Rory and Logan made their way to the couch in the living room upon opening the door. They remained silently lost in their own thoughts, and still remained that way as they took to the couch. Periodically Rory ran her arm up and down the back of Logan, who was not wearing a jacket, not knowing how comforting this motion was Rory persisted, not really sure of what else she could do. How was Rory going to console her boyfriend over the death of someone that his relationship with was volatile? Rory, too, was conflicted. Elias had shown Rory much disrespect in their one and only meeting, and who knew what Elias said behind her back. How was she to feel? Rory tried to push these thoughts aside and let the emotion come, whatever it was, now was the time to focus on her boyfriend, who seemed to be looking around the room with his eyes from the couch.
"Nice place you have here," Logan said breaking the silence.
"Excuse me?" Rory asked, not knowing where that came from.
"I mean, it's a nice room. This is my first time in here and I guess I felt the need to say it. It is nice, very Gilmore," Logan said as he tried to smile at her, given the circumstances it was tougher than he had thought.
"Yeah, it is, but I think the time for tours is a bit later."
"I guess," Logan said as he sighed once more, and lost himself in thought.
Rory didn't know what to do so she just stayed there waiting for Logan's next move. She didn't like this, it was never this awkward between the, but given the circumstances she thought this was pretty normal.
"The funeral is in two days," Logan said, causing Rory to come out of her thoughts and look at him, "and it would mean a lot to me if you'd come."
"Of course I will Logan, of course."
"Now I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation. I mean my Grandfather and I weren't very close or anything and I can't forget how he treated you, and my mother will be there, I just, I don't want you to feel--" Logan was stopped from saying anything more.
"I understand Logan, but if you want me there, I'll be there. I don't care what your mother thinks, or what she might say, I'm pretty sure she'll be on her best behaviour, it being a funeral and all."
"You never know."
"I know I'm going, I know that much," Rory stated once and for all as she took Logan's hand and intertwined it with her own.
"Thank you," Logan said, as he brought her hand now with his up to his mouth and placed a kiss on it. "I'm sorry for ruining your Christmas."
"Logan, stop that. I know I said that, but I was being an idiot. You're not ruining my Christmas, so don't think like that. I'm more concerned with you and what's going through your head right now. I can't imagine what it's like, but I'd like to, you know, share your burdens and stuff. God, I'm horrible at this."
"No, I think you're doing well. I just, I just don't really know what I'm feeling. It's all a big mess of feelings in me right now. It's hard to put into words."
"I bet."
"I just don't know how I feel, I mean he was my grandfather and I loved him, but I don't know if it was just because he was family or if you know I felt that way. Jeez, I sound like an ass," Logan shook his head and brought his hands to his face.
"No Logan, you sound honest, and that's what you need to be right now."
"I just never had the best of relationships with him, my first memory of him is riding my father on something going wrong at the paper he was working at. How's that for a good first memory. Most people remember their grandfather's bouncing them on their knees or playing peek-a-boo or whatever and mine is of yelling."
"I hated peek-a-boo," Rory said causing Logan to smile slightly.
"Also, I was away at boarding school a lot of the time so I didn't really see him all that much, most of the contact was through talks with my dad, telling me that Grandfather said that I shouldn't be fooling around so much, or concentrating more on my studies. Whenever I got a card for my Birthday all it had was my name, then a space, a dash, and his name 'Elias'. Nothing about love, nothing about me being his grandson or him being my grandfather, it was all very formal and impersonal, which I guess makes sense since he probably had nothing to do with the actual getting of the card."
Rory didn't know what to say, this kind of genuine outpouring of emotion from Logan regarding his family was rare and made her feel a bit uneasy listening to it all, especially not being able to completely relate to the coldness he was describing. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"It wasn't all bad, I mean he wasn't getting any mugs with 'Grandfather of the year' or anything, but he's not the complete robot I'm painting it to be. Sometimes I guess he was just so hard on my father, that the spillover was natural and that it came to me. But I remember this one trip, we were on a trip to Madrid, and Honor and I were walking down one of the main streets with ice cream cones. I tripped over a stone and my ice cream fell to the ground. Me being six, I was upset and cried all the way back to the hotel. It was a couple minutes later, after I had went to my room that my Grandfather knocked on the door. Honor had told him about my ice cream cone, and he went out and got a new one for me, stuff like that, I try to remember, it's better than the other stuff."
"Yeah, I think that's what we all try to do. It's only normal."
The pair were broken out of their conversation by the opening of the front door, and the vocal strains of Lorelai.
"Rory! You'll never guess who's car is in the driveway, unless you won the lottery and didn't tell me I think your boyfri--" Lorelai stopped talking as she made her way into the living room and saw Logan and Rory sitting on the couch.
"Hey mom,"
"Hey hun, Logan," Lorelai said as Logan gave a slight smile and a quick nod before resuming a morose disposition. "Who told everyone they were getting deported to North Korea?" Lorelai asked, misreading the tone in the room.
"Mom, Logan's Grandfather died," Rory told her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, me any my stupid big mouth. I'm really sorry to hear that Logan,"
"Thanks," was all Logan could say.
"So do you guys need anything? I mean from the kitchen or something."
Rory looked at Logan who shook his head in the negative before she replied: "No thanks mom, we're good here."
"Okay, but if you change your mind, just holler."
"Thanks Mom."
"Thanks Miss Gilmore."
"Please, it's Lorelai, and don't mention it," Lorelai said as she went out of the living room, wanting to give Rory and Logan some level of privacy.
"Sorry about that. It's the Gilmore way, our mouths talk so fast that sometimes the wrong things come out," Rory apologized for the earlier awkwardness.
"No, it's okay. She had no way of knowing," Logan was able to get out before a large yawn overtook him.
"Are you tired? Duh, stupid question of course you are, you just yawned."
Logan laughed softly, "Yeah what with the flight over, going to the family home, then here, I've been on the move for a while."
Rory took a moment and came up with an idea, "How would you feel about going back home, to the apartment in New Haven, to get some rest, this has been a draining day and I think it would be useful."
Logan smiled, the knowledge that Rory was genuinely concerned about his emotional state was always welcome, "I think that's a great idea Ace."
"Sure, just let me tell my mother," Rory got up and left to go find her mother. She was gone for a couple minutes before she returned to the living room and stood in front of Logan. "All set?"
"Yeah, but here," Logan put his car keys "I don't think I'm in the greatest shape to drive."
A sarcastic, but witty comment was on the tip of Rory's tongue before she reined it in, questioning whether or not Logan would appreciate it. "Sure, let's go home," Rory said as they went out the door and to his car, on their way to New Haven, on their way back home.
Author's Note: One more chapter after this one, this story has been incredibly difficult to write, much more so than I thought it would be. It is definitely a change of pace from One Last Time. As always, reviews are appreciated.