Author's Note: Okay here's the next part! So, do you like so far? I'm happy
about this one myself. Been something that I was toying with for another
fandom but I thought, aw, what the hell...turn it into a GG fic! Show
you're appreciation in a review please! So without further ado...where did
we leave off? Oh yes...of course, right about here...
Chapter 3-Dazzling
"Maybe, we could let something else be the judge?" he breathed as he brought her closer for a kiss.
To his surprise Rory made no move to stop him, in fact, she herself was slowly closing the gap.
"Tristan!"
Both Tristan and Rory turned in surprise to find the owner of the voice.
"Pairs?!" he exclaimed in shock.
Rory's eyes went wide as a dark-haired boy came up behind the blond and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Dean." she said numbly.
~
Rory was vaguely aware that the Ferris wheel had stopped and that Tristan was leading her off the ride. With Tristan's arm linked through hers and Prince secure in her other she found herself face to face with the other two acquaintances. Her face registered a mixture of shock, confusion, and fear of what might happen. A year after starting Harvard, the fragile friendship that had formed between Paris and Rory had been shattered when the girls suffered a falling out over a guy. He had been using Paris to get to Rory and when Paris discovered that he harbored no feelings for her she immediately blamed Rory. Although it had not been Rory's fault and she had refused all of the advances he made on her, Paris would not listen. The damage had been done.
Rory shifted her gaze to Dean, the former love of her life. The first break- up had been awful for her, the second worse because it was over Jess, but the third was most crushing...
~
"Hey kiddo, what are you doing back so soon?" Luke asked as Rory took a seat at the counter, smiling as she did so. "I thought you were going to hang around Hartford for the weekend."
"Yeah, I was but mom came over today to talk to grandma." Rory explained.
"Uh oh, that's never a good thing. What happened?"
"Well, wait, ssh, do you hear that?" she held up her hand to her ear in demonstration. "That faint yet noticeable screeching sound? Yeah, that's them, still arguing, loudly, so loudly that the McKennons called to ask what was wrong."
"What's wrong with that?" Luke asked.
"The McKennons live about four houses down."
"Ah, okay, so I'm assuming you're in need of coffee?"
"You betcha." she gratefully took the mug that Luke placed in front of her and swallowed nearly half the contents in one gulp.
"Are you happy about summer vacation?"
"So far I've only been on vacation for two days and yet I already feel this incredible weight lifted off me."
Luke laughed. "Well, Jess and Tristan called to say that they'll be coming in tomorrow. They're just finishing up finals and instead of driving two hours in an after exam stupor they decided to give their brains a chance to recuperate."
This time it was Rory's turn to laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like them. You know something?" Rory asked.
"What?"
"It's funny how close we all are. I mean, it's only a two and a half hour drive from Cambridge to Stars Hollow, only two to Harford, and New Haven is only an hour away from there. But, despite being so close we barely see each other except for holidays." she wrinkled her brow in thought.
Luke stopped wiping the counter and leaned forward on his elbows in front of her. "True, distance-wise we're not far from each other but with you having school and the craziness of Stars Hollow it's hard to visit often."
"I know, but that's not what I mean." Rory sighed. "Don't get me wrong! I don't get to see you or mom near as much as I'd like to but." Rory trailed off.
"But what?" Luke asked in concern.
"It's Tristan." Rory admitted. "For a while now...he's been really distant. I don't see how being apart makes any difference because we always used to drive up to see each other or talk on the phone for longer than we should have but for the past few months it's like he can't stand to talk to me."
"Do you know when he first started feeling this way?"
"I don't know." Rory admitted. "The last time I remember really talking to him was the day after Thanksgiving when I drove to Hartford and told Tristan that I got back together with Dean."
Luke sighed knowingly. "Bingo." he whispered.
"What? What do you mean by bingo?"
"Ror, you know that Tristan and Dean have never really gotten along, not that I blame the guy, but the point is, maybe Tristan doesn't like seeing you with Dean."
"That's stupid!" Rory exclaimed. "No, you know what? Even if you're right, Tristan has to understand that I'm with Dean. I love Dean and that's that."
"What's what?" Lorelai asked, walking into the diner and heading straight behind the counter to seek comfort in Luke's arms.
"That I love Dean." Rory answered.
"Oh, that's nice." Lorelai's response muffled by Luke's shirt.
"I take it the fight went pretty bad?" Luke questioned as he rubbed her back in a comforting way.
"Oh yeah, invasion of Normandy was nothing compared to this."
"Coffee?" he offered.
"Please." she mumbled pitifully.
"Thank you angel." she smiled gratefully then went around to sit next to Rory. "So, Rory, darling daughter of mine, what do you say about cutting your weekend at Grandma's short?"
"In the mood for movie night?" Rory smirked.
"After today? Yes." she answered.
Luke placed an extra large mug in front of her before moving on to another family that had just walked in.
"Hey Ror? Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Well, do you know much about Dean's family?"
"Um...not really. I know that most of them live in Illinois." she answered. "Why?"
"Hmm, well you see this new family moved in about two weeks ago and well, Dean came back early too, anyways, his family and this other family seem very buddy-buddy with each other. I thought that maybe they were related somehow. So far they have yet to grace the town with their presence and they called the police a few times about spying neighbors so we've pretty much left them alone."
"Well, I don't know, seems like he would have told me if part of his family was moving to town." Rory shrugged.
"Oh boy, that's what I was kind of worrying about." Lorelai winced.
"Why?" Rory asked suspiciously.
"It's just that...the other family, they have a daughter about your age and she and Dean have been seen around town with each other. They look kind of 'friendly' with each other. I was clinging to the hope that they were just friendly in the 'you're my cousin' kind of way."
Rory blinked in shock. Would Dean cheat on her? No. She shook her head.
~No, not possible! He loves me and I love him! But do you really? You got back together with him for a completely different reason...no! No, Rory, you love him! You really do~ she thought to herself.
