Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything up to Jews and Chinese Food is fair game. Past that, it's just where my mind takes over.

Teaser: When Rory and Logan's arrangement goes prematurely sour, his friends take it upon themselves to intervene. Sequel to Keeping it Casual

Story Title: Nothing A Good Friend Wouldn't Do

Chapter Title: The Comforts of Home

She paused before opening the front door—something she'd never done before. Normally this door was flung open carelessly, lovingly, and without thought. The process automatic, a step skipped in planning, her mind already on what would await her inside. But now what lie on the other side of the door was fractured and misunderstood. While she wanted to fix this rift, she would not back down. Too much had happened.

She found the downstairs to be empty, and immediately she assumed her mother to be out with Luke. It was early and a Sunday, but there was no unusual time for her mother to frequent the diner, especially since they'd been dating.

"Mom?" she called hesitantly, feeling stupid for calling out into an empty space.

"Rory?"

"Yeah."

"I'm up here."

Though her mother sounded as surprised as she, Rory heard the inviting tone as well, and made her way up the staircase. Visions of long marches from war films flashed through her mind, but she shook them out as she saw her mother on a step stool in front of her closet.

"What are you doing?"

"Spring cleaning. Though I guess you can only call it that if you do it every year," she frowned. "Oh well, it's spring at least. What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

Lorelai looked at her daughter, and saw the swirl of emotions that were coursing through her. She hated to see her so uncomfortable, especially when trying to talk to her of all people. She also knew it had been her behavior that had been the instigator of this discomfort. She just couldn't bring herself to admit that she had acted out of an irrational place. She didn't trust the whole Logan situation, not after all she'd seen and heard from Rory.

"Are you alone?"

Rory looked surprised. "Of course I am."

"Okay, so let's talk."

Rory looked at her expectantly, but Lorelai just got down off the step ladder. There were piles of clothes and shoes, amongst other random items like photo albums and sewing kits, scattered around the room and nearly covering the entirety of the bed.

"Kitchen?"

"Sure."

Once settled down next to one another at the table, Rory took a deep breath. "Why did you do it?"

"I'm sorry for going on about you and Logan in front of Grandma and Grandpa, Rory, but I'm not sorry about what I said."

"How can you say that? He's important to me, Mom, doesn't that matter to you?"

"Rory, I was with you when you saw him with that other girl—do you know how hard that was to watch? Your face gave you away, you were crushed!"

"I was seeing other guys too, Mom, we had a deal then. And besides, that's over now. We're together now."

"That's not like you, why would you do something like that?"

"I wasn't ready to get into another relationship, but I liked him. It seemed easier."

"So, you didn't want to be in a serious relationship with him, yet you sleep with him anyway? And how do you know he's seeing just you now, and not being extra careful not to get caught again?"

"You're still doing it—you aren't listening to me!"

"I'm trying to connect the pieces, they just don't fit," Lorelai emphasized.

"I love him."

Lorelai pulled back in shock. "What?"

Rory looked down, surprised at the way that came flying out of her mouth. "I love him," she said again with more certainty.

"Your loving him doesn't make this work. It just makes it easier for him to break your heart, or makes it easier for you to forget to be safe," she reminded.

"I'm not going to sit here and defend him to you. What he and I do or don't do is between him and me. I was hoping you'd be supportive of this, because it's what I want, but I'm not going to break it off with him because you don't like it."

"I don't even know him. You haven't given me the chance."

"I know."

"Does he love you?"

Rory hated that she couldn't answer this question. She knew it would make it a billion times easier to tell her yes, he did, she was sure of it. She hoped he returned her feelings, but she had no verbal proof.

"We haven't said that, yet."

Lorelai nodded. "I was just so surprised, kid, to call you so early, and have his sleepy voice answer your phone. And you hadn't told me anything other than it was over," she reminded.

"I know. It happened so fast, and then I didn't have time to call with school and tests. We got back together after a party. We'd both gone with different people, and he ended up taking me home. It hasn't been easy, neither of us thought it was a good idea, but we just can't stop it," she bit her lip, trying to put into words the tidal wave that seemed to sweep over them. "It just seems right, despite everything."

"Sounds serious."

Rory nodded. "He wanted to come tonight, but I wouldn't let him."

