Part 6: Twenties
Finn looked in the mirror, running a hand through his hair one last time before leaving his room and running down the stairs.
"Hey man," Logan greeted as Finn grabbed his wallet from the table and stuffed in his back pocket. "There's a crazy party a few streets down, hot girls galore."
"Can't," Finn said distractedly, checking his pockets one last time. Wallet? Check, he thought. Present? Check. He patted his front pocket.
"Why are you so nervous?" Steph asked teasingly from her position on Tristan's lap. "You and Rory have been going out for a month. I'd think you'd be used to going out with her by now."
"Ah," Finn told her. "But tonight is different."
"How so?" Colin asked.
"I don't want to jinx it. Time?"
"Seven," Tristan said checking his watch.
"Good. I have got to get going. Have fun at the party," Finn told them as he grabbed his jacket. He grabbed a blanket he left on the chair earlier. "Wish me luck."
"Good luck on whatever you're doing," Steph laughed.
"Remember, you're too young to get married," Colin said.
"And too young to be having sex," Tristan said in his best fatherly voice.
"I'll remember that," Finn laughed as he left the living room and walked down beach towards the Gilmore house. His nerves were getting the best of him. Everything was going to go fine, he thought as he reached the back gate of the Gilmore house and walked up.
Rory had been right on their first date. The one question he had asked had put him in the elder Gilmores' good side, almost welcoming him to the family immediately. From what Rory had said, they didn't care that Logan was a Huntzberger anymore or that he was a good connection for Rory to have. Apparently they wouldn't stop raving about him and what a good influence that Finn boy was having on their granddaughter.
He chuckled lightly as he gave a slight knock on the glass slider.
"Finn, my boy," Richard said opening it up and letting him in. "No need to knock."
"Sorry, Richard, it's a habit. Living with three guys and a girl for the past three months, people tend to knock for their own safety," he told him with a laugh.
"Yes, I remember my days at Yale, seemed knocking was a lost habit back then."
"Ah Finn," Emily greeted. "Rory's in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on your picnic."
"She didn't cook anything, did she?" Finn asked slightly frightened. They had had an experience with Rory in the Huntzberger kitchen, trying to bake cookies. Five fire extinguishers and a bucket of water had been used to put the fire at bay. After that Logan had banned Rory from setting a foot in the kitchen at his house.
"No, I didn't," Rory said walking out, carrying a picnic basket on her arm. Even in jeans and a screen tee she looked amazing. Her hair was piled up in a high ponytail, "The cook made everything. You're safe."
Finn gave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."
Rory rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go."
"Have fun, you two," Emily shouted after them as they walked out the back way towards the beach. He grabbed her free hand and brought her closer, kissing the top of her head.
"Hello kitten."
Rory smiled. "Hi back. You know, Steph told me about some awesome party a few streets down."
"Yeah, I heard about that," he said, looking down at her.
"And..."
"And I want to spend the night with you." She raised an eyebrow and he groaned. "I didn't mean it like that." She gave him a teasing look. "It's not that I don't want to... You're doing that on purpose."
"It's fun to see you tongue-tied. I know what you mean, Finn. But if you want, after we have dinner we can go."
"It's okay, I actually sort of have something planned."
"Really?"
"Yes, really." He stopped and got the blanket form under his arm and spread it out on the sand. He sat down, taking off his shoes and brought her down with him. Setting down the basket between them, she got out the plates and glasses.
"Let's see, we've got all the picnic essentials. Let me tell you, it took some convincing to let me bring this."
"Let's hear it," Finn said letting her pull out the food.
"We've got apple cider, only the best for a Gilmore," Rory said pulling out a bottle of apple cider and setting it down.
"Of course."
"Then we've got bologna and cheese sandwiches with the works. Plus potato salad, with fresh potatoes, none of that processed crap. And for dessert, cheesecake."
"That sounds perfect."
"Good," Rory said, pulling out the sandwiches that were in plastic sandwich bags, along with the container of potato salad.
