A/N:Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated, but I've
been busy 'learning from my mistakes' in geometry. Anyway thank you all so
much for your reviews, and for those of you who want more r/t, it's coming
don't worry. This chapter has a bit more concerning them, but it's all I
can give you until I get more time to write. Please R/R. They motivate me
to write quicker.
:-D
On with the story...
Chapter 17 *********
It's hard to wake up from a pleasant sleep with more than pleasant dreams. Wanting to prolong the inevitable she tried to stay asleep as long as her bothersome alarm clock would let her, which never seemed long enough. With a long cat-like yawn, she slowly made her way out of bed. She was dreading today, or rather just the part where she encountered her mother. Ugh. She could only imagine the millions of questions that were bound to pop up, her mother would make sure they did.
Quickly she changed her clothes and walked to the same place she went most every morning, Luke's. The bell above the door rang as she enter. Surprisingly, note the sarcasm, her mother was sitting at her usual table in the corner.
"Hi mom."
"Rory.", she nodded curtly. Ugh now she was going to have to play her little games.
"What a warm, friendly welcome."
"Did you get home too late last night to call your poor lonely mother?", Lorelai replied in mock resentment.
"Couldn't have been lonely you had Luke.", Rory smiled mischievously.
"Gross. Stop, or I could fail to tell you about your daughter."
"What about Lana?"
"Tut tut tut, you first. Miss Patty says things were quite interesting.", Lorelai smirked. Rory narrowed her eyes at her mother.
"Since when do we believe Miss Patty?"
"Since it concerns you and Satan.", she shrugged.
"Stop it. We decided on a truce, we're going to start over. As friends.", Rory quickly added as she saw Lorelai's mouth opening to respond.
"You made a pact with the devil? Did you have to sell your soul?", she quipped.
"Mother.", she warned.
"Tristan will not stop with friends, you know that. Who I am I kidding, you can't stop at friends.", she laughed while considering her lack of control where the Evil One was concerned.
"What do you mean?", Rory's defenses started to go up. Her 'issues' with Tristan had always been a sore spot, particularly when Lorelai started in on her.
"You have never been able to stay friends with him. You either hate each other or can't resist him.", she said lightly, sipping her coffee, as if it were a fact that everyone knew, or should have known.
"Are you questioning my will power?", Rory asked, a half smile playing on he lips.
"It's a known fact that you lose your wits 'round him."
"I do not.", she protested forcefully.
"Keep telling yourself that babe."
"Maybe in the past, but not anymore.", she resigned, but with a firmness to it.
"So where did he take you?", Lorelai replied shaking her head.
"Uh...Angelos.", she hesitated, this wasn't going to be pretty.
"Very nice, has quite a sentimental meaning, correct me if I'm wrong?"
"It did bring back memories.", she said somewhat wistfully, but guarded all the same.
"Uh huh. Ror, you're getting in over your head.", the elder advised.
"Why are you so dead set against him lately?"
"I don't want him to hurt you again, and I doubt that he won't.", Lorelai explained solemnly, while recollecting how much pain Tristan had caused them all in the past few years. Of course there had been countless good memories that they all grasped at, but it didn't mean the bad would fade too. Things between the pair fell silent. They sat for a moment, the tension had rose between mother and daughter. All topics of conversation had vanished as the two soaked up weight of what had been said.
"So tell me what happened to Lana.", Rory suggested in attempts to return things back to normal despite what she felt.
Lorelai shook her head reverently, "Maybe later, I have to go to the Inn."
The entire morning he watched, observed, and calculated, not particularly well, but did it just same. Nothing seemed outwardly different between the two best friends, besides the fact that they had seemed to have resolve the argument he instigated, but they were oddly quiet with each other. As if they had made some sort of silent agreement that talking was overrated. Maybe he was imagining all of it, but he didn't think so. Lana, especially, seemed a little withdrawn, that he could tell. She looked like she was mulling over something important, while Alex just sat quietly watching her on the sidelines. Something was different between them and Travis didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
At lunch he saw his opening. Lana was sitting with some girl. He thought her name was Emma, but she wasn't important. What was important was Alex losing what he wanted most, Lana. It sounds evil, but he just wanted to prove himself to be better, where was the harm in that?
