Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Nobody but the dogs and non Gilmore Girls' characters are mine

Recap: Paris and Jess spot Tristan of all people at Luke's in Stars Hollow

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            "Hey, Paris. How are you? What are you doing here?" Tristan asked sheepishly. Sundae had gotten away from Tristan and ran up to greet her 'aunt' Paris.

            Paris stooped down to greet the little dog before she answers Tristan. "Hey Sundae, how is my favorite little dog doing. You are so out of your element but I bet you love it here." She stood up and acknowledged Sundae's owner, "Yeah, I am here with Jess so that I can see Rory, Lorelei, and Luke, and NOT in that order. I want to see them all equally. Well, Luke doesn't care but I know the other two do. But I digress. I am doing fine, woke up early and drove here…" at a cough from Jess she added, "well I was driven here…Oh Jess this is Tristan, Tristan this is Jess." After the formalities Paris sputtered and asked, "Wait, what are you doing here? You have never even heard of Stars Hollow, until obviously now." She leaned in and whispered so that eavesdropping ears could not hear her, "Is this for your piece?"

            After Tristan discreetly nodded he added, "I just wanted to get away from the city for awhile and let my girls know what it is like to play outside, near trees and grass where they aren't carefully monitored by park workers, like at Central Park. I swear those people follow me around all the time. They think I am going to break the rules or something I don't get it. No one else gets stalked but me." He pretended to pout and Jess rolled his eyes at Tristan's antics.

            Rory came up to the table bearing orange juice and a water dish for the dog. She completely bypassed Paris and Jess, only looking at Tristan. She had picked up the lat sentence of his pretend rant and replied, "Well maybe you get stalked because you're hot. No no, that's not it, I think it's because you have the cutest dog in the world and people want to steal her from you. Here you go cutie, nice cold water." With that, Rory turned around and realized that Paris and Jess were standing right there in front of her. She squealed, launched herself onto Jess, and began talking a mile a minute to Paris. "So, did you guys just get here? You survived a trip with this music dictator. I swear I can't get into a car with him and listen to anything I want to listen to. No, it's all about him. I think his dictatorness is derived from the whole male superiority complex, because men always have to have the remote at hand and be in control. Eh, I don't want to get into that now, we'll do that later when there are none of them around. Mom'll join in too."

Rory resumed her one-sided conversation after taking a gulping breath. "How are you? I haven't talked to you in 12 hours, something major could have happened. Don't do that to me again. Oh and I met your ex." Rory continued talking animatedly using her hands and whole body to help her talk, Jess was having a hard time holding her up. It seems that the older Rory got, the more like her mother she acted. "Do you know that I haven't seen him since Yale and then your wedding? After that not at all. It's understandable since we were all wrapped up in the beginning of our careers that I never visited you all as newlyweds. But Tris and I caught up, well as much as two people could in the middle of Luke's with all of Stars Hollow eavesdropping. So, that's what has happened in the last 12 hours since I have talked to you. What about you? Fill me in woman!" Rory turned to Jess, who was still holding her up and jokingly said, "Oh hey," in a deflated voice and then turned expectantly back to Paris.

Jess, pretending to be hurt, dropped Rory and stomped off to the back room. He came back with a smile, changed into a Nirvana t-shirt, a backwards hat, and a pad and pen ready to help Rory take orders. "You have no idea how much you love me right now, right?"

Rory looked at him, tapping her forehead as if thinking about his question and stuck her tongue out at him, "I owe you so much right now. How about I let you stay upstairs this weekend. That way you could get lucky if you wanted to and not have Lorelei in the next room commenting." She paused to laugh at the absurd thought and realized shit, Paris is still standing right here and she is the only girl right now who he would get lucky with since they are seriously doing the casual dating. "Umm, I meant that you could, umm, walk around in your underwear or watch p…I am just not going to continue that thought. Upstairs is yours though, because you are the best for helping me. So, Paris?"

