Chapter 120

"Hi, hon," Lorelai said, answering her daughter's call.

"Quick, get me into a microeconomic mood!" Rory requested without elaborating.

"Uh, okay! Supply and Demand. Profit margin. Pork bellies!" Lorelai listed frantically.

"You had me 'til pork bellies," Rory replied, having stayed up late last night studying and writing her resumes. She wasn't quite ready to make 21 different kinds like Paris was, but she was going with six. One for academia, one for journalism, one for political writing, one for NGOs dealing with one or the other of the two latter and one aimed for the UK, emphasizing her local college experience. Strangely enough she felt guilty for the latter - did that ratio reflect as to where she wanted to continue her career? She couldn't yet be quite sure, she was sure about one thing, however. Logan was a factor in every one of her decisions.

"You're going to grandpa's class?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, but I'm kind of dreading it," Rory confessed, having begun to get regrets. It was one thing to hear her grandfather talk about economics, another was to be graded by him. That part she was intimidated by. "I'm not naturally econ crazy, and it's grandpa," Rory explained.

"Is anyone really econ crazy?" Lorelai pondered.

"Oh yea, first thing I learned in London - people find the gross national product endlessly fascinating. People like Logan, and Grandpa," Rory replied.

"People are weird," Lorelai commented, squinting her nose.

"Blew my mind," Rory exclaimed, stepping into the coffee cart line, needing her morning fix before class, having not really had time for breakfast. Even the hair at the back of her neck was still damp from her quick morning shower.

"What's going on there?" Rory asked.

"Oh, just the same. Luke's getting part custody," Lorelai shared, really burying the headline there.

"Oh, that's great. I'm so happy for him," Rory replied, but didn't dare to ask what that meant about the wedding. Was there even going to be one? And if yes - when?

"Yeah, he deserves it," Lorelai chimed. "So, how are you doing?" Lorelai asked.

"Not bad," Rory replied, adding - "Paris is determined to career guide me like a pro and otherwise it's just… bit lonely, you know. I'm not really used to being alone this much."

The contrast was much sharper when Logan had just recently been there.

"Oh, don't be sad. You can come and visit your mama," Lorelai chimed playfully.

"I will. I'm coming home after dinner on Friday. I'm going to come and visit Lane anyway," Rory said. It was odd - being on this continent Stars Hollow was home more than her place in New Haven, but as soon as she was around Logan, their London place was what they referred to as their home. It was safe to say she was having some mixed feelings about where she physically belonged these days. An identity crisis perhaps?

"That's all I am to you? An afterthought," Lorelai pretended to be offended.

"I'll see you Friday," Rory promised. Knowing she hadn't paid a lot of attention to her mother whilst she'd been in London, ever since she had been back the phone calls had mysteriously also become more frequent, almost as if the physical distance did make a difference with her and her mother.

"Bye," Lorelai said.

Rory could see her spot coming up next in the line. But before she could say "A latte, please," she was caught by surprise by a tap on her shoulder.

The meeting should've brought on a wave of pleasant emotions, if not pleasant, then at least friendly. Because who would have minded seeing an old friend unexpectedly and casually? But all she could feel in that moment was the creepiness linked to the possibility of the guy having overheard her entire conversation. It had contained more details than she wanted him to know, even if it hadn't been overly specific.

"Hey, let me buy you a cup of coffee," Marty said, smilingly.

There was just the way he looked at her that made her feel hollow inside. She'd once seen him as innocent, but it was like she was now seeing this other side of him, a part of him she hadn't known before. The kind that got a certain joy out of trying something with her regardless of the ring on her finger. The compliments, the looks, and even the passing touch at the party - hardly a touch really - just a gentle brush of his fingers against hers in a crowd that could have well been an accident - all just made her feel uncomfortable.

"Hey," Rory said, her voice sounding only fake-excited to the well-trained ear. "No, it's fine, I can buy my own," Rory replied, hesitantly.

"It's no trouble, I helped Nicolas out the other day when he had to rush to the hospital with a bad cut, so I actually got credit with these guys now," Marty revealed, referring to the other coffee cart guy by the library. He'd clearly put his bartending skills into good use when a moment to help out had presented itself, and about that part Rory really had no doubts. He was generally a helpful, friendly guy.

"Oh, okay, I guess…," Rory replied, finding it near impossible to refuse politely now.

"Coffee, black," Marty requested from the coffee guy, before gesturing to Rory to give her order.

"A latte, please," Rory said, swallowing hard, just hoping this interaction would pass quickly so she could slip to class and go on with her day.

"So how have you been? Haven't seen you since the party," Marty noted, while the coffee guy prepped their coffees.

