Logan felt pats of congratulations as well as a few tears on his back; everywhere he looked, he saw familiar, friendly faces that shone with obvious love and contentment for the couple. He was swept away from Rory as they were separated by their respective friends into two groups that struggled to exit the over-crowded gazebo. He was far too happy to care that Finn and Colin were capturing his moronic grin with every available media source, including pointing to the cameras that Seth had somehow wired all around the square. Catching his eye, Logan saw Seth motioning to Kirk and mouthing "direct-to-video"with a thumbs up. He heard Lorelai, Babette and Miss Patty wonder about the giant rock that was supposed to make its home on Rory's third finger, but all he could do was chuckle when Rory whirled to fend them off.
"I cannot wear that with a clear conscience! I want no part in the blood diamond trade!"
"So what you're really saying is that you want rubies and Limo Boy should give me the rock?" At this Logan felt his already tightened cheeks smile wider.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oy, the hell Logan? It's bloody early, and I really wasn't planning on sneaking out of Renee's room until Carly found us for a little morning fun!"
"What was I thinking?"
"When you gave the yacht captain the night off? When that god awful British chick cornered you in Rome when we were sixteen? When you at one point thought Mitchum was not Satan reincarnated?"
"No, I mean, you don't marry the first person you're in a serious relationship with! You just don't! Who finds the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with when they're 23? It's not normal! Our friends don't marry for love, they marry out of obligation and a fear of losing their trust fund! Oh my god, what if I have a hot secretary? Oh my god, that means I really AM turning into Mitchum. I can't do this!"
"Ah, the saga of Reporter Girl and the rock. Did you talk to your mother again instead of heading straight to your grandfather's liquor cabinet?"
Logan sighed meekly, "No, it was a full-scale Huntzberger tribunal. Freaking Nuremberg next to the Velazquez. Did you know I'm related to royalty, and well, they don't just go proposing to their first girlfriends!"
"I'm not seeing anything but a naked woman right now, come again?"
"Shira said I'm related to royalty, I got the responsibility speech again, the are-you-sure, because my wonderful DAR friend's daughter just ended her affair with the pool boy."
"Are you drunk?"
"Are you serious? Am I you, Finn?
"Christ, Logan. I am not drunk enough to deal with you right now. Close your eyes. Think about waking up in the morning. Who's next to you?"
"Ace is never next to me, she's made it her personal life goal to never sleep on the surface of something when she can always sleep on me."
"You're such a freaking girl. Call Honor. Pregnant women love to yell and cry, and you, dear Huntz, need a baby-mama ass kicking."
Logan had been so thrown for a loop by his mother that it took several moments for Finn's forced realization to strike him. Squeezing his eyes shut again, he imagined, no, remembered waking up in the morning, dark curls splayed across his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her tiny frame. Even in his deepest sleep, he instinctively reached out for her, a fact that he discovered one morning after waking up with her having absolutely no memory when, if at all, she came to bed. I really do want to marry Rory, Logan thought, I do because I can't imagine not waking up with her, arguing with her about literal nonsense, stealing her coffee for fun, I just can't imagine tomorrow without her. His eyes lit up for a second time; cursing, he frantically hit redial.
"Huntzberger, you masochist, didn't Honor ream you out enough?"
"I'm sorry Finn, I really am. I do want to marry her, more than anything, Shira's attack just messed with my head."
"My dear Logan, when have they ever not? Why don't you talk to Mitchum again? Isn't he on your side?"
"I could kiss you Finn, seriously!"
"Oh, we all remember how that turned out, now don't we? That was the night we discovered Mexican jails really are like they sound. Suck it up, call your father and Reporter Girl and report back to me later. But now, I have to go see a girl about some handcuffs."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logan grimaced as he shut the door to their apartment when he left for a 'family' dinner. Stupid Yale and their finals, keeping Rory from accompanying him to the mausoleum. He chuckled to himself, realizing how 'Rory' that line of thinking was. He was utterly overjoyed that Mitchum told him he wasn't needed in London until after the New Year, giving him well over a month to sit on their couch and have movie marathons with his fiancée. He loved getting to call her that, it was almost as good as calling her his wife. He looked forward to the business dinners and parties they would attend together, so he could proudly offer an introduction; "Oh, have you met my beautiful wife, Rory? She's a journalist…". He couldn't wait to show her off, but it was different this time. She wasn't like his new Rolex, he wanted to show her off because he was so intensely proud of her standing next to him. He wanted to give her the credit that she normally didn't allow herself, he wanted to show her how much he wanted to be there with her, even at the society functions where he knew she never felt comfortable. She made it tolerable, bearable; she made him want responsibility and routine. He shook his head as he silently examined his life pre-Rory, noting its emptiness, ridiculousness and bitter taste. He pulled his cell phone out and hit the speed dial for Honor.
"Hello my pregnant sister, how are you?"
"I feel fat. I am fat. I made Josh buy stock in Ben and Jerry's because from the way I'm eating, this kid's trust fund could be comprised entirely of Chunky Monkey speculations."
