Monday was jarringly ordinary.
Coffee, classes, more coffee, studying, Logan alternately smirking and napping at his desk while she worked on her next article at the paper, Paris ranting about Rabbi Levinson who she suspected was screening her calls, Doyle bitching about Logan.
Life went on as usual, everything fit neatly in its place in her world....except for her.
She had asked for normal. It should have pleased her that Logan appeared to be sticking to his end of the bargain. He hadn't even made one backhanded comment about their little deal. In fact, aside from a playful wink this morning he seemed more interested in catching up on his beauty sleep than in tormenting her. Now she just wished that she could do the same.
She glanced over at him peacefully snoring away and contemplated throwing something at him just for spite, that was the kind of mood she was in. He had done exactly what she asked him to and now it was driving her insane.
If her life was one of those kids games with all the different shaped holes then she was spending her morning unsuccessfully trying to ram her now square self into the circular opening that she had once occupied. The worst part about it was she didn't know how to fix it.
After a weekend of wallowing she had expected to have a clearer head instead she was more confused than ever. She had let go of all the clutter of her relationship with Dean but she was left with a confusing jumble of new thoughts and emotions that she was still struggling to untangle. The most perplexing part was that no matter what angle she looked at it from Logan Huntzberger was right in the center of that turmoil. It didn't make any sense given the fact that they had only known each other a matter of weeks but somehow he had become a central puzzle piece that she couldn't quite put in its place to make the picture complete.
She was staring blankly at her computer monitor having read the last sentence five times without comprehension when a movement across the room caught her attention. She watched with almost morbid fascination as Logan smiled as he rose from his desk and slung his arm around a petite blond girl before giving her a kiss on the cheek. They began talking animatedly.
A foreign feeling twisted in her stomach but she refused to define it as jealousy. She could not, would not be jealous over Logan Huntzberger, it was preposterous. She didn't even like him.
She tried to focus on her screen again but the giggling and the teasing tone of Logan's voice grated on her last nerve. She couldn't be expected to work in this environment, this was supposed to be a newsroom not a sleazy singles bar.
She needed more coffee and a desk without a view of the floor show. She quickly shoved back her chair and began haphazardly shoving papers into her bag. She slung it over her shoulder and charged for the door. She couldn't help a small smile when she bumped against Logan and the blonde bimbo on her way out and unbalanced them onto the desk but she hid it well turning to them with a completely innocent expression and saying with sugary insincerity. "Sorry about that."
The insightful look in Logan's eyes left a sour taste in her mouth and she quickly made her exit unconsciously grumbling under her breath about egotistical jerks.
Logan's laugh followed her out of the newsroom and she cursed herself for letting him aggravate her.
As she stalked away still mumbling epithets Logan turned back to the girl. "So cuz, what brings you to my humble newsroom?"
They heard Doyle mutter something about privileged white males as he walked by and Logan leaned in and whispered "Just ignore him, I just let him pretend he is in charge around here to boost his self esteem. So, sweets tell me what's new with you? I haven't seen you in while."
The blond girl gave him a pointed look and nodded towards the now empty doorway. "Not much on my end. What's new with you? Got a new fish dangling on the end of the line already?"
Logan gave her his most virtuous look. "Who? Rory?"
"If she is the girl that just walked out of here in a major huff then yes, Rory."
Logan waived it off "Oh, we're just friends, actually, I think he word was barely acquaintances who occasionally exchange words....usually antagonistic ones. Most days I don't think she likes me much."
"Uh huh" she looked unconvinced "I'm sure that is why she practically knocked us to the ground on her way out." She rubbed her arm in mock consternation "and I'll tell you for a little thing she packed quite a wallop. Seriously though Logan, when have you ever just been friends with a girl?"
"You injure me Darcy, I resent that insinuation, are you saying our friendship means nothing to you?"
She laughed at his puppy dog eyes. "Good try Casanova, I am talking about friendship with a girl that doesn't share your DNA."
"Well, you know we are only second cousins." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
She whacked him on the shoulder "Yuck! That is too much, even from you and don't forget that I know you well enough to recognize your sad attempt to side-track me from my original question. Now I am even more interested in the answer, who is the girl?"
Logan sat back down in his chair and leaned back with his hands behind his head as Darcy perched on the edge of the desk. He pondered the question for a moment, not exactly sure how best to describe his nebulous relationship with Rory Gilmore. "Lets just say she is a work in progress and leave it at that."
Darcy cocked her head to one side her green eyes assessing him. Logan unwilling to talk about a girl...this was a first. She and Logan had practically grown up together and knew each other's darkest secrets and she had never seen that particular look in his eye when he talked about a girl. She had found his little display of affection amusing, even more so when the girl reacted so dramatically but she hadn't missed the spark of triumph in his eye when she stormed out.
