I have a confession to make: I LOVE MY REVIEWERS! As a recap…Rory and Jess had a fight-thing, Jess and Lorelai had a understanding-thing, and now Rory is caught between Logan who abandoned her in Stars Hollow, and Jess. Enjoy!

Chapter Trois

"Finn, PLEASE stop being an ass and just give the phone to Logan…"

Rory was running out of energy after her tenth call to Logan's dorm, every call ended with her hanging up in frustration with whoever answered the phone that time.

"Rory, love, no need to begin cursing me…"

She heard muffled shouts in the background; obviously there was an audience before their call.

"Is he there or not?" Her face was flushed and she was grinding her teeth.

"Yes. No. No, he's here. I lied to you baby, he's not! Why don't you come over we can look for him in my room?" Catcalls and obnoxious whooping flooded her ears.

"Rory? Is that you?" Logan's voice came over the line.

"Yes…oh Logan I'm so happy to…"

"Hold on, you guys go on and I'll meet you there…Ror, you still there?"

"Um, yes, Logan- is this a bad time?"

"You tell me." His voice was bitter and cruel.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Who was that guy?"

"Why did you leave?"

He sighed, and said- "I didn't want to interrupt whatever was happening with you and that…beatnik."

"Logan, it's you and I. Okay? I really want this to work, so please, just come back! Jess is out of the picture, he just needed to hear it was over. Please, Logan, please just come back…" She didn't even realize how pathetic she sounded, begging her boyfriend to come back after abandoning her.

"Hmm…ok Ace, I can't come tonight but tomorrow maybe?"

She was infuriated, "Tomorrow? You just up and drove away, you didn't even care what was going on with me, and now you just…tomorrow?" It was unlike her to be so inarticulate.

"I can see this is going to be a problem, oh alright Ror- I can skip the pubs tonight, I'll meet you in the park in the middle of your town. Are you happy now?"

"Actually…" She began.

"Good, listen I'm really sorry I left. I was just scared to lose you to some…anyway…I love you Rory."

She was overwhelmed with affection, "I love you too. Seven o'clock?"

"Sure."

Rory hung up the phone, relieved and ecstatic at the chance to make it up to Logan. 'Maybe things will work out!' she thought!

Next thing she knew, her mom walked in the door, carrying two big bags of food.

"Hey babe, give me a hand will you?"

"Wow, mom, are you going to eat this all yourself?"

"No. Why? You're not going to abandon poor mommy? Tell me you aren't going to abandon…"

"I'm sorry mom, but I got through to Logan and he's coming over tonight."

Lorelai began searching strenuously through her brain for any idea that could keep her precious baby away from that jerk tonight.

"Ror, I need your help! Umm…Paul Anka needs you!"

"Huh and why does your dog need my help?" Rory rolled her eyes at her mother.

"He misses you."

"I've met him once." She played along, personifying the dog.

"He's already accepted you as his sister, and companion, and he needs bonding time with you!" The idea was flawed, but reasonable.

"Mom…"obviously there was some reason why Lorelai was doing this, so Rory conceded… "Fine…I will disappoint my boyfriend tonight, so that I can bond with my mother's dog."

"I love you honey." Lorelai baby talked, as Rory took out her cell and began dialing.

"Mean lady" she responded.

"Hi this is Logan Huntzberger, I am not here right now, so please leave a message and I will try and call you back when I can."

BEEP.

"Hey, it's Rory. I am so sorry, but my mom is crazy and she needs me to do her a favor, and please forgive me! I can see you tomorrow, but um…at least you can still hit the bars tonight right? Anyway, I love you Logan. Bye!"

"So, what do you want to start with- roasted marshmallows or tacos from Al's, Luke is upstairs sleeping so we have the whole night to eat without mockery" Lorelai called from the kitchen.

"Anything… but first- mom" she addressed her mother to her face "why did you do this? Why is it so important I stay here?"

She was stuck between loyalty to saving her daughter, and loyalty to being honest with her daughter. "I promised Jess I would keep you in Stars Hollow…so he could have a chance to regain your trust."

Rory was so furious, she couldn't speak, move, or even think. And yet, something calmed her down and brought her emotion to the halfway point between love and anger. Jess.

"I'll be back in a minute, mom." She picked up her coat and walked out the door.

"Honey…please don't! Come back! Where are you going!" she called out to the empty street.

Rory approached the diner and she could see the light turn on from behind the curtain, he obviously just went up. She tried the door and it opened to her surprise. She walked straight through the curtain and right up the stairs, the door was wide open and he was standing, shirtless, by the stereo turning up "Gigantic" by the Pixies. And for a second she completely lost it- approaching him gracefully- then putting her lips to his, pressing her body into him. Jess kissed her back passionately, holding her hips possessively. The song ended, waking up Rory from her perfect dream.

"You…you made my mom keep me here" she said stuttering.

"Yeah, but if you left, I wouldn't get to do this", he kissed her again, romantically. Her whole body reacted, and the instincts she developed from months of having sex with Logan came into play once again. She unbuckled his belt, shocking him and making him step back and gently push her away.

"You don't owe me anything, Rory."

"I'm not a virgin you egomaniac." She straightened her hair and fixed her shirt.

"What? Who? When? I thought…"

"Yes. Dean, and then Logan." She felt a twang of pleasure at hurting him, revenge. "Multiple times in fact." She stood there looking at him perfectly composed while discussing her sexuality. This was not the Rory he remembered.

"You and Dean? You and Logan? God, Rory, how could you have changed this much in…"

"Three years?"

"Yes. I mean, look at you. You're having sex, and you're wearing those clothes, and working at the DAR? And you used to date that jerk?"

"I still do, I mean, I still am with Logan."

Jess' eyes flashed, he was hurt terribly. "Get out of here Rory."