A/N: Wow seven months? I should be reported for neglect. I apologize to all my readers and reviewers (if there are any left by this time). There is no excuse for me. Hope the wait has been worth it.

¤Kari¤

Chapter 32

A few streams of light fell across his face, slowly prodding him awake. He rolled over, surprised at the amount of room he had. She was gone?

"Damn it." he sighed, somewhat defeated. He waddled groggily downstairs in his boxers searching for the phone to figure out what the hell had happened. He fumbled toward the phone's cradle and sloppily started dialing, not hearing the hum of the radio and sounds clanging in the kitchen.

"Who're you calling so early?" an amused voice behind him startled him.

"You?" She laughed at him.

"Sit, you hungry?"

"You cooked?"

"Yes I did," Rory said with mock offense, "I'm not entirely my mother's daughter, you know."

"I apologize. What's for breakfast?" he smirked. She ran and placed a tray on the coffee table, sitting beside him on the sofa.

"Very nice." he whispered, kissing her right bellow her ear, "Thank you."

"Mm hm." she smiled, sinking more comfortably into him.

"I miss this." was Tristan's blanket statement.

"Me too, I don't want to leave." Rory smiled, stretching for the coffee.

"Then don't. Stay." he said enthusiastically, sitting up a little.

"What?" she laughed.

"I was going to wait a little while for this, but you should move back in with us. Think about it, Lana wouldn't have to go back and forth between here and Stars Hollow and neither would you, it's the perfect set up." Tristan reasoned.

Rory stared at him, even the sound of her own fumbling voice fading into the pianist on the radio, which now seemed to blast through her brain. Reality was calling and it was a bit off key.

¤

She escaped through her music, that much was obvious. There was no particular song she was playing, the piano simply conformed to her thoughts and feelings. She found sanctuary at the piano, in a far off corner of her house. No one, not even her sister, had the gall to invade it.

Behind her, though, she heard a slow, deliberate clap. Her unexpected audience slide next to her on the bench.

"You mind?" he whispered, starting to play before she had a chance to answer.

Emma would have been indignant if she weren't so dumb struck by what she was hearing.

With skill and precision, he played back everything he had just heard by ear.

Travis smirked when he saw the look on her face.

"What? There's a lot you don't know about me."

"Where'd you learn to do that?"

"'Daddy' never thought I made 'proper use' of my time. So he bought me a piano instructor."

"I'm not even gonna ask what you did before that."

"Rough housing mostly." Travis said, with a lopsided smile. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"With the other boys?"

"Of course." he replied in mock seriousness.

"I had you pegged all wrong Mr. Griffin." she joked.

"I'm sure you do," he paused for a second, "So how long have you been playing?"

"As long as I can remember? Started as a chore from my mother, but, I don't know, now it's sort of a part of me." she wondered why she was talking so openly with him, but shrugged it off, deciding she'd rather not know.

"Sometimes it's just easier to vent at the piano than to an actual person," she continued, in her own little world, "You think I'm crazy now, huh?"

"No, I get it. So what's got you so frustrated? It can't be me, is it?" he added, smirking.

"No, you Narcissist, my sister's in town for the holidays."

"Oh, okay." A thought suddenly struck her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Took you long enough," he laughed, "I brought back your car. Lana told me you'd be in here."

"Lana," Emma gave an exasperated sigh, "Where is she?" 'I'll kill her' she added mentally.

"Left with Alex." he replied casually, nodding in the direction of the front door.

"What a coincidence." she deadpanned, staring him down.

He surveyed her and smirked, "Ready to go?"

"Go where."

"We," he said, amused, "are going to lift your spirits."

"Sorry 'Trav'," she checked her watch, "I'm late for practice."

"What a coincidence." Travis mimicked.

Emma sent a glare in his direction, "The door's that way."

"I came in your car, remember, I need a ride."

"Walk." Emma shrugged.

"In the cold?" he craned his neck to look out the window, "...In the snow?"

