Chapter Text
The plane finally landed on the runway of Bradley International Airport. Logan was lucky that Colin’s private plane was available at such a short notice and that he managed to get clearance to fly to America. All throughout the flight, he couldn’t calm his jittery nerves.
His phone had rung in the middle of the night, Rory’s contact flashing through the screen. He had smiled before answering, thinking he was going to get badgered into watching the Game of Thrones Season 7 worldwide premiere. He was boggled when he heard Lorelai answer his hello.
“Logan, you had better try your best to get a flight out of London. Rory’s going to have the baby,” she said in a rush.
After reassurances that Rory was doing fine and a quick hello to his wife, he had scrambled out of their London flat in less than fifteen minutes in the dead of night and came barrelling through London City Airport, barely noticing the bewildered looks of the people around him. It turned out that his clothes were rumpled and mismatched. He didn’t care, though. In a few hours, if everything went smoothly, God willing, he was going to be a father.
***
“Calm yourself, mate. Here, have a drink,” said Finn as he handed him a glass of something amber.
Finn had picked him up from the airport in his party limo, as he called it. They were now making their way to Hartford Grace Hospital where Rory was due to give birth any second now.
“I can’t have that,” he said as he shoved the glass back at Finn. “I’m going to be a father. Oh God! I’m going to be a father! I’m not ready for this. I don’t want to mess my kid up.”
“Shush! It’s a little bit late in the game, isn’t it, Logan? Anyway, that’s just your nerves talking. I’m sure Rory would never allow you to mess up this kid, he or she is hers as well. I can’t believe you never caved on knowing the baby’s sex.” He shook his head. “Deep breaths, mate.”
He did as Finn told him, and after a couple of deep breaths, he was feeling better.
“Thanks, Finn.”
“It’s all right. Here we are, Hartford Grace. I think we arrived just in time.”
Indeed, the limo had stopped. Logan hardly paid any attention to where they were going the entire car ride to the hospital. He seemed to be doing that a lot recently, well, ever since that phone call from Lorelai telling him to get his butt back in America.
“Logan, c’mon,” said Finn as he held the door open for him.
He blinked as the sun’s harsh rays reached his eyes. He had no idea what time it was, everything happened in a rush to him. To top it all off, his legs somehow turned to jelly. Finn shook his head as he pulled him out of the car and dragged him inside the hospital.
“Mate, someday, you’re going to have to return this favour.”
***
“Rory!” Logan shouted, rushing to her side, surprised to find his legs functioning normally again. “I’m here, my love. I made it.”
Rory turned to him with a look of surprise, eyes wide, her lips almost forming into a smile before it contorted along with the rest of her face in pain.
“What’s wrong?” he asked breathlessly as he kissed her temple, taking one of her hands, the one without the IV line attached to it, in his.
She squeezed his hand with a strength he never knew she possessed and he yelped in pain. He let her continue squeezing his hand anyway. It was a couple of minutes before she answered him.
“Logan, you’re here!” She smiled, her eyes looking tired as she focused on him. He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. “Sorry about your hand. I had a particularly painful contraction.”
“It’s okay, Ace, you can squeeze my hand all you want. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”
He looked around the room, noticing for the first time that they were not alone. Lorelai was there, as well as Emily, and surprisingly, Christopher. A nurse was also there, checking on Rory, and she smiled and nodded at him.
“Hey.” Lorelai waved at him in greeting. “Glad you could make it, buddy.”
“Where’s everyone else?” he asked, noting that none of his family was present. “I brought Finn along with me.”
The Aussie, who had been quiet this whole time, waved at everyone in the room.
“You’re looking at the only people who aren’t squeamish enough to avoid this room. Apparently, your father bullied someone important in the hospital to let the rest of the party stay in another private room, without a patient, mind you. I’m convinced he has evil mind control powers or something,” said Lorelai.
“If that’s the case, I’m going to find the other people in this party. Good luck, mates!” He smiled and winked at both Rory and Logan.
“Glad you could make it, Finn,” Rory called after his retreating form.
Logan allowed himself a laugh before focusing his attention back to his wife. He smoothed her hair away from her face and gave her a small smile.
“I love you.”
“And I love yoouuuuu!” she cried out the last word as another contraction racked her body.
“Breathe, honey,” Logan coached, trying to soothe his wife.
“Okay, dear, it’s time. I’m going to call Dr. Mansfield now,” the nurse said as she moved to go.
“Oh my, isn’t this exciting,” said Emily, beaming happily at her granddaughter and Logan.
“It sure is,” Christopher said, although somewhat nervously.
Lorelai, Christopher, and Emily moved closer to them and gave Rory kisses on her forehead.
“Okay, okay, don’t crowd her. Let’s give them some room,” Lorelai ordered and the three of them retreated to the far side of the room.
Christopher whipped out a digital camera.
“You don’t mind me recording this for posterity’s sake, do you, kiddo? I can’t believe I’ll be a granddad very soon.”
