Finding Home

Chapter 52

Finn took one last look around the apartment, ensuring that everything was in place for their get together, and then turned toward his wife.  "You ready for this, Love?"

"Yeah, I can't wait.  They're all going to be so shocked," she said with a laugh just as the doorbell rang.

Finn crossed the apartment and opened the door to find Colin and Steph, Logan and Robert outside.  He invited them in and began making them drinks, ensuring that he grabbed the sparkling cider he'd stashed away out of sight for Rory - they didn't want the cider bottle to give away their biggest surprise.  They all took their drinks and sat down in the living room, and at just that moment the doorbell rang again.

"I've got it!" Rory called.  She walked to the door and squealed as she saw Kate and Laura standing there.  "I've missed you two!" she said as she engulfed them both in hugs.

"We've missed you, too," Kate chuckled. 

"Can I get you ladies a glass of wine?" Finn asked as he stood up to greet them.  He hugged both women and then crossed to the bar.

"That would be great," answered Laura.

"Everyone, this is Kate and Laura.  They both were also reporting on the campaign, and we became close.  Kate and Laura, these are some of our friends - Colin and Steph, Logan, and Robert," she introduced as she pointed to each of them in turn.

They all exchanged greetings and sat down to talk, and soon the living room was filled with all of their closest friends.  They all visited over tacos, chips, and salsa.  As soon as everyone had finished eating, Finn tapped his spoon on his glass and stood up.  He pulled Rory up next to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, as all of their friends turned his way.

"Rory and I would like to thank you all for coming for dinner tonight, especially on such short notice.  You're our dearest friends, and we wanted to share our news with you all.  Over our trip to Australia, I asked this beautiful woman to marry me, and she said yes!" he said happily, his eyes sparkling as he thought about that moment.

Their friends immediately began offering their congratulations with hugs and pats on the back, and soon Rory was quieting them all again.

"We have a bit more news to share.  Finn and I knew that we didn't want our wedding to become a huge media spectacle, so we wed quietly shortly before returning to the States.  Finn's parents and my mom were there to witness our marriage, and we'll celebrate with a huge party soon so that we can have all of the people who are important to us there," she added excitedly.

"How in the world did you get her to agree to that?" Colin teased.

"It wasn't my idea, Mate - it was all her," Finn chuckled.  "I was worried that she would regret not having everyone there."

"I had to make sure you didn't have time to change your mind about marrying me," Rory joked, causing everyone to laugh.  Anyone with eyes could see that Finn was crazy about Rory, and that would never change.

"Never gonna happen, Kitten," Finn said softly as he leaned down to hiss her tenderly.

"I'm glad," she whispered. 

"Alright, you two are disgusting!" Kate teased from her seat on the couch.  She had been sitting next to Logan all night, and Rory couldn't help but notice that they'd gotten progressively closer physically as the night wore on and the drinks flowed.  They'd been sitting quietly and talking for quite some time before Finn interrupted to make their announcements.  She made a mental note to ask Kate what was going on later; she and Logan had the potential to be good together, and it seemed like he really had changed.

"She's right - are you two finished with your announcements?" Robert asked.

Rory wrapped her arm around Finn's waist, cuddling into his side, and he smiled.  He loved the way that they just fit together.

"Actually, we're not," Finn replied.  "My beautiful wife and I do have one more piece of news to share with you all, and we're quite excited about it.  We'll be adding a little one to our family in about seven and a half months - we're pregnant."  Finn was beaming with pride and happiness as he spoke; he had everything he'd never known that he wanted in his life until he ran into Rory in Chicago.  That was the day that changed everything for him.

"Wow...that's great, guys.  It is great, isn't it?" Steph asked, still a bit shocked by this last bit of information.

"It is beyond great," Rory said with a laugh.  "It wasn't expected, but we're so incredibly happy.  Honestly, I'm still kind of expecting to wake up and find that it's all a dream - everything is just so wonderful."

"Rory's right - we're both so completely happy about this unexpected blessing," Finn agreed.

Everyone began offering their congratulations on this last bit of news - perhaps the biggest news of all - and Steph exchanged a knowing look with Rory.  Rory nodded her head and smiled, and then Colin and Steph stood up and he cleared his throat to once again quiet their friends.

"It seems that it's a night for celebration," Colin said with a smile.  "Steph and I are also expecting - we're about ten weeks along, so Baby Morgan and Baby McCrae will grow up together." 

Rory and Steph squealed and hugged each other, both overjoyed to be experiencing this milestone together, and Colin and Finn exchanged manly hugs.  Suddenly Logan stood up and held up his glass.

"I'd like to offer a toast.  It seems that there's much to celebrate as our lives all change.  I wish you two absolute happiness in your marriage, Finn and Rory, and I know that I speak for all of us when I say that we can't wait to be aunts and uncles to your little ones.  To family!" Logan offered.

"To family!" they all chimed in before taking sips of their own drinks.

Rory looked around the room and smiled - she finally had the life she'd always dreamed of.