After All These Years
Chapter 4: Books, Candles, and a Night To Remember
-Ivy
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The Gilmore Girls belong to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB, as usual. Darn.
Distribution: Just ask first.
A/N: First, I would like to correct a few things that I wrote. Last chapter was really chapter 3, not chapter 6. I sorta screwed that up. It's the 6th section, due to the 3 prologues, but only the 3rd chapter. Make sense? Probably not. But anyways… I want to thank you all so much for reviewing. I think I got over 20 reviews, which is pretty good. Thanks so much!!! I'm sorry that I frustrated some of you with my abrupt ending, but it would have been another 16 pages, and I had to go somewhere. So please forgive me. And for the person who asked about the fact that Rory and Tristan are still sleeping in separate beds, I'll explain it. Mostly, (in my head), they have separate rooms so as not to influence Rae in any way. Rory doesn't want Rae to think that she and Tristan will last forever because they're sharing the same room, and then get hurt if Tristan leaves. She doesn't want Rae to end up hurt like she was when her own father left them for Sherry. So, I hope that doesn't make any of you angry, and I hope that explains it. Anyways…here's the next section! Enjoy!
-Ivy
After All These Years
Chapter 4: Books, Candles, and a Night to Remember
As Tristan and Rory reached the top of the steps, Tristan placed his hands over Rory's eyes and whispered "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, welcome to your own personal 'Booklover's Paradise' Scavenger Hunt. Enjoy." and kissed her cheek lovingly.
Rory crinkled her eyes in confusion, "Tristan, what are you - "
"Shhh…" Tristan interrupted. "Just follow the path, Mary," he said before removing his hands form over her eyes.
Rory opened her eyes to reveal a trail of rose petals leading towards the back of the store. A look of confusion and wonder flickered across her face and she turned around abruptly "Tristan - "
But he had disappeared.
Making a small circle to look for Tristan, Rory's eyes landed again on the path of beautiful rose petals adorning the floor.
'Oh well,' she thought, 'It's not like anything bad can happen if I just go look.'
Rory followed the path around many different twists and turns among the shelves of the bookstore until finally the trail ended in front of a large wicker basket with an envelope inside. Curious, Rory bent to retrieve the envelope from the basket, flipping it over to see the words "To my love – Rory" printed on the front. Now even more curious than before, Rory carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper inside, scanning its contents with a smile crossing over her face as she read:
'To Rory, the love of my life,
By now I'm sure you've been wondering what the heck is going on. Well, as I've already told you, I'm sending you on a scavenger hunt for books, with each book passage describing my point of view on our relationship over the years. Pretty cool, huh? In every envelope you find there will be a letter containing a clue on the next book, which will in turn hold another envelope with another clue. Keep all the books I lead you to as well. Just put them in that wicker basket you found this letter in; think of them as my present to you. And don't forget to have fun, Mary!
Clue #1: Black Elk Speaks:
My friend, I am going to tell you the story of my life, as you wish; and if it were only the story of my life I think I would not tell it, for what is one man that he should make much of his winters, even when they bend him like a heavy snow?
Mary, as I've already told you, this scavenger hunt will describe my view of our relationship over the years. Think of this clue as the introduction to our little "story".
Go find the book, Mar. Happy Hunting!
With all my love,
Bible Boy'
Rory let out a small laugh after reading the letter. So Tristan was going to send her on a scavenger hunt? For books? This could be fun.
She read over the first clue again, laughing at the huge hint Tristan had given her within the first 3 words of the clue 'Black Elk Speaks'; which was also the name of the book the passage was from, Rory knew. Rory had read it in one of her Chilton English classes, probably somewhere between reading Proust and Hemingway. The question was, who wrote it?
Rory wandered aimlessly through the nonfiction aisles of the bookstore, trying in vain to think of the name of the author. But all she could seem to remember was that the author's Native American name had been 'Flaming Rainbow'. Rory concentrated on the name 'Flaming Rainbow' until suddenly the name 'John G. Neihardt' popped into her head. Of course! That was his name – John G. Neihardt! How could she have forgotten; she'd written a 5-page paper about him during her years at Chilton!
