Lightning
A/N: This will be my last update for a while, but don't worry there is more to come in the future. I have big plans for this story.
Chapter Nine: Birthday Party
"Here's the thing that always bothered me with this movie." Tade started with a flick of his wrist towards the television before tossing a piece of cereal into his mouth. "It's obviously about racial barriers and the such. You know, she's a mermaid, he's a human and she needs to be human to be a part of his world, but they completely ignore the fact that Flounder is desperately in love with Ariel. You can see it in the way he follows her and gives her gifts and in his big fishy eyes." He stated.
"But of course they couldn't have a story about Flounder turning into a Merman because it is a rule that you must have a prince in these Disney films." Rory argued.
"Lady and the Tramp has no prince. Neither does 101 Dalmations, the Jungle Book, or Aristocats for that matter. A prince is not a must." He countered.
"But they sure make the story fun." She replied with a smirk. She loved when he got swept up in ordinarily insignificant theories. He tried to keep a calm exterior at all times, but when they were alone he let passion drip over ever detail.
He quickly caught on to her meaning and turned to her with raised eyebrows. Lightning. "How fun?" he coaxed.
Rory leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. Sugary sweet. Always. "That fun." She said pulling away to gage his reaction.
"Well that's just not fun enough. Let me see what I can do about that." He said with a smile as he pushed the junk food off the bed and turned to a giggling Rory. With the sound of M&M's sprinkling across the floor and the quiet Disney tunes coming from the television, the two were sucked into a cloud of passion. Their lips were fused together in a surge of warmth as their hands ran across the other's body searching for the perfect resting spot. There was no resting spot. There was too much clothing. This thought ran through both of their minds as they clawed at the binding fabrics. Suddenly the tingling of a cell phone broke into their heated groping.
"I have to get that." Rory breathed reluctantly.
"Let it ring." Tade urged.
"It's my mother. I can feel it." She said reaching for her phone.
"Weirdo." Tade grumbled with a smile.
"Hey mom." Rory said into the phone as she tried to control her erratic breathing.
"Hi sweets. Why are you winded?" Lorelai asked, clueless.
"I was, uh, dancing." Rory said with a shrug in the direction of a laughing Tade.
"Ew. So don't want to know what you were actually doing." Lorelai said catching on.
"And I so don't want to tell you. So, moving on." Rory attempted to guide the conversation in a new direction.
"Anyway, I called to confirm that you will be arriving in Stars Hollow around six tomorrow evening." Lorelai said.
"That's right. Tade will get there at four though to help set up and prepare whatever other surprise he has in the works." Rory informed her mother as Tade grinned and bounced his eyebrows in a mysterious manner at the mention of his surprise.
"Ok. Good. I still can't believe that you're turning twenty. I feel like Methuselah." Lorelai whined.
"I won't be twenty until the day after tomorrow and you aren't old at all." Rory calmed.
"Oh you humor me. Why don't you get back to your boyfriend while I go search for my knitting needles and my Ginkgo Biloba." Lorelai said in an old lady voice.
"You have fun with that." Rory played along.
"Bye hun." Lorelai gave up.
"Bye." Rory flipped her cell phone closed. "Where were we?" Rory asked with a mischievous look in Tade's direction.
"We were investigating the benefits of having a prince in the story." Tade answered as he crawled up the bed beside her.
"Oh yeah." Rory giggled as she met him in a kiss.
At 3:45 the next afternoon, Tade found himself driving to Stars Hollow alone. He was a little bit nervous about being in Rory's environment without her, but he had a plan to make this the best birthday of her life. They had only been together for about two and a half months, but it felt like forever, yet when he looked in her eyes it was like the first time every time. In other words, she confused the hell out of him, but one thing he was sure about was that he loved her.
A little while later he strode up the porch steps and knocked on Lorelai's door.
"You're early." Lorelai greeted.
"I was excited." Tade excused with a grin.
"Come on in." Lorelai opened the door to him, giving in to his charm with a small smile of her own. "So what's this big surprise about?" Lorelai asked as she followed him into the kitchen.
In response Tade merely wagged his finger and shook his head.
At 6:04 Rory pushed open the door to her house and was met with an explosion of confetti and noisemakers. She received a massive hug from her mother that nearly sent her toppling over. That was followed by a squeeze from Sookie and then Miss Patty. Once the hugging was finished she glanced around at all the familiar faces. Her grandparents were nearby and they exchanged greetings and a birthday check. Luke was pretending to occupy himself by checking the sturdiness of their stair banister. Michel, who had been forced to come, returned to his conversation with Emily after he gave a nod of greeting. Babette and Morey were sitting on the couch with a crowd of acquaintances, no doubt retelling embarrassing stories from Rory's past. She spotted Lane trapped in a conversation with Kirk and made her way over.
