Thanks for the reviews everyone! It seems like I got a team Lorelei and a team Rory among fans. I am more team Rory, I mean in this story, but they both have a case. I mean, Rory did run away with a reckless guy over the summer, not quite something a mother wants. However, Rory feels that her mother should have rose above and still communicate with her even if she didn't like her living in New York. Rory feels by that if she ever does something her mother doesn't like or does something different than the plan, and then her mother won't talk to her. In Lorelai's defense Lorelai doesn't know how to deal with the conflict every well, and is used to cutting people off whenever she disagrees with them. It's a pattern she has had through out the series. Also Rory doesn't like Lorelai's judgmental tendencies, and assumptions. These are things she is realizing now. Now, some might not like Lorelai and Rory having a strain relationship and I get that. However, I feel they need to go through this and despite all the problems that appear just remember that they both love and miss each other. Any way also this story is not a BB or a JJ Lorelai will be with Luke because that's who she was with according to the timeline, even though I do prefer her with Chris. This story does not delve much into Lorelai's love life.

August 25, 2004

Lorelai was looking out of the window at her parents' house. It looked like Rory and Logan were about to kiss and Lorelai felt like hurling. Emily went behind her, "Seriously, what is your problem?"

"My problem is that my daughter who for almost twenty years was my entire life has decided to disown me, and now she looks like she is going to kiss some guy I don't even know." Lorelai was just about to cry. She couldn't believe all the accusations Rory had thrown at her that evening. Rory had the actual nerve of comparing her to her parents. She had given Rory all kinds of choices as a child, she had never forced Rory to curtsy, drink tea, and go to boring stuffy meetings. She had let Rory enjoy her childhood.

"Well, it looks like they're gone now" Emily stated and turned to her daughter. "But really, Lorelai, you didn't exactly make a good effort on getting to know Logan. You of all people should know that if you disapprove so strongly against a relationship it will only bring them closer together. Seriously, what if he tells his mother? You know she works on the hospital board with me."

"Mom, please" Lorelai said weakly. "I'm not in the mood to hear how once again I have embarrassed you. I'm going to go home, and try to talk to Rory." Lorelai started to make her way towards the front door when Emily stopped her.

"You know, Lorelai, you're going to keep on losing her if you keep acting this way" Emily said calmly but Lorelai took offence.

"Acting what way?" She asked slightly raising her voice. "Maybe I overacted about the whole Logan thing, but I was jealous of seeing my perfect daughter being close to someone else and ignoring me."

"This isn't just about Logan; you seem to be quite disappointed when Rory does things that aren't your way." Lorelai felt very enraged, after all her mother was in no position to tell her that she was controlling. It felt like the pot calling the kettle black.

"What do you mean, Mom?" Lorelai stated angrily.

"Remember when you had a ruckus when Rory wanted to go to Yale over Harvard? You immediately got mad, and accused us of manipulating Rory."
"Mom! That was a long time ago and I didn't cause a ruckus. I was just a little surprised. I mean, after all Rory talked about Harvard for 18 years" Lorelai defended herself.

"Who introduced her to Harvard?"

"I did, but I didn't force her to attend."

"No, but you influenced her, you wanted what was best for your daughter. I understand that. I wanted what was best for you as well. However, the difference is, you had a daughter who wasn't a derelict. The difference is, you never thought she one day would rebel."

"Mom, she ran away with a guy who was not good enough for her! What was I suppose to do? Throw her a party?"

Emily laughed. "I remember saying something like that nineteen years ago. You ran away as well Lorelai, and took our granddaughter away from us."

"My reasons were different. I felt like I could not be myself in this house."
"Oh here you go blaming your childhood again" Emily said and couldn't help but be a bit upset. "But look at least when I found out where you were I still tried to communicate with you. You were the one who always put Rory on the phone to avoid talking to me."

"Mom I really don't want to rehash the past right now!" Lorelai had no idea what this had to do with the current situation between her and Rory.

"What Rory wanted was for you to still communicate with her even though you did not like what she was doing. "

Lorelai was amazed at her mother's perception, but she wasn't going to admit that maybe she might be right. "Mom, look, I appreciate your concern, but Rory and I will be fine. I'm sorry about dinner tonight. I'll see you next week."

Emily could tell that her daughter was on the verge of tears, but she didn't know how to reach out to her. "Very well, I'll see you next week."

Lorelai nodded and got into the jeep. She started to heavily cry about the relationship with Rory she lost, and the things that she didn't realize through the years.

Later that night

"So how does it feel to eat an entire piece of mud pie?" Juliet said enviously.

"Very good Juliet, you should try it."

