Whisky Galore
Dear, awesome readers, as a thank you for your patience, (since I needed a long writing break due to health issues) and your nice feedback, I thought I would write a Christmas oneshot as my return story as my gift to you.In this story, I wish to pay homage to all the fabulous fans and cast members I met at the Gilmore Girls Fan Fest this year in Connecticut. I started the second #GilmoreGirlsChristmasChallenge as a promise to two lovely authors. I hope that other authors will join me and write Christmas oneshots. You can find all the stories from 2017 and 2018 on FB or , following the hashtag,
Merry Christmas, ClaudiaCleland
Disclaimer: Most characters, settings and some dialogues are property of the creators of Gilmore Girls (GG). This story is not written to make money. I own nothing, just borrowing a bit for this fanfiction and adding my own ideas. I am not a native English speaker. I will try to do my best and I have fortunately the best beta and friend who helps me (thanks again for that Linda).
I thought as a Christmas present for myself I write a little Robert and Rory fairy-tale. Therefore not everything makes sense in the real world or is the same as in the original show, but I thought you would appreciate a little fantasy at this time of the year.
…..
Oneshot
As she hurries to the tour bus, Rory Gilmore wonders why she had convinced herself that it would be a great idea to spend the days before Christmas in a land far far away from home. As she wheels her heavy pink suitcase from the entrance of Inverness airport to the bus, she thinks of her mother who is in her honeymoon. Rory is delighted that her mother, Lorelai, has finally married Luke Danes, but she is disappointed that this will be the first Christmas without her mother.
The smiling bus driver greets Rory in front of the bus and introduces himself as Jack. He lifts her large suitcase from her and places it in the luggage compartment at the back of the black tour bus.
Before Rory gets into the vehicle, she stops and reads the silver advertisement about the Malt Whisky Trail on the side of the bus. Reaching for her camera in the pocket of her black coat, she takes several pictures. Thinking about her plans, she decides that the "Whisky Trail" might make a good story.
Rory is the last person to board the tour bus. Rory glances around the bus and sees that the majority of the seats are already taken in the back of the bus. She finds a place near the front and sits down and wonders why no one else has taken this seat. Everyone knows that the best view of the scenery on a bus trip is near the front of the bus, Rory thinks to herself. She sits down and makes herself comfortable in the clean blue upholstered seats. She takes out a brochure from the front pocket to check if there is any new information she could use for her article that she is writing for the publication called Wanderlust. Rory glances around the tour bus and smiles at the other tourists that are on the bus with her. There is a mixture of ages, and she suddenly feels relaxed as she sits back in the high seats looks out her window admiring the beautiful winter countryside as they travel down the road.
The bus begins to slow down as the driver makes an announcement, "Welcome everyone at the first destination of our tour. We will be arriving shortly at the 'The Glenlivet Distillery' in Ballindalloch where we will meet our tour guide inside the building," Jack patiently explains as he pulls into the large parking lot in front of the building.
Jack stops the bus, and everyone descends and stands huddled in a group by the front of the bus. They all quietly wait as Jack escorts everyone inside of the grey and brown brick building.
Before they enter the visitor center, Rory notices a photographer lift his camera to take a picture of the old Whisky barrels that were made into chairs. Rory starts to laugh as she sees a man in a black suit holding a flask in one hand, immediately lean into the picture and photobombs it. The photographer shakes his head and moves to another angle and tries to retake the photo.
The photo bomber pouts and tosses his flask at the man and says, "Come on man, just one sip of the fun flask, Sir?"
Rory looks at the "photographer" who is wearing a grey Burberry coat over a blue shirt and black trousers, with a blue scarf hanging around his neck. He smirks and stops taking the picture as he accepts the flasks. He salutes the man and takes a large gulp from the flask. Rory watches the man and finds herself suddenly attracted to the handsome man. He seems to have a twinkle in his eye as he returns the flask to the tall man in the black suit. Watching the men interact Rory thinks back to her time at Yale. Her grandmother had set her up with Graham Sullivan, the son of a DAR member. Rory had accompanied him to many fraternity parties where drinking was his fraternity's favorite pastimes. In an album at home, Rory has many images of his fraternity brothers photobombing them.
