Chapter 7. Revelations

They had moved the party up to one of the suites. Finn was mixing a drink for Kiera with massive amounts of vodka in it. Foo Fighter's "In your honor" was blaring in the background.

"So, are you going to tell me what that was about, or am I going to have to guess?"

"It's nothing. It's not really any of your business. No offense." Kiera said and accepted the drink. She took a sip and made a grimace. Very heavy on the vodka.

"That's where you're wrong. See, you are my friend. Admittedly a very new friend, but still a friend and we tell our friends things. That way, they can help us. Look, I already know some of it. Rory said it was a really ugly break up. I figured he really did a number on you and hurt your feelings, but after what I saw just now…Did he hurt you? I mean physically. Did he beat you?"

"No. Well, yes. Kinda'. He shoved me against a window and he shook me pretty hard. He also said some pretty nasty things. Not just that night but before. I think I kind of shut my ears to it. I didn't want to think that he actually meant to be cruel." Kiera admitted. She was surprised that she had actually said what she'd just said to Finn. Why was he so easy to confide in? It wasn't like he was the most serious guy on the block. But still…She smiled a crooked smile. "When did you become scary- insight- into-my-life-guy? You're supposed to be funny-slightly-eccentric-guy!"

Finn laughed. "I know. Weird isn't it? I guess you bring it out in me. I didn't know it was there until you came along." Crap! A little too honest, mate. He thought as soon as the words had left his mouth. The alcohol was apparently beginning to take effect. Kiera smiled and sipped her drink. She knew he hadn't meant to say that last thing. Still, it was nice to hear. Maybe it was the alcohol but she was starting to feel a strong attraction to the handsome Australian in front of her. And not just a physical attraction either. After all, that had been there since the first time she saw him. She flinched when she realized what she had just thought. Yes, the attraction had been there but she had ignored it. Ok, this was getting way to honest and creepy. Time to get out of this mindset.

"Come on, aussie, let's go dance with the others." She said and turned to lead the way. Her hand found his and she could almost see the electric spark that went between them. They danced and had a good time with the rest of the gang for almost an hour before someone decided to change the music. The softer side of Foo Fighters was now playing; "Miracle".

"May I have this dance, love?" Finn asked and held out his hand.

"You may." Kiera answered and slipped in to his arms. If sober, maybe she would have recognized the dangers of slow-dancing with a man that she wanted but couldn't, or rather shouldn't,have. In her vodka induced state however, everything that put her close to that same man seemed like an excellent idea. They gazed into each others eyes and just moved slowly round and round, both of them enjoying the closeness and the feeling of the other one's body.

"You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now." Finn confessed.

Kiera put her head to the side and smiled. "So why don't you then?" she asked.

Finn groaned. "Because I promised Gilmore to behave and not flirt with you."

"A little late for that, don't you think?" Kiera chuckled. "Besides, Rory isn't here right now and it's my life. My feelings. And I promise you won't hurt them, I won't let you."

Finn put his forehead to hers and sighed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had registered what she had just said; she wouldn't let him get too close. The thought might have made him step back, but right now the wanting to kiss those lips was much stronger. He put his lips to hers and immediately knew that this was right, it felt right.

She kissed him back, basking in the thrilling feeling of the first kiss. Her spine started to tingle and she wanted more. She parted her lips slightly and felt him follow. The kiss deepened, intensified. Kiera couldn't think of anything except the kiss and Finn's strong arms around her waist.

"HEY!"
The cry made Kiera snap out of her reverie and jump almost two feet backwards. Rory! Before any of them could speak she was right there, ripping into Finn. Logan had to restrain her to keep her from getting physical.

"What the HELL are you playing at?" she screamed. "I told you to keep your paws and your goddamn hormones away from my friend!"

"Now, Rory love, calm down…" Finn tried to explain but Rory didn't much want to listen. Kiera just stood there, shockedboth byher own behavior and her friends apparent outrage at seeing her with Finn.

"You bastard! I told you to stay away from her for a specific reason. She's vulnerable right now; she doesn't need someone like you to trample her feelings even more." Rory continued. Kiera finally got her mind working again. "Rory! Stop it! This wasn't Finn's fault. I wanted this. Come on, it's not like he was forcing himself on me."

"Of course he wasn't! He never needs to. He just charms the girls into it; they don't even know what hit them!" Rory raved on. Kiera stepped in front of her and grabbed her arms. "Rory! Get off it! I'm not a child. I'm responsible for my own actions you know, even if they are alcohol induced. Speaking of which, I'm going to go get another drink. Let's forget this ever happened." She said just as much to Rory as to Finn. "I don't know what I was thinking but hey, no hard feelings, right? Now, I've had a pretty rough night and I now intend to get completely plastered. If you excuse me." She turned back to Rory and went past her. She got her purse and stormed out of the room.