"It's good to see just you. It's been a while."

"I know."

"So, fight over?"

"Are you going to give him a chance?" Rory looked hopeful.

Lorelai nodded. "I will. A real try, not like I did with Jess. Though right now, he isn't looking so bad in the grand scheme of things," she mused.

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry. Seriously, I want to get to know him. He seems really important to you. I'll meet him, away from my parents, 'cause that never seems to go well," she smiled.

"Good. Thanks," she said, leaning forward to hug her mother.

"So, you staying?"

"Yeah, I think I will. It'd be nice to sleep in my old bed, and I don't have an early class tomorrow."

"You won't get to see Logan," she smiled sadly.

"I think he'll survive."

"Let me just go tidy up a bit upstairs and we can go grab some dinner at the diner."

"Speaking of which, what is with the major possession upheaval?"

Lorelai stopped in place and grimaced. "Nothing. Just felt like cleaning."

"That's not cleaning, that's major reorganizing. You hate that, especially when it comes to your closet. What's up?"

"I might be making some room for Luke."

Rory stood, standing in front of her mother. "Luke's moving in?"

"No, no, not officially. I'm just making room for him, if he would want to leave some stuff here. He's here a lot, and I don't know. I thought it would be a nice surprise."

"Wow. So, you two, you've really moved past the Dad/Grandma/wedding thing?"

"Yeah, we have. It's back on track," she smiled happily.

"I'm glad," she hugged her mom. "I'm just going to take a walk while you finish up," she decided, walking down the hall with her mother.

"I'll meet you here ready to go in about a half hour?"

"Deal."

XXXX

Rory opened up the front door, the whole world spreading out into her view as she pondered where to go. It was a warm spring day, and she was suddenly very glad to be home. She forgot sometimes in the hectic pace of school and everything else in her life how peaceful it was to just take a walk around her town. The comfort in seeing the same people, the familiar landmarks, and the memories that each spot held for her was unmatched in some respects. She made her way down the steps.

"Going to ignore me, now?" came a voice from behind her.

She twirled around, to face the source of her near heart attack that was lounging on the porch swing.

"What are you doing here?"

He smiled, moving down the steps to join her. He'd heard rather passionate voices when he arrived earlier, and had decided to wait out the exchange on the porch, enjoying the air and view. She'd not even glanced to the side as she exited the house, a peaceful expression covering her face.

"I know you didn't want me to come with you," he said as she moved to hug him. "I just couldn't seem to get you off of my mind."

"I have the same problem. All the way home, I just kept seeing," she closed her eyes, scenes from the prior night dancing through her mind's eye.

"I told you it was better than video," he whispered in her ear, as he hugged her back. "Where are you off to?"

"Roaming around town. Wanna join me?"

"I'd like that," he affirmed, slipping an arm around her shoulders as they moved out past the yard.

"So, how'd it go with your mom?" he asked as they rounded the next street.

"Okay. She's vowed to give you a chance, in light of all the filler details I've provided her."

"And those would be?"

"That we're together. With strings. She wasn't big on the whole sex with no relationship idea."

He felt some of the color drain from his face, but kept in stride with her. "So, she knew we were," he began.

"Her first viewing of you was with your shirt and pants undone, while I was half climbing you. You think she didn't put two and two together?" she raised an eyebrow.

"But I mean, after that, you talk about this stuff?"

"We're really close," she said quietly.

"I can see that."

"It's okay, I promise you."

"Yes, that's the feeling I get when a mother knows I've defiled her daughter."

She laughed. "Well, I wouldn't put it like that. Besides, I'd like to think I've done my fair share of defiling here, too," she teased.

He kissed her as they waited at the town's only crosswalk, for the illuminated white symbol to appear. They shared a smile and he just shook his head in amusement.

"Hey, how'd you get here?"

"What?"

"There was no extra car in the drive. Did you finally perfect that instant transporting device?"

"Jill and Colin dropped me off. We made it almost to Yale, and I made them turn around and come out here."

"So, is that something now, Jill and Colin?"

Logan shrugged. "Not sure. They weren't really pontificating about it. Hey, you wanna grab some dinner?"

She looked up to Luke's where his gaze had no doubt fallen. "Ooh, we're brave now?"

