Oh Six Hundred Hours
A/N: Alright, guys, I know. I'm cruel. I write only angst, I confuse the hell out of you, and I have Logan cheat on Rory. So here's an apology for the angst and the cheating (because I don't think I'll ever stop confusing you). Some nice fluff. This takes place about a month or two before The Basement Box, which means that it's also pre-Two TwentyNine, which is the story I use sort of as a base. I know that my writing confuses you, and, once again, I am very sorry. Oh, and my wonderful beta is on vacation write now, so if there are any typos, sorry. Alright, so, hopefully you'll enjoy, and even if you don't, hopefully, you'll review. Read on!
"Logan!" The voice on the other end of the phone snapped. He glanced at the clock and groaned. So much for sleeping.
"Ace?" he asked blearily.
"No, it's Julia Roberts. Will you leave your wife and run away with me? I've always had a thing for you."
"The hell?" he murmured sleepily.
"Yes, you idiot, it's me! Wake up! Right now!"
He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I'm up, I'm up."
She was quiet for a good two minutes.
"Rory?" he asked. "Look, Ace, I love you, but it's like, two o'clock in the morning and I have a meeting tomorrow with-"
She cut him off. "Screw your meeting," she said firmly. "I…" her voice softened and lost all of its authoritativeness.
"Yeah?"
"Give me a minute, for God's freaking sake!"
"Sorry." He was getting more confused by the second.
"Listen, Logan, I…I…"
"You…?"
"I have something that I…need to tell you."
"I think that's been established, Ace," he said wryly.
"You jerk!" she cried, almost tearfully. "Will you just let me get this out, please?"
"Sure. Fine."
She inhaled deeply. "I'm…we're…look, I'm…"
He waited patiently this time, realizing that it might be dangerous to speak.
"Logan, you remember when…last time you were home?"
"Yes," he said simply, still sleepy. "One month and seventeen days ago."
"And you know how…we had sex."
"Several times," he couldn't resist inputting with a smirk.
"Yeah," was all she said. And then, she whispered, "Logan…"
"Yeah, Ace?" he asked, as gently as he could in his half-asleep state.
And when she said it, all of her other thoughts spilled out as well.
"I'm pregnant!" she cried. "I'm pregnant and I'm twenty five! We weren't supposed to have kids this early! We haven't even had the kid talk yet! I'm not ready! I have a job and I really want this to work - you, you know how much I want this to work out! You know how much this means to me! And, my god, I'm going to be the worst mother ever! I know nothing about kids! I can't have a kid! The most I've ever done with kids is…nothing! I've never even really babysat! How am I supposed to know how to take care of a newborn, huh? Is this the worst possible time, or what? You're in London, and you're not here, and I'm scared and I can't be someone's mother, I-"
"Rory," he said. He was shocked, and he needed her to stop babbling for a second so he could get his thoughts together. When he finally sorted through the jumble of thoughts that was currently his mind, he came up with one clear, true feeling. "I love you," he said.
He could hear her taking several deep, shuddering breaths. She let out something close to a sob before whispering, so softly he could barely hear her, "Come home."
"I will," he replied soothingly. "I promise you, Rory, okay? Are you listening?"
She murmured some form of a yes on the other end of the line.
"Ace?"
"I'm scared," she said quietly.
"God, Rory, I know. Me, too. But it'll be okay. I'm coming home."
"Don't…leave again," she said painfully.
"Ace," he said gently, his heart honestly aching as he spoke. "I won't. You and…our baby are there, and I'll come home, and I don't care what my dad says, I'll be there."
"Your dad's going to hate this. Me, having your baby."
"Having my baby," he repeated.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly. "Are…are you freaked?"
"I guess. Not really." He wasn't sure exactly what he was.
"I am," she admitted, almost sadly.
"Hey, it's okay, babe," he soothed.
She sniffled but didn't argue. She knew that he meant it. He only called her 'babe' when he was really into a moment.
"Rory…wow. You're pregnant."
She laughed softly on the other end of the phone. "You didn't get that yet?"
"Why the hell are we so solemn? That's pretty damn…fantastic. Awesome. Amazing."
"Yeah, I guess…I guess it is."
"You guess?"
"I know," she giggled. "I think…I'm excited."
He smiled, even though she couldn't see him. He could see her as a mom. Maybe she couldn't see herself, but it was clear in his mind. "I'm excited, too," he whispered, as if telling her a secret.
