AN: Thank you all for the love for this story! Thank you to all the people who favourite, follow and review my story, they make my day!
A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO MY IDEA PERSON/ BETA, BBJamkoGGRogan! She's been helping me sort through and flushes out my ideas, and she's helped me figure out what I'm going to do with this story beyond the original plot point. So a round of applause to her, please!
The last chapter was lacking in Rogan goodness so I have a sappy scene in here. This is a little bit filler but I hope you guys like it!
Anyway, on with the show!
On Sunday, Rory spent the majority of her day sorting through her boxes and making lists of things that she would need to purchase for her new condo. When she previously lived in New York, she had been renting out a room in an apartment, so she didn't have enough furniture to furnish a whole place. Not to mention the stuff that she would need for the baby's room. When Rory went into the diner around 3, Luke told her that he had talked to Lorelai and that he hoped that she would now act happy for Rory.
Around 8, Lorelai met Rory in the diner for dinner before completing the movie night that had been abandoned.
Three hours later, Rory and Lorelai were gorging out of junk food and mocking the 80's classics. There was no animosity between the Gilmore girls and Lorelai didn't push Rory about Logan. Pretty in Pink had ended and Rory was switching DVD's when suddenly Lorelai spoke. "Does he make you happy?"
Rory was stunned by the statement, she knew that Luke had something to do with the question and she couldn't be more grateful to him. She turned around on her spot on the floor and smiled at her mom. "Happier than I ever thought possible."
Lorelai really looked at Rory then. She had been distracted by how riled up she was because they were back together to notice that her daughter was glowing. Not the pregnancy glow, that the Gilmore's were convinced was actually caused by feeling lousy for the first trimester, no it was a happy, excited and in love type of glow. Lorelai smiled at the idea that Rory was finally truly happy. That was all she really wanted for Rory. "That's all I needed to hear. Now, what are we waiting for? No Molly Ringwald marathon is complete without Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson!" She still held her reservations about Logan, but knowing that he made her this happy, she'd give the poor boy a shot.
"Poor Anthony Michael Hall, he never gets any recognition," Rory said as she slipped the Breakfast Club into the DVD player. She moved back over to the couch next to Lorelai. They knew things weren't completely sorted out yet but there was no more tension and things were looking up in Gilmore world.
It was Monday morning and Rory was getting ready for the day. Normally when she spent time in Stars Hollow she would exist solely in jeans and t-shirts, but today she was dressed more formally for her conversation with Josh. She knew that her future boss wouldn't be able to see her but it made her feel professional to talk to her boss in something she'd wear to the office, not something she'd wear to one of the town festivals.
She had finished getting ready and looked at the clock, it was pushing 9 o'clock and that was when she was going to call. She knew they were open at 8:30 but she didn't want to be told to call back because Josh wasn't in yet. She got herself a glass apple juice, her new favourite drink, and through some pop tarts in the toaster. Even though she was craving healthy foods she was still a Gilmore and a Gilmore eats pop tarts for breakfast. By the time she had her plate of pop tarts and her juice ready it was 9 o'clock. She sat at the kitchen table in the diner apartment and dialled Josh.
It rang a few times and Rory was starting to worry before a voice came through the phone. "Hello, hello," Josh said mildly flustered.
"Mr. Walker, it's Rory Gilmore."
"Rory Gilmore, please call me Josh." Rory smiled at the friendly tone coming through the phone. "So, does this call mean you have good news for me?" Josh said exceptionally more relaxed then he had been when he answered the phone.
"Depends on your definition of good news. I am calling to tell you that I'll take the job."
"That's amazing!" Josh practically whooped through the phone.
Rory laughed, she had never heard a fifty-year-old man whoop before. "I take it you're still offering me the job," Rory said, insecurity filling her voice. She had gotten so used to hearing no, that she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"We weren't considering anyone else for the position. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you are exceptionally qualified for the position and the Post is thrilled that you're on board. You might just be our saving grace."
Rory chuckled, she was pleased that someone was excited to have her on their team. "I'm thrilled to be your saving grace."
"Brilliant. Shall we talk logistics?"
"Yes, please."
"Ok, so starting salary of $70,000 a year, plus benefits and vacation time."
"70,000? Isn't that a little high for a departmental editor?"
"If it makes you feel better, it's less than half of what we were paying your predecessor. We are paying you higher than what other incoming editors would make for a paper our size, but we're desperate, we need your help and Logan Huntzberger said to treat you well."
"He did, did he?"
"Rory, don't worry about it. I used to get phone calls from Mitchum and the rest of the old guard about how if I didn't do what they wanted they would ruin me. Logan politely asked me to pay you more than average and to treat you well. There were no threats, I think he even threw a please in there. I can't be certain because I was so stunned." Josh said with a chuckle "I would've hired you anyway and giving you an increase pay and to treat you well seemed like a minimal price to pay to give the owner what he wants. Plus, you are much cheaper than the last guy, so I'm already loving your salary."
"I don't like getting special treatment."
"Rory, do you know why the last guy kept his job for so long?"
"No," Rory said skeptically.
