Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

A/N: Sorry about the confusion over yesterday's author's notes. I re-rewrote it three times. The only thing I can think is I have a migraine at the moment...maybe some of the tension from that came through? I am not upset by anyone's comments. I like receiving criticism of my work. It's the only way I will get any better at it. I write here to help me for when I actually turn my writing over to a publisher. Anyway...back to the story.

6. It hurts in his spot

Logan Huntzberger knew that someone was laughing from above at him. (That was of course completely true, but utterly beside the point now.) This was fully evident by the fact that the girl he finally had become attached to was attaching herself to another...and it was his fault. This feeling was compounded when of all things Rory and her new boy walked into the pub. She didn't look around for him and neither did the guy. They weren't there to torture him. They were in their own little world, oblivious to the rest of time and space.

The couple found some girl Rory knew who was willing to watch her flower and his bag. Logan got a sinking feeling when Tristan tugged Rory to the dance floor...small space but enough for a few couples to slow dance. They were talking while they danced. The guy even laughed at something Rory said before pulling her close again. He hated to admit the guy wasn't looking at Rory as the next bedmate or some fling...Tristan was giving Rory the 'forever' look Colin had mentioned earlier; the one Josh gave his sister constantly. All Logan could do was watch...for now.

Colin stiffened when he saw the couple and gave him a sorrowful look. "What do you want to do? How do you want to play this?"

"I came for a drink...lets have a drink," Logan answered.

"Okay, I'm up," Finn said and made his way to the counter.

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Tristan was holding Rory close listening to god knows what but swaying to the music and it struck him. "I've been wanting to do this with you since the night of our dance sophomore year," he murmured.

"What?"

"Slow dance."

Rory looked up at him, "You really did have a thing for me."

"I really did have a thing for you and I really did want to take you to the dance," Tristan replied. "But you were right about it. I should have known better than to think you would come with me given our history...but no girl had ever turned me down. I don't know...I guess I thought you would see that I actually wanted to take you."

"Well, it was an eventful night, because of you...the first of few fights Dean had defending my honor."

"Really?" Tristan teased. "Other boys get to close to his girl?"

Rory thought a moment and said, "One time Jess, my boyfriend at the time, made me cry at a party. That led to a fight that caused a lot of damage and the cops to show. My mother was so proud she started singing 'Wind beneath my wings' to me."

Tristan started to chuckle then looked deeply in Rory's eyes, "Do you realize that all of my embarrassing high school moments were related to you in some way?"

"That is not true."

"It is too..."

Rory looked at him, "I am not responsible for your break up with Summer."

"But you ran away crying from me later the same evening."

"I had nothing to do with your endless string of suspensions."

Tristan eyed her, "All attempts to get your attention...and my family's as well."

"A direct approach might be more appropriate might have been more useful in my case...like interrupting my class to fake a fight between yourself and a buddy 'over me' then have another buddy come into 'arrest' you both."

Tristan laughed out right, "Let me guess...Logan?"

"Yeah...my buddy Marty had to point it out to me that it was his way of showing her liked me. I guess I am just blind to third grade tactics," Rory replied.

"Good thing I grew up," he responded.

"Good thing," she answered and let him pull her near.

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The first few cords of a new song came on and Tristan only held her closer. He tilted his head so their foreheads touched, while his lips began to mouth the words.

'Do you remember the first kiss?

Star shooting across the sky

To come to such a place as this

You never left my mind'

Rory found it grand irony that PJ Harvey was playing...and Tristan now knew the music. It wasn't lost on her that the words resonated with their situation. He kept mouthing and she realized in awe that this song fit them perfectly. The intensity in his eyes was amplified when he came to another section of lyrics.

'All through the rising sun

All through the circling years

You were the only one

Who could have brought me here'

Rory's felt the strongest pull to Tristan as he murmured the lyrics. She wanted to kiss him, hold him, and promise him forever...but she knew better. If she did those things at the moment, she would take a header in the near future. As the song neared its end Tristan kissed the tip of her nose then smiled softly.

'Watch the stars now moving

Across the sky

Keep this feeling

Safe tonight'

Without realizing it Rory had whispered the last verse to Tristan. He took it at face value and nothing more. Rory wasn't ready, but he was closer than he had ever been in his life. He knew very well that he needed to remain serious and steady with his approach. He also knew that even if Rory dumped Logan the next minute he would need to hold off physical intimacy. The Dean thing hadn't happened that long ago and the Logan situation was on going. Who'd have thought that he would be taking her role? Gaining her attention by remaining chaste in the situation...It set her apart in high school. It now set him apart from the group. Fate was smiling on him...but laughing at him as well.

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"Want something to drink?" Tristan asked as they left the dance floor.

"Coffee..." Rory grinned coquettishly.

"At a pub?" he questioned.

"Coffee."

