Charlie's 2.

Emily's brow furrowed slightly as she watched the rather despondent 2 year old playing on the floor. Lorelai and Rory had been in Europe for just over a month and Charlie had begun to notice that they weren't coming to get her any time soon.

"Gamma?"

"Yes Charlie?" she asked, snapping back to the real world when she heard Charlie and felt her little hand on her knee.

"Go home?" she asked, almost pleadingly.

"No one's home," she told the little girl, smoothing her hair down. Emily watched as Charlie's brow furrowed as she puzzled this out. Until recently, every other time she had asked to go home, she was given the reply of 'soon' and eventually her mother showed up to get her.

"Pease go home?" she asked, clasping her hands in front of her and looking up pleadingly at her grandmother. Emily pushed her day planer away from her and picked Charlie up, sitting her in her lap.

"Your mother and Rory are still away," she told the little girl. "No one is home at your house."

"Duke?" Charlie asked hopefully, turning to look at her grandmother.

"Tomorrow," she said with a sigh. "We will spend the say in Stars Hollow tomorrow, alright?"

"Otay," Charlie said as she made no move to get off of her grandmother's lap. They sat for a moment longer before Emily rose, taking Charlie with her.

"It's nearly time to go," she said as she headed upstairs to change Charlie's outfit. Charlie nodded, prepared to accept her fate of being dressed up like a little doll and being carted off to yet another social engagement so Emily could show her off.

"Luke's," Luke called gruffly into the phone. "Kirk! Shut up and wait!" he called out again before Emily could say anything.

"Luke?"

"Mrs. Gilmore," he said quickly, standing up straighter as if she could tell he was slouching over the phone. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"Can't complain," he said, trying not to fidget. Talking to Lorelai's mother always made him fidget.

"I was wondering if I could ask a favour of you," she said, her voice sounding tight. Luke wondered if it had actually pained Emily Gilmore to ask him for a favour.

"Sure," he said, as he reached behind him to grab the coffee pot and refill a few of the cups on the counter.

"I promised Charlie I would bring her to Stars Hollow for the day tomorrow. Unfortunately, something has come up and I'm unable to keep that commitment and I was wondering, if I were to drop her off, would you be able to keep her over night?" Luke blinked a few times as his brain processed what had just been asked of him. "Luke?"

"Yeah, sorry, I'm here. That would be fine," he said. "No trouble at all."

"You're sure?" she asked again. "I don't want to inconvenience you."

"It would be fine," he said again.

"Very well," she said primly. "We'll arrive around 10 am."

"I'll be on the look out." They quickly said their good byes and Luke hung up the phone, staring at it before he finally went to see what Kirk had been yelling at him about.

"Richard, I'm taking Charlie to Stars Hollow tomorrow," Emily announced to her husband later that afternoon, while Charlie was napping.

"I thought you had that last minute cotillion function to organise?" he asked, looking at her over the rims of his reading glasses.

"I do. I will be dropping her off. Luke has agreed to keep her over night."

"The diner owner?" Richard asked, putting his book down.

"Lorelai seems to be forming some sort of relationship with him and, as a result, Charlie has attached herself to him. This might be good for her," she said after a minute. "She's been so solemn the last few days."

"Perhaps a taste of home would do her some good," he mused. His normally vivacious granddaughter had become quite morose as of late.

"Caesar, close for me, would you?" Luke asked after the dinner rush. He headed up to his apartment and grabbed an empty duffle bag before he headed out of the diner, getting in his truck, and towards Lorelai's house. If Charlie was going to spend the night, he might as well bring some supplies for her. He let himself in when he got to the Crap Shack and let out a low whistle when he saw the living room. It looked like a tornado had blown through. He gathered a few things as he went, tossing them onto the couch before heading upstairs. He gathered a couple of changes of clothes and some other essential supplies, shoving them into the duffle bag before gathering a few books he knew where Charlie's favourites.

