| THE GHOST OF ME |
| by: Daxis Steele Rated: PG 13 Part 1: Decisions Her heart hit the floor. How could she not have realized how much he meant to her? He was smooth, she'd give him that. He slowly worked his claws around her heart and when he walked away he ripped it out and took it with him. The pain was so fresh it was incapacitating. A harsh reality jumped up and slapped her in the face harder than any of his insults or cocky remarks ever could. She loved him, truly loved him with every piece of her now tattered heart. She loved him and he was gone. Now she sat staring at that damn piece of paper that just broke her even more. It was an announcement for Madeline's party that had been sent a few weeks after his departure. Memories of the previous party flooded her mind. The horror of hindsight isn't that it was twenty-twenty; it was that it couldn't be turned off. She could see his eyes now that she looked without contempt, the pain and the jealousy that filled them when she had refused him. She was drowning herself in school and Dean to bury the pain away but everyone could tell. Even Paris had backed off a little when she saw the pain in Rory's eyes when Tristan was mentioned. Dean was beginning to pull away, not that she took the time to notice. She knew it was only fair. Everyone knew her heart didn't really belong to him. Steel resolve filled her as a decision was made. There was something she had to do. Winter break had started that evening and she had a plan. She ran inside and grabbed what she would need, leaving a note for her mother. There wasn't much time left and she needed help. Throwing on her heavy coat she rushed out the door to the bus stop. The lumbering dinosaur didn't reach Hartford fast enough in her opinion; nether did her faltering legs as she raced up the street from the stop to stand on the doorstep of her only salvation at the moment. Behind this door sat the assistance she would need to follow through with this plan. Please, let them be in a good mood. With trembling hands she reached for the bell and began praying furiously. "Rory, dear? What's wrong?' Emily studied the teary eyes of her granddaughter. "Grandma, I need your help." "Come in dear, let's get you warmed up and you can tell me what's wrong." She hadn't noticed the cold. She had been cold since he left and the chilling northeastern winds hadn't registered in her mind. "I have to see him Grandma. I have to tell him the truth." "Who dear?" Emily studied the shell of a girl her granddaughter had become. Something was very wrong with her usually shining angel. "I need you to help me get to him. I can't get there by myself. Well I could but I don't have a car and I am not old enough to rent one, and I don't know how to get him to come home." "Rory, sweetie you're rambling. Tell me who you have to see." Emily pulled her down on the couch next to her and took her frozen hands in her warm ones. "Tristan." The name was a whisper in the quiet room, spoken with a mixture of pain and reverence. "I love him Grandma and I have to see him." The tears began anew. Emily pulled her into a loving hug, torn by the obvious broken heart Rory was suffering and what was proper. She wasn't one to stick her nose in the affairs of other families. To hell with proper, this little girl was in pain and she knew Tristan to be as well. There was no disguising the love in his eyes when he looked at Rory. He was good at masking his emotions but Emily had been in the game ages longer and read right through the boy's walls. "Please help me." Her decision was made in an instant. They would bring those broken hearts back together if it severed every bridge in Hartford. "Okay Rory." First she had to get Rory on her way and then she had to speak to Janlen. The elder DuGrey would be on their side. "Have you eaten?" Rory just shook her head. It hadn't been a priority. "Let's get you some food and figure out how to get you in your Romeo's arms." Rory laughed at the irony of the statement and followed Emily to the kitchen. She watched Emily buzz around the kitchen but truly comprehended little of what was going on. The heavy weight of numbness had settled in her mind. Emily frowned at her granddaughter's preoccupation. She got Rory food and made some phone calls. Lorelei was going to scream bloody murder but if she could see Rory's face she would have done the same. "Rory, does your mother know where you are?" "No, she wasn't home when I left, I left a note." She sniffled and picked at the food on her plate. "She's going to kill me." "I think I'll be higher on that list when this is all over with." Emily chuckled. "Let's get you packed I have you on a jet in an hour." Rory just stared at Emily. She wasn't expecting that. She needed to see Tristan but she assumed Emily would just try and talk to his parents and plead with them to let him come home for the break. She wasn't expecting Emily to send her down there. She figured Emily would try and talk her out of her crazy plan. "I'll have a car waiting for you at the airport and you and Tristan can drive it back home. Consider it and early Christmas present." Rory didn't know what to say. She shot off the stool and hugged her grandmother. "I don't know what to say." "I do remember what it's like Rory. I was your age when I fell in love with your Grandfather." She smiled and herded the stunned child up to the room they had furnished for her. "Now let's get you packed." Forty minutes later Rory was boarding the plane and Emily was sitting in the receiving room of the DuGrey mansion. "What can I do for you Emily?" Janlen sat down across from his old friend. "Janlen I need your help." He sat quietly waiting for her to continue. "It's about Tristan and my granddaughter." "Ahh, yes." He chuckled. "Young love. What do you need me to do?" Emily sifted through the plan she had been shaping since Rory's first plea. "Can you help them Janlen?" "Emily, I would like nothing more than to bring my grandson home." A mischievous sparkle danced in his eyes. "Let's get to work, shall we?" ********************** Rory was in a daze as the plane touched down. The last five hours of her life seemed to be a blur. "Miss Gilmore. We have arrived." She nodded to the attendant and walked numbly to the door. Just as promised there was a car waiting for her on the tarmac. "Rory?" She looked up at the man standing by the car and found her voice. "Yes." "Rory, your