hey peoples. i feel sooooooo mean for crapping out on the updates lately.

my life has just been super hectic the past couple of days. my best friend

is off to hawaii tomorrow and i wont see her for a month:'(. tears. o

and i thought i should warn u, i'm going on vacation on wednesday for

a week, and im staying with my grandparents who dont own a computer.so

it will pretty much be impossible for me to update. so ill try to have

this story done by then. i know, its sad. im getting a little teary eyed

myself. lol. j/k. kinda.

***

disclaimer: if i owned the show i wouldn't have to settle for cutting

pictures of chad michael murray out of magazines- i'd kidnap him and

take him to vegas to marry me!

***

chapter 21:

***

"Who's that psycho old woman?" Tristan whispered to Rory, referring

to the woman blocking their exit.

"That's Mrs. Kim, my best friend's mom," she whispered back.

"Harsh," he replied.

"Hello Mrs. Kim," Rory said pleasantly.

"Rory. What are you doing leaving with a boy? Your mother would

not approve."

"Actually Mrs. Kim, I have specific orders from my mother

to leave with this boy," Rory told her.

"Are you going to church with him?" she asked.

"Church?" Tristan cried, not knowing that he shouldn't be talking

in this situation. "It's a Thursday, there are no church services."

"Church is always a daily priority!" Mrs. Kim snapped. "If you

are not going to the house of worship, I will have to stay here and

chaperone you myself." And with that, she dragged a chair in front of

the door and sat down.

"This is ridiculous," Luke muttered. "Just let the girl go!"

"No."

"Come on, I'll sneak you out the back way," Luke whispered to

Tristan and Rory. They followed him through the kitchen and out the door

leading to an alley.



"Thanks Luke," Rory said. "You'll never know how much I appreciate

it."

"Well, now I'm going to have to deal with a Korean lady trying

to kill me for letting you two out together."

"Mom and I will make sure to attend your funeral," Rory said,

giving him a hug good bye.

"Is it me or is everyone in Stars Hollow a little over protective

of you?" Tristan asked.



"Yah, I guess they are. But that Mrs. Kim is really strict when

it comes to boys. If she catches her daughter Lane even talking to one

she's grounded for weeks."

"Brutal," he said. "Well anyway, we're out of there. Come back

to my place and take a nap."

"If you say so," Rory said, not even trying to fight him because

she was truly exhausted.



*****

Rory woke up in Tristan's bed with his arms wrapped tightly

around her. The sun was peeking through the curtains, and Rory knew

she had slept from yesterday afternoon all the way to the next morning.

She carefully turned over so that she was facing Tristan. This

had to be the most wonderful feeling she had felt since he had moved

away. This was how she always wanted them to be, together.

As much as she didn't want to, Rory had to leave today. Tristan

insisted that he came with her, that way they could take turns driving.

He would fly out tomorrow morning on a plane back to Connecticut. Rory

thought it was absolutely ridiculous, of course. But Tristan just wanted

to make sure she got home safely.

Tristan began to wakeup, and he yawned loudly.

"Morning," Rory said quietly.

"Morning Beautiful," he replied. Rory smiled.

"I like this," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"Waking up like this. I've missed feeling your arms around me,"

she said. The wonderful feeling of his nearness was already fading at

the thoughts of her returning to North Carolina, and staying there.

"I don't think I can make it back there Tris," she said negatively.

"You're going to have to Mare, there's no other way."

"I know." Neither of them spoke for a while. They just lie there,

enjoying each other's company, knowing in only a few hours it would only

be a memory.

*****

Tristan laughed hartily. They were about four hours into their

road trip and Rory was entertaining him with stories about her grandparents

while he took his turn driving.

"So I walked into my room and above the bed is this huge Justin

Timberlake poster with a gold frame. It was gigantic. And you know how

Mom and I are so anti-boyband. I almost died. I mean, my grandmother is

all about picture perfect rooms that look like they just came out of

some decorating magazine. But this room is like, out of this world. It's

so anti- Grandma."

"So do you still have this room? I mean, is it still all yours?"

he asked.

"Yah, unless Grandma changed it. But I don't think she would do

that. She's always wanted me to feel at home there, so I don't think

she would turn it into anything else."

A lightbulb clicked on in Tristan's head, causing him to smile.

"What?" Rory asked.

"I'm just thinking about the maids your Grandma goes through. It's

unbelievably similar to my family," he said, not wanting to reveal his

idea just yet.

"You probably get all of Grandma's rejects," Rory answered.

Tristan laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised."



*****

"RORY!" Lorelai cried excitedly when they finally pulled into

the driveway that night. "I've missed you so much!"

"Hi Mom," Rory said, returning her mother's affectionate hug.

"Tristan," Lorelai said coldly, shooting him an evil look.

"I'm just joking. I forgive you for tearing my daughter away from me.

Come here and give me a hug, I've missed you too," she said smiling.

He smiled and gave her a hug. At least she wasn't mad at him.

Lorelai turned back to Rory and kissed her cheek.

"Woah, Mom. Bad breath alert!" Rory cried, waving her hand in

front of her nose.

"Oops. I guess I haven't gotten around to buying toothpaste,"

she said.

"Gross!" Rory answered.

"Well, next time you run away just make sure you do it when I

need something like notebook paper or something."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Come on in you guys, I have pie!" Lorelai said, walking towards

the house.

"You didn't make it I hope?" Tristan asked.

"Hey!"

"She didn't, the house isn't burned down," Rory whispered.

"I heard that," Lorelai called back.

Sitting around the table with their coffee and pie, Tristan

found that he couldn't keep his idea to himself any longer.

"Do you think Rory's grandparents would let her live with them?"

he blurted out, causing two forks to drop in shock at the exact same

time.

***

a/n: sorry. i know it is yet another crap chapter. im just kinda in a

funk right now because i really miss my best friend even though its only

like three hours since i saw her and one since we talked on the phone.

im sorry! the next one will be better, i promise.