Disclaimer: I don't own it! A/N: Here is the new chapter! I hope that you like it...
Chapter Three
He said that he would meet her at her apartment and she waited impatiently. Logan was usually late so she expected him to stroll in ten minutes after he was expected, but to her surprise he arrived right on time. A few knocks on her door and suddenly he was inside.
"Rory, thank you so much," He went in for a hug and she conceded, patting his back awkwardly.
"You're, uh, welcome,"
"Did you tell Mitchum?" He nodded, his face becoming serious.
"Yes, and my mother already wants to have lunch with you,"
"You're kidding,"
"No, you don't have to go if you don't want to." She shook her head, sitting down on the couch. He followed her, sitting next to her.
"I'll go. It's all part of this, right? I do have to meet the parents, and all,"
"You've met my parents,"
"Not as your fiancée,"
"True," She looked down at her fingernails, picking at the polish.
"This is kind of awkward," She finally said, shifting in her seat. Logan nodded, a weight seeming to come off of him.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling it," Rory turned to face him, taking a deep breath. There was something that she had wanted to ask him for three years and she knew that she would never be able to forgive him for everything if she didn't get an answer to it.
"Okay, Logan, there's something I need to ask you,"
"Yeah, sure,"
"Why did you kiss me?" That caught him off guard. He suddenly found himself back in the courtyard, his lips touching hers. He swallowed hard, looking down.
"I don't know,"
"You have to know, there has to be some explanation,"
He shrugged, "Well, there isn't."
"So, that's it?" She asked, feeling irritated at his, in her opinion, noncommittal answers.
"Ace, what do you want me to say? That I was in love with you?" She looked away, feeling foolish for even bringing the kiss up.
"Of course not, you were always too in love with yourself to ever love someone else," She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.
"That's not true. I loved you Ace, you were my best friend. I just wasn't in love with you," He knew it was a lie as he said it. He was more in love with her than anyone else he had ever known.
"I'm sorry," Rory finally said, slouching in the couch, "that was out of line. I take it back," he grinned at her childish demeanor. He knew all too well that most things couldn't just be taken back by simply saying it was. He only wished things worked that way.
"So, wanna know where we're getting married?"
"Sure, probably some ritzy church at Martha's Vineyard. Am I right?" He paused for a moment, smiling.
"Nope, the gazebo in Stars Hollow," She looked at him, eyes wide. She couldn't believe he remembered.
"You, you remember?"
"Of course,"
Logan and Rory laid on the hood of his car, gazing up at the stars. An entire grid of glitter seemed to be in the sky, intricate markings neither of them could ever decipher. They were in the parking lot of The Martinique, where Logan's sister's wedding reception was taking place. Family had become too much for them and they had sneaked outside. The air was chilly and she was wrapped in his suit jacket, taking a whiff of his cologne now and then when he wasn't looking. He had no idea how fast her heart beat when she smelled it, and he never would. "That was quite a wedding," Logan said, his head lolling onto its side so he could see her face. "Yes it was," "Is that how you want yours?" he asked, "In a big church with big statues and big crowds? And hopefully something else big." He was a bit drunk and she smiled at his slurred speech. "Nope, I want my wedding at the gazebo in Stars Hollow. That's where I've wanted to be married since I was a little girl," "Really?" "Yup, since I was knee high. In fact, I used to stage little weddings there with my barbies when I was little," "That's very cute," "Thank you, it was cute. Except when my mom played, she always had Barbie stood up at the alter." Logan laughed, looking back at the sky. "I love your mom," "I was heartbroken, Barbie always looked so sad," Logan frowned, shaking his head. "Oh, poor Barbie. Maybe that's why her and Ken broke up. She was stood up one too many times," "Are you saying my mother single handedly brought about the divorce of Barbie and Ken?" "Maybe," "She's not that powerful." He shrugged, "You never know."
"Do you still think my mother brought about the demise of Barbie and Ken's marriage?" Rory asked with a grin.
"Yes, I do. When your mom sets her mind to something...,"
"I highly doubt she set her mind on divorcing Barbie and Ken,"
"You never know." The look on his face was so funny that she couldn't help but laugh. She only stopped when Logan took her hand, looking at her seriously.
"You know, I meant it when I said that I'll do whatever you want. We'll get married at the gazebo, you can even wear black to the wedding if you want." She scrunched her nose, shaking her head.
"Nah, I like white. I want the traditional wedding still, just at the gazebo,"
"Okay, regular wedding it is,"
"And the reception at Luke's," He looked at her, eyed wide.
"Really?" She shook her head, smiling.
"No, I just wanted to see if you would say yes."
"Well, I would have. Anything you want, Ace, I mean it."
Rory sat in her room, staring at the door. Outside of the oak barrier was something that she had never thought would come to fruition, ever. Logan was currently in her kitchen, making them sandwiches for lunch. She could also smell fresh coffee, something that she was more grateful for than even he could fathom. The reason for this was that she was about to call her mother and tell her she was marrying a man she hadn't seen in three years. Oh yes, things were going to get heated.
Lorelai answered on the first ring, greeting her daughter with a cheery tone. Oh, how quickly that would change.
"Rory, what brings you to call this fine Thursday afternoon? Is it something dirty?"
