Two Halves of One Whole

The Morning After

"Hey, Paris, I know you and I have our standing phone date on Thursday morning and that you won't pick up any other time because you're so busy with classes and your internship and all that... but I really need to talk to you and tell you something... well, actually two things, I guess, and I'm worried you're going to hear from someone else before me and I don't want that, so I'm going to tell you now, in this voicemail so you don't get upset with me if you hear them from someone else first. First, I think you should know that Logan and I are engaged- and I don't want to hear a lecture about how it's too soon after reuniting, I'm happy and we love each other and if you could please refrain from calling him the Blonde Bimbo Boy or the Walking Ken Doll or 2% Milk Thief or anything else like that when you do call me and leave me an angry message about my leaving you this message, I'd really appreciate it. The second piece of news, unfortunately, is much less happy (yes, I'm very happy about the engagement so stop rolling your eyes). It turns out those infections I've been having? Well, we determined the underlying cause and it's Hodgkins Lymphoma. Nodular Sclerosis to be precise, stage 2B. I'm sure you want to grill me on the doctors and the diagnosis and the treatment plan and that's fine, just give me a call and I'll fill you in. Sorry to do all of this over voicemail, but I know you won't call me back before Thursday morning otherwise. I hope you and Doyle are great, that Boston's great. I miss you. Bye."

"Blonde Bimbo Boy?" Logan asked her, eyebrow arched in question.

"It was actually B3 for a while- B cubed, you know?" Rory just shrugged it off, more important things on her mind. They were in the car heading back home from her grandparents and Rory was emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. She had spent the last 24 hours breaking peoples' hearts- people she loved very much and who she knew didn't want to see her suffer, but there was nothing else to be done about it, was there? She leaned her head against the window, trying not to think about how she was going to break the news to the town. They were all going to wonder what she was doing home and it wouldn't take long until she was really sick and it was very noticeable... according to the brochures and her online research she could expect nausea, extreme fatigue, and "chemo brain" to set in pretty quickly after her first treatment... not to mention the portal she was having implanted into her chest on Friday for the IV treatments- it was summer, it would be highly visible in a tank top or a sundress. And then she only had a month or two before she started losing her hair, something she was trying pretty desperately to not think about.

No, it had to be done, she had to tell the town... she supposed she could just try to have her mom quietly spread the word- a quick message to Babette or Miss Patty and it would be well-spread by the end of the day tomorrow.

Then again, she'd have to be speaking to her mom in order to ask for her helpf. She just closed her eyes, not wanting to think anymore right now- she was way too tired.

Logan looked over halfway through the drive, meaning to ask her a question, but she had fallen asleep and he couldn't quite bring himself to wake her, understanding how draining today must have been for her- he was exhausted and he wasn't the one who was sick or who had a major, blowup fight with their mom/best friend. He just turned the radio down so it wouldn't wake her- she was going to need a lot of strength over the next few weeks, for now she should rest.

When he got back to her house he still didn't want to wake her- he quietly got out of the car and went to the front door of the house, making sure it was unlocked and open, ignoring the light that was on in the kitchen before turning around, going back to the car and picking up Rory, carrying her bridal style into the house. She didn't wake up- that's how tired she had been- she just put her arms around him and snuggled against his neck, sighing softly. When he got to the front door Chris and Lorelai were standing there, clearly curious about where they had been and why their daughter was being carried inside, asleep, but they just moved aside and let Logan take her into the bedroom and set her down. He carefully removed her shoes and socks- knowing she'd wake up too hot if he left them on, debating whether he should change her into pajamas, but decided it would be better to just let her sleep. He tenderly pulled the blanket up over here and leaned down to kiss her forehead before backing out of the room and shutting the door behind him.