Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Pairings: Trory
Rating: PG-13
A/N: My second ever fanfic. I'm reposting, because I missed this story, writing it and stuff. Anyway, LITERATI IS STILL MY FAVORITE! Sorry trory girls. ;-) But I hope you enjoy this story, and I'll try and keep up with it this time.
PLEASE NOTE: This takes place before the Breakup, Part 2.
If I Fall || Chapter 1
...on this night...
*
Rory Gilmore listened to her History teacher drone on about the Renaissance period. After 20 minutes of avid note-taking on Leonardo DiVinci, she had given in to her wandering mind, and her hand cramp. Absently, she glanced out the window. Her icy blue eyes lit up when she noticed a fresh dusting of snow on the ground. The fat, white flakes were falling piled on top of the fine powder that was already on the ground. A glimmer out of the corner of her eye drew her attention to an icicle hanging from the window edge, melting drops of what appeared to be like a liquid crystal. A rare smile crossed her face in the classroom. An excitement swept through her. She liked snowy winters best, and snow in November was always a good sign for a particularly snowy winter. Unfortunately, the History teacher took this moment to notice her smile, and the fact that her attention was not on the lesson.
"Anything amusing about Mr. DiVinci, Ms. Gilmore?"
"No Ma'am."
"Well then perhaps you could stop smiling long enough to join the lesson?"
"Yes, sorry."
Rory sighed despondently and picked up her pen. She tried to pay attention, but was immediately distracted once more by a voice directly behind her.
"Daydreaming about me again, Mary?"
"Rory."
"What have I told you about controlling your secret passions in class?" he asked, his gravelly voice reverberating against the shell of her ear.
"Shut up, Tristan," she whispered.
"Oh, lack of comeback. Suprising."
Rory turned quickly and glared, seeing his irresistible smirk and clear blue eyes which almost mirrored her own. She studied him for a minute, still trying to glare, but found herself staring for a few seconds. She never realized how striking he actually was. Tristan smirked some more, then gave her his sexiest stare. Rory broke the spell, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"I saw that stare." He told her, leaning forward.
"There wasn't a stare, it was a glare. Oh, do they sound too much alike for you to tell them apart?" she asked scathingly.
Tristan just grinned as she spun around, catching the scent of her hair as it followed. 'Intoxicating,' he thought. He resumed his bored expression, stealing glances at Rory every once in while, whose head was, for the most part, bent over her notebook. For the most part.
*
The rest of Rory's Friday passed uneventfully. The snow eventually thinned out and then stopped completely. Rory resented the fact that snow got dirty. In her opinion, something as pure as snow in the winter shouldn't be allowed to be dirtied.
At the end of the day, she gathered her books and stuffed them in her backpack, then shrugged into her jacket and headed out into the biting winds. As she was leaving, she noticed Tristan talking and joking with his 'friends'. Once again, she rolled her eyes, almost at herself, and at the fact that she was bothering to take any notice. She boarded her bus, headed for Stars Hollow.
*
Lorelai was walking with Luke outside the diner in a black puffy coat, light blue fleece scarf and matching gloves, and a light blue hat with ears knit on the top. Actually, she wasn't walking with him, she was chasing him with a snowball. Rory grinned as she watched her mother pelt Luke in the back with it.
"Lorelai! C'mon! I have to work in the diner after this. I'll be all wet and cold..." he ranted.
"Generally, that's why you buy heaters, Luke, to keep you warm and dry in the winter. Perhaps you're not familiar with the concept? But after all, you do have one in your diner."
"You know what I mean! Plus, it takes a while to dry off!"
"So change clothes! Heck, change your hat while you're at it! Don't wear a hat, even."
"Lorelai."
"Be daring."
"Lorelai."
"OK, the hat stays."
"Lorelai, shut up and come have some coffee."
"Are you voluntarily offering me coffee?"
"It seems to be the only thing that will stop you from throwing snow at me."
Rory walked up just then. Lorelai turned to Rory and whispered loudly.
"He doesn't know about the special snowball freezer pouch in my jacket pocket. I can take snow inside the diner!"
Luke just rolled his eyes. The two Gilmores followed slowly behind. The magic of snow always brought out something different in the Gilmores. Something better. They giggled and threw snow at each other before heading into the diner for coffee.
*
Luke headed to brew a fresh pot of coffee for the two. Rory sighed and plopped her backpack down.
"So...tough day?"
"That's the understatement of the century."
"The snow didn't help?"
"Actually, I got caught staring out the window and smiling when the snow started falling, so no, I'd say the snow wasn't aiding me much today."
"But it looks pretty."
"Yeah, until people step in it and drive over it." Rory said contemptuously.
"Why is it that you're suddenly ranting like Luke? Oooh, did you have a Tristan encounter today? Or Paris, maybe?"
"Ummm...no," Rory said, sounding almost uncertain. Her mind wondered and she thought about Tristan's gravelly, sexy voice and tousled blonde hair. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second while Lorelai studied her curiously. Shaking her head, she got rid of the image as best she could. She didn't know why she kept thinking like this. 'Tristan is an asshole,' she told herself. Lorelai was about to say something when Luke came over with two cups of steaming coffee.
"Ahhh, liquid goodness," Lorelai breathed.
"It'll kill you one day."
"Hey buddy, don't voluntarily give me coffee and then tell me it's bad for me...it's against the Coffee Code."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Not even going to ask."
The two Gilmores chatted for about 2 hours, holding steaming cups of coffee and relishing the heat in their hands, before Rory suddenly realized.
"Hey, it's Friday."
"Yeah, so?" Then suddenly, Lorelai realized and dropped her head on the table. "Oh no."
"The Friday-night dinner," the two women moaned simultaneously.
Lorelai threw some money on the table and she and Rory rushed out the door, yelling their goodbyes to Luke on their way out.
*
"Hey Ror?"
"Up here!"
"You have to wear a dress tonight!"
"Why?"
Rory rushed up the stairs in a flared black skirt and a sweater in a soft pink hue. "So I can't wear this?" she asked, confused.
"Nope. Dress is required. She didn't say why. Knowing Emily Gilmore, it's some sort of social engagement, so be ready with a perma-smile and a knowing nod."
"Mo-om! Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I forgot, until you just happened to conveniently mention the Friday night dinner. Foolish child."
"Fine." Rory stomped lightly down the stairs, disgruntled.
"You know, you're getting more like Luke every day!" her mother called.
"Am not!" Rory yelled back.
Rory continued to pout as she flicked through her closest. Towards the back, she found a black cap-sleeved dress with a drawstring scoop neck, a scalloped edge, and a sheer maroon overlay. Once she made sure the dress looked presentable, she put on a pair of black heels to match, hastily fastened a silver necklace and matching bracelet, and caught her hair back with rhinestone bobby pins. With one last glance in the mirror, she grabbed her pocketbook and her coat and joined her mother at the door.
Little did Rory know, just as they were leaving, Tristan DuGrey was straightening his grey tie in front of his own mirror, smirking lazily. 'Another stupid cocktail party,' he thought to himself. If he cared enough to wonder, he would have realized that the hosts' last name was Gilmore. But he didn't.
Back in Stars Hollow, the two Gilmores closed their door shut behind them, captivated by the weather. As they walked outside, Rory caught a snowflake on her glove out of the falling flurries. She quickly studied the lacy, delicate pattern before the snowflake disappeared from her finger, melting into the air.
*