I opted to take a couple of weeks off from work after our daughter arrived.  I'd be available in case of emergencies, but tried to keep work to the bare minimum.  The first week at home with Emma was much more difficult than I'd ever imagined.  I tried to let Rory get some sleep when I could, but the baby had an appetite to match that of her mother.  With Ace being the primary source of food, it made getting rest nearly impossible for her.  I felt terribly about her sleep deprivation, but helped whenever I could.

I suggested that we take some time for ourselves and get used to all things baby before the majority of our friends and family came to visit.  I encouraged them to wait a while before coming to visit.  It's not that we didn't want to see them.  It's just that things were already crazy adjusting to Emma, but we were learning.  Rory insisted on making an exception for her mom and grandma.  She'd been relying heavily on her mother for advice, and Emily insisted on seeing her great granddaughter.  So, it only made sense to comply.

Lorelai had been back and forth several times since Emma's birth, but Emily hadn't been able to get to Hartford until the baby was four days old.  When she arrived, I was in the study with the baby in the bassinet while I checked in at work.  I could hear them chatting in the living room.  About five minutes later, she woke up and started fussing.  I finished up what I was doing and picked her up.  I tried soothing her by bouncing a little, swaying and every other trick I could think of that we'd used over the last few days to no avail.  As she continued to fuss, she started nuzzling me, and that's when I remembered the same incident at the hospital.

"Are you hungry, baby girl  Should we go get Mommy?" I asked her softly and sweetly.  I walked over to the door.

"Hey, Ace, I think Emma is hungry," I called to the next room.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be back in a bit," I heard Rory say to Emily.

"Nonsense, Rory," she started.  "Logan, bring that precious baby in here.  There's no shame in feeding your own child."

That definitely didn't sound like the Emily Gilmore I knew, but I wasn't one to fight her orders.  I brought Emma into the living room for Rory to feed.  I watched her try to find a modest position and begin feeding.

"I swear all this baby does is eat," Rory said, trying to make small talk to distract from her current situation.

"Your mother was the same way.  It felt as if she needed to eat every two hours, like clockwork.  it took forever before I finally got a decent night's sleep," she replied.

"You didn't have a nanny right away?"

"No, we waited until she was about two years old."

"How long before Mom finally let you sleep?"

"I think it had to be at least six months.  During that time I did seriously consider getting a nanny, just to get some sleep.  I made it through though, and you will, too," Emily replied.

Emma finished eating and Rory moved her up to her shoulder to burp.  She burped and started to fall asleep on her shoulder.

"Come and see your Great-Grandma, Emma," she said, reaching for the baby.  "Rory, you go upstairs and get yourself some sleep.  Logan and I can handle things down here for a bit, right?"

"Ace, Emily is right.  You go get some rest.  I can see your exhaustion," I agreed.  I watched as she reluctantly went upstairs.  I listened for her moving around and after about ten minutes, all was silent.

Emily began gently rocking Emma until she was completely asleep.  She said on the couch contently with the baby in her arms.  It seemed so natural for her, and that confused me.  She never struck me as the type to be overly involved with babies.  It just wasn't the norm in society families, and until recently, Emily had been the paradigm of societal perfection.

"Why aren't you at work, Logan?" she asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I've decided to take a couple of weeks off to help out with the baby," I replied.

"But you've just taken over for your father.  How are they going to get along without you?"

"I've been checking in at the office, and I'm available for emergencies," I replied.  "Honestly, they are perfectly capable of getting on without me for a short time.  I think my father had a tendency to watch over everyone like a hawk instead of giving them the room they need to breathe and grow."

"You certainly have grown into quite the astute businessman.  You remind me a great deal of Richard," she said complimenting me.  I blushed a bit.  It wasn't often that you got an accolade from Emily Gilmore, let alone one that compared you to her late husband.  It stirred my sense of pride, and reassured me that I was doing the right thing.  If I could be half the man he was, I'd consider that a success in my book.

"I'm honored and humbled," I replied sheepishly.

"Now, where's Emma's room?  I'm going to put her down in her crib," she asked.

"We're using Lorelai's old room," I answered.  "Despite being so tiny, she can get heavy in a hurry."

"Very true, Logan."

I led Emily upstairs to the nursery.  When she tried to lay the baby down, she began to stir a little bit, and to my surprise Emily began singing a beautiful song.  I had no idea she had such a talent, but she'd been full of wonders lately.  As she continued to sing, she sat in the glider and put her feet up.

"You don't have to stay in here, Emily," I said.

"I don't mind," she replied with a soft smile  This was definitely a different side of her, and I was content to let her have her way.  The baby had calmed and if I've learned one lesson in life, it's that you don't piss off a happy Emily Gilmore!

I made my way downstairs and into my office.  I checked on some work issues, and I was happy with the fact they'd deal with most of their issues themselves.  They figured out a way to solve the problem without me intervening.  It was a relief to see them thriving, and made me being home with Rory that much easier.

After scanning a few more emails, I went upstairs to check on Emily and Emma.  Both were sound asleep.  I quietly backed out of the room, and grabbed a quilt from the linen closet.  I snuck back in and covered the still sleeping Emily.  I never thought I'd see the day when my life was looking so normal, relatively speaking.  I guess the only thing I really had to base it on was television sitcoms, but it was better than I could have ever imagined.  I relished every single moment and couldn't wait for more to come.

