chapter thirteen

Two months had gone by. Two long, hard months. He had returned to West Coast, two months of bitching reporters and his father hovering over him a little too close for his liking. He had just gotten back to New York yesterday and the first thing he did was go to her, only to find she was still gone.

Her house was left the way it was, very little signs of life. Someone had come to clean, dust, vacuum, the works, but it showed no signs of her living there. No piles of high heels by the door, no half empty cups of coffee by the sink with the rim lined with pearly pink lipstick, no cartons of take out in the fridge. No Rory.

He called her cell phone, like he had done everyday for the past two months, leaving her a message of some sort. November was coming fast and he was becoming worried. He couldn't help but want to find her, despite what she had told him.

She, on the other hand, was beginning to feel refreshed, despite having morning sickness and the regular pregnancy side effects. She missed him, more than she cared to admit, but came to love the peaceful solitude her little bungalow on the coast offered her. She was the only one on this side of the coast and the feeling of loneliness was one she never rejected.

She came to love the small town she lived by the some people she had happened to meet, but she was always comparing them to him, making them dull in comparison.

She talked to her mother often and though Lorelai never told her, Rory knew her mother must be talking to Logan, what with the messages she had been left and the things he had told her.

Yes, the messages. She waited on a baited breath for them, everyday, saving them, relishing the sound of his voice in her ear, as if he were close by.

Even now, when she thought about it, she didn't know why she left. A moment of weakness after he left her, for fear that because this happened, he wouldn't be back. She loved her home, but she hated being left behind. So she went. And now, the thought of going home to face him, his anger, her regret, all of the emotions plus the hormones of a pregnant woman was not something she wanted to deal with.

She sat on the beach, sand between her bare feet, even on a cold, late October day like this one. The sky was gray, the ocean almost black. A blanket wrapped her around shoulders, the phone was clutched in her hands as if it were her final possession.

She put it to her ear with one had, her other hand smoothing over her slightly swollen stomach through her thin t-shirt and fleece jacket, feeling the elastic of her sweatpants.

"Hey, Ror, it's me. Just calling to see how you were today. I heard you were pretty sick the past few days, so call if you need anything. I'm still waiting. I love you." That one came only last week, and she could feel her heart race at the idea of his mere concern for her.

She listened to the next one and the next one, all up until to today. "Rory, we're getting worried. We as in those who don't know where you are. I need you here, I'm…I miss you. Please, call me. I love you. Don't forget your vitamins."

It was added to the end as if she would forget, as if she wasn't coming back at all.

She stood and pulled the blanket even tighter around herself. She figured being outside in the eastern coast cold wouldn't be good for the baby, especially as often as she was out. She had even gone to the doctor nearby when she arrived to confirm that yes, she was pregnant, and yes, both she and the baby were healthy.

She didn't want to know the sex of the baby, not without him there.

She climbed back over the small hill of sand that her home rested on, her small hands resting on her stomach, as if to keep it warm, and she nearly died of fright when she heard someone clearing their throat beside her.

"Mr. Huntzberger…" she trailed off.

"I heard a congratulations was in order," he said matter of factly.

"From who?" she asked.

"Your grandmother. Your mother called her and it slipped out, apparently."

"Great. So why are you here?"

"Well, it was told you were blunt."

"Mr. Huntzberger, I have no reason or desire to be polite to you. After what you said about me and my family was more than enough to make me a complete bitch to you. Second of all, if you came here to disrespect me or my baby, your grandchild, I might add, you can leave the same way you came."

"When Shira was pregnant, I had no idea how hormonal she was," he said, almost inquisitively.

"You'd have to be around to know," she snapped.

He tucked his hands in his pockets and promptly ignored her statement. "Are you going to invite me in?"

She shook her head, "No. You didn't tell me what you want, therefore I don't want you in my home."

"Ms. Gilmore, I assure you, I'm not here to provoke you or anything of the sort, I merely want to talk to you. Besides, you're pregnant, you shouldn't be outside in this cold."

"Were you there for either of your children's births?"

He paused, "I'm afraid I was detained in meetings."

"Then you don't know what the hell you're talking about." She pushed open the front door, leaving him to enter and close it behind her before walking to the small kitchen to put on a pot of tea.

"Logan said you liked coffee."

"I had to give it up for now and I don't like decaf," she said, never stopping her movements at the stove.

"Ah."

