"Ace!" called Logan through the bedroom door. "The movers are going to be here soon!"

The night before Rory had asked Logan if she could sleep in; Logan had eagerly accepted the morning Charlie duties. It had felt weird when Rory handed over the baby monitor. It felt nearly as weird as moving into a new house that day: a new house that Logan had bought for them to live in.

Rory stepped out into the disorganized mess her apartment had quickly devolved into. The night prior, with a bottle of celebratory whiskey in hand, they had started to pack up the apartment. Despite the small space and counter to Rory's beliefs, she had a ridiculous amount of belongings.

"This is impossible," proclaimed Rory as she navigated her way around large boxes scattered across the kitchen. She went to her son in his pack and play and kissed him good morning.

"You should start packing up your room," advised Logan. He playfully tossed folded cardboard boxes toward her. She batted them out of the way as she reentered the kitchen.

"Coffee first," proclaimed Rory. She opened a cabinet and to her dismay, it was empty. "Where are the cups? Logan, where are the cups?"

"Packed," replied Logan simply. He continued filling boxes in the living room.

"Well, where are the bowls?" continued Rory, opening and closing cabinet as if that would magically make dishware appear.

"Packed with the cups."

"How did you pack the entire kitchen already?" demanded Rory, reentering the living room with her hands on her hips.

"The movers are coming soon," repeated Logan. He jumped over a wall of boxes and revealed a cup of coffee from behind the boxes he had been gradually filling. "Consider it a bribe. Get packing."

Rory sighed in gratitude as she took the warm beverage into her hands. "Why do we have to move today? Wouldn't it be better to do it over a few days? What's the rush?"

"I'm just ready to get into the house," explained Logan. "And some people want to come visit."

"When?" asked Rory. She began to collect the boxes Logan had thrown at her in order to start the overwhelming task of packing her room.

"Today," answered Logan simply.

"Funny, that sounded like you said you were expecting company today," countered Rory, raising her eyebrows as she balanced a stack of boxes in one hand and her newfound coffee in the other.

"Just pack the important stuff. We will buy new furniture for the house," diverted Logan.

"People are coming today?" repeated Rory.

"It was out of my hands!" exclaimed Logan. He threw his hands in the air, indicating his surrender in the situation. "How about you pack what you need from your room and go pick out living room furniture for the new place? Just some things for people to sit on. I'll pack the rest of the things we need and Charlie's room."

"Charlie's room was hardly even unpacked in the first place," argued Rory pointlessly. She indicated the boxes she had never gotten around to unpacking when they had moved in.

"Ace, go pack your room," encouraged Logan.

Rory pointed an accusatory finger toward Logan. "You knew people were coming."

"Only since yesterday," confessed Logan with a laugh. "They won't care about what the house looks like. They just want to meet Charlie."

"They?" repeated Rory. "Who exactly is 'they'?"

"Just a few people."

"Mr. Huntzburger, who are we expecting?" Ironically, Rory found amusement in the chaos. For the past ten months she had felt alone in the chaos of a newborn's life, but now she had Logan to help.

"Finn and Colin," admitted Logan. Rory stared intently at Logan, indicating he should go on. "And Honor."

"Who else?" She knew when he was hiding something, or rather someone.

"My mother."

"Mitchum too?" pressed Rory, her brow furrowing at the news.

"No, just my mother," soothed Logan. Rory visibly relaxed at the news. "And she's promised to play nice. She just wants to meet the new baby Huntzberger."

"Oh," responded Rory, "as long as she promised."


Charlie's pack and play looked small in the large, new living room of the house. Rory bounced slightly on the new couches they had bought earlier. It astounded Rory how much they had gotten done in a single day; Rory felt like all she had to do was point and suddenly things went from place A to place B. Although the majority of the house was still an empty shell, Rory and Logan had managed to fill the living room with furniture, move Charlie's crib and Rory's bed from the apartment and get Logan a new bed in the course of a single day. She reveled in the power of movers.

Logan was in the kitchen preparing food for their oncoming onslaught of guests. The kitchen was far from done; there was a large gap where furniture would eventually go. The refrigerator was empty except for the multiple bottles of wine and beer squeezed tightly into rows. Logan navigated around the boxes on the floor that were filled with all the dishware from Rory's apartment.

