Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It has been a week since she flew back from Neptune California.

Rory Gilmore looked around her apartment and sighed. The movers picked up Logan's stuff earlier that day. The only thing left was her stuff, which will be moved the very next day.

She quit her job at the news station. Heading back to Stars Hollow seemed like a good idea. Now as she saw her stuff she was starting to have her doubts. Everything felt a little off when she came back and she figured it was just her life. She made changes yet it still felt weird.

She hasn't heard from anyone at the other side of the country. It all felt like a bad dream. A knock on her door stopped her from dwelling on her feelings for a certain movie director. The person behind the door made her grimace involuntarily.

"Hello."

"Hi. What are you doing here?" Rory asked, not caring if it seemed rude.

Addy was carrying two cups of coffee and offered one to Rory. Rory took it hesitantly and opened the door to let her in.

"What can I do for you?" Rory asked and then took a sip of her coffee, "This coffee is great. Where did you get it?"

"A couple of blocks away from here and I just need to talk to you about Logan."

"What about him?" Rory asked coolly.

Addy sat on the chair that she offered and gave her a serious look, "Whether you want to admit it or not you are already half-in love with him. And if Jess is right about you then you probably did all the research you could do on him."

Rory shrugged and remained quiet.

"And Logan has told me himself that you made him feel hopeful. That's why I'm here. I'm going to give you a crash course on Logan Echolls. I know certain things that don't appear on any news report."

"Why would you do that?" Rory gave her a suspicious look.

"Because I want you two to have a fighting chance." Addy answered simply.

"Why?"

"Logan's relationships with women always manage to end badly."

Rory leaned forward, ready to listen.

"From Lilly Kane to me, he either messes it up or the woman he is involved with ruins it. If you have any sort of feelings for him at all you'll hear me out." Addy leaned back on the chair and waited for her answer.

"Okay." Was Rory's quiet reply.

"Okay." Addy sighed deeply as though mentally preparing herself.

"Logan's relationship with Lilly was a tragedy, with Veronica it was epic, his and mine was a dramedy. But given the chance yours and his has the potential to be the happily ever after that he deserves."

"Do you really believe that?" Rory asked with hidden hope.

"Yes. But for that to happen you have to realize a few thing about him. Logan has gone far in his life despite all the bad that kept happening to him. Ever since Lilly, someone close to him manages to die year after year. Lilly was when he was sixteen, his mom when he was seventeen, his bastard dad when he was eighteen."

Rory nodded, she knows all this.

"That man did everything he could to destroy Logan's spirit. I'm glad that he's dead."

Rory wrapped her arms around herself as Addy continued.

"Now I may sound callous but that man deserved everything he got. I hope he is burning in hell right now."

Rory shivered involuntarily at her cold tone.

"What I'm about to tell you will help you understand Logan better. But it may also sicken you and wonder why I never did anything about it. You have to keep listening even if it becomes too hard. Do you understand?" Addy looked at her with such seriousness.

Rory nodded slowly, wondering what was so bad.

"In junior year Logan spent most of his time tormenting Veronica and doing stupid things. You may have heard of the bum fights that he orchestrated, it was on Access Hollywood for weeks at a time, certainly not one of his finer moments. I disliked him so much for what he did. I ignored him for a few days. He understood and he gave me space, but after he announced to the entire world that Aaron was going to donate loads of money he came to me that night…" Addy trailed off.

"Addy." Rory reached out to squeeze her hand.

"He looked normal; he even managed to be sarcastic. But when his back touched the door he winced and I insisted on seeing what made him react the way he did. And it was horrifying, his back was laced with belt marks, there was even blood. Logan told me then that he would ask him to pick out the belt that Logan would be hit with. Underneath the new wounds were old ones and I wanted him to run away with me right then and there. But Logan wouldn't hear of it, he worried about his mother, Duncan and despite all his hurtful words towards her, Veronica."

"I told him I could protect him that my parents' money has to be good for something; he made me swear never to talk about it with anyone. And I respected his wishes."

"Why?" Rory uttered morosely.

"The very same reason why I never pursued my attacker, it was a sign of weakness. By admitting that something was out of your control, you are handing someone else the power. To have to endure the treatment that he had since he was eight made Logan ashamed of any weakness. By the time he was nine he told me that he stopped crying whenever the belt connected against his skin and he would try harder but Logan never cried again."

"Until his mom died. I try to remember Lynn as the loving mother but my heart could not forgive her for abandoning Logan."

