Oneshot of Luke and Jess looking after Charlotte one afternoon.
"You sure you're okay to look after her?"
"I'm fine," Luke replies, smiling at his stepdaughter. "Charlotte and I are going to have a great time."
"Because I can always figure out something else or -"
"Rory, it's fine," Luke says firmly. "I've looked after babies before."
Rory chews her lip, silently pondering how Luke probably hasn't taken care of a baby since Jess was born. Actually, Luke thinks of saying, he took care of Doula, but then remembers how long ago that was and it's not much better. He coughs and tries to sound confident as he says, "You don't have to worry."
"Oh, I know," Rory says quickly. "I just feel bad taking up your afternoon...Mom was supposed to do it. You've got the diner to run."
"Caeser's taking care of it."
"But -"
"I'm fine," Luke repeats, wondering if echoing the word will make it more true. "It's a pleasure."
The last part is a bit of a stretch. Luke's taken care of Charlotte before but only with Lorelai and he loves his granddaughter, but has to admit that he's somewhat trepidatious about this. Kids are always sticky, like they have jam on their hands, and while Charlotte is too small to run around and hurt herself, she's also too small to do much else besides cry. Luke really hopes she doesn't bawl all afternoon - it's been known to happen. But what, is he going to tell Rory he won't babysit his own granddaughter? Lorelai and Jess have work, Lane is out of town and Rory has an interview. What, is he going to expect her to take Charlotte to that? This is ridiculous. He's perfectly capable of watching Charlotte by himself. Luke holds out his hands and carefully Rory passes Charlotte over to him, planting a kiss on her head.
"Okay. She's been fed and changed so she should be good for a couple of hours. There's bottles of formula in the diaper bag, along with diapers, obviously, and her bear. She'll get cranky if she doesn't nap, so if you put her down now she should be asleep soon. I'll call as soon as I'm done."
"Thanks, Rory," Luke says, looking at the little girl in his arms. "I've got it from here."
"Well...okay," Rory says, hesitating. "Thanks again, Luke, you've really helped out."
"I'm her grandfather, it's no big deal."
Rory smiles, giving Charlotte one last kiss. "Bye, sweets. Grandpa Luke's going to take care of you, okay? Mommy'll be back really soon."
Charlotte blinks at her and watches as Rory straightens the jacket over her blue blouse and black pants, looking much smarter than most days. Rory carefully checks for baby spittle before walking over to the door, waving before letting herself out. Charlotte starts to fuss before Rory has even got downstairs and Luke jiggles her a little in his arms.
"Hey there, kiddo. Just you and me today!"
Charlotte starts to whimper and Luke tries not to take it personally as she breaks into real tears. He walks around the room with her, whistling a tune, and says, "This is where Grandpa Luke used to live, and your daddy, too. Sometimes he still stays here if he needs a place to crash. It was my apartment. What do you think of that?"
Charlotte looks up at him and Luke rolls his eyes.
"What the hell am I asking you for? You can barely even lift your head!"
As if taking offence, Charlotte lets out a wail, waving her arms around, and increasing her annoyance with louder sobs.
"Okay, okay," Luke says, rubbing her back. "Bad joke, I'm sorry. Your mom said you need a nap, so I'm going to put you down."
Nervously, Luke looks around the apartment. It's mostly empty now apart from the bed and couch. Charlotte has essentially an entire nursery in Rory's bedroom complete with the cradle Luke built her, but there is nothing here and carefully Luke lays her down on the middle of the bed. It's crazy to think that there was a point when Charlotte wasn't in his life, for all it only being a few months ago. When Lorelai told him Rory was pregnant she'd practically had to check he wasn't going to go and kill Logan, which was Luke's first reaction. Luke couldn't stand it, Rory alone with this, but when Charlotte was born his heart was filled with love and the rest didn't matter. And Jess was there, already stepping in. Luke knew he would. When he listened to Luke rant about it all, he simply said Rory won't be alone. And she wasn't. Jess has been Charlotte's father from the start. Snuffling into silence, Charlotte lets out a sigh, and Luke has just tiptoed away to fetch the blanket and bear from her diaper bag when she starts crying again.
