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Chapter 5

"Rory?" Lorelai called through her daughter's locked bedroom door. "You've been in there all morning. Is everything ok?" She asked. Lorelai had noticed something was wrong when her daughter didn't even appear for Luke's pancakes.

"I'm fine." Rory said sitting on her bed. In reality, she was freaking out. How could she have agreed to a date with Tristan? And how was she going to tell her parents? Well her dad was going to find out when she took Tristan into the diner anyway. Why on earth had she been that stupid to suggest the diner?

"Rory..." Lorelai said in a voice that Rory knew all too well. It was the voice that her mom didn't believe a word she was saying.

Rory sighed and went and unlocked the door, finding her mom standing outside. "Where's Katie and LJ?" She asked looking round hoping it would distract her mom. But also she could remember hearing them that morning.

"Diner." Lorelai said. "Your dad offered to take them so I could talk to you."

Rory groaned. "Dad was worried too?" She cringed.

"Hon, we were both worried. You don't normally lock yourself in your room all morning and you definitely don't miss your chance of having pancakes for breakfast." Lorelai said.

Rory sighed.

"What's going on?" Lorelai asked.

Rory glanced up at her mom and knew she had to tell her. "You won't like it..."

"I'd still rather know." She said.

"I…have a date…" Rory said, sighing and going back to sit on her bed.

Lorelai was surprised. "A date? Uh ok..." She said trying to get her mind round the fact that her 16 year old daughter was obviously now interested in boys. She pushed aside what had happened to her that age and slowly went and sat down next to her. "With who?" She asked.

"Tristan..." She said.

"Really? I thought you hated that guy..." Lorelai said although she did remember back to the party last night.

Rory shrugged. "I don't know what to think anymore. He can annoy the hell out of me and be the most inconsiderate cocky egomaniac ever but then other times..."

"Other times what?"

"He can be really sensitive and nice. I told him about Grandma and he just hugged me and said sorry. He just...he has two sides to him and I don't know what to think anymore." Rory admitted.

"Ok...well if you were in two minds, why did you agree to go on a date with him?" Lorelai asked.

"Because of the stupid bet…" She muttered.

"Ok you've lost me now." Lorelai said completely confused.

Rory sighed. "That test, the one I got a D on. At the beginning of the week, we bet that if I got a higher grade than him, he would stop bothering me every day. If he beat me, he would get me to go out for a coffee with him. And I well, you know, lost..."

Lorelai couldn't help but smile. "And you never go back on a deal." She understood.

Rory shrugged. "He won, fair and square. At first I said no and amazingly once I'd had my freak out, he said to forget about it. But I don't know. Yesterday was fun and before I knew it, I was asking him if he wanted coffee at the diner."

Lorelai smirked at that. "Your dad's diner?"

"I know! How stupid was that? Dad's going to be glaring at him all the time. Not the brightest idea of mine." Rory groaned.

"Ok you have to calm down." Lorelai said finally.

Rory glanced at her. "You're not mad? I thought you'd freak out…" She admitted.

"About you going on a date?" She asked.

Rory nodded. "I just thought you'd be worried about me going out with a boy..."

Lorelai sighed. "Sweets, I'm always going to worry about you. That's my job as a mom." She said. "But I knew this time would come at some point. I didn't expect you to live like a nun forever... though I'm sure your dad had other ideas." She joked.

Rory smirked at that. "I'm sorry..."

"No you don't need to be sorry. I'm just glad you told me what was bothering you. I was thinking all sorts!" Lorelai said.

"So what should I do?" Rory asked.

Lorelai took a deep breath. "Do you like Tristan? Like in that way?"

"I don't know." Rory admitted. "I guess even when he's been annoying, I'm still thinking about him. I kind of like the rhythm we've gotten into. The banter, I guess, is fun. And then he can be really nice at times too."

"It sounds like you may have some feelings there then." Lorelai said gently.

"I guess...maybe… but I'm Rory. I'm the girl who gets hit in the head with a volleyball because I was too focused reading my book than paying attention to what the guys were doing. I don't get feelings for boys…or maybe I do" Rory admitted.

