Rory stopped the engine of her car and closed her eyes as she took deep breaths. It was the first day of her Junior year at Chilton. The summer had gone by very quickly for Rory, too quickly if you asked her. Most of her time was spent at the inn helping her mother and annoying Michel. She lifted her head and looked at the students entering Chilton’s main door. They laughed and hugged each other like all old friends do. Rory sighed as she was reminded of how much she did not fit into this environment. She thought about that a lot over the summer. No matter how much she wanted to fit in she couldn’t. She was afraid of being sucked into the world of superficiality. She was afraid that by hanging around people who she thought were shallow that she too would become one of them. But by taking this stance she realized that she wasn’t giving anyone a chance. Rory was more terrified of being rejected than anything else, so she chose to not let her fellow students into her life. Rory thought that she was happy with what she had already. But things change and she realized that she couldn’t go through life alienating everyone she met. She never judged a book by its cover, so she’s shouldn’t judge people by the environment in which they were raised. Last night she decided that she was going to start over, like all of her sophomore year had been just a dream. Everyone’s slate would be wiped clean. She was going to make friends this year, if for no other reason than to save her sanity. Rory grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat and got out of her car. She exhaled quickly and smoothed out her skirt before making her way to Chilton’s entrance. She said hi to the few people you noticed her as she made her way to her locker. Paris was already loading up her locker with various items when Rory made an appearance next to her. “Good morning Paris.” Rory said with a smile on her face as she put in her combination. Paris looked up at her like she had three heads before turning her attention back to her stuff. Her head was half buried in her backpack before she acknowledged Rory with a gruff hello. *At least it’s a start.* “I trust you had a good summer.” Rory was attempting to make small talk. “I did.... sometimes. Why are you talking to me?” Paris was looking straight into Rory’s eyes. It had hurt her to see Tristan fall all over himself to please Rory. She had been the new girl, the Mary, she wasn’t suppose to get all the attention. “I want to be your friend.” “After what happened at the end of last year I doubt that will happen.” “Nothing happened Paris. I don’t know why Tristan told you that I was going out with him, but I wasn’t then and I’m not now. I’m sorry if that hurt you, I never meant for you to get hurt. I just want to set out past differences aside and become your friend.” Paris eyed Rory critically. She had heard many things about Rory over the summer through the country club grapevine. She slowly held out her hand to Rory. “To making a new beginning?” Rory grabbed Paris’ hand and smiled as she shook it. “To making new beginnings.” “So Rory.... how was your summer?” “It was ok.” “I heard you got back together with that guy.” Paris revealed the knowledge that she actually knew Rory and Tristan weren’t an item. This took Rory by surprise. “I did.” “Did? As in past tense?” Rory dropped her head slightly as Paris touched upon a subject that she wished she could have avoided. “Well we broke up a few weeks ago.” “I’m sorry.” Paris felt genuine sympathy for Rory’s situation. “It’s ok. Things ended amicably. We’re still friends. Things just weren’t the same between us. So we decided it before someone was seriously hurt.” Rory was telling the partial truth. Things between Dean and herself had been different from the first time they were together. The first few weeks of their second try at a relationship had been blissful to say the least. But then things became awkward. Rory had put up a wall and wasn’t letting Dean in. something was again holding her back from sharing in Dean’s love. It was that she was afraid of love anymore, but something else was holding her back. Rory could still not figure out what it was. Rory was the one who ended the relationship this time. Dean had seen it coming, so it was not to hard on him, though they thought of losing her did hurt. They decided to remain friends, though things were still strained at the moment. The two girls continued to talk about their summers to kill time before they had to head to their classes. It was in the middle of their discussion about Missile Defense Shield that they heard a loud bang on the locker behind Paris. Rory leaned out over Paris’ shoulder so that she could