Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls is the creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Chapter 1: The Rehearsal Dinner

London, England, Piccadilly Ritz Carlton, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 6:00 pm GMT

The four long-time friends stood by the entrance of the dining room, while the pre-rehearsal dinner cocktail hour commenced. They watched as guests continued to filter through the Ritz Carlton courtyard into the Music Room.

"There's a lot of pink here," observed Colin glancing around the room.

"Yes. Very 'In the Pink Barbie," nodded Finn.

"What do you know about Barbie?" Logan replied, taking a sip of his scotch.

"You'd be surprised by what Finn knows about Barbie." Robert raised an eyebrow. "I've seen the photos."

"I resemble that remark." Finn raised his glass. "Don't give me that look. I don't have a fetish. I do, however, have a niece."

"Yeah, yeah," Logan nodded. "Well, the room may have some pink, but it's not as bad as the Marie Antoinette Room, which looks like a turn of the century brothel." Of course, the Marie Antoinette Room was his mother's favorite of the Ritz private dining rooms.

The Music Room, the room booked for the Lamontagne-Huntzberger rehearsal dinner, was the largest banquet room in London's Piccadilly Ritz-Carlton. With twenty in the bridal party, spouses, relatives, and must-invites swelled the number to well over 100. Although his mother had wanted the Marie Antoinette Room they had had to settle for the Music Room.

The Louis XVI styled room was decorated in a mix of soft pastel hues of pink and green. Sparkling crystal chandeliers dangled from the intricately detailed ceiling, while soaring windows ensured the room was awash in natural light. As he took in the chandeliers and domed ceilings, Logan conceded to the room's charms, and made a mental note to reassure his mother. It was a beautiful room.

"So our Logan's getting married. You think you're ready? Daddy, I'm tired!" Finn slapped Logan on the back and laughed.

"Disturbingly, it's not the first time you've said that to me," laughed Logan.

"Ah, princess alert." Finn's eyes were following a pretty young woman in wearing green. "A redhead. So fair..."

"Isn't that your date, Finn?" Robert gestured to a woman standing near the aforementioned redhead. "What's her name again? Siri?"

"It's Suri. Well, actually it's Pam but her stage name is Suri. She thought it would help with the casting directors if she played up the Xenu connection."

"Is she a Scientologist?" Logan asked.

"Oh, of course not! Knowing Finn, she's probably Presbyterian." Colin interrupted "Logan, do you actually know any of these people?" Looking at Logan, Colin gestured with his hand to the well-dressed guests making their way around the room.

Logan snorted. "No, including my colleagues I introduced you to earlier, you know everyone I do. As for the rest, they're either new cast member or Arcade Fire."

At his friends' blank stares, Logan shrugged. Wrong audience.

"Rosemary and Juliet coming?" asked Colin.

"Not tonight. They're both invited to the wedding. Plus ones included, of course."

"Plus ones," Colin snickered.

"Another reunion. We should plan out a little Life and Death Brigade fun."

"At my wedding, Finn?" Logan shook his head, grinning. "Besides, I don't think we can top the last one."

"How about a picture? Groom, his best man, and ushers?" The photographer stopped in front of the four. Unaccented and American.

"Sure, Raul." Logan glanced around the room. "We'll get one with Josh later."

"Probably had to carry Honor's handbag for her while she went into the loo," surmised Finn.

Logan chuckled. "Ease up, Finn. He's not that bad."

As the four men allowed the photographer to position them, one cast a speculative, appraising glance at the photographer.

"So, Raul is it?" Colin stared at the photographer with an eyebrow lifted questioningly. "Where are you from? Raul?"

"New Haven," he barked. "If you could just come around here. I think you should be next to Logan." He positioned Colin to the left of Logan, while Finn and Robert flanked them on either side.

Colin frowned. "It's because I'm short. I know."

A bemused smirk fell across his face as Logan turned to face the camera. Finn, Robert and Colin likewise halted their words to turn and smile perfunctorily at the camera.

After the photographer left to take pictures of the other dinner guests, Colin turned to Logan. "So Raul?"

Logan snickered. "Shira was unwilling to risk any screw-ups with the 'rehearsal dinner of the century'. She insisted on bringing a few vendors from home."

"Ah, so Raul."

"Raul." Logan nodded, taking another drink. Recognizing several newly arrived family friends and relatives entering the room, Logan shifted his gaze, smiling in greeting.

"What did your bride think of Shira's imported scabs?" asked Colin.

Logan and Finn both barked in laughter.

"Only you would view Shira Huntzberger's neuroses as a union-buster, Colin." Logan laughed, shaking his head. "Let's just say Odette is Niccolò Machiavelli when it comes to knowing which battles to take on and which to ignore. Protection of international labor agreements doesn't make the cut."

