AN: Blah I suck I know! But anyways, it's Columbus day here in USA so I get a day off to write and update here! Definately an angsty chapter and it's going to be like this for maybe 2 or 3 more chapters... until ... well I'm not going to tell you that's no fun! Thanks for the wonderful reviews I love you all! Theres so jumping back and forth in this chapter so try to keep up! Italics are flashbacks!

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The unusual warm January breeze quickly flew by along with the month its self to be replaced by the chill of February weather and more snow. The raging winds and frozen particles of water brought no mystical and magic moment to Rory or to anyone in the group as it was supposed it. Instead, it brought in a fresh batch of drama to add into the mix.

Stephanie sighed as she marked off yet another day on her calendar where the group seemed to be torn apart because of Rory and Logan's relationship. Both of them were totally worn down in spirit by the end of the week and although they didn't like to show it, everyone knew that emptiness was present in their lives.

Logan began getting more and more extreme with his flavors, taking them into random janitors' closets and coming out later with both his and his partner's clothes wrinkled and awry, and hair more tousled than usual. It looked as if he had revert back to his old ways and although Stephanie could tell it was killing Rory, Rory refused to show any signs of weakness, ever since her break down at lunch that day Austin and Matt came back.

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Stephanie was barely listening to Matt launch yet another story and paying more attention to the way Logan totally ignored him to talk to the girl in his lap. Her eyes then glanced to Rory, seeing Rory also not listening but staring at the table with a sad expression on her face.

Stephanie watched as Logan got up practically necking with the girl and saw the immense pain immediately over take Rory's eyes before they spilled over with a fresh batch of hot and unwanted tears. No one noticed, since they were so avid in listening to Matt. Stephanie watched as Rory furiously wiped her eyes practically begging the tears to stop, making sure no one noticed. Slowly, hoping no one would notice her, Stephanie stood up and made her way towards Rory's spot on Austin's lap.

She grabbed Rory's arms and pried her from Austin's inattentive grasp, pulling Rory into her own arms, hoping she herself wouldn't cry from hearing her best friend sob uncontrollably like this. Rory cried and cried loudly, alerting the whole lunch room of her desperation at the moment. Stephanie sent her glares to everyone she could trying to get rid of their curious eyes but it did no good.

The table looked at Rory concerned with the exception of Matt, Austin, and Tristan who looked absolutely heartbroken. "Rory it'll be ok I promise," Stephanie said attempting to soothe the sorrowful girl.

"How can you say that!" Rory yelled recoiling from Stephanie's touch and looking her in the eye. "How could you say that when he's in a fucking closet with Barbie McBimbo and it's all because I accidentally cheated on him and decided to break up with him to protect both of us? How could you lie to me tell me things will be ok when they never will be Steph?" she screamed tears still flowing. Stephanie winced and took a step towards her trying to calm her but Rory just shook her head and ran out of the door leaving the lunch room in complete silence.

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From that day forward, Rory showed no emotion to anyone, even in the presence of only Austin, Matt and Tristan and it worried the group so much. They honestly would love to have the weeping and depressed Rory back than this heartless shell that had taken form before their eyes. Rory only showed up in the lunch room to buy a quick drink before locking herself in the confines of the newsroom, which Logan no longer stepped foot in.

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Logan was just in bad shape as Rory, except he expressed it by increasing the amounts of girls he had quickies with, pretending in his mind that they were Rory, though it never worked. Nothing was the same as the passion filled moments he had with Rory, and not even fucking a virgin supermodel could replace that. As he looked himself in the mirror, adjusting his Chilton tie, an overwhelming guilt possessed him remembering the lunchroom occurrence several weeks ago.

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Logan walked away from the lunch table with Candy in his arms, leading her to the nearest janitor's closet to have his way with her. She would be the first of many conquests he was starting again, and he didn't allow himself to look back at Rory, knowing that if he did he wouldn't be able to go through with making her jealous.