There was a knock at the front door. The person on the other side didn't wait for an answer before entering the house. Rory stood anxiously from the couch in response.

"Kind of small, don't you think?" asked Finn as he walked through the door. He crouched as he moved, as if the ceiling was too low.

"Well you know our Logan – he always insisted size didn't matter," added Colin loudly from his side. Their chatter drew Logan into the living room with two plates full of food.

"Boys," acknowledged Logan with a grin. He put the plates down on the table and patted each of them on the back in turn.

"You stood us up," accused Finn, feigning offense at Logan's recent transgressions.

"We had our suits cleaned and speeches made up," continued Colin dramatically.

"And don't forget those little flower things," added Finn, waving his hand around dramatically to indicate where boutonnieres would have been placed on their suits.

Logan shrugged nonchalantly. "Wasn't meant to be."

"Shame," responded Finn simply.

Colin and Finn turned their attention toward Rory.

"Well, what are you doing just standing there?" questioned Finn. He threw his arms wide. "Get over here!"

Rory walked quickly toward Finn and embraced him. Logan's college friends always had a way of putting her at ease.

"You had a baby?" skeptically stated Colin.

"You're skin and bones," proclaimed Finn. Making a show, he patted Rory down. She swatted his hands away with a laugh as he approached her chest. It astounded her how natural it all felt, like they were back in college. Years apart and it felt like they never skipped a beat.

Finn turned his attention toward the pack and play. "And this must be the baby Logan."

"We usually just call him Charlie." Logan lifted Charlie from his pack and play and held him facing forward to see the new guests.

Finn turned abruptly toward Rory. "Rory, have you considered who the boy's Uncle should be?"

"His Uncle?" responded Rory, baffled.

"I would like to be the baby Logan's Uncle," proclaimed Finn proudly.

"His Uncle?" repeated Rory. She turned to Logan, looking for guidance.

"Finn - " began Logan.

"Every kid needs an Uncle – to bring him toys, sneak him his first drink, bail him out from jail," insisted Finn. "I would make a good Uncle to the baby Logan."

"You want to be his Uncle?" repeated Rory.

"Having a baby really slowed you down," commented Colin with mock pity as Rory repeated the statement for the third time.

"Okay, Finn." Rory laughed.

"Okay?" exclaimed Finn, surprised at how easy it was to earn the title. He obviously had more prepared.

"Well, no to the drinking and jail bail outs," revised Rory.

"Well who is going to bail him out of jail, then?" questioned Colin, feigning concern for Charlie's future.

"Come to Uncle Finny!" exclaimed Finn enthusiastically. Carefully, he took Charlie into his arms from Logan. He bounced him around, jovial with the results of the conversation.

There was a knock at the door. Logan went to answer it and visibly relaxed when he saw who was on their doorstep.

"You didn't come with Mom?" asked Logan. Honor shook her head and hugged her brother.

"I am so angry with you," exclaimed Honor through a smile. She pointed an accusatory finger toward Rory, "And you!"

Honor wasted no time relieving Finn of the baby in his arms. Finn muttered something about 'being an uncle too,' but begrudgingly handed Charlie over. Honor held her face closely to her nephew's, snuggling him closely.

"He's perfect!" Honor directed her statement toward Rory. Charlie smiled and waved his hands like Logan had taught him. He basked in the attention. "Oh, my first nephew."

"How old is he now?" continued Honor, completely enthralled.

"A little less than ten months," answered Rory. She went toward Honor. It had easily been years since she had spoken to her ex-boyfriend's sister, her former friend.

"That's a great age," agreed Honor. "Is he sleeping through the night?"

"Thankfully," Rory responded, nodding. "Logan mentioned you have children? Daughters?"

"Two. They're seven and five," replied Honor. Pride radiated from her; motherhood suited her well. "Josh wants a big family, but he doesn't have to carry them around for nine months."

There was a knock at the door.

"And she has arrived," stated Honor ominously. She looked expectantly toward Logan as he walked toward the door.

