I am so happy to be back and so incredibly pleased by the response this story continues to receive. I can not truly express how glad I am that people actually seem to like the things I write. You can't see it but I'm knocking on wood that you will all continue to enjoy my story, and that you'll continue to let me know what you like and what you don't.

On that note - here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls in any way. If I did, those "last four words" certainly wouldn't have been the last four words.

Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Just Keep Breathing

"That woman," Emily said sourly, shaking her head. "I don't think I'll ever understand her."

Rory simply laughed. She sat at one of the big round tables in the dining room of her mother's new spa shortly after the end of her baby shower. Most of the guests had left, besides a number of Rory and Logan's society friends who were busy talking to Michel about booking full visits later in the month, a couple Stars Hollow mavens, Emily, and Rory's mother, Honor, and Odette and Rochelle. 'That woman' had just been waved away by Honor and was none other than Shira Huntzberger.

"Oh Grandma, she's just excited." Rory told her. Shira had gifted Rory and Logan, with a large doll house, and dolls and accessories to go with it. She was apparently banking on the baby being a girl but just in case Rory delivered a boy instead, Shira had also given them several miniature sports outfits, tiny shoes, and all kinds of little sporting equipment - all perfectly sized for a toddler or preschooler.

"She has two grandchildren already," Emily complained. "She should know the difference between things appropriate for babies and those more suited to older children."

"I doubt Shira had all that much to do with Jared and Eliza when they were babies, Grandma." Rory said. "Honor insists she's much better with them once they get a little bit older."

"And God knows, she had next to nothing to do with her own children when they were infants." Emily muttered. "Or at any age for that matter."

Rory reached over and grasped Emily's hand. "It's fine, Grandma, really."

"I just don't understand why she would have all that brought and assembled here. Now you've got to deal with having it disassembled and moved to New York. Or at least partially disassembled." Emily continued to grouse. "And she probably picked it out in New York at FAO Schwarz too. Why wouldn't she simply have them deliver it to your house and give you a nice card today?"

"Because," before Rory could respond an accented voice answered the perfectly reasonable question, as the vivacious owner of said voice dropped her thin body in to the chair on the other side of Rory. "She wouldn't appear as excited, or as enthusiastic a potential grandmother if she merely gave Rory a beautiful card. This display was, by Shira's estimation I'm sure, the easiest and most direct way she could announce her claim on the child. And short of having a tug of war over the baby with Lorelai at the hospital, how else could she prove her devotion after all?"

Emily stared at Odette incredulously. "That woman is ridiculous. I will never understand her."

Rory and Odette shared a glance and then both women burst with laughter. The end of their fake engagement had not been the end of Logan and Odette's friendship, and over the past months the women, Rochelle included, had made a concerted effort to become friends themselves. It had been surprisingly easy for all of them, and so when Rochelle and Odette had decided to come to the USA for their honeymoon, it was only natural that their holiday would include an in-person visit with Logan and Rory. Emily, Lorelai, and Honor had all been a bit disconcerted when Rory had asked them to include the two French women on the guest list, and Shira had been aghast with horror when she'd learned they would be attending. All four claimed that it was unseemly for Logan's very recent ex-fiancé to attend, but Rory insisted that since they all knew the truth of Logan and Odette's relationship, and in light of Odette's marriage to Rochelle, she saw no reason they couldn't be there.

After Emily and Lorelai had met the pair the evening before the baby shower, both of the older Gilmore women conceded that Rory was right. Lorelai had admitted to Rory in private that having now met the women, she could understand why Logan had been willing to undertake such a public subterfuge to help them. Emily had been somewhat more restrained but even she had told Rory the couple was enchanting.

Now, Emily shook her head at her granddaughter and Odette as they laughed. "I'm going to find your mother and see if she needs me to do anything."

"Thank you for everything today, Grandma," Rory managed to say through her laughter.

Odette managed to calm herself enough to clearly speak. "I just left Lorelai and Rochelle in the other salon, they are very likely still there."

"They were probably hiding from that insipid woman." Emily muttered while turning away and she glided from the room, pausing only for a moment to murmur something to Honor and Logan as they came in. Whatever she said had the siblings laughing as well and then she was gone.

Rory and Odette were still giggling when Logan kissed the top of Rory's head and collapsed into the chair Emily had just vacated. Honor took her previously abandoned seat and took up the glass of champagne that still remained. She sipped, wrinkling her nose at the warm temperature of the wine, and sighed.

"Well that's done." She announced, as if some major battle had just been waged.

"And very well done too," Odette commented with a smile. "Congratulations to you Honor for a well-planned event, though the credit must be shared with Rory's mother and grandmother."

Honor smirked, her eyes twinkling. "I'll be sure to pass on your high praise."

"No need," Odette teased, her expression brightening further when she spotted Rochelle come into the room and immediately head their direction. "I've already told Lorelai and Emily how marvelous this entire day has been."

"Absolutely," Rochelle added, having heard the tail end of Odette's comment as she arrived at the table. "I was just telling your mother that she and Michel will have a raging success of this place, once word gets around that they're willing and able to host this type of event here. Everyone I've spoken to today has simply gushed about how much they loved it."

