Breaking Free

by Mooncat99

It’s hard to break free. Sometimes, you can only do that with the help of someone else. Someone special. AU. Rogan.

4. Nothing Like A Little Blackmail

Chapter 4: Nothing Like A Little Blackmail

Over the next couple of weeks, Logan made it a goal to run into Maxie wherever and however many times he could manage to. That had been a piece of cake, knowing her real name now. By Monday morning he knew where she lived (Branford, ground floor apartment for only two students which told him that someone had put in her family influence to get her into that first-class dorm; but then, she was a Gilmore after all, so she was just where she belonged), with whom she lived (and he was still wondering about that… after having met Paris Gellar in the YDN, he seriously wondered how anyone could live with her voluntarily; and as the apartment had already been scoured with using vitamin B it had to be a voluntarily rooming… strange, strange, strange), her very busy schedule (seriously, how did that girl manage to get in so many classes and extra lectures and working for the YDN?) and her designated parking lot space. All very useful information to predict where she was going to be.

He had coincidentally run into her in front of her classrooms, had been already ordering coffee at the coffee carts she most likely would cross and stop briefly for another cup (he had found out in the very first day that Maxie apparently run on a very high caffeine level… but then, considering the hours she put in that was no wonder), had joined one of her extra classes (which was only partly because of her, his dad had pestered him about taking more classes for ages), had suddenly needed several books from the libraries she visited several times a day (also not quite untrue, he did need some of the books for his own studies). And he would have tried to run into her in the evenings as well, but unfortunately, what she did at nights was yet a mystery to him. Mostly she had stayed in as far as he knew but seriously, she couldn't spend all this wonderful kick-back time studying, could she?

Of course he made it also a point to try to be at the YDN at the same time she was there whenever he could. It was one of the few places he couldn't quite predict when she'd be there and though had managed that only partly. But thankfully there were staff meetings which he now attended with a regularity that would please his father greatly, like just right now, smirking across the room at Maxie. She glowered and Logan's grin widened. God it was fun to rile this girl up.

"Gilmore, how's your next report coming?" Doyle wanted to know at that moment.

"Perfectly," she answered simply.

Doyle frowned. "Want to elaborate on that?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "Ah Doyle, you know how much I like to surprise you."

Doyle's frown deepened. "Well, I don't like surprises. Tell me what you've got."

"Have I ever disappointed you?" she asked instead of answering, raising an eyebrow.

"Gilmore, are you flirting with me?" Doyle asked with narrowed eyes.

Logan snickered as Maxie's eyes widened a bit.

"I would never, Doyle," she assured, causing Logan to snicker louder. She threw him a glare which he returned with a big smirk.

"Okay, but you better submit some outline by the end of the week," Doyle grumbled. "Logan!"

Logan jumped to attention. "Sir, yes Sir, boss."

Doyle flustered a bit but then took a deep breath. "You've got an interview scheduled with the Dean of Students about the new grading system for the midterms tomorrow at eleven thirty in his office."

Apparently, Doyle preferred that Logan should cover most of the interviews. The report on the interview with Weiszman had been really interesting and Logan's article had been on the front page, in fact, above the fold and if he might say so… damn good. The following week, Doyle had assigned him to make a series of little interviews for an article about the general opinion of the upcoming changes in the grading system, and now the interview with the Dean. Not that Logan minded. He liked interviewing people. Talking came easy to him and often, like it had been with Weiszman, he had a highly fascinating and remarkable time talking with them. The only problem was that there was a small meeting planned for tomorrow afternoon and follow morning with the LDB in preparation for the big main event coming the following week and if he had to interview the Dean at eleven thirty, that would get awfully tight for him to be in time for the departure of the LDB. The Dean liked to hear himself talk. But, he guessed, he'd manage it. And if not, he could always drive after them in his own car.

"I'm delighted to have a little chat with the Dean," he simply answered with a grin and Doyle hurried to assign the next article to one of the staff writers.

Five minutes later the staff meeting was over and immediately, Logan walked over to Maxie. "That was a nice show you gave there."

She scowled but otherwise ignored him. Not that that bothered Logan as he went around the desk and leaned against it, gazing down at her. "Come on, this is me. You can admit it to me." He leaned down towards her. "You have no idea what to write about yet, do you, Maxie?" he whispered conspiratorially.

Finally, she looked up from the keyboard she was typing on furiously to glare at him. "As if I'm going to tell you my ideas... I wasn't born yesterday, Huntzberger."

"Nah, definitely not or something would be seriously wrong with me or you're a small genetic wonder, which of course could be, considering it's you, Maxie," Logan replied and raised an eyebrow at her. "So... have you been born yesterday?"

Her eyes returned to her screen. "Considering that you've annoyed the heck out of me for the past two weeks I think that question is answered in itself," she tried to flip him off.

Logan nodded amiably. "You've got a point there, Maxie. Very smart of you. Now that that's settled, how about we go on our first date Friday night? After all, the longer you don't pay up, the more expensive it will get."

She groaned. "Not that nonsense again!" Her head snapped up and two very annoyed deep blue eyes sparkled in a beautiful glare at him. "God, you're just impossible! When will it seep through your thick headed arrogance that I am not going to go out with you, ever? Especially not over something that belongs to me anyway and certainly not yours for a long time now. So why don't you just finally stop irritating the hell out of me and pick one of the hundreds of bimbos who for some incomprehensible reason fawn all over you and would just die if you'd look at them instead of wasting your time with charming me, which will never happen because newsflash, Huntzberger, I don't like you."

Logan's smile deepened. "Hmm, where do I begin? Ah, I know. Let's start with a well used cliché: Never say never, Maxie. Though I do hate to refer to such common clichés, this is a James Bond reference and we all know that those are impossible to grow old. Second, though again I do hate to repeat myself, we had this discussion already and it doesn't matter how long it's been since you started using this desk and have your personal stuff on it," he pointed at Henry, the fluffy thing on her desk, "and therefore hasn't been occupied by me… this is my desk and stays so until I graduate and it's only thanks to my generous heart that I let you use it for the time being and not just have your stuff and little Henry here removed." Before he could give Henry a little tab, she snatched it up and held it out of Logan's reach who had to suppress a burst of laughter. Jeez, she was cute! "Third, of course you like me, you just haven't admitted it yet to yourself. But, and that would be fourth, you did mention a certain willingness of other girls to fall for my undeniable charm which means you noticed said girls and that, my dearest Maxie, I find highly interesting." Again, he leaned down a little and gently blew an escaped lock of her hair back. "Jealous much, Maxie?"

She blushed a deep red and swiftly pushed away to stand up. "That's probably a new concept for you but guess what, not everything in this world revolves around you and not every girl is blinded by your good looks, the black American Express card, the Porsche or even your wit, however self-deluded that one is. Now guess what… I'm one of those girls." Thus said she gave him a particular lethal glare and scurried out in a huff with Henry safely cradled in one of her hands.

Grinning widely, Logan let her go and plopped down on the vacated chair, still warm from her. He relaxed back, putting his feet onto the table. The lady, he thought, definitely protested too much. Beside, there had been that blush. He did affect her, no doubt. But he had to admit that she for sure was very pigheaded. Never before had a girl resisted him that long. Not that her playing hard to get had anything to do with his attraction to her. From what he got from his memorable and explosive encounters with one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore he was sure that even if she finally succumbed to his persistent 'courting' of her, he wouldn't lose his interest in her. This girl was far too interesting. Not only was she beautiful, she had character, was smart as hell, well-read from what he had gathered, never at a loss of a comeback and heaven, she was funny. Not to mention that she had quite a temper.

A dangerous combination. Lethal even... but then, Logan loved to live dangerously. And he had a hunch that this girl was worth every burn he'd get until she'd succumb. Which she would, no doubt about that. Sooner or later. Though, if it went according to Logan, it was rather sooner than later.

But boy, the fun he'd have until then. Not to mention the fun he'd have then.

---

"I'm thirsty."

"You're always thirsty," Colin replied, rolling his eyes. "We aren't even finished with the current pint yet."

"Yeah well, but now I'm particularly thirsty," Finn clarified impatiently, looking at Logan.

Taking the hint, Logan shook his head. "I can go get another pint now as well," he said to Colin. "Otherwise he'll never shut up."

Finn nodded, pleased. "That's the right spirit, mate. But don't you dare come back with beer. We're through with beer. I want a little of good ol' Jackyboy. And hurry up, will you? I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I'm thirsty!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going already. And whiskey it is," Logan said and with rolling his eyes at Colin, he went over to the bar where he placed the new order.

