Author: Lady Eliza
Characters: All Characters
Rating: T
Summary: Total AU Rory and Logan Spoiler Warning
Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or any of its characters.
AN: Thank you to my reviewers. I appreciate all of the nice comments that many of you have sent in. I'm happy that my fic is getting such an enthusiasticresponse and I hope you will enjoy this chapter. I'm glad you didn't allyell at me for the cliffhanger part. It was terrible of me but it just made sense to stop writing after Elias said that. I hope you will all continue to review.
Chapter 31: London Calling
Jess sat motionless for a good minute before he trusted himself to speak without his voice cracking. He couldn't have heard the old man correctly. Rory and Logan engaged, his Rory engaged to that playboy. He asked Elias, just to clarify, "How could a power couple like Rory and Logan be engaged without the media finding out about it?"
"Jess there several ways to distract the media with falsified stories and the big secret need not come out until the couple is ready to announce their engagement. Besides Logan and Rory wanted to enjoy being engaged before the go public with the news," said Elias. He knew he was taking a big risk by telling Jess such a lie, but the boy had to understand that Rory was completely off limits.
"I don't believe you. You've got too much riding on Rory and Logan as a couple, so you wanted to come out here and tell me this elaborate scheme. You must really believe that I'm a viable threat to track me down this way so you could tell me this fictitious tale," smirked Jess.
"You've got some nerve, boy. I really don't care if you don't believe me or not. I came here to tell you that Rory is officially off the market and for you to stay away. The family was ready to hunt you down and kill you when Rory told us about the stunt you pulled."
"I was looking out for Rory. I didn't realize the girl in the picture happened to be Logan's sister. I will only believe that Rory and Logan are engaged if she tells me herself."
"I thought you would say that so I would like to invite you to their Engagement party. I realize that the family will not agree with me on this invitation, but if it means that you will leave Rory alone then so be it," said Elias.
"Fine I'll be there. You name the time and the place," said Jess.
"I'll be in touch," said Elias then left Jess to ponder the elderly man's words.
Jess wouldn't put it past the Huntzbergers and the Gilmores to make up a fake engagement to get rid of him. He had to gauge Rory's reaction himself before he would believe that a wedding was in the works. He wouldn't accept anything but the truth.
"YOU TOLD HIM WHAT?" screamed both Logan and Rory as Elias repeated his conversation with Jess Mariano.
"I simply told him that the two of your are engaged to be married. We want this young hoodlum to leave the two of you alone don't we?" asked Elias.
"Yes we do, but isn't there another way grandpa?" asked Logan.
"Yeah, Eli wouldn't he get suspicious if in another couple of months the press doesn't report anything about an engagement between Logan and I. I mean how long can we fool him with a fake engagement. Sure we can throw a party and get all of our friends to go along with this charade, but if the public isn't notified he would get suspicious," said Rory.
Elias looked straight at his grandson and gave him a pointed look which said, 'Why the hell haven't you proposed already.' Then he turned to Rory and said, "Rory don't worry about the press, heck we are the press we will take care of it."
Rory looked sceptical, she turned when Shira and Emily started pulling out their date books to nail down a date for the engagement party. No one seemed to object to Jess coming to the engagement party since everyone knew Elias had other motives in telling Jess that Rory and Logan were engaged. The old man was giving his grandson a gentle push to propose so they didn't have to lie to Jess about an engagement and the party could be a real one.
Logan, for his part, just gave Elias a stare down when the old man had given the look. He was thinking about the best way of proposing when the whole Jess incident had occurred. Now he wanted to give it a little time before he would think about the proposing dilemma.
He turned to Rory and said, "Ace, what do you say we take a trip to London right about now? I want the two of us to get away from engagement fever around here."
"Sure babe, that's sounds like a great idea. Let's say goodbye to the family and we'll be on our way," said Rory.
Rory and Logan told the family of their plans to go to England for a few days. The couple was relieved when they left the Gilmore Mansion.
Rory and Logan had been having a wonderful few days in London. They were finally able to talk about the Jess incident and then the plan to get him out of their lives. The couple agreed that the plan was foolproof if everything went according to plan.
Rory was walking out in the garden of the Gilmore Family Estate and pondering marriage with Logan. She had been thinking about her life with Logan quite a bit these past few days. Elias had put those thoughts into her head after telling the family of his plan to get rid of Jess once and for all.
Logan was watching Rory from the master bedroom window on the third floor of the estate. He and Rory had spent many days secluded on the Gilmore Estate in the country. He had been reminded of the good times they had had together over the past nine months. He loved her so much.
The two of them were going to attend a ball this evening where to Queen would be in attendance. Logan didn't know how Buckingham Palace had been notified that Lady Gilmore was in London, but they had found them and delivered an invitation to the 'Gloucester Debutante Ball' whatever that was.
So Logan and Rory had to do the dutiful thing and attend it on behalf of the Duke and Duchess of Guild de More. Apparently Rory would even have to wear a tiara. Logan hadn't seen Rory in a tiara in a long time and whenever she ends up in one she always gets drunk and starts singing show tunes off key, which makes him laugh.