"Um, I'm going to go in the kitchen and see if Luke has any leftover muffins from this morning, for some reason I'm craving one." she made an excuse.
Without waiting for an answer she walked back into the kitchen and leaned against the fridge door. She blinked in confusion at all the doubts and fears that had suddenly filled her mind. Feeling the need to get away for some air she excited the back door and walked along the alleyway behind the all the stores. She lost her balance and slipped slightly on a piece of lettuce by the dumpster, a sign that she was behind Doose's market. That's when she heard it. A small giggle followed by...
"Allison." a flirtatious voice whispered.
Why did that sound so familiar?
"Ssh, I can think of better things to do than talk." was the response.
Rory, feeling a sense of dread walked to the other side of the dumpster, her jaw dropping at the sight. She let out a small shriek.
"Rory!" Dean exclaimed as he hurriedly extracted himself from the arms of a tall brunette. "You're home early."
"I'm home early?! I'm home early?!" Rory repeated angrily. "I find you, my boyfriend, making out with another girl and all you can do is comment on me being home early!?"
"Uh...well...you see..." he stuttered.
"Dean? What is she talking about? Boyfriend?" Allison asked.
"Well, um..." he cleared his throat, "Rory meet Allison, an old friend from home, her dad and my dad worked together."
"Pardon my manners but I don't feel like meeting anyone at the moment especially a so-called friend who seems to be doing something a little 'friendlier' than I can stomach!" she spat.
"Rory, let me explain..." he began.
"No!" she said forcefully. "How could you do this? I loved you and this is how you repay me?" Tears began to form. He took at step toward her but she held up her hand to stop him. "No! You know what? Just....just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you and I certainly don't want to be your girlfriend. We are over Dean and trust me when I say that there won't be a next time."
She ran back out of the alley this time, running past store fronts, ignoring the shouts from Dean. She ran past Luke's diner, gaining many stares from her parents inside as well as the other diner patrons, and jumped into her car. Pulling out quickly she headed out of town as fast as she could to drive back towards Hartford.
"Rory, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Emily asked as Rory rushed in, wiping tears from her face but she ignored her grandmother and ran straight up into her room.
She collapsed onto the bed in sobs until, minutes later she shakily picked up her phone and dialed.
"Hello?"
"Tristan?" she asked weakly.
"Oh my god, Rory? What's wrong are you okay?" concern filled his voice.
"No." she answered pitifully.
"What happened?" he repeated.
"I just...I decided to come home early, I was walking around Doose's and then...and then..." Rory broke down in sobs. "I need you." she squeaked out. "Please come home." she begged.
"I'll be there in two hours, sooner if there's no traffic, are you at your parents house?" he asked.
She could hear him moving around the room, gathering his things.
"No, I'm in Hartford at my grandparent's house."
"Okay, then make that one hour." he corrected himself. "Stay there, Ror, I'll be over there in sixty minutes or less."
"Or my pizza's free?" Rory joked through the tears.
"Do you want pizza?" he asked seriously, not getting the joke.
"No, just you." she whispered.
One hour later...
"And I broke up with him." Rory finished explaining to Tristan what had happened earlier. She buried her head in his shoulder as he held her tightly in his arms, not caring that her tears had soaked his shirt.
"Oh god, Rory I am so sorry." he soothed.
"Why? Why wasn't I good enough for him?"
Tristan held her back and looked in her eyes. "Never say that. Never think that. It's the other way around. He wasn't good enough for you. You are a dazzling woman who deserves so much more than him. You deserve someone who will never cheat on you or hurt you in any way, someone who will put himself out on the line just to make you happy, who won't let you forget how absolutely precious you are." he said with so much passion it caught her by surprise.
Suddenly he felt nervous. "At-at least that's what I think."
Rory looked at Tristan with wonder in her eyes before quickly pulling him close to her again.
"Do you want me to kick his ass?" he asked.
"Tempting." Rory smiled half-heartedly.
"Because I will you know." he continued. "I can take him."
"How about you just take me home? I think I need my mom now for the wallowing stage of the break-up."
"Anything you want Mary, anything you want." he kissed the side of her forehead before helping her up from their sitting position on her bed. He stood patiently as she gather her belongings to take home.
They left the house with a short explanation of their destination and drove the hour to Stars Hollow in silence. Her tears had subsided but she still wore a pained expression. As he guided her into the diner her mother rushed up to her and embraced her tightly.
"Thank you for driving her back Tristan." she said.
"No problem, Lorelai."
"That no good punk." Luke muttered angrily as he gathered Rory in his arms. "Miss Patty told us what happened."
"How?" Rory asked.
"She has her ways." Lorelai answered. Turning to Tristan she asked, "Where's Jess?"
"Oh, still in New Haven. He wasn't there when Rory called so I left him a note."
Lorelai nodded and turned back to her daughter.
"We gonna wallow this time?" she asked.
"That is a definite yes." Rory gave a small smile then looked around. "Where's the dinner crowd?"
"Luke kicked 'em out when Miss Patty told the news. We figure they're stationed at Babette's waiting for our return."
"Give me a minute to close up shop and we'll head home." Luke suggested. "Tristan, you coming?"
He looked to Lorelai for approval. She gave a small nod.
"Okay, sure." Tristan answered. "I'll just go out and wait in my car."
He left the diner and leaned up against his car, looking down solemnly at his feet.
"What are you doing here?"
Tristan looked up and immediately clenched his jaw in anger. "Bag Boy." he hissed.
"I repeat, what are you doing here? You aren't welcome."
"Says who? You?" Tristan stood up but stayed in his spot. "Since when have I ever cared about your opinion? I should be asking you, what you're doing here!"
"I'm here to see Rory." Dean answered.
"Well, I'm almost positive she doesn't want to see you."
"Listen, what's going on between me and my girlfriend is none of your business." Dean sneered.
