just posting fic
Title: Algoinquin Escapade
Fandom: Gilmore Girls
Pairing: Rory/Logan
Rating: R
Links: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2
Chapter 3
“Lorelai, what have you done?” Emily gasped in horror, taking in the site before her as she stood on the church steps. Flashing lights coming off carnival rides and the whistles and whirls coming from the rides and midway games surrounded them. Lorelai had been avoiding Emily since she had arrived in town early Friday morning, knowing her wrath was inevitable.
“I did exactly what Logan asked me to do after his mother wouldn’t step foot in Stars Hollow to plan the rehearsal dinner,” Lorelai grinned. She had been looking forward to seeing her mother’s face since Rory and Logan had asked her to plan the rehearsal. “I put together a fun, relaxing and frivolous extravaganza to begin the celebration of my only child’s wedding.”
“But, but, but…this is outrageous!” Emily exclaimed in exasperation, flinging her hand in the general direction of the square. “Your only child is marrying into one of the most prominent families in the country and you plan a hoedown for the rehearsal. We’ll never be able to show our faces in polite society again.”
“Oh Mom, it’s not that bad - there’s no square dancing and I left out the cloggers,” Lorelai laughed. “Plus, tomorrow you’ll have your beautiful shots of Rory in her gorgeous dress with the lovely bracelet and earrings that Logan’s planning on giving her for a wedding gift.”
“He’s giving her a bracelet and earrings?” Emily asked, temporarily distracted from the disaster before her.
“Yes,” Lorelai confirmed. “A lovely pair of rose cut diamond earrings set in platinum, two diamonds in each earring. I would guess each stone is about a half carat, both round. I’m sure the bracelet cost more than my house - it’s an antique floral vine looking thing, all diamonds of course, set in platinum. Both are lovely and tasteful. He got them in New York right after he got back. Frankly, I’m considering offing Rory to get to the bracelet, it’s that gorgeous.”
“Really?” Emily asked, obviously impressed with Logan’s taste in jewelry.
“Yes Mom, really. It is that gorgeous. Maybe if I’m nice to her she’ll let me have custody of it while they’re gone.”
“While they’re gone, where are they going?” Emily asked curiously.
“Honeymoon,” Lorelai answered quickly, hoping her mother didn’t catch on, since she didn’t know about Rory and Logan’s plans as of yet. She would get to tell them what was up after the newlyweds were safely away, probably at dinner next Friday night. “It’s not like she’s going to need serious bling on a tiny island, or while they’re sailing, or in Africa. Isn’t it considered a faux pas to flaunt something in front of the natives that they probably dug up out of the ground but can’t possibly afford?”
“Diamonds, or bling as you so crudely insist on referring to them as, are never inappropriate,” Emily opined. “Oh, I can’t wait to see what Logan got Rory.”
“Well, you’ll get to see them tomorrow,” Lorelai affirmed. “He’s giving them to her while she’s getting ready; or rather, he’s having them delivered, by Lane or Paris, I would guess Lane since she’ll be appropriately squeeful as opposed to who the hell knows what kind of lecture or crazy reaction Paris might have. You know, since he can’t see the bride before the big event.”
“No, he most certainly cannot,” Emily nodded. “This is very exciting, I might have to leave the wedding coordinator unsupervised, so I can see what he got her. Perhaps Marilyn can step in for me for a few minutes. Besides, I do want to see her while she’s getting ready.”
“Marilyn seems a good stand in, and I’m sure Rory would want you to come see her while she’s getting ready, as well,” Lorelai confided. “You can ooh and ah over Logan’s amazing taste then - I drooled on them a little, or maybe a lot. Though, frankly, I think his taste deserves some oohing and ahing. They’re really beautiful, though the sweetest thing he said was, ‘they can only enhance, not outshine Rory’s beauty, because nothing is as beautiful as her.’ ”
“He’s won you over, hasn’t he?” Emily asked with a knowing smile.
“Yeah, Mom, he has,” Lorelai confessed with a small sigh. “I’ll admit I didn’t want to like him at first. Actually, I didn’t like him at all, really. But he adores her, which is hard to argue with. And in his own way, though I never would have believed it at the time, has tried to keep her on the straight and narrow.”
“What do you mean?” Emily queried.
“He tried to talk her out of quitting Yale. Apparently he told her she loved school, wanted more…needed more. I don’t know, but somehow that sealed the deal with him for me,” she admitted, though it pained her to do so to her mother. “I thought he was just a mindless playboy passing fancy or phase she was going to have to go through, but they’ve really managed to get the point where they really compliment each other. I never would have thought I would say this when I first met him - for a long time there after even, but they really do fit together well.”
“I told you, Lorelai,” Emily smiled.
“Yes, Mom, I know, but the reasons you like him and the reasons I like him are quite different.”
“True. The initial ones at least. I think the way he dotes on Rory would have won anyone over.” Emily stated with a satisfied and triumphant smile. “Now, you know you could have allowed me to hire a caterer for this event - If one can call it that.”
“Oh good grief,” Lorelai exclaimed as she blew out her cheeks. “Just think of yourself as Gina Lollabrigida being wooed by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. There’s tons of food. Corn dogs, burgers, cheese steaks, funnel cakes, cotton candy,” she waved as they passed various food stands, “caramel and candy apples, fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, fried Oreos, giant pretzels, cheesecake that’s been dipped in chocolate, and all that can be gotten on a handy stick. Well, most of it.
“And it’s all paid for already; Shira sent me a check for all the rides, games and food last week. Not that she knew what her check was for,” she grinned as one of the vendors approached to offer them a turkey leg or corndog.
“Oh my God, Lorelai, that’s grotesque,” Emily gasped in horror.
“No, Mom, it’s exactly what Rory and Logan wanted. A fun, frivolous night before they get married in a very appropriate ceremony with a gorgeous reception where you can have as many beautiful pictures as you can send to Vogue, Town & Country, or the New York Times, Hartford Courante or any other newspaper on the east coast you think needs to be notified. No one that’s not here tonight need ever know what’s happened here.”
“Oh my God…Shira…Mitchum, they’re going to be horrified when they get here and realize what you’ve done,” Emily gasped her hand on her cheek. “Lorelai!”
“And this is a bad thing why?” Lorelai asked drolly. “Remind me when the feelings or preferences of Shira Huntzberger became a priority? Because as much as I like their son now, I still can’t stand either of them. Logan knew what I was planning for tonight.”
“Oh my God, Lorelai, Shira’s face!” Emily started to giggle as she put her hand over her mouth.
“Exactly Mom,” Lorelai laughed in satisfaction. “You’re catching on. Plus you can always blame me. Let’s go get you a cup of punch,” she finished steering Emily toward where Miss Patty and Babette were handing out cups of Founders Day punch.
---
“I’m gaining weight just by standing here,” Juliet complained. “How am I going to make it through the night?”
“Oh you’ll be fine - just hold your breath as you pass the food stands,” Rosemary advised.
“Well, as they’re everywhere,” Juliet gestured as they passed a pretzel and fried Snickers vendor, “I don’t think that’s really going to work.”
“Maybe Rory’s ex is here. You could snag him and institute that plan of yours to get fat after you get married,” Colin interjected. “He didn’t seem like someone that had a very large bank account - drove a truck actually,” he continued helpfully, “seemed simple enough.”
