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Rory woke sometime later to hear her mother on the phone. She sat up slightly as she heard Lorelai say,

"She doesn't want to talk to you."

Rory's breath caught painfully in her throat.

"Logan, I don't care if she's your wife," Lorelai retorted. "She's my kid and she doesn't want to see or talk to you."

Rory exhaled, hugging her knees tightly as she heard Lorelai say angrily,

"Why didn't you call me? What? Well, I have a cellphone, even she left hers. You could have called that or my landline – yes, I still have a landline, I'm retro that way."

Rory smiled but bit her lip as Lorelai yelled,

"It is my business! My kid comes here, crying about a fight you had, things you said to her, and she doesn't know what to do! She left in the middle of the night and you didn't even call! I don't care how angry you were! Your wife left in the middle of the night and you didn't try to find her!"

There was another pause and Lorelai said furiously,

"Logan, we are done with this conversation. She'll get home when she gets home. Give her some space. You didn't seem so concerned last night. She'll come home when she's ready. Go punch a cushion, kick a chair or spend a ton of money, quit yelling at me. Deal with it, Logan. Goodbye."

Lorelai put the phone down with a swear and Rory called,

"Is he mad?"

"God, you scared me," Lorelai said, going into the room. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was."

"Did I wake you?" Lorelai winced and Rory smiled.

"Doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry."

"Is he mad?"

"Forget what he wants," Lorelai said brazenly. "He's a big boy, he'll be fine. Maybe he can throw a glass too."

Rory smiled without meaning to. Lorelai grinned.

"Did it make a good sound?"

"The best," Rory admitted. "It felt good."

"I smashed one of Mom's china statues once," Lorelai admitted, going red. "When I was twelve."

"Seriously?"

"I was mad at her because she wouldn't let me wear lipstick in the house," Lorelai said, laughing a little. "Said it made me look like the Whore of Babylon."

"Wow."

"Yeah. There was a way that made me look like that much more than lipstick a few years later."

"Did you throw it against the wall?"

"No – I knocked it on the floor accidentally on purpose. I was really scared once I did it and tried to fix it with superglue, a failed endeavour –"

"You amaze me."

"And then when Mom saw she didn't even get angry," Lorelai laughed. "She said Gran had given it to her and she'd always hated it. She'd just kept it out because she might visit soon. I was so relieved it was embarrassing."

They laughed together and Lorelai added,

"I swore I'd never make my kid so mad she'd throw things. Guess I failed at that, huh?"

"It was Logan, not you," Rory explained but there was a seriousness to her tone.

"What is it?"

"Logan wants a kid."

"He what?"

"He wants to have a baby," Rory said, suddenly embarrassed. "And I don't."

"You're way too young to have a kid."

"Mom, I'm nearly ten years older than you were."

"I was a kid! You're still pretty young."

"We're not having one," Rory continued. "But I thought I was pregnant."

Lorelai sucked in her breath.

"When?"

"Before we moved."

"You never told me."

Rory could hear the hurt in her voice and quickly said,

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell anyone. I was so unhappy about it...if I had been I decided I would get an abortion. I don't know if I'd have changed my mind, but...what do you think?"

"I don't know," Lorelai said honestly. "I'm glad you weren't."

"Me too. Do you think I should have kept it?"

Lorelai looked at her and said seriously,

"I could never make that decision for you. I love the one I made but I would never tell anyone they should do it too, especially not my daughter. You weren't sure and I was."

Rory nodded silently and then said,

"I didn't tell Logan. I feel like we never talk now...it's like we can't."

"Does he know how you're feeling?" Lorelai asked gently and Rory shook her head.

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"If I do he gets defensive," Rory said, looking down at the covers. "And he usually doesn't want to talk about it because he's been working all day."

"Try talking to him," Lorelai said firmly. "Make him sit down and listen."

"I will," Rory promised. "I'll try."

"I really wish you'd come to me about this," Lorelai said sadly and Rory hesitantly started,

"Mom –"

"It's okay," Lorelai said quickly. "Don't apologise, it's not that, I just wish you'd talked to me."

