Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

A/N: Someone clue me in...what's an ISM? Does that mean my story is posted somewhere I don't know about or being discussed? Someone help me with the jargon cause I am without a clue.

This chapter will make up for the lack of Trory interaction from last chapter.

12. Getting Friday night off

Tristan and Rory walked to Tristan's car and put their belongings and take out away. Rory bit her lip nervous about asking what she was about to, "Can we walk around some more? I don't really feel like going back yet."

Tristan wrapped his arm around her hip and led her back to the outdoor mall they had eaten at. He kissed her temple and whispered, "I like spending time with you to." Rory blushed slightly. "And I wouldn't want to have face my friends and casual player if I were you either."

Rory bumped Tristan's hip, "Hey be nice. I am trusting you this weekend to be the nice guy you've been all day."

He stopped walking, turned to face her, and put his hands on both her hips. "You are trusting me to be the nice guy I have been period. I am not being facetious. I know part of your fear is if we go back to campus now, somehow Logan is going to talk you into believing you and I didn't have a great time. We didn't hit it off. We didn't feel a connection. You are afraid that he may make up lies about me that you will believe... How close to the mark am I hitting Mary?" he asked the last in a whisper.

Her chin quivered a bit, "I don't want this to all go away. I don't want to wake up tomorrow and I am still in the same crummy situation with Logan."

Tristan kissed her lips lightly and cupped her chin, "You are the only one that can control if you wake up tomorrow in the same crummy situation with Logan...but it won't change the fact that their will be a seat waiting for you next to me to fly back to North Carolina tomorrow. Its your choice if you decide to sit in it."

Rory brought Tristan's hand to her lips and began to kiss his knuckles... Not an answer, but definitely encouraging.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Tristan looked to Rory and decided to dive headfirst. "You know, I'm gonna need to meet your mom before we do this, right?"

Rory looked at him carefully. Logan went out of his way to be detached: no parents, no friends...Except for male friends to pull alpha male behavior with. Here Tristan had sat with his life completely open to her and wanting approval from here mom and best friend. She sighed, "I am an adult you know? I don't need mommy's permission to cross state-lines."

"Who said anything about permission? This is about it being the right thing to do. She loves you, she wants the best for you, she's gonna want to know that she can trust the guy taking her daughter for the weekend," he explained.

"At least first tell me the plan so I know," she pled.

"You get out of class, we meet your mom for dinner and get on a plane. We will crash at Becky's. On Saturday we'll go to Duke garden's for picnic and reading since you are never without a book. I am sure you can do school work. In the afternoon we'll play it by ear... most likely going visit my town, my friends, my real family. On Sunday we'll do the tour of the Triangle, before going to Apple Chill in afternoon and the we'll fly back in early evening,"

"Slight problem," Rory groaned.

"What's that?" Tristan asked hoping that she didn't just suddenly remember she had a date with that lothario.

She cringed, "I have dinner at my grandparents' house every Friday night. I can't get out of it."

"Leave that to me. Do you have your grandfather's business line?" She nodded and showed him the number in her phone. Tristan typed the number into his own phone.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Tristan rang the line and waited. Rory sat anxiously wondering what Tristan was up to.

"Mr. Richard Gilmore, Please." There was a pause. "This is Tristan DuGrey, Janlen DuGrey's grandson...Thank you."

Rory remembered her grandfather had a service that routed his 'business' calls at night, after all he had clients all over the world on different time schedules. Tristan wagged his eyebrows at her to get her to chuckle. "You are too cute at moments," she whispered.

"Hello Mr. Gilmore, yes this is Tristan... No sir I am not looking for a job...Yes sir, I did quite well in school... Yes sir, all I needed was some discipline." Tristan rolled his eyes. "No sir I stayed in North Carolina, to continue to serve the armed forces as a civilian. I didn't want to lapse into old habits. Universities can be a source of such temptation."

Rory started to laugh to her self.

"Well sir the reason for my call is as follows while I was looking at Yale to attend in the fall...my father is an alumni. Yes sir it is a fine school. Well, on my visit I ran into your granddaughter Rory. We were in school together and quite frankly I had a bit of a crush on her...one that I soon discovered I still seem to carry... No sir I don't need her number."

Rory continued to keep her mouth shut but chuckle.

"The thing is sir, we talked a lot and there seems to be interest on both sides... Actually sir while I appreciate your approval I was hoping you could grant me a rather large favor. Well sir I told Rory all about Duke, one of the school's I'm considering...No I am not asking her to transfer... No sir I just...well...I have asked Rory to go with me to North Carolina so she could meet some of my friends, see the place that helped me become the man I am...and while normally I would suggest planning a visit there is a festival that is held once a year this weekend that I would really like to take Rory to. She has agreed to go with me but I don't feel right about taking her without spending some significant time with Lorelai. I am not sure how this relationship will work long distance if I stay in North Carolina, but I hope it will. I would like Lorelai's approval in pursuing her daughter from afar if necessary," Tristan said giving Rory a wink.

"I just feel that I need to meet Lorelai in an environment that she feels comfortable in with the least amount of stresses as possible. As such I was hoping you would allow Lorelai and Rory to miss Friday night dinner. I know these meals are very important to you and your wife, which is why I wanted to call rather than have Rory ask for me. I feel that it is important that you understand to I do appreciate what I am asking for."

Rory listened to a long silence and watched Tristan make several faces most of which she didn't understand until he said, "I am aware that the Huntzberger heir is interested in your granddaughter as well and that you are close to the family. But may I make one statement to that effect sir... Rory and Logan are in college. The Huntzbergers' would take any relationship between them very seriously. I am afraid that they would disapprove of Rory's desire to be a reporter. The Huntzberger heir would need a wife that would be a socialite professionally... I mean no disrespect to the family I just see more problems there than may be anticipated." There was another pause before he said, "I have taken my own path and been quite successful at it. While my prior behavior may have been less than desirable it has started me on a path that is different than most DuGrey's but just as respected. I respect my father very much, but asking someone I chose to date to change in order to fit an agenda is not me...nor would I want to change the person your granddaughter is and who she is becoming. Rory will make an excellent correspondent and I don't want to see that dream go away. I have lived through sending close friends off to war and waiting for their return. I better than anyone can appreciate what Rory's intended career would entail."

Richard must have said something to anger Tristan because he grit his teeth before saying, "Sir, you are talking about the man that is my rival for the affections of your granddaughter. I am going to see his flaws not his strengths. I feel that it is wiser for me to hold my tongue."

Tristan's statements and what he was willing to endure to get approval from her grandfather blew Rory away. The more he said over the course of the day, the more time she spent with him, the more she realized he wasn't joking around. She mouthed, 'Thank you' to him and sat waiting for the verdict.

Suddenly Tristan smiled big, "Thank you sir. I appreciate this greatly. I will do my best... and I will remember to only call your daughter Lorelai and to bring coffee. Goodbye."

Rory smiled. "Good news?" she inquired.

Tristan smirked at her, "Mary, I just got you and Lorelai out of Friday night dinner."

She wrapped her arms around neck and kissed him lightly, "My hero."

"Yeah, you remember that. Now my sweet Mary, call your mom and give her the run down. I will talk to her and we will set up tomorrow."

TBC...

Next Chapter: Lorelai

Thank you so much for your reviews for last chapter. I had a lot to read and consider. I am planning on adding a couple chunks here and there due to the overwhelming love there was for Finn.

Now...Please REVIEW. Please REVIEW...you know you wanna press the button.