Logan went to see how his tuxedo looked like since the last time he'd worn it. He hoped he didn't have to buy a new one since he hated being measured and prodded by a damn tailor. He was heading towards the closet when he detoured and stopped in front of his briefcase. He opened it and took out the velvet ring box. When the box was opened he stared at the gorgeous looking ring. He hadn't a clue why he brought the ring on vacation to England, but ever since he had gotten here Logan had been opening the box and staring at it's content. He felt foolish but the ring gave him hope for the future. He put the ring away when heard Rory coming up the stairs.
Rory walked into the master bedroom that she and Logan had decided to occupy to see him looking strangely at his tuxedo. "Logan sweetie, is everything alright with your tux?"
"Yeah, thank god for that, but do you happen to see a stain here?" asked Logan.
Rory stood next to him and looked at the Armani tux and saw nothing. Maybe Logan and the tux needed to be separated before the big ball tonight. Rory had hoped that she could go under the radar of the Queen and her other family members in England, but alas they had found her.
"Are you going to start primping for the ball now?" asked Logan.
Rory kissed him quickly, grabbed her towel off the chair near the dressing table, and said, "You know me so well."
Logan just laughed and said, "I'm going to go and watch TV. You call me when it's an hour till we have to leave. I can be dressed in a jiffy," joked Logan.
Rory just rolled her eyes and had her parting shot. "But I will look prettier than you Logan."
Logan had been dressed for a half an hour and was twiddling his thumb. It had only taken him fifteen minutes to get ready and he still had time to kill. Rory was still doing whatever it was that girls did when they were getting ready. He had once made the mistake of complaining that she took to long and had paid the price. Rory could be vicious when she was mad, she had actually told him to sleep on the couch after that comment. So he had now learned to smile and say how lovely she looked in such little time when she was finished with her primping.
Logan was pondering some vague topic when he heard her heals clicking down the stairs. He didn't look up until she was at the last step. He just stared awed of the beauty that was in front of him. She looked magnificent in her olive and wine coloured dress and regal with the crown atop her head. She looked every bit the royal princess and he was pleased to be her escort for the evening.
"Rory, you look magnificent. That dress is amazing. I didn't you had bought a new dress for this occasion," said Logan.
"I didn't buy it, it was sent to me by Karl. You think it looks nice?" asked Rory.
"Darling, I have never in my life seen anyone wear Chanel like you are wearing it right at this moment. You will probably get a lot of pictures taken of you tonight. I'm a lucky man," said Logan.
Rory rolled her eyes and said, "Thank you Hon, let's get this show on the road."
Logan smiled and escorted her into the waiting limo. They would be having some extra protection since Rory had broken out the family tiara. She hated the inconvenience of wearing such priceless jewellery but she absolutely abhorred the thought of the gorgeous jewels going to waste in the family safe.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Lady Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III and Sir Logan Huntzberger," announced the well-dressed man at the door.
Logan hated that part the most. 'Why the hell do people need to be announced when they enter a room?' He would've liked to shake someone's hand and introduce himself instead of having some man scream it at the top of his lungs. He didn't see the reason for being so formal, for example in England everyone referred to him as 'Sir Logan.' since the Queen had insisted that he be knighted due to Rory's title or else he would have been known as 'Mr. Logan,' but suffice to say everyone from the gardener to the prime minister called him Sir Logan. It was quite daunting.
Rory was in her element at these parties. She knew many of the people in the room since they were either related to her directly or she had family in common with them. You could use Colin's phrase and say this was an incestuous crowd. The first person to come find Rory after she had talked to the Queen and made the obligatory rounds was her cousin Sarah.
"Rory there you are. I've been trying track you down since you waved to me from across the room. Oh! I love that dress, whose is by?" asked Sarah talking a mile a minute.
Rory laughed, "The dress is Chanel. What did you want to talk to me about?" asked Rory.
"Oh you know, this and that, gossip, and where is that gorgeous hunk of man that you call your boyfriend."
"I'm glad you think I'm gorgeous and a hunk, Sarah," teased Logan as he came up behind her and kissed her hello. Logan handed Rory the flute of champagne that he had gone to fetch twenty minutes ago, some member of parliament who had wanted his opinion on the Newsweek scandal had sidetracked him. Logan had politely made his excuses when he could get a word in edge wise.
Sarah blushed, "Didn't know you were behind me, luv."
"Come now, we know how you really feel about me. Does Stewart know about your feelings for me," joked Logan.
"You have feelings for Logan? Darling I thought you only loved me and me alone," teased Stewart Hartsworthy, Sarah's husband and the 6th Marquis of Hertfordshire.
"Stewart, don't make me blush," said Sarah.
"You do know what this means don't you Huntzberger? I must duel you for the love of my lady. Meet me at high noon," joked Stewart.
"I can't fence or use swords. I've got no skill for those things," said Logan.
"Don't worry sweetheart, I know a little fencing, it was mandatory for me to learn it at Chilton. I will fight in your place and defend your honour," teased Rory.