"I hate to burst your bubble, but those guys aren't publicly traded. I will, however, get some Haagen-Dasz just to appease you. How close are you to Mom and Dad's?"
"Well, we're close enough, and by that, I mean we haven't really left the city yet."
"Honor, no! Figures, the one time I'm actually going to be early, you choose to be more than fashionably late."
"I don't see what the big deal is, Dad will be there, so he'll entertain Grandpa, and Mom will then be free to go smoke, leaving you and Rory to your own devices until Josh and I get there. Oh, he requests that you save him at least half the bottle of Scotch this time, since last family dinner, I had to promise him sexual favors to come back."
"Oh God, even if you are pregnant, I definitely do not want to hear about my sister's love life. And for your information, Rory's at home, studying. She's got finals coming up and I had to bribe her with getting out of this dinner just to sleep in our bed. I beg you, do not leave me alone with them!"
"What do you mean she's not coming? She has to come! I NEED another female besides Mom, and Rory eats like a pregnant lady to begin with, so Mom could focus on her plate instead of mine! Do you know she actually warned me the other day about wearing skirts because 'Huntzberger' women don't have fat ankles? Pregnant women have fat ankles! Jeez, you would think she never had children."
"On that note, did you find out if it's a boy or girl yet? Rory wants to buck the nontraditional trend and start loading up on pink or blue. Don't ask for green, though, Ace said she has a particular aversion to that since her sister's baby shower."
"Rory has a sister? How old? And why didn't I know about this?"
"Yeah, Rory's sister Georgia, she's like five, she lives with Rory's dad in Boston."
"How come the Gilmores never talk about her? And how did Rory's toddler sister have a baby shower? Oh wait, nevermind, pregnancy hormones make me a touch slow."
"Gigi's not a Gilmore. She's a Hayden. She's Rory's half-sister, and she's not around much. Next time she's in New Haven visiting Rory, we can all go out to lunch."
"Hayden? Like the Haydens? How is Rory related to them?"
"Her dad, Honor, Chris Hayden. Did you not just process what I said?"
"Rory's a Hayden? Oh my God, did you tell Mom? Wait, can I be there when you tell her? I'd really like to capture her fainting on camera, to channel as motivation in the delivery room. Do you think her face will be shell-shocked or abject horror when she realizes she told a Hayden they weren't good enough for the Huntzbergers?"
"My God, you're evil! And no, I haven't told anyone from our family yet. Very few people know Rory's a Hayden, she went to Straub's funeral, but I don't think people made the connection. And you never answered my question, pink or blue?"
"Much to Josh's dismay, tell Rory I'm expecting tutus and tiaras."
"Holy..congratulations Honor! That's so exciting! I'm going to have a niece!"
"Yeah, well, don't say anything yet. I'm planning on telling them right when Mom eats a baby carrot so she can choke on her own dissatisfaction instead of telling me."
"You've got a deal. Just please try and get there before dinner's actually over so I'm not stuck re-enacting 'Tales From the Crypt'."
"Pinky-swear, baby brother. I'll see you soon."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The front door looked imposing as ever, much to Logan's surprise. He really had little to worry about with this dinner, one of very few times he could remember not being apprehensive about having to spend a meal with his family. He opened it without ringing the bell, attempting to save the maid a hurried trip to the foyer from wherever his mother had her scrubbing some priceless knick-knack. "Logan, is that you?" he heard his mother's voice call out from the living room. "Yeah," he replied, shucking his coat off and laying it on the table. He walked towards the large room, his shoes softly clicking against the marble. There he found his mother, languidly sipping a rather large martini, aimlessly fingering the tassel on a throw pillow. "Honestly, you would think you went to public school with those manners." He rolled his eyes, fully aware of her disapproving look at him. "Hello to you too, Mother." He whipped around, eyeing the fully stocked bar. As he retreated to the safety of his McKellan, his mother sneered, "Did you leave Rory to park the car as well, my dear?"
"No, she's back at the apartment, but she sends her apologies."
"Doesn't she know it's rude to refuse a dinner invitation?"
"Yes, Mom, she does, I made her stay home to study for her finals. She actually wanted to come to dinner, but I thought I'd be a gentleman like you taught me and not allow her to be subjected to uncouth company."
"Oh, Logan, really. I merely wanted to know if Rory would be joining us tonight, that's all."
"Shira, what time did Mitchum say he would be home?" Logan turned to see his irascible grandfather sidle into the room. His mother choked on her martini at the interruption. "I'm not really sure, Dad, he'll probably be home soon. Why don't you have Logan freshen your drink?" The gruff man only nodded towards Logan, and held out his Baccarat glass. "Now Logan, did you happen to talk to your sister today? She seems to be running a tad behind."
"Yes, Mom, she and Josh are on their way, pregnant women are allowed to be a little late."
