Subj:[gilmoregirlsfanfiction] [][]...Take A Bow...[][] New Trory! 1-5
Date:11/30/01 8:04:29 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:    KUAnumba2@aol.com (Tate)


Hey guys. This is one of my new stories. It's been up on 
fanfiction.net for a little bit, but I thought I'd post it here as 
well. I hope you guys like it!

All characters are owned by that wonderful lady and the WB. Plot and 
story ideas are mine, so don't steal.

Coyright 2001 All Rights Reserved.


Chapter 1


    She watched him from behind the scences, hidden in the 
shadows. As of lately, she found herself doing this more and more. 
She found it was the only true way of finding out exactly who he was, 
and why he didn't allow anyone to see it. She watched as he moved his 
way down the halls of Chilton, waving and grinning at those he 
thought were worthy.  That grin, that unbelievably fake grin he held 
and used at any time he pleased, to get away with just about 
anything. Girls fell over themselves when he used it, guys followed 
his suit. It was like he was the King of Chilton, and it wouldn't 
surprise her if he knew that and used it to for all its' worth.

    Didn't he understand she wasn't blind? God, that annoyed her 
more than anything.  All it took was one moment, and she knew he 
wasn't everything he wanted the world to think he was. He wasn't the 
surpreme player, he wasn't the asshole. He was scared. He was just 
plan scared.

    Shutting her locker softly, hoping not to draw any unwanted 
attention to herself, she made her way down the halls, the hard 
material of her shoes making a steady rhythm on the tile floors. It 
freaked her out a little that she already had his entire schedule 
memorized. That she knew exactly where he would be on a certain day 
at a certain time. It scared her even more that she cared, that she 
wasted her time following him around on certain days when she was 
able, when she was free. And she had a lot of free time lately.

    Two months without Dean. You'd think she'd be completely over 
him by now, wouldn't you? She couldn't help it. She felt guilty. It 
was her fault they broke up, it was her fault she crushed the heart 
of her first love, and that guilt sometimes was overwhelming. What 
had possed her?

-Flashback-

    "And, I knew you'd like this..." Dean said, smiling, as he 
pulled a book out from him bag. Handing it to her, he watched as her 
face brightened, and he couldn't help but smiling a little brighter 
himself.

    "I know you've been looking for it, so I did a little 
searching on-line and there you have it. Do you like it?" He asked, 
connecting his hands behind his back and rocking on his heels.

    Her eyes widened and she smiled up at her, her cheeks 
glowing. "Of course I  like it! I love it! Thank you!" She squealed, 
throwing her arms around his neck, and hugging him.

    He smiled and wrapped his arms around her small frame, 
lifting her up slightly.

    "Happy 3 month anniversary. I love you, Rory." He whispered, 
his face pressed into her hair. He snuggled her closer and savored 
the smell of her hair.

    "Happy 3 month anniversay. I love you too, Tris..." Her soft 
voice trailed off as soon as the word left her mouth. Her eyes 
widened, then snapped shut suddenly, hoping that she hadn't said the 
words out loud. She felt Dean's strong arms tighten around her, his 
harsh breathing tickling the soft skin on her neck.

    Pulling her back, he held her at arms length and stared at 
her. He watched her eyes look up at him slowly, the straight back 
down at the floor.

    "What?" He asked harshly.

    "I didn't mean that Dean, you know it. It slipped. I had a 
dream, and it was weird, and it's been on my mind all day. It just 
was on my mind!" She said quickly, her blue eyes raising to meet his 
now dark ones.

    "You were thinking of a dream about Tristan while telling me 
you loved me? You better stop explaining now Rory, cause you're not 
doing yourself any good." He stated, stepping away from her and 
turning.

    "Dean! Stop! It was a mistake. I love you, you know that!" 
She cried, making her way towards him. He turned suddenly, causing 
her to stop suddenly.

    "Right now Rory, I could care less what you feel towards me. 
This," he waved his arm in front of him, gesturing to the both of 
them, "is over. And until you can make up your mind, don't seek me 
out. Please Rory, just leave me alone." He finished, staring at her 
for a moment, just long enough to see the hurt mocking her in his 
eyes, before turning and walking away, making his way through the 
streets and into the darkness.

-End-

    Ever since then she's been obsessed. She knew it was crazy, 
and she knew she must be crazy to be pursuing this, but he had no 
right. Tristan had no right to break his way into her dreams, break 
his way into her mind and mess everything up, even when he's not 
physically there. How was he able to do that? Mess everything up, 
without even being in the same county? So she dedicated herself to 
her school work, withdrew herself from her town life, only calling on 
her mother and Lane. Rarely did she visit Lukes, rarely did she walk 
throughout the streets of her town, out of fear of seeing him before 
she was ready. So she decided to find out exactly why Tristan had 
came into her dreams that night. Why that dream had meant so much to 
her, and why she replaced Tristan's name with Dean in those 3 words 
she'd barely told anyone but her mother.

    Leaning agaisnt a light post outside the local pizza jont, 
she watched him through one of the painted windows. It didn't matter 
that the cold was bitting and nipping at her fingers and nose, all 
that mattered was him, and that little girl Rory had seen him with a 
few times now.

*Take a bow, the night is over
This masquerade is,
getting older*

    She was probably the cutest little girl she'd ever seen in 
her life.Her long sandy blonde hair was pulled up into two pig tales 
on either side of her head, her bright blue eyes wide and full of 
excitement. Her rosey cheeks and pink lips were smeared with pizza 
sauce, and Tristan was giggling at her, watching her as she picked 
another piece of cheese off her pizza and pushed it into her tiny 
mouth. She watched as he took a napkin from the end of the table and 
gently wiped the sauce off the little girls face, grinning all the 
while.

    And it was a beautiful grin. Not one of his fake cocky grins 
he had mastered at school. No, it was real, it was innocent. 
Something she never thought Tristan could ever be, and she found 
herself almost hating him for how well he could play both roles. 
Angel and Devil. The grin held a certain happiness she'd never seen 
radiate from him before. It reached all the way to his eyes, and even 
from her distance she could see the pleasure in them. The pleasure in 
not having to please people around him by being the Tristan they've 
grown acccustum to over the 12 years of knowing him. The pleasure of 
being himself.

