Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine; plot is.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate them all -- good and bad. This is my first fanfic, so hopefully I'll get better at this as I go on. One reviewer noted that Rory and Tristan were a bit out of character in the first chapter, so I just wanted to explain that. Most of the Trory fics I've read have Tristan and Rory fighting the whole time and I feel the fics don't explore their relationship enough. So, I wanted to write a fic in which the characters don't spend the whole time bickering, but spend more time together and happy [I know, it's kinda sappy]. Of course, there will be bumps in the road, so don't worry, you'll get to hear some of that famous Rory-Tristan banter along the way.

Oh, and also, this fic takes place in the middle of Rory's junior year at Chilton, so she's about 17.


***

[Rory and Lorelai are riding home from dinner with Emily and Richard]

"Ror, is everything okay? You look kinda pale."

"I..I'm fine."

"Right."

"It's just.. Tristan. He's back. In Hartford."

"Tristan? Hot Tristan? Bible Boy? Satan? Are we talking about the same guy here?"

"Yeah."

"And so what's the problem then? Hot boy you're in love with, but won't damn admit it, returns to Chilton, and you're upset about it? Clarification needed here babe."

"It's just.. I don't know. He does something to me. I don't know what it is, but when he's near me my knees turn to jello, all attempts at witty remarks fly out of my brain and I find myself strangely drawn to him, almost against my will and good sense."

"Ah yes, the charm of pretty boys like Tristan has captured many girls over the years. Don't give into him Ror, he's trouble."

"I know," but Rory was beginning to think that maybe she liked trouble.

***

[Rory is walking to English class with Paris]

"But if we don't get this done by Thursday, then this month's issue of the Franklin will be late! Rory we can't let this happen. My resume is counting on this! I can't put on my application that I worked on the Franklin if no issue comes out this month! This is serious business. Harvard does not tolerate liars, especially when they lie about extracurriculars as important as this. I can't say I'm a decent editor if I can't even get out a monthly paper! Rory are you listening to me? Rory? Rory???"

"Oh, right," Rory replied, snapping out of her daydream. "Thursday, I'll have my articles done by Thursday. No problem," she continued, clearly distracted.

"Rory, what's wrong with you? Where has you mind been the past few days," Paris kept talking as Rory walked off to class, ignoring Paris and leaving her behind to talk to herself.

***

As Rory sat in English class daydreaming, she didn't notice the teacher had called on her. "Rory? Rory are you going to answer the question?"

"Huh? Oh uh.. Thomas Jefferson?"

"No, Rory. And this isn't History class. Could anyone else tell me what the predominant themes in The Fountainhead are?"

This was going to be a long day. Rory just couldn't get her mind off Tristan. She knew that she wanted him, but had he really changed? Rory wanted the sweet Tristan that kissed her at the party; the caring, sensitive, and adorable one -- but she didn't know if that was possible. Why waste her time with him though, only to get frustrated and angry again? Maybe giving into him wasn't such a good idea. After all, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, right? So Rory decided that maybe she'd take a step back for awhile and see if he was really the same Tristan that left her heartbroken the year before.

***

As Rory was fiddling with her locker combination, out of the corner of her eye she saw him leaning against her locker. "Hey Mary." She didn't answer. "What? Now you're not talking to me?" he said with a cocky grin. Yeah, she had been right -- he hadn't changed. Tristan still had that same arrogant demeanor as before.

"Oh were you talking to me? That's funny, 'cause I'm pretty sure my name is Rory. Did you forget so quickly?" With that, she gave him a pointed glare and walked away with a snobby gait.

"What was that all about?" Tristan said to himself. Damn, you screwed it up again. How do you keep doing this DuGrey? Maybe it was just your imagination before, maybe she never wanted you to begin with. But Tristan never was one to give up, so he decided to keep going after her, even if she broke his heart. He only wanted Rory to be happy, and he really believed that if she were with him, she would be.

***

[It's the end of the day and Rory is walking down the hallway to go catch her bus]

"Rory."

Oh no, what does he want now? I thought I made it pretty clear for him to stay out of my way. What, do I have to tell him off to get him to leave me alone? Can't he take a hint? Of course not.. this is Tristan DuGrey we're talking about.

Rory turned around with a scowl on her face, her head hung to the side in an impatient, annoyed manner. She just looked at him without saying a word, though she secretly reveled in the fact that he finally called her by her real name.

"I.. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For what?" Rory inquired, knowing very well what he was sorry for.

"I guess I came off the wrong way.. today, at the bookstore, before I left for military school. But I just want you to know I've really changed. I'm not the same person I was a year ago. I did a lot of thinking while I was away, and I realized that I don't want to be that old Tristan DuGrey anymore. I don't want to be a rich socialite if it means I have no loving family, I don't want to have meaningless relationships with girls I don't care about, I don't want to ruin all the opportunities that come my way. I know what I don't want -- I don't want that reckless, careless life I was leading before." His eyes were desperate and full of emotion and he saw Rory's expression soften a little at those last few words he said.

"Then what do you want?" she asked softly, her face suddenly showing a trace of sorrow.

"You," Tristan's deep blue eyes relaxed, showing his true feelings and letting Rory know he was sincere.