Just as I was leaving the nursery, my phone began ringing.  I nearly sprinted out and down the stairs before I answered.  I didn't want to risk waking any of the sleeping ladies.

"Hello?" I said without looking at the caller ID.

"Logan, Mate, how's our girl?" Finn asked excitedly.

"Rory is good, but exhausted," I replied.

"No, not Rory.....Emma!" he corrected me.

"Never mind the woman who just gave birth!" I said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"You know how much I care about Rory, Logan," he began.  "I'm just not sure how much longer I can wait to see my niece!"

"I know you care about Rory a great deal.  I'm just giving you a bad time," I replied with a chuckle.  "Right now, Rory is getting some much needed rest.  How about I see if she'll make an exception for you guys to come over?"

"Oh, it doesn't have to be all of us.  I'm thinking just me," he said with a devilish tone.  I knew Finn would love to meet Emma and then brag about it to Colin and Robert.  I, on the other hand, wanted to avoid the ensuing conflict if that were to happen.  It was an all or nothing kind of deal in order to avoid fights and bickering.

"Let me check with Rory after she gets up, ok?"

"Fine, but don't be surprised if I show up later and climb the tree up to the nursery just so I can see her," he replied.  "At this point, I'm not above breaking and entering!"

I laughed and Finn began laughing, too.  I knew he was half-serious though.  Rory was their mother and it was difficult to keep them away from her and the baby during this adjustment period.

"I promise to let you know after I talk with her."

"Ok.  Bye, Logan," he said half-heartedly.

"We'll chat later, Finn," I replied and ended the call.

I went back to my emails and was satisfied that everything was being taken care of, so I shut down my computer.  I thought I heard someone out in the living room.  I wasn't sure if it was Rory or Emily, so I went out to see Rory seated comfortably on the couch with Emma.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Great, actually.  I feel much better now, except for the pressure in my chest, but that will soon be rectified," she responded nodding toward the baby.

"The human body is truly amazing, and Emma certainly knows how to eat.  I have no idea where she got that from," I said laughing.

"Mom said that I didn't eat nearly as much as Emma, but Grandma said that Mom was hungry every couple of hours.  I think I can safely say it's from my mom and not me!"

"I can't believe Emily fell asleep in Emma's room," I said, changing the subject a bit.  "She insisted on sitting there after I put her down."

"Grandma has become a different person since Grandpa passed away.  Not bad different, just different.  She's been calmer and more involved.  She still has some bite though, so don't cross her," Rory said.

"I wouldn't think of crossing Emily Gilmore!"

Rory adjusted Emma to the other side and I saw the relief cross her face.  I, honestly, had no idea what she was feeling.  She'd tried to explain it to me, but it flew over my head.  I'm sure she would have been just as baffled had someone described it to her before she got pregnant.

"While you were sleeping, Finn called," I began.  "I know we wanted to wait a little longer, but I thought, maybe, we could let the guys come over soon.  They've been very insistent, and I think Finn's asked multiple times each day about his new niece."

"Maybe we could see how tomorrow goes.  Grandma goes back to Nantucket tonight, and I could definitely use a shower.  I know how impatient the guys are, especially Finn," she replied with a smile.

"Once Finn gets an idea, there's very little you can do to stop it!" I laughed.

"Like the time he tried to join the French Foreign Legion?"

"Exactly!  If we don't let him come over soon, he may break in just to see Emma," I said.

"Oh, I hate it when you're right," she replied smiling.  "Let's invite them over for tomorrow.  Just the guys for now."

"You have no idea how happy this will make Finn.  I think he was almost as excited as we were, and that speaks volumes," I recalled.

"Really?  Finn excited about a baby?"

"It's not just about the baby.  It's about us, and what this all means," I started.  "He's the one who has been pushing for us."

"I don't think I understand," Rory said, a bit confused.

"Ever since your first Life and Death Brigade party, as well as the Yale alumni party Emily and Richard threw here all those years ago, he's been pushing for me to get together with you.  I guess it was more encouraging me.  He noticed the way we looked at each other and how we interacted.  I remember the sparks I felt when I grabbed your hand before the jump.  I would have never gone to such lengths for just anyone, and Finn knew.  Jump ahead to California, and he was there to help me pick up the pieces right after he smacked me upside the head for leaving you in the first place."

"Logan....I'm so sorry...." she started.  Rory noticed Emma had stopped eating, so she propped her on her shoulder, gently patting the baby's back.

"I know it's the journey we had to take.  Once I went back to HPG, I asked Finn to look you up.  I couldn't do it myself because I was being watched like a hawk.  I wasn't just curious about you.  I desperately wanted you back in my life.  I knew I made a huge mistake leaving that day.  He's actually the one who suggest that I 'run into you' in Hamburg.  He knew exactly what you meant to me, and you've always held a special spot in his heart as well.  I knew I had to go to you, but he was the one who finally convinced me after Dad's heart attack."

I gently took the sleeping baby from Rory's shoulder and put her into the basinet that we kept close to the couch.  Rory readjusted herself and I slid next to her on the couch.  I put my arm around her shoulders and held her, enjoying the peaceful, quiet moment.  I felt her relax and snuggle into me.  In that moment, I knew that we were right where we were always mean tot be.  Our path may not have been the most direct route, but we'd finally made it to our destination.