A/N: Hi! I finally have a slight break in school work bu not for long. My
crazied history teacher gives a report due monday, 18 essays due the 7 and
a report on the Black Legend of Spain due the same day, so I'll do my best
to steal time to write. Again thank you all SO much for your reviews. This
chapter is, well I think I could have done better but I hope you like it.
there is more R/T in this one and Alex does a little more talking.
:-D
On with the story.....
Chapter 18
**********
He couldn't help but grin to himself as he heard a badly stifled laugh come from the table behind him. If he turned around right now he would more than likely see Lana glaring at the ever subtle Emma. Sometimes he even amazed himself, because at the point when he did turn around that's exactly what he saw.
Things had been going a little bit better than he thought they would, but not what he had hoped for. Lana hadn't said much, but at least that meant she couldn't give him the 'let's be friends speech'. He had to stop watching her like he had been, it seemed to be annoying many people around him that he was paying more attention to the back of her head than to their idle talk.
Emma bit her lip to try and control the involuntary laughter, but she couldn't help laughing at the irony of the entire ordeal. Everyone knew this would happen eventually, well everyone except the Oblivious One. Her laughter started to draw unwanted attention, Alex turning around, yet again, only proved to encourage it. So for her friends sake and for her own safety, she regained composer and put on a 'serious face'.
"You're a big help you know that.", Lana hissed, with a glare that had a way of silencing anyone. Almost anyone.
"You don't need help, Lana. You need hi..."
"Don't say okay? I already know.", she slumped down onto the table. Lana was just glad that the topic of conversation was just out of hearing range of the little story she had told.
That was it. There was no way he was going to become Mr. Unrequited Love for the rest of his life, simply sitting there watching his chances fly out the window. No he was at the very least going to talk to her, she was his best friend after all. He walked over to the table nonchalantly as ever, not showing even a snippet of what was going on his head, and sat down next to Lana.
"Why Alex how are you today?", Emma greeted cheerily, over dramatizing it entirely. Lana kicked her foot under the table to silence her. At least she thought it was Emma's.
"That was my foot Lorelai.", he whispered good naturedly into her ear.
"What makes you think it was me Alexander?", Lana smirked. She indicated to an...uh intimidating, to say the least, guy sitting, frighteningly, within kicking distance. Emma glanced back and forth between the pair and a satisfied smile swept across her face.
"Since you two don't need me here, I think I'll go." With that she disappeared. Lana rolled her eyes at the dramatic brunette and glanced over towards Alex.
"So...uh how are you?", Lana asked awkwardly, after a minute or so of each trying to read the other.
"Things can't be the same, can they?", Alex sighed. His statement hung in the air for a moment, filled with multiple meanings. The question was, what meaning would win out over the others?
"No.", she whispered. Silence. She pulled in a sharp breath.
"But I don't want them to be.", she added softly. She saw a flick of something in his eyes. What was it? Hope? Relief? She never got to find out since, with impeccable timing, the bell decided to ring. Suddenly they were engulfed by students flooding out of the cafeteria. She smiled wryly up at him and made her way to her next class.
"Hi.", she let out a frustrated sigh.
"Still hates me huh?", Tristan laughed as they walked at a heightening pace away from Paris' office.
"Paris doesn't let anyone off easily.", Rory shook her head.
"Huh, and here I thought I could win her over with the patented DuGrey charm."
"Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without asking a clear question.", she quoted.
"Aren't you a smart one.", he replied mockingly.
"That's what they tell me. So where are we going?", she asked, not all together sure she should take his lead.
A few minutes later they found them selves in the little deli across the street, much to Rory's surprise Tristan seemed to be a regular there.
"Hi Sal.", Tristan greeted the man behind the counter in a way you would an old friend. At this he received a quizzical stare from his companion.
"Tristan! What'll it be today? You're usual?", the man known as Sal asked animatedly. His statement only made the looks Tristan was receiving more intense.
