Sunlight was beginning to filter in through the blinds of Rory's windows. She knew she should get up; she had plans for the day after all. But she didn't move. She was warm and comfortable and unable to tear her eyes off of Logan's sleeping face. Her mother wasn't due to pick her up for over an hour yet, another couple of minutes in bed wouldn't hurt.
Snuggling closer to Logan beneath the blankets, laying her head beside his on the pillow she let out a contented little sigh. Logan's hand rested on her bare hip as if he couldn't stop touching her even in sleep. This made Rory smile even as Logan muttered something in his sleep. He didn't snore or drool or anything like that in sleep but he certainly was chatty.
Rory was still a little surprised that she had been the one to initiate sex the evening before. It was so unlike her to take a huge step like that on a whim. Yet she had and she had no regrets. She had been ready.
She had to contain the urge to squeal and giggle like a girl at the memory of the night before…and this morning too. Logan had been so nervous at first, asking her at least five more times if she was really sure that this was what she wanted. He didn't mind waiting, there was no rush. It had taken her almost ten minutes to convince him that this was very much what she wanted.
Once convinced Logan had taken control of the situation and Rory didn't mind one little bit. He had been gentle and considerate of her and she hoped she had been the same. Over the course of the night they became more familiar with each other, a little more comfortable and any inhibitions that might have remained between them quickly faded away.
Shifting slightly to check the clock once again Rory knew it was time to get up and go back to reality. As she began to sit up Logan's hand tightened on her hip. "Hey," His voice raspy with sleep. "Where are you going?"
"It's 9 o-clock. I need to get ready to go shopping with my mom. You have to meet Colin at the Squash Court at ten." She sat up blushing slightly when Logan propped himself up on his elbow and watched her slip his t-shirt from the night before over her head. Sex wasn't the only way of being intimate she reminded herself, it covered many different levels such as being naked in front of each other.
"I'll put on the kettle for tea," she informed him as she bent down to kiss him. She giggled when he tried to pull her back down on top of him wriggling out of his grip. Standing up she wagged a finger at him before grabbing some clean clothes and heading for the bathroom to shower.
Less then ten minutes later Rory hummed to herself as she prepared the tea. She felt very sophisticated and grown up doing this simple little chore. She was making tea for her boyfriend who had slept over the night before. It had an almost domestic feel to it.
Pulled away from her daydream by a loud thumping knock on the door Rory's eyes went directly to the clock on the VCR worried she had somehow lost an hour while in the shower and her mother had already arrived. Even though she had nothing to be ashamed of having slept with Logan she was not ready to share this piece of information with her mother and she was definitely not ready to have to explain why he was lying naked in her bed.
Assuming it was only Paris, having forgotten her keys once again Rory went to open the door. This was becoming a common routine for Rory, letting Paris in during the early morning. Once she and Finn had exhausted themselves passion turned to temper and they bickered until either Finn threw her out or Paris stormed out on her own accord.
"I really mean it Paris; I'm going to get you a chain to keep your key around your neck at all times. One of these days I won't be here…" Rory stopped in her tracks, her mouth hanging open before she remembered to shut it. "Dad."
Hey kiddo," Christopher Hayden greeted his daughter leaning in to kiss her cheek. It was an awkward moment as they had not seen or spoken to each other since their argument at the Dragonfly.
The tension was all of a sudden broken by two little hands banging against the door. "Gigi!" Rory exclaimed bending to pick up her baby sister. "I've missed you," she whispered burrowing her face into Gigi's neck inhaling her sweet baby smell.
Gigi, excited by all the attention she was receiving wrapped her arms around Rory's neck declaring "Mine!"
"That's her new thing," Christopher explained stepping inside and bringing himself back into the conversation. "Anything she likes turns into her own personal property."
"I don't mind," Rory said trying not to be nervous. She had said some truly awful things to her father, things she had felt badly about ever since. She just hadn't worked up the courage to apologize to him yet.
"I know I'm a bit early," Christopher began wandering around the room looking at the posters on the wall and stopping to examine Paris's craft table. "It's just I hadn't seen you in such a long time."
"Early?" Rory asked utterly confused. She had no idea what her father was doing there in the first place.
