Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. Razorlight owns "Golden Touch."
Rating: I've never done this before, but I just wanted to say that it is a T, but it's a very strong T. There isn't anything worse than you'd find in an Austin Powers movie, but there is suggested sex and drug use.
A/N: The name of the story actually doesn't have anything to do with the story, but it's the song I was obsessed with when I was writing it so every time I think of this story this song pops into my head. It's about how Stephanie met the boys, so no Rory or Lorelai. It's set after the first season finale, during the summer.
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They met her the summer of their Junior Year. They came back to Hartford for the summer, just in time for the marriage of Colin's father to his third wife. The woman in question was Stephanie, the bride-to-be's niece and one of the bridesmaids in the wedding.
The first time they met her was the day before the engagement party. They had gone to Colin's house and found her tanning by the pool, a magazine on the ground on one arm behind her head, seemingly asleep. She was wearing and emerald green bikini and managed to surprise all four boys.
"Colin, mate, your dad's wives are getting younger every time," Finn commented.
Colin rolled his eyes. "That's not Victoria, idiot."
"Then you've been holding out on us, man. She's hot!" Tristan exclaimed, cat-calling.
That's when Stephanie sat up and turned to face them, a look crossed between amusement and disgust on her features. "Thank you. And next time, make sure I'm actually asleep."
It was that first interaction that started Logan's infatuation with her. Finn was unnaturally apathetic towards her presence – though he was going through his virginal phase, with a few relapses, that summer. Tristan was hung up on his Mary, and Colin had a girlfriend, so it wasn't as if he had any competition. But something stopped him from wooing her, something he couldn't quite put a finger on.
It wasn't until the next night at the party, however, that they were introduced. The boys got there late, mostly due to Finn's primping, and were immediately found by Mrs. Huntzberger so the proper introductions could be made. Though they'd met most of these people before, she thought it polite to take them through the tedious introductions yet again. The only time Logan appreciated his mother's attempts to integrate him into polite society was when she introduced him to her.
"Stephanie, I don't think you've met my son!" Mrs. Huntzberger exclaimed. "This is Logan. Logan, Stephanie, Ms. Rinehart's niece."
Logan kissed her knuckles. "Charmed."
"Says the charmer," she replied.
"I think you two are the same age," Mrs. Huntzberger continued. "Stephanie, you've met Colin, right? He's soon to be your stepcousin."
"We haven't met, actually," Colin interjected. He stuck his hand out to her. "It'll be a pleasure to be related to you for the time being."
Tristan elbowed Colin out of his way and bowed to Stephanie. "I'm Tristan DuGrey. We'll talk later." He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes in response. Mrs. Huntzberger spotted someone she knew and left the boys to their own accord.
"Where's the fourth one?" Stephanie inquired.
Logan sighed. "I'll search upstairs, Tristan downstairs." He smirked. "Colin has to mingle."
Stephanie laughed. "Welcome to the club, grab a gun."
"Care to join me in the search for hard liquor?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
They walked off as Logan watched. Tristan threw an arm around his friend's shoulders in an attempt to tear him away from Stephanie's retreating form.
"Huntzberger, your eyes look a particularly pretty shade of green today," Tristan teased. "You never told me they change colors. New phenomenon?"
Logan shoved a cackling Tristan away from him. "Screw you, DuGrey."
"You'd like to, I'm sure, but I'm a giver, not a taker," Tristan retorted. He began to walk towards the stairs. "Besides, we all know Colin is disturbingly faithful to Francie like the good little lapdog he is."
"And you'd know all about being a good little lapdog, wouldn't you?" Logan raised an eyebrow at Tristan.
"No, I know all about being whipped," Tristan corrected with a smirk. "It's a lot kinkier."
"You and your fetishes."
"At least I keep mine a secret. That reminds me, when are you telling Mitchum and Sarah that you're not allowed back at Andover next year?"
"Oh, bite me, DuGrey. Like your track record's fucking spotless," Logan growled in response.
Tristan just put a finger on Logan's lips to silence him. They were upstairs already, and the party below them could be heard. "What do you hear?"
Logan thought for a moment, then realized where they were. "Why are you up here? We were supposed to split up."
"It's safer if we use the buddy system. Now shut up and tell me what you fucking hear."
Logan strained to hear what Tristan had picked up on. "That sounds like… Finn," he realized.
