Chapter 7

A new beginning?

Rory stood paralyzed by Logan's surprised face. What was he doing here? He had his apartment in N.Y? When she could finally get herself out of the stare, she said:
"Oh. I didn't know you… I'll just go…"

"Rory, wait." Rory stopped herself from going out of the door, waiting for what he had to say.

"We need to talk," he continued. "We can't avoid each other for all eternity." Rory turned around and closed the door.

"Let's talk then." She said, walking toward the chair next to the couch.

"First, do you want anything to drink?" He asked gently.

"I'll just have what you've been drinking lots of…" she said smiling nervously.

"It wasn't full. I'm not wasted, if that's what you're applying." He smiled formally at her, as he went to the kitchen picking up a class to pour the whiskey in.

"So…" He said after handing her the drink and sitting down on the couch.

"So…" Rory replied as she looked on her drink.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier." Logan began, but Rory cut him off.

"Don't be. I deserved it. I really didn't think you would get that mad. I thought you worked on your own? If I knew you also worked at the paper…"

"Yeah, I did. But it didn't work as I thought. I made a mistake and lost a lot of money. I couldn't handle it on my own. Bobby and the guys had left the firm, so I was alone. Then Mitchum turned up, ready to help with the money. I just had to promise him, to come back and help him with the papers. First in London, then N.Y."

"Oh… I didn't know." She said a bit ashamed about her way of tackling things.

"Why are you back? I thought you'd…"

"I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. Being away from everything for so long. It was hard. My mom came to visit, and I could tell that she needed me as well. That's when I decided to come back."

"I've missed you, Ace." For the first time she looked at him – right in the eyes. She loved his eyes. The bright blue color was a bit darkened. When did that happen? Was it because he was upset?

"I've missed you too, Logan." And then she lost it. She put her drink on the table, and moved in his arms. "I'm just so sorry. I'm so sorry! I just… Everything was just happening so fast." She cried, and Logan hugged her and let his hand go through her hair. He had missed having her in his arms for so long and he was afraid that this was just another dream. That he would wake up in London or N.Y. alone. Or worse: With another woman.

"I'm sorry too." Rory looked up. For a long time they just stared at each other, as if the time stood still.

Logan kissed her so gently and Rory felt like her chest was about to explode. This was what she wanted. She needed and she had missed him for so long now. Her hand went through his hair, as the other one got a grab on his neck.

Logan held her closer to him. He tried to hold all of his missing and wanting of her under control, but feeling the return of her kiss, threw him out of the edge. They moved around on the couch, and Rory dragged him on top of her.

"Rory…" Logan tried between their greedy and intense kisses.

"Rory… Are you sure about this?" He was lying on top of her, with her hands on his back, just looking at her. He was breathing fast and so was she. She looked at his pretty blue eyes as she tried to speak.

"Yes." She said after what felt like minutes. Once again he kissed her, and this time every feeling came to show. Gently, hard, intense, everything just came out in the open, and as he touched her all over, he wanted more. Both knew how much they had been missed by each other.

Lorelai walked around the house, trying to control herself. She hadn't heard from Rory, and the last time she saw her was 6 hours ago. She looked so hurt, and now she didn't answer on her cell.

"Hi hon, it's me. So… I'm just going to leave you yet another message. Do you remember the time, when Chris and I got married, and you wouldn't pick up the phone? I threatened you with air-messages, but then I just showed up, because I knew where you were. I'm about to send you the air-messages. I've already considered talking to Kirk to offer him the job. This time I can't just show up, because I don't know where you are. And… And… Rory, you need to call me. I'm worried. Okay, bye."

She hanged up the phone again and looked at it, really hard, as if she could just force the stupid phone to call. Lorelai thought of all the times Rory had been sad through the past. Who did she ran to? Dean? It couldn't be him. Dean was out in Europe with his wife. And then she remembered… Jess! Lorelai tried to find Rory's calendar in her old room. Maybe his number would be in there, but with no luck. She knew what her only option was; She had to call Luke. He would have Jess' number. Without giving it second doubts, she dialed Luke's number.

