do not own Gilmore Girls
A/N: So, I was inspired to add more description, trying to paint more of the scene. I have been reading a few people who do this really well and hope that I am able to add the images I picture while writing without being too distracting from the dialogue. To those of you who write Lorelai - WOW! She is really hard. I know now why I stick with Rory and Logan more, they are so much easier for me to hear them talking. A couple of people mentioned looking up information on the internet for Logan and Rory, remember this is 2007 - iPhone (the first one) launched on June 29, 2007. Facebook is just emerging from being for college students and they are just creating a business page that can be used, it has not hit 100 million users yet. Obama will be the first to create a Facebook page and use it for getting his message out. He created a Twitter account, Facebook, MySpace (yup, myspace was still around), and YouTube. He even did podcasting. It will take until the Republican convention before John McCain will start to have the same internet presence. So, doing a web search didn't provide the same results as it does today. The YDN did start to publish to the web in 1995, so Rory Gilmore is a name people could have searched for in that capacity. Anyway, hope you enjoy ...
"So, what do you think?"
"I think you need a pro-con list."
"Do not mock the pro-con list!"
"I am not mocking, I am being really honest here, Ace, I think you need a pro-con list; actually, multiple lists."
"Huntzberger, you may be on to something!" Rory felt a freedom in her body as she was able to call him Huntzberger. She sat on the bed and relaxed before leaning over to find a pad of paper.
Logan breathed deeply, he hadn't realized how hard it had been for him to be just Logan so people wouldn't find out, he got up and started walking toward his office to find a pad of paper and pen, "glad you think so, and I like the sound of my name coming from you like that."
"Yeah, me too. Ok, multiple lists, so like bus name, online name, and AP name? Let's start with the bus, pro I can be more open with my colleagues about my life"
Logan started grinning, he was writing her list with her, "I like that idea, it means when I come to visit we can hang out and I can get to know people you are talking about."
"con: people on the bus will have an expectation that you will hook them up with opportunities, Logan"
"Yeah, but I am used to that." Logan really was used to people using him for his name, and it had been his favorite part about Rory, well along with Finn, Colin, and Robert would sometimes use his name for their advantages too.
"Fair, but I'm not."
"Rory, you need to start getting used to that, and let's face it, you will still be Gilmore for a few more years, it will only be people who are in media that will know about the fiancée part and pro, people on the bus like you, they aren't going to suddenly change their minds about you and your name isn't changing to Huntzberger, it will be Gilmore and that is a name people associate with insurance if they even know the name."
"Logan, everyone on the bus is in media, so con, remember, Katie told everyone about hearing your Dad announce that you had gotten engaged to Rory Gilmore. It would be so much easier if that had not come out.
Logan leaned forward as he had been writing, "Yeah, but it has not been formally announced in the newspapers."
Rory's pen was hovering over the pad, "True, but still, everyone I am traveling with knows, and that is not going to be fun explaining." She is leaning back and thinking, chewing on her lip and Logan is waiting expectantly for her to resolve this knowing it could become an argument if he oversteps. He bites his tongue, literally, when she continues, "But yeah, there is the pro of being myself, at least with my colleagues."
Logan jumped, "Absolutely! I think it is a slam dunk for the pros and the bus. It is the writing where there is a lot to consider. There are advantages to keeping a pen name with Hugo for right now, I mean you are established, it is online so people have alerts or filters looking for Leigh Danes, it gives you a cover for doing stuff you might not otherwise do."
"Ok, let's think about the pros of using Leigh Danes for the AP: people might already know the name, increase my breadth and depth of reporting under the name, and continue to maintain a separation from HPG so there are no expectations of my going there."
Logan took a minute to respond, "There are some pros to using Gilmore with AP, the Yale Daily News editor reemerges, the papers that passed you by because they thought you were going with HPG will know you are available, my Dad doesn't get the rising star."
"Yeah, I have time to think about the name with the AP, I mean I have not written the story yet, so this could be a non-issue."
"No chance, Ace, this is going to be an issue, but we will be seeing each other in a couple of weeks and we can talk more then."
"Decided, then I will start going by Rory Gilmore with my colleagues, but stay Leigh Danes in print."
Logan waited for her to continue. "Um, earth to Logan, no response?"
