AN: The end of my working week really got away from me and the next month or so is not looking a lot better. It's been challenging to concentrate on writing to be honest with a thousand things going on at the same time. Not liking this trend one bit.

This chapter is kind of a three-four part chapter, I'm not really sure how well I blended them into one. But as usual I appreciate your comments / reviews.

Chapter 48

In no scenario had Rory imagined that something like a pregnancy scare could bring Logan and her closer. She'd expected anything but - it distancing them, it cooling them down several notches or even a change in their sexual behavior by being overly careful. There was nothing sexy about worrying. Thankfully, neither of these negative scenarios had been the case.

They'd spent pretty much the entire Saturday the same way they were now - a day later - having sex like they were on their honeymoon, perusing ads for rentals and using their resting time to do homework. It was the most enjoyable, convenient way to spend their time. It was physical activity, not requiring either of them to step foot outside if they didn't want to.

The fact that Logan's thighs were already showing symptoms of lactic acid formation in his muscles, meant it was Rory's turn to be on top. And her beautiful, carefree and naked form rode him like he was a majestic stallion - it sounded lame, but sometimes it was indeed a good mental image for Rory to picture to get her rhythm right. Her breasts bounced as she slammed down on him with abandon, ignoring the soreness, quickening her pace while Logan's fingers continued to rub her sensitive little nub. Rory could see how Logan's forehead was tight from concentration, a few beads of sweat showing his effort, but she was utterly enjoying his wandering gaze and appreciative smile.

Suddenly Logan grabbed her by her thighs and did a sudden turn, nearly forgetting how small the bed was, causing Rory to yelp. It wouldn't have been the first time.

"We're definitely going to need a bigger bed," Logan muttered, as he managed to save them from falling. He'd even brought up a scenario that maybe they could even push their move to the near future if they found a suitable place, and skip moving all of her books twice over the summer.

Rory giggled.

Logan stayed within her, but slowed down - kissing her and by that giving them a moment, despite delaying their release. There was something utterly delicious about just staying still, and still enjoying the sweet and intoxicating kiss that never got old.

Rory clenched her inner muscles together, as if ensuring that he was snugly inside her, causing Logan to smile through their kiss. She could tease him even when they were hardly moving.

Rory's fingers trailed down his muscular back and onto his ass, squeezing his buttocks with both hands, urging him to continue.

They were having a wordless conversation - teasing.

Logan's hips made a sudden sharp thrust, and he watched Rory's mouth opened and closed without a word, having gotten a wave of wonderful feelings. A broad smile crept onto her lips and he met that with another deep thrust, while keeping the rhythm torturously slow.

Rory made puppy-dog eyes, while making her lips look especially delicious by licking and biting them seductively. She was already very ready to be taken over her edge. She did one more thing, hoping this would stop the teasing. She unwrapped her legs from around him an pressed them down onto her chest and he gave her the space to do it.

"Now, that is a gorgeous sight," Logan commented, as he adjusted his position, knowing already she'd feel even tighter like this. For a few seconds he watched her slowly play with her swollen clit that was now prominently at display for him.

He could already imagine gifting her some gorgeous lingerie one day. He was still not used to thinking about ways to make a girl happy, make them happy and thinking of these things as long term. Before Rory all he'd ever thought about was the short term. What was this magnificent creature doing to him?

Logan delved into her again causing her to gasp. Little by little he began more rigorous movements again, by now not really caring what his leg muscles thought of it. The need was that great. And it was not just a need for release, but for a release by her.

The way her thighs began to quiver and her whimpers took on a more desperate tone, acted like encouragement, only making him pick up her pace until her core clamped down on him, and several spasms washed over her body. Her face looked diving when she was having an orgasm, and there was nothing better for Logan's self esteem than knowing he'd been a part of making that deliriously happy glow radiate from her face. Besides, he knew he barely needed to move by now to cum himself. And it was as he carried her orgasm onto another one with a few more thrusts that he too came, groaned deeply and fell onto his side, panting heavily as if having run a marathon.

Rory giggled to herself. In part it was just giddiness, in part… she'd just thought of something funny.

"What?" Logan asked, breathing rapidly.

"Just thought of something funny," Rory said, her breathing being on the heavier side too.

"And?" Logan continued.

