Rory, Paris, Madeline, and Louise hang out at the other pool, chatting about all the mischief Madeline and Louise had been getting into the past month. Rory was talking with her mother, filling her in on the sudden death fight in the pool when a tall, tan brunet captures her attention from across the pool. She's totally oblivious as the hot guy turns her way, catching her staring at him. Rory blushes when he smirks, giving her a wink before turning back to his conversation.

She follows with her gaze as he taps his friend on the shoulder before heading to the stairs. As he reaches for the banister, he glances her way, his lips turning up into a smile before winking once more, finally disappearing onto the second-floor walkway.

"Hello?" Lorelai's voice cuts into Rory's thoughts of the hottie.

"Hmmm," she finally manages to get out.

"You sound distracted, did something cute just walk by?" Lorelai asks.

"Um, no. I gotta go," Rory replies, anxious suddenly to get off the phone. "I'll call you later."

"No windows," Lorelai reminds her daughter.

"No windows," Rory agrees before closing her phone. She puts it in her bag then glances toward her friends.

Seeing their knowing smiles, and Louise's smirk, Rory fidgets before crossing her arms over her chest, "What?" She asks trying to deflect their probing gazes.

"Who's the guy?" Madeline asks.

"What guy?" Rory replies, quickly looking around.

"Oh, no," Madeline interrupts.

"What?" Louise asks as she looks up to the second floor where Madeline was staring daggers.

"The twins," Louis acknowledges.

"God, they're everywhere," Madeline cries in frustration. "WE can't compete against twins," she continues as the four women stare at the blonde women.

"Especially once they caught on to the kissing thing," Louise added. "Let's find another pool," she suggests to Madeline as the two begin collecting their things.

"See you tonight," Madeline tosses over her shoulder as they quickly depart.

"Hey, why don't you go get us something at the bar," Paris suggests, ticking her head toward the area on the second floor where several coolers had been set up.

Rory continues to look up toward the area, trying not to stare at the hottie. "What?"

"Then you can go talk to that hot guy," Paris explains patiently.

"I don't think so," Rory replies, blushing.

"Come on," Paris cajoles, "Flirting seems to be a very big part of this spring break ritual and I'm taken." Paris points toward Rory, "I have to live vicariously through you."

Before she could continue to encourage her friend, Paris is distracted by an announcement of a banana eating contest.

Rory watches Paris run off before glancing back up to the second floor. Biting her bottom lip, something she does when she's nervous, weighing her options, she quickly decides to take a chance. Rory marches up the stairs, pausing momentarily at the top, taking a deep breath then walking toward the cooler.

Rory watches as the hottie picks up a few cubes of ice, placing them in the cup in his hand. She style pulls a can of sparkling juice out of the ice, fiddling with her bangs as she smiles. The guy is even more hot close up. The open white shirt he's wearing shows off his biceps perfectly.

*Stop staring* Rory admonishes herself. Trying to break the awkwardness, Rory asks the first thing that comes to her mind. "Hey, do you know what those things are called that they hit each other with in the pool?" She points over her shoulder and they both turn to look down at the pool.

He shakes his head, "Sorry, Love, I truly don't."

*Oh, dear Lord he has an accent* she thinks. "Oh, I was just wondering," she responds with a shrug.

"Do I lose points for that, Kitten?" He asks Turing on the charm.

"No, no points lost," Rory replies with a smile all the while blushing a deeper shade of red.

Before anything else can be said the pair hear, "Hey, Finn, come on." They both turn toward the voice, seeing both a blond and brunet guy a few feet away.

Rory notices the b long is attractive in board shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, open to reveal a toned chest. The brunet is in a tank top and board shorts. While the blond is laughing and smiling, the brunet looks constipated, a deep frown on his face. He's motioning for Finn to come join them.

"Keep your nickers on, Colin, I'm on my way." He looks down at Rory giving her a wink. "See ya, Kitten," he pats her shoulder affectionately before leaving.

"Okay, see ya," Rory replies awkwardly. She's quickly distracted by Paris screaming, "Excuse me for thinking a banana watching contest was about eating a banana." Rory watches her friend storm pass as those in her wake laugh.

