Story summary: With Tristan's parent's back in town, life at the Gilmore house returns to normal, or as normal as it can be after Rory makes a confession.

 

INT: RORY’S ROOM-EARLY EVENING

 

Rory is sits on her bed watching as Tristan finishes packing his bag.

 

RORY: I can’t believe you’re going home today.

 

TRISTAN: Too bad you’re mom doesn’t feel the same way.

 

RORY: You’re wrong. She loved having you here.

 

TRISTAN: Right, that’s why she stopped just short of jumping for joy when I told her my parent’s would be back in town tonight.

 

RORY: That was happiness…for you.

 

TRISTAN: Nice try. She’s happy that she has your full attention back.

 

RORY: It’s not a competition.

 

TRISTAN: Might want to let her know that.

 

RORY: What do you mean?

 

Walking over to Rory, Tristan lies down on the bed next to her as he puts his arm around her she snuggles in next to him.

 

TRISTAN: It’s just that this morning she was kind of out there.

 

FLASHBACK-EARLY MORNING

 

INT: GILMORE KITCHEN

 

Lorelai is at the stove trying to flip pancakes when Tristan comes into the kitchen rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

TRISTAN: Oh…hey. I didn’t expect anyone to be up. I was just going to make some coffee.

 

Lorelai turns to Tristan, letting the emotions go.

 

LORELAI: For Rory? Well don’t bother bucko. I’ve got it covered.

 

TRISTAN: No. I meant for everyone. I’ve kind of adopted a caffeine habit myself.

 

It’s almost like Lorelai doesn’t hear him as she continues her rant.

 

LORELAI: I’ve made her pancakes too, her favorite. Did you know she liked pancakes?

 

TRISTAN: No…I didn’t.

 

LORELAI: Hah! See…I knew it! And I know her favorite color and the name of her first stuffed animal and…

 

TRISTAN: Mr. Butter?  

 

LORELAI: She told you that? She told you about Mr. Butter?

 

Tristan wishes he could take it back.

 

TRISTAN: Uh…it might have come up in conversation.

 

LORELAI: Oh…And what about Europe? Did that just happen to come up in conversation too?

 

TRISTAN: Europe?

 

LORELAI: The back-packing trip we’re taking around Europe after she graduates high school. Did she mention it? Well did she?!

 

TRISTAN: Your uh…your pancakes are burning.

 

Lorelai turns to see the smoky mess on the stove and turns on Tristan.

 

LORELAI: She happens to like them crispy! But I’ll bet you didn’t know that.

 

Turning back around Lorelai tries to rescue the burnt pancakes out of the pan, while Tristan slowly and quietly backs out of the room.

 

FLASHFORWARD TO PRESENT

 

INT: RORY’S ROOM

 

RORY: Well that explains the charred mess on the kitchen table this morning.

 

TRISTAN: And the lack of coffee. I was afraid for my life if I stayed around to make it.

 

RORY: Maybe I should talk to her.

 

TRISTAN: Just leave my name out of it please. I don’t need her resenting me anymore than she does right now.

 

RORY: Sure. You got it.

 

Tristan turns to Rory and plants a kiss on her forehead. Rory in turn brings his mouth down to hers and gives him a slow, sensual kiss, lightly teasing his lips with her tongue. Tristan deepens the kiss allowing his hands to begin wandering, dragging his fingers lightly and slowly down her arm until they are resting on her waist. As he skillfully begins the ascent under her shirt there is a knock on Rory’s door…a second before it is opened.

 

Lorelai stands at the door staring at the two teens intertwined on the bed, not missing the fact of where Tristan had to retract his hand from in a hurry. Both teens sit up quickly on the bed.

 

RORY: Thanks for the barge-in mom.

 

LORELAI: My pleasure. Thanks for the free show. It was free, right? I mean…I don’t have to pay to watch you corrupting my daughter do I?

 

RORY: Mom!

 

Lorelai matches Rory’s exasperated tone with her own, adding in an eye roll for good measure.

 

LORELAI: Rory!  Hey hands…and by hands I mean you Tristan, your parents are waiting in the living room.

 

TRISTAN: Thanks.

 

Tristan gets up awkwardly off the bed and grabs his bag walking out past Lorelai, as Rory begins to follow him Lorelai stops her.

 

LORELAI: We’ll be with you in a minute. I need to talk to Rory.

