A/N: So this is a longer chapter and a few different POV's. I have had this ready for a few days but it seemed like it may be to much... to rushed. But after some debate I figured I would go ahead and post it and see what you all thought. Thank you for all of your reviews on my last updated! I was glad to see you all were still reading after my hiatus. I'm working on a few updates to my other stories and hope to have those out soon but want to try and get this one done first. Hope you all enjoy!
Logan smiled as he looked around the apartment and his handiwork. This was the first Valentine's day that he would be spending with a girlfriend and he wanted it perfect. With Rory at the paper, it gave him a chance to set everything up to surprise her. He knew that she had been working hard with both the school and the paper and planning a surprise for his birthday, so he wanted this evening to be relaxing for her. He had bouquets of flowers all over the apartment, twinkle lights hung around the ceiling in the dining area, and he had just finished lighting the candles that were spread out all around the apartment. Rory was expected at any minute and the Indian food should arrive shortly after her. When he heard the door open, he turned and looked to the woman that had become his everything. Even dressed in jeans and a sweater she looked stunning, and her eyes glistened as she looked at what he had created.
"Logan," she gasped as her bag slipped to the floor and she closed the door before walking over to him. "This is amazing!"
"I wanted out first Valentine's day to be special," he replied as he pulled her close to him. "We haven't had much time together," he continued as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, "so I figured a nice, quiet evening at home was the perfect first Valentines day."
"This is beyond perfect," she replied as she placed a soft kiss in his lips. The door rang and that moment and he placed a soft kiss on her lips before he went to grab the food and she looked around the apartment that they had created into a home. There were pieces of both of them scattered around the place and she loved how they had blended everything together. He was right, there was nowhere better to spend their first Valentines together, this place was theirs and symbolized the life they were building together. She smiled when the smell of Indian food hit her nose and she walked over to the table and noticed that he already had her favorite wine and there were more flowers on every available surface. She smiled when the smell of Indian food hit her nose and she walked over to the table and noticed that he already had her favorite wine open and there were more flowers on every available surface. As she gently caressed a petal of a rose she knew that she would take some of these flowers and get them pressed and preserved. As she gently caressed a petal of a rose, she knew that she would take some of these flowers and get them pressed and preserved. She had recently read an article about getting flowers pressed into paper and she was thinking that might be something to look into. Looking around and seeing the sheer number of flowers she knew that she wanted to do something to remember this day and the romance that he had worked hard to create.
Logan studied her as he placed the food on the table. He was happy that she enjoyed this surprise, as much as he like going out with her he treasured these moments alone together. With all of the expectations that they faced, moments where they could truly unwind and just relax were what he treasured the most and from the look on her face he knew that she agreed. "What are you thinking about?"," he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and she leaned against him.
A blissful sigh escaped her lips, "I am thinking this is perfect," she answered. "I know we talked about going out but this is so much better. "I know we talked about going out, but this is so much better. Here we can just relax and spend time alone." Slowly she turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his waist and rested her head on his chest. "It seems like we have been so busy lately, so this night is perfect.""It seems like we have been so busy lately, we haven't had much time alone, so this night is perfect."
"I'm glad," he answered, and his chest swelled with pride that he was able to give her a perfect night. "Now let's eat before it gets cold."
She giggled before she looked up and kissed him. He led her to her seat, and they proceeded to dig into the meal and laughed and talked trying to catch up on the small things that had been going on. Both of them enjoyed being able to just relax and enjoy these moments that they were together and could focus on just them without worrying about anything else. Logan made a mental note to schedule more of these nights since the school year would end soon and they would both be busy working over the summer and then he would be free-lancing articles while part-time shadowing Mitchum in Hartford when Rory went back to Yale for her senior year. Soon the meal was over, and Rory excused herself to go to the bathroom and 'freshen up.' While she was gone, he cleaned up a little and grabbed her present from the spare bedroom. When she came back into the living room, the present was forgotten, and his breath caught as he looked at her. She was dressed in a sheer blue babydoll that barely covered her breasts with a small tie and was completely open to show a pair of see-through thongs.
She giggled before she looked up and kissed him. He led her to her seat, and they proceeded to dig into the meal and laughed and talked throughout the meal. Both of them enjoyed being able to just relax and enjoy these moments that they were together and could focus on just them without worrying about anything else. Soon the meal was over, and Rory excused herself to go to the bathroom and 'freshen up.' While she was gone, he cleaned up a little and grabbed her present from the spare bedroom. When she came back into the living room, the present was forgotten, and his breath caught as he looked at her. She was dressed in a sheer blue babydoll that barely covered her breasts with a small tie and was completely open to show a pair of see through thongs.
"Shit Ace," he managed to mutter as he moved towards her.
"Do you like?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her lips.
"Hell yeah," he answered his voice husky with desire.
"I took the liberty of lighting the candles you had in the bedroom," she told him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And the rest of your present is in the room," she told him as she pulled away and led him to the room. When they reached the bed, she slowly started pulling off his clothes and lightly swatted his hand when he tried to remove hers. "You are going to ruin the present," she giggled.
"I thought the outfit was the present," he stated as he started sucking on her neck causing a breathy moan to escape.
