AN: No copyright infringement is intended. Characters property of CW. Original ideas property of me.
"Rory?"
I stuck my head out from under the covers. Today was not going well for me. I just failed one of my finals, and to top it all off, Logan is still in San Francisco, God how I love him. Why does he have to leave me when I need him the most? I love him so much. I hope he calls soon. "What mom?" I asked exasperatedly.
"I have a letter here that is addressed to you! The return address says The San Francisco Chronicle! I didn't know you applied there."
"The Chronicle?" I asked. San-Fran… Hmm… A fresh start might be nice. Oh well. But – maybe Logan will like it so much in California that he'll want to stay. The way things have been going lately, things need to change. With mom and dad divorcing, everything has been going up in smoke. There is something more though. Lately Mom and I have been sort of out of touch. A change is in the air. I can feel it.
Also with the jobs. Being rejected from the Times, turning down the Providence Journal Bulletin, and even the Chicago paper isn't hiring. Sometimes I feel like I just want to cry. My life is clearing out, which means more time for my future. I don't know why, but my relationship with Logan has taken a whole new turn. The way he looks at me, and the way I know I look at him, like we're both blind and seeing the light for the first time. I feel an irresistible pull towards him every time I'm near him.
I've started to have dreams about our future, too. Last night's was particularly vivid. Logan and I were getting out of the car and walking towards a light, grassy meadow filled with beautiful flowers and trees. We were walking hand in hand, talking, joking, and kissing. When we were halfway to the meadow, car doors slammed behind us, and five kids flew past us. Three of them looked younger than six, and the other two looked around seven and nine. Logan chuckled and turned to smile at me, a look of total contentment on his face. He looked like he just thought of something else, and an even bigger, but just as sincere smile lit up his face. He stopped us, and I turned to face him. He dropped my hand, and then put both of his on my severely protruding midsection, that was covered up in a pink floral baby doll dress.
"Just a few more months, and then they will join us, too," he said, as if nothing better could happen to him. My stomach had been bigger than Lane's, even when she was only weeks away from her due date. I had come to the conclusion that I was having triplets. The dream me seemed better than fine. I was absolutely glowing, and my long hair reached almost to my waist, falling in shining waves. I put my left hand over his hands, and on a finger with soft pink nail polish sat two rings. They weren't flashy, but it was easy to tell that they cost a lot of money.
He leaned in and kissed me, innocent but yet full of passion. My heart flipped, and I felt several nudges from my stomach. He pulled back and let his head fall back. He let out a laugh that had absolutely melted my dream heart, and he sprinted to where our dream kids played together in harmony.
I had woken up from that dream sobbing. I had so wanted it to be real. Last night, children hadn't scared me anymore. Gone were my feelings of queasiness like when Sookie's water broke. I suddenly wanted a big family, and most importantly, a family with Logan.
"Rory! Earth to Rory!" Mom squealed, and I could tell she wanted me to open the letter. Now her voice turned agitated. "Rory! Get up this instant! You have been moping around for hours, hiding out under your covers. Instead of wallowing over the past, just get up and move forward with your life!"
As I was about to respond, her last statement sunk in. Severe anger took control over my whole being. "Why don't you take your own advice? Dad is in love with you, but you don't love him that way. Stop dragging him around in the dirt, and let him move on with his life, you don't deserve him. In fact, he deserves way more than you ever can be. Instead of being so stubborn, you should take in consideration what is best for the people around you. Ugh! I just can't stand to be around you anymore!" I ranted loudly. I knew I shouldn't be so mean to her, but my frustration towards the whole situation has just been building up inside of me. Even though I am mad, I shouldn't take it out on her like that. Oh well, I'm not going to take it back because I truly believe everything I just said.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she dropped my letter on the floor like it burned her. She turned and fled from the room, her sobs shaking her body. I crawled off my bed and gingerly picked up the letter. I opened it, and a huge smile took over my face. San Francisco. A fresh start. Now all I need to do is convince Logan.
I got out of bed, and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. After changing into fresh clothes and washing my face, I picked up my cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello. This is Rory Gilmore," I said eagerly, "I am calling to respond to your job offer. I would love to work at the San Francisco Chronicle."….
