Charlie's about 5

"Are we a real family?" a 5 year old Charlie asked her mother on night as they were snuggled on the couch.

"Of course we are," she said, not really sure where this had come from. "I was there. I had the fat stomach and huge ankles to prove it."

"No, I mean you and me and Rory and April and Luke," she clarified. "Andy said that only people with a mom and a dad are a real family."

"Which you have," Lorelai pointed out.

"No, he says only when they're married."

"We've talked about hits before," she said to Charlie, turning the volume on the TV down. "There are differently kinds of families."

"I know, two mom's, two dad's . . ."

"Then why the question?" Charlie shrugged a little. "Come on Sweets, what's wrong?"

"Well, you say there are different families, but all we ever talk about in school are families with one mom, one dad and kids. No one is ever divorced or has kids without being married or has two mom's," Charlie explained. "They can't both be right."

"Families are complicated," Lorelai finally said. "April and her mom are a family just like you me and Rory are a family."

"So Luke's not family?"

"Not exactly," she said.

"So April's not my sister either? But Luke is always talking about 'your sister April'." Lorelai sighed.

"If me and Luke get married then yes, April will be your step sister and Luke will officially be family."

"What do you mean if?"

"Never mind," she said. "There are some times that everyone can be right and families are one of them, okay?"

"Okay," she said, still not really happy with the out come of the conversation.

"Are you going to marry mom?" Charlie asked Luke the next day while she was at the diner after school. April stopped doing her homework and turned her eyes to her father. He looked between the two girls.

"Why?" he finally asked Charlie. She spilled out the whole story about families and what Andy had said and what her mother had said. "Do you. . . would you be okay with that?" he asked her. He had been toying with the idea for a while now. He had run it past April and she thought it was a great idea and Rory was more than happy with it but he hadn't been sure about Charlie. She still had a somewhat decent relationship with Christopher and he had been worried about causing trouble with it.

"Yes," she said firmly without hesitation. "I would be very okay with that."

"Well then," he said after a moment. "I guess I'm going to have to get my girls together and go ring shopping then," he said with a wink at Charlie and April. They both giggled before Charlie turned back to her snack and April went back to her home work.

"So," Luke said a few weeks later as he flopped down on the couch.

"So?" Lorelai asked as she kicked her pumps across the room and came to join him. Rory and Marty had taken Charlie and April this weekend. While April still had hear heart set on MIT, she was willing to take a tour of Yale and Charlie jumped at any chance she got to spend time with Rory. Marty, who would spoil them rotten, was just an added bonus.

"I was thinking," he said as he turned on the couch to face her.

"About?" she prompted after he lapsed into silence.

"Family," he answered simply. Lorelai grinned.

"Charlie got to you too, huh?"

"She did," he said. "And she got me thinking about our family," he said as he quickly slid off the couch and pulled a little blue box out of his pocket. "And I was thinking that maybe we should make it official," he said as he opened it.

"You're kidding, right?" she asked as she looked from the ring to him.

"I braved another game of golf with your father to get his permission," he said as he took the ring from the box. "Don't make me regret it," he said, stating to sweat about whether or not she was going to say yes.

"Oh Luke," she said as she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes, I will," she whispered in his ear. They separated for a moment as he slipped the ring onto her finger before kissing her long and hard.

"Rory, April, Charlie and I spent all day looking for the ring," he told her as he led her upstairs. "And, of course, it was in the last place we looked. April found it, actually. She said it reminded her of you and the rest of us couldn't help but agree," he finished the tale as they reached the bedroom.

"So, the whole Yale tour story?" she asked as she started to undress him.

"Partly true, mostly just cover to get them away for the weekend," he muttered against her lips as his hands went to the zipper on her dress.

"Devious man," she muttered as they fell on to the bed.

When Rory and Marty had finally returned the girls late Sunday afternoon, the squealing had begun and Luke disappeared into the kitchen to give his poor ears a break.

"Luke?" he heard a little voice behind him.

"Yes Charlie?" he asked. She wandered over to him and looked up at him, still not saying anything.

"Can I call you dad now?" she asked, no hesitation.

"What about your dad?" Charlie shook her head.

"He's Gigi's dad," she said confidently. "You're my dad. I think you might have always been."

