Title: What Lies Within Us

Chp.6 One for Another.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Duh.

Introduction: I know I'm delusional….but Trory. Well, obviously not at first because that would be too easy, but I wanted to clarify. Basically set in the present, slightly altered to make things work.

Rating: Pg-13. rating will raise.

Author's note: I hate reviews (I'm also a really bad liar). Oh, and after seeing episode on Tuesday, actually wish I had read spoilers so I could have written this fic slightly differently. Oh, and I apologize for getting the author of Jane Eyre mixed up last chapter…..fairly unforgivable as it's one of my favourite novels.

Rory opened the door to her bedroom, and shut it behind her so she wouldn't have to hear Paris arguing on the phone with Doyle. There was a relationship with some interesting dynamics. She had just finished her second last final of the term, and wanted nothing more than to avoid studying for her last one. Eyeing her bed, she decided an afternoon nap was a necessity. It would help her concentrate on studying. Really, she could justify anything when she wanted to.

She had been asleep for not more than a moment when she was awakened by the ringing of her phone in her bag. Groggily, she forced herself out of bed to answer it. She flipped open the phone quickly before whoever it was could hang up and mumbled, "Hello?"

"Light of my life!" Lorelai's voice was loud in her ear.

"Hi mom," she replied, looking longingly back at the bed, knowing her nap wouldn't be happening that afternoon.

"Took you long enough to answer. And as you know, I have the attention span of a gnat, and find it hard to wait for anything, even as worthwhile as you."
"I was in bed," Rory said to explain why she had taken so long to answer.

"Alone?" Lorelai asked.

"Mom!" Her reply was indignant.

"Sorry, had to ask. Middle of the afternoon…in bed…..what other explanation could there be?"

"Maybe exhausted from studying and the joy of finals at Yale?" Rory asked sarcastically.

"Better that than you and lim……"

"Don't mom," Rory warned with a sigh, cutting her mother off.

"I was not going to say limo-boy," Lorelai replied, trying to force some indignation into her voice. "I was going to say Logan, his name, both beginning with 'L'. Now, as for the purpose of my call….are you avoiding mommy? No phone calls, no dinners, no visits, one would begin to believe you didn't care."

Rory rolled her eyes, "No mom, I'm not avoiding you. It's called 'finals'. If you like I can spell that out for you again. Remember those things? Very important? The criteria by which the university judges you? Deciders of future career?"

"Because, just so you know, in addition to a short attention span, I also have a severe inferiority complex. If someone ignores me, I tend to believe that there's something wrong with me…"

"There is something wrong with you mom. But yes, I should have called. I'm sorry. I promise to smother you with daughterly attention during the break. Of course that'll be hard to do with you spending every night with Luke, but I'll do my best."

Placated, Lorelai continued. "So that bring us to the reason I was calling in the first place. Christmas. Joyous season and all that. We need to discuss itinerary. You see, you and I are very popular people, and there are demands on our time. Now, you're done the morning of the 23rd right? That'll leave you enough time to get back for the Stars Hollow Christmas pageant to kick off our holiday season."

"Ah mom, problem. I likely won't make the pageant. I've been invited to the fancy Christmas party at Logan's parents. Sort of obligated to go."

"Now other people's parents are taking precedence over me? But, you're going to regret coming not coming this year Rory. Despite the lack of snow, it'll be even better than last year when Kirk filled in during the 'dance of the sugar plum fairies'."

"I'm not sure what can top that…"

"Luke's going to be in it!"

Rory was aghast, "No!"

"Well, no he's not, but I almost had you coming home for it, didn't I?"

Rory laughed, "Take it is a compliment that I believed his commitment to you was strong enough that he would let himself get convinced into braving that."

Lorelai laughed as well, but sounded uncertain as she continued. "Listen, you're sure you're still okay with Luke spending Christmas Eve with us? I know we usually spend it alone, but this year…"

"I'm very fine mom," Rory reassured her, amused at how uncertain Lorelai was about bringing Luke further into their lives.

"Well, did you ask Logan about Christmas like I said you should? I figure since you're still in the 'honeymoon' part of the relationship you couldn't bear to be parted for the holiday season."

Rory hesitated, "Yeah, I did. He's spending the holiday with his family." In truth, he hadn't really wanted to come, and she hadn't made a big deal of it. She couldn't picture him fitting in with her mom and Luke. Lorelai sending him dirty looks all night wouldn't be fun for any of them if he decided to come. She waited a moment then added, "I was actually thinking of bringing someone else, if it's all right with you."

"Marty?"