"Yes, well…" His mother trailed off uncomfortably, saved by the slamming of the front door and the sound of his father's footsteps, mingled with the carrying of Honor's voice.
"Hello, everybody, look who I found at the front door!" Mitchum seemed in a preternaturally good mood for having just come from the office. Honor walked over to their mother, giving her a slight kiss on the cheek, while Josh made a beeline to Logan at the bar. "Hey man, good to see you again, Josh." Logan whispered. His brother-in-law could only weakly nod and reach for a bottle.
"So, Logan, how are things?" his father congenially stated, halfway through the meal.
"Fine, Dad, just trying to stay out of Rory's way so she can study and get everything ready to hand off the paper. She's also got me running around trying to get Christmas presents for everybody."
"Oh, Logan, she really shouldn't be foisting her responsibilities onto you like that. If she didn't have so many things to concentrate on, she could take care of all of this." Shira clucked disapprovingly.
"Mom, I'm happy to help her out. It saves me the trouble of actually thinking about what to get everyone, she just asked me to pick some things up for her."
"Really, isn't that what a delivery service is for? But of course, she wouldn't use one of those. Or a personal shopper, for that matter."
"Okay, enough." He slammed his fork down, using a tone of voice he thought only his father and grandfather were capable of. "Ace is joining this family because I love her, so get used to it, Mother."
"I, I…" She stuttered, taken aback by his abrupt tone of voice.
"Oh, Mother, do you know what I found out when I ran into Francine Hayden the other day? She just went on and on about her son Christopher and his daughter." Honor broke in, with an air of practiced casualness disguising her true intentions.
"Oh really, dear, that's nice. Christopher taking over the Hayden fortune?"
"Yes, and he's apparently naming his daughter the heiress. Francine told me how lovely she is, Logan, don't tell her, all right? She made me promise not to tell anyone." Logan silently laughed at his sister's antics to antagonize his mother.
"Honor, why would Logan know the Hayden girl? She's hardly one to be off gallivanting with the likes of him. She's probably already been snapped up by a prince or something. Minor scandals withstanding, that family would be absolutely amazing to marry into." Honor could barely contain her glee. "Oh, but Mother, Logan is marrying into the family. Doesn't Rory only use Hayden when she has to?"
"Logan, what is she talking about?" His mother anxiously looked towards him for confirmation.
"Oh, but Mother, you didn't know? Rory is Christopher's daughter. She doesn't use the Hayden last name because she hates the expectations. Now what were you saying about marrying into their family?"
He watched happily as his mother's face paled at her realization of her social faux pas. Her mouth opened and closed several times, but she remained silent. Instead, his grandfather chose to spoke.
"Hayden, you say? Straub was always a good golf partner. Excellent lawyer as well. A good match, Logan, a good match. Give Rory my best." The old man pushed back his chair and left the table succinctly, headed for the library. Shira gasped as the previously grumpy old man completely reversed his former opinion of Rory, oblivious to the almost malicious smiles of the rest of her family.
"Logan, dear, could you please tell Rory that I'd like to get together with her for tea sometime soon? Perhaps I should call Emily and make a lunch date to discuss an engagement party after the holidays. In fact, I think I'll ring her now. Would you please excuse me?" His mother threw down her napkin and huffed out of the dining room.
Honor burst out laughing, followed by chuckles from Logan and Mitchum. Josh even added a guffaw, amused by the reversal of fortune.
"Well, I certainly hope you derived pleasure from that little display, although I must say, you know your mother's not going to be a joy to live with until she's corrected this little society mishap. Was it really necessary to inform her like that? Logan, did you even ask Rory if you could tell us about her family?"
"Relax, Dad, Rory knew I would tell you guys eventually. She just hates the obsequiousness that seems to follow the Hayden name. She wanted to be accepted into our family because of who she is, not her last name. Unfortunately, Mom proved her right that her last name means more than her personality. But if we got to have some fun while doing it, we figured it might be worth it."
"Well, I'm still shocked my father seemed mollified by that statement. I think he might actually like Rory though, this will make family dinners more peaceful. So Honor, how's the baby?"
"Oh, Dad, she's great! We're already thinking of names for her!"
"So I'm going to have a granddaughter?"
"Honor, Rory and I call Adelaide, just in case you were thinking about using it. She wants to use it as a middle name."
"I'm sorry, baby brother, did you just call dibs on a baby name? You can't do that. And anyway, I want to talk to you and Rory next time we get together for lunch. I want her to be the godmother."
"What about me? Shouldn't I be my own niece's godfather?"
"No, I'm not trusting you with my kid until you have your own. Josh's brother is going to be Emily or Lauren's godfather. You can have the next one."
"Fine. Just know that you're not going to be in our wedding."
"What? Oh, we'll see about that!" Honor stomped off towards the front of the house, leaving Josh, himself and Mitchum still seated.
"So, Josh, how's business?"
"Uhh, it's going well, Mr. Huntzberger, my father and I are looking to acquire another building on Fifth Avenue for expansion offices."
