Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls and all related trademarks/characters/settings, belong to the CW Network. Several lines from this story have been taken from the episode "Unto the Breach", by David Babcock and Jenny Snyder. No copyright infringement is intended. Episodes referenced here are "Haunted Leg" written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and "Super Cool Party People" written by David Rosenthal.
Author's Note: Whee. Another story. I think it works as a one-shot, but if people want me to continue, I will. Feedback is wanted. Loved. Needed. Craved.
"What I'm trying to say is... I don't know a lot. But I know that I love you. And I want to be with you. Forever."
"Rory Gilmore, will you marry me?"
Rory gaped in amazement. Logan. Ring. Marriage. Logan was asking her to marry him. A million things seemed to flash through her mind. "Wow... oh... wow..."
"Is there a yes in between those wows?" The hopeful look in his eyes thrilled Rory to the core.
"I'm just so surprised!" she laughed nervously. Was this really happening? Was Logan really proposing to her?
He sensed her hesitation. "Remember when we were in the Life and Death Brigade and we stood on top of that tower, held hands and we jumped? Let's do that again Rory, let's jump." Logan's voice was full of hope, full of certainty, full of... love.
His words brought back the exhilarating feeling of that day. She remembered teetering on the edge of a scaffolding, having nothing but Logan's hand and an umbrella to hold on to. She remembered the feeling of absolute trust, of sheer excitement. She remembered Logan looking into her eyes as they landed, with her hand clasped to his heart. Could she? Could she take that leap of faith? Rory smiled. "Yes."
The look in Logan's eyes was enough to wipe away any fears and doubts she might have had. "Really?"
"Yes." Laughter seemed to bubble up through Rory's system. "Yes, of course I'll marry you," she answered smiling, crying, and laughing all at once, launching herself into Logan's waiting arms.
A round of applause surrounded them, and they were soon surrounded by well-wishers.
"Well it looks like another toast is called for!" Emily called gleefully, raising her champagne glass. "To Rory and Logan!"
"To Rory and Logan!" the crowd repeated, applauding.
Emily smiled triumphantly as she watched the couple in front of her. Logan slipped the ring onto Rory's finger, kissing her. Emily noted with pleasure that his arm went straight around his fiancée. He seemed unwilling to let her go. Logan brought Rory's hand- the one wearing his ring, to his lips. Seeing the enormous diamond winking back at her, Emily suppressed a sigh. Logan had superb taste in jewellery.
This was the life that Rory was meant to have, Emily thought with a feeling of accomplishment. She deserved to be adored, to be looked up to and praised by society and a wonderful man at her side who would do anything for her. She deserved to be showered with riches. Emily spared a glance at Lorelai, who looked decidedly worried next to Chris. Emily had failed with Lorelai. But she had redeemed herself with Rory. Rory would have everything Emily had wanted to give Lorelai.
Logan would make sure of that, Emily decided. Without her Chilton and Yale education, Rory and Logan never would have met, never have fallen in love. Emily took another sip from her champagne glass, with a great sense of pride at a job well done. Marriage proposals from Huntzbergers didn't come along everyday.
Lorelai's smile grew brighter as she saw her daughter approach. "Congratulations, kid," she said, enveloping her daughter in a hug.
"Mom!" Rory laughed. "It's so surreal. I can't believe it's happening! It's just-" she laughed, waving her hands in the air, her ring reflecting light everywhere. "It's amazing!"
"And this is what you want?" she asked still smiling, though unable to silence the lingering doubt in her mind.
Rory nodded, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can't imagine life without him. I know it sounds really corny, and we make fun of those brides who gush like this but..." she laughed again. "I can't help it, these corny things are just pouring from my mouth. I can't believe you haven't made fun of me yet. I haven't heard a single comment about the ring, or Logan's speech, or doilies or babies..."
"Too many to count babe," Lorelai grinned back. "I'm totally at a loss for words. That's how shocked I am at this moment. I'm just so amazed my little girl is going to have the house, the white picket fence, the 2.5 kids-" she paused and sniffed. "2.5, because 2 or three just won't do..."
