AN: A huge thankyou to Sparxx27 for your review. In anaswer to the whole Logan thing. The entire story is already finished, but just for your review I'll rewrite it to put more Logan in. I hope everybody keeps reading. It's starting to come together a lot more now!
Disclaimer:You guys know it, you guys experience it. I own nothing, although the characters of the children are based on real kids I met during my High School Community Service program, and the ball was something our school really did hold of course it was n't as fancy or anything but hey, I own nothing.
Theo stood in the centre of the ballroom at the Hartford country club with a clipboard. She was wearing her glasses and calling out orders to the trades-people. Her mind kept flipping back to the night before, in his room. She had cried for almost an hour that afternoon while he held her before recovering herself and asking him to leave. He hadn't wanted to but he had anyway, that was what counted. But then to arrive at his door, near hysterical in the middle of the night and to let him kiss her…She was furious with herself for her lack of self-control. He kept getting under her damn skin.
"Ms. Adams…where do you want the candelabra's for now?" An assistant was asking. They were four-foot-high cast-iron works of art, ivy entwined up the stems with church candles atop.
"Just on the bar for now Maggie, thank you"
"There's my little party planner" Nate said as he crossed to where she stood.
"Hey you" She greeted him with a kiss. She was organising a charity ball for that evening, her grandmother and her friends at the DAR had granted her authority when she proposed the idea. It was for a fund for sick children that she had donated to since she was a little girl and was very close to her heart.
"How goes it"
"It'll be beautiful"
"Of course it will if you're the one in charge" She giggled
"Oh you!" She cooed, patting him on the shoulder.
"When will you finish up?"
"In about two hours"
"I'll come back then and get you"
"Ok, love you"
"I love you" He kissed her and wandered off to meet his parents for a late lunch.
That night, even Theo gasped as she peaked through the curtains at the entrance to the room. It was so beautiful. The invitations had gone out with a dress code of masquerade, a giant grown-up dress-up party. Theo herself had chosen a gown in the softest of pinks it shimmered so that it was almost metallic. It had a plunging v-neck that reached almost to her navel but laced up to conceal modesty. It fell in full folds to the floor, covering her feet and leaving a small train. To her back were fixed giant filmy pale pink butterfly wings which soared above her shoulder and swooped almost to the floor. Her hairdresser had affixed tiny pinky antennae to her blonde spirals and she had donned a silver masque.
She and Nate had stopped at the local children's hospital before coming here where the children had loved her outfit. Lizzie was a 14-year-old girl with leukemia. She had bee diagnosed when she was seven and had dealt with the first two bouts beautifully. She had been in remission for three years when she received the devastating news that it was back. She had struggled with the news. At first it was just to be accepted but now she knew better. She knew that she should be at school with her friends, gossiping and applying too much lip-gloss for it to be functional. Writing long entries in her journal about the guy she thought would never like her but in reality, would always remember her as the girl he should have taken aside and begged for a date. Theo had met her the year before when she was in the day clinic for a check-up and had been keeping a check on her progress. She was angry and frustrated, exactly what you would expect. But when Theo had appeared that night she had brightened, even breaking into a smile.
"Take pictures won't you?" She'd asked. Theo had smiled.
"Of course I will"
"You look beautiful…"
"You do too" Lizzie had blushed and run a hand self-consciously over the bandanna on her head.
"Michael's coming to see me" Michael was the guy, the guy every girl has in high school. Theo had winked.
She squeezed Nate's hand, she had gotten him into a pink waist-coat, a mask of course and yes, even a tiny pair of antennae on the proviso that most people would be dressed up. The doorman would announce their entrance.
"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the Hartford All the Children Masquerade Ball" A round of applause went up. "And now may I announce the woman who made it all possible…Ms. Theodora Adams accompanied by Mr. Nathaniel Gates" The applause went wild as the curtain opened. The crowd quietened when they saw Theo before bursting into another round of applause.
"You look amazing" Rory whispered to Theo who blushed.
"She's right" Tristan added.
"Hell if you were a red head" Finn began but the others shouted him down. They were seated getting ready for the speech that Theo would give before dinner. Nate gazed at her with pride but that darkened when he saw the way Tristan was looking at her.
It's jut the way you look,
And the way you walk,
It's the way you touch me,
And the way you say nothing at all
The MC was calling for silence.