The handsome man catches her eye, smiling at her. He lifts his camera and takes her picture. He pretends to take a photograph of the whisky barrels behind her but instead zooms in on the beautiful brunette.
Standing in her tour group, Rory shyly smiles back at the handsome man, who continues to take photographs of the beautiful building where they stand waiting for the tour to start. She wonders how long it's been since a handsome man has caught her attention. Rory did not want a repeat relationship like she had with Graham Sullivan, where the man was more of a fan of alcohol than her. It was a shame that it took her a long time to realize that their relationship was not necessary to him. To get over it, Rory immerses red herself in her work as a freelance reporter and taking jobs that would keep her away from Graham.
Rory had minimal experience when it came to dating, her first two relationships occurred before she went away to college. Dean Forester, her first boyfriend, was a lovely, caring boyfriend, but their different dreams and backgrounds led to the breakup. Dean went on to marry Lindsey who he began to date right after they broke up. Then there was Jess Mariano, Luke Danes' nephew and the typical bad boy that everyone needs in their life. Since the marriage of her mother to his Uncle Luke, they are now related but still good friends. Jess became a successful author in Philadelphia and continued to support her writing career often sending jobs her way since he is a part owner of a publishing house. In fact, it was Jess who suggested she leave Stars Hollow to take this trip and write for the publication Wanderlust.
Lost in her thoughts, she automatically grabs a pen and her notebook from her right coat pocket and follows the members of her group inside the building as they begin their tour. Rory stops and admires the two big Christmas trees decorated with small whisky bottles ornaments coated with fresh snow from earlier of that day flank the entrance door.
The 'The Glenlivet,' tour guide, speaking in a heavy Scottish accent, needs Rory's full attention as she listens and writes the essential facts in her notebook. She occasionally stops to take several pictures of the different stops as the guide explains how they produce the single malt Scotch whisky.
Rory is oblivious as a flask now wanders from one member of her traveling group to the next when suddenly the tall, quirky man tries to drink the last drops of the liquid into his mouth. Rory hears a sign and the words, "Dang, it's empty." She ignores the noise and follows along writing in her notebook. When the tour group reaches the last room where they can taste the delicious Scotch, the tall man in the black suit shouts "finally" and pours several of the filled tasting glasses into his flask.
"Sir, these are tasting glasses for everyone. You are not allowed to fill your flask with them. Our other guest needs a chance to sample our products," a red-headed woman who works there scolds him.
"But darling, this is my funflask, and I salute you for sharing your lovely amber liquid with me," he charmingly explains as he smirks and lifts his imaginary hat while taking a bow.
The young woman blushes as he takes her hand and kisses the back of it and asks, "What's your name, love?"
He uses this as a distraction as he pours more whisky in his flask and tops off the tasting glass before him.
Rory watches the man and smiles at his behavior. She skips the tasting since she doesn't want to be slightly drunk while doing her work and instead she walks over to the tour guide to ask him more questions about 'The Glenlivet.' She hears laughter and looks over at the quirky man as he continues to flirt with the young woman at the tasting booth.
Everyone leaves the distillery and begins to board their bus, Rory against is the last one to board the bus, because she decides to take a few more photographs of the building. As Rory approaches her seat, she finds the quirky tall man standing in front of it.
"Excuse me, but that's my seat," she says to move around him, so she could enter her seat.
"Sorry, darling, but you need to sit somewhere else."
Rory stares at him, "What are you talking about?" she asks him.
Finn points to the photographer and explains to her as if she was a child.
"As you can see he will need to sit in the best seat on the bus, which means he takes the first seat in the first row and of course my mate and I need to sit in the next two seats across from him near the entrance."
Rory looks from the tall man in the black suit to a quietly frowning second man in a black suit behind him. Standing behind him is the handsome photographer grinning at her with a twinkle in his eye as a lock of his dark hair falls on his forehead.
