Disclaimer: I don't Gilmore Girls...so sad.

He'd Be A Fool Not To…

Rory was just stepping out of her last class for the day when she felt a familiar tingle run up her spine. She instantly knew that Tristin was around there somewhere. The way she could sense when he was around unnerved her and excited her at the same time. It was something totally different for her but she was welcoming it along with all the other new quirks that came with Tristin. There was still one thing she wasn't used to yet though…

"Hey Gilmore!" Paris called her as she left the classroom to.

Rory turned around waiting for Paris to catch up with her. She was very unsure of how this conversation was going to happen. She hadn't talked to Paris ever since lunch even though they'd been in the same classes, she just didn't feel comfortable. But now she didn't have a choice as the girl herself fell into step with her.

"What do you think about the essay?" Paris asked, staring straight ahead.

Rory's blue eye's clouded with confusion for a moment before she shook herself out of it. "Well, it seems like it's going to be hard," she said lamely.

Paris finally looked over at her, raising an eyebrow before she once again turned her attention to the mass of people in the hallway. "I've already got my idea and the outline planned. What about you?"

Rory sighed, accepting the fact that Paris wasn't going to bring up what happened at lunch. "I think I have my idea to, but I might change it," Rory informed her as both girls stopped at their neighbouring lockers.

As Paris opened her locker she paused to look over at Rory. "Just so you know mines about human rights," she said, looking down to rifle through her notes and pulling out a piece of lined paper and handing to Rory.

"Okay," Rory said as she took the paper and looked it over. The underlined title caught her attention quickly, 'Affirmative Action: Equality of Minorities'.

"Just so you don't decide to use that as your subject," Paris explained snatching the paper back and putting it back into her binder.

Rory rolled her eyes as she packed all her homework and books into her bag. "Don't worry Paris. I'm not gonna do the same paper as you," she told her, her backpack on the ground and her locker closed. She took that time to look over her shoulder, trying to see if she might be able to spot Tristin.

Unbeknownst to her Paris was watching her and was feeling a slight pain because she knew that her chance with Tristin –if she'd even had one to begin with- was gone. He'd gotten Rory; the one girl Paris had ever witnessed him care about. But she forced herself to be strong and commanded that she get over her crush on Tristin. "He's over there," she told Rory making the brunette jump.

Rory looked over at Paris who was motioning behind herself down the hall. Rory followed her hand and saw Tristin leaning against a row of lockers with his normal group of people around him.

"Listen I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow," Paris told her, closing her locker and walking down the hall.

"Bye Paris," Rory called after her, lifting her bag from the ground and taking one last glance at Tristin turned around and headed for the main exit. She walked across the quad, making her way to the bus stop she'd come quite familiar with. Sitting down and looking at her watch and realized she was running a little late today and that the bus would be there any minute.

Suddenly she felt the same tingle run up her spine and her heart started to beat extra fast. She tried to focus on anything except the obvious presence of Tristin. But that proved to be futile when he leaned in close to her ear, his hot breath make her shiver. "Need a ride?" he asked his voice smooth and sensual.

Rory desperate for something to occupy her hands with reached down and pulled her bag up next to her. "Actually the bus will be here any minute so I think I'm good," she told him, not looking at him and winding her fingers around the straps of her bag.

Tristin let out a low chuckle as he walked over and sat down on the bench. "You mean you aren't going to take advantage of me and my newly acquired Porsche?" he questioned dangling the shiny keys in front of Rory, who finally looked at him.

"I'm perfectly fine with taking the bus," she explained to him her stubborn side shining through. "Plus it'd be too far out of you're way," she rationalized some more.

Tristin let his gaze wonder down to her hands. They were clutching the material of her bag so tightly that they were turning pink and white in some places. He gently let his own hand trail over hers. His fingers tracing the outline of her delicate hand, feeling her soft skin with his, he could also feel her grip on the bag loosening. "It's not out of my way Mary. Not if I get to spend time with you," he told her, a charming smile on his face.

Rory who had been focusing all her attention on trying to ignore the way he was making her feel with his light caresses, turned her head to face him her eyes wide and questioning. She didn't know if he was being sincere or if it was just some line. But with one look into his blue eyes all she saw was genuine honesty and it made her heart flutter.

"Come on Mary, let me drive you home," he pleaded with her, his eyes softening even more, as he finally pried her hand away from the bag and entwined his fingers with hers.

Rory instantly knew that she was a sucker for his eyes. They were like deep blue of blue water, so serene and inviting. With one glance in them she felt like she would melt. But she knew she couldn't give in because there was something she just didn't want to face yet. "I just don't think it's a good idea," she tried to tell him.

