A/N Thanks for all the comments- to December Jefferies2 who says I'm done with Shira yet? Emily wasn't at that engagement Party…

To the guest reviewer who stated that I had Rory 'exchanging one codependent relationship for another' in some ways you are right- my Rory will not be 'super independent' but she wasn't in the show either, she was supported by her grandparent's money. Lorelai to a certain extent was too- whilst a big deal was made that she separated from them at 16 upon getting pregnant Emily's line in the first show of 'where would you be if you'd asked for a little bit of help', is very important- knowing when to accept help is a sign of maturity- a characteristic that Lorelai and cannon Rory lacked- my Rory won't.

Chapter 7

Lorelai had spent the week since Logan and Rory's engagement announcement angry. She was angry at Christopher for going along with their daughter's plans to get married so young. She was angry at her parents for simply smiling and celebrating the announcement. What made her the most angry though was the thought that Logan was now her daughter's person. The one she 'couldn't live without' that thought had Lorelai feeling dejected. Her response was to shut her daughter out, and had called her mother leaving a message on the machine that she wasn't going to the graduation. Emily had called back to tell her she would never forgive herself if she didn't attend but that it was her choice. Lorelai entered Luke's diner as was her custom most mornings, three days before her daughter was scheduled to graduate from Yale and she was surprised to see everyone looking at her, almost staring. Luke served her coffee quietly without his quips and after five minutes Lorelai's tenuous control on her anger snapped. 'What the hell are you all staring at?' Zach placed a newspaper- the Hartford Courant open to the announcement page where, under a gorgeous photo of Logan and Rory wearing a Tiffany blue tie and dress, showcasing her engagement ring was the announcement.

'The Gilmore and Hayden families announce and celebrate the engagement of their beloved daughter and granddaughter Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Hayden (known as Rory to her close family and friends) to Logan Elias Huntzberger last week. The couple who have been together for nearly three years met at the prestigious Yale University in New Haven Connecticut. Miss Gilmore-Hayden has been an active member of the Hartford chapter of the DAR, and last year, whilst on a break from her degree, raised an impressive $200,000 dollars for our country's troops in an inspired Hollywood Canteen themed event. We at the Hartford Courant wish the happy couple their best wishes and congratulations.

She looked around the faces of the town's people. Taylor Doose looked practically apoplectic, there was no mention of the town of Stars Hollow in the announcement, to an outsider the girl that the town saw as the Town Princess would be seen as a Hartford Socialite. But also was the fact that Lorelai hadn't told them that Rory was engaged. She had stayed quiet about it and allowed them to find out in the newspaper. This was a boon that could have seen a small but significant uptick in tourism. She stayed quiet, Babette questioned it first 'our little girl is engaged- she's graduating and engaged? Why didn't you tell us Lorelai?' Miss Patty looked at the photo of the couple 'this is the boy she was with at the spring fling. They've been together for nearly three years? Will her wedding be here. I was going to ask about what time we had to be at the graduation but maybe we should just throw her a party? Why didn't you tell us, hun?'

Lorelai looked at the faces that looked at her expectantly, Luke, Kirk, Patty, Morey, and Babette, and yet again snapped 'I don't like the guy that she's supposedly marrying. He's no good for her. He was the root cause of us not speaking for a few months, remember that. His family is awful to her and yet he has her trapped in this engagement where she doesn't talk to me. I had no idea they were announcing it. I thought that would be at the engagement party that my parents will throw for her.' Her victim narrative established the main town characters rallied around her and the tall, brown-haired man in the corner was ignored. That story made no sense to him, but as the ex-boyfriend of the girl in question, it wasn't for him to question it so he left his money on the table and left the diner ignoring the discussions that were occurring about pulling Rory away from a man that she was obviously very happy with.

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Rory was waiting at the reserved table at the country club, she ordered sparkling water and was deftly taking best wishes from many older women about her engagement when Logan and her father and grandfather arrived. Logan kissed her on the cheek and sat next to her whilst her father sat on her other side and grandfather opposite. She was full of questions about how the meeting with Mitchum had gone, Logan had a smile on his face and it was simple 'we won Ace. He capitulated to all of our suggestions and agreed to take further maternity and paternity leave to the board for all employees. It makes sense and will help us attract better talent if we have a better program. He wants to sit down with you too if you want to and discuss where you can go, his suggestion is to aim for editing with op-ed pieces at either one of our purely online publications or a New York-based paper.' Rory smiled at him 'thank you babe but I think that getting my masters would be a better use of my time, I wanted to discuss Princeton, but I wanted to talk to you guys first.' Chris was looking at her proudly and Richard was nodding. They ordered their lunches and drinks passing small talk about potential locations for houses, Rory asking for some help- she didn't want to put everything to Logan for

