The overwhelming response to 'Love Game' and finishing up 'New York Night' sort of pushed writing for and updating 'The Not So Simple Life' down to the bottom of my priorities. I am ashamed. It's like I'm suffering from middle kid syndrome, giving kid 1 and 3 all the attention! And, as a middle-child myself I know how horrible it is! I am sorry.

Hope you enjoy this one!!

"We should make this a tradition," Lane smiled happily as generously smeared cream-cheese on her mini-bagel. "This is a great idea, Rory!"

"I know!" Stephanie gushed.

"Seriously, best blueberry muffins ever," Lorelai added enthusiastically as she took another one from the basket of baked goods on the table. "Where did you find out about this place?"

"On-line," Rory answered simply as Lorelai, Stephanie and Lane immediately resumed the conversation.

She tuned out what they were saying as she absentmindedly stirred her coffee. Determined to stick to her new and improved outlook on life, Rory decided a weekly Saturday brunch with her friends was in order. Ever since returning from Europe some four weeks ago she and Logan had been busy non-stop.

For once, she was grateful for her demanding DAR schedule. At least it kept her mind of her current marital status. They had been solid in Europe; however, back in the society swing of things, it was as if she and Logan balanced in limbo. He was busy trying to fill Mitchum's shoes at HPG and fulfilling his own society agenda. Rory was glad to be his plus-one, but it wasn't 'real' time she could spend with him and she felt that the occasional dinner or lunch they shared wasn't enough to nurture their still-fragile marriage.

However, she would not return to her History Channel, antique vase collecting ways, so she had taken it upon herself to become Mitchum's entertainment committee as he lay in the hospital recovering from his bypass surgery. Rory knew that one day Mitchum would be released; leaving a considerable gap in her schedule. Having brunch with her mother, Stephanie and Lane was simply a way to fill up her days, trying to fill the void Logan left.

"I can't believe Colin said that!" Lorelai's shocked gasp brought her back to reality.

"Yeah, well," Stephanie shrugged.

"What are we talking about?" Rory inquired, feeling slightly guilty for letting her thoughts trail to her husband as she knew he most likely wasn't thinking about her.

"Colin doesn't want his child to have any pre-used baby toys," Lane rolled her eyes; "Willow and Matt have plenty of toys to share!"

Stephanie grabbed Lane's hand and squeezed in understandingly. "I know, but Colin is convinced our baby is a girl and he said, and I quote, "Only the best for his little princess." She rolled her eyes, as Lane and Lorelai burst out in laughter.

"Who would have thought that mister sweater vest himself would be such a doting dad," Rory shrugged as she managed to crack a small smile.

The table fell silent for a moment as each of the women detected the cynicism in Rory's voice.

"Rory," Stephanie sighed, realizing that she might have gone a little overboard with the baby talk.

"No, no," Rory interjected immediately, not in the mood for a pep-talk from her perpetually perky friend, "I'm totally fine hearing about the joys of pregnancy. I'm totally pro-babies, as long as I don't have to be a birthing coach…" She caught the disbelieving look Stephanie was giving her. "Honestly, Stephanie, I'm a fine. Mom and I even threw Lane a baby shower, remember?"

"Of epic proportions," Lorelai added, nodding fondly at the memory, though she knew her daughter wasn't as fine as she wanted them to believe. "But honey, it was different when Lane was pregnant…"

Rory shot her mother a pointed look, before taking a sip of her coffee. She really wished her mom hadn't brought it up. It had been different when Lane was expecting. Back then, Rory's relationship with Logan was tolerable, sometimes even bordering on happiness, to the point where she had actually brought up the topic of babies to Lorelai.

Unfortunately, Rory had never quite worked up the courage to broach the subject in Logan's presence. And now it just seemed silly to even think about having Logan's baby. She barely saw him long enough to press a chaste kiss on his lips, let alone anything else.

"I know, Mom," Rory said, placing her cup on the saucer, "but I'm fine."

She continued to pick at her chocolate muffin, as she felt each of her table mates eye her skeptically.

"Really, I'm completely fine!"

The table fell silent once again as each of the women contemplated on how to tell Rory just how obvious it was she was not fine.

"That's crap," Lane said finally, looking Rory straight in the eye. The impressed looks Stephanie and Lorelai were giving her went unnoticed.

Rory's eyebrows shot up in surprise and she locked her eyes on her best friend. "Excuse me?"

