I glanced over the sea. I thought it would be wavy, frothy water like the postcards...but actually it reminded me of black carpet sprawled out in every direction. It was calm anddark and still. It was dusk now, the water had gone from marine blue to black as the sky turned light purple.

The candle light from the table refracted through the fawn color of his champagne. It was such a TV worthy moment, I didn't even want to think how much this had to be costing ABC.

"So, why are you here?" He broke the vast, empty silence.

"Truce?"

"Game over." He agreed amiably. "But I was winning."

I just gave him an amused smile, since I was up by at least eleven points. "Well, I guess my mom can get anyone to do anything, no matter how insane it is."

"Darn right I can." Lorelai elbowed Luke. "Didja hear that?"

Luke grumbled a reply.

"Hey Luke-y, up for sky diving tomorrow?"

"You're not that good Lorelai."

"Sez you."

"And you?" Rory asked, looking at me with her intense eyes. They look so innocent from far away, but when the fasten themselves on you with a question they suddenly harden.

"A favor to a friend. The show is important to him, he works for ABC."I sipped his drink. "It wasn't a horrible offer, can't say I don't love seeing myself on TV."

"Worried about crazy stalkers?" She cocked her head to the side and smiled.

"High school where I went was bad enough. Trust me."

I raked my hands through my hair, I still love how it's long. The few years of a flat top in military school were the worst years of my life. My hair is part of me, despite the fact it never lies still. It was like chopping off an arm when it was shorn heartlessly.

"Your hair is your prop isn't it?"

I blinked and looked at her blankly. "I do not have props."

"Liar. It's like your wingman. You can't stand the idea of approaching girls with other guys, you're a one man show."

"Wanna buy ticket?" I wiggled my eyebrows, but then regretted it as soon as it came back. I had become so comfortable I forgot what I was saying.

I was surprised when she laughed. "I doubt I could afford a ticket."

I normally would have been taken aback. We're out of high school, I'm above that. And the way he said it was no longer suggestive, it was in plain fun...just like this date.

"So Mr. DuGrey, time is up, we'll be heading back to the marina now, sir." The butler set down a freshbottle of wine.

I looked at the empty bottle, surprised. "Tristan, did we drink a whole bottle between the two of us?"

"You only had two glasses." He laughed.

"Are you drunk?"

"Do I act drunk?"

"Is that what I asked?" I demanded.

"No, I'm not drunk. I've learned to hold my liquor."

"Good, I can't bring you home drunk."

"We're grown up Mar, we're above that."

"No, they're not." Luke grumbled.

"Grow up, tea-bag." Lorelai grinned.

"Look at that boat, could you imagine how wonderful it must be?" Sookie sighed. "I want to go on a cruise."

"Me too! Oh, Sookie! Let's do that!"

"Yeah, we can bring everyone!" Sookie sighed and fell back on her cusion. "Luke do you want to come."

"Who would watch the shop?"

"No one will come, we'll bring the whole town." Sookie threw her popcorn in the air witha sigh of utter bliss.

"Great, a floating Stars Hollow."

Tristan tilted his head up. "Can't see stars like this in the city."

"That's O'Rion's belt." I pointed at the three bright aligned stars.

"Mmm...that would make that..." Tristan tried to pretend he knew anything about astronomy.

"Yeah, that's gullibus major right?" I pointed to a random bunch, "next to brain-less minor?"

"Um, yes." He paused, then shot me a look. "Ha. ha. ha."

I grinned. "My mom used to fall for it longer.

"I most certainly did NOT!" Lorelai protested
"Sooo."I poured myself another large tumbler of wine. "Tell me, did you have fun tonight?"

She watched me as I drained the glass effortlessly. "I actually did, surprisingly."

"Surprisingly?"My grin grew.

"Well, you've been kind of full of yourself since I met you."

"Really?"

"Mm-Hmm."

"Full of myself?" If she calls me a jerk she wins...if she calls me a jerk, she wins. Say it Mar, tell me I'm a jerk. Then I can call you and askyou out the second cameras are off us...call me a jerk, win Mar, say it.

"Well, I could probably think of more colorful adjectives."

"Really?"

"I wouldn't want to be impolite."

Say it Mary, say it. Be mean and tell me I'm a jerk. I know I am, tell me I'm a jerk and... "No I guess not."

I felt my eyes drift sightly out of focus and I knew that in a few more sips I'd be semi-drunk. I set the tumbler down. I want to win, I want to outsmart her and I want all my work buddies to be praising my name when I get home. I glanced over where she was sipping her drink. Figure it out Mary, figure it out.

I watched him from the reflection of my drink and I knew that he was thinking hard...it was almost as if he was trying to telepathically tell me something.

I looked over at the shore where the Marina was hoverng into view. The lights reflected off the glassy white boat and bouncing onto the water, illuminating how murky it was. Ah, the irony.

The cameras began taking their last shots of the water, some of them shut off because unless something fascinating happened in the next few minutes nothing till they got back to the house would probably make the actual show.

"Hey DuGrey." I stood up, my hair flapped in the wind around me. I imagine on TV it would make me look somewhat attractive, the folds of my white dress waving in the bay winds, but I was cold. "This was kind of fun, wasn't it?"

"Why yes Miss Gilmore." He doffed a bow. "I believe it was quite an experience."

I grinned and sighed. "So Mr. DuGrey, this our stop?"

"Guess it has to be." He picked up the remainder of the bottle and I was surprised to see it near empty. "Do you dare me to chug it?"

"Do I need to?"

"Was that the question?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Do I look drunk?"

"Does that answer what I asked?"

"So you care if I'm drunk?"

"Do I look like I want you to make a fool of yourself on TV?" I responded firmly.

"I won't make a fool of myself."

"Statement, one..."

"Love." He cut me off.

I missed a beat, unsure how to respond or how I'd been adressed. "Yes, one-love."

Because I was thrilled when I realized I'd gotten 50 reviews for the last chapter I shall update before my AP testing. If I fail it, I blame this website:)

R/R