"Amnesia," the doctor proclaimed. "She can't remember anything past when she was sixteen."

Rory bit her lip and buried her head into Jess's coat.

"She's very confused right now," the Dr. Fash went on. "She doesn't know where she is, and keeps asking for Christopher."

"That's my dad," Rory explained. Dr. Fash nodded, glancing at his charts.

"I think our best coarse of action is to bring in Christopher, see if she'll let him talk to her, explain what's going on." Rory shifted uncomfortably.

"Is there anything else we can do?" she implored.

"We can put her in rehab for a while and see how much good that does, but this is probably your best shot at getting through to her."

Rory sighed.

"I'll see what I can do," she pledged. "But it looks like she'll be going into rehab."

Rory fell asleep on Jess's shoulder on the way back home. Jess carried her out of the car when they got back to the diner. He heard someone behind him, and turned around. There, looking furious was Dean.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded. Jess rolled his eyes.

"She fell asleep. What do you want me to do, let her freeze in the car?"

"No," Dean answered.

"Okay then," Jess said, proceeding into the diner, leaving Dean, not feeling any better, out in the cold.

After both Rory and Jess were sleeping, Luke picked up the phone, flipping through his phone book, he found the number he was looking for. He took a deep breath and placed the call.

"Hello? Hi this is Luke Danes…"

Christopher Hayden walked through the security barrier in the Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. He sighed as he surveyed the small airport. It was last night that he had received the call. He had been shocked to find out that Lorelei had woken up. He had never imagined it could be possible. After a few minutes though, he had regained his composure enough to listen to what the diner owner was asking of him.

"It's not for me," he had said. "It's for Rory, and for Lorelei. The doctor thinks this is her best shot for getting better. And no offense, you're not so great at being there for Rory, so do this one thing to give her her mother back, and then you won't have to worry about all your responsibility as a father, because she'll have a mother."

Christopher had considered for a moment.

"I'll do it," he had declared.

"What?" Luke the diner man had been surprised that he had agreed so early.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," he promised before hanging up. He had gone online and bought a ticket for the next afternoon. He had made arrangements at work, and he would be managing things from his laptop for the next couple of weeks.

Now, he hailed a cab and headed down to Stars Hollow. When he got there, he tipped the cab driver, took his suitcase, and smoothed his sweater. He walked into the diner.

"Take a seat wherever you want," a grungy looking boy holding an order pad told him.

"Who are you?" Chris asked him. The boy looked taken aback.

"Excuse me?" Chris moved on to the next question.

"Where's Rory?" Jess raised his eyebrows at the man.

"Why, are you some sort of rapist or something?" This boy was seriously starting to irk Christopher. Just then Luke came out of the kitchen, and he saw Chris.

"Christopher!" Wiping his hands on his apron, he came over and shook his hand. "Jess, this is Rory's father. Chris, this is my nephew." The boy's eyes widened when he heard the man's relation to Rory. "Rory left to the hospital a couple of minutes ago," Luke told Christopher.

"I guess I'll head over there then. Did you tell her I was coming?" he asked. Luke hesitated.

"No," he admitted.

"You didn't think I would show up," Chris guessed accurately. He nodded. That was fair. Chris let himself out of the diner and into another taxi, this one to take him to the hospital.

He got there, and a nurse directed him where to go. He found Rory talking to the doctor outside of Lorelei's room. He waited until the doctor had left before he made his presence known.

"Dad!" Rory ran and hugged him. "You came!" Her smile took up her whole face. Chris had a feeling she hadn't smiled for a while.

"Of course I came kiddo," he said, holding her at arms length. "Is she awake?" Rory's smile faded.

"Yes," she answered. "But she doesn't recognize me. She won't let me talk to her." Christopher pulled her close and hugged her again.

"Why don't you go get some coffee," he asked her, "and I'll see what I can accomplish." Rory nodded. She squeezed her dad one more time.

"I'm glad you came," she said, before disappearing around the corner.

Christopher smoothed out his hair, and checked his reflection in the window. He took a deep breath, and proceeded into the hospital room. Lorelei was sitting up in her bed, staring at the television screen. When she heard Christopher come in, she turned to him, but there was no recognition in her eyes.

"Are you a doctor?" she asked wearily.

"Come one Lor," he said, "Don't you recognize your old friend Christopher?" Lorelei narrowed her eyes.

"You're not Chris," she accused. "What kind of trick is this?" she looked around the room nervously, as if looking for something to use as a weapon, or a way to escape.

Chris slowed down, approached her gently.

"It is me, Lor," he coaxed her. "Come on," he cajoled, sitting on the end of her bed, "look at me." She lifted her head and met his eyes. As she studied him, Chris could almost see a small flicker register in her eyes.

