Part 8: The Last Box

He pulled her deeper into his arms as they heard the slow melody of their song drifting out of the speakers. They hadn't chosen one that had words. Rory said that everyone has a song that had words that explained the trials and tribulations of one's relationship, so they had chosen an instrumental song, one they didn't even know the name of.

They had been riding in the car and she had been flipping through the radio channels. They head the song and she had quite proudly announced that that song was their song. It was a slow song, with flutes and a piano playing most of the song. He had to admit that the song was perfect for them.

And it was perfect for this moment.

"Rory?" He asked.

"Hmm?" She looked up at him.

"Are you happy?"

Rory raised an eyebrow. "At this particular moment or in general?"

"In general," he answered.

"Very much," she replied kissing him softly. "What about you? Are you happy?"

Finn stayed silent looking down at her as they swayed to the music. She bit her lip nervously. "Finn?"

"You know," he whispered, "I had a good childhood. Lucky I wasn't raised like Colin or Logan, with no love or affection, no hugs or kisses. My mum read me stories at night, about brave princes saving fair maidens from their towers and slaying dragons. My father took me and Becca to parks and plays and to theme parks even though the lights used to give him headaches. I was happy."

He felt her rest her head on his shoulder looking at the dance floor behind his shoulder. He knew she was still listening.

"Then college was great," he admitted. "Me, Colin and Logan, the Life and Death Brigade, acting stupid, because we knew that after those four years we'd jump headfirst into the stress-filled real world. We jumped off some many things, and drank so much, and we also slept with a lot of girls."

"Finn," Rory winced.

"Wait," he said, not wanting to rub that fact in her face, just like she didn't rub her old boyfriends in his face. "Though I regret a lot of the drunk one-night stands and not being able to remember most of my college experience, I don't regret having fun those four years and being able to act as irresponsible as I wanted. In some ways my parents understood that and didn't stop me from acting out. I was still happy, Rory."

Her fingers curled around the base of his neck, bring him closer as he continued to talk, watching the other dancing couples, yet still listening.

"Then, I graduated, and I started working at a job I happened to like. I liked running my own hotel, I liked running the Rothschild chain. I liked waking up, putting on my suit and going into my office and making orders and running things around here. I liked that I only had to go into the 'real' office once a week and meet with all the managers."

"And now?" Rory asked.

"I'm getting to it. Then one night I go to a bar with my friends to follow our regular Friday night tradition of going home hammered, maybe even with a girl. But then I met this wonderful woman who gave me her number. And when I called a week later to let her know that I wanted to get to know her, I was told, pretty rudely, by an answering service to back the fuck off and leave the girl alone."

"You'd think that stopped you," Rory teased.

"Oh, not at all," Finn said. "You see, I get all the information I can about her since she gave me two names that are actually pretty famous in my little world of society. I find her and talk her into giving me a chance. Not only did she give me this chance, but she gave me just about the greatest round of sex a man could ask for."

Rory laughed and started pushing him away, but he pulled her closer.

"Slowly we've built a relationship that means the world to me. Not only do I like waking up in the morning to go to work, but I love it, I love waking up with you in the morning. I find that I don't just like things anymore. I tend to love them with you near me."

"Finn," Rory whispered, blinking back tears and hiding her face in his chest, but still listening. Finn smiled and kissed the top of her head, turning them so that he was facing Logan. He gave the thumbs up. Logan smiled and signaled Colin as they started clearing the dance floor.

Finn turned back to Rory who was still hiding her face in his chest. "I fell in love with you Rory. I can't pinpoint the exact moment I did. As much as I think about this year together and all the great things we've done, there is no precise moment. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" She whispered.

"Because I'm still falling," he said leaning down to whisper into her ear. "Everyday I'm with you, Rory, it's like I fall all over again. There are moments I want to throttle you, but then you say or do something that just makes me love you all over again. You do it everyday, and I love it."

He watched as one of her hands went up and wiped her cheek. He kissed her temple.

"I love that feeling, Rory, I've never felt like this before. I know it won't ever stop. I've jumped off a lot of things. I have the proof if you want to see it later," he said. "But the minute I took this one, I knew it was going to be the last. I don't plan on landing anytime soon, Rory." He backed away and smiled as Rory stood in the middle of the dance floor.

She looked around and saw all their friends and family at the edge of the dance floor. They were the only two people on it. She turned back to Finn who was now kneeling in front of her. Her hand went up to her mouth as she began to cry.

"So when you ask if I'm happy, I say yes, I'm very, very happy." He grabbed her hand and brought her closer, so that they were the only two to hear what he had to say. "I want to marry you, Rory, I want the satisfaction of knowing that I'm the one and only for you. I want our forever, I want to be the first to touch you in the morning and the last to touch you at night. I want our happily ever after. So will you have me, Rory? Will you marry me?"