"I've got to go," She whispered and kissed him on the cheek. The MC announced her and she took the podium.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," She took a deep breath and looked out over the sea of masked faces glistening before her; she could see her parents, and her grandparents, her friends. She smiled before continuing. "We sit here tonight, comfortable with out surroundings, with our company," the crowd was nodding in agreeance. "We are privileged people, in many ways, more than even we would suspect. And tonight we are generous people, giving freely to a deserving charity. It's true this isn't a one-off event; we often see each other at events very similar to this. Yet I can't help but wonder at our motivations at times." She could see the ripple run through the crowd. "How many here can name the charity we are giving to tonight? How many are here for that charity and not to be catch-up, or be seen?" She swallowed hard and hoped she wasn't losing them. "I don't wish to be misunderstood, to be seen to be preaching or reprimanding. I am pointing out a fault common to every person in the world, the seed of the not in my backyard thought. After all, a sick child is one thing, a sick child in our own family another entirely. A sick child though, should simply be a sick child, equal in all eyes. In the children at Mercy Hospital here in Hartford, I see more bravery and cheerfulness than in any other place. They are the most worldly, beautiful people I have ever met. Beautiful mostly because they are tragic, transient with their illnesses. There's Mackie, he is four-years-old and he was infected with meningococcal in the break-out earlier this year, he lost his left-leg before they could cure him and now he's learning to walk again with a prosthetic limb. He had barely learnt before it was taken from him. He prefers to get around though, on an oversized Tonka truck that he pushes along with his good leg." Sad smiles lit up the room. "There's Keely, she's six months old. A month ago her mother noticed a series of bruises down her spine; she's been diagnosed with a deadly form of Leukemia which doctor's aren't hopeful of curing. She's in almost constant pain but she loves the baby mini-mouse doll her cousin bought her at Disney Land. There's Curtis, he's fifteen, he was in a car accident that his family walked free from, he spent three weeks in a coma and woke up to find out that is a paraplegic. He spent months in a deep depression that doctors are bringing him out of. And then there's Lizzie." By now Theo was getting teary. "Lizzie is a beautiful 14-year-old girl who is madly in love with a blonde boy at her school named Michael. She wears too much lip-gloss and won't eat anything yellow. She's terribly self-conscious about losing her hair and wears either a purple bandana or a red wig because she always wanted red hair but her mother wouldn't let her dye it. Tonight she's having her first date with Michael in the hospital cafeteria before she goes in for another bout of chemotherapy." She took a breath to compose herself while the audience held their, riveted by the passion in her voice.
"Why am I telling you these kids' stories? Because they're our stories, they're stories of a society wider than our cloistered little numbers, a society that we need to be so much more aware of before we can truly help it. These children need our money, yes, but they also need our whole recognition and compassion, not just an impersonal cheque as wonderful as that may be for understaffed hospitals. I don't want to be a martyr or an evangelist to you. I want simply to pass onto you something that I have learnt…with our privileges which none here can deny, comes a responsibility that none here can deny. I would like to think that this evening is our first tentative step to fulfilling this responsibility more fully" She looked out at the crowd and smiled gently. It took a moment before the applause started slowly. Oh God, Oh God they hate me, I've criticised them and they hate me. But soon enough the clapping sped up, the table of her friends took to their feet and soon others followed until she had her own standing ovation. As she made her way down from the stage she looked behind her and realised that being projected onto the curtains were photographs of the children she and Nate had visited with that night.
"Oh my God where did they come from?"
"Logan and Rory took them today while you were here" Her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh my God guys! That's so perfect. Thank you!" She hugged Rory first.
"Logan's the artist" Rory whispered. Theo was slightly surprised. She had been hearing about Logan ever since he and Rory had met and Rory had hated him. He had sounded a little like Tristan, and this wasn't the sort of thing they did. She turned to him.
"So I have you to thank?" He didn't say anything but he hugged her back gently so as not to crush her wings. Over her shoulder he locked eyes with Rory and smiled at her.
All night people approached Theo, asking more questions about the children, if they could write to them, donate some more money, perhaps visit the families. She was shocked; she hadn't expected to have that effect.
"Look at you, you're changing lives" Tristan whispered to her.
"The children's families will be thrilled" Tristan laughed.
"I was talking about the Hartford elite. Mrs. Winter's who just offered to visit Lily and organise for a hair-dresser to have a red wig specially made is a selfish old crow, always has been. You've brought out the best in them" Theo's eyes shone and Rory squeezed her hand. Nate materialised next to her.
"Dance Princess?" She nodded and they floated to the floor. He held her close; he didn't know how he found her, so perfect. How had he never seen it before senior year? Over her shoulder he saw Tristan, or, more to the point, Tristan's eyes, following Theo wherever she went. Nate should've known he wouldn't give her up; Tristan never gave up on something he wanted.
"Theo" He whispered.
"Mmm?" Her head was laid on his left shoulder.
"I don't want you to talk to Tristan"
"What?"
"You heard me" She raised her head.
"Nate we've been through this, there's nothing going on"
"Well I know that and you do, but he doesn't seem to get the picture" Rory and Logan were dancing near-by and Rory could see something was wrong.
"Don't do this Nate, not tonight, everything is so perfect"
"I'm not doing anything. I'm just asking the girl I love not to talk to the man who could tear us apart"
"Oh Nate, he's not going to" By this stage they were leaving the dance floor and were standing at the table arguing quietly.
"He's after you"
"Maybe but he's not going to get me. Tristan is not a problem"
"Oh don't give me that" Tristan overheard and couldn't help but intervene.
"Come on Nate, you don't really think I'm a threat do you old man?"
"Stay out of this DuGrey" Nate snarled and Theo backed away from him.
