Disclaimer: This is an original story based upon the characters of Gilmore Girls. No profit will be made from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: Today begins the first day of Christmas vacation for me and I am way excited to get going on this story. Thanks for all the feedback on previous chapters. I appreciate it.

"Dad call the doctor!" I heard Lorelai yell as I continued sobbing.

"No, No...I'm alright," I said, still clinging to Lorelai. "Don't call the doctor Richard. I'm alright," I said again as took a few deep breaths.

"Dad, call the doctor," Lorelai said again and I separated myself from her. "Lorelai, don't be dramatic. I said I'm fine," then I realized how ironic it sounded calling her dramatic when I was the one that had been screaming for the past fifteen minutes. I reached up and touched a piece of her hair, "Really...Sweetheart, I'm fine." I tried to stand up and both Richard and Lorelai moved towards me to help me up.

"Are you ready to play?" I said as I stood up.

"Mom, maybe you should go to..." Lorelai began and then stopped. "Sure I'm ready to play."

That night I lay in bed, unable to sleep. I was terribly embarrassed to have broken down in front of Lorelai, but on the other hand—I was so glad that she had been there. All during the game she had been looking at me as if I was going to explode and I kept sending her back reassuring smiles. There was something different in her look tonight. Before, her concern had been mingled with curiosity. Now she was afraid—she was actually afraid. She hung on to me a little longer when she hugged me goodnight and I whispered in her ear that everything was alright. She didn't need to be afraid.

But here I was, lying in bed snuggled under Richard's embrace and feeling terrified myself. Something was wrong. I hadn't told anyone about the incident at the mall—not even Richard, trying dismiss it that it really was just a misunderstanding. But the dream had come four times now since it had happened. Could they be connected? Had someone really tried to kidnap Alicia? I went over every minute in my mind, was there something I had missed? Suddenly I felt like bricks were pressing down on my chest—Lorraine. Oh Dear God—Lorraine.

Her baby had died—hadn't I seen melodrama after melodrama about the woman whose baby had died who kidnapped someone else's baby? I carefully released myself from Richard's embrace and got out of bed. I started pacing the hall, running my hand through my hair. Was it true? Had Lorraine tried to kidnap Alicia? Lorraine's baby had died over thirty years ago. She was old enough to be a grandmother now. Surely she wasn't still grieving to the point that it would drive her to this? What was I going to do? I couldn't accuse her on the basis of a dream. I had to know for sure.

The next morning I left the house early and headed to the mall. It was difficult walking in—I hadn't been there since it happened and bad memories flooded me as soon as I stepped inside. Slowly I walked over to the main office. Luckily, the security guard on duty was the same one that had been there when it happened. He did recognize me and I was relieved I wouldn't have to go through the big long story.

"What can I do for you Mrs. Gilmore?" he asked.

"I was wondering... you have those camera things right? You watch people on them?" I asked, feeling slightly ridiculous.

"Yes," he answered, looking at me a little strangely.

"Do you have a recording of that night? Of that store?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact we do," he replied. "We watched it that night to try to help us locate your granddaughter."

My heart jumped a minute, "Could I view it?"

"I don't know, that's against policy," he said. "Why?"

"I need to know something," I said. "Please, let me see it. If I'm right, there may be more to what happened tonight than we think."

He still looked at me skeptically, wanting more information but I wasn't ready to give it. Instead I just fixed my best stare at him. It only took a minute. "Alright," he said.

He led me into a darkened room with a dozen televisions all over. He opened a file cabinet and pulled out a tape labeled that day. He pushed it in and fast forwarded. Apparently the cameras switched between three different stores each and there quite a few cameras. He continued to fast forward until the time on the bottom of the screen reached a few minutes before it had happened.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"The woman...the one who took the wrong stroller, I want to see her." I said, my eyes fixated on the screen.

"Her story checked out Mrs. Gilmore," he replied.

I didn't answer. I stared at the screen, waiting. Suddenly I saw what I was looking for; a woman immerged from the crowd pushing Alicia's stroller.

"Pause...Pause it!" I yelled, feeling a little embarrassed at my outburst. He paused it and I looked in closer.

It wasn't Lorraine. It was a clear picture and it wasn't her. "It wasn't her," I whispered.

"Who?" the guard prompted.

"Lorraine—the woman, it wasn't Lorraine," I whispered, breathing deeply.

"The woman's name was April Kelly. Her story checked out. After she realized she had the wrong baby, she went back to the store and got her baby. They did have the identical strollers. It was an accident Mrs. Gilmore. I understand that you were terrified. I would have been the same way. But it was just an accident."