*Only Paris* Rory thinks as she takes off after her close friend. She didn't relish trying to calm down the high-strung woman, but she knew it was necessary if they were going to have fun that night.

Later that evening the four girls walk into the night's 'hot' club. Each girl dutifully got their hand stamped, indicating they were under twenty-one.

Rory watches as Madeline and Louise immediately move to two men at the bar. Madeline reaches between them, taking a bar napkin and wiping her and Louise's hands. She then reaches for one of the guy's hands, licking the back of it so they two could transfer the over twenty-one stamp to their own hands. Rory was impressed and more than a little disgusted.

"Want anything?" Madeline asks as she and Louis blow on their hands.

"Maybe later," Rory responds a bit uncomfortably.

Paris and Rory watch as Madeline and Louise move further into the club. They flow a few moments later, ending up on the edge of the dance floor watching the band and clapping as the music ends.

"Wow, quite a scene," Rory says looking around a bit awkwardly.

"Yeah, I guess we found the hot place tonight," Paris responds.

"Yep, no one can sniff out the hot place like we can," Rory shoots back, continuing to glance around awkwardly.

"Okay, so here we are," Paris says. She glances around much like Rory. "We should do something."

"What?"

"I don't know," Paris glances around again searching for something. Anything.

"We could dance," Rory finally offers up.

"Dance, okay, sure let's dance."

"Okay, let's dance," Rory says as the two start swaying awkwardly. "This is fine," Rory adds after a moment.

"Yep," Paris agrees. After a minute or so Paris stops, looking over Rory's shoulder. "Hey, I think your husband's here." She points toward the back of the club near the pool tables.

"What? Where?" Rory asks turning.

"Why don't you go buy him a drink?"

"What, a ginger ale?" Rory retorts pointing toward her hand with the club stamp.

"Or maybe you could get Madeline or Louise to buy a drink for you and you could bring it to him," Paris counters.

Rory looks back toward the guy named Finn, smiling sheepishly when he catches her staring. She watches him smile be3fore turning away and heading for the pool table. "Well, that was the shortest relationship ever."

"What?" Paris asks leaning toward Rory.

"He looked, he saw, he changed his mind." Rory hooked her thumb over her shoulder.

"Sorry," Paris responds as the two go back to swaying. They watch Janet taking shots with a guy at the bar before finding Madeline and Louise dancing provocatively with two guys a few yards away.

"Okay, what is going on here?" Paris asks looking around.

"What?"

"Why is every person in this place having a better time than we are?" Paris grumbles.

"Well, I don't that they are," Rory says.

"Look around. Every single person in this place is having a better time than we are. Why? I mean, we have been doing everything everybody else is," Paris rants. "We're here, in the hot place."

"So, we're not good dancers," Rory says. 'we did the hanging out at the pool part pretty well."

"We're not trying hard enough," Paris shoots back.

What are you talking about," Rory mumbles? "This is not a test," she adds still swaying.

"We came here to do spring break, and we are going to do spring break," Paris argues.

"Well, what else do you suggest we don," Rory begins. She's cut off by Paris lunging towards her. Paris's hands grab Rory's head and holds her still. She plants a big kiss on Rory's lips, catching Rory by surprise.

Rory manages to break Paris's grip, pushing the blonde back while yelling, "What Rae you doing? Are you crazy?"

"Well, Madeline and Louise do it."

Before Rory could respond a sleepy looking guy walks up to them, forcing a cup into each girl's hand. It was either take the cup or get drowned with what was in it.

Once Paris and Rory were holding the cups, the guy put his arms over their shoulders, pulling them in close. "Ladies, I have to say, that little display was beyond hot." He gave each of them a squeeze, pulling them in even closer. "What do ya say you clung those drinks and we go somewhere a bit more private?"

He went to kiss their heads, but Paris was quicker. She elbowed him while Rory stepped on his foot.

Just as Paris was about to give the guy a piece of her mind, Rory felt someone bump into the hand holding the cup. She looks up noticing Finn who winked at her.

"So sorry there, mate, guess I'm a little more nackered than I thought." Rory watches as Finn attempts to swipe at the wet spot on the guy's shirt, managing to somehow knock into Paris's cup. It also spills down the guy's already sopping front.

