Logan fixed his tie in front of the mirror while watching Rory buzz about around their bedroom preparing her things to bring.

"I don't know why people do weddings on Friday. Friday is a bad day, Friday is a busy day. For some people, Friday is the day they make up for their week. Finish things that they neglected to do on the other days of the week." She ranted. "It's not even weekend until the office hours end. God," she cussed when her foot hit the chair.

"Calm down," he tried although he knew it won't affect her so much. He thought he was obligated to say something. Apparently it was a wrong move as she was now glaring him with a death stare.

"Calm down? Calm down you say?" She pointed him with her high heels. Geez, those heels looked so sharp they could make a clean hole in his head. "Ugh, tell me again why I have to go to this wedding!" She whined.

"Because you're the best man." He simply answered, afraid to trigger anymore violent response.

"I am, didn't I? Why did I agree to this?"

"Because they are both your best friends! Come on, Ace! You were so excited before!"

"That was before I had to come to Stars Hollow straight from work in a Thursday night, after working my ass off to make up for one day off for the week, organized and led the rehearsal dinner, came in at two in the morning, and had to be up and ready at 6 AM on a Friday and drive all the way to Stars Hollow again!" She whined again. "I think they deliberately chose Friday to torture me,"

"Really, Ace? You sure it wasn't because it's the Valentine's Day?"

"I'm sure. Jess wasn't a commemoration kid of guy,"

"But Clarissa is. And Jess would agree to anything that girl says. So I'm pretty sure they didn't think about torturing you when they chose the date. If anything, they might not even thought about you at all while choosing their wedding date,"

"Huh... I'm sure they didn't even think of anyone else forcing us to drive down in a Friday morning. I'm sure traffic is bad,"

"I don't think so. You're going the opposite direction of where people are going. If you're going to New York, maybe you'll face a nightmarish traffic. But you're not. You're going to Stars Hollow for you best friends' wedding," he came to face her and put her chin between his thumb and index finger. "Come on, Ace. What's up?"

"I don't know. I'm having a weird feeling, like something bad is going to happen. But not about the wedding, something's in the air..." she said wrinkling her nose.

"You sure it wasn't the whole crate of champagne you toasted last night?" Logan teased. Rory was always cranky when she miss a day off of work, and she did exhausted from the day before.

"Yeah, probably..."

"Cheer up, Ace. You're standing up for your best friend. And he doesn't have any other friend, that's why you became the best man. Not that I'm complaining, because seeing you in that suit kinda makes me nostalgic," he grinned and pulled her closer for a kiss. "Maybe, if things go well today, I'll corner you in the dressing room and collect your debt for something we didn't get to finish many many years ago,"

"Hmm, maybe... but you have to promise me one thing," she replied, leaned her forehead to his. "Lock the door this time,"

He chuckled. "I will. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to today. I will be counting the minutes until I can unbutton your crisp shirt tonight," he winked and let her go to finish getting ready.

"So, I will go straight to my mom's house, and meet the bridal party there. Hope they're now sober and can take a bottle or two champagnes to make sure nobody goes crazy and kill the caterer for appetizers or something,"

"Fingerscrossed. After that you'll be in the church until 11AM?"

"Yes, and we'll go straight to the Dragonfly. So I'll meet you there at 2pm?"

"Yeah, I have back to back meetings with the board but hopefully it will all end before 1pm. You sure you don't want to take Frank with you?"

"No, that's okay. I'll drive. See you soon, okay? I love you!" She gave him a kiss before flew out the door.

Logan smiled. She has become more and more like Rory Gilmore he knew since San Fransisco. In the cheerful and un-jittery kind of sense.

They went home a few days after he recovered from flu and even had a some time to finish his works there and visited some old friends who teased him relentlessly about his unRoryness days. But they all agreed that it was hard to move on from a girl like Rory, now that they knew her, but they couldn't comprehend how a girl like her could pine for a guy like him for ten years too. Sorry ass losers, he replied with a laugh.

The flight home was smooth, she was a little tensed at the airport but Logan never let her hand go, and she relaxed after a while. They flew commercial because the company's jet was with his father who were doing a business travel as well. But all went well and he could see that Rory slowly started to feel more comfortable along the journey home.

The following weeks went by with them adjusting to cohabitation, but boy how easy it went with Rory. She basically has the similar habits and routines as she had when they lived together in college. And him, not much had changed. He had picked up some British preferences in terms of food and toothpaste brand, but other than that, not much had changed.

