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The week after getting back from Lorelai is blurred. It is the liminal space between Christmas and New Year. Charlotte counts down the days until Tyler gets back, spending most of her time eating Christmas candy and watching movies. She hangs out with Ivy one afternoon and the girls get hot chocolate, blowing the steam across the cups and their cheeks pink with cold. They describe the gifts they've gotten each and Charlotte admits she still hasn't found anything Tyler would like.

"What do you get guys?"

"I don't know...what did you get your dad?"

Charlotte gives Ivy a look. "I am not getting my boyfriend the stuff I got my dad, or my brother."

"They're guys."

"And Tyler's my boyfriend!"

"Look online."

Charlotte makes a face but decides to do so later, and coughs on some hot chocolate as her friend says, "I bet being with you would be enough."

"Are you saying I should have sex with him?"

"I'm just kidding," Ivy says, but she nudges Charlotte, who doesn't admit that she bought condoms a few weeks before. She changes the subject to new year's plans and buries her face in her cup.

Charlotte's own new year's plans are pretty uneventful. There's a small celebration at Truncheon each year and everyone gets a sparkler. This year, as she drinks too-sweet punch and looks at the clock, Charlotte thinks about how Tyler will be home the next day and feels a surge of excitement. She texts Tyler to say 'happy almost new year' and helps herself to another handful of chips. As the clock nudges towards midnight there's a bustle of excitement and everyone moves outside, passing sparklers around and glasses of champagne to the adults. Then an uncertain, cheerful chorus of Auld Lang Syne breaks out as fireworks go off in the distance. Charlotte stumbles over the words, smiling at her parents, and everyone cheers as the clock strikes.

"Happy New Year!"

Charlotte cheers it with those around her and then her mother is there, hugging her, and saying, "Happy New Year, angel."

"Happy New Year, Mom."

Charlotte and Rory smile at each other, hug again, and Charlotte silently decides her new year's resolution is to give her mom more of a chance. She doesn't want to tell Rory every single thing, but she's going to talk to her more. They break apart and then her father is there, handing her a glass of champagne, and when Charlotte looks at him in surprise Jess says, "It's just one glass, and it is New Year's."

"That's right," Rory says, smiling. "It's New Year's."

Charlotte takes a long sip and coughs a little, making her parents laugh.

"I want some!" Annie exclaims and Jess says, "Give it a few more years, Annie-girl. Here, have some lemonade."

"It tastes better," Charlotte tells her, making her parents laugh again. They stand out on the street a little longer, the sparklers lighting their circle, until everyone drifts back inside and the sparklers sputter out. Tyler doesn't text her back but Charlotte is only mildly disappointed. It's a whole new year after all.

The next day Rory and Charlotte arrange to go to Logan's. It's a long drive, the roads clogged with holiday traffic, and Charlotte's resolution not to be in a bad mood with her mother already feels tested. Rory is stressed, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, and she constantly checks her phone when they're stationary in a lane before dropping it guiltily in case they suddenly move. She babbles to Charlotte in more of a monologue, peppered with references Charlotte only gets from so many movie marathons at Lorelai's, and finally she says sharply, "Mom!"

"What? Oh, sorry," Rory says, shaking her head. "I got kind of carried away."

Charlotte bites back an agreement. Silently, she hands her mother the flask of coffee they brought and Rory drinks it gratefully, letting out a deep sigh. Finally they arrive. It's a murky, grey day, with the kind of cold that seeps through you, and they gratefully hurry into Logan's building and into the elevator. Charlotte's heart leaps when she sees the fire crackling in the apartment as Logan opens the door with a wide smile on his face.

"If it isn't the Gilmore girls."

"I thought that was Mom and Nana," Charlotte says, taking off her coat and Logan waves a hand. "Next generation and all. There's two sets now."

"Mom's said that since you were born," Rory tells Charlotte and Logan says, "See?"

She turns to Logan and smiles, taking a breath. "Happy New Year, Logan."

"Same to you, Ace. And Charlotte."

They stand mutely for a moment before Logan says loudly, "Hey, sit. You guys need a drink. Soda good?"

"Isn't Lucia around?" Rory calls as Logan goes over to the drinks trolley and he says, "I gave her a break until tomorrow. She's with her family. 'Tis the season and all that."

He hands them their drinks and adds, "Speaking of the season, Charlotte, I got you this."

"Oh - you already gave me something though," Charlotte says, glancing at her mother who is frowning, and Logan hands her a jewellery box. "Something extra."

Charlotte opens it and gasps. Inside is a beautiful diamond necklace and as she lifts it out Logan says proudly, "Those are real diamonds. Only the best for you."

"Logan, that's too much," Rory cuts in. "You already gave her two hundred dollars."

