Part 10: Saturdays And What of Them

"So you guys are back?" Rory asked as her and Lane exited Andrew's book shop after an afternoon shopping spree, with arms full of bags of books Rory liked.

"Yep," Steph said excitedly. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Oh yeah, why's that?" Rory asked with a laugh as she and Lane looked both ways before jogging across the street to go back to her house.

"Finn's dad's party."

"That's next Friday, Steph," Rory said automatically.

Steph laughed. "No, sweetie, it's tomorrow."

"No," Rory said stopping next to the gazebo, "Yale starts next Saturday, the day after the party. Next week."

"Rory honey," Steph said a bit worriedly. "I'm looking at the Yale orientation letter that I got in the mail. I got it a few days ago. It says here that Yale starts on Saturday. That's why Tris and me came back from Martha's Vineyard early, to get all our stuff without rushing."

"You're not just teasing me, right? You know, first year Yale student, why not tease her until she has a nervous breakdown?"

"Rory, me and Tristan are first years too."

"Oh no," Rory said hanging up her phone.

"Rory?" Lane asked nervously

"We have to go home, find that letter and kill Lorelai."

"Wha..." Lane watched as Rory started running down the street towards her house. "Well, she's running, must be important... and now I'm talking to myself. Run, Lane, run!" Lane said to herself as she ran down the street with Rory. Lane caught up with her best friend just as she opened the door to the house. Lane followed and closed the door, setting down the bags.

"Hey, hey! No mail, you promised we're still on vacation." Lorelai shouted from her position of lying on the couch. Her head was tilted back to look at Rory who was frantically looking through her mail.

"You, no talking right now!" Rory ordered as she found the letter and dropped the rest of the mail to open it. She pulled the piece of paper out and scanned the words sucking in her breath. "Oh no."

"What?" Lorelai asked sitting up.

"Oh no."

"What 'oh no'?"

Rory walked towards her bedroom, the letter clenched in her hand as she went to her desk to her planner. "Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, oh no."

"Rory, you're freaking me and Lane out here, what's going on?"

"I wrote the date down wrong."

"What?" Lorelai asked confused as she and Lane walked towards Rory.

"Yale, I wrote the date down wrong. My orientation is on Saturday."

"Yeah, Ror," Lane said. "Next Saturday."

"No, this Saturday."

"No, next Saturday," Lorelai corrected once again.

"No, Mom, this Saturday."

"But today's Thursday, that means we..."

"It means I have to start school the day after tomorrow."

"No!" Lorelai said as she looked at Rory's planner and grabbed the paper from her hands looking at both dates. "But we had the next week planned."

"Yeah, well, I wrote the date down wrong," Rory said looking at her planner in disbelief.

"How could you write the date down wrong!" Lorelai exclaimed. "That's probably the most un-Rory thing in the world!"

"I don't know, I wrote it down before Martha's Vineyard and I wrote it down wrong."

"You guys had the next week planned." Lane said.

"I can't believe you wrote the date down wrong."

"I can't believe you wouldn't open my mail."

"I can't believe you wrote the date down wrong!" Lorelai repeated.

"I can't believe I had to find out from Stephanie!"

"This isn't fair, you have more 'I can't believes' than I do."

"This sucks," Lane said.

"This totally sucks," Lorelai agreed.

"Now we won't get Medi/Pedi day, or Godfather and watching Sofia dying over and over again."

"Okay, we just have to plan this out."

"Paper," Rory said randomly.

"What?" Lane and Lorelai asked in confusion.

"Pad! Pen! List! Go!"

"Right, no time for full sentence! I'll get the pad! Lane, you find a pen!"

"Right!"

They both rushed out of the room, leaving Rory alone to stare at the piece of paper she had grabbed from her mother's hands. "I can't believe I wrote the date down wrong," she whispered before rushing to the living room when Lane had announced she had found a pen.

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"So this is Stars Hollow?" Colin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep," Finn nodded as they walked towards the gazebo.

"It's... small."

