The next morning Rory regretted having postponed a week of sessions with Cara. She clearly had not been ready for that. While Logan attended to Leah taking her out to a larger playground few blocks away, Rory sat down at her laptop to do her therapy homework.

She needed to write about herself as Logan's fiance and future wife, yet this role was perhaps one of the most complex and ignoring all of their history proved most challenging. After minutes of hesitation, she finally wrote, and largely without thinking simply forcing words appear.

I, Lorelai Leigh 'Rory' Gilmore, am soon going to be the wife of Logan Elias Huntzberger. I am about to permanently change roles from the small-town girl who struggles with her career to the potential heiress of an international media company, which opens new doors for me and at the same time limits my options. This role, as Logan's fiance, comes with both it's perks and disadvantages. One one hand I live with the knowledge that I am finally in the relationship that was decades into the making, overcoming all the obstacles we faced, already proving so many people wrong but more importantly I get to be with the person I belong with; it'll also means financial security like I've never really envisioned, I could easily live with less; I know I am taken care of - whether it is making sure I'm fed or calming me down when I am on the verge of breaking, I know he will do whatever it takes; yet there is the unwanted media attention, the half-obligatory game of the society - keeping up appearances, the never-ending commute and travelling what comes with Logan's job, getting caught up in his family's mind-games, having to always think what I do and say and how I do it. However, what is most important is that I am in love and I am loved. I am thoughtless sometimes, and I guess he takes care of me more than I take care of him. I want to do more for him.

I care too much about what others think. I look at my mother, I think about what my grandparents think, my father and Luke, the opinion of my friends matters, but as they seem to understand, I have no doubts from them to factor in. I never want Leah to struggle in her life just because I left Finn for Logan, or her to think she is any less important to me than Logan is or any of our future children we might have. If I could just stop caring about what other people thought, I think I really could be happy.


"It sucks that you are leaving for so long, you know," Paris said, wrapped up in a bedsheet, her head resting on his chest.

"I know," Finn replied. While he looked forward to his trip, the idea just had lost some of its appeal ever since he got together with Paris and she had said 'no' to coming with him. Yet he felt like he needed to go through with it for his own sake. His fingers played with her blonde short hair, enjoying her scent, while her hand was wrapped around his core.

Paris wanted to express more, she knew she'd fallen for him badly, her mind was distracted on most days, and she longed to see him again, even if just briefly. Still the words terrified her. Despite the strong independent woman that Paris was, she was terrified of the three little words.

"Finn, I've been thinking a lot," Paris began building up her courage, "and there really is no doubt in my mind that it is the truth, " she delayed. "I am in love with you, I love you, Finn," she said raising her head from his chest and looking straight at him, feeling a rush of endorphins the moment the words left her mouth. Her cheeks blushed gently, as she stared at his bright blue eyes.

"You really don't want me to leave do you?" he replied, laughingly.

"Finn," she began, feeling disappointed he did not reply with what she'd hoped. Paris had never quite been so needy for affection as this, as it was the thing to make her less scared about putting herself out there. "You're seriously not going to respond with anything more than that?" she replied angrily, rising to sit from her previous comfortable position against his bare side.

"Paris, you want me to say that I love you? Do you?" he teased laughingly, "I thought it was bloody obvious, but if it makes you feel better - I adore you Paris Geller, I am in love with you and I love you," he said gallantly, spelling the last part out really slowly.

Paris sat there quietly, with a cute little pout, until the corners of her mouth could no longer control themselves.

"And I am sorry I was not more romantic than that, my darling," he added, reaching out his neck to kiss her. "I just had some silly harlequin romance novel radar go off in my brain, I just couldn't keep a straight face," he added jokingly.

"I think you're going to have to make it up to me," Paris stated sternly.

"Before or after my trip?" he asked.

"Before and after," she replied, climbing on top of him, and pinning him down, aiming to send him off properly.


