Hey you guys! Sorry for the long delay, but it took me a longer time to finish this chapter than expected. But I finally did it, so enjoy the next chapter. And don't forget to review!

Chapter 4: Meeting the Boyfriend

When the alarm clock rang the next morning Rory would've rather stayed in bed. She lay on the stomach her arms above her head and her face buried in the pillows and didn't even stir. Jess rolled over and kissed her shoulder-blade.

"Come on, Rory" he whispered, knowing very well that his girlfriend was awake. "Time to get up."

"I'm sick" Rory groaned still not moving.

"Of course" Jess said sarcastically what Rory caused to roll over and looking at Jess. "Good Morning, babe", he said and kissed her forehead.

"'morning", Rory replied sleepily but smiling.

"Had a nice evening?" Jess asked honestly interested. He was glad that Rory finally seemed to settle herself in New York by finding new friends. Maybe they could distract her a little bit from her worries.

"It was great" Rory replied and with a look on the clock she realized she had to get up if she didn't want to be late for work. She gave Jess a quick kiss, then got up and disappeared in the bathroom while Jess walked into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Rory appeared in the kitchen twenty minutes later to find Jess hidden behind the newspaper and not realizing anything. Rory smiled and poured herself a cup of coffee then sat down and stared at Jess while drinking her coffee. It took a few minutes till Jess finally realized that he wasn't alone anymore. Slowly he let sink the newspaper and looked with raised eyebrows at his girlfriend.

"When did you come in?" he asked.

"A few minutes ago" Rory said and grinned amused.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's fun to watch you reading the newspaper."

"Why is it fun watching me reading the paper?"

Rory just shrugged at that and took another sip of her coffee. Jess still stared at her and suddenly Rory had the uncomfortable feeling that he was able to look in her head. "What?"

"It's nothing", Jess said, slightly taken aback by her sudden defense. "Am I not allowed to look at my girlfriend?"

"Of course…" Rory sighed and her voice faded of as she turned her gaze away to look out of the window.

After a few minutes of an awkward silence Rory finally stood up. "I've to go."

"Yeah, me too." Jess said and drank the last sip of his coffee before standing up as well. He handed Rory her purse and grabbed his jacket and together they left the apartment.

For the first time in almost six weeks Rory arrived after her co-worker and new friend Tarja. The red-head was about to change the tablecloths when she saw Rory coming around the corner and mere seconds later entering the diner. Tarja put everything down she'd held in her hands and jumped to Rory.

"How was it?" she asked without a greeting, her curiosity getting out of hand.

"How was what?" Rory asked with a yawn. She was way too tired for actually following her friend's thoughts. She went straight to the coffee machine to make a new pot of the divine liquid since she was supposed to do that since she was claimed to be the best coffee maker in entire NY. Officially she liked that title but deep down it broke her heart. Every time someone would say that she had to fight back that terrible feeling that she might actually have made a big mistake. The best coffee in the world still made Luke, closely followed by her mother.

"It was late wasn't it?" Tarja asked with a grin and settled herself on a stool at the counter.

"Late?" Rory still couldn't follow but then it occurred to her. "Oh…yeah, it was late yesterday."

"So how was it?" Tarja asked impatiently.

Rory chuckled. "Honestly, you could think you would actually act your age and not your shoe size."

"Don't change the subject" Tarja demanded. "I want to hear everything. Every little detail."

"You're not nosy aren't you?" Rory asked smirking and only slightly annoyed by such an amount of curiosity.

"Not at all" Tarja explained sarcastically. "Now spill! I want details!"

Rory sighed. Obviously she had not much of a choice. "They picked me up with a limo and…"

"A limo?" Tarja's voice cracked in excitement. "Really?"

"Yeah" Rory said and continued. "We went to a Thai restaurant and after that we had dessert at an ice parlor whose owner I know since my childhood. We talked, had fun and I think we became friends. They're really nice."

"That was it?" Tarja asked somewhat disappointed.

"What did you expect? A scandal? That I would cheat on my boyfriend with a guy I got to know just two days ago?"

"No, no, really" Tarja said and lifted her hands in defense. "So, will you meet again?"

