Author's Note: Sorry this is so delayed but I unfortunately have a very busy, and crappy I might add, life outside of fan fiction. By the way, I have to add that sometimes, the author's notes are very important so you might want to read them. If you ask questions in reviews I normally answer them at the bottom.
Chapter 4
"Okay so we need to get to work." Rory said as Tristan sat down next to her at lunch the next day. He smirked, she didn't even look up from the book that she was reading and yet she knew without a doubt that it was him. He loved that they had that kind of connection. ~Just friends, DuGrey~ he reminded himself silently.
"You have a problem saying hello to people don't you?" he asked as he bent down to retrieve a silver thermos from his bag. Grabbing the empty cup off her tray he poured some coffee for her.
"No, it's not a problem and it's just around you. I figured you'd realize that the hello is implied." she answered, taking the cup from his hand.
"Whatever Mare. So what do we need to work on?" he asked pouring himself some of the brew.
"First job assigned to the maid of honor and usher with the responsibilities of the best man. We have to design the invitations."
"What? The wedding is like nine months away! Can't that wait? Not to mention that is not exactly a job normally assigned to the bridal party. Isn't the happy couple supposed to do that?" he asked skeptically.
"First of all, my mother is not normal so it makes perfect sense that she wanted US to do this. Second, she claims she and Luke don't have time to design them and she doesn't trust anyone else to do it cuz she's thinks whoever does it won't `capture her style'. And finally, no it can't wait because she and I both want this wedding to be perfect. Who knows how many times she'll make us redo this thing? Better to start now so by the time we actually need them we won't be pulling our hair out from stress of meeting a deadline."
"Okay, sorry I asked. I should have known."
"Give yourself some slack, you've only been in the Gilmore Circle of Insanity for less than two weeks, I'm surprised you've adapted so quickly. It took Dean months to..." she trailed off.
Dean was a sensitive subject for the both of them. Noticing the sudden awkwardness Tristan changed the subject.
"So, can't we just use the same layout Lorelai used for her last wedding?"
Rory rolled her eyes.
"Of course we can't! Would you want to used the same invitations from a bombed wedding?"
"Good point." Tristan admitted. "So, what's with the book?"
"Book of quotes that might have something we can use for the cover of the invitations." she answered.
"Great." he sighed tiredly. "Oh, hey, Sookie wants us to come over after school to try out some of her pumpkin creations. We can do some work on the invitations then."
"Why did Sookie tell YOU that?" Rory asked in surprise, looking up for the first time in the conversation.
"How should I know? I didn't even know she had my number. She told me to tell you." he said in defense.
"Mom must have went through my phone book, my bet is she spread it around. Don't be surprised if random people from Stars Hollow start calling you." she said shaking her head.
"Thanks for the warning." he muttered.
"Hey, DuGrey what happened to your hand?" Henry said as he came up to the table and sat down.
"I was pushed off the steps of Luke's." he gave a pointed look at Rory.
"You tripped!" she exclaimed.
"I was shoved." he countered.
"Were you walking to slowly?" Henry asked.
"According to RORY yes. How'd you know?"
"Been there." Henry said shaking his head in amusement. "Lane is just as impatient. I sprained my wrist from my fall."
Tristan and Henry laughed but were silenced at Rory's glare. They cleared their throats uncomfortably.
"So, I see you changed your bandages." she teased.
Tristan smirked and looked down at his hand. The moment he had gotten home he changed the gauze and used the proper tape to secure it.
"Yeah well, I was hesitant about removing the penguins since blue is my favorite color but they were attached to the pink pigs so they I had to give them up." he joked back.
"And everyone knows pink pig bandages ruin the bad boy image you are so desperately trying to maintain." she countered.
"Do you want me to take away that coffee?"
"Shutting up!" she agreed holding the coffee close.
"Hey, Ror, I had a question for you." Henry asked taking the moment of silence to interrupt.
"Okay, what?"
"Well, if my memory serves me correctly, Luke and Lorelai had only been dating for like, a week or two when he proposed. Aren't they moving too quickly?"
"Nope." she answered. "My mom and Luke have loved each other for years but neither wanted to admit it. My mom and I spend more time at the diner than at home so every time we go, it's like they're on a date. So technically, they've been dating for years." she rationalized.
"Does that make sense to you?" Tristan asked Henry quietly.
"Give it a day or two it'll make sense then." Henry assured him.
"Got it."
"Rory!" Paris called, quickly approaching their table. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Um...sure." Rory got up and they walked just out of hearing range.
Tristan squinted at the two chatting women.
