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: Thank you to all who read and reviewed the last chapter. As always, it is appreciated. For those of you who are confused as to why Lorelai and Richard hid the newspapers, an explanation is forthcoming. I hope you enjoy this next installment.
The first time Richard Gilmore had seen Emily Hansen was at a party. It was a Christmas party for the Future Business Leaders of America club and he had taken Lynnie Lott with him. He had been mingling with his group of friends, Charlie Bradshaw, Ed Summers, and Tony Jenkins with Lynnie complaining to him that she was bored and wanted to leave when he had seen her. She was dressed in a white dress with shimmering gold designs across it. She had incredible big brown eyes and long shimmering red hair that was pulled back in two pearl edged combs. He found himself staring at her, mesmerized by her and he didn't seem to hear the giggles of his comrades or feel their jabs in the ribs. He didn't seem to hear Lynnie's annoyed sighs. He was dimly aware of her grabbing his hand and pulling him away whispering angrily under her breath that if the only reason she had come to this party was to watch him stare at other girls, she would like to go home. It has shaken him out of his trance and he had apologized all the way home and was forgiven with a kiss at the door. That night, he had dreamed about brown eyes.
He had looked into those brown eyes many times after that. The first time they met, when he had again seen her up at Yale and had followed her hiding behind trees and buildings, watching her move. He had followed her into the parking lot where she had almost hit him with her car. She had been furious. He had tried to introduce himself and she had told him she didn't care to know such a blind idiot. He had shown up at her dorm room two days after that with a dozen roses as an apology. She had called him a psychotic stalker and told him to leave her alone.
Two weeks to the day after that he had taken her to the art gallery and he had kissed her and it was in that kiss that for the first time in his life he had come home.
He had looked into those brown eyes when she had walked towards him in the long flowing white dress, her eyes so filled with love and excitement about their new life. He had looked into those eyes filled with pain when he had begged and pleaded with the doctor to let him be with his wife for just a few minutes. He had held her shaking hand and whispered to her how much he loved her as another wave of pain hit. Those brown eyes had been filled with tears as he had been allowed back into the room to meet the child they had created together.
He watched her now, the hair shorter but still shimmering, the eyes with a few more wrinkles around them but still beautiful and wondered if there was any man in the world who could love his wife like he did. He was supposed to be unwinding strands of white twinkle lights and testing them to see if every light worked but again he found himself watching his wife who was wrapping tulle around an archway and hot gluing pink rosebuds all up and down the archway. It was the annual Garden club formal ball tonight and she had been working on the decorations furiously all week since Lorelai had left. Richard knew that she had been throwing herself into this party to not miss Lorelai as much. He chuckled to himself as he watched her with a half dozen pins in her mouth and her hair once again tied back in a twist with a pen stuck in it. Although there were many things that were different about his Emily, the fact that she was in jeans and a white blouse with flip flops on for one, she still held herself with the same grace and elegance she had since the day he had met her. Even the way she pinned up tulle was graceful as she delicately balanced on her tiptoes and pinned up the tulle she had gathered. He was lost in his thoughts of how beautiful she was when suddenly he was hit in the head by a flying bunch of ivy.
"Hey you," she said giggling as he was brought out of his trance, "Did you come here to help or what?"
"Yes Dear," he said smiling, "Of course Dear," and bending down began to unravel the twinkling lights.
Three hours later the room was a sparkling fairy land with so many lights it looked like the stars lit up the ceiling. The room was full of artificial trees that also had lights wrapped around them there was a fountain in the room as well as vases full of deep purple irises each member of the club had contributed as center pieces on the table. Laura's decorations were the hit of the party and Richard watched her proudly as couple after couple complemented her. He had bought her a new dress for the party, a deep purple one to match the irises. She looked radiant in it. She had let her hair down for this party, framing her face with delicate curls. He had rented a dark purple cummerbund to wear with his tuxedo so they could match and he felt like he was at his high school prom again.
Laura watched Richard in between greeting people and couldn't help swooning a little as she pretended to concentrate on welcoming guests. He was so tall and strong. His eyes were so gentle and kind. A few times he caught her looking at him and winked at her. She blushed and smiled back. He was so handsome. She felt her heart jump again as the guest were seated and he walked over and tenderly put his hand against her back and led her to their table. They ate their meal while chatting with the other guests at the table and half way through the main fish course, Richard reached under the table and took his wife's hand in his. They danced together when the music started and it seemed as though they were the king and queen of the ball but only saw each other. Laura looked into Richard's eyes and wondered what she had done as Emily Gilmore to deserve such a man, to deserve to be loved so much by him. Richard looked into his wife's eyes, those beautiful brown eyes and felt the way he had years ago when he had looked into her eyes for the first time. She had captured his heart then and had been the only one to hold it since. She had become his, his beautiful Emily, his bride, the mother of his child. He loved her with all of his heart—his beautiful Emily.
He brought her to him as he danced and it was only when the song stopped and they separated that he noticed the troubled look in his wife's eyes.
"What is it?" he whispered gently and she nodded towards the door.
John was standing at the door, watching them beckoning for Laura to come to him.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Richard asked.
Laura shook her head as she continued to watch John. "No," she said, "Thank you Richard, I'll be back in a moment," she turned and placed a hand on his chest and then walked towards John. When she reached him, she grabbed him by the elbow and led him to a room in the hall.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded once she had shut the door, "Are you alright?" she asked. As mad as she had been at him and still was, there was still tenderness in her heart for the man who had been her father for so long. He didn't look well, he looked tired and old.
"Laura," he said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything, for lying to you, but if you ever trusted me before, trust me now. That man is not good Laura. He is dangerous."
"John, what are you talking about?" Laura asked.
