I'M Better with You

Chapter Summary

Setting is a Year in the life Episode 1, with a few twists, when and how Rory & Logan re-entered each other's lives. When Rory ended up pregnant, also Odette ultimately future is different, as Mitchum and Logan had an honest talk, he been committed to Rory for 3 years, ago which for the purpose of this story Hamburg happened then, and Rory and Logan first re-entire one another's life 3 years before that so have been friends those first 3 years in each other lives for 6 years post yale total. The Wills Strobe, Trix's, and Richard's will be addressed in this story, not particularly this chapter. Starts in Dec 2016… for the Current time frame.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes.

Chapter 1: Choices and Plans moving forward [setting AYITL]

Rory was sitting by the gazebo in downtown Stars Hollow. She had spent two months this last visit with Logan in London. She had a job set when she returned in two weeks. She took her therapist's advice and made choices that didn't require a pro/con list or her mother's opinion. Rory and Logan had come a long way since the turned down proposal the day of her graduation from Yale. They had more than one serious talk about it. They were back in each others' lives in an undefined relationship first starting 11 months just shy of a year after Rory's Yale graduation. It started with Rory calling Honor after a major fight with Lorelai after her breakup with Paul Amberg. When she finally talked to Logan, neither wanted to go backward, Logan encouraged Rory to seek therapy, and he even attended some sessions with her. He knew back in college that Lorelai had really screwed with and messed up Rory's head with her beliefs. They knew on their own to be anything that worked that they needed to re-establish trust, friendship a close and honest one is what works for them. It went on for three years until Rory's assignment in Hamburg. Rory's mind was last sitting there at the gazebo as her mind drifted to the exact moment.

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August 2013

Flashback Three years and 4 months ago

The trip for Rory was intentional. She needed to get out from under Lorelai's thumb. She had ended what could barely be called a relationship with Paul, after about six months, all of the time during which she was growing closer to Logan. She spent more time with Logan than Paul, and thanks to therapy and time, Rory knew what she really wanted in her life and how it separated her from Lorelai's goals for Rory's life. Rory walked into the Grand Elysee Hotel in Hamburg's heart and an expensive five-star Hotel like the Plaza or other expensive New York Hotels. Logan and her and finally reached the moment of just shy of three years in the making. Rory got the room key for the penthouse suite on the top floor, room 8745. Logan had already checked in as business brought him to Hamburg just like it had Rory, but they talked, texted pretty much every day. Walking into the hotel room after using her key, she dropped her bag made a beeline for Logan. Stepping direct into his space, she leaned in a kissed him. Logan pulled Rory tighter to him.

"Logan, I'm ready for us to try again. More importantly, I think we are ready to make another go at this again. You know I never stopped loving you," said Rory. "Loving you being sure of the depth of that knowing you'd support me having a career, it was never the issue."

"Lorelai had her views of your future, Rory," said Logan. "Until you could work out your dreams vs. her dreams for you. Until you worked through your depression Rory, we both need the time to work things out. Friendship was the right move for us at that moment, but we have a future because of that moment that your fight with Lorelai had you pick up that phone and call Honor to help you direct to toward me."

"Logan, I can't say I regret saying no, but I regret you not being the person I spoke to. I regret relying on mom a pro/con the list that didn't address who we were as a couple. Mostly Logan, weather your proposal and my no was the end of us at that moment, I regret that we didn't find some compromise together rather than what happened that day at Yale," said Rory. "One thing never changed. I loved you, then I love you now, and it never changed Logan."

"I regret proposing to you at the party that Richard & Emily threw for you, Rory. That was a moment meant for just the two of us. But more than that, I regret that we didn't talk about the possibility before I proposed. Honor's wedding was on the big moment that opened that door for us, Rory. My honesty about being with Honor bridesmaid the summer before we meet Rory took off the year after high school that I was a Sophomore when you were Freshmen at Yale. That we were friends a full year before the events of Sophomore year while before that night at the DragonFly Inn opening," stated Logan.

"Logan, My freshmen year wasn't the first time I meet you," said Rory. "I still don't understand why I don't remember you being my escort to my Debutante ball Logan. But the very first time we meet, according to Honor, I was 5 you were 7 I spend summers with the Hayden. I found proof of the pictures but don't remember those events."

