AN: I have no real excuse other than real life, but here it is...the final chapter. Please remember that a sequel will come in the next few weeks. Also to anyone who has messaged me and I haven't responded, I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to look at everything yet but I appreciate the check ins. Please read and review, enjoy the end of this story but remember what it means for the next story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter Twenty Seven

December 23.

These might've been the most exhausting few days for any parent, the final days leading up to Christmas. Victoria had taken the kids to make cookies at her condo and Logan and Rory were running around the house making sure gifts were wrapped and stocking stuffers were ready. Not to mention Logan was hosting his annual Christmas party that night where his friends came and they did gifts with the kids. This year would be different of course because his own parents would be there. They had surprised him of course. Their willingness to hang around and spend time with the kids. No mention had been made of Logan returning to work at Huntzberger, or more accurately no discussion of his job at all, "did you wrap the pyjamas?" Logan shouted to Rory from his office.

Rory was in the living room trying to decide if she though the Christmas tree was symmetrically decorated, never mind the fact that it had been up for a couple of weeks now and she had been moving ornaments the entire time for this exact reason. "No you told me not to, they're in our closet," Rory shouted back without even thinking.

Our closet sounded pretty good to Logan as he walked out to meet her. "Thank you," he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled against her neck.

"For what?" Rory scrunched her nose up as he kissed her cheek. "What did I do?"

"For being here, for being you. For loving them…and me."

"Stop thanking me," Rory told him seriously. "They aren't an imposition. You aren't an imposition. I mean…I should be thanking you. For taking me back after everything…"

"I shouldn't have put you in that position."

"Stop," Rory laughed. "We're good. Everything is good," she kissed him gently and then made another face as the doorbell rang, "I didn't think the caterers were coming this early?" She asked like she knew, like she had been involved in the planning but Rory had absolutely nothing to do with the planning of the event and she was thankful for that. She didn't want to come in and change how he celebrated, she was more than happy embracing this tradition.

"They aren't," Logan shrugged as he took his hands off of her and walked to the front door. He swung it open and it took a moment for his eyes to tell his brain what he was seeing, "hey," he smiled as long, thin arms embraced him and blonde hair fell over his shoulders. "What the hell are you doing here?" Logan smiled as he held his niece at arms length in front of him and then looked at his sister and brother in law.

"That is no way to treat your guests, were you raised by animals?" Honor raised an eyebrow as she hugged her brother. Her husband Josh lingered for a moment and then greeted his brother in law warmly. "What do you mean what are we doing here?"

"What I mean is, what are you doing here?" Logan repeated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You guys are supposed to be in Aspen?"

"Oh Logan, come on, give it up," Honor rolled her eyes as their driver appeared with a few suitcases. "The jig is up."

"Hon, I'm happy to see you. I mean, mostly I'm happy to see Kenzie here who I think we need to lock into a tower or something pretty soon. But anyway, genuinely…I was not expecting you."

"I left you a message at work…Mom called me, she insisted, she sent the jet…"

"Ahhh," Logan nodded as they left the luggage in the foyer and the four of them walked into the living room where Rory was standing, "looks like we have more guests for the party," he gestured to his sister.

"Honor!" Rory grinned and embraced the elder of the two Huntzberger children, "this is a surprise?"

"Yes, well, evidently our mother did some meddling. I thought Logan knew, he did not know. We can stay at a hotel."

"Don't be silly," Rory immediately shook her head, "we have more than enough room," she knew that there were three guest rooms in the house, four if you included the basement.

"We?" Honor grinned.

Logan carelessly draped his arm around Rory, "Rory you have met my sister…intrusive, generally not particularly appropriate or aware of social graces- " he began.

"Oh now you're just describing Robert or Finn!"

"But what Honor lacks, her husband Josh," Logan nodded to his brother in law, "and the beautiful Mackenzie certainly make up for."

"It is really nice to meet you both," Rory shook their hands and smiled, "Logan and Honor…they both speak so highly of you."

"So you've only met my wife when she's been drinking then?" Josh smirked.

"How long are you guys in town for?" Logan asked, he supposed there was a voicemail on his desk phone which he rarely checked that might've given him some insight into this visit.

"We'll fly home with Mom and Dad," Honor told him, "although I would love to coax you into a visit East. Maybe the lovely Rory wants to see some of her family?"