"There's more." Rory mumbled quietly.

"Yes, during the trial of Lilly Kane's murder the DA asked if any of Logan's sister's ramblings about Logan's abuse was true. I kept to my word and never said anything, even if it would have insured the bastard's fate. But Logan was insistent, he couldn't let him win, he didn't want anyone to look at him with pity but most of all he couldn't stand the idea that people would continue loving the bastard despite everything he did."

"Despite everything he's been through there has always been a softer side to Logan. He showed it when he talked about Lilly and eventually Veronica. The bastard never did succeed in breaking Logan, the fact that Logan is still capable of falling in love is proof of that. Veronica and I are living, breathing examples of his ability to love. Only neither of us was the one for him."

"Lilly was his first love, but she wasn't destined to be his forever. The two were like polar opposites, constantly pulling at each other. If Lilly hadn't died they would have fizzled into nothingness. Veronica was Logan's first crush. She was refreshing change from the shallow beings that Logan associated with before he moved to Neptune. They had a more tumultuous relationship because despite their denials they really loved each other, too much that when they hurt each other the result was more than excruciating. Their history was their death sentence, they were meant for other people. It took them three tries to realize that."

"And then what?" Rory prompted as Addy seemed to lose her train of thought.

"Then it was our turn. He and I were friends, really good friends. I actually considered him as my Jess of the west coast. Oddly enough even when he was going through a tough time in high school he still managed to be nice to me. Despite all the drama that he endured with Veronica and the rest of the town he was my friend. And I was his."

"You two became something more."

"But we weren't meant to be more than friends. I relied on his friendship and he relied on mine, by crossing the line between friends and lovers we made a mess of everything. It's not hard to love Logan, he can be an ass sometimes but there is a side to him that would make any girl's heart skip a beat. You know this."

Rory nodded.

"We were both very broken when we got together. Logan just realized that the epic relationship he had dreamed up between him and Veronica was just a dream. And I was grieving over the loss of my grandfather. We were both mourning and we thought that comforting each other was the way to go."

"We took comfort in each other when we should have just remained friends. It ended badly; he told me that you know how things ended between us. I walked away and I guess I proved his theory on all the women in his life; that we all just walk away."

Addy breathed in deeply before continuing, "Logan and I made the casual arrangement because we thought that maybe we are meant to be. But we're not. Logan and I are just meant to be friends. That's why he can't let go that easily, because we were friends first and foremost. That's why I couldn't let go either."

"But he left with you. He went to another country with you. He kissed and made out with you the entire two weeks, and if I'm not mistaken you two even had sex." Rory shook her head at Addy.

"He did. And we did, but those were unresolved feelings, hormones even. We spent the entire year baiting each other, trying to reclaim something we had when we were only twenty, the companionship and warmth of having someone beside you. I'm not saying that he didn't love me because he did. But you have to understand all of our friends were either married or are on the verge. Before you and Hunter came along we both thought that maybe we should just give up and settle."

"So playing with each other's hearts was your solution?"

"We both figured that we already have the affection for each other and we did it all before, only I still didn't trust him after what happened between us."

"But you two got over that last week." Rory countered.

"I trusted Logan, my friend. But the Logan I was in a relationship with, not so much. When I saw you two kissing that was when everything was made clear. We were both desperate for an ending so we resolved to resolve our issues. And the last few days of Jess and Veronica's wedding the need to tear off each other's clothes waned, the need to regain our friendship increased. That's why we went to New Zealand together, not for more alone time, but to get back what we missed most in each other. Our friendship was my lifeline when I wanted to disappear. While with me he never had to hide the broken part of him."

"We are too attached. If you two ever work out, you will have to accept that. But rest assured that there is nothing more between us other than friendship." Addy finished quietly.

"I don't know." Rory shook her head unsurely.

"When you two kissed did you feel more alive than ever before? Did you feel hope bursting inside you?" Addy looked at her eagerly.

Rory nodded vigorously at her questions.

"Logan said those same words. If you two are feeling the same thing then why not trust that."

"Because we may end up hurting each other." Rory admitted.

"Why assume that you will? I see something in you two. Logan doesn't trust easily. The fact that he told you everything about us the second that he met you is very telling. He's the one for you. I would have never told you the things that I said if I wasn't sure of that. I know that you will use that knowledge in treating him kindly but not too kindly that he'd feel like a fragile glass." Addy stared at her eyes and right through her soul.

