Logan and Rory drove around Hartford, perusing available homes that they found in the paper, enjoying being together and making plans for their future. Rory was pulled from her thoughts on the future by Logan's voice.
"Hey, we have about an hour and a half before we meet Emily. Would it be okay to drop by Honor's house and give her the good news together first? I'd really like her to know before we tell our Yale friends tonight."
"Umm...sure," Rory replied nervously.
"You sure, Ace? You sound uncertain about something."
"It's nothing, really. It's just...I haven't seen Honor since before we broke up, and I don't know how she'll react to me."
"Let me assure you, she'll be thrilled. She's chewed me out multiple times for losing, and I quote, "the best thing that ever happened to me" because I was inconsiderate and selfish. She's going to be over-the-moon with the news of us being back together and also with the news of our little jelly bean," Logan replied with a chuckle.
"Alright then, off we go!"
It only took five minutes to pull up in front of Honor's gorgeous Hartford mansion. Rory couldn't help but be nervous as they pulled into the driveway, despite Logan's reassurances. As Logan helped her out of the car, he pulled her into his arms and held her close to him before kissing her gently.
"It's going to be great, Ace. This is one conversation that I promise will go very well. I wouldn't bring you here otherwise. Trust me?"
"I do. Let's go give Honor the good news," Rory said with a smile.
Logan and Rory walked hand-in-hand to the doorway and rang the doorbell, and waited only a short time before Honor herself opened the front door.
"Little brother! I thought you were in London?!" Honor squealed as she flew into her brother's arms, not even seeing the woman next to him.
"I was, but I've been back for a few days," Logan replied with a laugh as his sister squeezed him tightly. "Can we come in?"
"We? Oh my gosh, I didn't even see you there! Rory!" Honor said, engulfing Rory in a hug that almost knocked her off her feet. "I haven't seen you in years, even since this one next to you screwed up the best thing in his life. Come in, come in!"
Rory and Logan shared a look and a laugh before following Honor into the sitting room.
"Not that I'm not thrilled to see both of you, but what are you guys doing here?"
Logan tightened his hand around Rory's to reassure her before he spoke.
"Have you talked to Mitchum in the last week?"
"God, no. I try not to unless I have to. What's up?"
"Well, I sold my stake in HPG and resigned. I'm moving back stateside, to Hartford, actually. And Odette and I finally called off that farce of an engagement, and she's back in Paris."
"Oh my God. I'm shocked you escaped without bodily harm. How's the old man take it?" asked Honor.
"I think he was too shocked to really say anything, honestly. I'm sure that I'll hear from him before long. Actually, I'll call him today or tomorrow and make plans to have lunch with both him and Shira. I have some news that I need to share with them as well."
"I'm so happy that you're taking your life back, Logan! That still doesn't explain how you managed to get the lovely Miss Rory sitting next to you, though."
"Nothing gets by you, does it? While parts of what I'm about to tell you will obviously be public knowledge, not all of it will be," Logan began.
"Okay, sure. What's going on?"
"Well, Rory and I ran into each other a couple of years ago in Hamburg, quite literally, in the airport. We were both there on business, and we ended up spending every minute we could together. After that, we saw each other as often as possible whenever we could be in the same place at the same time. She stayed with me when she was in London, and I stayed with her in New York when I was there."
"I had no idea!" Honor exclaimed.
"Well, that was kind of the point, Honor. No one was supposed to know."
"Alright, so where does that leave you now?"
"Rory and I had one last night together in New Hampshire two months ago and we said our goodbyes. I have been miserable ever since, knowing that I let the woman I've loved for so long walk away yet again, and when Mitchum showed up in my office railing about the prenup and how he owned me, I finally had enough. I talked with Odette and we agreed that neither of us wanted to continue things, and I met with the board and put my plan to leave in motion. Then I flew back here to try to win the love of my life back. As it turns out, she was as miserable without me as I was without her, and now," Logan said, as he held Rory's left hand out, "I'm engaged to the right woman for me."
Honor flew off the couch and into the couple, throwing her arms around them and shrieking as she hugged them both.
"Oh my gosh, that's so amazing! Congratulations! I'm so excited for you guys! I always wanted a sister, and now I'll get Rory!"
Rory couldn't help but laugh as Honor hugged her for dear life, and she was so grateful that this conversation was going well.
At this point, a small cry was heard over the baby monitor sitting on the coffee table.
"Oh, give me just one minute, guys. Let me get Livie from her crib and I'll be right back," Honor said as she walked out of the room.
"Livie is...your niece, I'm assuming?" asked Rory as she snuggled closer into Logan's side.
"Yeah, she's 2 months old now. She's amazing. She definitely already has Uncle Logan wrapped around her finger," Logan said with a chuckle.
Just as Logan spoke, Honor returned to the room with the cutest little bundle, dressed in pink from head-to-toe, with blonde hair and brown eyes.
"Wow, she's gorgeous," Rory cooed, eyes suddenly misty with emotion. Seeing a baby, being so close to one, and knowing that she was only about 7 months away from holding her own child in her arms was emotional. Logan noticed her teary-eyed look and leaned down to kiss her tenderly, hugging her to his chest for a moment.
"Thank you," Honor replied. "I think she wants her Uncle Logan."
Logan held his arms out and took his niece from her mother, cradling her close to his chest as she wrapped her hand around his finger and smiled. At seeing this sweet interaction between Logan and his niece, Rory became overwhelmed with emotion and wiped a couple of stray tears from her eyes.
"Hey, Ace. Are you okay?" Logan asked with concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, it's just...wow. Seeing you with her, and us, and it's just...wow. It's very real at the moment."
"Good real?" Logan asked.
"Definitely good real," Rory replied with a smile as she kissed Logan. "May I?" she asked motioning toward Livie.
"Of course," Logan replied tenderly as he transferred Livie to Rory's waiting arms. At this sight, it was his turn to feel his emotions rising as he looked at the woman he loved holding a child while carrying his child.
"Definitely good real," he whispered to Rory quietly as he wondered at the sight in front of him.
"Everything okay there, guys? I know she's amazing, but Logan didn't even show that much emotion the first time he met his niece."
"Yeah, everything is fantastic," Logan began. "There's more, Honor. After my confession of undying love, Rory had a bit of a surprise for me as well. She had tried to get in touch with me the day before I called her. Rory and I are expecting. We're going to be parents. We're due in June."
Honor just squealed as she pulled her little brother up off the couch and enveloped him in a bear hug, tears in her eyes.
"This is the most amazing news ever, Logan! I'm so excited for you! And Rory," she said, turning toward her, "you are going to be an incredible mom!"
"Thank you so much, Honor. I'm finally excited. Seeing Logan holding Livie just made it all so real for me. I've been a wreck since I found out, trying to figure out how I felt about everything and wondering if I would be doing this alone, and being next to Logan and getting a tiny preview of our future just made it...amazingly real," Rory replied.
"Listen, Honor, we have to run. We're meeting Emily to tell her shortly since she's in town. I'm going to call Mitchum and Shira tomorrow and make arrangements to talk with them," Logan began.
"Say no more, brother. Mum's the word until you tell me that it's safe to share the news."
"Thank you, Honor. We'll be seeing a lot more of you; we'll be looking for a place here in Hartford, and I've taken a job as Editor at the Courant."
"I'm so incredibly happy for you guys! You both deserve this happiness!" Honor exclaimed as she took Livie from Rory's arms and they proceeded to the door.