AN: Probably a M rating The flash backs are in Italics… as are dreams.

Thanks for sticking with me. So much response to let Max stay! I personally love Max other than him and Luke I think none of the other men in Lorelai's loved Rory and really wanted to be her father. I love max for the fact he loved her.

Chapter 4

"Ace" Rory groaned and hid her head under the pillows. Shaking his head at how little she had changed in the 17 years they had been together. She still hated her mornings. He leaned in and kissed her slowly trailing small kisses up her neck. Spending time on that sensitive spot behind her ear causing a moan from Rory. She turned and pulled on Logan's shirt bringing his mouth to hers. It wasn't enough, she shifted bringing her leg over his hip pulling him closer, as he ran his hand up her leg from her calf to her hip. She moaned as he slid his hands under the waistband of the boxers she was wearing to cup her butt pulling her against him roughly. He pushed her to her back and slowly started unbuttoning her shirt as he trailed kisses between her breasts and down her stomach until he reached her belly button. His tongue flicking in it, knowing it tickled her when he did that. He pulled the boxers down growling when he realized there was nothing under them, not sure how he had missed that. He teases her as he takes his time kissing her hip and belly torturously slowly making his way between her legs, when she surprised him by sitting up and kissing him. He moved back sitting on his knees when she breaks the kiss and starts to peel the t-shirt over his head. He looks at her as she gives him her version of a smirk, "Can't wait." she said throatily as she started kissing his chest and neck before pulling at his boxers, "Off." she commanded both of them enjoying her aggressiveness. She was kissing him again before he had gotten both legs out of the boxers. Both fighting for dominance before Logan just gave up letting her take control as she straddled him. She started to take off her shirt when he put his hands over hers to stop them. "Don't" he said his eyes dark with desire as he kissed her collarbone, "Leave it on, I love how sexy you look in my shirt." he said before cupping her breast taking one in his mouth.

Soon they were breathlessly collapsing in contentment. Logan sighed as Rory curled up next to him her fingers tracing circles on his chest. "You could always take some time and come with me. Lola is way ahead in school she can miss some." Rory said trying to tempt him.

"You know I can't I have back to back meetings with buyers, it took a month to set this up. You wont be gone long then I will take the day off and we'll spend it in been while Lola's at school." Logan said kissing her temple before tilting her chin up and capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

The door burst open. "Ewww, post a sign or something! God I just wanted my flat iron. I so didn't need this mental picture burned into my brain." Lola said squeezing her eyes tight as she stumbled towards her parents bathroom. Causing Rory and Logan to laugh at her dramatics. "Why can't I have normal parents, instead of teenagers who can't keep their hands to themselves." She really was a Gilmore. Rory groaned leaving the warmth of Logan's arms, she needed to get ready anyway. She grabbed her robe securing it around her then walked into the bathroom behind her daughter. "Just be glad you didn't come in 10 minutes ago, the sight of your daddy like THAT and were talking years of therapy bills." Rory teased handing her daughter the flat iron. "Gross!!! Daddy make her stop! I don't need to know you to have more sex than Ron Jeremy and Tracey Lords combined! I like to pretend you only ever did it once that's why it's just me." Logan laughed from behind the desk in their room. Rory poked her head out of the bathroom enjoying the sight. He had pulled on jeans and a t- shirt and he was looking at his computer with Lola on his knee talking about the movies in the park and which ones they couldn't miss. Rory really wished she wasn't going back east right now. Especially not for this reason Emily wasn't expected to make it much longer and she had been asking for her, Rory knew her mom and Grandfather were going to need her but she was going to miss her family. She kissed Logan for the last time ever standing on their curb as she got into a car for the airport.

Snapping out of her memories she looked at the clock… 3 am. She couldn't sleep, she had been to hard on Max and she knew it. He was just trying to help Logan and her. He was right she wasn't getting better. Rory didn't even know how to help her, where would she find a councilor? They had tried before but the shrink ended up dropping Logan as a patient because she said it was too stressful, what ever that meant.

She picked up the phone and hit the speed dial waiting for the voice at the other end of the line. Relieved when he answered, "Max." She said upset. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. I don't want you to leave especially not like this."

"Rory, I know you were upset and you had every right if I was just her assistant principal yes I needed to tell what was going on. But I live with you it was privileged information so it should have stayed in the family I was in the wrong. This was never supposed to be here for long maybe it's time I start looking for my own place. Hopefully somewhere close by so Logan can visit when ever she wants. I think it would be for the best."

"I don't want you to leave." Rory told him although she understood where he was coming from, and he was probably right.

"Eventually, you are going to have to learn how to be alone. She wont heal until you heal. I still wake up sometimes and find her sleeping at the end of my bed on the floor. Neither of you will admit your still having nightmares. You both need help I can't give."

"I don't know what to do Max?" she said acknowledging that he was right.

"I have a suggestion and I want you to be open minded please. Tristan Dugrey opened a rape Crisis Center in his late wife's name. He isn't a councilor but he says there are good ones there, he teaches self defense and offered to teach Logan. He thinks it might help her be able to cope better in situations like what happened between the kids. I want you to know we weren't talking behind your back. It's just after what he heard in the office he handed me a card for the clinic. His wife was raped and she never got help, she ended up killing herself. So he created a place for women to go and feel safe. I spent the day researching the clinic it's only been open for two months but some of the best doctors in the field are now there. You might want to consider it. I know Logan probably wont be willing to go there but we may be able to get someone to come to the house, and Tristan definitely is willing to. I'll email you the website."