"Have you talked to your mum?" He asked as he heaped a healthy serving of the salad on his plate.
"Actually no," Rory told him. "She's been calling earlier since we've been going out, catching me before I leave. But when I called today, I got the answering machine. I called her cell and got her voicemail. I called Luke and he said he hadn't seen her all day, then called Sookie and Sookie said that mom's car wasn't there and the house was locked up."
"Is that odd?" Finn asked.
"That the house is locked or that mom's nowhere to be seen?"
"Both," Finn clarified grabbing a fork. Rory moved the basket behind them after filling her plate and leaned against him.
"The house part yes, Stars Hollow has a low crime rate. No, sorry, let me correct that, it has no crime rate. So we very rarely lock our house during the day and everyone knows that the spare key is under the turtle, so there's really no point in locking the door if people know where the spare key is anyway."
"Good point."
"And my mom missing, that's not really weird. She's been talking about going to Hartford and starting to get sample things for the inn, you know trimmings, paint samples, pictures of furniture. So she probably headed there. Or she's shopping. I'm not that worried. She'll show up and leave a message. I'll call back later."
Finn could tell Rory was a bit worried. Her mother called everyday to talk about everything. Even during their dates Lorelai would call, just to bug Rory. Not that it bugged either of them. He had a feeling that he would like Lorelai if he met the woman. And Rory seemed to look up to her mother.
"She'll call, love," he said kissing her cheek.
"I know," Rory told him. "So what'd you do all day?"
Finn hesitated. He had been a nervous wreck all day, trying to figure out the best way to go along with his plan without getting shot down. "You know, the usual. We went to lunch, ate, talked."
"Shared your feelings?" Rory teased.
"Yes," he humored her. "Tristan cried a bit, even Logan got a bit teary-eyed."
"Tristan, I believe, Logan, was pushing it," Rory laughed pushing him slightly.
"I knew I should have gone with Colin," he told her with a laugh. "How was your day with Steph?"
"Great. We went to this little town and bought some clothes. I got this cute purse for my mom and a pair of shoes."
"For your mom?"
"No, for me," Rory laughed. "We also went a saw a movie, down at the theater."
"What movie?"
"Cool Hand Luke, they were playing classics."
"And that is a great movie."
"Yes, it is," Rory agreed. They slipped into silence as they finished their meal and listened to the waves roll in and crash against the surf. Finn put his plate down and wrapped his arm around Rory's shoulder, bringing her closer as she finished her food.
"Are you all right?" Rory asked.
"Perfectly fine, why, love?"
"You seem tense."
"Well-"
"What?" Rory asked setting her empty plate down.
"I wanted to ask you something."
Rory sat up and looked up at him fully. "You're nervous because you want to ask me something?"
"Yes."
"Well, what is it?" She asked with a slight laugh.
"Well, we've been going out for a month now, right?"
"Right," Rory agreed.
"And I was wondering if-" he leaned back a bit and put his hand in his pocket, taking out a small ring box. Rory's eyes widened.
"You're not-"
"No!" Finn said quickly. "No, I was wondering if you'd officially be my girlfriend," he said quickly.
Rory looked up at him and smiled. "Really?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
"But-"
"See, the way I see it, what we have here is much more than a summer thing. I like what we have."
"So do I," Rory admitted.
"And I think that even though I'll be in Fiji and you'll be in New Haven, we should still be together. I like the sound of 'No, I can't go home with you tonight. I have a girlfriend back home.'"
Rory laughed. "I like the sound of that too."
"So is that a yes?"
"That is a yes, definitely," Rory said.
"Oh thank god," Finn said slumping down in relief, causing Rory to laugh.
"You had doubts?"
"A twinge," he admitted.
"So what's in the box?" Rory asked curiously.
"That's right," he said opening it. "My class ring," he told her.
