A/N Hey guys! Time for an update. Thanks so much for your reviews! They are greatly appriciated! Keep it up!

Kylie- will it last or won't it? That's for me to know and you all to find out. Many chapters to go. Just teasing! I can say though that I have a sequel in the making. Might be a one shot.

Purplemoon and Roween- you've been a great support from the start. love that you like my story. hope i will never let you down to bad.

And to all the rest that has given me such great reviews: I'm glad you enjoy the story. It has become my baby.

Chapter 15. Meet the parents

The intrusion came in form of an insistent beeping that made it's way through her dream filled sleep and yanked her awake.

"Finn. Kill the alarm clock, please!" she murmured into the pillow. He grunted and pulled her closer to him as he opened his eyes.

"I don't own an alarm clock." He mumbled against her neck.

"Then what is that awful noise?" she complained and suddenly realised that it was her cell phone. In her purse. Over by the door. Far away from the bed. She groaned and made to get up but found herself being held down by Finn's strong arm around her waist.

"Ignore it. It will stop." He said and kissed her shoulder just above her tattoo. Then he started to trace the outlines of the phoenix with his right index-finger. She sighed with content.

"Yeah. Whatever you say." The ringing did in fact stop a few seconds later when the call went to her answering machine. The silence didn't last though. Twenty seconds later it started ringing again. Kiera gave a frustrated growl and again made to get out of bed. Finn again tried to hold her down.

"I have to get it Finn. It could be important." She pulled the covers with her, ignoring Finn's protests, and wrapped it around her as she padded over to her purse.

"Hello?"

"Oh, your awake! Good!"

"Rory? Wha…Why are you calling my cell phone? Aren't you in the same house?"

"Yes. But do you know how far it is from the kitchen to Finn's room? Besides, I didn't want to walk in on something. I just wanted to let you know that we have to leave in an hour, and you should get some breakfast before that."

"This from the girl who considers coffee and pop-tarts a complete meal." Kiera grumbled. Rory giggled.

"True. But luckily I'm not the one cooking in this house. We have a very well set table for you here missy. Just come and get it. And drag Finn with you if he's awake and, you know, mobile."

"Ok. We'll be down in half an hour."

Thirty minutes later Kiera and Finn walked into the dining room to find Rory and Logan cuddling and feeding each other bagels and cream cheese.

"Cut it out you two. It's too much cuteness this early in the morning." Finn said with his usual jaded tone of voice and went over to the side table and poured some coffee for himself and some for Kiera.

"Ahh, you big fraud." Kiera teased. "Considering your own behaviour this morning you should just jump on the cuteness-bandwagon, you know."

He captured her as she walked past him and pulled her into his arms. The spontaneity of the action made Kiera laugh.

"I'm game if you are, love." He said and kissed her neck right under her jawline. Rory and Logan exchanged a surprised glance. They had expected the couple to behave normal and not show any signs of discomfort around each other. After all, they were too good friends by now and had discussed this scenario before hand. They were not, however, expecting this total sense of normalcy and familiarity that Kiera and Finn were showing as they got their breakfast and settled down at the table.

"So, are you all packed?" Rory asked. Kiera nodded and took a sip from her coffee and shuddered.

"Yep. It's all in the entrance hall. There's no sugar in this." She said, indicating her coffee.

"No, that's because that's my cup. Here's yours, sugarplum." Finn said and switched their cups. Kiera nearly choked on her bagel.

"Man, please! I know I said to jump on the cutesie train, but please never call me sugarplum again. It's so not me."

Finn snickered. "No, your right. Sugarplum doesn't suit you. I'll just stick with love and gorgeous." He placed his hand on the back of her neck and ran his fingers up and down, lightly massaging it.

"What's this?" he asked, meaning a spot behind her right ear where one of his fingers was now pressing.

"What? That?" Kiera lifted her own hand to the same place. "Burn scar. You remember when I said no alcohol until we had finished with the curlingiron? I wasn't making it up. You remember, Rory? The great curlingiron debacle before winter formal?"

"Oh god, yes! Did it actually leave a scar?" Rory asked.

"Oh yeah. One of the many reasons I have never cut my hair short." Kiera smirked and went to get a second bagel.

"There's one thing I don't get." Logan started. "You have all these crazy stories from high school, but your ex didn't seem like a partying guy. How does that connect?"

"Logan…" Rory started.

"No Rory, it's ok. We can talk about James. See, Logan, like I told you yesterday I was a teenager away from home, aching to test some boundaries. And I did, but all the stories are from my first three semesters at Chilton. Second year, second semester, my aunt in California introduced me to James. His family is from California but he went to prep-school here. He was nice and fun but down to earth. We fell in love, which made my aunt and my parents very happy because he was a calming influence on me. I started to take school and life more seriously. Which is probably why Rory and I became such good friends in the end. Anyways, that wild streak in me has always been there and right now it's probably back on a normal level again. Being away from home made me go overboard, meeting James made me suppress that part of me."