Logan rolled his eyes. His sister really couldn't help herself from meddling. "We have plans to visit Connecticut," Logan assured her, "but unlike you, some of us have jobs to contend with and we can't just take unlimited time off work. Certainly Josh can appreciate that."

"Well you cou-"

"Don't," her husband warned, he knew where the conversation was headed and he didn't want to start the trip off with a temper tantrum about getting Logan back into the family fold. "Logan I'm going to take the bags upstairs. Any room in particular?"

"Your pick," Logan nodded, "just watch out for Mac. He's asleep in the hall. Somehow he managed to ignore the doorbell."

"Can I take him for a walk?" Mackenzie grinned, she loved that dog, she always had.

"If it's alright with your parents," Logan shrugged.

"Why don't we get settled first," Honor suggested. "There is a party here in a couple of hours, we all need to freshen up and I'm sure your grandparents would like to see you."

Logan laughed as he saw Mackenzie roll her eyes at the notion of spending time with her grandparents. He could certainly remember being young and how awful it seemed to spend time with your grandparents. His own children were thankfully still in the stage where their grandparents seemed magical, and certainly it helped that Michael and Maria were more involved with Jack and Olivia than Mitchum and Shira were with Mackenzie, but he knew that his pre-teen niece was not interested in hanging out with her grandparents. "Well," Logan looked at Rory, "I had no idea…"

"I know," Rory laughed.

"I can tell them to get a hotel," Logan told her.

"Why?"

"Well, we had plans, and this certainly wasn't the plan."

"So you want to kick your sister and her family out…on Christmas?" Rory couldn't help but laugh, she could see that he was nervous. "This is fine. We will have fun."

"You can say no," Logan told her again. He wasn't sure why. He could see that she was fine with it, but he didn't want her to feel steamrolled by his family. It was a feeling he was familiar with after all.

Rory leaned forward and kissed him, her teeth pulling gently at his bottom lip as he smiled against her lips. "It is fine," she told him quietly when she pulled away. "Now we have party stuff to get ready for…"

"Hmm?" Logan made a face as his fingertips danced under the hem of Rory's shirt.

"Party stuff," Rory stepped out of his grasp, "plus your sister is here…with her family."

"So that means I'm not getting any until they leave?" Logan rolled his eyes

"We'll see how you behave," Rory stuck her tongue out, "but I have my place until the end of January, so we can always sneak away."

"I like the way you think, Gilmore," his voice was husky as a smirk crept onto his lips.

"Well not tonight mister, we have people coming over. You never told me what you're wearing?"

"I am wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt…I don't know? A white button down?"

"You aren't sure?" Rory repeated, of course…men were effortless. They could throw on jeans and a shirt and look great. She on the other hand, depending on both the jeans and the shirt could look like a homeless troubadour or she could look like a knock out.

"What were you planning to wear?"

"I don't know," Rory admitted. "Is it casual? You said it was like…fancy ish so I brought a few dresses."

"You brought your entire wardrobe because you're moving here," Logan countered, "just wear jeans or something. Be comfortable because we are still chasing two kids around through this."

"There are a few things still at the apartment," Rory countered.

"What like your fuzzy slippers and bathrobe? What a loss…"

Rory was about to defend her choices when Honor made her presence known with the tap of her perfectly manicured fingers against the surface of a table. "You two are sickening, but also cute, but more sickening…and I for one am very happy you two got your shit together."

"Where is your daughter?" Logan smiled and rolled his eyes.

"She is having a rest. When will my niece and nephew be here?" Honor countered. "That is the real question. Mackenzie is doing the hormonal pre-pubescent thing. It is exhausting and infinitely less fun than the age where they believe in magic and think that their Auntie can do absolutely anything."

"The Black American Express helps with that too," Logan shook his heads. "Kids will be home in a bit. They're with Vic. Did you bring gifts for Mac or should I add that to my never ending list of things to do."

"We had gifts sent. They'll be here tomorrow. This was all our mother. She had it planned. She even made sure to have a stocking made up. So if you're going to be mad at someone, be mad at Mom…but…"

"No, do not but me when it comes to Mom pulling this crap."

"Logan, it is Christmas, and we are family…I don't think it is the most absurd thing anyone has heard of for a parent to want to be with both of their children and all of their grandchildren. I know our parents aren't exactly normal parents, they certainly aren't warm and fuzzy…but we are still family."