"It's silly…, just a random thought," Rory said. "You'd almost think we're trying to… you know… get me pregnant..," she added.

Logan remained quiet for a moment, being a little taken aback by the statement.

"Don't worry. I know we're not. Just all the sex...," Rory commented. They'd been battery bunnies like this before, just not in recent weeks. They kept getting these boosts - newfound intimacy that woke their need even when they were busy with a million other things.

"Are you complaining?" Logan asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Oh, definitely not complaining," Rory replied, turning to her side to face him.

"You know, the thought is kind of hot, I'll admit," Logan replied. "But it's probably some cave-man time evolutionary instinct, you know. Thought that's not what I'm going for," he added, not being too great with his words with not all of his blood having returned to his brain. He really wasn't trying to get her pregnant, that would've been too soon, but for a moment he had managed to picture her with a baby bump and that image had a particular draw, he had to admit. It was yet another first for him.

"Must be," Rory agreed, smilingly, quite liking the funny mental image of Logan in some animal fur loincloth, and kissed him with endearment. She had to agree that there was something romantic and primal, about the thought of someone wanting to make her his like that. Suddenly the thought of her grandparents talking about things they weren't ready for, marriage for example, didn't seem half as daunting. It was kind of crazy how this little scare had made them re-evaluate a lot of things. They loved their freedom, but could think of far worse things than being tied together like that. They were definitely not her mother and her father.

Later that evening Rory threw herself into preparing for her internship. It was just a once or twice a week kind of thing for now, that was all her college schedule allowed. This time, however, instead of reading up on Logan's father she'd decided to read up on the paper she was working at. So far, all she really knew of the place was what Mitchum had directly told him or what she'd seen first hand.

It was strange, somehow by having been faced with something as life-changing as the pregnancy scare, she almost felt like she needed to grow up. And she was taking a very decisive stop towards that concerning this internship too. She needed to step up her game.

The truth was, she'd never really even read the paper. And while she couldn't actually go through many issues from home, she could access at least a couple of their more notable articles via internet. What she hadn't realized, however, was that there were also other competing papers in the area, doing roughly the same as the Stamford Eagle Gazette.

"Hey, do you know why your dad bought the paper? The Stamford Eagle Gazette?" Rory decided to ask her boyfriend who was casually lounging on his couch, similarly to her doing his homework on his laptop on Sunday evening. She rose from his desk which he'd allowed her to use, and leaned against the doorway to hear his answer.

Logan was a little surprised that he was actually asking him a business question. He hadn't actually been involved in the purchase or its decision but he had a few guesses, he'd been around this company's meetings and similar situation for as long as he could remember.

"I'm not really sure. But from experience he tends to buy things that are at a low point, and therefore cheap, but he sees potential in them to make a turnaround even if that just means selling it again once it's up and running better or on occasion he's also known to buy things just because one of his rivals wants them. Or sometimes it's a strategic thing - like wanting to have control over a certain region or a market share of a specific genre," Logan discussed. This part he actually knew a little about, unlike her asking him about how to please Mitchum. But this he was actually kind of impressed with - talking business with her felt oddly satisfying - yet another layer to love about her.

"He said something like the writing being pretty sorry, but it having decent circulation," Rory recalled Mitchum's words from when he'd offered her the job.

"So he sees potential but that can only come by cutting costs and improving quality," Logan reflected, crossing his arms casually on his chest as he did.

"And how might one go about cutting costs at a place like that? I can't imagine there being that much to cut. He won't start firing people, will he?" Rory discussed, sounding a little naive, having already gotten to know a few people there that she genuinely liked.

"If he finds someone's job as redundant, then - yeah. It's a possibility," Logan replied, not bothering to paint a pretty picture.

"So basically right now he's trying to learn the inner workings of the place, charting who does what and what are the 'redundant' activities, I guess?" Rory discussed, realizing now, thinking back, what the meetings she'd sat in on last week had been about.

"Or make people do some things better, more efficiently. Earn their keep, so to speak," Logan added, sharing a more positive note.

"Right… people don't usually like to change the way they've been doing things…," Rory pondered out loud, recalling how a few had been on edge about Mitchum's arrival.

"They do not," Logan agreed and sighed.

"Of course they might if they know their jobs are on the line," Rory added.

