AN: Hi guys, first of all, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review my stories. You are all stars in my eyes. If I could give you a hug I would. lol! So, here we have the 7th chapter of ISWAK, it was hard work considering I hurt my arm so I hope you enjoy and if you haven't already, check out my other stories. Thanks! Oh, and for those of you who have been wondering about Spring Break, I promise I haven't given up on that story, I'm just stuck. Mr Writers block has paid me a visit and he won't go away. I've written the start of the third chapter and I promise I will try and get something finished soon. I just want it to be good and not any old rubbish, so bear with me. Read and review, I love hearing what you all think.
Thank you Megan, if I run into James I'll put a good word in for you! lol
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. Do you seriously think they would have broken up if I did?
It Started With A Kiss
Chapter Seven: The Point Of No Return
"Morning," Rory yawned as she entered the common room. Honor sat watching the TV while holding a bowl of cereal in her hands.
"Hey, how'd you sleep?" she enquired still not removing her eyes from the television screen.
"Good," She lied. "Really good!" She had tossed and turned all night, as she had for the past three nights. Why? She still couldn't get Logan out of her mind. More specifically, she couldn't seem to get the image of him with that blonde girl from the bar out of her mind. She felt hurt and betrayed and angry with herself for falling for Logan's act. She had known him long enough now to know how he operated, but still she had allowed herself to be like all the numerous girls before her. She had been reduced to being one of the many, and that didn't sit well with her at all.
"So, what are you doing today?" asked Honor as she fed herself another spoonful of coco puffs. Rory sat down beside her on the sofa, closing her eyes.
"Umm...class, paper, study." She listed and laid her head back on the couch.
"Wow, what a thrilling life you lead, Miss Gilmore." Honor said sarcastically. "Ever thought of adding some variety to that packed schedule?"
Rory smiled as she opened her eyes. "I don't have time to add variety, Honor. I have to work. Hard!" she emphasised and pulled herself up. "I'm going for a shower."
As Rory made her way back to her bedroom, the phone began ringing. Rory watched as Honor picked it up, looked at the caller id, and then placed it back on the table.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Rory asked noticing the change in Honor's bubbly demeanour. The blonde shrugged her shoulders and smiled a false smile as she turned to face her.
"It's not important." Rory realised immediately who it was. It was Josh. He had called several times over the last few days and Honor had now resorted to just not answering.
"Hon…" Rory started but Honor quickly cut her off. She really didn't want to talk about it.
"Weren't you supposed to be going for a shower?"
"Um…yeah." Honor smiled brightly back at Rory as she frowned in concern.
"I'm fine, Rory," she told her as she moved from the couch and headed towards her bedroom. "Stop worrying about me."
Honor shut the door behind her and Rory walked into her own room. She couldn't help worrying about Honor. She wasn't dealing with her break up very well. In fact, she wasn't dealing at all. She was refusing to so much as talk about it and whenever Rory tried to bring up the subject, she was shut down instantly.
Speaking of not dealing, Rory figured that she could probably do with listening to her own advice. She had spent the last few days hiding out in her dorm room, only leaving to go to class or to the library. She had even foregone her usual hourly trips to the coffee cart for fear of running into Logan with some tramp wrapped around him.
That was not good. She couldn't keep going on like that, for one thing she was seriously caffeine deprived and it was just quite simply pathetic. She wasn't that girl; the girl who hid away and let a boy affect her so much. It was over with Logan and it was time for her to get over it and move on.
Standing in front of the mirror holding her towel in one hand and her shampoo in the other, she silently resolved to get over Logan Huntzberger, if it was the last thing she did.
RLRLRLRLRLRLRL
"What do you think of Doyle?" asked Paris as she sat perched on the edge of Rory's desk. Rory slowly lifted her eyes from the computer screen and frowned at Paris' interruption.
"Paris, I'm kind of busy here," she informed her and returned to typing up her article, hoping that she would take the hint and leave her be. No such luck!
"Do you think he's cute?" Rory groaned and closed her eyes hoping that when she opened them, Paris would be gone. Again, no such luck!
