187Disclaimer: sadly, I do not own Gilmore Girls
Dedication: To the lovely Ali because we're missing you on the RT thread and it's just not the same without you. Hope you enjoy this one :-)
A/N: Ooookay, here's the brand spankin' new chapter of LW. Though I will warn you, this is a short one compared to last chapter but this would just be a filler. So, I hope you enjoy it all because I'm not sure when I'll have a new chapter out because of family things going on.
But I do hope you all have a wonderful holidays filled with family and cheer and loved ones.
- - -
Little Wonders
- - -
So fall go on and fall apart
Fall into these arms of mine
I'll catch you every time you fall
Go on and loose it all
Every doubt every fear every worry every tear
I'm right here
Baby fall
was the first thing she felt as she slowly was brought from sleeping . Slowly trailing up and down her arm. It was a trickling sensation, causing bumps of flesh to break across her arm. She knew this well.
Barely opening her heavy lids, she saw the room was still dark, shadows still dancing upon the four corners of his room. A liquid heat running, shooting, through her arm, from her shoulder down to the wrist that was resting lightly across his stomach. A trailing heat, flames dancing joyously over her skin. She would swear that when she would look in the mirror later, she would see the trail the fires had left on her skin, almost as if he held the flames beneath his finger tips.
She could almost hear the burn as it sealed itself into her skin, forever to remember each and every touch he had made. She could remember ever one he had left imprinted on her skin, invisible lines only her eyes could follow.
Her eyes drooped more as his fingers came up to her skull tangling, knotting them into her sleep mused hair before he brought his hand, brushing her hair out with his fingers. He was probably deep in his thoughts she guessed as his fingers tangled once more in her hair before brushing it out.
She sighed, hoping it was enough to alert him she was awake before she scooted impossibly closer to his heated body. He slept with an extra blanket on his bed when she was with him because she was more prone to getting colder since she preferred to just sleeping in her underwear and a shirt. Even though he just wore his boxers, or even if that.
Feeling the light kiss on her forehead she had been waiting for before his voice whispered the first words of the morning, "Schools canceled. Too much rain."
As if breaking from his daze, she finally heard the rain splatter against the roof as the wind slammed it into the windows. She sighed, for once grateful that she did not have to worry about school. At least for right now.
If they closed the school for rain, which meant they thought the roads were too dangerous to drive on which meant she couldn't get back to Stars Hollow today.
Which, as much as it hurt, might be a good thing. She was sure she wasn't ready to face Lorelai yet. The wounds were still too fresh, too deep for her to be around her mother and not want to cry or yell at her for being a hypocrite and having double standards.
She closed her eyes, the familiar pain creeping around her heart. She knew that even if she did forgive Lorelai, it was never going to be the same between them. Not after this. They couldn't go back and pretend nothing had ever happened, as if there wasn't this huge distance between them, this hurt that was always going to be there, always pricking to reminder her.
As she laid there with Tristan, she could feel the warmth of his body penetrate and slowly ebb away to the cold that had settled inside her from all this turmoil. It was always going to be different now, she thought with bittersweet insight.
Without realizing, she rolled over, away from Tristan and curled into a ball, trying to protect herself from the harsh realities that were flashing before her eyes… realizing even though change was happening before her, without her consent to allow things to change, it was already happening. It was happening now and no matter how long she cherished and hung on to it, it was always happening and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. The only thing you could do was adjust to it and keep in mind all the memory's you gained from it.
She felt a warm pooling into her shoulder, gentle, gilding. It was sweet, soft. She once more felt that warmth sink down into her skin, soothing that chill. It amazed her that the guy that could this; soothe her without spoken words, was Tristan. Looking back, she would have never guessed that agreeing to go out on a simple date would land her in her current situation. She could even twist it towards it being Tristan fault, for asking her out and being such a great guy but she couldn't do it. Wouldn't do that. It was wrong. Moreover, she had enough guilt to last her a life time.
He was being too nice to her. Too considerate but she also knew he would not leave her in the state she was in, and that thought alone made the guilt clench tighter around her. He should have walked away, should have broken up with her… she could list all the things she thought he should have done but the fact that he was still with her, through the lies, the hurt, the pain, made her heart flutter once more.