Rory gave a little nod, her hand still covering her mouth.

"Was that a yes?" He whispered. "I'm not so sure, your mother or grandmother could take that as a yes."

Rory uncovered her mouth, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Yes, that's a yes," she laughed as he stood up and hugged her.

"Thank god," he muttered into her ear as he faintly heard the group applaud and cheer.

"You had doubts?" Rory asked.

Finn shrugged as he pulled away. "I thought you'd think of some little thing I do that you couldn't live with."

"I'll live with you, Finn, faults and all. I love you sweetie, nothing will ever change that."

"Good," he dug around inside pocket only to sigh. "I left the ring upstairs."

"It's okay," she whispered kissing him lightly. "I want to see it before I start showing it off."

"And they say size doesn't matter," Finn sighed as they started towards the group of congratulating family members.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Paris and Steph smiled as they watched Rory and Finn hug in the middle of the dance floor. Steph bit her lip, switched her engagement ring from her right hand to her left and showed it to Paris.

"I'm engaged. I have been for about two weeks now," Steph said.

Paris smiled and took out the box Logan had given to her. She took out the ring and tried it on. Of course it fit perfectly.

"I guess I'm engaged too," she said looking at the ring.

"Congratulations," Steph smiled.

"You too, Steph. Now I have to go let Logan know." Steph watched Paris walk away with a frown.

"Weirdo," Steph laughed as she walked over to Colin.

"Hey," Colin said as he watched Finn and Rory walk over to them.

"Can I tell them now?" Steph asked.

"Tell us what?" Rory asked.

"Me and Colin are engaged," Steph blurted out. "Have been for two weeks."

Finn sighed. "I thought you and Logan were going to wait until after I purposed."

"I was going to but..."

"Dammit!" Steph said throwing the drawer closed.

Colin walked into the room with a raised eyebrow. "What did the drawer do so I can kick the piece of shit's ass?"

"Now is not the time to be funny, Colin."

"I think now is the perfect time," Colin smirked as he watched Steph walk around their bedroom in her white blouse, black tights and matching panties. "This moment is quite comical."

"You know what, Mr. Smarty Lawyer Dude, shut up and help me find my pants."

"Where did you throw them last night?" Colin asked absently.

"I think the question is where did you throw them last night?" Steph sighed as she sat down on the floor. "I need those pants, Colin."

"Step, you have billons of black pants in the closet."

"I have three," she corrected, "And those black pants aren't like the other pants."

Colin shook his head at his pouting girlfriend. "Check the closet again, I may have hung them up." He looked down at the stupid tie and growled as he went back to the bathroom to fix it.

Steph sighed as she stood up and went back to the closet. She searched the clothes and didn't find the black pants. Growling in frustration she retraced her steps. Walking out to the living room she thought about what happened the night before.

She and Colin came in, made out on the couch before taking it to the bedroom, tripped over the coffee table, then made it to the bedroom, where he took off her pants, she had stepped out of them and then...

"HA!" She went over to Colin's side of the bed and pushed the covers up on the bed before getting down on her hands and knees. "Ha!" She grabbed the black pants that Colin had tripped over from under the bed.

"Find them?" Colin asked as he looked around the room for the blonde.

"Under the bed!" Steph said proudly as she got up. Before she had a chance to put them on, Colin grabbed the pants from her and looked through them. "What the hell are you doing?!" She asked. "I'm going to be late for work if you don't give me my pants!"

"I was just..." Colin frowned as he gave her back her pants. "I just don't want you looking under the bed."

Steph raised an eyebrow as she watched him fix the covers. "Why? Do you have like porn videos under there that you don't want me seeing? I mean I know you were lonely before me and guys watching porn is very normal, especially if they don't have anyone to fuck."

"One, we don't fuck."

"We make love, whatever," Steph shrugged.

"And two, I don't hide porn under the bed."

"I know some of it is in the closet."

"How did you..." Colin looked at the closet behind him as Steph smiled and got back on her hands and knees to look under the bed. Colin looked down. "Steph!"

"What is the big..."

Colin winced as she came out, sitting on her knees holding a small ring box. He watched her open it and drop it on the ground staring at it.

"Is that a-"

"Yeah,." Colin choked out.

"You were going to-"

"In three weeks," he nodded.

"And I just-"

"Yep."

"Are you going to ask me now or wait?"

"I was going to wait," Colin said sitting down on the floor against the nightstand and glancing at the ring sitting between them.

"Ask me now," Steph smiled.

"What?" Colin asked looking up at her.

"Ask me now."

"But Finn and Rory?"

"Ask me now," Steph said. "I won't tell anyone, just ask me now."