"Well maybe you should take him to Weston's instead of the diner. Let me warn your dad first." She joked.

Rory chuckled. "That might be a good idea." She agreed.

"What time are you meeting him?"

"About 1, I think."

"Ok, well you better get ready then and I'll give you a lift." Lorelai said getting up to leave to let her get changed.

"Mom…" Rory said.

"Yeah?"

"What should I wear?" She asked with slight panic.

Lorelai smiled. "What are your options?" She asked.

As they drove over to the square, Rory glanced over at her mom. "What are you going to tell Dad?" She asked nervously.

"Oh hon, I can't keep this from him." Lorelai said.

"I know. I just...he's going to freak, I know he will." Rory said worried.

"Just like you thought I would?" Lorelai smirked.

Rory had to smile at that. "Yeah but he definitely is going to freak."

Lorelai sighed. "Well to him, you're still his baby girl." She said sadly.

"I know..." Rory sighed.

Lorelai glanced over at her daughter. "Do me one favour ok?"

"Anything." Rory said.

"Just be careful ok? If things go well and well they, you know, progress and you two start dating, just promise me you'll be careful." She said.

Rory nodded understanding her mom's desire in not repeating history. "I promise."

Lorelai nodded and looked back at the road as they drove into the square. "Oh looks like he's here already." She said nodding towards Weston's where Tristan was standing outside of.

Rory suddenly felt flutters as she saw him. "Yeah..." She said not realising her smile or how her face immediately went soft.

Lorelai smiled. "Look, even if it doesn't go well, at least you tried right?" She said understanding her nerves.

"I guess..." Rory said. She leant across to kiss her mom on the cheek. "Thanks mom." She said. She then took a deep breath and got out the jeep.

Lorelai watched as her daughter walked over to Tristan and then watched as they disappeared into Weston's. She then let out the breath she was holding. Of course her daughter starting to date and liking boys worried her. She couldn't help it but she knew she had to stay calm for Rory's sake. She couldn't freak out like her own mother did because then Rory would start sneaking around behind her back and she definitely didn't want that. She parked the jeep outside the diner and then went inside. She had to smile when she saw her kids trying to help out Luke. Katie was at the register and LJ was walking around trying to take orders in his little baseball cap.

"Mommy!" He beamed as he spotted her, completely forgetting about the conversation Miss Patty was trying to have with him, and ran and jumped into her arms.

"Hey sweetheart! Trying to help daddy again?" She grinned.

"I take orders!" LJ said proudly.

"Wow that is a responsible job!" Lorelai laughed walking up to the counter, smiling over at Katie who grinned back.

Luke then came out of the kitchen. "Oh hey!" He smiled at his wife.

"Hey back. You know there are rules about child labour you know?" She joked.

"They wanted to help!" Luke said.

Lorelai grinned. "Well that's because they want to be like you, you're their hero." She didn't miss that proud smile that appeared on his face. "So...uh...I found out what was wrong with Rory." She said.

"Really? What was it? Is she ok?" Luke asked concerned.

"It was to do with a boy." She said nonchalantly. One, two, three... She counted in her head.

"Wait what? A boy? What boy? I swear if he's done anything..." Luke started ranting.

"Luke, relax." Lorelai said. "She was freaking about a date. She's completely fine. She's not been hurt."

Luke calmed down a little but he was still worried. "She's got a date?" He asked.

"Yep." Lorelai said innocently holding out her empty mug to him.

Luke absentmindedly filled it up. "With who?"

"Tristan. You know that guy who was at the party last night." Lorelai said.

"You mean the guy that she says she hates?" Luke exclaimed. "I thought he annoyed the hell out of her?"

"He does but it doesn't mean she doesn't like him. I annoyed the hell out of you remember? You still liked me." She pointed out.

Luke groaned. "So when's the date?" He asked.

"Right now." Lorelai said.

"What?"

"Yep they're at Weston's as we speak." Lorelai said. "And don't even think of going there to spy on them."

"But..."

Lorelai reached over and put her hand over his. "Hon, I know it's hard. Trust me, I wasn't exactly filled with joy when she told me but the thing that matters is that she did tell me. Would you prefer she snuck around with him behind our back?" She said softly.