"Man calm down, I'm here with a date I'm not gonna steal yours"
"Lisa doesn't count as a date" Lisa looked affronted "No offence Lisa" She waved hands in compliance.
"Oh don't worry Nate"
"Theo we're leaving" Theo wavered.
"You don't have to go with him Theo, you never would have" She felt torn when Rory and Logan arrived, the others were watching, impassive.
"I said, stay the fuck out of this DuGrey"
"Nate, come on, this is Theo's night" Logan put in as Rory did her best to drag Tristan away. Nate shrugged like a petulant child and Louise and Lisa put their two cents in.
"Come on Nate, it's been so beautiful, Theo did such an amazing job, don't let this be what she remembers" Louise said.
"Yes Nate, come on, sit down, have a drink, make-up, this is both your night, your photos were beautiful" This seemed to placate him and he nodded. Theo moved closer to him.
"I'm sorry baby; I don't know what came over me. I was being such an ass. I don't mean to be so controlling"
"It's alright Nate"
"I love you" he whispered as he kissed her hair.
"I love you too" The group smiled as they took their seats again.
Tristan and Rory looked on from a safe distance. Tristan's blood was boiling.
"He treats her like crap"
"Nate's always been hot-blooded when it comes to girls" Rory pointed out. "You're just noticing more because it's Theo"
"Theo never used to need protecting. When we were younger she would have told him to fuck off"
"This is true," Rory observed, "but she's changed Tris, and you're going to have to accept that and move on" Tristan nodded, wondering how many more times he'd have to hear that before it happened.
Rory was quiet as she and Logan were driven home in a cab.
"Are you sure you don't want to just go home?" He asked her. She had decided to stay at his apartment.
"Yes"
"Are you okay?"
"Yes"
"No you're not" She shrugged like a petulant child. "It's just Theo…I told Tristan tonight that he had to accept she'd changed and move on. I'm a hypocrite, I can't even do that"
"Why not? People change Ace"
"Yes but not Theo, and it's not usually my fault"
"Your fault?" He stared at her incredulously but she wouldn't meet his gaze as a blush raged across her cheeks.
"I was the one who forced Theo to break up with the only guy she'd ever loved" Logan laughed.
"What are you talking about?"
"Tristan"
"Tristan?" Logan had known Tristan for a few years. He'd been surprised when he found out that Ace had known him as well. It wasn't until she'd been invited to the party at his house that Logan realized they'd gone to school together. And it wasn't until he'd seen Tristan drag her into away from the party that he'd realized there was history there. Rory was embarrassed; she didn't really want to go into this with him.
"There was a…a thing with Tris and I in high school. I guess I thought…even though I was with Dean then…I thought that…you know that maybe, somehow it would work out and that I was the girl he'd fall in love with. And then Theo came along and they were together and they didn't tell anyone and then Louise came up and she was like 'Oh yeah, major coupledom for them' and I was like 'I have to go' and then I went to see Theo and I told her that I wouldn't be friends with her anymore and she didn't know what I was talking about and then all these rumors started and she told me she'd broken up with him and then she locked herself in her room and she wouldn't let any of us in and then…" She was gasping for breath and hysterical as Logan reached for her frantically waving arms and the cab driver glanced in the rear-view.
"Babe, babe take a breath"
Lisa was worried.
"She just lies on her bed and stares at the roof. She goes to class then goes back to the dorm. She doesn't eat, she doesn't even drink coffee anymore" The girls were all sitting around in the common room.
"What's wrong with the girl?" Paris was demanding and Rory stared hard at the floor, trying to ignore the feeling that everyone was looking at her with accusing eyes.
"I suppose it's because Tristan dumped her" Louise said with authority.
"Where the hell did you hear that?" Rory snapped and Louise looked up at her, shocked. Rory sat back, embarrassed now.
"Nathan and Wills were talking about it…I just…"
"Well you're wrong okay, Theo broke it off" With that Rory stood up and made her way again to Theo's room. She had been there so many times in the past few days but Theo wouldn't talk to anyone.
That all changed soon enough though.
The next night the girls were watching Simpson's re-runs in the common room when Theo walked in, a bright smile on her face.
"Hey guys" She greeted them with a breezy voice as she set about making herself a coffee. "Man, do I feel better; I have had the worst stomach bug for the past week". Rory, of course, knew she was lying. The next morning the gossip around school was Tristan's mysterious disappearance, nobody knew the cause.
"So you see it's my fault. She changed as soon as he left. Started going to parties, seeing heaps of guys, spending time with the society girls. I'm a horrible person, I ruined everything for her because I was so selfish" Logan had a weird smile on his face. "And the worst thing is that I realized later that I didn't even like Tristan like that, just the idea…what? What are you smiling at" His smile grew and he put his arm around her as they drove through the silent night streets.
"You…you're a funny old thing Ace. It's not your fault. It's stupid adolescent crap. Theo and Tristan will sort it all out. She's with someone else now, she's happy. She's changed, people do that and you're going to have to accept that and move on" Rory nodded and let him kiss her, wondering how many times people would have to say that before it stopped sounding hollow.
AN: Please Review, please? Please?