Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Since the premiere is so close (yay!) I figure I'll have to pick up the pace of posting in order to wrap this up in time for season 6. Enjoy!

Chapter 16
"Stuck in Neutral"

Luke snuck a glance down at Lorelai who had finally fallen asleep in the warmth of his arms. He was unpacking a few boxes when she returned home, eyes bloodshot and swollen from crying. He knew that she was off to her parents to try to speak to Rory and he didn't need an explanation to see that it didn't go well. Lorelai had been putting on a brave face for weeks. Sure, she occasionally snapped at him if he pressed the Rory issue, but for the most part she hadn't broken down or even allowed her anguish over the situation to show. He enveloped her in his arms when she came through the door and she let the floodgates open.

"I know you and tears are like vinegar and water," she sniffled. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry about anything," he replied soothingly. He stroked her back gently and let her cry into his shoulder. He hadn't realized how hard she was sobbing until he realized he could feel the wetness through his flannel. "Do you want sit down?"

"Okay," she sniffed as she tried to compose herself. "I just don't understand this. It's like we're strangers."

"Did she want to talk to you?" Luke asked cautiously. He knew in this type of situation it was best to let Lorelai tell him what she wanted him to hear, but he also sensed that she needed to let it all out. Bottling her emotions would only lead to a large explosion down the road.

"Yes," Lorelai said reaching over him for a tissue. "It was bad Luke. I said things that were hurtful and she said things that I don't really get. She was making a big deal about you living here for some reason. I told her it didn't matter because she moved out."

Luke winced slightly at Lorelai's comment. He certainly didn't want to be in the middle of their feud, but Luke figured Rory's anger over him probably had more to do with the current situation than his actual presence in the house. At least, that's what he hoped.

"Then it just turned into another shouting match and I left," Lorelai continued. "I just don't understand how this happened. Why did she start keeping things from me?"

"I don't think she was intentionally keepings from you," Luke offered. "I think maybe she just had a lot to deal with and she made some rash decisions. Maybe she just needs more time to see that."

"But how much time?" Lorelai asked him. "It's been weeks and school starts soon. Is she really not going back?"

"Maybe not this semester, but maybe she'll figure it out and she can start again after Christmas. A lot of kids take some time off."

"Yeah," Lorelai scoffed before she adopted a higher pitch in order to imitate Rory. "Logan took some off and he really thinks this is the right thing for me to do."

"Logan, the guy at the wedding?"

"The one and only."

"I really don't like that guy," Luke said.

"Join the club," Lorelai replied. "Of which I'm currently president and CEO. You really don't like him either?"

"Maybe he's a nice kid, but after the wedding and what you've told me about his family I'm not leaning toward the pro column on this one."

"You hated Dean too," Lorelai said.

"You hated Dean in the beginning as I remember," Luke reminded her. "If you recall I believe I saved his life when you were about to kill him on double coupon day."

"That was different," Lorelai replied. She seemed to have brightened a little bit.

"You know, this isn't Logan's fault," Luke tried to tell her gently.

"I know," Lorelai said. "He's just the root of the problem."

"Come on," Luke said.

"No really," Lorelai insisted. "Logan has caused her pain, he's taken her out drinking, his family said Rory wasn't good enough for him, which led to the internship offer from Logan's father to smooth the waters. All roads lead back to Logan on this."

"She's growing up," Luke said simply.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Lorelai replied snidely.

Luke sighed before continuing. "I just mean that she's in an adult relationship. Sometimes people hurt each other, even if they don't mean to. As far as the drinking, I guess Rory is almost 21. You didn't expect her to never try alcohol before then did you?"

"Yes," Lorelai said seriously. "I knew taking her out of that bubble when she was 5 was a mistake."

Luke ignored her comment and continued, "As far as Logan's family, sometimes you just have to say to hell with them. I certainly don't let your parents feelings about me get to me."

Lorelai gave him a hard look.

"Anymore," Luke replied sheepishly.

"I just don't know how I can get through to her Luke," Lorelai said. "I feel like we're having the same conversations over and over. Now she's got a criminal record, she has all these hours of community service to do and now she's in my parent's clutches. Maybe if she were home I could talk some sense into her."

"Are you letting her come home if she's not in school?" Luke asked.

"I don't know," Lorelai sighed as she leaned her head on Luke's chest. "I'm so tired of fighting with her. Maybe it's the right thing to do. At least then she'd be here and the Heaven's Gate brainwashing my parents undoubtedly put her through will be reversed."

Luke absently ran his fingers through Lorelai's hair as she rested her eyes. "If you want me to wait on moving in," Luke started hesitantly. "Let me know." It was the last thing in the world that he wanted but he knew that Lorelai's first priority needed to be Rory.

"No," Lorelai said looking up. "I don't want you to wait to move in here." Her eyes were still glassy from the tears but they were also resolved. "No matter what happens between me and Rory, you're moving in. She's not mad about you being here, trust me."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. She's mad at me and she's taking it out on the thought of you being here. She loves you. You're moving in."

"Only if you're sure," Luke replied.

"I'm sure," Lorelai replied before she rested her head back against his chest. She was silent for a few minutes and her breathing seemed to even out. Luke thought she was asleep, but she mumbled, "Love you Luke."

Luke smiled to himself and whispered, "I love you too." He sat with Lorelai resting comfortably on his chest and he watched her sleep.

"Thanks for coming over," Rory said as she ushered Logan through the door of the pool house.

"Anytime Ace," Logan replied. "What's going on?"

Rory threw her arms around Logan's neck and buried her head in his shoulder. She breathed deeply the scent of him and tried to lose herself in the moment. She just wanted her mind to go blank and forget the events of the day.

"I heard about the hearing," Logan said gently. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Rory said.

