After All These Years
A/N: Hey everybody!!! I just wanted to apologize for not updating in so long. Let's just say that second semester classes have not been treating me well in the homework load department. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me. As usual read and review!!! Enjoy!!
-Ivy
Disclaimer: I don't own anything; you all know that. The Gilmore Girls are the property of Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB
After All These YearsChapter 1: A Day in the Life…
Rory Gilmore sighed as she hung up the phone and looked at the stack of papers piled up in front of her. As the top junior reporter at the Boston Times, she received the best of both worlds. Occasionally, she would receive exciting, front-page assignments. However, because she was still a junior reporter who had only worked there for two years, she still got stuck with a lot of hack articles about raccoons digging through dumpsters in the Arby's parking lot. As could be expected, this resulted in…a lot of work. Sighing, Rory glanced over at the photo sitting on her desk, the one she always looked to for support on hectic days. The photo was one of her favorites; one of Emily, Richard, Lorelai, Luke, Lane, Tristan, Rory, and Rae on Rory's graduation day from Harvard two years ago. Yes, Rory had still managed to attend Harvard, even after having Rae. After taking a year off to take care of Rae, she had managed to squeeze in the rest of her 3 ½ years of classes, and had even graduated with honors. Gazing at the picture, Rory smiled, remembering the events of that wonderful day…
*FLASHBACK*
Rory walked off of the stage, smiling broadly, Harvard diploma in hand. It was all over. She had finally achieved her dream of graduating from Harvard.
"Hey, Gilmore!!!" her mother shouted.
"Mom!" Rory screamed back in excitement, running towards her mother with open arms.
They caught each other in a fierce embrace, almost falling over onto the well-groomed Harvard campus, giggling as they did so.
"You did it, kid." Lorelai whispered into Rory's ear after they had calmed down. "You achieved your dreams…" Lorelai said, pulling back a little, stroking Rory's hair as she had done when Rory was younger.
"Mom…" Rory whispered back, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.
"God, Ror. I'm so proud of you. You did what others said was impossible… As my father would say, 'You definitely are a Gilmore.'" Laughing, Lorelai released her embrace on Rory, the tears in her eyes glistening in the bright sunlight.
"Yes, well I never could have done it without the help of my wise best friend" Rory said, joining in on Lorelai's laughter.
"Mommy!!!"
Rory turned to see her daughter, Rae, running towards her with Tristan and Lane close behind.
"Couldn't hold her back anymore," Tristan chuckled as Rory stood up and scooped 4-yr-old Rae up into her arms.
"No sweat, Tris. Thanks for watching her." Rory said smiling.
"Mommy, did you gwaduart?" Rae questioned.
"Yup, I gwaduarted." Rory replied, smiling broadly as Tristan and Lane started to laugh.
"Hey can we get going?" Luke interjected, coming up from behind. "These fancy-shmancy people are starting to make me nervous."
"Lucas Danes, turn that baseball cap around and stand up straight!!" Emily Gilmore's voice carried over the campus lawns.
"You mean, people like her?" Lorelai asked. "Why, Lukey, I don't understand…they're completely harmless…" Lorelai carried on, winking at Rory.
"Oh, shut up, Lorelai. Can we just go? Stars Hollow is waiting…"
"Sure, Butch." Lorelai replied, watching as Luke grimaced at the nickname. "But first we must take a picture. It's not everyday that the fruit of my loins graduates from Harvard!!!"……….
*END FLASHBACK*
Rory laughed, remembering the look on Luke's face at the phrase "fruit of my loins". Shaking her head, she tried to go back to focusing on her work. She had to get most of it done if she wanted to pick up Rae on time…
1 ½ hours later:
Rory pulled up in front of Rae's school, where 6-yr-old Rae was now a 1st grader. Getting out of her car, she walked to the entrance of the school where Rae was waiting with her teacher.
"Hey babe!" Rory called.
"Hi Mommy!" Rae called back, running into Rory's open arms.
After briefly thanking the teacher, Rory turned her full attention back to her adoring daughter. "How was school today, hon?"
"Good…Billy ate Play-Doh."
"Oh, really…" Rory laughed, wondering how the teacher could handle 20 first graders. "Did it ooze out of his ears?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.
"No silly." Rae giggled.
And with that, the two Gilmore girls walked off into the distance, laughing as if they were two best friends sharing a silly secret. Other parents watched, envious, knowing that they would never share that kind of bond with their child…
_______________________________________________________________________________
Arriving to the front door of their apartment, Rory thought of the fuss Emily had made in making sure that Rory bought it. After getting over the initial disappointment that Rory was pregnant, she started to make a fuss over everything involving the baby; doing all the things she never could during Lorelai's pregnancy. And although she would never admit it, she was extremely proud of Rory for managing to achieve her dreams even after having a child; and would often manage to sneak Rory into the conversation at DAR meetings so she could brag.
Unlocking the door, Rory ushered Rae inside, and stooped down to the 6-yr-old's level.
"Ready?" she asked Rae.
"Yup," Rae giggled, slipping into the apartment and shutting the door, leaving Rory standing outside in the hallway.
