Disclaimer: They are not mine. I don't own anything but my ideas.
Previously on A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes…
Tristan ran into Rory on campus at Yale and Rory was not herself. Her break-up with Logan left her devastated and in need of a change. Tristan provided the change in the form of a trip to Singapore. During that trip, Rory and Tristan got together, and when they both came back, during an evening in New York city, they ran into Logan.
Chapter 21"So what's for dinner?" Rory was still bugging Tristan a whole city block later.
"Just wait and see." Tristan's answer hadn't waived since Rory started annoying him.
"But what if I'm not dressed properly?" whined Rory.
"Then I would have taken you back to the hotel under the guise of ravishing you and had you changed your dress." Tristan answered slowly as if speaking to a 2 year old instead of a 20 year old. "You know what, I think my sister is more mature than you some times, and that's saying a lot."
"Fine." Rory started pouting and stomped off ahead, only to turn around seconds later to see Tristan smirking, fresh snowflakes catching on his eyelashes. "Well?"
"Well…we're here."
"Oh." Sheepishly Rory backtracked and took Tristan's arm and entered the lavish lobby.
Upon entering a squeal of delight pulled their attention to a streaking bundle of baby blue with blonde hair that came barrelling past the maitre-d and launched herself at the couple frozen in the entrance.
"Well hello to you too sis…" Tristan was actually embarrassed. "But I'd like to be able to show my face here again, so could you act a little more your age and LET GO?"
Without any heed to her brother's words, Alison grabbed Rory and launched in a tirade of her escapades through Asia and Australia with her new boyfriend.
With a momentary glace of apology directed at the now haughty looking greeter he followed the girls to what he assumed, or hoped was their reserved table. It would have been just like Alison to kick a tantrum until she got a table she wanted if the reserved table was not up to par.
As Tristan approached the table, his fears were confirmed.
"…can you believe it? By the entrance and the window to boot. Granted the window seats are the most coveted during the summer, but during the winter, much too cold, the glass isn't even double paned to starve off the wind. I thought by the fire would be much more cozy." Alison didn't even stop to take a breath. All Rory could do was nod in agreement. As Alison paused to order some Perrier from a passing waiter, Rory finally got her word in edge wise.
"So where's this boyfriend? I can't imagine where you would have met him?" Rory pondered out loud.
"Oh…here and there, we were introduced a little while ago but it really clicked in Thailand."
Alison casually looked at her manicured nails while sending a sly glance at Tristan.
"Really?" Rory was amazed at the girl's ability to attract attention. "He must be someone…half the restaurant is gazing at you like you're a goddess and the other half wants to kill you."
"Really? I hadn't noticed. My new relationship takes up all my attention. In fact, I think he's here now."
Rory and Tristan turned simultaneously to the entrance way that was now glaringly bright from the two police cruisers flashing their red and blue lights right outside the windows.
Rory's face visibly blanched when the all too familiar mop of brown hair emerged from the back of the police cruiser. Around the man's shoulders, a standard issue grey blanket somehow wrapped around the body without hampering the handcuffs.
Barely looking up, Alison acknowledged the man's presence outside the restaurant. "I guess I won."
"You won what!" Tristan's patience was wearing thin as his imagination ran wild trying to figure out what the man did to deserve a police escort to the restaurant and in that state of undress.
As the man entered the restaurant clad in nothing but a man thong with handcuffs and the blanket flanked by cops he called out. " 'ello luv," and moved to kiss Rory on the cheek while grinning at Alison.
"Hi Finn, not that I'm glad to see you, but I don't want to see all of you…WHAT DID YOU DO?" Rory's reporter curiosity got in the way of greeting formalities.
"Excuse me, which one of you is Miss Alison Dugrey?" One of the burly cops demanded.
At this new questioning Alison blanched but acknowledged with the grace of a true debutant and D.A.R. lady. "Yes, what has my friend Finnegan DeBeers done?"
"Climbed the statue of liberty miss. In his state of undress. He stated that he believed that the statue of liberty and freedom of expression meant he could attempt to climb the statue, in –10 degree weather plus windchill in patriotic underwear. When we were called in to book him, we were told to bring him here instead downtown. Said he's a headcase and to release him to his caretaker." The cop's friend looked a little uncomfortable at the scandalous stares the affluent and mature clientele were giving.
"Very well," Alison winked at Finn. "I'll take him off your hands, I swear he was at treatment this afternoon when I left him at Manhattan General. I'm very sorry gentlemen, it won't happen again."
With that the disgruntled cops released Finn and mumbled "Stupid rich kids, nothing better to do than waste country resources…" as they walked off they continued grumbling. Finn, completely impervious to the stares of the restaurant patrons and staff simply pulled up his chair and asked if they had ordered yet.
When Tristan and Rory managed to close their mouths, Tristan's face grew stony cold with anger, anger Rory had never seen before. "So this? THIS! Is your boyfriend? Finn. This is the man you decide to actually make your official boyfriend."
"Well of course not." Alison replied completely indignant. Finn handed Alison a picture from a tiny pouch around his neck. "But now he is." She admitted after closely examining the Polaroid shot.
"Ahem…excuse me sir. I'm not sure what kind of establishment you are used to frequenting, but here…we have a dress code, and you sir definitely do not fit in." The frazzled but haughty maitre-d looked at Finn like Finn was something stuck to gum on the bottom of a shoe.
