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. Nor do I own anything to do with Audrey Hepburn. 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.
Photoboothromance: I'm not sure if this chapter is what you're looking for. Rory made a decision for herself too by having the abortion and I think Rory would have thought about it carefully.
Rockrose: Thank you for reading and reviewing.
Zetaphi7: Thanks! And it was all part of the master plan. I'm a Trory fan so of course I want them to work it all out together.
Broadway89: Here's a virtual tissue! I'm a closet sappy and today is the day of the sap, Valentine's Day!
Mamashirl: Thank you! The tone should be getting happier now, no more sad, teary story.
LoVe23: I'm a sucker for mature, somewhat-tortured Tristan, it's a weakness I'm working on. Thank you for reading and reviewing.
Bethany Inc: No no, I'm not saying you're overly violent. Oh dear, sometimes I don't convey my meaning well through written words, I'm much more of an in-person person, if that makes sense. I'm a closet sappy, I like sappy, I just don't like telling many people… and yes I do realise the irony of putting that on the net. And I'm glad sporks add to your life, some people like stamp collecting, while others spork away!
Rish: everything will be a-ok very, very, very soon (the number of 'very' is telling, hint, hint!). Anyway, thank you for reading.
FairyGirl07: Good point! I missed out on getting into medicine the first time around (most universities in Australia don't have pre-med, you go straight into med after high school) and I was devastated, but I've still got options. As for not liking Valentine's Day, oh dear, I need to change my dedication for you… Happy Feb 14th, the day that some people like to be sappy. Why? I have no idea…
Fallen Heart: Thank you for reading, reviewing and the hugs! I'm glad you love it.
Finnlover: I could see Finn falling down the stairs sober. Some people are just talented! Screaming matches are overrated. Thanks for reading.
Yourlastkiss: I did like Sixth Sense, but M. Night's (I've given up on his surname) movies have lost their spark since most people go in looking for the twist. I mean look at Signs or The Village, the twists are predictable since he seems to follow a formula. I'm glad you liked the story anyway. Thanks for reading.
Passions-spent: I think it's important for them to take some time, otherwise they'd be jumping into something neither are ready for. Plus I like to add a bit of tension/suspense and reality to my fiction! As for the baby's father, I pretty decided it's Logan, just don't tell anyone I said that! Thanks for reading.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Chapter 18She vowed to change her life. Take up a hobby, take the scenic route, slow down. She took pleasure in the simple things. She discovered a quirky, second-hand bookshop, spending hours lost amongst the pages of obscure, rare books on everything from Victorian-era gardening to humorous travel guides to fictional countries. She tested every coffee shop she encountered. She attempted to improve her golf game, even impressing her grandfather with her efforts. She convinced Sookie to teach her to cook, but after one disastrous morning, they both thought better of it.
--
"Is this a private party?" Finn asked, squeezing onto the sofa between Rory and Paris.
Paris had found dvds of classic Audrey Hepburn movies and had convinced Rory of a fun evening of cocktails and 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.
"Now that you ask, it is," Paris retorted, glaring at him, wondering how he'd managed to find a key to their suite.
"Oh, good, party," Finn grinned, "Where's the beer?"
"Finn," Rory eyed him with a rueful expression.
"What? What's a party without a slab?" he asked innocent and wide-eyed.
"We're watching classy black-and-white films," Paris replied, continuing to glare at Finn.
"Roman Holiday!" Finn exclaimed, picking up the dvd case, "I love that movie."
"You can't!" Paris exclaimed.
"But I do," Finn pouted, "Zippy around on a scooter. I want a scooter."
"Well, why don't you go buy a scooter," Paris said pointedly.
"Wait, why did she go to Rome?" Finn asked turning to Rory, "I think I have to stay now."
"Rory," Paris pleaded, "He can't stay."
"I guess you can stay," Rory relented, unable to refuse Finn's puppy dog eyes.
"Yay!" Finn exclaimed bouncing off the couch, "I'll go get the beer."
"Sorry, Paris," Rory said sincerely.
"Yeah, well whatever," Paris replied, staring at the screen.
--
She knuckled down and studied, learning her subjects inside out and back to front. She got into heated debates with her fellow students and lecturers alike. Librarians had to kick her out. She pulled her grades up too, drawing comparisons with her days at Chilton. She got her drive back and she was loving it.
