5 years later

Rory was sitting in the first class lounge in JFK, she was flying to London Heathrow for ten days with hopefully three or four days in Ireland. She had to check on her properties that she had inherited there, both from Lorelai the first and the Hayden side of the family, so it was a mixture of work and pleasure while also providing a break from her work at the firm. While Rory enjoyed the freedom she had in the states to travel everywhere on her cessna, she sometimes enjoyed the people watching opportunities that commercial air travel afforded to her. She was never sure whether it was due to her time spent in journalism or from her body language classes as part of her coursework at Harvard Law but she liked to watch people and speculate on their relationships and reasons for being there.

She sipped on her caramel macchiato, always needing the sugar rush before long flights, and looked around the lounge. Not for the first time she found herself thinking of the different path she could have found herself on had she said yes to one Logan Huntzberger after her Yale Graduation. She may have been a part of a young family like the husband, wife and what looked to be three year old twins on one side of the lounge, or there was an around thirty year old woman leaning against the bar having a loud argument over the phone with what sounded like her husband who had not came home the night before.

Instead, Rory had packed herself up after her Yale graduation and went to Disneyworld and Universal with her mother. She had promised her mom she would ride roller coasters all summer with her, and as she no longer has the opportunity to spend the whole summer doing that she had taken her mom to the two biggest parks to pacify her. That had actually started a bit of a love affair between Rory and Disneyworld. It became one of her favourite places to travel to, it was like being in a continual bubble of happiness for the duration of every trip. Not to mention the accommodation and food were always first rate. Unlimited churros, need she say more.

After they returned from disney it was time for Rory to gather everyone together and outline her future plans. They all knew pieces of what she had been thinking but no one knew the final decisions or complete plans. She arranged with her Grandfather to gather everyone together at one of the board rooms at his office, as it had enough room for them all but was a more neutral location than choosing from one of her grandmothers or her mothers houses.

Flashback

Rory looked through the glass into the boardroom where everyone was wondering what was going on and as they were so busy asking each other no one was looking at the door to see her studying them. At one end of the table was her Grandfather Richard looking steadfast as usual in his grey suit and tie, beside him was Grandma Emily in a classic navy Chanel suit, Rory wondered not for the first time just how many colours did she own that suit in. Next to Richard on his left hand side was her mother who was dressed reservedly enough for her in a blue button up blouse and a pair of dark dressier jeans. At the opposing end of the table sat her father in a shirt, khakis and a sports jacket with no tie, and Grandmother Francine in what appeared to be a Dior suit. Unlike Emily, Francine liked to mix up her designers a little more and to Rory's currently untrained eye she always had to work hard to ascertain the brand, not that it really mattered in the long run.

Rory took a deep breath and brushed off some invisible lint from her lilac blouse and smoothed her skirt, then she entered the room. Instantly all heads turned to her. Rory felt like she was a specimen under a microscope at a lab somewhere with the intensity of the scrutiny coming from the elders.

"What is the meaning of this little assembly Rory, gathering us all here without informing us what it is in regards to really is not appropriate young lady," Emily started.

Rory sighed, she had known she would be the first to speak "If you will give me a chance to begin I shall explain all. I think it might be best if I talk first and everyone leaves all questions until the end. Are we all in agreement?"

"Yes" was the chorused response with Emily following it up with a "If we must."

"Now I know you are all curious about some of the things going on in my life right now and if you give me long enough I shall hopefully explain all. I know some of my decisions might not make sense at the start but please be aware a lot of thought has gone into all of these decisions and they are not up for debate at this point, hopefully by the conclusion of this meeting you will all understand my choices."

"I am aware you have been fielding some questions about my employment prospects now that I have graduated from Yale and am no longer linked to the Huntzbergers. I have decided upon attending and been accepted into Harvard Law."

Everyone started talking at once, exclamations of surprise coming from half, and of joy from the other half.

Rory raised her hands to silence them again. "Now as I was saying, when I returned to Yale after my semester away, I added some pre-law and business courses to my course list which I found myself enjoying immensely. Due to the powerhouse known as Paris Gellar, I sat the LSATs earlier this spring, she also made me take the MSATs so she wasn't in cahoots with anyone, just being her usual Paris pushing me to be the best me I can be."

Rory stopped for a drink of water at this point and surveyed the room, her mom and Emily both looked like they were biting their tongues hard, while the other three just looked happy for her.

"After my time away from Yale, I began to review my career choices, and for that I actually thank Mitchum, he forced me to look to see what I would do if journalism didn't pan out. As I contemplated it I realised, I'm a bit of a homebody, I've never been one to jump into the thick of the drama or dangerous situations. I would never succeed as a foreign correspondent or even enjoy it for that matter. Yes I enjoy writing, doing features etc, but what I realised was I loved the debate, the getting people to see things from my point of view, the panel arguments. Heck half of mine and Paris' entire friendship could count as a warm up for law school."

