Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie.
This is a futuristic fic where Charlie is 18, Toby is 16, Teddy is 31, PJ is 33, and Gabe is 28. Bob and Amy are older too, but I am pretty sure neither would want their ages listed lol.
I hope you enjoy the first chapter!
On the large screen, nestled quaintly behind the two plush chairs, was a small baby frowning and emitting a whimper like noise. As the video's narration began the members of the studio audience giggled knowingly as if they were all aware of the impending punch line. When the first flatulent noise rang through the speakers every man and woman in the crowd began to laugh without an ounce of shame. A few clutched their sides while others wiped at small tears of joy.
"Well," The leggy brunette held her cue cards tightly and wiped away a small drop of liquid from her left eye. "Who would have guessed the star of Farty Charlie would grow up into such a successful lady!"
The audience clapped on cue and the other female figure on stage offered a bashful smile. She was no longer the chubby-cheeked toddler in the video, but her large green eyes and wavy blonde hair gave her identity away. At eighteen years old, Charlotte Duncan had grown used to seeing her first spotlight moments played on talk shows around the globe. But the slight embarrassment of seeing her childish self still followed her with each view. Who knew something her brother had made so many years ago would become a talk show favorite? At least the interviewer had not pulled out her small spot on an old Chicago dance show.
"And you know audience, Miss Duncan's window of childhood stardom didn't end there. She even made it to Chicago's popular dance program, Shake It Up, Chicago!"
When the second clip ended on the screen the woman once again turned to Charlie and offered her a large toothy smile. She placed her cue cards down on the small coffee table separating their chairs and picked up a mug filled with bottled water. Coffee had always been a forbidden food in Charlie's tour months due to the horrors it could do to a singer's voice. Since her break was nearing an end, she had opted to skip the water and fill her own mug with a large amount of sugar and a little coffee. It was probably the first time a talk show mug had been filled with anything besides mineral water. Besides, Charlie wasn't about to waste any of her last days of food and beverage freedom on mineral water.
"So Charlie, did you know at a young age that you wanted to become a music sensation?"
"Not really." She adjusted her dress and crossed her ankles, letting the audience know the inner nervousness she battled in each interview. "My family has always been very musical. My sister and oldest brother were especially talented in the singing department."
"Does that mean we have a chance at a singing Duncan family group?"
The tiny blonde laughed along with the audience and shook her head quickly. "I would be more than happy to sing with them, but I don't think I could pull them on stage for anything now. They found the things in life that make them happy and I don't think they would want to change that."
"They are a reporter and chef correct?"
"Yes. My brother works at a famous restaurant in Denver and my sister just secured a job at one of the world's leading newspapers."
"My-oh-my," the reporter smiled even wider to reveal more of her bleached white teeth. She set her mug down and leaned in closer to Charlotte as if she were going to speak privately with her celebrity guest. Unfortunately, the older woman chose to increase the volume of her voice significantly. "So tell me, is there any truth to the rumors that you and Grant Foster are dating?"
The audience oohed and awed in hopes they could entice some juicy details from Charlie's lips. "Grant and I are just friends. We met at an award show years ago and enjoy going out to dinner when we end up in the same city. Which isn't very often with our schedules."
"Well, I can tell you that if you ever do find a little fire in that friendship you would make an adorable couple. Wouldn't they audience?!"
The crowd roared with applause to show united support for what Charlie knew would never happen. After a few years in the industry, you learn some important lessons. Never admit to dating someone until you are both ready for the public reaction, never give the press to much information about your personal life, never give away answers to questions you are contractually obligated to stay mum on, and in the case of Grant, never talk about one of your secretly married friends on national television. Poor guy and his wife would never forgive her if she let that slip on air.
"So tell me, Charlie, what is coming up next for our favorite musician? You just graduated high school right?"
Boy, the Duncans had made that quite an event, Charlie thought as a goofy grin perched on her lips. "I did graduate. And I am looking forward to going to college this fall after my cross country tour this summer."
"Sign me up for tickets to that!" A well-rehearsed laugh escaped the brunette and she patted Charlie's knee, "And, honey, be aware that, I don't think there is a college in the country with decent food in their cafeteria. But I am glad to see you are excited to start college. Any idea what you want to major in?"
"Not yet. I am hoping to get a taste of everything and then make a decision."
"Good for you! These are the years you should be out trying new things and enjoying yourself. Just don't party too hard, okay?"
"I won't." She held her fingers up in a Boy Scout promise.
"Is the school preparing some kind of special security system for you in the dorms?"
"Nope. I am getting the full freshman experience. No security and no paparazzi. I am not even telling my manager which college I will be headed to. It will just be me and thousands of other freshman."
"You told my agent what?!"
Charlie leaned against the kitchen island and stared at her mother with wide eyes. The sound of Disney Junior could be heard in the background, keeping the nieces and nephews busy while Charlie attempted to have a civil discussion with her mother. The blonde woman was slightly shorter than Charlotte, but it only seemed to increase her presence in the room.
