𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 . . . B𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘦
❝ You're using a stolen nickname. ❞

  "I WANT MY KID back."

  "She's not a borrowed umbrella."

  "No, she's my kid and I want her back."

  Lorelai Gilmore had assumed Charlie would return to the Crap Shack after an hour of sulking, and silently slip into her bed. She had gone to sleep, safely presuming both of her children would be in their room that morning and would hold off a lecture about roaming the town at night until then.

  Except Charlie Gilmore was not in her bed that night or the following morning. Rory Gilmore had even been sure to crack the window of their bedroom just enough so that Charlie's fingers to wedge it open if she stayed out longer than expected, but all Rory got was a stuffy nose when she awoke and the window was still open, and her sister's bed lay untouched.

  So Lorelai Gilmore had been running around Stars Hollow all morning, until smacking herself on the forehead for not checking Luke's Diner first.

  "She was really upset last night."

  "I'm glad you're worried but, that is my kid—!"

  "Don't yell at him." Lorelai snapped her attention to Charlie, still dressed in Jess' clothes, "He didn't do anything."

  "What are you wearing?"

  "I was soaking wet," Charlie crossed her arms, "What are you doing here?"

  "Bringing you back home. This is not a debate."

  "Are you even sorry?" The teen questioned, dropping her arms as if they were ten-ton weights, "Or did you already forget what happened?"

  "Hey, I am the mom here, you can't lecture me."

  "Being my mom doesn't make you always right," Charlie fired back, "God, you complain about grandma but you can't even admit when you did something wrong!"

  The girl hurried from the diner, yet again running from her mother. Luke and Lorelai both remained silent until Jess hurried downstairs and right after Charlie.

  Lorelai stood still, absorbing the words her daughter had thrown at her in a small fit of rage. They couldn't have been true. . . could they? Lorelai was far more relaxed with her daughters than Emily was with her. 

  Well, in all fairness, Charlie required more discipline, Rory had always simply done the right things. Followed the rules, helped around the house, chose to spend time with her mother, and. . .

  "Oh, my God."

  "What?" Luke grumbled, crossing his arms.

  "I am totally, one hundred percent, Emily Gilmore-ing my daughter."

  Luke scoffed, rounding the counter with Lorelai on his heels.

  "What, why are you scoffing at me? Don't scoff at me."

  "You know, Jess told me she called her grandfather last night," Luke said, leaning on the counter, "Apparently they had a nice conversation before she fell asleep."

  Lorelai stared, her face falling slowly.

  "She's a rebellious kid, sure," He nodded, "But you never really ask why she does the things she does, do you? You don't give her a lot of slack."

  "She gets slack."

  "Slack is telling Charlie to be more like Rory?"

  Lorelai huffed, planting herself at a seat.

  "I see your point."

  "She loves you, y'know?" Luke spoke, "You just. . . you have to let her make her own mistakes sometimes. Charlie's not you, or Rory, or anybody else."

  Lorelai mulled it over for a few minutes, craning her neck to peer out of the diner's window. She could faintly see Charlie's figure, pacing around the green area surrounding town square. Jess stood still, watching her animated ranting, nodding every few moments.

  "He really cares about her, doesn't he?"

  "They care about each other," Luke corrected, turning his gaze to the teens beyond the establishment. "I don't think Jess was ever as angry as he was the time they weren't attached to each other."

  "Not even when he moved here?"

  "Surprisingly, no." Luke shrugged, pausing a moment, "I know she's not my kid, but don't split her and Jess up."

  "Why?"

  "They're better together."

⌁

  "What are you doing?"

  "Changing."

  "Angel—"

  "You're using a stolen nickname."

  Jess sighed, leaning against Charlie's bedroom door.

  Until it opened and he nearly fell over.

  "Sorry," Charlie didn't look sorry, "Hey, the Picnic Basket Auction is today."

  "Wow, really? I've been waiting just for that."

  "Jess—"

  "Yeah, yeah." 

  The duo made their way out of the house with little to no trouble. Rory hadn't been home, or else she likely would've given Charlie some sort of lecture about having Jess over when she was home alone, so they escaped quickly and unscathed.

