Summary: Tristan and Rory meet back up in the future, both wondering why they'd never moved completely on from each other

Rating: PG-13 for now, although this chapter is pretty plain, hopefully it will be kicked up a notch

Pairings: Trory (It will have its ups and downs and moments where either are with random other people, but it will always be a Trory)

Forget-Me-Nots

He knew he should have forgotten her long ago, it had been years since he had seen her. He hadn't been present for her last years of high school. He hadn't graduated with her. He had never even gotten to give her a second kiss. So why was his heart beating fast, remembering her? Why did he still have dreams about her? It had gotten harder. Chilton wanted all former students to attend a fundraising banquet. Although he hadn't graduated, he had been put on the list, he guessed it had something to do with the money they so eagerly desired. He ran his fingers over the glossy pages of the expensive yearbook. "Lorelei "Rory" Gilmore" proclaimed the statement underneath her picture. Picture day was the one-day a year they could dress as they wanted, although it had to be nice. She had worn her hair down beautifully, a red sweater and a short skirt. Her smile was beautiful. Even that smile, although he rarely was the cause of it, was engraved into his mind. The blondes in revealing clothes that soon ended up on the floor of his Manhattan apartment's faces were soon forgotten, but Mary, he would always remember. He wondered where she was now. Probably married to Dean. He couldn't imagine her not being married. She probably had lovely little kids. She surely graduated from Harvard. Tristan himself had opted for Princeton. He finished the school, and followed his father's expectations, taking a posistion in the family bussiness.

Rory ran her fingers through her silky hair. She was home for the first time in a month, making her mother very happy. They had done the movie nights, but tonight, with only a week before the Chilton banquet, she sat in her bedroom, going through an old yearbook. She remembered people, Madeline, who had been married for 5 years now, since the 6 they had been out of High School. She had twin girls, who were no doubt being raised in the finest. She heard from Madeline occasionally, the address changing with each letter. Louise had gone to college and then married a very rich boy. They were living off his parent's money. Louise sent short letters on fancy stationary, most inviting Rory to stay with them. Beside her own picture was Paris. She had stayed in touch more with her than any other classmate. They saw each other for lunch monthly. They had attended, and roomed together at Harvard. Paris was now the Women's section editor of the Richmond Times. Then, she ran her fingers over his picture. Tristan DuGrey, dressed in an expensive polo and khakis, his hair in the familiar messy look, his eyes even in the picture, drawing her gaze. She flipped through the other pages quickly, trying to deny what she had seen there. She hadn't seen him since he went to military school. "I'd kiss you but you're boyfriends watching." She had wished he had anyway. She had stopped thinking about him, concentrating first on Dean, the on Jess, then on Bradley. Bradley. They were taking a hiatus of an indefinite amount of time. He had attracted her with his charm, but somehow it had pushed her away later. He was to charming, to friendly and nice. He was to boring, and they love or affection they had felt was certainly not in the least bit passionate.

Tristan's flight into Hartford was uneventful, except for the stewardess's unwelcome advances. He had cast her off, although she was not bad looking, because the only woman on his mind at all, was Rory. He knew he was going to have to stay with his parents during this whole banquet thing, and that made the idea of coming home unattractive. He was only really here for Rory, the banquet, and greedy fools who were trying to get his money were not exactly appealing. He ran his fingers through is short hair and tried to sleep. It was going to be a long flight, he knew, and he knew that the weekend was also going to be very long.

His flight landed, and a sliver Porsche was waiting for him. He climbed into it, and drove the familiar route to his parent's house. He took in the sights, and with them memories. He had traveled many times over these roads he remembered. "So had She" he thought.

He pulled up to the house, and sat in the car for a few minutes before forcing himself to go inside. There wasn't a party, or warm welcome waiting for him. A note was on the counter from his mother. "Tristan – the maids fixed up you're room, get settled in. You're father is at a meeting and I am shopping for the day. " "Ah, the joy of affectionate parents, he thought."

He knew Rory was probably at her mother's house. He looked at the phone beside his bed. He picked up the phone and then hung it up, firstly knowing she probably wouldn't want to speak to him, and secondly ashamed that he still had the number memorized. He crashed on his bed, and realized that it too screamed "spoiled rich boy," even to him. He knew how he had been growing up. Sure, he still had plenty of money and a high lifestyle, at least his bed was comfortable, at least his floor was not superhumanly clean. At least he had grown out of the phase where he was exactly like his father.

