Three Ex Boyfriends Part II - New Years Eve


A/N: I do not own anything. Copyrights remain with their respective owners.

Thank You JJsMommy27 for reviewing. Hope You like how I treated Logan.

A/N2: And bonus Paris and Doyle too.


The Wilton's New Years Eve party was the one party that everyone in Hartford was expected to attend, and this year, because Tristin and Rory had been visiting Luke and Lorelai in Stars Hollow, and consequently, being near Hartford, they were obliged to attend, especially after they had attended Friday night dinner with the Rory's grandparents who were going.

Tristin did not want to get into an argument with his mother or father about being close by and not attending the Society function. After all, he had pretty much avoided every society party since he had gone away to military school, with the exception of his eldest brother's wedding. Whilst his parents couldn't care less that he and Rory were staying at the Dragonfly Inn, being close by, and having been seen in Hartford at the Gilmore's, it was clear that Rory and Tristin had to attend.

Rory had just finished putting on her cocktail dress, this time a dark blue that contrasted with her brunette hair, but matched nicely with her blue eyes. Tristin was of course, in a tuxedo. They drove up in Rory's car, as she had driven them both down from New York when he had flown over from Stanford, California, where Tristin had just finished semester exams for his distance education course, for Christmas Break to spend with her. Tristin had been crashing at his brother, Charlie's apartment until Rory and himself had gone to Stars Hollow.

As they made the shortish drive to Hartford, and to the Wilton's mansion, where the party was to be held. He knew that Charlie and Lucas would have driven up either yesterday or this morning from New York to Hartford for the party, so it wasn't going to be all bad.

Arriving at the house that he had often visited each New Years Eve when he was younger, Tristin and Rory parked her car in the driveway, in one of the spaces that had been laid out in the mansion for visitors. Making the short hike up the driveway to the door, the maid greeted both Tristin and Rory and took their coats to the cloakroom.

The Wilton's mansion looked as immaculate as ever, except this time slightly more decorated for the New Years festivity. As Tristin and Rory made their way through the foyer into the ballroom where the party was being held, he saw his mother, Emma Dugray, playing the perfect guest. He knew that his mother did not like Rory much, because she was a Gilmore, the only granddaughter of Emily Gilmore, renowned patroness, and wasn't beholden to Emma for patronage with the DAR and society ladies. However, after a quick glance, Rory pulled Tristin towards his mother, to be polite, a perfunctory greeting was passed between Rory, Tristin and his mother, and then they were on their way again before his mother could make any comments to Rory.

Taking a drink they floated around the ballroom until they spotted a familiar couple, Paris and Doyle. Paris must be back for the holidays from medical school, Rory surmised as she and Tristin greeted the couple. Tristin shook Doyle's hand, having not met him before, and they began to chat.

"It's so good to see you again, Paris" Tristin stated, "been a long while since I've attended a Hartford party. Unfortunately, it's as boring and inane as ever." His rolled his eyes. Rory laughed, knowing that her mother had felt the same way about society parties for a long time. It was sort of weird how much Lorelai and Tristin were alike in their outlook on Hartford socialites. She steered the conversation towards Paris's medical school exploits. Tristin joked that the other doctor's must all be scared of Paris.

"Dugray," Paris replied, "I'm not exactly the same person as when we were in High School." Now that she had Doyle, and was not pining after Tristin like she had at Chilton, she gave him a death stare. That had not changed from the Chilton times.

"I know," Tristin answered, slightly taken aback, "It was just a joke for old times sake." Rory giggled.

"Paris, nice catching up with you. Doyle, nice to meet you," Tristin said as he and Rory left the couple to try to find somewhere to hide. "Come on, Mare," he said, using her nickname as they walked around. The library was always good, but sometimes, that's where his father and his closest business associates tended to retire to to discuss business, and he wanted to avoid his father at all costs.

As they wondered through the ballroom, keeping moving, looking for Charlie and Liz or Lucas, Serena and Matthew, Rory heard a person call her name. She turned around, and saw a man, with blonde hair and brown eyes, he ex-boyfriend, Logan Huntzberger. Tristin turned around and saw the same man, calling out to Rory. He looked over at Rory, as he clasped her hand tighter, knowing that she needed the support. This was the first time that she had seen her ex-boyfriend since they had broken up just before she graduated from Yale, and had joined the Obama campaign trail.