Rory nodded at the insight that the younger girl provided. "Are you sure you don't want him?"

Addy laughed and shook her head in amusement. "I thought we already established that. Besides, I have another Logan in mind."

"Logan is way better than Hunter." Rory started defensively.

"Then why did you stay with him for seven years?"

Rory frowned at her question.

"Look, you know a different Hunter. When you two got together he and I lost each other. But before all the mess between us happened he had a soft side. He never blamed me for the arrangement that my grandfather and his father had. He never forgot a birthday or a special occasion. By the time I was fourteen I knew he loved me, in every sense of the word. He never looked at me like I was this lame kid. He respected my views and never made me feel stupid. I was the one pulling back our last year together. I took it upon myself to get together with a carbon copy of him, to prove that I didn't need my grandfather to set me up with someone else." Addy paused.

"Then why did you allow yourself to be separate from each other all these years?" Rory broached the subject kindly.

"He probably told you about everything." When Rory nodded she continued, "The thought that he knew what Damien did to me was enough for me to pull back completely. I wondered if he had any part of it, because the afternoon before the party he lost his temper and shouted at me. It'll take time before I could actually want to be with him, but the truth is when you've been told that you're going to end up with someone over and over again you believe it yourself. And Hunter is not a hard person to love; our years together ensured his place in my heart. Despite all the bad things that happened between us, I don't think I was ever meant to stop." Addy smiled at her wryly.

"And Logan is he okay with that? You said it yourself you two are too attached."

"He won't be okay with it for awhile. But it'll have more to do with you and Hunter. He kept saying that Hunter was insane for letting you go." Addy shrugged.

"Still, it won't be weird if we just swapped boyfriends?"

"We aren't swapping. Logan and I are only meant to be friends and that's all there is to it. Hunter, well I don't want to sound arrogant but he has always been mine." Addy looked rueful at her admission.

Rory smiled at the younger girl's declaration. "How can you be so sure?"

"How can I not be?" Addy pulled at her necklace and showed her a ring, "Nine years ago, before all the mess happened we were spending the day at New York, we went into a pawnshop and saw this ring. He laughed at my fascination with this ring and told me that he would get me a bigger one. I told him he was a snob for not recognizing something wonderful, we eventually left the shop bickering mindlessly. When Logan and I arrived at New Zealand I found this in my bag. He remembers everything about us. And that in itself is proof enough for me." Addy shrugged.

Rory looked at the ring and then her eyes widened, "He always wore that underneath his shirt. He had that since I met him. He told me it was a reminder for him, but he never mentioned what."

"A reminder of what he and I lost." Addy smiled sadly.

"But what you two can have again." Rory countered.

"That's tomorrow's problem. For now I have to know if you will give Logan a time of day when he comes to you." Addy prodded.

"An endorsement from a good friend who also happens to be his ex girlfriend, how can I not?" Rory shrugged helplessly.

"Oh, I can also get Veronica's seal of approval if you want." Addy contributed.

"Everything you said is enough."

Before they could get further into the conversation someone from the front door interrupted them.

"I just wanted to check if I got everything." Hunter shouted from the hall. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Addy. "Addy." He said her name slowly his eyes speaking volumes for him.

Addy rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not a ghost or anything. You need to wipe that woebegone expression on your face."

"What are you doing here?"

"Just sorting things out with Rory, I'm going to go." She directed the last part to her hostess.

"Okay. Thanks, for sorting things out." Rory grinned at her.

"No problem, happy to. Just remember if you need anything about the thing, I'm ready to give you any input." Addy smiled at her and the two women hugged.

"So I'm going." Addy said again and looked at Hunter's direction, "I'm in the mood for some pizza."

Hunter looked at her blankly; his focus was on her entirely.

Addy frowned at him and shook her head. "I guess I have to spell it out for you. I'm going to go and have dinner at that pizza parlor three blocks down." She said the words slowly. When she got no response from him she shook her head, exasperated and walked out the door.

A minute or two passed when Hunter finally saw Rory looking at him with the very same expression that Addy had before she left. "What?" he asked all defensive.

"That was Addy asking you out to dinner." Rory frowned at him.

"It was?" Hunter looked puzzled, and then the realization of what he did, or did not do dawned on him. He shot her a grateful look and ran out the door.

Rory ignored the ringing phone and grabbed her purse. She was on the computer the last few hours and it was already dinner time. She grabbed her keys and started for the door.