He also noticed several changes in Rory's routine and fashion style. For example, she has a skincare routine now. Morning and night. And she has a spa day, full of recommendations from Logan's Mom, her favorite place was this Bali Relax Spa in Brooklyn.

"I found it relaxing and calming, Logan. Balinese scrub and traditional massages are my favorite. I love the lemongrass scent and the ratus,"

"The what?"

"Ratus,"

"I heard that, but what is that?"

"It is a treatment, for your favorite part of me..."

He was confused at first but decided to let it go and asked his most trusted encyclopedia, Macy, who blurted her drinks upon hearing the word and threatened to file for sexual harassment at work. It was Finn who detangled his confusion by explaining several Indonesian body treatments that advantageous for both women and their men.

Oh that new habit is very welcomed to stay, for sure.

Her other changes of course, was the avoidance of public places. Before San Fransisco, she avoided the malls unless it was very very necessary, and she hadn't saw any movies in the cinema for a decade because the dark and concentrated room was too hard on her nerves.

But since San Fransisco, Logan had managed to take her on a movie date and several visits to the mall and she had relaxed and enjoyed every second of it, even went with Clarissa once in a quest to find the perfect earring to go with her suit.

Rory was jumping milestones and Logan couldn't be more proud. He knew that he had a role in triggering her liberation from her anxiety cage, but she moved forward on her own. She fought hard, and she was winning, Logan thought while squeezing the blue box in his pocket.

It's time.

He could feel it in his bones. He had been thinking about this since she went out with Clarissa and got home at nine o'clock looking tired but proud of herself, and carrying three large shopping bags and a few other smaller ones.

"Did you rob the mall, Ace?"

"Just finishing off my Christmas bonus..." she grinned. "You know I have been online shopping all these times? I've forgotten the fun of looking directly at the product, feeling the materials on my hands, and trying them on! All these times I looked at the pictures, pick up the phone and ordered. Every time the package arrived, it was like a reveal game. Will it fit? Will it look good? Will it be as expected? But those days are gone. Call me old fashioned, but nothing beats window shopping!" She chirped while unpacking her stuffs. Pretty random stuffs, from hand towel to aromatherapy diffuser.

"Oh, and I got you something!" She exclaimed with her mischievous grin, then took one of the larger bag to the bathroom. Logan waited patiently until she came out of the bathroom wearing a super sexy lingerie dress that almost made his heart stopped. Needless to say, the night went really long in honor of the dress.

That moment made him realized that she had moved on. She had made peace with her past and learning to co-exist with it. And it meant that she's ready. She's stronger and definitely ready for the future.

He had been dropping hints here and there that were responded with positive replies, which fueled his confidence. Particularly in that one faithful night in one particular weekend when they were laying in bed after yet another amazing sex, just cuddling and enjoying each other's nearness.

"I wanna do this forever," she said.

"We will, Ace. Like I said, not going anywhere..."

"Good. Because I have decided, that even if you go, I will chase you down and knock some sense back into you..."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I realized that sometimes, I pushed you away. Sometimes I don't give you the benefit of the doubt, and sometimes I give up on us too easily... but that will change now, Logan Huntzberger. You're it for me, as the past twelve years or so will testify, and I will do everything in my power to keep you in my life,"

"Rory... Ace... that's..." his breathe caught up in his throat. "I'm not going anywhere, but it's nice to know that you'll go after me anyway if I do,"

"You can bet your ass I will. And don't forget that I have reinforcements now. All your friends and family are on my side, so no funny business..." she threatened.

"Yes, dear." He obliged, pulling her closer to his chest, right in front of his heart. His hand gently playing with her hair, enticing her to give up to her sleepiness.

"Ace?" He called.

"Mmm?" She replied.

"You think we should get married?"

She smiled. "Maybe. Some people will be really pissed off if we don't. And my Grandma probably will rise up from her grave and drag us along the aisle herself..." she replied.

"Okay." He said lightly despite of his heart drumming like crazy and his smile was so wide he might dry his teeth. "Okay then,"

He smiled the same smile he had on since that night last week. He had started the plan since then, not that it needed to be planned anyway, he already had several ideas of course. A man won't go ten years in love with somebody without cooking up plans to propose to her whatever impossible the concept was at that time.

What took him some time was to choose between a few choices he had chosen from a larger pool of options.

There was a flash mob of course, featuring her current favorite song "Scars to your beautiful" by Alessia Cara. But it would take too long to recruit her townspeople of Stars Hollow and train. Except he hired some professional dance group. But it won't be have the same emotional value. So scratch that.