"Hey Huntzberger."

Startled to hear that particular voice, Logan looked to his left and blinked.

Maxie?

Nah, that had to be an hallucination. Though he hadn't had really that much to drink...

He blinked again and Maxie was still standing there, looking at him strangely.

Huh, looked like it wasn't an hallucination after all.

"Maxie?"

"Got an eye problem?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or are you already that drunk?"

Oh yeah, it was Maxie all right.

"Well, it's the first time that I see you anywhere fun and I must know 'cause I'm usually present where the fun is. So forgive me if I'm a little bit astonished to see you show up here," he rectified with a smile, taking his time to appreciatively look her up and down. She had opted for thick black stockings, a dark red short skirt, a black, long-sleeved turtleneck and a plaid vest in dark red colors. Her hair was curling in dark, soft waves around her face and she wore a light make-up that accentuated her beautiful blue eyes in just the right way. In words… Maxie definitely looked more than just a little hot, despite the almost non-existent skin showing. But then, he had always liked the girls who could dress sexy without showing off much skin. Nothing against skin, nothing at all… but no skin was classy and usually promised a far more interesting date than with the girls that loved to show much skin. Knowing Maxie, he knew that his little personal measuring had once again been proven right. Now she had just to finally agree to go out with him. For the moment though she was here and he planned to make the best out of that. "Nor have we the pleasure to see you that nicely dressed up very often which really is a shame. You look good, Maxie," he told her, his voice a bit more serious than he had opt for.

A faint blush rose in her cheeks but she saved herself well with a shrug, her eyes slightly going past him though.

Hmm.

"So... I was thinking," she said after a moment.

"Did it hurt much?" he wanted to know, grinning.

Her eyes finally focused back on him in the firm glare he loved so much. Oh yeah, this was his Maxie.

"Just how many of your brain cells did you already kill or at least subdued tonight?'Cause I gotta tell you, that one really had been way below any acceptable standard. I thought even you could do better than to use such an overused line." She shook her head. "Apparently, I've been wrong. And no, this time you can't save yourself with the excuse that it's a James Bond reference. It isn't."

"Would you believe me if I state that your mere breathtaking presence maybe made me a bit unoriginal because of a sudden lack of words?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cheesy is the word you're looking for and no, no chance there, buddy," Maxie told him dryly.

"Ah, thought so," Logan relented and hinted a light bow at her. "Well then, to what startling revelations did you come, oh bright straight A-student and closet genius?"

Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth. Smirking, he watched her silently count to ten. Then she closed her mouth again and instead smiled sweetly. Instantly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up in apprehension.

"You know, there is this annoying guy who just won't stop bothering me. And I thought about ways to finally get rid of him," she told him, looking pointedly at him.

"Really?" Logan commented, part of him a bit wary, part of him curious as hell, but he was simply amused to no end.

"Really," she nodded, her smile intensifying.

Okay, the wariness had just gone up. "And did you come to any solutions?" Logan wanted to know, carefully.

"Yeah, several actually," she once again said, nodding. "Too bad though that most of them are, while highly enjoyable to think about, sadly not quite legal and therefore not really an option."

"Glad to hear that," Logan muttered, but couldn't quite help the small smile escaping him.

"Yeah, you can say that one out loud. I doubt you'd like to lose one of your body parts. Especially one in particular." Her eyes dropped downwards and Logan suddenly had a hard time fighting the urge to cover a certain, very private and sensitive part of him protectively. "To hire a hit man is too expensive and I'm not yet ready to be as crazy as to call in the mob." At those words Logan relaxed a bit, remembering that she was just joking. "And of course I also thought about calling in the family and let my Grandma give your mother a call or perhaps even Grandpa to your father and grandfather but then, that would probably entail certain explanations and after that maybe even expectations from my grandparents to go to even more boring parties in return for that favor and that really is the least I want, for now."

Or perhaps she wasn't joking that much after all, Logan thought and swallowed. The nerve of her to bring up the families! She wouldn't really do that, would she? But no, she said she didn't want that herself... still. Perhaps, he'd better be a bit more careful with his pursuit of her.

"Uh, yeah, that one carries a high probability. Good thinking to not go about it that way," he nodded, quietly gulping again. "Found any other options?"

She nodded and once again, her smile intensified, causing all kind of alarms to go off in Logan's head. "Hmm. The way of least resistance. I figured the best way to get rid of you is to simply let you have what you want but with the condition that afterwards, you not only let me have my desk, but also, that you leave me alone."

Wait... was she saying that...

"So I came here to see if you've got some time tonight and are interested to get that first date out of the way," Maxie continued, her eyes meeting him in a mixture of resignation and amusement.

What?

"Uh... Now?" Logan asked, stunned. Now this he hadn't expected at all.

Sure, he had known she'd succumb sooner or later… but he hadn't expected her to fall so soon.

"Yep. Know a better time to get this over with?" she nodded.

"Here?" he asked, looking around the full bar, uncertainly, still amazed and a tad disappointed by her sudden capitulation.

Maxie glanced around as well. "Well, why not? It's a bar, it has drinks and there's music. Perhaps not the best of the best, but it could be worse. And, there are plenty of people who look like they're having fun." Her eyes glided back to Logan's. "I'd say that's the perfect environment for a first date, don't you think so too?"

Well... yeah. Perhaps. But... was Maxie really serious here or was she just joking? Somehow he just couldn't believe that she really fell so soon... that wasn't like her. At least not like the girl he thought she was.

Logan glanced at the table where Colin and Finn still sat, talking with each other. "I'm here with some friends."

But Maxie shrugged. "Okay. Group thing then. I like group things. Actually, considering how much I really don't like you it's perhaps best if you've got reinforcement on your back. Chances are high that sooner or later you're going to say something that will really rile me up and then... no guarantees, Huntzberger."

At that, Logan gave her a look. Of course she perhaps really just wanted to get the dates over with in order to get rid of him. He remembered her blush from just a few moments ago and started to smile. Nah. "Admit it, Maxie, you just don't trust yourself alone with me," he teased her, falling back into his usual confidence.

Her eyes narrowed. "Got that one right for once, Huntzberger... though I'm pretty sure you just implied something entirely different from the reasons I had in mind. So what now? We game or are you actually saying no?"

Hell no! Logan may perhaps not quite trust this sudden change… or be a bit disappointed that she relented so fast… that didn't mean though that he'd pass on this chance.

"No, no, it's a date then," he assured her, smiling smugly.

"Don't be so smug. That's unbecoming," Maxie warned him with a frown and looked at the bar. "Well, aren't you going to offer me a drink or do I have to pay for my own drink?"

"Of course I would never allow that, date of mine," Logan told her and winked the bartender back before he looked at Maxie. "All I need is to know what your brew is."

Her eyes looked at the many different bottles over the counter. "A Cassique, please."

Not blinking, Logan smiled at her and then turned to the bartender to place the order, though he was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected her to get something with real alcohol in it. She definitely looked more like a girl to ask for some non-alcoholic drink or at least rather something soft like Bailey's or Sheridan. Not that he had any complaints.

While they waited for the bartender to bring him his orders, they didn't talk. Logan stole glances at her though, watching while she took in her surroundings and the other students milling around the bar. He still wasn't quite sure what to make out of this sudden turn of events. Something told him that she had a secret agenda for suddenly wanting to date him. Two days ago she was still spitting mad and now she wanted to date? Okay, she played it the resentful way but still... it didn't really make sense.

But then, the reason for her abrupt change of mind wasn't really that important, was it? What really counted was that she was here now, willing to spend the evening with him, even meeting some of his friends despite her firm refusal to do just that during their golf game. And she had gone to the extent of dressing up after all… if she really was so averse, so against the idea of dating him she would not have done to that, would she?

Oh yeah, he planned to use this opportunity to the fullest and show her just what a good time she could have with him and his friends… despite being rich, arrogant and snobbish people. And by the end of this evening, she would beg for that second date.

The bartender arrived with his order on a small tray which Logan took after paying. He turned and nodded Maxie into the direction of their booth. Her eyes turned to the indicated direction and then she must have spotted Colin because she nodded and led the way, clearing a path for him through the crowd for which Logan was more than grateful... not for the full tray he had balanced on his hands but for the very nice view it gave him of her beautiful backside, hips swaying lightly in her dark red skirt with no extra-sway whatsoever. She didn't need one. Yes, a very nice view indeed.