"I'm not mad that you're here," Logan tried to assure her. "I just wish I had been warned…"

"Which is fair, but you know better than to expect normalcy from them. Why don't we take this for what it is and you can enjoy seeing Mackenzie, I can enjoy seeing Liv and Jack, and I can also enjoy some one on one time with Rory who I still don't understand how she has fallen for your charm."

Logan shrugged his shoulders and grumbled under his breath. He knew she was right. He loved his sister, he loved her family, and he loved when he got to see Mackenzie, his kids loved it too. "You're right," he admitted.

"Once more?" Honor poked.

"Take what you can," Logan shook his head. "The caterer is going to be here soon," Logan looked from his sister to Rory, "we should probably start getting ready. And I'm going to call our parents."

"Be nice," Honor warned. "When does everyone arrive?"

"Couple hours."

xxx

Colin stood on the balcony and sipped his scotch, he was looking at the water as the party carried on inside. It was just like it was every year with a few small changes. The first was year that Logan couldn't stop smiling since Lucia had died. He was glad to see his friend happy, he was glad to see his niece and nephew happy, and he was glad to see his old neighbour happy. Colin was happy too of course. Things had seemed to be going well with Stephanie, and while she wasn't moving to California, and he wasn't moving to Manhattan, they were sorting it out. He could hear Finn inside loudly talking to Olivia who had always loved her Australian uncle a bit more than the rest of the boys, but the little girl also knew that if it was a bandaid that she needed or anything remotely serious, Uncle Colin was the man she needed, she also knew that if she wanted something bought for her, Uncle Robert was the go to.

"You know," Rory's voice brought Colin out of his thoughts, "some people might think you're hiding out here." She appeared beside him placing her hands on the ledge and looking out over the water. She was wearing dark jeans and a white silk camisole, she knew she needed to grab a sweater but when she saw Colin out there alone, she thought she would prefer to take advantage of the moment to chat.

"Well some people might be right about that," Colin admitted with a shrug. "You seem happy," he commented as he took another sip of his drink.

"I am happy," Rory nodded, "a lot has changed, hasn't it?"

"Well normally after this party I would've run into you in the hallway at the old place…" Colin laughed, "and now you're hosting it."

"I'm not hosting it," Rory disagreed, "I'm a guest."

"A guest?" Colin laughed. He paused for a moment. He had a question to ask her. He didn't want to ask her, but as much as he cared for Rory, his first responsibility was still to his friend. To the man he had grown up with, the man who had buried his wife far too soon, the man that he had moved across the country to help and support. Logan was his family, and so even if Rory was his friend, he still needed to say it. "You know…he is in. He's not going anywhere…"

Rory inhaled sharply. She knew that Colin wasn't asking to hurt her or to accuse her of anything. She knew he was being protective of Logan and she knew why. She knew that when she had left, even if it was temporary, there had been a trail of damage in her wake. "I'm not going anywhere either," she assured him. She turned to look back through the glass doors and into the house, Colin did the same a moment later. She could see Finn and Olivia laughing about something, she could see Taylor and her boyfriend talking to Paris and Doyle and a couple of Logans friends. "This is it…I don't know what more I could want than this…with him…the kids…even you guys."

"Even us?" Colin smirked, "I'm flattered."

"You know what I mean," Rory rolled her eyes as Colin draped an arm around her shoulder. "Thank you for everything," she put her head on his shoulder.

"I never thought I would have something to thank Paris for," Colin laughed as they watched the party from the outside. He saw Logan coming to join them with Jack in his arms and Colin laughed at the little boy who immediately lurched to get away from his father who relented and put him down. "I see I have competition."

"Steep competition at that," Rory laughed as Colin removed his arm and she bent down to pick up Jack. "Hi handsome."

"You two look mighty cozy," Logan smirked, "he's not giving you a hard time, is he? I'll kick him out."

Rory and Colin both laughed and Rory gave Logan a quick kiss even though she knew that Jack would demand a kiss immediately after. "You are too cute," she told him after she placed a kiss on his forehead. "Colin and I were just commiserating about how last year when he came home from this party, we probably met up in the hall when I was on my way home from Rickhouse."