"What?" he asked, not understanding her question.

"Don't you recognize the name on the diner?"

"Luke's?"

"Mom's Luke—the one that stormed the coat check room while you were attempting to defile me?" she teased.

"You're kidding," he looked at her.

"It's the best food and coffee in town. Why do you think my mother loves him so much?"

"Is there by chance anywhere else to eat?"

"If I were to take you anywhere, it would be Luke's, but I promised Mom I'd eat with her. Unless," she hedged.

"What?"

"Would you like to join us?"

He smiled. "With Luke and Lorelai staring at me, hoping I'll spontaneously combust?"

She nodded. "He does tend to be there, what with the proprietorship and all. But I've never seen him actually make anyone burst into flames. Though, not from a lack of trying," she added.

"Right. That last bit was comforting, but, yeah, let's do it."

"Wow, I'm impressed."

"Good."

"There's just one other thing," she said, beginning to steer them back towards the house to pick up her mother.

"What's that?"

"I promised to stay home tonight, hang with Mom, watch movies—how are we going to get you home?"

"I can't stay? I mean, you said she was cool with the whole sex thing," he reminded.

"It's more like she's cool when she doesn't have to see it. You'd be on the couch."

"Is it comfortable?"

"No," she admitted while giving him a dazzling smile.

"Right."

"I'd love it if you stayed, but it's just going to be girl time. You'll probably hate it."

"I'm willing to risk it. I've never gotten to see you like that," he admitted.

"Like what?"

"At home, with people you're comfortable with."

"Yes, you have. I'm comfortable with you," she said, stopping him before they walked up to her porch. He looked down into her eyes, seeing her level of sincerity. She was leveling him, and she had no idea. He pulled her closer, wanting to feel her solid against him.

"So, I can stay?"

"Yeah, you can stay."

The two sealed the deal with a kiss, her thoughts turning to her earlier admission to her mother. The topic of love seemed to be clobbering her over the head today, first with the feeling she'd woken up with as she lie next to him, then Lane's viewpoint, and now her own tongue had betrayed her in front of her mother. His kisses seemed to clinch it, though she was desperate not to lay too much on him at once. He was here in her town, willing to hang out with her mother at Luke's. He was making gestures and sacrifices without being asked. She wondered if he was just making her more and more sure about what had started out as some nameless need to be in his vicinity. It was now possibly a full grown addiction, only partially satisfied with the ability to remember how it feels to be intimately connected to him at any given moment.

"Not to interrupt," came Lorelai's voice, as she stepped out onto the porch.

"Mom, I would like you to meet Logan, Logan, this is my mother, Lorelai," she said for the first time, going through formal introductions even though it was laughable at this point. But he'd come here, to meet her mother and everyone had agreed to begin anew.

"Logan, it's nice to meet you in an official capacity," Lorelai extended her hand.

"You too."

"Are you joining us for dinner?"

"If that's okay," he gave her the upper hand, hoping she'd keep up the niceties.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm not the one Luke will attempt to behead," she grinned.

Logan looked from Lorelai to Rory, wondering exactly what kind of pertinent information she'd left out of Luke's dislike of him.

"You didn't tell him?"

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

"Logan, Rory really should have told you, or gotten you some sort of protective clothing, in the very least—Luke's a smidge bit of the over-protective side with her. He put her first boyfriend in a head lock and pushed her second boyfriend in a lake."

Rory giggled, remembering both instances. "Mom," she shook her head.

"Now, we'll try our best to protect you, but you've already made his worst nightmares come true, so just avoid direct eye contact and nod politely to all grunts he issues. Can you handle that?"

Logan looked again to Rory before nodding in response to Lorelai. Rory giggled, and slipped her arm through his as they headed back into town.

"Don't look at me—you showed up here on your own," she giggled.

"Is she kidding?"

"She could not, would not tell a lie," she teased before squeezing his hand in assurance. "I'll keep you covered."

"I appreciate that. Just remember one thing, you have to go through this next week."

She grew quiet in the face of his reminder, and nodded. "He just wants to know you treat me well."

"That, I can do."

Lorelai smiled at their soft conversing, and held the door open as the three entered the diner, ready for whatever floor show might accompany dinner.