Sugar and Spice: The More Things Change
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Chapter Forty-Nine: Resigned Acceptance

"So what movie are you dragging me to tonight?" Logan teased Christa.

She and Logan were hanging out. Colin was out somewhere with Finn and Christa had decided it had been too long since she and Logan had hung out just the two of them, so she'd informed him they were going to the movies.

Plus she wanted to quiz him about his intentions towards Rory.

"Alexander," Christa told him, "Colin refuses to go see it."

"And you think you'd have better luck making me see it?" Logan asked.

"Oh come on, we can laugh at blonde Colin Farrell and you can ogle Angelina Jolie." Christa said with a grin. "And it's like to be so bad that it's funny. I mean, have you seen the trailer?"

"That just means that we're going to get glared at by the people around us," Logan pointed out, as he grabbed his coat. "Going to the movies with you can be dangerous."

"Mom and Rory are just as bad." Christa told him as they exited his apartment.

Logan paused at the mention of Rory.

"Did she say anything?" He asked quietly.

"About you kissing her?" Christa responded. "Yeah, she mentioned it."

"Am I about to get a lecture?" Logan asked as they headed to his car.

"No." Christa assured him. "You and Rory are both adults."

"But you're not thrilled." Logan said shrewdly. She must have looked surprised, because he sighed. "Christa, I know you better than just about anyone."

"It's weird." She admitted. "And I'm selfish enough to worry about what happens if you get involved and it goes badly. You're my best friend. Rory's my sister. I don't want to lose either one of you."

"I could point out that I could have had those same concerns about you and Colin." Logan pointed out as they got in his car. "You two are my best friends."

Christa acknowledged that he had a point. It wasn't quite the same situation, but she and Colin had put Logan in the middle more than once. Including the huge fight that had led them to breaking up and being separated for a year.

"Did you hate it?" Christa asked.

"Sometimes." Logan admitted. "There were times over the past four years where I wanted to lock you in a room or slam your heads together to make you see reason."

Christa laughed. "I think we would have just ended up with headaches. We're pretty stubborn."

"But it worked out in the end." Logan reminded her.

"It did." Christa admitted, "but do you see you and Rory working out?"

"No." Logan told her, "and that's one of the things holding me back. Your sister is the type of girl who needs commitment and I'm not that guy. I admit, you're feelings are also a concern, and if you absolutely tell me no, I'll respect that."

Christa was quiet for a long moment. "I'm not going to do that," she said finally, "you're both adults and if you want to start something, that's totally up to the two of you."

She wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea, but she also didn't like the idea of meddling in Logan and Rory's personal business.

"I still can't decide if I even want to pursue anything." Logan told her. "I really like Rory and I think there's a lot beneath the surface with her, but… I don't want to hurt her."

"You could be good for her." Christa said softly. "Rory has gone from relationship to relationship and has never really tried casual dating and she definitely needs to loosen up a bit. I think you could help her do that."

Logan just nodded and Christa could tell he was undecided about what to do with Rory. Well, whatever he did decide, she was going to stay out of it. As she kept reminding herself, Rory and Logan were adults and could manage their own lives.


"That was terrible." Logan told Christa after the movie as the two of them grabbed a late dinner with a good natured laugh. Christa was the only person he knew who sought out terrible movies for amusement.

"Yes, it was." Christa agreed with a smile. "And we didn't even get one glare."

"I think the people behind us were more amused by your commentary than the actual movie." Logan teased her. "Are you ready for the Christmas break?"

"So ready." Christa told him. "Did you hear I'm going to Switzerland?"

Yes, Colin had mentioned it and at first it had taken Logan aback a little, but at the same time it made sense. Christa and Colin weren't your typical college couple and it appeared everyone around them recognized it.

"I did." He confirmed. "So Christmas with the family, huh?"

"Yeah." Christa told him, playing with her hair. "Actually, my grandmother invited him to spend Christmas morning with us and then I'm going to his mom's house on Christmas night for her cocktail party thing. I think that's it though, because I don't see Mom inviting him to Stars Hollow."

"Your mom still not thrilled about how serious you are?" Logan asked her. Christa had confided in him that things were a little tense with Lorelai when it came to her relationship with Colin.

"No." Christa said with a sigh. "I get it. I'm 20, Colin's 22. But… When it's right, it's right. He's everything I've ever wanted and we just fit. It's scary sometimes, but… I wouldn't want to be with anyone else."

"I envy that." Logan confided. "I can't imagine ever feeling that way about someone else. Not that my parents will give me a chance."

He avoided strings at all costs, but at the same time he envied Colin. The right girl had fallen into his lap and not only was Colin crazy about her, she was also perfectly acceptable. Logan had the feeling that if he ever found a woman he really clicked with, she would not meet up to parental standards. But what else was new? Nothing he did met up to parental standards.

Christa made a face. "I can only imagine who your parents will try and pick for you."

"I'd rather not even imagine it." Logan told her, making a face. "On a more pleasant note, you ready for the LDB alumni Christmas party?"

"I am." Christa told him. She looked at him. "Should I mention it to Rory?"

"I was thinking about that," Logan told her, "Things have been quiet lately and my guess is that any strikes won't happen until after Christmas, but… It doesn't hurt to be prepared. Have you talked to Rory about whether she wants to join the LDB?"

"No." Christa told him. "I'll do that this week." She made a face. "I think she's worried about the cost."

Yes, that would be a factor. He knew more about Rory's financial situation than she would be comfortable with him knowing, thanks to Christa. He knew that her grandparents had loaned her the money for tuition, at her insistence, but she didn't have a lot of extra cash laying around, but that she also wasn't comfortable taking money from people.

"I can cover her." Logan offered, though he doubted that would go over well, "I mean she'd be doing us a favor."

"I can't see Rory accepting that." Christa pointed out. "I'd be happy to cover her too and I know our grandfather would be as well. But like our mom, Rory's funny about money."

"I do have an idea that might work," Christa told him after a moment, "so I'll talk to her and see if she's interested in joining. If she is, do you want me to invite her to the gala?"

"Well, I'll invite her," Logan corrected, "but yes. We can present her to the Alumni council then and formally put her up for membership and since she's a Legacy, there should be no problems."

"You'll invite her?" Christa repeated.

"She can't go to the gala alone," Logan pointed out, "and I make the most sense as an escort."

Christa shot him a grin as she reached for his eyes and Logan tried to ignore it. He hadn't made a decision about pursuing Rory or not, it just made sense for him to escort her. That was all.