When she was born, Patrick held her and smiled at her as she wailed her tiny lungs out. A tear slipped down his face as he whispered, "Hi Charlie."
The day she came home from the hospital, Teresa carried her carefully into the house and Patrick followed carrying gifts for Teresa and Charlie. They went into the beautiful nursery that had been painted as soon as they found out Charlie was a girl. Her initials, CAJ, were painted in a beautiful white cursive on the wall behind her crib. "Welcome home Charlie Anne Jane, we love you," Teresa whispered. Patrick kissed both of them on the head. Charlie slept the whole night her first night.
Her first word came when Patrick and Teresa were cooking dinner one night, and apparently not going fast enough for stubborn Charlie. "Mh. Mo. MOMMA!" Charlie blabbed out.
Teresa and Patrick spun around and stared at their daughter. "What Charlie?" Teresa asked. "Momma!" Charlie waved her hands at Teresa.
"Her first word," Patrick said.
Happy tears were shed
Charlie said dadda a couple days later when Patrick was playing with her and her favorite toy, a stuffed elephant was just out of reach. Her next words would be, food, ellie (She met elephant.), blankie, bed, sleepy. Before long she would start forming sentence like, "Dadda, momma, I tired." Or "Momma where ellie?"
Charlie took her first steps hanging on the sofa as Patrick stood behind her and Teresa held her arms out in front of her. Ready to catch her when her baby legs wouldn't hold her up. When she did fall, into Teresa's arms, Teresa lifted her up and kissed her face over and over, "GOOD JOB CHARLIE!"
At her first birthday, Charlie had a mess of blonde curls and was held at least once by Abbott, Abbott's wife, Cho, Vanpelt, Rigsby, and all three of her uncles. She also got cake everywhere and Patrick laughed later as he gently washed her off, "Oh Charlie you amaze me every day."
Charlie loved to be read too. She giggled at the bright pictures as Teresa or Patrick read to her. Patrick would make funny voices for all the characters and Charlie would clap, "Again dadda!"
Teresa wrung her hands together, "Do we have to?"
Patrick nodded, "We do, soon it will be in her eyes."
Teresa leaned down in front of Charlie, "Mommy is going to cut your hair. It's not going to hurt."
Charlie shook her head, "No."
Patrick squeezed Charlie, "What was that silly girl?"
"No!" Charlie squealed.
"Oh no," Teresa whispered, "It's the terrible two's before she's even two."
Patrick laughed, "Of course, she has to beat everything doesn't she?"
Teresa shook her head, "I blame you."
Patrick kissed the top of Charlie's head, "I love you little princess," He said.
The haircut did happen and Teresa cried a lot more than Charlie did.
Soon it was Charlie's second birthday, "We've had her for two years," Teresa whispered to Patrick as they watched Vanpelt tickled Charlie.
"And look at her," Patrick said.
Charlie giggled at Vanpelt, "Again!" She cried when Vanpelt stopped tickling her.
"She's a sweet girl," Teresa said leaning against Patrick.
"She is," Patrick said, "We are good parents."
"I love you Patrick Jane," Teresa said.
"I love you Teresa Jane," Patrick said, he kissed her softly.
They were a happy family.
Two year old Charlie wasn't terrible. Though she sure liked the word no. "Charlie it's bathtime." "No." "Charlie do you want to go to the park?" "No." "Charlie, it's bed time." "No."
"She's following in your foot steps," Patrick told Teresa, "She is being an angry little princess."
Other than the no thing Charlie went on without much terribleness.
Two also brought the news of another baby, this time a boy. He was born before
Charlie could turn three and named Ansel Clay Jane. He unlike his sister had floppy black hair. Charlie took to her baby brother immediately and loved to talk to him and help Teresa take care of him.
Three brought an energy packed Charlie, always running, bouncing, moving. If Patrick and Teresa took their eyes off her for one second in the grocery store, she would be trying to get in the freezers.
She never liked to sit still so photos of her were often blurred as she escaped.
There was no walking for Charlie, it was running.
Though running lead to falling down and a lot of scraped knees that had to be kissed by mommy and daddy and get a special princess Band-Aid.
