Author's note 2004/05/11: This chapter wasn't supposed to exist but a request from angel moon princess made me decided to write it. In response to a question about Rory not supporting a little bit of alcohol, in the episode "Girls in bikinis, boys doing the twist" we had to the confirmation that Rory absolutely doesn't support it. Enjoy this chapter.

Author's note 2004/06/02: I've just uploaded the BETAed version, thank you Mai-Ahn.

The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
Chapter 3: The Need To Breathe



Deposing Rory carefully on the concrete surrounding the pool, he looks at the crowd around him. "Louise, get me a lot of blankets and dry clothing." Searching the crowd again, "Madeline, where is Paris?"

"She left a while ago."

"Madeline, get everybody to go somewhere else."

The crowd slowly disperses on Tristan's request but stays close enough to know what will happen. Arriving near the crowd, Lane sees Rory lying with a blond person over her. She runs to him screaming, "What have you done to her?"

Exasperated, Tristan looks at Madeline and screams, "Madeline! GET HER OFF ME!"

Madeline takes hold of Lane's arm, "Come on, and give him space. He's trying to help."

Reluctantly, Lane follows Madeline but stays too close for Tristan's pleasure, making him lose track of his ideas, making him skip an important step, which is to make someone call an ambulance when someone is unconscious. As he checks her pulse and realises that it's there, he moves on to the breathing. No Breathing. Placing Rory's head on the right posture and slightly opening her mouth, he moves his hand over her chest without touching it, remembering his CPR trainer explain that sometimes it is better to crack a rib or two than to let the person die. He whispers, "I'm sorry to have to place my hands there or if I hurt you somehow in the process."

Taking a deep breath, he places his right hand between her breasts, trying not to think of all the naughty things he would like to do to her. Placing his left hand over his right one and crossing his fingers, he starts pumping, "And one, and two, and three, and four, and five, and six, and seven, and eight, and nine, and ten." Taking his hands off her, he moves to her face. "Sorry about that too, Mary." He locks his lips with hers and breathes inside her mouth. He sees her breasts rise and go down. He breathes again in her mouth, and then counting to ten to see if her chest starts rising again. With no movement from Rory, Tristan places his hand over her chest again, counting each ten pumps loudly. "Please Rory, breathe."

Tristan pushes air through her mouth again, seeing the chest rise again but as it goes down, water comes out of Rory's mouth, splashing Tristan's face. Relieved to see that she's breathing again, Tristan takes Rory in his arms, holding her tightly, "Thank god you're okay." While kissing the top of her head, he feels Rory shivering in his arms.

Realising that both their clothes are wet, he takes her in his arms to bring her inside the house when Louise finally comes back with dry towels. Rory's eyes open a little, "Tristan, I'm freezing. What happened?"

Tristan instinctively kisses her lips, shushing her and holding her tighter as he walks inside the house, followed closely by Madeline, Louise, and Lane. "Just relax; I'll make sure you get warm."

Closing her eyes, Rory snuggles more closely in Tristan's embrace. Louise opens a bedroom door, "Why don't you put her on the bed? We'll take it from here."

As Tristan nears the bed, sits down on the bed keeping Rory in his arms, "I'm not leaving her until I'm certain that she's alright."

Louise approaches Tristan, her arms filled with towels and clothing. Dropping everything on the bed, she smirks, "Do as you want Tristan. She's wet and needs to change. I don't mind you staying here and helping us while we change her but I don't think that you would earn many Brownies points when she realises you saw her naked. Plus, I brought some of my father's clothes for you."

Tristan tries to unwrap Rory's arms from his neck, but she doesn't want to let go. As he looks at her, her eyes trying to focus on him but she doesn't seem to register anything around her. "It's okay Rory, I'll be right back." He kisses her lips softly, "Just let me go for a second."

Lane sits down beside Rory, placing one arm around her best friend, "I'll be here with you."

Rory lets go of Tristan as Lane struggles to support Rory. Tristan looks at Rory one last time before closing the door behind him.

Rory is changed and lying under the blankets, her eyes closing. Louise, Madeline, and Lane are sitting on the edge of the bed murmuring, "I guess we know who won't be available this year."

Lane looks at Louise surprised, "What do you mean by that?"

"That Tristan was hot for Rory back then and she rejected him many times. And now that he kissed her and didn't get slapped, he'll try even harder."

"But Rory's not…"

Madeline chirps in, "…interested? I'm sure she's convinced about that too but looking at the way she was holding onto him even when we were in the room is a pretty good sign."

Tristan enters the room quietly; he sees Rory trying to stay awake but losing the fight little by little. He sits on the bed, resting his back to the wall; Rory moves closer to him, resting her head on his legs. He plays with her hair tenderly, "Close your eyes, Rory; I'll be right here when you wake up."

Louise and Madeline exchange a knowing glance then stand up to get back to the party.

For the last ten minutes, Lane and Tristan have been staring at each other, not knowing what to say to the other. Rory is sleeping soundly, her head still on Tristan's legs but one of her hands managed to rest on his knee. Lane is the one breaking the silence. "Funny, she never mentioned you. The only people attending Chilton she told me about are Madeline, Louise, and Paris. They are the closest to what she could call a friend there. However, here you are, all over her and she seems to trust you. Who are you?"

"Tristan."

"Should that remind me of something?"

"Only if she said something about the Paris fiasco a couple of years back."

"And you're back?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you kiss her?"

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Because I was scared and happy. Moreover, she was there holding on to me. Seemed like the thing to do at the moment."

"And now?"

"She is going to rip my head apart for doing it." Feeling uncomfortable to continue on this subject, "Why doesn't she know how to swim?"

"She and Lorelai don't believe in exercise. For them it's a torture invented to put people in pain and make them suffer and that only someone who is completely crazy would even try it."

Tristan chuckles, "That sounds like her. Aren't you Rory's friend who used to date Henry?"

"Yeah. How did you know about that?"

"Chilton gossip."

"Ha! I'll go get some coffee; she'll need some when she wakes up."

"Okay, I'll just stay here but I need a favour before you go."

Lane gets up, "What?"

"Don't tell Rory I kissed her if she doesn't remember it."

Lane contemplates how to answer, just as she's about to leave the room, "If she asks, I won't lie to her, but I won't bring up the topic."

Tristan smiles as he watches Lane exit the door. Looking at the sleeping form on his legs, he fights the desire to wake her up and kiss her again. To kiss her again when she's conscious and alert.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed, feel free to give feedback.
Siaram