"Charlie. . . " Luke started again as he sat down on a kitchen chair and pulled her close to him. She invited herself onto his lap as she cut him off.

"You taught me how to ride a bike and how to swim and fish and you always make me soup in a cup with a straw when I'm sick and you come to all my plays and dance recitals and all the other boring stuff I know you don't like. I make all the Father's Day cards at school for you and buy his," she said firmly as she looked up at him again. "Can I call you dad now?" she asked again.

"Yeah," he said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "You can."

"Good," she said. "Now come on, we're going out," she finished as she slipped off his lap and grabbed his hand, dragging him out to meet the rest of the Gilmore clan.

"Charlotte Abigail Gilmore you stop fidgeting this instance!" Emily commanded her youngest granddaughter.

"It pulls!" she cried as she stylist hesitated with the rollers.

"Beauty is pain," Emily told her. "And if you would just sit still, it would pull a lot less." Charlie pouted in her chair as she did as she was told and she was soon sent off to sit under the dryer next to April. The much talked about wedding day had finally arrived and the women were all in a room getting hair and make up done.

"I'm bored," Charlie announced a few moments later.

"Is there anything to snack on?" April asked.

"Is there any coffee?" Rory complained from under her dryer.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Emily grumbled from her seat in front of the hair dresser. No sooner had all this transpired but Sookie came into the room, a large tray in her arms and her hair in curlers.

"Coffee," she said handing a cup to Emily and another to Rory. "A fruit plate, or two," she said as she set one between April and Charlie and another on an empty table. "And a book of puzzles," she said, dropping it and a pencil in Charlie's lap.

"Thanks Sookie," all the girls said at the same time.

"You're welcome Peanuts," she replied with a smile as she ducked in to the back room to check on Lorelai. "How you doin' honey?" she asked her best friend.

"Okay," Lorelai said as she continued to stare at her dress. "There it is," she muttered as she grabbed Sookie's hand and pressed her finger against a spot. Sookie watched as she quickly grabbed a needle that had been near by and began to re-secure some of the beads that had tried to work their way free from the dress. "I saw it this morning when I got here and just haven't had time to fix it before now," she explained.

"Ah," Sookie said as she pulled her hand away. "Nervous?"

"A little. I have visions of falling or tripping or something."

"It'll be fine," she said. "Everything looks perfect," she assured her. "And the food will be fantastic no matter what happens!" Lorelai and Sookie giggled about this until Lorelai was ordered to the main room for her turn in the big chair.

The yard at the Dragonfly was perfect. The Chuppa stood tall and proud, covered in tiny light blue flowers, the white chairs all had the same blue flowers adorning their backs and the lush green of the grass and trees complemented everything perfectly.

Luke glanced over at things one more time before Richard called him over.

"I think you may be the best thing that ever happened to her," he told Luke as he pinned the boutonnière on to his tux. "We may not have made it easy for you and for that we're sorry," he said as he finished, brushing some imaginary creases out of the shoulders of Luke's jacket. "But it doesn't matter now. As long as you don't do anything that can't be cured by an apology, flowers or jewellery, everything will be fine." The two men shared a smile before Richard moved on to Jess.

"So, this is it," Jess muttered to Luke as they made their way up to the Chuppa.

"This is it."

"Last chance to run," Jess commented with a smile.

"Don't really want to," he said as he fidgeted slightly, waiting for the girls to be ready to go.

"Good answer," Jess said as Marty came up to join them. Luke hadn't been particularly keen on involving Marty in this, simply because he'd have to admit to himself that Rory wasn't 10 years old any more. But, since Lorelai had looked at him and informed him that the sides simply COULDN'T be uneven, he had relented.

"Congratulations," Marty said with a smile as he shook Luke's hand shortly before the music changed and everyone turned to watch April and Charlie make their way down towards the Chuppa. April handed the rings over to her father before they stepped to side and Rory and Sookie began their walk down the aisle.

Luke's breath caught in his throat as he saw Lorelai and part of his brain couldn't help but comment on how clichéd that was. He shrugged it off as he watched her make her way towards him on the arm of her father. Her dress was beautiful, clinging in all the right places with just the right amount of beading and embroidery in the same blue colour as her eyes.

