I used some of the lines from the beginning of 4.21 but not all of them. Some of the lines are tweaked but that's something I do in all my stories when I use lines from the show. I know some weren't originally meant for Logan, but since Graham was originally going to be Logan's character it seemed fitting.
Rory was too absorbed in packing and listening to her loud music, while drinking spiked lemonade from a plastic cup to notice that her door had opened. She was totally surprised to see Emily there. She really hoped she wasn't going to introduce her to some chit chatty twins, who thought Rory would make a nickname for her – or worse – set her up with a guy.
"Rory?" Emily asked loud enough so her granddaughter could hear her through the loud music.
"Grandma, hi." Rory turned off her radio before she went to greet Emily with a kiss on the cheek.
"Are you busy?"
"No, I was just packing and having a little lemonade here." She hoped Emily wouldn't examine the lemonade to find out that the drink had alcoholic contents.
Luckily Emily paid no attention to the drink. "You're done with your final, right?" she asked.
"Yes. What are you doing here?" She could tell by her Grandmother's demeanor that Emily's visit had an agenda.
"Well, I decided to come pay a visit to the campus after having lunch with my friend Cassie Sullivan" Emily explained. "However, I was surprised to run into one of your old friends. "
"Who?" Rory hoped Emily didn't consider one of the twins to be her old friends.
"You remember Logan Huntzberger, who escorted you to your prom at Chilton?" A happy grin appeared on Emily's face.
Rory's heart started to pound rapidly, and for a moment she wished Emily had run into the twins. She didn't know if she was ready to see Logan again, yet there was another part of her that was excited to see him again. Rory wasn't going to let Emily see her dilemma. She tried to keep her emotions in check. "Of course, a girl always remembers her prom date" she said with her best society smile plastered to her face.
Emily beamed at the fond tone in Rory's voice. "Well, he came back from his sailing trip early. Did you know that?"
Rory felt a sense of elation, yet was a little disappointed that Logan hadn't told her that he had come back to town. But then again, he wasn't her boyfriend, and he did not exactly owe her a phone call. "No Grandma, I didn't know that he was back in town," she said as firmly as possible, hoping that her Grandmother didn't notice her slightly shaking voice and therefore her inner dilemma.
"Well, would you like to see him again?" Emily's tone was so eager it really scared Rory.
"Sure…." Rory really wanted to see him again but not until after she had a little time to prepare herself physically and emotionally.
"Is now okay?" Emily's grin grew wider, if that was even possible.
"Now?" She should have known her grandmother would bring him in now, which was so not a good time. She was sweating from packing, and she did not know what to say to him.
Emily didn't seem to sense Rory's anxiety, for she loudly called Logan's name.
Logan entered the room looking just as hot as Rory remembered. The same gorgeous tousled hair was a little shorter but not by much length. He appeared to have a bit of a small natural tan, which suited him very well. He was still the most beautiful boy she had ever seen.
Logan took a close look at Rory, and was amazed how she could still be just as adorable in a simple t-shirt and jeans. The blush when she caught him looking at her made her even cuter. Logan could tell that she was just as nervous as him. A year apart had not altered his ability to read her. He took a step towards her, and she took a step towards him. He slowly put his arms around her, and she happily leaned against him. In this moment he felt like nothing had changed: physical contact was still natural to them. He got a whiff of her familiar rose shampoo – she hadn't altered shampoo products in the time they had been apart.
Rory couldn't believe it had been a year since she had been in her arms. She remembered how protected, and yet excited she used to feel when he had his arms around her. Her heart skipped a beat when she could feel his strong muscles underneath his shirt. Then she noticed Emily looking a little too happy about their embrace, so she pulled away. "It's good to see you" she said with a shy smile. "I didn't know you were back in town." Rory hoped she didn't display a sense of hurt at the last sentence.
No such luck. Logan could tell though that she was hurt by her last statement. He really was going to tell her that he was back in town. He just needed time to mentally prepare himself. "Well, I just got in last night, Ace. I was thinking of coming to see you right away, but I thought you would be at home. Emily here told me you had to be here because of one of your finals."
"Yes I had philosophy final…" Rory could tell that like her Logan was waiting for the right time and place in order to see her again. She could relate, which is why some of her hurt, that he hadn't immediately contacted her, had evaporated.
"I meant to reintroduce the two of you in a much more formal manner. I hate that it's last minute like this. I feel awful." Emily mentioned, but she felt elated Rory and Logan appeared to be close and there appeared to be genuine feelings between them.
"Oh, that's okay. Don't feel bad." In spite of her confusion, Rory was very glad to see Logan again.