"Finn really, when will you realize that you can't justify everything just by saying that you're exotic?" Colin was asking resigned, shaking his head, when Logan and Maxie came within ear range.

"And why not? I am exotic, as is proven day after day. You Americans are always so boringly unoriginal. And here I am, trying to teach my best mate to shake that boredom away and what do you do? You shake your head!" Finn argued and shook his head sadly.

"Finn, you are not exotic, you are crazy," Colin pointed out. "Anyone here will tell you that going down a 65 degrees inclined ramp in a plastic bag, clad in nothing but a bathing suit with barely 50 degrees weather outside is crazy and stupid, not exotic."

"Because you're all boring," Finn stubbornly repeated. "Besides, what is wrong with crazy? As Seneca already said: Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence. And we all know that I'm the smartest one of us. A genius. So therefore, my ideas are hardly just crazy."

"It was Henrik Tikkanen who said that, not Seneca," Maxie spoke up as she stepped up at their table. "Seneca said that there is no great genius without some touch of madness. Close but not exactly the same. But I'd be careful to claim yourself a genius, because remember Oscar Wilde: The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius." Finn and Colin turned their heads to look startled and curiously at her. When they said nothing, she shrugged and smiled. "So personally, I'd rather stick with insanity. That's far more interesting and entertaining. You can always excuse it by telling that your mind just decided to go to the store for a quart of milk."

The boys, including Logan stared at her, but she just smiled. Finally, Finn exploded in a laugh. "Love, I'm impressed. To combine quotes from Tikkanen, Seneca, Wilde and Northern Exposure in one paragraph is not an easy task," he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the girl standing beside Logan and obviously liking what he saw. "Have we met before, Love?"

"Not in this lifetime, no," Maxie answered, unfazed, shaking her head. "No guarantees for another life so far. At least that would explain why I always had this weakness for Australians. I mean, that's the only logical explanation why I still like Russell Crowe, despite all the crap he had made in the past years." She bent her head to the side. "So what do you think? Maybe we have met in a previous life? Were we related? Lovers? Enemies?"

"Never enemies, Love," Finn immediately denied, sending her his most patented leer, complete with eyebrows-wriggle. "Definitely lovers."

Logan snickered. It had been clear that Finn would go for that option. But he had to say, he was a little impressed by the way Maxie had introduced herself to his friends this evening. She hadn't blinked once at the conversation Finn and Colin had had when they joined them and he knew just how extraordinary that was.

"Why am I not surprised you optioned for that one?" Maxie asked, sighing.

Finn of course wasn't thrown off at all by her comment. "Because you feel it deep down? Say Love, are you by any chance a redhead?"

"Nope, brown through and through," Maxie answered, her soft brown curls flying as she shook her head.

"What a shame," Finn sighed disappointed, his face falling a bit.

Raising an eyebrow, Maxie turned her head to look questioningly at Logan.

"He has this thing for redheads," he explained, putting down the tray and started to hand out the new glasses, sliding the Cassique mixed with coke further down the table. "Just ignore him. Come on, sit down," he told her, indicating to her to slid into the booth before him. With Maxie, he figured, it was best to block the escape routes.

She slid to the back of the booth without hesitation which he took as a good sign. Sliding in behind her, he started to pour the whiskey into the glasses for him and the guys.

"I guess you're Finn, aren't you?" Maxie addressed Finn again.

"I take that my reputation once again preceded me?" Finn asked back, perking up. He sure loved it when other people heard of him before meeting him.

Maxie shrugged. "Sort of. Stooge one and two here mentioned you."

"Oh yeah?" Finn grinned widely, glancing at Logan and Colin.

"Yep. So I take it you've got to be stooge number three," Maxie added.

Finn's grin failing, his eyes flew back to Maxie. "Hey! I'm not a stooge! I'm way too cool for that. Yes, my mates here may be referred to as stooges but certainly not me, Phineas Teverbough"

"I'd rather say none of us is a stooge," Colin spoke up, throwing Maxie a slightly annoyed look that turned into a smile though. "Hey Rory. It's good to see you again. Logan wore you down finally?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sort of. I just figured that the best way to get rid of your lunatic friend is to give in and let him have his two stupid dates."

"And a back massage. Don't forget the massage," Logan reminded her.

"Oh yeah, how could I ever forget that impending torment?" she sighed, making a very convincing face.

"Aww, Maxie, really, don't topple over with enthusiasm here," Logan commented dryly. "It's not as if I don't know exactly how much you want me."

"Of course. As much as I want an STD," she replied sarcastically.

"Oh you, always thinking about the dirty deed, don't you?" Logan immediately followed up, smirking.

She gave him a look and looked at Colin and Finn. "You know, I've heard a rumor that there's actually a line of bimbos waiting breathlessly for Casanova here to notice them. Can you believe that? I mean, have they ever met him? Ever listened to him?"

His green eyes wide, Finn stared at her before he laughed. "Love, I definitely like you. I take this as that you are the famous girl that had the audacity to not sway and fall down at my mate's feet immediately I've heard so much about?"

"Well, I certainly didn't sway nor am I in any danger of falling down at his feet," Maxie answered, scrunching up her nose. "If I'm the girl you've heard about though I don't know. I can't really imagine that I'm the only one not being blinded by the Beach Boy looks."

At that reference, Finn's eyes lit up and he smirked over to Logan. Great. Logan knew that look. And the one in Colin's eyes. They wouldn't let him forget that one for a while to come. But really... the Beach Boys? "Thanks a lot, Maxie," he muttered.

She grinned widely. "My pleasure. But you can be glad I didn't go by Paris' suggestion which would be the fourth Bee Gee."

"Oh God," Finn gasped, swiveling to Colin. "Fourth Bee Gee! Did you hear that? Fourth Bee Gee! That's genius! We've got to remember that!"

Grinning sardonically as well, Colin nodded eagerly. "Definitely. I'd even say it's in the top ten, what do you think?"

"Top ten? Are you crazy? That's at least in the top five!" Finn protested.

"I think my work is done here," Maxie said softly, smiling awfully smugly.

Logan turned his glare from his stupid friends to her. Oh yeah, her work for sure was done here. He'd hear that one probably for a very long time. If not for the rest of his life.

Noticing his glare, her smile deepened. "Still so asinine to insist on that second date? Remember, this is only the beginning of our date. The night's still young. There's plenty of time to feed your friends here some more… suggestions to your persona. Just imagine what harm I can do on two such nights."

Slowly, her hidden agenda for this unanticipated date started to dawn on Logan. So she thought that if she did everything possible to 'scare' away Logan, he might let her out of the rest of their deal? He didn't think so.

Smiling in return he leaned closer to her, his eyes intent on hers. For a small moment he stayed like that, just a bit too close, having invaded her personal space, looking deeply into those incredible deep blue pools of her eyes. Soon, her smile faltered and a faint blush started to raise in her cheeks. Satisfied, Logan leaned back. "Nice try, Maxie, but you won't get out of our little deal so easily," he informed her.

She became slightly annoyed. Apparently she didn't like it much if something didn't go according to her plans. Well, neither did Logan. And he was adamant that he'd win this one.

"A deal I never agreed on," she reminded him, her jaw slightly clenched.

"And yet you are here, sipping a drink on my tab and chatting nicely with my friends, all dressed up for our little date," Logan pointed out. "I take that you finally came to your senses and gave in into your attraction to me."

Maxie opened her mouth, then thought better of it and closed it again, a frown appearing between her eyes. "This is no win-win situation for me, is it?" she asked, sighing deeply.

"Oh Maxie, of course it is a win-win situation," Logan lectured her. "First of all, you'll spend time with me, then you also have the opportunity to spend more time with my friends and we really know how to have the best times of our lives."

"He is right with that last one, Love," Finn nodded.

Her eyes slid to him. "No wonder his ego is so unnaturally big if you continue to boost it like that."

"Well, Love, he made a statement that included my greatness so therefore I had to add my very valuable confirmation of the accuracy of his aforementioned statement," Finn defended himself. "We really know how to have a good time, Love, trust me in that."

"Don't be fooled, Rory," Colin spoke up. "As you can see, Finn's ego isn't much better than Logan's."

"As if yours' any better," Finn interrupted him.

Colin ignored him. "Point is though that I too have to agree with that little fact. You'll have a lot more fun with us than with anyone else."

