The Rock

By: RoxyRoo

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: He was known as being rock hard with his emotions. No one was ever able to get through. But what happens when the one who did get through was the girl he was hired to kidnap? Trory AU.

Please note that this is an AU. Tristan never went to Chilton, so they do not know each other. He is about 20 years old, where as Rory is 17 years old and a senior in high school.

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Chapter Fifteen

Lorelai stared out the window of her house to where her daughter sat on the porch swing. She once again had that far away look on her face that she had had on it since she returned home. It had been just two weeks ago that she had been returned to her. Yet, in a way she had not been returned, as this was not the same Rory from before she was kidnapped.

Rory did not talk much about what had happened in the time that she had been gone, which had Lorelai worried. All she had told her and the police is that the guy who took her was now dead.

Lorelai did not want to pry too much, as she was afraid of what she might find out. However she knew Rory keeping it all inside was not good for her, not healthy. Her mother had suggested sending Rory to a therapist. As much as she did not want to do as her mother said, she was starting to think that it might not be that bad of an idea.

"Hey babe," Lorelai said, walking out onto the porch. She sat down in the swing next to Rory, handing her a mug of coffee.

Rory barely looked at her. "Thanks," she mumbled, bowing her head, as her hair fell to cover her face from view.

Lorelai sighed, taking the hair and pushing it behind her ears. She did not want Rory to hide away. "Honey, I know you don't like to talk about what happened, but maybe it'll make you feel better?"

Rory looked up briefly, before turning away.

"Your grandmother thinks I should send you to a therapist..."

"I'm fine," Rory mumbled.

"No, you are not. You have not been the same since you got home," Lorelai said, staring at her. "It's almost like you're wallowing."

Rory's head snapped up, her eyes meeting her mom's for what seemed like the first time since she had been home.

"Oh no," Lorelai said in shock. "You fell in love with him. The guy who kidnapped you."

Rory sniffled, hugging her legs to herself. "I didn't fall in love with Zane..."

"Then?"

"There were two guys who took me," Rory said, staring out at their yard.

"Two? Why didn't you tell the police?" Lorelai asked surprised.

Rory shook her head. "Mom, he's not bad! If it wasn't for him, Zane would have raped and killed me!"

Lorelai stared at her daughter. "So you're protecting him."

Rory nodded her head.

Lorelai took a deep breath. Rory was at least opening up. "What's his name?"

"Tristan."

"Tristan," Lorelai repeated. She closed her eyes, before opening them. "He never uh, touched you, did he?"

Rory turned her head sharply to look at her mother, shaking it. "No, he never would." She then let out a laugh, a bitter laugh. "I doubt he felt the same anyways. Especially after what happened when he was dropping me off..."

"What happened?"

"I told him that I hated him," Rory whispered, placing her head a top her knees. "After all he has done for me, I told him that I hated him."

"Aww honey, I'm sure he knew that you did not mean it," Lorelai said sympathetically.

"He just made me so mad," Rory said. "All I wanted was for him to come in and meet you... Now I'm never going to see him again. I'll never be able to tell him that I did not mean it."

"Do you know where he went?"

Rory shook her head. "Noo..." She then suddenly looked up at her mom. "Wait, I might have an idea of where he could be..."

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Rory held her breath as her mom drove their jeep up the dirt road leading towards the old farm house. Was it stupid of her to come? What would happen if he was not here? What if he was here? What if he rejected her?

There were too many what ifs...

Lorelai pulled the jeep to a stop, glancing over at her daughter. "This it?"

"Yeah," Rory said softly.

They got out of the car, and walked up to the house. She could hear the creaking of the screen door, which caused her to smile that they had yet to oil it.

"Hello?" Evelyn called out, holding a hand over her eyes to shade them from the bright Spring day sun. Her face lit up at the sight of Rory. "Rory!"

The older woman immediately went down the porch steps, enveloping Rory in her arms.

"Dear child, what are you doing way down here?" Evelyn asked, holding her at arms length. She glanced over at Lorelai, giving her a warm smile.

Oh no, Rory could not help but thinking. He must not be here...

"Um, I was, uh, trying to find Tristan?" Rory stumbled over her words as she stared at the ground, not quite able to look her in the eyes.

Evelyn's smile grew wider. "He's out in the barn with Cleatus."

Rory let out the breath that she did not know that she had been holding. He was here. She had found him. She glanced over at her mother, who smiled back encouragingly.

"Go on child, go and see him," Evelyn encouraged her. "I'll take care of entertaining your sister here."

Lorelai grinned widely. "Yeah, go on sis," she said as she followed Evelyn up the steps to the house.

Rory turned to walk towards the barn, ignoring Evelyn and her mother's chatter. Her feet suddenly felt as if they were moving in slow motion. They felt heavy, as if they were filled with lead. What was she doing here? Was she crazy? This was her kidnapper! What kind of crazy person goes and visits their kidnapper? Unless they are in lock up, and you are there to taunt them. But this was not the case. Here she was willingly going to visit her kidnapper who she was protecting from the police.

She stopped in the doorway of the old barn. There he was. She could not help her sharp intake of breath, at the sight of him in the worn out old jeans, that hung loosely at his hips, with his boxers peaking through, and the white wife beater that he wore. His tattoo showed on his arm. The sex appeal rolled off of him.

He had yet to notice her.

"Want another one Cleatus?" Tristan asked, handing the old black stallion another sugar cube. He rubbed the stallion's neck, as Cleatus affectionately rubbed his nose against him.

Rory's tongue felt trapped in her throat, as she moved closer to him. When she was within six feet of him, she managed to choke out, "Tristan?"

Tristan whirled around in shock, his eyes big. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I came," why had she come? It all made sense before leaving... "I came to apologize to you."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "For what? You did not do anything. Only I have anything to apologize for."

Rory bit her bottom lip. "I came to apologize for saying 'I hate you'. I did not mean it."

Tristan smirked, crossing his arms in front of him. "You came all this way, just to say that?"

Rory nodded her head, her cheeks becoming red, as she tried to wipe her sweaty hands on her jeans. She knew that she should not have come here. It was a mistake. A very stupid mistake. "Yeah... So um, well, bye." Before she could embarrass herself anymore, she quickly spun on her heel to leave.

"Wait!" Tristan said, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around to face him. Rory put a hand to his chest to steady herself, realizing how close together they now stood. She could feel how fast his heart was beating. It seemed to be racing almost as fast as hers currently was. Was he just as nervous as her? Could he feel how fast her heart was beating?

"Is that the only reason you came?" Tristan asked.

Rory looked up at him, into his eyes, nodding her head, before her gaze shifted to his lips.

"Really?" Tristan asked in a husky voice, as his eyes darkened. Looking at her lips, he bent down casting a soft kiss to them.

He leaned back, to see her reaction, as she stood in the same position with her eyes half closed. He smiled, before leaning back in, this time a bit more forcibly, with Rory immediately reacting, as her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him closer. Never wanting to let go of him again.

THE END

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AN: It's over, for real this time -sniff-. Once again, thank you for all of the reviews throughout this story! Hope you all enjoyed it :). There will be NO sequel, so don't ask.

In a few days I should have the first chapter for a new story up. Here's the summary for it:

Undercover Love
It was Officer Tristan Dugrey's first undercover mission. To uncover the drug lord of private school Chilton. Nothing was going to get in his way of completing this mission... Trory AU