Author: Summer

Title: Drain the Glass

Rating: PG-13, for now

Chapter Title: Way of the World

Summary: When Rory Gilmore's broke, she's desperate enough to do anything- even be the nanny to the family of her roommate. But it's the blonde boy she runs into there that makes the story interesting…

Chapter Summary: A coffee making tutorial, in depth discussion, and Normandy's friends

Disclaimer: Don't own Gilmore Girls, obviously. Um, own Jordan and the rest of the Danvers, as well as Sinclair, Amelie, Corina, and Julianna. Also don't own Procol Harum's One Eye on the Future, One Eye on the Past. Nor do I own Cheap Trick's Way of the World. Basically, I own nothing except my mind's eye. Yes, scary thought. ;)

Author's Note: To the Trories at ORG. This is for you, for the party.

Feedback is always appreciated. Yeah, I'm changing this because of Loz. Well, you know the deal. I won't hold back updates, but I love reviews.

Remember, you were at work and then Friday at five, I remember, felt like a pawn, was I dead or alive? / I remember, thought no one could hear me, I was goin' insane.
I remember, it was a real fine line, now you've changed my life around. / I've been runnin', I've been hidin', it's the way of the world. / You say it's over, but the world keeps turnin' 'round.

Rory stumbled down the stairs to the first floor, bleary eyed. "Who schedules classes at 9 in the morning?" she grumbled, glancing at her watch. It was 8, which meant she only had an hour to get ready.

Walking down the hall to the dining room, she froze when she heard a voice. As she neared, she saw Tristan in the kitchen, standing over a coffeemaker.

"Were you just…" She trailed off, raising an eyebrow.

Tristan turned back, startled. "Having an in-depth discussion with the coffeemaker? Yes. Yes I am." He turned back to the coffeemaker, tapping it on the side.

"Sounds more like an argument," she said, walking in the door.

"No, no. Me and Mr. Coffee generally get along fine. Well, at least we do when I'm not the one using him."

Rory glanced at the coffeemaker. "Maybe he prefers a woman's touch," she said, pushing him to the side. Surveying the situation, she sighed. "This is not how you make coffee."

"Huh?" Tristan cocked his head to the side, looking at the coffeemaker. "I put the water and the ground coffee mix in."

Rory sighed, taking the coffeepot out and dumping its contents in the sink. "Yeah, I noticed. But Tristan, you aren't supposed to put the water in the pot. That's part of the process."

Rory took a measuring cup from the counter, filling it with water. "See this latch thing on the top?" She pointed to the top, opening the flap. "That's where you put the water." She poured the water in, demonstrating as she spoke. "Then you put the pot back under and turn on the machine and let it work its magic." She smirked at Tristan as she turned on the machine.

Tristan sighed, glancing away. "Well, now that I've proved to you just how incompetent I am…"

Rory smiled, glancing back at the coffeemaker as the dark liquid started to drip out. "Well, I'll let it go if you can show me that you know how to pour it. Bring me a cup when it's done." She smiled, disappearing from the kitchen, resuming her walk to the dining room.

"And here's your coffee. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Rory turned around as Tristan walked into the room, holding two cups of coffee. "No, thank you," she said, taking one of the mugs.

Tristan sat down next to her, taking a sip from his mug. "What are you doing up this early?"

"Class." Rory shrugged. "I guess I could ask you the same."

Tristan nodded. "Yeah, you could. But the answer's not interesting. I just woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. What time do you think I should call the hospital around?"

"I didn't know Amelie was in the hospital."

Tristan laughed at his oversight. "Right, I didn't tell you. She's not. The reason I was late last night…"

"Oh. Someone else is in the hospital?"

Tristan nodded. "Yeah. A guy showed up at the firm yesterday. His girlfriend or wife or whatever was in labor and he wanted a paternity test to be done then."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Tristan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "When we told him it was impossible to have it done right then, he stormed out."

"We?"

"Um, my secretary was there too."

"Oh. So you were stuck with a woman about to have a baby."

"Yeah. Well, we ended up driving her to the hospital then I had to drive Joan home because she missed her bus and it was just… stressful."

"Joan's the secretary?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

"So, you're stressed when you get home and then you find out your fiancée was in a car accident. Not a good day."

"No wonder you're up so early."

"Yeah." Tristan sighed again, taking another sip from his mug. "Thanks for all your help."

Rory smiled.

"You look happy."

Normandy raised an eyebrow as Ethan Calhoun sat down opposite her at the cafeteria table, pushing his tray toward her. "Hey."

"Hungry?" he asked, offering her a fry.

Normandy crinkled her nose. "Sure. A quick way to clogged arteries. I'm in," she said sarcastically, pushing the tray back toward him.

"You're too serious for your own good," Ethan said.

Normandy rolled her eyes, glancing toward the lunch line. "Where's Anna?"

"Somewhere in the line. She'll be over in a minute." He paused. "Scott's sick today."

"He's sick." Her tone was slightly sarcastic, as if she doubted this.

"He had a science test today." Ethan shrugged. "You know how Scott is. He probably faked throwing up and convinced the nanny he's too sick to come to school."

"Lovely imagery, Ethan. Thanks for that."

"Sorry, Norm."

"How many times have I told you not to call me that? You know I-" Normandy was interrupted as Anna reached the table.

"Normandy. Ethan," she greeted as she sat down.

Ethan nodded to Anna. "Hey, Anna, don't you agree that Normandy's too serious. Tell her to lighten up, have some fun."

