Oy with the double shifts already. Sorry – I've had to reinstall something onto my computer but every time I've sat down to update it I've been called into work and so the joys of agency go –meaning that I haven't been able to use my computer – I don't really want it dying on me so I like having all my security up and running – but that means that while this has been sitting here waiting for me to reread it I haven't been able to do anything – sorry about that people. My next one will be up on the weekend…sometime. I don't know it depends when they let me sleep and breathe oh and maybe eat. …anyway, I still have to do another for week long day spa and finish my next 'hi I'm Rory welcome to Dante's. 'Anyway – this is up – I would have liked to have done more but I just couldn't tonight. Oh and you wont have to put up with my spelling or much longer. Love you all lil.

Mary's back 5

Cytoplasms in October suggest something's up.

Rory looked up at the teacher caught completely by surprise….she had no idea what the question was.

"Miss Gilmore you have five seconds to answer me before I do something about the fact that you have not played attention to me for the last double lesson?"

Rory began to freak as she glanced at jess, his response was a slight shoulder shrug. Stumbling over her excuse she heard her savior mumble something "cytoplasm?"

"Very good Miss Gilmore."

Rory smiled slightly before glancing behind her at a smirking Tristan.

After forcing herself to pay attention to the teacher for the rest of the class she sighed closing her books and gathering her things. Tristan met her at the door "Mary."

"Tristan. Thanks I owe you I guess."

"You alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Rory you've been out of it all day."

"Hmm."

"So what's up?"

"oh I don't know – I mean Stanley only produced one cup of coffee this morning so maybe my brain just hasn't flicked on today." They walked fairly quietly the rest of the way to the car park before she smiled slightly and turning away from him and towards her car briefly turning back his way to say goodbye.

The next day before lunch Rory found herself in a very similar position…same lost look on her face. Same demand of unknown information from an angry teacher and same sexy voice muttering "October 17" behind her. She again turned to him smiling, mouthing thanks before unsuccessfully trying to pay attention for the rest of the lesson.

During lunch Jess sat besides her reading as she laid her head on the cafeteria table and almost on her tray. Tristan dumped his bag across from her, himself and his tray shortly following. Rory briefly glanced up raising an eyebrow and taking a sip of her coke

"What are you doing tonight?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Want to make a deal?"

She raised head slightly "I'm not becoming one of you're Barbie's – especially not tonight"

"Oh so tomorrows better with you?" he asked lightly before adding "no seriously."

"It's a Wednesday night Tristan. I plan on attempting to do all of my homework and probably failing miserably as I fall asleep over it all…leaving me looking much like drew Barrymore in never been kissed with ink all over her head…because I wasn't unpopular enough at this damn school. Other than eating at some stage that's about it."

"Ok well here's my theory. I come over. We eat. I give you all the notes you haven't taken in the last two days and we do our homework – and ill make sure you don't go to sleep – and then you're not as far behind, you've caught up and I've gotten to spend some time with you."

Rory seemed to think the idea over before glancing at Jess who held up his hands "I'm working tonight this has nothing to do with me."

Rory bit her lip before rolling her eyes "I know I'm going to regret this but I do need the help." She turned back to Tristan "as painful as it is to say – sure I would love some help."

Tristan smiled nodding "so your place?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you're ok with being alone with me Rory?"

"If I get too worried after tea ill make us stay at Luke's. He can frown at you every time you look at me funny…or think of me funny."

Tristan nodded before picking up his empty tray "I gotta go talk to a teacher…something about how my attitude towards assembly needs to be more ...at assembly." Rory smiled and nodded as he got up and walked out of the cafeteria and headed in the direction of the principals office.

At the end of the day Rory was dragging her feet and her bag towards her locker as a wall popped up in front of her and flexed slightly blocking her between itself and lockers. Rory looked up to find a grinning blonde. Rory sighed "can I help you?"

He licked his lip "well I guess were about to find out aren't we?"

He lent in and she dropped her bag and pushed her hand into his chest "uh – no offence James but I'm really not in the mood to do this."

"Oh? I would come back some other time but" he ground against her "now's good for me."

Rory sighed mumbling that if the week continued this way shed be dead y the end of it. That was around the time that Tristan came around the corner. Jess had to stop him, Tristan argued

"Look I'm all for bashing the guy too – but she has to stand her own ground occasionally or shell still be known as the virgin. If she's not walking away in forty seconds I'm going over there…plus I think after the last few days she could do with reacting"

Thirty seconds had gone by and she was still arguing back quietly and pushing him away. Until she finally sighed and gave him a small defeated smile looking up to him, she watched him grin and lean in. that's when Tristan couldn't take it. That's when jess smirked. That's when the whole school could hear the loud smack noise that Rory's hand had made against the guys face. And that's when her knee came up sharp as his eyes flashed open.

She stepped away from the lockers and around him to be met by Tristan as she smiled at James slightly "are you still in the mood for sexual harassment bucko?"

She sighed and turned back around continuing her path to her locker.

She went to throw her bag on her back when Tristan took it instead "I'll take that. – what's got you so low mare?"

"Mum won't be home till the end of the week I haven't slept and Stanley broke like completely – I had to throw him out this morning. …and I don't know I'm just flat. And I have no idea what happened in class today...and that loser almost kissed me."

Tristan nodded taking a step closer and throwing his hand around her shoulder "how about you go home now – and well delay tonight a bit – ill come over at tea instead of before – gives you a little time to take a bath and relax or something…then we can do the homework thing?"

"Oh I don't know I've-"

"Come-on Mary. Just go home and rest until 6:30"

She smiled weakly as he opened her car door for her and put her bag in the backseat before closing the car doors and nodding to Jess.

Halfway home Jess glanced at Rory – she was resting her head into the seatbelt with her eyes closed as she hummed to the clash playing.

"Ror?"

"Hmm?"

"What's up?"

"I don't know Jess."

"Want me to do anything?"

"No...I'm good."

He nodded. She didn't have to see it to know he had. She stayed in that position until they got home, she then crawled out of the car and into the bath liking the idea. Awhile after jess knocked on the door "Ror? I'm going to go – its 5 –Tristan's meeting you at 6:30…you may want to remember rather than opening the door in a towel."

"I'll get out in a minute. Bye Jess ill see you at tea."

Ok so maybe she lied a little. An hour later Rory reappeared from the bathroom dressed and with wet hair making her way o the couch she then flicked on the TV. That was where she fell asleep. Forty minutes later Tristan arrived, having assumed that late was better when it came to a Gilmore. After a few minutes of knocking on the door he took a step inside "Ror?"

Her head shot up and along with it came a groggy "oh hey."

Thank for reading. Please reply. Lovelil