Chapter 17

Second Tries

Logan opened the limo door for Rory. She graciously stepped in and he slid up beside her. Rory yawned because of the lateness of the evening. Her head dropped to Logan's shoulder as her eyes became heavier and heavier. She slowly drifted asleep as the limo made its way back to the apartment.

Logan could not help but smile at the innocence of the moment. Rory's head sat against his chest and she slept soundlessly. His heart felt like it was fighting for every pump. He was afraid of what this all meant. He had only felt like this once before, and he ended up heartbroken. Logan gently ran his fingers through her hair as she lay sleeping. He whispered something to the effect of how beautiful she looked, and when she did not respond he continued.

"Rory." He whispered. "I think I am falling in love with you."

Rory stirred slightly. She had heard what he said. She froze thinking of her options.

She could pretend she was sleeping and not do anything.

She could say something back.

She could run as she had done in the past.

She chose to play it cool and pretend she was asleep.

Sure he did not outright say "I love you." But it was close enough. The implication was there. The reality of it was starting to sink in.

Logan could not believe how fast that he was falling for her. They had spent so much time fighting in the beginning that being together just worked. He spent months denying his feelings for her, and now that they were together, he did not want to continue this charade and play it cool as though he was not falling for her.

Rory was awoken as she felt the limo pull to a stop. She sleepily gazed up at Logan. "Are we back?" She asked him feeling herself drift back into her comatose-like state of slumber.

"Yeah, can you make it up?" He asked a once-again sleeping Rory.

Logan let out a small laugh as he gently picked her up and carried her to the building. The doorman held the door for the two making a comment about what a fun night the two must have had.

As Logan finally made it into the apartment with Rory he silently carried her to his old room. He placed her in the bed, fully clothed and was silently retreating back to his parent's room as he heard her speak.

"No, wait Logan." Rory said to him with her eyes still closed. "Stay with me." She said before falling back to sleep.

Logan shed his jacket and climbed into the bed with Rory. She rolled up next to him and rested her head on his chest. The simplicity of the act pulled at Logan's heart. He wrapped his arm around her and he too drifted off to sleep.

Rory slept soundly for the next hour or so. She woke up around 3am with a small smile on her face. She felt secure with Logan's arms around her. Her thoughts drifted back to the limo ride. She remembered him saying something to the affect of how he was falling in love with her. Her smile widened as she started drifting off to sleep again. Before she was completely out, she let out a sigh and whispered, "me too Logan, me too."

Logan had felt Rory stir in her sleep and was awakened by the subtle movement. He was on the brink of falling asleep when he heard Rory whisper to him.

He was wide awake after that. His eyes popped open and he looked down to the once-again sleeping Rory. He knew what the "me too" had been in reference to. He was sure that she had not heard his confession, or she was ignoring it, so he was left dumbfounded when she too revealed her feelings. His mind continued to race as he allowed himself to fall back to sleep. He was sure the wide smile he was unable to eliminate would stay with him through the night.

-

Rory woke around 11 the next morning. She let out a silent yawn as she sat up in bed. She stretched her arms and came in contact with an empty bed. Confused she looked around for signs of Logan. His tux jacket was gone, his shoes were removed and his side of the bed was empty. Confused, Rory got out of bed and went in search of her man. Her bare feet padded into the living room where she saw a fresh-faced Logan. He sat on the couch reading the paper with a cup of coffee at his side and his glasses perched on his nose.

"Aww, don't you look adorable." Rory said smiling at him.

Logan moved the paper to the side to peek at Rory. He smiled at her disheveled appearance. She stood in front of him in the wrinkled ball gown of the night before with makeup smeared on her face and matted hair.

"You too Ace." Logan said with a smile.

Rory looked down at her dress and smiled. "I guess I was too tired to change last night." Rory said.

"Yes, or wash your face." Logan offered.