Paris looked at Rory as if she wanted to kill her and hug her at the same time. Rory is a constant amusement; I can't believe that I haven't seen her in awhile. "Hey Rory. We did just get here. He was actually good and we compromised on the music. There were debates but both of us got out of them unscathed. Yeah I can't believe that you and Tristan haven't seen each other in that long. The last 12 hours have been mainly sleeping, and then eating while Jess was driving. He came prepared…for the drive, he brought coffee and muffins. I love muffins. And now I am here talking to you." Tristan looked at her in complete awe. He didn't understand how someone could understand Rory when she talks so damn fast and then answers all of her questions with the Paris quirkiness and in order. Here I thought I understood women but I really have no clue. And one of them was my former wife. I should know her kinda well. I guess when two of them get together, no male can understand anything. Now I am kind of afraid to meet Lorelei if Rory and Paris are like this…

"You two should go on the road as some side show to a circus. I swear your conversation is so amusing and confusing that I am still processing. Just give me a minute." The girls continued talking amongst themselves when Tristan started tapping his finger on his teeth, as if he wanted to interject and ask a question.

"Have you finally processed? And what do you want me to clarify." Rory remarked with humor in her voice. He was truly trying to process a Gilmore conversation, since Paris had been adopted as a Gilmore years before. He'll stop trying to understand us after he meets Mom.

"Yea, umm, were you letting Jess have the apartment so he could get lucky, walk around in his underwear, and be able to watch porn?"

"I never mentioned the word porn, ever. Your mind must be confused trying to understand everything we were saying and I guess something that you must have been thinking about superimposed itself in your processing of the conversation. There is no other reason for that word to get into our convo." Rory conjectured trying to control the redness from creeping up from the neckline of her shirt.

Paris was trying so hard not to laugh at the confused look on Tristan's face. He retorted, trying to control some part of this conversation, with sarcasm, "Gosh, that must have been it. I mean you would never have begun to mentioned pornography in conjunction with Jess having his own apartment to stay in this weekend. I must have been thinking about it. It was all me." Tristan rolls his eyes as Paris bursts out laughing, knowing that the point went to Tristan in this mini debate.

Rory, knowing when she lost again used her fantastic subject changing abilities to, change the subject without Paris and Tristan being any wiser. "So, what do you want for breakfast?" That was a non-sequitor if there ever was one. 

Tristan answered innocently and with a cheeky smile, "But Rory, you already got my order. Remember? It was before Paris and Jess  got here."

"I know that I got your order, I was asking Paris. So Paris, what would you like for breakfast? And you know that I won't serve you any of this fruit, yogurt, and toast nonsense. You need more meat on your bones. You're too skinny. Isn't she too skinny, Tris?"

Tristan nodded and ordered lunch for Paris before Paris could get a word in edgewise, since it was around noon, "She'll have a roast beef sandwich with the works on toasted bread, and don't forget the mayo. I am assuming that she will want iced coffee. Please." Rory just shook her head at him as she wrote the order down.

Paris tried to interrupt but the other two wouldn't hear of it. She watched Rory walk away and decided to let this one go, and looked back up at Tristan, seeing if she could get something out of him about his story. "So your story brought you to Stars Hollow?"

"I told you that I would be near hell. But yes, it did, and I am thoroughly glad because this little town has a great personality. The girls like it here too." He looked at Sundae and was unsuccessfully trying to change the subject because he didn't want Paris to realize that his story revolved around the Gilmores. When Paris has her mind set on knowing something, she won't let anything dissuade her from knowing it. Tristan fiddled with the old-fashioned napkin dispenser, that was a normal inhabitant of any old style diner, and looked out the picture window that was the front of Luke's. He saw the townspeople going about their Saturday mid-afternoon business at a pace foreign to New York. The people were meandering, not focused, in a speed walk manner. He really liked the idea of not having a destination or not having to get to that destination at a specific time.

Paris saw Tristan's calm look and follows his line of vision. He is at peace here. He really likes it. It is really interesting how he seems so out of place in Stars Hollow but at the same time, he fits so perfectly. She brought Tristan back to reality. She HAD to know something about the story and its relation to Stars Hollow. "Who is this Runaway Bride?" She asked in a conspirator's voice. She didn't want people to overhear this conversation because Tristan always liked privacy when he was researching and writing his pieces.

He didn't want to give anything away but since Paris could potentially help him gather his research, he told her, "I read an article in the Hartford Connection that talked abut Lorelei Gilmore and how she would get engaged and then at the last minute, she would walk down the isle and run back the other way, leaving her fiancé standing at the alter, literally. And, I did more research before I left to come here, and I found out that she's engaged again, and is getting married very soon. So I am here to do what I do best, find out the real reason behind her running away."

