Rory walked away from the coffee cart with a smile on her face as she heard Logan call "eyes on the road!" after her. She couldn't help but think about how the ways in which he had looked out for her and tried to get her attention over the past few weeks in an effort to win her back.
There were the flowers. Which he had to have known would just die. Rory Gilmore did not have any sort of "green thumb". The chocolate. Which was smarter, and obviously quickly consumed. She's not really sure what he was even thinking when he sent the fancy fruit. Like when has he ever known her to consume fruit? The candles were okay. But a girl can have enough candles. The books were more thoughtful and personal. Much less likely to just be an old standby from trying to win other girls over. The coffee cart was thoughtful, genius and annoying at the same time. There was this guy running around after her everywhere, all day. On the other hand, she did have whatever coffee she wanted, whenever she wanted, all day. The real cherry on top though was his showing up at her apartment with a box of doughnuts and a letter from her mother.
A letter which he remained (and will continue to) oblivious of the contents of. Said letter, containing her mother's guidance lead her to deciding to agree to go to dinner with Logan and give him another chance. The fact that he went to her mother and obviously did something to convince her to write the letter, meant more than any of the other gifts. It meant he knew how special Lorelai was to her and that he couldn't just buy back her affection and all would be forgotten. Since then, he was always waiting at the coffee cart with coffee ready right when she needed it and they had finally agreed on a time for their reunion date. Although she had left him to squirm for quite a while, she was really happy to be going on this date and had missed him. More than she would care to admit. Or would likely ever admit to him. So as she walked away she happily looked forward to the future and the reparation of their relationship.
Thursday finally rolled around quickly as Rory continued to deal with the craziness of Paris, the paper, school and her family. She enjoyed a nice lunch and familiar banter with her mother before telling her about her date with Logan and as she did, she remained apprehensive of the reaction her mother would have. After all, Lorelai was never Logan's biggest fan. She could tell when she announced it to her mother there was some worry and uncertainty radiating off of Lorelai but chose to ignore it as she recognized her mother was trying to be supportive.
As they discussed the date and the issues with her grandparents they headed back towards Rory's apartment she shared with Paris, which her mother liked infinitely less than Logan. However, before leaving she had her mom help her pick out her "getting back together with Logan" outfit for her "back together with Logan" date. They ended up settling on a simple but classy brown dress and a white cardigan so that she looked good, could go somewhere nice but could also be slightly more casual if need be. As they struggled through the choices Rory was very glad to have her mother's help, as she wouldn't have been able to do it on her own. Lorelai just had an eye for these things and apparently it was not genetic.
As the day wore on and dinner approached, Rory became more and more anxious about not hearing back on her latest submission to the Yale Daily News. She decided to get ready early and head over there before her date so that she could check in and clear it all up. When she got there however, she was a little shocked by how bad things were. She knew people were unhappy with Paris but didn't expect things to escalate so quickly. After talking to Bill and then Paris, she found out how truly bleak things were. Immediately snapping into "fix it" mode, Rory began barking out orders and trying to remedy it.
As everyone began to pitch in and work towards getting the paper out, the date that had previously occupied all of her thoughts, was completely forgotten. She ran around the newsroom putting out fires (obviously not literally) and taking command to ensure that everything got done. She really felt for Joni trying to write an opinion piece on hand blowers in the bathrooms and she'd try to do it herself if there wasn't so much other stuff to do, like talking the printer out of giving away their printing time. She managed to dodge that bullet only to come across Bill being a pain in her ass and playing with a yo-yo.
It was only after telling him off and putting him to work that Logan walked in and all the thoughts of their date came flooding back. She immediately was filled with regret, remorse and guilt and explained to Logan what was happening with Paris' meltdown, the printer and the paper, "…And D-Day the paper came out and I forgot. I'm sorry," she explained.
She couldn't help but notice the ever-present smirk on Logan's face throughout her ranting explanation of the struggles at the Yale Daily News. "I can't believe you didn't call me" was his only response. "I know, but it's just paper stuff." "I know, I'm on the paper," he pointed out. "You hate it here," Rory said simply. "So what? I know this crap backwards and forwards, I can't believe you didn't even think to call me," Logan said taking in everything happening in the newsroom. "Well… I'm sorry I just didn't think you were interested" Rory said a little surprised by his reaction, while still noticing for the first time how in his element he suddenly was. His glancing around the newsroom could almost be seen as sizing it up and figuring out where his first commands should be directed. "Well then I guess you don't know everything, now, do you. So come on what have you got here?" Logan asked with his continued smirk. "Well this is an article on Greenspan" Rory explained, "He gave an interview with all this technical economic jargon". "I know the jargon, I'll take this" Logan assured her. "Are these proofed?" he asked pointing to the other papers in her hands. "Yeah, but they're not typed in yet" she told him. "I'll do that, it'll be faster. I type 90 words a minute," Logan said nonchalantly. "You do?" Rory asked incredulously. "You really only did like me for my looks, huh?" Logan responded teasing her. He helped her sort out the rest of her concerns on content with assurance of banked articles and robbing Peter to pay Paul, and providing advice on getting better work out of the staff. As Logan began to head to his desk he turned to Bill with a stern voice and face saying, "get that yo-yo off the floor. Somebody's going to break their neck". Bill suddenly had the look of a guilty child and did as he was told.
