I am constantly overwhelmed by all your support so thank you! :) Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 29

April awoke to smells coming from the kitchen. It confused her a bit but she soon realised she wasn't in her dorm room and instead she was in Rory's bedroom in Stars Hollow. She smiled slightly as she heard her dad humming quietly to himself. She glanced across at Jamie who was still fast asleep so she carefully got up and made her way to the kitchen. She opened the door quietly and watched her dad as he glided round the kitchen making breakfast.

"Taken to humming now?" She smiled.

"Oh hey." Luke looked over at her in surprise. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, the smells did." She smiled. "What are you making?"

"Bacon, eggs, sausages. Everything basically. Wanted you to have the works." He said.

"Wow, I feel special." She teased going to sit down at the table.

"You are special." Luke said glancing over at her. "You hungry?"

"Yes please." April nodded.

"Here." He smiled giving her plate of everything. He then sat down with a plate himself. He looked up to see April smirking at him. "What?" He said.

"You're actually eating that plate full of fat?" She said.

"Why not? It's a special occasion. You're here." He shrugged.

April smiled slightly. "You really don't mind me gatecrashing your weekend?" She said quietly.

"Of course not. I love seeing you, you know that." Luke said. He glanced at her. "How are you doing?" He asked.

April shrugged. "I'm doing ok."

"That doesn't sound very convincing." Luke said, watching her eat her breakfast. "Look, April, I know I'm not exactly one to talk about feelings and stuff but I never want you to feel like you can't talk to me about yours." He said softly. "I'm your dad. You can tell me anything and I will try and help you as much as I can."

April sighed. "I've been struggling." She admitted, finally meeting his eyes. "I just don't want to put it all on you. You've had to deal with a lot. With...well...Aunt Liz..." She said quietly.

"It's been hard. But you are so important to me, April. I want you to feel like you can talk to me, ok? No matter what." He said.

April glanced up at him and nodded slowly. "Ok." She said quietly. "Thanks."

Luke nodded. He glanced at her, wanting to say more but he thought against it. "So that boyfriend of yours is still sleeping then?" He asked.

"Yeah. We were up late last night and the night before so I think he was tired." She said.

"Do I even want to know why you were up late?" Luke said gruffly.

"Eww dad, no!" April exclaimed.

Luke smirked slightly. "Just wondering."

April narrowed his eyes at him. "Since when are you so cool with me having a boyfriend?" She said.

Luke shrugged. "Jamie seems like a good guy." He said. "Plus, well, life's too short to hold grudges." He said glancing at her.

"Yeah.." April said quietly, knowing he was thinking about Liz.

"He treats you well, right?" He checked.

"He's amazing." April smiled softly.

"Then as long as he makes you happy, I'm happy for you." Luke said.

"Thanks dad." She said softly.

"Why are you up so early?" Jess asked as Charlotte walked into the living already dressed, ready to go out.

"I told mom I'd help her out at the inn today. Plus Mia's there today and I want to spend some time with her. I feel like because we've been at the hospital everyday, I haven't made the effort to spend time with her so I said I would today." She said.

"Ah, I see you got the idea of sibling time from me." Jess smirked.

"Maybe." Charlotte grinned. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, that's fine. I'll take Jack to the hospital with me. He's been asking us when he can visit her anyway." Jess said.

"Yeah, you're right." Charlotte said. She hesitated for a moment. "You don't think Lizzie will hold this against me, do you? You know, not visiting her today..." She said.

"No." Jess assured her. "I didn't go yesterday, remember." He said.

"I know but...I feel like I should be there everyday." She said.

"I'll give her a kiss from you." Jess smiled. "Spend the day with Mia. She'll love it."

"Yeah? Yeah..ok." Charlotte said. She gave him a kiss. "Make sure to give her a kiss though ok?"

"Of course." Jess smiled. "Have fun." He said.

"Thanks." She smiled before leaving.

"You really don't mind helping out in here?" Luke asked as he wiped the counter at the diner, glancing across at April who was making more coffee. "Wouldn't you prefer to spend the time with Jamie?"

"He's fine. He brought me here to spend time with you and that's what I intend to do." April smiled. "It's what I want to do."

"Ok." Luke said smiling slightly.

"Besides he said he'd pop in at some point today anyway." April said.

"Ah I see! I knew you couldn't go the whole day without seeing him." Luke teased.

"Yeah and I bet you still can't go a day without seeing Lorelai and you've known her years." April retorted.

"Fair point." Luke smirked. "New subject?"

"Please." April said just as a group of guys. "Oh hold that thought. I'll serve these." She said. "Hi, what can I get you?" She smiled at them.

"Well how about you get us some burgers and then you join us for a drink?" One of the guys smiled.

"We don't serve alcohol here." Luke said gruffly having heard them.

"Well a soft drink then. So long as you join us, beautiful." The guy said. "I'm Tom, by the way."