"Good to hear, good to hear. And Logan, how's the office in London?"
"Oh, it's great. The merger with the Hong Kong technology firm will be signed later this month, which will launch Huntzberger Media to the forefront of internet news. Rory and I have been bouncing ideas off each other for a couple of weeks, we're thinking about setting up some links to some of our smaller papers, to basically increase universal readership."
"I'm really impressed by the work you're doing, son, you've made the Huntzberger corporation and me very proud." Logan locked eyes with Mitchum, knowing that he really meant every word he said. Just then, Honor rushed in, practically yelling while shoving her tiny phone into Logan's face.
"Rory, tell Logan I'm still in your wedding! Tell him now! I mean it! I am pregnant, so nobody piss me off!"
"Logan." Rory had an edge to her hushed voice, which Logan deduced as her 'I'm in the library and will kick your ass later for doing this to me' tone. "You know your sister and Josh will be in our wedding. Now, your sister is pregnant, so I want you to apologize now, then go get at least six gallons of Chunky Monkey. Better yet, arrange for a daily delivery of them. For a month. We'll talk about this later when we're both home."
"Okay, sorry to disturb you Ace, I know you're in the library. I'll talk to you later. I love you."
"I love you too. Don't expect me before at least midnight."
"Eleven, and I'll meet you to walk you back to the apartment."
"12:30 and I'll call campus services to bring me back."
"11:30, I'll meet you with coffee, drive you back and then make a pot so you can finish studying at home."
"Deal. Don't be late, Huntzberger." Logan sighed as he ended the call, handing the phone back to a calmer Honor. "Rory told me I have to say I'm sorry, and I have to deliver Chunky Monkey to you every day for a month." He adopted a conciliatory yet sarcastic tone for his apology.
"I so like your wife better than you. Get her knocked up so I can have somebody else to be pregnant with, okay?"
"Nice try, sister, little Eli or Ellie isn't happening for a while. I'd like to actually be married first."
"Eli or Ellie? You guys discussed baby names? Aw, how adorable. What are their real names going to be?" At this, Mitchum leaned in a little closer to catch his response.
"Elias Christopher, for Grandpa and Rory's dad, or Lorelai Adelaide, for Rory's tradition and Grandma. But don't worry, they're a long way off. I want Rory to be established in her career before she even thinks about kids."
"Sure, you say that now. Wait six months after the wedding and see how many times you enjoy sleeping on the couch for wanting to put off kids for a while." Josh jumped into the conversation, happy to have an ally in Logan.
"Fine, whatever. I'm tired and dying for some of that pumpkin ravioli we have in our freezer. Oh, do you think it'd be good with syrup? Ohh, definitely sprinkles too. Come on, Josh. Goodnight Dad, Logan, we'll talk to you soon."
"Good night Honor, I'll see you at the Christmas Gala. Have a safe drive home." Left with just Mitchum at the table, Logan made a motion to adjourn to the library to see what his grandfather was up to. While strolling down the hallway, Mitchum put his arm around Logan and pulled him closer. "Your grandfather will be very touched to hear the baby names you and Rory picked out. It will mean a lot to him."
"What will mean a lot to me?" Logan's grandfather interjected, catching the tail end of Mitchum and Logan's conversation.
"The baby names Rory picked out, Grandpa."
"Oh, Logan, she's not pregnant, is she? Your mother is going to have a field day if you have a shot gun wedding."
"No, Grandpa, she's not and won't be for a while. We were just discussing children a while back and we decided on some names. Rory wants Elias, Eli for short, if we have a boy, and she'd like to use Grandma's name for our daughter's middle name, since she knows how much I loved Grandma." Logan thought he detected a twinkle in his grandfather's eye that seemed almost out of place with the man's gruffness.
"You know, my Adelaide had eyes like Rory's. I'm sure my great-granddaughter will be just as beautiful. Now, let's discuss the business."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Logan, don't make me go! I am in no mood to have your mother fawn all over me and watch my grandmother fight to drag me around the party all night. You, you get to hang out at the sub-party while I get grilled on this mythical ring I have neither seen nor want to see. How about we stay home and compare the American Office to the British version? Oh, and Chinese. And pizza." She had her arms folded in front of her like a petulant child, her hair half-done and one side of her face made up. He placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer to him.
"Ace, I promise you a John Cleese marathon, followed by repeat showings of the Princess Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I will even watch This is Spinal Tap with you and do re-enactments if you go to this party with me. I already got you a dress and shoes, and you look half pretty already. So, please?"
"Half pretty? You've definitely lost the Huntzberger charm if the best you can muster is half pretty." Her lips pouted, although her eyes told him that she of course was going to go.
"Okay, you are the most beautiful woman in the world, especially undressed. Now would you please go finish getting ready? My mother specifically instructed us to be early so we can 'properly' greet her guests." He gave her a little push back towards their bathroom.
"Properly greet her guests? Should I work on my curtsy for her? Maybe break out the tiara from Gran?"
