Part 11: Eccentric Dads and Disappointed Moms

"Finn!" They heard the minute they stepped inside. Turning, they found a tall man walking towards them. Rory watched as Finn smiled as he directed them towards him.

"Dad," Finn said as they stood in front of him. Rory looked at him. He was about three inches taller than Finn, he had his black short hair slicked back and his eyes covered with stylish glasses which were more for show than actual use.

"Finn, I was wondering when you would get here, this her?" He asked, as he dipped the sunglasses down his nose to look at her better.

Finn smiled and nodded eagerly. "This is Rory. Rory, this is my dad, Roland Rothschild."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Rothschild," Rory said sticking out her hand.

Roland laughed and shook her hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Rory, and please call me Roland."

"Oh wow," Rory said turning his hand over to see his fingernails pointed a deep purple. Finn held in his breath as Roland looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Rory?" Roland asked.

"Sorry," she said letting go, "It's just that's a really nice color. I've been looking for something like that, but sadly Stars Hollow only has reds and pinks. I blame Kirk, he's going through a Barbie phase."

Roland and Finn looked at her in surprise as she blinked at them innocently.

"Sorry, was that too forward of me?" She asked immediately after seeing their stare.

Roland laughed as he nodded. "I'll tell you where I got my nail polish if you tell me where you got that dress." Rory gave him a smile as he turned to Finn who exhaled. "Finn, she's a keeper."

"Thanks, dad," Finn smiled.

"Now I have to go find Arthur, he still owes me two grand. Swore I wouldn't show up at the Cordswith party in a dress. I proved him wrong. Shelby's talking with some friends in the kitchen, make sure you say hi."

"Of course, dad."

"Rory, me and you will talk later," he said as he walked off with a smile.

Rory smiled at Finn who was looking at her adoringly. "I like your dad."

"I think my dad likes you," Finn said. "I should of warned you he's a bit..."

"Eccentric?"

"Gay was going to my word, but eccentric is good."

"Is your dad..."

"I thought that fact that he was a cross dresser was a sure fire sign that he was gay."

Rory laughed and shook her head. "No, it isn't."

Finn frowned. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean Dr. Frank-N-Furter was a cross dresser but he wasn't gay," she said as they walked deeper into the party.

"But he made Rocky Horror, for himself," Finn pointed out.

"Yeah, but he also slept with Susan Sarandon in that movie."

"And with her fiancé."

"Okay, so he was bi... whatever. The point is that if you're a cross dresser, you're not automatically gay."

"Who's not gay?" They looked up and saw Tristan and Stephanie standing in front of them.

"Dr. Frank-N-Furter," Rory and Finn said at the same time.

"Oh... okay..." Stephanie frowned, then smiled when she saw Rory, hugging her. "See! I told you that dress looked good on you!"

"I have to thank you for buying it for her, Steph," Finn said kissing her cheek in greeting.

"Speechless, huh?" Steph asked Rory who smiled.

"I think he went into cardiac arrest," Rory laughed.

"Come on, we'll get some drinks and talk," Steph said as she pulled Rory away towards the bar, leaving the boys alone.

"Wow, it's like they haven't seen each other in years and not the week that it's been, and even in that week, they talk to each other every day," Tristan pointed out.

"Girls," Finn shrugged as they walked away to mingle with the guests.

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"You got married," Lorelai said in shock. "How could you get married?"

"We asked the captain and he married us," Luke said with a shrug.

"And that's legal?" Lorelai asked incredulously. Luke was married. Married. Did he even know the responsibility that entailed? That meant he had to get a queen bed, not that crap of a twin.

"Apparently," Luke answered, causing her to focus on him again.

"So you're married? You're legally married? This is just-"

"Actually, there's a little more," Luke said cutting her off.

"And she's pregnant," Lorelai muttered covering her face with her hands, trying to wrap her mind around everything that was being shot at her. Her head shot up. "Oh my god, you finally reproduced."

"We're getting divorced," Luke told her with a roll of his eyes.

"Good thing I'm sitting down," she muttered looking at the floor boards of the porch.

"It just happened so fast," Luke told her.

"Well, yeah," she scoffed.

"I mean you're on this boat in the middle of nowhere and everything's moving and you feel weird all the time. There's this endless supply of food and drink. Uh, midnight buffets, by the way, are the reason the rest of the world hates us."

Lorelai rolled her eyes at the comment, but didn't comment, letting him get everything out.

"And everyone around us was either in love, engaged, or celebrating their hundredth wedding anniversary, and we were having a good time... and there you go."

