Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Gilmore Girls, actors, characters, plots, etc, that would be the wonderful people at WB. Although if I did, I'm pretty sure they'd be some big changes coughChadcough. Anyway if you do feel inclined to sue me, some people have strange urges and we must accept them for who they are, I'm currently flat broke so all you will get is a used textbook, on organic chemistry.
AN: Okay so this is the start of the alternate version of Shades of Grey. I highly recommend you read the original first, at least until the end of chapter 15. For those who have read the original already, here's a little recap:
She wished she hadn't had to lie to Paris about going to Boston, but to say the truth aloud had been too scary. But now, as she sat there alone, surrounded by the heady scent of disinfectant, she wished she had someone to hold her hand.
…
Chapter 16 (V2)
He packed an overnight bag with the essentials, a change of clothes, a textbook and his mp3 player as well as a couple of gifts. Glancing briefly about his room in case he had forgotten something, before a knock on his door drew his attention.
"Come in," he called.
"Hey," Chris, his suitemate said, opening the door slightly, "Ivy's here."
"Okay," he replied warily.
She came dressed in the pink cashmere sweater and jeans, she looked innocent and beautiful.
"Tristan," she fidgeted, unsure whether how to greet him.
"Ivory," he returned.
She avoided him since that incident in Hartford, ignoring his attempts to see her. Truthfully, he could have tried harder, he had more connections and ways of finding people than most of his peers.
"How have you been?" she asked softly.
"Good… you?"
"Fine."
"What can I do for you?" he didn't mean to rush her, but he did have a flight to catch.
"I'm sorry!" she burst out.
"Ivory, I – "
"No, I need to say this."
"I completely overreacted, I didn't give you a chance explain anything."
"It's okay."
"I was totally unfair to you."
"It's fine."
"You're so sweet," Ivory cried, bursting into tears, "I so don't deserve you."
Sighing, Tristan pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back he tried to calm her.
"Sorry," she mumbled into his chest.
Regaining her composure, she pulled away from him and turned a slow circle, finally noticing the overnight bag.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Uh, yeah, to Hartford."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Why?" Ivory asked bluntly.
"To see Arabelle and my grandfather and I've got a couple of things to attend to."
"What kind of things?"
"Personal things."
"That's why you're taking a the complete collector's edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" Ivory asked, holding up the giftbox of the dvds of both the original and the remake.
"It's for Arabelle," Tristan lied convincingly, but that didn't matter to Ivory.
"She already has it," Ivory replied.
"Oh, well I can exchange it for something else."
"It's autographed by Johnny Depp and Freddy Highmore," Ivory commented, examine the giftbox.
"It is too," Tristan feigned surprise, wondering how he's managed to dig himself into this mess.
"Tristan, you're not as a good a liar as you think," Ivory shook her head, her expression rueful, "Why don't you just tell me the truth? You are always keeping secrets from me. I mean why do you think I thought you and Lorelai were having an affair, as ridiculous as that sounds. What is going on?"
And there it was, the conversation he had been putting off.
"Ivory, you're right, there is something I've been keeping from you," Tristan sighed, he motioned for her to sit, "And I know I should have been more honest."
"Well?"
"You remember Rory?"
"Yeah," Ivory replied apprehensively.
"Well, before we started going out, Rory and I, we, uh, we slept together."
"But you said that was before we started going out?" Ivory asked, hope creeping into her voice.
"Yeah, I did. Except that Rory is pregnant."
"What?" she breathed softly.
"Rory is pregnant," Tristan repeated.
"I heard you the first time," Ivory snapped at him, "Why did you keep going with us if Rory is pregnant? And don't say you were waiting for the right time."
"Because she doesn't know who the father is," Tristan grimaced, wishing he didn't have to say it aloud, "Rory had a sort-of on-again, off-again boyfriend."
"And is he on-again or off-again now?"
"I think he's off-again," Tristan replied, a little surprised at the question.
"Then what are you doing here?" Ivory cried standing up suddenly.
"Huh?" Tristan asked dumbly, standing up also.
"Rory must be all by herself and at a time like this she needs all the support she can get," Ivory exclaimed, hurriedly shoving things into Tristan's overnight bag.
"But, what about us?" Tristan asked.
Ivory sighed, letting go the bag, she sat back down on the bed.
