Rory and Logan spent the next few days exploring San Francisco, starting at Andytown or Sextant coffee shops, Rory couldn't decide which she preferred, so they would swap between each one for the morning or mid-morning coffee and a scone or other treat. The afternoons would always include a trip to Ghirardelli Square and a treat from the famous chocolate makers. Logan marveled each time at how much she could put away but realized that much of her ability to eat everything also came from the fact that she walked fast and talked faster burning more calories than most did on a 5-mile run. They invited Finn and Colin along with Mary K to join them on their chartered boat day which included whale watching and a tour of Alcatraz. Logan had booked a private tour with lots of stories and facts for Rory, while Finn begged everyone to lock him up like a little kid. Mary K was enjoying the antics with Finn, and Rory was suspicious that there might be some growing interest, but when she asked Finn he made it very clear that Mary K had no interest in him outside of being a contact and she had made that clear when Finn had tried to make a pass at her.

With only two days left before she had to head out on the road again, Logan once again had gone overboard, in Rory's opinion, in arranging for a tour of the Japanese gardens, an extravagant evening with a dinner at Quince and then a by invitation only concert at SF Masonic Auditorium atop Nob Hill with Yo-yo Ma. While she wasn't a huge fan of classical music, sitting in a room with only 100 other people listening to Yo-yo Ma was amazing, but it was the other 20 people seated near them, that made her recognize just how many connections Logan had, Oprah, Bill Gates and Clint Eastwood were the most easily recognized faces in the group, along with Michelle and Barack Obama. Rory wasn't sure what to do with this access. She knew she wasn't here to report on it, but still, an opportunity had presented itself and she knew that every other person on the bus would kill to be sitting here listening to this music with this particular audience. This was not a place where a report came out, but it certainly was an opportunity to make personal connections. While the music played, she could hear Mark K's voice reminding her to network.

Logan saw her chewing on her bottom lip. He leaned over and whispered, "You know we can leave if you don't like the music."

Rory wanted to scream 'Leave? Are you kidding me? I am trying to figure out what to do with myself in this group." Instead, she just shook her head no, and whispered back, "Just not looking forward to leaving you."

That was true, she didn't want to leave Logan. She did want to be on the trail to keep writing and investigating. She also wanted to be back in the world of normal. Where you don't sit in a small room with power and money and act like it is well, normal. This was anything but normal. She had struggled all week with the perks, excess, and staff at the house. They had not washed a dish or made anything for themselves. Margaret had taken care of them. Rory had been grateful to be going to the restaurants and coffee shops in the city. While Logan was generous in his tips, these people were working for him, and she was missing their college lives. Did being a Huntzberger wife mean she would no longer need to make her own coffee? She had enjoyed learning to cook and prep with Logan, and being able to cook had given her a great sense of being an adult. She really didn't understand why her mother had never learned to cook, it was actually liberating to be able to do more than heat and toast. As the bow ran wildly over the strings she could feel her body responding to the music. There was an intensity in her that matched the musician's hands, the freedom of being her own person was intoxicating. Having skills and not relying on others empowered her to recognize she really could do what she pleased. The words from Mary K kept running through her head, he won't ever not be rich. While Logan had lost money, he had not lost the bulk of his trust fund. Maybe they should talk about the money. Ugh, money, her mother had made it seem so evil. She remembered back to the one article that she and Logan ever fought about. Her privilege. While she didn't have the type of privilege the people in this room enjoyed, she did have a lot of advantages. First and foremost was Logan and their friends. But not only that others on the trail were trying to figure out how to start paying off student loans, Rory had none, and she had one of the most expensive degrees money could buy. She loved Yale and the classes and her professors, and she knew that being a Yale alumina opened doors. While there was a rivalry between Yale and Harvard, there was also mutual respect, and she was a member of that elite club. The music slowed and became contemplative, Rory's thoughts started to contemplate how her mother had also never really learned to stand on her own. Mia had provided the roof and training for her mother to move up in the business world. Luke and Sookie had been her cook and chef keeping them both fed. The town had been a babysitter when she needed help with Rory. The music swelled and Rory had an aha moment not unlike the ones where she had put together the true meaning of the metamorphosis for Gregor he was not just becoming a bug, but society had made him less human. Her mother had supplanted the hired help at the Gilmore house for the community help of the small town, while the help was different it was still help.

