Disclaimer: We don't own Gilmore Girls. Implied sexual content.
Rory reluctantly climbed down from the carriage with Logan's help. The carriage ride had been such a wonderful surprise, and there was something magical about experiencing the Yale campus at night with her fiancé beside her. Rory had felt like she was a princess in a fairytale, Cinderella maybe. As Rory thought about it, she could see a lot of parallels between her and Cinderella. While Rory hadn't had a wicked stepmother or stepsisters growing up, her mother did belittle and degrade and shame her whenever Rory didn't do exactly what Lorelai wanted. Until Cinderella went to the ball, she hadn't realized there was a life outside her distressing circumstances. Rory hadn't thought about sharing her life and a home with someone until she'd met Logan. As they slowly walked back to the party hand in hand, Logan looked over at Rory, she'd been quiet ever since their carriage ride had ended.
"Everything okay, Rory?" he asked. Rory jumped as his voice broke her train of thought. "Everything is fine Logan, I was just thinking about the carriage ride and how magical it was to share that with you," she answered. Logan smiled at her.
"I'm glad you liked it."
"Liked it? I loved it! It was the best surprise and you made this a perfect night. Maybe we could do a carriage ride on our wedding day?" Rory suggested. Logan looked at her in surprise before he nodded.
"We could definitely do that! I think those would be amazing pictures, Rory," he said as they walked back into the party. Rory nodded enthusiastically as her grandparents approached them.
"There you are, we were wondering what had happened to you two," Emily said as she and Richard offered the two young lovers a drink. Rory grinned as she accepted the glass of champagne from Emily and Logan took the scotch Richard was holding out to him. Rory took a sip of her champagne before she started telling her grandparents about the carriage ride Logan had surprised her with.
"It was so amazing! I wish I'd had a camera to take pictures. I never realized how beautiful the campus was at night. We could see the stars and it felt like a spell had been cast over us and the campus," Rory finished. Emily and Richard smiled at her enthusiasm and at the way she looked at Logan. Her eyes were sparkling and full of love, and there was a certain glow about Rory tonight. Richard raised an eyebrow at Logan in question and Logan gave a subtle nod as Rory took a sip of champagne and started talking again. "Logan said we can see the stars from the back deck of the house in Palo Alto too. You'll have to come and visit us, we can sit in the backyard and look at the stars, and we can open a bottle of wine," Rory rambled excitedly. Emily and Richard looked at each other before both nodded.
"That sounds lovely. We'd love to come and visit you. You two let us know your schedules and we'll come when it works for you," Emily said. She was touched that Rory wanted her and Richard to come and stay with them in California. Emily started to make a mental list in her head of all the things she wanted to do with Rory in Palo Alto. Richard, for his part, was just as thrilled that Rory and Logan wanted them to visit them. He started thinking about the things he and Logan could do together. He wanted to work on bonding with his future grandson-in-law, and he smiled as he thought of something he and Logan could do together.
"Absolutely we'll come to visit. Maybe Logan and I could go golfing together. The four of us could go and have lunch somewhere afterwards," he suggested. Logan nodded enthusiastically.
"That sounds great! What do you think, Rory?" he asked Rory. Rory grimaced and bit her lip.
"I don't know, Grandpa. I haven't touched a golf club since I went with you to the club when I was at Chilton. Remember?"
"I do remember that. I also remember an impressive splash from your golf club landing in the water," Richard said with a wink. Rory groaned and blushed as she started to laugh along with her grandfather, and Emily and Logan joined in.
"What's the story there?" Logan asked. Richard chuckled and looked at Rory, who nodded. Richard started to tell the story of how he took Rory to the golf course to teach her how to play for her physical education credits at Chilton.
Across the room, Lorelai watched jealously as Rory laughed with her grandparents and Logan. There was definitely something different about Rory, and Lorelai didn't like that one bit. Every time someone had approached her while Logan and Rory were gone, saying what a lovely couple they made, she would give non-committal answers. Somehow, someway, she had to get Rory alone and convince her to follow through on their plans to ride roller coasters all summer.
Logan couldn't stop his laughter as Richard finished the story. "We haven't been golfing since. Perhaps I should have taken you to the driving range first, Rory," he said. Rory shrugged.
"I probably would have hit the grass there too. Maybe Logan and I can go on a scouting trip for golf courses in Palo Alto and find a driving range where I can practice a little," she suggested.
"That sounds fine. Now we should probably stop hogging you, Rory, and make a few more rounds before we all go home for the night," Emily suggested. Rory and Logan nodded and the two couples separated. Lorelai watched as Rory and Logan walked around the room, chatting with different couples. She rolled her eyes in annoyance as every time Rory stopped talking to one person and started talking to another, she missed her chance to talk to her daughter. And there was the fact that Logan wasn't leaving her side to contend with.
Rory yawned and covered her mouth with a hand as another well-wisher walked away. She was starting to feel tired and her shoes were starting to hurt her feet.
"How are you doing there, champ?" Logan asked as he rubbed her back. Rory yawned again before she answered.
"I'm doing okay. How soon do you think we can politely take our leave?" she asked. Logan glanced at his watch; it was almost ten o'clock. They wouldn't be able to stop and get ice cream now.
"There are only a few people left here; we've talked to everyone. I think we can probably leave now. Let's find your grandparents and tell them we're leaving and we will see them tomorrow. Unless you want to talk to your parents first?" Logan asked. He was still annoyed with Lorelai for the dig she'd made at him and Rory earlier, but he didn't have a problem with Chris. Rory shook her head as she looked around.
"No, I don't see my dad anywhere and I don't really want to talk to Mom right now. Let's say goodbye to grandma and grandpa and then go home and open a bottle of champagne. You might need to carry me, I'm not sure how much longer my feet are going to last in these heels," Rory admitted. Logan nodded as they set off in search of Emily and Richard.
"I told you your feet needed a break this afternoon," he said.
"Yeah, smartypants but I couldn't exactly wear sneakers or flats with my dress," Rory bantered back. Logan shook his head as he spotted Emily who was saying goodbye to a couple of her and Richard's friends. As the couple walked away, she saw Rory and Logan walking toward her.
"Well, you two, did you enjoy yourselves tonight?" she asked as she met them halfway, and was pleased when both nodded.
"It was wonderful, Emily, thank you," Logan said.
"It was a lovely party, Grandma. Thank you so much for organizing it," Rory said as she stepped forward to hug her grandmother. Emily hugged her back before pulling away to look at Rory. She noted while Rory looked happy, she also looked tired.
"You're quite welcome, dear. Now, Rory, you look tired, so I want you to go home and get some rest. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow," Emily said. Rory nodded as she yawned again and leaned into Logan as he came up beside her. "Off you go, you two. Logan, will you be joining us for lunch after the ceremony tomorrow?" Emily asked. Logan nodded as he wrapped an arm around Rory.
"I wouldn't miss it, Emily. Thank you again for this evening, it was wonderful," he said. He hesitated a moment, then let go of Rory and embraced the elder Gilmore. Emily was taken aback at first, but she relaxed and returned his embrace.
"Look after her, she looks absolutely exhausted," Emily whispered into Logan's ear before she released him. Logan nodded and put an arm around Rory before he led her out of the room. Emily watched them go with a smile on her face, she would miss Rory terribly when her granddaughter moved next week, but she would be able to sleep at night knowing Rory was safe and with someone she loved and who loved her in return. Emily's moment of peace was broken by Lorelai approaching her.