Frankly though, at the moment he didn't care about Rory's feelings. Seeing her so close with Austin, Matt, and Tristan made him feel bitter and what annoyed him even more is that she was causing him to be jealous without ever trying. He knew that they were best friends and he knew that this was the way they acted with each other, which only made him want her more knowing she wasn't even attempting spite.

10 minutes later he exited from the closet without his usual smirk that he would have on in normal circumstances. Instead, he felt disgusted with himself, but masked before bidding Candy goodbye and returning back to the lunchroom, not looking forward to seeing Rory still on Austin's lap.

However, when entered he found an eerie silence that had been placed in the room, and noticed that the table was down one head. As he passed the tables to get to the middle, he sent smirks to some of the less air headed girls in the lunchroom, who simply glared straight at him. Smarter girls in the school had respect for Rory, and although she did admit she cheated on Logan, the girls still felt that what Logan was doing was just plain wrong. He spotted a very angry Paris Gellar striding towards him and prepared himself for a verbal lashing for not being at the paper but he was surprised by what she said.

"That's even low for you Huntzberger. You should've known that she didn't want to do it," she said shaking her head. "Oh and consider yourself off the paper," she yelled before stomping out of the cafeteria entrance, wanting to get away from all this drama.

Logan reached the table with a confused expression and saw the entire group minus Rory in silence also. "What the hell is going on?" Logan asked utterly bewildered. Tristan, Austin, and Matt just got up from the table silently, without any words or looks sent to Logan. They just wanted to take care of their best friend. Logan took a seat in Tristan's previous one annoyed. "What the hell is going on?" he repeated more forcefully.

The group looked around at each other trying to find a diplomat to recite the story and all of their gazes landed on Colin. Colin shot up shaking his head but the group continued to stare at him pointedly. "Well er, you see… when you left Rory kinda started…bawling?"

Logan's brows furrowed together in confusion and frustration. "Why did she start bawling?" he asked.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Stephanie yelled. Colin took her face in his hand and forced her to look at him, as to stop her from lashing out at Logan.

"Logan, as much as stupid comes naturally to you lately there's no need to play it to try and get out of this one," Louise said.

"I seriously don't know what you're talking about," Logan said with a grave face. The group inspected him seeing if he was serious and when they found he was Louise spoke. "You left with Candy, it doesn't exactly take a sober Finn the figure out where you went. Rory was crushed, started yelling something about it being her fault," Louise said.

And then Logan's walls of revenge came crashing back down on him. He was disappointed… in himself.

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Despite his realization of his mistakes in the whole situation, Logan continued his horrible doings, not willing to swallow his pride. As much as he wanted to go to her and promise her things were alright with them, he couldn't because it still remained in his mind that it was she who broke up with him and she who made the choice to separate, so how could he possibly make amends for something he didn't start?

He gave his reflection a weary shrug before stepping out of his bedroom to face another day of this feuding hell.

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Finn shook his head as Rory walked down the hall way not giving the group gathered a first look. He didn't completely blame her though, considering that Logan and his usual morning accessory of a blonde was in his arms, but he was annoyed at how out of hand this fight had gotten.

"Hello love," he attempted, calling to her across the hallway. He noticed her shoulders hunch over letting out a sigh. "Hello Finnegan," she answered curtly. Finn looked to the rest of the group with a fatigued expression which was mirrored by everyone including Logan.

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Rory shook her head at Finn's sad attempt at ceasefire. She wasn't going to get over this one as easily, because what they did was simply insulting, mistrusting, and almost back stabbing. She shook her head at the 2 week old memory.

Another day of hell for Rory Gilmore, conversation with Logan was no longer civil but instead filled with words that had hidden biting meanings behind them. The fact that she continually found Logan skipping class and coming out of an empty classroom, janitor's class, or hell even a dark corner of the hall didn't help her mood either.

