They arrived in time at the Hayden mansion, a typical Hartford mansion. Old, grand, and pompous. He remembered vaguely about the Haydens. They are one of the oldest families in Hartford, and having a long line of Judges and politicians, they practically ruled the area. The family rarely involve in scandals, and even if they were, the gossip toned down as fast as it came to surfaced. The last gossip ever hit this family might even be before he was born, because he can hardly remember any of it.

They were greeted by the hostess, Mrs. Hayden, Logan recalled her husband passed away some years ago if he wasn't mistaken. They exchanged polite words a while before she handed them to one of the uniformed servants who led them to the front parlor that has been decorated into a large reception area. The decor was spectacular, just as expected from a Hayden's party. They put a small podium at the very front, followed by a convenient dance floor, dining seatings, and an open floor for guests to chat around while waiting for dinner.

Finn led them straight to the bar but stopped right at the front of a board.

"Oh!" He squaled.

"What?"

"Is Rory's name still Lorelai Gilmore?" He asked. The rest of the group nodded curiously.

Finn stepped aside to show what was written on the board. This is Lorelai Gilmore's engagement party. It can't be. Logan felt his heart froze. But the guy from last night's name was Tristan duGrey, right? What is going on here? Is this why she begged him to stay away from her?

"I think I might be sick." Logan said.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Colin asked sympathetically.

Logan couldn't answer. Hell he even having trouble breathing. What a sick joke. Just this morning he was very excited to start over with her, making up scenarios in his head as to how to win her back. Why the universe be this cruel to crush his hopes so soon? But this might be the best before he got in too deep.

Who did he try to fool? He'd already in too deep. He jumped right into the hole he'd spent years to climbed out of. He could feel his heart breaking. Once again he misread the signs. That's what his friends had tried to warn him about. He never used his head when it comes to Rory. He ignored all the obvious facts and created a new fact based on his instincts and feelings. Crap and double crap!

This has to be the most ridiculous thing ever happen to him. After all those years healing his broken heart and never got back whole again, spent the next years trying to get over her, that had proven to be in vain after just one look by the way, and trying to protect himself by never let anybody new in, he was epically managed to ruin everything, all those years of hard works, in one night. Crap and double crap!

"Let's go!" He finally got his voice.

"Logan?" Crap!

He turned around and saw the object of his internal anguish stood there with a questioning look. Damn she looks so fine in that godforsaken dress. Of course, this is her engagement party. She must look the best.

"Rory. You look beautiful." He said.

"Thank you." She smiled politely. "Colin, Finn, and Robert!" She briefly hugged them all, Finn held her a little longer than the others.

"I missed you, Mother!" Finn whined like a little kid.

"I missed you too! All of you!" She smiled a little more genuine. "Oh, let me introduce you to Tristan duGrey. He's a family friend. Tristan, these are my friends from college: Colin McCrae, Finnegan Morgan, and Robert Carmichael"

The guys shook hands.

"It has been too long, guys! I still sometimes meet with Stephanie and Rosemary, we reconnected a couple years ago. But we lost all contact with Juliet since she married that Scottish Earl..."

"Really? They never tell!" Finn protested.

"Wait, a family friend? So, who are you going to be engaged to?" Logan asked all of a sudden.

Rory looked confused.

"Engaged? What do you mean?"

They pointed to the board.

"Guys, that's my mom and dad!" She laughed so hard tears were forming in her eyes.

"Your dad is Christopher Hayden?" Colin asked.

Rory nodded.

"I thought you knew! You met my dad several times!" She pointed at Logan.

"I forgot. Truth be told, I was too shocked to be recalling names. I guess I knew at the back of my head, but my mind was a little clouded," Logan defended himself. He felt so stupid.

"So you're not engaged?" Colin confirmed.

"Not that I haven't tried," Tristan added with a grimace.

"Don't feel lily-livered, mate. My mate Logan here had tried and failed also," he said nonchalantly gaining a collective groans.

"Rory!" A squeal came from their backs.

"Honor!" She squealed back, pulling Honor into her hug.

"You look really pretty! Are those the earrings we got at Macy's last month?" Honor asked looking at Rory approvingly.