Richard took a sip of his scotch and 'Well Rory, we asked to talk to you and Logan together because there are some things that you need to know, upon your marriage you're going to receive your inheritances. All of them.' Rory just looked at her grandfather 'what inheritances? I know that Trix left me something but not exactly what it was.' Richard looked at Chris who took over 'kiddo, it was decided before my Dad and then Grandfather died that you not Gigi would be the main Hayden Heiress. This is mainly because you are older and also because of the way that Sherry and I want to raise Gigi. When I was married to your mother this was a major bone of contention between us, and to be completely honest she didn't know the extent of your inheritance.' Rory nodded 'but is that fair to Gigi?' Logan looked at her 'think of it in a similar way to how Honor and I are treated but in reverse- I was groomed to take over HPG from diapers- she on the other hand got a trust fund and jewelry as her inheritance upon turning 21 or getting married. Is it sexist? Yes, but that is how my grandparents and dad structured inheritances for us.' Rory was nodding 'what is entailed- can I still write…' Chris nodded furiously 'of course, you will be inheriting when I die and I want to be around for a longggg time kiddo. Maybe doing those business courses was a good idea though good advice there Richard' there were chuckles as Rory looked down at her plate, pure panic on her face. Seeing this, Logan grabbed her hand 'babe this makes no difference to how we are going to live- you just need to know about the money side- essentially we won't have to worry about getting a house that you love babe. It also comes into the discussion about getting a prenup, I know that you think we don't need one but it's to protect you and me and our family legacies- you can't negotiate without knowing the details.' Rory nodded 'ok so what's the Hayden inheritance? Let's start there.' Chris nodded and pulled out a file from the hidden briefcase under the table 'ok so first there are letters from my Dad, I don't know what's in them, your trust fund that you will have access to now is $20million, not including the stocks in Hayden Enterprises. Your mother knows nothing about this- I chose not to inform her when we got married under advice from Richard and Emily- mostly because she has been blocking your access to your Gilmore trusts since you turned 18. I believe that's where the money for Chilton and Yale came from.'

Richard nodded 'Rory, I love your mother she is my child but she told us in no uncertain terms when you came back into our lives at 16 if we told you about any trust funds she would be gone- especially after the Trix visit, and your grandmother and I didn't want to lose you, darling. On the Gilmore side- you're our heiress, the Gilmore Group will be yours when I die, I have set it up so that you don't have to worry about running it, the house will go to you darling, Emily knows all this too. From my mother, you have your education fund of $250,000 that was put together for you at 16. Then she left everything else to you, her total estate was about £30 Million or roughly $55 million. You were entitled to that when she died. I'm sorry we didn't tell you darling but…' 'Mom wanted full control over it' Rory finished for him and Richard nodded sadly. 'She took the investment when you graduated from Chilton, that she used to buy the Dragonfly and before that she took her education fund and used it when she was 25 to buy your house in Stars Hollow. I should probably tell you sweetheart that this money is completely yours. We've been waiting for you to graduate to tell you purely because that is what we' he gestured to her father who nodded 'agreed when you were living with your grandmother and me. I knew you would go back to school eventually. '

Rory was shell shocked as she listened to her grandfather list what she was entitled to, Logan was looking at her and stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. This was the girl he loved and she was freaking out. He could feel it in the way she was holding onto him for dear life and nearly hyperventilating. 'Can we take a break for a few minutes, babe come with me?' He pulled Rory out of her seat and guided her outside to the manicured hedges that formed a partition between the club building and the rest of the golf course. 'Ace I need you to talk to me here sweetheart.' his hands cupped her face and he looked at her blue eyes that were wet with tears 'she's lied to me for years Logan, when I was growing up she would tell me how much she hated her family and how all they wanted to do was control her and me, she took me to a shed on the grounds of the Independence Inn and insisted on staying there until she could afford the downpayment on a house which happened around her 25th birthday. I was bullied for being the girl who lived in the shack.' she was sobbing as he pulled her to a bench and to his lap. 'She would tell me how horrible my grandparents were- now I question whether Straub and Francine's reaction to me at 16 was justified. Did they want contact with me earlier and she just wouldn't let her. She would tell me that we didn't need my Dad. Did you see how he interacted with Grandpa- they've been waiting to tell me this stuff for years because she didn't want me to know any of it. She has taken opportunities away from me. Her insistence of me going to Harvard was just to hurt her parents and the Haydens. She hated it when I chose Yale, initially she wanted me home every weekend.' Rory was angry now 'she could have stayed with Grandma and Grandpa- what was so bad? All they wanted was for me to have equal access to my Mother and Father. Promise me, Logan, you will never let me be like that with our kids.' Logan nodded 'I promise you Rory, but only if you promise to tell me if I start acting like Mitchum.' She laughed but nodded, kissing him 'let's get back though.' he agreed and they returned to the table 'I don't think all the stress with Mom is over, and I need to process that and this bombshell but right now I just want to have lunch with my favorite men' Rory smiled and they spoke about plans for her graduation which was only a few days away. It was going to be great.

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Rory's graduation day dawned sunny and warm. She awoke to Logan's arms holding her securely to his chest protectively and she knew that he felt responsible for the stress that was making it hard for her to sleep over the recent days. They had slept at a hotel in New Haven the previous night again and she was looking forward to her graduation even if it was the first time she would see her mother since she had announced her engagement. Lorelai had her ticket; it was up to her whether she showed up.

They got ready for the day and Logan kissed his fiancee, as she joined the other graduates, her friends cooing over her engagement ring and asking questions about what she was doing next. She responded to their questions suggesting that she would be interning at her family's company looking into what was best for her. Meanwhile, Logan was sat with Richard, Emily, and Christopher. There was a very obvious seat next to them that was not filled by Lorelai. Rory walked across the stage and collected her diploma, she'd done it and he could not be prouder of her. If only Lorelai could see how much he was hurting herself by cutting Rory out, he didn't think that Rory would forgive her for missing this day.