grandmother sent me to bring you your car. I just need you to sign these papers and it's all yours." "As in I own it?" She looked at the man with shock. "Yes, didn't your grandmother tell you?" "Probably, I wasn't really listening." She said quietly as she looked at the SUV behind him. "Well, she got you the top of the line, I think she was worried about you driving in the snow." He chuckled. "If you sign these I can let you get on your way." She nodded and put her name down on the papers. "Here you go, Miss Gilmore, have a good trip." He handed her the keys and moved away from the car. "Thank you." She quietly slid into the front seat and started the car. Her mind was awash with thousands of things she wanted to say to him when she saw him. She did take a moment to chuckled at the fact the car had one of those GPS satellite systems to tell her how to get to her destination. Following the directions to the school, she tapped restlessly on the steering wheel. What if his feelings had changed. What if he never really had feelings for her in the first place and it was all a figment of her imagination. She felt stretched to the breaking point when she pulled up to the gates of the academy, praying to God he was as happy to see her as she would be to see him. "What can I help you with young lady?" She looked up at the man blocking her way. "I'm here to pick up Tristan DuGrey for break." She tried not to sound meek. He looked like the kind of person that would eat the timid alive. "You do realize the time don't you?" She looked down at her watch shocked that it was already after ten pm. "No, I'm sorry I didn't, it's been a long trip." "It's already after lights out, I'm afraid you will have to come back tomorrow." He looked sternly at her. "Oh for goodness sake John, let the girl alone." She turned to see another gruff looking man approach her. "I already told you someone would be here to pick up DuGrey. His Grandfather called earlier." He smiled at Rory. "You look exhausted." "I guess I am. I haven't really thought about it." She was only vaguely aware of what was going on around her. "Well then, let's get DuGrey moving so you can get some rest." He smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. Whatever was going on with this girl she was out of it. "Thanks." He guided her down a hallway to the dorm rooms. "It's the third door on your right. I'll go relieve John so you don't have any trouble leaving." He winked at her and walked back the direction they had come. *********************** Rory stood cemented in her spot. The fear washed over her like a tsunami. This was a mistake, a very big mistake. She never should have done something this impulsive. "It's too late to turn back now." She whimpered and forced her feet to shuffle to the closed door. She stood on the other side of the wooden barrier and tried to force her heart to calm. What on Earth had she been thinking? She hadn't been thinking, and that was the problem. "Just knock." She ordered herself. Slowly she raised her hand a rapped on the door. There was a moment of silence where she thought she might have a chance to escape and run back to the car, but then she heard his voice, strong and irritated, drift out from the room. "Hang on, I'll be there in a second." "Run, you still have time." Panic was gripping her at what stood on the other side. She was about to step away into the shadows when the door was thrown open bathing her in harsh florescent light. She saw his eyes, filled with curiosity and panic. "Rory? What are you doing here?" His heart stopped beating while he waited for her answer. Words tumbled from her lips, even as her mind to tired to stop them. "I had to see you and so I went to Grandmother, expecting her to talk me out of it, or maybe try and talk your parents into bringing you home. Next thing I am on a plane to North Carolina, getting in my new car at the airport and driving here wondering what the hell I'm going to say to you when I see you. This was such a bad idea." She whimpered and he smiled bemused by her ramble. "You wanted to see me?" She just nodded not trusting her voice. "Why?" She just shrugged and looked at the floor. He reached out and lifted her chin to face him. Fire raced through her skin at the touch, and his eyes burned straight down to her soul. "To tell you that I..." She swallowed hard, the words stuck in her throat. He fought the rising hope in his heart, knowing she wasn't going to say what he longed to hear. "What did you want to tell me?" His voice was rough with anticipation as he stepped out into the hallway. "There's a fine line you know? You walk it, and you think you are on one side of it, but then something happens and you find out some how you got thrown to the other side but you don't know how." She looked down again. "Rory? What are you talking about?" He smiled despite his panic. It was times like this he had to fight not to kiss her. "God I need coffee. None of this seems real, it's just cold and quiet and there you are and it's warm and shit, this isn't going how I wanted it to." "Did you just swear?" He had to chuckle, but seeing her face he pulled himself back under control. She looked up into his eyes swallowing a shaky breath as the tear fell down her cheeks. "I'm supposed to hate you." She saw him flinch for a moment. "So you tell me, how the hell I fell in love with you." He looked stunned. He was stunned. He had never in all the time he knew her allowed himself to hope she would say those words. "Tristan?" He was just standing there like a lump. "Tristan?" When he didn't move, she nodded, knowing she had her answer. "I'm sorry, I won't bother you any more." She started to move away from him, pulling him out of the trance. "You love me?" The hope interlaced in the whisper brought back the warmth that had filled her once. "Somehow, yes." Before she knew what happened she was pinned against his chest, his lips smashing hers. She whimpered as he explored her mouth and her legs gave up their attempt to hold her. He was breathless when he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "God, I love you." He buried his face in her shoulder and held her tightly to him. Rory sobbed happily as her world pulled back into focus. She clung to him a moment before taking a steadying breath. She pulled back to see his eyes shimmering. "Really?" "Of course, you're my Mary." She scowled mockingly at him