Declaimer: I own nothing. The quotes you recognize are from episode 5.07. "You Jump, I Jump Jack."

AN: Here you go – another one!

Honestly I shouldn't be posting it now. The story is under a close verification by my sister. She is correcting it. Only chapter done is 1st Stage (the new version is posted – it's only some spelling and grammar correction).

But I couldn't stopped myself…:D

And secondly that supposed to be totally different chapter – that events here were planed to be only one part of the chapter but it got different during writing so here it is!

Hope you'll enjoy it;)

Please review!!!

Edith

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3rd Stage – Uncertainty

I was looking at the objects in my hand with suspicion.

I'd received it yesterday. It'd been stuck to my dorm's window.

A short massage and a black blindfold.

From a bunch of crazy people, for example a guy that had sunken his dad's yacht near Fiji.

There was one thought playing repeatedly in my mind as I was sitting on my bed, looking at the blindfold and waiting for 4 p.m. – what the hell I'd got myself into this time?

Last few weeks had been like a blur to me. The whole getting use to college life again and so. And, of course, the roller-coaster with my personal life.

It was a lot more than a 20 year old girl could stand!

Mixed together grandparents who were separated, the roommate who wanted to murder you because she'd thought that you wanted to steal the religion beat from her, the annoying editor, dad that wanted to butt in your mom's life again (he hadn't done anything yet but I could sense that something was in the air), the weird relationship with you're boyfriend who had been married but had cheated on his wife with you and they weren't together anymore and a tiny addiction in a form of your husband that hadn't recognize you.

Sounded like the Spanish soup opera – especially the last two pieces.

But it was reality, all of it!

It didn't faded away despite my wishes.

The first thing – my grandparents.

They'd been my rocks all the time. Always together, un-separately – Emily and Richard.

Now one was living in a pool house and the other was buying a panic room!

It was getting on my nerves. They were perfect for each other but they were too blind to admit it and also too stubborn to admit that they'd been wrong about the split.

How could people been separated after 40 years of marriage?

And what had pissed me off the most was the whole not being able to do anything!

The same with my dad. It had worried me when mom had told me about his call. As much as I hated this I had to admit that my dad had been causing troubles in my mom's life the whole time. Starting with my conception.

Mom was happy now with Luke and everything. She didn't need dad now. She'd needed him before – when I'd been a little kid or after Sookie's wedding. But not now.

At least in that case I'd done something. I knew that I hadn't been really nice to dad with the whole speech about staying away from mom but she was more important to me.

Paris. Well. she was Paris.

The grief after Asher's death had been gone with only a little reminder in form of bruises on my legs from bumping in the printing press too many times.

What man leaves a printing press to his lover in his will?

Except Asher Fleming of course.

I couldn't get that but had decided long time before not to think too much about things that involved Paris – they were just in different category.

So after a little mourning her deceased lover, Paris was back into her normal self. This time she was harassing all the religious leaders in New Heaven.

That got me to the paper thing. I was really behind. Because of the whole escaping to Europe thing I hadn't done any work on summer. Great future reporter of me – leaving work because of the slightest personal problems.

Well not slightest but that's not the point!

I'd decided to catch up on everything. To work as hard as I could to get back on track in my journalistic career. That's why I was sitting here right now, waiting for the unknown.

Maybe not unknown but unpredictable.

I really, really wanted to make that story about the Life and Death Brigade good.

There was the voice in my mind again – "Maybe HE will be there!"

He meaning of course the husband dear!

I didn't know if he would be there tonight but seeing as he was a friend with Huntzberger, there was a big possibility. Logan was my contact inside, mind you.

I hadn't met Finn after the meeting outside my dorm. I'd met Logan three times, Colin once, but no Finn.

Of course I'd heard about him a lot from those two girls in cafeteria.

After the call to Dean I'd calmed down a little and started to listen to their conversation.

I'd got to know three important things.

First – the redheaded girl's name was Tina.

Second – Finn was indeed that Finn from Vegas, not his evil twin with the same name, seeing as the girls had been talking about his "so sexy and cute" tattoo with his ex-love's name on it.

Thirdly – I was an exotic princess from Kirgyzstan in whom Finn had fallen madly in love with while he had been traveling Asia to find his path in live, but my father, the king, had been against our love and had banished Finn from the country.

Anyone confused, huh?

Well, I'd been when I'd first eavesdropped that piece of information. But after a moment it'd stuck my! It'd been Finn's story to cover having tattoo with a girl name!

