Disclaimer & Summary : See chapter 1.

- - - - - - -

Author's Note: Thank for the feedback and to Jayde(coffeechick87) for betaing this chapter.
Didi

- - - - - - -

The Seventh Stranger
Chapter 18: Running

- - - - - -

Instead of driving to Stars Hollow like she had intended, Rory went to think at Chilton, she sat down on a bench and observed her surroundings. A little more than four years since she had given her valedictorian speech, yet everything was the same there. Same uniforms and rich kids strolling across the grounds; same alignment of Porsches and BMW's in the parking lot. She smiled tiredly, how she wished she could go back to those times when her biggest worry was to know if she and Jess would order Mexican or Indian food.

- - - - - -

Tristan closed his office door after Dean, and went to sit silently on the leather chair behind his desk. He motioned Dean to sit and asked, "Do you want a coffee?"

Dean nodded, "Black, please."

Tristan pushed a button on his phone and asked, "Mary, could you bring us two black coffees please?" He closed the connection without waiting for an answer. He then rubbed his temples furiously, trying to will his headache away.

Dean observed silently, and broke the silence, "You look like hell."

"I am in hell." He didn't add more but saw understanding in Dean's eyes. "Shall we get started?"

- - - - - -

Gabrielle was awakened by screaming in the hallway. She stood up to go see what the commotion was about and kissed Jeremy softly on the forehead before walking silently to the door. She rubbed her stiff neck lazily as she opened the door slightly to listen.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you see him right now. Only one visitor at the time and he is already with his fiancé."

A cruel laugh was heard, "Fiancé? What do you mean 'fiancé'? My son has been stuck in this hospital for over five years! How could he meet a girl and charm her into marrying him?"

Gabrielle cringed behind the door and heard a melodic voice whisper, "Must be a golddigger; who else would want to marry someone who'll never be able to walk and will loose his brain functions soon?"

Gabrielle was furious as she stormed out of the room, "I assume you are talking about me right now, and I'll have you know that I certainly don't need the money."

Ethan Hartman blinked, "Aren't you little Gabby?"

She crossed her arms over her chest to be certain to be able to control her fists, "What if I am? I've been here the whole time? What right do you have insulting me?"

Gabrielle heard the sweet voice behind her, and turned to see Rosaline Hartman, "You've grown up! I never thought this fantasy of yours would last this long." She looked at Gabrielle with her emerald eyes, so much like Jeremy's but instead of warmth, it showed only ice. "A meaningless painter without his high school diploma; a shame of the family. I don't suppose Clarissa knows about your secret love affair with my son, surely she would have locked you up in your room."

Tears glistened in Gabrielle's eyes and she whispered, "If you despise your son, your own flesh and blood, so much that you haven't bothered to visit him in over three years, why come today?"

Ethan Hartman gave a warning look at his wife then patted Gabrielle's shoulder, "Now, now Gabrielle. He is still our son which gives us every right to be here. Especially considering that he just had a brain surgery and I had to learn from your father." He turned to face the nurse and said harshly, "Now that the mysterious fiancé is out of the room, I'll go see my son.

- - - - - -

Rory left her bench, pondering Jeremy's words. She felt very bad for shutting Tristan out like that. She looked at her watch and sighed. She had two choices, which one would be the one for her?

- - - - - -

Dean watched Tristan from across the desk as he was explaining the entire situation. About what happened with Lindsay, his secret affair with Rory, the way Lindsay found out that she was pregnant right after their separation, the way he had to break up with Rory for the third time knowing that he would never be enough for her. He told him about the twins that had just turned two and half that he had never seen.

Dean saw Tristan flicker with anger every time Rory's name was mentioned, and wondered what had happened in two days to change his eyes from pure delight, to furry and pain. But Tristan remained professional as he took notes and asked him question here and there without prying too much into his personal life. Then, the phone rang, and Tristan apologized to him softly for interrupting him as he picked up the phone. "Yeah?"

Tristan listened intently to the person on the other end of the line; he crocked the phone between his shoulder and cheek to rub his temples and eyes. "Calm down Gabrielle." He said harshly, "What do you mean dad told them?" He grumbled, "Don't worry Gab, I'll be there as soon as I can." He hesitated, and then asked softly, "Have you heard from…" He glanced at Dean uncomfortably and whispered, "…Rory?" He closed his eyes, "Soon." He hung up the phone and hid his head in his arms completely forgetting that he wasn't alone in his office.

After a couple of minutes of feeling like an imposter, Dean broke the silence, "You know, if I didn't know better, I would say you had a fight with Rory, and that she freaked out and did what she does best, and ran away."

Tristan shot an angry glance at Dean and grumbled, "Well, that's what she does best with me, I catch her and she run away. I run back and catch her again. No more. I won't run anymore." Then he tried to stand up but stars clouded his vision and he sat back down, grabbing his head in the process. Then he muttered, "I need some sleep."

- - - - - -

As Rory entered the building nervously, she was met by the welcome smile of the receptionist. "May I help you, Miss?"

Rory fidgeted uncomfortably with her hands, "I would like to see Tristan DuGrey."

The receptionist looked at her apolitically, "I'm sorry, but he's not taking any meetings until further notice. Would you like to see another lawyer?"

Rory was about to protest when Xavier DuGrey exited an office, shaking hands with his client, he saw Rory and gave her a fake smile, "Miss. Gilmore, how can I help you?"

She looked coldly at Xavier, "You could point me to Tristan's office door."

He nodded and motioned her to follow him under the suspicious look of the receptionist.

- - - - - -

Dean was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door. Tristan rose his head sharply, "Come in."

He saw his father figure and the anger returned in his eyes, "What is the matter now, Father?"

Xavier smiled brightly, "You have a visitor." He saw Tristan about to protest and let Rory inside and left closing the door behind him.

Dean was once again forgotten and observing. He saw Tristan's eyes soften, Rory's sad and tired eyes as she walked toward Tristan unaware of another presence in the room. Inches away from Tristan she opened her arms, "I'm sorry I ran out on you."

Tristan's arms slid around her waist and he rested his head against her chest, "Stop running away from me."

She held him against him, playing with his ruffled hair, "I'll try my best."

Dean felt a pang in his heart and he silently left the office, knowing that Tristan would call him back for a second appointment.

- - - - - -

Gabrielle paced the corridor in front of Jeremy's room, curious to know what was going on inside, but not wanting to intrude, when the nurse came up to her, "You are not really his fiancé, are you?"

She looked suspiciously at the nurse, "Whatever made you think I was?"

The nurse smile sweetly at Gabrielle, "when you fell asleep against his shoulder, he seemed pretty certain that you were."

Gabrielle smiled back, her eyes filled with hope, "Really?" Then she asked softly, "Did he tell you that he squeezed my hand?"

The nurse blinked, "He what?" She didn't wait for an answer and left hurriedly.

Gabrielle sighed and sat on the floor by the door, listening to the pacing an unintelligible murmuring inside the room.