Last chapter for this week, hope you all enjoy :) reviews are tiny bits of love!
Chapter 37
"Love, please. Just a bit faster." Finn begged.
"No!" Rory said smugly.
"Lee is going to overtake us and he can't walk or crawl." Finn turned and stuck out his bottom lip at her.
"You're probably heavy after laying on your ass for the past week and a half." Colin chuckled. "I can push him if you want mother."
"Nope, this is my job. I'm playing nurse." Rory insisted.
"Yeah Ratchet." Finn chuckled.
"Hush you." Rory said.
Finn was being discharged today thankfully. Rory hadn't left the hospital for more than a couple of hours in the week and a half Finn had been in it. None of the Morgan's had left for long either and Colin had brought Lee.
"So, what do you think of our plans for the summer then love?" Finn asked.
"Well, as long as you're feeling up to it, I'd love to do it. As long as you'd be happy doing it. Technically it's work and I know you were looking forward to this summer." Rory said, the wheelchair was actually quite heavy.
"I get to travel with my hot girlfriend round the world, only a fool wouldn't be okay with that. Just make sure you pack some teeny tiny bikinis. And if I'm not feeling better in three months well then you can actually pull a nurse Ratchet." Finn chuckled.
"Travelling?" Colin asked.
"Mia didn't tell you?" Rory asked.
"Mia's been coming back to the hotel room, tagging me out with Lee and falling asleep. Not much talking going on, or much of anything else at the minute either." Colin laughed. "You're a cock-block even when you're unconscious man."
"I'm very glad to hear that Blossom." Finn chuckled.
"Laugh it up Buttercup, you're not likely to get any either for a while with nurse Ratchet here." Colin shot back.
"Say it isn't so." Finn said turning his puppy dog eyes on Rory, her heart beat faster and she could feel herself blush. But she was resolute.
"It's so. Until you're better." Rory said.
"This is worse than the fall." Finn said.
"Not funny." Colin and Rory intoned together.
"I got it, too soon." Finn sighed. "But you know what wouldn't be too soon?"
"Not having sex with you until you've recovered from your major surgery, you need a doctor's note Mister." Rory said.
"Welcome to the hand gang man." Colin laughed.
"That's disgusting." Rory frowned.
"But so true." Colin sighed. "So, tell me about your fantastic holiday plans then."
"Well, this beautiful Shelia of mine here had some problems at the hotel in Miami." Finn started.
"Yes, we all heard all three of the elder Morgan's yelling down the phone at one point or other." Colin nodded sagely.
"Yes well, angel here and to an extent myself are unknown at most Morgan Hotels. So, we're going to visit them all for a few days and report back any problems." Finn said happily.
"So your snitching? Not cool guys, not cool." Colin smirked while shaking his head.
"We got a free, round the world holiday while reporting any problems with my future livelihood. That's just smart mate. Hey, maybe you, Mia and Lee can check out some of the family friendly ones?" Finn suggested.
"That's not a bad idea Blossom." Colin said thoughtfully.
"What happened to snitching, Colin?" Rory laughed.
"A free holiday." Colin shrugged.
/\\\/\\\
"You have to go love, you can't miss this, you'll be letting down my dad, Janice and Josh." Finn said. "They'll be so disappointed, and they're already disappointed in me. They won't be able to take that much. It'd do them in, you'd be responsible for the desecration of my family and we can't have that."
"I don't think desecration means what you think it does. And they'll be fine. They'll understand if it's because I'm looking after you." Rory replied from the chair in their shared room.
"Rory... you have to go... you've been looking forward to it. You even did work on it while you were at my bedside." Finn said.
"Ouch, you pulled the Rory card, you must be serious. And I only worked on it when you were asleep once we knew you were okay." Rory said looking in the mirror, his argument was working and she'd need to make herself look more presentable if she was going.
"You go and I will look through a dictionary to find out what the word desecration means." Finn laughed.
"But, what if-" Rory started protesting.
"Colin's here, he will keep me company." Finn said.
