AN: I've said it before but I'll say it again; I know this is different. It is definitely NOT a Trory, I never saw that working but I love Tristan. Again as well, I know that some of it may be a little difficult to understand as this is the second in a trilogy and the prequel has not yet been published, but please persevere.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the characters of Theodora Adams, Nate, Wills, Harry and Lisa Baklien.
3.
Rory stood in front of the mirror shrugging her ear to her shoulder to try and juggle the hands-free phone while she held dresses up against herself in her bedroom at Emily and Richard's house.
"I really do love Rupert though," Theo was saying. Rory nodded before realising with a smile that her friend couldn't see her.
"He's a sweetheart. He dealt so well with the Paris incident" Theo giggled on the other end.
"Oh that's going to go down in history. I almost wish I could've been there to see it" Rory smiled again.
"Do you think I should go for blue?" She began holding the floaty chiffon shift to herself, "…or white?" This one was more fitted, with thick straps and a-line skirt and a buckle on the back.
"No white after labor day" Theo was giggling again, but there was something slightly reprimanding in her tone that Rory didn't miss. "I think you should go with the white…all you ever wear is blue"
"Oh yeah well all you ever wear is…is…oh you've worn every colour of the rainbow. You're no fun!"
Theo was standing in front of the mirror as well, fingering the string of priceless pearls around her throat. They had been her gift from Nate for their anniversary two weeks before and she was finally getting to wear them.
"So Logan's not going tonight?" Rory scowled.
"No, he's got some thing for his parents, a dedication of some phallic monument no doubt" Theo smiled and squealed as Nate wrapped his strong arms around her. They were at his parents' house, going to Louise's engagement party at Hartford's newest nightspot, Fa, there. She giggled and stretched her neck for a kiss. He complied, trailing soft kisses down to the collar of her silk dressing gown.
"Um Ror, I'm going to have to go, I'll see you at the party." Saying goodbye, Theo hung up the phone and turned into Nate's embrace.
Tristan looked up from his place at the bar when the commotion began. Someone had arrived late. There was a shimmer and a shine and then, emerged from the crowd a tall, stunning blonde. Tristan was about to ask Madeline who it was when he saw those eyes. They were as black as he remembered.
"Theo" he found himself murmuring. What had happened to her? The clinging black dress fell off her newfound curves and she had grown taller and where there had once been unruly black curls there was now blonde.
His heart started to beat faster and he swallowed the lump of pure adrenaline in his throat. Downing the last of his scotch he quickly made his way to a balcony of the bar. Leaning on it he took a deep breath. What the fuck was wrong with him? God, they hadn't been together in so long and just seeing her…just seeing her. Was it guilt that made his stomach rattle around in his gut? Was it fear that she would hate him still? He took another deep breath but turned when he heard his name.
"She's here" Lisa informed him. Lisa was his date for the evening, a purely platonic date, but date at that. She was still gorgeous, still bubbly with the long blonde curls. "We should go say hello", she suggested quietly. Lisa hadn't seen her either; she had only flown in from Oxford the night before and was camping out at his place for a few weeks holiday with the old gang. He nodded.
"Are you okay?" He laughed ruefully before composing himself and turning.
"Fine" She look at him uncertainly before smiling brightly and taking his arm.
They made their way towards her; the old group, Louise and Madeline, Wills, Paris and Harry had surrounded her. Tristan plastered a grin on his face as he greeted the boys with those man-hugs where they slap each other on the back and laugh a lot to show it's purely heterosexual. He kissed the girls on their cheeks and congratulated Louise again before turning to her.
"Hello Theo" He mentally slapped himself on the forehead. A two years and all he can come up with is Hello Theo and what's worse he makes it sound like Hello Theo! Here I am again after all this time! Worship me! She smiled graciously.
"Tristan! It's so good to see you" But her voice was shallow, he heard hell everyone heard it. She lifted her cheek for a kiss but he started. She was the image of every other D.A.R wife. Recovering himself he kissed her chastely.
Then his eyes fell to her fingers, interwoven with Nathan's and it was all clear to him, why everyone had clammed up, why Paris and Rory had refused to give him her new number, or even tell him what college she was attending. She didn't see how his eyes changed and instead smiled generously.
"Well…it was nice to see you again Tristan," She said quietly before being lead away by Nathan.
Theo willed herself to feel something when she watched him. She was embarrassed when she remembered how in awe of him she'd been just a few years before. He'd been nothing but a boy but she'd thought he was magical. He was no boy anymore though. Any of the features of youth left when he had left in the middle of that night had been stripped away. His jaw was more chiseled and he was taller, his hair neat and not the tousled mass of blonde it had once been. His lips weren't as full as she remembered them, but then, she'd remembered covering hers, creeping across her skin. What should she feel when she saw someone who hurt her so much? More pain, or does the mixture of love, anger and hate cancel all out and just leave a sensation of psychological novocaine?