Luke sighed. "I guess not." He said grudgingly.

"We need to trust her. I know it's hard but we knew this would happen at some point." Lorelai pointed out.

"I just wish it wasn't this soon." He admitted.

"You wanted her to wait until she was 30?" Lorelai smirked.

"Yes, maybe even older." Luke said dryly.

Lorelai smirked.

"I swear if he hurts her, I'll kill him." Luke grunted.

"And I will be right behind you in that queue." Lorelai smiled. "But right now, we need to trust her."

"I do trust her." He said.

"She's promised me that she'll be careful. I believe her, Luke. She wants to go to Harvard. She won't want to jeopardise that. And if Tristan really cares about her, he won't jeopardise that either." Lorelai said.

Luke sighed.

Lorelai smiled and leaned across the counter to give him a kiss. "You know Rory loves you right? She respects you so much. Let's give this guy a chance ok?"

"Fine… but I still don't like any of this." He grunted in defeat.

As Rory walked over to Tristan, she saw that trademark smirk appear on his face. "Hey Mary..."

She rolled her eyes at his continuous taunt of a nickname. "Hey." She smiled.

"So...Shall we?" He asked gesturing to the door to Weston's.

"Uh oh yeah sure…" Rory said.

"So why the change of location?" Tristan asked as they lined up to get their coffee.

"Because I didn't exactly want my dad watching us the whole time." She admitted. She got a piece of cake to go with her coffee and then they went to sit at a table in the corner furthest away from the window, to make it harder for certain prying eyes. She didn't really know what to say once she had sat down. She had never felt this awkward with Tristan before. She glanced up at him and before he could say anything she blurted out, "I nearly didn't come today."

"Really? Why?" Tristan asked.

"I freaked out." Rory admitted.

"Why?" He asked cocking an eyebrow.

Rory suddenly started to have doubts. Maybe this was just getting coffee to him? Had she got this wrong and he didn't see this as a date? "Well...uh...oh god I feel stupid now. I thought this...you, me...I thought...is it a date?"

Tristan smirked at her rambling.

"Ok forget I said anything. I obviously got it wrong..." Rory said suddenly really embarrassed, looking back down at her food.

"Do you want it to be a date?" Tristan asked.

Rory looked up at him. "I don't know." She admitted. "What counts as a date? I haven't exactly done this before."

Tristan shrugged. "Me either." He said. He could have laughed at the shock on Rory's face. "I mean dating...I haven't really dated before. Sure I've hung out with girls and stuff but nothing serious."

"But you wanted to do the dating thing with me?" Rory asked hesitantly.

"You're different to all the other girls. You're smart, you're funny, and you're beautiful. I knew I couldn't be my normal idiot self with you. I didn't want to be. I guess you sort of changed how I wanted myself to be. You made me realise there was more to just silly little hookups." He admitted.

Rory was taken aback by his honesty. "Really?"

"I know I have a reputation at school. I know people have probably warned you off me. But I really like you, Rory. I don't want to mess you around. I think we could have something good together." He said.

Rory could tell he was being sincere. "You do know my name." She said with a little smirk.

Tristan smirked. "Never said I didn't know it."

Rory rolled her eyes. "So I guess the gentlemen pays on the first date then, right?" She smirked.

Tristan chuckled. "That is the tradition." He nodded. He looked across at her trying to gauge her expression. "So this is a date then?" He wanted to confirm.

Rory shrugged. "Well when you're not being an arrogant jerk, you are sort of okay." She joked.

"Praise indeed." He chuckled.

Rory looked up and locked eyes with him and she couldn't stop herself blushing.

They continued chatting and Rory started to relax in his company and enjoy herself.

"So your parents? They know about us?" Tristan asked.

"I told my mom." Rory said. "Like I said, I sort of freaked out this morning and she wouldn't leave until she got it out of me. I think she was going to tell my dad."

"And your dad isn't going to take it well?" Tristan asked hesitantly. He'd remembered what Jess had said at the party.