"Tristan, I know this probably one the most overused lines and I don't want you take it the wrong way, but you are a truly, great guy," Ivory began, "And really I wish that we could be together, but we would both be lying to ourselves and to each other if we kept this relationship going. When I met you, even though I did all that modelling, I was shy and nervous and lacked self confidence and even though we've only been going out just a couple of months, I've changed so much. But now Rory needs you and that means we can't be together."
"I'm sorry."
"So am I."
"I wish things could have been different, for everyone."
"Yeah, me too, maybe in another lifetime," Ivory replied wistfully, "Come on, finishing packing, I'll drive you to the airport. Don't forget Charlie and Chocolate Factory."
"It's actually for Rory," Tristan admitted.
"I guessed as much," Ivory smiled, "Good bye, Tristan Du Gray."
"Good bye, Ivory Lancaster."
--
She threw the empty styro-foam cup into the bin, doing her bit for the environment. She whistled a tune, off-key and tuneless. She felt a smile bubbling up inside of her as she walked towards her suite. Today was a good day. Her brow creased in confusion, noticing a guy standing in front of her door.
"Finn, what are you doing here?" she asked, recognising him.
"Admiring the door, have you ever noticed the craftsmanship?" he asked.
"You want to come in?"
"I wouldn't want to impose."
"By standing in front of the doorway."
"Yes."
"Just come in," Rory smiled ruefully.
"If you insist," he replied moving to one side.
"So how have you been, I hardly ever see you since you and Theresa started going out," she commented, opening the door and leading him inside.
"I guess you'll be seeing more of me now."
"Why what happened?"
"We broke up," Finn announced.
"Oh no, why?" Rory turned to him, her voice coloured with concern.
"She gave me the whole 'you're a great guy' speech, said that she and I were in completely different places right now," Finn shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Well if it's any consolation, I think that you are too good for Theresa."
"Thank you, but can we change the topic now?"
"Sure… actually there's something I wanted to show you."
"Oh, a surprise?" Finn asked gleefully, immediately forgetting the break up.
"Well kind of actually," Rory led him into her room, she pulled out a large envelop and handed it to him.
Raising an eyebrow quizzically, Finn opened it carefully. He slid the contents carefully out into his hand. A thick, black-and-white film fell out.
"Wow," Finn breathed, holding the film up to the light.
"I went and had check up, that's the ultrasound," she couldn't help but smile at his reaction.
"It's got tiny little fingers."
"She, actually."
"Wow," Finn repeated, grinning like there was no tomorrow, "Have you thought of a name? Oh, you have to call her Finn."
"I can't call her Finn!" Rory laughed.
"What's wrong with the name 'Finn'?" he pouted.
"Because it's a boy's name and anyway I have to call her Lorelai."
"Hello Lorelai," Finn said to Rory's stomach, "Unfortunately your mother isn't creative enough to give a cool name like 'Finn' so your going to have to stuck with the same name as your mummy and grandmother."
"Finn!"
"What?" he blinked innocently at her.
"Never mind," Rory shook her head, unable to suppress a grin.
"This calls for a celebration," Finn announced.
"No, wait, I don't want to tell everyone yet."
"Okay," Finn replied slowly, looking at her in confusion.
"I want to tell my mom first."
"Fair enough," Finn shrugged.
--
He pulled into the car park, nerves firmly on edge. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself, but it came out ragged. He forced himself to open the door and step out of the car. He concentrated on walking, one foot in front of the other, tracing the steps he had taken just a week ago. A blur of dark brown hair near the coffee stand broke his concentration.
"Tristan?"
"Lorelai," Tristan responded, turning to her.
"You here to see Rory?" Lorelai asked, approaching him, a coffee in each hand.
"Yeah, I am," he nodded.
"I am too," she smiled conspiratorially, producing a smile from Tristan, "Here have a coffee."
"No, I think I'm jittery enough as it is."
"Good, 'cause I need both of them."
"So are you and Rory talking again?" Tristan asked as they walked towards the dorm.
"We're getting there," Lorelai nodded, gulping the first coffee, "It's hard, but I want to be there for her."
"That's good."
"It is, we talked on the phone already, but that was just the first step. And you, how are you and my daughter doing?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
"Well, there's her room," Lorelai motioned, "I think you should go first."
"Me?"
