A/N: I do not own GG.

You Said She Would be if She Was

Logan was surprised by the shock that went through him when Rory placed her hand in his. He'd been a playboy for a good number of years, and this was not the first time he'd held a girls hand, although he did avoid it…too intimate. Somehow, he didn't feel quite a spooked with Rory's hand in his, once he realized his lack of spook, he of course, was suddenly really spooked. Honestly, he was also surprised that she'd gone along so easily. She didn't strike him as a carpe diem sort of girl, but perhaps she just really wanted to get away from the Twilight Zone event Paris had insisted on hosting. While he wasn't exactly doing cartwheels at the idea of being second to a freak show event, beggars couldn't be choosers. He begrudgingly admitted only to himself that he felt a bit like a beggar when it came to Rory Gilmore.

Rory couldn't believe she was allowing a stranger to drag her to a mysterious location. Sure, Paris' wake wasn't exactly her idea of a fun evening, but still at least if things were too weird she could retreat to her room and finish Swans Way, again. It was too late for second thoughts about her baby step. It was Yale, not the Five Points of New York. Plus, in spite of their first meeting, he was fun to be around…he was so different from her world in Stars Hallow.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Rory asked, a teasing smile on her face.

Logan looked down at her, his eyes twinkling. "Not up for an adventure, Ace?"

"Well, Shackleton, I expect a forewarning in the Yale Daily News next time," Rory said.

"I focus on the 'honor and recognition in case of success' portion of the ad, myself. I'll give you the danger warning next time." Logan smiled at Rory. Every turn revealed something different about her.

Amazed, Rory stopped walking. "You knew what I was talking about."

"You seem surprised," Logan said, confused.

"Surprise would definitely been an appropriate descriptor," Rory stuttered. She ducked her head in embarrassment. The words were only meant to be in her head, but then they came out and now she couldn't take them back. She'd never felt this kind of awkward uncomfortable-ness, at least not since her first "date" with Dean. She stifled a sob at the unexpected thought of Dean. There was just too much going through her mind and her heart. The choices she'd made, the choices she hadn't made and the ones she felt were made for her. Maybe that's why she'd left with Logan. He had offered her a choice without any sort of expectation. Sure, he wouldn't have invited her if he didn't want her company, but she didn't get the feeling he would be offended if she'd decided to stay and help Paris.

Logan noticed her suddenly pensive expression. Usually when the women he was around showed abnormal mood changes, he simply made his excuses and left her to sort out her own issues. Rory's mood change bothered him for a completely different reason. He didn't understand his sudden urge to make her feel better, but again he didn't question his uncharacteristic feelings about this particular girl.

"I'm sure Colin and Finn have found some sort of trouble, we can go and join in their festivities," Logan said as he gently tugged Rory forward. He smiled to himself; he'd finally managed to surprise the girl who'd done nothing but surprise him from the moment they'd met. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Colin; Finn was probably no longer useful enough to be helpful. After all, he did send them off with a full keg.

"Master Huntzburger!"

"Colin, where did you and Finn hide the keg?"

"Tired of Reporter Girl already?"

"Just want to make sure you've managed to keep Finn alive."

"Honestly, Huntz, we've managed without you before. But you avoided my question about Rory. Is she with you?"

"We're looking for a change of venue. It was time for a sub-party."

"Of course it was. Finn found out the guys with the keg were part of a frat from the University of New Haven. We convinced them to take their keg back to their campus. We're at the Pub, but I think Finn wants to go see a Zydeco band."

"Wait for us at the Pub."

"Of course, Master Huntzburger."

Logan hung up his phone and shook his head. His friends were some of the craziest people he knew, but like him they were enjoying life while they could. They also had family obligations waiting for them. They'd met up at different boarding schools over the years, and when they all happened to be at the same one, their stay was typically short. Their antics had them expelled in short order. Rory had to have attended a private school, she had Gilmore and Hayden blood, and even having lived in a completely different world than him and his friends he doubted that Emily and Richard would neglect her education. She didn't have the affected manners of most women he encountered, and he knew that drew him to her.

"Does Emily normally come to Paris' wakes?" Logan asked, wanting to break the silence and escape his confusing thoughts.

"I'm not aware of Paris holding any other wakes, but no my grandma showing up was completely unexpected. She usually calls, or shows up when I'm not there," Rory said with a fond smile.

"Why would she come when you're not home?"

"Last year, she came when I first moved into my dorm and bought furniture for the common room. She even had this entertainment set hooked up, I'm not sure what all it had, but according to my grandma the guy at the electronic store said was the most amazing thing," Rory answered.

"Must have been nice to be the one in control of the common room. Smart move for your grandma to make," Logan said with approval.

"It was horrible," Rory protested. "I felt so awkward. There were three other people who used the common room, one of them being Paris. Poor Tanya, I thought she was going to apologize for asking to use the TV."

"With three other people, especially Paris I'd've been happy to control the common room," Logan mused.

"I'm sure you would've, but not all of us grew up with our last names being cause for a national holiday," Rory snarked.

"You wound me, Ace," Logan said with a smirk.

Rory shook her head. That insufferable smirk was beginning to grow on her. It just make his eyes come alive, and she realized she enjoyed baiting him. She knew she'd been successful in her attempts if he gave her that smirk. Not that she should be thinking about his smirk, or ways to get him to do anything. No, she didn't need a guy, especially a guy like Logan Huntzburger in her life. She was simply friends with him. This of course, was one of the great things about college, the ability to have guy friends.

"You still haven't told me where we're going," Rory said.

"Noticed that, did you, Ace?"

"I hate surprises," Rory grumbled.

Logan nodded, "I know."

"Mean."

They walked the last bit of their journey in comfortable silence. When they walked up to the Pub, Rory pulled up short of the door and gave Logan a quizzical look.

