Rated: PG-13.
Disclaimer: The usually stuff. I don't own anything except for my Buffy DVDs but they don't count. So kudos to Amy and the WB for this show! Now if only they could get Tristan back....
Author's Note: Ah the feeling of complete happiness when that dreaded "writer's block" fades away. All the plot lines that come flooding to my brain! I am so sorry for taking months and months to get this chapter up but now that I finally KNOW where I want to go with this fic, I actually might write more. Makes sense doesn't it? I have to give a MAJOR kudos to Staiz, you know who your are!! You, my friend are a blessing. I seriously would have let this story go into the recycle bin if you hadn't kept me going! Anyway on to the story!!
There's Always Tomorrow
Chapter 3 "Sushi Pajamas"
By Caruialiel
"Tristan?"
Rory couldn't believe her eyes. This day couldn't get any better. Dean and now Tristan? How many more surprises would she have to take today? What was he doing here, at Chilton when he was supposed to be off at Military school?! She blinked. He looked much the same. The same tousled hair, defined jaw line and the most amazing piercing blue eyes…
"If you told me you missed me that much I would've come back a lot sooner."
She didn't realize that she was staring at him until he grinned even more, if that was possible. At least that typical remark broke her trance and she began to feel the now cold coffee seeping through her jumper. She stood up, knocking her lunch and glared fiercely at him.
"Like I would! Look at what you've done! My jumper's ruined! Couldn't you have been more of a klutz? Oh sorry, I forgot. That's much to hard for your brain to handle!"
She pointed to the big brown stain on her jumper. Tristan couldn't help not smiling. He missed seeing her so worked up. It was cute.
"Whoa, calm down Mary. I could always help clean you up. You know, in the janitor's closest," He winked at her, which only made her even more annoyed.
"So very charming, Tristan. I see that only a lobotomy or shock therapy would have a hope in hell of knocking that "pain in the ass" streak out of you, much less military school!" Rory's eyes gleamed with fury. She waited for Tristan to have another inane comeback to throw at her but instead she saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. For some strange reason she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. That was a bit harsh she thought.
"Hey I apologize. That was a bit much, even for you." Suddenly a thought interjected it was HIM who had made her spill her coffee! "Wait a minute, wait a minute! You're the one that should be apologizing, not me! You're the one who has the motor functions, which has flashed back to Second Grade!"
"I owe you?" he frowned. "You don't think that I'm going to buy you a new jumper, do you?" Knowing fully well what she was really talking about. Everyone knew about her addiction.
Rory rolled her eyes, "No, coffee! You made me spill my coffee. I hope you realize that the only way YOU," she pointed her index finger at him, "are going to live to see another day is to buy me a cup to make up for the horrible sin you have just committed. But since you mention it, you can buy me a new jumper as well." She smiled gleefully but it quickly died away. She looked longingly at her jumper, "I'll never get this stain out," and then to the cup lying on the table, empty but of a few wee drops.
"Ok."
"Huh?" She didn't expect him to say yes, but since this meant that she would be getting a free cup of coffee, well…she could live with it, "Good. That's settled then." She sat back down and began to clean up the mess.
He couldn't believe that after being away for so long, he was standing so close to her. All he had to do was reach out and brush that loose strand of hair back behind her ear. It didn't seem real. Spending every waking hour thinking about her and then spending even more time trying not to think about her, couldn't prepare himself for how he felt at this moment.
"You could help, you know." Rory looked at him with accusing eyes. Tristan shivered. He sat down at her table and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. It was now or never. "I'm sorry."
Rory looked up at him puzzled, "For what?"
"For everything."
She stopped what she was doing and looked back at him. This was new. Now that she looked more closely at him, he seemed different somehow. For a split second, his eyes showed a sort of vulnerability but when she looked back again he returned to his normal unreadable state.
"Oh, the coffee? That's nothing, don't worry about it. I get free coffee now!" She grinned at him.
He couldn't help but smile back, her happiness was so infectious but he needed to get this out. His face grew serious again, "No, before that. Before…I left."
"Oh that. Even though you were an obnoxious jerk whose head would've combusted and refuse to grow a new one, don't worry about that either. Forget it," She smiled again.
Tristan smiled back. A heavy weight felt like it had been lifted from his chest. She had forgiven him.