"Ahh, yes…" Logan laughed, "some good times were had in that hallway."

"I agree," Rory nodded. "Everyone enjoying themselves?"

"Doyle hugged me," Logan mused, he had seen Paris and Doyle exactly one time in the time he had been with Rory, so this was their second run in and while the first had been fine he hadn't expected his old college editor to embrace him…although he also had never expected the man to be in his house, but things had clearly changed. "Paris I think told me she approved…but I don't know because it's Paris and she could have actually been threatening to kill me but here I am so…"

"I have told you many times that Paris doesn't have the energy to think that much about you. Doyle is probably sucking up because he wants something."

"Sleepy," Jack stated simply, interrupting the adults immediately.

"Want me to take you to bed buddy?" Logan asked and just as he expected Jack shook his head no and buried his face into Rory's shoulder.

"I'll take you. Livie should too," Rory nodded, "say night to Daddy?"

"Night night," Jack waved and blew a series of kisses between his father and Colin. "Waffles?"

"Yes I will make you waffles for breakfast," Logan promised. It was one of the few things that he could do that would still impress Jack when Rory was around. "Tell Liv I will come give her a kiss in a bit?" Rory nodded and gave Logan a gentle kiss in response and then walked back towards the noise of the party. "What were you two talking about?" Logan asked Colin as he raised his glass to his lips.

"Just wanted to make sure she has good intentions," Colin shrugged. There was no sense denying it. Rory would certainly tell Logan about their chat, and it was nothing Colin wouldn't tell Logan himself. "I know that you two are happy, and I love Rory…but…I worry."

"You're not really my type," Logan joked. "But thank you…I do appreciate it. All of it…" he gestured vaguely to the air in front of them, he could see their friends inside, he saw Finn notice them and smile, raising a glass from inside. "You guys…I said jump and you said how high and you have never complained about it for a minute…"

"You were in a bind," Colin shrugged. He knew that what he had done, what Robert and Finn had done was a big deal, but he didn't want to make it a big deal. He would do it over and over, and he knew that Logan would've done the same for him if anyone would tolerate him long enough to have children. "And I mean…maybe on some level we need them as much as they need us. But you don't have to thank us. We're happy here. All of us. We're happy that you're happy."

"I am," Logan assured him. "Happy."

"Is it strange?" Colin asked, his voice a little lower, a little quieter than it had just been. "Loving someone else?"

"It's different than if you guys don't work out," Logan saw that Colin's eyes were fixated on Stephanie who had just arrived for the holiday season. She was caught in conversation with his sister, she would have no problem charming anyone in the house. "I walked into a hospital with a wife, and I walked out without one. It isn't the same as a breakup. But it is strange, it was stranger at first. Doing all of the firsts with Rory…telling her I loved her. Having sex with her," Logan laughed. "Who ever thought I would say that? But then it all became normal…and now…I mean I know there was a before, but the before feels like another lifetime."

"And Jack and Liv?"

"They're what they were supposed to be. I mean, don't be ridiculous I would always choose them having Lucia…but…maybe Ror is the next best thing. You see the way they look at her?" Logan smiled at the thought. He knew just a floor up Rory was going through the bedtime routine and soon she would be tucking them in. He knew that the kids wanted her to do that, and he knew that Rory loved to do it. "They love her so much."

"She loves them," Colin nodded.

"So stop worrying," Logan clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Loosen up, go see your girl," he nodded to Stephanie who had now seen them and her eyes kept returning to him, "we're all alright."

xxx

Logan smiled as he watched Rory fiddling around in the driveway, he had watched as she tugged and pushed and huffed and puffed but she had also refused every offer of assistance he had made. "You know," Logan began.

"Nope," Rory stuck her hand out the rear passenger window of the Tesla Model S he had given her for Christmas. Of course, he knew Rory wasn't going to willingly ask him for help, just like she hadn't listened when he said she didn't need carseats in the Tesla because if she was driving the kids she would take the Range Rover. Rory for her part had struggled to accept the generous, over the top gift and had done so on the promise that she would be able to help more with the kids and that included being able to pick them up or drop them off places as needed. "There," she tugged once more at the strap of the Diono Rainier carseat that she had just finished installing for Jack, the booster for Olivia had been much simpler. "We are all set."

"We didn't need to take your car," Logan smirked.

