Title: The ultimate curve ball

Author: Joy

Cupid's Bride- This site won't support email addresses being posted in stories or in reviews. That is to say your address did not show up...email me.

Mickey- As always your reviews are a pleasure. I like the suggestion but don't know that it will happen.

Everyone that reviewed- Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you thought. I appreciate it so.

A/N: The character of Viola Morehead is slightly like me...I was a psych major, I am a southern belle that didn't do the social crud, but neither name is mine. Morehead is a prestigious one in North Carolina, that's why it was chosen.

A/N2/flash back/ just so you know...there will be a lot of those.

20. Epilogue – The short history of us.

Rory woke up at three in the morning to see Tristan staring at her petting her hair. "What are you doing?"

He continued to pet her chestnut locks, "I was thinking about seeing you for the first time...and then all the other first times I saw you."

"Oh yeah," she murmured stretching out across his chest. "Which was the best?"

"Other than the infamous 'me kissing you at the base, I was so glad you were home moment' - it would definitely be running into you at Yale," he answered kissing her brow.

"Why's that?" she asked.

Tristan smiled, "Because you were happy to see me."

"Good reason. Did you think we would end up like we are now when we bumped into each other?"

"I hoped," he answered.

/ 'Don't let me screw this up. Please don't let me screw this up,' ran through Tristan's mind as she tucked her head on his shoulder as she hugged him hello. /

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"I still can't believe you took the internship in North Carolina over that summer," Tristan marveled.

/ Tristan sat on his bed in North Carolina talking to Rory over the phone in Connecticut. He missed her terribly as he stared at a picture of Rory in a Carolina t-shirt with a blue UNC painted on her cheek at Apple Chill. It had been a great day and he loved the picture that commemorated it.

"Tristan...are you listening to me?" Rory snipped on the phone.

"Actually Mary I was gazing adoringly at the image of you I have by the side of my bed... I got a bit lost, letting my mind wander."

"And I know where your mind wandered to... Paris still can't believe the former King of Chilton wouldn't give it up."

He laughed, "Such language Mary."

"Well what I was trying to tell you is- I am gonna need you to find me a summer roommate in the triangle."

Tristan was silent a beat and tried to comprehend the words spoken. "Did you say you need me to help you find a roommate in the RTP...Research Triangle Park...Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill in North Carolina...that triangle...that is what you are referring to?"

"Yes."

"Oh babe if you were here right now, I would give it up in a heart beat," he groaned.

"I was kinda hoping for that response," Rory said from the living room having snuck in his house dropping the key and her cell phone on the couch.

Tristan stared for a moment before meeting her in the other room. He gathered her up in his arms and kissed her steadily. "You're here."

"I needed to find a roommate," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We'll get a place for the summer," he responded.

Rory looked at him carefully, "Are you sure? That would be seeing me in the morning prior to coffee."

Tristan picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, "I got to see that last time you visited." He laid her out on the bed before following her down, "This time I want to see you after a long night of making love."/

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Well, most any place I looked at in Connecticut was associated with Logan. I didn't want that hanging over my head. Plus working at the News and Observer was a big deal," Rory contended.

"It certainly was... I get all set to go to Yale to be near you and what do you do? You deferred Yale for a year so you could go off and leave me for an overseas assignment... and not any overseas assignment...that I would have understood...but you went with your boss from the paper to follow some North Carolina soldiers during the war. Have I mentioned how much I hated that?"

/"You can't be serious," Tristan begged.

"You are the one that encouraged me to follow my dream of being a correspondent. This is a once in a life-time chance," Rory pled.

"Yes, once in a life time because it could end your life!"

"You would let Rob go off to war. He's gonna be deployed soon."

"He's a solider Rory. I don't have much choice...he doesn't have any choice. You are choosing to go to Iraq," Tristan tried to reason.

"I need your support on this. I don't have the support of anyone back home...Please tell me you understand," Rory implored.

"I understand...and I support you...but I hate this."/

"Only a few thousand times," Rory murmured snuggling into his chest. "It was the opportunity I needed to know if I was even suited to overseas work."

"Thank god you weren't," Tristan said holding her tighter. "At least no war-torn countries...any place I can go with you is fine."

"By the time I got started on my assignment, you had started at Duke."

"I pulled every string I could to make sure you were with Rob's group so he would know where you were at all times."

/"Rob...this is my Mary. Treat her like you were protecting Becky," Tristan entreated.

