Second Chances – Part 13 [It doesn't matter]

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Bleh.

"This is nice."

"Very," Rory murmured, her eyes never once looking away from the television screen.

"Is it weird that I find Richard Gere undeniably attractive?"

"Nope, he's a very handsome man for his age."

Lorelai grinned and handed her daughter a steaming cup of coffee. "We've watched this movie five times the past ten hours."

Rory shrugged "But we can't help it. There's just something about…"

"Richard Gere… that you can't help but…"

"Just gaze dreamily while he…"

Lorelai smiled "Continues to sweep Julia off of her feet."

Rory laughed and inhaled the scent of the steaming black liquid. She let out a content sigh as she rested her head against a throw pillow. "I'm having fun."

"Of course. You're with Lorelai."

Rory opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by loud knocking from the font door. Rory pouted and looked to her mother… the elder Gilmore cast the younger Gilmore a look of pure astonishment and shock.

"You're expecting me to answer the door?"

"Well…" Rory reasoned, "You are technically closer to the door. And… I'm just so comfortable."

"But it's your boyfriend," Lorelai retorted, glancing at the flashy sports car parked outside.

Rory grinned "Well alright… If you insist on being a lazy bum, I'll answer it."

Rory stood from her comfortable nest of pillows and blankets and walked, rather slowly to the front door, she opened the wooden door and jumped into the awaiting arms of the visitor. She inhaled his scent, a mixture of expensive brand name perfume and aftershave… it nearly intoxicated her. She hugged him tightly, and grinned once he hugged back. Rory rested her head on his firm chest, both just stood… in the doorway… with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Shame on you," Lorelai emerged from the living room, a large knitted quilt covering her body "For disturbing our Richard Gere day."

Tristan eyed Lorelai with a look of pure amazement on his face. The woman had not changed… in the least bit. He grinned "Richard Gere?" he turned to Rory "Care to explain Mary?"

"Mom has an enormously large crush on Richard Gere."

"Mom has a crush on Richard Gere? You should have seen the way Rory looked at Mr. Gere… her eyes were filled with lust and pure passion every time Mr. Gere was on the television screen."

"My my Mary, should I be jealous?"

"We've been watching him all day… from American Gigolo to Pretty Woman to Runaway Bride." Rory chose to ignore his last comment.

"Oh, you can't forget about Chicago."

Rory grinned "And Chicago."

Tristan merely smirked. He wrapped his arm around Rory's slender waist, kissing her temple affectionately. "I brought food. It's outside sitting in the patio swing."

Lorelai jumped up and ran outside, dropping the blanket that once covered her body on to the floor. Rory smiled and looked up at her boyfriend. She stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss to his awaiting lips. He had missed her… so much… and was not just going to settle for a tiny butterfly kiss. He deepened her intended innocent kiss by pulling her delicate frame closer to his. He smiled despite their locked lips as he felt her respond to the kiss. Just as his silky tongue teased her bottom lip, a loud cough was heard from behind the couple.

Rory groaned lightly and looked at her mother. She held a large box of pizza on one hand while on the other stood two extra large coffee's fresh from Luke's. She laughed and kissed him thankfully. Lorelai eyed Tristan carefully, and walked past him into the house.

"Glad to see you haven't changed Bible Boy," Lorelai commented, sighing into her liquid obsession.

--

"What did Lorelai mean?" Tristan looked to his girlfriend several hours later, mulling over what Lorelai had said to him.

Rory closed her eyes, her head rested on his chest as they lay on Rory's bed. "You mean when she said that you haven't changed?"

He nodded, bringing her closer. "Yeah, what did you think she meant by it?"

Rory opened her eyes and smiled "It wasn't a bad thing if that's what you're worried about."

"Oh I'm not..."

"Right."

He grinned boyishly. Rory couldn't help but grin back… nothing had changed between them. Despite not seeing each other for almost a decade, there was no tension and no past ill feelings that resulted from the break up were reawakened.

"I have a question to ask you."

Tristan looked at his girlfriend oddly. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this question of yours?"

Rory shrugged "It's not bad, I promise," she whispered, playing with his head of hair.

"Alright."

"When you left for North Carolina, we promised each other that we'd stay in touch. That never happened Tristan… and," Rory sighed, "Well… why didn't we?"

"Why didn't we what?" Rory sensed him become unusually rigid "Why didn't we keep in touch? I don't know Rory… you tell me," the bitterness in his voice sent shivers down her spine.

Rory's eyes widened, she sat up from her comfortable position in his arms and glared at the man laying down, his indescribable eyes met hers. "Tristan, it was just a simple question and now you're getting mad at me."

"I'm not getting mad…" he groaned in frustration "I'm sorry, what I said came out harsh."

Rory nodded, accepting his apology. "I wanted to talk to you… to get in touch with you… but I was so scared Tristan," she spoke truthfully, her voice wavering "I didn't know what to say to you… and I practically convinced myself that I'd contact you. But I kept putting it off… I kept making excuses to myself that would result in me not contacting you."

"Hey," he whispered delicately, his lips catching her own. "All of that doesn't matter anymore."

Rory smiled sadly, kissing him once more. I've missed him so much.

---

Hellooo… I know, it's been what? Months and months. And I deeply apologize for the extremely long wait. I've just been really preoccupied… and stressed. But let me assure you, I will try and update sooner and more efficiently. I intend on finishing this story and my other one as well. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, you've all been marvelous for reading, commenting and even putting up with my stupid rants and lack of updates. I love you all. :D