"Oh no, it will totally ruin my completely good metabolism for my life plan."

"Oh yes, we wouldn't want that. But seriously, Juliet, just eat something. It's so annoying that every time we eat you have to stare at us and ask questions." Colin replied in a very annoyed tone.

"What can I say; I live vicariously through you guys." Rory laughed, thankful her metabolism was good.

She and the gang were all at the Rich Man's Shoe pub. Logan had made sure she had a nice piece of desert, since they had skipped out on it earlier that evening. She shuddered at the memory. How could her mother be so critical, and so rude to someone she didn't even know?

"Rory are you okay?" Logan's voice seemed to snap her out of her trance. "I'm fine; I just had a very tough night."

"So did I love, but a good drink cures me."

"Finn, getting shoot down by Rosemary for the 100th time, and having to look at the sun hardly qualifys as a bad night." Colin piped in.

"Finn hates the sun?" Rory asked unbelieving but grinned widely.

"Yeah, Finn's like a vampire; only living for the night, and corrupting the ladies." Logan said grinning.

"Hey, I resent that, and I'm going to go get another drink."

"Bring one for me too, I just severed ties with my mother" Rory said.

"Oh, that calls for something extra strong."

Logan turned to her. "That better be your only drink. I know how easily alcohol affects you." He really cared about her.

"Logan, I can take care of myself. I don't need a sponsor."

"Yeah, but I know you better, you just had a big fight with your mother. You just want to numb yourself. I've been there."

"Is it such a bad thing, Logan?"

Logan looked at her melancholic beautiful eyes; he knew that he would be a hypocrite if he would say no. "No, it's not, but don't be bitching at me when you have a big headache and your head feels like Big Ben tomorrow.''

"I won't." Rory promised smiling.

Logan was dragging Rory into their hotel room. He had just opened the door when Rory said, "Why did you take me away from the pub, Logan? I was having so much fun."

"Because it's three o'clock in the morning, and you were having way too much fun by dancing on tables with Finn."

"Wow, I partied until three am, and danced on tables. Wait till Lorelai hears that about her perfect daughter." Rory was slurring her words.

"Well, you better get to bed. You can have the big one and I will take the couch." Rory fell back on the bed still fully clothed. Logan went and changed into his boxers and a tee shirt. He then suddenly heard Rory's soft voice calling out and faltered. "Logan."

"Yeah Ace?"

"Stay with me, please?" She seemed to put her hands to the other side of the bed.

Logan debated if that was a good idea, especially about the danger of the almost kiss that happened. However, just looking at her he caved and crawled into bed to her holding her close. He put the covers on them so they wouldn't be cold.

"Logan?" Rory mumbled. "Jess never held me like that."

"This bastard didn't know what he had."

Rory didn't answer. She immediately fell asleep after that.

August 26, 2004

Rory woke up her head hurting and she felt disoriented since the bed she was in wasn't familiar. She noticed Logan was next to her and had his arm firmly around her waist. She was relieved that once again they appeared to be fully clothed. And then she remembered herself doing shots with Finn the night before. She was vastly ashamed that she had allowed herself to get so inebriated. Coming to think of it from the blur that was last night she remembered she had danced on tables singing Journey's Don't Stop Believing. What a crazy night. She glanced at Logan's sleeping form. He looked so peaceful like an angel, unlike his normal mischievous self. Her stomach did butterflies at the feelings of what she felt during their almost kiss. She remembered that lucidly from last night. She kept wondering why Logan pulled away. Wasn't she pretty enough for him? Did he find her too emotionally damaged from her past relationships and her relationship with her mother? Rory tried to shook those thoughts out of her mind. She really needed to take a shower, because she smelled like a brewery. Her mascara was also smeared across her face. However, she didn't want to leave the comfort of Logan's arm around her. Thus, her hung over self decided to sleep a bit more in the comfort of Logan's arms.

Logan opened his eyes. Yesterday had been a really long day of drama. He looked at the clock and realized it was almost noon. Rory seemed to be dead asleep and he figured from all the drinks she had had last night she would spend half the time nursing a hang over. He suddenly remembered a remedy that he learned from Finn that his friends called the Finn antidote. He hated to leave her warmth, but he knew he needed to go in order for his Ace to be able to make it through the day.

Fifteen minutes later Rory woke up having a headache the size of Big Ben as she remembered Logan telling her the night before. She suddenly felt her body feeling very cold and noticed that Logan wasn't there. Rory panicked and suddenly felt the flash back when Jess had left her all alone. She was about to call one of his friends when she found a note, and two aspirins on top of the table with a glass of water. The note said: "Went to get some supplies, but I will be back soon." Rory breathed a sigh of relief, and gratefully and slowly took the aspirins. She couldn't believe she had thoughts of Logan abandoning her and she could also not believe that after being gone just for a few minutes she already missed him.