Tristan swallowed and held back his anger. "Actually you're wrong on two accounts. One, Rory is my friend, so whatever hurts her, hurts me, therefore it is my business. Second, Rory told me that she dumped your cheating a-"
"Tristan!"
Tristan spun around to find Rory looking at him pointedly, Lorelai stood next to her, arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Luke locking up the diner.
"Rory, I think we need to talk." Dean sighed, taking a few steps toward her.
"We're done talking." she said forcefully.
"But if you'll just let me explain," he began, "I'm sure we can work this out."
"Dean? How naïve do you think I am? You cheated on me for who knows how long and you expect everything to be okay?"
"She meant nothing to me."
"Oh what is that?! That's a typical guy response! I think I've seen enough movies and television to know that it never means 'just' nothing."
"This isn't a show Rory! This isn't a movie! This is real life and you have to believe me when I say that her kisses meant nothing to me." he pleaded.
"Kisses? As in plural?" Rory fought back some more tears.
"Rory, that's not the point here."
She shook her head. "Maybe. Maybe she meant nothing to you Dean but she obviously meant enough that you had to lie and cheat."
"But..."
"Dean." Lorelai interrupted. "It's time for you to leave now."
"But..."
"Do you want to start a fight?" Luke asked as he came up behind the girls and stood next to Rory.
His face-hardened. "Fine, but this isn't over."
"Actually it is. We're through Dean. I don't want to see you again because you have caused me enough pain and frankly, I'm tired of it." she said, gaining her forcefulness back.
"If that's what you want, but it's your loss." Dean turned and began to walk away.
"My loss?" Rory asked suddenly angry.
"Rory." Lorelai warned cautiously.
"No, mom, I want to know."
Dean turned back around. "If you think that rich boy over there is better than me then you deserve what you got."
"Hey, that's crossing the line pal." Luke threatened.
"Why are you bringing Tristan into this?" Rory asked.
"Think about it Rory," Dean instructed, "he has always been in the way of us. Even before this town adopted him. Maybe I had to look elsewhere for action because you weren't putting out."
"You know what Dean? You are really stepping on some toes here. Go home now." Lorelai ordered.
"I don't know what I saw in you." Rory shook her head.
Dean ignored her and looked over at Tristan who had remained silent since the interruption.
"What about you rich boy? Don't you have anything to say?"
"Not to you." Tristan hissed through clenched teeth.
"What's the matter? Don't think you can take me?" Dean taunted.
"As much as Rory should hate you right now, I know she doesn't, because she is a good person who sees the best in people, and I know that no matter how much you hurt her she wouldn't want to see you in pain. So I'm going to ignore you and walk away before I do something that you, not I, will regret, because trust me, right now I would love nothing more than to see you gasping in pain on the pavement." Tristan stated calmly. "Come on." he nudged Rory.
The four of them turned to enter their respective cars.
"Tristan?" Rory asked as he pulled out behind Luke as they headed toward the Gilmore/Danes household.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?" he asked.
"For being the better man." she answered simply.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"It still hurts, that I wasn't enough for him...but I know it's for the best."
"I bet you I can make you forget all about him." Tristan joked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Rory cracked a small smile. "You think you're quite the charmer don't you?"
"It's a gift, although, there is one girl who has yet to fall for my charms."
Rory looked down and in a hesitant voice responded, "And she never will."
~
"Rory." Tristan nudged her in the side.
Rory shook her head clear of her thoughts. "What?" She looked around at Tristan, Paris, and Dean's expectant faces. "Oh, sorry, I kind of spaced."
"Apparently Gilmore." Paris said coldly.
"So..." Tristan began.
"To what do we owe this not so pleasant interruption." Rory finished, glaring daggers at the couple before her.
"Nothing, just thought we'd see how you were doing. So Tristan, you haven't moved on to another bimbo yet? I'd have thought for sure you'd tire easily of Rory here." Dean taunted, choosing his words meaningfully.
Rory wrapped her arm around his, holding him for comfort. He cleared his throat.
"Rory's my best friend. There's nothing to tire of. But you on the other hand, wow, this is what, the third girl in less than a year?" he asked sarcastically before turning on Paris. "Really Paris, even you're better than this." he nudged his chin towards Dean.
"No, I don't think she is." Rory said in a small voice.
"Why is that Gilmore? Jealous that I can satisfy him and you couldn't?" Paris sneered, holding him possessively.
"There's nothing to be jealous of." Rory replied.
"Keep thinking that Rory, keep thinking that." Paris said in a low voice.
"Come on, let's go Par." Dean turned to lead her away.
Tristan did the same to Rory. Lorelai and Luke watched from a distance just in time to see the other couple retreating. Dean turned back.
"Oh, hey Rory!" he shouted. "Quick question, has Luke gotten tired of you and your mom whining all the time yet or is he as whipped as the accountant here?"
Rory stopped walking and tensed up. Tristan was showing visible signs of restraint. She looked at Tristan then turned around and looked at Dean. He stood with a smug face, knowing that insulting her mother was far worse than insulting Rory. He shook his head in laughter and turned back to walk away. She looked back up at Tristan. He turned to her and locked eyes.
"Hurt him." she whispered.
That was all it took. Tristan quickly strode over and spun the other boy around roughly. Before anyone could react Tristan's fist connected with Dean's left eye. Needless to say, the other boy stumbled back onto the ground, drawing the attention of the other carnival goers.
"Never insult Rory or Lorelai ever again unless you want a matching bruise for the other eye." Tristan spun back on his heel and turned back to Rory.
"That felt good." he stated before they walked away.
Luke and Lorelai walked up to Dean and Paris who knelt beside him, looking at the quickly forming black eye.
"You deserved that." Lorelai chirped.
Satisfied and smiling, the two adults went after Tristan and Rory.
~~~~~~~~
"Oh man! I wish I could have been there to see him go down!" Jess exclaimed after hearing the story from the other four. "Hell, I wish I could have done some damage to bag boy."
