Title: Crazy Little Thing Called Love

PDLD

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!

Rating: K+

A/N: OK so 2 months is not as bad as 4… And really I was going to post this chapter like 4 weeks ago but I just COULD NOT get the ending right (and as you will soon see the ending is BIG)

Fortunately, I finally fixed it and the chapter is FINALLY done! Hope you all like it – I finally have a solid direction for the rest of the story. (YAY!) So sit back… enjoy… and then review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 15: Marco-Polo!

"So where are we going again?" Rory asked as she slid into the passenger seat of Finn's Lexus.

"Just a 'small get together' for the new movie that's coming up – sort of a meet and greet type of thing."

"And when you say 'small get together' we're talking… what?"

"About 350 actors, actresses, managers, immediate family relations, childhood friends, first cousins twice removed, long lost high school pals…"

"So basically anyone and everyone?" Rory said with a small smile at Finn's nonchalant silliness.

"Not just 'anyone' you have to be a somebody to be invited to shindig like this."

"Or apparently the first-cousin-twice-removed of a 'somebody'."

"Ha-ha… that works too."

"So how long will we be expected to hang out here?" Rory asked with a slight whine. While she loved spending time with Finn, she had also learned the hard way that these 'small get together's' could last hours – and frankly she wanted to spend some portion of this vacation alone with her boyfriend.

"I promise we will be out by midnight - wouldn't want you turning into a pumpkin on me," he replied with a wink. "Plus if you be a good little girl I'll give you a surprise when we get home."

"Ohh," Rory replied with sarcastic amusement (she still wasn't exactly thrilled about being dragged to the 'small get together'). "Is it a cookie?"

"Oh sooo much better than a cookie, My Dear. But if you want one of those, too, that can certainly be arranged."

"Oh yes I forgot. You are one of those big-shot-Hollywood types now. You can get anything at the drop of a hat."

"There are a few benefits to the job. But I thought we discussed this – I am NOT a Hollywood type."

"Finn…" Rory deadpanned. "You were on the cover of People Magazine last month. I think it's safe to say you've crossed over."

"I am still the simple boy I have always been. The glitz and glamour of Hollywood has yet to taint me."

"Finn – since when have you ever been a 'simple boy'? We've known each other since College remember. You've been gallivanting around on (and crashing) Yachts since the age of 19."

"Hey!" Finn said obstinately.

"What? Are you seriously trying to argue with me on this one?"

"I'll have you know that I have been gallivanting and crashing large ocean vessels for much longer than that!"

"Ha-ha sorry, my mistake," Rory replied.

As the car slowly came to a stop, Rory glanced outside the window to see where they were. The building was in a word: plain. It was somewhat of a let down after the expectations Rory had worked up in her head. The premiere had been the essence of Hollywood glitz and glamour (or at least what she had assumed "Hollywood glitz and glamour" to be); yet in contrast this setting definitely left something to be desired. The Building itself looked as though it was a rundown office building. The only indication that the structure was anything more than what it appeared was a cliché red carpet with a velvet rope in front of the main entrance.

"This is it?" Rory asked with slight hesitation as she exited the car while Finn tossed the keys to the waiting valet.

"I told you it was only a small gathering."

"Yeah, but this is still Hollywood. We had more extravagant settings back in Stars Hollow."

"Ah Darling… Remember. Looks can be deceiving," Finn replied with a wink as he opened the door for Rory, revealing a posh Hollywood soirée.

The room looked to be some sort of photography studio revamped for the occasion. The room had extremely tall ceilings with tiered balconies. The decorations were in a word: modern. Lots of geometric shapes hung at random angles on the walls and floor to ceiling white curtains hanging at one end of the space, presumably conceding a make shift catering station. To say this was a "small gathering" was a vast understatement by any means – a fact that Rory was slowly realizing as she turned to look at Finn who had a smug smirk on his face.

"You're funny, you know that," Rory said accusingly to Finn in an attempt to wipe that look off his face.

"I don't have any notion of what you are referring to, My Dear," Finn replied in an oh-so-innocent tone of voice.

"You're trying to show off your high-class-Hollywood life by pretending to nonchalantly escort me to a party like this."

"I am not," Finn replied with the same smirk.

"You are too," Rory replied childishly, adding a poke in the ribs for effect.

"Now, darling, play nice," Finn replied as he snatched her hand, proceeding to place a gallant kiss on it. "So maybe I was being a slight bit misleading in my earlier descriptions about this evening. I assure you it was all for a greater good."

