Solar System
A/N: Oh, my wonderful readers. I'm sorry about Bagel Hockey. It did come out of nowhere, but I was happy with it. I don't know, Rory and Logan have a semi-clichéd love story in that sense…perfect for each other, but their lives don't always end up perfect. That's not to say that they haven't had their moments, and this is one of them. I am still capable of writing fluff, I swear. And just because I killed off Rory, it doesn't mean I'm anywhere near done writing this series. Will I write past Bagel? I don't know yet. In any case, this falls after The World's Best Decaf. Once again, I'm beta-less at the moment. I did see my beta today, and she's having a great time on her trip, so I'm not about to say, hey, edit my fic! But soon enough I'll be typo-free again. As always, the more reviews I get, the more I'm tempted to write. Read on!
Rory gasped as Logan's head poked around the shower curtain. "God, you scared me!"
"Sorry, Ace."
She scowled at his smirk. "No, you're not. What's so funny?"
"I just…I'm sorry, I must be mistaken, but were you singing…Jack Johnson?"
"No." Her reply was so quick that he knew she was guilty.
"Uh-huh."
"Can I help you with anything else?" She raised her eyebrows. "Or will you let me get back to my shower?"
"Our dreams," he sang in a high-pitched tone. "And they are made out of real things…"
"Logan," she warned.
"No, Ace, it's sweet. I like that you're thinking about me in the shower."
"Who says I'm thinking about you?" There was still shampoo in her hair; he could see it clinging to the strands as she leaned closer.
"Oh? Who else were you referring to when you sang…I'm sorry, what was it? With only two, just me and you?"
"Will you just shut up already and let me wash my hair?"
"I could…" he lowered his voice seductively, "or I could get in with you."
Her eyes flicked up and down his body.
"You have to consider? Ace, that's cruel."
She rolled her eyes. "Get in before I change my mind."
Logan smirked and pulled his t-shirt off. He was just undoing his belt buckle when there was suddenly a lot of knocking on the door. "Daddy!" bellowed a little voice. "You said you'd help me with my project!"
Logan groaned. "Why, why, did we have children?" he mumbled.
Rory glared at him. "Shh! She'll hear you," she added, placing a hand on her stomach.
He leaned in to kiss her, her lips wet against his. "What makes you so sure it's a girl, huh?"
"Don't question my knowledge!" she cried, looking disgusted. "Now go help our son."
"But...but…"
"Go!"
"Women," he muttered as he redid his built, pulled his shirt back on, and walked out of the bathroom.
"They have good hearing!" Rory rebutted from the bathroom.
"Who has good hearing?" Lucas asked, his eyes wide and alert.
Logan smiled down at him and sighed again, giving up on all hope of showering with his wife. "Your mom, buddy. Why don't we get started on this project of yours?"
Lucas nodded enthusiastically. "I have to make a model of the solar system."
"Ah, yes, a classic project." Logan had made one in grades three, seven, and eleven. Well, he'd actually done all of the projects with a partner, and each time his partner had done all the work…but it was the solar system, it couldn't be too hard. Could it?
Three hours later, Logan was lying on the floor of the playroom with his hands over his eyes.
"Daddy," Lucas whined. "It's not working."
"I know, bud," he muttered.
Lucas shook his father's shoulder. "You can't give up!"
"Kiddo, really, this is kind of a…" Well, major failure, but he couldn't say that.
"Daddy."
"Lucas."
"I'm getting Mommy," his son announced.
Logan sat up. "No, Luke, don't…"
"Why not?"
"She'll get mad at me," he admitted.
"Daddy," Lucas said frankly. "You suck at this."
"Don't let your mother hear you say that word. And I know, kid, I'm sorry." He sighed, completely defeated. "You can go and get your mom."
Rory was taking a nap with Lory. They were both tucked under the soft duvet on Rory and Logan's bed. Being pregnant and having to take care of two kids was rough, and Rory felt constantly fatigued. She'd taken a two hour snooze after her shower and had just woken up, and felt a little more rested but still fairly tired. She watched Lory's little sleeping two-year-old face for a while. When she looked at her daughter, she knew everything she'd ever done was worth it. She understood her mother's eyes when Lorelai looked at her now. She recognized that emotion.
The door opened and Rory suppressed a sigh. She really hoped it was just Logan checking up on them, because she didn't have the energy to get up yet.
"Mommy?"
Despite herself, Rory smiled softly as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Lukey. Baby, what is it, what's wrong?" She opened her arms and he crawled onto the bed to settle into them. She kissed his forehead and rested her cheek against his blond hair.
"Daddy's bad at making the solar system."
Rory rolled her achy eyes. The heaviness of sleep-deprivation was weighing down her eyelids. "Why does that not surprise me?" she asked the room. She sighed once again and looked down at her son. "Okay, honey, I'll come and help you in a minute."
He smiled. He'd known her answer all along, and they both knew it. "Okay." He eased his way out of her arms, kissed her cheek and her stomach, and ran out the door. She smiled after him lovingly. She could see him when he was older, being protective of his little sisters. Already, he was often keeping an eye on Lory. He was so smart and serious while she was just…a ball of energy and love. She truly was Lorelai Gilmore, all over again.