"Mom." Logan forced a smile as he opened the door. Mrs. Huntzberger politely hugged her son, but her eyes were searching for someone else. Her face lit up when she saw her grandson in her daughter's arms.

"This is him?" asked Mrs. Huntzberger. She didn't wait for a response as she approached Charlie in Honor's arms.

"Hello, Charlie," cooed Mrs. Huntzberger. She took his small hand in hers. Charlie waved his arms happily. At the sight of her first grandson, she visibly melted.

While Honor and Mrs. Huntzberger crowded Charlie and Rory, Finn and Colin started looking for the beer. Logan directed Colin and Finn toward the kitchen. Instead of following them, he took a seat on the couch. He watched the three women in front of him, deep in thought.

"He looks just like Logan when he was little," gushed Mrs. Huntzberger. "Except for the eyes. Look at those bright blue eyes."

"I brought photos," continued Mrs. Huntzberger. Mrs. Huntzberger fumbled quickly in her purse, revealing a thick envelope stuffed with glossy photos. She offered them hesitantly toward Rory. "For comparison, if you want."

"You brought baby photos of Logan?" exclaimed Honor. She handed Charlie toward Rory in order to snatch the envelope from her mother.

"Like your baby shower, Honor," reminded Mrs. Huntzberger uncomfortably. "Remember how fun it was to compare baby pictures of you and Josh?"

"How embarrassing," corrected Honor. Her attention was fully taken by the photos in her hands.

"Should I be worried?" teased Logan.

Finn handed him a beer, and Logan promptly put it on the table in front of him. Colin followed with wine glasses clanging in his hands; he had a bottle of wine shoved under each arm.

"Don't worry, Logan. I'm setting all the best ones aside," promised Honor through a smug smile.

"Do you have any baby photos?" asked Mrs. Huntzberger. Finn handed her a glass of red wine, which she eagerly accepted. She shifted uncomfortably as she spun her wedding ring on her finger.

"Baby photos?" echoed Rory. She bounced Charlie against her as he began to fuss. His face began to contort as a warning gesture. "My mother probably does. I'm not sure."

"No," disagreed Mrs. Huntzberger, realizing Rory misunderstood her question. "Baby photos of Charlie. From when he was born."

Charlie began to cry. Logan immediately stood.

"Want me to take him?" offered Logan.

"I think he might be hungry," suggested Rory as she simultaneously checked his diaper. "Would you mind making him a bottle?"

"Sure," agreed Logan. He excused himself to the kitchen.

"If you find any baby photos of Charlie," redirected Mrs. Huntzberger over Charlie's growing cries, "would you mind sending me some?"

Rory nodded. "Of course."

"I can't get over how much he looks like Logan," repeated Mrs. Huntzberger.

"Sounds like him too," joked Finn as Charlie's cries continued to grow.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Logan returned to the living room with a bottle in hand. Rory begrudgingly handed Charlie toward Logan. Logan returned to the couch and put Charlie in his lap. Eagerly, Charlie grabbed at the bottle with both of his hands and threw his head back.

Everyone found seats on the new living room furniture. Logan and Charlie were sandwiched between Rory and Finn on the larger part of a sectional while Colin and Honor continued to mock the photos on the smaller section. Mrs. Huntzberger sat alone on a large chair, her wine quickly disappearing from her glass.

"So why didn't you tell us?" demanded Honor finally, looking expectantly toward Logan. A glass of wine had found its way into her hand.

"I was going to," Logan evenly responded, focusing his full attention on Charlie.

"Odette just beat him to the punch," added Colin. It was unclear which side he was on: Logan's or Honor's.

"I had only just found out," stated Logan diplomatically. His tone was non-accusatory. Rory was surprised he wasn't more defensive and more insistent that it was her that everyone should be frustrated with.

"That's not an excuse," insisted Honor. She held up a photo energetically. "Oh! Look at this one."

Honor passed around a photo of Logan. He was young, maybe four or five. He was decked in a cowboy costume, complete with spurs on his boots, chaps and a hat. He had his hands on a belt over the empty holsters.

"I remember this," recalled Honor. "Logan wore that costume for weeks after Halloween. He kept saying he wanted to grow up to be a cowboy. He begged Mom for a horse for forever."

