Chapter 25

The newsroom was busy that evening. Stories were coming about the Summer Olympics in Rio. The politics were heating up and everyone was busy in the newsroom. Rory spent most of her time in the newsroom following stories. Brie was standing nearby. Around six pm. Brie walked over with a chicken salad sandwich and some fruit for her and a cup of green tea. Rory looked up from her computer and smiled at her.

"Brie, thank you so much. I almost forgot about eating." Rory said.

Brie smiled at her. "I figured as much. You have been working like crazy since you walked in. It seems to be slowing down, why don't you go in the break room and eat?"

"Perfect idea Brie. Let me grab my food and my phone and I will meet you in there."

Rory picked her food up and then turned the screen on her phone back on. She noticed she had some miss calls and messages. She walked into the break room and sat down and immediately put her feet up on the chair opposite her. Taking a drink of her green tea, she smiled at Brie.

"I don't know what I would do without you," she said. "So, what is new with you?"

"Nothing, Rory, but please explain what was going on with you, Dan, and that good looking blond guy last night who seems jealous of Dan," Brie asked getting right to the point.

"Ah, I see you are using your reporter skills to sniff out a story." Rory laughed in reply.

"And as usual you are avoiding my answers. Come on girl spill." Just then Dan walked into the break room carrying a bag of takeout food. Rory could smell the Indian food and immediately she put her hand to her mouth and ran to the nearest ladies' room.

"Was it something I did?" asked Dan as he saw her running past him.

"No, it's something you plan to eat, I think," Brie answered.

"Ok I will leave, tell her she can come back now," Dan said as he gathered his food and walked out of the break room.

Brie went into the restroom and called out Rory's name.

"I'm over here," she said and Brie noticed her feet under the stall. Rory was sitting on the floor hugging the toilet.

"Remind me not to get pregnant," Brie said as she helped Rory up off the floor. She went to the sink wetting some paper towels for her.

Handing them to her she said, "Hey feeling better? You can come back into the break room Dan and his food left."

Rory gave her a weary smile. "You know I don't think I can go back in there. I think I will go home and work from there. Can you handle the stories from here? You can Facetime me when there are any breaking AP reports."

"Sure," Brie said as she walked Rory back to the newsroom. Rory gathered her things and walked to the elevator. As she was getting on Dan joined her.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that," Dan said.

"Oh, it's no problem, I never know what smell will send me to the bathroom," she said.

"This little nugget doesn't like take-out food. Which is a pity because Mama here doesn't cook."

"What? What do you mean you don't cook?" he asked her as they both got off the elevator and walked to the lobby.

She looked at him and smirked, "Nope I never learned. My mother never cooked either."

He followed her out the doors of the CBS building and hailed a cab for her. He opened the door and put her in it. He gave her address to the cabby and handed the cabby ten dollars for a two-dollar fare.

"Go home and rest, Brie and I will take care of everything. Keep your tablet on and we will Facetime you in about an hour." He tapped the roof of the cab indicating it was ok to leave and he walked back into the building.

When she got back to her apartment, she called Marty.

"Hi, I didn't expect to get a call from you tonight. It's only six forty-five," he said.

"Well, suddenly I don't like the smell of Indian food. So, I spent ten minutes on the floor in the ladies' room. I'm so glad my assistant Brie was there, she and Dan convinced me that I should go home and work remotely."

"Well, I was just finishing my brief. How about I stop at the Battery Place market and pick up some chicken fingers for you and mac and cheese and I will get myself something too? It sounds like you didn't eat and I know you don't have food in your refrigerator."

"But Marty, I should work," she told him.

"Yes, and you still should eat, plus I can bring my laptop and do some work too."

"Ok," she responded with a smile on her face. "Could you pick up some more ginger tea too please?"

"Of course, I will, I will be there in less than thirty minutes. Bye," he said, and he hung up his phone.

He quickly called the deli that was near his office and put in an order for Chicken Fingers with a double side of mac and cheese and chicken parm for himself with a side of mashed potatoes and broccoli with garlic and olive oil. He also had them add 2 cupcakes and hot tea. He called for the town car and was on his way in fifteen minutes. Quickly stopping at the Market, he ran inside to pick up his order. Looking around, he found some ginger tea bags and bought those to bring to her apartment. One of these days he will have to take her to Eatly so they can take cooking classes.

She heard the buzzer on her door just as her tablet signaled that Brie and Dan were on. She yelled to them wait a minute and went to the door.

The two of them heard her say, "You are my hero."

Brie looked at Dan and Dan looked at her.

Dan whispered to Brie, "I thought you told me that her fiancé was Ace Gerrard who just died 3 months ago."

Brie whispered back, "It was, do you think it was that handsome blond guy from last night?"

"You mean Logan Huntzberger?!" he said loudly.

Rory hugged Marty and she started giggling.

"Rory, is there someone else here?" Marty asked.

"No, I forgot that just as you arrived I hooked up my satellite so I could conference call with my team," she said. "Come on, let's go put the food on the table and I can start work and so can you."

Marty carried the take-out food to the table. He noticed that she had moved the flowers to the window sill on the opposite side of the room.

"Sorry guys, Marty just came and brought me some food since I didn't eat my supper earlier," she said. "Dan, Brie, this is Marty Knight this is Dan, I think you already met him and my assistant Brianna."

He stood in front of the laptop and said hello then went into her cupboard, looking for plates and silverware.

