Chapter 7: "Oh, come to the door with a cup of coffee for her and she'll love you forever."


It's been just over a week since Rory and Tristan decided to start dating. Riley was thrilled for them and Paris of course being Paris simple told Rory, "I told you so," when she told her about her date with Tristan. Rory has yet to tell Lorelai. Lorelai missed the most recent Friday Night Dinner due to some inn business and Rory preferred to tell her in person rather than over the phone.

And while they were still taking things slow, Tristan couldn't be happier. He had loved Rory since he was sixteen and he saw her that first day at Chilton. They hadn't been able to spend too much alone time together in the past few days or over the weekend with their professors piling more work onto them now that they were farther into the semester. He planned to change all that this coming weekend, but first he needed to talk to Riley about his plans.

"What's up," Riley asked as Tristan came into his room Wednesday evening.

"I need a favor."

"Okay."

"I have an idea for Rory and I this weekend and I need your help," Tristan told him.

"Alright, what's the idea?" Riley asked.

"This week has been so crazy and we've all been so busy with schoolwork lately that I thought a picnic would be nice and relaxing. And what better place for a picnic then your dad's old tree house?" Tristan said.

"So you need me to ask my grandparents if you can picnic on their property."

"Basically, yeah; will you do it?"

"Absolutely; it's beautiful out there. Rory's going to love it," Riley stated.

"Thanks, man. I owe you."

"Forget about it. I'm happy to."


"Morning boys," Rory stated as she walked into the guy's dorm Thursday morning, "I come baring coffee."

"Thank you," Riley told her, "Tristan's still in his room. You want to walk together or wait for him?"

"I'll wait for Tristan. I'll see you in a bit, Ry."

"Later, Ror."

"Tris?" Rory asked knocking on his door.

"Come in," Tristan stated, "Morning, Mary."

"Good morning. I've got coffee," she told him as he took it from her and kissed her cheek.

"So, I was wondering if I could take you out for lunch Saturday." Tristan asked.

"Sure, where to?" Rory asked.

"It's a surprise. Are you going to home after your dinner tomorrow night?" he asked as they walked out of his dorm now that he was ready.

"I was planning to, but if we're having lunch Saturday I can always come back here after."

"No, going to Stars Hollow is perfect. It's closer to my chosen destination so I'll just pick you up from there."

"And officially meet Lorelai."

"That too, I guess. Should I be nervous?"

"I don't think so. Just don't call her ma'am, Ms. Gilmore, or anything else that will make her feel old. Oh, come to the door with a cup of coffee for her and she'll love you forever."

"I can do that. I'll see you later, Mar," he said as they had now arrived outside her classroom.

"Bye Tris."


While walking out of class Rory and Riley get stopped by fellow classmate, Trevor.

"Hey, Rory, Riley."

"Hi, Trevor." Rory replied.

"Can I talk to for a minute, Rory, privately," Trevor asked looking at Riley.

"Uh, no problem. Coffee, Ror?"

"I'll meet you there. So Trevor, what's up?" Rory asked after Riley left.

"You and Riley, you're just friends right. I mean, you seem close and all, but you're not dating?" he asked.

"No, we're not dating. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking of checking out this new Italian place this weekend and wondered if you'd like to join me." Trevor told her.

"Oh, I can't I'm sorry. I'm sort of seeing someone."

"I thought you said you and Riley were just friends."

"We are. I'm dating his roommate, Tristan."

"Oh, I didn't know. I always see you with Riley so I just sort of assumed…" Trevor began.

"It's new. I just got out of a bad relationship so we're taking it slow right now and Riley and I have all our classes together and with him being Tristan's roommate we are almost never apart so I get how you would assume that, but yeah Riley and I are just friends."

"And you and Tristan?"

"Are definitely together. Sorry."

"It's okay. I guess I'll just see you in class next week?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, Bye Trevor."


"So, what did Trevor want?" Riley asked as Rory sat next to him on the bench near the coffee cart.

"He asked me out," Rory told him.

"Really? What'd you tell him?" Riley asked.

"Well, no of course. I'm kind of dating your roommate, remember."

"Right, just making sure. So that's going well?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, we talk all the time, but we've both been so busy with school this week and I had that paper to write last weekend so we've barely had time to do anything but study and say "hi" and "bye." Hey you wouldn't by chance know what he's planning for this weekend would you?" Rory asked.

"I do. In fact I helped make it happen, but before you even ask," he stated seeing the question forming in her eyes, "I'm not telling you a thing about it. Except that I know you'll love it."

"Fine, I guess I'll have to wait and be surprised," she replied with a huff.


