A/N: Hey y'all! Once again, thanks for your amazing reviews! So let me just answer your questions quickly...basically the intent of the dream was to show that Georgie is struggling, and her mind is scrambled and she is scared and uncertain of the future. Obviously, she loves both Lou and Peter, but when she saw Sylvia's call, it sort of reminded her of why her family was in this mess in the first place, and through the dream, we see she kind of blames Peter for what's happening. (You nailed the explanation perfectly yourself!)

With the pills, I wanted to show that Georgie has a fear of losing Lou, so her brain took all that and dreamt up that despairing scenario. And yeah, Jack was being very stubborn in the last chapter, but this chapter shows his other, loving side. Also, Georgie calls her parents by their first names sometimes because that's how it was when she first came to Heartland, and I guess it's hard to change your ways sometimes. I try to put myself in her shoes and see when it would make sense for her to call Lou and Peter by their names, and when it would make sense for her to say mom and dad.

I'm really excited for you guys to read this chapter! There's a few things mentioned in this chapter that are the seed for what's to come...maybe you guys can try and guess? So let me know what y'all think about this chapter ;) Enjoy xoxo

Lou was sitting up in bed, reading something terribly boring, when Jack walked to her room. When Lou heard his footsteps approach, she immediately knew it was him. Looking up, she breathed out, "Grandpa."

Jack stopped at the door. He moved to take off his hat, placing it in his hands. Jack moved ahead into the room.

Lou's gaze followed her grandfather, her eyes getting misty. "Grandpa…where were you? All day yesterday…"

Jack sat in the chair beside her bed. "Honey, I was out. Working."

"All day?"

"Well, I came home eventually, but you were…"

"Completely unconscious. Yeah, I know."

"Asleep—you were asleep."

Lou looked at him. "Right. Why did you not—are you angry at me…? Is that it—because if that's the case, then—"

"I'm not angry with you," Jack said tiredly.

Lou stopped. "Then…? I thought that's why you refused to come see me."

"That's not why."

Lou was relieved, to say the least. "Okay, so…what was it?"

"It all just came as a shock to me that…that you'd been hurt. The shock, followed by the confusion…I didn't know how to deal. It happened so suddenly."

Lou nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"And I know I put you in a bad place by—by avoiding talking to you. I just didn't know how to face you."

"Face me?" Lou said, bewildered. "What are you talking about? Grandpa, look at me."

Jack looked up. "When Marion died, I wasn't there. I couldn't do anything, and I never got to have that last goodbye with her…"

"Grandpa…" Lou said, her throat getting heavy.

"So I promised her, and to myself…that I would keep you and your sister safe, and alive…" He trailed off, trying to collect his thoughts. "See, Lou…the thing is, a father isn't supposed to outlive his child. When it happened with Marion, I just kept thinking that it should've been me, because I'd lived my whole life, she was barely halfway through hers."

As a mother herself, Lou knew exactly where Jack was coming from. She understood his feelings exactly.

"And had I lost you too…" Jack trailed off. "I would have failed her again, and I would have failed that promise I made."

"Grandpa, stop. You—you didn't know what was going on. This isn't on you."

"Maybe not, but I definitely noticed the change in you. You were looking weaker and weaker, more tired and pale everyday, and I chose—me, it was me—to let it slide. So it is on me."

"Grandpa, it's fine," Lou said, a little surprised that Jack had even noticed all that. She'd barely noticed it herself.

"If it had been fine, then you wouldn't be here all scraped up. And you don't think I know what happened yesterday? I'm perfectly and completely aware that it happened because of me. I have one too many things to apologize for."

"No. This is all on me, okay? Yesterday should be all on me. I just…I overreacted, but I just wanted to see you. I missed you," Lou said, looking down.

"You didn't overreact. Don't belittle yourself like that."

Lou smiled at him, pursing her lips. "Okay, I won't."

Jack put a hand to her arm. "Do you have any idea how precious you are to us, how valuable? Your life is a precious gift to us all…to me, your father, your mother when she was alive…your sister, and your two girls. Know that and understand it."

Lou was silent, unsure of what to say. She knew if she spoke, she'd end up saying the wrong thing.

