Thank you all for reading and the reviews. Sorry for the delay in updates this week on this story and Removing the Rose Colored Glasses. Work has just been insane. But here is the next chapter...hope you all enjoy. Next chapter the research into Rory will begin.

Chapter 12

Rory was sitting in her and Stephanie's room at the ski lodge. Stephanie had run to one of the other girls room, something about a shoe malfunction and Rory was just taking a moment to herself before the big New Year Gala. She glanced over at the dress she would be wearing this evening. When they were packing for the trip Rory had asked Stephanie about what kind of dress she should pack for the New Year party. Rory did not have many dresses but she had one or two nicer ones that she had purchased over the years for school functions. Imagine her surprise when Stephanie told her that she did not need a dress. Stephanie explained how each year the New Year Gala was a themed costume ball and that their outfits would be waiting for them at the lodge. Rory was a bit hesitant and a bit confused but Stephanie explained this was a totally normal process and Rory decided she would just go with the flow….since that was her new motto, or at least one she as trying to follow.

Christmas in Stars Hallow was wonderful as always, she loved seeing the younger kids all excited with their gifts and being that school ended a few days earlier she was able to accompany Mia when she took them to see Santa. She also mentioned to Mia if it would be ok if one of her friends and his dad came by after the holidays to meet her. She did not go into detail but as always Mia told her she would love to meet one of her friends and to just let her know when they were coming.

She spent some time with Lane who was home for a short break as she had to return to school early as she was a part of a group of students that would be performing holiday concerts over the break and she spent some quality time with Dean. She loved hearing how happy Dean was at Cal-Tech and she was equally happy to hear about Amber who at the mention of her name left Dean blushing. Trying to get Rory off the topic of his new girlfriend, which seemed to excite Rory to no end he decided to ask her about her friends, namely Logan.

Flashback

"So while we are on the topic of friends, how's Logan?" Dean asked with a smirk.

"They are all ok. Finn, well Finn is Finn" Rory told him. Dean understanding the reference as Rory shared countless stories of the crazy Australian on their weekly calls.

"And I think Colin is going to ask Stephanie out during our ski trip. It would be about time, I mean they both claim they are just friends but you should see his face when another guy talks to her. It is pretty funny" Rory shared.

"Well you definitely need to keep me up on their status" Dean told her. He was always up for some good gossip but what he enjoyed hearing more was the way Rory's voice lit up when she talked about her friends. She actually seemed to have found her place and she was starting sound really comfortable around them. "And Logan? Anything new with him?" he added.

"Dean we are just friends" Rory told him with a frown. "I told you I am not looking for a boyfriend and I am far from the type of girl that Logan goes out with trust me".

"And what is his type? Do you know many of his girlfriends?" Dean asked.

"Well no, I mean I know who a lot of the girls he dated in the past are, and the girls that like him. They don't like me too much, seems they think that the reason he hasn't dated this year is because of me. I told Stephanie that just shows how stupid these girls are, I mean we are just friends".

"So he isn't dating anyone?"

"No, he is…well he is trying to get more into his studies. I am sure he will date again when he finds someone he likes. Stephanie said it is a good thing, many of his past dates were bimbos and I have to agree they are. They actually talk about him not dating as if he is breaking some cardinal rule. It is pretty funny."

"So you and Logan spend a good amount of time together?"

"Well we all spend time together, I mean Logan and I maybe spend a little more time together because of the newspaper, we work on some of our articles together but…Dean what are you getting at?"

"Nothing. I just asked. I mean you talk about him a lot so I figured you spent a good deal of time together. I'm glad that you found good friends, they seem to have your back and maybe you are starting to trust them a little?"

Rory nodded. "I do….I….."

"You?"

"I told Logan".

"You told Logan?"

"I mean, well they were all there during the Paris fight so I know they heard things but they never asked me about anything and I wasn't going to bring it up, I mean not yet".

"But you told Logan?"

"I went to the city to try to get a copy of my birth certificate and…."

"What happened Rory?"

"It's a fake".

"What's a fake?"

"My birth certificate, all the information that I have about me. Everything is a lie" Rory said as the tears started forming again.

Dean wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

"It seems that there is no record of a Rory Haymore every being born in New York on my birthday. They even did segmented searches, like just my name, my birthday, the hospital where it says I was born….everything was a lie".

"Oh Rory, I am so sorry. You could have called me. What did Mia say?"

"I know but I did not want to worry you and Mia, well I haven't told her yet. With the holidays I just wanted to forget everything for a while".

"But you told Logan?"

