Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. If I did, Rory and Logan would end up together. Or, Logan wouldn't exist, and Rory and Tristan would end up together. Either way, it would be a happier ending. Because happier endings do exist. Here's one possibility.

"She did what?" Colin asked him, mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"She said no." Logan said with a finality that his friends found absolutely strange. "I proposed, and she said no."

"What do you mean she said no?" Finn asked, in one of the rare moments where he was completely sober. "Okay, that's a stupid question. I know what she meant. But why?"

"I have no idea, Finn. I really don't. I thought she loved me." Logan said. He really needed a drink, because he was getting to close to start crying, and he would die before he embarrassed himself even more in front of his friends.

They were currently siting at his almost empty apartment, amongst a myriad of boxes, all ready to be transported to Palo Alto, California. This was supposed to be a celebration, a sort of 'good luck on your new job and congratulations on your engagement' thing. There was only one problem with that. Rory should have said yes in order for him to be engaged. So this was just a bitter farewell party for him.

"Well, what are you going to do about it, then, mate?" Finn asked, ready for one of their most outrageous plan to go into action. Whenever there was girl trouble in this little group of theirs, they always resorted to drinking and planning.

"I think that's pretty obvious, Finn. I'm going to go to California, and she's going to do whatever the hell she wants with her 'wide open future'. Damn, I'm out of beer..." Logan said, looking around his apartment for something, anything to drink. He knew he shouldn't have packed all his belonging yet. He really needed a drink, something stronger than beer, mind you.

"Are you going to just give up then? She's the best thing that ever happened to you, and you're just going to walk away from it?" Colin asked, getting angry. He couldn't believe his best friend was that stupid, proposing to a girl without even broaching the subject first. If he knew that Logan was thinking about proposing beforehand, he surely would advise him to talk about it with Rory first.

But he didn't know beforehand. To say the truth, if his current step-mother wasn't in that party that Emily Gilmore had thrown Reporter Girl when she graduated, he was sure he wouldn't have even heard about it, especially when Rory failed to answer him right away, and apparently, failed to say 'yes' when she got around answering it.

"Well, what the hell do you want me to do? And I'm not the one walking away, she is. She is the one who said no to a life together, and tossed the ring back in my face." Logan said, getting angry. He didn't want to talk about that. He was frustrated, embarrassed, and still angry with himself for allowing his heart to get broken.

"And when has that ever stopped you before?" Finn asked, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. The Logan he knew was tenacious, strong headed and resourceful. He never gives up, not when there was still a chance to get what he wanted, and he knew that his best friend wanted Rory.

"I'm tired of this conversation. Can't we just go out and drink?" Logan said, trying to end the topic. He was tired, and there was nothing more to drink in his apartment, and to say the truth, it was getting more and more difficult to ignore Rory's absence from his place.

"No, we can't. Because even if you are stupid enough to try and throw away all you two had, and gorge on a drinking binge, we are not going to make it easy for you. Get your head out of your ass for a minute and think abut it, damn it." Colin yelled at him.

"I'm not the one with a stick permanently stuck up my ass, Colin. You are." Logan childishly argued back. He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to talk about it, he just wanted to forget.

"Colin is right, mate. Remember when you two broke up before? You stopped at nothing to get her back. You even went to Lorelai to get her to listen to you. It's not like you, to give up so easily." Finn told him. "We all know she loves you mate."

"Well, apparently, not enough to marry me..."

"Tell me again what she said to you, mate. There must be something you're overlooking." Finn asked, trying to sort it out. There has to be a mistake, a failure of communication somewhere, because he knew that Rory Gilmore was crazy in love with him, even if she didn't want to get married. Which was something that he didn't understand at all. Didn't girls always want to get married?

"Well. She said that there was a lot of undecided things in her life, and wide open options, job-wise, and that if she married me, it wouldn't be." Logan said, closing his eyes, trying to recall that awkward conversation. He had tried to avoid thinking about it, until now, but he couldn't get that image of her returning the ring to him from his head.

"But she loves you!" Colin said, exasperated. He couldn't understand it. He knew she loved him, had heard her say that more times than he wanted to hear. She was devastated when Logan went to London, or when they broke up the first time. He remembered vividly how broken she was when he and Finn helped her move out of her grandparents place. It was one of the only times they talked about Logan, and he could see how much she loved him.

"What else did she say mate? Did she flat out told you she didn't want to be with you?" It was Finn's time to prod. They would get to the bottom of it, come hell or high water. That has to be an explanation to this ordeal.

"Well, no. She said that she loved me, loved the idea of being married to me, and that we could give long distance a try, but I didn't want to take a step back in our relationship..." Logan confessed. "I'll never understand woman. How can she say that she wants to be married to me and give me back the ring at the same time..."

