Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, settings, music, or movies mentioned.

Rory woke up and groaned when she saw the time on her clock. She flipped over in her bed and closed her eyes again. Her thoughts ran wild as she tried to fall back asleep and she began to think about the day ahead of her. When the realization of what today was hit her, her eyes flew open and she nearly jumped out of bed to get coffee and take a shower. Today was Friday, her fourth day in Stars Hollow, and the day Logan was coming. They would be staying in a room at the Dragonfly while he was here and the return home on Sunday. He was meeting them at Emily and Richard's for dinner and then coming back with them.

Rory and her mother still hadn't had their big 'talk' yet and Rory was hoping to talk to Lorelai first thing in the morning while they had their coffee. The week so far had been decent, Rory tried not to mention Logan but he was a big part of her life and came up often. They hadn't fought and they were getting along better, but there were tense or awkward moments sometimes. Rory took her shower quickly and then changed into jeans and a tank top. She dried her hair and then went into the kitchen for her second cup of coffee that morning. Lorelai was already at the table waiting for her when she came out of her room.

"Morning," Rory said cheerfully, practically bouncing out of her room.

"Morning," Lorelai said skeptically. "Why are you so peppy?"

"I'm not peppy," she said, poring her coffee.

"Yes you are, you are full of pep," Lorelai said.

"I am not full of pep," Rory said sitting across from Lorelai.

"You have more pep than a high school cheerleader," Lorelai said.

"We need to talk," Rory blurted out.

"Wow, nice transition. What about?"

"You know what about," Rory said seriously.

"Yes, I do."

"Why can't you get along with him? And don't tell me it's because he doesn't treat me well because that's not true. And it's not because you don't like him because you were perfectly fine with him the first time you met. What changed?"

Lorelai took a deep breath before saying, "You two got closer and I realized he could take you away from me. Not literally or on purpose but it could still happen. With Dean or Jess I never felt…threatened by your relationship with them. There was never any potential for forever with them, at least not to me. Logan on the other hand has that potential, I mean you live with him, marriage is the natural next step once you two graduate."

"I see your point but if I did marry Logan, and it's possible but a long way off, he wouldn't be taking me away from you. You're still my mom and I would still spend time with you, and talk to you. Logan is like my Luke. If I have a problem, it become our problem and I talk to him about it, and the same thing when he has a problem. It seems sort of strange but I share virtually every aspect of my life with him and I wouldn't want it any other way. I really didn't expect to find someone or something like this until I was much older and maybe I will, maybe Logan isn't my forever but I like to think he could be. All of this doesn't mean you're losing me or you're being replaced, I'm just…creating a new position in my life for him, I've never had someone in my life like this."

"Ok," Lorelai said, understanding what Rory was saying.

"Ok. So, you'll try to accept him now?"

"I will. I know how important he is to you; I've always known that. I'll try to make more of an effort to get to know him, to see what you see in him."

"Really?"

"Really, I'm sorry kid, I've been acting horribly and childish. You didn't deserve that, I should have supported your relationship, especially after seeing how happy he makes you."

"Thank you," Rory said.

"Alright enough of his serious stuff, Luke's?" Lorelai suggested.

"Absolutely," Rory said hopping up.

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Logan woke up that morning and turned over in the large king bed to wrap his arms around Rory and drift back to sleep. His arm landed with a thud on the mattress and he groaned, remembering that his Ace wasn't here. He got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast, he couldn't wait for dinner at the Gilmore's, something he usually dreaded meaning his alone time with Rory was cut short. However, today it meant getting to see his girlfriend after what seemed like a long week apart.

After a whole month in Europe together and hardly being apart during the whole trip it had been nice to relax on his own. Of course this feeling had lasted only about an hour. Once he was faced with the decision of what to have for dinner he realized how lonely it felt without her and then the time came for him to go to bed and he tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable without Rory in his arms. He had spent most his nights out with Colin and Finn since then, not allowing himself to dwell over missing her. Plus, he talked to her on the phone a lot during the day and once before she went to sleep. He was just happy to be seeing her that day and to finally get a good night's sleep.

He poured a mug of coffee and grabbed the paper to read while he sat at the table, he looked up at the clock. 7:00 couldn't come fast enough.

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Rory and Lorelai pulled up in front of the Gilmore's mansion in the jeep and saw Logan's Porsche already there. Rory jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped and hurried to the door. She waited for her mother to join her before ringing the door bell and soon Emily opened it.

"Hello Girls, lovely that you're on time for once," Emily said.

"Hi grandma," Rory said, ignoring her comment, and hugged Emily before handing her coat to the maid and thanking her. Lorelai followed suit, and said hi to Emily. She led the girls into the sitting room where Logan was standing, waiting for them.

Logan opened his arms for Rory who squealed excitedly and jumped into his embrace, holding on tightly. He lifted her and spun her around before placing her on her feet and kissing her. She kissed back fervently then pulled back and hugged him tightly again. "I missed you."

"I missed you too Ace," he said, burying his head in her hair and taking in her comforting scent. "Don't ever leave again ok? It sucks."

"I won't, it does suck," she said, laughing a little.

Everyone else stood watching the couple who had obviously missed each other very much until Lorelai quietly cleared her throat. The two pulled back from each other but Logan kept an arm around Rory's waist and led her to the love seat. "Hi Grandpa," Rory said, a huge grin now on her face.

"Hello Rory," Richard said. "How was Europe you two?"

"Amazing! The tours and museums were great and the coffee was so good," Rory gushed.

"Yeah the coffee was absolutely mind blowing," Logan agreed, referring to the new way they discovered to use it and repeated to use it on their trip. Rory nudged him in the side and held down a blush.

