This is the final chapter because with the help of my wonderful beta, Lourenda, it was decided that had I continued this story it would have lost it's original story line.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Logan stepped out of his dorm room and stepped on something, looking down he noticed it was the new copy of the YDN. His father had requested that it be delivered to his room to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing.
He knew his article was in this issue, flipping through the issue to find it. He was shocked to see that there was a comparative piece next to it, written by none other than Rory Gilmore.
He looked down at his watch realizing if he didn't leave soon he would be late to his class. 'Reason 942 why Rory changed me, I'm going to class,' he thought to himself.
Shaking his head he glanced down at the article written by the girl who seemed to want nothing to do with him, deciding he could wait till later to read about how the auction wasn't all it cracked up to be for her. He placed the paper into his bag and walked to class.
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Rory was on her way out of the door for class when she saw a hot pink post-it note with her name on it sitting on the table. Approaching the table, she noticed it was stuck to the newest edition of the YDN that Paris had left for her.
Not having enough time to read it, she slid it into a folder she was carrying and walked out of the dorm.
The article had been both easy and difficult for her to write. She had so much information she could use, but wording it appropriately and not putting to much emotion into it was hard. That auction had changed her life in so many ways - some good, some bad - but she had problems figuring out if she was for or against the newspaper auction.
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Logan got to class five minutes early and decided he couldn't take it anymore; he had to know what Rory had written. Taking the paper out of his bag he began to read it:
"One would assume that the choice if I am for or against the newspaper auction would be easy, but it's not. The experience I had makes it far too difficult to pick a black and white choice. So, I am going to tell my story and let you all be the judge of it…"
Logan read the first paragraph and was shocked 'She can't pick a side? How in the hell can she not pick a side!' he thought. He was about to begin reading more when the professor walked into the room, grudgingly he put the paper away and took out his notebook.
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Rory was sitting on the bench enjoying her coffee right after her first class, she had heard some girls behind her whisper about Logan and her. Their exact words were 'That's her, the one Logan Huntzberger wants.'
She almost had to scoff at their wording, Logan Huntzberger wanted no one. Opening the paper to find her article she almost choked on her coffee when she saw Logan had a piece on the same exact topic.
'That sneaky bastard!' Rory thought 'He knew I wanted that article… It was my article to begin with!'
"I've been to the Newspaper Auction three times before and never have I bought a date. I never really saw the need to pay for a date with a girl when I could get one for free. However, this year I must admit not only got me to spend a large sum of money on a date with someone who didn't like me, but I learned a lot about myself in the process."
Rory stared openmouthed at that statement. Why was Logan pouring his heart out in this newspaper article, in front of everyone?
She continued the article completely bewildered by the amount of emotion and raw honesty he was putting into it.
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Logan got back to his dorm after having three mind numbing classes in a row. He threw himself down on the couch and immediately pulled out the newspaper that had been on his mind all day long. Even when he was taking notes in his Ancient Civilization class he some how managed to right down 'Difficult to pick a black and white choice.' Man, was he losing it.
Getting the paper out of his bag and falling back onto the couch he skimmed the next few paragraphs until he got to one that seemed to strike a cord in his heart.
"To say I never lived on the edge was an understatement. I'm the kind of person who looked both ways three times before crossing the street, I've never skipped a class just because I wanted to sleep or would rather be shopping, and I most certainly didn't defy death for the fun of it.
But my date had showed me that you can die doing just about anything, 'There is chance you could die from eating bad pizza. Everything you do in life is a health risk, we are just testing the limits,' he told me, and as much as I regret inflating his ego like this I find that those are words I should live by.
He showed me how to allow myself live on the edge and let him lead me through all sorts of physical and emotional ups and downs…which included a ring of fire and a motorbike."
Logan looked up from the paper and smiled as he remembered talking her into going through that flaming hoop of fire with him. He was scared, but he didn't lead her to believe that, if he had showed his fears she would have never gotten on that bike. Then there was the kiss that took place after it, 'My god, that kiss.' He had never felt as alive as he felt after that one kiss.
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"A few weeks after our date she got sick, I took care of her because, as strange as it was for me, I hated to see her sick. It was the flu, a simple everyday illness, but I found I needed the reassurance to know that she was alright.
It doesn't take a genius to see that I believe the Newspaper Auction is a good tradition to have at Yale. The auction impacted my life in many ways. Thanks to the Yale Daily News and Rory Gilmore, I learned that love exists and that paying for a date might sound desperate, but it is truly worthy cause."
"Are you kidding me!" Rory yelled from her spot on a bench in the courtyard. She was shocked that he was admitting he loved her in a newspaper, for all of Yale to read.
"I see you read his article." A voice from behind her stated.
Turning around Rory was greeted with the laughing eyes of Finn. "I did, did you?"
"Colin highlighted the parts I might find interesting and I skimmed those."
"You couldn't even read the whole article?" Rory asked slightly amused that he was so lazy.
"Love, you know how I feel about pointless words." Finn smiled throwing an arm around her. "So, what'd you think?"
"I think…I love him." Rory said slightly above a whisper.
"I know! You practically spelled that out in your article…but it's not me you have to tell."
"I know," Rory sighed "wait you read my article?"
"Of course! You're like my little sister and I'm proud of everything my little sister does." He told her seriously.
"Aww." Rory said feeling her heart melt and gave him a hug. "You're the big brother I never had."
"So, when are you going to tell him that you loooove him?" Finn teased.
"Apparently this touching moment is over." Rory mumbled.
"Rory, this will probably be one of the few moments I am ever dead serious. You and Logan need each other, love each other and you are both being stupid by avoiding each other."