"You know, it's time like these I really wish I could read lips." Tristan said.
"Maybe you would have been able to if you hadn't spent all your time smothering them with your mouth." Callie teased as she and Jake sat down across from the boys.
Tristan rolled his eyes. "Sshh, she's coming back."
"Oh my gosh!" she gushed. "Henry you'll never believe this. I think that Paris..." she looked around at the three other sets of curious eyes, "longi kong e song Jong e sing song!"
Translation: "Likes Jess!"
"Are you serious?" Henry asked in shock.
"Well, she was asking about...um..." Rory didn't want to give it away to the Tristan, Jake, or Callie, "...hongi mong...so I think so!"
"We have to song e tong tong hong e mong u pong..."
Translation: "Set them up..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait!" Tristan cried. "What's with this little Asian thing you've got going? Just talk normal!"
"It's not Asian." Henry corrected.
"And if we told you, there is a real chance that Paris would hate me forever. Henry, I know what you were going to say and I totally agree." Rory said.
"I want to know that code thing." Tristan pouted.
"You're not ready for it yet." Rory answered.
Henry threw her a pointed look. "Yop o u'rop e sop cop a rop e dop."
Translation: "You're scared."
"To what?" Rory asked.
"Top o top e lop lop hopi mop."
Translation: "To tell him."
"Shut up! Am not!" she exclaimed defensively.
The other three watched them talk back and forth. Jake got out a notebook and pen.
"What are you doing?" Callie whispered.
"I'm going to write down what they're saying and am going to translate it."
"Too late. We're stopping." Rory quipped.
Jake grumbled and put down his notebook and pen.
"Hey Tristan!" someone called.
"Summer." he acknowledged.
The ex-girlfriend herself came up and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Tristan, what are you doing sitting all the way over here?" she asked sweetly.
~A little too sweet~ Rory thought. ~She is so fake! Wait, did that sound jealous? Cuz I shouldn't be jealous! Tristan is my friend, you hear that brain, friend!~
"I'm having lunch." he answered in a tone to match hers.
Summer flinched slightly but continued. "What I mean is that you haven't eaten with us," she pointed over at the table filled with members of the popular crowd, all of whom were looking at the exchange expectantly, "your friends, in two days. We've been saving your seat for you."
"Yeah, sorry about that Sum but you know what? I like the company and this area," he pointed down at the table, "better than over there." he pointed back at the other table across the way.
She shifted her jaw, clearly frustrated. She bent down next to his ear and lowered her voice. "Why are you sitting with them?" she spat bitterly. "Just come back over Tristan and we'll just forget this ever happened."
"No, I don't think so. You know what, why don't you go back and give that seat to someone else, I think I'll be sitting over here from now on." he said coolly.
She straightened and plastered on a sweet, but fake, smile. "Okay Tristan, if that's what you want."
The pleasant tone in her voice was not enough to cover the forceful tone fighting its way through the speech.
"It's what I want. Bye Summer." he waved.
She turned on her heel and walked back to her own table, her eyes blazing angrily.
"The nerve of him." she muttered under her breath.
Henry, Callie, and Jake looked at each other knowingly.
"It's good to have you back Tris." Callie said.
"Thanks, it's good to be back." he said very much relieved.
"You know it's not over right?" Rory asked.
"What do you mean?" Tristan asked dumbly.
"Well, your groupies won't just drop you like that." she explained. "No matter what, you'll always be the crowned prince of Chilton. It's inevitable, all you have to do is be yourself and you'll still have a fan club watching your every movement. And they," she pointed over at the table where Summer now sat, glaring in their direction, "will always be trying to bring you back into their circle."
"Well, trust me, it won't work." he answered.
"Sookie! Oh Sookie!" Lorelai called as she entered the kitchen.
"In here sweetie!" Sookie answered.
"What is all of this?" Lorelai asked as she came to where Sookie stood.
There Tristan and Rory sat surrounded by dozen of plates all containing orange tinted food as Sookie looked on expectantly. The two teens sat sampling from each plate.
"I've enlisted their help to taste the October menu specials." Sookie answered.
"Ooh, I wanna try some stuff to!" Lorelai exclaimed happily.
She hurriedly pulled up a stool and fork before reaching for the closest plate. Taking a forkful she was just about to put it into her mouth before...
"NO!" Tristan and Rory both screamed.
"What?" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Don't eat that!" Tristan warned.
"It's pumpkin tofu." Rory explained.
"Ew, ew, ew!" Lorelai exclaimed, hurriedly putting the plate and fork down. "What possessed you to make pumpkin tofu, Sookie!?"
