AN: Welcome to the worlds longest one-shot! It's not quite that long, but it is certainly massive!
This was a prompt given to me by parimalik. They asked a write a fluffy fic where Logan and the boys drag Rory to Vegas and take her on some of the crazy rides that are offered at one of the hotels. So, I hope I didn't disappoint! I through a couple of my own ideas in there which is why this is so damn long, and occasionally looks like it's drifting from the actual point.
I hope you enjoy this massive beast.
On with the show!
Winter break had finally come around, much to Rory's great relieve. She was planning on spending the week off in Stars Hollow with her mom. They had a few movie nights planned but she was really looking forward to catching up on sleep and drinking as much Luke's coffee as Gilmorely possible in the week.
She was packing up some of her things before thinking she might want to swing by Logan's dorm and see if he and the other morons had plans for the week off. Rory knocked on the door and when no one opened the door she thought they had already taken off. She was about to leave when the door swung open to reveal Logan. "Ace! What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering if you guys had left for Winter Break yet."
"No, we haven't. We're actually still picking a location." Rory rolled her eyes. The idea that someone could choose their vacation destination moments before leaving. Ah, the lives of the ridiculously rich.
"Right, well-"
"Huntz! Who's at the door?"
"It's Rory." Logan grinned at Rory knowing that since the others knew she was here she wouldn't be leaving for a long time.
Before Rory had the chance to say anything a mildly drunk Australian appeared behind Logan. "LOVE! Oh, this is amazing! You should come with us! Yes! It will be amazing! No, it will be legendary! Come in, we're just picking a location." Finn draped his arm around Rory's shoulder before leading her into the living room, where there was an insane amount of research spread out on the different locations. "Hi, Colin."
"Colin is trying to ruin our fun by planning our vacation," Finn said completely horrified. "Fun cannot be planned, Colin."
"Well, someone needs to know where you three alcoholics are going that way we can alert the authorities, and have them lock up their red heads." Rory laughed at the horrified look on Finn's face.
"Screw you, Colin, you can't plan legendary!"
Rory looked at Logan while Colin and Finn were in their weird little staring contest. "What is with that word?"
"He watched a How I Met Your Mother marathon when he was especially hungover and decided that Barney Stinson is the most underrated character of all time" Rory laughed before looking at Finn. "So, boys. What city will I have to fly to in order to bail you morons out."
"You will not be bailing us out, you will be jealous that we became legends of the city of our choosing. Now, we've got New York, Monte Carlo, and the always welcoming Las Vegas. What do you think, love? Where shall we become legends!"
"How about Monte Carlo. At least I'll say I went to France to help you, drunken idiots. Plus, I've always wanted to see that part of the Mediterranean." Her comment was met with a chorus of 'Heys!' but she just shrugged and grinned.
"MONTE CARLO IT IS! LOGAN, FIRE UP THE JET." Finn picked up a bottle of scotch to toast his brilliant idea.
"Actually-" Colin said, interrupted Finns celebrating.
"Colin, do we need to surgically remove the stick that is implanted up your ass before we can go on the most legendary of legendary trips to have ever happened?" Rory and Logan burst out laughing at Finn's tirade and the look of pure horror on Colin's face. Logan grabbed Rory's arm and pulled her away from Finn and Colin who were preparing for a fist fight.
While Colin and Finn wrestled around the living room, Logan pulled Rory into the kitchen to make some coffee, prepare some ice packs and first aid supplies for when the wrestling match was over. "Hey. I've got an idea." Logan said as he was examining the supply of ice packs while Rory started the coffee maker and was pulling out the first aid kit. "That's always dangerous."
"I have good ideas!"
"You let Finn drive a yacht and it sank off the coast of the Bahamas. I wouldn't call that a good idea."
"Ok, so that wasn't my brightest idea. But, can you hear me out before you start shooting down my ideas?"
"Ok. What's your idea?" Rory looked at Logan skeptically.
"Come with us."
Rory snorted at the insanity of his idea. "What?! Are you insane?"
"I'm completely serious! Come with us!"
"Logan, I have plans this week. I promised my mom I'd spend the week with her. And you guys don't want me crashing your guys weekend."
"Finn would love if you came. He adores you. And Colin needs to have ass fixed so he'll deal. Plus, you'll actually limit the amount of chaos we'll cause. Well, how much I'll cause. I make no promises about Finn." Rory had to grin at Logan's plea for company. The idea of getting out of Connecticut was really appealing. She didn't really want to go home for the week, the whole debacle with Dean hadn't fully blown over. Even though she and Dean had ended months earlier, it still came up in the gossip mills. Some of the older residents had taken to calling her some unpleasant things. Her mom and Luke had tried to protect her from it, but Stars Hollow is small and quiet so the insults were hard to miss.
"I don't know Logan."
"Look, I know that the whole mess with your ex is still bugging, and you don't like going home as much as you used to. Sure, you like to see your mom and your friends but the town itself isn't as welcoming and loving as it used to be. I've heard the stories you tell but whenever you go home you look like your walking into the firing squad and when you return you just seem exhausted and your spark is diminished for a few days. So, come with me, get out of the State and maybe find something else to occupy your mind." Rory was thinking it over, knowing that Logan was right, she was looking forward to seeing Lane and her mom and the few friends she still had back home, but she really was dreading facing the town again. "You go home whenever your mom asks, and that seems to be more and more. Every weekend you go back with her. If you had gone to Harvard or any other university you wouldn't be doing that, and if you went across the country, you wouldn't be going home for the break. So, please just think about it. We won't have wheels up until around 9 pm anyhow, and since it's just passed two you have some time to think about it."