"Probably" Rory said and poured herself a cop of coffee. "Steph was really glad not to be the only girl in their circle anymore. And the guys said they would come for breakfast this morning. So yes, we will meet again."

A comfortable silence fell over them where both of the girls were lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Tarja continued to change the tablecloths and Rory followed her with a tray of pepper and salt pots when the door bell rang and a bubbly blonde followed by three boys entered the diner.

"Rory!" she cheered and enveloped the brunette in a big hug as if they hadn't seen each other in ages. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Steph" Rory answered smiling. "And you?"

"I'm great" Steph answered and pulled back. "So, I see you survived yesterday evening."

"Should I not?" Rory asked in the same sarcastic tone.

"Oh well" Steph said, "You know, the guys sometimes are a bit overwhelming for someone who don't know them as well as I do."

"Hey!" the guys shouted in union pretending to be offended but with huge smiles on their faces. It was obvious that they were happy to see Rory.

Rory and Steph laughed and the three boys laughed with them. "Hey, Ror" Logan said and gave her a short hug closely followed by Colin and Finn.

"Oh my God" Finn suddenly exclaimed as he noticed Tarja. "She's a red-head!"

"Who?" Colin asked and turned around to see who Finn meant.

"Love, who's she?" Finn asked Rory and pointed at Tarja.

"That wasn't exactly discreet" Tarja said smiling as she joined the five friends and Finn turned a deep shade of red.

"Finn, are you blushing?" Steph asked unbelieving. The others were as surprised as she was.

"What? No!" Finn said embarrassed and tried unsuccessfully to hide his face behind Logan's back.

"He's blushing!" Colin said and the grin on his face grew even wider.

"No, I'm not!" Finn said but knew it was senseless. He was blushing, something he never did, but there he was, blushing and deeply embarrassed by pointing so bluntly at the beautiful red-head. He had no idea why the hell he felt the way he did; but he did and there was nothing he could do about it. He looked over Logan's shoulder to see the girls laughing about something or other, probably him.

"So guys" Rory said and pointed at Tarja, "this is my co-worker and friend Tarja. Tarja, meet my new friends Stephanie, Logan, Colin and Finn. Keep your eyes open around him, he's a weakness for red-heads…"

"Especially for beautiful red-heads" Finn said finally re-appearing from behind Logan's back with his best charming society-smile and now it was Tarja who blushed.

"Thank you" she said and looked him up and down, taking in his not so bad looking appearance. "Finn."

To say that Logan, Colin, Steph and Rory were surprised by this obvious flirt would be an understatement. They looked from Finn to Tarja and from Tarja to Finn trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Steph was the first one who snapped out of her daze.

"Rory" she said pretending to be offended. "You're not very hospitable this morning. I thought we came here to have the greatest breakfast in NY. What would your Grandma think?" When she winked at Rory, Rory understood what her new friend meant.

"Oh, I wouldn't want her thinking badly of me" she said smiling widely, trying to hide her laughter, but on the inside she was screaming of laughter. "Follow me." She led her friends to a table near the counter and gave them the menus while Tarja gave her attention to an elder woman who'd entered the diner in this very moment. The five of them chatted shortly till Logan, Colin, Finn and Steph had chosen their breakfast and Rory walked away to give their orders to Jack.

"You flirted!" Steph screamed at Finn and stared at him like he had grown a second head.

"No, I didn't…" Finn tried to defend himself but Logan interrupted him.

"Of course you did!" he said. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"What the hell was I thinking?" Finn repeated incredulously. "You were the first one who flirted! And not only you flirted, but you flirted with a woman who's a boyfriend!"

"I did not flirt with Rory!"

"Guys" Steph said calmly.

"Of course you did!" Finn said.

"Guys!" Steph repeated a bit louder.

"No, I didn't!" Logan said raising his voice, but on the inside he knew Finn was right. But he also knew that Finn knew that he was right. They both were just too stubborn to admit it. "But you did!"

"No, I…" Finn started but was interrupted by Steph.

"GUYS!" she shouted getting successfully their attention. "You act like you were in kindergarten, you know that, right?"

"He started!" Finn pouted and Steph had to force back a smile. If she did laugh now the two of them would never take her serious.

