Title: Hard Shove
Author: Mooncat
Summary: Sometimes, love needs a little push by a friend – or perhaps a good hard shove. Rogan.
Rating: K
Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful characters of Gilmore Girls.
Copyright: Sarah Diaz 2006
Author's note: In honor of St. Patrick's Day. What better way to use a little story with lots of Finn in it for this greatest day of all for him?
Thanks: To my beta, who made sure that even two years later I can once again post the definitely finished version.
Hard Shove
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yeah."
"Okay… but are you really sure? I mean, you…"
"Doesn't matter. Something needs to be done. I can't watch them being so miserable anymore. Not her. Not my best mate."
"But…"
"They belong together. You know that. Everyone who knows them knows that. I know that."
There was a long pause.
"Okay… what do you want me to do?"
"I'll take care of her. Just make sure he is home two nights from now and alone."
"You think…"
"You never know with him. But no, I don't think so. He knows by now that no other girl can ever be enough for him after having her."
"Yeah… or he really doesn't deserve her."
"He doesn't. No one does. But it's him she loves. Him she chose. And he's one lucky bastard for that."
"He does love her. You know that."
"Sure I do. That's why I'm going to help him get her back. That and he is my best friend. And I just can't see my mate being depressed and unhappy as he currently is."
"I better go now. You sure you're okay?"
"Don't worry, mate. I'm fine. I'm always fine as long as there's booze around."
"Sure. See you tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow."
He watched his friend leave. As soon as he was out of his sight, he closed his eyes. He knew he was doing the right thing. But that didn't mean he was sure if he really could do it. After all, he knew without doubt that it was going to break his heart.
If Rory hated one thing, it was to get disturbed while finishing her work. She was almost finished, only a few more words here and there, a few more changes and she knew it would be finished and it will be as good as can be. She was finishing her latest article when the knocking started. At first, she ignored it. To her huge annoyance though, it turned out that whoever was on the other side of the door was immensely stubborn as the knocking didn't stop but only got frantic. It was as if the person knocking knew that she was home and had just chosen to ignore the unwanted interruption. Or that Paris wasn't there, having gone visiting her parents wherever they were hiding now to go clear up a few financial matters.
Glaring at the door, Rory frowned. "Go away!" she shouted.
Emily would have a heart attack if she ever hear her granddaughter shout at a visitor like that, but seriously, Rory wanted to finish her article.
The knocking didn't go away. In fact, it only got louder. The person knocking on the door was now almost banging on her door.
Her frown deepening, Rory got up with a sigh and went over to rip open the door. If this person didn't want to take the hint, she had to bring out the big guns now. "Are you having trouble hearing?" she said, "Go away. If you absolutely must, come back later, but only if…" she started before she actually registered who her caller was…and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who actually had dared to disturb her work.
She hadn't expected to see him. Not after not having seen him for almost seven months now. Well, at least not talking to him. She did see him around on campus, naturally. Though she did her best to actually avoid him and get the hell away as soon as she spotted him or anyone of his friends. It simply hurt too much to see them, even though she did miss them. They just reminded her too much of him. The one she just couldn't make herself forget. The one she simply couldn't stop to love.
Doesn't matter that she hadn't heard from him in eight months and twenty days. Doesn't matter that she had told him to just go and don't bother to call her. She did the inevitable thing, said it for both of them. They had known they couldn't go on like that. She had known that as soon as he boarded the plane that it would be over. Not that it was what either of them had wanted. There just was no choice for them. He couldn't stay. She couldn't go with him. End of story. So she had kissed him goodbye and told him to go or he'd miss his flight. And had turned away so he wouldn't see the tears starting to fall as her heart broke into a million pieces.
Tears that returned every goddamn night she did not fall asleep in his arms.
"Sorry love, no can do," her visitor told her sheepishly as he sauntered past her into her living room, looking around, before turning his green eyes onto her. "You ready?"
"Finn," Rory said slowly and closed the door. She knew the Australian well enough to know that it was futile to ask him to leave.
"You remember my name!" Finn squealed delighted. "Really love, I was starting to worry about that, the way you never greeted me anymore. Would have crushed me forever."
"No one can forget you," Rory assured him with a sigh.
Finn sent her a beaming grin. "Thanks love, that's what I needed to hear. So, everything packed and ready?"
Carefully, Rory looked at him. She of course had no idea what he was talking about, although, that was not really new about Finn. Nor had she any idea why he would be there in the first place. But then, he sure liked surprises. And none too often those surprises meant that Rory found herself whisked away to someplace before she could even start saying no. They all were like that. And he had been the worst of them all…and that was saying something about everything where Finn was included. "Uh, no," she finally answered, slowly.
With a sigh, Finn shook his head. "Really, you women… why can't you ever be on time?"
Getting annoyed, Rory raised an eyebrow. "And how am I supposed to be ready when I had no idea we had a date for today?"
Gasping, Finn's hands flew up to cover his heart. "You forgot? Aww, love, now you did it! You broke my poor little heart."
Rory shook her head, not impressed with Finn's antics. "Finn… we have nothing scheduled for today. You must have confused me with someone else."
That would be the most logical explanation. Finn for sure wasn't famous for his good memory with names. Add lots of alcohol, which usually was the case, and everything gets mixed up in Finn's head.
"You're Reporter Girl, aren't you?" Finn asked, giving her a weird look.
Rolling her eyes, she nodded.
"Serious studying and at the same time a sucker for any festivities and traditions that are out there in the wide, wide world, right?" he inquired further.
Unable to hold back the laughter now, Rory nodded amused.
"Well, then I'm at the right time, in the right place, with the right girl. Now go pack up, but hurry up love. We don't want to get late," Finn told her and waved her on.
Her laugh turning into a groan, Rory shook her head again. "Finn, for the last time, no. We don't have anything set for today."
"Course we have, love. You promised," Finn though simply said.
"What?" Rory asked. This was really getting ridiculous.
Finn nodded eagerly. "Exactly 364 days before. You promised me to go to the parade tomorrow."
Shaking her head, Rory already opened her mouth to protest when her eyes widened, remembering just what day had been 364 days ago. Or rather said would be tomorrow. And it finally dawned on her just what Finn was talking about.
Oh shit.
"Uh-uh Finn. No way. You're not whisking me away to Dublin!"
TBC!