"Bugger, I'm such a klutz," Finn slurry using the guy's shoulder to attempt to keep upright.

"Fuck-it," the sleaze-ball spits as he shoves Finn off him right into Rory. "Fucking drunk, foreigner, why don't you go back home and cock-block someone there?" He storms off muttering about lost money and opportunities.

"Thank you for that," Rory says with a grateful smile.

"I could have taken him," Paris says at the same time.

"I have no doubt, Love," Finn begins, sparking a glance at Paris's before focusing on Rory. "However, me mum would skin me alive if I didn't intervene when some bushranger tries to pack rape such lovely sheilas."

Rory flinches at the word rape. She was fairly sheltered, and naive about many things, the nickname Mary was accurate, part of why it hurt so much. Even she wasn't naive enough to take an opened drink from a stranger.

"I wasn't going to drink it," Rory says a bit defensively.

"I Donna think you would, Kitten," Finn says, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "Doesn't change that he was up to no good and over twice your size."

Rory notices his accent get less pronounced as he calmed down. "Thanks for the assist, Finn."

The Aussie looks surprised Rory knows his name. "How..."

"We met this afternoon by the coolers, " Rory begins blushing. "I heard your friends call out to you," she indicates over her shoulder.

"Oh, yea, Colin was being his normal stick up his ass self," Finn replies with an indulgent smile, his affection for his friend evident. "Let me walk you guys back to your hotel."

"Why, so you can, what was it, pack rape us instead?" Paris spits out. "I don't think so Crockodile Dundee, now caboose."

Rory looks at Finn, drooling over his physique under his cargo shorts and the white button up from this afternoon. "Sorry for her," she beings pointing toward Paris who was pacing angrily behind Finn. "It takes her a while to calm down when she's had to pull out the Kraft Maga."

She ignores Paris's snort, "Some other time, perhaps?"

"I'm here all week, Kitten," Finn smirks, places a chaste kiss on Rory's cheek before sauntering off back to his friends.

Rory presses her hand to her cheek, not understanding the tingly feeling left there. Paris brings Rory out of her moment.

"Let's go back to the hotel," Rory suggests knowing Paris had reached her limit. "Let's get Madeline and Louise and see what's happening a little closer to home."

Around two in the morning the four girls sit on the balcony of the hotel reminiscing about high school while drinking some random concoction Madeline mixed for them.

"I made these stronger," Madeline says as she places blue Solo cups in front of everyone.

"Whatever happened to that boyfriend of yours?" Louise asked.

"Who, Jess?" Rory asks, squinting to see Louise clearly.

"No,"

"Oh, Dean," Rory responds.

"Dean," Madeline says with a big smile.

"How's Dean? God he was gorgeous," Louise mutters into her cup.

"He's fine."

"Is he still gorgeous?" Madeline asks.

"Oh, yes, definitely yes," Rory slightly slurry while nodding her head.

"You two aren't together?" Louise asks, giving Rory a hard stare.

"No, actually he's married," Rory responded, eyes large in incredulity.

"Married?" Madeline and Louise ask. "How...novel," Louise adds on.

"Do you still talk?" Madeline asks.

"Yes, we're still friends," Rory says.

"Who is in her phone," Madeline singsongs as she continues to play with Rory's phone. "Oh, I think it beeped," she added smiling as Rory grabs her phone back.

"Dean, hi!" Rory begins, shooting daggers at Madeline before moving off to explain why she's calling him. When she gets back to the table she looks directly at Madeline, "I'm going to kill you, once I'm able to see just one of you."

She turns toward Paris who's sitting next to her, "I'm going for a walk, but when I get back, you're dead," she says turning toward Madeline and Louise.

"I'll go with you," Paris says getting up, pulling her towel around her shoulders.

The two women make their way to the beach, plopping down in the said about twenty feet from shore.

"So, are we done?" Paris asks after a moment.

"With what?" Rory asks.

"This whole spring break thing," Pairs responds before swaying, falling over and passing out.

"Oh, Paris," Rory mumbles before putting Paris on her side.

Once she's taken care of Paris, Rory turns her attention toward the ocean waves. She gets lost in her thoughts before being distracted by someone walking out of the shadows.

