A/N: You guys are freakin' awesome! Thank all of you for your wonderful reviews, and for those who wished me luck on my exams. That was so sweet and I think it actually helped. My Danish grade didn't suck, actually I got 11 and a 10 in english. For those of you who live in Denmark and know how our grade-scale works, you know that that's pretty good :) Anyways, thanks again.
If anyone is still wondering, this is a Rogan, not a Trory. But I don't know if there will be any Trory moments. We'll hate to see!
I disclaim. I don't own any of the characters, and I am in no way associated with Gilmore Girls.
Chapter 10 – The stranger
"So, this new guy," Logan began slowly as he plopped himself down on the couch, next to his two friends who was watching an episode of Prison Break intensely. "Tristan. Do you like him?"
"Logan, I will only say this one more time," Finn began after he had sighed heavily. "I am not gay. Yes, I like to sing, sure, I do enjoy dancing, and yeah, I look bloody amazing in a sparkly red evening-gown, but I am very much into women. Actually, I was planning on meeting up with the lovely redhead Rosemary tonight, but then you had to make plans for all of us. Thank you for that, by the way."
Logan stared at him for a moment, then finally blinked. "I'll take that as a maybe. Colin?"
"Sure," he mumbled, never removing his eyes from the television. "He seems alright."
"Really? You think he seems alright?" Logan asked with a raised eyebrow, honestly a little surprised. He would have thought Colin would hate him. If not for his attitude and personality, then for the fact that he was best friends with the guy who was currently dating Steph.
Colin nodded his head. "Yeah, he seems fine."
"Huh. Fine? Really? 'Cause I don't really like the guy," he admitted.
"I'm surprised," Colin answered truthfully, quickly casting a look at his blond friend. "I would have thought you would have loved him. You know, considering he's you."
Logan let out a cough. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah, you know, he's just like you. Blond, rich, cocky, arrogant, flirtatious and so on. He's like your double. And since you love yourself, I would think you would love him too," he explained casually. "So, yes, I'm surprised."
"That guy's not like me! I'm not like that!" Logan protested, somehow feeling insulted and offended. "I am not that cheesy. 'The smartest and most beautiful girl in the world'," he mocked and shook his head. "I do not sound like that!"
Colin and Finn both shrugged. "Okay."
"Okay?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are my two best friends; you are suppose to tell me that I'm nothing like him, not even close to being like him. That we are two completely different people. It is your job to do just that!"
"So you want us to lie? I can not do that Logan. My mother taught me it was bad to lie. Very very bad. If you're not careful I'll tell my mother you are corrupting me!" Colin said, secretly smirking as Logan glared at him with narrowed eyes.
"I'll admit," Finn spoke up, getting Logan attention. "That guy was a bit too cheesy for my taste, but I'm sure he's a nice mate. After all, Rory love is practically friends with him, so he can't be too bad."
"You call that being practically friends? He was probably trying to get into her pants! That is not friendship."
Finn rolled his eyes and stood up from the couch. "If that is what he's trying then he won't succeed. I'll stop him," he promised. "Now, if I am facing the scary Miss Gellar in less than an hour, I need some time to prepare myself." With that said, he went to his room and closed the door behind him.
Turning back to Colin, Logan said, "He really cares about her?" It almost sounded more like a question than a statement.
Colin sighed and finally turned off the television, knowing that his friend would not leave him alone. He reminded himself to catch the repeat. "Reporter Girl? Yeah. Since that night where they almost hooked up, he had been like Papa Bear. He's always there for her, makes sure 'people like us' stays away from her. He doesn't want her to get involved with some rich kid that will only break her heart."
"What does she say to it?" he asked curious.
Colin shrugged. "I don't really think she cares. I mean, yes, she's glad that Finn is looking out for her, but she doesn't really care if he is telling people to stay away from her. It's not like she would date some arrogant rich bastard anyway," he answered. "She likes the poor guys, who have no money but only their love to give her." He rolled his eyes. "She's one odd girl."