Maxie looked from one to the other and, thoughtfully, nipped at her drink. Finally, her eyes returned to Logan. "I won't get out of that second date?"

Grinning, Logan shook his head. "And the massage. Don't forget the massage. And nope, not a chance whatsoever."

She held his eyes for a moment longer before she nodded and leaned back. But instead of looking riled up like he expected her to be, she looked rather … content.

"Hmm... do I get at least a say so in when and where that ominous second date will take place? And the environment around it?" Her head fell a little to the side. "After all, we could look at this as sort of a challenge."

"Like in a duel?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly. And as I'm the challenged, I've got choice of weapons," she nodded.

Logan wasn't quite sure what Maxie was after now and the alarm bells rang loudly in his ear again. But then, he loved to live dangerously. And he did have a good portion of healthy curiosity, sometimes even a bit leaning to the dangerous side. Okay, very often actually. And once again, curiosity won. So he slowly nodded. "I guess that's only fair."

"So we have a deal?" Maxie wanted to know.

"Yeah, we've got a deal," Logan nodded."

She looked at Finn and Colin. "And you've witnessed this?"

Finn and Colin exchanged a look, then each with Logan. Logan shrugged. He really had no idea what Maxie was after exactly… but he sure got more and more curious.

"Sure, why not." Finn held up a hand, holding a glass full of whiskey, the other one he laid over his heart. "I hereby swear on the greatness that is this fine brew that I've witnessed you..." he faltered and looked at Maxie. "Uh, what's your name, Love?"

The corner of her mouth twitched. "Rory."

Finn nodded. "You, Rory whatever-is-your-last-name and my mate Logan have made this deal. Content now?"

Maxie nodded, the corner of her mouth having risen quite a bit. "Very, yes. Thanks Finn."

"I always say that one should do whatever he can for a beautiful girl," Finn said with a shrug.

"Back off, Finn. Remember, she's my date," Logan reproached Finn, mildly.

"For now," Finn remarked, wriggling his eyebrows at Maxie.

"Hey, I get first dibs!" Colin protested and smiled at Maxie. "I've met her before you, Finn, right Rory?"

"Uh..." she slowly answered, giving them a strange look before passing their behavior up as irrelevant, her eyes going back to Logan. "So... that other date."

"Yes?" Logan nodded, waiting in anticipation of what she had in mind.

"How about in a week? Thursday? The 29th?" she suggested.

Shit. The annual main event of the Brigade was scheduled then.

Reluctantly, Logan shook his head. "Sorry, Maxie, can't. Already got plans then."

She smiled and nodded. "Exactly. And you're going to take me with you."

Logan frowned. "What?"

Her smile widened and every single hair of Logan immediately stood up in apprehension.

"You're going to take me with you," she repeated, sweetly. "To the main event of the Life and Death Brigade?" she added, one of her eyebrows raising higher.

Entire silence fell over the table.

What?!?!

Maxie leaned forward again, putting her elbows on the table, glancing at each of the boys before resting her amused gaze on Logan. "The Life and Death Brigade. Founded 1895. A secret society here at Yale, most of its members are from the most elite families of the East Coast though there also have been a few 'nobodies', so to speak. The members meet regularly at least every two months, sometime in small groups, sometime in bigger parties. There is one main event every year though, always on the 29th of September. I guess it's the founding day anniversary or first big stunt anniversary, I haven't found out the reason for that one yet. For those who know about the club, the Brigade is famous for its crazy, big stunts which are also not always on the safe side. Rumor has it that several extreme sports were born out of those stunts including others from similar groups in Harvard, Princeton and Stanford. Aside from that, the Brigade is also known for its excessive parties and from time to time childish pranks, though from what I've heard, they've yet to streak butt-naked through Yale."

The silence on the table got even louder and Logan stole a glance at his friends. Colin looked as if he was having a heart attack. And even Finn looked a bit pale around the nose as he stared at Maxie, flabbergasted and slightly in shock himself.

No wonder.

How the hell had she found out that much about the Brigade?

Maxie smiled smugly. "You like wearing gorilla masks which is a bit childish, but hey, perhaps after I've found out the reason for that I'll understand that one better. You have a very catchy slogan, I have to say: In Omnia Paratus. I really like that one, it has class. Most of the members are rich, living off their trust funds and having very few restrictions so the events are, from what I've heard, always very extraordinary, eccentric." Once again her gaze went from one to the other to finally rest on Logan. "But I guess I'll witness for myself soon, won't I, Logan?"

Very slowly, Logan exchanged a brief glance with Finn and Colin before he smiled at Maxie, hoping it wasn't too shaky or false. "Frankly said I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never heard of this... what did you call it?"

"Life and Death Brigade," she supplied helpfully. "And really? Never heard of it?"

"Nope," Logan denied, shaking his head.

"Huh... strange. And I guess you neither?" she asked, looking at Finn and Colin who both shrugged. "Really very bizarre," Maxie said, looking back at Logan. "See, I have proof that one Elias Huntzberger had been a member. I believe that's your grandfather? Also your father had been a member." She looked over to Colin. "Further more I've found one Malcolm and one Michael McCrae among the members, who I think might be your father and grandfather." She shook her head. "Too bad, really. I thought as the membership apparently often is passed down to the next generation you for sure are in it. You certainly also fit the profile even if you hadn't already the right family name. Not to mention that the three of you tend to disappear for a couple of days sometime, just at the same time many other high society students disappear. Like in the last couple of days?"

"Sorry," Logan managed to strangle out, shaking his head again.

Even though he was starting to believe that any denial really wouldn't make sense anymore. He had no idea from where Maxie had gotten all those information but hell, she sure knew a lot. Way too much. Could it be that Richard Gilmore had talked? But no, he knew the rules. Even if she was his granddaughter, he wouldn't have told her all that.

"Oh well, no problem," Maxie waved it away. "I guess I just have to do the article without your help then."

WHAT?!?!?!?!

"What article?" he chocked out, instant worry and hell, panic starting to seep in.

Article? Article?

"The article I'm doing for the YDN about the Life and Death Brigade," Maxie answered evenly.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!!!

"Article?" Colin screeched in a strangled, high pitched voice. "You can't do an article on the Brigade," he blurted out and huffed when both, Logan's foot connected with his knee as Finn's elbow rammed into his side.

Shit, Logan thought frankly. Colin had just more or less admitted that they were in the LDB. But then, frankly said, he doubted if this had worsened the situation. Maxie had them, that much was clear.

Maxie laughed quietly. "Sorry Colin, but yes, I can do an article and I will write it." Her eyes met with Logan, calm determination evident in them. "But there are two ways I can do this. One, I'll work with what I have, which is plenty, and bring it out like that, complete with names and facts. There had been a few articles here and there about the Brigade in the past, though never something concrete. Which is just in the Brigade's favor I believe. After all, from what I've heard, the Brigade got into some trouble with the police with its stunts and pranks and some of those cases are still open and consequences are a very likely possibility."

"That's what you say, Love. You know what I think? I think you don't really have that much," Finn slowly said after another moment of heavy silence, his eyes narrowed on her.

Maxie's eyes stayed on Logan. "Do you think that also, Huntzberger?"

Logan held her gaze and finally shook his head reluctantly, sitting a bit straighter. No... no, he didn't think Maxie was bluffing. She had proven that she knew a lot already. Perhaps not that much more as she wanted them to believe but surely enough to enable her to write a solid article.

Double damn!

Maxie nodded and glanced at Finn. "You drive a black SUV, don't you? License plate F..."

"Okay, okay," Finn interrupted her and looked at Colin, then over at Logan. "Logan, mate?" he asked quietly.

Logan wasn't surprised that Finn had just laid the decision into his hands. He was a Huntzberger after all. Journalism was his forte. And he was the one who had brought Maxie into the equation in the first place. Putting his elbows on the table as well, he leaned forward, not letting the highly contented girl out of his eyes. "You mentioned another way to do your article? I'm interested to hear your idea," he asked casually, though he had an idea what she was after.

"So you're admitting that you're in it?" she wanted to know, her eyes going back to him.

He smiled and shrugged. He wouldn't make it that easy for her. "Just professional interest."

"Oh sure..." Maxie drawled, smile still firm in place and still deepening. "While the first way would be fun, I think it would be so much more interesting and unique if I do the article from an inside view. You take me to the event so I can see for myself how you guys party. And I also want interviews with actual members. I will write the article from personal experience and I agree to keep my sources anonymous and this way, the Brigade can keep its integrity as a secret club."