"Cozy," Finn corrected.

"That's just a nice word for small," Colin laughed. He looked around and saw a group of three women standing around. Colin frowned and nudged Finn. "Isn't that Rory?"

"Yeah," Finn smiled. "And that's Lorelai. I'm guessing the other girl is Lane." They began walking towards them, catching more and more of their conversation as they neared.

"Okay, we've got sheets, towels, bathroom shower caddy and the basic First Aid accouterments. We still need to hit the beauty supply store, the hardware store and the stationary store," Rory said.

"The mattress store," Lorelai said.

"I thought Ivy League colleges supplied you with a mattress?" Lane asked.

"Yeah," Lorelai said. "A mattress that decades of students have slept on, some of them naked."

"Eww," Rory and Lane said in disgust.

"I'm adding mattress store," Rory said adding it to the list.

"Good girl," Lorelai nodded in approval.

"We've been running around for hours, and that list Rory has has been getting longer every time we meet up," Lane said.

"We are never going to finish," Rory groaned.

"No, stop, yes we are. We just need to split up."

"Right," Rory agreed looking down at her list. Finn took that as his opportunity to swoop down and kiss her cheek.

"Hello, love."

"Hi Finn," Rory said absently, causing Colin to laugh. "Okay," she said looking up at the girls, ignoring the amused looks on both their faces. "Lane, you take the stationary store, I'll take the hardware store, and mom, you take the beauty supply store."

"Why does she get the stationary store and I get Kirk?" Lorelai asked, casting a glance at the beauty supply store.

"'Cause Lane knows what pens I like," Rory said. "Then we'll see about the mattress store."

"Right, maybe even get a new bed too." Lorelai teased, sending at wink at Finn who smirked.

Rory frowned at her mother. "Why would I need a new bed, I just need the mattress."

"'Cause I think you and Finn won't fit in the twin Yale gives you."

"I think she's right."

Rory looked up in surprise to see her boyfriend's grinning face. "Oh my god!" She said hugging him. "When did you get here?"

"He kissed you three minutes ago," Lane laughed.

"You did?"

"You were busy, I understand," Finn said kissing her lightly.

"Aww, Rory, you have BFF approval," Lane said happily.

"Thanks, Lane," Rory laughed kissing Finn softly. "And it's a good thing you're here."

"Hey Rory," Colin said with a small wave.

Rory turned and smiled at him, giving him a hug. "Hey Colin. Then I rephrase everything I just said. It's a good thing you're both here."

"Oh yeah, why's that?" Colin asked.

"Rory didn't open her mail till yesterday." Lorelai said.

"Only because you wouldn't let me!" Rory exclaimed letting go of Finn to look at her mom.

"And you listen to everything I say?" Lorelai asked in disbelief.

"Uh... yeah!" Rory said. "Okay, Colin, you go with Lane. Finn, you come with me. Mom, you get to face Kirk all alone. Say hi to my future daddy."

"Once, Rory, once. He asked me out once!"

"Come on, Finn, I think my mom wants to go see my daddy alone."

"The horse is dead, Rory! Put the stick down!" Lorelai shouted after her. Rory sent a smile over her shoulder as she led Finn to the hardware store.

Lane sighed as she looked at the stationary store. "I should probably get notebooks too, huh?"

"Get purple ones, she just loves those," Lorelai said with a smirk as she grudgingly went to the beauty supply store.

"I'm Lane," she said to Colin who was looking amused. "Lane Kim, Rory's best friend."

"Colin McCrea, one of Finn's best friends."

"She's talked about you guys," Lane said as they started walking to the stationary store.

"All good I hope."

Lane nodded. "She's fond of all of you guys. It's weird, seeing as she hated Tristan in Chilton, and now he's one of her best friends along with you and your cousin. And she talks about Finn non stop."

Colin nodded. "Finn adores Rory, you could tell when they first met. He's good for her."

"I can see it," Lane nodded as they entered the store and started pursuing the aisle.

