𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘. . . Behind The Rory Curtain
❝ Because, come on, what kid doesn't want to see Johnny Depp in a crop top? ❞

"CHARLIE!" IT SEEMED not one, but two Gilmores had a plus one that was annoying them. Lorelai still had Richard following her around, and now Charlie could see Rory had Paris Geller tagging along, "You have to save Mom from Grandpa."

Both Paris and Rory had taken seats at the counter in Luke's, earning odd looks from Luke himself.

"I can't," The girl laughed, eyeing Paris who was staring at her with a calculating look, "I have to work." She gestured to the coffee pot she was holding. "What are you doing?"

Paris was searching the menu as if it was holding government secrets.

"Observing."

"Okay," Charlie gave the girl a weird look, "Do you want anything or. . ."

"Coffee, please," Rory pleaded, smiling when her sister grabbed a large mug.

"Hey, Rory, who's your friend?" Luke questioned, filling the mug with the coffee pot Charlie had set down moments before.

"Angela Lansbury," Rory answered for Paris.

"Are you the owner here?"

"Yep. You want some coffee, Angela?"

"No, thanks. So, you run the diner, huh?"

"Oh, boy."

Rory could tell this wouldn't go well. Paris was too dedicated to finding something wrong with Stars Hollow, and Charlie already didn't like the girl. The absolute last thing Paris needed to do was say one wrong thing about Luke.

"You get a lot of truckers through here?"

"Truckers?" Luke questioned.

"You know, guys on the road for weeks, looking for company, a little pick-me-up. Things like that."

"Luke's isn't a brothel," Charlie rolled her eyes, receiving a glare from Paris.

"What's she talking about?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"It's common knowledge diners are breeding grounds for prostitution and drug dealers."

"What?"

"Have you ever seen anything like that going on here?"

Charlie leaned against the counter as Paris hammered Luke with questions, she only snapped out of her daze when Jess came downstairs.

"Hey, where'd he come from?" Paris questioned, "What's up there? Is that where you keep the girls? You got yourself a cat house up there?"

"Wow. I think she got you, Uncle Luke. You better give up now."

"Oh, shut up," Charlie grinned, "You can't be on her side."

"Do not add to this insanity."

"An innocent boy like me should not be raised in this atmosphere," Jess continued, walking right up to Charlie and lazily hanging an arm around her waist. He turned to the girls, "I wanna be good. Life's just not letting me."

"Innocent my ass," Charlie snorted, earning a small smirk from Jess. Luke eyed the duo before turning to Rory.

"Rory, get her out of here."

"Okay, let's go."

"Why do you need me to leave?" Paris questioned as Rory dragged her away, "What have you got to hide?"

Both Charlie and Jess waved with sarcastic smiles.

"Paris, let's go!"

Paris was convinced there was something going on in the town, and because she wouldn't stop badgering Rory, the Gilmore teen caved.

"There is no seedy underbelly! The seediest you'll get here is Charlie and Jess!"

"Interesting."

"So." Charlie hopped onto the counter, Jess watched her with amusement, "Are we actually doing something today, or—?"

"Pea!"

"I wasn't doing anything!" The girl whipped her head around, only to find Luke glaring at her. She didn't put it together until Jess tugged her down from the counter, she nearly fell over but Jess caught her in time for them both to stabilize.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jess replied to his Uncle, flashing him an over-excited thumbs up that went unreturned.

"Gilmore, Brooklyn!"

Jess rolled his eyes as Liam rushed into the diner with a small grin on his face, drumming his fingers on the counter.

"Morning, Mr. Danes."

"Just Luke," He grumbled, turning to serve coffee to other patrons.

"I think he's starting to warm up to me," Liam grinned, turning to the teens.

He'd be lying if he said how close they stood didn't make his heart plummet. But it wasn't fair, was it? For him to be jealous after what he did? So, Liam Montgomery shook the thought from his head and urged the two to come with him.

"Where are we going?"

"Emma ran to the video store to grab some movie to watch," Liam explained as Charlie tugged her scarf on, feet quickening on the sidewalk to keep up with him. "And-- well, you just have to see for yourself."