"So even if he hadn't broken the engagement it wouldn't have lasted?" Logan asked. Kiera shrugged her shoulders.

"I honestly don't know. I didn't think about it much. I loved him. I guess, looking back at it now, my greatest fear might have come true. He would have taken my place in Wyndam Enterprises and I would have become a housewife." She shuddered slightly. She knew that many women were happy being 'only' loving mothers and wives but she knew that it wouldn't have been enough for her in the end. One can only suppress one's true nature for so long.

"Ok. Now this subject is beginning to bum me out. New topic please!" she said and got a sympathetic kiss on the cheek from Finn, who nodded and agreed. "New topic."

"Actually, I think I have just the thing." Rory said. "Logan?" Logan got up and went to retrieve something from the kitchen.

"We all got you something. A birthday present, but you have to open it now." Logan said and handed Kiera the gift wrapped box.

"For me? You got me a present? That's so sweet!" she sounded both surprised and thrilled as she started to open her present.

"A digital videocamera! Awesome! Thank you guys!" she shrieked and turned the thing over in her hands.

"We really want to be there with you when you jump. This way, you can document the whole thing. See the extra gear there? It's for securing the camera to your head. Happy birthday love." Finn said and kissed her again. Kiera gave a laugh.

"Seriously? I'm supposed to jump with this?"

"Yeah. We want to see the whole thing." Rory said. "Happy birthday Kir." She went over to hug her friend. Logan did the same and kissed her on the forehead.

"Happy birthday Kiera. I'm so glad to have met you."

"Thank you guys so much! This is awesome." Kiera immediately started to examine the thing to figure out how to work it.

"The really cool thing is; you hook it up to your computer and then you can just e-mail us the videofiles. So we don't have to wait to see you jump until you come back." Rory said with a beaming smile.

"Ok. What should we do now? Do you want to go through security or should we hand out for a while?" Rory asked as they walked into the airport. Kiera looked around.

"Doesn't seem too crowded. We could just hang out for a while. My plane isn't leaving for two hours."

So they decided to look around the airport and Kiera picked some things up to give her parents. Rory, of course, made good on her promise to make sure that Kiera had all the flight-snacks known to man. Kiera was happy to have her friends with her. Waiting alone in an airport for you flight to board is probably one of the most boring things you could do. With thirty minutes left to take off she had to go through security though.

"Ok you guys. I will e-mail first chance I get. Thank you so much for everything." She said and hugged Rory.

"You'll call from New York, right? Just so we know that your flight is leaving on schedule." Rory said and squeezed her friend tight.

"No worries. Of course I will." She said and gave Logan a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then she walked over to Finn. He had been a little reserved for the last half hour. She couldn't really figure out why. She took his hands and he looked down at them. Her hands looked so small in his. But they fit perfectly. She finished the same thought.

"Finn. Thanks for a wonderful night mate." She said, the playfulness glittering in her eyes. He grinned and kissed her lightly.

"I think I should be the one saying thanks, seeing how you did most of the work."

She giggled. "Did not! Well, maybe the first time but then.."

"Alright! You two break it up. This is not a proper place for this conversation." Rory cried and rolled her eyes. "Just say bye all ready."

"Bye love. Call me when you get back." Finn said and kissed her properly. Kiera nodded.

"Yeah. I call when I get back." She agreed and walked over to the security man. She walked through and waved back at her friends before disappearing around the corner.

"And she's gone." Finn stated, sounding rather disappointed. He gave a sigh, shrugged his shoulders and pulled out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Rory inquired.

"Melissa. I need to get out of this mood." He answered and pushed the speed dial button.

"Her plane hasn't even left yet!" Rory exclaimed.

"Well, she's through security so she's out of reach to me. Melissa, darling. How have you been?" he purred into the phone. Rory just rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air. Logan laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Some people don't change. And certainly not over night. We just have to accept that Ace."

As soon as Kiera got on the plane from New York to her final destination, Queenstown, she decided to take out her new toy and begin a video diary.

A/N I know. A/n in the middle is kind of weird. Just wanted to let you know that most of the trip will be kind of a collage formed from her videodiary. The scene will change between Kiera shooting it and her friends watching it back in Hartford.

Kiera held the camera up in front of her.

"Hey guys. So I decided to not only film the jump but to make this kind of a video diary. As you can see, I have found my seat. Love business-class! I have also slipped into something a bit more comfortable. This is the secret behind my huge carry on. Any cosmo-girl knows that when on long flights; hydrate and wear comfortable clothes. Use no make-up, cause it will dry your skin and, for me, always braid the locks or they will be a mess when you wake up. Not so glam but hey, I don't see Orlando around, do you?"

