It was the second week in April and Logan was making plans for a weekend with Rory in Stars Hollow at the end of the month. They had done major metropolitan areas and Rory had suggested that Logan finally take the plunge and spend a few days in the town that she grew up in. Logan was reluctant at first, not sure how he would be able to handle the quirky town that Rory described. Logan always saw himself as more of a city guy and wasn't sure the subdued weekend life of a hamlet, no matter how eccentric, would mix well with him. Yet all it took was for Rory to pout and draw out his name during a late night phone call for him to agree with a weekend in the Hollow.
He had just made arrangements for the voyage across the Atlantic and had confirmed with Lorelai a room at the Dragonfly Inn for his stay. Logan had thought that it would be less weird for Rory, and for him, to not do what he wanted to do with Rory in her bed, under her mother's roof. Logan was placing the receiver in the cradle of his office phone when Mitchum unexpectedly came through his office door.
"Dad? What are you doing here?" Logan asked, not expecting his father until the end of May to check if things were on course for Logan's departure from London.
"Son, you need to pack up your stuff. You're leaving." Mitchum told him, after sitting down on the chair across from Logan's desk.
Logan looked confused, he wasn't scheduled for a business trip until May, "what are you talking about? I'm not scheduled to go anywhere on business for a month."
"This isn't a business trip Logan, you're leaving London, and you aren't coming back, so hurry up and start making preparations. Get stuff ready for the movers at your apartment and wrap up things here at the office," Mitchum told him as if it were the easiest thing to understand.
Logan started to worry, he thought his father might try and pull a stunt like this that would see Logan not being able to move back to America. "I'm not doing anything until you explain to me what's happening and where I'm going. Hell, don't be so sure I'll just jump at your beck and call."
Mitchum sighed in an exasperated fashion, "there's no need to get moody Logan, I had a senior executive retire a few years ahead of schedule, said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and family," Mitchum said with anger present, Logan rolled his eyes at his father's reaction, "anyway there's some shuffling going in and there's a vacancy that needs to be filled and you are going to fill it."
"I thought I was going to be groomed to take over the business, not just act as a replacement when the need arose."
"Logan, you aren't going to be working in the mail room, you'll be working as an executive, this will put you on the track that is necessary. You'll be doing business deals, handling mergers, acquisitions, that sort of thing. This is important stuff Logan, you will need to take it seriously, it won't be like here, where your screwups can be fixed, you'll be dealing with millions of dollars worth of business. You'll need to be up to the challenge."
While Logan didn't like the implication that his father made with regards to his screw ups, he had to admit that what his father described was what he had wanted to do, and now he was going to be able to do it in an executive position, where it mattered, one thing still concerned him because his father hadn't made it clear, "so I'll be working at Huntzberger Media's home base in New York right?"
"Glad all those years spent in the family soaked in. Of course you'll be in New York Logan, that's where everything gets done. You better be a hell of a lot sharper and smarter when you're working New York than you are now. You will not disappoint me at home, understood Logan?"
All Logan could muster was a half-hearted "yeah," he hated the fact that his father had disregarded all he had accomplished in London during this talk and how he had so little faith in him. But Logan was also glad, he was going to be moving back to the United States, and to Rory.
"The plane leaves tomorrow at 11am, you will be on it Logan, there's a penthouse apartment waiting for you in New York, come by the office and I'll give you what you need," Mitchum said as he shook Logan's hand and left his son standing behind his desk, wondering what to do next.
Logan was seated on the plane flying over the ocean, thinking back on the last 24 hours. When his father left the office Logan was still a bit shocked. He had so many things on his mind, what were the essential things he needed from his apartment in London to transfer to his New York penthouse. What was he going to tell his employees of his sudden departure, and more importantly what was he going to tell Rory.
He told his staff in London during a difficult emergency meeting. Logan had grown to respect and like the people who worked for him, and he would have liked more time to prepare himself for leaving. Logan had told them of the great jobs they had done and that even though he was leaving, they would all remain and a replacement for Logan would be in the next morning. After shaking a few hands, and hugging a few more, Logan gathered the necessary items from his office, his laptop, and some pictures of Rory, and took the elevator down to the lobby one last time.
