Finn, Colin and Steph had met the moving company at the house in Stars Hallow to pack up Rory's things. What they didn't expect was to see Ms. Gilmore along with her parents waiting for their arrival. Things were going to get awkward. Stephanie decided to take charge and marched to the front.

"We are here to collect Rory's things."

"I thought that's what the moving company was for? Hasn't that boy and his family done enough?"

"That boy loves your daughter and is currently miserable living in California without her. And that family you're complaining about took in your daughter when you told her she couldn't come home if she had any contact with them. So they are helping her any way they can. Mitchum Huntzberger made your daughter the president of the Crisis Management department within HPG. She gets to do what she loves and still travel. Do you even care that you will never see your grandchild?" By this point Stephanie was fuming.

"Excuse us ladies while we pack up our sister's things and take them to her. I can see that she is no longer welcome here and to be honest I don't feel much welcome here either." Finn led the group inside and directly to Rory's bedroom where they packed everything up. Once their job was done they instructed the movers to load the boxes into the truck and then head back to Hartford. The three friends left the house without a word to the Gilmores.

Finn, Colin and Stephanie had been at the house since they came back with her stuff from the Crap Shack. It was now Friday and everyone was preparing to leave for California. Rory had been in constant contact with her team and Jessica specifically. But right now Rory was a nervous wreck. She and Logan hadn't spoken since the day he called his parents. In all honesty she had no idea how he would react to seeing her in person. But for now she had work to worry about and besides the baby that had to be her first priority. The group made their way to the airstrip in Hartford where HPG had a jet fueled and waiting. Jessica was waiting for Rory when she arrived and greeted her immediately as they walked to the car.

"Morning Rory."

"Morning Jessica. So how's our schedule looking for today?"

"Well with everyone here and baring no delays, we will be arriving on time in California which means by the time you Steven and myself arrive at the office your first interview should be waiting for us and after the interviews are done we have a meeting with Mitchum to go over the plan for Monday and after that well the day is yours." Rory just smiled.

"Jessica you are amazing and have become an essential part of my life already. After all our meetings are done, I want you to go shopping. Buy yourself something and have it charged to the Hayden account. All stores on Rodeo Drive have the account information." Jessica looked at Rory in shock. When she started to protest Rory just waived her off and told her it wasn't a problem and with everything Jessica had done for her in a short amount of time already she deserved it.

The large group made their way onto to jet and got comfortable for takeoff. The four friends sat down with each other catching up. Mitchum and Shira sat more towards the front on his computer looking at high end baby items, Jessica and Stephen were talking about work while his wife was feeding the new baby. The pilot came over the speaker informing the large group to buckle up as they were next for takeoff. Rory who had never been one for flying closed her eyes and took several deep breaths till the jet leveled and they could freely move. When she opened her eyes, Stephanie, Colin and Finn were looking at her with worried expressions.

"You okay Hayden?"

"Yeah Colin, I'm fine. Just don't really fly much so it's not really comforting being several thousand feet above the ground."

"Okay. Well how do you feel about seeing Logan again? We know things weren't left on the best of terms at Graduation."

"No they weren't and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about what happened and how I wish I could take it back. My mom influenced every decision I ever made from the time I was little. She had no choice when we started family dinners with the Gilmore's but she wasn't happy when I willingly started seeing the Hayden's for lunch on Saturdays. She left this life at sixteen because of the scandal it caused the family not to mention she hated everything about this life. The fact that I fit in so well to everything that she turned her back on made our relationship harder. When I started dating Tristan in Chilton she wasn't happy but accepted it because he hated the life too. So when he asked me to move to North Carolina with him to get away from the Hartford influence after High School, Mom was all for it. When I said no and explained that I couldn't leave everyone behind for a life that yeah im sure would have been good but not what I wanted, Tristan understood and we are still friends. Mom never got over it. Things got worse when I started dating Logan. The weekend trips with the LDB, the shopping sprees in New York with Steph, the black card from Grandma and Grandpa Hayden. Mom despised it all. She couldn't understand how after she raised me why I would ever want to be a part of the life she left behind all those years ago. When I chose Yale over Harvard well let's just say she was beyond mad. Anyway, Mom influenced everything, even my answer to Logan and I realize now that had I not listened to my Mom Logan and I would already be in California together planning our wedding and preparing for the baby." The three friends just looked in and listened to everything Rory had said. What she didn't realize was that Colin had Logan on the phone and he had heard everything that Rory had just said. He never realized just how much influence her mom had on her. While he knew she had dated Tristan DuGrey and that they were indeed still in contact, he didn't know that she had almost been forced to go to North Carolina. He had tried to make things work where Lorelai was involved. The weekend they went to Martha's Vineyard was just one of those examples. Logan was always able to tell when things were tense where he was concerned but he never thought it was just that bad. Quickly he fired a message off to Colin and told him to hand the phone over. Colin looked down and smiled.

"Here Ror." Rory looked at it and realizing who was on the other end immediately got up and headed to the back.

"Hello?"

"Ace, why didn't you ever tell me things were that bad?"

