A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and support, I love it. This is my fluff story, so lets enjoy it. Mitchum rears his...Mitchum-ness in this chapter, feeling wounded from negotiations I suppose. If you want to see the dress described later in the chapter. It is Oscar de la Renta fall 2018, look 4

Disclaimer: i own nothing

Chapter Twenty Nine

"Dad do we really need to do this again?" Logan was standing with his front door open, "you flew all the way to California to have it out?"

"I came to see my son."

"Your son would appreciate some warning next time. Is Mom going to pop out of the limo too?"

Mitchum shook his head, "we need to talk about the merger."

"We have talked about the merger," Logan countered quickly, "in fact, I believe we signed on almost everything yesterday, so there is nothing that required you to hop on a plane in the middle of the night on Friday to surprise me here."

Mitchum walked into the house, "I assume you have guests?"

"Rory and her kids are here, I don't think I would call them guests given that we are engaged."

"So do they live here now?" Mitchum was heading to the kitchen, "coffee is made?"

"Jesus Dad, go to my office and wait. I will bring you a coffee and you can talk about whatever the hell it is you came here to talk about."

"The family in the kitchen?"

"The family," Logan glared, "is in the backyard. If you would like to meet them, after we talk you can go put on your other personality, the one my nephews like and give it a shot, sound good?"

"No sugar in the coffee, your Mother is making me kick that habit," Mitchum called.

Logan rolled his eyes and walked through the kitchen and to the patio, "Ace?" he called, Rory and the boys were running around in the yard, "my Dad just showed up."

"Your what?" Rory stopped and looked at him with confusion, "he dropped in? He lives in Hartford."

"Business stuff," Logan shrugged, "we'll be in the office…then…out here."

Rory certainly got the message and nodded, "I'll release the hounds in half an hour. You promised!"

Logan smiled and returned to the kitchen. He had taken two calls that morning and had promised her no more work after the fact. He poured his father a coffee and one for himself before making his way to his office, "so, Dad, what to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We need to update your will," Mitchum took the coffee. "I didn't want to talk about this in front of everyone, this is a conversation I needed to have with you, man to man, father to son."

"Father to son?" Logan chuckled, "a little late for that? Or are the Boy Scouts coming later and you will finally take me camping?"

"We need to make sure that your success is secure."

"Secure?" Logan repeated, "I pay some people a lot of money to make sure that my money is making money, that my future is safe. Not really sure what you mean here Dad."

"Oh you can't he that daft Logan, you need your will to be clear, you need to protect yourself."

Logan laughed and rolled his eyes. He had flown out here for this? To suggest that Rory was after his money, "did Mom send you here?"

"She has mentioned it, but my lawyer did as well."

"Let me be very clear Dad, in the same way I was clear to you yesterday about LHM and your place there…" Logan paused, "I will update my will, that is the responsible thing to do when you are an adult entering a relationship, but the update will be that if anything happens to me, everything I have, everything I had, everything that I will ever earn, my shares in HPG, everything will be directed to Rory. If Rory is gone, it will go to our kids. You'll notice how I say our kids, because that is what they are. If Rory and I have more kids, then it will be split in more directions. You don't get a say in this. If you want to change your will, be my guest, I don't care. More to Honor and her boys, that doesn't bother me. What is it going to take for you to understand me Dad? I don't need you."

"Logan you need to protect yourself."

"From what Dad?"

"What about your legacy?"