"It was experimental, besides I didn't think it would be that bad!" she exclaimed in defense, handing her friend a new fork.
"Did you try it?" Lorelai asked.
"No, Tristan did though." Sookie exclaimed.
The boy visibly paled remembering the events that had taken place twenty minutes ago that led him to vow never to eat tofu again.
"Don't remind me." he moaned.
"Okay, so what here has been kid tested and will more than likely be mother approved?" Lorelai asked.
"Well, the cheesecake is heavenly, oh and she made this little muffins that would give Luke a run for his money." Rory exclaimed.
"Oh, and you have to try the cookies!" Tristan added excitedly.
"Yum! Let the drool fest begin!" Lorelai exclaimed.
Just as the tip of her fork touched the surface of the cheesecake she was interrupted again.
"Lorelai, someone is on the phone for you." came the annoyed French accented voice of Michel.
Lorelai slumped her shoulders and pouted. "Fiddlesticks." she muttered. "Who is it?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Lorelai asked skeptically.
"I didn't ask."
"Can you ask now?"
"No." he answered simply.
"Why not?"
Michel sighed exasperatedly. "Because that would involve me walking all the way back to the front desk to ask and then walking all the way back here to tell you."
"Fine." she grumbled.
"Save me some cheesecake." she ordered the two teens as she got up.
"Not promising anything." Tristan answered.
Lorelai shook her head and made her way to the desk. Sighing she picked up the phone.
"Independence Inn, this is Lorelai speaking." she chirped.
"Lorelai?" came the other voice.
She opened her mouth in shock and nearly dropped the phone. In a shaky voice she responded.
"Max?"
ANSWER TO YOUR REVIEWS: Colleen, sorry about making Lorelai weird in "TPATP" but it is an AU fic. She's really the same Lorelai deep down but high society changed her, you'll see that in the next few chapters. Okay, the person who signed under the name "Me" I'm sorry you think Mac is a dumb name. I'm not going to change it because there are a few people, myself included who like the name. The story you are referring to, "The Devil and the Angel" by Daxis Steele in which Tristan's nickname is Psi and Rory's is Meese, is actually not only my FAVORITE story but the reason why I am here. That fic inspired me to write but as it is a free country, I really am sorry that you disliked the names. I hope that despite the names you at least enjoy the story, if not then no one is forcing you to read it.
Chapter 4
"Okay so we need to get to work." Rory said as Tristan sat down next to her at lunch the next day. He smirked, she didn't even look up from the book that she was reading and yet she knew without a doubt that it was him. He loved that they had that kind of connection. ~Just friends, DuGrey~ he reminded himself silently.
"You have a problem saying hello to people don't you?" he asked as he bent down to retrieve a silver thermos from his bag. Grabbing the empty cup off her tray he poured some coffee for her.
"No, it's not a problem and it's just around you. I figured you'd realize that the hello is implied." she answered, taking the cup from his hand.
"Whatever Mare. So what do we need to work on?" he asked pouring himself some of the brew.
"First job assigned to the maid of honor and usher with the responsibilities of the best man. We have to design the invitations."
"What? The wedding is like nine months away! Can't that wait? Not to mention that is not exactly a job normally assigned to the bridal party. Isn't the happy couple supposed to do that?" he asked skeptically.
"First of all, my mother is not normal so it makes perfect sense that she wanted US to do this. Second, she claims she and Luke don't have time to design them and she doesn't trust anyone else to do it cuz she's thinks whoever does it won't `capture her style'. And finally, no it can't wait because she and I both want this wedding to be perfect. Who knows how many times she'll make us redo this thing? Better to start now so by the time we actually need them we won't be pulling our hair out from stress of meeting a deadline."
"Okay, sorry I asked. I should have known."
"Give yourself some slack, you've only been in the Gilmore Circle of Insanity for less than two weeks, I'm surprised you've adapted so quickly. It took Dean months to..." she trailed off.
Dean was a sensitive subject for the both of them. Noticing the sudden awkwardness Tristan changed the subject.
"So, can't we just use the same layout Lorelai used for her last wedding?"
Rory rolled her eyes.
"Of course we can't! Would you want to used the same invitations from a bombed wedding?"
"Good point." Tristan admitted. "So, what's with the book?"
"Book of quotes that might have something we can use for the cover of the invitations." she answered.
"Great." he sighed tiredly. "Oh, hey, Sookie wants us to come over after school to try out some of her pumpkin creations. We can do some work on the invitations then."