Rory was hesitant of his words considering she was fairly certain she'd see him and his gray jacket a few times since then. She'd gotten this nasty feeling like he'd been observing her. Random places - around the campus, grocery store, once even on the side of the New Haven Green, even if that night she'd been out with Logan. The gray jacket-wearer had turned out to be someone else entirely. All she really had was a hunch and self-doubt. Maybe she was just too thirsty for attention and she was imagining it?

"I've been okay. Busy," Rory replied, curtly.

"Paris keeping you on your toes still? You still live with her?" Marty asked. Rory found the question rather odd, as she was pretty sure she'd already mentioned at the party the other day that she did not. But then again they'd both been a little drunk, so maybe he'd indeed forgotten.

"Yes and no," Rory replied, not wanting to elaborate too much.

"On campus or?" Marty inquired.

"No," Rory said, after a second, having accepted her latte over the coffee cart. It was a welcome distraction, giving her the option of not having to specify as it seemed to be what he was hoping for. "You?" Rory asked as an evasive maneuver.

"Me and a couple of buddies are over in Dwight. Not exactly the Taft building but it's better than sharing a room on campus," Marty shared, again hitting a cord with Rory. Sure, she might've mentioned some time last year how she'd lived in the Taft building back then, but right now she found herself hoping he didn't know she still resided in that same building. Or maybe he wanted her to know he knew where she lived?

"Yeah, tell me about it. Nothing like sharing a room with Paris the first year when she was constantly fighting with her ex-boyfriend or one of the room-mates," Rory said, trying not to remain skeptical. They'd once been friends, surely he was just trying to be nice and it was all in her head.

"You know, I couldn't help overhearing earlier that you're going to what I assume your grandparents on Friday," Marty then said, giving Rory the creeps for listening in on her phone call.

"Uh, yeah, just another Friday," Rory shrugged, hiding behind her latte.

"You know, I'm going for a job in Hartford that day. We could drive over together. You know - carpool, good for the planet and all," Marty suggested. From all the time they'd spend together the first year, it really was no surprise he knew about Friday Night dinners. It was just the insistent feeling she got from him that bothered her.

"Um, I don't know," Rory hesitated, really not loving the idea.

"I could drive, I have a car now. Or if you want I could just…," Marty began, but Rory cut him off.

"I'm not really sure of when I'll be coming back exactly and I have a bunch of stuff with me to take to my mom's," Rory fibbed, really hoping to just divert the subject.

Thankfully Marty didn't push it at that point and Rory had the convenient excuse of running a little late to her grandfather's class already, and with a deep exhale of relief she slipped out of the courtyard, leaving Marty just with a simple - "Thanks for the coffee!"

When Rory got to her New Haven apartment that evening, ready for another night of studying, carrying a bag of takeaway tacos, she found a box addressed to her waiting for her in her foyer just like Carl, the doorman, had told her.

The box made her smile - it wasn't anything too elaborate-looking - but it was from Logan. She put down her book bag and take-away, and used her keys to open the tape. Inside she found something Logan had titled the second-semester senior survival kit, which made her feel all warm inside. There was a datebook and a stress ball, a magnetic poetry kit, bags and bags of coffee beans, an inspirational marble keepsake with the words 'anything's possible' engraved on it. He'd definitely spent some money on this, but it was nothing like would've been his usual style. But she loved it.

"Logan, thank you," Rory said, as Logan picked up.

"You got the package?" Logan asked, sitting in a coffee shop waiting for his late breakfast meeting to start once the guy got there.

"Yeah! Someone finally gave me an inspirational keepsake!" Rory chimed.

"Are you inspired? Next year, baby, anything's possible!" Logan tried to cheer her up, knowing she was struggling with her career plans.

"Yeah, I know I hear you loud and clear and heavy," Rory teased.

"Good, because the world is your oyster, to quote the other inspirational keepsake I was considering. How is it there? Are you doing okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rory replied.

"Because if you want me to fly over on Friday..," Logan began to suggest.

"Oh, no. I'll see you in a few weeks, like agreed. Remember, you're on a budget," Rory reminded him, teasingly.

"Okay, but if you change your mind," Logan said.

"You'll be here. Logan, I cannot thank you enough. You've just been really great through this whole thing," Rory assured.

"No way, you don't get to thank me for that. It comes with the married territory. Hey, Rory - my 10:00 coffee just showed," Logan said, announcing he had to go.

"Go, I've got tacos waiting for me," Rory replied.

"I'll call you later," Logan promised.

"Sounds good," Rory said.

"I love you," Logan replied.

"Love you too," Rory said ending the call. Just hearing his voice made her feel better, like everything would be okay.


AN: hope you enjoyed this! Reviews are appreciated.