Chapter 4: Open backed


"Good job Gilmore, all my hard work just went down the drain" he smirked, leaning against the door frame to her grandfathers room

Rory looked up from the book she was reading and fixed him a confused stare, making him chuckle. "The accident" he stated "You just made your neck worse"

Rory laughed "Yeah well…" She trailed off

"So you leaving this place any time soon or have you been admitted as well?" he grinned

Rory glanced at the time and gasped "I didn't realize it was so late" she exclaimed

"Yeah I figured that out" he chuckled "Come on, lets go"

"Go?" she asked out loud "Go where"

"Well you promised you'd let me take a look at your neck" he reminded her

"You know, you could just ask me out on a date. You don't have to keep pretending to try and fix me" she teased, gathering her things up

Tristan rolled his eyes "As I recall, I did as you out on a date. And you ended up paying"

"You said I could!" she shot back

"Made me look like a moron" he stated "Now come on"

"Alright alright" she muttered, following him out "Bye Janice" She said to the sweet old lady who was rolling herself around in her wheelchair

"Bye Rory" the lady smiled

Tristan raised his eyebrows in her direction, an amused smile threatening to appear on his lips "You spend way too much time here" he commented

Rory shrugged "probably. So I'll meet you at your place?" she asked

He nodded "Yeah sounds good. You know how to get there?" he asked

She nodded "Been there enough times" she rolled her eyes as they walked out into the parking lot

"You say that as if you weren't willing every time…" he responded

"Oh I was" she grinned, while opening her door "So I'll see you in 20"

"Drive safe" he stated, watching her pull out of the parking lot as he got into his own car.


"Hey, you get lost?" he asked when she finally showed up at his door almost 20 minutes after he had arrived

She smiled sheepishly, walking in and holding her star bucks cup up at him "Got thirsty"

"Thanks for asking" he teased

"Oh, did you want something?" she asked

"Yeah a lot of good that does now" he scoffed

"Don't be such a baby" she rolled her eyes "You can have some of mine if you want"

"No that's alright" he laughed "How do you drive with one hand and drink coffee at the same time" he asked narrowing his eyes at her

"Carefully?" she laughed nervously under his scrutinous gaze

Tristan's eyes widened and he frowned "That's pretty dangerous" he pointed out

Rory smiled "Don't worry, I learned my lesson. Which is why the coffee is completely full, and untouched."

"Good. Keep it that way" he said, sighing and leaning back against the couch

"So you got any food?" She asked innocently

Tristan rolled his eyes and stood up with a grunt "every time" he muttered as he walked to his kitchen. "What do you want?"

"Whatever you have. I'm not picky" she answered

"Yeah yeah…" he muttered "Not picky…you'd eat dog food if I gave it to you" he rambled quietly while taking out a few tubs from his fridge

"I heard that" Rory glared from her position in the living room "And I have to agree. My friend got these organic pumpkin dog treats, and they taste great"

Tristan almost choked on air "You eat dog treats? What…you roll over for it?"

"You know wha-" She started angrily, shutting up when he shoved a plate of food in her hands, rolling his eyes when she stopped what she was going to say and began eating.

"Tristan?" she asked, mouth half full

"Hmm" he hummed in confusion

"What's your phone number?" She asked with a small laugh that matched his.

He laughed and called her number from his phone "I work at the care center your grandfathers at" he explained when she shot him a look

"Right" She muttered, saving his number

"So how long are you in that cast?" he asked with a small smile

"Just for a few weeks." She answered "it's not too bad…"

"Your boyfriend put you in a cast. That's filed under bad" he stated not liking this guy one bit. He was ridiculous…

Rory smiled a little; almost as if she knew something he didn't "Jealous?"

"Worried" he shot back

"Don't worry. It's over" She said with a sigh "And it doesn't hurt too bad…they gave me some painkillers"

"Here" he said in a slightly hesitant fashion as he handed her a blue slip of paper. Furrowing her eyebrows, she put the plate of food on the coffee table in front of her and took it from his hand, staring at it and shaking her head once she read what it said.

