AN: I just wanted to respond to Rainey's question. There will be no whoring from anyone here, lol.

I know you've all been waiting for some Logan and RL interaction. I just want you to know that it's taken this long for a reason. I hope you're all happy with this chapter since it is one of the one's that I've most enjoyed writting. Trust me... and enjoy!

Chapter 7 – From London, With Love

"I have decided to leave tomorrow afternoon for London."

"Why so soon? I would have thought that this accident of yours gave you the perfect excuse to stay through the summer."

"I just don't have anything here that's keeping me from going as it was scheduled."

"What about your physical therapy? You need that for at least three months."

"I'm sure I can find a perfectly qualified physical therapist in London."

"Are you sure you want to go now?"

"I want to leave as soon as possible. Tomorrow is the soonest I can leave, so I choose to leave then."

Mitchum eyed his soon curiously. He ended up nodding and accepting his half assed answer for now.

"Okay then. I'll call right now and arrange the jet for you. I'll have to book you a hotel suite since I thought you'd be here for at least three more months. The Crowne Plaza is fine right?"

"Whatever is closest."

"Will Rory be accompanying you?"

"No."

Mitchum stopped what he was doing and looked his son straight in the eye. He straightened himself in the leather chair of his study at home. How should I go about this, he wondered.

"Your mother and I didn't see Rory today at your graduation. I hope she's okay."

"She's fine. You know, I need to get going now. Finish packing." He extended his hand to his father. "I trust I'll hear from you soon. Goodbye dad."

Mitchum shook his hand. "Goodbye son." He saw him start getting up and limping towards the door. He decided to broach the subject and not let his son leave just yet."

"You know, I talked to Robert and he told me you were retaining Frank for another year."

Logan stopped at the door. He didn't turn to face his father. "Is that a problem? You and mom have your own drivers. I didn't think you'd need Frank."

"No, no, that' fine. You know, Robert also mentioned that you were keeping the New Haven apartment for another year, and that you asked to forward all of the bills to him."

Logan tensed up and turned finally. "I've paid for it with my own money, dad. I don't see how that concerns you. I've even arranged for my credit cards to be paid through my own fund."

"No, son, I'm not reproaching you at all. It's good that you're making sure Rory is going to be alright while you're away."

"Rory doesn't need your or my money."

"Oh, believe me, I know she doesn't. But the fact that you've taken care of things for the time that you will be away impresses me. In fact, I'm happy to see this change in you. You've become responsible, and I know Rory has had a hand in that. Tell her your mother and I said hello."

"I will. I'll talk to you soon." He reached the door knob, but he stopped himself before turning it. "Dad?"

"Yes, Logan."

"Watch out for her for me, will you? Make sure she doesn't need anything."

Mitchum could see then how painful it was for Logan to leave Rory. "I will son. Have a safe trip."

He dropped his crutches to the side of the sofa and let out a sigh and closed his eyes, trying to de-stress for a minute. His thoughts eventually led him elsewhere. He had left home a month ago. A month ago was the last time he had seen her. She had looked so beautiful reading intensely in that courtyard bench. He observed her for sometime before he made up his mind to go speak to her. He wanted to drink in as much a sight of her as possible. It was going to be the last time he would see her in maybe a year, maybe more years. It felt too surreal to know that would be his last memory of her.

He had been avoiding everyone from back home for a full month. He had found an apartment a week after he moved, but had yet to give even his secretary his home information, much less his family. They only number they could try to contact him at was his office number, and even then, he wouldn't take their calls, not even Honor's. He always called his father back, but only when it was specifically because of business, and made sure the calls were always short enough. Maura, his secretary, had given him many threatening messages left by his family, one in which Mitchum threatened him if he did not get himself a cell phone soon and called his family to report himself.

His father knew he was fine because they had to speak ever so often, so they knew he was still alive, but not much more than that. Truth was, he was miserable, but he immersed himself in his work. He was only ever away from his office when he went to therapy and when he came home to sleep. Keeping busy was the only way his stay in London became bearable. He had avoided making friends in the time he had been there, but it wasn't like he could really go out anyways, with his injuries and the workload he took on.

He opened his eyes again and looked around the room. He noticed a red light blinking on his home phone. Oh, shit, he thought. Was that a message? But no one had his phone number. Who could it be? Maybe it was a telemarketing call. He thought about retrieving the message for a second, afraid of what he might hear. Before he could stop himself, he pressed the play button. He winced when the familiar voice came on.

