AN: Wanted to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and those of you who read and at least tried reviewing. I know FF went funky on all of us last week. You guys are awesome! Also, thanks to everyone over at who nominated this story for the featured fic of the month. You guys are great, and thanks for considering this fic. I'm sorry it took so long to update. Hopefully the next one can be up in a couple of days at the most.

What else... what else... I know I wanted to mention something else, but I don't remember what it was anymore. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy.

Chapter 9 – Mickey Mouse College

They had taken the helicopter to New York City and dined at Alain Ducasse. After spending a romantic evening out, they decided to stay in the city for the night and surprise Honor and Josh for a visit. Logan checked them into The Waldorf Towers in The WaldorfAstoria, where the family preferred to stay while in the city.

Logan plopped himself on the bed next to Rory. He had chuckled when he saw her packing them an overnight bag.

"What?" she asked him when she heard him.

"Nothing, just always planning ahead of time, aren't you, Ace?"

"Well knowing you, I have too. I no longer have the luxury of going into any store and being able to pick any outfit. I need a little belly room now, especially if I want to be comfortable. And every time we go to New York we end up staying there, so just in case, I at least have to pack myself an extra change of clothes."

"Just an extra change of clothes, huh?"

"Yes, just an extra change of clothes."

"But I just saw you pack a book in that bag."

"Well that is not just a book. It's 'What To Expect When You're Expecting', it's the pregnancy bible, you don't go anywhere without it. You don't even think of going anywhere without it. I have to take my pregnancy bible."

"No you don't. Knowing you, you've already memorized it. How many times have you read it?"

"That doesn't matter because you haven't read it, so I get away with taking a book."

Rory draped one of her legs and an arm over him. She playfully raised her foot up to his hardness, teasing him with the gesture and the position that she'd gotten herself into. It was one of her coy moves that she'd often used on him, feigning innocence, edging him to make the next move, but moving away from him if he didn't respond immediately. He decided tonight was another of those nights and he wanted to see how far she'd be willing to take her little game.

He moaned as her leg shifted over him, letting her know he was enjoying the attention, but not moving an inch to take the initiative. He knew she was trying hard to remain still against him.

"Thanks for tonight," he told her. He didn't move his head to kiss her. He knew that if he did, he'd loose the game.

"Thank you. You're the one that planned it all. I hadn't enjoyed myself like this in a while." She raised her arm over her face and pretended to move her hair away. She dropped her hand as casually as possible below his belt. He pretended to yawn. "Are you tired?" She propped herself up on her other elbow to look down at him, not removing her other hand, pretending to use it for leverage in raising herself up a little, but massaging him in the process. Her knee had moved between his knees.

Ha! He had her just the way he wanted her! He didn't open his eyes when he answered her. "Not really, it's just this bed is so comfortable. Why, are you tired?"

"Well, no…"

"Mmhmmm… what else did you want to do?" Good, so she was responding to his advances as opposed to he to hers.

"Well, I don't know…" She moved on top of him and placed a kiss on his lips. "What else is there to do?"

When she was finally straddling him, he flipped them over and Rory let out a yelp of surprise. His mouth was quick to cover hers and she responded to him with passion, leaving them both breathless at the intensity.

"How about we do this? Does this sound good to you?" he asked her. His mouth moved to her collar bone, knowing how she liked to be kissed there.

"Ah… yeah… you know… if there's nothing better to do…" she answered him breathily.

"Ah… no… nothing better."

Wednesday morning found Emily and Shira meeting for breakfast at the club. Both women had talked the morning before and set their meeting up. They were both upset and very disappointing on how things had turned out the evening before. It was definitely not what they had expected and the whole situation had Shira in a tizzy. They greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek and they sat at a table.

"Shira, are you alright?"

"I don't understand how you can be so calm, Emily. I never expected this of Logan. And of all girls, Rory! I was sure he was so serious about her! Oh, Emily, the thought of my first grandchild growing up away from our family! I can't believe he'd do this to me. He knows how much a grandchild by him would mean to me."

"Shira, calm down. Don't talk so loud, people will hear you."

"Well what matters if people hear me. They'll eventually find out what he's done."

"Calm down, I have some great news for you. Wonderful news, in fact." Emily smiled from ear to ear. "I have it on good authority that those two have made up."

"What? They have? How do you know?"

