Chapter 7: The Great Escape

They stood side by side as they watched Logan disappear into the crowd with Emily. Rory could feel her mother's curious gaze.

"Okay my scheming little protégé, you know I admire a good game of make believe but now you must fill in a few of the more pertinent details. Who is the hunky blonde bad boy and does he have a motorcycle...oooooh I bet he has a motorcycle, not that you, my responsible daughter will ever be seen on said motorcycle. More importantly why is he here and how, in the space of one hour did you go from hysterics on the phone with me to introducing Crowe junior over there as you boyfriend? That must have been the fastest courtship in history. Don't tell me, it was lust at first sight."

Rory cut off Lorelai's ramble mid sentence when she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"He is just a friend...more of an acquaintance really, he works at the paper with me. Although 'works' may be a misnomer for what he does, perhaps it would be more apt to say that he naps at the paper." She mused half to herself. "I told you all about the Life and death Brigade outing, so you pretty much know as much about him as I do. I have no idea if he has a motorcycle and I have no intention of finding out that or any other personal information about him other than what other grandiose stunts he has done with his little band of merry men. I don't actually know why he is here, other than to torment me, but I assume it has something to do with his father's connections. I am appalled that as my mother you would be suggesting what I know you are suggesting with that silly eyebrow wiggle. You know I am with Dean and even if I wasn't I would hardly be interested in a wealthy rabble-rouser like Logan. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time or maybe the wrong place at the wrong time, I don't know... Regardless, he offered me a solution that seemed quite reasonable and because my erstwhile champion was apparently stuck in the pumpkin coach somewhere on route 40 I was desperate, so I agreed."

This information was imparted in one long stream, no breaths taken which caused Lorelai to raise her eyebrows even higher. Rory usually babbled when she was nervous or you hit a particularly sensitive nerve. Now she was certain that there had been something behind the sparks she had seen from practically across the room when the two of them had been sitting on the settee.

She made a T with her hands. "Time out umbrella girl. Though it pains me to say it, I fear that you have imbibed a little too much of the magic elixir today. Pretty soon I'm going to have to scrape you off the ceiling and I think that would be unwise given my mother's penchant for ranting about any little smudge on anything. Now, slowly and in clear sentences tell me what exactly this scheme entails... just tell me that mommy wasn't too late and that you haven't sold your soul to the devil."

Rory took a deep breath and realized that her mom was right, she had been getting a little carried away. She wrote it off to the stress of the situation and the discomfort at running into Logan here of all places when she was already mortified at her grandparent's manipulative plan to marry her off to the first suitable bachelor.

She sighed "You're right mom, lets not play 20 questions here though. When we get out of here I will tell you everything."

Lorelai put her arm around Rory in camaraderie and whispered "I know just the place for confessions. Your grandmother appears to be preoccupied with your new "friend" I say we make a run for it, if we're lucky she won't miss us until we have a head start. I'll treat you to a cup of Luke's coffee and anything sweet and bad for you, no identifiable fruit or vegetable allowed...you look like you could use it."

Rory smiled in anticipation..."Now that sounds like just what the doctor ordered."

She glanced around a little guiltily "I feel kind of bad leaving without a goodbye when grandma planned this whole thing for me and shouldn't I wait to rescue Logan? He is only an acquaintance, and an annoying one at that but I'd hate to desert him after he helped me out...Grandma can be formidable when she is on a mission."

Lorelai just shook her head in mock regret "Man, all those years of diligent work and I still haven't managed to beat that niceness out of you, you must have gotten that from your dad."

She looked towards the parlor where they could just see Richard clapping a hand on Logan's shoulder. "Its up to you hon, but if I were you I wouldn't worry too much about Mr. Smooth over there. My impression of the master and commander is that he won't have any trouble handling himself, even with the formidable Gilmore duo. You decide...stay and brave the lion's den or escape to the lovely land of coffee and pie."

"Well, when you put it that way..." she hesitated just an instant too long but when she saw several boys coming towards her she quickly threw her guilt aside and looked at her mother in panic "okay, I'm in, lets get out of here before they catch me, its survival of the fittest now."

Lorelai just laughed, " That's my girl, I knew it was only a matter of time before I could corrupt you."

They snuck towards the door, trying to be nonchalant about their destination, they had just made it and the door was swinging shut behind them when they heard hurried footsteps

"Drat" Lorelai muttered "we were so close, I swear that woman has spies everywhere"

They turned as one, slightly guilty expressions on their faces that dropped instantly when they saw who was following them, it was Logan.

"Soooo" he said in one drawn out syllable, his right eyebrow was raised in a look of mock disapproval "It looks like I caught you just in time.... sneaking out of such a lovely party." He clucked his tongue at them then seemed to ponder for a moment "We just started dating and already you are leaving me in a lurch. Should I extract my punishment now for your near abandonment or shall I go back inside and tell Emily that I found you?"

"Clearly this is extortion" Rory said with a huff but her nervous glance at the still open door gave her away...after a moment of silence with Lorelai grinning wickedly and looking back and forth at their stalemate she gave in with a defeated sigh "Okay, close the door and tell us your demands, what do you want now?"

"Well.... here are my terms, separate of course from our original agreement."

Rory just rolled her eyes and stood tapping her foot in impatience.

"I'm sure that where ever you were sneaking off to in such a rush is infinitely better than being trapped in there for the rest of the night,so I demand that you allow me to accompany you, after all I am your "boyfriend" for the moment and I think we are in serious need of a change in venue."

He saw Rory's jaw clench but after a quick glance at her mother she nodded in resignation, "You know Huntzberger I am beginning to rue the day that I met you, you really have a talent for making yourself the bane of my existence. Fine, come on. Just remember you asked for this."

Lorelai snickered and gestured at the pickup truck parked in the drive. "One problem dear daughter, you forget that I am stuck with the Smokey Robinson mobile here, not exactly built to carry three unless you want me shifting your leg instead of the gear shift. That might be a little close for you only just started "dating"

Rory stopped to consider this new obstacle. "Well, I have my car here so I will just meet you there. "

"And what about the ball and chain?" Lorelai asked innocently.

Rory looked over at Logan who seemed to find this whole situation immensely entertaining "Shouldn't you take your car?" Rory asked a little uneasy about spending too much time with Logan in a confined space....he was a little unpredictable.

"Well, I would but the driver dropped me off, so I guess you are stuck with me, I can just ride back to Yale with you." At Rory's grimace he laughed "Ah, the price you pay for playing hooky."

She glanced back towards the closed door again and shuddered at the thought of the horrors hidden behinds it thick bulk. She turned back to the pair behind her and pointed at her car. "Okay, Huntzberger, lets get this ill-fated journey started."

A/N: Thanks for all t he great reviews, you guys are fantastic. I really love the dynamic between these two characters and I hope you are having as much fun with them as I am.