Gemini

Prologue

Richard and Emily Gilmore had just sat down for dinner when they were disrupted by frantic knocking at the front door.

"Who on earth would be knocking at this hour?" Emily asked, standing to her feet as the maid went to open the door.

The sight that greeted her once she made her way into the foyer was a shock. Standing in the doorway was her estranged teenage daughter.

"Lorelai?"

"Hi, mom." The eighteen year old gave a strained smile as she softly bounced the baby in her arms.

"Richard! Lorelai is here!" Emily called out to her husband as she began guiding her daughter into the dining room.

"Lorelai? What are you doing here?" Her father asked as he stood from the table

"Lorelai you look positively exhausted. Are you okay? Are the girls okay? Where's Rory?" Emily began firing off questions as she took the youngest of the twins out of her mother's arms. The near two year old whined softly for a moment before getting settled and laid her head onto her grandmother's shoulder.

Lorelai dropped down into one of the chairs once her arms were free, "I'm sorry to drop by unannounced." She sighed

"Nonsense, this is your home. You're welcome anytime." Richard responded as he watched his wife bounce the sleepy child in her arms.

"Rory's fine, she's back at home being watched by a friend," The teen mom answered her mother sliding down into the seat and leaning her head back, "but Tori has an ear infection and has contracted the flu as well. I'm trying to keep the girls separated so that Rory doesn't get sick too."

"Oh you poor thing." Emily sighed placing a soft kiss on the little girl's warm forehead.

"I'm just so tired. The girls have been sick before, but not like this... I was hoping you two could keep Tori for a little while... Just until she's feeling better." Lorelai asked sadly, staring at her baby, "I just can't work and take care of her and keep Rory and her separated all at the same time."

Emily sighed, "Lorelai, maybe you should consider..."

Lorelai started shaking her head before her mom even finished speaking, "No, mom, I'm not coming back home." She stood up and reached for her baby," This was a mistake, I'm sorry for bothering you."

"Now hold on a minute," Richard spoke up, "We didn't say we wouldn't watch her."

"Yes, of course we'll take care of her for you." Emily nodded in agreement, "It'll give us a little time to bond with our granddaughter and you can catch up on some rest."

"Really?" The young mother asked hopefully. The idea of being without her youngest daughter for a long period of time sounded like hell, she and the girls had never been separated for longer than a few hours since their birth; but she really didn't know what else to do. She was at her whits end and was extremely exhausted.

"Absolutely," Richard nodded as he walked over to his daughter and gave her a gentle pat on the back, "You just go home an get some rest and let us take care of Victoria for now."

Lorelai nodded and stood up, "Oh-okay thank you for this. Let me just go grab her bag out of the car."

"Oh Richard, the poor thing is just burning up." Emily said once Lorelai had walked outside. She placed her hand on the whimpering child's forehead.

"First thing tomorrow we'll take her to a doctor." Richard assured his wife as he walked over to place a kiss on the baby's head.

"Okay, here's her bag." Lorelai said as she walked back into the room, "It should have everything you'll need, but if I forgot something just call me and I'll bring it to you." she placed the bag on the table and pulled Tori's medicine out of one of her front pockets, "This is the medicine the doctor prescribed for her ear infection the directions are on the bottle, and this one is for her flu."