Title: Taking a header or staying the course

Author: Joy

A/N: Thanks for the update about FAO Swartz in Boston. It made me so sad though. My first real boyfriend and I were in Boston when we got together and we went to FAO Swartz as a date, sort of. I depressed to know its gone. My heart skips a beat even now thinking about it.

Thank you for all the reviews. I am glad people liked my take on Mitchum. I have read the 'he is the devil' stories and I have read the gushing father stories. Having come from a family that there is a family business passed from father to son, I think I have a good prospective on all sides of that issue. I wanted to show that Mitchum wasn't going to be a push over giving Logan all the freedom he wanted but at the same time I wanted him flexible enough to consider the constraints the life he is giving his son.

Chapter 14: Shopping

Rory returned from class and told Logan she had to study for at least an hour before she could go out. So when she arrived in the early evening she was met with a bouncing Logan. He wasn't actually bouncing, more he was full of nervous energy. "You're here," he muttered as he hugged and kissed her.

"Calm down there, Tigger. What's with the restlessness?"

Finn stumbled out of his room; "He's been that way since he got home. Very annoying really."

"And how are you treating my cousin Finn? Still being a gentleman?" Rory pried.

He got a goofy grin on his face, "She is the perfect woman: young, hot, redheaded, great taste in everything, wonderful storyteller, and she can kick my ass. I'd say I'm in love but she has already told me I say that to her anytime in the near future and I won't be seeing her any longer."

"Sounds like Tressa," Rory grumbled.

"I mean I get it...the whole 'I hate that world' crud. I even get the dead guy stuff. I just wish I knew what was going on."

Rory let the 'dead guy' comment slide. "Look, Tressa is the strongest woman I know other than my mom. She can't stand to rely on anyone. Just be reliable and dependable without losing your 'Finn-ness' and you'll be good."

"Finn-ness?" Logan asked.

"Well I don't know what else to call it. Now weren't we going shopping?" she asked.

"Yes...bye Finn. Get some sleep and do some work," Logan said in a fatherly voice.

"Okay dad," Finn grumbled as they went out the door.

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Rory and Logan walked around the drug store near campus while she picked up toiletries for Logan's place. He looked rather ridiculous in a suit and turtleneck in the middle of a CVS. It was funny enough Rory began to giggle.

"What's funny?"

"You soooo don't belong here," she muttered putting shampoo and conditioner in her basket.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Logan, you are dressed like a GQ cover. Some time soon you are going thrift store shopping with me just so I can know there are things in your wardrobe that don't cost a hundred to a thousand dollars a piece. I swear," she mumbled.

He was slightly offended, "Hey, I don't come down on your wardrobe."

"Oh right...you just want to buy an entirely new one," she huffed grabbing hairspray. "Ya know, I hate this stuff but I imagine I am going to need it."

"Ace, where is this hostility coming from?" Logan asked quietly as they moved to the next aisle.

Rory picked up a razor and replacement blades along with shaving gel. "It's just I have these moments where I look around and realize you haven't a clue how to live like a normal person outside your bubble... It just freaks me out for a little bit. That's all."

"Well are you better now?" he asked as they got to the toothbrushes and toothpaste aisle.

She shrugged, "I'm fine."

He looked at her cautiously, "You're sure."

Rory looked at him with big eyes, "Logan, I am not bailing on you."

"I didn't think you were," he said in confusion. "But now I'm worried."

"Don't... Future gazing is fun. I like it a lot. Your dad was awesome and the conversation couldn't have gone better. I just have these moments when I realize one day I may walk into an CVS dressed like the cover of Vogue and suddenly feel very wrong," she said tossing a box of Playtex tampons into the basket.

"I don't want you to loss yourself Rory."

She gazed at him a moment, "You said my name."

He smiled, "It seemed appropriate."

Rory smiled back, "Alright onto condoms, lubes, and other fun things."

Logan stood still for a moment then continued on, "I really have to find a way to get her to quit doing that."

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Logan parked in a small parking lot in the back of a building that looked rather plain. "Where are we?" Rory asked.

Logan smirked, "I called your mom and asked her to speak to my mother's personal shopper."

"Why?"

"I'm getting there. Your mom knows your taste better than anyone so she met with the nice lady named Asia of all things bringing pictures of you clothes and such. They went to a bunch of stores looking at things until Lorelai felt sure Miss Asia knew what to look for. We are at Asia's office location where you get to spend the next however long looking through what she bought for you. You choose what you want, everything else can be returned. I figured if there is another LDB function you need a dress for she can get it for you with little worry."

