Disclaimer: I still own nothing

Chapter 9

"I think she's pooched." Honor nodded towards Charlotte as she and Logan both sat drinking a glass of water.

"I think you're right." Logan nodded, watching the little girl somewhat aimlessly wander around the play area, not quite interacting with the other kids, "I think that means that it is the end of the night for me?"

"You could put her to bed upstairs, if Rory agrees?"

"I think I would rather take her back to my place, and no offense, but I think I'm too old for this kind of shit." he joked as he referred to the party that was still going on at nearly 8pm.

"Oh baby brother," Honor laughed, "you go take her home. Thank you for coming, and I love you."

"Love you too, Hon." Logan nodded before he walked towards the kids and stopped once he got to Charlotte, "Hi Babe."

"Hi." Charlotte grinned up at him, "More cake?"

Logan shook his head and picked her up, "No more cake." he told her as they began to walk, "But we are going to go find Mommy, and Jess, and I think it is time to go home, I am sleepy."

"I not seepy."

"Of course you're not." Logan nodded nodded as they walked into Honor's house and he began to scan the space looking for Rory, he saw her talking to his Dad, and oddly enough, Odette's Father. That was why she was in town, he realized, her parents had come to town. They had colleagues that would have brought them to this party, and he knew his Father in law well enough to know that he would never turn down the opportunity to network. He could overhear his father talking, making introductions as his eyes caught with Rory's, This is Lorelai, she is a published author, old friend of Honor from Yale. Mitchum had lied through his teeth and Logan was eternally grateful, he eyed the door and Rory gave him as much of a smile as he could before he walked to the valet to wait for his ride home. He would send the car back for Rory and Jess, but he wasn't about to put any of them through the scene that would occur if Odette's father, Jacques, had realized who Rory was, or who Charlotte was, Logan also wasn't sure exactly what Odette had told her parents of their split, he was sure that she would love to give out the details that made Logan an asshole, but he wasn't sure how she would have painted herself in the situation.

"Mommy..." Charlotte grumbled as Logan began to load her in the car.

Logan looked back at the front door as he buckled the carseat and saw no sign of Rory, "Mom will be coming home soon, she was just talking to some grownups."

xxx

It had been four months since the Hamptons and Rory and Logan had fallen into a routine of sorts. He came to Philly every Tuesday and every other weekend he would either go to Philly, or Rory and Charlotte would meet him somewhere else. They had met up in New York, Hartford, back in the Hamptons, normally Rory would spend the weekend but leave Logan and Charlotte to do something on their own as well.

"I have some news." Logan told Rory after he had finished putting Charlotte to bed, he was visiting them in Philly and their next visit would be in Hartford and Stars Hollow for Thanksgiving.

"News?" Rory was cautious as she stood up from the couch, "Good news?"

"I think so." Logan nodded, "I am moving...back to Hartford."

"Hartford..." Rory paused, it certainly wasn't the news she had been expecting, "wow, what has prompted this?"

"Well, you know I've been trying to find a place in New York since I sold my old apartment, and I couldn't find one...so then I thought...my Dad managed to run the business from Hartford, he was in the office three days a week and out of Hartford two, and I have a house in Hartford that I love, so...why not just go and be closer to my nephews and my friends and family...I'm still just a short hop over to you and Charlotte, and if you're in town visiting your Mom, you'll be nearby."

"Wow, well, you've...thought this out. That sounds amazing, when is it official?"

"I've had a contractor doing a bit of work on the place, and a decorator has taken over so it'll all be...new, and I think we are about a week from completion, but I wanted to talk to you about something in the house."

"You need my advice for something in your own house?"

"I want a room for Charlotte."

Rory paused again, she knew it would be coming eventually but the idea of Charlotte staying with Logan still gave her some concern. "That is really generous of you, Logan." she tried to stall for time.

"I'm not saying sleepovers this week, I'm thinking that maybe by next summer we could do that...in the meantime, it is a big house, there is more than enough room for you to have a room too. I just want...I want her to feel like she's at home."