"Sounds like things went off without a hitch." Logan commented as Rochelle settled in the chair beside Odette.

"Well," Rory murmured and he glanced sharply at her.

He raised his brows. "What?"

Rory chuckled and then all four of the women gestured in some way toward one corner of the room. He blinked.

"What the hell is that?" The words burst from him without thought and all the ladies laughed.

"That," Honor informed him after a moment. "Is the 'absolutely fabulous' gift Mother has been raving about for the past couple weeks." He stared at her and she stared back unblinking.

"It's a doll house." Rory said softly in the ensuing silence. "It's extremely generous."

"It's humongous." Logan retorted.

Rory smiled at the blatant understatement. "It really is."

"It's bigger than the entire nursery." He commented as his eyes roved over the expansive toy.

"That's pushing it." Rory argued easily, still smiling.

"It'll never fit in there." Logan continued. "And how on earth are we supposed to get the thing home?"

"Mom told me the guys who delivered and assembled it this morning left their card when she asked the same question." She assured him.

"It's a doll house." He commented, repeating what had already been said, and finally looked away from the thing and frowned at Rory. "What if we have a boy? I may not understand my mother's thinking, but I know she would never give that thing to us and chance that our son wouldn't have something equally as ridiculous."

The ladies all laughed again but this time it was Rory who explained. "Oh, there's a whole trunk full of sports equipment, clothing and shoes, for what seemed like every sport known to man."

"You're joking." Logan said looking now at the trunk his sister pointed toward.

"All perfectly sized for a normal preschool-aged child." Honor added.

"She's insane," Logan muttered and turned back to look at his sister and Rory. "That's the only explanation. She's lost her bloody mind."

"I guess that's what you get for being her favourite," Honor teased.

Logan glared. "The doll house she gave Eliza wasn't nearly this size."

"Must I repeat myself?" His sister wondered aloud and the others laughed. "You honestly should have expected this, Logan. Or something like this anyways. I'm not sure anyone could have anticipated that thing."

A couple minutes later, just as the women were getting their laughter under control, Logan groaned. "What?" Rory asked him.

"This must have been why Dad asked me what kind of space we have at home for storage." He grumbled and glared at his sister when she started laughing again.

"Didn't you find it sort of an odd question?" Rory asked after a heartbeat of hesitation, her voice taking on an incredulous note.

Logan shrugged and looked at her sheepishly. "I just thought he was curious." He admitted. "It was a couple days after he and mom were at the house, and I didn't show them the basement, so I thought it was an idle question."

"Oh, Logan," Odette murmured as she and Rochelle dissolved into laughter once again.

"Well, you dropped the ball there didn't you." Rory groused. "There is no such thing as idle curiosity when it comes to your parents. Even I know that."

"I was distracted." He exclaimed in defense of himself. "Someone called to tell us that they'd gotten married and I had literally just gotten off the phone with them when he came into my office."

"You didn't find it at all strange that he would randomly walk into your office and ask about our homes capacity for storage?" Rory asked.

"Of course I thought it was strange," Logan answered.

"And yet, you posed no follow up questions? You just answer the question and go on with your day?" She demanded and he realized she was yanking his chain.

He pointed at her. "You can hush. As I recall, I found you frantically looking for pages from your manuscript later that day when I got home because you couldn't remember where you left them after you got off the phone with O. And where did I find them later that night?"

"Shut up," Rory answered with a laugh. "That was at least partially because of baby brain. It is a thing Logan."

Honor chuckled. "Now I'm curious," she admitted with a glance to the other women. "Where did you find the papers?"

"In the refrigerator." Logan answered quickly and caught Rory's hand as she attempted to smack his arm. "Right beside a half-eaten candy bar and an empty coffee mug."

"Baby brain." Rory repeated and with a laugh Logan leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Uh huh," Logan said as he leaned back in his chair. "So really though, how are we supposed to get all that stuff home?"

As one, the five of them sitting at the table glanced over at the mound of gifts Rory, and Logan, had received. It was a large pile and didn't even take in to account the doll house, the trunk of sporting goods, or the gifts they'd received from Emily, Lorelai and Luke. It was the thought of those last gifts that jolted through Rory and she reached out and grabbed Logan's arm.

"Hey, help me up," she said to him. "I want to show you what mom and grandma, and Luke, gave us." He glanced at her in a moment of hesitation that lasted only a fraction of a second, then stood and held his hands out to her. After she'd pulled herself from the seat, she took his hand and led him around the doll house. There, placed inconspicuously and yet somehow prominently in the corner, he saw them.

The wooden cradle looked like an antique, the design and style of it something you'd expect to see in movies from a hundred years prior. The chair seemed to match but based on it's flat base and gliding mechanism was something much newer. The wood on both gleamed in shades on burnished bronze and dark gold. Rory released his hand and pushed him into the seat. Under him the chair glided into silent motion, forward and back. Logan ran his finger along the wood of the arm and was unsurprised to find it satiny smooth. He reached over and touched the cradle. Like the chair is was smooth to the touch and at the pressure of his hand it rocked, just a little, from side to side. He glanced down and realized the base of the cradle was delicately curved to allow just that slight soothing motion.

