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Happy Birthday, Ace. Got a quick breakfast meeting and then I'm all yours.

"Rory, Happy Birthday," said Emily as Rory entered the main house for breakfast. Usually she would eat in the pool house but on her birthday Emily made sure the maid's pulled out all the stops and there was a brilliant array of food.

"Happy 23rd Rory," smiled Richard.

"I'm getting old," frowned Rory.

"Nonsense, you've got your whole life ahead of you," said Emily. "Do you want your presents now or after we eat?"

"Now," smiled Rory, she loved presents.

"Well we don't have many actual wrapped presents, but we do have this," Richard presented her with a thick envelope.

"Thank you," Rory smiled as she took it and immediately started opening it. "What's this?" she asked as she pulled out the contents and saw a picture of an apartment building.

"It's your new home," smiled Emily.

"What?"

"Well obviously not the whole building but you've got the penthouse, there's more pictures on the next page," explained Emily.

"Where is it?"

"Upper East Side," smiled Richard. "It's meant to be a very nice building and Emily visited on Tuesday and liked it so we thought it would be a nice present."

"It's too much," argued Rory.

"Nonsense, you're our only granddaughter and for that, we get to spoil you. Besides you need a place to stay."

"It's lovely," gasped Rory as she flicked through the pictures.

"There's a page in there explaining what's included and maps of the area and we thought we'd all head into the city at the weekend."

"Great. We could even move my stuff in then because I spoke to my new boss yesterday and he'd ideally like me to start next Wednesday. I was thinking I'd have to start off renting somewhere last minute or go to a hotel."

"Then it's perfect," smiled Emily.

"There's one other factor that might be of interest," started Richard.

"Really? Better then the amazing views and hot tub in the bathroom?" asked Rory, looking through the various sheets.

"The Huntzberger's penthouse is in the next building," said Emily, with a knowing smile.

"Really?" replied Rory, not wanting to smile too much.

"Happy Birthday, Ace," smiled Logan as Rory answered the main door and found him standing there. "What are you doing answering the door?"

"Don't tell my gran or she'll fire the maid but I knew it would be you so I answered it," Rory explained.

"I think I can keep the secret," teased Logan. "So, have you had a good day so far?"

"Yes. My Grandparents bought me a penthouse apartment in New York."

"Nice, where abouts?"

"That's the best part, it's the building next to yours," smiled Rory.

"You're joking?" asked Logan.

"Nope. I'm your neighbour ... kind of. Come and look at the photos, it looks amazing."

"Oh hello Logan, I thought I heard the door go. How are you?" asked Emily, coming down the stairs.

"I'm fine thank you, Emily. How are you?"

"Feeling old now that I've got a 23 year old granddaughter," she replied.

"Nonsense, you don't look a day over 35," charmed Logan.

"I wish that were true," smiled Emily. "Has Rory told you about the apartment?"

"Yes, I was just about to show him the pictures," Rory replied.

"Do you want something to drink? Or eat? We have lots of food and I can get the maid to whip you something up?" asked Emily.

"No thank you. I had a breakfast meeting and I thought I'd take Rory out to lunch before the party later," explained Logan.

"Okay then. Well I've got to go check on things for later, for some reason the caterers need absolutely everything told to them and can't think for themselves."

"So Sookie rang earlier," Rory said whilst she and Logan were waiting for their food to arrive.

"That's nice of her."

"She knew it was my birthday. Apparently when we left the other week she started looking through stuff she'd kept from 20 years ago and found an old diary with my birthday in. She said that she's going to make a cake and that I should visit tomorrow if I'm free. As I'm going to be moving to New York on Saturday I thought that it might be a good idea. You're invited too but I didn't know if you had meetings or anything?"

"I would love to come but Mitchum's insisting I go to the New York office and actually start the job I'm meant to be moving back for. The last couple weeks have been preparation."

"That's fine, I said that you might be busy. So, you're going back to New York in the morning?"

"First thing. Then there's a board meeting in the afternoon I have to attend and then get acquainted with the different papers and editors and things."

"Well I'll be joining you at the weekend so you can show me around," smiled Rory.

"Well I don't know New York very well really but I'm sure I can show you some things. I'm sure you'll love Central Park, it's beautiful this time of the year and there are coffee shops at just about every corner so that won't be a problem."

"Good because I need to have coffee in order to survive," said Rory.

"Trust me, it won't be a problem. In New York, everything's pretty much 24/7. If you want Chinese food at 3 in the morning then there will be a place open that will deliver."

"Excellent," smiled Rory.

"So you're looking forward to it?"

"Definitely. I think if you weren't here then I'd be absolutely terrified but ... I think it's fate," Rory decided.

"Fate?" asked Logan.

"That we met on the plane, that we met again at my grandparents house and now we're both going to be living in New York, one building away from each other. It's fate," explained Rory.

"Please can everyone put their hands together and welcome to the stage the birthday girl, or woman should I say? My wonderful granddaughter, Rory Gilmore," announced Richard about an hour and a half into the party. Rory had been trying to mingle with as many people as possible but had been talking to Paris for a half hour about Yale versus Harvard, now that Paris was at Harvard medical school. She could feel herself going red as she made her way onto the stage and saw Logan smiling off to the side, stood between Emily and Shira, his mother. Since the previous week when their relationship was made public at the DAR event, Logan and Rory had dined with both the Gilmore's and Huntzberger's with both sides being very happy at the new development. Logan knew that his parents were taking some credit for fixing them up at the meal but he and Rory knew otherwise. They weren't about to upset everyone's ideas though.

"Now, as you all know Rory graduated from Yale last summer," started Richard and there was a small round of applause. "Well now she's been offered a fantastic job at the New York Times and will be moving to the city at the weekend," another round of applause. "I would therefore like to take this opportunity to say how proud I am of you, Rory. You have grown into a remarkable woman and if your mother was here today, she would be very proud of you." Everyone in the crowd was aware of Rory's family circumstances and several people aww'd in appreciation. "Now, if everyone could join me in singing ..." Half way through the song several waiters appeared from the kitchen holding onto a massive cake. As Rory got a closer look she realised that the icing showed the New York skyline, her new home.

"Thanks grandpa," she said quietly, hugging him before blowing the candles out. "Thank you all for coming," she said to the crowd. "I promise I'll try and talk to everyone before the night's over."

"Happy Birthday Rory," said Francine, approaching Rory as soon as she got off the stage.

"Thank you, have you met Logan Huntzberger?" she asked, as Logan approached.

"I believe so at various events," smiled Francine. "It's nice to see you so happy," she addressed her granddaughter. "Will you be back for Thanksgiving?"

"Definitely," nodded Rory. "Umm ... Christopher isn't here is he?" she asked quietly so no one but Francine and Logan could hear.

"No. I spoke to Emily and Richard about what happened last week and we decided it best if he stayed away. I neglected to give him an invitation and the door men are forbidden to admit anyone who doesn't have one."

"Thank you. I know he's your son but ..."

"He did however ask me to give you this," said Francine. "I don't know what's in it but I said I'd pass it along ..." she handed Rory an envelope.

"Thanks," frowned Rory. "I'd better mingle some more."

"Good luck for the new job and the move."

"Thank you."

"I told him that he should write a letter if he had something to tell me," said Rory to Logan, looking at the envelope.

"Maybe it's not that ... maybe it's just a card," reasoned Logan.

"Maybe," sighed Rory.