"No," she managed to get out. "Lay down on your stomach," she told him as she gently pushed him. He gave her a questioning look but followed her instructions and she moved to the bed stand and grabbed a bottle of massage oil before straddling his back and started to work out some of the tension.
"Umm," he muttered as she worked on his shoulders and moved slightly down. "I was planning on getting you to relax tonight."
"You always take care of me," she answered as she continued the massage focusing on his spine. "Tonight, I want to take care of you some."
"I don't know how long I can let you continue," he stated as he felt himself getting harder each second she massaged him.
She slowly moved her hands further down and settled on his hips before leaning over and whispered, "are you not enjoying this?"
He didn't respond, just flipped over so his erection was pressed into her core, "I love having your hands on me."
"Ah," she replied as she bent down and placed a kiss on his lips that he immediately tried to deepen but she pulled away. "Is there somewhere else you want my hands?" she questioned huskily as she ground down into him eliciting a deep moan. "Or maybe my mouth," she continued as she trailed her lips and tongue down his neck and gently bit down on his collar bone.
"God Ace," he groaned as she continued down his body, her hands and mouth everywhere but where he wanted them. He wanted to flip her over and take control, but he was also enjoying her ministrations especially when her warm tongue licked his length. She continued licking him a few times before taking him into her mouth and massaging his balls with her hand. Deep groans and moans slipped from his lips as she continued to suck on him, and he hands tangled into her hair. He could feel himself about to cum so pulled her off of him and flipped her over so that he was on top and kissed her passionately. "My turn," he whispered into her ear and not caring for the outfit anymore proceeded to rip it open to expose her chest and he latched onto one of her nipples with his mouth and his hand started to roughly massage the other. A shock gasp escaped her at his actions but it quickly turned into a moan as he bit on sucked until she arched up and let out a strangled cry so he switched so he could pay equal attention to both breasts. When she was a panting mess under him, he leaned slightly up and admired the love bites he had left on her and then quickly ripped off her thong and his mouth immediately went to work. He lightly licked her from opening to clit a few times, savoring her sweetness and then softly sucked on her clit causing a whimper to escape and she ground her pussy into his face to try and find her release. Placing a hand on her hip he held her down and used the other to insert a finger into her throbbing core and the feel of her wet heat on his finger caused his member to twitch uncomfortably but he was determined to make her cum like this so inserted another finger and harshly sucked her clit into his mouth causing her to scream his name. "That's it baby," he murmured as he swirled his tongue around her clit, "cum for me Ace," and then he sucked her hard as he thrust his fingers into her again angling them to hit her g-spot. The orgasm was intense, and she saw literal stars. She was still floating on her high when he kissed her passionately and she quickly returned the kiss; the taste of her on his lips made her even more desperate for him and when she whimpered, he pushed into her causing them both to moan at the sensation. The pace started slow but quickly increased and he positioned her legs over his shoulders allowing him to hit just right each time.
"Please baby," she whimpered.
"What do you want Ace," he ground out as he pounded balls deep into her.
"Harder," she panted as she angled her hips slightly up, "faster." At her words he pulled out and flipped her over and she immediately moved up to her knees and he fisted one hand in her hair causing her to arch her back and the other roughly squeezed her hip. He didn't wait for her to beg, he didn't tease her like normal and just pounded into her, enjoying watching himself go in and out. It wasn't long until he felt her clenching around him, he felt her orgasm bathe him in more wetness and he followed close behind. Exhausted they both fell onto the mattress, but he angled so he fell beside her and gathered her close to him.
"I love you," he stated when he finally caught his breath.
"I love you to," she sighed as she moved slightly away from him to remove the remains of her baby doll. "But I think you owe me a new outfit," she giggled.
"I'll buy you hundreds," Logan replied as she cuddled against him again and with a slight chuckle he continued, "as long as I always get to rip them off you."
"You have a deal," she whispered sleepily. "Happy Valentine's day MAC."
"Happy Valentines day, Ace," he replied as he ran his hands along her back and heard her breathing start to even out. "I couldn't have dreamed of a better day. And hopefully the next one you will be wearing my ring on your finger as my finance or even better as my wife."
She didn't reply as she had already drifted off to sleep.
"Happy birthday baby," Rory whispered as she ran her hand up and down Logan's bare chest. They had arrived in Las Vegas the previous evening and after checking in the boys insisted on a night on the town and they had not been in bed, well asleep, long.
Getting Logan to the plane unaware of what was going on took a lot of persuasion on Rory's part and she had to promise sexual favors to get him to put on the blindfold, but it was all worth it when the plane landed, and Logan realized where they were. He and the boys had been to Vegas lots of times in the past but being here with Rory was new and he was thrilled to get her away from Yale for a few days. He loved watching her eyes light up when she saw the city and the room the boys had booked for them. The Vegas trip was not only a surprise for him but her as well since Colin and Finn planned everything and she was only responsible for getting him on the plane.
Felling her hand woke him up slightly and he immediately wanted her again, even if it had only been a few hours since their last round. "Morning Ace," he huskily answered as he pulled her on top of him and kissed her. When the kiss ended due to lack of oxygen, he gently cupped her face, "this is already the best birthday ever."
She giggled slightly and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I haven't even given you your present yet," she retorted with a smile.
"Your all I need," he answered, the sincerity shining in his eyes. "Being with you is the best birthday present I could ever ask for. I didn't need Vegas I just need you."
