Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls, nor the characters involved.
Summary: Rory and Logan, before AYITL, I want to see how they started back up and I want to see them get out of the Vegas agreement. Also, Rory is successful and I'll probably make a few other changes because I felt like Rory and Logan deserved better.
Okay, mainly Logan, a guy that looks like that cannot be evil in my mind. I just can't take it.
"Well here's looking at you ace. "
"Logan you know full well that's not the line."
"Yeah but I had to get your attention somehow."
She wants to tell him he didn't have to butcher a classic movie line to get her attention. He had it the second he walked in the room. The second that she saw that jawline that made a nuns knees buckle. Or the tux that fit so snug it was practically apart of him. No amount of Bogart would be able to top those feelings.
"Next you'll be quoting Sabrina and I'll have terrible flashbacks of Colin professing his love to me. "
"Ah yes, the lovely Miss. Fairchild. Well, we can't have that now, can we Ace?"
He looks her up and down, noticing that the black dress fits her perfectly, like everything he's ever seen her in. She looks like she's been traveling a little too much, the subtle differences standing out as he notices the slightly sunken eyes that remind him of when finals were approaching, and she refused to sleep more than a few hours. Small things that show that the past 8 years have been rough for all parties. Reminding him of a few weeks ago in Hamburg, the one time he had seen her and didn't make polite conversation. He had randomly thought about her the night before, and truly hadn't stopped. So, when he saw her, at another newspaper event, one that he didn't even think she would be invited to, he chose to duck out. Avoiding the feelings that would creep up only ever so often.
That night she looked radiant. In a red dress that slid over every curve he had missed in all those years prior. She worked the room with a confidence he had seen her fake for years but now seemed genuine. Maybe she had finally realized all she had in her, especially after having, what seemed to be a successful career at the times. Or maybe, and more unfortunately he had fallen out of touch with her cues. Not knowing when she was faking it, or when she truly was the belle of ball. And now suddenly, every feeling of that night, and the night prior came back with a vengeance. Making it damn near impossible to take his eyes off of her.
Rory looked him over, slowly finding it hard to keep her breathing even. He looked amazing, he always did, but tonight he looked more content, a natural ease about him that she was drawn to and that took her by surprise. She had thought about him a lot over the years, hell, she had run into him at events just like these and everything was cordial and fine. But tonight, a night where she is feeling run down, having been on a red eye the night before, she was kicking herself for not putting in the extra few minutes of primp, knowing full well that wouldn't be able to hide how truly exhausted she looked.
"Hey my darling! I'm so sorry I'm late." Suddenly all eyes turn to a man who for all purposes looks fine. Handsome, safe, unassuming as to the tension, sexual and emotional, filling the air. He had broken both of them out of their respective thoughts, or at least replacing them with new ones while the general undercurrent of things left unsaid flew between them.
"I'm just glad you could make it! Paul, this is an old friend, Logan Huntzberger, Logan, Paul." Rory, in a voice unlike her own, formally introduced them. She had forgotten she had invited him tonight, although it makes sense as they had been together for a few months, he lived in the city, and of course she had wanted to see him tonight. Hadn't she?
As both men lean in to shake hands Logan smiles towards Rory and whispers, "are you going to go on your speech about old vs. new friends. Because I thought that one was a real doozy." She wants to tell him to stop talking and to take that society smile and place it in an unsociety like place, however, she remains saccharine and remembers the very public arena they are in. But suddenly she feels his hand brush the lower half of her back and she is stilled. She wants to lean into him, almost as an instinct but she can't, it's not her place anymore and it certainly isn't his to do this to her, not here, and not now. She has someone that she is happy with, that is content and fine. She has an early Dean, and to find someone like that in adult years is almost unheard of.
Paul unassumingly hands Rory a sidecar, while Rory sends a polite smile and he gently holds her hand. Not her drink, he' not even having the decency to show everyone she is his, this guy might as well have a sign that says "Just Friends" plastered on his back, Logan thinks with a satisfied smirk that Rory quickly notices. Who does he honestly think he is with that fucking smirk that makes it look like he's in a wonderful joke with himself.
Quickly, in a dash to wipe that ridiculous smile off his face Rory places a hand on Paul's chest and thanks him for the wonderful drink. Prompting Logan to quickly finish off his scotch, trying to forget about the feel of her hand on his chest and the memory of Rory tipsy on martinis and kissing him in the back of his town car. The Rory she apparently wasn't with this Paul character. She hadn't been that girl in so long it didn't even seem like she existed. A woman who could write a piece cutting to every
Suddenly a flurry of silk and what seems like fairy dust comes and envelopes the group while a beautiful brunette quickly attaches herself to Logan. Rory can't help but gawk at this lengthy, beautiful, put together woman who was hanging onto a man that Rory herself had been figuratively holding onto for years, even if some those years were unconsciously, laying dormant just waiting for the moment that they both appeared happy and stable in new relationships.