Charlie followed Liam to the store, thanking him for holding the door open, only for her jaw to drop.

"There's, like, four movies out here," Charlie muttered, walking through the barren aisles of tapes for children and a single copy of Pulp Fiction.

"Charlotte."

The girl turned, crossing her arms.

"Taylor."

"Your sister has done a good deed, and I won't allow you to undo it."

Charlie smirked.

"What good deed?"

He proudly showcased the red curtain hiding half of the store.

"This is the Rory Curtain," Taylor smiled sharply, "It keeps all the inappropriate movies out of the eyes of children so hopefully, we may minimize the amount of you's that grow up here."

"Ah, yes, because my corruption came from watching Tarintino too young," Charlie scoffed, "Speaking of, why leave 'Pulp Fiction' out next to the only seven G rated films in the store?"

Taylor gasped, quickly gathering the movie before disappearing behind the curtain.

The door opened, making Charlie turn to see Emma sheepishly enter. The brunette smiled small, inviting her counterpart to join the group.

"There, safely tucked away--"

"Taylor!"

The man froze at Emma's high-pitched voice.

"Why, I never thought you were a man who partook in such risque activities!"

"No, I was placing an inappropriate movie in it's spot--"

"And you're hiding it, too?" Emma gasped, "Taylor, the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem."

"I do not! I am not a delinquent like yourselves!"

Emma laughed, causing Charlie's own to spill over-- only stopping when Taylor picked up the landline.

"Time to bail!"

Charlie quickly grabbed Jess's hand, yanking him with her as she swung the front door open. Liam and Emma were close behind, looking back onto to see Taylor had started to chase them, giving up after five feet to shout from afar.

Charlie let out another loud laugh as they turned a corner, passing Rory and Paris-- one of which seemed dar glummer than her blonde companion.

"Hey, wait! I need to interview you for this article!"

"Sorry, no paparazzi!" Emma shouted, waving a hand, "Ms. Gilmore is busy at the moment!"

The four kept running, burning the soles of their shoes from the friction against concrete, until they reached a secluded patch of grass, no preying eyes, and then, they collapsed.

"I cannot believe the coolest person in all of Stars Hollow is related to the Rory-Curtain."

Charlie chuckled at Emma's words, all four attempting to catch their breaths.

"You're three are the only people in all of Connecticut who think I'm anything but a nuisance to this town."

"Yeah, and that's such bullshit."

Jess shifted at Liam's blunt words. A part of him, the harsher part, had a rise of jealousy in his stomach. This part of him wanted to be the only one who could see Charlie for what she really was, as if she was this treasure and he didn't want her stolen. The other half of him, the one that healed a bit, realized he alone would never be enough for Charlie Gilmore. She needed friends, family, one not blood-related if this was the only option. She deserved that, she deserved the world, so he stayed silent as her life-long friends praised her.

"It's true, I guess," Charlie mumbled, her chest rising and falling slowly after she regained her breath, "Rory's the good kid who suggests Taylor hide R rated videos from kids. I'm the one who puts 'A Nightmare On Elm Street' DVD into the Veggie Tales box."

"Because, come on, what kid doesn't want to see Johnny Depp in a crop top?" Emma sighed lovingly, "Swoon."

"I'm just saying I probably deserve what's coming to me," Charlie laughed lightly, laying her hands on her stomach.

"You don't, and Rory doesn't deserve all the praise."

Charlie let out an unsure hum, turning her head to Emma.

"I just think it's shitty that you get treated like less just because you're not the same person as your sister."

"We aren't even that bad," Liam mumbled, "Everyone here is just. . . very conservative. Against dyed hair, piercings, cigarettes-- bud, but I guess that's understandable. . . sometimes I wonder if Taylor sees the liquor cart my parents have, if he'll beat them over the head with his shoe like my grandma used to."

"She was very religious, though," Charlie attempted to defend.

"The woman hit us for suggesting going to Luke's instead of church."

And before they knew it, laughter overcame them once again. Times like these, Jess understood why Charlie had stayed. Why she defended Liam and Emma against all odds.