As Rory watched Logan walk off to his desk she couldn't help but be filled with pride. Logan may not enjoy being on or working at the paper the way she did, or the way his father hoped, but the business was clearly in his veins. In their crisis he helped Rory immensely by taking all the work that was in her hands from her allowing her to assist in other areas and giving her someone she could count on. In doing that he was able to help her calm down a little and provide comfort. He also, whether he realized it or not took on more leadership and had a commanding presence that Rory had not seen from him before, at least not in this kind of serious situation. She couldn't help but smirk at how very Mitchum it was and how much he would hate to have that pointed out. She decided to hold on to that tidbit to tease him with later.
As things began to really come down to the wire, Rory primarily worked with Logan to finalize the edition and it's content while the remaining staff stood by helping where they could. "Did we verify the Dean of Admissions quote?" Rory asked. "Twice" Logan told her. "How we doing on time?" he asked. "uhh… bad" was all Bill said. Rory noticed the frustrated look on Logan's face as he asked, "more specifically?" "Ten minutes" Sheila told him nervously. "We'll make it!" Rory assured them, but not fully believing her own words. "We will make it" Logan agreed and Rory knew this was mostly directed at her to try and calm her, "Spelling on names. Cheevers name, C-H…" "E-E-V-E-R-S" Joni supplied. "Sure about the double 'E's?" Logan asked. "Not at all" she told him. "Two 'E's it is" he said typing, as time became more important than the possibility of a small, fixable spelling error, "Ok and I'm done". "Close out", Rory told him. "I'll cut and paste it to the finally copy" with hope that just maybe they would make it after all. "Closing out! Wow!" Logan exclaimed leaning back and slightly into Rory, "So that's what hard work feels like, apparently I've been avoiding it for a reason" and the smirk was back. "You in Ace?" "I'm in. Proceeding with the cut and paste now," she told them all. Distantly she was aware of the phone ringing but assumed someone else could handle answering it. Suddenly she was more aware of Logan chuckling to himself, "Oh man!" "Why are you smiling?" she asked him before turning back to the computer. "I'm just thinking of the hundreds of different ways you owe me for this" he said continuing to laugh slightly. "I owe you nothing", she assured him. "You did this for the greater good, the glory of the paper" "For a foot message…" he suggested teasing. A.K. was standing near by and felt the need to cut in asking how close she was and trying to get them back on track. She told him she was close when Bill cut in telling them they'd lost their printing time.
As she began to melt down, Logan became very serious and pensive. He quickly got up and told her to keep typing. "Type!" he told her while grabbing the phone from Bill. "Well I guess you'll be talking now…" Bill muttered. "Go away Bill" Logan said bringing the hone to his ear. "Hey! Who am I speaking with?" he began. "Russell, I'm Logan Huntzberger…Yes, those Huntzbergers," he said as he sent Rory a wink. "It's great speaking with you too…I hear there's a problem with our printing time? Uh huh… No, I completely understand. The first thing I learned from my father was that there's no paper unless it gets to the printer on time…Yes, he's quite a legend my father. I'd love to introduce you to him sometime. Anyway, Russell the thing is we actually sent the issue to you already… Oh… Yes, at least 15 minutes ago. Now if you're having a problem with your server, we shouldn't be penalized for that, right? Yeah, it should be in the system right now. Sure. Go check…" Rory quickly panics and begins gesturing to him to draw it out and buy her a bit more time. Logan obliges saying, "but before you do, if you could spell your name for me, I want to have the correct pronunciation when I speak with my father. Uh-huh, Russell. Damn! My pen broke. Hold on. I'm looking for a pen." Logan looks incredulously at the people offering him a pen, seeming unaware that he doesn't really want one and is stalling. "I'm looking for a pen. Looking for a pen." He trails off looking at Rory. "Almost there" she tells him. "Okay. I found a pen. Here we go. What's your name?... 'Russell Smith.' Okay I didn't really need a pen for that one, now, did I? Okay, Russell Smith, if you go to your computer," Logan begins to speak slower and draw out his words and the sentence, "I am definitely, absolutely sure that you will turn it on and you will see that we, The Yale Daily News, have successfully completed our mission and sent to you our e-mail containing the latest issue of the…" he looks up and sees Rory has hit send and returns to speaking normally, "it's all there, man". There is a long pause and Rory can't handle the anticipation and not knowing what's happening.
