Chapter 7

Pro: Will be able to talk about literature with someone else.

Con: Won't be able to concentrate on said literature.

Pro: Will not get judged for eating large quantities of food.

Con: Will get judged for the quality of said food.

Pro: Likes Jane Austin.

Con: Likes Hemingway.

Pro: He loves me.

Con: ...

Rory tapped rhythmically on the sheet of paper, biting her lip and frowning. The only glow came from the lamp's light on her desk. Everything else was dark, everything outside. That's what happens at three in the morning. The entire world is asleep... except for some dodgy Mexicans (joke... just a joke... I love Mexicans!).

She looked over the words, having almost reached the end of the page, and then turned the page over to see the other side completely covered. So many factors! Rory turned it back over, staring down at the last words she wrote down. He loves me. What does one do when in love? Ignore all the con's? What does one do when a Gilmore? Take in every piece of information, re-read it until you're out of coffee, while wearing heels. Only now she was wearing fluffy bunny slippers Lorelai had bought on a sugar high.

Rory looked at her surroundings. At the inviting bed, but didn't feel the least bit tired. She was riveted. She yanked the lid of her pen off with her teeth and put it to paper.

Pro: Really pretty.

Con: I now have to hate his hair.

Rory smiled widely at the fond memories of running her fingers through his crazy hair and then excusing herself so she could secretly wash the gel off her hands. She scrunched up her nose at that particular part of the routine. She stared down at the paper, already having listed the serious things like his job and his habits and his tendency to leave. But followed with a pro to balance it out.

Pro: Doesn't care what people think... meaning Babette and Miss Patty.

Con: Won't stop people from thinking. And talking. And glaring.

Rory paused. Put down her pen. Thought. And picked it back up.

Pro: Luke approves.

Con: Mom really, really doesn't.

Pro: Grandma will at least pretend to.

Con: Grandpa won't.

Pro: Lane will understand.

Con: Dean exists.

Pro: Paris seemed to find him interesting enough to like him.

Con: Taylor.

Rory stiffened. Taylor! What would Taylor say? No... what would he do? Pull out the tar and the feathers, probably. Split up the town? Have Jess arrested? No... Oh, no.

Rory bolted up. She left the room, heading towards her mom's room, then stopped. Then sprinted upstairs.

She shoved open the door and jumped on her mom's bed. "Mom!"

Lorelai didn't make a sound properly quotable, but made a sound, nonetheless.

"Wake up."

Lorelai stuck her hand out. "Rory? What's wrong?"

"No! Taylor's gonna get Jess killed."

"What?" Lorelai mumbled into her pillow. Rory shook at her shoulder's gently, then started annoyingly tapping a similar rhythmic pattern to her pen tapping. "I forgot about Taylor. The town! What will they do to him?"

Lorelai turned her body over and squinted at her. "Rory... once upon a time I said I would die for you... that I would take a bullet for you..." She smiled sincerely. "But I would do oh so much more for sleep!" She rolled back over.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Mom."

"Please go to sleep. You're a college student... shouldn't you understand?"

She shrugged. "I actually surpassed that phase of college in the first week..." Lorelai groaned. "Mom, come on; wake up. This is important." A beat. "Jess's life is in danger!"

"Good."

Oops, that was dumb, Lorelai thought regretfully as she could practically feel Rory glaring at her. "I'm sorry honey, but..." Rory raised a warning brow which Lorelai could tell she was doing. "...But you can't hold anything I say against me – it's late and I'm still sleeping."

"No, you're not; you're awake, now."

"Am not. You're hallucinating."

"Mom!"
"At this moment, I am not your mom, but someone who occasionally gives you food."

"You're not making any sense."

"That's because it's in the middle of the night!" Lorelai whined into her pillow.

Rory waved her hand in the air. "Oh, that's just a technicality," she dismissed.

"You're cruel."

She shrugged. "As is everyone at some point."

"Rory!" She groaned.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Time to get up."

"You're delusional, Syd Barrett."

"And you're pathetic, Zsa Zsa Gabor."

"Rory, please let me sleep. It's what makes me the beauty I am everyday. The beauty that I thought created you... Now, I'm not so sure."

"Mom."

"Bed. Now." Lorelai thrusted a finger in the direction of the door.

Rory scowled looking extremely cute and left her room reluctantly. She sat back down at her desk and stared at her pro/con list.

"Bleh," she sounded and turned off the light, crashing into her pillow.