"Awe babe," she replied in a slightly husky voice. "I love you. I don't need anything but you either."
"I love you," he stated as he gently ran his thumb along her jaw and stared into her eyes. Moments like this he was still in awe of what they had found, what they had become. A year ago, he was still fighting his feelings, fighting the thought of falling for her and becoming a boyfriend but now he couldn't imagine anything better than this. The last time he was in Vegas it was a blur and he couldn't recall a single meaningful memory between the girls and the clubs but this trip he wanted to remember everything. With those thoughts he leaned slightly forward and captured her lips again and worked on creating those memories.
The meal she had delivered was quickly forgotten as she gave him a different present. While the night before they were tipsy, and their lovemaking was urgent and fast that morning they took their time and explored each other's bodies like it was their first time. Slowly he caressed her body first with his hands and then his mouth, sucking and licking every inch on her body. When he reached her core, he took his time licking and sucking on her most sensitive area. The way she arched against him made him smirk and he took his time teasing her with only his tongue before finally giving her what she wanted and sucked her clit into his mouth causing her to let out a small scream. The sound wasn't loud enough for him, so he slipped a finger into her, moving it just right to hit her g-spot. He was relentless as he made her cum twice with his mouth and when she came down from her second high, she pushed him onto his back and started to explore him like he did her. She barely licked his cock before he pulled her up his body with a deep growl.
"As much as I want your mouth on me, I can't wait another minute to be inside you," he stated, his voice husky with barely contained lust. Quickly he flipped her over, so he was pressing her into the mattress and slipped into her causing them both to release a moan. It didn't matter how many times they made love it was never boring; each time was perfect. He held still loving the way she fit him, like she was made for him, and then slowly started to move making sure to hit her g-spot with each thrust. He loved the way he knew her body, knew what she needed to push her over the edge and with the morning of him teasing her he felt ready to explode so latched his lips on her nipple and bit down slightly causing her to scream and arch up, and squeeze him. The feeling brought him closer, and he sped up the pace, and within moments they both reached their peaks together and he fell exhausted onto her.
A while later Rory trailed her finger up and down his back as Logan slowly rubbed her side. They were content and neither wanted to break the tender moment but when Rory's stomach growled, they both laughed.
"I guess that's our cue for food," he chuckled.
"That's actually why I was waking you up," she giggled. "I ordered room service and it had just gotten delivered," pausing she looked at the clock and realized that it had been almost two hours since the food had arrived and sighed. "But the food is probably ice cold so we will need to order something else."
"Well worth it," he laughed. "What we just did was so much better than food."
Rory laughed as she moved off him. "You are right, but my stomach slightly disagrees right now," she stated, and he laughed. "Let's see if at least the coffee is warm."
It wasn't but they used the rooms coffee maker to make more and munched on the fruit and pastries she ordered. Deciding against more room service since it was already almost noon, they took a leisurely shower together before getting ready and heading to the strip to find food.
"Have you heard from the boys yet?" Rory asked as they paused in front of the Bellagio to watch the water show.
"Not yet," he answered as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "I don't expect to hear from them for a while. I know they probably still partied after we left them."
Leaning against him she slightly laughed. "Yeah, they were not happy when we left them at 2. I might need a nap later so that I can handle tonight!"
He laughed with her knowing that she would never be the party animal that he once was, and the boys currently were. "They said something about meeting up this afternoon to hit the tables, then a late dinner followed by the clubs again."
"I'll message the girls in a bit to see what they want to do while you guys gamble," she sighed. "They said something about the spa or shopping last night."
With the water show over they left their spot in front of the fountain and he led her towards the inside of the casino to a small restaurant that overlooked the water. As they walked into the building, they saw a bridal party in the conservatory taking pictures. The bride was dressed in a gaudy, short dress that barely covered anything and the parts it was covering was see through. "Wow," Rory muttered as they watched the bride try and walk on sky high heels. "Only in Vegas."
"I don't know about that," Logan laughed as he led, he towards a small restaurant that overlooked the water so they could see the show again later. "I've seen society brides in things like that."
"Ugh," she replied as she shook her head slightly. "I can't even imagine."
"Trophy wives are notorious for outfits like that," he answered before asking for a table and they were quickly led to a table on the patio, so they had an unobstructed view of the water, and the heaters kept the space comfortable. While they were getting seated, he studied her for a moment debating on what he wanted to say next. They had talked about marriage and everything before, but he was always a little unsure if he wanted it more than she did. After the waiter left with their drink order he took her hand and she looked at him with a curious look. "What have you always pictured for your wedding?"