"Oh, yeah, I was just thinking, you might want to have a reason for the fake name, you need to control that narrative."
"Right, well, I could go with, I wasn't getting jobs as Rory Gilmore because there was an expectation I would be with HPG due to my connection to you, but I had worked at an HPG paper before and wanted to try something new."
"Yeah, that kinda works, I mean the reality is my Dad was not going to hire you unless I stayed with HPG, but we don't want to"
Rory interrupted, "Logan, we know your Dad is the Dark Lord, and we don't need to let the rest of the world know; plus some of the folks on the bus are employees of HPG and they like it."
"You read my mind, Ace, exactly, don't burn bridges, as MK said, it is all about networking."
"I am still not a fan of this networking idea, I mean my Mom really taught me that I need to do it myself."
Logan sighed, "Rory, you are the hardest working person I know, but come on, we all need people in our corner and networking just means you have more people looking out for you." He wanted to continue and tell her about how important the who you know part really is in that business, but he knew this was not the time and place, plus MK had really laid it on thick according to the story she had just told him.
"I hear you, Logan, and trust me Mary K has really got me thinking."
"Ok, you know one other upside?" Logan heard the door to his office open and started to stand up, losing track of his thoughts. Finn was at his desk in an instant, grabbed the paper, and was scanning the pro-con list.
"Huh?" Rory was laying back on the bed, waiting for Logan to continue.
Suddenly a new voice came over the phone, "Love, now you can stay at my hotels when you are in towns that have them. Save Hugo money and you will have real china and silverware."
Rory jumped up from the bed, she had such a tender spot in her heart for Finn, but was hoping he hadn't been listening from the beginning, "Finn, have you been there the whole time."
"Nope walked in a few minutes ago, but Logan has this Ace pro-con list sitting here and I was reading and it says bus real name - be me, and 'me' is in all capitals and underlined. I like the real Love and she stays at my hotels. Send me the itinerary and I will send you your confirmation numbers."
Her voice was giddy and she was walking around the room, "Thanks Finn and"
Logan pushed Finn away, "Hey Ace, sorry about that."
"No, that is ok, I can assure you that MK will have no issues staying in a Morgan hotel when they are available. Oh, and Hugo will appreciate not having to pay for a room, a win-win." They both laughed. "Thank you, Logan, I am so glad you are with me on this crazy ride."
"Well, to be honest, I think the ride is extra crazy thanks to me, so it only makes sense that I hop on with you."
"I love you, Logan."
"And I love you, Ace"
"I love you too, Love," Finn called out from the other side of the desk. Logan was pointing at the door, but Finn was settling down on the edge of the desk.
"Love you too Finn. Thanks, Logan, love you, good night," Rory thought it was best to end this before Finn became more involved.
"Night Ace, Love you." Logan pressed end on the phone and put it down. Relief washed over him as he realized that he no longer had to be careful about her name, and now that he could openly be her fiancé when she was in town in two weeks, his mind started racing in preparation for her arrival. He really wasn't paying attention to Finn who was looking expectant.
Finn started waving his hand in Logan's face, "Um, Logan, mate, hello?"
Snapping back, Logan looked at Finn motioning for him to go with him to the bar in the living room, "Oh, Finn, yeah, what are you doing here?"
"Checking up on you. But it looks like all is well."
Logan grabbed a bottle of scotch and poured them both a drink, then motioned for Finn to sit in one of the two chairs.
"It is great, she is going to be here from the 6th through the 12th next month. Now that she is out about our relationship, we don't need to hide from her colleagues."
Finn swirls his scotch, inhaling the smokey notes, "Hey, Logan, give it a day or two to make sure everything goes smoothly."
"Finn, if anyone tries anything to make her think going by her real name is a mistake, I personally will hunt them done." Logan sat on the edge of his chair, he too took a sniff, before raising the glass to take a sip.
Finn sits down and then adjusts to the front of the chair, holding his drink in his hand "I'll help with the hunt, but just remember, Love is not always the most bold when it comes to implementing the plan as she is to making the plan."
Logan is sitting across from Finn, finishing a sip of his drink, "I am not so sure Finn, she got really good at the implementation, steeling yachts, planning parties, and figuring out how to make us work."
