Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews, mucho appreciated. The next chapter is going to be told mostly from Perry's side, with just a little bit of Rory/Logan in it. Thank you for the suggestion in the reviews :)

Chapter Twenty Four

Rory was nervous. They had agreed to meet at a restaurant rather than at their home, Logan thought his Mom would be able to behave herself if there was a crowd.

"Have I told you lately that you look fantastic in blue? It does wonders for your eyes," Logan gave her a smile as he walked into the bedroom from the washroom of their room at The Dragonfly.

"You didn't have to buy me another dress," Rory rolled her eyes, smoothing the fabric of the cerulean coloured Presley halter dress that had appeared in a Neiman Marcus garment bag that morning.

"You have to eat a meal with my Mother, I should buy you a pony."

"Ice cream will suffice," Rory winked. It was December 28 and they were having dinner with Mitchum, Shira, Honor and Josh in New York, spending the night and then flying back to San Francisco to spend some time together before the kids came back from Toronto on January 6th. Rory and Logan were both excited about the idea of some normalcy. So much of the last month had been spent in some sort of weird rollercoaster. Logan wanted to go to bed without having a drink, and wake up, read the paper, do some work, go for a hike…he wanted normalcy.

"You've always been a cheap date," Logan laughed. "Need a zip?" Rory turned her back to him and pulled her hair over her shoulder as Logan delicately pulled the zipper, he smiled at the goosebumps on her neck as his fingers brushed ever so gently against her skin. "I got you something, a gift."

"Logan you don't need to buy me anything."

Logan rolled his eyes. That was Rory in a nutshell. She had no interest in the material things he could provide, she had no interest in the money or the prestige of being with him. She just wanted to be with him. Maybe that was why he loved spoiling her so much, because she didn't expect it or want it. She didn't send him lists of items she would like for a birthday, or other special occasions like some women he knew of. "Well, I bought it for you as a thank you for tonight."

"What am I doing for you tonight?" Rory looked at him with confusing, trying to think if she had made any outlandish promises.

"Dinner with my family."

"Logan, they are going to be my family too, you don't need to buy me something because I can act like a grownup."

"I know I don't have to buy you anything. But I didn't give you a Christmas gift, and I thought you would like this and it will look great with the dress."

"The dress you also bought for me?"

"Ace…"

"Fine," Rory agreed, "but seriously, no more gifts. I don't need anything."

"You don't buy gifts for a person because they need it, you buy it because you want to. So just accept that you will be spending the rest of your life being spoiled rotten by me." He handed her the brown bag.

Rory knew this was not a battle she was going to win, so she smiled and took the bag. Setting it on the bed as she pulled a brown box from the brown bag and undid the ribbon and smiled. "Logan," she looked at the white gold and diamond bangle in the box, "this is beautiful."

"I thought it would look nice with the dress," he told her of the Roberto Coin Rock & Diamonds 18k white gold bangle he had purchased at the same time as the blue dress. "And I think I was right as she put it on her wrist."

"Someone is going to kidnap me with all of this stuff," Rory laughed as she hugged him, "I'll have to give you a proper thank you later, but for now you will just have to accept that I love it," she kissed him passionately and giggled as his hands made her way to her butt and pulled her closer to him. "I said later," she giggled in his grasp.

xxx

Logan had driven the rental car into Manhattan, and he would be lying if he didn't say he regretted it. They were going to some fancy Italian restaurant that his Mother had insisted on and Logan didn't care to fight it. He figured that if she was on neutral ground, Shira might behave like a normal human being for an evening. "We can still bail," Logan told her as they walked towards the entrance, "just keep walkin' - no one would know."

Rory laughed and gave his hand a squeeze, "I have met your parents, in fact I saw them a week ago. It is one night, and right after there is a jet fuelled up and waiting to take us home…so I say we just enjoy it and move on."

"I never really pegged you for a glass half full kind of gal," Logan joked as he opened the door for her and followed her inside the dimly lit restaurant.

"The glass is always half full when it ends with me in your bed," Rory gave him a kiss before handing off her jacket.

"Logan Huntzberger, we are meeting another party?" Logan smiled at the maitre'd.

"Yes, Mr. Huntzberger, Mrs. Huntzberger," she nodded and took Rory's coat and waited a moment for Logan to pass his jacket to her, "please come with me. Some of your party has already arrived. Your sister I believe?"

Logan smiled, his parents must come here often if the maitre'd could deduce that Honor was his sister. His hand gracefully guided Rory behind the younger woman until they walked into a private room at the back of the restaurant, "thank you very much," he smiled as Honor shrieked and stood from her chair, Josh following in a much less dramatic manner. "Hey sis, Josh." Logan nodded to them both.

"Oh my god, let me see that ring!" Honor essentially charged at Rory and took her hand, "it is beautiful. I swear, I was hoping Grandma would leave it to me, but she always had a soft spot for Logan. However the real kicker here is how much my Mom wanted that ring…to know that it is on your finger probably keeps her up at night!" Honor squealed. "I'm so excited for you both! Are you excited? Do you have a plan? A date? A location? What can I do?"

"Honor," Josh whispered to his wife, "they just got here, Rory probably wants to keep her hand…"

"Oh, yes! Duh!" Honor pulled Rory in for a tight squeeze, "I'm just so happy that you are going to make a go of it with my baby brother. He can be so dumb sometimes, but my god he loves you."

"I love him too," Rory smiled at her enthusiasm, "we haven't really talked about any plans…I don't know…something small?" she looked towards Logan.

Logan shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders, "whatever you want."

"Oh come on, you must have something elaborate, we need to celebrate. Plus it would piss Mom off."

"We're not making plans just to piss Mom off," Logan told his sister firmly.