"Can we have wheels up closer to ten? It's Friday night so I have dinner with the grandparents. If I decide to go, I mean." Logan grinned triumphantly before they were interrupted by a voice behind them.
"If you go where love?" They turned to see Finn with a black eye and Colin with a split lip.
"I'm trying to talk Rory into coming with us." Rory groaned knowing that now that Colin and Finn knew she wouldn't be able to get out of it.
"Oh please come, Love! It will make this trip so much better. We'll show you all the magical things to do in Vegas!"
"Vegas? What happened to the French Riviera?" Rory asked confused
"Colin, not so gently reminded me that I am not allowed back to Monaco, the only reason I am not sitting in a jail cell there now is that I promised never to return."
"What?"
Logan burst out laughing suddenly remembering their last trip to Monte Carlo. They had left a new member of the LDB in charge of Finn as an initiation, but the newbie thought they were joking and left Finn unsupervised. Finn had managed to break into the palace and stripped down and posed on the Princess of Monaco's bed. The only reason he wasn't tossed in jail that minute was because Finn's father owned the largest hotel in Monaco and was good friends with Grace Kelly. "Oh, yea. How'd you even do that dude?"
"I was under the spell of a beautiful redhead."
"Wait what happened?"
"Well, this moron decided that it would be a good idea to break into the Palace and try to get the Princess of Monaco to have sex with him," Colin said irritated.
"Yeah, he achieved this by stripping completely naked and posing on her bed with a rose in his mouth," Logan said between fits of giggles.
"Do you know she's not a redhead?" Finn said very upset but not about how he could probably be charged as a stalker or something worse.
Rory was laughing so hard she had tears streaming down her face. "Oh my god! Where were you two?"
"Back at the hotel with the rest of the LDB," Logan said while trying to regain his breath. "At one point, we thought a good initiation into the brigade was to be in charge of Finn for a night. We stopped doing it after that trip."
"Good." Her giggles were dying down as she thought about going to Vegas with the boys instead of going home for the week. She looked at Logan, Colin, and Finn before speaking. "Give me a few hours. I'll call around six with a decision."
"Oh, please come love! Please, please pleeeeeeeeease!" Pleaded like a child asking for ice cream.
"Oh shut up Finn." Colin walked passed him and grabbed the bottle of scotch, shaking it making Finn follow him out of the room.
"They are one of a kind aren't they." Rory laughed as she watched Colin bribe Finn out of the room.
"They're definitely something." Logan looked back at Rory before continuing "Call me when you make a decision."
"I will. You know I was looking forward to going to Monte Carlo. I've been to France before but I didn't get that far south with my mom and I would never dream of going anywhere near a casino with my grandmother."
Logan smiled conspiratorially before speaking. "Don't worry, Ace. I'll take you to the French Riviera. We have a house just outside Nice that's hardly ever used or we can stay at the hotel if the gambling's what you're after."
"Really? Without the guys? Wouldn't you want to go with them and try and sleep your way through the country?" Rory didn't mean it as an insult, they were simply teasing each other.
"I can go on vacation and not want to sleep with every woman I see." Rory didn't know this, but he had quit his womanizing ways a month ago. He knew that Rory wouldn't settle for being one of the many. It took him a while to figure it out but he realized after Finn's ridiculous Quintin Terintino party that he was willing to commit to her. He'd probably give the guys a collective heart attack when they found out he wanted to be a one-woman man.
Rory smiled thinking of just her and Logan on the Mediterranean. She was already planning the trip in her head.
"If you're sure."
"I'm completely sure." Logan thought that time alone with Rory in one of the most beautiful places in the world was the greatest thing he could think of and he was thinking of all the things he could do with her and to her.
"How about we stay at the house then go to Monte Carlo one day? Nice is beautiful." Rory said, breaking Logan out of his vivid fantasy of Rory in a slinky bikini that was a little too small.
"What? Oh, we'll do whatever you want Ace. I promise." Rory laughed then headed towards the door.
"I'll call you when I make a decision."
"Counting on it, Ace."
Rory turned away from Logan and headed out the door. She pretty sure knew what her decision would be but she needed to make sure, then she needed to call her mother.
Rory was sitting on her bed thinking about what she wanted to do. She knew that she didn't want to go home. She had enough of the stares and the whispers and she just wanted a little time away. She also wanted to see her mom and Lane, and she knew her mom would throw a fit if she didn't come home. Over the last few weeks she realized that there were very few people who went home as often as she did, they were trying to build their own lives but she sometimes felt that she was still in high school and living in the past.
She thought about how she hadn't been happy in a long time and that she felt she was tolerating her life how she was putting up with the things people say about her and how she didn't feel welcome in her hometown anymore. She realized that the last time she felt really free and happy was when she attended the Life and Death Brigade event and a few days after. She hadn't spoken to Dean or her mother for those few days and she had been away from the Hollow for two weeks straight, and it was liberating.
She had made her decision and all she had to do was to call Lorelai and tell her. She stared at her phone which was sitting in front of her, trying to work up the nerve to call her mother.
"Pimps R Us, to hire a pimp press one, to register as a pimp press two, to speak to Lorelai Gilmore provide coffee."
"Mom, seriously? What if it was Grandma?"
"Hopefully she'd hang up and think she had the wrong number long enough to forget why she was calling."
"Pimps R Us, though? Seriously?"
"I thought you'd like that one. What's up, kid? I thought you'd be on the road by now."
"That's actually why I'm calling."
"Oh, what's going on?"