Nice to know that he had sooo great imagination! But it would be better to make up something more truthful! We were in Yale for God's sake – the Kirgyzsatn is not even a monarchy!

But I'd counted to ten, taken few death breaths to prevent myself from snapping at those girls. How could someone be so stupid to believe in that crap!?

Apparently they were because they'd been talking about "how adorable and cute it was!"

I'd wanted to literati cut myself at that time.

"NO RORY CALM DOWN!!!" – that had been my thoughts as I'd been sitting there.

It was no point to die because of that bastard.

After the cafeteria's news I hadn't had any sight from the husband dear or about him.

He had been probably screwing another girl. Really nice thought.

But there was a chance that he would be at the gathering tonight.

But there was a catch – I was planning to be there as a professional reporter, so it would be a little weird and really unprofessional to snap at him there.

Of course there was another condition – my mind should not stop working like the other two times.

A tough nut to crack!

With the husband subject always the Dean subject came on surface.

That was another story. This time it wasn't dealing with an ex-married-boyfriend but with a boyfriend that used to be married.

After my call we'd got back together with Dean but it hadn't been the same.

Well, I could predicted that it wouldn't be like in high school anymore. We weren't the same people anymore.

While I was thinking about it closely now I was more sure that the high school thing was what I wanted. The security and stability – not the crazy life like now.

It wasn't working. I could see it. Of course we'd tried and we were still trying to make it work but it was no use.

We had no time for each other at all. Today was supposed to be the first day that we would see each other in nearly two weeks. Because of my story we would not.

We didn't have a good place to meet, seeing as Dean rarely had an opportunity to have a car and free evening in the same time to drive to Yale and for me it wasn't fair to Kyle, Dean's temporary flat-mate, to take his place all the time.

My mom wasn't glad with the things either. She'd tried to be – the whole double date idea, but I could see that me being together with Dean again wasn't to her liking.

I would not mention Luke's reaction.

My feelings had also started to became not so sure. Dean and I were different now, nearly the whole new people. As much as I hated to admit it the only thing that was holding us together now was sex.

The whole relationship could not be built on sex!

Not for me!

Maybe I was to harsh for him but I really wanted to have something in common with him – not only some memories from our time together before, talks about our town and sex.

It was too little for me to built a real relationship.

But despite everything I wasn't letting go.

I sighed and checked the clock on my bedside table. It was ten to 4 p.m. Time for show!

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It was weird standing there blindfolded. I could hear people whispering about me and laughing at me. But I didn't care. It was for a story. Many journalists sacrificed themselves more.

Then I heard Logan's voice, "Hey Ace, you ready?"

"Well…" I couldn't finished because he didn't wait for my respond. He pulled me quickly by my arm and I was trying hard not to tripped over my own feet as I followed him. Not the easiest thing with the blindfold.

After a quick walk I was pushed into some vehicle. It was big so I presumed that it was something like the SUV I'd seen few days ago with the Gorilla Girl. I could sense Logan getting in behind me.

"Hit it!" he yelled after he closed the door. There was immediately respond from the front.

"Ah! Not so loud!"

Indeed the husband dear was here.

"You're very auditorily sensitive today."

So there was also a female beside me.

"Oh, and your voice helps."

Oh my God – my husband could be also sarcastically to females. Not only flirting with them and getting them to bed!

I had a hard time preventing myself from responding. Now that I knew I shouldn't talk, only listen and ask important question my mind was screaming at me to comment it somehow.

Where the hell my mind had been two previous time?!

"Is the blindfold secure?" That was Colin from behind.

"Secure and in place," Logan replied quickly with a little annoyance.

"Our anonymity's crucial, Logan. Crucial."

Then there was some painful groan from Finn and I couldn't help myself and asked.

"What's wrong with Finn?"

"Great job with the blindfold, Logan."

Wow, Colin could be a real pain in the ass.

"I recognized your voices, Colin," I explained him.

Apparently husband didn't like the sound of my voice now. Or any sound for that matter.

"Could everyone keep it down, please."

I started to get a little impatient. It was weird sitting between them and knowing what was going on only by their voices.

"Can we remove the blindfold now?" I asked with a hint of irritation in my voice.

I could sense the annoying smirk on Huntzberger's face, "We're also hiding our destination."

Great! So I was stuck here blindfolded for God knows how long and my mind wanted to have a quarrel with the husband dear right now when I was supposed to play the serious reporter role.

And Finn wasn't helping any with his comments.

"We had to leave at this ungodly hour?" he winced.

