AN: Hope this was fast enough. More ASAP, and just FYI, the next chap will be back to Ella/Billy and have some more Will/Anna stuff. Crossing my heart and hoping to die, I promise. And I've got some more plans for Erin. Actually, I'm starting to wonder when this story will begin to wrap up in my head, but for now, it ain't happening! Lol.
Tristan came back to the hotel room to find his wife not there. It wasn't quite noon yet, and he was surprised that she'd gotten up out of bed so early after being up so late last night. The Danes' Christmas party always went into the wee hours of the morning, and usually Rory liked to rest after both the drive and all the excitement of seeing everyone. Getting an idea of where she might be, he turned and wandered down the hall to Jess's room. He knocked, making the already slightly ajar door open further. Jess immediately turned around from his position at his desk, where he'd been typing away rather furiously at the keys on his laptop.
"Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."
"No problem. Looking for Rory?"
"Yeah. Seen her?"
"She stopped by here to check on me a while ago, but she left for Lorelai's about an hour or so ago."
Tristan nodded, and stepped a little further into the room. "So, how are you doing?"
"Got some inspiration to write, so I guess that's good, right?"
"For you, yeah. How's the book coming?"
"Well, I'm afraid everything I've written in the last month or so might not really fit the mood of the beginning of what I wrote. For some reason, everything is a smidge too dark and moody. Go figure."
Tristan smirked at his friend, and turned to go. "I'll be a Lorelai's, but I wanted to let you know that I talked to Jake about tutoring Jules."
Jess turned back to face Tristan. "Oh yeah? What'd he say?"
"He said she didn't need a tutor, but he'd do it anyway."
"Well, I hope it goes better than when Rory tried to tutor me."
"Is that when she broke her wrist?"
"Yeah," Jess scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish.
"Great," Tristan mocked excitement. "I'll be at Lorelai's."
Jess turned back to face his computer as Tristan let himself out of the room, heading out to find his wife.
By the time he reached his mother-in-law's house, all that filled his head was Jake's words about Ella as they left the basketball court. He found his wife seated on the couch, a book in her hands, fully capturing her attention, even though Lorelai was in the kitchen singing Christmas Wrapping at the top of her lungs. It never was a normal experience to walk into this house.
"Is Ella having sex?"
Rory's head snapped up, instantly forgetting about her book. It dropped to her lap, unmarked and before she could check her page. She looked up at her husband, who had a wild look in his eyes, and a panicked look on his face.
"Excuse me?"
"Ella. Has she had sex?"
"Tristan, sit down, take a breath," she encouraged, wanting the tiny vein in the middle of his forehead to stop popping out as it was.
"Fine, fine. I'll sit," he sat down right next to her, leaving no space between them, and put his arm around her.
"Is she?"
"No, she's not. What is wrong with you?"
"Would you tell me if she were?"
"Would you want me to tell you if she were?" she stifled a giggle.
"I . . . don't know."
"Well, she's not. What made you think she is?"
"Jake."
"You're listening to a fifteen-year-old?"
"He said since they were on a road trip, with no supervision, that they were doing it."
"You listened to someone who calls it 'doing it'?"
"Rory," he warned. He was in no mood to joke about this. His daughter wouldn't be back for another day, and that meant she was spending the night away. With a boy.
"I don't know what to tell you, Tristan. She's 17. She's off to college next year. She's bound to have sex sooner rather than later."
"Well, what did you tell her?"
"About sex?"
"Yes."
"Tristan," she moaned, letting her head fall back dramatically.
"Did you make it sound all wonderful and ethereal or scary and disease-ridden?"
"Oh my God," she made a face, showing her disgust.
"Well?"
"I told her that it can be amazing with the right guy, and that she had to be really, really, really overprotected when it did happen. And that I want to be in the know that it was going on, so I could help her be prepared."
"Oh."
"Sufficient?" she raised an eyebrow at her husband.
"Yeah."
"Good," she smiled, curling into him. "Hi," she whispered, leaning over to kiss him.
"Hi," he smiled back, kissing her more deeply. They quickly got wrapped up in each other, forgetting they were sitting on her mother's couch, and evidently that they weren't 17 themselves.
"OHMIGOD!"
They broke apart, to see Lorelai coming back in with a tray full of Christmas cookies and coffee. Her eyes were closed, and she was turning in small circles, as if trying to decide whether or not to stay in the room or retreat.
"Sorry, Mom."
"No problem. All I'm going to say is payback is a bitch," she smiled sweetly, placing the tray down on the table before turning to go get another mug from the kitchen. Rory's face screwed up again in disgust, and Tristan laughed.
&&&&
Will followed Anna to the desk in the middle of the small police department. She gave her name, and why she was here, and then they were promptly instructed to have a seat. She turned to the row of seats, where a man in the last chair was handcuffed and apparently talking to himself. She frowned and sat on the opposite end, with Will seated next to her.
"So, they aren't ready for you yet?"
"Nope."
