A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! This chapter will make you all very happy. That's all I'm saying. Enjoy!

You're Shitting Me

Rory pulled on her dress, feeling the first genuine surge of anticipation of the day. Logan and her were going to another society party. They had been to several during the duration of their marriage, but this would be the first party they attended as a united front. Before they would come but Rory would always have her sharp remarks ready. Her defenses were down now. Finally.

"Ace, hurry up!" Logan called. "We're going to be late."

"I'm a Gilmore!" She yelled back. "We're always late."

Logan opened the door and she gasped.

"You're lucky I'm dressed," she joked breathlessly.

"You're a Huntzberger now, Ace. And Huntzbergers are never late."

She narrowed her eyes. "You, Logan, were late many times during college."

"Well, now I am a married man. I have officially embraced my responsibilities as a Huntzberger man."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means that if we are late my parents will notice and then they will talk to us-"

"Let's go."

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Rory sat next to Logan at their table in The Martinique. They were attending a society function against animal cruelty and the number of fur coats she spotted on the way in seemed overly ironic. Rory took a sip of her wine and idly noticed that everyone seemed to be looking at a couple near the dancefloor. It was Kitty Bennett and Rob Kingston. Kitty Bennett was a popular topic of conversation at the Gilmore house. Emily commented on her tacky acrylic nails often.

Rory leaned towards Logan and placed her hand on his arm. "Why is everyone staring at Kitty and Rob?"

"Didn't you hear? They're engaged."

That explained the odd seating arrangement.

"I thought Kitty was going to marry Kevin Mack."

Logan shook his head. "Kevin was found in a compromising position with a drag queen a few weeks back. That set-up ended pretty quickly."

"That's funny," Rory said after a moment, chuckling.

"And you didn't even hear the drag queen's name."

Rory raised her eye brows.

"I can't say it here. It would make the society women blush."

"Oh, of course."

"Well, at least this means they won't be staring at us," he said.

"You've got that right. I always felt like my hair was wrong or I had something in my teeth."

"Don't worry, Ace. If you had something in you're teeth, you would have known. The mocking from me alone would have alerted you."

"Aw, how sweet, husband."

A man approached them and smiled at Rory. She felt Logan's foot brush hers under the table.

"Hi," he said. "Logan, my man, how are you?"

"Good Rick, how are you?"

"Fine, I hear that your wife there is a great dancer."

"That she is."

"I was wondering if I could borrow her for one dance?"

She glanced at Logan.

"I can't dance," she lied with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, why not?"

She spun her story even further. "I pulled a tendon in my foot while playing badminton with Logan, here. I went for a hit and my feet got all twisted up. I fell right down, like I was dead weight."

"That sounds bad," he said with a supportive set of nodding. "Well, maybe next function."

"Definitely"

"Alright, well, enjoy the rest of your night."

"You too."

They were silent, both of them watching Rick walk off.

"I hate that guy," Logan muttered.

"Why?"

"I just never liked him." His dark mood lifted as he joked, "He beat me one too many times at poker."

"Sore loser."

"That was an impressive story you spun there."

"Why thank you. I am a gifted bol-shitter."

"Good skill to have."

She smiled.

"Look at them go at it," Logan said, gesturing to Kitty and Rob. She turned her head and guffawed when she saw the two heads fused together.

"Oh, their parents are not going to like that."

"Well, at least they know there will be grandchildren in their future."

"Very true."

Rory felt cold suddenly and then heard the silky voice of Shandi.

"Logan, fancy meeting you here."

His voice was careful as he said, "Hello Shandi."

"Rory, you're looking very pretty tonight," the vixen simpers. "Did you do something to your hair?"

"I brushed it," Rory deadpanned.

"Oh, well, it makes all the difference. Would you mind if I stole your husband for one little dance?"

"Yes, actually, I-"

"Lovely, I promise to have him back in a flash."

Logan leaned forward and pressed his lips to Rory's cheek as he whispered, "One dance and I will be back."

"Have fun," Rory said, her voice not matching the sentiment.

She watched her husband and his would-be-mistress walk out to the dancefloor and swallowed her sharp tongue when the girl wired her arms around her husband's neck. He had promised he would return in one dance. And they were trusting each other now, so she would hold steadfast to the belief that he would return after one dance. The song was a particularly long one and she was relieved when Finn came over to distract her.

"How are you Finn?" She asked, noticing that he was limping.

