"Stop here." Rory pointed to a hardware store.
Tristan grinned, "Need a screw?"
She glared at him, "So much for being nice."
"No, but seriously, why are we going to a hardware store?" He asked curiously.
"It's a diner, not a hardware store." She climbed out of the car staring at the building. Tears formed in her eyes.
"You okay?" Tristan looked at her concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Rory took a deep breath and walked towards the diner with Tristan following her. She hadn't been here since the morning of the accident, she hadn't wanted to be. But now that she'd been away for three weeks she missed everything about it. The pancakes. The hamburgers. Luke's cookies. Luke himself. Jess.
She looked back and gave Tristan a smile, he smiled back. She was glad he was here.
She slowly walked into the diner with Tristan closely behind.
The bell rang behind Rory, she glanced toward the counter to see Jess look up at her.
Jess stared at Rory for a moment and then grinned, "Well, look who finally turned up!" He walked out from behind the counter.
Rory walked to him, "Jess." They hugged each other hard, never wanting to let go. "I've missed you so much." She whispered to him.
"Me too." He replied in her ear. He pulled away, "Why didn't you come sooner?" Hurt swirled in his eyes.
"I wanted to, but I just couldn't get here."
"I understand." And he hugged her again. "Just don't be a stranger." When they finally let go of each other, he asked, "Who brought you?"
Rory finally remembered Tristan and gestured to him, "Tristan did."
Tristan nodded from where he had stood uncomfortably and watched the scene play out. He recognized Jess from the wake where he had held Rory's hand. He felt something surge through him.
Jealousy.
"Jess, this is Tristan. Tristan this is Jess." Rory introduced them to each other.
Jess looked Tristan up and down, "How's it going?" He stuck out his hand.
"Nice to meet you." Tristan shook his hand, both grips were vice like.
Rory watched them uncertainly as they surveyed each other. "Where's Luke?" She asked.
Just as she said it Luke walked out of the kitchen, "Rory?"
She spun around, "Hey!" She went behind the counter and hugged him.
"Where've ya been?" Luke asked, concern flooding his eyes.
She shrugged, "I didn't know if I'd be able to come back, and then I missed everything . . ." She trailed off.
Luke smiled at her and ruffled her hair, understanding. He looked up and noticed Tristan, "Who are you?"
'I'm Tristan, sir." Tristan walked forward and offered his hand across the counter.
Luke stared at it uncertainly and finally shook it. "Did you drive her here?" He asked suspiciously, looking Tristan up and down just as Jess did.
"Yes, I did." Tristan answered unsure of what to make of the man in front of him.
"How long have you had your license? You do have one, right?" Luke grilled him.
"Yes, I've had it for a year now."
"Any accidents?"
"One fender bender."
"Whose fault was it?"
"Well, partly mine."
"Partly yours? What does that mean?"
Before Tristan answered Rory interrupted, "Okay Luke, enough with the grilling. He's not a cheeseburger."
"Well, I guess he'll do." Luke glared at him once more and then turned to Rory. "What'll it be? The usual?"
Rory fidgeted, 'Actually, I'll just have a glass of water. I'm not very hungry." She looked down while Jess and Luke just stared at her.
"Come again?" Jess asked astonished.
Rory shrugged, "I'm just not hungry."
Jess was about to say something when Luke beat him to it, "Alright, one glass of water coming up."
"Anything for you?" Luke said in the direction of Tristan who had taken a seat by Rory.
"I'm good, thanks." Tristan answered.
Luke placed a glass of water in front of Rory and went to attend other customers.
Jess also took a seat beside Rory, "So, are you going to see the whole town today, or just a quick visit?"
"I'm going to see a few people, Lane, Sookie, Dean, maybe Babette." Rory said.
Both Jess and Tristan darkened when Dean was mentioned.
"Don't know why you want to see that asshole." Jess scowled fiercely.
"Jess, we've been through this." Rory sighed and sipped her water.
"I know but that doesn't mean I have to like him." Jess shot back.
