Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews...it is awesome to get reviews from all over the world. I am truly honored you like me piece.

16. Decision made and enforced

Finn watched Paris disappear into her bedroom to take a call. The smug smile that was on her face when she left affirmed all of his suspicions. It was over. Whether Logan knew it or not, he had sealed his own fate. Finn could only hope that Rory would still want to have them around.

Colin felt the bile creeping up his throat as he watched Logan stew. Things were not supposed to be this way. No girl was supposed to get to any of them this way, especially not Logan. Colin was faced with the horrible realization that if Huntzberger could fall for a girl...so could he. After watching his father go through women like tissues he vowed to be a bachelor. Now he was just scared of what this could mean.

For Logan's part he got more and more worried with each passing minute. Each minute Rory wasn't home was a minute he wasn't getting to explain or beg...it was a minute with him. The wicked smile on Paris' face was not helping matters. She knew something.

"Luv, what are you smiling about?" Finn asked sweetly.

Paris' smirk increased, "Rory's on her way home."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Back in front of Bradford College a blonde boy and brunette girl stood very close together. He had his arms around her middle and she was laying her head on his chest.

"Today happened right? It isn't gonna disappear when I wake up tomorrow is it?" Rory asked quietly.

"I sure hope not...that would be a real let down," Tristan responded kissing the top of her head.

Rory's eyes were wide and scared, "I don't want the day to end."

Tristan shook his head, "Its not...I guarantee you have more to deal with before you go to sleep." She looked so lost. "You are strong enough to deal with this...with them. Finn definitely seemed the part as a friendly face amongst the wolves. Keep him close if necessary. You are going to be fine."

"But will we?" she asked in a small voice.

He raised his hand to her cheek and stroked it saying nothing as he had earlier in the day. "You are the most precious thing in the world, in my humble opinion," he murmured kissing each lid of her shut eyes. "You're the only one that can stop him from twisting what happened with us today. You are the only one who can ignore his charm."

Rory sighed, "And if I'm not that strong?"

Tristan smiled, "You are."

"You really believe that don't you...you believe I can do just about anything?"

"I know you can. After all I have seen you take on hell and make it out on top... valedictorian in fact. Don't ever dismiss that as something small. You had no support at that school, Paris was always running hot and cold on you. I was a terror. Charleston almost had to prove you weren't suited to the school. But you did it."

Rory looked up into Tristan's face, "I'm going to North Carolina tomorrow night."

He smiled, "Yes you are."

"And you'll be in the seat next to me."

"Yes I will."

"And you aren't going to change your mind about me being worth the effort?"

Tristan cupped Rory's face in his hands, "Not on your life."

Rory pushed up on tip toes a bit to meet his lips, needing the affirmation physically as well as verbally. Tristan quickly took over the kiss pouring himself into it. He had leased his desperation for all but that moment in the bookstore, but now he let her feel it...how much he wanted her. It wasn't graphic or crud in anyway. It wasn't for show the way he used to push girls up against lockers. This was simple his heart and need being impressed upon her.

Rory felt dizzy as Tristan's lips met hers over and over before his tongue caressed the roof of her mouth. She automatically pressed her body closer to his, wrapping one arm around his waist and keeping one at the back of his neck. Tristan's hands rubbed aimlessly up and down her back, never stopping too long at one place while his tongue stroked Rory's. When her little chilled hand made it under his shirt Tristan pulled back and pressed their foreheads together as they both breathed hard. Tristan would playfully nip at her lips periodically but did not re-initiate a kiss he knew he wouldn't be strong enough to interrupt a second time.

"So this is goodbye?" she asked quietly.

"This is goodnight," he replied bringing a giddy smile to her face. "Oh...this is Becca's number. She will be better at helping you figure out what to pack," he said pushing a small piece of paper into her hand.

"Say goodnight at the door?" she asked.

He shook his head, "Too much temptation to go in."

Rory continued to smile like she had just won the lottery. "Goodnight Bible Boy."

Tristan tugged her to himself for one last bone-melting embrace, "Goodnight my sweet Mary."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Surprise!" the limo boys screamed as the brunette walked through the door.

Rory stood there and stared at them, the food they had out, as well as the coffee. Her face that had been all smiles was now sullen. Anger internally boiled as rage licked her cheeks. Tristan was right. She was strong enough to handle these guys. She was strong enough to handle Logan. "What is this?" she said crossing her arms.

Logan was grinning ear to ear that Tristan was not in tow. "We wanted to apologize for the scene at the pub and get you something from home to let you know we still cared."

"Yeah luv, we felt awful about the impression we made."
Rory appeared putout for a minute...then she looked to Paris who was smirking. Something in that smirk clicked everything into place for Rory. Tristan was offering her everything she wanted and needed...so she was going to take it. Lock, stock and barrel.

Rory smirked back at Paris and began to chuckle. Soon she was giggling at them. The boys seemed to think that must be good and started to laugh a bit too. Finally she said, "You're idiots."