"It's four in the afternoon," I was confused by what he'd said but Logan decided to be useful and quickly clear how Finn's brain was working out for me, "He's got a thing about the sun."

"It's too bright." Finn specified.

Wow what a brilliant reason! OK Gilmore stay tune – you were doing a job here.

"So how come you're not wearing your gorilla's masks?" I got into the reporter role again.

"She can see," Colin was probably paranoid about security – to keep the whole group as a secret.

"I can tell because your voices aren't muffled!" I explained him again although it was obvious to me.

"She's sharp." The female voice again. I decided to focus on her now.

"Who's the girl?" I asked in the unknown direction as I couldn't see any of them.

"I've been told we've met. I've no memory of it," the girl informed and I could finally place her.

"Oh, Gorilla Girl."

"Oh, well, isn't that a pretty nickname," the girl could be sarcastic.

At least one normal person with a bunch of jerks.

Logan cut in, "Oh, by the way, this thing's overnight."

"Overnight?"

How nice of him to mention it now!!!

"Didn't I mention that before?" and he even had a guts to play innocent. But I didn't let them know that it effected me.

"Oh, must have slipped your mind."

"That doesn't screw up anything for you, does it?"

Good for him to care after the fact! Be strong Gilmore!

"No," I've replied shortly.

"No?" he was surprised or rather sounded surprised.

"Nope."

"Hmm. Loose schedule. Good." I thought he was hopping that I would be more effected by that.

"We like our schedules loose, like our women."

OK that effected me – a lot!!!

I was furious inside. I wanted to ripped of the blindfold and scratch those green eyes out of Finn. But I kept myself calm. Instead I dug my nails into my palms and kept quiet.

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After the comment about looses women, the whole journey was quiet. Logan had tried to make some small talk about the paper and I'd tried to ask about the awaiting evening but we'd shut up after Finn had snapped at us to be quiet. He could be bossy!

I didn't know where we were or what time it was. It's hard to keep the time straight in the dark.

Only voices I could hear had been a little snoring from behind me and steady breaths beside me. I presumed that Colin, Logan and probably Stephanie – the girl's name as I'd found out, were asleep.

I couldn't sleep. There had been to many thought running through my head.

They didn't even wake up when the car had stopped.

I was confused, "Are we there, yet?"

There was no respond. I could only hear the driver's door being open and close. Then there was silence except Colin's snoring. I could smell gas so we were probably on some gas station.

"I'm getting coffee, want some, Rory?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I'd heard that. I wasn't only shocked that he'd returned without my notice but that he'd spoken to me and used my name!

My mind was back into his favorite state of shutting down and I could only get a quiet, "Yes, please"

And Finn was gone again.

OK, what the hell was going on? He used my name. That meant he remembered me.

Or maybe not – Logan could have told him my name. But the whole time Logan had been referring to my as Ace.

OK, logic Gilmore, logic - Logan couldn't have told them that he'd wanted Ace to go on the event with him. He'd had to introduced me somehow.

The sound of my door being open broke me away from my thoughts.

"Here you go," my hand was pulled and wrapped around the paper cup, "Carefully, it's hot."

Then I was left alone again only to hear him got into the driver seat and start the engine.

The only thing I could come up with at that moment was a question about sugar.

"I've already added, love," came a softly reply.

I took a sip. It was good, even with cream.

I was so mixed-up. There was some new and improved Finn. He'd used my name, had been nice to me. What the hell was going on here?

And for God's sake – how could he know how I liked my coffee?!!!

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The wood smelled wonderful. I felt so comfortable sitting here alone and recalling all the events of the evening. Even the drunken singing was nice to listen to. I was good here, seeing as I got a nice view on the whole camp, a lantern and a cup pf coffee that Logan had brought me. He'd said he'd heard I could need one. How he knew that?

I had a lot to think about and it wasn't only about the story, although the memories from the evening was playing in my head like mad.

It had been already dark when we'd arrived. Finn hadn't spoken to me after the coffee thing. I hadn't spoken either. After he'd parked the car he'd jumped out of it screaming something about air. I hadn't quite caught it because I'd been pulled by Logan in different direction.

To say I had been surprise by the sight before my eyes when the blindfold had come off wasn't sufficient. I wouldn't had believed if I hadn't seen it myself. The whole camp looked like a big safari camp form nineteenth century. And I'd even got my own tent. And people here. That was surprising. I'd thought that it will be a bunch of spoiled rich kids, drinking all night and pulling some stupid stunts next day. Instead I'd got a weird game about talking without using "e" and other things like that. They hadn't talked to me much, except Stephanie, but she had been drunk already. Their silent hadn't stopped my from gathering many notes to my story.