Rob smirked, "I'll protect her like I was protecting my best friend's wife."

"That's funny but maybe true someday so don't let anything happen to her...not even the guys...got it?"

"Tristan, we have had this conversation before."

"Yes, but now you are about to get on an airplane with the love of my life and take her to Iraq...a place I remember you saying you never wanted to go back to."

Rob shook his head, "Spend your last few minutes with your girl and not talking to me."

Tristan nodded and approached Rory who was being hugged by Lorelai and Luke at once. Emily and Richard stood off to the side having said their goodbyes. He hated to break up the scene but he needed one last kiss.

Rory let go of her mother and surrogate father turning her tear filled eyes to the man she loved so much...but hadn't told him. She swallowed slowly watching Tristan try to not cry. He took her face in his hands and gave her a chaste but meaningful kiss. "I love you Mary. You come home to me safe...understand?"

She nodded letting the tears fall down her face. "I promise...I love you too Tristan," Rory stated clearly.

At those words tears did descend his face but he made no noise before clutching her to himself a bit tighter. When they faced each other again he kissed her forehead and whispered, "You promised...so nothing is allowed to happen. You do whatever you have to in order to be safe."

Rory nodded and move to the gate with Rob beside her.

Becky put a comforting arm around Tristan's middle, "A little different this time than last time huh?"

"A lot different."

"Introduce me to the in-laws," Becca joked steering Tristan to Lorelai and Luke./

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Tristan kissed Rory's hand, "I spent every minute I could (and not get kicked out of school) in contact with my military buddies making sure you were alright and not being accosted by any soldiers."

Rory chuckled, "Oh yeah...having guys I didn't know coming up to me calling me Mary or just knowing me as Mary was quite amusing."

/Rory sat at a folding table with her notebook in hand writing as much as she could when an airman plopped down beside her. "Hi there. I'm Thompson...but you can call me Josh. You a reporter?"

"Sort of...I'm here with the News and Observer. My boss is really the reporter."

"You're taking a lot of notes for not a reporter," the airman said sliding closer to Rory. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Rory Gilmore."

"Nice name...Rory short for something?"

"Lorelai."

"Odd name...Well Lorelai..." Josh began.

Rob dropped his tray loudly across from Josh. "You may call her Miss Gilmore airman."

"We were just getting to know each other."

"Oh you know her...This is Mary...DuGrey's Mary," Rob stated clearly.

"No way," a big hulking guy with a huge Celtic cross tattooed on his arm over heard the conversation and sat down.

An equally burly guy sat down across from the tattooed guy, "This is the famous Mary."

Josh looked confused, "How do you get Mary from Lorelai?"

Rory blushed, "My first day at Chilton, the school Tristan and I went to together, he thought I looked like a goody-goody...a Virgin Mary."

"And you let him get away with that," the tattooed guy asked.

"Hell no," Rob jumped in. "One day she went so far as to yell at him in class that her name was Rory."

"Good to know. I'm Kerr, but you can call me Steve," Celtic cross guy said. "This is Tyson," he gestured to the guy across from him.

"You can call me Matt." He looked her over a minute. "Steve, Rob, TJ and I all went to military school together... I can't believe I am getting to meet TJ's Mary. "

"Yeah...we thought he made you up...No girl could be that sweet, strong, intelligent, witty, commanding, and impervious to TJ's charm," Steve stated.

Rory turned to Rob and mouthed, 'TJ?'

"Tristan Janlen," Rob offered causing

"Got it," Rory said with a nod.

Rob smirked at her Tristan's smirk as he set about embarrassing her. "Well she isn't impervious to his charm any longer. Confidential, they've been living together this summer," Rob teased causing Rory to blush.

"Oh my god...he was right. She is even cuter when she blushes," Matt joined the merriment.

"I need coffee," Rory stated quickly moving away from the teasing soldiers.

When she returned Rob had a smug look on his face; Josh looked annoyed; Matt seemed to be apprising her while Steve acted like he was ready to adopt her. "What?" she finally said.

"We will be your entourage for this excursion...I have been your protectorate so far and now we have expanded the duties to the four of us. I would imagine that one of us could be with you whenever you are out."

"That really isn't necessary."

Steve raised an eyebrow at her, "TJ loves you little Miss...and we are brothers in arms. We take care of our own...which means we protect you like our own."

Rory sighed, "My personal bodyguards...great."/

Rory shook her head, "But my personal favorite had to be the nametag I received that read 'Gilmore, Mary'. You managed to be there even though you were miles away."