"There you go."

"Of course, the next morning we both woke up and realized we'd lost our minds. We tried to ignore it for awhile, you know, went snorkeling."

"Because it is the newlywed activity, I mean Nick and Jessica did it," she muttered, causing him to frown. "Sorry, go on."

"But by the time we hit land, we were separated and now we're getting divorced."

"Okay, well, my jet lag and your love life is making me dizzy," she told him rubbing her temples. "Is there more?"

"Nope, that's it," he told her with a nod.

"I'm sorry," she said with a sigh.

"Ah," he said waving off her comment, "It's okay."

"Well, look on the bright side. I mean, now that you've been married, it'll silence all those questions." she teased, wanting to make the subject lighter.

"What questions?" He asked confused as he turned to look at her.

"You know, a single man of a certain age who lives alone."

"You're kidding?" He scoffed.

"Hey," she said standing up. "I always defended you. I always said, 'Hey, so what if he is?'" She turned and smiled at him. He shook his head and smiled back as he stood up and started loading the rest of Rory's stuff.

"Thank you for your support," he said with a roll of her eyes, causing her to smile wider.

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"So I think we might be rooming together," Steph said as she ordered a glass of champagne for herself and a club soda for Rory, knowing she didn't drink.

"And how did you find this out?" Rory asked, thanking the bartender as they walked away with their drinks.

"I have my connections. I'm rooming with a R.G., P.G. and a J.B, R.G., Rory Gilmore. No need for applause, I know I'm a genius," Steph said. They heard a scoff and looked to see Finn, Colin and Tristan in front of them.

"Some beg to differ."

"Shut up, Colin," Steph glared.

"That was very astute of you, Steph," Rory teased, going back to their original conversation.

"Come on, it's better rooming with someone you know than some crazy psycho chick that's going to smother you in your sleep."

Tristan and Rory looked at each other before saying "Paris," causing them to go into a fit of laughter.

"What are they laughing at?" Logan asked Finn as he walked up to the group.

Finn shrugged. "I have no idea."

"All right," Rory said with a nod. "I'll admit that it will be cool if you roomed with me."

"Well duh! I mean, then we could share clothes. I can wear those shoes!"

Rory laughed. "Deal."

"You guys don't even know you're rooming together yet, and you're already making plans," Colin said. "That's unlogical."

"You have to promise that if you wake up early, you'll make the coffee though," Rory told her. "I'm not happy without it."

"Hey, same goes," Steph said causing Finn to roll his eyes.

"Come on, love, let's go find my little sister."

"All right, Steph, we have to set ground rules involving Tristan," she warned before walking off with Finn.

"You seem to be having fun," Finn said, wrapping an arm around her waist. She nodded as she took a sip of club soda.

"Yeah, it's great to actually know people when I come to these things."

"Yeah, Steph is always a good person to know at theses things," he said leading her towards the kitchen. "She always knows where the good booze is."

"I have no doubt about that," Rory laughed. She honestly hated going to society parties, hated never knowing a person and getting sucked into talking to her grandparents' friends and having to repeat what she was going to study twenty times to the same people. But now, she had friends that she could easily find and talk to, spend the entire night with and laugh as if she were having a movie night with her mom.

"What are you thinking about?" Finn asked as they reached the entrance to the kitchen where they heard quiet laughter.

"Just how much fun I'm having with you," she admitted.

He smiled, kissing her softly. "Same here, love." He opened the door to the kitchen where they saw a black haired girl on the phone, the phone cord wrapped around her middle as she bit her lip with a smile, her finger twirling the cord. She closed her eyes and turned around, not noticing Finn or Rory.

"No, I'm spending the summer with my dad and brother. You remember Finn... Yes, the one that ran naked on the beach."

Rory raised an eyebrow in Finn's direction, which made him shrug sheepishly as he went over and pinched his sister's sides, causing her to squeal, turn and lose her balance falling to the floor, bringing the entire phone with her.

"Hey," he said causing the fourteen-year-old to glare at him.

"Nice going, idiot, you cut off my phone call."

"You do realize there's a party going on out there, and that we haven't seen each other in months?"

Shelby rolled her eyes and she sat up and started untangling herself from the phone cord. "And I haven't seen my boyfriend in a week, forgive me for having a life outside of you and dad and mom's world of chiffon." She stood up and eyed the pretty blue eyed girl, standing there with an amused smile on her face. "Who are you?"

"Rude much?" Finn asked as he grabbed Rory's hand bringing her closer. "Shelby, this is Rory Gilmore, my girlfriend."

