Guys this is the penultimate chapter of my story. There will be this chapter one more and then an epilogue I know its sad, but I feel that its time to end it. I would like to thank my Beta Kaytie for her help on this chapter. Anyway the good news is that I put a poll on my profile voting if you would prefer a sequel to this story or an epilogue taking place three years in the future please vote. I would like to thank who has read this story especially to those who reviewed and favorite me. Your support has pushed me to keep writing and updating.

--

It had been two days since Lorelai had spoken to Chris. She was going to tell Rory about the proposed lunch, but she had gotten distracted when Rory had called her mentioning the divide and conquer plan to get her parents back together. Plus, it was the first time in a long time that Rory had called her to ask her about a plan, and she had really missed that. However, after Emily had given her nightmares with her ideas of going on a date with an actual man, Lorelai knew that she needed to talk to her daughter, and bring up the fact that the proposed lunch would take place tomorrow. Lorelai exited the door when she saw Rory outside.

"Hey. My night was great." Rory said excitedly, for she was certain that her grandfather had gotten the point. Ever since getting together with Logan, Rory had felt her faith in love coming back again.

"Oh."

"Grandpa made frozen pizza. Granted, he made it on a cedar plank, which was not what the manufacturer intended, but I got a chance to say a lot of things to him -- things about living in the pool house and about him and Grandma, and though I used veiled references, I know he got my point, and he is definitely thinking about it. How did you do?"


"Grandma wants to date." She hated to break her daughter's spirit, especially at a moment when she needed to segue into an important topic.


"What?!" Never in a million years did she expect her mother to actually convince her grandmother to date other men.


"She wants to date men who hang out at the club and who have expressed interest in her in the past."


"What do you mean, she wants to date? You weren't supposed to make her want to date. You were supposed to make her want to get back together with Grandpa!" Rory emphasized, she knew that her mother was not good at communicating with her parents, but she could not believe that she persuade them to do the opposite of what she was supposed to do.


"Hey, I told you not to make me have dinner alone with her." Lorelai whined defensively.

"What did you say to her?"


"I said, 'Are you getting back with Dad?' And she said he wouldn't butter her roll," Lorelai started to ramble, hoping that Rory would get the point that she did not mean to mess up their plan.

"I can't believe you." Rory said, not convinced that Lorelai had tried her hardest to get her grandparents back together.


"I'm sorry. I tried," Lorelai apologized hoping that she would finally be off the hook.


"You did not try." She knew that her mother only failed at convincing people when she did not give it a hundred percent effort.


"I did try. I just sucked at it. Look, she probably didn't mean it, okay? She's just mad at Dad, and she was just talking. Next week we'll switch. You can have dinner with my mother, and I'll marry my dad off to a nice baroness."

"Don't joke." She hated to think about her grandparents apart. They were the one constant couple in her life, and she did not want to lose that stability.


"Don't hate me." Lorelai pleaded, she did not want to cause tension before they had to talk about Logan.

"I don't hate you. I can't hate the pathetic."


Lorelai started to smile, "You know as surprising as this sounds I'm really grateful to this flawed plan. It gave us a chance to talk again without the whole tension that's been going on between us."

Rory could not believe she had almost forgotten all of that, and she felt some of the bitter feelings come back again. "Mom, have you made up your mind about Logan because I meant what I said before," Rory said it again.

Lorelai was duly chastised, and said, "Rory I want you to find love with anyone regardless of their background, and I am sorry that my behavior has contradicted that. It's just, every time you get involved in my parents' world, it just catches me off guard because I am afraid of losing you completely to it."

"I know but we can't keep having this argument every time I choose to do something that is related to Grandma and Grandpa's world, or whenever I do something you don't approve of. I am not sixteen anymore, you have to deal with that"

"I know that now Rory, and I'm going to try to be more open minded when it comes to your decisions. Now I talked to your Dad yesterday, and he said that I should meet and interact with Logan at a place I will feel comfortable with. I was thinking, if you're not busy tomorrow, how about you bring Logan and we will all have lunch at the Dragonfly?"

Rory smiled but there were still some doubts. "Mom, are you sure you can handle meeting him properly? Because Logan is not some fling. I think I might love him, and I see this relationship lasting a long time. If you say one bad thing about him we are walking out the door and never coming back." Rory was surprised when she actually mentioned that she might love Logan, she never admitted that to herself before.