Why her mother refused to see this side of Tristan bewildered her. Lorelai had told her on countless times that it didn't matter who she was dating, just as long as she was happy. Lorelai must know how happy he made her. So unbelievably happy. Other then the few times he was an ass in front of Lorelai, she honestly had no reason to dislike him. Well, other then the times she had walked in on them but it wasn't like Rory had never walked in on her mother and whatever guy she was dating at the moment.
She just wished her mother would throw all pretenses of Tristan out of the window and see him as she did. This amazing, great guy she didn't deserve. Not after everything she was putting him through. It was almost as if Lorelai wrote up reasons on a piece of paper and drew them out of a hat and that was her reasoning for not liking him. Everything Lorelai had accused Tristan of, she, Rory Gilmore was a guilty partner in.
It was hard to accept, the fact that your best friend cannot stand your boyfriend. Not to mention confusing. Hard because if she chose to hang out with Tristan over Lorelai, Lorelai took it as her choosing the boyfriend over the best friend. Confusing because he made her happy and that was what Lorelai wanted her to be and the fact that she seemed so against them, made her unhappy.
She knew she had to make that decision. Make one or the other happy but continuing to try and please both of them were extinct.
In this case, she did choose Tristan over Lorelai.
Hurling another small rock at his window, she prayed he wasn't asleep yet, knowing that once he was out, waking him took a miracle since he normally slept through his noisy alarm.
Knowing Tristan, he didn't hear the small pebbles smacking against his window as the rain poured from the sky, drowning out much of the surrounding sounds. With a sigh, she rushed over the tree that grew by his bedroom.
With the experience she gained from climbing Lane's tree, she heaved herself up, swinging her leg over so she was straddling the branch. Scooting closer to the next one, she grasped it before slowly standing and moving on to the next branch, slowly winding herself around the tree, climbing higher. As she reached the branch that draped over the railing of his balcony, she scooted down, inch by inch.
Reaching the last of it, she held her breath, slowly reaching for the metal bars with her toes, before sliding down the rest of it, slipping on the soaked concrete under her feet. Shivering, she knocked on the door, seeing a faint glow from inside. This meant he was still awake; he only slept if the room was completely dark. Knocking harder, trying to make sure he heard her over the clashing rain before she tried the handle.
Of course it was locked. Why would it be anything else? Making a fist, she lightly pounded on the door, hoping the noise didn't wake his parents. It felt like forever, with the rain continuing to pour down and the lighting flashing through the night and thunder rattling even her bones before she heard the lock click on the other side before the door flew open.
Before she could blink, she was torn from her spot and her water clogged clothes were dripping water all over his carpet, the warmth of the house enveloping her. She didn't even get a chance to speak a word before she registered that he was leaving the room. Wrapping her arms around herself, a balloon of regret swelled within, thinking she should have done anything but climb up his window.
Then again, she was pretty sure she wouldn't react well if he had done the same to her. It wasn't like she had given him any warning she was coming, it was just one of those cliché moments you only see in movies. She was staying with her Grandparents since Lorelai was at an inn convention with Sookie in Vermont and her mother doesn't trust her enough to leave her alone with "that boyfriend of yours".
She pushed away that angry, realizing she was ruining his floor with all the water but before she could take a step towards the bathroom, he rushed back into the room, several towels in hand. He dropped one on the floor in front of her before wrapping one around her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms and back.
She looks at his face that was contorted in concentration, her eyes going wide; he had got fresh towels from the dry. The warmth of the fabric laying over her frigid skin, soaking up the water. As she watched his face as he worked, she felt something swell inside; his eyes were restless, searching for any sign of injury. She knew no matter how many times he swiped the water from her skin, her drenched shirt continued to drip water.
Just as the thought entered her mind, he dropped the now soaked towel before reaching down and taking the shirt of her freezing body. He turned around slight and threw the shirt into his bathroom, she heard a faint plop before she felt another warm towel wrap around her, taking more of the chill away. She felt her bra straps lowered as he swiped the towel over her the back of her shoulders before they her back in place.