see what had caused the noise. She groaned to herself when she Tristan in a liplock with yet another one of his many makeout partners. He had the girl pressed between himself and the locker, with his hands on either side of her head. She looked him up and down, surprising herself that she was blatantly checking Tristan out. She groaned out load this time. Paris heard. “Wha.. what is it?” Rory merely motioned for Paris to turn around. Paris jumped back slightly at the sit of the lip dueling duo. Rory was the first to speak. “Enjoying yourself Mr. DuGray?” Tristan’s lips slowly came off the girl’s and he turned his head so that he could see Rory. Her head was tipped to one side as she looked questioningly at him. In his eyes she had never seemed more beautiful. He smirked before replying. “Immensely... care to join in?” Rory smiled. “Sorry. Three’s a crowd.” Tristan’s eyebrows raised in shock at her innuendo. Last year a comment like that would have never made it out of Rory’s mouth, and his offer would have made her turn a delightful shade of pink. Tristan smirked once more time before turning back to the blonde he had pressed against the locker. He gave her a quick kiss before whispering something in her ear that made her giggle. She kissed him on the nose and then flounced down the hall way. As soon as she was gone Tristan turned his attention back to Rory. He finally noticed Paris standing there. Her jaw locked in a sneer. “Morning Paris.” “Morning Tristan.” Paris scowled. It was to early for her to be seeing Tristan and his antics with the opposite sex. “How are we today Rory?” She placed her hands on her hips and beamed a smile at him. “Delightful. Perfectly delightful.” Things were changing. *** It was the end of the day and Rory was exhausted. Chilton didn’t believe that students should get summer amnesia. There was no class introductions or leeway. They dove right in. Piling on the homework and projects. Rory dragged her feet as she walked to her locker. *Coffee and a nice hot bubble bath.... while reading that Tolstoy. That’s my plan... ain’t no one getting in the way.* Once at her locker she leaned her head against the cool metal. Students rushed around her, chatting as they went. The sound was all garbled together as she tried to calm herself. Her day had actually not gone all that bad. She attempted to make a least some emotional contact with her fellow students. She ended up having three classes with Paris, but she couldn’t decide whether that would help or hurt her budding friendship with the girl. She also had a few classes with Tristan, but for some reason that didn’t bother all that much. Rory slowly pulled away from the locker and sighed in relief that her first day had not been disastrous. She opened her locker and began switching her books around, figuring out what would go and what would stay. Paris pulled up beside her. “Hey Rory.” Paris had an actual smile on her face. “Hi Paris. Good day?” “The best.” Paris smiled dreamily as she remembered lunch. “I’ll bet.” Rory hid her grin. She had witnessed quite an interesting scene earlier that day. Paris had been kind enough to invite Rory to her lunch table. Somewhere in the middle of her salad, a guy from the history class that she and Paris shared plopped right down at the table. Rory had no idea who he was. Paris introduced him as Robert. Robert had bid her a quick hello before turning his complete attention to Paris. He spoke to her and Rory had no idea what he said, but when he left Paris was in a full blush and had a beaming smile on her face. “So what did Robert say to you?” Rory peeked out at Paris from behind her locker door. “Oh nothing...hey, do you still want a column at the Franklin.” “Yeah. I’d love one.” “Good because one of my reporters pulled out. We’ll talk about the details later.” Paris shut her locker and was walking down the hall before she was stopped by Rory’s voice. “Thanks Paris.” “No problem.” “I’m glad that we’re starting over.” “Me too.” With that Paris turned around and walked down the hall. Unbeknownst to them Tristan had seen the entire conversation. He pushed away from the lockers and walked towards Rory. She shut her locker door, a book tucked underneath her arm. She began to walk down the hall, unzipping her backpack as she went. Tristan finally caught up to her and grabbed the book out of her hands just as she was about to put it in her bag. “Give it back!” Rory grabbed for it but Tristan yanked it out of her reach. “Good afternoon to you to Rory.” Rory threw her back over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips scowling at Tristan. “Good afternoon.” Her voice came out forced. “Now can I have my book