"Uh-huh," Logan nodded along, directing his glance back to his screen, sensing Rory was not really expecting much more from him right now. Being around her was effortless - neither really minding if they burried themselves deep into their studies sometimes. Even Logan's grades were up, thanks to Rory's influence.

With the aftermath of that discussion going around Rory's brain on her way over to Stamford that Monday, she found herself thinking not just how an aspiring journalist might think, having landed her first internship, not just someone who wanted to please, but actually think about the business side of things and how would she feel about picking sides if it ever came to it. Would she be - could she be the supporter of the free press in its authenticity while Logan, someone whom she was now beginning to more and more think of as her partner not just a boyfriend, stood firmly on the corporate side. She realized now that in that context her aspirations may indeed be considered naive or romanticized. Maybe they were?

Rory spent the next few hours following Mitchum around as he went from department head to another, some of whom they'd already been to see last week. Most had been given some sort of assignments to comply with reports or list essential and nonessential activities, tasks and as Rory soon found out also employees. It was the part of this that stung to her the most. For the first time in her life she began to see the other side - that the corporate in this also needed to make tough decisions, not all of which were going to be welcomed. But if that was what one did - turned a company, in this case a paper, around to something profitable, it was just one of the things needed to be done. She'd taken Business management 101, she knew that much.

"So, Rory? You've been at this for a few days now... How does it look? Do you think we'll make this into something?" Mitchum suddenly surprised her as she was finishing up the notes from their last meeting, after which Mitchum had been been speaking with Carl from marketing at the other end of the conference room, allowing her to pull into her thoughts.

"I think it's possible, but it'll take some ideas…, something they haven't done before," Rory said, having been following each meeting like a sponge, no longer just following the work of a journalist but everything that a paper actually included.

"And what might they be?" Mitchum asked, curiously.

Rory was a little stunned to get that question. She had none, at least not right now.

"Is there anything you've done in your previous papers that has been successful in cases like this?" Rory decided to ask, knowing that the man could hardly forget that she was still learning. So just like in class, one was often saved by at least asking the right questions.

"We've sometimes cut some sections. The news has to stay, obviously, but there can be less local coverage and some pieces can be shared between papers when it's about national news. Columns, if not popular enough, are the easiest to cut generally as they only affect a few employees," Mitchum said, and continued with a few other examples.

"And there's already the Stamford Advocate, so in local news I imagine there's some competitions as well," Rory pitched in.

"You are correct," Mitchum agreed.

"There's also been debate about how the disappearance of local newspapers can actually also affect local politics," Rory pointed out, having read something about it recently. "There is less local government content so people don't really know what's going on, they also become distanced from politics. So that's why actually for a town of this size, having some competition on the more critical issues might be good - so not everything is viewed through pink glasses, if I were to speak figuratively," Rory added, feeling a little proud that she'd figured out a way to express that she'd been reading up on things. This was in defence of free speech, journalistic integrity and the theories she'd been taught at Yale. She didn't want to sound like a kiss-ass either, but she felt infinitely better about this than anticipating Mitchum's need for decaf in the afternoon.

Mitchum nodded. "People generally then turn on the TV," he replied, chuckling at his own joke, after a moment of thought.

Rory didn't really know what to say to that and just smiled.

"But mostly in this case I wouldn't even want to cut that much - I just wish we could somehow motivate them to do better, try harder…," Mitchum discussed.

Rory thought what made her motivated, and in that moment all she could think about was proving to someone she was better. She'd done it at Chilton, with Paris, but she liked to think she was also doing it now.

"Maybe they just need to be given a chance to compete? Arrange writing competitions, offer bonuses to the best of them? Or bring in new writers to get them working harder? Sort of small scale pressure not direct threats maybe, so they wouldn't give up beforehand," Rory discussed quite freely, unsure if she was crossing a line.

"But bringing in new writers costs money, as do bonuses," Mitchum replied.

"True," Rory agreed, but held back on saying the cliche that sometimes you needed to spend money to make money, assuming it wouldn't be well received. But still, she was honored that he'd decided to discuss something other than coffee or making copies with her.