Lorelai had never seen her daughter feel so passionate about someone before. Her daughter had changed so much on her own this summer. She really hated not being there to see that transformation, but she knew she had to change now.

"Don't worry kid, I talked to your Dad about all of this and he and Gigi will also be there tomorrow at lunch. He will also keep a stronger eye on me, and Gigi will spit on me if I go over the line," Lorelai smiled. 


Rory was happy that her mom was making an effort. "Okay what time?"


"Is 1:00-ish okay?"


"See you tomorrow. But Mom are you sure Luke is okay with Dad having lunch with you?" The last thing she wanted was there to be tension in her mother's relationship even though she had told herself she was going to butt out of it.

Lorelai appeared tense, she hadn't really thought about Luke's reaction, but she didn't want Rory to bail on their lunch plans.

"Of course he is fine, your Dad and I are just having lunch with our lovely daughter, and his lovely daughter; and finally our daughter's lovely boyfriend. Plus you're so worried about my reaction about meeting Logan; do you really think the poor boy is ready to meet Luke? Remember Dean and Luke outside the diner in 2001?"

"You do have a point." Rory smiled when she turned and saw Logan's Porsche and said, "I got to go, there's Logan. See you tomorrow, and stay away from Grandma."

"Ooh, gee, there's a demand. Rory do you think after tomorrow we can talk about getting our relationship to back to the way it was before? Bring back the Yale visits, Al's Pancake world night, movie nights?"

"I would like that mom but I have some conditions. I will let you know after I see your behavior at lunch."

"Okay, I will see you then." Rory started to walk toward Logan.

--
Logan had just gotten out of his Porsche, he figured he would go up to surprise Rory and greet her with their usual embrace and kiss. He walked past the fountain where he had heard Rory and Lorelai talking. Realizing that this might be a private moment, Logan took a step back. Until he heard Rory's words, "Because Logan is not some fling, I might love him."

The word love made Logan turn to go right to his car. He sat in there frustrated running his fingers in his hair. He did not know how to approach the situation.

Yesterday he had gone to pick up Rory at the paper, and his father had caught him waiting for her in the lobby. He knew he should have waited outside, his Dad had basically said that he was proud of Logan for sticking to a relationship. He also said that he should be careful, because if he did not be committed enough and treat Rory well enough he would lose her. Logan had dismissed his father's warnings as ridiculous nonsense; after all, his father had a much worse track record in women and relationships than he did. Plus Logan was trying as hard as he could to treat Rory as she deserved to be treated. However, now hearing Rory say that she might love him scared him shitless. What if she said it and Logan couldn't say it back? He was not ready to say those three words, those eight letters, not yet. He had a history of saying them to girls because they wanted to hear it and was not going to do it to Rory. However, he did not want to lose Rory she meant so much to him ever since she had entered his life; and ever since they jumped together that he did not want to lose those amazing feelings she inflicted in him. He could be falling, but he was still not ready to say "I love you" yet. What was he going to do?

He saw Rory coming to the car and tried to compose himself. Rory kissed him softly and Logan tried to focus on her soft lips. When Rory pulled away Logan asked, "So how did the divide and conquer plan go?"

"Well great on my part, Grandpa seemed to think about getting back together with Grandma; but Grandma wants to date other guys. My mom and I had different ideas obviously, but the good news is Mom seems to be getting used to us a couple. She wants us to come tomorrow to have lunch with her and my Dad. Is that okay?"

"Sure." Logan was still confused at to what to say to her after hearing what she had told Lorelai. He needed to drop her off and then think of what to say to her.

Rory started to notice that something was bothering Logan. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired."

"You sure, because you look pale, did Mitchum threaten to cut you off again?"

"No nothing like that, I just need to go and get a good night sleep."

"Logan Huntzburger wants to go to bed at 9:00 on a Friday Night? What would Colin and Finn say to that?" Rory laughed.

"Hey don't tell them that. I'm just not up to it." Logan said trying to finalize the conversation.

"Okay." Rory was surprised at Logan's cold behavior. Was he mad at her, or worse was he planning on breaking up with her? What was going on with them?

