AN: I think I've forgotten to put a disclaimer in this story. Bad, bad Rebecca. Anyway, here it is:

I, rjs0123, do not own Gilmore Girls. They belong to ASP. She seems to appreciate them, so I will restrain myself from leading a coup d'etat and leave them in her capable hands. However, she doesn't seem to appreciate Finn quite enough, so I have usurped him and granted him this fic.

Epithet of a Heart

Chapter 5

Rory woke up disoriented. Where was she? Nearly a minute passed before she realized that she was on her couch. Slowly the previous night drifted back into her mind. Pub…darts….picking locks….kissing Finn. As his name floated across her mind, she became instantly alert. Without opening her eyes, she felt around the couch, but Finn was nowhere to be found.

A tear leaked down her face. She had been wrong. Finn hadn't stayed the night. Finn wasn't any different. Ashamed of herself for expecting him to be different – nay better – than the others and at least stay the night, Rory rolled over slowly and stuffed her face in the pillow before beginning to cry quietly.

She was so consumed in her misery that she didn't notice Finn return from the bathroom. He laid his hand on her shoulder gently. "What's the matter, love?" His voice was barely louder than a whisper.

Startled, Rory turned to face him. "You're still here?" she asked, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Of course, love. Where else would I be?" Finn returned Rory's confused look.

Rory shook her head. "I thought you left."

"Do you want me to leave?" The disappointment in Finn's voice was palpable. Slowly, he rose and turned towards the door.

"NO!" Rory desperately cried out, unable to find the right words. Finn stopped, and turned back towards Rory. "That's not what I meant!" she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears again.

Finn smiled, glad that she didn't seem to want him to leave. "I'm confused, hun."

Rory cracked a small smile. "Sorry."

"S'okay," Finn murmured. "So let me get this clear… you don't want me to leave?" Rory shook her head furiously. "Do you want some breakfast?"

After a moment of consideration, Rory nodded her head. "Sure. That sounds good."

They sat for a moment, neither making a move to get up. Finally, Finn broke the silence. "I hate to be the one to tell you, but you have to at least sit up to have breakfast. I don't think your grandmother would appreciate it if you spilled coffee all over your couch!"

"Coffee?" Rory perked up instantly. "Where?"

Finn looked around. "Not here, it looks like," he grinned at her.

"Meanie!" Rory thought about sticking her tongue out at him, but caught herself before she completed the action. It was just too juvenile.

"I try." He winked at her.

When she saw that he was serious, she groaned and tried to sit up. Quickly, Finn took her hand and pulled her into a sitting position. At the change in posture, her head shrieked in defiance and she moaned. Finn steadied her body quietly, nonjudgmental in his kindness.

"Thanks," she whispered to him, ashamed at herself for forgetting how much she had had to drink the night before.

"Don't worry about it. Why don't you go take a shower? You'll feel better afterwards."

She was touched by his concern and didn't exactly know how to respond to it. "Are you trying to say I smell? Or you don't like the way my hair looks?" she questioned, having decided humor would be the best response.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Get outta here!"

Rory complied, moving more slowly than normal. "I can't believe you're kicking me out of my own common room!" she grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah. You'll thank me later!" he called after her congenially.

"That's what you think!" she quipped as she disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door tightly behind her.

When Rory emerged twenty minutes later, clad in nothing but a towel, Finn was watching flipping through the channels on her T.V. watching what appeared to be cartoons. As she reached her room, she called back to him. "Those are cartoons, aren't they? 'Cause if they are, I'm wondering why you put up such a big fuss about the SpongeBob boxers last night."

Finn turned, having not heard Rory exit the bathroom, ready to defend himself. "This is not -" As soon as he caught sight of the scantily clad Rory, he forgot what he was saying.

At his lack of a complete response, Rory turned around slightly. "You know, you're right, Finn. I feel much better!" At that, Finn's mouth snapped shut, unable to believe the words he was hearing coming from Rory's mouth.

Rory's smile quirked as she saw the affect she was having on Finn. She winked at him playfully before entering her bedroom to find some clothes.

When she returned not five minutes later, now clad in a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt, Finn was still in the same position. Laughing, she picked up her messenger bag and shut off the television. "Let's go," she demanded, eyebrows arched as she pulled him to his feet.

She was already out the door by the time he regained control of his motor skills. "Wait for me, love!" She paid no attention to him, and he only caught up to her when she had stopped at a coffee cart.

He watched silently as she downed the steaming liquid. "Like coffee much?" he asked dryly.

"No," she said simply. He gaped at her. "Like is such an understatement!"

Laughing, he caught her hand in his and they casually strolled around campus. It wasn't long before they ran into Logan and Colin, who were looking a little under the weather. Immediately, Finn dropped Rory's hand, unsure as to whether or not it would be okay with her for his friends to see them. She shot him a questioning look, but before she had time to ask verbally Logan and Colin were within earshot.

"G'day," Finn greeted his friends. They glared at him at it was obvious they were still hung-over. "Or maybe it isn't," he said slowly.

"Looks like you had a good night," commented Colin.

"Eh, not really," shrugged Finn. "But it has been a good morning," he added, looking pointedly at Rory, who smirked. This nonverbal exchange went unnoticed by the somewhat unresponsive duo.

"Well, I've got to get to class," Rory said, looking at Finn.

"Do you have to?" whined Finn.

Rory rolled her eyes before leaning up to catch his lips in a passionate kiss. This did not go unnoticed by the other two, who were starting to look more alert by the moment.

Finn pulled away slowly. "Rory -" he began, but before he could get more than her name out, she interrupted him softly, making sure to keep her voice just under her breath so Colin and Logan couldn't hear it.

"Don't. You'll ruin it," she said, grinning impishly at him. Raising her voice to its normal volume, she continued. "I'll see you later, okay?"

It took Finn a couple of seconds to realize she was talking to him. "Yeah. Sounds good."

"Alright then," said Rory, turning slightly as she began walking towards her class. Over her shoulder, she called to Colin and Logan. "Bye boys!"


AN: I'm still not sure where I'm going with this. I'm finding it hard to write, but I'm not giving up yet. Leave feedback, please! - Rebecca