She shivered unconsciously and Nathan wrapped his arm around her.
"Are you cold babe?" She smiled gently, still distracted.
"A little" He ran his finger down her cheek and smiled absently at her.
"It's okay, just another couple of hours and we can go home" She nodded and looked up, searching for him again but he had disappeared in the crowd.
Tristan came face-to-face with Rory at the bar.
"Drinking Mary?" He asked and she glared at him. He smiled ruefully and raised his arms in defense. "I promise that was the last, for old times sake".
"Sure Bible Boy" They laughed but neither heart was in it.
"Is Logan here?" Tristan asked. Rory shook her head.
"He had a thing with his parents"
"Lucky bastard" Tristan muttered and Rory looked at him in pity. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked testily.
"You've seen her...and Nathan" It was a statement, not a question. "She kept me as much in the dark as you. I only found out a couple of weeks ago if it makes you feel any better". Tristan leaned on the bar and asked for a scotch and soda before nodding.
"Shocker huh? Never saw Nathan as someone Theo'd be interested in" Rory raised her eyebrows at their conflicting views.
"Mmm"
"Ah well...how's your summer turning out?" Rory smiled.
"Wonderfully of course"
"Of course" he replied with a grin, cradling the tumbler.
"How are you going Tristan?" He cringed before he rubbed his chin.
"Surprisingly well...starting my second year of college, I think the old man might actually be proud of me"
"Is that so surprising?" He raised his eyebrows and laughed.
"Of course and I bet your mom and grandparents are ridiculously proud of you" Rory smiled ruefully at him and he nodded leaving it alone for now.
"I think Tristan, that this is one of those time when the story's not going to work out the way readers would want. Go back to Paris or Rory or any of those other girls just leave me alone" He reached for her but she pulled away, fixing an icy stare on him.
"I can't"
"Let me reiterate this for you Tristan, we're not friends, we never were…now there's nothing for us accept that, I have"
He watched her move around the party that night, greeting old friends and new and it became obvious to him as fury bubbled, that everyone else knew about this. He watched her as she went outside for air and quietly, he slipped away from the boys at the bar and followed her. She was rubbing her hands up and down her arms as she looked down over the quiet street.
"Are you cold?" She started at hearing the same question so soon and then again on she recognised the voice.
"No…I'm fine" She hadn't turned yet and he moved closer to her.
"Are you sure? Because I couldn't understand why you're here with him unless you were anything but fine" She grimaced and turned to him.
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb Theo, it's not you. You know what I'm talking about. Nate! What is going on between you two?" She looked away nervously, biting her lip.
"We're together Tristan, we have been for a year. See these pearls?" She tugged gently at the string; "They were my anniversary present. The car I drive? Another present. We live together in New York. Anything else you'd like to know? How many times a day we have sex?" He cringed and her heart soared knowing she'd hit a nerve but she left it alone. She was over the chase of seeing who could get to whom first. He looked at the ground and then back at those eyes.
"I just want to know what happened to you," He took a step closer to her but she shied away. If she had looked up she would have seen the shock and confusion in his eyes.
"What do you want from me Tristan?" Quietly she slipped off the balcony.
She sought out Nate near the bar. She stood silently beside him until he'd finished talking and turned to her.
"Nate, I'm sorry but could you please take me home? I'm not feeling well" His eyes filled with concern.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" She nodded.
"I just want to go home…to my home" Together they made their apologies and left as he helped her into her coat he saw Tristan watching him. A seed of concern started niggling in the pit of his stomach.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay at my place tonight? I'd really like you to" She shook her head slowly.
"I'm sorry Nate, I just want to go home. I feel really awful" He sighs but drives her home. When they pull up in front of the beautiful house in Babylon Drive he kisses h forehead.
"I love you"
"I love you too"
She made her way upstairs slowly hoping not to run into anybody in the silent house. She shed her dress in her bedroom and threw it onto the chair, wrapped herself in another dressing gown and switched on the light in the adjoining bathroom. She slowly took off her make-up scrutinising herself in the mirror. She looked so miserable; she barely recognised herself tonight. Theo leant forward into the basin, splashing the water onto her face, the house was deathly quiet but her min was screaming.
What did he want from her? Why could he still make her feel like this? So helpless and distraught? She had tried to prepare for this, for seeing him. She knew that she would see him this summer. She had tried to be strong but he broke her every time.
She made her way to her bed and crawled in thankfully before switched off her light. Across the boundary Tristan's bedroom light switched on.
AN: Please, please review. Oh God how I want one review!