Rory sighed. "He's just really overprotective. I didn't exactly have the most normal of childhoods and it was just me, him and my Grandma for so long."

Tristan frowned. "What about your mom?"

Rory glanced down at her food.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." He said.

"No it's ok. I guess you'll find out sooner rather than later anyway." She said. She let out a breath. "I didn't know my mom until I was 7." She said.

"What, how?" Tristan asked.

"My grandparents, my mom's parents, had me adopted behind my mom's back when I was a newborn." She said quietly.

"Wow…" Tristan said shocked.

"Obviously I don't remember it personally but apparently the lady who was taking me to my new family got into a car crash on the way there. She died on the scene. Dad was the one who found us." She said.

"So your dad adopted you?"

"Yeah…after fighting social services to let him do so. I guess he was attached from the beginning."

"So he's not your...uh...biological dad? I thought he was just looking from the pictures I saw in your locker…" He asked cautiously.

Rory smirked. "That's when the plot thickens. It was the weirdest bit of fate ever. My mom spent 7 years searching for me only to find we had been in the same town all that time. She worked and lived at the local inn that's on the edge of town so she didn't really come into the square much." She explained. "Anyway, long story short, my parents had met before at a party 16 years ago. When they first met here, obviously they didn't recognise each other but old photos jogged their memories."

"I'm guessing that party resulted in you?" Tristan said.

"Yep." Rory said.

"Wow..." He said. "That is a weird bit of fate, your real dad had to adopt you...that bit is a little funny."

"Anyway, they got together, got married and here we are." Rory said. "So to answer your first question, I guess that's why my dad's so overprotective. Because it was literally just him and me for 7 years."

"Makes sense." Tristan nodded.

"But once he gets to know you, I'm sure he'll like you. And buy my mom a cup of coffee and you've already won with her." She joked.

Tristan chuckled. "Duly noted."

Rory thought for a moment. "I wouldn't change my life for anything though, you know? I know for the first 7 years I had no idea who my mom was but I was happy. My dad gave me an amazing life. And then when mom appeared and I got to know her, it was even better. I wouldn't change anything." She smiled.

Tristan smiled. "That's good."

They finished their cake and coffees and Rory stood up. "Come on, I want you to meet them." She said.

"Really?" Tristan said hesitantly. He'd never met any girl's parents before. Not like this.

"Really." Rory smiled feeling more relaxed and confident. "Please? Plus you need to try one of dad's burgers."

Tristan nodded. "Ok. If you're sure your dad won't kill me?" He joked.

Rory grinned. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

"What if he poisons the burger?"

"Urgh I'm telling him to trust you, so why don't you trust him?"

Lorelai was sitting at the counter with Katie and LJ, having lunch, when she saw Luke's gaze go towards the window and he saw his jaw clench. She looked back and saw Rory and Tristan walking towards the diner. She turned back round to her husband. "Be nice." She warned.

"But..."

"Luke, please." Lorelai said. "For me. For Rory." She said softly.

Rory and Tristan then entered the diner and Rory suddenly felt a bit nervous when she saw her parents turn to them. "Hi..." She said. "Uh...I told Tristan that he should try one of the burgers here."

"Of course. That is a necessity. You can't come here and not have a burger...or coffee, try the coffee, it's to die for." Lorelai smiled.

Rory smiled gratefully at her mom and walked towards the counter. "Oh uh, mom, dad, this is Tristan. Tristan, these are my parents." She said introducing them properly.

"Nice to meet you." Tristan said politely.

"You too." Lorelai smiled. She glanced at her husband and gave him a look.

"Yeah…uh…nice to meet you. I'll just go get that burger." He said disappearing off to the kitchen.

Rory let out a breath and smiled at her mom. "Thanks." She whispered.

"For what?"

"For whatever you said to him."

"I just threatened to let LJ dress like him every day." She grinned.

Rory smirked. "Seriously though. Thanks."

"He loves you, hon." She smiled.

Rory smiled. "Oh is Grandma upstairs?" She asked.

"Yeah I think so." Lorelai nodded.

"Come on." She smiled turning to Tristan. "There's someone else I'd like you to meet." She said grabbing his hand and leading him upstairs.

