Does That Hurt?

Disclaimer- I own nothing except the idea.

            Rory Gilmore stomped the snow off her saddle shoes before entering her house.  She hated her saddle shoes in the winter.  She wasn't too fond of them the rest of the year either, but ice and saddle shoes did not mix.  Rory stepped through the front door, closing it behind her.  The warm air of the house met her reddened cheeks and nose and she breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned back against the door.  It had been an exhausting Friday at school.  Paris was in her element as student body president, but Rory kept thinking back to the campaign and remembering why she didn't want to be Paris' running mate in the first place.  But now she was vice-president and that meant having to deal with all the work and Paris when she got worked up.  Not to mention, Francie and the Puff brigade in their quest to crumble the Gellar Administration.  At least it would look good on her transcripts. 

            Rory would have felt better if she knew she had the weekend, two entire days, when she wouldn't have to think about school or Paris or being vice-president, but that was not to be.  She had to be back at Chilton the next morning for a seminar between the student government and some of the faculty.  At least she wouldn't have to wear her saddle shoes.  Nope, only some heels.  Rory sighed again.  She tried to block it from her mind.  She wouldn't think about that today; she'll think about it tomorrow.  At Tara.  Rory shook her head and almost smiled at the thought.  She was turning into her mother.

            If Rory hadn't been so lost in her thoughts, she would have heard her mother calling to her from her spot on the couch in the living room. 

            "Rory," Lorelai called again.  No answer.  Maybe Rory left her ears at school?  Lorelai got up and walked towards the front door and found Rory with a small smile playing on her lips and starring off into space.  Lorelai's mind flashed with the countless things she guessed Rory could be thinking of.  Tara and high heels never crossed her mind. 

            "Earth to Rory," Lorelai said causing her daughter to jump.  Rory looked over at Lorelai and saw the amsused expression on her face.

            "Houston, we have contact," Lorelai continued to joke.  "I'm surprised you weren't flying with al those lovely thoughts you were thinking," she said to Rory.

            Rory gave her mother a mysterious smile and simply kissed Lorelai on the cheek as a greeting.  "I was thinking about you, actually," Rory said. 

            Lorelai smiled and followed Rory to the kitchen.  "You're late today."

            "I know," Rory replied.  "I had to stay and give Paris oxygen while we worked on what we're going to say at the seminar tomorrow.  Paris wanted to work some more tonight, but I finally talked her out of it.  We know everything inside and out and, after some convincing, she finally understands that.  In fact, I think she and Jamie might be going out tonight."

            "Good.   She needs to relax a little bit from time to time," Lorelai said.  "And so do you.  Go change and we can lay around for a few hours before we have to go to the grandparents," Lorelai said the last two words like the announcer in a preview for a scary movie. 

            Rory rolled her eyes and went into her room and started kicking off her shoes.  "What are you watching?"

            "There's a Rocky marathon on," Lorelai said, putting her fists up like a boxer.  "It's only on the first one, so we're in for hours of Rocky goodness."

            "Okay, I'll be out in a sec," Rory told her mother, who in turn went back to the living room.  Rory changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt, perfect for laying around in, and went out to join her mother.

            Rory silently entered the living room to find Lorelai jogging in place as she watched the famous scene of Rocky running through the streets of Philadelphia and finally up the steps to triumph with his hands above his head.  Lorelai was copying the movie and had no idea that Rory had even come into the room.  Rory stayed silent as she stood behind Lorelai, enjoying the show.   

            Lorelai began to punch the air in front of her, and then before Rory could move, Lorelai turned around swinging and hit Rory square on the eye with her right hand.  The younger Gilmore fell to the ground, laying on her back as she covered up her left eye with her hands and tried not to cry because of the pain. 

            "Oh my God, Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed as she knelt down next to her daughter.  "I didn't know you were there.  I'm sorry.  I didn't hear you come in." 

            "I know," Rory mumbled through her hands and trembling voice.  Her mom sure could pack a wallop. 

            "Let me see," Lorelai said as she gently tried to move Rory's hands away from her eye.  Rory didn't want to move her hands, but gave in and let Lorelai move them.  She kept her left eye closed even as her mother told her to open it.  Lorelai reached up and gingerly touched Rory's already swelling cheek just below the eye.  Rory tried to bring her hands back up to cover her eye again, but she found that Lorelai was holding them out of the way. 

            "I'll get some ice.  Come into the kitchen," Lorelai said, as she released Rory's hand and stood up to go into the kitchen.  Rory, however, did not follow as her mom had instructed.  She covered her eye again and rolled onto her right side and stayed right there on the floor.  In the kitchen, Lorelai searched the drawers until she found the one that held their ice pack. 

            "Rory?" she called as she prepared the ice pack.  She looked back into the living room as she screwed the lid back on the pack and set in on the table.  Rory was still laying there as Lorelai went back into the room to get her.  "Come on, Honey."  Lorelai knelt down again and rubbed Rory's arm.  "We've gotta get some ice on that eye.  Stand up," she said as she patted Rory on her backside a few times in a motherly fashion, encouraging her daughter to get up. 

            Rory finally rolled over and Lorelai helped her to her feet.  Neither said anything as mother led daughter into the kitchen.  Rory sat down at the table and Lorelai stood over her, ice pack in hand.  She held the back of Rory's head with her left hand as she carefully held the ice pack in place with her right. 

            "Does that hurt?" she asked with a small smile. 

End of part one.