"Wow wow wow, wait a minute. She said you could give long distance a try?" Colin asked, getting up. He was ready to kick his best friend's ass. He really was and idiot.

"Kind of..." Logan said quietly. He had yet to tell his friends about the ultimatum.

"And it was you who said no, right? That it should be all or nothing, right?" He asked, needing to be sure that he understood. He knew how Logan's mind worked, after all this time.

"What did you want me to say, Colin?"

"Well, I don't know. How about 'sure, we could give it a try, maybe have a long engagement until you decide what to do.' for one." He said sarcastically. "Goddammit, Logan. The girl had just graduated, she doesn't have a job, doesn't know that she will do carrier wise. What did you think, that she would jump at the opportunity of being a housewife, in the other side of the country, away from her family and friends while she figured that out? Don't you know her at all?" Colin exploded.

He loved Rory like a sister, since she and Logan became a serious item. He watched her grow up, be miserable without him while he was in London, take care of him when he almost killed himself in Costa Rica, help him out when he walked out on his parents and the Huntzberger Business. He knew right from the beginning, like everybody else, that Rory was different, that she'd never settle to be a trophy wife.

"I can't believe you were that stupid, mate. Don't you remember all the times that she had to wait for you to make up your stupid mind, for you to decide to ask her out, to give commitment a try? She never asked you to stay here when your father sent you to London, even though we all knew she wanted to. And, to say the truth, why do you have to be married right now anyway?" Finn finally asked what he was dying to know. Sure, he knew those two would end up together, married or not, and with a bunch of kids one day. Hell, everybody knew that.

"I thought that I was going to Palo Alto, and I wanted her to go with me, but I didn't think it would be fair to her to give up all her life here to be my girlfriend there. I though that, that if she were my wife, things would be easier."

"Well, did you at least talk to her about the job offer in California?" Colin asked. Out of the three of them, he was the sensible one. Mostly because he was quieter than the other two, and very observative. Logan, for all his reporter instincts, was really clueless sometimes, when it came to girls and relationship. Not that Colin was an expert in relationships, he wasn't the one with a girlfriend of almost three years, but he thought he understood Rory's actions much better than Logan sometimes.

"No. I can't believe it now that I didn't. I really am an idiot." Logan said, when it finally dawned on him what had happened. "I didn't even give her time to think about it. I just asked her, in front of all those people. I was sure she would have said yes. Oh my God, what did I do." He said, sitting down and covering his face with his hands. He was sure he was going to be sick.

"Okay, now that you finally figured out what we've known since we walked through that door this evening, what are you going to do?" Colin asked. It wasn't a lost cause, he was sure of that. He could fix it.

"I'm going to talk to her. I can't leave to California like that. I've never loved anyone like I love her. I don't even want to think about having to try and get over her. It really didn't work out the first time I tried to do that" Logan said, thinking about that fateful Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.

"Now, that's the Huntzberger I know. So, what are we going to do?" Finn asked, rubbing his hands together.

The first thing they did was write down a list, a Rory Gilmore kind of pro-con list. Logan knew that she would never make any decisions without one of those lists, and he was so going to use it for his advantage; he would show her that she could still have her wide open future with him. He was not going to hold her back. He considered what she said about long distance, and he was willing to try it, if she'd agree to compromise. She could stay in Connecticut, or she could go to California with him while she waited to hear from any job offerings that she applied.

The three of them spent most of the evening making notes on the list. He was thinking about what the hell he was going to do if she took a job on the east cost when he heard his phone ringing. He answered it without even looking at caller ID, and was surprised to hear from Hugo. Even more surprised when he was told that Hugo had a job opportunity for Rory, and was going to meet her latter today to talk about it. Logan didn't know if he should he happy or terrified that Hugo wanted Rory to be one of his reporters on the presidential campaign trail. Hugo had promised that he'd call him back as soon as Rory gave him a position. He knew that he shouldn't put Hugo in the middle, but desperate times called for desperate measure, and right now he was a desperate man on a quest to get his girl back.

When he heard the next day that Rory had accepted the position, and was supposed to start in a couple of days, he called Emily Gilmore. He didn't know at first what he was going to say to her, but he shouldn't have bothered anyway because that woman didn't let him say more than two or three words on the phone, greetings included. She said she didn't want to interfere, because, truly, she couldn't even understand what possessed his granddaughter to say no in the first place, but she told him about the 'Bon Voyage' party that Stars Hollow was throwing her tomorrow, and told him to swallow his pride and go after her before he lost her forever.