If it weren't for Tristan, Austin, and Matt there with her every step of the way she would have keeled over and died by now from anger, pain, and plain out disgust. But lucky for her, her three best friends stood by her steadfast despite the amount of time she began devoting to the paper and school work. Although her friends were totally unaware of their preserving of her sanity, because she was officially a stone statue, revealing no emotion, only depicting what people saw her as.

She was currently walking in front of Logan, Tristan, Matt and the rest of the group on their way to lunch when suddenly, an arm extended out of a nearby janitor's closet, and pulling her in right in front of everyone in the hall way.

Rory was about to lash out at who ever had pulled her in and knee the person in the balls but once her eyes adjusted to the light her scowl disappeared. "Austin?" she asked confused.

"Rory?" he asked with a teasing tone. Rory frowned, "We have to get to lunch what's going on?"

Austin leaned back on a rolling tray with cleaning supplies. "Are you alright?" he asked giving her a scrutinizing gaze.

"Dandy," she replied dryly. "Is there a reason for this?" she asked motioning the room around her.

"Yes, I want to know what's been up with you lately, what's with the stone heart?" he asked bluntly. Austin was never the one to circle around things, instead he got straight to the point, raking out the truth from a bunch of facades and cover up words.

"I don't know what you mean," Rory answered quickly.

"To hell you don't Rory. I know you more than anyone except for maybe Tristan. Tell me what's up," Austin said.

"Or what?" she asked with an eyebrow raised for effect.

"Or I tickle it out of you," he said wiggling his eyebrows and pushing himself off the cart sticking his two fingers up.

"That won't work anymore Austin, I'm not five anymore," Rory said unconsciously covering her sides with her arms.

Austin smirked and lunged towards her, grabbing her waist with no pity as she boomed out in a fit of giggles and ragged breaths. By now, she was on the floor with Austin hovering over her not stopping until he got what he wanted out of her. "Austin…please!" she yelled through he mirth trying her hardest to take a breath of air.

"Say it!" he said laughing at her giggling and anger flushed expression. "Ok I will I will!" she yelled gasping for breath.

His hands released her from her not so formidable torture and helped her up as she pouted. "That was just mean."

Austin waved his finger at her. "Now, now, don't try changing the subject. Spit it out Hayden."

Rory took a deep breath before coming out with it. "It's easier to show no emotion than to show that you're overwhelmed by them. It's easier to show indifference than to show weakness," she explained.

"It's not weakness, it's truth," Austin said.

"And the truth hurts, a lot," Rory shot right back.

"You can't keep running from your feelings Rory, it's just going to make things harder than they already are on you."

Rory scoffed, "I doubt things can get any harder than they already are Austin."

"They will if you don't let people in to try and help you."

"Listen I gave you your reason… can we just leave it alone now?" Rory asked. Austin sighed knowing that the topic was no longer open for discussion. "Fine," he replied before his eyes went wide.

"What?" Rory ask noticing his change in expression.

"Rory, there's a spider in your hair!" Austin said pointing to the little creature that must have fallen from the vent. Rory wasted no time in letting out a scream and shaking her head around frantically, Austin ran his hands through her hair trying to aid in it's removal letting out a groan when it landed on his arm and Rory squished it on the spot with a loud slap from a random magazine on of the shelves.

Rory couldn't help but laugh at Austin's disgusted face. "Did you have to do that on my arm?" he asked trying to find a roll of paper towels big enough to make him feel clean again.

"At least it's not in my hair," Rory said innocently, still laughing as the two stepped out of the closet, unaware of how suspicious their appearances looked.

As they stepped out, Rory caught the tail end of the group's conversation who were surprisingly still there waiting for them.

"Logan shut up, who cares if they're doing it in the closet, it's still not as bad as what you've done the past few weeks," Stephanie said.

"Does she have to slut around like that though? With her best friends?" Colin asked defending Logan's side.

"Where the hell do you get off assuming she's even doing that?" Tristan defended with Matt nodding behind them.