"Why don't you just forget you saw it and I'll ask you when I planned on asking you?"

Steph raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking to me or your other girlfriend?"

"Right, you wouldn't be able to forget, would you?" Colin muttered.

"Ask me now."

Colin sighed, ran a hand through his hair and started. "Steph, will you..."

"Yes!"

"Can I finish?"

Steph nodded, covering her mouth as she watched him take another breath.

"Steph, will you marry me?"

She uncovered her mouth and nodded. "Yes!" She launched herself into his arms and took off his tie that he'd worked so hard on tying. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes!" She kissed him and started unbuttoning his shirt, untucking it from his pants.

"Wait, what about work?" He mumbled against her lips.

"Hmm, I feeling rather sick," she mumbled back, unsnapping his pants.

"And then we had sex, and well, I'm engaged," Steph said shrugging happily.

"Oh!" Rory hugged her friend. "This is so great!"

"I know!" Steph squealed. "I've been dying to tell you, but Colin said that he'd take the ring away if I told anyone."

"You haven't told anyone?" Rory asked in surprise. Steph couldn't keep a secret for two minutes, let alone two weeks.

"No," Steph sighed. "Have you seen the rock on this thing? No way was I giving it up, even if it was temporary."

"Congratulations, man," Finn smiled.

"Thanks, you too."

Finn nodded. "When are you planning the wedding?"

"Colin and I have talked about it and we've settled for the winter wedding, December or January..." Steph's eyes widened. "Oh! December thirty-first, at midnight and the minute we say I do, fireworks go off at the strike of midnight... oh I love it!"

"Whatever you want, Steph," Colin said shaking his head.

"Aww, god, that is so great, Steph," Rory smiled.

"What about you?" Steph asked coming out from her planning wedding mode. "You've always ranted and raved about summer weddings and summer is just around the corner."

"Oh," Rory bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I mean we just got engaged not even ten minutes ago."

"You guys seem like a short engagement couple," Colin said, but shrugged. "Maybe I called it wrong."

Finn shrugged. "Like Rory said, we just got engaged, Colin. I have yet to give her the ring."

Before Steph could ask Rory answered. "He forgot it upstairs."

"I want to see it at breakfast tomorrow morning. Now, Colin, let's go tell my mom."

Colin sighed. "Yes, dear." He let Steph drag him off.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Paris walked over to Logan who was talking to his parents. Placing her left hand away from his view she walked over to him. He looked down at her and took her right hand, frowning when he felt something in the palm of his hand. Not wanting to look down he tuned back into the conversation where Paris was nodding to his parents.

"Of course. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go use the little girls' room." She gave Logan a smile before walking off.

"Logan?"

Logan looked up at his father's questioning gaze. "Huh?"

"Where were you, son?"

"I was just..." He looked down at his palm and saw the ring box. Feeling his stomach drop he backed away. "Excuse me." He walked away from his parents and towards the bathrooms where he found Paris leaning against the wall.

"I was kidding, you know," Logan said as he pulled her into the women's bathroom. He checked the stalls before locking the door.

"What?"

"I was kidding about giving me the ring back. You were supposed to say yes."

"Was I?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest, yet hiding her left hand. She wanted to hear him rant. It was so rare that she ruffled the ever-so-composed Logan Huntzberger's feathers. Now that she had, she was going to milk it for what it was worth. It's how they showed each other they cared.

"Yes! I mean I've put up with your neurotic ways for a year, we've moved in together, half the time I think I'm crazy to be with you, but here I am, practically begging you to marry me."

"Put up?" She asked, a bit offended.

"Oh come on, like you don't put up with some things I do."

She shrugged. "I like you the way you are."

"Bull," Logan said. "You've complained multiple times about things I do, yet we go home together, share a bed, talk about our damn future and when I finally ask you to marry me, you say no!"

Paris shrugged. "I didn't know marriage was a big deal to you."

"Are you..." Logan ran a hand through his hair, taking a calming breath before he throttled his girlfriend. "Do you even know me, Paris?"

"Of course I do," she said, shocked that he would think she didn't.

"No, you don't. If you did, you'd know that I haven't been this womanizer that you claim I am in years. If you did, you would know that the minute we kissed a year ago, I knew that it was forever. Dammit, Paris, I really thought you knew me, but I guess I was wrong."

Paris watched as Logan started to unlock the door. Finding her voice she called him. "Logan!"

"What?" Logan asked annoyed.

"Check the box," she said looking down at the ground and wiping the tears that had fallen. She hated crying. She wiped them and looked back up to see him watching her.

"What?"

"The ring box, check it," Paris repeated.

Logan sighed. "Paris, I really don't want to see that damn ring, laughing at my face right now."

