A Messenger, Nothing More:

Ever since Rory had left for Europe with Emily, I had been staying in her bedroom. After washing the bed sheets thoroughly, of course. Mom and I had been keeping ourselves busy turning the basement into a studio apartment for me to use when I come to stay. Mom was also running herself ragged working at her new inn, but when I asked her about it she just denied it. I was sitting at the kitchen table, which was never used for eating, trying to decide between cherry or enchantress for the paint for my apartment when my cell phone rang. I grabbed my phone from my jeans pocket and checked the caller ID hoping that it was Rory, and she was talking to me again. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't Rory but the name that flashed on the screen brought a smile to my face regardless.

"Mistress Red's Palace of Pleasure, how may I direct your call?" I answered the phone in a seductive voice. The person on the other end just laughed at me. I could hear others in the background.

"I'm definitely already speaking to the girl I want." He said in an equally seductive voice, making me laugh as well.

"How was Fiji, Logan?" I asked my friend. Logan, mutual friends Colin and Stephanie and a bunch of other people had taken a year from Yale to do god knows what. They had asked me to go with them but I wanted to start freshman year with Rory. Logan sighed dramatically on the other end of the phone call.

"We ran into some trouble in Fiji."

"What kind of trouble?" I asked him apprehensively. Logan and Colin had a habit of getting into bad situations, sometimes dragging me with them. Other times I went along with them willingly.

"We sunk the yacht."

"…"

"You still there, Teek?" Logan asked me after a minute of complete silence. I shook my head to clear it, thinking that had heard wrong. I knew that my eyes must have been bugging out of my head.

"You sunk a yacht?"

"Yep." Logan confirmed, popping the 'p'. "Don't worry. This isn't a 'come get me out of jail' call. We are already at the airport and on our way home. I just wanted to check in because we haven't spoken in a while."

"Maybe you were too busy sinking boats." I suggested playfully. Now that I was over my shock that Logan had sunk his father's yacht, I was more amused than anything.

"It's a yacht. Not a boat." He joked back, making me laugh.

"Hey, who's that?" I heard someone say in the background of the call. Logan must have leant away from the phone to answer them because he sounded further away.

"Christa."

"I want to talk to her!" I heard Colin say loudly and then there was silence and the distant sound of Logan and Colin fighting over the phone. I laughed as I listened to two of my best friends fight over who got to talk to me. I had met Colin through a set up by Emily Gilmore. It was one of the only things I was thankful to her for. Through Colin, I had also met Logan and a few more friends but Colin, Logan and I were closer than the other despite a two year difference between us. We had only been friends for a few months before I moved to Boston with my dad. Luckily, Boston was closes enough that when the boys started their freshman year at Yale, I would drive down to spend the weekend with them.

"Hello?" a familiar female voice said over the phone and I smiled to myself. Stephanie and I hadn't started off as friends because was jealous that I had fit right into Logan and Colin's relationship. Also, although she never said it out loud, I had guessed that she was also a little jealous of the casual, no-strings relationship that Colin and I had shared the first few months we knew each other.

"Hi, Steph!" I said brightly to my friend. Steph had gone with Colin and Logan to Yale and we had become really close friends, once she got over herself. On the other end of the phone, she gasped happily.

"Christa! How are you?" she asked me, ignoring Logan and Colin's protests to hand to phone back.

"I'm good. Not as good as you, Brooke Shields. How was the Blue Lagoon?" I teased her and she laughed at me.

"It was great until Finn crashed the yacht." She stated matter-of-factly, like she crashed a million dollar yacht every day.

"It wasn't Logan or Colin? Now I can't tease them about drinking and driving." I playfully pouted even though she couldn't see me.

"Ooh, we have to go catch the plane. I'll call when we land. Bye!" she said brightly before hanging up the phone. I smiled at her abrupt nature and hung up the phone. I sighed as I gazed back at the paint swatches in front of me.

I was outside on the porch trying to paint my toenails deep purple when my phone rang again. Sighing, I picked it up without checking the ID this time. Deep down I hoped that it was Rory but I knew that she was still angry at me for voicing an opinion about her a dean, and telling mom about her little tryst.

"Hello?" I said in a bored voice as I balanced the phone between my shoulder and my ear so that I could still use my hands to paint my nails.

"It's me." I heard Rory's soft voice come over the phone. I almost dropped the phone but quickly realised she was probably just going to yell me again so I didn't get my hopes up.

"Oh. Hello." I said in a clipped tone.

"Bad time? Are you busy?" she asked, sounding both nervous and hesitant.

"Just doing my nails. How are you doing?"

"Good. You?"

"Good." I answered softly. There was a pregnant pause for a minute or two where no one said anything.