"Mom, have you seen Rory? I need to talk to her," Lorelai said.
"You just missed her, she and Logan left just a few seconds ago," Emily replied. She rolled her eyes at her daughter's incensed expression.
"You just let her leave with some guy? She is my daughter, not yours! I didn't get to talk to her all night because she was busy talking to your and Dad's friends!" Lorelai ranted. Emily fixed her with a glare. Lorelai glared right back.
"First of all, I did not let her leave with "some guy," she left with her boyfriend of three years. I know she is your daughter; you gave birth to her after all, but she is my granddaughter and I love her very much! The one time you did talk to her this evening, it was to insult both her and Logan, is it any wonder she didn't want to talk to you after that? Rory got to know our friends during her time off from Yale, and I didn't hear her complain about having to talk to people who wanted to congratulate her. Rory and Logan left because she needs to rest before her graduation tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow, Lorelai," Emily said before walking away, leaving a frustrated Lorelai in her wake.
Frank pulled to a stop in front of Logan and Rory's apartment building and looked in the rearview mirror. He smiled as he saw that Rory had her head on Logan's shoulder and their hands were entwined, her engagement ring glinting on her finger. As soon as they'd climbed into the car, Rory had taken the ring out of her pocket and slipped it onto her finger. Frank had immediately offered his congratulations and the young couple had graciously accepted them.
"Mr. Logan, Miss Rory, we're here," he said. Logan nodded and looked down at Rory, her eyes were closed but she wasn't asleep. At least he didn't think she was.
"Thank you, Frank. Rory?" he said. Rory moaned and opened her eyes, focusing on Logan.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"We're at home. We just got here. Come on," Logan said as he unbuckled his seatbelt. Rory followed suit and looked at Frank.
"Thank you for the ride, Frank," she said. Frank smiled at her and Logan, he would miss driving them when they moved away.
"You're very welcome, Miss Rory, and congratulations to you both on your engagement. May your love grow with every passing year," Frank said warmly. Logan and Rory smiled and thanked him as they climbed out of the car. After wishing him a good night, the two of them headed into the building and watched as he pulled away. Rory yawned again and Logan looked over at her.
"Okay, come here," he said. Rory looked at him puzzled and let out a squeak of surprise as he picked her up and carried her bridal style to the elevator. Rory pushed the button and rested her head on Logan's shoulder as they waited for the door to open.
When it did and they stepped inside, Rory pushed the button for their floor and looked at Logan.
"Bridal-style, huh? You trying to tell me something Huntzberger?" she asked.
"Hey I have to practice, we'll be doing this again a year from now," he replied as the elevator dinged and the doors opened to their floor. He carried her down the hallway to their door and unlocked it. Logan set Rory down after they'd crossed the threshold and he'd kicked the door shut behind them. Rory slid her aching feet out of her heels and sighed in relief.
"That feels much better. I'm sorry we didn't get our ice cream," she said. Logan shook his head as he led her to the kitchen, where a bottle of champagne was chilling in a bucket of ice and two glasses were sitting next to it.
"It's okay Ror. I knew as soon as we walked into that party and saw all those people, we wouldn't be getting out of there in time to get ice cream. Hopefully, this will make up for it," Logan said as he removed the champagne from the bucket and opened the bottle. Rory watched him with a curious look on her face.
"How did you get the champagne on ice? We left a few hours ago, the ice would have been melted by now," she said. Logan smirked as he filled the two glasses.
"I texted Colin to come over half an hour ago and put the bubbly in the bucket. I told him I wanted to have a glass of champagne with my girlfriend to celebrate her graduation from Yale tomorrow and would he please come and put the champagne in the ice. You didn't think we were going to drink lukewarm champagne on the night of our engagement, did you?" Logan asked as he offered her one of the glasses. Rory shook her head as she accepted the glass.
"No, I know you better than that. What should we toast to?" she asked. Logan put a hand on one of the curves of her waist and looked into her eyes.
"How about to new beginnings?" he suggested. Rory nodded.
"To new beginnings," she said softly.
"New beginnings," Logan echoed before he touched his glass to Rory's. The two of them drank their champagne before Logan grabbed the bottle and the two of them headed over to the couch. They sat down and Logan lifted Rory's legs to rest them across his lap. He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it haphazardly towards the direction of their bed before loosening his tie. He put a hand on Rory's shin as he took a drink of his champagne. "So how does it feel to be the future Mrs. Huntzberger?" he asked. Rory raised her eyebrows as she took a sip.
"It feels pretty great, how does it feel to be a fiancé?" she asked. Logan looked at her tenderly.
"It feels pretty amazing. I'm so happy right now, Rory. You made me the happiest man in the world today and I know I'm not the only man in this world to say that but it's true. I -I don't think I knew what true happiness was until I met you. Happiness, true love, neither of those exist in my parents' marriage. They have a loveless marriage and I'm so happy ours won't be like that," he said. Rory smiled sadly at him as she thought about what it would have been like to grow up in a home where your parents didn't love each other. The only person she'd seen truly express any affection and love towards Logan was Honor. Shira and Elias were as cold and unwelcoming as the Huntzberger mansion. It was an impressive house, but it wasn't truly a home.
"I don't think I knew what happiness and true love looked like until I started spending more time with my grandparents. It was just me and Mom when I was growing up, so I didn't see what a happy, healthy relationship looked like until I started going to Chilton and started having dinner with Grandma and Grandpa every Friday. Grandma actually told me last night that we remind her of her and Grandpa when they were our age," she said. Logan looked at her in surprise.
"Really? Did she say anything that reminded her specifically?" he asked. Rory shook her head as she took another sip of her champagne.
"No, and I didn't think to ask because I was too busy worrying about what my life was going to look like after I graduate tomorrow and Grandma was busy comforting me. She did say that she realized just how much you love me when Grandpa had his heart attack and you dropped everything and came to the hospital. I don't think I ever thanked you for coming and being there for me so thank you," Rory said. She swung her legs off his lap and came to sit next to Logan. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him.
"Of course, I would be there for you, Rory. How could I not be after the way you took care of me after I had my accident in Costa Rica? You're everything to me, I wasn't going to stay at work at the moment you needed me the most," Logan said softly. He hesitated and then spoke. "I need to tell you something. The carriage ride tonight? That wasn't a graduation surprise," he confessed. Rory looked at him.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. Logan took a deep breath; he and Rory were finally communicating better and he wasn't about to screw it up.
"I was going to propose to you tonight at your graduation party. I hired the carriage for after I'd proposed because I was sure you'd say yes. When we were at your grandparents' last night and your grandpa and I were in the study, he helped me realize that those big grand gestures aren't you. He came up with the idea of me proposing to you in the library at Yale," Logan finished. Rory was looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite decipher.
Rory was speechless as she processed everything Logan had told her. She'd had no idea Logan had thinking about proposing for a while, and she was even more surprised her grandpa had been the one to help Logan plan the perfect proposal. As she thought about it, she realized she really shouldn't be surprised. She loved both her grandparents dearly, but she always felt her grandpa understood her more than Lorelai or even Emily, though the latter had been wonderful the previous evening as she helped Rory put her fears to rest. Rory looked at Logan who was watching her apprehensively. She set her glass on the coffee table and took his face in her hands.