*Light are low, the curtains down
There's no one here
(There's no one here, there's no one in the crowd)*

    She watched as he got up and made his way around the table, 
picking the small girl up in his arms and heading towards the 
cashier. This was her que to go, and she found herself longing to 
stay and watch him off, but the parkinglot was well lit and slightly 
small, and she didn't want to risk him noticing her. Taking one final 
look at him, she turned on her heel and made her way to her mothers 
jeep, forcing herself not to give into the want of looking over her 
shoulder and watching him exit the building. Pushing herself up into 
the jeep, she rubbed her cold hands together for a moment before 
starting the car and exiting the parkinglot.

    The trip home was a long one, and she didn't even bother 
trying to turn her brain off from the millions of thoughts running 
through her brain. Over the past 2 months, Rory Gilmore had turned 
into a completely different person. She still was witty and 
intellegent, and she still read all the time and joked with her mom. 
Her grades hadn't suffered, infact, they'd gotten better, but she'd 
been thinking a lot more, about a lot of different things. She'd 
always known where he life was going education wise and career wise, 
but as a personal matter she'd never given it much thought. She 
thought she'd always have Dean, that she'd go away to college and 
come back and he'd be there, waiting for her with an engagement ring 
and a purposal tucked safely in his back pocket, but now that image 
was crushed, gone.
    
    She never thought of herself as a girly girl type. Her mother 
had lived her life as a single mom, with no desperate need for a mans 
attention and she was the same way, but she also saw the hurt in her 
mothers eyes, and sometimes, loneliness. She wanted to have a 
husband, she wanted to have children, she just didn't know if it was 
possible.

    And that dream. God, it had been so weird. She had gone to 
bed completely exhausted, having spent the entire night with her mom, 
wondering around the town before coming back and watching movies 
until 3 am. The next day would be sunday, so she would be allowed to 
sleep in as much as she wanted, but she didn't have a Tristan thought 
all day, all week for that matter. It's not like he took hold of her 
thoughts before all this, and out of no where came this really 
amazing dream, that held the power to completely distroy everything.

    That little girl. She suspected it was Tristan's little 
sitter, but she'd never heard him or anyone ever speak of Tristan 
having any siblings. But the way he handled her, the way he smiled at 
her, the way he looked when he was around her completely blew her 
mind, and surprisingly, lifted her heart. It brought him to a 
completely different light in her mind, and she smiled just thinking 
about it.
That 
    Whatever Tristan was, it was sure he was an actor. And a damn 
good one at that.


Chapter 2


    Pushing himself up into a sitting position on his bed, 
Tristan ran his well formed fingers through his tangled hair and 
forced his eyes to open. Frankly, 5:00 am is just too early to wake 
up in his opinion. Slamming his hand down on his alarm clock, he 
enjoyed the moments of silence before pushing himself up from his bed 
and blindly making his way towards his bathroom. Rubbing a hand over 
his face, he turned the shower on hot and removed his clothes from 
his toned body. He hated mornings, he just hated them.
    
    Stepping inside the shower slowly, her shut the glass door 
and let the warm water run freely over his body. He had gotten barely 
any sleep last night. After taking his little cousin Juliet home last 
night, around 6:00, he went to the country club and worked out a few 
hours in the gym, doing his best to relieve some of the tension from 
his body, and the thoughts from his head. This year at Chilton had 
been harder than others, and he wasn't quite sure why. Many of his 
friends had noticed the slight changes in him, teased him and asked 
him about it, but all it did was let him know he was slipping. God, 
he hated his friends.

    Okay, not technically. He enjoyed their company when it was 
just them, outside of school walls and away from all the pressure to 
be a Chiltonie. At Chilton, they all put on a face, of being proper, 
being rich, and he hated it. Though he loved it at the same time.

    Resting his head against the cool tile wall, he let the warm 
water trail over his neck and down his bare back, taking all the last 
bits of sleep with it down the drain. Without moving his head, he 
reached over and grabbed the sweet smelling soap and lathered it up 
in his hands before running it over his chest and abs. He welcomed 
the scent from his body and forced himself to move into a standing 
position, washing off his arms and shoulders. Stepping under the 
shower, he allowed the water to rinse him off before he started in on 
his hair.

    Sometimes, he'd give anything to be a normal kid going to a 
normal highschool. To date a cheerleader with no brains, or maybe 
date the science geek. To be on the football team and go to low 
budget dances. To be able to wear whatever he wanted, to be able to 
study only one hour a night and be able to pass without giving it a 
second thought. Drive a 78' bug to school, paint pealing and a bad 
exhaust problem. Just to know what it felt like to be normal for one 
day, just to be anyone other than himself.

    Turning off the shower, he opened the now steamed glass door 
and stepped out, not bothering to grab a towel. Wiping the steam away 
from the mirror with his hand, he stared as his naked body in the 
mirror. He had worked hard for this body, swimming, playing sports, 
working out, and it had all come to good use. Girls flocked to him, 
even in his Chilton uniform. His broad shoulders and slim, toned arms 
were a golden color, the remains of a perfect summer tan still 
lingering on his skin. Slim waist, perfect abs. He had worked for it 
all, and it had gotten him all the girls he'd ever wanted. Only 
problem was, that's all they were interested in. If it wasn't his 
arms or abs, or some part of his body, it was his eyes or his hair. 
The sad thing is, soon he began to only care about those things on a 
girl. They made him as shallow as they were. All he cared about in a 
girl was butts, breasts and straight white teeth. It didn't matter to 
him if he had to peel off her makeup after a makeout session. It 
didn't matter to him if he wasn't able to find a girls brains under 
the half a can of hair spray she had used that morning. He wanted a 
girl as beautiful as he was on the outside, and all the while his 
insides turned rotten.