The memory of how she knew came to her. "Never mind how I know. I just know. Besides, Lorelai called me last night and told me not to worry about Rory and Logan, that Rory had called her to tell her they were on their way to New York to celebrate!"

"What! That's wonderful news!"

"I thought you'd be happy."

"Oh, what a relief. I thought he left to London the other night. I spoke to him after you left, but I hadn't been able to reach him after that. I wasn't even able to get out of bed at all yesterday from the shame."

"So Mitchum didn't know that Logan hasn't left either?"

"I don't think he knew. Oh, Emily, do you know what this means? My first grandbaby, and from Logan!"

"It's going to be one beautiful baby. And smart, too!"

They began eating and a woman approached their table.

"Emily, Shira, what a surprise."

"Hello Gloria, you look well," said Shira with a bright smile.

"Thank you, you two look lovely as always."

"Why thank you," said Emily.

"Emily, my girls bumped into Rory the other day. Said she had a healthy glow about her. That lovely granddaughter of yours."

"Doesn't she?" added Shira. "Beautiful girl that she is. We're lucky to have her in our family."

"Oh, is she still dating your son?"

"And going strong." The smile. Shira delivered that bright, perfect smile of hers.

"Well I'll just have to wait for that invitation to a vineyard wedding, won't I Emily? My David's going to be disappointed he's lost his chance."

"Send my best to William, Gloria. It was nice bumping into you." Yes, Emily could also deliver that smile.

"Enjoy, ladies." Gloria walked away.

"Most odious woman alive," said Shira, her smile never fading. "Now Emily, I don't think we'd be getting ahead of ourselves if we started putting things together for their wedding. I'm sure that if you and I help them with the planning, we'll be able to pull it off this summer, and they won't have to postpone it any longer."

"I was just about to say the same thing. I have already made an appointment with a wedding coordinator at noon, please join me. If we get started now, I'm sure there won't be a reason for holding it up. Besides, with Logan in London, and Rory getting ready for her last year at Yale, they'll appreciate that we were able to get everything together for them."

Logan woke Rory up with kisses up and down her naked spine. She quickly began to stir. She could smell something that was calling to her. She turned herself slowly, stretching in the process. Logan placed a peck on her lips.

"Hey sleepy head. You slept in."

"Well I was tired from making love to my boyfriend all day and night yesterday."

"Well if there's ever a good reason to sleep in, that's definitely it. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Hmmm…" she continued stretching. "Good, and you?" She slowly sat up in bed and Logan helped by placing the pillows behind her.

"I'm good. I ordered us breakfast. I'm just kinda wondering how you're feeling this morning, because I know you weren't feeling all that well yesterday morning, and I know morning sickness is kind of a fixture in pregnancy, I'm just not sure for how long." He pulled up the book that she had packed so she could see he was reading it. Her pregnancy bible. She smiled at him.

"I think I'll be okay this morning."

"So how long does it last?"

"What, the morning sickness? It depends. I don't get it as often as before, and it's wrong to assume it's limited to the mornings."

"So when do you still get sick?"

"I'll get sick if I start smelling something weird and funky, and believe me, I've been picking up smells left and right, or when I get dizzy like yesterday. It's become kind of random now. Before it was every morning and throughout the day."

"Wow, so when did you start getting sick?"

"Almost from the beginning, I guess. Don't you remember that stomach flu we both had around Honor's wedding?"

"Oh yeah… but you weren't that pregnant then, were you?"

"It hit's the first few months. So anything else you want to know, or can I start with my breakfast?"

He went and grabbed both trays and sat next to Rory on the bed. "Here, start your breakfast. I have another question. Lamaze or Leboyer method?"

"What, no coffee? Logan, they forgot to bring us coffee."

"I already had my coffee. You, Miss, don't get coffee."

"But I don't function without coffee."

"You'll live, you'll get used to it. Have some milk."

"Have some milk? That's how you pretend to soothe my need for caffeine?"

"Would you prefer chocolate milk?"

"Ugh! I can't believe this!"

"Ace, just have your breakfast."

"Fine, but if the baby comes out looking like a coffee bean because I was craving it, then it's your fault."

"Yes, but at least it won't be overly nervous child. I prefer things that way. So come on, which one is it?"

"Which one is what?"

"Lamaze or Leboyer?" he asked again.

"Well you can't expect me to make a decision like that this early in the morning when I haven't even had coffee yet."

"Ace, it's 9:30am, it's not that early."

"Any part of the day when you haven't had coffee is early."