  Charlie, however, did have a small pit in her stomach as they approached Doose's Market. Usually, she and Emma shopped for their baskets together, but this year, things were different.

  "Charlotte Gilmore, you know you are not allowed in here without a guardian present!"

  Charlie twisted her lips, glancing at a shocked Jess before turning on her heel to face Taylor.

  "C'mon, Taylor," She whined, "It's for the basket auction! You know I can't cook, and I need to buy a basket!"

  "Baskets should be filled with—"

  "I'll be so quick— and I haven't stolen anything in, like, four years!"

  "More like four months."

  "Okay, but come on, that's a really good streak for me," Charlie persuaded, frowning at his glare. "Look, I already picked one out."

  Taylor eyed the dark brown wicker basket Charlie held. It was already brimming with pre-packaged snacks, and two cherry colas.

  "I need proof that you'll pay."

  Charlie's pout melted into a glare, handing off the basket to Jess as she dug into her purse. The girl produced a small orange wallet, angrily snapping it open and showcasing the wad of cash inside.

  "I get tips from working at Luke's," Charlie grumbled, pulling it back when Taylor tried to inspect it, "I'll be up front in ten minutes."

  "Five."

  "Am I allowed to run?"

  "Fine, ten."

  "Thanks," Charlie muttered, glaring as Taylor happily walked past the duo back to the front counter, "What a piece of--"

  "Does he do that every time you come in here?"

  "Pretty much," She sighed, accepting her basket back. "It's not as bad when I'm with my mom or Rory, though. Luke just yells at him."

  "Is he allowed to treat you like that?"

  "It is his stupid store," Charlie grumbled, sighing deeply, "What did you need again?"

  Jess just smiled and turned around, scanning the aisles one by one with Charlie on his heels.

  The girl wasn't paying much attention, which led her to smack right into Jess' back as he stopped walking. Looking up, she saw a horrific sight.

  Rory and Dean sucking faces in the back of the store.

  "What? Taylor?" Dean turned around, looking Jess up and down, "Jess." 

  Only then did he notice Charlie, who was wearing the same bored expression Jess was.

  "Sorry to intrude."

  "Did you?"

  "You were having your vertical 'From Here to Eternity' moment right in front of the super glue." Dean turned to find they were in fact in front of the superglue, "Not that it isn't an appropriate place to be doing it in front of, Charlie and I have found the baking aisle is actually best—"

  "Here's your glue."

  Rory and Charlie were staring at each other with wide eyes.

  "Thanks. As you were." Jess turned, throwing an arm around Charlie's shoulders and tugging her with him.

  "I am so killing you after you bid on my basket."

  "Who said I was bidding?"

  "For that comment? I did."

  Jess Mariano kicked himself the entire walk home after he had dropped Charlie off at her front porch. Why did he walk her home? What kind of guy was he turning in to? Next thing he knew, he'd be nervous at the idea of kissing her!

  The boy took a moment to realize he was, in fact, terrified of the idea of trying to make any move on Charlie Gilmore, and debated whether pushing himself into the lake was earned or not.

  Charlie, on the other hand, tried to enter the house as quietly as possible. She'd expertly avoided her family all day, but it seemed this was coming to an end as Lorelai Gilmore descended the steps just as Charlie began gently organizing food inside her picnic basket.

  "I could've bought your basket stuff," Lorelai noted.

  Charlie sighed, snapping the Tupperware closed before stacking it ontop of a large pack of Twizzlers.

  "Yup."

  "Are you ever going to not be mad?"

  "Are you ever going to apologize?"

  Lorelai sighed, "I shouldn't have told you to be like your sister. I'm angry you left last night and that you snuck off to New York. I'm worried about you living there with no plan because I worry— I'm a worrier." The woman laughed awkwardly, "And really hun, I'm sorry about Jess. I know nobody can tell you what to do."

  "Especially not a boy," Charlie agreed, "I'm still upset. . ."

  "You have every right to be, but so am I."

  "I can live with that."

  "So can I."

↬

  Charlie would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed Jess was nowhere to be found. 

  She'd meant the words as a light-hearted joke the day prior, but standing in front of the gazebo, Charlie realized she wanted Jess to bid on her basket. 