She was dying of curiosity but if she was right and Logan really did fancy this girl then she knew her best bet was to hold her tongue and let him figure things out on his own. Logan could be a little prickly when he was out of his comfort zone and from the reaction she had witnessed he had already crossed that line.
Logan had a well deserved reputation as a ladysman . She had seen him go through a million girls, but she figured most of them got what they asked for. From her perspective most of Logan's playmates fell into one of two categories, they were either golddiggers more interested in Logan's inheritance than his personality or they were wealthy party girls, they female version of Logan himself. They were an easy choice, comfortable with the life he lived and didn't demand anything more than he was willing to give.
That made her a little sad for him. Logan could be annoying at times but she loved him like a brother and she knew he had a good heart underneath the cocky attitude. He deserved to find someone who would challenge him but also love him for who he really was. She wondered idly if she had just had a run in with that girl.
Rory had worked up quite a head of steam as she stalked across campus and by the time she reached her dorm room she was waving one hand wildly in the air as she talked aloud to herself. A voice from behind her startled her out of her one person show.
"Hey Rory, I haven't seen you in a while how is life treating you?" She spun towards the familiar voice and relaxed when she saw who it was.
"Hey Marty, you startled me, I guess I was in my own little world."
He chuckled a little "I guess so, that was the third time I called your name. By the way that was an impressive soliloquy from the part I caught. Paris driving you crazy again?"
She just shook her head in exasperation as she thought about the source of her frustration. "No, I've come to terms with the fact that Paris is just Paris and nothing short of a lobotomy will ever change that. I have pretty much built up an immunity to her at this point. No, the tirade you caught me in was caused by a new irritant."
"Really?" he cocked an eyebrow in curiosity "its not often that I see you that riled, care to tell Dr. Marty all about it?"
She thought it over....she was a little hesitant to talk about it with Marty knowing his opinion of Logan and his cronies but then maybe he was the perfect person to unload her frustration on, he would definitely be a sympathetic ear, plus Marty was always good at cheering her up.
Impulsively she linked her arm through Marty's and said "I hope you have an hour or two because this might take a while. Let me treat you to a cup of coffee and I'll tell you all my trials and tribulations."
As they headed back towards the entrance to the courtyard Rory was already laughing at one of Marty's funny stories about his British History Professor so she never noticed the dark haired boy watching them from the Branford staircase.
Finn cocked his head to one side as he watched Logan's new friend happily link arms with the bartender and walk away laughing. Now this was an interesting development. Finn rarely took life seriously and usually happily assumed the role of court jester to the amusement of all. Most people assumed because of his devil may care attitude that there wasn't much going on upstairs but he was surprisingly observant and most people would have been shocked at the things he noticed.
Generally meddling in Logan's love life was a fruitless pursuit, keeping track of the this weeks girl wasn't usually worth the time or effort. It wasn't until after the Life and Death Brigade event that he had seen a curious change in Logan. Logan always treated his playmates well but he wasn't generally protective or particularly proprietary about them. This smart mouthed brunette was different and Finn decided it was about time to take his friend out for a little evening of male bonding and get to the bottom of this little mystery.
Rory was in a much better mood when she paused in front of her door to pull out her keys. She stopped when the door swung open and Paris abruptly pulled her inside.
"What is going on with you Gilmore? I don't like the idea that you are trying to displace me as the neurotic one in this little friendship of ours. It upsets the balance, our relationship only works because we each have defined parts in this little script. You dating Logan Huntzberger does not fit into this nice little scenario."
Rory was dumbfounded. Only Paris could manage to totally blind side her with such a bizarre statement.
"What are you talking about Paris, you know I just broke up with Dean, you have the dead carcasses of ben and jerry's containers to prove it. You should know better than anyone that I am not dating anybody new and where did you even come up with such a ridiculous notion about me with Logan? "
Paris just gave her that patented look with her hands on her hips. "So you are telling me that the rumors of you in a tiara announcing that you are dating Logan Huntzberger, the 3rd most eligible bachelor in Connecticut are completely false?"
"Why is he only the 3rd most eligible bachelor?" it slipped out despite her best intentions.
'Major plus points for his father and his family status keep him pretty high on the list but it is widely accepted that he just isn't marriage material right now, we are talking about the Logan Huntzberger wh wrecked his father's yacht in Fiji, one has to assume that he could conceivably have a love child in every country in the South Pacific by now. It would definitely take the right woman to tame that one. Now please tell me that you aren't applying for the job, he is way out of your league." Paris described him with alacrity, totally devoid of emotion.
Rory thought about that description for a moment and cringed inwardly when she realized that for once Paris was dead on in her analysis of Logan. How had she even gotten herself into this mess in the first place. She should have know that Paris would hear about the catastrophic party, Paris had ears everywhere. When Paris just continued with the look that had reduced many a grown man to tears she sighed and plopped down onto the couch with a resigned look.
