Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls is the creation of Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Chapter 2: The Phone Call

London, England, Piccadilly Ritz Carlton, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 7:00 pm, GMT

Mystified as to why Rory's mother would be calling him, Logan realized belatedly that every bit of this confusion was likely playing out on his face. Observing that his father- seated midway across the room, talking business with Odette's father- had taken note of his own standing form and was starting to shoot curious looks in his direction, Logan quickly masked his features.

"I'm sorry to call you out of the blue like this," Lorelai continued quickly. "But I really had to talk to you. And it's urgent or I wouldn't be calling you because, hey, why would I be calling you?" She paused to breathe. "Is now a bad time?"

Logan nearly laughed at the question and its ill-timed irony. Had things gone a different way, this woman would've been his mother-in-law. Instead of being on the phone five thousand miles away, Lorelai would've played a starring role.

Lorelai's voice sounded the same, he mused, the cadence the same. There was, however, something about her tone. He sensed that it was more than just nervousness at talking to her daughter's former boyfriend for the first time in a decade. To be honest, he couldn't imagine a world in which Lorelai Gilmore was made nervous by him. Whatever it was, it wasn't him. And whatever it was didn't sound good. What would prompt Lorelai to call him? He could only assume it was about Rory and that it wasn't good. He knew, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't make Lorelai's short list.

"No, it's fine." Ignoring his father's increasingly icy stare, now joined by Odette's curious gaze, Logan motioned to Colin, Robert, and Finn that he was ducking out of the ballroom to take the call.

"Important business," he whispered to his friends as they continued to wander in a haphazard fashion, albeit haphazardly in the general direction of their assigned seating.

"Nice try, Logan," Colin whispered back.

"We heard you. Hope all's well in Connecticut." Finn's eyes belied more than his words.

Robert's gaze met Logan's.

Ignoring them, Logan made his way outside the ballroom and into the hotel's open courtyard.

"I'm sorry," Logan said. "I'm at an event. Just looking for a quiet place to talk." He refrained from elaborating as he moved further into the courtyard's interior and away from the open doors that led to his and Odette's reception.

"Oh." Lorelai fell silent. After a moment, it sounded like she was going to say something but then stopped herself. After a second false start, Logan wondered if the usually loquacious Lorelai was actually at a loss for words.

"Lorelai?" He came to a stop at the far outer edge of the courtyard.

"Logan, I'm sorry for disturbing your evening. I wouldn't be calling you if it wasn't important."

"Yeah. I get it, Lorelai. Don't worry about the dinner. It was just a business thing." He let out a breath. "So what's going on?" As he listened closely to her growing silence, his eyes fell on a rose bush. "I gotta say you're making me nervous here, Lorelai." He felt something settle in the back of his throat. Ignoring it, he forced from his lips the thought that was echoing in his head. "Is Rory okay?"

Logan heard Lorelai take a steadying breath. When she finally spoke, he could hear something heavy in her voice.

"Yeah, Logan. Rory is fine but there is something I need to tell you and I don't think you're going to like it. You're probably gonna be pretty upset, actually. You may wanna yell or punch a wall or curse like a sailor -"

"Lorelai…" What was going on? "Lorelai, why don't you just tell me whatever it is you have to tell me? I promise I'll keep it together?"

"No, no. I'm not saying you can't react and you can't scream or punch something, a wall or hey, maybe that dad of yours. You totally can do any or all of that stuff. If you need to react – and I think you'll need to – you should. But you need to hold off on it for now and hear me out."

Reining in his increasing trepidation mixed with impatience, Logan managed to keep his voice even. "Agreed," he replied. "Now tell me what's going on."

"Okay, so here it is…the last time you and my daughter hooked up on one of your transatlantic booty calls, you made a baby. And that baby – Lucas Richard Gilmore - was born this past Monday."

"What? What?" What? Stunned, Logan loosened his tie and sank onto the brick bench that served as the retaining wall for the flower garden that ran along the courtyard's perimeter. Staring at the patio's multi-colored brickwork pattern, Logan struggled to wrap his mind around Lorelai's news as a tense silence settled over them. After a few moments, he was finally able to speak. "What the hell, Lorelai?! You're telling me I have a son? Rory and I have a son?" Closing his eyes, he attempted to count to ten. He made it to five. "Why are you calling me with this now? Why didn't Rory call me? Why didn't Rory call me months ago?"