Will nodded, feeling like he should have something more to say. He should have some witty clip to pull out, or wise words to make her feel at ease. But instead, he had nothing. All he found himself able to do was put his arm around her, to comfort her. It was the first thing his body had allowed him to do all day that felt natural and didn't in turn make him come off looking like a moron. At least, so he hoped. She didn't seem to mind, as he felt her curl in towards him.
If words weren't coming easily before, now with Anna basically snuggled into the crook of his arm, he felt as if he might never be able to form cohesive sentences again. He wasn't quite sure when Anna had developed this ability to make him utterly useless, and to make his limbs a magnet for her body, but the realization washed over him that it had indeed become the case. Of course, this epiphany had occurred in perhaps the worst possible place, and it was nowhere near appropriate for him to start a conversation about these feelings he seemed to have developed (always had?) for her in the waiting area the county jail.
"Will? Have you heard anything I've said?"
He rolled his eyes at himself, silently cursing his prolific inner dialogue.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I just asked if you thought Davey was serious about Mallory."
"Oh, well, yeah. I mean, I guess so. He brought her last night, and everything."
"Yeah. Mom loved her, in fact she went on and on about what a big deal it was that he brought her into the room during the fire."
"Oh, yeah?" his mouth went completely dry now, wondering if she was hinting at something here, or if he was just imagining it because of his own feelings.
"Yeah. I mean, I guess that's a big deal, right?"
"I guess so. Remember how much we all used to want to go in there when we were younger?"
"I remember," she smiled. "Will, I--," she began, but was cut off by a uniformed police officer standing at the end of a hallway filled with what looked like offices.
"Ms. Melville?"
She turned to look at Will, and they stood up, and went off to follow the officer.
&&&&
Lorelai walked into the diner, taking off her coat and placing it over the stool before sitting down at the counter. Luke came down the stairs and gave her a puzzled look before leaning across the counter and kissing her hello.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"And it's always lovely to see you, too, dear husband of mine."
"No, I just meant, I thought you and Rory were hanging out today."
"Loverboy showed up. Oh, and I'm guessing we'll have to sanitize the couch before sitting on it ever again."
"Lorelai, my God," he shot her a look of pleading, hoping her details would stop there.
"So, I came to see you, see if I could persuade you to go upstairs and do something dirty," she winked at him.
"Can't. Got work. You can help me with that, though."
"As if," she put her hand to her heart. "I will take a burger and fries."
"How many Christmas cookies have you had this morning?"
"What does that matter?"
"How many?"
"Are you saying my body isn't perfect as it is?"
"Lorelai, one of these days, all that sugar is going to catch up to you."
"Luke. Please. This body will never quit. Now, give me my burger, or I won't let you take advantage of this body never quitting later," she warned.
"Ew, Grandma!" came Jake's voice from behind her, causing her to turn and smile.
"Sorry, kid."
"Yeah, you look mortified," Jake muttered, moving to sit next to his grandmother. Ambrose was next to him, and nodded to his great-uncle.
"You guys hungry?" Luke asked, glad to have the boys here to distract Lorelai for a bit. Also, he wanted to check in on Jess, which was best done indirectly.
"Burger and onion rings."
"Me, too."
"Coming right up," Luke said, scribbling down the three orders and putting them back to the kitchen. "So, what are you guys up to today?"
"Not sure yet," Jake shrugged.
"How's your dad doin'?" Luke asked Ambrose, not really one to beat around the bush with small talk.
"He's writing today, so that's good, right?"
Luke nodded, hoping it was a good sign. He wasn't sure lately with Jess, the poor guy had been trying everything to put on a semi-brave front for his kids, even though they knew better as well.
"Oh, hey, I heard you were going to tutor Jules," Lorelai added.
"Yeah, which doesn't make sense at all."
"You're tutoring Jules?" Ambrose asked, confused.
"Yeah. Dad and Jess wanted me to."
"Weird. Why didn't they just ask me?"
"Dunno. Something about her not listening to you."
"And she'll listen to you, oh-wise-ass?"
"Boys," Luke sighed.
"I just don't think she needs a tutor."
"She needs caught up, that's all," Ambrose said, shrugging it off. "Mom leaving's sort of all she's been thinking about. Makes it hard to study."
"Damn her," Luke said, and Lorelai moved to swat his hand, as if to remind him who he was with.
"Sorry. I'll, uh, go check on the food."
As Luke made a fast exit, Lorelai turned to the boys excited. "So, you guys have your Christmas shopping done yet?"
"Nope. Haven't even started."
"I got Dad a book, but that's all I've done."
"Well, how about after lunch, we swing by the Inn and pick up Jules and the four of us do some major damage at the mall? We'll get it all done in one glorious afternoon of sugar pretzels and slurpies," she wiggled her eyebrows at the last part, obviously giving away her favorite part of any shopping excursion.
Ambrose shrugged and Jake tilted his head to one side. "Sure, why not."
Lorelai's face fell, "Man, boys are no fun at all," she muttered.
"What was that?" Luke asked, setting down the plates in front of the three.
"Nothing. Nothing at all," she smiled sweetly, biting into a fry.