“This just isn’t fair,” Juliet whined, ignoring Colin. “Rory has a perfect figure and eats everything in sight. I’ve already seen her gorging on fried stuff already. Fried! How is that fair?”
“Oh, life is never fair,” Finn interrupted. “If it were, I would have a Gilmore to call my very own.”
“What, Rory has a sister?” Rosemary asked, confusion evident.
“No, Lorelai. Has there ever been a more beautiful name?”
“Lorelai, who’s Lorelai?” Rosemary asked.
“Rory’s mother,” Colin reminded her as he rolled his eyes.
---
“Emily, what has happened here?” Shira Huntzberger asked in a flabbergasted voice.
“Oh, blame Lorelai. She talked Logan and Rory into going along with one of her crazy ideas,” Emily confessed, having to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the horrified expression on Shira’s face, which she was sure matched the one on her own earlier.
“I really don’t understand,” Shira continued with a bemused look on her face, just beginning to comprehend all that stood before her.
“I’m sure you’ll recover,” Emily soothed sweetly. “It’s a good introduction into the uniquely wonderful world of Lorelai.”
“I think I’ll go find Mitchum, and make sure there aren’t any photographers so we can keep this out of the papers.”
“Of course.” On this they could actually agree. “I think I see him over there,” Emily pointed helpfully.
---
“Mate, this is brilliant,” Finn declared as he looked out on the massive ferris wheel that had a huge banner strung across its flashing lights declaring ‘CONGRATULATIONS RORY & LOGAN’ in gigantic letters. “How the hell did you convince your mother to plan such a fantastic soiree? I wouldn’t have thought Shira had it in her.”
“My mom didn’t plan this - Lorelai did,” Logan informed him with a laugh.
“Oh, lovely Lorelai,” Finn tunelessly sang. “I knew from the moment I met her that she was my soul mate. I wonder if I can convince her to get stuck on the ferris wheel with me? Or perhaps in the tunnel of love?”
“Eeeew, Finn,” Rory returned with a scrunched up nose indicating her horror. “You are not my idea of stepfather material. Stay away from my mother!”
“But she’s the most splendid woman I’ve ever seen, love,” Finn protested.
“Which qualifies you to do what?” Rory returned.
“To be her shining light in a dark and dreary world. To be the man that makes all her dreams come true,” he seemed to be starting to get into a groove as he lay his hand over his heart and put on his most sincere face. “To be the one that fires her loins…”
“Ok, that’s enough!” Rory exclaimed as she clapped her hands over her ears. “I will not listen to any more of this. There is not enough eeew in the world to cover your loins and my mother’s being mentioned in the same sentence, Finn. Eeeew! I’m going to find Paris,” she finished as she stalked off.
“You’ve really done it now,” Logan laughed as he watched Rory’s retreating figure. “She’s calling out the big guns; she’s siccing Paris on you.”
“You don’t think,” Finn started in a panicked voice. “You don’t think she would actually subject me to Paris?”
“I think you’re on your own this time, Finn,” Colin laughed from where he was standing on Finn’s other side. “Who knows what will happen once Rory involves Paris. I certainly wouldn’t want to. She scares me.”
“Oh God, I think I need a refill,” Finn finished with a squeak, heading off to find more punch.
“Even if Rory isn’t planning on doing anything to him with Paris, just the thought is funny enough to be worth it,” Colin laughed as they watched Finn, his head swiveling as he walked, trying to see where Rory had gone.
“I know; that was hilarious,” Logan agreed. “But I do have to agree with Rory - the thought of him with Lorelai, so many kinds of wrong.”
“Well you have to admit the man does have good taste. Lorelai is gorgeous,” Colin pointed out.
“There’s no denying the beauty of the Gilmore girls,” Logan agreed. “Just the idea of Finn as my father-in-law is enough to make me want to join Rory in finding Paris and letting her at him.”
“You are a cruel, cruel man,” Colin laughed.
“No I’m sane enough to envision the certain disaster that any woman is inviting by getting seriously involved with Finn,” Logan laughed as he looked around to see where their friend had gone. “I wouldn’t wish him on a friend, much less a member of my family.”
“I think I’m slain on his beh…,” Colin never finished as he was interrupted by an excited or agitated Lane.
“Logan,” she started bouncing on her toes.
“Lane,” he returned with a raised brow.
“Logan,” she repeated.
“Lane,” he returned again.
“Lo…,” she started.
“Stop,” Colin directed with a raising of his hands. “You are Lane, he is Logan; we’ve all got that. How can he help you?”
“They’re here,” she informed them with an expectant look.
“Oh, oh my goodness, ok,” Logan returned in a hushed whisper as he looked around as if expecting to see something or someone in particular. “Let me find Rory, welcome everyone, and get this shindig officially started, then we can put up the curtain so they can get set up. Is there some way you can make sure no one knows who’s playing till they start?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll try. Sound check might be a little tough, though.”
“Lane, I know you will come through for me,” Logan grinned, giving her a quick hug. “You know how big of a surprise this is. It is in your hands.”
“Oh yes I do, so much,” Lane grinned conspiratorially, turned, and swiftly walked back in the direction she had come.
---
“Patty have you seen some of Logan’s friends?” Babette asked her friend as they watched all the festivities from their prime spot near the gazebo at the punch bowl. “Hot! If I were younger, Morey might be getting a run for his money.”
“Honey, I might just have to break my promise about much younger men. Some of them, oh my,” Miss Patty returned as she fanned herself dramatically.
“Davey, come back here,” Sookie yelled as she ran by. “Come back to Mommy. Jackson, Jackson, where are you?”
“Daddy, can I ride the teacups?” Gigi asked her father.
“Well, are you sure you’re ok to ride anything?” Christopher tried to reason with his younger daughter. She had already thrown up once already. “Maybe we should wait for a little while, let your stomach settle for a bit.”
“If we can’t ride, can I have a corndog?”
“OK, teacups it is,” Christopher agreed, swinging her over his shoulders, accepting what seemed to be the lesser of two evils.
---
“So are you having fun?” Logan asked Rory as they waited for the bumper cars.
“Who wouldn’t be having fun?” she rhetorically asked. “I mean I have all the cotton candy, corndogs, funnel cakes, and fried Twinkies a girl could want. My mother managed to get the Tunnel of Love operator to have a breakdown that let us get stuck inside for twenty minutes. I’m anticipating the same sort of fun when we finally get to the ferris wheel. You’ve already won me three stuffed animals even though you only won one of the games. I think because you’re the host of this fête, the game operators aren’t making you play by the rules.”
“What’s the fun of paying for something like this if they make you follow the normal rules?” Logan reasoned.
“Humph, whatever!” Rory laughed at his entitled reasoning. “Anyway I plan on kicking your ass at the bumper cars here in a minute.”
“How exactly does one kick someone else’s ass at bumper cars?”
“Watch and learn, mister,” Rory smiled mischievously.
“Logan you should have gotten bumper boats, not just bumper cars. That would have been excellent,” Finn complained as he hopped over the partition to get in line behind them.
“Actually, Lorelai and I tried to get bumper boats as well - we thought that would be fun. But the tank to put them in would be too large,” Logan explained as he gestured out to the Stars Hollow town square. “Take up most of the square. It turned out too logistically infeasible.”