Reaching down, she slowly unbuttoned her jeans before she gave them a tug. She heard him swear before he removed her hands from the top of her pants before lowering himself in front of her. With a grunt, he had pulled her pants to her knees. Bending over slightly, she placed her hands on his shoulders, lifting one foot at a time so he could take her shoes off and finish taking her pants off. When he was done, he took the other towel and began drying her lower body.
Once he had her dried to his satisfaction, he pulled her toward the bathroom, running hot water in the shower before he turned around and pushed her in there.
Watching his back disappear back into his room, she let out a surprise laugh. It was surreal. She had showed up at his house unexpected, he dried her off, and put her in a steaming shower and disappeared - all the while a word was never spoken between them. Talk about strange.
Forgetting about him slightly, she moved under the spray even more, letting the heated water cascade down her body, letting the current worry drift to the back of her mind. She tried to understand what happened to her when he was drying her off, it was strange. It was like something inside her burst and it bloomed, filling her with a wonderful sensation. It was beyond rational, who ever heard of -what ever is was she did- over a look?
Reaching out, she turned the water off, she stood there for a minute before wondering if Tristan was going to come back in before she stepped out, looking for a towel because he came back into the room, wrapping her in a towel once more. "I left you some clothes on the counter."
She stood there, bewildered as he left, closing the door behind him. It was so, for lack of a better word, weird. She didn't know that he was thinking, or even what he was doing. Shaking her head, she toweled off, enjoying the sensation of the heat the water left on her skin. Without a second thought, she took off her bra and panties before slipping into his night pants and t-shirt.
Tentatively, she eased out of the bathroom, taking a quick glance around the room to see Tristan wasn't in it. Slowly she walked over to his hamper, placing her items in it before she stood awkwardly in his room, wrapping her arms around herself. Deciding it wasn't going to hurt, she edged over the spot he had stripped her down at and felt it wasn't as soaked as it should have been. Meaning he's been working on drying it.
She had always loved his room. When you walked in the door, the first thing you saw was his bed, it was centered against the far wall, the sheets a vibrant red. They were this amazing deep red but at the same time, they were full and rich and held such life.
Across from his bed was his bookcase, filled with fantasy and crime novels. On the same wall as the balcony doors was his desk, his expensive laptop silently setting there, his Chilton work strewn all over the wooden surface.
Surprisingly, he had no TV in his room; the only one in the house was in the living room or the upstairs movie room. His stereo was on the lower self of his bookcase, his CD cases thrown where ever he tossed them.
His walls, no matter how much he wished, remained white. He had them covered with posters and a cork board with simple things.
Moving towards the end up his bed, he noticed the clothes thrown over the floor. Smiling slightly, she sat on the mattress, awaiting his return, hoping he wouldn't be gone for to long.
As she sat there, her thoughts came rushing back, forcing her stomach to be weighed down by her actions.
It was scary… she never would have snuck out of house just to go see her boyfriend just because she wanted to see him. She knew Lorelai would say it was uncharacteristic of her but the more time she spent with Tristan; she was beginning to realize she liked letting loose and just doing things that no one would expect of her. That people were surprised she did. She liked that Tristan understood it. He never pressured about anything, just placed the thought into her my mind and it was hers to do with what she pleased.
It was refreshing, to have someone in your life that didn't see you as this fragile baby that could break at any moments time but treated you like a normal human. Moreover, he had opened her eyes to so many things that she never would have considered before him. It was like he was a breath of fresh her, cleansing.
Then there were the fights.
Sometimes she thought those fights would be her breaking put… just to throw it all away. And there were moments when she truly thought they would be over, never to see another day.
Looking back on it, it always seemed to be over trivial things. Though she did remember a time when they fought over Lorelai. About how she acted to cold to him, and how it wasn't fair and of course, at the time, she had stuck up for her mother, thinking Tristan was just being sensitive about it all.
She looked over her shoulder as she heard a soft thump outside his door, thinking maybe one of his parents had woke up and was about to discover a girl in their sons room before Tristan ambled into view, gently shutting the door behind him.
As he softly walked over to her, he stood in front of her, gently raising her chin up before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers, ever so slowly moving against her. As he once more pulled back, confusion swam into her eyes, not understanding anything around her.
