Saturday morning was hell. Logan Huntzberger was beyond hung over. It had been a week since he'd talked to Rory. She'd told him she'd email him and he hadn't heard from her. He read her blog, so he knew she was alive. He'd started to email her a dozen times, but each time he stopped himself. She told him she'd email him. The ball was in her court, and damn it, he had his pride.

He spent his days at work anxiously awaiting some communication from her. A text, an email, a phone call, hell he'd even appreciate a smoke signal. By Friday he was very irritable and his coworkers took it upon themselves to make sure he got out for some fun. They had taken him to a local Mexican restaurant that specialized in gigantic margaritas and proceeded to buy him margaritas and shots of tequila all night long.

He gingerly sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, hoping against hope that he was alone. Luck was on his side for once, and there was no evidence that anyone else had slept over. He stumbled out of bed and towards the shower. It was times like these when he really missed Rory. She would always do thoughtful little things for him when the event they were at got out of hand. She'd leave aspirin and water on the bedside table, make sure the blinds were tightly shut and turn the ringer off on his mobile so he could sleep it off.

Logan fell asleep in the shower and woke up when the water turned ice cold. He wrapped a towel around his waist and rummaged around the bathroom for a bottle of aspirin. On his way back to the bedroom to get dressed he noticed the time. It was almost noon. He had no clue what to do with his day. Last weekend he worked to make up for taking time off to go see Rory in Seattle. He tried to figure out what he should do. He could finish his book, but now that he knew Rory was reading it, and not talking to him, it seemed to hold too many negative feelings. He wanted to kick himself for going to Seattle last week, but seeing Tristan had made it worthwhile, even if it hurt his chances with Rory. Sometimes friends are the best medicine.

He went into the living room, poured himself a scotch, and flopped down on the couch. This was one of those days that called for a little 'hair of the dog.' As he took his first sip, his mobile rang.

"Huntzberger," he answered.

"Hey Asshole," a voice filled his ear.

"Stephanie? What's going on?" She sounded really mad and Logan was concerned.

"Are you back to your old ways already?" she asked.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" he was thoroughly confused.

"We've been gone for two weeks now and haven't heard a single word from you. Are you shutting us out again?"

"I'm not shutting anyone out, at least not intentionally. I talked to Finn last week. Didn't he mention that I called?"

"You expect a drunk to pass on your messages?" she asked.

Logan laughed, she was right, he should never have expected Finn to mention that he called. "You're right I'm sorry. I've just been wrapped up in things."

"Rory things?" she asked in a tormenting sort of manner.

"Kind of. Hey have you heard from her lately?" Logan was such an idiot, why hadn't he thought to ask Stephanie before now.

"Not really. Just uh, a brief note earlier this week saying hey. Why?"

"I saw her last Friday, she said she'd email me, and she hasn't."

Stephanie roared with laughter, "Logan, you've turned into such a girl! I never thought I'd see the day!"

"Oh shut up and help me figure out what to do," he snarled.

"Well what happened last Friday?" she asked innocently. Too innocently he thought, he was pretty sure Rory had told her all about it. Regardless, he took the offer and spent the next 10 minutes filling Stephanie in on his misguided trip to Seattle, seeing DuGrey and coming home with things exactly as they were before. "You're not going to like what I have to say," Stephanie started, waiting for a sign from him to continue.

"Probably not, but why don't you tell me anyhow."

"Let it be."

"Thank you John Lennon, could you be a little more specific?" he asked, irritation filling his voice.

"She said she would email you, right?" Steph reiterated just to be sure.

"Mmm-hmmm," he mumbled trying not to say something mean to his friend.

"Just let her. Wait for her," she said.

"But, what if-" Logan started.

Stephanie cut him off, "Logan. She loves you. Just give her time to figure out how to make it work."

"But I can help her. I love her too!"

"There are some things that a person needs to work out alone," she said knowingly.

"You're right. So how are things going with Colin?" he asked. He was just being a jerk to her now and he knew it.

"Hello salt, meet wound," she said bitterly. "You're a real jerk sometimes Huntz."

"Yeah, I know," he confirmed.

"Go for a run, read a book, go the movies, just do something to get your mind off of it," Steph told him.

"Does that work for you?" he asked in return.

"Sometimes."

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?" Logan asked, trying to redirect attention from his own mess of a life, even if only for a few moments.

"I've tried. But it normally only happens when I'm drunk, and he's drunk, which means that come the next morning, we're both back to being awkward and he thinks it's just drunk speak."