--
"We need to go out," Finn announced.
"We need to study," Paris countered.
"We've been studying non-stop for two week."
"Actually, Rory and I have been studying non-stop, you've been doing nothing but sleeping and drinking."
"What's this?" Finn asked, holding up a textbook, "I read this from cover to cover."
"If by reading you mean you used it as a pillow."
"This is exactly why you need a break. You get all wound up and bitchy."
"I'm not bitchy! Rory am I bitchy?"
"No, Paris you're not bitchy."
"See, Finn, I'm not bitchy."
"We need to find a neutral judge, Rory's biased and is only agreeing with you for her own safety."
"Why would Rory have to agree with me for her own safety?" Paris demanded.
"Because you're a dangerous person to be around," Finn replied bluntly.
"First you call me bitchy and now I'm dangerous," Paris stalked off in a huff.
"Finn that was uncalled for," Rory scolded him.
"But it's so fun, getting her riled up," Finn grinned cheekily.
"Still," Rory gave him her best matron expression.
"Oh, fine, I'll apologise."
--
She joined a creative writing class, the teacher suggested they find some time to sit down and describe an ordinary everyday scene. She found the perfect spot, under a massive oak tree at Yale, she got comfortable, notebook on her lap, pen poised. The air smelt clean and fresh just like it did after the grass after it had been cut. A group of guys played a scratch game of football, another group played hacky-sack. The sounds of an impromtu debate on current affairs drifted her way.
She filled page after page of words and phrases and it wasn't until she saw the couple seated on the park bench did her pen falter. The couple was almost too perfect. The guy whispered something to the girl, she smiled in return, ducking her head slightly, her hair fell forming a curtain across her face. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering, his eyes filled with love and admiration. Rory sighed wistfully, she longed for someone to look at her like that, to be loved. The couple kissed, nothing overt, just a simple, sweet kiss.
--
"So how was school?" Emily asked, she had invited Rory and Lorelai for dinner.
"School was good," Rory replied politely, "I got an A on my essay on Women in American Journalism."
"Well that's wonderful."
"Isn't it just," Lorelai added, her tone verging on mocking.
"And how are things at the Dragonfly?" Emily asked her daughter.
"Oh the usual," Lorelai replied flippantly, "We're preparing for a wedding. The bride wants strawberry cake in the shape of an apple, the groom wants a football, we're trying to combine. Strawberry football."
"Delightful," Emily replied.
"Isn't it just," Lorelai repeated.
"So are there any boys?" Emily asked, turning to Rory.
Rory glanced at her mother, her grandmother didn't actually ask that question did she?
"Well, Luke and I started dating," Lorelai announced, trying to rescue her daughter.
"I wasn't asking about you and Luke," Emily shook her head dismissively.
"Don't you want to know? I mean I didn't even tell you how it happened. And do you even know who I'm talking about?"
"Yes, Luke, the man with the bags of ice, runs the diner, likes flannel and baseball," Emily replied.
"Oh well, yes, that Luke," Lorelai stared at her mother in surprised, "He also makes the best coffee."
"So I've heard and don't look so surprised, you look like you have taken a hit of Botox."
"I just didn't know you paid all that much attention to people in my life."
"Just because I asked Rory how her love life is, doesn't mean I don't care what's going on in yours."
"Well, I, okay."
"Good, now Rory are you happy?"
"I'm fine, grandma," Rory replied, a genuine smile graced her lips.
"Excellent."
--
Often her thoughts would turn to Tristan, just as she had been doing for the last couple of months, but it was different now. They had never been on a single date, truthfully she knew little about him. What little she did know, she had learnt from Paris. Even so, she felt like she could trust him, he allowed her to be and she appreciated that. She understood why he needed time and she knew he was right in saying she needed time too.
She found herself to be calmer, more relaxed, at least most of the time. At night she would lie in bed, a hand on her now-empty belly, her heart a little sore. There were so many variables. She could have gone through the pregnancy alone, but her life would never have been the same, she wouldn't have been able to continue with the many opportunities she had been given.