 

RORY: Can’t this wait? Tristan will be gone in a few minutes and we’ll have the whole rest of the night to talk.

 

LORELAI: He had his hand under your shirt! And I’m supposed to just ignore that?!

 

RORY: You are aware everyone can hear you?!

 

Rory brushes past her mom.

 

LORELAI: Make sure to tell them how glad you are he has hands.

 

Rory turns back around.

 

RORY: What?

 

LORELAI: Well obviously you like his hands if you allow them such free access.

 

RORY: I can’t believe you just said that.

 

LORELAI: And I can’t believe you think sleeping with a guy at sixteen is a good idea. Did you learn nothing from me? 

 

Rory stands there flabbergasted at her mother’s behavior.

 

RORY: Who said I was sleeping with him?

 

LORELAI: Do you really want to play the stupid card so soon?

 

RORY: Do we really have to do this now?

 

LORELAI: Fine. But we are not finished here. This conversation is far from over.

 

Rory walks away without another word and into the living room to meet Tristan parents, who have pretty much been privy to the whole embarrassing conversation.

 

Tristan gets up immediately from the couch and heads over to Rory as she enters the room. Both his parents also stand up.

 

TRISTAN: Mom, Dad…this is Rory.

 

Tristan walks an uncomfortable Rory over to his parents.

 

RORY: Mr. and Mrs. DuGrey it’s very nice to meet you.

 

MRS. DUGREY: She’s beautiful Tristan.

 

Rory blushes a little and Tristan smiles.

 

Mr. Dugrey however remains staunch and uninviting.

 

MR. DUGREY: It’s time to go son.

 

Ignoring Rory completely Tristan’s dad heads over to Lorelai is standing in the room.

 

MR. DUGREY: Ms. Gilmore. Thank you for watching after Tristan. I hope he was no trouble.

 

LORELAI: Define trouble.

 

RORY: Mom!

 

LORELAI: Kidding. As far as teenage boys go, he was exactly what I expected him to be.

 

MR. DUGREY: Very well then. Tristan you’ll get your bag and take it to the car.

 

TRISTAN: I’ll be right there I just want to say goodbye to Rory.

 

MR. DUGREY: I suggest you make it quick. Your mother and I are very tired after a long trip.

 

Mrs. DuGrey extends her hand to Rory.

 

MRS. DUGREY: It was lovely meeting you Rory. I hope you’ll be coming by the house soon.

 

RORY: Thank you. It was nice meeting you too.

 

Having finished her goodbye to Rory, Mrs. DuGrey heads over to Lorelai.

 

MRS. DUGREY: I really do appreciate you looking after him. He’s a good boy, but he tends to dive in before really thinking things through. It’s a relief to know he had a comfortable place to stay while we were gone.

 

Lorelai starts to feel a little guilty about her earlier behavior.

 

LORELAI: He was no problem, really, practically faded into the wall paper.

 

MRS. DUGREY: Still. I really do appreciate the fact that you were here for him Ms. Gilmore.

 

LORELAI: Call me Lorelai, and don’t mention it. We enjoyed having him here.

 

Across the room Tristan has turned to face Rory.

 

TRISTAN: I’m sorry my dad was such an ass.

 

RORY: It’s okay. He was fine.

 

TRISTAN: No he wasn’t. But don’t worry I’ll be talking to him about it later.

 

RORY: I wish you wouldn’t. Just…let it go. I’m sure he’ll come around once I turn on my most charming behavior.

 

Tristan pulls Rory into his arms.

 

TRISTAN: It’s cute how deluded you are.  

 

EXT: DUGREY CAR-NIGHT

 

 Outside in the car Tristan parents have just begun what promises to be a heated argument.

 

LILLIAN: I cannot believe how you treated that poor girl.

 

GRANT: Poor being the operative word here. Did you see the inside of that hovel?

 

LILLIAN: You’re judging her on her house?!

 

GRANT: Tristan can do far superior to this. I didn’t raise him to slum like this.

 

LILLIAN: Did it escape you that our son might really care about this one?

 

GRANT: Please Lillian he’s never been serious with any of them. Girls are a game to him, and it all for the better at this age.

 

LILLIAN: If you knew your son better, you would know that this girl is different.

 

GRANT: Do you really want to go down that preposterous road again? I know my son well enough.