"Nice, the girl that finally tamed Finn. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Rory smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Finn's talked about you."

"I'm not as annoying as he makes me sound," she said with wide eyes. "I swear."

"I trust you," Rory laughed.

"At least someone in this family does," she said rolling her eyes as she put the phone in its place.

"Come on, Shelb, you're the baby," Finn said hugging her.

"I'm turning fifteen in a month. I think that's gets me a teenager title."

"I think it does, Finn," Rory teased.

"I'll never accept that," Finn said dramatically. "You're the baby, with the virgin ears and you'll never change."

Shelby rolled her eyes. "And they call Mila the drama queen of the family."

Rory rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's dramatics as she sat at the barstool at the counter. "Do you know anywhere that I can get coffee?" She asked, looking at her club soda, hoping that it would turn into a mug of coffee. "I haven't had any since this afternoon, and I'm starting to get withdrawals"

"Your girlfriend is a coffee addict?" Shelby raised an eyebrow at Finn.

Finn scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah."

"Does she know you detest the stuff?"

Rory gasped. "What?"

"I thought I'd break it to you gently."

"But..." Rory looked at him wide eyed. "Finn as much as I like you I think I may have to break up with you."

"What?" Shelby and Finn asked with wide eyes.

"You hate coffee, Gilmore girls can't be with coffee haters," she said standing up and about to leave. Finn grabbed her hand, pulling him towards him and wrapping an arm around her waist.

Shelby stuck her tongue out. "If this is the part where you two start necking, I'm out of here. Nice to meet you Rory."

"Nice to meet you too!" Rory said, breaking her facade of shock and sadness, to happy as she waved at Shelby. As the younger Rothschild walked out the door, Rory turned back to Finn, replacing her facade.

"You don't mean that, do you?" Finn asked, afraid she was serious.

Rory smiled kissing him lightly. "Of course not! Just as long as you don't try to get me to drink tea, we're good."

Finn let of a breath of relief. "Good, I thought you were serious."

Rory shrugged. "As much as I hate to say it, not everyone can love coffee as much as me and my mom do."

Finn kissed her and nodded. "Sorry," he shrugged.

She smiled returning the kiss. "One question?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you hate it?"

Finn made a face of disgust as he led her back out to the party. "The stuff is nasty, Rory."

Rory gasped. "You can't be serious?"

"Dead. It has a very bitter taste to it, I can't handle it."

"So does certain types of alcohol, " she said obviously, "But you drink that."

"That's completely different," he told her as they walked back to their friends.

"How so?" Rory asked as they stopped in front of them and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are we really arguing about this?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yes, we are."

"Oh, lovers' spat." Logan muttered eagerly, causing Tristan, Steph and Colin to glare at him.

"Just give me one good reason why it's different."

"Rory," Finn whined.

"I'm serious," she said, "One reason."

"What, did he kiss someone else or something?" Logan whispered.

"Shut up, Logan," Colin muttered, elbowing him in the gut, causing him to grunt and glare.

"Alcohol just happens to taste better going down than coffee. I thought you said you were fine with it?" He asked amused.

Rory huffed. "I am, I just... how can you not like coffee?" She asked still in shock.

The group looked at them in confusion as Finn sighed.

"Are you serious?" Logan asked.

"What?" Rory asked turning away from Finn to look at Logan.

"Is that really what you were arguing about?" He asked.

Rory nodded. "Yeah. Why, wanted it to be something else there, Logan?"

Logan glared at her as he grabbed his drink and left the group.

"What did I do to him to make him hate me?" She asked the group. Finn eyed Colin who was about to open his mouth, but upon seeing Finn's glare he closed it.

"Logan's just getting used to another one of us committing is all," Colin said. "So about your friend Lane..." he began, wanting to take the subject away from a pissy Logan.

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Lorelai waved as Luke walked back towards the diner. She looked at his truck that was sitting innocently in the driveway, covered by a blue tarp, so that Rory's stuff wouldn't get wet with the morning dew, ruining her things. Walking back into the house, she turned on the TV to create some noise in the house, while she walked to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.

Though she didn't want to, her eyes traveled to Rory's room. Turning on the pot, she walked over and leaned against the doorjamb. Even though Rory hadn't packed all her stuff and she still had clothes, shoes, stuffed animals and books in her room, it was empty.