"Well, that makes me feel so much better, he's been trying to sneak you scotch all week." Rory scoffed. Maybe she should stay.
"And so is Mia, she'll keep him in line." Finn said.
"Alright, but you promise me you won't go abseiling down the building, or scuba diving or bungee jumping." Rory said with a sigh going to the closet to choose some better clothes for her presentation. Today was it, she'd be presenting her marketing campaign to the Morgan's, all three of the ones currently working in the Hotel industry. Or two and Janice, but she still counted.
"No extreme sports. I will stay on the bed or on the couch. I will do nothing more strenuous than lifting a drink to my lips." Finn promised.
"Fine. But you better be well rested when I come back." Rory insisted.
"I'll be so well rested I'll be comatose love." Finn joked but then saw the look on her face. "Too soon again?"
"Yup."
"Sorry love. You don't have to worry. I'm okay. I'll take it easy. I've been training my whole life to be this lazy after all." Finn smirked.
"This one or this one?" Rory held up two outfits for him to choose between.
"The black, its more serious. And has that sexy librarian look going for it." Finn said pointing to a black dress with a white shirt under it and a black blazer on top. "Wear your black court shoes with it."
"Court shoes?" Rory asked impressed.
"I live with you and Mia. Somethings get through no matter how much I wish they didn't." Finn said with a smirk.
/\\\/\\\
"How did it go?" Finn asked as soon as she walked into the main room. He was laid out on the couch with the TV on, Mia and Colin nowhere to be seen, nor was Pepper, they must have taken the dog and Lee for a walk. "Were they well behaved?"
"I hope you're not talking about us Finnegan." Phineas said from behind her.
"Dad, hey." Finn smiled happily. "So?"
"They called me Miss Gilmore; it was very odd." Rory chuckled.
"Well, love, that does happen to be your name in more formal settings." Finn said. "Hey Janice."
"How are you feeling?" Janice asked coming into the living room while Rory made drinks.
"Very well rested. There has been no white-water rafting, nor sky diving. I've been a very good boy." Finn said hopefully.
"No!" Rory said from the kitchen.
"Mean." Finn pouted. "So, tell me, how did it go?"
"That's why we came back here." Janice said sitting down on the couch.
"Not to check on your injured boy? Now I'm sad." Finn chuckled.
"No, now quiet." Janice shot back with a wink.
Rory brought through drinks on a tray. Four coffees and a water for Finn, she was making sure that he stayed hydrated as the doctor had advised.
"So, as we said, that was a very good presentation and we had some time to talk during that moronic pitch by the bloke after you." Phineas said taking a coffee.
"Ouch." Finn said.
"No, seriously, it was terrible." Janice said. "He needs to drop that class, go far, far away and become a hermit."
"Plenty of time to talk during that." Phineas nodded.
"And Josh agrees but he can't be here to talk to you about it." Janice said. "We want to use your idea, or at least most parts of it."
"What? Really?" Rory asked gobsmacked.
"Yes, really." Phineas chuckled.
"You're right, our custom during school breaks and from young adults with disposable cash is low. Too low. You tackled that head on. Of course we'd retake the photos professionally." Phineas said.
"Of course." Rory said eagerly, they'd been taken on her camera by her and artistically had lacked.
"But advertising in travel magazines, gap year magazines, on social media. It was all an excellent idea. I think we'd go with a blog, rather than a magazine solely on our hotels and what's going on in the cities and when, as you suggested though, I think that the younger audience would find us easier through the Internet." Janice said pulling out a notebook and turning to a page full of notes.
"Do you have the mock-up available or was it all turned into the Professor?" Janice asked.
"It was all turned in but I have a saved copy I can email to you." Rory grinned.
"Fantastic. Now is this something you would want to do when you finished college? Writing a blog, or marketing. Either of them?" Janice asked.
"Erm, I'm not sure. I really enjoy writing and I had thought about writing a blog but I also really enjoyed that project. It was fun and challenging." Rory said honestly.