    Running his hand over his chest, he trailed a small pinked 
scar. It had happened last summer, only 3 months ago. The wounds had 
healed, but the scar was a perfect reminder of his memory of that 
day. It wasn't something he enjoyed talking about, much less thinking 
about, and no one other than his family had found out what happened. 
He followed the scar down his chest to where it ended on his hip. He 
hadn't been close to anyone since it happened, physically that is, so 
no one ever asked either. When he went swimming now it was always in 
his own private pool, away from wondering eyes. He doubted anyone 
would really care what had happened to him, only what had flawed his 
perfection

    Ha! If they only knew. He was far from perfect, and he loved 
that about himself. Forget the piercing blue eyes, the styled hair, 
the pouty lips. He didn't care about those things anymore. He was 
flawed, and he loved it and he hated that he couldn't show it. Why 
couldn't people just know the real him? The person he was when he was 
alone.

*Say your lines but do you feel them
Do you mean what you say when there's no one around [no one around]*

    They'd most likely die of shock from the things that would 
come out of his mouth. The thoughts, the opinions. His parents would 
disown him and he'd be less popular then Vanilla Ice. And would he 
care? Most likely. He may have approved in mental thinking and being 
open minded but he wasn't blind. Highschool was hell unless you were 
popular, and even then it was just the smallest step up from hell. He 
wasn't about to throw away 12 years of work, 12 years of perfecting 
his image just because he had 'seen the light', as they say. No, he 
would stay the Tristan everyone knew and loved until graduation, go 
away to college and let himself be free, for the first time in his 
life.

    Finally, grabbing a towel, he dried his now cold skin, 
running the towel over the little goose bumps and dried himself off. 
Tying the damp towel around his waist, he walked back into his 
bedroom and allowed the now slipping towel to fall off, grabbing a 
pair boxers from the top drawer of his dresser. He giggled, holding 
them up. 

    Little stars. Perfect.

    Slipping them on, he made his way over to his closet and 
began to pull out his uniform. 
The only thing that scared him was, he had another 2 years of school 
left, and if he had to stay locked up inside for much longer, he was 
afraid he'd lose himself, just as quickly as he had found it. So he 
started hanging out with his little cousin, Juliet. God, she was only 
6, and completely beautiful. Teenage boys would be following her 
around when she turned 16, asking her for dates, saying sweet things 
to win her over. Guys like himself. The thought of it made him 
shutter. He would warn her about that when she was old. She was good 
for him, she helped him be free, if only for an hour or so, and he 
found himself slowly falling under the little girls spell. He loved 
her.

*Watching you, watching me, one lonely star
[One lonely star you don't know who you are]*

    Dressing slowly, he managed to put all his clothes on 
properly and tie his tie without making himself feel to incompetent. 
He wasn't ready to go to school yet, but looking at his watch, he 
knew he only had 30 minutes until the bell ran, and even though it 
only took him 10 minutes to drive there, he had to make his rounds 
and put up appearances before the first bell. 

    Sighing, he grabbed his book bag and shrugged it over his 
shoulder before heading out his door, down the long hall way and down 
the massive stairs. He grabbed his keys off the door table and made 
his way out to his car, praying that this day would go by quickly.  
With any luck at all, his homework load would be light and he'd have 
the rest of his day to do whatever he pleased. His parents had gone 
on a month long trip through out Europe, and frankly he couldn't have 
been happier. The house was his, and his for a month. He could send 
the help home and run around naked for all he cared. He smirked to 
himself as he threw his bag into the back-seat. You know, he just 
might have to try that.

    Putting in his Incubus CD, he started the car and screeched 
out of the long driveway and made his way to school.

    "Well, I just hope today isn't boring."




Chapter 3


    He was late.

    Not that that's a new thing with him. No, no wait, that 
wasn't right. He was always late for class, but never school. Yes, 
yes, that's right. She leaned her hip agaisnt one of the benches 
placed along the hallway and watched the main entrace, remembing on 
many accounts, Tristan's lean frame slinking into the class room, 
grinning sweetly at the teacher as he made his way to his desk. The 
way he'd charmingly wink at the closest blonde as he walked by. The 
way he was completely confident, not in the least bit worried about 
getting a detention or-

    "Morning beautiful." The soft voice near her ear whispered 
seductively, tickling the tender skin under her hair. Jumping 
slightly, she whipped around and stared at the person straight in 
the...chest? Moving her eyes upward, she trailed over the pressed 
white shirt, perfectly tied tie, and the smooth, tanned skin on the 
persons neck.

    "You scared me." She whispered, completely surprised by her 
lack of bite.

    Tristan grinned softly, the same one she wished she could 
smack off his face most of the day,  and slowly walked backward. "My 
deepest apologies, fair Mary. Methinks you should lay off the coffee. 
You're a little jumpier than usual, aren't you?" He glanced down at 
the foam cup in her hand and chucked slightly.

    Rolling her eyes sharply, she folded her arms over her chest, 
bringing the cup closer to her body. "I'm only jumpy when people 
sneak up behind me and try to make a snack out of my ear."  She shot 
back

    He grinned and stared at her with a lazy look in his eye. She 
shifted uncomfortably for a moment, his gaze burning into her own. He 
was looking at her as if she was something delicious, something rare. 
Something extremely exotic and he just had to have a taste. Pursing 
her lips together, she groaned.

    "Well?" She asked, hotly.

    He grinned and turned on his heel. "Rory, if I was nibbling 
on your ear, you'd know it. I also highly doubt you'd be standing." 
He threw over his shoulder, walking down the hall in that confident 
manner he held. She watched, wide eyed, as his groupies surrounded 
him and she was surely forgotten from his mind. She watched him until 
he was gone, around a corner and pulled herself out of her trance, 
suddenly aware of her slipping coffee cup.

    Glancing down at it, she looked at it, disgusted, and threw 
it in a near by trash can. For some reason, the thought of putting 
anything in her stomach made her queasy. Raising her chin defiantly, 
she mustered her courage and made her way down the hallway, only 
stopping once at her locker before making her way into the classroom, 
completely unaware that Tristan had  been watching her all the while.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------


    Lunch came soon enough. So far her homework load was down to 
lowest it had been in months, and she guessed it was because 
Christmas break was coming upon them. Slowly but surely, Christmas 
was right around the corner. Snow had come a few weeks before, but 
the muddy leftovers of that were nothing of the Christmas spirit Rory 
was used to, and she ignored her book for a moment to stare up at the 
sky, pleading with it to show some sign that it knew it was winter.

