TUESDAY – AFTERNOON

Rory observed the two-floor neo-classical mansion in front of her in wonder, while turning of the engine and stepping out of the car. The most stunning thing about the white building was its massive portico that held six ionic columns. The columns, Rory saw, reached up to support both a balcony and then an entablature triangular pediment. She could see that the pediment was decorated with a Coat of arms sculpted in deep relief, and frowned slightly as she saw its design. She closed the door to the car and walked on the crunchy gravel covering the manor's entry, still with her gaze directed at the building. She was structured to meet her grandmother at this address, and she had experiencing some difficulty finding the place, as the estate was located far off and well hidden in a flourishing garden's foliage. Rory paused for a second in her steps, observing the fine structure in her sight. After a short while a besieged Rory pressed on towards the entrance, as she (uncharacteristically enough) was awfully late. On her way to her destination, she had already received two calls from her wound up and strong minded grandmother urging her to hurry up.

Standing on the beautiful portico Rory briefly closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She was exhausted, and truly did not want to spend the whole day making decisions of an event that was still far off in the future. She wasn't sure she could actually handle the forceful opinions and recommendations that her grandmother undoubtedly would throw at her, as Rory felt as she was either ready to come apart or fall asleep. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, smoothed out the creases in her beige summer dress, and rang the doorbell.

The previous day had been draining enough, and this morning's startling meeting had finished the job of completely wearing her out. First she had been both excited and grateful when Jess appeared out of nowhere, as she saw it as an opportunity to say a proper farewell to the old companion and friend. As their pleasant and relaxed conversation suddenly took a more hostile form, she had instead felt her inner swirl with both slight and provocation. The hurtful and judging words Jess had directed at her and her choices of life in combination with the later confession of his true intentions had almost been too much for her to handle. Adding to that she had been required to make him see, once and for all, that there was no possibility for the two of them to ever be together. She had been both firm and unwavering at that moment, as she had known that it was the only way she could spare them both from further pain. She had told Jess that she was happy with Logan, and that she was planning to keep it what way for the rest of her days. She had told Jess that she didn't feel anything more than friendly affection towards him, and that whatever the two of them once shared was now gone. She had tried to make him understand just how fruitless his lingering hope truly was, and with any luck finally gotten him to see that he had to move on.

She wished that he would, as she felt partly responsible for his current emotional confusion. She had been the one to drive down to Philadelphia that day, and therefore the one leading him to believe that they might still have a chance to be together one day. That single fact was the sole reason why Rory felt the need to be brutal in her honesty this time, as she had been determined to clean up the mess she had made. She had with a sunken heart watched his proud back disappear down the sun-streaked lane, and felt the heavy burden of both guilt and regret. She had wished for them to have a better ending than this, but knew with certainty that she had made the right choice. He had to let go of the past and of her, to fully be able to live life in the present. She had risen from the bench and slowly headed home, with the phone clutched in her hand - feeling heavier than she ever had before.

Rory rang the bell one more time, as no one had answered her previous attempt. She waited for another minute, and when still nothing happened she hesitantly took hold of the doorknob. As the unlocked door slightly opened she popped her head in and peeked inside. She not could see a single living soul the impressive entrance hall. The only thing watching her impropriate act were eyes of people long gone, in framed imperial faces on the walls.

"Hello?" Rory called, while opening the door wider and searching for movements inside. As no one could be seen, she finally entered the house and after closing the door behind decisively walked into the unknown residence to investigate. She moved across the huge entrance hall and through the next room while briefly recognizing the splendor that occupied the house. As she saw the golden glimmer in every corner, the full impression was that everything seemed a bit over-the-top, in Rory's eyes. There were gilded armchairs with sculptural carvings, mahogany commodes with gilded legs, fine girandole mirrors and heavily decorated console tables with marble tops. There were exquisite chandeliers, heavy draperies covering large windows and molding that that extended from ceiling to floor.