"Right, what was I thinking?" he murmured as he bumped into Finn, who was ready with a smart comment but held his tongue once he saw who it was.

"Hey," Rory said uncomfortably.

"Hey," Finn responded flicking his eyes over to Logan and Colin.

"I'll get drinks," Tristan said slowly making sure Rory was okay being left alone. She nodded as he turned.

"Didn't know you guys were here," she stated.

"I know...Listen," Finn addressed Rory, "I can tell things are going south for Logan fast but I want to say two things."

"Finn..." she objected.

"Two things Reporter Girl...you can give me that."

"Okay."

Finn sighed, "I know Logan has been absent of late, but he just got freaked out a bit. Things were getting serious and Logan isn't comfortable with serious...but he really does care about you."

"Finn..." Rory warned this time.

"Secondly," he continued, "if things don't go in Logan's favor, I don't want to have you disappear from our circle. If Steph can deal with having dated one of us and stuck around, you can too."

"Miss me if I were gone?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, Reporter Girl. Hell, I've missed you the last few weeks. Colin won't admit it but he would miss you too... Logan at first may be an ass but he won't want you gone from his life if he can help it. He will self-medicate, probably spending the summer drowning himself in women, booze and adrenaline... see you're the first girl to crack the shell in his adult life."

"He's not the boyfriend type," Rory explained.

"And this guy is? No offense. I don't know him, but how much do you know about the new blond?" Finn asked.

She had to shake her head, "Tristan is Logan having gone to military school and gotten his crap together... So yeah...I think he's the boyfriend type. In fact I know he's the boyfriend type."

"Well, pointer, since if you are going to toss Logan to the curb at least check the new boy's speed dial list and find his address book...Just a precaution... As for Logan, I suppose I am going to have to be a drinking buddy. Give him a little time to get used to it before you bring the new guy."

"Things can still go south, as you put it, for Tristan."

Finn smirked as the blond in question arrived with two coffees in hand, "Somehow I doubt it... We'll see how things pan out Reporter Girl."

"We will see."

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Finn walked over to his buddies, one of whom kept his gaze away from the couple. Tristan sipped his coffee as they made their way over to the table to pick up their belongings, "Reporter girl? Here I thought I was original giving you a nickname."

"You know me...all the men like to think of me with terms of affections."

"I don't doubt it."

The girl that was watching Rory and Tristan's things looked up at them with a smile, "I got to go Rory. You want my table."
"Thanks, Sue."

Tristan let his gaze slide to Logan briefly, whom was staring hard into the amber colored liquid in his glass. If the stooges had been there the whole time then Logan had witnessed his dance with Rory. He sighed, "We should really get out of here."

"We just got coffee," she whined.

"Mare, I have seen how fast you can down coffee."

Rory's gaze followed Tristan's to the stooges table, "We don't have to leave just because they..."

Tristan put his hand on top of hers, "I have been in his spot. It hurts in his spot, even if he doesn't admit it. It hurts like hell...watching the girl you want in your arms in the arms of some other guy. I don't get any sick glee out of torturing him. Now I am sure he would love to come over here, kiss you for all you are worth to make me hurt but..."

Rory guzzled her coffee then Tristan's, "No hurting Logan. Got it."

He smiled softly, "Good. I would hate to think I was being used as leverage."

She looked at him quickly, "Oh...no... This is the most I have felt like myself at Yale."

"How so?" he questioned.

"It's weird really but you being here just reminds me who I was, ya know? The girl that you liked in school wouldn't sleep with two guys or a married guy for that matter. The girl you knew was confident in herself even in a foreign environment. You might have given me hell but I got a backbone that didn't allow me to be changed by my surroundings. My mom warned me about this place and its influence... I don't know, having you here just brings it home. I can't explain it..."

"I think you explained it remarkably well," Tristan assured.

"Oh yeah...how?" Rory responded.

He shrugged, "There are parts of you that grew up and there are parts of you that grew down. Seeing someone from the past made you face the parts that went in the wrong direction."

"My own personal mirror. Thank you for that... Look I'll use the ladies room and then we'll head out, okay?"

"Okay."

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Logan saw his moment to intimidate the competition, and despite his friends advice to the contrary he couldn't pass it up. No one took something precious to a Huntzberger. No one. At least that's what he thought...

Fate thought otherwise.

TBC...

Next chapter...the confrontation between Tristan and Logan I know you have been dying for.

Did you like the song? I always try to avoid songs in my stories and yet they always seem to appear. It kind of sucks. Then again I have learned that if I write an argument and I try to get rid of it, but it keeps popping up no matter how hard I try, the argument is supposed to be there. I have resigned myself to the fact that my stories end up with a life of their own.

So...deep breath...RECITE: Joy would like REVIEWS of her piece. Joy would like REVIEWS of her piece.

Very good...I will see you in class bright and early tomorrow, baring another migraine.