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 all for your reviews. They always brighten my day. I hope you enjoy this next installment.

I sat on the stairs out of view but not out of earshot. They probably knew I was listening in—I mean after all—it is me. Maybe that's why they were whispering. They both think I'm going deaf.

"I'm worried about her Lorelai—she had another dream last night. It took me twenty minutes to calm her down. I don't understand it." Richard said shaking his head.

"Dad—tell me, what are the dreams about? Why do they freak her out so much?" Lorelai asked and I was touched by the concern in her voice.

There was a long pause after that and I was torn between whether or not I wanted him to tell her.

"You," he said finally. "The dreams are about you. She dreams that something happens to you."

"Oh Dad," she whispered and suddenly tears were stinging at my eyes. I'm glad she knows. I'm glad after all these years she finally knows.

"The other night—that wasn't the first time was it?" Lorelai asked.

"No—but it was the first one in a long time. She used to get them when you were a child. She'd wake up screaming for you and wouldn't stop until I came and got you and brought you to her. Then they went away for awhile. She didn't have the dream for a long time—then after you left, she had it every night."

"Oh Dad, why didn't anybody tell me?" Lorelai asked and I bit my lip from calling out, "I didn't want you to know."

We always tried to dismiss it as just a nightmare, something silly—just a dream, but …"

There was a long pause after that and I was curious as to why. What was Richard thinking about?

"Dad?" I heard Lorelai whisper in a softer voice, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

There was another long pause after that.

"No," I heard Richard whisper back.

"Dad," Lorelai said more forcefully, "Look at me…is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," Richard said again. What was that about?

"Mrs. Gilmore?" Lolita the new maid said suddenly blowing my hiding spot, "What are you doing on the stairs?"

I shot her a dirty look and then called out, "Yes Lolita, I'm coming downstairs now. Be sure to dust the banister!"

I got up and slowly and calmly walked down the stairs. Lorelai and Richard came in from the living room.

"Lorelai—what are you doing here?" I asked, trying to act surprised.

"Oh, I was just stopping by, I had a few things to pick up in Hartford," she replied, searching my face for clues of my eavesdropping. I didn't give her any.

"Wonderful—can you stay for tea?"

"No Mom, I have to get back. Just wanted to say hi,"

"Well—hi!" I said smiling.

"Hi and goodbye," she said obviously feeling awkward. "Um—hey, Luke has to work late again tonight and Rory could watch Alicia. Are you guys up for another round of gin tonight?"

"Sure!" I said, forgetting about the awkward and uneasy feeling I had just a few minutes before. "You can bring Rory and Alicia with you," I said.

"I'll ask Rory if she wants to come," she said smiling

"See you then,"

She left and as soon as she had, I was brought back to reality. Richard was worried about me and as much as I was enjoying the attention, I felt uneasy. I didn't want to talk about the dreams. I didn't understand it either, things had been going so well. Why had the dreams returned?

"Emily," he said, bringing me out of my thoughts. I could tell he was apprehensive, like he thought I was going to get angry at him.

"What would you think about a trip to Europe over the holidays?"

Okay…that was not what I was expecting.

"What?" I asked.

"A trip—you and me, all around Europe. We could spend the whole Christmas holiday there."

"We could spend the whole Christmas holiday there." Richard said, pounding one of the tour guidebooks in excitement. I looked up at him curiously. As much as I was secretly delighted at this display of excitement—Richard never got excited about anything anymore—I was wondering where in the world this was coming from.

"Richard—we can't be gone the whole month of December. Lorelai can't miss that much school. If we want to leave as soon as she's out, then that sounds wonderful. Lorelai hasn't been to Europe since she was two." I looked up at him and I could see he was delaying telling me something.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I wasn't talking about Lorelai. I was talking about just you and I." he said slowly.

"What?" I whispered.

"I don't want Lorelai to go. I want it just to be you and me," he said louder.

"Richard, what are you saying? You don't want to spend Christmas with your own daughter?"

"Emily, my own daughter hasn't wanted to do anything with me since she was five. It goes both ways."