"Are you angry with me?" he asked. Rory's heart broke as she looked past the man and saw a boy who had grown up without knowing what it was like to be loved by his parents. Who only heard putdowns and negative judgmental comments instead of positive and constructive criticism. She shook her head before she leaned in and kissed him. Logan kissed her back before he pulled away to set his champagne glass on the table and lifted her into his lap so that her knees were straddling his hips. Rory shivered as one of his hands slid up her back and into her curls. When they broke apart for air, Logan looked into her eyes.
"Rory are you angry?" he asked again. Rory stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.
"No, I'm not. How could I be? My grandpa helped you plan the perfect proposal, not just for me but for you in a place that had meaning for both of us. You could have cancelled the carriage ride but you didn't and we got to experience a part of the day of our engagement in the most beautiful way possible. I told you last night I knew you were the one for me, Logan, you're it for me. I've known that for a long time," Rory said before she kissed him. Logan kissed her back and groaned as he felt her shift on top of him and her hands moved to his chest. He felt her loosen his tie the rest of the way and slide it out from under his collar before unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt.
"Rory," he whispered, loving the way her name rolled off his tongue. Rory pressed kisses to the corner of his mouth as she gave him butterfly kisses with her eyelashes. Logan kissed her back as his hands moved to the front of her jacket and unbuttoned the two buttons before guiding it off her shoulders and down her arms. Rory broke away from him as she helped him remove her jacket and she tossed it somewhere behind her. She brushed her hair back over her shoulders and shivered at the look Logan was giving her.
Logan studied his fiancée as he moved his hand to her pantyhose-clad thigh. He took in the redness of her lips from being kissed, the way her blue eyes were dark with desire and her flushed cheek. He noted that one of the straps of the dark blue dress she was wearing had slipped off her shoulder. He put his arms underneath her thighs and lifted her as he stood up, causing Rory to gasp and tighten her legs around his waist and cling to his shoulders.
"I think it's time to continue what we started this afternoon, don't you?" Logan questioned in a low voice. Rory felt her stomach clench with desire as she nodded.
"I think so. It wouldn't really be an engagement if we didn't celebrate properly now would it?" she asked. Logan shook his head as he carried her over to the bed and laid her down on top of it.
After, when their clothes were scattered about the floor and the two of them were tangled in the sheets, Logan ran his fingers through Rory's hair as she looked at her ring, her head pillowed on his arm.
"It's crazy to think this morning I woke up as your girlfriend and I'm going to sleep as your fiancée," Rory said softly as she turned her head to look at Logan. He smiled and kissed her gently before taking her left hand and looking at the ring.
"I saw our whole future in this ring. I saw you saying yes to being my wife, I saw you walking towards me in a white dress, I saw you pregnant with our baby. Dance recitals, baseball games, whatever else our kids want to do, I saw it all. That's when I knew this was the ring. We have a whole life ahead of us, Rory." Rory smiled through her tears and nodded.
"I know we do, and I can't wait to see all of those things unfold," she said. Logan smiled at her and kissed her one more time before looking at the clock. It was after eleven now and they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow. Looking over at Rory, he saw her eyelids had started to droop. She snuggled in closer as he moved his arm around her waist, her left hand resting on his chest.
"Go to sleep, Ace," he whispered. His response was a yawn and a moan. Smiling in the dark, he kissed her on the forehead before drifting off to sleep.
"You amaze me Rory Gilmore, every day. Everything that you do, everything that you are. This past year I realized I don't know a lot more than I thought I knew if that makes sense. I'm sorry I'm a little bit nervous I didn't think I would be. What I'm trying to say is that I don't know a lot, but I know that I love you. And I want to be with you, forever." Rory watched as Logan pulled out the ring he had proposed to her with only yesterday, but this time he was proposing to her in front of her parents, grandparents, and her grandparents' friends. "Rory Gilmore, will you marry me?" Yes, Rory wanted to scream, but she watched as her dream self stumbled and tripped over her words, finally asking Logan for a moment alone outside. There was the carriage they'd taken the magical ride in only a few hours ago, and Rory watched as she and her mother took the carriage ride around campus. What was happening, why wasn't she with Logan?
The scene changed. Now she was in Paris and Doyle's apartment with a bowl of cereal, surrounded by boxes. She watched as she tried the ring on and smiled as she looked at it. The scene changed again. She had just graduated, and Logan was waiting for her. Rory watched in horror as she turned down Logan's proposal and held out the ring box to him. "Goodbye, Rory." She was watching Logan walk away from her, from their whole future they'd happily been planning out. She wanted to scream at her dream self to run after him, to say yes, but he was already gone. She wanted to wake up, why wasn't she waking up?
The scene changed again. She didn't have a steady job and her grandfather was dead. Logan was engaged to someone named Odette and she was back in Stars Hollow. They were sitting in some kind of nightclub, a dance club maybe? "Are you really going to marry Odette?" Rory felt her heart clench as she uttered those words. She watched as a shutter came down over Logan's face. "That's the dynastic plan."
She watched as she said goodbye to him at an inn in New Hampshire. Her heart was screaming No! I don't want to say goodbye! I love him and want to stay with him forever.
The scene changed for what she hoped was the final time. She was sitting with Lorelai at the gazebo in the town square and Lorelai was telling her she would find someone she loved and be with them forever. I already did! I already do! Rory thought frantically. She wanted to wake up, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her. Nothing could have prepared her for the words that she heard come out of her mouth: "Mom?" "Yeah? "I'm pregnant."
"Ace! Ace! Rory!" Logan exclaimed. He'd woken up with a start when he'd felt Rory begin to shake beside him, tears spilling out from under her eyelids. He took her by the shoulders and shook her gently. "Rory, wake up!" Rory's eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. She looked around blindly before realizing she was at home with Logan, who was looking at her with a mixture of concern and terror. Rory felt a weight on her hand and looked down to see her engagement ring sparkling in the light Logan had turned on.
"It was just a dream," she whispered. She turned to Logan, who put an arm around her and gently pulled her back down, holding her against his chest as he stroked her hair.
"Take some deep breaths, Rory. You're here, you're with me. You're safe," he said soothingly. Rory rested her head against his chest and focused on matching her breathing to his heartbeat. As she concentrated on breathing, she felt her heart rate begin to return to normal. She entwined her fingers with Logan's and gripped his hand to reassure herself that he was real. That this was real. Logan rubbed her back as he felt the tension begin to leave her body.
"Rory, what happened? I woke up and you were crying and moaning," he asked. Rory sniffled as she moved back onto the pillow and Logan turned to lay on his side so he was facing her. "What happened?" he asked again. Rory swallowed hard before she began to tell Logan about her dream. As he listened, Logan felt cold all over. How close had they come to that reality? If he hadn't confided in Richard and followed the older man's advice, would they be laying here right now? Rory's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"I wanted to wake up but I couldn't. It was so vivid I thought it was real. But it wasn't, was it? You proposed to me yesterday and we went for that carriage ride, right?" she asked. Logan nodded and kissed her cold fingers.
"No, your dream wasn't real, and yes, those things did happen. You don't have to worry about me ever leaving to marry someone else, Rory. We're in this for the long haul," he said. Rory nodded and snuggled into him again.
"I'm sorry I woke you," she said. Logan reached behind him to turn out the light before pulling her into his arms.
