Friends

On display

Arm in arm Tristan and Rory made there way to Luke's stopping Tristan opened the door for Rory,

"Why thank-you kind sir."

"Anytime milady?"

Tristan said with a mock bow. Following her in to the diner, he sees that all eyes are on him, instead of being uncomfortable or nervous about the attention he was getting; he smiled and said in a voice that addressed everyone in the diner,

"Hi, nice day isn't?"

From the people how didn't care who Tristan was or who Rory was, it caused a nod and people went back to their meal.

Tristan noticed that some people were still looking at him intently, a slightly over weight balding gray haired man he remembered him as being the owner of Doose's, the woman he was sitting with a generously portioned woman, and judging by the clothes she was wearing still thought she was a diva, and in Tristan's opinion was probably the most admirable quality, it was refreshing to see a woman so sure of herself.

'Now I know I've spent too much around DuGray woman when men are fat and women are plump or generously portioned. Yeah I'm gentleman. Okay time to put military tactics 101 to good use.'

Taking hold of Rory's elbow he led her over to the stools where he saw two people standing behind the counter looking at him suspiciously, one man who looked in his mid to late thirties wearing a basket ball cap backwards, he naturally assumed by all that he was told that this was Luke.

The other person boy around his age with dark hair and wearing a plan black t-shirt, and what Tristan thought some would call a brooding look.

He helped Rory on to one of the stools and took one next to her, leaning over he whispered into Rory's ear,

"Count to five."

Rory looked at him confused but when she saw him counting off with his fingers, when he reached five; she heard the unmistakable voice of Miss Patty,

"Why hello Rory, how was Washington? Would your friend be the owner of that lovely silver Mustang parked outside your home today?"

"Hi Miss Patty…Washington was great. As to the silver Mustang yes he is the owner. Miss Patty this is Tristan…Tristan…Miss Patty."

Tristan extended his hand to Miss Patty and said,

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Patty."

Tristan gave her hand the same treatment he had given Babette's.

"Rory tells me you own a dance studio."

"Why yes I do are you interested?"

Looking at Tristan from head to toe, Tristan recognized the look as that of one he had given many leggy women, he smirked to Rory and then gave Miss Patty one of his most winning smiles and said,

"No I afraid my dance lesson days are over…I was thinking more for my niece she a beauty, but graceful she isn't and her grandparents keep on making fun of her because of it."

"Oh that's horrible! Listen why don't you bring her here tomorrow I have a class that stars at four, we'll talk about price then."

"Thanks that's great I will."

"So how do you know our Rory?"

Just as Tristan was going to reply Babette came into Luke's

"Patty there you are I've been looking all over for you, Oh…hello again."

Babette said finishing uncomfortably after she spotted Tristan sitting at the counter with Miss Patty standing in front of him.

"Well aren't I lucky to be in the company of such lovely ladies, Babette, Miss Patty could I interest you in a cup of coffee."

"Well aren't you the charmer?"

Miss Patty said as she teasingly slapped Tristan's arm, Tristan gave her a bright smile and extend his arm to both of the plump women. Leading them to their seats at the table with Taylor.

When he had them seated and knew what they wanted to drink, he walked back to the stools that were only a few steps away. When he saw standing next to Rory he heard her make kissy noises.

"Are you trying to say something Rory or are you day-dreaming about kissing me."

"In your dreams…I'm just trying to get my imitation of you right you do know you are kissing their asses."

"How could you and her I thought you liked me?"

Tristan said in mock hurt.

"No I keep you around because you're pretty."

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you gave into my devilishly good looks and sexy bod."

"Please."

Rory said in a dismissive way hoping she didn't blush a deep red, she wasn't going to admit to Tristan that she found him attractive and that she had never felt so teenage girl horny about a boy unless it was some celebrity.

Tristan just smirked at Rory's turning his attention to Luke Tristan ordered.

"Hi I'd like two green teas, one de-cafe coffee, one regular, and one orange juice. Thanks."

"You aren't really going to buy drinks for Miss Patty, Babette, and Taylor you know they'll never leave you alone."