"These are gorgeous, Ace," he murmured while he continued looking at the fine carving and tool work in the wood of the head and foot boards of the cradle, and along it's legs. Twisting a bit in his seat, he found similarly delicate designs tooled into the back of the chair. "Where did they find these? They're like works of art."

"Oh," he heard muttered nearby and looked up to find Luke had appeared just behind Rory. The man seemed a little flustered by Logan's words and almost seemed to be blushing. Logan watched as Rory glanced back and beamed. Then she turned and wrapped her arms around her stepfather, hugging him tightly.

A minute later she pulled back and turned again to look at Logan. "The cradle was Grandma's. She used it for mom when she was a baby, just as her own mother used it for her. Grandma told me that mom even used it when she first brought me home from the hospital, but it was left behind when mom moved to Stars Hollow." She reached over and ran her hand along down the side of it.

"I guess Mom asked Grandma about it at Christmas after I headed back to Hartford. She thought I might like to use it. And Luke offered to refinish it when Grandma mentioned that it badly needed it." Rory explained. "Then after seeing the cradle, he decided to build the glider to match it. He's apparently been working on them in his spare time since just after the New Year."

Logan smiled and took hold of the hand she held out to him. He looked at Luke. "Thank you, Luke. They're wonderful. Something old and something new, and still a matched set."

"I told Grandma and Mom when they showed me earlier that they'll be wonderful pieces we could eventually hand down to our own child someday." Rory added with colour staining her cheeks. She glanced back and forth between Logan and Luke. "I really love them Luke. They're amazing. I can't believe you did this for us."

"It was nothing really," Luke told them as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You know I enjoy working with wood."

"I know, and you're wonderful at it." Rory said, smiling at how uncomfortable the man was. She looked at Logan. "I was thinking we could put these in our bedroom. In the corner near the fireplace, I think.:

His smile softened and his eyes held that gleam she knew was for her alone, when Logan answered. "I think that's the perfect place for them, Ace." And he pulled her to his side, wrapping his arm behind her back to hold her to him, and pressing his lips to her temple.

A comfortable silence descended on the trio for a minute until Luke shuffled slightly and cleared his throat. When he spoke, he gestured toward the chair and cradle, and then to the rest of the gifts around the room.

"Well, I just came by to see if you wanted any help getting things loaded up to take back to New York," Luke informed them in his typically gruff tone. "But by the looks of this room, you're going to need a moving truck to get this haul home."

"Yeah, we probably will." Logan admitted while Rory chuckled, both of them looking around the room too.

"Thank you, Luke," Rory said. "But you're right about needing more than just a hand loading stuff up. Grandma and Honor apparently anticipated that and have already arranged for a moving company to come first thing Monday morning to load things up, bring them to New York for us, and haul them into the house for us."

Luke was nodding when they heard Rory's name being called. Knowing immediately who the owner of that voice was, Luke's eyes widened, and he muttered a quiet "I'm outta here," before making a quick escape.

"Your mother's French man has two therapists who do pre- and post-natal massage and they're both knowledgeable about other treatments that would really help pregnant and postpartum moms." Paris announce brusquely as she came to Rory's side. She nodded at Logan in greeting and he had to suppress a smile. "After that gaggle of idiots were done booking more idle frivolity into their days, I spoke with him about setting up services for my surrogates. We could work it into the surrogacy contracts as part of their routine care and everyone wins."

"That sounds like a very nice idea Paris, but I imagine something like that will need to be discussed more fully with my mother." Rory commented.

"Yes, we've scheduled a meeting first thing Monday morning." Her friend told her and glanced at her watch. "I was going to head back to the city tonight but since I'd just be turning around to come back again in 24 hours, I'm just going to stay in Hartford. Do you want to have dinner tonight? I'm sure we could still get reservations somewhere."

"Oh, uh," Rory hesitated, then sighed. "We're actually having dinner at the house in Hartford tonight. Berta came up with Grandma so we're doing a Friday Night Dinner kind of thing since Logan and I aren't planning on leaving until tomorrow."

Paris frowned. "I see."

"We figured it might be a while before we're all here again. Grandma thought it would be a nice way to sort of include Grandpa, at least the memory of him, in our celebration of the baby." Rory explained apologetically.

"I understand, Rory, and she's right." She said lightly. "Richard would have loved to see all this, especially how happy you are."

Logan sighed and found himself, quite unexpectedly, making an offer to one of Rory's best friends. "I'm sure you could join us for dinner Paris. Berta seems to make more than enough to stretch any meal to feed one more body."

"That's alright," Paris commented. "I do appreciate the offer Logan, but I think I'll pass this time. It seems appropriate somehow that it should just be family tonight."

"Thank you, Paris." Rory murmured. "Logan's right about Berta's food though, so if you change your mind you are more than welcome."

Rory stepped away from Logan and the girls embraced quickly. "Are you headed back to Hartford now then?" Rory asked as she released her friend.

