I am starting a new story. I hope it will be a valentine TRORY. I don't own Gilmore Girls. Here is chapter one. Please read and review.

Mr. Smooth

"What is your goal in life?" she spat at him one day. Tristan was once again teasing Rory, trying to get her to go out with him. "What do you want to do with your life besides add every girl in this school to your trophy case?" she hissed

Tristan was pulled up short. No one had ever asked him that. He was the King of Chilton! Rich, good looking and smart, he cruised through the halls and cruised through life. What the others didn't realize was that he was rudderless. For once, honest indecision appeared on his face. Rory saw it and was herself stopped short.

"What do you want to do with your life?" she asked again, softly.

Tristan had no answer.

"Do you know what you want?" he whispered.

"Yes." was all she said, and walked away.

Tristan stopped antagonizing her after that. Her question really affected him. What did he want to do? High school was a way station. The more he thought about it, the less sure he was. That made him uncomfortable. That night, he saw his father and really looked at him.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Tristan" His father looked at his son warily.

"Are you doing what you wanted to do when you were younger?" Tristan asked. He watched his father's expression.

"Why do you ask?" his father replied

"Am I supposed to know, I mean really KNOW what I want to do or to be?" Tristan almost whispered. His father was nonplussed. He had never seen his son this uncertain. Tristan had always amazed him with his ability to rise to nearly any situation. He was smooth, capable and charming to the bone. His father was envious of this gift.

"Are you happy with your life?" Tristan asked. His father smiled tiredly and put an arm over his son's shoulder. It felt funny, but nice. He hadn't done it in a long time, it seemed.

"I wish I had more time, to spend with you, to spend with your grandfather, to just sit with a Sunday paper and a pot of coffee. I wish I wasn't so obligated to the job, but with great wealth comes obligation. If I slacked off on my job, others might lose theirs. It isn't about the money all the time. It is about the responsibility." The elder Dugrey paused for a moment, then, as if looking into the past, he admitted " I had to prove myself to the board. I didn't want to be looked down upon as the lucky son who walked into the position because I was Janlen's son." Tristan walked along with his father and really listened.

"Do you regret any of your choices?" Tristan questioned.

"I regret not making more time for you and your sister. I missed so much. But, that was the culture of the workplace. Fathers didn't take off to go watch their kids play sports, or act in plays. Not until college, anyway. And, you were both so smart, you were never in any trouble, I sort of let you slide. You know, " he said somewhat baldly. The two Dugrey men sat in the kitchen at table. Tristan picked at a cluster of grapes in the fruit bowl. Silent seconds ticked by.

"What brought this on?" his father finally asked.

"Someone said something to me yesterday and it got me to thinking." Tristan admitted. His father didn't say anything, hoping to draw him out.

"She practically spat at me when she asked." Tristan chuckled briefly

"She?"

"Yeah. There's a new girl at Chilton." was all he said

"Should I be worried?" his father said

"Be worried for me. She wants nothing to do with me" he responded as he studied his fingers."

His father chuckled. "She sounds smart. Is she pretty as well?" Tristan grinned at his father.

"Yes. She's an absolute Mary, but not a push over"

"Do I know the family?"

"Yes. She's a Gilmore. You know her grandfather."

"Gilmore?" Lorelei's girl?" comprehension dawned.

"Yes. Lorelei Gilmore, actually everyone calls her Rory."

"I remember the story. Lorelei got pregnant at 16 and dropped out of school. She had a daughter. She ran away with the baby and we never heard about her again." Tristan listened intently. This was a story he hadn't heard.

"Rory comes from Stars Hollow. She lives there with her mother. " Tristan filled in

"Do you know what Lorelei does?"

"She runs an Inn from what I understand. Rory helps out sometimes." Tristan offered.

"Rory has the grades to get into Chilton, which makes her pretty smart. Is she anything like Paris?" the senior Dugrey asked.

"So, she asked you what you want to do with your life. Why?"

Tristan had the grace to blush. "I have been sort of a pain to her. I was trying to impress her and get her to go out with me. I tried to be Mr. Smooth."

"And..?"

Tristan made a noise like an explosion and grinned.

"So, she is smart. Her mother was smart, too, if I recall"

"The thing is, I don't know what I want to do." Tristan said earnestly.

"You are still young, you have three more years ahead of you. Take a look around; think back to when you were younger. What do you like best? Is there a profession for it? What are you good at that wouldn't drive you over the cliff if you worked at it every day?" Very few people really KNOW what they want to do at your age. They are too busy playing sports, looking at the opposite sex and trying to pull things over on their parents."

Tristan looked at his father closely. He felt like a tremendous weight was gradually lifting from his shoulders.

"Does Rory know what she wants?" his father asked.

"She said she did, but didn't tell me what it was."

They sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes. Tristan stood and said "Thanks Dad" and sauntered out of the kitchen. He stopped short and turned

"When did you know Mom was The One?" he asked suddenly

His father thought briefly, and replied "The moment I saw her. Time slowed, it became hard to breath and the whole world receded."

Tristan breathed in sharply. "How old were you?"

"About your age. She wanted nothing to do with me until I smartened up in college. It seems to be tradition with the Dugrey men. The same thing happened with your Grandfather."

"No kidding?" Tristan was shaken.

"Have you met Her?" his father asked gently.

"I think so."

"Rory?"

"Yes." Tristan admitted honestly.

"She's not just a girl?"

"No. She's not just a girl. I feel different around her."

"Then don't let her get away. I'm not saying marry the girl now, but don't let her get away." Tristan nodded. Tristan actually skipped up the stairs to his room. He was grinning madly. Mr. Smooth was going to get the girl.