Disclaimer: Do not own Gilmore Girls.

AN: Another chappie! Your reviews were so great that I decided to post it now. I hope you like it… and I'm sorry there isn't much progression in the story. Pretty pretty please REVIEW!

Chapter 6. His own burden in his own way.

An hour passed since Rory started reading when a knocked on the door pulled her out of the Chinese emperors palace.

"Hey there.." Rose was standing in the doorway watching the blue eyed girl read on the bed all alone.

"Why didn't you go with Logan and Wendy?"

Rory shrugged.

"Not a horseback fanatic."

"Or did you think two is a company; three is a drag?"

Rory blushed and Rose could not help but give her a sympathetic smile.

"Frank and the guys are out fixing some fence. Come downstairs. Keep me company while I make dinner. I promise it won't have any zucchinis in it." Rory smiled and climbed of the bed.

Rose looked up when Rory entered the kitchen. The girl stood a bit shyly in the doorway.

"Want some coffee?"

"Yes, please." Rory answered entering the warn kitchen further. Under the table she could see a sleeping Napoleon.

Rose took out 2 cups and filled them. Rory sat down at the cooking island and cradled her coffee.

"There is nothing there." Rose said. Rory didn't understand.

"Between Logan and Wendy." Rose clarified with a smile. "Summers spent together is all that links them. She's the neighbors' daughter. They know each other from yay high." Rose laughed holding her hand at the height of her hip and coaxed a smile.

"The hulk…" Rory mumbled with a smile.

Rose started laughing.

"Yeah…God. That was long ago. Logan running around half naked. So you two are…"

"…. undefined." Rory answered quietly.

"Huh…I thought you were more. Since he brought you here. He never brings anybody here . Of the fair sex, I mean… "

Rory shook her head with a sigh.

"We aren't."

" You don't seem like that kind of girl… who settles for the "vague" I mean."

"I wasn't … still aren't I guess. It's hard." She gave Rose a sad smile.

"Then why?"

"Because I'm in love with him… I'm stupid, I realize that more and more every day, but then he does something sweet and I don't know…"

"It's not stupid, Rory… Some things you can't control…. Others you can." She smiled. "Logan too can be won. Well pushed with his nose in the facts anyway. The boy really really likes you, hon. It's obvious. You just need to nudge him a little. You know.." she winked, "Make him jealous."

"Well Logan is not very easily provoked."

"Logan is very good at playing cool. Doesn't mean he is.." Rory smiled.

It felt as if she was … well talking to her mother. A load fell of her shoulders sharing this with someone. Someone who didn't judge.

"He's taking you to the charity. That has to mean something, right?"

"I'm not sure what."

"Well he doesn't take it lightly."

"I'm not sure what Logan takes seriously and what not. He's not the most open kind of guy."

Rose laughed.

"True, but you can take it from me that he takes The Libby Ross foundation seriously. He and his mom were so close."

"Were?"

"Yeah… " For a moment there was a certain sadness in Rose' smiling eyes.

"Well he and his dad too. It's hard to believe but they once were a happy family."

Rory was lost.

"So what happened?"

"You don't know?" Rory shook her head.

Rose looked at her before resuming chopping the onions.

"She died. Breast cancer. They… we… were so devastated. Losing a sister is harder you can ever imagine. Michum turned cold the moment he had to be there for Logan… He was broken himself… losing the love of his life… and then Shira came along. Logan well .. it was the toughest on him. Lena was only ten back then. Logan 16 it was sad…. He left for Europe a year later. When he returned he was just different. I guess grief can't be shared. Everyone carries it alone. His own burden in his own way. "

Rory swallowed. She hadn't known any of this.

"So Libby Ross… was Logan's mother?"

"Elizabeth Ross-Huntzberger. She was a pianist." Rose smiled at the memory of her late sister. " She thought at Juilliard School. You should ask Logan to play for you."

Rory took a deep breath.

"He plays the piano…"

Rose started laughing: "There was a time when both Mitchum and Libby were bickering about Logan's talents.. till he broke his hand… idiot…"

"So that's why he's ambidextrous."

Rose nodded. "That's boys for ya…"

"So you didn't know, huh?"

Rory shook her head. "It explains a lot though…"

"He has his issues … But maybe you wouldn't have fallen in love with him if he wasn't the way he is. And I see now that it wasn't my place to change him. I tried to get the old Logan back, but like I said. I can't take away his grief or his fears. He has to want it himself. A motivation." She eyed Rory. "He's different today, you know. He's happy. You are the reason I presume… and maybe he would've told you in his own time. Maybe he still will. I'm not siding on his whole string-less relationships, but I also think that bad warlocks can turn into good. So don't push him away because of this."

