#TeaganValenciaSeries

[gaemkyuu]

The Recovery

Warnings: Recovery from a traumatic event, mood swings, vomiting A/N: Writing this part was therapeutic for me. In a way, this piece describes moments of what my life looked like for two years after an extremely traumatic event. I felt that maybe sharing my story this way, it could provide comfort to those who have been there or who are still there. It might even provide perspective to someone who knows a friend or family member going through something similar. Disclaimer: This is a FICITONAL writing piece on Charlie Gillespie. In no way do I claim or declare that Charlie’s portrayal is accurate to real life. I do however, own Teagan Valencia :)

Masterlist *now taking requests ;)

The Teagan Valencia Series: The Meeting  / The Fight / The Proposal / The Present / The Recovery / The Future

*The song used in this piece was ‘Porcelain’ by Marianas Trench

The Recovery

Charlie was suddenly awakened by a sudden movement from the bed. Rolling over, he noticed the fading warmth, the sudden brightness of the ensuite light and the sounds of vomiting. He abruptly rose from the bed, threw on a hoodie and dashed over to help the poor girl emptying the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl. Charlie held her hair back and soothed her back, patting it at times, as she continued to vomit. As soon as she stopped and sat back slightly on her knees, Charlie put the lid down and flushed, opening the water bottle the girl had grabbed on her dash to the toilet.

“Same dream?” she nodded, rinsing her mouth with the water and spitting it back into the toilet. He glanced at the clock that sat above their bedroom window. 2am. Even though it was dark outside, the Vancouver city line still looked so beautiful.

You thought by now You'd have it figured out

She dry heaved and Charlie instinctively pulled her hair back again. When nothing came out, he flushed the toilet again and rubbed her back. Charlie noticed that the tears in her eyes were no longer due to the vomiting, but rather the girl was starting to cry. He sat against the open door and pulled her into his lap, as she curled into a ball.

You can't erase the way it pulls When seasons change

It had been three months since the incident.  Three months of on-and-off personal leave. Three months of meetings with lawyers and court appearances. Three months of trauma therapy. Three months of being afraid to be alone. Three months of feeling insecure about herself. Three months of waking up from a dream that reminded her of the events that day.

“I’m right here. No one is going to hurt you” Charlie kissed her head softly and held onto her tightly, his own tears threatening to spill. He couldn’t bear to see you like this. It didn’t matter how many therapy sessions he accompanied her to, or how many times they’ve talked about what they could do to help her heal. Seeing her like this broke his heart.

He held her until her cries softened and eventually stopped. Escorting her to the bed, he tucked her in tightly, snuggling up to her. He kissed her forehead, examining her tired face. 

“I’m sorry for waking you up, Char” she whispered, inching closer to him. She hid her face in the crook of his neck and took a deep-breath. Charlie smiled softly to himself, pulling her close, knowing that she was practicing a strategy she had learned from therapy.

It hurts sometimes To find where you begin

“Teags, there is nothing to be sorry for” he kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back. Her 5”1 frame fit his 5”8 perfectly like two puzzle pieces. The two lay there in silence for a moment or two, but Charlie knew he had to “address the situation” like they learned at her therapy sessions. “This is all a part of the recovery process Teags. Although it sucks, you can’t be mad at the way your body and mind are responding to the trauma”

“Thanks for the reminder Dr. Cheung” He grimaced at her sarcasm and cynicism. 

But you are perfect porcelain

He pulled away from her to look at her eye to eye. Charlie thought that even when she was like this she was still the most amazing and beautiful woman he had ever met. She avoided eye contact, fiddling with the blanket. He kissed her nose, offering her a gentle smile. “Do you want to start or do you want me to start?” 

She sighed heavily, but Charlie could feel that she was slightly annoyed with his persistence. It didn’t help that she moved to lie on her back to face away from him. She knew that Charlie was not going to let them sleep until they had this conversation, even though she knew she probably wouldn’t even go back to sleep. “Char, you have to get up early... Can’t this wait until the morning?”

