AN: I didn't mean to end this as quickly it just happened as I was writing it. I thank all of you for sticking with this the way you have. I may also add little chapters here and there of special life events, I'm not sure.
Chapter 12 Healing
Rory, Tristan, Paris and Doyle were all sitting together as they waited, some more patiently than others, for the ceremony to start. Rory could watch Logan and Chrish joking around from where she was seated. As she watched Chrish tenderly kiss her neck Rory was overwhelmingly thankful that Tristan had chosen to bring his family home. Rory was very much aware of just how much he and his children had helped them heal. It had been a long and confusing road but Rory remembers the month that started the healing, she sometimes joked it was the month that changed her life.
Rory's mind began to wander to those days, she had hated to admit it but Finn had been right. She had gotten a personal trainer slash nutritionist, installed a heavy bag and was under a professionals watchful eye as she beat the crap out of said bag. She had figured out that if she worked hard enough on that bag she would sleep through the night without having nightmares. Added to that the more active she was the bigger her appetite. Slowly but steadily Rory was feeling and looking better. Not ready for a date better but maybe a girls night with Lane better.
What had surprised Rory the most was Logan it had been almost three weeks since she had woken to her in Rory's room making her wonder if the girl had been coming in for her or Rory. Her appearance in Max's room had whittled down to once. The most surprising change being Logan asking to go to a slumber party at Chloe's, just the three girls, the boys were staying at Paris's house. If Logan wants to come home mid evening, Tristan will bring her. Plus Tristan has an alarm system which should help her feel safer. It was a trial run but both Rory and Tristan were encouraged.
Rory was currently standing in front of Tristan's wife's counseling center, trying to make herself go in for her first session. She looked at the card in her hand Roberta Davis. 'Well Roberta Davis here we go.' Rory thought as she forced her feet into the building. Checking the list she followed the numbers to the right waiting room. After signing in, she considered bolting for a second, but that would be rude and she had already signed in. so she sat listening to the clock tick on the wall. Eventually, she heard her name and quietly followed the overly cheerful woman to the office.
Mrs. Davis on the other hand was in her mid forties and was personable without being bubbly. When asked why she was there, Rory stated honestly it had been over two years since her husband's murder and she felt she was doing just as bad coping with it now as when it happened. She felt she obviously needed help and hoped that by helping herself she would also be helping her daughter. She explained about the weight loss, lack of appetite, and sleep problems as well as her new exercise and meal routine she had started to take her health back although needing so much help made her feel as if she was making no progress.
"Rory, these are all good steps towards taking back your life, and regaining control. This is positive news!" Dr. Davis encouraged. "I know it feels frustrating but there is no time limit on grief. What is true for you won't be true for someone else's healing. I don't want to discourage you but it is important to remember even after you get past having to make yourself get up every day, reminding yourself to breath. There will still be things that will spark a memory and it will hurt. The trick is to remember it won't always be this hard, eventually your memories won't hurt you but bring you a sad comfort, you're just not there yet but you will be.
I have some homework if you will. I want you to start what I call a memory book, two actually, just every time you remember something put it in the book. Now I want you to have one that's personal memories like you first time together, or a way he looked only at you. The other is for other memories like dates, fights, random, loving memories just remember with this book you will one day share it with Logan so keep that in mind as you chose which memories go in which book. Mix ups have happened and that's a completely different set of therapy bills." Dr. Davis joked as she handed Rory two blank notebooks. "How about this week we try for three memories and see how it was next week." Rory nodded heading towards the door when she stopped. "May I ask you a question? About my daughter?"
Dr. Davis sat back down as she answered "Of course."
"Well Logan has been invited to a sleep over with just her two best friends but she hasn't slept anywhere but home since she was raped and I was wondering if she decides she wants to come home should I try to encourage her to stay or just go get her?" Rory asked thinking she shouldn't need to ask she should just instinctually know what her daughter needed.
"If her attack had been different I would say encourage her, but she was attacked at home. Her ability to feel safe in general is having to be completely rebuilt I honestly say just go get her, but encourage her to try it again later." Dr. Davis recommended kindly. "Thank you, again." Rory said as she left… she pulled out her phone and text Finn, "You were right, talking helps."
It had also been that day that Colin dropped the Mitchum bomb on her. She was alone and had been trying to kill the punching bag when she heard the doorbell. Grabbing a towel she wiped her face before opening the door. Rory was shocked, granted she was used to Colin just showing up but with him on her door step was Charlie Davenport whom she hadn't seen since he defended her on the Yacht incident. She stepped back with a smile as she smarted off "There are no stolen yachts on these premises but feel free to look for yourselves. It's nice to see you again Charlie." Rory said as she extended her hand for Charlie.