“Oh lovely Lor…,” Finn started.
“Stop right there,” Rory exclaimed with a raised hand.
“Alright, I will keep all my naughty thoughts about your mother to myself. Just keep Paris away from me,” Finn finished.
“Step right up people, have your tickets ready,” Kirk shouted even though there were only about ten people in the bumper car line.
“Kirk, what are you doing?” Rory asked, surprised to see him taking tickets. “I thought you were giving out tickets to keep up with how many Mom owes you for.”
“Yes, well, when I start a new venture I like to be able to run it from the ground up, so I figure I need to know how to work all the rides. It’ll come in handy for the next big town festival - I need to talk to Taylor about that,” he said. “Though I’m not sure this was such a good idea. Lulu has gotten ideas from this for what she thinks our wedding should be like, and I’m not sure I like that idea at all.”
“I’m sure it will work out fine, Kirk,” Rory laughed as she handed him her ticket. “Ok, Huntzberger, prepare to be made road kill,” she turned back to give him a little swat across his stomach.
“Not happening, Ace,” he laughed as he followed her into the ride.
---
“I am the Skeeball King of The Hollow!” Zack declared with raised hands as he rung up the highest score between himself, Gil, and Brian.
“Man, I don’t think that’s anything to get that excited about,” Brian laughed.
“Maybe not, but it’s better than being the skeeball loser of Stars Hollow,” Zack returned as he pointed in Brian’s face.
“Always better to be king,” Gil agreed. “Being a king is totally rock n roll.”
“Yeah, dude,” Zack nodded. “Rock n roll.”
---
“This is fantastic, Logan,” Honor laughed as she walked up to him, nibbling on the cotton candy she was carrying. “Mom is mortified.”
“Well the purpose of the night wasn’t Huntzberger mortification, though I can’t deny it’s a nice side benefit,” he laughed.
“I’m not going to be able to move by the end of the night - there’s so much good food that is all so very horrible for you.”
“Where’s Josh?” he asked, looking around
“He’s trying to win me something at the ring toss,” she gestured in the direction of the booths of games. “They had a prize I liked. Has anyone ever won anything at that game?”
“I don’t know,” Logan laughed. “I’ve never seen anyone win it now that you mention it. I won at the bottle toss thing earlier.”
“So you finally learned how to throw a ball straight did you?” Honor teased.
“You’re one to talk,” he returned, mock outrage in his voice. “My main problem was that I was taught to throw a ball by a girl. I had to be re-taught to throw like a man while I was at St. Mark’s to prevent me from being mocked off the campus!”
“OK, so now I’m all set to go get stuck for a while on the ferris wheel,” Rory said as she strolled up to the squabbling siblings. “Funnel cake might just be the world’s most perfect food,” she said as she popped some into Logan’s mouth.
“I thought that was s’mores?” he reminded her after he swallowed.
“Well that’s true, but right now I’ve got funnel cake and it’s pretty perfect. Tomorrow it can go back to s’mores,” Rory agreed. “Honor, did I tell you about the wedding cake? Sookie came up with this s’mores cake for when my mom was going to get married last year, and decided to make it for us instead,” she said as she used her hands to indicate the size of the cake. “It almost looks like it has little white peeps all over it.”
“Oh, that sounds fantastic and decadent. I can’t wait to see it - or even better, try it!” Honor clapped her approval. “Rory, I want to compliment you on the best rehearsal dinner, blow out, extravaganza, soiree, whatever, that has ever been put on,” Honor gestured to the square at large.
“Thanks, but you’ll have to compliment my mom,” Rory laughed. “It takes the mind of the reigning Lorelai to come up with something this fantastic and devious.”
“Well I’ll find her at some point tonight and make sure to give her my compliments, this is fantastic. Oh look, I think Josh won,” she said excitedly as she saw her husband carrying the huge giraffe she had wanted.
“That’s great!” Rory handed off the funnel cake to Logan so she could clap. “Congratulations, Josh!”
“Thank you,” he accepted sheepishly as his wife strangled him in her excitement.
“Sorry to break up this celebration, but I think Rory and I have a ferris wheel to go get stuck on for a bit,” Logan interjected. “Ace?”
“Lead the way,” she smiled wickedly as she intertwined her fingers with his, letting him lead her away.
---
“Had anyone told me three years ago that I would be making a toast at a rehearsal dinner, if one can call this gathering that,” Colin began as he stood at the microphone with Finn at his side, “for Logan I never would have believed them. Had it been Finn in the looking glass, that I could have imagined - celebrating the first of his brides to marry him for their future divorce settlement.”
“Hey, any woman would be lucky to get me,” Finn interrupted with a bit of a slur.
“So you deny that there will be weddings in your future that won’t only, or mostly, be about the divorce settlement,” Colin deadpanned.
“Well, of course not, but that’s also what prenups are for. And good lawyers,” Finn reasoned. “Besides, I think I might have found true love if the maker of this wonderful punch is a female,” he finished as he raised his plastic cup filled with Founders Day punch.
“Patty!” Babette’s voice was heard from where she and Patty were still manning the punch bowl. “He’s a young hot one, honey. What number husband would he be?”
“He might have the stamina to keep up with me,” Miss Patty was heard as well.
“Is the recipe for sale?” Finn called out in their general direction.
“Well who’d have ever thought a love connection would be happening before our eyes, between Finn and the maker of the perfect party punch,” Colin interrupted. “But as the point of this gathering is Logan and the fair Rory - let’s celebrate them and not your love affair with a finely crafted beverage.”
“Fine,” Finn groused. “I think we should plan a gala dedicated to the fabulousness that is distilled beverages. They are wonderful.”
“Isn’t that what every Oktoberfest on the planet is for?” Colin deadpanned.
“Well yes, but that is October, and this is May,” Finn reasoned. “I think it should be sooner than many months away.”
“Alright then, party at Finn’s celebrating the joys of alcohol poisoning,” Colin agreed, trying again to bring the toast back on track. “But back to Logan and Rory.”
“To Logan and Rory,” Finn declared with a raising of his cup and a long drink.
“To Logan and Rory,” the gathered revelers toasted back.
“Are we done now? I need a refill,” Finn asked as he finished off his drink.
“No we are not done,” Colin returned in exasperation. “Could someone get him another drink? Not that he needs it, but we’ll be here all night if he’s not amused.”
“Be there in a jiffy sugar,” Babette yelled out as Patty ladled more punch into a cup.
“So, back to Logan and Rory. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I never thought I would be here making this particular toast just a few short years ago. There were lines to get to Logan, numbers issued. Many women had visions of intertwining their name with that of Huntzberger, but none got beyond their own unfounded dreams. Then along came a guileless and unassuming…”
“And don’t forget beautiful. Because Rory is lovely,” Finn again interrupted. “And from good stock as well - gorgeous woman her mother.”
“Yes, yes, wonderful stock,” Colin agreed, seeming to not know how else to react to his friend’s latest interruption. “Guileless, unassuming, and beautiful, though let’s also not forget intelligent. Rory would probably beat me with a shoe if I didn’t mention that she’s more than a pretty face, and that she won’t take our crap.”