"Logan, this is Honor. What's going on with you, baby brother? I've been trying to reach you at your office and you haven't called me back. If this is in fact your number, give me a call at home. Please! I have to talk to you and it is very urgent."

No, no, no! This couldn't be happening? Maybe if he didn't return her call she'd get the idea that that wasn't his number she had dialed. How in the world had she gotten that number? He decided to ignore the call when another familiar voice came on.

"Logan, this is your father. I need you to call me as soon as you get this message. It's an important family matter that needs to be discussed between you and I immediately. It cannot wait around. Don't make me go to London to speak to you about it!"

No, he shouldn't call back. He would be walking into a death trap. He had specifically set everything up here so they didn't have much of a chance to track him from back home. Not even Robert, his accountant, had his contact information besides his office number, and even then, he always called Robert to make sure everything was fine. So how could they have gotten the number? It didn't matter in any case. He wouldn't be calling back.

Mitchum angrily walked into Richard's office, not waiting for the secretary to announce him.

"Sir, I'm sorry but you can't walk in like that."

"I can walk in any way I want! And you," he turned to Richard. "You should have said something! Why hasn't our family been informed?"

Richard excused his secretary. "Kate, it's alright. Please hold any calls or other visitors."

"Sure Mr. Gilmore," and she walked out.

"What on earth are you talking about Mitchum?"

"You now what I'm talking about!"

"Humor me."

"Shira saw Rory shopping in town the other day, and while she wasn't able to catch up to her, she noticed that Rory looked… how should I put this… to be in a rather delicate condition. I went to see Rory after that to make sure she was alright, and while she wasn't home at that time, the doorman congratulated me. I spoke to my daughter and she doesn't know what's going on, and none of us have been able to get in touch with Logan! Care to elaborate?"

"Really, you can't get in touch with Logan?" Richard asked sarcastically. "Well my granddaughter has had the same problem for about a month now."

"Don't play games with me Richard! The accountant also showed me a credit card statement for one of Rory and Logan's accounts and it showed her shopping at maternity stores and baby boutiques!"

"Well I never!" Huffed Richard with indignation. "The Hayden accountant and my accountant take care of all of Rory's expenses! There is no need for you to be looking at where she's been shopping! And there is no need for you to be paying for it!"

"That is not my point!" Mitchum screamed back. "My point is that our family is out of the loop on an important matter and I don't like that!"

"Well it's all your son's fault! Rory has been trying to get in touch with him for some time now! Your daughter was supposed to be getting her his information and hasn't! Now, I was asked to not butt in, but it looks to me that that son of yours is avoiding his responsibilities!"

"My son is avoiding nothing of the kind! My son doesn't even know what's going on, it seems!"

"Well then why hasn't Rory been able to get in touch with him?"

"Because we've barely been able to get in touch with him! Not even his secretary knows where to contact him after office hours!"

"Well that's not my problem! Those two kids need to sit down and talk! But how can they do that when it was you that sent your son away to work in another continent!"

"You listen to me! My family is not going to stand this! We will not be kept away from that baby!"

"You listen to me!" Returned Richard. "My granddaughter will not be subjected to any more humiliations by your family! She doesn't need you! And I will not allow her to fall into a scandal! That son of yours better be making it back to the States to make good of what he's done to my granddaughter! Either you drag him back to Connecticut, or I'll go to London and drag him back myself!"

"Fine!" Agreed Mitchum. "We'll have dinner. Monday night at our house. Your family and mine. The kids can talk then."

"Fine. We'll see you Monday night. Have a good day." Richard extended his hand, and Mitchum shook it.

"Thank you, you too Richard. Say hello to Emily for me."

"Whoa, you can really tell you're pregnant," Paris noted as they were getting out of Rory's car. They were going out to eat Chinese. "If you're this big now, you're going to be as big as a house by the time school starts."

"Yeah, well, I guess there's no hiding it anymore."

"Please, there was no hiding probably from the minute you turned out pregnant. I should have guessed it from the beginning."

"But didn't you guess it anyway?"

"No, I called Dr. Ravie's office and they told me."

Rory laughed. "Yeah, I figured as much."

They walked into the restaurant and took a seat in their usual table. Rory took her napkin and placed it on her lap and belly. She smoothed it over her growing belly, giving her baby a little pat. They ordered their usual and they were served quickly

"So how are things at the apartment?"

"They're good. I finally convinced Doyle to re-paint. I told him we should take advantage of the fact that you weren't there now because the fumes were bad for you, and it needed to be done before you came back to the apartment."

"Well at least you got that out of him."