Lane heaved a heavy sigh. Rory had been hurt, much more than anyone deserved, but Lane saw no point in sugarcoating her words, especially because Rory was so stubborn. She gave her friend an apologetic smile before continuing. "You aren't fine, Rory. You slept in my guestroom for a week; you obsessively bought antique vases and spent your days watching TV…"

"But," Rory tried to interrupt but Lane wasn't having it. "I know you are going to say that it's different now, that your European break was exactly what you needed and that you've both changed…"

Rory swallowed hard as her heart pounded in her chest. She felt trapped; like someone saw through her game. With each beat of her heart, she wanted to scream at Lane, tell her she was lying, but she didn't. She was in public.

"We have changed," Rory said slowly, ignoring the hesitation she heard in her voice. "He bought me a meatball, Lane. A meatball," she emphasized. Rory whipped her head around and shot her mother a hopeful look.

"That means something, right, Mom?"

Lorelai certainly sympathized with her daughter. "Oh honey. I know how important the meatball is to you and it does mean a lot… "

"But?"

"That alone can't be a yardstick for your marriage," Lorelai shot her daughter a wry smile, "I'm sorry…."

"So, you all think my marriage to Logan is a joke?" Rory shot back hotly, "That Europe was stupid. That all the meals and sightseeing and movie marathons and sex, hot-steamy-Hollywood-hot-pink- firework-sex and teeth-rotting-romantic moonlight walks and drinks and declarations of love were just a joke. That he and I are just a waste of time; pointless and doomed? That we're stupid for fighting for something worthless, for trying to make our agreement work? That I'm not worth it?"

She inhaled deeply, slightly out of breath due to her ranting and she blinked a few times, forcing the angry tears that reflexively sneaked in her eyes to disappear, which thankfully they did.

"No, Rory," Stephanie said softly, not entirely meeting her friend's gaze, but she was cut off.

"Okay, so then what? That Logan and I are so messed up that the talk of a baby pushes us off the deep end?"

"Well," Lorelai interrupted. "Look at you, babe…"

Rory opened her mouth to say something, but closed it immediately. She was right. Baby-talk pushed her new and improved spirit right over the edge and now she was freefalling; just waiting to crash and burn.

"We are just concerned, Rory," Lane said softly. "We don't think you and Logan are pointless and doomed, but you can't think you are okay just because of a trip you took, or because he's stopped business travel to be HPG's CEO. You are not okay, just because he's here. You've got to work at it, you know?"

An irritated breath escaped Rory's lips. She knew Lane was trying to help, but it was not the consoling words she had hoped to hear. She wanted someone to say it'll be alright, that meatballs meant true, uncomplicated, simple love.

"This coming from the person who has been in a picture perfect relationship since she's been a kid," Rory huffed unimpressed. Stephanie opened her mouth, but Rory's accusatory look stopped her. 'And don't you dare," she spoke vehemently, "your relationship to Colin is much more disturbing than mine and Logan's. "

"Rory," Lorelai warned.

"No, Mom," Rory said, grabbing her purse. "I know you are all trying to help, but this is between me and Logan and if I say we are fine, we are fine!"

"Would this be fine as in fine like the time he left for business for a weekend and didn't come back for two weeks, or fine like, I wanted Mexican food and got a pizza instead?" Lorelai spoke in all seriousness as she locked eyes with her daughter.

She remained silent as she pulled her wallet from her bag and zipped it open slowly, before pulling out a few hundred dollar bills.

"Fine, like insanely happy wedded bliss," she said stubbornly as she pushed her chair out and dropped the bills on the table.

"Brunch was on Logan, by the way, as a thank-you for being so supportive of us," she let her gaze rest on her mother's concerned eyes; Stephanie's swollen stomach and an uncomfortable looking Lane.

"I hope you enjoyed it," Rory said slowly, before turning on her heel and hastily making her way out off the crowded restaurant patio.

"Where to, Mrs. Huntzberger?" the driver asked cautiously as Rory approached the waiting town car.

"The hospital," she bit at him, as she angrily slid in the backseat. She sat there, with pursed lips, wide eyes and an undoubtedly flushed face. She was furious. Her mother and best friends were supposed to support her, not question her relationship. They were her support system, her shoulder to cry on. They didn't seem all too concerned when she was a couch potato, but making one flippant comment on Colin's parental behavior caused all sorts of alarm bells to start ringing.