Rory could be seen from where she was sitting on a bench with Logan’s arm wrapped around her raising her own glass at Colin’s mention of her intelligence and mouthing ‘thank you,’ to him.
“But then Rory blew into his life turning things upside down from almost the moment they met,” Colin continued acknowledging Rory’s thank you. “Yes, he continued to date other women, feigning interest for the most part, going through the motions so as to keep up appearances, all the while spending as much time as possible with a certain blue eyed girl.
“I’ve rarely seen a man do a 180 as quickly as he did when presented with the prospect of losing Rory all together when she decided that dating around wasn’t her thing. He went from committed playboy to committed boyfriend in about three seconds flat,” he laughed, gesturing with his hands to show a change of directions. “I have to say here in a moment of digression that I’ve never been around a more miserable or pathetic person than Logan was when they were broken up for several weeks around the holiday season two years ago. Fortunately she put him out of his misery before he completely lost his manliness club membership card.
“But I think the thing that most makes me realize how perfect they are for one another is how they’ve changed one another for the better, though I think the thing that sealed the deal was how unimpressed with his trust fund and the Huntzberger name she is. Rory isn’t quite as shy anymore, is less timid. Logan is more serious and responsible,” he paused for effect. “Rory is more fun loving and spontaneous. Logan is more serious and responsible,” he finished with a smirk, drawing the expected laughter from the crown and a glare from Logan.
“I’m beginning to sense a pattern of repetition so with that I will desist,” he shushed everyone with his hands so he could continue. “To Rory and Logan, rarely hath a more perfect match been made. And someday, though we trust not too soon, the kids are going to be incredibly cute,” Colin finished with a raising of his cup, which Finn swiped out of his hand.
“Give me back my punch!” Colin barked as Finn drained the rest of his cup.
“But I’m out, and I have to toast the happy couple,” Finn quipped in return as he finished off Colin’s cup as well. “I must find refills!” he declared as he raised both now empty cups.
---
“Are you ready to go yet, Doyle?” Paris asked impatiently.
“Don’t we need to stay? You are part of the wedding party.”
“I already talked to Rory about it; she said we could leave whenever we felt like it,” she replied her foot tapping. “This just isn’t my scene.”
“Well I wouldn’t mind staying a bit longer,” he pleaded. “I’m actually having a good time.”
“Doyle,” Paris bit back.
“Alright, fine,” he snapped back. “But if we miss anything important, it’s your fault.”
---
“We want to thank everyone for coming; we hope you’ve been having a marvelous time,” Logan began as he and Rory finally greeted their guests and they roared back their approval.
“Yes, we hope you’re having fun, since we know we are.” Rory agreed with a smile. “I want to take this opportunity to thank my mom for putting all this together and to Logan for suggesting that we do something fun that everyone could enjoy rather than just the usual, more formal party. That’s what tomorrow’s for.”
“Speaking of tomorrow,” Logan interrupted, “before it gets too late, I want to hand this bash over to Lane. So could you come on up here?” he signaled to Lane to make her way to the stage.
“It’s ten thirty right now,” he continued checking his watch, “and everything will shut down at one a.m. so that the town square can be cleared for tomorrow afternoon’s wedding. I’m a little doubtful myself, but Kirk assures me this place will look back to normal by then.”
“It will be done,” Kirk shouted.
“Okay, then, it will be done,” Logan chuckled. “Feel free to eat till you make yourself sick, join Finn in indulging in too much punch, ride the rides, or win some prizes at the games till we have to shut things down.
“But right now I’m going to turn things over to Rory’s matron of honor, Lane van Gerbig, to introduce the next part of the evening’s festivities.
“Lane,” he smiled conspiratorially as he and Rory passed her. Rory looked back at her best friend in confusion.
“Thanks, Logan,” Lane began once she had adjusted the mic. “I’ve known Rory since second grade, and we’ve been best friends ever since. I can’t imagine what my life would be like today without Rory, or Lorelai either really. Through Lorelai, I was introduced to an entire world I didn’t know existed at home. Sorry Mama,” she breathed out the side of her mouth, even though Mrs. Kim wasn’t there.
“I introduced Lane to the cool kids table,” Lorelai yelled out in a singsong voice while doing a little shimmy.
“Yes you did,” Lane laughed. “To the world of rock n roll, she encouraged me when I was too scared to tell my own mother that I hoped to make music, rock music, my life. The Ramones, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Smiths, and so many more, - all of them and more were introduced to me by her.
“I know that for Lorelai has a special affection for a couple of girl bands, The Bangles and The GoGos. I’m not sure today I would be where I am without her love for cool bands, and with her encouragement, Rory and I used to spend hours and hours finding the newest, hippest music.
“But this isn’t about Lorelai, this is about my best friend Rory, the best friend a girl could ever want. The one that was my conduit to all the music I ever needed, because getting rock music into my house was like trying to break into Fort Knox. She’s the one who helped me have as normal of a social life as possible in the Kim household, never thinking I was nuts for touching Rich Bloomingfeld’s hair - well she probably did, but she never really told me that, just sympathized with me for my idiocy,” Lane began ticking off. “Or thinking that Todd, whose last name I can’t even remember, it was that bad, was my soul mate; three-way calling, and subterfuge style ‘dates,’” she air quoted, “with the only Korean boy that ever struck my fancy…”
“Who?” yelled Zack, “why do I know nothing about this?”
“She never thought I was crazy, through all my various infatuations,” she plowed on, never taking a breath. “Didn’t shun me when I went through my cheerleader phase, or even openly mock me, which really, she should have. Helped me when I was determined to, but scared to death to, let my mother know what I wanted to do with my life, dying my hair purple, then redying it black when I thought it was too big of a shock. Let me crash with her for days, and didn’t even let Paris kill me, when I was too scared to tell Mama about the band, so I just didn’t tell her when we had a gig at three in the morning at CBGB.
“I’ll stop babbling,” Lane laughed as she finally took a breath. “Because the point is that Rory’s been the most amazing friend this sheltered, slightly square, but aching to be a rock n roll rebel, Korean girl could ever ask for. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her. Plus, I worked hard with Logan to make sure this was a surprise, besides, Rory was much better at this than me, she’s eloquent, and holds onto everything, she actually planned out something, me I just babble about how awesome Rory is. Okay, so, shutting up now. Get your dancin’ shoes ready, and put your hands together and give a big Stars Hollow welcome to The…”
Lane’s mic was turned off as a drum count was heard from behind the curtain she was standing in front of. As the opening strains of bass and guitar could be heard to Head Over Heels, both Lorelai and Rory started jumping up and down, hugging, and squealing, “The GoGos,” over and over again.
“Oh my God, Logan, Lane thank you,” they exclaimed in concert and they tackled them both between themselves and kissed their cheeks and continued to jump up and down.
“Hey,” Logan laughed at their enthusiasm, “you’re missing what they’re playing.”
“Oh no we’re not!” Lorelai started belting out the song and dancing to demonstrate.
“Have I told you you’re the best fiancé a girl could have?” Rory beamed while giving him a strangling hug.
“Well enjoy, it’s for the both of you,” he grinned, starting to sway, their excitement becoming infectious.
TBC
AN ~ Again, thank you to my beta, fulfilled she helped me greatly.
Also, I finished writing and now it's off to the beta, a rather long one shot, post Partings, Rory/Logan - Lorelai.
