Please Change The Channel

The letters were placed on the table in a remarkably neat fashion, all the corners neatly lined up in a way that even satisfied Rory's particularly anal-retentive tendencies. Lorelai commented on this with, "I lined them up nice, you know, to make you less stressed."

"Amazingly, it's not helping," Rory answered, swallowing hard. Lorelai took Rory's arm and brought her down to sit on the couch. Patting her shoulder she told her, "Rory, hon, I really doubted that it would. This is a life-changing event here."

"Gee Mom, thanks for reminding me."

"At least you're wearing your cute jeans," she said cheerfully. "You'd hate to remember this day with your fat jeans or something."

"I don't have fat jeans."

"It's a general idea, Rory."

"Oh."

Rory stared at the envelopes, unable to move. She couldn't have reached for them if she wanted to. She was frozen in place, fear inhibiting even the slightest movement. After a moment she told Lorelai, "You need to open them."

Lorelai began to refute with, "Rory-"

"I can't do it. You're right, this is a life changing event. I'm not ready for life changing, I'm only 18. You're used to this, so you do it."

Her logic was hardly rational, but Lorelai knew better than to question Rory when she was in a panic. Giving her one more second to change her mind, she dutifully waited and then reached forward for the envelopes. There were three of them, two large and one small.

"Open the big ones first," Rory asked softly.

Lorelai followed her insinuation and gently told her, "Size doesn't matter, remember?"

Rory was relieved when her mother didn't complete the possibly inappropriate comment.

"Open the big ones first."

Lorelai opened the letter from Princeton first, drawing out a letter and brochure. Rory's heart sped as she saw the brochure's glossy letters spelling out information about residence halls. She didn't want to presume anything but felt a pleasant flutter in her stomach as Lorelai told her, "You got in, hon. You did it."

Her nerves decreased substantially as Lorelai began to open the next envelope, despite it being the smallest envelope. At this point she knew that she had already made it into one Ivy League school so if all else failed she wouldn't be stuck at a public college (or worse, a community- the thought!). She saw the blue lettering on the envelope and tapped her foot nervously against her calf.

"Rory, are you sure you don't want to open it?"

Rory shook her head profusely. "No, my hands are shaking too much. I'd rip the envelope."

"Note, do not rip envelope," Lorelai joked tensely. She mumbled something resembling okay and carefully opened the envelope. A small rip formed at the edge and she apologized quickly before pulling out the letter. She looked down and inhaled sharply.

"Just say it," Rory said morosely.

"You did it," she breathed out.

"What?"

"Small envelope, my ass!" She exclaimed, looking up at Rory with bright eyes. "You did it, babe!"

"I did it," she said softly, a warm feeling spreading through her. "I did it!"

"I think we're on a role," Lorelai said happily. "Ready for the last one?"

Harvard had always been Rory's dream and despite having Princeton and Yale as backups, the large envelope in her mother's hand terrified her. Slowly she nodded, visibly wincing as Lorelai opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. There may have been a brochure too, Rory couldn't tell. The envelope did look quite large for just the letter and she was so busy contemplating this, trying to shush the pounding of her heart, that she didn't hear when her mother spoke.

"Rory," Lorelai said, leaning forward. "Did you hear me?"

The vague sound of her mother smiling touched the edge of her mind. And then she saw that it wasn't a memory at all. Lorelai was smiling. She was looking at Rory with large eyes, smiling so wide that it looked like her face was all mouth and nothing else. Slowly, the realization hit her and she blurted out, "I got into all three? Oh my gosh, I got into all three!"

She launched herself into Lorelai's arms and felt warm tears slip down her cheeks.

"You are an amazing daughter, kid," Lorelai said tenderly, kissing her cheek. "And I love you. I love you and your freakishly developed brain."

"I can't believe it," Rory murmured, wiping away her tears. "This is unbelievable."

"You'll have to start making your pro and con lists now," Lorelai said with a grin. "You get to make three of them."

Rory's eyes widened. "You're right, I do!"

She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and smiled brightly at her mom. "I need to call Logan. He's not going to believe you."

"If he knows anything, he'll believe you. You're a smart girl and he should just try to tell me otherwise."

Rory laughed. "He knows I'm smart Mom."

"Alright, hon, go call him. I'm going to go to Luke's and bring back some burgers. We're going to celebrate!"

"And you're going to brag," Rory added knowingly.

"Damn right!" She leaned down and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Don't be too mushy on the phone, now. And if he says you'll hang up at the same time, he's lying."

Rory rolled her eyes and said, "Bye Mom."

"Alright, alright, I'm going!"

Rory dialed Logan's number, smiling at the tone of his voice when he answered.

"Did I wake you up?"

"It was a long night," he answered, yawning. "A fun night, but a long one."

"I need to talk to Finn, keeping you out so late."

"Hey, someone needs to chaperone him. Let me tell you, that guy gets himself into the strangest situations. So, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm good."

Her tone was purposefully innocent and he caught it immediately. "What's going on?"

"I got my college letters."

She waited for him to respond and after a moment he eagerly asked, "And?"

"I got in."

"Where?"

"Everywhere, I got in everywhere."

"Ace, that's wonderful!"

"I know! I could hardly believe it when I saw them."

