A/N:Soooo I've been consumed by the Youngerverse, and we have such a very long wait till we have new official Younger content. I'm drawn more to the character of Charles Brooks, and how he's going to navigate his new life without Empirical. Who is he without his company, what is he going to do? Also his home and family life, not just his girls but his parents what happened to them? Does he have siblings? In my mind he has a much younger sister, a brilliant Millennial lawyer (Harvard Alum) who's been defending a famous rapper charged with murder for the past 22 months. Which explains why she hasn't been on screen. This first bit will be more about who she is and her back story, and will feature a lot of Charles too. Most if not all characters will be involved in these chapters, this is more of a Younger fanfic not just Charles and Liza. I am and will forever be #TeamCharles so no #TeamJosh storylines will be featured, I will however say that just because I am #TeamCharles does not mean these two will be free of any drama and happily ever afters will not come easily.

This picks up the Monday after Kelsey is named the new publisher, Liza and Charles are still tiptoeing around their insecurities, but they are ultimately more happy than not...until Charlotte Anita Brooks esq. arrives on the scene. (yeah her name is Charlotte I kinda love the idea of having siblings named Charles and Charlotte! Also plays into the elitist silliness of the 1 percenters). Kelsey is still riding on her high and has yet to face any real problems, she has not been in contact with Charles. Diana does know about Charles and Liza, but not that Liza is in her forties. Liza keeps trying to find a moment when Diana is in a good mood, which proves difficult because Diana is missing Charles and is having a hard time adjusting to Kelsey being her boss.

I welcome all comments, but please be kind we're all Younger lovers here, and whatever helps us through the unbearably long hiatus.

Chapter 1

The City was alive and singing it's familiar song as Charlotte "Charli" Brooks entered the Bank of America building her stomach in knots. She hadn't planned on flying in from Nashville so soon, but she just could not fathom another night away from her home and her family. She wanted to surprise Chucky, she'd talked to him yesterday morning and he'd sounded off like he was keeping something from her. Chucky was a terrible liar and she was here to put him out of his misery, he obviously had to tell her something and did not want to do it over the phone. She rode the elevator up in relative silence, a leggy brunet was fidgeting in front of her, she looked familiar to Charli but she couldn't quite place the back of her head. The bottle blonde standing next to her was no mystery though. Kelsey Peters, Charli recognized her as Chucky's former assistant turned Millennial fonder. The two had not seen each other since Belinda's funeral, and that had only been a brief interaction. Kelsey clearly had not recognized Charli as she ran into the elevator just as it was closing. The two women chatted as if they were the only two in the elevator, which annoyed her there was such a thing as elevator etiquette. If they weren't going to lower their voices then they were giving away their right to a private conversation, and she actively began listening to them when she heard the tall one say Charles' name.

"I guess everything is ok Charles, hasn't really talked about it with me, Have you talked to him since...?"Kelsey shook her head no.

"It's not like we're close Millennial has been self sufficient for awhile now. I'm just worried that Diana won't get on board 100%. Are you interviewing for her new assistant today?"

"Yes, but I don't think she's going to like anyone I pick-" Kelsey cut her off.

"Liza, you cannot keep working her desk and doing your job too. She's just going to have to suck it up and accept whoever you pick or she will be without an assistant. You coddle her too much. We are in a new era, it's no longer Trout season. Buck up and cut the apron strings." Liza-Charli remembered her now she had just been promoted to associate editor at the Millennial imprint, but was still working as Diana's assistant when they'd been briefly introduced at Belinda's funeral. Something else Charli remembered about this Liza was the way her hapless big brother had made goggley eyes at her. She filed this in away and returned her focused back to Kelsey. Who was she to be talking like this? Had Chucky promoted her to managing editor since the last time she'd seen her? They finally made it to the Empirical offices and the two stepped off, Charli let them get a good head start on her.

