Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nada. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nil. You get the point.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: trory
A/N: Chapter 3...here it is. Thanks for the feedback, for those of you who have given me feedback. And for those of you who haven't? The purple button is calling your name ;-) Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
If I Fall || Chapter 3
holding me tight...
*
Rory had tried and tried to wriggle her way out of Scott's grip, but before she could do anything, he was dragging her out onto the balcony.
"What is your problem?" she asked him, annoyed and extremely angry.
Scott leered at her. "You haven't kissed me yet. Why not?" he asked, smirking lazily.
"We just met," she told him, exasperated and disgusted.
Scott then grabbed her and kissed her, pressing himself hard against her, his hands immediately wandering places they shouldn't have. Rory reeled back and shoved her knee into his groin. He pulled away, groaning and red-faced.
"What's your problem, bitch?" he choked out through waves of pain.
It took Rory all of two seconds to react to that comment. She punched him directly in the nose. He fell backwards, fainting onto the hard concrete of the balcony. Rory sighed and looked at him, disgusted. At least her mother's self-defense lesson from when she was 10 had been put to some use. She edged away and leaned over the other side of the balcony, wondering vaguely if he was drunk. The stars winked at her, the wind softly applauding her as it blew through the trees. She was just about to go back inside when Tristan opened the balcony door.
*
When Tristan stepped out onto the balcony, among night whispers and cool breezes, the last thing he expected to see was Scott lying flat on his back. He stared at his friend's powerful form, sprawled lifeless on the concrete. Rory heard the door open and glanced over absently, then did an immediate double take. Her face registered confusion, but not disappointment.
"Tristan? What are you doing here?"
"Well, Mary, looks like you've got quite the arm."
"He was a jerk."
"I came to rescue you, but knight-in-shining-armor isn't exactly part of the image. Besides, you're doing OK on your own."
Rory glanced at him, taking in his smirk, halo of blonde hair, and lean, strong build. She repressed the sudden urge to step closer to him, breathe him in, and take his scent wherever she went. This quick once-over didn't go unnoticed by Tristan. He inwardly smiled as his face leered.
"I always knew you were attracted to me, Mary, but that look just proved it all."
"What look? The patented scathing look? Or the confused?"
"I believe it was the I-want-to-throw-you-on-your-back-and-make-mad-love to you look."
"I'm sorry, are you blind? Or was it just wishful thinking?"
"I know it's your secret desire to make love to me on your Grandmother's balcony."
"It's my secret desire to throw you off the balcony," she retorted.
"Tell you what. I'll refrain from stating the obvious if you dance with me."
"What?" Rory looked at Tristan as if he was completely crazy. But then she decided to give in to her impulses for once. She was tired of resisting.
"You heard me."
"Fine."
"Fine? I know I'm hot, but fine? What a compliment."
Rory rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, sending tiny shivers like butterfly kisses up both of their arms. They headed through the door, awkwardly maneuvering themselves so no unnecessary touching was involved. Tristan didn't want to feed the fire, and Rory didn't want to find out that she was actually attracted to Tristan. She blamed her shivers on the biting winds that snapped at their heels as they headed towards the golden glow of the Gilmore house.
"Let's go, before I change my mind, Romeo."
"So, Juliet, how's it going?"
"Nah. I'll be the Nurse instead."
He led her onto the dance floor. Uncertainly, she placed one hand on his shoulder. He guided their bodies closer together gently, his hand resting on her waist, knowing this was novel to her. Rory took a shaky breath and willed her face not to go red. She couldn't look him in the eye, and found herself staring at his broad chest instead. This whole crazy thing had something to do with the snow. It had to be. They laced hands, shooting hot-white electricity smoldering through their veins. Rory glanced into his blue eyes uncertainly. Tristan began to waltz with a grace and ability that surprised and impressed Rory. Unfortunately, Rory was not so skilled. Tristan counted to her under his breath.
"1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3"
Under Tristan's watchful, glittering eyes, she managed not to step on his feet anymore. Soon, they were whirling and gliding across marble with ease. Some couples even stopped dancing themselves to watch the two. Emily observed for a minute, smiling smugly. Lorelai came back from the food table, and watched her daughter's smile, grinning. She'd never seen the boy before. She wondered who he was. He was cute.
