disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls

A/N: I could barely sleep last night after finishing the last chapter and then the reviews today just spurred me on to write this chapter.

Will be traveling for the next two weeks and have to finish up the literature review on my dissertation, so it might be a while. Anyway, I apologize for the grammatical errors. I do spend hours writing formally and making sure everything is perfect so this is my place to relax and be creative.

Rory and Logan looked at the porch and the silhouette of the woman at the door. Logan groaned, "At least Honor's text makes more sense now."

Rory turned around and looked at the figure who was obviously saying something and then back at the driver standing next to Logan, "Let's get a hotel, the Four Seasons is around the corner. Hell, I'll stay in a shed to avoid her tonight."

Logan helped Rory climb back in the car, "Dave, you heard the lady, let's go to the Four Seasons"

Rory was feeling a little frisky, "You know since it is our last night and we are staying at a hotel." She put her under his jacket and undid his pants while kissing him hard.

"I like the way you think, but we are here; let me get a room."

"OK, we can go old school" she cooed in his ear while kissing his neck.

Lorelai awoke to a note on her pillow, "Why did the phone ring at 3 a.m.? I'll have coffee Love you, L." She was racking her brain to remember and then sat bolt upright in bed, Rory had met Oprah Winfrey and referred to her as a friend. This year was insane, first Christiane Amanpour and now Oprah, huh, her Rory was rubbing elbows with the big shots. Her mind drifted back to the conversation with her mother and then Luke, how she had help, but never gave any of them credit when talking to Rory, instead making it seem like she was up against the world. Could she accept that Rory was going to get help from some of the most powerful people in the world? She had raised her to be strong and independent. She continued to muse as she got dressed and headed to Luke's.

"Morning! Where is the coffee, interrupted sleep, child called, speaking nonsense, need coffee, do you have a muffin, but more coffee." She plunked herself on the stool and leaned in for her morning kiss. Luke looked a little extra bleary-eyed. Thinking back to the note, it occurred to her that he had also had interrupted sleep and maybe, nah, this was Luke her big strong resilient man, fiancé.

Luke still had a look of concern on his face, "I know about the 3 a.m. call, but it sounded like it wasn't an emergency, just a not thinking straight moment."

Lorelai grinned, "Yup, called to tell me she met Sofia and they kicked out Harpo."

Miss Patty turned around from the table in the corner, "Oh, my god, Rory met Oprah?"

Luke was pouring the second cup of coffee when Lorelai swung around putting her finger on her nose, catching the pot and it flew out of Luke's hands spilling the last bit of coffee on the floor. She leaped from the chair grabbing napkins and a rag, "I'm so sorry, oh, come to Mama, my lifeblood."

Luke called back to Cesar, "Hey Cesar, can you grab the mop before Lorelai starts licking the floor." He pulls her up as she is mopping up the coffee. "And you, are you serious, she met Oprah?"

Leaning back on her heels, Lorelai grins at him, "According to the 3 a.m. call, the answer is yes, but I have not had details, and given that it is 4 a.m. there I think I will wait a bit more to confirm that is really what she said."

Shira was livid that Rory and Logan had not come into the house, but just drove away, and then he turned off his cell phone, so she was only getting voicemail. Maybe bringing Fallén with her wasn't the best idea after all. But they had bonded on the flight out and Fallén really did seem to like Logan. Why couldn't he see just how right they would be together? She emerged from the upstairs bedroom and Fallén was in the one Finn normally slept in. Shira was aghast at how small the house was, he could afford more than a three-bedroom house and this ridiculous upstairs office leading out to balconies. At least each bedroom had its own bathroom and he had someone to cook and clean for him. She was sure that he had settled on such a small house because of her. Oh, she could spit just thinking of that Gilmore girl, thinking she was good enough to be a Huntzberger wife. Shira was certain that Rory was to blame for the help actually addressing Logan, as Logan. Her head was spinning as she worked herself into a frenzy with how Logan was abandoning the family and his responsibilities all for a gold digger. Dressed in a ridiculous Valentino see-through white V-neck dress with ruffles running horizontally, so completely out of place for Menlo Park on a Wednesday. It was like she was on her way to the Oscars, Shira was sure that her clothes and indignation, plus having Fallén here, were going to be all she needed for Logan to see the error of his way.