"Eh...Yea, thanks. And she will have...", he glanced nervously in Rory's direction.
"I'll just have a turkey club, thank you.", she smiled politely and turned to whisper to Tristan.
"Come here often.", she commented as the man turned away.
"How'd you guess?", he said innocently.
"I've never thought you much of a deli man, Mr. DuGrey.", she replied with amusement in her voice. Truthfully, he never really had been a 'deli man' as Rory put it so eloquently, but considering it's location he made an exception.
"I'm just full of surprises aren't I?", he smirked.
"I'll figure you out one of these days.", she responded with great determination.
"One of these days.", he said implying that it wouldn't be happening anytime soon, and began to eat his food. Rory shook her head with a sigh, Lorelai's words coming to mind.
"Our little daughter is as full of surprises as her father.", she stated taking a large bite of her sandwich.
"What happened?", he questioned, going into overprotective father mode.
"Wouldn't I like to know.", Rory said cynically. This had been bothering her ever since her run in with her mother this morning. Of course it had to have something to do with her meeting Alex, but she could only speculate.
"Huh?", Tristan asked, confused as ever.
"My mother. She eluded to something, but after our little argument she refused to tell me."
"Argument? Over what? You two never fight.", Tristan asked, he knew something had to be wrong. At that moment the subject of Lana's secrets was tossed aside. 'How could I have let that slip?', she thought to herself.
"Uh, just a small on. Minuscule really."
" 'Bout me wasn't it?", he said seriously.
"You have an ego that could fill Texas, you know that?", she tried to sidetrack him, while taking another bite of her sandwich. She wasn't going to ruin whatever they had just formulated with her mother's cynicism.
"Ror."
"It's nothing, don't worry. Believe me, she was just... . Look it's none of your business okay.", she snapped. Maybe it was just her anxiety about this whole thing or maybe it was like her mother said. She either loved him, or absolutely despised him.
"Fine. Let's not start fighting okay?"
"Sounds like a good idea,", her mood easing quite a bit.
"How's work?", Rory asked, jumping at the chance of a subject.
"Much more relaxed with my father gone, thank God for retirement."
"Great to see your family is still so loving.", Rory commented.
"That's us, all right.", Tristan snorted. Rory just shook her head. Her family was no where near as complicated and odd as Tristan's. The DuGrey's were a living soap opera. They went on with their small talk, each getting to know the other again. There was a few lulls in the somewhat strained conversation as each busied themselves with their sandwiches and interesting topics were getting harder to come by.
"Thank you.", Tristan said out of the blue.
"For what?", Rory smiled looking at him strangely.
"For this. Letting me be here, giving me another chance.", he elaborated
"You're welcome then, I guess. Everyone deserves another chance right?", replied Rory, a slight tinge rose on her face much to Tristan's amusement. Up until now he hadn't realized how much he missed it.
"Maybe everyone does, but I can't say I do. Thank you though."
She had to get out, before he had a chance to 'charm' her right back to where she was a few years ago. Even if it may have been to late, her sensible side screamed that getting out was the best thing. Ugh. Anxiety really was love's greatest killer.
"Paris is going to wring my neck if I don't get back soon.", Rory said quickly, while looking down at her watch.
"We wouldn't want that now would we?", he grinned knowingly.
A highly caffeinated tornado had been running through the Inn the entire morning barking orders and snapping at people for no sensible reason.
"Lor?"
"What.", Lorelai said curtly, then she realized who she was talking to. "I'm sorry Sook, I just have a lot on my mind. What did want?", she amended much more kindly.
"I was going to give you the menu for next week, but I have the feeling we need to talk.", Sookie replied cautiously.
"My baby is going back to the dark side.", she stated sadly. Sookie instantly understood her 'mood'.
"Oh come on Tristan isn't that bad.", Sookie countered softly and sympathetically. Similar things had happened to her and Jackson.
"That's what you say now, but I don't want to see her hurt yet again by the infamous Tristan DuGrey. It'll happen sooner or later.", Lorelai protested.
