Chapter 28

Rory woke slowly, her body heavy and aching, the faint hum of hospital machines filling the room. For a long moment, she lay still, her thoughts muddled as she tried to place herself. Then the memories rushed back. The hours - dozens of hours - of labor, the voices of encouragement from Lane, her mom, and the medical staff, and finally, the overwhelming, transformative moment when her daughter, the wet, warm lump of a baby, had been placed in her arms.

She shifted slightly, wincing at the deep ache in her body. Everything felt battered and bruised, her muscles like jelly, her abdomen sore in ways she hadn't thought possible. And yet, beneath the exhaustion, there was relief—immense and overwhelming relief. It was over.

The absence of weight in her belly was strange, like forgetting something that had once been a constant companion. She pressed a hand to the soft curve, trying to adjust to the feeling of being lighter but emptier all at once.

A tiny whimper pulled her attention, and Rory turned her head, spotting the bassinet beside her bed. Her daughter stirred, her small hands waving in the air. The sound wasn't quite a cry, more of a delicate complaint, but it was enough to make Rory sit up, every movement slow and deliberate.

"Hey, it's okay," Rory murmured with endearment in her tone, reaching over to lift the baby into her arms. She cradled the little bundle close, marveling again at how impossibly small she was. She was still nameless. But she was hers.

Her features were so delicate—tiny hands with perfect fingers, though surprisingly with long and sharp fingernails, a little nose, and cheeks still slightly flushed. Rory's heart swelled with a fierce protectiveness, and a rush of adrenaline chased away her exhaustion.

She adjusted her gown, guiding her newborn daughter to nurse. She still felt so fragile in her hands. Her latch wasn't quite right yet, and Rory winced, shifting slightly until it felt less painful. "We'll get the hang of this," she whispered, and allowed her to try to latch on again. "Ah…," Rory exhaled, as she began sucking gently.

It wasn't until a passing bus illuminated the room with its headlights that she noticed him. Her body was too tired to jolt, especially as soon as she recognized his shape.

Logan was slouched in the chair by the window, his head tilted to one side, arms crossed loosely over his chest. His tie was undone, his shirt wrinkled in a way that was so unlike him. He looked tired, his face soft and unguarded in sleep, and Rory wondered how long he'd been sitting there. She should've been at least a little surprised by his presence. Sure, it had been her in person, who'd texted him that it was happening. But she'd never fully allowed herself to believe he would show. She'd allowed herself to expect congratulations, him asking how they were doing and maybe sending a fruit basket and flowers… But there he was. And deep down a small part of her felt he'd just proved her right. That he was serious about doing this as right as humanly possible. He was trying.

For a moment, she considered waking him. Then, as if sensing her gaze, Logan stirred. His head lifted, and his eyes opened slowly, taking a second to focus before locking onto her and the baby.

He sat up straighter, his expression shifting to one of relief. "Hey," he said softly, his voice hoarse.

"Hey," Rory replied, her voice equally quiet.

He straightened himself and slowly walked over. Logan's gaze dropped to the baby, his expression softening in a way that made Rory's chest tighten.

"She's beautiful," he said, leaning forward slightly but keeping his distance.

Rory nodded, brushing a finger over her daughter's tiny cheek. "She is," she agreed.

Logan ran a hand through his hair, the gesture tired but purposeful.

"I missed it," he said after a pause, his tone heavy with regret. "I tried, Rory. I really did. The flights, the delays—it all went wrong," he added, apologetically.

Rory didn't respond right away, shifting the baby slightly to keep her comfortable. "We never talked about it," she said finally, glancing at him. "You being there, I mean. I didn't know if you wanted to be."

Logan's brows furrowed, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "I didn't know either," he admitted. "I guess... I didn't want to push or assume, but... yeah, I wanted to be there. I just didn't know how to bring it up."

Rory nodded, her gaze dropping back to the baby. "I didn't know either. I didn't even know if I wanted you there. It all felt...we're complicated. Somehow too personal, too, if that makes sense?" Rory explained, admitting how they really had drifted apart and were now a lot less intimate with each-other.

Logan leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "I get that. I do. But for what it's worth, I would've been there if I could. To watch her take her first breath…," he exhaled, disappointedly.

"I'm sorry…," Rory exhaled, as if it had been something she'd had any control over.

"Nothing to feel sorry about," Logan assured.

There were many questions in the air, too, whether he'd managed to sneak in without anyone relevant catching sight of her, or whether he had, in fact, been confronted by Lorelai or worse - Jess somewhere down at the waiting room.

They sat in silence for a moment, the quiet hum of the hospital filling the space between them. Rory glanced at Logan again, noting the way he was looking at their daughter with a mix of awe and uncertainty.

"She's so small," he murmured.

"Smaller than she felt," Rory said, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Logan chuckled softly, though his expression remained serious. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck," Rory replied honestly. "Everything hurts. But... I'm okay."

Logan nodded, his gaze steady. "You're incredible, you know that? What you did—what you went through—it's... I don't even have words."

Rory felt a flicker of warmth at his sincerity but also a twinge of discomfort. She wasn't used to this version of Logan—the one who was careful, earnest, and trying so hard to say the right thing.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, shifting the conversation.

"Since late last night," Logan said. "I got here just after midnight... well, after."

Rory nodded, adjusting the baby again as she finished nursing. She leaned back against the pillows, her daughter now nestled against her chest.

Logan hesitated, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Rory... what's the plan? For us, I mean. For her."

Rory met his gaze, unsure how to respond. "I don't know," she admitted. "I've been so focused on getting through the pregnancy that I haven't really thought about what happens next."

Logan nodded slowly, his expression contemplative. "I've said it before…but I assure you - want to be involved," he said carefully. "As much as I can be..."

Rory hesitated, her mind spinning. "What does that even look like, Logan? You have another baby on the way, a wife, a career... a whole life in another country."

"I know," Logan said, his voice firm. "And I'm not saying it'll be easy. But I'm willing to figure it out if you are."

Rory felt as if she'd heard this all before. But now, more than ever, she felt protective of her daughter.

Rory studied him for a long moment, searching for any hint of insincerity. "I don't want to set her up for disappointment," she said finally. "If you're in, you're in. But if you're not... I'd rather we be clear about it now. I don't want to lie to her about you being someone you're not," she added.

Logan didn't have an answer ready for it. But Rory could tell he was fighting every instinct he had to just promise that he was 'in'.

The conversation drifted after that, moving to lighter topics as the tension eased. Logan asked about the birth, and Rory recounted the experience in snippets, her tone wry but affectionate as she described Lane's unwavering support and the chaos of the hospital staff. Lane was more like her mother than she ever cared to know when it came down to laying down the law.

"Lane was amazing," Rory said, a small smile on her lips. "She kept me sane. And my mom away from budding in too much," she added.

Logan chuckled. "Sounds about right."

As the sky outside began to lighten, Rory glanced at Logan, who was watching their daughter, now asleep, with quiet intensity. For the first time in months, things felt almost normal between them.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Rory said softly.

Logan looked up, his brow furrowing slightly. "What is?"

"This," Rory said, gesturing between them. "All of it. Being here, doing this... it feels so strange, but also kind of... right?"

Logan nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah. It does."

The baby let out a soft sigh, her tiny hand resting against Rory's chest. Rory leaned back, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. Logan watched her for a moment, then stood, moving to adjust the blanket around her shoulders.

"Get some rest," he said quietly. "I'll stay with her."

Rory hesitated, then nodded, her eyes already beginning to close. As she drifted off, she felt a strange sense of peace. For all the complications and uncertainties ahead, in this moment, everything felt exactly as it should be.