"I was thinking about not coming home for break. Some friends of mine are going away and invited me to go with them." Rory was purposely leaving Logan and the boys out of the conversation, thinking that would make things worse.
"Really kid? We had a whole week planned. Coffee, burgers, junk food, multiple sugar comas, movies, and more coffee. Everyone is looking forward to seeing you and I never see you."
"Mom." Rory sighed working her way up to the rest of the conversation. "We both know that's not true. I was there last weekend, and as many weekends I can remember. I come home for every crisis and town event, and you know the Hollow. I spend more time at home then the students who are living at home, so I'm going on this trip. Ok?"
"You're right. I was the one who told you to go to Florida on Spring Break with Paris. I hope you have more fun this time around. Everyone will be so disappointed that you won't be home for the week."
"Mom, that's bull and you know it. No one is looking forward to seeing me besides you, Lane and Luke. Ever since the whole fiasco with Dean, I'm fodder for more gossip for everyone else and I really don't want to be a part of it for any longer then I have to."
"What? Who's gossiping about you?"
"Everyone mom. It's Stars Hollow, only rivaled by Hello Magazine and US Weekly for their gossip distribution."
"You know Taylor will be so disappointed. He picked you specifically to be his winter princess." Lorelai tried in a last-ditch effort to get Rory to come home.
"Taylor will be relieved. What exactly did you, or Luke threaten Taylor with to get him to ask me to do that?"
"Nothing."
"Mom, tell me the truth for once"
"I always tell you the truth."
"I really don't want to get into that argument, so please just tell me." Rory pleaded with Lorelai hoping she'd quit lying about this.
"I threatened to put some of his dirty secrets and embarrassing pictures on the internet, whether or not they were fictional was irrelevant to me, and Luke threatened to teach Kirk how to fire a really big gun," Lorelai said guiltily.
"Mom! Please tell me he didn't?"
"He did. Then Kirk went out and bought one! We had the world's longest town meeting about it and in the end, they confiscated Kirks gun and you became the winter princess."
"Well tell the town that they can return Kirks gun and confiscate his driver's license while they're at it. But, I won't be the winter princess and I'm not coming home for break."
"Ok. But Hun I've got to ask, why are you so sure that Taylor doesn't want you to be a mascot? After the ice cream queen fiasco, I thought he'd want you forever."
"You know that when we've been doing movie nights lately I've always insisted on getting the movies while you grab snacks, or I insist on going into Doose's together if you want to pick the movies?"
"Yeah, I have noticed that. Hun, that's just odd. What's going on?"
"I went into Doose's a few weeks after I got back from Europe and Taylor told me to leave because Doose's 'is a nice family place' and that they didn't want the likes of me hanging around there."
"WHAT?! OH, I AM GOING TO KILL THAT MAN!"
"Mom! Don't kill Taylor he's not worth the jail time. Plus, they don't have Luke's coffee in prison."
"I would find a way to smuggle it in."
"Mooooom. No! Don't. Plus, the things Taylor said to me weren't even the worst that I heard. Apparently, East Side Tilly started spreading ridiculous rumours, that only got worse when I'd reappear, and Marisol from the cross-stitching society asked if she should stitch red A's on all of my clothes. I give her props for the reference but that was not a fun moment for me. And others have said much worse, and much more blunt things then that directly to my face. You can't control the whole town mom. Sure, the Kirk threat may have calmed some of it down but not all of it. I'm on the receiving end of so many glares and horrified looks that I sometimes wonder if anyone in that town still likes me."
"Oh, sweets. I don't know what to say. Why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Because everyone still loves you and you still love that town. They simply tolerate me. In the weird little battle between Lindsey, Dean and I over who would claim the town, they won."
"Hun, no, this is still your home. This is your town."
"Mom, no it's fine. I did a terrible thing and this is one of the consequences, I'll be fine. You and our house are my home, Stars Hollow isn't. It's my hometown but it's not my home."
"You'll still come back though, right?"
"All the time. You'll feel like I never even moved out." Rory heard silence on the other end of the line, Rory thought that she had never seen or heard her mother speechless for so long. "Mom?"
"I'm still here sweets."
"This isn't me ending anything. I'm just explaining how I feel and why I don't want to come home as often as I was."
"I know, kid. It's ok. You shouldn't have to subject yourself to that type of torment unless you've been guilted into something by my mother. But, you definitely shouldn't be feeling this way from the town. So, go. Go on an adventure with your friends. I'll see you when you get back. No town crazies, just us and enough movies and junk food that we could create our own chain of movie theatres. Ok?"
"Sounds great mom. I'll see you when I get back."
"Ok, thank you, mom."
"Anytime. I love you kid."
"I love you too mom.
Rory hung up feeling like a significant weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't been sure how to tell her mom that the town she loved and the people that both her and her mom, had considered family for so long had been treating her like a leper. She had lost her home during the Dean Debacle and it had been weighing on her mind for months and she couldn't figure out how to tell her mother that she had dreaded going home almost every weekend and for every town event. She had thought that her mother would take the side of the town and actually agree with what they were saying, or tell her to suck it up and to just take it. The problem was that she knew that she wasn't in the right and that people weren't making things up or staring because the 'Prodigal Daughter Returned'. She was going to bow out and let Lindsey win this battle. She wanted to be a foreign correspondent, you can't do that from within the town limits of Stars Hollow, it hadn't really been hers since she first went off to Yale and it was cemented after her final breakup with Dean.
She was about to call Logan when a text message came into her phone. She looked and realized Lorelai had sent her a text. I'm not telling your grandmother that you aren't coming to dinner tonight. That's all on you. Good Luck! She groaned completely forgetting that she was going to have to break the news to her grandmother.