"Hey Lane?" Colin asked stopping her as she was about to turn the corner into one of the aisles.

"Yeah?" Lane asked, looking at some paper that Rory might like.

"I'm sorry."

Lane looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Rory said I jinxed your relationship. I never meant to ruin what you and your boyfriend had. I'm sorry."

Lane smiled and gave a small laugh "That's really sweet of you, but you didn't ruin my relationship with Dave. It would have never worked out anyway. Trust me, but thank you."

"Welcome, now what kind of paper does Rory like?"

Lane smiled at him and showed him the difference of papers, according to the Lorelai Leigh Gilmore school rule book.

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"So when'd you guys get in?" Rory asked as Finn opened the door to the hardware store for her.

"This morning. Colin went home to say hi to his parents and I went home to see my dad. What do you need from the hardware store, love?"

"Well, I need towel bars. How's your dad?"

"He's good," Finn said. "He's excited to meet you."

"Really, when?"

Finn looked at her confused. "Tonight, the party..."

Rory stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. "Shoot, that's tonight, isn't it?"

Finn nodded. "Yes, that's why I had to come back today, so did Logan and Colin. We have to be there, same with Steph and Tristan."

Rory bit her lip and ran through the things that she needed to do. She still had a mountain of things to do, as well as pack.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Finn asked amused.

"I've been so caught up with getting my things for school that I completely forgot. I'm so sorry, Finn."

"Don't worry about it, love, I'll tell my dad..."

"No, I'm still going," Rory told him.

"But you still have to..."

"Lane and my mom can get the rest of my things," Rory told him. "Mom can probably even convince Luke to help. Shoot, how did I forget about this?"

"Hey, don't worry about it, you've been rushed to get things for school. Come on, let's get the things you need from here." He looked at his watch

"What time is it?" Rory asked as she grabbed utility hooks.

"Noon, me and Colin have to leave around four to go get ready and I need to help my dad with some things. I can be back around seven to pick you up, the party starts at eight."

Rory nodded. "Perfect, maybe before you leave, you can help me pick out a mattress," she said kissing him softly.

"Oh, don't tease, love," Finn laughed as he followed her.

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"Have you seen my strappy gold heels?" Rory asked as she walked out of her room, putting on an earring.

"In my room," Lorelai called out as she took another bag out to Luke's truck.

"Jeez," Luke complained as he lugged the mattress on the bed of the truck. "You'd think a fancy school like Yale would have a mattress."

"Yeah, go figure, huh?" Lorelai teased as she threw the bag in.

Luke looked at the black bag with a frown. "You packed her stuff in hefty bags?"

"Hey, she's lucky I even had these in the house."

Luke was about to respond back to that when a Mercedes pulled up to the house and parked behind his truck.

"Who's that?"

"Rory's boyfriend." Lorelai smiled as Finn got out of the car wearing a suit. "Wow, Rory really does have good taste," she told him as Finn got closer. "Not even Dean looked this good in a suit."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Finn laughed. He turned to the large man standing on the truck bed who was eyeing him. "You must be Luke, Rory's spoken highly of you."

Luke didn't say a word, he kept staring at Finn. Lorelai bit her lip and took Finn's arm. "Let's get you inside, hun."

"Good idea," Finn muttered as they walked into the house.

"Now I can't find my bracelet," Rory shouted from her room.

"Make yourself comfortable, Finn." She watched Finn raise an eyebrow as he saw the multitude of black hefty bags covering the living room. "Well, as comfortable as you can," she said as she went into Rory's room.

Finn looked around the room and had to smile. This was Rory and Lorelai. It was small, yet he could definitely see them living here, watching movies and bantering like they did. He walked over to the mantle and looked at the pictures they had there.

"Are you sure?" Lorelai asked as she ran up the stairs.

"I've looked everywhere else!" Rory shouted as she came into the living room. Finn turned and felt his breath catch as he saw her.

She was wearing a long white halter dress that was covered in antique lace. A light pink sash was tied around her waist, the ends falling to middle of her legs. She wore gold strappy heels that brought her to his height.