He hesitated in the bedroom for a moment as he glanced around, checking to see if he had forgotten anything. His eyes settled on the baby monitor. He had a feeling he was going to have to leave Charlie in the apartment at some point, even if it was only during a nap so he grabbed that as well, bundling it into the bag before he headed down stairs. He gathered a few toys in to the bag and when it was full, he headed out side and tossed it into the truck. He headed back in once more. He knew that there was a play pen in the house some somewhere and that would definitely be a key item to have at his place. He eventually found it in Rory's room, set up in a corner and after he had dug all the blankets and toys out of it, he fought to get it to fold up before he lugged it out to the back of the truck as well. He popped in one last time to grab a few of the blankets and toys he had tossed out of the play pen mostly because he had no bedding small enough for Charlie and he wasn't sure what she'd want to sleep with. Luke locked up and was soon on his way back to the diner. He parked his truck in the back and brought the duffle bag in with him. He'd deal with the rest after close, when he wouldn't have to lug everything around the customers.

Emily glanced in the review mirror as she drove to Stars Hollow the next morning, confident that she had made the right decision. Charlie was already more like her old self, chattering away in the back seat as they drove. Emily did frown, however, when she realized that no, the upholstery on the booster seat did not match the interior of her car like she had been promised. She'd have to deal with that at some point as well. She refused to drive a Mercedes with a booster seat that didn't match in the back.

"Home soon?" Charlie called form the back, a small container of Cheerio's the maid had put together for her clutched tightly in her hand.

"We'll be there shortly," Emily assured her as she tuned the radio to a classical station. She had also taken it upon herself to introduce Charlie to as much culture as she could. Charlie grinned as she kicked her feet a little, turning her attention back to the Cheerio's and looking out the window.

"Duke!" Charlie squealed excitedly when she recognised the building Emily had stopped in front of. She waited impatiently as he grandmother liberated her from the car seat and got her bag out of the trunk of the car. "Duke!" Charlie called again as she hurried into the diner, Emily right behind her.

"Hey Charlie," he said with a smile as he delivered the plates in his hands to the table before scooping her up. "Missed you," he told her.

"Me too!" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. She sat quietly in Luke's arms as Emily rattled off instructions and what not to him, She reluctantly let go of Luke so she could hug her grandmother good bye when she finally left.

"Hungry?" he asked her. Charlie's eyes lit up and she nodded. "Go say hi then," he said as he put her on the ground. Charlie looked around the diner as she began to pick out people she knew. She wandered over to Patty and Babette first and slowly made her rounds until Luke called her over to eat.

Luke sighed as he and Charlie stood outside of the town meeting. He hated these things, but Charlie loved them and he had decided that he was going to indulge her in as many Stars Hollow activities as he could while she was here, hopefully to hold her over until Rory and Lorelai got home.

"Go! Go!" Charlie said, pulling on his hand, trying to lead him in. He sighed and they sneaked in the back of Miss Patty's. Charlie quickly climbed up onto his lap and started in on the snacks he had packed her. Luke shook his head, Lorelai had certainly started early with this one. After the meeting, there were more people Charlie needed to say hello to as well as a need for a late night trip to the small park beside Patty's.

"Come on," he finally said as he plucked her from the ladder on the slide. "Time for bed."

"No!" Charlie complained.

"We'll play more tomorrow." he said as he headed back to the diner despite Charlie's protests. He smile a little as she continued to pout as he got her ready for bed and only stopped when presented with bottle and the promise of a bed time story. She was soon asleep and he tucked her into the play pen, taking a moment to think about how quickly he had turned into his own father. Gentle promises and patience to get the results he had wanted. "Hmm," was all he said as he contemplated this for a moment longer before turning in himself. He had deliveries tomorrow morning.

"She wasn't any trouble?" Emily asked the next afternoon when she arrived to collect Charlie. Luke had offered Emily a cup of coffee, seeing as Charlie was still down for her nap.

"None at all. We had a good time," he assured her with a nod. "I think we crammed a week's worth of Stars Hollow into two days.

"Wonderful," Emily said as the pair fell into a some what awkward conversation. "I take it she's up?" Emily asked when the baby monitor clipped to his waist came to life.