Rory gasped as he gave her the box. She took out the ring that dangled from a silver chain. It was a thick silver ring that had Finn's last name on it and the year he graduated on either side of his birthstone which was the aquamarine.
"I thought that maybe you could wear it. That way, when guys ask you out, you can say 'I'm sorry, I have a boyfriend, he's traveling around Fiji.'"
"Oh, that sounds so cool," Rory said with a laugh. "I like it."
He smiled back at her as he took the delicate chain from her fingers and slipped it around her neck clasping it. "Perfect."
"Absolutely," Rory said fingering the ring that laid on her sternum. She leaned against him, liking the feeling of his arm around her. Her boyfriend. She liked it. She had had two boyfriends before, but calling them her boyfriend hadn't made her feel this... excited about having a boyfriend.
"So," he began, causing her to look up at his green eyes. "Dessert?"
Rory laughed and pulled away as she grabbed the basket. She liked the feeling he elicited in her and she hoped it didn't go away anytime soon.
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"So how was last night?" Emily Gilmore asked as their breakfast plates were cleared.
"It was nice," Rory said, playing with the ring that laid on her neck.
"Anything special happened?" Richard asked.
"Um..." Rory bit her lip and gave a nod. "Yeah, Finn asked me to be his girlfriend."
"I thought you already were, sweetheart," Emily said.
"No," Rory said. "I think what Finn was doing beforehand was courting me," she laughed.
"Well, how sweet. It's nice that you found a boy that's so old-fashioned," Emily said with a sigh, as if remembering the days when boys would court her left and right.
"Rory, I like him," Richard said, putting his paper down.
"So do I, grandpa," Rory smiled. They heard the doorbell ring and the maid scurried to answer it.
"Hello, Mrs. Gilmore, Mr. Gilmore," Steph greeted as she walked into the dining room.
"Stephanie, it's so good to see you," Emily smiled.
"Wonderful to see you as well, Mrs. Gilmore."
"Now Stephanie, I think we've gotten past the formality. Please, call me Emily."
"Thank you, Emily," Stephanie smiled. "I actually came to see if I could steal Rory for a few hours. I wanted to go to some stores and then I was planning on meeting the boys for some lunch."
'Take her," Emily said in a teasing voice. "We're sick of her."
"Grandma!" Rory said. She turned to Steph. "Let me grab my purse."
"I'll wait outside," Steph said. "Emily, Mr. Gilmore."
"Richard, please," Richard said with a smile.
"Emily, Richard, I'll bring Rory back safe and sound."
"We trust you, Stephanie," Emily smiled.
"All right, let's go," Rory said ushering Stephanie out of the dining room and the house. Emily smiled at Richard.
"I like her too," Emily said.
"Rory seems to be fitting in just fine. She's made lasting friends and has a boyfriend, better than that tall one that she first had."
"Or the delinquent that left her."
"He's from a good family. Eccentric, I'll admit, but good family. Strong. He's polite as well."
"Perfect for our Rory."
"Yes, he is."
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"All right," Steph said as she drove down the streets. "When me and Tris got back from the party, Finn was lying on the couch with a goofy smile. Now I can only assume you're the reason behind this smile." Steph glanced over at her friend to see her smiling and rubbing something at her neck. "What happened last night? Come on, dish!"
Rory smiled and turned in her seat explaining all the details of last night, from the picnic on the beach to Finn's nervousness to asking her to be his girlfriend to giving her his ring.
"Oh my god!" Steph squealed parking at the small shopping area and turning in her seat. "You have gotten one of the three stooges to settle down. For that you deserve ice cream," Steph said.
Rory laughed. "For that I deserve a pair of Jimmy Choos."
"We'll get those too. Come on, you have three hours before we have to meet the guys."
"Steph," Rory said as they walked into the first store. "You bring out the worst in me."
"And you love me for it."
Rory laughed as they ducked into the store and began their shopping spree.
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"So," Tristan asked as they sat down at an outside table of the Sea Shore Shack and waited for the girls to order. "What was that smile about last night?"