After a nice long shower Rory went into the living room of their hotel suite. She saw Logan pouring some weird red liquid into a glass. He then handed it to Rory.

"What do you expect me to do with that?" She asked with a disgusted look on her face.

"Drink it, it's the best hung over remedy. Finn introduced it to Li, I mean the gang, years ago. It's simply just tomato juice mixed with a little bit of lemon juice. We even named it the Finn antidote. I went over to Colin's and he made some for you" Logan explained with a smile on his face.

"Logan, I appreciate the thought but it looks disgusting, and I don't eat anything healthy, remember?"

"Come on, Rory. How are you feeling hung over wise?

"A little bit better but my head hurts, and I just want to sleep all day, but I can't. I have to go to Stars Hollow, and be back in the city by tonight."

"See, Rory, and with the Finn Antidote you will be able to be clear of a headache in just 30 minutes" Logan said smiling.

Rory laughed. "Logan you sound like you were selling a product on TV."

"I'm serious, Ace. Ask all of my friends, it really does cure the hung over better than coffee and aspirin. Besides, didn't you tell your mom you wanted to be your own person? Wouldn't your own person want to try new things that are different than the Gilmore code, which you keep telling me about? So drink up Ace."

He had a point there. "Fine Logan, you sold me there." Rory drank slowly. It wasn't as disgusting as she thought but still not very tasty. When Rory finally finished drinking she tried to clear her throat so she wouldn't throw up. "Logan this better be good or I will ask you for a refund."

2 hours later

Rory was on a bus to Stars Hollow. It turned out she didn't need to ask Logan for a refund for the antidote because her head was completely cleared miraculously. She couldn't believe how Logan tended to be right most of the time. Of course she would never tell him that because it would get his incredibly large head to explode. That boy could be so full of himself sometimes. Rory started to smile as she remembered how adorable and sexy it could be as well, but she tried to push these thoughts away. She couldn't think of Logan like that. Yesterday with the almost kiss was just a crazy fluke, which she vowed never to repeat. Rory looked out of the window of the Bus at Stars Hollow. It never changed, it still looked the same as the last time she had been there. It was something she and her mother had always said. Every time they had come back from a trip they always had expected the town to change but it never did. However, Rory noticed that this time it was herself who changed, and not everything else. Rory was going to try new things, take more risks, and be less judgmental, and maybe even try health foods. Although Rory seriously doubted the health food part. She spent most of her life in Lorelai's shadow and she needed to find her own way. She got her bags up since she was getting off at the next stop. She laughed at how Logan had tried to convince to her to not take the bus saying that the bus was filled with rabies. Rory had laughed as it reminded her of something Paris Geller had said years ago. Rory needed to make the last visit to her childhood home on her own.

Lorelai was sitting on the couch with tears in her eyes. She had talked to Luke earlier and he had told her that Rory would come around, and she should try harder to talk to her. And if that didn't work he would offer to kidnap her from Logan's and tie her to a chair. Lorelai smiled and was grateful to have him there for her. However, he didn't get it that this time her and Rory's relationship was more then some simple fight that they could work out.

Suddenly Rory walked through the living room and she looked at her mother's state in concern, but she wasn't going to go and comfort her. Instead she simply asked: "Mom, are you going to be okay?"

"I guess I will" Lorelai said sadly and sighed. "Look, I really am sorry about my behavior towards Logan last night. I just thought that once you got back on track things would be back to normal. However, they weren't and I used Logan as a scapegoat."

"Well I do accept your apology, but you have to understand things can't simply go back to the way they were before." Rory said seriously.

"Look, I know that I might have influenced your choices, but I didn't realize it. I'm sorry if I did that." She really wanted her daughter back.

"Mom I love you, and it's great that you realize some of the things I was telling you all summer. However, if we go back to being best friends we're going to run into the same pattern. Of me wanting to do certain things my way, and you are going to keep getting disappointed. I just really don't trust you" Rory tried to explain her point of view.

"Okay I understand. But isn't there a way you can still talk to me? I mean I don't want to lose you. You're my life. You're my daughter and I love you." Lorelai started to cry and Rory realized that she was being a bit too harsh, but she could not completely back down.

"We can try calling each other once a week, but I can't visit you right now. That's all. That if you promise to call Logan and apologize to him."

"Okay." She'd do anything right now.
Rory took pen and paper and wrote down. "You have a week to make that phone call."

"Why is he so important to you?" Lorelai asked quietly.

