CHAPTER 13 - Shocks and Surprises

GILMORE HOUSE

It was the day everyone was waiting for. Prom was only hours away and Rory was starting to freak out. Not only did she not know who her date was, but she was also having a hair crisis.

"MOM! PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP!" she said as she walked into Lorelai's room. Lorelai hung up the phone and walked over. Rory was trying to curl her hair and it was coming out horribly.

"Honey, help is an understatement."

"MOM!" Rory yelped. Lorelai got up and lead Rory to the downstairs bathroom. It was 5:00 and the girls were getting antsy. As Lorelai straightened Rory's hair, Rory tried to trick her into slipping the name of her date.

"So what time are we leaving?"

"Well..." Lorelai began, "I told your date to come here at 9. I know the dance starts at 8, but you don't want to be a loser and be there when the doors open."

Rory rolled her eyes and laughed.

"What?" Lorelai asked, smiling.

"Nothing, it's just... you sounded just like Madeline and Louise did three days ago."

"Oh, well I'll take that as a twisted compliment. You're basically saying that I have the mind of a teenage bimbo. Thanks Ror."

Rory laughed, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Lorelai set the straightener down and ran to get some bobby pins and hairspray. "So what do you want to eat?" she asked.

"Can we get Luke's?"

"Yeah, I'll bribe Luke into delivering."

"Okay, sounds good." Rory screamed from the bathroom.

Lorelai ordered the food and ten minutes later the doorbell rang. Lorelai ran to open it, shocked to see that it was not Luke at the door.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm delivering your food." the kid said with a scowl.

"I can see that. But I didn't ask what you were doing, I asked who you are."

"I work for the diner. My name is Jess."

"Luke's nephew right? Luke told me he was taking you in." Lorelai said, taking a french fry from the bags Jess was holding.

Jess rolled his eyes. "Yeah... and how do you know my life story?"

"Luke hasn't told you about me?" Lorelai said in a high voice.

"Whatever. You know what, I don't care who you are. Can you just pay me so I can leave."

"MOM, what's taking so long." Rory screamed as she made her way to the door and suddenly stopped. "Who are you?" she said.

"Do we have to go through this again?" Jess moaned.

Lorelai ignored Jess's comment and turned to Rory, "Rory this is Jess. Luke has got a new delivery boy."

Rory smiled, "Does that mean that we can call you out here and send you back if you forget ketchup."

"You don't keep ketchup in your house?" Jess asked sarcastically.

"No, we don't. It's against our religion." Lorelai replied with a straight face.

Jess was starting to get impatient. He was still holding their bags of food and had more rounds to make. "So do you want this food or am I taking it back?"

"Fine, fine...we'll take it. Let me go get my wallet." Lorelai left and ran upstairs.

"Going out dancing?" Jess asked with a smirk, giving Rory a once over. She was in her prom dress with big fluffy slippers.

"Well as a matter of fact, tonight is my prom."

"And let me guess, you made the dress, going to fall in love with your best friend, and make it one hell of a Pretty in Pink evening."

"You think you're so clever." Rory said with a grin, seeing right through him. "So who are you really?" she asked curiously.

"Whoever you want me to be." Jess said with a smile.

Rory laughed, "that is the worst pick-up line I have ever heard." Jess laughed too, he was just joking but he wanted to see if the girl would take it seriously or not.

"So, come on, what's your story. Luke has never had a delivery boy, so there is definitely something to it."

"I'm his nephew."

"Ahhh," Rory said, "you're the rebel nephew."

"Boy, word sure does get around fast here."

Lorelai ran down the stairs and whipped out the money. "Here, and we expect service with a smile next time."

Jess flashed a sarcastic, toothy grin and turned to leave. He made a quick glance toward Rory before he pulled the door shut behind him.

"Well, he seems nice." Rory said as they brought the food into the kitchen.

"Are you kidding Rory?" Lorelai said giving her a look.

"What?"

"Nothing, nevermind. Let's just eat."

