Never in a Million Years

AN Thank you so much for all the reviews!!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Beta: just hidden

Breaking All Ties

They had just finished An Affair to Remember when someone started banging on the door.

"Stephanie I know you're in there! Open the door!" Colin demanded from outside the dorm.

Stephanie's eyes bulged for a moment before a look of panic settled on her face. All of a sudden, the door burst open and in came a ragged looking Colin. While Stephanie looked scared, Paris looked angry.

"What the hell is your problem?" exclaimed Paris as Colin tried to approach Stephanie. He was stopped when Paris threw an empty pizza box at his head and stepped in front of him, blocking Stephanie from his view.

"Take a pill Blondie," Colin snapped, having eyes only for Stephanie.

In a rage, Paris stiffened her hand and thrust it, full-force, at Colin's throat. Colin collapsed instantly.

"Oh my God!" shrieked Stephanie.

"Don't worry, he'll be conscious within the hours, Paris told her nonchalantly. Rory and Stephanie could only gape at her.

"What?" Paris asked.

Once again the door burst open, and in ran Logan and Finn.

"We're looking for Colin, have you seen him?" Logan asked as Finn's eyes grew wide.

"Is he dead?" exclaimed Finn, kneeling beside him.

"Men are so dramatic," Paris muttered under her breath.

"What happened?" Logan asked as he knelt beside Finn.

Rory and Stephanie were still gaping and Logan followed their gaze to fine Paris, "You did this?"

"I don't take well to nicknames," was all Paris said.

Logan rolled his eyes and tried to pick Colin up by his arms. He looked at Finn expectantly, "A little help?"

"Right," Finn grabbed Colin's ankles and had and Logan carried him into Rory's roomed.

"Can't you take him back to your room?" Rory asked as they set Colin down on her bed.

"If you want to carry Colin across campus, be my guest," Logan said as he took a seat on the couch.

"What are we watching?" Finn asked, as he sat on the other side of the couch.

Stephanie sat between them and rolled her eyes as Rory started The Notebook.

About forty-five minutes into the movie a disheveled, confused looking Colin emerged from Rory's room.

"Oh, look at the time," Stephanie looked at her left wrist, which was unadorned. "I have to go. Bye Rory, Paris," Stephanie said before walking out.

Colin looked from the door to the guys on the couch. "What happened?"

"Dude, you were punched out by a girl," Logan bellowed. Colin feigned a laugh before following Stephanie out.

"I'm going to go make sure they don't make a scene," Logan said before getting up. "Bye Paris, Ace."

Finn noticed Rory tense up at the use of her old nickname.

"Well Paris I think you're safe from ever being called Blondie again," Rory said.

"Whatever," Paris scoffed. "I have to go to the library. Leave a note if you're going to be out late," Paris told her as she left.

Now only Rory and Finn were left in the common room.

"Well, this is sufficiently awkward," said Finn.

Rory laughed nervously and nodded, "Yeah," she agreed.

"So, Paris punched Colin out, huh?" Finn laughed to himself.

"He called her Blondie, which is pretty much the equivalent of someone calling him cheap; she took great offense."

They both said nothing for a moment before Finn broke the silence, " Do you want to get some dinner?"

"No." Rory answered instantly.

"Oh." Finn was a bit taken aback.

"I mean, I can't," she corrected herself. "I have an appointment with a realtor."

"For what?" Finn asked.

"I'm," she took a breath. "I'm selling the house in Stars Hollow."

He took a moment before speaking, "Why?"

"Well, I don't ever plan on going back there. I can't. I'm not the same person," she tried to explain.

Finn nodded.

"You can come with," she offered, "if you want, I mean."

"Okay," he agreed.

She seemed surprised by his acceptance.

"Are we leaving now?" he asked as he stood up.

"Um . . .sure."

The real estate agent had been too peppy for her liking. Her mother had been peppy, but this woman reminded Rory of those brainless cheerleaders she used to see on after school specials.

"Take a seat," the agent insisted as she led Rory and Finn into her office. "Well Miss Hayden, what can I do for you?"

"I plan on selling my house in Stars Hollow," Rory said softly

"Well, that should be no problem. Houses thee are in great demand. Real estate value has gone up 40 in the last few years," Sally, the real estate agent, said.

Rory just nodded and unknowingly grabbed Finn's hand.

"Now, are you currently residing in the house?" Sally asked.

"No," Rory whispered.

Sally wrote something down on the paper in front of her, "How long has it been since anyone's lived in the house?"

"It's been a little over two years," Rory said softly.

"Alright," Sally wrote something else done. "It might be a good idea to have someone inspect the house. Are you going to need to remove your stuff from the house?"

"No, I've already purchased a storage space," said Rory.

"You may want to send a cleaning team in to tidy up the place up. You know, to get all the dust out."

Rory just nodded.

"Are you sure about it?"

Rory and Finn were at a small café halfway between Hartford and New Haven.

