Lane sighed as she folded laundry. It was Zach's day off, and he had taken the twins to visit his parents and give Lane some time for herself. She finished her folding and was just sitting down at her drum kit when there was a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Lane wondered as she got up to answer it. Sometimes her mother came over unexpectedly, but most times she called ahead to ensure Lane would be home. Lane opened the door and was shocked to see who stood on the other side. "Lindsay."

The blonde woman gave a half-wave. "Hi," she said softly before gesturing. "Can I come in?" Surprised, Lane stood back to let her unexpected guest enter. Lindsay stepped over the threshold and jumped as her foot landed on the squeaky board. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I hope I didn't wake up your boys," Lindsay said in a hushed voice. Lane shook her head and closed the door after Lindsay.

"You didn't. Zach took them out for the day so it's just me here. Do you want something to drink?" Lane offered. She wasn't thrilled that Lindsay was in her home, but Mrs. Kim had drilled manners into Lane since the day she could talk. Lindsay nodded as she looked around. She seemed as uncomfortable as Lane was.

"Sure, thank you," she said. Lane nodded and gestured for Lindsay to sit while she went to the fridge. Once she'd received two bottles of soda, she came back and handed one to Lindsay, who quietly thanked her as Lane sat across from her. There were a few minutes of awkward silence as they stared at each other. Lindsay had been in the popular crowd during high school, so their paths hadn't crossed much. Just when Lane thought she wouldn't be able to take it anymore, Lindsay spoke. "My mom just got arrested for assaulting Rory the other day," she said. Lane raised her eyebrows as she sipped her drink.

"You can't be that surprised. There has to be some kind of consequence for her actions, and she could have seriously hurt Rory had it been anything other than cold soda," Lane pointed out. Lindsay nodded.

"I know. I still can't believe she did that. That's not why I came here though. Before my mom assaulted her, Rory seemed like she was about to tell me her version of what happened between her and Dean. Did she ever say anything to you?" Lindsay asked. Lane blew out a breath. At the time of Rory and Dean's affair, Lane had been too caught up in her happiness that they had found their way back to each other. Looking back on it now, three years later, Lane saw what she couldn't see before. Rory had been wracked with guilt over what had happened between her and Dean, and Lane had been so preoccupied with the idea of Rory's first love being her first time she'd asked questions about how it was instead of asking why/how it had happened and having a mature conversation. Lane looked back at Lindsay, who turned the bottle in her hands as she waited for Lane to answer.

"I don't know the full story," Lane began, picking her words carefully. Lindsay looked up at her. "You'll have to ask Rory. She only told me they slept together. But I do know she didn't seduce Dean," she finished. Lindsay shook her head.

"You guys are best friends. She must have told you more than that. Can you just tell me what happened?" Lindsay said pleadingly. Lane smiled sympathetically even as she cursed her younger self. She couldn't help but feel bad for Lindsay as she wondered what Dean had told her.

"What I said before is the truth," she said gently. "I don't know the full story. Rory will be back at the end of August, she and Logan left for California a few days ago." Lane paused for a moment and added, "I'm sure she would meet you somewhere to talk. You might have to meet her in Hartford though, I don't see her coming back to Stars Hollow anytime soon." Lindsay nodded.

"I'm still mad at Rory, but at the moment I'm angrier at my mom. Is Rory doing okay?" Lindsay asked. Lane hesitated. "I'll take that as a no," Lindsay said as she studied Lane. Lane bit her lip, unsure of how much she should say. She took another sip of her drink to buy herself a few minutes.

"When Rory got back to her grandparents' that day, she, um- "Lane swallowed hard as she thought back to what Luke had told her. Lindsay observed her as she continued to spin her drink bottle in her hands. Lane took a deep breath and started her sentence again, "When Rory got back to her grandparents' that day, she had a severe anxiety attack. It wasn't just caused by what your mom did, but also how the town is treating her because of her engagement and the lies that Lorelai told on Rory's graduation day. When her grandparents came to see Luke, they told him Rory was so upset she threw up," Lane said. Lindsay's eyes widened as she felt sympathy begin to swirl and mix with her anger. "Please don't repeat that," Lane requested. Lindsay shook her head as she got up to leave.

