Chapter 3: "To Sleep Perchance to Dream"

In walking Rory home Logan suspected that Rory was in fact not as strong as she wished others to believe. He could have sworn that he saw a single tear fall across her cheek, though it was possible that the darkness was fooling him. The sob, however, he was certain of. This same certainty carried over to his awareness of his heart breaking for her, though he could not will himself to express this to her. He turned to look at her, attempting to share a moment of reassurance.

A moment of security.

A moment for her to realize that she was safe with him, far away, physically, from the source of her troubles.

He couldn't begin to understand the mental connection that she shared with her ex. He never experienced such a thing. He couldn't understand the point in putting oneself through the trials of love only to deal with the tribulation that follows. It didn't seem worth it. In spite of this he felt his heart melt for her, wanting to take some of her pain away from her so that she could be happy. But, of course, this was not possible. He could only manage to look at her, smile a warm smile that he hoped would brighten her eyes. She returned the smile, but her icy blue eyes failed to sparkle. He was hurt by the realization that her smile was forced, but was even more concerned by the realization that his smile, the same smile that caused so many others to swoon, had no such affect on the woman next to him.

What was different though was that this time he truly wanted it to.

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"This is my stop."

Rory and Logan remained hand in hand as he walked her to the front door.

"Good. My legs were starting to get tired."

Logan continued to smile at Rory, hoping that eventually joy would come back to her face. He was hurt that it didn't help sooner, be he couldn't give up now.

"Well, if you're tired I can give you a ride back to your place, you know, now that my car is within view."

"No, Rory, I was jus kidding. I like to walk; it gives me a chance to look at the stars."

"You don't come off as a star watching kind of guy."

"And you don't come off as a sensitive romantic. Looks can be deceiving."

Rory was somewhat offended by Logan's remark. As far as she was concerned he hadn't known her long enough for such comments. He wasn't her mother, Lorelai. He wasn't her best friends, Lane and Paris. He wasn't even her father or her Grandparents. What right did he have to judge her?

"I'm not a sensitive romantic! I'm neither sensitive, nor a romantic!"

"I disagree. I saw you back there. You were hurt. You probably thought that that relationship would last, you know . . . go the distance. But it didn't', and you were hurt. That's understandable, that tends happen to people in relationships. You cared."

What annoyed Rory the most was the fact that Logan continued to smile at her just as he was developing an opinion of her. It never faltered, making it difficult for her to determine whether Logan was kidding with her or attempting to be serious.

"How do you know?"

"Because you're standing on your Grandparent's porch, talking to a guy you barely know but are interested in about a guy you just dated. If you didn't care you would have kissed me by now."

"Oh, really. Well, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you forgot one tiny little thing."

"And what would that tiny little thing be?"

"It's nothing really. You just forgot how fallacious your reasoning just was."

"What are you talking about? My reasoning holds no fallacies."

"Oh yes it does! What if I just don't want to kiss you, not because of my love for my last boyfriend, but because you just don't seem kissable to me?"

"Now you're lying! I'm very kissable, ask anyone."

"Just because you've kissed a thousand people doesn't mean you're a good kisser!"

"Well, it certainly doesn't make me a bad kisser!"

"Maybe it does make you a bad kisser!"

"And how do you figure that?"

"Simply! If any one of those thousand girls thought you were a good kisser I'm sure they wouldn't have left you go so you could be with the other 999!"

"Fallacy! What if I was the one to break up with them! And I haven't kissed a thousand girls by the way!"

"It's just a figure of speech. A hyperbole. A method of exaggeration. I'm sure you've heard of them, unless you only got into Yale because of your good looks, charm, and money."

"That hurt. It stung, right in my heart. That was below the belt."

"I'm sure the belt is okay with it."

"I'm sure."

"You are really annoying. I'm sure all a thousand girls have told you that."

"I'm sure they have, but at least they all were pleased with my good looks and charm."

"Don't forget the money. I'm sure that played a very, very, very important part."

"You say I'm sure a whole lot you know."

"Well you do too."

"But the difference is I'm actually sure about what I am saying I'm sure about. You just say it so people will think you know what you're talking about.

"I'm sure you have a reason behind that thought."

"See! See! I told you! You said it again. You said I'm sure again."

"I know! I said it on purpose."

