A/N: Yes, another chapter, so soon! I kind of didn't want to post this yet because not many people have had the chance to review the previous one, but I'm assuming (hoping?) that you'll still review them both, even given the proximity. I might get another chapter up today too (was trying to catch up for all the days thus far in 2014, but we'll see how it goes). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one. More to come!

Please read and review, and if you haven't favorited yet and feel so inclined, please do! As always, I do not own Gilmore Girls or any of its characters or concepts and I worship ASP for creating them. But I do possess an entertaining anecdote: I had a Rory-Yale moment today. I wrote the date down wrong for when I was supposed to go visit my friend and it was supposed to be today. Granted, I'm going tomorrow and it's no big deal, but still, it was such a Rory moment.


Chapter 108

A few minutes later, outside, Lorelai turned to Jess.

"I can't believe you angered the beast."

"Mom…"

"No, don't get me wrong, I'm not annoyed, I'm impressed!" she grinned, "That took serious cojones."

"Cojones?"

"Let's not go there," Rory rolled her eyes, "I'm just happy that Grandpa took it well."

"And I'm impressed that you kept your cool. I was expecting a Shakespearean-exam level tantrum."

"Shakespearean-exam level…?"

"Rory pulled a Katherine."

"The Great?"

"Taming of the Shrew."

"I can't see it."

"Neither did I. Which I'm unbelievably sad about. God, if only we had video phones back then…"

"Then I could've seen you call my principle Il Duce."

"You what?" Jess turned to Lorelai disbelievingly.

"There was a stunning resemblance."

"I'm sure there was. Anyway, we've gotta get home," Rory said, gesturing to Jess, who nodded.

"Wait! Why don't you just stay the night in Star's Hollow? It's only an extra hour of driving and then you get to do it in the morning."

"Actually, that probably makes more sense," Jess answered slowly.

"But Jess…books!" Rory pouted.

"…weekly. Starting Sunday."

"Deal!"

"So…you're staying?"

"Yeah. Luke's?"

"Yeah, I'll call him on my way home and tell him to leave the key for you guys."

"No need."

"I don't want to know," Lorelai shook her head and smiled, before walking over to Rory. "Hon, are you…"

"I'm fine," she nodded, not meeting her mother's gaze. Lorelai sighed.

"Jess, do you…"

"All yours. You might be better with this one, plus I'm still in a bit of a Shakespearean-exam mood myself," Jess answered. He smiled at Rory. "Look, go with your Mom and have her drop you at the diner. I promise I'll wait up and leave a cup of coffee."

"Really, I'm…"

"Rory."

"Fine," she sighed. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Defending my honor."

"I thought I destroyed it by dating you in the first place."

"Rebuilding it?"

"Impossible after you stole that boat."

"Well then, thanks for making a senior citizen scream with rage."

"For you? Any time," he smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before nodding to Lorelai and getting into his car.

"Hon…"

"I'm fine."

"Your face says otherwise."

"Well, thanks."

"Rory…"

"Look, I know it's not true. That's not why it bugs me."

"Then..."

"It's that she could think that poorly of me. Exactly like Jess said. It's demeaning. I mean, I get where she gets all that, but still, to think that I'd just give it up like that."

"Uh huh."

"And that Jess is just some deadbeat that's hell bent on ruining my life, some stupid guy not worth anything…agh!" she groaned, shaking her head, "You know, I take it back. That's the worst."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's not just that she doesn't trust my taste, but she can't see how amazing he is, how right he is for me, what an amazing guy he is and how lucky I am to have him. Wait! That's not the worst!"

"It's not?"

"Saying that I'm doing 'what you did' and that he shouldn't want me to 'end up like you'? If I've ended up half as incredible as you I've basically achieved my life mission. I can be done now."

"Now honey, you haven't achieved your life mission until you can eat 10 tacos in one sitting, and you're still at a firm seven."

"Honestly, though, Mom. I can't believe you didn't say anything! And I was going to defend you but then Grandpa…"

"Fixed everything. Rory, listen to me. Mom and I are better than we were at some points, yes, but we're never going to be…great. That's just a fact. And she's always going to think of me that way, and see me as a girl who was stupid enough to get knocked up at sixteen and who threw a lifetime of contentment and leisure and prestige away for things like monkey lamps and a diner owner. That's her take. It's sick, but it's her take. And she's grown into seeing the value in some of it, but sometimes…she just reverts. But it doesn't hurt me like it used to."

"You can't honestly tell me it doesn't hurt."

"No, I can't. It does hurt. But not like it used to," she said, "Because now, when it's over, I get to drive home with you and go see my incredible fiancée, who is the best man I could've ever hoped to meet, and I see you as happy as you are, and I know that what I did was right, no matter what her opinions are. And that I wouldn't have had any of that had I stuck to her plans. Rory, you can't let her get to you. She's wrong, just like Jess was wrong when you guys argued before. It is your life and whatever makes you happy and is best for you in your eyes is the right choice. Period. You don't have to answer to anyone but yourself. And like it was with Grandpa, the people who love you will come around to it, because they want you to be happy. She will too, eventually."

"I'm so mad at her," Rory said, in a low voice, "I know how immature it is but I'm really mad at her, especially about the things she said about Jess, and I don't want to talk to her or see her."

"You don't have to."

"But ignoring her is really…"

"It's a lot more mature than going there and stomping around and her huffing and you two hating each other. Plus, it's not immature to stand your ground. Jess is your ground. Your man is your ground."

"Jess is my man?" Rory couldn't help but giggle at that, "Really, mom?"

"Oh my man, I love him so…he'll…never know!" Lorelai started singing at the top of her lungs as Rory cackled behind her.