Dedication: to Phi, because you inspired me to do this fast(er).

Chapter 15. What Is This?

The Next Week - Thursday

Rory walked out of her fifth period class. Ron plastered by her side. She saw Tristan by his locker and smiled at him with her eyes.

Ron saw how Tristan had looked at Rory, so when he was passing by, he shouldered him hard. Instead of just letting it go, Tristan pulled on Ron's shoulder and socked him in the face.

Ron rammed Tristan into the lockers. They broke out into a fight.

"Stop! Stop!" Rory yelled. She tried to step between them, but Ron pushed her away to the ground beside them.

After a few moments, a couple of teachers picked them off of the ground they were currently wrestling on.

"What is going on here? Who started this fight?" When nobody answered, the adult looked upon Rory.

Rory looked into Tristan eyes. He gave her a look saying that he knew what she had to do.

Slowly and looking upon the ground, she pointed up at the boy. "Tristan did."

"Come with me, sir." The man said. People love calling guys 'sir' when they really mean 'asshole'.

The student went, as did the crowed, and Ron put his arm around Rory and kissed her temple. "That's my girl," he said.

(Later)

"Can I get three coffees to go?" Tristan asked. He knew Rory would like something to cheer her up.

The guy behind the counter, about as old as himself, began filling the Styrofoam cups. "Three…?" he said. "Why would you need three?"

Tristan blinked. "I have another person to share it with."

"Oh-"

"Tristan…!"

Tristan turned around to see Rory standing in the doorway of Luke's diner.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You know him?" the guy that was behind the counter asked.

"Jess, this is Tristan, a guy from school. Tristan – Jess." She said, pointing to the correct subject.

"Sorry for giving you a hard time for the three cups," he looked at Rory, then back to Tristan, "now I know why."

"At least I don't consume five cups a morning."

"Like your mother."

"Hey, my mother is…" she trailed off, "… addicted."

"So you admit it!"

She bowed her head in mock defeat. "Yes."

"Well, I best be going," Tristan hinted to Rory.

"Well, I'll see you later…?" She implied back.

"Maybe."

He took the cups, in a four cup-holder, and left, making the bell jingle above the door.

"I wouldn't associate him with you." Jess said.

"I know, he just has a locker next to mine. He's pretty nice once you start talking to him. You guys would get along perfectly."

"Oh, sure," he said skeptically.

"I mean it. But I have to go, so I'll talk to you later, I guess."

"Coffee? Isn't that why you came here?"

"Oh – right. One cup please – to go."

"Coming right up."

Once she got her cup, she made her way home. She walked calmly through the front door, and drank the last of her coffee.

She walked into her room.

"Hey there," she seductively said.

Tristan stopped looking at her book collection and turned his attention to the blue-eyes beauty in front of him.

"Hi," he said in the same tone. Tristan started to walk toward her and when he got close enough, he put his hands on her face. "When's your mom coming home?"

"She's not. Sookie just got in a fight with Jackson. She's wallowing."

"Good." And then he kissed her.

After they were done pouring their spit down the other's throat, they pulled away.

"I thought you would get here earlier. It's nearly eight."

"I had to explain to my father about my suspension."

"Suspension! Is that what they gave to you? After a harmless fight…"

He smiled. "You get what you pay for. That was some fight."

"You didn't have to do it, you know," she tried to bow her head, but Tristan, his hands still caressing her face, wouldn't let her.

"I couldn't see him with you, I guess."

"Tristan…?" she asked gently.

"Hmm?"

"Since we've been doing… this, I've noticed you've not been with other girls."

"I don't need other girls-"

"It's okay if you want to. I mean – I have a boyfriend. You can have a…"

"But I don't want them!" he shouted, taking his hands of her face to put them in the air. "I want you."

Then he lowered his hand to the bottom of her shirt, going along with their original routine. But Rory stopped his hand from even going under her shirt.

"What?" he asked her softly.

"I… can't… tonight."

He looked at her concerned. "What…"

She smiled sadly. "Just not tonight, okay?"

"Rory…" he smiled at her and tried again.

She, again, pushed his hand away. "Tristan," she warned.

"Come on," he tried to pull her closer so he could kiss her, but when he pulled on her petite waist, he heard her breath catch in her throat. She backed away, tears gathering behind her eyes.