"Have a think about it and let us know. If you wanted to help, write the blog for us, that would be great. If you wanted to go into marketing, I could certainly help, find you an entry level position. Because you earned it, before you protest. There's another year to go. I strongly urge you, if you can to take more marketing-based courses." Janice said.
"Oh my god! Thank you!" Rory beamed feeling excited about her career for the first time in months. She had options.
"And if you decide you don't want to work for us, well there's plenty of places that would be a good fit and I'd be happy to arrange interviews or meetings." Phineas added.
"So, it went terribly then?" Finn asked with a huge smile.
"Now, we need to talk about money for the campaign." Janice said leafing through her notebook.
"What? No. I'm just happy it helped." Rory protested.
"Hush you." Finn laughed at her.
/\\\/\\\
"How was the trip?" Mia asked as Rory and Finn came into the flat looking all love-struck again. Making moon eyes at each other. She was hoping that they'd agree to take Lee for the night soon so she and Colin could have a date night and recapture that feeling.
"It was amazing." Rory beamed happily. "We had lobster on the beach and we sat under the stars and swam in the sea."
Finn had taken Rory to the Seychelles for their two-year anniversary which Mia had thought was very romantic. She was always amazed at how Finn, who'd never had a girlfriend before, ever, could be so romantic and had actually made the relationship with Rory last so long. On paper it shouldn't work, she was bookish and shy and didn't like to party, Finn's total opposite. But they did work, and very well if their smiles were anything to go by.
"Yeah, then we went snorkelling and had this bonfire on our decking, hit the local bar. It was pretty cool." Finn added.
"It was amazing." Rory corrected wrapping her arms around Finn's waist. Nauseating. "Now, where's my beautiful nephew? I need to give him a huge hug before I collapse in bed."
"Colin took Little Lee and Pepper for a walk so I could concentrate on this paper." Mia said with a smile. This paper for her contemporary English poets was kicking her arse but she was determined to get it done. Lee wasn't helping by giggling and trying to grab her pens and stick them in his mouth. He was such a tike and took after his dad far too much.
"No fair. I wanted baby cuddles." Rory pouted.
"You can have cuddles with me?" Mia suggested, wanting a hug suddenly off her best friend.
"Everything okay?" Finn asked seriously.
"Yeah, yes, of course." Mia said quickly.
Rory and Finn exchanged a glance before both of them climbed over the sofa and sat either side of her.
"Go ahead darling, tell us everything." Finn said as Rory gave her a hug.
"It's just been hard this week. With you guys gone. I didn't realise how much we relied on you guys. And you're going to be gone all summer and Colin's workloads going to go up when he goes to law school and Finn, you're going to be working all the time. And I don't know how I'm going to do it." Mia said unloading on them and trying not to cry.
"Oh Mi, I'll still be here and I'll help as much as I can you know that. I love Lee." Rory said hugging her that bit tighter.
"I know, I do. It's just going to be harder, that's all. I'm wondering if I should take summer school so that I can add some credits and cut down the number of classes I'll need next year and still graduate on time." Mia sighed; she really had been looking forward to the summer off but she wouldn't be able to keep up this pace with just Rory covering her class times. There would be no time to study unless Lee napped. And his naps were iffy at best.
"Why don't you talk to Colin? Rethink a nanny?" Finn asked.
"It's just a huge drain on our finances though. We've got this place rent free but then there's food, clothes, diapers, wipes and law school and my school books. It's a lot." Mia sighed. She'd wanted to talk more about a nanny, until they'd found out how much a good one cost.
"I'll chip in." Rory said easily and it was just like her.
"I really don't want you too, but thanks. It's a lot and..." Mia couldn't say anymore.
"I don't mind chipping in, you know it's not going to dent my money. It shouldn't dent yours either?" Finn frowned. "Unless you've been buying more books than you let on darling."
"I'm saving mine for when we finish college, so we can buy a house. My trust fund won't kick in till a year after we leave and I know we could stay here but this place feels like a college place, you know?" Mia said trying to explain how she felt which was hard when she struggled getting herself to understand it sometimes. Some writer she would be.