A half-hour later Rory was plugging in her phone battery after she finished her conversation with her grandmother. Her grandmother had not been pleased that she was not coming and how proper manners would have been to give the host 24 hours' notice if she wasn't coming to dinner. Her grandmother had calmed down significantly when Rory said she was going away with some friends of hers from Yale, some of which were in attendance at the Male Yale Party. Once Emily found out that Rory was becoming friends she deemed more expectable then her previous she was less furious, but she insisted on her presence at the event of her choosing, she proceeded to give Rory three guilt trips before finally letting Rory out of dinner and disconnecting the call.
She sighed thinking that after the emotional upheaval of the last few hours that she could use a nap. She also knew that knowing the boys the moment they landed in Vegas they'd be off to the nearest casino and they'd stay there most of the night, begging her to stay most of the night. She decided to call Logan first before laying down.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me." Rory was surprised by the lack of background noise. She was expecting all sorts of chaos but there didn't seem to be any.
"Hey, so have you made a decision?"
"I have. It's very quiet over there? Have you locked yourself in a supply closet?" She chuckled remember Luke hiding in the supply closet at the diner every time he got an important phone call.
"Nope. I sent Colin and Finn to the bar in order to give me some peace while I finished an assignment for one of my classes."
"Homework instead of partying? Who are you and what have you done with Logan?"
Logan laughed into the phone before responding. "You have been spending too much time with Finn. He said almost the exact same thing when I evicted them. But, I actually do want my degree and I want it on my own. I'm also so close to having my honours degree and my father might be able to buy my bachelors but he couldn't buy an honours degree."
"Wow, Logan that's amazing. I'm so proud of you!" Knowing that Rory was proud of him gave him the most indescribable feeling. He felt that he had finally done something right and that maybe he was becoming that man that she deserved.
"Thanks, I'm proud of me too."
"Arrogant ass."
"I'm proud of my ass too but I didn't think we were talking about that." Logan knew she was blushing and was glad that he could get that reaction out of her. When most guys made lewd comments towards her she'd normally just shut them down but if he did it, especially if they were alone, she'd smile a little and blush.
"Logan." She half whispered half chastised through the phone.
"Ok, never mind So, what did you decide?"
"I'm coming to Vegas with you."
"That's amazing Ace! Ok, when do you want wheels up by? It's totally up to you."
"What are you talking about? Flying is a little more elaborate then deciding when we'll meet at the library"
"Private jet baby, we just need to get to the air stip. No security, no check-ins, just get on the plane. Hell, the car service will drive us right up to the jet if we feel so inclined. So, what should I tell Steve?"
"Who's Steve?"
"The pilot."
"Right, of course, cause everyone just has a pilot on speed dial." Rory's voice dripping the sarcasm.
"Rory, what time do you want to leave?" Rory glanced at her clock noting that it was close to four o'clock. She knew that she would have to pack which could take some time, and knowing that she wanted to take a nap.
"How longs the flight?"
"A little over five hours."
"What do I need to bring?"
"Besides yourself? A really skimpy bikini."
"Really Logan."
"Ok, a few casual outfits, a little nicer than running errands on laundry day but comfortable, some nice dresses for evenings and at least one spectacular outfit for the last day."
"Logan, what are you planning?"
"Nothing." He said with a tease to his voice, making her know that he was planning on surprising her. "How many really nice dresses do you have?"
"Well, are we talking Friday Night Dinner nice, or Life and Death Brigade integrity nice?"
"LDB nice."
"Two. One was the one you gave me for the scaffolding jump and the other was for my debutante ball."
"Please don't bring the debutante dress, it'll just make everything pathetic, and you can't bring the LDB dress."
"Why not? It's the only dress I have."
"It'll ruin the integrity of the event." Rory laughed at the repeated line from the night he kidnapped her and brought her to the most elaborate camp out she had ever seen.
"Well unless you want me to fashion something out of bedsheets, it'll have to do mister." Continuing the little bit that he had started. The mental image that she had provided of her in bed sheets made his mind swirl, instead of a dress made out of sheets, he was picturing her in his bed wearing nothing except for a sheet draped over her lower half, looking thoroughly ravished.
"I've got this nifty little thing called a black card. And it's just sitting in my wallet being sad. You could take it for a test run and come back with enough event integrity to last you until we graduate Yale."
"Logan, you don't have to do that. I'm already using your private jet and you'll have to pay for another hotel room for me. I can buy my own dress."
"We were using the jet anyway and we've rented out the top floor of one of the Morgan hotels. My suit has multiple rooms and I was hoping you'd just stay there. I haven't actually spent any extra money on you. C'mon you can't ruin a perfectly good trip because you won't wear the correct attire!"
"Alright!" Rory laughed at Logan's insistence. "But if I put a massive dent in your card you have no one to blame but yourself! Who knows what I'll buy with it." Rory added suggestively, hoping she would have the same effect on him that he had on her.
"I will not say a word and pay the bill without judgement or complaint." Logan sputtered out his mind coming up with what exactly she would be buying with his credit card.
"Do you swear on the scotch bottles and Finn's redheads?" Now she was just trying to confuse him.
"Yes!" Logan argued hoping he sounded more convincing then he felt.
"Then you've got yourself a deal!"
"You know, you never answered when you wanted to leave."
"Oh, well I've gotten out of Friday Night Dinner and I can be packed in about two hours or so. Tell Steve 7 pm."
