Gilmore Girls

Uncanny

A/N: It's been awhile, I know. I have had hardly any computer time and I shouldn't really be on here right now, not until I get my glasses. Sigh. Reading glasses. This is kind of a nothing chapter but I like it and I'm happy with the way it worked out. It just kind of flowed. Happy reading! Evie. xx

Summary: The voice on the answering machine. The picture on the entertainment. Both are eerily, uncannily familiar. L/R/T in London.

Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Gilmore Girls in anyway.

Chapter Nine

"Baby, what's wrong?" Tristan asked, coming up behind Rory. She had dumped her work bag at the door and immediately plunked down at the dining table, letting her head fall onto the heavy oak table.

"Head. Hurt. Drugs," she grunted. Tristan kissed her on her head before making his way to the bathroom cupboard where he found the small, white tablets Rory was after. He left the pills at her hands and went to get her a glass of water. She looked up and sighed gratefully, offering him the tiniest of smiles. "Thanks."

She dutifully took the pills while Tristan stood watch over her. She swallowed the water in three gulps and then pushed the glass away.

"You want more water?" he asked.

"Nah," she said, waving her hand.

"Coffee?" he asked, his voice dripping with tenderness and concern.

"Believe it or not," she said, looking up at him. "I really don't want coffee right now. I don't think it is the best thing for me."

"Oh, sorry," he said. She immediately felt bad and squinting, looked up into his face.

"I'm sorry. I just really feel like crap. I might just have a shower and go to bed," she sighed.

"Yeah, it's late," he agreed. He went to move but then he pulled up the chair next to hers. "You've been getting home late. Huntzberger got you working hard?"

"We have the big twentieth anniversary issue coming up and it's so much more work than either of us could ever have imagined," she explained. "We've been working on it non-stop and trying to get the daily issues out. I'm completely burned out."

"Is Logan still at the office?" Tristan asked.

"Yep," she said, nodding her head. "He's there before me and he leaves after me. I actually think he slept there last night."

"He did. He rang after you fell asleep to tell me," Tristan replied. His face fell suddenly and he looked nervous.

"Hey, what is it?" she asked, lifting a hand and caressing his cheek. He closed his eyes and tilted his head into her hand, kissing her palm.

"I was going to wait to tell you but I guess now is as good a time as any," he started.

"What?" she asked, immediately panicked. She pulled her hand away and sat up. "Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"It's nothing like that," he placated her. "I just have to go up to Newcastle for a week to take care of some business."

"Is that all?" she asked. Tristan looked at her in mock disappointment and she laughed. "Do you really have to go, honey?"

"Afraid so," he answered.

"I probably won't be here for much of the time anyway," she replied. "When do you leave?"

"Monday and I'll be back the following Tuesday so it's a little bit more than a week," he explained. "I'll be staying at our house."

"Makes sense," she shrugged. "We didn't buy it to never use it."

"I thought maybe you might be able to come up for the weekend," he suggested, a hopeful look on his face. The look on her face crushed him and told him all he needed to know. "I didn't think so but it was worth a mention."

"I'll miss you," she said twisting her mouth.

"I'll miss you," he replied. He leant forward and kissed her. She kissed him and then pulled back and winced.

"I'm going to go to bed," she sighed. She kissed him again quickly. "I'll see you soon?"

"Quicker than you can say 'bunny hop,'" he answered.

"Bunny hop," she said in an operatic voice. She laughed lightly. "Night, honey. I love you."

"Love you too," he mouthed.

-

"Morning," Rory said, knocking on Logan's office door. He was speaking rapidly into the phone but he waved her in. She waved a brown paper bag in his face and placed two large paper cups on the desk in front of him. She pushed one of the cups towards him and he shot her a grateful look before downing half of it in-between sentences. She sat down in the chair opposite to his and quickly pulled their breakfast out of the bag and setting it up between them as Logan winded the phone call up.

"You are a lifesaver," he said as soon as the phone was down. Rory was chewing a mouthful so she waited to answer.

"I know and you look like crap. Did you even come home last night?" she asked, wrinkling her nose at Logan's unkempt, unshaved appearance.

"Yes," he said affecting an offended tone. "I got home at about two, got up at five, had a shower and left."

"You really need to take some time off. You're going to burn out," she said, softly.

"Thanks for the concern, editor in-chief. You're working just as much as I am, you just do your work at home. Don't think I didn't hear you in the office at three this morning," he replied.

"The work has to get done," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "And besides, it was more like quarter to."

"Face it, we're both workaholics," he smiled.

"By the way, Tristan is going away on business next week," Rory blurted out.

"Really? He doesn't seem the traveling type," Logan answered.

"Well, we have a little café up in Newcastle and every six months he goes up for a week or so to work out the books and the like," she explained. "We have a holiday house up there too. Like the guy had in 'Wimbledon.'"

"You own a coffee shop and a holiday house in Newcastle and I didn't even know?" Logan asked, shocked. "I can't believe it."

"Yeah, well. Now you know," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's not a big deal."

"If you say so," he shrugged. "How come you're not going up with him? I assume it was bought so you two would have an excuse to go away together?"

"You know why I'm not going. I can't. I have to stay and work on the anniversary issue," she shot-back.

"If you really want to go with him, you should," he offered. She looked at him disbelievingly. "I really mean it, Ace. Go with him. You deserve a break. I can handle it down here."

"Thanks for the offer but its fine, really. This is going to be the only twentieth anniversary issue ever and I'm kind of honoured that it fell to me," she admitted. "I've worked so hard on it, I don't really want to leave now."

"I'd expect you to still work on it from Newcastle. I just thought you'd want to go," Logan said. She knew he was serious when he said he'd still want her to work. That was why he was such a great businessman.

"Logan, is there some reason that you want me to go?" she asked suddenly.

"No," he answered, obviously caught off-guard. "Why do you ask?"

"It just seems like you're trying to convince me to go," she pointed out.

"Well, I'm not. I just thought you might like to go and I'm offering you the chance," he replied.

"Well, thank you but I'm not interested," she stated.

"Good. It'll be good to spend some time together. When will Tristan be back?"

"The following Tuesday," she answered.

"He trusts us together for that long?" Logan asked, surprised. "I can understand him trusting you but me?"

"Of course he trusts us. Why wouldn't he?" she began. "Oh, stupid question. Of course he trusts us. He knows I'm with him."

"Listen, we should be finished work on the issue by Thursday if you wanted to go up then," Logan offered. "I can handle it here for a few days."

"I don't want to go. I want to stay. Why is that so hard for you to accept?" she snapped.

"I have a date on Friday night," he blurted out.

"Oh," she said, sucking in her breath. She visibly paled and rocked slightly. "I see. I won't get in your way, I promise. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"Rory," he called out. She turned and looked at him.

"Logan, it's fine. You should date. I'm happy for you," she spat.

"Rory…"

"Logan, I said I was fine," she replied. "I planned on catching up with Cass then anyway. I'll call you if I need any help, okay?"

"A-okay," he sighed as she left the room.