Gilmore Girls
These Things I Know
A/N: Happy reading! Genevra.
Summary: You might finally have what you thought you always wanted but the truth is this- you don't know what you've got 'til its gone.
Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Gilmore Girls in anyway.
Chapter Thirteen: Got
Logan inhaled deeply and braced himself before he exited the lift. He walked out and spotted Marta pacing the hallway.
"Marta?" he called, tentatively. Her head snapped up and her eyes widened in fear. "What's going on?"
"Mr. Huntzberger," she said, quickly. "Rory's not taking any visitors at the moment.
Logan walked closer to the door and he heard Rory yelling furiously.
"I think she'll see me," Logan said, holding his hand out for they key. Marta glanced at him warily and he sighed. "I said I think she'll see me, Marta."
Marta reluctantly gave Logan the key. He unlocked the door and pushed it open slightly so he could hear what was happening.
"Dean, just leave! I don't even know how you found the place," Rory yelled.
"Maybe you should talk to your secretary about giving out personal details even to old friends," Dean snarled back. Logan paused and then threw the door open loudly.
"Honey, I'm home. It's our last night in New York and I thought…" he called, coming into the living room. Rory rushed over to him, her face tear-stained, and threw herself into his arms. "Rory, what's going on?"
"He just came and he won't leave and he just keeps yelling and yelling and he won't listen to me," she sobbed. He kissed her forehead and tightened her terry-clothe robe around her waist.
"You okay?" he asked her, smoothing her hair back.
"I'm fine," she whispered. She pulled away from him. "Logan, just make him leave."
"You have to leave, buddy," Logan said, standing with one arm protectively swung around Rory's shoulder.
"I'm not your buddy, buddy," Dean hissed. "And I'm not leaving until Rory admits that she loves me and she's only with you for your money."
"What is it going to take for you to listen?" Rory cried. "I don't love you. I haven't loved you for a very long time."
"I don't believe you," he shot-back.
"Well, you should," Logan replied. "Who's bed is she sleeping in every night?"
"Not yours," Dean answered. Rory looked up in shock. "Oh, don't look all innocent. I know all about the separate living arrangements. That's not a healthy marriage."
"What would you know about healthy marriages?" Rory asked. Dean glared at her and she fought the urge to smile triumphantly. "Look, Dean, leave now before Logan gets angry and beats you up."
"Ooh, I'm scared," Dean mocked.
"Dean, leave now or I swear you'll be escorted out by the paramedics and it won't be because of Logan, it'll be because of me," she replied.
"Again, how about actually threatening me with something scary?" he shot-back.
"How can you be so dense?" Rory cried. "Damn!"
"Dense? I'm dense?" Dean replied. "You are here with a man who says he loves you but he didn't fight for you. I fought for you and I continue to fight for you every single day."
"Well, maybe you should stop," Logan said, rushing to his wife's defense. "She doesn't want you to fight for her."
"Someone has too," Dean shot-back. "Why didn't you fight for her? Huh?"
"It's called pride," Rory answered calmly. "Something you obviously don't have."
"That's rich," he replied. "Coming from a girl who slunk back to her husband with her tail between her legs."
"This is pointless," Rory sighed.
"I'm not leaving here without you," he told her.
"I'm not leaving with you," she replied. "So I hope you enjoy bread and water because that is all I'll be serving."
"Come home with me, Rory," he pleaded, trying a new tactic.
"In case you hadn't noticed, Carpenter Boy," Logan piped up. "She doesn't want to leave with you."
"Why don't we let her speak for herself, Reporter Boy?" Dean shot-back. Logan fought the urge to roll his eyes. "This is between me and her. Only. It has nothing to do with you."
"She is my wife," Logan replied. "It has everything to do with me."
"And I have been speaking for myself," Rory added. "And I have been telling you, I don't want to come home with you."
"Rory, I love you," he cried.
"Pathetic," Rory spat. "You're pathetic."
"You love me. We could be happy together."
