Author's Note: Wow, I checked the date for the last time I updated. December of 2003, and it's 2005. Intense. Oh well, I was just going through my account stuff, and I've decided ((keyword being try)) to finish the story because it just bugs the daylight out of my when stories aren't finished.
I admit, I don't really watch the show hardcore anymore. So, I guess you could call this AU since it's been forever. I don't really write all that much anymore, so I'm a bit rusty at the writing deal. I'm just more of a reader now. So, if the story just absolutely sucks or there is a shift in character voice, I apologize.
Forgot the time frame, so we're gonna make it August-ish. The wedding isn't too far off.
I don't know all the proper lingo for the military school stuff. Even though my dad is a Marine, I know nothing, so sorry about that. So, obviously, the people are probably a lot tougher than how I portray them to be in this chapter.
With that said, thanks for all the reviews encouraging me to continue. Loved the Spanish one, by the way. Anyways, on with the story.
A bit of the last chapter to refresh everyone's memories:
"And you're here?"
"In the flesh."
"Great." Kylie rolled her eyes. After receiving a glare from the man across the counter from her, she said, "Alright, alright. What'll it be?" She got out her order pad, but didn't really need it, seeing as there were very few people in the place. It was almost as if she drove away customers, rather than serving them.
"The omelets okay?" And the two fell into a silence, both thinking about the relationship of the coffee lover and the juice lover. They stayed in silence up until the point that Tristan's food came out. After a few words were exchanged, it went back to silence, something that was soon shattered.
The cell phone ring was what broke the silence.
Chapter ten:
"Damn phone," Kylie held up her flip phone. "Sorry," she disappeared into the back of the restaurant to take the call.
'Some things just never change,' Tristan thought as he bit into the delicious omelet. 'Wow, she wasn't lying, this is good.'
Kylie came back to find the blonde man finishing his beloved orange juice. "Leaving so soon, buddy boy?" She picked up his plate and empty glass.
"Uh, yeah," Tristan shrugged, trying not to outwardly appear nervous. "There's someone I need to see. But, I'll be back." He placed a twenty dollar bill on the clean counter.
"That's what my last customer said," the girl replied sarcastically. She nodded towards the main part of the place. The place was dead except for the staff, Tristan and an elderly man in the back corner.
The blonde she had come to befriend smirked. "You have my word." Tristan replied."
Kylie rolled her eyes; "Sure," she shot back playfully. In that moment, Tristan could have sworn, for the briefest moment, he saw Rory. "I'll get your change." Kylie held up the bill with a confused look on her face, no doubt from the look Tristan was giving her.
The man across the counter from her abruptly got up. "No," he waved his hand, as if to dismiss the comment. "Keep the change. I'll be back later."
He headed out to his black Explorer and drove fifteen more minutes south of the restaurant. His front end meeting iron gates and guards, he answered the prompt of one of them.
"My name is Tristan DuGrey, and I am here to see Commander Calvin." He tried not to speed off when he was waved through.
Exiting his car around ten am, the former student of the military academy checked his appearance in the window of his car. "Wow, do I look like shit." He noticed. His normally bright blue eyes were dull and void of any emotion. His clothes were also not looking as crisp as usual. Finally, his hair wasn't in it's usual style, a sure sign that something was up with Tristan DuGrey. "You're not going on a date, get a move on," he mumbled to himself as he started walking up the cement steps.
"Wow, this place sure has changed in five years," the twenty three year old noted to newer looking furniture, and the cleaner marble floors. He walked into the main office that he had spent much time in and saw the receptionist. "Hello."
"I'll be with you in a moment, son." The older lady spoke without looking up. She was filing some papers, and had her back turned towards him. When she turned around, she let out a gasp. "Mister DuGrey, what brings you back here?"
Now, usually, the receptionist wasn't that friendly towards Tristan, but ever since he was the valedictorian of the military school and had graduated with honors, she adopted a new attitude towards the man. She secretly liked the fact that he worked his end off to get good grades and comply with the conduct and codes of the academy. She had come to know Tristan as a loyal and responsible student.
"Hello, ma'am," Tristan smiled back. "Uh, if it's possible, I would like to speak with Commander Calvin, if he has time, of course."
Not five minutes later, Tristan was escorted into the office of Commander Clark Calvin, the leader of the academy. "Well, DuGrey, what brings you down here? I thought you moved back to Connecticut." The man was always too the point.
Tristan gulped. "Well, sir, I was in the area. I decided to take a little trip before I got married." He stammered.
Calvin allowed himself to show a smile in front of his former student. "Congratulations, son," Now that Tristan was not a student, he could portray a bit more emotion around the man. "Who's the lucky girl?" After a couple moments of silence, Calvin spoke again. "Or is a man?"
Tristan let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "Her name is Rory, sir."
"Lorelai for long, loves to read and top of her class, Rory?" The commander had known bits of pieces of Tristan's story from conversations overheard and Tristan's file at the school.
"Yes, sir, that's the one." Tristan nodded.
"Is that a problem?" Commander Calvin was always perceptive. He knew for a fact that Tristan just didn't take a trip before he got married, he had probably specifically come down to North Carolina. "Do you not want to marry her?"
The man sitting in front of him ran a hand through his hair. "No! I do want to marry her, and no, there normally isn't a problem."
"Normally?"
Tristan nodded again. "Sometimes, her opinion overrides everything." A beat. "A few days ago, she commented that I was returning to my old ways, you know, before I came here." He sighed.
The commander tried not to sound harsh. "Well, you obviously are."
"What!" Tristan sat up straighter in the leather seat. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, you ran away didn't you, Tristan?"
The man sat there stunned for a moment. He did. He had run away. Yet again, he had run from Rory. Calvin let him sit there for a moment before speaking again. He wanted to find out the answer to his question.
"Why did you really come here, Tristan?" The wise leader leaned forward in his chair, elbows on the desk. "Did you really just take a trip, or did you come here, to North Carolina, specifically for the school?"
The former graduate sighed. "I came to talk to you." He smiled; no one could ever get anything past the Commander. "I wanted your opinion."
The old man smiled. "Well, I'm glad you got the girl, but I think you're an absolute idiot for running away like that." He answered honestly. "But if you wanted to talk to me so bad, why didn't you phone?
"Because I wanted to ask you in person."
"Ask me what?"
Tristan smiled. "Well, I was thinking about it, and I would like it very much if you were to come to my wedding."
Clark Calvin smiled genuinely. "I would be honored." He looked at his calendar. "When is it?"
The blonde replied, "Well, if Rory will still have me, it will be sometime in December." He shrugged. "I'll fax you the information in a week or less." He got up and shook the leader's hand. The commander had become the younger ones mentor, and both knew it.
Calvin nodded. "I will be there." He shook Tristan's hand. "Congratulations on getting engaged. Now, you are ordered to return to Connecticut as soon as possible. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Tristan nodded firmly, finally getting a command that he was more than happy to be fulfilling.