Jack stood and brought her head to rest on his shoulders. "It's okay, honey. It'll be alright." Planting a kiss on the top of her head, he said, "I love you."

Lou shut her eyes tight, tears slipping down on her cheeks. Lou held on tighter to Jack. "I love you, too."

After school, Georgie and Jade drove into Maggie's. The both of them were exhausted from a long day at school, and they just wanted some down time before they headed home and started on more schoolwork and whatnot.

"So, how's your mom doing?" Jade asked as they arrived at the diner.

"I don't know…not too well, I guess. She…" Georgie trailed off, blowing out her breath. As they both sat, Georgie said, "She's in a lot of pain, I know…even though she won't let on. I can't stand watching her like that. It—it hurts, and I feel helpless, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," said Jade thoughtfully.

"And yesterday, Katie went to go see her…"

"Yeah…?"

"And she completely freaked out and she ran out of the room crying. I took her out to see her pony, you know…to distract her. I think I got through to her, and she'll be okay."

"That's good, Georgie."

"Yeah, I guess…except I'm almost certain that something happened while the two of us were out. I—I could be wrong, but I think I saw your mom's truck coming in to Heartland when Katie and I were headed out on the trail."

"Oh…well, what do you think could've happened?"

Georgie shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest."

Jade sighed, "Georgie, I'm really sorry this is happening."

"Thanks. I just…want things to go back to normal. Even though our normal sucked, it was better than this."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. Just one foot in front of the other, I guess…until things get better."

Georgie smiled. "Yeah."

Georgie's phone suddenly started ringing. When she saw it was Lou calling, she was startled. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she looked to Jade, "It's Lou, I should take this…"

Jade nodded.

Georgie answered the phone. "Hey, mom, I was just about to—"

"Georgie, where are you?" Lou's voice was tense.

"I—wait, why? What's the matter?"

"Just answer me."

"I'm at Maggie's with Jade."

Georgie heard Lou sigh. She sounded relieved. "She's with Jade at Maggie's," Georgie heard Lou say to someone beside her. It was most likely Peter.

"What's the problem?"

"Honey, you're supposed to come straight home, on the bus with Katie."

"What, so now I'm not even allowed to have a life anymore?"

"Sweetheart, you come home right now."

"No, Lou, we just got here!" Georgie argued, dismayed her plans with her best friend were falling through. They barely spent any time together these days anyway.

"Georgie, I'm not looking for an argument right now."

"What are you worried about? Just let me stay here for a bit! He's not going to come in here and attack me, alright?" Georgie let out, a little harsh.

"Hey, Georgie," Jade whispered across the table to her friend. "It's okay. We can go."

Georgie noticed that Lou had gone silent on the other end of the line. Georgie had gone too far. "Fine, we're coming home."

"She's just fine. Her and Jade are on their way. Thank god…"

"Okay, that's good. You know…maybe we should explain the situation with the police to her in more detail," said Peter.

"Sure, we'll talk to her," said Lou. She sighed, leaning back against her pillows.

Lou and Peter fell silent for the next little while.

"Daddy?"

Peter swung around, and at the same time, he stood up. It was Katie. "Honey, do you want to come in? See mommy?"

Katie was leaning against the door frame, her expression nervous and uncertain. She nodded.

Peter walked over to her, and held out his hand. "Okay, give me your hand. Let's go see mommy."

As Katie put her hand into her father's, they both moved ahead, slowly but surely. By the time they reached Lou, Katie was in front of Peter making her way to her mother on her own.

"Hi, you," said Lou, as she watched Katie walk over to her.

Katie stopped at the edge of the bed, putting her hands flat down on the mattress.

Lou began, "Honey, don't be scared, okay? Under the bandages, it's still me, it's still mommy. The bandages are there to help. You understand that, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Katie said thoughtfully. "Georgie told me yesterday." She paused, and then climbed up into bed beside Lou.

She paused a second more, and then she threw her little arms around Lou and hugged her as tight as her tiny frame could allow it.