back.” “No.” “And to think I was trying to give you a second chance.” She lunged for the book again but Tristan pulled it behind his back. “You were?” Tristan tipped his head the side, a smirk dancing upon his lips. “Yes.” Rory lunged for the book again, but Tristan backed up. “Well thank you Mary.” “Well you’re wasting that second chance with the way your acting right now, so I would change that attitude if I were you.” Rory’s attention was completely focused on a way to lunge and grab the book from Tristan’s hands. “I see. Let me ask you something. Why are you giving me this second chance?” Rory lunged again but Tristan dodged her advance with ease. “Because I believe in the good of man kind.” She grabbed for the book and whined when her pulled it away again. “No one is totally heartless..... but your beginning to make me rethink my philosophy.” “Be careful Mary. You wouldn’t want the mind of yours to burn out.” “Funny Tristan. I’m rolling on the floor over your remark.” “I’d like to see you rolling on the floor.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Rory sneered at him before jumping for the book again. They had been traveling down the hall the entire time, and now were standing at the top of the stairs. “If you wanted to jump me all you had to do was ask.” Tristan held his hands up and twirled around. Rory eyed the book in his outstretched arm. A twinkle in her eye. She saw her opportunity when he turned to face her again. He had let his guard down and Rory saw his vulnerability. She lunged for the book. He was shocked at her move and was caught off guard, and off balance. She ripped the book from his hands but at the same time cause him to lean backwards. She smiled triumphantly when the book was back in her possession, but the smile quickly faded when she saw him loose what little balance he had and tumble down the stairs. *** Rory watched in shock as Tristan bumped and twirled all the way down the stairs. Thumps echoed against the walls in the hall with each step he hit. Rory’s mouth was on the floor by the time Tristan landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, an odd popping sound vibrating through the room. Rory heard giggles and smirks from the other students who had seen the entire scene unfold. She ignored them as she stared down at Tristan’s limp form. She was about reach out to him and see if he was ok when a groan escaped his lips. He slowly opened his eyes to see Rory leaning over him. “Don’t touch me.” He swatted her hand away as he slowly sat up. “Fine.” She crossed her arms. “I was just trying to see if you were ok. You deserved it anyway. You were being a jerk.” “Thanks.” Tristan braced himself as he tried to stand up, but something felt wrong. Pain shot through his body and he collapsed onto the ground again with a loud moan. “Baby. Bruise your ego?” Tristan’s eyes bored into hers. “Not only that... but I don’t think my knee is normally that swollen.” Tristan and Rory’s eyes darted down to his right knee that was clearly swelling underneath his pants. Rory immediately dropped to her knees and began to slowly massage the swollen area. Her touch sent waves of pleasure coursing through Tristan’s body, they almost covered the pain. His breathing became erratic as Rory’s touch overwhelmed him. “If I had known that all I had to do was hurt my knee for you to play doctor, I would have fallen a long time ago.” Rory didn’t say a word but just glared at him, shooting daggers with her eyes. Tristan let out an ouch when she hit a tender spot. She muttered an apology. Tense minutes passed as Rory continued to massage his knee. Tristan just stared at her hunched form. Her dark fell in front of her delicate face. Tristan was about to reach out and brush a strand behind her ear when her entrancing voice broke his spell. “Do you think you can walk?” He withdrew his hand quickly and regained his cocky composure. “Hmmm.... let me think...my knee has apparently swelled to the size of a friggin grapefruit, and I have pain overwhelming my body... I really don’t think that I can walk.” “Fine.. with that attitude I’ll just leave you here, alone...” The halls had since cleared of students, “....on the floor to find your own way out.” Rory stood up and grabbed her bag and was heading out the door. “Wait.” Rory stopped at Tristan’s plea, but did not turn around. “I’m sorry.” She turned back to him quickly a huge smile on her face. “That’s more like it. Here, let me help you.” She bent down and but his right arm around her neck. The contact of his skin to hers sent shocks through her. She ignored them but was having trouble focusing on anything other than his breathing, and his sweet scent. They slowly stood up and Tristan leaned all of his weight on Rory. She walked very slowly and cautiously down the hall as Tristan limped beside her. When he almost fell again she but her arm around his lower back pulling him closer. Tristan drew in a quick breath as he felt her grab him. He tilted his head towards hers, their lips only inches apart. Rory stopped walking when she felt Tristan staring at her. “What?” *Damn... she caught me.