"You know, you are right Dad," Logan shook his head and sipped his coffee, "what about my legacy? As opposed to a man like you, or even better, Grandpa….dear old Gramps. My legacy….will be that I loved a woman who happened to have children, and I loved those children like they were my own. My wife will never have had to spend a moment of our marriage wondering if I was with someone else because I didn't marry her because I was supposed to, or because it was good for business. I will marry my wife because I love her. Our children will know they are loved, our children will feel welcome in our home, the friends of our children will be welcome. Our children can have whatever future they want. If Eli Cramer comes to me one day and says 'I really want to work in digital media', I will help him, and if he comes to me one day and says 'I want to be a dentist' that is fine too, and if Luca asks me to help him because he wants to be a hockey player, I will be at every fucking game." Logan told him, "If we have more children, my legacy will be how I love them, all of those kids. But I can see how you would worry about what my legacy will be compared to yours. A legacy of a man who slept with every secretary he had, a man who didn't bother to clean the lipstick off his collar when he came home late for dinner. A man who didn't know where his kids were throughout most of their childhood, but, on the bright side, you bought papers, bought them, ate them, tore them apart and came home to an empty house. You had to beg your son to come back into the family business, to save the family business. So yes, your legacy is one I will look to for inspiration? But you know…the real winner in this equation….without a doubt, Grandpa. A man who arranged the marriage of his son and a woman who he could barely stand, but a woman he could control. He managed to keep the business afloat, which is good, but truly, his greatest accomplishment is the control he managed to exercise over you and Mom until he died." Logan shook his head, "So ask me which I want on my tombstone. Controlling sycophant, may he rest in peace? Or sad excuse for a husband and father, but mediocre grandfather? Or maybe…maybe I will be content to know my tombstone will read something to the effect of, loving husband, father and uncle?"

"Do you think it is all that simple?"

"It is that simple Dad," Logan chuckled. "I'm marrying a woman I love, we are going to have a beautiful family, and there is not a damned thing you can do to get in the way of that. I thought I was clear, I thought when I talked to you and Mom, I was very clear, but I'll say it again. You will treat her well or I will be gone so fast it will make your head spin. My money and I will enjoy a very happy life with my wife and kids."

xxx

"Mitchum will you be staying for dinner?" Rory asked, they were all standing outside while the boys played with a soccer ball.

"I think I've over stayed my welcome," Mitchum told her honestly.

"You know…" Rory paused and took a deep breath, "why don't you and I have a talk? Can you…meet me in the living room? I'll just make sure Logan is watching them," she nodded to the barbecue that Logan was turning on.

"I would like that."

Rory walked over to the barbecue and gave Logan a quick kiss, "my hero knows how to turn on a grill."

"Just wait till you see what I can do with a steak," Logan laughed, "where did my Dad go? His car here already?"

"I invited him for dinner."

"You what?"

Rory smiled, she knew he wouldn't be happy, "he and I are going to have a little chat…can you watch the boys please?"

"Rory, I don't think that is a good idea."

"I'm a big girl, I can handle this myself, I promise."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Logan winked.

"I'll go easy on him."

"Not too easy."

"Eyes, boys." Rory repeated as she turned back towards the house, she stopped in the kitchen for a glass of wine and instinctively grabbed one for Mitchum as well. He was surprised when she extended a glass to him after meeting in the living room, "you used to frighten me."

"Yes, I remember something about that," Mitchum nodded, "something tells me you aren't so scared of me anymore?"

"I have four boys Mitchum, there isn't much that scares me anymore. I have worked hard for my Grandfather, I have busted my ass being a Mom, I have been cheated on, I have gone through a public divorce…"

"Yes, I am rather up to date on the last decade of your life," he admitted, "it seems you have been busy."

"So you know that I don't need money. You know that I could have happily stayed in Encino on my own. If I needed money, I could have gone to my Mother, or my Father….I could have gotten into a relationship with a wealthy businessman who has children that go to school with mine…"

"What are you getting at with all of this, Rory?"

"I didn't expect to see him. Running into him when I did…it was a shock to me. Being back in his life…I thought that ship had sailed when I said no."

"And why, may I ask did you say no?"

Rory swallowed the lump in her throat, "I wanted to figure out who I was without being a Huntzberger. I thought I could take on the world without him."

"How did that go for you?"

"Plans change," Rory smiled, "but I don't have any regrets about it. He is remarkable, and I don't know if this would have all been the same if we had gotten together back then. Logan learned how to be his own person, he learned how to stand on his own two feet, without me, without you. He is a good man, he is a good friend, a good uncle, he loves my boys…"

"You say you don't want anything from him…"

"I don't," Rory nodded, "but you don't believe that."

