Title: Something Broken
Fandom: Gilmore Girls
Disclaimer: I own nothing. They belong to ASP and Co. No copyright infringement intended.
Summary: Post-"Bridesmaids Revisited". When Rory finds out about Logan's activities during their breakup, she drowns her sorrows and finds comfort in an unlikely source.

There's something broken in my heart
Something I just can't fix

The thoughts scurry through her head as she knocks back yet another drink. She's hurt. She's disappointed. She's such a fool. Did she honestly think that he had stayed home alone throughout their entire breakup? Could she honestly think that he had done that?

"Why do guys cheat?" she asked the bartender. "I mean... why?"

"I... I don't know," he stammers.

"You're just like the rest of 'em," she spats out angrily.

"Maybe it's time to cool it," a voice says from beside her.

Rory turns to look at the new arrival as he falls into the chair beside her. "Did he send you?" she asks, glaring at Colin.

"No. I saw your car parked outside."

She nods her head slowly, then turns back to look at him. "Did you know? Did you know about the others?"

Colin hangs his head. "Yeah. Yeah I did."

"But... why?"

Colin shrugs his shoulders. "It's the way he is, Rory. No matter how much time he spent with you, no matter how much he loved you... this is the real Logan. That's a fact that you'll have to accept."

"What if I don't want to accept it?"

"Then just walk away."

"That's your advice?"

"Yeah."

"Colin don't give anyone advice. EVER. You suck at it."

"Rory... Logan's my friend, but... he doesn't deserve you."

"Yeah, well... who does?"

Colin threw up his hands. "I don't know... someone... deserving."

Rory leaned closer to Colin. "Got any ideas of who that is?"

Colin could smell her perfume. She always smelled good. Especially her hair. Fruity. Lively. Kinda like her. He found here quite endearing sitting her drowning her sorrows over Logan. "I... I don't know."

"Maybe it's you," she joked, laughing.

"I don't think so," he said, returning her smile.

"Hey Colin," she said, swiveling her chair to face him.

He knew that whatever was coming couldn't be good, she was inching closer to him and her hand was slowly creeping up his thigh. No, whatever was coming most certainly was not going to be good.

Or innocent.

Or friendly.

"Yeah, Rory?" he asked, finally finding his voice.

"I... I think I need to puke." Grabbing her mouth, Rory bolted out of her chair and ran for the restroom, leaving Colin to take a deep breath to steady the onslaught of feelings that crept up on him during Rory's close contact.

"Colin!"

Spinning around, Colin watched as Logan breezed through the door. "Hey Logan," he said as his friend approached.

"Where is she?" Logan asked, glancing around.

"She's, uh... she's in the restroom."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah. Just drunk, but, you know, you shouldn't be here. She's pretty ticked off at you."

"Will you...?"

Colin nodded his head. "I'll take care of her."

"Thanks." With a longing look at the restrooms, Logan headed back for the door.

When Rory came out a few moments later, Colin picked up her purse, threw some money on the bar, then met Rory by the door. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he led her out of the pub. "Come on. You can sleep it off at my apartment."

"Could you be one of those deserving guys, Colin?" she asked, leaning her head against her shoulder as they made their way out into the parking lot.

"I could be. But you wouldn't want me to be."

"I might."

"You're drunk."

Rory shook her head. "No, no... I think better when I'm drunk. Things are... clearer. And you... you could be that guy. You could."

With a sigh, Colin said, "But we both know that I'm not. That I'll never be. You love Logan and even though you're pissed at him right now, you'll work through it."

She pointed toward the pub. "But what you said..."

"I meant what I said. Logan doesn't deserve you, but maybe I don't either." He opened the door for her, ushering her inside his sports car.

When he climbed in on the driver's side, she was staring at him, her head resting against the headrest. "You could be that guy, Colin. And I'd let you be that guy."

"Yeah?" he asked as he started the engine.

"Yeah," she said as he pulled out onto the road and headed back to his apartment.