Logan saw Rory across the room, with her new boyfriend in tow, the society gossips had seen fit to inform everyone in Hartford that Rory Gilmore was dating Tristin Dugray. And there his ex-girlfriend stood, with Tristin Dugray looking blissful, happy, laughing with Paris Geller and her husband Doyle. Colin and Stephanie, who were as always, close to Logan saw what he had seen as well.

As Paris and Doyle left the other couple to mingle, Logan approached, Colin and Stephanie followed. Tristin had spotted his brother across the hall so he gently steered Rory towards Lucas and Serena who was holding little Matthew with her. There were a few society ladies gushing at the handsome heir of Dugray, commenting on his beautiful green eyes, wavy blonde locks of hair and the genuine smile that crossed the little boy's face.

Rory breathed a small sigh of relief as she followed Tristin across to see his older brother Lucas, sister-in-law Serena and nephew Matthew. It would avoid meeting with Logan for now. The society ladies all greeted Tristin and Rory as they moved into the little group. One of the ladies gushed about the surely beautiful babies that Tristin and Rory would produce when they got married.

Rory, in her mind, rolled her eyes, certainly she and Tristin were dating and happy, but they hadn't discussed marriage or children yet, especially since Tristin had yet to graduate from Stanford, since he was working full time on the movie and TV sets and studying part time. Somehow it was a miracle that none of the Hartford socialites had noticed that Tristin graced the TV screens, though she supposed none of them really watched commercial television. Tristin of course, used a stage name for the television credits, a relic from when he and Charlie had lived in North Carolina. It was better that way, as Tristin's father, Jason would not agree with his son, acting on television or in a movie.

Tristin ever smiling politely behind the society mask complimented Mrs Neilson on her astute observation. Soon though, it looked like Matthew was tiring and Serena and Lucas moved away to give Matthew some time to rest. He would be having a small dinner prepared by the cook for the children, before being put to bed in one of the guest rooms with Serena watching over him, whilst Lucas was obliged to mingle with the businessmen at the party. At least this was better than leaving Matthew at home alone with the nanny by himself.

As the little party broke up, Rory and Tristin wandered towards the bar to get a drink of water. As they approached Rory heard an Australian man laugh and saw a red-headed woman next to him. As the man turned around, she greeted him, "Finn," she said, "it's good to see you."

"Reporter Girl," Finn replied, "it's been a while." He gestured to the red-headed woman sitting next to him, "this is Shauna O'Brien, my girlfriend." Rory greeted the young woman standing next to Finn.

"This is my boyfriend," Rory replied, "Tristin Dugray." Tristin surmised that this was one of Rory's Yale friends. Tristin smiled as he greeted Finn and Shauna in return. The waiter came by with a glasses of drink on a tray, and Tristin grabbed two glasses of water, one for himself, and one for Rory as the man passed by before turning to talk to Finn and Shauna.

Rory proceeded to tell Finn of what had happened since she had graduated Yale, her work on the Obama campaign trail and then with International News, and then how she had met Tristin again and how they had hit it off really well and were now dating. Finn told her of his trip to England, where he had met Shauna, a flaming red-headed beauty in a bar in London, and how they had gone on a few bar-hops and then begun to date properly. Shauna had worked as a travel agent back in London, and was currently on holidays from work, travelling with Finn, which was something they were both passionate about.

"You do know that Logan, Colin and Steph are around as well?" Finn stated.

"Yeah, I do, Finny," Rory replied, "I saw them earlier but didn't have a chance to say hello. Tristin and I wanted to see his nephew Matthew before he became too tired." She saw Colin, Steph, Logan and his date approach.

"Hi Ace," Logan said, as he came to a stop near Finn, Shauna, Rory and Tristin.

"Hi Logan," Rory replied, "Hi Colin," she continued, and then she gave Steph a hug. "This is my boyfriend, Tristin Dugray." She could see the curiosity in Logan's eyes, as to Rory's new boyfriend, mixed with a tinge of hurt that she had moved on from him. But this wasn't about her and Logan's past relationship any more. They were acquaintances, friends, but now, nothing more.