Fandom: Gilmore Girls
Pairing: Rory/Logan
Rating: R
Links: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2
Chapter 3
“Lorelai, what have you done?” Emily gasped in horror, taking in the site before her as she stood on the church steps. Flashing lights coming off carnival rides and the whistles and whirls coming from the rides and midway games surrounded them. Lorelai had been avoiding Emily since she had arrived in town early Friday morning, knowing her wrath was inevitable.
“I did exactly what Logan asked me to do after his mother wouldn’t step foot in Stars Hollow to plan the rehearsal dinner,” Lorelai grinned. She had been looking forward to seeing her mother’s face since Rory and Logan had asked her to plan the rehearsal. “I put together a fun, relaxing and frivolous extravaganza to begin the celebration of my only child’s wedding.”
“But, but, but…this is outrageous!” Emily exclaimed in exasperation, flinging her hand in the general direction of the square. “Your only child is marrying into one of the most prominent families in the country and you plan a hoedown for the rehearsal. We’ll never be able to show our faces in polite society again.”
“Oh Mom, it’s not that bad - there’s no square dancing and I left out the cloggers,” Lorelai laughed. “Plus, tomorrow you’ll have your beautiful shots of Rory in her gorgeous dress with the lovely bracelet and earrings that Logan’s planning on giving her for a wedding gift.”
“He’s giving her a bracelet and earrings?” Emily asked, temporarily distracted from the disaster before her.
“Yes,” Lorelai confirmed. “A lovely pair of rose cut diamond earrings set in platinum, two diamonds in each earring. I would guess each stone is about a half carat, both round. I’m sure the bracelet cost more than my house - it’s an antique floral vine looking thing, all diamonds of course, set in platinum. Both are lovely and tasteful. He got them in New York right after he got back. Frankly, I’m considering offing Rory to get to the bracelet, it’s that gorgeous.”
“Really?” Emily asked, obviously impressed with Logan’s taste in jewelry.
“Yes Mom, really. It is that gorgeous. Maybe if I’m nice to her she’ll let me have custody of it while they’re gone.”
“While they’re gone, where are they going?” Emily asked curiously.
“Honeymoon,” Lorelai answered quickly, hoping her mother didn’t catch on, since she didn’t know about Rory and Logan’s plans as of yet. She would get to tell them what was up after the newlyweds were safely away, probably at dinner next Friday night. “It’s not like she’s going to need serious bling on a tiny island, or while they’re sailing, or in Africa. Isn’t it considered a faux pas to flaunt something in front of the natives that they probably dug up out of the ground but can’t possibly afford?”
“Diamonds, or bling as you so crudely insist on referring to them as, are never inappropriate,” Emily opined. “Oh, I can’t wait to see what Logan got Rory.”
“Well, you’ll get to see them tomorrow,” Lorelai affirmed. “He’s giving them to her while she’s getting ready; or rather, he’s having them delivered, by Lane or Paris, I would guess Lane since she’ll be appropriately squeeful as opposed to who the hell knows what kind of lecture or crazy reaction Paris might have. You know, since he can’t see the bride before the big event.”
“No, he most certainly cannot,” Emily nodded. “This is very exciting, I might have to leave the wedding coordinator unsupervised, so I can see what he got her. Perhaps Marilyn can step in for me for a few minutes. Besides, I do want to see her while she’s getting ready.”
“Marilyn seems a good stand in, and I’m sure Rory would want you to come see her while she’s getting ready, as well,” Lorelai confided. “You can ooh and ah over Logan’s amazing taste then - I drooled on them a little, or maybe a lot. Though, frankly, I think his taste deserves some oohing and ahing. They’re really beautiful, though the sweetest thing he said was, ‘they can only enhance, not outshine Rory’s beauty, because nothing is as beautiful as her.’ ”
“He’s won you over, hasn’t he?” Emily asked with a knowing smile.
“Yeah, Mom, he has,” Lorelai confessed with a small sigh. “I’ll admit I didn’t want to like him at first. Actually, I didn’t like him at all, really. But he adores her, which is hard to argue with. And in his own way, though I never would have believed it at the time, has tried to keep her on the straight and narrow.”
“What do you mean?” Emily queried.
“He tried to talk her out of quitting Yale. Apparently he told her she loved school, wanted more…needed more. I don’t know, but somehow that sealed the deal with him for me,” she admitted, though it pained her to do so to her mother. “I thought he was just a mindless playboy passing fancy or phase she was going to have to go through, but they’ve really managed to get the point where they really compliment each other. I never would have thought I would say this when I first met him - for a long time there after even, but they really do fit together well.”
“I told you, Lorelai,” Emily smiled.
“Yes, Mom, I know, but the reasons you like him and the reasons I like him are quite different.”
“True. The initial ones at least. I think the way he dotes on Rory would have won anyone over.” Emily stated with a satisfied and triumphant smile. “Now, you know you could have allowed me to hire a caterer for this event - If one can call it that.”
“Oh good grief,” Lorelai exclaimed as she blew out her cheeks. “Just think of yourself as Gina Lollabrigida being wooed by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. There’s tons of food. Corn dogs, burgers, cheese steaks, funnel cakes, cotton candy,” she waved as they passed various food stands, “caramel and candy apples, fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, fried Oreos, giant pretzels, cheesecake that’s been dipped in chocolate, and all that can be gotten on a handy stick. Well, most of it.
“And it’s all paid for already; Shira sent me a check for all the rides, games and food last week. Not that she knew what her check was for,” she grinned as one of the vendors approached to offer them a turkey leg or corndog.
“Oh my God, Lorelai, that’s grotesque,” Emily gasped in horror.
“No, Mom, it’s exactly what Rory and Logan wanted. A fun, frivolous night before they get married in a very appropriate ceremony with a gorgeous reception where you can have as many beautiful pictures as you can send to Vogue, Town & Country, or the New York Times, Hartford Courante or any other newspaper on the east coast you think needs to be notified. No one that’s not here tonight need ever know what’s happened here.”
“Oh my God…Shira…Mitchum, they’re going to be horrified when they get here and realize what you’ve done,” Emily gasped her hand on her cheek. “Lorelai!”
“And this is a bad thing why?” Lorelai asked drolly. “Remind me when the feelings or preferences of Shira Huntzberger became a priority? Because as much as I like their son now, I still can’t stand either of them. Logan knew what I was planning for tonight.”
“Oh my God, Lorelai, Shira’s face!” Emily started to giggle as she put her hand over her mouth.
“Exactly Mom,” Lorelai laughed in satisfaction. “You’re catching on. Plus you can always blame me. Let’s go get you a cup of punch,” she finished steering Emily toward where Miss Patty and Babette were handing out cups of Founders Day punch.
---
“I’m gaining weight just by standing here,” Juliet complained. “How am I going to make it through the night?”
“Oh you’ll be fine - just hold your breath as you pass the food stands,” Rosemary advised.
“Well, as they’re everywhere,” Juliet gestured as they passed a pretzel and fried Snickers vendor, “I don’t think that’s really going to work.”
“Maybe Rory’s ex is here. You could snag him and institute that plan of yours to get fat after you get married,” Colin interjected. “He didn’t seem like someone that had a very large bank account - drove a truck actually,” he continued helpfully, “seemed simple enough.”
