Janeeva gripped the pay phone closer. "You told me she'd have a chance of getting' adopted if I gave her up sooner."

"Ms. Walker, we told you that the longer you waited, the harder it would be to find Cheyenne a home. Now, your daughter is soon to be twelve years old. We'll do the best we can, but we can't guarantee that anyone is going to be willing to adopt a child who is so close to her teens."

"I want her to have a good home." Janeeva replied softly. "Please, Sir, don't let her sit in an orphanage the rest of her life. I promised her a good family would take her." Janeeva quickly wiped away at a tear forming in her eye.

"Ms. Walker, I appreciate your concern, but you've gave up all your rights as Cheyenne's legal guardian. It'd be best if you stopped making these phone calls."

"I just wanna make sure she's alright…" Janeeva replied.

"Look, we're not allowed to give out information about your daughter over the phone. When and if she's adopted, you'll be sent a letter letting you know she found a home. But that's all. Have a good day, Ma'am."

Janeeva slowly hung up the phone. Roscoe put out his cigarette and came up behind her.

"Well?" he asked.

"Told me to stop makin' phone calls." Janeeva replied distantly. "Said they'd send me a letter in the mail if and when she found a home."

"You missin' here, ain't ya?" Roscoe asked.

"Of course, I'm missin' her, Roscoe. What kind of stupid question is that?" Janeeva grabbed her purse. "Come on… let's go look at some pretty dresses to take my mind of all this here."

(Hartford the following Monday)

"Okay, Lorelai, this could be a long day." Julie began. "I had my assistant make a fresh pot of coffee and also she brought in some muffins."

"Oh, wow." Lorelai replied as she took a muffin and a cup of coffee.

"I've dug deep." Julie said as she sat down at her desk and pulled out several files. "Very deep. I've found five children who I think may fit your criteria. I've searched as far north as Vermont and as far south as North Carolina. If you don't find what you're looking for today, then give me another week, we'll head west and cover the Midwestern states next. "

"North Carolina to Vermont and only five children?" Lorelai asked amazed.

"Well, only five children between the ages of five and ten, who have no mental of physical disabilities, and the parents are deceased or have given up all legal rights as guardians."

"Oh, right… right." Lorelai smiled.

"So, let's get started." Julie opened up the first file. "This is Michael Brandon Sawyers. He's seven years old. He lives currently in North Carolina in a foster home. He's been available for adoption since January of 2005. He has no disabilities, but he's transferred foster homes a lot due to his bad behavioral problems. He has quite the attitude so I hear. But don't let that scare you off, with the proper attention and love, any child can lose their violent tempers and turn into the most affectionate of children."

Lorelai gazed down at the picture of the child. "He's adorable." She laughed. "Beautiful blonde hair."

"Of course, future heartbreaker, I'm sure." Julie agreed. "Next we have Danielle Catherine Carter. She's nine years old and currently lives in New York."

"Well that's a lot closer." Lorelai noted.

"She's been available for adoption since May of 2006." Julie continued. "No mental or physical disabilities, but she was beaten a lot as an infant and has some very severe emotional detachment problems."

"Oh…" Lorelai replied "Meaning?"

"Well, she doesn't trust men. Obviously, the man or men in her early childhood life treated her badly. She puts a lot of faith in women, however, because they have been the gender to always treat her kindly. Even the helpers at the adoption agency say she shies away from the male nurses and volunteers. That could be perfect for you, since it'd only be you and her. No husband or anything." Julie added. "But she'd require extra motherly attention. She wouldn't liked to be left alone, even for small amounts of time. Home school may be a necessity for a short while until she builds up enough faith and confidence to spend several hours a day away from you. You'd have to constantly be there for her."

"Wow… Home school… I don't think I could. I run the inn and I can't stay home every day. Besides, I wouldn't be a good person to home school a child."

"Well you could hire someone to be her teacher, just make sure that you too are around. Perhaps you could conduct the schooling at the inn?"

"I don't know…" Lorelai shook her head several times. "Sometimes, especially for special occasions or holidays, it can be very hectic there …" Lorelai reached over and grabbed the girl's folder. "Beaten…." Lorelai repeated. "Poor thing…"

"Many of the children are, Lorelai. It's a pitiful sight. Sometimes it's a miracle the child is even alive after seeing and hearing about what they've been through." Julie opened another folder. "Oh, dear… This one is a mistake. It's accidentally made it's way here."

"What is it?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh, it appears to be a young girl who was just given up for adoption. The mother signed away all legal rights, I assume that's how she made it into this final cut. But she's eleven years old… her birthday is in September." Julie continued to scan the file. "That's only a few months away. She'd be twelve soon. Hmm… No sign of physical or mental disabilities though. That's a plus." Julie paused. "Location is West Virginia."

