Hi!

I'm super jazzed I was able to update tonight. I didn't think I'd make it, what with classes starting and stuff. However, college life is way more relaxed than working life. The lesson: enjoy it while you still can!

Okay. In the next few chapters you will see a lot of development in this story. In the past, Rory and Logan are moving away from their 'friendship', though they are still coming to terms with the marriage. Present Rory and Logan are returning to the love they once shared, however it's still SLOOOOOOW going.

Thanks to everyone for reviewing. I LOVE each and everyone. I love reading how some of you LOVE the flashbacks and how others feel just as passionately about the present pair. I know enough of you like them equally - and that works too. It's very cool! Thanks! Also, just a special shoutout to numberonefanxox as she's been helping me out, bouncing ideas back and forth as how to contine this story! You ROCK! Thanks for all your help!

Okay - now on to reading & let me know what you think! [And if you have any special requests for a present Rory-Logan date!]

With laughter & love,

gilmoregirl19

PS: I don't own anything ASP created. Sadly.

Logan awoke the following morning still entwined in Rory's embrace. He stretched out carefully and gently let himself out of Rory's embrace, as he did not want to wake her. He sat on the corner of the bed for a moment, thinking about last night's events.

Logan frequently stayed at the Hayden House, probably the most out of the gang since living with Mitchum and Shira was less than desirable. He often spent the night, falling asleep next to Rory after a movie night, game of Monopoly or whatever they did whenever they stayed in for the night. Luckily, Chris and Lorelai were relaxed parents and didn't mind Logan staying over, sleeping in Rory's bed. They trusted that Rory and Logan were good kids. The gang knew this was Chris and Lorelai's way of acting out after years of growing up with strict restrictions. \

Still, Logan knew it was different this time. This time he spent the night next to is destined fiancé…. He looked over his shoulder, watching Rory sleep peacefully. He smiled wryly, wishing he could go back to sleep and not think about this any longer. Instead, he sighed, ran a hand through his sleep-tangled hair and padded over to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Rory felt the sunlight filter into the room through the pale blue curtains in her room. She immediately noticed the lack of Logan. It was strange since she had been sleeping alone for a few years and it never bothered her, but after a few nights, she couldn't imagine how she managed.

She stifled a yawn and stretched out, a smile immediately forming. She was just happy! She quickly brushed her teeth before heading out to the living area.

"Morning," she said happily and pressed a kiss on his lips, which quickly deepened.

"Morning to you, too," Logan smiled back, "How'd you sleep?"

"Great," Rory nodded as she reached for a coffee cup from one of the cupboards as if she had lived in this penthouse forever. "What happened to bigger is better?" she examined the tiny cup, "It's for a baby!"

"Babies don't drink coffee, Ace" he deadpanned. She shot him a mock-death stare.

"It's European," he smirked, knowing her look was part of the bit. He took the cup from her hand, and returned it to her filled to the rim with hot, delicious coffee.

"Oh," she inhaled the luscious scent of coffee, "I love coffee. Even if it comes in a tiny cup."

"I would have never guessed," Logan teased.

"Oh, shut up," she swatted his arm playfully. She downed the cup in a single gulp and held it out, "More please."

He obliged, and re-filled her mug. She downed the second serving in record time and held it out once more, "More please."

He poured her coffee one more time, "Enjoy it, Twist, no more 'till breakfast," he warned with care and let his eyes linger on hers a little longer than he typically would. Maybe it was because yesterday they'd had so much fun, maybe because it was the way the morning light made her blue eyes sparkle, or maybe they sparkled because she was happy, or maybe it was because they were away from Society and holed up in London. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but look at her and wonder why he'd tried so hard to push her out of his life.

It was a tense moment, Rory was about to kiss him, but her rumbling tummy broke their gaze. Logan looked away, slightly embarrassed for staring so intensely, but it was clear that Rory adored the attention.

"You know what goes well with coffee?" she asked coyly, jumping up to sit on the counter top.

"What?"

"Eggs," she replied matter-of-factly.

He laughed aloud because it was obvious what she was referring to. She laughed along with him, slightly embarrassed at her obviousness.

"What?" she tried to redeem herself, "You are the chef!"

"No, you are absolutely right, Ace," he pushed up his sleeves, "What would you like?"

"Egg-white omelet, whole grain toast and a grapefruit," she rattled-off.

Logan gave her a blank stare, "Egg-white omelet?"

"What?" she shrugged, "That's what the DAR-ladies eat…." She didn't even finish her sentence as she realized how stupid it sounded.