"No. Mom, listen, I know people that you've never met. I know it's a foreign concept, but Yale is a big campus. As soon as I reference someone it's not automatically one of the two people you met before."

"So what is this mysterious stranger's name?"

"Tristan DuGrey."

Lorelai started laughing. "Such a big campus, and you couldn't find someone that you didn't go to high school with?"

"Ha ha."

"So, you're two timing Limo Boy with Bible Boy?"

Rory closed her eyes, praying for patience. "And this compulsive need you have to nickname everyone I come in contact with, quit it. And no, there is no two-timing. He's actually staying at Logan's, and we've become friendly again. It's just that I know he had nowhere to go for Christmas, and it would suck being literally the only one on campus over the holidays. I promise to tell you the whole story with him later."

"Your call," Lorelai replied carefully. "Just remember, Christmas day's with Richard and Emily. We do have other pressing invites, but we can put them off. Besides, this year there will be someone more uncomfortable than me there: Luke."

"You're cruel," Rory accused, but acknowledging that Luke would probably want to crawl under the table. "Listen, busy. Must go study. I promise to call soon, okay? We can have non-interrupted long chat."

"Fine, I will attempt to accept that I'm not the number one priority in your life, but it's going to be hard."

"Bye mom," Rory forced her mom to stop lamenting as she hung up the phone.

It had come to her the other day, wanting to invite Tristan back for Christmas break. She knew Logan had invited him to his parent's soiree, but for the rest of the time he would be here all alone. She wouldn't deny that part of it was a pity invite, but she wanted him there. It wasn't just that she didn't want him to be alone for the holidays, as it seemed impossible he would ever be going home, it was that she really wanted him to come home with her.

It had been easy to slip into a comfortable friendship with him. Easier than she had ever thought possible with Tristan DuGrey. Sometimes it didn't seem like they'd really only known each other for a couple weeks. And really, that's as long as they'd known each other. As she'd come to discover, high school didn't count. Not in any sense that mattered.

She had spent just the other evening with him. She had gone by to see Logan, and found he was out with his parents for supper. She had been a little hurt he hadn't called at all, but knew it was to be expected. She hadn't really been Ms. Available lately. Tristan had been there, just heading out as Finn had been entertaining a girl at their place. They had ended up just going for coffee. Something plain and simple, and easy. She would have never assumed he would be so easy to talk to, or so much fun to be with.

The only downside was he was never comfortable talking about the past. She tried hard not to be nosy, but it was hard as he liked to pretend that the years between when he left Chilton and now didn't exist. But, she knew all to well that talking wasn't something that could be forced. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't force confidences he wasn't ready to give.

She didn't want to analyze what it meant that lately when she headed over to Logan's place, she was looking more for Tristan than for her boyfriend. That when she pictured Christmas Eve at the Gilmore house, it was him she pictured there instead of her boyfriend.

As she grabbed her books for one of her last studying sessions of the term, she decided to stop by their place on her way to the library. She knew Logan would be home, and she would get the opportunity to talk to Tristan about Christmas. She knew he would probably hate spending time with her in Stars Hollow as much as Logan did, but she wanted to try.

"Hey Rory," were the first words out of Logan's mouth when he opened the door to find her standing there. "Didn't expect to see you today."

"Didn't plan on being here today," she replied with a smile, kissing him as she stepped inside. "I won't be for long though. But oh God, just one final left. I'm literally salivating at the thought of the term break."

"I'd prefer you be salivating over me," he tried to sound dirty, but she just laughed at the awful attempt at innuendo.

"So, I thought we'd head for my parents directly after you're done your final," Logan explained as she followed him into the living room. She was disappointed not to see Tristan there, but she put it aside and focused on what Logan was saying. "It's a bit of a drive."

"Oh, I'm going to take my own car," Rory replied as they sat down on the couch. "I'm heading back home directly afterwards."

"Come on, you can stay over at my parents," Logan cajoled. "Plenty of room and all. You can spend Christmas Eve with us; my parents will be thrilled that I'm actually bringing a girl home to meet them."

Rory just rolled her eyes at him, "You know I'm spending Christmas Eve with my mom, well, and Luke this year. This isn't some dinner, it's Christmas. I'm not just ditching them. I'm already missing some town stuff to go to your parent's party; I can't miss all our Christmas traditions. I want to spend time with you Logan, you know I do. I just really want to be with my family for the holidays. The offer still stands if you want to come home with me for any point during the holidays"

He didn't say anything, just kissed her. They had truly become the masters of avoidance at any topics that mattered. Sex, the relationship, it was all just easy to avoid talking about. It's not that she needed him to want to come back to Stars Hollow with her, to see her life there. She just sometimes wanted them to have a relationship that was based on something. Here at school, dating was easy; university, in a way, was its own little world. It would be hypocritical of her to lay all the blame on his doorstep, but she at least made an effort. She was going to his parent's society Christmas party, he couldn't even be bothered to visit her at home. But as usual, she didn't force the issue. She just kissed him back.

