The first snow of the season was uncharacteristically late this year on account of a bizarre heat wave in the New England area. It finally fell on Sunday night, and Lorelai insisted on a walk around the town, regardless of Rory having tests the following day and it being 2 a.m.

Lorelai's insistence that something magical always happened when it snowed did not seem to be coming true in Rory's mind, as all she could think about were the finals she faced in a matter of hours, but she changed her mind when she got home. Her cell phone on the dresser was flashing, and when she looked at it saw a text from her boyfriend.

She smiled when she read the text, he knew her so well "babe I know you are out with Lorelai but call me when you get back, wanna share the first snow with you 3"

Switching off her lamp and crawling into bed, she dialled the familiar number that she never imagined she would know off by heart. His voice was husky from sleep, apparently she had woken him and a silly smile crossed her face.

"Hey sexy" he greeted her.

"Do you answer the phone like that to everyone or am I special?" she asked teasing.

"You are very special my sweet Mary, very sexy too. In fact I was just dreaming about you being all sexy with me in the snow."

She could hear the smirk in his voice and he could feel the heat from her blush. God he loved it when she blushed. She loved that he could make her blush after all this time. She didn't know how it had happened even now, all these months later, but they had been talking one day, then they had been kissing, and it was a pattern that they had followed ever since, much to the shock of everyone.

"Trust you to say something like that even when you are half asleep."

"What can I say Mary, you turn me on." he grinned before changing the subject, "So how did the walk around the town with Lorelai go?"

"You know me so well" she laughed, "it was nice."

"Just nice?" he sounded concerned and her heart melted. She never thought she would see this side to him before they started dating.

"Yah, I kind of missed you though." she admitted blushing furiously. It must be the time, I wouldn't admit that if it was a decent hour she told herself.

She could hear Tristan's breath catch in his throat before he spoke so quietly that she wasn't sure if she heard him correctly.

"I always miss you."

"What was that?" Rory asked shocked.

He was always sweet to her but never hugely forthcoming with his feelings. Looks like I'm not the only one that's honest this time of night.

"I really wanted to be there tonight and I'm not even sure why." Tristan was saying "I guess 'cause its so important to you and wanted to be walking in the snow with you."

"That's one of the sweetest things you have ever said to me."

Rory was pleased, this was not the first late night phone call they shared and she loved it when they talked like this. This was their time, at 3 am when the world was asleep and the intensity of their feelings weren't so scary or their relationship wasn't under a microscope. She loved the sleepiness in his voice and the rawness of the emotions she felt when she heard him talk to her in that voice. She could only wish that he was there with her, holding her, so that she could feel his breath on her neck and hear him whisper her name the way he sometimes did when the passion they shared became too much for them both.

"Well you know that with it snowing I would have had to heat you up. My hands under your coat, on your stomach.."

Ah there is the Tristan I know and love

Wait. Hold on. Love?

Do I love Tristan?


Tristan had obviously sensed Rory's distraction because he stopped what he was saying immediately and asked

"Ror, you ok? You haven't fallen asleep like last time have you?"

"What? No, sorry I'm here just zoned out for a minute."

"Oh okay. So what was the magic thing that happened?"

"Sorry what?"

Tristan was now starting to get worried but he kept his voice light.

"Y'know that magical thing that is always supposed to happen when it snows?"

That question did it for Rory, Dean had never cared about her silly things with her mom, or even tried to understand them, but Tristan, here he was, he got it and he was interested.

"I fell in love."

There was silence on the other end of the line and Rory began to regret saying it out loud. I've scared him she thought to herself.

"It's okay you don't have to say anything I mean I know that you probably didn't want to-"

She was cut off by Tristan

"I love you too Rory."

"You do?"

"Of course I do, I have for so long now, I just didn't want to scare you, I wanted to wait until you were ready to hear it."

"Thank you."

"I can't believe I am looking forward to Chilton tomorrow," Tristan grinned into the phone, "speaking of which, I know how stressed you must be so I will let you get some sleep, ok Mary?"

"Okay. Night Tristan."

"Night Ror, I love you."

"I love you too."

Rory hung up the phone and snuggled deeper into her comforter, grinning madly.

Magical things always happened when it snowed