What if Logan had been at the double twin wedding and had taken some candid shots and what if Rory found them as they were packing to move. (AU) Set pre and post Yale – pairing Rory and Logan
Standard disclaimer: Nope still don't own them – just the ideas they inspire; but it's not as if I get paid to exercise my noodle away from the silence of a law firm.
Still Life With a Huntzberger
Chapter 4 – I Heart NYC
Rory woke once again in Logan's arms, she snugged into him enjoying the comfortable feeling of his body next to hers. She relished the closeness, and wondered why she felt so very safe with the infamous player who was sure to leave her. Her mind pondered why she kept finding herself here, any opportunity they were together, she was by his side. She thought about what Honor and Steph had told her about the expectation for her to be the right kind of girl for him. She wondered if she would be enough, and if she could do this whole thing, she was born to it, but she wasn't raised for it. She thought about the drive with the girls, the unexpected gift of his card, the dress, party, pictures – all of it. She wondered what it would be like; could she surrender to him – should she? She wondered what this pull he had over her was – why him?
"Hey" Logan's sleep filled voice pulled her from her pondering, "Looks like this is becoming a habit." he hugged her body to his. "Secret - I love waking up with you." he said in a slow seductive tone then kissed her temple.
"Yeah, well I love waking up with you too." She giggled lightly and cuddled into his embrace, "How did I get here though, I don't remember." she blushed but was unsure if he could tell from their embrace that he made her so secure and insecure at once.
"Well after the party we went for dinner, then Finn invited us to play 'I Never'..." he heard her groan.
"Oh no Tequila...Now I remember...Tequila, did I really sit on your lap, lick you neck and take a shot?" she dug her head into his shoulder.
He laughed softly petting her head,"Yes you did, then you passed out on my shoulder, I carried you to my room, my sister helped you change into my shirt and boxers then when they all left I crawled into bed with you, and you promptly snuggled to me, it was the best night ever."
"Really, Logan Huntzberger, player extraordinaire, is happy to sleep with a very drunk friend, I would think you would prefer you had a luscious blonde naked and begging for more." She teased.
"Are you saying, that I can't possibly be happy with a luscious brunette wrapped willingly around me; even if she is just a friend." He leaned down and kissed her accepting her response, they were lost in the feeling when they heard an 'Ahem'.
"Ahem, I don't meant to interrupt..." Finn began.
"Then don't" Logan growled frustrated that Rory pulled away embarrassed.
"Well, we were all heading out to breakfast and knowing how Ms. Gilmore is not one for missing meals and seeing as how you two are just friends and all..." Finn teased enjoying Rory burrowing into Logan and Logan's protective nature.
"Finn out!" Logan growled, "We will be with you all in a little bit, I think Rory and I need to talk first, don't count on us for breakfast, but shopping in two hours."
"Really, two hours is all you think she deserves – I thought she was special..." Finn was enjoying watching her squirm and Logan's defenses going up.
"Finn, I said out!" Logan pulled Rory into his arms and rubbed her back protectively.
Finn giggled and turned to exit, "You kids today – figure it out – we all have." he teased as he closed the door behind him.
"I'm sorry for that, you deserve better than their teasing..." Logan began.
"No, it's my fault I keep falling asleep in your bed..." she stammered not knowing where she would go with this thought.
"Rory, would you be my girlfriend? I know I told you I don't do commitment, but it seems that ever since that day I took your picture, you are tattooed to my heart." He lifted her chin as he spoke.
Her blue eyes were wide and sparkled, "You want to be my boyfriend? Really? I mean I'm not your typical type and I don't know anything about sex?" She blushed and tried to look away from him but couldn't for his fingers holding her chin fast.
"Rory, I think you know you are more than my type and as for the sex thing – I can confidently tell you I know enough for the both of us." He leaned in and kissed her deeply, "So I asked you a question, will you be my girlfriend?" He punctuated it with a kiss getting lost in her response.
She pulled away needing to breath, "God Logan, yes I will be your girlfriend." She leaned in and kissed him then allowed time to slip away.
LRLRLRLRLRL
The group of friends hit every shop on Fifth Avenue, then made their way to the Village to hit some of the funkier shops and grab a late lunch. Rory had not left Logan's side the entire day, their closeness was not missed and the girls were dying to find out what had changed.
