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

Chapter 23: The Long Way Home

Hartford, Connecticut, 42 North Main, Saturday, May 20, 2017, 11:00 am EST

Within minutes, Frank was pulling up to 42 North Main. The building was a ten story, attractive mixed-modern structure. The lower four floors were traditional red brick, with the ground level housing retail shops, restaurants and a coffee shop. The upper part of the building facade was white brick, accented with metal and glass.

As Rory glanced out the rear window to see what the neighborhood offered, Logan watched Rory.

"A baby boutique. That's convenient. An Italian restaurant. Have you had their coffee?" Rory pointed to the coffee shop.

"Not yet, Ace. We can try it out together."

"Okay."

Frank's voice suddenly sounded over the intercom.

"Do you want to dropped off out front? Or should I pull into the garage?"

"Garage. By the elevator bank."

"Certainly."

Frank turned the car into the driveway that led into the garage. Curious about the apartments, Rory had started quizzing Logan at some point during the ride. Though he had answered a few questions, he mostly just fielded them with non-answers, offering no details. Finally he told her, "You're just gonna have to see it yourself, Ace."

Within minutes of the limousine entering the garage, the two were out of the car. Juggling his suitcase in his right hand, and Rory's laptop bag slung over his right shoulder, Logan's left hand was gently guiding Rory.

"Frank, we're good for now. The plan is to head back to the hospital in an hour or so. I'll text you fifteen minutes out."

"Very good, Sir."

"Lunch, Logan." Rory looked at Logan expectantly.

"Lunch?"

Rolling her eyes slightly, Rory bent to look at Frank inside the vehicle.

"Frank, if you want to stop by for lunch we'll have a whole spread."

"Thank you, Miss. I'll be all right."

As Frank pulled away, Logan led Rory towards the elevator bank. Glancing at her, Logan saw her eyes were watery.

"What's wrong, Ace?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. It was just really good to see Frank."

Pausing, Logan grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket. "Ace?"

"Thank you. I guess it's the hormones."

"Let's get you inside."

Logan shepherded Rory inside the elevator before waving a card in front of a key reader and hitting the button for the tenth floor.

"Top floor?"

"Gotta have roof access. Otherwise, what's the point?"

"Of course."

"You hear from Lorelai?"

"Didn't look. Good idea."

Rory pulled her cell phone out of her handbag.

"She and Luke are here already and they've unloaded all the stuff into the apartment. She says the apartment is very nice. It was already decorated with flowers?"

Logan shrugged. He honestly didn't know what the designer had done. "I may've had some brought in."

"She calls it Martha Stewart meets the color black."

"Since it's temporary, and was done in a day, there was some mixing and matching with what was available."

"I'm sure it's fine. You know Lorelai."

"Yep, I do." Logan watched Rory as her eyes closed. No better time than the present. "Speaking of Lorelai...You ever gonna tell me what that joyride back there was all about?"

Rory's eyes shot open. Her lips tightened as she seemed to balance the merits of coming clean versus not coming clean. Logan had to hand it to her: she was literally saved by the bell as the elevator stopped on their floor.

"Ace, your luck is holding. Saved by the bell."

"Did I ever tell you I watched that show as a kid?"

"Don't remember. But why would you admit that? That show was terrible." Logan guided her from the elevator down one side of the corridor.

"We going to Casa Gilmore? Or can I see your place first?"

"We're going to my place first. This way I can drop off my suitcase. Wanna tour?"

"Love one."

"Trying to make me forget about my question?"

"Depends."

"On what? Whether or not it's working?" He grinned.

"You think you know me so well..."

"That's because I do know you so well."

Their voices must have carried in the quiet of the corridor. Or else someone waiting on their arrival had been standing at the door with an ear pressed against it, Logan thought sourly.

"Rory?"

"Hey mom! We'll be right in. Logan's dropping off his suitcase and we're gonna do a quick tour of his place."

"Okay. What time is Lane getting here? Sookie'll be here in a few minutes."

"Same!" Rory replied.

Just then Logan's cell pulsed. Pulling it out, he read the message quickly before turning back to Rory.

"And it looks like Colin and Finn will be joining us for lunch."

"You're kidding!"

"They just landed."

"Oh."

"Tell your mom. We should move lunch to my place. More silverware. More seating."

Rory turned back to Lorelai who stood several yards away in the doorway of the other apartment. "Mom, give us a couple of minutes! We're gonna do lunch at Logan's! He has more silverware!"

"Sookie's bringing everything we need!"

"More seats, Ace."

"There's more seats, too!"

With that Logan and Rory turned back to the door of Unit 24.