"Yeah, that mint green was starting to get me depressed. So, how's the apartment?"

"Lonely… it's okay I guess. It's a nice apartment."

"If you're lonely there, why don't you move back in with us? Besides, Doyle is going to be away on business this year a lot."

"You don't want a screaming baby in the middle of the night on your last semester, Paris. Besides, there isn't any room there for a baby."

"We can make room. How much room does a little person like that need. Just think about it."

"Thanks."

"So nothing from Logan yet?"

"Nothing. Honor called me the other day and told me that she might have found a number, but she's not sure. She's going to call me back as soon as she can get a hold of him."

"Well you're already starting to show. And I mean really show."

"I thought I would have told him by now. I didn't think it would be this hard to get in touch with him."

"Have you considered telling Honor?"

"No, I want him to hear it from me. Besides, I don't really want it getting out."

"Rory, come on. It's out already."

"You know what I mean."

"And you know what I mean."

"I guess I'm going to have to talk to my mom and my grandparents about it."

"Well I think you should let them get involved. Maybe that way things will start happening."

"I don't know. It's going to be kind of awkward and embarrassing."

"More awkward and embarrassing than telling Logan, 'Hi Logan, nice to see you again after a year. We have a child together now. Send the child support to this address'?"

"Well, I guess I have no other choice, do I?"

The news room was still pretty dead. He was usually one of the first to arrive, and was there before his secretary. Logan walked into his office and turned the light on. When he did his chair turned.

"Why hello, son," greeted Mitchum. "Nice to see you."

Logan looked at his father confused. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Well son, I was worried so I came to see how you were doing?"

"But I just sent you the reports you asked me for. The newspaper is doing great. I don't understand why you came." He placed his portfolio down next to his desk.

"You are right, the newspaper is doing great. But I'm not here to see the newspaper. I'm here to see you."

"What's going on?"

"I want to ask you the same question, what's going on Logan? You haven't returned anybody's calls. You only leave me messages with updates to my messages. Your mother and sister are worried sick about you, and I know Rory's been trying to get in touch with you. We've even tried Colin and Finn, but not even they've been able to hear back from you. You disconnected your cell phone and haven't gotten a new one since you moved here. So I repeat myself, what's going on Logan."

He looked up at the mention of Rory's name, but tried to play it off.

"I've been doing exactly what you wanted me to do. You asked me to take care of London, and I'm taking care of London."

"Yes, but London doesn't need you to work from 4am to midnight. I mean look at you. You've lost a ton of weight and you've only been here for a month. Do you ever stop to eat? You look sick."

Logan got defensive. "I don't understand how my work hours are affecting you. I am doing exactly what you've asked me to do. Nothing more, nothing less. You wanted me to become responsible for the family business, and I am slowly doing that. You asked me to concentrate on this, and this alone, and that is what I'm doing. You opposed my friendships, so I've made sure they haven't gotten in the way of my work, so I can't say I appreciate you trying to butt in on how I'm managing my time here in London."

Mitchum looked at his soon up and down and wondered how he should handle Logan. Of all the things he expected from his son out of this year in London, twenty hour work days were not it. He didn't know what to make out of the man that was standing before him. It definitely wasn't his son he was looking at. He tried a different approach.

"It's Sunday, Logan. Let's get out of here. We can either go to church or a bar. Take your pick."

"I have to work, dad. I'm not here to take Sunday's off. I'd rather give my staff that time off since they have people to go home to on the weekends."

It was going to be harder than he thought. Since when had his son become so hard and cold. It seemed now that it was almost impossible to get through to him. It wasn't what he had wanted for his son to get out of this experience in London. He rose from the chair and walked towards his son.

"Logan, let's go home so you can pack."

"Pack what? I'm not going anywhere."

"There is an important dinner party at the house on Monday, and I need you to be there."

"I'm not going anywhere dad. You said London for a year, and I'm in London for a year."

"Are you serious?"

"Like a heart attack." Logan sat at his desk and turned his computer on and got to work.

"Logan, I'm not playing games here. I need you to pack so you can leave with me in a few hours."

"Well I'm afraid I can't come with you."

"Listen Logan, I'm not leaving this office without you, so you better get your ass downstairs and into the car so you can go and pack or not pack, however you prefer. But you're coming back with me, whether you like it or not."

Just then, Logan's office phone went off. "Good morning Maura. Yes, I'm checking those right now. Yes, they're complete, thank you. Aha… yeah… okay… hang on a second… okay, go… got it. Anything else? Okay then, enjoy your day off. I'll be calling Jerry right now. Goodbye."

