Ace

Rory paced in front of her computer screen, waiting for the dial tone that indicated that someone across the world was ready to video chat. She had sent him a message at around 2am London time that simply said "Skype me at 10 am your time" she hadn't heard word back and while there was a whiff of panic that he wouldn't find his way onto the computer this morning and she wouldn't be able to finally work up the courage to tell him, she had no doubt that he was going to go out of his way to be there.

"Long time no talk Ace" Logan's face filled up her computer screen and Rory quickly scrambled for her seat. His smile was familiar, like the comfort of a warm duvet on a snowy morning

"It has been a hot minute" she felt uncomfortable, how was she supposed to broach this. Her stomach was in knots and she couldn't quite work out whether it was the morning sickness that had hit her like a freight train or the impending doom of changing Logan's life forever.

"How was the wedding?"

"Wedding?" she was thrown off

"Wow, you must have a pretty full dance card if you cant even remember your mums wedding"

"Did mum email you too?" she was pretty sure that her mum sent every email to every single person in her contact book every single time.

"Powers of Facebook" he smirked "You looked good"

"Thanks" in a moment she watched his face register her tension, after all these years Logan had gotten pretty good at reading her like a book.

"Last time we spoke it felt like it was going to be the LAST time" she wondered if he was disappointed or happy that she had contacted him out of the blue.

"Is Odette home?" He shook his head

"What's going on?" she found her tension climbing onto him – it was ever present in the way he had started holding his body from the moment that she mentioned his live in fiancée

"I didn't want to tell you this over the phone, but you are in London – face to face isn't an option – so virtual face to face is going to have to do for now"

"Spill" while she could claim that this was her way of getting them on the same page, he would claim that she was dawdling

"Logan" she took a deep breath, an attempt to gather up some kind of momentum "Remember the night at the bed and breakfast that Colin brought in New Hampshire?"

"How could I forget it Ace?"

"Something happened that night"

"A lot of things happened that night"

"A baby happened that night" she watched his smirking thinking about the last time they had sex glow turn into a perplexed frown – his face now a blank canvas wiped of any form of expression "I probably could've worded that better" he remained silent "Before you ask, it has to be yours – the dates all match up" she didn't know if he would've actually asked her this, but enough unexpected pregnancy tails that she had watched with Lorelai had told her that this reassurance was necessary "It definitely wasn't the Wookiee. Although that would prove to be a very hairy baby"

"So what happens now?" she wondered if the words 'hairy baby' had alerted him back to the present

"Nothing" he looked at her puzzled "You're in London"

"I don't have to be in London. I can…" Rory cut him off

"What about Odette? You're engaged? How do you explain this to her"

"Rory"

""Hey babe, I know we've been engaged for like forever…""

"I'm pretty sure that I would be more definitive than 'like forever,'" his smile briefly returned

""But well, you know the girl who rejected my proposal back in college? Well her and I have been fucking on the side. And well she is knocked up"

"Rory"

"Logan, I'm telling you as a courtesy. I didn't want you to find out because I run into Finn – well he wouldn't notice – Robert or Colin when I am the size of a house. I don't want to uproot your life. You don't owe me anything. My mum did it on her own and look how I turned out" she paused for a moment "When you are thinking about how I turned out, please don't factor in the pregnant to her ex-boyfriend who is very much engaged"

"Rory"

"What?" she finally took a moment to look at his face – between glitches. "I was babbling again wasn't I?"

"I'll make it work, that's my kid, and I'll make it work"

X-x-x-x-x-x

"Good morning star shine" Rory rubbed her eyes as she walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen

"I'm loving these pyjamas" he smirked as he took a sip of his coffee

"Are you just going to be constantly hanging out in our kitchen now that my mum and your uncle are finally hitched?"

"Got a problem with that Gilmore?"

"Surprisingly not" Luke walked into the room and placed a kiss on her cheek. She wondered if her mother had already filled him in on the small human currently subletting her uterus

"Pop tarts and coffee…"

"Is not for you" Luke diverted the cup away from Rory. Well as least she now knew that he definitely know. Jess looked at her puzzled

"I think I need to talk to you about something"

"Is it something related to coffee? Has Luke finally convinced you to do a detox? Did you all join the vegetable cult?"