Rory finally stopped in a white hall that was flooded of sunlight from the stucco decorated windows. The room was occupied by a long mahogany dining table surrounded by numerous chairs. It was a spectacular sight, and Rory raised her head to observe the giant crystal chandelier that shadowed the table. Instead her eyes found the painted ceiling, and she gave a small gasp in surprise and appreciation. The hand-painted decoration was beautiful and intricate, and as Rory observed its facets she understood that it portrayed the four seasons. In the northeast corner she could see a basket of flowers representing spring, in the southeast corner she saw a sheaf of corn indicating summer, in the southwest a basket of grapes stood for autumn she presumed, and in the northwest corner the painted weapons and hunting horns symbolized the winter. She also saw the twelve months being represented by beautifully painted putties at play in the ceiling's medallions.

As she stood there, smiling in silent satisfaction, she suddenly heard a loud laughing cry. Looking about in confusion she realized that the sound had reached her from outside; through a slightly-ajar door by the tall windows. As she with decisive steps headed for the door, she saw through the windows the figures of two people in the fabulously designed garden. Sitting comfortable under a sunshade in a set of white wooden furniture, the couple was obviously engaged in an intense discussion. Recognizing her grandmother, she opened the door, left the beautiful room behind and stepped into the garden. As Rory walked towards them she saw the man raise his head in response to something the woman just said and let out a loud and deep laugh. To Rory's distant ears the sound was surprisingly intense, and she instantly sympathized with the woman sitting next to the man and the sound he produced. She didn't seem to be bothered though, as she just smiled and met his eyes with a pleased look on her face.

"Dearest Em" the man said "You haven't changed one bit. You are still…" he suddenly stopped as his eyes caught a glimpse of the approaching young woman, and formed a warm smile while continuing; "Well, well. I believe the lost sheep has finally arrived!" He stood up, and waited for Rory to come closer.

"Oh, there you are. You are awfully late" the unimpressed voice of Emily said.

"I'm sorry grandma - I got lost on the way" Rory answered apologetic while hurrying forward on the pebbled mosaic ground.

As she reached them the man grabbed hold of her hands, scrutinized her from top to toe with his eyes, and finally gave a nod in approval.

"She is exquisite, Em" his warm voice said, still with his eyes locked on Rory's face "Just as you said she would be".

"Well, yes" Emily replied from where she sat "she is after all a Gilmore."

The man raised an eyebrow and directed his gaze at the sitting woman.

"I don't know about that as being the reason, Em" he said with a smirk "I distinctly remember a time when every man a five mile radius both swooned and swirled at the mere mention of the name Sherwood."

"Stop it Marcus" Emily interjected, while trying to hide her pleased smile "That was a long time ago, and - I don't want my granddaughter to get any strange ideas."

Rory's eyes went back and forth between the two people in front of her. Was her grandmother actually flirting? A small smile formed in her face and she repressed a desire to giggle.

"Did you know grandma before she married?" Rory asked the man still clasping her hands.

He met her eyes and nodded with a warm smile "Oh, yes" he said "I was yet another of the many poor fellows deeply intoxicated by the sharp wit and the charming ways of Miss Sherwood."

"Stop it, Marcus. I mean it" Emily interrupted, with the same pleased look on her face "Don't believe a word he is saying, Rory" her glittering eyes landed on the man's face as she stated "Marcus has always been nothing but a tease."

"That is true" the man said with a heavy sigh and let Rory finally free as he held up his hands in a theatrical gesture "I have always been particularly fond of rubbing your grandmother the wrong way" he leaded forward and whispered in a conspiratory way "I seem to have a knack for it."

"You and the entire population using the wrong cutlery at the dinner table" Rory retorted with the same whispering tone.

That comment was rewarded with a piercing and sincere laugh, and Rory smiled with ringing ears as she saw her grandmother pressing her lips together and forming an irritated frown. Emily was obviously curious and fighting the urge to demand to know what they had been whispering about.

"She certainly has your wittiness, Em" the man said with an affectionate tone, and gestured for Rory to sit down on one of the chairs at the round wooded table. "Your grandmother was well-known for her tongue" he continued "it was sharp enough to fillet a salmon and lethal enough to scar a poor fellow's heart for life."

