Disclaimer: I own nothing.
AN: Major Trory action here
"Where you going?" Rory asked looking up from her book as Tristan headed for the front door dressed in dark washed jeans and a collared pull over sweater.
"Out," he replied snippily.
"Tristan seriously? It's been a week and I just want to know where you're going. Can you at least cut the silent treatment long enough to give me that?" Rory asked frustrated. He's infuriating. Why can't he just let this Ayden thing go?
"Fine, I'm going on a date Hayden," he replied with her back to her before grabbing his coat and leaving. The slam of the door behind him caused Rory to frown. "I think I liked the silent treatment better," Rory said to the empty room throwing her book onto the table.
Hands over my head, thinking
"What else could go wrong?"
Would've stayed in bed,
how can the day be so long?
Tristan sighed as he slammed the door behind him and threw his coat on furiously. He hated that she could make him like this. In the period of the week he decided he wasn't going to talk to Rory, his feelings grew out of his own control. His jealousy was unbearable and he finally had to admit to himself that he was falling for his best friend. Again.
But for the time being, until he could calm down a little, he felt much better completely ignoring her. This date he had set up was just another distraction so that he wouldn't have to be stuck in a house. It was some random girl, Kenzie, he met at the coffee shop and was taking out. She was cute, blonde hair and about a foot shorter than him. But of course, she wasn't Rory.
She lived in a building right across the street and they had picked a nearby restaurant, so it was no time before he found himself sitting across from the Boston University student, listening to her drone on about how she had decided to go Vegan after seeing Legally Blonde 2. Tristan always seemed to attract these girls, the ones without much substance, the ones who had little quirks that would remind him of Rory only to realize that no one could ever replace Rory in his heart.
"So what do you think?" Kenzie asked him, looking up with expectant eyes. Tristan grasped for words that would save him from looking like a complete ass, not that he really cared for her opinion. Luckily, he was saved by the waiter.
"Hey guys my name's Ayden and I'll be your server today can I start you off with something to drink?" He asked paying no attention to his customers as he tried to flip to a clean page on his note pad. Looking up he was met by a blonde twirling her hair around her finger and Tristan Dugrey with his eyes set in a death stare. "…because I could sure use one right about now," Ayden added, mumbling.
"I'll have a club soda with lime please," Kenzie ordered and Ayden nodded as he wrote it down. He turned his attention to Tristan who remained as straight faced as before.
"Do you guys serve 'Deep Dark Secrets'," he asked toying with his menu. Ayden sighed, "Never heard of it."
"Oh really? What about 'Pink Faced Liars'," Tristan tried again raising his voice a little higher.
"No, sorry," Ayden replied grinding his teeth not letting Tristan get to him.
"Dirty Sex?" Tristan urged on. Ayden frowned in response. "Well what do you recommend, Ayden, I'm sure you're an expert on drinks. I really wanna get wasted you know? Do something I'll regret," he said with a smirk.
"Might I suggest a Jealous Queen?" Ayden replied quickly. "Actually, I look at you and think, 'Absolut Asshole', so I'll get you one right away," he corrected with a sarcastic smile leaving Tristan seething and Kenzie confused out of her mind.
"Uh… do you guys know each other?" she asked.
"You can say that," Tristan replied offhandedly while looking at his menu. His tone convinced Kenzie to ask no more.
Ayden returned shortly with the drinks, gently placing Kenzie's down with a smile and slamming Tristan's down in front of him. "So you guys all set or do you need a couple more minutes looking at the menu?"
"I think we're good," Kenzie said nicely. "I'll have the spinach salad please, hold the feta." Ayden nodded.
"Rib eye, with a side of the bacon mashed potatoes and a baked potato with sour cream and butter," Tristan said shoving his menu into Ayden's hands, not realizing the offended looks Kenzie was giving him.
"Tristan, I don't know if I could stomach watching you eat all of that," Kenzie whispered to him holding on to her menu and forcing Ayden to stay.
"Why?" Tristan asked rudely, making it apparent he missed her whole animal rights spiel. Kenzie stared at him with her mouth agape before shaking her head and getting up, grabbing her purse and coat, "I just remember I have somewhere I have to be. Goodbye Tristan," she said storming out in disgust.
Ayden chuckled as he watched the girl leave the restaurant. "Good job asshole," Ayden said to Tristan who glared at him. But Ayden knew Tristan better than that. Beneath his glare he saw the unmistakable look of pain.
"Oh come on man you didn't actually have feelings for her did you?" Ayden asked Tristan, who ignored him and started to get money out to pay for the drinks. "Or is this about Rory?"
"Oh you would know all about Rory wouldn't you Dennison?" Tristan said standing up to look Ayden in the eyes.