"Ace, Lorelai Leigh Hayden, you are and always have been the love of my life," said Logan. "Nothing will ever nor has ever changed that. The rest will we search out the answer to, but first, will you be my girlfriend once again?'"

"Logan Adam Huntzberger, Lo, yes I will, you the love of my life too," said Rory. "You're my confidant, and you, Logan, are the one person I trust unconditionally. My dad and I might be fixing our relationship, but it's you, Logan, I trust unconditionally."

End Flashback

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Rory's mind came back to the present as dragonfly inn visitors walked by the gazebo, commenting on how they thought it looked tacky. To Rory, this spot part of what made Stars Hallow what it was. Her mind was drifting now and then. She made a significant decision only days earlier. Logan had been informed who had passed the information onto Mitchum. Rory was in her last few days as a Stars Hollow resent because of Lane and her boys, even Colin, she was sure she be back to visit. Lorelai's behavior for years has been a whole other factor. Rory, in therapy, had figured out that her mother had issues. But the fact that addiction was part of the route of it Rory had no idea of that fact at all.

While Rory sat lost in thought about her future, back at the crap shack, Lorelai had found the papers about Rory's new full-time paper job. Mitchum was brilliant. He didn't reveal in the documents that Rory had where that job was located. All Rory told her mother was not close by and not in Connecticut. Rory didn't and wouldn't give away the elaborate plan that Rory and Logan had worked out during that last month in London. The dynastic plan the legal side of that would take a while to short out so Mitchum could end it for Logan. But Mitchum, over the last six years, saw Rory's effect on Logan when it came to his job. He liked the side of his son he saw when Logan was with Rory. The three spent the last five years shorting out the issues that had affected the three of them combined when Rory and Logan attended Yale. Mitchum had come to some unexpected admissions about how he really viewed Rory. He even got during those talks what caused Rory to run. He ultimately felt though it cost Rory and Logan 7 years of having the life they dreamed of, it did some good for them both. Rory and Logan didn't necessarily like parting ways romantically for that period, but they saw the change in their ability to communicate positively. Rory eventually looked up to see an old childhood friend Jenny Kellerson who was now as she heard it from Lane, Jenny Forester Dean's second wife.

"Jenny, it's been a lot of years," said Rory. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to ignore you. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"How about we get out of here, go join Lane, and the three of us can catch up. What gets said between us stays between us, not to be shared with parents, spouses, boyfriends anyone unless we agree otherwise," said Jenny.

"Sure, I just hope in the process we aren't kicking out Zach," said Rory. "His relationship with Lane might be completely destroyed, but right now, there is still a chance the parent-child relationship can be repaired between Zach w Steve and Kwan, and I not going to mess with it."

"Lane won't either, even though she falling for her divorce lawyer," said Jenny. "So she claimed. But she said her plan is to have Zach take the boys out if he is present when we arrive. She needs to attempt to trust him on his own with their sons at some point. She willing to have today be the first attempt at it."

"While that's a decent compromise that not even Zach can complain about," said Rory. "So, let's go. A lot changed with me over the years Jenny, Dean could tell you that. I recently made a major decision. My boyfriend and I aren't keeping it completely unwraps, but we tell people only we trust... and I trust you and Lane, the other person affected knows, and he thinks it good I too. I'll get more specific when we aren't where someone like mom can come eavesdrop."

"Trust me, I understand," said Jenny. "When Dean and I first started dating, my friends urged me not to trust him, and they turned out to be right. Took years to uncover that fact, but it should have been obvious to me given the lies he told you and why he destroyed things with Lindsey. Then allowing you to be the person everyone threw the blame at"

Jenny and Rory found their way to Lane's. When they got there, Lane was by herself. She decided to trust Zach where their sons were concerned and let him spend the day with them out of the house. She wasn't going to make a choice once Jenny and Rory stopped by at some point after the entrance. The three women each hugged each other. Few people knew about the childhood friendship that Jenny shared with Rory and Lane, especially since by the age of 10, Jenny's family had moved away from Stars Hollow and Connecticut.

