There was a whole bunch of little things I wanted to address, and I think they all had to do with continuity, but if I read this chapter one more time I'm going to shoot myself. As a result, I say read this with a certain degree of imagination. Anything that technically wouldn't be realistic I'm probably aware of and knew it was a little hard to believe when I was writing it, but whatever that event may be, it needed to happen for the purposes of the story.

Cheers!

Rory woke late the next morning and it took her a few seconds to get her bearings. She took a few more minutes just to doze in bed before throwing on sweatpants and heading for coffee. The entire house was silent, a phenomenon that was scary and comforting at the same time. The first voices she heard when she was at the bottom of the stairs, turning the corner to head to the kitchen.

"More juice?"

That was Logan's voice and Rory wondered how long he'd been up.

"Please."

And that caught Rory's curiosity. She hoped Sophie and Logan were getting along and not just tolerating each other. After all, Rory spent a lot of time with Logan and she knew that the likelihood of them interacting was getting larger and larger. She peeked around the corner into the kitchen and felt any worries dissolve. A grin stretched over her face as she took in the scene.

Logan was filling a glass with orange juice, his own mug of the life-giving elixir of coffee steaming in front of another chair. Sophie sat, the paper spread open before her, chewing her lip like she often did when concentrating. It was a domestic scene that somehow warmed Rory's heart. Suddenly the weekend didn't seem like that bad of an event.

And brought back something her mother had pointed out. Rory trusted Sophie with very few and yet never once had she thought twice about leaving Sophie with Logan. Rory didn't even like Babette or Miss Patty babysitting Sophie and yet, both gossips had been Rory's babysitter as a child. Yet she agreed to let Logan, a man that had met the girl because he'd driven Rory to the hospital, a man that had known Sophie for a couple of hours,

"Good morning," she greeted them quietly as she stepped down into the kitchen.

"Morning, Ace. Have a seat and pick your favourite section."

Rory sat, wordlessly accepting the entertainment section Sophie passed her. Rory took some comfort in the little bit of colour that had come back to Sophie's cheeks, happy to see Sophie drinking lots of orange juice. Seconds later, a steaming mug of coffee was at her elbow. She looked up as Logan made his way around the table to reclaim his original seat.

He looked up once he was seated. "What? It's as black as can be, I promise."

Rory was slightly surprised. "You know how I take my coffee?"

Logan shrugged. "I've been having coffee with you for six months."

"You know how I drink my coffee," she repeated reverently.

Logan met her eyes. "Yes."

"All of my coffee?"

Logan refocused his attention on the paper in front of him, avoiding her gaze. "Yes."

"Prove it."

He looked up again with a sigh, sure that he was about to dig himself into a huge heap of trouble but he couldn't make himself turn down the challenge. "The first one is black, no ifs, ands or buts. Your second you add two creams. Then things get interesting. Third can have a tonne of chocolate or a hint of cinnamon depending on how good of a day you've had to that point. The fourth one has peppermint or caramel, which ever is available, but you prefer peppermint when you can get it."

Rory was stunned.

"Any other cup after that has one cream only," he finished nonchalantly, picking up the folded paper in front of him.

Sophie was the one to break the ice his revelation caused. "Are you done? I've been through the boring comics three times in the time it's taken you to go through the front."

Logan looked startled for a minute before handing over the paper.

"Thanks."

Rory looked at Logan's shocked face then to Sophie's serene one. Then she burst into side-cramping, convulsion-inducing laughter. It wasn't long before Sophie sniggered, giggled then joined Rory. Logan didn't hold out much longer. When Honour came down the stairs not fifteen minutes later and took in the scene, she couldn't stop her grin. It looked… domestic and the thought struck her as both terrifying and comforting. Nevertheless, she schooled her features into irritation.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Alright, missy, start talking. How's Soph?"

Rory smiled into her cell phone at her mother's demanding tone. "Apparently she and Logan watched Disney movies all day and she looks a lot better. Oh, and she's also Logan's new bff."

Lorelai gasped. "Did you just say bff?"

"I did."

"I'm appalled."

"Me too."

Lorelai waited a beat. "That's it?"

Rory looked down the beach where she sat, ensuring no one was around. Then she confessed, "He knows how I take my coffee."

"Who? What? Huh?"