“This just isn’t fair,” Juliet whined, ignoring Colin. “Rory has a perfect figure and eats everything in sight. I’ve already seen her gorging on fried stuff already. Fried! How is that fair?”
“Oh, life is never fair,” Finn interrupted. “If it were, I would have a Gilmore to call my very own.”
“What, Rory has a sister?” Rosemary asked, confusion evident.
“No, Lorelai. Has there ever been a more beautiful name?”
“Lorelai, who’s Lorelai?” Rosemary asked.
“Rory’s mother,” Colin reminded her as he rolled his eyes.
---
“Emily, what has happened here?” Shira Huntzberger asked in a flabbergasted voice.
“Oh, blame Lorelai. She talked Logan and Rory into going along with one of her crazy ideas,” Emily confessed, having to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the horrified expression on Shira’s face, which she was sure matched the one on her own earlier.
“I really don’t understand,” Shira continued with a bemused look on her face, just beginning to comprehend all that stood before her.
“I’m sure you’ll recover,” Emily soothed sweetly. “It’s a good introduction into the uniquely wonderful world of Lorelai.”
“I think I’ll go find Mitchum, and make sure there aren’t any photographers so we can keep this out of the papers.”
“Of course.” On this they could actually agree. “I think I see him over there,” Emily pointed helpfully.
---
“Mate, this is brilliant,” Finn declared as he looked out on the massive ferris wheel that had a huge banner strung across its flashing lights declaring ‘CONGRATULATIONS RORY & LOGAN’ in gigantic letters. “How the hell did you convince your mother to plan such a fantastic soiree? I wouldn’t have thought Shira had it in her.”
“My mom didn’t plan this - Lorelai did,” Logan informed him with a laugh.
“Oh, lovely Lorelai,” Finn tunelessly sang. “I knew from the moment I met her that she was my soul mate. I wonder if I can convince her to get stuck on the ferris wheel with me? Or perhaps in the tunnel of love?”
“Eeeew, Finn,” Rory returned with a scrunched up nose indicating her horror. “You are not my idea of stepfather material. Stay away from my mother!”
“But she’s the most splendid woman I’ve ever seen, love,” Finn protested.
“Which qualifies you to do what?” Rory returned.
“To be her shining light in a dark and dreary world. To be the man that makes all her dreams come true,” he seemed to be starting to get into a groove as he lay his hand over his heart and put on his most sincere face. “To be the one that fires her loins…”
“Ok, that’s enough!” Rory exclaimed as she clapped her hands over her ears. “I will not listen to any more of this. There is not enough eeew in the world to cover your loins and my mother’s being mentioned in the same sentence, Finn. Eeeew! I’m going to find Paris,” she finished as she stalked off.
“You’ve really done it now,” Logan laughed as he watched Rory’s retreating figure. “She’s calling out the big guns; she’s siccing Paris on you.”
“You don’t think,” Finn started in a panicked voice. “You don’t think she would actually subject me to Paris?”
“I think you’re on your own this time, Finn,” Colin laughed from where he was standing on Finn’s other side. “Who knows what will happen once Rory involves Paris. I certainly wouldn’t want to. She scares me.”
“Oh God, I think I need a refill,” Finn finished with a squeak, heading off to find more punch.
“Even if Rory isn’t planning on doing anything to him with Paris, just the thought is funny enough to be worth it,” Colin laughed as they watched Finn, his head swiveling as he walked, trying to see where Rory had gone.
“I know; that was hilarious,” Logan agreed. “But I do have to agree with Rory - the thought of him with Lorelai, so many kinds of wrong.”
“Well you have to admit the man does have good taste. Lorelai is gorgeous,” Colin pointed out.
“There’s no denying the beauty of the Gilmore girls,” Logan agreed. “Just the idea of Finn as my father-in-law is enough to make me want to join Rory in finding Paris and letting her at him.”
“You are a cruel, cruel man,” Colin laughed.
“No I’m sane enough to envision the certain disaster that any woman is inviting by getting seriously involved with Finn,” Logan laughed as he looked around to see where their friend had gone. “I wouldn’t wish him on a friend, much less a member of my family.”
“I think I’m slain on his beh…,” Colin never finished as he was interrupted by an excited or agitated Lane.
“Logan,” she started bouncing on her toes.
“Lane,” he returned with a raised brow.
“Logan,” she repeated.
“Lane,” he returned again.
“Lo…,” she started.
“Stop,” Colin directed with a raising of his hands. “You are Lane, he is Logan; we’ve all got that. How can he help you?”
“They’re here,” she informed them with an expectant look.
“Oh, oh my goodness, ok,” Logan returned in a hushed whisper as he looked around as if expecting to see something or someone in particular. “Let me find Rory, welcome everyone, and get this shindig officially started, then we can put up the curtain so they can get set up. Is there some way you can make sure no one knows who’s playing till they start?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll try. Sound check might be a little tough, though.”
“Lane, I know you will come through for me,” Logan grinned, giving her a quick hug. “You know how big of a surprise this is. It is in your hands.”
“Oh yes I do, so much,” Lane grinned conspiratorially, turned, and swiftly walked back in the direction she had come.
---
“Patty have you seen some of Logan’s friends?” Babette asked her friend as they watched all the festivities from their prime spot near the gazebo at the punch bowl. “Hot! If I were younger, Morey might be getting a run for his money.”
“Honey, I might just have to break my promise about much younger men. Some of them, oh my,” Miss Patty returned as she fanned herself dramatically.
“Davey, come back here,” Sookie yelled as she ran by. “Come back to Mommy. Jackson, Jackson, where are you?”
“Daddy, can I ride the teacups?” Gigi asked her father.
“Well, are you sure you’re ok to ride anything?” Christopher tried to reason with his younger daughter. She had already thrown up once already. “Maybe we should wait for a little while, let your stomach settle for a bit.”
“If we can’t ride, can I have a corndog?”
“OK, teacups it is,” Christopher agreed, swinging her over his shoulders, accepting what seemed to be the lesser of two evils.
---
“So are you having fun?” Logan asked Rory as they waited for the bumper cars.
“Who wouldn’t be having fun?” she rhetorically asked. “I mean I have all the cotton candy, corndogs, funnel cakes, and fried Twinkies a girl could want. My mother managed to get the Tunnel of Love operator to have a breakdown that let us get stuck inside for twenty minutes. I’m anticipating the same sort of fun when we finally get to the ferris wheel. You’ve already won me three stuffed animals even though you only won one of the games. I think because you’re the host of this fête, the game operators aren’t making you play by the rules.”
“What’s the fun of paying for something like this if they make you follow the normal rules?” Logan reasoned.
“Humph, whatever!” Rory laughed at his entitled reasoning. “Anyway I plan on kicking your ass at the bumper cars here in a minute.”
“How exactly does one kick someone else’s ass at bumper cars?”
“Watch and learn, mister,” Rory smiled mischievously.
“Logan you should have gotten bumper boats, not just bumper cars. That would have been excellent,” Finn complained as he hopped over the partition to get in line behind them.
“Actually, Lorelai and I tried to get bumper boats as well - we thought that would be fun. But the tank to put them in would be too large,” Logan explained as he gestured out to the Stars Hollow town square. “Take up most of the square. It turned out too logistically infeasible.”