"I assumed you were going to tell them anyway." Amy looked up from the peanut butter sandwiches she was slapping together and offered her daughter an apologetic look. "I mean, you will be recording while you are in college so they would need to know where to book studio time."
The news rattled around the younger blonde's ear and attempted to penetrate her brain with no success. Recording during college? When had that little piece of information come to be part of the plan? The whole idea had been to avoid the music industry for at least a year after the summer tour! A normal freshman experience did not include running away in the middle of class to record an overly sappy song selected by her agent.
"What are you talking about?" She placed the sandwiches on the tray in hopes the assistance would convince her mom to speak more openly.
"Remember the contract we signed? Back when Adam first approached you, we had to negotiate a deal."
"Negotiate? You jumped up and down screaming and dad tried to sell him bug spray for the studio."
"We were excited." She poured some milk into the Sippy cups set out on the counter.
"You offered to pay him if he would make it a mother and daughter group."
"Alright. We were very excited. Happy?"
"Almost." I sighed and screwed the lids on the cups. "Just tell me what the bottom line is, mom. Please?"
"Honey, I might have looked at the date on the contract wrong. It turns out that it is good for at least one more year and a few months. After this year we can take a break, get you a new agent…"
"But we can't re-do my freshman year mom. That is a once in a lifetime thing."
Instead of answering the statement, Amy placed the cups and sandwiches on the large platter and walked out to the living room. Seated on the couch, eyes glued to the screen in front of them, were Isaiah, Addison, Riley, and Amelia. The older Duncan children had wasted no time in securing families of their own. PJ was currently leading the pack with three kids, but Teddy was close behind with her daughter Amelia and newborn son.
Middle child Gabe was a bit further behind his siblings. He had been living with his girlfriend since his sophomore year of college (which had been his last year of college before joining the police training program), but seemed to have no plans to marry or have kids with her. Something Amy was trying her hardest to change, much to Gabe's displeasure.
"Can't we just ignore the contract?" Charlie stood behind the couch as her mother passed the Sippy cups to the children. "Isn't it enough he gets me all summer?"
"You have to admit that he is being nice enough to let the whole family join you for this tour. That is something pretty big for him to do, Charlie. And breaking a contract like that is practically impossible. Trust me, I know. When I was in high school-"
"That's okay." Charlie held up her hands and shook her head quickly back and forth. "I believe you."
"It is a good story. You see I was selected to do-"
"Are you and aunt Chawie fighting gwandma?" The small voice of Addison, PJ's middle child, burst into the conversation.
"Of course not sweetie!" Amy gushed and kissed the top of the toddler's head.
The group shifted their attention to the front door as it popped open and alerted them to the presence of a nervous looking Spencer. He walked into the room backward and seemed to be directing something into the house with great concern. The children giggled at his grand hand gestures, while Amy and Charlie merely offered each other a confused expression. Ever since he became a father, Spencer's brain had become slightly safety obsessed. From the moment Amelia had been born, the young man had taken a pledge to bubble wrap the entire city.
"Careful, careful… Don't step too quickly." He formed arrows with his fingers and attempted to guide his bride in like an airplane descending upon a foggy runway.
"This is ridiculous, Spencer. The baby and I have been out of the hospital for over two weeks. You don't have to be so afraid of us getting hurt." Teddy's melodic voice joined the room as she stepped inside with baby Benjamin clutched in her arms.
The tall blonde was a little heavier set then she had been in her youth, but the weight was distributed in just the right way to make her appear even curvier than she had in the past. Charlotte had never understood how her sister could gain weight that would stay in just the right spots. Whenever the younger Duncan sister put on weight it seemed to enjoy settling on her hips and stomach for the whole world to see.
"Momma!" Amelia cried out excitedly, letting her Sippy cup and sandwich tumble to the floor, before taking off in a sprint to capture Teddy's leg.
"Whoa there," Spencer caught the child in mid-flight and propped her on his hip. "We have to be careful when momma's holding Ben, honey."
"I don't like Ben," Amelia grumbled under her breath and rested her head on her father's shoulder. With her bright brown eyes and the dark curls framing her face, the child was almost impossible to ignore. Happily, Teddy was well versed in handling Amelia's various moods.
"How about we trade?" She smiled at her husband and in a matter of minutes, the newest Duncan grandchild was in his father's arms and Amelia was cuddled up to Teddy.
The whole scene was rather intriguing to Charlotte. She loved her job and was extremely thankful that she had been able to visit multiple continents, meet high-class celebrities, and share her passion with the world. But truth be told, she missed being near her crazy family during all of the concert tours and interviews. She was the only one in the family who hadn't been in town for the birth of all the grandchildren. Heck, she hadn't even gotten to meet Benjamin yet!
Of course, this time was going to be different. When Adam, Charlie's somewhat sleazy, in her opinion, agent had first offered her a cross-country tour over her last summer before college the singer had requested a rather large favor. The only way he would get her on that bus was if he took the rest of the Duncans along for the ride. The reaction to her idea had ranged from anger, excitement, and confusion, to fear. With the most intense reactions ironically coming from some of the Duncan family.
