Prom Shopping:

A/N: When it comes to prom, it's always said that every girl needs her mom when choosing her prom dress. But when Dad isn't there to help his son with tux selections (or the son has never learned how to tie a tie), the next best thing needs to step in.

Inspired by The Ring by grunekatze

"You didn't have to do this. I could've gone with Mom."

"I wanted to. And I know Gordon would've been here, but he's busy. But he will come the night of. He already put in a request off from work for it."

This wasn't what he'd imagined he would be doing, but he knew he wouldn't have it any other way. When Casey told Ted that Charlie still hadn't gotten his suit for junior prom and that she didn't have any time to take him (the diner was scheduling her with more and more double shifts, to the point where she missed Charlie's state finals, something Casey still felt guilty about), Ted had a feeling about what she was secretly asking him for.

Gordon would've been the obvious first choice, but seeing as he was away in LA for the Junior Goodwill Games committee, it was impossible for him to make the trip. However, he did mention to Ted over the phone that he would be mailing a generous check so that Charlie could buy whatever he needed.

Gordon had reminded Ted, "Also, be sure to give him the stuff when you take him to choose the suit."

Ted knew he'd keep Gordon's word about that. He had the items Gordon had sent, along with the five-hundred-dollar check, in his back pocket. He led Charlie up to the menswear store in downtown Minneapolis, opening the door for the boy and leading them inside before flagging down a sales rep.

"Hello, what can I do for you today, gentlemen?"

"We're here because he's going to prom," Ted explained, gesturing to Charlie.

"So, tux shopping, are you coordinating with your date?"

"Yes," Charlie said. "She said her dress is dark green, but I haven't seen what it looks like yet; she said she's looking to surprise me."

"Okay, so black tux, dark green and white seersucker; green tie?" The salesman looked at Charlie deliberately, clearly taking a guess at what suit color would look best.

Charlie nodded, though it was clear he didn't know what "seersucker" meant. Ted chuckled softly as he watched the salesman take Charlie's measurements before he handed Charlie a jacket and pointed to the dressing rooms.

"Try this on."

Charlie nodded, taking the jacket from the salesman and going off to the changing rooms. As he stood there waiting for the boy to finish, Ted thought about how, usually, this would be something a boy would do with his father. While Ted understood he couldn't replace Bombay, he knew Charlie was coming around to the idea that he had more than enough room in his life for two different fathers.

Charlie emerged from the changing room wearing the jacket. It didn't quite fit him, but Ted also knew it would get tailored to fit him properly.

"When is the dance?" the sales rep asked.

"May 13th," Ted said. "So, you might as well order it now in a size too big, and he can get it tailored to fit closer to the date."

The salesman nodded. "Okay. Now, which tie are you thinking of?"

Charlie pointed to a plain, dark emerald one that sat on a table near the various dress shirts. "I like this one."

"Good choice. Now, why don't you try on the complete suit to see what it looks like?"

Charlie nodded, accepting the black slacks, pressed shirt, and tie, and went off to put it on. Ted felt in his jacket pocket for the boxes Gordon had sent to him to give to Charlie, knowing it would be a crucial part of this whole thing. After this, they would be going to a flower shop not far away to pick out the corsage and boutonniere; Charlie already had a preference on what he'd pick for himself and Linda – white orchids with a green ribbon. Long story short, Gordon had also sent a check to cover the cost of that, too; it was like he wanted to make sure that he was involved in some way, even from hundreds of miles away, and he would see the final product when he came back in town to see Charlie and Linda off to prom. He even contacted his old limo driver, Lewis, to give Charlie, Linda, and the Ducks a ride to the prom. Lewis had no problem fulfilling that favor, given how many times he'd driven Gordon and the kids around when they'd been in the Peewees.

Charlie emerged wearing the complete suit and stood there. At the same time, the tailor took his measurements. Though Charlie still didn't have the tie tied in a proper Windsor knot around his neck, that was something he still didn't know how to do; he'd relied on Gordon to do things like that for him during the two occasions that he had to wear a tie.

Ted chuckled, watching as Charlie blushed at his embarrassment of not knowing how to tie a tie, even after these past couple of years. Charlie stood in front of the mirror, trying to tie it.

"Here, let me do it." Ted took over, smoothing the tie out before tying it around Charlie's neck. He flatted the collar out.

Charlie smiled weakly. "Thanks." Suddenly, he realized something. "Who's paying for all this?"

"Gordon sent a couple of checks to cover the cost of the suit, the corsage, and the boutonniere," Ted explained. "And he even reached out to his old driver; Lewis is taking you and the Ducks to the dance."

Charlie's eyes widened. It was more than he probably expected. "Really?"

"He's taking control of everything for you, even from all the way in LA. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect."

Charlie blushed scarlet at this; he still wasn't used to people doing so much for him.

"He also sent me some stuff for you," Ted added, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out two jewelry boxes.

Somehow, Charlie blushed even more profoundly. He toyed with the silver pinky ring on his finger, which Bombay gave him as a present after they won the gold for Team USA. But Ted knew these two gifts from Bombay would complete Charlie's junior prom experience.

"Gordon wanted to be here today for this," Ted said. "So, he didn't just offer to pay for everything you needed. He also wanted to send a piece of himself over so that you would have him with you." He handed the first box to Charlie, nodding at the boy to open it, and Charlie gasped when he did so, his blue eyes misting as he lifted the cufflinks from the box – they were gold, ten karats to be exact, and nestled inside them were peridot gemstones.

Ted smiled at Charlie's emotional response to the cufflinks, which had Charlie's birthstone embossed inside them. He then opened the second box, revealing the black leather bracelet with gold chain links like an infinity sign. Between each link, emeralds twinkled underneath the shop's fluorescent lighting.

"Your birthstone and his," Ted explained, taking the bracelet out and sliding it onto Charlie's wrist; at this point, the tears were rolling down Charlie's face as he looked at the bracelet.

"It's too much," Charlie choked out, sounding almost guilty. "I don't wanna know how much this all costs."

"Don't worry about the price. He doesn't care," Ted insisted.

"I do. I don't want him paying for all this. It's too expensive."

"For him, nothing is too expensive. You know how he is once he makes his mind up. He wants to give you everything he feels you missed out on. You remember how he offered to help put some of the downpayment on your car. So, don't worry about how much it's costing him. He has the means. If he couldn't do it, he wouldn't."

Charlie nodded, wiping his eyes as he brushed his fingers over the bracelet, which would literally symbolize him having a piece of Bombay's heart next to his when he took Linda to the prom. It was probably more jewelry than he'd ever owned, but Ted knew that it was the sentimental part of it that meant more to Charlie than anything else. Ted smiled gently at him, leaning a hand on the boy's shoulder and causing Charlie to glance up, his blue eyes swimming with tears that kept filling them.

"Thanks for everything."

Ted's smile widened. "Anytime, son."

Be sure to check out the fourth installment of the Game Changers rewrite saga, Mighty Hens of Minnetonka.