"If I want my niece to be treated like the princess she is then yes."

"You must really love her if you're willing to flirt with Miss Patty."

"You have no idea."

Luke turned around to get the drinks Tristan had ordered, trying to figure out who Tristan was and why he was with Rory.

"So you're the owner of the silver Mustang that has the whole town buzzing."

"Yeah she's a real beauty; the amount of time I had to work with dad to get that car was worth it."

Tristan said Rory could see the excitement in his eyes.

"How do you know Rory?"

"We go to school together Tristan and I had a couple of classes together."

"How come we've never seen you here before?"

"I've been out of state for the past couple of months just got back yesterday."

"So out of state is your way of avoiding the issue."

"Nah…I screwed up I got punished sent to military school. Now I'm back looks better on the college application to graduate from Chilton."

"So you're a juvenile delinquent."

Jess said, he had been throwing both Tristan and Rory dark looks, when he saw an opening to rib the blond she was with andhe took it. He knew he didn't know the young blond in front of him, but he hated him for the way he talked to Rory the fact that he wasn't afraid to touch her, the fact that she let him touch her, and mostly because he had been in the diner for a total of fifteen minutes and he had everyone wrapped up in him.

"So is that your idea of a witty opening or are you just special?"

Tristan said as he smirked at him.

"So you must be Jess, I've heard so much about you, the opinions vary but non the less I've heard of you. I'd say it's nice to meet you but I'll save that for when you start a conversation and not butt into one."

And with that Tristan ignored Jess, who in turn stormed out of the diner, turning his attention back to Luke, who looked bewildered. Luke couldn't believe it never in all his life had he seen a dismissal so blunt yet polite.

Tristan frowned at the look on Luke's face he looked at the other patrons in the diner and saw that they had a similar look on their faces.

"Okay I don't get it I wasn't rude I didn't deck the guy so why is every looking at me like I had."

Tristan asked Rory he didn't whisper or used a hush voice.

"I…we…it…"

When all she did was speak in broken sentences, Tristan's frown got deeper.

"Okay you need coffee if I'm going to get full sentences out of you."

Tristan went behind the counter, got a mug and took the coffee pot out of Luke's hand and poured Rory a cup of coffee.

Rory gratefully took it gulping it down, when she still didn't answer him. Tristan went about getting the drinks he had ordered ready.

"Ummm…your fridge is in the back right?"

Tristan asked Luke.

"Yeah."

Tristan went back and got a carton of orange juice he poured two glasses, he put one in front of the stool he had been sitting in and handed the other one to Luke.

Taking hold of the other three hot drinks he gave them to Miss Patty, Babette and Taylor.

"Thank-you ...that was something else young man you must teach me how you did it."

Yet again Tristan was confused he truly didn't think he did anything, he told the guy in a well mannered way to not butt into a private conversation, regardless of the fact that it was being held loud enough for people with in a three foot radius to hear.

"Okay you'll have to clear this up for me Mr. Doose I didn't do anything."

"Oh…isn't he modest Patty I was going to come in here and tell you how much you would like Rory's friend here."

"Not just modest Babette he is polite when was the last time you heard a boy address his elders with respect?"

Taylor asked Miss Patty and Babette, the question was rhetorical, but Tristan saw that he wasn't doing any better with her then he had with Rory.

He went back to his stool and looked Rory, sitting down he began sipping his orange juice.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude Rory it's just the whole military school thing is a sore spot."

"Tristan you weren't rude that the thing. I mean there are a lot of people here who don't like Jess and have said worse and he just stood there, but with you he just stormed out of here."

Luke who had been stunned by his nephew's behavior heard what Tristan and Rory had said.

"She's right you know plus you weren't rude it was just weird seeing Jess react like that not that Jess doing the whole injured pride thing is new, it's just that he took it so seriously I guess that's why the whole place went quite. Where did you learn to do that?"

Tristan just shrugged,

"My mom, my dad, hereditary the polite yet absolute put down; hey I could be the male version of Emily Post?"

Luke let out a grunt at that he had a feeling that Tristan would fit in Stars-Hallow

"So the whole military school thing a sore subject or was it the juvenile delinquent thing?"