Hmm... it was more or less what Logan had expected, so he wasn't really surprised at her suggestion. Clearly though, he definitely had underestimated this girl. Sure, he had known that she was a good reporter - but he had never believed that she was that dedicated to the job. Which really left them with few options.

Slowly, Logan nodded. "Not a bad idea. Of course this whole idea is based on the notion that we are indeed members of this Brigade… and then willing to take you along."

Her smile turned nasty. "Ah, but Logan, you said so yourself: second date, my choice, my conditions." She waved at Finn and Colin. "With witnesses. Now, of course you could back out of that one. Which would mean though that I not only get to keep my desk without further pestering from you, but also that you chickened out and turned down a challenge. And correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the one who said he can't resist a challenge?"

Logan frowned. Damn. Maxie sure knew how to tempt him.

"Besides... Isn't the whole idea of the Life and Death Brigade to live dangerously? To risk something? To do something new?" she asked, her gaze shifting over the three boys. "I'm aware that my article is a risk. But it also is a prime opportunity for the Brigade. I'm good, Logan, you know that. And you can trust me. If we make this deal, I'm going to bend to the Brigade's rules, at least to a certain point and won't break my word."

Oh yeah, she really knew what to say. Sighing, Logan exchanged a brief look with his friends before turning back to Maxie. "Okay Maxie. I guess there's not much sense in denying our membership any longer, is there?" he asked, dropping any sort of pretense.

"No," she simply answered.

Someday, he really needed to find out how she found out all this about the Brigade. But not right now. He nodded. "Good. Then let's talk straight here. Fact is, I can't just take you to the event. We have rules, Maxie, and the first rule is no non-members, especially when they are reporters. And whatever you may believe, none of us have the power to just override this, take you with us and let you do this article." He stopped for a moment, checking to see if Maxie understood that. When she nodded, he continued. "However, considering your alternative, we can talk with the others and see if they are willing to make an exception for us."

"That's fair," Maxie answered with a short nod.

"But there are no promises," Logan reminded her and then took a deep breath. "However, there is another possibility." He felt Finn and Colin's eyes on him at these words, but he ignored them. He needed to focus on Maxie right now.

"And that would be?" Maxie wanted to know, her curiosity clearly peeked.

"You become a member," Logan offered her.

"Uh Logan..." Colin warily spoke up, sitting up.

"Later, Colin," Logan cut him short, his eyes not looking away from Maxie's. He knew what he was doing.

"A member?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes. You'd fit in, Maxie. Well, you'd have to get over your prejudices..."

"My prejudices?" she protested incredulously.

Logan smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Your prejudices against rich people, because like you've said, most of us are rich. But otherwise, you'd fit in well… and you will find out a lot of things which will be proof of that. Not to forget your little blackmail here."

"Blackmail is such an ugly word," Maxie interrupted him. "And I have nothing against rich people."

Now, Logan laughed. "Oh yeah? Have you ever heard yourself talk? I can't count all the not so nice comments you've sent my way for being rich. And, baby, if it sounds like blackmail, looks like blackmail and smells like blackmail, then there's a fairly high chance that it is blackmail."

"Well, you're annoying," Maxie grumbled, giving him a look. "That doesn't mean I'm prejudiced." Her eyes narrowed. "And I believe I already mentioned before how much I detest being called 'baby'."

Logan shook his head. "Your various comments about the rich and privileged weren't solely addressed to me though so you do have issues with high society but let's get back to what we were talking about… you joining the Brigade."

For a while, Maxie said nothing, just holding his eyes, pensive. Finally, she sat forward. "I admit that the offer is tempting."

"I know. You found out a lot things already and so you know that it's highly possible that you'll have a lot of fun and memories for the rest of your life," Logan told her. "And it's an honor, believe me. Despite what you think, you don't just get in because your father or grandfather already have been in it or are alumni of the LDB. Otherwise, you'd be already in, Rory."

Her eyes widened slightly and contentedly, Logan smiled. Yeah. Let her know that her grandfather was one of those alumni. He was pretty sure that this little information should make it harder for her to write the article disclosing everything about the Life and Death Brigade and everybody connected to it. After all, it could be that Richard could also get into trouble then.

"So, what do you say?"

Maxie waited a beat before she answered in which she studied his eyes. "I suppose that if I agree I automatically have to bend to the Brigade's rules, like, hmm, absolute secrecy?" She shook her head. "Do you really think I'm so stupid and that easily fooled, Logan? Boy, you've got still a lot to learn, Huntzberger. I'm not one of your blond bimbos."

No, apparently not, Logan thought darkly.

Finn chuckled. "Jeez, mate, our Love here sure has you tagged and hooked." He looked intensively at Maxie. "Boy! Girl, let me tell you, you're one hell of a girl. Where have you hidden yourself all this time?"

"Oh, I've been around," Maxie answered with a shrug, blushing a little, before focusing back to Logan. "So no, Logan, I think I'll pass and we'll do it my way. I'm sure, you, with your golden tongue and charming personality, will find a way to convince your fellow members to let me come. Besides... if I understand the Brigade correctly, then they may still offer me their membership, after they've seen that I've held my word and wrote a good article about you guys." She looked at Finn and Colin. "Right?"

"Dunno, but you'd sure have my vote, Love," Finn laughed.

Colin just nodded grudgingly.

"That's what I've thought," Maxie said, satisfied, and turned back to Logan. "So we have a date?" she asked, smug as hell.

Logan narrowed his eyes. He knew that he had no other choice but to agree. Knew that he had been thoroughly fooled and tricked. By a girl. A Gilmore. Part of him was impressed. He had known that Maxie was something else, but he wouldn't have given her quite that. But right now, most of all, he was annoyed. Because she had tricked him. Blackmailed him. Cornered him.

He didn't like to be cornered.

"We have a date," he glowered.

Her blue eyes twinkled. "Jeez, that must have been hard, Huntzberger. You're not used to losing, are you?"

"Usually I win," Logan replied, still not too happy.

"He's always been a sore loser though," Colin sighed and earned himself a glare from Logan.

"I can imagine," Maxie nodded and glanced at her watch. "Well, I think my work here is done."

"But you just only arrived!" Finn protested.

"It's been almost an hour," she contradicted and glanced at Logan. "Besides, I think my presence here is no longer very much appreciated at the moment."

Logan frowned and shook his head. "Oh no, Maxie. If I remember correctly, and I do, you said that this is our first date. A date usually goes longer than barely an hour."

"Sure it does, unless it sucks," she nodded and smiled. "Not to mention that we've never agreed on a minimum time span."

"Maxie, Maxie, Maxie..." Logan sighed in mock disappointment. "Just because you've successfully conned me, and I do have to give you credit for that, doesn't mean that this date sucks. If anything, it made tonight fairly interesting and unexpectedly surprising. And the least you owe me for your false pretenses and your trickery is that I get to say when tonight's date is over."

Her eyes narrowed. "If you think you'll get lucky tonight, Huntzberger, you better not deal with any stocks or you'll lose all your fortune, as misjudging as you are."

"That's what I have Colin for, so you don't have to worry, Maxie, my fortunes are safe. You still can be after my money," he smoothly replied.

"Ugh, don't tell me that you're starting with your stupid hallucinations again," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"What hallucination? Let's recap, huh? First, you show up at my house, then at the YDN, next you follow me all the way out to Hartford to the club and don't start to tell me you just went there to golf. Remember, I've seen you play or rather said try to play," he intercepted her when he saw her mouth opening in protest. "And now, you've even followed me here to this bar, just to beg me for a date. Why deny it any longer? I really don't mind you stalking me. Actually, I'm quite delighted about it."

Maxie opened her mouth, thought otherwise and closed it again to instead take a big gulp of her drink.

"Wait a minute… club?" Finn asked, frowning at Logan and Maxie. "Hartford? Golf? Club? As in the Hartford Country Club?"

"You know any other club there where you can play golf?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But..." Finn started and stopped, looking incredulous at Maxie, his eyes narrowed. "You weren't there to waiter by any chance, Love, were you?"

Bewildered, Maxie shook her head. "No. Nor did I follow Hugh here. Or went there to golf. Of course not," she clarified, glaring at Logan. "I just went to go meet my grandpa for lunch there, talk a little."

Finn's eyes widened further in shock. "So you are one of us!" he exclaimed, accusing. "I always know when I have another blue blood in front of me!" His eyes narrowed. "How come I didn't get any vibe from you, Love? How could you deceive me like that?"