 

LILLIAN: Really? When’s his birthday then?

 

GRANT: October 25th. How could I forget? It was the day all my well laid plans for my future went to hell.

 

LILLIAN: You didn’t have to marry me.

 

GRANT: Let’s not have this inane argument again. What’s done is done.

 

Tears start to form in Mrs. DuGrey’s eyes.

 

GRANT: (cont.) Oh for heaven sake please don’t start the crying thing. Tristan will be out here any minute.

 

LILLIAN: I gave up a lot too you know.

 

Mr. DuGrey turns to his wife his anger at the boiling point.

 

GRANT: You gave up exactly nothing and got everything you wanted! The rich husband, the baby, the prominent spot in society! I was the one who had to sacrifice everything!

 

LILLIAN: You mean you had to give up her.

 

Suddenly a look of loss clouds over Mr. DuGrey’s face.

 

GRANT: I think it’s time to drop this conversation before we say things we will regret.

 

Before Tristan’s mother can respond the door to the car opens and Tristan gets in, slamming the door. Mrs. DuGrey hastily wipes her eyes.

 

Without another word Tristan’s dad starts the car and heads away from the Gilmore house and towards home.

 

INT: GILMORE HOUSE-NIGHT

 

As Tristan leaves the house Rory sits down heavily on the sofa and starts to wipe the escaping tears. All early anger aside Lorelai goes over and sits beside her daughter.

 

LORELAI: Did you want to talk about it?

 

RORY: It’s just…so complicated. I didn’t expect it to be so complicated.

 

LORELAI: Different world. Different set of rules.

 

RORY: I don’t understand.

 

LORELAI: Excessive money has a way of creating a breed of people who can take snobbery to a whole different level.

 

RORY: It doesn’t seem fair to lump everybody who’s moneyed into that category.

 

LORELAI: You’re right...not all richies have the stick up the butt, nose in the air attitude But Tristan’s dad...definitely affected.

 

RORY: So what you’re trying very carefully not to say is that Tristan’s dad thinks “I’m not good enough for him?”

 

LORELAI: Sucks. I know…but yes, exactly. I chose to raise you without the exaggerated comforts that money can buy and he being one of the cursed chooses to see you as beneath his son.

 

RORY: Tristan is nothing like him.

 

Lorelai puts a comforting arm around Rory.

 

LORELAI: I know. Oddly enough…he seems to be the apple that fell far from the tree. The over-sexed, wandering hands apple mind you. But all those human faults aside…he’s definitely not a snob.

 

RORY: Mom…

 

LORELAI: Yes?

 

RORY: You know that I’m in love with him, right?

 

LORELAI: Oh…okay. I’m going to assume we’re talking about Tristan and not his pompous excuse for a father, which answers the question of whether or not you and he have...”done the dance.”

 

RORY: Assuming that’s code for having sex…yes…but it’s a very, very recent development. And I wanted to tell you, I know I promised to tell you…but it just happened.

 

Standing in front of her daughter letting Rory’s confession sink in Lorelai remains silent.

 

RORY: But I’m telling you now…I don’t want to keep it a secret from you.

 

LORELAI: I don’t know what to say except…I can’t believe how close my apple fell to the tree. You can’t do this Rory. You can’t repeat my mistakes. I made them so you didn’t have to!

 

RORY: I don’t happen to think that Tristan is a mistake!

 

LORELAI: Do I really need to bring out the pregnant mommy pictures to jog your memory? I mean…I know you were just a zygote when this scenario played out before, but I think I’ve done a bang-up job of inundating you with the horror stories of being a teenage mom with no where to go and no one to turn to.

 

RORY: I’m not going to get pregnant.

 

LORELAI: And that is the most naïve and scary thing you’ve said yet. You are doing the one thing that will get you pregnant.

 

RORY: We’re being safe. I promise.

 

LORELAI: Safe is abstaining, safe is keeping the bullet in the gun, and safe is not putting a rain coat on and hoping the dam doesn’t break.

 

RORY: You always told me it would be my decision to make. So I made it.

 

LORELAI: Deciding to have sex in the heat of the moment is not making a decision. Decisions involve clear, level headed thinking, not passion fueled momentum. God Rory…you just don’t get it.

 

RORY: You had to know I wasn’t going to wait forever.

