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

Author's Note: And so the hiatus begins! Thankfully we have the wonderful world of fan fiction to keep us entertained. I hope you enjoy this next update to the story. Obviously, my take on things is very different from the way they are turning out. I am not going to try to mix my story with the actual episodes. I will just keep writing based upon what I have written in previous chapters. There is not a whole lot of actual spoilering going on in this chapter, my own speculation mostly. That having been said, on with the show!

I stand there in the kitchen, holding the magazine in my hands—not sure of what to do. I can't bring myself to read the rest of it, Heaven only knows what else she has said about me. I put the magazine down on the counter and walk back upstairs slowly. I feel old.

"Mommmy" I said exaggerating every syllable. "Mommmy, Say mommy Lorelai" The little girl smiled at me and shook her head, tossing her curls about.

"Daddy!" she said gleefully. From the newspaper behind me came a chuckle.

"You're her favorite" I said sulkingly. Richard put down his paper and held out his arms for Lorelai.

"Am I your favorite Lori-bug? Is daddy your favorite?" Lorelai tottered over to him.

"You are so rubbing it in!" I said, hitting him on the leg.

"Excuse me mum…" Patricia came slowly into the room. "I was wondering if I should be putting the little girl asleep now,"

"Yes, Patricia, we're ready for you." Richard called. I suddenly felt a wave of regret sweep over me. Couldn't I put her to bed? Just this once? I still wasn't used to this. I had never had a nanny growing up and had never wanted one for my children—but it was the Gilmore way. "Generations of Gilmores have had nannies to take care of them. It is just the way a proper family is run."

"Okay Lori-bug-a-boo. Give daddy a kiss," She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. Patricia made a move to pick her up, but I held up my hand.

"Just a minute…I'll bring her to you." I said and held out my arms for her. Lorelai smiled and hugged me tightly around the neck.

"Have a good sleep my Angel" I told her, "I love you,"

I picked her up and handed her to Patricia. The nanny smiled and held out her arms for her. Lorelai giggled and went into her arms. "Mom-my" she cried delightedly.

I fired Patricia the next morning—I guess she was the first of many."

My footsteps resound in the lonely hallway. I wished Richard would get home—he'd be gone for hours. I could picture he and Rory going for a walk around campus, or getting ice cream at the campus Baskin Robbins, and just talking. I was on the outside looking in…they were still a family, Rory, Lorelai and Richard and I was being left out of the fun. It was all my own fault.

I think I will try to go to bed. I walk into our bedroom, with the large four poster bed, and the burgundy satin bedspread. I lay down on the bed, and look at my television set—with my DVD player—the DVD player she had given me on one of our good days. I had criticized her then too, telling her she didn't know what she was doing when she was installing it. She was being nice. She wanted me to have a DVD player so I could watch my musicals. And all I could do was criticize. I lay back on my pillow and smooth my hand over Richard's pillow. At least he was here—what would I have done if something like this had happened last year, and I hadn't had him either.

"Emily?" the door slowly opened and Richard peered in. "Richard?" I looked toward the open door. His face was very serious.

"Yes, it's me. I need you to come with me right now." A jolt of panic shoots through me and I sit up on the bed.

"Rory…is something wrong? Is she hurt?" He crosses over to me and takes my hand.

"Emily, I had absolutely nothing to do with this. I want you to believe me."

"Richard…please tell me what's going on. Is Rory hurt? Is she alright?

"She's fine Honey. Just fine," he says as he leads me down the stairs. I look up and there she is…she's here. She's in my house and she is smiling at me.

"Hi Grandma," she says quietly. I just stand there staring at her…afraid I am dreaming, afraid to hope.

"Hi Sweetie," I reply. Richard gives me a pat on my shoulder,

"I've got some work to do," he says and walks away.

"I want you to know…" she begins. "He didn't have anything to do with this. He didn't tell me to come here. I made that choice on my own." I nod slowly—still too afraid to hope.

"I do things that I believe are right or wrong, I don't do things because people tell me too. I got mad at you that night because I was hurt. I love mom and Luke and I want them to be happy and to see them hurting hurt me. I made that choice Grandma. I did that all on my own and I am going to make another one right now."