"I know I'm not one to advocate for sobriety, but why don't you just make a point to stay sober and tell him before he gets to drunk."

"What if he doesn't feel the same way?" she asked nervously.

"What if he does? Look, the one thing I've learned through this whole mess is that it's worth taking the chance. As much as it hurt that Rory said no, if I'd never taken the chance with her I would have missed out on so much," Logan admitted quietly.

"I'll try," Stephanie finally conceded, "but only if you agree to try and wait for Rory."

"Deal!" he said eagerly. He knew exactly how Colin felt about Stephanie, and had been sworn to secrecy from both sides, he would love it if all of this was finally out in the open. Besides, he could wait a few more days to hear from Rory before he went absolutely crazy.

He got off the phone with Stephanie and headed into his office, she was right, he needed to do something, so he decided that he would book a tee time and go play some golf. He'd enjoy the sun and the girls driving the drink cart at the same time. While he was looking for available courses to play he decided to check his email, just in case.

To: Logan Huntzberger
From: Rory Gilmore
Re: Delay
Hey Logan,
Sorry for the delay, I know I said I'd email you last week, but the week kind of got away from me. I'm sure you know how that goes. Anyhow, got an invite to my grandparent's wedding anniversary, (apparently the counting starts over at vow renewals and now they want to celebrate every year). Do you think you'll be in attendance? I know that means seeing your family and all, but I still thought I'd check.
I hope you're doing well.
-Rory

He stood up from his desk and stared at the screen again. Was she asking because she wanted him there? Or was it because if he was going to be there she wouldn't be there? Her email wasn't cryptic, but it wasn't really chatty either. She asked him one specific question, which would lead him to believe she was hoping he wouldn't be there. But then she also alluded to the fact that he probably wouldn't attend because of his family, which kind of told him that she hoped he'd come in spite of that. Still, she didn't extend any pleasantries nor did she explain why she hadn't emailed. The week kind of got away from her? Could she be any more vague? He could hear Chandler Bing in his thoughts and chuckled at himself. He really was losing it.

He went into the living room to find the stack of mail that had been accruing for the last week or so. Sure enough there was a large ivory envelope made of expensive paper that could only be an invitation. He flipped it over to see the elder Gilmore's name and address embossed on the flap. He quickly tore open the envelope.

Lorelai Gilmore cordially invites you to:

Emily and Richard Gilmore's 3rd Vow Renewal Anniversary

He continued to scan down the page, noting that it was at the same location as their vow renewal, and it was six weeks from now. He chuckled aloud at the thought of poor Lorelai getting roped into planning the party. He was pretty sure that Emily was planning it and just putting Lorelai's name on it, heaven forbid ignore the rules of society and throw her own party.

Logan thought for a moment about what it would mean to go. Sure he'd have to deal with his parents, he could imagine Mitchum's glares of disappointment already. But, he would get to see Colin, Finn, Stephanie and Honor. Then an image flashed in his head, Ace in her tuxedo, drinking champagne straight from the bottle. That sealed it.

He returned to his office, booked a round of golf for the afternoon and began drafting his reply to Rory. He vacillated back and forth for a while about whether he should send her a chatty email, or simply answer her question, and finally decided to go play his round of golf and come back to it later.

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Logan Huntzberger had six weeks, in which he had to get his shit together, and try to reestablish a good relationship with Rory.

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Christopher Hayden's Saturday morning started earlier than he would have liked. At 6:30 he was awakened from a very good dream by screams coming from Gigi's room. He flung himself out of bed, pulled on his robe, and raced towards his daughter's room. "Gigi, are you okay?" he asked as he entered the room and walked towards her bed. Her eyes were closed and tears were streaming down her face. She was still sleeping. He gently reached out and touched her arm. "Gigi, wake up." Her eyelids fluttered and soon she was staring at him.

"Daddy?" she asked as if she was unable to believe her own eyes.

"I'm right here Gigi it's okay. It was just a bad dream," he reassured her. She nodded her head. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Monsters were chasing us! And…we had to hide in a tree house, and… they were trying to cut down the tree we were in. It was really scary," she explained.

"That does sound terrible G. But you know that even if the monsters cut down our tree, I'd still beat them up before they could hurt you right?"

"I know you would Daddy. But you weren't there. It was just me and Aunt Lorelai," she informed him.

"Well I know for a fact Aunt Lorelai would do the same thing. I bet she could scare them off with just one of her dirty looks. She's talented like that," he tried again to comfort her.

