Rory woke on Finn's couch to the sound of her phone giving out a weak beep indicating the battery was critically low. She rose, walked over to Finn's desk and plugged it in. Seconds later she felt a pang of guilty when she saw there were 23 missed calls from Logan. Despite the earliness of the hour, she pressed the call button, knowing he would want her to.
"Ace?" he replied, his voice sounding a little horace, sitting up on his bed.
"Sorry to wake you," she began, "I just couldn't deal with it last night, I'm sorry, I was so tired, and then my phone switched to power save," she said apologetically.
"It's fine, I was just worried," he sighed, feeling relieved.
"I haven't checked all my messages yet, any news?" she asked hesitantly.
"We posted an announcement last night that we're dating and she is not mine. Nothing excess," he stated, knowing that now it all depended on how deep they dug, there were certainly other connections that could be made if they were really desperate. He just hoped it'd be enough.
"Good, I hope it works," she exhaled.
"Are you okay?" he asked carefully.
"I'll be fine, though yesterday was scary. I didn't want to take Leah home by myself, in case they were still there, so we stayed at Finn's," she said, hoping he wouldn't make a big deal about it.
He was grateful that Finn had been around. While their friendship had been put on hold, they did love of the same woman, which meant they were, even if unknowingly, on the same side.
Logan wondered whether they, Rory and him, were okay after all of this, but without seeing her he knew it would've been impossible to truly tell over the phone even if he asked her. Instead he offered, "I'll come by in the evening, help you pack."
As they hung up, Logan took a deep breath and ran his finger through his hair. He looked at his phone again and typed a message to Finn: "Thank you for being there."
Rory sat down at Finn's desk, clearing her phone of notifications. Then she typed "Gilmore Huntzberger statement" into the search field fingin Logan's announcement from last night as the first result.
"I understand there is significant curiosity about my private life, though for the life of me I don't see why the life of a middle aged white male CEO should interest anybody at this day and age. I have over the years developed a mutual tolerable relationship with the yellow press, however today a line was crossed and my girlfriend, Rory Gilmore, was harassed at her house. Malicious and misleading allegations were made about the paternity of her daughter. I do not intend to tolerate such behavior and unless her family is left in peace, I will take legal action," Logan had said, speaking assertively.
He'd taken a stand for her, promising to protect her.
Rory drove home with Leah around noon, spending a lazy morning at Finn's who had cooked them breakfast having taken his morning off. Finn had announced that morning that he'd made a generous offer on the Dutch Colonial hoping to move by the end of the month. He understood now that it was time for him to move on. This was going to be a month of changes for Leah - two new homes and a change of pace once Rory started working. Luckily Lauren lived ten minutes out of town in the direction of New Haven, and was willing to commute between their two homes, leaving Leah with some stability for the time being.
As she arrived at her house that day, she noticed a black car parked outside her gate, but this time it didn't appear to belong to one of the reporters. It almost felt like it was there for her protection. She pondered hesitantly - Would Logan really hire a bodyguard for her?
She pulled out her phone as she switched off her car, texting: "You wouldn't know anything about a black sedan parked out front?"
"Meant to tell you, sorry. That'd be James or Rex, they are there to keep an eye out for you guys. I'll text you their number in case you need anything," he replied a minute later.
While the idea was foreign to her, it did make her feel safer. She texted, "Thank you! See you soon!" gratefully.
After Leah settled down for her nap, Rory knew she had a move to prepare for. While the movers were already booked and her insurance contract was signed, she knew she still needed some furniture items and other necessities to make the place her own. She didn't have time to go shopping with a toddler in tow, so internet shopping was her best bet. Two hours later she her bank account felt lighter yet she could breathe easier as she knew she was almost set.
"So these are your boxes or Emily's?" Logan asked, looking at the mountain of cardboard boxes already stacked up in the hallway.
"These are my books and the contents of Richard's study," she replied.
"And you said you wouldn't know what to do with four bedrooms?" he laughed, rolling his eyes. "I'd say you'll be short of room in no time," he added.
"We'll see, I might have to donate some, but I didn't really have time to sort them through here" she explained, feeling reluctant to depart from the collection, and Logan knew it.
"You'll just have to make one of the rooms into a library," he said jokingly.