"You don't mind, do you Tristan, going to visit a few people?" Rory asked ignoring Jess's raging eyes.
"No, I don't have much homework tonight anyway." Tristan said.
"Are you going to the house?" Jess almost whispered it.
"Maybe later I think." Rory bit her lip and took a long gulp of her water.
"Well, let me know when you do. I would walk around everywhere else with you, but I have to work." Jess slid of the stool, he took one of her hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'See you later." And he walked through the back door into the kitchen.
Rory finished off the rest of her water, "You ready?" She asked Tristan.
"Yeah." He walked out of the diner with her and into Stars Hollow.
Walking the streets of Stars Hollow Rory and Tristan ended up seeing a lot more people then she had planned on. But she had expected that. They ran into Kirk, Taylor, Michele and Ms. Patty. All of them, including Michele, shed a few tears when they shared words and embraces with Rory. It was almost too much for her.
"Rory!" A voice called from behind them as they walked through the park.
Rory whirled around and smiled, "Lane!" She ran to her and they embraced.
"I heard you were here!" Lane said when they parted.
"Word does travel fast in this town, I was just on my way to see you!" Rory said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Lane asked.
Rory shrugged, "It was kinda last minute, Tristan brought me." As she said this Tristan stepped forward. "Lane this is Tristan, Tristan this is my very best friend Lane."
Lane eyed him warily, "Hello." She gave Rory a look, "I thought we didn't like him." She whispered softly, but not softly enough.
"When did this happen?" Tristan asked raising his eyebrows.
"Don't worry. He's not evil anymore." Rory reassured Lane.
Lane finally smiled, "Good, but we can still call him bible boy right?"
"Absolutely."
"What?" Tristan exclaimed, "Who made up that name?"
"Lorelai did of course, because you called Rory Mary." Lane rambled on, "It was so funny, she said . . ." Lane stopped abruptly. She blushed, "Sorry." She whispered.
Rory looked surprised, "Lane, it's okay! It's not like we can't talk about her." But then she changed the subject, "We're going to Luke's and then my house. Want to tag alone?"
Lane brightened, "Yeah, sure. I told my mom I'd be out with you for awhile anyway."
The trio made their way back to the diner and stepped inside.
Rory leaned against the counter, "We're going over now, Jess." She said to the dark haired boy who was refilling ketchup bottles.
"Great, there's not much going on here anyway." He walked to the kitchen door and leaned in. "Luke, I'm going over with Rory now. Be back in an hour." When Luke gave his consent Jess joined the girls and Tristan. "Alright, let's go."
They slowly made their way down a familiar path to Rory's house.
"So, what are you going to do?" Jess finally asked the question that had been bugging him.
"I'm keeping it." Rory said assertively.
"Your grandparents tried to talk you out of it?" Lane asked.
Rory nodded and sighed, "Yeah, but I wouldn't give in. It's my home." The foursome reached the front lawn of the house and stared at it. "I grew up here, I can't just sell it."
"It's yours?" Tristan asked.
Rory walked up to it and went inside. "All mine."
* * *
Tristan lay on his bed staring up at his ceiling, he thought about the day gone by. Moonlight streamed across his bed, illuminating his face. He remembered Jess's words.
"Don't hurt her. If you do I'll fucking kill you."
Yup, Rory was definitely loved in that town.
Jess had brought him aside when they went into Rory's house. His face had been hard and serious when he had uttered those words. Tristan knew Jess meant what he said, and he had no intention of hurting Rory. Ever. He just wanted to love her.
Tristan knew that now, he had never gotten over her at military school. It had just gotten worse. He remembered the gut wrenching feeling that had ripped through him when he had seen Rory crying today. It was not a nice one. He couldn't stand to see her hurting.
He turned over and tried fruitlessly to fall asleep. How did she manage to do this to him? No other girl ever had. He wasn't used to it, her face kept appearing in his mind, tormenting him. But he couldn't tell her how he felt yet, it was too soon. But he would, one day he
Tristan grinned, "Need a screw?"