"Hey. You remember what you agreed to? Not more than two minutes ago? I'm holding you to it, Logan. I get that you're upset. And confused. And you're justified in feeling that way, but there's no time for that now." Lorelai let out a breath. "Hold onto it and feel it later. This isn't about you. You get that? Hey, Rory tried to tell you. Maybe next time you shouldn't ignore your messages...You'll have to discuss that with Rory. Right now, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is Lucas."

Suddenly it clicked. The timing. Since he last saw Rory at the end of September and now, the middle of May. Not nine months. More like seven and a half. In an instant, he understood. What Lorelai wasn't saying was becoming increasingly clear.

"Something went wrong, didn't it, Lorelai? That's what this is all about? Something went wrong- " Logan slumped as he sat, his free hand on his forehead. A visceral pain unfurled inside him, starting in his stomach and rolling upward to his chest. His breathing now coming in irregular spurts, he struggled to push out the words. "Is Rory...?"

"No, no. Rory's okay. I promise. Yes, she's had some ...she's okay now. But the baby was born a little early."

So he had a child. A baby boy. A premature baby boy. Rory's okay. So that meant…

"It's the baby," Logan breathed.

"Yeah." He could hear the tension in Lorelai's voice.

Prior to that moment, if anyone had posed the hypothetical to him, asking him to describe what he'd feel if he one day learned that he not only had a child but that the child was sick, maybe even dying, he'd be hard-pressed to predict the emotion that would emerge. Lacking a connection to the child, he would've guessed the loss would be best characterized as a sad, but mostly indifferent sense of regret. But as he concentrated on breathing, he felt that giant tidal wave in his stomach rise upward once more, threatening to close off his breathing. The reality was Logan didn't know what he was feeling but he knew it was far from indifference.

Opening his mouth, he was surprised when no words came out. Clearing his throat he tried again.

"Where's Rory? Where is he?" At this mention of the little boy that was his and Rory's son, Logan's voice cracked.

"St. Joseph's in Hartford –the 80 Seymour Street building. Maternity is on the 6th Floor."

"Rory's okay?" He needed to reassure himself of that, at least. He'd never forgive himself if anything had happened to her because of him.

"Rory's okay. Now. The baby's in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She hasn't been able to hold him yet. She's scared." The line went quiet. "She wanted me to let you know. She wanted you to know so you could come and see him – if that was what you wanted to do."

She wanted you to know so you could come and see him – if that was what you wanted to do. Lorelai's words repeated in his head. Did Rory honestly think that he wouldn't want to come?

As Logan continued to sit, he glanced up. His eyes fell on the doors he had exited a few minutes earlier. All the guests were probably seated, including his own friends, who'd likely exhausted their delaying tactics by now. Peering at his watch, he reasoned that, given the time, the first course had either been served or would soon be served. Realizing he was staring blankly at the exterior of the hotel, he made a conscious effort to rouse himself; shaking his head, he attempted to battle the inertia that seemed intent on keeping him rooted to the patio.

"Logan? You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here. Listen, Lorelai, please tell –" Logan hesitated, his eyes not straying from the dining room entrance. What could he possibly ask her to tell Rory?

"Listen, Logan. I don't know what's gonna happen - but I want you to know that I think you coming would actually be good. Good for Rory. Not that my opinion should make a difference one way or the other – this is between you two. But…this…I know she'll be relieved she can talk to you in person."

Closing his eyes, Logan contemplated the situation. What exactly was he going to do? He was supposed to get married in three days. Three days. It was quickly approaching, but, on the other hand, he still had three days. Three whole days. He had no idea what -if anything - Rory wanted from him or would accept from him. But, a lot could happen in three days. Look at what the last five minutes had delivered. But he needed to leave now.

"Lorelai, tell Rory I'll be there as quickly as I can get a flight out of London."

"Good. I'm glad, Logan. Remember, when you get here, if you need to yell or curse at someone, yell and curse at me. Or better yet, talk with my mother. God knows she'll be excited to see you. But Rory…Rory's really going through enough right now."

"Got it. I'll be in touch."

"I guess we'll be seeing you soon then."

"Yeah. Guess you will."

Rising slowly from the bench, Logan clicked 'end call' and started to make his way back to the reception. Still stunned, he shook his head, a half-smile frozen on his lips.

Lucas Richard Gilmore.

AN: Thank you for reading.

04/21/2017