Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Gilmore Girls, actors, characters, plots, etc, that would be the wonderful people at WB. Although if I did, I'm pretty sure they'd be some big changes coughChadcough. Anyway if you do feel inclined to sue me, some people have strange urges and we must accept them for who they are, I'm currently flat broke so all you will get is a used textbook, on organic chemistry.
AN: Another day, another chapter. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review.
Rockrose: Thank you once again for taking the time to read the random words I string into random sentences and call a story.
FairyGirl07: Tristan, I expect, will be making his return in about two or three chapters, depending on how far I get in each chapter. At the moment I'm trying to fill the Rogan quota of the Trogan.
Rish: Thanks for reviewing! Damn you stole my flashback idea, I'll have to think up some new crazy way of going back to that night in New York!
Photoboothromance: Rory last saw Tristan about 4 or 5 years earlier and when she did see him in NY, her mind was addled by the alcohol and other things that had been bothering, so she wasn't exactly on Tristan-alert. Also the note, she put it down to him going through her purse and finding her name. Not to mention Rory is notoriously oblivious, to certain things involving herself and men.
LoVe23: Thanks for reviewing. This writing late at night things becoming a weird habit, the chapter below is another example of that, I'm almost scared to re-read it! The ETA for Tristan is about 2 or maybe 3, just around the corner.
Jalna: I'm guessing long reviews are the norm for you. Thanks for taking the time to go through all that! You should really take up writing, you obviously know the characters very well and it seems you have a lot of ideas too, so maybe you should give it a go, if anything, I'd be really interested to read what you write.
Finnlover: It is my pleasure to reply to reviews. And getting reviews makes me feel special, too! Thanks for reading my little story.
GGluvr1987: Another person who likes my midnight writing, that's it, I'm giving up on daylight, I'm becoming nocturnal! I guess, with a lot of the starts to my chapters, they're references to other things (like movies or ordinary scenes), but Rory, or we, see them as being something else, see below. I was sort of trying to trick you into thinking it might be Tristan, but don't hate me for that! I was worried that I might have written the sex part a bit too cliché, eg the Health Ed teacher, what in a romance novel, etc, but I'm glad it worked. As for me being a fun person to be around, most of the time I'm a klutz and I tend to say the most random things, so most people laugh at me, not with me. Smooth is a foreign concept to me, but my friends know I'm just being honest and truthful, so (hopefully!) they love me anyway. I love broccoli! That was exhibit A, I really am not normal, but I do love broccoli, but I like cauliflower better. Yesterday I did kind of rip a whole celery plant out of dad's garden and eat it, dad was not amused, so I might be channelling the inner-rabbit. Hope I'm updating soon enough!
Fallen Heart: It was a bit short, I'm sorry, I try to make the chapters longer, but I don't want to overdo them.
This one's for anyone who's in any place with bad weather, it's gorgeous and sunny outside here, today is 26 C (79F) and yesterday was 35 (95) and tomorrow is 30 (86). I point and laugh at you, then I offer you this… Chapter 5He drew her closer to him until their bodies were flush against each other, running a hand down her bare arm, he left a trail of goosebumps in his wake. Their lips touched, tentatively at first. His actions were gentle, as if he was asking permission, which she granted without hesitation. As the intensity of their kiss increased, he turned them, so her back was against the wall, as if he knew she would need the support as her knees turned weak. Leaving her lips, he trailed tender kisses along her jaw, she moaned softly as he reached the spot behind her ear, she ran her hands through his hair, entangling her fingers in the silky, blond strands. Neither noticed the party going on around them.
"Would they get a room already," Paris muttered irritably to Rory, she crushed her empty polystrene cup in annoyance.
Rory said nothing in response, studying the pair in fascination. To her, the couple making out in the corner of the room looked oddly beautiful. The way the he held himself, his desire for the girl was obvious, yet somehow he contained himself. Honourable, Rory thought, a modern day gentleman. The girl was a willing participant and clearly enjoying the attention he was lavishing on her. It was a complete contrast to what Rory felt when it came to public displays of affection.
"You would think that getting back together with your boyfriend, however controversially, would mean that you're generally in a better mood," Paris continued, in a blatant dig at Rory.
"I am in a better mood," Rory retorted, shaking herself out of her stupor.
"Sure," Paris drawled disbelievingly, "If by 'better mood' you mean you walk around like someone ran over your puppy, twice."
"Just because you can't take people being happy together since you're not with anyone doesn't mean you have to take it out on me," Rory returned with her own unsubtle dig at Paris' love life or lack thereof.
"See what I mean?" Paris exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration, "I gave you an opening for you to launch into a detailed sickingly sweet story about how wonderful a boyfriend Logan is. What was it he sent you? A box of homemade cookies in the shape of coffee mugs because he was missing you. But no and instead you make a dig at me."
"I got flowers not cookies and they weren't from Logan, Finn sent them because he's trying to make Theresa jealous. And I didn't mean to make a dig at you, it was like a reflex."
"Theresa?"
"Yes, the girl Finn's been going out with for a week," Rory explained.
She was getting sick of people doing a double take when the heard about the latest Sweethearts-of-the-Year. It was bad enough having to just watch them be couple-y, romantic and Finn just didn't seem to fit.
