***IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE***

A lovely reviewer let me know that FanFiction didn't send off new chapter alerts for the lat chapter I posted. So, you might want to have a look back and check that you've read chapter 18 before you continue on.

Also, over 300 reviews?! Whaaaat?! Thank you to each and every one of you that has commented on my story whether it's been 18 times or 1 time. Thank you, and stay tuned! There's still so much more to come.

CHAPTER 19: Castle Walls

After Rory and Logan's initial discussion about the fact that he needs to his introduce their daughter to the rest of her paternal family, Logan had made a phone call and set plans in place to meet with his family, informing them that he would be bringing two guests to dinner.

The impending dinner quickly approaches, just a week after she and her daughter visited Logan's office in New York.

When the night finally comes, Rory is stressed to the max. She has changed her outfit almost ten times, in addition to switching up her accessories and makeup another five times. Not to mention, she's ironed the brand new outfit that she bought for Elle an upwards of five times.

As evidenced through her nervousness, Rory can't help but feel as though the three of them are preparing to be dropped into the lion's den...

#

Logan had picked the girls up, to drive them to his parent's house for the three of them to be able to go and face the Huntzberger's together.

During the half an hour drive to Hartford, both Rory and Logan couldn't be more thankful of their bubbly daughter for taking over the conversation to distract them both from their nerves and fear of the unknown over the impending dinner.

"So, your dad's name's Mitchum and your mom's name's Shira, right?"

Logan confirms his daughter's question before Rory elaborates on the question itself, educating the nine-year-old.

"But, you won't be calling them that, Elle. It's disrespectful for you to address anyone as old as or older than your parents just by their first name. Hopefully they'll tell you what to call them, but if not, just call them Mr. and Mrs. Huntzberger."

"Yeah I know that... Grandma taught me that when I was four. I just want to know everyone's name's so that I know who is talking about who."

As he drives along the freeway between Stars Hollow to Hartford, Logan quickly glances in the rear view mirror, catching a glimpse of Elle with arms crossed in front of her, not happy after feeling like she's just been told off by her mother.

"Hey, Elle. If you want to know names, some others that will be there is my sister Honor and her husband Josh. Just call them Aunt Honor and Uncle Josh, okay? Also, they will be bringing your two little cousins. There's Pascal who's 2 and Indigo who is closer to your age, she's 6. Everyone calls them Indy and Pas."

Elleigh nods at her father's explanation, which he notices after another quick glance towards the back seat, before she turns her attention outside and starts watching everything fly past her through the car window.

"How are you feeling, Ace?" Logan asks in a low whisper to the woman in the passenger's seat beside him. He tries to speak quietly enough for the conversation to go unnoticed or unheard by their daughter in the back.

"I feel like I'm ready for it to be over already..."

"Amen."

#

Eventually after a long, nerve-wracking drive, the dysfunctional family of three arrive at their destination, pulling up at the Huntzberger Manor.

"Wow..." Elle says with astonishment as she takes in the property that resembles a castle more than it does a home to the small town nine-year-old.

The three of them leave the car and head for the front door that is as large and as lavish as just as everything else about the house is.

However, as they walk up the driveway but before they reach the front door, Logan pulls Elle to the side for a moment, telling Rory to wait; that they'd join her in just a moment.

"Elleigh, before we go in, there's something I want to tell you just quickly. Now, I don't know how my parents are going to act tonight. They are notorious for not being very nice people, okay? But, whatever goes on inside – whatever they say and whatever they do, I want you to promise me that you won't take it to heart. You are an incredibly smart, wonderful young girl and your mother and I are both so, completely proud of you. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, Elle... Including my parents."

Elle just nods at her father with a big smile across her face.

"I promise. Thanks... dad."

Dad.

Dad...

He never knew that that one little word, three little letters could make him as happy as he feels in this moment.

He could melt...

He never knew that his heart could fill with so much pride and swell with so much love at being called 'dad' for the very first time.

He has to resist the urge to clutch at the left side of his own chest, as though he can physically feel the eruption of feeling that his daughter has just induced. After all, it is one thing to know that he is Elle's dad, but it is another thing to know that Elle has started to think of him as and see him as her dad.

Suddenly, with that one word acknowledgment from Elle, Logan's night feels so much easier to tackle and conquer.

Getting through it seems so much more doable.

That one word from his daughter gives him the courage that he needs to feel like he's going to be able to make it out of the other side of this dinner with his parents...

#

After being greeted and welcomed inside by Imogene, the current Huntzberger maid, Logan, Rory and Elle are ushered through the home where Mitchum and Shira are waiting.

As soon as the elder Huntzberger's come into view, Rory notices how Logan puts a hand on their daughter's shoulder. It brings a small smile to her face. After all, it's a subtle, but protective gesture. It's like he's got her back and before the fights even start, he's there to protect her.

"Mom, dad" Logan says succinctly, greeting his parents. "You remember Rory."

While Mitchum greets his former intern, coming across the room to shake hands with both her and his son, his wife's eyes are locked elsewhere...

"And who is this precious darling that's joined you, Logan?" Shira asks naively, her sweetness as artificial as saccharine as she gestures towards Elle, the elephant in the room.

Shira acts as though she has no clue as to why a little girl with the Huntzberger smile and the Gilmore eyes is standing in between her son and his ex-girlfriend.

Taking a deep breath of air, Logan rubs his hand from where it's resting on Elle's shoulder, comforting himself as much as he intends to reassure her.

"This is Elleigh. Elle's my daughter... She's Rory and I's daughter."

Shira instantly lets out a little gasp, looking from Elle, to Logan, to Rory, to Mitchum and back to Elle. Meanwhile, Mitchum just nods solemnly, before moving in the most surprising direction.

Mitchum walks over to Elle, crouching just a little to reduce the height between them, as he holds a hand out to the young girl.

"Hello Elleigh. My name's Mitchum. But, you can call me Grandad. That's what your cousins call me. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Elle briefly looks over to Rory, as if checking for her approval, before she extends her own hand to where Mitchum's is held out in front of her.

"Hi... Nice to meet you" Elle responds politely as the two shake hands before she looks up to both Rory and then Logan. Her parents can tell that she isn't feeling quite comfortable, nor is she sure of how to act or what to say.

"Hello Elleigh" Shira says simply, with most fake of smiles plastered on her face, before she turns to her husband as he moves away from their granddaughter. "Mitchum? Can we have a moment, please? In private?"

Immediately after the introductions, Shira whisks Mitchum out of the room, telling Logan, Rory and Elle just to wait where Honor and her family should be arriving shortly.

Elle flops down and takes a seat on one of the lounges; she's instantly able to relax more now that the formal introductions are done with.

However, Rory and Logan share a wordless glance; both of them knowing that it's not over yet. The worst is probably yet to come seeing as there's no doubt that Mitchum and Shira have hurried off to determine their plan of attack and contingency plans for the bombshell that has just been dropped on them...

I was wanting this to be up sooner, but I've had a really big, really awful week and honestly, it's been a struggle. So, thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter and thank you to you all for waiting patiently for this chapter. Your kind words did more for me than you might have realised... :) Thank you.

Next chapter: Things heat up during the Huntzberger family dinner... Will Mitchum and Shira play nice?