Margaret was preparing the huge breakfast that Shira had requested. She was still surprised that Logan would invite his mother and what looked like, well, she just didn't have words for the woman named Fallén to visit. She contemplated calling Finn or Colin to confirm that everything 'Mrs. Huntzberger' was telling her was actually true. Her newly supplied iPhone lit up with a message from Rory, "Hey, this is actually Logan, I am not turning on my cell phone. Is there any chance that my mother has left?" She typed back a very short, "still here".

Her phone rang and she quickly answered, "Hello, Rory?"

Logan had just finished with room service, he had ordered food and clothes and was prepared to find out exactly what was going on in his house, "Good morning Margaret. Are you able to talk freely?"

"Yes, Logan, they aren't downstairs yet."

"They? My mother and father are there?" Logan was practically falling over. What the hell was going on he turned to Rory and saw her eyes adjust from wide with surprise to squinting and a scowl.

"Oh, no sir, definitely not your father, I didn't find out the relation, but your Mother and a woman, well, I mean, she seems to think, I don't know, her name is Fallén, does that mean anything to you?" she queried.

Logan was now ready to do battle, his mother had crossed many lines in her lifetime, but bringing Fallén to his house. "Thank you, Margaret, I will text you when we leave. We are at the Four Seasons, Rory was smart enough to not allow my mother to ruin our last night together. I think we will be leaving here in an hour – two tops."

"Sounds good. I'll just finish making this breakfast. Will they actually eat any of this food your mother asked me to prepare?"

He chuckled, "Nope. This is the last meal you will ever make for my mother."

They concluded the call and he pressed end.

"Hey Ace, so three guesses as to who is at my house."

Rory's eyes were so narrow and she was obviously angry, "Well, I already figured out it is not Mitchum, and given your anger, definitely not Honor. She didn't, she wouldn't?"

"Oh, she would, and she did." He confirmed.

"Not 'that Fallén girl'" Rory said to mock Shira and then just stood there stunned, wrapped in a towel from having taken a shower when he smirked with confirmation. She turned back toward the bathroom, "I think I need another shower. Shall we strategize on our next move?"

Logan started smiling ready to follow her, "Are you enjoying this, Ace?"

Pulling him to her, "Yeah, I am. I mean when you think about it, it is funny. Honor is thrilled with us being together. Mitchum isn't fighting it and I think he is hopeful that eventually, you will return to HPG."

Logan grunted and gave an under the breath, "fat chance" comment.

Rory pulled him into the luxurious bathroom and started the shower, "Ah, come on, let's have fun with your mother. Once we, relax a bit, I'm sure we can come up with a plan."

An hour later, Rory realized her phone had been ringing and noticed it was her Mom. She quickly texted "Yes, met Oprah and the Obama's. Had a great chat with them last night, lots to talk about, right now dealing with Shira. Will call on the way to New Hampshire, will plan to try and swing by for an in-person visit." Rory put the phone down on the bed, "I am definitely appreciating the new keyboard and being able to type quickly. I need to pick up iPhones for everyone before I head back. Now, shall we figure out how to deal with Shira?"

Logan pulled her in, "I prefer the relaxing activities." As his mouth came down to restart kissing.

"While, I also prefer relaxation, I need to get to my clothes and laptop, so we need to take care of your mother and Fallén. Huh, you know, if you said it wrong she is like a fallen angel or something." They both enjoyed thinking of their adversary as a 'fallen woman'.

They strategized while eating, having dressed in the casual clothes sent up by the concierge service. By the time the last drop of coffee was consumed, they had decided that they would present a united front and lay it out that this is how it was going to be.

Rory and Logan got out of the car, this time prepared for who was waiting for them inside. Rory squared her shoulders, assuring Logan in the car that she was more than ready.

Logan opened the door and Rory entered first, in a breezy and lighthearted tone and a supercilious smile plastered on her face, "Oh, Margaret, something smells divine. I wish we hadn't eaten, but I am sure I can find some room for that" she stopped short seeing Shira and a woman, whom she assumed was Fallén, sitting at their dining room table, "oh, we have guests, Logan, did you know about our guests?" not skipping a beat, "Margaret, you did a fabulous job making them feel welcome, thank you so much."

Logan was torn between screaming at his mother and going along with Rory's over-the-top welcome them and drowning them with honey plan. So far, his mother hadn't opened her mouth, so he stuck with the honey plan. Rory continued, "Oh, Logan, it is your mother and this, oh, my, is this the lovely Fallen" she tittered and put her hand over her mouth while batting her eyelashes as she acted like the long A was a total accident, "oh, excuse me Fallén, right? Yes, of course, the lovely Fallén who Shira has so often spoken of over the years that Logan and I have been together. Well, well, Logan, let's sit down and join them. We wouldn't want to be rude and make our guests feel the least bit uncomfortable or unwelcomed in our home, now would we?"