"Ok, I'll pick you up at 6 and I'll tell Colin and Finn to meet us there."
"Ok, I'll see you at six."
"By Ace." With that Logan disconnected the phone wondering what happened in the conversation they just had. It started perfectly innocent but it quickly turned into heavy flirting. If someone else had been listening to the phone call, they would think a couple was planning a spontaneous and romantic getaway. Logan smiled hoping that someday soon they really would be having conversations about romantic getaways and other things that only couples do.
He quickly called Steve to inform him of the takeoff time, called Colin and Finn to tell them the same then he quickly started packing for their trip to Vegas.
Three hours later, Rory, Logan, Colin, and Finn were sitting on the plane preparing for takeoff. Finn and Colin settled into the seats closest to bar and poured himself glasses of scotch for them as they plotted the best way to find as many redheads as possible in the week that they would be there.
Logan had sat down next to Rory who was on the couch along the wall of the plane, reading her book and ignoring tweedle drunk and tweedle enabler who were already on their third glass of scotch. Though Rory was suspecting that Finn was mixing his own drinks because it takes at least five before Colin starts plotting to take over all the fortune 500 companies in one poker game.
"So," Logan started not sure how to break into the conversation he wanted to have. "How'd it go with Lorelai?"
"It went pretty well, considering everything."
"What does that mean exactly?"
"It's a long story."
"It's a long flight."
"It wasn't one of my finer moments and I really don't like talking about it."
"Something has been making you unhappy for a very long time Rory, and I don't like not knowing what it is. I won't judge I promise. I have done so many idiotic things that I have to keep my lawyer on speed dial. Remember the yacht? So, I don't have any room to judge even if I wanted to."
Rory sighed and looked up at Logan, not seeing anything other than concern in his features she launched into the story of her and Dean. "Do you remember Dean? My ex-boyfriend?"
"The guy who dumped you outside your grandparent's house after the Male Yale Party? How could I forget."
"Yeah, well did I ever tell you how we started dating that time around?" When Logan shook his head, she took a deep breath before continuing. "I was having a hard couple of months, it was the end of my freshman year of college and I was feeling cut off from my mom and the town, I hadn't met any real friends at Yale and one of my professors suggested I drop a class because they thought I was overwhelmed with the workload. I went home one and Dean was there, he listened and made me feel cared for. When I returned for the summer after finals Dean and I slept together, but he was married at the time." Rory looked up at Logan after hearing him gasp in shock. "I was the other woman and I ruined his marriage. We dated for a while out of obligation more than anything but when I went back to school we realized how different our lives were, it wasn't going to work but there we were. The problems really began when the town found out. Stars Hollow is really small, a lot nutty and traditional. Most people took Lindsey's side, she's his wife and the town has essentially exiled me. Which has made going home difficult. I'm not allowed in the only grocery store in town and many of the residents call me pretty horrendous things behind my back. They also started some interesting rumours about the two of us. It got to the point where I was dreading going home, I couldn't walk the streets without being worried about who I'd run into and I'd rarely go anywhere alone. Apparently, there was a town meeting about I should be officially exiled and not be allowed to return. That bill wasn't passed but do you have any idea what it's like to be completely shunned by the people who claimed to love you, helped raise you and who you've always considered family." Logan wasn't sure how to respond to the story that Rory had just told him, he knew what it felt like to be unloved but he didn't know what it felt to be told he was loved and cared for only to be tossed out when he did something they didn't agree with.
"Oh, Rory," Logan said sympathetically, he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer. "Does Lorelai know about all of this?"
"She does now." She whispered. Logan could tell that she was trying to control her emotions. He started to rub up and down her arm in a soothing motion hoping it would provide some comfort. "I wasn't sure how to tell her that her friends and people she loved were treating me like crap. So, every time she insisted that I come home I would dread it and would work myself up into a panicking mess, wondering if this was the day I would be tarred and feathered for the whole town to see." Rory took a breath trying to calm down before she finished speaking. When she finally felt she could continue, she did "She was upset at first that I didn't want to come home but she knew that I can't be here and do all of that at the same time. I would have to choose, plus she was the one who would try to be a little more adventurous. She did try one last plea for going home, but she used the tactic of how the townspeople would miss me, that's when I told her what was going on. She was horrified but she admitted that she and Luke threatened the town people so I would have an active role in an upcoming event. But when I told her just how bad things got she told me it was alright, and that she wouldn't make come home as often. I promised her I'd still go back but that it wasn't my home anymore. Dean and his wife claimed the town, and I've been tossed out." Rory laid her head on Logan's shoulder, exhausted from the day and telling the story of how the people of Stars Hollow had been treating her two separate times. Logan pulled her closer hoping that the meager action would make her feel slightly better.
"Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I'll be ok eventually. Right now, I'm just so tired."
"Then sleep. We've got almost four hours until we land."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. You can even use me as a pillow if you want." Logan didn't expect Rory to take him up on it but she started snuggling into his side trying to get comfortable. He decided that it wouldn't hurt if he slept too, and knew that if Rory slept in that position she would be remarkably uncomfortable when she woke. So, he swung his legs up onto the couch and laid down, pulling Rory with him.
He heard a muffled "Thank you, Logan." Come from his side. He grinned and said, "You're welcome."
He thought that she had fallen asleep when she sleepily mumbled, "You'll be here when I wake up?"
"Of course, I will. Where would I go?"
