A/N: I don't own GG!

Unsaid Words are the Hardest

Rory stared at Logan, sort of amazed she'd broached the subject. It wasn't that she didn't think the talk needed to happen, because it did, but she wasn't sure it should happen here, now.

"Okay," Logan conceded. He elongated the "a".

"What are we doing?" Rory asked.

"Standing in the woods holding champagne in crystal glasses," Logan offered.

"These are crystal? How do you pay for these events? This must be costing a fortune," Rory exclaimed. She took a deep breath before continuing. "No, that's not what I meant, Logan."

"What did you mean, Ace?"

"When I cornered you and asked you to help me with this article, we nearly and then the blonde interrupted, which she should have because she was with you and I wasn't, and then in the car and the sleeping which I didn't mean to do, but I did and now – well?"

Logan shook his head. He wanted to smile at her rant, but knew the serious conversation she wanted to have with him. It was the conversation Colin had been warning him about for weeks, and Rory deserved to have things laid out in plain language, but he didn't want to ruin the unlabeled relationship he had with Rory.

"You avoided me," Rory added.

"I was giving you space," Logan told her.

"Why? Why did you feel the need to give me space? Because nothing happened, right?"

"It almost happened, Ace."

"Really?"

Logan nodded. "Look, I wanted to help you with the article, and you should technically already be a member of the Life and Death Brigade."

"So that's why you agreed to help me? Because of some random technicality? Well, gee thanks for doing me such a great favor, Logan."

"Did you want me to say no?"

"Why did you put your arm around me and kiss my head?" Rory asked.

"What?" Logan was having some difficulty following this argument.

"In the car, when I fell asleep, you put your arm around me and when I was waking up I felt you kiss me. Why did you do that? Why did you hold my hand that night at Paris' wake when we left the dorm, you held my hand the whole way to the pub. Every time we're around each other you find a way to put your arm around me, or hold my hand. Then, when I decide to ask you about the Life and Death Brigade I see you with some blonde, then you nearly kiss me and drag me off to an overnight event. What are we doing, Logan?"

"I don't know what you want from me. You asked me for help, so I'm helping you with your article. I thought this was what you wanted. You do want the story, don't you?"

"Of course I want the story Logan. But, if another reporter had come to you and asked you for help with the article would you have helped them?"

"No. The only other person close enough to being a member of the LDB is Paris, but since her family line is technically attached to Harvard it would have been a much harder sell. I was able to help you because you're a Gilmore."

"You would have helped Paris get this story if she'd come to you?"

"You think Paris would come to me for help?"

"Paris has singlehandedly made most of the religious leaders on campus regret not being atheist. I'm pretty sure she'd endure asking you for help if she needed it for an article."

"I get it. You're just enduring this. Coming to me for help just because you need information for your article. Well, you're here, Ace! Get your story. No one's stopping you."

"Don't turn that around on me, Logan! I came to you for help because I wanted your help yes, but I didn't leave the wake for a story, or go to breakfast for a story."

"No, you left the wake because it got you away from the Gellar side show."

"That's not fair, Logan."

"What exactly do you want me to say, Rory?"

"I like you."

Logan opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. He didn't know how to respond to her admission, and from the look on her face, she didn't mean to admit her feelings out loud. This confrontation was inevitable.

"I'm not boyfriend material."

"I know."

"You deserve a boyfriend."

Rory looked away. She knew he wasn't a commitment kind of guy, and she sure wasn't a no strings attached kind of girl. More importantly, she didn't want to become a no strings girl, not even for Logan. Recent events with Dean proved to her that she was a solid one girl with one guy sort of person when it came to relationships. She didn't want to be the cause of another girl's jealousy, and she didn't want to worry about whether or not her guy was off with some other girl.

"I'm not going to be one of the many," Rory whispered.

Logan nodded. "I know. I don't want you to be one of the many. I like you, Rory, but I'm not a commitment kind of guy."

"I know. You have dates or escorts without the whole Pretty Woman connotation, I hope, and I knew that about you the first time I saw you." Rory paused and looked up at Logan. "I am glad you're helping me with the article."

"Me too, Ace," Logan said softly as he walked away. Suddenly he wanted to be anywhere but the middle of the woods dressed in a silly costume. He wanted to be back on the yacht, he wanted to be on the moon, he wanted to be stuck in Pompeii on volcano day; anywhere but here with Rory…even thinking about her hurt. He'd spent ten minutes of his life in an argument with one person whom he wanted to make happy, to make smile, to not argue with, and for what? Nothing. She liked him; he liked her, but they were still stuck in the same place.

"Damn it!"

"I'm sorry, man," Colin said sincerely as he handed Logan a glass of scotch.

"If you say one syllable about how right you were – "

"Not going to," Colin assured, arms up in surrender. "It can't be easy to realize you like someone you can't have, especially when you know she likes you, too."

"How do you know that?" Logan asked.

"I saw her," Colin answered.

"And?"

"She's with Stephanie. She looks about like you do right now."

"I should have listened to you, Colin. I never should have brought her here."

"You're an idiot," Finn pronounced as he joined the other two.

"Not now, Finn," Logan growled.

"Sorry, I didn't make the same promise as Colin, and I've not said anything about this whole sorted business of yours yet, but damn it Logan, she's perfect for you. Get your head out of your arse and quit making yourself miserable."

Logan threw the long empty crystal champagne glass against a nearby tree. He watched it shatter into a million pieces, not experiencing the catharsis he'd been anticipating.