"Okay, I'll even give you one of your presents early if you just go finish getting ready. And I'll have Frank drive around until we're only fifteen minutes early, instead of the whole half-hour she requested us for."
"Grr, you're such a pain." She whirled and stalked towards the bathroom.
"Life is pain, highness!" She popped her head out of the bathroom, her toothbrush stuck haphazardly on the side. "Do not think a smirk and movie quotations means you win, you miscreant!" He smiled at her reference of their prank war.
"Put on the pretty dress and I'll give you your present. Now go!"
Thirty minutes later, she emerged in a sparkling burgundy taffeta gown, pulling on the sky-high stilettos she knew he loved. Frowning, she made her way over to him as he finished tying his bow tie. She reached up to his collar, smoothing it out.
"Here, let me do that. Thank god I memorized the directions from Gran's funeral. My grandpa always said there's a certain calm that comes with a well-tied bow tie. There, now that looks right. Now why don't I see a large box in your hands, mister? Or could it be that my present is simply too large to fit inside a box, like say, my very own Yale coffee stand guy to follow me wherever I go?" She continued brushing his shoulders, removing imperceptible specks. He smiled at her, slowly removing his hands from his pockets.
"I didn't have time to wrap them, I just picked them up from the vault a few hours ago. But since you've been such a good sport about it, there's a, well, a present in each hand." He held out both his hands towards her, curled into fists.
"Vault? You have a vault? Is that where your mother and Tony Kushner play canasta?"
"No, that's the game room, silly. Now, Miss Gilmore, please select a hand." She closed her eyes and silently pointed to his right hand. He walked behind her and situated the necklace on her bare skin, making her shiver as he trailed his now empty fingers down her exposed back. Her hand flew to her clavicle as her eyes fluttered open and took in her reflection in the mirror. "Oh my god, Logan! This is too expensive! You have to return it! I can't possibly wear this!"
"Ace, it'd be kind of hard to return a family heirloom, we've had it for years, that's kind of the point of the heirloom part."
"Logan, I can't wear this! What if something happens to it? Does your family know you gave this to me?"
"Of course, my grandpa gave me the okay the last time we had dinner. It was my grandma Adelaide's necklace that my grandpa gave her for their first Christmas together. I told him about the names we had picked out for kids, and he said he wanted you to have a little part of my grandma since he knows the two of you would have gotten along so well. Plus, he knows how important you are to me, so he's trying."
"Oh, Logan, I love it. It's too beautiful." He bent down to kiss her cheek softly.
"We both know it's only a necklace, and you're the one that's really too beautiful."
"Was that sap I just heard? My God, it's like living with Tom Hanks in a Nora Ephron flick. Do you have Meg Ryan stashed in the closet?"
"Oh, now is that any way to talk to the man who just gave you a necklace worth more than the gross national product of Micronesia?"
"You have got to be kidding me." Her eyes glazed a little and she reached for her non-existent sleeves to fiddle with nervously.
"Well, since you're in such a good mood, I'll just give you the ahem, other present now." He opened up his other hand to reveal the storied Huntzberger engagement ring. She looked down and gasped.
"Oh, no. No, no, no. no. I like the one I have. I'm not sure I could even lift my hand with that piece of Africa on it. Plus, there would be the additional weight of the millions of souls that perished into making that thing on it."
"Ace, my politically correct darling, I got a sworn statement from Harry Winston that testifies that this ring was in no way, shape, or form, involved in the blood diamond trade."
"There's really a Harry Winston? I totally thought that was just like Ruth Chris, or Dave and Buster's, random names. And you did not do that, did you?"
"Would you feel better about wearing it if I did?" He moved to grab her left hand.
"Can I at least keep my ring on with it? I mean, I haven't taken it off since you got it for me when we were in London."
"Yes, but can you switch it to the other hand? It looks too much like a wedding ring, and I've already had to quell Huntzberger family fears that our wedding should involve a shot gun."
"But why do you get to wear your ring?" Her lips were pouty again, but she slid off her ring and transferred it to her right hand.
"Because people don't look at the guy's hand. Plus, I rarely take it off. I told my dad it was easier to fend off girls if I had it on. I think he understands it. Now, are you ready to go?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Rory, Logan, there you are, darlings. Rory, what a gorgeous dress you're wearing, Oscar?" Shira greeted them overenthusiastically as they made their entrance into the decorated mansion. She kissed Logan and then pulled Rory into a loose hug, placing her lips near Rory's cheek.
"Vera Wang, actually. Logan picked it out for me, he has a better idea of what dress was appropriate for your Christmas Gala." She squeezed his hand tighter, slightly digging the ring into his palm.
"Well, you know Logan, he has such an eye for dress sizes. Now, dear, would you mind if I borrowed Rory and made the rounds with our DAR friends? Tweenie Halpurn has just been dying to see Rory's ring." Shira started moving away from Logan, taking Rory with her.