At four, Patrick and Teresa enrolled Charlie into a local preschool. Her first day, Teresa dressed Charlie in a pair of pink pants and a white top with pink polka dots to match. Together, Teresa and Patrick, each holding one of Charlie's hands walked her into school. Teresa was holding Ansel.
Charlie looked at her classroom, "Do I have to?"
Patrick bent down in front of her, "You will have a great time Charlie. They have tons of books you can look at. You will make tons of friends. I also see some markers, maybe you can draw your mom a pretty picture?"
Charlie wrapped her arms around Patrick's neck, "Okay daddy, I love you."
"I love you too Charlie."
Teresa bent down and Charlie hugged her, "I love you mommy."
"I love you too Charlie, have fun sweetie," She kissed Charlie on the cheek.
Charlie kissed Ansel's cheek, waved and walked into her classroom. Patrick and Teresa watched for a second and then headed out holding hands. "Do you think she's going to be okay?" Teresa asked.
Patrick nodded, "She's going to be amazing."
Sure enough when they picked up Charlie that afternoon she talked and talked about her day. She told Teresa and Patrick all the things she had done and handed Teresa a picture she had made. Teresa hung it on the fridge.
"Five," Teresa said, "Charlie is Five."
"And Ansel is two," Patrick said, "Why are we stating our children's ages?"
"Because that means, one they are growing up way too fast, two we've been married for five years, and three, we are getting old too."
Patrick laughed, "We are not old. Modern medicine gets better and better every day. It is likely we will live into our hundreds Teresa," He wrapped his arm around her, "Besides, the kids will still need us for a long time to come. Charlie is only five. Even when she is fourteen she'll still need us to drive her places."
Teresa shook her head, "But what about at sixteen when she gets her license."
"If we don't buy her a car, she can't go anywhere."
"She'll hate us."
"Then we won't pay for the gas for the car," Patrick said.
"I don't think I tell you I love you enough," Teresa said.
Patrick shrugged, "I guess it would be nice to hear more."
Teresa rolled her eyes, "I love you."
"I love you too Mrs. Teresa Jane."
Six and three, seven and four, eight and five, nine and six all blended into a mess of starting Ansel in school, lost teeth, birthday parties, school field trips, brand new friends, learning to ride a bike (For both Charlie and Ansel.) Now age ten, Charlie was starting fifth grade. "Mom," Charlie sighed, "I don't need you to walk me into school. I'm in fifth grade! I'm ten!"
"We are walking in Ansel," Teresa said, "Not you."
Ansel looked at Teresa, "I'm seven."
"And in second grade," Charlie said, "You still eat crayons."
"DO NOT!" Ansel cried.
"Kids," Patrick warned.
Charlie crossed her arms over her new yellow sundress, "Dad, I'm big enough to walk myself into school and not have my baby brother trail behind."
Patrick nodded, "Okay Charlie, go ahead, have a good day sweetheart, I'll see you when we pick you up."
Charlie looked stunned for a second, but then hugged Patrick, "Bye dad!"
Teresa looked at Patrick, "I thought you said they would need us for years to come."
"Just wait," Patrick said.
They walked through the doors of school and, of course, there was Charlie, standing her hands gripping her lunch box. She was almost in tears until she spotted Patrick and Teresa. She swallowed her tears and walked over to Teresa and Patrick acting cool, "Uh, um. Mia's parents are walking her to class, so I guess it would be okay, if you walked me too."
Patrick reached and took her hand, "Of course sweetie."
Charlie, that day, found out no matter how old she got, she would always need her parents. Because sometimes someone holding your hand was the best way to go into a scary situation.
"I HATE THEM! I HATE ALL OF THEM!" Thirteen year old, eighth grader Charlie, screamed as she came into the house and threw her book bag down.
"Someone is dramatic," Ansel, who was now ten and in fifth grade, muttered.
"SHUT UP ANSEL!"
"Charlie!" Teresa said, "Apologize to your brother."
Charlie looked at her mother and then stormed off into her room. Teresa looked at
Patrick, "What was that?" She asked.
"Teen hormones," Patrick said and headed down the hall to Charlie's room. He knocked softly on the door, "Charlie?"
On the other side of the door, he could hear the soft sobs of his baby girl, so he pushed open the door slowly.
Charlie was laying with her back to the door, a pillow clutched in her arms, her blonde hair spilled out behind her. "I don't understand," Charlie said.