Finn grinned.
"Please, don't tell me you slept with Rory," Colin begged.
"No," Finn said. "I asked her to be my girlfriend."
Logan paused pushing in his chair and stared at his friend. "What?"
Finn looked over at him and nodded. "Yeah, last night. Gave her my class ring and everything."
"You mean the class ring you paid a hundred bucks for?" Logan asked. Colin sent him a withering glare, telling him silently to cut it out.
Finn shrugged. "Yeah, so?"
"I just think you shouldn't have given her something that cost so much when it might not last."
"Logan, stop," Tristan warned, seeing that Finn was starting to get defensive.
"I'm just saying," Logan shrugged, resuming scooting in his chair.
"Hey boys," Steph said sitting at the empty chair next to Tristan and putting down her bags.
"Hey Steph," the boys chorused.
"Where's Rory?" Finn asked.
"Look at the boyfriend, getting worried," Steph teased. Finn sent her a mocking glare which she shrugged off. "She's coming, she wanted to try her mom again."
"What's going on?" Tristan asked. "Doesn't Lorelai call her everyday?"
"Yeah," Finn nodded. "But she didn't call yesterday and Rory hasn't been able to reach her."
They saw Rory coming in, phone attached to her ear, worry etched all across her face. She sat down in the empty seat between Finn and Steph, putting her bags down next to her, listening to the person on the other end.
"All right, thanks, Sookie. Call if you hear from mom... I know she's okay," Rory smiled slightly. "Yeah, maybe... I'll call him in a minute... Bye Sook." Rory hung up the phone with a frown.
"No luck?" Finn asked, kissing her lightly.
"No. Sookie says that Babette didn't see mom come home at all last night. Sookie says she might have gone to visit my dad, but I highly doubt that."
"She'll call soon, love," Finn said rubbing her arm.
"Yeah, I know." She put the phone in her purse. She grabbed a menu and smiled. "So what did you guys do all morning?"
Colin told her about their morning while Finn was watching her with worried eyes. He could tell that not talking to her mother and not knowing where she was was bugging Rory. He just hoped that it would resolve itself soon.
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"All right," Steph said pushing her plate away. "I'm stuffed."
"A medical miracle, my friend," Tristan teased, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend.
"Shut up, Tris."
"Yeah," Rory said as she leaned into Finn's embrace. "Steph almost eats as much as me."
"No one can eat as much as you," Colin laughed.
"Now you're just being mean," Rory told him with a laugh.
Logan leaned back in his chair and watched Rory interact with his friends. He didn't know what was bugging him so much about her. It just... was. He hated how well she had fit in with his friends, almost immediately being accepted by them. How she stole one of his best friends and had even got him to settle down.
He didn't mean to rag on her. But it was impossible to try and be nice to her. He didn't know why, but it was just the way he felt and he couldn't help it.
"All right, where to next?" Colin asked.
"I say we hit the movies," Steph told them. "Rory and me found this movie theater that plays all the classics."
"We have to set up for the party tonight," Logan said.
Colin nodded. "True."
"What party?" Rory asked.
"Ah, a goodbye party, love. It's almost towards the end of our trip, we always have a huge-"
"Rory?" They heard being called towards the front of the restaurant, cutting Finn off. They all looked towards the sound of the voice. A woman was standing there with a smile on her face. Before Finn had a chance to ask how Rory knew the woman, she was out of her seat running towards her.
"Mom!" She shouted running towards Lorelai. She launched herself in her mother's arms, causing both girls to laugh. Lorelai hopped on one foot, getting unbalanced by the force of Rory's hug.
"Okay falling, let's lean this way," Lorelai laughed pushing Rory back a bit.
Rory pulled back and smiled. "You're here a week early."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"No!" Rory laughed. "I've been worried though. You didn't call yesterday and I've been trying to get in touch with you. Nobody knew where you were. Not even Miss Patty!" Rory said.
