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"Rory, Logan! How lovely to see you both!" Emily exclaimed as Rory and Logan walked through the door of the Gilmore house. Logan helped Rory out of her coat before he removed his and handed them to the maid with a quiet "thank you."

"Hello Grandma," Rory said as she stepped forward to hug her grandmother. Richard came into the foyer and took his turn hugging Rory while Logan exchanged pleasantries with Emily.

"Come into the living room you two, and we'll have drinks before dinner. Logan, how was California? It's just lovely there this time of year," Emily said as she led the way into the room where Rory had had countless pre-dinner drinks with her grandparents and mother in the last seven years.

"California was lovely Emily, thank you. Richard you're looking very well, sir," Logan said as he and Rory sat side by side on the couch. He took Rory's hand in his and she gave it a quick squeeze as her grandfather handed them some drinks.

"Thank you, Logan, I saw my doctor last week, and he said he can tell I'm doing better with my diet and exercise. I'm in better shape than I was before my heart attack," Richard said gleefully as he handed his wife a martini and settled down with his scotch.

"Well, you look great, Grandpa. Very robust," Rory said sincerely. Logan nodded in agreement.

"The perfect picture of health," he said. Richard nodded at him.

"Thank you, Logan," he said before he turned his attention to his granddaughter. "So, Rory, you must be getting excited. You're going to be a Yale graduate soon, have you had any job offers?" he asked jovially. Rory sipped her martini to let herself get her bearings.

"No, not yet. I'm applying so hopefully something comes up soon. I'm still freelancing for Hugo though," she said, referring to the owner of the online magazine she'd met at Logan's launch party.

"Well, that's something Rory. When you do find a job, and you will, you'll have more pieces for your portfolio," Emily said before she turned her attention to her husband. "Richard, didn't you have something you wanted to show Logan in your study?" she asked. Richard looked puzzled until his wife gave him a meaningful look.

"Oh, yes of course! Logan, will you come with me?" he asked. Logan nodded and released Rory's hand before he stood up. After another concerned glance at Rory, he followed Richard out of the room. When the two men were out of earshot, Emily turned her attention to her only grandchild.

"Rory, is something troubling you? You don't seem like yourself," she said gently. She had noticed Rory's smile didn't quite reach her eyes when they'd walked in the door and she wondered if Logan and Rory were having problems, or if it was something else entirely. Rory took a sip of her martini before setting the glass down on the table and folding her hands neatly in her lap.

"Um, Logan got a job in Palo Alto. With an up-and-coming internet company," she replied.

"Well, that's wonderful!" Emily said. She started to say more but closed her mouth when Rory spoke again.

"It is wonderful, I'm so happy for him. But – I don't know what this will mean for us," she admitted. Emily's brow creased in confusion.

"What do you mean, dear?" she asked. Rory swallowed hard in an attempt to keep the tears back.

"We haven't talked about what the future holds for us. Grandma, I wasn't lying when I said I have been applying for jobs, but what I didn't say is I don't have any job prospects. At all. I didn't get the Reston fellowship at the New York Times like I was hoping to, and I turned down a position in Providence because I was overconfident and big-headed enough to think I would get the position at the Times," Rory confessed. Emily gave her granddaughter a sympathetic look, she was starting to understand why Rory was upset.

"Have you considered moving to California with Logan?" she asked.

"I've thought about it, but I haven't talked to him about moving there together. We said we would factor each other in a couple of weeks ago, and that was as far as we got in the direction of talking about the future. He just came back this afternoon and told me he had accepted the position with the company."

"I see. Well, I think you know what you need to do, Rory. You and Logan need to have a conversation. Tonight," Emily said firmly but gently.

"I know." Rory rubbed her hands together to try and get rid of some of the tension she was feeling. Emily watched her carefully; she had another question to ask Rory but she knew it was one she had to tread carefully around. She paused for a few moments, thinking about the best way to turn her thoughts into words.