"What is she talking about? She looks just like she does with make-up." Logan exclaimed and waved his hand at the screen.

"I know. She's very good at the 'natural make-up' thing, isn't she? And she's a natural beauty. That helps." Rory agreed and took another potatochip. They had received an hour of video and had decided that they needed to make it a mini movie night.

"I hate it when she braids her hair!" Finn exclaimed sounding very frustrated.

"What? Why?" Rory asked.

"Because it makes me think about releasing it and how it looks tumbling down her back. It makes my fingers itch!" He answered rubbing his fingers.

"I think it makes other parts of your anatomy itch as well." Colin stated.

"Colin! Take that picture out of my head!" Rory said and turned back to the screen.

Kiera got of the plane, collected her luggage from customs and was met by her ecstatic parents.

"Hi mom, hi dad! It's so good to see you." She greeted her parents and gave herself to the homey feeling that overcame her as they pulled her into their arms.

"We've missed you sweets. Are you good? Let's have a look at you. You look happy!"

"I am happy! I love Connecticut and I'm really happy with my life right now. And of course I'm happy to finally be here."

In the car on the way to the hotel, Kiera pulled out the videocamera again.

"Ok. So we are now on our way to the hotel. I'd like you all to meet my parents. This is my dad, Alexander Wyndam. Dad, say hi to my friends back in the states." Her father turned in his seat and waved at the camera. He was a handsome man of 50, with greying blond hair and a physic that many men in their 30s envied him.

"Hi Connecticut. How are you? Hey, thanks for taking care of our little girl."

"Yeah, yeah. And this beauty driving is my mom, Ava Pryce-Wyndam." Kiera reached up in front to get a good shot of her mother. She too was a blond and while she was by birth and life a socialite, she didn't have that snobbish look that so many of them developed. Her beauty came from the delicate but strong features of her face and the fun-loving sparkle in her green eyes, Kiera's eyes.

"Hi guys. Like my husband said; thanks for taking care of Tigger. Now, I have to concentrate on driving. The drivers here are a little insane." Kiera turned the camera back to herself.

"Which is why mom is driving. Dad is a terrible driver. I guess that's what you get from basically being born in the back of a limousine. I'm pretty sure he was conceived in one."

"Hey!" came her fathers protest. Kiera grinned.

"So, now that you have seen my parents I'm guessing at least Rory and the girls are wondering 'were did that red hair come from?' Yeah, we don't know. Big mystery, no one in my family is a red head. Maybe they switched me at the hospital. I guess I came out on the winning side in that case."

"For the umphtieth time, we did not grab the wrong kid from the hospital! You have my eyes and your father's temper so we're pretty sure about that." Her mother protested from the driverseat.

"Yeah, they've been telling me that since I was four. I still wonder though…Na, I'm just kidding. Oh, here's our hotel now. Ok, so tomorrow we're going sight-seeing. If we see anything that might interest you, you will see it too. Otherwise I'll see you on Friday when I'm going to jump! Ah, I'm so excited! Now I'm going to…not call Rory, cause with the time difference I would probably wake you up, or maybe interrupt something… so I'll call you tomorrow. Ta, ta f n."

"She's got good instincts. She would have interrupted." Rory stated and pushed the stop button on the computer.

"Tigger?" Finn asked in disbelief. "Her parents call her Tigger?"

"I actually hadn't heard that before either." Rory said. "Suites her though, don't you think?"

"Yes it does. I just can't believe I didn't come up with it myself."

"Well, when was the last time you watched Winnie the Pooh?" Logan asked.

"Good point. Wasn't there more footage?"

"Yes. About, um, twenty minutes. I guess it's from cool places around the island. If I know Kiera it's probably from at least three different locations where they shot 'Lord of the Rings'." Rory said and pushed play again. Sure enough, the next twenty minutes was a display of beautiful nature scenery and movie shot locations.

"She really likes 'Lord of the Rings', doesn't she?" Colin remarked. Rory nodded.

"Don't even get her started, cause she can discuss Tolkien for hours. And not just 'Lord of the Rings'. No, she's read the Hobbit, Silmarillion, the Book of Lost Tales part 1 and 2 and Tales from Middle-earth. She's a freak. Worse than a Trekkie."

"I knew she couldn't be perfect all the way through. It's not normal." Colin said.

"So, it's more normal to be a freak than to be perfect?"

"Exactly!"

"I actually like that logic, even if it's not really, you know, logical."

A/N Ok, so crappie ending to this chapter but I had to cut it somewhere. It's long as it is. At least by my standards. Kind of a waste of space also but I wanted you to meet her parents and I had to get her to New Zeeland. Don't worry, next update won't be to long. I hope…