Rory scowls and retorts, "Who the hell do you think you are? The King of England? You can't take my seat, I've paid for this seat. Plus you are not a part of our group!"
"He is,…" the tall, quirky man explains before the photographer stops him.
Rory tries to step around him again trying to return to her seat. She turns her face away trying to avoid him since he reeks from all the whisky he had been drinking.
"Please, excuse my friend, and let me introduce myself."
He takes Rory's hand in his large hand.
"My name is Robert, and I'm no king. I'm very sorry for my drunk friend's behavior," the photographer says as he interrupts him. He then turns to his friend and firmly says, "Finn sit."
Pouting Finn and his black-suited buddy sit down in one of the two seats next to at the entrance.
"Please, we can share this seat," he indicates holding out his hand and points to the seat she sat in before.
Rory bites her bottom lip and slides into the seat beside the window.
Robert moves in beside her and smiles gently. Leaning towards her he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
Rory rolls her eyes at him and replies, "That's because I didn't tell you."
Robert is quickly attracted to this girl, she's not easily intimidated, and she has the most beautiful blue eyes and alabaster skin. She could easily be a model and he wonders what she is doing here. Robert holds out his hand and says, "Let's start again. My name is Robert, and you are beautiful."
Rory blushes and realizes he is flirting with her. She quickly decides that since she will be spending the next three days on the bus with them, she might as well be nice.
Smiling she responds, "Hello, my name is Rory. What's with the clowns in the black suits if you're not a king?" she says as she shakes his steady hand. Her hand feels so tiny in his and she immediately blushes as she remembers her mother telling her about the size of a man's hand and other parts of his anatomy.
Robert holds her hand and gently rubs his thumb across the back of her hand and says, "I 'm not a king."
"Good, I much prefer a prince, " she replies and gently removes her hand from his grasp.
"Is that so? Well, how about that," Robert smiles mischievously at her.
"Yes, I'm team Harry, he seems like a really great man despite his partying," Rory tells Robert.
Robert looks at Rory nudging her shoulder he whispers, "Perhaps I can convince you one day to vote for Team Robert."
Finn is sitting across the aisle eavesdropping. He holds his hand over his mouth to prevent him from laughing out loud. Rory looks at Finn and the man who is sitting behind him.
"What is wrong with your friend?" Rory asks Robert as she watches Finn's shoulders move up and down trying to hold in his laughter.
"Ignore him. Finn behaves yourself, you are embarrassing our friend and me here."
"I'm sorry love, I didn't mean to be such a bore. So you would prefer a prince? Have you ever met one? You're from the states I wonder if you would like to meet a prince?" Finn begins to ramble with a grin on his face.
Robert glares at Finn and whispers, "Turn around now."
Finn begins to rant, "Nobody ever wants to be on Team Finn. I think we need to go to Ireland so I can find myself a beautiful redhead."
Soon Rory watches the flask being passed back and forth between the three men.
During the day Rory ignores the three men and especially Finn's shenanigans. She concentrates on being a journalist and thinking about questions readers of her article would probably be interested in and getting enough pictures to explain others the appearance of the Cardhu Distillery in Knockando and the production of whisky casks in Craigellachie during their next two stops of the day."Is everyone settled?" the bus driver Jack says as he gets on board after the visit in Craigellachie. "I hope you have had an enjoyable day. Our next stop is in the town of Keith, but it's called Kent by the locals. The town gets its name from the founder Keith Kent who built the first house there in 1979. You will all be staying at the Fife' n Drum. It is a green and white building on Sores and Boils Alley."
Rory laughs. She cannot wait to tell her mother about the street name.
The bus drive is short and soon the bus parks in front of the green and white building with lots of windows. They all step off the bus, and they enter the local pub which happens to be a part of the Inn. Rory looks around and notices how the dark brown furniture make the room look warm and inviting. She let the charming bus driver Jack convince her to join the visit of the pub after everyone settled in. They are soon seated as a group with several tables pushed together, and Rory finds herself sitting beside the handsome Robert and the devilish Finn. The other man in the black suit is very quiet and sits across from her. Robert immediately engages Rory in a conversation about her work and where she is from. She feels herself blushing and enjoying the flirtatious banter between the two of them. Rory is wondering what is going on. She is not looking for a relationship, she had sworn off of men, but Robert is too charming to ignore him.Later a part of the group relocates to the actual bar which is in the same room, but a bit separated.
