AN: To those who seem to think that Tristan is inconsistent, it's not that. He is simply in the process of trying to accept the changes to his life since high school, like all the old gang. We all know what it's like to find out that someone you once went out with and who you thought would always carry a torch for you, is happier with someone else. You try to accept it, and for a little while you can, but then something can happen to really tick you off about the whole damn predicament. Anyway, at least people are reading it!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Gilmore Girls, duh.
Rory woke up in Logan's arms. She loved the feeling of them pressed together in bed, when it was hard to know where one ended and the other began. She loved the feeling of his arms around her, holding her, protecting her. She loved him, she smiled with her secret. She had known for months now, the realization coming to her like a break in the rain clouds where light streams through. She hadn't told him, at least, not in words. He knew though, everyone knew. It was so obvious. The way she looked at him, spoke to him, spoke about him. It was obvious. Yet she wasn't scared, not by being in love. She was scared about being in love with him. He was awake too now and he kissed her shoulder blade.
"Good morning beautiful" She smiled a sat up, pulling her sheet with her. She turned to him.
He stared at her huge doe eyes, how could she be so beautiful? She was smiling strangely, her eyes were almost narcoticised. It was as though he was hearing her from far away when she started to speak.
"Logan…I love you" His heart started to beat like a freight train and the panic and euphoria crashed over him like a wave. She was still staring at him. He was so confused. He was over the moon that this girl felt this way, but what did she want him to say. Well, that was obvious but even if he wanted to say the words, his throat would close over.
"Oh Ace" She tried to stop it but her eyes narrowed.
"Oh Ace?" He tried to brush hair out of her eyes but she batted his hand away, drawing the sheet tighter around herself. He grinned sheepishly.
"You're a great girl and…well, you know I like you" She huffed. "But I'm just, I'm not ready to respond to that. And I don't want to say three words that mean so much when I…"
"When you don't mean them?" She asked softly. Her voice wistful and her momentary anger deflated. She could imagine him shrugging his agreement. She leant forwards and kissed him chastely on the lips.
"That's fine, we've been together this long and that's damaged my dignity enough, I can wait" He laughed and tackled her to the mattress.
Theo snapped awake, her eyes open, she was panting and sweating. She'd had the dream again. She could never remember it except for the sheer terror and the feeling as though she was going to die before the jerked awake. She'd been having it for a while now. Slowly she ached for the remote and switched the TV on, Letterman was on, and she'd be able to sleep again with that on. She rested back on the pillows and slowly twisted her engagement ring around her finger.
"I had that nightmare again," She told Rory as she zipped up her best friend's dress. Nate's father had just been announced the new president of the Country Club and they were going to the gala dinner. Rory was wearing a sheath dress, black with a shimmer through it. Theo had chosen a royal blue fitted gown which cupped her breasts and had thousands of tiny beads hand-sewn into it and a transparent train attached to the back, halfway down her spine. She had swept her hair up into a French twist with a few whisps framing her face. Rory had left her hair out and fell prettily to her shoulders.
"Did you remember what happened in it this time?" Theo shook her head.
"No, just the terror"
"Poor baby"
"Don't patronise me"
"Shut up, I'm not patronising you!" The girls giggled while Katherine called up to say they were leaving.
They arrived at the function early so that Theo could help Nate and his parents greet the guests.
"Congratulations Henry" Theo greeted him. He kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, you darling girl" She smiled and hugged Nate's mother Claire before kissing Nate who held her hand. An hour later all the guests had been greeted and speeches were halfway through. Nate and Theo were sitting with his parents. Tristan was across the room with Lisa who waved and smiled at Theo. Theo smiled and waved back. Nate looked at her closely.
"Don't worry darling," She whispered, "it's only Lisa" He glowered for a moment before thinking better of it.
"I love you" She just smiled and he kissed her hair while Tristan tried to ignore his nausea.
They stood at the bar with old crowd. It was a full house; most of Hartford had turned out for this. Theo was standing to the side when suddenly she went sheet white and started shaking. Lisa was the first to notice.
"Honey? Are you okay?" A second later Theo fainted. Logan was the first to rush to her; he knelt on the ground, cradling her heap in his arms.
"Theo?" He held her hand and tapped it gently. "Theo wake-up" Nate and Rory rushed to her side.
"Sweetheart! Oh my God what's wrong?" She was soon surrounded.
"Come on everyone, give her some air" Tristan was commanding, getting the group to move back, trying to swallow his panic.
She was coming around, when she opened her eyes she saw double of everything and it was blurry. She was in Logan's arm.
"God she's feather-light," He was saying.
"She's lost a lot of weight this summer" Tristan was saying.
"No she hasn't" Nate countered.
"Whatever Nate" Logan saw that she was waking up.
"Shhh hon, we're going to sit you up" He placed her in a high-backed chair. "Are you okay gorgeous? We'll get you some water" Tristan handed her a cup.
"You know I am her fiancé" Nate reminded him.
"Not the time Nate" Lisa admonished and he smarted.
"I'm sorry," She was saying to Nate, "I've ruined your night" He laughed at her.
"Don't be ridiculous honey, are you feeling better?" She nodded.
"I don't know what happened"
"I think you should go home," Logan suggested. She shook her head weakly.
"No"
"Yes" Was the firm reply from Logan, Nate and Tristan.
"I'll take you"
"Oh Nate you can't leave your father's party"
"She's right old man, I'll take her" Nate was far from happy with Tristan's suggestion but he knew he couldn't leave. He had to keep up appearances.
"Okay…thank you Tristan"
Katherine and Jackson were nowhere to be found but Henry and Claire saw she and Tristan off at the door.
"I'm sorry you were ill darling," Claire said. Theo smiled.
"Not as much as I am Claire" Tristan led her away.
Rory looked at Logan in wonderment as Tristan helped Theo to the car.
"Well look at you, the hero of the evening, catching swooning ladies" He laughed.
"I'll catch you" And before she had the time to run away he slipped one hand under her knees and the other around her frail back, picking her up and spinning her around. She laughed and squealed before he set her down and kissed her.
Tristan helped Theo into the car and they headed off. She was silent, withdrawn in the car.
"You're not pregnant are you?" He asked quietly. He was a male, it was the first thing that popped into his head when a girl was sick, well that, or that they had their period, and he'd never known a girl to pass out because of a period.
"Oh God I hope not"
"Why? Wouldn't that complete your perfect little life?" He barely concealed the tinge of bitterness in his voice. She snorted and pointed to the dark re-growth her hair-do hid.
"It's all fake Tris…well…the diamond's real I guess"
"I'm worried about you," He said quietly, not taking his eyes off the road.
"Oh fuck off" He looked over at her and they both grinned. The next time he looked over at her she was staring out the car window and twisting the ring around her finger.
When they got back to her place he helped her to her room, she was still weak.
"I'm sorry you had to miss the party," He laughed.
"Oh yeah, I was having a real blast there" She laughed as well and he sat her down on the corner of her bed. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. I don't know what came over me"
"A panic attack?"
"What?"
"Well, things have been moving very quickly for you" She scoffed at him but before she could say anything Katherine burst through the door.
"Honey! What happened?" Tristan was swept aside and quietly filled Jackson in before taking his leave.
AN: Mwa ha ha, "what do you do when it all falls apart?" Answer: Review!