They both made it through the ceremony without crying and when they finally made it to the reception it finally hit him that he had finally married Lorelai Gilmore.

"Dad! Dad!" Charlie called to him as she raced over to him, dark curls flying out behind her. "Dance with me!" she said excitedly as she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from her mother. He smiled and relented and let himself be led onto the dance floor. He stood patiently as she climbed onto the toes of his shoes before he started moving them around the floor.

"So," he asked Lorelai as they swayed lazily around the dance floor. "Everything you ever hoped for?"

"And more," she assured him as she kissed him. "When did she start calling you dad?"

"Today," he said with a smile. "She asked if she could when we got engaged and I hesitated before she spilled out a very compelling argument as to why I should agree."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Christopher will always be her father, but I'm her dad," he told Lorelai. She held him tighter as they danced after that.

"You are," she whispered in his ear.

"And I'm honoured," he told her as he held her as close as he could for the rest of the song.

Charlie's about 3, almost 4. I think. First date!

"So, I was wondering," Luke said one morning as he served Lorelai a cup of coffee.

"Yes?" she asked him.

"Where's Charlie?"

"You were wondering where Charlie is?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm wondering something else too."

"Ok. Well, Charlie spent the night with Emily and Richard. Next?"

"What are you doing Saturday night?"

"Sitting at home with Charlie. Rory is staying at Yale."

"How would you maybe feel about shipping Charlie off to her grandparents again so I could take you out." This gave her reason to pause.

"Take me out where?"

"I was thinking maybe dinner and a movie."

"So. . . on a date?" she asked. They had been getting closer recently, but she hadn't really thought much of it.

"Sure," he said. "A date."

"I'll see what I can do," she said after a moment with a shy smile.

"Great," he said. "Pick you up around 7?"

"Sounds good," she said as she finished the cup of coffee out. "TO go?" she asked him.

"Seriously?" he said. She showed him her mug and he sighed as he filled a to go cup for her. "Death in a cup."

"But what a way to go," she said with a smile as she headed out the door. "Rory?" she said into her cell phone as she rounded the corner.

"Do you know what time it is?" Rory grumbled.

"I'm dating Luke," she announced. This got the sleepy Yale students attention.

"What?"

"He just asked me out, this Saturday."

"We are never going to be able to eat at Luke's again," she muttered as she collapsed back onto her pillow.

"Oh ye of little faith!" Lorelai said into the phone. "You're a downer, I can't deal with you right now," she said as she hung up and headed for the jeep. She was supposed to have been on her way to Hartford 10 minutes ago.

As she picked up an almost 4 year old Charlie, she asked her parents if they'd like her again on Saturday and her mother readily agreed. Lorelai listened as Charlie went on and on about all the things she and her grandparents had done while she worried about this date with Luke.

"Mom? Mom are you listening?" Charlie asked. Lorelai glanced at her in the review mirror, watching her kick her feet in her booster seat.

"Sorry baby," she said "Start again." Charlie sighed and rolled her eyes and launched into her story again. "How would you feel and I went out with Luke?"

"Went out where?" she asked.

"Like on a date"

"Like Rory and Marty?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah. Dinner and a movie."

"Do I get to stay with Grandma and Grandpa again?"

"Sure do," she said as she pulled into the driveway of the nearly completed Dragonfly Inn.

"I think it's good then," she said as the jeep came to a stop and she waited for Lorelai to free her from the car seat. Charlie hopped out of the jeep and took Lorelai's hand, smiling as Tom plunked a hard hat on her head before they entered the Inn.

"You sure?"

"Yip," she said as she looked at all the changes around her. "I like Luke."

"Me too," she said with a smile as they headed towards the kitchen to see how Sookie was doing.

"What do you mean you can't take her?" Lorelai asked her mother as she rushed around her bedroom getting ready for the date. "You said you would."

"This dinner came up last minute."

"Take her with you, she loves a good dinner party," she said as she flipped through the dresses in her closet while Charlie lounged on the bed flipping through a book.

"Don't be ridiculous Lorelai," Emily said. "I'm sure you can find some one else to look after her for an evening." Lorelai heard her father calling out to her mother in the background. "I really have to run Lorelai, we're already running late."

