Rory started with a week in Berlin to attempt to figure out how this country became the backbone of the European Union. Moreover, she wanted to find out how it was functioning since the reunification. She then spent time in London to decipher the reluctance of Great Britain to be involved entirely in the EU. She subsequently arrived in Paris where Robert was already there to pick her up at the arrival of the Eurostar at the Gare du Nord. She was happy to see a friendly face after two weeks by herself and hugged him. He looked relaxed and tanned which brought out his icy blue eyes.
"You look good Semple, holidays in France suits you." He beamed at her, he thought that his vacation couldn't get better.
"Glad to see you too Reporter girl. So, how were your first two weeks as a foreign journalist?"
"Very productive. I'm eager to follow up with the French part. I think I understand a lot of things now. Do you think you could be able to read my first drafts?"
"Sure, first I'll drop you at your hotel, then we can review your planning. Do you think you'll have some time for entertainment? Nicolas is working too, but his evenings are free. Unfortunately, the third musketeer is in Oxford"
"The third musketeer?"
"That's how our parents used to call us because we were inseparable when we were kids. You know, the girl we were in love with when we were eight."
"It depends on how I can work during the day. Where are you staying?"
"At Nicolas', it's not far from your hotel. We can work on your planning and drafts at his place"
"So, tell me, how come you're so tanned?"
"We went sailing during the weekend. We got lucky the weather was just perfect, sunny and windy. Couldn't have been better"
"I didn't know you could sail"
"There're a lot of things you don't know about me, Gilmore. It's not because you've seen me naked with my underwear on my head that you know everything."
She laughed "Then tell me, Semple, I would love nothing more than to know you better now that we're roommates."
"Well, my mother's family is from Newport, so sailing is in my blood. I also was on the Yale sailing team. If you have time this summer, Finn and I can take you sailing there. It's less than two hours from Boston"
"I'd love that"
They worked all afternoon. As promised, in addition to the Michel Barnier interview, Nicolas pulled out some of his family strings and got Rory an interview with Emmanuelle Mignon the "Directrice de Cabinet" of the French president Nicolas Sarkozy. On his side, Robert organized a meeting with his former tutor, Olivier Duhamel who was a specialist in the Fifth French Republic. They also prepared her trip to Brussels. Once again Robert help was huge and Rory was amazed by his knowledge of the EU and all its institutions. It was just like having a private lesson and made her wondered if she should also have attended grad school. Moreover, she was hit by his confidence. As he had pointed out, she actually didn't know him that well, she had been very familiar with his partying side at Yale, but not his intellectual side, which turned out to be quite impressive. She used to think the dislike that Logan had sometimes demonstrate toward Robert was only jealousy because he had asked her out for Finn's birthday party, but now she wondered if it could also have been because he was irritated not to be the smartest guy in the room.
"Thanks a lot, Robert, your help is priceless. You made me gain so much time"
"It's my pleasure Ror, nothing you couldn't have done by yourself, you really are a fast learner." She blushed a little, she had to learn how to better take a compliment.
"Thank you but you don't have to butter me up. I already know that I owe you a lot" Rory smirked.
"Then you're spending the evening with us" Robert stated.
"OK, let me get back to my hotel. How do I have to dress?"
"Nothing fancy, just be your pretty self. You're only going out with two poli sci grad students."
Rory had fun spending her evening embedded with young Parisians. They first had dinner in a small French restaurant with excellent wine on a lovely square. Nicolas was charming and she felt good having two devoted knights.
"Nicolas, thank you so much for all the strings that you've pulled"
"Nothing I wouldn't do for Robert's friend. I'm sorry I missed you when I visited him at Yale."
"I only met Rory when I was a senior, that's why you haven't met each other"
"Oh yeah, that's right, you were Logan's girlfriend"
"You know Logan?"
"Well, I met him at Yale and I also saw him with Colin and Finn when they made their European tour. I never thought he could keep a girl like you."
"Well, it didn't last so you were not entirely wrong. What about you, what are you studying?"
"I just finished the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, where I attended the program to become a civil servant in embassies. In clear, I would like to be a diplomat"
"So, do you know where you will be appointed?"
"Not yet, but they should let me know soon"
They then took her rue de Lappe for drinks. When they entered the bar, she could see Robert and Nicolas scanning the room smirking.
"So Robert, are you having the same contest with Nicolas as you have with Finn?"
"Oh no, I cannot compete with him here, French girls dig the American accent way too much, coupled with his deep voice tone, it won't be a fair game," Nicolas said. "Anyway, I don't give you five minutes before a guy flirts with you," Nicolas smirked at her and went to the bar to order drinks. Immediately two fellows smiled at Rory and came to talk to her.
