Carrying on the Torch

Disclaimer: I don't own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

Chapter 43 (Starting Over)

PJ rested in his recliner, his fingers running along the creases on his forehead, and his body slumped. He watched Skyler and Charlotte on the couch, both were hugging one another, Charlotte was sobbing lightly while Skyler ran her hand through the girl's hair. His index finger and thumb slid from his temples and towards his jaw, covering his mouth. His head was spinning and his heart was pounding heavily. His eyes moved towards the door and a blank expression took form.

It all made sense now, Emmett's stress. He closed his eyes and gripped his armrest with his other hand. He felt like someone had just dropped a load of bricks onto him and was proceeding to tear away at his heart. His best friend had gone through hell for so long, and the tragedy just didn't seem to stop. Here he sat for twelve years, moping and pushing away the world due to the loss of his family. Everyone had been affected, that much was clear, but he'd never really thought of the impact the accident had on anyone else.

With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet. Skyler and Charlotte looked at him, asking where he was going. "I'll be back, there's something I've been needing to do." He made his way out of the house and towards his car. He wasn't sure what he was +doing, to be entirely honest, but he did have an idea of what to plan. It had been a couple days, and Ivy stated Emmet had been staying in the hospital beside Mason for the past few days.

While hanging with Ivy, he'd learned just how much the Heglins had been through, it was nauseating. It made him wonder just how bad of a friend he'd been, when Emmett needed a friend, and he wasn't there. When Ivy needed a friend, someone to talk to, and no one could lend an ear. It was shameful.

When he arrived at the hospital room, Emmett was standing at the foot of Mason's bed, gazing down with a stony expression. His hands gripped the edges rim of the footboard and his head was bowed. He hadn't heard PJ enter. PJ moved his gaze to Mason and was astonished with how peaceful the boy looked. The heart monitor was giving out steady beats that filled the air.

Gazing upon Mason, he remembered that race that he and Emmett had him compete against Charlotte in. Charlotte won back then, but to his surprise, Mason won their rematch all these years prior. He slowly stepped next to Emmett, his lips pulled back into a tight frown, and his arms folded across his chest. Emmett slowly lifted his head and turned his eyes to PJ.

"PJ…" Emmett scoffed slightly and turned his heavy eyes back to Mason. His voice c*-/racked for a second and his eyes started to close. "We discovered the aneurysm when he was just eight. His mother had one, and right through the generations, they all died young. I knew…" Emmet slowly closed his hand and gently struck the top of the footboard with his hand. "I was always careful with him, if he hit his head, he risked rupturing that aneurysm. When he wanted to go on the football team…Ivy and I practically blew a gasket."

"He enjoyed a non sheltered life, at least. Didn't he? You knew you couldn't keep him alive forever…"

"The aneurysm could have ruptured when he hit his twenties. Ivy was the one shooting to let him live his life." PJ's heart flipped and he moved a heavy hand upon Emmett's shoulder. He watched with heavy eyes as tears slid from Emmett's eyes. "I was always concerned with keeping him alive. When Jacob and Sally died, I made a promise I wouldn't let anything happen to their son. I wouldn't let them down…" He knew the man was referring to the accident that put Mason in this bed.

"It wasn't your fault, Emmett. The other driver ran that red light." He remembered Jacob, the guy always wanted to participate in whatever he and Emmett were doing. Jacob and Emmett were closer than most brothers, even closer than PJ had been with Gabe. He obviously wasn't around when Jacob passed, which shook him with guilt. Now, he wanted to be here for Emmett, for Mason. "Hey, you remember when we had that race to see who would win? Charlotte one that." Emmett lifted his head towards the ceiling and exhaled slowly, his lip tucked into a small smirk and he shook his head in response.

"That was a fluke. She started walking. Mason would have won that race." Emmet crossed his arms and brought his hand up, whisking away a tear.

"Well they did have that rematch a few months ago, and of course, Mason won." Emmett chuckled with pride.

"That's my boy." Emmett glanced at the back of PJ's head for a second and huffed. PJ raised an eyebrow and stared at him curiously. "I see you're not bald yet."

"Nope." It was a common worry, but scientifically the bald gene was actually carried by the mothers. Amy's father was not bald. "You started balding yet, Emmett?"

"I plead the fifth." PJ smirked and eyed Emmett's slow receding hairline. He might grow bald soon enough. "So why are you here, PJ? Did Ivy or Skyler send you?"

"No. I came on my own will." Emmett raised an eyebrow and slowly rubbed his goatee. "I figured you might want someone to talk to." PJ sensed an aura of doubt from his old friend, which was understandable. He was probably the last person Emmett was expecting to hear from right now.

"A bit of a shock. What makes you think that I want to talk with you? Not that now is the right time to start arguing…" The words hit him hard, flooring him. He lowered his arms and turned his eyes to Mason.

"I know when it comes to being a friend, I've screwed up. My sister never wanted me to push people away, but I did, and you do have every right to be upset. We both needed someone when that accident happened, and I cut a tie then and there. All this time, you've been dealing with a bunch of crap, and I was just sitting there…acting like they'd come back." Emmett pressed his lips tight together and stared at his comatose nephew. "I really am sorry Emmett, for all that self pity, that guilt that I've wallowed in, for pushing you and Ivy away. I was in the wrong, and I'll admit it."