"Lana!", he called attempting to be charming.
"Huh? Oh hi Travis." Was it just him or did her face fall when she realized who he was?
"So how are you two lovely ladies doing today?", he smiled. Emma rolled her eyes, while Lana was preoccupied with looking around the lunch room.
"We're... fine, or at least I am.", Emma replied eyeing Lana suspiciously. She had barely said two words all day.
"I'm fine Em, will you stop that already?", Lana, snapped out of her reverie, replied agitatedly. It had to be the hundredth time that day that Emma had inferred something was wrong. Sure she had been distant, but there were good reasons for that. Reasons she couldn't explain with Travis or anyone else hanging about.
"So Travis how has your stay been so far?", Emma asked politely as Lana ,obviously, wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"Not bad.", he said not even looking at her as she talked.
"I'm sure it's not half as exciting as Europe, but I'm sure you have already saw to it to stir the still water.", she went on, smiling still.
Seeing that he was obviously not wanted by either of the girls he resigned and excused himself. He was getting nowhere fast, part of him wanted to give up, a small part, but the larger persisted that Travis Griffin was not to be defeated so easily. After all it hadn't even been a week.
"All right Lana, one last time. What is going on here? And don't tell me nothing I know you a little better than that.", Emma pressed.
"Something happened last night.", Lana breathed quietly, staring in the direction of Alex's table. When he returned her gaze she quickly looked toward Emma. A lazy grin spread across Emma's face.
"What was that? A little louder please.", Emma grinned with a mischievous glint in her eyes that nothing good could come of.
"Alex and I...well...we...something happened."
"Go on." Although she knew full well what her friend had meant she was going to make her say all of it.
"You're evil.", Lana shot back, grinning she looked over to see Alex watching her, but he didn't divert his eyes as she had done before. He stared kindly over at her.
"I pride myself on that. Now do I have to ask him what happened myself or are you going to tell me?", Emma started to get up from her seat.
"No Em!", she pulled her laughing friend back into her seat.
"Speak now or forever hold your peace.", Emma smiled slyly, still threatening to walk over to the person in question.
"Fine I'll talk."
There was a knock at her office door. She wasn't expecting anyone, was she? She walked cautiously to the door and opened it.
"Tristan.", her eyes narrowed.
"Long time no see Paris.", he smiled.
"Uh huh. Why are you here?"
"Can't I come to visit?" Paris shot him a meaningful glare. Obviously she could carry a grudged.
"I repeat why are you here?"
"I was looking for Ror, is she here?"
"Wrong office. Down the hall to the right."
"Thanks Paris, good to see you again."
"Pleasure.", she replied coldly. She shut the door on him and shook her head. It was happening all over again.
Rory was walking out of her office to give Paris the papers she needed when she ran straight into someone walking in the opposite direction. Her papers spilled all over the floor.
"Oh I'm so sorry. Thank you for...", she trailed off as she found herself looking into a pair of familiar blue eyes, which were filled with laughter.
"Hi Mar.", he smirked.
"Tristan. What are you doing here?", Rory asked.
"That seems to be the question of the day. I thought you might want to go to lunch.", Tristan smiled playfully. She gave him a curious glance.
"Friends do this sort of thing Rory."
"Well, a girl does have to eat I suppose.", she agreed.
"All right then let's go."
"First I have to give these to Paris. Do want to come I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again.", she said innocently.
"Uh, I think I'll wait here just the same. She isn't in a very friendly mood today."
"Okay. I'll be back."
"Paris here are the..."
"What's he doing here?", Paris interrupted.
"We're just going for some lunch Par, I'll be back in an hour.", Rory explained.
"And history repeats itself.", she muttered.
"Here are the papers you wanted.", Rory handed them to her, ignoring what she had said.