Rory laid her head on Logan's shoulder and entwined her fingers into his. There would always be people helping them, paid or voluntary. One didn't actually do things in isolation; the wild west had been tamed. Sure, a few people live off the grid, but humans thrive in community and each person's community is different. Could she bring some of the more down-to-earth folksy community appreciation to the elite society, her eyes started to wander around the room. Bill and Melinda Gates sat still, separate and listening. Huh, Bill was from an upper middle-class family, certainly not a trust fund kid. She didn't know about Melinda, would have to do some research there. Oprah was with friends, engaging with them at key moments and smiling. Oh, wow, Oprah grew up really poor. Rory was wracking her brain for the story, she remembered her mother was single and a maid. They had to use welfare. Now Rory was curious to learn more about her. The Obamas were leaning on each other with their hands interlaced. Michelle was relaxed and Barack was clearly thinking. Rory's mind turned to the books she had read authored by Barack or Barry. He bounced around, living with his mother, stepfather, and grandparents. There was a private school and a public school in his past. Michelle was not from the rich side of Chicago, she knew that for certain. Taking a deep breath, it became clear that these were going to be her circles and she was going to have to figure out how to reconcile her mother's teachings and what her own eyes were telling her. Not everyone with money was bad or evil. They weren't looking at her critically or as if she didn't belong. Rory looked at Logan he was relaxed while she was thinking. Turning toward him, she gently kissed him on the cheek, and he wrapped an arm around her to pull her In closer. Rory was certain that she would never be a Shira Huntzberger wife, but she would be an amazing wife for Logan and they would be their own couple.

The music ended and the small group jumped to their feet with applause. A conversation started between those on stage and the audience. While this was a raise money for the campaign event, Rory knew that she was not covering this as a reporter, she still found it fascinating how the group talked about their responsibility to those who could never afford to be there. While not thinking about her contemplations, she was still in a quiet place having come to her realization, when she felt a warm hand on her arm, and looked into the eyes of Oprah Winfrey, "hello, I am afraid that I am in an awkward position of not knowing you while knowing everyone else in the room." She extended her hand "I''m Oprah."

Rory found herself once again in the presence of greatness and was silently thanking her lucky stars that she was not in pajamas for this introduction, "Um, wow, yes, you are"

Oprah waited for the star-struck moment to pass and lifted an eyebrow, "and you are?"

"Oh, sorry, right, I am Rory, Lorelai Gilmore, but that is also my mother's name, so everyone calls me Rory." She prattled on with a smile on her face that she was praying covered her self loathing for sounding like an idiot.

"Well, Rory is it nice to meet you. I noticed you are with Logan, any chance you are the fiancée?" Rory nodded her head and Oprah continued to ask her if she had enjoyed the concert.

This time Rory, found her voice, "the concert was amazing. I am not normally a fan of classical music, but being here in person and feeling the music in my bones, was one of the most memorable experiences for me."

This time It was Oprah who nodded in agreement. Rory continued, "I am in an unusual situation, as I am also a reporter and am on the Obama trail, of course, no notepads here, but it is really eye-opening to see his supporters."

Oprah's eyes opened in recognition, "Wait, are you the one who wrote the piece in the Wall Street Journal? The piece about his call to invest in cities in light of Hurricane Katrina?"

Rory's smile reached her eyes and her heart took off, "Yes, that was me. Did you read it?"

"Are you kidding, I devoured it. It is one of the best articles that really examines his priorities and why I am supporting his candidacy 100%. Does he know you are here?"