"I felt like throwing a swing myself." Luke mused.
"Isn't that a little harsh?" Katie asked cautiously.
"After all this guy put Ror through? Trust me, he hasn't even begun to pay." Tristan voiced.
"Still, that's not like me. I don't go around, wishing violence on people." Rory spoke nervously.
"Yes but sweetie, you are too nice. Even I wanted to bop him up side the head a few times." Lorelai admitted.
"I never knew that Paris really hated you THAT much. I mean I knew you guys had a huge falling out but seriously, to go out with your ex-boyfriend? That's low, even for her." Jess switched subjects.
"That's nothing." Katie put in. "Paris was so ticked at Rory during her whole 'the boy is mine' fit that she started spreading quite the scandal stories around campus. She did everything to ruin Rory."
"Hey, I think I remember that," Jess said thoughtfully, "Rory showed up at our dorm at about two in the morning, soaked from head to toe after walking in the rain. It was pouring that night."
"I couldn't remember where your dorm was." Rory grumbled.
"But you found it, pounded on the door, efficiently waking us and our neighbors up mind you, and ended up crying yourself to sleep once you got dry." Tristan remembered.
"Yeah, in my bed. Made me sleep on the floor." Jess sniffed.
Everyone laughed at Jess's pouting face. The laughs died down and Luke glanced at his watch.
"Well children. It's eleven o'clock."
Rory groaned. "Early class tomorrow."
"Ah, I am so glad I'm on spring break." Tristan mused.
"Shut up! Rub it in my face why don't you?" Rory grumbled.
"It's what I do best.among other things." he replied.
"Ugh! Why do I put up with you? You're ego is suffocating!" Rory cried.
"Well..." Tristan began.
"Don't finish that sentence!" Katie interrupted. "We can stand here and watch you two banter back and forth all night long or we can get some much needed sleep."
"I vote for sleep." Jess raised his hand.
"I second that!" Lorelai chirped.
"Fine." Tristan and Rory acquiesced in unison.
"Okay, so good night guys." Luke bid goodbye.
After the appropriate farewells were exchanged, the older couple departed for their hotel leaving the remaining four to make their way home. The trip was silent, as they all were left to their own thoughts. Tristan stole glances at Rory every now and then, longing to hold her the way that Dean, Jess, and all the other nameless and thankfully short-term boyfriends did. Katie was plagued with trying to figure out the real reason that Rory had stopped visiting Tristan every other weekend. Jess was debating in his mind whether or not he should ask Kate for info on Rory. That left only Rory, who was lost in her thoughts about her love life, or rather her lack of one.
Finally they had arrived at the spot where they would go their separate ways to their respective dorms.
"Hey, Jess, Kate, can I talk to Rory alone for a second?" Tristan asked.
"Oh yeah sure, totally. I'll just go on up to the dorm." Katie told him.
"I think I'll do the same." Jess agreed.
After the two were both out of hearing distance Tristan began.
"So...did you have a good time?"
"Of course, right up until Dean and Paris showed up."
"About that, did you know that Paris was dating Dean?"
Rory nodded sadly. "Yeah, I knew. They've been dating for the past couple of months."
"How'd they even meet?" Tristan was curious.
"Dean was visiting home from school in Chicago, where he met Allison by the way, I found out that he had been cheating on me with her for months before the break-up, and they ran into each other in Hartford. They recognized each other and well...a week later Paris tracked me down to rub my face in it. Now they have this long-distance relationship thing going." she finished.
"How much you wanna bet he's cheating on her too?"
Rory nodded and hugged Prince closer. "Probably with Allison." she spat bitterly.
"You are so much better than her." he soothed.
Rory felt her anger dissolve. "It's okay, it was practically a year ago."
They were silent for a few seconds.
"Hey, I was wondering, if you wanted to that is, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind if we did, it's not like we agreed, well okay we sort of did..." Tristan rambled.
"Tristan." she interrupted gently.
"Yeah?"
"You're babbling. One of my not so great faults that you seemed to have picked up." she teased.
Tristan chuckled slightly. "Well, at least I didn't pick up on your obsession for coffee."
"Hey!" Rory objected.
"Kidding!" he exclaimed in defense. "Anyway, I was wondering if maybe, you'd like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night."
"Just the two of us?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, just us. I was talking to Drew earlier and he said that he knows this quiet little restaurant downtown, supposedly it's place that you had mentioned wanting to visit a couple weeks ago."
"La Rose Enchantée." Rory replied knowingly.
Tristan nodded. "So, what do you say? Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
Rory smiled and considered it for a moment. "Sure."
"Great, I'll pick you up at seven."
"Okay, see you tomorrow then."
"Bye."
On that final note they parted ways.
"So, what did he want to say?" Katie asked eagerly as Rory walked in.
"You are so nosy, you know that?"
Rory set Prince down on her bed as shrugged off her jacket before walking into the closet.
"It's part of my charm." Kate replied. "Now, what did you and Tristan talk about?"
"Seriously though, with your talent you could be a reporter." Rory dodged the question and emerged from the closet wearing pajamas.
"Well, it was an option." Kate replied, not aware that she had been tricked.
"It should still be one." Rory this time walked into the bathroom and began to brush her teeth.
Katie sat on her bed, weighing out the options of becoming a reporter. Rory wordlessly walked back into the main room and turned off the light before snuggling in her bed, one arm under her pillow, the other holding Prince protectively. Kate still sat on her bed, now deep in thought and lay back down. Minutes later she sat straight up and turned on the lights.
"Nice try missy, you almost got away with it! What happened with Tristan?!"
Rory sighed, rolled over and realized that sleep was not going to be an option when Katherine Jucas was involved.
~
AN: Okay! That's another part! Woohoo! Anyways, aren't you just dying to see how the next part turns out? Well, if you just leave a review another chapter will be uploaded from my computer to yours. Until next time!
