a/n: i still don't own anything. Thank you all for the kind reviews. please keep them coming :)
Chapter 24:
"Are you ready?" Logan asked as he sat with Finn and Ava waiting for Rory to get dressed.
"Almost!" Rory shouted as she fought with her hair, trying to get it to hold a curl. She was thrilled with the dress and the matching black pumps she was wearing.
"Women" Logan shook his head.
"Women" Ava agreed with him, causing the men to laugh as she refocused her attention to the television.
"So Mom and I are going to be late tonight" Logan told Ava.
"Why?"
"Well we are having dinner with my mom and dad, so we have to see them" Logan explained, "Like we do with Grandma and Grandpa sometimes"
"Do your mom and dad live here?" Ava asked as she stared at the television.
"Ava you know to look at people while you're talking" Logan told her, feeling slightly paternal towards her.
"Fine" Ava turned her attention to him, "Do your mom and dad live here?"
"Yes they do" Logan nodded, "Thank you"
"Alright" Rory emerged into the living room, "I'm ready"
"You look beautiful Mommy" Ava smiled up at Rory, "You have princess shoes"
"I do have princess shoes" Rory laughed, "Thank you Ava, that was very sweet of you"
"Ace" Logan stood and walked towards her, he kissed her chastely on the lips, "You look amazing"
"Thank you" Rory blushed as she put her arms around his neck.
"I swear if we didn't have this dinner" Logan whispered into her ear, "We wouldn't be leaving the bedroom"
"Logan" Rory laughed as she turned to Finn and Ava, "Love you babe, we'll be back after bedtime, so be good for Uncle Finn"
"Bye!" Ava smiled at them.
"Finn, call if you need anything"
"Will do, love" Finn nodded to them, "Don't let Shira get you down!"
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"Of course we need a key to the elevator" Rory laughed as they stepped into the private elevator.
"Ace, you need a key to my elevator" Logan pointed out, "But, before we get up there" he leaned down and kissed her gently.
Rory smiled into his lips as she put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.
"Ror" Logan pulled away to catch his breath as they continued up the elevator.
"Logan" Rory kissed him again, pressing her body against his.
"Your dress is short" Logan noted as he kissed below her ear.
"I thought you'd like it" Rory flirted with him.
"I absolutely love it" Logan laughed, "But I am supposed to get through dinner without taking it off of you" he winked as he kissed her quickly one more time before the elevator came to a halt, "Here we are"
"Logan, Rory" Shira was waiting for them as the elevator door opened.
"Mom" Logan smiled as they pulled away from each other, "You look great"
"Thank you son" Shira kissed his cheek as he came towards her, "Rory, you look gorgeous, that dress is amazing"
"Thank you Mrs. Huntzberger" Rory kissed her cheek.
"Oh Rory, honey, you know to call me Shira" Shira smiled, "Come in, Mitchum is just in the kitchen"
"What is dad doing in the kitchen?" Logan asked as he put his hand on the small of Rory's back.
"Making dinner, Logan" Shira laughed, "Don't sound so shocked"
"Mom, I don't think Dad has ever made dinner...as in, ever" Logan laughed.
"Rory, what can I get you to drink?" Shira asked as Rory took a seat.
"Gin and tonic?" Rory smiled, "Please"
"Of course, dear. Logan, what can I get for you?"
"A scotch please" Logan told her, "I'm going to see how dad is doing in the kitchen"
"Well tell him to hurry out" Shira smiled, "I'll take Rory on the grand tour"
"That would be great. It's beautiful here" Rory smiled at the massive living room which had a dining room attached to it, this apartment was much more open concept than their home in Hartford, but it was just as traditionally decorated.
"Well come then" Shira smiled, "This is obviously the living and dining room, but through here" she walked towards the doors, "This is the best part, the most amazing views"
"Wow" Rory breathed as she stepped outside, hearing Shira close the door behind her, "It is beautiful"
"We love it here" Shira smiled, "As busy as it is, I guess we are just so far up, that it feels like we're in heaven"
Rory had to admit, she was shocked by how kind Shira was being towards her, she wasn't completely sure how to deal with the kindness that Shira was showing her.
"Rory" Shira looked at her, "I want to apologize"
"What for?" Rory asked her incredulously, as though she didn't know what Shira was talking about.