Rory reached out to hug her mother again. "I love you too mom."
Christopher smiled at the scene in front of him. "Just promise me you'll make your kids call me Uncle Chris. I refuse to be called Gramps or grandpa. I'm far too young and attractive."
Rory turned to be hugged by her father as well. "I love you too dad."
Christopher grinned, marvelling in the fact that this beautiful young grown-up woman in front of him was his little girl. "Be proud of your mother. She's been bursting to tell you the whole year."
"You knew?" Rory squealed. "I can't believe you didn't tell me!"
"It took much coffee and many hours of Pippi Longstocking, but I managed." Lorelai paused. "Actually I wasn't that great a secret keeper. I told Sookie," she admitted.
"Sookie knew?"
"And your dad," she added.
"Dad knew?"
"Paul Anka and I discussed in detail of course. He thinks you'll have perfect blonde haired, blue eyed children. He wants one named after him. Nicknamed Pad."
Chris frowned. "Why pad?"
"Paul Anka the Dog."
Rory laughed. "God, I love being engaged! Everything's brighter and funnier and wonderful! I know I must look like a total spaz right now, but I'm loving it! How did you know?"
Lorelai couldn't help but smile at her daughter's infectious happiness. "Know what?"
"About Logan! The proposal!"
"A couple days ago, Logan came to me when he got back from California, and asked for your hand. It was very old-fashioned, very romantic."
"In other words pathetically sappy?"
"Oh hell yeah."
Rory giggled. "Oh I wish I could stay, but I see grandma and grandpa calling me- I'll see you guys in a while, ok?" Rory smiled, disappearing in another round of hugs and kisses.
Lorelai's gaze followed her daughter, while Christopher glanced at Logan speaking to his father. "Is it just me, or are you also feeling impossibly old?" Christopher complained, as he watched Rory being congratulated by her parents.
Lorelai didn't reply.
"Lor? Lorelai?" Chris turned to the woman beside him, concerned. "Lorelai, are you alright?"
"She's too young," Lorelai said shaking her head.
Chris raised his eyes to the heavens. "I knew this was coming," he said under his breath. "Alright Lorelai, out with it."
"She's too young." Lorelai repeated firmly. "She's going to miss out on so much."
"I thought you liked Logan."
"I do! I don't have anything against Logan, but he's talking about San Francisco and a house and a back yard and an avocado tree. He's planned her life! Where she's going to live, where she's going to work, where she's going to have coffee." Lorelai shook her head. "She can't settle down yet. She has to experience the world."
"How do you know she's not ready? What if this is what she wants?"
"That's exactly why I'm keeping my mouth shut," Lorelai sighed. "It's her life to live. She has to make her own decision. She shouldn't be influenced by anyone."
Christopher nodded in understanding.
"She does look happy, doesn't she?" Lorelai commented resignedly, watching Logan walk over to Rory and her parents.
"That she does."
"Don't look so worried Lor. Rory's one of the most level headed mature people I've ever met. You taught her well." Christopher put a friendly arm around his ex-wife. "Only a precious few people ever figure out what they really want in life, and the way to get it. It looks like Rory has."
"Has she?" Lorelai sighed. "She hasn't made a pro-con list, she hasn't had any time to think it over. It's like she just... leaped."
"Maybe she took a leap of faith."
"I'm worried she doesn't know what she's leaping into," Lorelai said nervously, biting her bottom lip.
"Lorelai, look at me."
Blue eyes met gray. "Rory will be fine. She's been with Logan for three years. She's seen him at his best and at his worst. That boy is head over heels in love with her. This is what she wants. Are you going to spoil this day for her with your doubts?"
Lorelai shot an annoyed look at Christopher. "Of course not. I'll support whatever she decides. It's her decision to make and she knows herself better than I do. I just think that she may be giving up on a few dreams if she settles down now."
"Who's to say she's giving up her dreams? Marriage and a career aren't mutually exclusive. Just look at Christiana Amanpour."
Lorelai opened her mouth to retort but Chris stopped her short.
