Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, the characters, or the places. Sorry.
Song References: Clarity is a John Mayer song which can be found on his album Heavier Things.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad that you guys like where this is going :)
Chapter Eleven: Clarity
I worry, I weigh three times my body
I worry, I throw my fears around
But this morning, there's a calm I can't explain
The rock candy's melted only diamonds now remain
--John Mayer
Rory awoke from her light sleep and felt Tristan's body next to her. She lie still. She needed a moment to process what she had just done. Tristan. She closed her eyes and turned onto her right side, away from him. She needed some room to think.
Tristan. She had just slept with Tristan. Was she happy? Well, she didn't feel any regret or sadness. Did that mean this was a good thing, that she had actually been wanting this all along? Or was she really just such an impetuous person that she always found herself in an unexpected heated moment, like with Dean?
Dean. A month ago Dean had been the one in her bed. They would have been listening to The Candyman right about now. Was it playing anywhere? Is that song ever on the radio? Was there someone in the world watching Willy Wonka right now
Rory chastised herself. She had made her choice when she left Stars Hollow. The only way she could deal with her relationship with Dean was by putting some distance between themselves. And what created more distance between people than a man on the side?
She scolded herself again. Where were these thoughts coming from? Why couldn't she stop asking herself all these questions?
She turned over again, and the movement caused Tristan to stir. He pulled her into his arms. Rory hesitated for a moment, but then gave in to his embrace. This was a good thing, she decided. She stopped questioning her judgment and accepted Tristan. This was right.
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The morning sun shined brightly through the windows, waking them both up. Tristan opened his eyes and smiled at Rory. She yawned and shivered. "Cold," she whispered, in her groggy morning voice.
Tristan nodded, and threw back the heavy comforter only to feel the frigid hotel air run over his skin. He walked to the thermostat across the room, and Rory admired how he made no attempt to hide his nakedness.
"Hurry," she said, "all the cold air is getting in."
Tristan obliged, crawled back into bed, and pulled her into his arms.
"I swear there are air conditioner elfs that come in the middle of the night that lower the thermostat in hotels," she mumbled against his chest. He laughed. She sat up a little to look at the clock behind him.
"Ugh, it's already ten thirty. Grandma's going to be worried about me."
"I'm sure she's fine. She would have called your cell phone if she needed you."
"We should really get up though," she said, pulling the blankets around her as she got out of bed.
"What?…Oh…You need coffee."
"Just get up." She began pulling on her clothes. "I guess I'll have to go back upstairs to change," she said. After a moment of thought she added, "We probably shouldn't be seen leaving together, so I guess we should just meet downstairs."
"How OC."
"What!"
"You know, when Julie Cooper was meeting Luke at that motel, the Seabrook, I think, and they would sneak out."
Rory, balancing on one foot as she pulled on her heels, paused. "You watch the OC?"
"On occasion…"
"Eew."
"Eew what?"
"I just slept with a guy that watches the OC."
Tristan smirked. "That bothers you?"
"My mother doesn't even watch the OC."
"No?"
"No."
"If I had mentioned it last night you wouldn't have taken advantage of me?"
"I did not take advantage of you."
"Well, I had just been abandoned by my fiancée."
Rory glared at him. "You started it."
Tristan raised his hands in defense. "I was just kissing you. If memory serves me you were the one that-"
"Either way, you can hardly say that I took advantage of you."
Tristan shrugged. "So if tonight I tell you that I happen to own both of the Spice Girls CDs…"
"Huh, that's weird," she said, pulling on her other heel.
"What is?"
"I think I just went temporarily deaf."
Tristan smirked and she smiled before she turned and left the room.
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Rory was happy, happier than she had been in a while. She sat at the breakfast table, pushing her eggs around with her fork, trying not to smile.
"So where were you last night?" Emily asked, sipping her coffee.
Rory tried to clear her thoughts and ate a forkful of eggs as she refocused. "Tristan needed a friend last night," she said, settling on a vague answer.
Emily, looking interested, sat up a little. "Is everything alright?"
Rory nodded. "He's fine, but Shelly left him last night."
Her grandmother set her teacup down, and it clattered loudly against the saucer. "She what?"
Rory shrugged.
"What happened?" Emily asked, leaning in towards Rory.
Rory thought for a moment; she felt a little guilty for feeding her grandmother the gossip. But at least it was keeping her off the more important track…
"Things just weren't working out," she answered vaguely.
Emily sat back, apparently satisfied. They sat in silence as Emily continued sipping her coffee, thinking about the latest gossip straight from her granddaughter; she liked being the first in her group to be in the know. How Millie Jones would be envious!
As the waiter came around and poured her another cup of coffee, Rory noticed Tristan walk into the room. She followed his confidant stride as she sipped the steaming brew. How could she have been so repulsed by him in high school?
His eyes met hers. It had been good.
He smirked. It had been really good.
He passed her, his finger grazing her arm as he brushed past her, sending tingles up her through her body. It had been really really good. Way better, in fact, than with Dean. But Dean had only been with two women; Tristan had been with--well, Rory didn't want to think about the vast numbers of women. But he was definitely more experienced.
"Well, he doesn't look too devastated," Emily noted, once again pulling Rory back into the dining room. Rory didn't respond. "Well," Emily continued, "I guess sometimes people just need a bit of a change."
Rory nodded in agreement. Yes, change was a good thing indeed.