"He got his job because he is Mitchum's uncle. If he didn't get what he wanted he would threaten Mitchum with taking away the family money, though he had no control over it. He was married to Elias' sister and Elias didn't like him. But, at heart Mitchum was that trust fund baby who was terrified of having his credit cards taken away. Mitchum would then threaten me, and the previous owners with bankruptcy if we didn't do what he wanted. Which meant keeping his uncle on staff. His son has a stronger backbone and is remarkably nicer than Mitchum. We weren't bought out until recently which I never understood and probably never will."
"So, I am replacing Logan's great-uncle?"
"His background is in architecture, not at all useful in this profession. But, he got the job because of family ties. If I have to pay someone qualified and good at their job little higher than average to get them to work here, I'm going to do it."
"I still don't like nepotism."
"Embrace it, Rory. It runs this industry and many more. I told you once and I'll tell you again, you've got the best contact in the business, use it! So, will you accept the salary?"
"Well, I can't turn down a salary like that."
"Good. Now I can hear screaming and threats coming from your future office so I think our owner is firing his great-uncle. So, when do you want to start?"
"Well, I'm moving up from Connecticut. I have already found a place but I haven't moved in yet."
"When are the current residents moving out?"
"It's a vacant unit, I have no idea why it's empty. The place is amazing."
"Brilliant. How long do you need to move?"
"A lot of my stuff is already packed. So I can get it done in a week, or less."
"Aren't you eager."
"Well, I was freelancing for a long time, and moving around a lot. I got used to never really unpacking. That's one of the reasons I'm so thrilled to have this position." Rory knew she didn't tell the whole truth there but figured at this moment, it didn't matter. "I can be up there and moved in by Friday. I have a few personal details to deal with over the weekend, so I can start Monday if that works for you."
"Monday is perfect. We might get away with having minimal to no printing gaps if you start that soon. Now, if you still need enticing, our benefits plan is amazing. Medical coverage, including maternal coverage, dental, vision, the works. We also have pretty great maternity leave." Josh said, lacking in subtlety.
"I caught that you know."
"I figured you would. You said that you were telling the father after our meeting, how'd it go?"
"It went extremely well. Josh, there is something that I should inform you of so that there are no surprises later on."
"Alright." Josh and switched from charming and happy, to business like at Rory's statement.
"Logan Huntzberger is the father of my child."
"Well, that is interesting."
"Just interesting?"
"You met in college, correct?"
"Yes, we did. We dated for three years on and off. He asked me to marry him before I graduated and I turned him down. We ran into each other recently and started seeing each other again."
Josh was silent for a few minutes thinking about what Rory had told him. "Josh, are you still there?" Rory said apprehensively. She hadn't thought about it, but Josh might not want her on staff knowing that she was more than Logan's old friend from college.
"Yes, I'm still here," Josh said after a minute. "Thank you for letting me know. That would have been quite the shock."
"Do I still have a job?" Rory said uncertainly.
Josh sighed, not realizing that his silence could have very easily been interpreted as apprehension towards her. "Yes, you do. You are exceptionally qualified Rory and we are desperate for some help and some new blood."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Walker."
"Rory, I've told you before, call me Josh." Since Josh always has been and always will be a reporter, he asked his next question very directly. "How many people know? Is it public knowledge?"
"No, but I doubt it'll stay that way much longer. Knowing Logan, he's probably concocting some ridiculous spectacle to prove how much he loves me." Rory said with a chuckle.
Josh smiled. He'd only met the infamous Huntzberger once but the man loved spectacle, and now that Josh knew more of their past, he knew Logan loved Rory. And probably loved to make grand gestures for her. "Well, I hope you'll allow us to print those pictures first."
"I'll do my best sir."
"Brilliant. So, I will see you on Monday morning. See the secretary at the front then come to my office."
"I'll see you on Monday." Rory hung up the phone then shot out of her seat and did a little happy dance around the apartment.
Once she calmed down she went down to the diner to tell Luke her good news. When she entered every customer looked up and stared at her. "Rory!" Babette shouted across the diner. "Why you all dressed up sugar? You look like you're going to conduct an orchestra!" Rory glanced down at her outfit wondering how Babette got conductor from it.
"No Babette I just had a chat with my new boss and I wanted to feel professional when I spoke to him."
"You're new boss? You got a new job? What about the Stars Hollow Gazette?" Babette questioned in a rapid-fire way.
"I'm leaving the gazette for greener pastures. I got a job as an editor at a paper in New York City."
"New York!" Babette screeched.
Once Rory's ears stopped ringing she looked at Babette. "Yes, New York. I was offered a good job there and I am going to be moving some point this week. I start on Monday."
"Monday!"
"Babette stop screeching like that. You're going to break a window." Luke bellowed from behind the counter.
"You know sugar, I keep shattering this window in Morey and I's bedroom. I only seem to shatter those though. Never anywhere else."
Rory shivered at the mental imagery that caused. "Yes, Monday, and I'll be moving before that. I am glad to find a stable job, that I love, and requires little travel. Now I have spent my whole life working to being a journalist. I'm finally succeeding at that and I would appreciate it if you would be happy for me!" Rory shouted to address the other customers in the diner. She knew that the news would be around town before the hour was up and she hoped to get it all over with.
Sure enough, as she walked around town every person she saw stopped to either congratulate her on her new job or to beg her to stay. As she headed into Doose's Taylor stopped her to speak to her. "So, Ms. Gilmore, I hear you're leaving us."
