Chapter: Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Chapter Summary: Everyone's lives are changing for the better. JJ, Trory, Minutemen (Dean/Lindsey)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Dedication: A huge thanks goes to lickergirl {Summer} for her help with Drunk Rory. Lola, as well, for being the best beta ever.
Lindsey pushed open the doors of Stars Hollow High, a newfound confidence surging inside of her. She was late again, but she didn't seem to care. As her feet trod the empty halls, her heart beat faster. Today, Dean was free and she would finally get what she wanted.
Later that night, Rory sat in Tristan's car. She lightly drummed her fingers on the door. Tristan glanced at her, quietly wishing this night would be okay. He remembered what had happened the last time they were at a party together. Hopefully this time, she wouldn't run from him.
As Lindsey put the finishing touches on her makeup, she sighed. Tonight she was finally going to get what she wanted.
Dean sat on his bed, a glum look on his face. He heard from Miss Patty of a flashy black Alfa Romeo picking up Rory. He knew of only one guy who drove that kind of car. Tristan DuGrey. Why the hell was Rory going out with the accountant? Dean knew of only one thing. Revenge. He grabbed his coat, and yelled to his Mom, "I'm going out."
Tristan turned towards the makeshift bar at Josh's house. "Mare, you want a drink?"
Rory smiled slyly, "Sure."
'Humph,' Tristan thought, 'Mary is accepting an alcoholic beverage? Wow. I wonder if she has ever even drunk before.'
Tristan picked up two shots and handed one to Rory. As she quickly gulped it down, he watched her.
"Slow down, Ror," he said. "We have all night."
She thrust the empty glass back at him. "Can I pleeease have another one?"
He rolled his eyes. "Slow down. I don't think you know what you're doing."
She lightly punched his arm, "Trissssssssy! Of course I know what I'm doing!"
Tristan looked around. He willed that no one else was observing Rory Gilmore drinking multiple tequila shots. He knew this was something Madeline and Louise would love to see.
After she downed the third shot, he pulled her by the arm into the vacant library. In other situations, she would have come in here willingly, but tonight this was not the case.
"Uh, you just stay here, okay?" he said.
"Yeah, whatever."
He ventured back out into the party, Kylie Minogue bursting through his ears. Regardless of what he had told Rory, he needed a drink. He grabbed two shots off the table and quickly went back into the library. He avoided the looks of his classmates, who obviously thought he was on a drinking rampage. From the way he was sneaking into the library, a tequila shot in each hand, he wasn't surprised.
Sighing, he quickly shut the large oak door of the library. Rory was playing with her hair.
"Here," he said, "just drink this." Tristan knew that if she was in a drinking mood..well, that she would drink. There was no holding her back. He had learned from experience.
She gulped it down. "It's just, Tristan, I'm so confused."
He squirmed, "Uh, what are you confused about?"
"Guys."
Tristan was no expert on guys. Despite the fact that he was one and all, he was no couples psychologist.
"Er . . . right," he said. It was all he could say. What was he supposed to say when the girl he'd been crushing on for over a year had a breakdown at a party over other guys? Not even just one guy, but the plural? Tristan needed some more tequila.
"I don't usually break down like this." Rory sobbed between her words. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
'I do,' Tristan thought, 'you're drunk.'
She took another sip.
Tristan grabbed the shot glass from her grip. "No," he told her firmly, "Drinking will not solve any problems. If anything, it will create more. " He paused and averted her glance. "Trust me, I know from experience."
"Oh." Rory said simply. She giggled, "You know how last time we went to a party we kissed and I ran away?"
"Er.yeah." It was one of those memories Tristan would rather forget.
"Well, I had broken up with Dean because I couldn't say 'I love you' to him. But when you kissed me, I realized not only could I not say it.I couldn't mean it."
Tristan was shell shocked. He had wished and dreamed about this revelation, but he frankly didn't expect it while she was drunk. His dream scenario featured Rory running towards him with her arms open and him kissing her passionately. As he tried to rid himself of that thought, Rory continued to blabber on.
"So, then I got back together with him. I just didn't know what else to do, you know? But Luke's nephew Jess moved to Stars Hollow, and we became really good friends. I went to see him when he was sent back to New York City. I skipped school to see him! Then, he came back and I kissed him at Sookie's wedding. Next day, I left for Washington with Paris."
Tristan had no idea about any of this. He had heard snippets about Jess, and he certainly knew about her trip to Washington. The day Rory skipped school was a momentous occasion to him and all his fellow Chiltonites. He had wondered what her reason was. But.her kissing him? The thought made his stomach churn.
He swallowed hard, "What happened next?"
"I've kinda been avoiding him since then. Last night, I saw him and he told me he's moving to California."
Tristan couldn't help but feel relieved.
"I feel really bad about this, but I'm almost relieved. I mean, if he didn't leave then I would have so much more shit to deal with. You're the guy I want to be with, the guy I've always wanted to be with." Rory covered her face in her hands, quietly sobbing.