Rory dropped her head and stared at the table. What are you supposed to say to someone who apologises for making your life all the more unbearable, especially if it is Tristan? She had hardly knew anything about him apart from the bits and pieces she had heard from Madeline…hell, he had ceased to exist for her in his military absence. With Chilton, finally making new friends, life seemed just that one step closer to Harvard. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Tristan had gone into a trance of his own staring at her. He snapped out of it first and realized that they hadn't spoken in over a minute.
Thinking that she had caught him staring at her, he tried to string a sentence together…but it wasn't working, "Ah…nice tables here, huh Mary? Didn't have quite the same…varnishy finish at Military School...Rory? I was joking..." He trailed off. He didn't know what the hell he was trying to say.
"So how was Military school?" she asked, after Tristan's little attempt to break the silence she decided on the first safe topic that came to her mind until she could figure out how to take this "new" Tristan. Before Tristan could answer, a tall boy, light brown hair, smartly dressed in the Chilton uniform came up and plonked himself down next to Rory and slung an arm over her shoulders.
"Hey Rory! Sorry I'm late."
"Darian! Hey!" Rory's face lit up when she saw her friend, "I'm so sorry I forgot to give you back your notes," She reached into her bag and pulled out a huge notebook and handed it to him, "Here."
Tristan felt that heavy weight come crashing back down again. He had seen how Rory's face lit up when, what was his name? That Darian guy came up. The way he had causally slung his arm around her shoulders. His face slowly hardened.
"So, Mary. Who's the boyfriend?" He didn't know why he was being so mean. Ok he did. He was jealous.
Darian and Rory looked at Tristan and then at each other. Turning back to face Tristan, Darian laughed, "What? No! We're just friends! But hey! I haven't seen you around before. I'm Darian Walker." He held out his hand.
Relief came over Tristan. He wasn't her boyfriend. "DuGray, Tristan DuGray."
"You're evil Tristan!?" Darian looked over at Rory with astonishment.
Tristan did the same, "Mary, you have missed me!" Then the realization of this occurring hit him and he eyed her suspiciously, "I wonder what other little things you have been saying about me."
Rory punched Darian in the arm and her cheeks slowly reddened. She never should have told Darian about "evil Tristan". And now that Tristan knew she had talked about him, his ego would soar through the roof. If that was possible.
"Only the good stuff, Tristan," She began to check her list off with her fingers, "How annoying you can be, calling me Mary," She glared at him again, "Making inane innuendoes, thinking that I would simply fall at your feet. Want me to go on?"
"What about being charming, sophisticated and being absolutely to die for?" he smirked at her.
"Um…let me think," She pretended to think thoughtfully, and then a look of tenderness, "Um Tristan, your getting MY traits mixed up with yours again." She gave him a sickly sweet smile.
"Come on, you can tell me. I know you missed me while I was away." Tristan slowly leaned into her. Rory could feel his warm breath brush her face and her cheeks grew hot. Rory squirmed and pushed him away. "Sorry to break it to you Tristan but I didn't." Why was she blushing? This "new" Tristan, who was nice and normal in one minute and then converting back to his obnoxious self in another, was making her emotions go haywire.
"Hmm…Darian don't we have a Biology test to go to?" She turned her head away from Tristan and glanced at her watch, "See, look at the time, we have to go…now!"
"What are you talking about Rory? It's tom…OW!" a sharp kick from Rory under the table was enough to stop Darian mid sentence. "Heh heh…oh yeah, that test…" He winced and gingerly rubbed his sore leg. Collecting her books she grabbed Darian's arm and literally dragged him out of the cafeteria, leaving Tristan seated by himself with a rejected look on his face.
Once outside, Darian made her stop, "Rory? What's wrong with you?" Rory turned around to face him with a defeated look on her face.
"I just…I just didn't want to deal with Tristan right now. Ok?"
"But he seems kinda nice…in a smart-alecy, egocentric kind of way but apart from that…" Darian lifted a finger and directed at Rory's nose, "and you forgot to mention one minor detail. You know, about how he has a major thing for you."
