guy sure of what he has seen, but unsure of what he feels. Knowing Rory has Tristan’s ID in her possession is eating him up…angering and frustrating him at the same time. Rory starts to walk by Luke’s but seeing Dean she goes inside. She walks over to him.

 

RORY: Can I talk to you please?

 

DEAN: Why? So you can tell me some trumped up excuse for why you have that jerks ID in your jacket? You know I’ve known for a while now something wasn’t right.

 

RORY: It’s not my jacket Dean.

 

DEAN: I don’t really care whose jacket it is Rory. I do however care that all these jerks are crawling out of the woodwork and you keep making friends with them. And whether you don’t see it…or refuse to see it. They are not after your friendship.

 

RORY: So this isn’t just about Tristan…is it? This is about my friendship with Jess too.

 

DEAN: It’s about all the strays you keep bringing into our relationship. Every time one of them gets closer to you…you and I get farther apart. Is that what you want…me to go away?

 

Rory is standing next to Dean…preparing to answer him when Jess comes out of the back room with his bandaged hand and swollen eye.

 

RORY: Oh my God Jess…what happened?

 

JESS: I turned around and ran into some jealous guy’s fist.

 

RORY: (looking at Dean in disbelief) You did this?

 

DEAN: It was a misunderstanding. I thought he was the one who bought you the flowers.

 

RORY:  You’ve got to be kidding me…you hit Jess because you we’re jealous?

 

DEAN: I don’t know…I guess. You’ve got me so confused Rory that I seem to be doing all sorts of stupid things lately.

 

JESS: I’ll second that.

 

DEAN: Stay out of this!

 

JESS: What? Or you’ll deck me?...Oh wait…you’ve already done that.

 

DEAN: Keep it up Jess…you still have one good eye.

 

JESS: Wow…did you think that one up all on your own?

 

RORY: Both of you…stop! Dean can we please go somewhere and talk?

 

DEAN: Fine.

 

Rory and Dean leave the diner and seconds later Lorelai and Chris enter. Chris starts towards the counter but Lorelai steers him towards a table in one of the corners. Lorelai takes the menu off the table and put it up like a wall to hide them from view.

 

CHRIS: Care to tell me exactly why we’re hiding behind these menus?

 

LORELAI: We’re not hiding…we’re deciding what to order.

 

CHRIS: Lor…you know Luke’s menu by heart…what’s going on?

 

LORELAI: Nothing…I’m just not very hungry.

 

CHRIS: Fine…then we’ll just get some coffee.

 

LORELAI: To go.

 

CHRIS: To go? That’s it…outside.

 

Chris takes Lorelai’s arm and gently guides her outside the diner. He steers her over to the park bench and sits her down.

 

CHRIS: You have exactly 60 seconds to tell me what the hell is going on…or I will be drawing my own conclusions.

 

Lorelai looks at Chris and lets out a deep sigh…she can’t lie to him…he knows her too well…so she prepares to tell him the truth.

 

LORELAI: I’m afraid to face Luke.

 

CHRIS: Why?

 

LORELAI: Because…I know he has feelings for me now and things would just be too awkward…that’s all.

 

Chris is watching Lorelai as she answers and suddenly it dawns on him what is going on with Lorelai.

 

CHRIS: No…that’s half of it. God…how could I have been so stupid…I must be slipping.

 

LORELAI: Excuse me?

 

CHRIS: You’re starting to wonder if maybe you and Luke shouldn’t be together…am I right?

 

LORELAI: No!

 

CHRIS: Close?

 

LORELAI: Ugh…maybe. Chris I’m so sorry. But last night Luke hit me with this huge thing out of the blue…and I’m kind of blind sided by it. Please don’t hate me.

 

CHRIS: Does this change things for us Lorelai?

 

LORELAI: I…no…of course not. That would be stupid right? To give up something this good for something so *what iffy*

 

CHRIS: That’s your answer? Lorelai…I’m not going to play second to Luke. If you have feelings for him…let me know now.

 

LORELAI: It’s not like that Chris…I care about Luke. I mean God he’s been like Rory’s father…this is so not coming out right. I just meant to say that he’s really been there for us…not any better…bottom line Christopher…I love you.

 

CHRIS: And Luke?

 

LORELAI: I…need him. He is very important to me…and to Rory.

 

CHRIS: Are you asking me to step aside Lorelai?

 

LORELAI: Whatever it is with me and Luke…I’m asking you to understand it. I want so much to be with you Christopher…but I want my friendship with Luke too.

 

CHRIS: Okay. But stay honest with me Lorelai…if you’re feelings for Luke change…don’t lie to me about it. Promise me that.

 

LORELAI: I promise.