The sudden vibration of her cell dragged her from her angst ridden thoughts. Rory didn't bother looking at the display, figuring it would probably be her mother.

"You can't bribe me with a chocolate muffin," Rory told her the person on the other end flatly.

"I know."

Rory couldn't help smile as the sound of Logan's rich voice hit her. "You need gallons of coffee to beg for your forgiveness," he told her smiling, and she let out a soft chuckle.

"I've taught you well."

"Well, I've had a lifetime of practice," he acknowledged before moving on to the more pressing matter. "Who are we mad at?"

Rory absentmindedly fingered her sapphire ring, as her face fell at his concerned sounding words. She couldn't stop the deep sigh as mentioned the name of her best friend.

"And?" Logan inquired as he knew there was more to the story.

"Stephanie…"

"And?"

"Lorelai."

He let out a low whistle. "Brunch was not a success, I gather."

"No."

"I see monosyllables are the new black," he said lightly, though she knew he was worried. "What happened, Ace?"

"Nothing," she sulked, playing with the hem of her skirt, "It's just that I don't appreciate them attacking our relationship."

"Uh-huh…" She heard him typing in the background, but she took his mumbling as a sign of encouragement, not distractedness and continued with her rant.

"So, I told them that we were completely fine. I mean, it wasn't always bright and shiny, but they make it seem like it was a constant battlefield…" Rory intentionally trailed-off, curious as to what his reaction would be.

"No, it was a rough patch," Logan brushed-off, "So, I'm sure you explained that…"

She smiled; happy he was on her side. Lane, Stephanie and Lorelai were exaggerating. "I did, babe," she told him, "Lane even went so far as to say that Europe hadn't changed us!"

"Bullshit," Logan mumbled, causing her to smirk before continuing.

"My thoughts exactly, she said that it didn't make a different now that you are at headquarters instead of business travel…"

"What?" Logan questioned, and Rory noticed the typing had stopped. 'It makes all the difference, Ace. It's just hectic because of Mitchum, but that'll quiet down, eventually."

"I know," she nodded in the phone, "That's what I said. I mean, we are fine, right?"

"Perfectly fine," Logan agreed letting out a heavy sigh, "Do you want me to talk to them? Talk to Colin and Finn?"

"No," Rory shook her head. She loved her friends; it was just a little too much sometimes. "They are just overprotective…."

"It's your call, Ace," he told her, picking up on the indecision in her tone.

It'll blow over," she assured him, and relaxed as he heard him chuckle softly.

"Good. So, I know we planned Matt Damon movie night…" he started-off, but Rory interrupted him as she detected the apologies lacing his tone. "But we'll have to reschedule?"

He smacked his lips together a few times. "Yeah, I'm sorry, Ace."

"Oh." Rory couldn't hide the disappointment in her tone. They planned this movie night a while ago and it wasn't the first time he cancelled, but she was determined not to have this break her spirit.

"So, over-time or some sleazy business deal…"

He let out a hearty laugh, "Hardly. How does Home and Gardens Annual Grand Homes of Hartford sound to you?"

"Like something I actually didn't RSVP on because of our movie night," Rory rambled ruefully.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," she said after smacking her lips together like Logan had a few moments before. "You didn't mention that this was on your radar…"

"I didn't think it would be something on your society calendar," Logan tried to explain.

"Oh." Rory furrowed her brow, wondering in what world did a Home and Gardens spread on Hartford didn't equal society, but she decided not push the subject.

"Well, it was," she sighed, "Is, I guess. Uh, why are you going?" She hated that she sounded nervous asking him about his business life.

He didn't seem to pick up on her hesitance this time and shot-off some explanation in fancy business language. He ended telling her that it was definitely an occasion that warranted a new dress and the emerald earrings she had her eye on.

"So, do you want to come?"

Rory smiled wryly. She wasn't exactly jazzed to go, but it was 'her' event, after all. It was going to be an epic battle between the women of the DAR and, oh, the gossiping opportunities for those who did and did not make the long-awaited Home and Gardens List. However, now, her husband was asking her as a plus-one, not as an attendee in her own right. No one would know, except her, but still. She felt undermined. Stop complaining, she scolded herself. It was a chance to see him, and she hadn't seen him in a good three days.

