After work on the following Tuesday, Rory was cleaning the kitchen when her cell phone rang. "Hello," she answered, without looking at the caller ID. Her bangs fell into her eyes, and she brushed them out of her face with the back of her gloved hand.

"Rory! It's your grandmother." Rory was surprised to hear Emily's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hi Grandma. It's wonderful to hear from you. What can I do for you?"

"Well, your grandfather and I would like to throw you an engagement party. Would this be ok with you and Logan?"

Rory stopped scrubbing when Emily said "engagement party." "Well, sure, I guess that would be ok."

"Fantastic! We'll have it here, of course and it will be catered by Pasquale, and…"

Rory knew that if she was ever going to have control of her wedding, she would need to learn to stand up to Emily. She decided now would be the perfect time to start.

"Grandma," Rory cut her off. "What about having it here, at our house?"

"At YOUR house? I haven't even seen your house. Is it suitable?" Emily asked.

"Yes, I think it will be perfect. We can make it a housewarming and engagement party in one."

"Well, I'll have to see your house if I'm going to plan something. It really would be much easier to do it here."

"I understand and I appreciate your generosity," Rory said. "However, we have this beautiful new house and I'd like to show it off. I'm sure you understand."

"I'll have to be invited over to see what I have to work with," Emily said with a huff.

She knew they hadn't technically invited the Gilmores over yet, so she quickly thought of an excuse.

"Grandma, you have an open invitation," Rory said.

Knowing that her grandmother would never show up without a formal invitation, she continued "In fact, why don't you and Grandpa come over for dinner Saturday night and we'll go to a show. It's been ages since you've checked on the old place and I'd love to show you where I'm living now."

She could tell that Emily's interest was piqued. "Saturday?" she asked. "Well, I'll have to check our schedule."

"Check it and let me know what you think. Logan and I would love to have you over and we can discuss the venue of the engagement party then."

"Ok, I will let you know."

"Bye Grandma."

Rory hung up the phone and smiled. Round one, Rory Gilmore.

After she had finished cleaning, Rory sat down in the living room with a book. She was so engrossed in it, that she didn't hear Logan come home until he was sitting right beside her.

Logan walked into the house and called Rory's name. When he didn't get an answer, he climbed the stairs and saw her reading in the living room. He took a minute to study her. She really was beautiful. Her dark hair fell over her shoulder and her bright blue eyes flitted over the page. He didn't want to startle her, so he sat down on the other end of the couch. When she still didn't flinch, he spoke up.

"Hey there, book worm," he greeted.

"Logan!" she said, completely surprised by his sudden and quiet appearance. She leaned over to give him a kiss. "How was work today?"

"Work was good, Ace," he said, loosening his tie. "I had a very good day."

"Yeah? Tell me about it," she demanded. His earlier appreciation of her beauty had him wanting to touch her.

"Mmmm, I'd rather show you," he said leaning over to kiss her soundly on the mouth. He laid her back on the sofa and let his hands wander over her curves. She could feel him growing hard beneath her and suddenly, she wanted that friction. She lifted her hips to meet his and heard him groan at the contact.

"Fuck, Ace," he said sitting back up. He unbuckled his pants and let them fall to the floor with his boxers soon following. "Take off your pants," he demanded.

Rory did as she was told, taking off her yoga pants and panties. Logan hungrily looked at his fiancée. "This isn't going to be sweet or slow, Ace. This is going to hard and fast."

"Oh God, just fuck me already," she demanded.

Logan bent her over the arm of the couch and bent his body to fit with hers. From this vantage point, he could see all of her. He pushed his fingers into her glistening core. She cried out in ecstasy and his hand found a punishing rhythm. When she got close, Logan removed his fingers and held them up. She turned around and could see her moisture all over him. She watched in fascination as he licked his fingers, one at a time.

"Fuck, baby. That's hot."

His hands moved to her luscious breasts and he started kneading them, rolling her nipples with his fingers until they pebbled in his mouth. His hips were grinding against hers from behind, his hard cock slipping between her lips and teasing at her entrance while his lips were kissing a line down her spine. He decided to surprise her by slamming into her tight wet core. She cried out at the feeling of him filling her completely, loving the way he felt. She turned her head to look at him. He was watching her as he pulled out and slammed in again. The pleasure was too much for her to handle, so she closed her eyes and let out a loud moan. He continued his punishing rhythm until he felt her walls start to clench around him. He noticed the tell-tale blush start to creep up her body and knew she was close. He leaned over to pinch the sensitive bundle of nerves and she fell apart, loudly. He followed soon after.