"Check the damn box, Huntzberger."

With a sigh, he took the box out of his pants pocket and opened it slowly. He frowned when he saw the ring wasn't in it. Looking up, he saw Paris showing him the ring on her left hand.

"You said..."

"I said yes, Logan."

"But the box..."

"You said you wanted to ring back... I just gave you the box. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Logan cut her off by taking her in his arms and kissing her.

"Don't scare me like that again, Paris."

"I didn't think you would... I'm sorry."

Logan pulled back and smirked. "Did I just get Paris Geller to apologize?"

"Don't get used to it, Huntzberger."

"I won't." He kissed her again, but before they could take the kiss deeper, they heard a bang on the door.

"Come on, open the door. I really have to go. If you forgot, this is a hotel and you can get a room and have sex there. Come on!"

Logan smirked as he unlocked the door and Rory tumbled in. "Hey Gilmore."

"Soon-to-be Rothschild, thank you very much. What are doing in here?"

"Proposing to Paris," Logan shrugged before kissing Rory's cheek. "Congrats."

"Thanks," Rory said with a frown as he walked out. She turned to Paris who had a silly grin on her face. "So Logan proposed to you in a women's bathroom?"

"No, he proposed on the terrace. He yelled and I accepted in the women's bathroom."

"If I didn't have to go to the bathroom so bad, I would make you explain."

"I'll tell you at breakfast," Paris said. "Congratulations."

"You too," Rory said going into the stall. "I'm guessing spring?"

Paris nodded. "Yeah," she looked down t her ring. "Spring would be great."

"Then spring it is," Rory said with a smile. Looked like everyone was happy now.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"It's wonderful of you to give us room, Finnegan," Emily Gilmore said as Finn checked them in.

"Rory and I thought it was unnecessary for everyone to drive back to Hartford this late at night."

"Isn't he just so dreamy when he's working?" Rory said wrapping her arms around her fiancé's waist and smiling at her grandparents.

"The dreamiest," Emily laughed. "You've got yourself a good one, Rory."

"Thanks, grandma," Rory smiled as Finn stepped out of her embrace, kissing her lightly before searching for the Gilmores' keys.

Rory sat behind the counter, her chin in her hand, waiting for Finn to finish up so they could go up together.

"Though we don't condone you two living together before marriage," Richard said getting Rory's attention. "Especially so soon after you two got together."

"Grandpa, we were together almost a year before moving in together," Rory laughed.

"It's still not right for a young lady of your nature to move in with her boyfriend," Emily pointed out as Finn came back with their keys.

"I think that's only if you have no intention of marrying said boyfriend," Rory said, causing Finn to bite his lip from smirking at his fiancée's logic. "I had every intention of marrying Finn."

"Every day more and more like your mother," Emily muttered as Richard took the keys from Finn.

"Thank you," Rory smiled.

"Enjoy your night," Finn called off as Richard and Emily as they got into the elevator.

"Our room better be bigger than theirs," Lorelai said as she bounded to the reception area."

Finn laughed. "I'll go get your keys."

Lorelai and Rory watched as he walked towards the keys. Lorelai looked back at her daughter and smiled. "Getting married huh?"

"Yep," Rory smiled.

"I'm happy, kid."

"I'm happy too, mom."

"Finn's good to you."

Rory nodded. "Very, very good to me."

"And..."

"He can't get you free tickets to any concert."

"Dammit!" Lorelai muttered.

"What is it with you thinking he can?" Rory laughed.

"Your last boyfriend did," Lorelai pointed out.

"My last boyfriend worked for a recording label. This boyfriend, now fiancé, works in hotels."

"What about me?" Finn asked walking back.

"Mom's asking about concerts again."

"I'd be happy to pay for your ticket," Finn said.

"See, I like him."

"Go!" Rory said handing Lorelai her keys.

"See, this is why you're not running at full capacity, Finn," Lorelai told him. "It's 'cause service sucks."

"Mom!"

"He knows I'm kidding, you know I'm kidding."

Finn laughed. "I know you're kidding."

"See, he knows I'm kidding. Now I'm going to go find your father and my favorite daughter."

"I'm right here," Rory teased.

"Oh, you're so funny," Lorelai said. "See you in the morning?"

"Yep."

"Night, sweets."

"Night, mom." She watched as Lorelai walked into the dining room, then Ann in her father's arms asleep.

"Jeez, she's dead," Lorelai said checking her younger daughter's pulse, making sure she was indeed alive.

"Nah, just crashed," Chris said. "She had one too many cheese puffs and cokes, kept running around the dining room. She crashed about an hour ago."

"Ah, the wonders of being a kid."

"Night, guys."

"Night," Rory and Finn chorused. They watched as her parents and younger sister got in the elevator before Rory turned to Finn.

