* * * * *
Something To Remember
by inmyeyes
Part 3
It took a long moment for his mind to register his words; he was too busy revelling in her shy smile and the way her hand tightened almost imperceptibly in his. But when the wave of his lie washed over him, a stab of... what was it? Guilt? Yes, it was guilt that coursed fiercely through his veins.
Tristan had long ago realized that he would never be good enough for Rory. His soul was soiled, his heart too hard, his intentions too impure for someone like her. But this... this was just too low, even for Tristan DuGrey. But the words were spoken, the bond was made and as he cast his eyes downward, he also knew that he couldn't take the words back. Rory was already in a fragile condition, and revealing the lie now wouldn't do her any good. She needed some sort of stability, and Tristan wanted to be the one whom she could turn to. Of course, Tristan was no fool; he knew that his lie would have repercussions. As the doctor said, Rory would regain her memory eventually... and when she did, she would maim- no, she would murder him in cold blood for his deception, cut his body into tiny pieces and feed them to the sharks.
Even then, a tiny voice in his head told him that it would be worth it. He was evil, manipulative and deceitful for playing Rory this way and taking advantage of her, but the lure of being close to her, being someone that she would turn to and him being able to openly care for her was too much for him to resist.
"Guess what?" he suddenly asked, breaking the short silence in the air. His voice was deceptively cheerful, not betraying the inner battle he was waging.
Her smile was wide. "What?"
"You can go home!" He didn't think her smile could have gotten any wider but it did. "I bumped into the doctor on my way here and he told me that you're discharged from hospital. I called your grandparents and they're coming to pick you up."
On an impulse, Rory threw her arms around the boy in front of her, her arms wrapping tightly around him. Tristan caught her in his arms, his hand lightly stroking her back. He felt her body shake slightly against his and he smiled at the sound of her loud, joyful laugh. She pulled back a little, her hands still resting on his shoulders. Her eyes were full of excitement, an emotion that Tristan found was contagious because he found himself grinning back at her.
"So I'm going home?" Home. The word had never sounded so good to her. Home was a root to her past and her life and Rory couldn't wait to see it.
"You're going to your grandparents' house," he corrected. And when he saw her face fall slightly, he rushed to reassure her. "It'll be fine. I'll be with you as often as I can."
"Can't I go back to Stars Hollow?" she pleaded, her eyes silently begging him and Tristan could feel himself weakening. He took a deep breath, reaching out and cupping her cheeks lightly.
"You know you can't, Ror. Your mom won't be back until Monday. It'll be safer for you to be with your grandparents," he reasoned. He suddenly grinned cheekily, and Rory could feel her heart start to race. "Plus, you'll be with me," he added.
Rory returned the grin. "Oh, what a lucky girl I am!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Of course, you are!" Tristan agreed. "You're my girlfriend, aren't you?" The phrase 'my girlfriend' flowed smoothly from his lips as though it fit perfectly well with the mention of Rory in the same sentence.
"All the poor girls in the queue," Rory remarked in mock-sadness, shaking her head slightly.
Tristan took the bait. "What queue?"
Rory matched his smirk. "The queue of girls lining up to be your girlfriend."
Tristan chuckled, pulling her against him and leaning his head on her shoulder. This was nice. It was more than nice. Hugging Rory brought him warmth and a feeling of ease that he had never felt before. "Well, they're gonna have a long wait ahead of them," he mumbled. "I plan on being with you for a long time." He felt Rory's arm wrap closer around him.
Maybe things would work out in the end.
* * * * *
(Late Friday evening. Gilmore residence. Hartford)
In the eerie silence, the lone note struck a discord. Barely a second later, the small room was filled with the sweet sounds of the piano.
He loved music. He was incredibly open to all genres of music and an entire wall in his room was full of CDs. There was something in music that called out to him; be it a slow, haunting melody that could never leave his mind, thought-provoking lyrics that made him wonder or just a song that was pretty to listen to. He found that music was the perfect medium for him to express himself, his thoughts and feelings. Whenever he was feeling especially miserable and disillusioned with his life, the sounds of Incubus and the Dave Matthews Band could be heard through his closed door. When he was getting ready for a date, he'd be listening to Jay-Z or Blackstreet.
And when he thought of Rory Gilmore, Brian McKnight was his medicine of choice.
On their own accord, his fingers
ran across the piano keys unerringly. Under his breath, he sang along to
the music in a soft voice.
Do I ever cross you your
mind, anytime?
Do you ever wake up reaching
out for me?
Do I ever cross your mind,
anytime?
I miss you...
His rich baritone fell to a silent whisper as he finished playing the song. The action was automatic; even though his mind was busy thinking about what he had done, his fingers made no mistake. As the last note hung in the air, light clapping brought him out of his reverie. Stunned, his head snapped to the doorway where Rory was leaning against the door frame, her form creating a dark silhouette against the bright light shining from the hallway.
