Disclaimer : I do not own Gilmore Girls...

Author's note : I know I should have finished my story before starting another one. I am sorry to those waiting. I mean to get back to those story shortly but I can't give any timeline. I hope you like this start... this is an answer to a request I had received in one review... hoping the author of the review still visits... Once again, please take into consideration that English is not my primary language.

Thirtysomething...

Chapter 1 : Airport security

Rory was walking at a fast pace in Charles De Gaulles's airport in France. She was finally going back home after a series of assignments in Europe and northern African country. She was tired and had not had a good night sleep in weeks or months. She usually was on time or even early for any of her flights. She hated having people wait for her and to be honest, she liked the quietness of an empty Gate while she was waiting for her flight. She often was inspired when waiting. This morning though, she did not have to work; still she had brought her laptop with her in order to chat with friends while waiting. She had done her online checking and only needed to go to the security gate as she only had a backpack. Travelling for work , you learned to travel lightly. As she arrived to security, she saw the backlog of people waiting in line.

"Gheez, that is the only thing that made it worth travelling with Grandma… no waiting in line, getting the first class treatment. I should learn to use the Gilmore name to my advantage."

"I never thought I would hear something like this coming from you." She heard a voice answering her which made her realize she had spoken aloud. She turned around not quite remembering the voice but still … As she looked at the man beside her a bright smile came. She never thought she would meet any of them again…

"Colin! Wow, how are you? What are you doing here?"

"Well Reporter Girl, you're not the only one travelling for a living. Coming home after a long trial in Germany. How about you? Going to some exotic country or war zone?"

"Nah, not this time… going home also."

"Are you on Flight 933 to Hartford?"

"Yep."

"Good, we could keep company. Care to join me?"

"I already have my seat and for sure we are not travelling same class." She looked at him. Colin was wearing a suit which must have cost as much as one month rent for her small apartment in New York. He looked good, better than she remembered. He lost that kind of smug air he used to go around with; made him more approachable but he still screamed money.

"Don't wo worry about it, we'll change your seating, they always have to upgrade some clients. Now for this lineup… I can assure you that the McCrea's name gives you as much privilege as the Gilmore's name does . Shall we?"

Colin motioned to Rory to follow him as he went his way towards the airport's employee that was helping people. He talked a few minutes to the guy and came back to Rory with a satisfied smile.

Not a minute later, a small cart arrived and picked them up. They headed towards a door that was not yet open at the security gate and were let in through that gate. Yes, money might not prevent you from security screening but it did make you pass in front of everyone and best of all, without anyone noticing it but the employee that were asked to open the gate. 5 minutes later, they were escorted to their gate and Colin was arranging for Rory's seat to be upgrade to first class with him.

"If I recall correctly, you are probably lacking caffeine by this hour, care to join me for a late breakfast and coffee."

"Ah! You remember the way to any Gilmore Girl's heart! Of course I will join you." She said forgetting that she had intended to get in touch with both her mother and Lane.

They headed to a restaurant in the airport and were seated.

"So how are you doing? I often read your articles and see you from time to time on major network. Things seems to go well for you." Colin asked.

"I am fine and yes, after graduation I had a rougher time but now things are great."

"You did not like doing the Campaign with Obama?"

The waiter came to take their order and they requested to have a pot of coffee on the table since they would otherwise call him every 5 minutes. The waiter was surprised but obliged as they seemed completely serious.

"Oh I loved it. It was just a reality check about what it was like to live like a reporters. Bad hotels, crappy coffee. Now I have it easy… nicer hotels, great coffees, at least depending where I am. And what about you?"

"Oh, well, kept the legacy running. I am a lawyer for my father's conglomerate. I represent many high-profile clients. Since I am still single, I can still travel free of obligation and my father uses me for it."

"Ah, still looking?" Rory asked

"What interested?" He answered with a smirk; not missing the opportunity.

Rory blushed.

"Not what I meant…"

"I know, you still blush to nothing really, at 32 years old?"

"Hey not that old… only 30."

"Excuse me young one…" He answered as both laughed. "But not really, just got out of a long and quite draining relationship. You? I don't see any rings."

"Nope… I seem to never find one that sticks around when I have to go abroad for long periods. So I stopped looking. Hey my mom is getting married next week and she is 46 so there is still hope." She said smiling at the thought of her mom's wedding coming up.

"Congratulations to her on my behalf."

Their food arrived at that moment and they started to eat. After a few bites on both sides. Rory looked at Colin not sure if she could ask how he was doing. Colin saw her hesitation and volunteered the information to make it less awkward.

"He is doing fine. Logan I mean. After you two broke up he moved to the west coast anyway and did good there. Eventually his dad made a peace offer and they joined forces. He handles all multimedia sides of the HPG."

"That I knew… did a few pieces for them. I mean how is he?"

"He's ok. He got married a few years ago. He is about to be a father for the first time."

"Oh!" Rory was lost in thoughts.

Colin was not sure if Rory had not moved on or if it was something else but they were interrupted by her phone ringing.

"Sorry, I have to get it." She said and he nodded indicating he did not mind at all.

"Gilmore Intergalactic travelling agency how may I help you?"

Colin looked at her and smiled remembering how that girl was so different from all others he was used to. Even Stephanie or Rose were not that full of quirks.

Rory talked a bit on the phone confirming her flight arrival time and saying it was ok if no one was there to pick her up. She would take a cab. That she would stay a while but needed to get to her place in New York to make boxes for her move. After a few other sentences he could not make any sense of she hung up.

"It was my mom."

"I guessed. You know you look a lot like what I remembered her like." Colin said remembering the only time he saw Rory's mom at the police Station. He added "I don't think Finn and I made a good impression on her back then."