"Logan...you had someone shop for me?"

"Well...that way you can't fuss over what things cost. It's already paid for so what's the harm. Besides Asia has spent the last few hours telling my mother what excellent taste you have in 'normal' clothes, how refreshing it is to be shopping for a more eclectic style, how wonderfully original Lorelai is and of course my father is gushing to Mom about your poise and wit. Basically my mother told Asia you were an angel on two legs and to buy you whatever you could possibly need. I tried to tell her that you do like to shop so..." He drew out something from his pocket.

"What's this?" she said looking at the piece of plastic.

"A gift... its not a credit card, more a fully stocked gift card. You can use it anywhere on anything. She didn't tell me how much she put on it."

"I feel like I am being bought," Rory groaned.

"Don't...Look, we'll go in. You'll see what she's got and then I will endure a mall. You can even buy me some 'normal' clothes," Logan offered.

"Alright."

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Asia as it turned out to not be Asian. She had very pale skin and dark brown eyes that matched her long brown hair. "Rory...so good to meet you. I had delightful time with your mother. She is a very funny woman."

"Thank you...um... I have never done this before so show me how it works."

Asia smiled, "Well Logan told me you needed to fill a wardrobe at school so I have a little bit of everything... Now Logan..."

"Yes..."

"Since you will be taking this lovely lady out to fulfill the 'shopping' quotient of the evening, I suggest you go out and get some food..."

"And coffee," Rory piped up.

"And coffee," Asia stated, "while we go through everything."

"But I wanted to..." Logan started.

"Yes...you can be surprised when you put the clothing in the wardrobe. Off you go," Asia said turning her back on Logan.

"That is the second time today I have been dismissed like that," Logan grumbled and went on his way.

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Rory spent a ton of time going through all of the clothes Asia and her mother had purchased on her behalf. She had to admit most everything was very cool and her taste.

"So what have we decided on?" Asia asked from behind the curtain as Rory finished changing.

"The black straight skirt, the blue straight shirt. The dark floral print that flutters when you turn."

"Excellent choices... I have already packed away the lingerie you chose along with the undergarments. You were right to get that out of the way in case Logan came back early. I'm sure you will have fun showing him the items later," Asia stated clearly handing her a bag with a few boxes in it already. "We have a garment bag ready to load the rest of the clothes. What tops did you like?"

"The light blue knit one, the white one with the v-neck, the lavender top, and the turquoise top."

"What about one of the corset like tops? They looked wonderful on you."

Rory grimaced, "I don't know."

Asia shrugged, "Get one or two to club in."

Rory walked over to the pile and selected a deep champagne colored top with black lace covering. "This one."

"Good."

Asia walked around the hanging area looking at the dresses, "Now there are several dresses that I won't let you walk out of here without."

"Like which?" Rory asked with a smirk.

"The black formal with the plunging back is a must."

The blue-eyed girl frowned, "That's really not me."

"Rory dear... Your mother found that dress and said if it hung well on you, I was required to make you get it. Apparently you need a little spice to your formal wear."

"Fine," she conceded. "Next?"

"The little black slip dress. The tan wrap dress. And the wine colored one."

Rory thought, "The one with the funny sleeves?"

"Yes."

"I have no objections...but I also want the fitted lavender dress with the black gauze overlay," Rory explained.

"I'm impressed," Asia complimented.

"Thank you."

"Now onto the pants," Asia moved them to the garments hanging under inspection.

Rory bit her lip, "I really liked the black leather pants and the tan suede ones."

"Well that is because they looked fabulous on you," the older woman said confidently. "I also want you to take these fitted pants and of course a couple pairs of the super soft jeans."

Rory smiled, "I can do that."

"Good...now I have my assistance keeping Logan at bay with the food."

"I am so hungry," the Gilmore girl complained in Gilmore fashion.

Asia held Rory's arm a moment, "I probably shouldn't tell you this but I figured since everyone is making such a big deal about your arrival on the scene..."

"What is it?"

"Shira has asked me to start 'causally' looking for a mother of the groom dress, plus a dress for the engagement party, and at least one bridal shower." Rory's face paled. "Don't worry luv. It will be fine. Shira just likes to be prepared for everything. I got the feeling she expected you two to elope. I tried to remind her that you and Logan weren't together before last week but she just sort of waved her hand at that. Apparently she believes any woman that could inspire such changes in Logan most certainly will become her daughter."

