Turning from the frozen foods section to aisle 12 was possibly not Rory Huntzberger's greatest idea. She had meant to skip aisle 12 and go on to 13, but for some reason she chose to take a risk and see what aisle 12 had in store for her. What it had was a random package cart of brand new boxes of mac and cheese that she failed to notice. In less than three seconds her cart collided with it, resulting in a clutter of blue and gold boxes scattered around the tiled floor.

"Are you kidding me?" Rory shook her head and reminded herself of her clutz-esque nature. Just as she was bending over to pick them up, two blonde haired forearms joined in.

"Way to create a mess. You're lucky I actually need these."

Rory turned her head and saw her scruffy husband smirking as he piled boxes into his arms.

"Yeah, me too." Rory looked around, surveying the area of any possible onlookers who could've been chuckling in her inconvenience.

"Don't worry. I'm the only martyr. The rest of them were laughing too hard to stay."

Rory picked up the remaining boxes and threw them in her cart, embarrassed even though Logan was blatantly kidding. He neatly stacked the boxes in his cart full of more stacks of frozen pizzas and laughed to himself. He liked the fact that Rory had turned red even though she knew he was kidding. She was still embarrassed that even he saw.

"So what are you doing here, Logan?"

"I decided that going out to eat was getting annoying. Well, the boys were sick of it."

It had been three weeks now since Logan's first couple of nights in his new place, and he was still without anything in his cabinets. He managed to buy more movies and video games for the boys (and himself), but food never came up. Neither did Rory after that one night three weeks ago. Logan would wait in the lobby on every Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Rory would double park the car in front and get them set with backpacks and suitcases. She'd kiss them goodbye and promise to call them later while both would plead with her to take them back home, but then she'd open the lobby door for them and they'd see their father. Running straight into his open arms, they would forgot about wanting to go home and start rambling on about what their father missed in the past day since they talked on the phone. Logan would call every night when they weren't with him strictly at four, right around when they'd get home from school. They always knew it was him and they would answer. Rory would do the same when they were at Logan's. Logan would drive the kids to school on Tuesdays while Rory would pick them up. It was a cycle that was getting to be comfortable, but somewhat weird since Logan and Rory hadn't had any communication in three weeks except by a "sorry" hallmark card Logan sent home with the boys after the first week.

"This is weird." Rory always felt as though she needed to point out the obvious.

"I know. This shouldn't be weird, should it?"

"No, this should be weird." The fact that they had separate carts was a major factor.

"Well, not really." Logan knew that this couldn't continue, "Rory, we're getting a divorce. I really don't want to end up being those parents who never talk and always feel awkward when they're forced to. Divorce is not necessarily a good thing, but we've come to a solid ground, right? Those awkward ex-spouses are those who didn't come to a solid ground. We need to be the divorcees who are friends. I know it's going to be weird, but we need to have it not weird. It'll be better that way for Jack and Chuck, as well as you and me."

Rory contemplated the thought and agreed with Logan. She didn't want Jack and Chuck to think that they hated each other and she didn't want that either. She didn't want to think Logan hated her and that she hated him. At a time, she did, but they already discussed it to be a past feeling, not present.

"So you'd like us to be friends?"

"Yeah, like as if I was a girl and you were a guy. And we'll do friend things."

"Like what? Shopping?"

"Well, yeah. Here: we're shopping. Let's shop."

Logan led the way through the rest of aisle 12 with Rory right in tow.

"How've you been?" said Logan in attempts to break the awkward silence which was a result from thinking at how they were going to do this. They never really had a decent conversation in the past year.

"Good."

"Yeah, that's what the boys said."

Rory smiled politely thinking of how loyal her little boys were. The truth was that she was not 'good'. She was getting by the best she could. She got a brand new car since Logan picked her old one out. She removed all the pictures from the house. She avoided calls from her mother (well, basically everyone). The boys would sleep with her every night to make her not feel so alone. She was a wreck. Chuck had caught on to Rory crying one day while she was sitting on the couch sifting through movies in a box (trying to find Logan's favorite so it could be disposed of).

