AN: I did it! I finally did it! I have been trying so hard to get this chapter finished. I had little time to writ with my last class. I am sorry for making y'all wait. Please forgive me for making y'all wait so long. I hope to get back to posting on a more regular basis.

This chapter has neither Finn nor Rory in it. This one is revolving around the date mention back in chapter 17, between Derrick and Paris. We get to learn a little more about these two.

As always please let me know what you think.

Saturday February 4th

Derrick was nervous. He'd never been good at these types of things. Of course he had been on first dates before, but never like this. This was the first date he would be going on as an adult, and with a woman he had only know for the last few months.

All his previous girlfriends had at least been his friend for a while before they went on their first date. Besides not having been friends long, Paris was different from the girls he had gone out with in the past. She was very blunt and honest. In fact one of the first things she ever told him was that she was not afraid to call people of on their BS.

He knew it was weird, but that that was somehow refreshing. He guessed after finding out that his almost wife had pretty much lied about who she was, he was feeling the need to have an openly honest person in his life.

He didn't know what would come of this date, but what he did know was that he had an attraction to Paris. She was very smart and not hard on the eyes at all. When he caught her smiling, when she wasn't paying attention, she looked so relaxed and radiantly beautiful.

He knocked on her dorm room door and a second later it flew open. "Good you're on time," she said hastily as she grabbed her coat off the rack then closed and locked the door behind her. "So, where are we going?"

It took Derrick a couple of seconds to gather his thoughts before he answered. "We have a reservation at Gianni's down the street. Would you like to drive or walk?"

"I think walking will be fine. I wore my flats for comfort." She motioned to the shoes in question.

They took off down the hall and out of the building heading in the direction of the restaurant. "Interesting restaurant choice," Paris said as they made their way across the lawn. "Did Rory tell you to pick Italian?"

Derrick shrugged, "Why take a chance on guessing when I can get inside information? I figure it's better to ask and take you somewhere that you would for sure enjoy rather than gamble at wondering what you may like."

Paris nodded, "Logical thinking. I like that."

The pair made conversation about the still cold weather to the scenery on Yale grounds for the 10 minutes it took them to get to Gianni's. Once inside, Derrick gave his name and the young hostess sat them quickly.

"Hmm, you really did your homework. A table against a wall since I don't like people sitting behind me, far enough away from the other tables to not be intruded by others, but not so far that we seem secluded. Nice work." She smiled the smile Derrick loved to see.

The waiter, Antonio according to his nametag, approached there table. "Ah Miss Gellar, how are you this evening, and who is this with you?"

"I'm well Tony. This is my date for the evening Derrick Troust. Derrick this is Tony, he and his wife have known my former nanny for at least 20 years. How is Janelle?"

"She is doing wonderfully. She's due in a month."

"That's wonderful. Have you picked a name yet?"

"Not yet. Janelle believes his name will come to her once he is in her arms. I am in no position to argue with her."

"You are a wise man, Tony."

He smiled and nodded. "So will it be the usual for you tonight?"

"For me, yes, but I think Derrick may need a couple of minutes."

Derrick cut in, "Oh no, I know what I want. I'll have the eggplant parmesan, and to drink I think I'll stick with water." The waiter left with a smile and Derrick turned his attention back to Paris. "I have to say. It is nice to have a date who knows what they want. Too many times have I been stuck with someone who just orders the same thing as me or asks what they should order."

Paris scoffed, "There are too many bimbos out there waiting for the man to take the lead. I believe in setting my own path. I don't need a man to dictate what I'm going to order, and I especially don't need a man for the sake of having a man."

Derrick laughed, "Well, you are a breath of fresh air."

"Derrick, may I be frank about something?"

"I'd expect nothing less."

"Am I just a rebound? I mean, not that I mind, there will always be a rebound, but I don't want you to act like I'm not when I really am."

"Well, define rebound. If you are asking me if you are the first girl I've gone on a date with since my engagement fell through, then yes, you are a rebound. If you are asking if I'm only going out with you to get past my ex, then no, you are not."

"How come you're able to move on so fast? Weren't you two in love?"

Before Derrick could get his answer out, the waiter arrived at their table and dropped of their drinks.

