0000

"Finn…wait," Rory said when they reached his driveway.

He turned and raised his eyebrows to her.

"I just wanted to say thanks for taking me to Sidney and for introducing me to your friends…and for sticking up to Logan for me," she said looking at him and falling into his green eyes.

"Not a problem. Stick close in there…no telling what might happen," Finn said motioning to the house.

She nodded and he came around and opened the door offering his hand to her. They went hand in hand up to the house.

"Hamilton! I can't believe you left like that! It was incredibly rude!" Mrs. Finley yelled immediately swooping down on them when they entered the house.

"Yes mother, I'm very sorry," Finn said simply.

"Your sisters and brother are in the parlor, come say hello," she commanded.

"Mother, may Lorelai and I go to our rooms and freshen up first?" Finn asked as his mom turned away.

"Why yes, I suppose. But do hurry," she nodded consentingly.

"Come on," Finn said pulling Rory up the stairs.

"What?" Rory asked bewildered at his action of throwing open the closet where she had hung her clothes.

"Wear this and leave your hair down. I'll come over when I'm ready, don't go down there alone," Finn warned and he disappeared into the bathroom.

Rory couldn't figure out why he was in the bathroom but decided not to question it. She put on the blue dress Finn had set on the bed and went into the bathroom to do her make up.

She was confused as to where he had gone when she saw he wasn't in the bathroom but once again, she decided not to ponder it, Finn was a weird guy.

Rory opened a door looking for a Q-Tip for her eye shadow but found towels. She opened the next door and stood frozen in shock.

"May I help you?" Finn asked subtly leaning back and grabbing a pillow. He held it over his waist casually and looked to her with raised eyebrows again.

"Uh…Q-Tips?" she asked closing her eyes tight and seeing the image of naked Finn in her brain over and over.

"Second drawer on the right," Finn said easily as if this happened all the time.

"Thanks," she mumbled and closed the door.

As soon as the door was closed she hit herself in the head and sighed deeply.

0000

"You ready?" he asked knocking lightly on the door into the hallway a little later.

Rory opened the door hesitantly. "I'm so sorry about before Finn."

"Don't worry about it," he said simply.

She smiled bashfully and took his arm following him downstairs. "Why did I have to put on a dress?"

"I have the feeling that my mum is going to spring a party on us. I just wanted you to be prepared," he explained as they reached the main floor. "This way."

Finn opened the door revealing a large room lavishly furnished and beautiful looking.

"Ham!" a woman's voice said joyfully.

Rory looked and saw that the speaker was a woman who was probably Kimberly. She had flowing brown hair and sparkling eyes exactly like Finn's.

"Kimmy!" he grinned. He removed his arm from Rory's and swept his sister into a hug twirling her around.

"Do use proper names," Mrs. Finley said with a look of distaste.

"Good to see you mate," a man, Robert Rory assumed, of about eighteen said hugging Finn. He, unlike the other two, had blondish hair and blue eyes as did the last woman who Rory assumed was Scarlet.

"Everyone, this is Rory. Rory these are my sisters Scarlet and Kimberly and their husbands, Alexander and Andre. This is my younger brother Robert and my nieces Athena and Michele, and my nephews, Mason, Christian, and Alexander Junior," Finn said to Rory after hugging everyone else.

Rory shook the adults hands and smiled at the children.

"Have a seat," Mrs. Finley said motioning to a couch and Rory noticed Steph, Colin, and Logan for the first time.

Finn moved first and sat at the other end of the couch that Logan was on leaving a spot between them.

Rory hesitated but took the seat and immediately felt Logan tense.

The Finley family engaged in conversation leaving Rory sitting there not wanting to break into their family time.

"Can we be okay? Please Logan?" Rory whispered so she didn't draw attention to them.

"We're fine Rory," Logan said stiffly not looking at her.

"Obviously not…you never call me Rory," she pointed out.

"Fine. We're fine Ace," he said and she could hear the exasperation in his tone.

"Whatever Logan," she said. She was annoyed, she had offered friendship and he had resisted. It was his turn now.

She turned and saw Steph staring at her with curiosity in her eyes. Her look clearly said, "I want details!"

Rory smiled slightly then glanced at Logan and frowned slightly knowing Steph would follow her glance.

When she looked up again she saw Steph rolling her eyes at Logan.

"Oh, that must be a guest. I forgot to tell you all…we're having a party here tonight to honor Hamilton's homecoming," Mrs. Finley announced when the doorbell rang.