Rory watched the two in front of her as the man gave a theatrical sigh and hanged his head and the woman rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Really now" Rory's grandmother said in a testy voice "You are making me sound like a – a…"

"…a great seductress" the man completed with his eyes locked on Emily's face "A beautiful siren, deadly in its nature but oh so alluring." He completed the sentence with a wicked smile, and Rory saw her grandmother's mouth press together in a tight line in displeasure and firmly refusing to meet the man's eyes.

Finally he sighed and shrugged. The man's gaze landed on Rory, and he asked her with a warm smile whether or not she liked the garden in where they were situated.

"Oh yes!" Rory answered with excitement "Both the garden and the house is - magnificent."

"That is high praise, coming from a Gilmore" the man smirked "I am truly glad you approve."

"What do you…" the annoyed Emily began before the granddaughter interrupted her with her hastily asked question;

"I-Is this - What is this place? Is it – your home?"

"Yes" he nodded in concurrence "this is the Beam family's summer residence - as it has been for many years. I inherited it from my late grandmother back in the 80's, and the place was tragically worn-down. I have made it my life goal to make it livable, and have since then been devoted to improve it." He paused and held out his arms in a theatrical gesture "Now - my work is finally done."

Rory nodded in response, as she could with no difficulty see the flimsical man enjoying the overly decorated and extreme interior of the house. She recalled her grandmother's word on the phone, the day she revealed just who she a gotten them a session with, and frowned slightly. The man in front of her was supposed to be a well-known event planner, and by Emily's words of both top notch and sought after. This was not what Rory had expected at all, not of the man or of his abilities. She lost herself in thoughts.

"Isn't it marvelous, Rory?" her grandmother sharp voice suddenly asked, while her equally sharp look urged the younger woman to come back to the present.

"Yeah - yeah, it's all - really beautiful" Rory blurted out, thinking of the overly decorated, gold-painted items she had walked by inside, "It's – It's really shiny" she continued "and - and - Oh, the ceiling in the dining room" she said while pointing towards the door she had walked through "it's really amazing!"

"Yes, it's a direct replica of the White hall of the Fantaisie palace in Bavaria" the man answered with glittering eyes "I visited the summer residence of Dutchess Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie years ago, and the two of us fell instantly in love."

"You and the Dutchess?" a skeptical Rory asked, finding it hard to follow the man's train of thoughts. She was pretty sure that the person he spoke of was the Duchess of Württemberg, known to be the most beautiful princess of her time, and the one described by Casanova himself as the most exquisite being in Germany.

"No" the smirking man answered "If I had been so lucky as to win her heart, but of course I was a couple of centuries too late to even try" he sighed heavily and shook his head with closed eyes. When he opened them he gave Rory a teasing look "I meant the architecture - me and the classical design; we were and always will be a couple made in heaven" he stated and gave a decisive nod.

"Oh" Rory replied, in loss for anything else to say. She found this man hard to understand and even harder to follow.

"For heaven's sake, let the dear girl be!" she heard her grandmother's testy voice command "You are making her confused, and that is no wonder at all. You, Marcus Beam, is just as eccentric as you've always been."

"I try" the man beamed, and continued in a more somber voice directed at Rory "Now, young lady, I understand that you required my help."

"She is getting married" Emily's excited voice interjected "to the heir of the Huntzberger fortune."

This comment made Rory flush red in combined embarrassment and agitation, as she did not like the way her grandmother made it sound – as the sole reason she should be happy about the arrangement was the family connection she was making. She was just about to retort, when her thoughts were interrupted by the sympathetic voice of the man.

"She is blushing, the poor girl" he said.

"That is our Rory" her grandmother filled in "so demure and so refined."

Rory sighed in frustration and resignation, and asked in a controlled voice to the man in front of her; "Did you have any suggestions about the wedding? I heard you are a splendid event planner."

"He is the best in the country" Emily replied "in the last decades he has arranged some of the most supreme weddings for some very distinguished people."