Rory put her hands up to her face as a look of horror spread across her pretty features. She rushed over to the mirror hanging by the fireplace and examined what was left of her makeup. Her mascara had managed to make raccoon-like smudges around her eyes, and her lipstick was all over her face, giving her clown-like features.

"I will be back in a bit." Rory said, rushing back to her bathroom. She could not believe that she had left the room and not checked to see what she looked like. She looked like a hung-over prom queen. She quickly changed into a pair of jeans and her "Reading is Sexy" t-shirt and washed the make-up off her face. She ran a brush through her hair and brushed her teeth and gave herself a quick once-over. She decided to add a little blush and lip gloss and then made her way back to Logan.

Logan had put away the paper and was sitting at the table with a second cup of coffee, which Rory figured was for her and a stack of about 30 pancakes.

"Aw, you changed." Logan said looking at her. "I kind of enjoyed the Carrie look."

"Wow, flattery will get you everywhere." Rory said sarcastically. "Besides, I don't see you in your tux from last night."

"Well, unlike others I know, I can't sleep until 11." Logan said to her. "I have been up for a while now."

"If you waking up early equates to me getting coffee and pancakes when I wake up, then I will take it." Rory said with a smile. She walked over to him and placed a quick kiss on his head. "By the way, I like the glasses. They make you look smart."

"What are you saying? I am not smart?" Logan said, feigning hurt.

"Exactly." Rory said wickedly.

"Wow, I really got lucky with my girlfriend." Logan laughed as he stood up and grabbed Rory around the waist, before she knew what was happening Logan had her pinned against the couch and his body. Rory let out a squeal as he tickled her stomach and ran a trail of kisses along her neck. He stopped tickling her and his flirtatious kisses turned more passionate as his lips met hers.

After a few minutes of the deep kisses, Rory finally pulled back for air. She could not stop grinning as she looked at the glasses clad Logan.

"Well, good morning to you." Logan said to her.

"Wow, I think I need to get some coffee in me before I have such morning encounters." Rory said laughing.

"Well lucky for you I came bearing gifts." Logan said handing her a large cup of steaming hot liquid gold.

"I really need to keep you around." Rory said after inhaling half the cup.

"Good. I am glad that you deem me worthy." Logan said smiling. "Anyway, Finn, Colin and Steph will be here in a few minutes. They said they would try for noon, but with Finn driving I really don't know what time they will actually get here."

"OH CRAP. I totally forgot they were coming today. I for some reason thought it was later in the week, not Monday. But I guess we only have a week left here, so it makes sense…" Rory said babbling. "I have to get ready." She said after stuffing a few pancakes in her mouth and running back to her bathroom to finish putting on her makeup.

Just as she finished applying her final coat of mascara she heard the doorman buzz to say that Logan had guests. Rory rushed out to greet the rest of the crew. She grinned at Logan as the door opened to reveal his cronies.

"Hey there mate! It has not been the same 'round Connecticut without you." Finn shouted as the door opened.

"Hey Rory." Colin offered to Logan's guests. An awkward silence surrounded the group as they shifted uncomfortably.

"So, how has it been?" Steph asked to no one in particular.

"Good, really good." Logan said. He did not know why things were so weird all of a sudden. He did not like this new development. He wanted everyone to be at ease. He hoped that Rory would fit right in with his friends, and in the past he had thought they did. Now that they were together in a new context, things started to feel off.

"Right, well…I don't know about you Rory, but I came here to go shopping." Steph said to Rory.

Rory smiled at her attempt to break the tension and she nodded in agreement. "Let me go grab my purse and we can go." Rory said, retreating for the bedroom.

Rory sighed as she sank to her bed. She was not fully prepared for today. She had just started to connect fully with Logan and now there was the added dilemma of his friends getting thrown into the mix. This was going to be tough. She knew that she would get along with Steph, but there was so much that she wanted to say to Logan and this was just cramping their momentum.

"So eh, did we interrupt something?" Colin asked Logan, wondering where the tension was stemming from.