"Mommy?" Lory murmured from beside her.
"Oh, baby, you're awake." Rory reached over to brush the hair out of her daughter's eyes. When her fingers made contact with her skin, it felt hot. She sucked in her breath, hoping it was her imagination, but Lory spoke up again.
"My tummy doesn't feel good," she whined pitifully. "And my head hurts. And in my neck."
"That's your throat, sweetie," Rory said gently. "Okay, why don't we get you into your bed and-"
Lory started to sob. "No!" she cried. "I wanna stay here. Mommy, I don't feel good," she whimpered. "Make it better."
"It's just the flu, baby, you'll be fine," Rory soothed. She went into the bathroom to get the thermometer. Sure enough, Lory was burning up.
Rory was tempted to start crying as well. She'd given Jana, the nanny, a week off and had most definitely lived to regret it. She needed back up, and she needed it at that moment. Sniffing, she picked up the phone and dialled. "Mommy?" she asked, just as pitifully as her three-year-old had.
"Oh, Rory," Lorelai said sympathetically. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Three hours later, Lorelai arrived at the door. She found a project-less Lucas sitting forlornly in the living room. "I'll be right with you, honey," she called over her shoulder as she jogged upstairs. She found Logan in Lory's room. He was lying on her bed with her, reading her a book.
"Hey, you poor sick girl," Lorelai cooed, kissing her granddaughter's forehead. "I brought you a popsicle."
"Thanks, Oma," she whispered.
"You're welcome, cutie. Where's Rory?" she asked Logan.
"In our room. She needed to lie down."
Lorelai made her way down the hall. Rory was nestled under the duvet again, eyes closed. "Honey?"
"Mom," Rory said, sitting up. "Thanks for coming."
Lorelai waved it aside. "You look as sad as Lory does. Are you okay?"
Rory nodded. "Just stressed out."
Lorelai sat on the foot of the bed and bit her lip. "Honey-"
"Don't say it."
"I have to. I'm going to. In fact, I'm putting my foot down." She pointed a finger at her daughter. "No more working."
"But Mom-"
"Nuh-uh. Save it."
"But…the paper…"
"Sweetie, you are very important to the paper. But not when you're a hormonal wreck. Now, what's happening with Lucas?"
"Project. Solar system. He needs help."
"Okay, I'll go do that now, and Logan's got Lory. Now, if I put on Titanic, will you be okay? Just remember that it's a movie, it's not real."
"It is real. It happened and it was…so sad…"
"I know, honey, it was a tragedy, I agree. Just remember that Leo doesn't actually die, okay?"
Rory nodded.
Lorelai kissed her forehead quickly before leaving. "That's my girl."
Late that night, Rory was lying in bed, now watching Breakfast at Tiffany's. Logan was lying next to her staring at some papers with a disgusted look on his face and muttering something about his father. There was a knock on the door and Logan called, "Come in!"
Lorelai strode over to them confidently. "Okay, so, Lory's knocked out for a good eight hours and Lucas is sound asleep, too. His model is all done and he's ready to go." She cast a disdainful look at her son-in-law. "Don't you know that Pluto's not a planet anymore?"
"Huh?"
She rolled her eyes. "Are you okay, sweets?" she asked her daughter.
"Yeah. Thanks, Mom."
"You're coming home this weekend?"
"Of course. As long as Lory's fine."
"I'm sure she will be. She's a strong girl. Okay, well, I love you. Call me, okay?"
"Promise."
After she left, Logan threw the papers on the floor, frustrated. "I'm going to take a shower."
"Sure you are. You just hate it when she throws Cat out of the car. Makes you tear up every time."
He smiled fondly and kissed her. "You got me, Ace."
While he was washing his hair, the shower curtain opened. He turned, surprised, and saw her standing there in her bathrobe, a coy expression on her face. "May I join you?" she asked sweetly.
He smirked. "If you must."
She shed her robe and stepped in, pressing her body against his. "Well, if you don't want me to…" she laughed at his expression and buried her face in his neck. "Mm, I love you."
He slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her hair. "I love you too." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart," he sang teasingly.
She bit his neck gently and laughed. "Stop."
"Right now, thank you very much?" he deadpanned.
Her jaw dropped. "You know Spice Girls songs?" she asked incredulously.
"Well, Ace, come on. Posh was…"
She raised her eyebrows.
"…absolutely ugly compared to you," he finished lamely.
She flashed him a bright, white smile and then wrinkled her nose. "Even when I'm pregnant? I feel so fat."
"You're not," he replied quickly.
"Good boy," she said with a smile.
"You don't need to worry about anything," he murmured as he kissed her neck. "I love you more than anything. After all…it's always better when we're together."
She pushed him away gently, shaking her head. "You're such a dork."
"And you're beautiful," he replied seriously. He smirked softly as she blushed and pressed her face in his neck again. "Ace?" he asked softly.
"Mm?"
"Is Pluto really not a planet anymore?"
She sighed dramatically. "Shut up and kiss me, already."
A/N: Song is Better Together by Jack Johnson. Review. You know you want to. Please. On your marks, get set…go!