"I believe everyone wants something."

"I want him," Rory shrugged, "I want him and I want to be happy. I'll sign whatever you want. You want me to say that I won't take anything, that is what you are worried about? The money? I will sign a prenup, I don't want any of it. If things don't work out with Logan…all I want is him."

"You mean that?"

Rory nodded, "but you still don't believe me."

"Tell him," Mitchum raised an eyebrow and took a sip of the wine, "tell him you want a prenup. You can say it to me all you want, but you know I can't make it happen. Offer it to him and I will believe you."

"And you will stop this bullshit with him? The games, the dropping in, the idea that he is a success because of you and not in spite of you?" Rory asked him, "If I do this, you will finally show that man the respect he deserves?"

"Sure."

"Well then, do you want your steak medium or rare?"

"Rare, please."

Rory stood up and walked back to the backyard where Logan was balancing his time between watching the boys and seasoning the grill, whatever the hell that meant. "Babe, your Dad is going to stay for dinner."

"He is?"

"I insisted, you know how persuasive I can be," Rory smiled sweetly as she took a sip from her glass.

"I do."

"I want to ask you something, or tell you something, but…I just want to get it over with."

"Alright…"

"If you want a prenup, I'll sign it."

"Rory, what did my Dad say to you?" Logan asked as Mitchum appeared from inside.

"It doesn't matter. He and I are good. I just…if you want me to sign one, if you think it is best, if your money person thinks it is best…I will sign. I don't want anyone to ever question that I am here for you."

"You aren't signing a prenup."

"Can't say I didn't offer," Rory smiled.

xxx

"I can't believe that on the first day of our vacation, the first full day of our trip, you are working," Rory pouted from bed.

"This is all the work I have to do," Logan promised her. They had arrived in London the previous night and had spent the evening ordering takeout from their old jaunts, watching movies and apparently christening every surface in the apartment. "And, I do have a surprise for you…well…kind of."

"A kind of surprise, I like surprises. Is it chocolate?"

"It isn't chocolate," Logan laughed, "god you are easy to please."

"Well, I prefer dark chocolate, so I'm not that easy to please."

"Honor is coming to see you."

Rory felt her face fall a bit, "you brought your sister on our vacation?"

Logan laughed and shook his head as he did up the buttons of his shirt, "no, my sister is here for a baby shower for a friend, but she wants to do something special with you, and I think it is a great idea. Get up, shower, get dressed, she will be here in an hour and she says dress cute, whatever the hell that means."

"Dress cute? For what? Am I going to a fashion show? A tour of Buckingham Palace? Lunch with Duchess Catherine? There are so many options and dress cute doesn't begin to cover them."

"You are not meeting royalty, at least not intentionally."

"Jeans ok?"

"Whatever you want Ace, just go and have fun. You'll have lunch, and I will be back this afternoon and we can test out that wall over there," Logan winked and nodded in the direction of the living room.

"That has a bookshelf, it might hurt my back."

"We'll have to give it a try."

"So Honor is just for this morning, then it is back to just being us?"

"Honor flies home tonight, she was in town for 36 hours and you just happen to fit into her schedule."

"How lucky for me."

"I love you, I have to go," Logan kissed her gently.

"I love you too," Rory smiled, her fingers found her way to her lips as she watched him walk away. She would have loved to just stay in bed all day, but she knew that Honor would be relentless if she didn't go with her. Rory pulled herself out of bed and got into the shower. She looked through her suitcase and settled on the black, long sleeved, knee length, cashmere dress she had brought with her and a camel colour Burberry trench, paired with a pair of black ankle boots and a black YSL handbag. By the time she had finished applying her lipstick and mascara, there was frantic knocking on the door, "I'm coming!"

"Oh my gosh I'm so glad my baby brother had to work so I could steal you!" Honor grinned as Rory swung the door open. "You look great, why do you always look so great?"