Steph sighed and looked helplessly at Colin, who still hadn't said anything. "Say something!" she pleaded but Colin only shook his head.

"No," he said grinning. "Why should I? This is kind of entertaining."

"Oh my god" Steph said exhausted and went her hands through her long blonde hair. "You're impossible, all of you."

"You love us" Finn said with a huge smile and gave her a small kiss on her cheek that made her slightly blush. These were actions the boys didn't often to her.

When the doorbell rang the next time it was Logan who happened to look up to see a black haired guy around their age coming in. He followed him with his eyes and what he saw next took his breath away. To say that he was shocked would be the understatement of the century. He felt like his heart was cut into a million of tiny little pieces.

At first the others didn't recognize what Logan saw but when they looked into his pale face they turned around only to see Rory kissing someone.

"Her boyfriend…" Steph whispered, and then took Logan's hand. "God, I'm sorry."

"No" Logan shook his head vehemently, as if he wanted to shake the image of Rory kissing her boyfriend out of it. But this was easier said than done. "Don't be. It isn't that I didn't know that." And he had the impression that they already had this conversation once. In reality this conversation was only 2 days ago but Logan felt like it was much longer.

"Hey hun" Jess said and kissed his girlfriend gently, yet passionately.

"What are you doing here?" Rory asked when he pulled back and smiled happy. "It wasn't often that Jess actually found the time to come by to see his girlfriend at work. He had a lot of work with his bookstore.

"Can't I just come to see my lovely girlfriend?" Jess asked and pouted slightly what caused Rory to laugh.

"I never said that" she said and leaned in for another kiss. "But you don't come by often so I'm a little surprised there."

"I just wanted to apologize" Jess explained smiling. "That's the reason for my visit."

"Apologize?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow. "For what? Or should I ask, what did you do?"

"That's my point" Jess said his smile still firm in place. "I want to apologize for whatever I did this morning."

"This morning…?" At first Rory didn't remember, but then it came back to her. A feeling of guilty crept into her stomach but on the outside she didn't show anything. It had been the way Jess had looked at her that gave her the feeling he could read her thoughts… "Oh Jess" she sighed and smiled brightly. "You didn't do anything. It was me, it was quite late yesterday and you know I don't function properly with too less sleep. And I definitely had too less sleep last night. So don't think you were the reason. You weren't the reason for my mood." That was a big fat lie but Rory hoped that Jess wouldn't recognize that. And she had luck because Jess seemed to accept that.

"If that's all" he said smiling. "I'm glad I'm not the reason for your mood. After all we're living together and it would become very difficult if I had that kind of an effect on you."

"Yeah…" Rory said. She felt like shit at that very moment. So she thought of a topic change and when her eyes fell on her four new friends she had an idea. "Come on." She said taking his hand and led him to the table.

Steph still tried to figure out what was going on in that pretty blonde head of Logan's, so did Finn and Colin. It was now even more obvious that Logan's feelings for Rory were anything but mere friendly. He fell for her, fast. And there was no way he would land on his feet, let alone softly. This would end in a catastrophe, not only for Logan but if they didn't pay attention for their new friendship with Rory as well. And that was the last thing they wanted, all of them. They knew each other less than two days and they already had grown quite fond of her. It was as if she'd always been there. Steph was about to say something when Rory came to their table, holding her boyfriend's hand.

"Hey guys" Rory said smiling and looked at Jess. "Jess, meet my new friends Logan Huntzberger, Finn Morgan, Colin McCrae and Stephanie Vanderbilt" she said while pointing at each of them. "Guys, this is my boyfriend Jess Mariano."

The four friends looked at the couple like they were from another universe but quickly came to their senses. Steph was the first to react. Smiling brightly her society smile she offered Jess her hand. "Hey, nice to meet you."

Jess took her hand and smiled politely. "Same."