"Of course, I'll come!" she said in mock-surprise, "I've almost forgotten what you look like…"

"Really, now," he asked suggestively as he leaned back in his office chair. She could practically see the smirk gracing his face now. She knew that a passionate kiss from her would be enough to wipe that smirk off his face. "Well, why don't you try to remember?"

"Okay," she laughed, "Logan Huntzberger… piercing blue eyes, perfectly flat ironed air and that unmistaken I-know-I'm-hot-attitude?"

He laughed loudly, causing her smile to widen. "Chace Crawford?" Logan asked jokingly.

"Oh, so close, baby!" Rory exclaimed playfully, "but I was going for Zac Efron…"

"I see," Logan snorted mockingly. "Well, rest assured I know exactly what you look like…"

Rory squirmed slightly in her seat as his voice became softer and sultry.

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," he inhaled deeply, but he didn't elaborate.

The couple remained silent for a few moments, each caught up in the sudden sexiness of the moment. Rory felt a bright-red blush creep over her face. She was in the car, for crying out loud!

"Logan," she said in a warning tone, "You are at work, babe..."

"I know, Ace," he smirked suggestively, "Where are you now?"

"Oh," she laughed at his suggestion. "I've got a hot date with your dad!"

Logan coughed a few times, before regaining his composure. "Way to shoot a man's horse there, Ace."

Rory threw her head back, laughing.

"How is he?" Logan asked her suddenly. The urgency in his question brought all the seriousness back instantly.

"Good," she assured him. "I mean, quadruple bypass surgery isn't exactly a run-of-the-mill operation, but slowly he's recovering."

A moment of silence passed between them. "Thank-you," Logan said sincerely. "For being there for him, you're fantastic…"

"Oh, it's fine," she brushed his compliment off.

"You're not his employee…" Logan reminded her in jest.

"You should visit your Dad, babe," Rory said seriously. "He misses you."

"Yeah," Logan nodded, but Rory knew he was not convinced. "Look, I've got a meeting in five, so…"

"Am I meeting you there or are you picking me up, tonight?" Rory asked, on cue.

"I'll pick you up. Get those emeralds you like, I'll call ahead," Logan told her, "You deserve them after that horrendous brunch."

Rory smiled, "Okay. I will. See you later."

"Hey Brenna," Rory waved at the nurse as she made her way down the hall to Mitchum's room.

"Hello, sweet thing," Brenna waved back. "He's in his room!"

"Thanks!" she called over her shoulder. After four weeks of every-other-day visits she shouldn't be surprised she was on a first name basis with all of the hospital staff. She would have thought it would have been Shira, but Rory knew that was naïve. Shira had only visited a handful of times, like Emily, Logan and the rest of their circle.

Truthfully, if Mitchum had had his heart attack prior to her European eye-opening trip, she wouldn't have cared as much as she did. What started as a completely selfish reason for visiting Mitchum, turned out to be something Rory actually came to enjoy!

Their conversations started out casually, but deepened quickly and it turned out they had a lot of things in common, apart from their obvious affinity with the writing world. Subconsciously, Rory knew a lot of Mitchum's niceness had to do with his near-death experience and she fully expected him to turn back into his vile corporate persona as soon as his discharge papers were signed, but she figured she'd enjoy it while it lasted.

"Well, don't you look like someone peed in your cornflakes," Mitchum deadpanned as he looked up from his copy of People Magazine.

Rory shot him a half-smile. "It's been a long day…"

"And it's only two o'clock," Mitchum laughed, as he looked up at the clock and tossed his magazine to the side. "Buck up, kiddo, you could be one of these sorry characters in this piece of garbage publication…."

Rory walked around his bed and picked up the tattered gossip weekly off the floor. "It's important to keep up on celebrity happenings; it's a great source of mocking, Mitchum." She placed her hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. "Have I taught you nothing?"

He bellowed in laughter and held out his hand to take the magazine back. "Alright, alright…. Now sit down."

Rory chuckled as she let herself fall in the lounge chair next to his bed. Being one of the richest families in Hartford definitely had its perks. She watched as Mitchum picked up his phone and placed an order, as if he was enjoying room service at a fancy hotel, instead of calling the nurse's station at the hospital. She smiled as he heard him politely, yet firmly order coffee for her.

They chitchatted about meaningless things for a few moments, until the nurse arrived with a tray filled with coffee and apple pie for her, and celery sticks and water for him.

"Well, this seems rather unfair, doesn't it?" Mitchum laughed as he picked up his plastic cup full of the vegetables.