  She wanted Jess to bid on a picnic with her.

  No matter how silly or stupid or downright strange either of them thought the tradition was, Charlie wanted Jess Mariano to do this silly, stupid, strange tradition for her.

  The teen was standing between her mother and sister as Taylor auctioned off baskets. Lane's was sold to her cousin, as planned, and now it was Charlie's turn.

  "That one's mine."

  "Charlie outdid us," Lorelai mumbled to Rory.

  "Now, let's start the bidding at $5."

  The silence made Charlie's skin crawl.

  "Five dollars!" 

  She was so relieved she didn't notice who was bidding.

  "$5 do we have $10?"

  "$20." 

  Charlie furrowed her brows, why would Dean be bidding on her basket?

  "$30." It all made sense.

  "Can one of you take me out right now?" Charlie questioned, Lorelai wrapped an arm around the girl as Liam continued up bidding everyone on her basket. He hit $100, which Taylor thought was pure madness until a voice made Charlie relax instantly.

  "$120."

  "I have $120, you do realize it's just a picnic, right?"

  "One—"

  "$150."

  "Sold to the young hoodlum in the back for $150."

  Jess cockily retrieved the picnic basket, walking to the back of the crowd and waiting for Charlie to join him.

  "I gotta go."

  "Charlie!"

  The girl squeezed her eyes shut, willing the whole situation to be a dream, but it wasn't. Liam was really there, holding onto her arm.

  The two had separated from the crowd, Charlie obviously trying to lose him. Not that it mattered to Liam.

  "You bid a hundred dollars on my basket?"

  "I always bid on your basket," Liam frowned, stepping back slightly.

  "Yeah, you bid twenty for my self-esteem because you realize I pack crappy food."

  "I figured it was a tradition."

  Charlie nervously twisted her rings.

  "I, um, I really wanted Jess to win."

  "Well, he did," Liam smiled tightly.

  "Are you. . . mad?"

  "No, no," He shook his head, looking down at his feet, "So, uh, guess that's your answer, huh?"

  "What?"

  "You don't want to try, do you?"

  Charlie frowned, her shoulders slumping at the innocent expression on his face.

  "I really like being friends with you," Charlie mumbled, "I. . . really like being friends with you, and Emma, and Jess, and Finn, and Colin. . . and I'm confused, still."

  "I don't think you are," He said gently, reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "I think you know what you want. And I think you're scared."

  It was easy for Charlie to forget that Liam had known her long enough to read her like an open book. That if her eyebrow twitched slightly, he could tell she was pissed at her sister for something stupid, and if she chewed the inside of her cheek she was arguing with Emma. 

  She had give-aways, she had tell-tale signs, and once one spent enough time, they were like bold lettering stamped on her forehead explaining her mood and why she felt that way.

  "Hey, Angel," Jess grinned, sidling up to Charlie, "Shall we?"

  Charlie twisted her lips, never taking her eyes off Liam.

  "Have fun," He spoke, noting that she wouldn't say anything, "Really. Tell him about that sixth-grade field-trip, he'll like that story."

  Liam squeezed her arm, leaving the duo in silence.

  "You alright?"

  "Fine."

  "Charlie—?"

  "Can we leave it at fine?"

  "We can leave it at fine."

  Jess Mariano and Charlie Gilmore elected to have their picnic at the only place in the entire town of Stars Hollow that they called their own.

  The bridge.

  "You spent $150 on a basket."

  "I spent $150 on the company," Jess shrugged, "Think of it as our second date."

  "That wasn't a date!"

  "You made pancakes, when did you make pancakes?" Jess questioned, pulling the Tupperware container out.

  "Today," Charlie shrugged, retrieving the other snacks from the basket. She had chocked it full of packaged snacks and two cherry cola's, it was all supposed to be homemade but Charlie was never one to follow rules anyway.

  "Why pancakes?" Jess questioned, "Doesn't really go with the rest of it."

  "Pancakes can go with marshmallows," The girl defended, popping a marshmallow in her mouth. "The only thing I can cook is pancakes."

  Jess shrugged, trying a bite, "Damn, Gilmore, these are good. . ." He furrowed his brows, taking another bite, "Did you actually make these or did you take them from Luke's?"