Sensing the seriousness of his question she gently squeezed his hand and gave a slight whimsical smile. "I honestly don't know," she sighed. "Growing up getting married was never something I thought about. The Lorelei plan didn't include marriage or anything else that didn't revolve around professional goals. She wasn't married, didn't need a man, and that was how I was raised," she paused when the waiter returned with their drinks and Logan quickly ordered a variety of dishes wanting the waiter to leave so they could get back to the conversation, he felt that this was going to be extremely important for his future plans and possible happiness. When the waiter left, he kept his eyes on her and watched as she closed her eyes, and a look of sadness crossed her face as she tried to get her thoughts in order. "We talked about how I was raised, what Lorelai wanted for me," she paused with a sigh. "I went along with it, but it always seemed like something was missing from her plan, but I didn't know what it was… I had never seen a healthy couple to see what was missing until I started spending time with my grandparents," she paused and squeezed his hand. "I think that was why I stayed with Dean… he was safe and cared about me. It wasn't until the last time we were together that I realized that he didn't really care about me… he just thought that I could be wanted he wanted and that was a stay at home, small town housewife and that was something that I could never be. Even when I was with him, I never saw it as a long-term thing… I still went along with the plan. Getting to know the Hayden's opened up this new world for me even more and I started seeing something other than the Lorelai plan. When Edward allowed me to try and find my own plan, my own path, I still never saw marriage or family in my future," she paused and saw the brief look of panic cross his eyes so gave him a smile. "I didn't see the marriage or family until we started to get serious, during our time in London, living together now... Being with you, what we have… it has shown me what I never knew I was missing. Logan, I love you… like I told you before, whenever I think about my future, I see you. I want marriage with you and maybe a few years after graduation, when we both get settled into our jobs, I see kids with your blonde hair and my blue eyes."
"God, I want that Rory," he breathed out a bright smile on his face. "I see us getting married and I never thought I would say this… but I want that more than I ever thought possible. I want you to belong to me, for me to belong to you." He debated a moment before he continued but feeling that there would never be a better time to bring up a timetable, he squeezed her hand. "I always thought I would be forced down the aisle by my parents to some woman that was just like Shira except she would be from a family that Mitchum wanted something from and then eventually we would have kids to produce the next Huntzberger heir but now… now I want the future that we are building towards. I want the wedding, setting up our next home maybe in New York or London, watching our baby grow in your stomach and then us being a family, a real family…"
Rory had tears in her eyes as she listened to him and when he trailed off, she moved slightly to place a kiss on his lips and then murmured, "I want that family with you, I want that life with you, only you… and as much as I love what we have now, I am also looking forward to those next steps."
The waiter had watched the intimate moment and waited but when it seemed like the moment would not be ending soon, he lightly cleared his throat and the couple barely glanced at him but slightly moved so he could put the dishes down. He quickly and quietly placed the plates down and scurried off to give the couple privacy again.
Rory blushed lightly as the waiter walked off and Logan laughed at the look on her face. He couldn't be happier by the way the conversation had gone. Ever since he had gotten the ring from his grandfather, he had been trying to find ways to find out how she felt. He wanted to marry her now but didn't want to rush her. With everything that was going on with Lorelai and with how she was still unsure of what she wanted to do for a job he didn't want to rush her despite how much he wanted the ring on her finger. He debated on asking and then giving her a long engagement, but he knew that once she was wearing his ring, he would be even more impatient wanting their future to begin.
"When would you like to get married?" he tried to ask nonchalantly, and Rory raised her eyebrow slightly.
"Well since were not engaged…" she stated teasingly but answered quickly sensing that he really wanted an answer. "I never really thought about it, but I think the time of year would depend," he raised his eyebrow questioningly, asking silently on what it would depend on. Rory studied him for a moment trying to figure out what he was hinting at, wondering if he was ready to ask that important question and while it slightly surprised her that he was thinking this way already it didn't make her uncomfortable, if anything she seemed excited. "I wouldn't want a long engagement… but Honor is getting married next month, and I wouldn't want to take anything away from that… and I honestly don't know how long it would take to plan a wedding… Honors took over a year and I know between Francine and Emily," she paused and let out a slightly frustrated sigh. "As much as I don't like being the center of attention, I know that there are expectations for both of us and what our wedding will look like," she paused when she saw his bright smile and returned it and he squeezed her hand.
Logan loved her comment, our wedding, but he knew what she meant. Like he had told Colin and Finn there would be expectations for their wedding and despite how much neither of them really cared for society rules, the wedding, to an extent, would need to follow them. "It would be our wedding, Ace," he stated. "I want you to have what you want."
"I know," she sighed, "and there is a part of me that wants something small, but the other part wants to whole world to know that we are getting married. And neither Emily nor Francine ever got to help plan that big wedding…" she trailed off and a small smile crossed her face. "I think we could have that big wedding and still make it us. I see something whimsical, maybe a little Gatsby."
He laughed knowing that any wedding those two women planned would be a society whirlwind. "Well, we will have time to think about all of that. And your right a little Gatsby would suit us. For now, let's eat."
She agreed and they started feeding each other bites of the meal, pausing to watch the water show again and kept the topics light, both feeling relaxed and happy. Logan started mentally trying to come up with ways to propose and knew he wanted to do it soon but not till after Honor's wedding. Rory was right about not wanting anything to take away from his sisters' big day.
The rest of the trip to Vegas was spent balancing time alone and time with the gang. Logan was amazed at the difference between this trip, where he spent actual time exploring the strip and looking at things compared to the previous ones where he spent most of his time either on the casino floors or the clubs. While he still enjoyed the gambling and the clubs, they were so much better with Rory next to him. He was still in awe of so many things that she had changed in his life and there was not a single change that he did not think was for the better. And now that they had talked more about marriage, the future, he knew that her timeline was the same as his… for the most part. But he understood her want for the big wedding with the families there and giving both Francine and Emily the chance to have an input. Now he just needed to talk to Honor and see how quickly a wedding could be planned and start working on that perfect proposal. He knew his girl, it needed to be intimate, romantic and mean something to them. There were so many options out there, so many places at Yale that had meaning… and then it hit him, he knew the perfect place.