"Uh... sorry?" Maxie apologized unsurely. "But really Finn. You're wrong. I am most certainly not one of you."

Logan snorted and immediately got a glare for that.

"I am not," she repeated, heatedly. "It doesn't matter who my grandparents are. I'm a small town girl and have worked my ass off to get into an Ivy League school. I don't live off a trust fund, I've yet to wear designer clothes and pearls and I'm here to study, not to party and trust that my family name and Daddy's money will get me to graduate."

Logan's eyes gentled. Boy, apparently, that was a real sore spot with her. "And you say you're not prejudiced," he teased slightly and shook his head, leaning forward to look squarely into her eyes. "Maybe not. But you go every first Saturday to the club to have lunch with your grandfather. And yeah, you might have worked hard to get into Yale, but your grandparents are still paying for it, don't they? You've went to Chilton, an excellent and very expensive prep school and I bet your grandparents paid for that one as well. You drive an expensive car that might not be flashy but for sure had cost a small fortune. You live in a two bedroom suite and that in your second year which means that strings has been pulled to get you that suite in Branford, ground floor might I add. And," he added, starting to grin, "correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you even come out in 2001?"

Her eyes narrowed. "How did you find out about that one?"

"A debutante? You're a freaking debutante?" Finn gasped, looking wounded at Maxie.

She shrugged. "It was a spur of the moment thing and most of all, a favor for grandma. It means nothing," she emphasized, eyes on Logan.

It was his turn to shrug. "It means that you've been officially introduced into Hartford's high society. It means that if you want to face it or not, you have at least ties to our world and are not really so much different from us."

"Logan, I grew up in a hotel not in the penthouse suite but in the maid quarters. And you really want to tell me that our lives are not that different?" Maxie seriously asked.

Logan frowned a bit. He hadn't known about that one as he hadn't bothered to go that far back when he had done a little bit of research about one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. He had just assumed that when her mother had left her parent's house that they had moved directly to that small town she still lived in.

"Okay, that's it," Finn said, frowning deeply in his bafflement, focused on Maxie. "Just who exactly are you, Love?"

Before Maxie could answer, Colin slowly spoke. "You're the Gilmore girl aren't you? The granddaughter of Richard and Emily Gilmore?"

Maxie nodded. "Yes, but why so surprised?" Her eyes slid to Logan. "Didn't Logan mention it to you?"

"No. No, he hasn't," Colin replied, giving Logan a look.

Logan would probably hear about that one afterwards. Thing was that after their chance meeting in the club and Logan had finally found out his Maxie's true identity, he wasn't in any hurry to tell his friends about his discoveries. Finn hadn't met Maxie yet and Colin had already teased Logan enough with Maxie. He didn't want to know what would happen if his best friends found out that the girl who had captured his interest so much was none other than the granddaughter of the Gilmore's and his parents had been so keen for him to meet her. He'd never hear the end of it. Of course now, with Maxie's little stunt, all his careful secrecy had been shot to hell. And now he definitely would hear about this the rest of his life, not only the fact that he actually was really attracted to a society girl, but also how she had conned him.

He sighed. "Thanks Maxie... thanks a lot."

She looked from him to Colin and the wicked, dangerous gleam in his dark eyes and she started to smile, connecting the dots. "My pleasure, Logan, entirely my pleasure." She turned to his friends. "Do me a favor? Tease and mock him mercilessly for at least a few weeks to come."

"Oh, don't worry, Love, no problem with that," Finn assured her, his eyes gleaming wickedly as well as he looked at Logan. "And I can say it won't be weeks but months."

"Years," Colin nodded, his grin plain dirty.

See? He had known it!

"Don't you two have something else to do? A redhead to chase? Another girl to score?" Logan growled, sending his friends a death glare.

"Uh no, no I think I'll have way more fun here right now, watching you squirm," Finn denied, shaking his head, the wickedness in his eyes intensifying.

"Yeah. We can't possibly miss on such a prime opportunity," Colin refused to go, too.

"Guys, I'm on a date here, remember? That's supposed to be two, not four people," Logan pointed out, his eyes hard on his friends. "So get lost."

"But whatever happened to the group thing, Logan?" Maxie innocently spoke up.

"Yes, mate, what happened to the group thing?" Finn immediately repeated, bating his eyes at Logan, causing Maxie to laugh loudly.

Finn momentarily forgotten, his eyes were drawn to the laughing girl. Sure, he had heard her laugh before. Usually though in a rather sarcastic, snorting way. Or perhaps a little unbelieving. Never a simple laugh out of true amusement.

It was beautiful.

"Changed my mind," he told her quietly, never letting go of her eyes, sparkling with laughter as well.

There must have been something in his voice or tone because her laughter ebbed away, leaving her blushing and looking away after a long moment. Oh yeah, he definitely wanted to be alone with her for a little while. Alone, not just without Finn and Colin. Besides, the way he knew his best friends, they wouldn't go away anytime soon.

"Hey, what about a little walk, Maxie? Fresh air and we can talk about the 29th," he suggested. "And if you really want or need to get home I can bring you back to your dorm," he added when he saw her hesitating.

She raised an eyebrow. "I can get back on my own just perfectly."

Logan shook his head. "This is a date, remember? How would it look if I let my date go home alone? Besides, it's dark already outside. You're not going back alone anyway," he told her, firmly.

Her eyes met him again, looking slightly surprised.

"So... want to come now?" Logan asked, softly.

She held his eyes for a moment longer before she broke their eye contact by taking her drink and quickly emptying it. With a nod, she put her glass back down. "Okay, let's go."

"Aww, Love, that's no fun!" Finn protested, turning his puppy eyes onto her.

Maxie smiled. "Sorry Finn, but I really have to go. Classes tomorrow, remember?"

"Now that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard," Finn stated, looking at her in bewilderment.

"For you perhaps," Maxie chuckled. "It's been fascinating to meet you, Phineas Teverbough. I'll look forward to see you at the event. And I promise then, I'll stay to the bitter end."

"You better, Love, but there's nothing bitter in it, trust me," Finn assured her and his eyes met hers. "And Love? Right back at you. I count on seeing a lot more of you from now on. You're too much fun to not have around."

Again, there was this beautiful simple, natural laugh of hers. "Thanks, I think."

"Bye Rory," Colin nodded as well, his eyes sliding to Logan. "You coming back later?" he asked and his eyes warned him to better come back. They needed to talk.

Logan just gave a slow nod as he held out Maxie's jacket to her so she could slip in.

"Bye Colin," Maxie nodded and finally, Logan managed to steer her away from his friends and out of the pub.

Finally alone.

He turned left, choosing a way over the campus that would take them a bit longer than if he had turned right and could have headed straight back to her dorm. When she followed him without any protest, he took it as a good sign. Silently, they walked over the rather quiet campus. Then again, the way he had chosen did led through the more quiet parts of Yale, at least at night.

"Considering the way you usually never shut up you're awfully quiet, Huntzberger," Maxie interrupted the silence at last after a few minutes, her eyes on him. "You okay?"

He glanced at her. "Just thinking."

"Ah, deep thoughts then. Anything that will change the world the way we know it?" she asked.

Logan smiled and shrugged. "You tell me. I was thinking about you," he told her, truthfully.

"Little ol' me?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded and stopped, turning to her. "You tricked me, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Yeah, perhaps. But don't forget that you started it, Huntzberger. You were the one who insisted on completely irrational dates over a desk that really belonged to no one," she reminded him. "You can't blame me if I turn your game against you."

"I didn't say I blame you. Just that you conned me and believe me, Maxie, not many can say that about themselves," Logan clarified and snickered.

Maxie shook her head. "You know, I'm slightly disturbed that I actually believe you about that one."

"Well, you should. It's the simple truth. Usually, I'm the one who tricks and cons," Logan told her. "I've underestimated you."

"Yeah, you did. You should never underestimate a Gilmore. And I've learned from the best," Maxie simply said.

"I'll remember that so I won't make that mistake again," Logan promised, his eyes on her, curious. "And who've you learned from? Richard?"

"Grandpa? No... The true master is grandma. No one manipulates, blackmails and avenges like her. And Mom learned from her also, plus she's a little crazy, so she's a master as well. Grandpa and I are simple bystanders." She laughed quietly. "But it's enough for an arrogant Huntzberger who thinks the world revolves around him and that he's invincible."