"Yes, I am Taylor. I got a better offer."
"It is customary that you give your employer a minimum of two weeks before you intend to leave the position."
"Taylor, it was a volunteer position and I haven't been to the Gazette office in a few weeks now."
"I will be giving you a horrible reference Ms. Gilmore!" Taylor said flustered.
"I got the job without your reference, Taylor."
"You know, now that you're leaving I'll have no choice but to close the Gazette." Trying to regain some control over the situation.
"That's too bad Taylor. I appreciated the opportunity, I really did but I need a real challenge, someplace with goals and agendas."
"You used to love this town, I blame your Yale education."
"You do that Taylor. Goodbye."
"Whatever happened to the obedient Rory that you used to be?"
"She grew up." With that Rory left Doose's with a very gratifying slam of the door.
Rory sent some texts off as she made her way to her car, she was going to go to Harvard and take a look through some furniture stores. Normally she'd ask Lorelai to go with her but she wasn't sure how it would go. She decided to text Lane and see if she would want to come.
Rory – Hey, I'm headed furniture shopping. Would you like to come with me?
Lane – Why are you going furniture shopping? Are you permanently moving into the diner apartment?
Rory – No. I got a job in NYC and I bought a condo there. I don't have enough furniture to furnish a whole apartment.
Lane – WHAT!? YOU GOT THE JOB! THAT'S AMAZING. WHOOOOO
Rory – Thanks! I'm pretty pleased!
Lane – So, what's the apartment like?
Rory – It's a two bedroom with these massive windows everywhere, it's an open kitchen so I can see straight from the kitchen out the window. There are walk-in closets all through the place which I adore, I mean I would have killed for this type of closet space growing up. There's this little breakfast nook that Logan suggested I renovate a little and turn into a teeny tiny office.
Lane – Logan? Why was he apartment hunting with you? OMG! Did you tell him? How'd it go?
Rory – It went really well. After the shock wore off he got really excited, he's going to be such a doting and good dad. He loves his kid already. We also talked a lot, we worked out a lot of our issues and we're back together.
Lane – Awe! That's amazing! I'm so happy for you. So, when are we furniture shopping?
Rory – Can I pick you up in 5?
Lane – YES! The boys learned how to start fires at boy scouts and if I leave now I won't have to be here while they burn down our house!
Rory – Haha. Ok, I'll be right there.
Rory got to her car once she finished her conversation with Lane. But, before she left to pick up Lane she sent a quick text to Lorelai.
Rory – Going furniture shopping in Hartford with Lane. I'll be back in a few hours. J
Lorelai – Ok, sweets. Have fun. How'd your conversation with Josh go?
Rory – Really well. He gave me a generous starting salary, great benefits, great maternity leave, whatever that means, and my start date. Which is Monday FYI, so I'll definitely be moving this week. I told him about Logan too.
Lorelai – What do you mean?
Rory – I told him who the bean's dad is.
Lorelai – Why'd you do that?!
Rory – Because it was better if he found out before I was officially working there, instead of having it plastered across a tabloid or something worse.
Lorelai – Why would it be on a tabloid?
Rory – He isn't the newspaper prince anymore. He's the newspaper, King. Tabloids would kill to find something juicy about him. We'll probably end up there anyway but hopefully, it's civilized not gossip crap.
Lorelai – How'd Josh take the news?
Rory –He took it pretty well then asked for first publishing rights when we go public. So, all's well, the end's well.
Lorelai – That's great, kid.
Rory was a little surprised her mom hadn't made some joke about her being in a tabloid, but before could think about that any more her passenger door flew open and Lane flopped into the seat. "Lane?" Rory said confused and amused, as she often was around her best friend. "I thought I was picking you up?"
"They found the matches but wanted to see if the drum sticks could mimic matches with the scratch part of the match pack. I could see your car from the house so, I told Zach that I was leaving and that our twins were now fire hazards and bolted before I could see the damage."
Rory just looked at Lane, not knowing what to say. She finally decided it was safer to change the subject then start talking about raising children.
"Ok, so I was thinking we'd hit Bob's discount, Puritan Furniture and Pottery Barn. How's that sound?"
"Pottery Barn! Really? Oh, I've never been there it'll be awesome! I wonder if they actually have the table that was in Ross's apartment?" Lane squealed at Rory
"I think they've upgraded their stock since then, but you never know," Rory said, amused by her friend's antics.
"It might've been their best seller. Who knows!" Lane was practically bouncing in her seat by this point. "But can we not go to Bob's Discount? I spend enough time there and it's depressing enough. How about we go by Ashley's Furniture?"
"You're right." Rory thought about it and knew that Lane was right. Bob's had a lot of tacky, random, eclectic furniture, but Rory wanted something better made that would last. "Ashley's has a wider variety at a better quality, and I want my furniture to last. I'll go later with Lorelai, she loves that place and she can find things to make my home look quirky."
"It definitely seems like a Lorelai type of place." Lane said agreeing
"Where do you think we got the monkey lamp?" Lane burst out laughing as Rory started the car and pulled away, heading to Hartford.
