Rory was sitting in the library trying to study, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Al she could think about was Logan. It had been a week since Robert left her in New York and Logan had become this amazing boyfriend. She couldn't be happier than she was right now. She decided to stop studying and head back to her room. She was closing her books and putting them back in her bag when she looked up and saw Marty standing over her. "Hey Marty." She says smiling widely
"Hey."
"It's been forever since I saw you last."
"I know. I'm sorry. I've been really busy. Trying to earn some extra money. You know since Christmas is coming up."
Rory sighed. "How is it possible that I hadn't even noticed it was December until right now?"
"Well it has been surprisingly warm for this time of year." Marty said
"Yeah it has." Rory said as they walked out of the library. A gust of wind hit her and chills ran through her. "That was until this very moment." Rory said pulling her jacket around her tighter
Marty smiled "You want to get a cup of coffee?"
"You read my mind." Rory said already headed in the direction of her coffee kiosk
xxxxxx
Rory and Marty are walking and talking both with smiles on their faces. "So what are you doing for Christmas?"
Rory sighed. "I normally go home to Stars Hollow, but me and Lorelai are kind of fighting, so I might go spend a few days in Hartford with my grandparents before going home to the uncomfortable encounters with mom."
"Why are you and Lorelai fighting?" Marty asked before ordering two coffees
Rory sighed. She hadn't told Marty anything about Logan yet. She was unsure how he'd take it. "It's a long story."
"I've got time." Marty said handing her a coffee
"Well you see…" Rory started before she felt someone grab her arm. She whipped around and saw the one person she really didn't want to see. "Let go of me." She said through gritted teeth not loud enough for Marty to hear
"Rory we need to talk." Robert said quietly and not releasing her arm.
"No we don't. Now let me go." Rory said a little louder this time gaining Marty's attention
"Is there a problem here?" Marty asked
"No. No problem. I just need to borrow Rory for a few seconds." Robert said pulling Rory away from Marty not giving her a chance to say no.
Rory jerked her arm out of Robert's grip. "What do you want?"
"We need to talk."
"Again I say no we don't. Now what do you want?"
"I want to apologize."
"For what. Tricking me into thinking you were a human being or abandoning me at night in New York with no way to get home and no clue where I was!" Rory yelled not noticing that Marty was still standing in earshot
"Look I'm sorry about leaving you in New York but you tricked me too." Robert said his voice getting louder as well
"What in the hell are you talking about?"
"You used me Rory!" Robert yelled
"I did not!" Rory yelled back
"You did to. You used me to get to Logan. You knew that if you had made him jealous enough he'd commit to you and stop the no strings attached thing you were already doing!"
"That is not why I was with you Robert!"
"I don't believe you!"
"I don't care if you don't believe me. Now I suggest you back away from me and stop trying to talk to me."
"Or what Rory? Your new boyfriend will beat me up? Tell me what would Logan think if he knew you were running around with some other guy?" Robert said pointing to Marty, "What would your boyfriend say to that?"
"Logan wouldn't care that I had coffee with Marty. He knows that Marty is just a friend. However you aren't and if he knows that you grabbed me…" she said missing the pained look on Marty's face
"You know, I wasted my time with you. You are nothing but a spoiled, selfish little bitch. You use people to get what you want and then when you do you're through with them." Robert said standing way to close to Rory
Her hand flew up and connected with his face. "That is not what I was trying to do. That is not who I am." She said through gritted teeth
"Well it worked didn't it. You have Logan all to yourself. Be careful Ror, you'll have a lot of new female enemies once they find out Logan's off the market." Robert said turning to walk away
Rory sighed and rubbed her arm where Robert had grabbed her. She could tell that there was going to be a bruise tomorrow. She walked back up to Marty who looked beyond hurt. "Are you ok?" he asked quietly
"Yeah I'm fine. Just a little sore. That guy's a jerk." Rory said softly
Marty looked down at her arm noticing that she had her sleeve pulled up and was rubbing her arm. "Well I guess you got him back. I heard you slap him all the way up here, plus he already looked like someone had beat his face in. I mean the bruises weren't fresh but they were still there…" Marty said babbling
"Yeah. I'm guessing it was either Finn or Logan that did that." Rory said absently
"So what's up with you and Logan?" Marty asked hoping that he had heard Robert wrong
"We're um… we're dating." Rory said softly knowing how he felt about Logan and his friends
Marty nodded. "I figured that would happen. It was obvious that he liked you and that you liked him."
Rory nodded. "He's really not that bad you know."