"Mommy, what are you doing?"

Rory wiped her tears and tightened her robe. "I'm just looking for something. Would you like to help me?"

"Sure." Charlie annunciated and extended the first syllable.

"You know Dad's favorite movie. I'm going to need it."

"Why? Wanna watch it?"

"Definitely not," Rory mumbled. She remembered how she was once again being hypocritical since she told the boys to not mumble. "No."

"Why are you going crazy?"

"What?"

"Jack said you're going crazy." Charlie giggled.

"Jack!" Rory called out for her older son to try to set the record straight with their growing minds. Jack walked out of the playroom nonchalantly. "So Jack, you told your brother I'm going crazy?"

"Well, you are." Charlie moved the box of movies with his foot and shuffled backwards towards Rory, positioned himself in front of her intending to be lifted on her lap. She complied.

"I'm not. I'm just sad."

"Did Dad make you sad?"

"Yes," thought Rory, but she knew it was her own fault as well. "No, Jack. But do not mention that I'm sad to your father. Don't tell him. That goes for you too, Charles."

The boys nodded in agreement and Jack stuck out his pinky.

"Pinky square, Mom." Rory had to laugh.

"Pinky swear." Rory linked her pinky in his.

"I don't swear. You swear. A lot."

Rory pulled Jack into her and kissed his dirty blonde hair.

She was in love with her sons and always was thankful that Logan forgot to strap up the two times she wasn't on birth control. Logan looked on inquisitively at her and she stepped back into the supermarket reality.

"So Logan, how have you been?"

"Stupendous."

"That is...Stupendous. You know the boys said exactly that- that word."

"Yeah? I'm finally showing up little by little in them. If they didn't have my hair, I would've asked for a paternity test." Rory had to smile. It was a running joke when Jack and eventually Charlie were born since they used to have brown hair and later on when they didn't really have any of his characteristics. Rory noticed their similarities but the joke was still a saving grace in small talk. Logan noticed as well, but didn't want Rory to look into the fact that the boys used his same word.

The truth was that Logan was a wreck as well. He ended up "accidentally" breaking the Willy Wonka movie after he decided to watch it by himself one day and ended up tearing. He stayed in sweats and a t-shirt all day. He also would only go commando since all of his boxers were bought by Rory and he was simply too lazy to go get new ones. As weird as Logan was turning out to be, he was content knowing that this was his way of coping.

Eyes burning and vivid on the framed picture of Rory's 21st birthday, Logan failed to notice a similar caramel colored eyes looking at the same thing.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

Logan moved his head slightly and smirked at his young son. "Yeah Jack. I'm stupendous."

"Stupid-us?"

"No." Logan picked Jack up and led him back to his bedroom. "It means really good."

Jack smirked knowing that his father was not 'stupendous' and shook his head. Logan loved at how smart Jack was and knew that this was because of his mother, and not the stupid school they went to or himself for that matter. Logan laid Jack down in his bed and sat idly by.

"Okay. I'm not stupendous, but if anyone asks you have to tell them that. Promise?"

Jack nodded his head and whispered, "I won't tell Mommy. Don't worry."

"What are you doing here?" said Rory, startling Logan from his brief flashback.

"I told you. Food."

"I know, but you have grocery stores by your place. This one is out of your way."

"Yeah, well, I didn't feel comfortable at them. The ones downtown. Everyone looks so prestigious and I didn't fit in. I'm not looking very debonair." Rory examined her husband and was confused at his continued disheveled look. She had assumed that it was a phase for the first week, but seeing as though a beard was coming in and his hair was long enough to cover the tops of his ears, she thought something different.

"So do you go to work like this?"

"No. I changed when I got home."

"You're kidding. The Logan Huntzberger I know would even sleep in the dress pants and button down from work that day."