"It's okay. Go back to sleep, I've got you," he said. Rory yawned and let the sound of Logan's heartbeat lull her to sleep.
Rory yawned and stretched as she opened her eyes to see the morning sunshine greeting her gently. She felt a weight on her finger and smiled when she saw her engagement ring. Her dream had been just that, a dream. She looked over at Logan's side of the bed and frowned when she saw he wasn't next to her. As she slipped on her nightgown, she noticed the smells coming from the kitchen and her stomach growled loudly. A moment later Logan appeared wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt carrying a laden breakfast tray.
"Good morning fiancée," he said as he set the tray down on the bed and climbed back into bed.
"Good morning handsome. This looks great," Rory said as she leaned over and kissed him.
"Of course, have to make sure my fiancée isn't going to faint at her graduation ceremony, and what kind of man would I be if I didn't make you breakfast in bed on the morning of your graduation?" Logan asked as he handed her a mimosa. Rory smiled at him.
"You're a pretty amazing man and fiancé. Thank you," she said. Logan clinked his glass against hers.
"Happy graduation Rory. Do you want to eat first or do you want to open the other part of your present first?" Rory's stomach growled loudly in response and they both laughed.
"Eat first and present after it is," Logan said. Rory's mouth watered as he lifted the silver covers off the serving trays. Waffles with all the fixings, fruit salad, bacon and eggs, granola and yogurt.
"This looks wonderful, Logan, thank you so much," Rory said as she fixed them both a cup of tea.
"Of course. It will be a while before we go to lunch with your grandparents and parents, I wanted to make sure we both had a good breakfast," he said as he took a bite of his waffle. Rory nodded as she scooped some fruit salad into her mouth. This was bliss, having breakfast in bed with her fiancé. Her fiancé. She loved the way that word sounded. She looked down at her ring again. Logan followed her gaze and focused on her finger. "Are you going to wear your ring today?" he asked. Rory nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes of course! I want to tell Paris and Lucy and Olivia, I'm meeting them before the ceremony. And . . . I want to tell grandma and grandpa and Mom and Dad today too if you're okay with that? Well, I guess Grandpa already knows but Grandma and Mom and Dad don't," Rory said, her nerves about today suddenly coming back full force. Logan nodded.
"I'm good with telling your family today. We agreed we would be there when we told each other's families, remember?" he said. Rory nodded and leaned back against the pillows.
"Yeah," she said softly. Logan looked at her in concern. She sighed and asked, "Are you nervous about telling our families?" Logan nodded and set his teacup down.
"Yeah, I'm nervous. I'm so nervous to tell your Mom and I'm nervous to tell my parents and grandpa too," Logan admitted. Rory bit her lip and twisted her ring around on her finger.
"You're, um, you're not going to ask for this back right?" she asked him, hating how weak her voice sounded. Logan's eyes widened.
"What?! No! God, Rory no of course I'm not going to ask for the ring back! I love you more than anything in this world and seeing you wearing that ring reminds me just how lucky I am to have you and how grateful I am you said yes. I don't know for certain how our families are going to react but I do know some people will be on our side. Emily and Richard, Honor and Josh, the guys, Lane, Paris hopefully, Lucy and Olivia, Steph, Rosemary, Juliet. Hell even Doyle," Logan said. Rory giggled at that last one and Logan joined her before continuing, "As long as we have supportive people on our side, we can take whatever the naysayers throw at us. We've got each other Rory, and as long as we have each other, we'll be okay. Okay?" Rory leaned into Logan's hand on her cheek and closed her eyes before opening them again.
"Okay," she whispered. Logan wiped her tears away and picked up the card and gift that was resting on the breakfast tray. He handed them to her silently and Rory carefully opened the envelope before pulling the card out.
Dear Rory (Ace),
Happy Graduation! I am so, so proud of you. It feels like yesterday we were in the hallway of Branford bickering outside your dorm room, and now here we are on your graduation day. Thank you for letting me be part of your university chapter and your life for the last three years, with many more to come. There are so many chapters and days in our lives together waiting to be written, Rory, and I can't wait to start.
You've made me a better man and a better person, and I can't thank you enough for that. If you get nervous today when you're walking across that stage, look for me and I'll give you a sign. Or you can imagine me in my underwear too if that helps. That's a thing right? Rory giggled at that and kept reading.
Whatever's coming our way Ace, we'll face it together. Side by side. You are my always and forever. Know that I love you and I have always, always belonged to you. Heart, body, and soul.
All my love and more,
Logan (MAC)
Rory finished reading and accepted the Kleenex Logan was holding out to her. "Thank you," she squeaked out. Logan leaned over and kissed her.
"You're welcome. I meant it Rory, every word," he said. Rory nodded and set the card down and dried her tears.
"I know you did. You always write from the heart," she said. She picked up the gift and pulled off the wrapping paper to find a blue velvet case. She lifted the lid and gasped as she saw the diamond necklace, earrings and bracelet set. The necklace was a single teardrop pendant on a silver chain and the earrings and bracelet were also in the shape of teardrops. She looked back up at Logan who smiled at her.
"Do you like them?" he asked.
"I love them! They're beautiful, thank you so much!" Rory said as she leaned over to hug and kiss him.
"You're welcome. I was going to wait and give them to you at lunch but then I thought you might like to wear them for the ceremony," Logan explained. Rory nodded as she set the case down and climbed out of bed.
"I will definitely be wearing them for the ceremony. Speaking of which, we should probably get in the shower and start getting ready," she said. Rory walked around their bed and towards the bathroom. She paused and looked over at her shoulder at Logan who was still sitting on the bed. "Are you coming?" she asked. Logan nodded and hopped up. He took Rory's outstretched hand and let her lead him to the bathroom.
Rory slid her feet into the low-heeled pumps she'd chosen to wear today and stood back to look at herself in the mirror. Her navy blue lace dress was made of light enough material she wouldn't be sweltering outside while they were waiting to line up and then sit down for the ceremony and her shoes wouldn't kill her feet either. Logan came out of the bathroom where he'd been shaving dressed in a light blue dress shirt and dark trousers. He smiled as he saw Rory in front of the mirror.
"Look at you, you look gorgeous," he said. Rory turned and smiled at him as he picked up the jewelry case with her diamonds and walked over to her.
"You look pretty handsome yourself, you could get away with not wearing a tie," she said. Logan chuckled as he lifted the necklace out of the case and Rory lifted her hair off her neck so he could fasten the jewelry.
"I could, but your grandpa and your dad will be wearing ties. That necklace looks beautiful on you. Want me to put the bracelet on you too?" Logan asked. Rory nodded and held out her wrist so he could clasp the bracelet around it. When she'd placed the earrings in her ears she turned back to the mirror and studied the two of them in the one arm around her waist, Logan reached around to adjust the pendant before gently kissing her on the cheek.
"You look beautiful, and the diamonds go perfectly with your ring," he said. Rory smiled as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms over his.
"Thanks. You have an eye for jewelry, Master and Commander," she said. Logan chuckled and squeezed her before releasing her. Rory checked her appearance one more time before making her way into the kitchen for some water. She filled the glass and went to stand at the window with one arm across her chest. Logan watched her as he finished with his tie and straightened it in the mirror. He noted the tense set of her shoulders and the way her hand tightened around her glass.
"What's wrong, Rory?" he asked. He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Rory exhaled before taking a large sip of water and setting her glass on the windowsill.