"I know," Rory agreed, swallowing a big bite of apple pie. She shot him an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

Mitchum raised his hand and shrugged. "Shira wants to put me on some crazy fish diet…"

Rory scrunched up her nose at the suggestion. "I'm assuming it's not like fish sticks?"

"Afraid not," Mitchum bit into his celery stick, "Probably something absolutely dreadful like salmon…"

Rory dramatically dropped her head in her hands, "For the love of God, keep the salmon limited to nasty puffs!"

Mitchum let out another laugh, before turning to her. "But enough about me, what seems to be the problem with you, dear?" He asked genuinely.

"Oh," she waved his concern away, "I'm fine."

She became increasingly interested in her apple pie as she felt him look at her intently. "Really, Mitchum, I'm fine!" she tried to convince him, but with little success.

"Really? I don't believe it for a second," he stated. "What's Logan up to now?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "Dragging you to some society function?"

Rory rolled her eyes, inadvertently proving him right.

"Aha," Mitchum pointed his finger at her. "That boy has to realize Society won't come to a standstill if his big head isn't there…"

Rory shot Mitchum a half smile in agreement, but she leaped to her husband's defense anyway. "He's only trying to fill your shoes, Mitchum, and we all know you've never missed an event…" she trailed off, regretting her accusatory tone.

"This is so," he told her, not minding her biting remarks, "But have you met my wife?"

Rory stifled a laugh. "Touché…"

Mitchum shifted his position and took a sip of his water. "His work schedule is demanding enough, I know, he should realize there are more important things…."

She mumbled something in agreement, but that didn't stop the slightly awkward silence that filled the room as Rory picked at her pie.

"Is this what you want, Rory?" Mitchum asked suddenly.

"A la mode would be better," she responded without thinking, before looking up and meeting his smile. "That's not what you meant, is it?"

"No," he shook his head slowly. "Is this what you want? When you signed those papers, was this how you envisaged your life?"

Rory shot him a quizzical look as she ran her tongue over her teeth in contemplation. Mitchum may have befriended her recently, but that didn't mean she forgot how difficult he had made her relationship with Logan.

At first, obliviously, Mitchum did not think much of their relationship, he, like the rest of her family, save for her parents, saw the financial benefits of a Huntzberger-Hayden-Gilmore pairing. Later, he might have been convinced they were in love, though it didn't stop him from assigning Logan with an impossibly hard to manage workload.

She stared at him, wondering where he was getting at, asking her if she was happy when he had never been concerned with her happiness before. In fact, he had gone out of his way to make it exceptionally hard for them.

Not only the man asking, but the question itself took her by surprise. In her twenty-eight years no one asked her exactly what she wanted.

"No," she answered somewhat stunned. "What's it to you?" she asked, recovering, "I mean, what's done is done… the ink is dry and those contracts are locked up in Grandpa Hayden's office."

Mitchum shot her a sympathetic look as she shrugged. "It doesn't matter…"

"Rory," he sighed heavily, "You are too young to be this cynical."

She crossed her right leg over her left and fixed her gaze on her right foot that was jiggling uncontrollably.

"I suppose." She stole a glance at Mitchum. "But, don't you think I have good reason?"

He shrugged for her to continue.

"Let's review," she told her jiggling foot sarcastically. "I'm fifteen years old and the boy that is my best friend tells me he wants to be my boyfriend. I reject him, because I don't want to ruin our friendship and turn him into Hartford's biggest player. Then, I meet the boy I thought I loved, but he broke up with me on my sixteenth birthday because I won't sleep with him. My heart is broken and my world will never be the same…" she twisted her pointer finger around a loose strand of hair as she continued to speak solemnly.

"The best friend rushes to pick up the pieces. Fast-forward and we find out we are arranged to be married. I'm seventeen and the notion that fairytale romances can happen vanish as we agree to sign the contract. Ironically, we do fall in love before the actual ceremony, but it did not last because his corporate father sent him on month long business trips and weekend-consuming meetings. At least, my husband has good taste in jewelry and we can afford the extra closet space."

She spoke without emotion, which was very rare for her. Typically, when she broke down it was dramatic. Nevertheless, this sort of serene implosion was intense.