Robert turns to Rory and says, "How about it Rory? Would you like to join us at the bar?"
"Well, umm…. I'm not sure," she stammers.
"Come on love, we won't bite, and I am sure it will be fun," Finn shouts as he takes out his flask and takes a nip.
Robert gently tips Rory's chin up and gazes into her eyes and then down to her lips, "Please join us?"
Rory returns Robert's gaze and becomes transfixed into his icy blue-green eyes and nods her head."
"Okay," she whispers back to him.
He stands up and pulls out her chair and offers his arm as he escorts her.
It's a bit cozier in the bar and Brad - a man of the tour group - goes over to the piano, sits down and begins to play some music.Two famous actors of a well-known TV show happen to be having dinner that evening at the Fife'n Drum. Liz Torres hears the music playing and convinces her dinner partner, Todd Lowe to go and check it out. Liz loves to sing, and soon she is sitting beside the piano and begins to sing enthusiastically to the music.
Everyone is drinking and singing loudly and off-key. Finn stands up and begins to play the maracas that he has found in the corner of the bar. He dances seductively over to Liz and the piano player. Finn tells the bartender to keep the drinks coming, and soon Rory is matching Robert and Finn drink to drink and flirting with Robert. Suddenly Robert walks to the piano and sings his favorite Sinatra song, "Wave" and looks at her as he sings each verse.
…..
The next morning Rory awakes in her four-poster mahogany bed. The walls are decorated with white wallpaper that has red pheasants on it. The bed has a white duvet cover that matches the wallpaper and red throw pillows. Next to the bed stands a red tartan wing chair with a table and a beautiful lamp that matches the wood from the bed with a white shade to match. The white curtains and red valance set off the warm room.
The lyrics of the song, "Wave" going through her head. Her mind is foggy, and when her alarm rings on her cell phone she hits the snooze function so she can return to her dream. She slowly falls back into her dream again.
Her alarm goes off again, and this time she finally drags herself out of bed and walks into the bathroom.
The bathroom is as she'd expected, functional and bare of any frills or unnecessary comforts. There is a shower head above the old claw foot white tub, surrounded by a white vinyl shower curtain. Rory leans over the tub, her head pounding and turns on the water, adjusting it to a warm temperature. She quickly removes her clothes and steps in, letting the warm water beat on her shoulders and head. After a long shower, she dries her hair, brushes her teeth twice.
Rory leaves the bathroom and returns to her room to dress. She quickly finds her off the white cabled jumper and slips it on over her red turtleneck shirt and then slips into her straight leg jeans. Rory brushes her hair and clips it back away from her face. She adds some blush and looks into the mirror in the bathroom. Her mouth still feels disgusting, so she digs deep into her tote bag and finds two breath mints. She returns to the bathroom and takes two Advil. She adds some lip gloss to her lips and decides that she needs to get something to eat and maybe she would feel better.
Rory grabs her room key and walks out of her room. Strolling down the old oak staircase she follows the noise to the main room where breakfast is being served. Rory stands in the doorway of the room and glances around, Rory notices several medium windows that let in the morning sunlight. She spots the members of her tour group and makes her way to the tour long tables that were set ready to serve them. Smiling she takes a seat, and from behind her, a young lass arrives.
"Miss, today we have a buffet with a lovely Scottish Breakfast it includes porridge and your choice of tea or coffee. Or if you like, we would be happy to make you something special."
Smiling Rory replies, "Oh, coffee, please, lots and lots of coffee and I will like the Scottish Breakfast."
"Fine miss, help yourself to the buffet, and I will bring you some coffee, cream, and sweetener," she replies.
"Yes, please.
