Chapter Eleven: Dancing in Circles

"Oh, Paris," Rory sighed, stroking her hair, "I'm sorry…"

"He said.. he said," she sniffled, pulling away slightly, and dropping onto Rory's bed, "that it was because… his.. his, his family hates me! And that," she rubbed her eyes, and burst into a fresh batch of tears, "he can't marry someone his family hates!"

Rory frowned, and handed Paris the box of tissues she usually kept on her desk, "He doesn't deserve you Paris."

Paris shook her head, and blew her nose, "I feel so… broken."

"It happens," Rory said, sitting down next to her, "at least he did it to your face, Paris. Remember when Jess broke up with me? He didn't say anything, he just packed up and left."

"What an asshole! Who needs guys? I'm swearing off guys."

Rory rose an eyebrow, "You're going to become a lesbian?"

"Hey, why not?" Paris said, throwing her used tissues away, "I don't want to be married and sixty and wake up one morning and be like, 'I'm a lesbian'. I'm going to try it out."

"Paris," Rory started, shaking her head, "Don't you think that that's a bit… oh, I don't know? Drastic?"

"No," Paris shook her head, standing, "Thanks, Rory. But I'm going to call my father about our jet."

"What? Paris, where are you going to go?"

"To Portugal to visit Nanny," Paris said, crossing her arms, "I sent an application to a semester student exchange program abroad."

"Why?"

Paris shrugged, and looked at the ground, "I don't know, but if I'm accepted, then I'm moving abroad to finish the year in a different country, and a student gets to come here and be your new roommate."

"I don't want a new roommate."

"Rory, this is something I need to do."

Rory sighed, and shrugged, "Whatever, Paris."

Paris nodded, and smiled, "I'm going out. Don't wait up." Leaving Rory's room, Paris rubbed her forehead, before heading back out of the dorm.

---&---

"Kitten!" Finn called the next afternoon, opening Rory's dorm suite door, and walking inside, closing it behind him. "Are you home?"

"Finn!" Rory grinned, walking out of her room, pulling a sweater over her head, "How are you?"

"Completely freezing, love." He responded, smirking playfully, "Care to warm me up?"

"And how exactly would I do that?"

"Oh, I can think of a few, rather lovely ways," winking at her, he walked into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator, glancing for food even though he wasn't rather hungry, "But actions such as the ones going about my mind isn't what brings me here."

"And what brings you here, then, Finn?" Rory asked, pulling herself up on the counter, crossing her legs Indian Style as she watched him raid her refrigerator.

"I was wondering if you were, by any chance, free tonight, kitten."

"Depends on whose asking."

Finn stood upright, and closed the door to the refrigerator, and cast a quick glance around the kitchen. Opening one of the cupboards, he poked his head inside, before turning to look at her, "Love, do you have imaginary friends?"

"What?"

"I just… I believe we're the only ones in the room, love…. Unless you have imaginary friends," he whispered, leaning forward.

Rory shook her head and laughed, "No, I don't have any imaginary friends, and no: I don't have any plans for tonight."

"Good!" Clapping his hands, he grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her off the counter, before dropping her gently onto the floor. "Then pack an over night bag, because doll, I'm taking you to New York."

Raising an eyebrow, Rory tilted her head to the side, and watched his facial expression, "What?"

"We're going to Rockefeller Center! I want to see the tree light up!"

"Finn, you want to take me to New York City? To see a tree?"

Finn nodded, before leaving the kitchen and crossing the common room, and letting himself into her bedroom. "Of course," he said, as if it was an obvious reason to go on such short notice. Rory quickly followed him, and watched him dive under bed, looking for a suitcase. "Love, where is your bag?"

"In the closet."

"Ah! Of course, silly, silly me." Shuffling out from under the bed, he stood, brushing himself off, before quickly opening the door to her closet. "You'll need sweaters." He said, pulling three sweaters off their hangers, and throwing them onto the bed, "And jeans!" He said, pulling more then three pairs of jeans off the shelf, "Size two? My God, eat woman, eat!" He teased, tossing them onto the bed.

Rory laughed, and walked to her bed, starting to fold her clothes neatly, "I do eat. I eat more then you do."