"Eh, you're tough." He shot her comical, yet in the same instant undeniable, sad puppy eyes.

"I told you, I'm late." But he refused to relent.

"Fine," she caved, "you can sit in, but I swear to god, if you..."

"I'll be on my best behavior," he cut her off, looking proud of himself.

"Oh, well that's promising."

¤

"Wait, what? He's running from a 'kid'?"

"Lorelai." Luke chided as he saw Patty and Babette's ears perk up a little.

"Sorry, now tell me more about the mystery girl? Is he serious about her?" Lorelai replied with her usual child like inquisitiveness.

"I don't...." Luke side stepped her back into the doorway a little, about to say something, when a host of bells started up. Luke ran out to the counter in time to catch the first chorus of Jingle Bells. Lorelai giggled behind him, as he started out shouting.

Taylor continued to conduct the carolers with less than a flinch at the coarse voice yelling over the voices. The patrons looked on, at first amused by the period dressed singers, than by the vocal face off.

Taylor's choir began to drop off in bunches, Luke's threats and pulsing vain obviously getting to them. A few of the smaller children even burst into tears at the sight.

"We were only trying to liven up the spirit around here, now look what you've done. This is a new low Luke, making children cry. I knew you had a mean streak, but..."

"Enough Taylor...just stop disrupting my customers."

"Oh, but they were enjoying it, weren't you folks?"

"Don't answer that anyone, trick question." Lorelai called out smiling.

"Out." Luke deadpanned.

"If any of you would like to hear our lovely ensemble, uninterrupted, there will be a concert in the park at seven p.m. tomorrow night."

"Out Taylor!"

He gave the patrons a small bow and tipped his top hat, while making his exit.

Luke stalked back toward Lorelai, mumbling to himself.

"Lovable as ever, that Taylor." Lorelai shook her head, smiling. Luke grunted, refilling the table's coffee.

"You never finished telling me..." she started trailing him like a puppy.

"Hey Mom." Rory interrupted.

"Ror! What are you doing here?"

"You sound so surprised." Rory replied, furrowing her eye brows.

"So...how's the Tristan...thing...going?" Lorelai pulled her toward a table, ignoring her comment. Rory faltered slightly, but it passed under the radar.

"Really good, actually." Rory smiled, deciding to leave things right there.

"That's it?" Lorelai pouted, "That's all I get? After giving you life?"

"I know, I'm one ungrateful daughter."

"I can't get anything out of people today." replied a disgruntled Lorelai.

"What do you mean?"

"Luke," she nodded, "Apparently, Jess is running from a kid."

"Wait, what? Jess has a kid?"

"That's what I said!"

"Not his kid, this mystery girl's son." Lorelai amended, seeing the look on Rory's face.

"That's why he's been sulking?"

"Dunno...I'm guessing, but he hasn't told anyone much."

Rory shook her head, "Sounds like Jess."

"Want coffee or anything? Pie's very good...tested it myself."

"Actually," she replied, suddenly getting an idea, "I should get going. Just felt like saying hello."

"Okay, bye Sweets."

"Bye Mom, bye Luke!" Luke nodded as she walked out the door.

¤

"Should we call her...make sure he's not impaled yet?" she proposed impatiently, playing with the last bits of the lunch on her plate.

"Nah, the worst is probably done," Lana gave him side long glance.

"Come on, stop worrying, let's just go to the movies." Alex replied, throwing Lana her coat off the kitchen chair.

"Okay, okay. You're right. Let's go. I'm sure she hasn't mauled him to death." Lana joked, pushing through the swinging door into the living room.

"You sure about that?" Alex's eyes went wide.

"What the-" Lana was stopped mid sentence by Alex's hand over her mouth.

"That's not possible." Lana gapped, leaning lightly against the now closed door. Even after their conversation the night before she failed to believe what see was seeing.

"Back door?" Alex suggested with tentative smile.