She smiled. "What do you think?" She asked turning around, revealing her bare back before turning forwards again.

"Absolutely stunning, love," Finn told her.

"Good," Rory said, "Then Steph paid good money."

"Steph?" Finn asked confused.

"Here's the bracelet," Lorelai said as she ran back down the stairs.

"Thanks, mom," Rory said as she put it on.

"Purse?" Lorelai asked.

"I have a clutch," Rory said going back to her room and grabbing it. She came back putting in her phone.

"When you get back, you will be mostly packed," Lorelai promised. "I've got Lane doing some last minute things before she has to make Mama Kim's curfew, then sneak out and help us get the rest."

"Thanks, mom."

"I'll bring her back early," Finn promised.

"No need," Lorelai waved off. "We've got everything under control."

Lorelai led them out where Luke was still arranging everything in his truck so that he could fill it to maximum capacity.

"Thanks so much for your help, Luke," Rory said as she stopped by the truck.

"It's my pleasure, Rory, and you look beautiful," he told her.

"Thanks, I'll see you guys later." Rory smiled as they went to Finn's car. He opened the door for her, helping her in before closing it before going over to his side and getting in and driving off.

"I like him," Luke announced as Lorelai handed him another bag.

"Really?"

"Yeah, much better than Dean and I hate what I'm about to say, but Jess too. He looks like he's good for her."

Lorelai smiled as she handed him another bag. "Good, 'cause I have a feeling he's here to stay."

"Yeah, I could get used to him."

"Good, so Luke..." Lorelai looked up at him as he pushed the mattress back against the truck to fit some boxes.

"Yeah."

"Did something happen between you and Nicole?"

"Enter the queen of segue ways," Luke muttered as he jumped off the truck.

"It's just you've been very tight lipped about the cruise since you got back. I mean we're friends, right? Friends tell each other things. So why won't you tell me?"

"Because."

"Wow, monosyllabic man made his return with a vengeance."

Luke glared at her before sighing and sitting on the porch, Lorelai following.

"Did something happen with Nicole?" She repeated.

"Yes"

"What, did you propose?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god, you proposed," she said wide-eyed.

"Yes, I proposed."

"This is big, this is huge!"

"There's more."

"There's more? Okay, well, what? Did she say yes?"

"Yes."

"She said yes, you proposed and she said yes, Wow, I-"

"There's more."

"And there's more after you proposed and she said yes. What, you…"

"We got married."

Lorelai sat stunned as she stared at him. "You got married?"

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"You do look absolutely stunning," Finn said as he kissed her hand that was clenched in his.

"Are you sure I'm not overdressed?"

"No," Finn said as he pulled into his driveway. "You look amazing."

"I can't believe I passed this dress up."

"What?" He asked confused as he parked.

"The dress, it's the dress Steph gave me for my going away present."

"The one that cost too much?"

"Way too much," Rory corrected.

"Well, it's beautiful. I'm going to have to thank Steph for buying it for you."

"Hmm, I'll thank her myself," she laughed as he got out of the car and went around to open hers. He held out his hand which she took and stepped out. He put his hands on her hips to steady her and kissed her quickly.

"I hope he doesn't hate me," Rory whispered.

"You're going to Yale, he'll love you."

"Finn," Rory said slapping his arm.

Finn laughed and kissed her again. "He'll love you, Rory, he's dying to meet you."

Rory bit her lip. "Really?"

"Truly, now come on." He laughed as he closed her door and led her to the door to the mansion. Rory interlaced their fingers as he opened the door and were greeted by the many voices and laughter of the Yale alumni.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," Finn reassured her.

"Let's hope you're right," Rory muttered under her breath as he led her further into the house.

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AN: Like I said, the chapter now will be season four with a few twists of my own. All conversations from season four I got from Twiz TV. I will use a lot of conversation for the sake of the story... but as well as conversations that I've loved during this season. There are a few I'm eager to use lol.

Next chapter will be the party!

Kassandra