"What's her name?" Lorelai asked.

"Umm…. Sarah Cheyenne Walker." Julie replied. "Cheyenne is a beautiful named."

"It is." Lorelai agreed as she took a sip of coffee. "What else does it say about her?"

Julie kept reading the file, "Well she was only put up for adoption last week. Her paperwork lacks a lot of detail. She's not been very closely monitored or observed."

"Is there a picture?"

Julie flipped to the back of the file, "Yes." She handed the file to Lorelai.

Lorelai stared at the picture for several moments. It was amazing how much Cheyenne resembled a younger Rory. Long brown hair, blue eyes, and a pale complexion. She had been forced to smile for the camera, but Lorelai could see that she was actually a very sad little girl. Immediately, Lorelai felt a connection. A bond. Something inside of her told her, this was the decision to make.

"Lorelai?" Julie asked. "Are you okay?"

Lorelai slowly sat the file back on Julie's desk. "I'm sorry…. She just… she looks like my daughter when she was younger."

"Oh?" Julie asked pleasantly. "The brown hair and blue eyes?"

"Yeah." Lorelai replied as she cleared her throat. She gazed back down at the photo. "How can we find out more about her?"

"Her?" Julie asked surprisingly. "Well there are two other files here that I think you should at least take a look at… I'd actually already picked out a child who I think would fit marvelously into your family. I'm sure you're parents would love him. His name is Walter, which would go just perfectly with the last name Gilmore and he … "

Lorelai picked up the file again, putting Julie's rambling to a stop, "I want her." She said assertively, yet politely.

"You're sure?" Julie asked as she titled her head to one side.

"Yes." Lorelai smiled. "I'm sure."

Julie sighed. "Well… Give me a few minutes. I'll call the West Virginia Adoption Agency and we'll see what information we can come up with."

"Alright." Lorelai replied as Julie picked up her phone and dialed a numbered.

"Hello, this is Julie Summers calling from the Hartford Adoption Agency in Connecticut. I need to find all the information possible about a child you have at your agency. Her name is Sarah Cheyenne Walker. Yes, I'll hold."

Julie looked over at Lorelai who was staring at the photo again. "You're very drawn to her, aren't you?" Julie asked.

Lorelai nodded, "She's a beautiful kid, but she looks so sad… so hurt."

"She's probably been abused… or could even has a disability." Julie scoffed. "I have no idea how she even made into the five files I had chosen for you."

"It doesn't matter…" Lorelai replied.

Julie immediately snapped back into work mode as a voice came on the line, "Yes, I'm seeking information about a child named Sarah Cheyenne Walker." Julie scribbled down a few quick notes. "What about disabilities? Mental? Physical? Any emotional issues?" A pause. "Well did the psychologist there check her for any emotional issues? And?" Another pause. "I see. And this is all the information you have? No, no… it's quite all right, if it's all you have then it's all you have. I understand that she's a recent addition to your agency. Thank you for your time. Good day." Julie hung up the phone. "Well, they don't have much information about her home life, but she has no physical, mental, or emotional disabilities, which is astounding ,I must say." Julie leaned back in her seat. "No abuse either, as of their knowing."

"That's good though." Lorelai smiled.

"Why would her mother sign away her rights? That doesn't make sense. No sickness. No problems. She's nearly twelve years old." Julie picked up the file and studied it. "It's left me clueless."

"Well, we'll figure it out. Right?"

Julie sighed, "You're sure you don't want to look at the other files?"

"Julie…"

"Okay… Okay… I'll book a flight to West Virginia. How soon can you leave?"

"You're coming with me right?" Lorelai asked a little nervously.

"Of course. I always travel to agencies with my clients." Julie replied. "Does this Wednesday work for you? We could be back by Friday."

"Sure. Wednesday is fine." Lorelai answered. "Um… I'll just have Sookie keep an extra eye on the inn and I can have Jackson keep an eye on the house…" Realizing Julie had no idea who these people were, Lorelai hushed. "Sorry, I suppose I was thinking out loud."

"It's quite alright." Julie smiled. "And here I thought this could be an all day process. You've decided in only half an hour."

Lorelai picked up the photo, "Is it alright if I hold on to this?"

"Of course. Keep it. It's yours."

"Thank you." Lorelai opened her purse and placed the picture in her wallet. "So, Wednesday morning?"

"Meet here in my office at 9:00. I'll have a cab take us over to the airport."

"Thanks for the muffins and coffee. I'll see you Wednesday."

"Have a good day, Lorelai." Julie replied as she watched Lorelai show herself out of the office. She gazed back down at Cheyenne's file, "You slipped in here for a reason, didn't you, Cheyenne?" Julie smiled and closed the folder.