"I was at the corner of Bark and Cheese today." Rory informed me hesitantly. I sit back and smile as I remember going there with Rory and mom on our back packing trip after high school.

"Bark and Cheese? Really?"

"And it's exactly the same."

"Exactly the same? Was there a tiny, little Italian dog in a basket barking the whole time you were there?" I asked with a laugh. I couldn't help the smile that came to my lips at the memory.

"Not this time, but I definitely had flashbacks."

"Did you have a nice piece of cheese with your coffee?" I teased my twin sister.

"I still say I said the correct word for "cream" in Italian. I even pointed at my coffee when I asked for it. How could I be asking for cheese?"

"But cheese you were brought."

"Stinky cheese. The worst, don't forget."

"That you proceeded to eat."

"Because I hate people who make mistakes when they order, especially in a foreign country, and then make a big to-do when they get the wrong thing. Ugly Americans. Yuck." She argued playfully, making me laugh at her.

"Aha! You admit it was a mistake. You did say "cheese."" I teased her, grinning triumphantly.

"I know French, a bit of Spanish, but my Italian - not so good." Rory conceded with a sigh.

"Being trilingual is plenty for a young lady."

"Yeah." She said and then there was another pause. I heard Rory sigh sadly on the other end of the phone line. "Christa?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." I assured with a smile that she couldn't see.

"I screwed up. I screwed up so bad. I handled everything wrong." Rory said in a rushed way. I could hear the tears through the phone and my heart nearly broke for her. "I keep reliving everything over and over. It's such a mess. I just want to fix it. I have to fix it."

"You will." I told her confidently, grateful that she couldn't see the doubt etched on my face.

"I know. I just - I need a favour." She said hesitantly.

"Okay." I said immediately, knowing already that id do anything she asked of me.

"It's big."

"Okay."

"I wrote a letter... to Dean. Could you get it to him?"

"Oh."

"I don't know how else to do it. I can't just mail it to his apartment. It's a big favour." She said pleadingly. I could feel her pain and her heartache through the twin bond that we shared. I knew that if this would make her feel the tiniest bit better than I would it for her. "It's a lot to ask, but I think that this will make everything better. Please. Please. I can't wait until I get home. I have to do something now."

"A letter, huh? Well, get it to me, and I will get it to him." I told her sincerely.

"Thank you. Thank you." She said gratefully, making me smile to myself.

"Have some espresso and limburger for me."

"I will. I love you, Christa."

"I love you, too. Bye."

"Bye."

The next day I took the letter that was express delivered from Europe and walked down to Doose's Market where Dean worked. The little bell above the door chimed as I entered and looked around for Dean. Not seeing him I stopped a girl wearing the smock of the store.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for Dean." I asked her and she points in a direction. "Thanks." I said before walking in the direction she pointed in. Near the fridges, I saw Dean wearing the Doose's smock and talking to a costumer about eggs. I waited patiently for them to finish. Dean looked up and noticed me and I offered him and shy smile and wave. The costumer left and Dean approached me nervously

"Dean." I said in greeting, feeling uncomfortable. How do you greet your twin sisters married ex-boyfriend who she just cheated with?

"Hi." He said, equally as nervous and uncomfortable.

"Hi." I relied as I handed him the letter Rory wrote for him.

"What's that?" he asked me suspiciously.

"It's a letter for you from Rory." I told him.

"What happened? Where is she?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Just take the letter."

"She went to Europe, right? Miss Patty said she went to Europe. What happened? What's she doing there? Who is she with?"

"Dean." I said, not really wanting to be involved in this.

"When's she getting back?"

"Soon. Just take it."

"Where is she?" dean asked me, a little desperately and my heart cracked a little more.

"Europe."

"With who?"

"Her grandmother. Look, take it."

"No. Why did she go? Whose idea was it?"

"That doesn't matter."

"It does." He insisted.

"Dean, please. I'm a messenger, nothing more. Just take it." I practically pleaded with him, wanting desperately to leave. He hesitated but took the letter that I still had in my out reached hand. I smiled at him in sympathy and then got the hell out of there.

Rory got back today and I was so excited I was practically bouncing up and down on my seat at the at counter at Luke's. My friend Lane was waiting tables and I could help but notice that she kept looking over at her band mate Zach, who was currently sitting at a table with two bimbos wrapped around him. Lane finally goes over to the three of them to take their order and I watch in interest.

"You're supposed to wait to be seated." Lane told them, irritation lacing her voice. I raise an eyebrow at her words, because that is so not true.

"Since when?" Zach asked her, confused.

"Since always. That's what they do at Denny's." Lane argued with him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Okay, well, my usual table where I always sit. Okay, Lane?"

"Fine Zach. What will you have?" Lane huffed in annoyance.