Logan rolled his eyes, god she could lay it on thick. He kept thinking that Finn would have loved this performance and then was glad Finn was not here, because it would end up in the repertoire along with his Passion of the Christ. "Oh, of course, my dear love, we would never want anyone to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable in our home. Any well-bred and decorous person of society always knows to ensure that guests are treated with the utmost graciousness."

In the kitchen, Margaret was working hard to maintain her composure, when she heard Rory call out in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"Oh, Margaret, dear, if you would be so kind, please, please our guests seem to have not eaten yet, their plates are empty and we can't have them leave and waste this magnificent feast. I have never seen so much food, and well, I will just take some fruit, but they must be starving."

Shira and Fallén both sat at the table, Shira was furious, she knew that all of this was to get back at her for being rude to Rory on the first visit. Fallén on the other hand never ate breakfast and had no idea how to decline the food being heaped on her plate, plus, she was still trying to process exactly what Shira had meant when she said that Logan was heartbroken about being forced into this marriage and needed her to be there so he knew he could extricate himself. Logan did not look pleased to see her and seemed to be in on this obvious charade going on with this brunette woman, whom she thought Shira had referred to as Rory.

Fallén decided that direct would be her best card to leave, "Excuse me, I seem to have been brought here under false pretenses. Logan, you look happy. Nice to meet you,"

Rory supplied her name while extending her hand, "Rory"

To which Fallén reponsded, "Rory. And Shira, I am going to gather my things. I think you need to have a heart-to-heart with your son, and from the looks of that ring on her left hand and the smile on his face, his fiancée whom I gather he loves." With that Fallén put her napkin on the table, took a quick bite of fruit, and left the table, to walk upstairs.

Rory turned to Logan and still with a smile plastered on her face and a sickly sweet tone of voice, "Well, Fallén seems to be smarter than I had given her credit for, I guess" her voice changed from sweet to furious as she turned to face Shira, "the real fallen one here is, Shira. I don't know what games you are up to, but you are not going to win. I am going to marry Logan, if HE wants me. We" pointing emphatically between she and Logan, "will decide where we live, what careers we have, who we will be friends with, how we will spend OUR money, and, just to make it clear, I have plenty of my OWN money, way more than your two-bit gold-digging Hicksville, I won't finish that because I was taught not to use that type of language." Rory took a breath "oh, never mind, ass. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to pack my bag to head to New Hampshire to cover the Obama campaign." Turning to Logan she gives him a kiss, "I will see you in the bedroom as soon as you have taken care of the," thinking better of saying trash, "of your mother. Good day Shira." Rory gently placed her napkin on the table, pushed back from the table, gave Logan another kiss, and walked away - slowly and deliberately. She could see Margaret in the kitchen giving her a thumbs up and a huge smile. It felt good.

Logan was still sitting at the table, watching Rory walk away. He was so proud of her. Logan was brought back to the table by his mother clearing her throat.

"Aren't you going to go talk to her, let her know that it is not right to talk to me in such a manner?"

Logan looked at his mother like she had three heads, "Seriously, Mom, you came to our house, uninvited, brought another woman here under false pretenses and you think Rory is wrong?"

"Well, Logan, she is obviously not cut out to be a Huntzberger wife." Shira tried the same sorry line to defend her actions.

"No, Mom, she is not cut out to be Mitchum Huntzberger's wife because she wouldn't let me sleep around, smoke cigarettes, and act like she is better than everyone else. However, she is perfect as Logan Huntzberger's wife." Logan stood up and placed his napkin on the table. "Good day, Mother, it was lovely seeing you. Please be a stranger and don't plan to visit again."

A/N: I hope it satisfies the visceral need that you expressed in your comments to have Rory stand her own ground.

I definitely am a fan of Chilton and early Yale Rory and I don't feel like it was Logan who led her to become more uncertain, but actually her mother not supporting her in being her own person. As a mother of young adults, it can be hard to let your kid be their own person and not lay expectations on them, but in reality, the result of letting go is truly spectacular. I am not a fan of Lorelai, but given how Emily grows, I am inclined to let all of the Gilmore women grow.