I hope you enjoy this chapter. I do not own Gilmore Girls ot anything recognizable from Gilmore Girls. I so enjoy playing with them though.

Chapter 30

"Hey Rory, do you have a moment?" Luke asked standing in the doorway of Finn's room which they were sharing for the trip.

"Yeah, sure. Come in." Rory said, Finn was at the beach still, Rory would be heading back after a change of clothes and picking up some drinks.

"This house is amazing hey?" Luke said awkwardly.

"Yeah, it's amazing." Rory nodded.

"So, you're going back to the beach?" Luke said.

"Erm, yeah. Mia was getting tired so I brought her back. She didn't want Colin to miss out." Rory explained. She'd bet a sizeable portion of her money that Colin wouldn't be too long before he came back to the house to check on Mia. Colin had been a little on the protective side of Mia since he'd found out about the pregnancy and it had been so cute.

"So I erm, yeah. I wanted to ask you something?" Luke said.

"Okay." Rory sat on Finn's bed and faced Luke.

"I, I wanted to ask your permission. Oh hell, I want to ask your mom to marry me." Luke said obviously very nervous.

"What, really? Luke that's amazing!" Rory grinned jumping up to give him a hug.

"So yes, I have your permission?" Luke laughed a smile on his face.

"Yes! Of course, you do! This is great! When are you going to do it, how are you going to do it, do you have a ring yet?" Rory asked excitedly. This was perfect, her mom and Luke, married.

"I was going to wait till we're back home, in Stars Hollow, but I got the ring yesterday." Luke said shuffling his feet.

"I'm so happy for you!" Rory said again.

"Thanks. Really. So yeah, I'll let you get back to the beach." Luke said before backing out of the room.

Rory did a little dance. Luke and her mom, getting married. She hoped she got to see the proposal, she hoped Luke did it before she went back to Yale. If not, she knew her mom would call her but it wasn't the same.

/\\\/\\\

"I don't want to go home tomorrow." Rory pouted sitting in Finn's arms watching the sunset above the sea.

"Me either love. But we come back every summer." Finn said into her ear, his arms tightening around her.

"Mmm... Do you think I could come next year too?" Rory asked.

"I think you can come every year. Maybe we'll even get our own place here one day." Finn said resting his head on top of hers.

"One on the beach." Rory agreed.

"Of course love." Finn said.

"With a balcony." Rory added.

"And a bar." Finn chuckled.

Together they sat watching the sun go down until the stars started coming out.

/\\\/\\\

"You guys can Brady Bunch it up all you want, hell become sister wives for all I care. I however am not a nanny. I help with the damn dog, that is where things end." Paris growled at Rory as Rory went over timetables.

Baby McCrea was due in February so they needed to sort classes out this semester. There looked like there were two times were classes over lapped with Colin, Finn and Mia. Rory blocked out those slots on her schedule and looked back at the list of classes she wanted to take. It could work. If she took Macroeconomics instead or Microeconomics, she could also switch it up next year anyway.

"No one is asking you to Paris. We're helping out because we want to and because Mia would do it for us." Rory said frustrated.

"You know Doyle isn't going to be happy about sharing a flat with a baby." Paris said angrily.

"Doyle?" Rory looked up from her schedule.

"Yes Doyle, my boyfriend. The one who has been helping me keep your mutt alive for the past two weeks for all the thanks that has gotten us." Paris bit.

"Okay, but what does Doyle have to do with the baby?" Rory asked.

"Well, he'll be living here this year too, it's bound to affect him." Paris said crossing her arms.

"Hold on there for just one second. Doyle is moving in here?" Rory asked.

"Yes."

"Did you clear this with the others?" Rory asked already knowing the answer.

"No one cleared it with me about a baby living with us." Paris defended herself.

"Oh no, you need to clear it with everyone first Paris! And if Doyle has a problem living with Mia and Colin's baby then he can find somewhere else." Rory said angrily.

"Well where is everyone then?" Paris asked.

"I told you Mia and Colin are at an appointment for the baby and Finn's gone back to get Mia's things because she can't carry her stuff herself." Rory said rapidly running out of patience. They'd just moved back in that afternoon. Shopping week hadn't even started yet.

