a/n: thank you for all my reviews! 100, wow, I really need to thank you guys again. Your reviews are truly what motivate me to write. I loved all your ideas, keep them coming! The way my mind works, several mush into one, which turns 180, I sit and try to figure it out all day (and in the result skip a step on my chemistry lab) and then when it comes back to you, you won't even recognize it. But I have some good ones sifting around in here thanks to you all.
Happy reading!
Chapter 14: …Do as the Romans
Rory awoke to the sound of a carriage outside her open window. She lifted her head from her pillow, fear pumping through her veins.
"Logan, what day is today?"
He groaned and rolled over, in the process pulling her closer to him. He didn't reply.
"Logan!" Rory hissed. "What's today's date?"
"I don't know, September 3."
"Damn it Logan, get up!" Rory flew out of bed and started sifting through their abandoned clothes. "Where the hell is my robe?"
Logan sat up, alert for the first time. "Hey, what's wrong?"
She paused in her frantic search. "They're home."
He flew out of bed as quickly as she had, throwing on his clothes that she was throwing into the air.
"You forgot?" he asked.
"Of course I forgot, what with being so worried about the baby and all! Oh God, the baby. We haven't figured anything out yet Logan."
"We have time," he said to her, quickly trying to button his shirt. "I'm working on it."
Rory took a deep breath, and, locating her robe, pulled it on. "I guess we can't worry now, she can't tell yet at least. We have to get you out of here though! Oh Logan, you buttoned it wrong." She crossed the room and started to fix it.
"Leave it Ror," he said. "I'll fix it later."
She nodded, checked that he was fully dressed, and then pushed him towards the door.
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"Well did you know she was coming home?"
"Of course I did, but I don't remember these things!" Lorelai cried as she threw a shoe to Luke. "Anyway, you're the head chef! Wouldn't you know since you're cooking them breakfast tomorrow morning?"
"So we're both at fault," he said. "But it doesn't matter. I have to get back downstairs."
"The back way."
"No, I'm going to prance down the main staircase and wave to your parents and your husband," Luke said sarcastically. "Where the hell is my other shoe?"
"It doesn't matter, I'll find it later."
"But what if-"
"If we don't see it, neither will anyone else. Besides, I'm not going to just let him in here."
Luke paused. "You're not?"
"Of course not," she said softly, running her thumb across his stubbly cheek. "You mean more to me than that."
He gazed into her eyes and felt the earnestness in her words.
"But you still have to go," Lorelai said, breaking the moment. "Now."
They walked towards her door as she wrapped her dressing gown tightly around herself. Luke opened the door, and they both froze at the couple standing in front of them.
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"My goodness, this house is absolutely deserted. Emmy, where is everyone?" Emily Gilmore said as she left the hot late august night and entered her house for the first time in nearly four months.
"I believe they might be upstairs Ma'am."
"Well didn't they know that we were coming home this evening?"
"I told them Ma'am."
"Well then, where are they?"
"Would you like me to go announce your arrival?"
"No Emmy," Emily said as she pulled off her gloves and sank down onto a sofa. "I will not force my daughter and granddaughter to converse with me even though I have been gone for nearly a third of a year."
"What are you saying Emily?" Richard asked as he came in.
"The girls have forgotten about our arrival," she answered.
"Bring the trunks up Stephen," Christopher directed from the other room. "You know where they go. No, the large one is Mrs. Gilmore's," he joined his traveling companions in the sitting room. "The valet is gone for a few short months and he already acts like he hasn't worked here for five years."
They all let out a sigh, expelling their exhausted energy. In silence they looked around the room, finding the familiar portraits and shadows comforting. After several minutes Emily rose.
"Well, if they won't come downstairs to me, I will go upstairs to them," Emily said. "I am getting too old to sit around waiting for them."
"You're not old Mother," Christopher said.
Emily turned to him and her eyes softened as they fell on the son-in-law she loved so dearly. "You are good to humor me Chris. But nevertheless, I will not die waiting to see your women."
Chris rose. "I'll join you."
They left Richard sleeping on the sofa, snoring contently.
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Logan stopped short as he entered the hallway. He held Rory back, his arm crossing her stomach in what could only have been unconscious paternal instinct. Behind him, he heard Rory gasp slightly, while in front of him Lorelai and Luke mirrored their wide-eyed shock. They stood staring at each other for what seemed to be an eternity.
"You need to go," Rory whispered, coming to her senses first.
"Are you sure?" he said, without turning around.
"I can talk to her. It will be worse if the others see you."
Logan looked at her over his shoulder, nodded, and left the doorway. Luke left Lorelai with one last questioning glance, and led Logan down towards the back staircase.
Rory and Lorelai remained at their respective doorways, facing each other.
"You're married," Rory said at last; it came out evenly, she was not judging her mother the way she might have been had she not been hiding Logan in her own room.
"You're not," Lorelai replied in the same cool tone.
Rory nodded her head slowly, weighing her mothers reply. Their actions were not equal; her mother was committing adultery, but she was not guiltless either.
"You won't tell your father?" Lorelai said, half asking, half pleading.
"If you won't tell your parents," Rory responded.
"Rory, Lorelai!"
Their eyes remained locked for a moment, but Rory broke away and turned towards her grandmother's outstretched arms. "Grandma!" She hugged her grandmother, and kissed her father on the cheek.
"Did you miss us?"
"We hardly noticed you were gone," Lorelai teased, an almost exaggerated smile on her lips. Rory recognized the truth in the words and fought hard to stifle a sigh.