A sequel to One Last Time, this first chapter does not require reading the original story to adequate follow it's events, however future chapters may, so it is advised that you read One Last Time before continuing reading.

It was the late spring of 2007 and the day had finally arrived. Lorelai Leigh Gilmore was, in a few short hours, going to walk across a stage, shake some hands and receive something that both mother and daughter had worked very hard for the majority of their lives: A diploma from an Ivy League university. The ceremony was a little more than three hours away, yet Rory couldn't contain her nervous energy, even with Logan and Lorelai doing everything they could to calm her down.

"Rory, relax, you'll be fine. The hard part is over, you're a Yale graduate. Collecting the diploma isn't rocket science. You saw me do it last year with one good leg," he saw Rory's still concerned look, "Ace, trust me on this one. You'll do fine. In a few short hours it will all be over, and you'll never have to worry about walking again," Logan smirked, hoping that levity would ease Rory's fears.

Lorelai walked into the room, seeing Logan's hands on Rory's shoulders, hoping to calm her daughter down. "Listen to him kiddo. You have nothing to worry about. Well aside from us embarrassing you, but other than that you're in the clear."

"After the stunt Logan and his friends pulled during his commencement I can safely say that nothing you could do Mom would shock me."

"Wait, what's this? What happened last year?"

Logan quickly interjected, not wanting Rory to recount the tale, "Well, will you look at the time? Hate to break up this trip down short term memory lane, but I think the graduate needs to make her way, triumphantly to her place of conquest."

"Wow," Rory and Lorelai looked at him with pride.

"What?" Logan asked, puzzled.

"That was some hyperbolic speech," Lorelai answered.

Logan rolled his eyes playfully, "What can I say? This town does weird things to your mind. Even one as sharp as mine falls victim to it's…" Logan paused choosing his words carefully, "charms," ending his thought with a smirk.

"So we got him accustom to the whimsy of small town life, now if we could only get rid of that smirk," Lorelai said getting her things ready as the three made their way out the door.

Taking a look back at Logan, who was just closing the door, Rory turned her attention back towards her mother who was just fiddling with her keys and said: "The smirk works for him. Me too."

Six seats at Yale's commencement would have ordinarily been a Herculean task, but when you have the names Gilmore and Huntzberger, accommodations are met.

Lorelai and Logan met up with Richard, Emily, Luke and Chris and proceeded to get their seats. Lorelai took her seat closest to the aisle, for easy access to the stage for pictures and Gilmore hand gestures. Richard and Emily sat next to her, eagerly anticipating the moment Rory collected her diploma, a moment they take great pride in. Chris sat next to Emily, remorseful of all the occasions he had missed in his daughter's life but grateful at the opportunity to start making up for it today. Logan sat next to Chris on one side, and Luke on the other. The thought of being flanked by the two people who had wanted to maim him for touching Rory during the beginnings of their relationship, would have sent him running in the opposite direction, but what he was there to celebrate far outweighed any fears. Rory, Ace, was graduating, she was about to take her first steps in the world, not as a student, but as an adult, and he wouldn't of missed it for the world. Luke was sitting to Logan's left, and wryly smiled at the look Logan was giving off, just having spotted Rory in the crowd. He was glad, that even with the tumultuous turn his relationship with Lorelai had taken, that he would be able to see Rory walk across the stage. He was no longer engaged to Rory's mother, but over the past year they had slowly taken steps to repair what was once thought to be irrevocable harm. Next week, he and Lorelai were going on their second first date, as she liked to call it, but today was all about Rory. Who was turned her ahead away from the crowd to listen to the first speaker, as the commencement ceremonies were about to begin.

"Susan Elizabeth Gillings."

Rory applauded her friend as another graduate strode confidently across the stage to receive her diploma, but quickly was back to trying to calm her nerves. She shuffled back and forth on her feet as one more name was read aloud.

"Anne Georgina Gillow."

Her pace had increased with each passing name, soon hers would be read and she would have to traverse the stage in order to pick up one of the single most important documents of her life, one that she had worked so hard for, one that she had almost given up on, and one that she would look to with pride for as long as she lived.

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore."

A burst of applause came from the crowd, with more spontaneity and exuberance than any before it, even Emily and Richard stood up to applaud Rory, while Logan, Chris and Lorelai took pictures as they watched Rory adeptly cross the platform, shake a few hands and collect her diploma. After collecting the document, Rory looked at her family, gave them a big smile and shook the piece of rolled up paper at them as she made her way to be seated.

"Wasn't that marvelous Richard?" Emily said bursting with pride as she took her seat. "She certainly had the best walk. Nice pace, head high, back straight. Everything was perfect. She was perfect."

Everyone who was there to see Rory walk across the stage couldn't disagree.

As the rest of Yale's graduating class was being read, Rory sat in her seat, fiddled with her diploma and looked at the various members of her family, happy that they were all able to share in this moment with her today. She first gazed eyes on her mother, who was showing the camera to Emily. Rory thought today was almost as much her mother's day as hers, a mother who sacrificed a lot in life so that she could be here today. They had been through some great times together, shared their darkest fears and their wildest dreams, and there were moments when it seemed like all was lost, but through it all they had persevered and now, the mother daughter bond while different than when she graduated from Chilton, was as strong as ever. As a sign of the bond, when Rory was looking at her mother, Lorelai brought her head up, looked at her daughter and gave her a look that conveyed all her emotions.

Rory then gazed at her grandparents, without whom she wouldn't have been where she was. With their support Rory was able to traverse the often times difficult world of university. With their help she was able to get through a very difficult period in her life, and with their support she felt as though she could do anything, because for as resolute as she had become over the past 4 years at Yale, nothing could match the force of will that was Emily and Richard Gilmore combined.

Rory's eyes then focused on her father, whom she had mixed feelings. She was thrilled that he could share this great moment with her, and was proud of the responsible man he had become. He was a great father to Gigi and was there whenever Rory needed him. But, still, the memories of him missing in other events of her life still hurt, and still was cause for some anger. Rory's melancholy attitude passed as her eyes found Luke, who was reading the program, Rory thought about how happy she was that Luke could make it. She was worried about how he would feel given the relationship history with her mother, but Luke seemed to be at ease, and with a new relationship with her mother starting, the level of awkwardness they once had months ago went away. Then Rory's eyes came to Logan.

There he was, sitting in his seat, much like she did for him a year ago; perhaps wondering as she did how he got here. For as optimistic as she was when their relationship began, she would never have believed someone if they told her that they would be at each others commencement ceremonies, happy and in love. Gone was Whitney, Robert, her absence from Yale, Jess, the Bridesmaids, the accident and London. Everything that had tried to come between them had come and gone, and while there were some difficult times, they were stronger now because of them. At this moment, there was only him and her, and Rory liked that thought. As if on cue, like her mother before him, Logan looked at her and gave one of his patented smirks that always made her weak in the knees. Rory smiled back, then looked down at her finger which held the engagement ring he placed their last night, and gave a smirk that matched Logan's.

Author's Note: There's the first chapter, took a while to get it down on paper as will subsequent updates, because I am writing them as I updated and don't have a few chapters banked so patience will most definitely be a virtue. Happy reading and as always reviews are appreciated.