What if Rory read an Obituary and it changed her life? pairing Rory and Tristan

This occurs some two or so years after her graduation and break up with Logan after declining his proposal. It was difficult, but she feels she has finally moved on. She feels lonely and unfulfilled and wonders if she will ever be happy again.

For JJ'sMommy27 thank you for the inspiration

Disclaimer: The characters and backstory are all ASP, but the actual story is all me and my muse.

The Obituary

Chapter 1 – The Funeral

Rory Gilmore is doing well, all things considered, it isn't her dream job, but it beats the hell out of her last job, following the man who would be president as he spoke across the country. After the campaign she wanted to find roots,she was tired of the constant moving, it just wasn't her. She is sitting at an Obituary desk in Hartford Connecticut, not her normal job either, usually she is a fact checker, but since Roy, the guy who is the usual Obit guy and his wife just had a baby, she is filling in. She lives once again in the pool house but is currently single and her grandparents arrange dates for her from time to time. Some nights the place is difficult, filled with reminders of Logan, others it reminds her of when her grandparents were temporarily separated. She is content, a little lonely, after all she was with Logan for three years and when he went the whole troop of friends seemed to go with him. Nights are the hardest, once you have become accustomed to sleeping beside someone, the bed feels larger and colder. This has been a trying two years, granted the first was a bit easier in some ways, being on a bus traveling America was not without its distraction, but now she is back in Connecticut, back in the familiar arms of her family and oddly she feels she has somehow failed them. Monday morning can never come fast enough, at least at work there are no such reminders of the rut her life has become.

Rory opens her inbox to start the day, Obit's aren't as sad as she had feared, even when reporting the death of a child she feels as if it somehow offers closure to the family. A familiar name pulls her in, DuGrey, Janlan age 92, she opens it and reads the facts and is somehow heartbroken for a boy she once knew. She recalls his revelation to her that his grandfather was his only ally and that his home life was less than ideal. Impulsively she decides she will attend the memorial on behalf of the Gilmores who are currently in the South of France visiting her Aunt Hope. She fires an email to her grandmother who dutifully replies with the pertinent family information and applauds her granddaughter for her good manners. Not being family, her grandmother has advised she wear her navy-blue dress and flats or no more than a one-inch heel as she will be trekking across the lawn to their family crypt. She also tells her the name of a florist with whom they have an account and what type of flowers to send and to please sign for the family.

She is standing to the back of the church when the poised and handsome young man at the pulpit notices her. He had been speaking so eloquently about his grandfather when his eyes met hers and she feels chilled by his recognition. He takes a breath and releases the gaze returning to the task at hand.

After the service she is walking to her car to follow the group to Janlan's final resting place when a hand secures her arm, "Rory?" She turns, and blue meets blue, his hair is groomed perfectly, and he is obviously well built beneath what is sure to be a custom-made suit. "Please, if you don't mind, ride with me."

She nods and follows him to the waiting car slipping in and scooting to the far side to allow for him to slip in beside her and close the door, the car moves at a slow pace.

"Why aren't you riding with your parents?" She asks.

He quirks a smile, "I don't want to talk to them, I wouldn't have known he was sick if it weren't for Paris."

"Paris? You and she are still in touch? I never knew, I even asked her once and she shrugged. She used to call my ex-boyfriend 2.0." She half laughs, "How have things been, what do you do now?"

He let out a soft chuckle, "She told me you were dating Huntzberger, small world, heard he proposed and you said no." he looked at her expectantly.

"I didn't say no, exactly, I was only twenty-two, I said maybe later but just not now. He decided that was not enough and that ended that, to answer your next question, no I am not seeing anyone at current. You still haven't answered how you are or what you are doing." The car came to a halt and the door was opened effectively ending the discussion. He followed her out of the car and placed his hand on her back directing her to sit with him and the family, she could hardly decline in so public a forum, so she took the seat indicated and waited while the minister extolled the many virtues of Janlan and allowed her fingers to be wrapped in his and rest on his thigh in quiet support.

The car moved at the normal speed as it returned the pair to the church to retrieve their own cars, "I will miss him, come to the wake with me."