"Why did Sookie tell YOU that?" Rory asked in surprise, looking up for the first time in the conversation.
"How should I know? I didn't even know she had my number. She told me to tell you." he said in defense.
"Mom must have went through my phone book, my bet is she spread it around. Don't be surprised if random people from Stars Hollow start calling you." she said shaking her head.
"Thanks for the warning." he muttered.
"Hey, DuGrey what happened to your hand?" Henry said as he came up to the table and sat down.
"I was pushed off the steps of Luke's." he gave a pointed look at Rory.
"You tripped!" she exclaimed.
"I was shoved." he countered.
"Were you walking to slowly?" Henry asked.
"According to RORY yes. How'd you know?"
"Been there." Henry said shaking his head in amusement. "Lane is just as impatient. I sprained my wrist from my fall."
Tristan and Henry laughed but were silenced at Rory's glare. They cleared their throats uncomfortably.
"So, I see you changed your bandages." she teased.
Tristan smirked and looked down at his hand. The moment he had gotten home he changed the gauze and used the proper tape to secure it.
"Yeah well, I was hesitant about removing the penguins since blue is my favorite color but they were attached to the pink pigs so they I had to give them up." he joked back.
"And everyone knows pink pig bandages ruin the bad boy image you are so desperately trying to maintain." she countered.
"Do you want me to take away that coffee?"
"Shutting up!" she agreed holding the coffee close.
"Hey, Ror, I had a question for you." Henry asked taking the moment of silence to interrupt.
"Okay, what?"
"Well, if my memory serves me correctly, Luke and Lorelai had only been dating for like, a week or two when he proposed. Aren't they moving too quickly?"
"Nope." she answered. "My mom and Luke have loved each other for years but neither wanted to admit it. My mom and I spend more time at the diner than at home so every time we go, it's like they're on a date. So technically, they've been dating for years." she rationalized.
"Does that make sense to you?" Tristan asked Henry quietly.
"Give it a day or two it'll make sense then." Henry assured him.
"Got it."
"Rory!" Paris called, quickly approaching their table. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Um...sure." Rory got up and they walked just out of hearing range.
Tristan squinted at the two chatting women.
"You know, it's time like these I really wish I could read lips." Tristan said.
"Maybe you would have been able to if you hadn't spent all your time smothering them with your mouth." Callie teased as she and Jake sat down across from the boys.
Tristan rolled his eyes. "Sshh, she's coming back."
"Oh my gosh!" she gushed. "Henry you'll never believe this. I think that Paris..." she looked around at the three other sets of curious eyes, "longi kong e song Jong e sing song!"
Translation: "Likes Jess!"
"Are you serious?" Henry asked in shock.
"Well, she was asking about...um..." Rory didn't want to give it away to the Tristan, Jake, or Callie, "...hongi mong...so I think so!"
"We have to song e tong tong hong e mong u pong..."
Translation: "Set them up..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait!" Tristan cried. "What's with this little Asian thing you've got going? Just talk normal!"
"It's not Asian." Henry corrected.
"And if we told you, there is a real chance that Paris would hate me forever. Henry, I know what you were going to say and I totally agree." Rory said.
"I want to know that code thing." Tristan pouted.
"You're not ready for it yet." Rory answered.
Henry threw her a pointed look. "Yop o u'rop e sop cop a rop e dop."
Translation: "You're scared."
"To what?" Rory asked.
"Top o top e lop lop hopi mop."
Translation: "To tell him."
"Shut up! Am not!" she exclaimed defensively.
The other three watched them talk back and forth. Jake got out a notebook and pen.
"What are you doing?" Callie whispered.
"I'm going to write down what they're saying and am going to translate it."
"Too late. We're stopping." Rory quipped.
Jake grumbled and put down his notebook and pen.
"Hey Tristan!" someone called.
"Summer." he acknowledged.
The ex-girlfriend herself came up and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Tristan, what are you doing sitting all the way over here?" she asked sweetly.
~A little too sweet~ Rory thought. ~She is so fake! Wait, did that sound jealous? Cuz I shouldn't be jealous! Tristan is my friend, you hear that brain, friend!~
"I'm having lunch." he answered in a tone to match hers.
Summer flinched slightly but continued. "What I mean is that you haven't eaten with us," she pointed over at the table filled with members of the popular crowd, all of whom were looking at the exchange expectantly, "your friends, in two days. We've been saving your seat for you."
"Yeah, sorry about that Sum but you know what? I like the company and this area," he pointed down at the table, "better than over there." he pointed back at the other table across the way.
