Logan held out his hand to Rory, she took it and they began their walk toward her Mom's house. They were walking slowly, neither talking very much as each was suddenly absorbed in their own thoughts about the momentous event that had just occurred. Rory was already starting to dream about the plans she would make for their wedding day and Logan was thinking about how to break the news to his family. Rory had been right; his parents would not be supportive of his choice to make Rory his wife.
"Steph knew," Rory blurted abruptly.
"What?" Logan asked, confused.
"This morning when Steph took me to the salon she knew you were planning on proposing, didn't she," Rory inquired.
"She did," Logan confirmed, "That girl must have a sixth sense about her. I had been thinking for a few weeks that the next time I came home from London I would propose. No sooner than I'd made up my mind for certain and Steph called and asked me what was up because she had this feeling that something big was going on in my life. I was so stunned that I couldn't even think to lie to her about it. Actually it was nice to have someone to confide in about it."
"Did it ever occur to you that she might have just been asking to see what she could get out of you? That she didn't really have any particular feelings. At any given time anyone could have something 'bigger' going on in their life," Rory asked.
Logan narrowed his eyes at Rory and said, "Well, now I feel stupid. It's Steph; of course she was just fishing for interesting news. I bet she didn't expect me to tell her that though."
"Steph knowing really explains a lot," Rory said, "The last several times I called her to get together she kind of flaked out on me. She must not have trusted herself not to give anything away until today. But even today she said a few things that made me pause for a second."
"Had you figured it out before I got down on one knee what I was up to?" Logan asked,
"Not at all; that was truly the last thing I expected," Rory admitted.
"Really, why?" Logan asked.
"Well, to be honest, it was only extremely recently that I came to the realization that you were it for me. I figured that if it had taken me until now to come to the conclusion that you were the one it would probably take you a little bit longer to get there," Rory said.
"Ace, that hurts," Logan said while clutching his heart, "I can't believe that you didn't think I loved you as much as you loved me."
"It wasn't that. I knew you loved me. But considering your past and the fact that I am the only girl that you've ever committed to I thought you'd probably need more time to decide that you couldn't live without me," Rory said.
"Who ever said I couldn't live without you," Logan joked.
"Your profession of love back there at the gazebo kind of implied it," Rory said with a grin, "But if it makes you feel any better to know; I don't know what I'd do without you either."
"Good to know, Ace," Logan said as he stopped her and pulled her into a mind-blowing kiss right in the middle of the street.
After a few minutes Rory regretfully broke it off by saying, "We're probably putting on quite a show. Knowing this town, if we don't get moving the news is going to reach my Mom before we do."
They continued on their way and Logan asked, "What exactly did you think I was bringing you to Stars Hollow for if it wasn't for me to propose to you?"
"I had a few thoughts. One, maybe there was some crazy LDB event that was being staged here. Two, maybe you wanted to break up with me and this would be an ideal location because then you could just bring me to my Mom's be comforted. But, that was pretty much all I came up with."
"You didn't really think I'd break up with you, did you?" Logan asked incredulously, "Because if you really thought that I might have to increase my affections so you know how far from the truth that really was."
"Well, I certainly hoped not but with you in London and me here doubt crept in. I thought maybe you'd find someone in London or the distance would just convince you that we never really belonged together in the first place. Part of me has been waiting for you to figure out for a while now that I'm not really the girl you thought I was and break my heart," Rory admitted.
"Ace, as much as I don't believe in fate or destiny, you and I belong together. I knew it the moment I met you. I had no idea that there could be a girl out there who could go wit to wit with me and still be someone I considered so attractive," Logan said.
This time it was Rory who stopped Logan with an earth shattering kiss in response to the things he'd just told her. When they finally pulled away again Logan said, "Okay, I hate to break it to you Ace, but you can't expect me to be so mushy and sentimental all the time from now on. This is so not me."
Rory giggled and agreed, "You're right it's not very you. But that is part of what makes tonight so special. Hearing you say all these incredibly romantic things to me and knowing that you're being honest about how you feel. But you're right it's better if you only tell me these things once in a while—it makes it all the more extraordinary when you do say them."
Finally arriving in Lorelai's front yard Rory informed Logan, "Looks like we get to share the news with both my parents at once, that's my Dad's car in the driveway."
"What's your Dad doing here?" Logan asked.
"That the other news that I forgot to tell you, apparently my parents are dating," Rory said.
"How do you feel about that, Ace?" Logan asked.
"Well, if they're happy, I'm happy for them. But honestly I'm a little worried about my Mom she broke things off with Luke and now she's with my Dad who has broken her heart on numerous occasions. I'm worried that she's just going to get hurt again. But the little girl in me would be thrilled to see my parents finally get together and make it work," Rory confessed.
There were lights on behind the living room curtains indicating that Lorelai was home and not yet in bed for the night. Rory and Logan let themselves in the front door and were greeted with the site of Chris and Lorelai making out like teenagers on the couch in front of the TV. Chris was missing his shirt and Lorelai was not far behind. Rory stood and gawked for a moment before awkwardly clearing her throat and announcing, "You have visitors!" Lorelai shrieked in surprise and tried to cover herself with a blanket and in the process knocked a bowl of chips off the end table.
"We'll wait on the porch until you're ready for us," Logan said, quickly steering Rory back out the front door they'd just entered through.