Rory and Lane had managed to get many of her bigger purchase items during their shopping trip on Monday. They ordered the bed, a sofa, two armchairs, one for the living room and one for her bedroom, a kitchen table and chairs, a TV stand and the very important bookshelves. One for the living room and one for her bedroom. She had been debating what she should do about her dresser, she ended up purchasing a chest of drawers because not having one would make her extremely nervous.
She decided to buy her end tables, coffee table and smaller items while out with Lorelai. The Lorelai touch that came with those items would make her apartment home.
She had originally planned to get her desk while out with Lorelai but she had found this small, antique looking desk with a grey varnish that made it look weathered. It had three drawers and a small drawer that would be used as a place for her laptop. She also thought that when she and Logan moved into their own place, she would likely get a larger office space than the renovated breakfast nook so she could get a larger desk. When that happened, the desk would go in storage until it could go in the kid's room. It wasn't too modern so it would be able to be in use without looking tacky. She grinned at the idea of her future home with Logan.
While Rory and Lane had been shopping she had wandered into the children's section of the store and looked at the different cribs and basinet's they had. She didn't buy anything, she wanted Logan's opinion on the nursery as well as Lorelai's. But she found a Rory crib that matched the desk that she really liked as well as others.
She hadn't put much thought into a nursery or baby names, or any of the things that a mom-to-be normally obsesses over. But now that her life had become more certain these thoughts started creeping into her mind and they made her smile as she thought about it.
The more she thought about it, the more excited she got. A home and a family with Logan. It was all she ever wanted since she was 21, possibly earlier if she went down that particular rabbit hole, and more then 10 years later she was finally getting what she's always wanted.
Sure, she never became an overseas correspondent and she wasn't able to rival Christiane Amanpour, but she realized long ago that wasn't her dream. She was a person who needs stability and routine to thrive and the life of a correspondent didn't offer that. She knew her dream had changed by her senior year of Yale, and she had even told Amanpour this when she was staying at the Dragonfly. She said that she had thought about being a correspondent but was thinking about working for a major daily, not jet setting forever. Rory had still wanted to be a journalist but she didn't want to spend her life running from one place to the next. It wasn't a life she could see herself happy in for long. When Lorelai found out that Rory's end goal had changed it was as if she refused to acknowledge it. Rory would get emails and phone calls from Lorelai asking why she wasn't writing harder hitting news, and if she didn't she'd never be the next Christiane Amanpour. If it wasn't that, Lorelai was telling her that she could be happy making a life in Stars Hollow. After one of these messages Rory would try and delve into larger world news, but she wasn't loving it. But, she didn't want to settle in the Hollow permanently either, she wanted more than what she could have there. It'd always be her hometown and she'd always love it, but it wasn't where she wanted to build her life. Rory had never wanted to disappoint Lorelai and did whatever she could to keep her happy. So, she kept marching along to becoming a foreign correspondent despite how much she wanted something different.
Strangely enough, the moment the little purple plus sign appeared was the moment that she decided to do what was best for her and her baby. Then when Logan called offering her a stable position, limited travel, with a little authority she felt it was a dream come true. She was going to do what she wanted outside of her mother's dream. She hoped that Lorelai would come around to the idea that her trajectory had changed and that she was happy with her life for the first time in years.
She smiled hoping that this happiness would never be far off again.
After furniture shopping, she and Lane went to the mall to pick up a few things. Lane got some new drum sticks, some guitar strings, and a leather jacket that looked 'to rock and roll' to pass up. Rory, on the other hand, picked up some business appropriate outfits, new suits, new blouses and a few pairs of shoes.
Rory had managed to escape the nursery section of the furniture store but while she and Lane were walking through the mall they passed an OshKosh B'gosh. She had hesitated outside the store for a minute before Lane pulled her inside. Rory followed Lane as she headed towards the boy's section. But before they got there, Rory spotted the baby section and wandered in. Lane smiled as she watched her friend pick through the onesies. Lane noted that Rory finally looked happy. She had been faking happiness for a long time, and when she first found out she was pregnant she was terrified. But ever since she got that phone call from Logan, and even more so since she got back from New York, she seemed as if she was glowing.
Rory had been looking at the different onesie's when she found a blue one with an open book wearing glasses, with 'book nerd' written on it. Then she found another with a little worm reading a big book with 'Bookworm in Training' written on it. She smiled wondering if her child would love books as much as she did. The more she looked at the tiny clothing and wondered if her child would be nerdy and shy like her, or outgoing and adventurous like Logan, she got more excited about the idea. Out of nowhere Lane appeared and started talking, "You know, you can buy those if you want."
"The baby will need clothes," Rory said distractedly
"Yes, it will."
"I'm having a baby," Rory said suddenly very alert.
Lane smiled at her friend. She had gone through a similar moment of revelation when she was about four months pregnant. "Yeah, you are."
"I'm going to be a mom, to a baby, who is this size." Rory held out the onesies to show what she meant.
"Yeah, you are."
"A baby," Rory said more to herself than to Lane. As if she is only fully comprehending what that meant.
"Is that a good thing?" When she had this moment, she went into full-blown panic mode but Rory looked shocked and happy. Not terrified.
"This is a really good thing." A bright grin spread across Rory's face as she let that sink in.
"So, are we getting the onesies?"
"Yeah, but are they the right size?"