It was coming from a nearby bedroom, naturally. As quietly as they could, they snuck up on the bedroom and quickly opened the door to surprise Finn and his companion. What they found was Finn lying on the bed with Madeline next to him and Louise straddling his knees.
"Boys," Louise purred, sitting up and wiping off the corners of her mouth.
"Oh, Jesus," Logan muttered. He guessed this was one of those relapses. "Finn, this is not Colin's mom's engagement party. Pull your pants up."
"But we were just getting to the good part," Finn pouted. "Five more minutes?"
"You could join us," Louise suggested.
"I don't want to see Finn in any more state of undress than he already is," Tristan replied. "And Logan here only wants to see one person in any form of undress right now." Tristan smirked at a glaring Logan. "Isn't that right, Huntzberger?"
"Intrigue," Madeline piped up. "Who?"
"Colin's newest cousin, Stephanie."
Louise made a face. "She's such a tease."
"Everybody gives into Logan," Tristan teased.
"Bite me," Logan muttered, walking out of the room.
"Touchy," Madeline observed.
"You three finish up what you were doing, and please try to come downstairs discreetly," Tristan begged. "I should probably find Logan before he throws himself out of a window in a fit of teen angst."
"Have fun, mate!" Finn called as Tristan quickly exited and shut the door.
Tristan found Logan on Colin's balcony smoking. He was perched on the railing and leaning against the wall. "Can I bum one?" Tristan asked.
Logan wordlessly handed him one, along with the lighter. Tristan sat on the opposite side in nearly the same position as Logan. "Sorry about earlier."
"I think I might actually like her. I think I want to, God help me, get to know her."
"I'll find a priest to perform the exorcism for you," Tristan joked.
"Shut up, DuGrey," Logan replied playfully. He paused, pondering his words, then asked, "How'd you know this Mary girl was someone you'd actually consider dating?"
Tristan shrugged. "She didn't take my shit."
Logan took one last drag of his cigarette and flicked it away, aiming for someone's toupee. "Sounds like a good enough reason for me."
The door opened, surprising both boys. Stephanie stood there, looking just as shocked as them. "Sorry, I didn't realize anyone was out here." She stepped back inside.
"Stay," Tristan insisted. He jumped up, dropped his cigarette and stepped on it. "I need to go make the rounds, however. You kids have fun." He winked at Logan as he left.
"You'd think a school as prestigious as Chilton would teach classes in subtly," Stephanie commented.
"How do you know he goes there?"
"I got the full history, and net worth, of the four most eligible bachelors here by my wonderful mother," she explained with a small smile. "And yes, that includes Colin."
"She sounds about as great as my mom."
Stephanie smiled and reached into her bag, pulling out two airplane-sized bottles of liquor. "Vodka or Rum?"
"Rum," Logan decided almost immediately.
"Thank God," Stephanie breathed. "I was ready to fight to the death for the Vodka."
"More of a clear alcohol girl?"
"What can I say? It appeals to the Russian in me."
"You don't look Russian."
"I don't look German either, but it's there."
"German?" he repeated doubtfully.
"Don't tell me you're denouncing Germans," she groaned. "Huntzberger doesn't exactly sound like an Irish name."
He unscrewed the lid to his bottle. "I wasn't denouncing Germans, it's just that you don't look very German."
"Okay, Mr. Heritage, what do I look like to you?"
He studied her a moment. "English, with a bit of French thrown in."
She smiled. "You got the French part right." She held out her mini bottle to clink with his. "To boring parties becoming a helluva lot more interesting." She downed the bottle and Logan mimicked her actions. They both threw their bottles over the balcony, aiming for the guests.
They sat in silence until Logan got up from his seat. "Ready to re-join the party?"
"Do we have to?" she pouted.
"Well, I've had a smoke and a drink, but I can stay out here with you if you want a cigarette," he offered.
She shook her head. "Chivalrous, but I don't smoke cigarettes. Only hooka."
"Interesting. Finn has a hooka lounge."
"And he's the elusive fourth? Where is he, anyway?"
Logan grimaced. "Getting acquainted with Madeline and Louise. Again."
"How graphic," she replied drolly.
"It's worse if you see it. You know them?"
"Briefly, I just met them tonight. At least it isn't with that Paris girl. I'd fear for his life. Or his sanity."
"No need to fear for his sanity, he doesn't have any."
"Good to know. He's the one with the accent, right?" She paused, waiting for confirmation. Logan nodded and she continued, "Where's he from? England?"
