Author: Kait.
Disclaimer: Don't own it, the end.

Acknowledgments: To Chris, whom i love with no end. She's so damn patient with me -right. To Kat because how can you not love that woman? Elise, Melissa, Marissa, Priya, Jamie and Ash, for countless nights of entertainment. Hadar, for always having something to say. To all my reviewers. Your thoughts mean so much, and I like actually getting to know some of you too, so never hesitate to contact me.:)

Special thanks to- Ahmee, Katie, Stew Pid, Rory DuGrey, markie, VFoxy and Green Eve (who i hopefully haven't lost as a reader). Oh, and Mijay, because she was around a couple of chapters ago.

I love you all! Thanks so much! You rock!

Author's Note: I was a tad discouraged at the lack of reviews on the last chapter but I will not let it get me down! On with the show, I hope you enjoy.

Oh, and because i forgot to mention it before the following people got the correct song for the ch. 11 contest' : Proud Mary (a.k.a Tracy) and Victoria. Um, so yep, there's your present. Pretty crappy, eh? Sorry. I suck, I know.

*
The Young and the Hopeless.
Chapter One.
*

He sat across the table from his alleged father, while his mother had chosen to seat herself between them. This was interesting because last time he checked she despised Jess Mariano about as much her son did. For reasons that were both the same and completely different.

They weren't looking at each other either, and whenever Rory glanced in the direction of Jess a blush creeped into her cheeks before she quickly averted her eyes. Jess was basically doing the same thing, only with less of a blush and more of a look of despair.

Fine, Atticus would be the adult. So? It's been more than five minutes, is anyone going to say anything? At least he wasn't yelling at them, even if they did deserve it for acting like fools. God, there he was grouping them together, he hated this. Why couldn't they just go away altogether? He decided he was too whiney before, forget only having one parent, could he just have none?

Jess leaned forward, obviously wincing when Atticus immediately responded by pulling himself back. Okay, so you obviously know who I am... he trailed off.
Yes, and might I add thank you for the sperm, it was a pretty critical part of my existence. Now, if you don't mind would it bother you to much to form a complete sentence?

Rory gaped at her son. While he was known to often speak heatedly, after his initial reaction to seeing his father she hadn't expected this. He was hostile, and forward and completely in control of the situation. He was acting the same way she had acted. Maybe he wasn't completely like Jess after all.

Fine. You wrote me a letter, any real reason for that?
Atticus now shrugged, I just thought you'd like to know that I was okay. Maybe that point didn't get across in the letter.
It did. he sighed and lowered his gaze, And I did want to know, his voice softened, I thought about it every day.
The two fell silent, their gazes locked on the table in front of them as Rory simply stared at the site. On of them she had loved with more passion then she ever believed was possible, the other she loved with more of her heart than she ever thought she could possess within her body.

She took this break in silence to speak up, How much longer are you in town Jess?
His eyes shifted up to meet her gaze, Indefinitely. I mean, I came to figure this out so as soon as it's sorted I guess I can make a more...permanant decision. He bit his lip and looked at her.


Meaning I would like to move back here, to Stars Hollow.
Atticus' eyes shot up, What? You think you can just show back up here and be a dad all of the sudden?! Pieces don't just fall together - this isn't a fucking storybook, what if I don't want you here?
That's why I said I have to make a decision-
his face flushed with anger and he stood up, You don't make these decisions. I make these decisions, I think I've earned it. Besides, I don't need your help anymore, in case you can't tell I'm 18. I don't need anymore raising. I'm already grown up.
I can see that. I just want to try to make it up to you. I know what it's like to be you, my father wasn't around to watch me to grow up either, I know what it would have been like for him to show up when I was 18, I would have been pissed. Atticus was silent, But I also would have been curious.
I'm not you. Atticus said unconvincingly.
I've got it written down somewhere that you believe otherwise.

The letter. Atticus said regretfully.
If it's any consolation, Jess said looking up and into his son's eyes, I am glad you wrote it.
Atticus nodded, this was getting resolved quicker than he thought it would. They were communicating. Since when did he communicate?
Yeah, well I had some things I had to get off my chest.
he agreed.
This isn't going to be easy for you. I want you to know that, just because you waltz back in here doesn't suddenly make you my father.
I know.
And if you want my trust you're going to have to earn it, I mean how do I know you aren't just going to leave again?
You don't, I guess. He was leaving room for Atticus to speak. He figured it was best to get everything out now, the hostility, the anger, the pain. Maybe then there would be room for everything else he'd missed over the years.
So you're staying? Atticus mind was torn between hope and wishing that the whole ordeal had never occurred.
Your call, you said it yourself. Jess said with what could have been a slight look of pride.
His eyes flickered to his mother and he stood up. Rory can choose. That's my call. He turned around and retreated from the kitchen. This would be a more than interesting decision, but when it came down to it Atticus knew what Rory would choose, and just maybe, that was what he wanted too.

*

A while later a knock sounded on his door. He called out to the person, not willing to get off the bed where he was consumed within yet another book. Rory entered looking at him slightly shyly before approaching the bed and taking a seat on the end of it.


