Logan stood at the door, gathering every bit of courage he could before entering. The large castle-like house loomed before him, looking more like a prison than a home. Adrenaline coursed through him, his pulse racing dangerously. Usually Adrenaline fueled him, seasoning a bland and boring life. However today he wasn't jumping off cliffs in Costa Rica, or racing his Porsche down an oceanside California highway, a thin metal guardrail the only thing between him and the rocky beach below. No, today he was doing something much worse. Today, he was telling his parents that Rory was pregnant and asking to come back to Huntzberger Publishing. He didn't want to come back , but babies were expensive, and that was one of Rory's main stressors. Lorelai's words had replayed over and over in his head all day. Just the thought of Rory and his baby struggling made his stomach turn. It broke his heart that Rory had even thought that he would leave them, letting her and his child fend for themselves. He knew it was his own doing, he should have answered her right away. His heart wanted to jump on a plane that second and fly to her, but his brain had frozen. He was now determined to do whatever it took to make sure they were always taken care of and to prove to Rory that he would take care of them. He didn't know where he stood with Rory or what she would allow now, but Even if it was only one thing, he would do it if it meant lightning her load.

His parents had never really cared for Rory, she was too ambitious and unique to marry a Huntzberger heir. To say that they were unhappy when Logan announced that he was going to propose to her was an understatement, she was far too different from the cookie cutter trophy wife they had envisioned for him. His mother thought she had finally gotten rid of the thorn in her side that was Rory Gilmore when she turned down his proposal, but now here he was, about to tell her that not only was she not gone, but expecting his first child, out of wedlock no less. He could only gauge how dramatic her reaction would be, and tried to brace himself for impact. He sighed, pushing the door open and entering the house.

" ! Were we expecting you?" Julie, the maid asked, surprised at his entrance.

He shook his head. "Nope, strictly a surprise visit."

She nodded. "Mr. and are in the sitting room."

"Logan!" His mother chirped, shocked to see him. "I didn't know you were flying in!"

He smirked, playing up his boyish dimples that his mother loved. "Surprise!"

"Logan," his father nodded, coldly. He still wasn't over Logan leaving the company.

Shira motioned to the empty sofa. "Please sit down. For what do we owe the pleasure of this impromptu trip?"

Logan cracked his knuckles, his nervous tell. "Can't I just come home for a visit?"

Shira rolled her eyes. "What have you gotten yourself into now?"

Logan swallowed hard, it was now or never. "I . . .I actually came to ask about taking back my position at Huntzberger Publishing."

Mitchum's mouth broke into a mischievous grin. "California not working out like you planned?"

Logan hated his father's smugness. " I need to be here in Connecticut to handle some personal affairs and . . . "

"Aw personal affairs. . . cocktail waitress or airline stewardess?" Mitchum joked much to Shira's dismay.

"Actually, Rory Gilmore."

Shira's head whipped around at breakneck speed. "What on earth could you possibly want with that Gilmore girl? Seriously Logan, hasn't she embarrassed you enough by turning down your proposal? It's all the ladies at the club could talk about for weeks, That there must be something wrong with you if even a lowly Gilmore wouldn't marry you. I swear if Declan Dupont hadn't been caught cheating with his secretary, we'd probably still be the talk of the town."

Logan gathered up his last bit of courage and got ready to shield himself from the verbal assault. "Rory's pregnant. . . . with my baby."

His father's eyes grew wide, his face becoming an uncomfortable shade of red. "You're . . . you're sure of this? It's yours? You've been broken up for months now."

"I'm 100 percent positive." Logan rolled his eyes, his anger starting to grow at his father's hint of Rory being unfaithful.

"100 percent positive. . . You haven't even done a paternity test have you? Do you know how much is on the line here? To just absentmindedly step up and agree to father a child of someone who turned down your proposal three months ago. . ."

Shira, who had remained unusually calm, stood up from her chair. "How much do you need?"

Logan looked at her puzzled. "How much do I need?"

"To get rid of it."

It took Logan a minute to catch what Shira was saying, the anger suddenly exploding inside him like an atomic bomb. "TO GET RID OF IT?"