 

LORELAI: You mean he wasn’t going to wait forever.

 

RORY: For the record…I instigated it.  It was my idea and my timing. I wanted to be with him.

 

LORELAI: Who are you? Where did the Harvard Rory go? Cause I want her back.

 

RORY: I’m still smart. And I’m still going to go to Harvard. I’m not throwing my life away for Tristan.

 

LORELAI: I’ll take famous last words spoken by a Gilmore Girl for $500 Pat.

 

RORY: I promise you mom. I will go to college and follow my dreams. I won’t let Tristan or any other boy derail my plans.

 

LORELAI: You have no idea the magnitude to which you have already derailed your dreams. This is where it starts Rory…the falling in love part is the great, wonderful part. It’s the staying in love that alters our worlds before we know what hit us.

 

RORY: Just have a little faith in me mom. You raised me right.

 

LORELAI: No...I raised you to wait.

 

RORY: Till I was in love. And I am.

 

LORELAI: That was one of three conditions. I also stressed being married and I believe over thirty.

 

RORY: You didn’t really expect me to wait till I was thirty.

 

LORELAI: No...but I hoped. I’m just...not okay with this Rory. I want to be, but my mom radar is screaming right now. “Lock her in her room”...”throw away the key.”

 

RORY: I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to imprison your child.

 

LORELAI: And I’m completely sure it’s illegal to have sex with a minor. So let’s leave the law out of this.

 

RORY: I want you to be okay with this.

 

LORELAI: That’s a pretty tall order.

 

Realizing her mom is right; Rory tries to find something to fill the moment…a way out of the current conversation.

 

RORY: I should get to my homework, before it gets too late.

 

LORELAI: Good idea. I uh…I have to go back to the inn for a little bit.

 

RORY: Okay.

 

Lorelai picks up her purse and starts to head out the door, turning spontaneously back around she hurries over to Rory and hugs her.

 

RORY: What was that for?

 

LORELAI: It’s hard to say…I think I just needed it. I want you to know…I am disappointed right now, but that doesn’t change us. Okay?

 

RORY: Thanks.

 

INT: DUGREY STUDY-NIGHT

 

Tristan is sitting in an overstuffed chair listening as his father berates him.

 

MR. DUGREY: What is it going to take to make you into a responsible man? We go away for a short time and you gain a prison record?!

 

TRISTAN: It was a minor offense. I had maybe one beer.

 

MR. DUGREY:  You are underage! And I do not like your attitude young man. I have no time for your growing pains. You find a way to be a better example of a DuGrey heir or I will enroll you in a military school and let them take care of your much needed attitude adjustment.

 

For once the threat of leaving Hartford has the desired impact Tristan father wants.

 

TRISTAN: Look…I’m sorry. I made a mistake. It won’t happen again.

 

Ready for one of the long-winded fights the two are known for Mr. DuGrey is taken aback by Tristan’s quick surrender.

 

MR. DUGREY: I’m to believe it’s going to be that easy?

 

TRISTAN: I’m not going to fight you on this. You want my allowance as compensation until all restitution has been made, fine. It’s yours.

 

MR. DUGREY: You are also grounded for three weeks. You will go to school and then come straight home. No exceptions.

 

TRISTAN: What about seeing Rory?

 

MR. DUGREY: No exceptions.

 

TRISTAN: That’s not acceptable. I’m giving you my allowance, and pretty much all my freedom. Can’t you bend a little?

 

MR. DUGREY: Success is about sacrifice. For this to be a successful sacrifice. It’s clear to me now that not seeing this girl is what will teach you the lesson you need so desperately to learn.

 

TRISTAN: You can’t do this!

 

MR. DUGREY: It’s already done. You can have phone conversations and you’ll obviously see her at school. But other than that the town girl is off limits.

 

TRISTAN: Her name is Rory!

 

MR. DUGREY: Fine. I believe we’re done here. Unless you have something else you need to say, and I would choose the next words out of your mouth wisely.

 

TRISTAN: I get it now…this sudden interest in parenting…it’s because you don’t like Rory.

 

MR. DUGREY: I have no issues with your little friend.

 

TRISTAN: Good because three weeks is up. You’ll be seeing plenty of her, and I will expect you to civil to her this time.

 

Without another word Tristan turns and exits his father’s stuffy study and heads up to his room, his one place of solace.