"I'm injured." He sat down carefully on the seat, wincing when he shifted. "The boys got a beating."

"The bo-" she stopped when the understanding hit her. "Oh, um, that's a shame."

"She was a beauty."

"Red hair?"

"The fullest red hair."

She nodded and Finn crossed his legs and winced. "Blimey, maybe I should switch my attentions to another hair color."

"Or you could court women in general. Throw out the hair color."

"No," he said immediately. "That wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

He thought for a moment. "It just wouldn't."

"Okay then."

She looked at the dance floor casually and frowned when she didn't see Logan or Shandi. She looked more closely, seeing several people that she recognized but not her husband. She told herself that he wouldn't do anything. They probably were just behind a particularly portly couple.

She didn't believe it, though.

"Finn," she said quickly as she stood, "have fun deciding on a new hair color. I am going to find Logan."

"Any suggestions?" He called out.

"Yes, purple."

She heard him seriously consider this as she left the table.

She looked around her as she walked by the dance floor and became increasingly worried when Logan continued to remain elusive. Her brain told her that she just wasn't seeing him but the rest of her was telling her that she was going to have to order a lot of alcohol. She left the hall and found what she was looking for.

Logan was standing near the door with Shandi wrapped around him. Her lips were pressed to his.

Having seen enough, Rory walked hurriedly.

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Logan pushed Shandi from him furiously, wiping his mouth on his hand. Shandi was giving him this simpering look and it made him sick. Everything made him sick.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded.

"Nothing," she said. "Unless you want it to be something."

"I'm married," he spit.

"You came out here, Logan. You knew what was coming."

"No, you said that you felt sick and asked me to help you out. I did not know that you were going to attack me with your mouth."

"It was a ploy for us to be alone. Come on, Logan, you knew that."

"No, I didn't. Look, I need to get back to my wife-"
"Rory? That saltine cracker?"

"Don't talk about her like that."

"You deserve someone better, Logan."

"I think I'll decide that," he said. "Good bye, Shandi."

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All she could think about was the way that Shandi's hands had been all over Logan and every word that she had exchanged with him felt like lies. He had all but told her that the marriage had been more than a business exchange, yet his actions proved otherwise. She was nothing but a business deal to him. She wasn't a wife and pretending that she was would lead to nothing but pain.

She walked back into the hall and found herself running into Rick. It was the man before who had asked to dance with her. His lips and eyes were smiling and her hand took the drink he offered before she could even blink.

"Thank you."

"You look like hell."

She shook her head and took a sip.

"Are you okay?"

"Perfect."

"Where's Logan?"

She hated him when he asked that. She hated it because she couldn't tell him. She couldn't say he was kissing someone that he hadn't married. She couldn't say that he was stripping her bare. She couldn't because she refused to reveal to anyone that her marriage was a sham. After all, she was a Gilmore. She had learned that it was best to avoid scandal. Her birth had been one and she refused to cause another.

"I don't care," she answered sharply.

"You don't?"

She shook her head firmly.

"Do you think he'd care where you are?"

"Probably not," she said truthfully. The words cut at her like blades. She didn't have to spend much time dwelling on her ruined marriage, though. Rick had taken her arm and was leading her through the crowd. Farther and farther away they walked, past the empty table and the overly coiffed society patriarchs. They were outside suddenly and the same waiters who had served them so respectfully stared at them with disdain as they sucked on their cigarettes. He led her to the back of the building and then pushed her against the wall.

She didn't notice until then that his eyes were hooded with alcohol. He had a rakish look to him that sent a shiver up her spine. He leaned his head down to hers and pressed a surprisingly gentle kiss against the side of her mouth.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

His breath smelled like vodka and tiramisu.

Again lips pressed themselves against hers and she found her arms wrapping around his neck, her own mouth moving frantically against his. Every instinct told her that this was wrong but she didn't have the strength to care anymore. All she knew was that this man wanted her, and she had been rejected too many times to turn away.

His hands were everywhere and she idly noted that his touch was too rough, too urgent. The few times that Logan had touched her it had always been careful, measured. She had loved the anticipation of being left in the dark for what would happen next. This man moved so fast that she didn't have time to feel anticipation. In fact, all she felt was a growing dissatisfaction.

What she viewed as a harmless interaction twisted when Rick slid his hand up the skirt of her dress. He was so close now that she was sure that he could feel her heat. Not wanting to go any farther, she pulled away, but Rick still held her close.

