13. Partings, redux

"Rory? Rory." Logan gently shook her.

"Uhrmph." Rory felt herself rising, floating up, being dragged against the current of the deep underbelly of sleep, like the diver she was in her dream of Phuket.

"I need to leave in a while. And you have to get up. Class." Logan kissed her still-closed eyelids.

"Five minutes," she whispered, barely audible, as Logan tenderly kissed the rest of her face. Morning gradually seeped into her consciousness. Her bedside clock ticking steadily near her ear. The aroma of coffee hanging over the bed. The undulation of the pillow under her cheek. The rustling of blankets and clothes, as Logan raised her arms above her head to remove her shirt, raised her hips to remove her pajamas. The soft of Logan's hair through her fingers.

Half-way between sleep and waking, Rory's body was especially responsive, her defenses absent. Logan worshipped her breasts with his mouth, his own body, cool from a shower, heating up rapidly against the warmth of Rory's.

Rory moaned involuntarily; she was lost in her own lucid dream, tingling and sensitized by the flickering of Logan's tongue as it trailed down her exposed skin. She let herself be opened as his hands, fingers, mouth found her, arching her back and clutching his head as tightness reverberated around her. Rory gasped for air when she finally broke through to the surface, roused at last. She was now fully awake.

"Good morning," Logan said, gruffly, as he flipped on his back and helped Rory above him. She sheathed him completely, moved on him slowly, like honey, her dark hair shielding them from the light of day. Logan held on to her hips and back as he spun deeper into his own vortex, sinking further into her. He shuddered with Rory as she came a second time, their moans and murmurs resonating loudly in the hush of morning.

"Aand…a cataclysmic morning to you, too," Rory whispered against Logan's cheek, feeling utterly sated and ready…for more sleep.

"Oh no, you don't…you don't get to sleep in on your last two weeks of classes," Logan said. Nor in the morning of my departure, he mentally added, tucking her under his arm and kissing her soundly. They stayed that way for a while, holding hands and kissing.

"So when will you be back?"

"Hm, I'm not sure…four weeks? Two months? I hear summer this year will be nicer in Europe, not as hot."

Rory jabbed him with her elbow. "Though I might take a sidetrip to Yale in two weeks," he quickly amended. "To witness a certain overachiever walking across the stage to receive her diploma. I was told once that these rituals were actually for the loved ones, so I guess I ought to be there…and to take pictures, of course."

"This nerd must be pretty special, huh? You've been shuttling back and forth the Atlantic the last 3 months just to visit her. Tormenting her for a week, disrupting her sleep with your jetlag, then flying off again into the sunset."

"What can I say? The sex is amazing. She's an overachiever in that department, too," he smiled at Rory. Then more seriously, "We're halfway, Rory. Just another three months and I'm back in New York. The London office will be up and running by then."

"I know. That gives me a little more time to look for a decent place. We won't fit in that hole you used to live in."

"Hey, I love that hole! That was a very life-defining hole for me. And you mean your books and the Buddhas won't fit. We, on the other hand, fit just fine."

"It's also three subway rides and two blocks away from my office, and unless you want me to skip the morning shower, be in an annoying mood all day, and overdose on caffeine, I'll probably always be late for my first real job."

"Rory without a shower, ranting, and in a caffeine frenzy, is my favorite Rory."

"Logan, speaking of showers and coffee…" Rory glanced at her clock.

"Okay, I'll be 'toddling along'," Logan said in a bad British accent. He slipped out of her arms to change in the bathroom. Rory remained in bed and listened to the running water, unconsciously twisting the diamond ring around her left finger. She stood up, dragging the blanket with her when Logan came out changed and strapping in his backpack. He came to the bed and they hugged each other tightly.

"Take care, okay? Have fun at your finals," Logan said, rubbing her back and giving her one last long kiss.

"Logan. I love you." She nuzzled his neck. "Call me when you get in?"

"Will do. I love you too, Ace."

Logan walked to the door and stepped out, but not before Rory said, "And hey–"

"I know–" It had been a running joke with them.

"Say hi to William and Harry for me."

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A/N: Aand...THE END! I fervently hope that I've left you "satisfied" with the ending, as satisfying as it has been for me to write this fic. Thank you for your reviews and for reading til the very end...and please, tell me what you think of everything! cuppa joe :)