Finding Myself Again

Chapter One

Rory Hayden, as she was now going by since her grandfather had passes away grumbled to herself as she drove from Stars Hollow to Hartford. She'd never really bonded with anyone from Chilton, except for Paris during their time at Yale together, but for some reason she was driving to her 10 year high school reunion. She wasn't really in the mood for this, she didn't want to hang out with her old high school classmates even on her best day, and her life today certainly couldn't be anywhere near her best day. She had temporarily moved back to Stars Hollow in her high school bed room, although still denying that she was home, her job prospects were grim and far between, and her love life was...well complicated to say the best. Since she'd run into Jess Mariano in New Jersey a year and a half ago they'd had this Vegas thing going, even though she thought she was over that when she had the same agreement with Logan all those years ago when they were still in Yale. She didn't know what the hell possessed her to suggest the arrangement; maybe it had something to do with always having a piece of Luke with her, who had died in a car accident along with her mother almost 3 years ago, and Luke had always been more like her father than her father had actually been, and another part of it was her feeling unsuccessful and lost in the world, especially after her grandfather had died, and needing something to anchor herself, but Jess couldn't be that person. Still, she clung to what they had all those years ago when they were 16 and in high school, and afraid of what her life would be like without him in it again.

The last thing that she wanted to do was to put on her fake society smile and schmooze with people who she didn't really like, but Emily had made it quite clear that she was expected to go, and Rory still had trouble going head to head with her. Unfortunately, not even Paris would be able to help her get through the night. Paris was in Chicago earlier that day presenting at a medical symposium on infertility treatments and surrogacy, when her water broke ending it immediately, and they had to bus her to the nearest hospital for her to have her and Doyle's daughter, who had still not made her appearance yet, and Paris fought with the paramedics the entire way to the hospital that she wanted to finish her presentation before she went to the hospital, they wouldn't let her. The closer she got to Chilton, the more nervous she got. She finally threw in her Hep Alien CD and turned the music up, singing along to take her mind off of the evening ahead of her.

When she finally pulled into the Chilton parking lot she took a look around at the building she hadn't seen in so long. It didn't look as intimidating as it had all those years ago, but she knew that the people inside could be just as bad. If she was going to survive this night would screaming, she needing to pull herself together. Regardless of how she felt, she had to appear to be every bit the successful woman that she wanted them to believe she was tonight, otherwise the Francies of Chilton Prep Academy would eat her alive. She stole a quick look in the rearview mirror, touching up her lipstick and checking her hair before stepping out of her car. She had shut the door, when all of a sudden someone touched the small of her back, she let out a yelp! and jumped about a foot in the air, when she turned around before she heard the voice. "Ace?" She turned around to hug him, realizing that it was Logan. "Ace, why are you so jumpy? You're usually fine." He hugged me back. "Oh Logan, i'm fine, it's just being here and not really wanting to be here. Wait a minute, what are you doing here? You didn't go to High School here." He smiled at me. "I did my freshmen year and Sophomore year of high school, and i'm here as the guest speaker." Smiling back at him, I finally realized what was going on. "And before we walk in there, i'd like to reintroduce you to someone. Ace, Rory, you remember Colin, don't you? Well, this just became official yesterday, but we're engaged to be married next summer." I couldn't say anything, to say I was shocked was an understatement, never in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine Logan being gay, and especially not with his best friend. But years of Friday night dinners and events with Emily roped her into had prepared her for this. She steeled herself once more and walked through the doors, with Logan and Colin into her high school reunion.