A/N: Sibling bonding and the first part of Maggie's b-day party. Next chapter will feature the rest of the party including a dramatic issue that will involve Caitlin.

Charles' POV

1:23am

The sound of Charlotte coming home 20 minutes ago had pulled Charles from his slumber. He hadn't really been asleep just floating between sleep and wakefulness. He lay there listening for her to pass by on her way to her room. He hadn't told her that Liza was staying over, he should give her a courteous heads up text, but his phone was across the room charging next to Liza's. He smiled at just how domesticated they had been plugging their phones in before crawling into bed. Another ten minutes and still no sign of Charlotte, Charles slipped out of bed and quietly set about hunting her down. His over active imagination convincing him that she'd been abducted by some extraterrestrial being. Maybe she'd fallen and couldn't get up, this was less likely as he would have heard the fall and Charlotte wasn't elderly despite her occasional grumpy old man demeanor. Yep it was definitely an alien invasion. He made his way down the stairs bracing himself for a World of Wars situation...nothing...he needed to stop reading science fiction before bed. He looked around for evidence that she'd ever been home maybe he had imagined hearing the door open earlier, then he saw the back patio light shining bright in the night. He made his way outside and joined her, she was sitting at the glass top table feet perched on a second chair, a lit cigarette in one hand her phone in the other. She also had her laptop open on the table and a yellow legal pad next to it, half the page was filled with her deliberate hurried scrawl. Charles sat across from her and pointed to the glowing American Spirit unfiltered cancer stick in her hand.

"Those things'll kill ya."

"Not soon enough." He gives her a stern face chiding her silently. She rolls her eyes and tells him too calm down she's long for this world yet. Then offers him one. Charles looks over his shoulder like he's a child about to be caught by his parents. "Oh come on Chuckster, I found these in your jacket pocket. We both know you've been smoking again."

"It's been...a trying time."

"Dido" She tosses him his own pack of cigarettes and the cheap purple lighter he'd bought from the same drug store he'd got the cigarettes from two days ago. When he was younger and dumber-back when smoking wasn't an occasional nervous tick but a full fledged habit= he'd used his grandfathers old zippo the very lighter he'd had with him all through WWII. Their grandfather use to joke that he may have lost three toes in the war but he'd managed to bring that lighter all the way home. It was a tall tale Charles knew for the zippo was stamped as being made in 1973. Hardly a WWII era relic, but he treasured it just the same. He sat smiling at the memory of his grandfather telling his war anecdote to any person who would listen, he must have been quite for too long because suddenly he was being hit with a flying pen. Charlotte sat there expectantly waiting for him to say something worth her time. "You ok Bullwinkle?"

He tosses her pen back to her and assures her he is fine. "Working on a new case...partner?" He watched as her jaw clenched so tight he was worried she'd crack a molar. He knew that something must have happened in her meeting with Bob and the two founding partners earlier. Liza had mentioned she was working part time for Diana but nothing else, he sat back and waited for her to fill him in. She'd been home less than 24 hours and they were having another heart to heart...well they did have nearly two years to catch up on.

"Nope, no new case. Judt preparing for two debates or TV interviews-whatever the hell it is I'm suppose to do." Charles fingered the cellophane of the pack of American Spirit's on the table, and waited for Charlotte to elaborate. She sighed dramatically and told him about not making partner but instead she had been promoted to public communications or rather the the public "face" of her law firm. She couldn't commit to her clients 100% and do the TV news circuit, so the powers at be took her hard earned client list from her and told her to preform like a trained monkey on TV instead. She was probably over reacting, especially going to work for Diana part time, but he understood her reasons. Charlotte was an addict same as Charles and their father. Drug of choice? Work. She was use to 70+ hour work weeks and now she would be lucky to stretch that into 30. So yeah he knew why she was working for Diana, and he was kind of jealous. He'd barely made it through the day today, he needed to find something to occupy his new found time too. Maybe he could volunteer at the girls school or maybe Liza needed a part time assistant too? The thought of being back in the office with Liza warmed him from his core, but that would never work just like Charlotte working for Diana wouldn't work either. You can't go backwards after you've been on top, she'll be miserable working for Diana part time. But she needed to find this out for herself. "So the topic we're debating tomorrow is when=if ever-should felons who've served their time and reassimilated back into their community, earn their right to vote again. I'm trying to find where I stand...the firm wants me to argue one way but I personally tend to lean other way."

"You should go with your gut, and pick the side you can win." In typical Charlotte fashion she nonchalantly replied that she could win arguing for either side. "Then go with whichever leaves your integrity in tact."

"Why are you up?"She was clearly changing the subject, and Charles let her. They chat for awhile, they'd spent a good portion of the day together but there hadn't been time for them to just be Charles and Charlotte the dynamic duo. She filled him in on Marie's Crisis, Diana's eyebrow situation, losing Diana's drunk boyfriend, and tried to bait him with the bombshell that she'd met Josh, Liza's hot headed ex. He didn't react when she'd brought him up, all he did was nod his head and rub his jaw were the kid had punched him last year at Pound Ridge. It was almost 3am before she yawned, and he suggested they get some sleep tonight. They were heading up the stairs when Charles remembered to tell Charlotte that Liza was there.

"Is she in my bed?"

"Of course not-I just wanted to give you a heads up-"

"I don't care who you play house with Chucky, just so long as my room is vacant."

"Right...Hey we are invited to a party tomorrow-well I guess it's technically tonight-but we're invited if you don't have plans." He held his breath and hoped she couldn't make it, meeting Maggie and being introduced to Caitlin as Liza's new significant other was going to be stressful enough without having to worry about Charlotte's infamous mouth.

"I don't think I'm in any mood to party with Bobby, no matter how much I'd like to see Julia. Count me out."