She shifted her jaw, clearly frustrated. She bent down next to his ear and lowered her voice. "Why are you sitting with them?" she spat bitterly. "Just come back over Tristan and we'll just forget this ever happened."
"No, I don't think so. You know what, why don't you go back and give that seat to someone else, I think I'll be sitting over here from now on." he said coolly.
She straightened and plastered on a sweet, but fake, smile. "Okay Tristan, if that's what you want."
The pleasant tone in her voice was not enough to cover the forceful tone fighting its way through the speech.
"It's what I want. Bye Summer." he waved.
She turned on her heel and walked back to her own table, her eyes blazing angrily.
"The nerve of him." she muttered under her breath.
Henry, Callie, and Jake looked at each other knowingly.
"It's good to have you back Tris." Callie said.
"Thanks, it's good to be back." he said very much relieved.
"You know it's not over right?" Rory asked.
"What do you mean?" Tristan asked dumbly.
"Well, your groupies won't just drop you like that." she explained. "No matter what, you'll always be the crowned prince of Chilton. It's inevitable, all you have to do is be yourself and you'll still have a fan club watching your every movement. And they," she pointed over at the table where Summer now sat, glaring in their direction, "will always be trying to bring you back into their circle."
"Well, trust me, it won't work." he answered.
"Sookie! Oh Sookie!" Lorelai called as she entered the kitchen.
"In here sweetie!" Sookie answered.
"What is all of this?" Lorelai asked as she came to where Sookie stood.
There Tristan and Rory sat surrounded by dozen of plates all containing orange tinted food as Sookie looked on expectantly. The two teens sat sampling from each plate.
"I've enlisted their help to taste the October menu specials." Sookie answered.
"Ooh, I wanna try some stuff to!" Lorelai exclaimed happily.
She hurriedly pulled up a stool and fork before reaching for the closest plate. Taking a forkful she was just about to put it into her mouth before...
"NO!" Tristan and Rory both screamed.
"What?" Lorelai exclaimed.
"Don't eat that!" Tristan warned.
"It's pumpkin tofu." Rory explained.
"Ew, ew, ew!" Lorelai exclaimed, hurriedly putting the plate and fork down. "What possessed you to make pumpkin tofu, Sookie!?"
"It was experimental, besides I didn't think it would be that bad!" she exclaimed in defense, handing her friend a new fork.
"Did you try it?" Lorelai asked.
"No, Tristan did though." Sookie exclaimed.
The boy visibly paled remembering the events that had taken place twenty minutes ago that led him to vow never to eat tofu again.
"Don't remind me." he moaned.
"Okay, so what here has been kid tested and will more than likely be mother approved?" Lorelai asked.
"Well, the cheesecake is heavenly, oh and she made this little muffins that would give Luke a run for his money." Rory exclaimed.
"Oh, and you have to try the cookies!" Tristan added excitedly.
"Yum! Let the drool fest begin!" Lorelai exclaimed.
Just as the tip of her fork touched the surface of the cheesecake she was interrupted again.
"Lorelai, someone is on the phone for you." came the annoyed French accented voice of Michel.
Lorelai slumped her shoulders and pouted. "Fiddlesticks." she muttered. "Who is it?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Lorelai asked skeptically.
"I didn't ask."
"Can you ask now?"
"No." he answered simply.
"Why not?"
Michel sighed exasperatedly. "Because that would involve me walking all the way back to the front desk to ask and then walking all the way back here to tell you."
"Fine." she grumbled.
"Save me some cheesecake." she ordered the two teens as she got up.
"Not promising anything." Tristan answered.
Lorelai shook her head and made her way to the desk. Sighing she picked up the phone.
"Independence Inn, this is Lorelai speaking." she chirped.
"Lorelai?" came the other voice.
She opened her mouth in shock and nearly dropped the phone. In a shaky voice she responded.
"Max?"
ANSWER TO YOUR REVIEWS: Colleen, sorry about making Lorelai weird in "TPATP" but it is an AU fic. She's really the same Lorelai deep down but high society changed her, you'll see that in the next few chapters. Okay, the person who signed under the name "Me" I'm sorry you think Mac is a dumb name. I'm not going to change it because there are a few people, myself included who like the name. The story you are referring to, "The Devil and the Angel" by Daxis Steele in which Tristan's nickname is Psi and Rory's is Meese, is actually not only my FAVORITE story but the reason why I am here. That fic inspired me to write but as it is a free country, I really am sorry that you disliked the names. I hope that despite the names you at least enjoy the story, if not then no one is forcing you to read it.