Tristan scooted closer next to her, wondering what he was supposed to do. As he softly patted her head, he tried to soothe her. Gathering her up in his arms, he murmured, ' Don't worry, Ror. I'm here with you now, and everything's going to be okay. Everything's changing, but I am a hundred percent positive that it's for the better."
She snuggled in closer against his chest, and her breathing became steady. Tristan relaxed as he continued to stroke her silky hair.
Everything was going to be okay.
Lindsey whispered in Dean's ear, 'Let's go somewhere a little more quiet.'
Dean signaled to his friends that he was leaving.
They left, hand in hand, and headed towards the gazebo. Dean felt happy with her, an emotion he hadn't experienced with Rory since they started dating. He was content with Lindsey, too. She was, in all honesty, his academic and social equal. Dean could think of no reasons why they wouldn't be happy together.
He smiled at her and they sat down on the bench. She snuggled next to him, "What's your biggest secret?" She giggled at her childish question. But, she honestly wanted to know. Lindsey wanted to know every detail there was to know about him. She wanted to know his first kiss, his first crush. She wanted to know who his first best friend was, all the places he lived, all the places he wanted to visit. Lindsey wanted to know what his life's ambitions were, because she wanted to be a part of them.
He smiled at her. "My biggest secret is that I really want to kiss you right now," he said sheepishly.
Lindsey smiled back, "By all means, go right ahead."
Their lips met in a kiss, full of promise and hope for the future. It was a moment they'd remember all their lives.
Lorelai paced around the diner, "Where the hell could she be, Luke? She was supposed to come home over an hour ago!"
Luke tried to calm her, "Don't worry. Rory's a good girl. She's not going to do anything stupid."
Lorelai flared her arms, "I'm not worried about Rory. I'm worried about that DuGrey boy and his influence over her!"
"It's only their first date. It's a party! He won't try anything at a party, with lots of other kids."
"Don't you see? The fact that it's a party makes it worse! He'll take her up into some random bedroom. I know what goes on at those parties. Hell, I went to plenty when I was sixteen. They have drugs, alchohol and plenty of sex."
Luke frowned, "You have no need to worry about her! She's a great kid. Really." Luke sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as much as Lorelai.
She sighed deeply in return, "I guess I'll know in a few hours. I'm just going to go back home now." Impulsively, she reached over the counter and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."
As Lorelai left the door, the bells above it chimed. Luke thought that the sound must be mirroring that of his heartbeat. He rubbed his cheek. She had never done that before. Every time she greeted Christopher, she kissed him on the cheek. But, then again, she had slept with him. Plenty of times. For them, a kiss on the cheek wasn't a big deal.
But Luke and Lorelai? Was their relationship changing for the better?
Chapter Summary: Everyone's lives are changing for the better. JJ, Trory, Minutemen (Dean/Lindsey)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Dedication: A huge thanks goes to lickergirl {Summer} for her help with Drunk Rory. Lola, as well, for being the best beta ever.
Lindsey pushed open the doors of Stars Hollow High, a newfound confidence surging inside of her. She was late again, but she didn't seem to care. As her feet trod the empty halls, her heart beat faster. Today, Dean was free and she would finally get what she wanted.
Later that night, Rory sat in Tristan's car. She lightly drummed her fingers on the door. Tristan glanced at her, quietly wishing this night would be okay. He remembered what had happened the last time they were at a party together. Hopefully this time, she wouldn't run from him.
As Lindsey put the finishing touches on her makeup, she sighed. Tonight she was finally going to get what she wanted.
Dean sat on his bed, a glum look on his face. He heard from Miss Patty of a flashy black Alfa Romeo picking up Rory. He knew of only one guy who drove that kind of car. Tristan DuGrey. Why the hell was Rory going out with the accountant? Dean knew of only one thing. Revenge. He grabbed his coat, and yelled to his Mom, "I'm going out."
Tristan turned towards the makeshift bar at Josh's house. "Mare, you want a drink?"
Rory smiled slyly, "Sure."
'Humph,' Tristan thought, 'Mary is accepting an alcoholic beverage? Wow. I wonder if she has ever even drunk before.'
Tristan picked up two shots and handed one to Rory. As she quickly gulped it down, he watched her.
"Slow down, Ror," he said. "We have all night."
She thrust the empty glass back at him. "Can I pleeease have another one?"
He rolled his eyes. "Slow down. I don't think you know what you're doing."
She lightly punched his arm, "Trissssssssy! Of course I know what I'm doing!"
Tristan looked around. He willed that no one else was observing Rory Gilmore drinking multiple tequila shots. He knew this was something Madeline and Louise would love to see.
After she downed the third shot, he pulled her by the arm into the vacant library. In other situations, she would have come in here willingly, but tonight this was not the case.
"Uh, you just stay here, okay?" he said.
"Yeah, whatever."
He ventured back out into the party, Kylie Minogue bursting through his ears. Regardless of what he had told Rory, he needed a drink. He grabbed two shots off the table and quickly went back into the library. He avoided the looks of his classmates, who obviously thought he was on a drinking rampage. From the way he was sneaking into the library, a tequila shot in each hand, he wasn't surprised.
Sighing, he quickly shut the large oak door of the library. Rory was playing with her hair.