"I agree I do wish the circumstances were better of course." He said as they shook hands, puzzled she gave Colin a look.
"Can we sit in the kitchen?" Colin asked casually. She led the way grabbing waters for all of them as Colin started pulling papers from his case. Explaining as he went "I had some very disturbing papers come across my desk today concerning both you and Logan. I could be disbarred for this conversation so we didn't have it." Colin said seriously. "Oh give Charlie a dollar." He said finding the form he wanted as she pulled a dollar from the pizza fund on the counter. After giving it to Charlie Colin announced, "Great now he's your lawyer and this conversation is now protected under attorney/client privileges." The request now makes sense to Rory "Were you aware that Elias Huntzberger never disowned Logan that he in fact changed his will after Logan's murder adding both Lola and you." Rory shook her head in shock.
"I didn't think so. Were you notified to appear at the reading of Elias's will?" Colin asked already knowing the answer before she again shook her head negatively.
"When Elias died 6 months ago the reading of the Will was done privately behind closed doors, something they legally can't do without all beneficiaries being present. Mitchum just petitioned the Board of HPG to vote no confidence against Lola as CEO and Majority share holder. He is stating that Logan's untimely and suspicious death are grounds to deny Lola her rights, insinuations that you both may have had a hand in or planned Logan's death have been circulated from Mitchum and Shira for years. But I now have documents laying blame at you and Logan, meaning we can counter and go after them for slander. I know you could care less about the company or money but they are putting these lies on public record, if you don't fight this on principle alone, do it because lies like this will follow Logan through life. You could always turn the company over to Honor and Josh for all I care." Colin said before putting the truth in Rory's face. "He has basically accused you of arranging your husband's murder so you and your daughter can benefit financially. Do you want that left uncontested so that for the rest of Logan's life people will wonder if she really did that?"
Charlie put his hand up quieting Colin's rant, "Rory I understand you want nothing from these people but you can't sit back doing nothing as this man puts these lies on record without contesting it. We don't know what type repercussions Logan will be left to deal with. Not to mention it is the right thing to do and if Richard were here I believe he would support this plan of action."
Rory gave it some thought before telling Charlie "I want your whole firm on this. Letting Mitchum win is not an option. I want him nailed to the wall for everything my daughter and husband have been put through because of him." Rory said feeling like her old self for the first time since losing Logan.
Charlie had Rory sign some paperwork authorizing him to act on her and Logan's behalf before leaving to get their counter claims filed with the court. Colin stayed to speak to Rory privately "My firm is representing the Dark Lord so we can't talk during the case but afterwards diner is on me." He grinned as he confessed "You know right now I feel a bit like Brad Pitt in that movie Sleepers playing both sides of the fence." He laughed as he waved and drove away.
By the time the first hearing had been set Rory had three firms working in conjunction against Mitchum. Mason Dugrey had offered his services as a master litigator; The Hayden's firm was burying the other side in paperwork while Charlie's team was compiling all the evidence against Mitchum and the supporting evidence for Rory and Logan. Turned out Mitchum was responsible for them not being notified of the will and submitting a false proxy on their behalf to the probate court. In the end they were also able to supply a paper trail showing Mitchum orcastrated and perpetuated many of the rumors surrounding Logan's murder that insinuated one or both of the girl's involvement, all of which played out in open court and on public record. In the end Mitchum underestimated Rory and her power in the community. The only negative to Mitchum's public embarrassment was that the details of Logan's murder and Lola's rape became public record, something Rory was worried would create negative fallout for the girl later. But with her group of friends she was insulated well from the harsher comments and handled what she did hear very well.
When Rory was younger she was a firm believer in Karma until the night of Logan's death. Loss of belief aside there was no denying that years of underhanded dealings and well just plain acting like an entitled ass had finally caught up with Mitchum, and Rory was a big enough woman to admit she loved every bit of it. He was currently facing charges and possible jail time for fraud, embezzlement, and stock tampering. HPG was being run by Josh and Honor to be split between the kids equally when they reached adulthood. The way a family business should be passed down.
Rory couldn't help feeling excited for the kids. She wanted to see the kids take this step together as they seemed to do with everything else, even going so far as all of them choosing to attend the same University, Yale. Unable to take the fidgeting anymore Tristan took her hand as he leaned over to ask "Just how much coffee have you had?" Rory shrugged not knowing. Paris leaned across Doyle to answer Tristan. "She was up at 4:30 am and didn't even try to go back to bed. You do the math." She rolled her eyes at the fact that Rory hasn't changed much since high school. Paris decided to help Tristan distract Rory and bluntly asked her. "So are we really okay with them going to Europe for a month? What's the likelihood that Logan and Chrish won't end up sharing a room, or Matt and Steven for that matter? I know we all did it but shouldn't we put up more of a fight, you know, as parents?"