"I won't. Just tell me something, Lane. I know you said Rory didn't seduce Dean, but do you think she pursued him before they slept together?" she asked. Lane, who had also stood, shook her head.

"No, I don't. Think back to how Rory was when she still attended Stars Hollow High, Lindsay. Did you ever see her pursue someone?" Lane asked. Lindsay shook her head.

"No, I didn't. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. And, the next time you talk to Rory, can you tell her how sorry I am?" she said. Lane nodded and walked Lindsay to the door. As the door closed behind Lindsay, she ran a hand over her face. She hadn't gotten the answers she was hoping for, but for some reason, she trusted Lane's judgment. Lane knew Rory better than anyone, and Lindsay had seen the honesty in Lane's face as she talked about her oldest friend.

It wasn't until Lindsay returned home that she remembered something Lane had said. What lies had Lorelai told the town on Rory's graduation day? Lindsay wondered as she let herself into the house and headed into the kitchen for something to drink. One thing was for sure, Lindsay thought as she settled down with a magazine, she wanted to talk to Rory when she returned to Connecticut and learn the truth.

Rory put away the last of her clothes and carried their empty suitcases out of the bedroom. It was Sunday now, and she and Logan had finished unpacking today. A delicious smell wafted up through the stairwell as she headed downstairs and into the kitchen, where she found Logan cooking them breakfast for dinner. Rory walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder. Logan grinned and covered her hands with one of his own.

"It smells good in here, babe," she said, her mouth watering at the pancakes, eggs and bacon cooking on the stove.
"We're just about ready. I was hoping we could eat outside on the deck but it's raining," Logan said, expertly flipping another pancake. Rory squeezed him and kissed his cheek before releasing him.

"That's okay. It's cozy to sit inside while it's raining," she said as she went to set the table. Five minutes later, they were seated at their dining room table. "It feels good to be all unpacked," Rory said as they served themselves. Logan nodded.

"Yeah, it does. I wish we'd had a few days to relax before I start work tomorrow, but I guess we can always relax next weekend," he said before he took a bite of his pancakes. When he'd finished chewing, he spoke again. "How are you feeling about starting counselling?" he asked. Rory raised her eyebrows as she sipped her orange juice. She and her grandparents had searched for counsellors, and they'd found one after reading what seemed like hundreds of profiles. Rory's counsellor, Sasha Kovinsky, had graduated from Stanford with her Bachelor's of Psychology before doing her Masters at Berkley. Rory had chosen Sasha because something was calming about her picture, and calm was what Rory needed.

"I'm feeling okay, I guess. A little nervous. I know this is the right thing to do, but a part of me wishes I could just work through everything on my own," Rory said as she spun her engagement ring on her finger, a nervous tic she had developed over the last week. Logan reached over and grabbed her hand.

"I think that's pretty normal. But it's also okay to ask for help," he said, lacing their fingers together. Rory nodded as she thought back to what she'd heard her grandmother say to Lorelai once: "Where would you be if you'd asked for a little bit of help?"

"I know. I just hope I don't scare her off; you know? I have so many unresolved issues, and my counselling appointment back at Yale did not go well because my mom wasn't supportive of me going to therapy, even saying I didn't need to see a shrink," Rory admitted. Looking back on it now, Rory wondered if it would have been better to keep it to herself. If the reason she had rescheduled so many times was because she was afraid to hear what the counsellor had to say. Logan shook his head, he hated seeing Rory doubting herself like this, and he was angry at Lorelai for not being more supportive and realizing that Rory might have benefited from going to counselling sooner.

"You're not going to scare Sasha off, Rory. You chose her for a reason, right?" Rory nodded. Logan squeezed her hand before releasing it. "Everything is going to be okay. Don't let that one experience stop you from going to counselling," he said. Rory smiled at him and nodded. They finished the rest of their meal in silence before cleaning up the kitchen and going to bed early.

As they drifted off to sleep, Logan wrapped an arm around Rory's waist and pulled her close. She rested her hand on top of his, lacing their fingers together. An anchor in the storm their lives had become.