Anna smirked. "Are you forgetting who you're talking to, Mr. Calhoun? I don't think anybody's ever asked me to tell anybody to lighten up."

Ethan sighed, taking in Anna. Her skin was pale in contrast to her dark hair and dark clothing, and she looked almost gothic. "Yeah, right. Sorry, Anna."

Normandy smiled slightly, looking at her best friends.

"You should do lunch with us," Jordan said, wrapping her arm around her boy toy of the day, Mike.

Rory glanced over at the two. Mike was attempting to kiss Jordan's neck, and Jordan was trying to push him away. "Um, yeah. I think that's a good idea. Except…"

"Except what?" Jordan asked, pulling away from Mike.

"The girls have a half day. And I promised to pick them up, so…"

"So you need to be back." Jordan paused. "Well, I have an idea. How about we come back with you? I love seeing my sisters anyway. I mean, Normandy can be a little scary but Emilie's cool."

"Um, okay then." Rory looked warily over at Mike. "But try to keep the PDA down to a minimum."

Jordan nodded. "Normandy would give me some snippy comment anyway."

"That's if I didn't first," Rory pointed out.

It had been pointless to ask Jordan to cool down. The girl was like a one woman freak show, Rory thought, glancing over to where Jordan and Mike were sitting in a LAZ-boy.

Or rather, where Mike was sitting and Jordan was on his lap. Rory sighed, spreading peanut butter across a slice of bread.

Normandy and Emilie sat on a sofa to the side of the LAZ-boy. Emilie was looking down, uncomfortable. Normandy, on the other hand, was staring at her half sister, snarling.

Rory sighed. "Jordan…"

Jordan ignored her.

Rory tried again. "You guys, lunch is ready. If you want a sandwich or whatever, come get it."

Emilie stood up and ran over to Rory, grabbing two sandwiches. "One for Normandy," she explained to Rory, before running back to her sister.

Normandy took the sandwich silently, still looking at Jordan. "Dear sister of mine, why don't you retire to a room," she drawled slowly.

Jordan pulled back for a second, raising an eyebrow. "Stop being a voyeur, Normandy."

"I don't need to be a voyeur when you're all over a guy who, by the way, will be history by Friday."

Mike frowned. "Tomorrow's Friday."

"Bingo." Normandy rolled her eyes. "See, Michael, Jordan's not very good with commitments. I'm sure she's wonderful in other… activities… but commitment's not one of her talents."

Jordan rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

Normandy sighed, picking up the newspaper sitting on the coffee table, shrugging at Emilie.

"How are you feeling?"

"Um, good. Better. I think I'll be back in school tomorrow."

Normandy rolled her eyes, shifting the phone as she laid down on her stomach. "Scott, you're lying to me."

"No… no I'm not."

There was an awkward pause, and Normandy sighed. "Scott, do you need help in Science?"

"You'd help me?" Scott laughed. "No offense, Normandy, but you don't seem like you'd be the most patient person."

"I didn't say I was. I just don't want to be stuck with just Ethan and Anna at lunch anymore. You know that's gauche."

"I'm sure I would if I knew what gauche meant."

"Awkward."

"Oh. Then yeah, definitely." Scott paused. "Ethan's crush is kind of sickening. Anna doesn't care about him that way."

"Yep."

"We're too young for that kind of relationship anyway. Hand holding's gross anyway. Ethan's weird."

"Yep."

"Were the girls good?" Tristan asked as he walked into the drawing room hours later.

Rory glanced up from her notes, shrugging. "The two younger ones were. It's your twin you needs to be babysat."

Tristan winced. "Jordan came over."

"Sat on her boyfriend's lap and played tonsil hockey in front of her little sisters. Yes. Jordan did."

Tristan sighed, sitting down next to Rory. "I thought you and Jordan are friends."

Rory nodded quickly. "Oh, we are. That's not it. I just don't always… approve of the things she does. I mean, I wasn't raised really strict or anything, but I just think there's a time and a place for those things."

"And that the place isn't in front of a five year old," Tristan added.

Rory nodded. "She's a great person. Just, sometimes I wonder if she's all there. She has her moments, I guess."

Tristan laughed. "That's a mild way of putting it."

"Yeah." She shrugged, studying Tristan. "You've changed a lot," she said suddenly.

"I hope that's a good thing," Tristan said, smiling.

"Yeah, it is." Rory paused, turning toward him. "In high school, you were like, the stereotypical rich playboy. Egomaniac, mean to the new kids, making out with random girls…"

Tristan smiled. "I didn't make out with that many girls. How would you know, anyway? You only knew me for that year and a half."

"Your reputation precedes you."

"What?" Tristan laughed, shaking his head. "I really wasn't that bad. I wasn't the best person for a committed relationship, but I only had like, three girlfriends my sophomore year."

"No…" Rory shook her head.

"Seriously."

"You're lying."

Tristan shook his head. "No, I'm really not. Why would I? I went out with more girls in Freshman year, but Sophomore year was different." Tristan paused, looking down at her. "I didn't really want a ton of girls. I just wanted one."

"Oh, right. You were hung up on Summer."

Tristan opened his mouth to speak, but shook his head and got up, walking from the room. Rory sighed, furrowing her brow.

World goes round, life goes on, and on, and on. / World goes 'round, (I've been runnin') / World is round (I've been hidin') / Life goes on and on and on ((It's the way of the world).