A/N: I don't own Gilmore Girls, Michelle Branch, or 'I'd Rather Be in Love'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I cannot help it
I couldn't stop it if I tried
The same old heartbeat fills the
Emptiness I feel inside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory pushed the door opened upon getting home on Friday. She closed her eyes and inhaled the comforting scent of coffee. She was the only one home, so there wasn't actually any coffee made, but the house always had that aroma. Her bag fell to the floor and she dragged herself to her room and laid on the bed. All day the topic of conversation had been Tristan. Everyone knew the king was returning home, but only she knew how soon. Some people had walked on eggshells around Rory, most had acted normal, a couple asked her how he was, considering they were best friends, and a few, Summer and Francie mainly, had thrown it in her face, thinking that she hadn't known. It surprised her that some had asked how he was, everyone knew about the huge blow out they'd had before he left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I've heard that you can't fight love,
So I won't complain
'Cause why would I stop the fire that
Keeps me going on?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But none knew the truth. Not one person other than Rory and Tristan knew what had been said in the conversation on Wednesday. She'd told Lorelai, Paris, and Lane the cliff notes version, not revealing the confession she'd made. No body knew that she'd finally admitted to loving her best friend. She hadn't told anyone he was coming home either, so she guessed that the Dugreys had told someone, who told their son or daughter, who then proceeded to tell the entire Chilton student body. Only Rory had been told by Tristan, he didn't want everyone to know, but they did none the less.
And why did his parents hate her so much? She'd met them on numerous occasions and they'd always been completely civil and polite, she would even venture to say that Mrs. Dugrey had been sweet to her. But none of that mattered now. Both apparently thought she was 'below' their son. Rory closed her eyes and her emotion wracked body drifted off to sleep, wondering what she had done wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Cause when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory's head snapped up at the sound of knuckles on the front door. She glanced at the clock and cursed, seven thirty, she hadn't meant to fall asleep. Her tired mind slowly began to work. Seven thirty? Lorelai wouldn't be home for two and a half hours, besides her mother had a key, who would come over at seven thirty? There was another knock and she pushed herself out of bed. Walking down the hall slowly, the girl kept asking herself who it could be. Most people in Stars Hollow would have just walked right in after knocking only once, so who could be there now? She turned the knob and a shiver ran down her spine. The door creaked open, revealing the boy behind it. Her breath caught in her throat and she nearly fainted, he was the last person she would have expected to show up at her door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turn out the lights now
To see is to believe
I just want you near me
I just want you here with me
And I'd give up everything for you
It's the least that I could do
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you doing here?" her mind was going in overdrive, but her body screamed at her for talking and not jumping him.
"I came to see you."
"Tristan."
"Rory."
"Go home."
"Um, no."
"Why do you do this?"
"What?"
"You do things you shouldn't just to show you can."
"No, I didn't come here to show that I can. I came here to see you because I had to."
"No, you didn't."
"Um, yeah, I did Rory."
"Why?"
"You don't want to see me?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then why do you want me to leave?"
"Do you want to go back to North Carolina?"
"Hell no."
"That's why."
"Well, if North Carolina is the price I have to pay to be with you, then yes, I do."
"Don't say that."
"It's the truth."
"No it's not, it can't be."
"You're the only reason I even wanted to come back."
"No."
"Yes."
"Tristan, we've already had this conversation. We can't be together, no matter what we think or how we feel."
"Yes, we can. You're just scared of what will happen if we are."
"Yeah, I am. I'm scared that you'll get shipped off to North Carolina and I'll never see you again. Yeah Tristan, that scares the hell out of me!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Cause when there's you I feel whole,
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He didn't respond, but reached out his hand to touch her cheek. She jerked her head back, afraid that if they touched she wouldn't be able to pull back. He retracted his hand, hurt. They stared at each other for a moment before he reached out again. She didn't pull away this time and he felt her soft skin beneath his palm. He cupped her cheek gently and Rory's eyes closed, she rested her head in his hand. One of her small hands came to his wrist, while the other went to the back of his hand.
Tristan brought Rory closer to him and wrapped his other arm around her waist, looking up into her eyes before hid gaze fell to her lips. He leaned down, his lips meeting hers gently. She froze for a split second before he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and she felt his tongue against hers. Rory's hands released his and she clutched the front of his shirt tightly. Tristan deepened the kiss and Rory willingly surrendered. Until she came crashing to reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I feel you holding me
Why are we afraid to be in love?