"Great job, Finn," Colin muttered.

Rory walked aimlessly for a while, her mind completely blank. She idly took mental notes about the elaborate set-up and the various activities the groups were participating in, but nothing really penetrated the emptiness she was experiencing. After a while, she found herself in front of one of the champagne tables. She reached down and took another glass of champagne. Her empty glass in her other hand, she looked around for a place to deposit it.

"Here," Stephanie said as she took the empty glass from Rory, "let me take care of this for you."

Numbly, Rory nodded at watched Stephanie flag down someone who took the glass from her and promptly left.

"Thanks, Stephanie."

"Oh good you're using 'e's' again," Stephanie said, clearly relieved. "I hate their stupid little games. By the end of the night, they are slobbering idiots who can't manage to find their tents without help. I give you the future of America."

"A sobering picture," Rory agreed as she took a long gulp of her champagne.

Stephanie nodded.

"So, is Logan the head of the group?" Rory asked.

Stephanie looked at Rory for a moment before answering. She knew something had happened between the two, something that had been simmering for quite a while. Finn and Colin had given her an overview of the situation; when Colin had come by and told her to go and find Rory she knew something serious was happening.

"There's no head of the group, Rory. We're an anarchy collective, we don't recognize leaders per se."

"But if you did recognize leaders, would Logan be that leader?"

"Why are you pursing this line of questions? I doubt the boys will let you use names and name a leader of our secret group."

"It's the way everyone treats Logan, and some stuff he said to me earlier…Logan kind of seems…"

"Cute?"

"No!" Rory exclaimed too quickly.

"No?"

"Well, yes, but – "

"There's a line to get to him," Stephanie informed Rory. Since she doubted the boys would be able to bring themselves to tell her, she took that duty upon herself.

"I've heard rumors," Rory said, finishing off her champagne.

"They're all blonde, rich, empty, and protective of their place in that line," Stephanie continued, watching Rory's face closely. As she suspected, jealousy flashed furiously in Rory's eyes. The girl was good, and swiftly masked it, but there was no denying the emotion in them.

"I'm not looking to get in a line. I'm here as a reporter."

"A reporter?"

"I'm doing an article for the Yale Daily News. Logan's my inside person."

"That's why you were so interested in the status of his leadership."

"Yes. He doesn't exactly have that Henry VIII disregard for tradition, but I understand it took some convincing to get me allowed to attend this soiree."

"It takes legacy, which you have, and a member to vouch for you. In your case, two."

"Two?"

"This is off the record, Rory. You can't publish details about the group's members or membership requirements."

"Off the record, I know Stephanie. I don't want to destroy the group, just write something worth writing."

Stephanie paused for a moment. She looked at Rory for a long moment before continuing. "It takes two because you're not a freshman. It takes one member for each year you've been at Yale. Most people are inducted as freshman, but you weren't, so you need two."

"Colin."

"Huh?"

"It's Logan and Colin. That's why he had to avoid me for those days, those were Colin's terms. That's why the blindfold. I'm so stupid right now."

"Colin?"

"When I approached Logan about the LDB, he was with one of the blonde line girls. Then I got these mysterious messages and met Colin who gave me details about how to get my scoop. I thought Logan was avoiding me because we – well, we almost sort of kissed, but the blonde was there so we didn't, then I didn't see him until today and I thought he was avoiding me. Really, it was Colin who told him to stay away or he wouldn't agree to be the second member to vouch for me. Logan wasn't avoiding me."

"Rory," Stephanie said carefully, "Colin had Logan avoid you because you two needed space to work out what exactly you two have going on between you. The line is no joke, and the girls are vicious when they feel their place in line is being threatened. You are threatening their place in line. Hell, Rory, you're threatening the whole line."

"How am I threatening the line? I didn't ask to be put in any line! The line can remain intact because I won't be one of the many. I refuse to become another nameless female that waltzes through Logan's life, partly because waltzing would look funny, but mostly because I have boyfriends, not dates."

"Oh, you've got it bad. You really like Logan. This is worse than we all thought."

"You've talked about us?"

"We may have discussed the evolution of your relationship on occasion."

"On occasion?"

"Several occasions."

"Why?"

"At first, because it was new territory. The boys had never seen Logan react to a girl the way he reacted to you. Then, it was because the boys decided they liked you and wanted to make sure Logan didn't hurt you. Finn is scary attached to you. Do you realize he actually knows your name? Other than Rosemary, who is the only redhead to resist him, he doesn't know any female's name. Colin liking anyone is a miracle because he is a pretentious snob of a person, but he likes you. We all think Logan is falling for you."

"Well, good for Finn and Colin and Logan…and you. I didn't ask for any of this. I'm not looking to change anything or get into any line. I simply want to write my article then everyone can ignore me and things will go back to the status quo."

"I don't think it will be that easy. Logan doesn't let go when he finds something he wants. He wants you, Rory. He might not be Mr. Commitment, but he's not going to just let you walk out of his life."

"I might not give him the choice. It's my life, too."

"Do you like him?"

"Yes."

"Do you want him in your life?"

"Yes."

"Then you, my friend, need to figure somethings out."

"What things?"

"What are you willing to endure to have Logan in your life?"

Thank you so much for all of the fabulous reviews! I enjoyed reading the reviews with and without "e's"! Here is another chapter for you all to enjoy! As always, tell me what you thought!