The Escort

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls it is owned by the CW/WB and Amy Sherman-Palladino. Some of the dialogue in this chapter comes out of Season 5.03: Written in the Stars and do not belong to me but to Amy Sherman-Palladino and the CW.

Chapter 2: Sweet Longing

Rory Gilmore…or rather Rory Gilmore-Hayden, it had been a long time since he'd thought about her. The last time they'd spoken had been the night of the Debutante ball. He had left her in the garden of the hotel looking like a dream, and done his damn best to forget about her. Honor had told him about how Rory had coped when he'd up and left and stopped all communication with her.

He felt it had been the best thing to do at the time, go cold turkey on her. He had been eighteen and so messed up. Getting away from his parents had been his one true goal and to an extent he'd finally gotten the freedom he so craved.

Rory was part of a bygone era. She was very much Hartford and society. She hadn't dealt well with his leaving and not keeping in touch. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but he had his own demons to deal with. If he had kept in contact with Rory, kept in contact with his life in Hartford he wouldn't have been able to break all the ties he had there. It was the only thing keeping him sane, leaving all the responsibilities behind.

He wished he had been mature enough to keep his friendship with Rory but it was the best he could do at the time. Mitchum had tried to control him especially when he had started Yale, but Logan had never set foot in Hartford if he knew that he would run into Rory. She was too tempting a person.

He knew that Honor had done her best to keep the two of them a part. She was the only one who understood why he had cut off all ties. She thought she was being secret and covert but it was sweet that his sister was looking out for him. Honor felt that it was in the best interest of her brother and best friend to keep them apart until they were ready to unite once more. He didn't realize how far Honor had taken things until he saw her whisking Rory away from a Huntzberger Fourth of July celebration in order to avoid running into him.

Mitchum Huntzberger knew how to push his son's buttons. Logan had no plans to return to Yale until he was good and ready, until a mysterious phone call from Mitchum had set things in motion. Rory was a weak point in Logan's armour and Mitchum, sneaky man that he was, found that chink, and used it to his advantage.

"So, how come you never told us about her?" asked Colin jumping into the conversation without any preamble. It was like they had started this conversation and were simply continuing it.

"Who are you referring to?" asked Logan playing dumb.

Finn who had come out of the kitchenette snorted in the most odious manner. It was rather unbecoming. "Mate we've known you for a long time and this if the first time I've actually heard such bull come out of your mouth."

Logan sighed knowing the jig was up, to an extent. "Rory Gilmore is a family friend, and I mean that in the literal sense, since our families have been friends beginning from our great-grandfathers' time. I was her escort to her one and only debutante ball."

"Wait a minute…was this during our last year of high school? How you would randomly disappear and come back in a better mood than you left? I thought you said it was a pain in the ass to do those deb balls." Colin looked rather miffed at being left out of the loop.

"I didn't want the people at Chaote to get any ideas and harass Rory. She was at Chilton and it was enough that we had to work together to keep our families from concentrating on the deb ball rather than playing matchmaker."

Finn was perceptive enough to know that there was more to the story than his buddy was letting on. "Why haven't you seen her in a long time? I mean, it seemed as though she was very good friends with your sister and parents."

"I don't want to talk about that right now. All you need to know is that I had my reasons from staying away from Rory. There is also a good reason we had to cut our trip short to return earlier than intended."

"Logan this is us you're talking to. Finn and I only want to know, why the secrecy with Rory? She's a lovely girl who seems to have the perfect breeding to be a contender of sticking around. Oh… I see. Is that why you haven't told us? She's a little too close to the kind of girl Mitchum and Shira want you to settle down with?"

Logan gave Colin a look of utter hatred before he stormed out of the dorm altogether. It seemed as though Colin had hit the nail right on the head.

"So the lovely Miss Gilmore-Hayden seems to be the exact type to settle down with for our young Master Huntzberger," said Finn looking at the door Logan had walked out of.