Logan nodded his head, somehow feeling a little down by his friend's words. "Yeah, she certainly is special."
--GG--
It could not be denied. For the first time ever in history, surrounded by his friends and only a few strangers, Logan Huntzberger felt uncomfortable. Not only did he feel uncomfortable, but there was this other nagging feeling in his stomach. He couldn't name it, only knew that it made him feel lousy and sick. It was a strange feeling, something he didn't recognized, and something he definitely didn't want to feel ever again.
"You okay mate?" the Australian next to him asked as he patted his shoulder friendly. Logan looked at him and nodded slowly, and let his eyes go back to starring at the brunette sitting across from him.
He hadn't known her for that long, less than a week actually, and still he felt protective of her. When he first had heard about her and Finn's relationship, he had been confused. It was unlike Finn to be protective and actually caring of someone that hadn't been his friend for years. He had thought that maybe the Aussie was simply playing big brother to get her into bed, but only after a few minutes of seeing the two friends together, he knew he had been wrong. And yet, he still couldn't figure out what made her so special. But now, he understood completely.
The cocky blonde boy next to her was smiling flirtatious and he couldn't help but give him a death-glare. Of course it went unnoticed, since DuGrey's eyes were simply focused on the stunning Rory.
The two of them had been chatting for almost an hour, exchanging memories from their past. Paris had joined the gang, and just like Tristan and Rory, her face was twisted in a big smile. Something that obviously scared the crap out of Finn and Colin. Their eyes had widened and they looked at each other like they had seen a ghost and then back to Paris. Apparently Paris Gellar wasn't known as the sweet fun-loving girl, and most people had yet to see her smile and laugh.
For some strange reason, it bothered him that Tristan DuGrey was all it took to make a before serious and stressful girl turn giddy and happy. He didn't care about Paris, he didn't even know her and truly, he felt no desire to. But he hated the fact that apparently Tristan DuGrey was something special.
"I can't believe you played Romeo!" Tristan laughed at Paris before shaking his head. "Did you film it? Please tell me you did. Rory Gilmore starring the beautiful Juliet and Paris Gellar starring the handsome Romeo. A romance beyond all others."
Rory shook her head, a smile lingering on her lips. "Thankfully no. That is something I don't ever want to relive. Trust me when I say I will never think of 'Romeo and Juliet' the same way."
"It wasn't that bad," Paris protested, her eyes narrowing slightly at her brunette friend. She obviously felt offended. "I made a very good Romeo. Even you, DuGrey, couldn't have done better. Hell, the cocky naked guy wouldn't even compare to me!" she half-shouted as her eyes fell on Finn. Apparently he had gotten the nice nickname cocky naked guy after their first meeting.
"Hey, I'll tell you-" Finn began to said, but Colin grabbed his arm and cut him off.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you," he whispered playfully to his friend. "Remember all the dirt she has on you." Finn nodded his head, agreeing.
"What about the kissing-scene?" Tristan raised an eyebrow, and Colin, Finn and Logan all looked up surprised.
"That," Rory began, her cheeks slightly pink, and shot him a look. "Will not be spoken of. Ever again."
"Huh," Colin mumbled, his voice filled with surprise and amusement. A certain conversation between Rory and Robert was suddenly clear in his mind. "So, on spring break, it wasn't the first time you and Paris kissed?" he said it nonchalant and if it weren't for the smirk on his face, you would believe that he was simply just curious.
Rory glared at Paris quickly, who was shooting draggers at Colin, and borrowed her head in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Colin!" she cried. "Shut up!"
He simply smirked, while the other guys looking at the two girls with raised eyebrows.
"Care you explain?" Tristan asked, looking at between Rory and Paris.
When she saw Rory wasn't going to answer, Paris shrugged. "We wanted to be normal," she said nonchalant.
"Not a big chance of that happening," Finn mumbled.
"Dirt. Lots and lots of dirt," Colin whispered.