And the second he hung up with Maura, he was already on the line with Jerry. Mitchum had no other choice but to sit down and wait for his son to finish, since he was obviously not able to threaten him back into Connecticut.

"How did I let my parents shanghai us into dinner at the Huntzbergers? I mean, what was I thinking when I said, oh, don't worry Rory, they're not going to get involved. And here we are, and they're involved!"

"It's okay mom. I was actually going to be talking to Grandma and Grandpa about it. Maybe not to have dinner at the Huntzbergers, but to do something about it."

"I'm sorry kid."

"Hey, if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. Come on lets get it over with."

They got out of the car and walked towards the door. They didn't knock immediately.

"You're looking really pretty today," noted Lorelai.

"Thanks. Grandma sent me this dress and told me to put it on, so I just obeyed." She was wearing a cute black silk maternity cocktail dress with spaghetti straps and a low cut sweetheart neckline that accentuated her new curves. They rang the doorbell and were surprised when Shira opened the door.

"Rory!" she greeted her excitedly with a hug and a kiss in the cheek. "Don't you just look absolutely darling! Hello Lorelai, please, come in."

They walked towards the living room where Mitchum, Elias and the Gilmore's were waiting for them. Rory was greeted eagerly, a big difference to just a year before. She sat next to Lorelai, across from Shira. They made small talk until dinner time came. Then both Shira and Mitchum started looking at their watch, as if they were waiting for something. Shira decided to play it off and the men excused themselves to the library for a moment.

"So, Rory dear, how have you really been feeling?"

Rory understood what context Shira meant it in and she looked around at her grandmother before answering.

"Alright I guess."

"I hope you weren't too sick at first."

"Well, maybe a little. But it's gotten better now. I mean, it still hits me sometimes, but not like before."

"Emily tells me we'll be having a Christmas baby."

"Well it won't exactly be Christmas. More like a finals baby. As soon as school is back in session, I'll be talking to my professors and asking them if I could please take my finals sooner."

"Well if you have any trouble with them, just let us know and I'm sure Mitchum can do something about that for you. What date did they give you?"

"December 15th, but they told me anywhere two weeks before that, or two weeks after is fair game."

Time kept passing by and Shira looked up at the clock. The men came out of the library and walked towards them.

"Maria, we're going to be starting dinner now," said Shira.

They all walked towards the dinning room, the air suddenly becoming tense between the adults. Rory walked to her grandfather and asked him quietly.

"Everything alright, Grandpa?"

"Everything is fine dear."

They sat at the table and started dinner. Things had evidently tensed up, but they tried their best to keep them light for Rory's sake. Well into the main course, they heard the front door open and close loudly. Everyone in the table looked up. Logan's figure could be seen walking by the dinning room and up the stairs.

"Logan!" said his father.

He stopped dead on his tracks and turned to walk towards them. Once in full view of the dinning table, he noticed Rory and his face fell. He tried to regain his composure quickly.

"How nice of you to finally make it, son. Why don't you sit down with us?"

"I'm leaving for London now. Excuse me." He turned away and started walking.

"Stop it Logan, you knew about this and chose to be this late. Stop fooling around and come and join us."

"I flew to join you for a business dinner, which this is clearly not. I'll leave you and mom to your guests. If I leave any later, I won't be making a meeting I had scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"This is still business. Personal business, but it needs to be taken care of all the same."

Rory finally understood what this was about. Mitchum had apparently dragged Logan back so they could talk. But it was obvious Logan didn't want to be close to her, and the knowledge of that pained her. She looked at his face. It was thinner and pale. He had obviously lost weight and he looked tired.

"Goodnight everyone, enjoy your dinner." Logan started walking away again.

Mitchum got up from his seat and started walking after Logan. They stopped in the hallway and were arguing in hushed voices. She heard her name mentioned by Mitchum. She could sense the blood in her face pooling at her feet and her arms started feeling heavy and cold. She lowered her head into her right hand, obviously upset by everything happening before her.

"Rory, are you okay dear? Maria bring Rory some iced water," ordered Shira.

Rory took a deep breath as her mother rubbed her back. She looked up and decidedly stood up and walked towards the hallway with her purse in hand.

"Listen Logan, I am trying my hardest here to not get involved in your personal life, but you're making it hard for everyone in there."

"Logan," Rory interrupted. "Could I speak to you for a second?"

Mitchum could see the desperate look in Rory's eyes. Here she was, standing before his son, giving it all away.

