Will History Repeat itself? Part 3
Author: Ice
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
~~Saturday in Stars Hollow-Lorelai's~~
"Tell my mother I'm sick." Lorelai said with a pout sitting on the couch. Rory was standing in front of her, Liv was next to Lorelai and Jess and Chris were in the kitchen.
"No Mom." Rory said. Trying to get Lorelai and Jess both out of the house, on time, to go to Emily's was almost impossible.
"Hey, if she gets to stay home so do I." Jess said coming out of the kitchen.
"She's not staying home. Come on. Go get changed. See…Liv is wearing the halter you gave her, don't you want to see Grandma's reaction?"
"Yeah Grams. We can make fun of all the people that are stuck there just like us. We can make up scandals." Liv supplied. Lorelai looked thoughtful.
"Fine." She said and got off the couch to get changed.
~~Hartford, Gilmore Mansion~~
Lorelai, Jess, and Liv were standing in the corner of Emily's living room, making fun of people as they passed. Chris and Rory are over talking to Paris Gellar, and her son, Michael, who is 10.
"And she is getting a nose job, because her husband is cheating on her with her own sister." Liv said, pointing to a woman that Lorelai went to school with.
"You know Liv, I bet your not that far off." Lorelai said. Jess chuckled. Liv looked towards the door waiting for the next victim when Lauren Dugrey walks in the door with a man about her mother's age.
"Whoa. Who is that hunk of beef?" Lorelai whispered.
"I don't know who he is, but the girl with him is Lauren Dugrey. The girl Chris likes." They watch as the man looks around the room, taps Lauren on the shoulder and then starts to walk over to Paris and Rory. Jess stiffens and starts walking over there as well, followed by a curious Lorelai and Liv.
"My, my if it isn't Paris Gellar, and my Mary." Rory stops mid-sentence and turns to face the man that has interrupted their conversation. Chris smiles shyly at Lauren who sort of waves back.
"Tristan. Tristan Dugrey. Long time no see." Rory smiled as she sees Jess walk over.
"Hey Lauren." Chris says.
"Hi Chris."
"So this is Chris hmm?" Tristan says to his daughter. Chris remembers his manners and sticks out his hand.
"Christopher Mariano sir." Tristan takes his hand and shakes it.
"Tristan Dugrey." By this time Jess had come over, curious to meet the girl his son liked. Rory smiled when he reached her and grabbed his arms to put around her waist. Tristan raised an eyebrow.
"Tristan, this is my husband, Jess Mariano," They shook hands, "and my daughter Olivia."
"Call me Liv."
"Hi Bible boy." Lorelai said. Tristan smirked somewhat confused.
"Lorelai." He had known from Rory in high school that you call her mother Lorelai, "This is my daughter Lauren." Rory smiled sweetly at her. Jess saw Tristan study Rory. He had heard stories about this guy that made Rory's life miserable at Chilton, who she had kissed after she broke up with Dean the first time, and from the stories he figured out that Tristan liked his wife. But he wasn't the jealous type. He knew that right before Tristan had left for Military school that they had been friends though.
"Hey Lauren. Want to go get something to drink?" Lauren nodded, and she and Chris walked to where the drinks were. A few minutes later, Emily greeted Tristan and pulled Lorelai and Liv away to meet some people. Paris too had somehow disappeared, so that left Tristan, Jess and Rory. There was an uncomfortable silence.
"So Chris and Lauren like each other huh?" Rory smiled at Tristan's attempt to make conversation.
"Yeah. I guess they do. Which means we're gonna be seeing each other a lot more then." Rory answered.
"Excuse me, Jess, Rory, I need to talk to you about Liv's attire." Emily came up and said. Liv had apparently taken off the top coat of her outfit and now was showing her backless halter. Jess rolled his eyes.
"Nice to meet you Tristan." He said before walking away.
"Tristan, we have to get together sometime and catch up. But I have to go. Liv has to much, Lorelai and Jess in her." Rory smiled and walked away.
~~While this is going on~~
Chris and Lauren walked over to where the drinks were. Chris greeted people as they went.
"So I guess your Dad does know my mom huh?" Chris said to her as he handed her a drink.
"Yeah. I just didn't know that your mom was Mary."
"Mary?"
"Yeah, my Dad always tells me this story about the one who got away, his "Mary". They knew each other in high school, he basically made her life a living hell by teasing her, but it was just cause he didn't know how to tell her he liked her. Then," By this time they were walking out to the patio and sat on one of the benches, "my Dad got in some trouble, got sent to military school, and never saw "Mary" again. He then met my mom and they got married and had me. Then she died when I was four and it's been me and him ever since." Chris looked at her, interest and question in his eyes.
"Wow. So your Dad was in love with my mom?" Lauren looked at Chris.