"Just eat, I have a surprise for you after this that I think you'll like. You need to be ready in an hour."

"A surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. So get going on those pancakes, woman."

The surprise had been a good one, indeed. He had somehow managed to set up appointments for her to go in to Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrera's studios so they could design her the appropriate wardrobe for the rest of her pregnancy, and she didn't walk out of there empty handed. After that they did a little more shopping here and there, mostly preparing the layette and a few suits for Logan.

"Oh, Logan! Look! Isn't it adorable?" She held up a pink dress with ribbon embroidery.

"Is there something else you might want to tell me, Ace?" He looked at the different tiny pieces draped around her arm. All were different shades of pink, and those that weren't had some sort of pink trimmings on them.

"Oh, look at those over there! Ask someone to take them down for me, please."

"Ace, how about we get some neutral colors in here. What do you think of this yellow?"

"Yellow? No, I want pink. It's prettier in pink."

"I'm sure it is, but I'm not sure pretty in pink is going to be the look we want to go for if it's a boy. Are you sure it's a girl?"

"Well the doctor hasn't told me the sex of the baby yet, but it's a feeling." She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling.

"A feeling, huh?" He kissed her gently on the lips. "So what do we do if it's a boy? Dress him in pink?"

"Well no, I have some blue at home also. It's just the more I look at the yellow and the green, the uglier they look. Logan, imagine a little girl all in pink!"

"So you want all pink, huh?"

"Or all blue. Remember, I have blue too."

"Okay then, you can have your pink." He kissed her one more time. "Except that I want you to choose stuff for a boy too. You know, just in case."

This time she kissed him on the lips. "Thank you. For everything." She looked around another time. "Oh, look at that sailor's uniform! We have to take that sailor's uniform!"

"Oh my God! Look at you! If Mom hadn't called and told me, I wouldn't believe it!" Honor embraced Rory in a tight hug. "Rory, you look so beautiful pregnant!" She patted her little niece or nephew. "And you!" She turned to Logan and hugged him as well. "I should be mad at you. Avoiding my calls!"

"It's good to see you guys too," he said to her.

"I'm sorry we were late. The traffic in this city…" said Honor. Josh helped her with her chair and Logan with Rory's. They sat at the best table in Rosa Mexicano, which was what Rory was craving that particular evening.

"So how has my sister been treating you Josh? There aren't any complaints, right? Because you can't give her back. It was a No Returns-or-Exchanges kind of deal."

"Well if I did have any complaints, I still wouldn't be able to do anything about it, now would I?" Josh joked.

"Hey, be nice to me, or else!"

Their drinks came soon after they ordered and Rory was a little surprised when Honor said she was joining her with a club soda in solidarity to motherhood. She decided not to think too much into it since Logan didn't seem to pick up anything and she was happy not to be the only person that wasn't drinking this evening. The conversation went from summers in Europe to publishing and investments, and then back to traveling, and then onto family.

"Oh, please! You know why Mom took to Rory so quickly after she took that semester off. It was all that work she did for the DAR and the fact that she wasn't trying to figure out a career just right then. She saw it as Rory training to be a Huntzberger wife to her baby boy. That, and her friend Nina Chase said that it was a shame you snagged Rory from right under her Jordy's nose. She found out Nina wanted Rory for Jordan and she had the upper hand in that one without making an effort!"

"Wait! Who's Jordy and Nina Chase?" asked Rory.

"Jordan Chase, like the credit card," answered Josh, trying to put it in the most simple way possible. "There's a lot of money in that family."

"Nina's a friend of Mom's," added Honor. "So of course, Mom always has to top them off in family accomplishments. And you, my dear, turned into a family accomplishment."

"But who the hell is Jordan Chase? I still don't know them." She turned to Logan. "How did you snag me from right under Jordy's nose?"

"He was that guy I saved you from at the Yale-Male Party your grandparents threw a while ago."

"Oh… him."

"That, and I heard Emily gave Mom an earful at some charity event. Rory, is that true?" asked Honor.

"That might be true…" Rory batted her eyes playfully and looked away.

"Oh my God! I knew I loved Emily Gilmore for a reason!" said Logan.

"All of the above helped you endear yourself to my mother," Honor said to Rory. "That, and the fact that you're giving her a grandchild by her favorite child."

"Oh, come on Honor, you know you're dad's favorite…"

"Don't I know that," added Josh. They all laughed, knowing what it entailed to be Mitchum Huntzberger favorite.