"Don't let him hear you say that," Logan warned. "He gets mad when people can't tell the difference between an English and an Australian accent."
"Australian? Really? Interesting. He's kinda cute."
"You think so?" Logan replied in his best casual voice.
"Yeah. My boyfriend may respectfully disagree however," she added with a laugh.
Logan recovered from the shock almost instantly, assuring himself that he was ten times better looking than her current beau. "Now you're just stalling."
"But my family sucks and I don't want to see them," she whined.
"But you have at least two more years with them," he mockingly whined back.
She inexplicably smiled at him. "You know, I've known you for the better part of an hour, and yet I just know we're going to be friends for a very long time, Huntzberger."
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They were inseparable after that party; one couldn't be found without the other. They spent most of the summer either at each other's houses or getting high at Finn's, spewing nonsense with Tristan, Finn, and Colin. Often, Louise, Madeline and Colin's girlfriend Francie would join them.
It was halfway through July, the second week of Colin's dad's honeymoon in St. Thomas, that Logan came to the startling revelation that he was not, as previously thought, in love with Stephanie.
"You thought that you were in love with Stephanie?" Colin asked incredulously when he told them.
Tristan fell off the couch from laughter.
"Mate, that's like saying you thought you were in love with Tristan," Finn pointed out. "She's one of us."
Logan frowned. "Which is precisely why I'm not in love with her."
"What's this love shit you're blathering on about anyway?" Finn finished off his beer and added it to the pyramid being formed.
"I'm not in love with her, so why does it matter?" Logan shot back. "Besides, if you want to know about love, ask Colin, man-bitch extraordinaire."
Colin glared and threw an empty beer bottle at Logan, which managed to only graze his ear.
"Ow!" Logan whined, rubbing his ear.
Finn waved his hand. "Colin's not in love, he's in lust 'cause he gets to fuck Francie any time he wants. He's just too weak-willed to realize that Francie's the one that has him bent over, not the other way around."
"Shut the hell up, Finn, you don't know her."
"But I do," Tristan piped up. "If you'll remember, I go to school with her, and I must say that she is a huge bitch."
"But Colin's an asshole, so it evens out," Logan pointed out.
"Oh, thanks, really brighten my day why don't you, Logan?"
"I'm just looking out for you, sweetheart."
Tristan pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket. "Anyone?"
"Send one Colin's way, he obviously needs the manliness points," Finn suggested.
Colin sighed and caught the cigarette thrown his way; Finn and Logan had their own packs. "I thought we were talking about Logan's obsession with Stephanie."
"I'm not obsessed with Stephanie."
"We know that, you look at her like you look at your sister," Finn replied.
Logan glared at him. "Don't you mean the way we look at my sister?"
Finn smirked. "Mate, if you look at Honor the way any of the rest of us look at her, you need serious help."
Tristan laughed. "Your sister is pretty damn hot."
"If you two don't shut the hell up, I will be forced to defend her honor –" he shot a sharp glare at Finn, who was already starting to laugh, "no pun intended – and we all know how much I hate to do that."
"Fine, if we can't talk about Honor, how about Stephanie?" Colin suggested, a smile threatening to impose upon his cool demeanor.
"I'm not fucking obsessed with Stephanie!" Logan yelled.
"Well, that's a relief, I'd hate to get a restraining order so soon into the friendship," Stephanie said from the doorway.
The three boys burst out laughing while Logan, determined not to be embarrassed, took one very long drag of his cigarette. "How long have you been there?" he asked her.
She sat down next to him and opened a beer. "Long enough to embarrass you. Colin knew I was there, which is probably why he said what he said."
"Stephanie, darling, I think I just may love you. Someone's gotta shove Huntzberger off his high horse once in a while. Marry me?" Finn questioned.
"I'm not a virgin."
"Y'know, I hate that you know my one weakness and flaw."
"What about Louise and Madeline?"
"Virgins, fun as they are, have a tendency to be a tad on the prudish side."
"Wow, how chauvinistic of you!" Stephanie marveled sarcastically. "Women weren't created to serve the needs of your dick."
Finn folded his arms over his chest and pouted like a five year old. "You don't have to be so mean about it."
"Cheer up, Princess, we're going out tonight," Colin told him.
Finn brightened considerably. "You mean it?"
"Would I say it if I didn't?"
"Yes."
"But this time I mean it."
