A/N: So two chapters today... But only because I feel bad for not giving you some drama in the last chapter (I figured all of the characters needed a little bit of a break.) I hope you enjoy and please keep up the reviews! Your comments give me motivation to sleep less and write more! LOL!
Rory was now 31 weeks pregnant and was happy that she was at a safe point for delivery. Her and Logan were making progress with their relationship and so much that had been bottled up had come to the surface and they were working through it all. Rory felt like they still had work to do but she was becoming more confident that they could work through everything and eventually get their happily ever after. Logan had left that morning to go to some meetings with Mitchum in Hartford and Rory was happy at the changes that had been taking place in that relationship. Mitchum and she had come to an understanding and he apologized for all of his actions years ago and revealed that Shira was worried about the relationship and was convinced that Rory had entered into the relationship to further her journalistic dreams. The benefit of hindsight was that Rory could now admit that Mitchum was partially right about her all those years ago, she didn't really have "it" when it came to journalism. She was great at interviews and features but the hard-hitting pieces where she had to track down leads or even being an overseas correspondent weren't int the cards for her but that path had been so ingrained in her she was never able to fully let it go.
Emily and Francine had hired a decorator and the nursery was now completed and ready for her son to arrive. Logan and Rory had decided on a name and much to the families displeasure they weren't willing to share it yet. Honor had also worked with the two grandmothers to start planning a small baby shower for her that would just have those she was closest to in attendance. A few of the women Rory knew from college, Stephanie, Rosemary and Juliet had also come back into her life and with the addition of those women she felt like she was finally becoming more centered. Rory and Logan had still not gone public on the relationship or the birth and while rumors were circulating in Hartford about the status of their relationship and the upcoming birth of her child.
Lorelai had tried to reach out a few times through both Lane and Emily but neither woman was willing to provide any information regarding Rory's pregnancy and Rory never called her back. Lorelai had even tried turning up at the Gilmore mansion, but Paula would not let her in. She had tried pleading with the maid that she was just there to try and talk with her daughter, she wanted to be a part of her grandchild's life and she just wanted to try and talk some sense into her hormonal daughter, but the maid was not swayed. Paula had not heard much about the woman, but she had seen enough scheming women in her time to recognize one and had warned Rory that she didn't think her mother was done with whatever her plan was.
Rory was focused on writing her story when Paula knocked on the door and waited until Rory focused on the woman. "Rory, I hate to interrupt but a Jess Mariano is here to see you," Paula told her. "I left him outside, he isn't one of the normal visitors, so I didn't feel comfortable letting him in…"
"That's fine Paula," Rory sighed and picked up her phone. "Can you please let him in and show him to the parlor. I'll be in a moment and can you please stay close by, I'm not sure how this conversation will go." As Paula walked out of the room Rory called Logan.
"Hey, I was just thinking about you," he said as soon as he answered the phone and it made Rory smile.
"Well I am glad," Rory sighed not wanting to tell him who was at the house.
"What's wrong baby?" he asked catching her tone.
"Jess is here," she stated. "I don't know why. Paula just came in and told me…"
"It's fine Ace," he told her but was wondering about the unexpected visit. "You told me about the argument about the book… you haven't talked to him since?"
"No," she vehemently stated. "He has not reached out to me and I definitely did not want to speak to him then and I don't know. I just… I wonder what he wants. I had Paula take him to the parlor, but I wanted to let you know that he was here, and I was going to talk to him."
"Thank you for telling me Ace," Logan sighed as he grabbed his stuff to leave the office. "I'm leaving the office now and will be there soon."
Rory sighed, grateful that he would be coming home. "Thank you… I didn't want to bother you but if you can come home…"
"I'll always be there for you," he told her, and she could hear the honesty in his voice. They hung up and Logan walked into his father's office. "Dad I need to head home. Rory's ex just showed up…"
"Go," Mitchum stated as he looked up at Logan. "If you need anything let me know."
Rory had stalled for a while after she had hung up the phone with Logan. She went and freshened up, spending longer than necessary in the bathroom then went to the kitchen to ask for some tea to be brought out for her. "Jess," Rory stated as she walked into the parlor, studying the man that was sitting there. She was wary of him being in her home and didn't particularly want him there especially after their last meeting. The argument about both the book and her pregnancy were still fresh in her mind.
"Rory," he stated and moved to hug her but stopped when he saw her stomach. "Your still pregnant?"