That was then, when the boys offered their hands as well and invited Jess and Rory to sit down for a moment. The couple agreed and quite naturally Rory took the free seat next to Logan while Jess sat down next to Steph. The five friends immediately began to talk while Jess stayed silent. In a certain way he was like Rory; he watched them to find out what they were like. He especially watched Rory and this Logan character and he did not like what he saw. It was the way Logan looked at Rory. It was obvious, at least for Jess, that Logan cared about the girl and he saw that there were deep feelings for Rory hidden in Logan's eyes. He wondered if Logan's friends saw them as well. Then Colin spoke to him.

"So, Jess, what do you do for life?" Colin was polite and smiled his society smile that could trick someone without any brain. But to Jess it was obvious that Colin just spoke to him to do Rory a favor. He – Jess – had seen the look Rory had given Colin. Jess answered though. Why should he be impolite? It was for Rory's sake after all. And he loved Rory.

"I work at a little bookstore like three blocks away from here. I don't earn that much but it is enough to come through the month." While he spoke he never looked away from Rory and Logan and he couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

"And you're from Stars Hollow, too?" Steph asked. She'd seen the looks Jess had thrown at Rory and Logan and so she tried to get Jess's full attention.

"No, I used to live here in New York when I came to Stars Hollow about three years ago where I met Rory."

"Ah." Steph said and exchanged glances with Colin and Finn having a hard time not to roll her eyes. This guy obviously wasn't someone to talk much. And her try to get his full attention hadn't worked at all. Jess still watched Rory and Logan who were now laughing about something or other.

Jess didn't want to talk to Stephanie and with his short answers he was sure he had shown it, because after this second question Stephanie remained silent. Jess still watched his girlfriend and what he then saw shocked him. He could be wrong but he was sure there was a hint of the same look Logan had when he looked at Rory. There was this look that said 'I care deeply about you'. And Jess didn't like it. He knew Rory enough to say that Rory tried to hide what she really felt with Jess being there. But Jess had always been good at reading Rory. And therefore he was sure that Rory had feelings for this guy. The feeling of jealousy came back, even stronger now. He breathed deeply to calm down his nerves and with an excusive smile he stood up. "I'm sorry, but I have to go now. Work doesn't wait."

"Oh" Rory said and stood up as well. "Okay. I see you tonight then?"

"Of course" Jess replied. "See you tonight." He kissed her gently and he was glad that she replied the kiss. "Bye." With that he left the diner and Rory behind with three guys…

Rory turned around just in time to see the flashes of relief crossing her friends' faces. "I'm sorry" she said coming back to them.

"Why?" Steph asked pretending to have no clue what Rory was talking about but to tell the truth she had a very good idea what Rory meant.

"It's just…I kind of assailed you with meeting him" Rory said slowly and exasperated fell onto her seat next to Logan.

Finn looked at her, frowning. "I don't understand, love. What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Rory sighed and exhaled. "It's just…I think I should have wait to introduce you. I guess it was too early."

"Rory, no" Logan said and took her hand, a gesture that didn't stay unnoticed by Colin, Finn and Steph. "That's okay. There's nothing you'd have to apologize for." He threw Colin and Finn a meaningful look.

At least Colin understood and jumped in. "Yeah, we want to know who the guy is that stole your heart."

Rory smiled thankfully and a comfortable silence fell over them.

"Rory!" Jack, the cook finally called. "Food!"

"Coming!" Rory yelled back and stood up.

"Finally!" Finn cheered. "I'm starving!"

Rory laughed and walked away only to come back with their plates almost immediately. "So" she said. "I'll let you eat and do my work meanwhile. I come back to you later."

Logan, Steph, Finn and Colin nodded and began to eat and Rory greeted a young couple that just had entered the diner.

In the next hour the diner was nearly full and Rory and Tarja had got their hands full. Logan and the others had quickly finished their breakfast and of course Rory had cleaned their table but they didn't leave the diner. Instead they took another cup of that wonderful coffee and kept talking and joking all the while Rory was jumping around doing her work.

It took nearly two hours until the diner emptied and Rory fell on a chair next to Logan with a giant mug of coffee.

"Oh my god" she sighed and dropped her head onto the table.

"Oh…poor thing" Logan grinned and patted her back.

"Yeah" Rory mumbled. "Poor me."

"Drink some coffee" Steph suggested smiling. "It will help, I promise."

