*6 years later*

A sixteen year old Rory Gilmore stood in front of her mirror and studied herself. She didn't supposed she looked any different. She looked happy. Her best freind, Finn Morgan, was returning from his trip home. Her and Steph had been waiting all summer for this day, which, also, just happened to be the first day of school as well. Leave it to Finn to return at 4:30 in the morning, with school at 7:15.

"You're only as tall as you're heart will let you be
You're only as small as the world will make you seem
And when the going get rough
And you feel like you may fall
Look on the brightside
You're roughly six feet tall."

Rory ran to pick up her phone.

"Steph!"

"Ror!"

"Are we still jumping on him when we see him?"

"Duhh. Oh and I have some friends I want you both to meet."

"Um okay. Back to the most important matter. FINN IS BACK TODAY!"

"I KNOW. I HAVE MISSED HIM SO MUCH. Oh, yeah and I'm here."

"RIGHT? IT'LL BE SO GOOD TO HAVE HIM BACK! And okay I'll be down, soon."

Rory hung up and ran out the door.

"I'm so excited. I wanna see him. DRIVEEEEE."

"Someone's missed lover boy."

"Me and him are just best friends, like me and you, like you and him. You know that."

"Calm down kitty, retract your claws. I was just kidding."

"Good, now we're here. Let's goooo." Rory said pulling on Stephanie's arm.

When they got to their lockers they stood their until the man in questioned appeared.

"He needs to hurry up. I've missed my teddy bear, and I need to talk to him. I need a hug."

"Calm down Ror, he'll be here."

"Well he needs to hurry."

"Who needs to hurry, love?"

Rory and Steph turned around.

"Ahhhh! Finn!" The two girls jumped on him and gave him the biggest hug ever.

"I've missed you girlies too."

Finally Steph pulled back.

"Sooo what'd you get us?" She asked.

"I knew there was a catch to this excitement." He joked.

"I really missed you Finn." Rory said.

"I know babe."

"But really what'd you get us?" She said, finally pulling out of the hug."

"Well.." he started but was interrupted.,

"Steph, is that you?"

Stephanie turned around,

"Hey guys, give me one minute. Or two. Who knows how long this will take. Anywayy, Finny give us our present."

"Steph, you can't ask like that. You ask like this, 'Finn, hunny, can we pretty please have our presents now and not later at my house, like I know you're going to say.'"

"Put the eyes away Gilmore"

"Gilmore?" One of the guys standing behind Steph asked, only to be ignored by everyone else.

"What ever are you talking about?" She asked innocently

"You know. You do that Bambi thing with your eyes, and they are so cute, and I can't say no."

"So does that mean we get them, right now?"

"Finee. Steph, I got you soccer ball charm, since you know, you know everything about soccer and how they make their touchdowns."

"Shut up. But thanks. It's a great memory."

"And I finally found it."

"Wait...no kidding?"

"No kidding. Bambi, here is your Bambi charm."

"Finn! I love you!"

"I know, I know I'm the greatest."

Suddenly there was a cough behind them.

"Right! Ror, these are the people I told you I wanted you to meet. This is Collin, and this is,-"

"Logan?" She asked, shocked, and put back in that situation where she felt vulnerable again. She didn't like it.

"Ace?"

"Don't call me that.."

"I'm sorry."

"You..you just left. I woke up, and bam you were gone."

"Ace.."

"Stop Logan. You have lost all right but to call me anything, other than my name."

"Rory..please."

"Logan, I can't do this right now. I can't deal with this."

"Looks like you've made new best friends."

"What did you expect me to do? Sit around and wait for the day you decided I was worth coming back for? Or even worth calling? Honor got a call from you almost everyday? What did I get? Forgotten."

"Babe? Let's go to class. Or just walk around the quad. Or I can call Steve and have him bring the limo and we can just go."

"Let's walk around." She said, trying to hold back her tears.

After they were gone, Stephanie turned to Logan.

"I don't know what the hell you did to upset her this much, but you better find a way to fix it."

"Whose the guy?"

"His name is Finn Morgan. He's her best friend, and she's his world. They are strictly platonic, but I would hate to see the person who tries to come inbetween them. Not that it's any of your business. I better go make sure she's okay."

With that Stephanie stormed away, frustrated because she ad no clue what was going on, and pissed at Logan because Rory had come a long way since everything, and this was not helping.

"You screwed up man, I don't think I've ever seen Steph this pissed." Collin said.


That day at lunch Rory, Finn, and Steph were sitting at their usual table when Collin and Logan walked up.

"Can we sit here?" Collin asked

Stephanie looked at Rory. Rory just shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

"Fine, but you have to be civil."

The two sat down. It was really awkward, no one knew what to say. Finally Rory broke the silence.

"Finn, Steph, are you guys still coming over tomorrow night?" No one knew why school started on Thursday, but hey, whatever floats the school systems boat.