Logan noticed a whiff of alcohol smell, when Rory said the words. He whispered to Rory. "Alcohol on your breath." Rory blushed in shame, and tried to keep her distance so Emily wouldn't smell her breath.
"Logan mentioned that he and his group were going out tonight to celebrate his homecoming."
"Yes, I did." Logan did not want to tell Emily an abridged version of his plan, but Emily was very persistent.
"And he thought you might like to go."
"Yeah." Logan hesitantly added.
"Would you...like to go?" Emily emphasized.
"Um...sure." She didn't know if she wanted to go, but she knew agreeing to what Emily said would get her grandmother off her back, and she wouldn't smell the pungent liquor on her breath.
"Wonderful!" Emily exclaimed happily. "Well, I feel good about you two getting acquainted again. I'll go now. Bye, Rory."
Rory hugged Emily with her head turned back, so Emily wouldn't smell the lemonade, and hastily mumbled. "Bye, grandma."
She was relieved Emily was gone, and yet she didn't know how to act without Emily around as a buffer.
Luckily for Rory Logan had lightened the mood. "Okay, well the most important lesson today – when your grandmother starts trying to pin down your specific whereabouts at a specific time and place, and she's smiling kind of weird, begin evasive maneuvers immediately."
"Got caught in that one myself." Rory smiled, grateful to Logan for temporarily easing the awkwardness.
Logan noticed Rory was taping a variety of boxes. He smiled, when he saw the labeled boxes. He decided to help Rory out by starting to tape them.
"Logan, you don't have to do that..."
"Oh, I just taped up eight of my own boxes. I'm a box-taping machine. Use me" Logan joked.
"Well then, thank you. You still think really highly about yourself." Rory smiled.
Logan smiled at how she would always tease him about his tendency to brag. "I've always said I was brutally honest, Ace." He said smirking, then changed the topic. "So, uh, the plans for tonight – they're pretty casual. There'll be the usual gang, Colin, Finn, Rosemary, and Juliet. You're totally welcome to come. We all really missed you." I really missed you, Logan wanted to say but he didn't know if those were the appropriate words to say at that given moment.
Rory really wanted to spend time with Logan, but she didn't how approach the subject of "someday". To be honest with herself, she wasn't sure if her and Logan were ready for that concept yet. However, she didn't want to bring up there past "week together" up, so she said "I was just going to read and then maybe go home, but, I don't know, maybe..."
"You should definitely go, Ace" Logan said. He really wanted her to come along. "After all we are doing two of your favorite things – hanging out, and getting food. You still have my cell phone number?" He really hoped she hadn't deleted it.
"Um...yeah." In the nights when Rory looked at the Logan box, she would sometimes scroll down her phone to find Logan's old number. She would often think of calling him, but then would talk herself out of it.
"Great." Logan continue taping the remainder of Rory's three boxes wondering how to talk to a girl, when the last time you saw her you were kissing her and promising her someday. Logan noticed a piece of paper on the last box, and read aloud. "Leonard Fleming."
"Ignore that. Paris was trying to set me up with her older lover's son, because she thinks I'm going through a romantic dry spell." Rory had mentioned Paris and Asher Fleming in a past postcard.
Logan tried to ignore the sense of relief he felt that Rory wasn't dating anyone else. "Paris is still with Fleming?"
"Yeah, but it really doesn't bother me anymore, as long as she doesn't tell me the romantic details and fix me up with members of his family."
"I understand after all. The name Leonard Fleming sounds like he could star alongside Leborache in Vegas." He grinned.
"Well, you probably dated some really weird South Pacific girls." Rory regretted herself for saying the words.
"Not as many as you think." Wow, that was weird. This was a hot topic and he knew that he finally should start talking about the elephant in the room. He laid down that tape and turned to her, taking a deep breath, but looking straight into her eyes. "Look, I think we do need to talk about what happened before I left." He knew there were many factors they needed to discuss, so they could continue to be friends and determine when they would be possibly ready for more.
Rory's eyes widened as he mentioned their someday-deal. She didn't think he would be brave enough to talk about it just yet. But she was glad that he had started it. Her heart beat rapidly as she answered. "You're right, Logan, but I really don't know what to say right now. How about tonight?" Until then Rory would have time to figure out what she wanted from Logan.
"That's a good idea, Rory. I will see you tonight then." Logan smiled. He was going to think long and clear about what their future would be. He finished taping the last box and got up. "Well, the boxes are finished so you are free to enjoy your lemonade, Ace."
"Thanks Logan…" She smiled. Logan Huntzberger was back in her life, and things were about to get more exciting in New Haven.