He finally got it. "Rory let me see it."

"Tristan-"

"No – damn it, Rory!" he gritted through his teeth, "Let me see what he did."

She knew that she wasn't going to win, so she let him take the edge of her shirt and pull it up.

"Oh, my god," was all he could say.

The dark purple bruise followed from the middle of her stomach, to the right, to same point on her back, and about seven inches wide.

Tristan clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. He couldn't look at it anymore.

"Tristan, really," she pleaded. "It's not that bad. It doesn't even hurt all that much."

Tristan didn't say a word as he looked around looking for something to hit. He settled on the bed.

The tears escaped as she saw him fist.

"Please don't do that."

He didn't realize until that point what punching something did to her.

"I'm sorry," he didn't know what else to say.

She dismissed the matter. "Maybe this is good for us," she said on a higher note. "You know, not having sex whenever we see each other in a room that has a bed…? Maybe we can realize something that's there…"

He smiled. "What do you think is going to be 'there'?"

She bowed her head, embarrassed that she was the only one who had been wondering it. "Maybe there is some… emotional attachment… there."

He laughed quietly. Then he picked her chin up and kissed her softly. "I know there is. I feel it when I talk to you."

"I have so many doubts, Tristan... about everything."

He put a finger over her mouth. "Shh. I know. But the only thing that is going to overcome that is actually living it. I'm in, Rory. I'm here. I want you."

(Later)

Rory lifted her head off of his chest and looked at his sleeping face. She smiled. They didn't have sex. For the first time.

She exhaled. This was perfect. Just sleeping beside him, waking up next to him. She loved it.

She rubbed her fingers on his chest, wanting him to wake up.

He did.

"Hey, mi Vida."

"Hey, you." She pulled herself up and kissed him sweetly. "I want to do something today," she said randomly.

"Like what?" his eyebrow rose.

"I don't know. Anything!" she climbed out of the bed, clad in white top and purple underwear. She smiled, "Let's just be together."

"What about school?" he still doubted.

"You don't need to go, you're suspended."

"Ah, but you have to go."

Her smile faltered. "Tristan…? Don't you want to just go…? Just be a couple? Just be us?"

"You know I do."

Her face lightened up. "Then let's do it!"

He couldn't say no when she was this excited. When she was this happy.

(Later)

"Woot!" she shouted, in her upright position, at the motocross show.

Tristan, from his seat, laughed. Rory turned around and smiled, embarrassed. She sat down with him.

"So, you like it?" he asked, pointedly.

A small smile came to her face, as did a blush with it. "It's awesome!"

"I'm glad you're having fun."

She kissed him. In front of the world.

"This is our song." She informed him, making him listen to the faint sound in the background.

"Iron and Wines take on The Postal Sevice's Such Great Heights?"

"Yes. This one."

He smiled. "I like it."

"It does have a ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It does indeed."

"Do you realize that that's the first time we've kissed in public."

He kissed her again. "I'd do it forever."

She blushed again and started to cheer for the racers.

(Later)

"That was the best movie ever! Come on, Tristan, sing with me!" she begged with a smile, as the came out of the movie theater.

"I'm not going to sing. It's a good movie, but I don't want to look like an idiot."

"Not even for me?" she gave him a million-watt smile.

She began to sing.

" - Masquerade! Paper faces on parade -"

and it was at that point that Tristan let down his guard and started to sing with her.

" - Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you."

She smiled and shrieked, kissing him on the cheek.

Tristan told her to wait there and she followed him with her eyes to where he was going. She smiled more, if it was possible, as he came back with a white daisy.

"For mi Vida."

She kissed him. When they were done, she thanked him. And they started to walk back to his car, which was down a few blocks.

They both had a wonderful day. It was just them, and not another care in the world.

A/N: I hope you liked the longer chapter. Here are the lyrics to Such Great Heights, which I was referencing in this chapter.

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes like
Puzzle pieces from the clay
And true, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

I tried my best to leave this all on your
Machine but the persistent beat it sounded
Thin upon listening
That frankly will not fly. you will hear
The shrillest highs and lowest lows with
The windows down when this is guiding you home

They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

Thanks to to you all who review. I love it! Next chapter, a few months down the line. Hope you like that.

Paige