She raised a questioning eyebrow at his comment but did not acknowledge it any other way. She moved away from him and sat in the chair across from him. "Why are you here?"
Before he could answer Paula came in with a tray of tea and placed it on the table in front of Rory. "Here you are Rory. I also brought out a few of those cookies that you like."
"Thank you, Paula," Rory told her with a smile and moved to take the cup the maid had poured her. "Jess would you like a drink?"
Jess scoffed and gave Rory a hard look. "What you're too good to make your own tea now? And since when do you drink tea?"
Rory sighed a took a sip of her drink before settling back into the seat. "Again, why are you here? During our last conversation you made your feelings about my book and pregnancy perfectly clear. So please forgive me for not understanding why you showed up at my house uninvited."
"What are you doing Rory? This isn't you, getting pregnant by your married ex, living here," he gestured around the house with a scowl on his face. "You should be in Stars Hollow with your mom and Luke. I even told you I would help you raise the baby!"
"I am exactly where I want to be," Rory retorted angrily. "And what I still do not understand is how you and Lorelai know who the father of my child is, I never told her and I sure as hell didn't tell you. This is my life, and I am making decisions for both myself and my child and those decisions and my life are of no concern to you or Lorelai for that matter."
Jess sighed and try to calm down, if his and Lorelai's plan was to work attacking her wouldn't help matters. "This isn't you. You deserve so much better to be a mistress, living off other people's money. You used to have dreams and goals and you gave them all up to be a side piece. What happened to the Rory I knew?"
She scoffed, "you haven't really known me since we were 17 and even then, you didn't stick around long enough to actually know me. We haven't seen each other for more than a few hours here and there during the last 10 years Jess."
"I know you," he pleaded. "Lorelai and I both know you, we got you to see what a mistake you were making with Logan before, after we talked you went back to Yale. Don't you see that we belong together? Your mother has always known we belong together that's why she made sure you didn't say yes to Logan when he proposed." He moved to kneel in front of her, and she quickly stood up.
She took a few deep breaths trying to understand what he just said. "What do you mean you spoke with Lorelai? She is the one who convinced you to see me when I dropped out of Yale?"
"Don't you understand," he said as he walked towards her. "We know you and right now you are so confused you're not thinking straight."
Thoughts were going crazy in her mind, Jess and Lorelai talking when she dropped out of Yale… that explains how he knew where she was. How did Lorelai know who the father was, she didn't tell her…? Lorelai telling Jess she was pregnant… She didn't even realize he was standing in front of her until she felt his lips on hers and she jerked back but he tried holding her against him. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled as she struggled against his hold.
"You just need to remember," he murmured as he tried to kiss her again.
She tried squirming and pulling away. "Let go of me!" she cried.
"She told you to let her go," Logan's cold voice came from behind him.
"I think you need to go blondie," Jess sneered but still didn't lessen his hold. "This is between us."
Logan walked towards them and Jess finally let go and Rory scurried to Logans side. "You need to go," Logan told the other man, his voice cold and his eyes filled with barely controlled rage.
"She invited me," Jess smirked. "Lorelai and I both know that I am what Rory needs not some married playboy."
Rory put her hand on Logan's arm to prevent him from going after Jess she could feel his anger and knew that this situation could go back quickly. "My relationship with Logan is not your or Lorelai's concern. I did not invite you here, you need to leave and stay away from me," she told him, her anger radiating in her voice.
"He's just using you Rory. As soon as you give birth he will take the baby and he and his French wife will be raising this child and you will be left out of its life, you will be running back to Lorelai. You have a choice right now," Jess told her trying to remain calm, trying to convince her. "You don't need the trust fund playboy you need your family; you need me."
"I have my family, I have who I need," Rory stated firmly. "As for you, you need to leave."
Livy walked into the room with a muscular man and looked at the scene. "Ed, can you please escort the uninvited guest out of the house?" she asked.
"Course Livy," Ed said as he walked towards Jess. "I think you were asked to leave," the man stated, and Rory had never been as happy to see her gardener as she was in this moment. The man was over 6-foot-tall and was extremely muscular from the hours he spent working outside. While Rory knew him to a gentle and sweet man the look on his face at the moment mirrored Logan's with barely controlled rage.
Jess studied the group a sneer crossing his lips. "What Rory you have other people at your beck and call now? You have a few new protectors around." Rory remained quiet and glared at him. "This isn't over," he continued.
