Pairings- Rory/Tristan

Disclaimer: I own nothing !

Summary- "Its a thin line between love and hate, especially when your married. Granted, it's only a high school class assignment but still...

A/N - Hey guys, long time no update ! This one isn't as long as I had hoped, but I've already got the plans for next chapter, so you shouldn't have to wait as long! Enjoy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reaching down she grasped the slender straps of her book bag gently hoisting it from its current position on the floor, pulling it towards her. She was a few minutes early and was hoping to finish her latest chapter. Although mentally knowing her chances of even finishing a page were futile. Not because school started soon, but because her first class was none other then her newest favorite class to dread. It should be illegal to make a child, such as her go through what she was about to endure so early on in the day, especially considering her coffee in take was limited to four cups this morning.

Despite the fact that she had gone to bed early enough, she had gotten little to no sleep. Her entire day up to that point began replaying before her closed eye lids, causing her to wake every hour or so. When she finally had had enough, she had swung her feet out of bed, letting her feet hit the cold wood flooring beneath them and walked drowsily towards the Kitchen coffee pot. Tediously gathering the materials around her she started to make a fresh batch, hoping against hope she wouldn't wake her mother. Her mother would want to talk, something that she mostdefinitely didn't want to do. She was feeling a myriad of emotions, she wanted so badly to just hate him. Yet at the same time, something kept screaming out to her 'no you don't'. Hating Tristan would make things so much easier, actually not being married to him would help a great deal more, but, being as she was her mothers daughter, giving up wasn't in her nature. Thus, she trudged on, forgetting that he was mean to her her first few months in school, forgetting everything, including that she wanted so badly to hate him.

The shrill sound of feet scraping the classroom tile, and the small gusts of winds sent her way from her fellow students when passing her desk caused her to look up briefly, only to be met with the eyes of the one thing she feared she'd see. Tristan. Of course, the moment her eyes met his he turned away. Not wanting to be left gawking, she in turn averted her eyes allowing them to fall down towards her un-opened book.

The bell rang allowing the teacher to begin his normal routine. "Good morning everybody, I hope you had a goodnights sleep and are ready for todays lesson. Today your going to pair off with your husband and or wife, where I will precede to come around with this box of eggs...consider me the stork. Todays task is simple, name your children, and apartment hunt. Each group will recieve a list of various places, some cheaper then others, consult your budget. The moment you make your selection, let me know so we can take it off the market. Good luck, and happy hunting."

Rory didn't want to be the one going to Tristan, but one look upwards told her he wasn't going to budge. Reluctantly she stood grabbing her bag as she passed and made her way up the isle towards Tristans desk.

"Ahh, Rory, Tristan, two kids I believe?"

"Thats right."

"Oh good, here you go." He smiled reaching into his accursed brown box and removing the eggs, handing one to each Rory and Tristan.

The silence that filled the area around his desk was astonishing, he wasn't sure what to say, though he attempted something many a time. Each time getting the same result, the opening and closing of his mouth. Apparently this whole marriage to Rory thing was going to be harder then he thought.

"I was thinking we could name one of the children Tristan Jr. you know, after their father." He finally managed.

"No way" Came her quick reply.

"Why not, I should get some say in this marriage."

"First of all both our children are girls."

"So."

"So? Are you kidding me?"

"No, and your mother named you after her, so why can't I?"

"Do I really need to point out to you that, one, my mom was wacked out onDemerol when she made her choice, a drug I'm fairly certain your not on, secondly, both my mother and I are girls, making it ok to be named the same thing. Your daughters are girls, you are not, although if you were it might help a little, but the point is, I said no, do you see why now?"

"If Gwyneth Paltrow can name her daughter Apple, why can't I name ours Tristan?"

"Because I would actually like our children to like us when they grow up."

"Its a fake assignment Rory, they won't grow up."

"I say we get a three bedroom apartment."

"I think your avoiding the issue because your running out of reasons, and a two bedroom is room enough, the girls can share a room."

"I know the girls can share a room, the third was for me."

"Ahh Rory honey, where married now, Its ok. Besides I don't steal the covers, and if I do, theres many ways I can warm you up."