"I think it would be nice if you had a space for her." Rory agreed, "Eventually we will have to figure out something...more permanent in terms of...visitation and whatnot."

"I don't think we're quite there yet, Ace." Logan tried to assure her. "But I wanted to talk to you about one more thing."

"Something else?" Rory nodded.

"Something else." Logan laughed, "The holidays are coming, and I was wondering what your plans were?"

"Well we normally celebrate them." Rory smiled, she was glad that Logan was thinking about how to incorporate Charlotte into his own plans, "We rotate each year, we are in Stars Hollow this year, last year we were in Nantucket."

"So you and Charlotte might be free to spend some time with me? And my family?"

"We're all family." Rory assured him, "You send me your schedule and we'll figure it all out, maybe we can do something for Christmas Eve?"

Logan nodded his head in acknowledgment, "I guess I will send you some ideas for the room for Charlotte, and that is all I needed to discuss with you today. Like I said in my e-mail, I'm going to be gone for two weeks on business, and then I will be home for Thanksgiving, but I'm hoping she can FaceTime me while I'm gone?"

"Where are you going again?" Rory felt bad admitting she didn't remember.

"I'm going to be in Vancouver, so I'll be a couple hours behind you."

"We will FaceTime for sure then, why don't you call us when you land tomorrow after work?"

"Thanks Ror." Logan nodded as he grabbed his jacket and put it on, "I've got a chopper to catch."

xxx

"Well Rory, I have to tell you and your Mother something," Emily sat anxiously in Lorelai's living room, Luke was at the diner while the women were set to pick up Emily from the airport and bring her back to Stars Hollow to celebrate Thanksgiving.

"Is everything alright Grandma?" Rory was immediately concerned, she quickly scanned the room to see that Charlotte was immersed in her colouring.

"Everything is fine," Emily assured them both as Lorelai sat down, her brow creasing with concern, "but I need something from you, from you both really."

"Anything." Rory nodded only to receive a warning glance from Lorelai.

"Almost anything." Lorelai countered, "At least from me. I will not hide any dead bodies for you Mom, sorry, my days of looking good in stripes are long behind me."

"Oh Lorelai, don't be so ridiculous," Emily rolled her eyes, "I am moving back to Hartford." she told them, "I have enjoyed my time in Nantucket, and I will keep my house there, but I want a smaller place in Hartford so I can be closer to my daughter. And Rory, I want you to move home." she stated simply, "You and Logan have worked out some sort of arrangement that works for you, and for Charlotte, your Mother is here, I want us all together again. Your Father, your Grandfather would want us all together again."

"But Grandma, I have my house in Philly, my job, Charlotte's school." Rory felt panicked, "Jess is there."

"Jess is not her Father, dear. You know that, and you can find a teaching job here, you could teach at Chilton. Surely the salary for a private school is better than the public school you're at." she countered, "And you wouldn't have to worry about housing."

"Grandma, I am not living in a condo with you."

"I didn't sell the house." Emily admitted, "I would like for you to have it, for you to live there. That house is made for a family, to build memories and to have stories, and it was made for our family."

Rory was stunned, she could see by the look on Lorelai's face, Lorelai was not surprised at all. "That is...wow...I think you should think about this Grandma, I mean that house is worth a lot of money, and I can't just take it from you."

"Money is money, Rory." Emily brushed her off, "You can't take it with you, and I have more than enough, as does your Mother, or so she tells me, and so that leaves you. Come home, we can all be together."

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course you can, Dear." Emily nodded, "I just want to be able to see my Daughter, Granddaughter and Great Granddaughter whenever I please."

Rory smiled as she glanced at her watch, "Grandma I'm sorry to run out on you like this, but I have to go, I told Logan that he and Charlotte could have dinner tonight, and I am going to run a few errands."

"Logan is in town?" Emily smiled, she was glad that Logan was such an active part of Charlotte's life, and she was even more glad that Rory seemed to be receptive to it.