"I know, and yet you're so tiny. My small mind simply cannot comprehend it, love." He clapped his hands together, and fished out her suitcase from the bottom of the closet, and slid it across the floor with his foot, "I'm sure you don't need my help to pick out undergarments," he said, wiggling his eyebrows, "Unless, of course, you'd like me to see what you wear under those tiny jeans."

"I've got it covered from here, Finn," she replied, walking to her dresser, and pulling a few pairs of panties, and three matching bras out, and throwing them into her suitcase. Grabbing a few pairs of socks, they too, landed in the suitcase, "Will you make me coffee, Finn?" Rory asked, turning to look at him, and smiling sweetly.

"No time, kitten," he said, staring at her collection of shoes, "I'll buy you some on our way to the airport. My pops is letting me use the airplane."

Her eyes widening, Rory tilted her head, "You're flying?"

"No, love!" Finn laughed, "The pilot. Hah, America allowing me to have a pilot's license? That's nonsense."

"Good," Rory said, nodding her head, and throwing pajamas into her bag, "Because I was just about to come down with some terrible, terminal illness that would only last 'til you left my dorm."

Clutching his hand over his heart, he moaned in mock agony, "You wound me love! My heart is breaking! Oh, cruel, wretched girl! You made my heart bleed! It's bleeding! It's bleeding! I'm dieing!"

Rory burst into laughter, dropping onto her bed, "Oh Finn, you slay me!"

"I'm glad to see that my pain causes you such great pleasure," he sniffed, throwing a glance around her bedroom slowly. "You know love, you have a very smashing bedroom."

"Thank you."

"Oh no, the thanks lies within my broken heart! Are you ready, kitten?" Rory nodded, and zipped her bag closed, before grabbing her cell phone off her nightstand, and slipping it into her jeans pocket, "Dandy! Here, let me carry your bag!"

---&---

"Hey Finn," Rory whispered into his ear, shaking him slightly, "Finn…"

"Mmm, five more minutes, love. You're doing amazing things in my dreams," he mumbled, pressing his head even further into the comfy head rest on the plane chair.

Rory smirked slightly, getting out of her chair, and gently taking residence on Finn's lap, "Finn," she hissed, more then whispered again, "I'm bored. Let me join the M.H.C."

Finn's eyes bounded open, and he quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, "Love," he said, his voice still husky from sleep, "You should have said something sooner!"

Rory laughed, and pulled herself from his grasp, and stood up, yawning. "I was joking, Finn," she said, grinning at the crest fallen expression on his handsome face, "But I'm bored, and I need to be entertained."

"Damn debutantes! Can't live with them, and definitely can't live without the sex!"

"Finn!"

"You called?"

"You're impossible!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Am not!" Rory spat back at him.

"Are too!"

"Hah!" Rory squealed gleefully, clapping her hands together and jumping up and down slightly, "I told you!"

Finn gasped, horrified at her trickery, and bounded forward, tackling her to the floor of the plane, "I can't believe you tricked me!"

Rory laughed, and poked his shoulder, "I can!" She grinned, pushing him off of her as she sat up, "Ah, to be young, a woman, and having the complete knowledge that I can trick men."

Finn grumbled, shaking his head, "Women." He muttered, staring at the ceiling, "Dear Lord, what have I done to make you hate me so?"

---&---

"When are you going to stop dancing in circles around me, Lorelai?"

Lorelai blinked quickly, and took her focus off of the Godly liquid that sat in front of her. Looking up, she met his eyes, and shook her hair out of her eyes, "Excuse me?"

"When are you going to stop danc---"

"I heard that," she mumbled, folding her arms over her chest, "But… what?"

"Come on, Lore," he sighed, placing his hands on the counter, and leaning forward to be closer to her, "The sexual tension is there," he looked at her, letting his blue eyes melt with hers, "We flirt… we bicker, we laugh, we talk, and we get into horrible fights… when are you going to open your eyes and see that what I feel for you, you feel for me, too?"

"Luke…" Lorelai mumbled, scratching the back of her head, "What are you… I mean.. I just.. what?"

"Lorelai, will you go on a date with me?"

Lorelai stared at the man in front of her: her heart racing, and her mind working a mile a minute. Running over the past fifteen years in her head, she furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes."

Lorelai slowly grinned, "Yes," she said, "I'd love to go on a date with you!"