Steph looked down at her sweater and jeans when she heard this and Rory was thankful that Finn had predicted this and warned her.

"Told you," he muttered just loud enough for her to hear and it made her chuckled.

0000

"Hamilton, you remember Ginny and Herb Walters," Mrs. Finley said to Finn about an hour later. This was about the 20 zillionth introduction she had made and Finn was getting sick of it.

He exchanged pleasantries with yet another old couple and he was beginning to get bored.

"Hi there," a voice said behind him.

He turned and saw a girl of about twenty grinning at him seductively. "Hello."

"I'm Rachel VanFrick," she said standing closer to him than he would have liked.

"Hamilton Finley," he said with minimal interest.

"Oh I know who you are. Would you like to get a drink with me?" she asked basically humping him on the spot.

"I would, but maybe I can check with my girlfriend first?" Finn suggested grabbing Rory as she happened to walk by.

"What?" Rory asked hitting Finn.

"Rachel here was wondering if I would get a drink with her," Finn said looking in Rory's eyes.

"So?" she asked not getting it.

"I told her I needed to ask my girlfriend," Finn said, his tone almost begging on the last word.

"Oh! Well Rachel, why don't Finn and I both join you?" Rory asked smiling sweetly at the petite girl.

"Uh…oh! I see a friend of mine. Nice meeting you both," Rachel said and hurried away.

"God! What's with you wanting to be my pretend boyfriend?" Rory asked joking.

Finn rolled his eyes and turned but froze immediately. Rory followed his gaze and her eyes fell upon Colby, Roo, Erin and another girl.

Roo spotted them and pulled the others toward them. "Bet you didn't think you'd be seeing us this soon."

"True…what are you doing here?" Finn asked curiously staring at Colby.

"Your mum called and invited us. We weren't going to come but Erin insisted," the other girl said. Rory wasn't sure but she thought her name was Anna.

"Thank you Erin," Finn smiled and subtly wrapped his arm around Rory and she suddenly knew that they were pretending again.

"Hi Rory," Roo said grinning.

"Hi Roo…good to see you guys again," Rory smiled at the bounciness of Roo.

"Finn…can we talk?" Colby finally spoke.

"Sure mate," Finn said and Rory could hear the relief in his voice. He turned and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be back," he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and couldn't help but wish that he actually was her boyfriend not just pretending.

"Did he just kiss you?" Steph's voice said urgently.

Rory turned to her trying to explain with her eyes to shut up.

Roo, Erin, and Anna stared at her incredulously. Erin had seen them making out on the beach and now this bubbly blonde was freaking out that he kissed her on the cheek?

"Steph…come get a drink with me. It was really good to see you guys again, I'm sure I'll see you more tonight," Rory said smiling and pulling Steph away.

"You mind telling me what the hell is going on?" Steph asked when they reached the bar.

"Those are Finn's friends from Sydney. I met them yesterday and Finn used to be dating the one on the left," Steph looked over, and saw Erin, "and he didn't want them to think he was back for her. So he told them that we were dating," Rory explained.

"You are Finn are fake dating?" she asked disbelievingly.

Rory nodded.

"Did you guys do anything well pretending to be together?" Steph asked.

"We made out like twice and slept in the same bed last night. But we didn't have sex or anything. Then Logan walked in and freaked out which is why Logan and I aren't really speaking," Rory summed up.

"You guys made out!" Steph shrieked ignoring the rest.

"Yep," Rory grinned at the memory.

"I think he's got it for you," Steph said.

"Nah…we're just really good friends," Rory denied.

"Well you like him!" Steph grinned knowingly.

"No! Okay, yeah…but don't tell him. Please?" Rory begged.

"You should tell him…I think he likes you I mean he's staring at you as we speak," Steph insisted.

Rory looked up and saw Finn and Colby talking but Finn was staring at her.

"For effect," she said.

"What?" Steph asked confused.

"Nothing."

0000

A/N:

Ryan's note: Okay, so Lara is coming home tomorrow! I'm really excited and I know that you probably don't care but deal with it I told you anyway. So this is the last chapter she had written but since she got her arm cast off on Tuesday she's been writing the next one on paper. I'm not sure but I think she's pretty much done with it and I'll type it as soon as I get a chance. Sorry that I didn't update but with a break from school I was spending all my time at the hospital or at the mall trying to find a perfect present for her. Any ideas? Right well thanks for reading, review please. Thanks and God Bless. -Ryan