"We couldn't help to hear that you weren't speaking French, are you visiting Paris?" The guy was quite cute.
"I'm in Paris for work" she answered.
The guy extended his hand to her "I'm Christophe. What do you do?"
"I'm a journalist for the Boston Globe"
"Nice. I actually know Boston a little because I have a collaboration with a lab at Harvard"
"And what do you do?"
"With Michaël here, we are post-doctoral researchers at the "Institut de la Vision". We're actually with some people from the lab to celebrate our friend Barbara over there, who just got an article accepted" He pointed to a pretty young woman. Robert eyed at the girl and was suddenly more interested in the conversation.
"Hey Rory, I see that you didn't wait for me to make new friends. Hi, I'm Robert, I'm a grad student in Boston" The French guys were very friendly and they got introduced to the group. Robert very quickly started to talk to Barbara who was a Brazilian Ph.D. Neurobiology grad student. People from this lab were coming from around the world such as Canada, Australia, Italy, India, Costa Rica, Spain and Rory thought that it should be really fun to have workmates from all around the world.
The evening went by very fast and even though she was having a good time, she decided that it would be wise to have some sleep.
"Hey Robert, I think I'm gonna get back to my hotel, I will have a long day tomorrow. But you can stay, I can find my way to my hotel"
"It's OK Rory. I'll take you to your hotel. Anyway, I don't think Nicolas will come with us" Robert gazed toward his friend who was really close to a tall brunette with amazing green eyes. Her hotel wasn't very far so they decided to walk to take fresh air.
"So, any interesting French guys?"
"They were really charming and I got myself three phone numbers. They seemed to do an astonishing work. What about you?"
"She had a boyfriend, a very nice guy actually"
"Poor Robert, what about the other girls? I thought the brunette Chloé was your type?"
"She was, but I wasn't in the mood. I only have three days left in Paris"
Rory wrinkled her nose "Are you sick?"
"No, I'm fine" He laughed. "I'm not in a smash and dash kind of mood. I do believe in love, you know, just haven't found the right girl."
"So why do you play this skirt-chasing game with Finn?"
"To meet new girls" he shrugged.
"You really think you could fall in love with one of them?"
"Sure, we always pick pretty girls you know."
"With brain?"
"Yes, of course, legs, boobs, arms, hair, brain. OK, sometimes I give you that, they have trouble using it. However, how do you want us to meet new ladies? I dated some girls from Harvard but the problem is when it ended. It can be kind of difficult to run into them every day. Then it leaves match making society parties or online dating."
"Well, who am I to question your MO? It's an interesting way you two have, hope you will be able to find love"
"So, tell me, how did you find love?"
"I haven't been in love with that many guys. I assume you already know how it happened with Logan. I met Dean and Jess in Stars Hollow, randomly... It's a small town, all teenagers know each other. Oh... I see your point"
"You see, just imagine that our bar is our Stars Hollow. I presumed that they made the first step? We guys have to do that if we want something to happen."
"Maybe you could take your time to know them before getting in their bed?"
"Would they be more lovable if we didn't sleep with them? It's important too to know if you're compatible physically with a lady. It's not because I sleep with a girl that I have no respect for her you know. My mother taught me to behave with a woman. We are in the twenty-first century, not in a Jane Austen novel when two people find each other attractive, it's OK to have a little fun under the sheets. After that, it's fine either way if things go further or not. May I remind you that I have two sisters, trust me they coached me on how to behave with the ladies"
"I guess you're right" They arrived at Rory's hotel.
"For instance, I always take the girl to her door, just like I'll walk you to your room"
"It's OK Robert, I think I can find my room"
"I insist, with only the most honorable intentions"
"Okay, I'm too tired to argue with you" When they arrived in front of her room, she gave him a peck on his cheek. "Thank you, Robert"
"Good night Rory. See you tomorrow"
During the following days, Robert was Rory's perfect assistant. He taught her that it was much more efficient and convenient to use the metro than to take a cab during daytime in Paris. He took her to all her appointments, was her interpreter whenever needed, explained to her all the different French institutions. He also prepared her meetings and her next travels to Brussels, Strasbourg, Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome where he got her an interview with Emma Bonino and Enrico Letta. When he left, she was a bit sad, but she discovered that he had organized her a very detailed daily planning. He even left a memo for each interview, which made her feel he was still by her side and helped her gained confidence.
A/N: Thanks for the encouragements to continue this story. I'm still looking for a beta if someone is interested.