Rory heard the key in the lock before Logan did. When Tristan walked in, she pushed Logan away, causing him to look at her in annoyance. She knew she would have done the same thing if it had been Finn walking in the room, she wasn't an exhibitionist. She just felt more embarrassed with Tristan than she would be with anyone else.

"Sorry," he told them awkwardly, looking like he wanted to turn and walk right back out the door. Logan didn't say anything, and Rory just chose to pretend that he hadn't walked in on them making out.

"I'm glad you're here," she told him, and it was true, even if she wished it had been a few minutes earlier. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" he asked, finally shutting the door, cutting off his route of escape.

"Well, Christmas," she replied simply. "I know you're coming to Logan's parent's party, but I just wanted to invite you to come home with me for Christmas. It's nothing exciting, but it would be nice if you could come. We'd really like to have you there." And she just looked at him expectantly

"You don't have to do that," those were the first words that popped out of his mouth. He knew that since she had witnessed the blow-up with his father she would have assumed he wouldn't be going home for Christmas. She would have assumed correctly, but he wasn't going to intrude on her holiday celebration at home. Christmas might as well just be another night, it wasn't going to make a difference. He hadn't been home for Christmas in years, ever since he left Chilton. Christmas here would beat last year's all to hell.

"I want you to come," he could see her mouth set in a determined line. Whether that was true or not, it was of course what she was going to say. When he opened his mouth, to spew out some lie about going to a friends, she cut him off, "Really, I won't take no for an answer."

"Okay, I'd like that," he answered, just picturing how much fun it would be. He could be her friend, do the platonic thing most of the time. He just wasn't looking forward to seeing her and Logan all lovey-dovey at Christmas. "Thanks for inviting me," he added to Logan, knowing after the past couple days he was probably the last person that Logan wanted there.

"Oh, Logan's not coming," Rory replied, and resisted shooting her boyfriend a dirty look. "He's spending the holidays with his family."

And with those words, the invitation took on a whole new connotation. Logan didn't looked thrilled with the prospect of her spending the holidays with another guy, especially one he had come to be jealous of; and, if Tristan were honest with himself, with just cause. Sometimes he wondered at Rory's naiveté. She seemed completely oblivious to the tension that existed between him and Logan now. It was never overt, just simmering under the surface waiting to break out. He knew his living here exacerbated the situation, but it was only a few more weeks until he had his own place in residence, and would be out of here. And he wasn't doing anything wrong, and he wouldn't. Thoughts and wishes were wrong only from the moral standpoint, he wasn't hurting anyone.

He wanted to back out, say he couldn't go. It wouldn't be fair to Logan, and in a way not fair to him. He knew if he were truly her friend, there would be no problem in this, he knew that. Just as he knew he wasn't truly her friend. Friends didn't lust after friends. But what excuse was he supposed to give? Hey Rory, I can't come because I want you, and you've got a boyfriend who happens not only to be my best friend, but letting me live with him, who somehow seems to know I want you.

But Logan was speaking, "Who said I wasn't coming?"

She looked at him incredulously, and he continued, "I'll come, for sure. At the very least for New Years." He didn't want anyone else kissing her at midnight.

Tristan knew he alone was responsible for Logan's change of heart. He knew if he hadn't been going, Logan would have been perfectly content to stay far far away from Stars Hollow. He knew it was a good thing that Logan was going; when you actually dated a girl, you got involved with the family too. He just wished he didn't have to be there to witness it all.

He was denying himself something he wanted. A rarity to him even now. And, he wouldn't deny he wanted Rory. But, he was going to do the right thing. She had a boyfriend, his friend. But that was just the cover excuse. Tristan knew deep down he didn't care as much about Logan's feelings in the matter as he pretended he did. Even if they broke up, even if somewhere down the line she was available, he wasn't going to pursue her. His baggage was too much for him to handle sometimes, let alone someone else. Someone innocent, and sheltered like her. He wanted to be her friend, but it was hard to torture himself with something he couldn't have.

But he couldn't back out of going home with her. He had no plausible excuse, and he didn't want to see a look of hurt on her face. So, he just said nothing, and accepted the fact he would spend the holidays feeling like the perpetual outsider.