Rory yawned as she woke to the sound of running water. Seeing that Logan's side of the bed was empty, she quickly deduced he was in the shower. A few moments later, the water shut off. She heard him moving around the bathroom before the door opened and he stepped out, a towel around his hips.

"Hey, sweetie. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Logan apologized. Rory shook her head and swung her legs out of bed. She took a moment to admire her fiancé, the water droplets running over his toned, muscled torso and arms.

"It's okay. I wanted to get up early so I could see you off for your first day of work," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck as he rested his forehead against hers. The two of them stood there in the soft light coming from Rory's bedside lamp. These were the moments Rory loved the most, the quiet, tender ones they shared. Even after three years together, Rory knew that she was safe and sound in Logan's arms. Everything else in the world just melted away.

"Hey, Rory?" Logan said.

"Mhm?"

"Thank you for coming with me to Palo Alto," Logan said. Rory hummed.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," she said softly. Logan kissed her forehead before pulling her fully into his arms. Rory rubbed his back. "Why don't you get dressed and I'll go start the coffee?" she said. Logan nodded and kissed her forehead once more. Rory slipped on her robe as Logan headed into the closet.

Thirty minutes later, Rory stood at the front door and waved as Logan backed his Porsche down the driveway, only closing the door when he'd driven away. After she'd locked the door, Rory headed upstairs for her shower. Her counselling appointment wasn't until 1 pm, and in the space of time between then and now, she planned to submit her resume and portfolio to the Chronicle and the San Francisco Bay Guardian before coming back home to change into something more casual for her counselling appointment.

So, after donning the black dress she had worn for her interview with The New York Times, Rory got into her car and drove into San Francisco. It was only 10:30 by the time Rory had finished at the newspapers, so she decided to get some coffee and walk around a little. As she walked, Rory was glad that she had decided to move out here with Logan.

After learning her application for the fellowship had been rejected, Rory had felt her carefully constructed plans come tumbling down around her. She was a person who liked to have a plan, and the lack of stability and the uncertainty she had experienced had scared her. When Logan told her of his hope for her to come with him to California, Rory was relieved and excited. Stability and security were something she had always wished for as a child, and when Logan asked her to come to California and make a new life here, followed by his marriage proposal, Rory knew she would have both of those things. A place to call home, and a loving husband to share it with, these were the unspoken dreams she had kept buried in her heart for so long.

Rory glanced at her watch and decided to head back to her car. Once she'd arrived home, she had enough time to change her clothes and have something to eat. She would have liked to wear her white sundress, but it was still at the dry cleaners in Connecticut. After some thought, Rory chose a sleeveless blue blouse and paired it with some jean shorts. Checking her appearance one last time in the mirror, Rory took a deep breath and left the house once more.

Once she'd arrived at the building where she would meet her counsellor, Rory sat in the parking lot and took some deep breaths. "You've got this," she told herself. "It's not going to be like last time. You're doing this because you want to get better." Rory mustered her courage and exited the vehicle.

She followed the signs that pointed to where she needed to go, and before long she came into a small reception area. The receptionist looked up at Rory's footsteps and smiled at her.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked. Rory nodded and approached the desk.

"Hi, yes, I have an appointment with Sasha Kovinsky at 1 pm," she said.

"What's your name?"

"Rory Gilmore." The receptionist nodded and glanced at her computer screen.

"She'll be with you in just a moment, Rory. And your payment is taken care of," she said as Rory made to pull out her wallet. Rory gave her a confused look.

"By who?" she asked. The receptionist checked her notes.

"A Richard and Emily Gilmore. Family members of yours?" Rory nodded slowly.

"My grandparents," she said softly. The receptionist smiled at her kindly.

"They must love you very much if they're willing to pay for counselling from across the country," she said. Rory nodded and zipped her purse closed.

"Yeah, they do," she said. Just then the phone rang, and the receptionist gestured for Rory to have a seat as she picked it up.

Rory sat on one of the chairs and pulled out her phone to silence it. As she turned the sound off, she saw she had a text from Lane. Rory was about to answer when one of the doors opened and a red-haired woman in her late twenties, or early thirties stepped out.