"We're going to see Paris and Doyle and then we are picking the kids up from Michael and Maria…I told you I would drive so you could have a couple of drinks in order to tolerate dinner with Paris and Doyle, so of course we are driving my car."

"You know, at some point you need to enjoy the benefits of having a rich boyfriend," Logan gave her a kiss. "Just give in, let me spoil you…"

"I accepted the car," Rory retorted quickly, "how much more spoiling do I need?"

"More spoiling," Logan shrugged. He had surprised Rory by agreeing to dinner with Paris and Doyle, especially at the apartment instead of a restaurant which would've been much more neutral territory for everyone involved. "Do you think I should tell Paris all of the surfaces in that place my naked ass has been?"

Rory glared at him, "don't you dare."

"We need to go get dressed and then go," Logan told her, they had about an hour until they needed to be there and it would take at least half an hour in traffic, not to mention the potential parking fiasco. From time to time Logan missed the availability of Colin's apartment.

"What are you wearing?"

"I'll dress up a bit. It's entirely possible that Doyle will be in a tux so I need to dress to impress," he joked. "What were you thinking?"

"A dress?" Rory shrugged. She had pulled out the polka dotted dress she had worn on one fo their first dates, or maybe it was the first night they had gone for drinks as a group.

"Well you show me yours and I'll dress appropriately," Logan assured her as they went back inside. Logan took Mac out while Rory got ready. He had asked his dog sitter to come and take Mac for a walk later in the evening and then take Mac home in case they were home late. By the time he got inside with Mac Rory was nearly dressed. Logan laughed as his dog ran to Rory's side, just like his children the loyal dog had taken a strong liking to Rory and although Logan missed being someones favourite, he was happy they loved her. "You look great," he smiled at the dress he remembered from their night out for drinks.

"It's casual, right?"

"Like I said…Doyle…"

Rory rolled her eyes, "you need to grow up. Doyle is a respected editor now, Paris is a doctor…"

"I know all of those things, but there are also things about those two that haven't changed in the last decade. Doyle brown nosing is one of those things that hasn't changed." Logan went to the closet and retrieved a white Oxford shirt and a pair of khaki pants. He selected a watch and a pair of Valentino loafers that he rarely wore and then he opened the top drawer of his closet and pulled out the ring that had been there for a few weeks now. A two one and a half carat diamonds flanking a large three carat diamond, when he had made the purchase the salesperson had talked to him about the stones and signifying the different stages of the relationship. The past, the present and the future, but he wondered if more than that the stones were representative of their family. His life might not have turned out how he had planned all those years ago when he moved to San Francisco, but he wouldn't change it now. He shoved the ring in his pocket and went downstairs to the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from the wine fridge and waited for Rory and Mac to return. "You sure I can't drive?" Logan asked as Mac boomed towards him and Rory walked towards the stairs.

"You can have a few drinks, I will drive. They are my friends," Rory smiled as she went upstairs, "I'll be fifteen?"

Rory had of course taken longer than fifteen minutes to get ready for the night and they drove together to the apartment where they had first met. Rory parked the car on the street, not as close as they would have liked but close enough and the pair walked hand in hand.

"I'm not sure why we had to do dinner at their place instead of out?" Logan lamented as they walked through the lobby and they waited for the elevator.

Rory shrugged, it had been Paris who insisted that she wanted them to come over and Rory knew better than to complain about things like that. "It'll be nice."

Logan smiled as they stepped in the elevator and rode up, "it'll be great."

It took a moment for her to register what she was looking at as they entered the hallway of the apartment and Rory saw it decorated with gold and white balloons and candles on the floor. She grinned and looked at Logan who simply widened his eyes as if to encourage her to move forward towards the display. They got there a moment later and Rory laughed at the sight. "Logan?" She grinned as she saw he had already dropped to one knee, "oh my god."

"Rory Gilmore it hasn't always been perfect. But that is life, isn't it? Life isn't always perfect and it isn't always how you plan, we both know that. But I don't want to spend one more minute of this life not doing it with you. You are an amazing partner to me and an amazing mother to my children and that is more than I could ever ask for. Will you marry me?" He had produced the ring from his pocket and held it between his thumb and his index finger. Logan smiled as he watched Rory react, never once seeing a moment of hesitation as she nodded excitedly.

"Yes."