"Paris, why are you asking me if I think Doyle is cute? He's our editor and he's Doyle."
Paris shrugged and drew her eyes back from the irritated looking man. "I was just making conversation."
"Yeah, well pick another subject. I really don't want to be talking about Doyle and how cute he may or may not be. In fact, I don't really want to be talking at all right now, so…"
"Oh great!" Paris said abhorrently. Rory glanced up to see what had gotten Paris' attention only to be met by a pair of familiar brown eyes. Annoyingly, she felt her heart skip a beat as it always did whenever he was around. However, any apparent happiness or faint glimmer of excitement at seeing him again was quickly replaced by a feeling of anger and the image of him with that girl at the pub.
Rory returned her vision to the computer screen and tried agonisingly to keep her attention away from that of Logan Huntzberger. But it was no use; she couldn't help but steal casual glimpses of him as he talked to Doyle. He looked incredible as always, which Rory found exceedingly irritating.
"What the hell is Logan Huntzberger doing here? Do you think he's here on a dare?" Paris wondered, echoing Rory's thoughts. What was he doing here, at the Newsroom of all places? She knew he was a Huntzberger, but Logan in the few years that she had known him, had never shown any interest in his family's business. Why now?
"Do you think Mitchum's coming too?" Rory shrugged. She was still unable to take her eyes away from the blonde, until he turned and caught her staring at him giving her a warm, friendly smile in the process. Rory lowered her gaze, ignoring the butterflies she felt from having his eyes burn through her once more. She had to get out of there; seeing him made her realise that no matter how much she wanted to be able to move on and forget all about him, it was going to be a lot harder than she thought it would.
"Gilmore!" Doyle's voice shouting her name snapped her out of her daze. She groaned inwardly to herself, took a deep breath and then plastered a fake smile on her face.
"Yes, Doyle?"
"Get your butt over here!" he insisted loudly. Rory felt her cheeks get warmer as she felt Logan's eyes on her. Slowly, she pushed out her chair, glared at Paris who had an evil grin on her face, and walked over to where Doyle and Logan were standing at his desk.
She fought against every natural impulse in her body to look at Logan, who hadn't taken his eyes off her since she joined them.
Rory told herself to just play it cool and ignore Logan at all costs. She was about to find that harder than she thought it would be.
"What's up, Chief?" Rory asked while trying to sound nonchalant. Doyle's permanent scowl greeted her as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Have you finished your article yet?" he enquired. Rory mirrored Doyle's stance as if trying to protect herself, shielding herself from Logan's all consuming stare.
"Almost. I should have it done by tomorrow," she managed to say as her eyes betrayed her, stealing a quick glance at Logan. He was watching her intensely, making her feel uncomfortable.
"Good. Well, in the mean time you can show Logan around. He will be joining the Yale Daily News and I am ensuring you with the task of showing him the ropes." Rory felt the panic set in as she contemplated having to spend any serious amount of time alone in Logan's presence.
"Umm, why do I have to show him around?" She blurted out causing Logan to lower his head and shift uncomfortably in his position beside her. Doyle just glared.
"Because, Gilmore. I am the editor, I am busy, and because…I said so!" he snapped before storming off in the opposite direction leaving Rory and Logan standing alone for the first time since that night at the pub.
Rory sighed, resigned to her fate. She would have to do it. She would have to talk to him, look at him even. Shaking her head, she turned to face him head on. Logan smiled back at her; his eyes betrayed his assured confidence though as Rory could tell he felt just as awkward as she did.
His eyes remained on hers for a few seconds more, searching for some kind of sign to let him know that she didn't hate him completely. All he was met with was her cold, icy stare. Logan sighed to himself and lowered his head.
"So, what exactly are you doing here Logan?" Rory asked in an inhospitable tone, her eyes narrowing.
"Daddy insisted I join the paper, so here I am." Logan replied, raising his head to face her.
"Since when have you ever done anything because your father said so?" She made no effort to hide her annoyance at him being there on her turf.