Lou hugged Katie back and kissed her daughter's temple. She felt better immediately. Suddenly, all she'd been through, it just didn't matter anymore. Her baby was back in her arms, and her shattered spirit was on its way to reform. Sitting in this exact spot with Katie in her arms brought her back to the day Katie was born, the first time she'd held her daughter in her arms…

When Katie moved away from the hug, she looked at the bandage on Lou's forehead. She put her small fingers to the strip of bandages. "Mama, what happened?"

"I hit my head. But just don't worry, okay? Mommy's going to be fine."

"Oh...does it hurt?"

"No, no it doesn't." Lou choked up. She was smiling, laughing through the tears.

"Good." Katie cupped her hands to Lou's face, and brought her closer. The young girl planted a kiss on her mother's forehead. "There, now you'll get better really fast."

"Thank you, sweetheart." Lou gushed at her daughter's innocence. Taking Katie's hands in hers, Lou kissed them. She brought Katie back into an embrace, holding her tight and snug. She looked up at Peter right then, smiling.

Peter observed Lou. She had that same look in her eyes the day Katie had been born; one of excitement, joy and fulfillment. He smiled back.

"Look…before you say anything…I'm so sorry for what I said back at the diner. It was so selfish of me to say, and I—you didn't need that, and I'm sorry."

Lou waved away her daughter's worrying. "It's fine, I'm just glad you're okay. I…" Lou trailed off, "You know that the police haven't tracked him down yet, and that's why I was just so worked up…"

"Yeah, I assumed. Or else you or Peter would've told me something by now, right?"

Lou nodded. "Yeah."

Georgie walked over and sat by Lou's bedside. "Okay, just forget about it for now. I'm sure it'll all work itself out. You'll be just fine, I promise, okay? I just…well, I wanted to talk to you about what I said this morning."

"Look, I know what you said, and I get why you might be scared about me doing something like that, but there's absolutely nothing to worry about, alright? I'm fine. Physically, I'll take some time to heal…but emotionally? I am ready to take on whatever obstacles come our way. I would never dare hurt myself, I swear it to you. I'm going to be here for you and your sister. I'm going to be strong for the two of you."

"Not just for us."

"What?" Lou said, smiling.

"Be strong for yourself as well."

Lou laughed gently. "Okay, I will try."

Georgie looked at Lou sadly. "No…you'll do more than try, okay? I want you to be confident and happy, and I want you to love and value yourself, do you understand?" Wrapping her arms around her, Georgie engulfed Lou's frame with her own. "I love you," she said, planting a few kisses on Lou's temple. "And you're the best, most beautiful, most perfect mom in the world, and I couldn't ask for a better one. And I love you so much."

"I love you too, honey," was all Lou said, because suddenly, she was at a loss for words. She was taken aback, in the best way possible, by Georgie's growth and maturity this past year.

Georgie moved back. "You know…ever since I could remember, I heard people around me say that I'd only be happy if my parents were happy, or any elder that was—fostering or in charge of me—and I never really understood it. Or maybe I did, but I just didn't care about any of them…and I never felt that contentment and satisfaction seeing them happy…I only ever felt that with you and Peter."

Lou reached out and held onto Georgie's hands. She kissed them lovingly.

"And that's all I want, I promise. I don't want anything else, or need anything else. I just want you happy and healthy and full of life. I want you the way you were before this whole mess began with the separation and the divorce…I know it's a lot to ask just so suddenly and out of the blue, but…I want you to love yourself just as much as I love you, and I love you beyond words, Lou. I'd do anything and everything for you."

"Yeah?" Lou said, smiling. "Like what?"

"Like I'd take a bullet for you."

Lou felt her heart drop. "Don't you dare go there…" Before Georgie could say anything in return, Lou brought her daughter against her. "Don't you dare."

"I'm dead serious, okay? I mean it—"

"Shh," said Lou, unable to bear the thought of Georgie going through anything of the kind. "Don't say it."

Georgie said, "So you promise?"

Still holding her against her, Lou said to Georgie, "You want me happy? Then I'm going to need you to take care of yourself and your sister, so that you both stay safe and happy, okay?"

Georgie leaned her head on Lou's shoulder. "Okay, I will. But you have to promise as well."

Lou hugged her tighter, planting a kiss on her hair. "I promise."

And suddenly, it felt like everything would be okay, that things would get better, and that maybe, just maybe…this whole chapter was behind them.