She turned around, leaning against the counter. "What do you want?"

"Well, it turns out that my family and I were wrong in our assumptions about you."

She rolled her eyes, "Gee, you think? If that's the generalization you make of every one your son brings home, its no wonder half of Hartford hates you. You insulted all their daughters."

He smiled at her comment and she poured the tea, in two mugs, handing him one and sat down across from him at the table. He had to give this girl credit, not many in her situation or with her past would dare talk to a man as high up on the social totem pole as himself as she was now.

"I came to check up on you. Logan expressed some worries about after a meeting this morning when he was caught zoning out. Since you seem to show no interest in leaving any time soon nor any desire to answer his calls, I took it upon myself to find you."

"I'm sure he loved that."

"He doesn't know."

Her mouth was set in a line. "How is he?"

"Miserable, depressed, only working half-speed."

"Of course, that's what's most important to you."

"Ms. Gilmore, my relationship with my son is in no way related to you." He changed the topic. "Now, I think the question would be how are you?"

"Better than some, worse than others."

"Let's try to be a bit vaguer," he said sarcastically.

"Look, Mr. Huntzberger…"

"Mitchum," he interrupted. "Call me Mitchum. After all, you're technically my daughter-in-law."

"Your what?"

"Anyways," he said, ignoring her, "As you were saying?"

"Mitchum," she emphasized it in annoyance towards his demeanor. "I have no interest in sharing my problems with someone I don't know."

"What sort of problems? Money? Mental?"

She laughed, a loud laugh. She clapped a hand over her mouth, "Sorry. That was funny. Um, no to both. I'm more than set with money and my mental state of being is normal to that of a pregnant woman. Sastisfied?"

"Not quite. Are you coming back any time soon? You only have a little less than seven months until you're due. I'm sure Logan would hate you forever if you wouldn't let him be there."

She looked at her hands, "I'll be back before then. I just, I'm not ready."

"He wants to be there."

She looked at him. "You should go. I'm getting tired."

"I need to get back in to the city anyways."

She stood up with him to walk him to the door, "Are you going to tell him where I am?"

"Do you want me to?"

She pulled open the door, shaking her head.

"Tell him to come find me, and I'll be here. Please."

He sighed, "Rory, you know I'm in no position to do that. I can tell him where you are, but it's up to you to do the rest."

She looked past his shoulder, "I know. It was worth a shot. Just leave it be for now."

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Mitchum had left a few hours ago and she was in the same position that she had moved to after he left. On the left side of her queen size bed, phone clutched in her hand, almost waiting for him to come to her.

She dialed his number, carefully concentrating on each one so as not to lose her courage by putting to much doubt into her actions.

"Hello?" He sounded distracted, didn't even look at the caller ID.

"Logan," she began.

"Rory? Is that you? Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

"Did you need something?" he asked, his voice still concerned.

She bit her lip; she couldn't even call him anymore without him thinking she needed something from him. It was suitable, she needed him.

"I need you to come to me."

"Rory…" but he only heard dial tone. He held the phone in his hand, wondering if he really just had that conversation or if he had really gone crazy by not having her here. It was a fleeting thought though, because the next thing he knew he was talking to her mother on the phone, trying to convince her to tell him where her daughter was.

In her bed, Rory rolled over, dropping the phone on the floor next to her bed and closed her eyes, praying for both sleep and for him to come quickly to her.


I woke up in white cotton sheets

With a glass of champagne in my hand

I looked out the window beside me

Breathed in the sea and the sand

And all felt fine

I stood up on a white tile floor

Took down my hair and I cried

I walked through the arches and on to the shore

And let the waves crash for a while

And it all felt fine

I was the only one

Walking on the ocean that night

I was the only one

Encompassed and kissed by starlight

And all the fireflies whispered your name

Love, love

Dance with me in this moonlight

Love, love

Don't leave me now it's only midnight

He's already gone

I laid down in white salty sand

In a gown for a party I'd never attend

I looked out the vastness before me

Picked up my skirt and I ran

And the moon was mine

I laughed at my foolish pride

Got lost in the mist as my tears relied

I wish you knew I stilled cared

And a lighthouse broke through the night

But the moon was mine

I was the only one

Walking on the ocean that night

I was the only one

Encompassed and kissed by starlight

And all the fireflies whispered your name

Love, love

Dance with me in this moonlight

Love, love

Don't leave me now it's only midnight

He's already gone