"She's my daughter," Logan says, his tone terse. "I want to give her a good gift."

"You already gave her one," Rory says, raising her voice a little. Charlotte looks back and forth, cupping the necklace in her hand, unsure what to do.

"It's Christmas," Logan says angrily and Rory says, "Charlotte is my daughter too, Logan. Two hundred dollars was too much money to start with, but a diamond necklace? She doesn't need one!"

"I can afford it. And I seem to remember you liking yours."

"She's sixteen years old!" Rory exclaims, her voice almost a shout. "Where is she going to wear it? High school?"

"She can keep it for when she's older. First you say I don't do enough and then -"

"Stop," Rory says, breathing heavily. "Not like this."

"Not in front of me?" Charlotte interrupts, making them look round. The necklace is tight in her hand, the gems cutting her skin, and she says, "I'm not a little kid."

"Charlotte -"

"Look, just take it back," Charlotte says, her voice tight. "Don't fight over it."

"Honey -" Rory starts to say and then Logan's phone rings. He looks at them, looks at the phone and then goes into the bedroom with it.

"I'll just give it back," Charlotte says again. "You don't need to fight over it."

"I don't want to fight with him," Rory says. "I shouldn't have said all that in front of you. But -"

Before she can finish Logan strides back in, his mouth in a line. "You need to go."

"What?" Rory demands. "We just got here. We arranged this."

"You need to go," Logan says. He picks up Charlotte's glass and practically snatches Rory's from her hand. "Right now, you need to leave."

"Logan, what's going on?" Rory asks, standing up. "And don't talk to us like that."

"Odette is coming home early, that's what's going on," Logan snaps. "And I'm sorry, but you have to go before she gets here."

Rory looks at him for a moment and says, "Fine. Come on, Charlotte."

Silently, Charlotte goes to get her coat. She doesn't say anything but as she looks over at Logan his expression saddens a little and he says, "Charlotte, you can come back another time. I do want you here."

"Right," Charlotte mumbles and Rory tucks her arm around her. "I'll tell you when we want to see you again," Rory says angrily. "We're leaving." Charlotte looks back at Logan, back at her, and walks out, stuffing the necklace in her pocket.

Her mother has a tight, cold expression on her face all during the walk back to the car and through the traffic in New York. They have crawled almost halfway in almost gridlock traffic when suddenly Rory bursts into tears. They are loud and childlike and Charlotte stares at her, unsure what to do. Her mother never cries like this.

"I'm sorry," Rory says, her voice catching. "Charlotte, I'm sorry."

"Mom," Charlotte says, struggling for the right thing to say. "Mom, I love you."

"Oh, angel," Rory says, turning to hug her. "You're the only good thing to come out of this whole thing."

Charlotte doesn't ask what she means. She squeezes her mother's hand and holds it until the traffic moves again.

When they get back Jess is surprised to see them. He said he expected them later, sees the look on Rory's face and goes over to her, making her burst into tears again. Charlotte doesn't want to talk about any of it. She goes upstairs, takes out the necklace and puts it in the music box Logan gave her so many years ago. She doesn't want to look at it but somehow doesn't want to give it up. Stretching out on the bed, she takes her phone and sees some messages from Tyler, and instantly Charlotte's mood lights. I'm back, his text reads. Come over here, I missed you.

There is a knock on the door and Charlotte quickly puts the phone away. "Come in!"

It's Jess. He goes and sits on the bed and asks, "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Charlotte says. "Is Mom?"

"Mom's sad," Jess says, after a pause. "She'll be okay though."

Charlotte nods and Jess asks, "You want to talk about it?"

Charlotte shrugs and Jess puts a hand on her shoulder. "It helps to talk," he says. "It always helps."

"I feel a little weird," Charlotte admits. "But I want Mom to be okay. She was really upset."

"Yeah, I know," Jess says quietly. "Logan's a jerk - sorry," he says and then laughs when Charlotte says, "Are you?"

"Not really, but I shouldn't badmouth him in front of you."

"Why not?"

Jess laughs slightly but then is serious when he says, "Because he's connected to you. I don't want to feel like you have to hate him or something."

"I don't hate him," Charlotte says. "I don't know what I think."

Her father pats her shoulder and says, "You don't have to."

Charlotte nods, looking down and says, "Dad, can I go out?"

"Where?"

"Just...out," Charlotte says vaguely. "I might see Ivy."

"Okay," Jess says, after a pause. "Will you be back for dinner?"

"Maybe."

It's not really a lie, Charlotte tells herself, She is going out and she might see Ivy. She could bump into her on the street. She could have been more truthful about where she was going, she knows, but it feels private. She can have her own life too, anyway. She is sixteen and a half years old. Charlotte walks quickly against the cold, pushing her hands into her pockets for warmth, and feels the condom she took from her drawer.

