Story Title: The Road Less Travelled
Summary: On the heels of the season finale, Rory decides to take a semester off from Yale and transfers to Harvard, much to Logan's dissatisfaction.
Notes: Plot bunnies are forever running around in my head... this was spurned from a country song. Such depressing music... Thanks to Mia for the beta and for saying that it didn't suck. (Whew.)
For those who choose to play it safe and never stray too far
Me I want to live my life and one day leave my mark
And it all might come together
And it all come unraveled
On the road less traveled
It's September. You've been dreading this since July when she made the announcement of her future plans. You don't want her to go, but you can't beg her to stay. You know that this is for the best. That this is what she wants and, right now, that's all that matters.
She's lost her confidence and she has to make this step forward, by herself, without you, without anyone else. It's her future. She has to decide it's course.
You know you love this girl and you're hesitant to let her out of your life, but there are weekends and holidays. You can make this work.
You stand aside watching as she bids her grandparents goodbye. You wish you could do something, say something. You feel useless. You hate feeling useless.
She turns to you, then. "You ready?" she asks, opening the door of your convertible.
"Call us when you get there," Richard tells her.
"Drive safe," Emily says.
"I will," you both mutter at the same time. You start the engine and pull out of the driveway. She takes your hand once you're speeding down the highway.
"We have time. You don't have to go so fast," she tells you.
You let your foot off the gas, decreasing your speed to a steady fifty-five. "Better?" you ask her.
"Much," she tells you, lifting your hand to her lips. As her lips brush across your knuckles, you're overcome with the want to beg her to stay again, but you resist.
She needs this. You know she needs this. You can't be selfish now. This is what she wants. And you have to respect that.
:
Arriving in Cambridge, you help her settle into her two bedroom off-campus apartment. "My Dad lives just across town," she says as if that'll help ease your mind and make you not worry. Of course you'll worry. She's living in another state, going to another school...
She'll be swarmed by Harvard Law boys who will vy for her affection. You can only hope that they don't get it.
"Huntzberger, you okay?" she asks when she realizes that you're awfully quiet.
"Of course, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"
She shrugs her shoulders, a smile appearing at her lips. "My roommate isn't due to arrive until tomorrow," she says as she takes your hand and leads you toward her room with that mischievious look in her eyes. Her lips are on yours as she walks backwards into the room, and when her knees reach the bed, you both fall down, giggling. She moves hastily to remove your shirt and you're saddened when you realize that you won't be able to have her like this, beneath you, until possibly Homecoming.
So, you enjoy it while it lasts.
:
She calls you after her first class just to hear your voice. She misses you. She asks if you miss her. Of course, you tell her as Finn and Colin giggle in the background. She asks how your classes are going. You tell her that classes are fine and that you've taken more of an interest in the newspaper. You tell her about the article that you're penning and she's ecstatic. You're on your way to class so you hang up with her even though you don't want to.
It's as you're opening up the door to your Art History class that you hear her whisper the words: I love you.
:
You have your first fight in mid-October when you cancel out on a weekend with her. You lead her to believe that you've made alternative plans with Colin and Finn, when, in fact, you're planning a surprise party for her 21st birthday.
Somehow her mother finds out and Lorelai visits you at Yale, wanting to be included.
The two of you meet for coffee and combine ideas.
Surprisingly, you even get along.
:
The weekend of her birthday, you pick her up in Cambridge. She insists on driving home, but this is one of your duties to make sure that she arrives promptly at eight. She's unhappy and snappy, caused, you know, by the fact that you have yet to wish her a Happy Birthday.
Throughout dinner you continue to lead her to believe that you've forgotten it's her birthday. As you pull up at the room that you've booked for the party, she lays into you as you try to take her hand. She snaps at you to not touch her and asks where the hell you've taken her. "Someplace quiet where we can be alone," you tell her as she looks up at the sign on the door.