"I've dealt with people like him every weekend for the last year and half, Ror. Don't tell me what kind of person he is. I've bartended enough of his parties in particular to know enough to tell you that you need to be careful. I've never seen him at more than one party with the same girl." Marty said defensively
"Marty…" Rory started
"The guy's a jerk Rory. His friends are jerks. We used to agree on this what changed!"
"I got to know him. He's not a jerk and neither are Finn or Colin. Yes Robert is a jerk, but the bruises on his face are enough to show me that Robert's not considered a friend anymore."
"I just don't want to see this guy hurt you." Marty said
"You sound like my mother." Rory spat out
"I take it your fight with Lorelai was based on Logan then?"
"It doesn't matter what any of you think. Me and Logan are together and we're going to stay together."
"Do you really think he cares about you?"
"He loves me." Rory said defensively before walking away from Marty.
xxxxxx
"So, you got in a fight with Marty about Logan?"
Rory sighed. "Yes. No one will give him a chance."
Paris sat down next to Rory. "It'll get better. You and your mom will get over this fight. And once you realize that Marty's problem is really that he's in love with you and you're in love with Logan, it won't bother you so much that Marty won't approve of your relationship with Logan."
"What do you mean Marty's in love with me?"
"Rory why do you think that he reacted the way he did. He's jealous. He's always been calmly and patiently waiting in the wings for you and now you're finally over the whole Jess and Dean sagas and just when he thinks he might finally have a chance with you, you're with Logan."
Rory groaned and placed her head in her hands. Her sleeve riding up enough that the bruises were visible. "Rory what happened to your arm?"
Rory sat up straight and fixed her shirt. "Robert. He grabbed my arm. I don't think he meant to grab me that hard."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. I'm going to go lie down. Do me a favor and let Logan in when he gets here." Rory said looking at the clock. "He should be here around six."
"Yeah. No problem." Paris said as she watched Rory shut her bedroom door.
xxxxxx
Rory was awaked when she felt the weight on her bed shift. She rolled over coming face to face with Logan. "Hi."
"Hi." Logan whispered, "Are we taking a nap or going to dinner?"
"Either or, or both. What do you want to you?" Rory said scooting closer to him
Logan grinned reaching over her and pulling her flush against him. "I say we lay here like this for a little while and then get up to go to dinner."
Rory smiled. "I say it's a plan." They laid together wrapped up in each other's arms silently for a while. "Hey Logan?" Rory said after a while
"Hmm?"
"What are you doing for Christmas break?"
"I don't know. What about you?"
"I don't know. I normally go home but me and mom are still fighting…"
"Over me, which is a stupid reason to fight. You two need to make up."
"I know, but I'm right and she's wrong. Lorelai has a problem ever admitting that she's wrong."
"Well a bunch of us in the LDB usually go out of town until a few days before Christmas with Finn. He likes to go back to Australia during the holidays, since it's warm."
"Sounds fun."
"Have you ever been to Australia Ace?"
"Nope."
"You want to go with me and Finn?" Logan asked running his fingers up and down her arm
"Are you inviting me to spend Christmas with you in Australia?" Rory asked surprised
"I am." Logan said
"Is Robert going to be there?"
"No." Logan said, "Robert won't be there. He won't come near me or Finn."
"Finn won't mind?"
"Finn loves you. He'd love to get the chance to show you around Australia."
Rory smiled. "I'll think about it and let you know by then end of the week."
"Excellent." Logan said kissing her quickly on the lips
"I should probably tell you something." Rory said softly
Logan sat up. "What is it?"
Rory sat up next to him and pulled her sleeves up showing Logan the bruises. "Who did this to you?"
"I just want you to know that it was an accident…"
"Rory, who did it?" Logan asked his voice getting louder
"Robert." Rory said barely loud enough to be heard but he did
"I'll kill the bastard." Logan said getting up and putting his shoes back on
"Logan." Rory said getting up also
"No Rory. He hurt you. He left bruises on your body."
"He didn't mean to. He grabbed my arm when I was trying to walk away. Just leave it alone. He won't come near me again. He knows he bruised me."
Logan walked over to her and pulled her into his embrace. "I am so sorry."
"For what? You didn't make date Robert."
"I introduced you to Robert. This is my fault. If I hadn't introduced you to him then your arm wouldn't be black and blue right now."
"This isn't your fault. You can't blame yourself for the bruises on my arm, nor do I want you to go out and attack Robert for the bruises on my arm. I just want you to take me to dinner."
"And then I'm taking you home with me. I'd feel a lot better if you were with me tonight. Safe. Paris is bringing Doyle home tonight anyway."
AN: End of this Chapter… Next Chapter some Colin/Logan interaction