"That is an understatement to say the least but you had still made a better impression than Logan at the time."

"Did we?"

"Let's just say that if it had been in any other situation, she would have played around with you both, me being in Jail because of Logan, well, kind of made him work for it afterward."

"But you had stolen the boat."

"Yes, but at that time, she did not want to believe it was me. So what about the third stooges?"

"Oh, Finn would hate to hear that he is the third…" Colin said smiling at the thought of his best friend. "He's doing great. Still pretty much the same guy but now happily married. Still as much of a flirt though but honest to god, he does not cheat."

"Wow, someone tamed the beast."

"Oh yes, and she is not what we would have expected for him."

"why?"

"Well, she took a lot of convincing before agreeing to going out with him. I have no idea how they met but she hated him altogether. It reminded me of how you and Logan met. She has character."

"I would like to meet her. Is she a red-head?"

"Funny thing but yes."

"And where are they all living?"

"Logan is still west, in California. Finn is moving a lot between New York, Dublin and Sydney."

"And you?"

"Still Hartford. I bought a condo and I am working at the family firm there. You?"

"Well, I was in Washington for a while and then New York but I am moving to Hartford. I also bought a condo."

As they went a bit more in details, they realized that Rory was going to move quite close to Colin, different Condo but a new one close by in the same neighborhood.

"I did not know you would make enough as a reporter to buy such a place." Colin said.

"Well, well, I see that all the snobbism is not yet gone from you Mr. McCrea." She teased him

"I did not mean, well, you know."

"Yes and you are right but I inherited a bit from my great grandmother coming in with the money at 25. I had just kept it until now."

"And how are you GrandParents? I haven't seen them in a while at any functions."

"They are ok, but getting a bit old so yes, they do not go to too many now. Any news on Juliet or Rose?"

"Not really, other than they both are well married, I was at their wedding but after, not much. Would you believe they married best friends?"

"No! Lucky for them I guess." She smiled. She missed all the LDB crew when Logan broke up with her at her graduation. She had not seen most of them during her last year but still she had missed all of them as they disappeared. Now, they were a memory. But, talking to Colin, she wished she had kept in touch at least a bit.

The waiter had come and left them with the bill, only one. As Rory was about to call him back to have separate, Colin stopped her.

"Let me. I will charge it anyway."

"No, no, I can pay my share."

"I know Rory but that is not how I was raised. Let me be the gallant one I was brought up to be."

"Fine."

As they were heading out, they were called for boarding. They continued their conversation on the way and on the plane for hours. Rory could not remember ever talking this much without any strange silence for a long time. Colin was different now than he used to be. He was now a more down to earth guy. She would not admit it but she wished they would keep in touch. She honestly did not know that many people in Hartford anymore.

As the plane descended on Connecticut, she suddenly realized that her grandparents would probably try to push her with a date for her mother's wedding. She had juggled the idea of asking Jess but he was dating someone and she was quite jealous of their friendship. Maybe Colin would agree.

She turned to him and studied him for a minute, trying to see how he would fit in a Stars Hollow wedding. Logan had always felt quite out of place then in Stars Hollow and the old Colin was even more stuck up… today, she was not sure.

"What?" Colin asked not sure why he was being scrutinized.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Will I be able to ask any payback I want?" He said with a devilish smile.

"I should have known you could not change that much." She said turning pink.

"Come on reporter Girl, that was too easy to miss."

"I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind accompanying me at my mother's wedding next Saturday. See, I don't have any date and my grandparents might force someone on me, I'd rather choose."

"I feel so warm to know that you think I am a better candidate than whatever your grandparents would choose. But to be honest, I think you should play along anyway."

"What you don't to do me that favor? You should see who they tried to push my way the last time?"

"It's not that, but you might be surprised. But if you don't like whoever they push on you, I agree to go with you. And more, it will be a pleasure to do so."

Rory was not sure of how to take Colin's answer. But agreed to his plan and they continued chatting away until they were to pass customs. Rory looked once again at the lineup waiting. She sighed.

"Argh… come on Gilmore, you still don't get what money can do, do you?"

He brought her with him towards one of the custom agent on the side and they were signaled to go to a desk on the side. As they were leaving the airport Rory was about to go towards the taxis to get home but Colin signaled her to come with her.

"Come on, I am not going to let you pay a cab fare all the way to your little hometown. Let me drive you. My car is already waiting for me. This way, I will know the way if I end up as your date for next week."

"Fine, but only if it is not bringing you out of your way."

"Don't worry about it… no-one is waiting for me tonight. I said I would only be home tomorrow."

"Ah, a wise man. So did I with my grandparents. They are expecting us to dinner tomorrow night."

"Oh, are they?" He asked with a smirk. "A family dinner, that is nice."

They entered Colin's BMW and Colin dropped Rory at home. They exchanged emails and cell phone number and Rory mentioned she would contact him when she returned from New York later that week.

As Rory entered her childhood home, she was happy to finally be at the only place she had ever felt like home.

She sighed and let her bags on the floor before shouting.

"Mom! Mom, are you there."

"I am upstairs hun… and who was that in the fancy car?"

"Oh, you saw."

"Of course I did…"

"Just an old friend I met while flying back." On this Lorelei made a face indicating her doubts on who it was.

"No mom, not Logan. And I will let you know that I am over him."

"Are you sure hun? I don't know, it always come back to comparing anyone to Logan."

"I know but let me reassure you… I am over Logan."

Let me know what you think of this start. In one of my older story, I was requested to try doing a Cory. Here is the first chapter. Hopefully I will be able to deliver. For my other story still pending, I do intend to come back to them in the next few weeks.