"Some of those were pretty impulsive, plus she still has her mother's voice in her head, s0 still, let's just give it time, ok?" Finn was grinning at Logan, his best friend had been in an ok place before, but having Rory being Rory was good for him.
Logan nodded and looked thoughtfully, swirling the drink one more time, he knew her mother's voice was in her head, most of the time that didn't bother him, but he needed her to have confidence in being Rory Gilmore. While he had originally agreed with his Dad about the pen name, and thought it was a good idea to stay Leigh Danes for Hugo, he realized it was time for her to reclaim her name with the AP, this was the big leagues and she had a strong reputation from her time as the editor of the YDN. This was not an HPG publication and the New York Times would see that name and know they had an application from her for the Reston Fellowship. It would be clear that Rory didn't belong to HPG, and enough time had elapsed and no official engagement notice had come out. It was just what his father had said when he told him over the phone that traveled around HPG and that his eligible son was off the market. If he could keep the announcement out of the papers until at least after the convention and they knew Obama's status that would be ideal. There would be no issues with his parents, Shira was dead set against this engagement and thought it was just a matter of time before Logan would come to his senses. Mitchum just didn't care and wasn't speaking to him ever since he left HPG for the most part. It was Emily who wanted to plan this yesterday. But Richard had been on his side. Logan shifted in his chair.
Finn leaned in, "Um, what is going through that brain of yours, mate?"
"Richard," Logan replied, picking up his cell phone and scrolling to Richard Gilmore, and pressing call.
Richard and Emily are just getting into bed as the phone rings, Emily looks at Richard, "Are you expecting someone to call at this hour?"
"No, but it could be Rory, she might be a time zone over and forgotten the hour," he suggests as he pulls back the covers and starts to climb into bed.
Emily shrugs, "Hello, Gilmore residence, Emily speaking."
"Hello, Emily, this is Logan, I hope this is not too late for you."
Emily sits on the bed and leans over to Richard, "it is Logan." she whispers pulling her hand away from covering the mouthpiece. Richard sits up on the pillow.
"Hello, Logan, well, it is a bit late, but I am assuming this is important for you to be calling at this hour."
"It is Emily, might I speak with Richard please?"
She looks at Richard and points, he nods ascension and takes the phone. "Good evening Logan, my boy, to what do I owe the pleasure."
"Good evening Richard, I just realized how late it is and I can call tomorrow if that would be better, I just had something on my mind and didn't realize the time."
"No, no, Logan, I'm awake and not sure I would get any sleep if Emily didn't know why you called." Emily elbows Richard and then sits close enough to hear Logan's voice.
Logan sighs, picks up his drink takes a sip, and decides to jump right in, "First, Rory and I appreciate you holding off on the engagement announcement. I know it has not been easy, but given everything, I think it has been best. Of course, there have been no issues with my parents wanting to get the news out there. Anyway, just wanted to reiterate our gratitude for waiting."
"You are very welcome Logan, but I am certain that was not what prompted a call at ten o'clock at night," Richard responded with a bit of urgency in his tone. Emily's lips tighten at the mention of holding off on the announcement. She has had it ready to go since graduation day and still doesn't really see any reason to not announce, they are engaged after all.
"Yes, you are right, Richard, it was not to say thank you again. I just got off the phone with Rory"
"Go, on" Richard prompts, Emily leans in closer.
"Yeah, so, the reporters on the bus, well, her roommate knows her real name and that means the reporters on the bus will know her name tomorrow, most likely."
"ok?" Richard is very confused as to why this bit of news warranted a 10 pm call also.
"So, Rory is very nervous about how they will take finding out that she has kept her identity a secret, and after some conversation, I realized this all comes back to her mother always telling her she needs to do everything on her own. She is afraid that people will think the only reason she is on the trail is due to her fiance and not her skills. And that is ridiculous because the AP has given her an offer to write an article for them and do some work there, and they didn't know she was Rory Gilmore, connected to Logan Huntzberger, they just thought they were reaching out to unknown Leigh Danes."
Logan finally spit it all out and he sat forward tension running through his body as he realized this really could have waited for the morning.