"That is very disturbing," Rory gasped seating herself on a chair. "I need a paper bag to breath into."

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Logan heard Rory gasping for air. "RORY!" he yelled pushing his way through to her side.

"She's okay. Just hyperventilating," Asia called.

"Well that's not normal," Logan said. "What happened Ace?"

Rory rolled her eyes up to him, "Just...got...a bit...overwhelmed."

Logan stared dumbly before kneeling beside her rubbing her back. "You're okay," he whispered. "I'm right here... I even got Luke's burger's and fries...along with coffee."

"My Prince Phillip," she said dreamily.

"Your Spike Spiegel...Julia," he teased.

"Now that was not in the movie," Rory said lowering the bag.

Logan shrugged, "I may have lifted the series from your room and I may have watched a few episodes."

"When?"

"Today while you were in class and studying."

Rory shook her head at him.

"Logan," Asia said. "I have those items laid out that you wanted to show Rory."

"Oh good. Come on Ace. You are going to love it," Logan said with a huge grin.

Rory resisted the tug, "You didn't pick out lingerie for me did you? 'Cause I already chose what I wanted."

Logan's eyes turned a darker shade of brown as his eyes dilated with lust. "That's not what I have laid out." He grabbed her hips gently and pulled her close so he could whisper in her ear. "You going to show me what you got in that department or do I have to beg?"

Rory shut her eyes and nuzzled his neck, "Begging later...burger now."

He chuckled, "This way Ace."

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Rory walked to the main area and found several Anime t-shirts including several Cowboy Bebop ones, which is where she started. "No way," she said looking them over. "Spike Spiegel, his gun, Faye Valentine, all of them together. Vampire Hunter D...Ghost in the Shell... How did you..." the rest of her question was cut off.
"While you went with my father for coffee I looked through your DVD's. I gave the titles to Asia to find," Logan said quite proud of himself.

"So which do you want?" Asia asked.

"Can I get them all?" Rory asked with a pout.

He laughed, "Of course."

"Good, 'cause I want them all."

"Eat your food so we can get going."

"Yes sir," Rory answered with a salute.

Asia just smiled at the cute couple.

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When Logan and Rory got to the mall the first thing they did was buy Logan some jeans and a funky skater shirt that he would normally be caught dead in...but it made Rory smile so he went with it. That and she said he might get his ass kicked in one of the stores she wanted to go to if he was still in his suit. Logan changed into his new clothes in his car with Rory sitting in the front seat making sure there were no peeping Tom's.

"So..." Logan began. "Since I am changing clothes in my car for you I want hear the story of your first kiss."

"You don't want to hear that," Rory pled.

"Yes, I do," Logan said as he removed his shirt. "Now don't get distracted by my bare body in the back... I want to hear about the shoplifting and the thank you and all."

"Fine," Rory growled. "Dean and I were flirting majorly back and forth since he moved to Star's Hollow. He got a job at the market and I would go in to see him some times."

"That's sweet...like how I would go to the newsroom to see you," Logan prodded.

"Anyway, one day Dean and I were flirting as usual as I picked up a box of cornstarch to do something with my hands. Dean asked if I wanted something to drink, grabbed two different sodas and made me guess which was in each hand. When I reached forward to answer what drink was in each hand, Dean kissed me. I said thank you, then ran away."

"Metaphorically?" Logan asked.

"No I ran out of the market, cornstarch in hand...thus the shoplifting...all the way to Lane's house...I don't run in general, however it became a disturbing trend with me."

Logan was done and leaned his head between the front seats, "Like me in the middle of the night."

"More like every first kiss with every guy I ran away: Dean, Tristan, Jess..."

"Except me," Logan whispered and kissed her neck. Rory looked at him oddly. "Progress, right."

She had to smile. "Let's go Romeo."

"I thought I was gonna get to be Spike?" Logan pouted.

"Only when I wear the black lycra jumpsuit," Rory announced getting out of the car.

"Damnit...she did it again."

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Logan and Rory chatted comfortably going from store to store until Rory led him to a store called Hot Topic... Now he knew why he would have had his ass kicked. Rory nodded at the guy behind the counter who nodded back, "Bebop girl."

"X-wing boy," she said back.

"Find what you wanted?" he asked flirtatiously causing Logan to feel the need to wrap an arm around Rory's hips.

"Actually my boyfriend here surprised me with the t-shirt I wanted just today," Rory said proudly.