PS-I wanted to post a chapter a week but all these reviews are just giving me SO much inspiration. It makes me want to post all the chapters at once!!! But I'm fighting the urge to do that...unless I'm given a reason not to...
Chapter 3-Dazzling
"Maybe, we could let something else be the judge?" he breathed as he brought her closer for a kiss.
To his surprise Rory made no move to stop him, in fact, she herself was slowly closing the gap.
"Tristan!"
Both Tristan and Rory turned in surprise to find the owner of the voice.
"Pairs?!" he exclaimed in shock.
Rory's eyes went wide as a dark-haired boy came up behind the blond and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Dean." she said numbly.
~
Rory was vaguely aware that the Ferris wheel had stopped and that Tristan was leading her off the ride. With Tristan's arm linked through hers and Prince secure in her other she found herself face to face with the other two acquaintances. Her face registered a mixture of shock, confusion, and fear of what might happen. A year after starting Harvard, the fragile friendship that had formed between Paris and Rory had been shattered when the girls suffered a falling out over a guy. He had been using Paris to get to Rory and when Paris discovered that he harbored no feelings for her she immediately blamed Rory. Although it had not been Rory's fault and she had refused all of the advances he made on her, Paris would not listen. The damage had been done.
Rory shifted her gaze to Dean, the former love of her life. The first break- up had been awful for her, the second worse because it was over Jess, but the third was most crushing...
~
"Hey kiddo, what are you doing back so soon?" Luke asked as Rory took a seat at the counter, smiling as she did so. "I thought you were going to hang around Hartford for the weekend."
"Yeah, I was but mom came over today to talk to grandma." Rory explained.
"Uh oh, that's never a good thing. What happened?"
"Well, wait, ssh, do you hear that?" she held up her hand to her ear in demonstration. "That faint yet noticeable screeching sound? Yeah, that's them, still arguing, loudly, so loudly that the McKennons called to ask what was wrong."
"What's wrong with that?" Luke asked.
"The McKennons live about four houses down."
"Ah, okay, so I'm assuming you're in need of coffee?"
"You betcha." she gratefully took the mug that Luke placed in front of her and swallowed nearly half the contents in one gulp.
"Are you happy about summer vacation?"
"So far I've only been on vacation for two days and yet I already feel this incredible weight lifted off me."
Luke laughed. "Well, Jess and Tristan called to say that they'll be coming in tomorrow. They're just finishing up finals and instead of driving two hours in an after exam stupor they decided to give their brains a chance to recuperate."
This time it was Rory's turn to laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like them. You know something?" Rory asked.
"What?"
"It's funny how close we all are. I mean, it's only a two and a half hour drive from Cambridge to Stars Hollow, only two to Harford, and New Haven is only an hour away from there. But, despite being so close we barely see each other except for holidays." she wrinkled her brow in thought.
Luke stopped wiping the counter and leaned forward on his elbows in front of her. "True, distance-wise we're not far from each other but with you having school and the craziness of Stars Hollow it's hard to visit often."
"I know, but that's not what I mean." Rory sighed. "Don't get me wrong! I don't get to see you or mom near as much as I'd like to but." Rory trailed off.
"But what?" Luke asked in concern.
"It's Tristan." Rory admitted. "For a while now...he's been really distant. I don't see how being apart makes any difference because we always used to drive up to see each other or talk on the phone for longer than we should have but for the past few months it's like he can't stand to talk to me."
"Do you know when he first started feeling this way?"
"I don't know." Rory admitted. "The last time I remember really talking to him was the day after Thanksgiving when I drove to Hartford and told Tristan that I got back together with Dean."
Luke sighed knowingly. "Bingo." he whispered.
"What? What do you mean by bingo?"
"Ror, you know that Tristan and Dean have never really gotten along, not that I blame the guy, but the point is, maybe Tristan doesn't like seeing you with Dean."
"That's stupid!" Rory exclaimed. "No, you know what? Even if you're right, Tristan has to understand that I'm with Dean. I love Dean and that's that."
"What's what?" Lorelai asked, walking into the diner and heading straight behind the counter to seek comfort in Luke's arms.
"That I love Dean." Rory answered.
"Oh, that's nice." Lorelai's response muffled by Luke's shirt.
"I take it the fight went pretty bad?" Luke questioned as he rubbed her back in a comforting way.
"Oh yeah, invasion of Normandy was nothing compared to this."
"Coffee?" he offered.
"Please." she mumbled pitifully.
"Thank you angel." she smiled gratefully then went around to sit next to Rory. "So, Rory, darling daughter of mine, what do you say about cutting your weekend at Grandma's short?"
"In the mood for movie night?" Rory smirked.
"After today? Yes." she answered.
Luke placed an extra large mug in front of her before moving on to another family that had just walked in.
"Hey Ror? Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Well, do you know much about Dean's family?"
"Um...not really. I know that most of them live in Illinois." she answered. "Why?"
"Hmm, well you see this new family moved in about two weeks ago and well, Dean came back early too, anyways, his family and this other family seem very buddy-buddy with each other. I thought that maybe they were related somehow. So far they have yet to grace the town with their presence and they called the police a few times about spying neighbors so we've pretty much left them alone."
"Well, I don't know, seems like he would have told me if part of his family was moving to town." Rory shrugged.
"Oh boy, that's what I was kind of worrying about." Lorelai winced.
"Why?" Rory asked suspiciously.
"It's just that...the other family, they have a daughter about your age and she and Dean have been seen around town with each other. They look kind of 'friendly' with each other. I was clinging to the hope that they were just friendly in the 'you're my cousin' kind of way."
Rory blinked in shock. Would Dean cheat on her? No. She shook her head.
~No, not possible! He loves me and I love him! But do you really? You got back together with him for a completely different reason...no! No, Rory, you love him! You really do~ she thought to herself.
"Um, I'm going to go in the kitchen and see if Luke has any leftover muffins from this morning, for some reason I'm craving one." she made an excuse.