"If that is what you want, how can I say no."

He smiled and kissed her cheek, "Thank you, this has to be the oddest first date ever."

"Date? You want to date me?" she sounded incredulous.

"Rory, I have wanted to date you since I was sixteen, if you think I am letting this opportunity slip away, in spite of the circumstance, you are sorely mistaken. I had you sit with my family, I want you beside me today. I need a friend and you were always a good one." His tone was so sincere she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"I am honored Tristan, thank you for allowing me to be here for you." She blushed, and he gave her hand a squeeze.

"It is you who honor me. How did you come to be here anyway?"

"Well, as you know, my grandfather and yours were great friends, when the obituary came across my desk and I knew they could not attend, I asked if they would like me to go in their stead. I am glad I did."

The car stopped, and the door opened, they were back at the church and he held her hand as they approached the parking lot.

"You work in obituaries?" he queried.

"Not really, just filling in while the regular guy is on leave. I am just a fact checker, but hey, it's still the news and that is all that matters. I will get my by lines one day." She gave him an assured smirk, something she had learned from Logan.

He nodded in understanding. "Leave your car here, I will let them know and we can pick it up after the wake, ride with me, please." He looked at her hopeful.

"Okay, just let me grab my purse, I tucked it in the trunk." She was holding a small clutch, so he gave her a confused look, "This is just the necessities, car key, tissue, lip gloss, but my phone, wallet and other things are in my purse." She explained as they approached the Prius she had driven since graduating High School.

"Huntzberger got you that?" He pointed seemingly appalled.

"No, it was a graduation gift when I left Chilton, my grandparents got it for me." She chided.

"Why didn't Logan get you a nicer car?" he looked at her perplexed as she placed the smaller clutch in the larger nondescript bag. "No wonder you didn't marry him, he didn't even buy you a decent bag."

She huffed, "For your information he did buy me a decent bag, a Birkin in point of fact, but it is bright pink, and I did not think it would be appropriate given the circumstance." She slammed her trunk in frustration.

"I just don't get it, why didn't he take better care of you, you look like everything you own is off the rack."

She looked at him appalled, "Perhaps I shouldn't go with you, if my appearance is so shameful and all. I will just head back to my place and we can call it a day."

"Rory, I am sorry, I didn't mean to offend and if you are still willing I want you with me. I guess that knowing you were with Huntzberger, I thought you had learned to blend in, that's all. Forgive me, please my manners are pretty shot given the past few days. I blame all the kissing up I have had to do, it has driven all the good Military school gave me." He gave her a hopeful grin.

Rory sighed, "Alright, but please understand, I was never with Logan for his fortune and he was frustrated that I insisted I pay my own way and I get enough from my grandparents on how I should dress being a Gilmore and a Hayden, but this is me." She wave her hand over herself, "I work for a small paper, I have to live in my grandparent's pool house because it's free and my wages barely pay my fuel and essentials. I also have a small savings, but I am paying my dues. When I move up, I will get nicer things as I earn them."

Tristan gave her a side glance in disbelief, "We can discuss that later," he opened his car door and she got in, he got in to the driver side and slipped easily into traffic. "What do you know about my family, I am sure Emily gave you a primer."

"She told me your mother Andrea, is the Vice President of the D.A.R. and that you are an only child, your father Michael is a corporate attorney and a known shark, your grandfather was a lawyer and then a judge before retiring and becoming a well-known advocate." She dutifully quoted.

"What she didn't tell you is that they are judgmental asshats who are going to throw pointed barbs at you the entire time you are with me. I just don't want you to feel attacked. I want you to give me, us; a chance and not judge me by who they are, I am nothing like them. When they sent me away, I had the chance to not be an asshat and I took it. Let me prove it to you."

"You know Mitchum and Shira, right?" he nodded, "Well they were never happy with my dating Logan and were quite vocal about it. Honestly it took me winning the coveted Abigail Adams for them to acquiesce that perhaps I could be a Huntzberger wife, but Elias surely bought Logan a yacht for dodging the bullet with me." She scoffed. "Mitchum went so far as to tell me I would never make it as a writer, that I didn't have 'it'," she used air quotes. "Don't forget, I am a bastard, my best friend is Paris Geller and my Hayden grandparents have never acknowledged my existence, not even when Straub died was I mentioned as a surviving member of the family." She wiped an errant tear fiercely from her eye, then pulled down the visor and did a quick makeup check.