and tried to sound fierce but the relief was too strong. "Come on, let's get out of here before Hitler decides not to let us go." "I see you met John." He walked her into his room to gather his stuff, afraid if he let go she would disappear. "I think so, I don't really know what's happened since I left my house this afternoon. It was sort of a blur." She blushed furiously as he grinned. Tristan grabbed his bag and closed up his room. "Oh God." She moaned as he grabbed her hand and started to pull her down the hall. "What? What's wrong?" He turned to see the panic settle on her face. "Mom's going to kill me." She moaned and the shifted her head as if replaying the events in her head. "And I think Grandma bought me a car." She looked like someone who just woke from a dream. "Wow, you were out of it." He chuckled and pushed her down the hall to the front door. "This your car?" He pointed to the Durango. "I think so." She studied it for the first time. "Oh my God, I have a car." She threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "A really nice one from the looks of it." He opened the back and threw his bag after pulling out some music. "It's got seat warmers!" She was busy investigating the interior. "Rory, it's a long drive back, what do you say we hit the hotel in town and head back early tomorrow." She snapped back to the conversation at hand. "Yeah, I should call Mom and Grandma." She crawled up into the driver's seat and snuggled into the seat. "I'm exhausted." He leaned over and shifted a strand of hair behind her ear. "You need me to drive?" She shook her head, smiling happily. "I'll be alright until we get to town." "Okay." The quiet moment was interrupted by the shrill of her cell phone. "Hello?" "Lorelei Leigh Gilmore, where the hell are you?" "Um, hi mom. I was just about to call you. Did you talk to Grandma?" "No, why would I?" "She was supposed to call you." "She did, I didn't answer." "Oh." "What have you done, spawn of mine?" "I'm sort of in North Carolina?" "What?" "I would recommend coffee, I think you are going to need it." "Already ahead of you, now spill." Rory whimpered and turned to Tristan. "Maybe you should drive." He nodded at her whisper and climbed out of the car. "This is going to take a while." "I've got all night." There was no mistaking the agitation in Lorelei's voice. "It started this morning at school." She sighed and leaned back in her seat before closing her eyes. "I got this flyer from Madeline about a party." "In North Carolina?" "No, it's in Hartford. Stop interrupting." "Go on." "Anyway, I was sitting in the kitchen looking about the flyer and it made me think about the last party I went to at Madeline's when I kissed Tristan." Tristan just stared at her with a smile as he started to pull out of the parking lot. "You kissed Tristan?" Lorelei's excitement took the better of her and she got jumped at the prospect of a story. "Stop interrupting. Yes I kissed Tristan. And I was sitting there thinking about how miserable I was, 'cause he was gone, which didn't make sense because my life should have been easier. And it was but it was boring. I missed him a lot. I loved him, but I didn't know I loved him when he left, I thought I hated him, but everything sucked. It was cold and dark at school and then I had to come home and see Dean and I just kept wishing he was Tristan and so I was sitting in the kitchen thinking about all of this and made a decision. I had to see him." She felt Tristan's hand snake around hers and jumped as she realized she was spilling her guts with him sitting next to her. Looking in his eyes she found only relief that her feelings were in fact real. He smiled and turned back to the road. "No stopping, on with the story!" She could almost see her mother curled up on the couch with the phone and her coffee. "I had to see him, but I had no idea how to get to North Carolina. You were gone and I didn't have a car so I did the only thing I can think of. I went to grandma's." She heard her mother grunt. "I think I was crying but I don't really know. Grandma just told me to come in and get warm. I didn't even know I was cold. I couldn't feel anything, like nothing was real." Rory sighed. "I told her that I had to see him and that I loved him but I didn't have a car so I couldn't get there. I was expecting her to talk me out of going, tell me she would talk to Tristan's dad and see if they could have him come home for break or something but the next thing I know I am on a plane to North Carolina." "My mother put you on a plane to North Carolina?" "Yes, do you want to hear this or not?" "Yes." "Then stop interrupting." She heard Tristan snicker. "So I got off the plane and there was a guy standing beside a car and he said I had to sign these papers and I could take my car. I just looked at him and he asked, 'Didn't your grandmother tell you?' when I asked him if he meant I would own the car. I vaguely remember something about an early Christmas present but it's all hazy." "She bought you a car!!" "Pay attention or I'm stopping." "Sorry." "Then I'm walking in the front door of the school and this Gestapo man tells me it's after lights out and I have to come back tomorrow. I didn't want to come back tomorrow. I was there now. But I didn't even get a chance to argue. This other guy comes out and tells him to chill before taking me to Tristan's room. I just stood there in the hall like an idiot, trying to convince myself not to turn around and run away." Tristan smirked imagining the sight in his mind. "So did you talk to him?" "You're interrupting again." There was a growl on the other end. "Yes, I started giving him the speech I had rehearsed a hundred times but I botched it all up so I just said it, that I loved him and he just stood there." "Oh sweetie, I'm sorry." "You're doing it again." "There's more?" "Yes." Rory sighed. "I think I threw him for a loop, then he snapped out of it and kissed me and told me he loved me too and now we are going to crash before we head back tomorrow." "Rory?" She turned to look over at Tristan. "Breathe." She took an exaggerated breath and smiled. "Ahhhhh! You had an adventure without me, you rotten child! And you got a car, not to mention you told my mother you were in love with Tristan before me!" She could tell her mother was pacing. "Rotten, rotten little child." "I'll bring Luke's coffee when I get home tomorrow?" Rory offered