"I'm not the one pushing away, Rose… He's doing all the pushing." Rory replied quietly.

"He looks strong, cocky… but every time I look at him I still see the same scared kid like 6 year ago, Rory. And he's taking you to NY. Logan may have loads of girls. He never takes anyone there. Colin and Finn have been there. But imagine Finn sober. That's how much they respect that. You are special."

Suddenly Rory started to cry. It came as a flooding and had sneaked up on her like a avalanche.

Rose dropped the onion she was cutting.

"Oh, sweetie, what is the matter?"

"I… don't… know…" Rory chocked out. "I… just… if… my mom… and then…"

Rose enveloped her in a hug, Stroking her hair.

"Shhhh…it's ok. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I-I-I… know."

At once Rose too started crying.

"W-w-why are you crying?" Rory sniffed.

"I don't know. Because you are."

"We could make a new Guinness record like that. Most people in the world crying. A chain reaction."

Rose laughed through her tears.

"What's wrong!" a shocked Frank asked out of nowhere seeing the two hugging women, crying.'

"Onions!" They replied in unison.

"Come on… see if you've still got it!" Wendy laughed, urging her horse to go faster. "Who is fastest at the oak!" And she was gone.

Logan shook his head.

"She'll never change.. " he told no one in particular, spurring Chinook, who took off as if he had been waiting for this all day now. She laughed when he came riding along side her. He would've passed her, but he pulled the eager Chinook back slightly and Wendy won by half a length. She turned her horse and pouted.

"That was mean, Huntzberger! Letting me win.."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Logan defended himself.

"Liar liar pants on fire."

He laughed.

"Chinook is a boy… he has longer legs than Nova."

"So you should let me win? And don't be sexist about my horse."

"I'm not sexist! I'm the perfect gentleman…"

"You are horrible, that's what you are."

They looked at each other for a moment. Their friendship had changed over the years… they had. Two blond kids had become grown-ups.

"I'm getting married to Thomas." She said with a smile. "Tell me I'm doing the right thing…"

Logan smirked drawing in the cool air.

"You should come… It's in the spring. April…"

"I will… thanks."

"So you and … Ace was it?"

"Rory."

"Rory. You love her?"

"I don't know. I don't think so." He smirked.

"But…?"

"But… I could..."

"Then don't hold back, Logan. Don't be afraid. Who knows maybe she's the best thing that has ever happened to you."

"It's getting dark we should go back." He said and Wendy nodded. In silence they rode through the woods. At the red gate, they stopped and got off their horses.

"So don't be a stranger." Wendy said hugging him. "Call, write, visit."

"You don't want to stay for dinner?"

"No.. I think Rory wants you for herself and Thomas is waiting for me at home. I'll pass. It was good seeing you again. You look good."

"You don't look bad either." He said kissing her cheek.

Wendy stepped out of the embrace and opened the gate as Logan mounted the waiting Chinook.

"Wendy?"

"Yeah?"

"You're doing the right thing," he said with a smile. She gave him a radiant smile back.

Logan waved before spurring Chinook and allowing him to run as fast as he wanted.

In the stables Logan greeted the stable boys.

"I'll brush him off myself," he said leading Chinook in to his pen and taking off his gloves. In swift strokes he followed the lines of his back and his flanks. Wendy's words kept swimming circles in his mind. Don't hold back. Don't be afraid. And his own. I don't think so. But I could. Did he love Rory? Maybe not. But he definitely was falling for her. Fast. When he was finished, he scratched Chinook behind his ear. The horse let out a purr-like sound, when he got scratched on his favorite spot. Frank cleared his throat.

"That horse is a pain in the butt."

"Chinook? No. He's just a little ridged around the edges, but he's a big softy inside."

Frank smiled.

"Sounds like someone else I know."

Logan raised his eyebrows.

"Anyway… the ladies cooked dinner."

"Rory? Cooked? That I got to see," he laughed.

The two men walked to the house and entered the kitchen where Rose and Rory were "cooking". Rose was laying on the floor, clutching her sides and gasping for air… as she was laughing hysterically, her face almost as red as her hair. Rory hung over the cooking island waving with a stick of celery close to tears from laughing and as if that was not enough Napoleon was viscously barking on the counter.

Logan raised his eyebrows: "That can't be hygienic."

It was then that Rory tipped over and fell head first from the cooking island.

Logan reached out to grab her but was not fast enough and her head hit the tile floor with a loud thud.