"Oh and what 'greater good' could that be?"

"To see the look on your face," Finn replied with a laugh. "Trust me it was totally worth it."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Soon after their arrival, the party was in full swing. As usual, Finn had gotten caught up in business, so Rory had slipped away to find a secluded area to watch from afar. This "secluded area" turned out to be a seat at one of the numerous bar stations set up throughout the immense studio. The party seemed to be a meet and greet for the new movie, Broken Mirrors. The flick was set to being production in less than three months, and this gather was primarily used to acquaint the cast and crew to each other. Of course, in true Hollywood fashion, the party was extravagant, over the top, and not exactly Rory's scene, but she knew that her purpose for being there was to support her boyfriend – and that's what she was determined to do – for a little while at least.

In many ways the night had become a mirrored experience to their last formal outing – Finn talking up the big producers while she attempted to ward off the pesky producer's sons who kept asking to buy her a drink. The irony of the similar situations was not lost on her, but Rory simply kept up her spirits, made a game of shooting down perspective suitors with outrageous lines, and continued to hope that this night would end on a much higher note than the previous premiere.

Finally deciding that she had had enough, Rory decided to go off in search of Finn. Surely by this point he was going insane as well, and would be more than ready to leave. The only obstacle that remained was finding Finn amidst the huddled masses. Despite the claim that only 350 people would be at the party - to Rory, the crowd seemed to hold at least 1,000. It was like some weird twisted game of Where's Waldo, only Finn was not wearing any obnoxiously obvious red stripes.

Finally surrendering, Rory pulled out her cell phone, praying that she could somehow find service…

XXXXXXXX

Finn stared aimlessly ahead, trying to remember how long he had been standing here pretending to listen to Jason, the lighting designer, go on and on about his plans for the upcoming film. Apparently, working with someone of his bone-structure was a real treat for the extremely short and flamboyantly gay man. At first the man's overexcitement had been somewhat amusing, but after 20 minutes of listening to how "the shadows would fall just fabulously due to his very prominent nose," Finn had become slightly less interested in Jason's side of the conversation. As he stared blankly ahead, Finn's mind began to wander to Rory. I wonder where she is right now… Finn mused as he yet again aimlessly nodded to the short gay man standing before him.

Then, as if the gods were telepathically sensing Finn's great distress, a miracle occurred in the form Finn's cell phone going off. After politely excusing himself from the conversation, Finn casually answered his phone as he sprinted away from his annoying colleague.

"Hello?"

"MARCO!" The unidentified voice yelled.

Finn shot his phone a questioning glance and then tired again: "Hello?"

"Eehhh! Wrong! The correct answer to that statement is: 'Polo,'" Rory replied.

"Oh, how could I have forgotten? I should brush up on my childhood games more often if I am going to continue to date the fair Miss Gilmore."

"The scarier issue here is that you haven't thought to do this already."

"Oh, Darling," Finn replied with a small chuckle. "Where are you and how are you enjoying the party?"

"That was what the intention of Marco-Polo– It's in the Gilmore Handbook for crying out loud! When one member of a party falls into a dire situation from which they need to be rescued a game of Marco-Polo MUST ensue!"

"Well I am sooo sorry, my dear, but I was (yet again) not informed of this rule. Is it new or something?"

"Of course not! It's been apart of the Gilmore-way for well over 5 minutes now!"

"Ah, I see, I see. Well then of course I should have --"

Suddenly Finn's voice stopped mid sentence. His blood ran cold with shock and his eyes almost bugged out of his head at the person (or rather nemesis) standing before him.

"Ah Rory I've got to go. I'll meet you at the front entrance in 3 minutes. Marco-" Finn replied just before the line suddenly went dead on Rory's end.

Although she wasn't exactly sure what had happened, she knew it wasn't good. She quickly gathered up her things and began to fight her way through the crowd to find Finn.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well, well, well, just look what we have here." The offensive voice remarked as Finn slowly began to place his cell phone in his back pocket.

"If it isn't Hollywood's little 'it boy' – but where-oh-where is his darling sweetheart?" Stan the FORMER-Management Man said in an all too cocky voice.

"It's great to see you too, Stan." Finn shot back sarcastically, as he launched a cold death stare in Stan's direction…

TBC…

A/N: Dun, Dun, DUNN! Haha, I know it's a horrible cliffhanger… but what can I say? They are sooo much fun to write. (That and I really enjoy being and "evil" writer!)

Anyway I hope all of you liked it and PLEASE REVIEW!