Me, Logan and Luke all make our way over to the house where my mom (not so) patiently waits for us to arrive waiting to hear all the dish that happened at the dinner with the Huntzbergers. We walk in and a classic Gilmore movie night is in full swing, Red Vines, enough chocolate to last at least Halloween and popcorn piled high a roll of cookie dough just sitting on a plate waiting to be picked at and four cups of coffee no doubt made at the Lorelai level of strong, and that could remove tar. A stack of DVDs to top it all off.
I immediately grip onto Logan's arm.
"Logan" I whisper into his ear, sounding slightly shocked
"Yeah Ace" he replies as he is awestruck at the sheer size of the whole ordeal
"You are now officially a Gilmore, my mom never went this all out for anyone ever, we do it all the time just the two of us but this is the first time an outsider has been to a true Gilmore movie night"
"I thought your ex Dean came over hear all the time on movie night when you were in Chilton"
"Yeah he did but there was never this much stuff, usually only popcorn and Red Vines"
"Well I'm honored"
The four of us all gathered in the small living room of the Gilmore house. Mom and Luke were on the couch. Me and Logan were on the floor, Logan was leaning his back on the couch near where Mom's feet were, she happily took this opportunity to bug him by poking his head with her toes, and he stretched out his legs under the coffee table. I was cuddling into Logan who happily put his arm around my shoulders, just like always. About half way into the second movie, Casablanca of course after the one and only Willy Wonka and The Chocolate factory, Logan and I drifted off. I was woken by Mom who decided the only way to wake me was to poke the back of my head with her foot.
"Hey, why don't you two sleepy heads head on over to bed, I am gonna do the same with this guy, the trundle isn't made up no worries just no funny business okay"
"Wasn't really planning on it"
"Just wanted to make sure"
I gently shake Logan's arm to wake him up
"Come on sleepy its time for us to go"
"I am awake" he said while is eyes were still closed and words slightly slurred
"Sure you are come on now"
We walk over to my room and I take off my dress from dinner and get into some pajamas and then slip into bed. Logan just takes off his collard shirt and pants, getting into bed with just a tee and his boxers on.
"Hey Logan"
"Yeah Ace"
"Can I say something, it is kinda serious but it also is pretty weird"
"Of course, you can say anything to me you know that"
"I just wanna say I love you but its so much more than that and I don't know how to really express that to you"
"That isn't weird Ace, I feel the same way about you. After my accident in Costa Rica this wave of I don't know what came over me and all of a sudden I knew that no matter what happened to me as long as I had you I would be fine. It was that moment that I knew that someday you would be the girl I would propose to, I just didn't know when'
"Really?"
"Yes Ace really. Now lets get some sleep"
He leaned forward and kissed my forehead before leaning behind him and turning off the lamp. I took a deep breath and promptly fell asleep feeling confident that me and Logan would defy the odds and last the rest of our lives.
The next morning I wanted to discuss with Logan the idea about using a pen name at whatever newspaper I end up at in San Fransisco.
"Hey Logan, now that things have pretty much calmed down about the engagement can we talk about that idea I brought up back at Yale the night we got engaged'.
"Yeah sure we probably should since we will probably be moving out there before we know it, you want to use a pen name, shoot Ace I forgot to ask my Dad about all of that during the dinner"
"Don't worry, I did too in that mess"
"Okay so how are we going to keep your identity somewhat secret you know both Emily and my mother are dying to send out an announcement in the papers"
"That I somewhat thought about. We could use my full name you know, Lorelai L. Gilmore-Hayden, make me sound all snobbish and all that picture would be out but I think they can deal with that" I say to offer an idea for Logan
"I think that could work. Now Ace if you want to write under a pen name you are going to need a pen name. Did that little brain of yours come up with that too yet?" He agreed.
"It did, I was thinking I could go as Leigh Danes. It wouldn't be drastically different from my actual one and then I would be using Luke's last name"
"That sounds good as well, you do look kinda like a Leigh too, even though Rory and Ace fit you so much better"
"Thats what I thought mister' I say jokingly leaning forward and kissing him
"But you really should tell Luke you want to use his last name and then fill everyone else in about this whole pen name thing"
"I was planning on it, now I will go to fill in Mom and Luke, you call you father, before you even ask yes you do have to call him"
"Done" he pecks my lips and then we go our separate ways he turns round and digs into his bag for his cell phone while I turn to the door and head into the kitchen
"Hey Mom, hey Luke"
"Hey hon"
"So this may sound kinda crazy at first but hear me out"
"What's up? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong but as you know me and Logan will be moving out to San Fransisco in a few months for his new job. I will be going out there and getting a job for a newspaper and both the major papers out there are Huntzberger papers and if people know me as Rory Gilmore they may think I didn't get the job on my own merit but because I am sleeping with the boss's son. To counter act that I was thinking of writing under a pen name. Luke, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on using your last name as my pen name. I thought about it and I want to go by Leigh Danes."
I suddenly found myself rambling off as if Luke had already rejected the idea saying things like it is no big deal, and I thought it would be a nice gesture as you are about to be my stepdad. However I was completely ignorant to the smile on Luke's face going from ear to ear and the tears of happiness welling up in his eyes, the only time Luke has ever cried in front of either me or my mother
"Rory!" he said cutting off my incessant rambles "I would be honored for you to use my last name"
"Really? Are you sure because it would be all over the papers, obliviously but you're really sure"
"Yes I am I can't tell you how happy it makes me"
With ever perfect timing Logan comes into the kitchen, as he finishes his call with Mitchum.
"Hey Ace I have it all figured out with my father on how we are going to handle this whole pen name thing"
"Okay so what are the details"
"First off when we get to San Fransisco you are going to interview with both the Chronicle and Bulletin, going by the pen name, you being you with most likely get offered a position at both papers, take your pick. Then as soon as you decide and get settled at the paper so figure end of your first week you are going to have a private, no one knows about it meeting, with my dad, your editor and the editor in chief where you and him will jointly tell them who you really are"
"Okay that sounds good, what about like co workers once I feel that I have earned my keep"
"Who you tell and when you tell them is entirely up to you after that. Though I would probably recommend telling them a little later rather than sooner"
"I can do that"
We finished our pancake breakfast curtesy of Luke. Me and Logan then decided to go to the diner, commander a table and San Fransisco apartment hunt for the rest of the afternoon.