"The rumor was factually correct but was actually an elaborate ruse to get me out of a mess of titanic proportions. I'll give you the condensed version. I met Logan the first time because Marty happens to bartend for him and a bunch of his friends...that time he didn't remember me.
Paris cut in impatiently looking at her watch "I have a bar mitzvah to attend in 20 minutes so stick to the important parts Gilmore, I am not asking for a complete re-enactment."
"We met the second time outside this very door when I was hanging your posters for Asher's wake. He and his friends were looking for some random girl and Logan and I ended up arguing. That was pretty much it until he showed up at the Daily News and then I figured out that he was linked to a group I was doing a story about so I approached him for help....I guess what they say is true, the path to hell is paved with good intentions."
Paris stopped her. "So you are telling me that Logan was your source for your Life and Death Brigade story?"
Rory rolled her eyes "Whatever happened to anonymity of the source?"
Paris jsut scoffed, "Oh come on Rory, you know in our social circle it is no secret that the Huntzbergers go way back in that club."
"Our circle? Since when am I a part of our?"
Paris gave her a look that suggested that perhaps she had been living under a rock, in Siberia for her first 20 years of life. "Please Rory, just because you grew in some little hick town surrounded by a population of retired circus freaks and small town folk doesn't mean that you don't carry the Gilmore legacy. Everyone knows the Gilmores go almost as far back as the Huntzbergers."
That was something to think about, it seemed this theme was being repeated a bit too often for comfort lately. She attempted quickly to get the derailed conversation back on track. "Do you want to hear the rest of this story of not?"
"Continue."
"I told you about that party that my grandparents were throwing for Yale alumni last weekend, well it turned out to be more of a fix Rory up with a trust fund boy type of party. Logan happened to be there and so we made a deal and he helped me out of the situation by pretending to be my boyfriend. That is pretty much the extent of the story."
Paris looked unconvinced "My keen journalistic sense is telling me that there are a few pertinent details missing from that recounting of events. What kind of deal did you make and what did this have to do with you breaking up with Farmer boy?"
Rory rolled her eyes "God you are like a bloodhound on a scent, what is this twenty questions? Okay, I may have left out a few details, in return for his aid I promised to play the fake girlfriend at a family event of his should the need arise. As for Dean, Logan ended up driving back to Stars Hollow with my mom and me..." she held up her hand to stop Paris before the interrogation began again. "don't ask, that is too convoluted to fit into your remaining 6 minutes. Anyway, Dean came into Luke's Diner and saw me there with Logan and got upset. We ended having a big blow out and deciding that it was best if we broke up. I think it was a long time coming anyway. So thats it, no mystery just a series of very strange coincidences."
"I don't believe in coincidence." Paris said in a curt tone glancing at her watch again. " but that is a converstaion for another day. In the meantime, I trust that you will let me know if there is any change in the status quo or any reason that I have to get new batteries for my noise cancelling head phones, Huntzberger looks like a screamer to me."
"I'll be sure to send you a memo." The line was said with a sarcastic edge but Paris, being Paris didn't bother to respond.
She was half out the door when she poked her head back in "About farmer boy, I think it was for the best. He didn't make you happy anymore."
Rory walked into her room and fell onto the bed with Paris' words still echoing in her head. Paris was a pain in the butt most of the time but every now and then she said something that let you know an actual human resided in that spitfire shell.
The phone rang and she reached for it without raising her head from the pillow, her mothers voice greeted her "How is my little hermit? Did you survive the required wallowing period without making yourself sick from too much Ben and Jerry's and too much Meg Ryan?"
"Yeah, yeah, I will survive. There was a close call halfway through Sleepless in Seattle but I pulled through."
"Thats my girl. So, anything new with the Big mac? How was the ride back to Yale, was there shades of When Harry Met Sally? He struck me as a Harry kind of guy...just tell me you didn't re-enact the orgy scene from the deli."
Rory groaned "Not you too...what is it with you people today, was there a national bulletin issued or something that named today the official opening day of the Rory Inquisition. I am beginning to seriously consider tlocking myself in my room, turning off my phone and hibernating until college is over. Do you think that my teachers would let me do all my assignments by email?"
"I don't know kid...doesn't seem like the greatest plan to me, you might need to go to the bathroom and shower once in a while. Plus, there is no coffee in there."
"Hey the way I figure it I will just develop a nice boy repellant smell. That should go a long way to solving my problems anyway. I'll just saw a little hole in my door and bribe Paris to bring me coffee, its a fool proof plan.'
"Okay kiddo, just let me know before you start sending out treatises on the evil of computers or talking to volleyballs so I can notify the FBI."