"No you didn't! You just want me to think that."

"You sound paranoid, and actually I did say it on purpose."

"No you didn't!"

"Yes I did!"

"No you didn't!"

"What are you three?"

"You're supposed to say yes I did!"

"What if I don't? What if I don't play your foolish game? What if I just want to go inside and go to bed? It's after midnight. What if I just want to go about my business, and leave you out in the cold?"

"You can, but you won't."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Because, I know you."

With that Rory glanced at Logan one last time, took out her keys, unlocked the door, and walked inside the house. Leaving Logan outside in the cold, just as she said she would.

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"Rory! Rory! Are you up yet young lady? I hope that you are because it's already 9:00 and you have a visitor. It's not polite to keep a visitor waiting you know."

Rory woke up to the sound of her Grandmother's voice screaming at her from downstairs. She tried to go back to sleep but the screaming continued.

"Rory! Don't make me call you again! I said you have company! Rory come down here this instant!"

By this time Rory believed it to be a good idea to obey her Grandmother's wishes. By the time she got herself clean and presentable in order to see exactly who it was who was calling on her this early in the morning it was already 10:00.

"Rory Gilmore what in God's name made you think you could leave someone waiting on you for over an hour? And why are you wearing jeans? You don't have a nice sun dress to wear?"

"Well, first of all, I was asleep. Second of all, I wasn't expecting anyone, especially not this early in the morning. And lastly, I like to wear jeans."

"Well, there's no need for the attitude. Just go ahead in the living room and tend to your guest."

"Sorry, I'm just tired."

"Just go!"

Rory ignored the anxiousness in her Grandmother's voice and walked into the living room only to find Logan Huntzberger steering at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"We aren't old friends, we just met yesterday. As a matter of fact, we aren't even friends."

"Why do you insist on hurting my feelings?"

"Maybe it's because you insist on following me around, bothering me and such."

"I'm not following you. I just wanted to ask you a question. I remembered where you were staying, and decided to stop by. See, my intentions are completely honorable."

"Well, what did you want to ask? I don't have all day?"

"I just wanted to ask you to join me at a gathering I was invited to. It's black tie, so you'll have to wear a dress. I heard what you said to your Grandmother about the jeans."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No, I'm serious actually."

"What? Were the other thousand busy?"

"Actually, you were the first person I asked. Not to mention the only person I want to go with."

"There's the charm."

"Don't forget the good looks!"

"And the money."

"Yes, the money tends to help. Well, what do you say?"

Rory had to think about this. She wouldn't mind getting out of the house for a few hours. Logan was also beginning to grow on her, even though she wouldn't care to admit it. She also didn't want to admit that she was finding it very difficult to resist his charm.

"Well, what exactly is the party for?"

"It's an engagement party. A friend of mine has a brother who announced his engagement to his fiancé a few weeks ago. Seeing as to I'm friends with the best man, I've been invited. And I figured you'd want to go too."

"Why did you figure that? I don't even know your friend."

"Well, you do want to go with me don't you? If you didn't you would've turned me down already."

"You and your logic."

"My logic has gotten me where I am."

"I'm guessing you mean that in a good way."

"You would be correct."

"No"

"No what?"

"No, I won't go with you."

"That's not what I wanted to hear."

"Well, that's the answer I'm giving."

"Why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"I think Hamlet said it best."

"What are you talking about? Do you live in your own head? Population: one."

"To die… to sleep… to sleep? Perchance to dream!"

"Yep, you definitely live in your own head, where only you get to know what's going on."

"Here me out. To die . . . you limit yourself to the point of boredom. Limited spontaneity. You might as well be dead. To sleep . . . you do just enough to get by. Just enough so that no one will question you or the perfect little order and schedule of your life. To sleep? Perchance to dream! You do this while you secretly wish that someone will come along to show you a good time. Someone spontaneous enough for the both of you."

"Oh wow. Just when I think you can't get any worse, you go and top even yourself."

"Go with me."

"Why? I'm sure I already have plans."

"Go with me. I want you to go. I want you with me."

Rory thought for a moment. She couldn't say no to that charm.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"I'll go with you."

"That's just the answer I was hoping for. I knew I'd get you with the to sleep perchance to dream line."

"To sleep perchance to dream my ass. . ."