"Allow me to order for you girls. A ham sandwich for the lady on my right. Light mustard, right Trine?" he asked the blonde bimbo on his right and strokes her arm. Lane and before roll our eyes at them. Trina giggles at his attempts to seduce her though.

"Is that a "yes", Trine?" Lane asked her, growing more and more agitated.

"That's a "yes."" Zach answered for her. I was starting to think she couldn't form words on her own. "Burger, no cheese for Cheryl. Cheeseburger for me, and go ahead and shoot everybody here some fries." He said with wink. I rolled my eyes again because Lane had been throwing those free fries and ach and their other band mate Brain kept giving them cutesy names and gestures, like the wink.

"Free fries are for friends and family only. Sorry." Lane said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Another new rule?" Zach asked her sarcastically.

"Nope - old. Old as Moses."

"Okay, just bring me my order, and we'll all share." He tried to compromise.

"Sorry, no."

"What?"

"You get free fries, you have to eat them."

"I can't share my own fries?"

"That's right."

"That's bogus." He argued with her but she wasn't budging.

"That's tough, they're for you, not these girls. They're to be consumed by you, and you alone."

"I don't believe this."

"I'll be watching to see if you share, so don't get any big ideas."

"Just forget about it, okay? We'll go to "Al's Pancake World"."

"Fine! Go!"

"We are."

"Good."

"Come on, girls." He said, motioning for the girls to stand up with him.

"Whatever. Like I care where you go to eat." Lane said with a scoff and then came over to join me at the counter. I saw Zach and the bimbos exit the diner. "Like I care where he goes to eat." She said to me and I had to fight to keep the smirk off my lips. Lane started reloading the condiment tray and I sipped my coffee. The door the diner chimed and I turned hoping to see Rory or my mom but instead I see the brunette bimbo that was just in here with Zach. I watch curiously as she approaches me and Lane at the counter.

"Hey." She said to Lane, who turned to glare at her.

"What?" Lane asked impatiently.

"Sorry. We didn't know." She apologised to Lane. Lane just looked confused at the girl.

"Know what?" she asked her. The girl and I shared a smile of knowing and then she turned and left the diner. Lane watched her leave in confusion and I smiled at the clueless look on her face. Her expression gradually became one of understanding and she turned to me unbelieving.

"Oh my God." She muttered under her breath but I still heard it and chuckled at her in sympathy. I stood up from my seat at the counter and pulled Lane into a hug.

"Sorry, sweetie." I said before pulling out my wallet and paying for my coffee, making sure to leave a big tip for Lane. I figured that she could use it right now. I decided to head home and wait there for Rory and mom. As I reached the gazebo in town square I saw two very familiar people and rushed over to them squealing happily.

"Rory!" I squealed as I pulled her into a huge hug. I heard both mom and Rory laugh at my eagerness. I pulled away and held her delicate face in my hands to check her over. Satisfied with what I saw, I nodded and linked my arms with each of theirs. We started walking back the way that I had come from, towards Luke's. "What were we talking about?"

"Dean and Lindsay." Mom answered softly and I nodded in understanding. I had heard about the major public fight between Lindsay and Dean. We started to walk around the gazebo slowly as mom recounted what she had seen earlier that day.

"It was unbelievable. It was bad. She was yelling. She was throwing things. He was yelling. She called him a jerk. It was very violent and very public. Other people saw it. It was horrible."

"This was not supposed to happen." Rory said miserably and I rubbed her arm in sympathy. Just as I was about to try and say something comforting, we rounded the corner and bumped into Lindsay and her mother.

"You! You should be ashamed of yourself - what you did!" Mrs Lister spat at Rory and I instinctively pulled her behind me.

"Just wait." Mom started to say but Mrs Lister cut her off.

"What did she ever do to you, huh? How did she hurt you? Why are you doing this?"

"Theresa, please. Calm down." Mom ordered the older woman but was ignored.

"Calm down? My little girl has to come home and find your heinous letter in Dean's jacket."

"Listen, we're in the street –" mom tried again to get her to stop. I could fell Rory trembling behind me and that just about made me punch this lady's lights out, regardless of the situation.

"You little monster!"

"Hey! Pull back, lady!" I snapped at her in anger.

"There aren't hundreds of other boys in the world? You have to go after her husband?"

"Okay, stop attacking my daughter right now. You're upset, I get it, but you do not do this." Mom ordered her again, stepping closer to the older woman to prove her point.

"She slept with my son-in-law. She broke up a marriage. Are you proud?" Mrs Lister spat at mom.

"She did not break up a marriage." I said to the women in front of me.

"What do you know of this?" she snapped at me now.

"Enough. I know Rory." I insisted protectively.

