- It has dark themes. Some drug use/alcoholism/abuse

- Besides what we see of Guy and Connie/Gordon and Casey, this is mostly about family. So no love interest for Charlie

- There are some OC's, but I promise you that they're not going to be a huge focus

- I think I kinda messed up on the math, I really wanted Logan to be 12 for this and at first, I was gonna go by the actor's birthdays but I settled on the kids being born in '80 and Logan in '91 so Charlie is 23 and Logan is 12. This takes place in 2003 and it might mess up the events from the movies. Idk. I think the characters were 10 in the first one maybe. Not sure

"I'm here," Charlie called, waltzing into his former home.

"In the kitchen, sweetie!" Casey called.

He wore a pleased grin as he strode down the hallway, passing childhood pictures and that mirror by the coat closet. His mom had applied for a different job once he was a junior in high school. She'd worked at Mickey's Diner for as long as he could remember, but this new one offered much better pay and was willing to hire her despite her lack of a college degree. They'd moved from their old place to a two bedroom, two bathroom home that wasn't much further from where they'd previously been but slightly closer to her workplace.

He entered the room with a spring to his step. In the days leading up, he'd been horribly stressed about screwing up the interview. But it was all for nothing; things went smoothly. Very well, in fact.

She turned around, having been stirring a pot of soup. "Well?" She said hopefully. "How did it go?"

"I think I got it," he said, trying not to sound too confident. He didn't want to get his hopes up for nothing.

"Oh, Charlie!" Casey embraced him, placing her hands on his cheeks. She smiled proudly. "You're going to be a wonderful teacher. I just know it."

Most people had assumed Charlie would go pro with hockey, he'd even thought about it himself. But the more he pondered, the more he couldn't see it going through with it. The passing years hadn't taken away his love for hockey, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to put himself in the limelight, playing for something that he would have to retire at an earlier age than practically any other career. That was the issue with going pro with any sport.

Over Christmas break before the start of the second semester of his senior year, he'd thought about that a lot. He knew he wanted more than just to play. He just didn't know what sort of thing he wanted to do. It wasn't easy-having to decide on his whole future. What if he didn't pick correctly? What if he became bored with his choice down the line? It didn't help that his school was nagging him about applying to wherever he was going to go before the cut off date.

He chuckled. "You have to say that."

"It's true," She said. "I know how you are with kids. You're going to do great."

" If I get the job," he reminded her. "I wasn't hired yet."

"You will be," She said confidently. He bit back a laugh. That was her my-kid-is-the-best-out-all-of-them confidence.

"And if I don't, you can't call and complain," he told her, eyebrows raised.

She playfully swatted at him. "I wouldn't do that."

"Right," he drawled.

She laughed. "Sit down. Dinner's almost ready."

He did as he was told once he retrieved a can of cola from the refrigerator. His eyes drifted over to her where she was taking out a baking sheet from the oven with a handful of slices of bread cooked to a delicious crisp. He had something to say and needed to tread lightly. "Mom," he said.

"Hmm?"

"I saw Coach the other day," he said as casually as he could. He didn't miss the way she'd stiffened up.

"Oh," she said, attempting to be nonchalant and definitely not bothered. "That's nice. And how is Gordon these days?"

Charlie wasn't stupid. He knew-he'd known- that they still had feelings for each other. In spite of their breakup back during the brief time when Coach had been in the minor league, nothing could convince him that they had fully moved on. She'd tried to; she dated and eventually married a man called Alan who Charlie undeniably despised. The feeling was mutual. He'd succeeded in blinding her, making her believe otherwise.

He wasn't abusive or anything so maybe Charlie could concede that the guy hadn't been the worst possible person she could have ended up with. He just didn't like Charlie and made no effort to bond with him.

Not like Bombay ...

His mom had met Alan when he came into Mickey's. Things between them had been rushed. One moment, Charlie was on his bed with his mom sitting beside him, giving him a soft smile as she told him about this great guy she wanted him to meet and suddenly, he was standing beside Alan at the altar in a tux, wishing desperately that things could be different.

It had been infatuation, nothing more. He'd watched the decline like a roller coaster dipping down. It started off gradually; they nitpicked at each other and Alan began to spend more time at job. As far as Charlie or his mom were aware, Alan never cheated. He simply buried himself in his work. In addition to that, the affection between them became nonexistent. There were no more kisses or anything else that Charlie would regard as unfortunate and disgusting if he was around for it.

Prior to him attending high school, she told him that she and Alan were getting a divorce. It was easily the happiest day of his life, though he knew she was upset about a second failed marriage so he kept any thoughts he had whilst in the house to himself.

Then, during his sophomore year at Eden, she met another man.

Edward.

He did not allow anyone to call him Eddie or Ed or any other sensible nickname. It gave off a haughty impression to Charlie, a sure sign of him being an obnoxious snob.

Not only that, but that guy was totally not right for his mom. She wasn't as in love with him as she thought. It wasn't like when she was with Coach. Her eyes never lit up, she never laughed quite the same way, even her smile was different. He may not be an expert or anything, but Charlie could tell the difference when someone was genuinely in love versus settling for someone that would never make her truly happy.

Luckily, her relationship with Edward never went to marriage. They dated for a year and a half before his mom broke it off. He'd, admittedly, eavesdropped when she met Edward at the door, citing that she just didn't feel the same way anymore and that they were better off as friends.

Last he heard of Edward, he'd moved to some other state.

