Chapter Twenty Seven – Childhood Privileges

27.1

Thinking back on everything she knew about her future husband, Rory smiled. Adventure. That was one thing that always sparked Logan. Maybe as a father the idea of adventure would have to be with a little more – okay, a lot more responsibility than he had dealt with in the past but he could always have the dream of adventure. They could go on adventures with their child. They could plan new things to do and maybe the love that they shared would make it better.

Rory drew ideas onto a notebook, she had made a pros and cons column underneath and had decided to put up on the wall one of their favorite sayings 'In Omnia Paratus'. She wanted him to remember that. Not only did it have significance to their relationship but it was something that would motivate him. Another thing that might help were maps. Places for him to be inspired. She understood it of course. She loved Stars Hollow but there had been numerous times in which she would have loved to have spread her wings and she came from a loving home. Logan would have felt trapped. Of course he needed some type of escape.

She looked back at Logan as he slept in their bed and blushed. No wonder she had gotten pregnant when she could look at such a gorgeous body and feel turned on. She blushed as she thought of when she had sent him that first sext. He had been surprised but sent her only the most passion-filled responses.

She placed a hand on her belly and then heard his soft laughter as he reached out to her.

"Ace," he laughed, "Come back to bed. It's always warmer with you here."

Rory laughed a little as she looked back at him. He was trying to get his act together and despite her father being much younger than Logan was, she could see that they both knew that to have a child they would have to mature and wise up to the world. The only difference was that she and Logan were together and ready to tackle the world together. If her mother hadn't left her father behind, how would her life have been? She didn't want to blame her mother but things seemed so much murkier as she reflected on things as an adult rather than a small child.

"I mean it," he said with a smile before sighing, "If you insist on being awake then -"

"I'll snuggle with you," she said as she got back into the bed and hid the notebook which she had been using. Finn and Colin were going to help her with ideas for a poker table for when they had their guys' nights as well as maybe a dartboard and some computer systems. She wasn't useless but she also wasn't blind enough to be one of those simple minded girls who couldn't admit that her fiance's friends didn't know a different side of him.

"I'll snuggle and then I'll try to make something for breakfast," she said and Logan laughed. He knew that Rory took to the kitchen far better than her mother did and that they didn't have to really rely on takeout but he didn't want to force her.

"Cereal is fine, plus soon I'll be able to cook for the two of you," he said and Rory smiled. She was excited for that, the mention of him taking care of the two of them felt amazing. The idea of having that family life of which she had missed out and that he had only had a shallow shadow of. She knew he was going to be stronger than his father. She knew that he would be more present than her father. She had to trust in him.

"Logan," she whispered, "Our child," he hummed. "Do you expect them to be a certain way?"

It was a question which she didn't know if she had discussed with him seriously yet. She knew that her mother would have loved her regardless. She knew that her father didn't think poorly of her on any grounds, that he had wanted to do his best for her even when his credit card had been declined when buying a very expensive book. The Huntsbergers on the other hand. Both Honor and Logan seemed to have all of the boxes of the ideal child ticked off but Logan was reckless and Honor, well Honor most likely had her hidden faults as well.

"What do you mean, Ace?" Logan blinked and Rory caught herself from those gorgeous eyes melting her. This was a serious question that required a thoughtful answer.

"If the child wasn't smart or pretty that….your parents…your grandfather," she struggled and Logan stared at her. He frowned before kissing her and drawing back.

"I thought we weren't going to let those people matter, their opinions don't matter. Any child which we have together is going to be loved and even if the world doesn't think they are stereotypically attractive, I don't think there's a situation where I would ever think they were ugly or dumb or undeserving of all of our love. I hope that's not who you think I am," Logan said and Rory took a slow breath but felt it falter as she drew it.

"There are all these tests, developmental disorders, things that…I don't want your family to reject them," she voiced her fear and Logan pushed back some of her hair from her face. He knew that there was always the possibility of his mother saying something stupid and unkind, he knew that his father might keep his distance if he felt uncomfortable, he knew that his grandfather probably wouldn't even accept the child in the first place. Honor though, Honor would absolutely adore her niece or nephew regardless and he would feel the same, not only of any children that Honor and Josh might have but especially when it came to his own kid.