"Logan," Rory tried again. "He knows how I take my coffee."

"If he knows one cup it's not a big deal," Lorelai said slowly.

"And I wouldn't be worrying about it if it was just the first cup, Mom. We're talking each and every cup, in order."

Lorelai let out a low whistle. "Wow."

"I know."

"This is big."

"I know."

"No one could ever get that right."

"Not even Lane or Paris."

"I can't even get it right."

Rory sighed. "Sophie was sitting reading the paper with him this morning."

"Sophie always reads the paper. She's you without being related to you."

"You're missing the point."

"You're freaking out."

"You were the one that insisted guys didn't do things like this unless they cared."

"Knowing how you take your coffee shows he's paying attention," Lorelai pointed out.

"Thank you."

"Sweetie, what's got you twisted out of shape? That he's solved the mystery or that he's taken the time to learn and observe something as tiny as how you take your coffee? Which, by the way, really isn't that tiny because we both live off of the stuff."

Rory looked down at her hand twisted at the hem of the sweater she wore. "While Honour spent the day chatting away while we were shopping, I couldn't stop thinking about Logan. Everything I looked at I wondered if he'd like it. What's wrong with me?"

"Rory," Lorelai said sympathetically. "There's nothing wrong with you, sweetheart."

"Then why won't it go away?" Tears of frustration were gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"How long have you known?"

Rory brushed away her tears. "Known what?"

"Logan's not just a friend to you, hon."

Rory's head shot up, looking across the water. "What?" she breathed.

Lorelai chuckled. "Denial isn't just a river in Egypt."

"Mom, you're crazy."

"I'm also right."

Rory bit her lip, thinking back on the ways her relationship with Logan had grown since their first meeting. She couldn't stop thinking about him, couldn't curb the heat that rocked through her when he touched her. She looked forward to their meals and their coffee as well as talking on the phone with him. She'd originally pegged him as a cocky asshole and while he still was, from what Honour spoke of, he acted differently around her. He wasn't the jackass everyone made him out to be. In fact, around her he was almost considerate.

"I can't."

"Right. You can't help who you're attracted to."

"I'm not denying I'm attracted to him. Who wouldn't be?"

"Touché. But this is different. There's more than physical attraction between you and Logan."

She sighed. "I can't I… we're friends."

"Any good relationship is founded on a strong friendship. Your father and I for example," Lorelai pointed out calmly.

"Thanks for helping."

"Anytime, honey. Now, Kitty's going to be home any minute with your dad, so I have to go."

"Bye Mom."

"Love you sweets."

"You too. Give my love to Kitty and Daddy."

She cradled the phone in her hands and looked at it after she hung up, allowing her mind to wander. She and Logan were incredibly close for a friendship that was six months old. She didn't trust Sophie's life with just anyone. But it was more than that.

There was the physical attraction that she couldn't deny. Logan was a gorgeous male specimen. There was no question about that. She couldn't help the heat that swamped her system when his hand touched her or the shiver that rippled up her spine when he shot her his half-smile-half-smirk.

She'd come to enjoy their time together. Part of her reason for not arguing with Honour about attending the party with her was because she knew he'd be there. He made her laugh until her cheeks ached and a stitch formed in her side. He left her speechless when no one but her mother could. She admired his ability to match her in wit…

Rory jumped and glanced up as a blanket covered her shoulders. She favoured Logan with a strained smile. "Hey."

"It gets cold out here at night," he chastised, sitting beside her and wrapping his arm closely around her without a second thought. "You and your mom get carried away, you should have brought a coat."

Rory hadn't realised she was cold until the blanket was over her shoulders and his hand was rubbing her arm. "Sorry."

"What's on your mind?" he asked her after a few minutes of silence.

She mentally cursed him for knowing her that well. "It's nothing."

"What did I do?"

Rory looked up at Logan in surprise and confusion. "You?"

Logan shrugged. "You've been acting funny since breakfast this morning. Honour said you were quiet all day and she had to call your name a couple of times to get your attention."

She sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind. You didn't do anything."

Logan was immediately concerned. "Everything's okay at home, right?"

"What? Yeah, of course!"

"Okay, so it's either work or a guy."

Rory met his worried eyes. "It could be the amount of money I spent today."

Logan chuckled. "No. Honour said you spent next to nothing, even for you."