"Are you bringing Francie?"
"Of course."
"You live to torture me."
"Because the world revolves around you."
"Silly boy, didn't you get the memo? The world revolves around Tristan."
Tristan shrugged. "It's true. Hey, if we're going out tonight, can I bring these two guys that I met?"
"Tristan, not all of us swing that way," Logan dead-panned.
Stephanie raised her hand. "I do."
"Special case," Finn argued.
"Who's car are we taking?" Colin asked.
"Not yours again, please," Logan replied. "I've had my share of near-death experiences this year already."
"Let's take my car," Stephanie volunteered. "I just got it."
"Ready to crash?" Logan teased.
"You know it."
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"Did you pick out a new school yet?" Stephanie asked Logan at the beginning of August. She was sitting on the counter in the Huntzberger kitchen, swinging her legs and eating whipped cream out of the can. It was a hot day, so Logan decided to have a pool party. Louise and Madeline were tanning, Colin was in the pool house with Francie doing God-knows-what, and Finn was bugging Paris, who'd been forced by her mother to attended. Tristan was fruitlessly attempting to flirt with Honor, as his main mission in life was to piss off Logan, but had yet to see his plan work.
"Yeah, some place in Upper New York," he answered, hopping up on the counter next to her. "I didn't really have a choice in schools."
"Really? I go to an All-Girl's Academy up there."
"Carpet licker," he teased.
"Pillow biter," she shot back.
"How'd you know I was going to an All-Boys?"
"Lucky guess."
"And the fact that the richer part of America is stuck in the past has nothing to do with your assumption."
"How astute of you." She tipped her head back and sprayed some whipped cream into her mouth before offering him some.
He shook his head. "I hate whipped cream."
"How can you hate whipped cream?" she asked in disbelief. "It's against the laws of God and men!"
"I just don't like it."
"That's really strange."
"Look who's talking!"
"What the hell are you insinuating?" she challenged.
"That you're an odd one."
Finn opened the fridge, surprising both of them. "He's right, you know; you're troppo."
Logan smirked and caught the bottle of Bacardi Finn threw at him. "See, Finn agrees with me."
"Reliable," Stephanie agreed condescendingly.
Logan just laughed and took a swig from the bottle before Finn snatched it back. He shook it at Stephanie. "This is what you make me do – you've driven me to the bottle."
She just cocked an eyebrow. "From what I've heard, waking up and brushing your hair drives you to the bottle."
"You wound me." He grinned wickedly. "Next time, use a whip."
Logan bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling. It was such a Finn thing to request. As the two began to bicker, Logan thought back on the summer and more specifically, his friends. First of all there was Tristan to consider – since hanging out with Duncan and Bowman, who had the collective IQ of dirt, he'd been getting in a lot more trouble for pranks. He'd pulled shit before, but the recklessness was starting to piss even Finn off. And Finn getting pissed off at someone's recklessness was on the same level as Slash telling Charlie Sheen he was drinking too much: not good.
Then there was Stephanie; she was the first girl he didn't try (as hard) to get into the pants of, and for that he was thankful. Having her as a friend was like the sun shining: it was always warm and fun to be in. He didn't know what he'd have done without her.
"Hey, Logan," Louise purred. While Logan had been dazing off, Finn and Stephanie had left and Louise had entered. That was another thing he loved about Stephanie: she hung out with Louise. They may not have liked each other, but they tolerated each other for the greater good.
"Louise," Logan replied huskily. Louise was something. He had to admit, the more he hung out with her the more he wanted her. And from what he heard, she had certain talents that he thought he would find extremely pleasurable.
"Great party. Is it a sleepover?"
"My bed is always open for you."
"Good to know." She leaned past him, her breasts just barely brushing his arm, and he had to bite back a groan. She knew, she just had to.
"What are you getting?" He managed to ask.
She waved a pack of cards at him. "Honor left, so we thought we'd play a rousing – no pun intended – game of Strip Gin Rummy. In?"
Logan laughed. "I'll just get more drinks, give me a minute."
"You're the boss." As light as a feather she ran a hand down his chest. "And just to let you know, I prefer the top."
He smirked as she sashayed off and leaned back so he was lying down on the counter. It was cool against his back, cool enough to do the trick, but not as effective as a cold shower would be, not that he foresaw one of those in his near future. He'd have to remember to do something special for Stephanie – she was, after all, one of his best friends.
-The End-