Disclaimer: I just realized I hadn't done one of these in a while. I don't own them. If I did, Dean would be in my closet.
AN: You guys are awesome. I don't you that enough. This story is about to get good. A lot will happen within the next few chapters. I just hope you guys can handle it.
Tristan pulled up outside the brownstone. He couldn't believe that Rory had said she would go with him. He wasn't going to complain though. He walked up the stairs hearing Chester bark from the other side of the door. Jess opened the door before Tristan could knock. He opened the door wider letting him in. Jess walked away not saying a word. Rory came down the hall with Jess right behind her a few minutes later.
"Tell him nothing is going on between us."
Tristan gave her a surprised look. She gave him a pleading look before he said anything.
""We're just friends."
"You better not try anything." Jess said glaring at him.
"Jess give it a rest!" Rory said in frustration.
"I'm just saying…"
"Finish that sentence and I'm buying you a one way ticket back to Philly, and you can rot there."
Jess shook his head before walking away. Rory picked up her bag before opening the door. She stopped when she saw his truck. She had expected him to drive a sports car.
"What?" He asked seeing her eye the truck.
"I never saw you as the truck type. I always thought you'd have a beamer."
"I have never had a beamer. Nor do I want one." He said putting her bag in the back seat.
He opened her door for her as he looked at the front window. His eyes met Jess' before he shut the door.
"I thought you said he was coming to Hartford."
"He is, he had something to take care of."
Tristan nodded wanting to change the subject. Rory looked over at him knowing Jess made him uncomfortable. She was going to have to have a talk with him. Tristan didn't deserve to be interrogated by Jess. He hadn't done anything wrong. She knew Jess was protective of her, but he had overstepped his boundaries.
"You okay?" Tristan asked putting his eyes over hers.
"I was thinking." She said looking out the window.
"You wanna talk about it?" He asked rubbing her hand.
"I'm sorry about Jess."
"It's not your fault."
They fell into silence again, but Tristan didn't take his hand away. Rory looked down at their hands and smiled. This was better than she had expected. She never would have imagined she would be doing this with Tristan. Then again the past week had been a whirlwind for her. She had been looking forward to having the house to herself. She would have peace and quiet to get her work done. Now she was going away with Tristan. Rory shook her head in wonder.
XXXX
They were the first one's at her grandmother's that night. Everyone else was running late. Emily had pulled Tristan away not long after they got in. Rory heard someone at the door so she went to answer it.
Luke and her mom were on the other side. Landon and JJ were squirming to get down when they saw her. They were almost two, and they had grown so much since the last time she saw them.
"Be a doll, take one of them. Your mom gave them candy on the way here." Luke said in exasperation.
Rory took JJ from him, and he smiled in gratitude.
"She still thinks making them hyper will make Grandma push you out the door faster?"
"Yeah."
"Landon give Sissy a kiss." Lorelai said giving Rory a pleading look.
Lorelai knew Rory couldn't stay mad at her for long. Landon wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. JJ pushed him away in defiance.
"Mine!" JJ said making Landon cry.
"JJ!" Lorelai whispered hearing her mom coming down the hall.
Lorelai handed Landon to Rory and took JJ to the bathroom. Tristan saw Rory trying to calm her brother down. Emily rubbed Landon's back as Rory tried to talk to him.
"Do you want me to take him?" Emily asked holding her arms out.
"He's fine Grandma. JJ just decided to be a spoiled little brother." Rory said looking at Luke.
Luke was staring over her shoulder at Tristan. She sighed as her mom came back into the room.
"He doesn't like sharing his Sissy." Lorelai said walking JJ over to them.
Rory felt the back of her neck grow hot. Landon and JJ always fought over her. She couldn't get over it. Tristan cleared his throat from the door. Rory turned to face him.
"Mom, Luke this is Tristan. Tristan, this is my mom Lorelai and my step dad Luke."
"It's nice to meet you." Tristan said making his way into the room
He shook Luke's hand meeting his gaze. He walked over to Lorelai and she pulled him into a hug.
"It's nice to finally meet you…Bible Boy."
"Mom!" Rory said as her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
Lorelai stuck out her tongue at Rory as Tristan turned his attention to JJ.
"That's JJ; he's a handful." Luke said JJ stared up at Tristan.
He walked over to Rory and put a hand on Landon's back.
"This must be Landon."
Rory nodded as Landon rubbed his eyes trying to calm down.
"He's a real sweetie." Rory said kissing his forehead.
"But JJ is her favorite." Lorelai said speaking up.
"I don't play favorites. I love them both." She said putting him down.
They all went into the living room to wait for Jess. It wasn't like him not to call to say he would be late. At least not when it came to Emily. She would never let him hear the end of it.
Half an hour later he still hadn't showed. The maid came to tell them that dinner was ready. Emily let them into the dining room. After they were all the seated the doorbell rang. The maid showed Jess into the room. He sat down in silence not giving them an explanation.
An hour later everyone was leaving and Lorelai asked Rory if she was coming with them.
"Tristan made hotel reservations."
"He did?"
"Yeah."
"Make sure you come and see us before you go back." Luke said hugging her.
"I'll see what I can do." She said before brushing hair off of his forehead.
Tristan stood by the door waiting for Rory. He cold feel Jess staring at him. He looked over at him holding in the urge to say something.
"You ready to go?" Rory asked putting on her coat.
"Yeah." Tristan said smiling down at her.
They were on the expressway when Rory finally said something.
"Where exactly are we staying?" She asked turning to face him.
"This Inn. You might have heard of it. It's called the Dragon Fly." He said smirking at her.
"You sneak. Who did you talk to?"
"Your mom said there were a couple rooms open."
Rory smiled liking that he had gone out of his way to make her happy.