"As appealing as that sounds, I'll stick to my third bedroom, heck I'll share the crib with the babies so long as I don't have to with you."

"Now hows that going to look?"

"Its the name or the room, you pick."

"Class, if I may intervene a moment. I forgot to mention this morning that there's an extra credit assignment you guys may do. The onlycontingencies though, is that it must be done together. All you have to do, is baby sit a real living, breathing baby and write a report about your experience. Its due when this assignment is over."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unceremoniously her feet moved over her bedroom threshold towards the telephone cradle of their own accord, unconsciously making the answer to her current situation painstakingly obvious.

'Just do it' she thought reaching out and tracing her finger slowly along the numbered dials. 'This shouldn't be hard, its not like I'm asking him out. I mean, I am. But strictly for an extra credit assignment'. It was so like Mr.Pepper to add that last bit about having to complete the assignment with their "significant others". What was his deal? Not even Ward and June Cleaver did everything together. It was like he was purposely smothering them so they wouldn't ever want to get married. In her opinion it was both a sly and jerky move. Doesn't he know its obviously hard for her to be "married" to Tristan. 'Hard, this isn't hard, I don't like him...hes an ok friend...sometimes...not really'..."Oh just call him already" She screamed.

"I agree, you've been staring at the phone for over ten minutes."

Jumping at the sound of her moms voice, who she had fully intended to be at work this current time of day, she turned around plastering a fake smile on her face. "Hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm very sneaky sneaky. So...the phone."

"Right." She walked towards her room slowly dialing as she went. She never thought it was possible to both fear and love something as much as she was loving the incessant ringing as she did now. What if no one answered? She didn't feel like she could work up the nerve to call him again, even if it was for school related activities. Then again, what if he did answer? What was she going to say? 'Hey Tristan, would you like to spend your precious minutes not with whatever candy named brain dead and vapid low life you've got lined up for tonight, but instead with me, watching some kid for extra credit?' It wasn't that easy, not to mention he had been so nice to her the other day, and incredibly horrible to her the rest of the time...what if yesterday was a fluke, caused only by the fact that she was paired with him, and unintentionally threw out the idea that his company wasn't so bad, and that she could actually stand him, making him think that maybe she would fall at his feet one day...What if now that she was calling he would just laugh at her...I mean she did say yes when he asked, what if...

"Dugrey residents."

"Oh" quickly being pulled from her ever growing thoughts she stammered out a hello. "Hel-l-o, i'm looking for Tristan, is he around?" Sucking in her breath, she silently prayed that he would in deed be home.

"Just a moment, I'll go fetch him" letting out her breath at the fact he was home, she smiled when she over heard what she most likely wasn't suppose to, as it was whispered "like a dog, I'll go fetch him like a dog."

"Tristan here."

"Tristan hi, this is..."

"Rory? What do you want?"

"I was getting to that, was just running through pleasantries first."

"Right, hi Rory, to what to I owe this honor?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Asking me out? I never figured you for the type to go out on a school night, but hey, if you just can't wait tell Friday to get close to me, I suppose I could free my self up. What did you have in mined?"

"I'm going to refrain from saying every comeback that came to mind at your obvious lack of oxygen, mainly because I want, no need your help, and partly because...no, actually, it's only because I want your help."

"Only because you refrained will I let you continue with out you hearing my lecture on how 'many a girl would like to go out with me'."

"I was calling, because I was hoping you would help me with that extra credit assignment Mr.Pepper mentioned in class. One of moms guests at the Inn would love nothing more then to go shopping in Hartford, leaving us the perfect opportunity to baby sit her kid for her."

"You want me to help you baby sit some kid?"

"Yes, well, no. I want you to come tomorrow, so that I can turn in the assignment and pretend that you helped."

"I guess."

"Poor Cookie."

"What?"

"Nothing, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

That was definitely unexpected. Not that he was complaining, time with Rory was accepted willingly no matter what he had to do. 'Gosh he was so whipped'. Just the fact that she called his house alone was grounds for any person to think themselves well liked, or at least tolerated...however with Rory it was a little different, I mean, it was for an assignment, one in which she can't do with out him.