    Her mother said the best things happen in the snow, and right 
about now, she needed something along those lines. Hell, she'd settle 
from something around contentment if great wasn't available.

    She sat at one of the far picnic tables in the Chilton 
courtyard, her lunch forgotten in front of her, book in hand, head 
phones on. Everyone else was inside, where it was warm. She most 
likely should be in there too, but when she walked in this afternoon, 
all the tables were crowded, barely a single seat open much less a 
table of her own. Usually, she wouldn't have a problem with sharing a 
table with someone, but she didn't much feel like sitting with 
someone she didn't know today, worried that they'd really want to 
make that stupid polite conversation. So she decided to bare the 
cold, pulled on her coat and gloves and made her way out side. 
Reading kept her mind off how cold she might have become, but it 
wasn't all the bad outside anyway.

    Looking away from the sky, she focused her eyes back on the 
book in front of her, sniffling.

    "Cold, Rory?" Someone asked behind her, but it went on 
ignored by Rory, the loud music playing in her ear.

    Tristan smirked as he pulled his coat around him tighter, 
feeling the cold nipping at him through the thin fabric of his shirt. 
How could she stand it out here? And in a skirt no less.

    "Rorrrrrrrry." He teased, completely aware that she couldn't 
hear him. "R to the O to the R to the Y oh why Rory are you outside?" 
He asked to the back of her head. He rolled on his heels, wondering 
if he'd had enough fun with her. He couldn't normally tease her like 
this, it was even more so childish than what he normally did. Plus, 
this was innocent. No rude remarks, no double meaning sex talks. Just 
plan annoyance.

    He giggled and raised an eyebrow at himself. Unfolding his 
arms, he began to dance just the slightest. "Oh Rory, you're so fine, 
you're so fine you blow my mind. Hey Rory, hey hey, hey Rory!"  He 
turned around after his small lapse in judgment and was surprised to 
find Rory looking at him, her hand over her mouth, laughter in her 
eyes.

    "Oh my God, you're certifiable!" She laughed. She watched as 
the smallest bit of pink tickled it's way onto his cheeks.

    "I didn't know you were listening. I mean, I didn't think you 
could hear me. I was just messing around, ya know? Being stupid. I 
think it's the cold." He finished lamely. He pulled his coat around 
him and shoved his hands in his pockets. She smiled up at him, her 
cheeks and nose red from the cold. For the slightest moment, 
forgetting all her negative feelings towards him. 

    "Yeah...yeah, must be the cold. Then again, I'm out here and 
I'm defiantly not dancing." She smiled, and surprisingly, he smiled 
back. Making his way around the table, he sat across from her.

    "I didn't know you were a comedian there, Tristan. That was a 
great dance too, by the way." She said once he sat down.

    Folding his arms in front of him on the table, he leaned on 
them slightly and looked at her. "How much of that did you actually 
hear and/or see?" He asked.

    She smiled, "I didn't know there was more than the dancing." 
She watched as he nodded and sighed, probably in relief.

    Deciding to save himself from complete embarrassment, he 
decided to change the subject. "Why are you outside, Rory? It's 
freezing." He stated, shivering for effect. 

    She shrugged her slender shoulders. "Too crowded inside. Most 
likely take me half the lunch period to just find a seat. The other 
half to keep it. I didn't figure anyone would notice and follow me 
out." She said, raising an eyebrow at him. He grinned and shrugged 
slightly, forcing himself to ignore the goosebumps forming on his 
skin.

    "Aren't you cold?" He asked simply. He watched as the soft 
wind blew through her hair, blowing it over her face and down her 
neck, back again over her face before she used her hand to remove it, 
pushing it back over her shoulder.

    "You tend to ignore it if you're outside long enough."

    He groaned softly and stared at her "Yeah, or you just can't 
feel it because you're totally numb." She watched as he stood up and 
moved his way over to her side of the table. Her eyes widened 
slightly when she saw him sit down next to her, straddling the bench.

    "C'mon."  He said, opening his coat. She stared at him 
blankly for a moment, her mind shutting down. He sighed, feeling the 
cold begin to seep deep into his skin again. "C'mon." He said again, 
now reaching out, wrapping his bare hands around her waste, pulling 
her to him. She looked down at his hands, resting peacefully on her 
stomach. She could feel the soft tingles in her chest, bouncing on 
her stomach. She almost groaned when he removed them, wrapping the 
coat around her, pulling her into his chest.

    "Just until the bell rings." He said, noticing the tense feel 
of her body next to his. So close to his. Even through her coat, he 
could almost pick out every curve on her body. He could feel her, 
each time she took a breath, her back brushing up against him all the 
more. Nervously, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling the coat all 
the way around her small frame, bringing her closer.

    She tensed slightly, surprised by his actions. It seemed like 
it had all happened very slowly, when she knew for a fact it had been 
done quite quickly. Just a second ago, she was sitting alone, willing 
the feeling back into her fingers, and now she was wrapped in 
Tristan's coat, his hard, warm body pressed against hers. She could 
feel his muscles twitch every once in a while, and she somehow 
managed to match her breathing pattern to his, feeling his chest 
against her back. She almost cried out as she felt his arms wrap 
around her, coming to rest on top of hers. And in that moment, she 
couldn't recall a time were she felt more warm, more unattached from 
the word, and more moved by someone's actions.


I've always been in love with you [always with you]
I guess you've always known it's true [you know it's true]


    "This okay?" He whispered, leaning his mouth down to her ear, 
touching it slightly. She could only nod, her mind still focusing on 
his breath, tickling her ear for the second time that day. 

    He rested his chin on her shoulder, making himself more 
comfortable. He wasn't sure what pushed him to do what he had done, 
but he had done it, and couldn't be happier that he had. He didn't 
care if someone saw them, and he didn't care if people talked. He was 
doing his best to prove to her that he was human, and that he did in 
fact have a heart.

    "I bet you do this to all your little snow bunnies out at the 
ski lodge, huh?" She stated, suddenly, her voice soft. His head still 
on her shoulder, he shook it, not wanting to speak.