“Oh lovely Lor…,” Finn started.
“Stop right there,” Rory exclaimed with a raised hand.
“Alright, I will keep all my naughty thoughts about your mother to myself. Just keep Paris away from me,” Finn finished.
“Step right up people, have your tickets ready,” Kirk shouted even though there were only about ten people in the bumper car line.
“Kirk, what are you doing?” Rory asked, surprised to see him taking tickets. “I thought you were giving out tickets to keep up with how many Mom owes you for.”
“Yes, well, when I start a new venture I like to be able to run it from the ground up, so I figure I need to know how to work all the rides. It’ll come in handy for the next big town festival - I need to talk to Taylor about that,” he said. “Though I’m not sure this was such a good idea. Lulu has gotten ideas from this for what she thinks our wedding should be like, and I’m not sure I like that idea at all.”
“I’m sure it will work out fine, Kirk,” Rory laughed as she handed him her ticket. “Ok, Huntzberger, prepare to be made road kill,” she turned back to give him a little swat across his stomach.
“Not happening, Ace,” he laughed as he followed her into the ride.
---
“I am the Skeeball King of The Hollow!” Zack declared with raised hands as he rung up the highest score between himself, Gil, and Brian.
“Man, I don’t think that’s anything to get that excited about,” Brian laughed.
“Maybe not, but it’s better than being the skeeball loser of Stars Hollow,” Zack returned as he pointed in Brian’s face.
“Always better to be king,” Gil agreed. “Being a king is totally rock n roll.”
“Yeah, dude,” Zack nodded. “Rock n roll.”
---
“This is fantastic, Logan,” Honor laughed as she walked up to him, nibbling on the cotton candy she was carrying. “Mom is mortified.”
“Well the purpose of the night wasn’t Huntzberger mortification, though I can’t deny it’s a nice side benefit,” he laughed.
“I’m not going to be able to move by the end of the night - there’s so much good food that is all so very horrible for you.”
“Where’s Josh?” he asked, looking around
“He’s trying to win me something at the ring toss,” she gestured in the direction of the booths of games. “They had a prize I liked. Has anyone ever won anything at that game?”
“I don’t know,” Logan laughed. “I’ve never seen anyone win it now that you mention it. I won at the bottle toss thing earlier.”
“So you finally learned how to throw a ball straight did you?” Honor teased.
“You’re one to talk,” he returned, mock outrage in his voice. “My main problem was that I was taught to throw a ball by a girl. I had to be re-taught to throw like a man while I was at St. Mark’s to prevent me from being mocked off the campus!”
“OK, so now I’m all set to go get stuck for a while on the ferris wheel,” Rory said as she strolled up to the squabbling siblings. “Funnel cake might just be the world’s most perfect food,” she said as she popped some into Logan’s mouth.
“I thought that was s’mores?” he reminded her after he swallowed.
“Well that’s true, but right now I’ve got funnel cake and it’s pretty perfect. Tomorrow it can go back to s’mores,” Rory agreed. “Honor, did I tell you about the wedding cake? Sookie came up with this s’mores cake for when my mom was going to get married last year, and decided to make it for us instead,” she said as she used her hands to indicate the size of the cake. “It almost looks like it has little white peeps all over it.”
“Oh, that sounds fantastic and decadent. I can’t wait to see it - or even better, try it!” Honor clapped her approval. “Rory, I want to compliment you on the best rehearsal dinner, blow out, extravaganza, soiree, whatever, that has ever been put on,” Honor gestured to the square at large.
“Thanks, but you’ll have to compliment my mom,” Rory laughed. “It takes the mind of the reigning Lorelai to come up with something this fantastic and devious.”
“Well I’ll find her at some point tonight and make sure to give her my compliments, this is fantastic. Oh look, I think Josh won,” she said excitedly as she saw her husband carrying the huge giraffe she had wanted.
“That’s great!” Rory handed off the funnel cake to Logan so she could clap. “Congratulations, Josh!”
“Thank you,” he accepted sheepishly as his wife strangled him in her excitement.
“Sorry to break up this celebration, but I think Rory and I have a ferris wheel to go get stuck on for a bit,” Logan interjected. “Ace?”
“Lead the way,” she smiled wickedly as she intertwined her fingers with his, letting him lead her away.
---
“Had anyone told me three years ago that I would be making a toast at a rehearsal dinner, if one can call this gathering that,” Colin began as he stood at the microphone with Finn at his side, “for Logan I never would have believed them. Had it been Finn in the looking glass, that I could have imagined - celebrating the first of his brides to marry him for their future divorce settlement.”
“Hey, any woman would be lucky to get me,” Finn interrupted with a bit of a slur.
“So you deny that there will be weddings in your future that won’t only, or mostly, be about the divorce settlement,” Colin deadpanned.
“Well, of course not, but that’s also what prenups are for. And good lawyers,” Finn reasoned. “Besides, I think I might have found true love if the maker of this wonderful punch is a female,” he finished as he raised his plastic cup filled with Founders Day punch.
“Patty!” Babette’s voice was heard from where she and Patty were still manning the punch bowl. “He’s a young hot one, honey. What number husband would he be?”
“He might have the stamina to keep up with me,” Miss Patty was heard as well.
“Is the recipe for sale?” Finn called out in their general direction.
“Well who’d have ever thought a love connection would be happening before our eyes, between Finn and the maker of the perfect party punch,” Colin interrupted. “But as the point of this gathering is Logan and the fair Rory - let’s celebrate them and not your love affair with a finely crafted beverage.”
“Fine,” Finn groused. “I think we should plan a gala dedicated to the fabulousness that is distilled beverages. They are wonderful.”
“Isn’t that what every Oktoberfest on the planet is for?” Colin deadpanned.
“Well yes, but that is October, and this is May,” Finn reasoned. “I think it should be sooner than many months away.”
“Alright then, party at Finn’s celebrating the joys of alcohol poisoning,” Colin agreed, trying again to bring the toast back on track. “But back to Logan and Rory.”
“To Logan and Rory,” Finn declared with a raising of his cup and a long drink.
“To Logan and Rory,” the gathered revelers toasted back.
“Are we done now? I need a refill,” Finn asked as he finished off his drink.
“No we are not done,” Colin returned in exasperation. “Could someone get him another drink? Not that he needs it, but we’ll be here all night if he’s not amused.”
“Be there in a jiffy sugar,” Babette yelled out as Patty ladled more punch into a cup.
“So, back to Logan and Rory. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I never thought I would be here making this particular toast just a few short years ago. There were lines to get to Logan, numbers issued. Many women had visions of intertwining their name with that of Huntzberger, but none got beyond their own unfounded dreams. Then along came a guileless and unassuming…”
“And don’t forget beautiful. Because Rory is lovely,” Finn again interrupted. “And from good stock as well - gorgeous woman her mother.”
“Yes, yes, wonderful stock,” Colin agreed, seeming to not know how else to react to his friend’s latest interruption. “Guileless, unassuming, and beautiful, though let’s also not forget intelligent. Rory would probably beat me with a shoe if I didn’t mention that she’s more than a pretty face, and that she won’t take our crap.”
Rory could be seen from where she was sitting on a bench with Logan’s arm wrapped around her raising her own glass at Colin’s mention of her intelligence and mouthing ‘thank you,’ to him.