Rory nodded, her hair casting a shade over her face.

"Me too. I'm sorry."

She clasped her hands together, feeling a little defeated. Lorelai took her chin in her hands and said softly,

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Rory said, making herself smile and sound bright. She pushed back the covers and got up. "I had a good sleep."

"I'm glad," Lorelai said, sounding cheerful again. "And you know what the best thing to do after sleeping is?"

"What?"

"Luke's!"

Rory grinned.

"I'll be ready in ten minutes!"

Rory dressed in a similar ensemble to what she worn the last time she'd crashed at Lorelai's. Her mother laughed, teased her, and two walked happily to Luke's. It was a sunny day and the air was fresh. The diner looked cheerful in the sun and was relatively empty as they went up to the counter.

"Hey, Luke," Lorelai said, putting a protective arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Could we get pancakes with extra chocolate chips?"

"Sure," Luke said, sounding puzzled. "Strawberries too?"

Lorelai looked at Rory.

"What do you think hon, strawberries too?"

"Yes," Rory said, looking up. "Strawberries too. Please."

"Coming right up," Luke said in a strangely cheerful voice. "That table by the window's free, if you want it."

"Thanks, Luke," Lorelai said. "Come on, sweets."

She steered Rory toward the table and Rory could tell Luke was still looking at them in concern, and guessed it wasn't due to the odd clothes she was wearing. She wondered if Jess had said something to him but quickly dismissed it. It may have been several years since they had been together but Rory knew he would never divulge a secret, hers or anyone else's.

The pancakes came shortly after they had settled down, along with two steaming mugs of coffee, which Luke set carefully in front of them.

"There you go," Luke said, still sounding as though he were talking to an invalid. "Pancakes and coffee and double strawberries."

"Thank you, Luke," Lorelai said gratefully, cutting into the food. Rory was about to start hers when she noticed Luke was hovering beside them. He looked at her and asked anxiously,

"Are you okay, Rory?"

"Of course I'm okay," Rory said hastily. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Luke shrugged and, despite what she had just thought, asked,

"Did Jess say something to you?"

"Jess?" Luke echoed in surprise. "No. I haven't seen him since last night when he helped me lock up. Why?"

"No reason," Rory said awkwardly and Luke frowned.

"I didn't know you two were friends again."

"Kind of," Rory said vaguely. "Is he here today?"

"He had to meet some clients - don't know why it had to be Saturday but he's gone to New York. He'll be back around six – do you need me to call him?"

"No," Rory said hastily. "No, don't bother him, it's fine."

"Okay."

"And don't say I was asking – no, you can if you want – say what you want," Rory trailed off, blushing as Luke and Lorelai stared at her.

"Okay," Luke said, sounding incredibly confused. "I'll tell Jess...what I want?"

"Yeah," Rory mumbled. "Thanks."

He nodded and left them to their breakfast. Rory stared to eat and Lorelai asked,

"What was that all about?"

She laughed as she said it but her voice was serious and Rory sighed.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You spent the night at his place!"

"I didn't spend the night," Rory snapped, letting her fork fall with a clatter. "It wasn't anything like that – we're just friends."

"Okay, but when did you and Jess become just friends again?" Lorelai demanded. "I didn't even know you were seeing each other. You were at his place that other time but I figured it was a one-time thing."

"It was," Rory mumbled. "Apart from the other time."

"What other time?" Lorelai asked sharply. Rory closed her eyes.

"I had another fight with Logan," she admitted. "I drove out here again and I spent the night at his."

"You spent the night? On his couch?"

"In his bed."

Lorelai stared and Rory quickly added,

"He was on the couch."

"What did you sleep in?"

"What did I sleep in?" Rory demanded. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know, what am I supposed to say when my daughter tells me she spent the night in her ex-boyfriend's bed?"

"Would you keep your voice down?" Rory hissed, staring around the diner. "You're making it sound like we slept in it together. Anyway, I didn't sleep naked or something. He lent me a shirt and some shorts."

