I know this one is short and it may not be perfect - it's sort of a departure from all the angst and moodiness. I figured it's finally time to get this story in the direction you are all waiting for. What can I say, maybe the Royal Wedding inspired me? Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter - I know I've been terrible at updating and I still won't/can't promise to do better, but I'm trying and it means so much that you love this story in the special way that you do. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
It was five in the morning and Logan lay still in bed, staring at his ceiling, searching for answers to questions he had for what seemed like forever. The questions, for the most part, were pointless. Why did he have to be on that flight? Why did Rory have to look at him the way she did, make him do the things he did to win her over?
He knew why he left Hartford the first time. Shouting in a gazebo and staining his shirt with her tears was far too much, much too soon. But then, why did he run into her four months later? Why did she come to London? Why was he so afraid of breaking the rules? Why did she have to meet the Greek? Why didn't he stand up for her - she deserved the prize after all.
Maybe sabotage was in his nature. He liked this poor, tortured rich boy image he had cultivated during his teen years. Maybe this was the logical continuation of that. Yet, he let Mitchum talk him into some silly too-good-to-be-true project group. Why was she there?
Perhaps, it was fate. He was not even really sure he believed in fate. His life had been planned out in advance so he never really had to entertain the idea of something happening based purely on chance. Something so abstract was too hard to grasp for him. Still, he wondered about different kind of questions too. Was she a good kisser? What did she look like when she just woke up? Did she hate him? Or love him, only if it was just a little bit?
The thought of her being his destiny entered his mind. She was something so uncontrollable, something so hard to walk away from, something that just came coming back. Even when he wanted to look away. Even when he said that he couldn't stand to look at her. Even when he wanted to not think about here. Here he was again, in the middle of the night, in bed, thinking about her.
Logan tossed and turned as his thoughts morphed into a reel of him and Rory, different scenarios playing out, images of was and what it could have been. Finally, at 6:30 he gave up and stumbled into the kitchen.
Through blurred vision, he made out Finn sitting at the breakfast bar, ear buds in his ear, gaze fixed to his laptop, a mug of coffee in his hand. "It's 6:30."
"I know, mate," Finn said, taking out his left ear bud, but eyes glued to the screen of his computer.
Logan chose to ignore Finn for the moment and he filled the kettle with water, grabbed a mug, a bag of Earl Grey. He ate a granola bar as he waited for the water to boil. Finn wasn't paying attention to Logan either, he was so wrapped up in whatever he was watching on his computer, the world could have collapsed around him and he wouldn't have cared. Once Logan's tea was sufficiently cooled that he could take a few sips and he started to feel more awake, did he speak to Finn.
"Why, in the name of all that is holy, are you awake?"
"Couldn't sleep," Finn looked up, "Thinking about Aubrey."
"And so you are…?" Logan asked and Finn let out a deep sigh. "Watching YouTube videos of Kate Nash, mate. She knows exactly what I'm going through."
Finn's choice of music wasn't as surprising as it maybe should've been and Logan nodded in understanding.
"It's just that…" Finn started, "Aubrey is the nicest thing, the best girl I've ever met. I want her, you know? But not just in a sexy way. I mean, obviously…" A sly grin flashed across his face, "...but I want her to know that when I say two sugars, I actually mean three and I want her to need me, like the way I need her….It's bad, mate, I can't eat. I can't sleep…."
Logan had been too wrapped up in his own personal drama that he failed to notice if Finn had indeed stopped eating and sleeping, but he had to admit that Finn looked out of it. Though, he himself had not been eating like usual and he couldn't exactly remember the last time he had a good night's sleep. He caught himself nodding along to what Finn was saying, his level of understanding was deeper than he thought.
"Just, wow, that look on her face when I saw her for the first time. At the breakfast buffet. And that smile…"
Bug-eyed glasses. Pink Birkin. Society stance. His mouth went dry, so he gulped a sip of his tea. "You should ask her out."
"I can't," Finn said ruefully, "I don't think she likes me."
"What?" He was shocked, "But I saw you two at the fundraiser yesterday…."
"I know. But I can't figure her out. I don't know, mate, I just don't know."
"Wouldn't you rather know rather than watching the same clip of Kate Nash on repeat since 6 in the morning?"
"Five-thirty, actually," Finn said in a solemn tone.
"Don't ever tell anyone that," Logan said, finally with a hint of a grin returning to his face and Finn laughed. But the light moment was fleeting as Finn's expression turned to that of despair. "What am I going to do?"
That was another question Logan had no answer to and he just shook his head. "You want to get breakfast?"
"I could eat a waffle, maybe," Finn shrugged.
Chocolate-chips. Her finger dipped in batter. That wickedly flirtatious grin. "Yeah, waffles sound good."
As Finn and Logan waited patiently to be seated among the usual Sunday morning breakfast crowd, Finn rambled on about Aubrey and how he couldn't wait to see her again, Logan's thoughts were pulled back to the cloakroom. The words he hurled at her made it seem so definite, like he'd never see her again. Rationally, he knew that he'd have to see her again, but he didn't dread that perspective, like he thought he would, like he was supposed to, it excited him. Her eyes, that smile, the glossy shine of her hair, it all burned in his mind.