"Rory, where is my Yale-educated best friend? Baby's grow. So, getting them a little large won't hurt."
"Right, I knew that," Rory said a little flustered. Lane laughed at Rory as she watched Rory spin a little bit.
"C'mon, check out is this way."
With that, they made their purchases and left.
She had just gotten back to the apartment and was going through her various purchases and order receipts. She pulled out her new clothes and shoes and put them away, then went to the bag from the kid's store. She carefully removed the tiny clothes and looked at them for a minute thinking about her baby was going to be wearing those clothes in less than six months. Before she could think about that much more her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and smiled when she realized it was Logan.
"Hey!" Rory happily said into the phone.
"Hey, Ace. How's your day going? How's our little bean?"
"Bean's good. I didn't throw up this morning which was nice. I talked to Josh this morning."
"Oh yeah?"
"Don't oh yeah, me Huntzberger. I know what you did." Rory was trying to sound harsh but Logan could tell she was just teasing. "You got them to pay me more than they would an incoming editor."
"Ace, we had to entice you somehow. We couldn't risk you picking a better offer and leaving us in the lurch."
"Logan, you know I had no other offers."
"Who knows? Things could change now that there's a new king." Rory could hear him smirking and despite how much it annoyed her she did love his smirk. "You know you're saving this paper so much money with your 'better than average' salary. The other guy was making over 200,000 and wasn't doing any work. They were losing money on him. My dad has done way worse things to get what he wanted, I just asked nicely for a favour."
"Yeah, Josh was still surprised that a Huntzberger could have manners."
"One of my nannies was from Georgia, and she loved manners."
"Really?" Rory laughed, picturing a southern belle nanny out of Gone with the Wind telling Logan and Honour to say, sir and ma'am.
"I sure didn't learn it from my parents. They believed manipulation and terror was the best way to get what they wanted."
"Speaking of your family, I heard an interesting thing about my predecessor," Rory said hesitantly.
"Yep. My Great Uncle Sal. Mean old bastard who doesn't accept that he has no control. When I fired him, he threatened to cut off my trust fund." Logan said with a groan
"You're 35 and the CEO of HPG. Did he really think that would work?" Rory said with a laugh.
"I told him that. He said that he'd call Mitchum and have him cut me off."
"Was he going to perform a séance or should we crack out the Ouija board?" Rory teased wondering how the man didn't know Mitchum was dead.
"The crazy old cooke forgot Mitchum was dead. Once we sorted that out I said that I was in charge of all accounts and that he has never been in charge of any Huntzberger money."
"How'd he take that?" Rory said curiously
"Not well at all, but since I'm the head of the family I got to throw out some punches that had been a long time coming," Logan said pleased with what had happened.
"Oh, what did you do?" Rory said exhausted, not wanting to have to deal with some assault charges or worse.
"Nothing like that! I told him that Grandfather had hated his guts, thought he was a gold-digging jack ass and that he had tied up the money so that he couldn't get any of it. Grandfather sure as hell never put Sal on the accounts."
"Wow. What happened then?
"He called me a lying brat."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, I've been called much worse. Some of them by you." Logan said, he loved goading her.
"Hey, butt-faced miscreant is a classic and horrible insult, and it worked wonders on you." Rory bantered back. "Then what happened?"
"I told him that if he didn't vacate the premises within 20 minutes I'd call the police for trespassing and cut him off."
"I'm sorry?" Rory was just confused now. If he married a Huntzberger 70 or so years ago, he would have had money, plus he was making 200,000 a year while doing minimal work. Why would he need an allowance?
"He lived an extravagant lifestyle. Much worse than me, Colin, Finn and Robert combined."
"That is saying something," Rory said amazed and horrified.
"I know. Multiple private jets, estates all over the world, multiple on each continent, ridiculous cars, he'd have luxury car companies make him special cars and crash them. I think he once pissed away a billion dollars in one weekend just blowing up his different cars to see which would make the largest boom. But, his favourite was the women. You can't have the type of entourage he's used to without a ridiculous amount of money."
"Oh my god," Rory said disgustedly. "Wait, if he's completely technologically illiterate, how's he living that type of lifestyle?"
"He could work it if it was made before the 1980s. Plus, companies will do anything if you throw enough money at them. They'd send out catalogues and have someone take his order over the phone. They also wouldn't include any of the features. If he couldn't bribe them into working fourty years in the past he'd have one of his bedmates do it for him." Logan said exhausted and disgusted by the man he was related too.
"Ok, but that doesn't explain the allowance. If he married into your family in the 40's he would've had money. He likely would have been an heir in his own right. So why is he getting an allowance from you?"
"He pissed away the family fortune, ran his father's business into the ground all the while screwing every girl who batted their lashes at him, or more specifically his millions," Logan said sadly. He knew that he got close to becoming that man and hated that he once thought he wanted that.
"Whoa. You guys were bad and a little careless, but you never pissed away billions on entertainment, and when you guys took control of your family's businesses you've run them well." Rory said trying to calm Logan down. She knew he was thinking about who he was when they first met. Robert actually strived to be that person until he took over his family's business and discovered he actually loved it. "Why do you pay for his lifestyle, even now. The man must be pushing 90?"