meekly. "Okay, you are forgiven. Now I have to hang up so I can chew out my mother." She huffed and hung up. "Bye." Rory whispered to no one. "I'm feeling fine, let's drive for awhile before we stop. That way we won't have as much tomorrow." She stifled a yawn as she nodded in agreement. "Why don't you get some sleep." "Okay." She looked out the window before leaning back and closing her eyes. She felt Tristan lift her hand to his lips and whisper he loved her before she drifted off to sleep. Tristan studied his sleeping beauty with the awe afforded a rare treasure. It all happened so fast that he wasn't even sure he believed it was real but when he looked to his side and saw the smile on her sleeping face he knew everything would work out in the end. He turned down the radio and drove on into the night. ******************** "Good morning." Rory yawned as his voice pulled her from her sleep. She wasn't sure how long she actually slept but she knew she kept waking up and that she was still exhausted. "There's coffee in the cup holder for you." Her eyes snapped open and found the steaming cup immediately. He chuckled as she dove for it. "Where are we?" She studied her surroundings. "About an hour from Hartford." "What time is it?" "Almost 9." "You drove all night?" She looked at him like he was crazy. "Yeah. I started playing with this thing and next thing I know I was a few hours from home." He pointed to her navigation system. "Did you know it will actually find the closest Starbucks to you?" "No way!" She giggled and started playing with it. "Why didn't you wake me up? I'm sure it was boring." "That's ok. I had a lot to think about." "Oh," she looked timidly at him. "Good or bad things?" He smiled reassuringly. "Good. I was trying to figure out how to convince my dad not to make me go back to military school." "Oh. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I don't even know where you are going to stay." She said quietly. "Well Grandfather called the school last night to tell them I was coming home so he was apparently in on the plan." He watched her curl into a little ball on her seat and sip her coffee. The soft morning light caressed her giving her an almost ethereal glow. "You are so beautiful." The flush that burned in her cheeks just made her more so in his eyes. "You're not so bad yourself DuGrey." She focused intensely on the coffee cup in her hands. "What do you want to do with your vacation?" "Spend as much time as I can with you." She blushed again, not used to this sweet side of her arch nemesis. She had seen small glimpses of it hear and there but she hadn't seen Evil Tristan emerge once since she knocked on his door. "I might not be able to convince Dad to let me stay, and I want as much time with you as I can get before I go back to hell." "Chilton isn't any better these days." She shrugged and finished the cup. "Paris is leaving me alone finally." "Why was she bothering you this time?" He smiled knowing some things never changed. "She blamed me for you having to leave. I think she finally gave up when she stopped and noticed how much it hurt me just to hear your name." She smiled sadly as a tear slipped down her pale skin. He brushed it tenderly away with his thumb and cupped her cheek. "Hey, I'm here now." She took a moment just to bask in his presence, his distinct scent that made her crazy. She almost missed the exit in her reflection. "Wait, turn off here." She pointed to an exit. "It's faster to my house that way then to go to Hartford first." "Okay." He followed her instructions and wound his way through the back roads to Stars Hollow. "So is your mom going to take my head off?" "No, but mine might not be attached much longer. We have to stop at Luke's first. If we don't bring coffee it definitely won't be." She directed him to the hardware store in the center of town. "Here?" "It's a long story." She crawled out of the truck and yanked her jacket around her tightly. "Ooh, definitely in need of warm liquid." She was half way up the walk when she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. "Shit." "That's twice you've cursed around me, maybe I am a bad influence." He joined her on the other side of the car to find her slightly frazzled. "What's up?" "Dean. I didn't have a chance to tell him before I left yesterday." She nodded in the direction of the market. "Oh." Tristan's spirit fell slightly. "I at least owe him an explanation." She could see a tick in Tristan's jaw as he tried to reign in his temper. She gently ran her finger along his jaw trying to calm the tense muscles. "I'll be inside." "I'll be there in two secs." She looked at him apologetically and backed toward the market. He watched her for a moment before walking into Luke's. ************** "What do you want rich boy?" He looked over to see a dark haired teen standing behind the counter. "You greet everyone like that?" He sat down on a stool. "No, just rich boys driving expensive cars." "It's not mine." "Borrow it from Daddy?" He sneered. "It's definitely not Rory's." Tristan just smirked. "Actually it is." "Now I know you are a liar." He went and got two cups of coffee to go ready for Rory. "So what are you doing here with Ror?" "She picked me up from school yesterday." He shrugged and asked for a cup of coffee. "So you're the reason Lorelei came in shouting at Luke yesterday." He chuckled. "Tristan I presume." "Guilty as charged. And you are?" "Jess." He slid a cup of coffee in front of him. "You hurt her and I throw you off the highest building I can find." "Wouldn't do that to her." Tristan met his challenging gaze with and honest one. Jess studied him for a minute and finding what he was looking for nodded. "At least she's finally dumping Bag Boy, never liked him much." "You just made an ally for life." Tristan laughed and drank his coffee. ***************** "Hey Dean." Rory walked timidly up to him. "Tell me he's not why you've been so distant." Dean was almost begging. "I wish I could." She studied her feet. "I knew you had feelings for someone else, but I figured it was Jess." He sighed with defeat and sat on the windowsill. "I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen." "I know. Doesn't make it any easier, even if I knew it was coming." She just nodded. "We'll be alright eventually right?" Hope was shining in her eyes as she waited impatiently for his answer. "You mean will we be friends?" He wanted to shout at the injustice of it. "Yeah, I guess that's what I'm asking." She kicked at an invisible speck of dirt. "Maybe, eventually." He dropped his gaze to the floor, unwilling to let her see the pain. "I guess that's all I can ask." She backed away slightly. "Good bye Dean, and for what it's worth I am sorry." He just nodded, not looking up and listened to her walk out of the store. ********************* Tears tickled at her eyes but didn't fall as she walked into the diner. "Hey, you okay?" Tristan's arms found there way around her waist and pulled her against him. "Yeah, he took it pretty well. I would avoid him for a while though." