A/N: My watch must be broken… It can't have been this long.

Chapter 21: Could This Deafening Sound Truly be Silence?

We're just going swimming, Logan thought to himself. And it was her grandmother who suggested it, his mind continued.

Before he could stop himself, images of Rory in a swimsuit flashed through his head.

Shit, he thought, looking around in a panic. Throwing his towel aside, he dove into the pool.

Luckily for him, the water was cold – just what he needed. A perfect substitute for the cold shower he would usually use to solve his current… condition.

He decided to do a few laps before Rory came down - anything to try and clear his head.

----GG----

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," she whispered, clutching her towel around herself. Pushing the button on the elevator, she waited, foot tapping and eyes darting.

"I'm going to kill my mother," she whispered, before hearing the ding of the elevator arriving. Quickly walking inside, she pushed the door close button before selecting a floor. There was no way she wanted to risk anyone coming into the elevator with her. So many thoughts were running through her head that she doubted there would be room anyways.

Pressing the B button for basement, she waited.

Great, just perfect! she thought, looking up into the mirrors lining the walls. "As if I didn't already feel uncomfortable enough," she mumbled, before casting her eyes to the floor and ignoring her reflection.

The truth was that she looked amazing. She wouldn't have been able to deny it; her mother really did have an eye for things like this. None of that, however, helped her feel any less naked in the skimpy sky blue bikini.

Sighing as the doors in front of her opened, she hurriedly walked towards the pool, wanting to minimize the amount of time she was exposed. It'll all be fine once I'm in the water, she told herself. No one will be able to see, she reasoned. "I'm going to kill my mother," she repeated, before opening the door to the swimming pool.

To say that Logan's jaw dropped would have been a gross understatement. When Rory walked through the door, towel wrapped around her slim figure, he realized he was in trouble. Saying a silent thank you for the cold pool water, he tried to ignore the wings of a million butterflies grazing the inside of his stomach.

"It's about time, Ace."

"What, are you pruning already?" she asked lightly, turning her back to him and walking to a chair.

"Not quite," Logan said, while pulling himself out of the water. Now, thankfully, in complete control of himself…

He heard her take a deep breath before putting her towel on the chair with determined hands.

"So," Rory said, keeping her back to him.

"So," Logan replied. "You going to turn around?"

"I kinda like looking at the wall, actually."

"Why? Is my god-like body just too much for you to handle, Ace?" Logan asked, taking a deep breath and pushing out his chest.

"No," she laughed lightly. "I just like staring at the wall is all."

"I dunno, I think my manly body makes you nervous. Better off, maybe you're staring at the wall in order to stop yourself from jumping me."

Spinning around defiantly, Rory met his eyes. They were twinkling with laughter. How did he know her so well? she wondered.

"I can't swim," she said – point blank. There was nothing to dispute.

"What do you mean, you can't swim?" Logan asked, forcing himself to hold her eyes instead of letting them roam over her body.

"Ask my mom," she said, a convincing tone in her voice. "It's genetic. Something that dates back centuries and started with my great, great, or…" she rambled, counting on her fingers. "I'm not quite sure, but let's just say great to the power of three grandmothers and –"

"Rory," Logan interrupted. "You're rambling."

"Since when do you call me Rory?" she asked.

"Since you told me your family history," he answered easily.

"Well, it's true," she repeated. "I can't swim."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine, I don't mind. We can just sit here then," Rory answered, looking around the pool deck for a comfortable looking chair. "I don't mind hanging around the pool listening to silence. It's actually very relaxing," she said, spotting a chair that would do nicely a couple feet away.

"Do you know what that sound is, highness?" Logan whispered, eyes holding a glint of mischief.

"What?" she asked, turning back to him with a light, awkward laugh. His knowing grin made her feel all the more self-conscious as she twisted her hands into a knot.

"Those are the shrieking eels," Logan whispered. Rory's eyes grew wide as she made the connection. "If you don't believe me, just wait. They always grow louder when they're about to feed on human flesh!" he yelled, as he grabbed hold of Rory's stomach and pulled her into the water, letting himself tumble in easily beside her.

"Ah!" Rory called, her head rising out of the water. "It's freezing!" she squealed. Logan just smirked in response. "What kind of a guy quotes a chick flick like The Princess Bride?" she asked, using her arms and legs to tread water in uneven beats.

"One trying to distract a girl so he can throw her into the pool."

"Such cheap tactics," she said, feeling herself warm to the surrounding water.

"How you mistake me. That, my dear Ace, was strategy. Well planned, and organized before hand. Tactics are the in-the-moment decisions," Logan said rather matter-of-factly. Like kissing the beads of water off your lips, his mind said. Inwardly scolding himself for such an un-platonic thought, he created a little more space between himself and Rory. "Tactics for you right now would be pretending to not swim, that way you don't look like such a liar."

Rory gasped lightly. "I am not a liar."

"You seem to be swimming just fine to me. To think," he paused, finger poised on his chin. "All it took was me pulling you into the pool."

"So the pulling me into the pool was a planned action?" she asked, her eyes daring him to make a decision.

"Obviously."

"Well, maybe I should just leave then," she joked, swimming slowly towards the ladder.

"Just so long as you do it very, very slowly," Logan said. Shit, I said that out loud! he thought.

Eyes wide, Rory whipped her head around. Before she could come up with a quick retort, Logan threw his hands forward, sending a wave of water over her head.

Coughing loudly, with a disbelieving face Rory stared at Logan. "Tell me you did not just splash me."

"I did not just splash you," Logan said, smirking.

"Oh, it's on," Rory called, smacking the water and sending droplets towards not only Logan but herself.

---GG---

"Okay, okay, okay," Rory panted. "I give up, mercy, you win." Logan swam up laughing.