"Mom!"

"Good night Lorelai!" Emily said as she hung up.

"Unbelievable!" Lorelai said as she hit the end button and tossed the phone in the general direction of the bed. "So, you re not staying with Grandma and Grandpa tonight," she said as she finally picked a dress and put it on.

"Why?" Charlie asked, slightly disappointed.

"Some last minute dinner party. Can you believe that?" Lorelai asked as she picked out some jewellery before heading to the bed to pick up the phone and start dialling numbers.

"No," Charlie said, absolutely serious. "I can't believe their audacity," she stumbled over the large word and Lorelai's finger actually hesitated over the number as she blinked at Charlie a few times. Lane was out with her band, Babette and Morey were off in New York for the night. Rory couldn't get away from school and Christopher was too far away.

"So, how attached to this date are you?" she finally asked Luke over the phone.

"Why?" he asked cautiously.

"Well, see, I have this adorable little problem. About 3 1/2 feet tall, brown hair, blue eyes. . . I think you've seen her around town?"

"Yes."

"Well, she's all ours for the evening," she said, waiting for him to cancel or reschedule.

"Bring her along," he said. "Lorelai?"

"Sorry, I was having an aneurism," she said. "Bring her along?"

"Sure," he said calmly. "Or, do you want to reschedule?" he asked her.

"No," she said quickly as she sank down on the bed beside Charlie. "I just never really expected this from you."

"It'll be fine," he said. "Dress casually," he told her as he hung up.

"Huh," she said as she looked at the phone. She put it on the bed before heading back to her closet.

"Are you not going any more?" Charlie asked when she saw her mother start to change again.

"We're still going, only you're coming with," she said as she grabbed a pair of jeans, a shirt and a blazer. She slipped into them quickly, pulling her hair back from her face and changing her necklace before holding a hand out to Charlie. "Come on, let's get you ready."

"OH boy!" she said as she slid off the bed and ran over to her mother. "Can I wear make up?"

"Maybe a little," she said as they headed downstairs. Charlie was quickly changed out of her Elder Gilmore dress and into a pair of jeans and a cute little top. Lorelai quickly fixed her hair in two French braids and sent her out to wait for Luke as she quickly threw together a bag for Charlie. A spare shirt, some books and quiet toys, a snack and some juice boxes were quickly added before she zipped it shut and headed out to meet Charlie and Luke.

"Luke!" Charlie said excitedly as she launched herself off the porch and into his arms. "This is really great," she told him.

"Well, it's not gonna be like this every time," he told her as he walked up the stairs to greet Lorelai.

"Oh, I know," she said with a nod. Charlie promised herself that she was going to be on her best behaviour while she was out with them. She wasn't completely sure what being on a date meant, but she knew that she wasn't really supposed to be out with them tonight.

"Oh, this way," he said when Lorelai headed towards the jeep.

"Charlie's seat," she started.

"Is already taken care of," he said as he led them to the truck. There, between the driver and passenger seat was a small booster seat.

"Wow," said Charlie with a giggle as Luke put her in the truck.

"Wow," Lorelai said as she helped Charlie with her seat belt.

"This is your Luke's!" Lorelai said with a smile after they had been sitting in Sniffy's Tavern for a while. Charlie giggled a little as she concentrated on the colouring book Lorelai had pulled out for her. Luke was impressed with Charlie tonight. Usually such a little chatter box, he was surprised that she could entertain herself this quietly for this long.

"How would you like to come and help me out?" Maisy asked Charlie near the end of the meal.

"Can I?" she asked her mother, eyes wide.

"Go a head," she said as she helped Charlie out of the booth. She took Maisy's hand, talking a mile a minute as she was led towards the back of the restaurant to help garnish plates for a while.

"I just want you to know," he said after showing her the horoscope. "I am in. I am all in. Does that scare you?"

"No," she said without hesitation. "It's a relief. I can't casually date with Charlie around," she said.

"I know," he replied. He knew the last time she had tried was with Alex and though he had tried to cover his annoyance with the toddler, he hadn't succeeded and he had soon been sent packing. She nodded as his hand snaked out to take a hold of hers. They talked quietly about various things until Maisy brought Charlie back with deserts she had helped make.

