Hi everyone! This is my second Good Luck Charlie story and this time it's centered around PJ Duncan (my second favorite character next to Gabe Duncan!) Anyways, hope you enjoy! :)
Need a Babysitter? Just Call PJ Duncan!
"PJ! We're leaving!"
PJ Duncan rushed down the stairs after hearing his name being called. He saw his parents, Amy and Bob, all dressed up and about to go to a fancy restaurant on a date night. And they had assigned him to babysit his little sister and brother while they were gone.
"Don't let Charlie and Toby out of your sight. Gabe is upstairs playing a video game. Dinner's in the fridge!" Amy told her son.
"Don't worry, mom, I've got all of this under control." He assured her.
"Like all the other times you've had it under control?" Amy asked.
"That was in the past! This is now! I, PJ Duncan, will not mess up this time!"
"Okay, well, if you're sure you can do this." Amy said. "Come on, Bob, let's go."
Bob patted PJ on the shoulder. "Good luck, son. I know you can do it."
"Really?"
"No, something's bound to happen, but at least you're the one in charge, right? So, you're in charge of your mistakes." Bob stated.
PJ laughed. "Haha! That's funny, dad!"
"I wasn't joking."
"Oh, come on, are you sure you don't have a little bit of faith and trust in me?" PJ asked.
"Fine I do. Does that also include pixie dust?"
"I don't know." PJ replied. "I haven't been able to fly yet."
"Bob! Move your butt!"
Bob sighed. "Coming, honey!" He looked at PJ. "Just please tell me you've got this one, right?"
"Right! Goodbye, dad!"
"Oh and one more thing-" PJ closed the door before his father could finish. He clapped his hands together and turned to look at Charlie and Toby. "Okay! Who wants to play peekaboo?"
Charlie giggled before running off into another room.
"Okay then, I guess we're playing tag. Hey! No! No running off!" PJ yelled, chasing after his little sister. "Mom told me to keep an eye on the both of you! I can't keep an eye on the both of you when you're not in the same room as I am!"
After five minutes of running around the house, PJ finally caught Charlie. "Gotcha!" He exclaimed, picking her up in his arms. "Now let's take you back to the living room and – hey where's Toby?"
Toby was nowhere to be seen. Gabe was sitting on the couch acting like nothing was going on. "Hey bro, what's up?" He asked.
PJ looked at his brother. "What's up?" He repeated. "I finally catch Charlie and now I lost Toby too! Why doesn't anything ever work out right for me?" He set Charlie down on the floor before plopping himself onto the couch.
Gabe shrugged. "I told you agreeing to babysit wasn't a good idea. Bad things happen whenever PJ Duncan babysits little kids. I would think you'd know that by now."
"Yeah, but just because it happens a couple times doesn't mean it happens every time, right?"
"Uh . . . it has happened every time."
PJ groaned. "I promised mom I would be the responsible older brother. I try to be, but then I fail!"
"Maybe you're trying too hard." Gabe suggested. "Take it easy for a change!"
"Yeah, well, I took it easy and now Toby's gone!"
"No he's not. He's right there." Gabe pointed to Toby who was smiling and bouncing up and down happily.
"How did I not see him?" PJ asked.
"Paying more attention helps." Gabe replied. "You lack a lot of that apparently."
"You gotta help me, Gabe."
"Sorry, I'm busy. I'm going over to Mrs. Dabney's."
"You're going to see Mrs. Dabney?" PJ asked. "Wow, you two must really be friends now."
Gabe rolled his eyes. "I'm not seeing Mrs. Dabney! I'm going over there to hang with Lauren."
"Oh . . . right. Your girlfriend." PJ said. "I had one of those too."
"You still do. Remember Skyler?" Gabe asked.
"Who?"
"Skyler. Your girlfriend. Moved to New York. Now she's back in Denver." Gabe stated, hoping to receive some type of recognition from his brother.
"Oh . . . right. Her. Too bad she isn't here right now. She could help me babysit."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. PJ walked over to answer it. When he opened the door, Skyler was standing there, smiling. "Hi PJ! Ready for our date?"
"Date?" PJ repeated. "Oh man! Skyler! I totally forgot we were going on a date tonight!"
Skylar remained cheerful. "Oh, that's okay, PJ! Sometimes, I forget things too. Like today, I forgot to put lipstick on!"
"You're wearing lipstick right now." Gabe pointed out.
Skyler nodded. "I know."
Gabe shook his head. He didn't understand Skyler sometimes, but that's what made her such a perfect girlfriend for his brother.
"I'm sorry I forgot our date, but I can't go. I have to babysit my little brother and sister." PJ said. "When I say I'm sorry, I mean I'm really sorry! I would love to go on a date with you, but I just can't."
"It's fine, PJ. In fact, I have nothing going on tonight. Maybe I can help you!" Skyler suggested.