"Are you Rory?" Sasha asked. Rory nodded and stood up, putting her phone back into her purse. "Come on in," the counsellor said with a warm smile, setting Rory at ease. She smiled back and made her way into the small room as Sasha closed the door after her. It was a simple space, with a desk and chair in one corner, and a loveseat and armchair sat across from each other. "Have a seat wherever you like," said Sasha as she watched the young woman take in her surroundings. Rory nodded and made her way to the armchair, leaving Sasha to sit across from her.

Sasha studied Rory as the brunette sat down. She'd always had an aptitude for reading body language, it was one of the things that made her decide to become a counsellor. By Rory's hesitant movements and the slightly nervous expression on her face, she could tell this was a young woman who had been through a lot. Rory twisted her hands in her lap and looked at Sasha.

"You're not going to write down what I say?" she asked. Sasha shook her head.

"Some counsellors do that, but I prefer not to. I like maintaining eye contact with my clients and building a good rapport with them. I've found that using a pen and notepad can cause people to close off, and I'd like them to feel comfortable enough with me to be open," she explained. Rory nodded; she could already tell this time was going to be different. She felt herself begin to relax slightly.

"I guess that makes sense. The last counsellor I had at Yale used a pen and notepad, and I kind of felt like he was analyzing me," she admitted. Sasha laced her fingers together and clasped them over her knee.

"I can understand that. But that didn't stop you from coming to see me. Sometimes it takes more than one try to find a counsellor who you click with. That being said, why don't you tell me why you wanted to start counselling?" she said gently. Rory fidgeted, and her fingers found her hair. She ran the strands through her fingers as she thought about her answer. Sasha waited patiently.

"I have a lot of stuff I need to work through, and I'm tired of feeling like I'm going to be crushed by its weight," Rory answered honestly. She paused for a moment. "Will I have to go on medication for anxiety?" Sasha shook her head.

"That's a last resort. Did your previous counsellor talk to you at all about the parameters of counselling?" she asked. Rory shook her head. "I say that putting you on medication is a last resort because it's true. The only way I would recommend that is if we both felt that you needed it. That being said, everything you tell me here is confidential. There won't be a release of what you share with me unless I think you are in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, in which case, the police would become involved. Does that make sense?" Rory inclined her head.

"Good. The more we work through your trauma history, Rory, the more your anxiety will lessen. What would you like to start with today?" Sasha asked. Rory hesitated, thinking. Unconsciously, she began to spin her engagement ring on her finger. Sasha had noticed Rory's ring when the younger woman had sat down across from her, and she wondered if that would be a safe place to start.

"I don't know where to begin," Rory said honestly. There was so much inside her, years of pent-up trauma and hurt that she didn't know where one thing ended and another began. Sasha nodded.

"Okay, that's okay. I see you're married?" she said.

"Engaged. My fiancé and I just became engaged a couple of weeks ago, he proposed right before I graduated from Yale," Rory replied.

"Why don't you tell me about your fiancé?" Sasha suggested, smiling inwardly as Rory's shoulders relaxed. Her instincts had been right. She was attentive as Rory talked about Logan, telling her how they'd met, the history they shared, and the ups and downs of their relationship, right up until the moment he had proposed in the Yale library at the suggestion of Rory's grandfather.

Sasha was so invested in Rory's story, that she nearly forgot to look at the clock. Rory glanced at the clock at the same time and her blue eyes widened.

"I didn't realize the time had passed so quickly. I guess we're almost out of time for today," she said sheepishly. Sasha shook her head.

"Not to worry. It's good. Same time next week?" she said. Rory nodded and stood to leave. Sasha got to her feet and arranged her sweater around her. "Before you go, may I make a suggestion?" she asked.

"Sure," Rory said as she settled her purse on her shoulder.

"Have you tried journalling at all? Or yoga and meditation?" Sasha asked. Rory shook her head. She'd never kept a journal, even though she was always writing. "Might I suggest you try those as a way to help manage your anxiety? Writing about your feelings can help, and the yoga and meditation will help you feel more centred and calmer," Sasha said. Rory nodded slowly.

"Okay. I'll look into it," she said. After confirming an appointment with Sasha for the next week, Rory said goodbye to the receptionist and walked out to her car. She made a couple of stops on her way home, and once she'd walked into the house, she set the journal, meditation and yoga for beginners' DVDs and yoga mat she'd bought in a row on the floor and studied them. Her mother had tried yoga once and ended up with a broken leg, but Rory wasn't starting at an advanced level, so she was hopeful that wouldn't happen to her.