In a haze, Rory giggled and laughed as the two continued to dance, ignoring the only slightly nagging weariness in their feet. She felt the heat of his skin through his clothing, saw him smile, and let herself slip away from the ordinary world. 'This is just to forget Dean,' Rory told herself. 'I'm not attracted to him. Not at all. OK, not that much.'
Tristan tried his best not to stare. Her ocean eyes held laughter and childish innocence, and her nose was slightly crinkled as she smiled. He followed the twisting curve of her mouth, and graceful cheekbones, the shining hair. She didn't notice him staring. She was wrapped up in her own little world. Until, that is, she looked up.
Rory met Tristan's eye in the dancing candlelight. Just for a second, she felt a tiny shiver run down her spine, between her legs, down her calves to her toes. They never stopped dancing. Tristan couldn't ignore the weakness present on her face, or in his body. Girls didn't make him weak. But she was different. Something beautiful. They ceased to move and stood atop the marble, still as the night air outside. Breaking the still, Tristan swallowed hard, and spoke.
"Not bad Mary. You actually managed to step on my feet a total of only 5 times."
"3, thank you," Rory quipped weakly.
"My toes tell me otherwise," he said, smiling almost affectionately. But Rory didn't notice that tone in his smile. It looked the same as always. Perhaps it was because it had always been there. Nothing's changed, she said to herself. It didn't mean anything. But one last look into his eyes after she thanked him for the dance told her something different. She drifted away from him in the crowd, but neither gaze broke until Rory backed directly into someone else.
*
"Watch where you're going young lady, you could hurt someone. So, who's the hunk?"
"Hey, mom."
"If you don't tell me I'll be forced to steal him from you and lock him in my room and tie him to the bed and-"
"OK, just ate some cheese and crackers a little while ago. I don't think brownish liquid looks too attractive with a black dress, but you could continue and we could experiment."
"I don't go for the puke look. I guess you'll just have to tell me who he is instead. Spill, please. And I don't mean your dinner."
"That's Tristan," Rory admitted
"THE Tristan?"
"The one and only."
"Why didn't you tell me he should be a model?"
"Because he's not THAT great."
Lorelai looked at Rory in disbelief.
"Are you kidding? Or just blind? Maybe it's lack of caffeine. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten our plan. Luke's is our first stop. Anyway, you guys looked kind of good together," Lorelai finished, in a rare moment of sincerity.
Rory looked at her mother incredulously.
"Do you like your life?"
"OK, OK, not good together. But I saw the smile."
"There was no smile."
"Right, right..."
"I was being polite."
"Uh huh. Hey, I saw you guys on the balcony...what was going on out there? Huh?" Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and smirked.
"You don't want to know. Too long of a story." Rory replied, grimacing at the very recent memory.
"Tell me in the car."
Rory grinned. "Does that mean we're leaving?"
"Well everyone knows after you've stayed for at least a half hour, it's perfectly acceptable to leave at any time."
"Gilmore Book of Etiquette, page 3." Rory deadpanned, playing along.
As the two Gilmore grabbed their coats from the closet, Rory glanced back one last time. Tristan was watching her. She waved goodbye to him and mouthed "Thanks for the dance." "Anytime, Mary," was the reply, followed by a rare, sincere smile. Luckily, this entire exchange went unnoticed by Lorelai, because had she noticed, there would have been an endless array of questions the entire car ride home, followed by an in-depth analysis of every word and feeling. Unluckily, though, another Gilmore did notice, and there was no doubt that questions of Rory and Tristan would come up again.
But for now, the Gilmores pushed that issue aside as Lorelai and Rory stepped out into the cold once more, crunching over crystal white powder as they talked about Scott, Luke, and whether or not to rent Memento. AGAIN. Snowflakes fell softly around them, gently fluttering on their cheeks as they walked. Tristan, meanwhile, was held hostage in the Gilmore house, with only the image of the want in her eyes to keep him company until this whole thing was over. He leaned against the pillar and smiled a smile that came before someone tapped him on his shoulder, interrupting.
*