A/N: Just saw the most recent episode... I must say, I personally, really liked it. We got a bit more of an expanded view of Logan too (and it, perhaps, wasn't too great – 'eye of beholder' I guess). Anyway, here's my next instalment. I was playing around with possible directions for this FanFic (I had my mind made up, but other things have clouded my initial perception of where to go). Nevertheless, you needn't worry; this all just means I have to write a few dozen extra chapters here and there, to convince myself of the best route to take. Alright, enough of me, here's the next part!
GQSecondAct: Thanks for pointing that out :) I'm, unfortunately, going to have to wave your advice on the grammatical use of periods there. I was raised in Australia to place the period outside the inverted commas, as you cited. You may very well be in the right (I'm pretty sure you are), but it's the way I was taught/raised to do it and it would make me feel uncomfortable to change (I always thought having the period within the inverted commas looked odd at the very least). Thanks anyway! I appreciate constructive criticism :)
Cheers all!
--Pride and True--
Chapter XI: Meathead
"Small town coffee always tastes as though it wants to be big town coffee," he smirked atop a mug of Rory's favourite addiction.
"Our coffee is fine, thank you very much," she retorted, glancing down at the array of knives and forks on the table, "so... why did you go to so much trouble to find me?"
"That's cutting to the chase a tad, isn't it Ace?" he asked, raising his eyebrows, "I was kinda looking forward to an uphill battle".
"It can be arranged," Rory replied, attempting to sound menacing.
Logan laughed, noticing her expression and the coldness in her voice, "if you must really know," he began, calming himself, "I came here because I was wondering when you wanted to elope and get married".
Rory's eyes widened, "excuse me?"
Again, Logan laughed, shaking his head, "you're too easy Rory, way- way too easy".
She sat back and peered out the window, "what's the go with your arrogance? You've got an answer- a- a tactic for everything".
"I prefer to call it confidence, but I'm not one to force my opinion on others," he shrugged, smiling at her, "I always thought girls liked confidence in a guy..."
She looked at him directly in the eyes, "I'm not just any girl".
"I know," he answered softly, smiling at her.
Rory's mouth opened slightly as she blushed. She wanted to ask him. She had to.
He sat there, lounging comfortably on the old wooden chair, something she was sure would not have been used to. He appeared to view the menu, situated behind the counter, she figured and as he did so, she studied him quickly. Examining his features, his structure, his posture – everything about him screamed 'attractive' to her.
She couldn't ask. She didn't want to know.
His eyes were remarkably mysterious, glazed slightly and perpetually scheming, she thought. He was classy, in an old-fashioned way that appealed to her like nobody's business.
It was on the tip of her tongue. She bit her lip. Forcing herself not to proceed.
"Why?" she screamed, causing some of the patrons of the restaurant to look in her direction. Of course, she was entirely engrossed in the moment and did not realise.
Logan cocked his head to look at her and whispered, fully aware of the looks she was receiving, "why- what, Rory?"
"Why did you kiss me?" she continued, raising her hands in the air in a confused manner.
"Ace," he began, nodding sweetly to the lady behind the counter, "how would you like to go for a walk before we order?"
"No!" she replied, resolved to the fact that she wanted answers, and she wanted them immediately.
"I really think we should go for that walk, we can walk and talk, on the walk... so hows about a walk, Rory?" Logan pressed, rising to his feet.
"This is going to be another gimmick, another conversation where all we do is fight and at the same time, raise this increasingly sexually charged undercurrent," she said aloud, perhaps, too loudly, as more patrons turned to face the pair.
"You want answers, Ace?" he asked, walking toward the door, "I'll be outside".
She groaned and rose to her feet, spinning around to see a small crowd facing her, from their seats and tables. Her embarrassment could only be measured by the time it took for her cheeks to flush red – which was instant.
"Hi!" she said perkily, hoping to mindlessly work her way out of an increasingly worsening situation.
Everyone remained silent.
"I'll just be going for a walk," Rory continued, sliding to the door and smiling to individual patrons.
"Have fun!" called a sarcastic heckler Rory could not locate; she rushed out the door and leaned against a wall.
"So I take it you want to go walking?" he asked, smirking, hands in his pockets, "I mean... we could always go back in there," he nodded to the restaurant.
Rory shot him a look of loathing.
"Where to then?" he asked merrily, smiling at her.
"Just walk with me," she said quietly and began to walk down the sidewalk quickly.