"I'm Cassie and I'll be your server today!" the perky voice of the young waitress pierced his thoughts. "Can I start you off with something?"
"Coffee, the biggest size you've got," Finn said.
"Tough night?" Cassie laughed as she poured two regular sized mugs for Finn.
"I'm in love, but she don't love me back, love," Finn said dramatically which elicited a sympathetic look from Cassie. "And you?"
"The girl I maybe liked may or may not have had drunk sex with a Greek god in my bed. And I can't figure out if she did it to get back at me for having to take a business trip with another girl, even though I more or less promised to take the trip with her. And now I have to work with her. The girl I maybe like, I mean, not the other girl."
"Wow. Um. I meant your drink order," Cassie said and Logan's eyes widened a bit in embarrassment. "Of course, I'm sorry. An orange juice, please."
"It'll be right up," she said, "And just some advice? I'd drop the "maybe". To me, it sounds like you're in love."
Logan gave the waitress somewhat of an annoyed look, but his facial expression changed at Finn's sigh. "She's right, mate. It was obvious from the start that you and her weren't a maybe."
"We weren't?" And there he was thinking he'd done a pretty decent job at keeping his cool and hiding his feelings for her. "Do you think she…?"
"Knew?" Finn's mouth twitched upward in a smile. "Of course. You felt it, too, I'm sure."
A wave of nerves washed over Logan, as if his deepest, darkest secret had been revealed. "Who else? Westville? Morris? The rest of the Board?" Logan blinked as he realized the worst possible thing, "Mitchum?"
"Them other guys, I don't know…" Finn paused, not quite sure if he wanted to tell Logan about a certain phone call Mitchum had received. On the other hand, he saw that Logan was still aching and maybe, maybe, Logan was finally ready to admit his feelings to himself and maybe he'd be so relieved that he wouldn't blow up at Finn.
It was worth a shot.
"And Mitchum," Finn started gently, "he, um, now don't get mad, but remember those months in London after Rory left?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, um, I saw that you were in a pretty bad place, mate, and don't say that you weren't, because I know you and you were working like crazy and that's your version of drinking red wine and listening to Adele. Or Kate Nash. Or Regina Spektor. And I get that, so I let you deal with it yourself, but you weren't getting any better…." Finn saw a shift in Logan's expression. It wasn't quite anger, but it wasn't a good look either.
"So, anyway," he carried on quickly and took a deep breath, "I called Mitchum." And he pulled up his shoulders, covering his face with his hands, bracing for Logan's outburst, but it didn't come.
"You called Mitchum," Logan repeated slowly, and he said it one more time, letting the full implication sink in. "So, he knows," he said, as realization dawned. "And this, this, us being here is Mitchum, isn't it?"
Finn nodded slowly, still kind of waiting for a Logan-explosion. "What's he up to?" Logan asked, more to himself than anyone else, still bewildered at Finn's revelation.
"I don't know," Finn answered honestly. "But, you're right, this project thing, that's something he came up with. I'm guessing that means he approves."
"It can't be," Logan immediately shot down Finn's suggestion. "He was the one who came up with all those silly rules. He'd never...he thinks I'm too... that I'd hurt Rory."
"She hurt you, too. Maybe that evened the score."
Logan cocked his head to the side. "Mitchum Huntzberger actually acknowledging his son has a heart. Get real, Finn."
Finn shrugged, sipping at his coffee. "Why do you even care? Seven weeks left and then you're free."
"But so is she."
"Right," Finn nodded, "Back to South Carolina."
"Hartford," Logan corrected absentminded and Cassie laughed as she topped up Finn's coffee. "You boys are too much, making things far more complicated than they need to be. All you need to do is call up these girls and ask them out. Dinner and a movie. Nice and simple. You," she pointed at Logan, "don't worry about this Mitchum dude. If she loves you like you love her, it won't matter, and you," she turned to Finn, "don't assume. You'll end up crying into your waffles at a breakfast joint and make an ass out of yourself. Don't give up on her until she says loud and clear that she doesn't love you."
And with that advice, Cassie cleared their plates and suddenly everything clicked. Finn and Logan looked at each other grinning like idiots. And the left Cassie a two hundred dollar tip.
"The Adjustment Bureau is playing tonight," Logan said after a few minutes of furious typing.
"Let's see the trailer, then," Finn commanded lightly and both boys watched as Matt Damon filled the screen. A kiss with Emily Blunt. Smiles, laughter, dancing, hopes and dreams, crushed by the people who wanted to keep Matt Damon on his chosen path. Enough action for the boys and a love story for the girls, it seemed like a good date movie. Yet the irony of the movie choice didn't escape him: do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? And Matt Damon's voice rang in his ears. All I have are the choices I make, and I choose her.