"Now that's something I didn't see coming, Finn and Theresa. She's not even a red-head," Paris mused.
"Jealous, Paris?" Rory couldn't resist the jibe.
"Of course not," Paris scoffed, "Are you?"
"Why would I be jealous?" Rory stared, astonished at the suggestion.
"Finn sent you flowers? How many times has Logan sent you flowers?" Paris replied.
"Logan doesn't need to send me the sexual organs of plants to show me how much he cares about me," Rory fired right back at her.
"No, he does that by sleeping with every available female and some who aren't available too," Paris responded with more venom that she intended to.
"That's low, too low. I thought you were my friend, but obviously you don't support me. Paris, you really need a boyfriend, this little hate-anyone-in-a-relationship phase is getting old," answered Rory, trying not to sound hurt and bitter.
"Sorry for not being your bosom buddy on this one, but try as I might, I don't see what you gain from this open relationship with Logan."
"Paris, I really don't want to fight with you, but this something I need."
"Well, in that case, you better not being needing Logan tonight," Paris replied, not hiding the edge in her tone, "He looks like he's got his hands full with that blonde and I'm only talking about her chest."
Rory turned to follow Paris' gaze across the room, where indeed her boyfriend was well and truly lip-locked with a blonde-haired girl with unnaturally large breasts.
"She looks barely legal," Paris commented.
"I don't care what you say, Logan and I have an agreement and he can do what he likes," Rory replied.
Paris searched her friend's face for any flicker of resentment, but to her surprise she found none.
"I should get back to the dorm," Paris sighed, "This party was supposed to be the happening place tonight, but looks like everyone else is getting all the action. I'll see you later?"
She waited for Rory to respond, but when she received silence instead, she left the party alone. Rory had barely a minute to herself before someone else swooped on her.
"So, having a good time?" Finn crowed into her ear, almost making her jump two feet into the air.
"It's alright, I guess," Rory replied given him a half-smile.
"Oh, that's no way to be," he reprimanded her jokingly, "You're at a party, looking gorgeous, if I may say so, there is my favourite amber liquid flowing quite freely and the only downer is the music."
Rory couldn't help but smile at Finn's take on the party.
"Where's Theresa?" she asked, trying to deflect the attention from herself.
"The gorgeous Theresa is in LA, visiting her evil step-mother. I offered to fly down there in my noble steed, the flying kind, and rescue her, but it's her family's annual thing, so she doesn't mind them."
"I never thought I would see the day Finn became a one-woman man," laughed Rory.
"What? You mean it's over between us?" Finn exclaimed jokingly, "Just like that, you're dumping me? After everything I've done for you!"
"You mean getting me drunk at every opportunity?"
"I'm setting you up for life. When you want to celebrate, you drink and when you're depressed, you drink. Either way you get drunk."
As if to prove his point, Finn grabbed the nearest alcoholic drink and chugged it.
"Finn?" Rory asked.
"Rory?" he returned mimicking her tone.
"Are you serious about Theresa?" the uncertainty clear in her voice.
Finn was silent for a moment, staring at her until she looked away, flushed with embarrassment.
"You want to know how come skirt-chaser Finn will commit to monogamous relationship with Theresa when Logan, slightly less of a skirt-chaser than Finn, won't commit to anything other than casual with Rory?" he asked, his tone completely serious.
"Am I really that transparent?" she asked, surprised.
"No, you're not. Colin, Steph and I have been asking the same question. And I don't know what the answer is. I met Theresa and it was right, you know? It was as if, after seeing her, I lost all interest in other women. It's kind of scary, actually."
Finn paused to look intently at Rory.
"You know, it's almost as scary as Rory Gilmore being in an open relationship," Finn continued quietly.
"What do you mean?" confusion colouring her tone.
"Rory, why are you doing this?" Finn begged of her, "You can't be in a relationship like this with Logan, and I use 'relationship' very loosely."
"Why not?" Rory demanded hotly, she was sick and tired of people saying she and Logan weren't meant to be together.
"Rory, you are the kind of girl that needs to be needed," Finn explained, "You want a relationship, a serious relationship. There can only be two people in that relationship, you and a guy, not you, the guy and the ten other girls that he's sleeping with."
"Have you been reading again, Finn? You get all these crazy ideas when you read and that has got be one of your craziest," Rory tried to joke, but it sounded lame even to her own ears.
"No, Rory, I didn't read that somewhere. I can see it in your eyes. I'm worried about you."
"He's your best friend," she whispered softly.
"That doesn't mean I can't worry about you."
Rory wanted to argue back, tell Finn that she and Logan were just fine. That he was wrong and that this was exactly what she wanted and needed. But she couldn't. He knew too much, and too much of what he had said was too close to the truth. She looked away from his searching gaze to where, earlier, she had watched the couple had been making out in the corner. They were gone now and she wondered if they were dating, if they had known each other before that night, had they really cared about each other…
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AN: Another midnight writing session, this is becoming a habit!
AN: Question: what do you think will bring Tristan back into Rory's life? I know the answer, well of course I do, I'm the on writing this, but I want to know if anyone is thinking the same thing as me.