Chapter 1: Realization leads to...
AN: This is a fix it for AYITL from scene above forward, Rogan endgame with Rory has slowly realized things from Hamburg to the start of this story. Colin and certain events from home help Rory make her realizations. An important conversation occurs to help make important decisions for Rogan in chapter 1. This is a fix it not just for Rogan but Rory's life in general. Enjoy, PM me privately if I missed grammatical mistakes! Please Review, some elements of the original I'm better with You will appear in this rewrite.
Chapter 1: Realization leads to...
Rory had first seen Logan in Hamburg 3 and a half years early. Colin's reveal had promoted Rory's latest visit to Logan in London. She'd been ignoring Paul and Lorelei, she ignored Luke's pleas for Rory to contact Lorelei. She need she need to find the courage and would, she's found Honor while hiding, who had a solution one to therapist who could refer her then talk to Logan while staying with him in London. The realization Lorelei wasn't a friend or even decent parent was jarring to Rory. And she didn't know anywhere near the extent of Lorelei's misdeeds.
Rory's flight to London had been three days early. She looked at Logan as he came out dressed for work. "Can you please bail on the Leblanc meeting can we talk like you wanted to in Hamburg. I'm sorry I asked for Vegas. In the only way I need how to protect what we could have against mom's interference if nothing else I should have said that 15 months before Odette entered the picture."
"Yea Ace we can talk, I'll not bail but tell dad something came up. I'll address the specifics about why with my father later," said Logan. "Let's just say today was set up due to my father being give false sense that Odette is who I wanted not dynastic plan I was shoved into by mom and Colette because Odette does want marriage to me despite my resistance to a life with her."
"Logan, go call Mitchum I'll be here and to be honest other than to visit grandma or honor I don't think I'll be returning to the US at least not alone. There's a lot of hurtful things I found out about mom about ...well it a long story and it's only been five days."
"I'll be right back Ror..."
Logan walked into his kitchen, as Rory decided to get dressed while she gave Logan space to make his call. He dialed the familiar number almost immediately. He been thinks for weeks before this moment came weeks before he was aware that Rory regrets 8 years ago ran deep.
"Hello," stated Mitchum...
"Dad I will not be showing up to Leblanc meeting today we need to have much longer serious conversation about Mom, Colette and Odette's lies. Even if I could stand a dynastic plan, I'd never sign that joke of a prenup Mateo Leblanc in insisting on. He has fidelity clause, clause about making effort to learn to love Odette and other such crap. I'll never be able to love Odette, she nothing like,Rory and there for not my type. New flash to mom Rory's father is Christopher Hayden and he has held all family pursue strings since Rory's junior year at Yale. The last five days Rory's learned a-lot dad and we think it's only a small portion of manipulations pulled by Lorelei. I know specifically Lorelei destroyed your job offers to Rory and she never saw them. I'll address it among other factors. I need you to see if you can dig up dirt on Lorelei, I suspect she threatened Chris to keep him looking like deadbeat father."
"You've never wanted to be with Odette?"
"No Rory been back in my life since Hamburg three years and six months ago, she asked for Vegas only vaguely stating she had stuff to deal with before we could talk about more. Fifteen months later, mom's forcing me into society event with Odette. I only agreed assuming it was as friends, Odette told mom the truth and lied to me, what kind of friend does that?"
"Dishonest person, let me talk to Emily before I dig, if Emily doesn't know or won't share, I'll hire a PI. Have that important conversation with Rory, Logan than maybe the three of us should talk. Don't tell me now but I suspect you've attempted to protect Rory for years since college. I think you're the one to tell honor not to break contact with Rory?"
"Yes, if it couldn't be me for five years and six months then I needed it to be someone I trusted. In hindsight I know I could have come to you and or Colin as well. I am just because of my teens used to depending on Honor support and help. I also thought with Honor, Lorelei would suspect less," explained Logan.
"Logan when you proposed at Rory's graduation did it have purpose? Did you know or suspect you something was off with Lorelei?" asked Mitchum.
"Yes, I plan to tell Rory today dad, but yes something seemed off the moment Lorelei didn't support Rory taking single semester off Yale to figure herself out," said Logan. "I should go let's plan lunch or dinner at Uncle Jamison's restaurant minus mom tomorrow or following day."
"Good, for now I'll tell Mateo our board rejected the clauses you mentioned that Odette won't sign prenup without them in," said Mitchum. "I have quick call with board when we hang up. I'll make sure that statement it backed by enough board members that it legit."
"Thanks dad," said Logan prior to hanging up and Mitchum told him to work from home.
Rory existed Logan's bedroom, she made up her mind, if she and Logan could fully move forward together, she wanted to remain here. She had texted Paul they were through then blocked his number. She came out wearing a designer London Times Women's Sleeveless Halter Fit & Flare black and navy London times sundress. sundress. The designer cloths Rory felt more herself in where the clothing Rory hid with Paris, Logan and Lanes. The only clothing that went for her Brooklyn apartment to her mother's house were Lorelei approved outfits, not expensive.
