Disclaimer: Do not own. If you recognize a line, probably ASP's as I have incorporated some of the original dialogue into this story. Also, some of the events get reworked.

Chapter 12

Marty saw Rory sitting in the dining hall on a brown leather sofa, absorbed wholly in a book. He still could not believe that he was lucky enough to call that beautiful woman his girlfriend. It has only been a week since they had that talk, but every time Marty replayed the conversation in his mind, he had not seen that coming. It made the year-and-a-half-long friendship with the smart, sophisticated, and sexy woman worth it because it all led to him being able to hold her and kiss her like he wanted to since that first day in their Japanese fiction class of freshman year.

"Business or pleasure?" Marty asked, playfully as he approached the reading, Rory.

Rory held up the cover in response.

"Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Lord and Peasant in the Making of the Modern World. Oh, so, pleasure."

"Have you read it?"

"I'm waiting for the film to come out," joked Marty.

"Yeah, I know. I heard Renée Zellweger's gaining a ton of weight to play the peasant," returned Rory.

"Listen, I was wondering if you're doing anything tomorrow night?" Marty said, with hopeful eyes.

"Ha, I don't know. Probably finishing this," smirked Rory, as she indicated the book. "Why?"

"it's Glenn's birthday. He's having this big party. Lots of booze, minimal food, you know."

"Ah, that Glenn."

"I was wondering if you'd like to go."

"Yes. Of course."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'd love to. Let's celebrate another year of Glenn."

"Excellent. Now, it's themed. He recently got a Quentin Tarantino box set so any of his movies are fair game. I'll pick you up at your room around 8."

"Sounds great," Rory's face burst into a smile. "What are you going as?"

"I've got to rush to class, so you'll just have to answer the door to find out." He said with a smirk, as he started walking away, from the stunned stunning creature that was his girlfriend.

ooo

Rory heard the cordless phone ring as she left the bathroom towelling her wet hair. It was only 6 pm and she had plenty of time to get ready. Her home number came up on the caller display.

"Well?"

"It's too sparkly." An unsure Lorelai responded.

"It's not too sparkly," reassured Rory.

"I look like a chandelier."

"What shoes are you wearing?"

"The pink pumps."

"I like those."

"Are they a little too "come and get it"?"

"Don't you want him to come and get it?" questioned Rory, trying to follow her mom's logic.

"Uh yes, but I want it to be his idea to come and get it. It's not the same if the shoes tell him to come and get it."

"I really want to stop saying, 'Come and get it.' "

"Fine," said Lorelai.

"Mom, I have to get ready." Rory declared.

"Going out?"

"As a matter of fact, I have a date tonight."

"Marty?"

"Of course, Marty. Who else?"

"I don't know, you don't usually announce your plans so formally," countered Lorelai.

"I know but he asked me so properly."

"Oh, and where you two going?"

"Apparently it's Glenn's birthday and it's a Tarantino theme party."

"Who's Glenn?"

"You know Glenn, he drove Paris and me to Spring Break last year, and he works at the paper."

"Oh, that Glenn," Lorelai confirmed. "Wanna trade places? I'd love to get dolled up in costume for a college party. Can we Freaky Friday it?

"And what? Switch bodies so that I'm the one wearing the "come and get it" shoes?" implored Rory.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea."

"You know when I said I wanted to talk to you about sex, this isn't what I had in mind."

"Yes, however, how else did you want me to bestow my years of knowledge and wise words than by having these lovely chats with your mommy dearest? So, what are you going as?"

"I'm going as Gogo."

"Because you have the skirt."

"And no other ideas."

"Cluelessness is the mother of invention. Call me after."

"Okay, will do."

"Ugh, this dress is too slutty."

"The dress is fine. The person in it, however... "

Lorelai made a mock offended noise. "You're breaking up. The house is going through a tunnel. You're breaking up." Her mother even made fake static noises on her phone before hanging up.

ooo

Promptly at 8 pm the following night, Marty showed up in a blue colour-blocked windbreaker zipped up over a black T-shirt with black jeans and leather loafers. His hair was effortlessly left messy. He also accessorized with a chunky ring and a flashy watch.

"Wow, way to commit to the gig," Marty said as he scanned Rory's attire.

"Well, I had the skirt. Speak for yourself, Mr. Cabot."

"I figured there would be way too many Vincent, Mia and the Misters so I challenged myself. Once I found this," He indicated the jacket. "It all just sort of came together."