"I can't ask them then, can I?" Paris said throwing her hands up in the air.

"You should have asked before we started moving back." Rory countered.

"I didn't want you to say no." Paris said quietly.

"Oh Paris." Rory sighed heavily. "You need to talk to the others, but if Doyle does move in here he needs to be okay with the baby. Mia and Colin have enough going on without getting snarky comments at home."

"Okay, sure, yeah. I'll tell him that." Paris nodded eagerly.

"I'm not saying yes!" Rory said but it was too late Paris had run back to her room, Pepper watching her with mild interest but he didn't leave Rory's side. Rory ruffled the dog's head. "Come on Pepper, let's take you for your walk."

Pepper had a usual route that they took on his walks to a nice park ten minutes away from campus. There were always people about and she could let him off his lead for a run. Rory thought he seemed glad to be home.

She was too. The apartment, Yale. That was home now as much if not a little more than Stars Hollow.

Pepper and Rory did a loop of the park, Pepper stopping to sniff every bush and tree they passed. Stopping Rory bent to put Pepper's lead on when the dog went mental. He started barking, shaking, trying to pull away from Rory, his tail was wagging so fast it was basically a blur.

Rory turned to look at who Pepper was so happy to see.

"Alright love?" Finn said sauntering towards them, a smile on his face.

"Hello, you got Mia's things in then?" Rory asked kissing him quickly before he bent down to say hello to Pepper.

"Yes, all her boxes are in Colin's room ready to be put away." Finn said wrapping an arm around her as they finished Pepper's walk. "And I had a run in with Paris."

"About Doyle?"

"Yes about Napoleon." Finn nodded. "I did not sign up for living with the tiny dictator."

"So you said no?" Rory asked, wondering how that went down.

"No. I said yes. She started guilt tripping me about how everyone else got to live with people they loved and how if I said no she was going to have to move into a house the bad end of town and it'd be my fault if she got shot. She had pictures of the apartment and building too." Finn said.

"You're a good man Finn." Rory smiled up at him.

"I'm too bloody soft is what I am love." Finn shook his head.

"Have you heard from Mia or Colin yet?" Rory asked as they left the park.

"Not yet. They're probably waiting to get home to tell us anything." Finn said taking Pepper's lead and stopping by the coffee shop so Rory could get her fix.

Coming out Rory passed him a cappuccino and sipped her Mocha Latte with syrup and whipped cream.

"What the hell is that?" Finn eyed her coffee.

"Tasty, delicious and disgusting all in one go." Rory said happily. "So I think I sorted my schedule if I can get onto Macroeconomics. So I'll be free the times you three have classes."

"You do know your amazing right love?" Finn said.

"I know. You tell me a lot." Rory laughed happily.

They were almost home when Pepper stopped in the street growling at something.

"Pepper?" Rory asked. The dog never growled, had never shown any signs of aggression.

Pepper sniffed stopped growling and carried on walking.

"That was odd." Rory frowned looking around the street for a cat or anything that could have spooked the dog.

"Maybe he's got a multiple personalities? Just like his momma." Finn chuckled.

"Hey!" Rory bumped Finn with her shoulder.

Pepper carried on walking but kept glancing back, teeth bared, ready to protect his people.

/\\\/\\\

"So? How did it go?" Rory asked Mia and Colin the second they walked through the door. Mia was visibly showing now and things seemed more awkward for her, like sitting down and standing up.

"Where's Finn?" Mia asked.

"He's unpacking. FINN!" Rory shouted.

Finn came rushing out into the main room.

"What's wrong!?" He asked looking round wildly.

"Nothing. Mia and Colin are going to tell us how the appointment went." Rory smiled at him.

"I thought something was wrong!" Finn frowned at her but jumped over the back of the couch to sit with her. "So, go on then. Tell us!"

"Well... we're having a boy!" Mia said excitedly.

"That's awesome Mi!" Rory squealed jumping up to give her friend a hug.

"Congratulations Buttercup!" Finn said jumping back over the couch to give Colin a man hug.

"Thanks." Colin smiled back.

"Are you going to name him Finn?" Finn said hugging Mia.

"Yes." Mia nodded.