"I'm here, I'm here!" Luke exclaims, running back and scooping her up. "It's okay, sweetie. It's okay."
Charlotte won't stop crying. When Lorelai is there, she always calms down. Luke tries copying all the things he remembers his wife doing but none of it works. He's positive Jess and Doula didn't cry like this. Luke walks all around the bedroom and living room with Charlotte and nothing placates her. His plan was to catch up on paperwork as his granddaughter slept but considering how Charlotte has been wailing for a solid twenty minutes, Luke isn't optimistic. His shoulder is soaked from tears and probably other fluids he doesn't want to think about.
"As you're Rory's kid, I bet you really want some coffee," Luke jokes, "but I think even you are a little young for that."
Charlotte bawls into Luke's ear and he lets out a heavy sigh.
"I get it. You know, I made tons of coffee for your grandmother here. Well, downstairs, in the diner, that is. Your mom, too. When you're older you'll be just as addicted, I'm sure. What do you think of this place, huh? I hope this crying isn't your opinion. It was even smaller before your daddy moved in, if you can believe it. I knocked a wall through to make that extra room, you see? We had our beds over there and my desk here and the couch where your parents would - well, forget the last part. I'm trying to. They still tease me about the ten minute system thing."
Luke shakes his head and looks around the room. It's been a while since he's been up here for longer than it takes to grab a ledger.
"I turned this place into an apartment," he says thoughtfully to Charlotte. "It was my father's office, it wasn't meant for anyone to live in. Try telling me that. I made it into my apartment and ignored everyone. It's kind of funny to think that I lived here for so long, it's mostly my office again now. But I wasn't unhappy, living here. It suited me."
Luke gazes around the walls, the windows still adorned with the curtains Rachel teased him for so many years ago, and his mind's eye fills in the way the room used to be. He remembers how it was Jess's place, Lorelai's place sometimes and then April's, out of nowhere. Luke is happy his life changed, that he has a home with Lorelai, but sometimes he misses living over the diner. He still misses how it was at the very start, the office his father worked in and then Luke's as he got sick. It was like a home even during those uncertain times. Luke looks at it all, remembering, and jumps as Charlotte yells in his ear.
"So I guess that's the end of my trip down memory lane," he says drily. "Was getting a little too sappy anyway."
He walks slowly around the room, absently patting his granddaughter's back and becomes unpleasantly aware of drool pouring down his neck. Luke has just shifted Charlotte to his other arm when he becomes aware of something much worse.
"Oh, God!"
Charlotte has peed and pooped through her sleepsuit, leaving a stain on Luke's shirt. She hiccups into silence, staring at him with her big blue eyes, and Luke can't help smiling.
"Using those Gilmore eyes already," he jokes. "Pretty funny, huh, to poop on your grandpa? Come on, let's get you changed."
Luke hesitates, unsure where to change her diaper. He can't remember the last time he cleaned the bathroom floor. After a brief consideration Luke carries Charlotte back to the bed where he carefully lays her down and unbuttons her sleepsuit. Screwing his nose up, Luke reaches for a fresh diaper, remembering too late that he should gave got that out first. Charlotte starts whimpering again, waving her arms, and Luke says desperately, "Hold on, kid. Grandpa Luke needs to get your diaper. Please don't get poop on the bed, please don't -"
Too late. Charlotte kicks out her leg, sending poop splattering onto Luke's shirt.
"You're lucky you're cute," Luke tells her. Charlotte puts a pudgy fist to her mouth, allowing her grandfather to get a diaper from the bag. Luke is just about to put it on Charlotte when he hears the door open and Jess call, "Luke, you in here?"