"Really? You would do that? Awesome!" PJ grinned. "Two heads are better than one, that's for sure."
"Except when those two heads are both empty." Gabe remarked.
Skyler walked into the house and PJ shut the door. She looked at Charlie and Toby and smiled. "Aw! They're so cute!"
"They may be cute, but they're a handful." PJ stated, walking over and standing next to his girlfriend. "But I'm sure we can handle them!"
"You two lovebirds have fun. Good luck." Gabe said, heading out the door. "You're gonna need it." He muttered once he was outside.
"So, what do you want to do?" PJ asked.
"Just because we're babysitting doesn't mean we still can't have our date." Skyler said. "Hint, hint!"
"Oh, okay. Well, maybe I can make us some food and we can have a romantic candlelit dinner in the kitchen." PJ suggested.
Skyler cringed at the idea. "Yeah . . . um, I think we should avoid anything involving food or a dinner. Remember that picnic we had? We don't want puke in the basket to happen again, do we?"
PJ nodded. "I guess you're right. Well, we could just sit here on the couch and hang out, I guess."
Skyler smiled as she pulled PJ onto the couch with her. "Great idea!" She snuggled up to her boyfriend, who put his arm around her.
PJ grinned. He loved being around Skyler. He couldn't wish for any other girl as his girlfriend.
"You know what we could also do?" Skyler asked.
PJ looked at his girlfriend, curiously. "What?"
"This." Skyler began to lean in for a kiss when-
"Whatcha doing?" Charlie asked, popping up from behind the couch. PJ and Skyler yelped in surprise as they looked at the little girl.
"Uh . . . nothing, Charlie, go back to playing with Toby." PJ said, nervously.
Skyler blushed embarrassed as she pulled away from her boyfriend and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm hungry." The little girl responded.
PJ sighed, getting up off the couch. "Alright, I'll go make you a sandwich." He headed into the kitchen, leaving Skyler alone with his siblings.
"Do you like my brother?" Charlie asked.
Skyler looked surprised by her question. "Well, yes, actually. He's my boyfriend."
Charlie grinned as she grabbed Skyler's hand and pulled her up off the couch. Skyler looked confused. "Where are we going, Charlie?" She asked.
"To Teddy's room. I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" Skyler repeated as Charlie pulled her down the stairs to the basement.
"Okay, Charlie, I got your sandwich." PJ replied, walking out of the kitchen into the living room. "Charlie? Skyler?" He noticed the two girls were gone. He looked at Toby. "Toby, where did they go?"
Toby just smiled and started bouncing up and down excitedly.
PJ shook his head. "Too bad you can't talk yet. It would be really helpful at the moment."
"Charlie, why are we in Teddy's room?" Skyler asked. The little girl had taken her to her friend's old room, but she had no idea why.
Charlie pulled out a make-up kit and showed it to Skyler.
"A make-up kit?"
Charlie pointed at it then at Skyler.
Skyler seemed to understand. "You want to give me a makeover?"
Charlie nodded. She then ran over and opened up Teddy's closet. It still had some of Teddy's clothes in it that she didn't take along with her to college and also some clothes that she didn't wear anymore.
"Charlie, I don't think we should be playing in Teddy's closet." Skyler said.
Charlie pointed to the closet and then Skyler.
Skyler nodded. "Oh, you want to play dress-up too?"
Charlie nodded, clapping her hands excitedly.
Skyler smiled at the little girl's enthusiasm. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! I'd love to play with you, Charlie."
Charlie began to pull some clothes out and handed them to Skyler. She also picked up the make-up kit and opened it up while Skyler sat down on a chair.
"Okay, Charlie, I'm ready for my makeover!"
"Where are they?" PJ asked as he paced back and forth in the living room. "I wasn't gone long was I? What could have happened to them? Did a spaceship full of aliens abduct them? Did a gang of bikers break in and kidnap them? Did they leave without me knowing?"
PJ was desperate. He knelt down in front of his little brother. "Please, Toby!" He pleaded. "Tell me where they are! Point if you have to!"
Toby giggled.
"What does that even mean?" PJ asked himself. "Is giggling code for they were abducted by aliens?"
"Hey PJ."
PJ turned around to see Skyler and Charlie. His mouth dropped open. "Skyler! You look . . . beautiful."
Skyler smiled. "Really? Thanks! Charlie gave me a makeover and dressed me up!"
"Are you wearing my sister's dress from when she went to that dance with Spencer?"
Skyler gasped, looking down at Charlie. "Charlie!"
Charlie just giggled, a mischievous grin on her face.
"No, it's okay." PJ said. "It actually looks better on you, but don't tell my sister I said that!"
Skyler laughed. "Sure, I'm glad you like it."