He collapsed on the couch and motioned for her to follow him. She curled up next to him, both still trying to catch their breath.

"Wow. That was a nice surprise" she said.

Logan couldn't think yet, so he just pulled her closer.

When his brain started to form coherent thoughts again, he looked at her. "Do you want to order out for dinner?"

He collapsed on the couch and motioned for her to follow him. She curled up next to him, both still trying to catch their breath.

"Wow. That was a nice surprise" she said.

Logan couldn't think yet, so he just pulled her closer.

When his brain started to form coherent thoughts again, he looked at her. "Do you want to order out for dinner?"

"Yes, I'm too lazy to cook," she replied. He got up, still naked, and went into the kitchen where they kept their take-out menus. Grabbing two of her favorites, he walked back into the living room.

"Vietnamese or Indian?" he asked.

After they had ordered their dinner and cleaned up from their escapade, they settled together on the couch to chat about their days.

After Logan told Rory about a very successful acquisition he had made, and in turn, she told him about her grandmother's call. She explained her idea to throw the engagement party and house warming party together in New York. Logan grimaced thinking about Emily taking over their house, but he didn't want to start a war. He could see this turning into a huge issue around their wedding. Emily was assertive and Rory wanted to please her grandmother. He knew Rory was trying to take control, so for the sake of gentleness, he decided to take a different route to argue his side.

"Ace, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" she questioned.

"First, let's look at the guest list. They're going to invite a hundred people. I know our home is big for New York City, but we can't fit 100 people in here."

Rory thought logically about his point and realized that he was right. The house was perfect for 20 or 30 people, but it would be a tight fit for more than that.

Logan continued "It might be better to let them throw their engagement party, and we can throw a smaller house warming party for our close friends. Something more intimate, and much more relaxed."

"So, we'll host the sub party, just on a different day," she mused.

"Yes, exactly," he responded. "And this way it can be informal…"

"…and fun?" she finished for him. The doorbell rang signaling their dinner had arrived. Logan went downstairs to get the food while Rory laid plates and silverware out on the kitchen island.

As they ate, Rory continued telling Logan about her conversation with her grandmother .

"I did invite my grandparents over for dinner this weekend," she told him. "They haven't seen the place and my grandmother is subtly reminding me that I'm unappreciative and rude."

Logan was quiet for a moment, something that did not go unnoticed by his fiancé.

"What are you thinking?"

"I have to go to California next week," Logan told her. "My plane leaves on Sunday. I had planned to ravish you for the entire weekend before I leave and then ravish you the entire weekend when I get back."

"You have to go?" Rory pouted.

"Ace, I haven't been back in 2 months. They're beginning to think I walked out on the company."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I come back Friday," he answered.

"Oh, well, I can reschedule with my grandparents," she offered.

Logan kissed her forehead. "No. Emily is right, we've waited too long to invite them over. Saturday we can share with the Gilmores, but Friday night, I want you all to myself."

"A week is such a long time," she mused, thinking about how they hadn't been apart for even a day since they moved in together.

"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," he replied with a smirk, earning a playful smack on the chest from her.

"I don't want to be away from you anymore than you want me to be away, Ace."

Rory realized she was being a baby. Of course he had to go. He was the CEO of a very successful business and he hadn't been back in weeks.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know you have to go. I shouldn't make you feel guilty about it."

Logan was trying to think of a way to make the separation easier on both of them. Although he was looking forward to going back to California, he was going to miss Rory terribly. Yes, it was only 5 days, but it was going to be difficult for both of them. They had survived worse, like the terrible London months, and being apart for most of the winter, but they hadn't shared their lives so much then. He remembered the phone call to Roger telling him about the engagement and had a brainstorm.

"Listen, Roger and Paul wanted to get together for a weekend in Napa. Do you think you could take a day off? You can fly out Friday, we can celebrate our engagement with my friends and come back Monday. How does that sound?"

Rory dreamed of herself in Napa. It sounded wonderful to be drinking wine with her fiancé and getting to know his friends better.

"Let's do it," she said excitedly.

"Great," he replied. "I'll set it up."

It turned out that even on such short notice, Roger, Paul and their wives were available that weekend. They offered to set up the weekend, and both Rory and Logan happily agreed, knowing they would have their hands full with getting ready for the Gilmores.

Friday night, Logan took Rory to dinner and then to Shakespeare in the Park. They enjoyed a lovely viewing of Hamlet and debated the title character's psychological health over cheesecake at Two Little Red Hens.