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You ready to go face my mother?" She sighed and just enjoyed the moment. "As long as you are sure I'm not going to get killed." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'm not making any promises." She snickered at his pout. "Jess, can I have four coffee's to go?" "Four?" He came to stand in front of her. "Trust me this is definitely a two cup offense." "So you really ran off to North Carolina to rescue soldier boy here?" Jess smiled. "Yep." "My student, I can teach you no more. Pride fills my heart." She laughed at her friend lunging across the counter to kiss his cheek. "Thank you Master, I will try not to disappoint you." "Did I miss something?" Tristan's grip tightened a little. "Jess is Stars Hollow's resident bad boy. He's been trying to corrupt me." She grabbed the tray of coffee and handed it to Tristan. "Come on, I want to go play with my new car!" She reached into his pocket and pulled out her keys before skittering out of the diner. Tristan just laughed and turned to Jess. "Told you." "I'll be damned." Jess just shook his head and watched them pull into the street. "I feel like I'm driving a tank. Varoom, varoom." Rory giggled as she drove down the quiet street to her house. "Just don't run over anyone." He gripped the handle on the door remembering her mishap with the deer last year. "Spoil sport." She pouted but pulled calmly into the driveway. "Come on, I get to subject you to the horrors of my mother now." She snickered and hopped down out of the car. Grabbing his hand she pulled him up the steps and into the house. "You don't lock your doors?" "Nothing to steal." She shrugged out of her jacket and took the coffee so he could do the same. "Mom! Coffee!" She bellowed up the stairs. Turning to Tristan she mouthed a ten second countdown and laughed as Lorelei came bouncing down the stairs just as she reached one. "You're still an evil child." Lorelei grumbled and took one of the cups. "I brought you two." Rory held out a second to her. "Eeh, not fair, not fair. You should be punished for bribing your mother!" Lorelei huffed and took the second cup. "What are you doing home this early?" "Tristan decided to be valiant and drive all night." Rory shrugged and started guzzling her coffee. "You would be Tristan I'm guessing." She glared at him, circling like a shark. "Yes ma'am." "Eew, no ma'am's. You owe me coffee for every one of those I hear you call me." "Sorry ma'am, it's military school, they're kind of strict about that." "I said no ma'ams." She scowled until he held out his coffee to her. "Okay forgiven. Kitchen, move, move, move." She shoved him in the general direction of the kitchen and turned to her daughter. "Well you can definitely pick the hotties." Rory just giggled and followed him in the small kitchen. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you mom, I didn't think Grandma was really going to let me go. And I did leave you a note." Lorelei just huffed and leaned in the door jam. "First things first." She handed Tristan the phone. "Call your grandfather and then get some sleep, you look like hell." He nodded and Lorelei grabbed her daughter's sleeve pulling her into the living room. "I am so not even going to go into how pissed I am you went to North Carolina alone in the middle of the night." She cut Rory off before she could protest the time. "But not as pissed as I am at my mother for sending you without my permission. Don't ever pull a stunt like that again or you will be grounded until you are ninety." Rory just nodded, knowing she was getting off lightly. "Now enough with the mom talk, show me the car!" Lorelei giggled and bounced in place. "It's so cool." Rory grabbed her hand and dragged her out the door. "It's got one of those navigator things that tells you where the nearest Starbucks is!" "No way!" "Uh huh." They gushed about the vehicle for a good twenty minutes, not noticing Tristan watching them from the porch. He smiled at the pair, envying the love that was obviously shared between Rory and her mother. He laughed as Rory came skipping up the steps to stand in front of him. "Hi." "Hi." He kissed her frozen nose. "Have fun gloating?" "I wasn't gloating, I was just...okay, I was gloating." She curled into his embrace as they walked back inside. "Alright I'm going to work. I'll see you two later. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Lorelei yelled up at them. "Bye." He waved at her and bit back the urge to ask what she wouldn't do. Alienating Rory's mother would not be a good idea. Rory closed the door behind them and hung her jacket back on the hook. "What did your grandfather say?" "Take my time, he'd talk to me later." Tristan stifled a yawn. "Come on Mr. Sleepy Man. Sleep now, talk later." She followed his yawn with one of her own. "You aren't much better off. Didn't really sleep much in the car huh?" She shook her head. "Wait here." She ran into her room and grabbed her comforter and pillow. "It's warmer in here. I figured we could throw in a movie while we sleep and stuff." She shifted suddenly uneasy. "Rory," she looked up at him nervously. "I'm not going to try and make you do anything you don't want to. You know that right." "Yeah." She sighed. "Can I kiss you again?" He was smirking that irritating Tristan smirk that got her all flustered. She wanted to snap at him but his fingers were tickling the back of her neck making her mind mush. She nodded, not trusting her voice and gasped as he stepped closer. She could feel the heat coming off him in waves as he leaned in for a searing kiss. All thought processes shut down and she was swept away in his touch. He pulled back breathless, his voice husky. "I've been dying to do that since we left North Carolina." "Do it