Summary: Logan breaks up with Rory via his sister and a drunken night could be the best thing to happen to her. [Rory and Colin]
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters I just let them inspire me to write.
Special thanks to Erasure for the many titles that inspired this tale.
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The Not Jerk
Chapter 4 – Make Me Smile
They had made it through Christmas and New year and now were approaching Valentine's Day and Colin was having a panic attack. "She isn't like other girls you know, I want to shower her with jewels and fancy dresses, shopping trips and I don't know she just doesn't want it. The necklace I bought her for Christmas, was too much, the trip to NYC to watch the ball drop, too much! I can't dial it back, I don't know how! I just want her to be happy and I keep screwing it up!"
Finn and Logan watched him pace and listened with rapt attention.
"I don't want her to think that I am trying to buy her, what can I give her to show her how I really feel without spending so much? I mean honestly we were raised to spoil our women, roses, champagne, the best of the best. Did you know she lived in a shed behind an Inn until she was 10? Her mom came from money but chose to live and raise her daughter as paupers. She made her think that anything that is given to you is a bribe, everything must be earned. It was brave but misguided. Rory shouldn't feel like everything should be so hard. She deserves more. How do I help her" Colin collapsed onto the couch and sighed heavily.
"She was in a potting shed until ten? How did the Gilmores allow that? Her mom has some serious issues. Maybe we get the girls to work with her? Show her that being spoiled a bit is OK. She needs to understand her life is hers and not her mom's do over." Logan sagely advised.
"The luv, is special and just needs to learn the ropes of society. She'll need to navigate things sooner or later and her mum didn't do her any favors hiding her away in that kooky little town. I don't even know that she understands what she stands to inherit one day being a Gilmore and I am sure the Hayden's have plans for her as well. She needs some help." Finn chimed in.
"You know when I first started dating her it was fun doing the Lorelai approved things, like movie nights and town festivals, but I want to take her to Paris dammit! I want to jet to the Bahama's and watch her sunbathe in a skimpy bikini. I have money to spend on her and I want her to accept it. How do I get through to her?!" Colin was so geared up he didn't see that Rory had entered the room.
"You tell her." She stated, "I didn't know you were so miserable with me."
Colin was at her side in a jump, "That's not it at all! Please baby, I love being with you. I just want to show you as I know how. I love your simplicity but I want you to enjoy what I can give you as much? OK" He plead holding her shoulders so she couldn't look away.
"Can we talk – privately, Paris is out for the night, why don't you come to my dorm?" She said holding him by the hips.
He pulled her to him and held her close afraid of losing her. "OK, just let me grab a bag for tonight and we can talk." He turned and went to his room to get an overnight bag.
Rory walked further into the room and sat by Finn and rubbed her hands across her thighs tiredly.
"Logan when we were together did you feel the same thing?" She looked at him with pained eyes.
"Look, you are different, it's what makes you so desirable, but – yeah it's frustrating. We were raised with everything and taught to shower or dates with whatever they wanted. The girls were raised to expect it. Honestly it is a bit hard to be scolded for doing what we were raised to do." Logan tried.
Rory looked at him surprised, "Really, you were frustrated that I don't want things?"
Just then Colin sat beside her and set his bag on the ground. "It's OK, let's go finish this at your place, maybe we can work something out."
The pair left hand in hand to walk towards her dorm.
"Think they'll work it out?" Finn asked.
Logan shrugged and reached for the game control, "Who knows, maybe."
Rory and Colin walked in relative silence the short distance to her dorm and she let them in. He walked to her room and set down his bag and began. "So is this a Chinese, pizza or Indian kind of discussion? We should call before we begin."
"Chinese I think, that way if we get distracted it's still good cold." She went to the phone and placed the order then returned to the seating area and took the chair across from him.
They stared at each other each trying to sort their thoughts before this important talk.
"Rory I really care about you, you are an amazing woman and I just want you to enjoy what I enjoy. Look I do what you want and then when I want to do something frivolous you spook."
"I'm sorry, it's just I hear my mom in my head you know, she is telling me I didn't earn it, you didn't earn it...that if it's easy...I don't know. I just feel bad." She looks down.
"Hey, hey, none of that", he had left the sofa and was now in front of her squatting and using his fingers to lift her chin. "You have nothing to feel bad about. You are not betraying your mom, you are becoming who you are meant to be."