* “Nothing.” He turned his attention back to the door. They ever so slowly made their way to her car. “Your car?” “Well.... I don’t know your car. What you have me do, make you walk to the hospital.” She opened the door for Tristan. He braced himself against the seat and was about to push himself up into the seat. Suddenly he found Rory crushed to his chest. His heart skip a beat when he felt her hands on him. Someone in there haste to get home had pushed Rory into him. His arms instinctively went around her pulling her closer to him. Her crystalline blue eyes stared deep into his, rattling him to the core. His heart skipped another beat. Rory’s breath caught in her chest. Neither one made a move to back away from the other. Tristan’s hands moved up into Rory’s loose hair and began slowly run through the soft strands. Rory’s eyes closed as she enjoyed his touch. Tristan took this as a sign of approval. He began lowering his lips to hers. Rory was shaken from her serene mood when she felt his warm breath upon his lips. *Rory! What the hell are you doing?* She jerked away from him. Tristan hid his disappointment as she walked around to the driver’s side of the car. He lifted himself in with his strong arms and gently began rubbing his throbbing knee. “You ok?” Rory asked as she saw his face grimace. “Just peachy.” Tristan placed an overly fake smile on his face. But the pain was more from the lack of Rory being in his arms, than from the pain in his knee. *** Rory slammed the breaks in front of the entrance to the ER. Tristan winced in pain as his knee slammed against the side of the door when Rory jerked the car to a stop. She didn’t notice his reaction as she climbed out of the car leaving the door wide open. “Stay right there.” She screamed at him as she ran through the doors. “No problem.” He called out to her, before saying to himself, “Where am I gonna go anyway?” Tristan stared through the doors awaiting the moment when Rory would return with an entourage of medical practitioners. Meanwhile inside the hospital Rory was looking around for someone to help her. She walked up to what appeared to be a nurse. The lady’s back was facing Rory when she finally spoke up. “Excuse me. Can you help me?” The nurse slowly turned around and Rory took a few steps back when she saw that the “nurse” was really a man with a beard in a costume. “Sure what do you need?” His voice was low and gruff as he openly eyed Rory. “Nevermind. I’m fine.” Rory turned on her heel and dashed down the hall until she skidded into someone in a lab coat. She almost barreled him over but her caught her by the shoulders and kept them up right. “Woah there. Slow down. Where are you in a hurry to?” The man looked at Rory’s hunched form as she tried to catch her breath. “I....need...help.” She sputtered out while gasping between breaths. She stood up and tried to speak but she was still more than little freaked out about the nurse dude. “My.... fri... Tristan... knee.. oww.” “Woah, woah. Calm down, breath and tell me what you need.” Rory took a deep breath and was about to dive into her story when she heard a voice behind her. “She wanted help for me.. but I’m fine.” Tristan was in a wheelchair being pushed by a guy a scrubs. Tristan gave Rory a little wave before he was wheeled into a room. She stood dumb founded for a moment before turning back to the doctor. “I’m good for now. Thank you.” She turned around and peeked her head into Tristan’s room. The same guy who had been pushing his wheelchair was now handing Tristan a hospital gown. Rory stepped into the room, Tristan’s back was still turned to her as he took of his jacket. He was leaning against the hospital bed for support. She let out a small cough just as he was about to take off his shirt. “Rory... I never knew that you were into voyeurism.” Tristan wiggled his eyebrows at her. “It’s not to late for me to take out that other knee, so I’d keep your mouth shut.” “As you wish my dear.” “Oh give it a break. Your ‘charm,’ as you like to call it has no effect on me.” “That may be so,” Tristan shrugged off his shirt and was disappointed when Rory didn’t react to the site of bare skin, “but I like to think it does none the less.” Though she showed no visible reaction to Tristan’s bare chest, Rory was a bit surprised that she felt her heart beat a little harder. *Hormones. Got to be the hormones. What normal girl wouldn’t get a bit jumpy when there’s a bare chested person of the male persuasion in close proximity. Definitely hormones.