AN: I just love writing hurt, so don't hate me for wanting to dwell in the past a little. Just a short flashback (also I love to take the characters travelling as you might have noticed).


Chapter 86

January 17th, 2016

"Oh wow, this place is amazing," Rory exclaimed as she took in the view from the room window, overlooking the Scottish countryside. The room at the Ballintaggart farm, a luxury resort that was fairly deserted this time of year, was decorated in light colors and modern furniture. 'Rural luxury' they called it, but it was still the cozy kind. It was definitely not something one was used to seeing in the Monarch of the Glen or what one expected from most of London's hotels.

What made this perhaps more spectacular was the recent snowstorm that had wrapped the countryside into a thick blanket of snow, not that usual, not at least in this amount, for the UK.

"I'm glad you like it," Logan said as he turned, having just tipped the luggage boy who'd brought in their weekend bags. Hardly something they had needed help with but it came with the room, and he knew better than to fight it.

"You know you didn't have to, right?" Rory said, wrapping her arms around his neck, and enjoyed how his hands wrapped around her waist.

"It's not a big deal, I have a meeting in Edinburgh on Monday anyways - might as well make good use of a trip here," Logan replied, having surprised her with a private jet and a weekend get-away.

There was another reason, but he still wasn't quite sure if and how he was going forward with it. Technically he even didn't need to, that wasn't the agreement, but he kind of felt like he should - but it didn't mean that he felt any less conflicted.

Rory had had an interview in Copenhagen on Friday morning. And as usual, almost every time she'd found herself a job to do in Europe, often paying for her own trip just to be around Logan, but not telling him that, she tried to make it seem like just a logical, almost convenient thing to do, to ask what Logan was up to as well. More often than not, nearly every time in fact, he'd found a way to meet her, at least for dinner or a night. This weekend Shira had the flu, thankfully cancelling his weekend plans.

Rory didn't even know how much seeing her meant to him - he hadn't even found a way to express that.

Well - this was better than nothing - he thought. A romantic getaway with a staff of three-four people and just them, a cozy fire in the fireplace, fresh air, a large cozy bed and 36 hours before Rory had to get on the plane again. He felt like he could breathe here, with her.

Logan was just about to take off his coat, when Rory slipped away and pushed down the antique-looking door handle on the white gridded doors that led straight out into the patio, which right now overlooked a vast hilly landscape covered in snow. If one looked careful enough, one might even have seen the Highland cattle wandering on the side of the nearest hill. It truly was a change of scenery. A well-needed one.

"Where are you going?" Logan chuckled, at her sudden determination.

"I'm going to build a snowman, come on!" Rory encouraged him. Neither was really dressed for this - both in rather formal and not terribly warm winter coats, Rory in her beige coat just a simple dark sweater and jeggings underneath. But it didn't matter.

It sounded ridiculous. Here they were with the opportunity to hide under the covers for the next 30-something hours, eat Cullen skink, sausage and mash and whiskey - all the comfort foods rolled into one.

Logan didn't even remember the last time he'd done this - had he even? Build a snowman, that is. Recalling that made him a little sad even. Being with Rory was a reminder of not only a lot of 'what if's but also a lot of things that hadn't already happened with the time they'd not seen each-other at all, of all the times they'd been broken up, of their long distance circumstances... so many times wasted.

Logan watched Rory begin to roll together a ball of snow, using her leather gloves, which wasn't the brightest idea, but soon joined in, deciding to take the day for the best of it. If he was going to lose her after this - after he opened his mouth against her imposed rules about his engagement - maybe it'd still be worth it. The smile on her face, the way her eyes twinkled as she tried to form something resembling the Loch Ness Monster out of snow, the way all he wanted was to hide out at this resort with her forever.

Just say something - he begged to himself, unsure to whom he was saying it to. But the words never came.


December 19th, 2021

"So guess what?" Logan asked Rory, as he returned from the inside of Rory's house to Rory and Em who were building a snowman in their backyard.

Rory truly seemed to have a hidden talent for sculpture which Logan had only seen in action only once or twice before. One of the snowmen looked identical to a real Moomin character and they were building a copy of Olaf from Frozen on Em's request.

"What?" Rory said curiously, from several feet away.