"Kitten, is that you?" Finn says as he steps in front of Rory.

"Finn?" Rory asks, "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Mind if I sit," he asks.

"Uh, sure," Rory says, moving her towel so Finn wouldn't have to sit on the sand. "How was your night? And, thank you again for helping us out at the club," she adds, leaning toward him drunkenly.

"It was no problem," Finn replied. "Why are you sitting out here? It's not very safe."

"I promised my mom I wouldn't fall out of any windows. Not that I was really near a window, but I was on the balcony and I'm sure she would see it as a window if I'd fallen over the railing because I'm sure she really meant, don't fall, and like kill yourself, though she was very specific to explain that she'd heard a news brief about someone falling out a window, or was it just some random thing that she said because she was trying to actually be a mom? And, I needed to get away from Madeline and Louise for a bit. They called my ex, who I'm friends with, but it was awkward because he's married, but we've been talking recently and it's been so nice, but it's not fair to Lindsey, 'cause she's really nice. But, he was mine first, right, so don't I have a right to talk to him, and you know, not that I would do anything that wasn't appropriate because I'm the good girl. Always the good girl."

"Wow, Kitten, did you even take a breath in there?" Finn asks, awed by her ability to rant.

"It's a gift I got from my mother," Rory replies with embarrassment.

"You have great lung capacity. I bet you're a fabulous at pashing," Finn replies with a wink.

"Pashing?"

"Kissing." Finn played with the bracelet on his wrist. "I can hold my breath for seven minutes. We'd have one hell of a make-out session."

"FINN!" Rory smacks his shoulder, blushing brightly and happy the shadows were deep on their section of the beach.

"Just teasing you, Kitten," Finn says. "So, what's this about your ex?"

"Oh, Dean," Rory struggles to get her thoughts together. "Yeah, we're friends, now, but it's still weird. I mean, there's a part of me that will always love him a little, he was my first boyfriend, after all. But I don't like relying on him because he's not mine anymore, you know? But, how do you walk that balance? We live in a small town, well, I live at school, but I'm back in my little town a lot, and there's no avoiding anyone, or anything, but I don't know." Rory wound down.

"Those are some big issues to think about, however, now might not be the best time to try to fix those. Why don't you let me walk you back to your room?" Finn points toward Paris who's lightly snoring to their right. "I can help you get your friend settled. I'm sure she's not comfy."

"Oh, she's very comfy at the moment," Rory laughed lightly. "If she's 'snuffling' she's in deep. I'd stand back for a moment; this could get dicey." Rory snickered as Finn got to his feet and moved off a few feet.

"Paris," Rory whispered. Getting no response, Rory nudges her friend and speaking louder. "Paris!" Still not getting a response, Rory takes a chance, pushing against Paris's leg. "PARIS!"

"What time is it, I'm not late am I? Where's my books?" Paris says as she quickly sits up. "Rory?" She questions holding her head.

"Calm down, Paris." Rory tries to comfort her friend now that Paris was awake. "We just need to get back to the hotel. Sleeping on the beach probably isn't a good thing."

"Sleep?" Paris asks as Rory helps her to stand. Neither girl notices as Finn moves to Paris's other side, taking the bulk of her weight onto himself.

The trio walk back toward the hotel, stumbling occasionally because the girls are still relatively drunk. Finally getting back to their room, Finn helps get Paris settled in her bed, covering her with the blanket.

"Do you have any Tylenol?" Finn asks as he adjusts Paris to her left side before placing the trash can at the side of the bed. "Water?"

"I have ibuprofen in my bag, but we're out of water," Rory says as she moves to her duffel tossing the bottle of pills towards Finn.

Finn opens the bottle, taking out four pills. He hands Rory two, placing the other two on the nightstand. "I'll go get a couple bottles. Make sure you drink it all, it will help in the morning," Finn suggests before leaving the room.

He comes back a few minutes later with four bottles of water. He places two next to the pills on the nightstand, handing Rory the other two. "Take the ibuprofen now and make sure to drink at least one of the bottles. When you wake up drink the second. It'll help with the hangover. And try to get Paris there to drink at least one of the bottles with the pills."

"You come to my rescue again," Rory says shyly as she turns her face away to hide her blush.