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Logan arrived at his apartment just past three in the afternoon. A message was left on his voice mail saying from his father telling him that he should take the essentials and everything else would be in New York within the week. His new place in New York would be fully furnished when he got there so Logan just needed to take personal effects and smaller items. It took Logan until seven at night before everything he needed was packed into his sleek suitcases, which he placed by the door for easy access to when he left the following morning, the only thing left to do was to call Rory and inform her of his move. Logan was looking at the phone that was on the table, directly infront of him while he sat on the couch. He didn't have any apprehension with telling Rory the news, he was coming back sooner, and he knew Rory would be thrilled. Logan just didn't know if Rory would be more thrilled with hearing over the phone or having the message be delivered in person as a surprise. Logan thought about it for a few moments before making up his mind: a tactile reaction in person to the news would be much better than an aural one over the telephone.
Logan was now driving from the airport in Hartford to Rory's apartment she shared with Paris near Yale. Logan had got settled in at work like Mitchum had told him to, and had a chance to drop off his things at his new place in New York, which Logan had to admit was very nice. During this time Logan had managed to keep Rory out of the loop, all she knew was that Logan was going to be busy at work and that he would fill her in on everything before he went to bed as Rory still thought he was on London time. It was nine at night before Logan reached the front door of Rory's apartment. She had told him that she would be home so the likelihood of her not being there for the surprise was small. He knocked on the door hoping that Rory would be the one to greet him, but with no such luck, Paris was the one who opened the door.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Paris asked.
"And a hello to you too, is Rory there?" Logan asked stepping in the apartment.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, I didn't invite you in," Paris yelled.
Rory heard the commotion and came out of her room, "Paris, what's going on out," she saw Logan and stopped in her place, waited a moment before shrieking with joy and ran into his arms, with Logan smiling all the while. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she placed her head in between his shoulder and his head.
"Funny story, someone retired, so my Dad sent me to New York as sort of an accelerated mogul program. I have to admit though, this was one of those programs that I could like being a part of, plus my new place is really nice."
Rory stayed silent until it dawned on her, "Wait, so you're in New York? Now? For good?"
"Well I'm not sure if it's for good, but for the good while I will be living in the Big Apple, but with frequent appearances in Connecticut of that I'm sure."
This admission caused Rory to once again find the lips of Logan and pour in all her passion and excitement of the news of his early move to a very lengthy kiss.
Paris was not impressed, "Oh please Rory. You believe that? Someone retired and bingo bango, Blondie's back in the states? The more likely scenario is during of his quote business trips unquote, he found someone for the night, knocked her up and now is back to clean up the mess."
Logan looked at Paris like she was from Mars, wondering where she got such a warped view of him from. Rory was stunned into silence, which after a few seconds worried Logan she can't seriously be contemplating what Paris is saying he thought.
"Logan" Rory finally spoke in a soft tone.
"Oh god Rory, I can't believe this. I really don't know what to say. That you'd actually entertain that thought? I mean seriously? I can't win here can I? No matter what I do I'm going to be the bad guy aren't I?" before Logan could go on Rory silenced him with a finger to the mouth.
"Logan, what I was going to say before you launched into a rather cute tirade, was, Logan what do you say we get out of here and christen that penthouse?"
"Oh," Logan sheepishly said, now feeling stupid over getting worried, "I say the helicopter can be ready in twenty minutes," Logan extended his hand which Rory took immediately and led her out of the apartment.
Before they fully exited Rory turned back towards Paris and told her with a hint of anger, due to her previous comment about Logan, "I don't have any classes tomorrow so don't wait up," she turned back to Logan who was now smiling broadly as they walked out of the apartment complex. Logan helped Rory into the passenger seat and then got into the driver's seat and sped off in the direction of the airport, both eager to get to New York, and wondering if the helicopter was able to be christened.
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Author's Note: So it turns out I'm not too fond of writing Logan on one continent and Rory on another, so they are back in North America. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, look for another one on Friday or Saturday, and another chapter of Change of Plans tomorrow. Reviews, as always, are appreciated. Happy reading.