"Have you lost your mind?" Dave asked. "Lorelai, you don't need him."
Lorelia sighed heavily, "Dave, he's changed."
"And how do you know that's for sure?"
"I can tell. He had a neatly shaven face, clean ironed clothes, and he spoke so beautifully." Lorelai fiddled around with a button on her shirt, avoiding looking Dave in the eyes.
"So he got it right for one day? Where's he been the last 6 months Lorelai?"
"David, I appreciate your kindness and all the help you've gave me these past few months, but Chris is the father of my baby, first love of my life, and most importantly, he's still my husband. We belong together." Lorelia handed in her uniform and name tag and walked out of the supermarket.
"Lorelia, Please." Dave pleaded.
Lorelai walked out into the parking lot and straight into Chris's waiting arms. They stood for a minute in silence, hugging.
"Lore, I've missed you so much." Chris whispered in her ear.
"I've missed you too."
"I'm so sorry about everything. You'll see now it's different. I promise." Chris leaned back and looked Lorelai straight in the eyes. "I've got it all together now."
Lorelai smiled back at him and then looked over Chris's shoulder, her moth dropped in pure astonishment.
"Oh my God!" Lorelai shrieked with happiness. "When did you get that?"
Chris laughed, "You like it? I swung by the car lot today and picked it up. It's used, but it's still in great shape."
Lorelia hurried over to the waiting car. It was perfect. A jet black, 1990 Ford Lincoln. Lorelai opened the doors and crawled inside. "I can't believe you bought this!"
"Well, it's set me back a few thousand."Chris started. "But it's all worth it. I've been paying on the bank loans, and within a few more years we'll have them taken care of. Then we can possibly pay off the car in about 7 years."
"You've really thought about this?" Lorelai asked.
"Yes, I have. I told you before, I knew you wouldn't want me back until I could prove I was a good decent father and husband."
Lorelia jumped out of the car and gave Chris a giant, hug which lead to kissing. She had missed him so much more then she had ever realized.
"Come on... Let's go pick up Rory from school." Chris smiled.
Lorelai had told Rory the night before about Chris. She really didn't seem to thrilled about the idea of her Dad being around again. She actually liked it better just her and her mom. Rory hadn't forgot about that night, even if Lorelai had.
They pulled up to the school, and Chris and Lorelai both jumped out. Rory saw her mother and father and suddenly felt a rush of regret overcome her. Chris ran up to Rory and bent down to hug her.
"Hey kid!" Chris laughed. "My goodness you're getting tall!"
Rory looked down at the ground and didn't speak to her father.
"Look what I have for you and your mom." Chris pointed to the car. "It's better than that old truck isn't it."
"I liked the truck." Rory said softly.
Lorelai bent down, "I know you liked the truck, babe. But it was really old, and wasn't running right anymore. Now we have this nice car that runs great." Lorelai smiled.
"And that's just he beginning!" Chris grinned "Wait til you see what I've done to our house."
"We're moving ?" Rory asked Lorelai.
"Yeah, sweetie. We're going home." Lorelai could tell Rory wasn't enjoying the moment quite as much as her and Chris.
"We'll be a family again, isn't that what you want?" Chris asked.
"I don't want you to hurt Mom." Rory replied.
Chris looked over at Lorelai, who held no explanation to give. Chris took a deep breath and bent back down to Rory's level.
"Rory, I'm sorry for what happened that night. I wasn't myself. But I promise you that side of Daddy is gone. I'll never hurt you or Mommy ever again. I love you both more than anything and I want you to come home." Chris smiled hoping he'd get one in exchange. He didn't.
"Come on, let's go." Lorelai said grabbing Rory's hand. They all got into the fancy new car and took off to home sweet home.
"Oh Christopher! It's beautiful." Lorelai expressed.
"I've been working on it for a while." Chris said proudly.
"I never knew you was a handyman." Lorelia run her fingers across the smooth wood of the porch swing.
"When I get it finished, I'm going to carve 'Hayden' on the back of it."
"A porch swing." Lorelai smiled. "It's like the perfect symbolism of a home."
"Our home." Chris smiled. "What do you think Rory?"
"It's okay." Rory said glancing over at it then quickly looking away.
"Well, we'd better go get you guys packed up." Chris stated. "We have a lot of moving to do."
Chris walked off the porch and headed towards the car. Lorelai was about to follow him when she felt a hand grab her.
"I don't want to move."Rory spoke with tears whelming up in her eyes.