"Ouch Ace, what did I do that was so wrong?" he asked feigning pain.

"Nothing hun," Rory said in a sugary sweet voice while glaring playfully at him.

"Mhm," he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"What was so good about the coffee there?" Lorelai asked them. Rory nearly choked on her drink as Logan grinned and replied.

"I think it may just be the way we drank it," he said, smirking at Rory who started blushing.

"Um he means, the cream we used, it was uh really good," Rory explained, flustered.

"We also visited Hawaii at the beginning of our trip, the beaches there were beautiful," Logan said, getting the subject off coffee.

"Oh yes, we've been to Hawaii several times for weddings, it's lovely," Emily agreed. "Rory you said something about leaving this week when you came in, where were you?"

"Oh I went to visit mom for a few days in Stars Hollow when we got back from our trip so Logan went home without me," Rory explained.

"Yes she ditched me and I had to wash all our clothes from the trip all by myself," Logan pouted.

"Oh please," Rory said playfully rolling her eyes. "I will say I missed Horatio," she added with a dramatic sigh.

"More than me?" Logan asked playing along.

"Obviously, he keeps me satisfied and never runs out of energy," Rory said falling into the rhythm of their banter and forgetting where they were and who was listening.

"Is that an assumption because I never, run out of energy."

"France, night we went to the Eiffel tower. London, day I made you go shopping. Your dorm, your birthday. My dorm, new year's."

"I have a reason for all those."

"Oh yeah, what?"

"Easy, I was drunk."

"Not an excuse, I was probably drunk too and I've never run out of energy."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"San Francisco, night I took you to the bread factory at Fisherman's Warf. Thanksgiving, you came home early. Your dorm, your birthday. My dorm, our 6th month anniversary."

"I have a reason for all those."

"Oh yeah, what?"

"Easy, I had eaten a ton."

"Not an excuse, I was probably full too."

"But you don't eat as much as me."

"True but you don't drink as much as me either."

"So you drink a lot, I'll eat a lot and we'll prove each other wrong."

"Deal."

They turned back to her family who had been following their conversation like a tennis match. Suddenly Emily asks "Who's Horatio?"

"Our coffee maker," they answered simultaneously. Lorelai sat back with an amused expression, apparently Rory really had found her match. Emily and Richard stared in shock, even at Lorelai and Rory's fastest pace it was never that quick. Luckily they hadn't noticed that the topic of the fast-paced conversation was Logan and Rory's stamina.

"Dinner is ready Mrs. Gilmore," The maid said timidly as she came in the room, they all walked into the dining room where dinner was served. They ate while carrying on light conversation, Lorelai even made an effort to talk to Logan and get to know him more. Logan kept his hand on Rory's knee while they ate, occasionally inching it up further causing her to breath in sharply and press her legs together. Miraculously she was able to carry on a conversation while this went on.

Soon they were outside the house and Rory said a quick goodnight to her mother before getting in Logan's Porsche and they went straight the Dragonfly. As soon as they had checked in and made it up to their room Logan had Rory pinned against the door. He kissed her hungrily and with a sense of urgency. She hurriedly removed his tie and then his jacket, followed by his dress shirt, nearly ripping the buttons off. He unzipped her dress and it landed on the floor, she kicked off her shoes as his pants landed next to her dress and he picked her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he walked them to the bed, moving his mouth from her lips to her neck and further down to her chest.

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"LOGAN ELIAS HUNTZBERGER!" Rory shouted angrily from the bathroom.

"Uh oh," he said at the sound of his full name. "What did I do?"

"Come see for yourself," she snapped. He walked from their room and into the bathroom where Rory was standing in nothing but a bra and panties with the shower running behind her. He made his way toward her and raised his eyebrow questioningly. She moved her hair to reveal a very large, very noticeable love bite. He chuckled at the memory of putting it there the night before and had expected this reaction. She slapped his abs lightly and glared at him. "Look what you did!"

"Oh I see what I did," he said smirking.

"I can't cover this with makeup! What the hell am I supposed to do?" she added.

"Not cover it?" he suggested, teasing her. She became angrier with him and crossed her arms. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Cover it as best you can and leave your hair down, I almost didn't notice it until you moved your hair."

"Ok," she said and leaned her head against his bare chest. "I'm still mad at you," she added weakly.

"Mhm, I can tell," he said, smirking again.

"I am," she said defensively.

"I'm sure Ace," he said. "Come on, let's hop in the shower and finish getting ready."

"Sounds good," she said, pressing a light kiss on his chest before slipping out of her bra and panties then leading him to the shower. They went through their routine, managing to take a relatively quick shower and then Rory was able to make her hickey a bit less noticeable. They made their way downstairs to join Lorelai for breakfast. She was already at the table waiting for them when they got there.

"Morning you two," Lorelai said when she saw them.

"Morning mom, sorry we're late," Rory said as Logan pulled out her chair and she sat down, smiling at him.

"No problem sweets," she said.

"Good morning Lorelai," Logan said, taking the seat right next to Rory.

"You guys sleep well?" Lorelai asked them.

"Very well, those beds are so comfy," Rory said.

"Oh yeah, what room are you in?" she asked them.

"Um, 7, why?" Logan said.

"I want to make sure I burn those sheets, don't want anyone else sleeping on that," Lorelai joked.

"Mom!" Rory said, blushing.

"Dirty," Logan said, laughing.

"I like him," Lorelai said, pointing at Logan.

"Yeah he's ok," Rory teased, grinning.

"I feel the love, Ace, really," Logan deadpanned.

"Aw, I'm sorry," she said, giving him light kiss and whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered back, grinning and kissing her on the nose.