And The One in My Heart
by Krisleigh Cronkhite

(Insert witty and obviously desperate disclaimer here to get across both the fact that I don't own anything below except the story idea and the fact that I'm probably unstable.)

She wasn't his Ace anymore.

(break)

His left hand was shoved in his pocket when she opened the door. He nodded at her greeting and made his way into the pool house. He'd been avoiding her for over a week. Ten days and four hours.

He had been successful.

"Is something wrong?" she questioned sweetly, obliviously, naïvely. He briefly wondered if she was her again.

One look into her eyes and he knew she wasn't. She wasn't his Ace anymore. Hadn't been for a long time.

So they spent minutes that felt like hours in silence before she questioned again.

"Are you okay?" Her face washed over with worry and eager wonder, blatantly declaring what he'd already deducted.

Logan shook his head, beginning to pace. He was really, really confused, despite the fact that he knew exactly what he was thinking and exactly what he was doing.

She grabbed his hand, pulling him to face her, "What's wrong?" Her head tilted slightly to the left as she spoke and shadows danced over the obvious emotions on her face.

He tried to remove his hand from hers, but she simply twined her fingers into his. After waiting for the answer she didn't receive, she moved her lips to his, pressing herself against him and making her intentions known.

Logan pulled back, feeling as if she were taking advantage. "Damnit, Rory! Stop it!"

Both his hands moved to his hair, running through the locks in frustration.

Her confusion was obvious, "Did I do something?"

He tensed so suddenly that he could feel himself shaking as his movements became jerky.

"I can't do this anymore," he finally relayed.

She looked at him, pained and confused, her chin dimpled in anticipation of sobs as she choked out, "Can't do what?"

He threw his hands toward her, acting as if it should've been obvious. "This! Watching you throw everything away because of one asshole's word!"

"I'm not," she wiped at a tear. "I'm just taking a break. And he's not just some asshole, he's your dad," she continued, tripping over her words.

Logan took a deep breath, calming himself. "I can't be with you."

The tears started falling more readily with the affirmation. "I want to be with you," she choked out, her entire face crumbling.

"I don't. I don't want to be with someone who's a completely different person than the one I met." She sighed, "You aren't Ace or Rory, your Lorelai Gilmore III." He avoids looking at her, "I have to go."

With that, he turned and left.

She hurried to the bedroom, pacing the room before she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

She began to dial the familiar number but stopped halfway through. She hit the end button and just stood, looking at a picture of herself and Logan.

She picked up the picture and dropped it in the wastebasket before beginning to dial again. Three rings and the other end picked up, "Hello?"

She crumbled to the floor, her back against the footboard of her bed, "Mommy?"

(break)

Krisleigh Cronkhite wrote this on October 8, 2005 because her parents kicked her out and she hates them.