He caught up to her and threw his arm around her shoulders, not romantically, but in a playful, friendly way.
"Please don't do that," she implored softly, "it makes me uncomfortable".
"Just two friends on a stroll, Ace," he replied, smiling to a stranger as they walked down the footpath.
"Alright, we're here, talk," she instructed, stopping mid-stride and removing his arm, "tell me why you did that".
"Well, I figured-"
"Hello there Rory!" came a familiar voice behind Logan, "we haven't seen you in ages!" the voice continued.
Logan parted and the voice was revealed to belong to Lindsay. Dean stood beside her, clutching her waist.
"Hi- h- hi," Rory replied frantically, "how are- what's new?"
"Oh!" Lindsay jumped, squealing slightly, "Dean and I have worked really hard recently to sort things out and well- as you can see!" she divulged, cuddling Dean.
Dean glared at Logan, who smiled back, "pleased to see you again-" he clicked his fingers, feigning as though he had forgotten Dean's name, "meathead?"
Lindsay's smile shrank, "excuse me?"
"Oh- this is Logan Huntzberger," Rory introduced to Lindsay, staring at Dean all the while, "Logan, this is meathead's wife," she continued mindlessly, unaware of her error.
"Rory!" Dean shouted.
"Yeah!" Lindsay chimed, "what's your problem? I came up to you acting all nice to try and forgive and forget but you're still one mean, cold hard bi-"
"Did she come with a Ken doll too?" Logan interrupted, looking Dean in the eye.
"Listen Romeo, if you're looking for trouble, you found it," Dean retorted, releasing his grip of Lindsay to raise a clenched fist in the air.
"Hey," Logan began, "I'm just wondering, but what kind of ball park figure am I looking at, if I were to buy her from you, right now?"
Dean lunged forward and swung his right arm, which Logan ducked, "captain of the fencing team or something equally as pansy?" Dean shouted.
Rory watched silently. All she could do was remember – remember what she had with Dean, because it was evidently gone now. Lindsay had just rubbed her face in it so terribly; she could not bring herself to speak.
Lindsay wailed and grabbed at Dean in a feeble attempt to hold him back.
"I could trade you my 1955 Nurse Barbie with scalpel kit, but there's no way I'm going as far as trading my 1940s Air Force Fighter Pilot Barbie, complete with movable limbs for your second-hand piece, here," Logan taunted, nodding to Lindsay.
"Any last words before I beat all that money lining your vital organs, out of you?" Dean asked, rolling his sleeves up and stepping inches away from Logan's face.
"DEAN!" Lindsay shouted, "ENOUGH!"
Rory stood back, taking in the scene and snapping back to reality somewhat, "Logan!"
Logan looked at her, smirking, but knew better. He stepped down and walked over to her.
"That's right," Dean spat, "get out of my town!"
Rory clutched Logan's forearm tightly, holding him back from inflaming the situation again.
Lindsay wrapped her arm around Dean and led the pair away, sneering over her shoulder at Logan then Rory, as they entered the Star Hollow park centre.
Rory held onto Logan's forearm, "why did you do that?"
"Why did I stand up to someone who needs a reality check?" Logan asked, smirking at Dean and Lindsay as they entered the park, "because you wouldn't Ace".
"What?" she questioned, squeezing his arm to get his attention.
He turned to face her, "Rory, you let yourself get run over by that guy... I'm sorry if I- if I intervened where I shouldn't have, but the way I saw it- the way it appeared to a humble observer, you weren't being treated-" he paused, "as you deserve".
Her grip loosened, "that- that's not for you to decide," she whispered.
"Are you ready to take a risk?" he asked casually, jumping the focus of the conversation entirely.
"Why do you keep asking me that?" she asked threateningly.
"I don't," he whispered, "you do," he touched her chest with his index finger.
She starred into his eyes and swallowed, "how deep is the rabbit hole?"
He chuckled, gazing back into her eyes, "I don't know if I can show you that... but I can see what the boys can scrounge up".
The pair said nothing for a moment and simply looked into each other's eyes, lost in the concentration and lapse of thought.
Rory released her grip and pulled away, realising how close he was, "you still didn't answer my question".
"Well, when do you want to leave?" he asked, almost as if he had not heard her previous question.
"Leave?" she asked, confused by his question.
"You're right," he continued, smirking at her expression, "we'll go now".