“Okay, I will start” Charlie could feel her roll her eyes, but he persisted. “This is the third time this week that you’ve woken up due to a bad dream. After every dream, you’ve avoided talking about anything, insisting that we go back to sleep, even though you lay here pretending to sleep. I feel like there is a lot on your mind that you are harbouring. If you don’t find an outlet, it won’t help you heal.” She knew he was only trying to help, but she couldn’t help but feel angry with his attempts to help her...

Or was it that she was angry with herself?

The slow and simple melody Of tears you cannot keep from me It's alright if you don't know what you need

“Why are we still talking about this Charlie?!” it came out harsher than she intended to, a complete mood swing from her previous calm demeanour.

She felt Charlie flinch at her outburst.  She wiped away the hot tears leaving her eyes. She immediately regretted her actions.  She lost control.

Teagan hated that she was crying again. She felt like a stupid child who couldn’t control their emotions and simply move on. She knew that Charlie wasn’t the source of her anger and she knew that he didn’t deserve to be lashed at. Annoyed with herself, she sat up against their headboard and scratched her head furiously. Teagan angrily wiped her tears away, knowing what she wanted to say but not knowing how to say it. “Can’t we just drop it? I’m fine, everything’s fine!”

Charlie sighed deeply. He knew that Teagan didn’t mean to take out her emotions on him, but this hadn’t been the first time. Sometimes it made Charlie angry or upset, but he always brought himself back to the point that she didn’t mean it. What could Charlie expect of her? What happened to her would’ve messed anyone up! Heck, the therapy sessions weren’t only for Teagan... Her therapist would check up on him and give him the space to talk about how Teagan had been around him when they weren’t in the office. Sitting up to sit beside her, he wrapped an arm around her lower back and leaned his head on her shoulder. Something he always did when he needed comfort from her.

I'm right here when You need someone to see It's not speak or forever hold your peace

No words were exchanged for a while. Charlie’s head rested on her shoulder and she eventually rested her head on his, silent tears falling from her eyes, wetting his hair. He held her hand with his free one and rubbed soft circles on the back of her palm. ‘Sometimes you just have to wait until the other person is ready to talk’ these familiar words from Dr. Cheung rang through his mind as they sat there in the darkness, Charlie waiting for Teagan to start talking. 

Teagan was always the strong type. She believed that everyone deserves a chance and that the world wasn’t as crappy as people thought it was. Charlie fell in love with her optimism and excitement for life. Teagan was the type of girl who hated hiking, but she would do it so she could see the beautiful view from the top of the mountain. She always believed in trying everything before deciding how she felt about it and Charlie loved this about her. Her compassion and empathy for others was uncommon, and everyone would always describe her this way. Every night before bed, Teagan would journal about what she did great that day, what she wanted to improve tomorrow and how she planned to do that. Charlie admired how intentional she was about each day and how committed she was to making the world a better place.

Her determination and conviction was so intense that Teagan was very hard on herself. It also didn’t help that her parents weren’t always the most optimistic. Charlie was sure they didn’t mean to hurt their daughter with their words, but he couldn’t help but notice how her excitement was sometimes snuffed by a comment her parents made. She would always tell him that they just thought differently and that one day they would understand, but he knew that it did bother her. He suspected that her determination was fueled by this upbringing, always being held to a higher standard because she was the oldest. 

After being with her for three years, he knew that she didn’t always ask for help. He knew that she never wanted to bother anyone or admit to herself that she couldn’t do it alone. In their relationship, she had begun to start opening up more and reaching out to others for support, but after the incident, that changed. At first, Teagan was her usual self, just jumpy, but soon started to close off to others, returning to old habits. She went back to the mentality that whatever it was, if she just focused hard on it and worked hard at it, she could achieve it... But this time was different...

