(Recap: It looks like Luke and Lorelai are on their way to a relationship and Jess ran to Stars Hollow to comfort a distraught Rory. This chapter addresses mainly some mother daughter issues, taken from personal experience, and using the fictional characters based on Amy Sherman Palladino's "Gilmore Girls". Read on to find out more....)

Chapter 7: An Honest Talk

As Jess was guiding Rory through the front doors of the inn, he took her hand. Rory glanced down as he did this and felt a shock of electricity. Surprisingly, the sensation that hit her was uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Something was wrong with how she was handling this whole situation. She slept with Dean out of lonliness when he was showing obvious interest in her (without even thinking of the consequences) and she automatically dialed Jess' number last night without even blinking an eye. Why was she suddenly turning to guys when she had always been the independent, responsible one. She was about to shake Jess off when she saw her mother at the top of the stairs, staring.

Rory (out of the corner of her mouth, to Jess): "Let go. Now."

Jess, following instructions, immediately dropped Rory's hand.

Lorelai: "Rory, may I see you, up here, please, now?"

Rory made her way up the staircase leaving Jess staring behind.

Rory (trying to explain): "Mom....he just came here....I didn't ask him to..."

Lorelai (waving her hand to cut her off): "In the room." she stated simply.

Lorelai didn't know what she was going to say. She had never set a consistent example for her daughter concerning men in her own life. Commitment had always been a confusing concept for her. Every time a relationship started to head toward marriage she ended up taking several steps back all at once, retreating from a raging battle inside her head.

Lorelai: "Rory, I am not going to pretend like I know what is going on in your head. I have no clue. But you have to see what you are doing. Last night with one guy and this morning with another? Please, can you give me a reasonable explanation for why you were holding his hand just now?"

Rory (still utterly unsure of herself or how to proceed with this conversation): "I - He just grabbed my hand. He was just walking me back into the inn to talk...." Rory started to feel uncomfortable even just talking about this with her mom. Lorelai had done similar things with men in her life and now she was lecturing Rory on it? It just didn't really fit. Rory wanted to tell her mom all the thoughts going through her head, every last one. But she just couldn't. Not now. A new attitude and awareness was dawning to the surface. It was anger.

At that moment, Rory didn't understand this shift in feeling toward her mom. Her mom had always been her best friend. She told her everything. Her mom knew instantaneously when she wasn't doing well. She used to call her up from work as soon as Rory would walk through the door from a tough day, just to see if she was okay. It was like they had that twin-thing except it was a mother-daughter thing instead. But, now, all Rory could feel rising within her was a severe case of resentment because she didn't know how to tell her mom that she couldn't talk to her about this huge emotional step that had caused such a rushing tidal wave of turmoil throughout her whole being.

Lorelai paused before taking another breath. She had a thousand thoughts rush through her head. She really wasn't qualified to be talking to her daughter like this. So instead she just walked over to the bed and sat down next to Rory.

Lorelai: "Rory, last night we argued about how I haven't been the best example of relationships. Do you want to talk about that?" Lorelai tried to stay calm, though it wasn't easy.

Rory (looked up from the point on the carpet she had chosen to stare at): "Mom ...." Rory decided to take a risk and tell her mom what she was thinking. "I used to tell you everything. I don't know how to tell you what I am thinking because it isn't anything nice. I am so angry that I can't figure this out on my own. I am used to being the independent, responsible one. You said it last night. I am the list maker. I think things through. And, now, twice in twenty four hours I made two decisions without thinking things through. I subconsciously wanted Jess to make everything better after realizing that sleeping with Dean was a mistake. I guess I am tired of being so damn responsible all the time. Does that make sense?"

Lorelai: "Honey, you make more sense than you think right now. And, let me tell you something, you never have to go through anything alone. You have me, Lane and even Paris to talk things out with. One thing I have learned is that the only thing that ever happened from running to man to man is that I felt less and less sure of myself. Don't become like me. Talk things out. Get some objectivity. Face your fear."

Rory looked at her mother amazed. She couldn't believe the advice she was hearing. Could this really be her mom speaking to her?

Rory: "If it is okay, I think I will stay here a moment longer. Can you tell Jess that I can't see him today? I do wish he had called first. This feels so complicated right now."

Lorelai: "It's not your fault he drove all the way here. It seems to me, and as much as this pains me to say, I'll bet he really does care for you in some way. If it is meant to be, he will let you be and not force you into anything you aren't ready for. It seems like he is more like his uncle than he would probably care to admit."

Rory (smiling now): "Yeah, maybe so. His general demeanor this time around seems different, nicer almost."

Lorelai: "Just don't base everything on how the guy acts. Go with your gut instinct. It's there for a reason. You have a lot going for you. Life isn't about the mistakes you make. It's about what you do with them."

Rory leaned over and hugged her mom tightly. She was so grateful at this moment in time to have her guidance. The anger she had felt just moments ago started to fade away. Everything happens for a reason, she thought.

Lorelai brushed the hair away from Rory's tear-stained face and hugged her close. She knew Rory was going to be needing a lot more attention in the coming weeks. Her daughter may be 19 and officially an adult, but she would always be her little girl.

(A/N I had a lot more written and more drama, but it didn't seem to feel right to me. So I am leaving it at this. Next chapter will probably be mostly about Rory, then I hope to get back to the relationship aspect of what is going to happen with Luke and Lorelai and whether Rory will choose a relationship with Jess, or someone else, or none at all...Thanks for reading!)