"Logan, calm down. People do it all the time. Even if she's too far along for the easy route, we could surely pay her off to never speak of the child's paternity. We have enough money, we can make it as though it never happened."

Logan was seething. "This is your grandchild we are talking about! You're honestly standing here, telling me that you would be willing to cut your own grandchild out of your life, and pretend that they don't exist because of some imaginary society driven classist ideas?" He leaned in close to Shira, stabbing his finger into her chest. "You think Rory and the baby aren't good enough for this family? This family isn't good enough for Rory and MY baby. Let me tell you, no one is getting rid of anyone, unless it's me getting rid of YOU!"

He stormed out of the room, blinded by rage. He flew past the maid, jerking open the door before she could even register he was in the room. His breath was ragged, his anger almost molten. He fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking.

"Logan! Logan, wait!" Mitchum called, jogging up to his car out of breath. "You been running track out in California?"

Logan braced himself on the door of his car. "I believe mom's said enough." he jeered.

"Your mother doesn't speak for both of us."

"Don't pretend that you're happy about this."

Mitchum held his hands up in surrender "I think you're absolutely stupid for getting yourself into this situation, but at least it's someone like Rory."

"Someone like Rory?"

"Of all the women that you've. . . entertained over the years, At least I could tolerate Rory. She had somewhat of a brain and could actually think for herself. She's not just after a paycheck with you. All those other broads would be taking you to the cleaners right about now."

An awkward silence clung to the air. Logan and his father didn't have these heart-to-heart, father-son talks. Logan's sex talk had consisted of nothing more than Mitchum tossing a box of Trojan condoms on the bed and telling him that boarding school was 'a wild ride'."

"Don't act like you love her now."

"I never said I love her. I'm offering you a truce because you'll be running the empire."

Logan shuddered at the sound of his father's words. "The empire". It was clear that he was just another cog in his father's machine. "You want a truce?"

"I need you to be bright eyed and laser focused if you're coming back to the company. No need to bring any of this overly emotional, Dawson's creek drama. I'll even get your mother off your back."

Logan looked at him, wearily. He didn't trust his father as far as he could spit. He couldn't help but think that there was some kind of ulterior motive to this olive branch. Maybe it was the news of the baby putting rose colored glasses on everyone, but for now he was taking everything at face value. Logan sighed, shaking his dad's hand. "Truce."

Mitchum smirked, almost evil.. "Welcome back to Huntzberger Publishing."

Logan shuddered, feeling as if he had just made a deal with the devil. His phone vibrated, snapping him out of his dreadful feeling. He glanced at the screen, shocked to see Rory's name. He jumped into his car. "I've got to take this."

Mitchum motioned for him to go, and headed back towards the house, leaving Logan alone in the driveway.

He quickly hit accept and held his phone to his ear."Rory?"

"Are you busy?" Rory said on the other end, timidly.

"For you, I have all the time in the world."

Rory felt her heart sink with his smooth line, butterflies once again returning in her stomach. "I. . . I'm ready to talk. My mom said you were in Hartford?"

"I am. I'm actually just leaving my parents house. I could be in Stars Hollow within the hour." He chewed his lip, trying to pick somewhere Rory would feel safe, somewhere comfortable for her. "Would you like to meet up at Luke's?"

"I'm not ready for Luke's just yet. . . Friday night is burger night, and the baby doesn't like beef. Besides, now that the whole town knows I'm pregnant, I'm the main attraction. I actually just left my grandparents, I'm in Hartford."

"Do you have a place in mind?"

"I know the perfect place."

Logan pulled into the large cobblestone driveway, noticing Rory resting against the wrought iron gate, her nose in a book, illuminated by the bright August moon.

She placed a bookmark to hold her place as he stepped out of his car. "Hey" she said quietly.

He smiled. "Hey." He looked around at the large building, partly hidden by the shadows. "So this is the infamous Chilton Preporty School that produced the great Rory Gilmore."

She glanced up at the tall building. "I had so many goals and aspirations when I left here."

"And you can still reach every goal and aspiration you have."

