Carrying on the Torch

Disclaimer: I don't own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

Chapter 33 (An Inspiration)

"No offense girls, but I'm glad I'm not in your shoes right now," Regina said as she walked behind Charlotte and Dee. It was Tuesday afternoon and the girls were walking to the one class they all had together, which was the last class of the day. "I honestly don't think I could deal with a stalker without having some massive panic attacks." Dee and Charlotte exchanged nervous glances and Regina looked back to them. Panic attacks were still rather prevalent, though maybe not as usual. At least not for Charlotte, merely because she wasn't as threatened by Brock.

"Brock can't do anything to me now, he broke the restraining order for one thing. Next, he'd have to go through Mason." Mason was pretty upset when he learned what Brock had done, but he calmed down when she told him the guy was drunk at the time. No one could come close to the upset that Skyler and PJ had though. Skyler was pissed, but deathly concerned, and she'd done everything to make sure Charlotte was doing okay these past couple of days. "Skyler's very protective."

"You say that like it's unexpected," Dee commented. Charlotte laughed and Regina snickered. Skyler was starting her new job at the hospital and was told to come in Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at six in the morning and work until six in the evening. She'd be home in time for supper, of course PJ would be the one to have to take Charlotte to the martial arts classes. They were very happy to have Petunia around to take care of Teddy, and Amato was truly a caring dog. "Things are starting to look up for you guys, aren't they?"

"Yeah, I think things are getting better for all of us." Well, she couldn't say that for Mason. Regina's dad was taking more initiative, Dee's parents were very involved in her life, and even Eric seemed to be sweating. The lawsuits had started and he'd been arrested, but not because of his stalking Dee. When he'd been sued and had the restraining order placed on him, someone stepped forward after a newspaper article had been run, and accused him of something. Clearly, he had been around, and Dee wasn't the only girl he stalked. Was Dee proud of that? No, at least that's what she told Charlotte, but she was grateful that Eric may not do it again.

"Dee! Dee!" A voice called out from behind. The feminine tone wasn't recognizable at all, even Dee's expression was a perplexed one. They turned to see a girl walking towards them, she was wearing a private school uniform and had long brown hair. When she made her way to them, she stopped and fidgeted with a book in her hands. The brown book rested neatly on her long pleated skirt, which matched her red shirt. "Sorry for calling you out like that, you don't know me, but…I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Dee raised an eyebrow and Charlotte stepped back next to Regina. The two girls were equally confused, who was this girl and why was she talking to them? Or more, talking to Dee? Did it have to do with the whole thing regarding Eric, because Dee never really liked talking about it.

"I just wanted to say, what you're doing…standing up against that monster…you're an inspiration." Dee's brow creased and her hands slipped into her pockets. "I know it seems weird to come all the way here just to tell you that, but, it needs to be said. My sister dated him for a little while a year ago, and he got violent with her because she wouldn't wait on him hands and feet." The girl's tone had a mild sneer to it, revealing just how much she despised this man. Dee lifted her arms up and folded them across her chest, her lips pulled into a frown and her eyebrows lifted in the center. "He's been rough with just about every girl in school and caused a lot of grief. My sister…I'm not sure exactly what happened there, but she hasn't been the same since they broke up." A loathing rose in Charlotte, she wanted to find this guy and beat the shit out of him. How many people had Eric messed around with, or how many lives had he ruined? The girl inhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "Everyone's been terrified of his power and wealth, that he could do something terrible to them or to their families…you and your parents taking a stand, it's definitely making an impact. You should know that. People are coming forward, even my sister wants to put this guy away. Even if he gets put in jail and released in a short amount of time, he'll still probably be put away again…or at the very least, people would know about him. So. Thank you. Thanks for being one of the few that isn't afraid of him."

"I don't know if I'd say I'm not afraid of him, or if my mom's the one that's not afraid of him." Dee chuckled nervously, a tear catching her eye. "I mean, I'm not so concerned with 'who' I am, I'm not anyone important…I know who my dad is, and I know that carries over, but I'm not someone special. I'm just a girl…and Eric's just some guy that did something bad, and it wouldn't be right for him to get off easy just because his mom has some kind of power in the town…"

"His mom's just a socialite, really. At least that's what my sister says. The only power she's got is that her grandfather was a mayor like a long time ago when she was a kid. She thinks she can use that to get whatever she wants…" Well, a dead man versus the current Police Chief was definitely an interesting matchup, now who would win that battle? Charlotte couldn't help but to snicker at the thought, she had to cover her mouth with her hand to conceal the oncoming laugh. Regina coughed and the girls looked back at the two. They smiled innocently and Dee shook her head, disapproving, as though she knew what they were thinking. "She lives off of inheritance, money that every girl in our school are thinking of suing them for." Threatening someone so they wouldn't report a crime, was a crime in itself, but aside from that, it did sound like there were plenty of people taking a stand just because Dee and her mother were taking a stand.