Luke appeared from the kitchen with the burger. "Where'd they go?" He said.

"Upstairs." Lorelai said.

"Upstairs? To do what?!"

Lorelai had to laugh. "Sure hon, like they would do stuff up there with your mom right there."

Luke felt stupid, forgetting for a nanosecond that his mom was up there. "Oh...yeah.."

"Geez relax Luke! He seems nice, don't you think?" Lorelai said.

Luke just shrugged. "No one is good enough for her."

Lorelai just smiled. And no one will ever be…

Meanwhile upstairs Rory knocked on the door of the apartment before entering. "Grandma?" She said.

Katherine looked up from the couch. "Rory!" She smiled. "I didn't know you were coming today."

"I wanted you to meet someone." Rory said giving her a hug. "Grandma, this is Tristan. He's my…uh..friend…" Rory hesitated realising they hadn't exactly talked about what to call each other yet.

He smiled at Katherine. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

"It's lovely to meet you too." Katherine smiled. She winked at Rory knowing there was a more than friends vibe to this. "Rory didn't tell me she had a good looking guy friend."

Rory blushed.

Katherine smirked to show her she was teasing. "Well it's lovely to meet you Tristan."

"I...uh...I'm sorry about you...uh… being sick and everything...Rory kind of told me at school…" Tristan said cautiously.

Katherine smiled sadly. "Thank you."

"I sort of freaked out at school and ended up telling him." Rory said apologetically.

"It's ok." Katherine assured her. "I'm glad you have someone to talk to." She smiled.

Rory gave her a sad smile.

"Yeah, I know what it's like to have someone so close to you go through this. It sucks." Tristan said.

"Sounds like you talk from experience." Katherine said.

"Uh yeah...my grandfather." Tristan admitted. "I...lost him last year."

Rory was surprised. "Oh Tristan, I'm so sorry!" She said.

"I don't really talk about it much." He said. He glanced at Katherine. "Sorry, I shouldn't talk about this here."

"No it's ok." Katherine said. "I'm sorry about your grandfather. Were you close?" She asked sympathetically.

"He was more a father figure to me than my dad ever will be." He said.

"Tristan..." Rory said quietly.

"It's fine." He said giving him a small smile. "He was..uh..ready to go you know?."

Rory glanced at her Grandma and gave her a sad smile.

"Well I'm glad you two have each other." Katherine said. "Life's too short. Promise me you'll both grab it with both hands." She said.

Rory nodded. "I promise." She said quietly, while Tristan nodded.

"Good. Now let's talk about something else. How did your dad react?" She asked Rory, her eyes twinkling.

Rory smirked. "Well he didn't kill him…yet" She joked.

"Wow that is impressive." Katherine laughed. "Come on, I've got some cookies in the cupboard somewhere. Come and sit while I try and find them." She smiled, happy to spend some time with her granddaughter and get to know her probably soon to be boyfriend.

Later that afternoon, Rory walked Tristan out of the diner and walked him to his car. She was glad at how the day had gone. Her parents had been nice to Tristan, her dad more grudgingly so but she was happy nonetheless. They then spent the best part of the afternoon chatting with her Grandma and she was happy to see her and Tristan get on. Her opinion meant so much to her.

"So today was nice…" Rory smiled as they reached his car.

"Yeah it was. Your family's great." Tristan smiled.

Rory smiled. "Thanks. I…I guess I'll see you at school." She said not really knowing how to end a date.

Tristan smirked. "Rory..."

"Yeah?"

Tristan just leant forward and kissed her gently on the lips. "Thought I'd show you how much I enjoyed today." He joked as he pulled away.

Rory blushed. "Well now I know." She smiled.

"See you at school." He smirked as he got into his car. "Mary." He added before driving off.

Rory couldn't get the giddy smile off her face as she watched his car disappear from sight. She had no doubts now. She was definitely falling for Tristan.

So that's it for this chapter! Hope you liked it! I know it's been a lot of Tristan and Rory lately but I promise there will be more of everyone in the next chapters! :) Please keep your reviews coming as I love hearing what you think and they really do motivate me so thanks! :)