"It must be that lack of trust thing," Rory said, her moment of laughter quickly being washed away by the harsh words her friends had spoken about her. All of their heads whipped around and their eyes took in what didn't look like a very innocent situation.

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Colin sighed as he watched Rory frozen to her spot near her locker. If he had to guess what she was thinking about, he would probably come up with the closet incident. He wished that she could just understand what it must have looked like to them.

Colin was listening to Logan grumble from next to him while watching Rory stride to lunch in front of them. His best friend was dealing with his pain in the wrong way, and his unproclaimed little sister was as emotion filled as a rock. Both of them were dealing with the pain in different, and drastic ways.

Just as they were leaving their corridor, an arm extended out of the nearby utility closet and pulled Rory into the room, the door slamming right behind her.

Colin raised an eyebrow and looked around at the group, trying to examine who it could possibly be. "Where's Austin?" he asked.

Tristan and Matt looked around and shrugged before hearing Rory's muffled voice say his name from behind the door. "Apparently in the closet with Rory," Louise answered. Colin noticed immediately the tensing of Logan's figure and the clenching of his jaw and fist.

"They're probably talking about how Rory's become ice princess lately," Tristan said knowing that Rory and Austin wouldn't do anything more than platonic… anymore.

"We'll wait for them to finish talking then," Logan suggested honestly just wanting to try and catch bits of their conversation. The group nodded in agreement and delved into their own conversations, the girls talking about the new line of Dolce and Gabanna sunglasses while Finn, Matt, and Tristan talked about a video game they were oh so excited to play.

This left Colin to try and ease Logan out of his obvious frustration. "You shouldn't worry about it man. They're just friends. Don't you trust her?"

Logan frowned even deeper. "I did until she made out with her 'best friend'," he mumbled.

"Man just let it go; it was an accident why can't you get that?" Colin asked becoming equally frustrated.

Logan's response was a grunt before an earful of giggling and Rory's voice gasping "Austin …please!" reached his ears. The group all looked at Logan concerned that he would lash out, but heard nothing as they heard Austin demand Rory to say something. They were also able to hear Rory concede breathlessly before silence once again came from the room.

"Just talking huh?" Logan asked rolling his eyes.

"At least shes showing some emotions mate," Finn added doubting that Rory was really in there banging one of her best friends.

"Yes, her hormonal emotions," Logan grumbled just as they heard a groan and a slap echo from the room and into the almost empty hallway. Logan gagged and his friend shook his heads. "She might as well just do it out in the hall at least she'll have some more room."

"Logan shut up, who cares if they're doing it in the closet, it's still not as bad as what you've done the past few weeks," Stephanie said.

"Does she have to slut around like that though? With her best friends?" Colin asked defending Logan's side.

"Where the hell do you get off assuming she's even doing that?" Tristan defended with Matt nodding behind them.

"It must be that lack of trust thing," a voice belonging to no other than Rory Gilmore-Hayden said from behind them. Colin's head, along with everyone else's whipped around to see Rory and Austin standing before them with disheveled uniforms, hair, and flushed faces.

"Yeah and that's why it looks like you two just nailed each other right?" Logan yelled not even bothering to bite his tongue. Rory glared and looked around at the rest of the group, seeing that they too had the same looks of mistrust on their faces except Tristan and Matt.

"You have no say in what I do and don't do anymore, Logan even if I were in there fucking my best friend which I wasn't!" Rory snapped back not believing this.

"Rory, you're all wrinkled…" Madeline said not trying to be accusing but coming off as it.

Rory threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "I can't believe all of you think I was in there screwing him!" she yelled motioning to Austin while shaking her head.

"Rory I mean can you blame us? Look at you two," Colin said motioning to both of their appearances. Rory looked between her and Austin before she let out what sounded like a growl.

"If tickling for information and trying to get a spider out of Rory's hair considered fooling around now then yes we did fool around," Austin said proving all of them wrong. The group's expressions quickly changed to those of regret and Austin shook his head.