He hoped on the bed, gently easing back into his position he was in before she had came and gestured for her to join him. Biting her lip nervously, she followed. No idea why her stomach was in knots… she'd be in his bed before and not in such an innocent way. With that thought thumping through her mind, she eased herself down beside him, heat tingling her cheeks.
She tried her best to ignore the scent she strictly knew as Tristan. She propped herself on an elbow so she could see his face easier.
As she looked down at him, she noticed how serene he looked.
He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth and softness of the sheets against his skin. "You know the funny thing is… I was thinking about you right that second I realized someone was outside my door."
Rory gave him a strange look, wondering why he wasn't asking her about why she was here. Why she wasn't with her Grandparents. "Aren't you even a little bit curious as to why I'm here?" she asked before she could help herself.
He chuckled, letting it fill the air. "I was getting there… I just don't want this to end."
She felt something flutter but before she would allow it to take over, she asked. "What to end?"
He opened his eyes, letting his heavy gaze land on her, his eyes dark. "The fact that you're here, with me, in the middle of a storm… I don't know. It just feels nice."
And the fluttering was out of control, she thought as she fought to battle the goofy grin that was threatening to spill from her lips.
"But now that you bring it up, why are you here?"
She let out a light laugh, understanding why she loved being with him. "Because I was still mad at Lorelia for making me stay with the Gilmore's and it was raining and I just," she shrugged, mumbling, "wanted to see you."
"Hey, hey." Tristan said, reaching over and gently bringing her to lay on him. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm glad you're here." he admitted softly, gently creasing her hair.
At being at such a close proximity from him, she could do nothing but soak in his warmth and smell, slowly getting lost in him.
"When are you going to leave?" he asked quietly, almost as if he didn't want to hear it.
Lifting her head gently, she answered in a hushed tone, "I was hoping I could sleep here to night… if you want me to I mean. And sneak back into the Grandparents in the wee hours of the morning?"
A smile graced his lips as his hand rubbing up and down her back. "Of course. You know I'll always want you."
Rory blushed softly, laying her head once more on his chest, basking in the stillness of it all. No matter what, he had this effect on here that just made her forget about her worries and just let go and be Rory around him. She didn't have to pretend to be some perfect person because he knew no one was perfect.
Feeling a small tug on her scalp, she looked up right before Tristan crashed their lips together. As his lips moved over hers, erasing everything but the feel of his lips, his body against hers, she sank into him. Forgetting the rain that pounded over head and thunder roaring or the lighting that would light up the sky every few minutes. It was just the two of them.
His hands roamed and rubbed where ever they could reach, causing her flesh to burn with his magic hands. His hands settled briefly on her hips before he rolled them, settling gently above her, never breaking the kiss. As she slowly lost herself in him once more, she tugged his simple shirt up, hating the small moment their lips were no longer touching. She traced the muscles in his shoulders, knowing how much it drove him crazy to have her crease his body. As the burn for oxygen came unbearable, they broke apart, feeling dizzy and light headed before taking deep amounts of air before going back in, tangling their lips and tongue together again. Slowly she felt the shirt he loaned her inch up until it was only covering her breast that he was alternating from squeezing and rubbing.
She wrapped her legs around him, needing more. The heat was growing and swallowing them blissfully. Arching against him, she found what she was looking for as she slowly grinded against him as small burst of pleasure erupted through her. Feeling Tristan grind back, she felt the same sensation she had became all too familiar with. As his lips traveled down her neck, she couldn't help the small moans that broke from her lips, encouraging him farther. Not that there was much farther they had to go.
Feeling his lips meet her collar bone, he moved back, lifting her in one swift movement, taking the shirt with him before moving down his trek. She arched against his mouth as he found his mark, gently laving them as he continued to grind her lower body into the mattress. As he switched side, his hand traveled south, taking the elastic of the short she was wearing with him. She let out a small gasp as the air hit her heated mound before his fingers sunk into her.
Her hips bucked up, needing more as mouth still left marks on her breast. It was too much; she felt a new fire raging, begging for more from him and as he added another finger, realized she was ready. So what if it was cliché, she just wanted him. So very bad and he was the only one to quench that for her. As she was about to come, he pulled his hand away and has he was about to slide down her body, she stopped him. Lifting his eyes to hers, he was about to ask but before he could, she gently eased up a little bit, kissing him sinfully before pulling back, her hands reaching down to slide his boxers away from his body.