Tristin narrowed his eyes, a slight frown spreading across his handsome face. He looked down and quickly pulled her bag over him and slid closer to her. "Why not?" he asked her.

Rory looked at him and then in front of her. "It's just if you drive me home…" she trailed off hoping he'd understand but knowing that he wouldn't. She felt him nudge her just a bit and so she looked back into his eyes. "You'd have to come into Stars Hollow."

Tristin nodded his head. "I don't see the problem Mary," he told her, tightening his grip on her hand in a reassuring manner.

Rory finally decided that she would have to tell him sooner or later so she turned completely to face him and sucked in a breath. "There's people in Stars Hollow that I'm not sure are ready to see you…with me," she told him.

Tristin held her gaze for a minute before it dawned on him and he looked away for a second. "Dean?" he questioned, the name sounding sour on his lips.

Rory cringed at how he said her ex-boyfriends name. "Him and my mom," she told him.

Tristin, keeping his hatred for Dean at bay, turned to look at her. "Your mom?"

Rory managed a small smile. "Let's just say she's not your biggest fan. I don't know if it's too soon to bring you home," Rory told him.

Tristin brought his free hand up and ran it through his blonde hair. "You know she's going to have to meet me someday," he told her.

Rory smiled innocently. "I know but I was planning this meeting to be sometime in the unforeseeable future."

Tristin couldn't help but let a smile grace his face. "You know Rory, the only way she's going to warm up to be is if she meets me and spends time with me," He told her smartly. Leaning in just a bit he breathed against her again. "I'm very good with moms," he told her.

Rory felt her cheeks redden but managed to roll her eyes and shove him away playfully. "My mom isn't the same. There are very important rules you have to understand before going near her," Rory told him seriously.

"Like what?"

Rory thought about it for a minute before she started animatedly talking. "Well you won't be even allowed to speak to her if you don't have at least two cups of coffee with you. She'll kill you if you ever dare call her 'Mrs. Gilmore'. You won't be able to use your charm and wit on her because she'll see right through you and politeness won't work on her either," Rory finished.

Tristin tried to take in all that at once and was pretty sure he would remember it all. "What do I call her?" he asked.

"Lorelai," she told him. "Oh and you will have to keep your hands where she can seem them at all times or else."

Tristin nodded then jumped up and since her hand was still wrapped up in his, pulling her up with him. "Great then let's go," he said, leaning over to grab her bag and putting it on his shoulder.

Rory dug her heels into the grass, her arm jerking forward with Tristin's pull. "Go where?" she asked him, stubbornly.

Tristin gently tugged at her hand some more and got her to move a little closer to him. "To my car so that I can drive you home," he told her, like it was no big deal.

"Tristin!" Rory whined her blue eyes wide. "Did you not just listen to what I said?" she asked as she was being pulled behind him.

"I did. You told me all about the rules for meeting your mom," he said not turning around until they reached his car. "I accepted them and so it's only logical that I now meet your mom."

Rory was trying to keep a straight face but she could feel the corners of her lips lift up in a smile. "You're crazy," she told him simply.

"So I've been told," he replied. He reached behind her and pulled on the door handle so it opened a bit. "Now get in Mary," he instructed.

Rory turned around and slid into the front seat, watching as he gently closed her door and jogged over to the driver's side. "One condition," she stated as he backed the car out.

"And that would be?" he asked her, pausing to send her a glance before his eyes went back to the parking lot in front of him.

Rory smiled and leaned forward over the seat divider looking up at him through hooded eyes. "I get to pick the music," she told him her innocent smile morphing into a smirk like his own.

Tristin looked down at her, caught off guard at her first by the way she was looking at him. Her blue eyes piercing through him and her smirk sending his mind reeling. He couldn't get over how lucky he was to have her here with him. "Knock youself out, Mary," he said, taking on hand off the wheel and placing it on his thigh, fighting the urge to grab her hand again, not knowing how she would react if he did.

Rory's blue eyes sparkled with victory and she quickly turned to the radio and surfed through the many channels until she finally stopped on one that was playing, 'Paperback Writer' by The Beatles. Satisfied with that song she leaned back against her chair absentmindedly humming along to the song.

Tristin just watched her through the corner of his eye an amused look on his face. He watched as she finally realized her was looking at her. His smile grew when her cheeks reddened and she looked over at him, her eyes questioning. "Didn't strike you as a Beatles fan," he told her, his tone curious.

Rory just smiled and turned back to watch the traffic. "There's a lot about me that will surprise you." Instantly her eyes widened and her hand shot to her mouth, she couldn't believe she'd just said that.