"Rory, have you and Logan spoken at all about engagement or marriage?" she asked. Rory shook her head.

"No, we haven't. But I've thought about marrying Logan and dreamed about our life together for a long time," she replied. Emily got up from her chair then and came over to sit next to Rory on the couch. Rory watched, surprised and touched, as her grandmother reached forward and took Rory's hands into her own. She couldn't remember Emily ever initiating any physical contact other than a hug, but this, this seemed much more personal. Vulnerable, even.

"I've thought about you marrying Logan too. I know I was asking questions about Cape Cod and children when your relationship was still in the early stages, but it's become more than a thought in the last year or so. I can see how much you and Logan love each other, Rory. You two remind me of your grandfather and myself when we were your age. The love between you has always been apparent, but it became crystal clear to me how much Logan loves and cares for you when Richard had his heart attack earlier this year. Logan showed what kind of a man he is when he came to the hospital that day. He stepped up like a husband would and took care of all of us," Emily said, her voice wavering slightly as she remembered that awful day when she thought she was going to lose her husband. Rory nodded and bit her lip. Emily squeezed her hands gently.

"What's wrong, Rory?" Rory sniffled.

"I'm afraid of letting my family down," she said as she wiped away a tear that had begun to roll down her cheek. Emily looked at her in bafflement.

"Rory, how would becoming engaged and married to a man who loves you and whom you love let us down?" Rory sniffled again and cleared her throat.

"Grandma, for as long as I can remember Mom raised me to be strong and independent, to not rely on or need a man," Emily internally rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics before returning her focus to Rory, who continued, "The plan was always for me to go to an Ivy League university, get an internship, work as a journalist and eventually become a foreign correspondent, but I never looked past that. Until I met Logan, I'd never even considered marriage or a long-term relationship, not with Dean or Jess. Until Logan, I didn't know that loving someone as deeply as I love him could make me stop and re-evaluate and reconsider everything I thought I knew, everything Mom taught me. I never dreamed I would truly fall in love with Logan and start picturing what my future would be like with him by my side," Rory finished with a sob.

By this point she was crying openly, all of her pent-up stress and anxiety about the future, as well as the enormous weight of the expectations placed on her by her mother, her grandparents and herself, came to the surface. Emily's heart ached with sympathy for Rory, she knew she and Richard hadn't helped matters by placing so much pressure on their granddaughter and she wondered now if by doing so, they had thought they could in some way make up for where they had gone wrong with Lorelai. Emily's train of thought was broken by another sob from Rory, and she turned her attention back to her granddaughter.

"Oh darling," she sighed as she let go of one of Rory's hands to brush her tears away. Rory looked up from her lap, where she'd been watching the water fall onto the skirt of her dress. Emily sighed deeply and continued to wipe Rory's tears away with her thumb. "I know all about the heavy burden you carry, and probably too much of it has come from me and your grandfather. I know your mother causes stress for you too and that you can be hard on yourself. I'm so sorry, Rory. We all should have stepped away and let you breathe, instead we forced our thoughts and opinions on you, and I think that's part of this, isn't it?" Rory nodded slowly, she didn't want to hurt her grandmother's feelings but she knew that what Emily was saying was the truth. Emily smiled at her sadly.

"I'm sorry, Rory. From now on, I will try to step away and let you have your space. It won't be easy for me, but I will try. May I ask you something else?"

"Thank you for saying that Grandma. Sure, you can ask me whatever it is you want to ask," Rory said after she had taken a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"All right then. Rory, you tend to think with your head about your future, but have you ever stopped to listen to your heart?" Emily asked. Rory opened her mouth to respond, and then she paused. Had she ever thought with her heart? She'd thought with her heart about Logan, and about Dean and Jess, but her future? Had she been so blinded by her desire to become a famous journalist she'd failed to notice and take into consideration the other things that would make her happy? She slowly shook her head. Emily nodded to herself.

"What would you listen to if Logan asked you to marry him?" she asked.

"I don't know," Rory said, trying to stall for time. Her grandmother wasn't buying it.