"Oh not you too! Why does everyone have to think that? Tristan does NOT have a thing for me!" Rory slumped onto a bench and buried her hands in her hair. She couldn't listen to Darian ramble on right now being that tact had never been one of his better qualities. Everything was going way over her head, and lunch wasn't even over yet! The horrible break up with Dean, Tristan. Wait, she hadn't even told Darian about Dean yet. Better now then never.
"I broke up with Dean."
"What do you mean me too?" How many…?" He stopped. Finally digesting what Rory had just said, he blinked and his mouth gaping open, "Um…what did you say?
"Dean and I broke up."
"I see, " sitting down next to Rory, he closed his mouth and swallowed deeply, "Are you ok? When did it happen?" He looked at her intently. Rory's eyes slowly reached his, "Today, after my dentist's appointment. He was with another girl…"
"What? He did that to you? Wait till I get him and I'll…"
"Darian, don't do something you will regret."
"Me? Doing something I would regret? I don't think so."
"It would've happen eventually," Darian looked at her, "You know what I mean. Things weren't right between us anymore. Though it doesn't make it hurt any less. " She added in a quiet voice.
"Come here." He pulled her into his arms and gave her a big bear hug. He felt guilty. Even though he had been in Rory's life for only six months, it felt like years. The Gilmore girls had welcomed him into their lives as if he was a long lost brother and Stars Hollow felt like a second home to him. But during that time he had seen Rory's relationship with Dean deteriorate. Rory always talked about making the best of her life, to go places, see things, have real-life experiences whereas Dean just wanted to stay in Stars Hollow and live a comfortable life. It was as if they were only together just for the sake of being together. Maybe he should have said something, then it wouldn't have ended with Rory being hurt. "Feel any better?"
"Yeah," she forced a smile to come out and a weak laugh came out, "look at me, I'm a mess." She stood up and turned around to face Darian. "I'll be fine. Don't you start worrying, ok? Walk me to class?"
"Sure." He got up and swung his arm around her shoulders, "So about this thing going on between you and Tristan…"
All he got in reply was a whack on the arm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tristan watched her retreating back exit the cafeteria. He could feel his heart sink lower and lower in his stomach with each step Rory took away from him. Darian had given a sympathetic glance over his shoulder as Rory dragged him out, even that didn't make his heart rise up back to where it was supposed to be. His posture slackened as he rested his elbows on the table, his hands threaded through his hair. The frustration and powerlessness he felt about everything finally came out. He banged the table with his fists and let out an intangible string of words.
"You know, I don't think that is the right way to win her over." Tristan lifted his head and saw Paris Gellar standing across from him with her arms carefully positioned on her bag.
"Hey, well what do you know?" He really did not feel like talking to anyone at the moment and he knew Paris wasn't the buddy type, who would make him feel any better.
"Actually," she sat down, put her bag on the table and crossed her hands, "I think I might know a lot of interesting facts about you know who." She raised her eyebrows.
Tristan instantly perked up, "Really?" Not wanting to give himself away he added, "And what makes you think that I would want to know any of these interesting facts?"
"Tristan, any thing you're feeling about Rory is written in big bold letters for anyone to see. You're one of those neon signs with the flashing light bulbs. 'I'm in love with Rory Gilmore!'" Paris gave him a knowing look and he blushed, "But if you don't want to know…"
"No no Paris, I'm sorry. Please."
"Ok, Last time I checked with Madeline she was still with that Dean guy." She glanced quickly at Tristan but he gave no indication of this news effecting him. "Darian Walker…"
Tristan interrupted, "Darian Walker? I just met him before. When did he show up?"
"Right after you left. His parents moved to Hardford six months ago from Australia. He and Rory became fast friends and they basically joined at the hip." A look of distaste flashed across her face. Paris watched his face go through an assortment of different emotions. Hurt, anguish, helplessness and finally pain. Her heart softened. They had grown up together, ever since kindergarten and it pained her how much Rory could hurt the guy without even knowing about it.
She reached over and grabbed his hand, "Hey," he looked up, "it will be ok." Tristan just nodded. He looked at his watch, 12:45pm. "Hey, I have to go, I'll ah see ya later." He stood up and started to walk towards the exit. Turning around he called out, "Paris!" Paris looked back up at him. "Thanks."