"Rory!" Lane squealed at the sight of her friend whom she hadn't seen in weeks before ambushing her with a hug.
"Hey Lane. Hey Kirk, may I borrow her for a moment?" Rory asked.
"You're the birthday girl." Kirk gave in raising his hands in defeat.
"Thanks." Rory managed as Lane dragged her away.
"So?" Lane began.
"So, what?" Rory asked.
"Where is this boyfriend I've heard so much about?" Lane prodded.
"I don't actually know." Rory answered with a small frown as she realized that she had not seen him when she arrived.
"Don't worry. I'm sure he's somewhere. He's never been here. He's probably standing somewhere amazed by all the freaks." Lane guaranteed.
"Oh, uh, I forgot to tell you something." Rory started, realization dawning on her face. She hadn't told Lane about Tade's visit or any of the events that occurred during said visit.
"What?" Lane asked as Rory pulled her into her bedroom by the elbow.
"Ok, uh, this is weird. I've known you forever, but this is still weird. Alright, I'll say it like this," Rory sat on the bed and indicated for Lane to follow as she prepared herself. "You know how long, long ago there used to be cultures that sacrificed virgins as, like, their thing?" She began.
"Yeah." Lane followed hesitantly.
"Well, if that fad ever comes back, I'm off the hook." Rory finished with raised eyebrows hoping that Lane would catch on.
"Uh," Lane looked confused, but suddenly her features shifted in a stream of understanding to one of shock. "You and Tade?" she asked for lack of anything else to say.
"Yep." Rory answered with a small, blushing smile.
"When?" Lane asked still wide-eyed.
"Last weekend." Rory replied with slight guilt that she hadn't told her friend earlier, but it's a hard topic to just bring up out of the blue.
"Where?" Lane asked seemingly unaware that she was beginning to sound like she was trying to solve the mystery in Clue.
"Uh, here, actually." Rory answered with a blushing nod to the bed they were sitting on.
"Whoa! Ok, too close for comfort." Lane exclaimed as she quickly stood up from the bed.
"He came to visit per the request of my mother and grandmother and my mother was working late at the inn and it was raining and I really, really love him." Rory explained although she didn't really need to justify her actions.
"How was it?" Lane asked with a giddy expression.
"Um," Rory stammered with blazing cheeks. "It was amazing." She answered truthfully. At that moment there was a sharp knock on the door that Rory recognized as belonging to Paris. "Come in." She called.
"I come all the way to your birthday party and you're hiding out in your bedroom?" Paris reprimanded before turning to greet Lane. "Hi Lane." She said curtly.
"Hey Paris." Lane said with a nod.
"So what are we talking about?" Paris asked.
"Sex." Lane answered without a second thought before she received a jab in the ribs from Rory.
"What?" Paris asked with raised eyebrows and a pointed look at Rory whose face was getting progressively redder.
"Sorry." Lane cringed.
"So our little Mary finally got laid." Paris said with a smirk.
"Oh yeah, laugh it up, but know this: I did it with the condoms you gave me." Rory said with a smirk of her own as she got up and opened the door to leave.
"Ew." Lane decreed as she walked out the door.
"Those were a joke." Paris shouted after Rory, who had moved towards the living room.
A few minutes later Tade crept in through the back door with a dress and a suit, which he hung up on the back of Rory's bedroom door. As he was bent in the fridge looking for a coke he felt someone enter the room. He looked up to see a small, Korean person whom he assumed to be Lane.
"Hi, you must be Tade." Lane greeted.
"It was the black thing that gave it away wasn't it?" Tade asked.
"Uh," Lane found herself somewhat uncomfortable.
"Don't worry. I'm going to guess that you're Lane because of the whole Korean thing. So we're even." He smiled.
"Yeah, I'm Lane. Nice to finally meet you." Lane said with a bashful smile as she extended her hand.
"Ditto." He shook her hand. "We should start a club. The Only Non-Whites To Sneak Into Stars Hollow." He joked.
"We can make t-shirts." Lane played along.
"I see you guys have met." Rory said coming into the room. "Hey." She added with a quiet smile as she gave Tade a light kiss.
"Sorry I'm late. I had some stuff to do." He excused.
"What kind of stuff? Surprise stuff?" Rory pestered.