Tyler kisses her as soon as he opens the door. Charlotte moves inside, still kissing, and laughs as Tyler tries to take her coat at the same time. She breaks apart from him to take it off herself and Tyler says, "Come on, I want to show you something."

They walk into the living room, footsteps echoing, and Charlotte asks, "Isn't your mom here?"

"No, she's been away the past two days."

"Oh." Charlotte doesn't know what to say. She puzzles over why Tyler didn't bother telling her earlier but then he goes over to the table, picking up a decanter and says, "Want some brandy?"

"Okay," Charlotte says. She's never tried brandy before. Tyler pours her a generous glass and Charlotte takes a long sip. The brandy burns the back of her throat but she manages not to cough. She drinks a little more but doesn't finish it. The brandy leaves a sickly taste at the back of her throat and Tyler glugs down the rest of his.

"I've got something for you."

They head upstairs and Tyler hands Charlotte something wrapped. She opens it to find a biography of Any Rand.

"Something for you to learn about," he says, smiling and Charlotte feels embarrassed with her gift. Stuffing the book in her purse, she hands him some cologne she found reduced in a store.

"It's not much," she apologises but Tyler says he loves it, spraying it all over himself. It makes Charlotte's eyes water and as he moves to kiss her the scent makes her cough. Tyler takes her hand and leads her upstairs, the scent training the whole way. Charlotte thought maybe they could sit and talk for a while, but conversation doesn't seem to be on Tyler's mind and, as she kisses him, Charlotte doesn't want to talk either. She wants to stop thinking about all of today.

Inside Tyler's room, they lie on the bed and start kissing. As they kiss harder and harder Charlotte moves her hand under Tyler's shirt to feel his skin, hot and taut, and she gasps as he puts his hands on hers, tugging at her top. "Take it off," he pleads and Charlotte slips her shirt off, blushing as it gets caught on her ear and then blushing again as she lies there in her bra. Then they're kissing again and his hands are at the back of it, struggling with the clasp until finally Charlotte sits up and takes it off herself.

"I could have done it," Tyler argues, but then he's smiling and kissing her again, pushing his chest roughly to hers. It feels so strange, his skin to hers, and Tyler senses her hesitation. "It's fine," he murmurs in her ear. "I know what I'm doing."

Charlotte isn't so sure that he does. He's rubbing his hand against her breast but it feels more awkward than enjoyable. She puts her hand around his back, closing her eyes as he kisses her neck, and then says, "Hold on," as he tugs at her jeans. Sitting up slightly, she takes the condom out from her pocket and Tyler laughs a little. "You brought one?"

"Look what we're doing."

"The girl doesn't have to get them."

Charlotte frowns at that. She's always been taught it's both people's responsibility and says, "So have you got one?"

"Hold on," Tyler groans, but he leans over her, awkwardly squashing her breasts, and reaches into the bedside table, coming out with one in his hand. "Wait."

Charlotte looks away as he unbuttons his jeans. She wonders why they couldn't have just used the one she brought and, as she waits, she suddenly feels cold.

It feels a lot, lying there in his bed, and she says, "Tyler, I don't know."

"What don't you know?"

"I don't know if I want to have sex."

"Are you serious?" Tyler exclaims. "We said - you came here with a condom."

"I know. I thought I wanted to, but I just - I want to slow down."

Tyler looks at her angrily and then says, "Whatever." He pulls his pants up, throwing the condom down and Charlotte's voice shakes as she says, "You're mad? You're mad I don't want to have sex with you?"

"I'm mad because I thought we were going to."

"I'm not saying never," Charlotte argues. "Just not now. I'm not ready."

"Why not?"

"I'm just not."

Tyler looks at her and silently picks up his shirt and Charlotte says, "So you're not going to talk to me?"

"What do we need to talk about?"

"You haven't even asked how my Christmas was. How my day was."

"I didn't think it was the point of you coming over."

"If it's all you care about, maybe you should date someone else," Charlotte says. She waits for him to say he doesn't think that and, when he doesn't, she silently gets dressed and leaves. Halfway home, she drops the Ayn Rand biography in the trash. Did they just break up? Once home, she doesn't know what to do with herself. The house is empty and a note reads that Annie and Richie are staying the night with friends and her parents have gone to see a movie. Charlotte feels weird about everything. She wants to cry but she can't. She just feels numb. Going into the living room, her eyes wander across the shelves and land on Rory's book. Charlotte bites her lip, makes some coffee and then gets the book off the shelf. She goes into her room, closes the door and sits on the bed. Taking a sip of coffee, she opens the book and begins to read.