"Then we help them with anything we need. We don't stop loving them because they're a little different," he tried to assure her and Rory nodded weakly. Logan held onto her hand and kissed the back of it once again. "I promise you, Ace. I'm here for as long as you want me. You can't scare me off that easily and I'll be in our kid's life for the rest of my life, I'll make sure of that."

Rory smiled before cuddling closer to the man she loves, "Thank you. I suppose all of my fears were for nothing."

27.2

Having dinner with other people and not alone was something that Rory hadn't planned. She had been fully prepared to snuggle up to Logan on the couch in fluffy pajamas and watched a movie with popcorn. Logan would have joined her in making fun of some comedy film they had seen a half dozen times before and they would speak along with the lines or come up with some new ones.

She had also managed to sidestep the invitation from Emily Gilmore who had been told by someone at the restaurant that Logan had been spotted on American soil. She didn't know how she hadn't found the same skill at being able to escape from a double date with them and her parents especially at a fancy restaurant like this.

"Christopher," Logan said as he sat down at the table in the Italian restaurant. "I must insist that you let me pay for this meal. I mean, the family of my girlfriend, the grandparents of our child. I have to do my duty as a gentleman and -"

"And I have to take my place as your future father-in-law and use my money to pay. You two need to be having fun, spending some money on yourself. Saving up for when the baby comes. Trying to invest in the future of the child. My offer still stands if you want me to buy you a castle, then I think I have money for it," Christopher smiled playfully and Logan shook his head.

"I won't take you up on that, I'll break the disappointing news to Henry though that he'll have to wait a little longer before returning home," Logan smiled before reaching out to take Rory's hand in his.

Lorelei looked around the restaurant, seeing the elegant way in which the tables were served, the waitstaff was dressed, the quality of the tableware. She wanted to think of things other than her oppressing childhood. She wanted to think of how the love was felt when Rory was a child and it was just the two of them. "I wonder how many people here are named Garcon, I believe at least a couple," she joked.

"I might have read that on a nametag at the front," Logan winked as he played along with Lorelei's joke. She shook her head but smiled at him. At least the joke had made some type of positive reaction on her and Logan would take that small victory.

"Maybe Marcel or is that French?" Lorelei continued. "So, I think that tonight is a night of pizza. I wonder what kind of wine there is. Logan, you'll dri-"

"I'm sorry," Logan replied and looked to Rory. "We're not drinking alcohol until the baby comes or shortly after. Rory can't have anything and I don't want to be the type of guy who drinks in front of her."

"Good, good man," Christopher nodded. "I appreciate that and there are other things to drink. I think that I might treat myself to an Italian soda, it's been a while since I've had one of those. It'll make me feel like a kid again, my parents always thought it was a little…childish for me to drink that."

"It didn't stop you when we were together," Lorelei joked with him. "I always wanted to drink soda because it was definitely not what Emily Gilmore would have wanted me to do. They do have great coffee and I'm not going to drink alone. I think that that might be seen as pathetic."

"I agree, I was often kept to certain standards," Logan said before looking to Rory. "I don't want our child to feel deprived of anything. I want to be the kind of father who would be kind and supportive and loving and everything I didn't feel from my own father."

Rory was about to speak before her father leaned forwards.

"That reminds me, the next time that you're back over this side of the pond, I want to have dinner with them, the six of us, do you think that could be possible," Christopher said and Lorelei's eyes widened, she placed her hand on Christopher's shoulder.

"I don't think that's -"

"Are you sure?" Logan asked before reaching for the water in front of him. He took a long chug of it before nodding. "Yeah, Yes, I think we could arrange that if you really want to."

"Great, I can't wait to meet them," Christopher said and Lorelei shared a look with Rory. "I'm sure that they are amazing people."

Logan smiled weakly and then nodded, he looked down at his water. As much as he wanted to come back and be with Rory as soon as possible this was something that he was worried about. At least Rory's family tree had two well established families. He didn't want to even imagine how things would be had Lorelei really married the 'diner guy.'

End of Chapter Twenty Seven

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