"Yeah, I'm dropping Gigi off. You girls are doing your dress fittings today… Lor said you knew about it." He dug his hands into his pockets and looked around uncertainly. "I hope I got it right, she said that she was meeting you here."
Setting Gigi down to wander Rory nodded. "You got it right; I guess mom just forgot to mention it…" Both of them were very aware of the fact that Lorelai had not forgotten to mention it at all. She was interfering. Taking a big breath Rory looked at Christopher for the first time, "Dad, I'm sorry."
Looking up from a multi coloured macaroni picture frame Paris was currently working on he only waved his hand. "Water under the bridge. You were looking out for your mom and once I calmed down I got that. I shouldn't have left it this long to talk to you."
Feeling incredibly relieved Rory practically launched herself into her father's outstretched arms. "I was just making tea, would you like some?" Rory asked pulling back and motioning towards the kitchen counter.
"Tea?" Christopher asked with a raised eyebrow as he sauntered arm in arm over the counter with his daughter. "You, who were practically weaned from your mother's milk directly onto caffeine, are drinking tea?"
"Just one of those crazy college pranks. Actually I gave it up for New Years and once the jitters subsided I've been okay. Besides it's kind of a nice way to support mom." Rory explained as she poured hot water over the tea bags in the two cups that were already waiting.
"Is the infamous Paris around this morning?" Christopher asked looking around. "It looks like you were already prepared to pour for two."
Busted! Rory moaned inwardly. Shaking her head she avoided her fathers gaze. "Actually Paris isn't here this morning, she uh…she spent the night at a friends house last night."
"Oh," her father said glancing over at Rory's door which was opened a crack. "And you have company?"
So much for being mature and sophisticated, she was blushing like a little kid that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She finally nodded, clearing her throat uncomfortably. "My boyfriend, Logan is here."
"Logan?"
"Logan Huntzberger," Rory expanded.
"Huntzberger?" Christopher asked pausing, his cup halfway up to his mouth. "Mitchum Huntzberger's son?" He asked setting the cup back on the counter. "The Newspaper heir?"
"That would be the Logan I am talking about," Rory admitted amused at her father's reaction despite her discomfort.
"Wow," Christopher let out a breath. "That's some connection." Then seeming to remember that he had caught his daughter in a fairly uncomfortable situation he only laughed. "I forget sometimes that you're an adult now."
"I wasn't expecting anyone this early," Rory said in way of explanation.
"Hey," her father held his hands up, "no need to explain. At least not to the guy that became a father before he could vote. Just be careful."
Rory rolled her eyes. "Mom has been preaching the safe sex agenda since I was 12. Although I think maybe she might want to review it herself considering her current situation. I'm being careful."
"I didn't mean careful that way, although that is definitely important. I mean be careful with your heart. Guys don't always think and end up breaking a good girls heart."
Rory nodded knowing he was speaking more about himself then her relationship with Logan. Before she had a chance to respond she heard Gigi's giggle and realized that they had allowed the two year old to roam free.
Standing in Rory's doorframe was Logan, dressed in his jeans from the night before and nothing else with Gigi clinging like a monkey around his neck. Looking directly at Rory he quirked a smile. "I'm pretty sure this doesn't belong to you."
Coming forward she grabbed Gigi up in her arms and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "I forgot to close he door, sorry. This is my sister, Gigi." Gigi batted her eye lashes at Logan before spotting her father over Rory's shoulder and holding her arms out to him.
Standing Christopher came to collect his youngest daughter "Logan, this is my dad Christopher Hayden. Dad, this is Logan Huntzberger."
Holding his hand out Logan showed no indication he was the least bit bothered about only being half dressed in the presence of his girlfriend's father whom he was meeting the first time. "It's nice to meet you," he said easily.
"I knew you're folks, years ago," Christopher said taking Logan's hand. "How are they?"
"Why don't you turn around and find out for yourself?" A soft woman's voice came from behind.
All three of them spun around, Gigi was the only one who did not appear to be affected at the sight of Catherine Huntzberger standing in the doorway which Rory realized she had not shut after her father had surprised her ten minutes before.
"Cathy!" Christopher exclaimed moving forward to throw his arms around her. Both Logan and Rory exchanged looks, Rory's face had turned chalk white while Logan obviously found the situation amusing judging by the grin on his face.