Rory smiled. Nice-Guy Eddie was not a popular choice for a costume, but it fit Marty really well. A little too well. She blushed as she caught herself checking out the guy at her door.

"So, Glenn rented out a bar not far from here."

"Good for Glenn." Rory agreed absentmindedly while trying not to imagine her hands all over Marty. In his hair, under his jacket, and down his back, as he passionately kissed her while pressing into her.

"Rory?"

"Huh?"

"You ready to go?'

"Uh, yeah." She said as she turned to shut the door and lock it to hide her increasingly red cheeks.

The bar that Glenn had rented out for the night had outdone itself in decorations for the theme with flashy streamers, a live band, a clean dance floor, and lounge areas with even the staff who were costumed to the theme. The party was already quite lively with many dancing and conversing when the couple entered. As Marty and Rory surveyed their surroundings and the other attendees' costumes. Glenn must have really put the word out because there were lots of people there. Rory only recognized only select some from around campus, the paper, and her classes.

"Do you want a drink?" Marty asked while leaning in for her to hear him over the music.

"Naw, I think I'm gonna try to get through the doorway first."

"Novel approach."

"Marty!" exclaimed a male voice as a familiar figure approached them. Glenn was clad in a black jacket, and white shirt, with a bolo tie and a dark wig styled like John Travolta's was in Pulp Fiction.

"Hey, Glenn. Happy Birthday!"

"So glad you could make it. And who's this?... Oh, Rory! I didn't recognize you. Hey! You make a great Gogo."

"Yeah, I had the skirt," Rory replied casually, noting Glenn's surprise when he panned down to see Marty's hand holding hers. "Happy Birthday, Glenn."

"All right, children, drink and be merry," stated Glen, with obvious signs that he had already had a drink or two. "For tomorrow we should all be in a great deal of pain. Enjoy the party."

As Glenn left, Logan and his Life and Death Brigade clan showed up at the entrance. Logan immediately recognized Rory and Marty and led the others toward them.

"Well, well, well, the gang's all here. Ace. You know Robert, Colin, and Finn's around here somewhere getting a drink. Glenn's really outdone himself and this party is actually better than how he made it seem initially."

"Logan," Rory greeted stiffly. "You remember Marty."

"I'll take one of your famous gin mixers, don't forget the umbrella," Logan ordered from Marty.

Rory immediately got annoyed and remembered exactly why she had cut ties with the rich entitled boy. "Logan, Marty's not tending bar here. If you want a drink, get it yourself, the counter is over there." Rory moved closer to Marty, unconsciously.

Logan looked from Rory to Marty disapprovingly and said to his company, "Come on, let's see what's good."

As the crowd thinned, Rory turned to Marty. "I see Paris and Doyle over there, let's go say hi."

"Rory, you didn't have to do that."

"Do what?" asked Rory, confused.

"Never mind."

They made their way to Paris and Doyle who were awkwardly standing by a table. "You look like a cheery bunch," said Rory.

Paris was dressed in a yellow fitted pantsuit with black stripes and details, and held a prop samurai sword in her hand, presumably portraying the Bride from Kill Bill. Doyle was wearing a simple black suit and some shades.

"It's not our usual scene but Terrence informed us that we should get out and have regular college experiences. And by being at this shin-ding we can cross 'Bar' and 'Wild Party' off the list,' explained Paris.

"Yes, because apparently, we can't think of our own locations anymore," retorted Doyle to the explanation.

"But Terrence's suggestions have worked out so far, haven't they?"

"I still don't understand why you even need a life coach, Paris."

As an animated squabble broke out between her roommate and her editor, Marty softly asked Rory, "How about that drink?"

"Nothing too strong."

"I'll see what I can do." Marty shot a smile at her as he headed to the bar, leaving Rory standing alone. The bickering couple had since left to have a private, loud discussion elsewhere.

"Hey, Ace, having a good time?" Logan's voice asked cutting through her thoughts. Rory groaned as Logan approached the table, this time solo.

"I thought you left. And I am. " Rory answered stiffly.

"Good. That's good. Me, too. I'm having a good time, too. " Logan said in between sips of her lowball glass of dark liquid.

"Good."

"Yes. So, you and Marty, I don't like it."

"Doesn't matter if you do, I do."

"I don't get it; he seems so wrong for you."

"What does that mean?"

"I saw you at the Life and Death Brigade, you basked in the excitement."

"Excitement brings trouble."

"What about that girl that pursued me, Ms. Spontaneity, at her grandparents' party?

"She has left the building. Probably run over in the parking lot."

"He's too boring for you."