Patrick went and sat on her bed, right at the bends of her knees, "Don't understand what Charlie?"
"I called them my friends and they were so mean to me. Mia is having a party and she didn't invite me. She said I can't come since I haven't kissed a boy and that means I'm 'immature.' Everyone took her side."
"Aren't you a little young to kiss boys princess?" Patrick asked.
"I'm thirteen daddy," Charlie sighed, rolling on her back, "But I don't want to kiss any of the boys at my school, they are all gross. I don't even believe Mia has kissed anyone."
"I'm sure it will work out Charlie and if it doesn't then you are a wonderful girl and you can make brand new friends."
Charlie smiled, "I love you dad."
"I love you too Charlie."
(Everything worked out eventually and Mia apologized.)
"Are your eyes shut tight?" Patrick asked Charlie.
"Yes! You made mom put her hands over my eyes," Charlie sighed. She was sixteen and her teen attitude was in full swing.
"A little farther," Teresa said.
"Okay," Patrick said, "In three, two, ONE! HAPPY SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY CHARLIE!"
Teresa pulled her hands away and Charlie gasped, because there was a new (to her) car was sitting in the yard with a big bow stuck to it.
"Is that mine?" Charlie asked.
"Yep!" Teresa said, "You put the gas in it and you can drive it anywhere you want. As soon as you get your license of course."
"O.M.G! THANK YOU MOM! THANKS DAD!" Charlie cried.
Ansel, now thirteen, came out of the house, "Whoah! I call shotgun."
"Get lost loser," Charlie said, "My car. My rules."
Teresa shook her head, "Your dad and I bought the car, it's our car that we are letting you borrow it."
"Okay, fine, but Ansel, You have to help me pay for gas."
"Deal!" Ansel cheered.
Teresa pulled the keys out of her pocket, "Here you go, you can't legally drive it, but you can sit in."
"Thank you mom!" Charlie ran to door and unlocked it. She sat in the driver's seat.
"You know what I need? Some sick sunglasses!" Charlie called.
"How much is that going to cost me?" Patrick asked Teresa.
"The last time Charlie was that mall she found a hundred dollar pair that she loved," Ansel said.
"Oh, I love that girl," Teresa said.
"I do too," Patrick said.
They stood and watched as Charlie analyzed every part of her new car.
Charlie stood at the door her hands clasped together. She was now seventeen, her blonde hair was growing long and curly. She wore a blue striped maxi skirt with a ruffled white top. She had a pair of white flats on. Patrick and Teresa were sitting on the sofa watching her.
Charlie glanced over her shoulder at her parents, "Do you have to be right there?"
"This is our living room," Patrick said.
"Besides," Ansel said as he came walking into the room,"you've got a DATE!"
"Shut up Ansel!" Charlie snapped.
"Ansel, leave your sister alone," Teresa said.
"Yeah, nerd, it's not my fault you can get a date," Charlie.
"Enough Charlie," Patrick said.
There was a knock at the door, "That's him," Charlie whispered. She opened the door to a very nice dressed boy.
"Mom, Dad, this is Grayson."
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Jane," Grayson said.
Patrick stood up, "You can call me Patrick."
Charlie made a face because she knew what was about to happen, "Daddy no. Please."
The mind games were about to start.
"So, Grayson," Patrick said, "What are you two doing tonight?"
Grayson looked at Charlie, "Uh we were going to go eat dinner and then go see a movie."
"What movie?" Patrick asked.
"Which ever Charlie would like to see," Grayson said.
Patrick nodded, "Uh huh."
Teresa stood up off the couch, "Patrick, come on,"
"Yeah, dad," Charlie hissed, "Come on Grayson."
"Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. Jane," Grayson said.
"See you guys at ten. Not even ten oh one," Patrick said.
"Dad!" Charlie moaned.
"Remember mom and I worked for the CBI and FBI. She doesn't miss."
Charlie pulled Grayson out the door, "BYE Dad!" Charlie called. She hurried through the door pulling Grayson with her. She shut the door.
"Wow dad," Ansel said, "You embarrassed Charlie good!"
"It was for her own good," Patrick said.
Teresa shook her head, "You two boys are so much trouble. What am I going to do with you?"