Noting the time, she pulled out her phone to call her grandparents. As she listened to the dial tone, she remembered that she had a text from Lane.

"Hello, Gilmore residence," Emily answered, breaking Rory out of her thoughts.

"Hi Grandma, it's me," Rory said, heading into the kitchen for some orange juice.

"Hello Rory, how are you? How was your first counselling session?" Emily wanted to know as she sat on one of the sofas. Rory took a sip of her drink before she answered.

"I'm good, thank you. And my first session with Sasha went well, I feel safe with her. I think she was the right choice," she said, settling onto the couch and tucking her legs under her.

"Well, that's wonderful! I'm so glad to hear it," Emily said.

"Me too. I was nervous when I went in, but I don't think I will be from now on. Um, thank you for paying for the first session, by the way. You didn't have to do that," Rory said.

"Yes, we did sweetie. You're not working at the moment, and your grandfather and I are more than happy to pay for your counselling for now," Emily said gently.

"Are you sure? It's expensive," Rory said as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Rory, if the counselling helps you get better, it's worth every penny. And that's what matters to me and your grandfather the most, is that you get better. Do you understand?" Emily said in a firm but soft tone.

"Yeah, I do. Thank you, Grandma," Rory said gratefully as her eyes filled with tears. Her grandparents had been nothing but supportive, and it was time for her to start accepting their help and support without guilt.

"Good. Now, tell me about Palo Alto. Have you had a chance to do any exploring yet?" Emily asked. Rory grinned and began to tell her grandmother about what she had done that morning after making a trip to the papers.

"Logan had his first day of work today, but I think we might try to go to the beach this weekend," Rory said.

"That sounds lovely, it sounds like you're settling in quite nicely," Emily said as she looked at her watch. "Rory, I hate to cut this short but I'm having the DAR over this afternoon for a meeting. I'm so glad you called."

"Me too, Grandma. Say hello to the ladies for me," Rory said.

"Will do, dear. We'll talk again soon," Emily said. Rory confirmed they would and after exchanging "I love you" with her grandmother, they ended the call. Remembering the text from Lane, Rory opened her text messages and read Lane's message asking her to call. Rory pressed the speed dial she had for Lane's number and waited.

"Hey Rory," Lane answered as she carefully shut the twins' bedroom door.

"Hey, is this a bad time? I got your message right when I was going into my counselling appointment and didn't have a chance to answer until now," Rory said.

"No, it's fine. I just got the twins down for a nap. I just wanted to let you know that Lindsay came to see me a few days ago," Lane said.

"Oh!" Rory exclaimed in surprise. "What did she want?"

Lane repeated the conversation she'd had with Lindsay, ending with the other woman's apology to Rory for her mother's assault. Rory bit her lip, she didn't want to make Lane the middle man, or woman in this case.

"Well, you were right when you said I would meet her somewhere to talk. I'll look up her number when I'm back in Connecticut. I don't want to send her a letter with the truth because it didn't go well the last time I did that," Rory said. The front door opened and Logan came in. Rory waved at him and indicated she'd just be a couple of minutes. Logan nodded as he took in the items that Rory had bought and hadn't put away yet.

After a few more minutes of talking to Lane, they ended the call and Rory stood to greet her fiancé.

"How was the first day?" she asked.

"It was good. Long, I met a couple of my coworkers and one of them invited us to a cookout next weekend," Logan responded as he embraced her. Rory snuggled herself into his arms and rested her cheek against his shoulder.

"That sounds like fun," she said. Logan nodded and rubbed her back.

"I think so too. How was counselling today? Are these Sasha-recommended?" he asked, gesturing to the DVDS, journal and yoga mat. Rory nodded.

"Yeah, she said that she thinks those would help me, and I want to make an effort with counselling this time so I'm going to try her suggestions," she said. Logan pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"I'm proud of you, Rory," he said. Rory pulled back to smile at him before pressing her lips to his. Logan kissed her back. "What did you guys talk about today?" he asked. Rory grinned at him and led him over to the couch.