They were her people. Like-minded and supportive, un-judging of her behavior. They had lapses, all people do, but it seemed time healed all wounds, and just for a second, Jess believed life in Stars Hollow wasn't so bad.

↬

Charlie was later than the rest of the Gilmores. By the time she got home, Lorelai was writing a neat list, directing the girl to her room where Richard and Rory stood chatting.

"There she is," Richard smiled at the teen. "Where have you been all day?"

"I took a shift at Luke's after school," She admitted, letting her bookbag sink onto the floor beside her desk, "Then Liam, Emma, Jess and I hung out for a little-- sorry for taking so long."

"That's quite alright, having a job so young is very responsible of you," Richard smiled with pride.

"Have to keep the dream fund going," She shrugged with a small smile of her own, shoving cash into a hidden coffee can before stuffing it back under her bed, "Giving Grandpa the tour of our grand room?"

Rory nodded.

"I see you have music posters," Richard noted, missing the blue pennant flag hidden slightly by a Metallica poster. "Rock music?"

"I like the guitar-- best genre for solos," Charlie smiled proudly, "Though, I do also like classical, just, y'know, no cool posters for that."

"You like classical music?"

"Don't look it, I know, but it's nice to listen to when I try to write some of my own," Charlie said, sitting on the edge of her mattress, "Chopin is a favorite, but I do indulge in others. Taking notes from the most famous musicians of all time works, you know?"

"A very wise way of seeing this."

Charlie smiled quickly busying herself with homework as Lorelai began speaking about food, leaving the room with Richard in tow.

Until Lorelai called her.

"Charlie!" The woman whined, "Tell your grandfather about your college plans!"

The girl emerged from her room with a furrowed brow.

"I want to go to Yale, I already said that."

"Yale, you hear that!" Lorelai urged, "You have a granddaughter that wants to go to Yale, and one that wants to go to Harvard, that's amazing, isn't it?"

"You'd still like to go to Yale?" Richard questioned, "I thought you wanted to move to New York?"

"Oh, you know, I was exploring options," Charlie reassured her mother after seeing the look she got.

"We talked about this over Christmas."

"You did?" Lorelai questioned, guiding Charlie to the sofa, "I didn't hear about that."

"Oh, yes, Charlie told us she's quite fond of The Big Apple and we talked about her moving there after she turns 18."

Charlie tried to silently tell her grandpa to stop, but it only confused the man and earned a glare from her mother.

"How would she know she likes New York if she's never been?"

The air thickened.

"Oh. . . That was what Emily meant."

"Grandpa!" Charlie hushed.

"You went to New York City behind my back with the help of your Grandmother?" Lorelai questioned angrily, "Who are you?"

"Now, Lorelai," Richard began, "Charlie was simply getting to know some of our friends—"

"Since when have you called her Charlie?"

A honk snapped the trio from their argument, "We will deal with this later."

Richard and Dean had taken the car Dean had built Rory to Gypsy's. Apparently, Richard didn't think it was safe enough for Rory to drive and insisted it be checked by a professional.

This left Charlie in the worst position possible.

"Sneaking off with your grandma's help, what is going on with you lately?" Lorelai paced the living room in front of Charlie, the girl looking down at her feet, "And you know what you did was wrong! Is this because you're hanging out with Jess again?"

"No, mom," Charlie sighed, "I'm sixteen, I can make decisions for myself."

"How's that working out for you?"

"What's so bad about me spending time somewhere other than Stars Hollow?" Charlie sprung to her feet, "I get that me sneaking off to New York was bad, but this is about me wanting to move there, isn't it? Or is there really a problem with Jess— the only person who's been there recently?"

"It's expensive," Lorelei frowned, making Charlie groan, "So many people move there and wind up back home, it's not a stable place for an 18-year-old to move."

"I really appreciate that you're looking out for me, but I want to do this."

"What about college?" Lorelai pressed, "Where are you gonna work?"

"I'll figure it out."

"You'll figure it out?" The woman almost laughed, "Did ya get that from Jess? It sounds like ya got that from Jess!"

"Mom, you don't even know him."

"I know boys like him," Lorelai insisted, "He's cool because he has a problem with authority and he's only nice to you, but do you see what trouble he's getting you into?"