"I knew something had happened the night we jetted off to Switzerland because Huntz was brooding and he didn't brood like that unless Mitchum had done something irreparable, but I knew for sure that getting out of Hartford was his fondest wish. Now I see he was simply leaving someone behind, and he had made the decision to not talk to or see for a number of years. I find that a little sad and pathetic when I think of all the crazy things we've done."

"My dear Colin, you should know by now that matters of the heart aren't easily explained. Logan was demanded to come back to Yale or rather he was coerced into coming back by Mitchum and I have a feeling that is has something to do with the lovely Miss Gilmore."

"Hmm…" said Colin as he thought about what Finn had said.

-GG-

Hmm…if she squinted, real hard, he looked ten years younger, but Rory still wouldn't see the appeal in Professor Asher Fleming. Currently, she was putting up posters for the Wake she and Paris were hosting in honour of the dearly departed. It was a thankless job but someone had to do it.

When Paris had informed her via phone of the death of her more mature lover, Rory had to get her bearings before coming up with a proper word of condolence. Was there an appropriate etiquette on how to respond to the death of her good friend's mature lover, and her former professor? She'd have to check with her grandmother about that but not until she knew a polite way to bring up the subject.

Though she didn't understand Paris' love fore the elderly professor she felt it was her duty to support Paris in her time of hardship. She was told by an exemplary source, Honor, that loss did unusual things to people. Paris was simply grieving in the only way she knew how, by honouring the great academic and scholar. Throwing a wake made Paris feel useful and Rory would do anything to help her over this loss.

As she tacked on another poster for the wake she heard a familiar voice ask a question and another equally familiar voice answer back.

"I think this is where she lives."

"I'm flattered gentlemen, I didn't realize I'd made that much of an impression on you that you would track me down like this," said Rory watching three faces turn and look at her in astonishment.

"Rory what are you doing here?" asked Logan with a puzzled look on his face.

"I live here. Through that door you're standing in front of."

"Here? At Brantford?" asked Colin.

"Yes and Yes," came the cheeky reply.

"Oh well…is your roommate a red heard, by any chance?" asked Finn.

"No. What's the name of the girl you're looking for?"

"Oh I dunno her name but she's about your height and with a glorious head of red hair."

"Well, I can see that you're losing out on a soul mate."

"You have no idea," mumbled Colin as he watched Finn climb the stairs. He looked back and forth between Logan and Rory and decided it was time to follow Finn. He bide the couple adieu, and left before receiving a response.

"You have interesting friends," said Rory holding the posters close to her body as protection. Now that Logan was here, she didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, they're the best," said Logan running his fingers through his hair, showing his nerves. It wasn't like Logan to show weakness, but then again this was Rory. "It is really great to see you."

"Yeah, it's been a while."

Rory finally had Logan in front of her, yet no words would come out of her mouth. It had been several years in the making, this momentous meeting; however silence seemed to be the only thing they could agree on. She looked up and caught him eye, it seemed he was perusing her, to see all of the changes that had occurred since his absence.

Logan wished he could tell her all that was on his mind, but it was too soon and he didn't think she was ready to hear his explanation for leaving, at least not yet. The years had been good to her; she looked elegant and sexy as hell.

To distract the awkward silence Logan turned his attention to the posters Rory was putting up. "Sorry for interrupting you, as you were putting up posters of this old guy."

"It's Professor Asher Fleming," said Rory.

"What, they were out of Orlando Bloom?"

Rory huffed and blew a piece of hair that had gotten in front of her eyes. She was about to lift her hand and push it back, however Logan beat her to it. He slowly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and his touch lingered there for longer than propriety dictated. Rory swallowed hard before replying. "Umm…huh…Professor Fleming died last week. We're throwing him a Wake."

Logan's body tensed as he asked the next question. "So you and Fleming were…"

"No!" Rory denied rather vehemently.

"Sorry. Just you're putting a poster of him up in your hallway. You can see where I get the impression he's a little bit more than a teacher," said Logan in rather staid manner.

"Well, he was more than a teacher. He was a great writer and an inspiration in many other things," said Rory getting into the argument.

