Okay, guys, no one's review... It's hurting my feelings a little bit...

P.S

Shit's about to go down... After this chapter, I mean...

Chapter 17

Rory laid her head against the car window, looking out at the highway, thinking about Jess while Lorelai drove. "Okay, so dinner didn't take as long as I expected, so I was thinking..." Lorelai looked over at her daughter. "...not as much as you, apparently."

"Huh?" Rory practically shot up out of her seat.

Lorelai sniffed a little laugh. "Oh, nothing. You just missed the beginning of my apparent monologue since you weren't, in any way, listening to me."

"Sorry," Rory breathed, leaning her elbow against the car door. She rubber her forehead.

Lorelai glanced back and forth from her to the road ahead... Probably a safe call for driving. "What were you thinking about?" Lorelai asked suggestively.

Rory took no more than a second to glance at her mother. "Um... nothing much..."

"Wow, you suck at lying."

Rory frowned, crossing her arms. "I do not."

"So... what were you thinking about?"

She sighed. "Jess."

"Why, I'm shocked," Lorelai said sarcastically. Rory pouted. "Sweets, you wanna talk about it?"

Rory, still pouting, turned to her mother and nodded adorably. "Yeah."

Lorelai glanced at her troubled daughter sympathetically. "So – what specifically do you wanna talk about?"

Rory's lower lip trembled. "EVERY-TH-HI-ING!" She blubbered. It was sad, yet Lorelai couldn't help but find the sight funny and adorable all at the same time.

"Well, honey, let's start at the beginning."

She sniffed, then started talking. "I... Um... The main problem is I don't know what to do, how to think, how to feel, and if what I'm feeling is right..."

"Well... what are you feel—"

"And I wanna trust him, but... he's never the one to be there for me; to save the day! You know?"

"So do you want him to sa—?"

"I mean, I know I'm not one of those girls who wants to be a damsel in distress who need a knight in shining armour to come rescue her, but... It would be nice to know that I have that option to fall back on..."

"So do you—"

"I mean, every situation that has ever involved me being in a damsel-like situation has never had Jess on the good end of it – he has never been the one to save me!"

"Like when—"

"Yeah, like the thing at the party in Kyle's bedroom! I was crying and Dean was the one to 'save' me, not Jess."

"Hon, you can't—"

"Dean always knew what to do; how to save me—"

"And Jess is the one who—"

"Are you defending Jess?" Rory nearly sneered.

Lorelai hesitated. "Well... Yeah, maybe. A little."

Rory, looking shocked, sharply faced straight ahead at the road.

Lorelai, flustered, continued speaking. "What, I had an okay moment with him..."

"Yeah, but you always said Jess was the anti-christ." Rory frowned furiously, her brow becoming mono.

"I did not!"

"Did too."

"Well, maybe I've had a change of heart..." Lorelai refused to look at her daughter, starting straight ahead at their home that was approaching them.

Rory sighed. "So... what do you think I should do?"

Lorelai's brow furrowed a little more. "I don't know... I'm not you. And I don't know how you feel about him, so I can't say for sure..." She glanced back at her worried looking daughter. "Sorry, hon."

Lorelai pulled up into Stars Hollow, like she did every other tiresome Friday night.

"I need to do... something; something that helps me make up my mind!" Rory said, thrusting her fist into the air, all determined.

"What, like getting Molly Ringwald to give up one of her earrings?" Her mother added sarcastically.

"No," Rory said, rolling her eyes, like Lorelai's response was genuine. "Like... something."

She paused. "...I'll figure it out."

"Yeah," Lorelai agreed, waving a hand flamboyantly. "Let Future Rory handle it."

Rory glared at her mother, then slouched back in her seat.

Then she slowly rose.

"Stop the car!"