Disclaimer: You've caught me. It's mine, all mine. (note the sarcasm, please)

Author's Ramblings: This chapter is probably going to bring up a whole bunch of questions. They'll all be answered, eventually.

Moving Backward

Chapter 05: Friends & Foes

Friends show me what I can do; foes teach me what I should do.

-Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

Rory bit her lip in concentration as she typed faster with every second. She had about a minute of her caffeine buzz left and was determined to make the most of it. Her article was turning out extremely well, and if she could just word this last sentence correctly, everything would be fine.

"Glad to know you're still alive, Ace." His voice sent shivers down her spine as she turned around in her chair, regaining her composure.

"Logan. Hi, how are you?"

"Me, I'm fine. I was just making sure you weren't dead."

"What?" She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Three days ago, I, along with various friends of mine, left several messages of your cell phone."

"I thought you hated Robert."

Logan groaned inwardly. She brought things up at the absolute worst time. He was trying to be coy, suave, and charming. And she wasn't making it easy, damn it!

"That's not the point Ace. The point is you have yet to return any of those calls. And since the last time I saw you was when you walked off into the night protesting your need of an escort, and then taking only Robert with you I began to wonder."

"Thought I'd been eaten by bears, Huntzberger?" She grinned up at him.

He shrugged half heartedly. "The thought had crossed my mind."

A pause.

"Seriously Ace," Unconsciously his hand fell to hers. "You had me worried."

A sigh; she closed her eyes, ignoring the feel if their touching skin. "I'm sorry Logan. I meant to call you back. Things have just been so busy around here, and then with classes I--."

"Excuses will do you no good. If you want to make it up to me, you can join me for coffee."

"Now?"

"Yes, now."

"But, my article…I have to---"

Grabbing the hand that he still held, Logan pulled her to her feet. "Move it Ace. I've found the master key to a Starbucks just for you."

"Hello?"

"Rory?"

"Yes, who's this?" Rory frowned, placing the phone between her shoulder and ear as she made her way through the crowded hallway, her arms filled with to many books for her to hold.

"It's Stephanie. Logan's friend."

"Oh, hey Steph. Sorry I haven't called you back. I've just been very busy lately."

"No problem. This is easier. You can't avoid it if I ask on short notice."

"Huh?" The books were becoming a very large problem at this point.

"Tomorrow; you have a party to go to tomorrow night right?"

"Yes, how did you—"

"Great, so we'll meet for lunch then. Does one work for you?"

"One um…." She trailed off as her books began to fall to the floor. "Oh my God…"

"I got it." Logan materialized beside her, picking up the books that had fallen, and grabbing more from her arms. She smiled at him, and motioned that she'd be off the phone in one minute.

"Actually, that sounds perfect Stephanie. Okay. See you then. — Hey."

"Stephanie? Were you talking to my friend Stephanie?"

"Yeah, why?" At this point they had reached her dorm and Rory had begun her search for the keys.

"No reason, I just didn't know that you guys spoke."

"We don't, but we're going to. We're meeting for lunch tomorrow. She wants to talk."

"Stephanie wants to talk. With you?"

"Yup."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea Ace."

"And why not?"

"Well no good can come from Stephanie talking to you."

Or, from Stephanie spilling all of his secrets to Rory: the fact that he still had feelings for her and hated just being friends. Or, just the fact that he had feelings for her at all.He would kill that blonde little Barbie. Screw friendship!

"Says who?"

"Me."

"And who the hell are you?"

"I'm just saying, you two are very different people, and she tends to always have a motive when she puts this much effort into something."

"Well, I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can but—"

"Logan." She grabbed her books from his arms, and looked him firmly in the eye. "I can take care of myself."

He sighed. "Okay Ace."

She turned towards her dorm room. "Just as soon as you open this door for me."

He laughed, and moved forward to help her inside.

"Why won't you tell me why you're meeting her?"

"Because it's none of your damn business!"

"It is if you're going to talk about me!"

"God, you are an arrogant ass, aren't you?"

"Anderson!"

"Huntzberger!"

Stephanie grabbed her bag, and headed for the door. "Huntzberger, I am going to walk out that door and you're not going to bother me, because if you do then I will make sure I tell Rory all about your trip to Rio with the native triplets."

Letting out a frustrated growl Logan stepped aside.