    "Then how do you know how to do it so well?" She asked. His 
forehead bunched in confusion. Weren't they just having a peaceful 
time? Weren't they getting along? Wasn't he being nice to her?

    "What's the problem, Rory?" He asked, lifting his head of her 
shoulder, the moment now ruined.

    She shrugged her shoulders simply, pulling away from him 
slightly. "It just seems like you know exactly what to do to make my 
mind a complete pile of mush, and you do it, the second no one is 
looking." 

    She felt the cold the minute he stood up, pulling his body 
away from hers. "Look Rory, I was just trying to be nice, ok? I don't 
know where you get off with all this bullshit, but it's not fair." He 
said, shoving his hands inside the pockets on his coat. The wind had 
now started to pick up, and it violently blew her long hair around 
her face.

    "I just don't understand why you're being so nice Tristan. 
This is something I've never seen and I'm not sure how to take it! 
It's not like you've ever really tried before and it defiantly hasn't 
gone this far. I'm just not used to seeing it!" She spat.

    He looked at her simply, pushing the hurt look in his eyes 
away before she could catch it. Licking his dry lips, he pulled them 
into a sickening smile. She shivered, but she doubted it was from the 
cold

    "I doubt you'll ever be seeing it again." He said cruelly, 
giving her one final devastating look before turning around and 
disappearing into the school.

You took my love for granted, why oh why
The show is over, say good-bye
Say good-bye  [Bye, bye] say good-bye

    Slowly, she leaned against the picnic table and pulled the 
jacket around herself tightly. Suddenly, she felt very cold, inside 
and out. What the hell was wrong with her? Why the hell had she done 
that?

    Swallowing deeply, she grabbed her book and lunch and made 
her way inside the school, in a slight daze.

    Somehow, she figured her day wasn't about to get any better.

Chapter 4


    Stepping inside her jeep, Rory forced herself to believe 
Tristan was the one being the jerk. For the past three and a half 
hours, she'd been doing that. She knew she was being the bitch, but 
why should she trust him? A sincere look in his eyes or a kind act 
wasn't any reason to just forget everything he had done to her before 
now. For all she knew, he was planning something against her. Another 
reason for Paris to hate her, another reason to make the boys slap 
him on the back and congratulate him. Well, it wasn't going to work. 
Not at all.

    But she still had been a bitch.

    Turning on the car, she debating whether or not she should 
follow him today. Her mind told her no, but it did that every day, 
and she had grown tired of listening to what her head constantly told 
her. If she didn't go, she would only have homework to look forward 
to, but it was Friday, and her homework could be done tomorrow. But 
then there was also the Christmas party going on in Stars Hollow that 
her mother had talked her into going to. She didn't want to go, of 
course, knowing Dean would be there. She talked with Lane about Dean 
ever once in a while. Asked her, shyly, how he was doing and what he 
was up to. He had gone out with a few girls, a few dates but Lane 
assured her it was only that, and no girlfriends as of yet.

    Relationships were hell. Too much work, too much pain. She 
guessed it was in her genes, seeing as her mother had problems with 
them too. Maybe she could grow up to be like her mother. Single, 
independent. She handled it well, seemed to enjoy it. She'd have her 
days at Harvard, and then her career. So no, she really didn't need a 
boyfriend.

    At least not now.

    Pursing her lips together, she decided to follow him anyway. 
Every Friday for Tristan was different, and she wondered what he had 
planned for the night. No doubt another date with another girl who 
could count her IQ on her figures. That is, if she could count that 
high. She smiled softly, feeling just the slightest bit free.

    
    Tunes. She needed some tunes. Nothing could bring out 
feelings and emotions like music, no matter what kinds you were 
having. Retrieving her collection of CD's out from under the 
passenger seat, she began shuffling through them.

    Britney Spears? Eh...No.

    Nickelback? ...Not right now.

    Backstreet Boys? 

    Wrinkling her nose up, she wondered how the hell that got 
into her car and tossed it out the window, barely missing some guys 
head. 

    Incubus?

    Smiling, she slid the CD out of it's home and slipped it in 
the CD player. She wandered through the songs for a moment, before 
settling on what that seemed fitting

    Pulling out of the Chilton student parking lot, she pulled 
the car onto the street that Tristan drove home on, and pulled over 
into one of the side streets. It was full of trees, and even though 
bare from winter, they still were very thick and easy to hide behind.

    "I don't wanna talk to you anymore, I'm afraid of what I 
might say..." She sang softly, waiting to see his car fly by in front 
of her. She drummed her slender fingers on the steering wheel, 
finding herself being pulled into the hard sound coming from her 
speakers. She wished she could sing, it sure would make the whole 
waiting period a little more fun. But she couldn't, but decided it 
didn't matter and sang along anyway, picking up a  slight bit of head 
banging also.

    "I bite my tongue everytime you come around, I'm afraid of 
what I might say..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

    Waving and smiling at all the people surrounding his car, 
Tristan mentally wished they would all just go away. School was over, 
hadn't they had enough of acting like asses in front of him yet? He 
forced himself to smile at the girl in front of him as she asked him 
what he was doing tonight.

    "What am I doing tonight? Hmm, well... how about you?" He 
grinned, pushing away the sickening feeling in his stomach. He 
watched as the girl didn't even blush, but cast her eyes down his 
body, biting her full lower lip, approving of what she saw. Shoving 
his hands in his pockets, he leaned against his car door.

    "Actually, I've got plans. Family thing, you know." He said 
as sweetly as possible, watching her face fall. Keeping himself from 
rolling his eyes, he stuck out his bottom lip in a mock pout and 
waiting for her to smile.

    And she did. "Well, alright. But don't forget about me next 
week, you owe me." She winked and turned around, making sure he'd 
watch her as she went. Sucking his lip back in, her pushed off his 
car and opened the door.

    "What was her name again?" He asked to a guy standing next to 
him. He just laughed and shrugged before returning his attention back 
on his own ditz in front of him. 