"Tristan, can you quit this bullshit? There's nothing between me and Rory. If you keep acting the way you are with her you're gonna force her back into the Ice Princess mode," Ayden said seriously.
"She can handle it," Tristan replied coldly.
"She was handling it because of you, but if you keep treating her like shit then what's stopping her?"
Tristan blinked, he didn't like it when Ayden had a point.
"And face it, you're not mad because she hid it from you. You're mad because you're jealous. You can't stand the fact that you have to look in the face the guy who slept with the girl that you're pining for."
Tristan opened his mouth to come up with an excuse but none came out. "Go back home and go talk to her Tristan," Ayden advised. "Don't build up your list of regrets."
Tristan clenched his jaw. He knew Ayden was right. He couldn't bring himself to be mad at Rory or Ayden anymore because in his heart of hearts he knew he desperately needed Rory as much as she needed him. "This must be what an epiphany feels like," Tristan mumbled and Ayden couldn't help but smile.
"Thanks man," Tristan said holding a hand out. Ayden nodded and took it, doing a man hug with Tristan. "I'm sorry man… I just…"
"Don't worry about it Tristan," Ayden replied, "I gotta get back to work… but give me a call, let me know how things work out alright?"
Tristan nodded and left a 50 dollar tip before sprinting out of the restaurant and back to his apartment. He was certainly throwing caution to the win, he was going to pour his heart out to Rory and he didn't care what the outcome would be; he just knew that he had to get this off his chest.
Never believed that things happen for a reason
But how this turned out, removed all my doubts,
So believe, that for you I'd do it all over again
Do it all over again
All I went through, led me to you
So do it all over again, for you
-
After Tristan stormed out of the apartment Rory was left staring at the same word in her book for a good ten minutes due to a familiar, unwelcome feeling rising up in her chest. It was a feeling she knew well, the wrenching pain in the chest that made her want to puke, but the soreness in her throat she knew was just a sign of tears threatening to fall. It was like a punch in the stomach, telling her something was terribly wrong. It was jealously.
"Shit!" she exclaimed throwing her book on the ground in frustration. How could I have let this happen? I'm supposed to be hurting and in pain over Logan; I'm not supposed to be jealousy over Tristan. And thinking about how nice it is in his arms… and falling in love with him… "Oh my god!" Rory yelled louder not believing what she was thinking.
She got up and started pacing around her and Tristan's living room, trying to figure out what the hell she was going to do about this. She picked up her cell phone and dialed a number that she should've dialed a long time ago.
Rory bit her lip nervously as the phone rang. Finally a comforting voice came on, "Rory? Is everything okay?"
"Mom! Yeah I'm fine, everything thing is fine!" she exclaimed quickly, assuring her mom didn't take things the wrong way.
On the other end of the line Lorelai looked at the phone surprised. Rory hadn't been the one to call her since the break up nor had she ever spoke with such emotion. Covering the speaker, she turned to Chris who was looking at her concerned after hearing Rory's ringtone. "She's fine but… she kind of sounds… happy?" Chris stared back at her excitedly, but confused. Lorelai quickly put Rory on speaker. "You're on speaker," she quickly informed.
"Listen," Rory sighed, "I know I haven't been me for a while now, and I'm more than sorry that I let everything get in the way of us."
"Rory, it wasn't completely your fault… we haven't exactly been there as much as we should have been," Chris admitted. And it was true. Ever since Rory and Tristan's senior year, the four of them: Chris, Lorelai, Liz, and Eric had been taking care of their family businesses, inadvertently becoming the type of parents they always promised they would never me: Society Parents. "Hun, we've honestly missed you and Tristan and all of your friends so much…"
"Lorelai…" Christopher scolded. "You know the non-asshole… uh ones…" Lorelai tried to correct.
Rory couldn't help but laugh despite the sting she felt from memories of how things used to be. "Mom… it's okay. Finn helped me get over things…"
"Finn?" Both her parents exclaimed.
"Yeah, tall Australian," Rory mentioned absentmindedly, "But that's not why I called. I called to talk about something…"
"Oh my god she's pregnant!" Chris exclaimed jumping up out of his seat. "What?" Rory exclaimed over the phone. "God Dad no! No!"
Lorelei laughed. "Excuse your father, he's been a little high strung lately from all of the business deals," she explained while shooing Chris out of the room before he had a heart attack. "So what's the matter hun?"
Rory fiddled with the hem of her shirt not really knowing how to put it… without sounding desperately ignorant. "I uh…"
Lorelai smirked. Despite their long term separation, she was still a mother with the gift of motherly intuition. "There's someone new isn't there? And you're feeling bad because you no longer feel bad?"