"What?" Finn asked.

Rory shook her head, "I don't know what's more pathetic Logan...the fact that you followed me to a restaurant and listened to my conversation or the fact you thought I would welcome you with open arms because you got me food from Luke's? Either way, you have shown yourself to be a very little man today."

"Ace...I..."

Rory straightened her back and moved into rare form as she began to fuss. It was like facing Francie in the bathroom at school all over again. "Nonononono. I'm talking. See I realized today that I have been changing and not in a good way. I have let you suck me into your world and lose mine. Well ya know...thanks for going AWAL on me Logan and for taking your boys with you. I just got my wake up call." She stood before the shocked boy, "Our arrangement is over." The words were easier than she imagined. She then turned to an equally amazed looking Finn, who apparently didn't anticipate the anger that would follow the 'break up' as much as he should have.

Rory gazed at the Aussie, "If you guys still want to invite me to parties, LDB functions, over to your place, or out to dinner that is perfectly fine. You guys are fun and I think you are my friends. I don't want to lose that if I can help it... But you won't be inviting me as Logan's date anymore. Do you understand? I am not playing the game any longer. We stay friends, that is fine...but I am not going to be a friend with benefits when one of you gets drunk or horny. Are we clear?"

All of the guys appeared stunned by her statements...even Finn.

Rory continued, "Now I have a very long day tomorrow. I have classes, dinner with my mom and Tristan, and then I am going to North Carolina. I will be back late on Sunday so don't harass Paris while I'm not here...got it?"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Logan was in shock, but not too far-gone to know he needed to do something fast. "I thought you were going to date us both?" he questioned. "I thought I was going to get the chance to make the last two weeks up to you. I thought I was going to get the chance to talk to you."

Rory looked him dead in the eye, "I realize that you are used everything going your way at all times. I realize that you can't understand girls that don't fall at your feet. Hell, I even understand that you don't do commitment... but see this is what I don't get. You knew I was special. That I was the kind of girl you had as a girlfriend, which you would make sacrifices for...and you wouldn't go for it. I am now in the exact same situation. I see that Tristan is special, that he is the kind of guy you commit to, and I am not having any trouble jumping at that chance." The lie was blatant but Logan had no ground to call her on it. She then got a sad, peaceful look in her eyes, "I guess I wasn't that special after all."

"Ace. That is not true. Give me a chance to make this up to you. Give me a chance to show you how much you mean to me."

Rory shook her head, "It's funny how earlier today I was afraid to confront you. I was afraid to tell you I got it...that you had moved on. Now I can't understand why I would ever have been afraid of you."

"Rory please...Don't do this. Lets just talk about it...I could be the boyfriend."

She got a far off look in her eye, then smirked, not acknowledging a word out of Logan's mouth. "That's okay though, your family isn't worth the headache anyway. I would have been taken far too seriously if you ever tried at any form of commitment. I would never have been accepted. I maybe a Gilmore, but I am still a bastard and I still have hopes and dreams of my own." She paused, "You are destined for greatness at your father's side, with a pretty blonde trophy wife and a secretary that can't type... Just remember when you stare at the woman your parents decide you are supposed to marry that at one time you did have an option to break your mold and you were to much of a coward to do it... I guess I turned out to be the brave one." Rory walked right passed them all and into her room leaving Limo Boys stunned in her wake.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The plan was simple.

Send a curveball into the life of one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. There were things she had to do. People she had to meet. Places she had to go...but not without the backbone that she had developed over the years. There was a purpose and plan to her future. There was a moment that she had to be strong for...but the path she had chosen to take was leading to a weakness and insecurity that she wouldn't recognize until it was too late. Choices would be made that would cause harm that she could not fathom. She needed a push...a mirror...a curveball.

Tristan DuGrey could have gone on and survived without his Mary. He would have found love in a southern belle and he would have been happy. But he always would have wondered about her. His big moment was not in question. He had the skills he needed to face it head on. However much either wanted Rory not to have said she hated him all those years ago, that moment was necessary too. You see as much as Tristan was presently a curveball in Rory's life, she was his earlier.

Rory's response to Logan was what they both needed. Rory needed to reclaim herself and her past. She needed to go back to being the girl that did not let her environment change her. That moment she needed to stand on her own, claim her life on her own, be the strong independent girl she was...and she had to do it without Tristan.

Logan needed Rory's words far more than he could ever realize. She called him out, called his bluff, acknowledged his cowardice in a tangible way. She had knocked his world on its side to begin with, but until she was gone Logan would not experience the loss necessary for the changes he had to make. His moment would be different then the other two. His moment would involve standing up to his father and choosing his own partner. It could have been Rory if things went differently...but they didn't, so she wouldn't be. If Logan could change...really change then the thing he wanted most from Rory would be offered by another.

The plan was actually very simple.

TBC...

No hint for next chapter. I get accused to cliffhangers because of them.

Did you like it? Did you hate it? Hit the button and leave a REVIEW.