Without waiting for an answer she walked back into the kitchen and leaned against the fridge door. She blinked in confusion at all the doubts and fears that had suddenly filled her mind. Feeling the need to get away for some air she excited the back door and walked along the alleyway behind the all the stores. She lost her balance and slipped slightly on a piece of lettuce by the dumpster, a sign that she was behind Doose's market. That's when she heard it. A small giggle followed by...
"Allison." a flirtatious voice whispered.
Why did that sound so familiar?
"Ssh, I can think of better things to do than talk." was the response.
Rory, feeling a sense of dread walked to the other side of the dumpster, her jaw dropping at the sight. She let out a small shriek.
"Rory!" Dean exclaimed as he hurriedly extracted himself from the arms of a tall brunette. "You're home early."
"I'm home early?! I'm home early?!" Rory repeated angrily. "I find you, my boyfriend, making out with another girl and all you can do is comment on me being home early!?"
"Uh...well...you see..." he stuttered.
"Dean? What is she talking about? Boyfriend?" Allison asked.
"Well, um..." he cleared his throat, "Rory meet Allison, an old friend from home, her dad and my dad worked together."
"Pardon my manners but I don't feel like meeting anyone at the moment especially a so-called friend who seems to be doing something a little 'friendlier' than I can stomach!" she spat.
"Rory, let me explain..." he began.
"No!" she said forcefully. "How could you do this? I loved you and this is how you repay me?" Tears began to form. He took at step toward her but she held up her hand to stop him. "No! You know what? Just....just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you and I certainly don't want to be your girlfriend. We are over Dean and trust me when I say that there won't be a next time."
She ran back out of the alley this time, running past store fronts, ignoring the shouts from Dean. She ran past Luke's diner, gaining many stares from her parents inside as well as the other diner patrons, and jumped into her car. Pulling out quickly she headed out of town as fast as she could to drive back towards Hartford.
"Rory, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Emily asked as Rory rushed in, wiping tears from her face but she ignored her grandmother and ran straight up into her room.
She collapsed onto the bed in sobs until, minutes later she shakily picked up her phone and dialed.
"Hello?"
"Tristan?" she asked weakly.
"Oh my god, Rory? What's wrong are you okay?" concern filled his voice.
"No." she answered pitifully.
"What happened?" he repeated.
"I just...I decided to come home early, I was walking around Doose's and then...and then..." Rory broke down in sobs. "I need you." she squeaked out. "Please come home." she begged.
"I'll be there in two hours, sooner if there's no traffic, are you at your parents house?" he asked.
She could hear him moving around the room, gathering his things.
"No, I'm in Hartford at my grandparent's house."
"Okay, then make that one hour." he corrected himself. "Stay there, Ror, I'll be over there in sixty minutes or less."
"Or my pizza's free?" Rory joked through the tears.
"Do you want pizza?" he asked seriously, not getting the joke.
"No, just you." she whispered.
One hour later...
"And I broke up with him." Rory finished explaining to Tristan what had happened earlier. She buried her head in his shoulder as he held her tightly in his arms, not caring that her tears had soaked his shirt.
"Oh god, Rory I am so sorry." he soothed.
"Why? Why wasn't I good enough for him?"
Tristan held her back and looked in her eyes. "Never say that. Never think that. It's the other way around. He wasn't good enough for you. You are a dazzling woman who deserves so much more than him. You deserve someone who will never cheat on you or hurt you in any way, someone who will put himself out on the line just to make you happy, who won't let you forget how absolutely precious you are." he said with so much passion it caught her by surprise.
Suddenly he felt nervous. "At-at least that's what I think."
Rory looked at Tristan with wonder in her eyes before quickly pulling him close to her again.
"Do you want me to kick his ass?" he asked.
"Tempting." Rory smiled half-heartedly.
"Because I will you know." he continued. "I can take him."
"How about you just take me home? I think I need my mom now for the wallowing stage of the break-up."
"Anything you want Mary, anything you want." he kissed the side of her forehead before helping her up from their sitting position on her bed. He stood patiently as she gather her belongings to take home.
They left the house with a short explanation of their destination and drove the hour to Stars Hollow in silence. Her tears had subsided but she still wore a pained expression. As he guided her into the diner her mother rushed up to her and embraced her tightly.
"Thank you for driving her back Tristan." she said.
"No problem, Lorelai."
"That no good punk." Luke muttered angrily as he gathered Rory in his arms. "Miss Patty told us what happened."
"How?" Rory asked.
"She has her ways." Lorelai answered. Turning to Tristan she asked, "Where's Jess?"
"Oh, still in New Haven. He wasn't there when Rory called so I left him a note."
Lorelai nodded and turned back to her daughter.
"We gonna wallow this time?" she asked.
"That is a definite yes." Rory gave a small smile then looked around. "Where's the dinner crowd?"
"Luke kicked 'em out when Miss Patty told the news. We figure they're stationed at Babette's waiting for our return."
"Give me a minute to close up shop and we'll head home." Luke suggested. "Tristan, you coming?"
He looked to Lorelai for approval. She gave a small nod.
"Okay, sure." Tristan answered. "I'll just go out and wait in my car."
He left the diner and leaned up against his car, looking down solemnly at his feet.
"What are you doing here?"
Tristan looked up and immediately clenched his jaw in anger. "Bag Boy." he hissed.
"I repeat, what are you doing here? You aren't welcome."
"Says who? You?" Tristan stood up but stayed in his spot. "Since when have I ever cared about your opinion? I should be asking you, what you're doing here!"
"I'm here to see Rory." Dean answered.
"Well, I'm almost positive she doesn't want to see you."
"Listen, what's going on between me and my girlfriend is none of your business." Dean sneered.
Tristan swallowed and held back his anger. "Actually you're wrong on two accounts. One, Rory is my friend, so whatever hurts her, hurts me, therefore it is my business. Second, Rory told me that she dumped your cheating a-"
"Tristan!"