"Honor is stopping by. I couldn't stop her," Logan admitted, having just gotten the call, Honor not being too keen on the word 'no'.

"But my place is a mess," Rory complained. Not that she was ever big on having things neat and tidy, but with Honor coming, and knowing what Honor's house looked liked - like it had a thousand little fairies doing the dusting non-stop - she felt modest in comparison.

"She doesn't even need to come in, I told her we were in the back, the boys are with her," Logan explained.

Rory made a face, her grandmother's social school not quite agreeing with the scenario of accepting visitors out in the backyard by the dumpster. More of that had stuck with her than she would ever care to admit to her mother. At the very least she was going to have to suggest they come in for a drink of some sort. She tried to recall what she had in her fridge but realized she hadn't had a chance to even go shopping yet. Truthfull she'd rather had been hoping to avoid that altogether as they'd be going to Nantucket in a few days anyways.

"Hey, Em - Logan's sister is dropping by, Linus and Conrad are coming with her too," Rory shared with Em, who was just rolling another snowball from the very back edge of the yard towards them.

The girl still hadn't said anything about the engagement, and as this was very likely going to come up now as well, it still made Rory very much on edge, almost expecting her to bang a door shut, shout or something. There was no word from Jess either. She knew she probably should've told him in person, but since the last announcement hadn't gone ideally, she was taking the coward's route, and she actually believed Jess would get her reasoning after his last reaction.

"Can I show them my room?" Em asked, excitedly.

"Sure, but is it clean? Did you put the socks away like I told you?" Rory reminded her, recalling their little sock war earlier not agreeing on whether unmatched socks were okay to wear.

"Uh…," Em said hesitantly.

Rory shook her head scoldingly, but friendly.

"Lets just see, they might not really have the time anyways," Rory suggested, making a mental note to give Em a five minute head start in case they did want to come inside, to clean up the mess.

"Ava also called me back," Logan shared.

"What did she say?" Rory asked, wondering whether she should ask 'how did she say it?', still feeling a tinge of jealousy. It was frankly a refreshing feeling, having not allowed herself to be possessive like that in years.

"That they do have a puppy, but it's a little complicated," he said. "The dog has some ear issues, he doesn't hear very well which I guess makes him less than show dog quality, hence someone who wanted him called it off," he explained. "It'd still be like two weeks before the puppies leave their mothers so I have a little time to think about it. Maybe go see him, learn a bit more about his condition…," he continued.

"You want to go see him?" Rory asked, continuing to build the snowman. She could tell from his tone, he wanted to give the puppy a chance. It even kind of sounded like getting a rescue dog, an underdog - quite literally.

"I think so. I'd bring you both, gladly, but I don't know - maybe if I choose not to in the end, maybe it's not such a good idea," Logan pondered, not wanting to get Em's hopes up.

"Then go by yourself, sure - no problem," Rory suggested.

"You know I did tell her I'd have to talk to my fiance," Logan explained when Em was out of earshot.

Rory had trouble hiding the broad radiating smile, full of pride, loving the sound of that. To Logan she even looked a lot more beautiful than she had nearly six years ago in Scotland, building the Loch Ness monster.

"I trust you," Rory replied, and gave him a quick peck, just moments before the sound of lively chatter came from the side of the house accompanied by Honor's high-spirited and unmistakable voice.

"Is this the right place?" Honor asked out loud, clearly feeling a little out of place in this neighborhood.

"It is!" Rory exclaimed, welcomingly.

"Oh Rory!" Honor exclaimed, making a few hastier steps over to hug her. "I'm so happy for you guys!" she continued and wrapped Rory in a warm embrace.


AN: Also if you want to give me input about Em - I'd be grateful. How do you think she's taking the engagement news really? I have a 5-year-old myself so I'm quite unsure what the kid would think (if anything). I want it to be natural. I'm guessing likely she doesn't fully grasp the concept. (And I guess I've been writing Em like she's older than she really is, and it's been hard since I don't really remember my own kid a year ago in such detail.. so I'm just assuming she's advanced in many ways).

Also the Ballintaggart farm is very real - if you want to check it out. I felt it had a nice humble luxury feel to it.

Thanks for all the reviews!