"No, not at all. I had to remind Rory of the plan for today just a few minutes ago, so I think she was just not prepared or something." Logan said, trying to explain his girlfriend's behavior.

"Aye, well I hope she prepares soon, because we can't have the reporter cramping our style." Finn said, clasping his hand on Logan's shoulder.

"Rory would never cramp our style." Logan said as Rory ventured back into the living room where the group had congregated. She smiled awkwardly at Logan as she reached for her coat. Logan helped her into the jacket whispering: "it will be fun, don't worry Ace," into her ear.

"Well lets' get going Rory, I want to head up Madison Ave and hit Yves St. Laurent, Prada and Dolce and Gabbana. Oh yeah, and Madison Ave Books is right by Prada, so you can go there too." She said grabbing Rory by the hand and pulling her out the door.

"I don't think your girlfriend knows what hit her." Colin said to Logan as they left.

"I hope that she makes it back in one piece and Steph does not kill her by shopping." Logan said laughing as he too prepared to leave.

"So I thought we would go see a film and then maybe go to the Gotham Comedy Club." Finn said as they made their way out of the apartment. "We have to be back by 7 for the party though. I hope there will be some cute red-heads."

-

"Okay Rory, spill." Steph said to Rory as soon as they left the apartment.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Rory said with a small smile.

"Oh come on, tell me what is going on between you and Logan. I always suspected he had a thing for you, but now all of a sudden you two are playing house?" Steph said, in fun, but still a little harshly.

"I know, it has all happened so fast. One minute we are fighting, the next, we are kissing at midnight on New Year's. I don't know…something about him." Rory said.

"Well, he is an impressive guy, but I didn't think you even liked him." Steph countered.

"I know, I didn't. I thought he was an arrogant jerk. But he has so many layers; it has been an interesting week to say the least." Rory said looking at Steph.

"So things are going good for you two though? I have known Logan for a few years now, and I have never seen him like this, so I guess things are going well for him." Steph said.

"Well, I do have a question for you…" Rory started, a little embarrassed.

"What can I do for you?" Steph asked.

"Well, remember the night of the LADB event? You told me that there was a line to get to him. What exactly did you mean by that? I mean, I understand the line concept, but what happened?" Rory said.

"Well, I am not entirely sure. He spent so much time playing the role of a ladies man, and he never had his shortage of women, but then one day I think he realized that he had feelings for you…so his loose personality just kind of ended…As for the line, I guess they have temporarily given up on him. I think they all knew that you were different. The way he acts around you, and the things he says about you, they just knew they had no chance once you came on the scene." Steph explained.

"So does he talk about me?" Rory asked, interested.

"Of course. That is what tipped off the gang, he never talks about girls, then all of a sudden it was 'Ace this' and 'let's play a joke on Ace.' We knew he liked you a lot, but he had no idea. It was actually quite humorous for Finn, Colin and me, we would egg him on about you, and he was completely oblivious." Steph said with a smirk.

"How long had that been going on?" Rory asked.

"Oh wow, months. You were all he talked about. He had never invited anyone to a LADB event before, and he was anxious to make sure everything was perfect."

"Yeah, he is a stickler for detail." Rory said smiling.

"So you obviously have similar feelings?" Steph asked.

"Ha, is it that evident?"

"You are positively glowing Gilmore!" Steph shouted.

"Well, I have to admit, I have fallen for him. He is quite a guy." Rory said blushing.

"Aww, how adorable, I could completely vomit." Steph laughed.

"Hey gorilla girl, don't be jealous. You could always date Finn." Rory said.

"Yes, and become another notch on his bedpost? No thank you. Anyway, we are here now." Stephanie said pointing to Barney's. "I am excited to find you a dress for tonight."

"Tonight? What is going on tonight? I thought we were just hanging out, who said anything about needing a dress?" Rory said concerned. As much fun as she was having playing dress-up, she was actually looking forward to spending an evening in casual attire.

"Well, apparently it is a surprise. Who am I to spoil the fun." Steph said with an air of mystery.