"I suppose so." Paris told her. "I may stop in to see my mother. Last I heard she was in Connecticut and had a suite at the Delamar. If she finds out I was here and didn't check in with her, I'll never hear the end of it."

"Have fun with that." Rory answered meaningfully and Paris shook her head. "Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow before Logan and I head back?"

"Call me in the morning but I think that should work for me." Paris replied and looked at Logan. She sighed. "I guess I'll be seeing you again."

"I guess so." Logan answered diplomatically.

Paris shook her head. "Goodbye, Rory. Logan."

"Bye, Paris." Logan said.

"I'll call you tomorrow, Paris. See you later." Rory said as well but Paris had already turned and was stalking across the room, though she'd obviously heard both of them and raised her hand in a sort of backward wave over her shoulder. Once she'd left the room, Rory and Logan glanced at each other and laughed.

"She certainly brings a little something special to the party." Logan eventually commented.

"The question is whether that's something good or something bad," Rory replied.

Logan chuckled and once again slipped his arm around her back, this time leading her back towards the table and their seats. "You said it, Ace, not me."

As they sat back down at the table, Lorelai rushed toward them and announced. "She's terrifying Rory. Straight up terrifying." And though there was little context to the remark, there was no doubt in anyone's mind precisely who Rory's mother was referring to.

"Someone better be dead." The words were grumbled into the phone as the recipient of the call focused on the bedside clock and saw it was not quite four in the morning. "And it better be bloody."

"You must be a horrible doctor." Logan replied and the sound of his voice woke Paris up faster than any jolt of caffeine could have.

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately. "Is Rory okay?"

Those two quick questions, five simple words, impressed upon Logan exactly why Paris was Rory's best friend. He'd questioned whether calling Paris was the right thing to do but that instantaneous focusing of her sharp mind told him he hadn't made a mistake.

"She's in labour." He answered. "Or at least she's sure she is and if there was one thing that Honor taught me when she was carrying her two, it was that you don't argue with the one who's pregnant."

"Is she having contractions?" Paris asked directly.

Logan nodded, then realized Paris obviously couldn't see him and answered. "Yeah. For the past few hours."

"Are you timing them?" She questioned him but knowing Rory, she assumed they were and continued with another question. "How far apart are they?"

"They were between 10 and 15 minutes apart for the first couple hours. About an hour ago the gaps started shrinking. She's down to about 5 minutes between contractions now." Logan told her.

"Okay and what about pain?" Paris asked. "If she had to rate what she was feeling during the contractions on a scale of one to ten, ten being extreme pain, what would she say?"

"Just a second," he told her and then she could hear him talking quietly to Rory in the background. She could hear Rory's voice - quick, a little breathless, and then Logan was back on the line. "She said maybe a five. She also said to tell you that since she has no frame of reference, asking her to rate her pain is useless and a deplorable waste of time."

"I see her mental faculties haven't been compromised," she responded dryly.

"Neither has her vocabulary." Logan snapped back. "She's freaking out Paris."

Paris sighed and glanced at the clock again. "Are you in Stars Hollow or did you stay in Hartford?"

"Hartford." Logan replied immediately. "Emily is giving us the house."

"What?" Paris asked then quickly continued. "Nevermind. I'll be there in half an hour. I'll come and check, just in case. Just try to stay calm, try to keep her calm, and keep timing the contractions."

"Okay," Logan responded, and she heard him sigh. He could tell her that Rory was freaking out all he wanted, but that sigh told her that Rory wasn't the only one. "Thanks, Paris."

Twenty-five minutes later, Paris knocked gently on the partially open bedroom door and pushed it open wider to enter. Logan looked over from where he stood hovering in front of another door, that one fully closed. Seeing Paris, he knocked lightly on the door and leaned his head against the wood panel.

"Ace," he said in a low voice. "Paris is here. You okay in there?"

Paris had crossed the room and was close enough to hear the response when it came. "She's here?"

"I'm right here, Rory." Paris replied announcing her arrival. She put her hand on Logan's shoulder for just a moment. "How are you doing?"

Through the door Logan and Paris could hear some shuffling and they both took a step back. A few seconds later the door opened slowly and Paris smiled gently at her best friend. Though it was apparent Rory had been crying in the bathroom, neither she nor Logan mentioned the tear tracks on her face. Paris reached for her arm and slowly led her toward one of the chairs arranged in one corner of the room.

"Why don't we sit down over here," she told Rory. "I'm going to check your vitals and we'll see what we see." Rory nodded and docilely allowed Paris to lead her around. Paris noted that she walked delicately, slowly, as if the movement caused her some pain. Once Rory was settled in the chair, she immediately sat on the footstool and took Rory's hand.

"Are you still having contractions?" Paris asked and Rory nodded. "Have you still been timing them?"

"I was until she went into the bathroom about ten minutes ago." Logan commented from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and discovered him sitting on the foot of the bed beside the medical kit she'd placed there as she'd crossed the room to the bathroom. She raised her eyebrows at him. "They were still at about 5 minutes apart."

"Alright, and did you have any more while you were in the bathroom Rory?" Paris asked turning back to focus on her friend again.