She opened the door and in front of her was one Logan Echolls, hand poised on the empty air, obviously on the verge of knocking on the door.


It has been three days since she and Addy talked about the man before her. She called her the day before wondering when Logan would appear, Addy just replied that she didn't know and reassured her that the last thing that Logan was, was fickle. And here he was, right before her very eyes, when she least expected him.

Logan dropped his hand to his side and grinned at her boyishly.

"Hi." He uttered simply.

"How did you know I was here?" Rory blurted out.

"I called Jess, who called Luke, who told Jess that you were back here at Stars Hollow, charming town by the way." Logan replied.

"What? Why?" Rory was confused by his word play.

"Well I just left Luke's Diner and I was greeted by these two women on the street, I could've sworn that one of them grabbed my butt. Then I met a Mr. Doose, who said he was the town's welcome wagon. After Luke chased him away, a carriage stopped before me and that guy there," Logan pointed behind him, where Kirk was sitting on a horse-drawn carriage, "Told me that he would take me to my destination. So here I am." Logan looked sheepish.

"But why are you here?" Rory tried to hide the smile on her face.

Logan leaned on the doorframe and gave her a knowing look.

"I know that Addy talked to you."

"So what if she did?"

"Okay so we're playing coy then. Fine, I like you a lot Rory. And I'm here to see if you would go out on a date with me." Logan gave her a full blown smile.

"That's it. I waited ten days for that." Rory wrinkled her nose at him.

"Did you want me to declare my eternal love for you, for the entire town to see?" Logan gestured behind him; Kirk was leaning forward, straining to hear their conversation.

"Dude, if you want to hear us you may want to walk over here and you'll get the front row center view." Logan shouted so Kirk would hear.

"I guess not." Rory smiled at him.

"I want us to take this thing, us," he gestured between them, "slow. Because I have a feeling that you and I together would be worth the wait."

Rory looked at him still unsure.

"Rory let me take you out to dinner. We can go to that Al's Pancake World we passed by earlier. From there I can promise you grand romantic gestures. For now I just want us to talk."

Rory smiled at him but still refused to answer.

"I like talking to you." Logan admitted shyly.

"So let's talk. And you're in luck Al's Pancake World is having International Cuisine Night." Rory took his proffered arm.

"But isn't it a pancake house?" Logan's brow furrowed.

"All part of the small town charm." Rory grinned at him and the two walked arm in arm to the carriage.

AN: SO that's it for Chapter 25. I'm sorry if it took awhile. I haven't had any access to the computer till now. I hope that Logan and Addy's relationship was explained. I basically tackled the issue of Logan. He has a lot of issues and Addy had to explain that to Rory. Thanks for reading.

To my reviewers:

tylerhiltongrupie53: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter. I'm winding this story down already so I had to focus on the RoganE. As for a sequel I'll have to think about it. School is pretty much occupying my time so I have to work that part out first. If I do have a good idea for a story for the two of them I won't rule it out. As for the dress I'm so happy that my vision of her dress was translated. Thanks for reviewing, I love all your comments.

MHxxPAPER DOLL: Yes that was a long review and I appreciate your comments. I'm glad that you liked the wedding. And the interactions between LH and Addy, LE and Rory. This time I basically resolved most of their issues in this chapter. And hopefully Addy actually talking to Rory about Logan was the last thing you expected, your take on how I write just flatters me beyond words. Thanks for reviewing.

Pygme: Thanks for the review. And sad to say but Logan and Addy are broken up. I sort of promised this ending for LoVe23 already. Bright side Huntzberger and Addy are going to be okay. They're going to have a good ending. Thanks for reviewing.

shotswithMrsKim: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And Logan here is trying for the slow progess as well. Thanks for reviewing.

LoVe23: Thanks for reviewing I'm glad you liked it. The entire wedding was not perfect but it was a Jess and Veronica wedding. And Dick, he just steals the show. I watched the new episode on msn, you may want to check it out, I think it's still up. Even if I did watch it already I would still watch it on Tuesday. That's devotion for you. I'm posting the myspace for the Veronica. Hopefully you'll be able to add the right person. The CW is giving gifts away when VM gets 5000 friends so hopefully everyone else reading this would add her to their myspace, here it is http/ And Logan, Mac, Wallace, Dick, Weevil and even Keith have their own myspace account just click on Veronica's page and she has a list of Neptune's finest. Add away. Thanks for the review.