She could still see the question in his eyes so she said the only thing she knew what to say. Taking a deep breath, she said the words he's been waiting to hear. "I'm ready."
The confusion swept through his eyes once more before he understood, looking at her carefully before leaning back down and kissing her once more. "You sure?"
Remembering he had told her he would only ask once, she nodded, "Absolutely"
Before the word was spoken completely, he kissed her once more, reaching out to his nightstand.
The house was dark, almost as if it was night time as the gloomy atmosphere crept around the corners of the house. She had just woken up after falling asleep once more after she finally rolled over and her and Tristan talked in hushed tones, not wanting to break the mood around them until she fell back into slumber. Though she could say she was never fully out of it, she had felt Tristan gently ease off the bed once he was for sure he wouldn't wake her and slip into the shower.
As she slowly made her way into the kitchen she could see the rain pouring, drenching the earth as it fell, from the bay windows. The sky was charcoal, emitting the feeling of dread for those that hates this type of weather.
Smiling softly at the sight of Tristan setting at the table, his nose buried in the latest Stephen King novel. She slid into the seat across from him, knowing once he finished the chapter, he would put it down. Reading was his get-away. It took him from reality to fantasy where nothing was impossible and dreams weren't easily broken. It took his mind of things and when the occasion arose, his family problems or even their relationship.
She heard the small rustle the pages made as he turned them but she looked out the windows, watching the water fall. It was funny, she used to hate this kind of weather but since she's been with him, she's taken the time to realize that it gives you the opportunity to stop, slow down and just see what's around you that normally can't do. Being with him as changed her so much and she was glad, just wishing other people would be has happy for her as she was.
Her lips twitched at the thought before she once more pushed her mother out of her thoughts, refusing to spend the day dwelling on how their relationship crumbled to nothing but a pile of rubble.
Tingles shot down her spine as Tristan scooted into the chair next to her, pushing her hair off her shoulder and lazily brushing his lips against her neck. He did this when he wanted to slowly bring her out of her thoughts, especially when she zoned out. Biting her lip, she turned her head, meeting him in a slow, gentle kiss that made her heart melt all over again. "You hungry?" he asked, rubbing their noses together before leaning down and slowly kissing her again, making her head spin.
As they pulled back once more, she looked up at him, noticing for the first time he had a small amount off subtle growing. She gave him another smile, loving when he would tickle her with it. "Sure." she answered simply.
"I'll be right back." he whispered, kissing her one last time before getting up and shuffling around the kitchen and gathering what ever he was getting for her. It was so easy being with him, she thought once more, sure they had their worries but he never pushed her into anything.
She startled slightly as Tristan sat a mug of coffee in front of her before sliding a plate in front of her. Looking down she saw a plate of mini sandwiches in front of her. Making a small face, she looked him.
He shrugged. "That's what mom had lying around… I can get you something else." he offered.
"No, it's fine."
He nodded, setting back down beside her, placing his arm around her shoulders.
She leaned into his shoulder, slowly munching on a sandwich, just watching as the rain splattered to the ground. "Where are you parents at?" she asked, realizing she hasn't seen or heard them since last night.
His hand came down, trailing up and down her arm. "Dad left early before the weather got too bad and is stuck at the office and mom is in the study, looking over what ever it is she's looking over."
They sat like that for a while, her slowly eating the sandwiches, just enjoying being in his arms like she was. She knew they still had to go to school, deal with all of the mess there. She had to deal with Lorelia and they both had to figure out what was going to happen if she as pregnant. She had been afraid that because of all the other things she had thrown at him yesterday, he might decide that it wasn't worth it after all but as he stuck by her, she knew he would be there. Always.
"So…" she said slowly. "What are we going to do tomorrow?"
He sighed, leaning back so he could look her in eye. "Do you want to find out, if you are…?"
She knew he meant skipping school and to be honest, the idea didn't sound bad. This was more important. She nodded. "Yeah…"
"Okay." he whispered, leaning down to kiss her slowly. "I'm here."