Rory drummed her fingers against the table anxiously. Where was she? And why had Stephanie wanted to meet her in the first place? This was not good. This was far from good. What had made her agree to meet with her in the first place? Oh that's right, Logan had been there, and she wanted to talk to him. And then, he thought she shouldn't meet her. Of course, that made her more insistent on meeting Stephanie. Now, she was regretting her decision for all the same reasons Logan had told her not to meet his friend.

"Hey reporter girl!" The blonde hoped easily into the empty seat. "I'm glad you showed."

"Hey Stephanie…what's up?"

"Um, well I was going to make awkward conversation for a while, but sure let's get right down to it. Um, I asked you to lunch so we could talk about Logan."

"Right. I figured as much. What about him?"

"Okay, well don't take this the wrong way, but you can't date him."

"Excuse me?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, let me explain first. You are a nice girl."

"Uh…thanks."

"Logan is not a nice boy."

"Stephanie!"

"Well he's not."

"He's one of your best friends."

"And as a friend I accept his flaws." She paused. "But you as his lover will soon come only to see those flaws."

"I am his friend! Not his---we haven't been seeing each other like that for a while now."

"Yes I know, but I'm speaking of when this charade falls. I already see the cracks."

"Charade, there's no charade. We're friends. That's it."

"And what happens when one of you wants to be more than friends?"

"We won't."

"But what if?"

"I won't let it get to that point." She nibbled at her lip.

"This is why you should just break off this "friends" fascination. You're a nice girl Rory, and a great friend to have. I don't want to see you get hurt. Especially, not by Logan. I've seen girls come and go in his life, and even though you are different, he'll mess it up. It's what he does."

"I—"

"I know you don't want to here this, and I know you probably think I'm crazy because Logan's my friend, but I've seen him hurt too many girls. You've already been hurt. Don't let him do it again."

Rory sat, absorbing this information as she became particularly interested in her coffee.

It wasn't that she was avoiding him.

At least not permanently.

At least not yet.

Rory twirled the champagne in her glass. Leaning against the inside doors of the library she inwardly debated. Of all the parties Emily Gilmore could have forced her into it had to be one thrown by Roberts's parents, with entire LDB entourage in tow. They were the last thing she needed tonight.

She needed time.

She needed time to think and to process. She needed to decide if she really believed what Stephanie had said or if it was part of some big scheme. It might even have been prompted by Logan. But why? What could Stephanie possibly gain from Rory not being friends with Logan? It wasn't him; everyone knew Stephanie harbored a secret crush for Colin, one she barely knew of. Then what was it? Rory inhaled deeply. Unless Stephanie was just being genuine. Was that possible? She had always seemed genuine. Now, Rory didn't know.

"You're being particularly evasive tonight, Ace."

Her mind returned to its rightful place as Logan and company moved towards her. She had to deal with minor problems first. Like, say, being in the same room with him.

"No more than usual, Huntzberger."

"On the contrary, Ace. I have evidence to prove your statement wrong."

Rory inhaled deeply, trying to keep her emotions in check. It was bad enough trying to avoid him, but him approaching her was even worse. It didn't help that Stephanie was always around, always being friendly, always making sure she and Logan were not alone. She could handle these things by herself, damn it!

"Really now, you must share this with me."

"Colin."

"Yes commander?"

"Please repeat Miss Gilmore's greeting to me tonight, along with style of response and her companions of choice. Compare them to recent events."

"Miss Gilmore's greeting was cold and formal, 'Logan, it's always a pleasure."

"My grandmother was there!"

"Her responses have been short and to the point. I.e.: 'So Ace, have you written any new articles lately?' 'No' 'Care to expand?' 'No.'"

"That was my favorite by the way." He punctuated this statement by leaning towards her with a grin.

Colin continued down his list, stating that her companions for the night were people she rarely new, and whom they knew she had no interest in. He went on to talk of how at all previous engagements she had been in the company of the best and brightest at the party. Rory made attempts at responses, poking holes in his arguments. However, her heart was not in it. And when Logan turned toward her once again with a grin, she simply glared. He had no idea how that grin was killing her.

Logan took another sip of his drink. Yes, he appeared calm, cool, arrogant, and charismatic as ever. That was on the outside. Inside, he was frantic, wondering if Rory's silence had anything to do with her little chat with Stephanie, and if it did, how he could kill her without being convicted.