"Well, I won't deny that," said Honor. "It's how I got away with going to Harvard instead of Yale. Rory, did you know Logan was actually headed for Princeton, but Daddy wouldn't have it?"

"Is that so?"

"Little did he know that his boy would rebel against actually showing up to class."

"Hey, I still managed to graduate with excellent grades." Logan defended himself.

"A year after you were supposed to, and after much arm twisting."

Logan lowered his hand to Rory's stomach. "Well I'm making sure this little one goes to school wherever he or she damn well pleases."

"Even if it's Mickey Mouse College?" teased Rory.

"Even if it's Minnie Mouse Beauty School."

"Wow, you really will let him or her get away with everything. I think I'll have to make sure my kid knows how to add besides counting to ten by the time college applications have to go out."

"You know Rory, with this baby you've gotten Mom completely off my back. She hasn't asked me when Josh and I are finally going to grow the family tree since she found out about you."

"Well I'm still kind of shocked that she was actually being nice to me. I mean, she asked me how I had been feeling."

"That, and she called me Monday night and told me I better fix things with you, or she was going to make it her problem, and how I did not want to make it her problem," said Logan.

"Really?" asked Rory. They all just nodded at her.

"Face it, Rory. Mom knew better than to not like you since before my wedding shower, and now that you're carrying the Huntzberger Heir, well she doesn't just like you, she loves you."

"I'm not sure I'm okay with this."

"Look at it this way," says Honor. "With any girl Logan would end up with, she was either going to hate her forever because she wasn't good enough for her baby boy, or she was going to love her because she knew she couldn't take her place. Now with Logan, she never even dreamed that any girl would make him fall in love with her like he did with you. He had never even introduced any girl to the family. She sees you and immediately knows how important you are to him and she's threatened."

"Ah, I see," says Rory. She turns to Logan. "So that makes you a Mamma's Boy, doesn't it?"

"Just as badly as Honor is Daddy's girl," he tried to defend himself.

"Yes, but daddy's girls are meant to be cute. Mamma's boys are meant to be…"

"Don't finish that sentence Ace."

"So anyway, didn't Logan tell you about his big fall from mamma's boy status? He had a huge fight with her the next day and told her that if he wasn't going to respect you or his relationship with you, to not count with him at all. That he wasn't going to be around where you weren't welcomed like another family member. She tried crying and pleading with him, and then cried with indignation and Logan left. She was so mad at him at first that she didn't know whether he wasn't speaking to her or she wasn't speaking to him. But she came around eventually. I think she knows better than to be on the outs with you. Especially after Twinnie and Nina ooh'd and ahh'd about you."

"Really? I'm not sure I can absorb all this information. It's going to take some time to process."

"Well I'll assure you of one thing. As much as Mom might be jealous of you, she is going to be thrilled when she tells Nina that you and Logan are making her a grandmother."

Talk between Logan and Josh eventually turned to business, and Honor mentioned just how grown up her baby brother had become in the course of a few months. Here he was, talking business with her husband, taking responsibilities as the heir to Huntsberger Publishing Group, and about to become a dad.

"Hey, just so it's known, this little one was planned." He rubbed Rory's belly as he planted a kiss on her lips.

"What?" said Josh.

"No way…" said Honor. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Logan couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.

"It was all his idea." Rory pointed to Logan when Honor turned to look at her for some kind of an answer.

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining or disagreeing with me fifteen weeks ago."

"Now this part I actually have a hard time believing," said Josh. "Not from the almighty Logan Huntzberger. You becoming serious about a girl I can get, hell, even you taking responsibility for your family's company I can get. You starting to settle down I can get. But Logan Huntzberger wanting to have a baby? That one's going to take me a while."

"You better start believing it, man. This baby was no accident, at least not in my part. And I don't want anyone thinking otherwise."

"I can't believe you purposely beat us to it," said Honor.

"What have your friends said?" asked Josh, knowing Logan's friends would be more shocked than he was.

"I haven't talked to them yet. I'm thinking of surprising them when we get back to New Haven if I can get in touch with them. I know Finn might be back in Australia. Not so sure how far Colin is though."

"Aw, would you look at them?" said Honor, looking at them adoringly. "Who would have thought my baby brother would be all settled down before he turned forty."