"Of course, Mother, I see some business associates I should say hello to. Meet me at the bar in thirty, Ace? I love you." He reluctantly dropped her hand and watched his mother drag her over towards a gaggle of identically-dressed women.
"So, I see your mother found out about the Hayden thing, huh?" He turned and smiled as he saw Lorelai saunter up to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders.
"Hey Lorelai, good to see you! I didn't know you were coming. Or did Rory mention it and I forgot?"
"No, I forgot to tell her that my mother decided to force me into attending this instead of a Friday Night Dinner. But hey, if your mother has top shelf liquor and not enough salmon puffs, this could turn into a decent little shindig."
"Oh, trust me; my mother has more than decent liquor. You could probably get the bartender to slip a Xanax into your martini; I think that's what my mother likes as garnish." She chuckled at his little dig against Shira.
"Remind me to tell you the time when my mother offered me a Quaalude, that was a crowning moment for a girl's first break up."
"Who did you manage to drag with you tonight?"
"I got Luke to come, but I almost asked Michel since I'm stumped for his Christmas gift and he would die if he saw this house."
"You can tell him I'll arrange for a private tour with our housekeeper. I'm sure my mother will be at a spa drying out after the holidays, but then again, she'd probably love Michel."
"Oh my god, you're so right. I mean, Emily adores Michel, so of course your mother would too. What is it with rich society women and menstrual French concierges?"
"That, Lorelai, is a question for the ages. For now, can I escort you to the bar?"
"Oh, definitely kid. Lead the way to the hooch! I'll even buy the first round."
"Lorelai, it's an open bar."
"Well, duh, Limo Boy, you think I would waste my money when I can simply do shots of your father's?"
"Touché, touché." He tucked her arm under his and wound their way past the glittering society couples.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ugh. I so should have grabbed a glass of champagne before your mother chained me to her side. Do you know how many people grabbed my hand tonight? I am so thankful Grandma made me get a manicure before tonight." Rory sighed as she half collapsed on Logan while wearily ordering a drink.
"Why hello Elizabeth, steal Debbie's husband yet?" Her head swiveled to face Lorelai, who was next to them at the bar.
"No, Conrad and I just barely made it down the aisle."
"You do realize that was completely anachronistic and therefore makes me better than you, right?" Rory weakly waved her hand in a show of defeat, then pushed off of Logan to stand on her own.
"So, Rose, who gave you the heart of the ocean?"
"Titanic?" Logan guessed, proud that he caught on to their little pop culture game.
"Huh? Explain please, I've just spent the last hour being questioned by Constance Betterton if topiaries in the shape of deceased pets are tacky or merely unrefined." Rory began to rub her temples while he delicately massaged her stiff shoulders.
"Silly DAR woman, they should know topiaries must only be of zoo animals, no mere domestic animals for carved shrubbery. I mean the DeBeers mine around your neck, but hey, we could talk about how the Rockefeller Plaza rink somehow made its way onto your finger. Take your pick."
"Okay, the necklace is Logan's grandmother's; he gave it to me as a bribe to go to this thing. The ring, you knew about. Heck, I knew about it. It's just a huge difference between imagining it and actually wearing it."
"Has my mother seen that yet? She might faint into her salmon puff."
"No, I haven't seen Grandma or Grandpa all night. I thought they never missed this."
"Well, Ace, no worries. I think I see Richard pushing Emily around the dance floor. Care to join them?" He grasped her hand and tugged her towards the marble floor. He nodded casually towards the orchestra director, who eased into 'Moon River'. As he led Rory out onto the floor, a small 'aw' of admiration rippled through the well-dressed crowd. He watched as her head twisted around, noticing that everyone had ceased their conversations to glance at the couple.
"Logan," she said in a small voice as she tried to disappear into his shoulder.
"Shh, Ace, let them look. It doesn't matter. It's just you and me out here, babe, you're the only girl I see." He pulled her in tighter, wanting to envelop her completely in his arms. He was slowly starting to understand this innate need to protect her, shield her from everything hurtful. He was exploring this new idea, that his happiness was contingent on her happiness. It wasn't necessarily a completely new concept for him, but it was surprising to him that he had adapted so easily to it. She occupied most of his thoughts, him considering her feelings during his decision-making process, certainly a new thing for him. He considered her a part of himself, but there were instances that taught him that she was her own person, a separate entity that needed to be considered, feelings and thoughts taken into the deliberation of choices. He tried to anticipate how she would react to things, but she continually surprised him. He liked that about her, but sometimes he wished he had something more than an inkling of what she was thinking. He was happy though, and content to have an entire lifetime to figure her out. The song was drawing to a close, and Logan finally took notice that the dance floor had cleared except for Rory and him. Looking up, he could see the smiles on the guests' faces, and hear the soft applause they generated. Rory curled into his side, murmuring in his ear, "Should I bow or something?"
"No, Ginger, I think your audience is fine with just a smile."
"Aw, nuts! And here I was, practicing my curtsy for the Junior League." She tried to keep a straight face during her Southern drawl, but she broke out in laughter.
