Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

A/N: I never said Steph was one of the four mentioned at the end of the last segment.

A/N 2: As I mentioned before, I live in NC where we are having record heat. Yes I have air-conditioning but that doesn't change the fact that I am having repeated migraines due to barometric pressure.

3. Return of the three musketeers.

The three musketeers were sitting outside chatting near Rory's building. Colin and Finn knew things were slightly weird with Rory and Logan, but they also knew Logan wasn't sleeping with anyone else...at least not since Finn's party. Of that they were sure. Logan had run for a little while but was now on the phone with his sister trying to come up with a conceivable way to get back in Rory's good graces...or at least a convincing story to tell so she would let him back in the door.

But as was mentioned earlier, when a curveball is thrown in one life the ripple effect spreads outwards. The curveball in Rory Gilmore's life in the form of Tristan DuGrey was to be witnessed by Logan's best friends.

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From his vantage point, Finn looked up to see Rory collide with some guy. Finn nudged Colin while Logan talked on his cell with his sister Honor. The two friends watched in fascination as the guy... tall, blond, and built... started talking to Reporter Girl. It was quickly apparent that not only did the two share chemistry but they also shared history. The conversation was funny and serious...and thoroughly enjoyed by both people. It lasted far longer than a casual run in. When the guy put Rory's hand to his chest, Colin turned to Logan. "Get off the phone, now!" he muttered quickly.

"Honor...I'm sorry but I got to go...Yeah, bye." Logan looked at his friend. "What?"

Colin groaned, "Remember how incredibly jealous you got at Finn's party of Robert? Then you were all about Rory for a few weeks... before you freaked, of course."

"Jealous and Freaked are such strong words..." Logan began.

Finn cut him off, "The Robert situation didn't show any real spark between the two either, but that didn't stop you from going caveman."

"What are you going on about?" Logan asked.

"Mate, if you want that girl...your 'Ace'...to remain yours, you had better act fast...'cause there is a guy over there holding her hand to his chest staring pretty hard in her eyes and she is staring pretty hard back," Finn explained, nodding toward Rory.

Logan's eyes bugged out over how close Rory and this guy were standing. The two were talking very intimately. "Who the hell is that?" he snapped finally.

"Don't know man...but it was pretty obvious they knew one another," Colin informed.

"How?"

"She recognized him then hugged him."

"Yeah, mate and it wasn't a 'hey, I missed you hug.' It was very much a 'Where have you been in my life while I have been squandering my time with idiots' type of hug."

Colin turned to Finn and said, "I saw it more as a 'Oh good to see you...lets find some place dark to continue this...oh wait I'm not like that so I have to keep up pretenses for a while' type hug."

Finn shook his head, "I didn't read any groiny intention on her part from that hug... Now on his side it was very much, 'Oh please god don't let me screw this up again' mixed with 'I want to kiss her so bad but it's too soon' and a little 'I wonder how flexible her tinny frame really is' so groiny intentions were there on his side...But, hey, who can blame him?"

Logan growled at his friend before Colin turned to them both.

"I read his side pretty close to your estimation but you missed his subtle check of her ring finger...that and the 'forever' look in his eyes that I have had the misfortune of witnessing in my older cousin when looking at his wife... I hate that look. It creeps me out."

Rory and Logan hadn't really traded stories about other loves or lusts. Logan did vaguely remember that Rory said she normally went for dark haired guys...but she had mentioned it before their arrangement...an arrangement he hated more by the day.

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Luckily Logan saw Paris passing by. "Gellar," he called.

"What Huntzberger?"

"Who's that talking to Rory?" Finn asked so Logan wouldn't look desperate.

Paris's attention turned to the scene playing out before her. Her heart leapt with sweet vindication for her roommate and best friend...after all, this idiot blond pretty boy had left her roommate twisting for two weeks. Paris smiled for the first time in front of the trio...which was a bit creepy for all of them. "Well, I'll be damned," she muttered with a smirk. "He's back... I always knew one day he would show up and claim her. I just expected it to involve...I don't know...a horse or something. Maybe a banner, some floats, a thousand yellow daisies...wait that's Lorelai...a thousand sunflowers... Jewelry too..."

"Who is it?" Colin asked seeing Logan getting tense.

"That would be Tristan DuGrey."

"As in..." Logan began.

Paris smirked again, "Yes, those DuGrey's... Tristan went to Chilton with us through part of junior year. He has been in love with Rory since we were sixteen... You should thank him Huntzberger. You would never had a chance in hell if it weren't for him."

"How so?" Logan challenged although he never really understood how Ace had come to be in his dating circle.

Paris grinned evilly, "They always had this mutual attraction thing going but she would never give him the time of day because of his arrogance and player ways. He was an ass to her because of it too. She was the latest conquest and she wouldn't play along. But then he got dumped... harshly...at a big party. Rory was nice to him that night, so he let her see past the façade. That moment was pretty defining for him. This girl he had obsessed over, nearly got into a fistfight with her boyfriend at a dance over, and completely harassed was sitting there being sweet to him because that's who Rory Gilmore is. He fell for her completely that night. On the other hand, that night showed Rory that behind every arrogant prick there is normally a well hidden heart in need of attention."

She looked at Logan almost sadly, "You, my dear, are the recipient of Rory Gilmore's affection because she knows you don't really get much genuine emotion elsewhere...that your legions of fans see your name but nothing else. They can warm your bed for a little while but nothing more...She's the only one of the lot that would never use you for personal gain." Her demeanor changed again rapidly toward the vindictive side, "I would watch your step, though...it won't matter much longer."

"Why's that?" Logan asked.

Paris smirked and nodded to the couple about to kiss, "Because if anyone can take Rory from you, its Tristan. After all he was her kicked puppy first. Bye Logan." With that the girl walked off, happy to have stuck it to Huntzberger. He would have undoubtedly broken Rory's heart...if he hadn't already...but it seemed now fate was taking a hand.

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Logan stared in shock as Rory and this Tristan guy were kissing outside her dorm. Rory was not that demonstrative in public. He always had to pull her to the side...out of the way. This guy seemed to be her entire focus.

Finn and Colin gazed at Logan intently, willing him to do or say something. "Logan," Finn finally called.

"What?"

"I suggest you go stop the osculation now if you want a shot at keeping her," Colin warned.

Logan shook himself, "You're right," he murmured and walked deliberately toward Rory.

Colin looked to Finn, "This is going to be interesting."

"I wish I had a Foster's for this," Finn responded.

TBC...

A/N: So how do you think Logan is going to handle this confrontation?

I'm glad you guys seem to like the story. I have wanted to see a story like this, so I just wrote it myself. The next chapter has the 'Ace' vs. 'Mary' fight. I love it.

REVIEW for me boys and girls. REVIEW and it makes the chapters come out faster.