Logan handed Rory her first cup of coffee and Chicory mix of the day. She was making changes for her own wellbeing. Her temporary therapist felt comfortable diagnosis her with anxiety. Med, therapy and less coffee made huge difference for Rory. Her anxiety was mild if she dealt with it and drank less coffee. The therapist also believed her mother used the anxiety to control and manipulate Rory.
"Logan I'm sorry for my graduate day, I know now not having a job, mom attempting to control me encourage me to say no through saying nothing, giving the silent. My anxiety forced me to cave always has forced me too. The therapist had me cut back of coffee and I've found by having not it is not elixir of life as my mom stated. I want us again Logan and I know I need a therapist here to keep my anxiety under control."
"We will find you the best one we can Ace. It explains a lot from college from Hamburg too. Pressure to do as Lorelei said was too great, it was wrong but when I gave you the ultimatum, I didn't know what, but something seemed extremely off with Lorelei behavior most of our relationship. That ultimatum was an effort to get you away from the constant contact with Lorelei. At the time I didn't know any other way, what you said made sense it was the overwhelming need to protect you that had me rejecting your solution. My dad had a campaign trial offer for you out of school that I'm 95% sure you never saw, and it was only first. There has been offers in London or wherever I've been, Rory. He felt responsible for our split and you turning down my proposal. I now understand your heart was yes, Lorelei used your anxiety for your head to overrule your heart."
"Yes, and once I realized what her silence treatment meant Logan, I hated myself it's why I didn't reach out prior to Hamburg. Instead took that chance presenting itself, and asking for Vegas to pull self together for us to be something more when the right time came. After Hamburg I went home less when I needed to, I stay in Hartford or with Lane. Before I left to come here mom dictated there are rules about mother/ daughter time when I returned. Five days ago, I got sense my mom might be a compulsive liar. Her manipulations, control and lies I don't even know how deep they run or for how long it been going on."
"I've got that sense too; I ask my dad to dig so you'd get answers. He will talk to Emily first, if she can't or won't answer and I believe it will be can't then he'll hire PI to dig. I think your father was manipulated and lied to keep him out of your life. She wanted no one to answer to is obvious by the way she treated Richard and probably still treats Emily."
"I'd agree, my mom made lewd comments and share inappropriate stories about grandpa at his wake. Then when grandma ordered mom to come to therapy to fix their relationship mom either didn't show up or made jokes the entire session," explained Rory. "I wanted to wait to make my next trip here until I spoke to a therapist about how to release moms' control over me. To be able to tune out her sarcastic and rude comments. To not need or to seek out her opinion and approval , the therapist explained that having me young means mom choose not to ever grow up. The therapist also explained wanting to be my friend not parent first pwas also her way of making me want to seek her advice over less appropriate things. What I wanted to do in journalism for example a three-year-old doesn't know their life's passion."
"I love you Ace everything else we will figure out together, we can create and editor slash writer executive position for you at HMP (Huntzberger Media Publishing). Dad will help us untangle me from the dynastic plan. This is what Odette and her dad demanded was nonnegotiable," said Logan showing her the early copy of the prenup he confiscated from the lawyers. "I attended one event with her to be a decent friend and for our father business deals. Odette and our mother's made the one pilot act into the next big society couple. The engagement announcement and ring were all done behind my back. The fact Odette feels she can force love makes me think she doesn't understand love or been seriously burned in prior romance. The fact I need to be affected by misdeeds of some ex of hers is disturbing. The fact they added in language about must learn to love her in time given our history and the fact I never fell out of love with you. For me those clauses show absolutely disrespect for my view that it was arranged and not of my choosing. Colette, mom and Odette told my dad I wanted the marriage and relationship, so he ran with it to provide a more security to business deal. Dad wants to meet us for lunch or dinner minus my mother tomorrow."
"Lunch sounds good, and a steady job in editing writing when I please amazing. I despise most of this traveling except the jobs that brought me to you Logan," said Rory. "I wish I'd known better, and at Yale stayed past a single therapy session required by the school. Hide sight is twenty twenty they say but I wish I wasn't responsible for wasting over five years apart from you to please a mom who doesn't have the capacity to love me due to her selfishness."
"So, then we talk to Dad about the job tomorrow at lunch too," said Logan.
"Logan, I do want to marry you, but I think we need six to eight months to settle back into a fully committed relationship. I'd like some time in therapy, so my past baggage doesn't destroy us again." Logan got up walked back with a box Logan took out to rings. "I bought these when we sort of reunited in Hamburg from Brilliant Earth Jewelry it a Luxe Winding Willow ring with miniature encrusted diamonds and Tourmaline set into Platinum band for both our birthstones. "All rings are stackable Ace. I figured the engagement and wedding band can go on together. My two can stack as well. The Petite Twisted Vine is the wedding band with diamonds and Tourmaline encrusted into the platinum band. The engagement ring is the Astra all platinum band with three small, encrusted diamonds representing past, present and future. The platinum Odyssey Diamond was altered to be diamond and Tourmaline stone encrusted into the Platinum band was altered to be 3mm in width. The wedding band Canyon High Polish Platinum band was altered to be to 2mm two combine to be a typical single ring of 5 to 6 mm width for me."