--

It was three o'clock, and Rory could not close her eyes and sleep. She couldn't think of anything besides what had caused her full of life boyfriend to act so distant and cold in just one night. It felt so off and she couldn't lose him right now when things were going so well. Being without Logan would kill her, she was falling too hard for him. Rory suddenly realized what the problem was, Logan had probably heard what she had said to Lorelai. She did not know how she had figured it out, but she knew that the word love would scare Logan, and that Logan had probably heard her yelling at Lorelai. Oh god what was she thinking, Logan probably expected that he had to be in love with her in order to be with her and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Rory grabbed her robe from the door, and slipped into her flip flop and went out the doors. She did not care that it was late at night, or that it was ridiculous to go outside in the dorms at three o'clock in the morning. She needed to put things in perspective and she needed to do it at this moment.

Logan, just like Rory, was having a difficult time sleeping. He felt terrible for being so cold to Rory who had done nothing wrong, but he didn't know what to say to her. He wasn't ready to say "I love you," and she probably was and he was going to let her down.

Suddenly he looked at Rory staring at him, and felt that his mind was playing tricks on him. "Rory?" he asked puzzled.

"Yeah it's me, Lenny let me in. He was pissed that I woke him, but I live with Paris so I know how to deal with scary roommates."

"Hey Ace, nothing beats Paris, she was going to spill the coffee I brought because I had to spoil her fast for Ramadan."

"That's nothing, Paris yelled at me for chewing gum, but I came here because I know why you were so weird when you picked me up. You heard what I said to my mom about the L-word and I don't mean the T.V. show."

"How did you know? Did you see me behind you?" Logan asked curiously.

"No, I thought you had heard me from afar because I was a bit loud. But you were right behind me?"

"Yeah, I wanted to surprise you with a kiss."

"Aw." Rory went next to him and pulled him close and said, "Logan I'm so sorry, I didn't want to scare you."

"Rory, don't ever apologize for saying what you feel. I wish I could say it right now, but I have a history of saying this to girls without meaning it and I can't do that to you. However, I think I am growing to be able to say it someday but just not today. Rory I don't want to lose you over this but I can understand if I am not offering you what you want."

For the first time since he was a kid, Logan felt like he was going to cry. He did not want to lose the first girl he ever cared about.

Rory hated herself for making Logan look so sad and confused. Rory pulled him close. "Logan I'm not ready to say those words either, tonight was the first time I ever admitted that I might feel that way. However, even if I was I would not break up with you because you couldn't say it. We just started going out and from my experience I know that those words come from within and you can't push someone when they're not ready. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way; I love where we are now, and we don't need to rush. You taught me to focus on now, so let's do that please."

She kissed him passionately and Logan kissed her back, relieved that they were on the same page in their relationship. He would tell this girl he loved her in a special way someday, she deserved that.

When they pulled away, he said, "Rory I am so sorry about my behavior before, I didn't want to lose you. I never cared about anyone the way I care about you," Logan said slowly and softly.

"I never cared about someone the way I care about you either, but Logan if there's a problem please come to me so I won't have to run at three in the morning to clear it up. I'm not always able to read minds Logan."

Logan laughed and realized something. "Ace, you finally chased someone."

"Not in the streets Logan."

"Well not literally but figuratively, I'm really glad you choose me to chase." Logan smirked although inside he was really serious and happy.

"Logan, could you be any more conceited?" Rory asked pretending to be annoyed.

"Rory, I mean it, it means so much to me that you came right now."

Logan's vulnerable tone really touched Rory's heart. "Logan I'm glad I'm here too." She laid down right next to him and put her head on shoulder, and he put his arm around her waist. They had no more need for words, for the two of them were united in a mutual understanding.

--

Christopher and Lorelai were waiting for Rory and Logan at the Dragonfly Inn. "So Lor, you're ready to do this?"

"Well as ready as I ever am, I mean at least he hasn't wrecked her car, and he gets extra brownie points for that."

"Good way of thinking Lor, will he get extra ones if he appreciates Sookie's pork chops?" Christopher joked.

"It has to go more than pork chops. I think I will throw in him liking Sookie's famous chocolate cake."

"Wow you really drive a hard bargain Lor."

"Well at least I don't base points on what boarding schools he got kicked out of." Lorelai teased with a smile directed solely at Christopher.