"I'm just nervous I guess. And the dream I had last night really freaked me out. I thought the dream I'd have before my graduation day would be of falling in front of everyone or not having any clothes on. Instead, I got an alternate reality dream of our lives," Rory said. Logan sighed and drew her into his arms, tightening his arms around her waist. She rested her head against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Your dream freaked me out too. I feel freaked just thinking about it, but we have to remember it was only a dream. Is there anything else bothering you?" Logan asked. Rory shook her head as she pulled back to look at him.
"No. I think it's a mix of nerves about graduating college and excitement about announcing our engagement and moving away. I've already thought of at least five different reactions Grandma is going to have when we tell her," Rory confessed. Logan threw back his head and laughed, Emily would be over the moon, that was for sure.
"Well, we're not going to find out her reaction if we stay holed up in the apartment all day. Let's go graduate from Yale, Rory," Logan said. Rory nodded and helped Logan with his suit jacket before the two of them headed out the door.
Rory adjusted the sleeve of her graduation gown as she listened to Olivia and Lucy describe one of the professors do the robot at the grad party the previous night and Paris talk about how Doyle's stomach did not agree with spicy food, which would complicate their upcoming trip to India.
"You missed an awesome party last night, Gilmore. I thought you and Logan were going to swing by after the shindig your grandparents threw for you," Olivia said. Rory shrugged.
"Something came up. We actually didn't leave the party until after ten and then we went home," Rory said. Her three friends looked at each other and then back at her.
"Must have been a great party if you didn't leave until after ten. Were there a lot of speeches in your honour?" Lucy asked as she took a swig of the champagne they'd brought.
"Well, my grandparents did a speech and they also sang a song they wrote for me and I turned fifty shades of red. And then, Logan surprised with me a carriage ride of the campus that was absolutely amazing," Rory said.
"A carriage ride of the campus at night? Wow, Huntzberger pulled out all the stops for your graduation didn't he?" Paris asked. Rory smiled shyly.
"Well actually, it wasn't for graduation," she said. The three other girls raised their eyebrows.
"Oh, she's got stars in her eyes and a big smile. Come on Rory, spill," Olivia said. Rory smiled and pulled the sleeve of her gown back to reveal her ring. Olivia, Lucy and Paris all gasped with Paris getting up for a better look.
"Rory! Is that what I think it is?" Lucy asked. Rory nodded with a big smile on her face.
"Yeah, Logan and I are engaged. He asked me to marry him yesterday morning and I said yes," she said, feeling a couple of tears make their way down her face.
"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Olivia squealed as she hugged Rory. As Lucy took her turn hugging Rory, she looked over her shoulder.
"Okay, it looks like you guys are lining up but I hope you guys don't have plans tonight because we are going out to celebrate!" she said. Olivia and Paris nodded in agreement as the four of them walked towards the path that would take them to their ceremonies.
"See you guys tonight, love you! And we want all the details tonight, Rory!" Olivia called.
"Sounds good, see you guys tonight!" Rory called back before continuing to the building arm in arm with Paris. Paris was uncharacteristically quiet as they reached the building, and it was only when they were in the line-up did she turn to face Rory.
"So, you're engaged now," she said in a soft voice. Rory, a little wary of where this was going, nodded. Paris looked at her intently for a second before her face broke into a wide smile and she threw her arms around Rory. Rory was initially taken aback, but she quickly wrapped her arms around Paris and squeezed her back. When they broke apart, Rory was amazed to see a few tears making their way out of Paris' eyes. "I'm-I'm so happy for you, Rory. I know you and Logan have had your ups and downs over the last three years, but I also know he's made you happier and more confident than I've ever seen you. You're happy, right?" Paris said. Rory nodded.
"I am. I'm so happy, Paris. A couple of days ago when you were opening your acceptance letters to med and law schools, I was feeling really lost and unsure of what lay ahead for me. And when Logan proposed, I knew this was the right path to take. This feels right. I - I can't live without him and I don't want to. Going to California with him, making a new life there, this is what I'm supposed to do," Rory said. Paris nodded and opened her mouth to say more but was interrupted by a call from the professor supervising.
"All right G's, you're on the move!" Paris grinned at Rory and hugged her one more time.
"I'll just have to hear the whole story from you tonight," she said. Rory nodded. Before the procession started to move, she glanced over and saw Logan standing with a group of people near some trees. He waved at her with a big smile on his face and she waved back before blowing him a kiss. Paris watched her best friend with a smile on her face before she turned and started when she saw how far ahead everyone was. Turning back to Rory who had a happy smile on her face, she grabbed her hand. "Come on Gilmore, you and lover boy can make goo-goo eyes at each other later," she said. Rory giggled and Paris joined her as the two of them waved to Logan and hurried to catch up with the rest of the procession.
Before Paris' name was called, she turned back to look at Rory. "Here we go, unto the breach. I'll see you after?" she asked. Rory nodded as Paris' name was called. Paris grinned at her before turning around and making her way to the podium. Rory played with her ring as she waited for the person in front of her to be called and collect their diploma. She thought sadly of Luke, and how much she wished she could have invited him to celebrate this day with her. Just then her name was called and she took a deep breath before making her way towards the stairs.
Logan checked his phone one more time. Rory would be on the stage any minute now and then after the ceremony, he would meet up with her and her family for pictures. He, Finn, Colin, and Robert had all managed to find seats together, along with a few other of their classmates they hadn't seen since the previous year. Finn glanced over at Logan and saw his friend's knee was bouncing.
"Got ants in your pants, mate?" he asked. Logan jumped and looked over to see his three friends watching him in amusement.
"No, I'm just excited to see Rory graduate," he said, before checking his phone once again. He hoped the surprise he'd planned for Rory would go off without a hitch. His friends weren't buying it.
"If you're so excited to see her graduate why aren't you watching the stage like a hawk?" Colin asked.
"Because I have a surprise for her and I want to make sure they know where to meet me," Logan replied. His friends looked at each other before shrugging and turning their attention back to the stage as Rory's name was finally called.
"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore!" Rory's felt as though her heart would burst in excitement. For twenty-two years she'd dreamed of this moment. Years of hard work had paid off and she was finally here. As she accepted her diploma and swept her tassel over to the other side, she heard her name being called.
"Yay Rory!" Rory looked over to see her mother and father on their feet clapping for her and she couldn't help smiling. She could see her grandparents beaming at her and she smiled back. Her eyes lingered on her mother for a second longer before searching for Logan. She found him in the fourth row on the left-hand side. The moment their eyes met he mouthed "I love you, Ace," and gave her a thumbs up. She mouthed "I love you MAC," and blew him a kiss before walking off the stage and finding her seat. Lorelai watched as Rory blew a kiss to someone in another row that had to be Logan. In the sunlight, she saw something glint on Rory's hand. Was that . . . no, it couldn't be. It couldn't be an engagement ring. Her daughter wouldn't do this to her!
Rory fanned herself with her diploma and took a drink of water from the water bottle one of the attendants had handed her. The last name had been called and the dean asked the graduates to stand.
"Ladies and gentleman, I am pleased and proud to present Yale's graduating class of 2007!" Cheers rose from the crowd as the newly minted graduates began the procession out of their chairs. Rory looked for Logan and found him with the boys, all four had broad smiles on their faces and were applauding her loudly. Paris slipped up beside her and linked her arm with Rory's as they passed her parents and grandparents.
