𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 . . . 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴
❝ Hold your horses, he asked to meet me, not for my hand in marriage.

  CHARLIE SAT IDLY by as Rory decided to tell their grandmother all about the Crap Shack's problems. Neither she nor Lorelai was exactly enjoying it, Charlie had a plan to ask her grandmother about the Huntzbergers but now it was all down the toilet.

  "We found out we have all these foundation problems and it's gonna be very expensive to fix and Mom can't get a loan."

  "That is not true," Lorelai denied.

  "You've been turned down by five banks."

  "Hey, I made up 'Jacko's Loans and Stuff'."

  "Fine, four banks."

  Emily made brief eye contact with Charlie, who was sipping her soda. The teen shrugged discreetly as if saying 'I am not a part of this'. Emily fought a smile, standing and marching right out of the room.

  "Mom, d'oh. Wait. What are you doing?" Lorelai followed the woman, allowing Charlie to freely glare at Rory.

  "I'm writing you a check."

  "No, you're not. Okay, hold on here."

  "You're gonna burn a hole through my head," Rory whispered to Charlie.

  "Mmm, I'll apologize to Dean."

  "Why?"

  "Because he'll have a weird-lookin' girlfriend."

  "I appreciate the thought, but I don't need your money." Lorelai came walking back into the sitting room with the twins, Emily following.

  "So you'd rather have your house fall down than let your mother help you?"

  Charlie elected to zone out after that, Emily was taking it rather personally that Lorelai wouldn't accept the check, and Rory was no receiving a ten times worse glare from her mother.

  Dinner was long and painful, oddly enough they'd begun to be a thing Charlie quite enjoyed. But tonight, the girl was sat in a big tense mess. After the meal, both Rory and Lorelai were quick to escape but Charlie was called back.

  "Charlie?" The teen turned to her grandmother, "When are you planning on staying?"

  "Oh, I was thinking I'd come on Christmas Eve and stay through New Years'. If that's alright."

  "That's perfect," Emily smiled.

  "And, Grandma, you know the check thing isn't something personal right?" The smile melted right off Emily's face, "It's just pride. Guess it's a Gilmore thing."

  "Yes, I suppose it is." Emily nodded, "I'll see you in a few days then, Goodnight, Charlotte."

  Charlie began to walk out of the door, only to realize this was the perfect time to ask the question that had been swimming in her mind.

  "Do you know the Huntzbergers?" Emily paused, turning back to Charlie.

  "Why?"

  "Their kid, Logan I think, wants to meet me," Charlie explained, "We have a mutual friend and he mentioned that they knew you and Grandpa—"

  "He wants to meet you?" Charlie faltered, seeing the smile on Emily's face, "This is just wonderful!"

  "Hold your horses, he asked to meet me, not for my hand in marriage."

  "Don't be silly," Emily waved off, "So, would you maybe like to spend New Year's Eve there, drive back here in the morning. . .?" Emily wore the biggest smile Charlie had ever seen.

  "Are you. . ." Charlie inspected the woman, "Are you offering to help me go behind my mom's back?"

  "Absolutely not, that would be ridiculous," Emily waved her hands, "I'm encouraging you to make connections at an early age."

  "You totally are!" Charlie grinned, "I like this side of you, bring it out more often."

  "No."

  "Okay."

↬

  The tension in Crap Shack suffocated Charlie. Despite remaining downstairs, and the day only just beginning, she could hear Lorelai and Rory arguing in their mother's room. In all honesty, Charlie too was mad at her sister.

  Of course, she had wished their mom would allow their grandparents to help, but it was her decision. Not theirs.

  So, Charlie quietly scribbled a note and stuck it on the fridge before leaving the house silently. Neither Gilmore arguing seemed to notice the front door click shut or the teen walk back towards the center of town.

  After Lorelai had ended the conversation, she stormed downstairs and flung the fridge open. The woman faltered, noticing their crowded fridge had a new hot pink note on it.

Went to Luke's, call if you need me.
Will be home b4 midnight,
love you,
Charlie x

  "Damn it," Lorelai sighed, falling into a kitchen chair. The woman hadn't felt this bad in years, and it was not something she missed.

  "I thought I was the grumpy one."

  "You can take one day off, I need it," Charlie muttered to Luke, starting a new pot of coffee.

  "So."

  "A needle pulling thread—"

  "Pea." Luke gave her a pointed look, making her shoulders slump, "What is going on recently?"

  "Those termites," Charlie groaned, "They're driving my Mom and Rory insane, they're fighting, and it's driving me insane, it's not even about the bugs anymore! Like, their strategy was to break us, get us to fight each other—!"

  "Sit down, you're getting too worked up about this." Luke watched Charlie circle the counter, pulling herself onto a stool. "I'm sure Rory and your mom won't fight for very long. You three are the closest family maybe ever."

  "Not as close as those families that go on annual camping trips."

  "What?"

  "Nothing," Charlie sighed, resting her chin on her hands, "What're you doing for Christmas?"

  "Lottie!"

  "That is my queue," Charlie slid off her seat, Luke was eyeing Finn who had picked up a menu from a stray table and was flipping through it like a magazine, "Donut?"

  "Are you hanging out with hobos?"

  "He may not look it, but that kid is loaded." Charlie accepted the bag. "Bye, Luke!"

  "What are we doing today, little Lottie?" Finn questioned, following the girl out of the diner, unaware of the set of eyes following him.

  "Well, I was thinking of Christmas shopping." Finn groaned loudly. "Christmas is this weekend! I need to get presents."

  "Mmm, I guess I could tag along," Finn smirked, "If I get to choose what we do next."

  "As long as it's something you'd be willing to do with Colin."

  "You've just completely ruined my daydream, love."

  "That's what I was going for."

  Shopping was as dreadful as one would assume. Charlie had found the gifts she needed, insisting to buy Finn one. Which included making him stand outside of the store while she shopped for him.

  Finn had insisted she not get him one, though Charlie wasn't having it at all. By the end of the day, both of them were carrying bags and Charlie Gilmore was complaining about the aching state of her feet.

  "Lottie?" Charlie let out a hum of question, watching string lights wrapped proudly up a Stars Hollow light post twinkle as day became night and all beyond the bench they occupied blurred together. The girl was resting her head on Finn's shoulder, and he seemed rather okay with it, "I'm glad I'm here."

  "I'm glad you're here too."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
1. I know there's been a huge lack
of Jess but our gal has a talent of
holding grudges soooooo yeah!
But, he'll be back to a bigger part soon, don't worry!
Also,, the next chapter(s?) will be Christmas/ New years
because it's not in the show? SO WE'RE LIKE PAUSING
THE SHOW AND IT'LL BE CHARLIE AWAY FROM
HOME PLS DON'T HATE ME HAHAH