"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you get hurt."
"We're friends, Paris nothing more or less. I'm leaving now, see you later.", she stormed out angrily. Things weren't going her way today.
:-D
On with the story...
Chapter 17 *********
It's hard to wake up from a pleasant sleep with more than pleasant dreams. Wanting to prolong the inevitable she tried to stay asleep as long as her bothersome alarm clock would let her, which never seemed long enough. With a long cat-like yawn, she slowly made her way out of bed. She was dreading today, or rather just the part where she encountered her mother. Ugh. She could only imagine the millions of questions that were bound to pop up, her mother would make sure they did.
Quickly she changed her clothes and walked to the same place she went most every morning, Luke's. The bell above the door rang as she enter. Surprisingly, note the sarcasm, her mother was sitting at her usual table in the corner.
"Hi mom."
"Rory.", she nodded curtly. Ugh now she was going to have to play her little games.
"What a warm, friendly welcome."
"Did you get home too late last night to call your poor lonely mother?", Lorelai replied in mock resentment.
"Couldn't have been lonely you had Luke.", Rory smiled mischievously.
"Gross. Stop, or I could fail to tell you about your daughter."
"What about Lana?"
"Tut tut tut, you first. Miss Patty says things were quite interesting.", Lorelai smirked. Rory narrowed her eyes at her mother.
"Since when do we believe Miss Patty?"
"Since it concerns you and Satan.", she shrugged.
"Stop it. We decided on a truce, we're going to start over. As friends.", Rory quickly added as she saw Lorelai's mouth opening to respond.
"You made a pact with the devil? Did you have to sell your soul?", she quipped.
"Mother.", she warned.
"Tristan will not stop with friends, you know that. Who I am I kidding, you can't stop at friends.", she laughed while considering her lack of control where the Evil One was concerned.
"What do you mean?", Rory's defenses started to go up. Her 'issues' with Tristan had always been a sore spot, particularly when Lorelai started in on her.
"You have never been able to stay friends with him. You either hate each other or can't resist him.", she said lightly, sipping her coffee, as if it were a fact that everyone knew, or should have known.
"Are you questioning my will power?", Rory asked, a half smile playing on he lips.
"It's a known fact that you lose your wits 'round him."
"I do not.", she protested forcefully.
"Keep telling yourself that babe."
"Maybe in the past, but not anymore.", she resigned, but with a firmness to it.
"So where did he take you?", Lorelai replied shaking her head.
"Uh...Angelos.", she hesitated, this wasn't going to be pretty.
"Very nice, has quite a sentimental meaning, correct me if I'm wrong?"
"It did bring back memories.", she said somewhat wistfully, but guarded all the same.
"Uh huh. Ror, you're getting in over your head.", the elder advised.
"Why are you so dead set against him lately?"
"I don't want him to hurt you again, and I doubt that he won't.", Lorelai explained solemnly, while recollecting how much pain Tristan had caused them all in the past few years. Of course there had been countless good memories that they all grasped at, but it didn't mean the bad would fade too. Things between the pair fell silent. They sat for a moment, the tension had rose between mother and daughter. All topics of conversation had vanished as the two soaked up weight of what had been said.
"So tell me what happened to Lana.", Rory suggested in attempts to return things back to normal despite what she felt.
Lorelai shook her head reverently, "Maybe later, I have to go to the Inn."
The entire morning he watched, observed, and calculated, not particularly well, but did it just same. Nothing seemed outwardly different between the two best friends, besides the fact that they had seemed to have resolve the argument he instigated, but they were oddly quiet with each other. As if they had made some sort of silent agreement that talking was overrated. Maybe he was imagining all of it, but he didn't think so. Lana, especially, seemed a little withdrawn, that he could tell. She looked like she was mulling over something important, while Alex just sat quietly watching her on the sidelines. Something was different between them and Travis didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
At lunch he saw his opening. Lana was sitting with some girl. He thought her name was Emma, but she wasn't important. What was important was Alex losing what he wanted most, Lana. It sounds evil, but he just wanted to prove himself to be better, where was the harm in that?