"Rory, we have to check this out!" Honor said prying her from Logan's arm and pulling her into a small gallery."Finn, why don't you take the guys to that cigar shop you told me about." She badly hinted at him.
"Okay, so I think that is a clue that the girls want to drill our Ms. Gilmore on the progress made with the young Huntzberger and we gentlemen are to grill him in return." Finn laughed and pulled Logan along.
LRLRLRLRLRL
"So Logan, is there anything you'd like to share with the class, we gave up a year of scantily clad women that we had hard won from our parents so you could win the hand of Ms Gilmore; did you succeed? I mean the look of the pair of you this morning..." Finn teased.
"Enough Finn, it's bad enough you keep walking into my room when we are alone", he sighed, "I asked her to be my girlfriend and she agreed – happy?"
"Just how much of a girlfriend is she?" Finn wiggled his eyebrows.
"Enough Finn, she isn't like the girls we hook up with, she is special." Logan tried.
"Like stop eating the paste?" Colin chimed in earning a nudge from Josh.
"Can we just drop it, Rory is my girlfriend, my very serious girlfriend and I don't think she is the type that wants her private life to be on display. Can we just get some Cigars and find the girls?" Logan's tone was final.
"Ohh – daddy has laid down the law." Finn teased and laughed; the men all smirked in agreement then changed the topic to cigars.
LRLRLRLRLRL
The girls pulled Rory into a secluded corner of the gallery, "Okay now spill, what is happening with you and Logan – and we are so not buying the just friends thing." Steph drilled.
"Fess up are you serious about my brother?" Honor's tone was giddy and pleading.
"Well, he asked me to be his girlfriend this morning and I said - yes! Then we made out , I went to our room and you know the rest." Rory said with a wide smile.
"Soooo – does that mean you are no longer the 'virgin Connie Swail'?" Steph nudged her shoulder.
Rory blushed deep crimson, "While I appreciate the 'Dragnet' reference - I would rather not discuss the details of my relationship with Logan."
"Ah, there are details, but you remain intact." Steph giggled and wrapped her arm around Rory's, "Come along Connie, we have to find the boys."
Rory shook her head, these girls were far too much like her mother.
LRLRLRLRLRL
"Rory, Logan tells us one of the bikes on display was your Dad's, which one was it?" Josh inquired as they waited for the meals to be delivered.
"The red 2000 Indian, he's had it since I was twelve, I first got to drive it when I was sixteen." Rory had a nostalgic look.
"Wait, your dad is Christopher Hayden? That means your mom was sixteen when you were born, you are the 'scandal child'? " Josh looked incredulous and Honor kicked him under the table, he yelped, "Sorry I mean, I guess...I just didn't put it together before you look so normal." he yelped again as Honor and Stephanie both kicked him.
"It's okay girls, I hear it all the time and I am sure to see it in the paper after the show last night, it just happens to not quite go away. When you are the child of teen parents and part of the Hartford elite it tends to pop up time and again." Rory sighed and took a long drink of her Manhattan. "How did you score us a table in the Fraunces Tavern Whiskey Room?" she shifted the conversation, "I mean I understand the wait list here is huge."
"We are all members, you know of the museum – it gets us preferential treatment." Colin explained,"The place has over two hundred whiskeys and that alone is the allure of membership."
"Well two hundred whiskeys is a hell of a reason to be a member that and the whole George Washington thing..." Rory laughed and Logan held her hand giving it a squeeze under the table.
LRLRLRLRLRL
The group returned to The Plaza and Rory found that her key no longer worked in her door; so she flipped open her phone and made a call, "Uh, Honor, have I been voted off the island?" she said once the bubbly blonde picked up.
Honor giggled, "No silly, we just had your key reset for Logan's room and you two have a private room that Finn doesn't have the key to, we even called his parents to assure he cannot gain access so you two are left alone."
"Okay, well can I know what the room number is?" Rory sighed.
"Sorry, it's 1215, it's a studio suite you two will have simply loads of room and privacy so you two can ….well get to really know each other." Honor had an implication in her tone that made Rory feel uncomfortable.