"We'll be down in a bit," he said as he headed up to get her. He had repacked the over night bag Emily had sent over, exchanging some of the toys and books. "Time to go home," he said to the sleepy toddler. He sat on the bed with her, after picking her up like he had seen Lorelai do so often. Charlie wasn't big on being thrown into the action soon after awakening.

"Mum?" she asked quietly.

"Grandma," he corrected.

"No," Charlie moaned, clinging to Luke. "Mum home." he sighed a little as he rubbed her back.

"You can come back soon and play some more," he assured her as they sat for a while longer before he gathered her and her things up and headed down stairs. He watched as Emily greeted the toddler brightly, but Charlie wanted none of it. "See ya later kid," Luke called out as the left the diner. He had a feeling Charlie would be on his door step again before the week was up.

Charlie's almost two. This happens just after the Independence Inn catches fire.

"You've got to stop doing this," Luke said as Lorelai came into the diner with that desperate, I-Need-A-Sitter look in her eyes. "She's getting too big for this."

"Too big for what?" Lorelai asked as she set the almost 2 year old on the ground. "She can amuse herself for a while now, leaving you free to run your business," she reasoned as she striped Charlie of her winter coat, hat and mitts.

"She amuses herself when she can run around. I can't have a 2 year old running around in my diner! It's not safe!" he said, coming out from around the counter to scoop Charlie up before she got behind the counter. He held her up as Lorelai quickly took her boots off and slipped on a pair of runners.

"That little sweepy broom you have? Give it too her. She will be out of your way for at least ½ an hour," she said, dropping Charlie's bag on the counter. "Be good Sweets," she told Charlie.

"Bye!" Charlie said cheerfully, waving to her mother.

"Lorelai!" Luke called out after her. "Trouble, the two of you," he grumbled as he swung Charlie on to his hip. It was quiet now, so he could cart her around and keep an eye on her. Charlie giggled as she settled in Luke's arms.

"Up?" Charlie asked pointing towards the stairs.

"We're working," he told her as he headed behind the counter to grab the coffee pot.

"Oh. Hot?" she asked, pointing to the pot.

"It's hot," he agreed as he headed out to refill the coffee mugs of the few customers he had. Charlie sat quietly, waiting until the pot was back on the element before she launched into another long string of questions. "Who's out side?" he finally asked her as he put her on the ground. Charlie ran over to one of the windows and looked out, pointed out people and things as she named them all. Luke breathed a sigh of relief as he cleaned a few tables and headed to the till while she was still occupied. While Charlie may be busy all the time now, there were still a few things that would keep her still for more than 30 seconds.

"Gamma!" he suddenly heard come out of the little girl's mouth.

"What?" he asked, his head shooting up. He squinted as he scanned the town square.

"Gamma! Gamma!" Charlie said, getting excited.

"Where? Show me," he said as he came over and crouched down beside her. Charlie quickly pointed out Emily and he frowned a little. Lorelai hadn't said anything about Emily Gilmore being in town. He got up quickly and headed to the phone, dialing the Independence Inn's number. While most of the staff had been laid off after the fire, Michel, Sookie and Lorelai were still guaranteed to be found here.

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Your mother is in town," Luke said immediately, keeping an eye on the ever approaching figure of Emily Gilmore.

"Luke?"

"Yes, Lorelai. Who else would phone you, panicking about your mother being in town?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, putting her pen down on the desk.

"Very sure. Are you expecting her?"

"No. Why?"

"Because she is most definitely headed in our direction," he said as he watched her getting closer to the diner.

"Maybe she was just hunting for antiques," Lorelai said quickly. "Maybe she just got turned around."

"In Stars Hollow? Three lefts and you're back in the middle of town!"

"I'm tapped then. Maybe she just wants a cup of coffee. I never stop going on about your coffee,"

"You really have no idea why she's here?" he asked again.

"Would I lie about something like this?" she asked as she sifted through the Inn's mail.

"Possibly." Luke was met with silence on the other end of the phone.

"Ok, possibly, but not now."