"What really?" Finn asked.

"No. Not really." Mia laughed.

"We're naming him Blossom." Colin said seriously.

"Have you got any names?" Rory asked.

"Not yet. We're brainstorming." Mia shrugged and sighed as she kicked off her shoes.

"Go sit down with Rory Little Red, I'll unpack you." Colin said gently.

"I think I'm going to have a nap actually. I'm tired." Mia said giving Colin a look that did not convey tiredness.

"Oh, yeah, let's get you laid down then babe." Colin smirked taking Mia's hand.

"They're going to... aren't they?" Finn asked Rory with a look of distaste.

"Oh yeah." Rory nodded chuckling.

"I really don't want to hear that." Finn said heading back towards their room.

"I know a way we can drown it out." Rory said raising her eyebrows.

"I like your thinking kitten." Finn grinned grabbing her hand and towing her to what had been the girl's corridor.

/\\\/\\\

Finn woke to the sound of Rory's phone ringing, the angel in question however was not still cuddled up next to him as he would have liked.

"Hello." Finn said sleepily into the phone.

"Finn?" Luke asked and Finn woke up, probably shouldn't have answered the phone.

"Hey Luke." Finn said sitting up. The room was pretty cramped now with a chest of drawers in there for him and all of his crap. Maybe they could make the guest room into a dressing room? The girls would certainly go for it.

"Is Rory there?" Luke asked.

"I don't rightly know." Finn admitted. "Give me a sec and I'll go find out. Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I just wanted to know if she was free tonight?" Luke said.

"She hasn't told me if she has plans but I'll go find her and you can ask." Finn pulled on sweats. He always felt a little awkward round Luke, as much as he liked the surly man.

"Love?" Finn called opening the door to their room.

She didn't seem to be in the bathroom, he made his way to the main room, no sign and Pepper wasn't there. Looked like she'd taken Pepper for his morning walk. Finn frowned. He didn't like that she'd gone on her own without a phone.

"Hey, Luke? She's taken Pepper for a walk. I'm going to go catch her up, but I'll get her to call you." Finn said heading back to their room to get dressed.

"She's on her own without a phone?" Luke asked worriedly.

"Yes, which is why I'm going to catch her up." Finn said putting the phone down and pulling a shirt on.

"Alright. Call me when you find her." Luke said.

"Will do." Finn promised before ending the call. He grabbed a jacket and ran for the hall, there was no reason to be so worried. She had Pepper with her, no-one had seen hide no hair of Marty for months. But still Finn worried.

Finn walked the normal route Rory took as quickly as he could, cursing the fact she had a normal route. Anyone with half a mind to could find her easily.

"Come on angel, where are you?" Finn asked out loud looking round the park. He couldn't explain his anxiety, even to himself but he had a feeling in his gut that just wouldn't go away.

Finn spotted Pepper first he was off the lead but wasn't running around as normal. Instead, he was walking by Rory's side, his ears pricked up and his teeth bared. Rory was trying to throw Pepper's ball and get him to run but the dog refused to leave her side. Finn started into a jog. If Pepper thought something was wrong too, then something was wrong.

Finn looked around but couldn't see anyone who raised any worries. There was nothing at all to put Pepper's hackles up or his own. Still, something wasn't right. He knew it.

"Finn?" Rory asked finally spotting him.

"Hey love." Finn said his breath coming harder than normal.

"Hey, what are you doing up? It's not lunchtime yet?" Rory asked with a smile. He loved the way her eyes would light up when she saw him.

"Luke rang and you'd left your phone at home." Finn explained passing her the cell.

"Oh, sorry." Rory said trying to get Pepper to run again. Pepper wouldn't though, he hadn't even come to greet Finn. "What's wrong Pepper? Hey? I think somethings wrong with Pepper, maybe we should take him to the vets?"

"Come on love, let's get him home. You need to call Luke back too." Finn said taking Pepper's lead and attaching it.

"You think we should take him to the vets?" Rory asked.

"No. I think we should go home." Finn said taking her hand, his eyes scanning the park.

"Are you okay? Are you annoyed my phone woke you, because I'm sorry?" Rory said nibbling her lip.