"You know what," she said defiantly, "Screw it! I want French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon." She saw him smiling broadly, and got off the counter to give him a hug

"Please," she added sweetly.

"A non-DAR approved breakfast it is," he kissed the top of her head, before letting go of her embrace and walking towards the bedroom.

"Now, I know I'm no expert," she said, "But, I do believe that this is the kitchen, the area in which you will prepare my glorious, non-DAR approved meal…."

"Groceries, Ace!" he interjected playfully followed by a heartfelt laugh.

"Figured you'd be here this morning," Lorelai greeted him chipper as he entered the kitchen. "Here," she said as she handed him a mug of steaming hot coffee.

"Thanks," he nodded quietly, and gratefully took a swig of his coffee. He looked at Lorelai over the rim of his mug. She was dressed casually in bright pink sweat pants with matching jacket. Logan knew 'Hot Stuff' was written in silver sparkly letters on the rear, as Rory, Lane and Stephanie all owned a similar pair. It was a gift from Lorelai, after she treated the girls to a Fabulous Spa Day in honor of Stephanie's 17th birthday.

Even though her wardrobe screamed laid-back, Lorelai's face gave her away and posture gave her away. She was leaning against the marble countertop, twisting a stray strand of her brown hair. Her eyes were wide, her eyebrows slightly raised, and her lips pursed together, causing her faintly pink cheeks to stand out more. Logan knew this to be Lorelai's look of anxiety and not anger or disappointment. He knew she was waiting for him to say something – anything – about last night.

He placed his coffee cup on the countertop. "Well," he spoke, "This isn't awkward at all!"

Lorelai exhaled, "So, you aren't mad? Please say you aren't mad!"

Logan shrugged. Honestly, he was not so much mad as he was overwhelmed. "Not at you," he said, "Mitchum and Richard…." He scrunched up his nose.

Lorelai interjected, "Oh thank God!" she exclaimed dramatically, "I'm so sorry, Logan. We had no idea, we didn't … I mean, I suppose we thought they could do something like this, but we never expected them to go through with it like it's 1549. Chris and I – we tried to stop them, talk them out of it, change it, fix it… and then out-of-the-blue they call us up and tell us that…" she paused, and used sarcastic air quotes, "Tonight's the Night" and we'd better join them for dinner in Hartford. I mean, Chris and I were not prepared at all. We had plans, Logan. Plans to sneak you and Rory out of the country – to France – and tell them that you were, you know, on a gap year, taking in the glorious offerings of the world. We'd keep you there, hidden, obviously since the Gilmores and Huntzbergers have sneaky, sneaky spies all over the world, and send you care packages with peanut butter cups and red vines until, you know, they were senile and locked up in some home…."

"That was your plan?" Logan asked bemused.

"Look," Lorelai laughed, "It wasn't a very good plan, but at least it was a better plan than this…" she paused, not sure how to phrase it, "crazy-ass mid-evil plan to join our families forever and ever!"

Logan bobbed his head in contemplation. His soon-to-be-mother-in-law had a point, but he had signed his sloppy signature on a cream-colored document, which was undoubtedly locked up in some secret safe the Huntzbergers had, and by doing so, he had committed to another plan. He sighed, "It is what it is."

Lorelai was touched by Logan's maturity as he was coming to terms with his (and Rory's) fate. It broke her heart that he and Rory had to go through this, that they were not able to escape Society and its deluding ways. She loved all of Rory's friends, but she always felt extra motherly towards Logan, since she recognized so much of her own childhood in his. She shook her head, walked over to him and hugged him tightly.

"It'll be okay," she said motherly as she let go. Logan felt some of the tension that a build between his shoulders fade away. He was extremely grateful that the Hayden's home had so much more warmth than his own.

"What will?" Rory asked groggily as she came down the stairs and made a beeline for Logan's coffee cup.

"Uh… our lives…. now that Britney Spears is allowed to take her sons on tour," Lorelai stumbled to say.

'Nice catch, Mom' Rory laughed as she knew her mother was probably apologizing to Logan for this whole mess. She placed Logan's now-empty cup on the counter. He re-filled it for her and reached in the cupboard to get a fresh cup for himself.

Lorelai looked at her daughter, with guilt written all over her face. "Are you mad?" she asked softly.

Rory remained quiet for a moment. Last night she was shocked, then there was a fifteen-minute window, in which marrying her best friend seemed reasonable. Afterwards, she freaked out, but fell asleep peacefully. Frankly, she did not know how she felt about the situation this morning; however, she did know she wasn't mad at her parents. 'Arranged-marriage' screamed Hartford Society, not 'Never-ending-rebelling Parents'.

