AN: Thank you for the patience, hopefully everyone is doing well. It certainly has been a chaotic week for me. So, we have some happy and some errr in this chapter, but rest assured, Rory and Logan are not done dealing with their issues, unfortunately. Read, review, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter Thirteen

Logan was up first. His neck hurt, probably from the way Mia was laying horizontally in the bed. Her head was on Rory's stomach and her legs had alternated between kicking him in the back and in the chest depending on which way he was laying throughout the night. She loved it though, and Logan wouldn't change those moments for the world. They had stayed up late (for a four year old), watching old movies and eating junk food. Logan had been persuaded by his girls to wear the Christmas pyjamas they had all worn on Christmas Eve. Logan grabbed his phone and groaned, too many e-mails that he didn't want to deal with, he put his phone back on the bedside table and carefully maneuvered himself out of bed. He went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, splashed some water on his face and pulled on a Huntzberger Publishing sweatshirt. He wasn't sure who the marketing genius behind deciding HPG needed apparel for their employees a few years earlier was, but he pulled it on and then walked out of his bedroom and to the kitchen. He was glad they were alone, along with giving Anna a couple of weeks off, he had done the same for Rebecca. He figured it was for the best. It gave he and Rory time to talk and also gave them a much needed break after the holidays. Logan let the coffee begin to brew and pulled out two mugs. He wasn't completely sure what they would be today. Would they be fine? Would they be guarded and walk on eggshells like they had been? Would they be fine when Mia was around and fight like cats and dogs when she was gone? Logan shook the thoughts from his head and walked to the front door to bring in the newspapers and tucked them under his arm before grabbing the coffee mugs, filling them and walking back to his bedroom. Rory and Mia remained asleep in bed, Mia had now curled herself up against Rory. He smiled at the image and put the coffees down before he took a seat in the overstuffed chair that Rory had wanted in the space. He quietly opened the newspaper and began to read as the light streamed into their bedroom. He figured Rory would be up first, she slept best in darkness, but Mia somehow could sleep in just about any condition. Light, dark, noisy, loud…once the girl was asleep, she was asleep.

Logan read the paper quietly, cringing ever so slightly at the tax increase that had been put through a couple of days earlier. He took a long sip of his coffee and thought about the last twenty four hours. It had been a rollercoaster with Rory, that was an understatement, but having spent the night in bed laughing and talking and playing with Mia, stealing a few kisses after Mia had fallen asleep between them, that was exactly what he needed. He was surprised when he finished the first section of the newspaper and Rory was still asleep, Logan wanted to be there when they woke up, he knew it would be fun and relaxing, carefree like they needed, but he also knew that he had a lot of work to catch up on. Work that he had put off, work that he had sidelined during Rory's recovery and even if he wasn't going to be back right away, he needed to catch up. He put the paper back on the bedside table and grabbed his phone and began to scroll. He wasn't sure how much more correspondence he received because he wasn't in the office full time, but he had to hope that if he were in Manhattan, or even Hartford, some of these issues might be resolved over a quick cup of coffee or a face to face chat instead of a seventeen person, twenty two e-mail chain. Logan hammered out a few responses to clear up some misinformation as quickly as he could and then he sighed and opened an e-mail he had been avoiding for the past three days. It was an e-mail from his father and one of their counterparts in London. Logan knew what it was about, he knew it was an e-mail suggesting that they needed more guidance and support in London. It was the precursor to being asked outright to relocate a member of the senior executive team back to London. Logan knew it made the most sense for him to return to London, but he had no idea how Rory would feel about it. They had barely spent any time in London since Logan had found out about Tristan, and since they had adopted Mia. He remembered when they had first moved to London. It had been cathartic, it had been safe at first…but then, by the end it had been traumatic.

Logan responded to his father, can we talk about this next week? I'll fly in for a couple of days? are there any other options? Can someone else go? What about my relocation somewhere closer? Manhattan? Hartford? Let me know - Logan

He knew that if they were to need to relocate, it would involve research, time spent finding appropriate schools, a decent place to live for Mia, replacing Rory at the magazine. He didn't think the magazine would be an issue, while Rory enjoyed her work there, she had as much as admitted that it wasn't exactly soul fulfilling work. Arguably, she could probably find better work in the UK than in Newport.

"Whatever is going on in that pretty little head of yours looks far too serious," Rory's voice broke him away from the screen of his phone, "good morning."

"Good morning," Logan put his phone down and reached to pass her the coffee as she sat up, "how long have you been awake?" He hadn't even realized that he had been responding to e-mails and staring at the screen for close to twenty minutes.