"So come on Rory, share, how was London, how was Logan?" asked Lane. She was eager to get Rory to share.

"Let's just say we made some pretty big decisions that Mitchum knows about and has thrown his full support behind," said Rory. "As his relationship with Logan changed for the better, he became far more accepting of Logan and me over Shira's idea of the dynastic plan. In fact, Mitchum's all-out helping Logan and I destroy and make sure that dynastic plan never sees the light of day."

"Could you be any vaguer? At least I've got a name now," said Jenny, who tried not to laugh. Given it was the second round of vague comments that had come for Rory in the last 10 minutes.

"I will share. I need a promise from both of you nothing gets passed on to anyone in town, especially about how Logan and I are getting around the mess Shrira's attempted to create. The town must hear from me about London's job as I don't want mom to know where it is, so I will be vague about its details. But I tell you two everything," said Rory. "Agree?"

"Agreed," said Jenny followed seconds after by Lane as the three pinky-swore that what got shared stayed between them. As Rory spoke, she also flashback to her conversation with Logan in his office at Huntzberger Publishing Group, "Just kind of bear with me here guys, and I'll give you the complete list of the conversation.

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Flashback 2 years 8 months earlier, April 2014

Logan's Office HPG London Headquarters

"Rory, I have been giving this a lot of thought. We agreed 4 years ago that our communication would never lack again. I don't want any chances, opening, or loophole for Mom to get her way. Odette might be a French heiress, which appeals to my mother, the social climber. Now that Francine shared the stipulations of Straub's will for you to inherit, we've got some leverage with her, but I want no loophole none of that even address what will be in Richard's will that won't be read until next October," said Logan.

"Ok, I get it, so what do you think we can do that keeps your mom from finding any kind of loophole because she likes the fact that Odette at the very least acts like a brain-dead bimbo, and therefore is someone that Shira can relate to on all levels. Not that you mom's..."

"I get it, Ace, Mom's a social climber; ultimately, her mistakes in society differ greatly from the woman she wants to marry me off to, so Mitchum has a bigger wallet," said Logan.

"Shira might not have noticed my presence, but Odette's behavior Logan at the London times event last month was a huge society faux pas," stated Rory. "The fact that she showed that for someone who's supposedly well education as a Sorbonne graduate, she came off a ditz who didn't care how badly she embarrassed you around business associates. How is that good for HPG business? On top of all that, she Tristin's ex, your cousin, and my best friend despite it being six years since anything more than text or emails."

"Right, so what if we agreed that marriage is on the table the next two years or two and a half years. Then what if we can get dad to back the idea of a Huntzberger/Gilmore/Hayden child now as a way to block all mom's paths to her dynastic plan. Don't get me wrong, Ace, I love you, and I want a family with you, but, "Logan began.

"It the ultimate leverage the two things combined against Shira behavior and plans," said Rory.

"And I know you love me. We wouldn't have reached the point we did three and a half years ago with the Hamburg meeting if we weren't still in love, weren't still feeling that forever was in our future by some means. I've always had the issue of overthinking things for the wrong reasons. It destroyed us on my graduation day but not again. I want to keep writing Logan. I'm open to the idea with more facts about the job you and Mitchum offered me. But you and me, parents... making a baby a part of the plan now... I'm in Logan. I'm not making the same mistakes as a mom, sure. We have obstacles for the next 6 or 7 months, but if we get Mitchum 100% on board with this as well as him meddling with Shira's plans to give us time to sort things out Colette and her will have zero legs to stand on if they force the issue."

"Exactly, if we pull Dad in from the start, that the best way of getting him to agree. He's pissed at mom, so he's at one of the apartments owned by HPG for business purposes, for colleges and people in coming during longer-term business deals," said Logan.

"So we agree that you and I will meet him for dinner, then he may have a few different ideas that we've not thought of yet. Besides, you can ask the questions you have about the international featured job its an editor's slot Ace, but neither dad nor I would stop you from writing pieces as well," said Logan. He leaned forward and kissed Rory. His office door was closed so that they wouldn't get disturbed by visitors or business associates. "We'll find some kind of agreement with Dad about social events too. I can't completely stop attending with Odette yet, though I'd prefer to. I think we can get leverage on business-related events."

