Chapter 8: Calm before the storm

"So how was the talk" Lorelai asked. Rory and Finn had left the diner after about an hour and Lorelai had returned to the Inn.

"It was ok. Pretty awkward, but I think that was to be expected."

Lorelai nodded. "Tell me everything."

"There's really not much to tell. I promised to talk to Daniel and Finn would extent his stay here so they could spend some time."

"And that's it?"

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know… Just more, I guess" Lorelai said.

"He's getting married in two months, mom" Rory pointed out. Lorelai wasn't the only one who was disappointed; even though it was her own damn fault, Rory still felt the sting of rejection.

"What's the plan now?"

"I'm not to sure, talk to Daniel and let them spend time together" Rory said and excused herself as her phone rang.

"Ready for tomorrow?"

"Steph?"

"Of course, silly. So are you?"

"What?""Ready for tomorrow night?"

Rory looked at her mother, like she somehow knew what Steph was talking about. "Um…?"

"Oh my god, you've forgotten? Rory come on! It's only the biggest event of the year."

Rory wracked her brain. "You're not getting married until Saturday…"

"It's my bachelorette party, moron!"

"Oh! Yeah no, I remember. Super" Rory said, trying to muster some excitement.

"You're such a liar. We're starting at eight at MuMu, so don't be late. And wear something really sexy."

"Sure Steph" Rory said and hung up. How did she end up being friends with people who bossed her around constantly? She thought it was bizarre that Paris and Stephanie hated each other, because seriously, they had almost identical personalities.

"Steph" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, she wanted to remind me about her bachelorette party tomorrow night."

"Which you had completely forgotten?"

"Totally. But I have a lot of things going on right now. And that's not even including work, which I'm also like ridiculously behind on. And now Steph wants me to wear something sexy."

"Are there going to be strippers? Because, you know, you could just stay home and work and I'll go to the party" Lorelai offered with a big smile.

"What about Luke?"

"Oh he'd never know…"

"Yeah yeah. I'll go home and raid your closet for something sexy before I pick up Daniel."

"You heading back to New York already? I thought you and Finn would stay a little."

"His fiancée called him and he had to go back. Why are you laughing?"

"Just the way you say it… Fiancée, like it was a dirty word." Rory glared at her mother. "I'm sorry, but it's funny…. Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

"Because he's getting married in two months!"

"So? Maybe he'll change his mind?"

"Yeah, maybe if this was a Disney movie" Rory pointed out. "I think I've screwed his life up for more than lifetime, I don't think I should make it any worse by trying to ruin his marriage before it even begins."

"Honey, you have to either tell him or just… Get over him. What about Dean?" Lorelai cringed a little at this, she didn't exactly think that was a match made in heaven, but even he was better than Rory sitting at home, pining away for a married man (again!).

"What about him? It's just all very casual and safe. He wants to watch sport and I wanna talk about books and work… Same old same old."

"Gee you make it sound so romantic" Lorelai mocked. "Why are you two even together, if it's just like before?"

Rory shrugged. She honestly wasn't even sure herself. They had just met one day and started talking, exchanged number and gone from there… He was still the same old Dean and in a way she was still the same old Rory, just with a kid this time. And Dean had been nice about Daniel, taking him to soccer practise a couple of times and stuff like that, but somehow Rory just knew it wasn't going anywhere. But being a complete safety-addict, it was difficult for her to break it off.

"It's… nice…"

"Way to talk it up, Rory. Maybe you should take Stephanie's advice and wear something sexy tomorrow. You might meet someone?"

"Like a stripper?"

"It beats staring at the TV all night with Dean while having lust-filled thoughts about Finn…"

"Mom! I do not have lust-filled thought about Finn" Rory said in a hushed tone.

"Then why are you blushing right now?"

"Because you're embarrassing me!"

"Are you sure it's not because all you can think about is that hot australien…"

"Mom please" Rory almost yelled and hid her face between her hands. "This is so embarrassing!"

Lorelai almost jumped up and down with glee. "I knew it! But I don't blame you, he's very good looking. Much better than Dean and Logan. Logan was always too… blonde…"

"Mom stop! I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Come on Rory, it's fun…." Lorelai kept pestering her.

"I'm so happy my pathetic love-life is able to provide you entertainment" Rory mumbled.

Later that evening, when she and Daniel had returned to their apartment, Rory had set up her computer and was waiting for her old friend to come online.

"Rory!"

Rory, who had dozed off while waiting for Paris, almost jumped at her friends sharp tone. "Sorry Paris, must have dozed off. It's been a weird day…"

"How so?"

"Talked to Finn."

"You're kidding?"