If Lorelai had seen Rory's shocked face she would've had her answer. "It's something like that… " Rory replied uneasily.
"Sweetheart, honestly, you've spent more than enough time wallowing and feeling bad. You've felt bad for yourself, for your friends, for him. I think it's time that you finally feel good for yourself again. I know you probably don't want to hear that. I know it would probably easier for you if I told you that you should talk to Logan or something… but you've spent a long enough time. Honestly, I would be more concerned if didn't have feelings for someone new," Lorelai rambled.
Rory opened her mouth to protest but found no words because she knew her mother was right. She couldn't run from it and she shouldn't even want to. She was about to voice her agreement when she heard the door slam into the wall from the force of being opened. She jumped and turned to see Tristan barge through out of breath. "Mom, you're right, I'll call you right back. I gotta go bye," she said hanging up despite her mom protesting on the other end.
Tristan stormed in to find Rory jumping to face him her phone pressed again her ear. She said something he didn't acknowledge before hanging up and staring at him in silence. There was a look in her eyes Tristan didn't recognize that was quickly changed into hardness.
"How was your date?" Rory asked coldly walking past him and into the kitchen. He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. He was over being mad at her now, and found her anger extremely entertaining.
"Very enlightening," he admitted. Rory scowled. "That's nice," she replied.
"Rory, look at me," Tristan said forcefully, grabbing her arm to pull her from the fridge and look at him. Although she turned she kept her eyes on the ground, refusing to let him see her eyes… because if he did she knew that the cat was out of the bag.
"I'm sorry for being mad at you for so long, and I'm sorry for the silent treatment," he admitted running a hand through her hair. Rory said nothing in reply.
"I was mad at you for the wrong reasons," he added. "I was mad at you… because"
"I was mad at you because I was jealous. I was mad at you because I wanted it to be me," he continued, "I was mad you because deep down… I want you to be mine," he finished. That's what it took for Rory to look up at him, her eyes swimming with emotion.
"Tristan…" Rory whispered.
"And I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way… but you deserved to know why …" but he was cut off by her lips on his. The kiss was soft, but lingering, undemanding, but meaningful. There was no denying the sparks it ignited deep within both of them. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his hands on her hips pulling him closer. After a sufficient amount of time, they pulled apart, slowly opening their eyes to look at each other, slightly out of breath from the rush of adrenaline pulsing through their veins.
"I've always been yours," Rory replied seriously. "There is never anyone who can take your spot in my heart Tristan, you know that."
Tristan ran a hand through her hair and smiled at her, "I want to be with you Rory."
"You already have me Tristan, I'm yours," Rory replied with a smile before their lips met once again in a kiss.
Oh, who ever thought a day gone so wrong
Would turn out so lovely?
I'm so glad I found you
Even though the day went so wrong
I wouldn't change a thing
Oh I'd do it, I'd do it all over again
All I went through, led me to you
So do it all over again
I'd do it all over, I'd do it all over
I'd do it all over, for you, for you
All I went through, led me to you
So do it all over again
"You need to apologize to her," Steph said as Colin rubber her feet, "she's really hurt."
"Sure I'll apologize to Lexy," Colin said causing Steph to look up surprised, "After she stops being a bitch about Rory." Stephanie sighed.
"Colin, listen Rory's my friend too… one of my bests. But you have to understand that Lexy doesn't know Rory like we do. She doesn't understand."
"So she doesn't understand loyalty?" Colin shot back.
Stephanie scoffed. "Oh what so you'll crucify her for suggesting that this Rory, Logan thing has gone on for too long but you won't realize the responsibility Huntz has this whole thing happening in the first place?" she asked pulling her feet from his lap to stand up.
"They're two completely different situations Steph!" Colin said exasperated, he couldn't believe they were getting in a fight about two separate fights. Did that even make sense?
"But the principle of the matter is the same for both of them!" she yelled back. "You defend Logan because he misinterpreted the meaning of the situation, but you get mad at Lexy for not understanding our relationship with Tristan and Rory? You're can't do that!" Stephanie fumed. She knew that technically she was defending Lexy on her outburst about her best friend Rory, but she was hoping more that she could finally get Colin to see that Logan was wrong. "You have to pick, if you support Logan against Rory, then you have to support Lexy against Rory too," Stephanie said hoping he picked the right answer.
Colin opened his mouth with a look defeat that gave Stephanie the hope that maybe he would be taking Rory's side against Logan. However, his mouth shut as soon as it opened and he grabbed his keys from the coffee table, heading for the door with his coat.
"Where are you going?" Stephanie asked him.
"To apologize to Lexy," Colin replied seriously and Stephanie frowned. So much for that.