"I can't believe you all. Logan maybe, but not all of you," Rory said inching away from them. The group looked down ashamed, especially Logan for his hard presumptions. Colin raised his head to initiate an apology but it was already too late, she was halfway down the hall with Tristan's arm wrapped around her and Austin and Matt looking back angrily.

If Colin and everyone else could have the chance to take back their words, they would, but Rory wouldn't give them the time of day. She, Tristan, Matt, and Austin even formed their own little mini-clique, no longer sitting at the same lunch table as them and never even waiting to say goodbye.

Colin sighed a shot regretful looks to the group when a ringing of a cell phone filled the eerie silence of the filled hallway.

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Rory felt their eyes on her but chose to ignore them, wishing that Austin, Matt and Tristan would arrive soon. Rory had woken up regular time to find that Austin, Matt, and Tristan had all over slept. They insisted that Rory go ahead and take the limo and they would drive there in their own cars. Rory complied without even looking back, keeping up her Ice Princess façade she had been mastering so well.

Just as she placed her final book in its spot in her locker, the shrill sound of her cell phone tone of the Oompa Loompa song filled the hallway. She felt everyone looking at her but acted nonchalant, plucking her flip phone out of her purse and opening it with a confused hello not knowing why her mother would be calling during school hours.

"Mom?" Rory asked turning around from her locker and unconsciously facing her friends, lines of worry etched on her face.

Finn nudged Stephanie and nodded towards Rory, noticing her concerned tone. The group all looked at her, surprised she was actually showing expression what so ever. "What's going on?" Stephanie asked.

"It's Lorelai," Finn replied.

Rory's frown deepened. "Mom what's going on?" Rory asked her breathing becoming shallow. Her friends at this point didn't even bother to pretend they weren't listening and stepped a little closer to her, though she didn't notice.

"W-what?" Rory stuttered rubbing her temples and closing her eyes.

"Is he ok?" Rory asked, more yelled over the phone. After not receiving an immediate response Rory raised her voice even more. "Mom is he ok!" she yelled tears streaming down her face.

What her mom answered did it. All of the emotions that Rory had been trying so hard to fight were let loose with the news and her cell phone fell to the ground with a smash. Rory didn't even bother to stifle her sobs or wipe her tears and fell to the floor in an overwhelmed heap, breathing ragged but not caring about the crowd she was drawing. Her friends were now circle around her, trying to give her touches of comfort, but she pushed them away as she bawled.

Logan didn't know what had happened, but it was obvious someone she truly cared about was hurt. He looked over to see the group looking down at her, hearts breaking… trying to control their own tears, watching this vulnerable girl cry out to the world. Logan was about to step up and try his shot at comforting her but instead a voice boomed down the hall way.

"Rory!"

Austin and Matt pushed through the crowd watching Rory as Rory's head shot up. "Austin, Matt, we have to go to the hospital!" Rory trying to stand up unsuccessfully, finding her knees were equivalent to jelly at the moment.

"We know, Liz called us," Matt replied. "He'll be ok Rory… he'll be ok."

"What if he isn't?" she cried.

"He will be," Austin confirmed. "Let's go babe, we have to head over there," He said lifting her up easily as her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. She immediately buried her face in his neck, crying.

"I didn't even get to tell him I love him," Rory said into his neck, being heard by everyone who was close.

"You will Rory," Matt assured, "Tristan's a fighter… he's not going to give up his life."

AN: DUN DUNN DUNNN! Yes it's Tristan Dugrey! No Rogan yet again. it's coming just not yet! Thank you to nemo123489 for this idea! I'm keeping the review request at 35 because I know you can all keep it up. Thanks so much to all of you! I'm thinking there will be 4-5 more chapters in this story before it's finito! But don't you worry... a sequel will follow and i promise it won't be horrible like movies that come out with sequels that end up sucking. It'll be just as much drama except in a college setting. Yay! Review Review Review!