"No kitten, I'm not annoyed. I just... look Pepper is acting funny for a reason. And I don't know... I feel weird. Like something could happen." Finn said honestly.

"Like a sixth sense?" Rory asked.

"Without the ghosts yeah." Finn chuckled.

"Alright. We'll go home I guess." Rory said.

"I think, that maybe, we should go back to you not leaving alone anymore kitten." Finn said seriously as they left the park.

"What? No! We haven't heard anything of Marty in months. He's probably back wherever home is. I don't need a babysitter anymore." Rory protested.

"Just... please... for me?" Finn asked her with wide eyes. It had worked once before.

"We can't anymore. We all have different classes so we can take care of the baby when he comes." Rory reasoned, unfortunately quite reasonably. "Come on let's get coffee and we can argue at home."

"We're arguing?" Finn asked, they didn't argue very often, and when they did it didn't last long. But he usually knew when they were arguing. Their voices were louder for one.

"Not yet but we're not going to agree on this." Rory pointed out.

"You go get the coffee; I'll wait with Pepper." Finn said passing her ten bucks.

"I've got this." She smiled at him and passed it back.

"You, my lovely Sheila, are difficult. Fine but then I'm taking you out tonight." Finn said. "Oh crap, actually forget that and call Luke back."

"Okay?" Rory asked.

"He wants to know if you're free tonight." Finn explained.

"Ohhh! He might be doing it tonight!!" Rory did a little dance and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Well call him back and find out." Finn said.

He watched Rory head into the coffee shop and place their order before dialling the phone. Certain she was okay Finn looked around again. Pepper still by his side.

"Somethings off right Pepper?" Finn asked the dog who wined in agreement.

Still Finn could see nothing off. Nothing out of order.

"He's doing it tonight! And I get to be there!" Rory came out carrying the coffees. Hers that weird new Mocha Chocolate Syrupy thing she'd started drinking that honestly looked disgusting. But it made her happy.

"That's great love." Finn said wrapping an arm around her.

"Do you want to come?" Rory asked.

"Ah love, I don't want to intrude." Finn said.

"No, it's this whole town thing. Apparently, he arranged for a flash mob, and twinkly lights and champagne. And very fortunately he didn't ask me to participate in the flash mob." Rory said excitedly. She didn't notice that Pepper was baring his teeth again. Finn did though, he caught a flash of red out the corner of his eye but when he looked it was gone. He really didn't like this.

"Yeah, sure love. I'll come." Finn said hurrying Rory back to the apartment.

/\\\/\\\

That night they drove back to Stars Hollow in Rory's car, Rory was so excited that she had Finn drive. She couldn't sit still. This had been the dream for the past three years now. Luke and Lorelai. Mr and Mrs Danes. Her mom and her new stepdad.

"I'm so excited!" She squealed to Finn.

"I know love." He chuckled. "You've only told me fifty times."

"Sorry. But I am!" Rory laughed.

"So Doyle's moved in?" Finn tried changing the subject.

"Yeah." Rory nodded. "Is it just me or does our huge, penthouse apartment, suddenly seem smaller?"

"It's not just you kitten. We need a bigger bedroom." Finn said his eyes not leaving the road as they neared Stars Hollow.

"I can put some of my books in the study?" Rory offered; she knew her personal books which she kept in her room took up a lot of space.

"That might be wise. One of them almost brained me when I got up to use the toilet in the middle of the night." Finn said.

"What song do you think Luke picked for the proposal?" Rory asked.

Finn groaned. "Love, I know less than you do. I'm sure he picked something either disgustingly romantic or unique like your mother."

"Maybe they can have a double wedding with your dad and Janice? That would be cool." Rory said, she knew it was starting to annoy Finn but she was just so happy.

"Not likely love, my dad and Janice will have to have all the society people there my dad hates, why do you think he put it off for so long? And your mom and Luke wouldn't want that." Finn said reasonably, slowing down as they came to the turning to Stars Hollow.

"Why don't they just elope?" Rory asked.

"Because Janice wants a big wedding and dad doesn't want to take that away from her. It's her first time getting married and he's whipped." Finn said.

"You're one to talk." Rory muttered with a smile.

"Is that so?" Finn asked with a smirk.