"Yes, you do, Rory. You love Logan. If he asked you to be his wife, what would you say?" Emily placed her hand directly over Rory's heart, surprising her granddaughter for the second time that evening. In a soft voice, softer than Rory could ever remember, Emily said, "Listen to your heart, Rory. What is it telling you?" Rory swallowed hard. She knew what her answer was.

"It's telling me yes," she responded softly before breaking down into tears again. Emily pulled her granddaughter into her arms for a hug and smoothed Rory's hair gently, over and over. She rocked them back and forth as she rubbed Rory's back with her other hand, making up for the years she'd lost when Rory had been a little girl.

Meanwhile in Richard's study, Richard was showing Logan a new set of books he had ordered for Rory's graduation gift. Logan responded with the right amount of enthusiasm; he knew Rory would love them. However, only part of his mind was focused on the books. He was lost in thought as he took a seat in front of Richard's desk while the older man refilled their scotch glasses.

"Something on your mind, son?" Richard asked as he handed Logan his glass. Logan nodded as he accepted the drink.

"Thank you, sir, and yes you could say that," Logan said. He raised the glass to his lips and took a long drink of scotch. Richard settled himself behind his desk and observed Logan over the rim of his glass.

"Would you care to divulge? Perhaps I can be of some assistance," Richard offered, setting his tumbler down. Logan hesitated briefly before nodding, he'd always respected Richard Gilmore, even before he'd become involved with Rory. The man had always shown him more warmth, kindness, and fatherly concern than his own father. Logan took a deep breath and another drink of scotch before setting the glass down in front of him.

"On my way home from the airport, I made a detour to Stars Hollow. I went to ask Lorelai's permission to propose to Rory," he said. Richard's eyes widened in surprise, he'd known Logan and Rory were serious and they were heading in that direction, but he hadn't expected it so soon.

"How did Lorelai take it?" he asked, he knew how protective and overbearing his daughter could be when it came to Rory. Logan shrugged.

"She gave me her consent. But the look on her face said she wasn't happy about it. She looked surprised which quickly turned to a look of panic, horror and then terror," he replied. Richard sighed. He knew Lorelai loved Rory, but he also knew how selfish she could be when it came to anyone else having a relationship with Rory. If Richard was being honest, he'd never completely forgiven Lorelai for robbing him and Emily of the first fifteen years of Rory's life. Fifteen years that, despite the close relationship they had formed with Rory over seven years of Friday night dinners, could never fully be replaced.

"Sir?" Richard jumped; he'd almost forgotten Logan was in the room with him.

"My apologies, Logan. Please continue," he said. Logan nodded at him in thanks. He took another drink of his scotch and shook his head before he continued.

"I love Rory. I love her more than anything in the world, she is my world, and I thought I was doing the right thing by asking Lorelai for her approval. She loves Rory too, and I thought I would show Lorelai how much I respect her by asking for her blessing. I hoped if she saw how much I love Rory and want to make her happy, it would make Lorelai happy. I-I never thought I'd say this, but I want to take that next step. I want to propose to Rory and marry her and spend the rest of our lives together. I'm planning to propose to Rory at her graduation party tomorrow night, would that be a grand enough gesture?" Logan finished. Richard leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. He studied Logan thoughtfully for a few moments, who fought the urge to squirm. Instead, he remained still in his seat as he had been taught.

"Logan, before I answer your question, let me ask you one. Have you and Rory talked about getting engaged or getting married?" Logan shook his head.

"No, we haven't. We've been together for three years, we live together. I just always thought it would happen on its own," he admitted. Richard leaned forward in his seat, lacing his fingers together and resting them and his forearms on the desk.

"Every couple should have a conversation about engagement and marriage, Logan. It's a big step, and a lifelong commitment," he said.

"I know, I—" Logan started to say, but was stopped by Richard holding up a hand.