"Hey it's very impressive for a guy to get kicked out of Rivers, it has a reputation for kicking nobody out."

"Oh please, I was kicked out of River City summer camp for not calling the camp counselor Peaches; and at another camp for trying to liberate the horse. Everybody in Hartford knows that you can't get kicked out of summer camp." However, Lorelai's rant was interrupted when she saw Logan and Rory come right through the door.

Lorelai walked right to Logan. "Logan, nice to see you again."

"You too Lorelai" Logan said right back at her shaking her head. Logan also went and greeted Christopher and patted Gigi on the head.

When they all finally sat down, Lorelai said, "So Logan, would it be too cliché to ask you what are your intentions with my daughter?"

Logan could tell that Lorelai was half joking and half serious when she said that. He took a deep breath. "Well I want to be with Rory for a really long time, I care about her more than I have cared about any other girl; and I'm trying to treat her better than any other guy has treated her before, because I briefly met Jess and I really hated the way he treated her, and the bad effect he had on her."

"Well that makes two of us." Lorelai grinned.

"Make that three of us," Christopher had piped in.

"Okay I think everybody in the country can unanimously agree that Jess is a jerk," Rory said not wanting to be reminded anymore of that relationship.

"Okay moving on how did you kids meet? On a subway, in an elevator?"

"In Central Park, I was upset with my Dad, and she was upset about something too."

"Yeah Jess and I had a fight because he did not want me to take that internship. Anyway we met and talked like we knew each other all our lives instead of meeting with each other that afternoon." They both smiled and held hands as they remembered that day.

"Wow that's sounds romantic." Lorelai could really see the connection Rory and Logan had by the special smiled they shared and the way they had reached for one another.

"Well it was more friendly than romantic, although Logan drove me home, and walked me to that awful and scary apartment I lived in then."

"I was always a chivalrous gentleman Ace," Logan back smiled at her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Logan shows his cockiness once again," Rory piped in.

Lorelai kept watching them tease each other and laugh as she continued asking the two of them questions. Lunch had rolled out perfectly with the five of them, and Lorelai had seen why Rory had fallen so hard for him. Logan was funny, sweet, and understood her daughter well, she felt very stupid for misjudging Logan and for thinking he would be another Jess.

--

Rory was going to go meet Logan in the car when Lorelai tapped her on the shoulder. "Rory I'm so sorry about my behavior with Logan in the past. Sometimes I tend to have my blonde moments and I'm not even blonde."

"Well we all do, but it means a lot to me that you are genuinely sorry," Rory said sincerely.

"Now what are those conditions to having our freakishly close relationship again?" Lorelai said eagerly.

"First of all, you can't get mad immediately when I want to do something you don't approve of, even if it involves Grandma and Grandpa."

"Okay I will try, but it might not be easy. However, I promise I will think before I speak."

"Number two, I'm not going to ask your permission to do things in my life anymore. I mean if I decide to cut my hair don't freak out that I didn't tell you, I'm in college now."

"Fine, but could you at least tell me if it involves tattoos, cause that would shock any mother."

"I don't think I'll ever get a tattoo but that sounds like a fair deal. Lastly mom I want you to know that I won't be spending as many weekends here like I used to, it's not because I don't love you it's just, there's school and Logan and I have new friends and I just want to experience college more. I will come home on holidays though, but you have to understand that I can't always come here."

"I guess I have to get that "leaving the nest" book your college advisor once recommended, but I understand. So that's the last one?"

"Yep just one more, I need to know that you love me unconditionally."

"Where the hell did you get that idea? I think I get the mother of the year award in comparison to Paris's Mom or Ms. Kim's strictness." Lorelai said mortified.

"Mom you didn't talk to me when I considered leaving Yale so I need to know if you love me without all the accolades," Rory pleaded.

Lorelai pulled her into a hug."Of course I love you without Yale, I just lost track of that in creating goals and I didn't cut you off because I didn't love you. I guess one more condition would be no more cutting you off every time there is a problem."

Rory smiled, "It's okay Mom, we can talk about it next Friday after dinner. We can have a movie night with junk food."

"That's my girl!" She was happy that even though there were aspects of their relationships that would change, some things would stay the same.