"Yes. It was surprise stuff, but that's all you're getting out of me." He answered with a grin as wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his chest.
"Just answer me one thing. Does this surprise, by any chance, involve a large, pink elephant?" she asked in her most serious voice although ha smile was poking out of her eyes.
"You got me. I was out back putting a bow on him. His name is Leonard. He's pink with a blue stripe on his left ear, but don't mention it because it makes him self-conscious." Tade answered in completely seriousness.
"Ok. You two are sickening." Lane interposed before leaving the kitchen.
"Finally, we're alone." Rory whispered in a mock seductive voice before her lips were seized by Tade's. As they sank into each other Tade pinned her against the refrigerator.
"Oh, sorry." Christopher excused as he walked into the room. "I was just looking for my," Tade pulled away to expose a blushing Rory to her father. "Daughter." He finished lamely.
"Hi Dad." Rory greeted sheepishly. She noticed Tade freeze in place. This was not the way he had hoped to meet Rory's father. "Oh, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Tade. Tade, this is my father Christopher." She introduced.
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." Tade extended his hand. Manners.
"And I have heard nothing about you." Christopher said shaking Tade's hand with excessive strength.
"Chris? Did you find her?" Lorelai called before entering the room. She visibly cringed upon taking in the occupants of the room. "Oh." She said.
"Yep. I was just introduced to, what was it? Tade?" Christopher informed Lorelai in a tone dripping with disparagement.
"Dad." Rory admonished. This was not the way she wanted to see her father for the first time in over a year. They had left things badly and apparently they were going to start them badly.
"Tade, why don't we go schmooze with the group. Hm?" Lorelai suggested with a less than discreet nod of her head towards the door.
"Sounds like a plan." Tade threw her a gracious smile, gave a supportive look towards Rory, and a meaningless nod to Christopher as he walked towards the living room behind Lorelai.
When they stepped into the room the crowd let out a huge "Tade!" that sent his eyebrows flying up his forehead in surprise. He felt like Norm from Cheers, but it was much creepier.
"Hey everybody." He said pulling his eyebrows down into a smile. Calm. Cool. Collected. Manners.
"Honey, we were just reminiscing about when Rory was little. We were all here for her whole childhood, but since she's gone to college we don't get to see her enough. Why don't you tell us a little about her Yale life. How did you guys meet?' Miss Patty asked.
"Well, I had just gotten there." He began in the voice he reserved for telling stories to large groups. "And I went for a walk to see some of the famed Yalies. They were all thoroughly dull, but one caught my eye." Babette let out a small coo of delight. "As our eyes met there was a shriek of lightning and the rain began to fall. It was love at first sight as we danced around in the storm." He finished with a grin.
"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard." Miss Patty decided as she dug through her purse for a tissue.
In the kitchen, Rory and Christopher were still standing in silence, listening to Tade's narrative.
"Sorry, for being rude before." Christopher apologized quietly.
"No problem." Rory forgave.
"It's just hard on a guy when he comes to his baby girl's birthday party to find her making out with some guy in the kitchen." He explained.
"But I'm not your baby girl anymore. I'm twenty years old." Rory said gently.
"Hey, not for a few more hours. Don't give me grief ok?" He joked.
"Alright, old man." She added with a grin as she walked towards the living room.
"Oh, right through the heart." He said clutching his chest.
"Rory, are you killing your father?" Lorelai mock scolded.
"Just a little." Rory answered with a smile. "So, are you guys retelling embarrassing stories from my past?" She asked the group.
"No." Everyone answered at once.
"I like the communal lying. It works." Rory shook her head as she sat on Tade's lap on the couch. "Hey, how you holding up?" She whispered to him.
"I'm much better now that I've got the birthday girl sitting in my lap." He answered quietly and gave her a kiss on the cheek. In response all the women in the group cooed in their direction.
"Alright, that's enough of your sweet talking young man." Lorelai cut in.
"Sorry lady, but your daughter's got me under a spell." He retorted with a smirk.
"Always a prince." Rory smiled with a sweep of her hand across his cheek.
"I can't help it. It's in my blood." He said with a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders. She rolled her smiling eyes at him and turned back to the group.
A few hours later the guests began to disperse and Tade started his plan rolling.
"Hey Ror," He called from inside her bedroom, barely able to suppress the smile of anticipation from affecting his voice. "I left a CD I wanted to lend your mother in my car. Could you run out front and get it for me?" He asked.