Rory took a sip of her coffee before spitting it back into the cup; the coffee really sucked. "Sure about what?"

"Selling the house," Finn filled in.

"Yes," she answered instantly, a bit guarded.

Finn nodded, "Why?"

"Why what?" she retorted, a little more aggressive than she intended.

"Why do you want to sell it? I mean, it's not like you need the money," he replied, matching her tone.

"It's not about the money. It just don't ever want to go into that house again. It hurts too much," Rory whispered the last part.

"What about the house that you owned in Hartford?" Finn asked.

"It's in my name. It has been ever since. . ." Rory trailed off. "They didn't really spend much time there. My mom and I decorated it together. It helped take my mind off of . . . things," she finished.

"If you want, I can get my family's company on it," Finn offered. "We have some of the best-."

"No, that's okay," Rory assured him. "I don't want my grandparents to find out until after it's over."

"Do you think they'd be against it?" Finn asked, narrowing his eyebrows.

"I don't know. I just don't really want their input. My grandfathers are always up for acquiring as much valuable property as possible. I can just hear them telling me how much that property is worth and . . . I just don't want to be talked out of it," Rory summarized.

Finn slammed the door and walked into the common room of his dorm. Logan and Colin were on the couch and the shut off the TV as soon as Finn came in.

"So how was it?" Logan asked.

"It was fine. Did you get to talk to Stephanie, Colin?" Finn asked.

"Don't try to change the subject," Colin replied.

"Someone's touchy," Finn muttered.

"I say we continue the conversation we had before Stephanie stormed out," Logan suggested. "So, were you ever going to tell me you were in love with Rory or was I just supposed to guess?"

"For the last time, I was not in love with her," Finn retorted.

"Dude, even I know that's not true," Colin chimed in.

"Look, I liked her. It was a stupid crush that I got over. I never made a move on her and I never planned to," Finn told them. "Besides, Rory wouldn't have done anything anyway. We know that now."

Finn turned away from his friends and walked into his room.

"So where did you go?" Stephanie asked as soon as Rory walked into her dorm.

She and Paris were sitting on the couch, watching CSPAN. It was obviously Paris's choice, considering she was currently yelling into her phone.

"Don't you have a dorm of you own?" Rory retorted.

"Yes, but my roommate isn't as entertaining as yours," Stephanie replied.

"True," Rory gave in. She walked into her room and left the door open, knowing Stephanie would follow her.

"What did you two do?" Stephanie asked as she closed the door behind her.

"We saw a real estate agent and ate dinner," Rory told her as she hung up her coat.

"So progress is being made?"

"I guess," Rory said as she put away her shoes. "I mean, it's weird. Our grandparents basically picked out who we're going to be sleeping with for the rest of our lives."

"So you plan on having sex with Finn," Stephanie said with a huge smile.

Blush invaded Rory's face, "I didn't mean . . . I don't . . . you know what I meant Stephanie."

Stephanie laughed.

"It's just," Rory continued, "I can't believe after all that we're all been through, I end up marrying Finn. It's weird enough that it's arranged but we also have to deal with the whole you guys hating me thing."

"We don't hate you," Stephanie corrected her quickly.

"I know, but, for so long you did. Don't try to deny it, Steph," Rory said when Stephanie opened her mouth to interrupt her. "I saw the look on your guys' faces at that party. I know that you're sorry but it's still weird to be in the same room with all of you."

"It is our fault," Stephanie whispered.

"I'm glad we're friends now," Rory told her. "Or at least working toward being friends; so how did things go with Colin?"

"As well as can be expected, I guess. He caught me as I left your room and I made a stupid excuse to leave and did so before hearing his reply," said Stephanie.

"Do you ever regret it? Breaking up with him, I mean." Rory asked.

"I don't know. I mean, sometimes I miss him like crazy and want to kill any girl he goes out with but, then again, I changed a little after we broke up and I just think that maybe I wouldn't be me if we hadn't. You know?"

"Yeah, I know."

Sally Reynolds was just getting home when her cell phone started to ring. She didn't recognize the number, which meant only one thing: a client was calling.

"Sally Reynolds, how may I help you?" she asked cheerfully.

"Hi, I saw that you were selling a house in Stars Hollow. I would like to make an offer."

"Oh . . . um . . . that house doesn't go on sale officially until next week," Sally said.

"I'm willing to pay twice the asking price if it goes on sale now," the man on the phone said.

"Deal," Sally said automatically.

What the hell was he doing?

Finn threw his phone on to his bed and put his head in his hands. Yes, Rory had said that she no longer wanted the house in Stars Hollow, and yes, he should respect her wishes. There was just this nagging feeling in his gut that made him think that maybe she didn't want to get rid of it so soon.

Besides, if she still didn't want the house when he told her about it, he'd sell it then.

But for now, he'd just hold on to it.

I know it has been forever since I updated. Sorry, I hope you like this chapter. I started it months ago and finally realized I hadn't finished it. Once again, sorry. Please review.