"At least Matt and Steven can't make you a grandparent; I'll worry about that once the sex starts." Tristan commented blissfully ignorant. Rory just patted his knee before bursting his bubble. "Oh you clueless man, they've been sleeping together since Christmas. It was what you'd call a Merry Christmas." She said enjoying the green tint to his face a bit too much.
"So did they both get theirs?" Paris asked Rory trying to make Tristan squirmed she add. "Statistically, it takes men a year of regular sexual activity to learn how to get a woman to climax during intercourse not just with clit stimulation." Paris smiled evilly at the look on Tristan's face.
He put his hand up to stop whatever Rory was going to say. "I don't want to know anything. I taught him about safe sex and gave him a book, he had no questions. We're good." He blushed uncomfortably causing the girls to crack up. Rory nodded and said so only Tristan could hear. "She's on the shot and they use a back up." Tristan was relieved when the ceremony started and the conversation couldn't continue.
As Logan stood on the stage giving the speech she had prepared before she knew for sure she was the valedictorian, Rory couldn't help wishing Logan was here to see her. It still upset her when she thought of all the things Logan would miss. She knew that once he adjusted to no longer being the only man in Logan's life, he would have loved Chrish. He would have loved watching them fall in love. Rory snapped out of her thoughts in time to catch her daughter as she launched herself at her mother. After hugging all the adults, accepting their congratulations Logan turned to Paris and asked "So did mom tell you yet? She has her first date Friday night." She said playfully raising her eyebrows.
Tristan turned in surprise. "It's about time! Who's the guy?" he asked not missing a step as his own eighteen year old daughter hopped on his back for a ride to the car.
"Charlie davenport's grandson, Evan. Colin reintroduced us." Rory answered not sounding like she was really looking forward to it at all.
"Reintroduced?" Paris asked trying to remember if she had heard Rory mention him when they were younger.
Rory laughed as she adjusted the strap on her dress. "Apparently, he was one of the bachelors at that Yale male party my grandparents threw for me. So I guess I met him but have no recollection of it at. I guess he didn't make much of an impression. Colin really likes him and they've worked together for over 10 years, I thought since Colin has such a high opinion of him I could at least try one date." Rory said though it was obvious from her dismissive tone she wasn't expecting much. At this point she just knew she needed to start trying to date again. Logan was heading to Yale, Max had moving in with his girlfriend, and even Tristan had started dating. She was starting to feel lonely in a way that even with their close friendship Tristan couldn't fill. Paris understood why Rory was choosing to date again, having talked with Rory at length, she just hadn't been aware Rory was past just considering it. Before long Paris and Doyle said their good-byes with plans for Sunday brunch together, just the adults.
Watching the kids joking across the lot from where Rory and Tristan were leaning against her car "Penny for your thought?" Tristan said nudging her with his shoulder.
"I'm lonely. Don't get me wrong I love what we have, but I'm starting to want more again." She said feeling a bit guilty. They had never been more then close friends but the openness they shared some times made the line between friendship and more seem a bit too blurry for Rory to process. So it had just hung there, the attraction that had been there since Chilton. Neither of them wanted to risk what they had to explore that aspect of their relationship. Even if they had wanted to, the kids dating would have been reason enough to continue ignoring the occasional what if, and so they had.
Tristan sighed at the slight acknowledgement to the elephant in their otherwise idyllic friendship. "I know what you mean; I used to feel guilty for feeling that way too. But I'm not a solitary person by nature, and I've been alone for years now. I honestly believe if just having someone to share our lives with was enough, you and I would be set. We both need intimacy, and with each other isn't the answer for us." Tristan replied honesty, making it obvious that he had spent lots of time contemplating their relationship.
Just as she had a hundred times in the last years she rested her head on his shoulder. "Does the guilt every go away?" knowing he was years ahead of her in his healing.
"Yes, just like how the anger went away, one day you'll wake and realize you don't feel guilty anymore either." His reassurance calmed her as always. She drank in the silence. In the last year and a half she had come to love how easy everything with Tristan really was. For the first time she voiced the thought that always came to her in moments like these. "It really is almost too bad we aren't in love. Being with you is as easy as breathing."
Tristan chuckled but couldn't help agreeing. "That would be convenient wouldn't it Mare." He said amused at the way she had said that, as if he was the perfect shoes, but in the wrong color. "Look at the bright side if we had dated we would have been a shoe in for Springer with the kids also dating." He said the sarcasm thick.
"How about we leave the love to the kids and just enjoy being perfect?" Rory offered as if it was a big concession on her part.
Tristan studied Rory with a smirk "If that's your best offer. Perfection it is." He said his eyes traveling back to where the kids were goofing off as if they had no cares in the world.