"Because Logan, I didn't want you to stress out. You already had your own family issues that I didn't want you to worry about mine on top of it."

"Ace you were my girlfriend. Of course I was going to worry about you. Now when exactly were you going to tell me that you no longer go by Gilmore, but Hayden?"

"It's a long story Logan, you sure you got time?"

"Well how about you give Colin his phone back and grab your computer. We can Skype, see each other face to face, and you can explain things."

"Okay, give me a minute."

They hung up and Rory made her way back to the front where everyone was sitting. Handing the phone back to Colin she thanked him then grabbed her computer before making her way again to the back room. She got comfortable on the bed and fired up her new laptop. When it was up and running, she opened Skype and signed in. Immediately she got a call from ButtFacedMiscreant. Rory started laughing as she answered the call.

"Well hello there Ace."

"Hi Logan I hope you don't use this Skype account for work," she laughed.

"Nope, just personal. You look good Ace."

"Thanks Logan. So do you, although you look more tired than normal. Everything okay?"

"Yeah just going over a lot in my head and missing you. So first tell me what happened that you now go by Hayden and not Gilmore."

"It started with a typical Friday Night Dinner, except Grandma and Grandpa neglected to mention the fact that they had invited over the Haydens and Grimaldis. Apparently Robert and I are a match made in heaven. No matter how much Robert and I are friends because we bonded over the disaster of a dinner, we would never get married and we made that point clear at dinner. We said we were friends and that is all we would be. His parents were fine with that and even said that I was a good influence on Robert and he made a comment about not seeing me at Yale with the LDB and his dad started to laugh along with Grandpa Straub. The Gilmore grandparents were not too happy about that and started to talk about acting like a proper lady and how I need to settle down and find a husband and join the DAR. Well Grandma Francine just about had a conniption. Going on and on about how they are the ones who encouraged me to go to Yale, encouraged me to get an education and make a name for myself. She then went off about how they were just as manipulative as my mother and that my life was my own. Well, you can imagine Grandma's reaction to that. She was not happy. Eventually I chimed in and said if that was what they truly thought when they were the ones who encouraged me to follow my dreams, then I no longer wanted to be known as a Gilmore and I would rather go by Hayden since they seemed to truly care about my life and my future. After that the Haydens invited us all back to their house for a relaxing meal of Chinese food and conversation. Robert and his parents agreed and we had a relaxing enjoyable time."

"Robert? You and Robert were a match made in heaven?" Logan started to laugh hysterically. Rory just rolled her eyes and waited till he was done. "So after that how was contact with the Gilmores and your mom?"

"Oh that's where this story gets good. Okay so the next family dinner I didn't even make it through drinks. By that point Robert and I had been in constant contact because I had been dreading this dinner but the Haydens loved him and his family so they were waiting for me to get out of dinner. It helped that Robert dropped me off and was waiting down the street for me. Anyway when I walked through the door they immediately laid into me. Grandpa called me an embarrassment, grandma told me that I needed to start acting like a lady of society and that means finding a husband who would support me while I handled all the social engagements, and Mom, well she just sat there and smirked, not saying a word. So instead of staying, I turned right back around called Robert and I left. Since then the last time I spoke to them was right before you called your parents that day we first spoke."

"Damn Rory I had no idea things were that bad. Oh and when you get here we will be discussing the issue you have with your mom and her conversation with you. Stephanie informed me she said you could never come back. Here's a better question: why didn't you tell me?"

"Because that's a conversation we need to have in private face to face not over the phone or a computer screen."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Finn stuck his head in. "Love they are getting ready to land."

"Thanks Finn. Be right there."

"So it looks like I'll be seeing you shortly."

"Looks that way. Your dad and I are going to the office first. I have some interviews to complete but after that I'm free till Monday."

"Interviews?"

"Yep. I'm the Head of the new Crisis Management team for HPG I'll be based here but travel will be required as well as monthly head meetings in New York. I'll see you soon Logan."

They disconnected the call and Rory made her way back to her seat with a smile on her face. The other three just looked at her suspiciously.

"What?"

"Reporter Girl, would you like to explain why I just got a message from Robert asking if you were okay?"

"Oh shit! I knew I forgot to let someone know I was leaving…" Rory pulled out her phone and quickly made a phone call.

"Hi….No I'm okay…..yes takeoff was a little rough for me but I managed….We talked and will talk more when I get to Cali….Yes Robert he knows about the dinner….Yes…Yes….No that is a conversation for you to have with him…..What do you mean why…Because it's not my place to say anything….either you tell him when you get off the phone with me or I will call you in his presence and you will tell him then…no his parents won't say anything because you have to….Okay I'll call you later today….Yes I promise….Bye Robert." Steph, Collin and Finn just looked at Rory weird. Since they could only hear her side they had no idea that Robert and Honor are dating or that it was Rory that set them up with Mitchum and Shira's blessing. 'Oh what an interesting conversation that was going to be.' Rory just smirked and realized that she needed to be around Logan when he found out about Robert and Honor.