Tristan kissed the top of her head, "You loved the attention."

"I did," Rory said kissing his chest.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Paris never did forgive me for not coming back to Yale," Rory commented.

"Your mother, grandmother and grandfather never forgave me for you not going back to Yale," Tristan contended.

"Actually while mom didn't like that I didn't go back to Yale, she was secretly thrilled I was removed from all forms of Hartford elite. The fact I still graduated from an Ivy League school made the blow less for my grandparents. My friends found the whole thing very odd."

"Well once they visited the area they had to admit it was gorgeous," Tristan stated. "Although having the LDB boys show up the week you returned from Iraq was not on my list of things to do."

/Tristan had arranged it that Rory would arrive at Pope Air Force Base rather than a normal airport so he would be the first and only one to see her when she arrived. He knew it was selfish but for a few minutes he wanted to kiss his girlfriend with no fear of what parents might say. Rory walked out onto the tarmac and straight into Tristan's arms. As chaste as their parting kiss had been their reunion kiss was carnal.

A couple wolf whistles went up from Rob who had been injured and was sent home with Rory. "I protected your girl and we are both home...For this service I expect to be the best man at your wedding...understand?"

The couple blushed looking at each other shyly. It was too soon to talk about marriage but too late pretend they weren't headed in that direction. They walked out to the waiting area, which held all of Rory's most important people. This time not only were the Gilmore's there but Christopher and Gigi as well. Lane stood with Luke and Lorelai. After much joyous discussion the group adjourned to Tristan's house...which could house the young couple, her parents, her father and sister, her grandparents and best friend. But things didn't get really interesting until a black SUV driven by Finn dumped Paris, Stephanie, Colin, and Logan out.

"We're here...Where are the keggers?" Finn asked.

"Probably at Duke or UNC smartass?" Tristan snipped. "What are you doing here Aussie?" he said teasingly.

"Our favorite reporter girl is returning from war...that is not to be missed!" Finn stated while hugging Rory to himself. "How is DuGrey treating you? Do we need to rough him up a bit?"

Rory smirked, "Oh no...I have a whole hell of a lot of airmen that would do it for me if it ever came to that. After all...everyone loves Mary."

Tristan came over and wrapped his arms around his girl, "That's right...but they all know you are my Mary."

"Correction...I am TJ's Mary," Rory teased.

"What else did my military buddies tell you?"

Rory just smirked at her boy./

"They behaved themselves," Rory reminded Tristan.

"Oh yeah...they behaved themselves...Finn tried to corrupt Becca," Tristan complained.

"You and Rob put a stop to that...besides he really liked her."

"I know...I just hate it."

Rory looked at him sternly, "Finn has been a good friend. If you recall a certain major event in our lives would not have occurred had Finn not helped us out." She rubbed the platinum band on his ring finger.

/"Finn...what are you doing here?" Tristan snapped at the Aussie.

"I came to woo Becca. She told me about your little dilemma with the meddling socialites. I am here to help," Finn responded.

"I told you to stay away from Becky," Tristan reprimanded.

"Like you too threatening me would keep me away from my Belle?"

"How can you help Finn?" Rory asked quickly. Finn ushered them into the car.

"You have two official forms of identification on you?" They both nodded, "Then you're gonna elope."

"Excuse me?" Rory questioned.

"Look you both said you just want to get married," Finn began. "You," he pointed at Rory, "didn't want to have to choose between your dad, Luke, or your grandfather walking you down the aisle. You didn't want a society wedding and you didn't want a Stars Hollow wedding either."

"You," he said pointing at Tristan, "didn't want to deal with your family. You didn't want to deal with the Gilmores and you didn't want to have to wear a tux. So...I solved everything."

"How?" Tristan asked.

"Tomorrow, our crew will drive your mom, Luke, Lane, Paris, Marty, and a variety of other people down here. They don't know why they are coming. We will inform the Gilmores and the DuGreys the night before that if they want to see their granddaughter or their son get married then they would get on a plane, where two tickets are held for each of them. Otherwise they will miss it." He finished speaking and pulled up in front of an official looking building.

"What's this?" Tristan asked.

"Where you get your marriage license. Now here is a checkbook from your house, both of your birth certificates and everything else you could need. Now go...I have to meet a guy about late night use of the Duke Gardens."

Tristan and Rory watched as their strange friend drove away. "He is the oddest person," Tristan said quietly.

