She was completely still, seemingly lifeless. If it wasn't for the shallow rise and fall of her chest, he would be worried. Well, more worried. She was nothing like the vibrant, energetic woman he had fallen in love with. She wasn't even angry and hurt like he had seen more recently. When he looked at her now, she was nothing, a shell. She didn't move, she didn't speak, didn't eat. For all intents and purposes, she was dead.

It was her mother who had called him. And of course he had come. He didn't even wait for a flight, he just chartered his family's personal jet and left. He had no responsibilities anymore, no one to answer to. His wife had filed for divorce, citing irrevocable differences. He supposed it was his fault. He had never fully committed to the marriage, and then after the miscarriage, there was no use pretending. His wife said she had been deluding herself, pretending not to notice the coldness that had seeped into the relationship. But after they had lost the baby, she told him that she couldn't pretend anymore, she knew the marriage was over. She had been seeing another man. So she left. And once again, he had been alone. Rory, however, was a different story.

Her mother filled him in on the way from the airport. After the funeral Rory and Jess had rekindled their relationship for a short time. He seemed to have brought her back to life, and she was able to laugh, and love again. Their relationship didn't last long, that wasn't a surprise, but it did teach her how to live again. And then one day she met a man. Completely unexpectedly. She had been chasing a lead on a story, and while rifling through her notes on her way to an interview, she stepped off the curb onto the street. She didn't see the car coming at her, and if it hadn't been for the man she would have been seriously injured. He saved her life. And they fell in love.

It was a whirlwind romance. He was a Marine, just gotten back from a tour of duty. He showed her a side of life she had never seen before, romancing her with picnics under the stars, and camping adventures. She quickly fell in love with the outdoors lifestyle, and fell in love with him even faster. He was everything she needed in a man, stable, reliable and completely devoted to her. It didn't surprise her mother when they moved in together only three months later. And even less surprising that they got married four months after that. But their relationship wasn't without its problems. They wanted to start a family as soon as possible, not knowing when or if he would be called to serve again. After months of trying, they finally got pregnant, only to lose the baby a few short weeks after. They both decided that after the pain of losing their baby, they would wait before trying again. Instead, they bought a house together, and focused their attentions on renovating it to become their ideal family home. And then he was recalled.

She was lonely, alone in that big house, not knowing where he was, or if he was safe. She missed him terribly, but put on a brave front and continued to go about her life, waiting to hear from him, to reassure her that he was all right. Lorelai spent a lot of time at the house with her, keeping her company, watching movies late into the night. They were in the middle of a 'The Godfather' movie marathon, when they got the news that her husband had been killed in action. Rory was widowed after eighteen short months of marriage. And she fell apart.

She retreated back into herself, keeping to bed with the curtains drawn in perpetual darkness. It had been three weeks, and she had barely eaten, or slept. She just lay on her side, staring at nothing. But what worried her mother most of all was that she hadn't cried. The instant she heard the news it was as if the light went out behind her eyes, and all that was left was her empty body, devoid of a soul. Lorelai worried for her daughter, not wanting her to drift back to her former state of mind. And so she did the only thing she could think of. She called Logan.

They arrived a little after lunchtime. Lorelai pulled up in front of a beautifully restored Victorian house, two stories with a large wrap around porch. The large front yard was shaded by an old oak tree, perfect for children to play in. But there were no children. Sookie met them at the front door, worry marring her usually cheerful features.

"She still hasn't eaten. I cooked all her favourites, but she didn't even stir when I took the tray in. Do you think it might be time to call someone to help?" Lorelai wrapped an arm around her long-time friend, a sad smile touching her lips.

"I already have."

She led Logan up the stairs, to a bedroom down the hall. Opening the door, Lorelai gestured for him to go in.

"Rory, honey? There's someone here to see you." Getting no reaction from her daughter, Lorelai let out a sigh, and then headed back down the hallway, leaving Logan to enter the darkened room. The air smelt slightly stale, not surprising considering the room had been closed up for weeks. It took a minute or two for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. And then he saw her. Knees drawn in to her chest, Rory lay on her side with her back to the door. She wore a pair of grey sweats, far too big for her small frame, with USMC stencilled in black. There was a chair by the bedside, and he went and took a seat, noting that she seemed unaffected by his presence. He reached out, as if to take her hand, but then thought better of it and let his hand fall to his lap.

"You're mother called. She's worried. We all are." His words disturbed the stillness. She gave no reaction.

"I know I'm the last person who deserves to be here, you told me yourself. I have no right to disturb your grief, that I'm no longer a part of your life. I think your mother thought that when you saw me you would get mad again, like at Richard's funeral. I think any reaction would be a relief to her at the moment. I know there's nothing I can say to help, but I know what it is to lose someone you love. But you can't your grief to destroy you. It hurts, but you have to realise that this isn't what your husband would have wanted for you. He would have wanted you to move on. Not forget him, of course, but remember the good things you had together, not hang on to the loss. We're all here for you, to help you with whatever you need, Rory. Even me."

Getting no reaction, he stood to leave her in her solitude. He leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, her skin cool beneath his lips. He straightened up, and turned to leave when her hand reached out and grasped his own. Turning back to Rory in disbelief, her hand grasped his tighter almost to the point of pain.

"Please stay." Her quiet words were hoarse from weeks of silence. Logan was shocked. After all her mother had told him, he thought that his meagre efforts would be for nothing. But here she was, reaching out to him, and he would do anything in his power to keep her from retreating back into herself. So he stayed. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, keeping her hand firmly in his own. But she didn't seem satisfied with that, pulling him down so he lay next to her. And then the first tears came.

He rolled her into his arms, cradling her sobbing form to his chest. Weeks of grief and pain and heartache could no longer be contained, and she cried for hours, until finally, exhausted, she fell asleep. He held her tight the entire time, offering her a sanctuary to release some of her heartbreak. At some stage he, too, fell asleep. But they stayed together even in sleep, her cheek pressed over his heart, his arms holding her close.

She was by no means better. But slowly, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, glimpses of the old Rory returned to the house. Sookie was able to coax her to take something small to eat. Lorelai was able to open a window to let the fresh, spring air in. And all through it all, Logan stayed to help where he could. He knew that it would be a long time, if ever, before she was open to the possibility of love, but she needed him, and he was going to be there for her, for as long as it took.

Even if that meant forever.