"Yeah, duhh Ror. Do we ever miss a Friday night sleepover?"

"No. Oh! and are you guys coming over before or after the dinner?"

"Before. We would never miss a Gilmore dinner! Right Finn?" Steph asked him, since he had been quiet this whole time.

"Yeah about that.."

"Finn..."

"I'm sorry. I can't."

Rory looked at him shocked. He's never missed a Friday night dinner or sleepover.

"Why?"

"We'll discuss it when I come over after school."

"No Finn. Tell us now. Whats so important you're missing our annual Friday night plans?"

"My parents are making me move back to Australia..."

"WHAT?" The two girls screamed, tears starting to form in there eyes.

"They said that I have to go back. My dad needs to start grooming me for the family business. My flight leaves at 9. They let me come back so I could tell you guys in person. My parents adore you guys, but they've made up their minds. Hey guys look at me. Ror?"

She looked away, then looked down not wanting anyone to see her face.

"It's fine. I mean I should expect this. People leaving me. I mean everyone who said they would never leave me, has. So this is no big deal, right?" She said, then got up and ran away.

Finn got up to go after her, but Steph stopeed him.

"Finn, no. You've done enough. Maybe now you and Logan can trade stories."

"There's nothing I can do!"

"You can talk to your grandparents! You know it! What's really down there Finn? Why are you really going back?"

"Lets go out in the hall and talk. Not everyone needs to hear this. Even Rory doesn't need to know, okay?"

The two walked out into the hall. Leaving a very confused lunchroom.


Out in the hallway, Steph gave Finn an expectant look.

"He's out."

With those two words all of Steph's defenses dropped.

"I'm going back to make sure he doesn't come up here. It's the last thing she needs."

"He's the father of her baby Finn! You can't keep him from her forever!"

"My dad is doing everything he can."

"And when that doesn't work! Finn, nothing can legally stop him from getting on a plane and coming here!"

"Why do you think i'm going back !"

"So what are you going to do? Stalk you're brother?"

"If that's what it takes!"

"Finn, she needs you here."

"She needs me to be her protector, and that's exactly what i'm doing."

"I don't see how they can let him out."

"Because they had a reletionship before."

"That doesn't mean it wasn't rape!"

"Steph she amitted on the stand that she loved him, and if it had been any other time, she would've been ready. She would've willingingly had sex with him. Yes he raped her, but it's not like it was random!"

"So now you're defending him!"

"Steph I would never, could never defend him! I'm just telling you why he's out, and why as of right now my dads hands are tied."

Thats when a soft voice came from behind Finn, startling the pair.

"I'm going back with you."

The pair turned their eyes on the small, fragile looking girl.

"No sweety."

"I have every right."

"Why do you wanna be put through that again?"

"I wanna look him the eye. Let him know he didn't win. That yes I thought I LOVED him. But those day's are gone. And he didn't break me."

"Ror..."

"Either that, or you stay here. I need you HERE Finn. Not THERE. Here, with me."

"I..."

"You're choice. You know you're dad won't let him come here, and you wouldn't either, but you know how sneaky and clever he is. And if by chance he does make it here, I'm going to need you to be here. Right here, by my side."

"Fine. I won't go." He said hugging the two girls.

The threesome walked back into the cafeteria.

"What was that about?" asked Collin

"None of your business." Steph said quietly.

"Are you okay Ror?" Logan questioned the shaking girl. Despite what she said in the hall, she was afraid of him coming here. Afraid of seeing him again.

"Why do you care?" She was too tired and stressed to argue.

"Because once upon a time we were friends."

"Logan... you were my best friend.."

Logan looked away, knowing what was coming.

"I loved you as much as a 10 year old could love anyone..."

He'd heard it all from Honor.

"And I didn't even get a NOTE. You left..."

Here we go.

"I could've handled it, the leaving part, ya know. Yeah, it would've been hard, but not as hard as you leaving with out a goodbye."

Now that he didn't expect. Right about then the doors were threw open. Finn, Steph and Rory froze. Thinking the worst.

"LOGAN!" a voice screeched, and was tackled by his sister.

When they realized it was just Honor, let out a breath.

"Hey Honor..." Logan trailed off.

"What's...oh hey Ror! Oh..." Honor said, finally realizing how awkward it must've been. But then she looked again, and knew something more was wrong.

"What's going on..?"

Logan opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by the three at the end of the table.

"He's out."

All the color drained from Honors face.

"Oh God..."

"Who's he?"

"None of you're business!" The four snapped.

"Woah. I always knew you were a whore..." Logan said without thinking.

Rory stepped back. Hurt by his comment.

"Umm wow. Well I have to go..."

With that she walked out of the cafeteria.

Honor smacked Logan on the back of the head.

"You're an idiot."