Lorelei has only been engaged twice. And she has never walked down the isle to run back the other way. Wait, she's married to Luke right now and having his twins. I'm really confused, what is going on here? "Lorelei? Are you sure? Because she's married, and is pregnant." Paris paused to let everything sink in. "Wait, there are three Lorelei Gilmores. One being the original Mrs. Gilmore, then Lorelei, and finally Rory. Lorelei's out, and so is Mrs. Gilmore, so I guess that leaves…Rory? She's the runaway bride!"

Just as they realized Tristan's blunder, Rory waddled up to their table, heavy with two full plates of food. "You two look so secretive? What are you talking about?"

Tristan immediately took a bite of his food so he could be given a chance to think about a cover-up because he didn't want her to know why he was at Stars Hollow because that would temper his research. "Paris was just filling me in on her making-dinner date with Jess last night, but obviously I am not enough of a girl to know all the details." He pouted. "And also, she doesn't want the town to know that she and Jess are dating yet because it's only a day old and the town would blow it out of proportion." Rory seemed to believe him and walked off to attend to other customers.

Tristan turned and questioned Paris, "Rory is the runaway bride? Rory? I just can't bend my mind around that possibility. You're her friend, has she gotten engaged before?"

"She and Dean got engaged during college but then that was broken off. But two other times? I don't think she has, but then again I don't know. Wait, she was seeing some guy between college and graduate school, but she didn't talk about it at all. She didn't talk about the whole Dean thing either, after it was over. But I don't know about a third one, although that doesn't mean that it didn't happen. And she's supposed to be engaged? Right now?" Tristan nodded in reply. "I don't know anything about that… Wait, you can't do this article."

Tristan sputtered, "What? Of course I am doing this article. I'm here, I have met the subject, and I am immersed in the town. Everyone would be very confused if I rented a house for months and then after one day I just leave. Not going to happen Paris."

"But she's someone we know, personally. She's my best friend. We all went to Chilton together. You just can't do this. Don't you understand?"

"Not in the least. I think you are overreacting about this. So what if we know Rory. That doesn't matter. I am already 'in' at Stars Hollow. I want to do this article, and it is only more interesting that we do know her. You can help me by telling me about her personality. Then I can become good friends with her and get the real story. It all works out. "

"I don't think this is a good idea." Paris said coinciding. "She will find out that you are befriending her just for a story and then the piece will be shot to hell because the whole town will find out and everyone will ignore you. Boom, all for nothing. I'm just telling you what could and probably will happen."

"Will you at least help me? I know you don't agree with this but I have already decided. I actually want to do this. So, will I get help from my friend or will you just be my editor?"

Paris didn't directly answer Tristan but instead called Rory over to the table. "Hey Rory," she called. When Rory approached the table, Sundae greeted her before anyone else at the table, she had been lonely, being ignored by her daddy and aunt.

"Did you guys forget about my favorite new customer here? She looked so lonely while you all were gossiping and she appears so happy to see me, and she doesn't even know me."

"Sundae will forgive me when I give her this piece of Tristan's bacon…See?" Paris gave the dog the bacon and Sundae forgot that she was mad because she was ignored, and munched on the bacon, with adoration for Paris in her big brown eyes. Her tail started moving in overdrive. "She loves me now, but I don't know about Tristan, Sundae likes to hold a grudge against him if he doesn't treat her like anything but a princess. Anyway, I want you to keep a close eye on Tristan while he's here since he knows no one and I can't stay and watch over him. Because you know he could get into a lot of trouble with people like Ms. Patty and your mother." Paris grinned.

"My Mother? She doesn't get people in a lot of trouble, well not now since she's…oh I didn't tell you! My mom is pregnant with TWINS!" Rory squealed. She totally forgot to call and tell Paris. "I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you. She's already getting big and her due date isn't for at least six months, four months after my wedding. I told you about that didn't I? Don't tell me that I forgot to tell you. Wait, that's why you were down here this weekend, so I could surprise you with both sets of news. Scratch everything. I didn't just tell you anything. Just forget until tonight when you meet him and we all officially tell you all the fun news. Oh, and of course I watch your little Tristan here, so he doesn't get into any trouble with Ms. Patty or Babette. My mother will only antagonize the boy, not do anything harmful. The other two…I don't know what they would do."