She bent back down over her plate, hiding her face in her food and when she looked up Lorelai was still staring.

"Why didn't you come to me?"

"Because it was late and I didn't want to wake you."

"You know I wouldn't have minded," Lorelai said. "Why did you go to him?"

"Because we're friends," Rory said defiantly. "And yes, it's kind of a recent development, but we are."

"Okay," Lorelai said suspiciously. "So what did Logan say when you told him?"

Rory went red and her mother exclaimed,

"You didn't tell him?"

"He'd flip out!" Rory exclaimed. "He'd blow the whole thing out of proportion and we'd have a fight!"

"Rory, don't you think he's going to blow it a lot worse when he finds out you've kept it from him?"

"He doesn't need to know," Rory said decidedly. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"It's going to hurt him more if he finds out! Trust me, Rory. I never told Luke about going to see Christopher. It was totally innocent but it looked like it wasn't because I kept it secret and it practically ruined our relationship."

Lorelai sounded sad and Rory felt a rush of guilt.

"Shouldn't Logan trust me?"

"Yes, he should, but how would it look to you if you found out he'd been seeing an ex-girlfriend behind your back?"

"Horrible," Rory admitted. "I'd feel horrible."

Rory didn't add that Logan didn't have ex-girlfriends, only bridesmaids, but she kept the thought to herself. She fell silent and Lorelai looked at her sympathetically until she blurted out,

"I don't want to tell him."

"Rory –"

"I like having something private," Rory said forcefully. "It's been years since – I don't have any friends of my own. I like having something which is just mine, not because of him, and something in my life Logan doesn't know about."

"You don't want to share things with him?"

"No, I –" Rory stopped herself and said miserably, "Everything I have is shared. I just want something to myself."

She picked up the fork and picked up some pancake, pushing it in her mouth and letting the rest fall back. Lorelai sighed.

"Rory, you don't have to tell him. I won't tell you what to do."

"You think I should tell him."

"I think if you keep it hidden and then he finds out it's going to look a lot worse than it is."

"But what about all those things I just –"

"I know," Lorelai said heavily, cutting her off. "I know."

They both lapsed into silence and ate the rest of their breakfast without another word.

Rory sat in the diner for a while longer, hoping to see Jess. She knew he wouldn't be back until evening yet she stared furtively around the diner, hoping for a chance meeting all the same. Lorelai eventually said she had plans with Sookie and they got up to leave.

"Want to come?" Lorelai asked brightly. "We're going to the market, it could be fun."

Rory shook her head apologetically.

"I need to go talk to Logan."

"Yes," Lorelai agreed sadly. "You do."

They went back to the house where Rory gathered her meagre collection of things and kissed her mother goodbye.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, sweets," Lorelai said, hugging her tightly. "You'll think about what I said?"

Rory nodded silently and Lorelai added,

"Tell my son-in-law we need to have a chat too."

"Mom!"

"I think he got the message when I called," Lorelai said. "But you can still repeat it."

"Bye, Mom."

"Goodbye, hon."

Rory walked slowly back to the gazebo. The day was still clear and the brightness of the sun hurt her eyes. She shielded them as she got into the car, wondering at how it had only been hours since her fight with Logan. She wanted to leave the car and go back, wait in Jess's apartment, but she knew Logan was waiting and so she put the car into gear.

The roads were clear and Rory got home shortly. She walked up the stairs she had flown down last night and slowly opened the door. The room had been tidied and all evidence of the party was gone, including the shards of glass. The only reminder was the gold balloons which were starting to get a deflated look. Rory placed her keys on the counter and jumped as she noticed Logan on the couch.

"Hey," she said nervously as he got up.

"Hey," he said quietly and then, "Nice outfit."

Rory ignored the jibe and took her jacket off.

"Logan, we need to talk," Rory said bravely. "There's something I –"

"It's okay, Rory," Logan said, cutting her off. "I forgive you."