"You want to text Aubrey?" Logan asked finally. "The City Theatre has a seven pm showing?"
"What should I ask? If she and Rory want to join me for the movies?" Finn asked sarcastically. "Text her yourself."
"I can't," Logan said. "Not after what I said. If Aubrey is as nervous as you say, she won't go alone. And Rory, being Rory, will go with her. Trust me."
"Trust you?" Finn said with a tiny laugh of disbelief. "Mate, you've barely read one issue of Cosmopolitan in your life, and you expect me to trust your love advice?"
"Just…" Logan ran a hand through his hair, "just trust me on this, okay?"
Meanwhile, in an apartment across town, two girls were just waking up admits what could only be described as the remains of a grown up girly slumber party. Empty ice-cream cartons, sticky bowls and spoons. Empty glasses of red wine, face masks and toe-spreaders and nail polish bottles strewn across the coffee table.
Aubrey was busy fixing them coffee. "I'm kind of in the mood for a pizza."
"Coffee and pizza is good for me," Rory laughed, reaching for her cell. "One large cheese?"
"Half pepperoni?" Aubrey suggested.
"Oh, that's better!"
"Do you think "love" sounds too familiar?" Finn asked, his Blackberry between his hands. "I mean, I don't want to freak her out, but I call Rory "love," so I don't want to think I'm friend-zoning her. Maybe darling is better? Or kitten? Butter cup? Sweet thing?"
"Or maybe just Aubrey?" Logan suggested and he couldn't suppress his laughter.
"Women are sensitive to words, Logan," Finn shot back, and then resumed perfecting the wording of his text. After another five minutes of sighing and typing, he cleared his throat. "How ' bout this?"
Since we never got a chance to properly hang out at yesterday's party, I was wondering if you would be willing to accompany me to our city's finest theater of movies to see the 7 pm showing of The Adjustment Bureau? Pre-movie burgers is, of course, a must.
"You are the Romeo of text messaging," Logan deadpanned and before Finn could to any further wordsmithing, he grabbed the phone from him and pressed send.
"Chace Crawford is definitely the sexiest Gossip Boy," Aubrey said as she took another slice of pizza from the box, "Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get her head examined."
"Obviously," Rory nodded, "totally deranged if you disagree." The girls fell into another fit of giggles, even though the conversation didn't exactly warrant it. The shrill sound of Aubrey's text tone silenced them though.
She picked up her phone from the coffee table and then handed it to Rory. "You read it."
Rory glanced down at the number and back up to Aubrey. "But it's from Finn."
'That's why you have to read it."
Rory nodded understandingly and put down her pizza and wiped her hands, before opening the message.
"Okay, he, um, oh gosh...!" Rory could barely contain her excitement for Aubrey. "He wants to take you to the movies tonight! Seven o'clock, burger dinner beforehand!"
"Oh my gosh!" Aubrey squealed, "Like a real date."
"Like a real date," Rory confirmed with an excited nod but her excitement quickly dropped as she caught the look in Aubrey's eye. "What's wrong? You're going right?"
"I…." Aubrey nervously looked around the room, "A date with Finn…"
"….is a good thing," Rory said.
"But I don't date," Aubrey said, "not really, not much. I get all nervous and blotchy."
"But you know Finn," Rory said, somewhat confused by Aubrey's nervousness (but then again, she knew as no other how paralyzing fear could be.)
"Just from a week's worth of lunch and one fundraiser. And it took hours for the blush to fade."
"He'll think it's endearing," Rory waved Aubrey's concerns away, "and besides, he's nervous, too. Finn likes you Aubrey. You have to trust me on this one, okay?" And she saw Aubrey's lips curl into a smile. "Yes, me, with my terrible mess of a love life."
"Come with me," Aubrey said.
"Three people isn't a date," Rory said and Aubrey nodded knowingly. "Exactly. This way, I can still see Finn and you'll be there to help me. Guide me, with all of your wisdom." She grinned enthusiastically, hoping to convince Rory.
"Oh, Aubrey, I don't know…"
"Rory," she pleaded, "you have to come. I can't do it without you."
"Well…" she shrugged, but it was already too late. Aubrey was busy tapping away on her phone.
Finn's phone sat quietly between them on the couch. They pretended to nip at their beers and watch some bad reality TV as they waited for the phone to buzz. When it finally came, Finn practically jumped off the couch.
"What's it say?" Logan practically barked.
"She said ok but only with Rory."
"Told you so!" Logan clapped his hands and balled his fists in a yes-points-for-me gesture. Finn nodded happily and wrote his reply.
"Sent," Finn was relieved and he tossed his phone on the table.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a dates," Logan nodded excitedly and was met with Finn's groan. "Oh god, what will we wear?"
So. After 27 chapters it looks like our favorite couple of all time (ALL TIME!) looks like they will be getting their date. Even though, technically, it's not really a date. And it's more about Finn and sweet, sweet Aubrey. But still, they'll be seeing each other, over dinner and a movie. And that's a start right?
Review if you are pleasantly surprised!