"Not yet," he mumbled, his lips dropping to her neck.

"Get off of me," she ordered weakly, pushing at his shoulders.

A mounting panic set in as she noticed how strong he was. She could feel the muscles through his shirt as she pushed him and his hand was inching closer and closer.

"You wanted this," he slurred. "You know you wanted this."

"No," she breathed out, panic giving her strength as she yelled, "No!"

She never knew how it actually happened but one second he was playing with the hem of her underwear and then he was on the floor. Someone was on top of him, fist after fist pounding into his face. She didn't recognize the other man until he spoke.

"That's my wife!"

His fist connected with the man's nose and there was a sickening crack.

"Logan," she said softly. Her voice was trembling and she wasn't sure if he heard her. Slowly she moved forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from Rick.

He was trembling, too.

"Logan, stop," she said gently, pulling him still farther away. He wasn't resisting which she viewed as a good sign, but he hadn't stopped trembling, either.

"We're leaving," Logan said.

She nodded, not in any state to argue. She was more than happy to leave.

Frank was waiting by the car and his eyes widened when he caught sight of the couple. He rushed over to the door and opened it quickly. Logan didn't thank him-which was out of character-and gestured for Rory to go in first, following behind her.

He was completely silent which bothered her the longer it lasted. She had expected him to yell at her, tell her how reckless she had acted. All of this would have been true and she was ready to agree with him. She was ready to tell him that he was right and then begin her journey to forgetting everything that had happened. She was ready to forget the way Shandi had touched the nape of his neck. She wanted to forget how Rick had slid his hand up between her legs.

She was ready, but she was stuck.

She couldn't do any of this without Logan.

"Thanks," she said after a moment. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there."

He nodded, avoiding her gaze.

They didn't speak the rest of the drive home.

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Rory was changing into her pajamas when Logan finally approached her. He knocked on her door and she immediately cursed herself for wearing such unflattering pajamas. She was wearing flannel pants and a large Yale shirt. Even someone with her slim frame looked like a frumpy housewife in that get-up. She ran a hand through her hair nervously and then opened the door. His eyes travelled up and down her body and she felt bare before him despite her baggy clothes.

"Are you okay? I, uh, realized that I never asked."

She had thought she was fine up to that moment but at his question she began to tremble again and had to grab the doorframe to keep her knees from buckling. His arms were around her waist in a flash and he was helping her onto her bed.

"It's okay," he told her gently. "I'm here."

"But you weren't," she said. "You weren't there because you were with Shandi."

"You saw us," he said. It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes."

"Ace, nothing happened."

"It didn't look like nothing."

"She told me she was sick and asked me to walk her out. That's it."

"Do you always kiss women after walking them out?"

"She kissed me," he told her fervently, taking her hands in his. "Ace, I meant what I said before. I'm in this marriage."

"I went off with him, you know. I was in that situation because I put myself in it. I wanted someone to want me because you clearly don't."

"Ace-"

"But I couldn't go through with it. Despite your callous disrespect for this marriage, all I could do was think of you. He didn't kiss like you and his hands were rough and-"

He cut her off by pressing his mouth to hers. He pulled away before she could respond and whispered, "You weren't thinking, Ace. If you were you'd know that I want you more than I've wanted anything in my life."

She stared into his eyes and searched for the bluff. It had to be a farce, a punchline to some cruel joke that she didn't understand. She found nothing, though. All she found were his eyes, gazing at her with such an intensity that she thought her knees would have buckled if she hadn't been sitting.

"Ace," he urged softly. "Say something."

Thoughts filled her mind like water in a mug until they spilled over and out of her mouth. "Why didn't you tell me? You were so cold. I thought that you didn't want me. You never acted like you wanted me. I thought I was just someone to help you get away from your father."

"Rory, you were always more than that." He reached forward and touched her cheek. "I've loved you since that first kiss after graduation. I've loved you all this time and I've never stopped."

She stared at him, words not sufficient anymore. There were no words for how much she loved him. There was no clichéd phrase that could describe the years she had pined for him. He understood her, without one word, and pulled her to him. Her head rested on his shoulder and his lips brushed against her hair.

"Say it again," she whispered.

"Say what?"

"Say that you love me."

He chuckled and told her, "I love you, Rory Huntzberger. I love you. I love you. I. Love. You."

"I will never get tired of hearing that," she purred.

"Don't I get to hear something?" He asked, kissing the curve of her cheek.