Rory looks down at the small teacup that they use for coffee there, and she knew that she would gulp that down immediately. She gets up and heads towards the buffet. Seeing the greasy food, Rory piles on her plate, eggs, bacon, two sausages, baked beans, black pudding, and buttered toast. This will have to do since they don't have the tacos which are her favorite hangover food. She returns to her seat and begins to dig into her breakfast. Just like she thought, her coffee is gone in one gulp. She waves to a young waitress who is dressed in a black skirt and a white shirt, who immediately comes over to her to give her more coffee.
While digging in her food, she tries to ignore the rest of the group as much as possible to avoid saying something stupid before her brain is awake.
After finishing half of her food and at her third cup of coffee Robert and his two "bodyguards" walk into the main room immediately see her sitting near the end of the table. He quickly tells his quiet buddy to ask for three more chairs to be added to the table, one beside her and two across from her. Rory doesn't notice their arrival until she feels someone gently touch her shoulder and kiss her cheek. She looks up in surprise and looks at the handsome man with sparkling blue-green eyes. There is a flurry of movement around her as chairs and place settings are set beside her and across from her.
Pulling out the chair beside her, he says, "Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep last night?"
Rory looks at him and blushes as his hand gently caresses hers. She looks up at him and then over at the man with the dark sunglasses on. Before she can reply to Robert, she looks at his bodyguard Finn and says, "Finn, we are inside in a room in winter, I'm sure you don't need sunglasses."
Rory smirks as Finn whines," You know that I need them at this ungodly hour especially before my first drink of the day, but luckily…"
He stops talking and pulls his flask out of his suit jacket pocket and takes a sip. Finn lifts his glasses a bit, and Rory notices right away how his eyes are sparkling too with mischief. He takes a second sip and mischievously smirks before he pushes the sunglasses on his head, "Much better."
She shakes her head and laughs, "You're probably the craziest person I have ever met, Finn. And I lived in Stars Hollow, a town full of quirky characters. Now I did meet Finn, but I haven't met your other friend." She looks over to the other man.
"I'm sorry, yes these are my bodyguards, Finn and Kirk. "
Kirk, maintaining a severe yet professional face, glances up from his porridge and nods his head in her direction, he gets up from his chair and goes to the buffet and fills a plate and returns and puts it in front of Robert. He then returns to the buffet this time returning with two plates and sets one in front of Finn and himself and proceeds to eat.
Rory looks at Robert in surprise as he begins to eat his Scottish breakfast.
"Bodyguards? What line of work are you in that you need a bodyguard," she asks him thinking that there might be an exciting story for another article here.
Robert smiles at her and says, "Yes Kirk is very professional and is very experienced. He has had a total of 62 various jobs and knows a little bit about everything, a Jack of all trades but a master of none." Robert chuckles.
"That is interesting, how does someone have 62 different jobs, I mean he doesn't look that old, but your other bodyguard, honestly I wonder why you hired him," and she points at the other side of the table where Finn is now busy eating his Scottish breakfast and drinking his whisky from the teacup. He sees Rory looking at him and winks at her.
"I don't know what I would do without them, Kirk is rather quiet, but Finn makes up for that." Robert begins to chuckle.
Robert leans closer and places his arm around her shoulder on the back of her chair. He gently moves a curl that has fallen from her hair clip and tucked it behind her ear. He gently caresses her cheek with the back of his index finger. Rory feels a tingle go down her body. Robert leans in closer to her and whispers, "I'm happy you agreed to interrupt the Malt Whisky Trail a bit early to go to that Christmas party with me tomorrow."
Rory looks up at him in surprise. "Christmas party? Tomorrow... but… but… I don't have anything to wear, and I have to finish my article."
Rory looks at him with confusion. She has no memory of agreeing to attend a party with him. She must have had more to drink last night than she remembers.
Seeing her confused look, Robert said, "Do you remember anything about last night?"
Seeing her surprised facial expression, Robert assures his suspicion, "You don't remember anything? Maybe the sayings on the shirts are correct… what happens in Kent stays in Kent?"
Watching his sadness about her lost memory she pretends to chew on her food and reflects about the events of the day before. She entered the pub of the Inn they all stayed last night and ate dinner. Rory also talked with different people about the tour.
