A/N: I have been struggling a little with this story. I know how I want it to end, what I want to happen but its the build up to get there that has been difficult... So please bear with me on this chapter... I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!
Mitchum started at the phone for a few minutes after he hung up with Logan and debated on what he should do. With a deep sigh he picked back up the phone and called his security team, he needed the bodyguards at the Gilmore home immediately and he needed to know everything he could find out about a Mr. Jess Mariano, he already had people looking into Lorelai Gilmore-Danes but now… now he needed them to find more information. Something in his gut was telling him that this wasn't over yet, more was still to come. The people he had on Lorelai had informed him that it seemed no one in Rory's small town knew she was pregnant, and they were under the impression that she had left for a job, in London; with her always being away her disappearance wasn't questioned. The investigator was able to get lots of information regarding both Lorelai and Rory from the talkative townspeople and it seemed that Rory had always been considered her mother's 'mini-me' she was the small towns princess.
He had also spoken a few times with Christopher Hayden regarding his ex-wife and had learned some insight into the woman and the more he learned the more he realized how calculating she was. Since the gender reveal the men had gotten together a few times and had forged a tentative alliance based on them both wanting what was best for their future grandson. While the two would never be best friends they were committed to protecting Rory and their grandson and discovering everything Lorelai had done.
His investigators that had been trailing Shira but hadn't come up with much information. She had been trying to build ties in Hartford but most of the women were happy to see her gone, she always did try and throw around the Huntzberger name and that was the only reason she was accepted. From what he gathered both Emily Gilmore and Francine Hayden had been covertly exiling her for the past few months and with the divorce announcement she was having difficulty finding any allies. He knew that Shira was not going to take this change of fortunes without a fight, and fight is what she was attempting to do by blackmailing some of her 'friends.' Shira had not been able to get much, most of the women were fine with Shira threatening to release their secrets since they knew hers and then there was the fact that Shira was persona non grata and no one wanted to talk to her. Honor had informed him that she had tried contacting her numerous times asking for money, but his daughter had made her position clear, she was on Logan and Rory's side and what Shira had tried to do, keeping Logan away from his child, was unacceptable and she had cut off contact with her mother.
Christopher Hayden sighed as he hung up the phone with Mitchum Huntzberger. It seemed that Lorelai had finally made her next move and that move was to send Rory's ex, Jess Mariano to visit her. Luckily Rory's staff took care of her and she had called Logan before the confrontation. While Chris had never met Jess, he would always remember the hoodlum as the one that crashed his daughter's car and sent her to the hospital. He wasn't surprised that Lorelai was getting desperate, he had not returned her calls and neither had Emily. To him it was crystal clear, they knew about the pregnancy and her actions and they chose their side, and they chose Rory. He had always wished things were different between him and Lorelai, he had often fantasized about how their life would have been if she would have agreed to marry him when she was pregnant with Rory. Through the years her rejection caused him so many insecurities and he had run, and only came back occasionally and never built a relationship with his daughter until she was in college. Now, finding out how Lorelai had manipulated Rory throughout her life, he could also see how Lorelai had manipulated him. He knew that Lorelai would not take this set-back with Jess laying down, there was bound to be another confrontation, something else brewing. This was not the end and he could only hope they could minimize the fallout for Rory's sake.