"Bedroom," Luke calls and, as his nephew enters, Luke says, "I thought you had to work!"
"Meeting got cancelled and Rory told me you were on Charlotte duty. How's my girl?"
"She got poop on me," Luke says and Jess laughs, unsuccessfully turning it into a cough. "Oh, you think it's funny?"
"Not a Lenny Bruce routine but it has its moments. Why are you changing her on the bed?"
"You have any better suggestions? I don't have a changing table and I didn't want to put her on the bathroom floor."
"She's pooped on the sheet. You should've put a blanket or something on it first."
"Thanks, Einstein. That thinking would have been useful ten minutes ago!"
Charlotte starts crying, ending the discussion, and Jess goes over to kiss her head.
"You're nearly done, kiddo. You're okay."
Charlotte cries, unconvinced, and Luke remarks, "She knows I'm winging this."
"Come on, you've changed her diaper before. She's just freaking out because she's someplace new."
Luke grunts, as unconvinced as Charlotte. He starts to do up the diaper and Jess stops him. "You're doing the tapes up the wrong way! It's on backwards!"
"It's fine! You just said I've done this before and I have!"
"It's on backwards, Luke! I've changed her diapers enough times to know!"
"What's the difference? It's still going to stay on!"
"Trust me, there's a big difference!"
Charlotte's cries echo over them and Luke stops to take a breath, closing his eyes.
"I swear there wasn't a difference when I was a kid!"
"Back in the dark ages, you mean?"
"Help me instead of cracking jokes, would you?"
"That's what I'm trying to do!"
They both move to lift up Charlotte and shout as she lets out a stream of pee, hitting her father and grandfather in the face.
"God!" Luke exclaims, wiping his eyes with the clean part of his soiled shirt. "How did she - she's a girl. I thought that only happened with boys!"
"Bad angle," Jess says grimly, using one hand to wipe his eyes and the other to readjust Charlotte's diaper. "That's happened to me at least three times."
"Some warning might have been nice."
"Here's some warning," Jess says, lifting Charlotte up. "She's ready to poop again."
They get Charlotte into the bathroom too late and Luke exhales, groaning as Jess suggests bathing her.
"I'm the one who needs a shower!"
"Sooner she's bathed, sooner she'll go down for her nap."
Luke can't argue with that logic, but points out, "Her bathtub is at Lorelai's place."
"We'll just wash her in the sink."
"The sink? I wash my face in that!"
"Luke, it's fine. We'll clean it after."
"You'll clean it after," Luke says firmly and Jess nods.
"We'll hold hands and skip afterwards."
Charlotte doesn't find the situation as amusing as her father and grandfather do and cries furiously, wriggling around so hard that she splashes more water onto the floor than on her.
"She hates baths," Jess remarks. "Always has, I don't know why. Rory's got this theory that it's because she was scared of water as a kid."
"Huh. What do you think?"
Jess shrugs, rinsing soap off his daughter's back.
"Could be that, could be something totally unique. I just hope she grows out of it before she can talk back."
"Wouldn't put a lot of money on it," Luke comments. "Seeing how stubborn her parents are."
Jess smiles but Luke catches the look in his eyes and, mentally kicking himself, Luke says, "You know I mean you and Rory."
"It's fine," Jess says abruptly, showing Luke it's not. "No big deal. I am her dad."
He is her dad, Luke wants to say. He's more Charlotte's father than Logan could ever be - the hell with biology. Jess has been there since the start. He's her real father, and Luke knows Jess agrees, but he still wishes he could take that joke back. Silently, Luke watches as Jess carries the still-crying Charlotte into the bedroom, kissing her cheeks.
"There's my girl," Luke hears Jess say. "Go to sleep, that's it. Good girl."
Jess smiles when he returns, sounding normal as he says, "Out for the count."
"More of a success rate than me."
"It's practice, that's all."
"You're her dad," Luke says, looking into his nephew's eyes. "That's the difference."
