Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls
 
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The Trouble With Kids

Chapter 2: Scheming parents/kids and arranged meetings…

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[Airplane, First Class]

          Rory picked at her food. She had quickly gulped down three cups of coffee since the start of the flight. Lorelai had unnerved her with her blunt talk about Tristan bought back memories, bad and good. She remembered the time Tristan had bought her to the brownstone for the first time.

*Flashback*

          "Tristan where are you taking me?" asked Rory giggling.


          "Nowhere Gilmore! I see those peeking eyes! No cheating, keep the blindfold on!" reprimanded Tristan.


          "Spoilsport." whined Rory.


          "Voila! You can take your blindfold off now." Tristan exclaimed.

          Rory ripped her blindfold off like an excited five-year old. She gasped audibly at what she saw, an amazing brick there-story house, covered with climbing ivy in the heart of Manhattan. Tristan unlocked the door, and dragged an eager Rory inside. It was completely furnished in Tristan's lavish taste. Oriental rugs covered the black marble that crept from room to room.


          "You like?" asked Tristan cockily knowing the answer already.


            "I like." responded Rory as they made their way upstairs.

          On the second floor there were five bedrooms and each with their adjoining bathroom. After Rory had toured the upstairs they went down to the basement where Rory was completely astounded. Inside was a bar, an exercise room equipped with a place for Juliette's dance, a home movie theater, and all the table sports, tennis, foosball, air hockey, the works!


          "Wow Tristan this is amazing" Rory gasped.


          "Anything for my lovely wife" Tristan replied as he whirled her around into a passionate kiss.

*End of Flashback*


          Rory sighed and a single tear rolled down her cheek. That's how it had been, but it would never be like that again. She couldn't even walk into that brownstone anymore. It hurt too much. She stayed as far away from Tristan as possible. When they picked up or dropped off the kids they'd do it at Lorelai's to avoid contact. She couldn't let Tristan get close again, after what had happened. She had promised herself that she would never let Tristan hurt her again, and she'd never hurt him again either. But Juliette and Andrew were always present and although she would never admit it she knew that avoiding Tristan forever was impossible, but she'd try her best to prolong a meeting as much as she could.

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[The DuGrey Brownstone]

          "Daddy, we're home! We're just going to pack some stuff and then can you drop us off at Grams?" yelled Jules as she walked through the door.

            "Hold it princess! You guys aren't going anywhere tonight." Tristan said making his way down the stairs to greet his kids.


          "Before you say anything else, Juliette Lorelai DuGrey, didn't I forbid you to wear that skirt? You have tons of other skirts tailored for school and I specifically told you to get rid of that one. It's way too short! Guys are going to be distracted. Instead of thinking about French they're going to be thinking about how far they're going to have to crane their necks to see underwear." Tristan said to his daughter.

          Drew who had walked in was wearing a smirk as he looked at Juliette. Jules in turn, mouthed credit card back. Drew immediately shut his mouth and began to take off his blazer and loosen his tie.


          "And exactly how would you know that dad?" asked Jules her eyebrow raised and arm resting on her cocked hip.


          "I was one of those guys." Tristan admitted two patches of color appearing on his cheeks.


            "C'mon guys. Change into something besides those uniforms I spent an hour making my special tomato sauce and boiling spaghetti. I hope you guys are hungry. You aren't going to your grandparent's because Ror---I mean your mom's flight was delayed, and she won't be getting in till late tonight. However, she will be picking you guys up tomorrow morning. Now shoo! I have to set the table!" Tristan said pointing his kids up the stairs.


            Besides cooking he had called up a maid and made sure the whole house was totally and completely in order. Even Jules' and Drew's messy rooms had been straightened up completely. Usually he could care less, but Rory was stopping in tomorrow and the house had to look nice.


          While Tristan set the table Jules and Drew were talking.


          "Something's fishy, mom never comes over to pick us up." Jules whispered.


          "I know what you mean! We always meet at Grams. You know what? We're calling Grams as soon as dinner's over. Meet me downstairs as soon as you finish your homework. While we discuss our plans I plan to kick your butt in air hockey." Drew whispered and they separated going towards their respective rooms.


            As the family was eating dinner, the kids had already put their plan in motion. On the way home they decided they had to remind their parents of each other as much as possible until they came up with a solid plan.


          "Dad, this is awesome! I can really tell why mom always said that she was sure you were always lying about not being Italian." Drew said.


          "Yeah, mom loves Italian! When she took us to Rome last summer we went to this cute little bistro. It had amazing food, but I can't remember the name…" supplied Jules.