"I'm just saying Lorelai, you should trust Rory. She's not a little girl anymore." Chris exhaled sharply. "Wow that was hard to say."
"I know." Lorelai grinned at Chris. "Wanna go and get really really drunk, gramps?"
Chris winced. "Hell yeah." Chris watched as Logan's arm playfully dipped lower on Rory's back, eliciting a smack from the girl in question. "Just let me go give Logan the 'hurt my daughter and I'll kill you with a blunt object and make it look like an accident' speech."
"It seems like congratulations are in order," Mitchum said, shaking Logan's hand.
"Seems like it," Logan smirked. Not even talking to Mitchum would put him in a bad mood tonight.
"I've got to say I'm surprised, Logan. If someone had told me three years ago you would be pledging your eternal love to a girl at a respectable party, I would have dropped down dead in shock. Rory's done you good."
"I'm not going to argue with you on that," Logan replied. "How did mom and grandpa take the news?"
Mitchum shrugged. "Well, you know your mother and your grandfather. I'm sure your mother will come around at the prospect of planning a gigantic wedding. She never did forgive Honor's wedding planner for choosing lavender as a motif." Mitchum grinned. "You're in for a painful journey planning the wedding son. I don't envy you the headache."
"Rory's one of the most low-maintenance people in the world. I trust her taste completely. We never fight about stuff like that," Logan shrugged.
His father rasied an eyebrow. "Are you kidding? Rory, Lorelai, Emily, Honor, your mother, your Aunt Clara- not to mention the wedding planners? It's a classic case of too many cooks. Trust me on this Logan, the wedding is not your problem. The women are."
Logan shook his head. "Yeah, maybe we'll just elope."
"Oh no you're not. Your mother would die of shame and disappointment," Mitchum said taking a swig of his drink. "I'm sure you don't want her weight loss, depression and smoking relapse on your conscience."
Mitchum put his glass down on the table. "Well, I'll just get right into it Logan. What are your plans?"
"My plans?"
"Don't play stupid Logan, it's annoying. What are your plans? For your life? You don't even have a job, how're you going to provide for Rory?"
"There's this firm in San Francisco that's looking to hire me as a partner," Logan replied, vaguely annoyed.
"And what about Rory? You're going to make her move all the way there? Force her to work at the San Francisco Chronicle, if she makes it?"
"We haven't talked about it yet." Logan frowned. "I'm not going to force Rory to do anything."
"It's not going to work out, Logan," Mitchum declared.
"What isn't?"
"You. And Rory."
Logan was furious. "You've got some nerve telling me that tonight. You don't know me, you don't know Rory. I-"
Mitchum put his hands up in a calming gesture. "Calm down Logan, don't go flying off the handle. Just hear me out."
Logan turned his head to look at Rory. Whatever Mitchum told him didn't matter. Rory was his. And she would be his forever.
"With the way your career is going, you and Rory are not going to work out. Rory's going to be chasing her career, same as you're doing now. You worked out when she was in college because there was always one of you that was stable. Now you're both going to be on shaky ground," Mitchum said seriously.
"And your point in saying this is what exactly?" Logan snapped. "Just to tell me what a failure I'm going to be? Just to separate me and Rory?"
Mitchum smiled wryly. "As strange as it must seem to you Logan, I do like Rory. She's done the impossible. She's turned a little boy into a man. I know how much you love her." Mitchum faced his son's stare dead on. "Which is exactly why I'm raising these concerns. Rory is a career woman, Logan. We've always known that. The only way you're going to keep Rory happy is if you let her chase her career."
"And I'm going to do that!" Logan interjected. "I'm not going to stop her from-"
"Do you want her to go with you to California?"
"Well, yes of course, but that doesn't mean she won't be able to work!" Logan cried, growing more and more agitated by the second.
"But you're cutting a lot of her opportunities Logan," Mitchum informed him. "And she will resent you for it."
Logan looked away in disgust. It was so typical of his father to do things like this, Logan thought bitterly.
"I'm offering you a job at the company."