"About you," she said before launching into a full account of her first counselling appointment. As Logan listened to his fiancée talk, he thought he could already see a difference in her. Her eyes looked brighter and she looked less tense than he'd seen her look in awhile.

Chris sat with Francine and Straub Hayden as Gigi played with her dolls in the next room.

"Christopher, you must have some idea of how we can become a part of Rory's life. We've already lost so much time with her," Francine said. Christopher shook his head.

"I don't have any ideas, Mom. I got kicked out of her engagement party too and she told me that she wasn't okay with what I did. Rory can be stubborn, and if she said she didn't want the two of you in her life, I don't know if there's anything I can do to change that."

"Well, this is ridiculous! She's our oldest grandchild, and we have a right to be a part of this milestone. We'll have to come up with something to get the girl to change her mind," Straub said. Christopher sat back in his chair as his parents began to discuss options. He hadn't heard from Rory since she'd confronted him at her engagement party, but he knew she was no longer in Connecticut. He didn't want to lose her completely, and he didn't want Gigi to grow up not knowing her half-sister.

I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 16! Thank you for your follows, likes and comments. I truly enjoy reading and responding to each one.

Reviews:

YaleAceBella12: More is coming!

Red Lighting: I think there's a good chance we will see the town's reactions to Theresa's arrest. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!

December Jeffries2: Thank you so much! I hope they will too, but we all know how stubborn they can be. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. Exactly, Rory and Logan are going to be together, no matter what those who are against them say. As for Lorelai, we will have to wait and see what happens there too. You're right, Rory does not want to cut Lorelai off completely, but there's a chance she will, especially when it comes to her concern for her future children's mental health and well-being. Yes, if their families can't accept that it's Rory and Logan's life to do with what they choose, I'm afraid there may not be a chance for any of them. I hope you enjoyed Lindsay's conversation with Lane.

Kellybras: Thank you so much, you are too kind!

Laci1949: You hit the nail on the head! Luke did know Dean was still in love with Rory and he tried to talk to him about it, but Dean brushed him off. Lindsay isn't a bad person at all, and Dean was wrong for cheating on her as well as being wrong for marrying her when he still hung up on someone else. That's exactly it! Rory was in a vulnerable state when she let Dean convince her that his marriage was over, and Dean took advantage of that and lied to her to get her into bed. Theresa will be held accountable for what she's done, I'm not sure what I will do with her yet but it will come! As much as Theresa doesn't like Lorelai, the two of them are more alike than they might realize, because they have both smeared Rory. What did you think of Lane and Lindsay's conversation? As for the townspeople taking Theresa's side, I guess we will have to see, but that is something I'm debating.

Keraatchley05: Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Spirament24: I'm happy you are loving this story and enjoying how I'm writing Emily and Richard, they are giving me warm fuzzies too! As for Lorelai acting extremely, I think she would have acted this way had Rory stayed with Logan, it was always very clear that she didn't like him and perceived him as a threat to her relationship with Rory. Lorelai did freeze Rory out when they had different opinions and made different decisions, and in this case, it may cost Lorelai her daughter for good. Thank you, I'm glad you think I got Theresa's character right. When I went back to watch the clip where she confronts Rory in the square, there wasn't a doubt in my mind she would have dumped something on her then had there been a beverage of some kind nearby. Thank you so much!

LissaP: Thank you so much :) I think you're bang-on with that. Normal behaviour would have led to a "thaw" as you said once Emily and Richard began to get to know Rory and have her love, and her having their love in return. I'm glad you feel as though I'm writing Lorelai's character accurately. You're very welcome, accountability is very important to me and I can't help but feel the world would be a better place if we would all take responsibility for our actions, that's something I try to reflect in my writing.

MargaritaS: Thank you so much :) More is on the way!

SAGMom: The Huntzberger departure from the engagement party is revealed in Chapter 15. I'm glad you're enjoying the supportive relationship and mirroring of Emily/Richard to Rory/Logan. I'm enjoying writing about Rory's backbone and her finding an anchor in the unconditional love of her grandparents.

That's it for me for this week guys! Have a great week, stay safe, and I will be back soon! Until next time, xoxo