Tristin knew some of these kids, from Hartford parties when they were younger. Certainly, both Logan and Colin, who were slightly older than he was, were regular attendees at the society soirees that his family liked to attend. However, after he had left for military school, he hadn't attended any of the society parties that his parents had liked to attend. However, he was probably missed at those parties. After all, his two older brothers both attended when they were free. Tristin, when he was fourteen and fifteen had been initiated into sub parties by his older brothers when they cared to do so. Then he'd been to a few himself when he was a sophomore and junior at Chilton.

"Finally," Logan said, "someone's been able to lure Tristin Dugray back into the social circuit. No one's seen you at a sub party for years." Although Tristin knew that Logan was an ex-boyfriend of Rory's,

Tristin replied curtly, "I haven't been around Hartford for years." He disliked being around the fake society parties where almost everyone either had an agenda or wanted to create some gossip. "so I haven't had the chance to be at any sub parties." To him it seemed like Rory's friends were still kids, even though they were older than he was. But then, none of them had been through or experienced what Tristin had.

Spotting Charlie and Liz across the room, Rory and Tristin quickly said their goodbyes and headed off to find Tristin's older brother and his girlfriend. It had been a hard couple of months for Tristin's brother and Rory's colleague, adjusting their relationship to fit Charlie's son, Colton Dugray into their busy lives. Sometimes Tristin and Lucas both feared that Charlie and Liz's relationship would break apart, but so far, everything seemed to be okay. Rory and Tristin waved to the other couple and they fell into easy conversation with the other people gathered around them.

Soon, the countdown to the near year began, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero, and as new year came, and the string quartet began to play Auld Lang Syne, Tristin and Rory came out of a breathtaking kiss. As they came out of the kiss, Rory could see Logan's jealous gaze looking at her and Tristin.

Tristin and Rory quietly slipped away from the party and headed home, to the Dugray mansion, where they would be staying overnight before returning to Stars Hollow. Having stayed past midnight and the celebrations, their obligations to the socialites of Hartford was over, and they both looked forward to some sleep before leaving Hartford.

Arriving back at the Dugray mansion, they entered the house through the garage, and Tristin and Rory went to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee to drink whilst Tristin had some juice. "So what was with that jealous stare that Logan Huntzberger gave me back there?" Tristin asked, innocently enough it seemed to people who didn't know him well, but to Rory, it was a loaded question.

"Logan was an ex-boyfriend, as you know," Rory replied, "maybe he just hasn't moved on yet."

"It's been a year and a half now hasn't it? Since you broke up?" Tristin asked.

"Yes, it has," Rory replied, "but we all move on at our own pace."

"He was jealous," Tristin said, as his lips turned upwards into a smirk, "that you truly moved on before he did. And he was jealous that you and I were together."

"I suppose so," Rory replied, "he did propose to me. But I turned him down. I suppose it would take him some time to get over it."

Tristin thanked God that Rory had rejected Logan's proposal, so that Rory was still single when they re-met again. "Wow," Tristin said, "you turned down Logan Huntzberger. Lucky me, now that I have you." He swooped in for a chaste, but electrifying kiss.

Rory replied, "yes, lucky you. But I don't think I was ready for marriage yet when Logan proposed, I had so many dreams left to fulfil, and I wasn't about to change them for him, but now that I'm a bit older, and a bit wiser, sharing a life with the right man feels more right than ever." She had changed since she had broken it off with Logan, some life experiences had led her to re-evaluate her goals. She had grown and some of her dreams had changed, but she was grateful that she had experienced what she had experienced as a result of rejecting Logan's proposal. It had made her a better person.

To Tristin, this sounded like she was ready to take the next step and really commit to being with him for the rest of their lives. A plan began to formulate in his brain as they continued to drink their coffee and juice. Once they finished, Rory and Tristin retired to their rooms. As they retreated upstairs, they heard Lucas and Charlie return from the party along with the rest of the Dugray family. Saying a quick good night to everyone else, Rory and Tristin both entered into their adjoining rooms and fell quickly asleep with each other in their dreams.


A/N: Please read and reviews are very much appreciated. I'm new to this fandom so any help on characterization and facts and tidbits is very much appreciated.