again." She whimpered without thinking. He smirked at the power he had over her and leaned in for another taste. She was heaven. "Welcome home." She whispered as he pulled back the second time. "Home huh? Are you asking me to move in with you?" He smiled at her grunt of disapproval. Evil Tristan had emerged. "Really, aren't you moving a little fast Mary?" "Shut up and go to sleep Bible Boy." She tried to pull away from him but he held her fast. "Where do you think you're going?" "You ruined the moment, I'm going to sleep in my room." He laughed and backed over toward the comforter, tugging her along with him. "Oh no you don't. I'm not letting you get away this time." She rolled her eyes with a smile. "Then learn to keep you mouth shut." "Yes ma'am." He kissed her on the cheek and released her long enough to turn the TV on. "What are we watching?" "I don't care I'll be asleep in five minutes anyway." She kicked off her shoes and crawled under the blanket on the floor. "MTV it is." He flipped through the channels until he found the station he was looking for before joining her. His heart jumped in his throat when she shifted back against his chest. It was a perfect fit as he molded his body around her, bringing with it warmth like boiling lava. She sighed with content and snuggled deeper. "Goodnight Mary." "Goodnight Romeo." He snickered and closed his eyes, unable to believe his luck. His Rory was cuddled tightly against him and he wasn't dreaming. This was turning out to be a good Christmas after all. Part 2: Appearances Rory stretched and started to uncurl from her spot under the blankets. Something was missing. The arms that had been around her when she fell asleep were no longer there. Her heart dropped and her mind cried out at the loss. It had all been a dream, a horribly wonderful dream. She buried her face in the blanket and fought the urge to cry. With a determined sigh she rolled out of the bed only to realize she wasn't in her bed. She was on the living room floor in front of the television. The dark cloud lifted from her heart when she saw Tristan's boots next to the couch. He was here. It hadn't been a dream. "Tristan?" She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and slowly stood. "In the kitchen." She followed the deep voice into the other room and found him sitting at the table staring into a mug. "What are you doing?" She flopped down next to him. "Waiting for the coffee to finish brewing." He pointed to the machine bubbling on the counter. "Yeah, coffee." She studied his face. Although still showing signs of the lack of sleep he did appear oddly at peace. "You sleep at all?" "A few hours." He smiled at her. "So what's this about a party tonight?" "Party?" He held up Madeline's invitation. "Oh yeah. There's a party tonight." "Do you want to go," he paused fumbling with the paper, "you know, with me?" She was still unaccustomed to vulnerability being anywhere in the vicinity of Tristan DuGrey. "It could be fun." She snickered mischievously. "What's going on in that head of yours, Mary?" "Nothing, just trying not to laugh at the reaction we are going to get if we go there together." "Probably would catch a few of them off guard. After all Rory Gilmore hates me, why in hell would she ever go to a party with me." He stood and filled two mugs, handing one to her. "You know what would be even better? Showing up separate and leaving together. Think of the scandal!" She rolled her eyes at him and laughed. "Tristan rides in on his trusty steed and sweeps the unsuspecting good girl right off her feet and into his evil clutches." She snickered. "Paris would have heart failure." "What can I say I am a ladies man?" "Not any more you're not mister. You're mine now." Hearing Rory's possessive claim sent a jolt right to his spine. "I love it when you talk dirty." He snickered at her glare. "Why did I come rescue you again?" "You fell victim to the DuGrey charm." Rory just rolled her eyes. "Fill my mug Mr. Coffee Man, and I'll forget you said that." She held the empty glass in his face. "So do you want to go to the party?" "Yeah, why not. I should swing by my grandmother's on the way there and profess undying gratitude first." Tristan snorted. "What?" "You should be thankful, she sent you to me." "I meant for the car ego boy." She glared playfully and accepted the coffee he held out to her. He chose to ignore her statement and drink his coffee. "We should probably get ready to go then. I could really use a shower." "Top of the stairs on the left." She watched him collect his bag from the hallway. "Do you mind if we drag Jess along?" "Any particular reason why?" "Cause I have this theory about Dodger and Paris." She snickered. "Playing matchmaker are we?" He smiled. "Oh come on, it would be fun to watch. Kind of like you and me fighting. Jess is the only person that came even close to aggravating me as much as you did. I would love to see those two locked in a room together big brother style." "I guess that works. So, are we going together or meeting there?" She stood and leaned into his chest. "You just want to play the stud in front of all your old friends." "Damn right I do." He picked her up and carried her into the living room, coffee and all. "Alright, I'll let you have your moment in the spot light, Drama Queen. You take my car and I will ride up with Jess." "You don't even know if he'll come." "He'll come. It's an opportunity to harass a new crowd of people. He won't be able to turn the chance down." Tristan nodded. "Go shower. I'm going to head over to the diner." "Yes ma'am." He gave her a mock salute. "I love it when you call me ma'am. Don't use all the hot water soldier boy." She kissed him on the cheek and raced out the door to Luke's. ******************** "And why would I want to go to some stuffy party in Hartford?" "Think of all the rich kids you can terrorize." She watched him mull over it for a minute. "Besides, I need your help. Tristan wants to play the man and steal me away on the dance floor, I don't trust anyone from Chilton enough to dance with them." She gave him the doe eyes knowing he was a goner. Jess never held out long against that look. "Listen little sister, this party better not suck." Although they weren't family yet, he knew it was only a matter of time before Luke and Lorelei finally came out of the closet they were hiding in. "As if you would ever be bored. You just start trouble when