"Okay, so I'll chip in. I get my trust fund next year and I'll be working then. Plus a hot nanny walking round the apartment all day?" Finn laughed.
"I hope I'm in your will." Mia sighed.
"Why?" Finn frowned.
"Because you're about to be killed. Idiot." Mia laughed as Rory jumped over her onto Finn who she mercilessly started tickling.
"We'll take Lee tomorrow evening and night. You have a night with Colin and decide what you want to do with your portion of Finn's money after I've buried him." Rory said sitting on Finn's lap and pretending to glare at him.
/\\\/\\\
Rory walked home feeling happy, the sun was shining, Lee was giggling and Pepper's tail was wagging happily. It was just one of those days. She was taking Lee for another night tonight; she'd missed him and Mia and Colin could use the break. She hadn't told Finn yet but she was sure he'd be fine with it. Especially as Lee was sleeping through the night now.
She was only a block from the apartment when her phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID she pulled out her earphones plugged them in and then answered.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Rory answered.
"I can't get hold of Finn, is he okay?" Josh asked.
"I think so, I haven't seen him since this morning. I've been out with Lee and Pepper all day, we had a picnic at the park." Rory said.
"Ah. Alright then, no worries." Josh said.
"Anything I can help with?" Rory asked.
"I don't suppose you'd be free to babysit Sophia tonight, would you? I've asked everyone I can think of before calling Finn, but I have a work dinner that I really can't reschedule, again. And I don't want to use that sketchy service from last time. Sophia hated them." Josh said sounding stressed.
"As long as you're okay with me bringing Lee then yeah sure." Rory shrugged even though Josh couldn't see it.
"Yes, Sophia loves Little Lee. I've got the cot in the room next to hers still so if it runs late, you can put him down." Josh said.
"Yeah great, what time do you want us?"
"Four?"
"See you at four then." Rory smiled.
"You are an angel." Josh said.
"If you listen to Finn." Rory chuckled. "See you later."
Rory got back and went up to the flat to pack a bag for Lee and herself just to be safe and to find Finn.
Finn was nowhere to be seen, which wasn't that odd. He had lots of friends and a good social life.
Rory knocked at Mia and Colin's door then waited. She had no desire for her or Lee to see something potential scaring.
"Yes?" Mia answered with a smile on her face, taking Lee for a hug.
"Can I steal your son for the night?" Rory asked.
"You already were." Mia said pulling a face at Lee and getting him to giggle.
"Josh asked me to babysit Sophia too, so I need to steal him all the way to Stars Hollow. I didn't think I should drive him all that way without asking." Rory said.
"It's fine with me, Colin?" Mia asked looking over her shoulder.
"Sure, means we don't have to be quiet." Colin laughed.
"Are you ever?" Rory shuddered.
"Yes." Mia and Colin said together.
"Is Finn going with you or are you guys arguing?" Mia asked.
"I don't know, I need to ring him first." Rory said. "Wait, why would we be arguing?"
"He's down at the gym." Colin called.
"Oh." Rory said. Finn only ever used the gym when he was in a bad mood, which was hardly ever. If he was down there now something was going on. "Would you mind if I went down to him for a few minutes? Then I will come and take that gorgeous little man and get out of your hair."
"Yes, go found out why he's in a strop." Mia said kissing Lee's cheek.
"Hey, stop hogging all the kisses, bring daddy's little boy here." Colin said from the room.
Rory walked away smiling. They were such good parents and such a good couple.
Rory found Finn in the gym in the basement, just as Mia had said. He was hitting a body bag as though it had personally insulted him.
"Hey." Rory said walking up to him.
He was covered in sweat, the muscles in his arms straining, his chest bare. Rory had to swallow or she would be drooling.
"What?" Finn asked stiffly.
"Alright..."Rory frowned, he was never that short with her unless they were arguing, but she normally knew if they were arguing and why. This time not a clue. "I'm taking Lee to Stars Hollow, Sophia needs a babysitter-"
"What!? Why didn't you ask me or at least tell me before you agreed that I'd babysit!" Finn said angrily.