Gigi hiccupped, and looked up at Christopher., "You're probably right Daddy."

"I know I am," he smiled at her. "So, do you want to try to go back to sleep, or do you want to get up and have breakfast and watch cartoons?"

"Cartoons!!" she exclaimed excitedly, then her voice lowered, "Will you make chocolate chip pancakes?" she asked, trying to pout a little hoping it would help.

"Chocolate chip pancakes, huh?" he ruffed her hair. "Alright. I suppose I can manage that, but only if it makes you feel better."

She nodded eagerly, then sprang out of bed, nightmare forgotten, heading to the living room to find some Saturday morning cartoons. Christopher smiled and headed into the kitchen to begin making chocolate chip pancakes.

He stood in front of the pantry trying to determine what all he needed. He grabbed the bag of pancake mix, then rooted around for a bag of chocolate chips. He found a partially empty package of chips preserved in a Ziploc™ bag. He thought for a moment about how long the chips may have been there, and wondered if they ever went bad. He couldn't remember the last time there had been chocolate chip cookies in the house. Molly usually made sugar cookies. As he continued to gather ingredients, a bowl, a mixing spoon, some non-stick spray and a frying pan, he wondered how Gigi even learned about chocolate chip pancakes. He certainly never made them. In fact, since he hated to disappoint his daughter, he silently hoped that the mere addition of the chips to the pancake batter was a recipe for success. He measured the powdered mix into the bowl and added water, stirring it until the dry lumps were gone, then poured in a handful of the chips.

He placed a pan on the stove, turned on the burner beneath it and sprayed it with the non-stick stuff. As he waited for it to heat up, it dawned on him: Lorelai. Of course, she would be the one to teach Gigi about the wonderment that was dessert-like breakfast foods. He smiled at the thought, and his mind drifted back to the very good dream his daughter had interrupted.

He entered his bedroom, at least in the dream it was his bedroom, to find Lorelai in a delightful state of undress on his bed, a gigantic mahogany four poster bed with fluffy cloud like white bedding. "Christopher, come over here." She beckoned him with a smile and an impatient wave of her hand. The slim strap of her white satin nighty slid down her shoulder. He approached the bed, and she reached out, grabbing his tie, and pulling him to her. She stretched up to kiss him…

A sizzle from the pan indicating that it was hot enough to make pancakes brought him back to the present, oddly at the same point that Gigi's screams woke him. He poured some batter into the pan and went to retrieve a plate to put the finished product on.

As he waited for the pancake to be ready for flipping he resumed his thoughts of Lorelai, not the dream he had, but her actions from the last week or so. He thought Friday night dinner had gone relatively well, but she had said she'd call, and she didn't. Not a brief call to say hey, a text message, a fax, or even an email. The lack of communication from her was reminiscent of, well, him. She was always good at holding up her end of a deal. If she said she would do something, she usually would. He was beginning to worry about her.

"Daddy? Why is there smoke?" Gigi asked as she entered the kitchen.

He blinked and looked down at the pan in front of him. He got so lost in thought that he forgot to flip the pancake. "Don't you want Cajun pancakes sweetie?" he teased her.

She wrinkled her nose at the smell. "I've never had Cajun pancakes…" she trailed off.

"I'm just kidding G. I just forgot to flip the pancake and it burned on one side. Don't worry, there's plenty of batter to make more. How about you get the milk out of the fridge?" He watched as she went to get the milk from the refrigerator.

"Are the pancakes almost ready?" she asked as she set the milk on the table.

"Yep. Hand me that plate right there and I'll get you some." He chose to make dollar size pancakes in his second attempt, they would take less time to cook, and hopefully not allow him to get so distracted. She handed him a plate, and he flipped three small pancakes on to it and handed it back to her.

"Can I have some milk too?" she asked. He was grateful that she asked, knowing just two weeks ago she'd tried to pour it for herself and spilled the entire carton all over the table.

"Just let me put some more batter in the pan and I'll come pour you a glass of milk." She nodded and quietly waited for him to start pancakes for himself. He walked over to the table and poured her a small glass of milk, and a slightly larger glass for himself. "So, how are the pancakes?" he asked eagerly.

She smiled tentatively, "Not as good as the ones at Aunt Lorelai's, but they're still pretty good." He smiled at her blunt honesty.

"Well, knowing your Aunt Lorelai's affinity for sweet breakfast treats, I'll bet that no better chocolate chip pancakes exist anywhere. That and she probably gets them at Luke's." The last part he mumbled under his breath in annoyance.