"So Rory, I am not really one to lecture, but I think you've realized yourself that skipping sessions just like that, was not the best idea," Cara began.

"I agree. The week started off alright, but then I just caught up in my head, resulting in probably the biggest fight I've had with Logan during our present relationship," Rory described.

"So what happened?" she asked.

"I suggested that we do a prenup. I didn't like the idea of other people thinking I am doing this for the money and name, I still don't. Logan took it badly. He told me that asking for this was offensive, and that I needed to accept him as a whole,' for the better and for the worse' as he put it, if we were to really get married," Rory explained, feeling again tears swelling up in her eyes just at the thought of hurting him.

"Do you realize now why he was hurt?" Cara inquired.

"I do now," she began, looking up trying to shed the tears away, adding, "I was so clouded and self obsessed, I just couldn't see his side before he said it out loud. And I agree with him, I shouldn't care what other people think. I just can't understand why my mind is sabotaging this amazing relationship that I have."

"So why do you care?" she asked.

"I don't want them to treat me and Leah differently than they otherwise would," Rory replied.

"Differently from what?" Cara inquired further.

"From who I was before, in Leah's case I want her to be treated like someone with a clean slate, without the influences of my actions, I guess," she explained.

"But do you really think that person who you were before, is still there?" Cara asked, adding, "You seem to be making the same fallacy as Lorelai keeps making."

"I guess, if you put it like that, and Logan did mention this too, I guess that person really isn't here anymore," she agreed, wiping her eyes, trying to gather herself.

"And what comes to Leah, then despite her relationship with you and also Logan, she has a different name, and I think in life that will be what accompanies her. I think this example is great for applying one of the methods used to stop caring about what other people think," she began. "Just try to imagine the worst case scenario for Leah," Cara suggested.

"Alright," Rory said, taking a moment to think. "I guess that when she grows up and learns to read, and somehow stumbles upon some stories about people saying she is not Finn's daughter, which is a lie, and maybe she'll be bullied in school," she replied.

"So the worst case is already quite likely, as the stories are out there. The question is what can you do about it to reduce the damage," Cara continued.

"I guess I can just make sure she knows what the truth is and that journalists can be hurtful people. As for a school I can pick one with a zero tolerance on bullying," Rory replied, already feeling lighter.

"So you see, trying to think out the worst case scenario can indeed help, but you shouldn't get too caught up in dreading them if they really are bad, but try to think piece by piece, what are the things you can do in that situation," Cara advised. "Another thing you can do to stop caring so much about other people's opinions is just stop reading them, I know it is tempting, and you are bound to see something every once in a while, but just remove yourself from that situation," Cara continued.

"So not reading the news and comments?" she said.

"Yes," she replied. "Also really try to think of the life you want to live, do you want to live that one life that you have in fear of 'what if?'. You can choose not to care and you can be happy, Rory," she said. "And if people dislike you for your connection to Logan, for whatever reason - jealousy, envy, changed workplace dynamic or what not, you can't really help that other than try to be the very best person you can be. And if they still dislike you after trying that, then there is nothing to do and you have the option of cutting them out of your life," Cara continued, making it sound so easy.

"Thank you," Rory sighed. That had been a lot to take in. Yet she found it difficult to really disagree with any of it. She scribbled down some notes for herself, promising to look at them the next time she began to dwell on these unwelcome thoughts.


It was just a few days later when Rory received an encrypted file from Logan with the accompanied message "Gwen looks like a 'go'". Rory sighed with relief, and deleted the message right then and there. She really didn't want to read the file. She felt as if she was invading her privacy as it was. She pulled up her phone and texted hopefully:

"Hi Gwen, I am sorry I've been AWOL recently. And I am sorry for pushing you away. I've been a mess frankly. Maybe you don't want anything to do with me anymore, but honestly I could use a friend and I am not going to lie, I will need to ask you for a favor. If you feel up to it, I'd like to meet up."