"Logan, this is fantastic news." Richard's chest is puffing with pride, his granddaughter had been asked by the AP to write a piece for them, he grins and elbows Emily with delight. Now that was worth a 10 pm phone call as far as he was concerned. Emily was still tight-lipped, obviously unhappy that Rory had not shared the good news herself, but she still had a look of pride on her face with the implications. "Son, let me have a chat with my daughter about her 'pull yourself up by the bootstraps' mantra she has been selling my Rory. I don't think that woman ever actually read a Horatio Alger story, or she would have known there was always a rich benefactor in there somewhere."
Logan's shoulders relaxed, he didn't even need to explain to Richard his concerns. "Please don't tell Lorelai about the AP, I want that to come from Rory, but it would be great when they do talk if she could be supportive of Rory's success."
Emily leaned in, "I will make sure of it Logan."
Richard pushed her away, "I will talk to her Logan" and then turning to Emily he looked at her with those stern eyes - let me take care of this, she backed off, but was still smiling with pride, "And don't tell Rory we know, but do encourage her to reach out so we can congratulate her appropriately, my boy."
"Of course, and thank you, now for two things, Richard."
"Any time, except after 10:30 at night." the two men laughed and said goodbye. Richard handed the phone to Emily to return to the bedside cradle.
"Well, Emily, our granddaughter is getting picked up by the AP." he slides down to lay on his back, a big grin, and closes his eyes to dream of Rory's success. Emily lies down next to him, she is also smiling thinking about Rory, but her face tightens as she thinks about Lorelai and realizes that Lorelai doesn't give credit to all of those who helped her along the way. Her mind wanders back to Mia's wedding and how hard it had been for her to thank Mia for being there when Lorelai wouldn't let her in. Grateful to be back in her life, she knew Lorelai had been well loved, supported, and cared for by many and Rory needed to see that too.
Lorelai wakes up and starts to sniff, she realizes that Luke has already left for the diner, the only thing she can smell is the fresh coffee, no bacon or pancakes. Getting dressed quickly, she slips downstairs to pour the first cup. Bringing it up she goes through her first cup ritual, inhales, wraps hands and feels the warmth, inhales again, takes the first sip of the strong, hot liquid, she lets it settle on her tongue, tasting the bitterness and finding a sense of calm, before she swallows and feels the warmth going through her, it is like a light being turned on before the crazy day begins. Her next swallow finds the cup empty, no time to savor, she pours and downs the second cup and then the third, when she finally takes a minute to grab the pop tarts. Checking the clock she determines there is time to toast them. Still rueful that she can't just drink from the pot, she pours the fourth cup and slows down a bit waiting for the pop tarts to pop - huh, she loves that thought pop tarts pop. She is missing Rory and the mornings when they shared the pop-tarts and coffee. She stands so she can see in Rory's room, which still holds the single bed and furniture, a few items from high school, and the Yale banner hangs on the wall, but the books, are gone, and with the books leaving she knows that Rory will not be coming back except to visit. She makes a mental note to ask Rory about changing the furniture and putting in at least a double bed to make it a little more comfortable for when she comes to visit. Also, a double bed signals that she is ok with Logan coming. "Yup," she says aloud popping the p. The toaster dings, she pulls out the pop tarts, "damn, they are hot." comes out, just like it does every morning.
Grabbing her phone and bag, she leaves to head to the diner, the breakfast rush should be over and she needs Luke to come and inspect the annex for the Inn in preparation for the opening. The wedding planning is coming along and she is feeling really good, her phone starts to ring and the good feeling starts to melt away, Emily pops up.
"Hello, Mom."
"Good morning Lorelai, you really should be more pleasant in the morning." Emily is standing in the front hall walking toward the living room to sit down and have a long chat her with daughter.
"Sorry, Mom, Good morning Mom, is that better?" Lorelai keeps walking toward the diner trying to think of the best way to end this quickly.
"Hardly, Lorelai I called because you need to tell Rory that you had help with that Inn of yours and she can accept help too."
Lorelai stops dead in her tracks, what the hell, every defense mechanism that exists is up, "Um, Mom, I don't think I need to do any such thing. Rory is doing great on her own and she doesn't need help. I did make the Inn happen on my own."
Emily interrupts her with a very firm voice and no room for interruptions, "Lorelai, you are being short-sighted, you didn't do it on your own, you learned from Mia, you had Sookie as a partner and well, Luke helped with much of it, that whole town of yours helped you to make that a reality. You had help, you used your network and you need to tell Rory."