That was his last chance, his golden opportunity. He had to talk to her before she left on the trail. They had to figure out a way to be together, because truth be told, he didn't think that he had much of a life without her. He looked at that damn pro-con list, and wrote down a few more things. He had trouble sleeping that night, thinking about what to say to her, how to apologize for that insane ultimatum that he gave her. He had told her that she shouldn't factor him in, in her decision, that he would factor her in, and he did the exact opposite of that. They were two really intelligent people, with two Yale degrees, surely they could find a way to make it work.

He arrived early, and watched her get out of the jeep with her mother, under the poring rain. He saw her gasp in surprise when she noticed the gathering, and the 'Bon Voyage' sign. He smiled when she received her sash, this really was a strange little town. He saw Lorelai talking to her parents, and his heart almost broke when he heard her little speech. He was waiting for an opening to go talk to her.

But before he could make his move, Lane spotted him. He saw her eyes widen when she noticed the flowers in his hands, and his nervous appearance. She waited a second, trying to make up her mind, and then she smiled at him, as if saying 'don't worry, I've got you', and disappeared in the middle of the people there. A few seconds later, he saw her giving Rory a friendly push in his direction. He took a deep breath, and fiddled with the folded list in his pocket. He decided to meet her half way, that should mean something, right?

"Hey." He said. Damn, he wasn't supposed to be nervous. He was supposed to be calm and collected. The epitome of calm. But he was so nervous he thought he might throw up, and that wouldn't be pretty.

"Hey. I didn't know you'd be here. I figured you didn't want to see me anymore." Rory said, not even making an effort to hide the hurt from her voice, or look him in the eyes.

"Well, you know me. I can be really stupid sometimes." He told her. When she just crossed her arms and said nothing, he sighed. She was not going to make it easy for him. Well, he wasn't really expecting that.

"Look, I was an idiot. I shouldn't have given you an ultimatum. Hell, I shouldn't even have asked you to marry me like that. But I can't take that back, now, can I"

"What are you doing here, then? Trying to ruin another happy memory for me?" She asked, but regretted it almost immediately, and grimaced.

"Not really. I just... I wanted to talk to you, Rory."

"Well, I was under the impression that you said all you had to say to me at my graduation." She told him. She was still hurting. Giving him back the ring was the hardest thing she had to do, and watch him just walk away was almost unbearable. She was sure she couldn't do it again.

"I was wrong. I was wrong to give you that ultimatum, and I was wrong to walk away. I'm sorry." He told her truthfully. "I heard about your new job. Congratulation, by the way." He said, and gave her the flowers he was still holding.

"I... Thank you." She said, taking the flowers. She didn't know what to do or what to say. She still couldn't figure out what he was doing here. He apologized, but she didn't know what to do with that either.

"I really do love you, Rory Gilmore. I want to be with you. And if you don't want to be my wife right now, then maybe we can still figure out a way to be together. I'm willing to give it a try. Are you?" Logan said, looking into her blue eyes. He was dead serious.

"But... you said you didn't want to do the long distance thing." She said, in lieu of an actual answer.

"As I said, I was stupid." Logan told her, with his trademark smirk, although she could tell it didn't reach his eyes. For the first time, she noticed that he was as hurt and heartbroken as she was.

"So, what are you saying now? That you're willing to do the long distance thing? How would that work, Logan, with me on the road?" She asked. She didn't want to get her hopes high, just to be crushed again.

"Well, we don't have to figure it all out right now, do we?" He asked. "All I want right now is to know that we'll try and make it work, because I really, really, really don't want to be without you Rory. I understand now that I should have told you about California before proposing..."

"You really should. We never even talked about marriage before, Logan. Sure, I thought about it, hypothetically, but we never really talked about it..."

"I know. I'm sorry for that too. I just... I love you, and I though I was doing the right thing proposing, you know?"

"I love you too Logan. I told you that. I just don't see how we can make this work right now..." She said, avoiding his eyes this time.

"Well, two days ago you were willing to try the long distance thing. Did you change your mind? Because if you did, I have a few points that maybe could change your mind again, you know." He said, and took the list off his pocket.

"What are you talking about, Logan. What is this?" She said, going for the piece of paper in his hand, but Logan quickly took it out of range, hiding it behind his back.

"I'll show it to you, but first you have to promise me to give this a chance. Us a chance." He told her. "Come on, Rory. I'm really trying here. You have to give me something."

Rory just sighed and gave up. She really loved him, and she was the one to suggest the long distance thing. Sure, he walked away, but he was here now, trying to give this, them, a try. She could do the same, right? It had to be better than what she was feeling right now, and even if it didn't work out in the end, it would hurt less knowing that they at least gave it a chance, right? Because, truth be told, she didn't really want to live without him in her life.

"I can try." She said. "I'm not making any promises, but I can try."