"I'm sorry Rory, I didn't mean to upset you." He unbuckled and went around to open her door. "At least Huntzberger opened your door, I can tell because you sit patiently and wait." He winked at her and helped her from the car. They walked wordless to the door, handed off coats and her bag, then to the expansive room with a few hundred of those 'closest' to the deceased. Tristan guided her to the mantle where his parents were holding court. "Mother, Father, I would like to present Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden the third, she is better known to be called Rory. Rory these are my parents, Andrea and Michael."

She put out her hand and gave a polite shake, "A pleasure to finally meet you, I am sorry for the circumstance. I wish you peace in this difficult time."

Andrea quirked a smile, "Shira said you had a way with words, are you a reporter or a novelist?"

Rory smiled her society smile, "Neither actually, at current I am simply a fact checker for the Hartford Current, but I am sure if I pay my dues I will have by lines soon enough."

Tristan stifled a laugh, she was right, she was Paris' best friend for a reason. Then the woman was there it was as if summoned by his thought.

"Andrea, Michael, so sorry for your loss, he was a great man and will be missed by many." She air-kissed Andrea and Michael in turn.," Rory, I haven't seen you in ages, we must catch up and Tristan, the Huntzbergers are here and were asking after you, follow me and I will show you to them." She turned to the parents and received the polite head-bob dismissing the youths.

Rory looked like she had seen a ghost, "Logan is here, with his parents, that can't be good."

"And his fiancé," Paris said carefully, "Louise Grant, you both remember her from Chilton, she is really the one that wanted you to come over."

"Rory, good to see you again, I didn't know you knew the DuGreys." Mitchum said in a falsely cheerful voice.

"Tristan and I are old school chums, we attended Chilton together as did Louise." She turned towards her old friend, "I hear best wishes are in order; congratulations to you Logan." She leaned in and air-kissed both Logan and Louise then returned to Tristan who wrapped his arm around her waist protectively.

Logan quirked a brow, last he heard Rory was still single, 'when had DuGrey stepped in to the picture and why was Ace so cozy with him?'

Tristan gave Logan a pointed glare, "Congratulations, and thank you for your condolences, but Mary and I need to make the rounds, if you'll excuse us." He shook their hands and gave Louise a peck on the cheek offering her best wishes, then steered Rory back into the crowd.

She didn't have time to react to the Mary comment, but allowed herself to be dragged around as Tristan politely accepted condolences and finally they arrived at a bar.

"Do I know you?" the familiar accented question came to her and she found herself pulled into a bear of a hug.

"Finn, it's been ages, how have you been?" She asked as Tristan waited, "Oh, this is Tristan, but you probably know that since you are here and all, am I to guess then that Colin, Steph and the others are here as well?"

They reached the bar, "Scotch neat for the gentleman, and myself, a dark moon for the lady and could you send someone to the table there with a bottle of Merlot, three glasses." He accepted and distributed the drinks then tipped the bartender and guided the pair to the table where Colin, Steph and others were waiting.

Steph was up like a shot, "Rory, how do you know Tristan, I never would have expected you to be here, how have you been?"

Rory accepted the enthusiastic hug careful with her glass which Tristan rescued and placed on the table. Then came Colin and the others, each hugging her in turn. The table resettled, and she was finally able to take a much-deserved drink from her glass enjoying the creamy coffee and liquor concoction, "Finn, I can always trust your choices for me, even after all this time you know just what I will like." She raised her glass to him.

Logan watched as his friends welcomed Rory and pondered over Tristan's calling her Mary, Rory was Mary, he thought to himself, I'll be damned, all that time while he was abroad, and she is finally where he always wanted her, by his side. 'What he really wanted to know was how?'

A/N: Dark Moon, is a coffee and cola cocktail sure to be caffeinated enough for a Gilmore Girl.