"Time's up," he said before he abruptly hung up and waited as Emily closed the gap to the diner.

"Gamma!" Charlie exclaimed happily as she hurried over. Luke cleaned the counter as he watched Emily scoop up the little girl and greet her before coming to the counter.

"Luke," Emily said as she came to stand at the counter.

"Mrs. Gilmore," he greeted her. "Coffee?"

"No, thank you. I can't stay," she said. "I would, however, like to talk to Lorelai."

"She's at work, at the Inn," he said.

"And why is Charlie here?"

"I seem to be baby sitting," he replied.

"Seem to be?"

"Lorelai has a habit of simply showing up and dropping Charlie off without warning," he said.

"I see," she said. "And this doesn't bother you?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug. "She's been doing it since Charlie was about 8 months old. I've gotten used to it." He fidgeted a little as Emily looked him over with a critical eye.

"And do you still maintain that there is nothing between you and my daughter?"

"Absolutely," he said with a nod. Emily looked him over again but didn't reply.

"I think I will take that coffee to go," she said as she put Charlie on the ground. "If I'm going to have to go all the way to the Inn to talk to my daughter."

"There you are," he said as he passed the to-go cup to her. Emily paid and quickly left after saying good bye to Charlie and Luke stood for a moment, wondering exactly what had been the point of that conversation. "The women in your family, I swear to God," he muttered to Charlie as she went back to the window and set about cleaning some of the tables.

Lorelai sighed as she and Luke hung up the phone. Her mother was in Stars Hollow, without warning or reason, and she was about to lay into Luke. And Charlie was there.

Emily was SO going to show up o her door step next. She just knew it.

"What's wrong?" Sookie asked when she saw Lorelai's face.

"My mother is in town," she said, like she had a bad taste in her mouth. "Luke just called to say that she was on her way into the diner and did I know why she was here."

"No idea?"

"None at all," Lorelai said. "And Charlie is with Luke because I can't bring her here any more and I didn't really plan ahead because, well, I'm me, so I just kind of dumped her on him. At least she let me colour co-ordinate her today," Lorelai said with another sigh. Charlie had recently taken to choosing her own outfits and colour and patterns didn't ever factor into her choices. Sookie chuckled a little, having seen some of the outfits the 2 year old had put together.

"Maybe she was just getting coffee," Sookie said as she came to lean on the desk beside Lorelai.

"She may have been, but as soon as she sees Charlie, she will be over here demanding to know what on earth I was thinking leaving her grandchild with that diner owner." The pair continued to loiter around the desk and chat. With only a handful of guests and no kitchen to cook in, they had more free time than they really knew what to do with.

"You are in my way," Michel said rudely as he came up behind them.

"Michel, there are 6 people in the inn. How are we possibly in your way?" Lorelai asked him.

"My chair is over there and you are between me and my chair," he pointed out as he crossed his arms over his chest. Lorelai and Sookie stepped out of his way, each offering him an eye roll, before they resumed their conversation.

"Independence Inn, Sookie speaking," Sookie said as she grabbed the phone, looking for something to do.

"Hey, it's Luke, is Lorelai there?"

"Just a minute," she said as she held out the phone to Lorelai.

"Hello?"

"Your mother is coming."

"Here?"

"She said very little about me watching Charlie, other than to ask if I still said there was nothing going on between you and me. Then, she asked for coffee to go and said she was coming to see you."

"My mother, I swear to God. . . " she said. "Thanks for the heads up."

"Any time," he said as she signed off. Lorelai quickly related to story to Sookie

"Why don't you just tell her that you and Luke are having a steamy affair?" Sookie asked with a smile. "I think it would be funny."

"You would," she muttered as she straightened the desk slightly, just as her mother marched in to the Inn. "Hi mom," Lorelai said with a smile.

"Why on earth are you leaving your daughter with that man who runs the diner?"

"Nice to see you too. Yes, it really is a shame about the inn, thanks for asking," she said with a plastered on smile. Emily frowned slightly and waited for an answer. "Because it's Luke mom. He's there, he's willing, Charlie loves him and when it does get busy, there are always 100 towns people who want to play with her."