Rory reworded and decoded her grandmother's speech, and concluded with a nod; "You've worked with celebrities" she stated and watched the man tilt his head and smile.

"Yes, I am well sought-after" he agreed "The truth is that I'm fully booked at this point, but your grandmother found a way to nestle her way in" he directed his gaze at the woman beside him and continued with a smirk "There is only one person that would think of disturbing me when I'm recuperating at my solitude summer place."

"Well" Emily retorted "I certainly did not nestle my way in. I just happened to still have that old number, and decided to try and call."

"And I am glad you did" the man concluded with a definite nod. He directed his gaze yet again at Rory's face and continued with an affectionate tone "It's not every day I get to spend with such a beautiful girl. You have truly remarkable skin, young lady. Just like porcelain. You are going to make a fine-looking bride."

"Stunning" Emily agreed with a nod.

"Well – thank you" Rory said with an embarrassed and tentative voice. She was feeling a bit impatient at this point, and wanted them to get to the point. "The thing is" she said in a somewhat firm voice "that we haven't even decided on a date yet, and it's still far of in the future - so…"

"That is perfect" the man's voice interrupted on a happy note "that is just as we want it. This way we can assure that you get the desired venue."

"You mean for the reception?" Rory asked with hesitation, as she was feeling as she was on thin ice as hadn't yet have time to fully get familiar with all the wedding vocabulary.

"Yes" he answered with a nod "What is your first choice?" he saw the startled expression on Rory's face and continued "If you haven't yet thought about it, it is time to do so. Overdue, actually, as the most sough-after locations are usually booked a couple of years in advance."

"Well, I don't…" Rory started, but was interrupted by Emily's sharp tone.

"You should listen to him, Rory. He is doing us a tremendous favor in taking you on. Ordinary one should be thankful to even get a consulting-meeting with someone as brilliant with Marcus, but as it is" she directed her gaze at him and gave him a significant smile "he has actually promised to take on the whole event."

"Oh!" Rory exclaimed, lost for words. She did not know what to think, or how to proceed. She did not know is she should be happy or upset, and she suddenly remembered something; "But…" she hesitantly asked " …didn't you say you were fully booked?"

He gave her a crooked smile and nodded "That I was, but I had some of my assistants rearrange my schedule. It was swiftly done, and made me suddenly available to arrange one more summer wedding for next year."

"The most spectacular thing of the year" Emily said with shining eyes.

"It very well could be" he responded in a serious manner, and gave the younger woman a demanding look while continuing a solemn tone "When I take something on, I do it wholeheartedly. The minute I decided to bow to your grandmother's request I simultaneously bound myself to a contract" he held her gaze captive as he pressed on "The question now is if you are willing to bind yourself to the same contract, or if you want out. It's your decision, and I need you to be sure."

Rory nodded in silence, as she fully understood what he was saying. He was a practical man, she realized, and he did neither want to spend time or energy on someone who wasn't sure of what was wanted. She didn't know what to say, but she felt that saying something was better that saying nothing at this point – so she opened her mouth to state what she was thinking;

"I don't know what I want, that is true" she started in a cautious voice "but I maybe think that the kind of events that you do, is probably not the thing I want. I mean, I always imagined getting married on a beach or in a remote castle or – I don't know. But I never imagined the ceremony to be that big of a deal, I just want our friend and family to be there – that's all. So I guess it's not going to be the most spectacular thing of the year, and that's kind of - it" she concluded her speech with a shrug and raised her head. She was met by two very confused faces, which both looked as they were ready to either cry or burst of laughter. The two people across the table shared a look, and one of the two averted his eyes and repressed a grin.

"My dearest girl" Emily then said in a soft tone while holding her gaze with an concerned look on her face "The event will have to be spectacular, as there will be more than 300 guests invited."

"What?" Rory exclaimed in confusion "Who says?"

"What did you expect?" her grandmother's irritated voice asked her "This is what marrying into such a family as the Huntzberger means, Rory. It's an unquestionable stipulation to have a wedding that measure up to the highest standards. Anything else would be an insult - to them and to society."