Rory said nothing but took the cup and drank most of the magical elixir in nearly one sip. Her four friends watched her in awe.

"That was good" Rory sighed satisfied and leaned back in her chair.

"Was the coffee not hot?" Colin finally asked, incredulously looking from Rory to the empty cup and back to Rory again.

"What?" Rory asked absentminded and looked into her empty mug, finally getting what Colin had said. She shrugged. "May be. I don't care, I had to get coffee in my system, no matter how."

"Right, I forgot" Colin said sarcastically. "In your veins flows coffee instead of blood."

"You got it" Rory chuckled when Logan began to speak.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" he asked.

"Nothing that I knew of. Why?"

"Na, just asking" Logan said nonchalantly. Under no circumstances he wanted to let Rory – and for that matter his friends as well – know, how he really felt at the moment and about Rory generally. He could easily go without them constantly talking at him about this whole thing. It was a mess, he knew it himself, but he also had to deal with the situation himself. "We want to hang out a little, there's a nice pub near Washington Square Park. Interested?"

Rory smiled. "'course."

"Great" Logan said with a wide smile then was silent for a moment, before he spoke up again. "Rory, why don't you bring Jess along tonight?"

All heads shot up and four pairs of eyes looked at him unbelieving. Did they just hear what they'd heard? Rory was the first one to speak again. "Excuse me? Are you serious?"

"No, I'm saying that just for fun" Logan replied sarcastically. "Of course I'm serious."

The other three were still shocked, so was Rory, but at least she'd said something while Colin, Finn and Steph remained silent, still not really able to catch what Logan had just said.

"Well, okay" Rory said, still a bit unsure. "I'll ask him and let you know."

Again they became silent but this it was anything but comfortable. At some point Steph couldn't bear it anymore and stood up. "So, guys, I guess it's time to go now" she said and looked at the boys. "I'm sorry, Ror, but we will see each other tonight. Right?"

"Right" Rory nodded confirming and hugged her. "I'll see you tonight."

"Shall we pick you up?" Logan asked and hugged her as well – and way longer than it would have been necessary. And he wondered why his friends got him on his nerves about Rory and his feeling towards her.

"No" Rory said. "That's not necessary. Just tell me where the pub is and I'll be there."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Logan" Rory smiled. "I'm sure. Don't worry."

"Okay" Logan said and gave her the address, then Colin and Finn hugged Rory goodbye. Then they left the diner and Rory returned to work.

"God, Rory" Tarja said as Rory arrived at the counter immediately reaching for another cup of coffee.

"What?" Rory asked and refilled her mug.

"Logan's fallen in love with you" Tarja stated.

Rory choked over her coffee as she heard that. "Excuse me?" she asked when she could breathe again.

"I said that-"

"I heard what you said!" Rory interrupted her. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Come on" Tarja said. "It's so obvious. Didn't you recognize the way he looks at you?"

"No" Rory said calmly but on the inside her heart beat so loudly that she wondered if Tarja didn't hear it.

"Right" Tarja mumbled. She didn't believe Rory.

Rory just rolled her eyes and nipped again at her coffee.

"Jeez, Logan!" Steph groaned the minute they'd left the diner.

"What?" Logan asked, not really getting what Steph meant.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Colin now said. Unlike Logan he knew what Stephanie was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" Logan asked, now getting slightly impatient.

"Why the hell did you invite this Jess character?" Colin asked stopping dead in his tracks so that Finn ran into him.

"Mate!" Finn yelled. "Warn me when you stop the next time!"

But Colin ignored him and kept talking to Logan. "You'll only crucify yourself; we all know how you feel about Rory, Logan. And an entire evening watching her and Jess will kill you!"

"Will you stop it, please?" Logan yelled and glared at him with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I just wanted to be nice and wit Jess having been introduced to us it just was the proper thing to do!"

"Excuse me?" Steph said unbelieving. "You can't be serious!"

Logan took a deep breath and wanted to say something but then decided against it. Instead he turned around and walked away, leaving his friends behind.

Colin, Finn and Steph stared after him, not knowing what to say or do. They then looked at each other, with questioning looks on their faces. What was up with Logan? Since when did he do the proper thing?"