"Thank you," Rory smiled, she had sat up slowly to avoid waking Mia. "Just a few minutes," she told him. "Everything alright? You look pretty…focused?" she nodded to the phone that had now pinged once more since he put it down.

"Nothing worth discussing right now," Logan assured her as he offered her the newspaper, she shook her head and he put it back on the bedside table, "you sleep alright? Mia was tap-dancing all over me."

"I would hardly call it the most restful nights sleep I've had lately," Rory shrugged, "but it was fun, she was happy."

"Me too," Logan nodded, "I'm going to shower, that alright with you?" he stood up and leaned over to kiss Rory quickly.

"Wait," Rory put her coffee down and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling him in closer for another kiss. Rory smiled against his lips as she lingered for a moment, "I love you," she told him.

xxx

"Mia, put on your gloves if you want to go outside," Logan stood in the mudroom waiting for Mia to follow suit.

"No."

"Mia, if you want to go outside and play in the snow, it will probably be one of the only days we can do this," Logan told her, referring to the fact that it likely wouldn't be a winter wonderland for long. "I started a fire, so we can do s'mores after if you behave."

"Where is Mommy?"

"Mommy is on the phone and will be out in a few minutes," Logan told her, she had gotten a call from her doctor about her condition and they needed to discuss it privately, which is why Logan had agreed to enjoy the struggle which was trying to get a four year old to put on weather appropriate clothing.

"Why?"

"Because her doctor wanted to talk to her."

"I thought her leg was all better?"

"It is," Logan assured her, "don't worry Mia, everything is fine. Please put your mittens on if you want to play outside, or we can go back inside and do something else…"

"I want my Mommy," Mia remained steadfast.

"Your Mommy will be down soon, can we please either go outside or stay inside?"

"Mommy!"

"Amelia Lane Huntzberger, I will count to three and if you are not wearing mittens, or taking those boots off, then you are going to spend some time alone in your room. Got it?"

"I want Mommy!"

"One…two…," Logan paused to gauge what Mia was doing, "three. Alright, come on," Logan pulled her boots from her feet and picked the little girl up.

"No Daddy! I want to go outside! No! NO! I WANT MY MOMMY!" Mia screamed against his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs.

"Amelia," Logan warned, he knew that the noise would disrupt Rory as he made his way up the stairs as quickly as he could with a squirming, forty pound child in his arms and put her down on her bed, "you are staying in here until you can calm down."

"I don't want to!" Mia shouted back, her face was red and tears were streaming down her face.

"Well, I gave you a chance, so, when you are calmed down and ready to apologize, you can come down. But until then, stay up here."

"I WANT TO PLAY OUTSIDE!" Mia screamed as she flailed on her bed. Logan repeated his sentiment that she could come downstairs when she was ready to calm down and apologize.

"What is going on?" Rory asked as Logan returned to the main floor and Mia could still be heard throwing her fit upstairs.

"She didn't want to wear mittens, then she wanted you…now she is upset because I followed through on the consequence of going to her room…" Logan paraphrased, "you off the phone?"

Rory shook her head, "I'm on hold, but everything is good," she assured him. She had spoken with the doctor and he had agreed that she needed to get some tests done but this is ultimately what they had hoped would happen with her recovery. "Should be done soon. Are we going to take her outside?"

"If she calms down," Logan shrugged as he helped himself to a water from the fridge. "I'm going to tidy up all of the shit she threw around in the mudroom."

"Thank you," Rory gave him a sympathetic smile before she returned to her phone call and listened for Mia who seemed to still be stomping around upstairs. She spoke quickly with the receptionist and made an appointment to see her doctor the following week. Rory exhaled and put away some of the dishes from lunch when her phone rang again, "Mitchum?" Rory was surprised as she picked up the phone, seeing his name on her caller ID.

"Rory, hi, I'm sorry to bother you…but we need to talk."

"Right now?" Rory retreated to the office where she could close the door. She knew well enough that if Mitchum was calling her, he didn't want Logan to hear about it. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," Mitchum assured her, his tone remained even as he spoke, "has Logan told you about our conversation from earlier today?"

"Logan hasn't mentioned you at all today," Rory admitted.

Mitchum inhaled, he knew that what he was about to do was going to cause a problem between him and Logan, but he also knew that it had to be done. "Listen, Rory…I know I am not a great father in law, I know that I lack the warm fuzziness that your Grandfather has for you, and that I'm sure your Dad has for Mia, but I really do want what is best for my family, and unfortunately often times that is also about taking care of the business."

"Alright…" Rory could honestly say that she had absolutely no idea where this conversation was headed.

"I need Logan back in London."

