Author's Note: This chapter is mostly Kylie and Tristan. It's also a bit short. Sue me. Also, thank you for your comments smile1, tickle582, goldenwillow, piper-h-99, mel, Gilmorefan31, LoVe23, blazergrl 17, and princetongirl. They were very appreciated and made my day(s). Sorry for the wait, I've been a tad busy.
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
"Kylie, pack your bags!" Tristan walked into the restaurant and sat down at the counter.
Kylie just gave him a look, as if to say he was nuts. "Did you score some crack while you were away?"
The man shook his head. "No, I had a bad experience once. I only buy the good stuff from a friend of mine in Hartford. He's a reliable source."
There was dead silence for a good minute. Tristan was struggling to keep a straight face while Kylie burst out, "Are you serious?"
"No, of course not, I was just kidding." A beat. "But not kidding when I said pack you bags. Come on, you're coming to Stars Hollow with me." He ordered.
The woman in front of him looked around. "Uh…I don't have a job. I don't have a place to sleep. I don't have a car; it died a couple days ago. I don't have any contacts there. Well, besides you, and you're moving soon."
"Details, details," Tristan channeled Lorelai for a second, mimicking one of her favorite phrases. "Come on, I can get you a job there, in fact, I can make a call right now to see if I can get you a job. You'll love it, I promise." He begged Kylie to come back. Tristan just didn't really feel right leaving her there, in the middle of North Carolina.
"Fine, I'll go get my stuff." Kylie was always a light packer, she was basically a nomad all of her life. She always kept her stuff in her luggage, because really, that's all she had room for in the small apartment above the restaurant.
Tristan let out a laugh and went outside to make his phone call. Sitting on a little bench outside, he called the Gilmore house. "Pick up, please pick up."
"Hello, you've reached Adam's Apple Farm, Lorelai speaking, how may I help you?" A familiar voice flowed into Tristan's ear, causing him to sadden a bit. If he hadn't ran away, he probably would have been laughing in the background.
He sobered up and tried not to laugh. "Yes, I was calling to see how much an apple costs."
"Well, usually it's a dollar, but for relatives it's free." Lorelai responded, knowing exactly who it was. "Are you planning on becoming a relative?" The older Gilmore asked the caller, glancing at Rory.
Rory was lying on her bed, as she had been for the past few days. She never really came out of the house except for food at Luke's, and even then it was a bit of a struggle. Her favorite book of the moment was The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, and her mother didn't know why. The Yale grads only said that Tristan had quoted a book in his proposal, but never specified what one.
Tristan stopped laughing. He was quiet for a good minute. Trying to think of the perfect answer, he just decided to let his heart talk for once. "It's up to Rory. I really truly hope that she still wants to be my wife when I get back."
Lorelai stared at her daughter. She knew that Rory would be mad at first, but would find it in her heart to forgive Tristan for just running away like that. "Yes, I think your chances for a discount are pretty good."
"Then why hasn't she called?"
"Why haven't you?"
"Touché."
"So you're French now?"
"No, I just eat the fries."
Lorelai grinned. "Don't forget the bread. That's some good stuff." She looked towards her daughter again, who was staring at her. "I think I have someone who wants to talk to you."
The Inn owner walked into Rory's room and handed her the phone. Wordlessly, Lorelai grabbed her jacket from a kitchen chair and walked out the front door, to give the two some privacy.
"Hello?" Rory tried to keep her voice even.
"Ror?" Tristan replied, knowing that Rory was about to cry. He just always knew these things about her. "How are you holding up?"
The future DuGrey sighed. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not doing too well right now. You see, my future husband just took off one night, leaving his best man to tell my mom, and then leaving me to find out in an email. Now, if he were to have come to me in person, I would have been semi alright with it. I wouldn't have totally been happy, but I would never stand in your way."
She hadn't meant to sound harsh, but she did. Tristan involuntarily winced. "I…uh…I know. I mean, in hindsight, I know." He sighed. This was a deep conversation to be having over the phone. "Do you want to talk about this now, or when I get back?"