To be loved
I can't explain it
I know it's tough to be loved
And I feel you holding me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She pulled away and stepped back. Tristan stared at her in surprise, why had she done that? Rory closed her eyes, unable to stare at the hurt look on his face. "Did I do something?"
"No, Tristan, you didn't it's just, I. I mean, we can't do this."
"Do what?"
"This. Me and you. When we know that we can't be together."
"We're together now."
"That's not what I mean. Tristan, we can't be together or else you're going back to military school."
"Yeah, I know, and I don't care."
"You have to care."
"Rory, I can't just stay away from you, you know that."
"Yes you can, see?" she took a step back.
He took a step forward, "Rory, I'm telling you, You're like an addiction. At first you seem harmless, but after someone's had the first taste, they're hooked, and I am."
"People break addictions, though." she kept backing away.
He kept coming forward, "I don't want to break this one." her back hit the wall. "I like it." he put his hands against the wall on either side of her.
She ducked under hit outstretched arm and moved a few feet away, "I think we should stay at least a yard away from each other."
"No."
"Tristan, come on."
"Rory, do you honestly want me to stay away?"
"Yes."
"You do?"
"No."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, oh
And when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, you don't want me to stay away and I don't want to stay away, what can we do?"
"Nothing, that's what I've been trying to tell you."
"I think we can do something."
"What's that?"
"Well, on the plane over I was thinking, and I got an idea."
"Dear Lord, save us."
"That's cold."
"Sorry, but I can't recall one time one of your 'ideas' ended without us either in detention or having our parents called."
"Well this one is a good idea, not like the others."
"Do tell."
"First I need you to tell me something Mary."
"Hm?"
"Can you act?"
"No."
"Shit."
"I can lie, but I can't act."
He looked up at her, "I guess that will work."
Tristan left half an hour later, after telling Rory his plan. She didn't like it, the idea of Tristan acting like the 'player' he used to be, but she didn't really have a choice. Other than of course not being with him, but that wasn't even an option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I'd rather be in love
Yes, I'd rather be in love
Oh, I'd rather be in love with you
And I feel you holding me, oh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Sorry this took so long, I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner. And reviews will motivate me. Later darlings, review. Muah.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I cannot help it
I couldn't stop it if I tried
The same old heartbeat fills the
Emptiness I feel inside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory pushed the door opened upon getting home on Friday. She closed her eyes and inhaled the comforting scent of coffee. She was the only one home, so there wasn't actually any coffee made, but the house always had that aroma. Her bag fell to the floor and she dragged herself to her room and laid on the bed. All day the topic of conversation had been Tristan. Everyone knew the king was returning home, but only she knew how soon. Some people had walked on eggshells around Rory, most had acted normal, a couple asked her how he was, considering they were best friends, and a few, Summer and Francie mainly, had thrown it in her face, thinking that she hadn't known. It surprised her that some had asked how he was, everyone knew about the huge blow out they'd had before he left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I've heard that you can't fight love,
So I won't complain
'Cause why would I stop the fire that
Keeps me going on?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But none knew the truth. Not one person other than Rory and Tristan knew what had been said in the conversation on Wednesday. She'd told Lorelai, Paris, and Lane the cliff notes version, not revealing the confession she'd made. No body knew that she'd finally admitted to loving her best friend. She hadn't told anyone he was coming home either, so she guessed that the Dugreys had told someone, who told their son or daughter, who then proceeded to tell the entire Chilton student body. Only Rory had been told by Tristan, he didn't want everyone to know, but they did none the less.
And why did his parents hate her so much? She'd met them on numerous occasions and they'd always been completely civil and polite, she would even venture to say that Mrs. Dugrey had been sweet to her. But none of that mattered now. Both apparently thought she was 'below' their son. Rory closed her eyes and her emotion wracked body drifted off to sleep, wondering what she had done wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Cause when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rory's head snapped up at the sound of knuckles on the front door. She glanced at the clock and cursed, seven thirty, she hadn't meant to fall asleep. Her tired mind slowly began to work. Seven thirty? Lorelai wouldn't be home for two and a half hours, besides her mother had a key, who would come over at seven thirty? There was another knock and she pushed herself out of bed. Walking down the hall slowly, the girl kept asking herself who it could be. Most people in Stars Hollow would have just walked right in after knocking only once, so who could be there now? She turned the knob and a shiver ran down her spine. The door creaked open, revealing the boy behind it. Her breath caught in her throat and she nearly fainted, he was the last person she would have expected to show up at her door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turn out the lights now
To see is to believe
I just want you near me
I just want you here with me
And I'd give up everything for you
It's the least that I could do
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What are you doing here?" her mind was going in overdrive, but her body screamed at her for talking and not jumping him.