"Bonjour my darling. I got stuck next to some old bore, she was rattling on and on about her newest drapes and who she hired to cater this insufferable— oh I apologize. I'm so rattled I forgot to introduce myself. Odette, and you are?" Well at least her personality didn't exactly match her beauty. Well that's just mean, Rory quickly chided herself, none of us are on the best behavior at these events, the façade has to crack eventually. And who was she to decide someone's character as she covets a man that isn't hers, while he stands there with another woman draped across his chest.
"Paul! And this is my girlfriend Rory."
The moment she heard the young woman's name, Odette recognized the woman next to her. There had only been one time she had visited Logan at the office and sitting front and center on his desk was a picture of the young woman standing in front of her. The woman whose framed face had travelled from London, to Palo Alto, to New York and back to London. Always being the first thing unpacked at Logan's new office and the last thing before the boxes were shipped. Odette looked the woman over, obviously the eight years had been rougher to her, the circles under her eyes, eyes that didn't have the same shine as the younger girl in the picture. However, her body was great, petite and mature, making Odette feel the slightest twinge of jealousy, even if her own looks were unparalleled there was still that lingering feeling of worry in the back of her mind.
"Oh it's so wonderful to meet you both, Logan, I desperately need to head home, would it be too much trouble if we left?" Yes, there we go, a way out, a way to get away from her and the look in Logan's eyes, which were now slowly shifting to look at his date again.
"Of course not babe, I need to say my goodbyes and then I'll meet you at the door in ten minutes. "Odette almost stopped him, offering to go with him, but she wasn't ready to hear whatever brush off he had at the tip of his tongue.
With both of them taking their leave, Rory let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She quickly turned to Paul and asked if they could get going also and he happily agreed. Rory was trying to figure out what the knot in her stomach was, there was the ironic jealousy, that feeling she knew, but that wasn't what made her feel out of breath and disoriented. Maybe it was the fact that this was the first time they really interacted, the first time they had met seemingly significant others. A sense of finality to this situation that had been plaguing her for eight years. However, now the thought of closure seemed mean, hurtful, and downright unfair. The thought of losing him for good seemed as unfathomable as Luke giving up Lorelei again, as impossible as Rob Schneider making a good movie, she quickly paused remembering the first day of their actual relationship. The hurt quickly spread as she rushed away from Paul grabbing their coats and excused herself to the bathroom.
They had seen each other in passing, a quick hello, a small peck on the cheek. All things that have transpired were long put into boxes that weren't worth opening at this point. Why bring up hurt when each had found their strides in life. Logan had the publishing group, Rory had a column at the Times that took her to places she didn't necessarily want to be, but still she excelled. She seemed happy and content, not challenged like he used to do for her, but that wasn't his place anymore. As he saw her slip into the bathroom, however, an idea popped into his mind. One last challenge wouldn't hurt would it?
"So Ace, decided that now I'm leaving there's no other company that can compare and decided to leave as well?"
"Oh of course Logan, however did you know?" Rory smiled back at him, trying not to show how flustered she was that he decided to sneak attack her in the women's restroom.
"Lucky guess. I just wanted to say that you look wonderful this evening and it's great to see you so happy. Hopefully you aren't traveling to much, I feel like it was just yesterday I saw you in Hamburg."
"Hamburg, I didn't see you! Why didn't I see you there?"
"I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from inviting you up to my room." The twinkle in his eye, and the tone of his voice seemed unmistakable.
"Very funny Logan, however, I really do have to be going. I had a late flight, and I have an early assignment tomorrow." Rory quickly made her way out of the bathroom, brushing past him quickly, in hopes he would mistake her shortness of breath was out of exertion and not the feeling of being in close proximity to him.
He was settled at the door, waiting with Odette for their town car to take them back to the hotel they had for the evening. They could've stayed in his penthouse but he didn't feel like staying somewhere "homey" tonight, so they decided to take the opportunity to stay at a hotel. He watched her get in hers as well, going in the opposite direction he was heading, he wondered if Paul would join her tonight, the sudden thought making him sick, just as the car was pulling up. However before he got in behind Odette, he sent a simple message "I wasn't joking ace, it took everything I had to resist that red dress."