The next day, Rory had managed to get herself a doctor's appointment short notice, hoping to finally get some closure on this pregnancy scare. It would've been fine and she wouldn't have thought more about it after taking that many tests, but the reality was that there was still no period, which while convenient for their numerous sexual encounters, was still making her worry a little.

She didn't want to keep driving to Hartford for her checkups now that she was in Yale, so she went to the university clinic and was seeing a new doctor. Understandably, having only been to the gynecologist a handful of times in her life, this new setting and the prospect of a new doctor this was making her a little nervous.

She only had the name - dr. Albright, which beside matching with one of her idols, first name Madeleine, frankly reminded her of Dr. Mary Albright the anthropologist from 3rd Rock from the Sun, which also led her to expect someone looking a lot like Jane Curtin to walk in through that door as she sat there on the examination table dressed in only an examination gown. It was definitely not the most comfortable she'd ever been.

There was a cautious knock on the door followed by male voice, asking, "Ms. Gilmore? Are you ready?" and she expected it to be the nurse, even though male nurses were not that common back then.

"Yes," she replied.

"Hi, I'm dr. Albright," the man, who looked a lot like Jake Gyllenhaal, emerged, causing Rory to nearly swallow her tongue. She'd never had a male gynecologist before. He had a sweet face, and while a good fifteen years older than her, he was actually kind of good looking. Awkward.

"Hi," she replied nervously, the hesitance evident in her tone.

"Everything alright?" he asked observing her pale look.

Rory nodded.

"You didn't expect me to be a man?" the doctor noted. "The receptionist really should've asked you first, I'm sorry… she's new..," he added.

"Um..," Rory hesitated, not really knowing what to say.

"This happens all the time, don't worry about it. Not everyone is comfortable with a male doctor. But I assure you, I'm a professional. But it's up to you, if you're uncomfortable with me, I'm sure we can reschedule to you see Dr. Schwartz," he explained.

"Um, I guess it's okay. There's a first for everything right," Rory tried to appear casual, while she really wasn't and she didn't sound it. There had been just two guys in the entire life, excluding her pediatrician, that had seen her down there and she was just about to be exposed to the third.

Mostly she just didn't want to reschedule, having already skipped class to grab a chance to get to see a doctor this soon. She wanted some answers, she didn't want to have this constant worry in the back of her mind all the time.

"Well alright then," he said, and continued to take a seat and grab the form Rory had filled out. He looked over the form.

"So, what brings you here today?" Dr. Albright asked, sounding friendly.

"Um…," Rory began, only now realizing she was also going to have to discuss some pretty personal stuff with the no-doubt handsome looking man, while she'd only recently brought up these things with her actual boyfriend. Oh, god - she groaned internally.

"I missed my period. But I ran a bunch of pregnancy tests on Saturday morning and thankfully they were all negative, so…," Rory explained, shrugging her shoulders.

"So I take it you weren't trying to get pregnant," the doctor replied, knowingly. He looked like he'd seen a few college girls in this room before, which was certainly reassuring.

"Definitely not," Rory exhaled with relief.

"How many partners do you have?" he asked.

"Just one," Rory replied.

"And what type of contraception do you use?" he continued.

She continued to give him some details about the type of pill she was on and the specifics of her menstrual cycle, relaxing a little. Naturally there was some cautionary talk about the benefits of using the condom despite being on the pill but Rory hadn't gone too much into detail about how Logan had never been with anyone without one. It just didn't seem relevant. And right now she trusted him completely when it came to that.

"Okay, so the most common reasons could be stress, change in diet or strenuous exercise. Has there been anything new going on?" the doctor asked.

"There has been some stress, sure. But I've had stressful times before," Rory replied, remaining a little concerned. Seeing Logan's parents had definitely been stressful.

"Okay, I'll do an examination and an ultrasound as well to rule out anything more serious," Dr. Albright suggested.

Rory wasn't eager about this, but had grown to pretty much expect the internal examination. Unwillingly she blushed as she settled down on the examination table and put her feet up to the leg holders. Thankfully the doctor maintained a serious look, and mostly Rory just focused at staring at the ceiling lamp above her.

The internal examination really felt no different than it normally did, expect for the guys hands being a little bigger, and there was definitely some awkwardness that she was desperately trying to ignore. It was the weidest feeling when he palpated her ovaries both internally and externally since the man actually come up from between her legs. Thankfully, that part was over quickly and he moved on to the ultrasound part, allowing her to close her legs. Huh! - Rory exhaled.

