Finn turns to head back to the car when he hears "Finn?" Turning to see Colin and Steph "Wow what are you guys doing here."
"Logan told us we should come to visit and see what you are up to. Does he know?" Colin asked more than a little confused. "The was Gilmore, right? I thought you were over her."
"So did I until I saw her again. Are you guys headed to my hotel? Let's go. So how is it going?" Finn rambled.
"So you and Gilmore? How's that going? How did that happen?" Colin asked getting in the car.
"Well she came into town for the campaign and stayed a few days so we could spend time together, we talked nonstop I've seen a completely different side of her that I'd never seen at Yale, she's becoming an amazing woman she's learning things about herself she would have never learned if she had married him. It's great getting to know her I've loved every minute. And I'm seeing her again. Any time she wants to see me. I have to take care of a couple of things, come on up after you get settled in your room."
Upstairs Finn closed the door behind him leaned against the door and closed his eyes. There was a faint hint of her perfume still in the air. Smelling her lingering sent, he smiled and looked around for the surprise she left him. There were little traces of her everywhere. He went to the bedroom and there on the bed was a box. Opening the box he noticed a card on top. Sitting on the bed he read the note
Handsome,
You said you would like copies so here's a picture for every day. I'll see you soon.
All my thoughts, Rory
P.S. I left you the game, you need the practice.
Slowly he removed the paper, and with a big grin spreading across his face she had framed the picture of them dancing the one he liked best. Then he saw another frame under the first one it was the one Joey took with her laying across his chest leg thrown across his waist. The sheet barely covers them. And finally the last was of him giving her the piggyback they are both smiling. Under the pictures was a game book for a Rock band. Putting the picture of them asleep on the nightstand. He grabbed the box and put the book next to the PS3 and put one picture in the living room and carried the other to the office and put it on his desk. Taking a few minutes to check his email before he got interrupted he noticed the folder on his desktop where he had put his copy of all the pictures and videos, opening it he moved the ones of them asleep and the piggyback ride then copied the folder and emailed it to his mother. That done he headed to the fridge for a beer and headed back to the living area, might as well start practicing.
That's where they found him so wrapped up in Rory's game he didn't hear the knock before they opened the door. He was in practice mode and had just restarted Revolution for the fourth time. He found it immensely amusing that Rory play's in the hardest mode and he can barely make it in practice. Finn jumps when he hears Colin and Steph start laughing. Laughing he stops the game and puts the guitar down. "I suck at this game and need to practice."
"Is it fun? I always thought it looked like it might be. Did you have it the last time we were here? " Steph asked
"No it's Rory's she left it for me to practice so maybe she won't beat me as easily next time. It is a lot of fun."
"So this isn't just a fling? You guys are dating?" Colin asks as he takes the beer Finn offers him.
"Yep. I told Logan a couple of days ago. I guess he thought you'd talk me out of it."
"I know you had a thing for her at Yale, but this isn't just some girl. I think Logan was planning on keeping her. At least until Bobbi found out he was still sometimes sleeping with her. If she hadn't gotten pregnant Logan would still be trying to get her to marry him."
"Shit, Colin it was over as soon as she found out he was with Bobbi still, she won't be the other woman. He has to realize that. She's not a slut or a home wrecker. When she found out he was still sleeping around it was over, she might have had a couple of times where she ended up back in bed with him. She hated herself for it the next day. He knew that and he knew it was hurting her and he still would show up in random cities. When you're trying to move on it's hard letting go."
"He still loves her, Finn."
"No, he doesn't! He loves the idea of her. He loves that she is a challenge and that she's telling him no.
He doesn't know her. He doesn't know what she would do if she couldn't write. He doesn't understand her. He doesn't get why she loves Stars Hollow he just thinks it's a town of loons. But they are her loons they raised her, loved her, and made her who she is. He doesn't get that. He thinks she's someone who looks good on his arm and can fit into his world for the most part minus her eccentricities. Those are what makes her amazing and he doesn't see that. He doesn't see her. He doesn't see how she lights up when she knows she is truly being seen or understood. He doesn't love her he wants to possess her, like a trinket you put on the shelf it looks pretty but has no purpose. That's not her, she'd slowly die like that."
