"Tadah!" Rory shouted triumphantly as she walked into the living room holding a cardboard box.

"Tadah what?"

"I just unpacked the very last box."

"We've lived here for a month babe," Marty said with a smile.

"I know! It's only been a month!" Marty looked at her quizzically. "My mom and I moved into the Crap Shack when I was 11 and there are still boxes we haven't unpacked," she explained.

"Oh, well then I guess congratulations are in order." He tipped his head up from his spot on the couch so she could kiss him when she walked by on her way out the door to recycle the box.

She kissed him lightly and ran her hand across his shoulder. "I'm going to take this to the curb, is there any other garbage I should take out?"

"Rory Gilmore volunteering to take out the trash?" he teased. "I don't care if the bag is brand new in the kitchen… take it out anyway."

"Oh shush you!"

"But seriously, I think the bag in the kitchen is full, so would you take it?"

"Course," she said wandering into their kitchen to get the bag of trash, which was remarkably full. Especially considering they hardly ate at home. She walked back through the living room and Marty called out to her.

"I am taking you to dinner to celebrate this great feat. Tonight."

"Okay!" she said eagerly.

"You know," she started when she returned from the curb, "It's already 7:00, if we're going to dinner we should get a move on."

"Nah," Marty told her. "This is Chicago Rory. Restaurants take reservations until 10:00 at least, and nobody who's anybody eats before 8:00."

"How do you know?"

"Hello, I grew up here. Even if my family is working class, we still had the occasional meal out."

"But we've been out to eat at least 10 times in the month since we've been here," she said confused.

"But we haven't been out to a really nice restaurant yet."

"What about-"

"Compared to the place I'm taking you tonight, that one was a hole."

"You know where you're taking me?"

"Made reservations while you were taking the trash out. Can't let the only time my girl's ever fully unpacked go by unobserved now can I?"

"You're really sweet," she told him as she headed over to where he was sitting.

"Thanks," he replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her into his lap.

"So what time is our reservation?" she asked coyly, running one hand through his hair and the other down his arm.

"Not until 9:00."

"Perfect, then we have time." She leaned in and kissed him thoroughly, deftly unbuttoning his shirt as she went.

"Yes, Harrison party of two," Marty told the hostess when they arrived at the restaurant a mere minute before their reservation. "You almost made us late," he whispered in Rory's ear.

"You enjoyed every minute of it," she whispered back.

"Well of course." He smiled.

"Right this way please," the hostess said, grabbing a pair of menus and leading them to a high backed U shaped booth in the corner. "Will this do?"

"Perfect," Marty told her. He helped Rory out of her coat, and watched as she slid into the booth.

Rory picked up her menu and began to peruse the fine French cuisine. The food looked amazing, and pricy. "Marty, this place is so expensive! Can we afford it?" she asked. She had just started at the Chicago Sun Times, and Marty had just joined a firm as a junior accountant. Neither job paid particularly well. Well enough to pay the bills, and have a little left over, but not enough to be careless with money by any means.

Marty winked at her, "This is a celebration Rory. For the first time in your adult life you've been entirely unpacked!" He paused for a moment, then continued. "What are you having?"

"I think I'm going to have the ratatouille."

"Really? All I can think of when I hear that is rats in the kitchen," Marty told her with a laugh.

"I know, but I've been wanting to try it since I saw the movie."

"Okay then. And for starter?"

"I don't need one."

"You love appetizers! Of course you need one."

"I'd rather have dessert," she told him.

"Rory, tonight, for once, money is no object. I want you to have it all."

"All because I completely unpacked?"

"Yes!" he said with a mysterious smile.

"Fine, I'll have the cheese plate to start, and chocolate mousse for dessert. What are you having?"

"I thought I'd have the cassoulet, and crème brulee for dessert," he answered.

The waitress arrived at that moment to take their order, and in addition to all the food, Marty ordered a decent bottle of red wine to accompany it.

The wine and food were delicious, and Rory and Marty made easy conversation through out the meal. They talked about work, vacations they'd like to take, their friends at Yale, and pretty much any thing else under the sun.

When dessert was delivered, Rory noticed that Marty got suddenly quiet. "Marty are you okay? Is something wrong with your dessert?"

He cleared his throat, "No, the dessert is great, but I think the cassoulet upset my stomach, I'll be right back."

Rory set her spoon down, not wanting to finish her dessert while he was gone, and asked the waitress for a cup of coffee to accompany it. She pulled out her phone and decided to check her email while she waited.

Ten minutes later Marty returned looking decidedly better. "All better?" she asked.

"Uhm, yeah," he replied.

She picked up her spoon and went back to her mousse, and he picked up his spoon and went back to his crème brulee.

"Rory?" he asked a moment later.

"Yeah?"

"Uh… nevermind."

"Okay."

A few more minutes passed and Marty spoke again. "Rory?"

"Yeah?" Rory said slightly irritated.

"I… uh…" he stuttered.

"Just spit it out Marty," she said with a smile.

"Willyoumarryme?" he said in a rush.

"What?" she asked, not understanding him the first time.

"Will. You. Marry. Me," he said slower and more confidently. He pulled a small black box out of his pocket and presented it to her.

"Yes!" she said excited.

He smiled and sighed in relief, then opened the black velvet box to remove a brilliant round diamond affixed to a thin gold band. She held out her left hand, and he slid the diamond on her finger, then leaned in to kiss her, sealing the deal.

A minute later she broke the kiss. "So this dinner wasn't really to celebrate my finally unpacking all the way was it?"

He grinned at her, "nope."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"A while."

"What were you going to do if I didn't finish unpacking today?" she asked curiously.

"Make up some other reason to celebrate, I guess."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

AN: Well, here's Marty. Let me know what you think!

I don't own the show or the song… and thanks again to Miguel51's Kismet for giving Marty a last name and a city to locate them in.

Up next – Logan I

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