"It happens to everyone Lor, the only thing that matters is she's happy isn't it?", she said tritely, but it was still affective.
"I know, but..."
"No buts!", Sookie interrupted.
:-D
On with the story.....
Chapter 18
**********
He couldn't help but grin to himself as he heard a badly stifled laugh come from the table behind him. If he turned around right now he would more than likely see Lana glaring at the ever subtle Emma. Sometimes he even amazed himself, because at the point when he did turn around that's exactly what he saw.
Things had been going a little bit better than he thought they would, but not what he had hoped for. Lana hadn't said much, but at least that meant she couldn't give him the 'let's be friends speech'. He had to stop watching her like he had been, it seemed to be annoying many people around him that he was paying more attention to the back of her head than to their idle talk.
Emma bit her lip to try and control the involuntary laughter, but she couldn't help laughing at the irony of the entire ordeal. Everyone knew this would happen eventually, well everyone except the Oblivious One. Her laughter started to draw unwanted attention, Alex turning around, yet again, only proved to encourage it. So for her friends sake and for her own safety, she regained composer and put on a 'serious face'.
"You're a big help you know that.", Lana hissed, with a glare that had a way of silencing anyone. Almost anyone.
"You don't need help, Lana. You need hi..."
"Don't say okay? I already know.", she slumped down onto the table. Lana was just glad that the topic of conversation was just out of hearing range of the little story she had told.
That was it. There was no way he was going to become Mr. Unrequited Love for the rest of his life, simply sitting there watching his chances fly out the window. No he was at the very least going to talk to her, she was his best friend after all. He walked over to the table nonchalantly as ever, not showing even a snippet of what was going on his head, and sat down next to Lana.
"Why Alex how are you today?", Emma greeted cheerily, over dramatizing it entirely. Lana kicked her foot under the table to silence her. At least she thought it was Emma's.
"That was my foot Lorelai.", he whispered good naturedly into her ear.
"What makes you think it was me Alexander?", Lana smirked. She indicated to an...uh intimidating, to say the least, guy sitting, frighteningly, within kicking distance. Emma glanced back and forth between the pair and a satisfied smile swept across her face.
"Since you two don't need me here, I think I'll go." With that she disappeared. Lana rolled her eyes at the dramatic brunette and glanced over towards Alex.
"So...uh how are you?", Lana asked awkwardly, after a minute or so of each trying to read the other.
"Things can't be the same, can they?", Alex sighed. His statement hung in the air for a moment, filled with multiple meanings. The question was, what meaning would win out over the others?
"No.", she whispered. Silence. She pulled in a sharp breath.
"But I don't want them to be.", she added softly. She saw a flick of something in his eyes. What was it? Hope? Relief? She never got to find out since, with impeccable timing, the bell decided to ring. Suddenly they were engulfed by students flooding out of the cafeteria. She smiled wryly up at him and made her way to her next class.
"Hi.", she let out a frustrated sigh.
"Still hates me huh?", Tristan laughed as they walked at a heightening pace away from Paris' office.
"Paris doesn't let anyone off easily.", Rory shook her head.
"Huh, and here I thought I could win her over with the patented DuGrey charm."
"Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without asking a clear question.", she quoted.
"Aren't you a smart one.", he replied mockingly.
"That's what they tell me. So where are we going?", she asked, not all together sure she should take his lead.
A few minutes later they found them selves in the little deli across the street, much to Rory's surprise Tristan seemed to be a regular there.
"Hi Sal.", Tristan greeted the man behind the counter in a way you would an old friend. At this he received a quizzical stare from his companion.
"Tristan! What'll it be today? You're usual?", the man known as Sal asked animatedly. His statement only made the looks Tristan was receiving more intense.
"Eh...Yea, thanks. And she will have...", he glanced nervously in Rory's direction.
"I'll just have a turkey club, thank you.", she smiled politely and turned to whisper to Tristan.
"Come here often.", she commented as the man turned away.
