Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.
Jess- Well, I tend to think of James as a good guy. Just a bit of an asshole. He's actually based on a guy in my math class... well, the looks anyway. But, haha, such a filler. What can I say? I blame school. But, whoot! The Sage Story Specialist came back! Whoot! Haha. Sorry, but whenever I hear that, I always think of a TV show I could pitch... hee. I'm so easily entertained. It's sad. But, like I've said, I'm in love with James. What can I say? I'd better love him. Haha. I did come up with him. But I've considered your suggestions, and I love them. I really do. But, I don't want James to be interested in Rory. Because, well, I love James and I want him for myself. Hehe. Sounds gross, doesn't it? Oh man, randomness time: I love Logan. So much. Hee! And Finn. I adore Finn. I wanted to see his reenactment of The Passion of the Christ. Haha! I would've died to see that. But, ok, back on task. I didn't mind the long review or anything you said. I enjoyed it. Anywho, can't wait for your next review! Love ya!
Ms. Vaughn- I adore being random. I can talk forever.... ok, no I can't, but I can talk really fast so I run out of breath. I did that once at PE because I was really hyper. Austin and Hillary were a tad bit worried, to say the least. Heh. Sad. Nope, you weren't making things up: James is Thomas. Or the other way around... would that be better? Oh well, I'm too lazy to change it.
xoxocmmxoxo- I heard about Pepper in my Spanish class, and decided to check them out. Heh. Interesting, huh? Not. Hee. I'm taking a trip into the 90s, so I've been using a bunch of 90s slang for the past couple of weeks. I even had a dream about the word psyche. Not kidding.
Lioness-07863- No, she didn't. She will when she's ready... or if I need a plot shocker... haha. Fanfic sweeps. No, I'm kidding about that. She will when she's ready.
More thank yous to Padme the 2nd, clockwatcher, ilovecookies3, readergurl87, Hatelover, Ivy, Callista NicTeryn, mar0506, mz.sammiz, liz3386, OTHlover04, TiCkLeDpInK22, smile1, PomegranateQueen. I love you all alot!
A/N: Heh. I should be doing my Science homework. I know this. I really do. But, honestly, wasn't finishing this chapter more important? Sorry about the delay. My life? Kinda hard. Well, not really, but between the exhausting class work and... ok, that's it. It's been hard! I know I'm a chronic complainer, but I can't help it. So I'm going to bitch: I hate school! It's hard! Heh. I'm such a procrastinator.
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It was two days until Yale got out for winter break, and Tristan still didn't know what he was getting Rory. He was sitting with his legs draped across the back of the couch and racking his brain. James wasn't being very helpful, either.
"Get her a surfboard," he suggested.
Tristan just stared at his friend, as if he couldn't believe he suggested that. "She doesn't surf, jackass."
James just grinned at him. "Then get me a surfboard."
"You have three. And I already got you something," Tristan added after a short pause. "What'd you get Maggie?"
James smiled at the sound of his girlfriend's name. "Besides the free flight to California?"
"To meet your family?" Tristan finished sarcastically. "Lemme rephrase that: what actual gift did you get her that won't scar her?"
"Picky," James tsked. "I got her a first edition hard copy of The Age of Innocence and 'Sticky Fingers' on vinyl."
"A Rolling Stones record?" Tristan asked doubtfully.
James glared at him. "Her favorite cd, which she scratched up from use, so I got her the vinyl."
Tristan thought about this a moment. "So you're saying I should get her a book and a CD?"
"Not necessarily a book, but something that will mean something to her. I know this may come as a shock for you, but not everything important costs thousands of dollars," James told him.
"So a book laced with coffee beans," Tristan clarified.
"Now you're thinking!" James exclaimed. "You're really not good with this whole shopping for other's thing, are you?"
"Shut up!"
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"What're you doing?"
Tristan jumped and dropped the book he was holding. He turned around to see Paris looking at him smugly. "Jesus, Gellar!"
"Did you not get Rory a present yet?" she asked, picking up the book he was looking at. "Huckleberry Finn? She already has that book. Try Tolstoy."
"The Russian dude?" Tristan replied.
"Yes, the 'Russian dude.' Get The Death of Ivan Ilych," Paris suggested. She skimmed through the books. She picked one out and handed it to him. "She's been wanting to read it for a while."
Tristan stood stunned for a moment, before shaking out of it. "Paris. Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Just have a good time in Stars Hollow for me," she advised him.
He smirked at her. "I think I can manage it."
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Rory answered her door to find Tristan on the other side with coffee and his luggage. "I don't want to drive. I'll be your slave forever if I can hitch a ride with you again."
"Good to know," she replied.
"Please?" he begged, sticking out his lower lip in a comical way.
She laughed slightly. "Fine. Just hand over the coffee and no one will get hurt."
"Nice to see where your priorities lie," he told her sarcastically, giving her the coffee.
"Nice to see that you aren't above cheap bribery," she replied in the same sarcastic tone that he'd spoken to her with.
"So are you ready to leave?" he asked. "The festival is tonight, right?"
"Yeah," she replied. "I just have some more homework to do. We can leave in about an hour."
"Then why'd I bother to ask you?" he said jokingly.
"Because you'd miss my witty conversations," she quipped.
He sighed. "You know me too well." He flopped down on the couch, now a ritual when he would come over.
"Make yourself at home," Rory told him sardonically.