"We couldn't have a Huntzberger living in squalor so we paid for everything. Grandfather realized that Great- Aunt Alice had been hiding some of the money. It is actually a great story. Her husband was a bastard, we always wondered if he was abusive but we never proved it, when his behaviour got worse she started hoarding money away. Sal was never very bright so she kept some of her Huntzberger accounts and hid money in there. She collected enough so that she could start a life elsewhere, then she left him. Though they stayed legally married. She got a job as a teacher and taught third grade in South Carolina. Elias would give her small amounts that way he knew she was looked after."
"That's amazing, but how did she get away with it? She was supposed to be the perfect society DAR wife?"
"As far as I know my great grandfather was worse than my dad and my grandfather. He only cared about business and he only came out to make sure his son could take over the business. Alice was a girl, once she was married she was no longer his responsibility. Sal was glad she was gone, so he was free to do his whoring around whenever he pleased. Elias knew but he kept quiet about it" Logan said sadly
"That's horrible. Who could do that to their own child?" Rory said repulsed that someone could care so little that they didn't notice their child had left their abusive, asshole of a husband and moved to a different state.
"I don't know," Logan said distractedly.
"Wouldn't the public have caught on? I know this was before tabloids but would no one notice she had left an entire part of the country? Or that she looked different when she returned?"
"Alice would come back for certain events. As long as she was in the right place, at the right time, and next to Sal no one was the wiser. Elias paid to keep her presentable to society and since the parenting in my family is so stellar, no one else really noticed she was gone." Logan said dismally. "How can I be a good dad when no one in my family has ever been any type of father other than a sperm donor? I don't want our kid to think I only needed them for an heir, or that I don't love them. The only thing I learned from my dad is how to dish out guilt, pay people off and how to give a lecture. That's not parenting! I love them so much already and I never want them to doubt that for a second." Logan rambled on the verge of panicking as his voice got louder. "They are so much more than just an heir. Hell, the heir part is just a by-product of everything else. Rory, they brought you back to me, they helped us sort out our issues so we can really be together, be a family, they are living breathing proof of how much we love each other. They're everything that I don't know yet, but it's so much more than being next in line to this cursed throne." Logan stopped rambling out of breath and tried to calm down.
After a moment of silence, Rory spoke, "That was quite the ramble. It was almost Gilmore worthy." Rory said trying to lighten the mood.
"I'm glad I could compare," Logan said flatly, not at all pleased with his uncertainness.
"Logan, do you know how I know you'll be a great dad?"
"Were you not listening? I can't be a good dad I-"
"Logan" Rory gently cut him off before he could jump into another ramble. "The reason I know you'll be a good dad is that you're worried about it. You want to step up and be a good dad, someone our child can trust and love. You already love this baby so much and it's that that makes you not want to put the pressure on them you had about being the heir to a dynasty. You don't want dynastic plans, you want us to be a happy family. You aren't the same type of man that your father, grandfather and great – grandfather were, so you won't make their mistakes. You want our child to feel love and not have to beg for your attention. You've got the love and caring mastered, I know because of how you love me, as long as we can do that I think we can sort the rest out."
Rory waited for Logan to say something and when he didn't she started to worry he'd hung up. "Logan?"
"I'm here Ace. I'd kiss you if I could." Logan wistfully. "You've got this faith in me that no one else ever has, you believe in me and I'm not sure you understand just how much I love you for that fact alone." Logan was silent again and she knew he was distracted thinking about everything that was said between them.
"I'm worried too, you know," Rory said out of nowhere.
That seemed to snap Logan out of his trance, "What? Why?"
"I've never been really good with kids. I was scared of Sookie's kids at first and I was a mess when Gigi was little. I think I'm ok around Steve and Kwan but Lane told me about how they're running around with matches because they'd learned how to start fires at Boy Scouts and I'm afraid our kid will burn our home down and I'll fail as a mom."
Logan grinned knowing that while Rory had calmed him down just minutes earlier, it was kind of reassuring to know that she was freaking out too. And he was happy to calm her down. "Rory, calm down. You'll be a great mom. You're kind and loving, and I've seen you around kids, you're great with them. The issue with Sookie's kids was that you hadn't been around babies before and you didn't know what to do. The reason why you were freaked out with Gigi had more to do with a situation surrounding her existence and your dad then Gigi being a baby. I saw you together and you were great with her and she loved you. You figured out Steve and Kwan pretty quickly after you got the vomit out of your hair. As for burning down the house, we won't put our kids in scouts and we'll hide the matches." Logan said trying to calm her down. But equally amused and concerned about the matches issue.
"How are you so calm all of a sudden?" Rory said baffled by his suddenly relaxed tone.
"You made some good points while calming me down, and I figured it was your turn to freak out and for me to calm you down. You don't have to do any of this alone, we share our panic attacks." Logan added with a laugh.
"Well, thank you," Rory said softly.
"So, how was the rest of your day?" Logan said changing the subject. Rory happily filled him in on furniture shopping with Lane, the things she got for her new condo and how she picked up new clothes for when she started at the Post.
"I also went into a baby store today," Rory added haltingly
"You did?" Logan sounded shocked, though he didn't know why.
"Yeah, I briefly looked at some of the stuff in the kid's section in pottery barn but I didn't buy anything," Rory said quickly.
"You know it would be ok if you did," Logan said knowing that she was worrying for no good reason.