"You know what," he told both of them. "I just can't do this right now." He turned around and left, overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

Lorelai went to Rory, wanted to make sure she was okay. She was ash white and just looked towards the door in the direction Logan had left. After a moment she walked after him. Richard stopped Lorelai from walking after Rory.

She reached him just as he was getting into his car.

"Logan, stop! I have something I need to tell you."

"Let's not do this now Rory. I can't do this now. I promised I'd stay away from you just like you asked me to! Don't do this to me now! You have no idea what being away from you has done to me! I'm trying to get myself together, and now just because you say so, you want to finally talk to me! I can't do this Rory!" He got into his car and drove off.

Rory stood out there, floored at his reaction. It wasn't at all what she had expected. She felt a tiny flutter inside of her and her hand instinctively went to her abdomen. What was supposed to be a happy moment for her had turned sour. She looked down at herself and thought surely Logan had to have noticed. He had to have. No, this was not at all the reaction she had expected from him. She walked towards her car as fast as her legs could take her, tears streaming down her face. She got in her car and drove off.

He sat in the bar of Poor Man's Shoe nursing his second glass of scotch. Rory never left his thought the minute he saw her again. She looked so beautiful. She just… radiated. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her in so long. God, he missed her. He wanted to feel the soft touch of her naked skin next to his, to just hold her near to him. To kiss her. He had told her that he couldn't even stop to talk to her, that it hurt too much. But it hurt more to hold back from just taking her in his arms then and kiss her. He wanted her near him more than ever, but it was awkward because he knew she didn't belong to him anymore.

He felt a vibration in his coat pocket. It surprised him at first, then he remembered his dad handing it to him and warning, 'Don't you dare lose it, and don't you dare not answer it. At least while you're here'. He took the phone out and saw that it was blocked. He knew it was probably from home. He answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Logan, it's your mother calling." She was clearly upset with him.

"What is it mom."

"Logan, you know your father and I don't like getting involved in your personal life…" He had to snicker when she said that. Yeah, right. "But what you did to Rory tonight! It has no excuse!"

"Mom, I'm going to repeat myself again. I can't do this right now. I don't want to talk about it with you, with dad, with anyone. End of story. You have anything else to say to me before I hang up?"

"Yes I do. If you don't go talk to that girl right now, you're going to be making the biggest mistake of your life. And it's going to be a mistake that you'll regret for the rest of your life. Don't you think I don't know why Rory broke things off with you. I found out. And she had every reason to not want to see you again after that. But that girl loves you and is willing to push all that aside. Now she has something important that she needs to talk to you about, and she's been trying to get in touch with you since the night before your accident…"

Logan cut his mom off. "You know what mom, don't think that you know everything that happened between Rory and I because you don't. You don't know the thinks she told me said night when you're claiming that she tried to talk to me. I tried to talk to her, and she refused to listen to me. So don't think that I believe for one minute that she's wanted to talk to me since that night, because she hasn't. In fact, she made it clear that night that she didn't want anything else to do with me. So I wouldn't go by what she told you."

"Rory didn't tell me anything! So don't you go on assuming where I get my information either, mister! And forget about the he-said-she-said. Put your damn pride aside and talk to her like the adult you should have become by now. Now I don't pretend to know everything that happened between you two, because that's not my problem, that's yours! And you two should work on that! If you don't go to her this instant, you're going to be making it my problem! And you don't want to make it my problem, Logan! So I suggest you fix this! Tonight!"

She hung up the phone. Hard. He put his phone away back in his pocket after looking at the time. It was past midnight and he was tired. He didn't want to go home to his parents' house after tonight's altercation. It was just too much to deal with. It was a shame that a man his age would dread going home to his parents. It was even sadder that he was going home to his parents. Truth was, he had been drinking and he was tired. He wondered if Rory was staying at the apartment. Probably not, since it was summer and she probably wanted to be close to her mom since she didn't spend much time with her this year. He decided to go and stay at the apartment until morning, and then leave for London early. He was too tired to leave tonight.

He unlocked the door to the apartment and turned on the light at the door. He looked towards the bed and was surprised to see Rory sleeping. The noise from the door and the light obviously disturbed her, but not enough to wake her up. He noticed that she kept the stove light on in the kitchen and one at the desk, getting some light from both corners of the apartment, but not bright enough to fill the whole apartment. He turned the door light off and took of his shoes so that he wouldn't disturb her. He started walking towards the couch but stopped dead on his tracks when he heard her suspire a few times. When her breathing evened out again, he continued walking.