"Hey Rory, where do you keep your dishes and silverware?" he said.

"Oh, sit down, I'll get it. I will be right back guys," she said to her computer screen as she walked into the kitchen.

Brie poked Dan and Dan poked Brie trying to decide who would interview Marty first. Both were wondering what was going on between these two and it sure sounded like she was giggling by the door.

Finally, Brie asked, "So Marty, how long have you known Rory? And why is she hiding you from me?"

Marty laughed, "Rory, and I went to Yale together - we met our freshman year."

Rory returned with the plates, napkins, and silverware and said, "Guys what's going on? This isn't 20 questions."

Just then Dan said, "Lois, you know we could get a lot more completed if Brie and I come to your apartment. Then we all could get to know each other better and get work done at the same time."

"Well Clark are you going to put your cape on and fly over here with your own assistant, she is much prettier than Jimmy Olsen." she chuckled.

All four of them understood the joke and Brie responded, "We will be right there, Chief" and they hung up.

Thirty minutes later the buzzer rang at Rory's apartment. She and Marty had just finished eating their dinner, and they were both sitting on the couch working on their laptops. Rory got up and went to the door. In walked Brie carrying drinks and behind her was Dan with 2 pizzas and a container with a salad in it.

"Brie, I have already eaten, you didn't have to bring food." she said laughing as they placed the food on the counter.

Dan took out a beer and handed it to Marty. Extending his hand, he said, "Dan Sheppard aka Clark Kent"

Marty laughed, "Martin Knight." Looking at Rory he added, "aka Naked Guy."

"I knew it, I knew there was a story here," said Brie, Rory's assistant as she walked around the room looking at everything. She walked over to the wall of windows and looked out.

"Wow what a view she has, Dan check this out!" Dan got up and walked over admiring the view.

"Thanks," she said. She wasn't used to people being in her apartment. For so long it was her sanctuary for her and Ace but since his death, it felt empty. It felt a little strange to have people here.

"So, let's get busy, what has happened since I left."

The three of them sat down at the table while Marty continued to work on his brief on his laptop. Marty looking up occasionally, smiling at Rory. He enjoyed watching her in her element busy typing information that Brie would give her. Dan was working on the corresponding article, leaning over and proofing their work as they went along. The three worked well together, it was a natural fit. It looked like they had been working for years instead of just a few days. Dan took a break and walked over to Marty.

"So, Marty, you and Rory..." he said.

Marty smiled at Dan and knew where this was headed. The old Marty would have backed away and let someone else step in. He did it with Logan. He wasn't going to do it again. "Yes, me and Rory," he responded.

Rory looked up when she heard this exchange. She got up from her chair and smiled. Brie had just left to use her bathroom so this seems like a good time to take a break. It was nine o'clock now.

"Can I get you both anything?" she asked as she filled her kettle with boiling water to make herself a cup of tea.

"No, we're good," Dan said holding up his beer.

"How about you, Brie?" she asked. "No, I'm good," Brie said as she got herself another beer and came and sat on the couch next to Dan. "But there is something you could do for us."

"What?" Rory responded fearing where this might go.

"Give us the scoop… what's going on between you and Marty?" Brie said.

Rory looked at Marty and he looked at her. He noticed the fear in her eyes. He knew her well enough to know that she would bolt.

So, he said, "We are friends. I have known her for a long time and circumstances brought us back together."

"Okay, so what about that blond guy last night?" Brie said.

Before Rory could say anything, Dan said, "You are talking about Logan Huntzberger. Let's say I knew him before I moved here and we have had our differences."

"You, too?" Marty said.

"Oh, you know Logan?" Dan said to Marty.

"Yes, the three of us went to Yale together," Marty replied and let it drop.

Looking at his Rolex he got up.

"It was great but I have to go back to my apartment and pack. I will be gone for a few days. It was nice to meet you both and I hope to see you again." He walked over and shook Dan's hand and Brie's.

"Marty, let me walk you down," she said and got up with him as he gathered his things and walked to the door. "I'll be right back guys," she said as she followed him out. The elevator doors opened, and he got in and she followed him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said.

"I'm walking you out. I didn't get my good night kiss."

She reached up to his neck and pulled his face to hers. He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. She kissed him back enjoying the taste of his lips. Gently she let her tongue caress his lip and he opened his mouth letting her tongue slip in. He deepened his kiss and pushed her against the wall. Just then they heard the ping and felt the elevator stop. He looked up and realized that they were in the lobby. They broke apart and walked to the lobby door.

He held both of her hands in his and said, "I'll miss you these next few days. Call me when you get to Stars Hollow, tomorrow." he told her.

"I will. Don't you have meetings all day tomorrow in Baltimore?" she asked

"If you get my voicemail, leave me a message but I should have my phone on by five-thirty." he said.

"Is Colin going with you?" she asked.

"No not this time, he met with them last time." he said.

"I've got to get upstairs and go to work. I will text you though," she said with a smile.

"I will look forward to those." He said with a smile. Walking her back towards the elevator he kissed her on her forehead and pushed the elevator button.

"Now get to work and inform the world with what is going on." he said with a smile.

"I am going to miss you," she said and kissing him again.

Leaning his head on her forehead he said, "I'll miss you too."

He kissed her forehead then the tip of her nose.

"Ok, I've got to go. I will call you when I get in Baltimore tomorrow."

Kissing her on the lips again he turned and walked out of the lobby.