"He is, he is actually going to be staying in Hartford and running the company from here." Rory told her, "Try not to get too joyful about this Grandma, we are friends, for the sake of our kid."

xxx

"Mommy?" Charlotte looked at her Mother as they got out of the rental car and walked up to Logan's front door.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Do you think I call 'Ogan Dad?" Charlotte asked as she stopped walking for a moment, "You told me he is my Dad."

Rory nodded, she had considered broaching the topic with Charlotte, and even with Logan, but ultimately she had decided that it should be something that Rory didn't involve herself in. "Logan is your Dad." she agreed, "Do you want to call him Dad?"

"All da other kids have a Dad."

"And you have a Dah, you've always had Jess, and you always will..." Rory was careful, she didn't want to force Charlotte to do anything one way or another.

"But I have a Dad too?"

"You have a Dad too." Rory agreed.

"Maybe I will give it to 'Ogan for Christmas that he be my Dad."

"I think that would be very nice of you." Rory smiled, "Now what do you say we go ring the doorbell, it's getting cold out here." she laughed as Charlotte ran up to the door and Rory followed her and rang the bell.

"I certainly hope this is my two favourite girls." Logan grinned as he answered the door, he was dressed casually in jeans and a button up top and his hair was messy, a bit longer than normal, Rory assumed because he had been working from home for the week and taking meetings remotely he hadn't gotten his hair cut.

"You look good." Rory smiled as Charlotte ran into the house and began to pull off her boots.

"This house is so big!" Charlotte told them, interrupting before Logan could strike up any conversation with Rory, "Is it bigger than your other house?" she looked around the expansive two storey foyer.

"It is." Logan laughed, "You certainly are perceptive. Do you want me to show you around?"

"I should go, leave you guys to it." Rory told them, "I've got some...stuff to do."

"Everything alright?" Logan asked her as he took Charlotte's jacket, Rory nodded and smiled sweetly in response, she knew that he didn't buy it, and he chose not to bring it up, it wasn't his place to question her feelings. "We are going to order pizza in an hour or so, if you are done your stuff, we would love for you to join us."

"I will keep in touch." Rory nodded before leaning down to kiss her daughter, "I love you kiddo, I will see you soon."

"Come back for dinner, Mommy." Charlotte smiled sweetly.

"We'll see." Rory assured her and then walked out the door.

"Did you see your Grandma and Great-Grandma?" Logan asked as he followed Charlotte as she went from room to room and looked around.

"Yep." she nodded, "We picked up Great-Grandma Emily from the plane-stop and then we go'd back to Gramma's house, and then Gramma Emily told Mommy we should move back to her old house." she told him simply.

"Wow." Logan was surprised, he supposed that made sense of Rory's mood, it was quite the bomb that Emily had dropped. "I have a surprise for you, do you want to go upstairs?"

"Is it a pony?" Charlotte's eyes lit up as she walked up the staircase, Logan hovering a step behind her.

"No, I did not get you a pony, but I'm sure if you mention it to Nana and Pops, they would find one for you." Logan joked.

"Really!?" Charlotte grinned as she followed Logan down a long hallway.

"Not really." Logan laughed, "Go in." he nodded towards the room.

"What this?" Charlotte asked as she walked into the room, it had a queen sized bed with a sheer canopy that came down from a gold crown mounted to the wall, there was pink bedding and pillows, a huge dollhouse in the corner and an off white, tufted settee by a window, there were book shelves with all sorts of books that Logan had been told she would love, and a dress up station in the corner.

"This is for you." Logan told her, watching as she traced her finger long the chair rail of the wainscoting that adorned the walls, "Your Mom and I talked about it and we thought that maybe it would be nice if you had a room at my house too."

"Mommy knows?"

"Mommy knows." Logan assured her, "Just for if you ever want to stay over."

"I have a present for you too." Charlotte told him simply as she walked towards him, extending her arms upwards so he could lift her, "Up." she added as he hoisted her up.