"Wow, that's quite a big opinion you have about me," Logan smirked. "I'm touched."

"I have a question," Maxie announced.

One of his eyebrows rising, Logan waved at her. "Shoot."

"How come a smart guy like you is so stupid to think that this whole haughty arrogance really works in his favor?" she asked, her head dipping to the side a little, her eyes narrowed.

Amused, he chuckled. "Because it does? And who said I'm smart?"

"You're not the only one who did a little research, Logan," Maxie replied, rolling her eyes. "You're in the top ten per cent of your year and I really wonder how you manage that, considering that you almost never attend your classes, not to mention that you took a break for a year. The classes you did take are all above average. And no one takes Philosophy and German Literature on his own free will if he isn't really interested in those subjects and stupid people seldom are interested in such classes, let alone take them and be on top of the class." She shook her head in annoyance. "Another proof that there actually is a brain, and an excellent one at that, between your ears. And there are your articles. You're a talented writer and that interview with Professor Weiszman was simply fantastic and seeing as you were there whenever I turned around, I know just how little time you actually did put into that article. If you'd take school seriously you could probably easily graduate as the best of your year... but instead, you loaf around and like to throw out cheesy lines that are beneath you, not that the girls you surround yourself with would notice that. Why?"

They had resumed their walking and for a long while, Logan didn't answer. He never had to answer such a question before. Few people ever acknowledged that he was smart, not that he showed it that often. In fact, he was pretty shocked that Maxie had gotten so perceptive, especially in such a short time. Finn and Colin knew of course, as well as some of his old friends but they knew his reason to act as he did well enough, their reason not any different than his. His family never took notice of anything than his mistakes and the girls he dated... well, like Maxie had said, they hardly looked for intelligence in him.

Finally, he sighed and turned his head to look at her, his steps slowing down. "My path is set, Maxie. You know who I am, you know who I'm going to be." He looked away, wondering why he had even bothered to say anything, let alone the truth. "I'm going to be the CEO of the biggest and most important media corporation this country has and that's that. I don't need excellent grades or a diploma, I'll never need it." He shrugged, bitterly. "My articles will be printed, no matter what, because hey, I own the paper that prints it. Yeah, I'm smart. And yeah, I like to read and be well informed but I don't need to let people know about that." Abruptly, he stopped again to look into her eyes. "You want to know why I rather party than go to classes? I'll tell you why… as soon as I graduate, I'm forced into a job and business I never had the chance to choose on my own and then, my freedom will be pretty much over. It's limited as it is, but college still is the only time in my life I am free to do what I want."

"So you party," she summarized quietly.

Logan shrugged. "Yeah. I party. I live. You've been on my parent's party, Maxie. Did you have fun there?" He didn't wait for her answer. "And you see how your grandparents live. Do they look to you as if they have much fun?" Again, he didn't wait for her reply. "No, I bet not. But that's how adult life is in our world, Maxie. I don't want it, I'd do everything I could to avoid that fate but I doubt there is anything I can do. That is the way it's been for the past few centuries and while I do believe that my generation has it in its power to change the rules and break the stiffness up at least a little bit, I don't expect to have much fun and time to really live once my life as the media mogul starts. So I take what I can now and hope that it's enough to last me for the rest of my life."

Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, silent.

Shaking his head, he turned away from her and started to walk again. Just what devil had rode him to tell her all that? She didn't even like him that much and he told her things he never had worded before.

"And that also explains the Life and Death Brigade, doesn't it? That's why most of your members are the rich kids. You all feel the same, faced with such a future… so you bend your limits as much as you can, take all those risks with your dangerous stunts," Maxie asked softly. "That's it, isn't it? Find limits and break those boundaries as much as you can."

Startled, he turned back to her, seeing that she hadn't moved at all, staring intently. Breathing deeply, he slowly nodded. One could word it like that.

"I see," she said quietly.

"I very much doubt that," Logan contradicted her, softly. "Like you said, you haven't had the same life as we had. You have a choice. Otherwise you'd study business management and not journalism."

"Maybe. But perhaps I wouldn't have that choice if Mom hadn't broken out of this world. She could have married Dad like my grandparents wanted them to, with Dad starting in Grandpa's firm and Mom... staying home with me I guess. Or she could have had the abortion Dad's parents wanted her to have and continue the family plan to go to college and later marry a suitable guy my grandparents would have approved of. But she didn't and I begin to see just what a favor she did me with her decision. She always said that living with my grandparents had cut off her air, making it impossible for her to breathe. I never quite understood it." Slowly, she moved forward to come to a stand in front of him, looking up at him, and slight astonishment on her face. "Until now."

"Yeah, you've been lucky," Logan whispered.

"You could do what Mom did, Logan. You could break away if you really want to. It would be hard, yeah, very hard. But it is a choice, Logan," she said softly.

"Could I?" he asked and smiled sadly, shaking his head. "There's just one problem, Maxie. I do want to be in the news business. I love it. The thrill of it, the novelty of it, the people I have a chance to meet in that business. But I'm a Huntzberger. Another paper would be crazy to hire me. Or if they do, then you can be sure it's because it's a favor for my father - or the payback of a favor. I know my choices, Rory. I had twenty-two years to learn them and come to terms with them."

She held his eyes a moment longer before she looked away, nodding and moved past him, forward. "Okay, that might be a problem. Hardly though for a guy like you, isn't it? After all, the world lies to your feet."

Logan blinked. Had she just given him an opening to change back to his arrogant, haughty side she 'loved' so much about him? Well, he'd' more than love to take her on. Snickering, he fell back into steps with her. "Nice to see that you finally came to your senses and accepted the truth, Maxie," he said dryly.

"Oh, I just figured it's easier to let you believe in your hallucination. Arguing with you about it is a waste of my breath anyway, seeing as you turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the fact that you aren't the king of the world," she countered, shrugging.

"You just tell that yourself so you don't have to admit the truth," Logan though contradicted her.

"See? My point exactly," she pointed out, giving him a look.

"You don't give up that easily, do you, Maxie," Logan asked, smiling.

One of her eyebrows shot up. "Do you?"

"Touché," Logan laughed and looked at her. "Tell me one thing, Gilmore… how the hell did you find out that much about the Brigade?"

"Oh, you'd like to know that, don't you?" she asked, grinning.

"You bet I do. After all, if there is a leak we need to plug it," Logan nodded.

She gazed at him, her eyes twinkling. "Actually, it was you."

"What?" he sputtered, incredulous. "I never even breathed a word about the Brigade to you."

"No, you didn't. But for two days, you suddenly were gone. Normally I probably wouldn't have noticed but first, you made it a point to be simply everywhere where I showed up regularly and to then annoy the hell out of me. The sudden blissful peace was noticeable," she sighed, dreamily.

"Aww, missed me much, did you, Maxie?" he grinned, knuffing her lightly into the side. Then he frowned. "What has that got to do with the LDB… I don't know though."

"Simple… I wondered where you were. Then Doyle had some new information for your article about the new grading system and seeing as you're always on me like mold on an old tree he sent me to give it to you, under my deepest protests that simply got ignored. I went to your dorm, the first time I tried there was no one there; the second time was in the evening and your roommate told me that you and the other Brigadiers were away for the night," she explained.

Logan cursed forcefully. "Lanny and his big mouth."

"It's not just his fault. I was puzzled by the reference to the Brigadiers but if I hadn't seen a girl in a ball gown and a gorilla mask in the girls' restroom at your dorm, shushing at me, and then climbing into a SUV yelling 'In Omnia Paratus' and the car apparently full with people looking as if they were headed for the prom, yours and Colin's voice clearly among the people in the car, I hardly would have thought much more about it." She shrugged. "That though was a bit strange, strange enough for my nose to twitch like it does when I have a good story. The rest was easy. Working through the archive of the YDN, a little research in the internet and finally, talking to a few people and have a look at the attendance lists to verify a few dates. It's called research. Even you as the big newsman you say you are should be familiar with that term."

"Ah, that it's called," Logan drawled, relieved though that they didn't have a leak. They just needed to be a lot more careful. Damn Steph for forgetting her purse and convincing them to come back for it. And they shouldn't have let her leave the car with the gorilla mask on. But hell, who'd have thought that such a persistent little reporter would be lurking around? Then though, he grew serious again. "Still... not many would have made the connections from a remark and a strange sight that could easily be written off as drunken embarrassing behavior to a secret society. Not to mention that even fewer would take upon all the work to go through the entire archive of the YDN and then do interviews. And how the hell did you get a look at the attendance lists?" he wanted to know with a frown.