A few seconds later, Rory knocked and walked into the apartment, calling "Lucy!!!!!!!! I'm home!!!!!!!!"
On cue, Rae appeared in the living room with a pink boa wrapped around her neck, "Oh…Ricky!!!" she replied, collapsing onto the couch in a fit of giggles. Laughing, Rory threw her coat and bag over a chair, and went to join Rae on the couch, pulling Rae onto her lap.
"We certainly are quite the pair, aren't we?" Rory giggled.
"Yup," Rae replied, finally beginning to calm down. Minutes later, she twisted to face Rory, throwing her skinny arms around Rory's neck. "Hey Mommy…is Tristan coming over for movie night tonight?"
"I think so," Rory answered. Pretending to scratch her head in thought, she leaned towards her daughter and whispered, "Do you think he'd pass up a chance to watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?"
"No!" Rae screamed, giggling. Jumping off of Rory's lap and running towards her bedroom, she called over her shoulder "I'm gonna go finish my homework before the movie!"
"Okay," Rory called, trying to suppress her laughter. As they said, like mother, like daughter.
Half an hour later, Rory was working on an article at the kitchen table, frantically trying to finish, when she heard a key jiggling in the lock.
A moment later, she heard Tristan's voice calling out to her, "Rory?"
Rory smiled, as she always did at the sound of Tristan's voice. "In here," she replied, turning in her seat as she saw Tristan walk into the kitchen.
"Hey," he greeted her as he dropped a bag onto the table and bent over to kiss her on the cheek. "Where's Rae?"
"In her room. She wanted to finish her 'homework' before the movie," Rory paused as Tristan chuckled. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked, motioning towards the bag.
"Of course," he replied, digging into the bag and producing pounds of assorted junk food. " I swear, you two would probably go through some type of withdrawal if I didn't bring it." Tristan said shaking his head.
Rory frowned, rifling through the rest of the bag. "Where's my coffee?" she asked bluntly.
Smiling, Tristan produced a cup from behind his back. "Oh, you mean this, Mary?" he questioned flirtatiously.
"DuGrey, if you know what's good for you, you'll hand that over right now." Rory threatened.
"Yeah, yeah…" he grumbled, handing over the mug. "All of this caffeine can't be good for you, you know."
"You sound like Luke," Rory scoffed.
"Gee thanks," Tristan laughed. "Hey, Ror, I got a question for you," he said more seriously.
"Yeah, Tris?" Rory said, not looking at him as she began to carry the food into the living room.
"Well, you know how much I hate you guys living in this apartment. It can't be safe. There are thugs practically right outside the door-"
Sighing, Rory cut him off. "We're fine, Bible Boy. Do you honestly think my grandmother would allow us to live here if she thought it was unsafe?"
"No…But Ror, your grandmother doesn't know everything that happens nowadays…Please, Ror, could you just consider moving in with me? Come on, I've got this whole mansion completely to myself. I live in a suburb, sorta like Stars Hollow. You'd love it. You and Rae could have the whole east wing; I'd be on the west wing. You could keep me company…it's much safer; it's closer to the newspaper…"
Rory shook her head, "If you're so lonely, why'd you go out and buy that huge place anyway? You're a big shot lawyer, you could have bought the whole top floor of a hotel or something."
"To annoy my father, you know that. But we're getting off of the subject. Just think about if for once, Rory."
By this point, Rory was practically at her wit's end, trying frantically to come up with excuses. How could she tell him that she couldn't move in with him because she was madly in love with him? "Tristan, I can't. You know that."
"Why not?"
"First of all, my grandmother wouldn't allow it-"
"Like that's ever stopped you from doing anything before." Tristan scoffed. "Come on, Mar, just try it…for a trial period. That's all I ask. You can even keep the apartment in case you don't like it. Honestly, Mar, what do you think I'm gonna do, try to seduce you in the middle of the night?"
"Probably," Ror replied, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Sighing, Rory gave in. "Trial period only. We'll be back here in a month, though. I can guarantee it."
"Nah, you'll love my place. It's great; just your type." Tristan smiled, jogging off to Rae's room to say hello.
Rory smiled. Typical Tristan; always trying to be Rory and Rae's bodyguard. But she didn't know how she would have survived without him. He was her best friend…her everything. He'd been there for her through thick and thin, and nobody could ever live up to him in Rory's eyes… And to add to everything, Rae adored him. He was practically her father in every way except biologically. That much was evident. With Rae's trim figure, curly black hair, and sparkling blue eyes; she was the perfect cross of Rory and Jess, especially when you factored in her love for reading. But that was the only say Jess had had in Rae's upbringing; unless you counted the checks sent to Rory via Luke every other year…
Rory frowned. How had her thoughts led back to him again? she wondered as Jess's face swam through her mind's eye. Fat tears began to roll down her cheeks in frustration.
Tristan sauntered back into the kitchen, his wide smile fading away as he saw Rory hastily swiping her tear-stained cheeks.