XXX ~ Happy Meadow ~ XXX
Graduation is tomorrow. Whew! College is officially over. Time for a new chapter in my life. I haven't told Logan about my new job yet, but I will tonight. Grandma is throwing me a graduation party at their house. That should be fun. I can tell Logan reciprocates my newfound, deeper, never-ending, everlasting love I feel for him. The day he got back from San Francisco, he came straight to Paris and Doyle's apartment. We sat on the bench by the coffee cart where we met, and just talked. I sat halfway on top of him, loving the feeling of his arms around me. That was the moment where the feeling I had at the Vineyard what seems like years ago cemented into my being, and more importantly, my heart. Cemented is the wrong word, it seems. More like that future became my heart and soul. I knew we would spend the rest of our lives together, always in love, and always together.
I had told him about the dream, and an unfamiliar look had come over his face. It told me all that I needed to know, that he shared my feelings. After that moment, he had hugged me closer to him, and I had sighed in contentment, knowing that those arms would be holding me for eternity.
We had gone to our old apartment, and reinforced our love for each other. All night.
Now that I was getting ready for the party, I took the time to reflect over everything. As I was slipping into my tasteful dress and golden jacket, Logan walked into the room, putting on his belt, his bare chest defined and tanned. I sauntered over to him and before giving him a kiss, I smiled serenely up at him. His matching smile was brilliant, yet gentle. That was my favorite smile of his. We finished getting ready in comfortable silence, sharing a kiss now and again. As he was putting on his jacket, I smiled and walked over to him.
"Your tie is crooked," I murmured to him.
He smiled lovingly down at me, and allowed me to fix it for him. When I was done, he kissed me thanks, and grabbed his keys. I tagged along right next to him, shadowing his movements. We walked to the door, and I flipped the lights while he locked up. We are perfectly synchronized.
The drive was peaceful and serene. He kept his left hand on the steering wheel, his right hand cupped in both of mine on my lap. Every few minutes he would meet my gaze and smile, bringing my hands to his lips. When we got to the party, murmurs of awe and amazement at the power couple came from the assorted guests. The room was beautiful, but it didn't surprise me, nothing but the best for Emily Gilmore's granddaughter.
"Hey, kiddo!"
I turned to see mom and dad walking through the open French doors. I greeted him, and watched with satisfaction as he addressed Logan. "It's good to see you, son," Dad said as he shook Logan's hand. "You too, sir," Logan replied happily and respectfully. I could tell that he liked dad referring to him as 'son'.
"So, are you getting excited?" I realized he was addressing me again. I nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah I can't be-" I was cut off by the sound of cutlery hitting crystal.
"Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen. First let me start off by thanking you for coming to celebrate my granddaughter's graduation." I saw Grandma pinch him, offended. "Ouch. I do beg your pardon; I mean our granddaughter's graduation." The crowd laughed quietly.
"I can't let him take all the credit," Emily justified, "have you seen her? Can you blame me?" The audience laughed again.
"So, when my wife and I sat down to write our toast, we ran into something of a problem. All of our words sounded too mundane, too insignificant to mark such an auspicious occasion as Rory's graduation from Yale. So instead, maestro…"
"Please excuse us we're not singers," Grandma began. The pianist started playing.
"Never let them see you sweat, dear," Grandpa said lovingly while Mom and I shared a look. As the song started, I suddenly felt emotional. I could feel the happy tears come to my eyes. To my left I could feel Logan chuckling good-naturedly at the gesture.
You're the top!
You have graduated,
You're the top!
You're grandparents are elated.
Newspaper editor, Phi Beta Kappa,
Wow!
You're a revelation,
A huge sensation,
You should take a bow!
You are done!
No more school for you.
There is nothing, now,
That you can't do.
You make us proud,
We'll sing it loud,
It's true!
'Cause now Rory you're a bulldog
Through and through!
By the end of the song, I was totally overcome with tears, and I had to quickly control my emotions. I heard Logan voice his agreement with the song. After a tear-filled gaze with Mom, I walked slowly up to the front. I gave both Grandma and Grandpa a huge hug. This song just made me realize that by leaving I would also be leaving my grandparents. The thought made me sad, but I knew that wherever I went, I would always come back.
"Wow! Thank you for that," I said.
"We meant every word of that song," Grandma said, almost a little embarrassed.
"We certainly did," Grandpa agreed, "Even the ones we sang off-key." I murmured an embarrassed agreement.
"We are so proud of you!" Grandpa said loudly.
"Aw, thank you so much. You know that none of this would be possible without your help. So, you should all know that, that there is no way that I could be… a bulldog through and through… if it weren't for these two. So, thank you so much Grandma and Grandpa." It's true. Like I said in my Chilton valedictorian speech, they are my twin pillars.