"Since now," he said shortly. Rory glared at him and uncrossed her arms.
"And you being here has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I just so happen to be on the paper?"
Logan couldn't help the smile from appearing on his face. Despite the fact that she was mad at him, he could never resist an angry Rory Gilmore. She was so spectacularly cute and sexy, he wanted to reach out and kiss her ferociously, but he refrained. He did value his life after all and was fairly certain that if he so much as touched her she would probably break off any and all offending appendages.
"I guess that's just a bonus." Rory rolled her eyes; she wasn't going to fall for that cocky smirk and arrogant charm of his this time.
"Well, don't get any ideas," she threatened and then tore off towards the supply closet. She stopped when she realised he wasn't following her. "Do you want me to show you around or what? I haven't got all day." Logan's smile widened as Rory's eyes blazed back at him. As much as it killed him that she was angry with him, he could deal with it. He would rather have her hate him than feel nothing at all towards him. Anger was good. It was passionate; it was something he could work with.
RLRLRLRLRLRL
Paris had never been very good at dealing with emotions. Hysterical people were not her forte. So, imagine her disgust when returning home she found Honor sitting in the middle of the common room surrounded by boxes of Kleenex, listening to Celine Dion's 'All By Myself'.
Standing at the door, watching her room mate look so pathetic and pitiful, Paris rolled her eyes and groaned. She really didn't need this. Where is Gilmore when you need her?
Closing the door behind her, Paris entered the dorm room and tried desperately not to make eye contact with Honor; she hoped that she wouldn't notice her as she basked in her own misery.
"Oh hey, Paris. I didn't see you there." Paris froze at her bedroom door, her hand on the doorknob. Damn! So close!
"What the hell is your problem?" Paris asked bluntly, if she had to indulge in the room mate pleasantries, she wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible. Honor sighed as 'All By Myself' began again. Paris groaned; she had it on repeat.
"I'm fine, Paris. Really…I'm…" a giant sob escaped and Honor reached for another box of Kleenex. Paris felt her soul die. There was no way she was going to escape now. Where the hell is Gilmore?!!
RLRLRLRLRLRLRL
It had been an hour since Rory finished showing Logan around the newsroom. Since then, she had tried to refocus her attention on finishing her article. Logan, on the other hand, had spent the time either watching her, making paper aeroplanes, or sleeping which is what he was doing now.
Somehow, he had managed to procure the desk sitting directly across from her for himself, much to her chagrin. As she looked up from her computer screen, she scowled as he was sprawled out on his chair, eyes closed, and his feet on the desk lost to the land of Nod.
Rory silently seethed and began typing frantically. She kept glancing up to see him still fast asleep, which only served to make her anger grow. She couldn't believe the nerve of him. If he was going to be joining the paper, the least he could do was to actually do some work and not just use the opportunity to catch up on some sleep.
This whole 'moving on' concept was proving much more difficult than she had originally thought. Having him sitting across from her all the time was not going to help her or her sanity. She needed time; she needed space; she needed to not have to see him every day, but that idea was out the window, thanks to Mitchum Huntzberger's insistence that Logan learn about the newspaper business.
She needed a new plan. She needed to clear her mind and focus on what was really important like her studies, the newspaper. She had to cleanse Logan Huntzberger completely from her mind.
However, as she received an instant message on her computer screen, she realised that forgetting him would not be an easy task.
Hey Ace!
RLRLRLRLRLRL
After spending the afternoon being glared at and spoken to as if he were an idiotic two year old, Logan thought it would have bothered him a lot more, as it usually did when his father was the perpetrator. However, he had discovered that when the perpetrator was a certain blue eyed, brown haired overachiever, he wasn't so annoyed. In fact, weirdly, he had found himself a little turned on.
He had used all of his strength not to pull her into the supply closet and do ungodly things to her as she sarcastically explained to him what a pencil sharpener was for. He had resisted all of his body's natural urges to jump over his desk and lose himself in her as her sexy scowl drove him wild.
