Puppet Master

"So, Lane," Rory began, ignoring Logan's question. "When do you get a break around here?"

Lane shrugged. "Luke," she hollered. "I'm taking a break!"

"Why?" Luke emerged from the back. "I keep telling you your boyfriend isn't enough of a reason…" he trailed off. "Rory!"

"Hi Luke!"

"So, uh…how's your mom?" Luke asked, desperate for a conversation topic.

Rory laughed. "You'd know better than I would…"

Hesitantly, Luke laughed with her. "I guess you're right."

"So," Rory said. "Do you think you could spare Lane for a while? I need to talk to her."

Luke looked at Lane. "Yeah, sure."

At his words, Lane rushed out from behind the counter and Rory hopped off her stool.

"Rory!" Logan called.

She turned around. "Yeah?"

"Can I come!" He looked meaningfully around the diner with all of its customers still trying, and failing, to gaze discreetly at him.

Rory shrugged. "You could, but I don't know if you'd want to. It's just going to be girl talk…"

Logan made a face.

"Don't worry, we won't be long! Order something; I'm sure you're starving."

Logan turned around defeated as Rory and Lane left the diner. When he looked up from his menu, he found Luke staring at him. The intensity of Luke's gaze was unnerving. Logan smiled cautiously. "Hi. I'm Logan."

"Luke," Luke offered gruffly.

"Yeah, I got that," said Logan, grinning more confidently.

"So let me guess," continued Luke. "Rich, snobby, elitist Yale kid."

"Actually, I prefer affluent, but yes, I guess you could characterize me as such. Although, I don't really consider myself elitist or snobby, but I guess you can make your own judgments later."

Luke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I'll do that."

"So," Rory turned to Lane as they headed towards the gazebo. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Lane shrugged. At Rory's steady, knowing look, Lane backpedaled. "Okay, so maybe I know."

"Well, are you going to enlighten me?" asked Rory teasingly.

"I'm just having some second thoughts. Zach didn't like that."

"Second thoughts? Like what?"

"I just don't know if it's such a good idea dating a band member slash roommate."

"You didn't seem to mind dating Dave. What's different now?"

"Well, what if something goes wrong?"

"What if something goes right?" Rory countered, always the optimist.

Lane didn't have an answer for that, so she chose to change the subject. "It's just, when you live with someone you know pretty much all there is to know about them. There's no getting regular get-to-know-each-other period."

"I'm failing to see the problem, unless you don't like what you 'got to know' about Zach…"

Lane stayed silent. Rory sighed, exasperated. "Here's an easy one: Do you like Zach or not?"

Lane's eyes widened. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Slowly she nodded her head. A smile spread across Rory's face – she was happy for her friend. Abruptly, Lane burst into tears. "Rory, what am I going to do?" she queried hysterically.

"Talk to him," counseled Rory patiently. "Now. I'll talk to Luke."

Lane hugged Rory. "Thank you! You are the best!"

"Yeah, yeah, now get your butt moving!" Rory watched Lane run home and she turned back towards Luke's. Halfway there, she literally bumped into her mother.

"Fruit of my loins!" Lorelai exclaimed, draping her arm across Rory's shoulders. "What are you doing here?"

"Lane had an emergency." Rory deadpanned.

"Ah, an emergency," said Lorelai sagely. "So, how long are you here?"

Rory shrugged. "Just a couple more hours. I figured I'd head back to Yale for the night."

Lorelai pouted. "That's too bad. Oh well," she perked up, "that's enough time for a movie or two. What do you think? We can head over to Doose's right now, stock up on junk food, and head home to watch a movie all before you have to leave to go back to Yale."

"Sure. You go over to Doose's and I'll meet you at home. I left something at Luke's," Rory said, deliberately being vague.

"Alright."

Rory watched as Lorelai rounded the corner into Doose's. She smirked and turned toward Luke's. Her mother would never know what hit her. She bounded up the stairs at the front of Luke's. As she opened the door, the bell rang like it had all her life. Although she would never say anything out loud, she hated that bell. Hated it with a passion. She shook her head, clearing it of such non-helpful thoughts.

She walked over and sat down next to Logan, who seemed to be in some sort of staring contest with Luke.

"Um, guys?" she asked, uncertain as to what was going on. "Guys?" she said a bit louder.

Luke broke the look first and glanced at her. "Just promise me, okay?" he said to Logan, gesturing not so subtly at Rory.

"This is ridiculous. I can't promise something like that!"

"Just promise you'll try not to," demanded Luke.

Slowly, a grin crossed Logan's face. "Now that I can promise!" He winked at Rory as he got up and pulled a large denomination bill from his wallet.

As they turned to leave, Luke called out. "Rory?" She looked back at him expectantly. "I like him."

Making the instantaneous decision not to tease Luke about the multiple meanings his statement could possibly take, Rory just smiled. "Thanks. Me too."

As they walked out of the diner, Logan smirked at Rory. "You like me," he sing-songed.

Rory just rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. You didn't get that before? I must have even more work ahead of me than I thought."

Logan looked at her. "I'm work?" he asked, surprised.

"Again," said Rory, "duh. All guys need work."

"Since I don't even know where to begin with that statement, I'm just going to let it slide."

Rory giggled. "See? You learn quickly!"

As they reached the house, Rory veered toward the front door.

"Wait, where are you going?" asked Logan.

"To watch a movie with my mom," said Rory simply.

"Wait, meeting the parents?" asked Logan apprehensively. "Don't you think it's a little too soon for that?"

Instead of answering him, Rory grabbed his arm and dragged him into the house. He protested the whole way. "Ace, I really need to get back to Yale…I need to study," he lied desperately.

At that, Rory snorted and turned toward him. "And what class, prey tell, do you have to study for?"

"Philosophy," said Logan triumphantly.

Rory continued, undeterred. "And what do you have to study for philosophy?"

At this, Logan came up blank.

"Ha!" said Rory as she gave his arm one final tug.

"Rory?" came Lorelai's voice from the kitchen. "Who're you talking to?"

Rory remained silent as Lorelai walked in. Lorelai took one glance at Logan and smirk. "My, my, my. Look what the cat dragged in!"

Logan slowly looked up. "Miss Gilmore," he said resignedly.

AN: Sorry about the relatively long time between updates!