Such Sweet Sorrow

Disclaimer: For legal purposes it must be stated that I do not own any of the characters from Gilmore Girls nor do I own characters originated by Jennieln, who has given me permission to use them. The lyrics are from Simple Plans "I'd do anything" and I have borrowed them for the progression of my story without monetary gain of any kind.

Author's Note: Hope everyone's enjoyed Such Sweet Sorrow, which dragged me through the past few months right along side you. While I knew all along where I was headed the journey was anything but what I expected and I felt lost at least half the time. I had fun though. Here's an epilogue just to pull it all together and give you that mushy "Awwww.." feeling! Lots of Love to all my readers and special thanks to Nel, my beta who ripped her head bald trying to get me to the finish line. Your the Best!

Epilogue

Three Months Later

Chilton, Lunch Hour

She sat alone at one of the lunch tables, her book lay open before her. Distractedly picking at her food, her eyes raced across the page completely absorbed by the story unfolding before her.

Tristan shook when he spotted Rory and began weaving through the crowded cafeteria to reach her side. He sat down, next to her, once he reached the table and silently waited for her to notice he was watching.

He saw the moment her back stiffened, a split second before her head came up, swinging around and meeting his amused gaze.

"Hi!" she smiled warmly at him before glancing down to mark her place.

"Miss me?"

"Since I saw you an hour ago? Tons. Actually I was spiraling into depression just wondering what took you so long." she said sarcastically.

"I knew you were lost without me." he returned with a smirk. "Hey guess what I found?" he asked suddenly almost vibrating with energy.

"The most incredible girl in the world, possibly the universe, and she's willing to put up with you?" Rory asked with wide eye innocence.

"Funny." Tristan raised any eyebrow imperiously. "Someone needs a coffee intake reduction."

Rory gasped, reaching out to grab her cup quickly, cradling it to her chest. "No! Go away, Mean Tristan. I want Good Tristan back."

"For a kiss I'll drive you to Luke's, buy you One cup of coffee and tell you what I found." Tristan offered.

Rory laughed. "You drive me to Luke's everyday and buy me coffee. Plus you drive me home AND help me do my homework. Sorta. Really it's more like me helping you with your homework in-between fighting off the make-out king. So what else ya got?"

"How about just kissing me because you love me?" Tristan asked thoughtfully.

Rory shook her head slowly.

"Because I love you?"

She smiled wickedly but shook her head again.

"Because I found William and Isabella?" he asked lowering his voice.

"What?" Rory yelped, causing several heads to turn their way. Tristan smiled at them amused by Rory's outburst.

"Where?" she demanded.

Tristan grinned evilly raising an eyebrow.

"Can I pay later?" Rory whined. When he shook his head slowly at her, she frowned at him.

"After school? Come on Tristan, I'll kiss you tons later." she pleaded.

"Tempting..but this time I want a kiss, from my Girlfriend, right here."

"Come on. Everyone's watching." Rory blushed, starring down at her hands.

Tristan groaned. "So what? You love me, remember? The whole world be damned, right? They'll get used to it."

Rory sighed. Lately Tristan seemed to want her to kiss him whenever they were in public. Stars Hollow residents had snickered and teased as he pulled her into his arms in Luke's, the town square even at the dairy shop over sundaes. It was as if he were displaying their relationship to the whole world, daring them to try to interfere.

"Your just showing off!" she protested weakly.

Tristan smiled at her. "Why not? I'm in love with the most beautiful, brilliant, sexy, sweet, crazy girl in the world and she adores me. What's not to show?"

"Hey! If I'm crazy it's because my mother's driven me to it!" she muttered.

"Stop procrastinating. I want my kiss." Tristan demanded. Rory huffed again prepared to put him off until later when she saw a hint of vulnerability pass through his eyes and immediately softened. Instead of pushing him away she reached over, sliding along the bench close enough to slide her hands around his waist, hugging him.

She held him tight, breathing in the wonderful smell of aftershave on his skin, she'd grown to love. In his arms she always felt loved and so safe she often wondered if she deserved his love.

"This is nice, Mary but I want my kiss." Tristan whispered against her ear, his warm breath tickling her. She leaned back to laugh up at him.

Slowly her smile faded until she was studying him.

"What?" he frowned self-consciously at her odd behavior.

"I love you, you know?" she announced loudly. The cafeteria went silent suddenly as all eyes turned to stare at them. Tristan felt his face heat but he grinned nonsensically at her.

"That's good. I love you, too."

She laughed joyfully again as she caught hold of his tie, yanking him forward. She dragged him into her kiss, pouring her love and happiness into it. Tristan wrapped his arms around her , deepening the kiss, matching her love with his own.