"We did it! We're graduates!" Paris exclaimed. Rory nodded as the two of them made their way towards some shaded trees.
"I know! I can't believe it's over!" she exclaimed. Paris hugged her tightly before pulling back to look at her.
"I don't want to kill the mood or anything, Rory, but do your parents know Logan proposed?" she asked. Rory looked at Paris, who had a genuinely concerned look on her face. She slowly shook her head.
"No, not yet. We decided to wait until after the graduation party my grandparents threw last night to announce it. You and Olivia and Lucy are the first people I've told," she admitted. Paris bit her lip as she glanced over Rory's shoulder and saw Logan approaching, with Lorelai, Chris, Emily and Richard a little ways behind him.
"I think your announcement might be coming sooner than you think. Do you want me to stay?" Paris asked. Rory shook her head.
"Thanks, Paris, but I feel like my mother will blow a gasket when she finds out, and I'd rather you were as far away from the explosion as you can get. Will we see you and Doyle tonight?" Rory asked. Paris nodded.
"If you're sure. And of course, I wouldn't miss it. Just text me the details of where we're meeting and Doyle and I will be there," Paris said. With one more quick hug and a whispered good luck, she was gone. Rory jumped as she felt Logan's arms slide around her waist.
"Hey fiancée," he whispered. Rory smiled as she turned around and looked at him.
"Hey husband-to-be," she said back and then squealed as Logan lifted her off her feet and spun her around.
"You did great! You didn't fall or anything. I remember stumbling and grabbing onto Marcia Hadley in front of me, so not the person to grab onto. Did you tell the girls the news?" Logan asked. Rory nodded and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted as her grandparents and parents descended upon them. She grabbed onto Logan's hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back. This was the moment.
"Congratulations Rory!" Emily exclaimed as she stepped forward to hug her granddaughter. Rory let go of Logan's hand and hugged her grandmother back before accepting hugs from her grandfather and her parents.
"Are you two ready for pictures?" Richard asked, his voice filled with pride. Rory and Logan looked at each other and he nodded.
"Actually, Grandpa, we have some news we want to share with you all first," Rory said. Richard and Emily looked at each other and so did Chris and Lorelai. Richard nodded.
"All right, what's this important news?" Richard asked. Rory and Logan looked at each other before Rory held out her left hand, her engagement ring on full display.
"OH MY GOD!" Emily let out a shriek that was very unlike her, startling her family and a few passersby. She grabbed Rory's hand for a better look and then pulled Rory and Logan both in for a hug. Logan's eyes almost popped out of his head as he was squeezed by Emily. Rory, for her part, hugged her grandmother back as tears leaked out of her eyes. She smiled when she saw her grandpa and father beaming at her, then she shifted her gaze over to her mother. Her heart sank. Lorelai looked absolutely livid, a vein was pulsing in her forehead. Rory swallowed hard and silently prayed that her mother wouldn't ruin this for her and Logan.
"All right, Emily, let them breathe," Richard said with a chuckle. Emily squeezed her granddaughter and future grandson-in-law one more time before she released them and dug for a tissue in her purse.
"I'm sorry, I'm just – I'm so happy for the both of you," she said as she dabbed at her eyes with the tissue. Rory put a hand on her grandmother's arm.
"Thank you, Grandma, it means a lot. And Logan and I have to thank you as well, thank the both of you. We probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your advice," Rory said with a shudder as she remembered the nightmare that had woken both her and Logan up. She squeezed her grandmother's arm before she stepped over to her grandfather who was shaking Logan's hand. "Thank you for helping Logan plan the perfect proposal for the both of us, Grandpa. He told me the two of you were in cahoots," she said as she embraced Richard. Richard patted her on the back as he hugged her.
"You're quite welcome, Rory. Congratulations. I think you and Logan made the right choice in waiting to announce your engagement until after last night," he said. Lorelai and Emily looked at him in shock, but for different reasons.
"Richard! You knew Rory and Logan were engaged and you didn't tell me?" Emily exclaimed.
"You helped Logan plan his proposal to take my daughter away from me?!" Lorelai said at the same time. Rory and Logan looked at each other while Richard looked at his wife and then his daughter. Before he could speak, however, Rory jumped in.
"Grandma, I'm so sorry. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell you, I wanted to tell you as soon I saw you last night but Logan and I agreed not to announce it until today because, well—" Rory fumbled for words and Logan came to her rescue.
"Emily, we chose not to say anything last night because I wanted to make sure Rory wasn't overwhelmed. Last night was for her, and Richard helped me realize Rory isn't comfortable being the center of attention. She was already the center of attention for the party last night, and both of us knew if she'd worn her engagement ring last night, she would have been swamped with people asking her questions. The both of us would have," Logan explained. Rory nodded in agreement with everything Logan was saying. Emily listened to what Logan was telling her, and she had to admit he was right. Engagement rings tended to attract people, and instead of the D.A.R. ladies asking Rory what her plans were for after graduation, they would have been asking when the wedding date was, how many children Rory and Logan were going to have and so on.
"I understand. It sounds like the two of you discussed this before last night, and I have to commend both of you for making such a mature decision. Rory, I'm so proud of you and I'm so glad you are happy," Emily said. Rory smiled at her grandmother as she accepted a hug from her father. Lorelai couldn't contain herself any longer.
"How can you possibly be okay with this?!" she exploded. Rory turned from being hugged and congratulated by her father to see her mother fuming. Logan quickly stepped over to where Rory was and put an arm around her waist, silently offering his support.
"Lorelai, for heaven's sake, control yourself! This is Rory's graduation day and she just told us all the news she's been wanting to share since yesterday, and instead of being happy for her all you can think of is yourself and that she's being taken away from you, but she's not! She's engaged to be married to a man who loves her and who she loves. This is what happens, Lorelai, children grow up, leave home, get married and start their own families!" Emily exclaimed. Lorelai shook her head stubbornly.
"That might be what happens to other kids, but not mine! Happiness is having the two Gilmore girls together. Rory, take that ring off and come with me," Lorelai demanded. Rory shook her head and tightened her hold on Logan's hand that was around her waist.
"No, Mom. I love Logan and I'm going to marry him. You have two choices, you can either fake it until you make it and stay here and take pictures with us for my graduation day, or you can leave right now and go back to Stars Hollow. It's your decision, but I won't let you ruin my happiness over my engagement or my graduation day that I've worked for the last four years," Rory said firmly, though on the inside she was falling to pieces. Lorelai snorted.
"Sure, the day you've worked for the last four years. Have you forgotten about your lost semester after Mitchum Huntzberger told you you didn't have it to make it as a journalist and you dropped out of Yale? You might want to check your diploma, make sure it actually has your name on it and not someone else's. Someone who actually earned their degree," Lorelai said with a prissy smirk. Rory felt all the breath go out of her at her mother's words. She doubled over as though she had just been punched in the stomach. Emily and Richard, who had been taken aback and then proud at Rory's standing up to her mother, both looked at Lorelai with disapproval, horror and frustration along with Chris. Logan had led Rory away to give her some time to pull herself together and calm down.
"Lorelai, that's enough! You had to bring that up on today of all days, and you made your daughter walk away!" Emily exclaimed.
"I didn't make her walk away, it's not my fault she can't handle the truth!" Lorelai snapped back.
