Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

AN: Gobble gobble! Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Rory found her life slowly piece itself back together in the next couple weeks. Slowly but surely, she returned back to the real Rory: laughing, joking sarcastically, and commenting with wit and charm that caught the attention of the room. Her once dull eyes shined again with exuberance, and she found herself renewing the past friendships that had slipped through her fingers in the past couple years.

It was hard to see how much had changed before her eyes, and how little she had noticed until now. However, she was a reporter, and she did pick up on things.

She picked up on Matt's scolding tones whenever it seemed like Austin and Tristan were getting into possessive arguments, which they had been partaking in a lot lately. They confused her, but the guys always brushed it off saying they were having a bad day, and Rory stayed naïve enough to believe them.

She picked up on Tristan's increased protective attitude over her. The way he was constantly touching her in a possessive manner in public, as if trying to shield her from everyone. She picked up on the random glances he'd steal at her and the way he would quickly turn away. She couldn't understand why though, why he would be embarrassed for looking at her. After all, he was her best friend and had seen her at her best and at her worst, bundled up and sick, and naked and refreshed from the shower. It puzzled her as to why he would care if he got caught looking at her.

She also picked up on the increased flirting she partook in with Tristan. Of course they had always flirted with each other, and they were always physically close and intimate but lately Rory picked up that there was more behind them on her side. She was beginning on to depend on him even more, and even would feel pangs of jealousy when she would see him talking to another girl with his usual smirk on his face. She couldn't even mask the anger when he would come back to talk to her, and he would notice immediately and tease her about it, leaving her miffed.

She picked up on the fact that she hadn't been able to sleep in her own bed since she had been herself again, because it felt cold and empty. Instead she opted to sleep beside Tristan, which wasn't out of the ordinary for them, but the fact that it was every night was beginning to seem less and less platonic. She picked up on the fact that when she was with him, waking up always with some part of his skin on hers, she couldn't help but smile.

And then there was the day that Stephanie finally grew tired of waiting for a call from Rory and decided to take things into her own hands. She dialed the number she knew by heart and heard it ring twice, thinking this would be another cold and empty conversation with a Rory she didn't know. However as Rory sat in her own bed reading a book in between her class and her time to head to the paper she saw the phone and smiled a genuine smile, and that she picked up.

"Helloooo?" she sang with a smile on her face.

Stephanie was taken aback by the light and happy voice that answered the phone she pulled it away from her ear to look at it to make sure she had the right number.

"Rory?" Stephanie asked.

"Hey Steph! What's up?" she asked excitedly, trying not to make a big deal that things were most obviously different now.

"Oh you know the usual, just fucking flipping out because my best friend who's barely talked to me in the past I don't know two years just answered the phone singing?"

Rory blushed slightly and couldn't help but laugh. "Nice to talk to you too Stephie."

"Oh my gosh Rory you have no idea how much I've missed you!" Stephanie said tearing up a little at her own words. "It's been two years and I…we all thought things would never be the same again."

Rory sighed, her own eyes watering at the sound of friend's voice breaking. "I'm sorry Stephanie but I just didn't want to deal with it all."

"I know Rory. I'm just happy to hear you again," Stephanie said getting comfortable on her couch. She knew this was going to be a fairly long conversation.

"It's feel good to be me again," Rory admitted.

"So tell me… what the fuck's been going on in the life of Rory Hayden these past two years?" Stephanie asked quickly delving into the subject.

Rory sat back and looked at her clock. She had about an hour to fill her in; she was going to need to talk fast.

Rory made it into the news office just in time, despite her extended phone conversation with Stephanie. Smiling at her time efficiency, she took a seat at her desk and began to open up her files when Austin, Matt, and Tristan sauntered in acting like they owned the place.

"Get out!" Paris yelled immediately coming over to them and blocking their bee line to Rory's desk. "She just got here and I can't have my best reporter, who just recently got her personality back may I add, to be distracted by three of her man slaves!"

Paris Gellar, who reached her goal of attending Harvard, was the youngest news paper editor of The Harvard Crimson. She took the seat in the second semester of her sophomore year after she had written an exposé on the previous editor and his selling spots for stories for sexual favors. She had killed two birds with one stone: uncovering a corrupt Harvard practice and taking control of the paper. Needless to say she was satisfied in her work. She was friends with Rory still, at the same level relationship from high school, and also witnessed the changes she had partaken in both in person in through her work. She was happy to have her great reporter back.

"Paris, no one minds them here," a voluptuous brunette named Jenna said coming up to the men giving her best seductive grin. Rory scoffed and rolled her eyes before returning to typing.

"Yeah, see Paris? No one minds us here," Tristan smirked throwing a wink at the girl causing Rory's head to shoot up with a glare.

"Are you here for a reason or just to be a pain in the ass?" Rory asked harshly averting her gaze to her three friends instead of at Jenna.

Tristan's eyebrows shot up in amusement; Matt and Austin smirked. "A little touchy today are we Pinky?" he asked sitting down on the vacant corner of her desk.