"I'm so proud of you, Ace. I knew you could do it."

He didn't speak for a moment and she heard something akin to the rustling of a jacket on the other end of the line. Just as she was about to inquire of his actions he said, "Are you home now?"

"Yeah," she answered, thinking what an odd question it was.

"Good, stay there. I'm coming to help you celebrate your three acceptances."

"Logan-"

"Don't even try to talk me out of it," he warned lightly. "This is a monumental day you just had, Ace. I plan on having an active part in it."

She grinned, nodding although she knew he couldn't see. "Okay, Huntzberger, but you better drive fast. Lorelai Gilmore will be wanting to claim me today, as well."
"Already in the car, Ace."

She laughed. "And that means I am hanging up. Don't you know it's illegal to talk on the phone while driving in Connecticut?"

"Bye Ace."

"See ya."

RLRLRLRLRLRL

He arrived in twenty three minutes, which was a new record. He told Rory this excitedly when she met him at the door. Kissing him softly she told him, "I am very proud of you, Logan."

"This is a banner day, Ace. You get accepted to pretty much every ivy league and I set a new record getting to Stars Hollow." He paused for a moment and added, "Mine seems pretty lame next to yours, doesn't it?"

"Pretty much, " she quipped. He leaned in and gave her another kiss which she returned lightly before taking his hand and pulling him in. "Come on, before Babette sees you."

"Babette does love me."

"She loves anything young and pretty," she teased. "And she says you remind her of a young Maury."

His face fell. "Maury? Really?"

"Maury has style," she told him.

He grabbed her waist and teased, "A little neighbor romance, Ace?"

She placed her hands lightly on his neck and cooed, "Well, a girl has to get her kicks somewhere."

Smiling, he leaned forward and caught her lips with his own. They fit perfectly in his, almost as if those lips were made with the sole purpose of fitting flush against his. And her tongue. It seemed to find his seamlessly, gliding across in a choreographed swirl. He pulled away, gazing at her now flushed cheeks.

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

Her cheeks flushed a deeper red and she looked down. "In the eye of the beholder," she answered modestly.

"No." His fingers gently knocked her chin up so her eyes met his. "Not just to me, Ace. Trust me, I have to beat away guys with a stick."

She leaned forward and smiled into his shoulder, setting it with a small kiss. "You're too nice."

Her hand found his and she pulled him over to the couch. It was a worn piece of furniture with a homey smell that was a cross between cinnamon and some other warm scent. He liked that the cushions had an immediate give. Sometimes it felt like a blackhole when he sat down, pulling him down into its cushiony depths, but it was better than what was at his home. All the Huntzberger house had were upright sofas with hard backs and wood detailing.

"Don't put your feet on it!" His mother would call shrilly.

"What do you want to watch?" Rory asked, nodding toward the television.

"We're celebrating with television?"

"My mom wanted to go out with me after work," she explained. "I thought we could all go together."

"Hm, okay, what are my options?"

Rory glanced at the clock. "Well, I usually watch Tyra now."

He chuckled and said, "Tyra away."

She gave him a look before flipping to the channel. Under her breath she grumbled, "No mocking."

"I'm dating you," he reminded her. "Rory Gilmore, great mocker, and you expect me not to dish a little myself?"

"I don't mock you," she pointed out.

"That is not entirely true."

Her eyebrows furrowed and he thought about how cute she looked with the temporary wrinkles on her pale forehead. He reached forward and touched her cheek. Her forehead smoothed.

"If you like Tyra, I like Tyra," he told her. "But I cannot watch this without mocking. It is impossible."

A particularly effeminate male's voice floated from the screen and Rory's eyes shifted to the television. She pursed her lips to contain a giggle and said, "This may not be the best episode for you to watch."

Logan glanced at the screen and his mouth fell open. "Is that a guy wearing a dress?"

"No, it's Ms. Jay."

"But…it's a guy."

"Yes, but it's Ms. Jay."

Logan stared at the screen. This "Ms. Jay" was wearing a deep purple dress and the highest heels that he had ever seen. He strutted down a makeshift runway and Logan couldn't contain his laughter.

"You watch the strangest things, Ace."

"No, I was entertaining things," she corrected. "And Ms. Jay is fabulous."

Ms. Jay made her way down the runway again and Logan thought to himself that he had a pretty decent walk. He slowly said, "His legs look like girl's legs. This is weird."

"It's the heels," Rory filled in. She squeezed his bicep gently and said, "I bet your legs would look like a girl's too if you were wearing heels that high."

He shook his head resolutely. "No way. I am all man."

Rory gazed at him and her mouth broke into a large grin. She started laughing and he stared at her, waiting to hear what was so funny. After several moments of her laughter and no explanation he asked, "What?"

She composed herself long enough to say, "You would make a very pretty woman, Logan."

His eyes widened as she dissolved into giggles. "That isn't funny," he said, pursing his lips.

She raised her eyebrows. "What? Are you saying you would be an unfortunate looking woman?"

"No," he answered immediately, somehow feeling offended by this. "I would make a very fortunate looking woman. I'm just saying-" he trailed off, not entirely sure of what he was saying.

She stared at him with an affected grin.

"Please change the channel."

A/N: Please review! Next chapter is the LAST one. It shall be wonderful :-)