Logan had quickly figured out that practically everything he did was irritating to her, including his breathing. So he had gone about trying to rile her up as best he could, trying to get a reaction out of her.
Instead of beginning the article Doyle had assigned him, he had spent the afternoon thinking of all the things he could do to drive her crazy. Knowing her as well as he did, it wasn't hard to come up with some ideas. He began by ordering pizza for himself and having it delivered to the newsroom. He even offered her a slice, and she refrained while giving him a look that could freeze hell over. In between watching her - which in itself was annoying her - he discovered his talent for making paper aeroplanes. When one landed on her desk, she simply scrunched it up and tossed it in the trash.
For the last fifteen minutes, Logan had been pretending to be asleep, knowing that that would probably get to her the most. Rory always had abhorrence for people who didn't share her work ethic. So sleeping in the newsroom when he should be working would royally piss her off. As he sat in his chair, making himself very comfortable, he tried to hold back the smile that was threatening to spread across his face as he heard her sigh in frustration at him. His plan was working.
Opening his eyes, he looked over at her sitting behind her desk, typing away furiously trying to remain focused. He smirked as he noticed the tip of her tongue poking out at the corner of her mouth as she checked her notes. Her brows were furrowed, her shoulders hunched and he had never seen her look more beautiful as she was at that moment. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head causing him to grin like an idiot.
He removed his feet from their comfortable position on the desk and pulled his chair closer and began typing:
Hey Ace!
He watched her closely as she received his message, waiting for any kind of reaction. After a few seconds, she began typing.
Go away! I'm busy!!!
Logan smiled as he read her reply. He wasn't going to give up so easily, especially not now. He had her attention.
So I can see. Has anyone ever told you that you look incredibly hot when your so focused like that?
Logan clicked send and sat back waiting to see how she would react. He watched her read his message and then smiled uncontrollably as she frowned. Although, for the briefest of moments, Logan was certain he saw a faint glimmer of a smile on her face. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.
Has anyone ever told you that you are incredibly annoying when people are trying to work?"
Logan sighed. His usual cocky charm wasn't going to work at this point. He would have to try a different approach.
Nothing happened with that girl.
Logan waited for her to answer him but there was no response. He looked over at her and noticed as she contemplated his words. He began typing again.
Ace?
It doesn't matter Logan. Not anymore.
Reading her message, he felt his heart sink. She didn't care. She wasn't willing to listen to his explanation. She had her mind made up and Logan knew better than most just how stubborn Rory Gilmore could be. His shoulders sagged in disappointment while watching her pack up her stuff. He wanted to go over to her and make her listen to him; make her understand that she was the only girl for him. However, as he slouched back in his chair defeated, he didn't think there was any point. She had made up her mind. It was over. It was over before it even started.
As Rory gathered up her things, she fought hard for control as she felt her whole body shake. She could feel him watching her, but knew that she could not let him see how much he was affecting her. She needed to get out of there quickly. She needed to get away from the newsroom; away from him. She couldn't concentrate with him in her face like that.
Passing by his desk, she forced herself not to look at him as her heart thumped loudly in her chest. The beating was so loud she wondered if he would hear it.
Part of her wanted to throw herself into his arms and make him promise to never let her go. That was why she had to leave. She couldn't trust herself around him. That was where all her problems had begun; her inability to resist him.
He asked her to give him a chance; to choose him. She did. She chose him over Dean before Honor had ever come into the equation. She wanted to be with Logan, but he couldn't even wait a night for her before falling into bed with the first pretty face that came along. Closing her eyes, she let out a deep breath as she found herself standing alone in the hallway. He didn't follow her, he let her go. For that she was thankful.
RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL
Standing in the common room, Logan felt anxious. He felt a mixture of anticipation and apprehension as he waited for Honor to get ready. He had decided to perform his brotherly duties and try and cheer her up by taking her out to dinner, having called her earlier only to be greeted by a sad and depressed sounding voice.
Setting aside his own personal torment, he knew that he had to do something. However, he was still extremely uncomfortable being in her dorm room. He hoped and dreaded Rory walking in while he was still there.