"I was actually having a great day until you came in here. This is a place of work Tristan, if you wanted to pick up girls you could go do your business else where," Rory snapped back looking at her screen instead of at Tristan.

Austin looked at her suspiciously and Matt laughed to himself. It was hard to deny the fact that when Rory Hayden was jealous it was the cutest thing in the world. She turned red and lip jutted out in an unintentional pout, and her biting words were quite endearing.

Paris chuckled and Jenna glared at Rory. "Get back to work Jenna, don't you have a piece to write about the new brand toilet paper we're using?" Paris asked motioning for her to go. Jenna frowned but scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Tristan with a wink and the words "Call me," in a seductive tone before she walked away. Rory shook her head in absolute disgust.

Tristan looked at Rory with an apologetic gleam in his eyes, his hands in the air in innocence but still holding onto the piece of paper. "Hey, I didn't ask for that," he said.

Rory rolled her eyes and continues typing. "Okay I think she's made it clear you're not welcome, so take that as a queue to go," Paris said attempting to push the burly boys out of her news room.

"No can do Paris," Austin said speaking up. "We have important extracurricular business to discuss with her," he said pointedly causing Rory to tear her gaze from the screen with a questioning look.

"What?" she asked her eyebrows furrowed.

"It can't be discussed here Rory, that's why we came to get you," Matt replied, his eyes hinting at her.

"Oh, okay well I just had to edit the article anyways," Rory said going to save the document.

"Hayden you just got here!" Paris scolded slamming her hands down on Rory's desk.

"I know but Paris this is important," Rory said pleading. "Please?" she asked, her lip jutting out. Paris sighed.

"Fine you can go, but not because of that ridiculous puppy dog face you just tried on me but because you're my friend and I don't want you to fall into one of your emo trips again," Paris said in a hushed tone.

Rory smiled and got up to hug Paris. "Thank you!" she exclaimed as Paris pushed her away quickly. "Hayden what did I tell you about emotions in the news room?" Paris said backing away. "Now go before these people think I've gone soft!"

Rory laughed and went to get her coat but Tristan was already holding it out for her to put it on. She put her arms through the sleeves quickly and silently and moved to walk ahead but was weighed down by Tristan's arm going around her shoulders. She glared up at him and he shot her a crooked smile.

"The only girl I came to pick up was you babe," he said with a wink crumpling up the paper Jenna had given him into a ball and throwing it over his shoulder. It landed easily in the trash bin without him even looking behind him.

Rory scoffed in amazement at his shot, "I swear it's like some sick perfect gene you have or something."

Tristan laughed, "That's probably what makes me irresistible."

"And so modest too," Austin said laughing as they walked through the corridors, his own jealousy not overwhelming his humor.

"Not to mention a great romp," Matt added causing his three friends to stare at him suspiciously. "Oh sorry, I guess Finns' visit rubbed off on me," Matt replied causing laughter.

"So what's going on with The Illuminati?" Rory asked softly trying to shrug Tristan's arm off her shoulder only to have it slide to her waist. She glared at him peripherally.

"Well Harvard's starting their Spring Break early this year and we need to get on new members and recruits," Matt replied.

Rory nodded running through her head the details of how they should going about doing this. They would first need to send out the invitations to existing members, then directions for inductees, then plan the "borrowing" and detainment of said members. Not to mention she had to plan the induction ceremonies and any prior meetings all before Spring Break. Although that left her with a little over 3 full months, it was a big task to handle but it was her responsibility.

The Illuminati was a secret society at Harvard, much like the Life and Death Brigade from Yale. The two societies, along with several other clandestine organizations in other schools that associated with each other, had many similarities. Both traced bloodlines as far back as to the founding of their schools, members that were descendants to these bloodlines being named as legacies and given leadership positions and special responsibilities. Both societies resided in absolute secrecy, the only people outside the members that were aware of the societies' presence was alumni and the other societies that they convened with on rare occasions.

While the Life and Death Brigade used the term "In Omnia Paratus" as their catch phrase, or "Ready for Anything", The Illuminati founders came up with "Veritas lux Mea" or "Truth is my Light" in 1636, later on Yale was founded along with the university's catchphrase "Lux et Veritas" or "Light and Truth", The Illuminati were unimpressed.

What set apart the Illuminati from all of the other secret societies though was their Scholarship Membership, which Rory was particularly fond of. While the organization did choose members based on last name and social standing, as well as money old and new, it also included member nominations. It wasn't necessarily who you knew that got you into The Illuminati but what you represented to the members. Every year, new upperclassmen were nominated by current standing members to join the ranks and create a new blood line to add to the already rich ones of the society.

Rory, Tristan, Austin, and Matt were all thoroughly involved in the planning of the events, new recruits, and every aspect of The Illuminati because they ranked incredibly high in the system. While Matt and Austin had easily worked their way up to the leadership positions they held, Rory and Tristan had been handed the positions in their freshman year due to the Dugrey and Hayden last names, making them legacies.

