Carrying on the Torch

Disclaimer: I don't own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

Chapter 16 (Morning Jitters)

The next morning, Charlotte was making her way to the kitchen for breakfast and hoping PJ hadn't left yet. She wanted to see him off. She prayed for her family to watch over him, so he would have a safe trip. She smelled chocolate chip waffles and grinned as she stepped into the kitchen. PJ and Skyler were at the table with a cup of coffee and some toast. They waved at her and she quickly hurried to the table where a plate of waffles awaited her. "So how'd you sleep last night?" PJ asked. She picked up her silverware and began cutting up the stack of waffles.

"I slept all right. Did you?" He chuckled and stretched his arms out while Skyler merely rolled her eyes and smiled as she sipped her drink. Charlotte raised eyebrow and clicked her tongue. No doubt they eventually slept like a baby, it was just one of those nights where she went ahead and slept with earmuffs on. "Aside from trying to have a second kid, did you sleep well after the fact?" The two adults laughed and leaned into each other. PJ put his arm around Skyler's shoulder and she gave Charlotte a tiny smile.

"Charlotte dear, Teddy's only a few months old, I don't want another baby until she's at least stopped going through ten diapers a day." Charlotte's eyebrows lifted and she rolled her head to the side. The baby wasn't going through that many diapers, was she? Then again, she'd often lose track of how many times Teddy annihilated her sense of smell during the day. "But yes, we had a good night. I woke him up a little earlier so you could say goodbye." PJ cleared his throat and stepped forward, rubbing the back of his neck and craning his head to the left.

"How about no to the goodbye part and yes to 'see you soon'?" She nodded and gave her brother a hug. She didn't want him to worry too much about the plane ride, and he probably wouldn't worry, she'd worry more than he would. He smiled and hugged her back, patting her gently. "I'll be back with Grandma Petunia soon enough. I think she'll enjoy being a great grandmother, don't you?" That was what they hoped for, at least, but surely the woman would immediately try to take over.

"Just remind her that Teddy is our child, not hers," Skyler interjected with certainty. PJ chuckled and Charlotte hurried to her breakfast.

"I think it'd be amusing to see her and Grandma Bosca talking. Wouldn't it?" The adults raised their eyebrows up as she took a bite of her food. She was still daydreaming occasionally about the two grandmothers meeting up for the first time. "Grandma Petunia might want all the attention. I think Grandma Bosca's my favorite. Though, I don't know, it's been years since we've seen Grandma Petunia…" PJ lifted his coffee mug from the counter and sipped it, sighing gruffly as he pulled the cup from his lips.

"It's been years since we've heard from any of that side of the family. They pretty much vanished from sight after the accident." She bowed her head and smacked her lips together. During the night, she had remained awake in her bed, just thinking of all her relatives. She wanted to find a way to get them all back together and just associate. It wasn't fair that they were all gone. Chances were, the great majority of them were still in the state somewhere! "Thinking about something there, Charlotte?" She flinched and shifted her eyes up, smiling sadly.

"A bit, I just wish the family was around more often. Think of all the great Christmases and Thanksgivings that we could have had with the family. Just imagining Aunt Diane running around, trying to perfect everything, or Mel's son, Uncle Randy, doing his best attempt at karaoke. Whatever happened to family stays together?" PJ frowned and Sasha sat next to her, putting her arm gently around her shoulders.

"I know it hurts, dear. Just…try to focus on the family you do have. I imagine everyone has their reasons for their vanishing acts, and if anyone ever comes back around, I can only imagine it would be due to some miracle." Skyler was probably right, it seemed like it would take a miracle to get any of her family back. Only, more than ever she wanted to see them. She couldn't have her sister, mom, dad, and brother, so why was she forced to be without her Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins? It was not their fault that the plane crash happened, why did they have to be punished for it!

She shook her anger and sorrow away and looked up to PJ, she had to make this morning about him. After all, surely he didn't want to be talking about a plane crash just as he was getting ready to go onto a plane. She wasn't sure she could do it, to be honest. Getting on a plane, as rare as crashes were, had to be a scary thought. "So PJ, are you and Skyler going to be talking back and forth on the plane? You guys have a system or something?"

"Yes, it'll be okay. The plane ride isn't going to be that long. I'm more worried about your grandmother taking a long time than I am the plane." He laughed and Charlotte's eyebrows rose. Hopefully in her old age, Grandma Petunia wouldn't be as high maintenance as when she was younger. Though, that could easily be too much to ask for. "Now I trust you'll be paying attention at school while I'm gone." She flashed a toothy grin and nodded her head, was there anything she could get away with doing? She saw Skyler raise an eyebrow and winced, she wouldn't be getting away with a thing.

"I'll be good and I won't fall asleep in class. I won't skip class either." She'd do whatever she could to not irritate him. Now, in regards to doing anything wrong, was it so wrong to plan a date with Mason? Oh yes, she did not forget about that. Of course, she would have to remind Brittany to stay away from him, he was her piece of meat. She blinked and slowly moved her hand to her forehead, thinking on what just ran through her head. Dee would probably smack her upside the head if she heard those words come out of her mouth. "How embarrassing."