"It's a sore subject like balding or impotence."

Luke winced at the example, knowing how much is somewhat thinning hair was a subject he didn't like to have mocked.

"Please it can't be that bad."

Rory said in disbelief.

"It is!"

All the men who had been paying attention to the conversation exclaimed.

Rory ducked not wanting to be on display, Tristan my not have an issue with it but she did. Tristan seeing her discomfort decided he should save her.

"Hey Rory I think we should get going off ifI'm going to meet Lane and get ready for the thing with Paris."

"You have a thing with Paris? Why would you do that?"

Luke asked baffled at the young man in front of him, he remember the girl in question and she had truly unnerved him.

"Yeah you guys never told me what you were doing because if you guys are dating I'd have to tell Jamie."

"Listen I went out with a date with Paris once and it was never to be repeated in the Titanic sort of way as in she isn't Rose and I not Jake. But I saw us more of a Gimli and Legolos."

"So what are your plans for tonight if you aren't dating?"

"Her mom the ice queen from hell, signed Paris up for a DAR soirée. An auction on the lovely young debs of Hartford."

"And you're going to find a locker girl?"

"Nah…my locker girl days are behind me, I'm going to bid on Paris the last time her mother did this to her no one made a bid on Paris, or so I was told."

"God now I feel sorry for the girl."

Luke groaned as he walked away to serve someone who had just come in. Rory and Tristan stood up to go.

Tristan went over to Miss Patty,

"Miss Patty, it was a pleasure to meet you I'm sorry that things took such a sour note. So I should bring Tessa over to your dance studio tomorrow at four, right?"

"Yes you bring the girl and her name is Tessa…."

Tristan knew that Miss Patty was asking for a last name.

"Tessa DuGray. Until tomorrow, Miss Patty, Babette, Mr.Doose it's been nice to meet you."

Tristan went over to Luke and paid for the drinks he had bought. He turned to Rory and they made their way out of the diner.

"So…you want to meet Lane?"

"Yeah that would be nice, but how about we go over to Doose's and get something to eat I could go for something with chocolate. Plus I sure so could Lane Korean families aren't big on snake foods, I remember Henry with the snakes."

"You and Henry were friends."

"We were on the swim team."

"So Tessa is your niece."

"Yep."

"You have an older brother."

Rory asked trying to get something out of Tristan, she saw him stiffen and wondered if she had opened a subject he didn't want to talk about."

"Yeah I do…but Tessa isn't C.J.'s kid, she's Dellia's."

"Dellia?"

"My older sister by two years, Dellia is what I call her short for Cordellia; my mom has a thing for Shakespeare."

The one thing that Rory had heard was his sister older then him by two years if Tristan was seventeen going on eighteen, then his sister had to be nineteen or twenty, and his niece was four which meant that his had been pregnant at the same age her mom had been.

"And your brother C.J. is older or younger than Cordellia?"

"C.J. and Dellia are twins."

Rory wanted to knowmore but she had the feeling that Tristan didn't want to talk about it, they were in Doose's by now, Rory saw Dean look at both her and Tristan as they came in. She knew this was going to happen, she had never told Dean about her friendship with Tristan, knowing he would be jealous.

"Rory, what's he doing here."

Rory didn't know what to say whatever it was there was no way she would be able to explain why she never told Dean why she hadn't told him about being friends with Tristan.

"He as you put it bagboy is here because I missed a couple months of Chilton and needs to be brought up to speed."

Tristan then walked away from Rory and Dean and went about picking different snake foods. This left Rory and Dean to talk together. He didn't hear what they were saying and frankly he didn't care.

"Come on Mary I don't have all day."

"Bye Dean I'll see you later."

As Rory was about to leave, Dean grabbed Rory and kissed longer and deeper than he had ever kissed her, Tristan just rolled his eyes at this display.

When they were out of Doose's Tristan opened a bag of jelly beans.

"Here have some get the taste of jealousy out of your mouth."

"He wasn't jealous."