Rory woke up, the yearbook still open across her chest. It was 10:45 and Lorelei was prodding her to go get some coffee from Luke's with her. They made the walk, and it seemed just like the olden days. She half expected Miss Patty to come out and warn her that if they did not move their "tushies" she would miss the bus. They entered the door, and Lorelei yelled "COFEE!" Jess came around the corner with the pot or coffee, and said, "I've been instructed not to allow the Gilmore Girls to have any." Lorelei shot him the dirtiest look ever and Jess poured the coffee. Jess had gone to college, and was half owner of the diner. Maybe someday he would do something else, but Luke and him had formed a Love/Hate bond, and it was worth it. Rory just wanted to go back, just for a moment and relive the special moments that had happened in her teen years. It had been so perfect, her youth, although it hadn't seemed so at the time. She was happy to have grown up in Stars Hollow, and even to have gotten the education she had gotten. She didn't regret anything, except for maybe the boy she never gave a second kiss.

Tonight was the night. Tristan pretended it was any other banquet, but he spent extra time preparing himself, and picked out his finest suit. He still had the messy look with his hair, he knew he just wouldn't be Tristan DuGrey without it. He got a leather coat, and his pocketbook, and started out the door to the Porsche. He looked at the rearview mirror and thought to himself, "DuGrey, you are an idiot for even trying." That however, did not stop him.

Rory couldn't explain to herself or anybody else why she was spending so much time getting ready. Her hair had been curled fantastically, falling in a few loose tendrils, framing her face, and beautiful eyes. Her makeup was perfect. Her outfit was looked wonderful on her, brand new, and portrayed a sense of beauty and a professional look at the same time. It was a navy blue dress, shoulder baring, but cut off under the knees. She wore high heels, and a beautiful pearl necklace that Emily had given her when she graduated. Lorelei looked amazed as she walked down the stairs and said, "My My, you sure have gotten dressed up for a banquet." Rory rolled her eyes, destroying the ladylike appearance she gave, "Mom, there are people going to be there that I haven't seen in years." Lorelei stuck her tounge out, "People? You mean boys."

Rory got into her Jaguar, happily purchased, and listened to songs from her teens as she drove back to Chilton.

Tristan was sipping punch and talking to a few guys that had been in his class when she walked in. Just one look at her had completely taken his breath away. She looked happy, and at the same time sort of nervous, he wondered if she still felt out of place. If she did, he thought it should only be because her beauty was overshadowing the other former Chilton girls. Paris had been talking to Madeline and Louise, who were both attending the banquet with their husbands, and she approached Tristan, "She's here DuGrey," she said, her tone the same, her mind never changing, He tried to act innocent with the word "Who?" but she saw through it. "Ask her to dance," she said, noticing the slow music playing and many other couples starting to dance. Paris was asked to dance by one of Tristan's companions, and he approached her, feeling nervous for some reason. He felt like a teenager again. "Hello, Mary," he said smiling, looking into her eyes, "care to dance?" His own eyes brightened with her acceptance.

Rory was so happy to be dancing with him. She just tried to glide in his arms and pretend she was a teen again. He was an excellent dancer. The song was amazingly sweet, and to her delight, very long. They were silent for a long time and then she said, "It's been a long time." He replied, with another subject, "This reminds me of you're first Chilton dance in a way. Is their a jealous husband somewhere to start throwing punches? She smiled, "I'm not married. Actually, I'm unattached." He saw this as an opportunity, "Neither am I." She looked into his eyes mischievously, "that's a first." He fought the urge to stick his tongue out , " I thought you and bag, er, Dean would be together for forever."

She smiled, "He just wasn't the one. Still searching" Or did I just find you? she thought. The dance ended and couples began to sit. She found her table and was secretly delighted to find they were sitting next to each other, alone at their own table. "I'm guessing we are the only unmarried ex-chiltonites." I guess that Ex. Student Body President Paris Gellar helped with seating arrangements. He thought.

Dinner was good, and the presentation was short. As dessert was served, the conversation floated between tables.

"So what are you doing now?" asked Rory

"I'm an executive in my father's bussiness, I graduated from princeton. I take it you graduated from Harvard?"

She was touched that he remembered, "Yes. I'm a journalist with the Connecticut Review. I am hoping to start my own newspaper soon though."

He smiled, "I've already got a name for it."

She smiled, "And that would be?"

"Mary's Sights, and your penname could be Mary DuGrey" he said smirking, bringing back the old Tristan.

She didn't react like he expected but instead smiled and said, "I'll be sure you remember you're comments, although I do wonder how I would add the name DuGrey to my high school nickname."

He looked dead into her eyes, "I suppose the only way is for you to marry me." He grinned, and to his surprise, she grinned back.

Paris interrupted their moment with her voice, "Lovebirds? Several of us are going out for coffee in about 20 minutes, this party is although enthralling, not all that fun, and we need to catch up some more, possibly plan our ten year reunion."

Rory smiled, "Well I'm in. How could I ever turn down coffee?"

Tristan smiled, "And how could I turn down time with my fiancée?" he winked at her, "what place?"

Paris answered, "Starbucks on the corner of Elm and Fairway." She was secretly hiding her happiness at the couple's flirtation.

Tristan and Rory danced the last of the nights dance, both realizing that neither had danced with anybody else the whole night. This was the chemistry they had failed to see in High School.