"Ace, your accent is terrible. Almost as bad as your British one. Come on, at least I had Vera make your dress out of something other than curtains." He pulled her towards the area where her grandparents were holding court.
"What do you mean, had Vera make for me? Did you get yet another designer gown specifically for me? What is wrong with department stores, I ask? Even Neiman Marcus, seriously!"
"Aw, now Ace, you know Huntzbergers don't do off the rack!" They were interrupted by Emily, squealing when she caught sight of Rory's hand.
"Oh, Rory, you're finally wearing it! Logan, it's beautiful! Did you make sure Constance and the DAR ladies saw it? That's all they could talk about last meeting, that and Nora's face-lift. Anyway, how are you two?"
Rory beamed as she smiled at Logan before she answered her grandmother. "We're great, Grandma, finals went well, and Logan's home until after the new year. We're just trying to finish up some last-minute Christmas shopping."
"Will you be joining us on Christmas Eve for dinner? We'd like to celebrate before we leave for Prague again."
"Oh, Grandpa, Prague?" She turned, taking Logan with her, to face her grandfather.
"You know how much I love their bridges in the winter. And arguing with their cab drivers. Logan, are you doing any traveling? Between Rory and the Wall Street Journal, I've been kept apprised of your London business."
"Actually, I'm headed to Hong Kong in late January to finish up a merger with a technology firm to launch part of the company online, which will help boost flagging readership. I'm very excited, it's been our pet project for a couple of months now." As he said 'we', he indicated between himself and Rory, drawing an amused raised eyebrow from Emily.
"Oh, well, when will you be back in Hartford? Shira called me to schedule a date for an engagement party. Very interesting, if you ask me." She shot a look at Rory that spokes volumes, but Logan couldn't really follow what it meant.
"She found out about Dad, Grandma, so now she's really happy about the engagement."
"Oh really? Well, of course she is. If you excuse us, dear, I simply must catch Constance before she has to be carried out of here. We'll see you at seven on the 24th, right?"
"Emily, Richard, good to see you again. Rory and I will see you in a few days. Good night." He smiled as the older couple left them alone at last, in a secluded alcove perfect for some quality time. His smile grew even wider as he felt Rory's hands slipping under his dinner jacket while finding his lips. "Next year we go away for Christmas, or at least for this party."
"I'm with you, but next year we'll have a little niece to worry about, remember? And I don't think Honor would like it very much if her daughter's aunt and godmother wouldn't be around for her first Christmas."
"Godmother? Really? Oh, babe, I have to go find her and thank her! Have you seen her?"
He laughed at her excitement over learning the news. "I think she's wherever the most amount of food is. Go ahead, I'll catch up with you later. I love you." She quickly pecked him on the cheek and scampered off to find his sister. He smiled; this was what real family was supposed to be, people who wanted to spend time together on holidays, people who were happy for each other when they had good news to share, people to share their lives with.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So did your father say what he wanted to meet with us about?" She looked nervously over to him, although he kept his eyes discreetly focused on the road and not on her delicious legs.
"No, but I don't think it's because he didn't like what you got him for Christmas. Hell, I would have loved a signed first edition of Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise."
"Well, you kind of paid for it, so I feel guilty about that." He took her hand in his, covering the clutch together.
"Hey, what did I say about that? It's not my money, it's our money. We just have to discuss major decisions with each other, I figured that out after you refused to drive the car I got you."
"You didn't get me a car, Logan, you got me a Cayenne so you could have an SUV to drive when you didn't want to take the convertible. I like my Prius, there's nothing wrong with it. I don't need an expensive car when my reliable, economical, environmental car runs perfectly well."
"Okay, I know I'm probably going to regret saying this, but, you're a Huntzberger, or going to be one. People are going to expect you to have a Cayenne, a CLK or at least a driver. I'm not trying to change you, or dictate how you should live, I just thought it would make the transition easier for you if I took care of some things for you." She looked up at him, which made him nervous. He could read her, but this time, he couldn't concentrate fully on what her eyes were really telling him.
"I do know, Logan, and I really appreciate your consideration. I just hate the fact that I have to conform to these stupid, archaic society standards. But, I knew I would have to do that to a degree if I'm going to be your wife, so it's not a big deal. If keeping the car will make it that much easier on us, then, I'll keep it. I make no guarantees about driving it regularly, but I'll at least keep the keys on my key chain." She looked thoughtful at the end of her last statement, which pacified his fears that she was upset about his true reasoning behind the car.
They approached the front door of the Huntzberger house together, with his dawdling pace setting the mood. He reached for her hand before she rang the bell, and pulled her flush against him.
"Promise me we never have a home like this, okay? I'm okay with our kids hating us, but I never want them to hate coming home. Just the door makes me nervous." She smiled up at him, a beautiful look that instantly calmed his erratic heart.
"Pinky swear on Luke's coffee, we will never, ever have a home like this. Although, I intend on playing good cop, so it's a toss up if our kids hate you."