* “Rory. I’m taking off my pants now. You’re welcome to stay. But I have feeling that would not be you. So did you want something? Other than me of course.” He smirked again. “No I don’t want you. I actually wanted to know if you wanted me to call your parents.” Tristan groaned when she mentioned his parents and muttered something under his breath that she couldn’t make out. “What was that?” “Oh... nothing.” Tristan slipped his shoes off and tried to find a way to get on the bed without hurting his knee even more. Rory saw his look of concentration and walked over to him. She offered him her arm to lean so it was easier for him to scoot onto the bed. He looked at her oddly for a second. “What? My arm... offering to help.... take it.” Tristan scrunched his eyebrows one more time before finally letting her help him into bed. “So. Do you want me to call your parents or not?” Tristan leaned back against the pillows that were propped up. “Sure.” He gave Rory his number and she left the room in search of a pay phone. Suddenly a thought came to her mind. *MY CAR!* She dashed outside to find her car still in the spot she left it. Rory let out a sigh of relief. She quickly parked the vehicle and headed back inside. Rory found a phone in the waiting area and dialed Tristan’s number. It rang a few times and Rory was about to hang up when the answering machine picked up. “Hello. You have reached the DuGray resident. We are unable to come to the phone. Please leave a message after the tone. Thank you.” Rory waited for the beep and left a brief message informing Tristan’s parents of his whereabouts before dialing her own mother. Lorelai picked up on the second ring. “Independence Inn. Lorelai speaking how may I be of service?” “Mom.” “Rory honey. How are you?” “In the hospital.” “What!?!” Lorelai’s voice was filled with worry. “What happened? Are you all right? What happened? Rory darling everything will be fine.” Lorelai began spazzing. “Mom. I’m fine.” Lorelai stopped her ranting. “Oh.” She took a deep breath. “Then why are you in the hospital?” “Long story. Just come to the Hartford ER and I’ll explain everything.” “Ok on my way baby. You’re sure that you’re ok?” “I’m fine mom.” “Ok, see you in a jiff.” They hung up and Rory went back to Tristan’s room. He was flipping through the channels on the TV and was now underneath the blankets on the bed. “You feeling any better?” Rory asked as she sat down in a chair across the room from him.” “I’d feel better if they had ESPN.” Tristan angrily turned off the TV “You get a hold of my folks?” “No.” “Figures.” Tristan shrugged. The room was silent for a few minutes before Rory’s voice broke through. “I’m sorry Tristan.” “For what?” “What do you think?” Rory’s eyes were full of annoyance. She regained her composure as she looked down at her feet. “Rory I...” Tristan’s statement was cut off when the doctor entered the room. “Well Mr. DuGray, you will be needing surgery.” The doctor stood over Tristan’s bed, chart in hand. Tristan let out a groan at the new information. “I don’t yet know how you did it, but you ripped quite a few ligaments in that knee of yours. How did you do it?” “Stairs.” He looked at Rory and caught her eyes. “I fell down the stairs.” “Must have been a nasty fall. We’ll talk more when your parents get here, have you contacted them yet?” “I called them.” Rory’s meek voice spoke up from her chair. “There was no...” Before Rory could finish her statement Tristan interrupted her. “They’re on there way.” “Ok then. We’ll talk when they arrive.” The doctor closed the door behind after they left. The room was silent once again. And again it was Rory who broke the silence. She stood up and took a few steps towards Tristan. “Tristan I really am sorry. I’ll pay for the surgery.” Tristan looked at her in surprise at the last sentence. “You’ll do no such thing Mary.” “Just tell me how I can make it up to you?” Rory regretted that statement as soon as the words left her mouth. She could just see the gears in Tristan’s head churning out a plan. *** Tristan let out a small chuckle as an idea came to his mind. Rory took a step back when she saw the evil glimmer in his eyes. “Ummm.... Tristan. You’re beginning to scare me.” Tristan let out a full fledge laugh with sent Rory stumbling back into a chair. Tristan stopped laughing for a moment, took one look at her befuddled expression and broke into laughter again. “Oh boy, I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.” Tristan