Rory nodded again. "Two." She answered. "One just before you got here."

"Okay," she murmured and looked over at Logan again. "Why don't you go make Rory a cup of tea, Logan, something soothing like Camomile or Jasmine. When it's ready you can bring it back up here. A glass of cool water as well."

"I can do that," Logan said. He focused on Rory. "You'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I won't be alone. Paris will be with me." She said. "I'm pretty sure there's some of that Jasmine and Mint tea I like in the kitchen."

"Got it." He replied and pushed up from the bed. "Do want a coffee or something Paris?"

"I would love a cup of coffee if you can handle it." Paris answered and sent a quick smile his direction. She heard him cross to the door and pull it gently closed behind him.

Rory suddenly grasped Paris's wrist and squeezed. "I can't do this Paris."

"Can't do what?" Paris asked in an even tone. "Cause if it's 'break Paris's wrist' I'm pretty sure you can."

"What?" Rory said confused then looked down at her own hands and realized what the other woman meant and released her hold. "Sorry. No, I mean have this baby. I can't do this." She said again, this time with an accompanying gesture toward her stomach.

"At this point you really don't have much choice," Paris told her. "And you can do it, Rory. If I can do it - twice - you certainly can."

"But you're a doctor. You knew what to expect. You'd seen other people deliver babies. You'd helped other people deliver their baby's." Rory whined, and yes it was a whine. "Until eight months ago I didn't even want kids. I'm not sure I even like kids."

Paris didn't laugh, though it was difficult, Rory wasn't the first fear-struck pregnant woman she'd had to deal with after all. "Of course you like kids Rory. You enjoy spending time with mine, and you're always talking about Lane's boys."

"Yeah but I don't have to actually take care of them. I play with them for a while, or talk to them for a bit, and then I give them back to you guys. I'm fun 'Aunt Rory,' there's no pressure in that." Rory ranted. "I can't give my own kid away, can't hand him or her off to someone else to deal with. And I don't know what to do when it's crying, or it won't sleep, or—"

"Rory, stop." Paris said briskly. She took firm hold of both of Rory's hands and rubbed. "Stop. You're just nervous. That's okay. It's perfectly normal."

Rory panted lightly. "I don't know what to do with a newborn Paris."

"You'll figure it out." Paris told her. "The first few weeks after the baby comes will be a steep learning curve for both you and Logan. You'll make mistakes, and that's okay too, but you'll figure it all out as you go."

"What if I don't?" She asked and winced, her face taking on an expression of pain. "What if I can't?"

"You will." Paris glared fiercely but she glanced briefly at her watch to note the time. Rory had pulled their joined hands to her stomach and she could feel the contraction tightening her entire abdomen. "How's your pain level?"

Rory took two deep breaths. "About the same. I don't know. I've never felt anything like it."

"I know," Paris murmured and when she felt the muscles under her hand begin to relax, she glanced again at her watch. "Still less than twenty seconds long."

"Is that good?" Rory asked staring very directly at her.

"When you're in active labour they'll last longer." Paris told her simply and adjust her hold so she could feel Rory's heartbeat under her fingers. "Have they become more intense through the night?"

Rory frowned and thought about it for a minute. "Only at first, right after they started. They've just been constant since."

Paris nodded and counted the beats on her fingers. A couple minutes later she released Rory's hand and shifted on the footstool. Then she laid her hands against Rory's stomach again, gently prodding at the baby within and nodding to herself. Finally, she leaned back slightly and met Rory's gaze.

"I don't think you're in active labour." Rory opened her mouth to speak but Paris raised her hand to stop her. "I'll monitor you for a little while to be sure but based on what you and Logan have told me, and what I've observed so far, I'm pretty sure you've still got a long way to go. You are having contractions but they're what we call Braxton Hicks."

"Dr. Britemore mentioned those." Rory said.

"Yes, I'm sure she did." Paris told her. "Not all women have them. Not all women feel them the way you are. But they are one of the ways your body prepares for actual labour."

"So, then I'm not in labour?" She asked and Paris smiled at the incredulous tone.

Paris patted her hand where it rested on the apex of her stomach. "I really don't think so."

The two friends sat together in silence. Rory rested back against the chair and Paris quietly kept track of another contraction as it came and went. Not long after Logan pushed the door open and slipped back into the room. He had a small tray with three mugs and a bottle of water balanced on one hand and crossed directly to them. Once he'd carefully dropped the tray on the tiny table beside the chair, he hunkered down and took Rory's hand.

"How's it going?" He asked quietly, searching her gaze when she opened her eyes.

She smiled weakly. "Paris says I'm not actually in labour. These have just been those Braxton Hicks contractions that Dr. Britemore has asked about the last couple times we've been in."

"You seem less stressed now," Logan commented and Paris snorted, so he decided to tease the pair of them. "She didn't slip you a valium or something, did she? Cause I'm not so sure those are safe when you're pregnant."

"I'm tired." Rory answered simply, though it wasn't really an answer.

"Why don't you drink a little bit of that tea and then we'll get you to bed." Paris suggested. "Even if the contractions continue we should be able to find a comfortable enough position for you to try and get some sleep. Your body needs it and now that you're not stressing out about being in labour, you may actually be able to get some."