"April." April said. "Thanks for the offer but I can only offer you the burgers. I am very much taken."

"We're not bothered by that if you aren't." Tom said cockily.

"Get out." Luke said.

"Dad!" April said surprised.

"I'm not going to let them talk to you like that." Luke said firmly. "Not when you've been through...well, you know." He said hesitantly. "Get out." He told them.

"Dad, it's fine." She said quietly, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm fine."

Luke let out a breath. "You're sure?"

April turned to the guys. "Go take a seat and we'll bring your food over to you." She said calmly.

"If you change your mind, you know where we are." Tom said giving her a wink and he and his friends went to take a seat, laughing together.

"Are you sure you're ok? I can get rid of them." Luke said.

April saw Jamie walking across the square towards the diner and smiled. "I'm sure." She told him. "Hey!" She smiled as he walked in.

"Hey!" Jamie smiled, leaning over the counter to give her a kiss. "How's it going?"

"Good. Hasn't been too busy." April said.

"Free to have some lunch with me?" He asked.

"Oh..uh...I don't know..." April said glancing at her dad.

"You two take a seat and I'll make you some food." Luke smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"All employees are entitled to a lunch break." He said.

"Yeah but I'm not an official employee." She said.

"Still entitled to lunch. Go, take a break, it's fine." He smiled.

"Ok, thanks dad." April grinned and went and sat down at a table with Jamie. She couldn't help but glance over at Tom and his friends and she was slightly unnerved when she found them all watching her. She took a deep breath and turned her attention onto Jamie.

"More help has arrived!" Charlotte exclaimed as she walked up to the reception desk at the Dragonfly where Michel and Mia were.

"Oh joy." Michel said sarcastically.

"Aw Michel, I'm sad you don't seem that happy to see me." She teased.

"Because I know you." He drawled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She grinned. "Mia, has he been this grumpy all morning?"

"No, he's normally happy when I work with him." Mia said.

"Michel, happy? Really?" She smirked.

"Yeah, he tells jokes to me and he makes me laugh!" Mia beamed.

"Really?" Charlotte smirked. "Aw Michel, why did you never tell me and Rory any jokes?"

"Because Mia is less annoying than the both of you. And I see you have not changed." Michel said.

"Not really." She shrugged, grinning. "So what are we doing?"

"Sorting his post it notes!" Mia grinned.

"You are going nowhere near my system." Michel eyed Charlotte.

"Why not?" She exclaimed dramatically.

"You know why not." He said. "You can organise these files in chronological order." He told her handing her a huge pile of papers.

"Why do I get the boring job?" Charlotte pouted.

"Because today I am in charge." Michel smirked slightly.

"Where's mom?"

"Busy in a meeting. She told me I was in charge."

"Hmm, I will believe that when I hear it from her." Charlotte said.

"So you won't do it?" Michel scowled.

"Oh, no, I'll do it. Anything to help you, Michel." She grinned.

"You are just like your mother. I'm going to the lavatory." He said before stalking off.

"So you seriously enjoy working with that grump?" Charlotte joked.

"He's funny normally! He's really nice to me and he's been teaching me french." Mia said enthusiastically.

"Huh. Guess he has another side to him then." She laughed.

"Why are you mean to him?" Mia asked.

"What, I'm not mean!" Charlotte said surprised.

"You made him mad."

"Everyone makes him mad." She shrugged. She saw her sister's concerned face and sighed. "I was just teasing him, Mia. He knows that. Rory and I have known him for years. He's used to us. Plus he has to deal with mom every day." She said.

Mia smiled slightly at that. "Yeah, mom does really make him mad." She giggled.

"Exactly!" Charlotte smirked.

"Will you be nice to him? For me?" Mia asked.

Charlotte groaned. "Seriously? Teasing Michel is my favourite pasttime!"

"But I like Michel! I like working with him. I don't want him to get mad and then I can't work with him anymore." She said.

Charlotte saw her worried face and felt a bit guilty. "He won't, don't worry." She assured him. She sighed. "Ok, for you, I'll be on my best behaviour."

"Thanks!" She grinned. "Michel said these need to be sorted as well." She said, pointing to some more papers.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "I can't believe you just played me. I just got played by my five year old sister." She said but smirked slightly.

April was coming out of the ladies' toilets when she bumped into Tom. "Geez, what are you doing hovering outside the ladies' toilets? You could get arrested for that!" She exclaimed.

"Well I was hoping to meet a pretty girl. And I have." Tom grinned. "So it was worth it."

April felt herself shiver slightly. "Excuse me, I need to go." She said trying to get past him.

"So fast? We haven't got to know each other yet!" He said standing in her way.

"Just let me pass." April said feeling herself starting to get worked up.

"Come on, your boyfriend may be good looking but I can assure you I'm a good catch too. Let's have some fun." He smiled, putting a hand on his arm.