"I am the man," he called, a smirk plastered on his face as he rested his back against the wall. He let his feet settle onto the smooth concrete pool floor, and smiled a little as Rory sat on the pool steps.

"The man?" Rory asked, eyes twinkling in a playful way.

"Yes, I am the man."

"More like a man."

"Excuse me?" Logan asked in mock hurt.

"Now I think you're just being ridiculous."

"Better ridiculous than cocky."

"Cocky?" he asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah!" she screamed as Logan suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her through the water towards the deep end. Coming up for air, he gave her a wicked grin.

Rory smiled up at him, her eyes holding something that Logan didn't quite recognize. Gently placing her hands on his shoulders, she closed the gap between them. Logan suddenly felt chills running through his body. He met her eyes with questioning ones. Leaning her head forward, she moved to whisper into his ear. "Yes," she said, "cocky," and threw all her weight onto his shoulders, sending him deep under water.

Laughing briefly, she started to swim away. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough, and as soon as Logan had recovered from his brief visit to the bottom of the pool, he began swimming after her. Before long, he caught up to her and pinned her up against the pool wall.

Out of breath, he looked her in the eye. "That was mean," he said.

"Nah," she joked. "You had it coming."

"Rory Gilmore, toying with a man's emotions," Logan chastised in a teasing tone.

"Now you've got it right." She smiled.

"What right?"

"A man."

"Ha, ha," he deadpanned. "You think you're so smart."

"I did get into Harvard, Princeton and Yale."

"So modest, too."

She looks so cute, Logan thought. Noticing their close proximity, Logan felt the sudden urge to kiss her. Leaning forward ever so slowly, he moved one of his hands from her arm to her hair, which she had left untied. Cupping her face, he expected her to back away. When she didn't, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers.

She paused a second. Stunned at what had just happened. Logan, sensing this, began backing away. Without giving it any thought, Rory lifted her hand from the water and pulled his head back to her. She kissed him gently, and when he returned it, she deepened the kiss, pulling him closer to her.

Logan had to admit to himself that she was a really good kisser. He never expected her to start another kiss. Truth be told, he expected her to say she had to go and run. Rory always ran, well, at least in his experience she did.

Knowing it was time to make the adult decision, Logan gently pulled away. He looked into her deep blue eyes, filled with confusion. He smiled lightly, and leaned forward resting his forehead against hers.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before anything escaped her lips, the door to the pool room flew open. Logan quickly moved away from Rory, feeling guilty, though not knowing why. Looking towards the door, they saw Max come in at a light run and throw off his towel yelling "Cannon ball!" before jumping into the water.

Logan looked down at Rory, but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Ace," he whispered.

"Let's just forget it, okay?" she asked, giving him a pained look.

Before Logan could answer, Max swam up.

"Guten Tag!" he grinned, leaning forward and kissing Rory's cheek in greeting. "Logan," he said with a nod.

"Hey Max," Logan said, his voice low and dejected.

"Rory," Max said, diverting his attention towards her. "How are you?" He let his eyes skim over her body as she leaned against the pool wall.

"I'm fine," she said, trying not to squirm under his gaze. "What have you been up to?"

"I was just finalizing the plans for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Rory asked. "What's tomorrow?"

"Our day trip to Switzerland. We'll be going skiing."

"Skiing?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"But, of course. You can't take a winter trip to Germany and not ski."

"I'm not the most actively inclined…" she trailed off.

"Don't worry. I can teach you," Max said, his voice gentle and kind.

"Will Logan be coming?" she asked, her voice squeaking slightly, while a light blush coloured her cheeks.

"Most certainly," Max replied, looking towards Logan, who was just staring at Rory.

"I'll be there," he said gently, not lifting his eyes off her. Eventually she turned to face him, and what she saw stunned her. Quickly looking away, she met Max's eyes.

"Want to do something fun?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Okay," she said a little too quickly. Had Max been a brighter guy, maybe he would have noticed how eager she was, and considered that maybe she was uncomfortable.

"Good," he said. Sliding his arms around her waist, he hoisted her up.

"What are you doing?" she screeched.

"You said you wanted to do something fun."

"Yes, but being held up in the air isn't fun," she called down.

"I don't plan on holding you up in the air, because personally I don't consider that fun."

"Then what are you doing?" she asked. "What is fun about this?!"

"I always heard that flying was fun," Max said, a thoughtful tone in his voice.

"Flying?" Rory got out before Max threw her into the deep end and laughed as she screeched.

"Sorry, man," Max said, while Rory was in the deep end.

"What?" Logan asked in surprise.

"I said sorry. I was rude and insulting, and I dunno…" he drifted off. "I've been thinking, and it must have been some crazed testosterone left over from the mountain climb or something. It was wrong, I was wrong." Logan just stared at him, not knowing what to say or do.

"Look man, what I'm trying to say is that I thought about what you said. I like her. Maybe we won't be in a relationship, and maybe it's silly to start something, but if it's good – then maybe I can try something new."

"Like a relationship?" Logan asked in slight disbelief.

"Yeah, like… a relationship."

Logan didn't respond as Rory swam back over. "You're a cruel, mean jerk." She laughed.

"Oh, yeah?" Max asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, if I'm already labeled, then there's no reason to refrain from this!" Max shouted, splashing Rory, and starting the second water fight of the day.

Logan looked on sadly, and slowly pulled himself out of the water. Taking his towel, he walked towards the elevators.

Whatever makes her happy, right? he thought.

Pushing the elevator button, he waited in silence. Who knew silence could be so deafening.

---GG---

A/N: I tossed in a little Rogan moment for everyone being so kind and patient! You all have my wonderful beta Kelly to thank for this. I would not have started/finished it, were it not for her insistant demands and multiple e-mails demanding time devoted to chapters.

Thank you.