Jess nods, looking a little abashed. Luke thinks he's going to say something more but instead he yawns.
"I'm beat."
"You're beat? She was crying for half an hour before you got here."
"She's got her voice already. Rory says she's a real Gilmore."
They chuckle and Jess says, "Hey, is there any beer left in that fridge?"
Luke hands him a bottle and takes one for himself before sinking down at the table. He's very aware that he needs to home and shower but figures he can drink a beer first.
"Jess, I shouldn't have made that joke," Luke says and Jess shrugs.
"It's okay. I hope she does get some stuff from me. I mean, she won't get the genetic stuff, but -"
"That stuff's not important," Luke says, leaning forward. "You're the one who's her real father. You're going to raise her and take care of her and teach her things, probably with way too much sarcasm."
Jess chuckles at that and, encouraged, Luke goes on, "She'll be like you, I know it. You and Rory."
"Charlotte will be like herself," Jess says fondly, glancing over to the bedroom. "I'm just helping her get there."
"You're doing the best job - you know that, right?"
"I know it," Jess grins. "It's just interesting seeing you deliver the speech with poop on your shoulder."
Luke rolls his eyes at that, taking the shirt off and tossing it towards the bathroom. The undershirt seems relatively unscathed and Luke ignores Jess chuckling into his beer.
"I'm glad you came over when you did," Luke says fervently. "I didn't think she'd ever stop crying."
"She's just uncertain - she doesn't know this place."
On cue, Charlotte wakes up and starts to cry and, putting his beer down, Jess goes in to get her.
"She's hungry," he says to Luke. "Could you grab a bottle for her? I'll warm it up."
"I can do it."
Luke knows how; he's looked after Charlotte enough times to remember. He gets the bottle ready and hands it to Jess, who feeds her expertly. His eyes are filled with love and protection and for a moment Luke feels oddly emotional. He remembers the boy who used to live here, the angry nephew he took in, and here he is, a writer, a partner and a father who'd do anything for his daughter. Maybe Luke didn't do such a bad job after all. He can't believe how long ago those days were. He looks at Jess with fatherly pride until Charlotte hiccups halfway through her bottle, getting some milky spitup on Jess.
"That's what you get for teasing me about the poop on my shirt," Luke says. "She okay?"
"She's fine," Jess says, patting Charlotte's back. "She's just got to finish her bottle."
"Hey, let me."
Jess slowly passes Charlotte and the bottle over to Luke and smiles as Luke sits down with her, holding Charlotte in the crook of his arm.
"You're not so bad at this."
"Well, I looked after you as a baby," Luke says, looking up. "Long time ago but some things stick."
"Did you look after me a lot?" Jess asks after a pause and Luke is quiet for a moment.
"As often as Liz asked me...I helped a lot when you were born and then she asked less and less. You stayed here a few times. But I should have been there more."
"No - I didn't mean to - it's okay, Luke. You had your own life going on."
"No, I should have been there," Luke says seriously. "I should have looked after you more."
"You did. You looked after me when I needed you," Jess says and Luke looks up him, sounding emotional as he says, "I'm glad I could, Jess. But I can't take all the credit for who you are today."
"And I can't take credit for who she'll be," Jess says, nodding at the baby in Luke's arms. "But I know she'll be great. I'm so lucky she's my girl, mine and Rory's. I get to see the kind of person she'll become."
"You're the best father she could have," Luke says, smiling at his nephew. "And she'll know it, someday."
"Not every day?" Jess jokes and Luke laughs.
"She'll be a teenager, probably have some system going like you and Rory did on that couch."
"No way," Jess says, picking Charlotte back up and Luke nods.
"Yes."
"Oh God, she's our kid," Jess groans. "The things she'll try and pull..."
"It'll be an adventure, right?"
"If you say so."
"Believe me," Luke says sincerely, "it'll be the greatest adventure of your life to raise her."
"I'm up for the challenge."