"I think I need to scrub my eyes with soap," Rory moaned.
"I actually I think it's kind of funny," Logan snickered, "It's like payback for them catching us in the closet at your grandparent's vow renewal party."
"It's so not funny, have you ever caught your parents doing that?" Rory asked.
Logan laughed and replied, "You have to remember that my parents don't actually like each other Ace. I'm partly convinced that I'm actually a test-tube baby."
"How are we going to do this," Rory asked changing the subject, "come right out and tell them or pretend we were just in the neighborhood and wait for them to notice the rock I'm wearing on an all important finger?"
"Up to you Ace, they're your parents," Logan said.
"Let's wait for them to notice. It'll be more fun. We won't be able to play that game when we go tell your parents," Rory paled a bit at the mere thought of making their announcement to his parents.
After a few more minutes Lorelai opened the front door and waved them in. "Ever heard of knocking?" she asked sarcastically.
"Not at the house I was brought up in. I think besides during a situation like this I would be mocked mercilessly if I knocked rather than just walking in. But from now on I may start knocking all the time and be safe rather than sorry," Rory shot back at her mother.
"What are you kids doing in this neck of the woods," Chris asked awkwardly trying to change the topic.
"We weren't far from here for dinner and thought we'd stop in and say hi," Logan supplied.
"Cool. So, Logan, how's London treating you," Chris asked in an obvious attempt to keep the conversation going. Neither Rory nor Lorelai were making any attempt to contribute to the conversation. Still upset with one another over the previous incident neither wanted to be the first to forgive and forget.
"Great. It's a neat place to be and it's been interesting to lead one of my father's companies. I'm really getting a taste for what my future will be like. It's just unfortunate that I have to be so far away from Rory," Logan said.
An awkward silence filled the room and finally Chris made another wild attempt at keeping the conversation going, "Kind of ironic you too catching us in this position—after I caught the two of you in the same position in that closet a while back."
"Exactly what I told Rory while we were waiting on the porch," Logan offered with a chuckle. Rory's expression had begun to soften and Logan could tell that a smile was not too far off.
"I'm not sure what's worse," Lorelai began, "Getting caught making out with Chris by my parents or getting caught making out with Chris by our daughter."
The ice was finally broken and the four had a good laugh over the incident. As the laughter was starting to die down and Rory was carefully wiping tears of laugher from her eyes Lorelai suddenly froze and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, is that what I think it is?"
Lorelai grabbed for Rory's left hand and examined the ring upon it as her eyes filled with tears. Mirroring her mother, Rory's eyes also filled with tears as she was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. The two were speechless for the moment which left Logan and Chris to do the talking.
"Congratulations," Chris said, "you got a good one."
"You're right, I did," Logan said smiling over at his fiancé, still wrapped in her mother's arms.
"If you ever hurt her I will hunt you down; you know that right." Chris inquired.
"I'd expected as much," Logan replied.
The two men shook hands as the two women finally broke apart. Chris slung his arm around Rory as he offered her his congratulations and Lorelai somewhat awkwardly approached Logan.
"We haven't really gotten to know each other very well yet. But you obviously make my daughter very happy. So, I guess this is, welcome to the family," Lorelai said as she reached out to hug him.
Logan hugged her back and said, "Thank you, Lorelai. I can't begin to even express how thrilled I am to be part of a family that's actually functional."
"Clearly this happened sometime today," Loreali said, "Rory wasn't engaged when she left from here on Wednesday and you just arrived back in the country today. Unless you proposed via instant message or cell phone; which loses you major style points mister; Spill I want all the details."
Logan smiled and said, "I took Rory to dinner at one of my old favorite restaurants, which she pouted about because she wanted to just stay in tonight. Then I started driving toward Stars Hollow because I wanted to propose to her at one of her favorite places and she pouted about that too because I wouldn't give away my reasoning for wanting to go to Stars Hollow. Then…"
"Hey," Rory interrupted, "You could be a gentleman and not reveal how much I pouted tonight considering all my pouting had to do with me just wanting you all to myself this weekend."
"Yeah, but what fun is that?" Logan asked.
"Anyway, when we got here Logan blindfolded me and brought me to the gazebo to propose. It was very romantic," Rory finished.
"Sounds like it," Lorelai said, "When's the wedding?"
"We haven't made any plans in the half an hour since we got engaged," Rory said, "By the way, can you two keep this to yourselves for a little while. We need to strategize about how to break the news to Logan's parents."
Logan cringed a little feeling guilty that his parents were the sole reason that Rory could not completely enjoy their engagement.
"Sure, Babe," Lorelai responded, "When are you telling Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Not until after we tell Mitchum and Shira. You know Grandma and Grandpa will probably alert the media themselves when they hear the news," Rory said.
"That's for sure," Lorelai replied.
"Well, if you're ready Ace, we should probably get going. It's getting pretty late already and we still have a 45 minute drive ahead of us," Logan said, "Besides I think the jetlag is starting to catch up with me."
The four said their good-byes and the newly engaged couple started their walk back toward the car.
"Do you want me to drive?" Rory asked, "Since you're getting jetlagged?"
"I'm not jetlagged, Ace," Logan said, "I just needed a polite way to get you out of there so I could bring you home and get you back into bed."
"Ahhh, excellent tactics," Rory said with a smirk.