"It's a fact." Rory laughed.

"Are you?" Finn asked.

"What whipped?" Rory replied.

"Yes."

"Is it the same for women? I guess. I mean you don't ask me for things often but if you do I do my best to make it happen because I like seeing you happy. So yes, I guess I am." Rory said.

"Where are we going?"

"Luke's." Rory told him.

"I am whipped too you know." Finn said as they pulled up to the diner.

"Oh, I know." Rory laughed.

They climbed out of the car and went into Luke's, where the diner's name sake was pacing behind the counter.

"Oh your here. Great. Okay. I'll call your mom and tell her your here to see her and... Yeah. Okay." Luke said gesturing to the only free seats in the diner at the counter. The place was busier than Rory had ever seen it. People were stood by waiting for tables.

"Do you need some help Luke; this place is packed?" Rory asked.

"What? Oh, uh, no. They're all here for... the thing." Luke said distractedly picking the phone up and putting it back down a couple of times before he finally dialled.

"Wow, he's really nervous." Rory whispered to Finn.

"He's about to propose, I'm guessing most blokes would be love." Finn whispered back.

"Would you be?" Rory asked curiously. Finn was never nervous about anything. Well, except when they'd thought she might be pregnant.

"If I was proposing to your mom? Very scared love. First off Luke would come after me, then you." Finn said and she swatted his arm. "I don't know. Probably."

"I'd say yes." Rory said watching Luke.

"You would?"

"Is there any doubt?" Rory asked turning back to face him.

"You mean if I did it right now, you'd say yes?" Finn asked.

"I'd be shocked and I'd rather you waited till after college but if you were okay with a very long engagement, then yes. I'd say yes." Rory shrugged, though she felt a little dry in the mouth, and her heart was pounding a little harder than normal. Okay a lot harder than normal.

"I'm not planning on doing it anytime soon kitten, but that is good to know." Finn said taking her hand.

"Here, have some coffee." Luke said putting two mugs in front of them. "She'll know somethings off if you're not drinking coffee."

"Thanks." Rory beamed at the man who would soon be her step dad. She took a sip of the coffee. "This doesn't taste right."

"Probably because it's not got cream and chocolate and syrup in it." Finn said with a smile, he took a sip of his own. "Tastes fine to me. God Luke makes spectacular coffee."

"He certainly does." Rory agreed.

Lorelai came into the diner not long after.

"Hey hon! Wow, it's busy here! What brings you home, is everything okay? Did you just miss mommy? I missed you too loin fruit. Where's Luke, I need coffee. It's been hectic today and can I just say Michele needs to take the stick out of his butt before I take it out for him and beat it with him. Honestly." Her mom said with barely a breath.

As soon as her mom had finished speaking the lights in Luke's went off. Rory grabbed Finn's hand and held it tightly.

"Is there a power cut?" Lorelai asked.

Suddenly the room was light up by thousands of fairy lights.

Music started playing a group of people moved to show Hep Alien set up. Rory thought it was impressive that even she hadn't noticed.

They started playing Jim Horns 'I Got my Mind Set on You' Hep Alien style of course.

Table by table people started getting up and dancing. Rory held Finn's hand that much tighter as her mom stood in shock.

"You're not... Aus... are you?" Lorelai asked glaring at them briefly.

"No, no cows." Finn grinned.

Eventually Luke joined and surprisingly danced really well.

"Oh my god!" Lorelai gasped, finally working it out, her hand flew to her mouth but her smile could be seen anyway.

"Lorelai, I love you. I'm all in. Will you marry me?" Luke asked kneeling in front of her.

"Yes!" Lorelai practically shouted.

Rory stood and cheered louder than anyone as the couple stood and kissed.

"This is why you were here?" Her mom asked her a little while later, a broad smile on her face.

"Yes!" Rory said hugging her mom. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks babe. I'm thinking magenta for your maid of honour dress. With bright purple spots and lots of ruffles." Lorelai joked before turning to Finn. "Sorry for thinking you were the one doing the proposing Aus."

"I'll forgive you mommy dearest. Of course, it'll take many nights of therapy, but I'll get over it." Finn laughed before giving Lorelai a hug. "Congratulations."