They started with several bottles of white Gavi DOCG Masera after everyone had enough Whisky that day besides of Finn who probably drinks everything with alcohol in it.
After dinner some went to their rooms, but Rory wanted to ask everyone about their favorite moments of the tour so far and wrote a lot in her notebook or let the others write their thoughts in it. At daytime she was too busy with writing the information of the three tour guides of the distilleries, but after she filled her complete notebook in the bar she joined in the tequila shots after Robert declined the offer to drink Gin. Who knew Gin is bad for your skin? Rory isn't sure she really checked that fact as she wanted in the bar the night before.
After thinking about all the things they did after the first shots she remembers herself singing "Don't Stop Believing", standing at the piano between Robert and Finn. And then finally she knows what party Robert is talking about.
"Oh my God," Rory giggles and blushes deep red, "I thought you were joking with me, because I gushed too much about Prince Harry while being embarrassingly drunk."
"I confess I was a bit disappointed that you knew a lot about the English prince, however nothing about the Prince of Monaco," Robert replies smiling softly.
Rory is too absorbed in his sparkling blue-green eyes to notice that all the other group members already left the table to grab their stuff before leaving the Inn. She feels him gently taking her hand in his. She enjoys the feeling of his hand caressing hers.
Finally she tries to speak with a dry throat, "Okay, let me repeat your invitation from yesterday to know I got it right. Your actual name is Matteo Robert Grimaldi, but your friends name you Robert? And you're the Crown Prince of Monaco?"
With an amused smile Robert is gently nodding his head and continues petting her hand.
"And you're invited to Prince Harry's Christmas party tomorrow?" She whispers.
"Yes, and I also invited you to join me at that actual party. I hope your answer is still yes, Rory?" Robert asks.
"Well," she answers obviously stunned.
Robert's hand wanders along her arm to her cheek and he slowly leans his head more in. Shortly before their lips meet, he turns his mouth near her ear and seductively whispers. "No worries, sweetheart, that is not the moment the spell breaks and the handsome prince turns into a frog."
Rory smiles about his kind of humor before his mouth turns back and his lips finally meet hers in a slow and hesitant kiss. Time stops for a millisecond as his lips gently touch hers for the very first time.
He leans back to check if she enjoys kissing him. Seeing her softly smiling his lips are quick back on hers, gently nibbling on her lower lip, before his tongue smoothly finds its ways in her mouth exploring her taste after her mouth parted slightly to welcome him in. Robert deepens the kiss as he feels her tongue welcoming his in her mouth.
As oxygen becomes kind of necessary their lips separate slowly until their lips are centimeters apart.
She happily whispers, "Yes, I will go with you to that party. How could I miss the chance to finally meet my favorite prince?"
He gently laughs and whispers back "Seems like you need more kisses to convince you to change to Team Robert. Not that I would mind that part of convincing you."
Robert and Rory look at each other and while his hand caress her cheeks, her hands softly cuddle his silk hair.
She loves his mixture of a manly smell and an unknown perfume. Rory also loves his taste and the utterly delicious things he does with his tongue. She wants more of both.
Therefore she leans her head slowly forward, connecting her lips with his already searching hers. Robert pulls her closer as the kiss gradually deepens in a wild and breathtaking dance of their tongues.
None of the two lovebirds see the crazy happy dance Finn started as he saw his boss and best friend kissing the charming American girl who stole the prince's heart. His partner Kirk just disapprovingly rolls his eyes, but everyone who be acquainted with him know Kirk just takes every job very seriously and is in fact as happy as his bodyguard partner Finn.
…
After that fabulous Christmas party and a trip to Scotland, Rory returns home with Robert to meet her family, and soon she and Robert find themselves back again in Scotland where they get married and lived Happily Ever After.
END
P.S: On their honeymoon, they tour through Europe and much to Finn's delight, who accompanies them as their bodyguard, they agree to go to Ireland where our exotic Aussie will finally find his forever love in a fierce Irish redhead.