Tristan spun around to find Rory looking at him pointedly, Lorelai stood next to her, arm wrapped around her shoulders, and Luke locking up the diner.
"Rory, I think we need to talk." Dean sighed, taking a few steps toward her.
"We're done talking." she said forcefully.
"But if you'll just let me explain," he began, "I'm sure we can work this out."
"Dean? How naïve do you think I am? You cheated on me for who knows how long and you expect everything to be okay?"
"She meant nothing to me."
"Oh what is that?! That's a typical guy response! I think I've seen enough movies and television to know that it never means 'just' nothing."
"This isn't a show Rory! This isn't a movie! This is real life and you have to believe me when I say that her kisses meant nothing to me." he pleaded.
"Kisses? As in plural?" Rory fought back some more tears.
"Rory, that's not the point here."
She shook her head. "Maybe. Maybe she meant nothing to you Dean but she obviously meant enough that you had to lie and cheat."
"But..."
"Dean." Lorelai interrupted. "It's time for you to leave now."
"But..."
"Do you want to start a fight?" Luke asked as he came up behind the girls and stood next to Rory.
His face-hardened. "Fine, but this isn't over."
"Actually it is. We're through Dean. I don't want to see you again because you have caused me enough pain and frankly, I'm tired of it." she said, gaining her forcefulness back.
"If that's what you want, but it's your loss." Dean turned and began to walk away.
"My loss?" Rory asked suddenly angry.
"Rory." Lorelai warned cautiously.
"No, mom, I want to know."
Dean turned back around. "If you think that rich boy over there is better than me then you deserve what you got."
"Hey, that's crossing the line pal." Luke threatened.
"Why are you bringing Tristan into this?" Rory asked.
"Think about it Rory," Dean instructed, "he has always been in the way of us. Even before this town adopted him. Maybe I had to look elsewhere for action because you weren't putting out."
"You know what Dean? You are really stepping on some toes here. Go home now." Lorelai ordered.
"I don't know what I saw in you." Rory shook her head.
Dean ignored her and looked over at Tristan who had remained silent since the interruption.
"What about you rich boy? Don't you have anything to say?"
"Not to you." Tristan hissed through clenched teeth.
"What's the matter? Don't think you can take me?" Dean taunted.
"As much as Rory should hate you right now, I know she doesn't, because she is a good person who sees the best in people, and I know that no matter how much you hurt her she wouldn't want to see you in pain. So I'm going to ignore you and walk away before I do something that you, not I, will regret, because trust me, right now I would love nothing more than to see you gasping in pain on the pavement." Tristan stated calmly. "Come on." he nudged Rory.
The four of them turned to enter their respective cars.
"Tristan?" Rory asked as he pulled out behind Luke as they headed toward the Gilmore/Danes household.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?" he asked.
"For being the better man." she answered simply.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"It still hurts, that I wasn't enough for him...but I know it's for the best."
"I bet you I can make you forget all about him." Tristan joked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Rory cracked a small smile. "You think you're quite the charmer don't you?"
"It's a gift, although, there is one girl who has yet to fall for my charms."
Rory looked down and in a hesitant voice responded, "And she never will."
~
"Rory." Tristan nudged her in the side.
Rory shook her head clear of her thoughts. "What?" She looked around at Tristan, Paris, and Dean's expectant faces. "Oh, sorry, I kind of spaced."
"Apparently Gilmore." Paris said coldly.
"So..." Tristan began.
"To what do we owe this not so pleasant interruption." Rory finished, glaring daggers at the couple before her.
"Nothing, just thought we'd see how you were doing. So Tristan, you haven't moved on to another bimbo yet? I'd have thought for sure you'd tire easily of Rory here." Dean taunted, choosing his words meaningfully.
Rory wrapped her arm around his, holding him for comfort. He cleared his throat.
"Rory's my best friend. There's nothing to tire of. But you on the other hand, wow, this is what, the third girl in less than a year?" he asked sarcastically before turning on Paris. "Really Paris, even you're better than this." he nudged his chin towards Dean.
"No, I don't think she is." Rory said in a small voice.
"Why is that Gilmore? Jealous that I can satisfy him and you couldn't?" Paris sneered, holding him possessively.
"There's nothing to be jealous of." Rory replied.
"Keep thinking that Rory, keep thinking that." Paris said in a low voice.
"Come on, let's go Par." Dean turned to lead her away.
Tristan did the same to Rory. Lorelai and Luke watched from a distance just in time to see the other couple retreating. Dean turned back.
"Oh, hey Rory!" he shouted. "Quick question, has Luke gotten tired of you and your mom whining all the time yet or is he as whipped as the accountant here?"
Rory stopped walking and tensed up. Tristan was showing visible signs of restraint. She looked at Tristan then turned around and looked at Dean. He stood with a smug face, knowing that insulting her mother was far worse than insulting Rory. He shook his head in laughter and turned back to walk away. She looked back up at Tristan. He turned to her and locked eyes.
"Hurt him." she whispered.
That was all it took. Tristan quickly strode over and spun the other boy around roughly. Before anyone could react Tristan's fist connected with Dean's left eye. Needless to say, the other boy stumbled back onto the ground, drawing the attention of the other carnival goers.
"Never insult Rory or Lorelai ever again unless you want a matching bruise for the other eye." Tristan spun back on his heel and turned back to Rory.
"That felt good." he stated before they walked away.
Luke and Lorelai walked up to Dean and Paris who knelt beside him, looking at the quickly forming black eye.
"You deserved that." Lorelai chirped.
Satisfied and smiling, the two adults went after Tristan and Rory.
~~~~~~~~
"Oh man! I wish I could have been there to see him go down!" Jess exclaimed after hearing the story from the other four. "Hell, I wish I could have done some damage to bag boy."
"I felt like throwing a swing myself." Luke mused.
"Isn't that a little harsh?" Katie asked cautiously.
