Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or the characters.
Author's Note: I felt Logan's conversation with Mitchum when he quit was an important scene that should have been in the show. So, I wrote one. Comments welcome. Constructive criticism as well as praise. Rated K+ for very mild swearing. No title until I can think of one.
Logan stopped by Cheryl's desk. Usually, he would have walked right past his father's assistant, with a casual hello if he was in a good mood or silence if he wasn't. There wasn't much good to being Mitchum Huntzberger's son, so he would take all the perks he had coming to him. Only, this time, he didn't feel right doing that. Not with what he was planning to do. So, he waited while she finished chatting to another one of his dad's underlings.
"Mr. Huntzberger. They're waiting for you," she said, when she finished.
"Thanks," he said. His mouth felt dry. Still, he wasn't the type to hesitate. He pushed the door open. Yes, the lion was right there, snarling at him.
"You finally decided to join us," Mitchum said, frowning. "Sit down, and I'll tell you how we're going to fix this."
Logan tried to pay attention to what was being said. It didn't sound like there was any room for him in the "we" part of the equation. In fact, it sounded like the only reason he had to listen to this was to have it drummed in again that he had screwed up and his dad and dad's lawyers were going to have to come in and save the day. But, he reminded himself that he wasn't in any position to be annoyed.
Mitchum dismissed the others. "So that's it. I expect to see you here tomorrow."
That was it. The perfect opening. "I don't think I should." Seeing his father's look, he knew he flubbed his lines. He clenched his fists. He wasn't used to being wrong so much.
"You're still doing it, aren't you?" Mitchum said, his tone cold and derisive. "What, more gambling to do? Hanging out at bars? This isn't a game here, Logan."
No it wasn't. He started over. "I mean, you were right. About how you would fire me if I wasn't your son. I completely screwed up, then I acted like a jackass. And, I'm sorry. But, I know you won't fire me, because I am your son."
Mitchum looked confused. It wasn't a look he was used to seeing on his dad. Disappointed, disgusted, those were the patented father/son looks he was familiar with. "So, you want me to fire you?" he asked.
Logan smiled. "Well, I was hoping as the boss's son, I'd get to fire myself."
Another unfamiliar look crossed Mitchum's face. One side of his mouth twitched slightly. Could it have been the beginning of a smile? And, his eyes looked, maybe proud? He'd seen his dad proud. Never because of anything he did, but the look was the same. "What made you decide that? Rory?"
He would think it was Rory. It never would have occurred to him that his own son could do something right. Only, he wasn't entirely wrong. "Well, she did lay into me. But, it wasn't until she went back to Yale that I figured out that she was right. You, too," he said again. No need to say that the final push was hearing his own words about being just like his Mitchum, and desperately not wanting to become that.
Whatever pride or humor he thought he had seen was gone. "So, you just want to run away again. Throw in the towel and hide. London, that was an act?"
Logan's hands were still clenched into fists, but he relaxed them. There was no point in being angry. But, he owed it to himself, and to his dad as well, to try and make his point. "Dad, I don't want to be the heir to your empire. Here, it's too easy to act the way I did, because I know nothing will happen to me. I need to be somewhere I can't do that."
Mitchum nodded. "Well, if you're going, go. There's no reason for you to stay here if you're no longer an employee." He opened a folder and began to look through it. It was a dismissal. From the job? From the family? Logan couldn't be sure. But, he wasn't going to press his luck. He turned and walked out.
He wasn't sure what he was feeling as he stepped outside of the building. He felt good. He was sure about that. He had taken on the lion and came out standing, if nothing else. But, he had no idea what he was going to do now. He had always known he was going to end up trapped in the family business, and now he wasn't. Finding out what he was going to do was his next concern. Well, right after fixing things with Rory.