"It's tough," Logan said as he caressed her back. "I did tell you that you should have used Brandon though."

Rory pulled away from him and looked him the eye. "Well that's exactly what I needed right now," she said snottily.

"Sorry," Logan chuckled sheepishly. "I didn't mean it like 'I told you so.' I just think he could have gotten you a better deal."

"Well we're appealing," Rory said as she turned and walked over to the couch.

"Come on Rory," he said trying to get her to cheer up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it how it sounded."

"Fine," Rory said still hurt but willing to let it go because she wanted someone to talk to. "What kind of deal did Brandon get for you anyway?"

"Six months probation, suspended and a $500 fine," Logan said.

"You didn't get any community service?" Rory asked shocked.

"No, it appears I'm a model citizen," he replied. He hadn't meant to sound superior, but his tone exuded it.

"And I'm not?" Rory asked appalled.

Logan made a face as if he knew he'd made a mistake. "I didn't mean it like that," he said. He sighed and then added, "Tonight isn't going real well."

"No, it's not," Rory shot at him. "You got a slap on the wrist and I almost got jail time."

"I know," Logan said. "It isn't fair and I'm sorry you got the short end of the stick Ace. When do you start community service?"

"My Grandma and I are looking at my option tomorrow," Rory replied.

They sat in silence for a moment and then Rory got to the point of why she called him over. "My Mom came by tonight," she said casually. Rory needed someone to talk to about her fight with Lorelai and her grandparents weren't an option. She wanted desperately to talk to Lane but she was on tour somewhere in Massachusetts.

"Judging by your mood I'm assuming it didn't go very well," Logan commented.

"Judging by my mood?" Rory questioned him.

"Well you're not exactly in the best of moods," Logan replied.

"Gee, I wonder why? Maybe it's because I almost got sentenced to jail this afternoon," Rory shot back at him. "I forgot you don't have to worry about that because everything was taken care of for you."

"It could have been taken care of for you too, but you didn't listen to me. I practically begged you to use Brandon."

"I know," Rory shouted. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight with you."

"You want to fight with your mother," Logan finished for her.

"No," Rory said feebly. "I don't know."

"What happened?"

"I said some things that I shouldn't have. Luke is moving into our house."

"Luke?"

"You met Luke," Rory told him. "He wanted to beat you up at my Grandparent's vow renewal."

"Right," Logan nodded. "Taller, dark hair?"

"That's the one."

"You don't like Luke?" Logan asked.

"No, I love Luke. He's great. I just can't believe my Mom asked him to move in without talking to me first."

"Why does it matter? You don't live there anymore."

"That's what she said," Rory replied defeated.

"Well, what did you tell her?"

"I told her I didn't know. What if I want to go home or something?"

"Do you really want to go home again?"

"No," Rory said unconvincingly.

"Come on Ace," Logan said. "You don't want to go back to Stars Tree Stump. You're so much closer to me here in Hartford. Plus, you said your Mom still treats you like a little kid. Why would you want to go back to that?"

"It's Stars Hollow," Rory informed him. "And just because I think my Mom treats me like a child doesn't mean I don't miss her and our town."

"Can I ask you something?" Logan said suddenly.

"Yes."

"You won't get mad?" he clarified.

"Why, what are you gonna ask?"

"Promise first," he said.

"Fine, I promise," she replied.

"Okay, you wanted to be this big foreign correspondent, right?" Logan said.

"I did," Rory replied.

"Well, how were you planning to do that? Were you going to take your Mommy along with you when you were sent to the Middle East?"

"No," Rory said starting to feel offended.

"Well then it seems to me that you're embarking on a new stage in your life," Logan continued. "It's time to leave behind that little town life that you knew and get on with your real life."

"I had a real life in Stars Hollow," Rory insisted.

"Sure you did," Logan placated her. "But now it's time for you to start to have your own life; an adult life where you make your own decisions and do what you want, when you want."

"Like you do now?" Rory said pointedly. It was obvious that for all the Huntzberger's faults Logan was still attached to them. It may have been for the money alone, but he certainly hadn't cut ties with his family.

"Well, sort of," he admitted. "Come on Ace. This is our time to venture out into the world and do what we want to do. It's exciting and new. We're in the prime of our lives."

"I guess you're right," Rory said after thinking about it a little. The one thing that attracted her to Logan was that he made her feel more alive than ever. She felt like he challenged her to try new and scary things and that he made her a more well-rounded person. The feeling of euphoria that she felt when she was with him hadn't yet worn off and everything felt more exciting when he was around.

"Of course I'm right," Logan replied playfully. After a moment he slung his arm around Rory's shoulder and added, "You and your Mom will make up. You guys just need some space. Maybe you two are a little too close."

"You're not the first to suggest that," Rory said knowingly. All her life her friends had thought Lorelai was the coolest Mom in the world. They were more like sisters than mother and daughter. Maybe that was why things were so hard now. Her mother was taking a firm stand, the likes of which Rory had never seen. It left their relationship unbalanced and awkward.

Rory rested her head on Logan's shoulder and they sat in comfortable silence for a moment. "So are you gonna come visit me when I'm at my community service?"

"I don't know," Logan teased her. "Do you get to wear one of those sexy orange jumpsuits?"

"It's a possibility," Rory said. "I believe chain gang was one of the choices."

"Then count me in Ace," Logan replied with a chuckle.

Logan stayed for a few hours and the two watch television and conversed happily. Rory was happy that Logan had stopped by. Lately he seemed to be the only person who could provide her the prospective she needed. She felt like the horrendous day she experienced wasn't as bad as she'd thought. Tomorrow she would concentrate on community service, but tonight she would only let herself enjoy being with Logan.

TBC