A/N: This is so far a one-shot, but if there is a good response (10 reviews!!) then I'll make this a full story

Disclaimer: Nope. Still not mine. I'm considering kidnapping Kirk and Finn though. I bet those to could compete in a game of "who is crazier". Although the results might not be fair because Kirk manages to be wacko, sober. The wonderful and original Finn however, is perpetually drunk so he can claim temporary (permanent) insanity

What Changes

…"And I have to tell you, you don't got it. Now guts can be wrong. Mine's been wrong before. But not often."

"I thought I was doing okay."

"I just don't really think you have the drive to put yourself out there, to be honest. To get a story, to dig. Just now, in this meeting, I encouraged everyone to say whatever they wanted." Mitchum paused and waved his hands for emphasis, " you said nothing."

"I wasn't sure I should."

"Exactly. I mean, you saw Harry. He jumped right into the fire. You didn't"

"But Harry's not an intern."

"Doesn't matter."

"I've always done what's asked of me."

"See, the thing is, in the real world it's not always good enough to do just what's asked of you."

"But I thought I was in a really good rhythm with everyone here."

"I'm not saying you're not competent. You're smart. You're terrific at anticipating needs. Actually, you'd make a great assistant."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. It's not my pleasure to disappoint someone like you. Especially you. What with the extenuating circumstances. But it's healthy. I don't know any other way. I don't B.S."

"I should get back." Rory said in a whisper.

"Hey, listen. I know this is rough, but I may have just done you a big favor."

"Okay. Thanks." Defeated, Rory slowly exited the room.

--

Rory stormed back into the office.

"And you know what. You're wrong. I do have it. If I didn't have 'it' then I would have quit when I had to write an article about cement back in high school. But I didn't. And I figured out the precious secrets of the Life and Death Brigade. I lived with the Hell's Angels. I jumped off a seven story structure. Do you know the guts that took? Hunter Thompson would be proud. I dished the dirt, the real deal, I was Joe Eszterhas. Anyway, why should I even care what you think? You're wrong about lots of things. Like Logan, you don't know anything about him. You may think that he's a failure, but he isn't. He is smart, and well read, and he is a fantastic writer. You don't know anything about me. I'm talented, and I've been working all my life to become a reporter. So listen up buster, when I'm accepting my Pulitzer, I will not be thanking you. Because you are certainly not the one who showed me an example by speaking in complete sentences."

Mitchum laughed. "See, that's what I was looking for. Rory, I have nothing against you. You're a nice enough girl, and Logan likes you. Truly I don't mind you being with Logan. But you've been acting like a secretary. Doing what is asked and being a helpful little cleaning fairy. If you want to be a journalist, you need to do more, be more."

"Well listen up buddy, I am more. You just didn't see it while you were sitting on your high horse looking down on everyone. So guess what, Mussolini. You and your lovely family of the Axis nations can just go about your business, of disapproving of me, because you are not going to stop me!"

"You have moxie Rory Gilmore." Mitchum stated. Few times he had been impressed and silenced, by anyone. Even the most respected men in the business quivered in fear when faced with the challenge of arguing with him, yet this young lady who he thought was better suited to be a personal assistant, turned out to be the right one for the job.

"Thank you, Mitch" Rory said condescendingly, making it clear that she lost respect for him, "I have to go to my Friday Night Dinner and then I'm going to Honor's engagement party." And she left. Dignity intact.

--

"Hey Grandma."

"Oh, hello Rory dear. I'm opening the door because the incompetent maid does not understand the concept of moving quickly. I swear. She is twenty years old and moves slower than I do." Emily said this especially loudly in an effort to make the maid hear to assure that she would know to move more quickly in the future, or face unemployment like so many maids before her."

"Huh. I'm sure she's just getting used to the house. It's a big house."

"Yes, well. Any half wit could understand this house after working here for three days. The agency is just randomly hiring people right off the street. The workforce is just progressively deteriorating."

