A/N: So I guess that by now I will have posted the first chapter. I've been working ahead so this may not ever actually get posted. Read and Review if it does!
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"Ah, the homeland," Finn said comically as threw himself off the private jet.
"Where are we staying?" Rory asked so she could call Paris and give her the emergency number.
"Finn's parents' house," Logan supplied.
"We're staying with Finn's family?" she asked cocking an eyebrow.
"That we are. Just don't call me Finn in front of my mum," Finn answered.
"Why not?" Rory asked.
"She's a bit…stiff. She doesn't approve of nicknames, Lorelai," Finn responded grinning.
Rory couldn't help but wonder why he was in a good mood today instead of his usual meanie mood.
"Then what am I supposed to call you? I thought Finn was your name," Rory asked. She hadn't known what his real name was…it had never occurred to her that Finn was short for his last name, Finley.
"Hamilton."
"Your first name is Hamilton?" Rory asked. She never would have dubbed him as "Hamilton".
"Yep," he said not offering anything else.
"What's your middle name Hammy?" Rory joked.
"Merrick."
"Hamilton Merrick Finley?"
"The sixth."
"Riiiiight."
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The short ride to Finn's old house was pleasant enough. Finn actually seemed in a rather good mood therefore putting Rory at ease.
"I think we ought to stop at the bottle shop to stock up before getting there," Finn suggested and then gave the driver directions to the nearest liquor store.
"Hamilton! It's quite a treat to see you darling!" a woman (Rory assumed Finn's mother) greeted them when they arrived at the house.
"Hello Mum," he said kissing her on the cheek.
"Who are your friends?" she asked ushering them all inside.
"Logan Huntzburger, Colin Hanson, Stephanie Vanderbilt, and Lorelai Gilmore," Finn introduced them all.
"Oh yes, Logan, Colin…I remember you from Hamilton's boarding school. Nice to meet you fine young ladies," Mrs. Finley said to all of them.
"Mum…we've been traveling a lot so we're going to get settled," Finn said politely. Rory had never heard him act so civil before.
"Why yes, of course. Marietta will show you to your rooms," Mrs. Finley said.
When Rory got to her room, she sat down on the couch and just thought.
She knew she had a crush on Finn but she couldn't figure out if he liked her or not. Sometimes he flirted with her and then other times he acted like he couldn't stand her. It was all very 4th grade to her. She would just have to wait and see.
"Ace? You want to go to the beach?" Logan asked knocking and sticking his head in the door.
"Maybe later…I don't really like sand," Rory shrugged. "Is everyone else going?"
"I don't think Finn is. He's in his room watching a movie I think," Logan shrugged. "We'll be back later."
She nodded but didn't say anything else hoping he would leave and not offer to keep her company.
He finallyleft after studying her for a momentand she breathed a sigh of relief.
After laying there for a while, she got bored and went off in search of Finn hoping that he would still be in a good mood.
"Finn?" Rory called going into the hallway.
"FINN?" she repeated.
Suddenly there was a hand over her mouth and she was being dragged into a room.
When she could see her attacker, she saw Finn looking outraged.
"What?" she asked staring at him.
"My mum will flip! No nicknames damnit!" Finn reminded her.
"Oh right…sorry. She seemed cool though," Rory pointed out.
"She can be," Finn said indifferently.
Rory stood there awkwardly not really sure what to say.
"So what can I do for you?" Finn probed seeming impatient.
"I don't know…everyone else went to the beach and Logan said you weren't going and I was bored so I thought I would see if you wanted to hang out," Rory replied.
"Yeah…I suppose if you'd like," Finn shrugged and sat back down on his couch.
She joined him on the couch and turned her attention to the TV.
"I'm bloody bored. You want to meet up with some old mates of mine at the boozer?" Finn asked snapping the TV off.
Rory considered it and decided it was better than sitting around all day so she nodded.
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"Geez where are we going?" Rory asked after they had been in the car for over an hour.
"The boozer to see some old mates," Finn reminded her.
"Well yeah but how far away is this pub?" Rory asked.
"Sydney," he said easily.
"Are you serious? That's four hours from your house!" Rory exclaimed, shocked.
"That's why I was going to get us a hotel room-with two beds-and then we can go back tomorrow sometime. I thought maybe you'd like to see some scenery and stuff," Finn explained.
"That sounds…fun. Why didn't you tell me the real plan though?" she asked.
"I did. I told you we were going to meet some of my old friends at the pub. You didn't ask where or for how long," Finn pointed out.
Rory just laughed when she realized how right he was. "Do the others know where we are?"
"No…I figure they'll give us a ring when we don't show up," Finn shrugged.
Rory laughed again.
They were silent for a few minutes until Rory felt like she would burst.
"Finn…I feel like I barely know you. I mean we've been friends for a while but I know nothing about you. I didn't even know that your first name wasn't Finn," Rory stated.
"Finn Finley? Doesn't sound too great does it?" he asked laughing at her.
"I just never really thought about it I guess. But seriously…do you have any siblings…pets…what's your favorite movie…color…anything?" Rory asked wanting to get to know this adorable man who she barely knew.
"Let's see…when I was born I was named Hamilton Merrick Finley the sixth because I was the first boy. I had two sisters, both older, and two brothers were born after me. I lived in Australia until I was seven…then we moved to Amsterdam, then to Athens, and then Mum couldn't stand to be away from Australia anymore so we moved back down under when I was sixteen. Then I went to school in Switzerland for two years and met Logan and Colin there. Then Yale…and here I am," Finn summed up.
"What are your brothers and sisters like?" Rory asked.
"Uh…Scarlet is the oldest, she's twenty-nine. Then Kimberly is twenty-six. I was next, and I'm twenty-two, Braden would have been twenty, and Robert is eighteen," Finn replied almost void of emotion as he spoke.
"So it was Scarlet, Kimberly, you, Braden and then Robert?" Rory asked listing.
He nodded.
"Wait…what did you mean that Braden would have been twenty?" she asked confused as she repeated his previous statement in her mind.
"Braden died when he was fourteen," Finn said simply.
Rory stared at him. "Finn…I'm so sor--,"
"Don't. Don't ever say you're sorry that he died. I'm so bloody sick of it," Finn cut her off.
She didn't know what to say so she just nodded. Maybe this is why he was a chronic drinker or something.
They talked a little bit more about dumb meaningless things before they fell into another uncomfortable silence.
"So…" Rory started trying to stir up conversation.
"It's pathetic when people start conversations that way. If you don't have something specific to say then why bother having a chat?" Finn asked making Rory realize he was no longer in his cheery mood.
She sighed and couldn't help but wonder why he changed so quickly. She supposed it could have had something to do with the subject of Braden but somehow she thought it was more than that. At this point, she just wanted to get to Sydney so that there would be other people around instead of this awkward silence.
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A/N: I'm writing this just in case the first chapter goes over well and I decide to write this. As I said before, I like to work ahead. So should you ever read this let me know what you think!
Ryan's Note- Hey everyone. Thanks so much for responding to the first chapter so positively. I talked it over with Lara and told her about all the reviews and she said that I could post this, and then we'd go from there. She wanted me to thank you all again for wishing her well and all that. You have not only her gratitude, but mine as well. Oh and for all of you who said I was a good boyfriend, thanks…lol. She makes it easy, she's the bestest person ever and she makes it easy for me to love her. And update on her condition, they think she should be out of the hospital in two or three weeks depending on how her legs are doing. God Bless.
P.S. Danger1Zone1988, I hope that you and your boyfriend are okay. Lara and I both wish you well. Thanks for reviewing.