"And," Luke said as they drove along through Woodbridge. "For our next stop," he said, pulling into a playground by the water.

"A park!" Charlie said excitedly.

"A park," he said as he parked. "Come here," he said to Charlie before she could slide out Lorelai's side of the truck. "I expect you to put these to good use," he said as he handed Charlie a bag with little toys in it.

"Bubbles!" she shrieked with excitement as she handed Luke the bag to hold open while she dug out all the bubble wands he had found for her. Lorelai smiled at this gesture. Charlie loved making bubbles and she was impressed that Luke had remembered. "Thanks Luke!" She said, bouncing on the balls of her feet waiting to be told she could take off.

"Well, off you go," he finally said. Charlie took off and he reached into the truck cab again, pulling out a small pink sweatshirt Lorelai recognised.

"I have been looking for that things for 2 weeks."

"She left it at the diner," he said, tossing over his shoulder before grabbing a blanket out of the truck bed. There were no benches to sit on, so this would have to do. He spread it out and the two of them sat down to talk while Charlie ran around the playground, coming to the blanket every so often for more toys or a drink.

"I'm cold," she announced after an hour or so. Luke motioned her over and popped the sweatshirt over her head. She thanked him and ran off again.

"Wow, what time is it?" she asked, finally realising that it was starting to get dark and the late April chill was starting to set in.

"About 9," he said. "Should I take you guys home?" he asked, realising that he was possibly disrupting a sleep schedule.

"Nah," she said. "Let her run around some more." And with that, she flashed him a smile and turned her attention back to him.

Lorelai and Luke both had a feeling Charlie was starting to run down when she started to slowly gather up her toys and bring them back to the blanket. She clutched her bottle of bubbles again before wandering back to the play ground, climbing up to the highest platform and letting her feet dangle over the edge as she blew bubbles out into the night. Lorelai leaned against Luke as they watched Charlie silhouetted against the stars that were starting to come out.

"Not exactly what I had originally planned," he muttered to her as he put an arm around her shoulder.

"I think it's perfect," she told him as she glanced up at him.

"Good," he said as he looked into her eyes. He quickly cast a glance at Charlie before he captured Lorelai's lips with his own.

"Definitely perfect," she mumbled when they broke apart. They lingered in the moment for a while longer. "Come on Sweets, time to go!" Lorelai finally called. She put a hand on Luke's leg as he started to rise. He looked over at her questioningly.

"10 more minutes!" Charlie cried back and he chuckled, understanding now.

"5 more minutes and two more slides," she bargained back.

"Fine," Charlie said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"Ten minutes left," she told Luke.

"But you said 5."

"Yeah. In Charlie Time," she said. "In regular time? 10, maybe even 15," she said with a smile. He returned it as he pulled her close again, savouring these last few moments.

"I'm done now," Charlie said as she wandered over, nearly 10 minutes later. Without hesitation, she plunked herself in Luke's lap, bubbles still firmly in her hand. "This was a good date Luke," she announced to him with a yawn.

"A very good date Luke," Lorelai seconded.

"I'm glad the two of you approve," he said with a chuckle as Lorelai began together Charlie's things and he gathered the sleepy little girl up into his arms before they all headed to the car.

"Maybe we could try this again? Without her?" he asked as he walked Lorelai to her door, Charlie sound asleep in his arms.

"I'd like that," she said as she opened the door and let them in. Lorelai slipped Charlie's shoes and socks off at the door, sighing as she heard all the sand falling to the floor. "Come on baby, time to wake up," she said as she took her from Luke and stood her on the ground

"Sleepy," Charlie muttered as she leaned against her mother as she was stripped of her sandy clothes.

"I know," she said as she gathered the sleepy, nearly naked, girl up and grabbed one of her t-shirts off the back of the couch. She took Charlie to bed, pulled the t-shirt over her head and tucked her in.

"Didn't say g'night to Luke," she muttered.

"He knows," Lorelai assured her as she turned on the night light and went back out to Luke. "She says good night." Lorelai told him as she came out to see him picking Charlie's things up off the floor. He put them on the table by the door and pulled her close.

"Good night," he muttered as he kissed her once more, leaving her breathless before he left for his truck as well.