"What do you want to hear?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe, I love you, too?"

She pulled away with her mouth in a soft o. He began to worry until she said, "How could you not know? I've loved you since the first day we met."

Rory sat in the library, poring over Plato's Apology. She was reading it for her Honors seminar and was struggling to finish. She was at Socrates' final speech when someone sat opposite her. She chose to ignore him, nearly finished with the piece, but his incessant throat-clearing forced her to look up from the book into the deepest brown eyes she had ever seen in her life.

Her heart leaped despite her irritation.

"What?" She demanded, her voice breathier than she intended.

"What are you reading?"

"Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged. "I'm just curious."

"Plato's Apology."

"Interesting."

His stock answer made her think that he had never heard of it. In an act both of kindness and arrogance she told him "It's about Socrates-"

"Trial. I know. I've read it."

"Oh."

"You do realize that the blonde stereotype doesn't apply to men," he said with a grin.

"Well, you seem like other things would keep you from Plato."

"Like what, pray tell?"

"Look, do you want something? I really need to finish this."

He grinned and stood. "No, I just wanted to say hi."

"Well, hi."

"And introduce myself," he continued. "Do you want to give your name first or should I?"

"Just get on with it."

He smirked. "Logan Huntzberger."

"Very nice."

"I'm throwing a party tonight. You should come."

"I don't know you."

"What better opportunity to get to know me?"

"Where is the party?"

"My apartment," he answered easily.

"How convenient."

"I live in Baumhart, room 1902. I hope to see you there…"

She sensed he was waiting for her name and grinned sweetly as she told him, "Sookie."

"Sookie?"

She nodded.

"Well, I hope to see you tonight, Sookie."

She watched him walk away and chuckled to herself.

"Yeah, why did you give me a fake name?" Logan asked. They had laid back on the bed and she lifted her head from his chest and told him, "Because it was easy."

"That makes no sense."

"You were easy to fool."

"I didn't believe it, Ace."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't. I would've figured it out even if Colin hadn't told me."

"You came," Logan said with a grin when he found Rory lingering by his door. She was holding a red plastic cup and could smell its contents before he reached her.

"I had nothing better to do."

"I'd be wary of that drink. Finn got to it."

"I think I'll be fine."

"Rory, what are you doing here?" Colin said, joining them. Rory's eyes widened as Logan stared at her.

"Rory?" He said.

"You don't seem like a party girl," Colin mused. "But, hey, what do I know?"

"Your name is Rory," Logan said. "Well, I'll be damned."

"What did you think it was?" Colin joked.

"Sookie," Logan told him.

It took Colin a moment, he had already downed several cups of Finn's punch, but then he dissolved into laughter. "That's a good one, Huntz."

"Go get more punch, Colin," Logan said, his eyes not leaving Rory.

"I don't need more," Colin argued.

"Your cup is empty."

Colin looked down at his full cup and nodded. "You're right. I need more punch."

"So, what's your real name? I think I want the full one now. Seeing that you lied and all."

Rory sighed in yielding. "Rory Gilmore."

"Really?"

"Yes, that is not a lie."

"It is a small world after, isn't it? I believe my mother plays tennis with your grandmother every week."

"My grandma doesn't play tennis."

"Emily Gilmore?"

She nodded.

"Well, she definitely plays tennis."

"Maybe your mom is having an affair during the so-called tennis games with my grandma," Rory suggested.

"No, that's when she goes 'grocery shopping'."

She grinned. "Oh, I see."

His smile mirrored hers and her heart did the weird flipping that had happened at the library. He must have noticed something because he asked her, "You okay over there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You want to dance?"

"My grandma never played tennis with your mom, you know," she told him. "I asked her."

"Hm, I wonder what Shira was actually doing."

"I don't think we want to know."

"Good call."

They were silent for a moment until Rory laughed softly.

"What?" Logan asked, his fingers tracing the curve of her jaw.

"I was just remembering the first time you met Sookie."

"Logan, this is Sookie." Logan looked at Rory and shook his head,

"Oh no, Ace. I'm not falling for this again." He looked at Sookie. "What's your real name?"

Sookie answered, "Sookie."

"You're shitting me."

"I like Sookie," Logan said after a moment. "Her cookies are good."

"Everything she makes is good."

Logan's hand slid down her waist as he said, "I think it's time we stopped talking, Ace."

As her lips moved against his she mumbled, "I agree."

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