A/N: My excuses are as follows: a 3 month old, an 18 month old, a 5 year old, work, college and my husband. Sorry, I'm only now finding a few precious moment to write. Being a mommy is hard work! Hope you enjoy...

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Rory sat there at the table, only faintly aware that her mom was arguing with her grandmother and her grandfather was trying to tame them. In other words, she was sitting there and Friday Night Dinner was happening all around her. Her mind was elsewhere. She had barely touched her pot roast. Emily had ordered it especially for her because her grandmother knew just how rough the past few weeks had been for Rory- and she couldn't even enjoy it . She was too preoccupied with thoughts of her impending conversation with Logan.

The strange thing was that she had more answers than she had questions at this point. She had accepted much of what had happened and begun coming to terms with it. Well, with the exception of her precious baby, of course. That one would take some time. So, logically, she shouldn't be the ball of nerves that she has found herself to be. She should be level-headed and ready to take her first steps forward in putting all of this behind her. The problem is that the few questions she has left unanswered are doozies. They weigh on her mind and her heart . It is going to be a long night.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Logan never realized how isolated you could feel in a crowded pub. He sat alone in a booth near the entrance. He had arrived at the pub around 8pm. Yes, it was over an hour early, but he was beyond anxious. Was he nervous? Absolutely, but anxious really was a better over all description of how he was feeling at the moment. He really was looking forward to getting a chance to alay any fears Rory had about his commitment to their relationship. He was ready to put the hellacious last couple of months behind them and start rebuilding her trust in him. Logan thought about ordering a drink to take the edge off but decided against it. He didn't want to send the wrong message to Rory. He wanted her to know that all of his focus was on her-on them. So, he sat and he waited and he watched every person that walked through the door and prayed that his explanations and reassurances would be good enough.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

He watched her walk in and look around for him.

Rory walked right over to him. "I thought you would be in the back at our old table," she greeted.

"Nah, you said that we'd probably be relocating to somewhere more private anyway and I didn't want you to miss me since it's always crowded on Friday nights." Logan replied.

"OK, then follow me. I know the perfect spot near the library where we can talk," she said as she turned without bothering to see if he was following her. He tossed a few bills on the table and made a hasty exit to catch up to her.

"So, I figure we should just dive right in. I've told you all there is to know and I need to know what else I can do to get us back on track," Logan started in a pleading tone as they walked toward the library.

"To be honest, I'm not sure that there is much you can do. You can be here, be patient. I understand what happened and I am trying to accept that but it doesn't mean that my heart has healed. I am still wary. And why shouldn't I be? You didn't have enough courage to tell me what was going on. Instead you just disappeared. That broke so many bonds I thought we had. I thought you could trust me. I thought you had faith in us. I thought you loved and respected me enough to always be honest and upfront with me. Now I feel like I have a measuring stick to gauge your love and trust by. Well, he "loves me and respects me" enough to commit to me, to make love to me, but not enough to let me share his load, not enough to lean on me, not enough to be upfront with me even when it is hard. That's how it feels for me Logan. Maybe its unfair, I don't know, but I know that's how it feels and that won't change in a day or a week," she finished as she plopped down against her trusty "study tree".

The night was cool but not cold. There was a nice breeze that carried the faint fragrance of the nearby flowers. The tree bark was cold and hard against her back. Support. Calmness. Stability. The perfect place for this conversation. She needed all of those things. She used to get them from Logan.

"I don't know how to respond to that. I mean, you're right. I was a coward. I couldn't face you and chance seeing the look of hurt and disappointment in your eyes. You had a right to know. I shouldn't have shut you out, Ace, and I am sorry, so sorry. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. I hate myself everyday for what I've put you through… first my womanizing ways of the past come back to haunt me…and ..then…the b-ba-by…" he trailed off as he looked up from the ground, as he sat beside her, searching her face, trying to read her emotions.

"You want to know the worst part, Ace?"

"Sure." She answered, knowing that it was probably a rhetorical question anyway.

"The worst part is that when I found out that I might have a child, I wasn't upset at the prospect of being a father or a husband. For the first time in my life I had a vision of my future, of my own family. No, what scared me to death was the possibility that that family wouldn't be ours…. Yours and mine. When I see my future all I can see is you. And knowing now how close we came…we had a child. We could've been a family. Do you think there is any chance that you could ever love me enough to make that a possibility again?"

Tears slid slowly down her cheeks as she replied, "Oh, Logan. Love hasn't ever been and won't ever be the problem. I still love you – so much. I know that I always will. That is why its so hard. I love you, but I don't know if I can be with you with such a huge question of trust clouding our relationship. And what if something else from your past comes rearing its ugly head? What then? And what started this to begin with? The reporter in me says there is much more to this story than what you or I know. If your father has another son out there, why were you even involved? Why didn't he go to your dad and how in the world did a baby become involved? Most importantly, how do I know it won't follow us. Logan, I don't want us to end up like my mom and dad. They have loved each other for more than half their lives and there is always something standing in the way of that. I would rather end things now and have the wonderful memories of our love, our time together, than to string it along and cloud it with anger and resentment . I don't want that. I want you. And now that I have faced the future and the idea of being a mother, I want nothing more in this world than to have a future with you, a family with you. I'm just scared. I don't know when or if I'll be able to let my guard down and let us happen."

At that moment their eyes met. Finally, he could read her. Her beautiful blue eyes conveyed so much emotion…fear and confusion, yes, doubt, yes, but also love. He knew she was telling the truth. She still loved him and that was enough to give him hope. That was enough to know that he hadn't lost her, that they would be ok, even if she didn't know that yet.

"Rory, I love you. You are a part of me now and forever. You taught me how to love and how to let my own guard down and be loved. I'm here and I am not going anywhere. We can take things slow and I will show you everyday that I have learned from this. I have learned so much. I will be your open book to read. No secrets. No hiding. I know that I don't have to keep anything from you because I know now that I can tell you anything and you will still love me. I have never known, truly known that feeling. Thank you.

As for your questions… I don't know how I ended up in the middle of this, but if it will make you feel better, if it will help us, then I'll find out who and why and make sure that nothing like this can ever wreck our lives again. What do you say? You up for a little investigating, Ace? See for yourself what's going on?" he offered.

"Well, I've never been one to turn down a good challenge. And, honestly, it would make me feel much more at ease if I knew where all this was coming from. I wouldn't feel like I was in this just waiting for the other shoe to drop. So, for now, let's just spend some time together, go slow and try to find some answers. Who knows where we'll end up in the process?" She smiled . This was the first time since everything started that she really felt at ease. Being able to tell Logan about her doubts and fears without arguing or placing blame had really lighten her load. And the promise of this little adventure together had her hopes high. Maybe they could get back to where they belong.