"Oh, Honor, stop, if you keep this up, my ego will get so big they won't let me back on the plane!" Rory laughed as Honor hugged her. "I'm glad to see you."

"Well, I have a big surprise, and I'm so glad this has all worked out, and I need you to promise not to be mad at me, and you need to know that Logan knows nothing of this." Honor was talking a mile a minute as she basically pulled Rory out of the apartment and Rory locked the door behind her. "I have a car waiting downstairs."

"Well, where are we going? Should I be wearing running shoes?"

Honor shook her head, "for someone with very little notice, you look too good. It is downright criminal!"

"Where are we going, Honor?" Rory laughed as they road the elevator down to the street.

"You promise not to be mad?"

"I won't be mad as long as we aren't going to commit a felony!"

"We're going wedding dress shopping!" Honor squealed, "this is completely my treat. If you find something you love, it is my wedding gift to you for putting up with my insane family. Dad told me about the chat you two had, and I'm so glad that you put him in his place. Anyone with eyes knows you aren't with Logan for the money. He just…he loves you so much, and your boys, so while my parents are idiots, that is nothing new…I just want you to know how excited I am to have a sister!"

Rory smiled as the car started to move, she tried to hide the excitement on her face, "Honor, you don't have to do this."

"I want to do this Rory, we are family, this is what you do for family."

Rory smiled, the first time she had bought a wedding dress it had been chaotic. Her Mother, Grandmother, Sookie, Lane, Paris, Perry's mother and sisters and all gone with her and it was…insane. She picked a dress that looked beautiful on her, but it certainly wasn't a dress she had loved. Everyone had been so excited and Emily had insisted on buying it for her, Rory couldn't say no. "We don't even have a date set."

"So we go and look, if you want something, we buy it, if you don't, then we've had fun at the very least."

"I guess I can't fault that logic," Rory shrugged. "Where are we going? Harrods?"

Honor laughed, "no honey, we aren't going to Harrods. I've booked out Oscar de la Renta, they know we're coming and they are absolutely thrilled with the idea of being able to dress the future Mrs. Logan Huntzberger."

"Well that certainly is a mouthful, Honor, really, this is too much!"

"Rory, this is not too much, you deserve this. Please."

"Alright, fine!" Rory grinned, she had to admit, it was exciting, to spend a moment just having fun and not thinking about the logistics. The logistics of the house, the logistics of her kids going to school, or Logan being able to get to the office, this was just fun.

The women arrived and immediately upon their arrival were handed champagne. Rory discussed her vision for her wedding dress, explaining that this wasn't her first trip down the aisle and Honor buzzed with excitement about all of the options they had and Rory's wonderful figure. If you didn't know Honor, you would think she was being superficial, but Rory knew that this was how Honor showed she cared, she was excited, she was happy for her brother, she was happy for Rory, and this was her way of showing it.

"Do you see anything that catches your eye?" the employee smiled at the two women.

"Could I…" Rory paused and pointed to a dress, it was strapless, somewhere between a column and an a-line skirt. The material was semi-sheer, it was adorned with tiny leaves that created a sense of structure to it. Rory thought it looked mature but also stunning, "that one?"

"Of course," the employee smiled.

"Oh my goodness, Rory, it is stunning."

Rory laughed as she undressed in the fitting room and the employee helped her into the gown. She took a breath in and put her hand on her non-existent stomach. "Wow," she breathed.

"You look amazing," the employee smiled.

"Get out here!" Honor giggled, "you are taking too long!"

Rory exhaled and left the fitting room, she barely noticed the tears coming down her face, "I think…"

"Oh Rory," Honor stood up and smiled, "this is it, isn't it?"

"It can't be the first dress I try on," Rory shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye.

"You know, the irony of the situation isn't lost on me."

"What irony?"

"You were the first girl he ever dated, the first time he ever said girlfriend and meant it…so I think maybe…if the dress fits, and it looks look like you…maybe this is the dress, maybe it can be the first one you try on."