"Yeah, if we turn up together it looks like it's an intervention or something," she explained like it was the most obvious thing.
"And I have to go first because?"
"I've got the coffee, it's just plain cruel to take coffee into a room with a pregnant woman."
"Okay then, I'll go first," he inhaled deeply and took one step forward before he was distracted again.
"Du Gray?"
"I feel like the Trojan horse," Tristan muttered under his breath before plastering on his happy face and turning to the speaker, "Paris!"
"What are you doing here again? And Lorelai?"
"Hi Paris," Lorelai greeted her.
"Well isn't this a nice little reunion," Paris commented, "Well shall we go give the poor girl heart attack then?"
She didn't wait for a response before opening the door to the suite she shared with Rory.
"Rory I have a surprise for you," Paris announced, Tristan and Lorelai trailing after her, sharing a slightly concerned glance, "And it appears you have a surprise for us. Finn?"
"Hey Paris," Rory greeted her suitemate, "Finn and Theresa broke up."
"Oh," Paris replied shortly.
"Rory?" Lorelai began tentatively drawing her daughter's attention.
"Mom," Rory returned, embracing her mother and surprising them both.
"Who are you?" Finn asked eyeing Tristan suspiciously.
"Tristan Du Gray," Tristan introduced himself, hand outstretched.
"Aren't you – " Finn began, but Paris silenced him with an elbow to his stomach, "Uh, you. Aren't you, you? Is there anything to drink?"
"Beer, in the fridge," Paris pointed, but Finn was already there.
"So what are you doing here?" Rory said turning her attention to Tristan.
"I wanted to see you."
"Really?" Rory replied, her disbelief obvious, "And how does the perfect Miss Lancaster feel about this?"
"She drove me to the airport."
"Tristan – "
"We broke up," Tristan interrupted her, "I told her about you and the baby and she wants me to be here for you. So here I am."
"Well, that's wonderful," Lorelai exclaimed.
"No," Rory shook her head.
"No?" Tristan exclaimed.
"You need to go back to Stanford and get back together with Ivory," Rory replied firmly.
"It's too late and not to mention, you need all the support you can get," Tristan contradicted her.
"Tristan, you can't change your life like this," Rory answered, "You and Ivory are good together."
"No we weren't," Tristan shook his head, "And I'd be lying if I said otherwise. We weren't going to last. And it doesn't matter what you say, I'm here now."
"But – "
"No, Rory, I want to be here for you."
"Beer?" Finn interrupted, offering a can to Tristan, "I'm Finn Rothschild."
"Tristan Du Gray," Tristan replied accepting the can.
"I've heard," Finn answered dryly, "Anyway the beer's piss weak, but we're all out of the good stuff."
"Because you drank it all," Paris glared at him.
"What else are you supposed to do with beer?" Finn asked, "Honestly, for an intelligent girl, you ask the silliest questions."
"So, Rory, how are you feeling?" Lorelai asked interrupting Finn and Paris.
"Good."
"Good," Lorelai nodded, "Have you had check up yet?"
"Yeah," Rory replied.
Finn forced a cough, Rory shot him a glare in response, he coughed again.
"Okay, what is going on?" Lorelai asked, "Finn looks like his trying to induce something and Rory, you're going hurt your eyes."
"Fine," Rory relented with a sigh, she went to her room returning with the envelope holding the ultrasound, "Here."
"What is it?" Lorelai asked, raising an eyebrow at Finn who was grinning like a little kid.
Carefully opening the envelope, Lorelai took out the ultrasound.
"Oh, hello," Lorelai murmured as Paris and Tristan crowded around for a look.
"Lorelai meet Lorelai," Finn burst out.
"Finn!" Rory exclaimed, wanting to announce it herself.
"Really?" her mother looked her with surprise.
"Yeah, I thinking Lorelai Emily Gilmore."
"I like it," Tristan smiled.
"Now can we celebrate?" Finn asked looking at Rory hopefully.
"Okay."
"Yeah! I'll get the beer."
"I can't drink alcohol," Rory reminded him.
"Oh, it's not for you," Finn grinned cheekily, "It's for me."
"Finn!" Paris scolded him.
"Oh, fine, I'll get you a beer too."
--
AN: See it's different! And (un)fortunately, Logan is still going to be around for a little longer.