She asks Logan what's happening and then suddenly Logan beings talking again and says, "You got it? All right, great. It's been great speaking with you, too. I'll tell my father, bye". He turns to everyone else, arms outstretched, and yells, "And that's how we do it at the Daily News!" Everyone begins cheering but Rory ceases to notice and quickly jumps up and into his outstretched arms with a huge smile on her face. As they hug each other and Logan puts her back down, they're too wrapped up in each other and their emotions to pay any attention to Paris' congratulatory speech taking credit for what Rory and Logan just pulled off.
The newsroom quickly begins to clear out, as everyone is exhausted. "So, I'm just saying when that giant asteroid heads toward Earth, I want you in that fighter jet!" Rory tells him still trying to catch her breath as she's filled with adrenaline. "Thanks for the vote of confidence" he tells her smiling with a hint of surprise. "You saved my ass." "Infinitely worth saving," Logan assures her with a teasing smirk still present. "Thank you," Rory says seriously. "You're welcome" he responds becoming more serious. Suddenly all the emotions and adrenaline of the evening catch up with Rory and she leans in, puts one hand on the side of his neck pulling him towards her and captures his lips in a kiss. He quickly responds putting one hand on her upper back and the other on her waist. It's not a long kiss but enough that she's able to convey some of her emotions and further her thank you.
When she pulls away, he continues to hold her to him by her arms and she rests her hands on his chest. "So I'm sorry we didn't get our dinner," she says apologetically. "We didn't?" he asks looking at her with a hint of almost confusion. She simply shakes her head wondering where his mind is at, since they'd clearly been at the YDN all night and obviously didn't have dinner. "Huh…" he continues and begins to walk towards his desk. He then opens up the bottom drawer of the desk and to her great surprise pulls out a paper bag, "I thought that we did," he said. He then continues to pull out a candle, two wine glasses and some wine before helping her into her chair and handing her food. "Boy when you're on…" she trails off with a huge smile, extremely impressed that he managed to prepare this during the craziness they experienced earlier.
They then proceed to sit at their desks together eating and talking, catching up and sharing stories from the months that they were apart. During this time Rory can't help but notice how integral a part of her life he had really become before the split without her realizing. But really, she thought, it made sense; especially with the time she spent not speaking with her mom that they were together. During that time he became her best friend, well one of them. The person she talked about everything with and that watched movies or discussed books or music with her. She became acutely aware of how much she had really missed the relationship that they had, and the role he fulfilled in her life.
She noticed that Logan had stopped talking and was just staring at her. "What?" she asked, "do I have something in my teeth?" "I was wondering the same thing, Ace. You were staring at me kind of funny" he told her chuckling. She laughed a little and said, "No, No. I was just thinking about you and me." "Uh oh…" Logan said looking serious again. "No, it's nothing bad" she assured him. "I was just thinking that I had missed my best friend," she said with a smile. "Well best friend other than Lane and mom" she added. Logan just smiled and said, "Well I'm honoured to be considered at the same level as Lorelai and Lane," only slightly teasing. "Logan! I'm being serious," she reprimanded. "So was I Ace" he responded. "So is that you're way of saying you didn't miss me at all? I mean, we talked about books and movies and music and spent so much time together..," At this Logan gave her a look slightly resembling a suggestive leer. "And then when we spent that time apart it was gone and I was so busy being mad at you, especially after Thanksgiving and my conversation with Honour," at this she gave him a very pointed look and his turned to one of guilt and shame. "I didn't realize until recently how much I had missed your presence in my life" she finished with a sigh. Logan smiled at her softly now and said, "me too, Ace. Me too. Much as I love Colin and Finn, things just weren't the same without you in my life. I realized the minute I walked out the restaurant door those many months ago what a mistake I had made but my pride and memory of your anger kept me from going back in there. I'm sorry," he finished softly. He then leaned over and kissed her softly, tenderly but full of emotion and love.
They pulled apart after a couple of minutes. "You want to get out of here and go to my place?" he asked. "I promise to be a perfect gentleman. We can just sleep or we can talk some more, whatever you'd prefer but you look exhausted and it's close by and it's Paris free" he added when she quirked her eye brow at him. She deliberated for a moment and then said, "Yeah, let's go." They cleaned up, grabbed their stuff and headed out the door, turning out the lights behind them.
As they walked hand in hand Rory thought again about the way that Logan handled himself in the newsroom that night and that she couldn't help but notice he was so in his element. However, she decided that she'd tell him tomorrow how proud and thankful she was. He may not want to embrace the "Huntzberger destiny", but Rory was beginning to see how very much a part of him the business really was. And she had no doubts he would excel when his father finally gave him some space and trust. For now though, she pushed Mitchum from her thoughts and focused on the happiness they had together and how much she had missed his warm, comforting embrace and presence. For Rory, this was more than enough. Just them. Together again. As they should be.