"I'm impossible to hate. Take you for an example; you said you loathed every fiber of my being, but here you are, agreeing to marry me. Just wait until I get you knocked up!" He grinned devilishly, although slightly unsure that his comment was worth sleeping on the couch for.
"Oh, now you know I'm just in it for the money, right?" She teased him right back, and then grinned as she forcefully rang the doorbell, eliciting a moan from him.
"Oh hush, you know it won't be that bad. At least I hope it won't."
To both their surprise, Mitchum answered the door. "Rory, Logan, good to see you. Come in, come in, lots to discuss." He ushered them in, ignoring Logan's cocked head and look of surprise.
"So, I assume both of you are wondering why I wanted to see you, strictly good news, I assure you. The families just wanted to talk about the engagement announcement, and Rory, your grandfather has some news for you."
Logan quickly piped in, unconsciously tightening his grip on Rory's waist. "So why call a meeting, especially at home? And why aren't you at the office?"
Rory, still shaking her head, spotted her grandfather emerging from the library. "Oh, Rory, there you are. Hello, Logan, good to see you again, my boy. How are things?"
Logan gripped his hand, allowing his arm to be clasped in a very society manner.
"Things are fine, Richard, just enjoying the time off."
"Good, that's good. Well, no use dancing around the subject, Rory, I have something very important to share with you. It seems that Trix's lawyer was reviewing some of her charitable contributions that were stipulated in her will, and came across something that I think would be of interest to you. Now that you're engaged, a different part of your trust fund can be accessed, and Trix, the sly devil that she was, also left you the house in London as well as her title." Logan could see Rory's mind race while it processed the information her grandfather had just shared with her. He cut through her silence, answering in her place; "So what does this exactly mean?"
Richard briefly glanced towards Rory, took in her shocked expression, and turned towards Logan. "It means that Rory's going to have to make some decisions about naming a trust manager, overseeing the estate, of course, there's the London society announcement, lots of press probably going to be involved with that, but really, the most important thing is concentrating on settling the financial matters."
"Oh my…grandpa, you're serious? Oh, I really need to sit down and think, or oh god, I just processed the London society bit." She grabbed for his hand, and he was more than insistent on leading her to a chair. Her eyes were wide and she was far too pale for his liking. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as she gripped the arms of the chair, her knuckles white.
"Rory, babe, do you want to go lie down, rest for a bit? You can go upstairs and I'll get more information from your grandpa and the lawyers." He whispered reassuringly in her ear, sliding his hand down to her lower back, gently dipping his thumb underneath her shirt to give more skin to skin contact. She turned her head slightly, searching his eyes for something. Whatever she was looking for, she seemed to find it, her shoulders releasing some tension and her face softening. "Yeah, laying down, laying down is good." She started to rise from her chair and move towards the door. "Gentlemen," Logan addressed the rest of the crowd in the study, "Rory's going to go lay down for a bit, but I would like to go over the specifics with you, if you don't mind." Heads nodded in agreement as Rory almost dragged him to the door. Once they were outside in the hallway, she laid her head on his shoulder and heaved a big sigh. Feeling how drained of energy she truly was, he put her arms around his neck and scooped her up. He knew she truly needed to lay down because she didn't fight him at all, merely snuggled into the side of his neck while murmuring into his skin.
"What was that, Ace? My ears are a couple of kisses north of you." She heaved another audible sigh, curled a little closer to him and breathed, "I said, oh my God and started to say 'you don't have to carry me', but on second thought, walking seems like a big deal right now."
"Hey, you never let yourself get sick, and you hate me lavishing you with expensive presents, so I never get to take care of you. Plus, thanks to your impersonation of Rockne during physical therapy, I can lift you like this."
She raised her head a little, smiling slightly. "I don't read sports books for just anybody, Huntzberger."
"Oh, I know Ace. And I don't Florence Nightingale just anybody either. Except Finn for that one time in Rio, but that was for my own personal gains." She raised her hand briefly, but let it drop.
"What are you doing?"
"I was trying to hit you, but I'm too exhausted. Remind me I owe you one when I wake up from this nightmare."
He chuckled, shifting her slightly to reach for the doorknob to a darkened room at the top of the stairs. "Will do. I'll even make you a post-it." He laid her gently on the bed, arranging the covers around her.
"Hey Logan?" She looked up at him through sleep-tinged eyes.
"Hey Ace?"
She managed a small smile while closing her lids. "Thank you." She didn't launch into specifics, but he knew that they were capable of expressing a multitude of thoughts with few words. She was thanking him, not only for carrying her, but for wanting to support her through this ordeal, wanting to stand by her side, for standing around to catch her if she fell.
A/N: So so sorry about the transitions being rather unclear, I forgot that my computer doesn't exactly translate all too well with FF. I will also introduce the characters next time I start a transition with dialogue, although I tried to make their identities obvious with the conversations. Thank you for all the amazing reviews!