"The Alligator Lounge?" she asks questioningly. "I hate cajun music, Logan," she points out.
"I thought if you heard it, maybe you'd change your mind."
You watch as she rolls her eyes and stalks to the door. "Well, we're here...," she says pulling open the door. You're directly behind her as the room lights up and the people closest to her yell, "Surprise!"
She turns around to look at you, smiling as you step beside her, an arm snaking around her waist as you pull her against you. "You remembered," she whispers.
"Like I would forget my girl turning twenty-one."
"I knew I loved you for a reason." She looks at you uncomfortably after the words have left her mouth, and, to make her feel better, you pull her into your arms, kissing her for the first time that night.
When you pull back, you whisper, "I love you," then press a kiss to the tip of her nose.
The smile she flashes you makes your heart melt. "I think that's the best birthday present ever," she says as she takes your hand and leads you toward the waiting group.
:
Your parents invite you home for Thanksgiving, but you're quick to tell them that you have plans with Rory. They're suprised that the two of you are still together and they encourage you to bring her. You mention the invitation to Rory and she doesn't think twice about saying yes. You tell her that she doesn't have to come, that you don't even have to go, but she insists - you'll both go.
She talks with Honor and Josh, doing her best to ignore your grandfather and your parents. They talk about Harvard and how much she loves it. When Honor asks about maintaining a long distance relationship is, she admits that it's hard.
Extremely hard. For the both of you.
When your grandmother walks in, all heads turn in her direction. Her eyes land on Rory and she orders you to introduce her. "Rory this is my Grandma Addison. Grandma this is my girlfriend, Rory."
"Ah, the sweet girl that I've heard so much about," she says, eyes darting at you as you blush. She looks around the room, eyes landing on your grandfather. "You should all be ashamed of yourself of how you treated her the last time she was here... she's perfect for our little Logie," your grandmother boasts.
You cringe. You hate when you calls you Logie, but she's called you that since you were in diapers and there's no way that she intends to stop anytime soon.
As your family crosses into the dining room for Thanksgiving dinner, your grandmother has taken a liking to your girlfriend.
You're okay with this, but aren't okay with the baby pictures that you're grandmother shows to her after dinner.
You stopped her the moment she reached for the box of home videos. You drew a line at live-action. Rory didn't need to see you singing Michael Jackson tunes in the bathtub. She'd break up with you for sure.
:
You spend Christmas with her family. At dinner as her mother and her grandmother are arguing about the choice of vegetable, she whispers to you that she has something to tell you.
Your breath hitches for a few seconds, before you choke out a stuttered, "Okay."
You excuse yourselves after dessert, allowing her to lead you into the pool house. She reaches into her suitcase, extracting an envelope.
You stare at the envelope in your hands, noticing the Yale stamp in the left hand. A letter from Yale...
"Open it," she instructs you and you quickly obey her.
"Rory, this is...," you say, masking your excitement. A granted transfer request?
"Good news?"
"Well..."
"I thought you'd be more excited."
You lead her to the bed, forcing her to sit down. "No, I am. I am. Just... I thought you were happy at Harvard."
"I was. But Yale has something that Harvard doesn't."
"What's that?"
"You."
You smile and sigh, reaching into your pocket for the letter than you intended to show to her. "I guess this can be discarded, then."
"What's that?"
"My transfer to Harvard."
Laughing, she kisses you. "We are so pathetic."
:
Later that night as you lay in her bed, her leg draped across yours, the smell of sweat and sex still lingering in the air, you kiss her forehead lightly, whispering, "I'm glad you're home."
"Me, too," she whispers sleepily. She's drawing circles on your chest with her fingernails, and, had she not worn you out no more than ten minutes ago, you're sure your body would be reacting to her intimate touch. "I would've backed out at the last minute, you know." She moves against you, adjusting her head so that she's looking into your eyes. "I would've stayed... had you asked."
"I know. That's why I didn't."