Mrs. Huntzberger remained silent as the photos continued to be passed around. Logan took it all in stride, showing the photos to Charlie as they came around the circle. Charlie eagerly tried to put them in his mouth.

"This house is wonderful," complimented Honor when the troth of funny pictures ran dry. "Charlie is going to love the backyard. I wish we had a backyard like that."

Logan smiled proudly and looked toward Rory. "It still needs some work – to make it our own."

"So you're living together now?" Mrs. Huntzberger finally spoke.

Rory shifted uncomfortably in the couch; it sounded absurd when Logan's mother put it like that. Logan was unphased.

"It makes the most sense for Charlie," responded Logan diplomatically.

"So what's the plan, Logan?" asked Mrs. Huntzberger. It suddenly became obvious she was on the offensive. Everyone immediately detected the change in tone.

"Mom," warned Logan, shifting forward on the couch.

"Are you two going to get married?" she continued to press.

"I don't think - " interjected Honor, attempting to come to her brother's aid.

"I mean, it would make the most sense for Charlie," insisted Mrs. Huntzberger, speaking over her daughter's protests.

"We talked about this," insisted Logan. His tone grew harsher.

"I'm not saying get married immediately, Logan." Mrs. Huntzberger showed no indication of heeding to her son's warning. "It would look awful if you got married the same week you called off your wedding to another woman. But in the future – the near future - "

"Now isn't the time to talk about this," interrupted Logan, his irritation at the situation beginning to show.

"You need to think about your son," insisted Mrs. Huntzberger, directing her comment toward Logan and Rory. "You need to think about what's best for him."

"We are thinking of what's best for Charlie," insisted Rory, finally finding her words. The accusation stung, but she knew it had little foundation. She impulsively moved into a house with Logan because it was what was best for Charlie.

Mrs. Huntzberger began to explain, "Not getting married means - "

"I think you should go," interrupted Logan. His tone was curt but surprisingly polite.

"Your father and I are worried about you, Logan," redirected Mrs. Huntzberger. Logan stood and moved to the door, indicating she should follow. Mrs. Huntzberger didn't resist any further. She stood and gathered her belongings. As she headed toward the door, she added, "Rory, if you find those photos, please send me copies."

She was gone before Rory could respond.

"Well," began Honor, easily cutting through the tension. "Now that that's been taken care of, who needs more wine?"

The rest of the night went uneventfully. Rory was amazed at how easy it was to be with everyone. They said goodbyes with promises to visit often.

With the door shut behind a drunken Finn, Logan eagerly took Rory's hand.

"I want to show you something." He grabbed the half empty wine bottle and the baby monitor that showed a soundly sleeping Charlie in his crib. He pulled Rory through the house toward the back yard.

The back door opened to a small porch. Logan continued to pull Rory down the few stairs and into the perfectly manicured grass. Rory giggled as the warm dirt squeezed between her toes.

"It's dark," protested Rory, but she continued to follow.

Logan paused toward the back of the yard. In front of them was an old wooden swing. First he checked the baby monitor, and then he placed both the monitor and the bottle of wine on the ground.

"I'll have to fix this," noted Logan, indicating the old age of the swing. "Let's see how strong it still is."

He jumped onto it, standing on the wooden bench. He laughed happily. He bounced up and down while holding onto the chair on one side; the swing did not give way.

"Come on!" encouraged Logan. Rory gingerly took his hand and stood next to him on the wobbly piece of wood. He held onto her so she wouldn't fall.

"We keep saying we're going to talk," stated Logan. When Rory didn't respond, he playfully shook the board, threatening her with the three-foot drop.

Rory shrieked and wiggled away from Logan's grip. Carefully, she sat down and motioned for him to do the same. Logan obliged. She grabbed the bottle of wine from the ground and scooted closer to the man next to her.

"I know," Rory responded simply. Rory looked around her, hardly believing that this was her new home. The night was beautiful. The skies were perfectly clear and the stars shined brightly.

"So let's talk," encouraged Logan.

Rory rested her head on Logan's shoulder. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Tomorrow," delayed Rory. "Let's just enjoy this."


A/N: Second to last chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!