"Honor will you get your butt out here!" he yelled through to his sister slightly exasperated at how long she was taking. He really wanted to get out of there before Rory got back. He wasn't sure whether he could handle even more rejection at her hands.
"I'm coming! Keep your panties on!" was her reply. Logan shook his head knowing that she was probably not even half way dressed yet.
"I would like to eat sometime tonight, you know," he called back.
"Then take some of Rory's chips. I'm sure she won't mind!" Logan knew better. He didn't want to give Rory any more reason to hate him and coming between a Gilmore Girl and her food was a big mistake.
"I'll pass thanks." Logan sighed in frustration and then plopped himself down on the couch, figuring that he might as well make himself comfortable as he was in for a long wait. He glanced around the room taking in its homely essence, until something caught his eye. Sitting forward he took a closer look at the picture frame which had captured his attention. There was a picture of him, Honor, Finn, Colin, and Rory practically sitting on top of one another at the Graduation/Leaving party they had thrown over a year ago. Logan smiled broadly as the memories of that night came rushing back to him. That was the night when everything had changed. That was the night he had finally realised how much he had fallen for Rory Gilmore. It was the night she had surprised him by kissing him first. It was the night of so many firsts, for both of them.
A knock at the door pulled him from his memories and the sound of Honor asking him to answer the door caused him to sigh accordingly.
"What did your last slave die of?" he shouted through to her as he approached the door.
"A really long, drawn out death. Sharp implements were involved." Logan laughed and then opened the door. Standing before him was a familiar and rather tall, floppy haired guy. Thinking for a minute he tried to place him, and then realisation dawned; it was Dean.
"Umm, hi…is Rory around?" Dean asked while Logan's mind whirled. What the hell was he doing there? Were Dean and Rory still together? After everything that happened, Logan had completely forgotten about Dean. But here he was standing in front of him, all tall and well…tall. He was really tall!
Logan tried to shake the angry feeling which was building up and somehow managed to force himself to speak.
"No, she's not." He said bluntly while glaring at the man who had come between him and his Ace.
"Who is it?" asked Honor as she appeared from her bedroom. She stopped in her tracks when noticing Dean. "Oh, hey! What are you doing here?"
"He was just looking for Rory." Logan answered for him in a harsh sounding tone. He didn't like Dean, he had never liked him. Not only was he not good enough for Rory, but he had gotten her involved in his marriage. He had put her in the position of being the other woman - not that Rory was completely innocent.
Honor gestured for Dean to come in and Logan shut the door behind them. His eyes still firmly on Dean. If looks could kill…
"You can wait if you want. She's at the library, she shouldn't be long." Dean nodded gratefully.
"Okay, thanks."
"Well, I should go finish getting ready before Logan fades away to nothing." Dean smiled as did Logan, although for both of them there was tension in their eyes. There was awkwardness and an atmosphere between them, and Dean could definitely sense that Logan was none too happy to see him there.
As silence descended upon them, Dean tried to wrack his brain to come up with something to say. He smiled politely as he ran his hand through his hair and then finally something popped into his head.
"So when did you get back from your trip?" he asked, trying to strike up a conversation. He had always gotten the feeling that Logan had never liked him very much. He wasn't sure whether it was out of some kind of over protective big brother act or because he had a thing for Rory like he was positive Rory had for him, at one point.
"A week ago." Logan grunted in reply. Dean nodded and then silence surrounded them once more. As Logan let out a sigh, Dean watched him discretely. His icy, cold demeanour confused him slightly. As much as he knew Logan didn't like him, he had at least always made an effort to get along with him on the few occasions they were in the same room. But now, it was different. There seemed to be something bubbling under the surface and Dean couldn't quite figure out what his problem was.
Suddenly the door opened and in walked Rory with her head in a book. She didn't notice either of them at first which only caused Dean to smile. Only Rory could get so lost in a book.
When she eventually looked up, she registered the fact that both Logan and Dean were together, in her dorm room with no blood shed.