"If you'll give me Tristan's number I'll call and talk to him. But lets be realistic this is Tristan were talking about. I may not be able to have a civilized conversation with him. If he so much as starts to call me Mary, I'm hanging up and we look elsewhere. This is my kid were talking about." Rory said anticipating that it wouldn't even work.

"Ror give him some credit. You guys knew each other for two years during high school, people change a lot in twenty years. Your nothing like that girl who came to Chilton all those years ago. I don't think he's that boy anymore either. I have a good feeling about him and his kids that's why we let them in mid semester."

"Kids? There are more than just the one?" Rory asked interested for the first time about Tristan.

"Yeah, he has a daughter too. They're twins and personality wise as different as night and day. Both exceptional students, practically genius IQ's, the son gets bored easily he has a history of practical jokes. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what he pulls off. She is a lot like you used to be quiet and in her own world, although she strikes me as anti- social or maybe just painfully shy I haven't decided yet. He tends to speak for her. I'm actually planning on trying to put them in separate classes next semester and see if that will help bring her out of her shell. I was thinking of seeing if Logan would maybe try to befriend her. You know how helpful an friend can be in that place."

"Wow. It makes sense his kids are smart he was. He just did a bunch of stupid things." Rory couldn't help thinking how hard it must be being alone with two kids.

"He did but he was always fun to watch. I have to admit once you two started becoming friends, your banter was highly amusing to watch. I always figured if he hadn't left you would have made great friends eventually." Max said yawning, finally feeling sleepy now that they had patched thing up.

"Me too. I'm gonna let you get some sleep. Thanks Max. For everything." Rory said hanging up knowing Max would be asleep in minutes, it was always so easy for him to fall asleep after one of their late night chats.

They had been there two days when Cassandra breezed in and flipped Rory's world again.

Rory and Finn had been going thru their patented morning routine. He read the business, sports and funny pages, while she got the boring stuff as he called it. Coffee pot in center of the table both eating toast. He had his cook make breakfast every morning, bacon, eggs, and pancakes but all went untouched by Rory. He even broke down and brought pop tarts home but she still ate toast.

Cassie came rushing in almost knocking the table over as she plopped in Finns lap and leaned across the table. "Okay here's the deal. I'm having Celeste take the girls shopping for a special birthday dinner for Rory. While they are gone were having a family meeting. Both of you are required to attend." She kissed Finn then Rory's cheek before bouncing out of the room.

"What the hell?" Rory asked Finn only to be rewarded with a shrug.

"Who knows. That's Cass for you, you'll know when she wants you to." He said going back to the Boondocks.

"I've been dying to know for years, how do you live with such perky energy. Doesn't she remind you of a flittering overly beautiful butterfly you want to just swat? Or at least shoo into a bug zapper?" she asked feeling slightly grumpy, although she liked Cassie and she was very good for Finn, Rory had never really been able to connect with her the way she had Rose. For some reason Cassie always reminded her of a cheerleader who escaped the asylum. She was an actress, absolutely brilliant, and nuts all at the same time.

Her friend looked at her with a raised eyebrow at the interesting and not necessarily flattering, albeit accurate description of his wife. "Well don't hold back love, tell me how you really feel. You know not all of us can maintain the constant slit your wrists joy you have been working with the last two years. This wasting away to nothing thing is working for you I mean you've lost so much weight you have no beasts or ass but hey lots of men like the rich underfeed widows." he said voice dripping with sarcasm. "Gives them hope they'll die soon leaving the bums their money."

"Hey, I don't look like that!" she said getting pissed only to calm as her daughter walked in. She grabbed Rory's coffee downing it, then turned to her mother, "Can I have the debit card for my account I want to get your present while were out." she asked her mother.

"You know you don't have to get me anything." she replied while digging in her purse.

"I know, but I want to." Logan said hugging her mother then hollering. "Tae, I got it lets locomote." she said

Once alone Rory looked at Finn waiting for the argument to continue. Quietly Finn spoke, "Ror you look like you haven't slept in months and your clothes are hanging off you. Logan is developing a figure and she has no interest, my sisters were excited when it was time for bra's and stuff. She isn't. She looks like she hasn't slept well in a while either. Hon, you two are just barely hanging on." Rory looked down at his words putting both hands on her chest making a funny face. He was right she barely had breasts. Then she looked at her hands thinking of when she had taken her wedding band in to be resized.

"Why has no one else pointed this out?" she wondered out loud.

"They may not have noticed since they see you every day. I haven't seen you in over six months to me the changes are drastic. So, chocolate chip pancakes?" Finn asked wiggling his eyebrows causing her to laugh. As Cassie walked in more subdued than Rory had ever scene her, and she sent Finn a look. He just shrugged.

Cassie grabbed the scotch off the shelf and poured three tumblers full. "Drink. Were going to need them." Waiting until both had drank the scotch, "Has Logan talked to anyone about what happened that night?"

"No, not even the high priced shrink." Rory said unsure where this is going.

"We'll she has now. She told Tae that it's her fault Logan was killed and that one day Rory was going to figure that out and she'd loose her mom too."