Four

She knew that he was completely thrown off guard by her answer. No one in their right mind would ever agree to something so antiquated and old-fashioned, yet the moment she really started thinking about what they had had asked of them, the more excited Rory had become.

This was her chance for escape, to be left alone, because if her grandparents thought she was busy with one Logan Huntzberger they might leave her be, if even just for a year. The best was there would be no more pressure of dating, of parading her around like she was the prize mare, or surprise dinner parties with nothing but eligible bachelors. This could actually help her.

"I'm sorry," he looked at her confused, "I swore you just said you thought we should agree to that garbage!"

"Here me out Huntzberger, if we do this, we have a year of peace, a whole year. I could finish Yale without being bombarded with the life that is Gilmore-Hayden and you could finish Yale doing, well, whatever it is that you do there. Just because we are agreeing to their deal, doesn't mean we have to play by their rules. We can make our own. We can fake this," she finished.

"Have a fake relationship," he replied and she nodded. "Us?" he questioned.

"No, the other two people in there that were being taken to the sacrificial table," she snipped, "yes Logan, us."

"No one would believe that," he shrugged his shoulders.

"And exactly why not?" she retorted, his attitude increasing her agitation.

"Do you even know my reputation?" he asked. "No one in their right minds would think that we were a couple. I don't do girlfriends."

"Fine then," she started, folding her arms over her chest. "You can just march right in there and tell them no deal. Then you can turn over your AMEX Black Card, the BMW, the yacht, oh, and your multimillion dollar trust fund. Go ahead; I'll be right behind you because, in case you didn't notice, there was no mention of my trust or inheritance Logan. If you decline, I'm sure Richard and Emily will be on the phones with the next in line on their wealthy friends list, whereas, I'm the answer to your parent's prayers. I'm their last resort and your best chance."

"You're crazy. In fact, this whole thing is crazy," he said, sitting on the stone bench, burying his face in his hands.

"I know," she nodded, "but your family is fed up with the life you lead Logan, I haven't even met you and I know what sort of trouble you get into. I'm apparently your golden ticket to redemption. The sweet, innocent, poster child of Society" she mocked, using her hands to frame her face, "and though I might be new to it, I'm welcomed with open arms, you however, are treading on very thin ice."

"So what's your plan?" he asked, knowing whole heartedly that she was right.

"We agree to their deal and whatever terms and conditions they come up with. We go back to Yale. We do what we do; only occasionally, we do it together."

"We have sex?" he questioned, eyebrows raised.

"What?" she replied, taken completely off guard, "no, that's not what I said."

"You said we do it together," he grinned.

"Seriously Logan?" she responded completely flabbergasted, amazed at his one track mind.

"I'm just saying, that is part of a relationship you know, sex," he reasoned.

"Not this one," she reminded him.

"See, that's what I'm talking about! For the past three years I've been one way, suddenly that is supposed to change. Face it Gilmore, no one will believe this is serious if I'm not sleeping with you," he reasoned.

"Then we'll fake that too," Rory responded.

"I'm sure you're great at faking that," he quipped, closing his eyes again and pinching the bridge of his nose."

"You know Logan, if you have a better idea, then I'm all ears. Because this is the best we've got right now. To go along with this, to fool our families into thinking they've gotten their way, because if we do, we get to finally shut them up!"

She watched him, the cogs turning in his brain, knowing he was attempting to think of anything that might circumvent the task in front of them, yet he remained quiet. He knew as well as she did there was no plan B, all they had was giving in to their families plan A, but doing it under their own conditions.

"So, back to your plan," he asked.

"When we get back to Yale, we go out on a few dates, attend all the high profile functions. I'll tell my grandparents how wonderful you are, how well this is actually turning out. You'll tell your parents that I'm amazing and a relationship was the best thing that could have happened to you. In a few months, when people start to think we should be," she blushed, "sleeping together, we'll take turns staying at each other's dorms. It'll be awkward, but we'll manage. I mean, we can at least be friends."

"And what about the real sex I'm going to want to have?" he asked, completely serious. "Certainly you aren't expecting celibacy," he clarified.

"Logan, no one in that room expects you to be faithful to me, they will however expect discretion," she explained. "Complete and total discretion," she reiterated, "because if you get caught 'cheating', I'll only be able to forgive you once, maybe twice before people become suspicious and who knows that consequences lie in breaking the deal."

"You are serious about this aren't you?" he asked once more, unable to hide his shock at her put-together plan as well as her conniving.

"As a heart attack," she responded. "You'll have to play the doting boyfriend, unusual for you I know, but in the end I think we could do this. We can meet up back at Yale and go over some specifics, but heck, half the time we spend together you could be playing video games and I could be doing homework. They aren't going to want a play-by-play of our time together as long as we are together. We'll just let them assume."

He stared at her for a few short moments and she knew he was reviewing all that had been said, it was now of never and he was going to do this or he wasn't.

"So we have a deal?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Ace, the whole time in there I thought you had lost it and turned into one of the 'Stepford Wives' and all along you were rounding up a rebellion and getting ready for combat," he smiled. "I like you more already," he added, sticking his hand into hers.