Adam had enough money to make the trip happen. He had seen Charlie through two gold albums that were still on the charts. The real problem with the plan had been her siblings. Teddy had only been granted the vacation time because the paper she worked for had been given permission to report on behind the scenes tour moments. Neither Charlie nor her sister was happy that Teddy had to be a glorified paparazzi reporter, but it got her the time she needed. PJ and his wife had been reluctant to come along, but they gave in when their eldest, Isaiah, reminded them he had always wanted to see all the places on his coloring book map.
No one was quite sure how Gabe had gotten the time off from the police force. All his girlfriend had said was he came home one day and announced he had been cleared for the trip. It was suspicious, but everything attached to Gabriel Duncan seemed suspicious. So the family overlooked it for the time being.
And last but not least, had been everyone's favorite moody teen, Toby. Being a minor whose parents still did not trust him to be home alone, after an eventful party he had created last time, Toby was given no choice in the matter. The sixteen-year-old had spent the rest of his packing time searching for a way to become emancipated. Happily, he took after Gabe academically and seemed to lose interest in the research pretty quick.
"Charlie," Spencer cradled the newborn close to his chest and walked towards her, "I have someone here you should meet."
A wide grin broke out on Charlie's face as the infant was laid in her arms. The child made a few gurgle noises but did not open his eyes. His little chest rose and fell with each slow breath as if he was perfectly comfortable with the aunt he had just met. The singer hummed a small tune for the baby and tried to gently rock him from side to side. Ben's brow began to scrunch up as she hummed and soon he let out a small whimper.
"Everyone's a critic." Charlie laughed along with the rest of the adults and kissed her nephew on the head.
Later that evening the entire Duncan clan had managed to assemble themselves in the house. The men had volunteered to take over baby and toddler duty while Charlie and Teddy finished getting ready for Charlie's overdue graduation party. After seeing how protective Spencer was, Charlotte doubted that he would let any of the others hold his new baby boy.
At least Teddy seemed to still have a good head on her shoulders. Each time she and Charlie saw each other they were able to slip into their old and comfortable routine. It really was like no time had passed between the sisters. A feeling Charlotte whole-heartedly believed came from the many video diaries her sister had made through the years.
"These are beautiful!" Teddy dug through the many gowns in Charlie's closet. Nothing near this fancy had existed in the tiny space when she owned the closet. The room really had nothing left in it that signaled Teddy had once lived there. Except of course, for the large photo frame on one of the walls that housed a lot of her sticky note drawings. Charlie had always admired those pieces of paper and it seemed to go along with the colorful theme of the room.
"Feel free to try on anything you want." Charlie dug through one of the stand-alone racks in the corner of the room. Only half a year into her singing career and her closet had been completely filled. The rest of her clothing items now lingered in various spots in the room as if the closet had exploded somewhere along the line.
"I can't believe you are an official high school graduate." Teddy slipped out of her dress and tried to squeeze into one of the tighter outfits. She had kept her promise to herself and only gained the amount of weight necessary during her second pregnancy. Although she had more toning work to do, she was definitely in better shape than she had been after Amelia's birth. "Are you looking forward to college? Your first year really is exciting Charlie."
"Yeah…" The younger sister stared into her mirror and felt her enthusiasm wane a little.
"What's wrong?" Teddy slipped into her original dress and joined her sister by the mirror.
"Oh, nothing. I was just getting sappy over memories I guess."
Teddy gently bopped Charlie's nose with a makeup brush and raised a playful eyebrow, "We can do this the hard way or the easy way sis."
"Fine." She was a smart enough teenager to know when her sister was not bluffing. "Mom found out that my contract isn't going to be up for a while. Now I have to record and do all that stuff during freshman year. Nothing is going as I planned and now the media will probably be all over campus and I'll just be the celebrity freak show."
Teddy listened attentively as she gently brushed some blush onto her baby sister's cheeks. After setting the brush down, she pulled Charlie over to the bed and wrapped an arm around the kid's shoulder. "First off, we are the Duncans. When has anything gone according to plan for us?"
Charlie laughed at the statement that no one in or associated with their family could deny. Their family was a pretty weird bunch, but they were her weird bunch. Besides, without all of their antics, Charlie's talk show sessions would have probably been rather boring.
"Secondly," Teddy squeezed her shoulder gently. "You are one of the most talented and resourceful eighteen-year-olds I know. This is your year, and I am sure you will figure out a way to make it work. Maybe it won't be exactly like what you planned… But it will be great, Charlie. So promise me you will give it your all, no matter what happens, okay?"
"Well…" Charlie grinned at her sister playfully before being attacked by two hands that knew each of her ticklish spots. "No! Okay! Okay! I promise!"
"Ha!" Teddy shouted triumphantly and flopped down on the bed with her sister. "Now how about we get you out to that graduation party in the backyard?"
"Sure." The younger girl sat up and pulled her long blonde hair back into a ponytail.
"Oh, and don't forget to get a good night sleep."
"Why?"
"Cause tomorrow we hit the open road with the entire clan. You will need all the rest you can get." As Teddy laughed softly, Charlie nodded her head and wondered what she had gotten herself into.