Suddenly, romantic music began to play. PJ and Skyler both turned their heads to see Charlie standing by the speakers.
Skyler smiled. "Would you like to dance?" She asked, putting her hand out.
PJ smiled, grabbing his girlfriend's hand. "I'd love to."
The two then began to dance and twirl around. PJ dipped Skyler and he leaned in, about to kiss her. The music abruptly stopped and Skyler and PJ both fell to the ground.
"Oh man! Skyler! I'm so sorry!" PJ exclaimed, helping her up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Skyler replied. "But where's Charlie?"
PJ groaned. "That little mischief-maker escaped again!"
"What do we do?" Skyler asked, looking worried.
"Look around the house. She has to be somewhere!"
Skyler nodded, immediately running off to try to find the little girl.
PJ sighed. "Oh, Charlie, why do you keep running off like this?"
Charlie walked up and rang the doorbell of Mrs. Dabney's house. She waited a few seconds before the woman answered. She looked surprised to see the little girl at her doorstep.
"Why, Charlie, did you run off again?"
Charlie giggled. Mrs. Dabney shook her head. "Well, you might as well come inside. Would you like some apple juice? Gabe isn't here right now. He went off to the roller-skating rink with Lauren. They should be back soon though."
Charlie walked inside the house as Mrs. Dabney closed the door.
"I'll go get the apple juice. I may have some cookies in the cookie jar as well. You just wait here and don't go anywhere." Mrs. Dabney said, walking into the kitchen.
Charlie sat down and smiled, wondering if her brother and his girlfriend had discovered that she had run off again yet.
"I couldn't find her." Skyler stated, walking back into the living room. "She isn't downstairs or upstairs."
"And she's not in the kitchen either. I checked." PJ replied, frowning. "Do you think she went outside?"
"Does the open front door answer your question?" Skyler asked.
"What?" PJ turned around to see the front door had been left open. His eyes widened. "How did we not notice that earlier?"
Skyler shrugged. "No clue, but Charlie must be out there. But where would she go?"
PJ thought about it for a moment. Where would his little sister run off to? It suddenly hit him. "There's only one place I know Charlie would go to."
"Great! Where?"
PJ grabbed Skyler's hand and pulled her out the door. "Follow me."
The front door closed and Toby sat on the floor of the living room, all alone, and bouncing up and down happily.
"I just don't get what she sees in your brother." Mrs. Dabney said as she and Charlie sat together, eating cookies and drinking apple juice. "He's nothing, but a no good troublemaker."
"Ditto!" Charlie responded.
Mrs. Dabney smiled. "At least someone agrees with me. Unfortunately, I can't change anything about it. Lauren is head over heels for Gabe. Oh well. I guess there has to be one bad kid in every family."
"Bad Gabe!"
Mrs. Dabney nodded. "Bad Gabe indeed!" She picked up the tray of cookies and held it out to Charlie. "Now would you like another cookie?"
Charlie grinned, picking another cookie off the tray and eating it.
The doorbell rang. Mrs. Dabney set the tray of cookies down on the table before getting up to answer it.
"Hello Mrs. Dabney. Have you seen Charlie?" PJ asked.
Mrs. Dabney put her hand on her hip and turned to look at the little girl. "Charlie, there's someone here for you."
Charlie slid off the chair and walked over to her brother and Skyler.
"Charlie!" PJ exclaimed, kneeling down and hugging his little sister. "We were so worried! You really need to stop running off like that!"
"I'm so glad we finally found her!" Skyler replied, grinning.
"Bye Charlie. See ya tomorrow." Mrs. Dabney stated. She walked over and picked up the tray of cookies. "Here, take some cookies with you."
"Oh! Don't mind if I do!" PJ said, reaching out for a cookie, but Mrs. Dabney slapped his hand away.
"They're only for Charlie." She said. "It's your fault for not keeping an eye on your little sister."
"Bye, bye!" Charlie waved as PJ picked her up and carried her out the door.
"Goodbye, Charlie." Mrs. Dabney waved back before shutting the door.
PJ looked at his little sister. "How many times have you gone over to Mrs. Dabney's house without us knowing?"
Charlie smiled, not responding.
"Fine, don't answer. We're going home, you little rebel." PJ said as the three of them walked back over to the house.
An hour later, Gabe arrived back at the house. He had said goodbye to Lauren and given her a hug all while getting the evil eye from Mrs. Dabney.
"Hey PJ. I'm back." He saw his brother and Skyler asleep on the couch. Toby was in the exact same spot he had been the entire day. Charlie was nowhere to be seen.
They was a sticky note stuck on PJ's forehead. Gabe walked over and took it off, reading the scribbly handwriting. It was obvious it was written by a little girl.
Went to Mrs. Dabney's.
-Charlie Duncan
"Well, she's gotten better at writing her name." Gabe commented. He stuck the sticky note back on his brother's forehead before walking into the kitchen.