"Mom, I'm going to tell you something and you need to promise not to judge me or make any comments or anything,"
"Rory, you are asking me basically to be an entirely different person. You know I can't-"
"Mom, please," There was silence on the other end of the line and she knew her mother was imagining the worst.
"You're pregnant,"
"No, Mom-"
"You're in jail,"
"No-"
"Into hard drugs? Come on Rory, give me something here,"
"Logan and I are engaged." Once again there was silence, which worried her more than a barrage of comments. Even when she requested it, Lorelai Gilmore was never silent.
"Mom?" She asked after a few moments, beginning to become worried.
"Logan Huntzberger?"
"Yes,"
"The same Logan Huntzberger that made you cry for a week straight? The same Logan Huntzberger that you vowed to never-"
"Yes Mom, the same one."
"Are you out of your mind?" Here it came, the sharp reproval from Lorelai. She listened to her mother's comments, although her mind was already set. She was marrying Logan. As asinine as it was, her mind was made up.
"Okay, are you finished?" Rory asked as kindly as possible, feeling a bit weary from her mother's tirade.
"Rory, I just don't understand this."
"You didn't let me explain,"
"Well, fine, go on and explain. But, this better be one long ass explanation." Rory recalled that she had said the exact same thing to Logan only twenty four hours earlier and felt bile rise in her throat.
"Well, basically if he marries someone his father will let him leave the family business, pursue his own life. Logan called me and-"
"So, he's using you to get out from under his father?"
"No, that's not it at all. He told me his reasoning and then offered me an open marriage. I turned that down and we settled on a closed, real marriage. We'll get married at the gazebo in town and we'll go to Disney World for the honey moon, and...," she trailed off, her voice breaking off as the ludicrousy of the whole situation hit her.
"Oh my God," She mumbled into the phone, her eyes burning, "this is insane."
"Hunny, you can't do this."
"I really believed that...,"
"You're a good person Rory, that's why you said yes. You wanted to help him and became swept away by all the nice things he told you. But, you wouldn't be happy, sweetie. There's no chance that you would be happy. Go call him and tell him that you've changed your mind. Let someone else save him." It was exactly what she knew her mother would say, and hearing it only made it sting more.
"But he chose me,"
"Rory, come on,"
"He wants me. He needs me."
"Rory, don't do this."
Logan called her name from the kitchen and a chill went through her. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, taking a quick steadying breath.
"Mom, I'll call you tonight, okay?"
"Rory-"
"Love you." She hung up and closed her eyes, willing the tears to go back where they came from. She didn't need them, not now.
"Ace, lunch!"
"I'm coming." She took a few moments to compose herself and then walked out. However, the moment their eyes met she knew that he was aware of everything that had just happened.
"You talked to Lorelai." The statement was simple, not accusatory or even worried. It was as flat as the table he was placing her plate on. She nodded, gladly accepting the cup of coffee that he handed her. They were silent for a while, him setting the table while she stared at the sandwich in front of her. It was a panini, grill lines marring the soft tan of the bread. He sat across from her, watching her intently. Finally, she looked up, ashamed by the tears in her eyes.
"She thinks it's crazy." She muttered, the strain evident in her voice.
"Well, maybe it is,"
"It all seemed so nice, and perfectly normal. Taking our vows in Stars Hollow, honeymooning in Disney, everything seemed perfect," She looked up, her eyes meeting his, "But what about after?"
"I don't know,"
"We'll be in the halcyon world of newlyweds during those first few days of celebration, but after..."
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you."
"I know, I just don't want us to be unhappy. Logan, you could have any girl you want. I don't want you to settle for me. You have an entire month, maybe you should look around,"
"No," his voice was firm, "it's this or nothing."
"Why?" The truth was that he was in love with her and couldn't imagine himself with anyone else. Just the thought made his stomach churn. He couldn't tell her that though, instead he made something up.
"I just don't want to do this if it isn't you," She felt her cheeks flush and looked down. Her mother's words ringed in her ears but were quickly silenced once Logan put his hand over hers.
"If you need time to think, you can have as much as you want," She looked up, brown eyes meeting her own blue ones.
"I don't need time. This is too great of an opportunity for you,"
"But if you're going to be unhappy-"
"I'll be fine," she cut him off, adding a smile to soften it a bit, "I promise you,"
"How about we add another parameter,"
"Another? I think I've added enough," Rory said with a small grin.
"Yes, another, if either of us are unhappy after one year we will annul the marriage,"
"One year?"
"Yeah, by that time I will have my own established business and the marriage will be a moot point."
"That sounds good," Rory agreed, nodding.
"Think that will soften Lorelai's stance against us?" Rory shook her head, frowning.
"You know my mother, nothing softens her stance against anything. She's not a very big fan of you, not after...," she trailed off and he knew exactly where she was going.
"I don't blame her. I was a jerk,"
"So, you finally admit it?"
"I never denied it. I know I was a jerk and I'm sorry,"
"Water under the bridge." They looked at each other and both of them knew it was a lie. That night would hang over them until the day they died, or the day one of them admitted their feelings. And at the rate they were going, it was unlikely that the latter would come first.
A/N: Okay, there it is. I hope that you liked it! Just so you know..I might skip the wedding and delve into their life as newlyweds. It's just a thought though. Are you guys really set on having the wedding? Let me know!