"Well it wasn't like I planned too. I went to the city the day after Thanksgiving. I did not tell anyone I was going, not even Mia. I wanted to do it on my own you know?. When they told me everything I was so upset I just ran and I guess I was just wandering the streets, I don't even really remember what was going through my head except everything was a lie, my whole life was a lie. I must have been walking for a few hours and it started raining and I don't know what happened. I went to cross the street and I wasn't looking and this car…."

"Oy my god Rory were you hurt?"

"No, thankfully the man saw me and had good breaks. He got out of the car to make sure I was ok and he asked if he could take me somewhere, I didn't know where to go. I guess he was worried and concerned and he just wanted to get me out of the rain and he said he could take me to his house and get me some towels and I could use his phone to call someone…."

"So you got in a car with a stranger?"

"I trusted him".

"You trusted a stranger?"

"There was something about his eyes, I don't know why but I went with him and when we got to his apartment his son was there".

"And you had them call Logan? You know you could have called me Rory I would have sent someone to get you".

"No you don't understand, his son….it was Logan".

"Wow, out of millions of people in New York you walked in front of Logan's dad's car?"

"They were both so nice to me. They gave me dry clothes and they fed me and then his dad went to do some work and Logan, he just….he was there for me and I knew I had to either trust him or not and something told me I could trust him….I told him I did not know who I was"

"How did he react?"

"He told me it was ok, that he would help me and that he knew who I was. That I was Rory Haymore, his friend and that was all that mattered".

Dean smiled….he had hoped his feelings about Logan were right and from what Rory told him they were.

"How did that make you feel?"

Rory smiled…."Good. I feel safe with him".

"That's good Rory, he seems like he is a really good friend".

"He is. His dad is going to help me. He has a lot of connections, he works in newspapers….."

"He does well that seems….wait a minute, Huntzberger, wait do you mean that Logan is the son of Mitchum Huntzberger? The newspaper mogul?"

"Yeah" Rory said with a laugh.

"Well I guess if you were going to walk in front of someone' car it is pretty lucky that it was the car of one of your newspaper idols and the father of your friend. Sheer luck Rory" Dean told her laughing.

"Yeah I guess it was"

End of Flashback

She was glad that she had time to spend with Dean before heading from her ski trip away with her friends. Before she knew it Stephanie was picking her up for the ski trip. She was pretty quiet on the way up to the lodge. She did not want to admit that she was scared, she had almost called Stephanie the night before to cancel but instead she decided she was going to face her fears and it wouldn't be like she did not have her friends there with her. About an hour before they made it to the lodge Stephanie finally got her talking and she admitted she was a bit nervous. Stephanie just gave her the trademark Stephanie smile and told her she would be fine, that she would fit right in and if she ever felt uncomfortable all she had to do was tell one of them and they could head back to their rooms but that she was going to have fun so there was nothing to worry about.

Stephanie had been right. She was still a bit nervous about being with a large group of Logan and his friends, many that she had never met but surprisingly she found herself liking most of them, well except Robert but it seemed that Logan, Finn and Colin were not too happy about Robert trying to talk to their Reporter Girl, which had become Colin and Finn's nickname for her, so they nipped that in the bud quickly which she was thankful for. Juliet and Rose took her under their wing, just as Stephanie had and acted like she was always a part of their group and Rory was looking forward to getting to know them even more when they all returned to Yale and the four of them would be roommates.

She still felt most comfortable when she had Logan, Colin, Finn or Stephanie around, and it was almost as if her friends new that because she was never alone with some of the other guests without one of them around. Overall the past few days she found herself comfortable and having fun. They had skied, or at least she attempted too. She wasn't sure skiing was her talent but she enjoyed snow tubing. The girls won at what she found out was the annual snowball fight and Finn kept her close by when he realized she was a master at counting cards at blackjack….something that surprised her as well as she had never been to a poker game or casino before in her life. She also learned she liked champagne. She was nowhere ready to try a shot of what Finn called a Fireball, but champagne….well that she enjoyed.

But now it was time for the big gala. She stared at the dress that was hanging on the door….just waiting for her to put it on. She noticed that her dress covered much more than some of the other girl's dresses which made her laugh. It was almost as if whoever did the dress shopping knew she would not be comfortable in anything to risqué. But the idea of putting on the dress still freaked her out….because it was beautiful and no doubt expensive. She did not think she was ever this close to a dress that was this expensive without a piece of glass between her and the fabric, but Stephanie reassured her again, well numerous times that this was the norm and just to dress up and have fun.

By the time Stephanie came back in the room Rory had finally put on the dress and curled her hair and when she turned around Stephanie just stood there is shock…

"Wow Rory, you are going to have the guys drooling. You look amazing".

Rory had to laugh…."I doubt that Steph but thanks for the ego boost. You sure it looks ok? I can't believe it fits so perfectly, I mean who picks out these dresses, how could they do so well with sizing if they did not even know who they are dressing?"

