Sleepless Night

Summary: A sleepless night for both Rory and Tristan could lead them to a place where they never dared to imagine. (T/R)

Rating: PG

Improv: #15, sleep map satin ember

Sleep. That was what Rory Gilmore needed. She sighed, it was two days until Christmas and here she was up in Maine with her Grandparents. She was supposed to be spending it in Stars Hollow with her mother, Luke and Jess but Emily Gilmore had called requesting Rory's presence at their first visit to their new cabin. She had agreed, being the sweet-hearted girl she always was leaving Lorelai disappointed and her grandparents thrilled. Which was why it was almost midnight and she was staring at the same New England map Emily had pulled out to find a 'more scenic route to Stars Hollow' as her grandmother had so eloquently put it.

Taking another sip of coffee she added one more note to the route. She read it over and was satisfied with it just as the remaining glowing embers of the fire faded out. It left her in darkness for a moment in which she enjoyed until the front door slammed making her jump.

She got up from her position on the floor and looked out the big window to see Tristan. Her
grandparents had failed to mention that little detail, when they had arrived and had just gotten out of the car, her grandfather had mentioned that the DuGrey's along with their 'charming grandson' were currently staying at the cabin, in which both had failed to mention they were sharing it with them. She had bumped into Tristan earlier in the hallway and it had been awkward, to say the least. She watched him sit down on the dock and stare out at the lake.

She opened the front door planning to venture out to join him. She tightened her satin bathrobe around her thin frame but soon realized it wouldn't keep her warm. Grabbing her light blue jacket, putting a winter hat on her head and sliding her feet into sneakers, she was finally ready to join him outside. She hurried down the already worn down path from running back and forth to get warm from that afternoon she plopped down next to him on the dock.

"Hey," she said softly settling into a comfortable position on the cold dock that was freezing her bottom already.

"Hey," he mumbled back as he rubbed his hands together for a moment.

"It's so beautiful out here at night," she said the awe evident in her voice, as she whispered it a smile played across her lips. He was watching her-she knew but she kind of enjoyed the sensation she had as she was being watched.

"I miss you, Mary," he said quietly as she grinned at the adage nickname. No one had called her that in years and as much as she hated to admit it she had missed it, missed it a lot. She couldn't help grinning though, he was making her feel like this-she felt like someone in high school again even though she was twenty-years-old as of September and in Yale, no less.

"I missed you too, Tristan," she responded as he rubbed his hands together again. He must be cold. She thought to herself and suddenly grabbed his hands and wrapped her own around them trying to keep him warm. He smiled, a real true smile not those smirks he always had in high school-but something that made Rory's heart soar.

"Is that better?" she asked concerned. The wind was making her hair, that wasn't covered by her blue hat dance behind her, making Tristan believe how beautiful she really was.

"Much," he replied as she squeezed his hands tightly. "I broke into that safe
because of you," he mumbled more to himself than to her but she caught it anyways.

"What?" she asked, surprised at this sudden revelation.

"I was in love with you." he was quiet, staring at his feet unsure of why he was doing this.

"Was?" she quipped. "Still am," he replied seriously. "Well, good," she said.

"Because I think I'm falling for you," he looked at her for a moment and she knew he wanted to kiss her-she wanted it too. This was crazy and insane this was Tristan of all people to fall for. He leaned in close and she tipped her head up to capture his lips in a quick, chaste kiss. It was so sweet and wonderful and romantic. Everything she always wanted in a kiss. And he kissed her again. Sleep? Forget it and then it started to snow as he kissed her again. Everything was perfect, far beyond what she had originally thought as perfect.