Good riddance.

"Good," Charlie said, getting up to help her with taking the large pot and setting it down in the middle of the table. She merely sighed fondly. Usually she would tell him that she wasn't frail and could do things herself, thank you very much. This time she let it be. "He's moving back."

He was surprised she didn't drop the bread.

"Oh?" She said quietly, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "He's not coaching for the Goodwill games anymore?"

"No," Charlie said. "He wants to start working as a lawyer again."

"At Ducksworth?"

Charlie snorted. "No. There's this other-uh, DePaul, I think. It's in St. Paul."

Casey nodded silently, gently lowering a ladle into the boiling pot. He watched her critically.

"Mom?" He said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She assured him.

"You don't look fine," he disagreed. "Are you nervous about seeing Coach again?"

"I'm not nervous, Charlie," Her tone came out slightly sharper than it had been just seconds ago. "Now I know you wish Gordon and I had worked out but we didn't. There's no use dwelling on it. Some couples work and others don't."

A somewhat awkward silence fell over the table.

Charlie blew out a puff of air. He wished those two would stop being stubborn and just admit that they still loved each other. He knew Coach still did; he'd tried to get over her by being interested in that Iceland woman-Merria?- and Ms. McKay.

He did feel a little bad for Ms. McKay. She really did like Coach and things seemed to be going well for them. Charlie had known about them because Coach had kept in contact with him and the rest of the Ducks, putting Charlie's apprehension to rest about being abandoned by him so he could take this new job.

But he digressed.

Some of the other Ducks had wondered if Coach was going to purpose to her. It made Charlie uneasy to think about it. He didn't like thinking about Coach with anyone but his mom and vice versa. However, just like with his mom, he never so much as told Coach that. Not that he needed to. He figured Coach knew it already and if he was really going to move on, then Charlie would have to deal with it.

But it turns out, he didn't have to.

Coach abruptly broke up with Ms. McKay. Charlie didn't know what his reasoning was, but he couldn't say he was particularly sad about it.

She rubbed at her face. "I'm sorry. This is supposed to be a celebratory dinner. I don't want to ruin this for you."

"You're not," Charlie shook his head, not reminding her that they didn't know if he should be celebrating yet or not. "It's okay, Mom. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

She put her hand on his cheek again, giving his face a slight squeeze. "Tell me, how did the interview go?"

"Good," was Charlie's response.

"That's it? " Casey said. "I feel like I'm asking you how school was all over again. You've got to tell me something more than just good ."

He shrugged. "It went fine." He just wished he could figure out why the name Zach Campbell sounded so familiar. That was the principal, who couldn't conduct the interview because he was sick. "It was a normal interview."

She grasped his hand. "I just want you to do well, honey."

He knew.

He knew that well.

She wanted him to do better than she had, to go much further than she had. It was why she'd been so excited when he received that scholarship to Eden and then finished college with his teaching degree.

"I know," he said. "But I won't hear back until next week."

Until then, the suspense would kill him.

"How's Adam doing?" Casey asked, blowing on her piece of bread that she'd dipped into the soup.

"Busy," Charlie said. Adam had not gone pro either, much to his dad's dismay. He decided to do what he wanted for his life and not his parents. And so, he went to college for sports therapy and was recently hired at a place that had opened up within the past year. Thus far, he was loving it. His dad was kind of sulky over it. Adam confided to Charlie that he still made remarks over his job choice now and then.

"You should bring him around," Casey told him.

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. His mom didn't like Adam's dad or his mom. They'd never gotten along. Specifically because Charlie was looked at as a bad influence by his parents so that riled his mom up. Not to mention, she felt sorry for Adam and so she was constantly telling Charlie he ought to bring Adam over for Friday night dinner or something. "Yes, Mom."

"Is he eating enough?" She asked.

"I guess."

She frowned.

"Do want me to weigh him next him or-"

She gave him a look. "You're not funny."

He grinned cheekily.

" But -"

Oh, here we go

More matchmaking

His mom, now that he was out living on his own and on the verge of starting his career, was insistent that he needed to get out there and find someone. And alright, maybe it also had to do with his and Linda's breakup. She wanted him to be happy and felt that he was best to look for someone instead of hiding away. He could have pointed out how hypocritical she was being but chose not to.

He was just not in the mood to start dating right now. He and Linda went out for six years before calling it quits. Or rather, she called it quits. She decided that she didn't feel the so-called spark anymore, which had nothing to do with her meeting a drummer called Danny two weeks before.

But he wasn't bitter.

He just didn't want to deal with any of that again for the moment. This new job he would, hopefully, get was more important.

"I know someone who might think you are," she hinted.

"Mom, no offense but I'm not interested," he sighed.

"Charlie, you should at least meet her. She's lovely. I work with her."

"And there's the selling point!" He said sarcastically. "No, no. Sorry, but I have no intentions of getting back out there like you say, just yet."

She sighed with defeat. "Alright, if you're really against it..."

Yes

"I just don't want you to spend so much time being hurt over Linda."

"I'm not hurt ," Charlie didn't know what he felt anymore. On some level, alright , maybe he was hurt and felt some jealousy bubbling up when he saw those happy couples while out-but he'd get over it eventually. "I just-I don't mind being single, Mom. Really."

She was visibly doubtful. "You're fine with being single?"

"Yeah."

"It doesn't bother you at all?"

"Nope."

He knew it wasn't the last time he'd hear about this.

Unfortunately .