Suddenly, the front door opened again, revealing Amy and Bob Duncan.
"PJ! We're home! How was babysitting?" Amy asked.
PJ immediately woke up along with Skyler. "Mom!" He exclaimed, surprised. "You're home already!"
"Well, we were gone for a full two hours. Where's Charlie?" Amy asked, noticing the absence of a certain little girl.
"Uh . . . Charlie . . . she's um-"
"On your forehead." Skyler stated.
PJ looked at his girlfriend, bewildered. "On my forehead? She's not a fly, Skyler."
"No, I mean on your forehead." Skyler said, pointing to the sticky note.
PJ touched his forehead and pulled the sticky note off of it. He looked at the note and his eyes widened. "Oh, I think I know where Charlie is."
"Where?" Bob asked.
The doorbell suddenly rang and Amy went to answer it. When she opened the door, there was Mrs. Dabney standing with Charlie by her side, who was holding a board game.
"I believe this belongs to you." She said, referring to Charlie.
Amy turned to look at PJ. "You let Charlie wander outside alone?"
PJ was about to respond, but Skyler beat him to it. "Yes, he did it twice!"
"Skyler!"
"Oh, was I not supposed to say that?"
Bob looked upset. "PJ! You were supposed to not let them out of your sight!"
"I tried, but Charlie kept running around. At least Toby stayed in the same place the entire day." PJ said. He looked at the spot his little brother had been sitting the whole day only to realize he wasn't there. "Oh great, now where did he go?"
Gabe came out of the kitchen, holding Toby in his arms. "Hey mom. Hey dad." He greeted. He then noticed his brother was awake. "Oh hey PJ. Did you get the note Charlie left you?"
PJ looked shocked. "How long have you been holding Toby?"
Gabe shrugged. "I don't know. Five, ten minutes, I guess."
Amy sighed. She turned to look at Mrs. Dabney. "Thank you, Mrs. Dabney. We'll take it from here." She said.
Mrs. Dabney smiled. "You look like you have a lot to talk about. Have a nice night now." She then left while Amy closed the door.
"Why was Charlie at Mrs. Dabney's house?" Bob asked.
"Because she walked over there." Skyler answered as if it was obvious.
"Thanks Skyler, but I'll take care of this." PJ said. "Mom, dad, I was irresponsible. I let Charlie out of my sight and she ran off. I'm really sorry. I guess this is my last time babysitting, huh?"
Amy and Bob thought about it for a minute. They knew PJ had tried his best. Sure, he messed up many times, but he always kept trying, didn't he?
"No, PJ, this isn't your last time babysitting." Amy stated. "We know you tried your best. If it was your father and I, I'm sure we could've easily lost Charlie too."
PJ smiled. "Thanks mom. I'm glad you still believe in me."
Amy gave her son a hug. "Well, you are my little boy."
Bob nodded, patting PJ on the shoulder. "Your mom's right. At least Charlie's back home safe and sound."
PJ watched as his parents walked out of the living room and into the kitchen. Gabe had taken Toby upstairs to put down for a nap and Charlie had disappeared again to who knows where.
"Hey PJ, I gotta go, but it was nice hanging out with you and I enjoyed helping you babysit your siblings." Skyler said, getting up off the couch.
"Yeah, me too. Sorry that our date didn't go as planned." PJ replied.
"No biggie." Skyler stated. "There is one more thing we can do." She and PJ both leaned in for a kiss, but were interrupted again.
"PJ Duncan! Get your butt in here!" Amy yelled.
PJ sighed. "What now?"
"It's okay, PJ. I'll see you tomorrow." Skyler was about to leave when she realized something. "Oh! Let me change out of your sister's dress quick!"
PJ stopped her. "No, keep it. Teddy won't mind."
"Are you sure?"
PJ nodded. "I'm sure. See ya tomorrow."
Skyler smiled. "Bye." She quickly gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek before walking out the door. PJ immediately ran into the kitchen to be met with the sight of what looked like an explosion of arts and crafts.
"Look at this mess!" Amy exclaimed, gesturing to it. "What do you have to say about this?"
PJ was flabbergasted. "I really have no idea what happened! The kitchen was completely clean when I went in here!"
"Then what could have caused this?" Bob asked.
"I think I know." PJ said, pointing to the window. Amy and Bob looked at the window to see Charlie with a mischievous grin on her face, holding a bunch of markers and strips of construction paper.
"Charlie!" All three of them exclaimed. The little girl just giggled in response.
"I'll go get her." Bob said, heading into the garage. Amy followed right behind.
"She's going to be in lots of trouble!" She exclaimed, still upset.
PJ shook his head, smiling. "Oh well. Good luck Charlie."
Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated! See ya next time! :D