Almost running, she raced to the section of biographies and looked under 'N', tracing her fingers across the various volumes until she came across Black Elk Speaks and pulled it off of the shelves. Opening it, she had to resist raising her arms in triumph when an envelope fell out and fluttered down to the ground. Placing the book in the wicker basket with the 1st envelope, she bent to pick up the envelope and opened it to reveal Clue #2.
'Rory-
Good job! Not that I ever doubted your scavenging abilities. So anyway, read on. Literally.
Clue #2: Suppose that you and I were sitting in a quiet room overlooking a garden, chatting and sipping at our cups of green tea while we talked about something that had happened a long while ago, and I said to you, "That afternoon when I met so-and-so…was the very best afternoon of my life, and also the very worst afternoon." I expect you might put down your teacup and say, "Well, now, which was it? Was it the best or the worst? Because it can't possibly have been both!" Ordinarily, I'd have to laugh at myself and agree with you. But the truth is that the afternoon when I met Mr. Tanaka Ichiro really was the best and the worst of my life. He seemed so fascinating to me, even the fish smell of his hands was a kind of perfume. If I had never known him, I'm sure I would not have become a geisha.
There you go, Mary. Clue #2. I thought I'd make it long, because I thought it was kind of a hard one. Of course, for you who knows? You blow me out of the water at stuff like this. But please don't rub it in, Mary. I don't think my precious ego could handle it. Anyways, Mary, I'm sure you're wondering how this ties into our relationship. Don't worry. It does. I'm smart like that. Remember the day you first came to Chilton? I blocked you in and offered not only to lend you my notes, but also to help you "study". Of course, you immediately informed that you thought of studying as a solitary activity. Man, I got shot down. That day that you came into my life and I met you was the worst and best day of MY life. I met you, and was soon enchanted by you; but yet I knew I could not have you. I knew. You were innocent, beautiful (inside AND out), sweet, understanding, and pure – in other words, everything I wasn't. I thought that nothing between you and I could ever work out, you could never possibly want to be with someone like me – and honestly, that was heartbreaking for me.
I should've knowing you'd fall for me and my charms eventually… Just kidding, Mary.
Go find the geisha.
Bible Boy'
Rory read the clue and laughed. Typical Tristan and his rather large ego. At least he'd given her a long-enough clue to help her figure out the next novel. 'Geisha'. She could only think of one book that involved a geisha, and that was Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, which luckily enough for her, she had just read.
Walking into the fiction section she quickly found the G's and extracted the novel Memoirs of a Geisha, squealing with glee when she saw the edge of an envelope sticking out. Pulling out the envelope from its hidden place at the beginning of the novel, she place Memoirs of a Geisha into the basket alongside Black Elk Speaks and opened the next clue.
'Mary, Mary, Mary…
I should've known you would find anything. Ready for Clue #3? Here goes.
Clue #3: All children, except one, grow up.
To explain this clue I'll just have you quickly flashback to our lovely Chilton days. Aaah… When I met you, Rory, I'll admit that I resorted to childish tactics. I was that annoying 5-year-old kid throwing sand at the pretty girl that he had a crush on…you, Mary. You brought out my childish side, making me just like the boy who never grew up. Not that it's a bad thing…'
Tristan cut off the clue on that note and Rory instantly strolled over to the children's section, a huge smile on her face. Only Tristan could make her smile like that. She couldn't believe that Tristan had gone through all of this trouble: writing the clues, hiding the envelopes…and had even managed to include Peter Pan, which was what she was currently looking for. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. Seeing it sitting on the shelves, Rory excitedly pulled it off and extracted the hidden envelope.
'Hey Mary,
So you've found it again. Dang. I should've made this harder… Oh, well. Ready for Clue #4? Here goes.
Clue #4: But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without liking each other, and knocking out a 12-foot mountain troll is one of them.
Mary, with all your intelligence I'm sure that you've figured out that this signifies the beginning of our beautiful friendship. Just exchange the phrase 'Hermione Granger became their friend' with 'Tristan and Rory became friends' and exchange the phrase 'knocking out a 12-foot mountain troll' with 'battling Paris in the lovely halls of Chilton'. Makes sense, doesn't it? Laugh on Rory, more to come.