"Just let me pass!" She exclaimed, getting freaked out, feeling tears in her eyes. She managed to push past him and rushed back into the diner. "Jamie, can we go?" She asked.

"Uh...sure. Are you ok? You're shaking." Jamie said concerned.

"I just need to get out of here." April said tremulously.

"April?" Luke said concerned having see her rush out in a state.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry ok? I didn't mean to upset you. It was only a bit of fun." Tom said sheepishly appearing from the toilets as well.

"What did you do?" Luke said angrily.

"Nothing. He didn't do anything. I just need to go. Please?" She begged Jamie.

"Yeah ok. We'll go. Come on." Jamie said leading her out, giving Tom a glare as he did so.

April glanced back as Jamie led her away from the diner to see Tom and his friends being kicked out and she watched as they slunk off together. She let out a breath and tried to get her breathing back to normal.

Charlotte glanced across at Michel while she sorted through the papers. Mia had gone off to help their mom with something. "So...my sister seems to like you a lot..." She said.

Michel glanced over at her. "The feeling's mutual." He said.

"She said you're always nice to her. I never knew you knew how to be nice. Or funny!" She said smirking slightly.

"That's because you and Rory did everything you could to annoy me." Michel said but he smirked slightly.

"Yeah but you love us really." Charlotte grinned.

"I guess you're not too bad." Michel shrugged.

"Praise indeed." She smirked. She glanced at him after a moment. "Mia really enjoys working with you. Thank you...for being nice to her." She said sincerely.

"She's a good kid." He shrugged. "It's hard not to like her."

Charlotte smiled. "No, it's not." She said softly. "Well Mia has made me promise to be nice to you today so I'm guessing you'll take full advantage of that."

"Oh I intend to." Michel smirked. He glanced over at her. "You know, if you and Rory weren't as annoying as your mother, I might be nicer to you both."

"Yeah but what would be the fun in that?" Charlotte grinned.

"Well I'm glad I amuse you so much." He drawled.

"Aw Michel, you know we love you really." She grinned.

Michel just rolled his eyes. "Just get back to work." He said.

"Yes sir!" She said giving him a mock salute.

"April, what happened? What did that guy do?" Jamie said as April sat down on the couch, shaking. "April, please...Talk to me..."

"He didn't do anything." April said quietly.

"This doesn't look like nothing. He got you in this state. Please just talk to me. Tell me if I need to go beat him up." Jamie said.

"He didn't do anything." She repeated. She let out a shaky breath and glanced at him. "Honestly. He didn't." She said.

"Ok...but you're in this state so something must have happened." Jamie said softly.

"He was just...he was flirting with me." She admitted. "I told him I was taken, that I had a boyfriend. He was just messing around. But then he was there when I came out of the toilet and he was saying these things. I was telling him to move but he wouldn't. I guess...I guess it just took me back and it freaked me out a bit." She said quietly.

"That...jerk! I'll kill him..." Jamie said angrily.

"No!" April said quickly.

"What?"

"I don't think he meant it like that." She said.

"What?" He said confused. "April, you're in a state because of this guy."

"Yes but that's down to me. And what happened to me with Toby. Tom...yes he was a cocky jerk but I don't think he meant any harm. He's not a Toby." She said quietly.

Jamie sighed. "April..." He said softly.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just...I thought I was getting over it but..." She sniffed slightly.

"Come here." He said softly pulling her towards him. "It's ok." He comforted her.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you finish your lunch." She said quietly.

Jamie had to laugh at that. "That's ok. I wasn't that hungry anyway."

April smiled slightly and let out a breath. "Can we just hang out here today?"

"Of course. We can do anything you like." Jamie assured him.

April sighed and snuggled in with him. "Thanks." She said softly.

"For what?"

"For just...being here." She said.

"I'll always be here for you, you know that." Jamie said softly, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you." April said quietly.

"I love you too." He said.

"So how was it?" Jess asked as he and Charlotte snuggled together on the couch for the evening.

"Yeah it was good. I enjoyed spending time with Mia." She smiled. "Although she made me be nice to Michel."

"I bet you loved that." He smirked.

"Ah, it wasn't that bad." She smirked. "She seems really taken by him though. She loves working with him."

"Seriously?" Jess laughed.

"Exactly my reaction." Charlotte grinned. "But I guess he's different with her. I started to see that today and well, it was nice." She shrugged. "It's nice to know she has someone else looking out for her, I guess." She admitted.

"Yeah that's good." Jess smiled.

"Lizzie ok?" She asked.

"Growing stronger every day." He nodded.

"I can't wait until we can get her home." She sighed leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Me neither." He said. "Hopefully not too long now."

"Hopefully." She smiled.

So I hope you liked it! :) Please keep the reviews coming as I love reading what you think! Thanks again for all yours support! :)