"Yeah. Is mom here yet?"

"Oh, yes. Your mother. For once in her life, she decided that she would come over to dinner in a timely manner. She informed us that she was kidnapped by aliens, and they telekinetically transported her to our home. That only because of such a miracle, was she able to avoid the treacherous traffic in Stars Hollow."

"Well you know, there have been a few alien sightings in the area. They are very popular. Aliens have obviously discovered Luke's chili fries."

"Well, come along. Your grandfather and mother are already having drinks." They walked through the house and reached the ornately furnished room. "Richard, Rory's just arrived. Would you pour her a drink?"

"Certainly Emily. A club soda as usual Rory?"

"That would be fine. Thank you Grandpa. Hey mom! I heard you were taken."

"He babe. But you only heard the half of it. I've been body snatched."

"No! But Jack said that it was a secret!"

"I know. I guess he didn't know everything."

"He got really close though. He should get points for that."

"Richard, what are they yammering on about?"

"Emily, I honestly have no idea. But I've come to realize that it is much more prudent to sit quietly and smile when in the presence of these lovely young ladies."

"Well I think its simply rude. They have come to our home to have a nice dinner with us, and the purpose of this dinner is for us to converse. If they are constantly discussing matters we cannot comprehend, than their attendance is fruitless."

"Mom. We are right here. We were just talking. If you really want to insult us then you should go in the other room, and start discussing how much of a disappointment I am, just loudly enough so that I can hear. Then I'll think that it's an accident, and you aren't dramatizing everything."

"Really, Lorelei. That is no way to speak to your mother. Apologize please."

"Yes dad. Sorry mom."

"Oh, Richard. Her sincerity brings me to tears." Emily managed. Her seriousness was belied by the smile that slowly spread over her face.

"Guys. I know we have the whole Friday night dinner, but I promised Logan I would try to get to Honor's engagement party."

"Honor's engagement party. Did you hear that Richard? Rory is going to Honor's engagement party because she promised Logan she would go."

"Yes Emily. I assure you, there is nothing wrong with my hearing." Richard responded, smiling at his wife. However frustrating her matchmaking tendencies were, he loved her anyway.

"Rory, it is perfectly fine for you to leave after drinks so you can go to Honor's engagement party."

"Thanks, Grandma."

"Hey! Why is it okay for Rory to skip dinner to go to Honor's engagement party, and I can't skip dinner to have dinner with Luke. I'm engaged to Luke, so every time we go out, its like an engagement party!"

"Lorelei, that's silly. Rory must go to Honor's engagement party because Logan is one of the groomsmen. If he does not bring his girlfriend. Rory, then some of those harpies disguised as bridesmaids will think he is single. A man like Logan is a hot commodity, and Rory cannot let him lip through her fingers."

"Hot commodity? Grandma, that's crazy." Rory was scandalized. Logan wasn't just goods, to be bought and sold at will.

"Luke is a hot commodity. You should see the way Miss Patty ogles him, considering how good he would look in tights."

"Lorelei, that's ridiculous."

There was a slight lull in conversation.

"So, Rory. How is your internship?" Richard decided to stick to safer topics than Lorelei's choice in boyfriend.

"Well, today Mitchum and I had a good talk. He told me he doesn't think that I have what it takes to be a journalist, and that I would be better suited as a personal assistant so I told him that he knows nothing about me and I wouldn't want to take advise from him anyway because he is blind to how fantastic Logan is. Then, he told me that I have moxie and I told him exactly what I think about him."

"Rory, what did you say to him?"

"I called him Mussolini, and the rest of his family the Axis Nations."

"Rory, Mitchum Huntzberger is a powerful man." Richard chastised.

"Yes, and you must send a formal apology immediately. And perhaps we should invite the Huntzbergers over for dinner. That way we can clear up any misunderstandings."

"There was no misunderstanding, grandma. Logan's mother and grandfather told me that I wasn't good enough to marry into the Huntzberger family and Mitchum told me I'll never make it in the newspaper business. But it doesn't matter, because I'm a Gilmore and I'm a pretty great reporter."