It would be one hell of the story even if I had to included all Logan's condition.

Suddenly I heard some movements behind me. I turned around immediately.

"Easy, love. I am not a bear I won't devour you," I heard Finn's voice and he came out of the dark. He was dressed like the rest of them in light beige suit.

"Although I wouldn't mind at all," he added sizing me up and down and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I snorted. Goodbye new and improved Finn – the bastard Finn was back!

At least he'd noticed my this time.

He plopped down next to me and handed my the bottle of whisky.

"No thank you," I told him. He only smirked and murmured "More for me."

I hadn't seen him the whole evening. I'd been even looking for him but hadn't spotted him anywhere. Only time I'd heard something related to him was a thing about a salt and Australians from Logan. Well at least I'd got to know where my husband came from.

I felt weird. From the first time since that night in Vegas we were alone. Of course my mind was paralyzed again and I didn't know what to do. And he was half-lying there facing me and looking at me with that annoying smirk and some mischievous sparks in eyes.

"What are you doing here," I finally blurted out, although that wasn't what I really wanted to hear from him. Better question would be what was he playing at all this times, but my mind's courage from few hours ago was lost somewhere between the trees.

"Well love, I think it's obvious," he smirked more, "I am participating in the LDB event. Something I've been doing from quite some time now. The real question is what are you doing here?"

"I am doing a story for a Yale Daily News," I replied despite myself.

"Oh yes, Logan has mentioned something about it," it sounded like he only realized my presence here today just now, "It's good to have new faces on the events, very refreshing."

I didn't know how to respond to that or how to respond to him at all. But my perplexed state was covered by the yell from the camp, "Finn! We're starting!!!"

"I would love to chat with you more, love, but they are calling," he started to get up, "I'll leave the bottle here for you just in case you would be thirsty," he winked at me, "or maybe you would like to join me. We are playing this fun game called "Dancing on the edge". We are dancing in pairs at the thin board hanging 3 meters in the air. The pair that last the longest win. What would you say, love?"

Was he mad. That's dangerous! I would never participate in the game like this!

"No!" I cried, "and you shouldn't either. It's dangerous and you are drunk!"

I was frozen as he smirked, leaned toward me and whispered to my ear with one hand stroking lightly the other side of my neck at the same time.

"Not as much as I was in Vegas, love."

And he was gone.

Whoa!!!

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The next day had brought another surprises.

First Logan and a dress.

How on earth I should know that the event had a dress code.

But Logan had been prepared. The blue dress was beautiful.

What was bugging my was what Logan had said as I'd come out of the tent. He'd looked my up and down, smirked and said nodding knowingly: "Yeah, Finn was right."

What that supposed to mean?

But I hadn't been thinking about it for a long time seeing as I'd been trying to stick with my resolution to ignore anything involving Finn for the rest of the event. His presence was just too much for me to handle and I couldn't concentrate on my work.

Especially after his comment yesterday.

After I'd been dressed, we'd joined the crowed.

Then there had been the speech, the weird pool game and the shooting thing. But it still hadn't been the big stunt. I hadn't even had a clue what it could be.

Now however, I was pretty sure that I could guess what it would be.

There, in front of me, stood a huge scaffold.

At last seven stories scaffold.

And there were people on the top of it, holding umbrellas.

Madness.

"Hope you're thinking up superlatives," my thoughts were interrupted by Logan.

"What are they going to do?" I asked despite the obvious sight before my eyes.

"What do you think they're going to do?" of course Logan had the smirk on his face. I wondered if he ever hadn't got one.

"They're not going to jump?" there was some hope in my voice.

"Jump!"

My eyes got big, "That's like seven stories! They'll die!"

"We're all going to die one day," Well what a great life knowledge!

"But those four are today," I informed him dryly.

"Six," he corrected.

"I see four," I replied looking more carefully at the scaffold.

"I'm heading up."

I shook my head, "Of course you are." I wouldn't dream to think less of you!

"And one more guy was supposed to do it, but he's twisted his ankle during polo, so there's an extra space," he added.

Apparently the guy had some protection angle somewhere.

I glanced up more.

This is the whole new meaning of madness.

Why Logan was looking at my like that?

Oh, no, no, no!

"No!"

Logan smirked and tried to convinced my, "We're not going to die. No one in the Life and Death Brigade has ever died."