"I think I have to agree with Rory, Lorelai. If you can't even attempt to be happy for her today so we can take family pictures, then maybe you should leave," Richard said. Lorelai looked from her parents to Chris and hiked her purse up a little higher on her shoulder.
Logan had led Rory away to a secluded bench a little ways away from where her parents and grandparents were. He sat with one arm around her and held one hand in his as he rubbed her back. Rory sniffled and gulped back tears.
"Why would she say that? Why would she remind me of that? And how can she say I didn't earn my diploma, I did! Yeah, I was lost and struggling for a while, but I got my act together and I went back to school. I crashed and burned, other people do that. No one gets their lives perfect so why does she expect me to?" Rory sobbed. Logan shook his head, he didn't have an answer for Rory.
"I know you earned your diploma, Rory, and for her to say that you didn't is wrong on so many levels. I'm so, so sorry that her reaction wasn't the one you were hoping for," Logan said. Rory sniffled again and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Logan let go of her hand to dig in his jacket pocket for a package of Kleenex. He pulled one out and handed it to Rory. She quietly thanked him as she wiped her eyes again.
"I'm glad I wore waterproof mascara today," she said with a watery chuckle. Logan pressed a kiss to her hand and chuckled with her.
"Good foresight. What did the girls say when you told them we were engaged?" he asked. Rory smiled through her tears.
"They're excited for us, even Paris and all three of them want to celebrate with us tonight. Did you tell the boys?"
"No, not yet. I'll send them a text before we go to lunch. Are you ready to head back now?" Logan asked. Rory nodded and allowed Logan to pull her to her feet. As they walked back hand in hand, she glanced over to see Logan texting someone who she assumed to be one of the boys.
As they reached her family, she was surprised to see her mother still standing there.
"Are you all right, Rory?" Emily asked. Rory nodded. "Good. I think your mother has something she wants to say to both of you. Lorelai?" Emily asked. Lorelai took a deep breath, she hated being reprimanded as though she was a child.
"I'm sorry, Rory. You did earn your degree and congratulations to the both of you on your engagement," she said. Rory looked at her mother while the rest of her family looked on. She knew her mother wasn't being sincere and she didn't mean the apology or the congratulations, but Rory was determined to salvage today, not just for Logan, her grandparents, and her father, but herself too. She swallowed hard, raised her head high and smiled at her mother.
"Thanks, Mom," she said. Logan, taking his lead from Rory, nodded.
"Thank you Lorelai," he said. Lorelai looked at Logan in disapproval but nodded. Richard, in an attempt to diffuse the tension, clapped his hands together.
"Well, we should do these pictures! We have a celebratory lunch to get to after all!" he exclaimed. The others nodded and Logan offered to take the pictures of Rory with her family. When Richard was taking pictures of Lorelai and Chris with Rory, Emily walked over to Logan. He smiled at the elder Gilmore.
"Emily, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for your blessing and acceptance of my wanting to marry your granddaughter. I know there's going to be a lot of people who are against us, so it means a lot to have your and Richard's support," he said. Emily nodded and placed a hand on Logan's shoulder.
"Of course, Logan. I'm glad you two were able to talk about your future and have the outcome you both wanted. Now I think it's your turn to take some pictures with the graduate," Emily said. Logan nodded and walked over to where Rory was standing.
"Hey, you. Just a few more pictures and we'll be able to go to lunch," Rory said as Logan wrapped an arm around her waist. He nodded and glanced over his shoulder.
"Logan, look at the camera! Rory, can we get a shot of you with the ring?" Richard asked. Rory nodded as she and Logan both smiled into the camera, with her holding her left hand up to reveal the ring.
A few more pictures later, they were just about ready to leave when Logan glanced over Rory's shoulder and grinned as he saw the people walking towards them.
"We need to get a few more pictures, Ace," he said. Rory gave him a puzzled look, as did her parents and grandparents.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Turn around," Logan told her. Rory frowned in confusion but turned around. Her confusion disappeared as her mouth dropped open.
"Luke! Lane!" she shrieked. Even though they were just a few feet away from her, Rory sprinted towards them, all dignity forgotten. Luke barely had time to move the flowers he was holding out of the way before she crashed into him and he wrapped his arm around her. Rory's shoulders shook with sobs as she clung to Luke, who patted her on the back. Rory sniffled as she pulled back to look at him and then at her childhood best friend.
"I don't understand. No one could get extra tickets for today, they were all sold out," she said as she released Luke and hugged Lane.
"Well, we didn't actually get to be here for the ceremony, but that doesn't make me any less proud of you Rory. Logan called me yesterday and told me that he'd tried to get extra tickets for us to come and wasn't able to, but would I please come and get some pictures with you after the ceremony," Luke explained. Rory listened to Luke in amazement before she turned to look at Logan with tears in her eyes. He shrugged and gave her a wink.
"Thank you, Logan. And thank you Luke and Lane for coming," she said softly. Luke handed her the flowers he was holding. "Thank you," Rory said as she buried her face in them and inhaled deeply.
"You're welcome. Should we get some pictures?" Luke asked. Rory nodded. Before she could speak, Lane noticed her ring.
"Looks like your graduation isn't the only thing we're celebrating. Are you guys engaged?" she asked. Rory nodded as Luke did a double-take. He hadn't even noticed Rory's ring.
"Wow! Wow! Congratulations Rory, congratulations Logan!" he exclaimed. He pulled Rory into another hug. Lorelai watched, not only was she burning with jealousy that Logan had come up with a way for Luke and Lane to be a part of Rory's graduation, she knew the townspeople would have a field day with that one, but Luke and Lane were both genuinely happy for Rory.
Luke released Rory and moved towards Logan as Lane hugged Rory. He held out his hand and Logan shook it.
"Congratulations Logan," he said again. Logan nodded.
"Thanks, Luke. And thank you for coming today. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get extra tickets for you and Lane," he said. Luke shook his head.
"Just being here and being able to take pictures with Rory is enough," he said. Emily and Richard walked over then and greeted Luke.
"Luke, we're going to go for a celebratory lunch at the China Palace after we're done here, would you like to join us?" Emily asked. Luke looked surprised before nodding.
"Sure, that sounds great. Thank you, Emily," he said.
"Wonderful! Lane, how about you? Would you like to join us for lunch?" Emily asked as Rory and Lane walked over.
"I would love to, Mrs. Gilmore. Thank you," Lane said. Emily nodded before instructing Lane and Luke to stand with Rory. After a few more pictures were taken, Logan joining for some of them, the group dispersed with promises to meet at the restaurant. It was decided that Luke and Lane would follow Emily and Richard in Luke's truck and Lorelai and Christopher would follow, with Logan and Rory meeting them at the restaurant after they'd dropped her flowers and diploma off at home.
As Rory and Logan walked towards the building she'd donned her cap and gown in, Rory laid her head on Logan's shoulder.
"Well, how does it feel to be graduated from Yale?" he asked. Rory grinned.
"It feels pretty great. Thank you so much for finding a way for Luke and Lane to be here, Logan," she said. Logan smiled at her and gripped the hand that wore his ring.
"Of course Rory, I knew how much you wanted Luke to be here and how much it would mean to you to have him here on your graduation day. And Lane too," he said. Rory leaned in and kissed him.
"Best fiancé ever," she said.