Tristin just laughed at her reaction and decided not to say anything about it knowing that she was embarrassed enough already. "So how to I get to your place exactly?" he asked her instead.

Rory who had been staring non-stop at her shoes shot her gaze to Tristin a relieved look plastered on her face. "Turn down the next exit…" as she finished telling him the directions to her town Tristin finally let his hand travel across to her own and clasped it in his hand, making her smile.

---

"You really weren't kidding about the giant rooster," Tristin said amazed as they drove into Stars Hollow.

Rory laughed. "No one ever believes us!" she exclaimed. Her smile grew more apprehensive though as Tristin drove farther into her town. She could see the many people turn their heads as his Porsche went by. She knew by the time they got to Luke's everyone in town would know. "We have to stop at Luke's first for the coffee," she told him pointing at the diner across the street her voice growing softer.

Tristin expertly parked the car in front of the diner and unbuckled his seatbelt, turning to face Rory who was looking over her shoulder. "Mary?" he asked, waiting to have her attention. Rory turned back to him and offered a tiny smile. "You do know this is a hardware store right?" he asked her even though he could see in through the windows. He hoped he might be able to calm her down just a bit.

In worked as Rory let an actual smile grace her face. "It is not," she told him pretending to be annoyed.

Tristin smiled, glad that he's made her more at ease, if at least for a little while. "Are you sure because that sign hanging right there does announce a hardware store," he stated matter-of-factly.

Rory looked over at the diner and past the sign. "Yes but on the window it reads 'diner'," she said it like she was speaking to a small child.

Tristin leaned forward like he was checking to make sure. "Well look at that it does say 'diner'," he said in mock awe, looking back over at Rory who now had that amazing twinkle back in her eye, all signs of anxiety replaced with laughter and a smile.

"Come on let's go," she said to him as she pushed open her door and stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of Luke's. Tristin was at her side in an instant and he grabbed her small hand in his, squeezing gently and pulling her along with him. They walked into the diner, the bell above the door ringing shrilly. Everyone inside turned to see who it was. They all saw Rory, complete with a deer in the headlights type of look, and at her side a guy they didn't recognize. The only good thing was that neither Miss. Patty nor Babette were in the diner and so Rory knew the news wouldn't travel as fast. Quickly she pulled Tristin with her to one of the more secluded tables in the diner, hoping to get away from all the stares and whispers.

Tristin who took a seat in front of Rory leaned forward. "Why is everyone staring at us?" he asked in a hushed voice, chancing a look at the patrons in the diner, who quickly looked away.

Rory sighed, her deep red blush finally starting to fade, she too leaned forward. "They're not staring at me, they're staring at you," she told him, copying his voice.

Tristin's cocky smirk was back in an instant. "Because I'm just so gorgeous, yes I know," he said in an over dramatic way.

Rory rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "Actually I think it was the fact that we could barely fit inside the door with your ego being the size that it is," she explained, feeling herself relax as they slipped into their familiar banter.

Letting out a low chuckle Tristin was about to answer her when a shadow fell over the table. He looked up to see the figure of a very large man, flannel shirt and backwards baseball cap in place. His eyes were hard, and the snarl on his face was not reassuring.

"Luke hey," Rory greeted him, hoping not to have another incident like the one with Dean. "Ummm…I want you to meet Tristin," she said motioning between the two men.

Luke looked over at Rory. "Tristin?" he grunted.

Rory didn't know what he wanted exactly so she just gulped down some air and looked over at Tristin, who just shrugged his shoulders. "Well…uh…Tristin Dugrey, my new…boyfriend," she managed to get out, snapping her attention back to Luke, not wanting to see Tristin's reaction to that word. She could feel the blush rising to her cheeks; she just knew he was smirking like never before.

Luke was silent for a moment before he grunted and turned to Tristin. "Whadya want?" he asked rudely, still not to sure if he could trust this kid with Rory.

Tristin wasn't paying much attention though. He had been staring at Rory ever since she'd told Luke he was her boyfriend. The word leaving her lips and being in accordance with him was something heaven sent. He never thought he'd here that and the smirk on his face couldn't help but slip into a genuine smile as he felt warmth spread throughout him. But when Luke's gruff voice cut through his trance he broke his gaze and brought it over to the not-so-friendly looking guy. "Coffee?" he asked.

Rory smiled gratefully as Luke went to Tristin, she knew that had been his way of saying he accepted Tristin. She felt so relieved that some of the tension in her body left. "Four to go and three to stay," Rory clarified, earning a shocked look from Tristin.

"Isn't that a bit too much coffee, Mare?" Tristin asked after Luke walked back to the counter.