"Apparently." She smiled and her eyes traveled down to his mouth. He smiled back and leaned in. She closed the gap, kissing lightly at first and then intensifying the kiss when they both felt the electricity and passion flow between them. They pulled apart slightly, smiled at each other, then Lauren closed the gap again, her hands running through his hair, his arms wrapped around her waist trying to get her as close as possible.
"Ahem." Chris heard a throat being cleared and he pulled back from Lauren breathing heavily.
"You'd better fix your hair you guys or your parents are gonna have something to say." Lorelai said to them with a smile. Chris blushed slightly. Lorelai stuck out her hand to Lauren.
"Lorelai Gilmore, Chris's grandma. You can call me Lorelai."
"Hi Lorelai." Lauren was now running her hands through her own hair trying to fix it.
"Now come back inside you two or Emily will come looking for you." She turned and went back into the house. Chris and Lauren turned to each other and Lauren wiped some lipstick off of Chris's lips. She smiled and stood up. He followed suite, grabbed her hand and they walked back into the party together.
~~4 Hours later~~
It was time to leave, Chris and Lauren were basically attached at the hip, Rory and Jess were talking to Tristan, apparently Tristan was very into music and literature, something Rory never knew and he and Jess were getting along very well, and Liv and Lorelai were sitting taking it all in, trying to figure out how to make fun of their family later for it. All the guests had left except for the Mariano's, Lorelai, and the Dugrey's.
"Thank you so much Grandma. We had fun tonight."
"Thank you for coming Rory. And Liv, next time please wear a respectable shirt. That was rather inappropriate." Liv rolled her eyes. Chris elbowed her in the arm. She glared at him.
"Thank you for inviting us Mrs. Gilmore, Lauren and I had a lovely time." Tristan smiled at Emily.
"You're very welcome Tristan. You and Lauren are welcome here anytime." They started walking out the door.
"Good night Lorelai."
"Night Mom." And the door closed. They walked out to the driveway together, and Chris and Lauren went into the shadows to say a private goodbye. Liv got into the car.
"Good night Tristan. We'll be seeing you around most likely." Tristan smiled and held the car door open for Lorelai. Then he turned to Jess and Rory.
"It was great to see you again Rory. And nice meeting you Jess." He smiled in the darkness.
"Yeah. Nice meeting you." Jess climbed into the driver's seat of the Explorer leaving Rory and Tristan.
"Tris, we have to get together and catch up. I mean to like lunch or something."
"Yeah, definitely. Here's my cell number. Call and we'll figure something out. " He wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it too her.
"Ok yeah I'll call you tomorrow about setting something up." She looked around. "Chris! We're leaving!" She yelled into the night. She saw Jess shake his head but smile.
"Lauren come on! We're leaving!" The two teenagers come out of the shadows smiling and go to their respective cars.
"I'll see you soon Mary. Nice meeting you all again." Tristan got in his car and drove off.
~~Star's Hollow-Mariano house after dropping Lorelai off~~
"Night Mom, Dad." Liv said going downstairs. Rory and Jess started walking upstairs and then Jess said,
"Night Chris."
"Huh? Oh right. Night." He walked downstairs in a daze. Rory and Jess smiled at each other. Jess starts up the stairs again, but Rory pulls on his jacket stopping him. Jess turned to face his wife.
"Hmm?" She pulled him, by the shirt closer to her.
"I love you." She said kissing him.
"I love you too." He then proceeded to tickle her and she shrieked and ran up the stairs. Jess caught her when they got on the landing and he pulled her in to kiss her.
"Hey Dodger."
"Yeah?"
"Make me coffee." Rory smiled and Jess shook his head, let go of Rory and went into the kitchen while Rory went to the TV to pick out a DVD.
She chose High Fidelity and put it in the DVD player. Jess came in a few minutes later with the beloved coffee and sat next to her on the couch. Rory pressed Menu then play movie and they snuggled into each other.
~~Downstairs in the twins bedrooms~~
Liv barged into her brother's room.
"Thanks for knocking." He said sarcastically.
"So you and Lauren are getting serious?" She sat on the bed.
"Yeah I guess. I don't really wanna talk about it right now Liv. I just wanna go to bed."
"Bull. It's only 11:30." She put her arms across her chest.
"Fine I wanna go online and do work for the Franklin."
"Closer." Chris glared at his sister.
"Fine I told Lauren we could talk online now leave."
"Fine Brother." Liv smiled and left the room. She went into the den room that the twins had. She looked around the room and heard movie sounds coming from upstairs. She walked up and saw her parents cuddled on the couch. Liv smiled. She walked over to the couch. Rory smiled as Liv came and sat down in front of the couch. Jess rubbed his daughter's shoulders as she leaned back into the couch.
~~The Next Day (Sunday)~~
"So your going on a date with Tristan? And Dad's okay with this?" Liv asked as she bit into a donut at Luke's diner. She was taking her break, Chris was on the grill again, and Rory was sitting waiting until it was time to go meet Tristan for lunch.