finally settled down and took some deep breaths before calmly speaking to Rory. “You want to make it up to me?” Rory nodded her head yes, afraid of what she may be getting herself into. “Well seeing as I’m already in bed and you....” Rory glared at him because she knew which direction this was heading in. He saw her expression and stopped. “....or not. I was just kidding Rory. Sheesh. Now my real idea is that since I’m going to be handicapped for awhile, I think that you should help me out a bit.” Rory look at him questioningly. “What do you mean.?” She resettled herself in her chair to appear a bit more dignified. “Well knee surgery means that I’m going to be on crutches for a bit, meaning I won’t have any free hands...” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, “...to do...things....” Rory’s mouth dropped in shock at what he was hinting. “You jerk. How dare you think that....” “...like carry my books and such.” Rory shut up. “So, you could give me a hand until I’ve fully recuperated.” “I don’t know...” Rory chewed on one of her fingernails while she thought Tristan’s plan over. “You did cause my pain Rory, the least you could do is to compensate for the damages.” Rory knew that there had to be something else. She glared at him while she tried to figure the ulterior motive behind his plan. “How do I know you won’t just turn me into your slave?” Rory stood up and began to pace the room. “How do I know that you won’t turn this into another ‘treat Rory like crap’ situation?” “You’ll just have to trust me.” Tristan’s head followed Rory back and forth as she crossed the room over and over again. He was hypnotized by the pensive look on her face, and the glow she gave off. “Trust you?!?” Rory let out a snort. “Right.... I’m not stupid Tristan.” “I never said you were.” “So why do you expect me to trust you?” Rory stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips and look Tristan straight in the eye. “You’ve never given me reason to before.” “Well... you said you were giving me a second chance.” Tristan crossed his arms defiantly and stared back at her deep blue eyes that were burning a hole into his soul. “I’m beginning to rescind that decision.” She resumed her pacing. “Ok. What if I guarantee that I won’t use this situation to torture you?” “Being around you is torture enough.” Tristan winced at her harsh words and Rory saw his reaction. “Sorry... I didn’t mean that.” “Yes you did. But I deserved it.” Tristan paused. “So... are we in agreement?” “Will you shake on it.” Tristan nodded and stuck out his hand in a peace offering. Rory slowly walked up to him, but eyes his hand suspiciously. “It doesn’t bite. Deal?” Rory took his outstretched hand and shook it firmly. Rory felt a shock travel up her arm when their hands made contact, but she shrugged it off as static electricity. “Deal.” “Are you sure you didn’t need my help?” Rory jumped when she heard the voice of the “nurse” she ran into earlier. She turned to find him being guided to the bed next to Tristan’s. “No... I’m fine.” Rory backed away to the other side of Tristan’s bed, attempting to hide from the man who was now being place in restraints in bed. Tristan hid his amused smile. “How do you know him?” Tristan whispered to Rory as she hid behind him. “We had a little run in while you were in the car. How did you get in here anyways?” Tristan laughed when all thoughts of the “nurse-man” where washed from her face. “Well funny thing is all I had to do was call out to the interns who were playing basketball and ask for help.” Rory’s face contorted in a confused mass of wrinkles. “What interns, I don’t remember seeing any interns.” Rory took a seat in a chair that was next to Tristan’s bed. “Perhaps that was because you were too busy telling me to stay put to notice them.” Rory was about to respond when the door to the room opened once more. “Rory! You are all right, you weren’t lying to me.” Lorelai ran to Rory and swept her up into a death-grip of a hug. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” “Because you’re cutting off my air-supply.” “Oh, silly me.” Lorelai released Rory and looked over at Tristan. “Who are you? Who’s he?” “Tristan DuGray.” Lorelai’s purse dropped to the ground and her eyes blazed anger as she slowly crept her way to Tristan. *** Rory bit her bottom lip as she thought about how to stop her mother from strangling the life out of Tristan. She watched as Lorelai stopped next to his bed and stared him in the eye. She leaned forward, closing the space between her and Tristan. Lorelai’s hand slowly reached out. Tristan attempted to back away, he saw fire in Lorelai’s eyes and was on the verge of screaming out. “Hello. My name is Lorelai Gilmore.” Lorelai grabbed one of Tristan’s hand and shook it, but he was too much in shock to respond. “Rory is my daughter, and if you terrorize her once more this hand of mine will be wringing your pretty-little-rich-boy neck.” Tristan closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Lorelai saw this and look at him sternly. “Don’t get to comfortable yet. I’m not as forgiving as Rory is bible-boy.” “Bible-boy?” Tristan had a genuine look of confusion on his face. “Don’t play coy with me young man. I know about the Mary thing. Rory tells me many things about you.” “Oh she does, does she.” Tristan eyed Rory. Lorelai grabbed his chin and turned his face towards her. Tristan became petrified once again. “You will not to that again mister. Is that understood?” Tristan nodded his head that was still in Lorelai’s grasp. Rory hid a chuckle. The site of Tristan, helpless under her mother’s glare, was almost to much for her to take. “As for your past conduct, I’m willing to forgive you.... if you apologize to Rory.” Lorelai crossed her arms and waited for those sweet words to come out of Tristan’s mouth. “I’m sorry Rory.” Tristan was looking straight at her, and even though he was forced to do it, his apology had come from the heart, and he meant every word of it. Somehow Rory sensed this. She gave Tristan a small smile. “Thank you. But don’t do it again, or you’ll get more than some torn ligaments.” “Good, now that we’re done with that...” Lorelai pulled the chair next to Tristan’s bed closer and took a seat. “...tell me how you came to be in this precarious position, and why my daughter didn’t use this situation to her advantage and torture you on the spot.” Lorelai sucked in a deep breath after babbling that all out in one try. *Now I know where Rory gets it.* “I took an unexpected trip down the stairs.” Tristan gave Rory a knowing look and Rory, on her part, just blushed. “Let’s just say it is one vacation that I’d like to not repeat.” Lorelai nodded her head thoughtfully, having been totally oblivious to the hidden meaning that was shared between he two teenagers. “A sense of humor... I like that. But it still doesn’t make-up for anything. How did this little fall occur?” Rory winced, she did not want her mother to learn this early that she had caused it, but Rory was saved. The door to the room barged open and two people sauntered in, followed my two arguing doctors. Rory and Lorelai had no idea who they were, but Tristan groaned when he recognized his parents. Tristan’s mother immediately ran up to him. “Tristan baby, are you all right?” “Yeah mom, I’m in a hospital and I need surgery. I’m perfect.” Rory winced as she heard the bitter cynicism dripping from Tristan’s voice. Tristan’s mother continued to speak to him, ignoring the two other females in the room. Lorelai wouldn’t stand for it. She cleared her throat to gain Mrs. DuGray’s attention. Her head spun away from Tristan and fell onto Lorelai. “Who are you?” “Lorelai Gilmore.” They shook hands. “My daughter brought Tristan to the hospital. We were just waiting for you to arrive and now that your here I guess we’ll be leaving.” Tristan’s head jerked out of the clouds as soon as he heard it. Lorelai and Rory began to leave the room. *She can’t go yet!* “Wait.” Tristan’s voice stopped the two Gilmores in their tracks. His call was filled with desperation. “I need to talk to Rory about something.” Rory had a confused look on her face, but judging by the look on Tristan’s face, he did not want to be left alone. “Ok. We’ll stay. We’re just going to run down to the cafeteria to get some coffee.” Lorelai motioned to the door. “Mr. and Mrs. DuGray... would you like anything?” Tristan’s parents politely declined. The girls exited the room and left Tristan to deal with his parents and two arguing doctors. Tristan buried his head in his hands and sighed. *** “What do you mean he has to have surgery?!?” Tristan’s father yelled at the doctors. There loud conversation droned on, but Tristan ignored it all. His parents were nice people, but they just didn’t know how to be parents. He knew that they loved him and would do anything for him, but they just didn’t know how to show him the love that he needed. They gave him every material thing he had ever wanted. His parents thought that the more they gave him, they happier he’d be. But with ever new CD or game cartridge or piece of sport equipment that they bought him they more he just wished that they would sit down and talk to him. Not the stiff conversations they had at dinner every night, but a simple conversation where everyone had fun. His parents had a happy marriage, but they never really saw