"I didn't. I said I'd babysit. What's wrong?" Rory asked.
"Nothing." Finn grunted.
"Something is wrong. What is it? Have I done something?" Rory asked.
"It doesn't always have to be about you! Everything doesn't revolve around Rory Gilmore!" Finn said, his voice louder and harder.
Rory bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying and instead just left. She hadn't done anything to deserve being spoken to like that. She'd just come to make sure he was okay and that he knew where she was. Next time she wouldn't bother!
/\\\/\\\
"Want to tell me why mother ran out of here crying an hour ago and you're still down here?" Colin asked his best friend. Mia and him had played rock paper scissors for who had to come discuss things with the tall, dark and annoying Aussie. Colin had lost.
"Fuck." Finn said punching the body bag he was stood near.
"I've seen girls fucked to tears, I've fucked them to tears, that was not those type of tears. Come on spill." Colin said.
"There's nothing to spill." Finn said tightly.
"Okay let me guess... she did a load of laundry but not your boxers?" Colin asked and was rewarded by silence. "She wanted to stay in again and you wanted to party? She wouldn't put out? Erm... she ate your Timtams. Because honestly, if that's it, it was me not mother."
"It's not about Rory." Finn muttered.
"Huh. It's not? So, you just took out whatever going on with you on her? Classy." Colin frowned. That wasn't like Finn, he never raised his voice, rarely got angry. If he did it was because him and mother were in a fight. Or someone had hurt someone he cared about.
"Alright, I feel shit enough without the commentary." Finn huffed.
"So? What's going on?"
"My mom emailed." Finn said after a few minutes of silence and Colin saw his hands balling into fists.
"Ah, Cruella. Got it and as a person who hasn't spoken with his father in almost a year, I can certainly understand the frustration that brings, want to talk about it man?"
"She's coming for her, every few years visit. Didn't turn up when Lee was born, didn't call, email, text, fucking smoke signal, nothing. But now she comes. And she just wants to see me and Mia, not Lee. She called him illegitimate." Finn said starting to pace.
"And this annoys you?" Colin asked keeping the anger out of his voice. He'd be angry later, right now he had to sort out Finn.
"How the hell can you ask me that!? Lee, he's perfect he's this perfect tiny little human, all he does is make people happy and she's going to wreck that. She's going to kill Mia talking like that. And I don't know how the hell to stop it! I've got to look after them and I don't know how to against my own damn mother!" Fin raged.
"Don't see her?" Colin offered.
"She'll turn up either here or at Yale." Finn said.
"Extended holiday?"
"Before finals?" Finn raised his eyebrow. "Like anyone would go for that."
"Just tell her to fuck off." Colin shrugged. It's what he'd told his father.
"Yes, because that wouldn't open up a hornet's nest full of pain." Finn said throwing his hands up in the air. "I've been trying to work something out all fucking afternoon. And nothing."
"Well, I've got nothing... but you know who's super smart?" Colin asked.
"Who?" Finn barked.
"The girl you sent away in tears. Really smart that girl." Colin said archly.
"Buttercup?" Finn asked.
"Yes Blossom?" Colin said.
"Fuck off." Finn frowned.
"Are you going to make things right with mother?" Colin asked seriously.
Finn threw a punch at the body bag again then seemed to sag.
"Yes." He mumbled after a few minutes.
"Alright. I'm off then. Got a beautiful girl waiting in bed for me." Colin said smirking as Finn groaned behind him. Served the idiot right.
/\\\/\\\
Rory had just got both kids off to bed, asleep, when she heard the front door open. Creeping down the stairs she expected to find Josh back home. Instead, she saw his asshole nephew, looking up at her all contrite.
"Rory..." He started to say.
"I've just got both kids to sleep." Rory whispered annoyed.
"And suddenly we're ten years in to the future." He joked, she just glared at him.