"Well what a relief that is to hear," Shira made her presence known in the room, having just arrived to hear her oldest child speak.

"I was just kidding Mom," Honor walked over and kissed her mother on the cheek, "you look great."

"I look the same as I did when I saw you on Christmas, but thank you." Shira nodded and embraced both of her children as well as her son in law. "Rory, you look beautiful. Blue really is a lovely colour on you."

Rory was surprised. Sure, Logan had told her that Shira would behave, but she didn't expect it to sound remotely genuine. "Thank you, it was a gift from Logan."

"He has always had wonderful taste," Shira smiled and moved towards her seat at the table. "Your father just saw an acquaintance, he should be in soon."

Honor and Josh were sitting between Shira and Logan, Rory was beside him and Mitchum would then separate Shira and Rory when he joined them. "Are you staying in the city, Mom?" Honor asked.

"Until the New Year," Shira nodded, "I was hoping to head to Aspen, but your father has meetings to attend to. A deal that needs to be closed before the end of the calendar year."

Logan nodded his head, he knew of the deal, and he also knew that he had refused to stay in town to assist knowing that there were many capable hands available to do the work. Mitchum was simply staying because he couldn't feel as though he wasn't in complete control at all times, "we're headed to California tonight. Sick of this cold."

"Yes, I would imagine so. You used to have such an affinity for skiing, have you given that up now?"

"I would hardly call it the season for another few weeks," Logan told her pleasantly, "not enough snow at my usual jaunts, the boys and I will get a trip in this season I'm sure."

"Don't break anything."

"I appreciate the concern."

They were all relieved when Mitchum entered the room, followed closely by two sommeliers holding several bottles of very expensive red wine. "Sorry for the delay, hope you didn't start the party without me. Good to see you all," he kissed Honor on the cheek and clapped Josh and Logan on the shoulder before smiling broadly at Rory. "You look beautiful Rory."

"Thank you," Rory smiled as he sat down, grateful for a physical barrier between her and Shira.

"So," Shira spoke again, smiling sweetly at Rory, "I know I overheard Honor speaking, but have you two made any wedding plans?"

Rory shook her head as the sommelier poured the wine, "we haven't really discussed it. I erm…" she paused, "this isn't my first go at this, so whatever Logan wants is great."

"Well, I say that even if it isn't your first, as you say, go at this. You should still have whatever wedding you want. If you want a princess dress, get one, if you want to rent a castle…do it."

Rory was surprised, she could see that Logan was too, "well, thank you…I think though that the whole princess wedding has passed for me."

"Do you mind if I ask where your first wedding was?" Shira glanced at Logan who gave her a look to suggest that she tread carefully. "Just so I know in case inspiration hits."

"My ex-husband is from Canada, we got married in the summer at a lakefront resort just north of Toronto. It's where he spent his summers as a kid…" she paused, "I didn't really want to get married in Connecticut, so it worked out well."

"That sounds lovely, and a little bit handy, I suppose we could have this just about anywhere."

"Rory and I will let you know when we have made some plans," Logan paused, he was impressed that Shira was being so civil, "I'm sure you can help out a bit."

"Well I remember from the DAR, Rory throws one hell of a party."

"You should see me with some streamers and a piñata, I could blow your mind." Rory tried to smile as she took a sip of her wine.

The evening progressed well, it was certainly awkward at times but at the very least the group of adults seemed to be able to exchange basic pleasantries which was a relief to both Logan and Rory. By the time dessert rolled around, they were certainly ready to leave. Honor and Josh had discussed their boys, and Rory had explained how she hoped that her kids would be able to attend Chilton when they came to town. Shira had remained quiet for a good portion of the evening which was a relief to Logan, and Mitchum had peppered in some praise of Rory's recent work for Hugo and mentioned his hope to purchase the publication.

"So Rory, I must admit, when my baby brother told me you were going to be moving back to Connecticut, I must say, I was so relieved, although I do love having a place to visit in California."

"I'm really looking forward to being home," Rory smiled and took a sip of her coffee, "being near my Mom, and for Logan to be closer to his own family."

"Yes, we've been wanting to get Logan back here for quite some time," Shira agreed.

Logan glanced at his watch, "well, we should go. We've got a plane to catch. This has been fun though, much better than the first time," he winked at his Mother.

"Logan," Mitchum warned his son.

"Sorry, force of habit…you know what they say about the scorpion and the frog, I've gotta be on my toes."

"Logan," Rory spoke softly, "this was lovely. Thank you all for dinner, I'm sure we will be back again soon and we can get together. Honor, I would love to meet your boys again…I feel like we just said a passing hello at Disney for my birthday."

Honor smiled and stood up to embrace Rory, "this was great, really."

They said their goodbye's quickly and retrieved their coats. Logan was grateful when the cool air hit his face as they stepped into the street, "you wanna talk about that, or should we circle back to it tomorrow?"

"Talk about what?" Logan ran a hand through his hair as they began to walk.

"Everything was going fine."

"i just…Rory, one night after a million other nights where they told me what a disappointment I was…." he paused, "I'm glad they were on their best behaviour, but I'm going to need more than one night with her being on her best behaviour."

"She really did a number on you, didn't she?" Rory asked. They had never really discussed his Mother. Mitchum? Sure, but Shira was another story. Mitchum had high expectations, but Shira could be cruel at worst and indifferent at best.

Logan exhaled, he had to actively think about not letting his pace quicken at the mention of his Mother and her impact on him. "I'm not sure how she could do a number on me if she never cared about me?"

"I'm sorry," Rory told him honestly, they were almost at the rental car and she would be relieved to get back to California.

"It's fine Ace," Logan assured her as he slung his arm over her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. "Why don't we talk about it tomorrow?"