Stephanie was not going to attempt to answer that question. If Rory knew that Logan had personally picked out her dress she knew Rory would freak so she laughed it off using the excuse of the dress fairy and finished dressing herself before helping Rory touch up her makeup.

They met up with Juliet and Rose in the hallway and they headed downstairs to the grand ballroom where the ball would be held.

The boys were at the bar talking to Seth, who also just returned from a semester abroad when suddenly they heard a big hush over the room which made Robert's comment that damn who knew she had a body like that echo throughout the room. Thankfully only those at the bar heard the comment as Finn biffed him in the back of the head and Logan's head turned around and he was struck speechless. He figured his jaw was probably on the floor. From the moment she looked up at him with those big blue eyes the day she almost knocked him over with a box he knew she was beautiful but she looked…wow. He needed words at this moment and none were coming to his mind as the girls walked towards them at the bar.

"Loves, you all are beautiful as always" Finn said as he smiled over at the girls.

"Thanks Finn" Stephanie said for the girls collectively…."And you four all look dashing as well" she added.

"I am the most exotic though right love?"

"Of course Finny, you are always the most exotic" Juliet said with a laugh.

"Rose, it has been too long since I have seen you" Finn said as Rose rolled her eyes.

"Finn you saw me an hour ago when you came to my room to see if I needed help dressing" she said laughing.

"Well I will admit that I am glad you tossed your shoe at me to get me out of your room, seeing the full package was definitely worth the wait".

"Finn go get me a drink" Rose said laughing.

"Of course love" he said as he turned back towards the bar and got the girls glasses of champagne.

Stephanie watched out of the corner of her eye her suddenly silent friend Logan who was alternating between staring at his shoes and staring at Rory. Rory on the other hand was looking everywhere she could and would steal glances at Logan, a blush blooming across her face and she was ready to break out in laughter.

"Come on Rose, dance with me….it has been too long" Finn said as he pulled Rose off to the dance floor.

Colin who also had been watching his usually not so quiet friend standing there as if he was pole axed jabbed him in the stomach….causing Logan to flinch look at him and then take a breath and look over at Rory who was starting to look a bit uncomfortable as the crowd picked up in the room.

"It's kind of warm in here….Ace want to take a walk outside with me on the balcony?"

"Um, sure" Rory said shyly.

"We will be back" Logan told the group as he led Rory through the crowd and out the door.

While it was a mild evening it was still chilly so he took off his jacket and wrapped it around Rory's shoulders as they walked towards the railing.

"It's really beautiful out here" Rory said softly.

"It is…I always liked it out here. It's peaceful..."

"Not so peaceful on campus" Rory said with a laugh.

"No…but there are a few places that I go to sometimes. I….well maybe once we get back to school you will come with me one day for a drive. There is this place, it's about an hour or so out of New Haven. It's this abandon mansion, not sure of the whole story but supposedly it burned down years ago but there issues with the estate so no one took ownership or tried to fix it up. I would drive out there sometimes. It's weird, I mean it's kind of haunting you know, this house, nature growing around the remnants of what was left of the foundation but there is such this feeling of solitude, quiet….it's peaceful. I go out there to think, or take pictures".

"You never did tell me".

"Tell you what Ace?"

"About why no one knows how good you are with a camera? Why no one knows how talented you are?"

Logan shrugged his shoulders…"I don't know really. I guess growing up all I ever heard was that one day I would take over HPG, that I would run the business. Did not even really have an option when it came to choosing a major at school. It was like Logan, this is what degree you need, these are the classes you need, for the longest time I really did not think anyone really cared what I wanted to do, all that mattered is that I take over the role that I was born to take. Doesn't leave many options you know?"

"Have you ever tried talking to your dad? I mean I know your relationship hasn't been great in the past but I know you said it has been getting a little better….."

"It has and he is trying. Since I came back from my trip he has been trying to reach out more but it was weird you know, like I was still scared to say the wrong thing, something that would disappoint him but…."

"But…."

"The night we stayed in his apartment, when I went to talk to him about helping you. For the first time he brought up my destiny of taking over HPG and that while he thought I would be great at the job, if it wasn't my dream that it was ok, that he wanted me to be happy. We really did not get into it that much but that was the first time I think he ever actually acknowledged that I might actually have dreams of my own".

"Do you? Have dreams Logan?"

Logan nodded….."I do" he told her, in his head admitting to himself that over the past few months his dreams have started to include her, and not in the I have had dirty dreams about you way, but more of the I can see snippets of my future and you are a part of them way, which a year ago would have scared the hell out of him, but surprisingly now the thoughts put him at ease.