"So which battles will the future Mrs. Logan Huntzberger tackle?" prompted Finn.

"Will you two be staying in your flat?" questioned Robert.

"Is she tolerating your workaholic ways?" from Colin.

"Letting you keep the private box at Ascot?" inquired Robert.

"Blind-eying your extracurricular activities?" asked Colin.

"Do you get to keep your Yale souvenirs?" In response to Logan's quizzical look, Finn cut to the chase. "Especially the lovely, life-sized one that lives in Connecticut?"

Caught off-guard, Logan winced. Ouch. He downed his drink. "You know better than to refer to Rory that way." Logan glared at his friend. "Besides Rory and I ended things." Logan gestured to a server to get a new drink.

"You've said that before." It was Colin's turn to bust his chops, a slight uplift of his lip.

"It's for good this time." Logan turned to the waiter. "Macallan neat."

Colin, Finn, and Robert exchanged looks.

"And you've said that before, too, Logan," Finn replied, a look of sympathy flickering across his face as he downed his champagne. Sensing his friend's desire that the conversation steer away from the "R" word, Finn finally obliged. "I'm suddenly and quite mysteriously reminded of your lovely New Hampshire B and B, Colin. How much did you make when you flipped it?"

A change in topic, thought Logan. Thank God.

As his three friends launched into a conversation on real estate, Logan's thoughts turned inward. As far as wives went, Logan knew it could be worse. Odette Lamontagne was beautiful, social, and came from a wealthy and powerful family. Amazingly, neither Mitchum nor Shira found fault with Odette. Very few women of their social sphere met all the criteria of the Huntzbergers' ambitions. As for his requirements, the sex was good and after knowing Odette for several years, Logan had learned how to cope with her more vapid moments. He didn't love her but he didn't expect to; he'd long ago dispensed with the idea of lightning striking twice. As for Odette, he got along well with her. That would be enough. It would have to be.

"What do you say, Huntz?"

With a start, he realized his friends had shifted conversational gears again and were watching him expectantly.

"What's that?" he asked.

"We were just talking about non-traditional wedding songs," said Colin.

"Yeah, last wedding I went to had "She's Got You High" as the wedding song." Robert sipped his gin.

"Interesting choice," conceded Logan.

"Nasty tease. Think of the guests." Finn shook his head derisively. "So what's your song?"

"Don't know," Logan shrugged, taking another sip of his scotch. "I left it to Odette. Probably some French love song. Maybe Adele. Or Rihanna."

Colin shuddered while Finn's face contorted. Robert took a swig of his gin.

"Unacceptable, Old Man. But don't worry about it. We're your mates. We've got a few days. We'll help you figure something out. You should have a wedding song we like. I mean a wedding song you like."

Logan turned to look at his friends. Finn's eyes met his expectantly while Colin chuckled.

"You're an ass but I agree with you on this." Robert commented glancing at Finn.

"Finn'll even throw on a dress and dance with you if Odette doesn't like the song." Colin smirked. "I know! How about "As Time Goes By? A classic."

"A classic, yes," Logan nodded. "But …?" He made a face.

"Logan's right, Colin. That song's bloody depressing! The guests'll be slitting their wrists before the bride shoves the cake in Logan's face," sniped Finn. "Everyone'll miss seeing his $500 haircut covered in fondant."

"What?" Logan's eyes squinted in disbelief. "That's you, Finn. I go to a barber shop."

"Wait. What were we talking about? That's right. Logan's wedding song."

"How about that Linda Ronstadt song?" suggested Robert.

"Linda Ronstadt? My god! Her hit? 'You're No Good'?! For Logan's wedding song! That's bloody brilliant!" Finn doubled over in laughter, spilling much of his drink in the process. "That's the most brilliant thing I've ever heard! I can't believe bloody Robert suggested it!"

Logan cast a sideways glance at his increasingly loud friends.

"No, not that one," Robert gave Finn a scornful look. "The one with strings."

"Strings?" asked Finn. "Do I know this song?"

"That one's about unrequited love," Colin pointed out, ignoring Finn.

"So...?" replied Robert.

"I'm not sure it's appropriate."

"You don't think it applies?"

"Well, who's the song for exactly?"

"So, considering who'll be at the wedding, you think it isn't right?"

"Don't you mean considering who won't be at the wedding?"

"Oh for the love! Stop! I'm so bloody confused right now!" An exasperated Finn exploded. Ignoring Robert and Colin, he summoned a waiter to bring fresh drinks.

Logan, like Finn, had no idea what song Colin and Robert were talking about. He could only watch silently as his friends sipped their drinks. For a brief moment, he actually thought they were done. No such luck…

"All right," nodded Finn. "That one's too complicated. My head's exploding and I still don't know what song it was. How about that old one that goes – la la la 'if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with, la la la...like that...'?"