"Yes, it is," Rory stated. "You are not welcome on my property and if you return, I will call the police."
"This isn't over," Jess repeated but moved towards the door.
"This is over," Logan stated coolly, and Jess turned to look at them. "Stay away from her Jess."
"What are you going to do if I don't?" Jess tried to threaten, and Logan just gave him a cold smile.
"Just stay away," Logan stated. There was something in Logan's eyes that caused Jess to step slightly back and he quickly turned to walk out of the house the door slamming behind him.
Rory sank into the couch trying to take deep breaths to calm herself and Logan wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. When she finally looked up Ed was standing uncomfortably in front of her. She gave him a weak smile, "Thank you Ed."
"Course Rory," he said as he slightly shifted. "I got a picture of him; I'll give it to the other guys that come by to work on the landscaping and the pool and such… we will keep an eye out for him."
Logan stood and went to shake the man's hand, "thank you. I don't think I would have been able to escort him out without punching him."
Ed laughed, "I know how you feel. Rory is the best person I have worked for; I wouldn't want anything to happen to her." He turned to look at Rory. "I'll hang around for a while longer today," he told her and when she nodded, he walked out of the room.
"I hope you don't mind that I got him Rory," Livy stated worriedly. "When Paula told me you had an uninvited guest I went and found him in case he was needed. I knew Logan wasn't here…"
"Thank you, Livy," Rory sighed. "It was very thoughtful and turned out it was very much needed."
Livy nodded and walked out of the room to leave Logan and Rory alone, it looked like they needed to talk.
Rory sighed and closed her eyes trying to get her thoughts together and felt Logan sit down next to her. "He kissed me," Rory whispered. "I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't even realize he was next to me until I felt him kissing me. I promise I didn't invite him here; I didn't want…"
Logan cut her off by pulling her into his arms. "I know baby," he whispered as he rubbed her back. "When your ready you can tell me what happened."
She took a few more deep breaths and then moved slightly out of his embrace to grab her tea. "After I got of the phone with you I came out here to talk to him and he just started in on how this wasn't me… but he made a comment that made me think, he said something about me still being pregnant… I still don't understand how both her and Lorelai know you're the father, I never told them you were the father!" she got up and started pacing. "And suddenly he was talking about how he and Lorelai had talked when I dropped out of Yale and she was the one that told him where to find me! But the thing I don't understand the most is when he said that Lorelai convinced me to say no to your proposal! How did she do that? Has she been talking to Jess about me all these years? Is that why he seems to be in Stars Hollow whenever I'm there? Has she been trying to play puppet master all these years? I was standing there thinking about all of that and wasn't even thinking about him and then he kissed me and wouldn't let me go!" With her rant done she sank back down on the couch and started crying and he quickly pulled her into his lap, trying to calm her down.
Logan watched as she paced back and forth letting her get out all her emotions and he tried to keep up with everything she was saying. The more she talked the more questions he had, and he was having a hard time keeping up with her ramble. When she finally collapsed onto the couch, he quickly pulled her into his lap trying to calm her down. Lorelai sent Jess to try and break them up in college and then again now… and what did Lorelai do to convince Rory to not accept his proposal. He went to her and asked for permission and while she seemed reluctant, she gave it to him. Was her acceptance just an act and did she use the knowledge that he wanted to propose to get between them? When he felt her tears slow and her breathing return somewhat to normal, he pulled slightly back so he could look at her. "I trust you Ace," he told her honestly. "I know you didn't invite him here and I know his visit is making you think about things with Lorelai... We will get through this together," he told her as he kissed her temple.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I just… you know I never once did question how he found out where I was during college. For the longest time I just tried to forget those two days…"
"It's okay baby," he murmured. "How about I run you a bath and then we can have dinner and just relax tonight?"
"That sounds amazing," Rory sighed, and he let go of her so she could stand. They walked upstairs and he ran her a bath while she undressed. After she sank into the water he went to leave but she stopped him when she asked, "join me?"
"Are you sure?" he questioned and at her nod he undressed and slipped into the tub behind here. He gently massaged her shoulders and helped her to relax, while seeing her naked turned him on immensely, to him she looked even sexier with the baby bump, right now was about relaxing her.
When the water started to cool he helped her out and wrapped a large towel around her. "Why don't you lay down for a little bit until dinner is ready?"