"No Richard. If you want me to go with you to Europe for part of December that's fine. But we have to spend Christmas here with Lorelai. As long as she is stilling living in this house, we will spend Christmas together as a family."

"What do you think?" he asked, bringing me out of my daydream.

"Richard, this is Alicia's first Christmas. I want to spend it here." I said, looking up at him and expecting him to show the same look of disappointment he had all those years ago. Instead there was worry.

"Emily…I think the trip would do you good," he said, taking my hand in his.

"Richard," I said, squeezing his hand. "I'm alright. Like you said yourself. It's only a dream."

"Emily," he said more forcefully, "You've had it three times in the past two weeks. Each time it has shaken you terribly. Maybe something is going on you know…" he dropped off the last part, but I knew he was saying something to the effect of maybe I wasn't all right in the head.

"Richard," I began to tell him again that I was fine. It was then that I saw it. It was something in his eyes—some deep dark fear. It wasn't just worry for my mental stability—I knew this man too well. There was something deeper, and I wondered if Lorelai has seen it too when she asked if there was something he wasn't telling her.

"Really, I'm fine." I finished. He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it, then reached down and kissed me fully on the mouth, his hand touching my hair. I relaxed into the kiss and when we broke it I put my arms around him.

"I'm alright Richard," I said. "I'm alright."

It was a strange day after that. I had three luncheon meetings to attend and I couldn't keep focused during any of them. By the time I got home that night, I had a headache.

"Do you want me to call Lorelai and cancel?" Richard asked as he gently placed a hand on my back. I smiled slightly.

"Richard, during about thirty years of her life we couldn't get her to do anything with us unless it involved pulling her hair out or ours. I am not turning down a voluntary game of cards. She'll be here in about forty five minutes. I'll just go lay down on the couch in the den."

"Alright," he said. "I'll set up the card table."

I walked into the den and collapsed on the couch, dropping my symphony board bag on the floor. My head was pounding.

I pulled the embroidered shawl covering the couch off and put it over me, and closing my eyes. As if a ghost had appeared before me, I suddenly saw my little four year old in her doctor outfit standing beside me.

"What seems to be the problem?" she asked with a serious look on her face.

"Oh I have a bad headache Dr. Gilmore?" I moaned, "What do I do?" She smiled at me—that smile could light up the world. "I have just the thing," she said, and bending down, she gave me a kiss on the forehead.

"There Mommy, I tissed it better," she said. I reached up and caught her in my arms, bringing her to lay next to me.

"Thank you Baby," I whispered. We laid there for a few minutes, and then she bounced up. I could never keep her in one spot for too long.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To the park," she said as she ran out the door. I laid back down for a few minutes and then suddenly the fear rushed into me—the park.

I ran after her, out the door of the house and was in the park. The sky was turning black.

"Lorelai!" I called for her. "Where are you?"

"Here Mommy," she called. I looked for her but I couldn't see her. "Stay there!" I yelled. "Stay right there!" I ran out into the storm, calling her name.

"I'm over here Mommy, I'm over here," she kept calling.

"Stay right where you are!" I yelled. "Don't move!"

I ran all over the park, searching everywhere for her. Suddenly, I heard a scream that made my blood cold.

"Lorelai!" I screamed.

"Mommy! Mommy help me!" she cried out.

"Lorelai I'm here! I'm coming! I'm right here!"

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Lorelai!" I sat up with a start. "Lorelai! Lorelai where are you?" I heard the door open with a crash and Richard ran in.

"Emily, wake up. It's the dream Darling. It's just a dream!"

"Lorelai! Lorelai," I screamed. "Don't hurt my baby! Please don't hurt my baby!"

"Emily!" Richard said forcefully, "It was the dream!"

"Richard! Where's Lorelai? Where is she? I want my baby Richard! I want my baby! I want my baby!"

Again I heard the door open with a crash and this time Lorelai hurried in.

"I want my baby! I want my baby!" I sobbed over and over again. Lorelai hugged me to her, putting her arms around me, trying to get as close to me as possible.

"I'm right here Mommy," she said over and over again as she cupped her hand on the back of my head. "I'm right here."