"All I know is that now my Lindsay is devastated, Dean is back with his parents, lives are destroyed, and you and your daughters can go to hell!" she screamed at mom before storming off, pulling Lindsay with her. Once she left Rory wiped her eyes in silence and I pushed her wayward hair behind her ears to keep it out of her way. Mom cleared her throat and asked the question that I also wanted to know.

"Okay, I have got to know what was in that letter."

"Um... I... I told him...that... that night was special and...that I wasn't sorry that it happened. But he's married, and... he has to figure out his life. So I was going to make it easier for him and take myself out of the mix." Rory stuttered out. I wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders and she leaned into me.

"Well, that was a very good letter." I told her sympathetically.

"I can't believe she found it."

"We can't keep standing here." Mom insisted as she looked around the square.

"These streets are dangerous right now." I added jokingly as we moved towards Luke's Diner again. We entered the diner and sat at our usual table near the window.

"Anything you want is on me. Pie, cake, pancakes, pan pie, cake pan, panacockin. Say the word or make one up. It's yours." Mom joked as we sat down.

"Chair feels good." Rory stated as she relaxed into the chair, making me shake my head.

"Yeah, yeah. A chair does feel good."

"I think a root beer might be good." Rory said after careful consideration.

"Root beer sounds good!" I said brightly. Just then Luke appeared at our table. We hadn't seen him in a few days because he had been helping his sister and brother-in-law at a medieval fair where they sold jewellery.

"It's on the house, so go crazy." He said to us.

"Luke!" I said excitedly as I stood up and hugged him. Mom looked just as excited but exercised enough control not to hug him like I did. Luke hugged me back and when I pulled back and sat back down her grinned down at mom.

"Hey." He said to her and me and then, "Hi, Rory. Welcome back."

"Thanks." She said lamely and I held her hand in mine.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale." He asked her in concern.

"You know, pale's the new tan." I joked, covering for her and he smiled warmly at me. Mom chuckled and smiled up at him.

"So, you're here. You're not a mirage."

"I told you I was coming back."

"But you lied to me repeatedly for weeks, so your credibility's been shattered."

"I know. It's been seven weeks. You know, I just remembered - I have an errand to run." He said nervously and I bite back a grin. "So… I'll be back in a bit." He said and then left the diner. Mom's gaze followed him as he left. Lane came running over to our table and sat down in the vacant seat.

"Rory!" Lane said excitedly.

"Hey, you!" Rory said to her best friend, perking up a bit.

"We need to consult." Lane said seriously and Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, sounds serious."

"I'm in a quandary."

"Other people's quandaries. I'm all ears."

"Hey, you know, I just remembered - I have to go to Doose's to... pick something up. You need a banana or anything?" mom said lamely, and I rolled my eyes at her attempt to be subtle.

"We're good." I assured her, impatient for her and Luke to be a couple already. I had 50 bucks resting on whether or not they become a couple after their kiss.

"Yeah, I'm consulting on a quandary. Go." Rory also assured her. Mom smiled and practically ran out the door makings us all laugh at her and Luke.

"So, my quandary - are you ready? And I need honesty from both of you." Lane said in a rush.

"Shoot." I said to her with a smile.

"Am I in love with Zach?"

"Yes!" I told her at the same time Rory said, "What?"

"I need to know if you think I'm in love with Zach, 'cause a dirty trollop suggested it, and they're generally reliable about these things."

"A dirty trollop?" Rory asked sceptically.

"She said something to me and gave me this sort of knowing, worldly look that seemed to suggest I was acting in a way that said I have a thing for Zach, or she was hitting on me. I just need to know your thought on this. Hey. Are you listening?" she asked as Rory just stared mutely at her.

"Ignore her. Listen to me. 'Cause as you said dirty trollops are usually reliable about these things." I said with a smirk. Lane frowned when I called myself a trollop but nodded seriously. "You're attracted to Zach. It's undeniable. What you have to do is figure what kind of attraction it is."

"What do you mean, 'what kind of attraction'?" Lane asked me. She and Rory were both listening intently and I leaned forward on my elbows.

"There's two main types of sexual attraction." I stated to them. "One is like a sparkler. It burns hot and fast. It's dangerous and fun, and oh so pretty. But it's gone in the blink of an eye. The other is more like a candle. It burns slow and it gives off warmth and light and it lasts." I told them with a shrug.

"Well, how do I tell?" Lane asked me.

"I don't know." I answered her honestly with a frown and a shrug. "I've never experienced the candle burn. I thought, maybe I had it with Tristan or Daniel but at last."

"That doesn't help me." Lane said with a shake of her head, but with a smile as well and I laugh out loud and soon enough all three of us are laughing.