"No," Rory finally answered her Mom. "It is what it is," and gave her Mom a quick hug.

"That's what I said, Ace," Logan nodded.

Rory laughed, "Maybe a little less talking and we'd have some more coffee!"

"Maybe a little less talking and someone would think to look in her cup before accusing me of being a Coffee Slacker!" Logan retorted without missing a beat, and walked over to her.

Lorelai quickly exchanged a look between the destined couple as Rory picked up her mug from the counter.

"Oh," Rory said defeated as she saw the brown liquid filled to the rim.

"What's that?" Logan teased her, by holding his hand up around his ear, "I don't believe I heard you there, Ace."

"You heard me just fine," she nodded and laughed, playfully pushing him away.

He went along with this bit and shot Rory a fake 'hurt' look. "Well," he stated, "I'll just go ask your Mom more about her rescue plans. At least she appreciates my coffee!"

"It's true, hon" Lorelai smiled, sipping from her matching pink mug, "The boy can make coffee."

"I know," Rory smiled, "And eggs."

Logan typically cooked breakfast if he spent the night at the Hayden House of Fun. The Hayden's lived on a well-balanced diet of take-out and dining out as they did not employ a chef on a regular basis. However, one morning, when Logan decided that he could just as well make breakfast they discovered that he was a bona fide Jamie Oliver. Breakfast was the Huntzberger boy's signature meal.

"What are you implying there, Ace?" Logan asked shamelessly.

"Me?" she looked at him innocently. "Nothing!"

"I see," Logan laughed, "Are you sure?"

"Well," she rolled her eyes, as if it were a great strain, "A girls' got to eat…."

"And, mothers," Lorelai shot Rory a sly look, "Girl's mothers must eat, too. Especially, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon."

"Yes," Rory nodded, "Bacon." She smacked her lips together as she said it.

Logan, Rory and Lorelai burst out laughing. Finally Logan spoke, "Breakfast it is."

Rory and her mother did a short two-woman wave, causing Logan to laugh once more.

He grabbed the dishrag from the counter, and waved it at them. "For the love of bacon, get out of my kitchen!" He shouted teasingly and successfully chased Lorelai out of the kitchen.

Rory, on the other hand, was more persistent, "I want some more, please," she said, looking into his eyes and holding out her mug.

"No more 'till breakfast, Twist," Logan warned with care, and as he refilled her cup he let his eyes linger on hers a little longer than he typically would. Maybe it was because of all the marriage talk, maybe it was the she was holding him so tightly this morning, maybe it was the way she let him freak-out last night, maybe it was how their banter flowed so comfortably. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but look at this morning, and wonder why he hadn't kissed her two summers ago.

"Rory! Soup's on!" Lorelai yelled from the sitting room, breaking the tension between the couple.

"Soup?" Logan questioned.

"The Soup – on E", Rory clarified with a coy smile and headed for the door. She stopped short, delicately looked over her shoulder and felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him busily move around the kitchen, fixing her breakfast. It was sudden, as if a wave crashed over her. She had not felt this since Tristan. She sighed as she pushed open the heavy door. When did her life become this complicated?

"It's been forever since you've cooked for me," Rory said as she happily watched Logan maneuver his way around the kitchen.

"I know," he nodded, "It's been forever since I've cooked for me!"

She nodded in agreement. There were a lot of these little lulls in conversation as each was constantly reminded of how much they had grown apart, how much it hurt and how hard it was not to fall into a continuous loop of apologies. It was a huge effort to move past it, but they were getting better at it.

"So," she continued breezily, "What have you planned for day three of Wooing Rory?"

He smiled at her, "Well," he bobbed his head in contemplation, "That depends…. How's your boy doing?"

A laugh escaped her lips, "Pretty good," was her answer. If she was completely honest she would have answered 'perfectly', as she felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him fixing her breakfast. It had not it her heavy, like the last time, but it crept up on her, slowly, ever since Logan's painful almost-cheated confession.

He shot her a sexy smile, "Well, then we'll start with some breakfast," and placed a big plate of breakfast snacks before her.

Rory and Logan were sitting on the couch in the pool house, waiting for Colin, Finn, Stephanie and Lane to arrive. They were going to break the news.

"So…" Rory hesitantly started, as she traced a circle on the pillow.

Logan looked up from the novel he was reading, and waited for her to continue.

"I was thinking about the Rules…" She looked past Logan, at the light blue drapes, as she spoke.

He, however, did look at her. He understood where she was coming from, but it seemed a little rash to confine their relationship to Rules; things change. Why would they want to restrict themselves?