"Right," he said as he cleared his throat. "You wanted to be normal? So you decided to become lesbians? Strange logic, I must say. But sure, it's cool with me."
"We are not-" Rory began to protest, but a ringing of a cell-phone cut her off.
"Saved by the bell," Logan said with a smile, which she, much to his joy, returned.
It turned out to be Tristan's. He quickly and quietly excused himself when he saw the caller-id. Logan wondered if it could have been his girlfriend or maybe an old fling.
He turned to Rory, who sat quietly with a faint smile on her face, while Finn, Colin and Paris engaged in a heated discussion about something. "So," he began slowly, almost hesitating. "This Tristan guy… Ex-boyfriend?"
She stared at him for a minute before shaking her head laughing. He wasn't sure it this should make him relieved or concerned. He decided on something in the middle. Confused.
"No. No no no," she repeated, still smiling. "Tristan and I have a strange relationship. Kind of a love-hate relationship. Meaning he loves me, I hate him. Well, maybe those are too strong words," she decided. "He loved to annoy me back at Chilton. Absolutely drove me crazy and not in the good way. Finally, at the premier of our play 'Romeo and Juliet', he got sent to military school and I haven't seen him since."
"Huh," he muttered. "You just seem really close."
She gave him a soft smile. "Yeah, that DuGrey for you. He always makes you feel like his best friend or worst enemy. Nothing in between." She paused and took a sip of her cold beer. "Why do you ask, anyway?"
"Oh. For no reason," he replied, hoping his voice sounded as casual as he meant it to. He hardly doubted that it did, though. "You know, curiosity."
She seemed satisfied with the answer and nodded her head. "Okay."
With that said, they both turned to the others and their discussion, but Logan weren't really listening. Instead he looked at Rory. He hadn't really noticed how beautiful she looked. She wore casual clothing; a pair of dark jeans and a form-fitting white top. She almost looked like an angel with her blue magical eyes and her petite lips that was curled in a soft smile.
He stood up from his chair. "I'm getting a drink," he said and waited for the others to nod before he disappeared. He quickly made his way to the bar and ordered a beer. It wasn't because he really needed one, more because he needed to get away. Have a little peace and silence.
It didn't go as planned.
"Bartender!" a clearly drunk man yelled as he appeared next to Logan at the bar. He wasn't the usually type you would find at the Yale's pub. This man was older, in his thirties, Logan assumed.
After a few seconds the bartender appearedand the man ordered his drink. "You know," he began as he turned to Logan. "When you are young life is amazing. You feel free, happy. Like you can do anything you want. You know that feeling?"
Logan looked funnily at the guy, but nodded his head nonetheless. "Yeah, sure."
"But then you get older and everything falls apart. You become afraid, insecure. Suddenly life is happening, way before you had planned it to." He paused as the bartender came with his drink. He gladly took it. "And you just don't know what to do. So you make a mistake. One that you will regret for the rest of your life."
"Yeah," Logan said uncomfortable. This man was practically telling him his life-story. "That must suck."
The stranger nodded. "It does. It sucks! But even more… it hurts. She hates me now. You know, really hates me. She doesn't say it to my face, but I know it. I can hear it in that angelic voice of hers," he whispered ever so softly. "I came here to see her, but I just couldn't. I couldn't handle it. My own daughter hates me. And it's all my fault."
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you-"
The man cut him off with a wave of his hand. "No, she does. And that scares me the most. My lovely daughter who is simply a pure angel, who has never hated anyone, hates her own father." He finished his drink and set the emptyglass on the counter before fishing after something in his pocket. "This…" he began as he found him wallet and opened it. "Is a picture of her. My daughter."
Logan, now slightly curious, took a look at the picture. His mouth opened and his brown eyes widened as he looked at the picture of a awfully familiar brunette with big blue eyes and a happy smile plastered on her face.
"My daughter. Rory Gilmore."
A/N: Anyway, as requested, this chapter reveals some of Logan's thoughts. And I know, not very much Rogan action. I'm so sorry!
