Rory held her breath as she waited outside the door.  She swore she could hear the seconds ticking by on her watch.  No one was answering the door.  She debated knocking again, but decided to just try again the next day after her meeting with Rolling Stone.

She turned and started walking back towards the elevator.

"Hello?  Sorry couldn't get to the door in time!  I was searching for my other shoe,"  a female voice said from behind Rory causing her to jump nearly out of her skin.  "Sorry again!  I didn't mean to scare you."

Rory turned back towards the apartment to see Claudia grinning at her.  Claudia was wearing a red skin tight sheath of a dress with only one sparkling gold strap-on sandal.  "Oh, uh, I didn't mean to interrupt you.  I should have called first.  I just got into town and I wanted to see Logan for a minute,"  Rory stuttered.  Rory thought she should give this woman who was smiling at her like an idiot some explanation.  She had no idea of the status of Logan's relationship with this woman.  The last thing she wanted to do was make Logan more angry with her for starting trouble.  So, Rory thought quick and said, "I know you guys had a good time at the Hep Alien concert in Boston, so, I, uh, wanted to offer Logan tickets for another show."

"Rory, right? Really? More tickets for the shows here?  Come in, come in!"  Claudia said excitedly grabbing Rory by the arm and pulling her into the living room of the apartment.  Rory looked around.  The apartment looked like Logan.  She recognized his style and tastes.  She took a deep breath.  She could smell him.  Rory suddenly felt sad, yet oddly comforted at the same time.

"Yeah, I, uh, just thought it would be nice. You guys seemed to have fun at the other show. And since, I, um, work with the band, I figured I could hook up an old friend...and his, uh, friend,"  Rory struggled to say something.

"Hey, Claud, who was at the door?  If you want to try this restaurant, we have to get going!  Our reservation is for eight o'clock,"  Logan said appearing in the room.  His eyes darkened slightly when he saw Rory.  "Rory?  Ah... what are you doing here?"

"She came to give us more tickets to see Hep Alien again!  Can you believe it?  This is so cool!"  Claudia bubbled. 

"Wow, umm, thanks. That's unexpected," Logan said.

Claudia she looked at Rory, "I know you two used to date at Yale. There's no need to feel uncomfortable. Logan told me he dated you and you were best friends with Lane, the drummer.  He told me got to meet Lane and Zack a couple times. I didn't believe it at first. But they really knew him! Then we ran into you at the concert.  Logan just has the coolest friends!  He's friends with a lot of his ex-girlfriends, but so far, you are the coolest!"  She took a breath then said to Logan, "Let me go get my purse.  I want to call Vikki real quick too.  She's going to be so jealous!"

Claudia started to walk away.  After she crossed the room, she turned back and said, "Rory, you have to come to dinner with us!  We have a reservation at an awesome new place.  You can tell us more about the band!"

"Oh, uh, Claudia, I really can't tonight.  I have plans,"  Rory said.

"Oh, no you don't!  You were coming to visit Logan, weren't you?  You can visit with him at dinner.  Come on, please come.  I'm going to call the restaurant and tell them we will be three now,"  Claudia said as she bounced away. 

Rory and Logan just stared at each other in the doorway for a few minutes.  Neither could tell what the other was thinking.  Finally Rory spoke.  "Logan, I can just go now.  I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have come,"  Rory said.

Logan looked at her.  "Why did you come?"  Logan asked her softly.  Then he heard Claudia finishing her call and gathering her things.  "You know what?  Nevermind.  Come to dinner.  Trust me, it's easier than to fight with Claudia once she gets an idea in her head."

Claudia reappeared at Logan's side.  She looked down and realized she still didn't have on her other shoe.  She giggled and said, "Whoops!  Be right back again!"

Rory raised an eyebrow at Logan.  He gave her a small smile and said, "She really is a nice person, just not the sharpest tool in the shed.  Not all of us can be valedictorian and editor and then go on to report about a president and one of the hottest bands."

Rory smiled and said, "She seems very nice.  Not the type I thought you'd go for, but nice. So how many other ex-girlfriends are you friends with?"  Rory said.

Logan's smile faded, "I've only had one girlfriend."  He paused and then said, "Tastes change. I thought there was a distant chance we might run into you at some point, had to tell her a little about you, forewarn her."  Then he yelled to Claudia, "Let's go!"

The three of them got into the limo that was waiting outside the apartment complex.  Claudia chattered happily the whole way.  Logan nodded and smiled at her while making the bare minimum conversation with Rory.  Rory let Claudia lead the conversation and ramble about her friends and the sale they hit today on new purses.  She politely listened to Claudia's nonsense, but kept wondering about Logan.  He was sitting next to Claudia.  Rory was across from them in the back of the limo.  Logan didn't seem angry with her tonight, but he didn't really seem happy to see her either.  She thought they had a moment in the apartment, but second guessed herself with his curt response to her.  Rory couldn't help but wonder what exactly the deal was with Logan and Claudia.  It was obvious they were dating or involved in some way. Logan just told her he only had one girlfriend.  Rory assumed that was her.   And from her view in the apartment, Rory didn't sense a strong female presence.  It looked like a man's apartment.  She wondered if Claudia lived with Logan.  Maybe they weren't that serious.  Rory's hopes went up a bit.

