Still Falling For You (Gilmore Girls)

Shanghai

Rory was sitting in her office quietly trying to concentrate on some articles that had been submitted to her for review when Logan stopped by to see her.

"Can I come in?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Sure. What's up?" she asked looking over at him.

"I've got some news..." Logan said as he came in and perched on her desk.

Rory looked up at him from where she was sitting. "Well, seeing as we're in a newsroom, I'd be kind of disappointed if you didn't" she joked as she leaned back into her chair. "Ugh, Logan, why do I feel like I am really not going to like what is coming?"

"Probably because you're not going to? There's no easy way to say this so I'll just get to it...we've been invited out to dinner tonight...with my parents." Logan grimaced. He'd been dreading having to put Rory and his mother in the same room again but he'd always known it was going to have to happen at some point, especially if they were planning on going the distance.

"What?" Rory wrinkled her nose. "Oh, Logan..."

"The good news is that they are coming into the city so we'll be on neutral territory and I'm sure my mother will be on her best behavior," Logan said hopefully, trying to get Rory on side.

Rory pouted. "And there is no way of getting me out of this? They're your parents, not mine....I shouldn't have to suffer the humiliation and the crushing blows to my self-esteem, not to mention the severe indigestion that is going to follow from this."

Logan laughed. "It won't be that bad and hey hang on, I had to face Lorelai remember. Besides, my dad is fast becoming your number one fan, I think he'd be disappointed if you bailed on him." Logan smiled.

"Your mom wouldn't" Rory rolled her eyes. "She'll only be disappointed if I don't choke on the amuse-bouche".

"You play your cards right Ace and I'll treat you to a little amuse-bouche before we even go out to dinner" Logan wriggled his eyebrows in Rory's direction making her laugh. "Come on, if there is anyone who can handle my mom, it's you."

Rory sighed. "You are going to owe me big time mister. There is no way you can even compare dinner with my mom to dinner with your mom. At least my mom manages to keep some of her thoughts to herself."

"I'll make it up to you," Logan said. "I promise."

"You'd better!"

------

"Here goes nothing!" Logan said as he squeezed Rory's hand.

"Remind me again why we are putting ourselves though this" Rory complained as they walked through the door of the restaurant. There were a million and one places she'd rather be right now. Sitting opposite Shira Huntzberger for dinner was not high on her list of priorities, not that night, not ever.

"Logan, Rory!" Shira said with an overly sweet smile as she greeted her son and his girlfriend.

"Mom, nice to see you. Dad" Logan nodded at his father, who nodded back in acknowledgement.

"Hi," Rory said pleasantly, plastering on a big smile.

"Sit, sit" Mitchum gestured.

"So, what's all this about," Logan asked as they sat down at the table.

"We can't just see our son and his girlfriend for dinner once in a while?" Shira smiled.

Rory looked at Logan and raised an eyebrow.

"How are things going Rory?" Mitchum asked as he took a swig of his scotch. "You know Shira, Rory is one of our star employees at the New York Times, she's become pretty indispensable in features."