"Have you not listened to a word I've said?" she cried, in anger. "I don't love you."
"You do!" Dean yelled.
"You have a weird perception of love then," Rory replied, softly. "If you think I love you."
"Who do you love then? This turtle-neck wearing faggot?" Dean snarled.
"Yes. I love the turtle-neck wearing faggot," Rory replied, dryly. "Look, this is getting old. Can we just get it over and done with?"
"Hang on, you're really not leaving with me?" he asked. Rory groaned in frustration and banged her head against the wall.
"I don't know how to make it clearer to you!" she screamed, throwing her arms up in the air. "I love Logan and I will never leave him again. Not for you. Not for anybody!"
"So, that's it then?" he asked.
"That's it," she replied, slipping her hand into Logan's. Logan didn't respond and it threw Rory for a moment but she quickly recovered. "It should take you four seconds to walk to the door. I'll give you too."
"Quoting Breakfast at Tiffany's. Cute," Logan whispered. He pulled his hand from Rory's and waved at Dean, raising his voice. "Bye, Dean."
Dean swore and spun around on his heel. He opened the door before he turned around.
"If you think this is over," he hissed.
"It's over," Logan said with finality and fierceness in his voice. Something in him visibly changed and he became fiercely protective of Rory. "And I swear to you, if you ever touch her, if you ever come here again, if you so much as think about her, you will regret it. I mean it. Nobody hurts my wife."
Dean swore again and slammed the door behind him. They heard him uttering a string of curses as he walked down the hallway.
"What was that all about?" Logan asked, when he left. He immediately distanced himself from Rory and she frowned slightly before launching into a detailed description.
"I came out of the bathroom and he was sitting in my lounge room and he started yelling at me and spouting all this crap and telling me how he cant live without me and how I said I was fine living without him because I had you and then he-"
"Whoa, Ace. Slow down and take a breath," he calmed her. She breathed in deeply and he sat her on the couch.
"If you knew there was going to be this much drama when you married me, would you have still done it?" she asked.
"I did know there would be this much drama," he replied, the first smile of the evening appearing on his lips. "Everybody warned me that this is what happens when you get involved with Gilmore girls. People I didn't even know warned me."
"But you did it anyway," she whispered.
"What they also told me was that when you fall in love with a Gilmore, you fall fast and you fall hard," he told her. "So before you ask, yes, I'd do it again."
"I bet this isn't what you had in mind when you came over, huh?" she asked.
"Not exactly. It's our last night in New York and the plan was to whisk you out for a romantic dinner just you, me, Colin, Finn and Stephanie."
"No red-head?"
"No red-head," he replied. They were quiet for a moment.
"It's never going to be over, is it?" she asked.
"I thought it was but then I came here and I saw him and I saw the way he looked at you and he isn't going to give up," Logan replied, wishing he could lie to her and tell her it was going to be alright but knowing he couldn't. His Ace hated bull-crap. She nodded sadly.
"I'm sick of saying I'm sorry," she said, letting her head drop into her hands. "But I never stop feeling it. I am sorry. You didn't deserve this. It's not your battle and I shouldn't have dragged you into it."
"You didn't," he replied. "I walked into it and I walked gladly into it. You think I'm going to let you stand here and be crucified? I love you and I'll gladly go to battle for you any day."
"That's why I love you," she sighed. "Because even though I've screwed up and I'm not perfect, you still love me."
"You're an addiction," he admitted. He checked his watch. "We can still make dinner if you want to go."
"No, thanks," she said. "I'm not much for company tonight but you should go."
"Ace," he started.
"No, really. I'm fine," she smiled bravely. "I just want to crash. I'll be okay, I promise."
"I'll call you in the morning," he finally agreed, kissing the side of her head.
"Okay," she agreed. She pulled him close and kissed him. "You're my hero."
"You're only saying that because you want to see me in tights," he informed her.
"I said hero, not superhero," she intoned. He smiled at her.