She glared at him, "So much for being nice."
"No, but seriously, why are we going to a hardware store?" He asked curiously.
"It's a diner, not a hardware store." She climbed out of the car staring at the building. Tears formed in her eyes.
"You okay?" Tristan looked at her concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Rory took a deep breath and walked towards the diner with Tristan following her. She hadn't been here since the morning of the accident, she hadn't wanted to be. But now that she'd been away for three weeks she missed everything about it. The pancakes. The hamburgers. Luke's cookies. Luke himself. Jess.
She looked back and gave Tristan a smile, he smiled back. She was glad he was here.
She slowly walked into the diner with Tristan closely behind.
The bell rang behind Rory, she glanced toward the counter to see Jess look up at her.
Jess stared at Rory for a moment and then grinned, "Well, look who finally turned up!" He walked out from behind the counter.
Rory walked to him, "Jess." They hugged each other hard, never wanting to let go. "I've missed you so much." She whispered to him.
"Me too." He replied in her ear. He pulled away, "Why didn't you come sooner?" Hurt swirled in his eyes.
"I wanted to, but I just couldn't get here."
"I understand." And he hugged her again. "Just don't be a stranger." When they finally let go of each other, he asked, "Who brought you?"
Rory finally remembered Tristan and gestured to him, "Tristan did."
Tristan nodded from where he had stood uncomfortably and watched the scene play out. He recognized Jess from the wake where he had held Rory's hand. He felt something surge through him.
Jealousy.
"Jess, this is Tristan. Tristan this is Jess." Rory introduced them to each other.
Jess looked Tristan up and down, "How's it going?" He stuck out his hand.
"Nice to meet you." Tristan shook his hand, both grips were vice like.
Rory watched them uncertainly as they surveyed each other. "Where's Luke?" She asked.
Just as she said it Luke walked out of the kitchen, "Rory?"
She spun around, "Hey!" She went behind the counter and hugged him.
"Where've ya been?" Luke asked, concern flooding his eyes.
She shrugged, "I didn't know if I'd be able to come back, and then I missed everything . . ." She trailed off.
Luke smiled at her and ruffled her hair, understanding. He looked up and noticed Tristan, "Who are you?"
'I'm Tristan, sir." Tristan walked forward and offered his hand across the counter.
Luke stared at it uncertainly and finally shook it. "Did you drive her here?" He asked suspiciously, looking Tristan up and down just as Jess did.
"Yes, I did." Tristan answered unsure of what to make of the man in front of him.
"How long have you had your license? You do have one, right?" Luke grilled him.
"Yes, I've had it for a year now."
"Any accidents?"
"One fender bender."
"Whose fault was it?"
"Well, partly mine."
"Partly yours? What does that mean?"
Before Tristan answered Rory interrupted, "Okay Luke, enough with the grilling. He's not a cheeseburger."
"Well, I guess he'll do." Luke glared at him once more and then turned to Rory. "What'll it be? The usual?"
Rory fidgeted, 'Actually, I'll just have a glass of water. I'm not very hungry." She looked down while Jess and Luke just stared at her.
"Come again?" Jess asked astonished.
Rory shrugged, "I'm just not hungry."
Jess was about to say something when Luke beat him to it, "Alright, one glass of water coming up."
"Anything for you?" Luke said in the direction of Tristan who had taken a seat by Rory.
"I'm good, thanks." Tristan answered.
Luke placed a glass of water in front of Rory and went to attend other customers.
Jess also took a seat beside Rory, "So, are you going to see the whole town today, or just a quick visit?"
"I'm going to see a few people, Lane, Sookie, Dean, maybe Babette." Rory said.
Both Jess and Tristan darkened when Dean was mentioned.
"Don't know why you want to see that asshole." Jess scowled fiercely.
"Jess, we've been through this." Rory sighed and sipped her water.
"I know but that doesn't mean I have to like him." Jess shot back.