"You don't need to get me a present." Logan laughed as he kissed her forehead, "Do you like it?"

"I think maybe you could be my Daddy." Charlotte told him sweetly, "If you wanted, maybe."

"Your Daddy?" Logan felt his breath catch, he tried not to let his voice show too much emotion as he digested what she was saying, "Did you talk to your Mom about this?"

Charlotte nodded her head, "Mommy say that I have a Dah, but I have a Dad too, and you is my Dad. If you want."

"I would love it if you called me Dad, you can call me whatever you want Charlotte, I will always love you and I will always be here, I promise." Logan assured her, hugging her tight.

"I hungry."

"Alright," Logan set her down gently, "why don't we go downstairs, and order the pizza and then call your Mom to see if she wants to come back for pizza."

xxx

Rory took a deep breath as she walked into the small bar in downtown Hartford, she scanned it quickly and spotted his dark hair and leather jacket, she walked towards him, "Hi."

"Hey yourself." Jess stood up and embraced her, "You look exhausted. I ordered you a gin and tonic."

"Thank you." Rory smiled as she kissed his cheek and sat down, glad that he always knew her favourite drink or what she needed on a moments notice.

"Everything alright? I thought we were going to see each other at the dinner in Stars Hollow?"

"We are." Rory nodded, "I...I just wanted to talk, privately. Charlotte is having dinner with Logan, so I figured this might be my only kid-free time for the weekend."

"Well we do both live in Philly, so we could always talk there." Jess laughed as the waiter brought them both their drinks and Rory took a sip.

"What are we?" Rory blurted out. It had been an awkward few month between them to say the least. Initially Jess had been upset over the situation with Logan, and Rory's willingness to let him into Charlotte's life. As the weeks went on and Jess saw that Logan was making an effort to keep him in the loop, Jess warmed to the situation and he and Rory had fallen back into their familiar and comfortable pattern."

"What do you mean, Ror?"

"Are we ever going to be anything, or are we just going to be...whatever the hell this is forever?"

"Rory you don't love me." Jess told her honestly, now it was his turn to take a drink, "I loved you, for a long time, but this thing between us...it's about comfort, it's not about romance. I love you as a best friend, but I know that I am not where you are meant to be."

"I'm moving home." Rory told him, nodding to acknowledge what he said. He was right, she knew he was right, they loved each other, but they were best friends, they weren't in love. "Don't think I'm taking her from you. You are so important to her...but...my Grandma is coming back, and she offered me their house, and I can't help but want to be close to my Mom and Luke, my Grandma, and...Logan he is moving home too."

"You're going to give the family thing a go."

"I just want him to have a chance with her, you know? You both love her so much, and I am eternally grateful for that, but she is a part of him."

"I get it." Jess nodded, "He's not your Dad, and I'm not Luke. This is different, this is our story, not your Moms."

Rory nodded, she knew what he meant, "Will you visit?"

"Will you?" Jess countered.

Rory nodded her head, "I promise. You can see her whenever you want." she felt a weird finality to their discussion, she knew that Jess would still see Charlotte, but the safety net that he had always been for her was no longer there.

"I know Ror." Jess nodded, "He loves you, you know that, right?"

"He and I are just parents to Charlotte, that is it." Rory told him, "So you're still coming to dinner?"

"Of course I am." Jess promised her, "Rory, nothing is changing, except that we aren't going to have sex with each other anymore. We can't keep holding each other back from whatever else might come our way."

"You make it sound so...simple."

"It is simple, we just need to accept it." Jess shrugged, it hurt, it broke his heart to walk away from her, from them, but he had always known that they were never his. Once Logan had come into their lives all those months ago, he knew his days were numbered, but he was thankful that he had them for as long as he did. "I should go." he tossed a few bills on the table and stood up, "I told my Mom I would pick Doula up from TJ's house."

Rory nodded and stood up, "See you?"

"See you."