Puppet Master

The next morning, Rory woke up disoriented because she could not identify her surroundings. Steph shoved a cup of steaming hot coffee in her face. Rory blinked, and belatedly started to remember the night before.

"Thanks," she said in a quiet voice before inhaling the drink. "That was good," she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Steph. "Did you make it?"

Stephanie laughed aloud. "God no. Logan dropped it off not thirty seconds ago."

Rory wrinkled her forehead. "Does he usually bring you coffee in the morning?"

"No, silly!" Steph laughed merrily again. "He brought it over for you." She paused. "He said he talked to your roommate…girl with the name of a city, London…Tulsa…"

"Paris," Rory filled in for her.

"Yeah, that was it, Paris! And she told him you hadn't been to your room last night, so he came over hear looking for you."

"If he were anyone else, I'd say he was a god, but I don't think I need to stroke his ego that much."

"Even if you did say it, he can't hear you," Stephanie pointed out logically.

"The thing is he'd probably overhear about it somehow. The girl next door tells her mother who is dating the plumber who is fixing a redhead's shower, who hooks up with Finn who tells it to Logan. That sort of thing."

Stephanie giggled. "Paranoid, much?"

"Who me?" Rory asked innocently. Stephanie snorted and threw a pillow at her. "Steph, as much as I like having stuffed objects thrown at my head, I think I have to go. I've got class in a couple of hours," she added unnecessarily.

"I understand. Thanks for coming over last night. I had fun."

Rory smiled genuinely. "Me too." Rory got up and made her way to the door. She turned back. "So, I'll see you around?"

"Definitely."

"And you'll think about what I said about Colin?"

Steph rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Alright, alright. I can take a hint. See you later, Steph!"

"Bye Rory!"

That afternoon, when Rory arrived back at her dorm, having gone to the last of her classes, Logan was sitting on her couch.

She looked at him for a second before moving around and putting all her things away. "Do I even want to know how you got in here?"

"Probably not."

"If I asked, would you tell me?"

Logan looked pensive as he considered her question. "Probably not."

Rory didn't look put out by his answer in the least. "Ok," she shrugged. "I'll take your word for it." She sat down at her desk and open up her calculus book as Logan, who had been leaning on her doorframe moved to sit down on her bed.

"So, I'm sorry about last night," he began.

"Don't worry about it," she said, not even turning to face him.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, beginning to get concerned.

"No, why do you ask?"

"You haven't even looked at me since you walked in and even then it was just because I was directly in your line of view."

Rory giggled and finally turned to face him. "You are really too easy to manipulate," she managed to get out between fits of giggles.

"You just like to get any laugh you can at my expense," he accused, mock-angrily.

"Well, duh!" She finally sobered up. "So, any particular reason you're here?"

"I'll get around to it. How did your visit with Stephanie go?"

"Pretty good."

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how mad is she at Colin?"

"Ah, I see how it goes. You're just here to cover your buddy's ass."

"No!" he said adamantly.

"Just kidding," she reassured him. "Don't worry; I put in a good word on his behalf, even though I don't know if I should have."

"What makes you say that?" Logan looked sincerely interested.

"Let's just say that in Steph's version, Colin wasn't near the victim that you guys made him out to be." She smiled to take the accusing nature out of her words.

Logan shrugged. "What can I say? Colin's one of my best friends…"

"Yeah, and that was one of the problems," she muttered, being careful to make sure he heard what she said.

"What?!"

"Never mind." She turned and returned to her Calculus homework, leaving Logan to ponder her words.

"So, are you doing anything tonight?"

"I don't have any definite plans. Why?"

"I think I owe you a date."

"Nah. Like I said, don't worry about it. I'm sure I had more fun with Stephanie than I would have had with you anyway."

He countered his tone just as teasing as hers had been. "I wouldn't be so sure, Miss Gilmore. I've been known to show the girls a good time."

"I'm sure you have," she said condescendingly with a playfully leered aimed at him.

"Well, since you don't believe me, I guess I'll just have to show you."

"I guess you will."

"So Ace, how does 7 sound?"

"I'll be there…or here, as the case may be."

Logan laughed. "Don't worry, I'll pick you up."

He was to the outer door before she remembered that she didn't know where they were going. "Logan!" He turned to face her. "What should I wear?"

He smirked. "Look in your closet." He tipped an imaginary hat before disappearing out the door.

Rory rolled her eyes. He was so dramatic. Mentally shrugging, she opened her closet door and found that he had left a new, cautiously casual but decidedly fashionable outfit hanging up. Pinned to the shirt she found a note.

Ace,
Be sure to wear the ring.
Your fiancé,
Logan.

She laughed. He would never give it up, would he?

No sooner had she gotten back to her calc homework than the phone rang. "'Lo?" she answered distractedly.

The Aussie voice that drifted to her ears quickly brought her back to reality. "Rory? I can't figure out what to do?"

She caught the urgency in his voice. "What to do about what, Finn?"

"I don't know how to get Logan back for turning my hair these God awful colors!"

"Oh is that all?" Rory's voice returned to a disinterested tone.

"What do you mean, is that all? Have you seen my hair? Of course you have, you helped him do it!"

"Exactly, Finn. I helped him do it. Why would you want me to help you when you know full well that I helped him do it? Don't you want to get revenge on me too?"

"I'm fully willing to relinquish my rights to revenge on you, Rory, if you help me come up with a suitable punishment for Logan."

"How thoughtful of you."

"So, what should I do?"

Rory laughed at the anxiousness in Finn's voice. "I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I'll think about it. How's that?"

"You are a lifesaver," Finn gushed.

"Technically your life isn't in danger, but I'll take all the compliments I can get. So, I'll get back to you, ok? Besides, we can't plan on the phone, especially considering the fact that Logan is probably walking in to your suite as we speak."

Finn looked up, as Logan walked in. "How do you do that?"

Rory laughed. "Just lucky I guess."

They both hung up quickly.

This could be interesting, thought Rory, pitting the two of them against each other. Too bad she didn't have anything she really wanted accomplished to hang over their heads.

AN: Just getting my bearings again. I've got ideas, so it should keep coming pretty quickly if you're lucky.

Review, please! Rebecca