  "No, I swear I made them," Charlie laughed, "Luke's recipe though."

  "You and Luke are pretty close, huh?"

  "Yeah," Charlie smiled meekly, "I guess I didn't really have a. . . positive male figure—"

  "You can say dad." The girl turned to Jess, "You didn't have a dad."

  "I didn't have a dad growing up and I dunno," Charlie shrugged, "Luke was there."

  "He's okay."

  "Luke's the best."

↬

  The rest of the afternoon was oddly better than their normal hanging out. Jess ate all the pancakes, receiving Charlie's complaints that he'd left none for her. They attempted to skip the flattest milk duds on the lake, though that didn't work very well, and after wandering back into the town square found out who had won Rory's basket.

  Liam.

  So, naturally, Jess and Charlie saved her. The trio went out for pizza, on Jess, and then took a trip to the bookstore.

  Jess kept teasing Charlie for her book choice, even if it was a book he liked, and Rory kept trying to persuade both of them to try and read The Fountainhead.

  The Gilmore sisters arrived home, Lorelai gave Rory an odd look for spending time with Charlie and Jess instead of consoling a fuming Dean. Once Lorelai got the youngest Gilmore alone, she questioned her about Jess as now not one, but both her daughters were involved with the one bad person in all of Stars Hollow.

  Charlie heard the argument heating up, and before it could get bad she slipped out for a walk. Her sister wasn't far behind, storming out of the house despite her boyfriend being on his way and leaving their mother all alone. It truly had turned into a mess rather quickly, tying up the sisters, Dean, Jess, and Liam.

  Lorelai could only hope Charlie and Rory could untangle it without hurting themselves.

  Or each other.

  "Hey, Charlie?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Do you like Liam, still?"

  Charlie turned in her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

  "I don't think so," She said quietly, "Did he say why he bid on your basket?"

  "Dean wasn't bidding at first, he didn't want my feelings to get hurt."

  Charlie nodded slowly. 

  "I think he meant well, he tried to give Dean the basket after he won. . ."

  "Dean didn't want it?"

  "Dean was mad."

  "Why did Dean bid on my basket?" Charlie wondered.

  "I told him about the Liam and Emma thing. He felt bad."

  "Oh."

  The twins sat in silence for a long while. So long, Charlie wondered if Rory had fallen asleep.

  "Hanging out with Jess was fun. He's cool."

  "He is cool," Charlie smiled, "I like hanging out with him, too."

  Rory contemplated her next words. She knew she was with Dean, and the feeling was wrong, but if there was anyone to confide in, it was her twin sister. 

  "I think I like Jess," Rory whispered with a smile into the darkness, not seeing Charlie freeze.

  "Jess as in Luke's nephew, Jess?"

  "Yes Luke's Jess," Rory laughed.

  "Why? You guys are different,"

  "But we aren't," She sighed "We like the same books and he's cute—"

  "What about Dean?" Charlie cut in, sitting up to pull her hair into a ponytail.

  "Well, I love Dean."

  "You can't have both." She could hear her sister sigh and reshuffle, the light flicked on and flooded the room.

  "I know I can't have both. And I don't know what to do about it. . . But I know I like Jess. And I figured you'd have some advice.."

  "My advice?" Charlie laughed dryly, "Don't cheat on your boyfriend, idiot. Don't drag Jess into your stupid drama, and don't treat him like one of those things you can just get."

  "I don't treat him like that."

  "One hang-out and you're in love."

  Charlie drowned out Rory's further questions, muffling the noise by pulling a pillow over her head.

  "Go to sleep. Goodnight, Rory."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
okay SO, Rory's storyline isn't
exactly the same as the show
but it's okay! we're fine! 
anyways, it was really weird
trying to re-configure the 
basket-bidding scene,
but I feel like Liam bidding
makes sense, and Dean
thinking he's saving Charlie
makes sense, and Liam 
bidding on Rory's basket
ACTUALLY trying to be nice,
but Dean taking it as 
like revenge makes sense,
SO IDK-- too many boys.
Random note, (no spoilers in
 the comments pls!)but do any OG
Angels readers miss Hallie?
I miss Hallie. I can't wait
to write her again.