Her most important clothes were going with her, leaving stuff she rarely wore and her Chilton uniform in her closet. Shoes that hurt her feet and weren't school appropriate were left her as well. Stuffed animals that held bad memories or weren't as important were left behind as was the jewelry she rarely even looked at or the books she rarely read.

Some things she was taking with her were new things that had never even seen the inside of her room, but had gone straight into a cardboard box. New sheets and mattresses, clothes, and school things. Hell, even a new boyfriend and friends.

Hearing the car pull up she left the room and went over to the window in the living room and looked out. She saw Finn getting out and walking to the other side of the door, opening it, helping Rory out of the car and walking her up the steps.

Lorelai backed away and went to sit on the couch. Her little girl was growing up and as much as she hated to admit it, it was time to let her go and live the life she wanted.

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Rory wrapped her arms around Finn's neck, causing him to smirk and wrap his arms around her waist.

"Yale tomorrow," Finn told her causing her to smile excitedly.

"Yeah," she nodded. 'I'm so excited."

"I can tell," he laughed. "Steph and Tristan are too."

"I'll miss you though," she said, both their smiles fading a bit.

"Hey," he said, raising her chin up with his fingers, "Hey, we still have a week."

"I know."

"Look, I promised Shelb I'd hang out with her in the morning, but in the afternoon I'm yours. I'll help you move in, how 'bout it?"

"Finn," Rory said, "I don't want to jeopardize your time with your sister, I know that it's limited."

"Trust me, half way through the morning she'll ditch me and hang out with some friends. She always does. I'll be there in the afternoon, no one is going to stop me, all right?"

Rory nodded. "All right."

He leaned down and kissed her, something that started out sweet and simple ended up passionate, as he nipped her bottom lip, asking for permission to take the kiss deeper. Once air became an issue, they pulled away slowly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He asked kissing her lightly.

Rory nodded. "Yeah." She kissed him again as she pulled away from his grasp and opened the door.

"Bye Finn."

Finn nodded with a smirk ."You know, I really like kissing you."

"Yes, and I like kissing you," she laughed biting her lip.

"Bye Finn!" They heard Lorelai yell from inside.

"That's my cue. Bye, love."

"Bye," she said as she watched him get in his car. He looked up at the porch to see her watching. Putting the car in reverse he drove out of her driveway and out of Stars Hollow, back to Hartford. He pushed the thoughts of Rory to the back of his mind, knowing that his dad was going to ask him about it the minute he got home.

Half an hour later he was pulling into the garage and getting out of the car. He took the kitchen entrance where he saw his sister on the phone again.

"Drop Rory off?" She asked covering the mouthpiece.

"Yeah, she's home."

"We still hanging out tomorrow?"

"Of course, why wouldn't we?"

"Good. But I can only hang out till one 'cause Meredith is going shopping in New Haven and I'm so going."

"Then I can hang out with Rory, so it all works out."

Good, so..." she eyed the phone and he smirked.

"Right, I'll go now."

"Good plan," she said as he turned and left. He went to the living room, where he saw his father usher out the last of the guests.

"Yes, thank you for coming. I will definitely see you at the Jameson's party in two weeks." He heard the door close, then his father sigh as he sat down on the couch next to him, slouching down and loosening his tie.

"I now remember why I wear women's clothes," Roland joked as he turned to his son who smiled. "Did you drop Rory off?"

"Safe and sound," Finn reassured, knowing that if his father had took a liking to someone in his children's life, he instantly became protective of them.

"Did she enjoy the evening?"

"Very much, dad. She's very fond of you."

"Good, good."

Finn smirked. "Dad, just come out and say it."

"Say what?" Roland asked innocently as he took off his coat.

Finn rolled his eyes. "The questions that have been on your mind since you found out about her, then met her."

Roland smiled and nodded. "Oh, those questions."

"Yes, those questions." Finn told him.

"Where'd you meet her?" He asked becoming serious.

"Martha's Vineyard. She was staying with her grandparents and she knew Tristan. They're friends from Chilton."

"Were you your usually self when you met her?"

"Define my usual self?" Finn asked.

"Cocky, somewhat lewd."

"No," Finn laughed. "I threw her a wallowing session, she had just broken up with her boyfriend."

"And you're a rebound?" He asked.

"No, we became friends and kissed a few weeks later, we went out, but she didn't become my girlfriend till last week."

"You wooed her?"

"Something along those lines."

"You like her?"

"A lot," Finn admitted. "I don't think I've ever felt this way about someone."

"You're going away for a year, Finn, how are you going to do that?"