"I'm pregnant"

"What?" Luke feigned surprise; he briefly congratulated her before Lorelai dragged him out of the room

"Pregnant?"

"Yup. With child, up the duff, knocked up, bun in oven"

"Pete?"

"Paul" she corrected, Jess had met him a thanksgiving earlier "And no. Not Paul"

"The Wookiee?" she had instantly regretted telling him about that particular evening

"Logan" she looked down at her pop tart, not prepared to see his reaction to that slice of information

"Oh. I didn't realise that you two were still…"

"Nope. Not still. Not anything. A fling. A blimp. A nothing"

"A baby" they both remained silent for a moment "Does he know?"

"Told him last night" her eyes remained steady on the pop tart

"Are you okay?" she took a beat, there was no point lying to him now

"I don't know where my head is at. There are so many things to think about. I don't have a steady job"

"You are writing a book"

"I still technically live with my mother"

"Between apartments"

"In all honesty I don't know if I have what it takes to be a mum"

"You do"

"The father to be is engaged to another woman and lives in London" he did fill the space "I don't know." She sat with her thoughts for a moment "Babette – who only knows because I broke down after throwing up next to her gnome…"

"Pierpont?"

"Says that I don't have to make any decisions now because my instincts and omens will get me there"

"Your omens?"

"Yup. And hey, I finally found the box of underwear so things are on the up"

"Well that's a start" Jess smiled as Rory finally made eye contact with him.

X-x-x-x-x-x

"What is going on?" Lorelai walked down the steps to find her daughter

"Stress tap dancing" at some point she would question whether Jess was actually living with them, but right now it didn't seem like the most concerning issues

"I thought we promised mummy that there would be no more stress tap dancing"

"Nothing else is working" she puffed

"What is going on?"

"I have to tell Grandma I'm pregnant" Lorelai had never seen Jess move quicker from a room "She is going to be angry"

"Why in the world would she be angry?"

"Have you met your mother?"

"Good point. But continue"

"She's going to find out that I'm having – was having – sex with Logan again. She is going to want to know when we are getting married and I'm going to have to tell her that he is marrying someone else. Actually I'm not going to have to because I'm sure she has heard Shira talk about how lovely Odette is. And then she is going to wonder why I wanted to tarnish the family name and why I wanted to embarrass her like this. Then she is going to ask me what Grandpa would have to say about this and then she is going to blame you."

"Well that was a lot to digest"

"I know. That's why I need to tap"

"Do you need to tell her right now?"

"YES! What happens if Logan has already told Shira and Shira has told the whole DAR and then grandma hears that her granddaughter is a vicious trollop at an event and then can never forgive me because she didn't have time to prepare a retort"

"She quit the DAR"

"Have you met your mother?"

"No Ted, would you like me to sit down so that you can explain to me how YOU met my mother?" Rory ignored her mother and continued to tap

"When are you planning to tell her?"

"Well she accidentally found the Face time button on her phone the other day, so she was going to call when she finished her shift at the whale museum which is in…" she looked down at her watch "five minutes" the tapping increased, Lorelai stood up and physically stopped her

"I will do it with you"

"You would do that for me?"

"Have you met your mother?" the phone rang and Rory practically threw it across the room

"I cant"

"Rory, you can" she took a deep breath and retrieved her phone from the couch cushion that it landed on

"RORY?" the voice boomed as she pressed the green button

"Grandma"

"CAN YOU HEAR ME RORY?"

"This is going well so far" Lorelai joked as she sat down next to her fretting daughter

"LORELAI"

"MUM"

"Why on earth are you yelling?" the stern voice tutted

"Hi Mum, how is the whale museum?"

"I love it. They want me to tone down my performance because a few parents complained. Pansy Asses. Rory you look flushed, why are you flushed?"

"Grandma, I need to talk to you about something"

"Are you sick? I was reading an article about how environment and a lack of stimulation can directly impact on your health. How's your stimulation Rory?"

"I'm very stimulated Grandma" she gave her mother a stern look that said 'Don't you dare say Dirty', she turned her attention back to her grandmother who was still talking away about the article "I'm not sick Grandma"

"Atta 'girl, like a band aid" Lorelai whispered

"I'm pregnant"

"What?"

