Finding Rory

Chapter 77: Catharsis

Previously:
"You stole my girl, and I'm not just going to stand by and watch!  I warned you that you hadn't seen the last of me!" Logan snarled, obviously drunk.

"Logan?!" Rory exclaimed in shock.  She thought he'd already gone back to London.

"Shit, I'm sorry.  I had no idea - he just said that he was a friend of yours," Fitz apologized as he watched the tension grow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Logan Huntzberger, or as I like to call him, Tristan 2.0!" Paris slurred, obviously intoxicated at this point.

Neil's eyes snapped up and darkened considerably upon hearing that name.  "I'm sorry, did you say Logan Huntzberger?" he practically growled.

"Yeah, that's my name," Logan answered, wondering what in the world the guy was getting at.

"Not only are you not welcome here at this engagement party, you're also not welcome anywhere near me!  You're the bastard who was screwing my wife every time she was in New York!" Neil exclaimed.  He began making his way across the yard and Logan shrunk back at seeing his approaching figure.

"Hey, I'm sorry, man.  I didn't know she was your wife," Logan tried to explain, hoping to deescalate the situation.

"But you knew that she was someone's wife, didn't you?" Neil shot back, getting up in Logan's face.  "You know, I have always wondered what I would do if I were ever to run into you, but I don't have to wonder anymore."

"We're cool, man," Logan said, backing away from Neil.

Neil lunged at Logan, backing him against the wall.  "This is for screwing my wife," Neil said as he landed a right hook to Logan's chin, "and this is for not leaving Rory and Tristan the hell alone!" he said as he took one more swing that Logan was sure not to forget anytime soon.  "Now someone get him out of here!"

Neil turned and walked away angrily.  Perhaps he should have kept his temper in check better, but that asshole deserved what he'd gotten.  Neil had been so in love with his wife, and he was absolutely devastated when he showed up at her hotel in New York to surprise her and found her in bed with Logan.  The way he saw it, the greatest gift he could possibly give Tristan and Rory was ensuring that Logan stayed out of their lives.

"You two enjoy the rest of the party; Finn and I will get him out of here and make sure he sobers up," Colin told Tristan and Rory.  He walked over and kissed Stephanie, telling her that he would see her at home later, and then he walked back to where Finn and Logan were standing.  They each wrapped an arm around him and steered him back through the house and out the front door.

Everyone stared at the back door that Logan had just walked through in shock for a few minutes.  Slowly, people began to talk and mill around again.  Tristan looked down at Rory's tear-filled eyes and pulled her into the kitchen where they would have some privacy.  He had no idea that Logan had been the one that Neil's ex-wife had an affair with, but he was certain that hearing it wasn't easy for Rory, given that she and Logan had their agreement during that timeframe.

He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his chest and clung to him for dear life.

"Are you okay, Mary?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so.  It's just really lousy to realize that he was with so many other women while we were together.  I had an inkling about Odette and knew that it was an arranged relationship so it didn't bother me so much, but this...it just hurts.  I don't love him anymore, but accepting that he didn't love me..." she trailed off.

"I know he did love you in college, babe.  He's changed so much - he's turned into Mitchum, really.  Don't let this get to you too much.  It doesn't change that you've moved on, right?"

"No!  God, no.  He's in my past; you're my future, Tris," she assured him.  She pulled back a bit and stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Tristan, pouring all of the passion and gratitude that she felt over having him in her life into the kiss. 

"What was that for?" he whispered as they pulled apart. 

"I'm just so happy that we found each other again.  You're everything to me," she replied softly.  She reached up and stroked his cheek tenderly, enjoying the feel of his five o'clock shadow.  He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her lips back to his.

"I love you, Mary," he whispered against her lips, and then he captured them with his own and kissed her deeply.

"I love you, Tris," she said with a smile.  "Now, I think perhaps we should get back to our party and check on Neil."

"You're right - I can't imagine how he's feeling right now.  I have no idea how I would react if I ever ran into the man Sarah was sleeping with."

He took her hand and led her outside.  He stopped just as they stepped onto the patio and laughed as he spotted Neil.

"I think he's going to be fine," Tristan chuckled, pointing toward where he was sitting.  Kimberly was sitting in his lap, and they were both laughing and stealing small kisses every few seconds.

"I knew they would hit it off!" Rory squealed triumphantly. 

"It still remains to be seen whether or not they'll get along outside of tonight," Tristan said with a laugh. 

"Mark my words, Bible Boy - they'll be an item before our wedding," Rory insisted firmly.

"I know better than to bet against my fiancee," he relented.  "And I think you might just be right." 

Rory looked over at Kimberly and Neil and smiled as she observed them.  "We should go out tomorrow night - us, Fitz and McKenna, and Neil and Kimberly.  We can go have brunch and catch a movie or something?"

"That would be perfect," Tristan agreed.  "But the only thing I want to do right now is kiss my girl."

"Well, what are you waiting on?" she teased.

"I'm not," he whispered as he pulled her into his arms and made her forget about everything else going on.