"Daddy? What's aff-inty?" she asked.

Gigi was so smart that sometimes he forgot she was only 5. "Affinity," he corrected. "It just means that she really likes them."

"I have an af-fin-ity for them too," she pronounced carefully.

He smiled proudly at her. It was times like this that he was reminded that some of Rory's smarts came from his gene pool too. He piled a stack of pancakes on his own plate and rejoined her at the table. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Abby's birthday party is tomorrow, can we go shopping for a gift?"

"Of course we can," he started, but was interrupted by the ring of the telephone. It was barely after 7:00 am, who was calling him?

Gigi ran to answer the phone. She was at the age that she was just starting to like the phone, and hoped the calls were all for her. "Hello?" she answered loudly. She paused for a moment, then looked back at the table. "Daddy, it's Aunt Lorelai, for you. It sounds like she had a bad dream."

Christopher sprinted to the phone, grabbing it from his daughter. "Lore, what's wrong?" he started without even a hello.

"What does she mean it sounds like I had a bad dream?" Lorelai asked him. She was trying to sound normal, but Christopher had known her for too long, and could tell that she had been crying.

"Gigi had a nightmare, and woke up crying. You sound pretty much like she did when she woke up this morning," he explained quickly. "So what's going on?" he asked impatiently.

"Oh Chris…" her voice trailed off as she began to cry in earnest, no longer trying to hide her emotions.

"Are you okay? Is it Rory? Is it your parents?" he asked. He crossed his fingers hoping that everyone was okay.

"Rory's fine, my parents are fine. In fact, you'll probably be getting an invitation to their anniversary party if you haven't all ready received it," she said, again deflecting from the issue.

"Lore-" he started.

"It's Luke," she said.

"Is he ill? Is he injured? Did he hurt you?" he asked, wracking his brain trying to figure out exactly what she meant by that simple two-word phrase. He heard background noise, and realized that she was likely on her cell phone. "Where are you?"

"The hospital," she said, answering only his latter question.

"Lorelai, what happened?" he raised his voice. He wasn't mad, but he was starting to freak out and could no longer completely control his reactions.

"We were arguing in the car, and he didn't see a car running a stop sign. It plowed right into the drivers side of the car," she explained between sobs.

"How badly is he hurt? Are you hurt?" Chris asked.

"I'm fine. I just bruised my shoulder where it hit the door. Luke is…" she paused, "I don't know how he is."

"Do you want me to come down there?" he asked, as he stood up from the table and headed towards his bedroom to dress.

"Just a sec," Lorelai told him. He could hear the hospital staff in the background, confirming who she was, and sharing a diagnosis. He heard broken arm, and head trama, but not the rest of it. "Chris?"

"Yeah?" he asked in response.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I only heard part of the diagnosis, is Luke going to be okay?"

"He's in a coma due to the head trauma, but the doctors don't think it will last for very long," she explained, then quickly switched topics. "I'm sorry that I called you. I just freaked out and didn't know who else to call. You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"Lore," he started, "don't even worry about it. If I can do anything to help, either of you, I'm happy to do it." The words sounded false coming out of his mouth, but when he thought about it, he meant every one of them. While he wasn't Luke's biggest fan, he loved Lorelai, and he wanted her to be happy, he would do everything in his power to help her.

"Thanks Christopher. I've got to call April and Anna, I'll call you and update you later." She hung up without waiting for him to say goodbye.

He headed back to the hallway to return the cordless phone to its cradle, and noticed next to it a stack of mail. Right on the top was an invitation. He used a letter opener to slit the top of the envelope and pulled out the contents. The invitation to Richard and Emily's Third Annual Vow Renewal. He knew come hell or high water, Lorelai would be at that event, and he would not allow for a repeat of the last time.

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Christopher Hayden had six weeks, to prove to Lorelai that if nothing else he could be a good friend, and hopefully more.

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Author's Note:

Alas, I still don't own Gilmore Girls. I'm so sorry for the delay in updating, life has gotten in the way as usual. In addition to a bad case of writers block, I'm back in school and working at the same time, so I'm going to try to update frequently but I'm not promising anything. Feel free to hound me with emails though :) maybe that will push me along.

So in the next chapter I think we're going to see Logan's reply to Rory, and his attempts to establish a friendly relationship with her, and probably learn what Lorelai and Luke were fighting about, and see Christopher trying to just be a friend to her.