Tris'
Laughing as Tristan had instructed her to do, Rory walked over a few aisles and pulled out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. Despite all the hype on it, she'd only read the novel about a year ago because she was reading it to Rae. Of course, she read it the 5 times after that because she liked it, but initially she had only read it for Rae. Rifling through the pages of the children's fantasy novel, she finally found the sought-after envelope and put the book in the basket with the rest.
'Rory –Again, I should have known. Well, just stay right where you are Mary. I have one last children's author for you to find. Ready?
Clue #5: How Many, How Much:
How many slams in an old screen door?Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a loaf of bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.
This poem has always reminded me of you, Ror. Not only do you live life to the fullest and cause others around you to do the same, but when we first became friends you instantly opened up a whole new world of love and care to me. You're the best friend a person could ever have, Rory Gilmore.
Search on.
Love Always,
Spawn of Satan'
Rory leaned against the side of the bookshelf while contemplating the clue. She smiled while thinking of Tristan's profession of his best friendship to her, but frowned slightly when she realized she had no idea who had written the poem which had so deeply touched her heart. She was eager to see what else Tristan had left and written for her, so she tried to think quickly. Wait a minute. Tristan had said in the note that it was a children's author. Considering the various children's authors she knew of, Rory made a mental checklist in her head. It couldn't be Dr. Seuss; it wasn't one of Kipling's stories, but what about Shel Silverstein? Of course! That must be it. Laughing for what must have been the billionth time that night, Rory ran to the 'S' section in the children's area, her basket swaying, and pulled out A Light in the Attic, a collection of Silverstein's poems and watched the envelope as it fell out of the novel and drifted slowly to the floor. Tossing the book into the basket, she sat on the floor and ripped open the envelope to reveal Clue #6.
'Mary, my love, read on…
Clue #6: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,…
Rory, this describes a time in our lives which was hard me, and was later hard for you as well. I'm sure you can guess when it was – when you were dating Jess. You were my best friend, and you were so happy, and I loved the fact that he made you so happy. But at the same time…I was already falling in love with you, and seeing you together every day broke my heart. I loved you, and yet I still couldn't be with you. We had everything, yet we had nothing. But I'll tell you, Rory, even if we weren't "together" now and you were still with Jess, I'd still treasure every moment that I spent with you. You make me a better person. You're my everything.
Keep searching.'
Tears sprang to Rory's eyes at Tristan's written confession. Tristan didn't seem to realize that he was her everything as well. God she loved him. Getting up slowly and wiping away her tears, Rory grabbed her basket and moved on to the next novel, which she had identified as A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. When she found it she gently placed it in the basket and pulled out the envelope, wiping away her tears once more before opening the clue.
'Dry your tears, Mary.
Yes, I had a feeling that you'd tear up at the last clue, but keep in mind that everything that I said was true. You're my everything, Rory Gilmore. Here's #7.
Clue #7: To –
I heed not that my earthly lotHath little of earth in it –-
That years of love have been forgot
In the hatred of a minute: --
I mourn not that the desolate
Are happier, sweet, than I,
But that you sorrow for my fate
Who am a passer by.
I'm going to keep the follow-up brief, Mary, because I don't want to write something that I may later regret. This is for…when Jess…disappeared. In seconds, you seemed to lose all beliefs and thoughts of love, and that thought alone horrified me, for you had been the most loving person that I knew. Over the years I know that you've learned to love again, and I hope that you've also learned, in some ways, to forgive and forget. Jess was a passer by in life, and I know that you still think about him sometimes. That's okay…after all, who can forget their first love? But just remember… I'm in your life for the long run…
Love Always,
Tristan'
Tears ran unchecked down Rory's face as she read and reread the sorrow-filled poem and the message from Tristan. Knowing that a poem filled with such grief and sorrow in just 8 lines had to be one written by Poe, she slowly walked over to the 'P' section of the fiction section, not bothering to dry her tears, and pulled out a collection of Edgar Allen Poe's tales and poems. Laughing a little when she saw yet another envelope flutter to the ground she stooped down and ripped open the envelope, pulling out the clue:
'Mary,
Sorry that I had to bring you back to that point in time, I know it's not pleasant. But cheer up! Have no fear the next clue is here! I'm doing a little jig as I write this, and I may later follow up this jig with my own little version of the moonwalk. Or maybe not… Ha! I bet I got you to smile! Oh, yeah. That's right…
Clue #8: Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again, she wanted Mr. Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her. 'How could you begin?' said she. 'What could set you off in the first place?'