"Feed us?" Ansel asked, "I'm starving."
Teresa sighed, "Come on, I'll make baked spaghetti."
"Win!" Ansel cried.
Patrick smiled, "I'll help you."
"And apologize to Charlie when she gets home?" Teresa said.
"You raised your three brothers, you know I did the right thing."
"Again, you are trouble."
Patrick smiled, "I love you Teresa."
"I love you too. Now come on let's eat," Teresa said and hand and hand her and Patrick walked into the kitchen.
At eighteen, Charlie lugged one last moving box out to her car. She was heading off to college. "You want to drive there?" Patrick asked his daughter.
Charlie shut the trunk, "No thanks. I'll ride."
"We can't go anywhere without your brother," Teresa said.
"I'll get him," Patrick said, he headed towards the house.
"You excited?" Teresa asked Charlie, who was now taller than her.
Charlie nodded, "And nervous, what if I hate my roommates?"
"I thought you have been getting along great with them over the webcam and email."
"That's over the internet mom. What if they don't believe in something like, showers?!" Charlie cried.
Teresa shook her head, "I highly doubt that will happen Charlie."
Fifteen year old Ansel came running out the house. His black hair flopping into his eyes, "Can I drive?!"
"Dweeb, you just got your permit, I don't want to die on the way to college," Charlie said.
Ansel rolled his eyes, "Whatever. I'm turning your room into my own office."
"I'll be home on breaks Ansel."
"Kids, kids!" Patrick said as he came from locking up the house, "You two are going to miss each other."
"I'm sure there are annoying boys at college dad," Charlie said as she climbed into the passenger seat. Since Charlie was keeping a car with her at college Patrick was going to drive the other car behind her.
Teresa got into the driver's seat of Charlie's car, "See you there?" She asked Patrick.
"See you!" Patrick winked and him and Ansel headed off to the other car.
When Charlie was eighteen Patrick shook the hand of three other girls' parents. He helped Charlie unpack and then it was time to go. Teresa cried, a lot, but it was understandable because Charlie was her first baby. Her first to leave the nest. Patrick hugged Charlie tight, he had lost a daughter before and this wasn't losing her. She would come home, "You call me and I'll will break the speed limit to come get you, your mom or Cho will get me out of trouble for speeding," Patrick told her.
Charlie laughed, "Dad!"
"Please call your mother, her heart will break if you don't."
"She still has Ansel," Charlie said.
"You were her first baby. She'll cry with Ansel because he is the last."
"Why aren't you crying?" Charlie asked.
Patrick kissed the top of her head, "Because baby girl, I'm not losing you am I?"
Charlie hugged Patrick, "No dad. I love you."
"I love you too."
Teresa brushed away her tears and hugged Charlie. Then she walked to Patrick. Patrick wrapped his arm around her, "Ansel you have anything to say to your sister."
"I guess I'll miss you."
Charlie walked over and squeezed Ansel, "I'll miss you too!"
Ansel pulled away from her, "Ew!"
Patrick, Lisbon, and Teresa left soon after that. Teresa cried some more and hugged Ansel a lot.
She was going to miss her baby daughter.
Twenty-one year Charlie cheered on Ansel as he graduated from high school. She had just finished her junior year in college. She would be a senior next year and Ansel a freshman. Teresa and Patrick sat on either side of her. "ANSEL!" They clapped.
After the graduation Charlie, Ansel, Teresa, and Patrick went out for a celebration lunch. Ansel argued the whole time with Charlie that his college was better than her's.
"Freshman," Charlie muttered.
But she was glad to be home,this was her family and while she planned to spend some on the summer on the beach with her roommates and new college boyfriend, the rest was going to be with her family.
Twenty-two year old Charlie walked across a stage as Patrick, Teresa, and Ansel (Now a stressed freshman in college) cheered. She was graduating with her bachelors in nursing because she wanted to help people just like her parents, but before they were dead in some alley.
After the whole big graduation was over, Charlie climbed the bleachers to her parents. Teresa stood up and hugged her tight, "I'm so proud of you Charlie."
"Thanks mom," Charlie said. She held her graduation cap to chest.
Patrick stood up, "Charlie you've amazed me since day one."
Charlie looked at her dad, "Thank daddy."
Patrick kissed the top of her head, "I love you."