So that's what they did. The three of them sat together drinking tea and coffee at quarter to five in the morning. When Rory had managed just more than half her mug, Logan helped her from the chair and walked to the bed with her. They got her settled in with pillows supporting her back and stomach, and almost before they tucked the blankets in around her, she'd fallen asleep.

Logan grabbed up the tray and cups, while Paris retrieved her bag and they headed silently out to the hall. Once out in the hall Logan paused and took a few deep breaths. She watched him clench his jaw and swallow, twice.

"She's just fine, Logan." Paris told him. "And you did just what you should have. You kept her as calm as you could. You sat with her, kept her company, and when she got scared you called for help." She didn't touch him again, but he was somewhat surprised to take some comfort from what she said.

"That's what it was, wasn't it?" He asked. "She was scared."

"Yeah," she replied with a nod.

"I wasn't around when Honor had Jared, her oldest," Logan murmured and they started toward the stairs. "I managed to make it to the hospital before Eliza was born but Honor was already in the delivery suite and I didn't see her until after. She was worried she'd end up like our mother but she never told me about being afraid of labour itself, nor of actually caring for the baby after. Is that normal?"

Paris didn't immediately answer as they descended the staircase. She put her bag down on a nearby chair then followed Logan towards the kitchen. Finally, she answered. "Fear is normal, Logan, but have you been with Rory on her birthday when her mom calls?"

"Of course," Logan replied with a frown.

"You've listened to the story?" Paris asked.

He shook his head. "Only Rory's side of the conversation."

"Well I have heard it," Paris told him. "It's an overdramatized story typical of Lorelai but it paints a relatively traumatizing picture of delivery. And this is something Rory has heard every single year since she was little. I'm sure it's largely responsible for Rory's never having really thought about having kids of her own."

"God," Logan muttered. "Just when you think you know the depth and breadth of all the ways Lorelai messed with her head growing up, you learn something new."

"Oh, I don't know, the story worked as pretty good birth control when we were teens, and at college. Rory was so mortally afraid of getting pregnant and repeating Lorelai's mistakes she didn't even have sex until the end of freshman year at Yale." Paris argued. "Granted I certainly wouldn't tell my daughter the same kind of story. But Rory and Lorelai were always different."

"Trust me, I know." He said with feeling and then sighed again. "She'll get through this though, she's too stubborn not to."

Paris nodded. "She'll absolutely get through it. And then she'll put the rest of us moms to shame by being the best mother the world has seen." As she'd expected, a grin burst across his face.

"She's going to be amazing." He confirmed and she couldn't help but smile in return. Logan still wasn't her favourite person in the world and there were still moments she thought Rory was crazy for getting tangled up with him again, but she couldn't deny how happy they made each other. For Rory's sake, Paris hoped they always would.

"Get some sleep Logan." She told him, her tone returning to it's normal briskness. "You'll have plenty of sleepless nights ahead of you. My advice: catch some sleep while you can."

Logan took a deep breath and nodded his agreement. "Thank you for coming Paris."

"No problem," she told him. "Tell Rory not to worry about lunch tomorrow. And let her sleep as long as she can."

"I will, thanks," he said again and walked with her to the front door. They said goodbye and he locked the door behind her as she left. He watched out the window as she climbed into her car, started it, and looped around the driveway and drove away. Then he went back up the stairs and returned to the bedroom and Rory. He was happy to see she was still sleeping peacefully. He used the bathroom quickly, then climbed in the bed opposite Rory and relaxed into the pillow top. His hand reached out until it came in contact with her stomach. He spread his hand wide over the surface of her belly and he closed his eyes. A few deep, slow breaths later and he was on his way to dreamland.

A few days later, Rory walked out of a meeting with her publisher and agent and spotted her car and driver a little way down the street. Her phone rang as she walked toward it and Rory waved at the driver with one hand, while fishing the cell phone from her bag with the other.

"Hello," she said into the device as she approached the door, now held open by her driver, Anthony. She smiled at him and mouthed the words "thank you" as she maneuvered her way into the back seat.

"Hey, kiddo." Her father's voice carried over the line and she smiled. Once settled into her seat, her free hand began rubbing circles on her stomach. The motion was soothing and she'd discovered over the past several days that it helped ease the ache in her stomach muscles that had never fully gone away after the weekend.

"Hi Dad," Rory finally responded to his greeting. "I assume you're back?"

"With my Parisian Princess and everything." He told her wryly. "Your sister says 'hi' by the way. How are you doing?"

"You can say 'hi' right back to Gigi. And I'm okay," she answered with a chuckle that turned into a bit of a wince when sharp pain shot through her.

"Good. Logan told me that you've been having some contractions the past few days, so I was worried about you." Chris admitted.

Rory laughed lightly and then breathed carefully as another pain, different than the first, began to bloom in her abdomen. "When were you talking to Logan?"

"Just a few minutes ago." He told her. "I called the house and he was there. Said he decided to work from home this afternoon, only to discover you were at a meeting with your agent."