"Here," he said, "just drink this." Tristan knew that if she was in a drinking mood..well, that she would drink. There was no holding her back. He had learned from experience.
She gulped it down. "It's just, Tristan, I'm so confused."
He squirmed, "Uh, what are you confused about?"
"Guys."
Tristan was no expert on guys. Despite the fact that he was one and all, he was no couples psychologist.
"Er . . . right," he said. It was all he could say. What was he supposed to say when the girl he'd been crushing on for over a year had a breakdown at a party over other guys? Not even just one guy, but the plural? Tristan needed some more tequila.
"I don't usually break down like this." Rory sobbed between her words. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
'I do,' Tristan thought, 'you're drunk.'
She took another sip.
Tristan grabbed the shot glass from her grip. "No," he told her firmly, "Drinking will not solve any problems. If anything, it will create more. " He paused and averted her glance. "Trust me, I know from experience."
"Oh." Rory said simply. She giggled, "You know how last time we went to a party we kissed and I ran away?"
"Er.yeah." It was one of those memories Tristan would rather forget.
"Well, I had broken up with Dean because I couldn't say 'I love you' to him. But when you kissed me, I realized not only could I not say it.I couldn't mean it."
Tristan was shell shocked. He had wished and dreamed about this revelation, but he frankly didn't expect it while she was drunk. His dream scenario featured Rory running towards him with her arms open and him kissing her passionately. As he tried to rid himself of that thought, Rory continued to blabber on.
"So, then I got back together with him. I just didn't know what else to do, you know? But Luke's nephew Jess moved to Stars Hollow, and we became really good friends. I went to see him when he was sent back to New York City. I skipped school to see him! Then, he came back and I kissed him at Sookie's wedding. Next day, I left for Washington with Paris."
Tristan had no idea about any of this. He had heard snippets about Jess, and he certainly knew about her trip to Washington. The day Rory skipped school was a momentous occasion to him and all his fellow Chiltonites. He had wondered what her reason was. But.her kissing him? The thought made his stomach churn.
He swallowed hard, "What happened next?"
"I've kinda been avoiding him since then. Last night, I saw him and he told me he's moving to California."
Tristan couldn't help but feel relieved.
"I feel really bad about this, but I'm almost relieved. I mean, if he didn't leave then I would have so much more shit to deal with. You're the guy I want to be with, the guy I've always wanted to be with." Rory covered her face in her hands, quietly sobbing.
Tristan scooted closer next to her, wondering what he was supposed to do. As he softly patted her head, he tried to soothe her. Gathering her up in his arms, he murmured, ' Don't worry, Ror. I'm here with you now, and everything's going to be okay. Everything's changing, but I am a hundred percent positive that it's for the better."
She snuggled in closer against his chest, and her breathing became steady. Tristan relaxed as he continued to stroke her silky hair.
Everything was going to be okay.
Lindsey whispered in Dean's ear, 'Let's go somewhere a little more quiet.'
Dean signaled to his friends that he was leaving.
They left, hand in hand, and headed towards the gazebo. Dean felt happy with her, an emotion he hadn't experienced with Rory since they started dating. He was content with Lindsey, too. She was, in all honesty, his academic and social equal. Dean could think of no reasons why they wouldn't be happy together.
He smiled at her and they sat down on the bench. She snuggled next to him, "What's your biggest secret?" She giggled at her childish question. But, she honestly wanted to know. Lindsey wanted to know every detail there was to know about him. She wanted to know his first kiss, his first crush. She wanted to know who his first best friend was, all the places he lived, all the places he wanted to visit. Lindsey wanted to know what his life's ambitions were, because she wanted to be a part of them.
He smiled at her. "My biggest secret is that I really want to kiss you right now," he said sheepishly.
Lindsey smiled back, "By all means, go right ahead."
Their lips met in a kiss, full of promise and hope for the future. It was a moment they'd remember all their lives.
Lorelai paced around the diner, "Where the hell could she be, Luke? She was supposed to come home over an hour ago!"
Luke tried to calm her, "Don't worry. Rory's a good girl. She's not going to do anything stupid."
Lorelai flared her arms, "I'm not worried about Rory. I'm worried about that DuGrey boy and his influence over her!"
"It's only their first date. It's a party! He won't try anything at a party, with lots of other kids."
"Don't you see? The fact that it's a party makes it worse! He'll take her up into some random bedroom. I know what goes on at those parties. Hell, I went to plenty when I was sixteen. They have drugs, alchohol and plenty of sex."
Luke frowned, "You have no need to worry about her! She's a great kid. Really." Luke sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as much as Lorelai.
She sighed deeply in return, "I guess I'll know in a few hours. I'm just going to go back home now." Impulsively, she reached over the counter and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."
As Lorelai left the door, the bells above it chimed. Luke thought that the sound must be mirroring that of his heartbeat. He rubbed his cheek. She had never done that before. Every time she greeted Christopher, she kissed him on the cheek. But, then again, she had slept with him. Plenty of times. For them, a kiss on the cheek wasn't a big deal.
But Luke and Lorelai? Was their relationship changing for the better?