"Are you okay, Charlotte?" She pulled her hand away and spotted PJ staring cautiously at her. She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. She was thinking of how that date was going to be and imagining what it would be like to have Mason's arms around her. Her face grew red and the two adults continued to grow concerned.

"Nothing going on here." Her eyes shot to the clock, it was almost time to get going. "Whoa look at the time! Funny how it passes!" PJ sipped his coffee nonchalantly and stared over at the clock with a frown. It was seven, he and Skyler had to get to the airport. Skyler would be dropping him off, along with Teddy, then returning home for the nanny. After that, it was back to work. Skyler put her hands to her knees and slowly stood up.

"Yeah honey, we don't want you to miss your flight. I'm sure your grandmother would not be thrilled with that." He chuckled briefly as Charlotte stared at the two. She could almost imagine the look on the elder's face if PJ told her he'd missed the flight. Certainly, that had never happened before. Skyler looked to her and walked over, rubbing her on the back. "Will you be all right getting to school?"

"Yeah." She moved up and hugged PJ. "Have a safe trip, okay? Don't let grandma boss you around too much." He smiled at her and hugged her back.

"Pretty sure she's not going to be bossing me around too much, but who knows. That woman doesn't know what it means to not get her way." Sure they joked about the lady, but deep down, they all genuinely cared about her and her safety. Hopefully she would be okay and with everything running smoothly, PJ could be home in a few days. "She's going to have to sell some of her things, I know I've requisitioned Aunt Diane to at least help me move her, so that's good." Her jaw dropped and she took a step back, had she heard him correctly?

"Whoa, you say you got Aunt Diane to help? Seriously?"

"Yes, I talked her into helping. The woman is her mother after all."

"So you'll be able to see Aunt Diane!"

"Yes." Aw that was not fair, but it was good to know that the woman would be helping. Less work for PJ. "Diane is going to work on selling the house and whatnot, so that's a load off my shoulders." He set his cup in the sink and grabbed his coat from the counter. "All right, let's get going. Charlotte, you listen to Skyler while I'm gone."

"Don't I always?" He smirked and gently rubbed her forehead. She held on to her innocent smile and crossed her fingers behind her back. Sure, she didn't always listen to Skyler and PJ, but who was she to undermine authority? Was it undermining authority if she dated Mason this weekend? Or how about going to Kwikki Chikki, she was still wanting to try the chicken there.

"Yeah, sure you do. See you in a few days."

"Okay! Love you, bro." She hugged him again and breathed in slowly. After a few minutes, they were gone and she was on her own. Was she nervous? She was always nervous whenever PJ went on a plane, but she was always confident he'd come back. She grabbed up her cell phone and dialed Dee, who answered with a groggy voice.

"It's too early to be calling me, Charlotte."

"I know, but I wanted to let you know, PJ just took off for the airport." She moved to the living room and fell onto the couch, sighing softly as she listened to Dee shifting on her bed.

"He did? How are you holding up, not upset are you?" She groaned and brought her hand to her forehead, staring up at the ceiling.

"He's been on a plane a dozen times, but I still get like this every single time. I know he'll be okay, he always takes the safest plane companies. You know, like American Airlines, so there's never any doubt that his plane is going to touch ground."

"Charlotte, it's okay to be nervous, even when you know he's going to be safe. You lost your entire family on a plane, I'd be more worried if you weren't afraid of losing your brother to a plane." Dee let out a grunt and Charlotte heard a swivel chair's wheels clacking along the floor. "You know the chances of a crash, rare. Now…" She waited as her friend began typing on a keyboard. After a minute, Dee spoke up once more. "The weather today from here to Denver is clear, sunny, no storms at all in the horizon." She smiled and sat up on the couch, it truly was a relief to hear those words. "Rest easy, Mr. Duncan is going to be just fine."

"I know, thanks though…"

"Are you ready for school? What about this weekend, you and Mason are going out, right?"

"Yeah! He wants to take me to that steakhouse."

"That's going to be fun, I'm jealous." Dee laughed and slid back in her chair. "I would love to meet a guy that would be so willing to undermine his Uncle to be with a girl he cares about. Maybe you hit a good one with him."

"Oh I hope so, he seems like a really good guy." She let out a yawn and Dee groaned loudly.

"Damn it girl, don't do that with me on the phone! It's bad enough I want to sleep through the rest of the day." Charlotte laughed and mock yawned once more, causing Dee to yawn back. "Oh come on! You are one evil woman."

"You know you love me."

"Yeah, you want to call up Regina and see if she's ready to hit the road? Seems like a good morning to walk to school. I think you could benefit."

"True, and I'd be glad to do that. Anything to get my mind on the day ahead, though I will be glad when PJ's plane lands in Palm Springs." The girls said their farewells and Charlotte hung up the phone, smiling gently as her heart rose into her chest. Her friends always knew just what to say to make her feel better. Hell, she was probably more worried about PJ's trip than he was himself!

Hot off the presses, fresh out of the oven, I give you chapter 16. I hope you enjoyed it.