    "Later guys. See ya next week.  Hey, and good luck on the 
game, Potter!" He said, stepping inside his car, shutting it before 
anyone else could start talking to him. All he wanted to do, was go 
home. No one would be there today, except for maybe a maid or two, 
scattered around doing whatever. That left him to himself tonight, no 
plans, no dates. Of course, when he said he family plans earlier, he 
wasn't lying. He fully intended to listen to any phone messages from 
his parents, maybe even go over to his aunt and uncles tonight, see 
what Juliet was doing.

    Starting his car, he listened to the CD player load it's self 
up, starting where it had left off when he turned it off this 
morning. Screeching out of the parking lot, he made his way down the 
road to him home, bobbing his head to the lyrics.

There's something about the look in your eyes
Something I noticed when the light was just right
It reminded me twice that I was alive
And it reminded me that you're so worth the fight

    He strummed his strong fingers on the steering wheel, 
listening intently to the song. Wishing it hadn't, his mind drifted 
towards Rory, and this afternoon. He had felt more at peace and more 
free when he was just sitting there with her. He didn't have to be 
entertaining her, he didn't have to be flirting with her or making 
sly remarks to flatter a her. He just had to sit there, relaxed and 
daydreaming. He thought it had been perfect, completely fresh and new 
for him. Something he hadn't felt in so long he'd forgotten things 
like that existed. He'd forgotten about the school around him, and 
all the fake people inside. He'd forgotten about his parents, about 
his pressures, about his fears and his wishes.

    He'd forgotten how to feel all the pain that was going on in 
his life and it was all because she was willing to sit there with 
him, willing to let him just sit there with her. Willing to just 
allow him to be himself.

    Or at least he had thought so. For those few moments he had 
been granted, she had allowed him to be whatever. Then she changed. 
Everything from the way she held her body to the way she spoke to 
him, she had changed, and he felt his world turn cold again, he felt 
his fears and pressures flood back into his head, and he felt the 
door being slammed, being locked. He searched for a time when he had 
felt so cold and hurt inside, so angry with someone and it scared him 
that he compared her to that. To them.

Ooh, yeah...My biggest fear will be the rescue of me
Strange how it turns out that way...

    He allowed his foot to lay heavier on the gas, and he watched 
as his speed reached well over the speed limit. How could she? Her. 
Everything he thought she was, everything he praised her silently for 
being, was trash now. He had never expected her to do such a thing to 
him. Anyone else, and he would have been waiting for it, and that's 
why he never allowed himself to be in that sort of situation with 
them, but he allowed himself this time and look where it got him. 
Crushed.

Could you show me, Dear?
Something I've not seen
Something infinitely interesting

    Slamming on his breaks to make a stop sign, he forced his 
temper to cool down. She was just like everyone else, and that 
shouldn't surprise him.

    It shouldn't have hurt him as much as it did, either.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

    She had seen his car speed by, like normally and pulled back 
out onto the street, following behind him at a reasonable distance. 
There was a car between him and her, and it calmed her nerves a 
little that he wasn't going to be able to recognize her car.

    The songs on the CD had changed numerous times, but she had 
ignored most of the lyrics, too focused on her thoughts. She had 
tried to just listen to the music and forget the day, but it was 
impossible.

    "Stupid, Rory."

    His fault, Rory. Don't blame yourself. He would have hurt 
you, you just put a stop to it.

    "Who said he would do something that would cause him to hurt 
me?" She spoke to herself, her forehead scrunched up in confusion.

    Who says he wouldn't?

    She sighed and rubbed her forehead. Talking to herself again. 
She needed a nap, or something.

    Turning up the music to drown out the sounds of her 
persistent mind, she focused on the now soft beats coming through her 
speakers. She had always liked this song. It had a nice beat to it, 
calming almost.  She smiled.

There's something about the way you move
I see your mouth in slow motion when you sing
More subtle than something some contrives


    "Your movements echo that I have seen the real thing..." She 
sang softly, her mind wondering slightly, her face fallen. Tristan 
had tried to be nice, and truth be told, when she had compared to how 
she felt wrapped up in Deans arms, and how it felt to be in 
Tristan's, she had found that she liked both. They were both 
different, and pulled different feelings out of her.

    Dean was safe. He was normal, he was constant and always 
there when she had needed him. She had grown accustom to the feel of 
his kisses and his arms around her. The safe feeling, the warmth and 
the comfort.

    But with Tristan it was different. It was settling, it was 
relaxation. It was complete freedom. With Dean, there was no problem 
with being herself and having no fear in that, but with Tristan it 
was something new, something to be nervous about, but she wasn't 
afraid either. Complete freedom.

    He had shown himself to be a completely different person then 
she was used to. And yes, there were small moments that she had 
picked up on and that was the whole reason she was doing what she was 
doing, following him around, and she had seen it, right there at 
lunch. Then again, she ruined it completely but it wasn't expected. 
She didn't expect him to just come outside and show a completely 
different Tristan to her.

    A damn her if it didn't interest her.

    "Well, you got that right boys." She said to the CD player, 
stopping at the stop sign in front of her. She had a feeling she had 
seen the real thing in Tristan today, and she grinned.

    "Well, Incubus knows it all."


Chapter 5


    Pulling his car into his Aunt Hermione and Uncle Harry's 
driveway, he hopped out of his car and shut the door, suddenly in a 
much better mood. 

    When he had gone home after school, he was correct in finding 
his house empty. He fixed himself something small to eat, and sat 
right there on the kitchen counter and did so. When his parents were 
home, he'd never be allowed to do that. Considering if they ever 
themselves walked into a kitchen to find him like that. The house had 
been to quiet, so he had put on some music, but barely listened to it.

    Finally getting bored, he ignored the eight number blinking 
on his answering machine and left the house, deciding to visit his 
cousin. Maybe he could take her out again tonight, McDonald's or 
something like that.

    His Aunt and Uncle were completely different from his 
parents. They weren't as rich, although they had their fair share of 
money. They didn't flash it around like his parents didn't and they 
didn't allow themselves to be apart of the high society. They had 
just recently moved out to Hartford, Harry having gotten a job at one 
of the local law agency's.

    His uncle was a terrific lawyer. An honest lawyer, and sadly 
that was rare in this day and age. His father wanted him to become a 
lawyer, but silently Tristan had refused, completely uninterested in 
the world of the law.