"Meanwhile, I am confined to the DAR, because society thinks that the appropriate place for me. Something, I might add, I've never quite understood, because I thought I owned society, being a Mayflower descendent after all. But, that's okay; I silently fill my days with charities and gossiping about Augusta's new hair and Cookie's bad facelift, while my friends actually do fall in contract-free love and happily get pregnant and function in society. Why? I think it's because they have fewer expectations to fulfill, not as powerhouse-y as a triple threat."

Rory quickly looked at Mitchum. "You follow?"

He nodded and she continued, mesmerized by her jingling foot.

"So, while I'm trying to conform to society's needs, my husband is doing the same. We are like two ships passing in the night. He doesn't know I'm not happy and I don't know he's not happy, which, is because he's not. The kicker is he actually likes the whole circus. It's me. Me! So, I suck it up and get on with it. Finally, we hit a breaking point. He almost cheats on me."

"He what?!" Mitchum boomed as he clenched his fist.

"With a barmaid in London," Rory explained without looking up. "He didn't really act on it, but the slut gave him a hickey. He confessed everything and I guess he thought I wasn't going to move passed it, but what could I do? I loved him, love him and in our carefree years we decided that we wouldn't cheat, wouldn't talk about trivial things and we wouldn't regret anything. I guess it was then I realized that he almost cheated, we didn't talk about anything anymore and as a result we regretted everything. He didn't, but I did. Regretted everything I mean," she clarified, still focusing on her ballet flat clad foot,

"But he persuaded me to go to London. So, I followed and we fell in love and in Europe, with the two of us, it was perfect…."

"But then you came back?" Mitchum asked softly.

"We came back, because our family needed us. Society needed us. It's our responsibility. It was foolish to think we could stay away forever," she looked at Mitchum, letting him know that she understood.

"And now, I'm here, floating, waiting for his calls from an office he was pushed in to!"

"He was hardly pushed," Mitchum countered softly; "He didn't have to work for us. Straub would've taken him under his wing, or Richard, if insurance blew the wind up his dress…Tons of doors were opened for him."

"Not really. There was one door, and he was being pushed through it, which coincidently, was the door I was being pushed out of…." She sighed deeply, "So, I think I've reserved the right to be cynical, if you don't mind."

The intensity at which her foot shook subsided as she concluded her monologue. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious of her rambling. It was as if she was detached from her body and it just flowed. She was always careful to censor herself, for fear of it getting back to Society, but now she just let herself go.

It killed her that she confided in Mitchum and not with Logan. Obviously, she and Logan had talked, but not like this; never getting to the root of their issues and it that moment, sitting there rambling to Mitchum it did hit her. Logan and Rory weren't living for themselves; they were living for someone else. They had practically done this all their lives and their friends had done the same to a certain extent; however, without the added pressure of an extra last name.

She blinked at Mitchum, bracing herself for his answer. "That's quite a theory you've got," he sighed at last. "And all of this because of a function Logan is dragging you to?"

Rory shrugged, suddenly feeling very tired. "Yes."

"Okay," Mitchum nodded slowly. "Let me ask you this. What are your thoughts on small publications?"

"Small publications" Rory asked incredulously. She knew Mitchum was not the warm-and-fuzzy type, but to just ignore her rambling as if it never took place and talk business instead was extremely rude.

"Yes, local newspapers and such, under twenty-five thousand copies," he clarified.

"I would be pro-small pubs," Rory replied slowly, unsure of where Mitchum was taking this. "Publications," she shot him a half-smile, "Not the bars."

"Understood," Mitchum nodded back, but didn't elaborate.

"Any particular reason?" Rory pressed, but Mitchum didn't budge.

"No, not at all," he picked up the magazine on his bedside. "You better get going, Rory. I'm sure Logan has some dresses on layaway…"

"Jewelry" she interjected.

"Same difference," Mitchum shrugged, "Go on. Let me get back to reading about this Britney Spears character…"

Rory waited a beat, before she realized that he was being serious. She quickly collected her purse and coat, before pressing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"You look better," Mitchum told her. "Good talk."

She stared at him for a moment as her lips curled into the smallest smile.

"Yeah, good talk."

I know, I know. No flashback, but I didn't want it in this chapter. New and improved is about the furture, not the past. Also, I know some of you probably won't like a warm-and-fuzzy Mitchum, but it seemed fitting. Though, I'm not sure I'm in love with how this chapter turned out; but I'm in love with where it's going, if that makes sense. Okay. Probably no updates for anything for the rest of May, because of school – however, after that it's the free taste of freedom: summer! Love ya! :)