"Already throwing his royal weight around. I was waited for when it would start." Rory joked from the living room where she was collecting empty soda cans. "Sure. I can get your CD." She finished dropping the bag in the corner and heading out the front door.
In the bedroom Tade was rapidly trying to get his suit on, but the giddiness vibrating off of her fingertips made it difficult to button his shirt.
Outside, Rory was rummaging through the glove compartment of the Corvette when she heard the distinct sound of a horse's nay. She looked up and saw a grey Shetland attached to a sleek, black carriage. There was no driver in sight as Rory drew closer to the horse. Attached to the said of the carriage was a large, white enveloped with "Rory" delicately engraved in silver, cursive letters. She rotated her eyes to see if anyone was watching her before she reached out for the envelope. For some reason she felt as though she was not the Rory for whom this enveloped belonged, but she was the only Rory she knew, so she cautiously reached out her hand and removed the envelope from where it was fastened.
"Your prince awaits." She read. A smile began to creep across her lips as she turned back to look at her house. There stood her prince. Tade was standing in the middle of the steps in a black suit and a yellow dress shirt with a large sunflower dangling between his fingers. She was speechless. He gave her an expectant smile and she ran into his arms. "You're my favorite prince." She kissed him. "Better than Phillip." She kissed him again. "Better than Eric." Another kiss. "Better than Florimond." Kiss. "Your even better than Simba. Now that's saying something." She joked.
"At last, my dreams have come true. I have defeated the Disney princes in the eyes of fair Rory." He said in a tone of mock triumph. "But if you think this is good, you haven't seen anything yet." He added with a mischievous grin. "Please, follow me." He said, taking her hand and leading her back into the house, where, hung up in such away that it was the first thing she saw, was a blue gown that put Cinderella's to shame. She looked between Tade and the dress with her mouth agape. "Put it on while I go prepare your chariot." He said, handing her the sunflower he was still holding. As he turned to leave, however, he was pulled back by Rory and caught in a kiss that brought the blood pounding to his ears. When she pulled away, he wiggled his ears at her, and went back out the door.
Mere moments later, Rory emerged from her house looking better than anything Walt Disney could have imagined. Tade got down from the carriage and helped her in before sitting down and taking the reigns himself. Rory got cozy in a blanket that smelled exactly the way a blanket should, and watched as Tade directed the horse. She was so entranced by his grace and power that she didn't notice where they were going until they were there.
Suddenly, as they rounded the corner and entered the town square, Rory caught sight of some activity in the gazebo. By the time they pulled up next to it her eyes were huge saucers darting between Tade and the scene before her.
"Miss," He said climbing down from his post and offering Rory his hand.
"Tade, this is," the words dissolved into the air because there was no way to describe this. He led her up the gazebo steps and she stopped to stare. Somehow he had brought the piano from Miss Patty's into the space, then, scattered candles all around and mixed them bouquets of sunflowers.
"Take a seat here." Tade guided her to the piano bench and sat down beside her. With a quick smile in her direction he put his fingers to the ivory keys. She watched as his beautiful fingers stroked the keys and listened to the wondrous sounds that were produced.
"Some day, when I'm awfully low,
when the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight." His gentle voice sang.
"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm
and you cheeks so soft,
there is nothing for me but to love you,
and the way you look tonight.
With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart,
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart." He smiled at her.
"Lovely, never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
Cause I love you, just the way you look tonight." He hummed along oblivious to the multitudes of people inside Miss Patty's dance studio watching them with tearing eyes.
"Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm,
just the way you look tonight." His fingers flew over the keys and ended the song. He looked to Rory and saw that there were tears forming in her eyes, but she looked happy. With a quick, impish grin in her direction he brought his fingers back to the keys and pounded out some familiar notes.
"Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Rory.
Happy birthday to you." He finished with a laugh as he looked to Rory's smiling face.
"Thank you." She whispered and gave him a soft kiss.
"Rory, will you dance with me?" he asked as he stood from the bench and extended his hand.
"I would love to." She took his hand as he reached out and pressed a button on the wall of the gazebo. Soft notes of jazz began to encircle them as music flowed from the speakers that Tade had meticulously hung from the rafters. She kissed him again as they held each other and swayed to the music.
"Happy birthday." He whispered in her ear. She held him tighter, never wanting to let go.
They danced until 3:45 in the morning, at which point, Tade took Rory home in the carriage for her 4:03 meeting with her mother.
A/N: I didn't get a chance to proof read this, so I apologize if there are mistakes, but my flight for Paris leaves really soon and I'm not packed yet. I'll be back in August with more to the story.