PCA: Pacific Coast Academy

Chapter One: Touchdown

-For the reviewers, all the alerts, and the many favs, all of which made me jump and squeal; you all rock.

BPOV

I stared ahead with what probably looked like an utterly bored and uninterested look on my face. The colors on the screen set in the head-rest in front of me meshed together before my eyes, their words running in a legato line that never seemed to break as they flowed through one ear and out the other across the earphones I was wearing. The story line was subpar, but for the relatively low price of my ticket and the fact that I had no overzealous row partners to fight for the window seat with, I sat contented enough.

And not too soon—for me at least—the credits were slowly rolling, names and more names and even more names came running until the black of the screen was visible once more, signaling the end of my in-flight entertainment.

Sighing almost gratefully I pulled the earphones from my ears, unplugging them from the audio port that they had been in, and balled them up before shoving them into the little green carry-on that I had below my feet. Then turning to my right, I checked on the one other person who occupied a seat in this row.

His light brown hair was messy and all over the place, some of his strands catching golden tints from the light shining into the window. His soft round cheeks were dotted in random red flush marks; long light eyelashes cast a shadow over the same smooth mounds of flesh. Under a cute little turned up button nose was a set of full pink lips that were slightly parted, a tiny bit of drool hanging from one side and a teeny thumb inserted in the other.

Peacefully sleeping beside me was my baby, the reason and rhyme to my life. I couldn't help the small smile that formed at my own lips at the mere sight of him; he was so innocent and untouched by the hardships of life. He was the solitary object that my life seemed to revolve around—and had for the last year and a half, almost two—and despite past circumstances, I wouldn't trade him for the world.

Ah… The circumstances…

Reaching out, I touched a hand to the side of his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my cool fingers. He stirred and his little face scrunched up as his eyelids fluttered. His little pink round mouth opening widely into a huge yawn before his eyes peered up at me.

That was probably the sweetest thing about him, his eyes. Deep, deep brown around the outskirts of his irises, fading and fading to a little ring of wintery grey around the pupils as they looked at me sleepily from under their lashes.

"Mama," he stated plain as day. His little voice wavered over the word. He was just over a year; able to speak well enough for me to know what he was saying, but not enough to say anything uniquely profound.

'Mama' was good enough for me, at any rate.

"Yes, 'Mama,'" I repeated to him, lightly poking his nose and watching him blink in surprise and seize my finger in his grasp.

"Mama poke! Mama poke!" he repeated. I chuckled, allowing him to play with my finger and pop it into his mouth as a shrill announcement resounded over our heads.

"Passengers, we will be touching down in no less than five minutes. Please secure your seatbelts and turn off all electrical devices for the time being. Thank you, and we hope you've had a safe and enjoyable trip on United Air."

On that note, there was much scrambling from several people who were in the aisle of the plane, and the air was soon filled with clicks and snaps of seat buckles being fastened and secured. I, being a person who didn't necessarily like flying but who also didn't quite hate it, had kept myself and Hunter securely strapped down into our seats. The only difference was that Hunter was in his baby-carrier, and I was just sitting in my seat.

As the plane descended there was that awful sinking sensation that resided in the pit of my stomach, making me feel a sense of weightlessness. It was almost like that feeling you got on roller coasters when you were going up, up, up, and then that one split second before you dropped; swooning, leaving your stomach in your throat.

It wasn't what I would call pleasant, and even after all the other times I had ever been on a plane, it wasn't something I thought that I would ever get used to. Ever.

I opted to turn my attention back on Hunter, rather than focus on the terrible feeling still sitting in my stomach. He sat contentedly in his seat, staring absently at the moving clouds and blue sky just outside. my finger was still in his mouth as he munched on it and spreading is saliva all over, surely making it prune up as he continued to chew.

Continuing to observe him as we got closer and closer to the ground, I kept casting fleeting glances to the window every now and then. When I could see the faint outlines of buildings and such as the clouds began to dissipate, I dislodged my finger from Hunter's mouth, earning an indignant grunt and reproachful look.

I smirked down at him, rumpled his hair, and retrieved the two carry-on bags that were under our seats; one was Hunter's diaper bag and the other the green travel bag I had just moments ago shoved my headphones into. I set them lightly into the seat beside me that Hunter wasn't occupying and glanced briefly at the old battered watch on my pale wrist. Five fifty nine. I smiled, glad we wouldn't be arriving too late nor too early, relishing the thought of being able to leave the airport soon after arriving; the crowds were murder and a half.

As I did this, another loud and high-pitched announcement came on.

"We are now landing. Please stay in your seats until the plane has fully stopped, and exit in an orderly fashion. United Air thanks you, and hopes you've had a magnificent flight."