"You've called Luke, this is April talking." Lorelai heard a child's voice on the other line, and was thrown back by it. Wasn't April supposed to be in New Mexico?

"Hi April, this is Lorelai." Lorelai begun, when April interrupted her.

"Hi Lorelai. Luke is down opening the diner. Should I give him the phone?" Lorelai agreed to herself, that she should go there. Sitting at the house would just make everything worse.

"No… No. Can you just tell him, that I'm on my way? And that I need him?" April promised to bring the message to Luke at once, and they said their goodbyes.

Lorelai felt that her chest was about to explode. She hurried to Luke's at such rush, that it felt she had run the whole way. When she got near to the diner, she saw Luke opening the door, and walking towards her.

The city was still silent. You could see the sun was about to come up, and if you tried you could probably hear Patty opening the salon for her dancers. Of course Taylor was up to speed, and his voice was clear as he directed one of his workers at Dooses of how he should put the sign out.

"Lorelai? What's going on? April told me that you had called, and that you…"

"Rory is gone. She has my car, and I can't get in touch with her. I just thought that maybe…" Lorelai stopped to try to catch her breath. Luke looked at her and waited for her to continue.

"Luke and Rory got into a fight at my mothers party. You should have seen her, Luke, she was so upset. Then she wanted to drive around collecting her thoughts. She left around midnight, and she hadn't come home yet. And I can't… She's not… I don't know… I've never seen her…"

"All right, Lorelai. You need to talk in sentences. What happened between that Logan-guy and Rory? She said nothing about where she would go?"

"I have no idea. She wouldn't talk to me, Luke. She always talks to me, Luke! And no, she said nothing. Just that she wanted to drive a bit, and that she would return! But she hasn't. And last time she just took off like that, it was to see Jess."

"Jess…" That was the only thing Luke could say. He hated the affect Jess had had on Rory at sometimes. Crashing the car, making her go to Philadelphia and miss out on her mother's graduation, kissing him at that stupid book gathering. He could be so good to her, but whenever she was upset, he could also be the worst.

"Luke, what are you thinking?" Lorelai asked desperately.

"What I'm thinking? I'm thinking we are going to call Jess, not telling him that Rory is missing. We are going to find out where he is. And when we know, we are going to drive over there. You'll handle Rory and get her home, and I'll kick his sorry ass, for once again making her do stupid things. I mean… What was he thinking?" Luke said in anger. Lorelai just looked at him, as he kept talking about how irresponsible Jess was and how he had affected Rory and how she deserved better than the problems she could put herself in because of him.

"Lorelai! Are you listening? I've made a plan here!" He asked annoyed and pulled her out of he thoughts and gaze.

"Yeah. I was just… I'm listening. But you don't need to hurt Jess. I'll do it for you." Lorelai responded as Luke dragged her into the diner.

As they was about to call Jess, Lorelai received a message from Rory in which she had wrote:
"Hi mom. I'm fine. With Logan. Explaining later, sorry I didn't call."

Lorelai stopped Luke from dialing the number, and without a word she showed him the message.

"With Logan?! WITH LOGAN? What the hell are she doing with that stupid piece of dirt, when he has just broken her?" Luke said in anger.

"I don't know. I guess I should head home and try to sleep a bit. Luke… thanks. Just… again… I… thanks." For the first time Luke actually managed to smile at her. He hugged her and nothing felt weird. Lorelai was chocked by the sudden hug, but still happy. She needed him. As she was about to walk out of the diner, Luke said:

"Lorelai… Come again sometimes. The coffee isn't selling as good without you." Lorelai turned around and looked at Luke with big happy blue eyes. The eyes Luke loved so badly.

"I will. See you around, Luke." She said smiling and waved with her hand, as she walked out and returned home, to wait for Rory.

She couldn't wait to hear what had happen – and to tell her the new improvement with Luke.