"Congratulations, Rory," Grandpa continued, raising his glass, "To you!" The room echoed cheers.
I put my glass down, and I saw Logan get up to address the crowd. "If I could, I would also like to say a few words about my girlfriend of the past three years," He began nervously, "You amaze me, Rory Gilmore, every day, everything that you do, everything that you are."
I could feel something big coming and I hoped it is what I think it is. I hope he is about to ask me to start a family. "I just got offered a job in San Francisco. Throughout this past year I realized that I don't know a lot more than I thought I knew. If that makes sense… I'm sorry, I'm a little bit nervous. I didn't think I would be. What I'm trying to say is that I don't know a lot, but I know that I love you, and that I want to be with you, forever," he finished quietly. I heard him take a deep breath, and I saw him take out a dark blue box. Finally, this is what I have been waiting for. I saw my mom close her eyes. I guess she is disappointed. She just doesn't like that I am in love with a man from the place she ran away from. I took a deep breath and prepared myself. He opened the Tiffany's box, and I gasped in shock. It was the engagement ring from my dream in the meadow. It was perfect.
He got down on one knee, "Rory Gilmore, Ace, will you marry me?" I heard my grandma inhale in shock, probably from the thought of her granddaughter marrying a Huntzberger. I realized that Logan was still waiting for an answer, and I was flustered for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to accept. He was now shifting from foot to foot and the audience was waiting in suspense. It had only been a couple of seconds, and I accepted. "Yes!"
A huge grin took over his entire face and I knew without a doubt that I had made the right decision. The room erupted in loud applause, but I also knew that the few young, unattached women in the room were glaring at me and crying. I had finally, officially, and irrevocably taken Logan Huntzberger off of the market, and I couldn't be happier. Logan leaned in and kissed me with all he had. After a few seconds I responded, and his tongue slipped in my mouth to duel with mine. I heard someone, most likely my mother, clear her throat, and I was brought back to reality. I blushed bright red, and I heard Logan chuckle beside me. That little public display of affection would have set my grandmother ranting about being proper if she was not still reeling from the new development. As the throngs of people came forward to congratulate us, I saw my mom slowly back away, a look of betrayal on her face.
Though the crowd had closed in around us, I grabbed Logan's face and gave him a sweet kiss. The witnesses erupted in awes.
It took a good two hours to get out of that room. We had both been ecstatic the whole time. It wouldn't have bothered us that much if we hadn't just wanted to be alone together. The car ride home was filled with charged excitement. Neither of us could wait much longer.
As we walked into the apartment, our arms swinging between us, we turned to look at each other. Logan quickly locked up again, and then returned to me. He gathered me in his arms, and an intense look of love and passion took over his face. "A night for celebrations," he whispered softly into my ear. I flashed him a grin.
As their passion grew, they knew this was the beginning of the rest of their lives together, as one, unified person.
XXX ~ Happy Meadow ~ XXX
I opened my eyes, and yesterday's events filled my head. I smiled and sat up, but I realized that A: we were both naked, and B: that I was lying completely on top of him. When I sat on a sensitive part of his anatomy, he sat straight up. I laughed, and leaned forward to kiss him. After a while he pulled back and chuckled.
"What a good way to wake up. Good morning, fiancée. I love you," He said, the sleep still in his voice. I could tell he really meant it.
"I love you, too, Mr. Huntz," I said, following the tradition we had started a long time ago. When we both woke up together, we would share our love. Our sharing is always followed by a love-filled kiss.
His eyes lit up, and I knew something was going on. He flipped us over, and before bearing down on me, again, he said, "Let's continue last night's activities. Shall we, soon-to-be Mrs. Huntzberger?" I grinned so big it hurt my face and nodded eagerly. If we live a hundred years I would never get tired of being called his wife. Even though we aren't married yet, I know we will be soon.
~Mrs. Huntz-to-be~
I sighed. I carefully extracted myself from Logan's sleeping form. I knew we had to talk now. We need to discuss our future. I got up, and put on a dark blue modest silk Victoria's Secret nightgown. It was v-neck, and cut off mid-thigh. It was sleeveless.
I looked at the clock: six forty-five. I had to be on campus at ten to get ready for the graduation ceremony. I padded softly into the kitchen, turning the stove on low, and getting the stuff out of the fridge. Cooking at the Vineyard all of those times had actually turned my aversion to cooking into an interest. I realized that it was my mother's fault. She had made me totally dependent on her, so much so that I couldn't even cook for myself. Although, Logan was a pretty good cook, and I love it when he makes my favorites.