"Honey, I was out of town and I came home and was reading my papers. There was a police report from his apartment, a domestic disturbance report it said at 1:00 in the morning. Laura, something more is going on here. Whatever it is, it isn't good."
"John stop it," Laura replied, "Just stop it."
"Laura, the man isn't safe!"
"John, I know about the police report. I know all about it," she chuckled slightly, "They tried to hide it from me, my daughter and Richard both. I guess they don't realize how fast news travels when you're the Enquirer focus of the town. I've had about twelve people tell me about it."
"Then you know Laura, you know there is something he is trying to hide from you. Why would he hide the papers from you? Why would he lie?"
"John, I mean it. Just stop,"
"Laura please, just listen to me…"
"John, the police report said it was between a man and his daughter. Richard and Lorelai had a fight. It happens."
"But in the middle of the night? And still why would they hide it from you?"
Ever since she had found out about the police report she wondered that same thing. She had told herself that they had been trying to protect her but still there was a small fear that was knawing at her. Why had the fight happened in the middle of the night? What had the fight been about?" What if there really was some secret they were hiding from her. "I don't know John," she said and looked him in the eye. "I don't know."
"Laura," John stepped forward and pleaded with her, "Send him away."
"John, he's not some homicidal maniac."
"It's not only that Honey. You have a life here, in Bentley. You have people who love you. What if you never remember? They want the woman they knew back. All of the people from your old life. What if you can't give them that? I don't want you to spend your life trying to live up to someone else."
At that Laura, gave a sarcastic laugh. "You know, let's recap here. It's because of you that I can't remember my own life. Do you remember that John? It's because of you. And all the time I've known you I have been trying to live up to someone else. I'm not your daughter John."
"Laura…"
"No really, I'm not and as much as you wanted to pretend I was, I'm not. Whether or not I remember isn't important anymore John. I don't know why Richard tried to hide the police report from me, but I know this Richard loves me and if he hid that report it was because he had a good reason, that he believed it was in my best interest. Richard wouldn't do anything to hurt me John. He wouldn't lie to me," she stopped and for the first time she said the words that she had felt every time her husband her husband looked at her. "I love him John," she said. "I love Richard Gilmore."
"I'm trying to protect you Laura. That's all I want to do."
"No John, that's not all you want. You want a daughter again, you want someone to be Marjorie. I can't. Go kidnap someone else," she turned and walked away from him.
"Now hold on!" he suddenly bellowed. "That is not fair I saved your life."
"Thank you for saving my life John," she said. "Now, go out there and look my husband in the eyes. Go tell my kid how you almost let me die and how I can't remember her first step because you were afraid to take me to the hospital." She turned and walked out of the room. She hurried into the main hall. Richard stood up as soon as he saw her, his eyes filled with concern.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
She took his hand, "Let's go."
He put a hand on her back and led her out the door. He started towards the car, when Laura stopped him, "No Richard," she said. "Let's walk home. We can get the car tomorrow."
He took off his coat and put it around her shoulders, then taking her hand they started down the street. They walked along in silence for a few moments, the only sound being the swish of her dress and the occasional car passing in the distance. Finally Richard gave her hand a squeeze and whispered gently, "Tell me,"
She stopped and turning to face him looked into his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me about the police report?" she asked and Richard felt his heart skip a beat. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find about it? This is a very small town Richard. I teach 27 students. Why didn't you tell me?"
Richard reached up and placed a hand on her elbow. "I didn't want you to worry."
"Richard, tell me now, did you and Lorelai have a fight? Why did she come to you in the middle of the night anyway?"
"Darling, Lorelai and I have had our shares of troubles. Every father and daughter has them. Lorelai had some issues with me she needed to discuss. We got a little carried away while discussing them, but we're fine now, we're better than we have been in years."
"Was that it?" Laura asked, "You promise there is nothing else? Nothing else you're keeping from me?"
"Yes Darling," he replied, and bent down and kissed her forehead, "Everything is alright."
"You should have told me," she said and Richard reached down and took her hand. "I'm sorry Emily," he said as they continued walking.
They decided to cut across the school yard, and as they reached the lawn Laura took off her shoes and held them in her other hand. She loved the feeling of cool green grass between her toes. They were almost out of the school yard when suddenly Richard said, "Come on," and led her to the swings.
"Richard? Richard what in the world are you doing?" she asked as he led her.
He smiled and gestured to one of the swings, "Sit down my love, your coach and your driver await."
She looked up at him, "Richard, I'm wearing a ball gown,"
"No one is looking Emily," he said smiling.
Perhaps it was because she could not remember being a child and perhaps because she was so in love with this man but she grabbed the folds of her dress and sitting down on the black rubber she grabbed a hold of the chain link sides.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready," she replied,"
And then gently he pushed her and she began to swing back and forth. She laughed delightedly as she went higher and higher and her dress filled out like a purple cloud. Hearing her laugh fill the night sky was so infectious that it caused Richard to laugh too and he continued to push her until she finally called out that she was going to be sick from swinging and laughing, and he stopped her. Laughing, he sat down on the swing next to her, and she looked into his eyes.
"You're okay Mr. Gilmore," she said smiling.
"You're not so bad yourself Mrs. Gilmore," he replied, and then gently he moved towards her and this time there was no retreating as their lips touched again and with all the love they felt in their hearts they kissed each other.
"I love you Richard," Laura whispered, breathing heavily as they parted. "I love you."
"I love you too Emily," Richard said, "More than you'll ever know."
"Come on," Laura whispered, as she stood up and reached out her hand for him. He took it and stood up. "Let's go home," Laura said.
And that night, with the love that had been born long ago and thrived for over forty years husband and wife became one again.