"But it's our wedding" Rory opposed "No one but me and Logan should really have a say in the matter."

"Yes, just as no one had a say in the matter of the two of you flying off to live on the other side of the country" Emily's agitated voice retorted. She was feeling the usually hidden sadness resurface, and had to look away to collect herself.

"Yeah" Rory replied, tentatively "I guess." She averted her eyes and felt her cheeks burn of conflicted feelings. She hadn't often argued with her grandmother, and didn't want to continue this fight.

Rory suddenly understood that her grandmother must have been affected by her sudden decision to move so far away, and that she probably felt as if the planning of the wedding was a way for her to keep the connection and be a part of Rory's life, even though she would be thousands of miles away. She felt something kind of fall into place and she could in that moment fully understand her grandmother's latest actions. She was controlling and manipulative, and her sharp tongue did sometimes threaten to cut her own throat – but Rory felt in that moment an intense affection for the older woman. She wanted so badly to be part of her granddaughter's life that she had been willing to do anything it seemed, she had even been desperate enough to call this old eccentric flame of hers to ask for favors. Rory smiled at that thought, and raised her head and watched her grandmother's averted face. She glanced at the man sitting in silence, and finally let her gaze linger in the beautiful garden that surrounded them. The red, pink and peach roses that climbed the gardens walls were both flawlessly pruned and perfectly combined. The cut flowers in the edged flowerbeds were lush and thriving, and rich in their colors. She heard the soft sound of running water from the garden fountain somewhere behind her, and as she sat listening to the calming sound she suddenly remembered something.

"The coat of arms, on the pediment" she said in a soft, wondering tone "It looked – a bit..."she left the sentence unfinished as she had problem finding the right words.

"It's the Beam family crest" the man explained, in the same low voice but with a wide sarcastic grin on his face "The pride of our ancestors, and the heraldic sign of many shields and coats in the early days. It was efficient in disrupting the enemies' attack –as they usually fell down laughing. This is how the stories are told, anyway."

Rory blinked in confusion and tried to repress her smile without any luck "But" she continued with hesitant curiosity "The – what is it suppose to – I mean, is it really…"

"It is supposed to be a sword, stemming from the lions belly" he answered in a neutral voice "Allegedly it symbolize the ancestral bravery, strength and ferocity combined with the intuitive justice and military honor. That is my heritage" he gave a theatrical sigh and shrugged "that, and nothing else – to my own frustration and other's disappointment."

Rory blushed faintly, and averted her eyes to her hands. She heard the voice of her agitated grandmother as she reprimanded the man for his inappropriate behavior in front of the girl, and felt a warm feeling spreading inside. She liked this man, and she liked her grandmother with him. She finally knew what she wanted to do, and so she decisively raised her head and her gaze towards Marcus Beam and spoke in a firm voice.

"Ok" she said "Here's the deal" she paused and cleared her throat "Nothing will be decided about the wedding before I speak with Logan; if he opposes the idea of an - oversized wedding, when that's final. But, I honestly think he won't mind, and therefore - I guess I'm saying that… I'm in."

Her statement was met by a bright beam from the man, and a loud snort from the woman beside him.

"Took you long enough" Rory's grandmother acknowledged in an impatient and somewhat testy voice; "Now we can finally get down to business."

And down to business they had gone. They had scrutinized and calculated, compared and estimated. Rory had been completely and utterly drained after an hour, and on the verge to collapse after three. When it was almost 4 pm, the Gilmore women had said their goodbyes on the crunchy graveled driveway and left the estate in separate cars. Rory had a tired, but somehow satisfied smile on her lips as she drove home. She never would have thought this possible a couple of days ago, but she was actually planning her own reception. The joining ceremony of herself and Logan, she thought, and chuckled as the next thought came to mind. Her grandma and the old eccentric flimsical man were right in thinking that the wedding would be spectacular - and Rory had just realized that she actually kind of liked it.