"Uh huh," Rory replied carefully as all the muscles in her stomach locked down. She bit her lip. "I didn't realize he would be at home this afternoon. I was going to do a bit of shopping but maybe I'll just head home."

"Well I wanted to let you know that your sister and I were home, and to remind you that we are going to be coming to the city this weekend." Chris said cheerfully and Rory was thankful that he was happy to do the talking. She continued to breath, focusing on pulling air in and pushing it out of her lungs and relaxing slightly when the pain subsided. "I promised her a weekend in the city after she was home when I visited at Easter, and of course she's reminded me about it every time we've talked since then. I've got a suite booked at The Carlyle but I hope it'll be okay for us to come by for a visit? Maybe we can all get lunch, or dinner one night?"

"Sure Dad. We don't have any plans this weekend. Hold on a sec," she told him and then leaned forward, pulling the phone away from her mouth. "Anthony can you please take me home?"

"Of course Miss, is everything okay?" He asked. He'd noticed her wince and careful movements in the rearview mirror.

"I'm sure it's fine," she assured him, but her eyes met his in the mirror and he saw the worry in them. She brought the phone back to her face. "Did you mention it to Logan, Dad?"

"I did," Chris replied right away. "He said the same thing as you, more or less. Told me he'd talk to you to see when the best time would be. I figure I'll take your sister to a show or two as well, maybe a museum, but we'll need to look at what's showing right now before we decide. Think you and Logan might be interested in coming with us? I imagine Gigi will enjoy the shows and the museum more if she's got you to hang out with and talk to."

Rory releases a little breathless laugh before answering. "I think we'll just have to see how things go Dad. I'm not sure what I'll be up for beyond eating. Last weekend took a lot out of me and like Logan told you, I've been having contractions all week which is more than a little tiring too."

"Right, of course." He said and when he continued a note of concern had entered his voice. "But you're doing okay, right? You're feeling alright and everything?"

"I'm feeling really pregnant, is all. And tired." She promised. "And also tired of being pregnant."

Chris laughed and relaxed. "I think those are all pretty normal things to be feeling at this point."

"Well that's what everyone keeps telling me, so it must be true. Still, I may not be up for going out this weekend. I want to say 'yes, we'll go,' but I just don't know." Rory told him apologetically. She pulled the phone from her ear to see how long they'd been talking, then glanced around to assess the traffic, idly wondering how much time it would take to get back to house.

"That's alright, kid," he responded easily. "There will be plenty other opportunities for her to spend time with you."

"So, is she really happy with the move back here?" Rory asked him curiously. "I mean, you and Sherri have been splitting time and custody pretty much right down the middle for the past few years. How does Gigi feel about coming back to the states for high school and essentially just spending holidays with her mom?"

"Believe it or not, coming back was actually Gigi's idea." Chris explained. "The school system is set-up different there and it's always been something of a struggle for her going back and forth between her school in Paris and here in Hartford. It's one of the reasons why we've always timed her moves for the end of semesters, or sessions as they're called in Paris. Gigi says she'd rather do the rest of her schooling all within one system so that she's better placed to get into college or university. Neither Sherri or I could really argue with the logic so we told her she could pick her home base for the next four years. She chose the States and me."

"Well that's great Dad. I know you told me she was coming back for school and to live with you, but I didn't know all that. I'm glad she'll be back though. I don't think I've seen her since a year or so before Grandpa died." She said. "She may not have even been eleven yet."

"You'll hardly recognize her then," he replied laughingly. "She's a very mature looking fourteen now and appears very European too. Which I think makes her seem even more mature."

Rory chuckled. "I look forward to being surprised by this entirely new person she's become then."

"Good."

"I'm headed home now. Why don't I give you a call later, after I have a chance to talk to Logan about the weekend. We can make plans for dinner, or lunch, or whatever, and then you and Gigi can plan the rest of your grand adventure." Rory suggested and started to rub circles on her stomach again as she felt the muscles begin to tighten once more.

"Deal." Chris agreed. "Talk to you in a while, kid. I'm looking forward to seeing you too."

"Me too. Bye, Dad." She said and disconnected the phone as she gasped. Pain again bloomed through her abdomen, stronger than during the previous days, and she closed her eyes to focus simply on breathing. Rory remembered the advice Dr. Britemore had given her on Monday to distract herself from the pain, so she counted during each breath and tried to keep each inhalation and following exhale the same length. Before too many breaths had passed, the pain faded, and Rory opened her eyes.

"Perhaps I should call Mr. Huntzberger, Miss Gilmore." Anthony said easily from the front seat a few minutes later when another contraction came over her. His eyes flicked to her periodically in the mirror as he drove and being a father of three himself, he recognized the signs of a woman in labour.

"I'm not sure what good would come from calling him," Rory gasped out through the pain.

"How long have you been having contractions?" He asked politely.

There was a lengthy pause before she answered, she'd been counting again. "Days," she finally said as the wave receded. "But these are different. They feel different. They hurt more."

"You have a couple minutes now." He told her. "Call Mr. Huntzberger."

She met his eyes in the mirror. "You think I'm in labour?"