"It's Logan's. I'm so sorry grandma; I know that I've let you down and that it might take you a while to digest this. I know that another child out of wedlock wasn't exactly the dream"

"I feel like that was a dig at me"

"But I needed you to know, because I love you and I respect you and you deserved to know"

"Are you finished?" Emily's voice did not waver; Rory nodded and nudged her mother before she could attempt to fill the silence "Congratulations Rory"

"What?" Rory was perplexed

"I think you will make an excellent Mother, your Grandfather would be so happy"

"Thanks Grandma" Rory beamed, all of that stress tap dancing had been for nothing

"That's really it? No why hasn't he proposed? You've let me down, you've let the whole Gilmore name down?" Lorelai added, trying to ignore the gaze of her daughter who was wondering why her mother was trying to throw her under the bus

"You were 16 and she is 32" Emily sighed, "Why must you always try and make me the villain Lorelai?"

"How am I the one getting in trouble in your out of wedlock baby announcement?" Lorelai mumbled

X-x-x-x-x-x

The sound of her phone vibrating against the wooden bedside table slowly woke her from her slumber. Grasping her phone in her hand, with one eye closed. Rory felt her face frown in confusion at the name flashing across the screen "Hello?"

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I was awake" while she was lying, the sound of his voice had made her whole body alert, "How's London?" she asked through a yawn

"I don't know, that's my second call"

"Where are you? Are you in a Peruvian Jail? Did we or did we not agree to never steal a yacht again without each other?"

"Should I be worried that your first assumption was jail?"

"Logan"

"Please tell me you are in Stars Hollow"

"What?"

"Come to your window" she pushed the covers off her legs and walked to her window. Rory yanked the curtains open to find his smiley face. Returning the smile before opening the window "You know you have to be careful around these parts. You cant just be skulking around girls windows in the middle of the night in this neighbourhood. Maury tackled a teenaged looking for his Frisbee the other day around this very window because he thought he was a Peeping Tom"

"Better let me in quick then" opening the window wider, she thrusted her arm out for assistance as he looked for appropriate leverage. He looked up at her triumphantly as his two feet hit solid ground. She quickly shut the windows

"You know I could've let you in the door. Everyone is asleep" they stood looking at each other – smiles filling both of their faces but their bodies not knowing what to do

"I thought it would be for nostalgia" he looked her up and down – a particular focus on her stomach, her hands knotted into the sleeves of her pyjama top "Come here" he gestured her forwards and into a hug. A hug that lasted an eternity, but she wasn't complaining. It was nice to be in his arms again, it had been cold turkey after their last night together – it was what was needed and she was sure that if she hadn't accidentally fallen pregnant it was a turkey that would still be ice cold – but his touch was a comfort that she hadn't known that she needed "How are you?"

"Well the Gazette's going good and the Book is going good. So I can't really complain" he gave her one swift look that informed her that he was looking for additional information "I'm really good. We are really good" her hand fell to her stomach. This as the first time she had purposefully placed her hand on her expanding mid-section. He looked relieved "What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in London?"

"You said your first doctors appointment was tomorrow. I wanted to be here for it. I was just going to meet you there, but I was so close – I just wanted to see you"

X-x-x-x-x-x

They lay together in her childhood bed, legs intertwined – half out of habit and half out of fear that the other one would fall out of bed. Rory's head rested against an arm her had draped across her shoulders, the other firmly planted on her stomach. Past the pleasantries, neither had really spoken. They had both quickly succumbed to exhaustion. She wasn't sure how she was going to unravel herself from this position or if she even really wanted to – but the slowly intensifying need to pee was becoming a contender "Did you sleep well?" His eyes remained closed

"Best I have in a long time" she kissed his bicep and attempted to roll out of bed

"Don't even think about it. I've got to make the most of this, I'm only here for another 24 hours"

"Back to London" he felt her body stiffen and gulped – in that moment they both knew where her brain had gone, but where too scared to verbalise it

"A business mans job is never done" she snuggled back into his chest. Even though her brain was telling her to cut the crap, to roll away and now get her heart too invested. Yes he was here, but she still had no clue of his intentions past this doctor's appointment.