Her laughter was pure and rich with relief. "Logan, I…"
"Rory, you…you're sure? You went to the doctor and everything?"
"I'm sure," she confirmed. "We're having a baby." Each time they said it, it was more believable.
"I'm booking a flight right now."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I'm getting out of bed as we speak."
"You're in bed?" she asked, and he was surprised at her coy tone.
"Babe, may I remind you of exactly how you got into your current predicament?"
"I wouldn't call it a predicament," she responded sweetly.
He raised his eyebrows as he logged on to his favourite airline's site. "You wouldn't? What would you call it, then?"
She was quiet for a moment, before saying, "You'll laugh at me."
"Never," he swore, typing in his flight information.
"A miracle," she whispered.
He was silent for a millisecond before letting out a chuckle.
"Logan!" she all but shrieked.
"Ace, I'm sorry. You're absolutely right, babe, it is a miracle. I just…wow, that was corny."
She giggled reluctantly. "Okay, yeah. But it's your fault."
He smiled to himself. "And how is that, exactly?"
"Cause you asked. Duh."
"Jeez, Ace, are you hormonal already?"
She was quiet for a moment before answering. "I don't know. Is pregnancy-hormonal different than PMS-hormonal?"
"Cause I'd definitely know," he answered sarcastically.
"Hey!" she snapped.
"If that's not hormonal, Ace, then I'm scared."
"Oh, haha. You're so witty."
He was patiently quiet, waiting for her to realize.
"Wow, I am hormonal…"
"That's my girl," he said with an affectionate chuckle. "So, Lorelai Huntzberger, guess where I'll be tomorrow at precisely oh six hundred hours tomorrow morning?"
"Where?"
"At Heathrow, boarding a plane."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Hey, Logan?"
"Hey, Ace?"
"Mimic me one more time, Huntzberger, and you will be incapable of fathering anymore children," she growled.
"You wound me, babe." An angry silence filled his ears, and he rushed to make amends, "But you are ever so beautiful."
"I'm going to get fat!" she cried, as if realizing it for the first time.
"Well, Ace, you're not exactly going to be fat."
"I've been thin my entire life. It's genetic. I mean, you know how I eat."
"Oh, I do."
"And I'm not even physically active. Oh, God, am I going to have to start exercising after this?"
"By 'this', are you referring to our child?"
"Oh, yeah! That's what I was going to ask."
"You're in ADD-mode," he commented. "But I still want you," he added when she was silent again.
She laughed, laughter that was worry-free. "If it's a girl, can we name here Lorelai?"
"I thought that went without asking, Ace."
"Really?" she asked, suddenly much more quiet.
"Well, yeah. Hey, you're quiet. Are you okay?"
He could picture her rolling her eyes. "You better not start coddling me."
"I won't," he swore in a placating tone.
"I just…thank you for knowing that. That I'd want to name her Lorelai."
"You're welcome," he replied tenderly as his booking printed out.
"I love you, Logan."
"Right back atcha, Rory."
She sighed, a sigh of both happiness and relief. "Should I let you go, get back to sleep? I'm sorry I woke you."
"Don't be crazy. I'm glad that you did."
"Get some sleep, babe. I love you. And I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"You will," he confirmed.
"Bye," she whispered.
"Hey, Ace, hang on."
"Yeah? Oh, you're freaked! I knew it. I mean, we haven't discussed this yet, and all of a sudden I'm telling you you're going to be a daddy…"
"Rory," he cut her off.
"Yeah?" she replied weakly.
"Text me."
"What?"
"Text me, Ace."
He could clearly see, in his mind, her surprised grin. "But aren't you tired?"
He smirked. "I'm never too tired for-"
"Don't say it, you sicko," she laughed. "Okay, I'll text you."
"Take care of yourself. Both of you."
"I will," she said softly, pressing the end button gently. She looked down at her stomach, picked up her cell phone, and smiled. She bit her lip, a little unsure, but then smirked a smirk that would have rivalled her husband's. She started typing.
When he arrived at home the next morning, she was sound asleep in their bed. The blankets were tangled around her legs, the lamp was still on, and her phone was still clutched in her hand. She stirred as he approached.
"Good morning," he greeted softly, crouching by the bed and brushing her hair out of her face.
She smiled sleepily. "We missed you."