"People have a habit of disappearing. Even if you think there's nowhere for them to go." Logan wondered if she knew that she was saying all of this out loud. He swore that he would do everything to make her believe that he wasn't going anywhere. Logan tightened his grip on Rory, pulling her on top of him. He kissed the top of her head, out of a reflex that he didn't know he even possessed then whispered, "I'll always be here Rory, I promise." After hearing her breathing slow and regulate, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Not that long later, the single stewardess on the plane walked into the area to see if they needed anything. She realized the two hooligans in the back had made themselves well acquainted with the bar so she left them to their own devices. When she noticed the couple sleeping on the couch she smiled to herself then went to find a blanket to drape over them. She thought that they looked like an adorable couple who were very much in love. Always being a hopeless romantic, she smiled wishing them the best of luck then got back to work.
Logan, Colin, Finn, and Rory had been in Vegas for a few days. They had taken in the many sights that Las Vegas had to offer. Much to Rory's shock she and Logan had headed straight to the hotel and gotten a full nights rest before taking Vegas by storm, much to Colin and Finn's dismay. They started the next morning by bailing the next to out of jail. The morons had snuck backstage at a Celine Dion show then somehow managed to break the windshield of the police cruiser of the officer that had dragged them out of the venue.
The days continued in that fashion, gambling, drinking, and being ever present in the roaring nightlife. At one point, they went on a tour of Red Rock Canyon. Logan thought it might be wise to get Finn out of the city for a few hours before he could have himself banned from another city.
When Rory got out of bed Tuesday morning she went into the kitchen to find Colin and Logan trying to wake a very hungover Finn.
"Morning boys."
"Morning" Colin said as he started mixing the grossest concoction she's ever seen.
"What the hell is that?" She gestured at the mixture.
"That," Logan said coming up behind her. "Is the only thing that can get Finn up after the night that we had last night. Good morning Ace. How are you feeling?"
"I'll be better once I have a boatload of coffee. Can I put the entire bag of coffee in the pot and still get coffee? I think I went a little overboard last night. I could use a taco."
"I think you'd be better qualified to tell us if you'd get coffee out of that Ace. But why do you need a taco?"
"It's the best hangover food ever."
"If you insist," Logan said picking up the hotel phone.
"Who are you calling?"
"Room service. I'm getting you tacos."
"Logan-" Colin smiled at the interaction between the two, he knew that his friend had fallen for the brunette and that she felt the same towards him but neither of them were doing anything about it. He was hoping that this week would finally get those two together. The brigade event was perfect, it wasn't major, it was just an elaborate party. They had rented out a part of the Bellagio Casino and we're going to have a live band. It wouldn't be nearly as chaotic as their other events. He just hoped that it would push Rory and Logan to finally putting everyone out of their misery and get together.
Once Finn had awoken, the coffee drank and the taco's consumed the conversation shifted to the plans for the day.
"So, boys, what are the plans for today?"
"We plan on going to the Stratosphere today," Colin said a little non-committedly.
"COLIN!" Finn hollered, at everyone's confused expression he waved around the gin bottle that he found. He had managed to get drunk after being awake for only five minutes. "You cannot sound so bored by the Stratosphere! It's, wait for it, LEGENDARY! Come on! The events Thursday and we fly back Friday and today is Tuesday and we have more clubs to hit. You cannot say you have been to Vegas without visiting the Stratosphere. They have rides thousands of feet in the air! You can ride them totally plastered and no one would notice! The last time I was here there was a bevy of redheads for me to choose from at that singular casino! So, we must get there or else we did not really go to Vegas!"
"You guys go. I'd like to see something other than a casino today."
"No! Love you have to come! Or else you won't believe how legendary it truly is!"
"Yeah, Ace, come."
"Guys, I need air and light. I'm not a werewolf like you three."
"The Stratosphere isn't just a casino. There are multiple pools that are outside, it has its own shopping mall inside so you could take my black card for that test drive and it has this garden that isn't that big but I'm sure you could find a good tree to read under."
"Ok fine. But I'm using your black card then I'll be reading in that garden you mentioned."
Four hours later Rory was testing out Logan's black card in the tower shops in the Stratosphere hotel. Rory had found a cute little store and decided to splurge on a few items that were normally way out of her price range. She was about to go into some of the novelty and souvenir shops when she ran into the three musketeers leaving the exit of the Sky Jump, she couldn't figure why anyone would willingly fling themselves off a building and fall over 800 feet then be shot back up by a bungee cord. No thanks. But, it did not shock her at all that those three wanted to do it.
"LOVE!" Finn's yelling got her attention and she waved at them before being yanked into a hug. "Oh! You missed it, Love! It was legendary! We rode the Big Shot, which takes you up 160 feet, then drops you, then we got on insanity which tilts you towards the ground then spins you around 900 feet off the ground, then we topped it all off with a bungee jump, which was the best of all! I jumped holding a banner that told the world just how much I love redheads, and on my way up I kissed a lovely redhead that was standing near the platform."
"Of course, you did Finn!" Rory laughed knowing that most of what he said was complete bullshit. "Did you guys really go on all those rides?"
"Yes, we did! We aren't members of the Life and Death Brigade for nothing!" Logan exclaimed, she raised her eyebrows, unable to tell if he was hyped up on adrenaline or liquid courage.
"I don't understand why anyone would want to put themselves through that," Rory said, shaking her head.
"Because it's fun!" Colin exclaimed almost jumping up and down in front of her.
"Oh, I know!" Logan began, making Rory groan. She knew that he had just come up with some crazy scheme again. "Rory should come on the next ride with us!"
Before Rory had a chance to object Finn decided that this was the best idea that he'd ever heard. "Love! That would be amazing! Yes, you definitely should come with us! It would make the night even more legendary."