"After all this guy put Ror through? Trust me, he hasn't even begun to pay." Tristan voiced.
"Still, that's not like me. I don't go around, wishing violence on people." Rory spoke nervously.
"Yes but sweetie, you are too nice. Even I wanted to bop him up side the head a few times." Lorelai admitted.
"I never knew that Paris really hated you THAT much. I mean I knew you guys had a huge falling out but seriously, to go out with your ex-boyfriend? That's low, even for her." Jess switched subjects.
"That's nothing." Katie put in. "Paris was so ticked at Rory during her whole 'the boy is mine' fit that she started spreading quite the scandal stories around campus. She did everything to ruin Rory."
"Hey, I think I remember that," Jess said thoughtfully, "Rory showed up at our dorm at about two in the morning, soaked from head to toe after walking in the rain. It was pouring that night."
"I couldn't remember where your dorm was." Rory grumbled.
"But you found it, pounded on the door, efficiently waking us and our neighbors up mind you, and ended up crying yourself to sleep once you got dry." Tristan remembered.
"Yeah, in my bed. Made me sleep on the floor." Jess sniffed.
Everyone laughed at Jess's pouting face. The laughs died down and Luke glanced at his watch.
"Well children. It's eleven o'clock."
Rory groaned. "Early class tomorrow."
"Ah, I am so glad I'm on spring break." Tristan mused.
"Shut up! Rub it in my face why don't you?" Rory grumbled.
"It's what I do best.among other things." he replied.
"Ugh! Why do I put up with you? You're ego is suffocating!" Rory cried.
"Well..." Tristan began.
"Don't finish that sentence!" Katie interrupted. "We can stand here and watch you two banter back and forth all night long or we can get some much needed sleep."
"I vote for sleep." Jess raised his hand.
"I second that!" Lorelai chirped.
"Fine." Tristan and Rory acquiesced in unison.
"Okay, so good night guys." Luke bid goodbye.
After the appropriate farewells were exchanged, the older couple departed for their hotel leaving the remaining four to make their way home. The trip was silent, as they all were left to their own thoughts. Tristan stole glances at Rory every now and then, longing to hold her the way that Dean, Jess, and all the other nameless and thankfully short-term boyfriends did. Katie was plagued with trying to figure out the real reason that Rory had stopped visiting Tristan every other weekend. Jess was debating in his mind whether or not he should ask Kate for info on Rory. That left only Rory, who was lost in her thoughts about her love life, or rather her lack of one.
Finally they had arrived at the spot where they would go their separate ways to their respective dorms.
"Hey, Jess, Kate, can I talk to Rory alone for a second?" Tristan asked.
"Oh yeah sure, totally. I'll just go on up to the dorm." Katie told him.
"I think I'll do the same." Jess agreed.
After the two were both out of hearing distance Tristan began.
"So...did you have a good time?"
"Of course, right up until Dean and Paris showed up."
"About that, did you know that Paris was dating Dean?"
Rory nodded sadly. "Yeah, I knew. They've been dating for the past couple of months."
"How'd they even meet?" Tristan was curious.
"Dean was visiting home from school in Chicago, where he met Allison by the way, I found out that he had been cheating on me with her for months before the break-up, and they ran into each other in Hartford. They recognized each other and well...a week later Paris tracked me down to rub my face in it. Now they have this long-distance relationship thing going." she finished.
"How much you wanna bet he's cheating on her too?"
Rory nodded and hugged Prince closer. "Probably with Allison." she spat bitterly.
"You are so much better than her." he soothed.
Rory felt her anger dissolve. "It's okay, it was practically a year ago."
They were silent for a few seconds.
"Hey, I was wondering, if you wanted to that is, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind if we did, it's not like we agreed, well okay we sort of did..." Tristan rambled.
"Tristan." she interrupted gently.
"Yeah?"
"You're babbling. One of my not so great faults that you seemed to have picked up." she teased.
Tristan chuckled slightly. "Well, at least I didn't pick up on your obsession for coffee."
"Hey!" Rory objected.
"Kidding!" he exclaimed in defense. "Anyway, I was wondering if maybe, you'd like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night."
"Just the two of us?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, just us. I was talking to Drew earlier and he said that he knows this quiet little restaurant downtown, supposedly it's place that you had mentioned wanting to visit a couple weeks ago."
"La Rose Enchantée." Rory replied knowingly.
Tristan nodded. "So, what do you say? Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
Rory smiled and considered it for a moment. "Sure."
"Great, I'll pick you up at seven."
"Okay, see you tomorrow then."
"Bye."
On that final note they parted ways.
"So, what did he want to say?" Katie asked eagerly as Rory walked in.
"You are so nosy, you know that?"
Rory set Prince down on her bed as shrugged off her jacket before walking into the closet.
"It's part of my charm." Kate replied. "Now, what did you and Tristan talk about?"
"Seriously though, with your talent you could be a reporter." Rory dodged the question and emerged from the closet wearing pajamas.
"Well, it was an option." Kate replied, not aware that she had been tricked.
"It should still be one." Rory this time walked into the bathroom and began to brush her teeth.
Katie sat on her bed, weighing out the options of becoming a reporter. Rory wordlessly walked back into the main room and turned off the light before snuggling in her bed, one arm under her pillow, the other holding Prince protectively. Kate still sat on her bed, now deep in thought and lay back down. Minutes later she sat straight up and turned on the lights.
"Nice try missy, you almost got away with it! What happened with Tristan?!"
Rory sighed, rolled over and realized that sleep was not going to be an option when Katherine Jucas was involved.
~
AN: Okay! That's another part! Woohoo! Anyways, aren't you just dying to see how the next part turns out? Well, if you just leave a review another chapter will be uploaded from my computer to yours. Until next time!
PS-I wanted to post a chapter a week but all these reviews are just giving me SO much inspiration. It makes me want to post all the chapters at once!!! But I'm fighting the urge to do that...unless I'm given a reason not to...