"Come home with me, Rory."
"I cant, Logan. It's... It's just too soon. We were going to take this slow. We agreed on that," she said, feeling drained.
"Come home with me, Rory," he repeated.
"I can't come home with you, Logan," she said, sadly. "And you know it."
"But Rory…"
"I'm doing this for us," she said. "We need time to heal."
"How can it be for us when we're apart?" he snapped.
"I didn't write the rules," Rory cried, brokenly. "But I know they can't be broken."
"Rules were made to be broken," he replied.
"Not these one," she whispered. She looked up at him. "I want nothing more than to be with you. I want nothing more that for it to go back to the way it was but we cant. Not like this."
Logan stood up and nodded.
"Logan…" she pleaded.
"It's fine. I understand really. You're right. It is too soon," he replied.
"Do you really understand?" she asked. "I don't want you to think it's about Dean because it's not."
"Night, Ace," he whispered, refusing to answer her. He walked slowly to the door and let himself out without turning around. Rory stayed curled up on the couch, tears dripping down her face.
What a mess.
-
"I heard what happened," Stephanie said, appearing in the doorway.
"Steph?" Rory asked, sitting up in bed. She paused the DVD she was seeing but not watching and looked up groggily.
"I bought re-enforcements," Stephanie said, bouncing over to the bed. She climbed in next to Rory and handed her a tub of Rocky Road ice cream and a packet of plastic spoons.
"I hate Rocky Road," Rory exclaimed.
"I know that. This one's for me," Stephanie replied, pulling a second tub out from behind her back. Rory grabbed it greedily and opened it. She shoved a mouthful into her mouth and sighed blissfully.
"That is good," she murmured.
"I agree," Stephanie replied. "So, what trashy Lorelai/Rory flick are we watching?"
"Empire Records," Rory replied, not taking any offense at her friends' words.
"Plaid skirts and fishnets?" Stephanie mumbled through her mouthful. "Classy."
"You don't know the half of it," Rory laughed. They watched the rest of the movie and Stephanie laughed as Rory recited the words.
"You're a classic," she giggled when the movie ended. Rory shrugged and twirled her spoon around the now melted ice cream. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not much to talk about. Dean came, we fought, Logan came, we fought some more, Dean left, Logan stayed and we fought then Logan left and now you're here," Rory answered.
"Wow. You sure have the talent of description," Stephanie replied sarcastically.
"I don't want to talk about it," Rory admitted. "Hey, I forgot to ask. Where's the redhead? Aren't you supposed to be playing hostess?""
"Kate has friends in New York and Finn's credit card. She is perfectly capable of entertaining herself."
"What do you think of her?" Rory asked. Stephanie thought about it for a second.
"Controlling. Manipulative," she replied honestly. "You?"
"Gold-digger," Rory replied.
"Bitch," the both giggled together.
"Match made in Heaven?" Stephanie asked.
"Definitely," Rory agreed.
"I thought Logan was going to deck her when she started talking about Nora Ephron," Stephanie laughed.
"So did I," Rory smirked. They drifted into silence. "Steph, are you and Colin happy?"
"Happy?" Stephanie mused. "We have our moments but for the most part, we're happy. I mean, I don't suppose we're any less happy than the average Joe."
"Yeah," Rory murmured. "That's what I thought."
"You're going to call him, aren't you?" Stephanie asked.
"No," Rory replied too quickly. Stephanie's scrutinizing gaze wore her down. "So maybe I was contemplating it."
"Well, when you do, can you ask him to tell Colin that I'm staying here tonight?" she asked. "This bed is the comfiest bed I have ever slept in."
"Well, I'm not calling him," Rory replied, switching off the TV and the lamp. "But you are right. The bed is comfy."
-
"I mean, the nerve of the guy," Logan spat. "Coming into her apartment and saying all those things. And in front of me! I'm her husband. Does the guy have a death wish?"
"He must," Colin replied, patting Logan on the back. Logan took a sip of his scotch.