"How'd you guess?", he said innocently.
"I've never thought you much of a deli man, Mr. DuGrey.", she replied with amusement in her voice. Truthfully, he never really had been a 'deli man' as Rory put it so eloquently, but considering it's location he made an exception.
"I'm just full of surprises aren't I?", he smirked.
"I'll figure you out one of these days.", she responded with great determination.
"One of these days.", he said implying that it wouldn't be happening anytime soon, and began to eat his food. Rory shook her head with a sigh, Lorelai's words coming to mind.
"Our little daughter is as full of surprises as her father.", she stated taking a large bite of her sandwich.
"What happened?", he questioned, going into overprotective father mode.
"Wouldn't I like to know.", Rory said cynically. This had been bothering her ever since her run in with her mother this morning. Of course it had to have something to do with her meeting Alex, but she could only speculate.
"Huh?", Tristan asked, confused as ever.
"My mother. She eluded to something, but after our little argument she refused to tell me."
"Argument? Over what? You two never fight.", Tristan asked, he knew something had to be wrong. At that moment the subject of Lana's secrets was tossed aside. 'How could I have let that slip?', she thought to herself.
"Uh, just a small on. Minuscule really."
" 'Bout me wasn't it?", he said seriously.
"You have an ego that could fill Texas, you know that?", she tried to sidetrack him, while taking another bite of her sandwich. She wasn't going to ruin whatever they had just formulated with her mother's cynicism.
"Ror."
"It's nothing, don't worry. Believe me, she was just... . Look it's none of your business okay.", she snapped. Maybe it was just her anxiety about this whole thing or maybe it was like her mother said. She either loved him, or absolutely despised him.
"Fine. Let's not start fighting okay?"
"Sounds like a good idea,", her mood easing quite a bit.
"How's work?", Rory asked, jumping at the chance of a subject.
"Much more relaxed with my father gone, thank God for retirement."
"Great to see your family is still so loving.", Rory commented.
"That's us, all right.", Tristan snorted. Rory just shook her head. Her family was no where near as complicated and odd as Tristan's. The DuGrey's were a living soap opera. They went on with their small talk, each getting to know the other again. There was a few lulls in the somewhat strained conversation as each busied themselves with their sandwiches and interesting topics were getting harder to come by.
"Thank you.", Tristan said out of the blue.
"For what?", Rory smiled looking at him strangely.
"For this. Letting me be here, giving me another chance.", he elaborated
"You're welcome then, I guess. Everyone deserves another chance right?", replied Rory, a slight tinge rose on her face much to Tristan's amusement. Up until now he hadn't realized how much he missed it.
"Maybe everyone does, but I can't say I do. Thank you though."
She had to get out, before he had a chance to 'charm' her right back to where she was a few years ago. Even if it may have been to late, her sensible side screamed that getting out was the best thing. Ugh. Anxiety really was love's greatest killer.
"Paris is going to wring my neck if I don't get back soon.", Rory said quickly, while looking down at her watch.
"We wouldn't want that now would we?", he grinned knowingly.
A highly caffeinated tornado had been running through the Inn the entire morning barking orders and snapping at people for no sensible reason.
"Lor?"
"What.", Lorelai said curtly, then she realized who she was talking to. "I'm sorry Sook, I just have a lot on my mind. What did want?", she amended much more kindly.
"I was going to give you the menu for next week, but I have the feeling we need to talk.", Sookie replied cautiously.
"My baby is going back to the dark side.", she stated sadly. Sookie instantly understood her 'mood'.
"Oh come on Tristan isn't that bad.", Sookie countered softly and sympathetically. Similar things had happened to her and Jackson.
"That's what you say now, but I don't want to see her hurt yet again by the infamous Tristan DuGrey. It'll happen sooner or later.", Lorelai protested.
"It happens to everyone Lor, the only thing that matters is she's happy isn't it?", she said tritely, but it was still affective.
"I know, but..."
"No buts!", Sookie interrupted.