King of Fools

Chapter 6 All Dressed Up With No Place to Go

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Literally.

AN: I am sorry that it took me so long to update this. I haven't been able to get into the show this season (I find Lorelai too bitchy and Jess holds even less interest for me than Dean does, and that is saying something). I will try to finish both this and Coiencedences and Consequences soon. That and write my personal statement for medical school. Which ever comes first.

Minutes melted into hours, hours into days, days into weeks... And like sands through the hourglass, these are the... Rory snapped out of her reverie. You know you are feeling sappy when you are starting to quote soap operas she chided herself. But, in a way, it was true. It was almost two months since Dean had left. Tearful packing of boxes, hugs goodbye, promises made, they all faded into the background of her memory. It hadn't taken long for the call to come. She had actually thought Dean might really try to stick out the long-distance relationship. The call had come, just as part of her was expecting. It didn't hurt to remember, in fact it wasn't horribly painful when it was happening. Dean had been her first love, but some things come to an end. She would always remember him fondly, bittersweet recollections of what might have been. But now was now, and then was then, and dwelling in the past did her no good.

Rory's life had fallen into a quiet pattern. School, hanging out with Lane, coffee hunting with her mother, she couldn't ask for more. This weekend, however, she was getting more.

Rory gazed at her half packed luggage. A whole weekend at Harvard. For the first time in a while the buzz she felt was not solely from the large amount of caffeine in her system.

"Well kiddo.... Hey your not packed. My ultra-organized-so-much-it-makes-my-head-hurt daughter is not done packing. I don't know whether to do the Dance of Joy or look for the Applegate Comet as a sign of the Apocalypse..." Lorelai's babbling diminished as she waited for her offspring's response.

"I am almost done. I would have been done a while ago but someone took my fuzzy cloud pajama bottoms without asking, resulting in a manhunt for them that took a half of an hour. And you didn't even wash them for me."

"Well you had taken my brown bear slippers and I just wanted to get you back. Besides that, everything is part of my master plan to make you late so that when Paris gets her to pick you up I can see the beginnings of World War III. I made popcorn and everything."

"Paris isn't going to be here for another half of an hour."

"Are you going to be ok for two hours trapped in a car with her? Because if there is hair pulling, I am going to be sorry I missed it. I could lend you a video camera, and give you some pointers on the best techniques to make her half bald."

"Mom, she is not that bad. In fact, we get along pretty well now. That and Nathan will be there so the two of them will be making kissey faces at each other and I can sit in the back and read."

"Whoa, saccharine overdose in the making. I feel nauseous already..."

"And I feel unprepared. Can you hand me that purple shirt and then go and get my toothbrush?"

"You are just trying to get rid of me," Lorelai pouted.

"Yes I am or I will never get packed -"

BEEEPPP!!!!

"She is early. You keep packing. I will go and distract them with milk and cookies."

"Unless we magically have soy milk you might have a better chance with coffee."

"Got it. Pack quickly missy, I would like to come through this with all of my limbs attached."

"Aye, aye, Steve Irwin," Rory called after her mothers retreating back. Smiling, she shoved a pair of pants into her bag. This weekend was exactly what she needed.

****************************************************

"So I told Louise that writing a piece on the outfit that Sarah Greensburg wore to Lloyd Dobler's party last week did not qualify as a piece on public safety."

"What was wrong with what she wore?"

"Nate, her top was so sheer that it made saran wrap look opaque."

"Really? I didn't notice. Knees are so much sexier than what she was trying to sell. Especially yours."

"Flatterer."

Rory rolled her eyes, and tried to turn her attention back to her book. She had spent most of the ride trying vainly to concentrate on Adrienne Rich but kept getting drawn back to the banter between Paris and Nate. Their exchange flowed so naturally that Rory found herself wishing that she could participate but she knew that would break the rhythm. Her conversations with Dean had not held this kind of passion. Dean did not challenge her in the way that Nate was challenging Paris. Dean was nice and comfortable, but not challenging. He never raised her ire. She felt that was what was missing from her life. Someone who challenged her, someone that made her mad, someone...

"Tristan."

"What?" Rory yelped, her daydream-like thoughts surging away from her. "What did you say?"

"I said Tristan," Paris replied. "He wasn't at Dobler's party. In fact, he hasn't been to much of the Chilton Menagerie this term."

"Maybe he is having a secret affair with some beautiful woman." Nate said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Nate, sometimes you are too fanciful for my sanity's good," Paris chided.

"Besides," Rory added, "I don't think Tristan would keep any beautiful woman a secret. His ego wouldn't allow it."

Paris laughed. "Well whatever is with Tristan, it is his business. Anyway, I was talking to Mrs. Shaw..."

Paris's chatter faded into the back of Rory's consciousness. She wondered what really was different with Tristan. What had spurred his shift in attitude? And why did she care? Did she actually miss him? Shaking her head, Rory dismissed these thoughts. Nothing was going to ruin this weekend.

AN, again: Sorry for the cliffhanger. This was mostly set up for the next chapter. I hope to have it out in the next week or so. Thanks for reading.