Chapter 21

It was later that evening when they were in bed when they heard a thud from outside their room and a muffled "Shit." From down the hall. Logan went to go investigate before Rory grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to bed. "Ace, I need to go check that out."

"No, it's fine. It's either Conrad sneaking in or Ophelia sneaking out." She said it with a nonchalant air to her voice that it caught Logan off guard.

"WHAT?! Since when?! And how are you so cool with this?" Logan was now fully out of the bed and pacing.

"Logan, come on. You seriously haven't known? They've been together for months, they think they hide it well, Charlie is in on it too. It's really sweet the way they think they can hide anything quite frankly."

"Wow, Finn might actually go ballistic. But honestly babe, how are you so cool about this? Earlier you were freaking out about the stunt they pulled but now you're completely fine with our son and our goddaughter doing…"

"Oh, look who is the prude now." Rory was teasing him and trying to pull him back to bed. "Logan, like I've said, they've been doing whatever it is their doing for months. I think a few weeks before you guys caught them. Plus, there is a huge difference between two teenagers being friendly, and our kids creating a spectacle in the middle of school and when people are trying to study!"

"Is that why you were so mad about the prank?" Logan's voice finally got rid of the anger as he realized why Rory had been so upset earlier.

"Finals are important Logan! What if someone was really stressed about a test and the smell of funnel cakes distracted them because your children and godchildren decided it would be a fun way to turn a profit."

"There was funnel cakes too?"

"Don't worry, I got us a few. Not the point Logan."

"No, the point is that the whole reason you're mad is because some nerd may not have been able to study."

"The courtyard was right outside the library! I don't care if you call me a nerd, that is just rude." Rory crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

Logan climbed next to her in bed and kissed her. "I'm so sorry babe, want me to get you a book to sniff?" He teased her and went to give her a kiss as she turned to face the wall and away from him. "Aaaaccceee come on, it was a joke." She glared at him but conceded and turned back towards him and kissed him. Once they broke away she laid her head on his chest and they stared at the TV that was playing softly in the background. "So, are you ready for tomorrow?"

"You mean the day where I get to stomp into Mitchum Huntzberger's office and kick him out on his smarmy, good-for-nothing ass? Yes, I am quite ready." She could feel the rumble of laughter in his chest before she drifted off to sleep. Once he heard her breathing even he snuck out of their bed and went downstairs where sure enough Rory had saved him a funnel cake. Just as he was cleaning up the powdered sugar mess he made he heard the backdoor open and saw his son stumble through the back door.

"Good evening Conrad." He watched his son's back stiffen as he turned around to face his dad. "Did you get Ophelia home safely?" The smirk that was once on his son's face was now on his and his son had visibly paled, even if the dim light of the kitchen.

"How did- I mean I wasn't- I just- How did you know?!"

"Your mother."

"How does she?! Oh my god, I'm going to kill Charlotte, I even bought her new shoes to keep quiet."

"It wasn't Charlotte. And as for how your mom knows, I have no idea, it's scary how little you can actually get past her." Both men were quiet for a few minutes when Conrad tried to speak again.

"Dad, I—" But Logan cut him off, not wanting to hear any excuses.

"Listen, I don't know what to say, I just found out about the fact that this has been continuing. I don't need or want to know the specifics about anything, but I have a few rules. 1. Beware of Finn, the man doesn't get angry often but when he does, watch out. 2. The most important, if I find out you treat her with anything other than respect and decorum you will be astounded to see how quickly your mother's anger looks like kittens compared to what I can be like, okay?" Conrad nodded in acknowledgement of his father. "You don't know your grandfather Mitchum for a myriad of reasons and I've tried my damndest to be everything he wasn't but so help me god, if I hear a whisper of you doing anything she is not comfortable with or disrespecting her in anyway you will be shipped off to military school without a dime. I will pay for these pranks, I will pay for a boat sinking or a stunt needing to be built, but I will not stand by someone hurting any girl like that." Logan spoke with such an authority that it made Conrad take a step back. He had never really heard his dad get angry, he was always the free-spirit of the house, the crazy one to their mom's straight lacedness.

"Dad, I promise, I really care about her, I don't know what it is yet, but I do care about her, and not only that but I wouldn't be like that. There's a reason why we don't hang around certain people, or why none of us let Charlie go near certain guys even if she is older than us." Conrad's voice was soft and sincere, and Logan let out a sigh of relief and smiled at his youngest, then turned to leave the room before Conrad called out to him again. "Hey dad? If that is your boardroom voice, it's no wonder you and mom are so successful."

Logan laughed out loud and smiled. "Your mom's voice is scarier, she used it when she was labor and it's why there is only two of you."

RLRLRLRL

Rory was pinning her back at the vanity when Logan came up behind her and hugged her. "God you look beautiful."

"Well thank you. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Logan's voice shows the nervousness he's feeling which isn't something Rory expected, she thought he would be jumping for joy at this, they hadn't talked to anyone on his side of his family but Honor with the exception of the nice pleasantries at society functions to keep up the façade. Once she was done pinning her hair she turns to face him.