I couldn't help the ungraceful snort that I let out; the announcement sounded like something that you would hear at an amusement park after getting off a ride. It was cut short, however, when there was a sharp jerk that made me bounce against my restraints.

"Oomph!" I gasped, glancing out the window and seeing that we had, indeed, landed. I watched as the scene outside—the airport, the overpass and highway near the airport—moved quickly outside the window until it began to slow and, finally, come to a stop.

We were finally here.

I let out a low sigh of relief, glad that were now, officially, on California ground. Taking another quick look out the window, the errant thought that Charlie—my father—was somewhere in there waiting for us made me smile.

Allowing some time for the other passengers on board to get up and get their things first, I sat in my seat for a few more minutes. I nodded politely to the few people who passed or gave smiles to Hunter, and when most of them had gotten off, I stood.

Swooping down I slung the green carry on and sky blue diaper bag over my right shoulder. Then I easily unbuckled Hunter's seat seeing him fiddling idly with the buckles that held him in. I wondered for a split second whether or not to let him walk freely. I opted against it, thinking that I could let him out once we got to Charlie's—soon to be ours as well—home.

Almost as if he read my mind, Hunter began to complain as I grasped his carrier in my hand, and made my way into the empty aisle towards the front of the plane.

"Want to walk, Mama, walk!" he whined.

"When we get to Pop's, Hunter. You can walk there."

He made an odd, high pitched sound that sounded like a mix of indignant annoyance, sticking his lip out and pouting up at me; he absolutely loved to show off and walk wherever we were, ever since he had learned how a few months back. It was adorable, seeing him wobble and teeter from left to right as each leg was moved forward slowly.

However cute it was though, he wasn't going to be allowed to run rampant around the central California airport.

"When we get to Pop's, then I'll let you out to walk," I reiterated firmly, knowing he probably just understood the fact that I was denying him, and not the whole reasoning behind it.

He huffed, and went back to fiddling with his restraints.

I couldn't help but laugh.

***

I craned my neck around the masses of people, trying to see over the tops of heads in the crowds to see if I could catch a glimpse of a mass of familiar messy graying brown hair. Hunter and I had gotten off the plane about ten minutes ago, and had since been trying to catch sight of Charlie. Hunter was currently preoccupied with his feet while I was doing my silent searching, putting his socked toes in his mouth and giggling quietly to himself as he drooled on them. He seemed to be over his want to be out and walking, content enough with the entertainment of his feet to keep him busy. I smiled down at him before searching through the crowd again.

After a few moments, I caught sight of a tall, hefty man with peppered brown hair and a lost and confused look on his face. Looking closer, a smile broke out on my face and I called out to him, pushing through the crowd as politely as possible.

"Dad!" As soon as the words left my mouth, his face snapped towards me, a smile donning it.

"Bells!" he shouted back causing several people to look at him and then back at me, parting as I came closer to them so that I could get through better. As soon as I got to him, he opened his arms wide and pulled me into a huge hug.

It knocked the wind out of me; he hugged me like he hadn't seen me in years despite the fact that the last time he had visited us in Nevada was just in July for Hunter's first birthday. It was a surprising gesture; Charlie was never one for an over-show of affection and emotions.

"Bella, you're here!" he said as he pulled away, surprising me further with his enthusiasm but enjoying it nonetheless. I hadn't wanted an overly somber reunion anyway.

"What, did you expect me to bail out? I said I was coming, and so here I am," I told him with a smile. He chuckled.

"That you did, kiddo; that you did." He peered down at Hunter. "Hey sport!" he let out as if seeing him for the first time. Her reached out and ruffled his fly-away hair, earning a high laugh and sharp giggle from him in the process.

"Pop!"

Charlie beamed. "Perfect little child he is, Bella. Looks good, healthy." He paused. "Missed you two, you know?" he said as he turned his head towards me. There was a very intense look deep in his coal eyes; it was almost pitying, sad. But nearly as soon as I had seen it, it went away as he appeared to collect his thoughts and look the other way, appearing very interested in the far window of the airport.

Letting out a small laugh to clear the air, I said, "Oh, come on Dad. What did you think, I'd let him become malnourished?" He chuckled at that, turning back to me. "And we missed you too. A lot," I added. Smiling, he put an arm over my shoulders.

"Good thing, too, kiddo. Now, come on. We gotta get your luggage, and then Jade's making dinner for when we get home." I instantly noticed the lighter, warmer tone his voice took as soon as he mentioned Jade's name. Or perhaps it was the food. Either way, I gave him a nudge.

"You and Jade still going strong then?" I asked as we weaved about the slowly but surely thinning crowd of people, making our way to the luggage terminal. Jade was Charlie's girlfriend, had been since I was at least ten years old.