His eyes glanced up from the book to meet hers, Is that what it looks like?
Yes, actually, it does. She said with the hint of a smile.

The two sat in an awkward silence for a moment before Atticus decided to speak up, You decided I assume?
You know what they say about assuming, She said with the intention of trying to break the tension, it was part of her character to do that and sometimes she thought it was because she wasn't capable of handling herself in uncomfortable situations.

His eyes had found their way back to the pages before she realized that she was talking to her son, not her mother. I told him he could stay. Legally he could stay either way, but I asked him to stay for a while, just to see how it goes.
Atticus looked up and nodded before re-lowering his gaze, That's great Rory. His tone was not condescending. Neither was it happy, sad or angry. It carried not the simplest inflection towards anything that he was feeling and that scared her just a bit. It made her wonder just how he had learned so well to act completely and utterly emotionless.

But that was the thing with her son, he was all these things that she didn't even know about until after the fact. Lorelai was the one that pointed out that he looked goofy in his Chilton uniform. Luke was the one who made her realize he was having growing attitude problems. Taylor brought up his wayward ways, although the time he was brought home by the cops also helped point that one out. He had never been her little boy. They had never experienced true sentimental attachment, and that sometimes shook her. Right from the moment he was born she had felt the lack of connection. Maybe it was for the simple fact that he was a boy and she was a girl. She was a Gilmore Girl, and she had a baby boy. A baby boy who would grow into a man that she would feel like she knew nothing about. And when it came down to it, there was really no one to blame but herself.

Do you need to talk about anything? she asked, not yet ready to leave the place her son found such comfort in.
he didn't even look up, but then, sensing something in her voice he placed his book to the side and looked up. Do you need to talk about something?
No, no, of course not. I'm just wondering how you're getting on through this whole ordeal.
I'm fine. But to tell you the truth I'm not too sure how you are, I mean you barely even seem like your phased by this. I've never seen you handle something so...well.
Well you know, we've got a good support system here.

There's something else. Something you're not telling me. Atticus knew that Rory was aware that he could read her. He guessed that she simply thought that in this particular scenario, he'd be too messed up to notice that she was hiding something from him.

I wasn't going to tell you right away.
He's been back for a week. Atticus stated blankly.
I know.
You should hate him. he said unconvincingly.
I know. Her resistance against breaking down was weakening with every word he uttered. She was so scared, didn't he understand that she was just scared?
Do you think he'll leave again?
I don't know.
For the first time since the conversation began he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes, Please don't let him hurt you again.
I won't.
Good, because I'll kick his ass this time. he said in with a hint of a grin.
Rory laughed, You're like the big brother I never had. she paused, not knowing how he would react but still wanting to tell him, And as much as you were never the son I expected - I would never change a single thing about you.
He stared at her blankly for a moment then smirked, Time to cue the la-las.
They sat on his bed smiling at each other for one perfect moment between mother and son before they both went back to their own lives - worlds apart.

*

The soft sounds of Chopin sounded through the main entrance of the DuGrey residence and Dominique instinctively followed the sounds to where her brother was currently perched on the piano bench, slightly bent in concentration. When her heels made their final resounding click' upon the floor, the music ceased and Tristan swiveled around.
Out all weekend?
Well even if the thought of spending three days in Teal's company makes you shudder it is far superior to sitting in this house all by myself.
I've been home since last night.
You hold yourself in high esteem, brother dear.
You love me. he said with a self-satisfying smirk.
Dominique quickly steered the conversation away from anything to do with that word. So, Tristan DuGrey sitting in his parents house waiting for his little sister to come home on a Saturday night? Sounds tragic. What happened?
I broke up with her.
Another one? Poor...um, what was her name again?

Right. Poor girl. Not that this is unexpected, you always break up with them. Or get engaged and then break up with them.
That's not completely true.
Okay, so one out of four fiancés dump you and that's your focus?
She was the only one I actually liked.
she snorted.
Are you still friends with her son?
Atticus? Well, you could say that we're friends. she said with a devilish grin.
He pretended to cover his ears, Things I don't need to know about you. he then cringed, You aren't dating him are you? Because that could turn out catastrophically.
she said definitely.
Why not?
It isn't included in my five year plan.
Of course. he said with a smile.
She returned it with a nod, Of course.
He stood up and started walking out of the room, she got up and followed suit, So for our nice, family, Sunday night dinner this week how about you tell me what you would like to order in?

*

Atticus rolled off his bed and walked out into the hall, then into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water in the shower and flipped on the stereo that he had in the bathroom and waited for the sounds of drums to fill the air before slowly pulling his shirt over his head. His lean stomach muscles contracted in the quickly dampening air.

He stood in the billowing clouds of condensation musing over the past week. Steam continued to stream out from above the shower curtain but he gave no notice. His eyes were fixated upon their slowly disappearing reflection as he thought about how much had happened since his birthday. Since the year before. And as he thought about this, he realized just how much more was going to happen in this one.

*
Hard days made me, hard nights shaped me,
I don't know they somehow saved me.
And I know I'm making something out of this life they call nothing.
*


To be continued...

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