"Come on Ace. I promise not to let anything happen to you." Rory jokingly rolled her eyes at Logan's persuasiveness.
"Oh, all right." Rory had barely gotten the words out before being led off in the direction of the X-Scream.
Rory, Logan, Colin, and Finn were standing on the platform next to the X-Scream ride. There wasn't anyone else around and she had a feeling that Logan had something to do with that. At the moment, she could care less that he rented out the thrill rides for the afternoon, or whatever he did, she was more focused on the ride in front of her. The entire thing looked like a massive teeter-totter that was balanced on the edge of a building almost 900 feet up.
"There is no way in hell that I am getting on that."
"Oh, come on Rory," Logan said, not that shocked that she backed out but really wanted her to give it a shot. "It's a thrill, it's an adventure and it is one hell of a story to tell."
"I don't need a thrill. I'm perfectly fine being thrill and adventureless."
"I think you do."
"No, I really don't."
"But, that, that, it's dangerous." Her argument was flat and she knew it but she couldn't figure out a better one at the moment.
"So is riding in your car, so is walking around campus at night, and it sounds like your picturesque little town can be dangerous when it feels like it."
"That's a low blow."
"You're probably right but you need a little more adventure. How do you expect to become a foreign correspondent if you can't get on a roller coaster?"
"Those two things are not related."
"Yes, they are. You need to get out and do some things that are out of your comfort zone. Do something stupid, and something bad for you. If you want to be great and be fearless you need to live. This is the doorway to getting you to live. Every minute you stand here is one more minute that you haven't lived." Logan saw that he was getting through to Rory, but he decided to go for one last push. "C'mon Ace. Please don't make me rehash all the reporters that got involved and didn't just passively observe again. The fact that they got involved made their reporting more authentic and made them stick out. But, you know all this already. So, are you ready to experience some adventure with me?" He held out his hand waiting and hoping that she would take it. After a minute of hesitating, she took his hand and let him pull her forward.
"I'm ready Jack." She said as he pulled her towards the ride.
Before they had a chance to get in the ride attendant looked at Rory in such a way that made Logan want to punch the guy out and made Rory remarkably uncomfortable. The guy smiled in a creepy manner then said, "And if you still don't want to go on, we can ditch Mr. President and his secret service and you can ride with me. I'll even let you hold my hand."
"No. I like the company I've got." Rory yelled before turning back to Logan, who possessed a look of fury that shocked her.
"What?" Logan spoke calmly but deeply. "Did you think that even though she was clearly with a group of her friends that if you charmed her you'd get a shot and it would be that simple? She wasn't looking for anything other than a good time with us," Logan said gesturing to him and the boys. "Now we would like to go on the ride, is that possible?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure." Rory and Logan went to get in the car and while they were arguing about whether or not to sit in the front seat or further back, Finn and Colin walked over to the ride attendant to have a few words with him. "You know," Finn started "That girl isn't just a friend, she is more like a sister. So, it is our job to put assholes like you in their place. She deserves someone so much better than a jackass like you anyway."
Before Colin had a chance, Rory yelled from her spot near the X-Scream, "Boys! Stand down! I appreciate it but you guys don't need to be my personal security team. Now, let's go."
The four of them piled into the ride care, Colin and Finn up front with Logan and Rory in the next row. "Oh my god, we're really high."
"Meh, I've been higher."
"Logan!"
"Relax, Ace. It's fine. Hundreds of people ride this ride every week and none of them have died. At least from this ride. Do you really think I would let you anywhere near it let alone try and get you on it if I thought it was dangerous?"
"No, I trust you, Logan," Rory said without any hesitation
"Ok, then let's do this." Rory nodded her agreement when the ride started up.
The ride lurched backward, tipping the whole contraption down, then the track lifted up propelling the car forward so it would dangle off the track nearly a thousand feet up. The way the wind rushed by her ears and the way it seemed the car would go hurtling towards the ground but stop just before you were certain it would fall, leaving her suspended there. It all gave her a thrill that she had never experienced before and she really couldn't wait to experience again.
Logan helped pull her out of the ride on shaky legs. She tripped and fell as she tried getting out of the car, and Logan caught her before she could land on the ground. He held onto her and helped her regain her balance, even when she was successfully stabilized, he didn't let go. "How're you feeling Ace?" Logan grinned, knowing that she was high on adrenaline.
"That was amazing! It was absolutely terrifying but I've never experienced anything like it!" Rory said, breathless.
Logan laughed at her exuberance, "I'm glad you liked it!"
"It was a once in a lifetime experience!" Logan smiled wondering if she knew that she repeated the line she used when they jumped off the scaffolding, or if it just slipped out.
"Only if you want it to be," Logan said running his thumb along her chin. He nearly leaned down to kiss her when she smiled at him. Finn, unfortunately, chose that moment to make his presence known.
"Huntz! Stop making out with Reporter Girl and help me! I just saw the most beautiful redhead and I'm absolutely certain she's my soul mate! Our love will be legendary!" Finn then ran out leaving an embarrassed Rory and amused Logan on the roof.
"Let's go help him before he breaks into someone's room and gets us all banned from Vegas." Rory laughed as Logan pulled her along after Finn.
"He really is one of a kind, isn't he?"
"He's definitely something. Now hurry up." The two then went to restrict Finn to mild harassment instead of breaking and entering and anything else he could do that would get them all arrested.