“But then Rory blew into his life turning things upside down from almost the moment they met,” Colin continued acknowledging Rory’s thank you. “Yes, he continued to date other women, feigning interest for the most part, going through the motions so as to keep up appearances, all the while spending as much time as possible with a certain blue eyed girl.
“I’ve rarely seen a man do a 180 as quickly as he did when presented with the prospect of losing Rory all together when she decided that dating around wasn’t her thing. He went from committed playboy to committed boyfriend in about three seconds flat,” he laughed, gesturing with his hands to show a change of directions. “I have to say here in a moment of digression that I’ve never been around a more miserable or pathetic person than Logan was when they were broken up for several weeks around the holiday season two years ago. Fortunately she put him out of his misery before he completely lost his manliness club membership card.
“But I think the thing that most makes me realize how perfect they are for one another is how they’ve changed one another for the better, though I think the thing that sealed the deal was how unimpressed with his trust fund and the Huntzberger name she is. Rory isn’t quite as shy anymore, is less timid. Logan is more serious and responsible,” he paused for effect. “Rory is more fun loving and spontaneous. Logan is more serious and responsible,” he finished with a smirk, drawing the expected laughter from the crown and a glare from Logan.
“I’m beginning to sense a pattern of repetition so with that I will desist,” he shushed everyone with his hands so he could continue. “To Rory and Logan, rarely hath a more perfect match been made. And someday, though we trust not too soon, the kids are going to be incredibly cute,” Colin finished with a raising of his cup, which Finn swiped out of his hand.
“Give me back my punch!” Colin barked as Finn drained the rest of his cup.
“But I’m out, and I have to toast the happy couple,” Finn quipped in return as he finished off Colin’s cup as well. “I must find refills!” he declared as he raised both now empty cups.
---
“Are you ready to go yet, Doyle?” Paris asked impatiently.
“Don’t we need to stay? You are part of the wedding party.”
“I already talked to Rory about it; she said we could leave whenever we felt like it,” she replied her foot tapping. “This just isn’t my scene.”
“Well I wouldn’t mind staying a bit longer,” he pleaded. “I’m actually having a good time.”
“Doyle,” Paris bit back.
“Alright, fine,” he snapped back. “But if we miss anything important, it’s your fault.”
---
“We want to thank everyone for coming; we hope you’ve been having a marvelous time,” Logan began as he and Rory finally greeted their guests and they roared back their approval.
“Yes, we hope you’re having fun, since we know we are.” Rory agreed with a smile. “I want to take this opportunity to thank my mom for putting all this together and to Logan for suggesting that we do something fun that everyone could enjoy rather than just the usual, more formal party. That’s what tomorrow’s for.”
“Speaking of tomorrow,” Logan interrupted, “before it gets too late, I want to hand this bash over to Lane. So could you come on up here?” he signaled to Lane to make her way to the stage.
“It’s ten thirty right now,” he continued checking his watch, “and everything will shut down at one a.m. so that the town square can be cleared for tomorrow afternoon’s wedding. I’m a little doubtful myself, but Kirk assures me this place will look back to normal by then.”
“It will be done,” Kirk shouted.
“Okay, then, it will be done,” Logan chuckled. “Feel free to eat till you make yourself sick, join Finn in indulging in too much punch, ride the rides, or win some prizes at the games till we have to shut things down.
“But right now I’m going to turn things over to Rory’s matron of honor, Lane van Gerbig, to introduce the next part of the evening’s festivities.
“Lane,” he smiled conspiratorially as he and Rory passed her. Rory looked back at her best friend in confusion.
“Thanks, Logan,” Lane began once she had adjusted the mic. “I’ve known Rory since second grade, and we’ve been best friends ever since. I can’t imagine what my life would be like today without Rory, or Lorelai either really. Through Lorelai, I was introduced to an entire world I didn’t know existed at home. Sorry Mama,” she breathed out the side of her mouth, even though Mrs. Kim wasn’t there.
“I introduced Lane to the cool kids table,” Lorelai yelled out in a singsong voice while doing a little shimmy.
“Yes you did,” Lane laughed. “To the world of rock n roll, she encouraged me when I was too scared to tell my own mother that I hoped to make music, rock music, my life. The Ramones, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Smiths, and so many more, - all of them and more were introduced to me by her.
“I know that for Lorelai has a special affection for a couple of girl bands, The Bangles and The GoGos. I’m not sure today I would be where I am without her love for cool bands, and with her encouragement, Rory and I used to spend hours and hours finding the newest, hippest music.
“But this isn’t about Lorelai, this is about my best friend Rory, the best friend a girl could ever want. The one that was my conduit to all the music I ever needed, because getting rock music into my house was like trying to break into Fort Knox. She’s the one who helped me have as normal of a social life as possible in the Kim household, never thinking I was nuts for touching Rich Bloomingfeld’s hair - well she probably did, but she never really told me that, just sympathized with me for my idiocy,” Lane began ticking off. “Or thinking that Todd, whose last name I can’t even remember, it was that bad, was my soul mate; three-way calling, and subterfuge style ‘dates,’” she air quoted, “with the only Korean boy that ever struck my fancy…”
“Who?” yelled Zack, “why do I know nothing about this?”
“She never thought I was crazy, through all my various infatuations,” she plowed on, never taking a breath. “Didn’t shun me when I went through my cheerleader phase, or even openly mock me, which really, she should have. Helped me when I was determined to, but scared to death to, let my mother know what I wanted to do with my life, dying my hair purple, then redying it black when I thought it was too big of a shock. Let me crash with her for days, and didn’t even let Paris kill me, when I was too scared to tell Mama about the band, so I just didn’t tell her when we had a gig at three in the morning at CBGB.
“I’ll stop babbling,” Lane laughed as she finally took a breath. “Because the point is that Rory’s been the most amazing friend this sheltered, slightly square, but aching to be a rock n roll rebel, Korean girl could ever ask for. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her. Plus, I worked hard with Logan to make sure this was a surprise, besides, Rory was much better at this than me, she’s eloquent, and holds onto everything, she actually planned out something, me I just babble about how awesome Rory is. Okay, so, shutting up now. Get your dancin’ shoes ready, and put your hands together and give a big Stars Hollow welcome to The…”
Lane’s mic was turned off as a drum count was heard from behind the curtain she was standing in front of. As the opening strains of bass and guitar could be heard to Head Over Heels, both Lorelai and Rory started jumping up and down, hugging, and squealing, “The GoGos,” over and over again.
“Oh my God, Logan, Lane thank you,” they exclaimed in concert and they tackled them both between themselves and kissed their cheeks and continued to jump up and down.
“Hey,” Logan laughed at their enthusiasm, “you’re missing what they’re playing.”
“Oh no we’re not!” Lorelai started belting out the song and dancing to demonstrate.
“Have I told you you’re the best fiancé a girl could have?” Rory beamed while giving him a strangling hug.
“Well enjoy, it’s for the both of you,” he grinned, starting to sway, their excitement becoming infectious.
TBC
AN ~ Again, thank you to my beta, fulfilled she helped me greatly.
Also, I finished writing and now it's off to the beta, a rather long one shot, post Partings, Rory/Logan - Lorelai.