"He won't let this go easily. You have to know that. He'll see it as a betrayal of your friendship. He might try to break you up. Get her fired. Who knows. If he wants he can shut her career down with one call to his father."
"That's rich." Finn yells, "Her career is already dead. You know why none of us could find any of her work. She's writing under a different name. Mitchum already blacklisted her. She's under a two-year freelance contract with the Gazette. And if her luck holds the Dark Lord won't figure out it's her and she may be able to use the popularity she has gained as Leigh Hayden and get another job. But as soon as he figures out who Leigh Hayden is her career is dead. And he's smart about it. The Hayden lawyers have been trying to find a legal foothold to find him liable for almost a year. It's the first time in history a Yale Daily News editor couldn't get employment after graduation. Her boss hired her to spite Huntzberger."
"And as far as Logan and I, in the name of our friendship, I stepped back for three years I watched him hurt her time and time again and did nothing. I damn near became an alcoholic trying to numb how I felt about her. Do you know how it feels to stand there and have the woman you love to look you in the eyes and cry asking you what she did wrong and why she wasn't enough for him? Why she wasn't sexy enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, talented enough? She asked me all those things. And I knew that she didn't do anything and that she was perfect but I couldn't ever tell her that because it was my best friend making her cry. Wishing you had the chance to show her how amazing, special, and beautifully sexy she is. Well, I have the chance now to love her the way she deserves, and won't give it up. It's Logan's turn to be the friend."
"I can't believe this is the end of our group. Well, I won't choose! I'm Switzerland." Steph exclaimed.
"Now there's the rub Love," Finn said looking at Steph. "We chose Huntz a long time ago, she was our friend too. And we knew what he was going on but we never told her, warned her. We all could have saved her so much pain and none of us said a word. She never once blamed us for not saying anything and she would never ask us to choose. I won't ask that either but be ready because Logan might."
"He's right Steph. Logan may force a choice. And let's be honest I won't choose between Finn and Logan. But I'm not choosing Rory over Logan. You and I would land on a different side. Because you will choose Rory. This is going to get ugly."
"Well I want Rory to be happy and Finn can do that. Logan made his own choices!" Steph yelled crossing her arms over her chest and staring at Colin. "And we talk every week. And we email. She's the one who talks me down every month we DON'T get pregnant! Who cares about Logan he's not as important to me as she is, and she's the one who has been wronged."
"Love you are trying to be a mommy! It's brilliant you will be the best!" Finn exclaimed forgetting all about Logan. He grabs Steph and spins her around.
"It hasn't happened, Finn, it may never happen." She whispers and leaves the room.
"Man, go get her and make sure she knows you can live without a kid but you can't live without her." Finn pushes Colin out the door Steph just exited.
"Woaw, Steph wait! We have got to talk about this come back inside and Finn will give us some privacy but we need to talk about why you're so upset." Colin slowly leads Steph back inside, for her to just start giggling at the sight they find. Finn with headphones on bobbing his head in time with music trying to play Rory's game. He was so not good.
Pulling one of the headphones off Finn's ear Colin says "We're gonna use your guest room to talk."
"My place is your place man." Finn returns to the game hoping he can get somewhat better before seeing Rory again. Closing the door Colin turns to where Steph is sitting on the bed and squats down in front of her getting comfortable on the floor. "Babe, I want to say a couple of things and I'd like you to listen before you respond, okay?" Colin asks tenderly. Steph quietly nods waiting for him to finally say he's ready to divorce.
"I know you're upset that we didn't get pregnant as soon as we started trying. And I don't know why that is but I really need to understand something and so do you. I knew eventually I would have a kid, that's what is expected of me but I never really felt a need to have them. Or much of a desire to, at least not until I met you. I know my parents have pushed the kid thing as well as yours. If you wanted to start trying now because of them well screw them, we aren't ready. But I want you happy when you said you wanted a baby I suddenly wanted to be able to make you a mother. We don't have to do this now UNLESS it's what you want. But I need you to know I can live without having children if there is a problem, I cannot however live without you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes. You don't care if we have kids," she said somberly.
