Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

A/N: Okay this is when we get to the meaty, frustrating, awkward moments when Tristan realizes his Mary isn't a Mary anymore. BUT when you get to the end of the chapter you get what you wanted.

2. Worship the ground you walk on

Tristan looked about a bit dropping Rory's fingers, "I thought you were Harvard bound?"

She smiled, "You remembered? That's kinda charming."

He smiled at her seemingly in awe, "Thanks...but you didn't answer the question."

"Oh right...I got into Harvard, but this was closer to mom and my grandparents... Plus I room with Paris so..."

Tristan stared at her, "You room with Paris...as in Gellar."

"Well, not Hilton."

He laughed, "Witty...always witty. I love that about you." Rory's cheeks bloomed pink. "Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said quickly but continued to gaze at her with open affection.

"It's okay."

They stare at one another for a moment.

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"I am noticing a severe lack of ego, conceit and arrogance plus you seemed to have embraced humility. So I can only assume you are either a pod person..." Rory started.

"...Or military school and a 'civilian' job for the Air Force in North Carolina will cause such a transformation," Tristan explained as he handed her a business card with his information on it including his cell.

"Really?" she said with no sarcasm taking the card. "Civilian job?"

He shrugged, "My uncle, who was military, was killed while I was at school... it changed me. That's all I can really say...that and I didn't have to be a DuGrey down there."

"Tristan...I'm so sorry," Rory muttered touching his arm as she stepped closer. "So...are you out now or..."

He smiled softly, "I am looking to start college. Several of my military school classes carried credit that I could apply to college. I also chose my 'civilian job' based on its ability to carry college credit as well...so I think I will only be about a year behind instead of two. I was mainly afraid if I started college right away that I would go back to being who I was at sixteen. You and I both know he wasn't the greatest guy to be around, don't we Mary?"

She smiled back, "You weren't terrible." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright you were, but you could be sweet and understanding."

"You were one of the few people that ever saw that."

"You were pretty good at hiding it."

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The wind suddenly caught Rory's hair whipping it forward. On instinct Tristan drew his fingers up and tucked the flying silky strands behind her ear, letting his palm barely graze her cheek. He was gazing at her again with that same open affection as earlier.

"What?" she whispered slightly unnerved by the intensity in his eyes.

He kept gazing at her. "I am just in awe that you can make me feel like I am sixteen all over again, just standing there saying nothing at all."

"Still the charmer."

He shook his head. "No...It's the truth."

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Tristan hesitantly took Rory's hand again and raised it to his heart. Placing his hand on top of hers he pressed her palm to his chest. Rory's eyes grew large as she felt the fast beats of his heart as it raced. "That always happened when I saw you."

They stared at each other a moment.

"I was sure I was just a conquest," she stated with her unique brand of innocence.

"I would think my behavior at the dance would have proved otherwise," he replied.

Rory shook her head, "That is what Dean said. I didn't believe him."

Tristan shrugged, "You had the right to think that you were a conquest, until the Madeline's party. After that I tried as best I could. I obviously screwed it up, but..."

She groaned, "I'm sorry I didn't see it...but even if I had I'm not sure I could have handled what would have been expected of me as your girlfriend."

He shrugged, "I didn't know how to deal with what I felt. You were so different than everyone else I knew. You were so smart and funny and..." He looked down and swallowed. "And you hated me. I made you hate me." Tristan sighed, "I wasn't sure how to act with you. I wanted to be with you so much and you wouldn't give me a chance to be different... I didn't know how to be patient and your friend. I..."

Rory lifted her other hand to his cheek to force him to look at her. It was obvious he had been kicking himself for a long time about what had happened in the past. "You were a teenage boy who had always gotten everything he had always wanted. Of course you didn't know how to be patient...and I didn't hate you. I didn't. I didn't even want you to go," she tried to sooth.

"You were the only one I said goodbye to...It took every ounce of maturity and restraint in me not to kiss you goodbye...and I wanted that kiss...so much," Tristan whispered. "But I didn't want to cause you pain or problems so..."

"Thank you. I knew you cared. It showed me you cared," Rory stated causing him to nod.

Tristan looked deep into her eyes, "I'm sure I sound pathetic."