"PAUL ANKA" her mothers voice bellowed throughout the house

"Shit" he jumped out of bed, scrambling the clothes he had abandoned the night before in an attempt to be more comfortable in the smallest bed in the world

"What happened to making the most of this?" she smirked at his clear panic

"Your mum scares me"

"My mum? Have you met my mum?"

"By now she knows that... that…" he softened slightly as he referred to their unborn baby "Is my doing. She probably thinks that I took advantage of you, which means she is probably sharpening the pitchfork and getting ready to light it"

"She has mellowed"

"You are her daughter, her only daughter, her most prized possession, her proudest accomplishment. She still has some pitchforking days ahead of her for me"

"Don't want to alarm you, but she will probably be here in five minutes – you see, she has just taken Paul Anka outside to relieve himself and now she is going to return to give him his breakfast. Which means he is going to do something funny or concerning really soon and she will come in to ask me for my take on it" she laughed as he sped up and walked towards the window "I don't know about that, Luke is probably getting ready for his jog right about now"

"A jog? Shouldn't he be at the diner?" he was fretting, it was cute

"Last time Luke went to the doctor he said that he had really high blood pressure and that he needed to make some changes to his lifestyle. Considering grandpa" Logan still remembered Rory calling him in tears in the hospital bathroom when Richard had passed away "He started jogging. He usually goes earlier but Thursdays are Cesar's mornings"

"So what do I do?"

"Weigh up if you would rather my mum see you leaving my bedroom or Luke see you climbing out my bedroom window" he thought about it for a moment and walked over to her closet "What are you doing?"

"I've decided that neither is a good option and that the third option is that I hide in here until the coast is clear"

"You are such a dork" she laughed as she wrapped her robe around her body

"Where are you going?"

"Breakfast" he gave her a look that screamed 'What about me?' "And to make sure mum doesn't come in here" she walked out into the kitchen, firmly shutting the door.

"Morning kiddo" Lorelai said with a smile as she pulled the blue packet out of the top cupboard "Want some pop tarts?"

"I'll do it" she smiled as she took the box out of her mum's hand. Rory's eyes widened as Lorelai walked towards her bedroom door and knocked

"Logan would you like a pop tart" for a moment there was silence, from the look on her mother's face Rory could tell that Lorelai was getting way too much enjoyment out of this

"Yes please" a muffled voice responded

X-x-x-x-x-x

"Lorelai Gilmore" the receptionist called out into the open plan office, they had picked an obstetrician in Hartford instead of Stars Hollow because while the news was slowly trickling out she didn't want to lose complete control over it – the town had a way of going full crazy with news like this.

"I always forget that that's your name" Logan said, placing the waiting room magazine back on the coffee table

"It's a great name. Certainly one to consider if it's a girl" Lorelai put her magazine on top of his

"Lorelai, if you just want to go and get changed" she passed the blue gown before looking behind Rory to her shadows "If you two want to wait in here"

"I'll be back" Rory hesitated slightly before leaving her mother and Logan alone. The room was filled with silence; they had gone through all of the possible questions that she could ask him over pop tarts two hours beforehand.

"I know that I'm not your favourite person in the world. But I want to assure you that I will be there – for Rory and for the baby" Lorelai smiled, a smile he knew meant that she had nothing past the questions she was not allowed to ask.

"You hurt her, I kill you" she said sternly as Rory entered the room "There's our girl" Lorelai and Logan both stood up – if she wasn't super anxious about seeing her baby for the first time she would wonder what they had been talking about before she had come back in the room

"I have only one thing to ask of you both" they both looked on at her eagerly "Please stay on the front side of this gown, the back doesn't close and I really don't think either of you need to see the money shot"

X-x-x-x-x-x

"Does everything look okay?" she desperately looked to her mother for confirmation that this was what was supposed to be happening

"Don't ask me. They didn't have sonograms back when I was pregnant with you. We thought you were just a lunch baby for about six months"

"And here is your baby" the doctor looked up at the three adults who were suddenly mesmerised by the screen "Good size, I would say around 12 weeks" Even though Logan was the only person – sans Wookiee – that she had been with in the time that she became pregnant she still counted back "Let's see if we can…" the room filled with the sound of a heartbeat of her baby and she found herself crying. She looked up at Logan and wiped a tear off of his cheek "It's pretty spectacular"