"I only want kids with YOU. You seem to be very worried that there is something wrong with you and that's why it hasn't happened yet. Have you ever thought I might be the problem? I wasn't always careful before you and I were together, and to my knowledge non of my exes ever got pregnant. I also read that stress will cause it to be hard to get pregnant. So let's take a step back..."
"WHAT!" Steph yelled. "A step back!"
"Hold on let me finish. I say we just relax a little bit and make an appointment with a doctor and both get checked out. Eliminate the possibility of an actual physical problem. Stop with all the taking temps and scheduling sex, and go back to spontaneous sex. We won't use any protection and maybe nature will take over and give us what we want. I miss my happy wife and I want her back. You're always on the verge of tears and I hate seeing you so upset. You haven't been shopping in months. I haven't had to yell about a shopping spree in forever, I must fight, and make-up. Could we try this?"
"I miss you too. Let's see a doctor. Oh does this mean I can go see Rory and get all the juicy details?"
Steph said getting all giddy.
"Sure just as long as you're happy again," Colin added before Steph stopped him with a kiss. Suddenly spontaneous was sounding good to her. Finn won't mind. She thought as she reached over and locked the door giving Colin the first real smile he had seen in months. He had started to forget how dazzling that smile was.
Rory was pulling her bag off the carousel when she heard her name, turning she saw Joey holding a sign saying, Mrs. Lucky! "I want to know everything. Every single detail and don't leave a single kiss out!" Joey said as she hugged Rory. "This coming from the girl who can talk about everything sex until it pertains to her and any of her men," Rory responded pointedly. "Okay that's true but this has nothing to do with Pacey. But if you are nice to me and give me all the dirt on Finn and I'll tell you about this guy Christopher I met. Dave is in the car. And I want to know everything. I almost didn't expect you to come back." Joey says jokingly.
"I almost didn't." Rory replied "Wow, then we need alcohol for this story and I want every detail. Cause girl you two looked mighty cozy when I came to get my stuff." Joey said with a smirk as she got in the car. "Now that you bring that up. Thanks for taking our picture my mom loved them!" Rory said sarcastically.
Only to be rewarded with a burst of laughter from both Joey and Dave. Pulling her phone out she made the first of two calls. "Mom just wanted to let you know I'm back on solid ground. Sorry I missed you. Tell Luke hi for me." one down, one to go.
Now comes the hard one. Rory didn't doubt for one second the weekend when she was with Finn but as soon as the plane was in the air she started analyzing and doubting everything. She had never done anything like this she hadn't thought this thru there were no pro/con lists. Should she have left those pictures? Was she overstepping some invisible line? This was Logan's best friend. All those times Logan showed up in some city they always ended up having sex, but it was never like this with him she could always in some way justify the slips but she always felt used afterward. It was easy to figure out how you felt about feeling used.
"Ror, you've been very quiet? What is going on up there?" Joey asked turning around to face her. Surprised to see Rory crying. "Rory, what's wrong? Dave finds us a bar."
With shots in front of them and Rory half-finished with her second Long Island she finally opened her mouth. "I used to go to Finn. When I was with Logan and I found out he had cheated. Or when he didn't come home at night. When he disappeared and we weren't talking he slept with almost all his sister's friends. He let me walk into a room full of women he had slept with and didn't warn me. Finn was the one I talked to. The first night I bought a sexy nightgown Logan didn't even acknowledge what I was wearing he came in drunk, smelling like perfume, and didn't even notice me. I was so upset I didn't even get dressed I put on my coat and went to Finn. He had some girl there that he kicked out when I showed up. He just let me cry, I don't even remember all we said. I remember asking him what was wrong with me. Why I wasn't enough. I remember him being so sad, he said I wasn't the problem something was wrong with Logan. And he just held me, no hitting on me, just held me. I fell asleep listening to his heart and him softly telling me about how he wanted to teach me to surf. He thought I might be good at it. He moved me to his bed when I fell asleep. I think I woke up when he put me in bed or maybe before I'm not sure but he was watching me sleep. I didn't even realize I asked him to stay with me til I fell back asleep. He crawled in bed with me and held me, his heart was beating so fast. It sounded so strong I listened to it for a long time. It must have been so hard for him to have me come to him like that half naked, crying. And he was just there for me. He never let me know if it hurt him. I had to have hurt him though. If he loved me then. It must have been so hard for him. I was very selfish. Even then it felt so nice to have Finn hold me. I even pretended that I was with him, not Logan. Just that night, I didn't do that often but every once in a while. I always thought it was because he was so kind to me. At times I felt like an afterthought to Logan. I think if his family had liked me he wouldn't have been as interested in me. It was selfish of Finn. Going to him like that."