"Excuse me?"

"Marty, he's kind of a bore. Have you noticed he's kind of a bore?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Night's young. Okay, come on."

"Where are we going?" Logan took Rory's arm rather roughly and tugged her towards a dark corner. "Logan!" she protested.

"You look great."

"Thank you," Rory said confusedly, as Logan looked at her.

Then he pressed his lips against her, Rory immediately pushed him forcefully away, and looked around, "Logan! Stop!"

"You're right. We should go." Logan said as he grasped Rory's arm.

"Go? Go where? No! Let go of me." Rory protested as she twisted out of Logan's grasp. "I came here with Marty."

"So, dump Marty," said drunken Logan. "I hate Marty."

"No! Stop it! Stay!" Rory said firmly as Logan seemed eager to close the gap again. "I'm going back to my date. Please leave me alone."

Without waiting for Logan to process or do anything more, Rory hurriedly returned to the table, just in time for Marty to be back with the drinks.

"I got you a - hey are you okay?" Marty said but quickly interrupted himself to ask concernedly.

Rory took the drink he placed in front of her and took a long sip of it. She hoped the beverage would calm her down, whatever it was. Briefly, she closed her eyes, trying to wipe Logan kissing her from her mind. When she reopened them, over the rim of the glass, Marty was looking at her with a worried expression. This made Rory feel worse because she did not deserve his concern. Reassuringly, he took her hand in his. As her inner guilt washed over her all over again, Rory leaned in to ask, "Do you mind if we get out of here?"

"No, not at all. Is everything okay?"

"It's just... getting wild." she stuttered out.

"Okay." Marty agreed, still looking concerned.

The couple left the establishment and started walking in awkward silence.

"I'm sorry," Rory said finally, barely in a whisper, as they approached their residence building.

"What for?"

"I dragged you away from Glenn's party."

"It's okay. We made the rounds. We talked to people. We wished Glenn a 'Happy Birthday.' I think we checked off all the boxes."

"And oh, those drinks, I didn't even let you drink your drink."

"It's okay. Rory, really. Are you okay?"

"Logan kissed me." Rory stopped and shifted her gaze down to the concrete, ashamed of her admission.

Marty halted too and turned to look at her, calmly waiting for her to explain.

"I pushed him away immediately, but I should not have let it happen." Tears started forming in Rory's blue eyes as she recounted the events in the dark corner of the bar. "I'm so sorry."

"Rory, stop crying. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay, I made it clear that I'm with you, that I'm dating you. When I told him to go away, he tried to change my mind by kissing me. I'm so sorry, Marty." Rory's voice broke as she choked out the apology. Her tears now streamed down her face.

Marty stepped forward and pulled the crying girl into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her protectively. As she sobbed, Marty stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't deserve your kindness. I'm awful." Rory mumbled against him.

"Why?"

"Because he kissed me." Rory pulled back, incredulously.

Marty looked deep into her eyes, and asked calmly, "Did you ask to be kissed?"

"No. But-" She responded, bewildered.

"Did you push him away immediately?"

"Yes."

"Did you feel like you needed to tell me?"

"Of course."

"Then, I am going to comfort you, when you're this upset."

Rory was at loss for words and finally relaxed against Marty. She repeated in a whisper through her tears. "I'm still sorry."

"I know you are. And, admittedly, I saw it happen."

"You did?" Rory quickly looked up at him in surprise, expecting to see hurt in his eyes, but found none.

However, he was still calm and affirmed. "Yeah."

"Hate that."

"Yeah, not a fan."

"Marty?"

"Yeah."

"Are we okay?"

Marty met Rory's eyes and dipped his head slightly, to place a soft kiss on her cheeks, kissing away the tears. "Yeah, Rory."

Rory turned her head, and captured his lips, to put the incident behind them. He reciprocated with a matching desire to make her smile again.

Rory was determined to make it up to Marty by starting to nibble his lips and deepening the kiss with some tongue. Marty broke it off as he realized they were still outside on the sidewalk.

"Let's get you home."

"Okay, but can you keep me company for a while."

"As long as you'd like." He shot a small shy smile.

Rory moved in closer as Marty snaked his arms around her waist, possessively and comfortingly.

ooo

"God, you look good tonight, did I tell you that?" Marty said in a low gruff voice tearing away from a deep kiss and ready to dip his head for another. He could not remember if he complimented his girlfriend aloud to her, but in his mind that had been all Marty could think about since she had opened her door earlier.