"But he is making something wonderful happen."

"That he is."/

"It would have occurred...there just would have been a hell of a lot more people and we wouldn't have had any fun," Tristan stated.

"Give it up already. You didn't think those guys and I could be friends but it worked out."

"Finn's sleeping with my baby sister," Tristan groaned.

"Becca is not your baby sister...and she's in love."

"With an Aussie that likes to be naked...a lot."

Rory kissed Tristan softly, "Finn loves Becca. It took him a while to figure it out but he did. Now they are happy, we are happy, hell it even seems like Logan is happy. So let it go."

"Colin's not happy."

"Colin will never be happy."

"I bet you a hundred bucks the minute he realizes that he is in love with Steph that will change."

Rory smirked, "But that would be asking him to be self-aware...that is just not possible."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Tristan traced Rory's arm with his fingers, "So...the reunion is tomorrow. Can you imagine everyone's faces?"

"Paris promised not to spill."

"That's good...I can't wait to freak everyone out," Tristan muttered kissing her ring finger that was heavily decorated.

"Be nice."

"Be nice nothing...I want to gloat big time. Hey, ya think I can talk you into doing that thing you did in the limo on the way over to my parents house the night we had to see them for the first time after we eloped... say in one of the broom closets when we get to the school tomorrow?"

"Tristan!"

"What? We're married, young, agile...I think it is reasonable that I be allowed to ask for one of my longest held fantasies to come true."

Rory licked her lips and smirked, "Okay I will one up you by packing my old uniform for the event and let you have your way with me on school grounds while calling me Mary...if..."

"Honey if I had known you still had your uniform I would have begged to see you in it on a regular basis... You let me make you a Magdalene on school ground in it and I will give you anything."

"Even you in a pair of black leather pant and that's it."

"That's it? Nothing underneath."

"If you can get something other than your aroused self in the pants they aren't tight enough."

"Such language Mary." Tristan rolled over on top of his wife with a brilliant smile. "Now Mary dear," he said slowly, "you have gotten me very aroused and I will be unable to sleep until the ache between my legs is eased, so..." Tristan panted.

Rory leaned up and sucked at Tristan's throat, "Come on baby...I know you want me. Why are you fighting it?"

"Quoting my teenage self...evil."

"Oh no Trist...but I can be."

Tristan took Rory's face in his hands and brushed a lock of hair off her brow. "No Mary... never," he murmured sweetly before giving her a toe curling kiss.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The designer smiled down on his work. Human's needed their free will. It was very important for their autonomy. At the same time they occasionally needed a bit of help. Occasionally they needed to be nudged toward the proper course or nudged back once they strayed from the path. Sometimes the path is twisted and therefore easy to stray from.

Rory Gilmore DuGrey had been the curveball in a variety of lives since her inception. She enabled Lorelai to stand on her own and leave the world she desperately wanted out of. She gave Mia a chance to help raise both Lorelai and herself. She set Luke on his ear making him a father in a way he could never have imagined. Later in life, Rory gave Paris something to rub against in order to get better social skills and accept herself as less than perfect. At the time though the most notable person she changed, was Tristan DuGrey by seeing through all his pretty boy bull and showing him that innocence and honesty were more precious than anything his normal girlfriends would offer. By her influence on his life he strayed quite a bit but it was all in preparation for the future.

Rory touched the lives of Dean and Jess waking in them the desire to love and be loved by someone deserving of their hearts. Oddly enough of the people she met in college Rory probably influence Finn the most, being the most extreme multiple partner man in the trio to become one to think of monogamy as a gift. Colin learned that love wasn't something for other people or something to be feared...And Logan...Well, Rory taught Logan that when to know something is precious and special you hold onto it and not take it for granted.

Of course the amusement to all that knew Rory as a teen was the fact that of all the people who influenced her life, it was Tristan DuGrey, pretty boy player turned military stud, which forced her hand to change. Rory was doomed to repeat the mistakes of her mother romantically had she continued on. But Tristan ensured that reality would be faced and Rory would be returned to her proper path.

The people Rory's articles touched and changed would never know how she became the woman she was...but the designer knew and smiled.

The End

Sequel: I'm not sure. It would be a bit before I would start it. I would need a bit of time away. I know I have a bunch of material I could use but still. I have the most of a Chilton Trory written that I am considering posting.

This is your last chance to REVIEW. If you haven't reviewed before it would be nice to know what you think of the story on the whole. So please REVIEW.