"Have you seen Derek?"

Finn shook his head. "No, I haven't seen Becca either. I sort of needed to talk to her."

"I haven't talked to her in a while. Last I talked to her, she and Frank were having a bit of trouble."

Becca and Rory had gotten to know each other and had become the best of friends. When they had first met, Becca was about five months pregnant, and had gotten close. Rory had been the one to answer the call, at three in the morning, to find out that she had gone into labor.

Rory glared at the phone, then scanned the clock. Who in the world would call at three in the morning? Reaching out she grabbed the cordless phone and brought it under the pillow with her.

"'ello?" She murmured.

"Rory?" She heard a male voice ask.

Rory frowned, her eyes still closed. She focused on the voice, she'd heard it once or twice before. "Frank?"

"Yeah, uh... is Finn there?"

"Sleeping, he is," Rory mumbled into the bed spread, closing her eyes again.

"Right, well... do you think you could wake him up? It's sort of important. It's about Becca."

Rory shot up in bed. "Oh my god, what happened? Is she okay, is the baby okay?"

"They're fine, uh… she's actually kind of going into labor."

"What hospital?" Rory asked, frowning when she heard cars honking and an ambulance in the background.

"St. Joseph's in Hartford."

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Rory said as she hung up. She turned to her boyfriend who was still in a deep sleep. "Finn?"

"Mmmm."

"Finn, sweetie, wake up."

"Sex?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "No, no sex."

"Then sleep."

"Becca's going into labor," Rory said, causing Finn's eyes to open.

"What?"

"Becca, she's going into labor. Frank just called."

"Where?"

"St Joseph's," Rory said.

"Right." She watched as Finn got out of bed and started running around the room, getting dressed. Rory smiled as she got up, pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, buttoned up her winter coat and sat on the bed, putting on her sneakers.

"Baby presents, where the hell did we put the baby presents?" Finn muttered as he threw things out of the shelf in the closet.

Rory turned as she propped her foot up on the bed and looked over at him. "Sweetie?"

"What?" Finn asked distracted.

"Don't you think you should put pants on first?"

"Right."

Rory smirked. "Maybe some boxers?"

"What?" Finn turned causing Rory to smile.

"It's just... though I might appreciate your fine assets, I don't think the little newborns will. I think you should at least give them a year before corrupting them." She laughed.

Finn glared at her before pulling on his boxers, then the jeans he'd discarded. "I'm glad you're getting a kick out of my sister's kid's birth."

"I'm the one with pants on and waiting for you."

"I can't find those stupid presents."

"They're not stupid to the baby."

"Rory!" Finn said annoyed.

"Finn!" Rory mocked. She laughed. "Sweetie, don't you think we should just go to the hospital, support your sister? By the sounds on the phone I don't think Frank is with her."

Finn nodded and grabbed his coat. "Let's go."

"There's that calm and collected Finn I love." She grabbed her phone and keys and followed him out.

When Rory had met Becca's husband, he'd been nice enough, a bit nervous and quiet, but nice. She'd noticed that whenever Finn and Becca talked about the baby or the nursery or when Rory asked about names, he'd stiffen and look at anywhere else except at Becca.

Oddly, he'd reminded her of Jess when she'd gone through her bad boy phase.

"So..." Finn asked as they walked down New York streets.

"So what?"

"You just met my sister."

"And her husband," Rory pointed out.

"What did you think?" Finn asked.

"Becca's great."

"She is." Finn agreed.

"And I think that if we were alone and had time to get to know each other better, she'd have great embarrassing stories about you."

Finn glared. "She has enough, but we had a pact."

"A pact?"

"Yes, a pact. I don't tell anyone about her embarrassing teenage moments, she doesn't tell any of mine."

"Must be pretty embarrassing if you've got that pact going on."

"No comment," Finn said.

"I liked her, Finn."

"Good, she liked you too."

"I'm glad," Rory smiled.

"What about Frank?"

Rory bit her lip, not quite sure how to put it. "Um..."

"You don't like him," Finn said.

"No, it's not that," Rory said. "He didn't say a mean word, I can't not like him, Finn. He didn't do anything wrong to make me dislike him."

"So what was it?"

"He just reminded me of an ex."

"Was this ex good or bad?"

"This ex had a name," Rory laughed. "His name was Jess."

"The one that bolted?"

"Yes, Finn, add salt to the wound," Rory said with a roll of her eyes.

"Sorry."

Rory shrugged. "Frank just had some of the same things Jess had."

"Like?"

"The urge to bolt," Rory said stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Finn turned and looked at her.

"What?"

Rory shrugged. "I may be wrong, but he just had the nervousness. He stiffened at the mention of the baby and wouldn't look at Becca. When he did, he would avoid looking at her belly."