"If only we could turn back time." Such an invention would likely never happen, unfortunately.

"Interesting, isn't it?" PJ placed his fingers on the footboard and frowned as his eyes drifted over to the heart monitor. "Of all the inventions predicted to come…2024 and we still haven't seen hover cars, homes in the sky, or the time machine." Emmett blinked and pointed over to PJ, smiling slightly.

"You remember when we were about eleven and we tried to make a time machine of our own?"

"Hm…" He thought back and recalled the memory with a laugh. They'd taken a bunch of kitchenware and his dad's tools from the garage, they wanted to go back in time and see the dinosaurs. Of course, putting everything near a riding lawn mower wound up being a terrible idea. "God Dad was pissed. I've never seen him so mad in my life." Emmett laughed and nudged him in the side with his elbow.

"I think all the mangled kitchen tools and items with drill holes in them set your mom off worse."

"Yeah, and to top it off, the time machine didn't even work."

"Our parents grounded us for what seemed like an eternity." PJ chuckled and glanced over as Emmett heaved a heavy sigh. They remained silent for a few seconds, listening only to the repetitive sounds of Mason's heartbeat. "PJ, when we were younger, I'm sorry that I acted so obsessed over Teddy."

"It's okay Emmett, it was just a crush."

"No, it isn't okay." The two men turned fully towards each other, PJ's eyes met Emmett's depressive, troubled gaze. "I know it troubled you, and it was childish. It came in between us, and was part of the reason our friendship ended. I wanted so badly to talk to you after the accident, to clarify that I wasn't thinking about her like that any longer. I wanted to be there for you, because you were my friend, but I also needed someone to be there for me too. The Duncans…they were like family to me. I think we all went through hell, and there's really no sense in blaming each other for the loss of connection."

"We're all a bit responsible for that, anyway. I shouldn't have shut everyone out. It wasn't fair to anyone." Emmett bowed his head and pushed his hands into his pockets.

"Ivy said you watched that plane video…" He pressed his lips together and slowly nodded, the final image of his sister's face was permanently etched into his brain.

"I'll never forget it." It brought the emotions of the tragedy back, killing him whenever he thought about it. At the same time, however, he felt a calm sense from having seen it. "It brings back the finality. I mean…they're really gone. They're never coming back." He felt Emmett's hand upon his shoulder and closed his eyes.

"It's very difficult. I know…when you start losing people close to you, it changes you." He looked to Mason and started to shiver. "It's not any easier when you expect it. Maybe just a little bit, because you're prepared, but it's never truly easier. It's like a bitter fucking pill. Look at him, PJ…I was overprotective, I didn't want him to get involved in relationships because I knew it would end up in heartbreak for someone…"

"You can't deny that he found love, and was happy. I think that would be the important thing, right?"

"It is. I was too stubborn to think about it. Charlie made him happy, gave him the joy and strength to just enjoy his life despite that aneurysm." Emmett released a single sob and quickly wiped another tear away."I should thank her. Look at me, talking like my nephew's already passed on…shameful."

PJ frowned and pat Emmett's back. His heart sank down as his eyes tore from Mason to Emmett. "No, it's not shameful. Everything you're going through is natural, I know that much, and I think you know it too." Emmett nodded and looked upwards, sighing heavily.

"How's Charlie taking this?"

"Hard, but, I think it'll get easier on her in time." It was difficult losing your first love, but it was even harder to sit there and not know whether they would live or not. "What about Ivy and the others?"

"Just as bad. Ivy and Henry have taken Tyler to get some ice cream, to get their minds off this…"

"I see. And how long have you been here?" Emmett walked over to the heart monitor and stared at it for what seemed to be an eternity. He turned his head towards Mason and put his hand to Mason's shoulder.

"Too long. The doctors have no idea how long he's going to be out. They said it could be a long time…I've heard people with brain aneurysms may never wake from a coma. Some lay in a comatose state for years, and those who survive tend to come out with brain damage."

"Hey. Mason's a Heglin, isn't he?" Emmett lifted his eyebrows as PJ smirked subtly. "He's strong, he can make it through this. Though…" He lowered his arms and furrowed his brow. As he met his old friend's gaze, he felt a longing for that friendship he used to have. He closed his eyes and exhaled. "I was thinking, maybe you and I can start over, catch up."

"Maybe…"

"We could head out and I'd buy you a beer if you'd like. You need to get out of this dreary place, believe me. Sitting here won't help you and it won't help Mason."

"True." Emmett looked once more at his nephew, then slowly turned his eyes to PJ. "Maybe it'll do some good to get out of here for a while…can't help but feel like I've let Jacob down." Emmett pat Mason's shoulder and started walking towards the door. PJ shook off the sorrow inside and placed a hand to Emmett's back. He was glad that they were starting to reconnect, so maybe they could regain their friendship. "Thanks for being here…"

"No problem, man."

"No, really, I needed someone to talk to." PJ smiled slightly and made his way down the hallway with Emmett. He hoped this would be the last of the tragedies, but only time would tell.

"Anytime."

So it looks like PJ and Emmett are on the road to recovery. Maybe they'll patch things up with time. It took that accident to do this.