Lorelai starts to move toward the diner again, "Mom, I know had help, but I didn't have someone come in and do it for me. I had to work hard and I didn't accept handouts."
Emily sighs, "Of course, you worked hard, but you did accept help, I was not talking about handouts, I am talking about how you had help. You did not. do. it. alone. and Rory needs to know that you see that." the words are punctuated.
Trying to figure out why her mother was calling her, at nine in the morning with this particular advice, she decided it would be best to end this conversation and talk with Rory.
"Mom, I have to go. Thanks for the delightful morning chat, it was like starting the day Freddie Kruger."
"Who?" Emily realizes that Lorelai has already disconnected the call. She looks at the phone and feels good that she has reminded Lorelai about the help she has had along the way. Getting up, she returns the phone and starts to make her way into the kitchen to find the maid.
Lorelai looks at her phone and is thinking about what her mother said, she pushes open the door to the diner sees Luke at the counter, and starts in, "Hey, Joan Crawford just called and apparently, I am her mini-me as I didn't tell Rory about all the people who helped me with the Inn, no idea what that is about. I need another coffee, eggs, and blueberry muffin - in that order or well, coffee, muffin, and eggs. Oh, and we need to empty out Rory's room and get a larger bed, make it more welcoming so Logan can both come visit and are you ready to go and see the Annex with me?" she is now at the counter, sitting on a stool leaning over to receive a kiss, looking expectantly.
Luke wipes one last time, puts down the coffee and muffin he has been holding, leans forward, and gives her the kiss, "Hey Cesar, do we still have eggs?"
"I knew you loved me." Lorelai is shoveling the muffin in followed by more coffee.
"How many cups in are you?" Luke is giving her his patented 'You are crazy, and I am more crazy' for loving you, look.
shrugging her shoulders, she holds out the cup, "Hit me" after the pour "7 if you count this one."
"Jesus, Lorelai, no wonder I don't follow half of what you say."
"Where did I lose you?"
"Jane Crawford?"
"you don't know Mommie Dearest?"
"Oh, so your mother called, I thought that is who you might be referring to, but wanted to make sure." he sees her looking over his shoulder and turns to find the eggs, picking them up and putting them down on the counter, he asks what he knows is probably a stupid question given that it involves Emily, but figures he might as well. "Why does Emily want you to tell Rory people have helped you?"
She shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know. I will call Rory later and get the scoop. hah, journalism talk - give me the scoop, Woody." She finishes eating and they head out to the Annex to go and do the inspection.
Rory is packing up her bag, they move again today. She is nervous about getting on the bus. MK admitted that she had told Sam and Ezra that she had found Lorelai Gilmore, the YDN editor, and she was right under their noses. She thought it was only fair as Ezra made it clear he had continued to work on the story of Logan leaving HPG and was still trying to get an interview. MK walks into the room from the bathroom, "Hey Leigh"
Rory looks over her shoulder, "MK, I know you know me as Leigh, but I decided last night, I am going to start going by Rory, that is what I have been called all my life and it is just easier."
MK walks to her bed and nods in ascent, "Ok, Hey, Rory. Ready to get on the bus? I will be there with you when you tell everyone, and we both know the only person who is really going to try to get into your personal business will be Katie."
Zipping her bag, "Yup, she is actually the only person I am even remotely worried about, both her penchant for gossip and the fact she works for an HPG paper. I know everyone else will understand, I mean, I did it for journalistic integrity, making sure everyone knew I was a legitimate reporter and not just here because of connections."
"Absolutely, and you have definitely demonstrated integrity, I mean not giving it away with Sam or Ezra, but also not lying to them. Plus the AP asking you to write a piece for them, that is huge Rory, huge."
Rory was smiling and starting to feel better about getting the bus - they would be heading to Nevada for the next couple of days and doing a bunch of stops there. "Oh, by the way, Mary K, we have a different hotel in Vegas. My friend Finn says he has at the Cosmopolitan."
Mary K ran over to Rory and gave her a hug "I think I am going to like it there"
Rory grinned, it is "here"
MK looked at her blankly, "huh?"
"Annie, I think I'm going to like it here." It was a good day.
They grabbed their bags, walking out the door, MK grinned, "Well, I am definitely a Daddy Warbucks fan."
"His name is Finn, and he has a lot more hair."