Her head was spinning, networking, this was more than networking, oh, my god, she couldn't believe that she was still standing there and Oprah Winfrey was calling Barack and Michelle Obama over to meet her, to meet her, Rory Gilmore. She was squeezing Logan's hand so tightly. She looked at him and he was grinning and practically exploding with pride. Logan slipped his arm around her, giving her support. Whispering in her ear, "I am soon going to be known as Rory Gilmore's fiancé, I like it."

She looked at him, chewing her lip and he gave her a squeeze, "Ace, relax."

"Only if you have a tranquilizer, for an elephant." She retorted.

Oprah was standing in front of her with the Obamas, "This is Ms. Rory Gilmore, she wrote the piece on your platform for cities in light of what happened during Hurricane Katrina."

Michelle beamed and Barack jumped in, "Thank you so much for the article, I read it through and wanted to ask if we could use some of it on the webpage that reflects my platform. Of course, we already linked to it. I really appreciate that you focused on the issue."

He reached out his hand and Rory shook it, "It was actually not that hard to write, you speak so clearly about your goals and priorities. I thought it was important for the voters to start really thinking about the issues and make strong contrasts between the candidates within the parties as well as between the parties. I know that Hilary Clinton has similar stances as you do, but this is one place where you have articulated your ideas and she hasn't provided anything."

Logan stood by her side, his chest was fully puffed out. He contemplated starting a side conversation, but as she started to discuss the issues and drawing out the contrasts, he just wanted to stand there and watch the woman he loved more in this world than anything else, in her element. She had been so nervous, but then they started talking. She belonged there, she could keep up with anyone and ask questions, oh, the intelligence of her questions. She had relaxed and was no longer worried about money and power, it was a discussion of policies and priorities and he realized that while he had been raised to think about what money could buy him, he was in a room full of people who thought like his Ace, how money could change the world and they all wanted to make it a better place.

The two continued to talk, and Oprah had left to chat with someone else, Logan looked at Michelle and smiled and she returned the smile. He extended his hand, "Logan Huntzberger" he said, "nice to meet you, Mrs. Obama."

"Nice to meet you Logan, I think we are going to be here a while, your friend"

He interjected, "fiancée"

Nodding, "Fiancée seems to have gotten my husband talking and he loves to talk."

"Yeah, she does too. Did you enjoy the concert?"

Her phone rang, at the other end there was no quip, just a "What?"

"Hello to you too Mom."

"Rory, the fact that you are speaking to me indicates I should hang up on you now."

"Ok, you can hang up, I can just call my new friend Oprah."

"You do that kid." And the line went dead.

Logan pulled her in, "Had a good time today?"

"You know, I spent a lot of time thinking during that concert," she was interrupted by her phone ringing.

"Gilmore answering service, who should I say is calling?" Rory shrugged at Logan, she felt a little off not coming up with a better greeting.

"Oh, well you just let Loin Fruit know. Oh, never mind, too tired. Did you just call me and say you met Oprah as in Oprah Winfrey?"

"Yeah, I did"

"Alright, I am not dreaming. But I am exhausted. We are talking tomorrow kid, well later today given that it is already tomorrow now but too early in tomorrow to really be tomorrow, so we will talk during a normal today time today."

"Sounds good. Love you, Mom."

Rory laid her head on Logan's shoulder. They could discuss her thoughts later. It was a quick ride home and they both wanted to enjoy their last day together before she was back on the trail.

Logan gently kissed Rory to rouse her from slumber. They had pulled into the driveway and Dave the driver was holding open the door for Rory to alight. As Logan took Rory's hand she noticed his jacket pocket was lit up. "Hey, Logan, your phone is on."

"Huh" he pulled it out and saw a message on the screen, "It's from Honor."

"What does it say, news on the baby?" Rory was excited for Logan becoming an Uncle and she would be an Aunt.

He opened it up, and read out loud, "I tried, sorry."

Rory looked at Logan, and as they approached the door, it swung open. The joy of the evening was gone.