After arriving at the house, exhaustion had overcome her and she had fallen into a sleep. When she had awakened, darkness engulfed her; the only source of light was the faint light from the hallway that streamed in through the door that lay ajar. She was content to just lay on the soft bed, buried under mountains of blankets. For the first time in two days, she was infused with a sense of peace despite the fact that the big gaping hole in her mind never ceased to exist. She was in a safe place, in the hands of her grandparents... and with Tristan.
Thinking of him brought with it a myriad of emotions; nervousness because there seemed to be a powerful, undeniable force between them, flutters in her stomach because of the way he made her feel, fear of the unknown, a sense of rightness as though they were meant to be. Rory wished so much that she would remember him, because she felt that she was missing in on so much that had happened between them. She wanted to know how they met, their first date, the first time they kissed... she wanted to know everything, and she wanted to know him.
Tristan seemed to her like an enigma waiting to be solved. And she wanted to be the one who solved it.
When the sound of music drifted to her ears, her curiousity had driven her to find its source. And it led her to Tristan. The carpeted floor allowed her to noiselessly creep into the room. A tiny smile playing about her lips, she leaned against the door frame, her eyes shining with appreciation for Tristan's obvious expertise in playing the instrument and the love for music that radiated off his being. There was something melancholy in the air and it was reflected in him. His back was slightly slumped, his fingers moving leisurely over the keys, his voice tinged with bittersweet emotion when he sung in a low voice.
"I didn't know you could play," she said, taking a few steps into the room. But then her beautiful countenance was marred by a frown. "I'm sorry. I probably did know. I just... don't know now."
Smiling encouragingly at her, he lightly patted the empty space on the piano bench next to him. "Come here." When she situated herself next to him, he took hold of her hands, laying them flat against his own. Then he guided them to the piano keys. Slowly, with his fingers on hers, he guided them to play the same melody that he had played earlier. His actions brought a low squeal of glee from Rory.
After a few moments, his hands fell from hers and silence enveloped the room.
"Could you do me a favour?" she asked, hesitating slightly.
Tristan smiled wryly. If only she knew that he would go to the ends of the world for her. "Anything."
"Take me away from here."
"What?"
Rory sighed, then she turned to fully face him. Her hand made its way to his, clutching it tightly. "I don't want to be in this house, Tristan. Just take me someplace for a few hours."
And when she was looking at him that way, her blue eyes wide and pleading, he couldn't say no.
* * * * *
"Mother! Let me speak to Rory!" Lorelai demanded, her voice taking on a tone of frustration.
"I told you, Lorelai. She's not at home. She's out," Emily explained calmly, her thoughts centered on the pile of papers in front of her. "Now, please, stop with this nonsense. I need to get back to these papers. I have a charity benefit dinner to plan, Lorelai."
Lorelai snorted in derision. "Rory was in a accident two days ago and she has amnesia. Yet you let her go out? What were you thinking?"
Emily sighed. "You make it sound like I sent her out to be eaten alive by wolves. Rory's perfectly fine. She's with the DuGrey boy."
"The DuGrey boy? You mean, Tristan DuGrey? Why is he-"
Emily let out a deep breath in exasperation. "Lorelai, Rory is all right. You don't have to come back. You'll only be gone for a few more days, and she'll be fine staying with us. Tristan is a perfectly nice boy and he's been spending time with Rory which is a good thing. Between this benefit dinner and your father's busy schedule, we're spending all the time we can with her."
"But-"
Emily's tone was sharp. "There are no buts. Rory is fine. I'll tell her you called. We'll see you in a few days, Lorelai."
Before Lorelai could say anything, she heard a loud click. And just as she was starting to re-dial her mother's number, there was a loud crackle over the P.A system and an annoyingly chirpy voice rang through the auditorium.
Dinner time was over. Taking a large chug of the remaining coffee in the cup she was holding, Lorelai sighed deeply. Back the convention.
* * * * *
(The Garage. Hartford)
Taking her hand in his, Tristan led Rory into the small, cozy establishment. Before they went through the doors, Rory caught sight of a sign that read 'The Garage' in neon green light above the doors. A few feet into the cafe and Rory stopped. The beauty in the simplicity of the decor made her gasp. She looked around, taking note of some of the colourful and bright furniture, the sofas which just screamed of comfort, the lava lamps, the parquet flooring and the stark white walls. The cafe was half-filled with an eclectic mix of people; some young, some not so young, dressed in an assortment of styles but all showing a feeling of ease and happiness in being with friends and enjoying good company.
She felt a light tug on her hand, and looked up to see Tristan smiling at her. He led her to a more secluded area of the cafe where there was an empty two-seater sofa which had a pile of cushions on it. Giggling happily, Rory ran ahead of Tristan, flopping down unceremoniously on the soft sofa and scattering the cushions. She chucked off her sandals and curled up on the sofa, hugging a cushion to her chest.
Tristan couldn't help but return her impish grin. In an unconscious move, he leaned down and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he whispered.