"Really, what are you pimping me or something, I only just said I'd be his girlfriend," Rory's tone was furious and she cut off the call before the girl could respond. Rory went to the room, used her key and began packing her things in a rush, slamming items into her bag with intense force. "I can't believe the nerve of these people – what am I a plaything, a challenge – score the virgin! First I am tormented by Tristan, then he leaves and every boy that aspired to be him is all – Mary, this and Mary that. I thought he was different, I thought he really cared, I thought they all cared, but no this is trick the virgin, make her feel safe and then feed her to the biggest wolf of them all. I'm not Mary I'm freaking 'Little Red Riding Hood'! She slammed her suitcase shut and turned to leave slamming fully into Logan. "Oh, come to claim your prize?! Your sister; if she is your sister - tell you they set us up in your lair – well you can't have me! I still have free will and I am leaving, oh and here's your damn black card, you can shove it where the sun don't shine! The big joke – I haven't even used it! I have my own - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" She scoffed at him and hefted the bag forwards towards the door.
"Rory, stop! Listen to me! I had no idea that they had done this, you and I have been sleeping together and I guess to them that means we are having sex – look do I want to have sex with you? I'd have to be an idiot not to – but am I going to press you into something you clearly aren't ready for?" He held her arms and looked into her eyes, "No, I am not. Understand this, I would never do that - not to you – not to any woman. I may not know you for long, but you don't know me – or them either. They are presumptive because to them if I am calling you my girlfriend we have to be having sex, but I don't care about that. I want to be with you and when you want it - I can give you that, but even if we never have sex and we break up - I won't regret a moment with you." Logan was silent letting his words settle in her mind.
"So you really just want to be my boyfriend, get to know me and it's okay if when we sleep together; we just sleep?" She looked at him with fear and wonder in her eyes.
"Yes, when I asked you to be my girlfriend, when I changed the plans for Fiji – it wasn't so I could land a virgin, if I wanted that – believe me there are plenty of volunteers, girls of a certain type want the heir; really any heir; to be the first, hell even if the trust fund is actrative enough... and a lot of them will want me to be stupid and get them pregnant so I have to take care of them. Rory – I know you aren't one of those, I know you are a woman of substance and I want to get to know you. If I am lucky enough to be the guy you choose to sleep with; bibically – then it will be between us, not some set up by my well intended sister; yes, she is my sister, and her equally misguided friend. Look Rory; in the circles we travel in virginity it's not a big deal, girls just give it up; you are an anomaly to them, a virgin who isn't anxious to be rid of it. Think about it, I call you Ace, is that a nickname about anything other than you?" He had a sincere and begging tone.
"I like that you call me Ace, all this Rory was beginning to worry me..." She stammered.
"I like you, I really like you – I want to see where it goes; you aren't like the girls we know – you have something new – I want to get to know that girl, the girl that caught me photo stalking her, the girl that danced with me at my cousin's wedding, the girl that actually eats without reserve or weird requirement. I love that you read, that you brought books – yes, I saw the books. You Rory are a light in a very dark place and I am basking in your presence. Don't let the stupid assumption of my sister and friends ruin this. I really like you, I changed my plans – for you. Not to make you a Magdalene, but to get to know you." He sighed and leaned against her shoulder.
"You want to get to know me?" She looked at him and he lifted his face to return her gaze.
"Yes, I Logan Elias Huntzberger, wants to get to know you Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden the Third. Please tell me you are staying, if you want the room is yours I will sleep elsewhere, just stay – let me take you shopping, eating; hell - to the library - the zoo - whatever you want – just stay." he sighed and returned his head to her shoulder.
She smiled, that he wanted to get to know her, was refreshing, "Okay, I will stay and you can stay, if your friends presume – don't correct them. What happens between you and me" she moved her finger pointing to each of them," is between you and me – no bragging – no telling. If I want to tell – then I will tell, you sir will keep private things private! Deal?!"
"The best deal I ever made, I could fall in love with you, Ms. Gilmore-Hayden, and if I do fall, I want you there to catch me." He pulled her to him and kissed her senseless, then they unpacked her bag, she retired to the bathroom to change into her pajamas; then they climbed into bed, cuddled up and fell into a deep sleep.