Mitchum had shown Chris the video of the confrontation and it had made him sick. He couldn't understand how someone could easily admit to plotting someone's pain and suffering like they did and not show any remorse, but then again this was society and those who came into with nothing would do anything to keep what they got. It had taken Mitchum calming him down to stop him from doing something drastic for revenge. He had to take comfort in the fact that Odette and Shira were both currently out of the picture and were being watched to ensure they stayed away. But finding out the Lorelai and Shira had been working together over the years to destroy the relationship between Rory and Logan… He had to take comfort in the fact that Logan and Rory were together now and working through their issues, they planned on raising their son together. Mitchum was right about one thing, Rory would never let Logan turn out like him and he was happy that Rory was nothing like Lorelai
After Rory made her way downstairs her dream still fresh in her mind, she went to find Logan. The moment he saw her he was worried, and he quickly led her to the couch and pulled her next to him. She proceeded to tell him about her dream and how she remembered it now, how Lorelai had guilted her into coming home and how they watched movies about unhappy marriages and the comments she had made throughout them all. At the time she didn't realize what her mother was doing, but now… she was starting to realize everything her mother had done. She told Logan about how whenever her father would come to visit, she would always make sure Rory knew he wouldn't be staying so she shouldn't get to attached and when he would leave Lorelai would always tell her that it was just them again, it would always be just them. She remembered comments Lorelai would make throughout their relationship, especially when he was in London. The entire time Lorelai was working to push Rory into following her path at all costs and with Rory always thinking the Lorelai was her best friend she never saw the manipulation. Logan realized that the movie night Lorelai and Rory had together was her way of subtlety pushing Rory to say no to his proposal, he had gone to her asking for permission and she used that knowledge to try and control Rory. The manipulations of Lorelai had no limits. Logan had always questioned the mother/daughter relationship, but he never saw it as manipulative, Lorelai's manipulation was subtle and crafted over Rory's entire life in the guise of friendship. He regretted that he didn't realize that he didn't push Rory all those years ago to realize the relationship wasn't healthy, but he had to admit that back then he wouldn't have been able to get Rory to see that as long as her mother was close to her. Not for the first time, and it definitely wouldn't be the last, he regretted his proposal and ultimatum. With the knowledge that her mother had been manipulating her, they both vowed to move forward, they knew they would probably never know everything that Lorelai had done to keep them apart the vowed she would not succeed again. It had taken them years to learn to communicate and the stakes to make this relationship succeed had never been higher.
Logan told Rory about Mitchum putting security on her and while her immediate reaction was to protest, she relented knowing that everyone was worried about her and wanted to keep her as safe as possible. He told her about the assumption that Lorelai and Shira had been working together for years and while Rory was initially surprised the more, she thought about it the more she was just sad… sad that her mother had destroyed her happiness to keep the image of her daughter that she wanted. Rory wasn't surprised they were looking into Jess and she just hoped that they had seen the last of him, but she doubted that either he or Lorelai would give up this easily.
Emily Gilmore parked her car in front of Luke's Diner and contemplated what she was about to do. She had not spoken more than a few words to Lorelai since shortly after the wedding and had not planned on seeking her out now. But after discovering the Jess Mariano had paid her granddaughter a visit and made Rory start to wonder what her mother had done to keep her and Logan apart, she knew it was time for a talk. Then there was her talk with Christopher, and then Mitchum regarding an alliance between Lorelai and Shira that made Emily even angrier. Emily could remember the conversations she and Lorelai had regarding the Huntzberger's and their treatment of Rory and now it seemed that she had used that knowledge to hurt her own daughter… and to think that Lorelai said she was manipulative. The more she thought about what had been discovered since Rory had told her that she was pregnant the more she regretted not realizing everything that her granddaughter had dealt with when it came to Lorelai. Looking through the glass she saw her son-in-law, Luke Danes. While she had never cared for the man, he did have a place in Rory's heart and now she could only hope that he could provide some insight on what had recently transpired. With that thought she got out of the car and walked into the empty diner.
Luke looked up when the door chimed and to say he was surprised to see the woman in front of him would be an understatement. He had not seen her since the wedding and seeing her now, in his diner was a complete shock.
"Umm, Emily…" he stammered as he studied the woman. "I think Lorelai is at the inn…"
"I'm here to see you," she stated as she walked towards the counter. "I want to know why your nephew went to Hartford, to Rory's house and is harassing and threatening her."
"Excuse me?" Luke questioned shocked by the accusation, the last Lorelai had told him was that Rory had accepted a job and had been in London for the past almost 7 months. "Rory is in London…"
"No, she is not," Emily stated as she cut him off again. "She had been in Hartford since shortly after your wedding to my daughter." Seeing the shock on his face Emily wondered how much this man knew regarding the rift between Rory and Lorelai. "Lorelai kicked Rory out of the house after Rory informed her of her pregnancy…"
"Rory's pregnant!" Luke yelled as he sat heavily down in a chair. "Since when? Lorelai told me that she left to go to London for an assignment when we were on our honeymoon."
The older woman shook her head and went to sit down across from the man. "They got into a fight after Rory informed Lorelai of her pregnancy and they haven't spoken since. Rory moved into the Hartford house and Jess visited her there a few days ago…"
"So, Jess just found out she was pregnant?" Luke asked unsure of what was being said, he had just seen Jess a few hours ago and he hadn't said anything about Rory being pregnant.