Logan glanced at his phone for the time as he impatiently listed to his last professor of the day. Rory had texted him right after class started saying she wasn't feeling well and was headed back to the apartment. What was even more shocking was that she left Paris in charge of the paper for the afternoon. She had woken up the previous morning and said she felt off and that morning she looked like all she wanted to do was crawl back into bed, but she powered through and went to classes. With Honor's wedding in five days, she was trying to get everything done so they could leave early on Friday and relax before the events started that evening. Hearing the lecture conclude he quickly gathered his things and was the first out the door.
Quickly he made his way to the apartment, and no sooner did he walk through the door did he hear Rory in the bathroom throwing up.
"Ace," he exclaimed as he dropped his things and went running to her. The sight he found made him even more worried. Rory was dressed in one of his t-shirts, sweatpants and her hair was in a messy bun as she leaned over the toilet. "Oh, Ace," he cooed as he grabbed a cup and filled it with water before sinking down on the floor next to her. "When did this start?"
Rory didn't answer for a moment as she waited for the queasiness to subside some more. When it finally did, she grabbed the water and tentatively took a few sips, water was what had sent her running to the bathroom this time. "When I got home," she answered hoarsely. "I felt queasy all day but when I was on the paper it was getting worse. I came home and laid down and not even five minutes later I was throwing up."
"Awe Ace," he murmured as he rubbed her back. "Do you need anything?"
Slowly she shook her head but within seconds was leaning back over the toilet.
Worriedly he rubbed her back as she continued to dry heave and when she finally leaned back, he flushed the toilet and pulled her towards him, brushing the sweaty hair away from her face and noticed how pale she was. "I knew I should have made you stay in bed today," he muttered slightly as he gently cupped her face.
"Yeah, like that would have happened," she weakly retorted.
He rolled his eyes at her stubbornness and moved her slightly off him so he could grab a washcloth. As he was getting it wet, he studied her and noticed the slight bags under her eyes and how exhausted she looked. As long as they had been together, he could not recall her ever being this sick, yeah, she had the sniffles and runny nose a few times but nothing like this. Wringing the water out of the towel he sat back down and gently wiped her face and then put the pull cloth on her neck. "You know I am just worried about you," he gently replied. "You have never gotten really sick, and this is the first time I have ever seen you throw up when you haven't downed numerous of Finn's concoctions," his comment earned a slight smile and giggle. "You have been exhausted for the last few days and have complained about being nauseas and now…" he trailed off as his words caught up to him and he glanced at her, and she seemed to be nowhere near the same thought process as him. "Ace," he hesitatingly started, "do you… ummm… could we possibly be…"
She looked at him completely baffled about what he was rambling about. "Logan what are you…" she trailed off when it hit her what he was asking about. "I couldn't be… could I? I mean I have the IUD…"
"But we have sex," he countered, "a lot."
"Yeah but…" she trailed off as she looked at him and noticed that he was completely calm, not freaking out at all, her, well she still felt too queasy to freak out. "I guess we need to get a test," she stated.
"I'll get a test, and some soup and crackers for you," he stated with a small smile. "You take a bath, or a shower, or just try and nap."
"You're not freaking out," she muttered as he helped her up.
"Nope, and that slightly freaks me out," he answered with a chuckle. "But we talked about this. Granted this is a lot sooner than we were planning but if it happens, I know we can figure it all out."
Seeing his confident look gave her a boost as well. "Your right," she answered, "with you I can figure anything out. He leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips and she pulled slightly back, and he looked at her questioningly. "nuh uh, I've been throwing up." He chuckled again and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Fine," he retorted and gently cupped her face. "Now bath or bed?"
"Bed," she answered, "after I brush my teeth."
Lorelai sat at her desk in the Dragonfly and looked at the papers in front of her. She still didn't know how her life had gotten to this point; she didn't understand how everything had changed so drastically in the weeks following the diner confrontation. Each day she came to work and tried to talk to Michel, but his French snobbery was even worse and conversations with Sookie became even more strained. The kitchen was closed to her. The staff were told to keep a list of everything she took from the kitchen and each week Sookie had ensured she had a 'bill' given to her with the costs of what she had consumed, each cookie and cup of coffee were accounted for. Every conversation included asking for an update on the decision on if she was going to sell to the group or buy her out… Lorelai had stalled as long as she could, but her old friend had made it clear that she wanted out and would not be changing her mind. Lorelai went through her personal finances and might have been able to keep the Inn but there was a problem with that… the staff had lost a lot of respect for her; the town had turned against her and suppliers, and contractors were increasing costs and taking longer to get things done. It seemed the town wanted her gone… She was so upset that these people that she had lived with, been close to for years, had all turned their backs on her. None of them understood the society world, none of them to understand what she was trying to prevent Rory from becoming.