 

Lorelai pulls Chris into her arms and hugs him…over his shoulder Chris sees Luke watching them from the dinner…causing him to hug Lorelai even tighter…afraid to let go.

 

EXT: STAR’S HOLLOW GAZEBO-DAY

 

Rory and Dean are standing on opposite ends of the gazebo. Dean tries to approach Rory but she puts up her hand to stop him.

 

RORY: I followed you to apologize to you…I wanted to make you feel better…but now I’m not entirely sure why.

 

DEAN: I made a mistake. I assumed the growing distance between us had to do with Jess.

 

RORY: So it made you feel better to hit him? Can you see where this concerns me?

 

DEAN: What difference does it make. You are obviously pulling away from me Rory…and I don’t know what the right thing to do or say here is. The only thing I can come up with is that maybe we shouldn’t be seeing each other any more.

 

RORY: Dean…

 

DEAN: Rory…why won’t you tell me what’s going on with you?

 

RORY: I just want you to be happy Dean. That’s all I want.

 

DEAN: You are the one who makes me happy Rory.

 

Rory’s new cell phone rings and she reaches inside her jacket to look and see who it is .

 

RORY: It’s Paris.

 

DEAN: Can’t she wait?

 

RORY: She may be canceling for today. I should get it.

 

DEAN: Fine.

 

Dean walks away as Rory picks up her cell phone.

 

RORY/ PARIS: INTERCUT

 

RORY: Hi Paris.

 

PARIS: Did you get my message last night?

 

RORY: Yes.

 

PARIS: And you of course will be there. I’m depending on you.

 

RORY: I’ll be there.

 

PARIS: Good. Destination change though.

 

RORY: Okay…where are we meeting now…and if you say Star’s Hollow I’m hanging up.

 

PARIS: Nonsense. We are meeting at the Hollings estate.

 

RORY: Hollings? You mean…

 

PARIS: Cassidy’s house…is there a problem?

 

RORY: No…no problem. I just didn’t realize she was part of the dance committee.

 

PARIS: Well she is. So we’ll see you there by eleven.

 

RORY: I don’t’ know where she lives.

 

PARIS: 510 Parchment street. Don’t be late.

 

Paris hangs up the phone and Rory sticks it back in her pocket before looking back at Dean.

 

DEAN: So I guessing she didn’t cancel.

 

RORY: No such luck. I really should get going…but can we please talk about this later?

 

DEAN: I can drive you there…if you need a ride.

 

RORY: That’s okay…you would just have to come get me later…it’s not very convenient.

 

DEAN: I don’t mind. In fact…I’d like to take you there. What do you say?

 

RORY: Okay. I’m going to go home and change. Pick me up in twenty minutes?

 

DEAN: I’ll be there.

 

Rory gives Dean a hug and starts back towards her house. Dean sits down in the gazebo watching her go.

 

EXT: DUGREY ESTATE-DAY

 

Tristan and Cassidy are sitting in his car. 

 

CASSIDY: Come on…it will be fun.

 

TRISTAN: I am not going to join some stupid dance committee. End of discussion.

 

CASSIDY: (putting her wiles to use) For me?

 

Cassidy starts to run her hand up Tristan’s thigh…Tristan stops her hand before it can go any further.

 

TRISTAN: You’re parents are just one door opening away. Wouldn’t want to shatter mommy and daddy’s image of their perfect little girl.

 

CASSIDY: Says who?

 

Cassidy pulls Tristan towards her and starts passionately kissing him. Tristan is at first thrown…and then gently pushes her away.

 

TRISTAN: We should probably get going if we want to get to your house before the committee.

 

CASSIDY: Great idea…the house is completely deserted with my parents here. We can have some real *alone* time.

 

Tristan starts the car and takes off down the driveway.

 

INT: GILMORE GIRLS HOUSE-DAY

 

The front doorbell rings and Rory goes to answer it. Dean is standing there with a huge bouquet of wildflowers.

 

RORY: Are those for me?

 

DEAN: What do you think?

 

RORY: Dean…you shouldn’t have.

 

DEAN: I just wanted to make you smile.

 

Rory smiles at Dean’s very sweet and unexpected gesture.

 

DEAN: (cont) And see…it worked.

 

Rory takes the flowers from Dean and gives him a sweet kiss.

 

RORY: Thank you.

 

DEAN: You’re welcome.

 

RORY: We should probably get going or I’ll be late.

 

DEAN: Wouldn’t want to keep the Chilton preppies waiting.

 

Rory walks out to Dean’s car with her flowers still in hand and starts to get in the passenger side, when Dean stops her so that he can open the door for her.

 

RORY: And the true gentleman emerges. Thank you.

 

DEAN: My pleasure.

 

Dean shuts Rory’s door behind her and gets in on the drivers side. He starts the car and the two start towards Hartford.