And there we have it folks, Chapter 7! My goodness, that was a long one to write! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and my version of Rory's graduation from Yale.
Chapter 6 Reviews:
Before we get to the reviews for Chapter 6, I'd just like to say a big thank you to all of you for taking the time to read and review. It made my birthday all the more special when I woke up on Tuesday morning and saw your reviews, you all really made my day and made me a very happy woman!
Roganjalex: Was Lorelai's fit what you were expecting? I have to say I really can't stand her in this chapter or the previous one. Haha! I thought the moment where Richard almost knocks Logan over would be amusing and I'm glad it gave you a good chuckle!
52shari: Lorelai is definitely jealous of Rory. She fails to understand that Rory is her own person and is allowed to have her own thoughts and opinions that don't mirror hers. When Rory was a child, sure, I can understand why she would imitate her mother and think the way Lorelai thought, but Lorelai seems to have missed the memo the older children get, the more they start to question the opinions they have been taught and break away to form their own. She does always have unkind thoughts about Emily, ones that she made public in an interview for a magazine where she compared Emily to a dictator. That alone tells me Lorelai has no class and no regard for the feelings of others. Lorelai is worse in some ways and I agree that Emily doesn't mean to be hateful and hurtful whereas Lorelai does because she thinks if she's hurtful, particularly to Rory, she will get what she wants. Ooh, the Huntzberger clan, that's making me nervous just thinking about it! I guess we will have to wait and see what happens in future chapters.
YaleAceBella12: I'm glad you are enjoying this story! More is coming!
Mvnlaredo: Thank you so much! I quite enjoyed writing Chapter 6. Logan and Rory are so cute together and I love writing the fluffy, domestic moments between the two of them. Logan knows his Ace, and what book lover wouldn't love a list of all the bookstores of the new city they are moving to? I know I would. Yes, Lorelai really got on my nerves in this chapter, she needs to grow up! I am looking forward to discovering what the future holds for Rory and Logan too. You are very welcome, thank you for reading and taking the time to review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Jumpingaces: We need some sweetness to balance out the saltiness! Thank you! I've always felt their relationship with Rory in the show was underdeveloped and that more could have been done to explore it, so I chose to do it in this story. Yes, Logan does know how to get Rory calm and he showed that more than once on the show. I'm not sure if you mean the list of bookstores or the carriage ride as the perfect gesture but thank you :). I'm glad you're enjoying the chapters and are looking forward to the future ones because I am looking forward to writing them!
Bseriel: Right?! It's always frustrating when someone is trying to tell you who you are and who you should be instead of making the effort to see you for who you really are. I'm glad that Rory isn't letting her mom come between her and her other relationships too and that she is starting to grow more into herself.
Hellie2001: I'm so glad you love the story! I'm loving writing it :) Lorelai is totally a killjoy and she does seem to take pleasure in hurting not just Rory but Logan and everyone else around her. It is a strange way to behave towards someone you love, particularly if that someone is your own child, spouse or parents. Nope, I think she missed that lesson, and sadly I think a lot of people, adults and children alike, have missed that lesson.
GGRoganTroryCory2017AYITL: Thank you! I'm so glad you loved the first five chapters and left a review for Chapter 6. Thank you so much, it means a lot to hear that I, as a writer, was able to capture not only Rory's character but also who she and Logan are as a couple. I did struggle a bit with Lorelai's character since this was the first major appearance she made in this story so I'm glad you feel I did her personality justice. The chapter does fit Rory not having to make a choice that she was pushed into by Lorelai's career or Logan. Not only did Lorelai push Rory from a very young age to be independent, in doing so Rory never got a chance to be a kid because she had to balance out her mother. I agree it isn't bad to raise children to be independent but at the same time know that they need to be allowed to be kids. You're only a kid once, and Rory missed out on that because she was the parent in the relationship with her mother and she took on more responsibility than a kid her age should have had to. Lorelai's enforced independence did come as a cost to Rory, too big of one as you said. It wasn't fair to Rory to have to give up something she didn't want to pursue the independence. I believe Rory should have had the chance to experience her life without her mother's opinions and beliefs because as you said Rory became someone she wasn't. She did repeat her mother's history of romantic mistakes. I've said this before but I will say it again, Rory was ready to marry Logan, you could see it in her eyes and her face when she has the ring on, she just let her fears and doubts get in the way and in doing so denied her heart and herself the person she really wanted. I'm glad you love the twist I have added to this story. Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Rori Potter: Lorelai is bitter because Rory is everything Lorelai is not and she got to do all the things Lorelai missed out on when she got pregnant with Rory and chose to keep and raise Rory. Her inability to listen to Rory stems from her jealousy of her daughter: Rory has been in, for the most part, a stable relationship with the same man for three years, whereas Lorelai's romances all explode and hit the wall because of her fear of commitment and her inability to communicate with her partners. Lorelai looks at Rory and Logan with rose-tinted glasses because all she sees is Rory willingly walking further into the world Lorelai ran away from when she was sixteen years old. Thank you for reviewing :).
Nicholsndimes08: Thank you! I loved Rory and Logan together on the show and I love being able to write them as a couple in this story. Ahh, that makes sense! I do the same thing, I love being able to immerse and completely lose myself in the story. This chapter is 21 pages long, the longest chapter to date haha! I'm glad you are enjoying the story so much and I hope you enjoyed Chapter 7!
December Jeffries2: Thank you! When I was outlining Chapter 6 and texting about it with my friend, we both thought it would be nice to include the carriage ride. I was very disappointed we didn't get to see Rory and Logan ride in the carriage because it's such a romantic and sweet gesture, so I decided to include it here and give my shipper heart and all of yours some peace and happiness. :) I would definitely say Mitchum has respect for Rory, how could he not? Oh boy, Shira and Lorelai, I already know these two are going to put up a fight in this story and if there was a "we don't like our kids' mate (future spouse) club", those two would be at the head of it. Lorelai's comments about the bookcases were definitely unnecessary but also, sadly, totally in character for her. In the show and other fanfictions I've read, Lorelai struck me as someone who does not welcome change in her life. Look at how jealous she was when Rory started to form a relationship with her grandparents. She didn't like that she wasn't the only person in Rory's life anymore and she knows that Logan has replaced her as Rory's person whom she tells things to first. Lorelai thinks she can convince her grown-up daughter to stay with her and ride roller coasters instead of Rory moving with Logan, the man she loves, to begin their adult life together because, in Lorelai's mind, Rory is still her mini-me. Lorelai is used to being the person that Rory strives to please and feels as though she has failed when she disappoints her mother. Now that Rory is starting to live her life for herself instead of others, Lorelai is going through an adjustment order I guess. I do agree that she is delusional and going to push her daughter away for good from trying to hold on to Rory as tight as she can. I'm glad you loved Chapter 6 and hope you enjoyed Chapter 7. I always enjoy reading your reviews and I'm glad my Monday updates give you something to look forward to at the end of your workday :).
Lysen5972: I'm glad you liked Emily and Richard's support towards our favourite couple! I hope you liked their interaction with Luke in Chapter 7. Thank you :) I enjoy writing the moments between these two! You're welcome and thanks for reading and reviewing!
All right guys, that's it for me for this week! I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 7 and have a wonderful day/night/week wherever in the world you are. I can't believe September will be here in a couple of days! I'll be back next Monday with Chapter 8 :). Until then, xoxoxo