A/N: I updated asap like I promised. I should get a cookie!! Lol. :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Rory takes the cans of paint to the clearing in the middle of the room while Lane rolls a large surface area in front of t the point. They both have on jean shorts with tee-shirts.

"I still don't see how this will help." Rory voices her doubts yet again.

"It helps to distress a person." Lane explains.

"Where did you hear that garbage?" Rory laughs.

"Logan." Lane responds simply. "And its not garbage."

Rory looks startled. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Huntzberger Logan?" Rory questions again. Lane ignores her. "When did you talk to him?"

"When you were flirting with Jess."

Rory thinks back to the party. "I was not flirting."

"Well he certainly was." Lane bends to open the cans of paint.

Rory sighs shaking her head. "He barely noticed me the entire time."

"So you say." She inputs.

Rory continues. "If that was the case he wouldn't have given a ride to half the women in New York." Beat. "Well the pretty ones anyway." She quotes, folding her arms as the doorbell rings. She opens the door and looks stunned and confused when she sees Logan. "Ah…w-what…" She starts. "Jess isn't here." It's the only thing she can think of.

He smirks. "Why would he be?"

Rory ignores the comment. "Then…I don't understand…what are you doing here?"

"I was invited." He says simply.

Before Rory can comprehend Lane appears behind her and pulls the door open wider. "Logan, hi." She greets. "Come in."

"What?" Rory exclaims. They both ignore her as Logan enters the room and takes off his jacket. Rory closes the door and pulls Lane across the room. "Is there something you want to tell me?" She asks, not bothering to lower her voice.

Lane looks apologetic. "Did I not mention that he was coming over?"

"Lane! Look at my face." She signals to her expression. "I think I would have remembered something like that!"

"I'm right here," Logan tells them. "And I'm pretty sure I'm not deaf."

"Do you mind we're kind of having a discussion." Rory says harshly.

"Should I leave?"

"No!" "Yes!" Lane and Rory both start at the same time.

"It seems we're at a stand still." He smiles.

Rory pulls Lane into her room leaving Logan in the living room. "It was his idea, I couldn't exactly not invite him." Lane starts.

"Why not?" Rory says without thinking.

"Rory, come on."

Rory sighs. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"What? No." Pause. "I don't know. Maybe?"

"Are you crazy?" Rory blows up. "He's not the commitment type."

"You don't know that." Lane counters.

"His answer proves that!" She quickly lowers her voice remembering he was outside.

"No it doesn't." Lane denies. "Besides, nobody is bigger of a player than Jess."

Rory looks stung, but quickly recovers. She sighs before going back into the living room with Lane on her heels. "So, Logan," Rory starts. "it is Logan right?" He smirks but doesn't answer knowing that she knows his name. "I never would've pegged you as the painting type."

"I never would've pegged you as a lot of things either. Guess we were both wrong."

Rory clenches her jaw but plasters a smile on her face nonetheless.

--

If they hadn't known any better they would never have guessed that this was the same room they had started in. Paint was splattered everywhere despite the tons of the newspapers they had spread out hours before.

Rory smiles. "That did make me feel better."

"Told you it would." Lane tells her.

"Apparently, we got a little carried away." Logan adds, bringing their attention to the mess in the room.

Rory's smile fades. "That totally just bummed me out."

Logan laughs. "Nice choice of words."

Now that Rory had actually talked to him she had to agree that he wasn't that bad. He was actually pretty nice and funny. Of course she would never tell Lane that. She did not need an another 'told you so'. She quickly comes out of her reverie looking back around the room.

"Guys come on. Now its time for the best part. Cleaning." She says sarcastically.

"How is that 'the best part'?" Lane questions anyway.

"Isn't that what maid service is for?" Logan asks.

Rory glares. "No, now come on." She starts putting the lids back on the remaining cans of paint, as Lane and Logan start gathering the newspapers on the floor. As soon as Rory "lids" the third can the doorbell rings yet again. She sighs before wiping her hands on her jeans and pulling the door open. Once again she looks stunned and confused upon seeing Jess.

"Jess…ah, what—" She struggles for words again. "Hi."

"Hi." He responds looking her over. "Did I…interrupt something?"

Rory looks down at her appearance. "No, no. This is just…paint." She says dumbly.

He smirks. "I can see that."

"Yes, unfortunately you can." Rory adds unnecessarily. "Um…did you—"

"I hope you don't think you're getting off that ease," Logan appears at the door and spots Jess. "Hey man." Jess nods. "Your girlfriend's not so bad Mariano. I take back all the negative things I said about her."

"What negative things?" Rory asks curiously ignoring the first part.

"Do you mind, we're kind of having a discussion." Logan mocks.

"Ha ha." Rory replies dryly, rolling her eeyes. "I'm not trying to get out of anything."

"If you're sure." He disappears back inside.

"That explains the paint." Jess signals to her clothes. Rory couldn't explain where all the tension had suddenly come from. She looks down at the space between them. "I guess I'll come back another time since you're busy." He says finally and backs away and walks back towards the elevator.

"What?" Rory quickly looks up. "Jess, wait!" She quickly follows. He turns around and faces her and suddenly she can't remember—doesn't know what to say. So she says the first thing that comes to her head. "What are you doing here, Jess?"

He shrugs pushing his hands inside his pockets. "I came to see if you wanted to catch a movie…"

"I like movies." Rory says unconsciously.

"Didn't know you had company," He shrugs again.

"I don't have company." Rory quickly realizes her blunder. "I mean I do, but, he's not my company—well he is because technically it is my room, but…" She trails off pondering how to explain. "…what I'm trying to say is I didn't invite him there. Lane did. I didn't even know about it until he showed up…I don't even like him." She quickly recovers. "I mean I don't hate him or anything, but, its more indifference, ya know?" She stops, gauging his reaction, but he's just looking at her. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all this but I just want…" She sighs. "I want you to understand and not get the wrong idea." She's wringing her hands now. "I mean I don't exactly know what you're thinking…" The magic words.

Jess comes out of his reverie. "What the hell am I suppose to think, Rory?" She looks taken aback. "The day of the accident you two were at each other's throats, but, I guess that was just the chemistry, right—"

"No, there was no attraction—no chemistry!" Rory quickly intervenes.

He ignores her. "Now I come over and he's there with you, doing God knows what!"

"I told you, Lane invited him and we were painting."

Jess chuckles. "He's not the painting type, trust me, he just wants to get in your pants." He presses the button on the elevator.

Rory looks taken aback. "He's your friend."

"Doesn't mean he's not a jerk."

Rory folds her arms and looks around the hallway. "Why does it matter what happened anyway?" She speaks up all of a sudden. "I mean…you're with tons of different girls every day and one guy who…I didn't even sleep with, who I don't even like, who's not even here for me and suddenly that's so wrong? I mean…it's not exactly like we're dating or we're together or anything." She sighs and looks down again.

He runs his hand over his jaw. "You're right." He enters the elevator and presses the ground floor button. "We're not together."

Rory watches as the elevator doors close and sighs and backs away reentering her suite. She closes the door and leans against it. Lane notices her entrance and frazzled appearance. "You okay?"

"Huh?" Rory look up, noticing them both looking at her. "Oh, I'm fine. Good." Lane nods and Rory pushes away from the door and continues to clean.

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A/N: Reviews make my world go round!! :D