"How many people have had connections with him?"

"I'm not sure really, but I know my sister's testimony…is rattling." The girl bowed her head and narrowed her eyes, slowly closing her hands. Dee pressed her lips together and Charlotte eyed the girl with a growing amount of concern. She wished she could talk to this girl's sister, maybe to comfort the family somehow, but then, this justice seemed like it would be a comfort in itself.

Certain charges had become more severe in the last twelve years, and capital punishment was much more acceptable, even certain judgments had become more appropriate. For instance, a rapist no longer had only eight years in prison, with the chance of getting out in four. Their prison time was upped, depending on the type, to nearly twenty-five years. There were times when they were granted the chance of parole, but most of the time, they didn't receive it. A lot of times, a rapist might get life in prison, there was one just last year that had been sentenced to death. Murderers, for example, also got more severe punishments. Most of the time, they were sentenced to death, depending on the severity, but a lot of them got life. Did people protest these things? Sure, but somehow deep in the heart of America, the people had to believe that justice was becoming more appropriate for circumstances.

Still, in other countries, murderers, rapists, robbers, and all were still getting their hands, or whatever else, chopped off. Or, at least, they were shot on the spot.

Another improvement to the justice system, because in the recent years, more and more children were committing crimes than in the past, thus making people start thinking. The age of arrests had been taken down to eight years old, the age someone could be tried as an adult was gone completely, if you committed a crime knowingly, then you got sentenced the full amount. However, anyone younger than the age of thirteen did have lesser penalties. But what did all this mean, for the group?

Quite nearly, it meant, Brock and Eric would be going away for quite some time. Even Dee realized that. "I'm glad your sister's going to come out and testify against him," Dee replied softly. She gave the girl a friendly hug and pat her back. "I think it takes a lot of strength to do that."

"Yeah, that's what I said." She smiled slightly and wiped her eye as Dee stepped back. "A small group of us at the school, so far there's about five other girls, formed together to try and rally anyone who might have been hurt in one way or another by Eric. You've literally become a symbol of justice for us, no one's afraid to stand behind you. I know you say you're 'just a girl', but what you don't understand is…you're more than just another person to the people like my sister. Eric is finally getting what's been coming to him for so long." Dee carefully ran her hand along her hair and let out a small, nervous chuckle. Her cheeks started to turn red and her eyes shut gradually.

"All because my mom got pissed at his mother…I guess her going over there was a good thing then."

"It was." The girl looked around as the hallways started to clear up, people were heading back to class. She hooked her lip with her finger and breathed in sharply. "I'm keeping you from class, I'm sorry."

"No it's okay, I don't mind." Dee's lips curled upwards and her eyes started to light up. "Thanks. It's nice to know I have support, or that, other people are standing up because of my mom pushing this…"

"Eric's getting what he deserves, that's all that's important."

"Right." The two said their goodbyes and the girl went on her way. Dee turned to her friends, both of whom were grinning from ear to ear. She spread her arms out and lifted her eyebrows. "I guess I've inspired someone, somehow."

"You act like you don't feel good about it," Regina joked.

"No, I do…I'm just a bit…" The corner of her lip pulled back and her eyes squinted for the moment. "I'm not sure. Shocked, I guess." She cleared her throat and started walking. Charlotte detected a hint of uncertainty in her friend, probably due to Dee really not wanting to discuss the matter to begin with. "Um…so you guys going to the game tomorrow night?"

Charlotte laughed and quickly nodded her head. Why wouldn't she be? She needed to root for Mason, of course. "I have to be. Regina, you're coming along too, right?" Regina lifted her eyebrows and smirked.

"And miss you fawning over your new beau? I wouldn't miss that for the world!" Dee laughed and Charlotte glared at the two. If teasing were a crime, they'd be locked up for a long time. "Plus, it's Dee's first time cheering in a game! We have to be there to cheer on our sister."

"True." She pat Dee's shoulder and grinned at her now blushing friend. "Now she can inspire the school and the football team with her cheers." Dee closed her eyes and quickly socked Charlotte on the top of the head. Charlotte yelped and laughed, the strike didn't really hurt, but it was warranted. "Had that coming."

Very good then.