"I'm proud of you hun. And don't let them scare you. Mom, dad, you have to back her up."

"Rory, I'm sure we can sort this all out later. What does Logan have to say on this matter?" Emily question, primly.

"Well, at the dinner he yelled at them, but I haven't told him about the whole internship debacle."

"Kid, I'm sure he's going to have a mouthful to say. And probably scream at his dad. From what you've told me, they don't exactly get along."

"Nope."

"Rory, all these problems can be addressed another day. You are excused."

"Thanks grandma. Bye grandpa. See you mom."

"Bye Rory. You know, you really should have told him where he could stick his fabulous advice."

"I thought about it, but that would have been too mean. Like Hubbell leaving Katie, mean."

"Hun, that wasn't mean. That was fate."

--

Rory walked the yacht, and Logan noticed her before she saw him. When she realized he was talking to a girl, a beautiful girl, he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"Hey, Ace. Come up here."

"Hi." Rory said, wondering how Logan would explain himself. Rory climbed up, and came to stand next to Logan.

" this is my girlfriend, Rory Gilmore. See she's not imaginary. Ace, this is , one of Honor's friends, and her husband Ben."

"Oh, you're married? Congratulations." Rory said, surprised. She regretted jumping to conclusions. Then she turned to Logan, "Imaginary?"

"I was just telling them about you, and they were beginning to doubt that you were real. Seeing as no amazing girl, such as yourself, would waste her time with me. Mr. Playboy extraordinaire." Logan said as he guided Rory off of the ship. He had a feeling that something was wrong, and if she wanted to tell him, he wanted to listen and help her fix whatever it was.

"I sometimes wonder whether I was having an April's Fool Day moment, to decide to be your girlfriend."

"You did have an octagon imprinted on your head, but as I recall you were not wearing that hat you wear backwards with the eyes on it that says 'Fooled You'.

"Do not mock my Gilmore traditions."

"I wouldn't dare. I love your crazy Gilmore traditions. They make you, you. I am just trying to acknowledge how very lucky I am to have you."

"That's right, kiddo."

"Not again. I thought we agreed that there are many other things we can call each other, sex-pot."

"Snuggle-muffin." Rory deadpanned.

"I'll stop, Ace. I promise. Just swear on coffee and donuts that you will never in your life call me that in public—ever again."

"Are you inviting me to call you that in private?"

"Maybe I am. Ace. Do you promise?" Logan asked, looking at her speculatively. His hand drifted around her slim waste and he rubbed her back through the fabric of her dress.

"Throw in a massage, and you got yourself a deal."

"Massage thrown." Logan reached forward and gave Rory a kiss. It started out short and sweet. Just to let her know how glad he was that she came, but it soon became impassioned.

"Hey, little brother!" Honor called out to them from the yacht, "And the lovely Rory. I'm so glad you could make it. Logan told me you probably couldn't until late."

"You know, plans change." Rory responded after pulling away from Logan and gingerly wiping her lips then his, to get rid of the messy lip gloss.

"Well, come on up and celebrate that I'm getting married! I'm never going to have sex with strangers again!"

"That's something to celebrate." Rory said quietly, just for Logan to hear.

"And it's something I really want to here from my sister." Logan responded quietly, and quickly gave Rory a kiss on the cheek. "Ace, is there anything wrong?" Logan pulled her into his arms and gently rubbed her back.

"No, just here to celebrate Honor's engagement."

"Alright." Logan sighed, "But just, if there is anything, tell me. If this relationship thing is going to work, then the honesty thing has to work both ways."

"It'll keep. I just want to be happy right now." Rory looked at him hopefully, wanting him to understand."

"Alright, come on Ace." He pulled her onto the yacht and handed her a glass of champagne.

A/N: Please review! I will love you forever if you do! And I accept anonymous reviews, so you don't need an account!