A/N: Like I said before, I'm a Lit fan, so this will always be a Lit, though it may not seem like it sometimes. This chapter has nothing to do with Diana. I'll get to her later. Sorry it took so long. I wanted to fill it with drama, but I wasn't sure how exactly. Hope you like it.

By the way, thanks potostfbeyeluvr, believe it or not, with your short review, you actually gave me one of the main ideas for this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the ideas for the story in this chapter. I believe Daniel and Diana are mentioned once here, so I own them. Other than that, I own nothing.

Jess looked down at Tristan's outstretched arm.

"I'm Jess Mariano", he said awkwardly.

'Who the heck is this guy and why do I care anyway?' he thought.

"Hello headmaster DuGrey.", said Rory, a hint of "I've-got-a-plan-don't-mess-it-up" in her voice. "That is you, isn't it? You fit my sister's description, but you can't always be sure."

Tristan smiled. "That's me."

"Wonderful. Congratulations on organizing such a lovely event and goodbye", said Rory, angrily walking towards the seats Lorelai had promised to save. She stopped suddenly when she noticed Jess wasn't following. She looked back to see him and Tristan talking friendly and happily. Still, she wanted nothing to do with Tristan. She walked back, her mouth forming a fake smile.

"Jess, come on. Mom and Max are waiting."

"Actually, Mr. DuGrey here just put up an interesting offer", Jess said.

"Oh, really?" Rory asked with an angry glance in Tristan's direction.

"Sure. It would be rude of me not to, considering…well, you know", Tristan said. His plan was a bit different from Rory's.

"You mean that my sister goes to this school? Yes, that's very nice of you, but someone's already saving seats for us. Come on Jess."

"Rory!"

"Jess!"

"These are great seats. Right in the front so we can see everything."

"Everything? What everything? It's a Chilton basketball game!"

"Yeah, but it's still a basketball game, and you know me and basketball."

"No."

"Rory. It's my passion, you know that, and I think I should see this up close. Makes for great observation."

Rory sighed. "Remember when we used to make fun of jocks?"

"Mr. DuGrey--", said Jess, walking back to where Tristan was waiting.

"Please, call me Tristan."

Rory looked at him awkwardly.

"Okay, Tristan. We'll take those seats."

"Great, great! Come here."

They followed Tristan to the first row of bleachers, on the side opposite Lorelai and Max. Rory sat hesitantly. 'I've never felt more out of place anywhere in my life'.

They sat in silence for a while, though the sounds of sneakers scuffing against the gym floor, the continuous bouncing of the basketball, and whistles going off every few minutes covered the awkwardness of the situation, at least for Jess. Rory, on the other hand, sat twiddling her thumbs in anticipation for the end of the game. At one point, she just couldn't take it anymore. Eager to escape the headache that had been caused by her anger at Tristan and fear that he may do something stupid to sabotage her relationship with Jess, Rory got up and headed to the bathroom where she could spend time alone to think.

Walking at a normal pace through the halls of her old high school, Rory thought nothing of the footsteps behind her until she heard the annoyingly familiar voice call out, "Mary!"

"Aren't we a little old for that?" Rory asked, turning around to look at Tristan.

"You'll always be my Mary."

"I'm not your Mary! I'm Jess's Mary. I mean Rory, Jess's Rory. It's Rory! And I'm married, Tristan, so the Virgin Mary thing's obviously not even valid! You're thirty something by now, Tristan; grow up!"

"It's not that obvious."

"Why are you following me?"

"Why'd you kiss me?"

"You, know, I really don't have to go to the bathroom anymore", Rory said. She turned around and started walking quickly in the direction of the gym.

"Maybe I'm not the one who needs to grow up? Dodging my questions? A little immature, Mary. And walking into my office out of nowhere when I haven't seen you in about 19 years? Very immature. Maybe you were right in one sense, though. You're not the Mary you used to be, Miss Magdalene."

Almost the gym, Rory turned around rapidly, unable to ignore Tristan anymore. "Tristan, what do you want from me?"

"Why the hell are you yelling at ME?"

"I don't know!"

"What?"

"I don't know why I kissed you!"

"That's usually something you know."

"Well I don't!"

"Rory", Tristan said, lowering his voice significantly. He put his hand on her shoulder like someone would if they were comforting someone.

"I don't!"

"I understand."

"No, you don't."

"I don't."
"I don't even understand! Just let it go."

"Are you sure that's how you want it to leave it?" Tristan's hand slid down to Rory's waist now. He moved closer, and his voice softened with every word.

"Yes", Rory replied firmly.

"Because I don't." His voice was now a whisper. They gazed at each other the way Rory had looked at Jess last night. Rory blinked, but Tristan wasn't going to let this golden moment go by. He slowly leaned in, kissing her on the cheek, and moving to her lips. Rory couldn't believe Tristan was doing this. She'd told him to let it go! But then again, that was Tristan. He hadn't changed. He was as sly and tricky as he'd been all those years ago. Rory let her mind drift.

'Oh, coming to greet me?'

'Hello, Tristan."

'So where's my birthday kiss?'

'It's my birthday."

'So I'll give you a birthday kiss.'

'What is wrong with you?'

Was she going to pass up this chance too? Yes! Of course! She refused to let Tristan be "the other man". Her experience as the "other woman" with Dean wasn't a rewarding one. Rory tried to back away, but Tristan had a grasp on her back. The glass door that led to the gym opened suddenly. Rory couldn't look up, as Tristan was still holding her tightly. Tristan looked up though, and a few seconds later, Rory was free of Tristan's grasp. Tristan was on the floor. Jess towered above him. Tristan's nose was bleeding. His face was scratched horribly. The door opened again. Rory turned her head to see Lorelai standing in the entrance.

"Mom"

"You're married."

"So?"

"Right, you haven't heard about the rules."

"The rules?"

"When you're married and you have the urge the kiss another guy for the second time, I should add, do it in a room with four walls and a solid wood door. See that door? Glass. Guess what! Glass is transparent, Hon."

"Mom, I didn't--"

"I saw it, Rory! I saw it, Jess saw it. Max, Diana, Daniel, and all of Diana's teachers who decide her grades and can make or break the rest of her life saw you kiss the headmaster of Chilton."

Rory was horrified. It really had looked like she was kissing him, not the other way around. The tight embrace, the mock passion. It all looked real. No one would know she'd tried to get out of it. No one would know the truth.

"Imagine how that makes Diana look! Then imagine how this looks to the people who actually know you! I'm disappointed, Rory. I'm angry. I'm angry and disappointed. I've never been angry and disappointed at one time."

"I didn't kiss him!"

Lorelai shook her head, and walked away to find a nurse or someone to help Tristan. Jess got up from the floor, shook his head almost exactly like Lorelai, and walked back into the gym.