"Jess had known for months," Emily told him slowly while studying his face. "He knew shortly after Lorelai did and they had an argument about the pregnancy and what Rory had planned for the book she is writing. He went to visit her and again yelled at her about the pregnancy and threatened her that this would not be the last time he saw her…"
Luke was in shock, Rory was pregnant, Lorelai and Jess knew, Rory was in Hartford… "Wait is Jess the father?" he questioned. "Is that why he is upset?"
Emily laughed at the thought of her granddaughter being involved with that boy again. "Definitely not!" she replied. "The father is Logan Huntzberger and both Lorelai and Mr. Mariano have berated Rory with that fact. It is still a mystery as to how they know since Rory didn't tell them who the father was."
"Wait, college Logan?" he asked as he studied the woman. "But she hasn't seen him…"
She shook her head cutting him off. "That does not matter right now, what matters is that your nephew and your wife are planning something against my granddaughter, and I will not put up with it!"
"I think you need to tell me everything," Luke sighed wondering what was going on.
Studying the man in front of her she saw the weariness in his eyes and the tense set of his shoulders. She knew that he would have a hard time believing what she was about to tell him but all she could do was tell him what she knew, what Rory had told her and hope that he believed her enough to listen to what she said.
"What happened in Hartford Jess," Lorelai questioned as she poured them a cup of coffee. It had been a few days since Jess had seen Rory and the two had not been able to have a discussion regarding the meeting yet. It seemed Luke was with them or they couldn't find a private moment to talk.
"Logan showed up," he sighed as he accepted the cup. "You didn't tell me that he was involved again. We were talking, I told her what we discussed… about how we know her best, she wasn't behaving like she should. I even told her about how you got me to see her when she dropped out of Yale…"
"You did what?" Lorelai exclaimed. "She wasn't supposed to know about that!"
"I had to try and prove to her that we knew best," he defended. "She wasn't listening… kept saying how I didn't know her. I kissed her… but then Logan came in. I don't think your plan is going to work Lorelai."
"Of course it's going to work," she retorted firmly. "She just needs to be forced to confront the mistake she is making and they it will be just like Yale, she will leave the playboy! I have not done all this work just for her to become some trophy wife. Rory belongs in Stars Hollow and after everything I have done to ensure that she comes home… this plan cannot fail!" With each word Jess said Lorelai felt her plan falling apart. She needed Jess to convince Rory to go back to Stars Hollow, to become Lorelai's mini-me again. Lorelai had to get ahold of Rory's money so she could pay off Shira Huntzberger. Her and Jess agreed that he would move back here, they would use some of Rory's money to get a small house, not a Hartford mansion, Rory would be back, she would raise her grandchild that way she wanted it to be raised… "You just need to work harder on convincing her, she always knows that I am right, we need to get her away from Hartford any way we can and then… once she is here, I can make sure she knows what she needs to do. Logan will leave her; he never stays, and I can keep him away and Shira will help me."
After calling Caesar and asking him to come into the diner early Luke headed home. After his conversation with Emily, he needed to think. He went to the lake and tried to get his thoughts in order but all he could think about were Emily's words… they were on repeat in his head. Rory was pregnant… Pregnant with Logan's child and Lorelai had kicked her out of the house, told Jess she was pregnant and they both tried to convince Rory to not tell the father and raise the baby in Stars Hollow. He couldn't understand how Lorelai would even consider not telling the father, she saw what he went through with April. Knowing he would never get his thoughts in order he headed home to try and ask Lorelai about Rory, try to get her to talk to him but when he walked up to the house, he heard Lorelai and Jess talking and it just confirmed his worst nightmares. He didn't even know who his wife was anymore… how could she try and sabotage Rory's happiness and from the way it sounded she had been doing this for a while. He needed to talk to Rory… he needed to know her side of the story and not what Emily had told her. With those thoughts he turned and left the house and drove off to go to Hartford, hopefully he would be able to find his answers there.
Luke arrived at the Gilmore mansion and hesitated before ringing the bell. He was lost in thought about all the dinners he had been to over the years but as much as he dreaded those evenings, he was more nervous about what he what he would find out when the door opened.