I grabbed eggs, bacon, and the can of biscuits and put them on the counter. I pressed the button on the coffee maker that turns it on, and I began my work. As I was cracking the eggs, I heard Logan get up and go into the other room. I turned to get the whisk, and he sauntered over, gave me a kiss, and silently set to work putting the biscuits in the oven. I took a second to look him over, clad in striped blue silk boxers. I turned back to my work making sure the eggs were perfectly whisked. I heard sizzling, and Logan started to cook the bacon. I wordlessly handed him the pan with the yolks in it. He placed it on the stove and quickly gave me a one-armed hug.
I started setting the table, humming and just enjoying our simple act of shared domesticity. As I was laying out the glasses, I remembered the coffee, and went to go fetch it. After pouring coffee for each of us, I went to the fridge in search of Logan's daily requirement. I had to drink a glass of orange juice at breakfast, and eat at least one fruit. I poured the juice and set to work cutting up some cantaloupe. I was done in only a couple of minutes, and put it on the counter next to our settings. I heard the timer go off, so I got the biscuits out of the oven, and along with butter, put them on the table. I went to bring in the newspaper, and when I got back Logan was serving each of us eggs and bacon.
I sat on my stool, and after putting the pans in the sink, he came over and joined me at the counter. "We need to hammer out some details," I said, and took a bite of the bacon. I moaned at the taste, and I heard Logan chuckle.
"You seem to be enjoying the meal," he said teasingly, but then turned serious; "I think San Francisco will be a great place for us. I found a small little house we can rent in Palo Alto, and it even has an avocado tree in the backyard. I know how much you love avocado." It's true; the refrigerator has three or four avocados in it. "You could work at the Chronicle, or the San Francisco Bay Guardian, or even the Globe! Drinking all the coffee we want. I know you probably don't want to leave Connecticut, but I really think we should give this a try," by now he was slightly shaking, his hands gesturing wildly. I let out a laugh, and I put down my fork.
"Logan, last night I was going to tell you something important. I accepted a job offer in –" I began, but was interrupted by a marginally panicky Logan.
"Oh! Well I guess we can work something out. I really love the house in California, and the job is perfect for me, but we can compromise. We did the whole long-distance thing before," he rambled nervously.
"Logan! Listen to me, please. I accepted a job offer from the San Francisco Chronicle. I was waiting because I was hoping that you would get the job out in Silicon Valley. This is going to sound incredibly cheesy, but I love you so much, and I would follow you to the end of the earth. However, we need to keep in contact with everyone out here. Grandma, Grandpa, Dad, Gigi, Honor, Steph, Collin, Finn, Lane, Paris and Doyle. I really want this because I need a change. You'll notice I didn't put my mom on the list. Well lately she has been severely pissing me off! Look at how she has been dragging my dad around all these years! She isn't even in love with him like that! To top it all off, a couple of weeks ago, she actually had Jess," I saw him visibly flinch, and his jaw locked together, "come up to New Haven to try and get us back together. The nerve of her! How could I possibly even give Jess the time of day! You are the 'one.' You're even more important than coffee! How the hell did you do that? I don't even look at any other guys anymore! None of them can compare to you!" My calm reassurance had turned into an angry rant. Thank you, Mom!
"Rory." He said my name. Damn it. He knew I can't resist when he says my name in that husky voice. I looked up. "I think, once we get settled into our new life, that you should try and give your mother another chance. I know you are angry right now, but Ace, you know how much I wish my parents gave a shit about me."
I looked into his chocolate brown eyes and sighed. Looking down I conceded, "I know, babe. I'm sorry. So," I continued, taking another gulp of my heavenly brew, "California?"
A childish look took over Logan's face. "We're moving to California?" I simply nodded, and he scooped me up, and then twirled me around the room. We both laughed ecstatically, reveling in the moment. We kissed for a couple minutes, but then my stomach growled impatiently. He chuckled but then led me back to the stools. We continued eating our breakfast in excitement. I could tell Logan was about to fall off of his chair from the excitement.
We finished our breakfast with the occasional tidbit of gossip or light chit chat. A glance at the clock over the sink told me that it was time to start getting ready. Logan headed to start the shower, while I went to go pick out my outfit for under my gown. As we headed in our separate directions, I called over my shoulder, "Hey babe? You never did tell me how you feel about having eight children."
I heard the door slam shut, and laughed.