“No, Dad, but please don’t film anything unsightly, if you know what I mean.” She gasped as another contraction took hold of her. Logan kissed her temple to offer his support.
“Don’t worry about it, kiddo.”
In a few moments, the doctors and the rest of the team arrived. Everyone shuffled to make everything ready for the delivery.
“Hello, mom and dad. Are we ready to deliver this baby?” Dr. Mansfield asked cheerily.
They both nodded, then smiled at each other and shared a sweet kiss.
“This is it, Logan.”
“There’s no turning back now, Ace.”
And so it began.
***
After almost an hour of Rory quietly cursing Logan and pushing, they were finally rewarded with a lusty cry. Logan thought that it was the most beautiful sound in the world. He looked at Rory with tears in his eyes, finding hers red-rimmed with happy tears as well.
“Say hello to your baby,” Dr. Mansfield said as she lifted the newborn for the parents to see.
Logan’s eyes scanned the baby quickly, noting from the corner of his eye that Rory was doing the same. He heard her gasp. Okay, ten fingers, ten toes, and a . . .
“It’s a boy, Ace. We have a baby boy!” said Logan quietly, mesmerised. When he finally peeled his eyes from his son, he looked at his wife with wonder and so much adoration. She was smiling widely, her eyes still watery with tears. “You did so well, you were so brave and calm. I love you so much.” He gave her an affectionate kiss.
The doctor placed the baby on Rory’s chest and helped Logan in cutting the cord. A couple of minutes later, one of the nurses cleaned the newborn up after he was examined by the paediatrician, then put him in a nappy with Logan watching, placed a knitted hat on his head, and wrapped him with a warm baby blanket. She handed him to Logan, who kissed his brow softly before placing him back on Rory's chest for her to hold.
Rory was captivated by the small, squirming bundle on her chest and Logan gazed at his wife and son lovingly. This moment was perfect.
She looked at him, and in that instant, no one else existed in his universe. It was just his little family.
“We did it, Logan. He’s finally here.”
***
It was now a few hours after his son was born. It had been a madhouse in their private room right after the birth. When Rory and the baby were finally given a clean bill of health by their respective doctors, their family and friends had buzzed around them like a swarm of bees, taking pictures, congratulating them, and taking turns holding the new addition. They were both so happy that they didn’t mind the chaos, but after a while, exhaustion set in. All three of them had naps, although that’s what mostly what their baby did anyway. After some hours of much needed rest, Logan woke up to find their little family alone.
Rory was sitting on the bed, gently patting their son’s back, coaxing him to burp. She gave Logan a small smile when she saw that he was awake.
“How long have you been up?” He blinked the sleep from his eyes.
“Not very long. I had to feed the baby.”
“How are you feeling? Are you well? Are you hungry? You can sleep some more if you want, I can take care of the baby.”
“I feel great, actually. Thanks for the concern, Logan. I think I can sit with my boys for a while.” She flashed him a brilliant smile.
He moved to sit beside her on the bed as she adjusted their son in her arms and gave his tiny nose a little kiss.
“He’s beautiful,” he said, giving Rory a tender kiss on the lips and putting his arms around her. He kissed the baby’s forehead afterwards.
She gave him a loving gaze before turning her attention back to their baby. “He looks like you.”
His heart filled with so much joy at what she said. He thought so, too. Even his father had commented that their newborn looked just like him when he was a baby, promising to bring his baby pictures the next time they visit.
“Have you decided what to name him yet?” he asked with a smile. “Is he a Richard?” They had both agreed on the name Richard, if it was a boy, a few weeks before the baby was born, but Rory did say that she was not 100% sure about it. “Or is he a Jon Snow?” he teased.
“Haha! I missed the Game of Thrones premiere because of him. We’ll have to watch it later.” She laughed. Seriously, she added, “I don’t know about Richard,” she replied, her brows furrowing, then she peered at him with a twinkle in her eye. Finally, she said, “He looks like a Logan to me.”
Logan’s grin got wider. “Wow! You’d name our son after me?” His voice broke. “You must love me a lot.”
“I thought that was obvious,” she rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly, but she nodded. “Logan Richard Huntzberger. What do you think?”
He looked at the baby, who opened his slate grey eyes for a little while. “I like it. I think your grandfather would approve, too.” To the baby, he said, “Hello, little Logan.” Little Logan curled the tiny fingers of one hand on Logan’s index finger, which made both his parents grin from ear to ear.
“I’m thinking we can call him LJ, short for Logan Junior, to avoid any confusion between you two. Or we can call him LL for Little Logan, if you would prefer that.”
“I like LJ better, Ace. Let’s call him that.” He brushed his lips on his wife’s again before talking to the baby. “Hello, little LJ. I love you.”
Rory smiled. “And I love you both,” she said.
“I love you so much, Ace.”
He hugged Rory warmly as they continued to stare at the miracle that was their newborn son. At the moment, everything was right in the universe.