"Not if you didn't know," Joey said shaking her head. "If you knew how he felt and still went to him then it would have been selfish. Maybe he just wanted to be there for you however you needed. You should talk to him about this. Rory, you just said you pretended you were with him, not Logan, did you like him back then?"
"Not all the time, it was like there were glimpses or moments. I would look over and he'd be laughing and I'd just get hit with how wonderful he was. There were times I wanted him. I watched him with women and he was more attentive to his one-night stands than Logan was to me sometimes. I have never slept with someone on the first night. Before Finn, I'd only been with Dean and Logan. I get drunk and just go sleep with him. I didn't consider what Logan would do, will he forgive Finn? I know I care about Finn for some reason he was always my favorite. I missed him just as much as Logan when he graduated. I've never tried to figure out why that was. It wasn't like I was jealous of the girls he was with. What if this is just me being lonely? I don't think it is but what if I'm wrong? He has loved me for a long time I don't want to hurt him. The whole time we were together I purposely didn't think about what this meant I was just enjoying being with Finn and planning to enjoy it as long as he wanted me. No one has ever looked at me the way he does, Logan used to look at me like I was his favorite person to banter with but Finn looks at me like I'm this gift he never thought he would have. The first time we were together he took his time like he was unwrapping a package and he wanted to savor every minute. I've never had that. With Logan things were always fast and to the point not that it wasn't good cause it was. It just wasn't like I was the most important thing to him. Finn is sensitive and erotic. He makes every nerve come alive."
"Rory don't psych yourself out. If we need to we can make a list but how exactly do you feel about Finn? Besides the whole desire part cause that we saw." Dave asked grabbing the paper and pen Joey just pulled from her bag.
"I like Finn, I find him irresistible. I love spending time with him, he makes me laugh. I can be myself with him. I like being with him. A lot. It's easy. I feel carefree with him. I like who I am with him. It is scary that things went so wrong with Logan and we intensely hurt each other. I don't want that with Finn. I think I've already hurt him and I don't want to ever hurt him again."
"Can you see yourself really dating him or just screwing him?" Dave asked.
"No, it's not like that, the sex is incredible, really incredible, but I don't want it to just be that. I'm not a no-strings girl never have been." Rory answered tucking her hair behind her ear.
"You have been with Logan," Joey commented slamming down another shot.
Rory took a minute to process that then said "Maybe just this last year but I don't like his strings."
"Okay, well then can you see a future with him, Ror? Do you see yourself with him in your life for a long time I mean is it a possibility? You eventually want a family. Can see him with a family?" Joey asked trying not to laugh while Rory squinted and tilted her head looking sideways at her empty glass.
"I'm out of tea, sad." pouting Rory waved for another drink. "I can see it, yeah and honestly I think I like the idea of seeing where this will go. Besides he makes my toes curl. And there's this thing he does well I'm just not ready to give that up yet." Rory said with a wink.
"Wait does that make me a slut?" Rory asked suddenly very seriously.
Joey and Dave both started howling at the look on her face. She was going to hate the morning.
Chapter 8 Drunk Dialing
" I was supposed to call earlier but Joey started asking all kinds of questions as soon as she picked me up, then there were drinks. We made lists and had shots and now the room is spinning." Rory rushed from her spot on the bathroom floor.
"Love, you sound completely trashed! You were making the famous Rory Gilmore lists while drinking. I'd love to see the result of that." Finn laughed as he pulled a blanket up over Steph. Since she passed out on the couch Colin could figure out getting her to their room.
"Can I talk to you about something?" she asked nervously running her fingers across the rug.