"I came to see you."
"Tristan."
"Rory."
"Go home."
"Um, no."
"Why do you do this?"
"What?"
"You do things you shouldn't just to show you can."
"No, I didn't come here to show that I can. I came here to see you because I had to."
"No, you didn't."
"Um, yeah, I did Rory."
"Why?"
"You don't want to see me?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then why do you want me to leave?"
"Do you want to go back to North Carolina?"
"Hell no."
"That's why."
"Well, if North Carolina is the price I have to pay to be with you, then yes, I do."
"Don't say that."
"It's the truth."
"No it's not, it can't be."
"You're the only reason I even wanted to come back."
"No."
"Yes."
"Tristan, we've already had this conversation. We can't be together, no matter what we think or how we feel."
"Yes, we can. You're just scared of what will happen if we are."
"Yeah, I am. I'm scared that you'll get shipped off to North Carolina and I'll never see you again. Yeah Tristan, that scares the hell out of me!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Cause when there's you I feel whole,
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
And I'd rather be in love with you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He didn't respond, but reached out his hand to touch her cheek. She jerked her head back, afraid that if they touched she wouldn't be able to pull back. He retracted his hand, hurt. They stared at each other for a moment before he reached out again. She didn't pull away this time and he felt her soft skin beneath his palm. He cupped her cheek gently and Rory's eyes closed, she rested her head in his hand. One of her small hands came to his wrist, while the other went to the back of his hand.
Tristan brought Rory closer to him and wrapped his other arm around her waist, looking up into her eyes before hid gaze fell to her lips. He leaned down, his lips meeting hers gently. She froze for a split second before he ran his tongue over her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and she felt his tongue against hers. Rory's hands released his and she clutched the front of his shirt tightly. Tristan deepened the kiss and Rory willingly surrendered. Until she came crashing to reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I feel you holding me
Why are we afraid to be in love?
To be loved
I can't explain it
I know it's tough to be loved
And I feel you holding me
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She pulled away and stepped back. Tristan stared at her in surprise, why had she done that? Rory closed her eyes, unable to stare at the hurt look on his face. "Did I do something?"
"No, Tristan, you didn't it's just, I. I mean, we can't do this."
"Do what?"
"This. Me and you. When we know that we can't be together."
"We're together now."
"That's not what I mean. Tristan, we can't be together or else you're going back to military school."
"Yeah, I know, and I don't care."
"You have to care."
"Rory, I can't just stay away from you, you know that."
"Yes you can, see?" she took a step back.
He took a step forward, "Rory, I'm telling you, You're like an addiction. At first you seem harmless, but after someone's had the first taste, they're hooked, and I am."
"People break addictions, though." she kept backing away.
He kept coming forward, "I don't want to break this one." her back hit the wall. "I like it." he put his hands against the wall on either side of her.
She ducked under hit outstretched arm and moved a few feet away, "I think we should stay at least a yard away from each other."
"No."
"Tristan, come on."
"Rory, do you honestly want me to stay away?"
"Yes."
"You do?"
"No."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, oh
And when there's you, I feel whole
And there's no better feeling in the world
But without you I'm alone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, you don't want me to stay away and I don't want to stay away, what can we do?"
"Nothing, that's what I've been trying to tell you."
"I think we can do something."
"What's that?"
"Well, on the plane over I was thinking, and I got an idea."
"Dear Lord, save us."
"That's cold."
"Sorry, but I can't recall one time one of your 'ideas' ended without us either in detention or having our parents called."
"Well this one is a good idea, not like the others."
"Do tell."
"First I need you to tell me something Mary."
"Hm?"
"Can you act?"
"No."
"Shit."
"I can lie, but I can't act."
He looked up at her, "I guess that will work."
Tristan left half an hour later, after telling Rory his plan. She didn't like it, the idea of Tristan acting like the 'player' he used to be, but she didn't really have a choice. Other than of course not being with him, but that wasn't even an option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I'd rather be in love
Yes, I'd rather be in love
Oh, I'd rather be in love with you
And I feel you holding me, oh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Sorry this took so long, I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner. And reviews will motivate me. Later darlings, review. Muah.