"Leah, let go of Logan's leg," Rory said, laughingly to Leah, who had wrapped her hands and legs around Logan. He felt still a little awkward around Leah, not quite knowing what his position was with her. He was less than a father or even an uncle to her at this point, however probably due to his connection to Finn more than just Leah's mother's boyfriend.
"It's fine, Ace, I don't mind," he said, looking at her bright blue eyes that reminded him so much of Rory.
"She likes you, you know," she added, looking at the two with a soppy smile.
"I think I'm going to have to really spend time with her and get to know her a little better," he said, squatting down next to her as she let go of his leg. Leah found his titanium watch, facinated by the moving clock's hands.
"You should," she added.
"Do you think Finn is going to be okay with that?" he asked hesitantly.
"I haven't really asked but I don't think it's a huge deal. Hasn't been so far. But if you want, you can talk to him you know," she suggested.
"I'm not really sure if he'll even talk to me," Logan replied.
"You won't know unless you try," she said.
That conversatsion alone had been enough confirmation to him that they were in a good place.
The movers had already brought over the boxes and the few furniture items Rory had decided to bring along from the Hartford house. These included her fairly new light bedroom set, half of the things from the nursery, a couple of bookcases from the pool house, Richard's desk and armchair that she'd decided to put in her new study that would be located downstairs. To her surprise the seemingly bare and empty house soon filled with hers and Richard's books, making it feel cosy and warm, like a group of old friends hanging out in her living room.
She'd moved the last of her stuff on her own - suitcases with clothing and a couple of boxes of personal items and all of Leah's things she'd kept around until last minute. Finn was going to bring Leah over the next day, so her mission for the first day in her own new home was clear - make sure the place was livable for a toddler. Leah's room was going to be the one with a glimpse of the ocean. She'd replaced her crib with a larger bed now that she was beginning to dangerously climb out of her crib. She'd ordered the bed and the dresser from IKEA together with assembly, a decision she had been internally grateful for. She'd brought along a roll of the tophat and umbrella wallpaper they'd used in the Hartford house and she framed a piece of it in a large horizontal picture frame, almost like a window to the past. She screwed a couple of few tiny hooks in the walls placing a colorful bunting to liven up Leah's otherwise minimalistic room. It was minimalistic now, but once she found the boxes containing her toys and clothes the place began to look familiar. It was incredible how much stuff a one-year-old had. A night light, several comforters, a bunny-carpet, oversized stuffed crocodile, hooded towels, linens, diapers, creams, bibs and a mountain of toys and books were just the beginning. As she finished with the room, she attached screwless security gates at the bottom and top of the stairs. That entire day was the dot on the i in feeling like she was finally being the responsible and independent adult that she'd hoped to become, she knew that it was much thanks to her grandmother and her unplanned life change that had brought her Leah.
"Hi grandma," she called.
"Hi Rory, so nice of you to call," she greeted cheerfully.
"I just moved into the new house. I just really felt I should call. Thank you, grandma. I wouldn't be here without your help," she said, with tears in her throat.
"Oh Rory, that's sweet. But you know, it was the least I could do," she replied.
"You should really come and visit soon, there's an extra bedroom, just let me know a bit in advance so I have time to buy a bed to go in it. Right now it's just mostly full of grandpa's books.
"You brought them all?" she asked, sounding surprised.
"You know how it is with me and the books," she sighed.
"I do, you're just like your grandfather," she replied sounding happy.
An hour later, as she was spread out on the couch, her legs over the side, when her phone rang. She answered it without getting up.
"Enjoying your new home?" Lorelai called.
"I am, Indian food is on it's way," she replied.
"Missing Leah?" Lorelai asked,
"How did you know?" Rory asked.
"It's a mom thing," she replied.
"I just finished her room a little while ago. I wish to to move in and never grow up," she explained giddily, sending her a photo she'd shot before.
"That is cute, I like the framed wallpaper," Lorelai noted.
"The swingset is coming next week," she added.
"Cool," she said, adding, "What about yourself, does it feel like home yet?"
"It's getting there. All the stuff helped, doesn't feel so empty anymore" she sighed.
"Any reporters lurking around?" Lorelai asked, feeling a little worried about that ordeal.
"Rex is parked up front. Haven't seen anybody since that day," she replied with relief. Except a few e-mails asking for an interview, which they'd declined respectfully, it had truly been quiet and she hoped it would stay that way allowing her to focus on her new job and studies in peace.