Thank you all for the reviews and responding to this story. This has become my stress relief and I am beginning to love where the characters are going. This is a short chapter that helps to set some things up in the future. Let me know what you think. Please leave your thoughts. I always love to hear them. Enjoy!
After everyone had left the party, Rory and Logan were cleaning up. Everyone had offered to stay and help clean up, but they had refused. Rory was yawning as she was cleaning the dishes. Logan told her, "Go to bed. I'll finish up here."
"No. I'm fine. We are almost finished."
"You are dead on your feet, Ace. You look exhausted. Go get some sleep. I can handle taking care of the rest of this stuff."
"Logan…"
"Will you stop fighting me. Let me do something nice for once in my life. I want you to go upstairs and get some rest."
"Fine. Thank you."
"No problem. I'll see you in the morning, Ace. Let me know if you need anything."
Logan continued cleaning up the kitchen and living room. It felt like all of those years ago when they had actually been in a relationship. He kept picturing what it would be like if they found that again. He was looking forward to the coming months. He could see how Rory would look once she started to show. How she would be with their baby. He couldn't wait to hold the baby and be a father. Those were thoughts that he would never have. It was all beginning to become even more real and he couldn't have been happier.
Rory had heard Logan come up to bed a couple of hours ago. She had been lying awake. She was not able to sleep for reasons unknown to her. She found herself getting out of her bed and heading across the hall. Her feet were taking her and her mind couldn't stop them.
She opened the door and said, "Logan. Logan."
Logan sat up straight in bed, "Ace! Are you okay? Is the baby okay? Do you need something? Do I need to take you to the hospital?"
"Logan, calm down. We are both fine. You do not need to take me to the hospital."
"What's the matter?"
"I can't sleep."
Logan chuckled as he lifted the blankets on the bed. He told her, "Come here."
Rory came over and climbed into bed. Logan wrapped the blankets around her. His arm found its way to her midsection. He smiled as he held her. He said, "You're starting to show."
"Just a little bit. I'm a little more rounded than I used to be. No one has been able to tell so far."
"You forget how well I know your body. It may have been nine years, but there is no way that I will ever be able to forget anything about you, Ace. Our baby is growing. He or she is going to be here before we know it."
"I know. It's crazy to think that we are going to be in charge of the wellbeing of someone else soon. I can't be the mess that I have the last few years. I have to grow up. I have to start being a mom."
"Rory, you are going to be a great mom. You worry too much. Parenting is never perfect. We are going to learn together. I know I have always been immature, but that is going to change. I'm going to be dependable. I'm going to start thinking about someone else besides myself."
"You have such a big heart and you always put yourself down. Logan, you are going to be a great dad. Our baby is going to be so lucky to have you. I still worry about you, you know that. I know that the years haven't changed you and you still go on those crazy trips with the boys."
"Those trips are going to become fewer and farther between. The boys aren't going to let me do anything that will put me in dangers way. They are going to be watching me like a hawk if we ever do anything."
"I'm glad to hear that you all still have each other's backs after all of these years."
"I don't think that is ever going to change. We may get older, but we have too going for our friendship to end it now. I can't wait to introduce our baby to them all. They are going to be the best, most protective uncles we could ever imagine having for our baby."
"I can't wait to watch them all squirm when they hold the baby for the first time. I never really pictured any of you ever holding a baby. Now I can't get the picture of you holding our baby out of my head."
Logan smirked. "Glad to hear it, Ace. I'm in this for the long run. You aren't going to be getting rid of me now."
"You are proving me wrong, Huntzberger."
"What do you mean?"
"When I first found out I was terrified that you were going to be my dad and I was going to be stuck following in my mother's footsteps."
"That isn't going to happen. You will never have to do any of this alone. I'm going to be there for the good, the bad and the ugly. You probably will have to talk me through the diaper changing stuff and talk me out of killing the first guy that ever breaks her heart or grounding him forever the first time he sneaks out to meet a girl."
Rory smiled. "I think we are going to be a great team. Thank you for being here. Thank you for holding me. I know this whole situation is weird and nothing like either of us ever imagined our life being like."
"Anytime, Ace. I'm always here for you. Both of you. Get some sleep. Make sure that you and my baby stay healthy." Logan kissed the top of her head. She was already sound asleep. He held her as if she was going to disappear.
Logan laid awake for much of the night soaking in the feeling of having Rory in his arms again. It had been nine years since the last time he had held her in his arms like this. They may have spent nights together since then, but there was something different about this. He knew that when he woke up in the morning and had to go to work she would be there when he got home. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to win Rory back, but he knew it was going to happen.