"Yes, you were right. These looks really nice with this necklace!" Rory replied.

"You guys met last month?" Logan asked curiously.

"We did. You don't know we keep in contact all these years? We meet up for lunch or shopping regularly since Rory moved to New York, around 2010 maybe?"

"2011," Rory confirmed.

"This has been going on for six years and you never mentioned anything to me?" Logan's eyes went really wide.

"Well excuse me, but you were her what exactly? I had high hopes of her being my sister, hell I even already think of her as my sister and you went kabooza and blew all of it away. So I guess I'm not sorry I neglect to mention her in front of you, I figured if you really want to know you would ask. Because Rory here warned me to not mention you that we're spending time together," Honor explained sharply.

Logan shook his head. He's been head over heels trying to find information about Rory all these years, while the source was sitting right under his nose the whole time. Totally caught him off guard. He couldn't believe he never thought of Honor to still keep contact with Rory.

"Hello, kids!" A boomed voice that is Mitchum Huntzberger's reach them followed by the man himself.

"Daddy!" Honor greeted with a peck on his cheek.

The rest of the group took turns greeting the older couple who were Logan and Honor's parents.

"The lovely Miss Gilmore, always a pleasure..." he kissed her hand.

Logan groaned inside. How come everyone in this circle got to touch her one way or another except him, who obviously wanted and needed it the most.

"Pleasure's all mine, Mitchum. And Shira, you look lovely tonight," she addressed Logan's mom. Impressive. Ten years ago she would squirm in front of Shira, but now it looked like they were two close acquaintances who lightly exchange pleasantries in a party.

He was taken aback watching the scene in front of him. Rory standing in a society party chit chatting with his overbearing family looking right in her element as if she has been doing this for years. And maybe she has. Ten years is long enough for her to master the society demeanor, and boy she looked really hot right now. This is a different Rory indeed, confident, intelligent, with just the right amount of snobbishness.

He noticed her changes more carefully now, she stood a little taller with that straight backbone, her chin was slightly tilted, her shoulders were no longer downwards but straight instead, her words were carefully chosen with a splash of authority in her tone, and her gestures were more polished and sophisticated.

The MC's voice broke his observations on Rory. She greeted all the guests and requested them to take their seats. He was seated next to his friends and two women they didn't recognize. He would bet they were eligible ladies around his and his friends' ages. Rory was seated in the family table, which unfortunately hosted Tristan as well.

The MC called Francine Hayden, the hostess and apparently Rory's grandmother to the stage. She welcomed all the guests and announced the stars of the party: Christopher Bartholomew Hayden and Lorelai Victoria Gilmore who were engaged to be married. They had a daughter together, one Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden. Of course, Logan cursed his stupidity. The names were written on the board, and his Lorelai was clearly not a Lorelai Victoria. He shook his head at himself, but then remembered something.

"Where are Richard and Emily?" He asked Colin who was seated beside him.

"Oh my no, you didn't know!" Colin answered as if he just realized it.

"They passed away, Logan. Shortly five or six months after you moved to California."

"What? Nobody told me this?"

"It was really fast, they were in a car accident. And you were still in a very bad place that time, we didn't think mentioning Rory or her family would do you any good,"

"Oh God, Rory must be very devastated."

"I think so, I didn't attend the funeral either. None of us were. It was for closed family only..."

He looked at Rory trying to find a trace of the tragic loss, she seemed to be doing fine now. It must be really hard for her. He wished they would've told him so that...what? What would he do? Colin was right. Six months into the dark days of unRoryness he was still a mess and he was still blaming it all on Rory. But still he wished he had been there for her, he knew how close she was with her grandparents.

He was lost in his own thoughts when a sudden rumpus erupted. Gasps, loud whispers, low laughs, even a whistle filled the air.

"Good God!" Colin exclaimed.

"Good job!" Robert clapped his hands while stood out of his seat.

Finn grinned and kept wolf whistling.

"What did I miss?"

"They got hitched in Vegas. This party just turned into a Wedding Celebration!" Colin answered loudly.

"What?!" Logan's head instantly look for Rory who he didn't find at her seat. He caught a glimpse of her gown leaving the room through the side door.

He stood up and quickly ran after her.