"Are you serious?" Charlie exhaled sharply, "The only time I'm not in trouble is when I'm with Jess! You never had a problem with Emma, who drinks, or Liam who said he liked me then slept with my best friend."

"Language," Lorelai glared, "Look, they were different. It wasn't dangerous, I never liked Liam but Emma was a good friend—"

"She was, and so is Liam, but I was doing bad stuff before."

"You seemed happy."

"I'm happy with Jess!"

"Oh, you better not be dating that boy," Lorelai pointed, "That is a one-way ticket to—"

"Becoming my mother?" Lorelai frowned, dropping her finger, "Mom, I'm not dating him. And even if I was, he's not Chris."

"He might as well be," The woman sighed, "And you're just like me, Charlie, hon, it's an accident waiting to happen."

"I'm not you. Just like you aren't Grandma."

"I just want you to have the life I never could."

"And I just want to have the life I want," Charlie frowned, "Why can't that just be good enough?"

"Because it isn't," Lorelai finally snapped, "You can't keep sneaking out and doing whatever you want with whoever you want! Charlotte, you cannot turn 18, run off to New York City with no plan all alone! You need to go to college, have a plan for life, be more like Rory—!"

Both froze as the words tumbled from Lorelai's angry lips. The woman didn't mean it the way Charlie took it, but really how many ways could one hear that?

"Charlotte—" Lorelai rubbed her temples as the girl hurried from the house, "Charlie!"

Charlie Gilmore didn't look back. Apparently, the world was against her at the moment as a downpour had just begun. It was bad enough, her jeans clinging to her skin, the thin t-shirt nothing compared to the sheets of rain, but the teen hadn't even paused to slip on shoes so her feet, only protected by now soaking socks, were making their way to the only place she could go.

"What the hell— you're going to get sick!" Luke ushered the girl inside, he had luckily been up late working on finances, seeing the sad version of Charlie planted on the diner's front stoop, "Why aren't you home, isn't your Granddad here?"

"My Mom and I got into a fight," Charlie mumbled, ignoring the way her body was involuntarily shivering, "Is Jess here?"

"Upstairs," Luke nodded, "Charlie?"

"Yeah?" A small puddle was forming on the tile floor where the girl stood.

"If you want to talk about it. . ." Luke trailed off, scratching the back of his neck, "And for the love of God, put some dry clothes on. You can borrow clothes if you need to."

"Thanks, Luke," Charlie breathed out a smile, "Know if I wasn't soaking wet, I'd hug you right now."

"I appreciate the restraint." Charlie padded up the stairs, leaving Luke to turn back to the pages with a small smile on his lips.

"Why do you look like a wet cat?"

"I walked here," Charlie responded, already digging through Luke's dresser.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jess jumped up, as he walked closer he noticed how Charlie seemed genuinely shaken. Her clothes clung to her, leaving nearly nothing to the imagination, even her normally so bouncy chocolate locks clung to her scalp.

"Trying to find something to wear."

"Here, just—" Jess sighed, pulling a t-shirt and sweatpants from his bag, "It's weird if you wear Luke's."

Charlie hesitated, picking up a folded towel before accepting the clothes onto it in the attempt to keep them dry. She looked at the crumpled up Metallica shirt, smiling lightly before looking up at Jess who was shifting awkwardly.

"Do you have any socks?"

Jess had planted himself back in his bed, flipping through 'Gone With the Wind' when Charlie emerged from the bathroom. Her face was bare of makeup, something he hadn't even noticed she wore prior to right now, the shirt was far longer than he thought it would be, and the gray sweatpants were hanging loosely from her legs.

And on Charlie's feet were wooly burgundy socks. The toes and heel were a dark grey, the heel resting farther up than it was supposed to on the girl, not that she minded one bit. The teen took full advantage, taking a running start and sliding until she was stopped dead in front of Jess' bed.

The boy looked up slowly, facing Charlie who was grinning despite her condition minutes prior.

"Why are your clothes so comfy?"

"They aren't," Jess shrugged.

"Maybe it's just cause they aren't mine," Charlie sighed, falling onto the couch. Jess eyed her, how she hung her head over the armrest and let her, now only damp, honey hair barely brush the floor.