"What husband or boyfriend looks at a woman's stomach?" Finn asked defensibly.

"Finn, when a woman is pregnant, their husband's gaze usually does linger on the stomach. My dad's did when my mom was pregnant with Ann."

"Well, not all families can be perfect like yours," Finn said.

"I'm not saying they are, Finn." She shook her head and crossed her arms. "Look, you asked my opinion and I gave it to you. I didn't want to fight about this."

"Whatever."

"Finn," Rory said. "I understand family's important to you. You're talking to the woman who spends Friday nights with her mom watching the Godfather trilogy, just to get to the Sophia dying scene to watch it a million times repeatedly. I get that you're protective of Becca, I would be too. I didn't mean to offend you or your family. You asked for my opinion, I gave it. You don't have to agree with it."

"I know."

Rory shook her head at his defensive tone. "I'm going to go home, I'll talk to you later."

"Rory," Finn sighed.

"I'll call you later," Rory said walking down the street, her arms still crossed.

She had called him later and he'd asked her to come over, so they could talk.

"Hi," Finn said as the elevator doors opened and Rory stepped out.

"Hi," Rory said putting her purse down on the couch.

"Do you want something to drink?"

Rory shook her head. "Nope."

"Okay, then we talk."

"We talk," Rory said sitting down. Finn sat next to her, shifting so he could talk to her.

"I didn't mean to get mad."

"You had every right to," Rory said.

"Yeah, but in this case I didn't."

Rory looked up at him and he shrugged. "I've thought the same about Frank since I met him. I knew him way before he and Becca started dating. He's never been into commitment, though Becca snagged him and convinced him of it, and well, they got married."

"He still not ready," Rory whispered.

Finn shrugged. "I think he still wants to be the 16-year-old boy who wants to be free. He's a nice guy, he just isn't ready for a kid. Ever since he found out, he's had that 'urge to bolt' face that you told me about."

"Then why'd you get upset?" Rory said. "If you thought the same thing, why'd you get mad at me?"

"Because I thought I was the only person to see it, I just... I guess I wasn't ready for someone else to see it. And then to voice it out."

Rory nodded. "I can see that."

"I'm not mad at you. If anything, I'm mad at Frank for not wanting the baby."

"He wants the baby, Finn, just... not now." Rory ran a hand through her hair. "Can we talk about this more tomorrow? I'm tired and I still have to go home and shower."

"Stay here," Finn told her.

"What?"

"Yeah, stay here. You have an outfit in the closet. Just stay."

"All right," Rory nodded.

"I'm worried about Becca," Finn said bringing Rory out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"Becca, I'm worried about her. She's been so busy taking care of Charlie, I've barely seen her these last couple of months."

"I know, sweetie, I'm sure she's fine."

"Who's fine?"

They looked up and saw Derek looking at them. Rory smiled and hugged her brother over the counter.

"I haven't seen you all night."

Derek hesitated before nodding. "I know, I had some things to do. You're getting married."

"I know," Rory smiled giddily.

"I guess it's time I moved out of mom and dad's."

"Definitely," Rory nodded.

"Yeah, well, I got a place lined up."

"That's great, Derek."

Derek shrugged and yawned. "I guess. It's going to be hell trying to make my own food now, but I'll get through it."

"I'll go get your keys," Finn said noticing Derek's yawn.

"Thanks, man."

"Mom said you wanted to talk to me about something."

"I'll tell you in the morning," Derek waved off. "I'm drained."

"All right," Rory nodded as Finn came back with the keys.

"Hey, saw the proposal, man, that was great."

"Thanks," Finn smiled.

"And I'm glad she said yes. You're way better than all the other losers."

"That's what Ann told me too," Finn laughed.

"Yeah, well, Ann has good taste in guys." Derek yawned again and got the keys from Finn's hand. "I'm off, night guys."

"Night."

"Derek?" Finn asked.

"Yeah?" Derek asked turning back.

"Have you seen Becca?"

Derek nodded. "Uh, last time I saw her she was out in the gardens. I was talking to the realtor and saw her. She seemed upset about something, but I left it alone. I suck at cheering girls up, Rory can attest to that."

"He does," Rory nodded.

Finn smiled. "All right. Thanks."

"Welcome," Derek said as he got in the elevator.

"Love?"

"Hmm?"

"Everyone is checked in."

"Then let's go up."

"Except Becca," Finn said. "I'm going to go see if I can find her. Why don't you go on up?"

"All right," Rory kissed him lightly. "You know that whatever is bugging her, if there is something bugging her, she won't want to talk about it."

"Sadly I followed that and I know."

"All right." She kissed him again and went around the counter, going up the elevator.