As she strolled slowly out into the bowels of Empirical she marveled at all the things that had changed in the near three years since she'd last been here. While lots of things had changed there where more things that had not. The bull pen buzzed with office chatter, interns and assistants still tiptoed quickly by Diana's office and the smell of coffee, paper, and books engulfed her senses like a hug. She smiled remembering the times she use to visit her father in the office as a child. Empirical had not been in the Bank of America building then, but the smells and feelings had all transferred seamlessly to this new office space. She passed Diana's office, she wasn't in yet. Charli was almost as excited to see Diana as she was Charles. She'd interned for Diana every summer all through her undergrad years at Princeton. Sadly she'd had to stop once she'd been accepted in to Harvard Law, she needed more law office experience and Bob had made room for her at his firm. It had turned out pretty great, they'd hired her there after she'd graduated number 2 in her class. She'd made it through the office and was now at Chucky's open door, she wasn't sure he was even in yet, as it was still pretty early. She walked in ready to be greeted by her Chucky, stopped short as it was not Charles sitting behind his desk but Kelsey Peters. She looked up confusion on her face as Charli entered the room uninvited.

"Can I help you?" She asked, only slightly annoyed at Charli's intrusion.

"Uh, maybe?" What was going on had Charles rented two floors for Empirical and he was in a bigger office one floor up from them? Charli looked up at the ceiling imagining Chucky sitting behind a bigger more impressive desk sipping his too sweet coffee. He didn't care for cream in his coffee but he always put too much sugar in it for Charli's tastes. Kelsey interrupts her before she can ask where Charles new office is located.

"Are you here to interview for the assistant to the Marketing Director? Did the agency send you?" Charli opened her mouth to say no, but Kelsey stood and started to escort her back out of the room. Our Executive Editor for Millennial - Liza Miller is conducting interviews in the conference room. Here I'll show you the way. You look so familiar, have you temped here before?" And because technically it was not a lie and Charli's head was still spinning she answered that yes he had tempted here before, for Diana Trout in fact. "And you still want to come back and work Diana's desk? I say you pretty much got the job then, but ultimately I've tasked Liza with hiring her replacement." Kelsey ushered her through her family's company and into the empty conference room. "I'll let Liza know her first interview is here early. She'll love that." Kelsey turns to leave but looks back at Charli again. "You look so familiar...do you model? I fell like I've seen you on TV, like in a commercial or something?..." Charli was positive that Kelsey had seen her on TV, her murder case was nationally recognized. Charli has been on every major new station, and done interviews with some of the nations biggest television reporters. She was about to correct Kelsey's error in mistaking her as a hopeful job candidate but Kelsey cut her off again. "Don't tell me, it'll come to me. I'll just go grab Liza, have a seat." And again because Charli did not know what else to do she nodded in agreement and sat. No more than three minutes later Kelsey reappeared with Liza. "Here she is, and Liza not only is she super prompt BUT she's actually worked for Diana as a Temp before. So there's less you'll have to train her in, and she already knows how Diana can be...Diana-ish." Liza smiled at Charli held her hand out and watched as recognition spread across her face as she spoke.

"Charlotte Brooks? Charles sister, Hi...uh Liza Miller " Kelsey's brow furrowed and Charli stood to take Liza's out stretched hand.

"You can just call me Charli. Hi Liza, we've actually met before at my Godmother's funeral-Belinda LaCroix." Charli makes eye contact with Kelsey and adds. "We've actually met before too, it's ok my hair was way different last time." Kelsey is very clearly embarrassed and was tries to back track.

"I'm so sorry! Of course I remember meeting you! So much has happened the past few days-I- it just slipped my mind...You've been on the news! I remember now, L.A. Al the rapper who killed his wife-"

"No, Alvin was found not guilty and all charges have been dropped. The murderer is now behind bars." Liza was just staring at Charli like there was something suck in her teeth, she instinctively reached up to her mouth but stalled when she remembered she had not eaten yet today and she'd brushed her teeth in the Uber from the airport. She met Liza's eye. "Yes?" Liza shook herself back into the conference room.

"Did you tell Charles you were coming home? When was the last time you spoke to him?" Liza's eyes grew bigger and wider with each question. "Do you know about...?" She left the last sentence trail off. What is going on thought Charli.