She walks towards me, and my eyes fill with tears. She smiles her sweet angelic smile at me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I love you Grandma. I love you for who you are. I don't agree with what you did and I never will. But I still love you…" she stops and tears up herself, "…and I still want you in my life—my life. What mom does is her own business but I wanted you to know…I forgive you."

"Rory…" I can barely speak her name, "I'm so sorry,"

"I know Grandma…I know," I cup her face in my hands. She reaches up and wipes away one of my tears.

"Grandma…it's going to be okay," she says. I have always tried to be so proper around her, never show her any vulnerability. My resolve is crumbling. I bite my trembling lower lip and look down at the floor.

"It's going to be okay Grandma," she says again as she puts her arms around me. I hold her in my arms, rocking her back and forth, my hand cupping the back of her forehead. Our mutual bursts of tears are the only sound in the room.

It had been two hours since they took her into the delivery room. Richard had tried to get me to go home, saying that someone would call when the baby came. But I couldn't leave—as furious as I was with her, I couldn't leave my baby. I could hear her screaming…swearing up a storm, and I tried to cover up my hurt and disappointment at not being there with her by making snide remarks to Richard about the hospital facility. But inside, I felt completely helpless—it had been two hours! What if something was wrong—she was so young! Would they tell me? Would they tell me if she was having trouble? I got up and started pacing back and forth. If only someone would come out and tell us what was happening!

Suddenly…there was silence…complete silence and my heat skipped a beat. Then I heard a cry. It was here—the baby was here. I looked over at Richard and he sadly smiled at me. We were grandparents. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was supposed to be in there, letting Lorelai squeeze my hand when the pain got bad. There should be a father here—nervously cutting the umbilical cord. I should be throwing an elaborate baby shower, and picking out a christening dress. But I should be in there. I should be meeting my first grandchild.

Minutes go by…no one comes out of the room. Five minutes…ten minutes…we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl! Fifteen minutes…was something wrong? Twenty minutes…will we get to see the baby? Suddenly the door opens and Richard shoots to his feet. He has an anxious look in his eyes that have become so passive over the years. He steps forward towards the doctor.

"Is our daughter alright?" The doctor nods. "Yes, Lorelai is fine…both Lorelai's are fine." He motions towards the door and a nurse comes out holding a pink blanketed bundle.

"Grandma, Grandpa, I'd like you to meet Lorelai Gilmore," the nurse says. Richard stares nervously at the bundle as the nurse places the baby in his arms. He is such a tall man now the baby looks even tinier in his arms. He acts as though she is made of glass and he is afraid he'll drop her. He has lost his touch. The years of business before fatherhood, nannies and his Lori-bug growing away from him has made him forget.

"Oh my goodness," he says quietly. He walks towards me and I hold out my arms. I am almost afraid to hold her, almost afraid to let her into my heart.

"Another girl," I say smiling as I hold her, rocking her back and forth. I have forgotten how to do this too.

"Welcome to the world Lorelai" I say and then I lean forward, as if sharing a secret with her…the first of many we would undoubtedly share. "I love you. I'm your grandma, and you're my grandbaby, and I will always love you." The nurse smiles and steps forward.

"We need to take her now Mrs. Gilmore," reluctantly, I hand the little miracle over to her.

"I want to see my daughter," I say anxiously. I want to see for myself she's okay. The nurse looks at me with determination but also sympathy.

"I'm sorry…Lorelai doesn't want to see you right now. She asked me to bring the baby out here and then ask you to go home and come back tomorrow."

"Oh…okay" I say—hurt, not surprised, but still hurt.

"Tell her we'll be back tomorrow."

"I will" she says and then she takes the baby away, to go back to her mother, my daughter. Richard comes up behind me and places his arm on my shoulder.

"She'll be alright Emily."

"I know…I just wanted to see her and make sure the labor wasn't too hard on…"

"That's not what I mean…she's going to be alright in life Emily. That baby is a miracle. Lorelai is going to be alright now."

He wraps his arm around me,

"Come on, let's go home,"