Finn took Becca's key before going through the dining room which would be cleared tomorrow early morning. He'd let the staff go around twelve and locked the doors to the hotel. He'd let the kitchen crew go after dessert had been served at eleven, and the bartenders go when people started pouring their own drinks.

He smirked as he remembered Rick, the bartenders, face when Lorelai had shoved him aside and taught him how to shake a martini - it had been priceless.

Noticing Becca's coat hanging on the back of a chair he grabbed it and went out to the terrace and down to the gardens. He wandered around until he saw her sitting on one of the stone benches looking up.

"Hey big sister."

Becca smiled and looked over. "Hey little brother."

"What are you doing out here?" Finn asked putting her coat around her shoulders and sitting next to her.

"Just thinking. Congratulations by the way."

"Thanks."

"You did a wonderful job proposing."

"So I've been told," Finn smirked.

"I think Rory loved that her family was there to see it."

"I thought she would."

"Too bad mum and dad couldn't be here."

Finns shrugged. "We're having dinner with them at the end of the week."

"Good."

"Derek said he saw you out here."

"Yep, he was on his phone, kept me company, then said he was freezing."

Finn laughed. "He left you."

Becca looked at him. "What?"

"Derek, he left you out here?"

"No, he offered to walk me back, but I declined. I wanted to think."

"About?"

Becca looked at him. "You know me well enough that I won't infringe on your day."

"It's two in the morning, it's no longer my day."

"Finn," Becca sighed.

"Becca."

"I don't want to talk about it, Finn."

"But when you do..." Finn trailed off.

"You'll be the first to know," Becca said.

"Good, now let's get you out of this cold. I'll walk you to your room."

"Thanks, little brother, but I think I'm going to stay out here a little while longer."

"You sure?" Finn asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I just... I just want to be alone."

"You can be alone in a nice warm room."

"You worry about me, I love you for that, but go, be with your soon-to-be wife. I bet she's waiting for you and keeping the bed warm. Go."

Finn sighed knowing it was no use to argue with her when she was being this difficult. "Fine, here's the key to your room."

"Thanks. I'll see you in the morning."

Finn sighed and nodded. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything to get you away from me," Becca teased.

"When you feel your toes getting numb, come inside," Finn said, leaving it at that. He walked away and back towards the hotel.

He never heard Becca's "too late" or saw the lone tear that made its way down her cheek.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Rory pulled on her boxer shorts and one of Finn's undershirts and got into bed. Grabbing the book for the night stand, she pulled her knees up and propped up the book, immediately losing herself in the world of literature.

She never heard the ding of the elevator or the door to the bedroom opening. Finn smirked as he saw her reading. He knew that when reading, she would never notice anything.

He took off his suit, leaving on his boxers, and threw the undershirt into the closet before bending down under the nightstand and reaching under it. Turning his hand up and putting his palm on the underside of the nightstand, he felt around until he felt the velvet lining of the ring box he'd hid there a month ago.

Carefully pulling it down, he took it out from under the nightstand and removed the masking tape he'd used to stick it on and rolled it in a ball, throwing it away in the trash can in the corner of the room.

He opened the box and took out the engagement ring. Walking over to the bed he took Rory's left hand and started slipping it on the finger when she looked up at him.

"What are you... oh."

"What do you think?" He asked, slipping the ring all the way on.

"Oh my..."

"It's a set," Finn explained taking her hand. "This is just the band." Rory looked at it, and smiled. The band was a simple silver, but embedded all around were diamonds.

"It's beautiful."

"Then the other one." He grabbed the box from the nightstand where he had placed it and opened it, showing her the wedding ring.

"Finn," Rory whispered looking at the ring. The ring itself was also simple, with the silver band. It was the square-cut diamond that made her look up at him.

"I thought that you'd want something simple, not too flashy."

"Not too flashy," she laughed taking the ring out of the box and putting it on her finger. "My mother would be able to see it from Stars Hollow."

"Stop exaggerating," Finn laughed. "Hartford maybe, not Stars Hollow."

"It's..." Rory took it off her finger and put it in the box. "There are no words."

"But actions?" Finn asked with a smirk, setting her book aside, along with the ring box. "Are there actions?"

Rory smiled back, getting on her knees and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh, baby, there are lots of actions."

Finn smirked as he pulled her down on to the bed and let her show him how grateful she was.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Derek groaned and got out of bed, cursing whoever was knocking on his door. Walking out of the bedroom and regretting that he had left that comfortable bed, he walked to the door and pulled it open.

His eyes went wide and found himself blinking a few times to see if he was imagining the raven-haired beauty at his door. "Becca?"

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's fine, come on in."

"Thanks."