The cruel irony she had discovered was that the very weekend she had had the abortion, Tristan had come to Yale, to see her. Maybe if she had waited another week, things could have been so much more different. Yet, after everything that had happened, she felt relieved though that made her feel guilty too. She didn't dare think of what the baby would have been like. She was glad she hadn't bought any items for the baby.
Finn, Paris and Lorelai provided the perfect distractions. Her mother insisted on weekly movie nights and girls' day outs. Paris constantly prodded and poked her into going to book signings and student politics. And Finn made sure that if all else failed, he could get her drunk, or he could get drunk, which ever happened first. And in this way, weeks passed without her even noticing.
She saw Logan occasionally, she didn't try to avoid him, she had no reason to. Finn snubbed his former friend. Rumours ran rampant through the female students about Logan and his supposed failings, Rory suspected Paris was behind it all, though her suitemate insisted that she would never stoop so low. Even Emily distanced herself from the Huntzbergers, not caring if it meant she would loose her position amongst the DAR.
--
It was almost the end of the exam period and it was if someone had flipped a situation, all of Yale seemed to be in a countdown to summer. It was as if the mere thought of summer had sent the students into a collective tailspin, impromptu water slides appeared on any ground with the slightest slope, students seemingly stumbled from their exams and straight into kegs. She ducked back into her suite, grateful to be inside again. Mentally she made a note to get the coffee machine fixed. A pile of laundry, she recognised belonged to Paris. Picking the pile up, she headed to Paris' room, half-concerned about Paris' uncharacteristic lapse in cleanliness. As she reached for the door handle, she heard a distinct, yet muffled thud.
"Paris?" Rory called tentively, opening the door.
Inside, sprawled haphazardly across the bed, was Paris making out with a half-naked boy who looked incredibly familiar.
"Rory!" Paris exclaimed, trying to right her shirt.
"Shit!" cried the boy.
"Finn?" gaped Rory.
"Shit?" offered Finn.
"Oh God, my eyes are burning!" cried Rory, stumbling back out of the doorway, "I did not just see what I thought I saw."
Backing out into the lounge room, Rory slammed Paris' door, wondering whether it was possible to wash out your eyes the way you'd wash out your mouth if you swore as a kid. A few minutes later, Paris and Finn walked out of Paris' room, fully clothed and looking very guilty.
"So, um, how's your day been?" Paris asked, completely avoiding the subject.
"Er, good, I guess," Rory replied, staring resolutely at a mark on the wall behind Paris' head, "I no longer have the urge to throttle the couple who used to always make out directly in front of us in our History of Journalism lectures."
"Well, that's good right?" Finn forced a smile.
"Yes, well, I think it has less to do with the fact that me and more to do with fact they broke up."
"Damn, I had money on those two. I could've sworn they were still going be together after summer."
"Finn!" Paris exclaimed.
"What? You've seen them, they were all over each other like a couple of leeches."
"Speaking of being all over each other," Rory prompted.
"Uh, yes," Finn replied gravely.
"Rory, I didn't mean for this to happen," Paris said looking very apologetic, "He kissed me first!"
"Hey!"
"Well you did!"
"And if I remember correctly, you asked me, no demanded I kiss you."
"I didn't mean you for to take it seriously."
"You don't 'dare' me to do things and expect me not to."
"You kissed her on a dare?"
"I would've kissed her anyway!" Finn exclaimed indignantly.
"You would've kissed me anyway?" Paris echoed stunned.
"Yes!" Finn shouted, "You get all annoyed and flustered and use big words and you look pretty doing it all!"
"You think I'm pretty?"
"I think you're beautiful!" Finn exclaimed frustrated that no one seemed to be getting it.
"I had no idea," Paris murmured in wonderment.
"Apparently not," Finn replied, looking annoyed, "Well as lovely as this has been, I think I better go – "
He turned to leave, but Paris grabbed him by the collar, kissing him passionately.
"Okay, I think I'll take a walk," Rory said, unable to suppress a smile, "I'll be back… in an hour or two… or maybe I'll go to Stars Hollow."
Neither Finn nor Paris heard her, too wrapped up in each other, but Rory didn't mind. It was nice that two of them had finally ended the sexual tension between them. Seeing them made her realise there was something she needed to and this was the right time.
--
AN: Lots of words! Almost finished, just a couple more chapters… please note: RATING INCREASE TO M for next chapter.