She found Stars Hollow when she was still in high school and when she wanted to get away from Hartford she immediately went to this town. Here, it was quiet, no one knew her or her past, they didn't have expectations of her, and she was able to be the person that she wanted to be. Hartford society and the restrictions and expectations had always been to much for her. She hated how there were strings for everything… she wanted a car, she needed good grades; she wanted to go to a concert, she needed to go to a society party; she wanted to go to Europe alone for the summer, she needed to graduate high school. Every moment was planned, and she had all these expectations that went along with her being a Gilmore… she was expected to go to Yale, marry a nice boy from society, plan his schedule, raise his kids… As a teen it seemed like she would be going from one controlling environment to the next. When she found out she was pregnant… she was a disappointment from the moment she told her parents. Then there were the expectations; she was expected to be a mom, graduate high school, marry Chris, become a society wife and support him while he went to college. All the things she wanted to do were no longer options and she resented it, she fought it every step of the way. The last straw had been when her parents wanted her to complete high school and when she did, they wanted her to go to college. They went to a party one night and she left with her baby and promised that she would never place those expectations on her child. Rory wouldn't go to Yale, she would go to Harvard. Her daughter wouldn't be a socialite, she would hate society; her career path would keep her far away from Hartford; she would never depend on a man; she would never need anyone other than her mother. But something happened along the way. Rory wanted to go to Chilton and the duo got sucked back into society and Lorelai tried to undermine every aspect of it but then Yale happened and suddenly her daughter was even more involved in the world that she ran away from. No matter how hard she tried Rory got involved in that world and seemed to like it despite how much Lorelai pushed against it and now… now Rory was the society darling with the perfect society boyfriend; her daughter was everything that she never wanted to be, never wanted Rory to be. If only Rory had followed the plan and gone to Harvard, then this situation would have never happened. Rory would hopefully have dated a small-town boy and after she graduated, she would move back to Stars Hollow and only need Lorelai to help her become the overseas correspondent she wanted her to be. Her Rory would do great things all while keeping her roots in this small town where she ruled, where she was the queen. Unfortunately, what she planned, what she wanted, was the opposite of the current reality. Yale and Logan derailed all of Lorelai's plans and now Rory was gone and lost to the false world of society and Lorelai couldn't figure out how to get her daughter back.
A knock on the door brought her spiraling thoughts back to the present and she called a 'come in,' and the door opened to reveal Sookie. "Hey Sook," she stated with a big smile, still trying to get her friend back,
"Lorelai," the other women replied but there was no smile, no welcome.
With a deep sigh, Lorelai gestured to the seat and Sookie reluctantly sat down. "Are you still sure about selling the Dragonfly?"
"Yes," the chef immediately answered. "It's been weeks since I told you and I have not changed my mind. I would like this to be done soon."
"Okay," Lorelai nodded, sad that Logan had caused another thing in her life to fall apart. "Here are the papers for the sale. The Durham group wants to talk to you about the possibility of staying on."
"Will you be working here?" Sookie immediately asked. She would like to stay and work at the Dragonfly but there was no way that would be happening if Lorelai would still be working here.
Sadly, Lorelai shook her head no. "I got the message loud and clear," she stated bitterly. "You all have made your opinions know. No one in this town seems to understand that all I tried to do was look after Rory. None of you know what it is like to live in that world, with all of those expectations! Rory will probably end of pregnant before she graduates! She will marry Logan; he will travel on business cheating on her all the time! There will be no way that Rory will ever become anything other than a pretty picture that cares only about the latest fashions!"
"No Lorelai!" Sookie retorted. "You don't know what is going to happen to Rory. And you still behaving like this is why I refuse to stay in business with you!" She took a few deep breaths and then continued, "will you still be working at the Dragonfly?"
"No," she bitterly ground out. "I'm taking a job with the Durham group in New York."
Sookie nodded her head and picked up the stack of papers. "I'll have my lawyer look at all of these papers and get them back to you."
"You have a lawyer?" Lorelai asked, shocked.
"Yes, I do. I had them look at all the original partnership paperwork and they will look at this to make sure everything looks good," was the quick answer. "When is the plan for the group to take over?"
"The transition will start about a week after you sign and we get the papers back to them," Lorelai sadly replied, upset that all her dreams were disappearing. "They will send someone down to train with me for about a week and they will be hiring a new manager and any other positions that they think are needed."
"Okay," Sookie stated. "I'll get this back to you as soon as possible." With the conversation being done, the chef walked out leaving Lorelai once again alone with her thoughts.
Mitchum Huntzberger sat at his desk and stared at the photo in front of him. It had been about two months since the show-down with Shira. They were now legally divorced; she was in the New York penthouse, and he still had someone watching her to make sure she didn't cause any trouble and he was trying to figure out the next step in his life. Logan would be graduating soon and would be working in both London and New York over the summer and then starting in August he would start freelancing and shadowing him part time. A year ago, the plan he had for Logan was different, the relationship he had with both of his kids were different, but the current reality was so much better. Logan seemed excited to work for HPG and start to learn the ropes and had some interesting ideas about the future of media and the future of HPG. Some of the ideas were currently being further researched to find the feasibility of them and costs. He would have never imagined that Logan would have ever embraced anything to do with company, but he was, and he was showing business savvy that far surpassed his expectations. Then there was Rory. Mitchum and Elias were both getting impatient with Logan in that regard. They wanted him to ask an all-important question, but he was waiting till after Honor's wedding. Honor was getting married in just a few days and she was looking forward to him walking her down the aisle. The wedding was planned by Honor, so it wasn't going to be some gaudy society event and when the bills came in, he happily paid the bills, just wanting his daughter to be happy.