"All the cloak and dagger just to go the Pub?" Rory asked.

"It's more fun that way," Logan replied off-handedly.

"At least it's somewhere with decent coffee," Rory commented enthusiastically.

"Ace, it's almost nine o'clock, you can't seriously want coffee," Logan said, clearly shocked.

"Don't know me as well as you think you do, huh, Huntzburger?" Rory teased. "It's never too late or too early for coffee in Gilmore world."

"Whatever you say," Logan said as he opened the door for her.

"Love!" Finn greeted as soon as the pair walked into the Pub.

Finn quickly swept Rory into a huge hug, partially because he wanted to and partially because he was very nearly drunk. Or, most definitely drunk, but most certainly one of the two. He'd been excited to see Rory again, there was something about the girl that drew him to her. She wasn't a redhead, so they would simply be friends, but what friends they would be! He quickly ushered her over to the bar. He refused to be drunk alone, and Colin had stubbornly refused to get as wasted as him.

Rory laughed at Finn's crazy behavior and allowed herself to be steered towards the bar. She hadn't been lying to Logan, she was in desperate need of caffeine. Dealing with Paris and her crazy mourning rituals was bad enough, then having her grandmother simply show up at the most inopportune moment, then there was Logan to consider. Her head hurt just thinking about all of the potential badness surrounding this crazy night.

"What are you drinking tonight?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Cappuccino, please," Rory ordered.

"No, love. That simply won't do. There's not a lick of alcohol in that drink. It goes against the rules, you know," Finn objected.

"Rules?"

"Of course. The rules clearly state that I do not drink alone. So far tonight I'm the only one with any drinks. Colin simply refused. I'm sure Logan had something to do with that," Finn explained.

"Oh I see," Rory said, a bit too sweetly. "And what are the repercussions for breaking this rule?"

"Oh it's ghastly. Mourning, wailing, gnashing of teeth."

"Sounds very Biblical."

"It is, love."

"I think I'll stick with my cappuccino for now, Finn. Maybe I'll move on to something harder later," Rory appeased.

"I'll let that be acceptable this one time, missy," Finn said. He attempted to be quite stern with her. After all, rules were rules. His words, however, slightly slurred together and he couldn't help smiling at her. He feared the effect of the mock threat had been completely lost on her.

"I'm honestly amazed you're able to stand or speak, Finn," Rory noted.

"The night is young, love. I have yet to reach my stride."

Colin had watched the two enter. They had been holding hands, but neither seemed to be aware of that fact. They were the only ones in the place oblivious to their much noted entrance. He found it to be an interesting development in his best friend's behavior. This girl had the oddest effect on, it seemed, everyone. He now knew she came from good breeding, but even before that he'd liked her. He was a snob about the people he chose to associate with, it was bad and petty, but everyone had a vice. Amazingly, he knew he'd have enjoyed spending time around Rory Gilmore even without the fancy pedigree. Finn, who usually only had eyes for redheads was taken with Rory. Now, Finn wouldn't want to date her or anything outlandish like that, but he remembered her name; a feat he rarely managed to accomplished with his much beloved redheads. Sure he addressed Rory as "love", but that was like Logan calling her "Ace".

"I see you convinced her to play hooky," Colin observed.

"I must admit it wasn't a tough sell. A wake for her roommates ex-professor-lover could hardly be something to get excited about," Logan answered nonchalantly.

"Three times in one day," Colin pressed.

"What?"

"You've been around the same woman three times in one day. That's a record, my friend," Colin replied.

"She's fun to be around, Colin. Look at Finn," Logan pointed towards the bar, "She's not even a redhead and he's making a fool of himself for her."

"Finn's not the only one," Colin warned.

Logan scowled at his friend. He knew the point Colin was trying to make. It went against his profile to spend so much time with one girl, it had the trappings of commitment, but up until she said she'd leave with him, he would've sworn she hated him. Not that something as trivial as an extreme negative reaction would have stopped him.

"I just want you to be careful here," Colin continued. "She's different. You walked in here tonight holding hands with a girl and it was noticed."

"So?" Logan asked, genuinely confused. He never gave one thought to what others thought of him or his actions. He'd been a point of gossip and discussion since birth, no need for people to quit now.

"Just be careful about what you put her through," Colin replied. Knowing there was nothing more he could do for his clueless friend, Colin decided to wander over to the bar. It appeared that Finn was having some difficulty convincing Rory to drink anything alcoholic.

Long after Colin left him standing near the door, Logan still had a scowl on his face. He wasn't doing anything to Rory. Sure, he wanted to see her again after their chance meetings today. Honestly, he'd wanted to see her again after meeting her with that Marty guy. Seeing her putting up Paris' posters had been fate, and given him a legitimate excuse to see her once more time. She didn't care that he was a Huntzburger, which was as refreshing as it was amazing. He knew she had journalistic aspirations. Once he'd learned her name, he'd had Colin and Finn doing some searching, and they'd discovered she wrote for the Yale Daily News. Now that he knew she was a Gilmore, he would have to see if she had been on the paper at whatever private school she'd attended. It amazed him that she hadn't tried to use him to get closer to his father, or at least asked him to mention her or see if there were any openings at any of his family's papers. If she were not a member of the Hartford elite, it would be called gold digging, since she was a member of the Hartford elite, at least by default, it was networking. Rory seemed interested in neither. With those last puzzling thoughts, Logan decided to join Finn at the bar.

Author's Note: So, there's another chapter for all of you lovely readers. I am focusing a lot more on Logan's internal thoughts right now, but will soon be narrowing in on Rory, whose character will change a bit more rapidly in this story than she did in the series...it will be a bit OOC. Also, I'm still looking for a beta if anyone is interested.

Let me know what you think.