"All in an evening's work, Kitten," Finn says as he places his hand on the side of her face, turning Rory back toward him. "I'd really hate to see something bad happen to you. And your friend," he remembers to add on.

"So, why were you out on the beach tonight?" Rory asks as she tries to think of a way to get him to talk to her a bit longer.

"My mates found—company shall we say—for the evening and while the walls of our suite are thick, they're not sound-proofed" Finn said as he ran his hand through his hair. "That's something I'll be bringing up with my da when I talk to him next."

"What was that last part?" Rory asks because she'd been distracted by Paris mumbling in her sleep.

"Nothing important," Finn says a little louder. "Anyway, I wasn't feeling it, so I thought I'd take a walk and give them some privacy. Logan tends to pick loud ladies. If you know what I mean."

"Not exactly, since I'm still a virgin, but I once heard my mom and her, then, fiancé Max and it was a little weird," Rory responded, not realizing right away what she'd revealed.

"Why don't you seem as drunk as you were at the club? Granted it's been a while, and maybe you have a high tolerance, but it still seems you should be a lot drunker than you are," Rory rambled. "Oh, God, was that rude? That was rude, I'm so sorry, I don't mean to say that you're a drunk or anything, but you seem older than I am, and you were drinking at the club and, well, the stamp on your hand is the one for over twenty-one individuals, unless you did what Madeline and Louise did, but I doubt you'd do that. It was disgusting that they just licked the guys' hands, but I don't mean that you would do that, but maybe a girl's hand? IF she was pretty enough, I'm sure you'd do a lot more than that. Oh, God, there I go..."

"Hey, Kitten, breathe!" Finn interrupted Rory's ramble. "Man, what I would give to just test your lung capacity just once. But, given your untouched status, that wouldn't be advisable." Finn grew silent for a moment, running his hand through his hair again. "Oh, to be a different man, but alas I am but Finn Durham Morgan, and there are too many women in the world to settle down."

Rory blushes, realizing that what she thought had been said in her head was actually said out loud.

Finn, noticing Rory's pink cheeks, smiled a genuine smile before placing his hand on her cheek, "Oh, if only I were a commitment kind of guy. I'd pursue you so hard you'd give in just to get a break from my advances." He kisses her cheek before continuing, "Okay, Kitten, walk me to the door and lock up after you shove my arse out, kay?"

"Uh, sure," Rory stumbles, walking behind Finn as they make their way to the door.

"Give me your phone," Finn says suddenly just as he passes through the door.

"Why?" Rory asks as she hands over her phone.

"So I can give you my number, and when you feel like talking to that ex of yours you can call me instead. This way you won't potentially be ruining a marriage and I get to at least keep you as a friend," Finn says. "I'm not in the habit of doing that, but you're just too sweet to resist."

"Oh, that's nice of you," Rory says, watching as Finn puts his number into his phone. He then presses talk, pulling his own phone out of his pocket. "I like you too, Finn, and not just because you saved us tonight. You're a gentleman, and fun to talk to."

"Shh, don't let that get around, Kitten," Finn winks as he playfully looks around to see if she'd been overheard. "You'll ruin my rep and I can't disappoint the ladies." He touches her face with his hand one more time, staring into her eyes. "So mesmerizing," he whispers, leaning in until his lips are millimeters from hers. "Hmmm, one kiss couldn't hurt, could it?" Finn asks, leaning back to make sure Rory was okay with his advances.

Finn watches as Rory closes her eyes, licking her lips in the process. Not needing any more invitation, Finn moves back in and lightly brushes his lips across her own. It's a sweet kiss, nothing too sensual given that Rory was still pretty drunk, but it sparked something within Finn. "Yep, definitely wishing I were a commitment guy. Night, Kitten. Lock the door."

Rory watched, dazed, as Finn stepped back, executing a military precision turn before bounding down the stairs. She watches as he steps off the lasts stair then turns back to look up toward her room. She smiles as he gives a jaunty wave and one last wink before disappearing down the beach. With a sigh Rory closes and locks the door, adding a chair underneath the handle just for good measure before slipping into her bed still fully clothed. Her last thought before slipping into slumber was about the kiss and the laughing green-blue eyes of her savior.