He nodded beside me.

"Yup, strong like a piece of steel. Keeps me on my toes, that woman," he sighed contentedly.

"You're so infatuated," I joked as we neared the mass of people waiting for their belongings and stopped, looking on for mine and Hunter's things.

As one of our bags neared us—a dark blue one that had the majority Hunter's clothes in it—Charlie brightened to a brilliant shade of red. That was as good as any verbal confirmation as he opened his mouth and closed it several times before muttering something totally unintelligible. I snickered, and that set off a pleasant silence between the two of us. There was only the occasional 'there's one of them,' or 'oh, hurry, grab that one!' Hunter would make random sounds from time to time, drinking in the attention he was getting from various old ladies and other passersby, looking up with wide eyes and a cute dimpled smile.

It was in no time that we had gotten all of the suitcases that I had brought. There were three for me, and four for Hunter. René—my mother—said she would ship anything else we couldn't get right away within the week, and so I had packed as lightly as I possibly could, considering that I was moving in with my father and not just coming for a visit.

We then loaded the bags onto one of those big, hulking metal carts so that it would be easier to get them out to Charlie's truck, with Charlie lugging that behind him as I kept safe hold of Hunter. It was a good thing Charlie was in a Dodge now; his old Impala would have never sufficed for all the crap that we had brought with us.

"Well," Charlie said as we hauled ass out of the airport through the great glass front doors, stepping out into the blaring sun of mid-August California. "Let's go home, yeah? I'm starved and Jade makes a mean pizza. It's the best thing in the world, I swear." I couldn't help but laugh. He talked about her cooking as if he worshipped it. Hell, he probably did; he couldn't cook to save his life.

"That's great. I haven't had homemade pizza in forever. And it'll be nice to see Jade again. I haven't seen her since Hunter's birthday, and I only got to see her for a day," I reminisced as we neared a big black Dodge Ram parked close to the entrance.

Just like the last time that I had seen it, there was a light coating of dust along the lower half of it and there was light brown mud caked into the treads of the tires. The hubcaps where in need of a light cleaning, and the chrome that accented the whole vehicle was looking a little shabby lately.

Either way, I had been in love with Charlie's truck the moment I had seen it. It was the kind of thing I would have bought for myself, dirt, grime, filth and all. It was that kind of rugged look that fit well with me; not too pristine or perfect, and just the right amount of flaws to make it blend in with the crowd yet have its own defining qualities.

I ogled it openly.

Charlie unlocked the back quietly as we stood there, pulling down the tailgate and slinging the bags that he had into the back and then turning and taking mine. He straightened up and rubbed his hands together, turning to me. He looked slightly pensive, as if he were struggling to say something important.

"So…" he began, "how do you like your homecoming present? I know it's not much, it's got a couple years on it and is in need of a wash, but…" he trailed off nervously putting his hand behind his head and scratching.

I broke out in a smile.

"Seriously?!" I exclaimed, shaking happily in my spot and gripping Hunter's carrier handle tighter from the excitement. I hadn't expected a car as soon as I had gotten back here, but had planned on trying to save up for a used one, perhaps. But this… this was superb.

Charlie nodded and smirked satisfactorily as I walked quickly around the side so that I could strap Hunter in. "Yep. I hardly ever drive it except for weekend anyways, and even then I find myself more in the cruiser than this anyways," he explained, walking over towards the driver's side of the truck as I hooked Hunter in, who was slowly beginning to doze off; his head was nodding from side to side every now and then. I was surprised he hadn't started in for food before now, but, I thought as I closed his door behind me, he would probably be in such a mood once he woke back up again and we were at the house.

I climbed up into the front of the truck, engine already running and Charlie already buckled and seated with the AC running. Settling into the seat, it was then that I felt how weary and tired I was, the apparent rush of seeing Charlie again fading away and giving way to the drain from the lack of sleep that I had had on the plane.

Pulling out, the last thing I heard as I leaned my forehead against the cool glass of the tinted window was "Let's go home kiddo." I had been waiting to hear those words for quite some time now and I smiled as I closed my eyes, drifting off as the road moved beneath me.

Lenn: Well. Hm. I suck. Sorry for late posting (again, bah.) I have a lot going on, and the RL has decided to be a bitch. A raging one at that.

Hopefully I can fall into the schedule that I had intended on. Every other Monday I shall post. Since this took so long, expect chapter two soonish, and chapter three following that. For those who read NBDH, expect a post by October 3rd from me, at the latest, as well as a new one-shot *happy dance.*

As always, Leon is awesome sauce for betaing. You should all bow to his awesomeness and lick the dirt from the path on which he walks.