And then the concert. This one was his favorite too, to take her to a concert that he secretly had made a deal with the artist beforehand. Or he could hire her friend's band, what was it called? Hep Alien. He could make them do a concert. But it would be too crowded and full of people she doesn't know. Scratch that too.

And forget a grand gesture like hot air balloon and something luxurious like a proposal in one of the romantic beach huts in the Maldives, he had a strong feeling that this time, it has to be private and memorable. Just the two of them, in a nostalgic place.

So he had arranged for a trip to Yale. He would take her there to visit their memory lanes with a touch of scavenger hunt with the prize of their memorabilia, like the poster she was putting up when they first met, a guerrilla mask and a bottle of champagne, a book she was sniffing in the library, and some other stuff. The quest will end up in their old apartment that will be decorated romantically. And he would ask the question there, she would say yes, and they will live happily ever after.

He had spent half his morning making sure the plan is in place after had a very short meeting at the office. And he was now on the way to Stars Hollow, half an hour late, praying that she won't eat his head and ruin the mood for today, and he would pretend to enjoy the party while his mind will be in New Haven and the last minute preparations his crew were doing, waiting for the party to be over and take her to Yale before Valentine's Day over.

Good plan.

He arrived at the Dragonfly fully prepared with reasons why he late without giving out too much information yet not lying to her. Half the town was there and he had trouble finding his Ace. He shot her a message telling her he was here already while making his way to the glowing bride and groom.

It was weird watching a genuine smile on Jess' face. He was always gloomy and in two out of three occasions Logan met him, his face was covered in anger and disgust. So seeing him all happy and smiley kinda made Logan felt awkward. This face was reserved for one purpose, for person he loves, and once this face of him was reserved for Logan's Rory. For once he understood the attraction Rory had for Jess. To be the only reason of his face lighted up and bright would make anyone felt really special.

Logan congratulate the man sincerely and wished them a happy life, and kissed Clarissa on both cheeks. "Thank you for coming, Logan. Where is Rory?" Clarissa asked.

"Rory? Isn't she here?" Logan asked confused.

"Well, she did. But she went to the house to grab a back up flower basket for the flower girl who was crying because her brother broke hers, and hasn't come back since... it's been more than two hours," Clarissa explained worried.

Logan looked around and scanned the room. Obviously she wasn't there, because if she were he would've known. He would've spot her in a second. He turned his attention back to the worried bride and groom.

"I'll look for her, don't worry..." he tried to keep calm. He nodded at Jess who had his scrunched up face back for this news. "Don't worry, I'll find her. She might just found a book and forget all about the basket," he assured them although his heart was beating so fast like he had just finished a sprint.

He went to a corner and pushed Rory's number on his phone. Last communication she had sent him was a message two hours ago telling him to hurry come while his message telling her that he was on his way and the last one when he arrived was not responded.

He growled in frustration when she didn't answer the phone on his third try. Logan had been having a bad feeling in his gut but he thought it was just because of his nervousness. But having heard Clarissa, his gut started to stir again. He took a few deep breaths and calm himself. There was no use of panicking. He had to keep calm.

He asked around if anyone seen her but they all seen her last two hours ago. The trip from Dragonfly to Lorelai's old house back and forth won't take half an hour. Where could she possibly be, and why had he been having a growing nausea?

He made a call to Lorelai and Chris on the way to the house after he notified Lane to keep an eye of Rory and let him know as soon as anyone spot her. He met Luke on the way out who insisted to go with him.

They looked everywhere, from Lorelai's old house to the library. They even checked Mrs. Kim's and the dance studio with no luck.

Came sundown, Logan was seconds away to full on panic mode. Rory had never went this long without letting him know her whereabouts, or anyone else for that matter. Colin, and Paris had came over and they were gathered in Luke's Diner. Paris was busy on the phone with the local police department. Colin was ready to hire a PI.

Luke made himself busy with cooking, and ended up making five burgers and eleven pancakes and served him one but he couldn't eat a thing and Luke shoved him an herbal tea that was supposed to calm him down.

At his umpteenth voicemail to Rory, Lorelai and Chris arrived, parked their car in front of the Diner, and looked hesitate to come in. This was Luke's Diner anyway. At the door they were stopped by a weird guy, what was his name? Dirk? Kirk? He said something to Lorelai that shocked her, she put her hand on her mouth and leaned on Christopher.

Logan rushed to the door. "What is it?"

"She's with Lewis."