"Logan these are gorgeous once we have the wedding ceremony, I'll likely move the promise ring to my right hand. These are prefect though elegant and understated but not cheap or tacky. As my grandma says it combines society and more transitional non society wedding bands," said Rory. "I love that combination."
Rory had been drinking her chicory coffee mix off and on as they talked. Rory felt her future was finally back on track. She realized giving into Lorelei antics and silent treatment cost her happiness. It was a difficult lesson for Rory to learn in some ways that a career can't replace true love. Logan learned that while the path to get here was anything but simple his patience with where Rory was at mentally ultimately paid off. They were both finally in the same place at the same time, not just physically but mentally as well. Emotionally he finally understood in Hamburg had never been the issue, the love had always been there even grown despite being apart and both attempting and failing to move on.
Logan slipped the Luxe Winding Willow onto Rory's left hand, they handed Rory the Odyssey platinum altered ring. Rory took it out of its case and slid in onto Logan's left hand. There agreement and long conversation today meant something to her, and definitely meant something to Logan. Leaning forward he kissed Rory as she plays with the buttons on her work shirt.
Huntzberger Media Publishing
After his call to HPG board Mitchum picked up his phone to make the promised call to Matteo Leblanc, Odette's father. For now all Matteo would learn is prenuptial agreement was a no go. Mitchum knew about Rory and Logan's baby, they thought the baby died at birth. He knew Lorelei's actions were more sinister. She wanted all ties between Rory and Logan broken permanently.
"Matteo, we need to talk, that prenuptial that Odette agreed to pushed lawyers for is a no go," said Mitchum. " There is something in Logan past that makes the fidelity clause an issue. I can't be more specific until the little I know is shared with Logan and someone else? Until such time all negations need to be halted. HPG board had also nixed parts of the prenup they highlighted them. I also know Odette's been sleeping with my nephew Tristan and Robert's friend Seth. I know the about the women's plan to lie, claim Odette's pregnant to fast track the wedding."
"The fidelity clause stays as it is, Odette demands it, she won't be Shira," said Matteo.
"Negations will be off completely if it doesn't go. Odette broken it before signing it. The situation with Logan occurred 7 months before he met Odette. So the clause goes or the deal done completely no more no deal it will be off. Take time an think about it wisely." Mitchum knew if he heard certain more facts from Logan a lunch tomorrow it was done permanently anyway. Mitchum knew any new negations would exclude marriage but he wasn't showing his whole hand to Matteo yet, he wanted to know what kind of man Matteo Leblanc was first.
Ending Authors note and questions for readers: This chapter is shorter than most will be as I want o get it out. Most will be 14 to 22 pages in length.
AN: I'm not making Odette a bad character, her behavior will tied to how someone in the past treated her during a committed relationship. At the start this is hurt she not let go of at the start, she'll be paired as story goes on to finally understand Logan's resistance when real love enters her life. Rory perception of Lorelei ability to love her is tied up in the therapist Rory. Second is Rory's feelings are tied up in lies and secrets of Lorelei's that unfold slowly above is just a fraction of it.
Questions to Readers (I like I put, the original chapter one from I'm better with You is being redone new twist but Lane, Jenny and Rory present. Conversation points some are changed, and new events occur too)...
Who should be Odette past Robert, Dean (when in Chicago), or Seth?
Who should heal Odette's heart Jesse, Tristan or Finn?
How would readers like to see Jamie reintroduced to be paired with Paris?
Where would readers like me to start with Colin and Lane, readers felt a lot was skipped?
Should Lorelei even get a happy ending as she is in a small sense a villain mainly due to her ignored mental health in my store?
Whom should I pair Lindsey (Deans ex-wife, I'll address how and why Lindsey and Rory made piece in later chapter. I what it someone who would keep Lindsey in Rory's Orbit)? Jess is one possibility for Lindsey.
Chapter Two Outline
# Jenny dean's second wife, is she in a happy major (this is from original version Jenny will move on with Robert or Tristan whoever's not paired by other suggestions)
#Jenny, Lane and Rory play catch up as well as Lindsey while Logan and Colin collect Rory's this, Lorelei away
# Where and why has Lorelei disappeared
#Rory and Logan's lunch with Mitchum
#confrontation in London but between whom Mitchum and shira , Mitchum and Odette or Mitchum and Mateo?
# Rory signs HMG (Huntzbuger Media Group) contract while in stars hollow/ hartford
#dinner with Emily, is Lorelei back what kind of scene might she make
#Christopher accepts Emily's invitation to dinner; Gigi meets Rory now that she is older and understands more
#honors marriage is complicated by a secret that surfaces from Josh's past (josh isn't bad guy he'll have been lied two years earlier two or three, on the before ever getting together with honor)
#who is Mitchum past college love, how does her surfacing bring Mitchum to his senses to end his marriage to Shira
#what does Mitchum know, how recently did he learn it?
#who's first in stars hollow to notice Rory's ring
#other fix its moments from year in the life, winter the first minis series of the four