He could let her think that it was Bob's party and he'd be off the hook, but lying never worked out for Charles even lies by omission.

"Actually it's Liza's roommates birthday party...her daughter will be there too." She stopped on the steps and regarded him in that way she did when she was over analyzing things.

"Liza's a grown woman with a child-"

"In college."

"a collegiate child, and she still has a roommate?"

"I understand if you can't make it, I told Liza I would extend the invitation to you."

"Okay..." She smiled and her smile worried him somewhat. "Do I need to bring a gift?"

"Uh...I didn't ask. I was just going to bring a bottle of wine Maggie-Liza's friend-she's a connoisseur of good wine, according to Liza."

"Okay, pick out one of the really expensive bottles you've been saving in the cellar and slap my name on it too, I'll go." They reach the top of the steps and she hugs him says goodnight and goes towards her library/bedroom. Charles heads up to his own room and crawls back into bed with Liza.

"Where'd you go? I was worried your were kidnapped by pirates." He chuckled it wasn't aliens but her imagination was just as active as his own.

"Shhh go back to sleep, I was just with Charlotte." He wraps her in his arms as she rolls over to him.

"She ok?"

"She will be, she's worried her career will be ruined by becoming a television personality. But; and I did not say this to her for fear of physical retaliation, I think she'll be great at it. She could actually bring a lot of awareness to people that don't trust TV journalist especially concerning topics that are dividing us as a nation. She's always been able to view all perspectives and weed out the bull shit, she presents facts and passionately defends the good in people. There's no one more convincing than Charlotte when she's-" He stops as he see Liza's eyes glaze over probably from sleep but he knew he was on a bragging campaign for Charlotte and he just nods and says quickly. "If she does this for real not only can she do real good, but she may not be as bored as she thinks she will be."

"I'm sure you're right but I'm going to let her work for Diana in the meantime." She yawns. "Gives me a break." She kisses his jaw and snuggles into the crook of his neck, she's asleep within seconds. Charles doubted she'd remember any of this conversation when she wakes up later, she'd practically been asleep the whole conversation. He smiled happy about this one particular aspect of his life, he'd worry about the rest later.

The day had been a long one, Liza had left for work early that morning because she was planning to leave early to set up for Maggie's birthday bash. After she'd left Charlotte had strolled out of bed and had invited him to go with her to the set of Fox and Friends. He'd gone as moral support, but she hadn't needed him she'd dominated and even though she wasn't ready to admit it he could tell she'd enjoyed the heated debate. After that they'd gone over to MSNBC for some other interview debate thing, honestly Charles had been so consumed with all the things happening behind the camera he'd forgotten to focus on what Charlotte was doing there. Maybe he could do something with live broadcasting, behind the scenes of course...

Now they were in his car, Charlotte had insisted that she drive and he had caved reluctantly. He sat in the front seat of his Land Rover clinging to the "oh shit" handle with a $500 dollar bottle of wine between his legs. If they made it there in one piece he'd still have to survive the dinner party. She takes a sharp turn and Charles stomps on imaginary breaks.

"Let off it Chucky I'm not that bad a driver. You taught me."

Ten frightening minutes later they were outside Liza's. As they made their way up the steps they were joined by Kelsey and her little friend he had seen around a few times, her name was escaping him now. Thankfully Kelsey took it upon herself to introduce Charlotte to Lauren-Lauren he remembered now. She latched herself to Charlotte apparently she was a big fan and was now trying to sign her to her PR firm, citing Diana as a client. They ascended the stairs, Kelsey avoiding Charles as much as possible. She was clearly off put by being in his company, he matched her sentiments. They reached the door and as he was about to knock the one named Lauren just barged right in followed by Kelsey leaving the two Brooks' kids standing on the other side. Their upbringing would not just allow them to enter a strangers home without an invitation, thankfully Liza appeared and pulled them both into the artsy bohemian inspired loft.

"Hi!" She hops up on tip-toe and kisses him, and notices Charlotte behind him. "Charli you made it! I saw you on Fox earlier, fantastic job! Come in-come in, and come meet Maggie. Maggie!" She pulls him towards a dark haired woman that was eyeing Charles from across the room. She was wearing a birthday crown and had a lit joint in one hand and a full glass of wine in the other. Liza beamed as she shyly yet proudly introduced him to Maggie. "Maggie-" She rubs his arm. "meet Charles-Charles meet Maggie."

"Hello Maggie, nice to finally meet you." he holds his hand out without thinking of the logistics. She eyes him warily before unceremoniously placing the joint between her lips to free up a hand so she could shake his. Liza rolls her eyes and takes the joint from her mouth and hands it to a passing Lauren.

"Your pleasure," she says now that she is free to speak.

"uh, happy birthday." Holds the wine out to her and watches her face loses it's hardness as she recognizes the caliber of the wine he is holding out to her. He was suddenly glad that Charlotte had forced him put back the $200 dollar of wine for the more expensive one she was taking from him.

"Holy shit, this bottle is amazing! C'mon we have to open it now." She pulls him into the kitchen area to open it and decant it, leaving Charlotte behind for Lauren to pursue. Charles and Maggie bond quickly over their love of expensive wine, he was certain that he was not in the clear with the protective best friend but at least they were enjoying each others company right now. He sure loved the smile Liza was giving him from where she stood across the room with Charlotte, Lauren and Kelsey who'd been working on her phone almost from the minute they'd arrived. He remembered those days, he almost felt bad for her... There was a knock on the door, Liza rushes to open it no doubt it was Caitlin. Hopefully he will be able to charm her as he had Maggie...

It wasn't Liza's daughter on the other side of the door, instead it was a familiar face...Josh. Charles caught Charlotte's eye and saw the glint of joy in her eyes she was going to enjoy watching his discomfort...

end