Friday night Rory found herself running a bit late for dinner at her grandparents so she didn't have time to tell Lorelai about her upcoming date with Tristan before her grandmother started asking questions about Yale.

"So come on, sit down and tell me all about Yale," Emily told Rory.

"It's great. It's a lot more freeform than I thought." Rory replied.

"Of course, you're in college now, they treat you like an adult." Emily stated.

"I suppose." Rory replied.

"So, what do you have going on this weekend? Any parties going on?" Emily asked.

"Well there are always parties going on, but I'm not going to any I actually have a date." Rory told her mother and grandmother.

"A date, really," Lorelai asked, "since when?"

"You're first college date. How wonderful. Who with?" Emily asked.

"Tristan DuGrey. You remember him, Grandma, he went to Chilton. And it's our second date, actually. We ran into each other at the beginning of the semester and got to know each other again. We've been hanging out as friends for awhile now and decided to give dating a try. We had breakfast a couple weeks ago and he's taking me somewhere for lunch tomorrow." Rory stated.

"Lunch, what kind of date is lunch or breakfast for that matter. A proper date involves a proper meal in a nice restaurant preferably without some sort of delinquent as your dinner companion." Emily told her.

"Mom, please, it's Rory's choice who she goes out with and what they do on their dates, okay so just layoff." Lorelai said.

"We're taking things slow Grandma. My relationships with Dean and Jess didn't turn out like I wanted so I didn't want to rush this and Tristan respects that. And he is not a delinquent Grandma. Yeah he went to military school, but he is a better man because of it."

"Fine, I suppose I should just be glad this one comes from a suitable family at least. You'll be sure to bring him around for dinner one night."

"I will; I want to see how it goes for awhile first, but I will definitely tell him he is invited."


Walking out of the Gilmore house after dinner, Lorelai said, "So when were you going to tell me about your new relationship with Bible Boy on your wedding day?"

"Of course not, before the rehearsal dinner, at least." Rory said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. We've both been really busy, you weren't at dinner last Friday, this is the first time we've seen each other in two weeks. And I didn't want to just tell you over the phone."

"Okay, I guess I can respect that. So are you coming home with me or are you heading back to school?" Lorelai asked.

"Home with you. He said it's more convenient for what he has planned if he picks me up in Stars Hollow."

"And what does he have planned.?"

"No idea. He won't say, but I do know that Riley helped with it and he says I'll love it, but who knows." Rory stated.

"So, since he's picking you up at home I guess that means I get to interrogate him before I let you go."

"I guess, but you will be nice, won't you? No hassling him about military school or the fact that he's a rich trust fund kid whose family know Grandma and Grandpa."

"Fine, but can I at least call him Bible Boy?" Lorelai asked.

"If you must," Rory stated.


Just after one o'clock on Saturday Lorelai and Rory heard a knock on the front door. "Can you get it mom, I'm almost ready." Rory asked?

"Sure, sweets," Lorelai said. "Bible Boy!"

"Lorelai, nice to meet you," Tristan said reaching out to shake her hand, "this is for you."

"Hmm… you called me 'Lorelai' and you brought me coffee. I like you. Please, come in." Lorelai stated, "Rory's just finishing getting ready."

"That's fine. There's no rush. I love your house. It's got that lived in homey feel I didn't see growing up or you either, I suppose."

"No, growing up with the Gilmore's definitely did not feel homey one bit. So, what are the chances you're going to tell me where you're taking my daughter today?" Lorelai asked.

"None!"

"Drat. So, Tristan, do I need to give you the "what are your intentions with my daughter speech" or are you smart enough to figure it out on your own?"

"My only intention, Lorelai is to care for your daughter as much and for as long as she will allow me to. I've liked Rory since the first day I saw her at Chilton, but I was an idiot back then. I have a second chance now and I'm not going to screw it up by hurting her." Tristan said.

"Good answer, Bible Boy, I approve."

"Bible Boy?"

"You call me Mary, Tristan, remember biblical insult." Rory said as she walked into the living room.

"I like to think of it more as a term of endearment, Mar." Tristan replied.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself. Are you ready to go?" Rory said.

"Whenever you are. Lorelai, it was a pleasure meeting you. We'll be back in a few hours." Tristan said.

"Have fun you guys." Lorelai said as she watched them walk to the car and saw Tristan holding the door open for Rory. As he gave her a kiss on the cheek before she got in the car she noticed the blush rise in Rory's cheeks and the smile that came to her face by this simple gesture of affection. She's already falling in love with him and she doesn't even know it.

AN: The next chapter will be the date. I'm looking forward to this one. I've had the idea in mind for this date since I first came up with this story idea. I hope you like it.