each other. Both were busy with their respective careers and when they did see each other no one wanted to cause an argument so any topic that may spark one was avoided. This included everything from the color of the living room walls to what college Tristan would go to. For the most part his parents let him do whatever he wanted. He didn’t have a curfew and was given free reign on the credit card and cars. They just expected him to check in every now and then. They set no ground rules for their son, afraid that he might see this as them trying to hamper on his lifestyle, thus causing a painful argument which disturb the peace. What Tristan really wanted was a relationship with his parents that allowed for conversations about school and swimming and movies and things of that sort. An open relationship where he could show how much he truly loved his parents, and they could show how much they loved him. His family was like the British monarchy. An air of superiority must be upheld. They must not show any signs of weakness. And surely, to his parents, hugging their son in public showed that they were softies, and in turn weak. No one could see them cry or argue or show any emotion other than that of strength. In essence an stiff upper lip. Tristan knew he was lucky that his parents did love each other. Unlike some of his other friends who had to put up with parents who only stayed together to avoid scandal and public humiliation. He came home to a house that was not at war, but still held it’s own coldness. Showing no emotions in public was one thing, but having it carry over into their home was another. Tristan longed to be hugged and soothed. Not only physically, but emotionally as well. Tristan looked out the window of his room. His parents intentions were good, but he wanted more than they could give. They grew up in an environment where love was a foreign feeling, and even though they had tried to overcome their upbringing, a sense of distance was still felt. Tristan saw Lorelai and Rory coming down the hall towards the room. He watched as they laughed and talked to each other like there was no one else in the world that they needed to be happy, as long as they had each other. And that sentiment was probably true. Tristan saw how Rory’s eyes lighted up as her mother regaled her with a story that would surely become a cherished memory. Tristan had asked Rory to stay for no other reason than the fact that, by just looking at her, he felt a warmth radiating through him. A warmth and love, that even with each glare he received, he longed for. The warmth that he had been lacking for sixteen years, until she came into his life. The moment he had first laid eyes on her beautiful face he knew she was different. She was surrounded by cold and manipulative people, and she was a ray of sunshine in the permanent thunderstorm that was Chilton. He knew that some of his classmates, though they could be kind, were social climbers. They would find anyway the could to gain social status and monetary value. He was sick of the shallowness, but he had known nothing else, and went along with it. Her entrance into his life had given him a chance to change. He wanted to let her in, but it was difficult for him. Tristan never entered a relationship, friendly or otherwise, that he could not run. He was afraid of Rory because she would do what she wanted, and not what others dictated her to do. Tristan was cautious when it came to Rory, because he was afraid of being rejected, fearful of being hurt. Yet, even with the pain she could cause him, he still went after her. He admitted to himself that he was going about it the wrong way, but he still held that lingering fear that if he gave in too much, and she did crush his heart, then he would never be able to recover. The truth was the Tristan wanted more than anything to let Rory in. She intrigued him like no one else ever had. Other students from backgrounds similar to hers had been let into Chilton before, but they had always been sucked into some group at the school that brainwashed them into thinking popularity was power. Rory had resisted all of that. He saw that she would rather be the outcast of the school than become a puppet for others exploit for themselves, and he admired her for it. Tristan let out a loud sigh when he saw Lorelai and Rory hug outside his room. They weren’t afraid to show their affection for one another. He wanted their relationship with his parents. Tristan’s mothered looked at her son and saw the distant look in his eyes. “Tristan, sweetheart. Are you ok?” Tristan’s eyes followed Rory when she entered the room, a smile playing upon his lips. “I’ll be fine mom. I’ll be fine.”