The Only Truth (Gilmore Girls)

Hello Cold World

A couple of weeks passed by with Logan and Rory enjoying a couple more casual dates. They'd gone out to dinner a few more times and had the odd night out to watch a movie but so far, other than a few kisses and a bit of chaste hand holding, they had not been intimate again since the night in the Pool House at Lily's birthday.

Logan had arranged to pick Rory up that night to go out for some drinks while Lily was staying over with Lorelai in Stars Hollow. She was looking forward to going out and letting her hair down, but it was going to be a bit different for them that night, as they had plans to meet up with Colin and Finn. Rory was nervous about seeing them again after so long, she couldn't help but wonder how they would be towards her. She'd had no contact with them since graduation. They'd been friends in their Yale days, but ultimately, as Logan's friends, their loyalty was to him and in the event of their break-up it hadn't seemed right to maintain any contact.

"Don't be nervous Ace," Logan said as he squeezed her hand.

"I'm trying, but I feel a little like I am about to go in front of the firing squad." Rory grimaced as they walked into the bar.

"Hey, guys!" Logan said as he walked up to the table where his friends were sitting.

Finn jumped up to greet Rory "I'm sorry, do I know you?" he winked "Love, you look great," he said pulling her into a hug.

"Rory" Colin nodded. "Nice to see you."

"Hi, Colin" Rory smiled nervously.

"Drinks?" Finn said as he rubbed his hands together and beckoned the waitress over.

"So Rory what have you been doing with yourself since Yale..." Finn started to ask before Colin interrupted.

"...inbetween having a secret love child that is." Colin finished. Logan shot him a look.

"Oh yeah, how is motherhood treating you, darling? You had plenty of practice playing mother with us three" Finn winked.

Rory took a deep breath and smiled before telling them all about Lily and her life over the past eighteen months.

"It didn't really turn out like I had planned," she said as she took a sip of her drink.

"I'll say," Finn said.

"So, are you two, you know, together now," Colin asked as he looked directly at Rory.

Logan fumed at his friend. Colin knew fully well what the situation was but for some reason, he was determined to cause trouble. He thought about stepping in and moving the conversation on but on the other hand, he was fairly interested to see what Rory would say. He'd only suggested the casual, no strings dating as she had seemed uncertain and he hadn't wanted to spook her.

Rory looked at Logan apprehensively. "Erm, I...no we're not...I mean, well, we're just seeing how things go right now."

"Right" Colin raised an eyebrow as he looked at Logan.

Finn could sense that there was some kind of tension amongst the group. "Hey, it's Saturday night, why don't we get a little crazy. Shots?"

"Sounds good to me!" Rory said knocking back her drink.

"Really Ace, you sure?" Logan said as he looked at her in surprise. He hadn't seen this side of her in quite a while.

"Oh c'mon Huntzberger, live in the moment." She smiled.

"That's my kind of girl love," Finn said as he put the vodka shots down in front of them.

They had a couple of rounds of shots and a few other drinks and before long Rory found herself merrily tipsy. Colin had seemed to chill out a bit and had got off Rory's case. He was stood on the other side of the room chatting up some blonde and Finn was off chasing a redhead who couldn't have been less interested if she tried. Rory laughed to herself when she thought about how nothing had really changed since their college days.