"I know what you are thinking," Rory swallowed, still looking at the blue drapes since she'd loose her train of thought if she looked directly at him, "Rules are made to be broken and why restrict when we can be free…" she spoke quickly and didn't notice him smile at her.

"But, I just think, you know, for us. Our friendship, our sanity, it would be better…."

"…To have rules," he finished for her as leaned in front of her, blocking her view of the drapes. "That's cool, Ace. If you want Rules, we will make rules. "

"Okay," she jumped up, as to avoid another "moment" and grabbed a legal pad and a pen. Over the next half hour, the pair decided that the main priority was to remain normal, to not acknowledge their impending nuptials until the really really had to. The decided that after telling the gang they would not discuss the marriage until about six months before Rory's 21st birthday, when Logan was set to propose.

In addition, they agreed that when they were married, they were to act as a married couple so other relationships were out of the question.

After this, the conversation turned silly, with Rory writing in perfect penmanship that they would need to have his-and-her bathrooms since she did not want to share a bathroom - regardless.

"Let me see that!" Logan said as he grabbed the legal pad from her and scribbled something on it, before giving it back to Rory.

"No chef?" she laughed, "I guess you'll do the cooking."

They finished the list, deciding that they would dedicate a room in their house to cat figurines. It was so random, tacky and so un-society, just something to get back at the Elders.

Ultimately, the Rules did not consist of Rules, but it was a way to add some structure and input in their adult life.

"Did I tell you I saw Benjamin Button on the plane over here?" Logan asked as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Get out," Rory answered enthusiastically, "I wanted to see that, but Steph and Lane didn't want to! Baby Brad Pitt creeped 'm out."

He shook his head dramatically, "What a shame, shame, shame…."

Rory lifted her coffee cup, and put it down again, "It was that good?"

"You would have liked it," Logan answered truthfully, "We'll rent it," he continued answering her not-yet-asked question.

"Thank-you," Rory smiled shoving some more eggs on her fork, "Best. Breakfast. Ever."

Logan shook his head and exasperated, "Egg-white omelets!"

She swallowed her food, "I was brainwashed, what can I say?" She spoke lightly, but in fact, it came eerily close to the truth.

Logan contemplated whether to sidestep into 'The Talk' now, but decided he didn't want to ruin the casual vibe he and Rory had established.

"So," Rory asked, pushing her plate to the side, "What are the plans?"

"Well," Logan said, getting up and grabbing her plate, "How does lunch and some sightseeing sound? I know Jim gave you the lay of the land, but…"

"It wasn't the Logan experience," Rory gave him an exaggerated wink. She also got up, and started drying the dishes he was washing, "Sounds awesome."

"Hello, hello," Stephanie said cheerily as she entered the brightly decorated pool house, with Finn, Colin and Lane trailing behind her. "What's going on?"

"You guys should probably sit down for this one," Logan said cautiously.

"Please, man," Finn begged in mock-despair, "Don't say Mitch issued another boarding school threat. It's….it's too much for my frail heart!"

The group shared a quick laugh at Finn's dramatics, but the mood quickly turned serious as Logan unlocked the booze cabinet in the pool house and took out a bottle of scotch and a bottle of vodka.

"Seriously, Logan" Stephanie expressed concern, "It's 2:00 in the afternoon…"

"But it's five o'clock somewhere, right?" Rory laughed wryly as she took the vodka bottle from Logan. "Martini, ladies?"

"London, here we come!" Rory exclaimed happily as Logan helped her with her coat. "Can we get real fish and chips for lunch, babe?" she asked.

Logan felt his heart skip a beat – she called him babe. It had been ages since she had said it.

"Most definitely, Ace," he nodded enthusiastically, "Anything you want."

"Cool," she murmured as she blushed slightly, leaned in a barely brushed her lips over his. He looked at her approvingly.

They could have stayed there, wrapped up in each other in the hallway but the ring-a-ling of Logan's Blackberry disturbed them.

He looked at the display, and scrunched up his face. "I've got to get this," he apologized.

"Oh," Rory waved his apology away, "Don't worry about it."

He nodded and picked up, "Huntzberger."

Rory immediately noticed the complete change in his demeanor.

"No, that's how I always pick up," he answered the other person grudgingly. Logan sighed, "Whatever, don't worry about it."

He fiddled with his coat zipper as he listened to the person on the other end. "No, I believe I am entitled to these days after three years of almost nonstop working," he interjected.

Rory knew it was a work-call, but she had no clue as to who was on the other end.

"No, no, I'm not going to the Board Meeting. Stanley can go – he's been with the Company longer than I have." Logan determinedly made his point.

