"Mr. Huntzberger? I have those files you requested," a man who stood in the doorway to Logan's office said.

Logan looked up at the man and then back down at his paper, folding it closed before he began speaking. "I asked for those papers hours ago, Mr. Sohen, I don't appreciate ineffectual employees," Logan said looking his now scared employee in the eyes.

Logan looked different today, his eyes were visibly lacking sleep, he wasn't as put together as he normally was. His tie was already loosened and his suit jacket lay on a heap in the corner. This wasn't the Logan Huntzberger that Jason Sohen knew, this Logan looked broken.

"I thought you wanted those files at the end of the day."

"You were mistaken. I asked for them as soon as possible. I know those files may not seem like a lot to you, but they are very necessary for the work I'll be doing today. You may think its easy running an organization, but it's not. It takes time, it takes effort, it takes commitment," Logan said with conviction, making his employee more frightened with each passing word, "if even one of those qualities are lacking it will fall apart, and everything you wanted, everything you worked hard for, everything you dreamed of will simply go away and never enter your life again. Do you want for that to happen Mr. Sohen?"

"No, sir."

"Well neither do I, I'm not going to let it happen again," Logan said taking the files from a sweating Mr. Sohen.

"Again?" the employee nervously asked.

"What? No. What are you still doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be doing your work? Get out," Logan said as he turned his back on the employee and made his way back to his desk.

When he heard the door shut, he slumped into his chair and vigorously rubbed his eyes. This was not normal behaviour for Logan. He was usually friendly with his employees, they liked him, he liked them, the respect they shared for one another helped them be more productive. Jason was a good guy, just trying to do his job. Logan didn't remember when he asked for the files, but felt the need to get angry at someone, and Jason just happened to be there.

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Logan was still reeling from the phone call from Rory yesterday afternoon, he knew everything wasn't great but he expected Rory and him to fight for it. Logan didn't understand how after all they had been through Rory could just throw it away via a phone call. Logan's first thought was to immediately hop aboard a plane and make an in person plea for Rory to reconsider, one last ditch effort to save what he had always fought so hard to keep intact. That thought faded as Rory's words echoed in his mind, she didn't want to get deeper into this relationship, she needed to end it, and she needed to end the uncertainty. Logan laughed bitterly at the reminder. What about me? Did she even care what I thought? Well no, otherwise she might have given me a chance to speak and not just hang up on me. Logan thought as he sighed.

Logan spent the next hours cloistered in his office, a drastic change from the usual free-roaming, talkative, personable Logan that had previously occupied the office. He used his time to pore over reports about the financial situation with his office, going over every little detail, looking over numbers to make sure nothing was missed, his heart wasn't into it, but he needed something to take his mind of the hurt.

A phone call took Logan's attention off the numbers, he pressed the button for speakerphone and greeted the person on the other end with an impatient hello.

"You missed a conference call today, Logan. What the hell were you doing?" Mitchum opened.

"Uh…That was today, sorry I was a little busy," Logan answered, not sensing Mitchum would be sympathetic to his relationship problems, but Mitchum noticed a change in his son's tone.

"A little busy. This was a very important call Logan, I didn't send you here to London to screw the business over, you're here to grow up and blowing off calls isn't growing up. I won't tolerate this Logan."

"Get the hell off my case, okay!" Logan shouted at his father in an outburst that surprised even Mitchum.

"Logan, son, is everything okay," Mitchum asked concerned.

"Yeah, since when have you cared? Everything's fine dad," Logan lied.

"I need to know Logan; I count on you for more than I let on. I can't have you running things over there if you aren't one hundred percent,"

Logan laughed, for a brief moment he actually thought his father was concerned with his emotional state, but quickly Mitchum's motives were made clear, an out of shape Logan would be bad for business, "Yeah Dad, I'm fine, in perfect shape not to screw up your beloved empire. Well, it's been fun, but as you say I've got work to do, goodbye," Logan said as he ended yet another inspiring call from his father and leaned back in his chair.

Logan was usually able to deal with his father, and never forgot a meeting or important call, but things were different for Logan now. He didn't have a rock back home to lean on, he didn't have someone he could bounce ideas off of, and he didn't have someone that loved him for being Logan anymore. For all the luxuries that Logan had in his office and back at his flat, and money in his bank account, Logan truly felt without Rory he had nothing.

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In New Haven a similar disposition was a part of Rory now. When she was packing up her belongings in his apartment, not an item was put away without bringing up some memory of their time together. The picture taken during her 21st birthday party, a book he got for her one weekend just because, a coffee mug, a Dwight, from "The Office" bobble head, all served to remind Rory of the good times she and Logan had together and made her further question her decision to end things. She repeated her mantra of not wanting to get deeper in love with him, needing to get out to save herself, but with each passing box being taped up it became harder and harder.

Rory got moved out of his apartment and into Paris' relatively easily. She had taken care of things with the building so that everything was looked after and when Logan came back to visit his family, his apartment would be in pristine shape.

Paris had noticed that Rory was not as talkative as she once was and whenever the subject of Logan was approached her face began to pale and her eyes started to glisten. It didn't take someone who was pre-med to realize that Rory was not acting and behaving as one would, if she made a right decision, a decision she would not regret. But for now, there was no convincing Rory of this.

Rory walked back to her new apartment with Paris from her last class and with each step grew more depressed. Step 21 and see saw a happy couple, laughing and drinking coffee, much like her and Logan before he dropped a paper for his ethics class. Step 98 and she saw a young guy with blonde hair smiling, not the smirk that Logan had possessed, but enough to remind her of all those times he had given it to her. Step 184 and she saw a pair engaged in a friendly, yet passionate debate. It was then where Rory needed a distraction; she couldn't handle the constant reminders of what was no more. She pressed 1 on her speed dial and wasted no time.

"Tell me I did the right thing in breaking it off with Logan," Rory asked her mother, in need of reassurance.

Lorelai paused, "Do you think you did the right thing?"

"That's not what I asked. I need for you to tell me I did the right thing."

"Why? Do you not think it was the right thing to do?" Lorelai pressed on, she was never convinced that this is what Rory wanted to do.

"No. I mean. Yes. Yes it was the right thing to do. Absolutely. Right? Mom?"

Lorelai sighed, "I can't tell you that Rory. You're the only one who can say if what you did was right or wrong, but I can safely say that you don't always get second chances, and you might not now, so maybe you should just try and accept what you did and work with it."

Rory took a moment to soak in what her mother was telling her, what if no matter how much I realize it was a mistake I can't undo it? What if this isn't something that can be repaired? Rory thought and tried to calm down, she was the one who wanted this, she was the one who needed this, this wasn't something to be sad over, and she should feel liberated and ready to focus on her future, "Yeah, this was the right thing, I'm glad I did it, thanks Mom, I gotta go," Rory closed the phone and continued walking back to Paris' at a brisk pace, never liking lying to her mother.

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Logan entered his apartment much later than usual after spending a few extra hours at the office, much to the dismay of his employees. Usually he made an effort to come back to his apartment no later than eight o'clock unless there was an emergency. He didn't like what he say in himself today, Logan didn't want to become Mitchum, but today that seemed insignificant.

When Logan sat down on his leather couch he thought about what the rest of his night would bring. He didn't have any phone calls to make, didn't have any to make a special effort for something to be delivered. He no longer had to do anything like that, and a few years ago being free of the burden of trying would have pleased him, but right now it just reminded him of what he no longer had: a relationship; a love; a bond; an Ace.

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Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. I look forward to reading more of them in the future.