"You're not the only one who knows people, Huntzberger. I have my sources as well," she just told him, evading, not giving him a straight answer.

"Obviously..." Logan grumbled, letting her off the hook for the time being. "Well, good job, Gilmore… I hope you don't mind if I'm not all that happy about your reporter skills."

"Nope, not at all. I take it as a compliment," she replied, grinning widely.

"You do that," he sighed and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. "You know, if you continue to be as good, I think I definitely have to hire you, once you graduate."

"You're offering me a job?" she laughed.

He slowly nodded. Yeah, actually, he thought he was just doing that. He had already known that she was good. This showed him that she wasn't just good, she was very good. Exceptionally good. "If you keep up the good work or even get better, yeah... yeah, I think you can await a job offer from the Huntzberger Media Group on your last year."

She stopped, her eyes going wide. "You're serious!"

Logan shrugged, having to smile at her disbelief. "Hey, I never joke when it's about business. Besides, Dad always preaches that the best way to get good new reporters is to keep an eye on them from early on and hire them right off college. I may not always agree with him but he did build up the business to be one of the best in the country. Just don't tell him that I actually have listened to him once in a while, okay? He'd never survive the shock."

"I'm hardly on a speaking terms with your father," Maxie slowly said, still frowning. "So I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"One can never know. After all, Richard and Emily made sure that you are known to my parents. I bet not for long and you'll find yourself meeting at least one of them again, soon," Logan told her.

She made a face. "God, I hope not. It's been bad enough already how they force me to meet people."

Logan smiled sympathetically. "You better get used to it, Maxie. That's how it works in these circles. We may be able to escape one party here, another lunch there… but ultimately, they'll corner us. I'm just surprised you escaped your grandparents set ups with other kids before."

"Could be that disastrous first time grandma had tried that one," Maxie said, thoughtfully.

Interested, Logan glanced at her. "Yeah? What happened?"

"It's been for my sixteenth birthday. I had just started at Chilton and had yet to meet even one student I even remotely liked. Most ignored me, others openly hated me like Paris and then there was that annoying boy who wouldn't stop calling me Mary." She stopped to give him a meaningful look. "You don't happen to have a Siamese twin, do you? 'Cause really, it would fit. Both blond, both Casanovas, both arrogant as hell, both richer than it should be allowed, both with a little hang-up to do pranks and both of you so damn annoying and not learning that I don't appreciate to be called anything else than my name. Oh yeah, if you weren't two years older than him I'd swear you're twins."

"Sorry, Maxie, just an older sister, no brother, let alone a twin," Logan shook his head, laughing. "And Maxie, I assure you, I'd never have been so stupid to call you Mary. That's way below me and indeed stupid from that boy, however much of a Mary you must have been."

"Of course you also know what Mary means," she mumbled.

"Well, I was on high school as well after all. Mary and Magdalene are universal," Logan simply replied. "And did that boy also have a name? Maybe I know him."

"Probably," she muttered. "And it's Tristan DuGrey. If he isn't a twin, perhaps he's a cousin of yours. That would really explain a lot."

"Sorry, no. My family is pretty big but DuGrey and I are certainly not relatives. I doubt I've ever met him, but I had the misfortune of meeting his parents. Very unpleasant people," he remember, making a face. "If their son is anything like them I'm not surprised that you didn't like him. Uh, didn't he end up in a military school in Albuquerque?"

"Yeah. Well, I don't know if it's really Albuquerque but yeah, they've sent him away in the second year." She frowned. "If you didn't know him, how come you know about that."

"Because every father in Hartford threatened their sons the following month to better behave or he'll end up as DuGrey's roommate faster than he could say Albuquerque," Logan explained, cringing a little when he remembered his turn to get to hear that one from his father. It had been the first time he actually had worried that he'd really be sent to military school - despite the fact that he just started at Yale. There was always West Point after all. "But you were telling me about your sixteenth birthday," he reminded her, not too keen to remain in his own past.

"Uh, right. Well, Grandma went and invited all my Chilton classmates to a party she organized for my birthday, without asking me first, of course. I was shocked but I played along anyway... big mistake. The party sucked. It was terrible. And when I could not bear it anymore, I made a scene, right in the middle of the stiff, boring party, screaming for the first time at my grandmother, publicly, at the party she planned for me." She smirked. "God, she was mad."

Logan laughed loudly. "I can imagine. She probably feared that you'll throw another tantrum. Now though she thinks you've matured enough to know better."

"That and before, Mom always got me out of such things, unless I talked her into not getting me out of situations… like when Grandma had suggested that I have a debutante ball to come out." She crunched up her nose. "Now though, my grandparents loaned me the money for school and Mom did not do the loan anymore so now they can pretty much demand my attendance at any of those stupid gatherings and there's little I can do about it. And usually they only tell me when it's too late for Mom to have a chance to excuse me from attending… like with the party of your parents. I get there for my usual Friday night dinner with them and next thing I know we're in the car and driving to that mausoleum."

"Oh yeah, they are good," Logan confirmed, chuckling.

"Yeah. But with every time they trick me I learn a bit more as well… there will come a point when they won't be able to corner me like that again," she told him, wagging a finger.

"Yeah? When? 'Cause if you really manage to do that, you've got to tell me how. I've been trying to dodge my parent's set-ups all my life and while I usually succeed, they still get the better of me once in a while," Logan sarcastically pleaded.

"Hmm, we'll see. If you're a good boy and stop annoying the hell out of me and act more like the actual decent guy you can be when you want to be instead of an arrogant and snobbish pest of a guy like you usually are then I might let you in into the secret," she offered him, looking straight at him.

He shook his head. "I'm torn between being offended and being elated by the compliment from you, which should be impossible, considering our past."

"A little tip… take it as a compliment and a hint to let that decent guy out more," she told him and stopped. "Well, thanks for escorting me home, Logan. It has been surprisingly interesting and painless."

Startled, Logan looked up. Indeed, they were standing in the hallway of the Branford house. Shit. He had just enjoyed himself better than he had in a long time. What a shame. He inclined his head a little. "No problem. Come on, I'll bring you to your door."

"Seeing that we can see my door I hardly doubt that's necessary," she answered dryly.

Logan simpered, "But Mommy taught me to always be a gentleman and a gentleman brings his date to the door," and steered her towards her dorm.

"Ah... and did she also teach you to blackmail girls for dates in the first place?" Maxie asked mockingly.

"Well, a guy has to be original. As long as it works... besides, you're one to talk about blackmail," Logan accused her, winking at her.

"A girl does what a girl has to do," she simply said and turned to him, her keys in her hand. "Well, now that you've safely escorted me to my door, I think it's okay for you to get back to your friends now."

"Aww Maxie, I'm hurt. I'm not even by your door yet and already, you throw me out?" Logan asked, making a dejected face or at least tried to. It's not like he had much experience with it.

"Oh, save it, Huntzberger. That's the worst pout I've ever seen and it surely won't work with me. Not to mention that I've never invited you in," Maxie though replied, unfazed.

"No?" he asked sadly, stepping closer to her.

"But Mr. Huntzberger, what are you thinking of me?" Maxie exclaimed, making a shocked face. "On our first date? I'm not that kind of a girl! I'm a decent girl, me, I am!"

Laughing, Logan shook his head and took a step back. "Okay, okay, you're the better actress, at least for tonight. But you've got to admit that this had been an interesting date."

"Perhaps," she smiled softly and turned, unlocking her door. "'Night Logan. And have fun in trying to explain to your fellow Brigadiers why you're bringing a reporter to your next event," she added smugly and before he could say anything in return, she vanished inside, the door closing firmly behind her and he heard the lock sliding in place again.

Laughing quietly, Logan turned and started to walk back towards the pub.

Boy, that Maxie was really something else. He actually hoped that the other Brigadiers wouldn't cause any problems. Because he really wanted her to come to the event and even better… as his date.

---

TBC!

(Author's note: Of course I haven't forgotten about that one! Never! And I know that the chapters are coming slow, but hey, I first have to figure out how I want things to go in this little AU world… I hope you liked this version of how she got Logan to take her to the LDB event with him – and the final show-up of Finn and Colin! Thanks all those who keep nagging me about a new chapter. I'll try to bring out the next chapter sooner than this one. Again though: no guarantees.)