"Does that make sense to everyone? And I didn't tell anyone because I wanted to see if I got accepted to law school first."

"Rory honey this is a big change that you are springing on us. You have spent the past 18 years of your life telling everyone you wanted to be a foreign correspondent." Lorelai interjected.

"This really isn't because you think you have burned your contacts in the journalism world by turning Logan down is it?" Richard asked.

"Of course it is Richard, she obviously regrets it. Rory we can help you get Logan back, we just need to-"

"GRANDMA! For the last time, I was right to turn Logan down. I didn't want to make a scene at the time or cause any issues to business relationships with the Huntzbergers, but Logan had been cheating on me for a while and with multiple people by all accounts. His long term plan after marriage included multiple mistresses. Is that the life you want for me? To play second fiddle to my husband's affairs?"

"Of course not Rory, why didn't you say anything?"

"As i explained i don't want to interfere in your business relationships with them"

"Family loyalty is worth the interference," Richard declared

"As that may be, it is no longer an issue. Now the next piece of information I plan on sharing is news to all five of you so I don't want anyone to feel slighted. I have enrolled in Harvard Law under my middle name and Dad's name. I will be registered as Leigh Hayden"

At this news everyone begins to talk at once again. It isn't even clear what anyone is saying as they are all just shouting over each other.

"Silence," Rory raises her voice. Once they all start to calm down she begins to explain.

"This is for multiple reasons. I want a fresh start, currently the name Rory Gilmore is strongly tied to the Huntzberger name, and we all know that reach includes the Harvard campus. Also I eventually plan to, and I have discussed this with Dad and Grandmother, I will eventually be taking over the Hayden Law firm. This will be easier to do if I start my law career off under the Hayden name. Dad has agreed to pay for law school, and all other expenses will come from one of my Hayden trust funds. Myself, dad and Francine have all sat down with lawyers and accountants and reviewed the full standing of my Hayden trust funds and eventual inheritance. The firm and its connected financials and property will become mine, Gigi shall inherit everything connected to Dad's technology firm."

"Well Rory, if you have got the full details of those accounts, now may also be time for us to sit down and discuss your Gilmore trust funds, and inheritances. You are named as our full successor both to Gilmore insurance and our private funds. This will not require you to work in insurance just attend monthly board meetings. You also have your inheritance from your Great Grandmother Lorelai the first. She left you her London apartment and her country estate, plus her full fortune and she also had a separate trust fund in your name. I can get you the full numbers and details later today as they are in my office," Richard calmly outlined as though he wasn't talking about millions of dollars.

"Grampa, that isn't necessary but if it would make you more comfortable we can review them once we finish up here. I am hoping to room with Paris in Cambridge, she is going to Harvard Medical School and at our last discussion was still looking for somewhere to live. Dad if you and Grandmother could help with that search we would both be grateful. You know the area a lot better than I currently do. We need somewhere safe with ideally 2 bedrooms and a study, I don't know if Doyle will be accompanying Paris yet."

"Of course kiddo, we will find you somewhere, just leave it up to us."

"Does anyone else have any pertinent questions?"

"Just one, are you happy? All of this is a lot of change to take in, but if you are happy then thats all that matters." Lorelai stated.

Rory looked around, everyone was nodding along with Lorelai's statement. "I really am. Is it an unexpected departure? Yes but I am really excited for all the changes to come."

Rory had came out of that meeting about 400 million richer and the owner of six properties with the knowledge several more were deeded to become hers eventually.

Now boarding First Class passengers for British Airways flight 2387 to London Heathrow from gate E35

At that announcement Rory chugged back the remainder of her coffee and began to gather her belongings. Much to Emily Gilmore's dismay Rory firmly believed in comfort for flying. She was wearing a pair of lululemon yoga pants and an older Yale hoodie, in her hand luggage she had a change of more proper clothes than she normally changed into before landing, but for the duration of the flight, comfort is Rory's goal.

Walking up to the gate she gave the flight attendant her boarding pass and passport before entering the plane and turning left. Rory took her private suite in first class, she was in the centre which wasn't her first choice as she liked a window seat and the lack of a neighbor that the window seat afforded her as she usually did this trip alone. Oh well, she thought, once we take off I can close all the screens and it will be like I'm alone. She set out her laptop, airpods and ipad, ready to go once they were in the air and placed her cabin luggage in the bin. As she settled down and looked around the cabin waiting for the cabin crew to continue to prep the plane for take off, her musings were interrupted by a voice coming from the suite attached to hers.

"Do I know you?"