Derrick took a welcomed sip of his water before continuing. "I took the time I needed to get over Bella. It was actually easy when I found out she destroyed half of my belongings. I did love Bella, well, at least I thought I did, but when I found out that she wasn't portraying herself truthfully, my feelings for her took an instant nosedive. I was in love with the false image of her and when I saw the truth, after the initial hurt left, I was just over her. If there is one thing I value more than anything else in relationships it is honesty." He shook his head," I'd never had imagine she could have been so horrid. You should have seen the way Bella and Cami tore into Finn."

"What if he deserved it? I mean, you don't have the whole story."

"Trust me Paris, no one deserved what they were saying. They were vicious." He took another sip of water. "Though I don't think it would have mattered if she showed her true colors from the start. I won't stand for anyone who is cruel to others."

Paris locked her eyes on him. "I'm sensing that you have some experience with cruelness in your past? Father or mother?"

Derrick wasn't surprised by her bluntness, but he still wasn't prepared for her question. "Father," he said as he looked back at her. Even though her words were hard, her face was soft. "He wasn't the kindest of men."

"I'm sorry. I've been told that I am too crass when it comes to conversational matters."

He raised his hand to stop her. "It's okay Paris, I'd rather us get everything out on the table." He ran his fingers through his hair. "My Father was a terrible man who took joy in the emotional turmoil of others. He didn't care who is victim was, as long as they were suffering at his hand."

When he saw the shock on Paris' face he decided to clarify a bit.

"While my father never hit me or my sisters, he did emotionally and mentally abuse us. He wasn't, however, afraid to raise a hand to my mother. I wanted to do something to defend her, but I was too young, and I was afraid that if I upset set him he would not only turn his anger on me, but my sisters too. It took a bit of doing, but my mother was finally able to get us out from under him, and he was eventually put behind bars."

"Is he still there?" Paris asked hesitation in her voice.

"No. He died about 5 years ago." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I won't say that I was happy about it, but I wasn't sad either. I think the best way to describe what I felt was relief. My sisters and Mother could finally live without looking over their shoulders."

She nodded. "I'm actually no stranger to emotional trauma caused by parents. Of course, it was not to any degree of what you just described."

"What do you mean?"

She let out a long sigh, "I can count on two hands the number of times I have seen my parents since I started my freshman year at Chilton." She paused and glanced around the room.

The expression on her face told Derrick that she was uncomfortable. "You don't have to continue."

Paris shook her head. "No, you were honest with me. I think I owe you the same." She adjusted herself so she was sitting up a little straighter. "I don't let people know how much it bothers me, my parents being absent from my life, but it does. They weren't at my graduations from kindergarten, intermediate school, or Chilton. I'd bet a large amount of money that they won't be here when I graduate from Yale. I sometimes wonder if they'll be there the day I get married, or when I have children?"

Derrick didn't know what to say. Yeah, his father was an ass who liked to beat on his mom, but he still had the full support of his mother. She had saved them from that situation and gotten them to a better place.

She had always been there for every big, or small, event in his life. She had insisted she be there for when he received his certificate of perfect attendance in elementary school.

To both their relief, the food arrived and effectively ended the depressive conversation.

They filled the rest of their meal with more lighthearted conversation. Derrick discussed his culinary dream and Paris explain the complicated paradox that was her wanting to be a doctor, but how she hated being around sick people.

They finished off their meal by sharing a slice of tiramisu. Derrick paid, and even left a larger than normal tip for the soon to be father Antonio.

They night was ending on a high note. Derrick couldn't help but smiling the entire walk back to Paris' dorm.

Once they were outside her door they turned to face each other. Just as Derrick was contemplating whether or not to go in for a kiss, Paris started talking.

"So are you going to kiss me or not? I mean you don't have to kiss me. That is such a cliché way to end a date, especially a first date. But if you wanted to kiss me you could. I would,"

Derrick had made his decision. He cut off her rant by pressing his lips to hers. After a moment he felt her body relax as it formed to his. He lifts his hand up and cups her cheek. He feels her responding to his kiss, the movement of his lips, even allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth.

They broke apart only when they heard a door slam close down the hall.

"So," Paris finally said after a stretch of silence.

Derrick smiled. "So, I'll call you tomorrow. We can plan our next date."

A huge smile, the biggest he had yet to see, spread across her face. "I'd like that."

He leaned in and kissed her once more before turning and leaving the building.