"Jesus Christ, are you still in one piece?" Logan exclaimed kneeling down next to her.

"OW!" was all Rory could say.

"What day is it today?" Logan asked

"I don't know." She meekly replied clasping her head

"Lord she has a concussion!" Frank exclaimed. "I'll call 911!"

"No, wait.. Wrong question. Lets say a little prayer, Ace. Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze. It maketh me to wake in green pastures: It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses…"

"… It restorth my buzz…." Rory continued. "It leadeth one in the paths of consciousness for it's name sake. Yea, though I walk through the shadow of addiction, I will fear no Equal: For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me…."

Logan laughed.

"She's completely delusional!" Frank said.

"No. She'll be fine. Let me see, Ace." He said pulling her hands away from her head.

"Ow…"

"I know… aren't you a nutcase," he brushed away her hair to see if she hadn't cracked her skull. Rose was up and about running to the fridge to get ice-cubes. Napoleon was still monotonously barking.

"Shut up, you mutt!" Frank exclaimed and got a growl in return. "Don't you start…"

Another bark.

"Napoleon, shush!" Rose said and the little dog stopped. "It's getting old, honey, you getting into fights with a Chihuahua."

"Well why does he listen to you and not to me?"

"Sensitivity, love."

"You'll have a pretty bump.." Logan said, helping Rory sit up.

"Ow….."

"Ow, yes." Rose handed Logan the tea towel filled with ice cubes and Logan planted it on Rory's head. She flinched.

"Ow…" suddenly tears glistered in her eyes.

Logan rubbed her back.

"It hurts that bad?"

Rory only nodded.

"Jerry!"

"What?" Frank asked.

"Ben and Jerry. Give me a can and a spoon. We need painkillers here."

Rory smiled through her tears.

5 minutes later Rory was tucked in on the couch with ice cubs on her head and a can of cookie dough Ben and Jerry's in her hands.

"You feel better?" Logan asked and she nodded.

"Sorry, it was my own fault."

"Please promise me to not engage in any acrobatic tricks in the future. Some people are not built for it. And my nerves sure as hell aren't."

Rory chuckled.

"Did you have a good time?"

"With Wendy? I did. Too bad you didn't join us,"

Rory shrugged and fed him a spoon full of ice cream.

"I'll spoil my appetite."

"Amateur."

"Dinner is ready!" Rose yelled.

"You want to eat here?" Logan asked. She shook her head, getting up and taking his hand. Logan pulled her back down, softly brushing his lips against hers.

"Rory, I…" he started, but Rose stuck her head around the corner.

"Eat now, smooch later!" she laughed, causing Rory to blush profoundly.

Dinner was funny and pleasant. Rory always had thought that Logan was not close with his family, but this was as happy as they got. Even she felt at home and she hadn't even spent a whole day here. Logan was at ease to say the least. After dinner they drank coffee, watched Jeopardy on TV and Rory got a full recap of the dogs/kids names. Napoleon was well Napoleon and Puddles, had certain little accidents as a baby, Ozzy decapitated a bat… And Big Mac was fat as a pup. It was heartwarming to see Rose and Frank interact. At midnight Rory started yawning and they decided to call it a day. At the door of her room Logan kissed Rory goodnight before going to his own. Rory got into her pajamas and crawled in her bed, but couldn't sleep. She kept twisting and turning, thinking about everything Rose had told her. Pondering on how to deal with it. Eventually she got out of bed and padded to the hallway.
Logan woke up from a noise. He opened his eyes and saw a figure standing in the doorway of his room.

"Can't sleep?" he asked

"No.."

He lifted his covers and waited till she crawled in bed next to him.

"Good lord… Your feet… How can people be afraid of global warming when there are your feet! Un-believable."

She giggled.

"I can't help it." She said turning to face him

"You can remove them from mine for starters. Because I have frostbite by now."

"Drama queen"

"Donkey. With ice cold feet."

She hit him.

"We have a zero-violence policy here, missy. And that brings me to point two. Do you have any blood in that body of yours? You're like a frog. Your hands are freezing too." He rubbed them.

"I'm a princess. Kiss me!"

"You're a donkey…"

"Donkeys need love too.." Rory pouted.

"They do. In a petting zoo."

"I don't like you anymore. You are not donkey friendly."

"I'm a philanthropist… in the donkey department!"

Rory snuggled against his chest and closed her eyes. The rhythmic sound of his heartbeat lulled her to sleep fast.

"Ace?"

When she didn't answer Logan kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes too, swiftly drifting off to sleep with Rory in his arms.