    Making his way up the walkway to his Aunt and Uncles home, 
her marveled in how homey it actually looked, how lived in it seemed 
to be, even from the outside. Completely different from his house, 
which looked like a movie set, a museum.

    Knocking on the door, he shoved his cold hands into his 
pockets and waited.

    "Who is it?" He heard a small voice ask from behind the door. 
He smiled. Clearing his throat, he spoke: "It's Petter Pan."

    He heard her giggled through the thick oak door, and listened 
and she fumbled with the lock, and waited for the door to open. When 
it did he wasn't surprised to find her standing there, grinning from 
ear to ear.

    "Hey Tink, I say we go cause some trouble. Whadda say?" She 
grinned and nodded her head, her hair bouncing.  "Fairy dust, 
please."  He said,  bending over slightly, smiling at her. She 
giggled and pretended to sprinkling fairy dust over the both of them. 
"You ready?" He asked, placing his fists on his hips, the standard 
Peter Pan posture. She nodded her head vigorously. Swooping down, he 
picked her up swiftly, throwing her over his shoulder. Sticking her 
arms out to her sides, they both made swooshing sounds over and over 
as he walked through the hallway of her house, stopping in the living 
room, greeted by the smiles of his aunt and uncle

    "Mommy! Look! Tristan took me flying again, and he's Petter 
Pan and I'm Tinkerbelle!" She squealed excitedly. Aunt Hermione 
smiled, matching the excitement of her daughter.

    "Well, where's Wendy?" She asked, grinning at Tristan, 
winking, which managed to spring a slightl blush to his cheeks.

    "Wendy's off in the real world, knitting or something like 
that." Setting down his cousin, Tristan took a seat next to his 
uncle, and got settled just in time to catch Juliet as she jumped 
onto his lap.

    "Mommy and Daddy are taking me to a Chwistmas fair tonight." 
She said, clapping her hands together in her lap, grinning proudly. 
Widening his eyes, playing along with her excitement, her smiled 
widely.

    "Really? Wow! Are you going to play games?" He asked. She 
nodded her head vigorously, closing her big blue eyes.

    "And are you going to win me a stuffed animal?" He asked again

    She grinned at him and shook her head no. "No? No! Harmph! 
I'm hurt, Juliet." He laughed and began tickling her, laughing harder 
when she squealed for him to stop, but she kept on giggled harder and 
harder, her cheeks pinking.

    "You should come with us Tristan. I'm sure Juliet would love 
it if you would come." His Aunt Hermione said, smiling at the two. 
Tristan tickled Juliet a few more times before looking up at his aunt.

    "Sure, what time?" He asked, setting Juliet back into a 
sitting position on his lap

    "Six. You have to drive yourself, though, sorry to say. 
Juliet is bringing a friend and I'm afraid the cars only a four-
seater."

    He nodded and grinned down at his cousin. "You want me to 
come?" He asked. She smiled and nodded her head, and kissed his 
cheek, making a large smacking sound. He laughed and nodded.

    "Alright, I guess that means I'm coming. Where is it?" 

    "Stars Hollow. Right in the middle of town. I go to business 
school with one of the women that lives in that town, and she told me 
about it. Said it should be a lot of fun..." She continued on, not 
noticing that Tristan's face had fallen slightly.

    Stars Hollow? Rory's town? Holy Hell.

    He nodded his head again, more for himself than anyone else. 
"Alright, I'll be there. I should get home and change though." He 
looked down at Juliet, "I'll see you there, alright? Give me a kiss." 
She leaned up and kissed his on the lips, again making an overly 
dramatic smacking sound. Picking her up, he set her on the couch in 
the spot he had just emptied and waved to his family before making 
his way toward to the front door.

    "Well, tonight should be interesting."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------

    Having followed Tristan to his home, and followed him again 
to another much smaller one, Rory began to grow bored. Apparently, 
Tristan decided this Friday night wasn't worth a date because he was 
doing absolutely nothing. Plus, the jeep was freezing and she kept 
shivering. She had turned the car off the save the battery, knowing 
that she had been keeping it on way to much lately. So there she sat, 
in the cold, in the silence, watching Tristan's completely empty car.

    Sighing, she reached over and started the car, noticing it 
took a little bit longer, and it made a funny clung clung clung sound 
before it fully started up. Praying it wouldn't quit on her ride 
home, she pulled off the curb and made her way back to the main 
highway.

    Hartford was a nice enough town. Big, but still very pretty. 
Lots of trees, lots of snow. Plenty of character. Not as much as 
Stars Hollow, but she highly doubted any town had as much character 
as Stars Hollow. People always seemed to be in a hurry, no matter 
where they were going or how they go there. Cutting her off on the 
road, people runnning across the street even with a car there, taking 
other peoples taxi's. It wasn't some place she could imagine living 
in. Not now, at least.

    The drive from Hartford to Stars Hollow was one that 
consisted of a two lane highway, no stop lights, no stop signs and no 
rests stops. It was only a 45 minute drive from either town, but at 
night, it was a little creepy. Almost completely deserted, and most 
defiantly completely dark, the street tended to give off a horror 
movie vibe, and the last thing you'd ever want to happen would be to 
get stuck on this road, in the winter, in the dark.

    And that's exactly what Rory had managed to pull off.

    Twenty minutes into her drive, Rory had noticed what looked 
like an injured deer, walking across the road. She almost had to slam 
on her breaks to avoid hitting it.  She watched as it stared at her 
for a moment before  it limped down across the road and back into the 
forest. Memories of her previous experience with a deer, she pulled 
her car over to the sided of the road and turned it off. She only 
wanted to see if it would make it the rest of the night, or even it 
just got away from the road. If it had collapsed right when it walked 
into the forest. Something

    Making her way towards the spot were she thought it had 
entered, she did her best to look around in the dark, but saw nor 
heard any sound of the deer and sighed. Figuring there was nothing 
she could have done anyway, she made her way back to the jeep and 
started it up. Or at least, she tried. Four or five times she tried 
and got nothing but  the re-re-re-re  of a dead engine.