"Please that kiss was so to show me you were his girlfriend and to remind you that you're his girlfriend."

"I wasn't he just loves me and I was way most of the time in Washington he just missed me."

"Yeah and the Huntzberger's are modest."

"The who?"

"Never mind let's meet Lane."

Rory didn't say anything else they just kept walking in silence Tristan tilting his bag of jelly beans so Rory could eat some. But that didn't stop Rory's mind from going a mile a minute.

'What if he's right? What if the only reason Dean kissed me was I'm marking my territory kind of thing? But what does that mean about me, or Dean. Why did Tristan lie about why he was here in Stars-Hallow? Why didn't he ever tell me that he had an older brother and sister? I thought we were friends your friends should know if you have siblings.'

When they got to the Kim's they saw Mama Kim sweeping outside. She threw Tristan a look that made him shudder.

"Okay I take it back the Commandant would be scared of Mama Kim."

"Hello Mrs. Kim?"

"Rory…who this your boyfriend I thought your boyfriend was the bagboy."

"I'm not her boyfriend Mrs. Kim I'm just a friend from school, Rory told me about your store and I thought I'd come and see what you have. My mom's birthday is coming up and she collects Colonial stuff and I thought if I bought it from here there is no way she'd know about it."

"Very well, do you need me to show you around?"

"No that would be alright ma'am…I know Colonial when I see it. Rory."

Tristan put his hand on Rory's back and led her inside. When they got in they were greeted Lane.

"Hi Rory…you must be the guy that came in the silver Mustang."

"Yep that would be me. Tristan DuGray. Here do you want some."

"Yeah thanks."

Lane said as she took the bag of jelly beans that Tristan had offered.

"Are Tristan the captain of the Chilton swim team?"

"The one and only…okay were do you keep your Colonial?"

"This way."

Lane said as she led them through a throng of stuff.

The next hour was spent with Tristan looking and different objects as the three of them spoke about different things from music, movies and books.

After he had found the perfect item he paid and had it held for the day he would come and pick it up.

Rory and Lane were both surprised at the ease that he had won over Mama Kim. This caused Lane to the comment that if Tristan had been Korean they would be set up and expected to get married with in a week.

After they had finished Rory and Tristan headed over to the gazebo in the middle of the town square and sat down.

After a few tense minutes Tristan began speaking.

"Dellia had Tessa four years ago she had been studying in France with C.J. at the time they were both fifteen. They went to France as exchange students. While they were there they would hang out with the other Americans in France Dellia meet Robert Huntzberger, they started dating a couple of months after Dellia turned sixteen thing got serious between them and she slept with him, and you know the saying it only takes one time, well she had to come back home. She's twenty now she's lives at home with mom, dad, me, John, and Catherine."

Rory couldn't believe it just a minute ago she thought that Tristan didn't think she was a real friend and here he was telling her about something she could tell he didn't talk about.

That sat together in silence for a while just enjoying the cool summer breeze, which was broken by Tristan.

"Hey Rory… could I ask you to be my knight in shinning armor as I play the damsel in distress."

"It depends what am I saving you from?"

"A welcome back party on Saturday. Actually I think I'd feel safer with two knights. I'll talk to Lorelei about coming... come on I needed to get going so I'm ready for this thing with Paris."

They walked back to Rory's house only this time people knew who Tristan was and were greeting him as if he had lived in Stars-Hallow all his life. When they reached Tristan's car there was an awkward silence neither was really ready to say goodbye but Tristan had to go.

"I'll call tonight about the party and I'll ask Lorelei. Hay I'm going to be in Stars-Hallow tomorrow with Tessa, we could hang out tomorrow if you want."

Rory gave him a shy but happy smile.

"Yeah that would be great."

With both hands in his pockets.

"Great…I've got to go I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah…"

"Yeah…it's great seeing you Mary."

"You to Bible boy."

They shard friendly smiles and Tristan did something he wanted to do since he saw Rory in her P.J's. He gave her a small kiss on her cheek and quickly got into his car and drove off.

Leaving a slightly giddy Rory standing on her drive-way.

'Tristan kissed me…'

To be continued……