What? Was he serious? "Come again?"
"A job," Mitchum repeated. "At the Huntzberger Publishing Group."
"What?" Logan was incredulous. "Why?"
"It's a win-win situation son. I'd always meant for you to take over the company. You've been groomed for it. HPG has offices all over the world. Wherever Rory goes, whatever she chooses to do- you'll be able to follow. If we're going to make that happen-"
"That being, my taking over the company?"
"And offering Rory the world, of course, yes. If we want that to happen, you've got to start working your way up the ranks of the Huntzberger Publishing Group now."
"Now? Why now, what's so urgent-" something clicked in Logan's head. "Sebastian. You don't want Sebastian taking control of HPG."
Mitchum grinned. His boy was shrewd. He'd do fine in the business world with a bit of training. "Damn right. The boy isn't even a Huntzberger, he's a DuGrey. Your cousin however wants it. Badly. He isn't afraid of working hard for it, and as much as I hate to say it he's been very successful. The way things are going now, when I retire in fifteen years, the boy will be the next one for the job. If you're going to be the next CEO of HPG, you've got to start working up the ranks now." Mitchum put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Think about it Logan. Talk it over with Rory. If you want her to stay in your life, if you want to be able to provide for her- the answer is right here.
"The Huntzberger destiny you've always avoided is the key to your happiness. The stars are falling into place Logan. Join HPG again and you fulfil your family obligation, you make a good living, and you can offer Rory the world. After all, when you get married, Rory can have her pick of the newspapers she wants to run."
"That sounds an awful lot like nepotism."
The taller man shrugged. "It's the way of the world. Besides, you've got what it takes, son."
"And Rory?"
Mitchum looked thoughtful. "Rory's surpassed my expectations. I still don't think she's a great journalist or public speaker, but I have to admit she is an excellent manager. She'd be an asset to the company."
Logan's face was impassive. "I'll think about it."
"I know you want to take a stand and be independent, Logan. But you've taken up economics. It's a simple cost benefit analysis," Mitchum said. "Is taking that stand worth it, when the alternative gives you the life you want? Is Rory worth that sacrifice?"
Would he be willing to submit himself to his father's manipulations again? "I'll think about it."
"Hey," Rory smiled, as Logan approached her.
"Hey." Logan marvelled at the fact that he simply had to be near Rory to forget about all his problems. His dad suddenly didn't seem like an issue.
"So." Rory smiled, and Logan was lost.
"So."
"Wanna marry me?" she asked playfully.
"Yep."
Rory grinned. "Thought so."
"Logan! Rory!" Natasha Halpurn cried as she spotted them.
"No rest for the wicked," Logan whispered to his girlfriend- fiancée, as she approached.
"I'm running out of things to say," she whispered back. "I've been saying 'thank you' to everyone!"
"Thank you is the normal response to congratulations."
"But it's boring!" Rory put on a big smile as Natasha reached them.
"Oh my dear darlings! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you both," Natasha fawned. "You must be thrilled to be the next Mrs. Huntzberger," she said to Rory.
Logan couldn't help but be nervous at the panicked expression on Rory's face, or be annoyed at the woman's attitude. He used to revel in being labelled a 'catch', it used to make finding new girls so much easier while he was in college. Now though- it was horrible. He refused to have Rory demeaned to just another society girl that was angling for a rich husband to become a trophy wife to.
"Actually I'm looking forward to be the next Mr. Gilmore," Logan said, squeezing Rory's hand.
Natasha's smile flickered. "Oh Logan, you do like to tease us."
"It keeps life interesting," Logan replied. "If you'll excuse us, there are a few people we've got to greet."
"Of course. Have fun you two."
Tweenie approached her sister-in-law as the newly engaged couple walked away. "So do you think she's pregnant?"
Natasha shrugged her shoulders elegantly. "She wasn't drinking wine, that's for sure. I must congratulate Emily though. Did you see the look on Marissa Fallon's face? She's been throwing her daughter at Logan for years."
"Quite a coup for a child born out of wedlock."