They had made it back to their apartment in the early evening of that Thursday. They had enjoyed an early dinner, but he wasn't surprised to see Rory approach the refrigerator the minute they walked in. She opened the freezer and pulled out the container of chocolate chip ice cream and started eating right out of it. He saw her go into the dressing room and emerge in her pajamas, not looking like she put the container down at all during her time in there. She went to sit next to him on the couch, offering him a spoonful of her third desert for the evening.

Logan had called his father early Wednesday morning and told him he would be away for the next few days with Rory. He told him he wanted to meet with him when he came back into town. Mitchum was a lot less reluctant to give him the time off that he had thought. He knew they had to talk in regards to London. They had to come up with something now that Rory was pregnant. He had committed himself to a year in London, at his father's request, but that now had to change. Or at least be altered so that his family life wouldn't be hurt by his work. That was important to him. He knew that was one of the things he wanted to do differently in his own family. His own family. He chuckled to himself. It was still a little hard to believe that he and Rory were now, in fact, a family.

They drove to Star's Hollow Friday morning to have breakfast at Luke's, and to drop Rory off with her mom while he took a trip to Hartford to talk with this father.

Lorelai saw the car pulling in from the living room window. Rory waved back at her mom as Logan parked the car. She could see Rory's happiness in the glow her smile gave her face. She ran out to meet her daughter in an embrace.

"My beautiful, favorite child!" they hugged tightly. She placed a bunch of kisses at the top of Rory's head. "So, do we like him now?" she asked, looking over at Logan.

"The sight of him is more tolerable now."

"Good. Come here you," she said to Logan. She gave him a hug. "Good to have you back kid. I have a husband now, so if you hurt my kid, I'm sending him to hunt you down and maim you, understood?"

"Mom? That's not necessary!"

"What? I was just giving him a friendly warning. You know, so he can't say we didn't tell him before hand or anything like that."

"It's okay Lorelai." He wrapped an arm around Rory's waist. "I'm here to take care of Rory."

"Good to hear. Okay, so what are we doing today?"

"Well I'm dropping Rory off here with you for a few hours while I go talk business with my dad. You girls can catch up with whatever it is you two need to catch up in. But first we're having breakfast at Luke's. Rory's craving his blueberry pancakes."

Lorelai bent down and placed a hand to Rory's stomach and started talking to the baby. "Aw, what does the wittle bug want to eat for breakfast?"

"Mom, stop that!"

"What? Does Logan not know about the wittle bug yet? I thought that that was the point of you two talking." Lorelai teased.

"What wittle bug?"

"Hasn't Rory told you? She was going around calling her kid a bug for the longest time. Do you feel sick, Rory? No, it's just a bug. You look pale, Rory. Yeah, it's a bug. Are you bulimic, Rory? God, no! It's just a bug!"

"So it's just a bug then?" asked Logan.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Let's go eat, I'm hungry." She started walking in front of them.

"Wait, are you sure you're hungry? Or is the wittle bug hungry?" asked Lorelai.

"Mother! Stop it!"

"Is the wittle bug making you cranky?" They walked faster to catch up with her. Lorelai wrapped her arms around Rory, trying to make up for making fun at her expense. It really only added to her fuel. "Arms… can't… reach…"

"Mother! The shit list! Remember!"

"Oh, yeah." She immediately crossed her arms in front of her and started walking straight again.

They walked into Luke's and ordered their breakfast. Logan was relived to see that Luke didn't send any death threats his way while they sat and waited for their food. He brought their drinks up, placing a cup of coffee in front of both Lorelai and Logan, and a glass of iced milk in front of Rory.

"Lu-uke? I can't have that," she pointed to the glass. "I need my caffeine fix, you should know that."

"Would chocolate make it better?" he asked, mocking her.

"No! Chocolate would not make it better. My caffeine fix needs to come straight from the coffee bean."

"Well then I guess I can't help you. Your breakfast is coming right up."

Rory pouted as Luke walked away. She was quick to pick up Logan's cup and take a good, long sip, not bothering to stop because the hot liquid was burning her tongue.

"Hey! Stop that!" He took the coffee cup away from her.

"Noooooo! Logan, please! Just one more drink."

He looked into his cup to see how much she'd drank from it. "No. Hurry up and drink that glass of milk so you can wash it down or I'll make you eat a grapefruit."

She pouted again, turning to look at Lorelai, who was safeguarding her cup in both her hands close to her lips.

"You're on your own, kid. This one's mine."