"All those years ago, we treated you terribly, and we should have been kind to you" Shira told her, "We should have welcomed you into our family and our behaviour was awful. I hope that if you decide to continue on with Logan that we can all move on from what has happened in the past"
"Well, I think that we should all just move forward" Rory nodded, "But I appreciate the apology"
"Well, come then" Shira walked to the door, "The closet upstairs is just to die for"
"I can imagine" Rory laughed as she followed Shira through the incredible rooms in the apartment, she was surprised to see that a room was decorated for Logan, Honor's son, and it was oddly child friendly. From everything Rory had heard about Logan and Honor's childhood, it had very little to do with actual child like behaviour.
"And here we have the boys, in the kitchen" Shira smiled as they walked into the huge kitchen, "Mitchum, come, you are being rude"
"Rory" Mitchum boomed as he pushed a roast into the oven, "You look beautiful"
"Thank you Mitchum" Rory smiled as he kissed her cheek, "It smells amazing in here"
"Oh well, I hope you like pork, I'm just whipping up my mothers favourite recipe"
"Well, I am sure it will be great" Rory smiled, "Shira just finished giving me the tour, it is a beautiful apartment"
"Thank you" Mitchum smiled, "It's not as modern as Logan's place in the city, but we love it here. Our own little piece of heaven"
Rory smiled as they all moved back to the living room.
"Can I get you another drink, Ace?" Logan asked as he refilled his own scotch.
"Yes please" Rory nodded as she handed him her drink, "Thank you"
"When do you start at HPG, Rory?" Shira asked, "Mitchum is just so excited to have you as part of the team"
"In the new year, January 2 and I am all yours" Rory told her, "I am so lucky that I can spend some time at home, we're going to Europe, it will really be great"
"Well, you take the time you need because we cannot wait to have you on the team" Mitchum told her, "I think that the editor at large position is one that will really help everyone, it'll keep everyone fresh"
"And I'm sure the editors at the papers will be thrilled about it" Rory laughed, "Having me show up and change things"
"You'll give it a fresh face, Ace" Logan kissed her cheek, "This job is perfect for you"
"I just hope that everyone gets along, I can only imagine how difficult it would be to have some stranger come take over random editions of your paper, via webcam no loess" Rory explained, "I know I can do it, I just hope I can make some good relationships in the workplace too"
"Trust me Rory, they'll love you" Mitchum told her.
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"That was bizarre" Rory looked at Logan as they rode down in the elevator.
"What was?" Logan laughed.
"They were...nice" Rory smiled, "I mean, Shira Huntzberger was nice to me. She apologized to me for before"
"Wow" Logan laughed, "Well, I told you, they've mellowed over the past couple of years"
"I know" Rory nodded, "I just didn't really believe it"
"Well that is just hurtful, Ace, when have I lied to you before?" Logan laughed as the elevator opened and he put his hand on the small of her back.
"I wonder how Finn did with Ava" Rory smiled as they walked through the lobby and to the car.
"I'm sure he did great, which is terrifying" Logan told her as the driver opened the door to let them in, "Do you want to go home, or do you want to go grab a drink, or do you want to go for a walk? What do you want to do, Ace?"
"Can we go to the Carlyle?" Rory asked, she used to go every week, but since Paris' death she had only been back once to close her tab.
"What is there?" Logan asked as Pascal began driving towards the hotel.
"Paris and I used to go for drinks at the bar there" Rory explained, "I just...haven't been back and it used to be so much fun"
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"It looks the same" Rory smiled as they walked in and took a seat at a small table, surprised by how busy the bar was.
"Well at least we didn't have to wait"
"The name Huntzberger typically does that" Rory laughed as she saw a familiar server walking towards them.
"Ms Gilmore!" the server smiled as he reached the table, "It has been...years"
"Yes it has" Rory laughed, "How are you Steven?"
"I'm wonderful" the server, Steven smiled as they caught up.
"This is my boyfriend, we're in town for the week and I thought we'd come here" Rory explained.
"Your boyfriend is a Huntzberger?" Steven wiggled his eyebrows at her, clearly they had a close relationship otherwise he wouldn't be discussing this with a client, but Rory had spent years drinking at least once a week at this bar and had grown close with some of the staff.
"How are you, man? I'm Logan" Logan extended his hand to him, "Very nice to meet you"
"And a gentleman!" Steven laughed, "Anyway, what can I get you two to drink?"