"Always, Kitten. What's wrong?" Finn asked pouring himself a drink. Is she already deciding she doesn't want this? She doesn't want me to come this weekend. I didn't think she would regret this weekend. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I shouldn't have come to you. All those times I felt there was something there but I was too selfish to think about what it was. I was just thinking about Logan and how miserable I was and I wasn't thinking about you." she rushes
"Woah, you were thinking about Huntz, while we... what the hell!" Finn choked spitting out his beer. With every touch, I tried to show her how amazing she is and she was imagining she was with him. I was just a stand-in. What an idiot of course I would never have her. She would always be thinking of him. I'm imagining a chance at forever and she's wishing she could take it back. I ruined a twenty-year friendship for nothing. How did I not see this coming? It was MY name! It was my name she screamed not Huntz. I don't understand.
Rory groaned loudly, it did strange things to him. "The time Logan came home drunk and I had bought that red nighty. I was so hurt and I felt invisible. I wasn't thinking, you were so sad and I never thought maybe I was why. All I was thinking about was how you genuinely saw me. So I just got in the car and came to you practically naked. I didn't realize I was being hurtful to you. I was just thinking how nice it felt there with you on the couch and that I loved having you too. And how good you felt, and you smelled so good. Logan didn't want me and suddenly you smelt so good. Why did you smell so good? I didn't want to be in your bed without you. You loved me which by the way I didn't know and I was there dragging you into bed with me and asking you to hold me. If you felt then the way I feel now that must have been torture. I'm so sorry." by the time she finished she was crying softly.
"Let me make sure I'm following you, love. You are talking about back at school. That's what you are upset about? You were thinking about Logan at Yale. Not this weekend?" he asked feeling relief spread thru him. "Wait what?" Rory asked increasingly confused.
"Just trying to follow your slightly tipsy apology, Kitten. I have to admit you are not as clear as you normally are. So, you do not regret this weekend and you weren't thinking about bloody Huntz while we were making love?"
"Oh, Finn... no I don't regret being with you. And I wasn't thinking about anyone else I was having a very hard time thinking at all. No pro/con list in my head. No second guessing. I wasn't even thinking about being safe. I can't remember if we were. Oh My God! Were we safe? I just wanted to be as close to you as I could be. I didn't want to stop feeling the way you were making me feel. I think I might have been able to feel every nerve in my body. I know that's not normal. Multiple orgasms are not normal, and feeling in sync is not normal. Trust me I couldn't think about anything but you." Rory rushed so fast that Finn almost wondered if she said what he thought she had.
Chuckling "There are some many things there I don't know which to tackle first. Most importantly we weren't as careful as we should have been not the first time, every other time that night but not the first time. So we can freak out about that later, please. I think we've been friends and very close so long the sync thing just is there, and the multiples... what the hell was Huntz doing teaching you to play cards? Wait! Don't answer that I don't want to know but the multiples are not always things but they are more common than you think. Can I ask you a very personal question?"
"Why wouldn't you if we can talk orgasms I don't think there is an off-limits topic," she answered sarcastically trying to sit up.
"Do you have any experience other than Logan cause he was always pretty careless about you?" he asked not sure he wanted the answer but Rory's response to the sexual aspect of their short relationship was leaving him thinking she was a lot more innocent than he would have thought given her long time relationship with his friend. He had certainly noticed she was more self-aware and assured than she had been in college, that was obvious by the way she now dressed and carried herself. She now realized the power she could have over men, she could verbally spare with the best of them, then flip her hair and leave them speechless.
"Dean and I were together a handful of times before he dumped me in my grandparent's driveway that night. But it was always stolen moments here and there never anything more. Even though he separated from his wife we still acted like I was the other woman we were never really comfortable out in public and he never wanted to rub Lindsey's nose in it."
"Truck guy was married? No one ever told me about that."
"I wasn't exactly proud of it Finn," she said quietly. "And Logan he seemed to see me with this sort of halo, sometimes I don't think he honestly ever saw me. In the end, I don't think he wanted to experience much with me I was an accessory that helped him piss off his family. But if he was drunk he'd forget he thought I was made of glass. That was always nice."
