Disclaimer: Unless someone wants to buy me a really nice present, nothing is mine.

A/N: Once again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You have no idea how much your comments and encouragements mean to me. To Kat Mariano who asked, yes I'm a  huge Buffy fan and that's where "Anywhere But Here" came from. And starshollow the title does come from Beauty and The Beast. Okay you guys this is it. I've decided not to do an epilogue. This is the last chapter. There's a longer author's note at the end. Please tell me what you think!

Chapter Seventeen

             The next day Rory was once again agonizing over calling Tristan. It was the 7th time she had picked up the phone dialed half of his number and then panicking hung up. She kept trying to calm herself down. Reminding herself it was just Tristan, one of her best friends, nothing to be afraid of there. Except he wasn't just Tristan anymore, he was no longer in that 'just friends' category. He was in the 'I wanna be more than friends' category. He was practically in the 'He's so hot I wanna have his baby' type of category.  Oh god, what am I doing? She asked herself for the millionth time.

            She let out a frustrated scream that was subsequently muffled by her pillow.

            "Problems?" her mother asked appearing in the doorway.

            "No, everything's just peachy." Rory said grumpily.

            Lorelai laughed and Rory glared.

            "Sorry it's just you using the word peachy."

            "I could have added a keen there."

            "That's not my Rory. Although…" Lorelai pondered, "you did dress up and act like Donna Reed, so who knows what you could do next."

            "Well I obviously can't dial a phone number."

            "Is that your problem?"

            "One of the many."

            Before Rory realized it Lorelai had taken the phone and punched in Tristan's number.

            "Problem solved." She said as she handed the ringing phone to her speechless daughter.

            Tristan heard his phone ringing as he emerged from his bathroom. He had just gotten out of the shower and had a towel wrapped around his waist as he searched for his phone. On the fifth ring he found it under a pile of dirty clothes.

            "Hello." He said sounding out of breath.

            "Hey." Rory said feeling suddenly very shy. "Why are you all out of breath?"

            "Hey Ror. Sorry I just got out of the shower and was racing to find the phone."

            Rory's mouth dried up at the thought of Tristan in just a little towel.

            "Rory…hello?"

            She snapped out of it. "What—oh sorry."

            "Are you okay?" Tristan asked, getting alarmed at how out of it she sounded.

            Rory grimaced, she knew she was acting like a…what's the word Lorelai would use, she thought. A ninny—that's it. She was acting like a giant ninny.

            "Rory!"

            "Damn. I mean sorry. What did you say?" she asked coming back one again to the conversation.

            Now Tristan was really concerned. "Rory, what's wrong?"

            "Nothing I'm fine. In fact I'm peachy." She said irritably.

            "You're peachy?"

            "Yes, peachy keen." She snapped.

            "That's it I'll be there in 45 minutes. Something is obviously wrong."

            Rory panicked, "No! You can't come here." She stalled "I'm not going to be home."

            Tristan smiled, "You think I can't find you in a town like Stars Hollow. Sorry doll, but you can't hide. I'll see you soon and then we'll figure out what has you acting so weird. Ciao."

            "Tristan, no!" but the line was already dead.

            What has her acting weird? It was all his fault, she thought indignantly. She wasn't ready to deal with him now. She had no plan. She didn't know how to tell him…if she should tell him. Maybe he moved on. Oh god, he would be here soon.

What was she going to wear? "Moooooooom!" she screamed.

            A half an hour later Rory was finally dressed and she had stopped hyperventilating. Lorelai was heading over to Luke's to give the kids some privacy. She kissed Rory on the cheek.

            "You look great. Be yourself, be honest and follow your heart." She smiled a little sadly as she looked at her almost grown up daughter. "Good luck babe, knock him dead."

            Less than 15 minutes later Rory heard a car door slam, and she braced herself. He was here.

            Lorelai entered the diner, surprised to find it nearly empty. She went and sat at the counter and waited for Luke to come out from the back.

            "Hey." He said greeting her. "Where's your other half?"

            Lorelai laughed and smiled, a smile of a woman who had been—

            "You've been meddling!" Luke accused recognizing the smile and complacent smug look.

            "Who me?" she asked putting on her best innocent face, big wide eyes with eyelashes fluttering full force.

            "That doesn't work on me."

            "Drats." Lorelai cursed.

            "What have you done?" Luke asked as wiped down the counter.

            "Coffee first, then story time."

            "No you tell me and then I give you coffee."

            "No."

            "Yes."

            "No."

            "Yes."

            "No!"

            "Lorelai, you're dying to tell someone anyone, whatever it is. And I have the coffee, you're not going to win." Luke explained reasonably.

            "It's not fair if you use logic." She pouted. "But since I do want to flaunt my brilliance I'll tell you."

            "I can hardly contain my excitement." Luke said dryly as he got a cup of coffee for her.

            Lorelai took a sip and then announced. "Rory's in love. Well maybe not love yet, but major like."

            Luke just nodded, "Yeah with that Tristan kid."

            Lorelai sat in shock at his nonchalance. "You knew?"

            "Lorelai the whole town knows. We've all seen them together. It's obvious. But what have you done that's so brilliant?"

            "Everyone knows?"

            "Yes." He said impatiently.

            She frowned for a moment wondering how they all knew. She knew they all knew about Tristan but Rory too—hmm the town was getting smarter.

            "Lorelai!"

            "Oh yeah. Well after I helped Rory realize and acknowledge her feelings I got Tris over there right now. So hopefully everything is falling into place. Cue up the romantic ballad and roll credits."

            "I assumed you've already given Tristan the talk. You know the 'you hurt Rory and I end up burying you in my backyard' thing" Luke said.