I was nearly dead by only thinking about jumping!

"I am not going to jump!"

"We're all set," the familiar accented voice rang from behind me.

I turned around and spotted Finn. He was in tux like Logan but he'd added old-fashion pilot's goggles to his appearance.

I hadn't seen him much this morning. It was like he was avoiding me.

"Finn is the genius behind all this," Logan informed me.

"It's very safe. We did a dozen successful test drops, every potato came through without a scratch," Finn explained.

OK what?

I didn't think I'd heard him correct.

Potato?

"Potato?" I asked aloud.

"You can't test using people, that'd be dangerous!" Logan said in "isn't that obvious tone". Finn had just walked away and was talking to some guys now few meters from us.

No, it was not obvious!

How could they jump from seven stories scaffold?

Tested before using only potato.

Created by the guy that was half-drunk all the time.

There was no way I was going to do it!

"Look, thanks for the offer, but I'm here as a journalist. An observer. Journalists do not participate," I told Logan.

"Since when?"

He had to be difficult.

"Since forever."

Apparently I hadn't convinced him.

"George Plimpton's best stuff came from participating. Fighting Sugar Ray Robinson, quarterbacking for the Lions, skating for the Bruins. Bill Buford lived with soccer hooligans in Among The Thugs. Ernie Pyle was so deep in the action in World War II, he was killed by a Japanese sniper, not that you gotta go that far."

I tried to cut in but Logan was so caught up in his story that he didn't let me.

"Richard Hottelet was four months in a Nazi prison working for the U.P. Hunter Thompson lived with the Hell's Angels. Got in the muck, didn't just orbit around it, and it drove his writing. He put you in those biker's parties. He put you in those biker's heads."

Finally he stopped.

Thank God!!!

That guy was supposed to be a lazy rich kid, getting everything what he wants by his daddy's name and money – not some walking encyclopedia about great journalists!

"All right, all right, so, those guys participated. I got it, but I…" I was cut off by Finn's voice "Jumpers to their places, please!" then he walked up to us and nodded at Logan.

"I'll wait for you up there Ace," Logan told me, winked at me and went to the leader.

I was left alone with Finn.

What was the nod and wink about?

"You're scared," Finn stated calmly getting closer to me.

"Well, yeah!" that was surely obvious.

I looked up at him. He was standing way too close and looking at me with something weird in his eyes. I was getting really uncomfortable by his look and his proximity.

Then he reached for me and pulled me to him, wrapping his hands around my waist.

Whoa, what was going on?!

"You know what is the greatest of life?" he said softly, "The unknown. Despite all attempts to find out what will happen, the future is a mystery to us, a puzzle that we have to solve.

"And jumping from that thing is right piece of the puzzle?"

I wasn't very much convinced about that and it could by easily notice because of the skeptical expression on my face but Finn wasn't baffled. He just smirked, but that wasn't his usual smirk, rather a pity smirk - something like he wanted to say, "Oh you silly girl".

"You are never sure what is right. That's the idea of living. We are trying to find the right pieces but sometimes we found the wrong one. That's the point of carpe diem, in omnia paratus – to live life in full way! To try as much as possible. You don't know what tomorrow would bring, Rory," he finished quietly still holding me.

I was silent listening to him. I wasn't looking at his face but somewhere near the top button of his shirt.

He was right. I didn't know what future would bring.

I could not plan everything, despite my best attempts. Everything that happened lately in my life could prove that.

I felt like that was really important moment in my life.

I rarely felt that way. Some unknown anticipation, but the good one.

I didn't know what was causing such feelings – maybe his words or maybe the tone of his voice and the warmth of his hands on my back.

Something inside me was screaming – his right!

And suddenly I wanted very much to jump!

It felt right to do it now.

I looked up to him and met his eyes.

"Alright"

He smiled. That was the first time I really saw his smile, not a smirk.

And more, I liked that smile.

"Good," he released my from his arms but grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the scaffold… "In Omnia Paratus, Love!"

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Review!

Next one – "the marriage talk"

And of course thanks to: gilmoreluver08, Shinyobjectslover, Hopes2High, BrCl Girl, xanth75, danielle503, just call me fred, mrmp, CurleyQ, fliccolo, purpleamon13, Lindsay, andrea kamille, just hidden, princetongirl, GilmorGirlsRocks, XxCrazy4CassidyCasablancasxX, meglzi716, Coffee91, strawberrigashes, KaRa, Moelli