there's nothing to do. Maybe you should teach these boys how to play poker." She smiled mischievously. "I'll pick you up in twenty minutes." He shoved her toward the door. "You owe me big Ror." "Wait till you get a hold of Paris." She snickered quietly on the walk home. ******************* "Hey," Tristan was sprawled out on the couch when she got home. "What took you so long?" "He took some convincing." She threw her coat on the hook and walked over to him. "But he agreed to let you steal me away on the dance floor." "I don't have anything to be jealous about do I?" Tristan studied her carefully, no doubt replaying his last experience at one of Madeline's parties. "Think brother and sister." She smirked at his relief. "He's gonna pick me up in about fifteen minutes if you want to head out. That should give you enough time to ring in your miraculous return." She pulled away and ran up to shower before he could say anything else. "I'll see you in an hour." His shout was met with a wave from behind the bathroom door. He laughed to himself as he searched the kitchen for her keys. ************** "You are not seriously going to wear that?" Jess studied Rory carefully. "Why not?" She frowned and looked at her outfit. "Are you trying to give the poor guy a heart attack?" Jess eyed the tiny skirt and baby tee she took from her mother's closet. "What?" Rory glared at him. "Nothing. You said I wouldn't be bored and I have a feeling I'm gonna have a good time trying to keep the bad boys away. Tsk, tsk." Jess laughed as she studied herself in the mirror again. "You really think I look good?" She looked over at him nervously. "He'll be floored, now come on let's get this over with so I can go harass Kirk." ******************* Tristan stood impatiently with the gang of guys that surrounded him. He had affectively held the airheads at bay for twenty minutes and was itching to get out on the floor and dance. He wanted Rory there. It had been an hour and she should have arrived already. When he saw Jess wade into the room with Rory behind him, he felt himself begin to relax. She was here and that was enough, for now. He watched her hungrily in that black mini, practically grabbing the counter with a death grip to keep himself from snatching her out of Jess' hold. The innocence with which she moved assured him that she had no idea how much power she had over him. "Down boy." He snapped out of his reverie when he felt John's hand on his shoulder. "Damn Tris, I thought you would have gotten over her by now. Got to admit though, she is a fine piece of tail." The growl that tore from his throat not only startled the guy idiotic enough to say the words but Tristan as well. "You think I don't have what it takes to win over Mary?" "Right, like you ever had what it takes. She couldn't stand you. Not to mention she is here with someone." Davis pointed out on the dance floor and Tristan fought for breath when he saw her swaying provocatively to the music with Jess and a few other people. "Watch me." He snarled as he pulled away from the crowd but a hand stopped him. John was restraining him and pointing to a guy headed over to Rory and Jess. "Ten bucks says she turns him down flat." John smiled to Davis. "I'll take that bet. If anyone could melt that ice queen it's Anderson." Davis moved to stand next to Tristan. Panic filled his heart as he watched one of his former friends hitting on his Rory. She turned, gracing Anderson with a smile and listened attentively when he asked her to dance. "No thank you, I'm here with someone." The words were sweeter than candy as they reached his ears. He watched with a smile as she turned back to Jess. Chris Anderson joined them a minute later. "What's the verdict?" John snickered at Davis. "No go, she's here with someone." John held his hand out until Davis paid up and turned to Tristan. "You're going to try anyway aren't you?" "Damn right I am." He smiled and pulled away from the pack. "Ten more says he gets her." John looked over at Davis. "I'll take that bet. The little Mary hates his guts." He sneered at the chance to win his money back and stood back to watch the show. ********************** Rory could tell by the expression on Jess' face that Tristan was near so she barely flinched when she felt the hand on her hip. "You're killing me, you know that right." She felt a shock straight down her spine at the husky words. "What took you so long?" She smiled and winked as Jess as she melded back against his chest. She felt a strong hand slide across the bare skin of her stomach and his other slide down her arm to take her hand. Surging beats filled her ears as she found her rhythm safe in his arms. "I got held up." He spun her away from him reeling her back in to face him as they started to move to the sensual beat of the music. The stunned on lookers stood silently as Tristan and Rory danced. "Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?" Louise came to drape her arms around Davis. "Where'd she learn to move like that?" Jess snorted at Davis' question. "And why isn't she beating the hell out of Tristan?" "Why are you laughing?" A harsh voice brought Jess back to his surroundings. He looked over to see a fierce looking blonde standing next to him. "Didn't you come with Rory?" "I brought her here, but we aren't together." He eyed the blonde carefully, she was definitely going to be a fighter. "You wouldn't happen to be Paris would you?" "How did you know that?" The hostility toward Rory was rolling of Paris in waves and it wasn't difficult to piece together. "Just a hunch. So Gellar," Jess smirked with anticipation at the chance for a battle of wits. ********************** Tristan was dying slowly as their bodies tangled. Soft feminine flesh slid agonizingly against him as they moved to the beat of the song ending in the background. Oblivious to the crowd watching them he cradled her cheek in his hand and leaned in to kiss her. "Who do I have to thank for teaching you how to dance like that?" She laughed, a sincere, sparkling smile gracing her perfect face. "Miss Patty, but I wouldn't thank her in person. She still wants a piece of you, in a not so legal way." Rory laughed harder at his unconscious flinch. "You aren't so bad yourself. You do this often with your soldier buddies?" "Funny Mary." He held her solidly against his chest and started to sway with the beats of the next song. "Years of dance lessons. I