Rory was just rounding the corner of the kitchen, walking towards her old bedroom, when she suddenly knocked straight into her mother of all things. They both banked their heads into each other with a loud bang and let out a gasp before putting their hands to their foreheads in desperate attempts to forestall the god awful pain progressing in their skulls.

"Jeez Mom, make a noise or something," Rory said, rubbing her temples with her fingers and wincing.

"I would have had I know you were coming home. It's not like you are here often enough to call this place even a temporary home anymore. Your room has so much dust, I'm surprised spiders and such haven't made their homes in there yet, or then again, maybe they have," Lorelai replied.

Rory started to roll her eyes but thought better of it once her head started pounding worse, "Gee, thanks for the guilt trip. You know how busy I've been with work and communicating back and forth from New York to here when I visit and having a life with Logan and the functions and all, it takes time."

"Right – functions. Society functions. The things that we both hated and said we'd never do but know you do on a regular basis."

Rory sighed, "Mom, let's not have another fight about this, okay? It's apart of Logan's life and I'm with Logan plus it is apart of being a super prized reporter too and I need the exposure."

"Fine, whatever," Lorelai said, biting her tongue but only because she didn't want to push her daughter away more than she had already. Because she knew part of the reason Rory didn't come home as much as before was partly because they always somehow fought over her lifestyle.

"So, what are you doing here?" Lorelai asked, just as Luke walked in the front door.

"I'm home!" Luke yelled.

"In the kitchen!" Lorelai yelled back.

"Boy am I glad it is time for lun- oh, hi Rory, I didn't you were coming by today or I'd have lunch for three," he said.

She smiled, "Its okay, I don't want to put you out, I actually wanted to come by to tell you about the invitation you'll be getting to a masquerade ball held by Logan's parents and since I know how you are, Mom, I wanted to warn you – in person."

"What's the occasion?" Lorelai asked.

"Our engagement… Logan and mine, that is," she said all in one breath, putting out her right hand, showing off her engagement ring that was a petite band with eight point six carets of emerald cut diamonds, perfectly cut, shaped and sized.

"When he picks something out, he goes all the way… So he proposed and you accepted, then and you told them first?" Lorelai asked, more than a little hurt.

Luke whistled, looking at the ring.

Rory sighed, knowing her mother was going to be this way, "It wasn't like that. We were going to tell you first but then Shira happened to see my hand first and then POW, secrecy was gone. I'm sorry; you know if I could have, you'd have been the first to know."

"Why didn't you just take the ring off till you told me first?"

"Because," she said, sighing again, "It won't come off now that it is on…"

Lorelai's eyes widened, "Oh, well... I guess I can understand then... You love him, don't you?"

Rory smiled, her eyes brightening, "Oh yes, he is wonderful, I love him more than anything in the world."

"His life though, Rory… The parties, the money, the maid service, all of it, it's the life that we always said we'd never do and here you are marrying into it, going to definitely sign on to do it."

Rory look down, "I know but not all of that is bad, Mom… Not like we thought or you thought anyway and what is bad is made worth it by all the time I spend with Logan and the time I will be married to him so its give and take."

"If you are sure, sweetheart. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm sure."

Lorelai smiled, "Then I guess congratulations are in order!"

Luke said, "Yes, congratulations!"