"Well maybe one day you will share them with me" she said smiling.

"I would like that" he said smiling back. "You sure you are not too cold?" he asked her as he saw her shiver slightly.

"Maybe a little, you are probably frozen. We can go back inside" she told him as she started walking towards the patio doors.

"Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"I am really glad you decided to come this weekend".

"I am too" she said with one of those rare smiles that reached her eyes.

"Come on let's go….I had mini egg-rolls and dumplings put on the menu, want to make sure we get to them first" he said laughing as he took her hand and walked her back inside.

The rest of the evening was spent mostly in their little group, now with the addition of Seth, Juliet and Rose. They dined on mini-egg rolls and dumplings and chicken bites and champagne and when the clock got close to the magical hour everyone gathered out on the patio as counted down…and just as midnight struck the sky lighted up with fireworks and as couples kissed and friends hugged Logan looked over at Rory and her eyes were bright and the smile on her face was mesmerizing and before he knew what he was doing he leaned down and said "Happy New Year Ace" before he allowed his lips to brush softly against hers.

They just stood there staring at each other as most of the guests started heading back in to the ballroom for after firework cocktails….

He pulled back and saw a look of shock, or was it confusion on her face and suddenly a panic rose within him. "I'm sorry Ace, I did not…."

She smiled softly….."It's ok Logan, I get it. You got caught up in the moment. I guess it's natural I mean that's what you are supposed to do on New Year's and…." She was rambling. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and while the kiss was a surprise and the idea of it was something that would normally freak her out, she wondered why suddenly she missed the warmth that she felt in those few seconds that their lips met.

Maybe it would be better if he let her believe it was just a caught up in the moment thing. Maybe if he did then she would not feel uncomfortable and pull away from him, that was the one thing he did not want to happen.

The kiss was definitely not something he planned, but it was just seeing her smiling face, the happiness in her eyes and it was almost as if there was a magnetic force and he kissed her and he felt as his life had shifted on its axis. But he also did not want her thinking he regretted it, because as much as he knew the timing was wrong, the kiss was definitely not something of regret. He could go one of two ways but as he looked at her rambling he saw something in her eyes….

He took her hand lightly in his….."I wasn't caught up in the moment Rory. I wanted to kiss you" he told her. She looked up at him curiously….."I was sorry because I know you are not ready for anything and I don't even know if you feel anything for me other than friendship or if you maybe could one day and I never want to make you uncomfortable, I want you to trust me and feel safe with me and…."

Suddenly so many things passed through her mind…all her fears, her insecurities and then she thought of something Dean said about how she sounded when she spoke about Logan. Or how during the conversation about the girls of Yale thinking she was with Logan and how funny it was that they could believe that Rory was his type and how for a moment it upset her thinking that she never would be someone he would want. She knew she was not ready for anything but she also did not want to lose a possible change of something in the future….god where was this coming from, wasn't she the one who said she wasn't looking for a boyfriend, but there was something about Logan, how he just made her feel safe and cared for. She could just tell him that she did trust him and smile it off and she knew he would respect her and never bring it up again….

Logan just watched Rory's eyes, he so bad wished he could know what was going through her head. He suddenly started wondering what she could be thinking when Rory stood up on her tip-toes, placed her hand on his cheek and touched her lips to his for the briefest of moments and then she pulled away and looked up at him.

"I do feel safe with you" she said as he squeezed her hand softly and a smile broke out across his face. Not his usual smirk but a real smile. His eyes softened as they looked at her knowing she had more to say.

"You are right, I am not ready for anything but I think I might want to be in the future" she said softly, a blush making its way across her face as she suddenly realized what she said to him.

Logan gently put his hand under her chin and lifted her face so he could look at her…."I am not going anywhere".

"Logan, I don't know how long it could be and I want you to know that if you met someone, I mean if you wanted to date and….."

"Rory….I have met someone and she needs time and she can have all the time she needs. All she has to know is that I am here for her. I am not going anywhere" and he meant it. For the first time in his life he knew there was so much more to sex and having a different woman every night. He knew because at this moment just standing there with her small hand in his, he was more fulfilled than he ever had been throughout any of his sexual escapades.

Rory looked up at him and she knew her eyes were watering but she did not want him to see her cry.

Logan could tell that this was an emotional overload for her, not what she needed right now so he smiled at her and tightened his grip on her hand as he turned her towards the door. "Can I interest you in some after midnight delicacies my lady? I had them keep an extra tray of egg rolls and dumplings in the oven" he said with a smile.

She smiled brightly, so thankful that it seemed that Logan just knew what she needed. "I think I would my kind sir" she said laughing as they headed back into the ballroom.