"Ror…you okay?" he asked, going over to her and holding her forearms in his hands.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Rory lied, shaking him off and turning away from him as she began to rummage through the cabinets for ingredients for their supper. "I'm just a little…stressed. I have to make supper and do the laundry and finish my article…"
Tristan went along with her act, knowing that she was not being completely truthful with him about the reason for her tears. Taking the box of macaroni out of her hands, he spoke "Rory, I can help you, you know. Listen, I'll cook supper, because admit it, you can't anyway. And in the meantime, you can go down and start the first load of laundry, and then you can start your article."
Rory laughed a little, thankful that Tristan hadn't pressed the issue. "God, Tris, what would I do without you?"
"Well, since you wouldn't be able to check out my gorgeous body every day; you'd probably start off by subscribing to Playgirl." Tristan joked, falling into the familiar banter sessions that came so naturally between the two.
"Yup, that's it. That's exactly what I would do. You have me all figured out, Bible Boy." Rory replied, shaking her head.
Tristan continued, smirking at her, "And then you'd roam the streets every night, calling for me.
'Tristan!!!! Tristan!!! I want you, I need you!' Come on Mary, admit it."
"Right again Tris. I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby." Rory deadpanned.
"I knew the truth would come out eventually Mary."
"And Evil Tristan rears his ugly head again, ladies and gentlemen." Rory announced to a pretend audience.
"That's a little low, Rory. I know that you think my head's pretty." Tristan smirked.
"You know, sometimes I fail to remember that you're a 24-yr-old guy…" Rory laughed.
Tristan's voice took a more serious note. "That's your problem, Mary. Sometimes it seems like you forget your age. You have to remember that you're only 24. It's okay to have a little fun."
"I have fun." Rory argued. "I go out with you and Lane all the time."
"Yeah, but when's the last time you actually went out with somebody who wasn't me, Lane, Rae, or your mother?"
Rory remained silent.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Look, I know that this is none of my business, but I talked to Lane yesterday and she told me that last weekend when you two went out, you got asked out by a "really hot guy". She said he seemed exactly like your type; intellectual, funny, sarcastic…but you turned him down. Again. Just like every other guy." Tristan said, the look of agony on her face threatening to tear him apart. How had their conversation gone so terribly wrong?
Rory's face turned steely, and her jaw clenched. Throwing clothes into a laundry basket hastily, she turned to him in anger. "I refuse to get into this with you Tristan," she spat before stalking out of the door and turning to head towards the laundry room. After calling to Rae and getting the next-door neighbor to sit with her for a few minutes, he chased after Rory, the girl of his dreams.
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Tristan found Rory in the laundry room, recklessly throwing clothes into a washing machine. "Rory…" he said breathlessly.
"Stay out of my business Tristan," she replied coldly, knowing where this conversation was headed.
"You ARE my business Rory."
"Then stay out of my love life."
Tristan hesitated, unsure of what he was about to say. "You have to get over Jess eventually, Ror," he said quietly.
Rory, turned on her heel in a flash so that she was facing him, her eyes blazing, and the look on her face one of fury – one that made Tristan regret ever opening his mouth. "How dare you…" she hissed. "How DARE you even mention his name to me!!! This has nothing to do with him!!"
"Come on, Rory." Tristan said quietly, not daring to look her in the eyes. " I know you better than that… Rory, it's been almost 7 years…"
"I know that Tristan!!!" Rory spat. "God, do you think that I don't remember?!? I remember everything!!! I can tell you the exact time that I last saw him; the last look he gave me; the last words that I ever heard him utter…" Rory spat, her voice drifting off.
Tristan felt a pang of regret for digging up the past, and his heart broke for her. "Ror-"
"But THIS, Tristan-" Rory interjected, cutting him off, "THIS has NOTHING to do with Jess, DuGrey!"
Tristan winced at the coldness of her words, missing the hurt look in her eyes. But by this time, he felt that the conversation had to be had; Rory had to get over that idiot eventually.
"Yeah, right Rory!!! You've been pining for that goddamn idiot ever since he left! I thought you had better sense than to still be in love with a guy who left you pregnant at 18!" Tristan, said, getting a little angry himself.
"I can't believe you!" Rory shouted at him, her voice quivering a little, as if she were on the verge of tears. "First of all, do you think that I'm just supposed to completely forget the father of my child? The man who I was completely in love with? The man who I was going to marry? Yes, I still think about him a little. But I am NOT still in love with him; I gave that up years ago. So for the last time Tristan, this has NOTHING to do with him…. LET IT GO!!!"
"No, Ror. I want to know. Since you're supposedly over Jess, why the hell won't you go out anymore?" Tristan shouted, furious.
"You want to know, Tris?!?" Rory cried.
"Yeah!" Tristan spat back.
"Fine, I'll tell you what it's all about, Mr. High and Mighty DuGrey!! I'll tell you why I never go out with anyone!!!" Rory screamed, not caring who heard her anymore.
"I never go out with anyone of those idiots because I'm always comparing them to you, Tristan!!!! You're the only guy in my life who really matters anymore, and nobody else ever quite MEASURES UP!!!" Rory screamed, too angry to be embarrassed. With those last words she screamed, the slammed the door on the washer, and ran out the door headed for her apartment where her daughter was waiting, leaving Tristan standing shell-shocked amidst the washers and dryers.