Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or it's characters, all I own is my plot.

A/N: I honestly thought I posted this about ten days ago, but I was wrong. Well, here is your next chapter. And this time I have an actual excuse for not updating: I lost track of time. It's summer! I hope you'll let it slide. This is set when she's still in Yale.

The Simple Things

Actions have Consequences

Rory scooped more chocolate ice cream out of the carton. It was melting, and soon it would be nothing but a puddle of ice cream flavored liquid. But Rory didn't care, she was used to ice cream doing this sort of thing, it was almost ritual. Take more than you need, even if your practicing gluttony.

She couldn't believe what she'd done, she'd gone and made a date with the person she avoided in her thoughts most, Tristan. There were so many unanswered questions about their relationship, and this just complicated it. She'd acted on impulse, and it was something she wasn't going to do again. It landed her in this situation, with a fake date.

Now she had an hour to show up there, and if she didn't chances were she'd never live it down. Even if she never saw Tristan again, he'd be holding it against her in a silent grudge. And he'd have a reason to call her a coward.

Rory wasn't about to let that happen, she was even going to make an effort in her appearance, and just so she left him in awe. Just to make her self better. It was horrible and leaning dangerously to the cruel side. It was inconsiderate and nothing Rory would normally do. But here she was, planning it out in her mind ready to strike his ego.

Rory reluctantly set the ice cream down on the coffee table and pried herself off the couch. She had to change, she had to do her hair, and she had to figure out an excuse to give Logan. Her mind swam with thoughts, focusing around Logan; he wouldn't understand; he was the jealous type. She came to a conclusion in a small amount of time; deciding not to tell him much of anything at all.

But as it was, well she was combing out her hair. The phone rang sporting Logan's number on the ID. So Rory flat out lied to him, told him the first thing that came to mind.

Father-Daughter bonding time.

And it worked.

Rory sat outside Tristan's house tapping impatiently on the steering wheel, she'd honked three times and still Tristan didn't appear. She scanned his house for any sign of him, settling her eyes on a blonde figure in a second story window motioning her toward the door. This hadn't been part of the deal.

But against her better judgment Rory got out of the car and waltzed up to the door. Ringing the doorbell impatiently. Almost immediately the door was pulled open by a maid who ushered Rory in.

"Thank you." Rory mumbled. She was led to the sitting room, where Tristan was sitting along with an older man with a stern expression. Baring resemblance to Tristan, Rory assumed it was his father.

"Hi." She offered tensing up as their stares followed her until she sat on the couch.

"Hey Rory." Tristan purred, putting on an act for his father. "This is my dad Johnson Dugery."

Johnson extended a hand, and Rory took it graciously. "I'm Rory." She replied with a small smile, putting on an act for Tristan's father as well.

"So how long have you been together?" Rory got that feeling she was back in high school, getting questioned by over protective parents.

"A month." Tristan said quickly, not letting Rory get the chance to respond.

"You never mentioned her son."

"I don't exactly make conversation with you." He muttered his tone hardening; an immediate tension filled the air.

"Time to go?" Rory asked carefully, her eyes darting between Tristan and his father. They were both looking at other things in the room. But as soon as Tristan heard her voice, his eyes fluttered towards her, and Rory regretted wearing such a tight shirt. He was clearly amused by her appearance. Which made Rory long silently for a baggy Yale sweatshirt. Anything loose.

"Yeah." Tristan stood up, staring absentmindedly at the wall.

"Nice meeting you, glad to see Tristan with such a wholesome girl." His dad said smiling, but he still had an annoyed glint in his eye. He stood up, "Well I better get back to the office."

"Right." Tristan said subdued, and unusually quiet. He walked over to Rory and laced his fingers in hers, and again Rory wished for something baggy, something to make him stop looking at her the way he did. It wasn't love, just pure lust. Having his smooth hands wrapped in hers didn't do anything to help the matter.

As soon as the door shut behind them Rory asked, "So you and your dad don't have a tight relationship?" Tristan stared straight ahead. And Rory took pity on him, she could relate to the situation and it wasn't fun to be in.

"Well, it's rocky." He said with a sigh, but smirked after. "You and your dad have the perfect one right?"

"Wrong."

Tristan looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. She'd always had the qualities and quirks in life he wanted. Simplicity, smarts, a small town and parents that cared more about you than your image. Knowing that she was just as bad off as he was in one of the situations, made his happiness go up a notch. She wasn't so perfect after all.

Rory unlaced her fingers from his; it wasn't something she wanted to do. But her mind was telling her too, that and the fact that she had to drive. They went opposite ways, each entering a door of the vehicle, Tristan taking the passenger and Rory taking the drivers seat.

The doors closed with a satisfied click, putting up sound barriers. "Where to?" Rory asked starting the ignition.

"My friends are at the bar. I'm gonna go pick up some babes." He said, but still he checked her out as he said it. Perplexed as to why she was wearing such a tight shirt, it was just regular tight, but Rory didn't do tight. He was pleased though, even though it covered her completely it showed off her curves, which were far from disappointing.

"Typical, all you care about is women!"

"Your forgetting something else I care about."

"Yourself?"

"You guessed it."

Rory sighed and shook her head, she could feel his eyes going on and off her. But the rest of the way they rode in silence.

When, Tristan exited the car, Rory was just glad this was over.

A/N: I hope you like. Review please and say a little more than 'update'. Please…