He reached the couch and sat down slowly. His knee hurt from walking around so much. He was finally able to let go of the crutches most of the time, but the day had worn him out. He looked around the apartment and almost everything looked the same. There were a few little things here and there, but that was just Rory. They were the thinks he had missed when she left.

Rory. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She just looked so beautiful with the light hitting her face, her loose curls from tonight framing her beauty. He carefully walked over to her, not wanting to wake her, disturb her. He wanted to continue enjoying the sight of her before him without interruptions. He knelt down in front of her and placed his arm on the bed, then rested his chin there. She had cried herself to sleep. He could see the traces of the un wiped tears in her face, her red eyes and nose. He had made her cry herself to sleep. He mentally kicked himself for it. He hadn't thought when those words he'd told her came out of his mouth.

Her right hand rested on top of her stomach under the covers. He sat on the edge of the bed gingerly and took he hand in his. He brought it close to his face and kissed it. He'd missed her touch for so long. He wanted nothing more than to wake her up with kisses and ask her to please forgive him, but he didn't for fear of her turning him away again and loosing the moment.

She suspired again and turned to sleep on her back instead of her left side. She took her hand away in her sleep and placed it on her stomach again, this time on top of the covers. He looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and noticed a glass of water and a picture frame that wasn't there before. He picked it up but wasn't able to make anything out of it in that light. He got up from the bed with it and walked to the dressing room to grab some pajamas he's left there, and grabbed a pillow and a sheet. He would sleep on the couch and wait for her to wake up. He laid the pillow and sheet on the couch and walked into the bathroom.

After changing he went towards the sink where he'd laid the picture frame down and was surprised to see his toothbrush there, waiting for him to come back and use it. He opened he medicine cabinet and pulled the toothpaste out. He turned his toothbrush on and while he brushed his teeth he went through the medicine cabinet out of habit. He saw what looked to be a bottle of vitamins. He pulled the bottle out and looked at it dumbstruck. He turned it to read the label. Prenatal Vitamins. He rinsed his mouth and his toothbrush and placed it where it was before. Why would Rory have prenatal vitamins? He wondered. He placed them back in the medicine cabinet along with the toothpaste and closed the mirror. He picked up a second picture frame she had sitting on top of the toilet and thought it was an odd place to put a picture frame. Now if he wasn't really able to make out the first picture he was able to make out this one.

Lorelai L Gilmore, 21, F, 17wks. It was dated from three days ago. He picked up the first frame and looked at it. There wasn't much to make out of, but that one was from about two months before. He walked out of the bathroom in a frenzy and started going through the drawers. His drawers were just as he'd left them, with the exception of a few that he'd left empty. On the top of one of those said drawers he found a layette. It was pink and tiny and looked so carefully picked out and laid there in the drawer. Like it belonged there. He went though her side of the closet and noticed how she'd taken up half of his empty closet space. They were clothes he hadn't seen her in before. Larger than what she's always worn before.

He felt his heart racing in his chest. His breathing felt constricted. He walked out to the bed and saw Rory lying in the same position he's left her in. Except now the blankets were pulled lower, and he could see how both her hands laid protectively over her swollen abdomen. He moved her hands away with his, wanting to touch her, to see if it felt real to him. She mumbled something in her sleep and hiccupped, obviously from her crying. She shifted and pushed his hand away to place hers back in place and turned towards her side again.

"Rory…" he tried to wake her. "Rory…" He tried touching her face to wake her, but she just brushed him away and only caused her to shift away from him again and towards the center of the bed. "Rory…" This time he tried shaking her shoulder gently. She moaned in her sleep and turned the other way, closer to her side of the bed than his, where he had found her sleeping. No, there would be no waking Rory up tonight. After upsetting her the way he did tonight, the least he could do was let her sleep. He looked towards the couch that was waiting for him and then back at their bed.

Their bed. With his side of the bed waiting for him. He raised the covers on and got in next to Rory. He had waited for that moment, just that moment, for so long. It was a moment he'd felt he'd lost forever. And here he was, recapturing it. The moment where he could put his arm around her as they laid in bed silently, their fingers intertwined. The moment that he could smell her hair before placing a kiss in the back of her neck and just hold her close to his chest. He spooned as close to her as it was physically possible, placing his hand on her growing belly. She didn't protest this time, and unconsciously molded her body to his. He felt her hand go to rest on top of his. "Rory…" he called out to her one last time. He didn't get a response. He laid his head on his pillow and fell asleep.