"Elias Huntzberger will have an aneurysm though. I heard through the grapevine that he and Shira didn't look too kindly on the scandal child joining their family," Natasha said knowingly.
"Shame isn't it? Rory's such a beautiful, accomplished child. She's going to have a very hard time winning over that family."
"Hey kiddo, mind if I borrow Logan for a bit?" Christopher asked, as Rory and Logan walked into the room.
Rory looked amused. "You're not going to play the dad card and talk to Logan about making me happy and killing him with an axe if he does anything wrong are you?"
"Of course not, what kind of a cool dad do you think I am?"
"It's all right Rory. I'm sure your dad's just concerned, which is a very admirable-"
"Can it Mr. Smarty Pants, and let's take this outside," Christopher grinned.
"Oh dad don't, that makes me Mrs. Smarty Pants," Rory protested.
"I'll see you in a while, Ace," Logan said, leaning forward to kiss Rory, before following Christopher.
The two men stepped outside.
"Lorelai tells me you asked her for Rory's hand," Chris said casually, staring at the semi-pornographic fountain.
Logan had the grace to look abashed. "Yes, I did. I know it's customary to ask the father but Lorelai-"
"You don't need to defend your decision to me, Logan. I know why you did it. I know I wasn't as present in Rory's life as I should have been," Christopher said with a hint of sadness. "Which is why I feel so compelled to talk to you now."
"I'm listening."
"My history with Rory has always been... shaky. About four years ago, Lorelai and I got together. We were... really happy. But the girlfriend I'd just broken up with called me a few days into the relationship to tell me she was pregnant."
"Gigi?"
Chris nodded. "I'd felt so horrible about what I did to Lorelai. Lorelai had been this... larger than life presence in my life, a relationship with her was something I'd waited for forever. After I left her though, she hadn't been taking any of my calls. Neither was Rory.
"I showed up at one Friday night dinner, to get Lorelai to talk to me. She stormed off. I was mad at her... mad that she could just take herself out of my life, take Rory out of my life.
"That night was the first time Rory had ever raised her voice to me. She yelled at me. She told me I broke my promises. She told me that she was sick of having to understand me. That I should go and be someone else's dad." Christopher sighed. "That was one of the lowest points of my life. I realized then that Lorelai was right. I didn't treat Rory like a daughter. She was a playmate. My whole life I had been given what I wanted, I was so sure of a lot of things, my daughter's love included. As strange as this sounds, that night, I realized my daughter was a person. She was a person who was capable of hating me. She wasn't just my little brown-haired blue-eyed doll who would stare at my motorcycle in admiration."
Christopher looked at Logan dead on. "I've disappointed her a lot. That little girl has reached her quota in being disappointed by men. Now I'm making amends, and that includes making sure no one ever hurts her the way I did."
Logan was silent for a while. "I can't pretend to see the future, I can't tell you that Rory and I will be happy and that we'll always be together even." He paused. "I can tell you however that I am going to do my very best to make sure she has the future she wants and deserves."
Christopher smiled. "That was what I wanted to hear."
"So was that the 'hurt my little girl, I'll kill you and make it look like an accident' speech?"
"Pretty much." Christopher replied. "So how was I? Menacing enough?"
"Stop smiling like that mom. You look like the cat that just ate the canary." Lorelai frowned as she and Emily watched Richard, Mitchum, and Rory talk. "That's a really disgusting expression now that I think of it. Do cats really eat birds? How do they fit in their mouths?"
"What's wrong with smiling, my granddaughter's engaged!" Emily replied happily. "Oh I can see it now," she said dreamily. "Rory in a beautiful white gown, dripping with pearls and diamonds-" she stopped short. "Good Lord. An engagement party! Reservations! What are we doing standing around, the best wedding locations have year long waiting lists! What's Rory's favourite color? We've got to start picking out a wedding planner! Caterers! Locations! Invitations! China patterns!"
"Mom stop. Breathe. Rory and Logan might not want a big wedding," Lorelai admonished.