"Hi, girls, I am right here. You don't have to talk about me as if I am not here or I am a five year-old." But Tristan was smiling anyway because Paris had decided to help him.

"Tristan, we so knew that you were right here, we were just talking about you to antagonize you. Anyways, how about you two, and Jess of course, " she added loudly so Jess would pay attention, since he was across the room. "be willing to come to dinner at the Gilmore household tonight so we can all officially give our announcements? And yes, Brianna will be there with bells on. She is so excited to finally meet her aunt Paris, since the last time you saw her, she was only a few months old."

Paris is the best friend I could ever have. She doesn't agree with me and my story but she is willing to go out on a limb for me. And, I am in!! Rory has invited tonight. Yes! Maybe this story won't be so hard after all, to research. First, I have to get to know Rory and her personality, all the while gaining her trust and the trust of the town and getting information from everyone pertaining to Rory and her fiancés. "I would love to go tonight, if it is no inconvenience."

Paris wasn't as polite. "You damn well better have invited me to dinner tonight. I am dying to hear the news for real this time. I can't wait to see Brianna and a pregnant Lorelei! Luke is always someone I love seeing when I visit, so I am giddy. I'm actually smiling. This hardly ever happens."

Tristan coughs, "No, you mean it only happens when you are with Jess."

At that Rory's eyes widened and she tried to cover a laugh because she was afraid of what Paris would do in retaliation. But surprisingly, Paris just turned red and laughed. At that noise, Jess looked up and had a genuine smile on his face. Though he was across the room getting orders from the Stars Hollow people who never trusted him during his teenage years, an all around unpleasant situation, he looked happy because Paris laughed. What can I say, I am good. I put those two together. I can't believe that they didn't see each other too much during college and afterwards. I mean he and I were engaged, but, luckily he and I salvaged our friendship because he realized what I found out right before we were going to get married, that we just weren't meant to be a couple. I couldn't see my life without him but I just wasn't in love with him. We weren't and still aren't each other's match. But I think he's found his and I have too…London. Who would have thought that I would be marrying who was connected to Chilton? The high society? But he showed me a good side to the high society. Just like Paris did, after some digging. And they will get to meet tonight. I am so excited.

"Hello? Earth to Rory. Anybody in the house. The lights are on but I don't know if anyone is home." Tristan waved his hands in front of her face as he brought her back from her daze. Tristan proved me wrong too. He's grown up a lot from what I remember about him. He is an enigma that I want to get to know more and Paris has given me the opportunity to do so without acting as if I was hitting on him or anything romantic like that. Also I am engaged, so that's another safety net to not send the wrong message to him.

"Sorry guys, it's been a long morning. I don't know if I will ever get used to being an early riser. I mean I have to get up at 5 so I can open at 6. And this is all in the am, when it's still dark outside…Oh my goodness, I am so sorry I don't complain, really, that was just, ah I don't know. So what are you two up to the rest of the day?"

"Jess and I were going to see Lorelei and Luke, but I guess that's out since Jess is working and Lorelei is showing. She won't want to ruin the surprise. So I guess I have no idea what I'm doing. Tristan what about you?"

"I don't know. I think I'm going to go home and taking a shower because I just went running and I probably smell." Just as Rory and Paris were about to comment he said, "Don't even retort. I know I know. And Sundae needs to get home and have her breakfast. Other than that, I have nothing planned."

"Hmmm," Rory replied. "Paris, you and Jess are going to have a picnic lunch on me. I am going to make him stop working now since the lunch rush is under control. Now Tristan, what and will are we going to have you do?" She thought out loud.

"I have an idea. How about Tristan learns how to work at a diner today and help you out Rory? That way you can get help without Jess and Tristan has something to do and he will be sufficiently introduced to the townspeople."

Tristan thought about that. Paris is the best woman in the world. I will owe her for the rest of my life. I get to spend the day with Rory and then get to know the town as it gets to know me. "If Rory will have me, I would love to help her after I get cleaned up."

"I doubt you would want to spend the better part of your day working at a diner. You really don't have to, I have it under control. But I won't look a gifted horse in the mouth. If you want to help me, you definitely are more than welcome to do so."

"Alrighty, how about I go home and shower then I'll be back here in 30 minutes. Ok?"

"Sure, but only if you really want to do this. Oh and don't worry about the check, I got it."