"I love you too."
Patrick wrapped his arm around Charlie, "Now how about we go celebrate our smart daughter? Lunch on me?"
"Sounds great," Ansel said, "I need like ten cups of coffee."
Charlie laughed, "Oh baby brother. College will be over before you know it."
"Until then, more coffee," Ansel said.
Teresa shook her head, "It took them until they were grown up to be best friends."
"We've always loved each other mom," Charlie said.
"We've just had a weird way of showing it," Ansel finished.
Patrick smiled, "They learned from us Teresa. Now come on let's go to lunch."
Charlie nodded, "Let's." She turned and started up the steps, her family following close behind.
At twenty-six Charlie was getting married to a man named Samson Moore. Samson was twenty-eight, a fellow nurse, and had shown Charlie around the hospital her first day of work.
Both Patrick and Teresa approved of him very much and Ansel and Samson both shared common interest. He was good fit into their family. He also loved Charlie a lot. So Patrick felt assured as he walked Charlie down aisle.
Teresa held an twenty-three year old Ansel's hand and Patrick's hand as the wedding happened. This was her baby girl.
Charlie's first dance was with Patrick, then Samson. After Samson a series of dances happened with Ansel, her three uncles, Abbott, Cho, and Rigsby were all part of that.
Charlie cut the wedding cake with Samson and laughed as they shoved cake at each other.
Charlie blew kisses from the car and she held onto Patrick's hand, "I'll call you when I get there!" She said.
Patrick nodded and leaned farther in the window, "Samson take good care of my girl. I'm not afraid to hurt you."
Samson smiled, "Of course. I love her."
Charlie waved goodbye to her parents and her brother as she headed out on the next chapter of her life.
"She's leaving us?" Teresa asked.
Patrick shook his head, "No, she is still ours. She'll still us."
"What about Ansel?" Teresa asked.
Patrick looked over at his son who was talking to a very pretty woman with fiery red hair and wearing a yellow dress. "Ah, he's growing up too, but we've raised them both well."
Teresa leaned against Patrick, "We did a good a job."
Patrick kissed the top of her head, "We did my love."
Twenty-seven year old Charlie sat at her kitchen table rocking a baby girl named Opal. Across from her sat both her parents. "There is no way Ansel is getting married. Why hasn't he called me?" Charlie asked.
"He thought you were too busy with Opal," Teresa said.
"I'm going to kill him. I love Elora!" Charlie said.
The house phone rang, causing Opal to start to cry. Charlie looked at her daughter, "Shh. It's okay Opal," She said.
Teresa held out her arms, "Let me. Go and answer that."
Charlie carefully handed over her daughter and walked to the phone. "Hello? Ansel! Wow, now you call me. What? Well the thing is…" Charlie's voice trailed off as she walked into the other room.
Teresa smiled, "Hi Opal. I'm your grandma, I love you."
Opal's big eyes scanned Teresa and her wails stopped.
Patrick leaned over Teresa's shoulder, "And I'm your grandpa. I will spoil you rotten no matter what your mommy says."
Teresa held out her finger and Opal gripped it tight. "There you go baby girl. It's okay."
Patrick beamed, "Look at that. You still haven't lost your touch with babies."
"She's so beautiful," Teresa whispered.
Patrick nodded, "She gets it from her mom who got it from her mom."
Teresa looked at Patrick, "I love you."
"I love you too."
"It seems she loves you guys as much as I do."
Patrick and Teresa looked up as Charlie came back into the room. "She reminds me a lot of you as a baby. Stubborn. You still are," Teresa told Charlie.
Charlie lifted baby Opal from her mom's arm, "Is that true Opal?" She asked, "Grandma says you are stubborn."
Opal blabbed and curled against Charlie's shoulder.
"We love you Charlie," Patrick said.
Charlie nodded, "I love you guys too."
In that moment, Patrick and Teresa looked at their baby girl and saw her whole life go past their eyes.
Her first steps, her first words, her smiles, her laughs, her tears, every day in between. She had grown up and made her parents proud. Now she had a baby girl of her own and some day Charlie would be where they were.
Teresa smiled, "You are going to be an amazing mom Charlie."
Charlie looked at Opal, "Thank you mom."
All was good for the Jane family.