"And the nerve of her, saying she's only thinking of us by not coming home," he sighed.
"I know you don't want to here this but Rory's doing the right thing," Colin told him.
"You're right, I don't want to hear it," he exclaimed, twiddling his pool cue around. "Who's up?"
"You are," Finn announced. He waited until Logan had set-up his shot and was about to hit before he spoke. "You know, she might have said otherwise but Rory wanted you to stay tonight. And she really does want to come home with you."
Logan flinched and messed up his shot. He swore and glared at Finn who simply shrugged and grinned.
"It's true, mate," he said. "Isn't it, Colin McCray?"
"It's true," Colin agreed. Logan looked at him darkly but he shrugged. "I'm sorry but the man does have a point. Even an idiot would have seen through that."
"Remind me why I'm friends with you two," he muttered.
"I believe it's because we bail you out in trouble times. Or maybe it's because we're charming, dashing and debonair. Or maybe it's because we're irresistible. We're sort of like smooth, chocolatey, chocolate covered in a crisp sugar shell," Finn cried. "Enough is never enough and too much is never a bad thing. You cant live without us. We're lovable."
"You're comparing yourself to M&M's?" Logan asked incredulously.
"Hey, we melt in your mouth, not your hands," Colin said, before thinking. Logan and Finn cracked up and Colin turned red when he realized what he'd alluded too.
"Colin, I love you, mate but that was an over-share," Finn laughed.
"Wait until the guys hear about this," Logan added. "You know, I have to admit, I always wondered why you loved M&M's. Wishful thinking, huh?"
"Shut up," he muttered, sculling the rest of his drink. "Next round's on you, Hunt."
-
Rory couldn't sleep. She heard Stephanie murmur something beside her and she sighed. She jumped out of bed and went into the living room. She picked up the phone and dialed a number that was so familiar, she did it with her eyes closed.
"Hello," he picked up.
"Hey," she said quietly. "Where are you? I'm coming to pick you up."
She knew, instinctively, he would be at a bar, drowning and downing scotch and playing pool with Colin and Finn, as always. While it wasn't true that Stephanie didn't care about things like love, just jewellery, fast cars and how to get her name higher on the waiting list for the next Hermes of Balenciaga bag, it also wasn't true that she expected Colin there at her beckon call 24/7. She trusted him enough to go out with the boys and when Rory and Logan had been 'properly' married, she had been the same. In fact, they had often spent the nights when the boys went out together or with their other friends.
He told her the place and she smiled. Again, she had just known. He never went to another bar in New York. She walked back to the bedroom, pulled on jeans, a shirt and a coat, grabbed her keys, wallet and cell and left the house.
She drove the crowded streets of New York City and when she got outside she called him.
"I'm outside," she said. "In the Porsche."
"I'll be right there," he replied. She waited patiently for him to gather his things, say goodbye to the boys and make his way to the car.
"Hey," he said, getting into the car. They kissed quickly and Rory pulled away. She drove for a while and parked under the Brooklyn Bridge where they sat, watching the moons rays dance across the water.
"About tonight," she started.
"We knew it wasn't going to be easy when we signed on for this," Logan said quietly.
"I know but I made it harder," she admitted. Logan said nothing but she instinctively knew he agreed. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him. "Are we going to make it?"
He was silent as he contemplated it but after a while, he turned to her and smiled.
"Of course we're going to make it. If there's one thing I know, it's this. Love is enough and believe me, we have love."
"And if there's one thing I know, it's that you don't know what you have 'til it's gone and what you think you want isn't what you want at all," she sighed. "I thought I didn't want you and that I wanted a house in the suburbs, a white picket fence, a dog but when I was without you, I realized it wasn't what I wanted at all. What I wanted was you, all along. All I needed was you, all along. I still want those things but I want them with you."
"You can have them with me," he replied. He cupped her chin and kissed her. "Anything you want, you can have it."
"I have what I want right here," she whispered.