            She laughed. "Yes although I did use the chop up into little pieces instead. I feel that's more feminine. It's the Dads that use the 'I've got a shotgun, a shovel and a backyard. I doubt anyone will miss you' routine."

            "True." He conceded.

            "You can tell him if you want." She offered.

            Luke's face brightened a bit. "Ok I will."

            "Don't scare him too much. I have a good feeling about this kid."

            "Me too." Luke replied. "And that's what scares me."

            "She fell in love with her best friend…must be nice." She observed.

            "And scary." He added.

            They both looked away lost in their own thoughts.

            Meanwhile at the Gilmore household the door has open revealing Tristan. His hair windblown and his expression worried.

            "Rory!" he yelled and then he spotted her on the couch. "What's wrong?"

            "Nothing." She said drinking in the sight of him.

            "Something is too wrong. Why won't you tell me?" he asked starting to feel hurt that she wouldn't confide in him.

            "Can we talk about something else for a little?" She hedged trying to give herself some more time to come up with a plan.

            At least she wasn't denying something was wrong, it was a start. He thought. "Sure."

            They sat in silence for a moment.

            "Hey…" He said remembering, "were you and Lane at the mall last night? I thought I saw you around the movie theater."

            Rory panicked. "No."

            "Really? Cause these two girls looked just like you two. That's weird."

            Feeling the jealously rise in her again. "You were at the movies?"

            "Yeah I went with a group of kids from school. Friends I hadn't seen in a while." He explained.

            "Oh that's nice. Did you have a good time?" she asked trying to keep her tone even.

            "I don't know, I guess so." Tristan answered beginning to get suspicious.

            "It's always fun catching up with old friends."

            "Yeah it is. I would have enjoyed it more if Sissy hadn't spent the whole time complaining about how cold it was in the theater."

            Rory scowled. "Maybe if she would wear more clothes she wouldn't have that problem."

            "Aha!"

            "What are you aha-ing?" Rory asked.

            "You were there. Or else you wouldn't have known what Sissy was—or wasn't wearing."

            "You're crazy." Rory said trying to figure out what to say.

            "Rory…what is going on? Something is wrong, and don't deny it. What have I done?" he asked starting to get mad.

            "Nothing—everything!" she yelled finally cracking. "This is all your fault. I'm going nuts and it's all your fault. I'm becoming an episode of Dawson's Creek and it's all your fault!"

            "I'm not following you here." He said confused.

            "I'm scared! I'm terrified. And it's all your fault. I've been fighting this for so long and now…I don't know what to do."

            The light was slowly dawning for Tristan. "Just tell me what you feel."

            "You first." She demanded.

            He laughed softly. "Rory you know how I feel. I'm beginning to think the whole world knows how I feel. You just didn't want to see it. I've fallen for you, head over heels, completely lost and all that romantic junk. Yeah I wanted you when I first saw you. And then the more I talked with you the more entranced I became. And we kissed and for once in my life I had that movie moment. That perfect 'wow so this is what it's all about' moment. And you didn't…and it hurt. And then I was content to be your friend, well maybe not content…but then that ended. And I got this second chance and that's when it happened. I got to know you and …it was all over for me."

            Tears were brimming in her eyes, "You're right I did know that. I didn't want too cause it's scared me—scares me. I don't want to lose our friendship. Cause over this summer you've somehow snaked into my life and…my heart. And I don't want you to leave. I've never felt what I feel for you before. Not with anyone. I fell for my best friend. I'm not saying the "L" word yet. Because I don't want to say it until I'm sure. I like you Tris, really really like you. I like you enough to know that I could fall in love with you easily."

            Tristan moved towards her and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks removing the tears that had fallen.   "Don't worry I'm already there." And Tristan DuGrey finally got to do the thing he had wanted to do all summer.

            He kissed her.

            He brushed his lips softly over hers at first, tenderly as some part of him was scared that this was all a dream and that he would wake up or she would run away. But she kissed him back not hesitating but savoring the magic that they had. She deepened the kiss as she hooked her arms around his neck drawing him closer. Her mouth opening for his.

            And now she knew exactly what he meant by, one of those moments. A perfect movie moment.

            Hours later Lorelai walked in, almost afraid of what she might walk in on. She made a lot of noise on her way in. The scene she encountered…

            Tristan and Rory were entangled on the couch, her head on his chest and their fingers entwined in sleep. On the TV was Rory's favorite Disney movie Beauty and The Beast. Rory had of course always identified with Belle, the brunette with a love and reading and travel. She thought it was all so romantic when she was little.  Lorelai smiled as she heard the lyrics to the song playing.  How perfect she thought, as Mrs. Potts sang--there may be something there… that wasn't there before.

            Yes there was.

The button and I are feeling a little sad and sappy now that this is over. So just let us know how you think we did…

A/N2: Where to begin? I feel like Sally Fields at the Oscars going "You like me! You really really like me!" I've been blown away with the amount of encouragement and support I've gotten w/ this fic. You guys have really given me back my confidence in writing (an evil AP English teacher had taken it away). I'm sorry this took over a year to write ::hangs head in shame::. But I'm really proud of this and I'm so happy so many of you have enjoyed it. I'm just thrilled you took the time to read it. THANK YOU!

Now it's time for me to begin another GG story, there will not be a sequel to this. Since I began to write this before Season 2, I don't think I sequel is possible. But I have an idea for a new Trory that should be out soon. It will be a lot darker than this but the romance will progress more rapidly. Plus I get to play with Jess ;) . A prequel songfic will be out within the next few days called "Fairy Tales & Castles". I know a lot of you don't like song fics but I promise I do not do a songfic unless the song is screaming the character's name, and trust me this screams Tristan. So that's it for my shameless plug.

Thank you once again, you guys are the best J