"Yeah well, don't get used to it!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darian lay on his back, looking up at his ceiling. Turning his head to the right, the bright florescent green lights told him it was nearly two in the morning. He sighed and turned back to the kangaroo shape cracks on his ceiling. For some reason he couldn't get to sleep. Somehow Rory's break up with Dean cut into him. He could tell that the break up was hard and will be hard for Rory. That asshole wouldn't let Rory do want she wanted to do.
He felt his fists clench with tension. He breathed in and out slowly and they gradually relaxed back onto the bed. Jess was too much of a bad ass for Rory. Even though they had got along, he felt that Rory just didn't know how to deal with him. Anyway he went back to live with his mum and they are still friends.
Darian turned back to face the clock. He loves Rory but he knew that they wouldn't work out in that way. Plus he didn't want to be another Rory obsessee and end up a victim to unrequited love forever more. He felt relieved to have found someone like Rory, the move to America had not been easy, leaving all his friends and family behind. He sighed again and turned over to his other side. He glanced over to his bookcase and read each of the titles. Hmm, he should give his Obernewtyn series to Rory for her to read. She would love it.
Even though he had only been around Tristan in less then ten minutes he felt that this guy could really give Rory want she needed. Call it a gut feeling if you will. He had watched the banter shoot back and forth like a tennis match and Rory had mentioned a guy who had left before he came. She called him "evil Tristan" and said he had tormented her before leaving for military school. But Rory never said anything about the chemistry between the two. He could tell there is a history behind them, something he was adamant to find out. Maybe if he talked to Madeline about Tristan, he could find out more. Rory wasn't going to tell him anything.
Pulling up the covers up to his neck, he yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:02am. Dressed in her yummy sushi pajamas, Lorelai twisted and turned tying her sheets into a knot. "Ah, that little daughter of mine, making me unable to get to sleep." She let out a small grunt-like noise and pulled herself into a sitting position. She stretched her arms and yawn graciously and pulled her right arm back down to scratch her head. Her arms fell back down with a flop and her eyes slowly traced the outline of all the different sushi on her pajamas. Absentmindedly she smacked her lips, she didn't know which sushi was which but they sure looked mighty yummy.
She was bored. What could she do? She ransacked her mind for things she could do at two in the morning. She could ring up Taylor and scream "Someone's stolen your lettuce" down the telephone and hear him scream like a girl? No. It's too early for that, it only works at 4 am. She thought some more. Watch TV? No, that would wake Rory up…wait! Slowly a smile made its way across her lips as her mind worked its wonders. Lorelai jumped out of bed and bounced down the stairs.
Slowing down as she reached Rory's door, Lorelai carefully pushed the door open and silently crept up to the left side of the bed and moved towards Rory as if to pounce on her. But something made her stop. Rory's sleeping figure looked so tense curled up so tightly in a ball. Her fingers were clenching hard, and her cuticles were white with tension. Lorelai reached over and tenderly brushed a loose strand out of Rory's eyes. Rory shivered at the touch. Lorelai thought she would wake up but she just shifted a little and the tension in her hands eased.
Lorelai sat down in the chair next to the dressing table and pulled her legs up to her chin. She remembered Rory coming home yesterday after school, not quite herself. Something must've happened today, at school most probably. They had stopped over at Luke's for a little snack before dinner. It was Danish day, and it was their ritual to go in and have their coffee and danish but she had rejected both the coffee and the danish! She could've understood if Rory didn't want the danish, hey sometimes even danishes got up her nose but the COFFEE?? Now something was really wrong here. Lorelai couldn't take it anymore. She had to find out what was eating away in her daughter's mind to make her not want coffee. There would be no way she could get to sleep if she didn't.
Rising out of the chair, she made her way over to the bed and pulled back the cover and hopped inside. Rory moved over in her sleep to make room for her. Lorelai nudged at Rory's shoulder. "Rory, wake up! You're late for school!"
Rory's eyes snapped open and she sat up so quickly she felt like she had a brain freeze. She stared at her clock. It took 5 seconds to realize that her mother was joking. Flopping back down, she turned her back to Lorelai and waited for her to stop laughing.
"Are you finished?" Rory frowned slightly, she sometimes wondered who was older, her or Lorelai.
"Heh, yes, of course," clearly still finding it all very funny. Remembering her reason for being there, her face changed to complete seriousness. She leaned over and rested her arms on Rory's side, "I am having this problem. I can't seem to get to sleep and I was thinking what in the world could be keeping me from getting my beauty sleep. And then it hit me, it is you!"