"Then the man must be connected...I've been trying to find that shirt for her for weeks. Thought maybe I would actually get a name for my effort," the other man continued to flirt.

Logan was set to growl but Rory said, "Just call me Julia. Here today then poof, disappear with no trace until the next time I show up."

"So does that make me Spike," the worker asked.

"No, that makes me Spike and you Vicious. Always wanting what you can't have," Logan said plainly.

"And in the end they all die... depressing ain't it," the guy smirked. "Have fun shopping Julia...Spike."

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Rory smirked at Logan, "Baby doesn't like to watch other boys flirt."

"Baby doesn't like to watch you flirt back," Logan groaned tugging her hips to his once more.

"Poor, poor baby. I thought you liked the Lorelai in me?" she pouted.

"I do," he growled rubbing her hips to his. "But I am a jealous man by nature, which you know. So I can only assume you were trying to provoke me."

"Actually I was keeping up the banter with x-wing boy over there. He never asks me out, I never offer my name. It's just a bit of fun that doesn't mean anything."

"And if I were to flirt?" Logan asked.

"Your flirting is never just flirting," Rory reminded him.

"But...still..."

"Alright I will be more careful." She smiled, "Now lets look around."

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Logan began to search the store for items for Rory. "Look," Logan called holding up a Sleeping Beauty t-shirt.

"How bout this one?" Rory asked showing a black t-shirt that said 'Am I living happily ever after yet?'

"Oh we have to get that," he smiled but then saw Rory looking past him to an odd coat. "You like it?"

"Yeah but..."

"Then try it on," Logan stated getting the coat. He brought the coat to Rory and helped her put it on. It was black with a high collar and three fasteners in the middle that made it like a corset before it flared out from the waist. Once it was on, Logan had to gulp.

"You like it?" Rory asked. Logan just nodded. "What's up?"

"Think I just developed a kink, cause everything on you is covered and I am hard as a rock," Logan grumbled. "We'll get that too... but now take it off before I do something stupid."

"Like what?" she asked batting her eyes.

"Like pushing you into the changing room and having my way with you, Ace," he murmured hotly.

"Taking off the coat now," she answered reading the desire in his eyes. "I think its time for us to go."

"I think so too."

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Logan and Rory deliberately did not touch one another as they brought the clothes and boxes into Logan's room, by passing everyone without a word. If they had been paying attention they would have noticed that Colin, Stephanie, Tressa and Finn were all in the main room watching a movie.

"Guess they didn't want to watch the movie," Stephanie stated.

There was a crash then thump to the bedroom door. Colin and Finn looked at one another while the girls smirked. When the groans and moans started wafting into the main room Colin took Stephanie by the hand and headed for his room leaving the odd couple staring at one another. "I guess I should go," Tressa said softly. "I have been here all day."

"Stay," Finn said just as quietly.

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Logan and Rory were tugging at one another's coats while making out like the desperate teenagers they were. In the excitement of the moment one of the lingerie boxes got knocked over tumbling the pieces of silk to the ground. Logan gazed down and saw the contents groaning.

"Ace," he moaned.

"Yeah," she panted as he walked her back to his newly arrived bed.

Logan swallowed staring at her intently, "So far we have had the frantic thing happen a few times but it slides into making love."

"Yeah," Rory murmured licking his neck.

"This time that isn't going to happen," he growled as her teeth slid across his skin carefully. "I need..."

Rory undid her jeans and had her shirt off in record time. "Hard and fast, got it. Never done it...but right now it sounds really enjoyable," she whispered as she started to strip him.

"Oh god," Logan gasped as her tongue slid along his stomach as his shirt came off while she removed his pants. "Rory," he panted.

"Logan?" she said looking at him before pushing him lightly onto the bed.

"Yeah?" he moaned.

"Shut up," she said with a smirk and climbed on top of him in her new matching underwear.

"Nice," he said snapping the side of her thong.

Rory pushed Logan's arms up to the bed frame behind him. "I add to my last statement, Hold on and Shut up."

"I'm going to die," he groaned.

"But you'll have a smile on your face," she countered.

"You have to get he last word don't you?" he panted.

"Yes."

TBC...

A/N: I think next chapter is going to be it. I have none of it written so I am a bit worried. We'll see how it goes. I am thinking of writing this last scene fully and posting it on my live journal since it would not be appropriate here. What do you think?

You know the drill: Please REVIEW. Please REVIEW.