Title: Juliet's Longing
Author: DreamwalkerJT
Setting: AU story starting with episode Run Away Little Boy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or its characters. I do own the characters and storylines of my own creation.
AN: The play taking place in mid-October...it works for my purposes...if I'm wrong on that I apologize.
----------------The Morning after Romeo and Juliet play----------
He stared out the window as they moved through the traffic. It was bumper to bumper as usual around airports. "…with all that we do for you…" his father's voice intoned. Tristan shifted slightly in his seat consciously tuning out the obligatory I'm really a good father lecture. This was an ongoing battle of wills between him and his parents. They were the jetsetters, flitting around the globe usually not with each other while he stayed at home with the maids and staff. They only paid attention to him when he was messing up and only then to put on the properly outraged façade that they were disappointed in his behavior. How contradictory. His parents had done worse things to him and each other for them to pass judgment on him but the society world turns.
"You're not listening even now Tristan! How you expect to get into Yale is beyond me…this kind of behavior only gets you so far…maybe military school will finally shape you up…I can't buy you out of all of your troubles!" His father ranted.
Oh yea…money…the root of all fury for his father…when it cost him money that's when he got angry…not as if it really mattered since they were rolling in it but whatever floats his boat.
"We're here sirs," called the voice of their driver.
Tristan shook his head and glanced up at the slightly cracked black tinted partition between the seats and nodded his head slightly.
This has to be one for the books…getting dropped off at the airport in a limo to go to military school Tristan thought.
"Come Tristan," his father said briskly as he led the way out of the door being held open by the concierge. He says that like I'm some kind of puppy or something 'Come Tristan...good boy' Asshole.
Tristan was a little surprised his father didn't just have the concierge unload his stuff and take off leaving Tristan in his dust…he was actually going to see him off!
Tristan grabbed his 1 allowed carryon- a black leather duffle bag and watched as his suitcase was loaded for check-in.
Watching his father nod to the driver he followed him inside wearily. His brain was slowly catching up to what was happening to him…he was being taken away from everything he knew…and dropped into a situation his lifestyle had nowhere near prepared him for.
The two men walked leisurely through the airport. Tristan's father dressed in a pair of tan dress pants, light blue shirt, tan coat and brown leather shoes and matching belt. The casual family man look Tristan thought cynically. Tristan was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans, a white and tan Lacoste shirt and his brown jacket. It smells a little like her he thought to himself reminiscing over the brief embrace he had shared with Rory the night before. He'd been 'restricted' from the outside world since yesterday...no phone, no email, no friends, he'd only been able to see his parents and baby sister. He hadn't even been able to talk to his grandfather until they were leaving this morning.
FLASHBACK
"I am disappointed in your decisions of late Tristan...I know that things have been rough on you with me being sick and with your parents being well themselves but you're better than this. Tristan had been eerily reminded of similar words being spoken from pouting lips with her blue eyes staring at him in an adorably conflicted way. I think this might just do you some good...get away from the negative influences in your life and come to appreciate your life.
"I appreciate my life it's just all the crap that comes with it that's the problem!" Tristan said incredulously. His grandfather was on a rare occasion not on his side...it hurt.
"Watch your tone Tristan! You appreciate your life but you take it for granted as well...I'm not saying this experience is supposed to make you and your parents see eye to eye on everything but it will make you grow up and realize that the time for childish games is nearing an end. TJ I want you to succeed...and with the way things have been going lately I see you getting farther and farther from your dreams and I don't want you to live with regrets."
Tristan sighed knowing his grandfather was probably the only one besides his sister and on very rare miniscule occasions his mom who cared about him. His grandfather truly wanted the best for him and his sister in all her 4 year old glory just wanted her 'Istan' to feel better.
END FLASHBACK
"Dugrey" a sharp voice called out.
Tristan looked up his thoughts momentarily interrupted. He saw a man standing with his father.
"Yea?" he asked walking to them after seeing the man looking at him.
"I'm Jason Webb your drill instructor and mentor at NC Military Academy at Alexandria." (AN: made up name and city—think near coast but in the Piedmont area but close to the mountains.)
"Oh, yea, I'm Tristan nice to meet you sir." Tristan replied. Jason's eyebrow rose and he glanced at Tristan's dad before nodding his head.
"Mr. Dugrey I can take it from here if you're ready…Tristan will get to call home when we check in but after that he has to stick to the rules for phone time…he has limited space but feel free to send him 'care packages' like most parents do just abide by the lists in the information pack on what's allowed and not…so, unless you have any other questions?" Jason asked.
Tristan's father shook his head. "No, no questions. Tristan…" his father said giving a tilt of his head.
"I know—behave, live up to the Dugrey standards and nothing less…I got it," Tristan replied in a sullen tone.
A few minutes later and Tristan was sitting on the plane in coach trying to get comfortable for the flight.
"Here, I figured you might want to look over some of this stuff before we got there since you're getting dropped in the deep end here," Jason said handing Tristan a folder with the school's coat of arms on the cover.
Opening the maroon folder Tristan found a map of the grounds…it showed the dorms, 'mess hall,' barbershop, canteen, athletic fields, obstacle courses, teachers quarters, and infirmary to name a few. The campus looked nice from the pictures if you discounted the torture device that was the obstacle course. It seemed to sit not too far from the mountains and had some rugged trails pictures showed cadets hiking on. Tristan sighed leaning his head back.
"I can't believe this is happening to me…they just shipped me off man…" Tristan said aloud before stopping himself.
Jason looked at him and shook his head. "Look man, I know how it is…I see kids come through this program every year just like you…most of them get bailed out by their parents after a few months but some don't. This whole thing is what you make of it kid…if you want to see this as another way to get back at whatever you have against your parents…by all means go ahead and try…but just know I'll make your life a living hell in the process."
"Is that supposed to be your way of saying…go along to get along…or is that some twisted pep talk?" Tristan snorted.
"Neither. It's the truth…it always starts out like this for the newbie's like you…you come here with a chip on your shoulder the size of Texas, but it's the ones who stop and think that turn this whole thing to their advantage man…now I'm going to sleep for the rest of the flight…you'd do well to try and memorize some of those rules now and brace yourself for transformation tomorrow."
"Transformation? Why don't I like the sound of that? Jason?" Crap.
Jason fluffed his airplane pillow and turned away slightly. "Read and let me sleep…you'll see when it happens…it's too late to turn back now anyways," he murmured.
Tristan's eyes widened at the ominous wording. He sat there thinking looking blankly out the window at the blue-grey expanse of the sky. Can this get any worse…what the hell? I should probably read this stuff…he said it 3 times so it must be important. Reading turned out to be a blessing and a curse all in the same breath. "Transformation is what!" he yelped glancing at Jason. He could swear he saw an irritatingly familiar smirk on the man's face much like his own infamous smirk.
He'd learn soon enough that when Jason smirked that was never a sign of good things to come.
AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone I hope you all enjoy this chapter just as much. I'm trying to show Tristan's views and experiences as well as Rory's but from different perspectives so I hope it's not too confusing switching point of view like this. Just so you know the image I get when I think of Tristan's dad is the guy from Grey's Anatomy that plays Dr. Mark Sloan…he's gorgeous and I figure an older Tristan has to be just as gorgeous as he is right? Haha. Review please!