"Me? Why?" Rory turned her head around to look at Lorelai.
"I'm glad you asked. You see, I was thinking about the sushi on my pajamas and how yummy they looked, which is ridiculous coz we have never eaten sushi before. Mental note for us: We must try sushi." Rory looked at her, waiting for her to get to the point. "Anyway that's not why I'm here. What I am trying to say is…Yesterday was Danish Day!"
"Danish Day? Yes that was yesterday." Rory could see that this was going to be a very long night.
"Yes it was. You know how we have this little thing how we buy coffee and a danish every time it is Danish Day ever since we arrived at Stars Hollow? And if you count the days that is a very long time, years in fact! But today you didn't want any danish or coffee! I could understand if you decided today was the day you didn't want the danish, but Coffee? I know something evil might have happened at Chilton, and if you don't want to talk about it now, I understand but…"
"No everything is fine at Chilton."
"Oh, then I am at a lost. What happened? You do realize there will be no sleep for either of us if you don't tell."
Rory shifted to lie on her stomach and mumbled into her pillow, "I broke up with Dean."
Lorelai frowned, "You want to grow beans?"
"No!" Rory lifted her head up this time, "I broke up with Dean."
"Did he say I love you again, coz I told him not to do that!"
Rory tried to smile but it didn't work, "No, I saw him with another girl."
Lorelai instantly switched into maternal mode, "Oh sweetie, I am so sorry." Rory snuggled closer to Lorelai and finally let all the pent up emotions come flooding out. They were all over the place. Her life wasn't going to be the same, not in Stars Hollow or in Chilton anymore. Things had finally settled down and she hated it when Stars Hollow made her first break up with Dean seem like something off Jerry Springer and Chilton had really started to become like a normal school…well sort of. With Tristan back now, will things go back to being bad again?
They lied on Rory's bed snuggled up together until Rory's tears subsided. She actually felt better. She really needed that cry.
"Feel better?"
"Hmm." Rory nodded her head.
"That's my girl." Lorelai wrapped her arms around and gave her another hug. "Ok subject change. Did I just imagine it, but did you said 'Nothing was wrong with Chilton?'
The question about Chilton brought immediate memories of Tristan back into Rory's mind. She shook her head, "No? If I did put it down to a state of temporary insanity. I'm exhausted, wanna sleep now?"
Seeing Rory didn't want to share anymore, Lorelai wasn't going to push. Plus she needed her beauty sleep or Michele was going to have a run for his money to be the crabby bitch of the year. They snuggled down into the bed together and slowly they both drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tristan, hurry up! Be out there in 5!" The football coach yelled down the hall of the boy's locker room. Tristan sighed. Memories of all the grueling early mornings he had to endure with an old fart who still thinks he's a lieutenant commanding his troops back in Vietnam was not pleasant. At least he only had to come to school at 6 in the morning once a week. He enjoyed it, but not after what happened yesterday. He really felt like he was finally getting some where with her. Why did she always have to run away from him when things just got nice between them? Oh yeah, think DuGray she doesn't like you, she made that perfectly clear. Then why do you still try?
Tristan looked at his watch for the fourth time. It was time. He walked around the whole locker room through the rows and rows of lockers, checking to see if anyone was still in here and found no one. He checked the door to the shower room and the exits. No one. Finally satisfied he returned back to his locker and sat down on the bench. He carefully reached into his bag and pulled out a small black box. Running his hand over the cover to swipe off any invisible dust, he gently lay the box on the bench beside him.
Flipping the latch on the box, the lid opens with a soft click and gently springs back. With great care he took out a small syringe. Rolling up the sleeve of his shirt he cautiously placed the tip of the needle on his upper arm. As he was about to inject the contents, a shout of a male voice echoed through the room.
"Hey Tristan?! Hurry up! Coach is getting mighty pi…" Darian stopped dead in his tracks, "What are you doing?"
*Another Author's note* Hohoho! [evil laugher] I love to end on a cliff hanger!! Sorry to do this to you guys but it was so tempting. But I don't want you guys to worry about Tristan. One last advice from moi: Not everything is as it seems!