"I did see some things that I liked but I want you to have an opinion, plus I didn't want to deal with nursery furniture and moving at the same time." Rory rambelled nervously.
"Thank you for that. I've always been told that I was supposed to leave that alone, but I've always wanted to play a bigger role in my kid's lives than was expected."
"This isn't 1910 or even 1980. Men can be parents too." Rory said with a smile.
"Why do I have a feeling that this'll come up a lot in our relationship?"
"Because high society thinks it's still Victorian times," Rory said. They both laughed at just how accurate that was.
"Now you wouldn't have said that to tell me you didn't buy anything for the baby," Logan said lightly teasing. Logan could tell Rory was hesitating so he prodded her a little. "C'mon, Ace. Put me out of my misery." He begged, making her laugh
"Ok, ok. While Lane and I were in the mall we wandered into OshKosk B'Gosh."
"What's that? Are you trying to make me feel stupid Ace?" Logan said honestly confused.
"OshKosh B'Gosh is a kid's clothing store. Anyway, I wandered into the baby section and I picked out some onesies. One had a book wearing glasses with 'book nerd' written on it, the other had a worm reading with 'bookworm' on it. I looked at these little pieces of clothing and I thought about our baby wearing them and I was filled with this sense of joy." Rory said grinning.
"Feeling sappy, are we?" Logan said teasing. But he understood what she meant. He had wandered by a high-end baby boutique in Manhattan, and he started picturing their baby. The whole picture that had played out in his head filled him with an excitement he hadn't felt before.
"I'm hormonal, I'm allowed," Rory said making Logan laugh.
"You can have whatever you want Ace. Absolutely anything at all." There was something in the way Logan spoke that made Rory believe everything Logan said.
"I love you, Logan." Rory had an inexplicable urge to tell him that, and she had spent so much time over the years not telling him that, that she was going to tell him as often as she wanted.
"I love you too, Rory." Logan replied, feeling the exact same as his girlfriend? Partner? Baby mama? He made a face at that last one. He honestly wanted her to be his wife but he knew not to go there until he knew she'd say yes.
"You called me Rory," Rory said shocked.
"I just wanted you to know I was serious," Logan said earnestly. They were silent for a minute before Rory spoke, "Look who's being sappy now." She teased making Logan laugh. "I'm sorry but I promised mom I'd meet her to talk about the shopping trip and figure out what we'd still need to get later on. So, I'll talk to you later, ok?"
"OK, Ace. Have fun with your mom."
"I think you mean good luck," Rory said with a grimace.
"Well, then, good luck and I'll talk to you later. Love you."
"Love you too." With that Rory hung up the phone and braced herself to face Lorelai Gilmore.
Rory spent the rest of Monday talking with Lorelai to sort out what Rory still needed to purchase for her new place. Lorelai was clearly unimpressed that Rory went with higher quality for her larger items. Rory knew that Lorelai would be unimpressed but she wasn't spending frivolously. She went to Pottery Barn, she didn't have stuff specialty made then shipped over from France. Lorelai relaxed a little when Rory told her that she still needed a whole lot and she'd get those when she went shopping with Lorelai at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Bob's Discount store. Her and Lorelai were going to go shopping on Tuesday and then Rory was going to move Thursday. She had cleared this with Luke and he was going to leave Cesare in charge for the day while he helped.
On Tuesday Lorelai and Rory had spent the entire day getting things for Rory's new apartment. Lorelai and Rory generally shared similar taste in styles, so it went over relatively well. But, every once and a while Rory would distract Lorelai so that Rory could replace something Lorelai picked out with something that would like up with Rory's taste more. She didn't want to fight with her mom about this because there were larger things coming. If all else fails Rory was keeping the receipts for anything she couldn't get rid of.
That night most of Stars Hollow had gathered in the dance studio for the weekly town meeting. Lorelai and Rory were thinking of the most ridiculous things that could be on tonight's agenda, from Kirk and the Kirkights naked interpretive dancing to Taylor finally asking everyone to refer to him as 'Your Highness'. They already had a whole host of jokes lined up for whichever scenario played out. They were dividing up snacks when Kirk came in the door near the stage in a bailiffs' outfit. He banged on Taylor's stand then loudly stated "All Rise! Taylor Doose is presiding"
"Oh, he's now King Taylor," Lorelai whispered to Rory as Babette shouted "KIRK! What are you doing? This isn't Law and Order!"
Patty shouted from her position on the stage, "You can tell Taylor to get his behind that is identical to that of my sixth husband, in this building or I am taking away his milkshake machine and I'll run all town meetings from now on." Her statement shocked the crowd and a loud gasp went through the studio.
"Can you even do that Patty?" Gypsy cried out
"You can bet Broadway on it," Patty said with a satisfied grin. "Now, Kirk are you going to get him or-"
"Patty, I was trying to instill a little of our honoured legal system into the meetings! What is so wrong with that?" Taylor shouted, bursting into the dance studio.
"Because Taylor, you are dressed like a judge even though you aren't one and you look like some sort of nun."
"I am no nun," Taylor said horrified. "This is the traditional dress robes of all presiding judges, and I'd thought I'd gain a little respect my wearing them," Taylor said with a huff.