"It is you, isn't it?" Chris smiled. "Wow, you're old." They both laughed. Then Lorelei's face turned serious. "Chris, what's going on? You're the first person that I've recognized. Why are they keeping me here?"

Chris took a deep breath and, holding Lorelei's hand, began to tell her everything.

"There was an accident two and a half years ago," he began softly. "You were hurt pretty badly, and barely survived, but you've been in a coma ever since." Lorelei's eyes widened. She gripped Christopher's hand in a panic.

"I was pregnant! Chris, did the accident hurt the baby?" her eyes were wide with fear.

"That's not all," he continued, calming her down. "You've suffered amnesia. Things are a lot different then you think. You can't remember anything since you were sixteen."

"How old am I now?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"32," Chris told her gently. Lorelei let out a cry.

"Oh my god," she choked. "I can't remember half my life!" Chris stroked her arm.

"It's ok," he soothed. "That's what I'm here for. I'm going to help you remember," promised Chris. Lorelei nodded, trying to take hold of her emotions.

"So, how is my life?" she asked. "Am I happy?"

"Very," Chris assured her. "You have so many friends and people that love you. You manage an inn, and you have a house that you love. And you have a daughter," he added.

"A rebellious teenager?" Lorelei guessed. Chris shook his head.

"A smart, innocent teenager who you love very much. I've never seen a mother-daughter-bond quiet like yours."

"It's that girl isn't it?" she guessed. "She tried to come and talk to me, but I wouldn't let her. Is she our daughter?" Chris nodded. "She's pretty," Lorelei observed. "At least she got her looks from me." Chris laughed.

"There you go with that humor of yours," he said. He paused. "I missed you Lor." Just then there was a small knock on the door. A girl timidly stuck her head through the door.

"Dad?"

"Come on in, kiddo,' he said. Slowly the girl made her way towards the bed. Lorelei sat up, drinking in the appearance of her daughter. "Lorelei," Chris introduced, "this is our daughter, Rory."

Rory smiled shyly. "Hi mom," she said. There was something elusively familiar about her voice to Lorelei.
"Rory," she repeated. The girl nodded.

"Yeah, you named me after yourself," she told her. Lorelei smiled.

"That sounds like something I would do." Rory smiled, nodding.

"How are you feeling?" she asked her, looking for something to start a conversation.

"Damn good," Lorelei declared. "I've just slept for the past two years!" Rory laughed. "I'm frustrated," she admitted. "I would give anything just to remember." Rory nodded sympathetically.

"Well, me and Dad are here to help you," she assured her.

"So when do I get out of this dump?" Lorelei beseeched.

"Should be about a week," came the answer. "The doctors just want to make sure everything is stable."

Lorelei settled herself back in her bed. With a glance at her father, Rory said, "I should get back now. I've got school tomorrow, and I should finish up my work." She hugged her dad. "Promise to come by the diner later?" Chris nodded. "Bye Mom," she said, turning to the frail figure in the bed. Lorelei watched her leave.

"I must have done something right," she observed to Chris. Chris nodded.

"You were a great mother," he assured her a her.

"So are we… married?" Lorelei ventured. Chris shook his head. "I live in Chicago now actually," he told her.

"Wow, I never pictured you as a big city kind of guy."

"Well, life surprises you sometimes."

"I'll say," Lorelei agreed. "So tell me about my life."

Meanwhile Rory took the bus back to Stars Hollow. When she got off the bus, she saw Dean leaving the market. He saw her, and they both looked down. They hadn't spoken since Rory told him about her kiss with Jess. Dean hesitantly made his way over to her.

"Hey," he said

"Hey" she replied awkwardly. "How are you?" as soon as the words came out she heard how pathetic they sounded.

"Fine," he replied curtly.

"Um, I should get back to Luke's," Rory excused herself.

"Right, back to Jess," Dean mumbled. Rory was already worn out from the days events, and she was not in the mood for this.

"Dean, it's not like that!" she protested.

"Oh yeah, because you guys have been spending an awful lot of time together, and the next thing I know you're kissing him!"

"What do you want me to do about it?" Rory argued, "We live together!"

"Don't remind me!"

"What should I do Dean, move out of Lukes?" Rory argued. " Just tell me where the hell I should go! I don't need this right now Dean! I've got a mother in the hospital who doesn't remember me!" She burst into tears ran back toward Luke's.

"Rory, wait!" Dean called to her retreating back. Rory stopped, and turned around slowly.

"What?" she asked. Dean said nothing, struggling with his thoughts and emotions.

"I'm sorry," he said finally. Rory studied him, her vision blurred by the tears.

"So am I." She turned her back on him and continued to her sanctuary in Luke's.

Alright, definitely not my best chapter, but I'm trying to keep things moving along. Plus it's a miracle i finished this at all considering the workload that i have!