The next few days flew by in a whirlwind of mayhem. Rory and the boys caught up with the rest of the LDB on Wednesday and when Stephanie found out that Logan was insisting that Rory use his AmEx to purchase an outfit for the party, she took that as an opportunity to get Rory to agree to a shopping spree. Unknown to Rory and Logan, Finn, Colin Steph and Rosemarie decided they had enough and were determined to get the two of them together before the week was out. Stephanie was in charge of making Rory look amazing while the guys were in charge of making Logan see reason.
Steph took her role a little too seriously and she had insisted that Colin steal Logan's tux so that he was forced to get ready in Colin's room. Steph wanted Rory to have some privacy and she didn't want Logan to see Rory before they had the finished product. She had kept telling Colin that if there wasn't a big reveal, the effect wouldn't be the same, and if Logan didn't properly see Rory he might never come to his senses.
This was how Logan found himself walking back to his suit after getting dressed for the party.
When he reached the room, he decided to knock on the door even though he had a key. After a moment, the door swung open and there was Rory looking in stunning in a dark blue gown with sweetheart neckline and off the shoulder straps. The top was decorated with sequins in lace making her sparkle and the slit that ran up the front was what Logan's eyes finally bug right out of his.
Rory grinned knowing that he was checking her out. "Well, how do I look?"
Logan was too shocked to answer until her voice made its way through his foggy brain and he realized she was asking him something. "What?"
Rory laughed, having never seen Logan speechless before it gave her a thrill knowing she was the one who made him like this. "I asked if you like how I look." She smiled knowing exactly what he thought.
"You look absolutely amazing Ace. Just gorgeous." He extended his elbow to her hoping that she'd take it. "Are you ready to go?"
"With you, absolutely."
Logan led Rory out of the suite down to the ballroom and attached casino floor where the party was being held. He noted that in the past few days their flirting had gotten bolder and much more deliberate, he hoped that this was a positive thing.
The two spent their night having fun in the way that only brigaders and the seriously rich knew how. They drank, they partied, they gambled (more Logan then Rory). The night was winding down and Rory and Logan were locked in an embrace on the dance floor swaying softly.
Logan looked down at Rory and smiled, she looked so happy smiling up at him and he knew that he wanted to spend as much as she would allow, putting that look on her face.
"Ace, have I told you that you look absolutely beautiful in that dress," Logan said as he rubbed the lace that wrapped around the bodice and back of her dress
"You haven't used those exact words but you said something similar." Both were whispering almost afraid that if they spoke louder, they'd ruin the moment.
"Well it's true, amazing, gorgeous, beautiful, breathtaking, all of those words can be used to describe you." He took a breath before continuing "Do you remember how I was acting strange when we were going on the X-Scream the other day."
"Do I remember? Of course, I do, it was like you kept swapping personalities."
"There was a reason behind that."
"Oh, do tell."
"Well, I want you to be more adventurous, and I want you to live and I really want to be the one to help you do that."
"Ok? That's sweet and you're right. So, why were you acting so protective?"
"I don't like the idea of you being in dangerous situations and I don't like the idea of other men hitting on you. I wanted to protect you."
"It was a thrill ride, the scariest thrill ride that I've ever seen but a ride none the less. Plus, that guy was just flirting, I wasn't flirting back and I certainly wasn't going to take him up on it. Why did you feel the need to protect me?"
"It's just-" Logan impulsively leaned down and kissed her. Rory was shocked at first but then she leaned into the kiss and deepened it. They stood there, kissing in the middle of the dance floor until oxygen became necessary. When they broke apart Logan rested his forehead on hers before he began to speak. "I've never felt this way about anyone. I can't stop thinking about you. I do know that I want to spend more time with you and that I don't want you to see any other guys or for me to see other girls. I want us to be together."
"Logan Huntzberger, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"
"Yes, I believe I am."
"Are you sure though? You're used to being able to have whoever throws themselves at you, could you handle turning that down. I can't be one of the many Logan."
"I would never ask you too. I stopped screwing around more than a month ago. I've been turning people down so I could prove to you that I could be your boyfriend. Ask Colin if you don't believe me." Rory chuckled at the last comment he made. He sounded desperate and decided to put the man out of his misery by kissing him again. When they broke apart he asked, "Is that a yes?"
"It's a yes." Logan wrapped Rory in a tight hug and picked her up and spun her around making her laugh. "Well, now what?" He asked he wasn't sure if his normal next move would be appropriate.
"Why don't you take me upstairs and show me why you've got the reputation of being the great playboy of Yale." She said suggestively.
"You sure?" He knew that it wouldn't take much before he took her back to their suite and he acted out some of his fantasies with her. But he wanted to make sure.
"Absolutely." She drawled making Logan grab her hand and drag her out of the ballroom towards the elevators, her giggling the whole way.
Neither noticed Colin, Finn, and Steph in the corner watching the whole scene.
"It's about bloody time." Finn loudly stated making Steph jump.
"You're right you drunk moron, it really," Colin said.
"At least one of you guys finally got your act together," Stephanie added grinning at her success and her friend's happiness but walked away still annoyed that Colin didn't seem to care.
"I think that ones on you mate," Finn said to Colin watching Stephanie walk away.
"Aw damn, it," Colin said as he raced after Steph.
Finn laughed, he knew that Logan and Rory would be together forever, he could feel it in his gut. He always believed magical things happened in Vegas and this took the cake. He couldn't wait to tell the world that the legendary Logan and Rory started in the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas.
The story would be nearly as amazing as the couple themselves.
In a word, legendary.
AN: Are you still there? Did you survive that? I always thought that the show kind of brushed over the fallout from the Dran fiasco. With as gossipy as Stars Hollow was they would have had a field day with something like that.
I hope you all liked it!
Review if you please!