Right at that moment, Lorelai chucked a stick of lickerish at Taylor. "Lorelai!" Taylor shrieked.
"What? You want more respect so I gave you some of my snacks. Now everyone knows that is the highest form of respect you'll get from me." Rory chuckled at the scene in front of her. Taylor was flaming red, and she wasn't sure if it was this red even when Jess had vandalized Doose's.
Lorelai then turned and looked at Rory. "Right Rory?"
"It's true Taylor, she barely shares her snacks with me and I'm her child. I used to beg for them when I was five." Rory added dramatically.
"I did no such thing." Lorelai feigned hurt and put the back of her hand against her forehead dramatically.
"Mom you once snatched a pop tart right out of my mouth, and the same day you took a cup of coffee right out of my hands while I was drinking it."
"Well, there was that."
"Lorelai, your parenting flaws aside, I demand you pay to have my robes dry cleaned!" Taylor hollered from the front.
"Oh, Taylor, take off your stupid robes and start this town meeting before I take away your ice cream maker and your silly coat."
"That coat isn't silly but fine. I'd like some part of this night to be the meeting." Taylor stripped of his robes and got up and called the meeting to order.
They discussed the random town events, there was another car accident, if you could call it that, and the town determined who was at fault. One of Kirks cousins hasn't mowed his lawns since he's moved to town and Taylor wanted to determine the type of punishment that should be required. Kirk's cousin then called Taylor a dictator and that he wouldn't be strung up in the square for lawn height. Taylor briefly considered it before the entire town threatened Taylor with impeachment and they let Kirk's cousin keep his lawn the way it was.
Rory and Lorelai had thoroughly enjoyed the town meeting when Taylor announced the final order of business. "Oh right, the last item on the agenda, Rory Gilmore."
"Me?" Rory looked up shocked then looked at Lorelai, she just shrugged not knowing anymore then Rory.
"Yes, you. We want to discuss the matter of the move."
"What about it Taylor?" Rory said irritated
"You have lived here your entire life. We've clothed you, fed you, and raised you. And now you're leaving for a big job opportunity in the city."
"Yes, Taylor, it's a good job and I have been struggling to find a job recently and now I'm leaving to pursue it. That's the whole point of growing up, you grow up then you leave to start your own life!"
"Yes, but young lady, how do you expect to raise a child alone in the city. They could end up like Jess!" Rory had to laugh, thinking that was the worst example he could come up with. The minute the Jess comment came out of Taylor's mouth Patty knew he was done for.
"I'd be proud to have my child end up like Jess. He wasn't a terror, he was a stranger, who felt the world was out to get him and he dressed like someone who grew up in the slums. Here's the thing, he acted like the world was out to get him because from his perspective it was! His mother was a drug addict and an alcoholic, who dated abusive men that liked to take their frustrations out on Jess. Then she gave up on him when he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got arrested. He had been told he was a waste of space and everyone's lives would be better off if he didn't exist. Then when he makes a small mistake, a mistake that my mom and dad have made, you run him out of town. So, yes, he was bitter and maybe even a bit of a bully, but he's a man now. Despite all of that he's become a successful author, the owner of a successful business and he is a genuinely nice person and isn't afraid to tell me when I'm being a spoiled brat. I'd be glad if my child ended up like Jess." The audience was stunned into silence. Rory rarely gave impassioned speeches, yet here she was defending Jess's honour. They always considered themselves as people who took care of their own and that the town was a safe haven for those who needed it, but they treated someone who should've been welcomed as if he was the devil.
"And another thing," Rory added as she got her second wind. "I won't be raising my child alone! My child's father, whose name is Logan Huntzberger, is going to be there. We dated in college and we got back together recently. He loves this baby and me so much, he's going to be a good dad. He wants to give our child the type of home we didn't have. He doesn't want our child to be wondering why their parents don't love them. While I never wondered about mom, I always wondered if my dad loved me. Our child will never wonder if their parents love them because they will see every day how much we love them, and how much we love each other. I have complete faith in him, I'll never be alone because he would never leave me, we've left each other enough times to last multiple lifetimes. He's it for me! So, you can stop with this single parent nonsense right now. My life is not restricted to the town limits, Taylor. I have people and family outside this town. Much to everyone's dismay."
"Good for you honey." Patty piped in as Taylor was still too stunned to speak. "We are very proud of you and I'm glad that you've made your own family. That's the beauty of growing up. Leave the girl be Taylor."
"Yeah, Taylor."
"Leave her alone!" Were among some of the shouts heard from the rest of the town people before the meeting was adjourned Patty said to Taylor "I'm taking away your crazy ice cream man uniform because of that stunt." Patty said as she marched out of the dance studio.
"Patty you can't take another man's uniform!" Taylor argued as he raced after her.
The town meeting broke up leaving Rory feeling very proud of herself. She didn't often stand up for herself when she would get railroaded by the town, she generally went along with whatever they said. But she had stood up for herself, defended Jess, and defended Logan. Gone was the passive little girl known as Rory Gilmore, in her place stood someone who was sure of herself and wasn't afraid to take people on who were attacking those she cared the most about.
This crazy town would always be home but it was time to move on from her childhood and take on the new adventure that was staring her in the face. And she couldn't wait to start.
AN: Review if you please!