She cracked a smile. "Okay, so how little I spent. I passed up a really cute pair of shoes."

"It can't be work because you're not doing any, which narrows it down to a guy."

Rory groaned. "In all honesty, Logan, can we just not talk about it?"

Logan was slightly puzzled. "Sure…"

"I just… My mom gave me food for thought, that's all. It's…"

"Something you can't talk through until you've processed it, I get it."

She met his eyes and held them intensely. "You've been the greatest friend, Logan."

He grinned, pulling her closer to his side and kissing her hair. "What can I say? I'm a really nice guy."

Rory chuckled at his arrogance. "I was being serious."

"So was I," he immediately responded. "You ready to go in?"

She looked up at him for a second, then down the empty beach. Then she cocked her head to the side. "Walk with me?" She couldn't make herself let go of the time they'd created to have to themselves.

He paused, even though he knew there was little he could deny her when she was upset like this. "Okay."

Honour was up with Sophie when they got back and Rory immediately ushered the little girl up the stairs lecturing her about the importance of sleep when sick. It left the Huntzberger siblings alone in front of a blazing fire and Honour couldn't hold back any more.

"What are you doing, Logan?"

"Sitting on the couch?" Logan replied in confusion.

"No, Logan, what are you doing with Rory?"

Logan met her eyes, his own shining in blatant confusion. "Sorry?"

"You take her out for coffee, you make sure she gets to the hospital, risking your own neck in the process, you volunteer to baby-sit a sick eight-year-old when you dislike kids and when it means giving up a date that would most likely put out so she can have a weekend of relaxation… what are you doing?"

"We're friends, Honour, that's it," Logan defended.

"Just friends? That's bullshit, Logan. You flirt with her, yet keep your distance. You actually like her."

"Of course I like her. I wouldn't hang out with her otherwise."

"More than that."

"Honour…" The tone of his voice was warning.

"No, Logan, I'm sick of this," she shot back forcefully. Then she sighed, "Look, before she went to coffee with you the Monday after the first fundraiser you sponsored, I told her to be careful with you. She laughed at me, and now you guys see each other more than I see you, and I'm family. I know Rory's a big girl and she can take care of herself and make her own decisions, but I can look out for my best friend's heart.

"So what I'm going to tell you is this: Rory's not a fling type of girl. She deserves to be treated like a queen, not a flavour of the week. If you're going to do anything with her – and don't even try to deny it, even though I know you get a kick out of lying to yourself – then you damn well better think it through. If you decide to go for broke, then you have to give her and tell her everything."

"I'm her friend, Honour. That's it," Logan repeated.

Honour rolled her eyes, then caught her brother's relentlessly. "Make a decision and make it fast because other guys want her and whether she realizes it or not, she's waiting for you." Then she moved to sit beside him, taking his hand in her own. "She's good for you, Logan. Take a leap of faith. Tell her about Catherine." With that, she stood and headed for the stairs, saying a simple good night to Rory on her way up.

The brunette looked from brother to sister before moving to stand in front of Logan. "Everything alright?" she asked softly.

Logan met her concerned baby blues and felt his stomach calm. Rory Hayden, his Ace, had certainly caught and held his attention longer than any other woman with the exception of Steph. Even Colin and Finn had noticed that she spent more time with her than he did with the guys.

She was interesting with a wide variety of interests and knowledge. Conversation between them rarely lulled and when it did, it was met with comfortable silences that neither minded. He could tease her about anything without her getting royally offended.

But above all else, Rory was real. Sure, she could take on society with the best, but Logan knew she preferred low-key nights at home with movies and junk food than the parties his mother lived to plan. She was an heiress of two huge fortunes, yet she spent that money on charity and work rather than frivolous things like many of the society women that his mother threw at him did. He knew that if he decided to take Honour's advice and share everything with Rory, start a relationship with her, it wouldn't be so she could exploit his name or his money. It would be about him.

"Logan?"

He snapped out of his thoughts to see an adorable frown on her face. He smiled. "I'm good, Ace," he replied, then he opened his arms. "Join me?"

She didn't think twice about curling up against him and Logan found, not for the first time, that Rory felt good in his arms. And just like that his decision was made. He could almost feel the shift in their relationship. He'd tell Rory about Catherine and pursue a relationship with her.

Living in denial was never healthy.