"That sounds good," she told him with a yawn. She finished drying off and then slipped on a large t-shirt before slipping under the convers.
"Just sleep," he told her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll wake you when dinner is ready."
"Mkay," she mumbled, and he had to chuckle at how quickly she had fallen asleep.
He knew that the confrontation with Jess had stressed her and he was glad it wasn't worse and that he had gotten home when he did. Slipping out of the room he made his way down to the study and grabbed the phone to make a call.
"Huntzberger," Mitchum answered and Logan gave a small laugh.
"You really need to start looking at caller ID," Logan joked.
Mitchum chuckled and was glad that Logan didn't seem to be stressed after his rush out of the office. "Is everything okay son?" he asked
"Rory's ex from high school Jess Mariano was here. When I walked in the door, he was trying to kiss Rory and she was trying to get away from him," Logan stated anger seeping into his words. He took a few breaths to calm himself before continuing. "But he told Rory some things… Rory and I broke up for awhile my senior year and part of that was because of my jealousy. I had come back early from a trip and Rory and Jess were about to go to dinner and it didn't go well… but it turns out it was Lorelai that told Jess where to find Rory to try and drive us apart and I played right into her hands," he let out a bitter laugh. "I also went to Lorelai to ask for permission to ask Rory to marry me and it seems she used that to her advantage and somehow convinced Rory to turn me down, but she's not sure how her mother did that. After everything we have talked about during therapy this turn of events doesn't surprise me…"
Mitchum debated on if he should tell Logan what he knew about Lorelai for a few moments. "Son, I have something I need to tell you…" he trailed off and took a deep breath. "I was waiting to tell you and Rory until I got more information but after we left your mother in New York she went to Stars Hollow and paid Lorelai a visit. The PI wasn't able to hear everything, but it seems that Shira and Lorelai have been working together for years to keep you two apart."
"Those bitches," Logan muttered.
"I know," Mitchum sighed. "I probably should have told you as soon as I found out but…"
"No dad," he sighed. "I get it. Right now, all you know is that they are involved but don't know the extent. But back to Jess… when he left, he told Rory that this wasn't over."
"He threatened her!" Mitchum boomed.
"More or less, yeah," Logan sighed. "From what I remember he doesn't have money but he's… a little rough. He used to work at a printing press of something."
"What was the name again?" Mitchum asked.
"Jess Mariano," Logan replied. "His uncle is Lorelai's husband, Luke Danes."
"I'll take care of it," Mitchum replied. "I am also putting bodyguards on Rory effective immediately. I don't want her without protection with everything going on. If you guys need anything…"
"Thanks dad," Logan sighed, "we will let you know." After he hung up, he just stared at the phone still in awe that civil conversations with his father were becoming normal. It had taken father and son years to get to this point and he was thankful for it.
Lorelai and Rory were having a movie night and Rory was worried about what was next for her. Logan had just returned from San Francisco and she wanted to spend time with him, but she caved yet again to her mother's demands that she come home for the evening. She wanted to know how his meeting went and was hoping they went well, and he wanted her to go with him. Her entire life had been in Connecticut and it was thrilling to her that she could soon see what life held in store next. Ever since that weekend at the Vineyard she knew he was it for her, he was her one true love and she couldn't wait for them to start this next chapter together. For some reason Lorelai wanted to watch First Wives Club. Towards the end of the movie Lorelai sighed and stated, this is why you don't marry the first guy who asks, you end up bitter, alone and traded in for a newer model… Everything went black and Rory could only hear Lorelai's voice… Its you and me against the world kid… happiness is having the two Lorelai's together… we don't need men when we have each other… your career should always come first… a man will never understand how much a woman sacrifices to get married, she sacrifices her name, her plans, her choices… you need to focus on your dreams, the dreams we created together… you'll go off and then find someone who loves this town and you will stay here… forever… forever…
Rory sat up with a start, her heart pounding. She seemed to recall that night clearly and it suddenly clicked what Lorelai was doing… How had she not realized until now how much her mother had manipulated her over the years? She had always thought of herself as a strong independent woman but now she knew better, she always caved to Lorelai, she would put what Lorelai wanted first even if it meant sacrificing herself in the process. How could a mother do something like this to a child? Slowly standing from the bed she walked into the bathroom trying to get her thoughts in order. While she previously thought about keeping her mother away from her child she now knew what she had to do.