"Ladies first, Ace" Logan smiled at Rory.
"I will have the spiced cranberry margarita" Rory put the menu in front of her.
"I'll have a scotch please, whatever your best single malt is" Logan smiled as the waiter nodded and disappeared, "So you used to go here with Paris?"
"It was our girls night when we came here, we loved it" Rory nodded as she inhaled the familiar scent in the room.
"Paris, we don't need to come to a bar while you're pregnant" Rory laughed as Paris took a sip of her gingerale.
"Gilmore! This is our tradition, the tradition isn't going to change just because I'm pregnant, and its not going to change when I have this little rugrat" Paris exclaimed as she had done several times since they had met up that evening, "I have self control, I don't need booze to have a good time"
"Ok!" Rory laughed and took a sip of her own martini, "But if you ever just want to stay in, just let me know"
"I will" Paris nodded, "But I like this, no Doyle, no Alex, no drama"
"Is he getting to be less of a germaphobe or will he still not let you touch doorknobs?" Rory laughed.
"He's still nuts" Paris laughed, "Yesterday, I was going into Starbucks and he Lysol wiped the skim milk jug, the people around us thought he was nuts"
"Well..." Rory looked at her.
"Ok, fine he was nuts, but he's just trying to protect the baby, and that is kind of adorable" Paris smiled.
"Penny for your thoughts, Ace?" Logan brought her out of her daze.
"I was just thinking" Rory smiled, "About how Paris and I used to come here, even when she was pregnant, she never wanted to miss girls night"
"Well, Paris was nothing if not a stickler for her appointments" Logan smiled, "She was lucky to have you"
"We were lucky to have each other, she, she helped me get over you, when I was on the campaign trail, she made it easy" Rory admitted.
"How?" Logan laughed.
"She kept everything Huntzberger away from me, I actually, somehow, was on the invite list to your parents annual Christmas gala the year after we broke up" Rory laughed, "And Paris made sure I never saw the invite, it actually wasn't until after she died that I found it in her study, tucked away"
"So Paris stole your mail?" Logan smirked, "She was a great friend"
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"Well you two certainly were out late" Finn commented as they walked back into the apartment just after midnight.
"Sorry" Rory smiled weakly, "How was your night playing Uncle Finn?"
"It was great" Finn told her, "We had pizza for dinner, and watched movies"
"Well that sounds perfect, is she asleep?" Rory laughed as she set her purse on the counter.
"She's been out for a couple of hours, although she did her damndest to fight it" Finn explained, "How was dinner?"
"It was good" Logan smiled as he undid his tie and they took a seat on the couch.
"Well, Reporter Girl, you look hot" Finn laughed as Rory sat down as well, "I mean smoking freakin hot"
"Easy now, Finn" Logan laughed and put his arm around Rory, "But he is right Ace, you look amazing"
"Thank you" Rory blushed, "I think the dress is...too short, and too low cut?"
"Neither!" Finn laughed as he stood up, "It's hot. Now what do you want to drink?"
"Finn, are you offering me a drink in my own home?" Logan laughed.
"Yes mate, is that a problem?" Finn laughed as he poured his own scotch.
"I'll have a scotch" Logan shook his head as he kissed Rory's temple.
"I'll take one too, please!" Rory told him as she relaxed into Logan's embrace, "Tonight was good" she whispered so only he could hear her.
"Well they were on their best behaviour" Logan told her as Finn returned with the drinks, "So what time did you tell Ava we would leave tomorrow"
"10am" Finn told them.
"Finn, you know you aren't normally up before noon, right?" Rory laughed as she took a sip of her drink.
"Well, that little angel has a way of bringing me to my knees. Could you imagine if I ever had one of my own? Bloody hell, I'd be screwed!"
"Well Finn, for all you know, you already have a soccer team floating around somewhere" Rory told him seriously.
"That's not funny, love" Finn smirked, "Colin should be back soon, from his mysterious date"
"Be nice" Rory warned them both.
"Ace, us, not nice? To our dear friend Colin?" Logan put his hand on his chest for dramatic effect, "I am hurt"
"Shut up, buster" Rory laughed, setting her drink down on the coffee table, "But, it is late, and if she is going to the zoo at 10, she will be up by 7, which means I am going to bed"