Clearing his throat "Well that's all I want to know about that." he answered.
"Will you still come Friday?" Rory asked scared that she had changed his mind.
"Of course Love, if you still want me to, I still want to see you. You haven't scared me off I already knew you were slightly batty." He said with a grin.
"I'm glad. I have a secret," she said giggling
"And what would that be kitten?" he asked looking at the picture of them in bed.
"I wish you were here, that bed is too big without you. Is that crazy? I mean it's too soon to miss you. We've been together less than a week."
"It might be too soon but I feel it too so as long as we are both feeling it I say we just go with it. Rory, you left your presence all over this suite. I have memories of you everywhere. Sitting on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom getting ready, playing that game in the living room with Frank. All the places we made love. I waited a very long time to have you here with me, and now that you are gone, I miss you so much. "
"Then dream of me and I'll dream of you." She said yawning.
"Get some sleep Love. And don't forget to drink water and take aspirin before you sleep." He said before hanging up. Although Rory heard him she laid back on the floor and slept.
"Ugh, why is it you always call at ungodly hours?" Rory groaned into her phone stretching on the floor thinking that it was not the best place to sleep.
"I want details, tell me about your Aussie. Why are you so grouchy?"
"Because I got in last night and we went straight to the bar and drank more than I've drunk since college made lists and I think I may have drunk dialed Finn freaking out. Either that or it was a crazy dream in which I admitted well never mind you don't want t know..."
"You can't build up something like that and not explain, Mommy wants to know everything. So what do the lists tell you?"
"That I want to see Finn again." Rory said washing her face. "and that maybe" she paused not sure if she wanted to continue. "He also got extra points for you to know the sex."
"Now we're getting to the good stuff," Lorelai said sounding like she was jumping up and down.
"I may have told him that he was the first multiple orgasms," Rory said horrified
Rory cringed as she heard the coughing at the other end of the line. "See I shouldn't have told you either," she said listening to her mom still coughing.
"Hon, usually you don't share so much. Just a little surprised. Okay, you talk I'll just listen and drink my coffee. But really, never before... cause I would have thought Logan would have... never mind drinking now"
"Mom I without a doubt like him. I've always liked him he was a confidant during the bad times and he always made them better. I wasn't analyzing things the whole time with Finn I just went with the flow. It was incredibly nice. It was comfortable and I met his father. He has parents who care, his father made me promise to come to Australia and meet Sara, Finn's mom."
"This seems sudden one minute your with Logan then your doing the no-strings thing again with Logan and the next it's Finn. You didn't even like him before." Lorelai said worried she wasn't thinking this thru.
"It's not completely sudden. There were times when Logan and I were together that I had feelings for Finn but I never let myself think about them. Why did it feel so wonderful when he'd hug me, or that smile he has that has always been just for me has always given me butterflies? I wanted to kiss him more than once. He did a body shot off my neck one time it was a joke-type thing at a life-and-death party and I was tingling afterward I wanted to jump him but I just thought it was because I like my neck being kissed. I just always thought it was one-sided and I didn't feel it all the time. But it's not as out of the blue as it seems. I loved Logan but when things weren't going well Finn was the one I told everything and we got very close I trust him. There were things I didn't feel comfortable telling you because you already hated Logan. I went to Finn with those things. Is it so hard to understand friendship turning into more? It happened to you and I am my mother's daughter."
"I wish you would have told me about what you were feeling back then I would have told you I think your heart wasn't as settled on Logan as you thought not if you were so attracted to someone else. I just want you to be sure about this kid." Lorelai said with a sigh.
"I'm sure I want to give us a chance and see what we can be. I have a good feeling about Finn. He feels good to me, he understands how important my career is to me and he wants me to have all my dreams."
"He sounds great kid so maybe you should bring him to the Firelight festival in a couple of weeks. Let me meet him without being in jail. Luke can give him the once over, it will be fun. Ask him."
"I'll ask him but if we do, please give him a chance." Rory pleaded.
"Debs honor." Lore said
"Mom you were never a debutante you left remember," Rory said laughing.
AN: Don't get used to it but this story is complete I will try to post much more frequently. I am just adding finishing touches and editing now.