"Didn't you listen at all to me last night? He is my best friend, and has been my support system all summer."

"Okay I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I'm just jealous that you found someone to confide in. Well the keys to your car are at the top of the kitchen."

"Thanks Mom." When Rory went inside her room she felt sad that her relationship with her mother had crumpled, but happy to make small progress with her. Rory had quietly packed all her remaining clothes, CD's and photo albums. She looked through her bedroom sadly, knowing that it would be the last time in a long time that she would be in a room that had been her sanctuary for years. She knew that she needed to move past her childhood. Plus she knew that her mother would not convert her room into a sewing room and that it would still be there when she decided to visit again.

Later Rory went into Luke's because she figured she could use some of the sweet familiar blend of coffee before she hit the road. She could also say hi to Lane before she left. Although part of her was filled with dread, since Luke was the nephew of her ex and had probably taken Lorelai's side if he'd heard about their issues. Nevertheless, Rory walked through the door, and felt slightly nostalgic as she heard the familiar sound of the jingling bells. The second she walked into the Diner people turned and stared at her. Rory shook her head. The town would never change. She quickly went to the counter before Babette and Miss Patty could come up to her and try to gossip.

Luke smiled when he saw her, although he was unsure of what to say to her since he knew about the tension she and Lorelai were having, and he also wondered if Lorelai had told her about their relationship. Thus, he decided for now to stick to coffee.

"So I take it you're here for coffee?"

"Yes, the usual, Luke" Rory smiled.

When Luke came back with the coffee he asked Rory: "So are you here for a long visit?"

"No, I just came to get some things from home, since I'm not going to be visiting home in a long time." Rory said quietly.

"What? You're not coming back to Stars Hollow at all?" Luke asked sadly.

Rory thought about it. "No, I will come to visit Lane and maybe have coffee sometimes. I'm just not going to come home for awhile. I mean, Mom and I are just going to talk on the phone and see each other at my Grandparents house for now."

"I don't understand how you and your mom can't go back to being best friends." Luke said genuinely sad.
"It's complicated, Luke, but I don't want you or Lane to take sides. What is happening between me and my mom is between me and my mom." After all taking sides was a Lorelai thing Rory did and that was something Rory didn't want to do.

"Well, I'm a little worried about you staying with some guy that Lorelai says is no good."

Rory felt herself getting angry since she hated people talking bad about Logan. "Luke, I know my mom is your friend, but she is not the best judge of character. All Logan has done is being there for me, and mom can't see that all because I didn't come home and said she was right after your nephew was a real jerk to me. Jess is the guy who is no good, not Logan." Rory knew she was being a little harsh, and she didn't want to badmouth Jess to Luke but she couldn't help it.

"Oh Rory, I'm sorry about Jess. I should have tried harder to keep him away from you. I know I originally wanted him to be with you because I thought you would be good to him, but I was wrong."

"Luke it wasn't your fault, we both thought he could change and that ended up hurting us. I'm sorry I brought Jess up, I didn't want to sabotage your guys relationship. It's just that Logan's friendship is so important to me, that I hate seeing it criticized."

"Well I guess I'm sorry about what I said about it. I guess it's hard to disbelieve the woman I am dating."

Rory almost spit out the coffee she was drinking. "What? Dating? How long?"

Luke cringed. He'd said too much. Lorelai would kill him. "Well," he began, figuring that sticking to the truth would be best. "We first kissed at the test run back in late June, and then I went to help Liz for six weeks. We haven't been able to go on a date yet, but Lorelai assures me it will definitely happen. Plus we had a few fights about Jess but we made up."

Rory could not believe that in all the phone calls from Lorelai over the summer she didn't say one thing about her new relationship with Luke. Instead, Lorelai was too busy playing jilted best friend to really talk to her. However, Rory tried to remember their partial truce that morning.

Rory smiled politely and said. "It's okay Luke. I'm happy for you guys. I trust you that you won't hurt her; as a matter of fact it's her you need to watch out for. I love her but she is a heartbreaker."

"Well I'm going to make sure that that doesn't happen."

Rory looked at her watch. It was four o'clock and she needed to go because it would be a long ride back to the city. She turned to Luke and started to get money out of her purse, but Luke stopped her and said smiling, "It's on the house."

Rory smiled. "Well, then goodbye and try and make her happy. She will definitely need that now."

"I promise to do that."

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Logan was watching TV when he heard the phone ringing. "Hello?" He said without looking at the caller ID.

"So man, why did you ditch us today?" Colin said not even bothering to greet his best friend.

Logan sighed. "Because Daddy Dearest demand that I attend a boring function, and I had to buy a dress for Rory."