"You – what?" Rory said, dumbfounded.

"I forgive you," Logan said, smiling in a condescending kind of way. "I forgive you for throwing the glass and running out without your cellphone and getting your mom to yell at me. Let's just forget about it."

"I don't know if it's as easy as that," Rory said, a little shocked. "Aren't you sorry?"

"I'm sorry I made you feel bad," Logan said. "But come on, throwing glasses?"

"I was upset."

"When I get upset I don't throw breakables around," Logan chortled. "Come on Ace, it was a kind of crazy thing to do."

"I guess," Rory conceded. "I'm sorry."

"At least it wasn't at my head, huh," Logan teased. Rory blushed and he moved to kiss her. Rory saw over his shoulder a line of bottles on the table and caught a smell of alcohol. She was sure they weren't the ones they had bought for the party but instead she said hesitantly,

"Logan, Mom thinks I need to talk to someone."

"What?"

"She thinks I'm depressed," Rory said, looking at him nervously. "I mean, I've been feeling unhappy lately and throwing a glass – it's not good. It couldn't hurt, could it?"

"What are you talking about?" Logan said with a laugh. "What have you got to be depressed about?"

"I – I don't know. I haven't had a job for a while."

"So you're bored?" Logan demanded. "Don't I give you a good life?"

"It's not that, Logan," Rory said desperately. "It's not the kind of life you give me."

"Rory, we live in a seriously expensive apartment in Hartford and we could have a maid if you wanted," Logan said irritably. "I buy you the best clothes, the best food, the best –"

"It's not that!"

"Why are you saying all this then?" Logan asked angrily. "You knew when you married me that this would be kind of life we'd lead, a wealthy life. You said it's what you wanted."

"I didn't say that," Rory said quietly. "I said I wanted to be with you."

"And all this came with me," Logan said, folding his arms. "You knew that."

"Yes, but Logan, it's something more than – it's how I'm feeling in general."

"Get a job then," Logan said shortly. "I never stopped you."

"I didn't say you did –"

"What's so wrong with not having a job, anyway?" Logan asked. "It's not like you live in a dump. You've got the TV and internet and you can get dinner early for when I get back. In theory, anyway."

He walked smartly away from her and opened the laptop, clicking at websites as Rory protested,

"I'm not saying that, Logan, it's about me. I'm unhappy and I don't know why."

"Here," Logan said, ignoring her and turning the screen so Rory could see it. "Look at that."

"What?" Rory asked, caught off-guard. "What am I looking at?"

"The Country Club website!" Logan said proudly. "I bought us a membership!"

"I thought we agreed –"

"You said you're bored. You can hang out there and make friends with the members."

"The members?" Rory echoed, the day in the steam room painfully fresh in her mind. "You mean with the corporate wives?"

"With anyone," Logan shrugged. "As long as you only say good things about me."

Rory shook her head, feeling as though her husband had struck a heavy blow to it.

"Logan, I thought we agreed not to join."

"No, you agreed," Logan contradicted. "I wanted to join. Things change."

"Logan –"

"Look at the grounds," Logan said, clicking on something which filled the screen with landscape. "How could anyone be depressed walking around that?"

"Logan –"

"You'll be your old self again in no time," Logan said, grinning at his wife as he shut the screen. "Grab your jacket."

"Why?"

"I'm taking you to lunch there. We can start there today."

Rory stared at him helplessly and he asked curiously,

"What were you going to say?"

"Huh?"

"You said you had to tell me something when you came in. Was it just that?"

"Yeah," Rory said coldly, her dream from the previous night alight again. "Just that."

She picked up her keys and Logan started laughing.

"What?" she snapped.

"Get changed," he chortled. "You look like someone I married in a barn."

Rory stormed into their bedroom, pulling out expensive clothes from the closet. Logan yelled at her to hurry and, when she came out, dressed in an ivory shirt and black pants he smiled and said,

"Great, you look presentable."

"Don't I always?" Rory asked in a dull voice. He ignored her and opened the door.