"I spoke with Chucky last night, he didn't have much say which is his norm. So I thought I'd just surprise him at the office. When do you expect him in?" Liza and Kelsey stood silent having a private conversation unlike the one in the elevator just a mere 15 minutes ago. Charli felt the same twinge of annoyance she had in the elevator at the duo "I know it's corny, but he sounded weird on the phone last night. So much has happened since I left for Tennessee. The departure and return of Pauline, Marriage Vacation the divorce-FINALLY am I right? Then Eddie turned out to be a real life shit head, losing Belinda she was my Godmother you know? I may have already said that, I tend to ramble when people stare at me like you two are. Hey maybe we should have the entire office hide and pop out at Chucky when he steps off the elevator, give the old man a real shock huh?... Are you guys ok?" Nothing Kelsey and Liza just swap wide eyed looks back and forth between them. "What's, uh, what's going on? Where's Chucky? Is he ok? Did something happen with Nicky or B?!" Looks between Kelsey and Liza her heart rate rising, Chucky had to be ok she'd just talked to him less than 12 hours ago Charli caught Liza's eye and held it again. "What's going on, someone needs to start talking." Kelsey looked at Liza and backed out of the room leaving Liza and Charli alone. Liza motioned for Charli to sit, and as they both lowered their bodies into their chairs Liza finally began to tell her what the hell was going on.

"Charles and the girls are ok. But, Charlotte you should really talk-" Charli cut her off.

"Charli." Liza nodded and breathed in.

"Right. Charli, you should really go talk to Charles."

"Okay, sure when he comes in I'll talk to him. It is kind of why I'm here ya know?" She smiles her best smile at Liza, who's distress took on a whole new dimension.

"Charles isn't coming into the office today. You should call him." Liza reaches out and squeezes Charli's hand sympathetically. Just then Diana swooshes by in a gush of glory, Charli calls out to the only friend she knows she has at Empirical.

"Diana!" Diana turns on her heel spots Charli and floats into the conference room with a grace that probably does not come to her effortlessly. Charli jumps up from her chair and welcomes Diana's embrace. Diana wasn't a big hugger so it was strange to Charli that Diana held her as long and as tightly as she did. When she finally released her there were what appeared to be tears threatening to spill out of Diana's eyes as she spoke to Charli.

"I'm so glad you came home to be with Charles. He's needs to be surrounded by family, and he's missed you so-" Liza cut Diana off.

"Diana, Charli came in today to surprise Charles. He doesn't know she's home and has not told her about-...Charles hasn't told Charlotte about our new investor's." Liza glares at Diana as if to warn her not to spill the beans to Charli. She was growing increasingly impatient.

"Diana, what's going on?" Diana looks from Charli to Liza and back to Charli, as she's wrestling with herself Charli speaks again. "Di, we go way back and I know you'd never lie to me. What's going on? Don't look to her." Holds her hand up to silence Liza. She has gone into full litigator mood and is going to get the truth from Diana one way or the other. Diana caves and begins telling Charli all about Quinn Tyler and all the new changes at Empirical. She told her about Kelsey's promotion and Liza's, how Millennial was the main focus now. She told her everything concerning everyone but Chucky. "Ok, this is not how I pictured my families company growing but none of this seems so bad. So I guess Chucky is taking some vacation time, now that Kelsey's sharing the work load as publisher huh? Good! The dude needs to relax and just between us get laid he's wound up so tight he's going to have a heart attack." Charli smiles awkwardly as again Liza has another silent conversation this time with Diana.

"You should go see Charles, I can call you a company car." Diana says softly, Charli was confused again everything Di had told her was good news right?

""I don't think I should go anywhere until I have all the pieces to this puzzle. If Kelsey is the new publisher, where does Chucky stand here?" Her voice was almost a whisper when she spoke again. "Diana? We're family, right?" Diana nods as her eyes shoot to the floor. She lost her battle and the tears that glistened in her eyes now fell freely down her face. The three women stood there in silence, a silence that was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Six eyes shoot to the doorway where all 6 feet 5 inches of Charleston Andrew Brooks stood. He was in running shoes and attire holding a carrier of three coffee cups. He didn't see Charli at first Liza hid her from his view He surveyed Diana's tears and Liza's anguish his eyes finally found all 5 feet 2 inches of Charlotte Anita Brooks.

"Hey, kiddo." He sucked in a deep breath. "We need to talk..."

End Chapter 1