"Tri-"

"You have to get it checked out Rory. He's the best neurologist in the state." He interrupted

"I already went to a neurologist" She said indignantly

"Then what's the problem of going to one again? You need a referral for an MRI" he stated

"I don't want an-"

"Yeah I know. You don't want an MRI, but you need one" he sighed "I know I haven't known you for that long…but I care about you. They're not that bad, I promise" he said, stopping his rant when he saw her lips tug upward into a smile

"You care about me?" she asked teasingly

Grinning and rolling his eyes "Yes. So are you going to go?" he asked

"Fine" She relented "But when I get this MRI done, you're coming with me……I'm quite annoying when I want to be"

"Deal" he said

"You just sold your soul to the devil" She grinned uneasily

"Well I already made an appointment for you" he retorted with a grin himself "Tomorrow 12. Be there" he stated

"But my grandpa!" She protested

"Will be in therapy with me, perfectly capable hands if I do say so myself" he shot back

"You think of everything" She huffed

"It's a gift" he smirked


"Hey" he said the next day as he was putting Richard back to bed and Rory walked in, back from her appointment

"Hey" she smiled, setting her things down "How'd he do?" she asked glancing at his tired state

"Pretty well" he said honestly "We walked a few steps, did some exercises."

"Looks tired" She laughed

"He is" he commented "What happened with the neurologist?"

"Basically the same thing that happened last time. MRI" she stated

"She didn't say anything else?" he asked in concern

"Well she was pretty concerned about the headaches and a couple other things" She waived off

"Other things?" He raised an eyebrow, sitting down across from her

Rory sighed "So I get migraines, have neck pain, night sweats, and my head feels pretty heavy" she listed off making his eyes widen

"Rory!" He exclaimed

"What?" She asked

"You didn't tell me half of that" he said annoyed and now even more concerned for her. None of that sounded good…

"Well I told you now" She groaned "And I have an MRI scheduled for Monday" she said

Tristan nodded "I can take Monday off" he said

"Gracias" She said with a small smile

"De nada" he responded with a chuckle


"I can't go in with you Mary" he sighed in frustration

"You promised" She stated

"I can't be in there with you!" He exclaimed "it's not my fault"

"Way to be 4 Tristan" she said annoyed

Glaring at her he stood up and walked over to the reception desk "Can I please talk to the technician for Rory Gilmore?" He asked

"Hi" Tristan smirked at the young woman who appeared before him. This might be easier than I thought he thought to himself

"Hi" she stuttered, making Tristan's smirk grow "Did you need anything?"

"Well" he started leaning in closer over the counter "My cousin over there, she seems to be a little freaked out about the whole process. Would it be okay if I sat with her while she's in the machine?" He asked with a small pout

"Well I-"she stuttered "Its not usually allowed"

"I wont tell" He grinned "Besides, it's the only way to get her to take the damn thing. Maybe I can buy you dinner to make up for it?"

"I guess that could be arranged" The young woman practically drooled

"Great" He said leaning back again

"You owe me" he muttered to Rory as he sat back down "By the way, anyone asks…I'm your cousin"

Rory grinned "Thank you!"

"Bribe. I had to bribe her" he hissed

"With what?" she asked

"Dinner" he stated making Rory crack up laughing

"You had to use your wiles? You're complaining because you now have a date?"

"Let's go" he grunted as her name was called

The technician asked her a few questions and made sure everything was in order; all while stealing glances at Tristan…which annoyed Rory. It shouldn't have. He only did it because she had forced him to, but it still irritated her for some reason.

After Rory had changed into one of those hospital gowns, she walked into the room with the large MRI machine, finding Tristan sitting down next to it. "Hey" he said with a small smile

"Hi" She said weakly, dreading what was about to happen next.

"You'll be fine" he stated "Can we get this done asap because the tech is still making eyes at me" he muttered into her ear, making her smile a little

"Thanks" She said and climbed onto the machine and laid down. The technician put a couple of pillows and a blanket on her before securing her head in place with a large plastic covering, immediately making her feel like she had no room to breathe.