They broke apart when the sound of applause finally registered. Rory's face flamed but Tristan jumped to his feet to hop onto the table.

"Thank you, thank you." he bowed, "we'll be here all week. Next show in three hours."

Rory reached up to pull him down while classmates called out congratulations and catcalls. She dragged him to the door embarrassment filling her while the others patted Tristan's should as he passed them.

"Geez, you'd think you'd just announced you had lost your virginity." Rory said once they'd made it outside.

"Not mine." he smirked and she slugged him.

"And who told them that?!" she demanded playfully.

"No way. I would never-" he denied vehemently.

"Ssh. I was teasing." Rory pressed a finger to his lips.

"They don't believe it. They can't believe I could tell you I love you, kiss you and touch you and not-" he shrugged uncomfortably. He knew it was more than them not being able to believe, it was that some times he wasn't sure he could believe it. Wasn't sure he could do it. He wanted be that close to Rory so badly at times his skin felt as if it were on fire beneath the surface. Other times just holding her felt like such a miracle he knew he would never push her for more.

"Who cares what they think? I know the truth, you know it." Rory slid her arms around him again, holding him close.

"Besides, some day it'll be true, right?"

"What?!" Rory laughed in surprise. "Tristan Dugrey!"

"I'm just saying one day.." he pulled back to look down at her within the circle of his arms. "You'll tell me when."

"Keep talking like that, Bible boy and you won't be able to practice even the circumstantial evidence for a long, long time." she threatened.

Instantly he adopted a contrite look. "Sorry. I meant after we're married of course."

"Ahh, and are we engaged? I don't think I've got my ring?" she asked silkily.

"Eventually. First we should probably finish high school, start college." Tristan mused.

"And if the time comes you might want to ask, instead of assuming." Rory suggested, her tone wry.

"Sure. Want me to ask now so you can start planning? I know how those long term goals of yours work. I wasn't even sure you'd let me be the one to ask, kinda thought you had it all set already." he teased.

"I do not." she muttered.

Tristan smiled.

"Okay, so maybe I thought about it a little! That's not a crime. It's not like I picked the date already." she said shoving him, since she was attached they both rocked for a moment until Tristan caught his balance.

"It's okay. My life wasn't anything great until you came along, so if you want to stick around and make my life perfect for the rest of it, I think I'll let you."

She stared up at him in wonder. "You make it better for me too." she lifted herself to meet his kiss even as his head came down to touch his lips to hers sweetly in a quick caress.

"Can I ask now, where William is?" Rory asked when he pulled back.

"Bristol, England. He's buried in a small town just south of there. He died in 1820 when he was 25, a fall from his horse. He never married, never had children." Tristan rubbed her back, unconsciously offering her comfort.

"That's so sad." she said quietly, against his chest.

"No it isn't. He loved Isabella more than anything in the world. He lived seven years without her and every moment must have felt like an eternity. It's better he died young." Tristan rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

"But she wanted him to be happy, to go on living for her."

"He couldn't. Without her he didn't know how to care about anyone, not even himself until she showed him. After she was gone, it must have hurt too much to keep going."

"I can't believe how long ago it really happened. What am I saying, I can't believe it really happened." she sighed sadly. "Where's Isabella?"

"She wasn't part of the upper class so it isn't recorded but I bet she's buried beside him." Tristan guessed.

"How do you know?"

"It's where I'd want to be if it was you. It's exactly how I'd feel if I lost you." Tristan told her quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

Rory laid her head over his heart. "One day we'll go there. We'll lay flowers on their graves and tell them how they helped us find each other."

"We'll go, but I have a feeling they already know how they saved us." Tristan said speculatively.

"You think so?" Rory smiled at the thought.

"No more dreams right?" she shook her head. "Because we did what they wanted. We followed our hearts, found each other and now we'll live happily ever after. And damn the whole world if they don't like it." Tristan said smoothing her hair.

"Who says we'll live happily ever after?" Rory demanded with a laugh.

"Me." Tristan told her arrogantly. "After all, I am the crowned prince of Chilton, right?"

"I guess that makes me Cinderella?" Rory asked.

"Hmm. Or Snow White or Beauty to my Beast." he said with an exaggerated leer.

"Definitely that last one." she laughed, swatting him playfully.

He pulled her close, leaning down to kiss her smiling lips, sealing her laughter between them.

Elsewhere

Isabella smiled as she looked down on the pair of young lovers. She remembered the joy, the sweetness that came with the laughter and kissing. She sighed contentedly as William slipped his arms around her pulling her close for all eternity.