"I have three children, Miss Gilmore," he confided as if that answered her question. "If you were my wife, I'd want you to call."

"Okay," she murmured and swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. She picked the phone up from the seat beside her where she'd dropped it. Within seconds the call was connecting and they listened to it ringing.

"Hi there Ace," Logan answered cheerfully. "You headed home? Have you eaten lunch yet?"

"Logan," was all she said. It was all he needed to hear to know something was up.

"What's wrong?" He demanded.

She bit her lip and glanced again at Anthony. "I think I'm in labour."

"Actual labour?"

"How am I supposed to know Logan," she snapped. "But after my meeting when I got in the car, they changed. These contractions feel entirely different than what's been happening the past few days."

"Okay, okay," he immediately soothed. "Where are you?"

"Headed toward home," Rory said and looked around to determine their location more precisely. "We just crossed Broadway on Amsterdam."

"So you should be here in about ten minutes or so. Do you have any idea how far apart your contractions are?" Logan questioned gently.

And since the phone was on speaker, Anthony answered the question for her. "She's had three contractions while we've been in the car, sir, and traffic hasn't been too bad so I'd say they're coming every five minutes, maybe less."

"And you're sure they're different from what you've been having?" He asked.

"I'm the one having them, and I already said they were." Rory responded sharply.

"Well what are you feeling, Ace? Tell me." He told her.

"Before, the last couple days I mean, it was like a fist forming and squeezing tight, then gradually releasing." She paused to take a couple breaths. "This is like a ball of – I don't even know how to describe it, except to say pain forming low in my gut and building and hardening, and pushing outward until its radiating down into my legs, up my back, and even into my arms. And it just builds and builds until, all of a sudden, it just drains away like water out of a sink."

He was quiet for a minute. "And what's it rate on that pain scale Paris suggested the other night?"

"I don't know how to answer that." Rory cried and indeed she was starting to cry because the heat and pressure was back. She pressed her free hand into her stomach, low on her abdomen, and moaned low in her throat.

"Sir, we're making good time but I do suggest you meet us outside the house and I'll drive the two of you directly to the hospital." The driver suggested at her sound of pain and the muttered 'oh, Ace' that came from his other employer.

"Yes, I think you're right." Logan agreed and the sounds of rapid movement came over the line. "I'm right here, Ace, and you're doing just fine. Keep breathing sweetheart, in and out." At the house, Logan ran up the stairs while continuing to murmur words of comfort. He swung through the bathroom and into their closet, where Rory's hospital bag sat ready to go. He grabbed a jacket for himself and scooped up the bag before going into the bedroom and snagging both their phone chargers from beside their bed. Then he was headed back out the door and descending the stairs quickly.

"They hurt, Logan," Rory finally said, panting lightly. "They're definitely stronger than before. The others barely rate at all compared to this."

"Okay, then we're going to do just what Anthony suggested and you guys will just pick me up from the house and we'll head straight to the hospital." Logan told her calmly. "I've got your bag already, and I grabbed both our phone chargers too. You and I are gonna keep talking right until I climb in the car with you, then I'll call Dr. Britemore and let her know we're headed to the hospital."

Rory sniffled. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ace," he said with a smile. "You're gonna do great."

"We're turning on to 88th now, sir, we'll be just a couple minutes more." Anthony updated them as he made the right hand turn one street passed their own, so he could loop around back to 87th and their brownstone.

"I'll be outside, ready and waiting for you." Logan assured. He reached the main floor and briefly set the bag down so he could tuck the phone chargers into one of the outside pockets. Then he plucked it up again and headed for the front door. He punched in the code to arm the alarm, pulled open the door and locked it as he pulled it closed behind him. Then he went easily down the stair to street level and waited at the curb. The whole time he chatted easily to Rory about inconsequential things and random thoughts or observations from his day. When he spotted the car come around the corner a minute later from Central Park West, he stepped out between two cars parked on the street and watched it approach.

As the town car eased into a stop in front of him, he grabbed the handle of the back door and pulled it open. He climbed into the backseat beside Rory and immediately disconnected their call. After dropping the bag on to the floor by his feet, he twisted in his seat and took one of her hand with his. His other hand reached out and cupped her cheek.

"You're doing great, babe," he told her. "Even breaths. In. Out." Logan glanced briefly at Anthony with a smile of thanks, but the driver was already moving them down the street, heading back over to Amsterdam Avenue and on the way to the hospital. "That's good, that's right. There you go, Ace."

Rory grabbed his wrist and squeezed as the pain began to subside. "Jesus, I want the drugs, Logan. I really want the drugs."

He chuckled at her enthusiastic hope and leaned forward to lay a thorough kiss to her lips. Once they were both breathless, he pulled back. "I better call the doctor."

"Yeah," she replied then looked at the driver. "Thank you, Anthony. Just in case I forget to say it later. Thank you."

"No problem, Miss Gilmore. And Mr. Huntzberger is right. You're doing wonderfully."

End Note: Just keep breathing. Because sometimes, it's really all you can do.

Till next time... happy reading, stay safe, and stay healthy!