Lorelai bent down, "Sweetie I promise, it'll be alright. I won't let anything happen to you."
"I like it better just you and me." She let a tear drop down her face.
Lorelai hugged her daughter closely, "He's your father, Rory. We should all be together."
Lorelai held Rory's hand as they walked off the porch and into the waiting car.
Within the next two days everything was moved and ready in the little house where Chris and Lorelai had first started their dreams. Chris went to work everyday, Rory went to school, and Lorelai stayed at home and played the perfect little homemaker. Lorelai thought to herself "Okay, it may have took a while, but we've finally figured it out. I would love to rub this in Mom and Dad's face." The phone rang distracting Lorelai from her daydream. Lorelai walked over and picked it up.
"Hello?" Lorelia asked cheerfully.
"Mrs. Hayden?" A calm voice asked.
"Yes, who is this?" she replied.
"I'm Carl. I work with your husband. He's been injured in an accident. But don't worry he's okay. He's just got a few bruises and perhaps a broken arm. We're taking him to the hospital now, if you want to meet us there."
Lorelai gasped. "But he's okay, right?"
"He's fine ma'am."
"Thank you." Lorelai replied. She quickly hang up the phone and made her way to the hospital. She got there almost at the exact same time that they brought Chris in. She ran over to him while he lay on the stretcher.
"Oh, Chris... What happened?" Lorelai asked rubbing his head with her hand.
"One of the train cars got lose from the others." Chris began "It started rolling away, so I tried to stop it... But it dragged me." Chris closed his eyes in pain for a moment and then looked back up at Lorelai "I'm okay, baby." Chris smiled. "I'll be up and going in no time."
Lorelai smiled back, and stepped away as they carried him into the hospital. Lorelai sat around the next few hours waiting for a doctor to come out. Finally her waiting paid off.
"Mrs. Hayden I'm Dr. Breeden." The doctor held his hand and Lorelai took it. "I know you've probably been worried sick about your husband. I assure you he's fine. He has a broken arm, and a few good bruises. He'll be sore for a while, and needs plenty of rest. His leg was also slightly fractured, it may give him some trouble but will heal within the next few days."
"Can he come home?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
"Of course he can." The doctor smiled. "He's getting his cast on now. He'll have to come back in 6 weeks to have it removed."
"When can he return to work?" Lorelai asked.
"Well, as long as he doesn't try any heavy lifting, and the boss doesn't mind that he'll have a broken arm for a few weeks. He may go back to work within the next 3 to 5 days. It depends mostly on when Chris feels he's ready."
"Thank you." Lorelai replied.
A nurse wheeled Chris down the hall in a wheelchair towards Lorelai. Lorelai smiled and walked up to him.
"Hey, ready to go home?" Lorelai asked.
"I sure am." Chris replied.
"Here" the nurse spoke "Take this to the front desk they'll tell you everything you need to know." She smiled and walked off.
Lorelai wheeled Chris to the front desk and handed the clerk the paper.
The clerk looked over the paper "Okay, Mr. Hayden all your hospital bills will be covered through the railroad since it was a work related accident. You're to get plenty of rest the next couple days. Make sure you get plenty of food and liquids. And you may return to work in 3-5 days. And you must return to the hospital in exactly 6 weeks to have your cast removed. Any questions?"
Lorelai and Chris both shook their head no.
"Then have a good day sir. I hope you get well soon." The clerk smiled.
Lorelia and Chris left the hospital and Lorelai helped him into their car.
"I need to pick up Rory." Lorelai said, "It's almost time for school to be out."
"Why does she hate me Lore?" Chris asked.
"She doesn't hate you Chris... She's just a little skeptical right now."
"How does a 7 year old know to be skeptical?"
"Rory's different. She's not like all 7 years old."
"I was thinking... Especially today when I was in the hospital... Why don't we have another baby?"
Lorelai slammed on the breaks. "What? Chris are you crazy? We can't have another baby!"
"Why not? We're making enough money."
"No... There's no room. There's no time. We're not ready." Lorelai shook her head.
"Rory shouldn't grow up alone."
"She'll be 8 next month Chris and almost 9 by the time a baby would be born. 12 or 13 by the time the baby could actually play, what could they possibly have in common?"
Chris glared. "What, you think we've already waited too long? Lore, we're 23."
"I know that... I ... I just think we should talk about this more." Lorelai was becoming very upset.
"Fine." Chris replied and looked out the window the rest of the car ride.