While their parents caught up and Catherine admired Gigi Rory tried to untangle herself from Logan's arms which he had snaked around her. "Let go," she hissed tempted to stamp on his toes. It was bad enough that her father had caught the two of them but it was absolutely horrifying that Logan's mother caught them. There was no denying what they had been up to thanks to Logan's bare chest.
Of course it was her fault that he was dressed as he was. She had left his shirt in the bathroom after her shower. Rory was not in a charitable mood at the moment though and glared at him when he did not do as she asked.
"Relax, Ace," he whispered in her ear. "No one is going to say anything."
And as if on cue in walked Lorelai followed closely by her bridesmaids, Sookie, Lane and Luke's sister Liz and Lily, Logan's sister. "What is with security in this place?" She asked before she was in the door. "First the door outside, which I assumed you had to be buzzed into, was propped open with someone's shoe. My precious baby girl could be mauled in the middle of the night by a bear escaped from the zoo or…" she trailed off surveying the scene before her.
"Or a Huntzberger." Catherine supplied for her.
All eyes in the room were on Rory and Logan. "Good morning, Lorelai." Logan greeted finally letting go of Rory and moving towards "Ladies," he nodded to everyone else clustered in the doorway. Rory closed her eyes and counted to ten missing Lane giving her a very obvious thumbs.
Logan went over and kissed his mother on the cheek before Lily flung herself into his arms. "Logan! I didn't know you would be here! Mom let me wait in the parking lot for Lorelai. I get to try on a dress today! A dress for Lorelai's wedding!"
"I know, Lil," he said resting his hand on her shoulder, grinning down at her. "You're going to have a great day."
It was then that Lily caught sight of Gigi perched on Christopher's arm. Her brother was all but forgotten. "Are you the flower girl?" She asked Gigi excitedly. "I'm Lily and we're going to be in Lorelai's wedding!"
Lily's exuberance seemed to break the ice. All of a sudden all the attention in the room was not no longer centered on Logan and Rory. "You're shirt is in the bathroom," she told him softly. "And you have squash."
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" He asked leaning forward a bit to look in her eyes. He smiled but could see she was embarrassed. "I mean it, Rory. Don't worry about it. We didn't do anything wrong and everyone in this room knows it. It'll make a great story in a couple of years. Look at it that way, one day we will be able to laugh about this."
He bent to kiss her but was interrupted. "Hey you two, break it up. There will be no hanky panky on my shift."
Both Rory and Logan jerked their heads up as Lorelai sauntered over to where they had stationed themselves in front of the kitchen counter. Thankfully everyone else seemed to be occupied with Lily and Gigi. Lorelai held her hands up to silence her daughter when Rory began to explain. "You're 20, Rory. I honestly don't need an explanation. What I do need is bribery. What do I get if I get the show on the road and you two don't need to stand there like freaks in a freak show?"
"I will never make you watch another documentary as long as we both shall live." Rory said holding her hand over her heart. She was feeling much better once she realized her mother wasn't disappointed in her.
"That is excluding rockumentaries of course. I care about who cuts Madonna's hair, not so much about who J.Edgar Hoover's barber was. Now, you," she said turning her attention to Logan. "What offering do you have?"
"I will never make you watch another documentary either," he said with a grin his arm coming around Rory's shoulders.
"Nice try. Since you are not willing to think of your own punishment, I will do it for you. You will spend next weekend in Stars Hollow with Rory and I…on the couch!"
"Fair enough," Logan agreed good naturedly. "Now, if you will only turn your head for a moment I would like to say goodbye to your daughter in a way that a mother might find inappropriate."
"No tongues," Lorelai called over her shoulder as she made her way over to the small crowd gathered in the centre of the room.
Lowering his head to hers Logan kissed Rory and temporally made her forget her discomfort. Straightening up again he smiled at her, "And by the way, I have no intention of breaking your heart. I'll prove it to you, you convince your dad." With a final little squeeze he let go of her and moved around the crowd to grab his shirt and sneak out.
He almost made it too until Lily, looking up from where she and Gigi sat on the floor spotted him. "Logan, why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