"I know. I disappeared yesterday afternoon with the excuse of going to Hartford for inn stuff. Turned off my cell and everything. I wanted it to be a surprise."
"But getting here isn't an all day drive."
"Yeah, I know. Sherry was out of town…" Lorelai trailed off.
"Oh," Rory said. "So you visited dad?"
"And Gigi."
"Right."
"He's good, kid, disappointed that you weren't there."
"Yeah, well..."
"Anyway, I crashed there and came down here this morning."
"How'd you know I was here?" Rory asked
"I was driving and saw you with a group of people who are now staring at us in disbelief."
Rory turned and nodded, taking her mother's hand and leading her towards the table. "Right, forgot about you guys."
"I'm hurt," Colin said putting a hand to his heart. "How could a Gilmore forget about me?"
"It's really easy, Colin," Steph said. "You just squeeze your eyes closed really tightly, snap your fingers twice, turn around once and you're easily forgotten."
"Shut up, Steph."
"So hostile these friends of yours," Lorelai laughed.
Rory shrugged. "You get used to it."
"I bet."
"So let me introduce you," Rory said. "Guys, this is my mom Lorelai Gilmore."
"Hey," they all chorused.
"Mom, this is Stephanie McCrea. You remember Tristan?"
"Ah, the Romeo to my daughter's Juliet."
"Ah, he's my Romeo now," Steph laughed.
"Good to know," Lorelai responded.
"This is Steph's cousin Colin McCrea. And Logan Huntzberger," Rory said pointing to a quiet Logan. "Then this is Finn," Rory said holding out her hand. Finn stood up taking it and offering Lorelai his other hand. "My boyfriend."
"Ah," Lorelai smiled taking his hand. "I've heard only good things about you."
"Same here," Finn said.
"I've got to go," Logan said scooting out of his chair. "Meet me back at the house, we've got to go over party things." Without another word he dropped a twenty on the table and left. Colin rolled his eyes.
"Typical," he muttered.
"I hope I didn't interrupt anything," Lorelai said.
"No," Finn reassured her. "Just typical Huntz. Please," he said smiling to Lorelai and offering his chair. "Have a seat."
"How gentlemanly," she said as she sat in the offered chair. Finn gave a look to Tristan and Steph, causing them to move over, so that he could still sit next to Rory.
"So how's dad?" Rory asked.
"He's good," Lorelai said. "Like I said, he was a bit put out that you weren't there. He asked that maybe we could visit on the way back."
Rory opened her mouth to protest, but Lorelai cut her off. "But I told him that you probably have the whole trip back to the Hollow planned out and going back was probably not on the list."
She gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks."
"You should talk to him, babe."
"I'm good."
"Okay. So when did this happen?" Lorelai said gesturing to Finn and Rory holding hands. Tristan, Colin and Finn were having their own conversation, Steph listening to both conversations while Rory and Lorelai talked.
"Last night."
"Oh, so it's fresh."
"Right out the dryer," Rory laughed.
"It's good to see you happy, Ror. You were so down when you came here."
"I was not," she protested.
"Yeah, you were. You hid it well. I was the only one that saw."
"Oh, why's that?"
"You came out of me, I know you better than anyone."
"That was gross."
"No!" Colin refused, causing the Gilmores to turn. "I am not inviting them!"
Finn and Tristan looked at each other and laughed. Steph shook her head.
"You have to face them sometime," Steph teased.
Colin shuddered. "If I can avoid them, I will. Anyone makes that phone call and the last thing they see is going to be a casket closing," he threatened.
"What's going on?" Rory asked.
"There are these sisters that really like Colin," Steph said with a wicked smile.
"Aww, girls that will give Colin the time of day, how sweet."
"Watch it, Gilmore," Colin said through clenched teeth.
"So what's wrong with these girls?" Rory asked.
"They..."
"They're not attractive, love," Finn supplied.
"Guys, that's just mean."
"No, Rory," Tristan cut in. "They're ugly. You see them and you literally want to run in the bathroom and empty your lunch."