    Taking a few deep breaths, Rory forced herself to calm down, 
while mentally beating herself up for not taking the cellphone when 
her mother offered it to her this morning. Deciding that it was be 
best to stay in the car and wait for someone to pull over and help 
her, she pulled her jacket around her, doing her best to keep all the 
warmth inside. 

    "Alright, Rory. It'll only be a few minutes before someone 
drives by and helps you. You wont be here long. You wont be here on 
the dark, cold, scariest road in the world for much longer. 
Just...think of something else." She whispered to herself, a little 
worried at the fact that she could now see her breath.

    "Think about something else. Think about something else. 
Like, why this jeep hates me so much. Why my brain is slowly starting 
to play the theme to Jaws. Why I'm making too big a deal out of this."

    She tapped her foot on the car floor, and bit her bottom lip. 
Twenty minutes had pasted by, and she had only seen one car and it 
didn't even slow down. Although when she got out to wave it down, a 
guy stuck his head out the window and threw a beer bottle at her, it 
shattered agaisn't the jeep, small shards of glass hitting her. He 
had been shouting something she was unable to understand and cat 
calling her. It might have been a very small thing, but it scared 
her, and she jumped back into her car, praying they wouldn't turn 
around and come back for her.

    Even though her jacket was somewhat thick, the cold air 
around her how somehow managed to get colder, and was seeping through 
the material and sinking into her skin. She tried to force herself to 
quit shivering, but all the did was strain her muscles and make her 
even more cold.

    Gulping deeply, she decided her only option now was to get 
out and walk, and hope she was either found and helped, or made it to 
her town before she died, frozen to the street. Grabbing her backpack 
from the passenger seat, she opened the door, and locked it, just in 
case. Breathing deeply, and taking one last longing look at the jeep 
of protection, she began walking on the white line.

    It was completely quiet outside, except for the small noises 
the animals made every once in a while. Snow crunching, a twig 
breaking, and everytime something like that happened, Rory seemed to 
jump higher than the last. She wasn't sure why she had begun to freak 
out, but she had guessed it was the fact that it was dark, that it 
was cold and eerie and that her mother had made her watch way to many 
scary movies over the past few years, and they were all starting to 
creep back into her memory, telling her someone was walking behind 
her was a chainsaw, or ready to grab her and stuff her into a wood 
chipper.

    Clinging to jacket, she closed her eyes for a brief moment 
and willed herself to gain control. No one was out here with her 
except for the animals. No one was behind her ready to kill her, and 
defiantly no one was dragging a wood chipper behind them.

    Then she heard a twig snap right behind her and she jumped, 
and spun around quickly, her eyes wide. That was the final straw. She 
swallowed, and wished she had eight more eyes to see everything 
around her. Preferably ones that could see in the dark.

    Taking a few calming breaths, she nodded to herself and 
started walking again.

    "I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that 
I thought would never end. I've seen lonely times when I could not 
find a friend..." She sang softly, her voice shaking from the cold. 
She could no longer feel her fingers or toes, and she knew her legs 
were giving up their strength much quicker than before.

    "...but I always thought that I'd see you again..." She 
watched as the dim lights of head lights hallowed around her, as they 
started to get brighter.

    In the back of her mind, and insane voice kept tormenting 
her, calling to her.

    Killer. Murder. Death. Chainsaw. Woodchopper. Masks. Rape. 
Death.

    Her eyes widening, she turned to see the car was closing in 
on her, her mind telling her it looked exactly like the one that had 
pasted before, and the driver had no doubt seen her, because he 
started to slow down. Turning, completely unthinking, she ran into 
the forest and hide behind a bush, sitting on her knees, only covered 
in those thin blue tights.

    She closed her eyes and rocked slightly, wishing whoever it 
was would get bored and go look for someone else to kill. Her ears 
perked up as she heard a car door slam, and she squeezed her eyes 
shut tighter, the small trickling of tears making their way down her 
cheeks. Silently she prayed it wasn't the drunk man who had passed 
her earlier, remembering she was out there and alone.

    "Rory?" A voice called from far away and above her. Her eyes 
snap opened, and she wished she could open her ears wider to hear 
better.

    "Rory? Are you out here?" The voice called, and she picked up 
on a small bit of worry. Licking her dry lips, she stood up, her 
knees shaky from the cold, her skirt mostly wet from the snow. She 
waited to hear the warm voice again.

    "Rory! If you're out here, answer me! Damnit!"

    Relieved, Rory broke into a huge smile. "Tristan!" She 
called, her voice shaking. She stood up fully, allowing herself to be 
seen. She watched as his body ran down through the clearing, and as 
soon as she could fully she him, she ran towards him. When she 
reached him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, 
never more happy to see him in her life.

    Surprised, Tristan wrapped his arms around her, letting his 
hand run over her hair in a soothing motion. "It's okay. You're safe. 
It's okay..." He whispered softly into her hair. He could feel her 
shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was because she was scared or cold. 
It had sent chills down his back as her freezing hands made contact 
with the back of his bare neck.

    "Are you okay? Are you hurt? God Rory, you're freezing. How 
long have you been out here. I saw your jeep a while back." He 
stated, trying to pull her away a little, but she wouldn't let go of 
her hold on him, and even held him tighter. "Rory, I just want to see 
if you're Okay." He said softly.

    "I am cold." She whispered, barely inaudible. He nodded 
against her hair and pushed her back gently, willing her up to his 
car. 

    "There's a blanket in the car." He said simply, and he felt 
her nod against him.

    "This is going to sound so girlie, Tristan but...Please don't 
let me go. Not yet, please." She whispered.

    He only nodded slowly, and rubbed his hand over her back. 

    "I won't. Not until you tell me to, I won't." He pulled her 
even closer, doing his best to warm her like he had done only this 
afternoon. "Come on, I'll take you to Stars Hollow."

    He leaned his cheek agaisnt her hair as he lead her towards 
his car, completely unnerved by the sick feeling in his stomach. The 
sick feeling he had gotten when he saw her jeep, abandoned on the 
side of the road. The sick feeling he had gotten when he couldn't 
find her. The sick feeling he got when he thought he couldn't protect 
her. And the strange feeling that he wanted, more than anything, to 
be the one to protect her.


End Part 5