"Alright, he was an all around good guy. Why are you putting in the effort to throw him a wake?"

Rory sighed before looking around and moving closer to Logan. "He was dating my roommate Paris; I think I told you about her. She and I have gotten close and she's grieving right so I'm trying to help her out during her time of need."

Logan knew about Paris. Honor had kept him informed of the goings-on in Rory's life, well not everything but a friendship like Paris was important enough. He smiled down at her and realized that she hadn't changed one bit. She was still the one of the best people he knew. He cupped her chin and smiled as she blushed. "You're a good friend to Paris even though she put you through hell during high school. Do you need help putting up these posters?" asked Logan sliding his hand down Rory's arm to grip her fingers which were holding the posters. He needed some sort of physical contact with her.

"No, I'm fine. You should go find your friends before they get into any more trouble."

"Colin will be there to rein in Finn. I think I'll stick around here for a bit since I just happen to enjoy talking to you," said Logan and leaned against the entrance to Rory's dorm as she taped up more of the posters of Professor Fleming's wake.

"How have you been?" asked Rory.

"I've been alright. I wanted to thank you for taking care of Honor for me. She's told me everything that you and your family include her in. You don't know how much it means to me and Honor," said Logan sincerely.

Rory looked at him and nodded. "I promised you I would take care of her and that's exactly what I did. She needed people who were looking out for her, and I made sure I was there whenever she needed me. We're more like sisters than friends now."

"I'm glad for it."

Before the conversation could get any further, Finn appeared on the steps like a mirage. "Logan, I think we've found it." With his line said, Finn ran back up the stairs to meet his redheaded lady.

"I think he wants to introduce you to his future wife," said Rory with a quirk of her mouth.

Logan didn't reply, simply leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on Rory's cheek before turning around and walking up the steps. He stopped on the seventh step. "Rory…"

"Yes?"

"I missed you," came the reply before he continued walking up the stairs as if nothing had occurred.

Rory sniffled as she watched him walk away once again. She didn't think it would hurt so much, to see him again. She'd waited so long to see any sign that he missed her or thought of her, but when she was faced with silence there had been nothing to do but to move on. Life moved on whether one liked it or and Rory let life happen. Dean and Jess were sweet relationships but she was glad she'd learned from them.

Logan thought of her as the same girl he'd left behind. He would in for a surprise when he realized she wasn't the virginal girl of the past.

-GG-

Colin McCrae watched Logan as he flirted with the redhead's roommate and made himself the centre of attention, it looked like he was enjoying himself and didn't have a care in the world. Only those close to him knew this was an act, it was an act perfected to show others what they wanted to see. If you looked closer, one would see strain and just a little bit of sorrow.

There were numerous times in the past few years that Logan had gotten that look and closed himself off from his friends. Colin could never figure out what caused such a reaction, but now it was quite clear. Rory Gilmore was someone who was new to him, but she seemed to be someone that Logan knew very well.

He had overheard a bit of the conversation between the two and was curious. Why would Logan ask Rory to take care of his sister? And subsequently why would Rory agree to his request? It was all a mystery and yet he'd never seen Logan look at another woman the way he looked at Rory.

Rory wasn't Logan's usual type, but she had something that attracted Logan to her. It was surprising that he'd known Logan all his life and yet there were parts of his best friend that were a mystery even to him. You never really know someone.

As Colin watched his friends put the moves on a blonde woman, he wondered how the lovely Rory feel at such a sight. Logan was always telling everyone he wasn't ready for a serious relationship and yet he had whatever he had with Rory Gilmore.

Time would tell how everything would turn out. In the mean time, Colin felt duty bound to protect Logan from himself. He and Finn would have to have one of their early morning talks, well he'd have to get Finn out of bed and coherent before talking. The two of them would put their heads together and come up with a plan.

AN: Life and school have been priority so I haven't gotten a lot of time to write. Hope you like this chapter. I'm still writing when I can and I read each and every one of your reviews, so I do get how much you want me to update. Let me know what you think of this installment. ~Lady Eliza.