He listened to the other end for a moment or so, before interjecting, "No, I am not going – what I'm doing is no concern to you."

He looked apologetically at Rory, before he was fed up, "Because we deserve a chance, Dad," hung up and shoved his phone deep in his coat pocket.

"Mitchum?" Rory asked incredulously. As far as she knew, Mitchum was practically retired that's why Logan was working so hard, filling in for Mitchum. For him to receive a threatening phone call from the "Big Boss" this far in his career must mean something serious.

"Hey," she brushed his arm lightly, "If you have to go to the Board meeting, go – I mean, I've got my Black card and I know they have a Chanel Store in London…" she winked.

"Are you kidding, Ace?" he said as he grabbed her hand, "HPG is fine without me. Dad knew about this – that you were coming, so it's just him screwing us over, yet again." He looked at her, "I'm not letting him do this, okay?"

She nodded understandingly as Logan opened the door. "Let's go."

The group was now sitting on the beanbag chairs in the corner of the Pool House, eating potato chips, the boys drinking scotch and the girls martinis. After a few rounds, Rory felt comfortable enough to spill the beans.

"So," Rory drawled, already feeling the effects of the two martinis she'd consumed, "Do you want to tell them, or should I?" Rory asked Logan, and continued without waiting for his reply, ""Logan and I…You are here, because Logan and I –," she looked at him for a moment, not really sure why. He opened his mouth, but shut it again quickly and nodded encouragingly.

She took a deep breath and practically yelled, "We're getting married!" and quickly downed the rest of her martini.

Logan let out a breath of relief and quickly squeezed Rory's hand before turning to his stunned friends.

"Is this a new Drunk Rory Thing?" Colin asked first.

"No," Logan shot him a half smile, "It's true…"

"Yep," Rory boomed and set her glass down with a bang. "Arranged marriages are the new black, Col!"

Logan put his arm around Rory's shoulder, as she always acted like this when she'd had a little too much.

"Gilmore or Huntzberger," Lane said slowly, realization dawning on her.

"Both," Logan explained, "To finally unite the Huntzberger, Hayden, and Gilmores to become the most powerful family in the Upper Crust," he mimicked his father's tone.

"That can't be legal!" Finn got up from his beanbag, "What about free-will and all that?"

Logan and Rory shrugged, "We didn't really have a choice…"

Rory and Logan continued to tell their friends about the marriage plot, the rules, the house, the contract in detail until they were all satisfied.

"It is what it is," Logan finally completed their explanation.

"I'm so sorry!" Stephanie said, her eyes shiny with tears, "It's just so unfair!"

"It could be worse," Rory admitted, "I mean, it could have been Finn – I couldn't do that to Lane!"

"Thanks," Finn said deflated.

Rory sighed, "You know what I mean…" which earned her a small laugh from the group.

"Okay," Logan said refreshing his glass, "So, now you know and the Rules state we don't have to talk about this again until six months before Rory's birthday…."

"So, what do you propose we do," Finn asked, and Lane smacked his shoulder as she shot him a warning look.

"No pun intended," he apologized, after Lane so rudely pointed out his mistake.

Logan smiled, "No worries, man. It's simple really…"

He looked at Rory, raised his glass and said, "I propose we drink".

Rory and Logan were walking back to the penthouse after an afternoon bustling around town. Logan felt his phone vibrate, indicating a text message and considered it safe to look. Mitchum was a caller, not a texter.

"Shit," Logan muttered as he looked at the phone.

"What?" Rory asked concerned, "Mitchum?"

"He's coming to London," Logan said angrily. "The Office texted..."

"Well," Rory sighed defeated. "It was fun while it lasted."

The couple stopped walking and she turned to him. "I mean it; it was a lot of fun." She snuggled up to him, sniffing up his scent as she knew that Mitchum would be here tomorrow and put her back on a plane to Hartford.

"Hey," Logan gently cupped her face in his hand. "I've got an idea."

"What do you propose we do! Drink?!" Her tone was a little sarcastic.

"In my younger years, that would have been the ideal solution," he replied calmly, "However, now I'm much more resourceful."

"We are going to hide out in a brewery?!" She asked semi-seriously, semi-sarcastically.

"Nooooo," he laughed, "How's Paris sound?"

Out of habit, Rory nibbled on her bottom lip. Why not? She'd come to London, why not Paris? Yes, it was childish to run from Mitchum, and their problems. On the other hand, it was a long time coming for the Huntzberger elder.

"Trés lovely," Rory nodded enthusiastically.

Soooooo?