Dean noted the surprise in her eyes as she looked from one to the other. He also noted the fact that her eyes lingered slightly longer on Logan than on him. He glanced over at Logan to see him staring back at Rory intently. As their eyes met, Rory quickly looked away and then back at Dean.
"Hey what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a little rough.
"I just wanted to see you." Dean spoke as he kept watching the looks exchanged between the two supposed friends.
"Oh…" she said softly and dropped her books and bag onto the chair beside her.
"Okay, I'm ready." Honor said in a sing song voice as she re-entered the room. "Oh, hey Rory."
Rory pulled her gaze away from the two boys and smiled at her friend, so happy for the interruption. Having Dean and Logan together in the same room was not good for her stress levels.
"Hey, wow you look great," she said admiring Honor's dress trying to block out the rather awkward scenario of having her ex-boyfriend and the guy she cheated on him with, standing in the same room.
"Thanks," she twirled around giving her the complete view. "Logan's taking me out. I figured I couldn't show up at some fancy restaurant in my pyjamas."
Rory laughed forcefully. She could feel Logan's eyes boring into her and going by the expression on Dean's face, she was pretty sure he was going to figure things out fairly soon.
"We should get going. Reservations are at eight, so…" The sound of Logan's cold, harsh tone drew Rory' eyes to him. He avoided her gaze and moved to open the door. Rory and Dean moved out of the way to allow Honor to pass.
"Will you be okay?" Honor asked Rory quietly as she slid by her. Rory nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. Honor squeezed her arm and then left with Logan.
Rory kept her eyes on the door for a few seconds before finally facing Dean. She let out a sigh and then began unbuttoning her jacket.
"So, was it him?" Rory spun around to look at him trying to read his neutral expression. He wasn't giving anything away.
"What?"
"Logan! He was the guy right?" he spoke calmly, unnerving her slightly. "The guy you slept with."
Rory gaped at him; she was completely caught off guard. "Umm…"
"Well, was he?" Dean narrowed his eyes as he searched her face for the answer. Rory lowered her head and looked at the floor beneath her, ashamed.
"Yes," she answered in a small voice. She quickly glanced back up at him expecting to hear him yell at her, but he didn't. "I'm so sorry, Dean. I never meant to hurt you. I'm so, so sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I completely understand if you hate me."
Dean raised his hand cutting off her rambling, while shaking his head. "Rory, stop."
Rory eyed him curiously, she was more than confused. He wasn't yelling at her. He wasn't acting like Dean would normally act. He was calm; he was steady. He hadn't raised his voice in anger at all. Only to shush her.
"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. We grew apart, people change."
"But-"
"I don't belong in your world anymore, Rory. Logan does, but I don't. I'm okay," he informed her. Rory frowned; she honestly couldn't get her head around what he was telling her.
"You're okay? Really?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well, I'm not running around with the wind in my hair singing the hills are alive with the sound of music, but give it time." They both laughed at that image and then Rory sighed deeply. "I just want you to be happy, Rory."
"You too." She smiled and then moved towards him to embrace him in a hug. Dean wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the head. He shut his eyes, breathing in her scent as she rest her head on his chest, enjoying the comfort he offered her.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Dean asked as he pulled away from her.
"For being the best first boyfriend a girl could ask for," she said sweetly. Dean laughed and then moved towards her placing a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Bye Rory."
"Bye Dean." He took one last look at the girl who had captured his heart so completely all those years ago. With a heavy sigh and a heavy heart, he walked away. Logan better not screw things up with her! he thought as he closed the door behind him.
RLRLRLRLRLRLRL
Logan was mad. He was livid, furious, quietly seething, and any other words you could use to express just how angry he was. Sitting in silence in the car, as he drove to the restaurant with Honor in the passenger seat, he couldn't believe how much of an idiot he had been. All this time, he had felt horrible and guilty as hell for something that never even happened, when all the time Rory had a boyfriend. They were still together, and she was mad at him for supposedly sleeping with someone else. He couldn't believe how screwed up that was. The nerve she had to make him feel like the bad guy when she was still with Dean, her boyfriend.