Enddflashback

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Jenny was the one who couldn't be more surprised if she tried. She spoke first, "That a pretty major choice Rory. Actually, a couple, and you of the pro/con lists just not doing one at all, is a little surprising."

"While Lane knows this, I did three nine years ago the night before I graduated from Yale, and I consulted mom when I shouldn't have," said Rory. "Logan proposed, and I said no because I felt this need to make mom happy that not a healthy thing. Jenny, it took time about less the 24 hours for me to regret my choice. Logan didn't want some middle ground compromise with all that he was giving up at the time. I get it. Both of us made unfair demands. We should have talked months earlier on those topics. But we both regretted those choices. I lost three or even just a friendship with Logan, more like 2 years and 8 months. I had to sort out my issues, but I reached that lightbulb moment where I knew without Logan's support as it least a friend, I'd never get there. That lead to a blow-up at my mom where I just let my anger loose on how she forced me to view society and the factor of moneyed work she hated. Then I stormed out and called logan's sister Honor, asking for her help. It was past time Logan and I talked. While I worked out my issues, we took the time to also work out our issues as a couple. He graduated 1 year earlier than me but is 2 years older than me. The last thing Logan and I are going to do is to let Shira destroy it now because she a social-climbing money-hungry, bitch, Logan description of his mom, but I don't disagree with it."

"I can add a few other choices words but won't," said Lane. "But are you sure about London?"

"I not doing it to be mean, but I am done Lane giving into mom's controlling demands," explained Rory. "I'm tired of fighting, and a lot of different people, including Dr. Quinton, are right. I can't fix things with mom until she fixes her own much deeper seeded issues of societal hatred, her treatment of grandma, or this image she has of me that I'm not true to me if I not a carbon copy of her and even her relationship mistakes. I am done letting her issues affect me. She's my mom, a part of me will always love her. The trust in my relationship with her is destroyed, gone. If I'm honest, it started long before I realized my mistake of telling Logan no on graduation day. I didn't choose my own happiness. I chose a career over love. Not many people get the chance to correct that kind of mistake. I am lucky that I've got the chance with Logan and made things right."

"I think I get it, you and Lorelai can never make thing right without her accepting your choices, you're regrets or the fact that you were given a second chance to correct said regrets," said Jenny.

"It's rare, but it also means Lorelai accepting you fit into the world she ran from and despises. Logan, it seems has helped you find a balance between society demands and your dreams to create that shared life you both wanted and nearly lost in the world Lorelai hates."

"Yeah, he has," said Rory. "He's not Dean who wanted a completely life than me which is fine. It is who he is, and Jess has always been different, Luke's nephew, my new step-cousin. He taunted Logan the first time they met, played the victim, and played me. Jess got me to blow up at Logan for some right and wrong reasons, but I didn't blow up at Jess. I regret the decisions that night, mostly because mom now seems to think there some huge future for Jess and me that doesn't exist and never will. I realized with Logan that love something you can't ignore or even fight. If it true and if you find your way past regrets back to it. All of it worth the compromises made to make it work. I don't regret things with Dean or Jess... I regret the things that nearly cost me Logan and a life with him."

"You really have got it all together in a way I not sure Lorelai ever will," said Jenny. "Don't get me wrong, I think Luke the right person for her. I feel sorry for the guy because your mom's clearly such a mess, and nothing will change. Some kind of chaos will always exist in that relationship unless Lorelai does something to change it. But you can only be responsible for yourself, Rory. And that just the way life is, but what about Mitchum you never did say? And tell us more about this London time's job?"

As Jenny was talking, the three women had not seen Mrs. Kim and Sara Kellerson enter the house Lane owned. When Zach had disappeared, the only thing he ultimately got to say was some sort of custody of the kids. The house was given to Lane by decision of the courts as was primary but joint custody. Leaving Zach having the right to visit often, and courts would revisit full joint custody in 2 years if Zach stuck around long enough. Lane had yet to share anything about Colin, but Rory knew a bit about Lane's new relationship.