Rory's mouth went open and she scoffed. "Blasphemy! You can never have too much coffee!" she told him.

"You're turning into you're mother," Luke told her as he set three cups on the table. "You can get the others when you're ready to leave," he said before walking away to refill coffee's for other customers.

"He's very…" Tristin trailed off thinking of a word to best suit Luke.

"Grumpy?" Rory supplied, sipping at one of the coffees greedily.

Tristin nodded and also picked up a cup. "So do I have to be warned about any other people in this town?" he asked.

Rory laughed as she replied: "Just about all of them!" She sat up straighter in her chair and pointed out the window to Kirk who was walking down the street. "That's Kirk. He's the town eccentric," she told him smiling at the many memories she had with Kirk involved. "And make sure you understand that here it's no mean feat to achieve that kind of status."

Tristin was highly intrigued by her town and the people living in it. Just by being in it for 20 minutes at least he'd already come to love it, which surprised him as it was something so completely different from everything else in his life. But he could see how much Rory loved this town and vice versa, he knew that whatever was important to her he'd make the effort to learn about.

"How hard?" he asked.

Rory thought about that for a minute. "Let's just say few if any normal people live here in Stars Hollow."

"What about him?" Tristin asked pointing at a man across the street wearing red cardigan and yelling at a man on bike who crossed the street not using the traffic light.

Rory laughed good naturedly at the mention of Taylor. "Well that's Taylor Doose, he's the town's…" Rory paused as she thought about that before continuing, "Actually he's pretty much the town's everything official. He owns Doose's Market, he organizes just about every town event, is the head of a scout troop and the town's magistrate."

Tristin's eyebrows were lifted up in surprise. "Wow quite the regulator," he commented watching as Taylor finally left the poor guy alone.

"And I should probably warn you about Miss. Patty," she said, getting his attention again. "You see she owns this dance studio, Miss. Patty's. She's her own character here, having had an exciting life. Everything from dancing with Jose Fuentes to answering phones for Ricardo Montalbon," she told him.

Tristin was enraptured by her stories about the townspeople. The way she talked about them was amazing. He wanted to know everything about the people here and he knew all he had to do was ask and she'd be glad to share. "You said warn me about here," he clarified.

It was Rory's turn to smirk. "Yeah well, Miss. Patty has had a number of husbands and she pretty much worships any handsome guy. I'm just gonna tell you to watch out for her hands when you meet her!" she told him trying to hold in her laughter at his expression.

Tristin though quickly recovered and leaned forward a bit, his voice slipping into silky tones. "You think I'm handsome Mary?" he asked. Rory's laughter paled as her cheeks returned to their earlier red colour. She lowered her gaze, not refuting the statement. Tristin smirked, but knew that he wouldn't get an answer out of her so he decided to return to their previous conversation. "Any other crazy people live here?"

Relieved Rory looked up and was talking non-stop about the townspeople again. "There's my neighbour's Babette and Morey. They're both sweet but just a little crazy. Babette is really short but Morey is probably taller than 6 feet," she explained using her hands to represent the differences in height.

"How do they…"

Rory was quick to interrupt him. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence!" she warned, pointing an accusing finger at him. Tristin held up his hands surrendering as an answer. "You should see the house the live in," Rory told him, jumping back to their discussion. "Everything's perfect for Babette, everything is tiny; low doorways and windows, low everything."

Tristin guffawed at that. "I wouldn't want to be Morey living in that house," he exclaimed with pity in his eyes, but laughter in his voice.

Rory joined in, a giant smile on her face. "Babette told us he had a couple of concussions the first year they were married," she told him, finishing off her second cup of coffee.

Tristin looked down at his nearly finished cup and back at her two empty ones. "How'd you drink those so fast?" he asked looking at her weirdly.

Rory looked down at the cups and shrugged. "It's coffee," she told him like it must explain everything.

"Oh yah, of course, why didn't I think of that?" he asked her sarcastically.

Rory on the other hand decided not to pick up on the way he said it. "I don't know," she said cutely.

Tristin realized then that he hadn't stopped smiling since he'd walked up to her at the bus stop. He'd never smiled so much before and he knew it had to be the company. She was like this angel that brought life and happiness to him. As he looked at her he understood that she didn't know what she meant to him, how much he cared about her…loved her. But he made a promise to himself that he would make her see all those things, he would kill her doubts, and he'd show her how he could fit into her world in Stars Hollow. He wouldn't disappoint her, he wouldn't hurt her…he didn't think it was physically possible.

---

I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter you guy's are awesome and I bow down before you with cookies and cakes!

Just a hint: the next chap will involve Tristin meeting Lane and Lorelai.

-Ella