She had been presented with what seemed like a thousand different venues, and as the only previous demand Rory had was that the event should be local, the options outside Connecticut were automatically taken out from bunch. In the end Rory found three places she really loved and believed Logan would approve of. Marcus had promised to do everything in his power to get one of them for next summer, and he had then packed her full of information of what to do and how to do it for the next months. Rory had been both shocked and overwhelmed, as she never would have guessed just how much decision that had to be made in the next few weeks. Apparently everyone on the East coast was planning on getting married these days, and that meant that they had to move fast to get the right venue before anyone else snatched it away. She had been educated in the importance of a perfect venue for a successful event, and was thereafter guided through different themes and styles that she couldn't possibly decide upon at that point.

"It's about personality and creativity" the man had said and smiled at her reassuringly. She had nodded while glancing at the pictures of a wedding taking place in a sub zero temperature Ice Bar somewhere in London.

"It is a once-in-a-life time event, and you should therefore put some thought into this; envisioning your perfect wedding" he had continued, and Rory had nodded again. She had then turned the page in the large catalogue in front of her and glanced at the pictures of a wedding taken place in a forest decorated with chandeliers suspended from branches of the shadowing trees. She had sighed and closed her eyes briefly, and in darkness heard her grandmother urging her to move along quicker through the pages.

She had been tired. So very tired, but when she saw the pictures of the first of the three places she would soon come to love with she felt it right away.

"This place?" she had asked with a thumping heart, and pointed at the picture with her brow raised in question.

"Ah!" Marcus had nodded, leaning forward and watching the brochure "Eolia Mansion, in Harkness Memorial State Park" he had raised his head and met Rory's grandmother's sharp look.

"What?" Rory had asked, feeling perplexed and a bit irritated at their unresponsive behavior.

"You have indisputably great taste, young lady. And why shouldn't you, with such a heritage" the man had said while keeping his sparkling eyes on the woman across the table, who had her mouth tightly pressed to a line and met his stare with indifference.

"Anyway" he had continued with a shrug "The Eolia mansion is the number one requested wedding-location in Connecticut. The waiting list is…"

"Not short enough" Rory had concluded, and felt her heart sink. She had let her eyes linger on the pictures, and sighed. She had yert again watched the the impressive mansion with its stony façade, the beautifully architectured Italian garden with original sculpture, fountain and pottery, the breakfast room with expansive windows overlooking both the garden and the lovely music room with the marble fireplace. Past the garden, sweeping lawns flowed into incomparable views of ocean seascape of Long Island Sound. It was perfect, and she had felt a wave of disappointment at that point. She had silently wondered in annoyance why the man had even left it as an option if he knew it was impossible to get. She had raised her head and suddenly realized that two pairs of eyes were watching her in a compelling silence, and she had decisively shrugged and given a quick smile in response.

"It's okay" she had said in an attempt to an unmoved voice "It's just one place, right. It's so not a big deal."

The watching one's had remained silent and the couple's eyes had locked in unspoken concord.

"Do you think we can manage?" the man had then asked the woman in a low voice.

"Between the two of us?" Emily had replied with a hint of iron in her voice "I think we can"

The man had nodded in agreement and given Rory a meaningful smile before urging her to keep looking for alternative options.

The next place she fell for had been her very opinionated grandmother's first choice; Society Room of Hartford. It was very conveniently situated in the heart of Hartford; as Emily had pointed out while handing her the brochure. Rory had reluctantly and with an initial skepticism viewed the pages, but as she read on she had to give her elder credit. The place was magnificent, the architecture both inside and outside the building was stunning. The grand room was highlighted by a sweeping staircase flowing down from a 3,000 square foot balcony. Marble, limestone, brass and bronze accents adorned the opulent Ballroom in a setting right out of the Great Gatsby. Rory could without difficulty imagine the place as being a great backdrop to a regal wedding.

Half an hour later she had found her third and last preference for the wedding reception; Branford House in Groton - built in 1903 and now added to the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion had a mood-provoking feel to it with its gothic style and dark smoky bricks of stones. The inside of the Branford House was classy with dark wood covering the walls in gothic style, white and beautifully decorated ceilings, a long cherry wood staircase, fireplaces and big windows overlooking a breathtaking sea view. Rory had thought to herself that it was like stepping into one of the Bronte sister's novels - and excitedly taken a deep satisfied breath.