"Poor thing, but I believe Rory will make it all better." Logan could tell that Colin's tone was full of innuendo.

"Colin, I don't think about her like that." Although to be honest he was thinking about her more like that lately, but he wanted to suppress it and he definitely didn't want Colin and Finn going on his case about that.

"Keep telling yourself that" Colin said obviously not believing his friend. "Anyway, are you at least coming to the LBD initiation next week?"

"Have I ever missed a LBD event?" Logan smiled. He loved LBD events; stunts, parties, and friends.

"Good to see you haven't become a corporate drone." Colin said sarcastically.

"Me? Never!" He laughed than changed the topic. "Look, I was wondering if Ace would make a good Life and Death Brigade candidate."

"Um, Logan, new members have to be approved a month before." Colin reminded him.

"I know that but I think Ace will make a good member, besides she is a legacy; her grandfather was in it."

"Well… okay then just make sure she doesn't tell anyone about it." Colin said reluctantly agreeing.

"Don't worry, she won't. She is very trustworthy" Logan assured him.

"Awww, the way you talk about her is so sweet." Logan could see Colin's wide grin through the phone.

"Colin, please."

Suddenly the door opened and Rory walked in. "Colin, I have to go. Ace is here."

"Man, you are so whipped!" Colin said laughing. "I never thought you would be the first one in a committed relationship. I always thought it would be Finn and Rosemary."

"Colin, you don't know what you're talking about." Logan quietly hung on up the phone after that. His loved his friends, but they could be so nosy sometimes.

Rory went to put her bags on the ground. "Sorry that I'm a little late, Logan. I stopped at Luke's to get coffee and traffic was impossible."

"I know. That's why I never use my Porche in the city." He said smiling. "So how did your visit to Stars Hollow go?"

"Better then I thought it would be" Rory said. "My mom and I decided to talk once a week if she apologizes to you. So you will be expecting a call if she is recognizing some of her mistakes. I'm just a little hurt that she didn't tell me she was dating Luke."

"The guy who works at the Diner?"

"Yeah, he has always had a thing for her."

"What about your mom?"

"I don't know" Rory said honestly. "There were times when I thought she did. I mean, I'm happy for them, I just wish mom hadn't been so closed off with me this summer and told me about it."

"You're allowed to be upset, Ace."

"Well that enough of it, let's just focus on the fact that I have absolutely nothing to wear to this thing tonight. " Rory started to panic. In all the drama she had forgotten to find something to wear.

"I would look on your bed before you decide you have nothing to wear." Logan smiled.

"Logan what are you talking about?" Rory was looking at him in confusion.

"Didn't I promise you a dress?"

"I didn't think your were serious."

"Ace, I'm always serious as a heart attack."

"Well I do find evidence to the contrary of that statement."

"Ace, just shut up and take a look in your room."

"Fine, but it better be good."

Rory went into her room and saw a white box with a pink bow on her bed. She curiously opened the box and inside found a classy and elegant low cut black dress. It was one of the prettiest dresses Rory had ever seen. Rory gasped when she saw at the label of the dress. It was Dolce and Gabbana. These dresses tended to cost a fortune. Rory immediately tried on the dress and it fitted very well. That dress could make the most insecure person feel secure about their body. Logan was right again. He did have a freaky talent for dress sizes.

An hour or two later Logan was sitting in the foyer looking at his watch. He would never understand why it took women so long to dress and groom. When Rory finally walked in Logan's eyes turned towards her and he was mesmerized. The dress fit more perfectly than he had ever imagined. He loved the way the diamond necklace she wore would enhance the dress and the blue in her eyes. He loved the way her hair was curled against her shoulders. Logan kept trying to think of un-sexy things like baseball to let go of all these thoughts but it didn't work.

"Like what you see Logan?" Rory smiled loving the way Logan was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She couldn't remember Dean and Jess ever looking at her like that. Her heart was also pounding at how hot Logan looked in a tux, and how sexy his messy tousled blond hair was. However, these butterflies needed to be murdered. Neither of them was aware of how in that moment the both of them were fighting the urge to grab and kiss each other senseless.

It was finally Logan who broke the silence. "Ace, you look breathtaking tonight. Heads will turn everywhere you walk."

"You're very handsome as well Logan, but I'm not going to say heads will turn because that will cause your ego to explode." She said smiling wide.

"Ace I'm hurt." Although he loved the way she wouldn't fall at his feet.

"Such a shame Logan" Rory said sarcastically. "Now let's go."

Logan put a hand on her back. Murdering the butterflies in his stomach was definitely not easy with this girl.