Disclaimer: I don't own GG or anything remotely related to it.

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! They made me smile. As for the coupling...someone asked me if I knew where it was headed. I don't. I love both Trory and Lit, so it's all up in air. Pleads for your couple may help, but it won't be the deciding factor. Here's the next chapter...reviews are greatly appreciated.

-Chapter Two-

Jess frowned deeply at the blonde in front of him. Even looking straight into Rory's eyes, he seemed to know her. But yet...where did Mary come from? Searching his mind for a reference to an old friend or a childhood nickname, he came up empty. "I think you have the wrong person." Jess spoke up. "Her name's not Mary."

Tristan smirked. "You mean you haven't told him about us? I think my feelings are hurt." He watched as Rory blinked slowly, her eyes never leaving his face.

Finally, she gave her head a slight shake, discarding the shock. "Tristan."

"So you haven't forgotten me."

"What are you doing here?"

He gave a slight shrug. "Getting an education, I assume you have the same reasons."

"Obviously." Jess cleared his throat from behind Rory and touched her arm. "Oh, right. Jess this is Tristan, we went to Chilton together. Tristan, Jess, my boyfriend."

Tristan arched his eyebrow. "Finally ditched bagboy?"

Automatically she grew defenses. With a roll of her eyes, she replied. "His name was Dean."

"How could I have forgetten your beloved." He paused. "What happened?"

Jess allowed a rare smile to form, a smile Tristan noticed. This smug looking guy had achieved what he couldn't. He had stolen Rary away from the boy she claimed to love.

"That's really none of your business." She broke into his thoughts.

Tristan placed his hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "I was just inquiring as to what occured in the life of my old friend."

"Like you care."

"Oh, but I do."

Jess took a small step forward, feeling the need to break up this reunion. "We should finish looking around and get lunch. My shift starts at four."

"Right." She glanced at him before looking once more at Tristan. "We need to go. I'd say it was good seeing you again but..."

"Don't worry. You'll see me again. I wouldn't deprive you of the pleasure." He brushed past her and walked in the opposite direction.

Jess slipped his arm around her waist and led her away. "Who was that guy?"

Trying to appear casual, she looked over her shoulder at his disappearing form. "Just someone I never expected to see again."

-----

"Tristan's here? At Yale?" Paris questioned later that afternoon. "Wow."

"Yeah, wow." Rory echoed. Paris couldn't help but grin. "What?"

Paris just shook her head. "I was just wondering..."

"Wondering what?"

"Is he still...you know...the best looking guy you have ever seen?"

Rory laughed. "Say that to him and his ego will be too big to fit through the door."

"True...but is he?"

"I don't know about hottest guy ever, but he does still look good. Military school agreed with him." Rory remarked thinking back to seeing him standing in front of her. He still looked like the same Tristan from high school, but older, more of a man than his seventeen year old self had. Hard work had caused him to fill out, his muscles toned underneath his navy blue t-shirt. His skin had a deep tan and his hair was lighter, naturally bleached by the sun. But what had caused her to pause, caused her breath to hitch was something that had never and would never change. His eyes. They were still the same sparkling blue that caused her to lose her train of thought, just for a mere second. However once the second past and she realized who it was that those eyes belonged to, she always managed to come up with a snide remark that would set them off into a round of their infamous batering.

Paris nodded. "I figured it would. Did he say why he was here?"

"Because he wants to get an education."

"But why Yale?"

Rory shrugged one shoulder. "Didn't say."

"Maybe he came back for his Mary." Paris teased, taking notice of the ever so slight blush that creeped onto Rory's cheek.

-----

Rory leaned back against her Study Tree and smiled. The silence soothed her and the rough bark felt comforting against her back. With a sigh, she blocked out the world. The stress of the day, the large amounts of homework, the ackwardness of Jess meeting Tristan faded away as she concentrated on the cool breeze on her cheeks and the silence that settled around her. Just as her mind completely lost focus of the real world, a voice shattered her blissful solitude.

"Is this tree taken?"

Without opening her eyes she replied. "Yes."

"By who?"