"Okay, so you see here?" Dr. Albright pointed at the screen, after a few minutes of moving around with the wand on her belly.

For a moment Rory worried - what if there really was a baby in there the test had failed to detect?

"This is a cyst… and this might very well be the reason for your missed period," Dr. Albright explained. "Functional cyst or a Cystadenoma most likely," he added, after observing it a little while longer. The names meant nothing to Rory, and she could only hope she remembered them so she could google afterwards.

"So what does that mean?" Rory asked, hesitantly.

"It's probably benign and will just go away on their own in a few weeks," Dr. Albright said, finishing up with the ultrasound, and handed Rory some wipes to clean up her abdomen.

"Probably?" Rory exclaimed, getting suddenly more worried than she'd anticipated.

"In the majority of cases that's the case. You are already on the contraceptive pill so that is supposed to support their disappearance as it is," he added. "Have you experienced any pain during intercourse? Stabbing pain in the abdomen?" he asked.

"No," Rory replied, sitting back up,

"That too is a good sign. If you start feeling any tenderness or get abdominal pain, you should come see me again right away. But mostly right now it's a 'watchful waiting' kind of treatment. If it doesn't resolve on its own, we might run a CT or MRI to look into it a little more and look into some medication. In some cases surgical removal," the doctor explained.

"Sounds serious," Rory replied, becoming increasingly worried.

"I don't want you to worry about it, but it's good you came in. Cystadenoma, if left untreated, can sometimes cause real issues with fertility," the doctor informed her.

"Oh," Rory reacted, having truly not expected this appointment to turn so serious.

"Come see me again in three-four weeks and we'll take it from there," he suggested, sounding way more relaxed about this compared to Rory.

"Uh-huh," Rory agreed.

"Don't worry, these are pretty common," the doctor added, though Rory remained hesitant.

She was both relieved and nervous walking home from the clinic. She was relieved - she wasn't pregnant and those tests actually seemed to be pretty trustworthy, but she now had a whole other thing to worry about.

Her mood was significantly improved by seeing Logan approaching her with a takeaway bag and a cup of coffee, from across the yard, looking like he had timed his arrival according to her schedule. They really needed that apartment of their own - it was becoming crystal clear - feeling like they didn't want to live separately anymore. They were always at one of their places, but neither dorm felt quite sufficient for their joint needs.

"Hey," he greeted him, folding his arm with the bag still in it around her and kissed her in greeting.

"Hey," Rory replied, feeling happy to see him. Seeing him was washing away a lot of the earlier nervousness but surprisingly, she was also hit with a bang of guilt. Would he mind that she went to a male doctor?

"So, everything okay?" Logan asked, having known about the appointment.

"Uh-huh," Rory said. "Well, sort of...," she added.

Logan eyes her questioningly.

"There's just this small cyst or something on my ovary… He said it might be nothing and could just go away on its own. I just have to go back in a few weeks and…," Rory began to explain, slipping on mentioning the pronoun.

"So what does that mean? Is it like a tumor or something?" Logan inquired worriedly, frowning his eyebrow, to Rory's surprise ignoring the gender of her doctor completely. Or maybe he just hadn't paid attention?

"I don't think so, but I don't know a lot about this yet either…, he did mention possibly having to take some meds or maybe surgery…," Rory explained, shrugging slightly, trying to appear braver about this.

"But you're feeling okay, right?" Logan inquired, sounding worried himself now. It was endearing really.

"Yes, I'm feeling fine," Rory assured. And thankfully that was the truth.

"Okay, good. You know I could get you to see Honor's doctor or something for a second opinion," he suggested.

"Logan - I'm fine. The doctor seemed competent, so I don't think it's necessary," Rory replied.

"So that doctor of yours. Was he hot?" Logan teased, relaxing a little and revealing how he'd been meaning to ask about the formerly used male pronoun, as they began to walk towards Rory's dorm. This was a prime example of how while talking about very serious subjects like their joint lives, pregnancies and business - they were still young too.

Rory just smiled, shaking her head, finding his question impossibly childish, but she got it - it had been weird, she could agree, and she knew deep down some of it was just jealousy talking.