"It's not a date. We're catching up. And yes your father's fine with it. He likes Tristan. Chris is Lauren coming too?" she called to the back.
"I think so. After I'm done here we're gonna go back to the house and watch a movie." Rory took another sip of coffee. She looked at her watch.
"I gotta get going. You be good Liv. And have fun Chris!" Rory left the diner. Jess walks in from upstairs.
"Hey guys." He said, "where's your mom?"
"Went to lunch with Tristan," Liv answered. He nodded.
"Your ok with this Dad?"
"Why not? Nothing ever went on between them except for that one kiss. I got nothing to worry about." Jess shrugged.
~~A Café in Hartford~~
Rory walked into the café where she was meeting Tristan and saw him at a table. She smiled and went over to where he was sitting.
"Hey Tristan." He stood up to greet her.
"Hey Rory." They sat down. They ordered lunch and then Tristan jumped right into it.
"So you got married?" Rory nodded.
"Yeah. Jess came to Stars Hollow a little while before you left. We were friends, we had the banter going, the literary discussion, the whole thing. I was still with Dean, but we were kinda growing apart. The town hated him 'cuz he was the bad boy. We got into a car accident, he swerved to avoid hitting an animal, he left town. I missed my mom's college graduation because I went to New York to see him. A few days later he came back to Stars' Hollow and I kissed him at my mom's friend's wedding. I broke up with Dean, we started dating, on and off. And then after college we started dating seriously. We got married when I was 24 had the twins when we were 25." By then the food had come. Tristan was listening intently while eating.
"Wow." Rory smiled.
"Yeah."
"Where did you get their names from? If you don't mind me asking." Rory shook her head.
"Olivia, is after Oliver Twist. I called him Dodger when we were teenagers. And Christopher is after my father."
"Wow."
"Your turn." Rory said taking a bit of her spaghetti. Tristan sighed.
"I went to Military school, stayed the way I was going from girl to girl for a few years, mostly because I was hurting myself for letting you go." He looked into her food.
"Oh." Tristan went on.
"I went to NYU. I met Lauren's Mom, we got married. We had Lauren 2 years later. I named Lauren after you actually. Her name is Lauren (Laur) Mary." Rory looked shocked.
"Wow Tristan, I never knew…"
"Yeah I know. That's my fault. I never told you. I kind of got over you when I met Liz, Lauren's Mom. And when she died when Lauren was four, I thought of you again, but I had a four year old to raise. Then my company moved me back to Hartford. In the back of my mind, I thought of you wondering if you still lived in the area. And when your grandmother invited me to the party, I was nervous to see you again. But then I saw Jess come up to you and you introduced him over your husband I automatically hated him like I did Bag Boy. Then I got to know him and I got over it."
"Wow. Tris, I…"
"And now, I see that Lauren and Chris like each other as much as I liked you. So I guess the second generation is gonna get the chance we never did." He smiled.
"Yeah. Chris and Lauren sure were inseparable last night."
"Yeah. So you and Jess are happy?"
"Yes Tristan. We talk about books all the time, we like the same movies and such. We're soul mates. I think." She smiled.
"Yeah? Did you get into Harvard?" Rory nodded.
"Yes. Jess went to Yale for journalism. So did I. And I minored in education. I'm a teacher now."
The rest of the lunch was uneventful. They talked about work, they're families. Basically caught up. They left the restaurant an hour and a half later and stood on the sidewalk. So you wanna come back to the house and get Lauren? Or is there a special time you want her home?"
"It's a school night so make sure she leaves by 8:30. Ok?" Rory nodded. "Thanks. I'll see you soon."
"Bye." They each went to their cars.
~~Star's Hollow 5:30~~
The Mariano's and Lauren were sitting in the upstairs living room, watching Coyote Ugly. Jess and Rory were curled up on the couch. Chris and Lauren were on the floor Chris sitting against a chair with Lauren's head in his lap. Liv was in the recliner. She then got up and said, "I'm ordering Chinese. Mom which side of the menu?"
"Lauren do you like chicken?" Rory asked.
"Yeah. General Tso's if possible."
"No problem. Liv, the chicken side." Liv nodded and went to the phone.
Liv came back into the living room. "15 minutes." She sat back down watched the movie some more.
The doorbell rang 20 minutes later. Jess went down to the door and opened the door to where Kirk was standing.
"Thanks Kirk."
"You guys order a lot of food for 4 people."
"Really? Thanks for telling us. We had no idea." He took the food and closed the door in Kirk's face. "Food!" He yelled. He went into the kitchen and was followed by the rest of the troop. They got their food and went back to finish the movie.
At 8:30 Chris and Lauren were outside saying goodbye to each other.
"I'll go online when I get home. So I'll talk to you then?" She asked. He nodded.
"Yeah." They kiss, "night Laur."
"Night." They kiss again. She pulls away and she gets into her car and drove away. Chris went back into the house.