"You don't mind, do you Tristan, going to visit a few people?" Rory asked ignoring Jess's raging eyes.
"No, I don't have much homework tonight anyway." Tristan said.
"Are you going to the house?" Jess almost whispered it.
"Maybe later I think." Rory bit her lip and took a long gulp of her water.
"Well, let me know when you do. I would walk around everywhere else with you, but I have to work." Jess slid of the stool, he took one of her hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'See you later." And he walked through the back door into the kitchen.
Rory finished off the rest of her water, "You ready?" She asked Tristan.
"Yeah." He walked out of the diner with her and into Stars Hollow.
Walking the streets of Stars Hollow Rory and Tristan ended up seeing a lot more people then she had planned on. But she had expected that. They ran into Kirk, Taylor, Michele and Ms. Patty. All of them, including Michele, shed a few tears when they shared words and embraces with Rory. It was almost too much for her.
"Rory!" A voice called from behind them as they walked through the park.
Rory whirled around and smiled, "Lane!" She ran to her and they embraced.
"I heard you were here!" Lane said when they parted.
"Word does travel fast in this town, I was just on my way to see you!" Rory said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Lane asked.
Rory shrugged, "It was kinda last minute, Tristan brought me." As she said this Tristan stepped forward. "Lane this is Tristan, Tristan this is my very best friend Lane."
Lane eyed him warily, "Hello." She gave Rory a look, "I thought we didn't like him." She whispered softly, but not softly enough.
"When did this happen?" Tristan asked raising his eyebrows.
"Don't worry. He's not evil anymore." Rory reassured Lane.
Lane finally smiled, "Good, but we can still call him bible boy right?"
"Absolutely."
"What?" Tristan exclaimed, "Who made up that name?"
"Lorelai did of course, because you called Rory Mary." Lane rambled on, "It was so funny, she said . . ." Lane stopped abruptly. She blushed, "Sorry." She whispered.
Rory looked surprised, "Lane, it's okay! It's not like we can't talk about her." But then she changed the subject, "We're going to Luke's and then my house. Want to tag alone?"
Lane brightened, "Yeah, sure. I told my mom I'd be out with you for awhile anyway."
The trio made their way back to the diner and stepped inside.
Rory leaned against the counter, "We're going over now, Jess." She said to the dark haired boy who was refilling ketchup bottles.
"Great, there's not much going on here anyway." He walked to the kitchen door and leaned in. "Luke, I'm going over with Rory now. Be back in an hour." When Luke gave his consent Jess joined the girls and Tristan. "Alright, let's go."
They slowly made their way down a familiar path to Rory's house.
"So, what are you going to do?" Jess finally asked the question that had been bugging him.
"I'm keeping it." Rory said assertively.
"Your grandparents tried to talk you out of it?" Lane asked.
Rory nodded and sighed, "Yeah, but I wouldn't give in. It's my home." The foursome reached the front lawn of the house and stared at it. "I grew up here, I can't just sell it."
"It's yours?" Tristan asked.
Rory walked up to it and went inside. "All mine."
* * *
Tristan lay on his bed staring up at his ceiling, he thought about the day gone by. Moonlight streamed across his bed, illuminating his face. He remembered Jess's words.
"Don't hurt her. If you do I'll fucking kill you."
Yup, Rory was definitely loved in that town.
Jess had brought him aside when they went into Rory's house. His face had been hard and serious when he had uttered those words. Tristan knew Jess meant what he said, and he had no intention of hurting Rory. Ever. He just wanted to love her.
Tristan knew that now, he had never gotten over her at military school. It had just gotten worse. He remembered the gut wrenching feeling that had ripped through him when he had seen Rory crying today. It was not a nice one. He couldn't stand to see her hurting.
He turned over and tried fruitlessly to fall asleep. How did she manage to do this to him? No other girl ever had. He wasn't used to it, her face kept appearing in his mind, tormenting him. But he couldn't tell her how he felt yet, it was too soon. But he would, one day he