Emily looked affronted. "Are you mad? He's a Huntzberger! The words 'small' and 'wedding' are never put together in their vocabulary. The amount of politicking that goes on within that family is insane, Mitchum's brothers and sisters alone. Logan's cousin Amber just had a huge wedding that beat Logan's sister's wedding by a hundred guests. The word on the street is that Shira is out to upstage her sister-in-law. You can bet that this wedding will be enormous if Shira has anything to say about it."
Lorelai looked unconvinced. "Logan's never been one for family tradition- he's not even working for his family now. I can't see him agreeing to anything that his mother pushes at him."
"Honestly, Lorelai, even though you find big weddings distasteful, not everyone in the world does! I've seen Logan at countless weddings. He's used to them. He's been raised to expect them." Emily's eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement. "Cape Cod!"
"What?"
"Cape Cod's perfect for a wedding!" Emily said, clapping her hands together. "I knew it was a good investment to buy that acreage! We'll have to make sure the wedding's in Spring. The good caterers in the area are all probably booked, but I'm sure we can pull some strings. We can have about 500 guests-"
Lorelai rolled her eyes as her mother began composing a list of wedding guests. A quick glance at her father told her that she wasn't the only one who didn't think that this night was the triumph her mother thought it was. She would have to talk to her father later.
"Oh. My. God."
Logan grinned as he helped Rory into the horse-drawn carriage.
"I cannot believe you did this!" she squealed, kissing Logan. "Thank you."
"I know you said you were over big gestures, but I figured you wouldn't take this one against me." Logan sat down next to Rory, putting an arm around her shoulders.
She leaned against Logan, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you so much."
"I love you too."
And for a single moment, there were two perfectly happy people in the world.
"I can't believe you were planning this!" Rory gushed. "I had absolutely no idea!"
Logan raised an eye brow. "Three years together, and you never thought about marrying me?"
"Well, yeah of course, but it was always hypothetical," Rory smiled.
Logan dropped a kiss on Rory's forehead. "For me too. But I figured, why wait? I already knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."
Rory smiled up at him. "You did?"
"Remember the time I came back from Costa Rica?"
"Looking like you'd just gone twelve rounds with a grizzly bear?" Rory said, eye brows raised. "Vividly."
"When I was lying in that hospital bed, all I could think was how much I missed you, how much I wanted you beside me. I thought you weren't coming because you were mad at me... but you walked in a few seconds later.
"That moment, I knew you were it for me."
Rory reached up, and pressed her lips to his.
"Rory, there's something I have to tell you."
The smile on Rory's face faded a little. "This doesn't sound good."
"Depends on how you look at it. I got the job in Silicon Valley."
"Logan you did? That's amazing! I'm so proud of you!"
"You would love Palo Alto, Rory. We could go hiking in the Dish on weekends, biking in the Baylands."
"Wow, California me sounds really athletic," Rory said, smiling uncomfortably. Logan wanted her to move to California?
"Coffee drinking on University Avenue," Logan continued squeezing her shoulder.
Rory had to smile. "That's much easier to imagine."
"I went exploring a little, and there is this house that we could rent. It has a backyard with an avocado tree."
"I do like guacamole," Rory chirped.
"And it's only 35 miles south of San Francisco, just a straight shot up the 101."
"Wow you've done a lot of research."
"Yeah, you could work at The Chronicle, The San Francisco Bay Guardian." Logan smiled at her. "It's perfect."
"Yeah. Perfect," Rory repeated uneasily.
It was a leap, Rory knew. Was Logan worth it?
Author's Note: Yech. I think Christopher may have come off too good and too mature in the fic. Oh well. I firmly believe that the Rory/Christopher relationship has been so underdeveloped in this series. The episode where Rory snaps at Christopher was one of the most heartbreaking moments in the series. Early on in the series Rory had a lot of daddy issues that were always hinted at, but never really developed. I wanted to do that scene justice. Oh and when Logan was telling Rory about knowing she was the one, that's actually a reference to another fic of mine- "From A Hospital Bed". Remember, feedback is really really appreciated. :D Advice on whether I should keep this a one-shot or not especially.