Saturday night, the Gilmores arrived promptly at 5:00. Rory was getting much better at cooking, especially with Logan's help, but they had decided that Logan would be the one to cook this meal since it was important and he was the better cook. Logan made chicken cordon bleu with roasted red potatoes and grilled asparagus. He was putting the finishing touches on the meal when the Gilmore's arrived. He plated the meal in their in-kitchen dining area while Rory gave the elder couple a tour. Logan stepped back to admire the touches he and Rory had put on the area where they would be dining. The floor to ceiling windows were open and the white chiffon curtains were blowing softly in the breeze. Rory had picked up hydrangeas in shades of blue and pink for the centerpiece. They were using the serving ware Shira had sent him out of the blue when he moved to California. He was sure Emily would notice the small touches.

Emily was very impressed with the home and made sure she let the younger couple know. She openly admired everything, from the furniture to the wall sconces to the wall paper.

"Rory, I am just so happy that you did not inherit your mother's decorating sense," Emily said once they were seated and eating.

"Well…."Logan started.

"Do not finish that thought," Rory warned him playfully.

"Are we to assume that there were some disagreements when picking out the furniture?" Richard asked jovially.

"Let's just say that if Rory had gotten her way, you would be sitting on electric blue chairs shaped like frogs," Logan laughed. The rest of the table laughed with him.

"You are in so much trouble," she said with a smile. Turning to the older couple, then to Logan, she said "It wasn't that bad. I wasn't that bad."

"We almost broke up over a winged chair. I thought she wanted a nice, leather chair. Turns out, she wanted a chair with actual wings. Feathers and all," he said, looking at her.

"Oh , Rory, not you too," Emily chastised, remembering her disagreement with Lorelai over a monkey lamp. "Well, Logan, we are lucky that your decorating sense obviously won out. The place looks amazing. Professional! Doesn't it look professional, Richard?" Emily asked.

"Very professional," Richard agreed.

"I think it would be a lovely place to host a small engagement party," Emily said.

"Actually Grandma," Rory started, "Logan and I discussed it and we think your house would be a better place for the formal engagement party."

Emily let out an audible sigh of relief. "Oh thank god," she said. "Logan, Rory, your home is lovely, but it's just not big enough to accommodate all of your guests."

"That's what I told her, Emily," Logan affirmed. He reached over to grab Rory's hand, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the elder couple. "We appreciate your generous offer of giving us an engagement party and we think your home would be the perfect venue. We may host a less formal gathering at a later date for just family and close friends, but we would like it if you could plan the actual engagement party."

"Wonderful. I will start on this right away," Emily said. "Should I include your mother in the planning, Logan?"

"No," he said without thinking. Rory squeezed his hand and looked at him. They shared a silent conversation before Rory spoke.

"Shira might be receptive to helping you plan, Grandma." Emily noticed the look that passed between the couple as well as the deliberate words Rory had chosen. She knew nothing of the reception the couple received when they told the Huntzbergers about the engagement. She knew it would be rude to ask outright, so instead, she would grill Lorelai for clues about what transpired.

"Well, that will be wonderful," Richard stated.

The two couples finished dinner and hurried to make their play. Rory had gotten tickets to see Billy Elliot, the hottest musical on Broadway. All four of them enjoyed the show. After it was over, Emily and Richard went to Rory's old apartment to stay, and Rory and Logan went home.

Rory was sad to know that the evening was over because it meant that Logan would be leaving soon. When they got back to the house, Logan immediately kissed her. He took her upstairs to their bedroom and made love to her. He wanted to show her just how much he was going to miss her. They didn't speak words, but their bodies communicated their love and need for each other. They made love until the sun was peeking through the shades in their bedroom when Rory curled up to Logan to catch a few of hours of sleep.

When they woke up a couple hours later, they both scrambled to get Logan ready for his 2:00 flight. He had dinner with investors that night so he had to get there early.

When the cab came, Rory walked him to the door. He took her face in between his hands and kissed her.

"I'll never forget you, Ace," he deadpanned. It made her smile which was his goal.

"Shut up," she said. "Get out of here. My boyfriend will be here any minute."

He kissed her again. "I'll see you in five days."

"Call me lots," she demanded.

"Of course. I love you, Ace."

"Love you too," she replied.

Rory watched him walk down the stairs and get into the cab. She tried to remember what she did when they didn't live together. She threw on her running shoes and headed for the park, attempting to drown out her melancholy with peppy workout music.