"What happened?"

"Got pushed in a lake," Charlie nonchalantly explained, raising her feet in the air, "I think Luke gave too many people ideas—"

"Charlotte."

"Please never call me Charlotte again," Charlie scrunched her nose, sitting up fully and ignoring the blood rush. Jess was staring at her with a bored expression. "Okay, so I got into a fight with my mom. Big deal."

"Charlie. . ." Jess sighed, pushing himself up from the bed and claiming a spot on the couch beside her, "You can talk to me. If you want." He smirked lightly, "I happen to be very versed in arguing with moms."

"Yeah, I know," Charlie rolled her eyes as the boy laughed.

"So. . .?"

"She told me to be more like Rory," Charlie finally spit it out, "I told her I wanted to just move to New York. Maybe just miss the whole college thing."

"Screw that," Charlie raised a brow, "After graduation, you, me, New York City."

"Really?"

"I'd follow you anywhere, Gilmore."

She smiled kindly, turning onto her stomach and reaching for her phone she'd discarded on the coffee table.

"Who are you calling?"

"My Grandpa," Charlie admitted quietly, "My Grandma forced my mom to hang out with him for the day, and she didn't want him around and it's just. . . he's a really nice guy."

Jess nodded understandingly, returning to his book as she put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Grandpa."

"Charlie," He jumped, "I have to apologize for what I caused, you were gone when I returned and--"

"It's okay."

Richard fell silent, leaning into his chair.

"I really liked our talk," She said quietly, curling up, "Can we spend more time together, Grandpa? I know it's kind of weird, but we didn't get time when I was a kid and now that you're retired-- I mean unless you have hobbies--"

"I would love nothing more, Charlie."

The girl smiled warmly, happily chatting as long as Richard would listen. Jess sat silently, refusing to rush the girl.

She had another family member to turn to, he was jealous, wished he had this as well, but was ever so glad Charlie had more than he did.

"So, Thursday?" Charlie smiled widely, pulling her feet closer to herself, "I've never been golfing, you know."

"Oh, but I assure you, Charlie, it is a very easy sport once you learn the basics."

"And I'll have the best teacher," She grinned, "I'll call you once I'm out of school, love you, Grandpa, tell Grandma I said good night."

Richard's heart warmed at her thoughtless goodbye. He reciprocated it, hanging up and sitting silently in his study.

It was the first time Charlie Gilmore had ever said she loved her Grandpa. Granted, they'd had their first conversation over Christmas break and hadn't been all too close. But still, the words coming so easily, the girl happily snuggling down onto the couch for sleep afterward, it all warmed Richard Gilmore's heart more than she was aware.

And Jess Mariano let the girl fall asleep, urging her to take his blanket and pillow, only to give them to her once she was fast asleep.

He sat back down, with an open book, though his eyes wandered to her more than the words.

"Jess, what are you--"

"Shhh."

Luke raised an eyebrow, before following Jess's finger to the quietly snoozing Charlie Gilmore.

He made an 'O' shape with his mouth, nodding and walking to his dresser and retrieving pajamas.

"Is she okay?" Luke questioned, a hand on the bathroom doorknob.

"I think she will be," Jess mumbled, flipping a page, "She called her grandpa. She was happy before she fell asleep."

Luke nodded, opening the door and taking a step inside before pausing. He thought over his next words carefully, turning to the boy.

"Thank you."

"I didn't do anything."

"Not used to having a partner in crime for saving Charlie."

"Well, now you've got one for as long as she needs us."

Luke smiled, disappearing into the bathroom, for the first time in a long time, feeling as though he could leave Charlie under the eye of someone else without worry overtaking him.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE.)
I PROMISED A DOUBLE UPDATE
AND EVEN THOUGH ITS LATE HERE
IT IS!! very happy with charlie's
new relationships dynamics tbh.
writing the trio (liam emma and charlie)
more like real teens than crazy CW drama
teens is really refreshing. like, they're dumb
and taking time to fully forgive and get
back to how they were, but one big fight
cant erase a lifetime of friendship u know?
also i literally love the new liam sorry if
y'all do not