"Good number, Huntzberger."

"Good show."

"Exactly."

Logan unlocked the door and pushed it open.

"Come on."

Rory followed Logan into the apartment. Once inside, Logan set his suitcase and Rory's laptop bag down in the foyer. Turning around to face Rory, Logan caught her look of amazement.

"How on earth did you get this place to look like this?"

"You know. Money talks."

The apartment's foyer was big, with a coat closet and a mysterious set of pocket doors located on the right side. The apartment floor was a dark hardwood. Mirrors, framed photographs, and other decorative pieces were placed with precision along the wall.

"What's behind the pocket doors?"

"Bonus room."

Rory walked over to the doors and slid them open. Seeing what was inside, her mouth hung open in surprise.

"Is that your pool table from Yale?"

"Yeah. It was sitting in storage, so..."

"And what's that?" Rory gestured to a spiral staircase in a corner of the room.

"Goes up to the roof."

"What's on the roof?"

"Patio. Music. Stargazing."

"Nice, Huntzberger."

"Elevator goes up there too. In case you were wondering."

"Yeah. I don't think me climbing that holding the baby is a good idea."

Logan agreed. He was beyond pleased at the hypothetical picture Rory casually tossed off of her and Lucas there - at his apartment - enjoying the rooftop.

"Come on. Let me show you the rest of the place."

They left the pool room and returned to the foyer. Turning right they continued along the corridor where they soon encountered a smaller hallway.

"What's down this way?"

"Guest rooms. Guest bath."

"I wanna see."

Logan noted that the two guest rooms were tastefully if somewhat minimally decorated. The bathroom was as well. He had to admit the designer he'd pulled in had actually earned his outrageous fee. He assumed the man as well as his contractors hadn't slept in two days, given the number of things that needed to be done to get the apartments in move-in condition.

Back on the main corridor, they made their way to the kitchen. Located in the center of the apartment, the kitchen's open design allowed light to come in via the large dining room windows. Dark wood cabinets stood in contrast to slate countertops and grey pendant lights. The island separated the kitchen from the dining room, with rustic barstools placed on the outer side, within the dining room. The dining room table was a good size, with seating for eight. Logan smiled as he noticed several framed photos on a wood shelving unit in the corner of the dining room. He wondered how long it would take Rory to notice them.

"Nice kitchen. What's on the right?"

"My room."

"I have to see." Rory slipped into his room. "No sofa?"

"I don't have a full floor like in London."

Leaving his room, the two stepped back into the dining room, which opened out to the living room. The living room had a sectional sofa that could seat six comfortably or seven in an uncomfortably close fashion. He could recall a debate he and Rory had had one time about the best way to seat a seventh person, considering the corner cushion's lack of legroom.

"It's a little like the London townhouse."

"Yeah. I figured a lot of time was spent on choosing stuff for that place -"

"I remember. You were still adding 'final' touches two years ago."

"I told the designer to aim for that but make it less British. More modern. Maybe a few older-looking pieces as accents."

"I like it! If it's nicer than Casa Gilmore, I may hang out here more than over there."

"That's my plan." Logan smiled.

Rory turned around to meet his gaze.

"It is?"

Logan's grin widened. "You know I'd never pass up an opportunity to hang out with you."

Logan noted Rory -probably wisely- chose to ignore that comment. Instead, she continued to look around the apartment.

"So, does this place have anything next door doesn't?"

"TV. Stereo. The pool table. A few other odds and ends I had the designer grab from storage. Everything else, it's just more. More tables. More seating. Silverware. Cookware."

"Well, it's great. You outdid yourself."

"I didn't forget, Ace."

"Forget what?"

"I asked you about your morning drive with Lorelai."

Rory grimaced. "It's gonna annoy you."

"Me? I'm unflappable."

"Oh, you'll flap. You'll be Zelda Fitzgerald."

Logan had been trying to not lose his shit over the incident but the more time had passed without an explanation, the more concerned he'd become. Now that he'd asked her and she was pointedly doing everything she could to avoid answering, it was quickly escalating in his mind as something to be worried about.

"Is it about Lucas?"

"Oh my God, no!" Rory looked horrified at the thought. "No! I didn't mean for you to think that! No! No!" Rory frowned. "It's just that Jess -"

Logan felt heat prickle at his neck. As he interrupted her, his words were stony.

"Cousin Jess?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "Yes. Cousin Jess. May I continue?"

Logan nodded. "Please."