"Thank you," I whispered and walked out the door, feeling too relieved to feel foolish. It was just an accident. Lorraine wasn't a crazy woman. It was all okay.

"Grandma?" I heard a familiar voice calling me. I turned around and smiled delightedly, "Rory! What are you doing here?"

"Just doing some shopping," she said smiling. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh the same," I said. "I wanted to get some Christmas shopping done."

"Can I hang out with you for awhile?" she asked and I smiled at the sly tone in her voice.

"Alright Young Lady," I said smiling. "You can come along with me and drop any hints you want to along the way."

She smiled and we both headed off.

Over the next hour I completely forgot about my fears. It was so much fun just, "hanging" with Rory. We went through store after store, trying on clothes, looking at books. It was great fun. Soon we were both carrying sacks full of our finds.

"Grandma?" she asked after we had left Mervins.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if we get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Yes, me too," I answered. "You know, I'm feeling a little daring today. Want to try the food court again?"

She nodded happily.

"Let's go,"

"Sweetie," I started as I began cutting my cheeseburger.

"Yes?" she replied.

I hesitated. It had been so nice to have an hour where I wasn't thinking about the dream at all. I didn't want to scare Rory, and quite honestly, I didn't want more people to know. I didn't want to look so vulnerable. But I didn't know if Lorelai had already told her and I didn't want her to hear second hand. We were here together, and if she already knew, I wanted to talk to her about it.

"Grandma? Are you okay?" she asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Sweetie, how much as your mom told you about what's going on with me?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"What has your mother told you?" I asked again.

"About what?"

Oh come on, I know my own daughter better than that. She had to tell you something

"My dreams," I said. "What has she told you about my dreams?"

She still had a blank look on her face. I knew her better than that too. Once again I applied the stare and once again it only took a moment.

"She hasn't told me much Grandma," she finally relented. "But I knew something was wrong and I asked her about it. She just said you were having nightmares a lot and they really upset you."

I was touched that Lorelai hadn't blabbed everything to Rory on the first day, talking about her psycho-mom. I took another bite and then looked over to see the concern in Rory's eyes. I reached over and put a hand over hers.

"One night, when your mother was almost three, I had it for the first time. I dream that your grandfather, your mother and I are in a park. We're having a wonderful time when all of a sudden a storm comes and your mother runs away from me. I run after her and all of a sudden she's headed for a cliff. I race after her but I don't get there in time. She falls over the cliff and dies," I choked out the last part and closed my eyes.

She reached over and put her other hand over mine. I opened my eyes and went on. Somehow it felt good to talk about it. "Sometimes the dream has been different. Sometimes you're in it as well. Sometimes what happens is different, but each time I can't get to her. I used to get them all the time when your mother was a child. Then they went away. After your mother left with you, I got them every night. Then they went away again. Last year I had it for the first time in years. Then it didn't come again until about three weeks ago. Now it's happening all the time."

Her brow furrowed, the cute way it always did when she was trying to figure something out.

"I'm okay Rory," I said. "It's going to be okay. It's just a dream," I went on, lying again for her sake.

We ate the rest of our lunch quietly, and she kept the furrow in her brow. She had to leave then, and we walked towards the door.

"I'm sure it's just a dream Grandma," she said as she slipped her arm through the crook of mine.

I smiled at her, "Absolutely," I said, patting her arm. I walked her to her car, gave her a hug and then headed towards mine. I was grateful it was only three rows away. My feet were killing me. I got to the car and loaded in the packages. I opened my door and looked over towards Rory, wanting to give her one last wave.

My heart suddenly turned as I watched a man dressed in black running towards her.

"Rory!" I screamed and started running towards her. The man was getting closer and she hadn't heard me. She was fumbling for something in her car. "Rory! Rory!" I screamed again. I was almost there. The man got to the car and Rory rolled down her window. I reached her just in time and shoved the man away. "Get away from her!" I yelled as I shoved him back. "Get away!" I shoved him again.

"Grandma, Grandma stop!" Rory yelled. She grabbed my arm and turned me around. "Grandma, he's the man from the pizza place in the mall. I left my checkbook there. He was just returning my checkbook." I turned around and saw the startled and slightly ticked look in the man's eyes. I turned back to Rory and threw my arms around her, sobbing.

"It's okay Grandma. It's okay," she whispered.

"What's happening to me?" I asked between sobs. "What's happening?"