She began to stand up, but Logan rushed to her side. "No, no, just sit, I'll join you." He sat down, on the ground next to her.

A small smile spread across her face. "I can stand up, you know, I'm just pregnant."

His smile grew even bigger. "You're pregnant."

"It's crazy isn't it?"

"I'm excited."

"Me too."

"You are?"

"I know I don't act like it, but I really am."

"You can act however you want, it's your body going through all the changes."

"I'm excited, but I'm scared. This totally came out of left field, and my plans. . ."

He shrugged. "Plans change."

"Plans change, but not like this. This isn't just changing my plans, this is changing my whole life," she glanced at him. "Changing our whole life."

"Yes, but it's for the better. Just think about it. A chubby little baby with bright blue eyes, and blonde hair."

"You have brown eyes."

He looked over at her, perplexed. "All these years and you're just now realizing that I have brown eyes?"

"Brown eyes are the dominant gene, our baby will most likely have brown eyes."

He playfully shoved her, forgetting the hostility they harbored. "You're such a nerd."

"Hey! You can't shove me, I'm pregnant!"

"You're pregnant." He said, beaming.

She glanced over at him, smiling shyly. "I'm pregnant."

"She'll be the most beautiful bookworm."

"Why does everyone think it's a girl?"

He shrugged. "Just a guess. When can we find out?"

"My book says around twenty weeks."

"That's not far away?"

She shook her head. "I was thinking about it. . . maybe we could not find out the sex?"

Logan's mouth gaped open in shock. "Rory Gilmore wants to be surprised?"

"This baby was already a surprise, so what's one more?"

He smiled, "There's my Ace."

"My Ace" made Rory's heart skip a beat. Hearing those words brought back a wave of feelings and emotions she long since believed had passed.

"So what are you doing in Hartford? I thought you were back in California."

"I. . . " He paused, choosing his words wisely. Rory was far from his parents biggest fan, and despised him working at Huntzberger Publishing. He wasn't choosing to lie, but he didn't want to

Sour the perfectly sweet moment they were having. "I'm actually moving back to Connecticut."

"Logan. . . you're not coming back because of. . . " She glanced down at her stomach.

His eyes widened. "No, well, not just that. Just consider it a perk of owning your own business. It leaves me free to pursue. . . other business ventures."

"I'm happy that you're going to be here."

His smile lit up his whole face. "Me too."

There was a lull in conversation, and Logan could see the wheels turning in Rory's head, doubt and worry not too far behind. "We can even buy them one of those Yale legacy onesies that my mother despises so much."

Her face downturned at the mention of the Huntzbergers, further cementing his decision to not tell her about he and his fathers business arrangement.

She rubbed at the peeling cover of her paperback, grimacing. "Did you tell them?"

He nodded.

She bit her lip like she did when she was anxious. "How did they take it?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "As well as expected I would say. My mother was her true overly dramatic self."

"Sounds about as good as my grandparents' reaction."

Once again he shrugged. "They'll come around." he gestured to Rory's stomach. "Once she. . . or he . . . is born they'll hold them for the first time and forget every bad feeling they had."

She sighed. "I wish I could be as easy going as you. . . .Not scared." She picked nervously at the hem of her dress.

He instinctively placed his hand on his, calming her nerves, but making her heart race. "Who said I'm not scared?"

"Oh please," She said, rolling her eyes. "Logan Huntzberger isn't scared of anything."

He locked eyes with her, her heart on the brink of exploding if it beat any faster. "I'm not scared. . . I'm absolutely terrified."

She studied his face, looking for any sign of untruth, but finding none. "You're terrified?"

"Absolutely, utterly, without a doubt, boogie man under the bed, terrified."

"Then how are you so calm?"

He patted her hand lightly. "I'm scared but I'm not going to let my excitement live in the shadow of my fear. In Omnia Paratus remember? Ready for anything. It's one tiny baby, and two of us. We can do this."

She glanced over, longing to rest her head on his shoulder. "One tiny baby, two of us. We can do this. In Omnia Paratus."

He smiled back at her, fighting the urge to pull her in for a hug. "In Omnia Paratus."