"I wouldn't have offered, even with Paris' insisting, unless I really wanted to help. And I am paying for my meal. Next time you can cover it ok?" Tristan stood up and dropped a twenty dollar bill.

As he was walking Sundae outside the door Rory called out, "Wear old clothes so you don't mess any nice clothing up." Rory turned to Jess. "Hey, you are off in five. No more work for you today. You and Paris are going to go out on a picnic." Jess just nodded and went into the storage room. Rory turned to Paris, "I totally forgot that you have already eaten lunch. Oh now my plans are foiled."

"Rory do you think that I would eat that stuff?" She lifted up the napkin to show that there was only one bite taken out of her sandwich and a few fries were missing. "I only ate that stuff to show Tristan that I was eating or else he would have ordered me a milkshake or something gross like that."

"Where do people like you come from? It doesn't make sense. You just don't like junk food or anything remotely close to it. A roast beef sandwich isn't anything near junk food. Oh, I forgot there was mayo on it. Heaven forbid you eat mayo. And then there were French fries. You only ate like two or three. Woman, you need to live a little."

"Live a little by eating artery clogging foods that will shorten my lifespan? I think not."

"You sound like a mini Luke. I think he actually used that same speech on me. Jess probably said the same thing too. This is sad."

"That's why I like Luke so much. He is such a sensible man. Well, actually both of them are very sensible. Hmm, so what are we going to make for my picnic with Jess?"

"Follow me." The girls made a healthy picnic and Jess and Paris left the dinner, heading towards the lake. Rory was helping Caesar with the lunch orders when Tristan walked in the diner dressed in a sleeveless blue tank top and loose, old looking khakis.

He saw Rory walk out from the kitchen and rubbed his hands together in anticipation, "I'm ready to work. Let's go."

"Are you sure you can handle blue collar work? It's not as easy as it looks. We don't really have a number system with the tables, I usually just name orders by the people at the tables since I know everyone. But since you don't, I guess that wouldn't work. Umm, how about I just put little post it notes on the tables with numbers on them. Let's just pray that there isn't a big gust of wind that blows open the door and knocks down all of the post it notes. That would suck majorly for you. Now, do you know how to take an order?"

Tristan rolled his eyes, "I have never actually done it but it doesn't look too difficult. Please oh guru of all that is diner related, please enlighten me on the art of being a waiter."

"Ya know, you do work for me today, I think a little respect should be given." She joked.

"That's right, I am helping you today, the respect should be coming my way."

"Eh, not so much. You agreed to be my helper so, you need to be more subservient. You know, follow orders. The golden rule of being a waiter is: the customer is always right. Do whatever the customer wants, unless it is Ms. Patty then run like hell. Oh yeah, Kirk also is the other customer who isn't always right. You'll know which one he is when he asks you to get him crazy things. For example, today, right before you came in, Kirk wanted coffee filled 2/3 of the cup full. No more, no less. He has in the past asked for peanut butter and roast beef sandwiches, heavy on the olives. I swear he eats what is the epitome of what a pregnant woman craves. You know what I mean, the gross combos. Also, my mother will come in here and insist that she needs coffee. She isn't hard to recognize because she is the only pregnant woman in town. Coffee is bad for the babies so the best you can give her is coffee ice cream. Now don't tell her that you are giving her the ice cream form. When she orders coffee, after interrogating you for an hour, just say sure and go back into the kitchen and tell me. I'll then get the ice cream ready and you give it to her. But take your time. She'll gloat like no other if she thinks that you are going to give her coffee and I want to see that. I also want to see her face when you give her the ice cream. She'll be so disappointed…hehe I get to exact my revenge." Tristan listens to this tirade trying to digest everything Rory is saying, but she is talking too fast. He holds up his hand and she is silenced. A few moments later, Tristan lowers his hand.

"I think I got it. Please don't tell me that there is anything else."

"Just one more thing. You have the order pad but you need something else." Rory goes behind the counter and whips out a baseball hat. She puts it on Tristan's head backwards. "There. Now you are officially the diner man."

Tristan mutters to himself as Rory laughs over her creation, "What have I gotten myself into now?"

Author's Rant: I want to thank everyone for sending me feedback, it really helps. I am trying to work with the suggestions so that my story can be better. But should it continue? Is the idea worth it to progress? Tell me what you all think.