"Lana!", he called attempting to be charming.
"Huh? Oh hi Travis." Was it just him or did her face fall when she realized who he was?
"So how are you two lovely ladies doing today?", he smiled. Emma rolled her eyes, while Lana was preoccupied with looking around the lunch room.
"We're... fine, or at least I am.", Emma replied eyeing Lana suspiciously. She had barely said two words all day.
"I'm fine Em, will you stop that already?", Lana, snapped out of her reverie, replied agitatedly. It had to be the hundredth time that day that Emma had inferred something was wrong. Sure she had been distant, but there were good reasons for that. Reasons she couldn't explain with Travis or anyone else hanging about.
"So Travis how has your stay been so far?", Emma asked politely as Lana ,obviously, wasn't in the mood for small talk.
"Not bad.", he said not even looking at her as she talked.
"I'm sure it's not half as exciting as Europe, but I'm sure you have already saw to it to stir the still water.", she went on, smiling still.
Seeing that he was obviously not wanted by either of the girls he resigned and excused himself. He was getting nowhere fast, part of him wanted to give up, a small part, but the larger persisted that Travis Griffin was not to be defeated so easily. After all it hadn't even been a week.
"All right Lana, one last time. What is going on here? And don't tell me nothing I know you a little better than that.", Emma pressed.
"Something happened last night.", Lana breathed quietly, staring in the direction of Alex's table. When he returned her gaze she quickly looked toward Emma. A lazy grin spread across Emma's face.
"What was that? A little louder please.", Emma grinned with a mischievous glint in her eyes that nothing good could come of.
"Alex and I...well...we...something happened."
"Go on." Although she knew full well what her friend had meant she was going to make her say all of it.
"You're evil.", Lana shot back, grinning she looked over to see Alex watching her, but he didn't divert his eyes as she had done before. He stared kindly over at her.
"I pride myself on that. Now do I have to ask him what happened myself or are you going to tell me?", Emma started to get up from her seat.
"No Em!", she pulled her laughing friend back into her seat.
"Speak now or forever hold your peace.", Emma smiled slyly, still threatening to walk over to the person in question.
"Fine I'll talk."
There was a knock at her office door. She wasn't expecting anyone, was she? She walked cautiously to the door and opened it.
"Tristan.", her eyes narrowed.
"Long time no see Paris.", he smiled.
"Uh huh. Why are you here?"
"Can't I come to visit?" Paris shot him a meaningful glare. Obviously she could carry a grudged.
"I repeat why are you here?"
"I was looking for Ror, is she here?"
"Wrong office. Down the hall to the right."
"Thanks Paris, good to see you again."
"Pleasure.", she replied coldly. She shut the door on him and shook her head. It was happening all over again.
Rory was walking out of her office to give Paris the papers she needed when she ran straight into someone walking in the opposite direction. Her papers spilled all over the floor.
"Oh I'm so sorry. Thank you for...", she trailed off as she found herself looking into a pair of familiar blue eyes, which were filled with laughter.
"Hi Mar.", he smirked.
"Tristan. What are you doing here?", Rory asked.
"That seems to be the question of the day. I thought you might want to go to lunch.", Tristan smiled playfully. She gave him a curious glance.
"Friends do this sort of thing Rory."
"Well, a girl does have to eat I suppose.", she agreed.
"All right then let's go."
"First I have to give these to Paris. Do want to come I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again.", she said innocently.
"Uh, I think I'll wait here just the same. She isn't in a very friendly mood today."
"Okay. I'll be back."
"Paris here are the..."
"What's he doing here?", Paris interrupted.
"We're just going for some lunch Par, I'll be back in an hour.", Rory explained.
"And history repeats itself.", she muttered.
"Here are the papers you wanted.", Rory handed them to her, ignoring what she had said.
"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you get hurt."
"We're friends, Paris nothing more or less. I'm leaving now, see you later.", she stormed out angrily. Things weren't going her way today.