Disclaimer: Not mine, well the story is, but all the characters, as much as I like to think of them as mine, are not and belong to the all powerful ASP and the WB, and whoever else put out the big bucks to buy them.

A/N: Set in Rory's junior year of Yale, she did not give Logan the 'ultimatum' and they are still casual, meaning that she did not go to the dinner, did not get the internship, did not steal the yacht, and did not drop out. She is friends with the Limo Boys.

Not a Stalker, I Swear

Tristan had just finished his last class of the day and couldn't wait to succumb to a much-needed sleep, rushing to his room when he stopped at the vision in his hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"Standing." Rory had been wandering around campus when her feet took off on their own accord, leaving her in front of an unfamiliar doorway.

"Outside my dorm?" He furrowed his brow quizzically.

"Well I'm standing and that is your dorm so…Yes, I am standing outside your dorm." I need to get away, stairs- that way. No, Tristan already knows I'm here, and it's rude to just leave after starting a conversation.

"Well I guess that makes sense. Is there any particular reason you're standing outside my door?"

"It was there, I felt like standing." And I wanted to see you again, stupid reporter curiosity.

"Now that doesn't make any sense."

"What do you mean?" Don't bring out the ego DuGrey, I deal with too many of them now.

"I mean you usually have your nose in a book and coffee in your hand, standing around a random guy's dorm doesn't seem like normal activity for you, especially with finals coming up. Unless, of course you've decided to change career goals and are going to become some sort of socialite stalker, tabloid writer or something."

"No, I promise you it's nothing like that. And finals aren't for another two weeks."

"Then why are you here?"

"I just…" I don't know, I just needed to see you.

"You just what?" Come on Rory, you're scaring me here.

"I just wanted to see you, I guess." Okay, I said it.

"You guess?" What does she mean? I thought she hated me?

"Yes. I mean, no. No. I know, I wanted to see you." Why are you making this so difficult Tristan?

They just stood there in silence in their own confused thoughts until Rory couldn't take the uncertainty anymore.

"Tristan, do you regret how we said goodbye? I mean I know we weren't friends or anything, but we were for that little time after Madeline's party, until that whole Paris fiasco. Which reminds me you have to make sure to go see her, I may have said something about seeing you last night at the party and it'll probably be best if she doesn't have to hunt you down and go on and on about how you forgot to keep in touch with her and then she has to hear about you coming to Yale, the same school she's at, from someone who merely catches a glance at you during a drunken party. And that random guy comment, how could you ever consider yourself a random guy to me? Once again, we may not have been close, and you may have made my time at Chilton hell, but you were my friend for a couple months and I haven't forgotten that, nor will I ever." Stop! I'm rambling, remember to breathe.

"Take a breath Rory, you're rambling."

"Oh, I am aren't I?" What can you read my mind now?

"Yeah Mary, you were."

"Well I couldn't handle the silence anymore." Tristan smirks. "What? What are you thinking?" He just stands there looking at her. "Come on Tristan, tell me." What's going on in that head of yours Bible Boy?

"I never thought I'd see the day when my Mary would be begging for my attention. Although I must say, in all the ways I've dreamt about it…well, in order to preserve this so-called friendship that pulled you to my doorway, which I still want to know how you found, I guess I need to cut down on anything that bring back defensive Mary and her blows to my ego." Rory tries to speak, but Tristan just puts up his hand while opening his door with the other. "Now, now, I don't want your words. How about you come and sit down; I'll get us some coffee. You still drink coffee right? There may even be some food if we're lucky, but seeing as my roommate eats all my stuff there's a fifty-fifty chance. Come on in."

Rory faltered a moment before joining him on the couch. It was a nice room, obviously a guy's room, although the bra hanging off one of the doorknobs was a little disconcerting.

"Nice place." I hope I've never left my bra like that at Logan's.

"Thanks, I really don't have any say in the decorating." Don't hate me because of the feminine articles around Mary, I swear, I'm not a horrible person.

"So are you going to answer my question?" I'm dying here. I want to know.

"No, you still haven't answered mine, and I do believe common courtesy dictates that you answer mine first."

"Fine, although I didn't expect you to be one to tell me about courtesy. I am here because I saw you at the party last night and wanted to know how you are doing, past the drunken rumors that I could get out of the other attendees." That's it, I swear.

"You were at the party last night?" There was no place for reading, where could have Mary been during the party?

"Yes, why?" You still think I'm a Mary don't you?

"Just not you're thing, back in high school you read during parties. And how did you even get in, there was a guest list?"

"A: no there wasn't, you just thought that because, well I don't know why, but there wasn't. And b: and I was there with some friends. Your turn."

"Fine. Now let's see. Yes, I regret the way we said goodbye, but bag boy was there and I didn't need you to hate me for making a scene. As for Paris, I was going to call her tomorrow to meet up in Hartford, thinking that she would be in Cambridge, but now I see she is in New Haven, so at least I don't have to take the trip."

"Finn."

"What?"

"Finn, that's how I knew where you lived, although my feet decided to come here without my brain's consent." Damn feet.

"You know Finn? As is drunk Finn, Australian Finn, Finn who is never in daylight without sunglasses, that Finn?"

"Yes I know the ever-exotic, skirt chasing Finn. It comes with the territory of seeing Logan, not that I only tolerate Finn because of Logan. Finn's one of my best friends, Colin too, but he's no longer allowed near my town, but for far different reasons than Finn is."

"I don't even know where to start."

"Start with what?"

"You. Wait, did you say Logan? I heard Huntz had a girlfriend but I didn't believe it, but if you're with him I guess it must be true."

"Where did you hear girlfriend? We're seeing each other and share friends, yes, but he is not my boyfriend."

"What do you mean?" Mary can't just be one of the many, not even to a guy like Hunt; a guy like me.

"Exactly what it sounds like, but we just started being friends again Tristan, I don't want to go into any details."

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A/N: There's the chapter. I hope you weren't disappointed. Please review. I love reviews.

-Soph