He looked back down at the photo. It was old and worn, it was from his college days. The couple looked happy, relaxed, they didn't have the weight of the world on them yet. Mitchum had loved this girl, wanted her with him but he thought he needed someone like his mother. The wife was supposed to stay home, look after the house, his schedule, take care of the kids, sit on committees; she wasn't supposed to work or have any interests outside of his but this woman… The woman he fell in love with was a lot like Rory. She was opinionated, wanted to do something with her life, she wanted to make a difference. They made it though two years of college and then a year after graduation as they traveled around the world but then he had to face his future. He wanted her with him, but she still wanted to work. She wanted to be a teacher, go to these small countries and teach and help. Her dreams didn't mesh with what he thought he needed and neither of them were willing to compromise. After they broke up, he became a playboy like Logan was and during that time he met Shira. That night he had just seen her out on a date with another guy, so he went and got drunk, saw the cocktail waitress that had been hitting on him and he just wanted a quick screw to try and forget about her. That one night was the worse night of his life, it was the night that he realized that he needed to compromise with Olivia, they had to find a common ground, he needed her. Before he could try and win her back, Shira found him, told him she was pregnant and after a DNA test that proved he was the father the future he wanted was gone. Over the years he had thought about Oliva, thought about what could have been and he just became even more bitter, especially when he would see her with her 'perfect' family. But unlike his family, hers really was perfect. She really loved her husband, her kids adored her, she had the job she wanted but still was in society and supported her husband. They had hard times a few years ago when the husband died but Oliva never gave up. Slowly he took a long gulp of his drink and looked at a young couple and wondered if he should reach out to her…
Shira Huntzberger looked at the stacks of bills in front of her and tried to balance everything with the money in her accounts. For the first month that she was in New York she tried to keep up with society, shopped and dined in the right places, tried to get invites to the right events but it wasn't happening, and she wasted a lot of money. Now her funds were dwindling, and she needed to get serious about what she wanted to do next. Growing up in almost poverty she didn't want to go back to that. A friend of a friend had come to New York and ended up married to a rich man and that was when she decided she was going to do the same thing. She had the looks, so she saved up enough and moved but the city wasn't what she thought it was going to be. She was pretty, but not pretty enough to catch the attention of the rich guys. Mitchum had caught her attention the moment she saw him, but he wasn't interested in her until that night. He was drunk and she stayed close to him so that when he was done and just wanted to get laid, she made herself available. It ended up costing her the job at the bar since she left early but it was all worth it a few weeks later when she missed her period and when the pregnancy test came back positive, she was elated. She knew there was no way that it was anyone else's, she wasn't sleeping around because she didn't want to risk getting pregnant with some poor man's child, so he was the first guy she slept with in months.
For awhile she thought they might learn to like one another. After Honor was born, she tried to seduce him, tried to get to know him but he would only sleep with her when he was drunk and as soon as she got pregnant again, he didn't touch her. When Logan was born, he tried for a few years but then one day something happened, and he didn't touch her again. He moved into a connecting room for appearances sake, they smiled like a happy couple in public but at home he barely tolerated her. The affairs soon started and when she tried to confront him, he laughed at her, asked her what she really expected since she had trapped him by intentionally getting knocked up. For years she tried to get Mitchum to tolerate her but nothing she did ever worked, even his parents hated her and refused to help her navigate the world she was thrust into. She found some other gold-diggers and they banded together and tried to fit into the world and one by one she saw them getting tossed aside for the newest model, so she worked harder in public, built up that public image of the doting wife and turned a blind eye to all the affairs. For awhile it worked, Mitchum didn't divorce her because in society they were happy. She spent all her time and effort getting to the top of society that she didn't even know her kids. She was all for them going to boarding school, it was one less thing to distract her and they grew up and she didn't even know who they were. They didn't like her, they tolerated her for the Huntzberger image and then Rory Gilmore came along and from the moment she saw Logan look at her at that party at the Gilmore's she was worried. When nothing quickly came of it, she relaxed but then Logan introduced her as his girlfriend and Shira saw the end of her reign. Yes, Rory wasn't raised in that world, but the girl had something that Shira didn't, a family that would help her navigate it. For years she had heard talk about Rory, how she was different from her mother, how she was stunning and innocent, smart and witty, charming and sweet… the talk wen on and on. For the other blue-blooded women, they knew about the scandal, but it didn't seem to really matter to them as long as she embraced the world, but it was obvious Rory was hesitant. Rory wasn't hesitant anymore and now she was the proclaimed future of society along with her son.
Shira sighed again as she looked at the numbers, once again cursing herself for not hiding away more. She had hoped that being in New York she could get accepted into society here but Rory Gilmore-Hayden was still known along with the drama so there was no way to get an in. There was no choice, she had to sell this apartment before the fees started to become due, sell the paintings, and jewelry Mitchum let her keep and move somewhere where no one knew her and try to start again. Maybe it was time to give up on society and try a simple, quiet life somewhere where she might possibly find friends and a place that she actually belonged.
