A/N: Okay, this chapter doesn't give you much Rory & Logan time, but it does give you a bit of background on Rory. It's basically mush, but good mush... I hope.

As always, "Read & Review" Please... Lots of comments mean you might get another chapter today... (oh yes, I'm attempting to bribe you!)

Eight

Their first date had been both an achievement and a total disaster. The tabloids had plastered pictures of both Rory and Logan, though not together, with headlines reading 'Dating!', 'Society's Hottest Duo!' and 'Power Couple!', each story having an 'insider close to the couple' having confirmed the now swirling rumor. Mrs. Holden had been a busy bee.

Rory was almost used to the press. So much had happened the year her mother had died and so much of it had been under public scrutiny.

That year had begun with a cryptic e-mail from her estranged father requesting a visitation 'to discuss important matters'. She barely knew Christopher, who had been immediately banished to Europe on the news of her mother's pregnancy, and Rory had only brief moments of his company throughout the years. So when she was bombarded at a luncheon by not only her father, but also the grandparents she had never met, she didn't know what to think. Apparently her grandfather, Straub, was retiring and leaving the company in Christopher's hands and as Christopher's sole heir a large portion of stock was being transferred to her and eventually the company itself.

To say that Rory had been stunned would be an understatement. Here was a large part of her genetic makeup, one that had been absent for so long, eating lunch with her. Apologies were exchanged, plans were made. Though the Hayden's now primarily resided in London, they still had a residence in Hartford since they conduct business on both sides of the Atlantic and they had invited Rory for dinner each time they had been back in the states.

Her mother had told her sometimes people just realized the importance in things at the most inopportune times and that Rory should proceed how she felt comfortable. So Rory decided to explore and expand on this new found relationship with her father and her grandparents. It was awkward at first, though soon Rory could see glimpses of the boy her mother had fallen in love with and sooner than she expected she was calling Christopher 'Dad' and getting a call at least once a week from him checking in. She'd also had a few dinners with the Hayden's and though they were still getting accustomed to paying attention to their only granddaughter they were definitely warming up. With all these new developments, she had felt comfortable enough to stick Lorelei Leigh Gilmore-Hayden on her application to Yale, embracing who she was always meant to be.

Soon the papers were exploding with stories about her family, her mother, her father and her; some of it wasn't nice, some of it was totally untrue but mostly everyone just wanted something from her. She felt like she was under a microscope, she wanted to run away, escape back into the small life her mother had created for her in Stars Hallow, but her mother made it clear that the cat was out of the bag and that Gilmore Girls do not back down. She had been tapped as the society's golden girl, a mixture of beauty, brains and, most importantly, a sizable fortune and she had to make the best of it. Eventually Rory had learned to ignore the bulk of it and to conduct herself in public very, very carefully.

She had gotten through her first year at Yale unscathed, achieving all A's and heading toward her dream of writing before disaster stuck. Her mother was ill, gravely ill, and she had somehow managed to keep it a secret from Rory while she had been away at school, not wanting to ruin her first year of college or worry her daughter.

Rory spent the first month of summer vacation caring for her failing mother, refusing to have nurses in the house for what Rory was capable of doing herself. They spent most of the days in bed, watching TV, laughing and talking like they had done since before Rory could remember, her mother wasting away day-by-day. The treatments had failed. Rory tried to keep her spirits up, only truly breaking down when she was alone in the shower or the car. She made use of the little time they had left together, writing daily on what they did, what funny things were said and what little pieces of off-the-wall advice her mother was famous for giving her.

Lorelei Victoria Gilmore, Lorelei the Second, died on a Tuesday in July and was laid to rest on a beautiful, blue-skied Friday. Her memorial was attended by hundreds though Rory could not remember a single one of them. She had never felt so desperately alone even though she was surrounded by people.

She'd been hounded by the press the second her mother had passed away, everyone looking to get a look at society's crowned princess in her deepest despair and Rory had spent weeks locked up avoiding the public. Part of her world had just crumbled into oblivion and all anyone wanted was a photo opportunity. She hated them and the fact that Rory was now intentionally trying to get their attention made her a bit sick to her stomach, even though they had accomplished what they were after.

On the other hand, Logan had changed drastically after Rory's almost tears: one minute he'd been holding her and the next he was distant and obviously tense. Upset Rory freaked him out apparently and she really couldn't blame him. He'd signed up for a fun night, even taking great lengths to assure Rory's good time at the coffee bar-bar. Despite her distress she had toughed the night out with Logan and his friends, meeting his friend Colin shortly after her episode of hysterics and even a few other random girls, though Rory knew she would most likely not see them again. The night had ended and the car ride had been unusually quiet, Logan clearly not his usual clever, snarky self, before he had dropped her off at her dorm.

She'd texted him that morning about the tabloids, wondering if he'd seen it, and so far she hadn't heard back. It was odd, the feeling in her stomach that was making her worry about Logan, like she didn't have the insurance of legal agreements on her side. He'd call, she knew it, but she was finding herself hoping that he actually wanted to call rather than it being part of their arranged obligations.

She was knee deep in Logan thoughts when her blackberry rang out its familiar tune and she reach for it.

"Ace," Logan's voice flooded her ears, "get on your computer."

"Right now?" she asked, searching her bedroom for her laptop.

"Yes please," he laughed.

"What am I doing on here?" Rory asked, knowing full well that Logan was up to something.

"Logging into Facebook," he replied and Rory punched in the address, knowing immediately what was coming.

It wasn't hard to miss the 'relationship confirmation' request as she logged in and her mouse hovered over the 'Confirm Relationship with Logan Huntzberger' button.

"People are going to be all over this Logan," Rory reminded him.

"I know." He sounded so sure, so confident, and Rory was beginning to really like that about him. When she paused, he pushed forward and when she doubted, he did it anyway. She closed her eyes, clicking her mouse. They were officially official.

"Done?" he inquired of her silence.

"Done," she replied, "what's next?"

"Dinner and a movie tonight?" he asked.

"Better idea," Rory said, deciding to put a little more effort into her role in this, "take out and a movie in?"

"Sounds great. Your place?" he asked, knowing she'd be more comfortable in her own space.

"Seven o'clock," she smiled.