Finn shrugged. "I'll admit that having a girlfriend is a first for me, having a long distance girlfriend is another one, but I can do it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I really don't want to screw this up with her. She's become really important to me, dad. I don't want to do anything to ruin the trust we have or the relationship."

"Good, because I really like this girl. I think she's the only girl you've brought home that's actually teased me about my lifestyle instead of turning away in disgust."

Finn smiled. "I'm glad you liked her, dad."

"Shelby seemed to like her too."

"Now all that's left is mum and Mila."

"Mila will love her," Roland told him. "Mila will absolutely love her. Your mother on the other hand..." he trailed off causing Finn to roll his eyes.

"Mum will have to accept her."

"Rory is a Gilmore. I have no doubt she has a little society mind set in there that will impress your mum, and if not, then I'll talk to her."

Finn laughed. "Yeah, that'll go over well. I can just imagine the conversation now."

Roland laughed. "I'm glad you found her, Finn, very glad. She's good for you, and I think you might just be good for her."

"Thanks, dad."

"Welcome son." They looked around the now quiet house before Roland looked at his son. "I have some black nail polish up in the room."

Finn smirked and nodded. "I'll go get it," he laughed as he got off the couch and ran up the stairs for some quality father son bonding time.

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Rory walked into the house as she watched Finn's car disappear out of view. Closing the door she went to her room.

"How was your night?" Lorelai asked.

"Let me change first, then I'll tell you!" Rory shouted as she went to her room, Ten minutes later she was in Yale sweats that her mom had gotten her, an old tank top, her hair out of the twist, but in a sloppy bun, and her face washed of all the make up. Sitting on the couch next to her mom she smiled. She found herself doing that a lot when thinking about Finn.

"So... how was it?" Lorelai asked excited, turning to face her.

"So fun."

"Wait, fun, a society party, fun? Wow, never thought I'd see the day."

"I hung out with Finn, Colin, Steph and Tristan most of the night."

"No Logan?"

"Logan got pissy and left to find a blonde half way though," she said with a shrug. "But I still had fun."

"How's the dad?" Lorelai asked. Rory hadn't ever really had a chance to meet the parents. With Dean it had been very comfortable; Jess, she had already met Luke and had never met Liz. But now Rory was infatuated with a boy like she had never been before and she had to meet one of the parents as well as a sibling.

"He's very cool. As Finn put it, eccentric."

"How so?" Lorelai asked. "Eccentric in that he wouldn't find me hot, or eccentric like 'run in your underwear in the dead of winter' eccentric."

"Eccentric that he wouldn't find you or any other women hot," Rory laughed.

"He's gay?"

"Very much so, but he's so nice, you have no idea."

Lorelai smiled. "Good. Wouldn't want him to be mean, what about the sister?"

"Average teenage girl," Rory said. "She was mostly in the kitchen on the phone all night. But she's really nice. You can tell she and Finn are close."

"So you had fun?"

"Lots, I don't think I've ever had that much fun at a society party, but I don't know, this one was."

"Well, you had Finn."

"Yeah, Finn," she said smiling. "Now enough about my night, what about yours?"

"Well, you're all packed," Lorelai told her, "Just a few last things that we can take care of in the morning, and Luke is married."

"All right... Wait, what?" Rory asked eyes wide.

"Yeah, Luke is married."

"To who?"

"Nicole."

"What!"

"Yeah, he married Nicole on the cruise ship. Apparently it was inevitable."

"Oh my god."

"Wait, there's more."

"She's pregnant?" Rory asked with wide eyes.

"That's what I said, but no, they're getting divorced."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah, Luke really pulled a Ross."

"He just needs to marry two more times." Rory laughed. "So he's married?"

"Yeah," Lorelai said quietly. Rory frowned.

"Are you upset about this?"

"What?"

"I don't know, you seem very bummed that Luke is married."

"I do not."

"You do too," Rory told her. "You like Luke, don't you."

"No," Lorelai responded quickly.

"Right, okay. Well, I'm going to go to sleep, you know, Yale and all."

"Yeah, you do that."

"Night mom," Rory said kissing her cheek as she left.

"Night Rory," Lorelai called back sitting in the quiet living room as she heard the door closed. Was she really upset about Luke being married?

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AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll be adding a lot of Luke and Lorelai moments, only because those become important later on.

To answer some question, yes, I'm doing scenes from season 4... But they'll have my own little twists... meaning I'm adding Finn to them. I'm not doing all the eppys from season four, just the ones I either liked or think would be fun to change, as well at the ones that will be important to the plot.

Please Review.

Kassandra