"OK, I see that you're not in the mood, I will not make the Back To the Future reference that was sorely needed." Finn sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I had a shitty day and I took it out on you when you didn't deserve it. You're an angel and I'm a dickhead. I really am sorry love."
"I did not deserve you talking to me like that Finn. I did nothing to deserve it. Nothing." Rory whispered feeling traitorous tears welling. She wasn't upset damn it, she was angry!
"No love, you didn't." Finn said softly. She stepped around him and headed for the kitchen. She either needed a coffee or something stronger. Seeing as she was in charge of two children she was going to have to make do with the coffee.
"Well?" Rory demanded her arms crossed as the coffee maker started.
"Well...?" Finn asked hesitantly.
"What was the cause of your mood?" She said angrily.
"Oh yes. My mother is coming for a visit." Finn said.
"I can see why that would annoy you, but that's not my fault." Rory said.
"No, it's not and I truly am sorry. You've been amazing. You come back from a wonderful holiday with me, start looking after my nephew and then you look after my cousin too. And I'm an arsehole. I'm sorry." He said sadly.
Rory sighed. She was annoyed and she didn't want him in anyway thinking he could speak to her like that. But... it was family and she had taken things out on him before when he didn't deserve it. And there was the soup incident... he really hadn't deserved that.
"Okay, so your moms coming to visit." Rory said pouring two coffees.
"Yes, and she doesn't want to meet the illegitimate child." Finn frowned.
"Illegitimate child? Is she talking about me again?" Rory asked confused, because that was a really weird way of putting it.
"No love, Lee." Finn chuckled.
"I... you may have had a point about me being self centred earlier." Rory chuckled half heartedly, angry. "Lee's not... how can she... oh... I know she's your mom and everything but if I possibly took a swing at her, kicked her in the shins... that'd be cool, right?"
"Love, you are not self-centred, you're the farthest thing from it. And no, I wouldn't have a problem with it. At all. But she has got a good lawyer, maybe not quite as good as Timothy but I wouldn't risk it." Finn chuckled wearily.
"What's Mia had to say?" Rory asked taking a seat at the Island in the middle of the kitchen.
"Mia doesn't know, she emailed me." Finn said sitting opposite her.
"What do you want to do?" Rory asked.
"To keep Mia and Lee out of it. To make sure mom doesn't say anything about Lee, ever." Finn frowned at the worktop.
Rory sat thinking. There were two things that stopped society women from saying anything. Fear of making a scene and fear of upsetting someone more powerful than themselves.
Who was more powerful than Finn's mom? Rory didn't know. But she bet Finn would. And her Grandparents, shaky though their relationship might currently be, would help her, without a doubt.
Rory got up and went into the living room -which she really needed to clear up soon before Josh got home- grabbed her notebook and pen which was covered in childish drawings, some of which were her own and sat back down with it ready.
"Can you name anyone that your mom wouldn't talk you and Mia down in front of?" Rory asked opening a new page.
"Well, the Huntzbergers and the McCreas." Finn frowned.
"Think again, they're both out." Rory said tapping her pen.
"Erm... there's the Bates, Staffordshire's Henry and Lauren, not the other ones, erm... Mia... Base? Mia... Bast?"
"Mia Bass?" Rory asked confused.
"Yes, her, she owns a few Inns and mom keeps trying to buy them to compete with dad." Finn nodded as Rory scribbled things down.
"I have just found your solution." Rory grinned.
"You have?" Finn asked.
"Mia Bass, owned the Independence Inn. She was the one who took in mom and me, she's like a third grandmother. Let me know when your mom is coming and we'll make sure Mia is here, which may get confusing but hey, our Mia can deal with being Amelia for the night." Rory grinned happily.
"Have I told you you're fantastic, amazing, sexy and that I love you?" Finn said happily.
"Not today." Rory said raising her eyebrows.
"And I'm sorry?"
"That you've said. Just next time... talk to me okay honey?" Rory asked softly. "I can help."
"So you can." Finn smiled leaning across the island and kissing her gently.