            "L'Uomo Grasso, it means the fat man in Italian." Tristan replied thinking of a night long ago in Rome with a very special brunette.


          "That's it! How did you know, Dad?" asked Drew.


          "Me and your mom went there once when we went on a second honeymoon to Rome. It was a magical trip." responded Tristan the traces of a smile playing on his lips.


          "Wow it sounds like it was amazing." Jules said breathlessly.


          "That it was Jules that it was." Tristan whispered softly. Jules and Drew made eye contact and knew phase one was already in motion.


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[The Next Morning, Hayden Penthouse]

          Rory Gilmore was clad in a knee length red skirt, a black long sleeved tee, and a denim jacket. She was pacing around her penthouse barefoot waiting for the arrival of her kids as she nervously twirled a strand of curled brown hair around her finger. She had been waiting forever, so she snatched up the phone and called her mother.


          "MOTHER!"


          "Oooh…I'm in trouble you never call me mother."

 

            "What were your exact words to my ex?"


          "I don't know Ror; something along the lines of you'll pick up the kids at the DuGrey brownstone."


          "Tell me you're joking mom! This is just some evil joke, right?" When there was no response on the other end she continued, "Oh my god! How could you do this to me? I can't go back there, that's it! I'm calling him and telling him to send the kids here in a cab!"


            "Rory, honey, I love you more than anything. Do you realize how incredibly stupid you'll sound if you say that to Tristan? I did it for your own good; you can't keep avoiding that man. It's not right, Ror, it's just not right."


            "But mom, I can't. I can't look at his face and smile and pick up Jules and Drew. I couldn't do it 7 years ago and I can't do it now."


            "Rory, you can face him. You can't live the rest of not saying the name Tristan, staying away from that house, and living in fear of him. Honey, he needs to get over you too. As much as you'd like to make him this evil person in your head he is the same man you married, and until you can face that Rory you aren't living your life like you should. I have to go now hun, aurevoir babe!"


            Lorelai did feel bad for Rory but after the long conversation her and Christopher had with their grandchildren last night she knew what had to be done, had to be done and that was getting her daughter back together with the love of her life.


          "Mom?" Rory whispered into the receiver but her Mom was long gone. She sighed inwardly and slipped on very high-heeled sandals. Hey if I get in a fight with him I can at least break his toe Rory thought to herself.



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[DuGrey Brownstone]

          Rory parked her car in back of the brownstone and slowly walked to the front door. Before she rang the doorbell she smoothed her skirt out with her fingers and checked to make sure she looked perfect as she slipped a pair of dark sunglasses on. And then she pressed the doorbell praying to god that Jules or Drew picked up the door and not Tristan. But, to her luck it was Tristan. He was dressed in very light khaki pants and a dark blue cashmere sweater. His sun-kissed face was only marred by a few thin wrinkles, otherwise he could've still passed for 16.


          "Uh, hi Tristan! Are Jules and Drew ready yet? I'm sorry I was running kind of late, I needed to stop by the office and I just got caught up with everything and I know I said I'd pick them up in the morning and now it's the afternoon…" Rory babbled on but was cut off by Tristan.


          "Rory, Jules and Drew are just finishing packing. We were up late last night watching a movie and they slept late. You can come in or just fry outside it's your call." Tristan said opening the door wider so Rory could make her way in.


          "Rory, do you want some OJ, H20, coke, sprite, chardonnay?" asked Tristan jokingly.


            "Some water Tristan, thanks." Rory looked around the house and removed her sunglasses. Tristan watched her as he took the water out of the fridge. She hadn't changed a bit, she still had that innocent beauty and he hated her for it. It would be much easier to get over an ugly bitch, but he had fallen for, broken the heart of, and gotten his heart broken by Lorelai Leigh Gilmore.


          "So how are things with uh…what did Jules tell me his name was…oh yeah David?" Tristan asked as he gave Rory the water.

            "Thanks Tristan. Dave and me broke things off a while ago, it just wasn't working. Both of us are so involved in our job. What about you and uh…Madison?" Rory asked.
         


          "She got back together with her old boyfriend. But we're still friends." Tristan said with a sardonic smile.


          "Well Rory, it was nice seeing you but I have some stuff to wrap up before I head to the firm, so just let yourself out when Jules and Drew decide to show their faces." Tristan said before he left the room and went toward his 1st floor office.


          "Good-bye Tristan…" Rory said softly as she drank the last of her water and looked expectantly at the stairs.


            Once inside his office, Tristan filled a glass with scotch and downed it immediately. There was no way he would forgive Rory Gilmore or let himself be forgiven by her. Things had ended with Rory 7 years ago.


Hadn't they?


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3 hailey