"I'm sorry, what?" Rory didn't know what the conversation would hold but this certainly isn't what she had expected, "Mitchum, we've been here for years now. We have a life here, we have Mia, Mia has school, I have my work…"

"I know all of this Rory, and trust me, I wouldn't be bringing this up, not now, after everything that has gone on in the last few months, but I am worried that if we don't don't stabilize things in London, and by extension our European holdings…we may have some trouble with the international part of the company."

"So what did Logan say about this?" Rory remained calm, "you asked me if Logan and talked to me, so obviously he knew. What did he say to you?"

"Logan said we would discuss it."

"So why are you coming to me?"

"If he thinks that you will be upset, he will never agree. Rory, I need you to agree to this. I've not asked for much. I let him work remotely, I have given him time off, I have excused that he has been distracted as of late…but we need this. The family needs this, and I know that you are about to launch into a diatribe about how you have your own goals. I respect that, I do, which is why I have never bothered you about your work, but your daughter is a Huntzberger, and this is her legacy as much as it is mine."

"How long would you want us there?" Rory asked. She could see his point. It wasn't as though she was married to her work.

"Indefinitely."

"You want us to permanently relocate to London?"

"The original relocation was supposed to be long term, you know that. You came home because of Mia and the adoption…"

Rory took a deep breath, "I will need to talk to Logan about it," she told him honestly. "But if this is what Logan wants to do, I will support it." She knew that it was the fair thing to do. Logan had done everything for the past few years to ensure that Rory had what she needed, what she wanted, what made her comfortable, even if it was at his own expense personally and professionally. Mia was old enough that she could easily make new friends elsewhere, she was barely four. "But Mitchum, if he says no…"

"I will deal with him if he says no. I appreciate you being on my side here."

"I'm not on your side," Rory corrected him quickly, "I am on his team. I will always be on his team. So this is about what he wants, not what I want, and certainly it is not just about what you want."

"I would appreciate if you would refrain from telling him I called."

"Mitchum, I'm not lying to him."

"I'm not asking you to lie to him, I don't think he will ever directly ask did my father put you up to this? I am merely asking that you consider the nature of my relationship with Logan before you set him off against me."

"If you worry about what his reaction to this, you should have considered that before you called."

"Rory, let me be clear. I have kept secrets. I have refrained from making things known both within this family, and publicly. I have spent a lot of money on making sure some things remain quiet, and not just for my own benefit, but to the benefit of my son, and to the benefit of you, for Honor, for Josh, for my grandchildren…I know I am not your favourite person, and I don't expect that you will eulogize me when I am gone…but know that I have had your back when it matters, and I am hoping you will have mine." Rory swallowed the lump that was appearing in her throat. He knew? How did he know? Who had told him? Honor never would have told, she was sure of that much. "Have I got your attention now, Rory?"

"How do you…"

"Well, Rory, I don't like to get into the nitty gritty of it all, but it turns out that Mr. DuGrey was in a relationship when you two started your…friendship, and that woman wasn't exactly thrilled when he broke up with her. She had you two followed."

Rory wiped a tear from her cheek, this is exactly what she hadn't wanted. She hadn't wanted this to ever get out, she hadn't wanted to have people know. She should have known better, she should have known better than to think that this secret would stay quiet forever. "What did you do?"

"I paid her a lot of money and had her sign an NDA. She is harmless to us now, but my point Rory is that I had your back. I had your back with no questions asked, and now I am asking you for some discretion in terms of exactly what you tell your husband."

"Fine," Rory ran a hand through her hair, "fine. I will not tell him we spoke."

"It's been nice chatting Rory, but I really must go. Don't worry, your secret is safe. I'm sure we'll be chatting soon."

Rory hung up the phone and braced herself against the desk, she sniffled and wiped her nose and eyes to try to regain composure just in time for Logan to walk into the office with Mia in tow. "Hey, you ok?" Logan asked with concern as he saw that Rory had clearly been crying.

Rory nodded and smiled, "I'm good, how are you two? Mia did you apologize to your Dad?"

"I did," Mia nodded shyly, "I'm sorry."

"We all have moments," Logan assured her, "I know you were just having trouble finding the right words."

"Can we play outside now?" Mia looked at Rory.

"You know…" Rory paused and looked at Logan who shrugged his shoulders to suggest that he was open to the idea, "that sounds like a great idea. Go get your coat on with Dad, I'm going to get us a coffee," she told Logan, "and then we will all go out together." Mia nodded and ran off to the mudroom where she had been throwing an epic temper tantrum not fifteen minutes earlier. Rory walked to the kitchen and filled two travel mugs with coffee and met with Logan and Mia while Mia was attempting to zip up her coat. Rory smiled and thanked Logan as he helped her into her jacket and she put on a pair of gloves. "Did you get all the work you needed to do done this morning?" Rory asked as she handed him his mug once he was ready and the three of them headed to the backyard. "I forgot how beautiful it can be out here," Rory smiled as she looked out at the property. The ocean in view, snow on the ground, it was perfect. She remembered when they had first started vacationing here, how perfect it all seemed.