It was the familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee that alerted Rory to the fact that Tristan was coming back. In a smooth move, she jumped up, grabbed the cup from his hands and sat back down within 3 seconds. Rory closed her eyes in bliss as the sweet smell of her elixir of life consumed her. And when she took a sip of the liquid, the groan that was wrenched from her lips was involuntary.
From his place beside her, Tristan hid his amused smile from her. "So, I take it that you didn't forget your love of coffee?"
Rory's eyes drew open as she took a larger sip of the drink, her hands clutching the mug protectively. "I could never forget coffee. It would be blasphemous!"
For a few minutes, a comfortable silence settled over them; Rory was enjoying her coffee and Tristan was enjoying watching her.
The sound of a throat being cleared startled them both. Rory's eyes met Tristan's in a silent question.
"Tonight's the open mic night," he clarified.
Swallowing the last of her coffee, Rory set the mug down on the table in front of them. A question was on the tip of her tongue but a small part of her hesitated. Rory unclenched her fists and decided to just take a chance. Slowly but surely, she inched her way closer to him as the guy who was sitting on the stool on the raised platform started to strum his guitar.
You make me smile
You make me sad
You're every dream
I've ever had
But now I'm without you,
baby
Nothing's the same
It took a while it took
some time
It took an honest man
to find
The truth deep inside
this broken heart
Now mended with shame
With shame
Well it's all I can do
to be honest and true
Talking with you till
the dawn
It seems kinda strange
I know you've rearranged
The tracks of the train
you're on
Somehow, Tristan sensed that
Rory needed to feel close to him. Beneath the pile of cushions, his hand
sought hers, his thumb slowly stroking the back of her hand. Encouraged,
Rory scooted closer still and held her breath. When Tristan took his hand
from hers and draped his arm around her shoulders, she exhaled slowly.
She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.
Still, would it be kind
if I told you my mind
Was slowly consumed by
you?
Or would it be right if
tonight I held you tight
And showed you what i'm
going through
When I think of my reasons
They change like the seasons
Winter, spring, summer
and fall
You think maybe I'd take
some time out to cry
And just rid myself of
it all
But there's something about
you
I know that without you
I'm lost and I can't find
my way
So just tell me right
now
There's some way or somehow
Tell me you want me
And baby I'll stay
Stay shamefully stay
Baby I'll stay
Tristan's fingers played with
the silky strands of her hair as the clear sounds of the beautiful song
wafted around them. 'This,' he thought, 'is what happiness feels
like.' It was so easy for him to pretend that this was all real; that
Rory was with him because she cared for him, that nights like this one
were yet possible in the future. Being with Rory felt so natural and so
right
that it pained him to think that it was all based on a lie. Almost as though
to reassure himself, he absently leaned down and kissed her nose.
Well I'd swallow my pride
And then I'd keep it deep
down inside
Of this broken heart
And I'll treat you the
way
That I didn't that day
You decided that we'd
fallen apart
I don't want it the way
it was
Baby that's just because
I know I wasn't for real
Seems I'm lost deep in
thought
But all I was ever taught
Was to tell the girl just
how I feel
Rory practically purred in bliss. The warmth of his firm body made her feel safe and protected. She cuddled closer yet, one of her hands finding its way to his chest and resting just above his heart. Its strong, steady beat was reassuring. Tilting her head up, her eyes locked on his stormy blue eyes. "Thank you," she murmured.
"For what?" he asked, just as quietly. That same pang of guilt that had assaulted him earlier resurfaced. She had nothing to thank him for.
"For... everything. For being here with me."
Tristan smiled; a soft, tender
smile that made Rory's breath catch. "Where else would I be?"
'Cause you know that in
time
You think I might change
my mind
and do this all over again
I just gotta be clear
I'm not sure what you fear
but I promise I'll love
you my friend
'Cause there's something
about you
I know that without you
I'm lost and I can't find
my way
So just tell me right
now
There's some way or somehow
Tell me you want me
And baby I'll stay
Stay so shamefully stay
Lady I'll stay
You know that I'll stay
So shamefully stay
'Cause you know that in
time
You think I might change
my mind
And do this all over again
I just gotta be clear
I'm not sure what you fear
But I promise I'll love
you my friend
When Rory's attention went back to the singer who was performing, his eyes snapped shut in pain. Tristan didn't think he'd be able to withstand the next few days with Rory being close and within his reach. It was a sweet sort of torture that he had trapped himself in, knowing that each moment that passed meant that there was a moment less to spend with her.
Worst yet, he didn't think
he'd be able to survive Rory regaining her memory.
'Cause there's something
about you
I know that without you
I'm lost and I can't find
my way
So just tell me right
now
There's some way or somehow
Tell me you want me
Then baby you know I'm
gonna
You know I'm gonna stay
I'm begging baby please
Just ask me to stay
* * * * *
Song credits: "Anytime" by Brian McKnight, "Shame" by Tony Lucca.
* * * * *