Finding Home

Chapter 15

Rory and Finn stirred slowly when her alarm rang through the hotel room on Monday morning, neither wanting to move out of the other's arms.

"Did you sleep well, kitten?" Finn asked in his deep, sleepy voice as he pulled her closer in his arms and kissed her on the forehead.

"Mmm...much better than I slept without you on Saturday night, and I probably shouldn't have admitted that," Rory replied with a blush.

"Admitted what?  That apparently you don't sleep any better without me than I do without you?" Finn smirked.

"Well, as long as we're both ridiculously pathetic," Rory said with a teasing giggle.  "I really don't want to get out of bed."

"Me either, love, but we both must be responsible adults who contribute to society," Finn replied with mock exasperation.

"You're totally harshing my buzz here, Finn," Rory said with a laugh.

"Hey, somebody has to do it!"

"Alright, alright, I'm up," Rory said as she grabbed Finn's shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head and started the coffee pot.  "I'm going to hop in the shower while the coffee brews."

Rory showered quickly and emerged from the bathroom in work clothes ten minutes later.

"You know, if I have to get out of bed you should, too," Rory teased Finn.

"Hey, I could work in bed all day long," Finn mused right back.

"Somehow you don't strike me as the staying-in-bed-alone-all-day type, Finn."

"I'm really not, love.  I'm up and moving now; I was just waiting for the shower.  I'll probably work from the room or a coffee shop most of the day.  What's your schedule look like for today?"

"Well, I have an event to cover this morning and another this afternoon, but I'm free at lunch and tonight," Rory replied as she sipped her coffee and styled her hair.

"Then I say we grab a quick breakfast and I can meet you for lunch, and then we can get out of here and have some fun this evening, if that sounds okay with you."

"That sounds better than okay, Finn!  I can't believe that you're here all week again," Rory enthused.

"Are you sure that's okay, love?  I didn't really run it by you first."

"It's perfect!  Really, I love that you're here with me this week!  I haven't felt this normal and happy since the last time I was home.  I haven't seen my mom in months and I miss her so much, but having you here helps so much."

"I'm happy to help, love," Finn replied with a smile.

Finn showered quickly while Rory finished getting ready for work and the pair walked hand-in-hand to a small diner down the street and enjoyed breakfast before separating for work for the morning.  Rory met up with Kate and Laura at the campaign event that they were covering while Finn walked back to their hotel room to grab his work things and find a quiet place to work.  He settled at a small coffee shop and pulled out his cell phone before setting up his laptop.

"Lorelai's house of pain," came the quirky voice on the other end of the phone.

"Lorelai, it's Finn.  I hope you're having a good morning," he chuckled in response to her greeting.

"Good morning, Finn!  Is Rory okay?"

"Yes, she's fine, Lorelai.  I actually was calling because I ended up flying to Des Moines yesterday due to some unforeseen circumstances and I'm spending the week here with her since I'm already here and was planning to be here this weekend.  She mentioned how much she misses you this morning, and she doesn't have any campaign events on Thursday or Friday, so I thought it might be nice if you could fly in and surprise her if you're available.  I'm happy to take care of your trip."

"Wow, more boyfriend points for the Aussie.  What's the catch?"

"Catch?  There's no catch; I just have a feeling she could use some time with you right now.  I know you guys are best friends, and yesterday was a rough day.  Logan flew out here and made a real jerk of himself.  I flew in when I figured out what he was doing.  He was trying to talk her into dating him again."

"That kid is like the cat that comes back, isn't he?  Please tell me that my daughter didn't fall for his tactics?"

"No, she actually told him in no uncertain terms that they were over for good," Finn chuckled.

"So she's okay?"

"Yeah, she was angry and shook up, but she's alright.  Colin and I got here a few minutes after he cornered her and diffused the situation."

"I have a good feeling about you, Aussie.  I actually can clear my schedule for Thursday and Friday, and I would love to see my daughter and meet the man who's apparently so very good to her.  I'll make travel arrangements and let you know when I'll get in."

"No need, Lorelai, honestly.  I'm more than happy to fly you out here.  I'll have a car waiting for you and I'll put us all in a suite at one of our hotels nearby; you don't need to worry about a thing."

"Why?" Lorelai asked simply.

"Why what?"

"Why would you do all of that for the mother of the woman you've been dating for a week now?"

"Lorelai, I've cared about your daughter for as long as I've known her, so while dating her is new, me caring for her certainly isn't.  I know what she deserves, and I know that she's an amazing woman.  I just like seeing her happy.  It was hard for me to watch her with Logan, knowing that he didn't treat her well enough and having feelings for her myself," Finn replied shyly.

"Hmm...I'll reserve final judgement for after I meet you, but I have a feeling you're going to take over the title of my favorite of Rory's boyfriends soon," Lorelai teased.

"Does that come with a trophy or plaque?" Finn joked right back at Lorelai.

"Ooh, and he can even keep up with the witty banter.  I'm going to have to get an actual scorecard to keep track of all of these points," Lorelai quipped, and Finn just chuckled at the exchange.

"Well, I will look forward to meeting you Thursday, Lorelai.  I'll plan some fun and some time to relax while you're here with us.  I'll send you the details of your travel arrangements later today."

"Thank you, Finn.  I'll see you later this week," Lorelai replied as she hung up.

Finn immediately got online and booked Lorelai's tickets for her flight and then arranged the car to pick her up at the airport and their suite at his family hotel nearby before working on his laptop for the rest of the morning until time to meet Rory for lunch.  They met for a quick lunch near the hotel and then she was off and running to cover her afternoon event while he continued his work and planned for the two days that Lorelai would be joining them in Des Moines. 

Finn planned a quiet picnic in the park on Monday evening to enjoy the late fall day.  He got takeout for dinner, a bottle of wine and a blanket when he met her after she had finished work for the day.  They talked over dinner, laughing as they fed each other, and sipped their wine as they sat back on the blanket and enjoyed the warm sun and being together.  After dinner they rode on the Heritage Carousel and then returned to their picnic blanket to watch the sunset and talk.  Finn sat against a tree and Rory sat between his legs curled up in his embrace as they talked more about their families and childhoods as well as past relationships.  Rory confided in Finn about her misguided third try with Dean, bracing herself for the worst, but must to her relief he simply held her as she talked and then assured her that everyone had done things they weren't proud of.  In return, Finn opened up about his playboy ways in high school and college and how he had changed because he wanted more from life now.  They finally strolled back to the hotel after the sun was long gone and curled up for another night in each other's arms.