Rory forced herself to focus on Claudia's incessant rambling as they arrived at the restaurant.  Claudia was informing her that her friend Vikki had told her that several of their friends would also be dining there tonight.  She insisted that Rory meet her friends.

As soon as they entered the restaurant and Logan gave his name, the three were ushered to a semi private table.  It was a corner booth tucked away behind a large potted plant.  From the table they could see most of the dining room, but had the feeling of a more private area. 

They sat and requested drinks.  Immediately Claudia said she had to see her friends.  Rory promised to come over and meet them shortly.  So Claudia flitted away to brag to her friends about seeing Hep Alien again.

"So, um, she does seem really nice,"  Rory said once she was alone with Logan.

Logan folded his hands on the table and looked at them. He mumbled, "Yeah, she's great."

The waiter came back and handed drinks to Rory and Logan.  He also took their dinner orders.  Logan ordered something for Claudia without even glancing at the menu.

"Logan, can we talk for a minute? I mean, really talk?" Rory asked once the waiter left.

"I'm not sure we have much to say. And this isn't really the time to get into some deep discussion, Rory. Let's just get through this night and you can go back to your life. You can forget me again," Logan said looking miserable.

Rory was stunned for a minute. Didn't he see she had come to him? Did he think she was offering tickets out of guilt or something? She knew she had to take advantage of these moments alone and at least let him know know she was still interested and wanted him back. She said, "Logan, I can't forget you. And I don't want to forget you."

He looked up from staring at his hands. He didn't recoil this time when she lightly touched his hands with one of her own.  As she curled her hand over his closed fist, he caught her fingertips and semi held her hand back.  Logan said nothing, but looked deep into her eyes.  Rory felt the spark in their hands and between their gaze.

Rory knew she had to say something powerful then, something to let him know she still had feelings for him. Staring back into his eyes, she said, "I still have a thing for butt-faced miscreants."

Logan's eyes widened and he started laughing.  Unfortunately, right at that moment, they heard Claudia loudly approaching with two of her friends.  Logan quickly pulled his hands away from Rory's hand.  He sat back against his side of the booth and said, "I was wondering when you were going to wander back. I ordered the fish for you."

Claudia snuggled back next to Logan and said, "Ok, great. I found Vikki and Nina.  Sorry, we had a drink at the bar before coming over here."  Then Claudia introduced Rory to the girls.  The girls were just like Claudia, bubbly and full of questions.  Rory told the girls a little about Lane and the band.  Vikki and Nina began to retreat back to their group when the food arrived for Rory, Logan, and Claudia.

"Claud, we are hitting that rooftop club after this.  You and Logan in?"  Vikki asked before they left.

"I can't.  I have to be at work early tomorrow, Claudia,"  Logan said.  "But, you go.  Have fun.  I'll get Rory back to wherever she is staying and have an early night.  I need to go over my presentation anyway."

"Are you sure?  We were going to see a movie.  You don't care if we see it another time?"  Claudia asked.

"Of course, not, go,"  Logan insisted.

Claudia told the girls she would meet them after they ate.  Rory stayed very quiet during the conversation.  She realized she would get a ride home alone with Logan.  She felt nervous again and barely managed to eat the pasta she ordered.  She knew Logan remembered how she usually inhaled food, so she made an effort to put a big dent in the plate despite her shaky stomach. 

Finally the meal ended.  Logan and Rory walked Claudia to her friends' table.  "I'll call you tomorrow,"  Claudia said kissing Logan goodbye. 

Rory unclenched her teeth enough to say goodnight to Claudia and her friends.  Then she and Logan were back in the limo.  Sitting across from him in the limo, Rory once again knew this was an opportunity to start to win him back.  She needed to take advantage of these twenty minutes or so.  She decided she needed to be physically closer to him.  Rory kept hearing Lane's voice in her head telling her to go after what she wanted.  So, she decided to go after who she wanted.  She only had a couple glasses of wine with dinner but felt unsteady in the moving car as she attempted to switch sides.  Her plan was to gracefully, maybe even a little sexily, sit down next to him and pat his leg in a friendly-casual manner. 

What actually happened was a little different.

As Rory got to her feet, the driver happened to hit the brakes.  She began to lurch forward toward the darkened glass partition separating them from the driver.  Logan instinctively grabbed her arm and pulled her back.  As he pulled, the limo took off again.  They ended up in a heap of tangled limbs on the floor of the limo. 

Logan immediately began to check Rory for injuries and asked her if she was alright.  Rory was laughing like a mad-woman.  Logan looked at her confused for a minute, then he began laughing with her.  He smoothed the hair away from her face and wiped the stray tear she had from laughing so hard.  As they looked at each other, with faces inches apart, the laughter stopped.  It was like a magnetic force was pulling them together.  Their lips met softy at first, then grew hungry after the initial contact.  With hands roaming, they devoured each others mouths.  Their bodies pressed together, coming alive after being apart so long.  Rory's hands were tangled in Logan's hair while his were working their way under her shirt when the limo stopped.  They broke apart when they heard the driver's door slam shut.