"What are you guys talking about Jen,' said Sara Kellerson. Lane was the first to look over at Rory, and Rory was the first to speak.

"I had a few huge pieces of news to share with them, that's all," said Rory. "Mrs. Kim, you once told me I would know, and you weren't wrong. You also weren't wrong about mom's desires and the pressure she put on me, clouding what I always knew on some level either."

"Ahh," said Mrs. Kim. "You and Logan have finally figured it out, at least in some kind of major way, even if not completely."

"Pretty much I've taken a job at the London Times," said Rory. "I know what mom's view of me taking a job from Logan's father would be, but the damage to mom's and my relationship is there. It can't be fixed overnight, and I can't put my life on hold well. She runs from some difficult truths."

"You might be right. I've not seen Lorelai in year's but," because Sara.

"I know Lane will understand this part of Logan's, and my issue in college was mom opinion mattered more than his. It led to communication issues. Things have changed Logan opinion, Logan's career they matter. Logan's not Mitchum, but Mitchum's proud of his son, a successful businessman without following Mitchum's relationship influences for the rest of his life. Even Logan would tell you his mom is a less than a pleasant woman to be around, but like me, he is choosing his own happiness over his mother's desire for a bigger bank account and forced arranged business marriage that so outdated," said Rory. "Everyone knows Shira's desire to be a social climber is just always well put on display by her. It's hard to miss."

"You said something about London, though?" asked Mrs. Kim.

"I got a job there, and the decision didn't come lightly, but it's one Logan, and I made together. While considering every angle of every other option Mitchum might have presented if I didn't take it, "said Rory. "Ultimately, the distance from mom is a good thing for me, for now at least. Sometime in the future, that might change. Mitchum not necessarily going to expect us to stay there forever either. Huntzberger Publishing Group is massive, stateside, and international papers are owned by them. Mainly I was hoping that Lane and Jenny would be willing to give me a hand packing some stuff up. The boxes will be picked up by Colin and Robert, and Lane. How is that going, by the way, with Colin? Has he bought anything interesting out of the blue lately?

Notes:

This has been Edited with Grammarly, cleaned up, and expanded since the original chapter that I posted after I year in the life aired in 2017. This premise is to retell a year in life in a more fitting way to the real history of Rory & Logan's characters. Not the way ASP told to story to turn Rory into a next-generation copycat of her mother. Rory & Lorelai, in the reality of where season 7 ends, were two vastly different women despite supposedly being best friends and mother and daughter.

Storyline factors, YES Odette, is in the storyline; however, her history and pairing will be with Tristin Dugrey, who is Logan's cousin. Lane will be pairing with Colin. There will be a back story on why she divorced Zack. Paris will be with Jamie, while Madeline is with Finn, Steph is with Robert, and Louise is with Ducan, Tristin's friend from Chilton. Jess and Jenny will have a history in this, to what the real story is with Jenny's life with Dean will be addressed at well.

PLEASE Be kind with reviews. I don't have a Beta Reader. This is edited through the use of Grammarly, so if something miss let me know. Don't critic the grammar, please.

Chapter End Notes

*AN: Please keep in Mind that Drama will exist, just not between Rory and Logan. It will surround them instead, and Logan will be protective of Rory because of it. Flashback will occur, so the reader will eventually get the conversation about the past that Rory & Logan had in Hamburg. Other events between Hamburg and the present will appear as flashbacks as well, including a different flashback of the six days in New

Hampshire with the LBD.

Chapter 2 Plans made and agreed upon by three

~ Flashback to Honor's conversation with Rory in August 2010 when Rory break free seek out Logan, seeks out therapy after a massive fight with Lorelai [Rory's flashback]

~What is Mitchum's initial idea revealing the new Huntzberger?

~ Flashback to Rory and Logan's first sit down and honest conversation post-Rory's graduation day where truths come out entirely unrelated for their relationship but why these things affected Rory answer to Logan [Logan's flashback]

~ Does Logan & Rory agree, is Logan's idea similar

~What other conversation is had that Rory and Logan are involved with and who

takes part, Mitchum, Colin, Lane (Lane & Colin) or (Colin & Mitchum)

*Finn's been mentioned but won't appear until Chapter Three.