AN: I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter. Yes, Logan had it coming to him. And because you guys are so nice, this chapter is extra long. I hope you like it.
Tristan was walking out of his apartment when his phone rang. He smiled when he saw Rory's name.
"Hello?"
"What
happened to 'Tristan Dugrey'?"
"I only do that when I'm too lazy to check who it is."
"Fair enough. I wanted to ask you, when are you coming? It's after eight."
"I had trouble finding someone to watch Maddie. I should be there in twenty minutes."
"Well I'm ordering dinner. What do you?"
"Pizza? I'm still paying for it."
"Sounds good."
He walked the rest of the way thinking about what had happened that morning. He had been about to call the paper and haul the person responsible into court. Once he found out that it was Logan he took a different approach.
"Logan Huntzberger."
"Logan, I'm glad I caught you. Tristan Dugrey here."
"I can explain…"
"I'm not the person you should be saying that to."
"Rory wouldn't listen to me."
"You expect her to?"
"Can you tell her I'm sorry?"
"No you're not. The reason I called you was to tell you that if you mess with Rory again, you won't have her after you. You'll have me after you. Don't bother her again."
Tristan had been calm and he was surprised that he had been able to control himself. Logan sounded just like Rory had described. He was cocky and arrogant. Just like Tristan used to be. She shouldn't have to deal with Logan's crap. Everything would be fine once he left her alone. He walked into the building seeing her come off the elevator. She stopped when she saw him.
"You can go up. I'm going to the pizza."
"How many times do I have to tell you I'm paying for it?"
"Well then come on." She said linking her arm through his.
He walked with her just taking in the silence. He wanted to be with her every chance he got.
"I went to lunch with Megan today." She said smirking.
"Whatever she told you was a lie." He said sounding scared.
"Whatever you say…Snoopy." She said giggling.
"She told you about that?" He said sounding even more scared.
"Yeah." She said laughing.
"I had a crush on Peppermint Patti, so what?" He asked sounding nervous.
Rory lost it and started laughing harder. She grabbed onto his arm to keep from falling.
"Go ahead and laugh. I can get dirt on you too."
"No you can't." She said calming down.
"All I have to do is go see Jess. I bet he can tell me some stories." He said scratching his chin.
"You wouldn't dare." She said with her mouth hanging open.
"Close your mouth Mary. Don't laugh at me again…you've been warned." He said trying to sound serious.
Rory got quiet after that. She was still getting used to flirting with him. She hadn't done it in so long she had almost forgotten how to do it. And she hated that her mom was right. 'He hasn't done it yet, but he will.' She sighed knowing she wouldn't have it any other way.
They ate in silence until Rory asked him about Megan.
"I know you two are close. But did you always get along?"
"We've had our moments. When she was thirteen she was starting to wear make up. The first time I saw her wear any I told her she looked like a clown. She wouldn't talk to me for days afterward." He said shaking his head.
"I don't have much of a relationship with my sister. But I love my brothers, I miss them when I'm not with them."
"Do they look like you?"
"Landon does. He's got these big blue eyes that all the woman in town go crazy over. JJ looks like Luke."
Tristan nodded letting silence fall over them again. He liked being with her like this. He felt like he could be himself and she wouldn't pass judgment on him. He thanked God everyday for giving him a second chance.
"Tristan?"
"Hmm?"
"Why do you hate your father so much? I mean, what exactly did he do? I could tell the night I met him that you couldn't stand him."
He sighed wishing she hadn't asked him. He was hoping the answer he had given her Monday had been enough.
"Megan told me some things. And told me I needed to ask you."
"My dad is a jerk. He is a lot like your ex fiancé. He thinks the rules don't apply to him."
Tristan paused searching for the courage he knew he would need. He hadn't talked about his dad in years.
"He was never at home. I caught him with his secretary when I was twelve. Do you want me stop? It's really depressing."
"If it upsets you then stop." Rory said sounding concerned.
"I made it through fine. I'm more worried about you."
"I can handle it. It's in the past right?"
"Exactly. After I caught him the first time things got worse. And I promised myself that I would never be like him." He said looking at the ground.
"You're not." Rory said rubbing his back.
"If I hadn't gotten out when I did I would be."
"You probably would. Did I ever tell you my mom did the same thing you did? She ran away in the middle of the night with me. My grandparents weren't a big part of my life before Chilton."
"No, you never told me that."
"Think about it, in twenty years Maddie could be like me. If you play your cards right." "I could live with that." He said draping an arm over her shoulders.
Rory sighed before leaning into him. She wished everything could be this nice.
"I never had a relationship with my dad. He didn't take me fishing, we didn't go camping. He never coached my little league team. That was the kind of dad I wanted."
"You just described Luke."
"Your step dad?"
"Yeah. I could see him doing those things with the twins."
Tristan nodded wanting to meet the man Rory considered her second dad.
"My dad didn't even take me to work. He said it wasn't a place for kids. Megan would always take me with her. Even when she was an intern, I was the talk of the office."
"You've been breaking hearts since you were that young?" She asked teasing him.
"I had them eating out of my hand." He said looking down at her as he tightened his grip on her.
"Doesn't it sound like you've changed that much when you think about it."
"I guess not." He said still looking at her.
"What about your mom?" Rory asked looking up at him.
"She tried to be a good mom. But it always backfired. I couldn't hate her for trying though."
"Then why don't you talk to her?"
"Because she's still with my dad. I do send her a Christmas card every year. That's the only contact I've had with her in eight years."
"They haven't tried to get in contact with you since you've been here?"
"No. I made it clear that I didn't want them to."
"Do you think it's fair that Maddie doesn't know her Grandmother?"
Tristan sighed wishing Rory hadn't brought that up. He pulled away from her stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"I've overstepped my boundaries haven't I? But just so you know, I still have a solid relationship with my Grandmother. After all these years I still feel like I don't know her."
"What about your Grandfather?"
"He died not long after I graduated from Yale."
"So do you feel like you missed out on getting to know him?"
"You could say that. I knew more him than I do my Grandmother though."
They fell into silence again as he walked her home. He thought about what she had said. There would come a day when Maddie would ask about her Grandparents. And he had no idea how to deal with it.
"What about Rachel's parents? Are they in Maddie's life?"
"As much as they can be. They still live in North Carolina, but we go to see them a couple times a year."
Rory nodded letting them fall into silence again. Tristan stopped outside her brownstone. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. She looked up at him wondering what would happen next. He kissed her forehead before leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"Thank you for listening." He said before kissing her cheek.
She nodded wishing he would kiss her again. He pulled away dashing her hopes. She watched him walk back down the street. She could hardly see him when she finally went inside. It had been a good night.