Rory is restless; she is graduating Yale but hasn't really ever lived. What will the roads of America show her? Will Logan and Lorelai let her go? [Logan and Rory]

Disclaimer: Still not mine, only my ideas.

Without a Net

Chapter 1 – We Can Work It Out

"Have you ever heard of the Flying Wallendas?" Rory asked out of the blue, she and Lane were sitting under the weeping willow to avoid the unexpected spring heat.

"Sure, I think everyone has, why?" Lane asked looking at her friend like she was missing something.

"Well, they were super famous for working dangerously; they refused to use a net. I think I should try that, you know, I need to drop the net and just take the chance. I never take risks. OK, yeah, I jumped off a scaffold, but I was holding Logan's hand, I stole a yacht, again holding hands. I never just jump. I play it safe and I think if I want to be a good reporter I need to just jump and then write about it." She rambled mostly to herself but curious as to Lane's thought.

"Wow, you think you could do that? Just jump, where would you start?" Lane rolled over and looked at her expectantly.

"I don't know, but I think that's the point. I graduate in two weeks and I have no job, no prospects, mom wants to take me on a rollercoaster tour, but I am 22 shouldn't I be exploring on my own, should I still be taking the lead from my mom? I think I need a Kerouac experience. I have my trust, I have a car and America is a huge place. What if I pick a direction and just drive? What could go wrong? I could blog about it, people make a living off blogging and if I can write as well as I think..." She drifted trying to grasp the idea from the air.

"Go on", Lane was now sitting opposite her with great anticipation.

"I think, I need to try, you know, spread my wings as it were. Technically I have graduated already; all that is left is the ceremony. If I left today all anyone would miss is the walk, the diploma is in the mail. Maybe I should just leave the day after since Grandma and Grandpa would be so disappointed if I didn't take that walk, but part of me just wants to run now, today, you know?" She looked at her best friend pleadingly.

"I get it Ror; you are always doing what is expected. Heck even when you had your community service you joined the DAR to appease your grandparents. You have trouble with Logan because your mom hates society life and you have trouble with Lorelai because of Logan. It is hard, you have to behave and I get you want to act up a little. How can you be a correspondent from the safety of Stars Hollow? "Lane sagely responded.

"Exactly, I play it safe. I have a safe life. I need to take a few risks without anyone holding my hand. I admit I love Logan but I am jealous of him too, you know. He has sailed the tropics, climbed mountains, surfed Australia, me I backpacked across Europe with my mommy, and then went first class with my Grandma, then London with my boyfriend, I can't see Christiane Amanpour taking that path. I mean if I want to be a world class reporter, I need to take a chance. Right?" She looked at her friend with hope.

"Ror, I think you compromise, take that final walk for the family, and then take off. Let them know that you are going to see America and you will send postcards and links to your blog. Do that last bit for them than the rest is for you. Who knows maybe you will find yourself happier. You haven't seemed yourself for a while now. You deserve to be happy. Have you talked to Logan about this?" She asked.

"No, he has been kind of distant since the whole debacle with the investment and he is pretty tight lipped about California and what's going on there. I know he has a potential opportunity, but that's it. I should clue him in through, get his input I guess. I don't want it to sway me though. I think I need to do this. Go out, explore and just be. I need to jump without anyone there to hold my hand. That's it, I have decided. I am going to let Logan and my mom know, I am taking a year and blog, explore and discover. Yeah, that feels right. Thanks Lane." She sighed and smiled at her friend.

"Anytime, and hey, make sure to remember us little people when you are famous." She hugged her goodbye and the girls parted ways.

Rory walked home and picked up her laptop to skype with Logan, "Hi honey, how are you liking Palo Alto?" She began as she saw his beautiful face on the camera.

"It's great Ace, but I miss you. What are you up too now that all the tests are over?" He began.

"Well, I was talking plans with Lane, you know what will I do next, and I think I am going to travel America, live off my trust and blog about everything and anything. You have been all over the world on your own, and I haven't left Stars Hollow, not really. I think I need my year in Fiji as it were. I'll still keep in touch and if you want to meet up we can, but I think I need to explore without holding anyone's hand. What do you think?" She put forward.

"Wow Ace, I never thought of you as a wanderer, honestly I was hoping you would come with me to California and we could start our lives together, you know." He whined.