"Well this Logan Huntzberger doesn't do that anymore."

Rory knew something was up and put a hand on his cart. He was surprised that she had that much interest in him since he was convinced she didn't have any interest in him, but surmised that she must've had a bit of interest since she found out that he was 'stupendous'.

"Logan, if you want to do this whole friends thing, you have to tell me the truth. We're not together anymore so there really isn't a need to lie to me. We used to do that all the time in our marriage. Tell me." Logan was stuck. He technically was literally stuck since Rory's cart cornered him by the paper towel display, but that was beside the point.

"I don't work anymore. I quit."

"What? You love that job."

"No. The Mitchum-Logan version of me loved that job, but the Logan-Logan version of me realized that he didn't want to turn into his father. I really like this whole unemployed life."

"Logan..."

"No seriously, I'm going to start collecting unemployment from Huntzberger Media Group. Don't worry about child support." Logan laughed to himself knowing that it would never be a problem, but loved exaggerating and pretending that he was some normal guy without the rich background.

"Logan-"

"Rory, I'm stupendous, really. This is good for me. I realized that these kids are in fact mine and that I just need to be around for them to take after me. And I like just spending time writing stories and listening to music. I think I might be the next Dr. Seuss or something. I don't have a doctorate though, but maybe I'll go back to school? There are endless possibilities with me. Logan-Logan."

Logan's last "Logan" was hit on a rather high note. His voice would always get scratchy when he would be rambling, and Rory always found it extremely sexy when that would happen. This time, however, she was too focused on the fact that he quit his job to notice one of the everlasting turn on through the years.

"You're serious?" Rory let go of his cart and stepped in a checkout lane.

"Yeah. I'm not going back. I actually talked to the boys' soccer coach, and he agreed to make me the assistant coach. You know, my dad was never around when I was a kid so I never did any real sports like football or soccer or baseball. There was only time for golf. That is why I suck at them. I want to be with the boys as much as I can. They can teach me some skills. Speaking of the boys, where are they?"

"They are at a sleepover. Joshua? Something like that. You know, you don't have to always wait until Saturday to see the boys. You can come over anytime you want."

"We'll see. And the same goes for you. I have an extra room." Logan almost cursed himself since he actually was about to say, I have a king size bed. They trying to be friends now. Friends didn't sleep together.

"Alright."

Already over with checking out, Logan and Rory lingered by the in store bank afraid to break the talking that they both had missed. Both of them caught up and agreed on weird things. They hadn't agreed on something since agreeing to get a divorce. Things were looking bright. Taking a glance at the clock, Rory cursed herself.

"Dammit. I actually have to go, Logan. Girls night out and I'm sorry- you're still a boy."

"I'll look into sex change operations for the next time." They both laughed simultaneously, knowing of Logan's sexual prowess and the impossible chance of a sex change operation. Logan walked out with Rory and towards her car. "I love the new car, Rory."

"You do?" For some reason, she actually was happy that Logan liked it and suddenly felt extremely weird since she got this one because he picked out the old one.

"Yeah, it's very 'Ace' like." Even though they were loading her groceries in the trunk seemingly busy, the both of them knew the use of this word was something major and needed to be ignored.

"Well, I'll talk to you later, Logan."

"Yeah, we're friends now. Friends call each other. I mean, I want to know all about the gossip. Have fun tonight, Ace."

He had to use it one more time. He forgot how much he loved calling her Ace and she forgot how much she loved hearing it.

Turning from the frozen foods section to aisle 12 was possibly one of Rory Gilmore's greatest ideas.

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February 17th, 1:47 AM

Hey! Alright so I've been writing for the past four hours and chapter four is almost done. I'm sorry about the wait, but I've just been really busy and this bout of pneumonia I've got seems to be like the kicker to get me to write. So bear with me. If all goes well, it should be up tomorrow or Monday. Yay Happy Presidents' Day!

I'm also doing the format a bit different. FYI. I find it easier to understand and more gramatically correct.