Logan made it back to the apartment with a bag with four pregnancy tests, ginger-ale, and saltines from a pharmacy on the outskirts of New Haven and another from one of Rory's favorite cafés. He hoped that out of the chicken soup, vegetable soup, garden salad, chicken pesto panini, grilled chicken and vegetables or mac and cheese she would be able to eat and keep something down. When he left the apartment, he had planned on just going to the pharmacy down the road but he was worried he would run into someone and it would spread that he was buying the tests so decided to go farther away where there was less of a chance to run into someone.
He was afraid of the results for conflicting reasons. A part of him wanted it to be positive. He couldn't wait to start his life with Rory, have kids with her and create that family that they had talked about but the other part of him… that part knew this was the wrong time. He was graduating in a few months and Rory still had a year left of school and was working hard to complete her double major. She was determined to accomplish great things and he wanted nothing to sideline those plans. Even though he knew they would have plenty of support from family and friends he knew Rory and knew that she would put slightly put aside her dreams to be the best mother possible. Then there was another selfish part of him that just wanted Rory to himself just a little longer. No matter the results he knew they would be fine and if it was positive that they would work through this together.
Walking into the apartment he found her curled up in the bed, hugging his pillow. Just looking at her always settled him. Not wanting to wake her up he headed to the kitchen to put everything away and start the water for tea. As he waited, he felt her behind him and turned around. She looked adorable with her sleepy eyes and rumpled clothes. "Feeling better?" he asked as she walked over to him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"A little," she answered. "I smelled the food and didn't feel queasy so that's a good thing."
"Definitely a good thing," he chuckled and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I didn't know what would sound good to you, so I got a few different things," he told her as he pulled things out of the take-out bag. When he noticed that her eyes were focused on the tests, he had placed on the counter he gently caressed her face. "Do you want to take those first?"
"I think I should," she answered. "I need to pee so no better time…"
He chuckled again at her comment and grabbed the tests before walking with her to the bathroom. "I wasn't sure how many I should get… so I just grabbed one of each," he stated with a sheepish look on his face. "I didn't know which one…"
"I have no idea either," she replied as she looked at the brands in front of her. "This one says it can tell up to 7 days early… I'll take two now and we can save the other two…"
He nodded and placed a kiss on her lips. "I'll wait outside while you pee and then we can look together…" When she nodded, he walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed waiting for her. It seemed like an eternity for him as he waited for her to walk out the door to join him, but he knew it was probably only a minute or two. When he heard the toilet flush and the water turn on, he stood up and when she walked out of the bathroom, he pulled her into a comforting embrace. "It takes a few minutes so do you want to wait in the kitchen, and I'll make you that cup of tea?"
"That sounds good," she answered. "It should hopefully help the time pass quicker than if we sit here waiting for the timer on my phone to go off."
Making their way into the kitchen he made the tea and placed the food in the oven to keep it warm. Time seemed to take an eternity until the timer on her phone went off and with an apprehensive look at each other they made there way to the bedroom. They walked to the bathroom and with Logan grabbing her hand they looked at the test…
"Negative," Rory breathed out as her eyes went from the test to Logan. His face was a mix of sadness, happiness and relief just like she was sure hers was.
"Negative," he repeated, and their eyes met. "How do you feel…" he tentatively asked as he was trying to process his own feelings.
She gave him a slight shrug and then pulled him out of the bathroom to sit on the bed. "I don't know," she answered after they had sat. "A part of me cant wait for us to have kids but the other part…"
When she trailed off, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer before he finished her thought, "is relieved that we are not going to be parents yet."
"Exactly," she replied as she let out a breath, she didn't realize she was holding. "I think a part of me was excited about a little us running around."
He responded with a chuckle and placed a kiss on her temple. "I was excited at the prospect of a little girl just like you," he stated his voice husky with emotions. "But at the same time… I am glad we have more time as just us."
"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm glad it is just us a little longer as well," she sighed as she rested her head on him. "But if I were… I don't know."
"If we were," he corrected and then cupped her face, so their eyes met. "If we were, then we would have figured it out. I'm not going anywhere Rory," he told her, and she saw the emotions and love in his eyes. "When we do have kids, hopefully after we are married," he stated with a slight chuckle and earned a small giggle from her, "I will be thrilled because it's the continuation of the future that I see with you."
"Me to," she sighed. "I know I told you before… but I want it all with you."
"I want it all two," he breathed out as he rested his head on hers. "When I see my future its always with you, its always what we build together."
They sat in silence, lost in there own thoughts for a while until Rory's stomach let out a small growl and they both laughed.
"I guess I need food," she laughed.
"Yes, you do," he replied as he stood and then grabbed her hands to pull her up next to him. "You need food and then bed and if you are not feeling better in the next day of so the doctor."
She let out an irritated groan at the thought of the hospital," it's probably just the stomach bug that has been going around."
"It probably is," he conceded, "but I figure we should know for sure before we spend the weekend in New York at Honor's wedding…"
"Your right," she sighed. "If I'm not feeling better the day after tomorrow, I will go to the clinic."
Happy that she relented he decided to not say another word and led her to the kitchen where she ate some soup and vegetables while he ate the chicken and salad. Conversation was light as they talked about the wedding and soon, they were done, and Logan was leading her to bed. They both lay there for awhile lost on their own thoughts about the pregnancy scare.