"Let me finish, please. I know the depth of your love for Rory, and there isn't anyone I would rather have as a grandson-in-law, but I feel as though proposing to Rory in front of other people may have the opposite effect than the one you desire." Logan looked confused for a second before he realized what Richard was saying.

"You think Rory would say no?" he questioned. Richard nodded.

"Yes. Rory has never been comfortable with being the center of attention. If you were to propose to her in a more private setting, somewhere with the just the two of you after having a conversation about being engaged, I think there is a very good chance you would receive the answer you want." Logan nodded slowly as he realized Richard was right. In all the time he'd known Rory, she'd never been one to attract attention to herself. She preferred to quietly observe and offer her input or opinion when she had something to say. Though she had become more confident and outgoing in the three years they had been together, Logan knew she was the calming influence in their relationship, the one to think things through and make her pro-con lists before she made a decision. Except for when she had talked him into stealing that yacht, that had been pure impulse mixed with clouded judgment, the aftermath of her conversation with his father at the Stamford paper.

Now that Logan was sitting here talking to Richard, he actually stopped and thought about what the older man was saying and reassess his thoughts he'd been having for the past several months. Logan knew he was impulsive; he would be the first to admit that. While it was a good thing in some areas, it could easily blow up in his face in this one. Logan's overconfidence and impulsiveness to do something without thinking had caused him to lose a couple billion dollars just a few weeks ago, and had nearly cost him his life in Costa Rica.

He thought back to the previous year when he'd jumped off the cliff and shuddered as the memory came back full force. One moment he was falling through the air, free from his thoughts and concerns about his relationship with Rory, even in his drunken state he had been thinking about her, and the next he was scrambling to pull his pack as he saw the ground coming up at him faster than he thought possible. Rory's face had been the last thing he'd seen before he lost consciousness. Logan shuddered again as he remembered how close he'd come to being parted from Rory forever.

For the past few minutes, Richard had watched Logan as the younger man seemed to work through his thoughts. He caught a tremor once or twice, and wondered what Logan was thinking about. Logan gathered himself and looked up at Richard, his face clear and his eyes wide with sincerity.

"How do you think I should propose to Rory?" he asked. Richard tapped his lip with a finger and looked around his study. His eyes fell on the painting of Rory they had had commissioned when she was fifteen, almost sixteen, and he smiled.

"That, I can help you with. Here's what I think you should do," he said. Logan nodded as he listened to what Richard was saying, this was a much better idea than a public proposal.

When Richard and Logan reentered the living room, they found Emily and Rory sitting on the couch. Emily looked as though she had been comforting Rory. Logan, seeing that she had been crying, hurried to her side and crouched down in front of her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Rory, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Rory smiled tremulously at him.

"It's just pre-graduation jitters," she said. Emily opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the maid announcing that dinner was ready. Richard and Emily left the living room, leaving Rory and Logan alone.

"What's really wrong?" he asked as he helped Rory to her feet. Rory placed a hand on his arm.

"Not here, when we get home okay?" she said. Logan nodded resignedly and the two of them made their way into the dining room where Emily and Richard were waiting for them.

"It was delicious, Emily, thank you," Logan said a little while later when he and Rory were getting ready to leave. Rory nodded as Logan helped her into her coat.

"It was, Grandma. Everything was perfect. The chicken was lovely. We'll see you at the graduation party tomorrow night," she said.

"Yes, we'll see you then. You two enjoy your evening," Emily said. She hugged Rory good night and whispered, "Talk to him," in her ear. Rory nodded as she released Emily and hugged her grandfather. After she and Logan bid her grandparents good night and the door closed behind them, they walked towards her car. The drive back to New Haven was silent, except for the music playing from the radio. It wasn't until they were out of the car and had walked into their apartment either of them spoke again.

"Rory, what's really wrong?" Logan asked as they removed their coats and hung them up. Rory took his hand and led him into the living room.

"Pre-graduation jitters," she repeated. Rory was silent for a few seconds, and then, "Logan, we need to talk," she said.

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! Till next time, xoxo.