The girls ate and then got back to work. They laughed and talked as Lorelai finished making Rory into a masterpiece. She was a vision in her pink prom dress.

"Man, I make one hell of a dress." Lorelai said, patting herself on the back.

"Yeah, mom. I'd say you do." Rory replied as she looked in the mirror.

DuGREY HOUSE

Grace was putting on the finishing touches when the doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock on her way to the door and was shocked to see that it was 7:50.

"Hi." she said when she opened the door.

"Hey!" Todd replied. As he stepped in the house he took out the corsage and placed it on Grace's wrist.

"Thank you, it's beautiful." she said with a wide smile on her face.

"You're beautiful." Todd said, looking into Grace's eyes. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, when Mr. and Mrs. DuGrey came down the stairs.

"Why, hello Todd!" Grace's mother said.

After five minutes of pictures, Todd escorted Grace into the limo parked in the driveway. They got to Chilton ten minutes later. As Grace and Todd walked in the ballroom, arm in arm, they were astonished to see how different it all looked. It was beautiful. Grace looked around for Rory but couldn't find her anywhere. When it was 8:25 she decided to give her a call. She wanted to make sure she was coming.

brrrringggggg

"Hello?" Rory answered the phone.

"Hey, it's Grace. Are you coming?" she yelled into the phone. Everything around her was so loud, so Grace didn't even notice she was yelling.

"Yeah. I'll be there around nine. Sorry, I thought I told you. I must've forgot, everything just got so crazy. I'm sorry Grace."

"No it's ok. Just as long as you're coming. I've got to go, but I'll see you in a few then."

"Okay, bye!" Rory smiled. She could hear the music through the phone and was getting excited.

Just as Grace hung up the phone, it vibrated again. She thought it was Rory calling back again, maybe she had forgotten to tell her something.

"Yeah Ror?" she answered.

"Gracie?"

It took Grace a minute to figure out who it was. She was a little confused when she was expecting to hear Rory's voice and she really heard a mans'.

"Who is this?" she said.

"Gracie, it's Tristan."

Grace smiled as wide as her face would allow. "Are you home?"

"Listen Grace, I have to tell you something, but you have to make sure you won't freak out."

"What?" she asked.

"Look to your left." Tristan said softly. He watched from across the room as Grace turned her head and nearly jumped out of her skin. Dave and Tristan were standing at the side wall, looking straight at Grace.

"I'll be right over!" she yelled into the phone. It was no use yelling into the phone because they could hear her yelling as she made her way towards them. Grace ran over and hugged Tristan. After Tristan she moved on to Dave and gave him a hug just as big. Dave was a little shocked, he wasn't expecting a hug, but after a second he got used to the idea. His eyes met Tristan's and Tristan gave him a thumbs up sign, and as he did so he mouthed, "Told ya."

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked. She was still smiling. Grace had decided this was officially the greatest night of her life and it hadn't even started yet.

"Well," Tristan began, "we thought we'd surprise you.

Grace looked from Tristan to Dave and back to Tristan. "Mission accomplished." she said. Just as she finished talking, Todd came over. He greeted Tristan with a hand shake and even introduced himself to Dave. Grace was almost sorry she had a date, but decided she couldn't just leave Todd all alone. After all, it was his prom night too.

As the group started talking, Tristan pulled Grace aside. He was rocking from side to side and then finally spit it out. "Is Rory here yet?"

"Not yet. She said she'd be here around 9."

Tristan nodded. He had waited so long for this and couldn't wait anymore. "I have to go." he said and he ran out.

"Wait! Are you coming back?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get her." he replied and grabbed the keys from his coat pocket. Dave watched as Tristan ran out. Once Tristan was gone he looked from side to side and realized Todd was standing next to him.

"Listen bro, I can see there is something goin on between you and Grace. And I don't want to be the guy standing in the way of you two getting together." Todd said.

Dave opened his mouth to speak, but Todd cut him off again.