The pair had gotten back to Rory's residence and like two magnets, they could not stay away from each other any longer. They made their way to the communal couch with limbs and bodies entwined. Rory abruptly paused their engagement, to put on the TV to an old black-and-white movie, as innocent pretense should Paris and Doyle return. However, they got lost in each other to be bothered to listen for the front door opening.

"I think you did," Rory breathed, answering Marty's question. Honestly, she could not remember either nor could she concentrate on recalling as Marty placed a trail of kisses down her neck. "You're pretty handsome too."

Marty chuckled as his hand slid into Rory's hair, and he pulled her closer to him. While he laid small, suctioned kisses down to the base of her neck. Rory let out a soft giggle.

"What?" Marty asked, startled by the reaction.

"Ticklish. Don't stop." Rory said, breathlessly.

"If we don't stop, I don't know if I will be able to… later," he whispered with a tortured strain in his voice.

"What if I don't want you to?" said Rory, in-between kisses she continuously planted on him where she could reach.

Marty lifted his head to rest his forehead against hers as he timidly admitted. "I've just never done this before."

Rory leaned in a kissed him, reassuringly. "We don't have to if you don't -."

"Oh, I do. Believe me, I do, but I just don't want to rush this."

At this, Rory suddenly questioned: Was he a virgin? Then she suddenly became self-conscious of her own experiences in that department, namely with Dean and how she almost went down that road with Logan. While Dean was a great first time, Rory knew it was wrong for her to have slept with a married man, regardless of justification. Then, when Lindsey found the letter, her embarrassment of the entire incident was made monumentally worse. To clean up her act, she swore off boys yet somehow frolicked with Logan at her grandparents' vow renewal. Rory now knew that all of those had been the wrong choices and wished that she would have waited for a moment like this.

And all that time, Marty was around, on the sidelines, being one of her best friends. He had brought her exotic foods to try from his various catering jobs, had studied with her whenever she needed, had indulged in retro shows with her and had dropped everything to help search for Anna, the Chilton student she was entrusted with who ran off. All the while, Rory had started to take him increasingly for granted and even vaguely recalled referring to him as "just a friend" a few too many times which she now regretted. He had been her first friend of the opposite sex at Yale and quickly became one of her closest friends despite only knowing him for only a short time. Marty had been so good to her over the last year and a half, and she had been terrible to him, Rory realized. This sobered her up quickly.

Instinctively Rory took his face in her hands and looked deep into his eyes. She involuntarily remembered Marty's distant and deflated expression when he did not ride with her back in the taxi after they were notified that Anna was found. Rory remembered how she caused that pained feeling for him because as her mind was going a mile a minute thinking about lecturing Logan about his earlier prank and Anna bolting, that she did not process what Marty was trying to tell her or show her in his own way. She obliviously ranted to Marty about her frustration with Logan, and he shortly asked how she could not see that Logan was interested in her. That night Marty was baring his soul, but Rory did not listen.

"Marty?"

Marty was still looking as if studying every expression on her face. Her thumbs started tracing his jawline as if to make sure he was really there with her and silently she built up her courage.

"Hmm?"

"Listen, I don't want to rush, either" Rory started, looking deep into Marty's longing brown eyes "I have been messing up a whole lot lately. But I don't want to mess this up with you."

"You aren't messing up," Marty reassured.

"My track record would state otherwise."

"All right, we don't have to rush anything." He agreed. "I'm just happy to be here with you."

"Me too. Stay the night? "At his hesitation, Rory added. "Please."

"Of course," agreed Marty.

A little while later, after they relocated to Rory's room, they groggily held each other on her bed facing one another. Marty unconsciously stroked Rory's arm as she curled into him.

"Thank you" whispered Rory, sleepily.

"For?" whispered Marty back.

"For being you," Rory breathed, "I love you."

"Rory, I..." Marty was about to respond, but he noticed Rory was already sound asleep.

oooo

Author's Note: Wow! Long chapter but I couldn't think of any other way to break it up. Firstly, thanks to all who are reading. It really means a lot that this is being seen. As said, this is a continuation of Rory picking Marty over Logan. Now this alternate decision would have cut out some of my favourite scenes like the Quentin Tarantino party so I had to rewrite how I thought it would happen in my story's universe. There are some lines that are a little out of sorts for the characters but hopefully, I am capturing them well for the most part. Obviously, Rory's morphing, trying to do better and she's realizing her mistakes slowly. Admittedly it might be a little soon for these two to be saying that L word, but it works with some future chapter ideas that align with events.

Anyways, read and review, please.