Logan snorted. "Very amusing."

"Good one, Finn," Colin patted the Aussie's shoulder in approval. "That's definitely uncomplicated. But have you considered Odette will jump us if we play that at her wedding? If I have to get another knee surgery with all those male nurses hovering around me– "

"Logan, you've got to stop being so fussy." Finn took a sip from his glass.

"Yes. Huntz is putting more thought into selecting the wedding song than he put into selecting the bride."

"Don't have to put any thought into which of the groomsmen is landing facedown in the garden."

"Now, now. Stop bickering you two. As for songs, my brain is a jukebox –"

"-and little else – " added Colin.

" - and my gingko biloba's kicking in."

"Among other things." Robert muttered under his breath.

"I got it! How about 'Stuck in the Middle with You'?"

"How about we use that for your wedding song, Finn?" laughed Logan, patting Finn on the shoulder. "The right woman is out there waiting just for you."

"Oh, she's waiting for him all right. To bust her out of lock-up." Colin polished off his drink. "Question is where. My bet's on Bedlam."

"Could be Sing Sing," Robert added.

"Gentlemen, I thank you for your suggestions. I'm pretty sure Shira and Odette and possibly even Elias— "

"Rising from the grave-?"

"— would have a fit if you ruin their million dollar party with tacky 70s music."

"But those songs are iconic! Beyond compare!"

"Oh, poor little rich boy Logan! Don't even see it as your party?"

"It is what it is." Visualizing the scene at the wedding with the festivities grinding to a halt as Woodstock took over, Logan laughed with genuine, albeit sardonic amusement.

Catching his sister's eye across the floor, Logan waved.

Honor raised a brow in silent communication. Are you okay?

Nodding, Logan responded with a real smile. He loved his sister and didn't want her worrying about him. It's all good.

All good. In 72 hours he'd be married. While he'd spent much of his 20s fighting against the machine, fighting against the expectations, fighting against his family, he was done with that. Following the market crash of 2008 and the death of Elias in 2010, it was an older if not quite wiser Logan who agreed to return to the family fold and resume his role at Huntzberger Publishing Group in London. Ever a pragmatist, and aware of the realities of life as a Huntzberger, the energy, enthusiasm, and confidence he'd used to build his own life, first with Rory and then in Palo Alto, had long since morphed into a resignation that his aspirations would likely always be tempered by the responsibilities attached to his birthright.

Losing Rory in his 20s left him deflated. Losing Rory again the previous year had sealed his fate. While he'd managed to dodge his preordained life a few years beyond college, those days were long gone. He wasn't escaping it now. Denied his true desire, he had spent the past eight months resigning himself once more to his future with Odette.

At the sound of a familiar feminine laugh, Logan's head darted around. Odette, her dark hair upswept in an elaborate chignon, stood several yards away, chatting with friends. Their eyes catching, Logan grinned and raised his glass to his wife-to-be.

Returning the smile, Odette sent him two air kisses. Trying to respond in kind – if not in actual air kisses across a crowded room - Logan widened his grin.

Yes, this was his life now. It wasn't a bad life. It was what it was. And it would have to do.

An hour later, seating for dinner had finally commenced. Logan, Finn, Colin, and Robert, not in any hurry to abandon their sub-party, remained standing, drinks in hand. Waiting patiently, they looked on as around them, the other guests began to settle at their tables.

"I suppose that vacancy over there is for you." Finn motioned with his head to the empty seat beside Odette.

Silently Logan nodded. Yes. In three days Odette would be his wife and his place would be by her side. Forever. Forever started tonight, apparently. Staring at the liquid in his glass, his eyes took on a glazed look.

"Well?" Colin roughly shook Logan's shoulder.

"Well, what?"

"Are you gonna get that?"

With a start, Logan realized his cell phone was buzzing. Removing it from his pocket he glanced at the screen. He recognized the area code as a common Connecticut number. It was similar to one of Rory's past numbers. Before he could answer, the phone went silent.

Shrugging, he took a step towards his table. Absently he nodded as Colin and Finn commented on the table settings and menu. Phone still in hand, the second time it buzzed, he answered without a second glance.

"Logan Huntzberger."

"Logan. Thank God you picked up."

Startled, he recognized the voice immediately— even though it was someone he hadn't talked to in over ten years.

"Lorelai?"

Songs: Linda Ronstadt song discussed but not named is "Long Long Time"; Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With" is the other song referenced

Story Title: Kudos to Mellybel who identified the title origin. From 2.7 - Like Mother, Like Daughter, it was the Puffs talking about Rory - FRANCIE: We talked. We find you fascinating. IVY: Like the monkey habitat.

Special Thanks: To the folks at Stars Hollow Online and Crazy Internet People.

04/19/2017