"It all depends."
"On what?"
"When you get back, and if I get anything from North Carolina."
The playful teasing was back in Rory's voice, which was a good sign. Tristan laughed softly, which was also a good thing. He had been utterly scared to call Rory, in all honestly. But, now that he did, the return trip would be a lot less stressful for him.
He grinned, looking up at Kylie, who was walking out of the dining establishment. "Don't worry, I'm bringing back something better than a dumb souvenir." He sighed. "Hey Ror?"
"Yes, Tris?"
"Do you still love me?" The question burning Tristan's mind finally was asked. "I mean, after I ran away, do you still love me?"
Without any hesitation on Rory's part, she answered. "Yes, I do."
"She practicin' the vows already, Tristan?" Kylie couldn't help commenting. She kept her voice low, so Rory wouldn't freak out.
Nodding to her, Tristan asked Rory, "Hey, do you know the number to the Diner?" He made up a story. "I have to ask him a question about insurance on a place like his. I got into a debate with some waitress who owned half the place I ate breakfast at this morning."
Buying the story, Rory gave him the number. "Be safe, Tris. I may be mad, but I want you back here in one piece, alright?"
"You just want me back for the honeymoon." Tristan had to cover up Kylies mouth the keep her from gagging out loud.
"That too," Rory blushed, thankful that no one was around to witness it. "But really, I love you."
"I love you too."
When he hung up with Luke, twenty minutes later, Kylie had a job, and the two were on their way back to Connecticut, a state where they knew they both belonged.
"Eminem? Don't tell me ya'll listen to that boy." Kylie picked up a CD from the pile on the passengers seat of the Explorer. "Celine Dion?" She held up another CD, as she sat down and got situated for the three day ride. "I'm not even going to ask you about it, boy."
Tristan felt a blush rise onto his cheeks. Rory had rubbed off on him more than he knew. "Uh, that's not mine." He was on the receiving end of a Kylie look. "Honest. Lorelai was driving my car the other day, and she likes to blare it at stop lights and mock the music. I swear."
"Uh huh, you just keep drivin', hon." Kylie laughed.
After days and nights of driving, the two crossed Stars Hollow limits on a Friday afternoon, around one p.m. Kylie was driving, so they were at the diner in no time, due to her lead foot.
Lorelai, Rory, and Jess were having lunch in the Diner when they saw a black Ford Explorer round the corner on what seemed like two wheels and screeching tires. "That is Tristan's car." Rory noted as she sipped her coffee like it was an everyday scene.
"But that is so not Tristan driving." Lorelai put in her two cents. Sure, she knew that the Runaway Romeo and Future Husband had driven like that before, but she doubted it was him. The female driver's reflection gave it away.
"So, who is that?" Jess asked, truly wondering who had enough guts to do that and stop in front of the gazebo, across the street.
Tristan let go of the "Oh shit!" bar in his truck and let out a deep breath that he had been holding ever the duo had entered Stars Hollow. "That is the last time I tell you to go a little faster to piss off Taylor." He rolled his eyes and crossed the street with Kylie.
They entered the diner in a quiet fashion and felt all eyes on them when they let the door close behind them. "So, when do I start?" Kylie took off her sunglasses and walked up to the table of the three Stars Hollows residents. Well, Jess was a part time resident.
"KYLIE!" Rory jumped up and exclaimed. After what seemed like five minutes of exchanging hugs, the two girls broke apart and Rory commented. "So, this is what is better than any souvenir." She smiled.
Luke came from the kitchen. "What is the commotion out here?" He noticed Tristan hugging Rory. "Welcome back."
Rory broke apart from the love of her life and introduced Kylie and Tristan. "She's your new help, Luke."
"You were the girl Tristan was talking about?" Kylie nodded and stuck out her hand. Luke accepted it and pointed to the Gilmore's. "Well, at least you know our best customers." He rolled his eyes when Lorelai stuck out her coffee cup.