"You know, I really thought you would be more supportive. I have been sheltered all my life, living the dreams everyone else has for me. I finally think of something I can do, just me and you want to keep me from it. I have never held you back, I never hold anyone back. I am the first one to stand in line and say you go for it; but if I want to do something …"she ranted and he cut her off.

"Whoa Ace, hold on there, I am not trying to stop you I was just telling you what I had been thinking. If you want to see America from the front seat of your Prius, I won't stop you, but I don't know how we can keep it together." He explained.

"We did OK when you were in London, and America is just a few time zones not a whole ocean away. I just really need to find my own way, my own voice. How can I be a correspondent when I am holding someone else's hand all the time? Think about it, you are the one who told me all about George Plimpton, Hunter Thompson and other journalists who participated before writing their greatest pieces. I need to be a part of something bigger, not just the sheltered little girl I have always been." She enthused.

Lorelai had overheard her daughter talking to Logan and was taken aback at the sentiment. Her baby wanted to go out on her own, she felt sheltered, and it sounded more like smothered. She sat at the kitchen table and inclined her head to the door to hear more. She knew it was wrong, that Rory would come to her on her own, but she also knew Rory spoke to her differently than she did her boyfriend.

"You got me there Ace, I used those examples to get you to jump off a seven story scaffold, but I never thought you would use them to leave me." He sighed.

"Logan – I am not leaving you, are you listening. I don't want us to break up I just want you to let me grow, let me become a better me. You have seen the world; I just want to explore a piece of it without supervision." She implored. "I Love you, I don't want to lose you, but I need to be me, just Rory, with no expectations or deadlines for a little bit. I was thinking a year, but it could be less. How do I know if I want to be a correspondent if I have never lived unsupervised?"

"I got to hand it to you Ace, you make a compelling argument. What does Lorelai say?" He asked.

I haven't discussed it with her yet, she has been busy at the Inn. I had a chat with Lane though and she gets it. I can't be truly successful and live in a bubble. I feel like everyone is hovering all the time just trying to keep me from skinning my knee, what will you do if I get sent to Iraq, Korea or Palestine on a story? If I can't even blog from the safety of a hotel in Georgia or Texas, how can I ever do any of that? If I become a correspondent; can our relationship survive?" She argued.

"Ace, I know that has been the goal, but I thought maybe you would reconsider, and live with me. You can get a job at a paper here and report locally. I was hoping we could settle down, maybe start a family." He looked at her in the camera and wished he were there in person he desperately needed to touch her.

"Logan, how can I be a wife or mother if I have never been me? I have been my mom's mini me, Dean's dirty secret and your Ace. Where is me? How can I raise a new person if I am not fully grown myself? I can't tell you how much you mean to me and I wish you were here so I could show you just how much, but you have been so distant both physically and emotionally. Look I get it when you need to blow off steam; I get it when you take off to places unknown. I have never been afforded that luxury. Our financial circumstances were never similar. Now I have two trust funds to draw from and they are substantial enough I can travel for the first time in my life and dammit I want to go to FEZ!" She ranted.

Logan was reeling at this revelation as was Lorelai; suddenly Lorelai realized that her daughter felt cheated. She had thought taking her from all the privilege was for the best, but she never thought how hard it must have been to have all the wealth around her but just out of reach.

"Oh", Logan paused, "I never thought about that, I am so used to the women I know being so worldly. I guess that was one thing I loved when I first met you; it was simple things like movie nights and burgers, not caviar and a gondola in Venice. I thought you were happy with your life." He looked at her expectantly and Lorelai leaned closer to the door.

"Of course I am happy with my life, but am I not allowed to want more? Am I not allowed to see if I can take just a few steps on my own before I become a wife and a mom and my whole life is behind me? I want a life with you Logan; I can see myself traveling with you, raising a family, growing old all of it. I just want a year to explore, that's all one year. Everyone deserves a little time to see what they are made of. Don't you see - I just need a little bit of time to grow up? I still feel like a kid. In the past two years I have seen you take on new challenges and I can see the man you are becoming, can you honestly say I am all the woman I can be?" She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"Ace, I love the woman you are, and I guess I can see what you are saying. Having this money is new to you and you should have some time to grow into it, explore and see what it can give you. I Love you too and I will be waiting for you when you are ready, but don't think I won't catch up with you when I can and show you a good time." He smirked and leered at her.

"You better mister, I want to see the world but not at the cost of losing you, and hey we do have that whole sexting thing down..." At this point Lorelai realized she should stop listening and left the table to go to her room.

Logan laughed and agreed.