Everyone laughed at that comment. The two couples spent the entire evening together. Only when push came to shove did Logan and Rory go out on the dance floor and show this crowd how to do a proper waltz.
The debutantes looked magnificent and the mother's of the girls were already seen trying to make successful and prominent matches for their daughters. Rory found the whole coming out thing silly, but she knew that it was tradition and she wasn't one to buck tradition. The evening wore on and Rory became tired. The couple along with Sarah and Stewart were invited to stay at Windsor Castle for the night. They had taken the Queen up on her generous offer.
Rory was so tired that she fell asleep on the ride to the castle so she didn't notice that Logan was acting fidgety. Logan looked at the beautiful creature asleep on his shoulders and hoped nobody would try to hurt them.
When limo stopped in front of Windsor Logan woke Rory by shaking her by her shoulders. "Rory time for you to wake up."
She opened her eyes as Logan was dragging her half dead body up the stairs. She thought they were heading to their room so she didn't open her eyes trusting that Logan would lead her in the right direction. They stopped at a door and he pushed the doors opened.
Rory opened her eyes and realized that they were not in a bedroom of any sort, but were in one of the many portrait galleries in the castle. She also noticed that there were rose petals strewn haphazardly on the floor. It took her moment to realize there were candles lit and there looked to be several easels that held large photographs.
"Logan, what is all this?" asked Rory.
Logan was nervous beyond belief. He didn't want to mess this up. "Go take a look, Ace."
Rory didn't need to be told twice and she went to have a closer inspection at the photographs that were propped up by the easels. When she was close enough she realized the pictures were of her and Logan during their nine-month courtship. There were pictures of her first LDB event and many that had come after it. Several of the shots were paparazzi pictures others were just pictures that the two of them had posed for during magazine shoots. She started to read some of the quotes that were written below such as:
"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."-Anonymous,
"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only what you are expecting to give." -Katherine Hepburn,
"Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination." – Voltaire,
"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
The last two quotes made her breath catch and she made as gasping sound. By now she was crying, but she understood what he was asking her.
"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be." -Robert Browning
My best-chosen friend, companion, guide, to walk through life, linked hand-in-hand, two equal, loving friends, true husband and true wife. -Sir Charles Gavan Duffy.
Logan had watched, as Rory finally understood the reason for the quotes and the pictures. He was anxiously waiting for her to finish reading the quotes. His hands were in his pocket and he was going back and forth on the balls of his feet. He sure was getting nervous.
When Rory felt she was calm enough to turn to face Logan he had put a chair strategically so it was facing a particular portrait. Logan pointed to the chair telling her to sit in it. Rory was wiping tears from her eyes. She took a deep breath and sat in the chair and looked up at her ancestor, Princess Louise, who was wearing the exact same tiara as her.
Logan kneeled down on one knee and started to speak. "Rory I'm pretty sure you know the reason for this set up. I imagined many ways for asking you to be my wife, but in the end I chose to do it in a simple and intimate fashion. When I met you about ten months ago I would have never thought you would change my life for the better. You made me grow up and act like a man. I think in the back of my mind I knew that if I dated you there was no going back. We've been through so much together from you inheritance to the press. I knew I wanted to marry you from the beginning and these past nine months have just reinforced how much you mean to me. I love you with all my heart. I put these pictures and quotes up so you can see how much we've grown and progressed in our relationship. Rory, Ace, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
Rory was sobbing uncontrollably and she just leaned into Logan when he said the last part. She knew he would eventually ask her to marry him, but she would have never thought that he would do so quickly and quietly. She had enough courage to look him straight in the eye and whisper a quiet, "Yes," before putting her face in Logan's shirt once again.
Logan hadn't realized he was holding his breath until he heard her utter 'yes' he wanted to howl or jump for joy, but he simply held onto her as her emotions overcame her. Logan had one arm around Rory and with the other he pulled out the ring box and showed Rory the ring. She gasped at the magnificent ring and watched as he slid in onto her ring finger.
When Rory was strong enough to speak she said, "It meant more to me that you proposed in Windsor than anything else especially in this room."
"Your welcome," said Logan. He knew it meant a lot to her that he had chosen to propose in Windsor and in front this specific portrait of Princess Louise. According to Richard Gilmore, Charles Abbot Gilmore had proposed to Lorelai Gilmore I in this very room. Logan knew how much her great-grandmother meant to Rory so he had decided to recreate history for this special occasion.
There they stood the future Mr and Mrs. Gilmore-Huntzberger. Logan tilted Rory's face and kissed her in a leisurely fashion. They were locked in their intimate embrace and didn't notice her majesty smiling at the couple. She had seen the entire proposal by accident and she was glad that her cousin Rory was going to marry young Huntzberger. She left the two of them to express their love for each other in a different fashion.
AN: Please, Please, Please Review.
AN: If you want to see the picture of Rory's dress please go to my blogspot. You can get the URL in my profile page. As well if you would like to see a picture of Rory's tiara the link will be up in my profiles page.