She looked into his eyes and saw the hope he held for her there, "Really, you think I can learn to balance both? Without disappointing her?"
"She seriously can't expect you to go to an ivy league school and not get tangled in the vines. Learning this society stuff, enjoying the travel and fun I can offer. It will help you in the future you know. You are hoping to be a world correspondent, how can you do that without traveling away from her. You need to grow and she is holding you back babe." He held her hands in his looking deep into her eyes.
There was a knock at the door so he released her, he stood up and leaned in to kiss her head then went to the door to retrieve the food and pay the delivery guy. He returned and placed the bag on the table and began to unload it. They each reached for their preferred dish and took a few bites. Thinking about what he had said. The air in the room was heavy.
She tilted her head after swallowing, "You think we can do this in small steps? I mean, maybe I try a short weekend in Ireland for a pub crawl? A shopping trip in NYC? You know baby steps. This is all kind of overwhelming."
"We can go at whatever pace you want. You know I won't push you. I love you Rory. I want the best for you and if helping you enjoy my world in small steps is what you want that is exactly what you will get." He smiled and they enjoyed their meal with lighter conversation.
After cleaning up they were cuddling on the couch. Colin began,"So, you know Valentine's if coming and I really want to take you someplace special and spoil you a little, how about I take you to may family's place in North Carolina. It's not too huge, on the water, and this time of year it is beautiful. Bonus we have horses and I can teach you to ride."
"That sounds perfect and I know how to ride, Mia had horses at the Inn. When can we go?" She snuggled into him and gently brushed his leg.
"We can leave Friday after your last class, I'm sure your grandparents won't mind, especially if I go with you this week and conspire with them to let me spoil you. You know Emily will eat that up." He pulled her into his lap and escalated her flirtation with deep and needy kisses.
The night was different and she found herself really flowing into him, they moved in synchronicity rising and falling in harmony, it was as if they were one form. They collapsed into each other and he held her close.
"Colin?" She began her voice soft and breathy.
"Yea?" He replied holding her closely.
"I love you too, you know?" She snuggled into him and inhaled his scent.
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I kinda guessed that, and I love you."
They fell into a deep and happy sleep. The weekend was the start of something new in their relationship; it was more intense than before but in a good way. The hardest thing she did that special weekend was talk to her mom; she held his hand for the courage she would need to take charge of this decision.
"Harry's house of ill repute, how can we pleasure you today?" Lorelai chirped.
"Hi Mom, how's it going?" She began.
Lorelai burst into a tirade about the antics of Kirk and what was happening around town and of course the latest argument between Luke and Taylor. When she finished she asked, "So kid, what new with you?"
"Well mom, I have decided to try something new, I am going to let Colin show me about society and travel and spoil me a little. I know you are worried I will become some vapid socialite but mom, I am still me. I'm just going to let myself get into the spirit of things after all what's the point of being young if I don't take every opportunity for experience - right?" Her heart was racing and she was trembling a little.
"What do you mean exactly, you are going to be jetting off, playing with his money and buying matching Gucci bags?" Her voice was terse and on edge.
"Look mom, I know you aren't a fan of society but like it or not I kinda fit. It's not like I am turning my back on what you taught me. I am just taking the opportunities that come my way to broaden my horizons. Colin and I talked and we are going to take it slow, it's not like I am jetting off to Greece anytime soon. I have just agreed to learn about the world you left from the inside. I know your world mom, but I have to find my place in mine." She felt Colin's hand gently rubbing her back as she spoke and felt assured and more calm.
Lorelai sighed, "OK hun, I trust your judgment, I don't like it but I have to trust you, you are an adult. Promise me this though, if you feel overwhelmed or need me, you will call me. I may not be able to fly you back, but I can get your dad to." She chuckled.
"I promise mom, thanks for understanding. Love you – talk to you later." Her mother replied in kind and they disconnected their call.
She sighed and climbed into his lap and rested her head on his shoulder. "That was hard, thank you for being here for me."
"Of course, I am happy to be here babe. I like that you can depend on me for more than my bank account, it just makes me love you all the more." He held her close and kissed her head.
That week she found herself saying yes to the pub and to dinner with their friends and not worrying when he picked up the tab. In preparation for the weekend she even took his black card and let Stephanie and Rosemary show her how to shop for a weekend away. She had to admit learning the rules her friends had ingrained in them was eye opening, and a little fun.