'I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.'
Mary, Rory, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore… I want you to know, no I NEED you to know, that I love you with all of my heart. I can't pinpoint the exact date, time, or place that I came upon this little realization of mine; but I can tell you one thing – I love you. I will always love you. No matter where, when, or how, I will always love you. With all of my heart.
Find that book, Rory. I'm sure you know which one it is. Go, my dear Elizabeth.
Mr. Darcy
(aka Tristan)'
Smiling, and with tears glistening in her eyes, Rory went off in search of one of her favorite novels, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Upon finding it, she pulled out the hidden envelope, hands shaking. Opening it, she was surprised to see only two words written on the sheet of paper.
Turn around.
Slowly turning, she gasped and clasped one of her hands over her mouth in surprise, the now-forgotten letter drifting down to the floor. In front of her was a beautiful table set for two with candles and roses adorning the center. Rose petals littered the floor and candles lined the railing next to the table. Tristan was standing next to the table with one hand behind his back, smiling at the look of pure astonishment upon Rory's face.
Rory was speechless. Looking over the table in amazement she silently walked over to Tristan, still gazing at the table. Looking up at him with adoration and love in her eyes, Tristan could see how much she cared for him. But he wasn't done yet.
"Tris…" Rory breathed.
"Shh…" Tristan said, as he bent and kissed the back of one of Rory's hands. "Milady," he spoke, "I do believe you have one envelope left." Upon saying this, he pulled his other hand out from behind his back and held the last envelope in his outstretched hand.
Wordlessly, Rory took it from him and opened it, eager to see what Tristan had said in this last envelope, but yet wondering what else was left to be said. He had already done so much…
'Mary,
Hey! Congratulations! You got to the last one; quite a task, huh?
Anyway, I do believe that when love comes along, Shakespeare said it best.
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do that dares love attempt.
Dost thou love me?
Look up, Mary.'
While Rory had been reading the love-filled Shakespeare, Tristan had been carefully watching the various emotions flutter across her face. But now as Rory looked up, she found him kneeling on one knee before her. Gasping and dropping her paper for the second time in one night, a shocked Rory let Tristan take her hands in his, while he began to speak.
"Rory," Tristan began, "Tonight I led you through my view of our relationship over the years, using your favorite way of communication to do so. I started from when we first met, moved onto the various aspects of our friendship, and then moved onto my everlasting love for you, in the hopes of sharing exactly how much you mean to me. But if I had my way, that scavenger hunt would not end there. Mary, you're my best friend, my confidante, my everything. I'd do anything for you, and I love you with all of my heart. I know that this line's been said before, but it fits."
Letting go of Rory's hands, Tristan pulled a velvet ring box out of one of his coat pockets and opened it in front of Rory to reveal a simple gold ring encrusted with diamonds around the band.
"Rory Gilmore, you are my love, my life. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than here with you. I love you, now and forever, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Tristan paused and gathered his courage. What if she said no? "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, will you marry me?" Tristan finally asked, hope evident in his eyes.
Rory was shocked, but instantly knew her answer. "Yes…" she breathed, her hands clasped together in front of her.
Laughing, Tristan stood and slid the ring onto Rory's finger before pulling her to him in the fierce, passionate liplock of young love.
A few moments later, Tristan pulled away, breathing heavily and leaned his forehead against Rory's.
"Mary you've made me the happiest man alive."
Rory smiled at him, love apparent in her eyes, and said, "I guess that would make me the happiest woman."
An old man passing by caught a glimpse of the young couple through the window of the bookstore. Smiling, he continued on his way. It was obvious that the two were in love. But he was a seasoned man of the world and he knew that obstacles often occurred on the path of life. He only hoped that their love could last…
*Credits:
Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
"How Many, How Much"; a poem from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
"To -"; a poem by Edgar Allen Poe
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2); a play by William Shakespeare