"I wish…" Rory continued to fill in Paris of the events of the last couple of days.

"You've been busy, huh" Paris said. "So have you told Daniel?"

"Yeah we talked a little in the car. He seems okay with it all, although he thinks Finn talks weird."

"Well he does" Paris noted. "How was it seeing him again?"

"Weird! He looks the same, just sober. And he's getting married."

"Yeah I know."

"What? How do you know?"

"My parents know his parents, blah blah blah" Paris said. "And apparently Finn's mother is not exactly crazy about his choice in women. And don't think I don't see that smile, Gilmore. Do you have feelings for him?"

"No of course not" Rory lied.

"You're still a horrible liar, I see. Have you met her?"

"Jane? No, not officially. Saw her with him at a party, she looks just like his type, thin and redheaded."

"I heard she's dumb as a rock" Paris offered.

"Are you lying?"

"Yes…"

Rory smiled. "Thanks, though." It really meant a lot to her that Paris made an effort to cheer her up, especially considering Paris' lack of social skills. "I'm sure she's nice, otherwise he wouldn't be marrying her. He's changed a lot, I think."

"Well I should hope so, he drank like a sponge back then" Paris said. "So, you really have feelings for him?"

"I think so, yeah. But it's so stupid, I mean it's been five years and all I need is one smile and I'm completely hung up on the guy.""

Again!"

"Excuse me?"

"Please, Gilmore. You were making puppy eyes at him even before Logan left for London. You were just too much of a coward to own up to it. Now's your chance…"

"I'm not going to ruin his impending marriage!

""You ruined Dean's" Paris pointed out.

"So I should just continue ruining marriages?"

"Look, it's not like he's married yet, right? So he's fair game. And you have a history and he told you he was in love with you."

"Five years ago, he told me he was in love with me. Now he's getting married to someone else in two months."

"So you better hurry" Paris advised.

"How are you doing in Washington, Paris" Rory asked, trying to change the topic.

"Oh it's fine, everything's fine. My new professor is fine…"

"Paris… Not again?"

"I can't help it. He's all tall and silver-fox like and dangerous…"

"Dangerous?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"He drives a Mustang convertible" Paris said, like it was the most awesome thing in the world.

"Right… Well just… Just be careful, okay Paris? I don't want you to get hurt again, like with professor Fleming."

"Asher was really old. Magnus is at least two years younger…"

Rory rolled her eyes at Paris' excited tone. "Two years? Wow. Well I'm happy that you're happy. Are you coming to the bachelorette party tomorrow?"

"God no… I doubt I'll be going to the wedding" Paris said. "I really don't understand why you like Stephanie…"

"And I don't understand why you don't."

"Probably because she's a total snob, a complete socialite…"

"And she stole Nathan from you? Are you ever going to forgive her for that?"

"NO! Rory, he was the love of my life and that blonde maneater just stole him for fun…"

"Paris, you went on two dates, I hardly think that qualifies him as the love of your life."

"He might have been and now we'll never know!"

"Well I'm going."

"You certainly sound excited."

"I think Finn's fiancée is going too… I don't know, I just feel weird about everything right now. Soon everyone's gonna know about Daniel and Finn, and people… They're going to look at me, judge me, talk about me behind my back…"

"Who cares? All those people have done far worse things than you. I could write a book about Shira Huntzberger alone. So just keep your head high, ok? You're better than most of them anyway."

Rory sighed. "I can handle that they talk about me, I can just stay away. But this is going to crush my grandparents. I haven't even told them yet."

"I'm sure in a matter of no time your dear friend Stephanie will be pregnant and no one will care about Daniel's heritage" Paris reasoned. "Or just wait for the next scandal to rock the social scene."

"Great, you got any idea when that will be?"

"Well, I've hard that Vanessa Miller is releasing a sex tape soon…."

That made Rory laugh. "Thanks Paris. I should probably get to bed soon, it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll see you soon" Paris promised and logged off.

Rory sighed. How her life had gone from that of a mildly boring single parent to the equivalent of a day time soap opera she had no idea, but it made her head hurt. There were still so many loose ends, like telling her grandparents, telling Dean, telling Logan…. The list felt endless. She decided that maybe Steph and her mom was right, she should just put on something sexy and go out and have fun tomorrow, despite Jane might being there too…

A/N: So I think the generel consensus was that I should continue the story, which I'm happy to do. And huge thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, faved, ect... It really means a lot to me. Next chapter Rory will face the redheaded demon also known as Jane. Wonder how that will go down.
Also, I remebered I used to do this silly thing 'quote of the week' and I was wondering if I should bring that back? Let me know