"Of course my good man, why don't you make yourself useful and make me a proper patron by running over to Neiman Marcus…" Finn pulled his black card and a discrete clientele card out of his little pouch. "…I've got my personal fashion consultant waiting there, she's expecting a call, just tell her where I am, and what my situation is and run over to the store and grab my clothes? Thank you." With that Finn pulled a hundred dollar bill out of the pouch and pressed it into his astonished hand. "Oh and I'd also like a bottle of your Dom…make sure you have at least 3 bottles on hand chilled. And a menu please." Finn dismissed the man by simply turning his back and looking at the other occupants of the table.
"So, Rory, Tristan, I guess you are still doing well." Finn began amicably.
"Finnegan DeBeers, I want answers." Rory practically screeched, scandalized and outraged.
Finn and Alison exchanged looks, "Do you want to explain or should I." Alison queried.
"You see, after Rory left to come back, and since you brother had to stay in Singapore, Finn and I decided to do the whole south east asia thing, first we went to Australia to refuel our engines and so Finn could attend some charity event and then we headed off to Thailand, Bali, Indonesia and the Maldives. Anyways, we were taking an elephant ride through the jungles of Thailand and we finally addressed the issues. He and I both had feelings for each other, but I didn't want to be tied down. I wanted proof that Finn was sincere and that I wasn't just another conquest. So Finn asked what could he do to prove it to me. I thought he was joking and so I challenged him to climb the Statue of Liberty. I think it must have been the heat or the absurdness of the situation, and I didn't think twice about it. We came back here and Finn brought up the idea again and said he'd do one better, he'd do it without clothes and in the middle of winter too." At that Alison looked with amazement at the man sitting beside her even as he moved to hold her hand.
"Actually, that was quite invigorating." Remarked Finn. "You should try it sometime Tristan. Amazing for your health, clears the lungs right up." Finn continued. "A tad cold to do it at this time of the year though. My good man!" Finn called a passing waiter. "A bottle of your finest whiskey." Turning to his friends he continued, " actually it was interesting, it wasn't the usual request for devotion, or expensive gifts, it was something completely absurd, completely illegal… however I do have a confession." Finn turned towards Alison. "I did have the LDB there to whisk me off in an LDB fake police car instead of a real police cruiser. The police truly were on scene, but we just had a little slip of hand and I evaded capture. I'm not so big time I actually want to spend the evening in a New York jail in nothing but a thong with a pouch. At that Finn shuddered, visions of jail dancing through his head.
The rest of the meal passed on relatively uneventfully, the manager arriving at the table and apologizing for not recognizing Mr. DeBeers on site, even in his state of 'dishabille". Finn's clothes arrived from Neiman Marcus in the middle of the soup course and he excused himself and strutted with flair towards the men's restroom followed closely by the porters carrying the clothes.
Shaking her head in disbelief Rory was still in amazement, "after knowing Finn all this time, he never ceases to amaze me." Cocking his eyebrows Tristan raised his glass to the retreating figure, in response Rory and Alison gently knocked their glasses against his in a silent toast to the amazing specimen of man.
"You could bounce quarters off that bum." Mused Alison quietly.
Later on, in the cab back to the hotel, Rory snuggled into Tristan's shoulders. "That was fun," she began. "Somehow I think that relationship is going to be amazingly good for the both of them…"
"or amazingly horrible for my sister." Tristan worried.
"She's a big girl, she can make decisions for her self. I can too you know." Rory said in a know it all voice.
"I know you can," Tristan's arm around Rory tightened and his fingers started dancing up and down the edge of Rory's arm. Even through her thick winter coat, it was enough to send goose bumps all over her flesh. Tristan continued, "just like I know you can decide whether or not you'd like to help me warm my bed up. Two rooms are all well and nice, but one room is more cozy don't you think?"
Rory glanced up at Tristan's face while he was distracted with his daydreams staring blankly at Rory's ear. "Is it really more fun?"
"What?" Tristan's confused gaze brought on a case of the giggles for Rory.
"Staring at my ear." Rory laughed out.
"Well it is a gorgeous ear." Leered Tristan.
"Well that's the second time you've been caught. Do you remember? 10th Grade?" reminisced Rory.
"How could I forget, Ms. Caldecott I believe." Remembered Tristan. "So how am I doing this time? Can I convince you?"
"Well" began Rory innocently, "I don't see much convincing going on here."
"You little…" Tristan started to growl. Rory's comeback and incessant giggling silenced by the seal of Tristan's lips over hers. As quickly as it started the kiss ended. "How was that?" Tristan asked.
"Huh?" Rory was stunned, amazed, and speechless. One little kiss and she felt like her normally clear mind was lost in a fog of happiness. Who cared what was happening in the outside world when he kissed like that. In a moment of blessed naiveté she actually believed that she could live on those kisses and the love shining in his eyes alone. No matter what, no matter what Tristan was feeling at the moment, one look into those guarded eyes told all, if you only had the code.
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A/N: I know I know, Merry Christmas to all my readers, thank you for reading and reviewing. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. But out of curiosity, when the figure got out of the cop car...did anyone guess it was Dean or Jess or any other brown haired character? I hoped to develop a bit of suspense, or curiosity or reader invovlment. Anyways, thats enough fantasizing..whoops...I mean writing for now. Trorylove out.
Thank you again for your readership. I hope it continues.