"I got what I needed to do done," Logan shrugged as they watched Mia run ahead of them. "You warm enough?" Rory nodded and leaned gently against his body, she wasn't cold, but she always loved the comfort of his body supporting hers. "You alright?"

Rory exhaled, "I have to tell you something, but you have to promise not to get mad, and I promise you it isn't bad so don't start freaking out before I can get the words out."

"Quite the introduction…" Logan took his eyes away from Mia to look at Rory, she looked nervous. "What is it?"

"Promise not to get mad?"

"I promise that no matter what, we can get through it," Logan told her, "but I can't promise not to be mad. What is going on, Ace?" he fought the urge to say what is going on, now, as he tried to keep a positive outlook.

"Your Dad called," Rory explained, her eyes straight ahead on Mia who was tossing snow in the air and making snow angels on the ground, "he said that we need to move to London."

"Rory that isn't up to my Dad, your job is here."

"Logan, it is fine, we can move to London if you think it is necessary. I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel with the magazine. We can replace me, it makes money, it's fine. But if you don't want to move, then I don't want to move."

"Alright…so…what is the issue then? Other than my Dad meddling? But that is par for the course with Mitchum."

"He knows."

"He knows what? About London? Of course he knows."

"No," Rory shook her head, she was so sick of having this conversation, time and time again picking the scab off of the wound. "He wanted me to not tell you he called, he didn't want you to be pissed off again, which I get, so please don't hold that against him. But he knows, I guess Tristan was dating someone and he stopped dating someone while we were…whatever. So that delightful creature tried to blackmail your Dad is what I'm understanding. So he knows, she signed an NDA, your Dad paid her off…"

"Shit, Rory, I'm sorry." Logan shook his head, he was so sick of talking about this, and he hated even more the idea that his father knew, and that his father had known for some extended amount of time and had hung onto it until it was convenient for him to dangle above their heads. "I think…" Logan exhaled, "I think we need to consider London, for the business…but…"

"But what?"

"Maybe we need to out ourselves on the other side of this?" Logan couldn't believe he was saying it, much less with his daughter playing twenty five feet away. "We are going to spend the rest of our lives waiting for the other shoe to drop…maybe we are better off doing it as our own narrative. We're just done the fundraiser, so we aren't risking next years event for the foundation. We can issue a statement and leave it at that, it will be buried in a news cycle with the inauguration coming up."

"You want," Rory felt her eyes widening, "you want me to admit publicly to cheating on you?"

"And we'll need to get Tristan on the same page, we'll need to all sit down and talk about it and make a plan. Something that is fair to all of us…he has been…reasonable through all of this, and so we need to be considerate of that."

"I think hell has officially frozen over," Rory shook her head, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Logan, I don't know if I can do this."

"Rory, I get it, and we can talk about it with Cindy, but truthfully, as much as it will be embarrassing and horrible, we can control it. We can tell the people we love so that they understand before it comes out, we aren't going to wake up one day and find out that it has somehow leaked."

"Are you sure it will get out?"

"I am sure that eventually something will," Logan admitted, he wasn't trying to be cruel, and he truthfully hated talking about it. But if one person knew and had tried to blackmail Mitchum, he was certain that more people would come out of the woodwork.

"Mama?!" Mia came running over with a pile of snow in her hand, "look!"

"Oh my goodness!" Rory laughed as Mia tossed the flakes into the air and started to laugh. "Do you think you can get Daddy?"

"Don't get Daddy," Logan groaned, he was only half serious, but if he could avoid being covered in snow, he would prefer it.

"Oh I think we need to get him," Rory countered with a grin as she placed her mug on the ground and grabbed a handful of slow along with Mia.

"Rory," Logan warned.

"Yes sweetheart?" she smiled as both she and Mia dumped a sprinkling of snow on him. Rory managed to get it on top of his head and Mia hit him in the knees which didn't have much impact.

"Daddy, get Mama!"

"Don't get Mama!" Rory squealed as Mia began pelting her with small handfuls of snow and laughing like a tiny maniac, "Mia Lane!"

"Get her Daddy!"

"If you insist," Logan grabbed a pile of snow and playfully put it down the back of Rory's shirt. "Payback, Ace."

"You two are mean," Rory pouted, "I need a kiss."

"If you insist," Logan played along, he knew exactly what she was doing.

"No, Daddy, not from a stinky boy. From me, Mama needs a kiss from me."