"Kiera! Come back!" Rory called after her friend as she realized she might have crossed the line a little.

"Let her go!" Logan said. "I think she needs time to calm down, and frankly, so do you."

Rory turned back to Finn. "What did she mean she had a pretty rough night?"

Finn gazed at the girl standing in front of him and gave a sigh, he really disliked this kind of drama. "James was here. They had a little argument downstairs which ended in some name-calling on his part. She was pretty shaken, that's why we moved the party up here. We couldn't find you guys."

"James was here?" Rory asked incredulously. "Why? What did he say?"

"I don't know why. I just decided to intervene before it got really nasty. I thought you'd appreciate that seeing as how you weren't there to bail her out. But instead I get my head ripped off."

"Well, I didn't know about the whole James-part, did I? And anyway, you had no business kissing her! I told you to stay away." Rory said in a semi apologizing, semi accusing tone of voice. "I wonder where she went. Should I go after her?" she asked Logan. He shook his head. "She probably just went back downstairs and I don't think you should follow her. You're probably not her favorite friend right now."

"Well I can't just leave her. What if she gets so wasted she won't find her way back to her room? What if she decides to go somewhere else? New York is dangerous!"

"I'll go after her." Finn said. "And I'll make sure she gets into bed."

"Her own bed!" Rory said warningly.

"Well…" Finn started.

"Finn!" Rory cried and stomped her foot.

"Yes, of course her own bed! I was only joking, Gilmore. Geez, do you really think I want you to bite my head off a second time?" Finn said and left the room.

Finn found Kiera in the piano bar downstairs.

"Hey mate, whiskey please." He said to the barman as he sat down on the high bar-chair next to Kiera.

"How are you doing love?"

"You know, if we are to be just friends you should probably start to call me 'mate' or something like that instead." Kiera said and took another sip from her whiskeyglass. Finn grinned.

"Sorry, no can do. See, 'mate' is what one calls ones male friends. Pretty little women like yourself will always be 'love', no matter how much just friends they are. And besides, who says we will only ever be just friends?"

"Rory." Came the obvious answer. Kiera tipped her glass towards her lips again and said: "And she's probably right too. I mean, think about it; if you and I were to get involved, what good could possibly come of it?"

Finn grinned another wolfish grin which only worked to make him even sexier. "Oh, I don't know… really great sex?" Kiera snorted into her glass and hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Come on, I'm trying to be serious."

"So am I!" Finn answered. "I have no doubt that you and I would be amazing together."

"Maybe so. But I was talking about the fact that you're obviously a player and I'm a commitment kinda' girl."

"How do you know that?"

"Finn, it's me. I was in a relationship for four years for Christ' sake. I was planning to get married in two years." Kiera looked both sad and annoyed as she said this.

"And the kiss?" Finn asked. She couldn't very well deny that there had been some serious chemistry between them.

"The kiss…'In vino veritas' you know, or in this case I guess it was really 'in vodka veritas'." She said and giggled.

"And what truth would that be?" he pressed on.

"You know that just as well as I do. I want you, you want me. But for the sake of everyone involved, and the sanity of our friends, we will not act on it. We'll be friends." She stretched out her hand towards Finn to shake on this statement. He looked at her, smiled and shook her hand. "Friends." He said. Kiera narrowed her eyes and looked at him.

"You know, I can tell what you are thinking right now."

"What!" Finn asked innocently. "I don't think anything, never do."

"Yes you are. And we will not be friends with benefits, so you can just take that thought out of your head right now, mister!" she concluded and pointed a warning finger at him. He just laughed. "I'm just teasing you. If it's between just being friends or not seeing you at all, I'll take just friends." He finished his drink and hugged her shoulders.

"So, what do you say, ms. Wyndam, should we get you upstairs and into your own bed? Rory is worried about you."

"Yeah. Let's go back upstairs. I think I've finished drinking now anyways. I'm going to hell for this tomorrow I'm sure." Finn laughed and they supported each other all the way over to the elevators and through the corridor down to their rooms.

"Goodnight love. See you tomorrow." Finn said as he opened Kiera's door to let her in.

"Goodnight Finn. And thanks for, you know, everything." Kiera said and stroked his face as she went past him and into her dark room and her empty bed.

A/N Not the end, I promise. It might be a while 'till the next update though. I'm going home see. Hoped you liked this chapter anyway. Please review!