"Jess is still in Connecticut. He called Luke and said he wanted to stop by on his way back to Philadelphia. Luke told him I was already out of the hospital and gave him this address. My mom is afraid he's gonna stop by. She wanted me to call him and tell him-"

Rory's words fell off. This was the first time Rory stumbled in her recounting. Logan internally cheered. If he was reading between the lines correctly, this was boding quite well for him.

"Tell him...?" He prompted.

"Tell him not to come because I just had a baby and playing referee between a couple of idiots is the last thing I need."

Not exactly the brushoff he'd been hoping to hear. But, considering it originated with Lorelai, he probably shouldn't have been surprised.

"Lorelai's words or yours?"

"Her words were way more harsh."

"So what did you do?"

"What do you think? I called him."

Finally. An explanation for the hijacked limo.

"So he's not coming?"

"I didn't actually talk to him. I left a voicemail. Said I didn't think his stopping by was a good idea since we'd be heading back to the hospital for the rest of the day."

"That's all you said?" Logan grimaced. He would've much rather she told Kerouac to take a hike because she already had a man -two including their son- in her life and there was no room for one more. Especially a cousin. Apparently his eyes belied his thoughts.

"Logan, there's nothing going on between Jess and me! It's not like I have to break up with him!"

"Not that, Ace. What about us?!"

"What about us?"

"You should have told Cousin Jess, 'thanks-but-no-thanks' because you've already got a man in your life!"

"Newsflash: The only man in my life – in any official capacity – is my son!"

Logan gave Rory a frustrated glare, before rubbing his temple.

"I wonder if they delivered the scotch."

"Oh, great! True to form! You don't like how something's going? Yeah, pour yourself a drink!" Rory's eyes were suddenly as fiery as her tone. "Fine example to set for our son."

Rory's words floored him; he found his anger eradicated all at once. Sighing, he raised his head, leveling his gaze to meet hers.

"You're absolutely right. I'm sorry."

Rory drew in her eyebrows in confusion.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Come on, Ace," he chuckled. "We dated for years. I know that's not the first time I conceded that you were right.'"

"No, not the first." She nodded. "But definitely the easiest."

"I don't want to fight with you. Let me give you the rest of the tour. Our lunch guests will be here soon."

They made their way around the remainder of the dining room and living room. Logan offered small talk responses to Rory's small talk questions. If she noticed the photographs, she didn't say anything about them.

"Come on. It's not New York but it's still a pretty nice view."

Rory allowed Logan to pull her out onto the balcony.

"Yeah, it is nice." Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Only ten stories but it works."

"I love May. The air feels nice. It's a beautiful day."

"Yes, it is." Logan agreed as his eyes never left her face. He was happy to be with her; he was always happy to be with her - but the hot and cold thing was getting old. "I have to ask you something, Rory."

"Calling me Rory." She opened her eyes. "Must be serious."

"It is. Do you love me?"

"Logan -"

"Rory."

Logan watched as she let out a deep sigh. "Yes," she replied simply, a small smile playing at her lips but not quite making it up to her eyes. "But you already knew that."

"Just double-checking. Okay. So you love me. I love you. We have a son who deserves a continuous stream of love from both his parents. So why are you so resistant against the idea of us being together?"

Rory offered him a crooked smile before replying. "I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see our problems don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world."

Logan laughed. "Your Bogart is terrible. And your quote is off-point."

"What? How's that off-point?"

"The backdrop to "Casablanca" was World War II. Last time I checked, we weren't quite there."

"No..."

The smile left his face with his next words.

"The only war going on around here is the one between your heart and your head. As for our problems," he leaned in towards her, "admittedly we have a few logistical things to work out, but they're far from unsurmountable."

Drawing away from Logan, Rory stepped closer to the balcony rail and glanced down at the street below. Without looking back at him, she spoke.

"Logan, has it ever occurred to you that if we were meant to be, we'd already be together?"

"No." Logan closed the distance between them. Standing behind her, he gently wrapped his arms around her waist. Leaning in, he dropped a kiss on the right side of her neck. "Ace, I think we're right where we're supposed to be. We just took the long way home."

Rory inhaled quickly; for some reason, she seemed startled by his comment.

"What? Something I said?"

"No. Yes. Just reminded me of something my dad said." He listened as she took a deep breath. Pulling herself out of his embrace, she turned around to face him. "You know something? We'll have to talk about this later. Right now, we need to go grab Mom and Luke. Have about ten of our nearest and dearest over for lunch. Then we gotta kick them all out so we can get back to the hospital."

He knew she was deflecting. But he also knew she was one hundred percent right. It wasn't the right time for that discussion.

"Yes, Mom."

"That is so much better than Baby Mama."

AN: Thank you for reading!

07/29/2017