"Really?" he asked, mocking surprise. "Thanks!"
She rolled her eyes and continued to type away at her laptop. Tristan turned on the TV and flipped through the channels at a rapid pace. He switched sitting positions five times, causing much noise on the couch. Rory finally looked up at him, annoyed.
"Is there a reason that you can't stop moving?"
"Oh, was that distracting you?" he asked innocently, looking up at her.
She growled in frustration and saved her work before slamming the top of her laptop down. "Fine, we're leaving now. Are you happy?"
He smirked at her. "Extremely."
"You're impossible," she muttered, gathering up her things she was bringing to Stars Hollow.
"Really?" he asked, lack of interest in the subject. "So, what'd you get me?"
"A lump of coal," she replied, ushering him out of her dorm room.
"Really? I guess Paris could turn it into a diamond for me," he told her, snickering at his own joke.
Rory didn't dignify him with a response the whole walk to the car. "Just stick your stuff in the back again. How come you have two suitcases this time?"
"Presents," Tristan simply replied.
"For the whole town?" she asked skeptically.
"No. But I happen to have gotten many big presents for Lorelai."
"Suck up."
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"Rory!" Lorelai screamed, running out of the diner to greet her daughter.
Rory oofed as her mom hit with full force, pulling her into a big hug. "Hi, Mom."
"Tonight, you, me, the coffee, and a blanket in front of the house. We need to celebrate the snow like we used to," Lorelai promised her.
"Ok, Mom," Rory replied. From the town square, she saw Hep Alien rehearsing a faster version of 'Silent Night,' and Taylor directing Tom and Kirk on where to set up the tree.
"Silent Night is a slow song!" Taylor yelled at said rehearsing band.
Nobody replied, but when Taylor turned his back to walk over to Lorelai, Zach flipped him the bird.
Taylor, oblivious to the whole thing, asked Lorelai, "Is everyone in the town contributing to the tree? Because we need full town participation for this to be a success."
"All except those that don't celebrate Christmas," Lorelai replied, trying desperately to rid her voice of the condescending tone.
"Oh yes, we have a whole other celebration planned out for them," Taylor replied, distracted. "Hello, Rory."
"Hi, Taylor," she politely said back.
He pointed at Tristan. "Is this one a hoodlum too?"
Lorelai laughed loudly, then quickly shut her mouth, struggling to keep the giggles contained. Rory's jaw nearly dropped at Taylor's bluntness. "I'm not dating Tristan, Taylor."
He looked both of them over, somewhat disapproving and somewhat speculatively. "Oh. My mistake." He turned back to Kirk and Tom. "That's not straight! I want the tip perpendicular with the ground!"
"The snow is making that hard," Kirk called back as he struggled with the heavy tree.
Rory turned to her mother. "Why would Taylor think that?"
"Gee, Rory, can you say that with a little more disdain in your voice? My ego isn't quite bruised enough," Tristan said sarcastically, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Rory immediately started apologizing. "Tristan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I meant-"
Tristan held his hand up. "Never mind, I don't care. I'm going to go talk to Zach for a while. I'll see you at the festival later, ok?" Without waiting for a reply, he walked off.
Rory and Lorelai watched him retreat. Lorelai put an arm around her daughter and maneuvered her toward the diner. "You think I hurt his feelings?" Rory asked her mom.
"No, honey, I think he's being a guy. Albeit, a mysterious one, but a guy nonetheless. We'll see him tonight," Lorelai assured her.
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The snow crunched softly under the footfall of the mother and daughter making their way to the middle of town, chatting animatedly to each other. They rounded a corner and passed Luke's diner, staring at it for a second before they crossed the street to enter into the festivities that Taylor had planned.
Lorelai and Rory, already drinking eggnog and eating anything they could find, watched as the pair intermingled themselves with the rest of the town.
Lorelai turned to Rory. "Ok, what did Tristan get me?"
Rory laughed. "Sorry, I can't tell you that."
"Oh, come on!" Lorelai begged.
Rory merely shook her head. "I can't. He made me promise."
"But, what you don't know, is that he's been saying really mean things about you behind your back, so now you have to tell me to get revenge on him!" Lorelai informed her.
"Nice try, and it would be effective if you hadn't tried it on me last year," Rory replied.
"That's not nice. You're purposely holding out on me to see me squirm," Lorelai pointed out.
"Christmas is in two days. You can't wait until then?" Rory asked.
"No," came the reply.
Rory decided it was time for a topic change. "Where's Luke?"
Lorelai pointed to the diner. "He said that I need to spend more time with you, and he needs to spend more time with his inventory."
"That's very wise of him."
"I thought so." Lorelai linked arms with her daughter. "So, kid, ready to enter the fray yet again?"
Rory looked at her mother in alarm. "Do I need to see Kirk dressed as an elf again?"
Lorelai laughed. "No. I'm sure that was all you could take. We'll avoid the Santa attraction. For now."
"You're evil."
"It's a hard job, but somebody needs to do it."
Rory wanted to reply, but Tristan interrupted her. Without saying a word, he bent down and gave her a sloppy, drunken kiss before turning around and disappearing into the crowd that was forming around the stage waiting for Hep Alien to begin.
Rory touched her lips in surprise. She looked at her mom, who was biting her tongue willing herself not to burst out laughing.
Lorelai was able to manage, "Well, that was unexpected."