"No Tristan, I don't think you're pathetic," Rory whispered and shuffled a little closer to him. "I think this is very sweet."

They stared at one another for a very long time before Tristan murmured, "So I suppose you have a boyfriend here, huh?"

This statement flustered Rory, "Um...well..."

"It's okay... I figured as much. I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask since I might move back from North Carolina."

"It isn't that... I just... I date...one person mainly but I go out with other guys too," Rory admitted turning her gaze from him. Somehow Tristan knowing she wasn't a 'Mary' anymore bothered her...embarrassed her really.

"Date?" he asked. "Date like I take you to the dinner and the movies. Or 'date' like dinner, movies and sex?"

Rory swallowed and looked up, "Does it matter? You were the classic movie, dinner and sex guy."

Tristan blinked, "When I was sixteen and stupid... and if you recall I may have frequently changed girlfriends but they were always exclusive."

She grit her teeth, met his stare and said, "It's not exclusive." When she saw something akin to pain flash in his eyes, she looked away.

"Mary..." She kept her eyes down. "Mary, that isn't you...That isn't you, Rory. I can't imagine it ever being you. Why would you do..."

"It's complicated," she stated quickly.

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There was a thick air about them as neither spoke. Rory kept her gaze down as Tristan studied her. After a couple minutes of silence he asked, "Why are you willingly in a causal relationship, Rory?"

Rory bit her lip. "Because the last serious relationship I was in was with a married man," she whispered completely ashamed letting one tear trace down her cheek before meeting his eyes filled with guilt.

He gathered her in his arms, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried. You don't owe me anything."

She shook her head, "It's just..."

"Mary, you don't have to say anything else," he murmured making sure to say his nickname for Rory, to somehow subconsciously reassure her that his view of her hadn't changed upon the confession.

"Logan's the first guy I have been attracted to since that whole awful situation ended with Dean. I mean Dean was always safe, ya know? He was safe, there instead of here, and familiar."

Tristan stood a beat trying to comprehend what she had said. "The bagboy married... someone else? That...is bizarre," he admitted.

"Not as bizarre as Rory Gilmore loosing her virginity to a married man, fleeing the country, sending a letter that his wife found, officially becoming the town home wrecker, then trying to date said married man until he broke up with me for a third time in front of the now current 'casual dating' guy."

"That does sound complicated but I still don't get why..."

Rory eyes snapped up, "Logan wouldn't go for me because I was a Mary." The name was bitter on her lips. "I was girlfriend material and he was not boyfriend material...It was the only way I could have him."

"But at what cost?" Tristan whispered intimately.

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Tristan pulled back and cupped Rory's face, "I may have been a jerk and had a ten minute attention span with girls...except with you obviously, but..."

"Even you weren't sleazy enough to sleep with multiple girls at once," she finished for him.

"Rory..." the sound of his voice broke her heart. He sounded disappointed in her...but more concerned for her. The look in his eyes said it all.

"It's hard to get my notice," she admitted. "This was the safest way for me to be with him and not get hurt."

"So if a great guy came along and offered to worship the ground you walked on, you would reject him out of fear?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know. Maybe...I hope not. I would like it to be different."

"But this set up allows for you to date other guys as well, right?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then I'm going to worship the ground you walk on," Tristan whispered before kissing her softly but thoroughly.

Rory pulled back for a brief second, then she wrapped one arm around his neck before starting to kiss Tristan again of her own volition and desire.

When her tongue traced his lips he pulled back slightly. "No tears or running away this time," he teased slightly overwhelmed.

"Not on your life," she answered as his lips met hers, then repeatedly with fervor.

---

What a sight it was...Rory Gilmore kissing some blond guy in plain view to the public. The demonstrative display did not go unnoticed...by one that knew them both, two that were slightly in awe, and one who was far more jealous than he would like to admit. The curveball's ripple was beginning to spread outward.

TBC...

A/N: Next chapter we get to see the last two chapters events from others point of view. Aren't you excited? Also just let me know how I am doing. I hope you enjoy my little narratives.

You know what I want: REVIEWS...So...PLEASE REVIEW!

I need something to make me happy during this heat...It got to be 107 yesterday.