She was nothing more than a lying, manipulative…woman. And they said he was the biggest player in town! It looked like he had finally met his match. Rory Gilmore had well and truly beat him at his own game.
To think, he thought she was little Miss Innocent. Huh!
Apparently with him spending a year away, he had missed her transformation from wide-eyed, naïve, sweet Ace, to Rory 'rip your heart out with a spoon' Gilmore.
"Are you okay?" Honor asked from beside him as she noticed the fire in his eyes.
"I'm fine." He snapped. "Never better." He was right. He had never been better than he was at that moment. He had finally seen the girl he thought he loved for what she truly was, and now he was free. He could stop being the snivelling, pathetic mess he had been the last few days and start living his life again. No ties, no feelings to consider. He was his own man and he felt good about it.
Except for that nagging pain in his chest he felt whenever he thought about her, he was better than ever.
RLRLRLRLRLRLRL
Rory sat staring blankly at her computer screen for the last fifteen minutes. Her head was all over the place. She still felt anger at Logan for the fact that he had slept with that girl, and she knew that she would never be able to truly forgive him, but…she missed him.
She couldn't help it. She missed his smile and that little mischievous twinkle in his eyes. She missed hearing him laugh and the sound of his voice or how he would always call her 'Ace'. She missed his presence. She missed being able to kiss him or have him hold her in his strong arms. Most of all, she just missed being able to talk to him about anything and everything and know that he would never judge her. She missed the trust they had, the friendship and closeness. It was gone now and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Oh, great. I was hoping he wouldn't come back." The sound of Doyle's voice beside her snapped her out of her daze and she automatically began typing again, not really registering his words.
"Huh?" she said absent-mindedly. She looked up at Doyle noticing the scowl on his face. She followed his line of vision and felt her heart break as she saw the scene before her.
"What is it about him? Is it the money? Or is it just the looks? Probably both, huh?" Rory couldn't tear her eyes away as she watched Logan making out with a brunette at the entry way to the newsroom. His hand was in her hair and Rory noticed how the girl clung to him as he sucked the soul from within her. Just like he used to do with her, she thought.
As he pulled away and waved to the girl, he turned towards his desk catching Rory's eye on the way. He smirked at her and winked and then dropped himself into his chair as Doyle scurried over to him. He kept his eyes on Rory as Doyle yammered on about something or other, his smirk widening into a full blown grin. Rory felt sick. Was that all for her benefit? Was he trying to make her jealous or did he just not care at all?
Rory shook her head in disgust and then returned her focus back to her work. She wasn't going to play his games.
RLRLRLRL
A little while later, Rory glanced up from her screen to see Logan's eyes on her. She noticed the look he was giving her, it was the same one he had given her the night before; it was a look full of anger and revulsion. Although, she had no idea why he would be so angry with her. It was him who had slept with that other girl. Rory was the one who had pushed him away because of Honor, but was that really enough reason for him to look at her like she was a piece of dirt?
"Hey, Logan!" said a sultry voice from the door way. In walked a blonde haired girl with legs up to her ears. She walked over to Logan and sat on the edge of his desk. Rory tried not to watch. She lowered her head as though she was reading something on her computer screen; however, she remained watching them from under her eyelashes.
She saw the look Logan gave the girl, it was one full of lust and attraction and Rory felt her heart drop to the floor.
"Hi." He said grinning all the while knowing full well that Rory was watching. Not that he cared.
"So, I was thinking..." That must have hurt. "We haven't really had a chance to catch up since you came back and I thought we could maybe 'catch up' over dinner tomorrow night. What do you think?" Rory rolled her eyes at the sheer obviousness of the girl. Why don't you just climb into his lap and have your way with him right there and then? she thought to herself.
Logan smiled brightly back at the girl, sending a casual, sneaky glance at Rory in the process.
"Sure. I'll pick you up around eight."
"Great!" the girl practically squealed with excitement. She slid gracefully off the desk - well as graceful as she could considering the fact that her skirt was basically a belt - and then placed a kiss on his cheek.