Lost in tired thought as Rory was while driving home, she was suddenly brought back to the present by a familiar sound. She hastily reached out for the purse thrown on the passenger's seat and grabbed hold her phone. She saw the name shown in the phone's display and quickly pressed the right button while in the same time finding a place to park the car on the side of the road.

"Hi!" she gasped, holding the phone to her ear with a wide, happy grin.

"Hey!" Logan's warm voice reached her.

"Hi" Rory said again. She felt the longing aching inside, and the sadness and weariness suddenly eating her alive.

"Hi yourself" Logan's laughing voice echoed and she could suddenly see him in front of her, with his expressional eyes and his smiling mouth.

"I miss you so much!" she exclaimed, and felt her emotions finally get the better of her. With no ability to stop it, her sadness came spilling out. It wet her cheeks and her chin and in no time made her sob uncontrollably where she sat with the phone clutched tightly to her ear.

"What happened, Rory?" she heard Logan's bewildered voice ask "What- Who- did this to you?"

"I-It's no-nothing!" Rory tried to convey trough sobs "I-I'm f-fine, ju-just so t-tired. I-I'm sorry!"

The other end of the line was quiet for some time, and the only thing that was heard was Rory's snivels and irregular upset breathing.

"The next flight leaves in 2 hours" she heard him say in the same alarmed but determined voice "I will be at NYC at eleven, your time. I'm taking a taxi from there, so I'll arrive no more than an hour and a half later."

"No!" she hastily exclaimed, feeling both ashamed and surprised "That is not what I want! That is not what… I'm so sorry for being like this! I didn't mean to fall apart. I'm just so exhausted, and I'm just keeping it together – and when I heard your voice I just…" she sighed heavily and continued in am more controlled voice "I just want to hear your voice. That's enough."

"There is no discussion" Logan said in a decisive tone "I'm booking the ticket as we speak."

"No, don't!" Rory exclaimed again "It's so unnecessary, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow and – and what about your new job, and – what will they think if you just don't show up at work, and –and…"

"Ticket booked" his unyielding voice declared.

The line was filled with silence, except of the occasional snivels and heavy breaths.

"You're really coming?" Rory finally asked in uncertainty "Are you absolutely sure about this, Logan? It's not at all - sensible, you really don't need to, really - I'm fine."

"I'll see you sometime after midnight" he declared in a firm voice, then he hesitated slightly before continuing in a more tentative tone "I'm sorry, Rory. But I have to – make some - calls, can I get back to you in an hour?"

"Logan, wait! You don't have to do this. I feel awful, I didn't mean for you to think that I'm all needy…"

"I'll call you in an hour, Ace!" he said with the same firm tone.

"O-Ok, bye" Rory replied, and heard him echo the word before hanging up.

For a long time she just sat there, unmoving, with a dazed look on her face and with the phone still clasped in her hand. What had just happened, she wondered in stunned bewilderment. The conversation had lasted at most a couple of minutes, and in that time so much had suddenly changed. Was he really coming, was it true? Rory felt her face lit up in a bright smile, and quickly repressed it. She was not supposed to feel good about this, this was terrible. She had made him feel compelled to come, and by coming he was leaving his newly attained obligations behind. She shook her head in frustration, and cursed herself for not keeping it together on the phone. The truth was that she really needed to see him, and hold him. The need was as great as anything she had ever experienced before, and she wasn't actually sure of the true reason why she had fallen apart at the precise moment she did. Maybe she had wanted this exact thing to happen on some unconscious level. Maybe she really was a needy person, who thought more of herself that of her loved one. Rory shook her head again, to clear her thoughts. She really was exhausted, and needed to get home. That was the first priority.

Rory put the phone back in the purse, and stroked her face with a hand. She then caught a glimpse her own reflection in the rear-view mirror and was met by the exhausted eyes of a tired looking woman. She finally sighed and restarted the car's engine, ready to get home.