"But what if-."
"No what ifs."
"I'm going home."
"Fine, live in denial…but if you're in it too long you get all pruney."
"You made a 'The Nile' joke, Finn?"
"They are classics, thank you very much!" Finn defended.
Rory shook her head "Bye."
"Tell him!"
"Maybe!"
"You're so bloody stubborn!" he called after her.
"I love you too!" Rory yelled back.
"You're such a whore." A blonde girl said stopping in front of Rory's path.
"Excuse me!"
"Logan Huntzberger declares his love for you and you are saying that you love another guy!" The girl squeaked.
Rory inwardly groaned at the shrill sound of her voice. Her hair was dyed bleach blonde, her clothing was way too improper for fall and Rory would estimate that at least three parts of her body where surgically enhanced. "Color me shocked that you actually read the newspaper to begin with." Rory commented stepping around the girl.
"If you don't want him give him to me!" The girl called after her.
Rory didn't respond to the girl but something that that ditz had said had struck a cord with Rory. 'They treat him like he's an object, just something to pass around.' Rory thought 'Of course, he does the same thing with them...did...he doesn't anymore...because of me.'
She was going to tell him. She had to tell him.
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"It's amazing how something I was forced into became one of my most precious memories. I suppose the more I think about it the more I like the idea of the auction. Sure, it sounds desperate and degrading, but if just one person experiences what I did on my date…Then they'll know you find love in the most remarkable places, usually the places you didn't want to be in the first place."
"You'll find love? What does she mean by finding love?" Logan said out loud thinking he was still alone.
"You're the son of Mitchum Huntzberger and you can't read between the lines of that? Pity, I'm sure he had high hopes for you." a voice said from behind him.
Turning around he was greeted with the playful eyes of Stephanie, "Finn's not here."
"I know, my boy toy told me to meet him here. Told me where the spare key was and everything."
"Give him an opportunity to get laid and he does everything short of give his social security number away." Logan deadpanned.
"Give me an hour and I could get it out of him." She smirked sitting next to him and grabbing the paper from his hands. "She spent days holed up in her room writing this article, you know."
"Really." Logan said trying to sound uninterested.
"Yeah, she apparently didn't want to give too much information, but if you ask me she couldn't help it."
"How so?"
"Well, her goal was to not convey her feelings too strongly but well…she did everything but saying 'I love you, Logan.'."
"No, that was my approach. She generalized it. She could be saying it to anyone or anything."
"You're delusional."
"I'm not, just realistic." Logan shrugged.
"You obviously don't know Rory, she runs from things she's scared of and loving you is something that scares her."
"I know she runs from things she's scared of. She proved that the night we slept together, but I doubt that she'd run from loving someone."
"Says the person who has never been in love before." Finn said as he walked into the dorm.
"What is this 'lets dissect Logan's life'?"
"No, it's more like 'Logan's a dumb ass and needs to read between the god damn lines'."
"I think that's too long to be the title of a game show, Finny." Steph teased.
"I gave you orders on how I wanted to find you when I got home. So, why are you not naked in my bed smothered in chocolate?"
"In your dreams." Steph scoffed.
"Last night as a matter of fact."
"You two are sickening." Logan told them as he stood up, "I'm going out for a walk."
"Maybe you'll end up at Branford."
"And maybe I won't."
"She's not there." Finn informed them both.
"It doesn't matter…I wasn't going to see her anyway." Logan snapped.
"Gosh, he's persnickety…He needs to get laid."
"So does Rory! She's been a complete bitch about everything lately." Steph commented.
"I'm leaving."
"To get laid?"
"Screw you, Finn!" Logan called on the way out of the door.
"I was planning on it." Steph giggled and leaned forward to cover Finn's lips with her own.
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Rory was walking aimlessly around campus debating whether she should go see Logan. She missed his arms wrapped around her when she was sick; she missed the laughter in his eyes when she'd accidentally make a suggestive comment. In short, she missed him.
Her eyes were trained on the ground when she knocked into something hard. Her eyes flew upwards to notice the chocolate brown eyes she'd just thought about.
"Déjà vu." Logan mumbled as he steadied her.
"This time I don't have a fever, so you don't have to play doctor." Rory said but then snickered a little, "Dirty."
Logan smiled at her, "I don't know, I kinda miss sending Colin to the store and having him bitch about the 90 year old pharmacist."
Rory smiled and decided to jump right in, "I read your article."
"Really, I might have glanced at yours as well." He smirked.
"I'm being serious…Did you…Did you mean it?"
"Every word." He told her seriously. "Did you?"
"Only everyone other word…" She teased.
"Smartass."
"But you looooove me." she said with every word her smile growing.
"God only knows why."
"I'm hurt, I thought it was my beauty and brains, my ability to eat massive quantities of food without gaining weight, the fact that I am still somewhat inexperienced in the sex department so you can teach me new things, I don't let you get away with anything because you're a Huntzberger, I am--"
"You are everything amazing and wonderful, I got it." He smiled wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Aw, the compliments…They make me blush."
"Shut up, Ace."
"Is that anyway to talk to the women you lo--." Rory was cut off by his lips crashing into hers with one of the most knee weakening kisses she'd ever experienced. Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed back with as much passion as she could.
Breaking away when air became needed she buried her head into his neck. "I love you, Logan." She mumbled.
Logan finally felt like he had done something right in his life, he finally got one thing he wanted, not because of his name or money but because he tried and put the effort in. "I love you too, Ace. So much."
And so ends another story! I've got a idea for another Logan/Rory and as soon as I get it typed up I'll post it and of course I'm working on Rec. Projects.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed you guys are amazing!