"Luke?" he heard someone call from behind him and he was surprised to see Logan Huntzberger running up to the house.
"Um… hi," Luke stammered as he studied the man in front of him. It looked like Logan was coming back from a run. "I was just… Emily just came to see me today." He paused and studied the man in front of his, there was a cautious look in his eyes and Logan waited for him to continue. "I didn't know Rory was pregnant, Lorelai told everyone she was in London working on an assignment… Emily told me that Jess had come to visit her…"
"Yeah, he did," Logan replied with ice in his voice. "And if you are here to try and…"
"No!" Luke interjected. "I am not here because of him… well I guess I am here because of him. If he hadn't done what he did Emily probably wouldn't have come to see me." He paused and took a deep breath. "I have always loved Rory like my own. I guess I just wanted to see her and see she was alright. I am sure this is hard on her without Lorelai…"
"If you are here to try and convince Rory to go back to Lorelai that is never going to happen," Logan vehemently stated. "That women made her choice and has hurt Rory for the last time, her family and I won't let Lorelai hurt Rory again."
Luke sighed and ran his hand over his face. "I am not explaining myself well. I'm just… I don't know what to do here. I just want to see Rory."
Logan took a deep breath, "I will see if Rory wants to see you. Just wait here."
With that, Logan went to a side door and walked into the house leaving Luke once again to his thoughts.
Logan returned a few minutes later and let Luke into the house and led him to the parlor. Rory stood there and Luke had to pause when he saw the woman he always thought of as a daughter obviously pregnant.
"Rory, hi," Luke started uncertainly.
She looked at him, studied him before she offered a small smile. "Hi Luke. Would you like to sit?"
He moved to sit across from her and Logan took the seat next to her and grasped her hand, offering her comfort.
"Um, I don't know where to start," Luke stated and took a deep breath. "Emily came to visit me, she told me that you were pregnant, and you and your mom had gotten into a fight…" he trailed off and looked at her, he saw the anger flash in her eyes. "I didn't… no one knows you are pregnant. Lorelai told us all you left because you got a job in London…" From there he told her about Emily's visit and how he overheard Lorelai and Jess talking at the house and how he had made the decision he needed to see her. He assured her he had no idea what Lorelai and Jess were talking about and when Rory asked if he knew what Lorelai may have previously did Luke assured them he had no idea. They talked about Rory's pregnancy and Lorelai's reactions, how she ended up in Hartford. Rory was careful not to tell him anything about her inheritance, while she trusted Luke he was Lorelai's husband. The more Rory talked the more disgusted Luke became and he realized that he didn't know his own wife. He didn't want to believe Rory but after hearing Lorelai and Jess talk, he knew… deep down he knew it was the truth. The group talked for awhile before Luke left but they asked him to not say anything to Lorelai about his visit. Rory and Logan were both leery of what else she had planned and Luke had to share they concerns. While talking to them he decided he needed to pay April a visit and was going to go home and tell Lorelai there was an emergency and he needed to leave for a few days. He hoped that the distance would help him decide what he wanted to do next, how to move forward but he knew that his relationship with his wife was over, he could never forgive her for trying to destroy her daughter's happiness.
After Jess had left Lorelai went back to the Inn for a few hours to get some things done. She didn't know what to do next. With Jess unable to talk sense into Rory and Shira's threats she knew she needed to come up with a plan soon, she was running out of time. The staff at the Gilmore mansion wouldn't let her in; Emily, Lane and Paris wouldn't talk to her, she had even reached out to Chris but that did nothing. After Logan's engagement was called off and the way it was painted that it happened months ago, she debated about going to the press, surely a new rumor could cause Rory to run back to her but she was unsure. It was months between Rory telling her she was pregnant and then Logan coming back into the picture and Rory had not returned. She didn't know what to do so she headed home, hoping that Luke would be there, and he would cook her dinner and watch a movie. When she got to the house, she was surprised that his truck wasn't there but assumed he was still at the diner. As she walked into the kitchen, she saw a note from him, it said that there was an emergency with April and he had to go see her, he hoped to be back in a few days but didn't know when. For a long while she started at the note and for once she started feeling dread, was it possible that he knew about Rory? She would think that he would have talked to her first and got her side of the story… she hoped that there really was just an emergency with April. She refused to think she had done anything wrong; she was protecting her daughter…