"Nah, it's alright. I can take a hint. I'll be fine." he said as he walked away. Grace noticed him leaving and tapped his shoulder. Todd turned around, nodded toward Dave, and then continued across the dance floor.

Dave tried to make sense of what was just said. As he picked apart what Todd just told him, he saw that Grace standing alone and wanted to talk to her. He decided talking about Tristan would be a safe topic. He walked up beside her and said, "All I've heard ever since day one was about how much he wanted Rory Gilmore."

"Well...some things never changed." Grace replied as she turned and met eyes with Dave. Once they're eyes met, Dave inched closer to Grace and grabbed her in a quick kiss. He pulled back quickly after realizing what he'd done.

"Sorry." he said quickly. "I shouldn't have done that, I mean, you have a date, and I just showed up her-"

Grace cut him off with another kiss. Once they were finished she said, "Todd will be just fine." and nodded toward the door where he was chatting with a group of girls.

"He's a good guy." Dave said.

Grace nodded and said, "Yeah, he is." Then grabbed Dave in another kiss.

GILMORE HOUSE

Lorelai added a final spritz of hairspray just as the doorbell rang. She got up to answer it and almost had a heart attack as she opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

Tristan was standing in the doorway. "What? You didn't know I was coming?" he said with a smirk.

"No, it's just." Lorelai was at a loss for words. "Well all I can say is THANK GOD because all this time Rory thought I was getting her a date, and I am still looking for one. I mean, I knew you were gonna meet her at the dance, but it was getting her there that was causing a problem."

"Then I guess I came just in the nick of time."

"I guess so." Lorelai smiled. Lorelai shut the door in Tristan's face and walked back to the bathroom. "For you." she said and cleaned up all the hair pins. Rory rushed to the door just as the bell rang again. Tristan was outside and a little insulted that Lorelai slammed the door in his face. Rory opened the door and stood in shock for a minute.

Tristan held his breath the moment he saw her. "You are gorgeous." he said.

Rory couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't know whether she was dreaming or if she was having an illusion. Boy oh boy, did she wish this was real.

"Rory?" Tristan said, waving a hand in front of her face. But nothing helped; she just kept starting straight into his eyes. So Tristan being Tristan, did the only thing he could think to do. He leaned in and kissed her. The second his lips hit hers, Rory knew it wasn't a dream. It was her dream, and it was coming true.

"What are you doing here?" she asked once they were finished.

"I heard you were in need of a prom date, Mary."

Rory smiled at the old nickname. "Oh yeah?" she smiled.

"Yeah."

Lorelai listened on the other side of the wall, in Rory's room. It was a sight to see - Lorelai had her ear pressed up against the wall. She smiled as she listened. She knew that Rory was on cloud nine right now.

Rory suddenly frowned. Tristan took notice and reached for her hand. "What's wrong?" he whispered.

Rory looked up, she could see the hurt in Tristan's eyes, "Oh no, it's not you. It's just, my mom called someone to be my date. I guess you could both go. Or I'll just tell him to leave. Just don't leave Tristan, don't lea-"

Tristan squeezed her hand, he could tell she was getting herself worked up, "Rory, I am your date."

Rory's eyes grew two times their size, "My mom called you?" she said with yet another smile.

"Well, something like that." he replied.

Rory looked down and realized they were still outside on the porch. She brought Tristan inside into the kitchen. As they walked past Rory's room they both spotted Lorelai with her cup in hand, still pressed up against the wall.

"Mom, we're out here." Rory said as she stood at her bedroom door,

Lorelai got up, looking a bit embarrassed. "Oh, well you see I was just-"

"MmmHmmm."

Tristan got out the corsage to give to Rory and slid it on her wrist. "Thanks Tristan," she said as she looked up at him, "for everything." Tristan gave her a quick kiss.

"Come on you two. Hurry to that dance, before it's over." Lorelai said as she shooed them out of the house. She watched from the window as Rory and Tristan walked down the front steps, hand in hand, out to the car.