think mom dreamed I would turn into Fred Astaire." "Last I checked Fred Astaire wasn't into this style of dance." "I never said I was a good student. I preferred sneaking into the Latin classes if I had to be there, the girls were prettier. I was always a big fan of the Lambada." "I bet you were." Rory sober slightly when she took in the eyes gawking at them. "I think we are being watched." "You want to get a drink and some air?" She nodded and they left the room. "I'd say go outside but you would probably freeze." He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I really missed my seat warmers on the way up here." She smirked the sight of Davis and Anderson coming up behind them. "You didn't hurt my car on the way up here did you?" "Your baby is perfectly fine. It's waiting patiently in the parking lot for you to bounce her off a few trees." "How do you know it's a her?" "All cars are." "How do you figure that?" "You ever pump gas?" She look at him for a minute before it dawned on her what he meant. Her eyes practically bugged out of her head. "Tristan!" "What, it's true." "I thought you said you were here with someone." Anderson looked at the comfortable embrace with doubt. "I am here with someone, I just didn't tell you who." She leaned her head back against his shoulder. "Sorry man, I should have told you, but I love watching John take all your money." Tristan smirked at Davis. "You're an ass DuGrey." He scowled at the pair. "So who is the guy you were with when you got here?" "Jess, a friend from Stars Hollow." She looked around the room to find Jess and Paris in a corner having a heated discussion. She knew him too well. Paris' face was crimson as she battled the finer points of something and Jess had the smug look of someone winning. "That's got to be killing her. She hates losing an argument." Rory whispered to Tristan after pointing out the pair. "How do you know she's losing? He could just be ticking her off." She shook her head. "If he was losing his hands would be flailing a lot, he's got them in his back pockets. That means he's winning." "Do I want to even know why you know that?" Fighting the impulse to get jealous back, he moved his hands to massage her shoulders. "I fight with him a lot, and I usually win." She turned and smiled up at him. "You know, like we do." "Hey, you don't always win." She just cocked a brow. "Okay, so you usually do." He sighed and dropped his head on her shoulder. "Good boy." She started to pat his head mockingly. "Are you making fun of me?" "Never." She snickered and pulled away from him to saunter back into the other room. "She's gonna be the death of me." He groaned and looked over at Davis and Anderson. "What?" "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Anderson quirked. "I never thought I would see the day when you would let some chick drag you around on a leash." Tristan sighed knowing they were right. She could make him do anything in the world with that smile or a pout. "What can I say, she broke me out of military school." "What do you mean broke you out?" "She showed up at my door in North Carolina and said she was driving me back to Hartford." He shrugged and followed her back onto the dance floor. ******************** "You can't be serious." "Of course I am, Dante is long winded and frankly boring." Jess shrugged his shoulders enjoying the way her eyes flashed a sharp angry blue. She was kind of cute in his opinion and she was almost as good at sparring as Rory was. "You are the biggest idiot I have ever had the displeasure of meeting." Paris huffed at him, trying desperately to reign in her temper. "Let me guess you enjoy the profound classic of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." "It had its merits." He smiled when she stopped just short of blowing a gasket again. "I know there isn't much to do out there in bumpkin land but really Mariano, can't you farm boys come up with anything better to do than rot your minds with that antiquated garbage? Why don't you pull the hay out of your brain and try something truly worth the time it took to write. Or can't a small town boy handle a challenge from a big city girl like me." Jess stepped forward crowding her before leaning down to whisper in her ear. "News flash Gellar, I'm from New York City. I'm always up for a challenge. Especially one from you." He ran his thumb along her jaw with a deliberate look leaving little room to mistake his meaning. Seeing the stunned expression on her face he smiled and walked away leaving her gaping by the window. ************************** "I love that boy. He is so going to spice things up in our house." Tristan looked at Rory as if she was crazy as they watched the scene between Paris and Jess. "What are you talking about?" He was choking back the jealousy again. "Luke and my mom are in love with each other. When they finally admit it to each other it won't be long before Mom is walking down the isle. Jess will be my cousin." She fought the urge to laugh when she saw the relief color his expression. "Relax Tris. I told you, you had nothing to worry about." "That definitely makes it a little easier not to throttle him then." "Jealous are we?" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Does the mighty Tristan doubt his power over women?" He sobered and ran his fingertips across her cheek, "when it comes to you, I doubt everything." She pulled him in for a kiss. "Still in doubt?" He shook his head. "Good, let's get out of here. I need coffee." "Any particular reason why?" He followed her through the house to grab their coats. "Because I have to figure out a way to get Mom and Luke together and Paris and Jess together. It's a lot for a decaf mind. Now move." "You are a piece of work Rory." He laughed at her knowing she was just going to become more like her mother as she got older. "Thank you." She pulled on her coat and looked at him expectantly. He stood waiting, knowing what she wanted but deciding to make it more difficult than it had to be. "What?" "Keys?" "What keys?" The little vein in her forehead bulged and he knew he had her. "Tristan Janlen DuGrey hand over those keys or I will see to it that your mentally challenged butt winds up back in military school faster than you can say yes ma'am." He pulled the keys out and dangled them in front of her face. "Yes ma'am." She huffed stalking off with her prize knowing he would eventually catch up. |