"How much time does she spend with him in a week?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "He feeds the three of us at least once a day, some times twice. She sees him when ever I stop in for coffee, at town meetings, town functions. . . "

"Rough estimate, Lorelai. How much time?"

"A few hours a day, every day."

"She should be spending that time with her father," Emily muttered and Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to drive her too and from Boston several times a week mom? Besides, he and Sherry have a new baby at home."

"She should be getting to know her half sister as well if he's going to insist on making a life with that woman," she said indignantly.

"Mom, Christopher made his choice and there is nothing I can do about it. As it is, he is already seeing more of Charlie than he ever did of Rory at this age."

"Are you happy with the way things are?"

"The way what things are?" she asked, trying hard not to roll her eyes.

"Between you and Christopher."

"Yes, mom, I am."

"Because you can spend more time with that diner owner?" Lorelai opened her mouth but shut it again quickly. This was a classic Emily trap and she wasn't going to fall into it.

"No, not because I can spend more time with Luke. I'm happy with the way things are because as much as I want Christopher in Rory and Charlie's lives, I don't really want to have to share them with any one, I like having them all to myself." Emily looked her over long and hard.

"That diner owner."

"Luke, mom. His name is Luke."

"That Luke wouldn't mind sharing them with you." Lorelai blinked at her mother. "I can see it in his face, the way he dotes on the three of you."

"Mom, you never see the 4 of us together. How can you even say that?"

"Just because you don't see me in town doesn't mean I don't come. You do have some of the best antiques around you know," Emily said as she took one last pull from her coffee cup and placed it on the reception desk. "Well, I must be going, it was lovely talking to you," she said as he quickly turned and left, leaving Lorelai to stare at her retreating figure and Sookie and Michel to whisper to each other about the whole encounter.

"My mother spies on my while sneaking around town looking for antiques," Lorelai said, cocking her head to the side as she considered this development. "My MOTHER SPIES on me while sneaking around town looking for antiques? Who the hell, other than me, has a mother who does something like that?!?!" Sookie shrugged while Michel sat in his chair and chuckled at the whole thing. "This is too weird. I need coffee to deal with this," she said, though she made no efforts to move.

"There's none left here," Sookie said.

"I'm giving her a 5 minute head start," she said, still staring straight a head at the door.

"My mother spies on us while sneaking around town buying antiques. Coffee please," she said, taking a seat at the counter in Luke's half an hour later.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, you heard," Lorelai said. "Coffee!" she said, smacking the counter with her hand. Luke quickly poured her a cup while she related the whole story to him.

Luke couldn't really do anything but shake his head.

"Where's Charlie?" she asked after she took a sip.

"Upstairs, watching TV," he said as he unclipped the baby monitor from his belt. "Happily tucked away in the play pen with Sesame Street on the TV," he said. "The rush started early, I had to do something with her." She nodded as she drank her coffee, still trying to figure her mother out. "Your family scares me," he whispered to her.

"They scare me too," she assured him.

"Mom, how often do you shop for antiques in Stars Hollow?" Lorelai asked her mother at Friday Night diner.

"Every few months, why?" she asked. Lorelai could see her the corners of her mouth turning up as she took a sip of her martini.

"Just wondering," she said, drinking her own martini.

"I don't have a set schedule," Emily continued. "So, perhaps if you were trying to track me so you could continue to hide the affair you're having with the man who runs the diner. . . "

"You're having an affair with Luke?!?" Rory blurted out.

"Really Lorelai!" Richard admonished her.

"MOM!" Lorelai said immediately. "I am not having an affair with Luke! I can't believe you just suggested that!"

"Well why shouldn't I? You leave my granddaughter in the care of some man that you spend all your free time with. . . it's not hard to make an assumption about the two of you."

"Well it's the wrong assumption!"

"Lorelai, you do remember what they say about denial, right?"

"That it's a pretty blue river in Egypt?" Emily didn't reply to this. She sent Lorelai a knowing look before she turned her attention to Rory, asking her how her finally months at Chilton were going.