"If you don't mind me asking, what god must I thank to see you at my door at three in the morning?"

Becca laughed. "You and Rory are a lot alike." She sat on the couch and Derek followed. "I just didn't want to be alone is all."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "Last we talked you wanted to be alone."

"I know," Becca sighed. "I just... I was walking towards my room and I thought about it being so big and lonely…"

"You miss Charlie and Frank," Derek said.

Becca bit her lip and looked down at the ground.

"Becca?" Derek asked. When she didn't respond, he lifted her chin with two fingers. He felt a stir of anger in his belly when he saw the unshed tears in her eyes. "Becca, what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I just..."

"Becca, you can tell me," Derek said.

Becca bit her lip lightly and looked up at his blue eyes and felt herself spill everything that had happened to her in the past months.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Those were some grateful actions," Finn said against Rory's neck.

"Mhm."

"Rory?"

"Mhm."

Finn pulled back and looked at her. He smiled as he saw her eyes closed and a small smile gracing her lips. He leaned down and nipped her bottom lip lightly, causing her to open her eyes.

"Rory?"

"Hmm?"

"I want a short engagement."

She looked up at him, "So do I," she said slowly.

"And I want to get married in the summer."

"Finn, so do I, but that wedding party coming in."

"I love how clueless you are sometimes," Finn laughed kissing her again.

"Finn," Rory said pushing him away.

"We're the wedding party, Rory."

"What?" She asked, her eyes wide.

Finn shrugged. "I blocked off those three months. About a month ago."

"You did?"

"Mhm."

"Why?"

"Because I knew that if you said yes, you'd want a summer wedding. Every time you watch one of those wedding shows, I hear about your perfect summer wedding. Well, now it's our perfect summer wedding."

"God, I love you."

"Hmm, I'd hope so," Finn said. "You're stuck with me."

"You're perfect," she said kissing his face. "You are a beautiful specimen of a man."

"Well, thank you," Finn laughed, nuzzling the side of her neck.

"Now get off, you big lug," Rory laughed.

"Why? I'm quite comfortable here," Finn teased, kissing the side of her neck..

"So am I, but I want to do something."

"Something dirty?" Finn asked pulling back to look at her with a teasing gaze.

"No," she laughed pushing him off. She sat up and grabbed the shirt that he had pulled off and pulled it over her head. She slipped out of bed and out the door.

"How can you stand?!" Finn yelled out at her. "I can barely move and there you are, standing as if we just watched a movie, and here I am, paralyzed from the waist down... I believe my arms are also incapable of moving. It's quite a blow to my ego, love."

"Oh shush," Rory said kicking the door closed. Finn turned and looked over at her. She was carrying a box which she placed on the bed as she climbed back up. "I'm having trouble walking thanks to you, but I want to get this over with."

"And ego is back in place," Finn said sitting up. "What's that?"

"This is the box."

"What box?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "This is my last unpacked box."

"Oh, that box."

"Yes, that box." Rory said as she started opening.

"So what's in it?"

"Open it," Rory said sliding the box over to him as she got back on the bed. Finn looked over at her before grabbing the box and opening it. He looked inside, only to frown.

"There is only one thing in here." He pulled it out and pushed the box to the floor and laid the thing on the bed. "It's a T-shirt."

"I know," Rory laughed. "It's the T-shirt mom got it for me at one of those tacky T-shirt shops."

"'Ginger Rodgers did everything that Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.'" Finn read rolling his eyes. "Well, it screams Lorelai."

"And it has a pop culture reference," Rory folded the shirt and put it on the ground. "And now I'm all unpacked."

"Rory, when you first brought that box, it was full."

"I know," Rory said with a nod.

"Where's all the stuff?"

"In the drawers," Rory shrugged. "I've been slowly unpacking the box for months. I put all my cute screen Tees in it."

"So you left one in there?"

"I rarely wear that one."

"I only have two words for you, love."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Rory asked.

"Welcome home," he whispered before pulling her down on the bed and kissing her.

End

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

AN: There you go, there's the end. Now, I had trouble with the ending. I changed it about three times before leaving it like this and I liked it.

I don't know if you noticed, but I changed the rating to the story, as well as to a few others. I've been wanting to do it for a while. When I put the ratings, it's because I plan on doing something that makes it M, then later I tend to change it. This one changed. I thought that sex would somewhat ruin the feel of the story... but the mention of it wouldn't.

Also, I left some room for a sequel. If written, it would revolve around the girls and them planning their wedding, but the couple would mainly be Becca and Derek. I would love to know if you want that story, or if you want to imagine what is wrong with Becca?

I hope you enjoyed the story, I know I enjoyed writing it!

Thanks for reading, and remember, depending on your feedback, it goes into the decision of the sequel.

Kassandra