"Someone who's not you."

Taking that as an invintation he sat down next to her, so close that if he shifted slightly his shoulder would brush against hers. A comfortable silence fell over the two of them, as he turned his head to the side to study her. She had cut her hair since he had last saw her, it now hung slightly above her shoulder and while she still looked beautiful, he missed the longer locks. He noticed that with her eyes closed and her face relaxed, she still held the same innocense that had first attracted him to her, that first caused him to nickname her Mary. "What?" She asked, finally.

"What do you mean?"

"I can feel you staring." She finally opened her eyes, turning to face him, crossing her legs indian style, and cocking her head.

"I was enjoying the sights."

This time she managed to surpess the blush. "I see you haven't changed at all. Military school couldn't rid you of your obnoxious personality and innuendos."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way." Rory just sighed, defeated. "I've missed you Mary." He told her, leaning in closer.

With a slight shove on his shoulder she dismissed the comment. "You've missed torturing me."

"I personally don't find our time together, torture."

Rory smiled. "It's your ego talking." She paused, still scrutinizing him. "Seriously, why Yale?"

"Same reason I went to military school." He answered.

"Your dad?"

Tristan leaned back against the tree now, but kept his gaze on her. "Hitler himself. How about you? Why aren't you away at Harvard?"

"Different reasons."

"That new boyfriend of yours keeps you on a short lease."

"No," Rory snapped, before reminding herself that this was Tristan. He said these things just to get a reaction. "Jess is great. Sweet and very supportive. If I had chosen Harvard we would have found a way to make it work."

"Ahhh, young love. Isn't it grand?"

Remembering his endless entorage of girls she inqured, "What? No bimbo in your life?"

"Not since we said good-bye."

"You're such a jerk."

"But you missed me." He fluttered his eyelashes at her like a school girl.

Rory couldn't stop the smile the spread over her face even if she had wanted to try. "Well, maybe a little. But don't let it go to your head."

"Too late." He shifted slightly to his right and felt her shoulder lightly press against hers before standing up quickly and walking away.

-----

Jess pulled away from Rory, the need for air overpowering him, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Luke's going to walk through that door any minute." He said softly, his face still a mere inches from hers. "He's going to walk in and freak out. Then I'll be lectured about taking advantage of the poor innocent Rory Gilmore."

Rory nodded, her mind still hazy from the kiss. "Even if it's me who does this..." She placed her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his mouth back down to hers, there lips meeting in another heated kiss.

"Even if you do that." Jess answered quickly before kissing her again.

This time Rory pulled away. "Then maybe we should stop."

Jess pretended to think about her suggestion. With a smirk he shook his head. "Maybe not." And once again his lips were on hers. Suddenly they heard loud footsteps on the stairs and jerked apart, placing themselves on opposite ends of the couch. "I can't believe Paris freaked out about that." Jess glanced up as the door opened just in time for Luke to hear his statement.

"Oh, hey guys. Sorry to interrupt."

With a shrug, Jess answered. "Don't worry about it." Luke grabbed something from his side of the room, shoved it in his pocket, and quickly exited the room, with a only a nod to the couple on the couch.

Rory giggled slightly. "He's so obvious. Why not just shout up the stairs, 'Hey, are you two making out up there?"

"He honestly thinks he's being subtle." Jess remarked scooting closer to Rory and placing his arm around her shoulder. "So...tell me about Tristan."

"Jealous?" She asked with her eyebrow arched.

"No, just curious."

Rory nodded with a knowing smile. "Right." She paused, trying to think of way to explain Tristan DuGrey. "We went to Chilton together before he was sent off to military school. We weren't really friends or anyhthing, more like sworn enemies who enjoyed being sworn enemies." An image of their kiss lofted through her mind but she pushed it away. "He definitely made the transfer from Stars Hollow High to Chilton very interesting."

"And Mary?"

Letting out a small laugh Rory exaplained. "You know, Virgin Mary. I guess I just glow with innocense."

Jess smiled softly at her, "I can see why he chose that. It fits."

"Shut-up." She snapped before cuddling into his arms.