"I'll see you tomorrow then." Logan nodded and watched her as she walked away and disappeared into the hall. He turned back around and saw Rory staring back at him.
"What?" Rory just shook her head and busied herself with typing up her article. Logan smirked.
"You know if you have something to say…"
"I don't have anything to say, Logan. Nothing at all."
"That's not like you." Rory was about to answer him when his cell phone started ringing. Holding up his finger, gesturing for her to hold that thought, he answered the phone.
"Hey, Lisa. How's it going?" He greeted whoever it was on the other side of the line. "I'm good. How are you?" Rory rolled her eyes in disgust. "Today? Sure, I'd love to have lunch with you. I'll see you in an hour." He hung up.
"You were saying?" he looked at Rory, all of his cockiness and arrogance on display.
"Don't you have any respect at all?"
Logan shrugged. "For…?"
"For anyone. This is a newsroom, Logan. In case you hadn't noticed. People come here to work, not to flirt and make dinner plans with whatever idiotic bimbo comes along."
"That wouldn't be jealousy there would it?"
"Oh please, don't flatter yourself."
"It sounds like you're jealous to me."
"Well, you always were deluded," she bit back. Logan laughed. "You really don't care about anyone else but yourself do you? As long as you get your leg over…"
Logan's eyes flew open as her words registered with him. Fire burned deep within him at her jibe. He couldn't believe the nerve of her to accuse him of being insensitive and heartless, when she was the biggest culprit he knew.
"Hey, at least I'm honest and up front. What you see is what you get. Don't go looking down on me when you're not exactly the essence of purity yourself."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're a hypocrite!" Rory almost choked as he spoke.
"Excuse me! How am I a hypocrite?"
"Because, you walk around acting all high and mighty, passing judgement on my life and everyone else's. Believe me, you are not the perfect angel that you so desperately profess yourself to be."
"What are you talking about?"
"Broken up any marriages lately?" Rory narrowed her eyes and immediately pulled herself up from her chair. She had to get out of there. She wasn't going to just sit there and let him attack her in front of everyone. "What? No comments?"
Quickly, she gathered up her things as everyone pretended they weren't listening to the argument between them. Logan watched her feeling a pang of guilt, but he pushed that aside. He needed to get things off his chest. He needed to let her know that she was the one in the wrong. Not him.
As Rory left the newsroom, Logan decided to follow after her. He wasn't anywhere near finished with her yet.
"Oh don't leave. We were just getting started," he said sarcastically as he followed her through the hall.
"Go away, Logan."
"Not going to happen," he informed her as he caught up with her. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her to a stop.
"What do you want?" she spat out. Logan smiled.
"I just thought you could teach me all about the ins and outs of morality. Seeing as you're the expert, after all. I mean, first of all you sleep with your ex-boyfriend, who just so happens to be married, thus breaking up said marriage. Then you go and cheat on him with me."
Rory tried to pull her arm from his grasp but he just held on tighter. "Oh and didn't you cheat on Dean with Jess? And then there was that Tristan guy…"
"How do you…? Screw you Logan!" Logan smirked back at her, his eyebrows raising suggestively.
"Oh, as I recall, you rather enjoyed screwing me. Repeatedly, if memory serves." As the words left his mouth, he saw the hurt in her eyes and instantly regretted what he said.
"You're a pig!" she told him firmly, trying desperately not to let him see the tears which were threatening to escape. She struggled to free her arm and after taking one long, last hate-filled look at him; she turned around and walked away, leaving him in a sea of regret and self loathing. He wanted to go after her, to apologise but he had already done enough damage. He let out a heavy sigh as he watched her walk away, he felt sick. He felt guilty and most of all he felt angry at himself for hurting the one person he ever truly loved. He crossed the point of no return and he would have to live with that. He would have to live without her in his life.
AN: Yes, I know what your thinking, more angst. Bear with me and I promise the good times will be right around the corner. Now, please click that little button and tell me what you think. You know you want to! Pretty please!
