A/N: Sorry for the long hiatus. I got kind of caught up in the whole summer tv addiction. But I'll try to be better now.

Chapter Five

"Well, it has a lot of closet space," Rory said, desperately searching for something nice to say about Tristan's new apartment. After all, it was a major accomplishment. But the apartment was almost windowless, and the walls were all painted dark blue. The kitchen, living room, and bedroom were cramped while the bathroom barely had enough room to stand at the sink. There were two walk in closets, however, leaving Rory confused and unimpressed. But the disproportioned little apartment was Tristan's pride and joy, and she didn't want to bring him down.

Tristan laughed. "I can tell that you hate it."

"No, I don't hate it. Look, it's perfect for you. I'm very impressed that you found an apartment so quickly. I mean, you only started looking a week ago and you're already moved in."

"Plus it's furnished."

"There's nothing better than a pre-existing beer stained couch."

"Or a stove that has only one functional burner."

"You don't cook anyway."

"There's Chinese take-out right down the street."

Rory's cell phone started to ring. "Order orange chicken. Oh! And lots of egg rolls. I love egg rolls."

She walked out of the living room to the tiny bedroom and closed the door.

"Logan," she said, the happiness and relief evident in her voice.

"God I miss you," he said. "I feel like we haven't talked in weeks."

"We haven't," Rory said sadly. "We're getting really good at phone tag."

"I heard they're putting it in the next Olympics."

"Well we'll be gold medallists."

A moment of silence passed between them, full of awkwardness that comes from long separations. Rory was mentally debating telling him about Tristan, for the first time feeling full of guilt that she had been spending so much time with, and even occasionally sleeping in the same bed with another man.

"So what have you been up to this summer?" Logan asked.

"Well, I'm not working or taking summer courses, so I've just been relaxing," she answered. She took a deep breath. "I ran into an old friend of mine and I've been trying to help get him back on his feet."

"You're always the good Samaritan. What is he, an ex-convict, alcoholic, druggie…" Logan asked jokingly.

"No, just a recovering socialite," she replied. "His family is cutting him off."

"Ouch. What did he do, swear at a dinner function?"

Logan chuckled at his joke and Rory let out a small laugh with him.

"He walked out of his wedding."

"Shit."

"Yah."

"Who is he?"

"Um," Rory said, trying her best to be casual, but knowing that Logan could hear her discomfort. "Tristan Dugrey."

"Didn't you used to date him?" he asked quickly.

"A long time ago," Rory said. "We're just friends. He knows that he needs some time to straighten out his life before he starts dating anyone. Right now he just needs to get a job."

"You were in love with him once."

"I don't know about that…"

"You told me, when we ran into him a few years ago that he meant a lot to you."

"Logan, please, I don't want to fight with you," Rory said softly. "Just believe me. He is a friend now, and nothing more."

Logan sighed. "I trust you Rory, I just don't know if I trust him. God knows that if I was stupid enough to give you up I would try everything to bring you back to me."

They sat in silence for a minute or so, both thinking about their distant relationship.

"But that isn't why I called," Logan finally said. "There's a meeting I have to go to in New York City, but I managed to schedule it so that I can spend three days with you in New Haven."

"Really?" Rory asked, her excitement carrying through the phone, sweeping away Logan's concerns.

"I fly in the day after tomorrow."

"Oh Logan," Rory sighed. "I miss you so much."

"I know," he said softly. "I miss you too."

--

--

"Food's here," Tristan said as Rory walked back into the main part of the apartment. She tucked her phone back in her pocket and sat down at the small table. Tristan was opening boxes and examining their contents. "I don't have any plates," he said.

"Chinese tastes better in boxes," Rory said matter-of-factly. She took a pair of chopsticks and started eating the fried rice.

"So, was that Logan?" Tristan asked casually.

"Yup."

Tristan just shoveled chow mien into his mouth and nodded, not pressing the subject. Rory nibbled on an egg roll, mentally chastising herself for not having the nerve to tell Tristan that Logan was coming to town. She didn't know why, but for whatever reason she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"So I heard back from the woman I told you about, the one that offered me a position at their company a few months back."

"Yah? What did she say?"

"Well she said that she was disappointed that I had rejected her offer to work for them when it was made to me last semester. But she said that the guy they hired didn't work out and that I happened to have good timing because the job was open again. I have an interview tomorrow."

"That's awesome, Tristan."

"I'll have to commute to the city, but I can't afford an apartment there. Not yet, anyway. So it looks like you are stuck with me in New Haven."

Rory smiled and finished off her egg role. She didn't know why she couldn't bring herself to tell Tristan that Logan would be in town, and that reality frightened her. But she helped herself to more rice, and tried her best to calm her confused mind.