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Rory's name flashes on the screen. "Hong Kong," Logan says, throwing the investors an apologetic smile and nodding at Bobby to take over from here. Once the door slides safely closed behind him, he answers. "Hey, Ace."
Logan probably has that stupid grin on his face Finn gives him so much shit about—better walk away from the glass walls or everyone will know this is no business call.
"Logan, hi. Can you talk?"
No, but when has he ever said no to her? "Sure, what's up?"
"There's no good way to say this, or even to lead up to this, so I'm just going to say it, okay? This is definitely the kind of thing you discuss in person, but you're so far away and I've been trying to process this for a week now ever since I pulled a June with a gallon of orange juice, and I know that sounds unbelievable, but yes, it really was me with orange juice of all things, and then nothing, my brain is constantly going at a hundred miles an hour—"
Logan's world tilts on its axis. He checks his watch: New Hampshire was six weeks ago. It fits.
"—I only just managed to tell my mother this morning, she and Luke just got married, by the way—"
"Send them my regards," Logan interrupts. Rory, pregnant. What now? He keeps his tone light as he asks, "So, I should find you a hamburger phone?"
"A blue slushie wouldn't go amiss." Rory's voice is wobbly but still warm—not cutting him off, then, but what's she willing to accept from him, how far can he push before he gets thrown off the island? He needs to see her, actually look at her face. They've never been at their best long distance.
He swallows. "Can I go to Stars Hollow?" Small steps, keep checking, don't screw this up, Logan. He catches himself before suggesting Rory coming to London as an option. That would mean bringing up Odette, definitely not a phone topic. Not that he even knows what to say yet.
Christ, Odette. Logan's going to have to see her before leaving, and say… what? They're too well brought up to do honesty, and he cares for her too much to make this ugly. But he can't bring a child into this mess as it is; three decades of daddy issues and Huntzberger spats taught him that much. Whatever happens with Rory, Logan will do anything to avoid being the reason his kid is miserable.
A kid. He's going to have a kid.
"No guarantees that my mom won't be lurking with a machete. Possibly with a taser. Possibly with a Luke! So remember, there's no shame in running away screaming."
"I'll have my getaway car ready." A kid, an actual kid, what the hell? An impossible, tiny little Gilmore. (He's under no delusions there.)
"Better make sure it's a fast one, buster, Luke knows the lay of the land like the back of his hand."
"I better kidnap a Stars Hollow native, then. You never know when those might come in handy."
"I might know a guy who knows a girl."
"Need to stockpile on quality bribery material. Doughnuts, cake, coffee—"
"Can't," Rory says, and her voice hitches. "Bad for the, um."
Logan's been a father for two minutes and he's already screwing up. This is going to be a disaster. "Pick your poison, Ace, decaf or herbal tea?"
Teasing Rory's easy, this he knows how to do—but what happens when it's not just them, when radio silence due to work or Rory's new boyfriend means he doesn't know about the kid taking her first steps or being sick? Logan closes his eyes, leans his forehead against the wall. Maybe he should ask Mitchum for parenting tips. What not to do.
"Death," Rory replies with a groan. "It's only been a week and I'm already a zombie. How am I supposed to survive months like this?"
"It only makes it worse when you keep ordering coffee just for the smell of it, you know."
"I haven't been doing that. Why would I do that? Who told you about that? Do you have someone in Stars Hollow right now? Is it Finn?"
He laughs. "I could ask him to come."
"I don't think Stars Hollow's ready for an extended Finn stay."
"It would give the Gazette some quality material."
"They would Scarlet Letter me for bringing the first horseman of the Apocalypse to town, it wouldn't be pretty."
Her concern comes through loud and clear. "I'll be there as much as you'll let me, Rory. We'll need to talk and figure things out, but I want this. I'll be there."
A pause, and a deep breath while he waits for her reaction. What if she wants to solo this with Lorelai? What if she can't trust him after all this time living a half-relationship where only the lie of no strings attached kept them going? What if she thinks he's her father all over again, well-meaning but ultimately unreliable? Eleven years and a dozen relationships between them, and sometimes Logan's still just as much in the dark about Rory as he was back at Yale.
"Finn would make an amazing godfather," Rory says, and she sounds like she's grinning. They're okay. He feels warm all over. They're doing this, they really are.
"He might have to duel Colin for it."
"Survival of the fittest is an acceptable selection method."
"Don't underestimate the chaos a miniature Life and Death Brigade member might bring to your life."
"Hey, you turned out okay."
He almost wants to thank her for it, say he loves her—so much of him is thanks to her at this point, but they don't do gushing. Maybe he'll hire a skywriter at some point. He doesn't even remember what it felt like not to be in love with Rory Gilmore, it was so long ago.
It takes all his self control not to drop everything and run to Heathrow right this second.
"See you tomorrow, Ace."