"Calm down Rory" Tristan said as if sensing her struggle

"She okay?" the lady asked

Tristan nodded "She'll be fine. How long will this take?" he asked

"About 25 minutes" she answered before pushing the button, sending her sliding into the machine.

"Close your eyes" he said softly

"Okay no talking, no sudden movements, and no deep breaths. The machine is very sensitive to movement so try and keep as still as possible. You'll hear a series of clicks and beeps which is what the earplugs I gave you are for." She said "Ready to go?"

"Yeah" Rory said quietly

"If at any time you want to stop or feel that something's wrong, I'll be able to hear you through the microphone." She said

"uhm" Rory said as she looked around the tight encasing. The machine hadn't even started yet

"Rory" she heard Tristan say "Close your eyes…I don't want you to open them until I say okay?" He stated seriously, placing a comforting hand on her leg which was still outside the machine

Rory took a deep breath and nodded "yeah…okay" she whispered, closing her eyes

"Ready?" The technician asked

"Yeah" Rory said quietly and heard a series of quick loud clicks go off.

After the first 8 minutes, she heard the machine go quiet. "You alright?" Tristan asked

Rory nodded, still not opening her eyes. "Good." He said


"Never again" She glared at Tristan after she had changed back into her normal clothes

Rolling his eyes he led her out to the waiting room "It wasn't that bad."

"Huh!" She grunted incredulously "Oh yeah. Every claustrophobics dream"

"There were no tears." He argued

"Did you want there to be!"

"No of course not" he said "Rory. You got through it. I doubt you'll have to do it again"

"Fine" She huffed

"So where are you taking Stacey or Sarah, whatever her name is" she muttered

Tristan raised his eyebrows and fixed her with an amused grin "Jealous Mary? I did it for you"

"I'm not jealous Tristan" she hissed "I thought I'd offer to save you from the tragedy but obviously if you want to go…"

Chuckling, he shook his head as he opened the door to the car "She forgot to get my number" he said innocently

Rory smiled "Forgot?"

"I may have given her the rejection hotline" he said in an angelic voice

Rory's jaw dropped "Tristan!" She exclaimed "That's terrible"

"I know, and that's why I didn't" he laughed "Sometimes I wish I was more of a bastard…"

"I don't!" She exclaimed

"Yeah? Why's that?" he smirked

"What kind of a question is that?" she raised an eyebrow

"Get in the car" he rolled his eyes at her. The girl really didn't know how to take a hint? Did she really not know that he was flirting with her?

"Jeez Tristan…" she muttered, doing as he said and sitting down in the car.

He muttered something about being clueless and it being shockingly endearing while he made his way over to the driver's side and got in. "I gotta say though, those hospital gowns hang pretty nicely on you" he winked while starting the engine

Rory's jaw dropped "Excuse me" she stuttered, her cheeks tinted pink

Tristan chuckled. That was more like it.

"They were pretty comfortable" she joked

"I'll hold you to that, I can get you some…" he grinned

"That's okay" She mumbled "Where are you taking me?" she asked when he missed the freeway to go back to Stars hollow

"To the nursing home?" he asked in confusion

"Right" She muttered "Sorry I totally forgot. Does that make me terrible?" she asked with a humorless chuckle

"No" he frowned "It means you thought about yourself for one second."

"I shouldn't need to" She said softly "He's in the hospital…or nursing home or whatever. He's miserable"

"He's not miserable" Tristan said "He's just adjusting. He's looking up already; yesterday he went to the library after you left"

"How do you know?"

"Because I heard about it the next day. Apparently he's a real Ulysses fan" he smirked "He was chatting it up with Mr. Heandren for hours"

Rory smiled "Thank you"

"No problem" he laughed


A/N: Okay I know I know, it's been FOREVER. But I've been so busy! Beginning of the school year's never fun. Anyways, here it is. Give me some critiques, ideas, compliments…basically any indication that people are still reading. Or just drop in and say hey and rant about something random. I like random ;)