"Eww," Lorelai said.
"Yeah, that's everyone's reaction to the twins," Steph laughed.
"The funny part," Finn continued, "Is that they somehow got wind of one of our parties last year and took a liking to our Colin. Some might call it an obsession."
"I sure that they even have an altar of him," Tristan teased.
"Any of you call them, there will be hell to pay." Colin stood up and straightened his shirt. "I'm off to see a man about some music." He laid down a twenty on the table and left
"Hey Colin, wait up," Tristan said and kissed Steph. "See you later?"
"I don't think I'm really up for a party, Tris," Steph said.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, but I'll go towards the end."
"'Kay." He kissed her, running a hand through her hair. "Love you."
"Love you too, now go. I hear the car."
"Coming, Finn?" Tristan asked, putting a twenty on the table himself. Finn turned to Rory.
"Go, Finn," Rory said.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want me to pick you up or…"
"I'm not going to go."
"Trust me," Steph told her. "You're not missing anything. You've seen one drunken idiot, you've seen them all."
"It's true, babe," Lorelai told her. "I know."
Finn laughed. "How 'bout I drink myself into oblivion tonight and you can come in the morning and nurse me back to health?"
"Sounds perfect," Rory said. Finn leaned down to kiss her, but straightened, eyeing Lorelai for permission.
"Oh," Lorelai said taken aback by the action. "Go ahead. You've seen one guy kiss your daughter, you've seen them all."
"Mom," Rory said glaring at her.
Finn laughed and leaned down kissing her, lingering longer than usual because he could. He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I'll talk to you later, love." He put a twenty on the table and smiled at her.
"Bye," Rory said as he ran out of the restaurant.
"So what's with the twenties?" Lorelai asked, eyeing the eighty dollars lying on the table. Steph grabbed them and Rory and her got out twenties of their own.
"When in a group, we each give twenty dollars," Steph explained.
"It's the only time Tristan and Finn will let us pay without an argument."
"So sweet. And odd," Lorelai laughed.
"Take it as sweet," Rory said getting her bags as Steph grabbed her own and went to pay the bill.
"So what now?" Lorelai asked as they walked to Stephanie's car.
"Well, actually, Steph and me were planning on having a movie night. Grandma and grandpa are out all day, they have some party they have to go to."
"I'm glad they're not dragging you to these things."
"So am I," Rory said in a grateful tone.
"All right, girls," Steph announced as she put her sunglasses on and slid into the driver's seat. Rory opened the door and let her mom get in the back before getting in the front, their bags fitting perfectly in the back. "We go get our supplies, get some more clothes and we're off to movie night."
"Steph has a love of clothes," Rory told Lorelai.
"Now Rory," Steph admonished as she pulled out of the parking lot with a skilled ease. "I wouldn't call it a love. I'd call it an obsession."
"You have no idea how much I spend with this girl around."
"I don't think I gave you enough spending money to buy all this," Lorelai said worriedly as she looked in her daughter's bag.
"Grandma and grandpa insisted I take their card."
"And with some help from me Rory will be the best-dressed Yalie on campus. Next to me of course."
"Of course," Rory laughed.
Lorelai looked at her daughter and gave a small smile. Her daughter had no idea just how well she fit into the Hartford social circle. She had been accepted, probably without a fight, and she was perfect in it. It scared Lorelai that her daughter was fitting in with this blonde girl, had a perfect society boyfriend, with an accent no less, and was happy with it.
Though she was glad that her daughter had made friends, friends that would be at Yale with her, she was worried that Rory would get sucked into a life that she had tried so hard to shield her daughter from.
"I say go for the dress!" Steph laughed. "Finn will die when he sees you in it."
"Steph, the last thing I want Finn to do is keel over and die."
"I think he almost did last night when you said yes."
"That was good, wasn't it?" Rory said, a huge smile on her face.
But her baby was happy and who was she to take that away from her?
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