Authors Note: Trory owns my LIFE, OMG. I loveeee Tristan. And who doesn't love Rory? I'm probably sickeningly out of character but um. Yeah. Review truthfully but don't flame: constructive criticism is the WAY TO GO. But do review. Please? This is meant to be a one-parter but we'll see. Oh, BTW, this is set the day after the last episode of the first season. And instead of Dean popping up at school and him and Rory reuniting, he didn't. They're still not talking. Sweet.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Kay. We're done.

The sky was dipped with a brilliant navy and the crescent moon was distributing it's light, giving the sky an almost inky effect. All was quiet in Stars Hollow, the air laden with infuriating silence. No one minded though. Everybody was asleep.

Until, that is, the startling sound of knuckles rapping against a window disrupted the sleepy town and a particularly sleepy girl.

Rory didn't even realize the sound at first. A sixteen year old needs her sleep after all and she had a major test the next morning and she knew what happened now if you were late for Chilton tests. But the knocker would not cease until Rory awoke and so she groggily groped for something to steady herself. Stifling a yawn and rubbing her eyes, she opened the blinds to her window and saw...

"Tristan," she muttered. "What on earth are you doing?"

He didn't hear this of course because she was yanking the window open, not an easy feat at her drowsy state.

"Hey, Rory," he greeted all nonchalantly as if midnight pop-ins at someone's window was a totally common and regular thing to do. Which for Tristan, they must just be.

"Keep your voice down," she instructed in a hiss. "How did you find out where I lived?"

"I uh, have connections," he told her with a wink. "Wanna let me in?"

"No," she said matter-of-factly. "Tristan, you're insane. It's late!"

"It's 12:30."

"Which is late."

He raised his eyebrows at her and mixed it with the trademark Tristan Dugrey puppy dog look which had charmed everyone he knew into letting him get his way. Rory, surprisingly, usually managed to resist the look but this time she gave into it. Pensively, yes, but she still did. He smirked, sure of his dashing looks and charm finally getting to Rory. Rory didn't really care either way; she was tired and no matter what, Tristan wasn't gonna go away.

"So, am I coming in?" Tristan asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Nuh uh," she told him, looking slightly appalled at his gesturing. "I can't let Mom wake up– let's walk outside for a bit." As quietly as she could she half-stumbled to her closet, pulled out a pair of sneakers matched with her pajamas and grabbed her robe. What an assemble.

"I can't go out the front door, my Mom would hear me," Rory realized aloud. Tristan looked impatient but amused.

"Uh, we're both right in front of a window," he pointed out. Rory heaved a big sigh.

"You owe me," she told him while wriggling out the window. He stepped back and she stumbled slightly on her feet. On instinct, he leaned forward to steady her and she looked down at her arm protectively held by Tristan's and back into his crazily blue eyes. Not as blue as hers but still nice to look at...

Wait. Nah, this is Tristan.

Rory cleared her throat. "So, why the impromptu visit?" she asked while quietly leading Tristan to the backyard.

"Why, I can't visit dear old Mary without being questioned?"

"No, basically not." She crossed her arms across her chest, her arms billowed in fluffy robe material. "You have a reason. You always have a reason."

"Busted," Tristan shrugged, drawling in that low, sexy way of his that Rory found infuriating. And kind of hot. Infuriatingly hot. There, a compromise.

"Okay, okay. Here it is." Tristan paused dramatically, leaving time to run his finger through his spiky blonde hair. Rory tapped her foot impatiently. "Will you go out with me?" he asked finally.

Rory sighed heavily. "Haven't we been through this? I'm didn't go to PJ Harvey and you think I'll go out on a date? Tristan, you're–"

Too bad his lips chose that moment to lose control and press quickly down on hers. She swallowed and kind of closed her eyes. The way it was during their last kiss. And for a moment, she kissed back, the ache of not having Dean around flaring back and the sudden desire to not pull away surfacing. But when his hand started trickling through her robe and up her spine, reality set in and she blinked rapidly and pulled away. How long had she been kissing him? Ten seconds? Thirty? A minute? Five? She couldn't even come up with an estimate.

"What was that?" she gasped, trying to regain a steady heartbeat.

"No biggie, we just kind of made out," Tristan informed her casually. Rory squeezed her eyes shut. "No! No way!" Her eyes opened again. "That... that wasn't a make out. Making out is on a couch or something with lights and not a robe and not outside at 12:30 and not with you!"

Was that hurt she saw glimpse through his eyes? If it was, he recovered from it quickly and amusement carefully was replaced.

"Not with me?" He pressed a hand to his heart. "Mary, you break my heart. You have to stop playing me hot and cold. One day, you kiss me. Then you cry. Avoid me. Kiss me again for a good minute or so and then proclaim that we didn't make out. What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" she repeated, voice getting shrill. "What's wrong with you? You think you're sooo great and cool and that everyone in the world will just fall pray to you and fall all over themselves in love including me! It doesn't work that way Tristan, I'm not some stupid drone who likes you because you're... you're hot or rich or whatever!"

He frowned slightly. "I know you're not a stupid drone, Rory," he told her seriously. "If you were, I wouldn't be here. Honest."

She thought about that. "Yeah, well... the randomly kissing me bit? What was that?"

He shrugged. "You kissed me back just as much," he reminded her.

"No! Well, yes. Aughh, this is so confusing!" She buried her head in her hands.

"One date," Tristan pleaded. They were now pacing toward the bench in the backyard and Rory took a seat, kicking her legs through the grass and breathing into the filmy night. "Well..." she hesitated.

This is Tristan! She reminds herself. So, so weird. It can't– no. But...

"I can't wait forever," Tristan prompted.. "I mean, I would, but the parents will kill me if they notice I'm gone."

"One itsy bitsy tiny date," Rory warned.

Tristan's entire face lit up but his eyes were the ones that looked the most brilliant. He remained his cool though and smiled smugly. "I knew you'd give in eventually, Mary." He took her by surprise again and kissed her again. It was short this time, brisk but tender. "I should get going, Rore. But I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight, okay?" She could only nod in agreement. A date with Tristan Dugrey? What was she doing?

Lane was going to flip, not to mention her Mom... and if Dean found out... and what about herself? She HATED Tristan. What suddenly changed her mind? As he walked back to his car, Rory got up and walked slowly back to her window. It was a challenge to get in, but she managed it.

Satisfied when she heard it latch tightly, she snuggled back into her sheets wondering what a date with Tristan would be like or if it would be a mistake. Her dreams reflected thousands of possibilities and even though she wouldn't remember when she woke up, they were all good ones.