"Logan, what's wrong?" She ran her hands up and down his arms and looked him in the eyes. He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"It's just weird, you know? This is the almighty Mitchum Huntzberger and not only that he's my dad Rory. I know he brought this onto himself, but I never thought I'd live to see the day his statue was toppled."

Rory led him to the bed and climbed behind him massaging his shoulders. "Logan, it's okay to feel like that, I don't get it but he's also not my dad so for me there isn't much stakes to this. But for you there is, you're right he is still your dad and he had a firm grip on you for years. But Logan, you didn't do this to him. His terrible behavior, his stubbornness and unwillingness to adapt led to a fall in HPG stocks, and then well the scandal that hit. Not one of those things is your doing. No, your doing is creating an insanely successful, profitable business, being a respectful and charismatic guy inside and outside of the office, building a life and doing it with love and respect and your reaping the rewards of that. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that your father couldn't be the guy you needed him to be, and if you want to let him stay in his position or demote him I'll stand by you. But don't let him guilt you in anyway, okay? Don't let him pull the daddy dearest card on you because you hold the power, and I will be there for you every step of the way." She kissed him on the top of his head. Something he always did for her to calm her down, to show affection, to show he was right there for her always.

"I know Ror, I love you. Come on, let's go do this."

As they left their room and made their way into the kitchen they saw their chef making breakfast for the kids. "Morning Charlotte, morning Conrad. How was your night?" Rory asked as she breezed in. Logan and Charlotte laughed to themselves and Conrad choked on his coffee.

"Um, it was good mom, thanks."

"Guys, your dad and I have to go down to Hartford today. We should be back by this evening we're not done discussing what happened yesterday and I know the two of you are suspended so we decided to drop you off at the Inn. We're meeting up with Finn and Colin and the double mint twins—"

"Rory." Logan cut her off looking over the iPad he was looking at.

"Sorry, sorry, James and Ophelia's moms and we will be discussing everything. Try to stay out of trouble. At least today please?"

"Yeah, wouldn't want anyone's studies disturbed, would we Ror?" Logan teased her from his end of the table while she angrily butted a scone.

"Of course, that's why she's mad at this!" "It was right outside the library!" Realization clicked to both children at the same time as they started laughing to themselves.

"You know, none of you are as cute as you think are by the way." Logan and the kids smiled at her as they all finished their breakfast.

They all piled into the car and began the trek to Hartford where Logan and Rory we're being dropped off first before the town car would take the two kids to the Dragonfly.

"MOR MOR! We're here!"

"Oh my gosh kiddos, look at you! You guys look great, but wait, it's Thursday. Why aren't you in school?"

"Mom didn't tell you?! We created a carnival in the courtyard at school. Complete with funnel cakes and a bouncy house and a Ferris Wheel."

"Funnel cakes?! And you didn't bring me one?"

"Don't worry, after we dropped the parents off in Hartford I called my guy, he's recommended someone around here and we should have a whole funnel cake stand here in about an hour." Lorelei shook her head at Conrad as he explained how he had put it all together. She brought her arms around her two grandkids.

"I love having spoiled grandkids, it's great. Now, why are the Kennedy's in Hartford and why didn't Jacqueline tell me you'd be stopping by here?"

"We're not sure honestly. They've been working on something and anytime we try to ask them about it they say we have to wait until it's all done. Dad seemed a little off this morning, mom was trying to hide a pep in her step. Now, as much as we love you, we really missed Mor For, so can we please go to the diner?"

"Alright, fine I see how it is. It's just because he makes better fries than Sookie, but let's get out of here before she hears that I said that." With that they all snuck out the front door and over to Luke's diner.

RLRLRL

Logan and Rory sat at the coffee shop a block away from the HPG headquarters in Hartford while Logan got his bearings. Rory reached her hand across the table and squeezed it, causing him to look up at her and smile. "Are you ready to go in?" Logan looked at her as he asked this.

"Whenever you are babe." He nodded his head then looked down again into his coffee again.

"Maybe just a few more minutes?"

"How about another cup of coffee for the both of us?" She patted his shoulder as she passed him on her way inside to order. After another cup of coffee for both of them he finally stood up, ran his fingers through his hair and grabbed her hand to help him out. Once they reached the expansive and ornate lobby she could him take a large gulp before he walked over to the older woman at the front desk.

"Hello, I'm here on behalf of CCH Publishing. We just purchased HPG and we have an appointment with Mitchum at noon." The woman behind the desk consulted the calendar on her computer seeing where the appointment was set, she allowed him up to the 15th floor where his father's office stood. Next to his office was an empty office, the office Logan was always supposed to inhabit, the office that Logan refused to ever enter. Suddenly he felt no guilt about what he was about to do, or the path that had led him to this moment. He had never regretted marrying Rory, never regretted their life, their family or walking away. But sometimes he felt guilt, like he was letting down generations before him or not living up to the potential that even Rory could see in him. But then, as she noticed him looking at that office and could see the storm of emotions crossing across his face she squeezed his hand and all those doubts and guilt disappeared as he opened up the door to his father's office.

"Hello! You guys must be the new investors." Mitchum started, but he stopped as soon as he made eye contact with his son again, in a place he never thought he'd ever see him.

"Hello Mitchum. Logan Huntzberger of CCH Publishing, we are here to hand you your termination letter."