Rory was the president of The Illuminati and Tristan was the vice president, two positions they were given the chance to take control of because of their last names, but two spots they earned with their character. In their freshman year the two were easily seen as a perfect team. They were kind and compassionate, but strong and forceful when need be. As soon as they set foot on the Harvard campus The Illuminati were watching, and they were easily impressed by them. It wasn't long before they were inducted as legacies and rose to higher standings in the society.

"Guys, I was thinking for a Scholarship this year we should give it to Ayden," Austin suggested. Ayden, Rory and Tristan's friend from leadership conferences in high school, had become quite close with the two guys but had been AWOL for the past couple months from their lives for reasons they didn't know.

Rory gulped soreness down that was building in her throat, the kind you get when you're trying to keep from crying. "That sounds like a great idea!" Tristan agreed with while pounding fists with Austin. Matt won't agree to it right? I mean he'd probably want a girl or something. Rory thought hopefully.

"Fine with me," Matt replied. Fuck you Matt! Rory yelled in her head. "What do you think Pinky?" Tristan asked after feeling her tense up below him. Suspicions were quickly rising.

"Uh… I don't know I mean we haven't even seen him in such a long time," Rory reasoned. "Maybe he's trying to you know… find his own group for a while."

Matt raised his eye brow at the guys over Rory's head, they returned confused expressions. "We won't even know how to contact him about things and it might be awkward since we haven't seen him in months," Rory finished examining the ground.

"Well that won't be a problem because he's right there," Matt said pointing to a coffee cart where Ayden was indeed standing ordering a cup. Rory's head shot up and she cursed to herself. The guilt in her stomach rose up and made her nauseas. Please don't call him over.

"Yo Ayden how you been man!?" Austin yelled over to him about 6 yards away. Ayden's head turned in recognition of the voice and he looked uneasy, his eyes going to Rory before quickly looking away. Rory shut her eyes tightly, trying to avoid the tears.

"Hey," he said almost angrily as he walked over the group. "I've been around," he replied quickly sending a glare to Rory.

"Okay… well…" Matt said trying to ease the apparent tension that suddenly formed.

"You okay man? What's up?" Tristan asked concern noticing the curt way he answered things.

"Nothing, I just find it weird that you're talking to me considering the situation. I thought you guys would have been all sided up by now, ready to kick my ass," Ayden replied harshly as before.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked.

"Nothing," Rory shot in quickly. "Absolutely nothing."

Tristan removed his arm from his waist and turned to face her. "What the hell is going on Rory?" Tristan said with a glare sent to both her and Ayden.

"Shit Rory… I thought they would have known, I didn't mean to…" Ayden apologized his features softening.

"I…" Rory trailed off.

"Rory what's he talking about?!" Austin asked more forcefully becoming annoyed that he didn't know what the hell was going on. "What aren't you telling us?" Matt pressed.

Rory looked at Ayden for help, some sort of advice as to how to go about doing thing. He stared at her apologetically but with no motion that he was going to do the talking.

"Ayden, I'm sorry… I was so different back then. I wasn't me and I had no right to treat you the way I did," Rory said deciding to apologize instead.

Ayden's eyebrows furrowed together in an expression of anger, confusion, pain, and sympathy. "I know it wasn't you…. And I should've known. We were both at a different place back then. But still Rory… you chalked it up to nothing and that was fucked up."

"Ayden I don't know what to do to make it up to you. But I want you to know how extremely, and utterly sorry I feel about it all," Rory urged. "I was in pain and we were at the wrong place at the wrong time, and slightly intoxicated…" she explained not seeing how the expressions of Tristan, Austin and Matt changed from concern to glares.

"What do you mean intoxicated?" Tristan spat. "What the fuck exactly happened Rory that caused Ayden to feel like he couldn't talk to us anymore?"

Rory bit her lip uneasily and a tear fell down her cheek. This was the consequences of the old her. This was the reckless path she had followed and the friendships she had fucked up in the two years past. This was the terrible and absolutely disgusting person she had been staring her back in the face in the form of guilt towards her actions against Ayden Dennison.

With her back turned to the guys, Ayden was the only one to see it: the tear that he hadn't seen her shed in two years. Realization hit him as he realized that this Rory and the Rory from two months ago weren't one in the same. Whoever she was back then left this fragile, vulnerable, but open hearted girl to deal with all her past mistakes.

Ayden sighed heavily and pulled Rory into his arms which she quickly leaned into. Silent tears falling from her eyes as the three guys behind her still looked as angry as before. "Rory I know it's hard but they deserve to know why things were like this," Ayden said softly down to her as he rubbed her back.

"I can't," she whispered to Ayden sadly. "I'm just so embarrassed," Rory added.

"Oh come on, I wasn't that bad in bed was I?" Ayden joked trying to get her more comfortable. He joked a little too loudly though and Rory's slight giggles were cut off by Tristan's angry voice.

"You what?" Tristan said through gritted teeth. Ayden and Rory froze.

AN: Loads of fun is coming ;]