Logan gave her the list, and a pen, telling her that she was free to add whatever she was thinking to both columns. He was waiting, heart in his hands, while she realized what it was that she was reading. He was watching her face intently, and he smiled the moment that she gasped, indicating that she understood what he was trying to do. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. He saw her making a couple of notes, but didn't get to read what she wrote.

"I can't believe you made a pro-con list." She said, looking up. She was still misty-eyed, but at least she was smiling a little, too.

"Well. Colin and Finn helped." He said, not wanting to take all the credit. "So?" He asked "What do you think?"

"You jump I jump, Jack." She said, and gave him back the list, without realizing that they were being watched.

Lorelai was watching her daughter from a distance. When she saw Logan standing there, leaning against that tree, she hoped that his presence wouldn't mess with the little gathering they were throwing, leaving Rory once more broken after he was gone. She was trying to be supportive, but she really didn't understand why Rory said no. She knew that her daughter loved Logan. She didn't really like it at the beginning, but he kind of grew on her.

She couldn't understand either how the hell he could just walk out on her, after she said no. Well, she could, actually, when she though about her own actions after Luke had said no to her 'let's elope' idea. But she was hoping that those two would find a way to be together, if it would make her daughter happy. She stood there watching the two of them talk, and she saw Logan give her a piece of paper. Maybe things would work out just fine for them. She just hoped that Logan would make her happy, and not hold her back.

She saw Logan give her a pen, and she frowned when Rory started making some notes of her own. They stood there for a couple of minutes, and she wondered how nervous Logan really was, because he looked so calm and sure of himself. She felt a wave of relief when Rory smiled, and felt her heart skipped a beat when she saw the look on Logan's face as Rory gave him back the piece of paper.

She had no idea what she had said to him, but she imagined it was good news, judging by the way he held her and spun her around, before kissing her. She sensed someone by her side, and looked away from the couple to see her mother next to her, but neither of them made any move to talk.

"Do you think she'll come around and marry him?" Emily asked her after a few minutes. "They look so happy together. I can't imagine why she would refuse his proposal."

"I have no idea, mom. I hope they find a way to work things out, especially with Rory's new job." Lorelai said. "Well, we can ask them later." She finished, steering her mother away from the couple, thinking that they would appreciate the privacy.

"So," Rory said, when the need to breath arose and they broke apart. "How are we going to do that, because I have to be in Iowa by monday morning..."

"Hey, we'll work it out. Right now, the only thing I want to do is kiss you." He said, and covered her lips with his own one more time, slowly at first, deepening it little by little, trying to savor the moment.

"So, let me get just one thing straight," Rory asked, breaking the kiss again, but this time she stayed in his embrace. "We're engaged now?"

"Yes. We are." Logan smiled, and kissed her lightly on the lips. God he could spent the whole night just kissing her.

"Well, where's my ring, then, Huntzberger?" She smirked at him.

Logan took the small blue box from his jacket's pocket without losing the smile on his face, and opened it to her. She picked up the ring and whispered:

"I've forgotten how beautiful it was..." She said, putting the ring on her finger. "And you swear you're okay with waiting at least until the campaign is over to talk about the wedding itself, and set a date?" She asked, wanting to be sure.

"Yes, Ace. I swear. I'd even understand if you didn't want to wear the ring, for now..." He said.

"Are you crazy? Of course I want to wear it. I want people to know we're together, even if we're going to wait to decide exactly when we are going to get married."

"Then, by all means, you should wear it!" Logan said, smiling. He was relieved that Rory wanted to wear the ring. That meant something, right? It was a good sign, a sign that they could make it work. He didn't relish the fact that he was going to California alone, he wished that she was there with him, but it had to be better than the alternative. They barely spent two days apart, broken up, and it was enough for him to know that he needed her in his life, and he would fight tooth and nail to make it happen.

Finn was right, he was a Huntzberger, and Huntzbergers didn't give up, they didn't let anything stand in the way of whatever they wanted, and he wanted her. He wanted her so badly in his life that he was willing to have her in any capacity she would let him. If what she wanted was a long engagement and a long distance relationship for now, then that was what he would do. They had, after all, the whole future ahead of them, and she was not going to be on the road forever.

Rory just stood there a moment, looking at the ring sitting in her finger, letting the feelings wash over her.

"So, Iowa on monday, right? Do you already have your whole schedule for the next couple of days?" She heard him asking her.

"No, not yet. But I'm sure Hugo will email it to me first thing in the morning." She said, nervously biting her lip.

"Ace, relax. We'll figure things out. Just, send me a copy of your schedule when you have it. We'll use your next day off to meet somewhere and talk things through."

"What if my day off is weeks from now?" She asked him.

"Well, then, we'll talk about it on the phone, for now."

"But what if w-"

"We'll figure it out, Ace. I promise." He said.