Puppet Master

"Both at the same time?" Colin asked Stephanie as Rory and Logan walked out of the bowling alley.

Stephanie looked over at him sweetly. "Yes?"

"What did you mean by that?"

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

"You won't tell me?" Colin asked, perplexed.

"Nope," Stephanie shrugged as if the matter was settled.

"Why not?"

"'Cause."

"You're keeping secrets," Colin observed. "Isn't the most important rule about relationships that they have to be founded on trust?" Colin whined, and internally reflected on how pathetic he sounded. Colin Howard did not whine, but that was how far he was brought down in Stephanie's presence. She had that much effect on him.

"You're assuming we have a relationship," Stephanie stressed the word. "All I see is that we're going on our first date."

"Yes, we're founding a relationship, thus the need for trust," Colin shot back. Truthfully, he wasn't really that interested in the meaning behind Stephanie's comment, he was just verbally sparring for the sake of verbally sparring. Besides, a verbal duel kept things from getting awkward.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Just give it up already, Alfred Colin Howard."

Colin recoiled in shock. "Not the first name," he gasped. "I'll do anything."

"Anything?" Stephanie asked, eyebrow raised and a smirk gracing her beautiful features.

Immediately, Colin regretted using that specific word. "Well maybe not anything," he sighed.

Stephanie pouted. "Five minutes into our first date and you're already lying to me," she grouched playfully.

This time it was Colin who rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long night, he could tell. Fortunately, he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Rory walked into her room, contemplating her date with Logan. It was good to get to see such a different side of him, and it left her with no doubt that he was more similar to her than she had ever dreamed.

Absently she checked her messages. The voice that reached her ears was frantic. "Rory? Rory? Are you there?" asked Lane. "Okay, obviously you're not there, but I need to talk to you. Preferably in person. I'm having roommate trouble…okay, boyfriend trouble. So, anyway, yeah. Need to talk to you. Call me when you get this!"

Rory looked at the phone. It really sounded like Lane needed to talk to her. Reluctantly, she picked the phone up and dialed Lane's number.

"Residence of the great and powerful Hep Alien," that was Brian's voice.

In the background, Rory could hear Zach grumble, "Dude, that is so not rock and roll."

"Hey Brian, its Rory."

"Hello, number one groupie. What can I do for you?"

"Uh, is Lane there? She wanted to talk to me."

Abruptly, Brian's voice dropped to a whisper. "Lane? Yeah, just a minute."

Again, Rory heard Zach in the background. "Brian, dude, why are you whispering?"

Brian ignored his roommate and crept to Lane's door. "Lane?" he called quietly.

"What?" came Lane's voice.

"Phone for you."

The next thing Rory knew, Lane was whispering frantically, "Rory?"

"Yeah, it's me. So what's up?"

"Zach and I got into a huge fight and I don't know how to fix it."

"Don't worry," Rory quickly tried to reassure Lane. "It'll be okay."

"I'm not sure if I want to fix it," came Lane's confession.

"Oh," Rory sat back. "That's a whole different problem."

"You're telling me."

"You're right. This sounds like a problem that we need to be in the same room to work out," Rory paused, thinking. "How about I come down tomorrow after classes? I'd be there by four."

"I'll be at Luke's then, but I'm sure I'll be able to take a break," Lane assured Rory.

"Alright then, it's settled. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, ok." There was silence for a second. "Rory?"

"Yeah, Lane?"

"Thanks."

Rory just shrugged. "Hey, what are best friends for?"

The next day, as Rory waited in line to buy coffee after her last class, Logan ambushed her.

"Guess who?" he said, putting his hands over her eyes before she could see him.

"Why, hello Mr. Pitt, I've always been your biggest fan," Rory said, playing along.

Logan made a buzzer sound. "Strike one."

"Oh, I'm sorry, George, how frightfully silly of me."

"George?" Logan questioned.

"Clooney."

"Strike two."

"Well, if it's not Brad or George, well then it must be Mac."

"Strike three."

"I don't think so, Master and Commander."

"Okay, fine. You win," said Logan as he uncovered her eyes and leaned in for a kiss. "So, do you want to hang out tonight?"

"I'd love to," said Rory. "Unfortunately, I already have plans."

"Oh?" asked Logan sincerely.

"I've got to run to Stars Hollow. My best friend, Lane, is having some sort of boyfriend crisis."

"Sounds serious," lamented Logan.

"Yes, quite dire," agreed Rory.

"Most unfortunate. I was going to suggest that we go to the movies, but if you're not going to be on campus that does clearly put a damper on my plans."

"You could come with me," Rory suggested, half seriously, half joking. "That is, if you think you could survive a night of small town life. You'd probably be bored stiff."

"Nonsense. It sounds delightful. With you," he added parenthetically, "how could anything be boring? When are you leaving?" he asked as an afterthought.

"Now."

"Now?"

"Well, I suppose I could wait ten minutes for you to change clothes if you wanted to."

"What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Nothing," sighed Rory playfully. "If you don't want to change clothes, then let's go."

As they started walking to Rory's car, Logan was silent for a while before he blurted out, "What's wrong with my clothes?"

Rory walked into a packed Luke's diner. She plopped herself on a stool at the counter and called, "Coffee please!"

"Rory!" Lane rushed over. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Hey, I said I would be, right?"

"Yeah, but you've gone all college girl on me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Suddenly the diner got very quiet.

Rory looked at Lane. "What is it?"

"New meat," someone called.

Rory turned around and saw Logan walking up the street. She had made him drop her off outside of the diner and sent him to park her car at her house. "Oh, that's just Logan."

"Logan?" questioned Lane.

"My boyfriend," Rory disclosed quietly, but not quietly enough evidently because right after her words, the diner became louder again, buzzing with gossip.

The bell above the door rang as Logan walked through the door. Immediately, Kirk was up, blocking Logan's path to Rory.

"Hello, my name is Kirk Gleason, and I'd like to welcome you to Stars Hollow. I hear you're dating young Miss Gilmore over there."

Logan looked confused. "Yes…"

"Well, I for one approve. At least your hair isn't floppy."

Rory and Lane, who overheard the entire exchange, giggled as Logan sat down next to Rory.

"What was that about?"

Thank you to Problem Child1 for giving me the idea for the great floppy hair exchange…

AN: I'm glad almost everyone enjoyed the bowling date in the last chapter. I really wasn't sure how it would go over, so I'm glad you all liked it. I felt so motivated by your reviews that I just had to write another chapter, even though it turned out to be quite short…I'll have to work on that. I know it ends kinda abruptly, but I my ideas for where this is going just didn't seem to work in here – they would have just drawn this chapter out and it would have been too long with nothing happening.

I just realized how slow this is really going. Three days in the life of Rory Gilmore takes me five chapters. So sad! But you guys are still reading, so I must be doing something right…I guess…maybe.

Truthfully, I'm flying by the seat of my pants. I just write as the thoughts come to me, and sometimes they don't come as quickly.

Okay, long AN. Anyway, as always, thanks for all of the reviews. Love 'ya. -Rebecca