Teagan was focusing hard and working hard on healing, but she didn’t feel like it was working.

It's alright to take time And find where you've been

“Why am I not getting better Char?” the question came out in the quietest whisper. Charlie bit his tongue, knowing that if he stayed quiet a little longer, she would continue talking. “I’m doing everything that Dr. Cheung is saying. I’m doing everything that those self-help books and podcasts are saying. I’m doing everything that I can, but no matter what I do, it won’t go away” as she said this her voice rose but fell to a quiet whimper. “I’m trying so hard to get better but it doesn’t feel like anything is working!” Teagan felt herself tearing up again, but quickly blinked them away. 

“Why are you rushing the process of healing?” Charlie’s question was simple but it made Teagan face some harsh truths that she wasn’t wanting to face. Teagan approached her trauma as if it were any other goal she had set for herself. Identify the goal and work to complete the goal. Charlie’s question was making her face the fact that this whole ordeal was out of her control and that it was going to take time. It also made her face the truth as to why she was trying to be systematic about the goal.

Charlie had been there every step of the way. She knew that he begged Kenny to work his filming schedule around her therapy sessions. She saw the way he yawned in the mornings after she had a rough night. There was only so much that movie magic could cover up and she felt guilty that her trauma was affecting him. He never had a single complaint and never got mad at her or took his frustrations out on her. The instagram comments didn’t help either as the fans noticed the weariness showing on Charlie’s normally bright face. She felt guilty for being a burden on him and she was desperately trying to get better so she wouldn’t be one.

“Because I don’t want you to leave me.”

You are perfect porcelain

Charlie snapped his head in her direction and in the moonlight, she could see his eyes wide as saucers. His mouth slightly agape and pure shock encompassed his body. He sat there in disbelief but quickly came to the realization as to what had been heavily weighing on Teagan’s chest.

“Do you feel guilty?” She bowed her head, more tears falling, but she shyly nodded her head. Charlie clicked his tongue in disappointment, not at Teagan but himself, for not realizing sooner what she had been struggling with. He moved to straddle her on his knees, his legs on either side of hers, and held her face in his hands, his own face inches away from hers. “Teagan Jillian Valencia. I will never leave you, do you understand me? I am doing this because I love you. I don’t care what I have to do but I will do whatever I can to support you.”

He kissed her forehead, nose and lips, searching her eyes for some sort of acknowledgement. He saw her hurt and her guilt for the first time, and knew that she didn’t quite believe what he was telling her. “Teags, I. Love. You. I would give up my entire career to move to the mountains and live the rest of my days there with you and our future kids. This? All of this? As much as I hate that this whole thing has been destroying you, if I had to do it again I would. Call me a simp, but I will do anything for you. Je t’aime Teagan. Il n’y a personne dans le monde pour moi, excepté you.”

When your heart releases You won't fall to pieces You'll let those old diseases lie And your breath comes crashing in

Teagan smiled for the first time that night at Charlie’s ‘simp’ comment, but she saw the sincerity in his eyes. It was the same look he held when they first met, when they fought and when he asked her to marry him. Charlie spoke through his eyes and all Teagan could see was love. 

“Tu comprends? Je ne te laisserai jamais. Ever” Teagan nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly. He naturally reciprocated the hug and held her tightly, even when her grip loosened. He held both sides of her face and gave her the most passionate kiss he could muster, to which Teagan reciprocated. “I promise” he kissed her ring finger and engagement ring. 

With everything going on, they couldn’t even discuss wedding plans. They were both so focused on moving past this hurdle, but Teagan realized that instead of trying to move past it, she just had to face it bit by bit, little by little. She had to admit to herself that no matter how much she wished the whole thing away, she couldn’t. She had to accept that it happened and that she can’t simply work on it like a regular goal. It was something that was going to be a part of her, where one day she would find peace and strength from it.

“Now, why don’t we cuddle and try to fall asleep?” she smiled sheepishly at him and nodded, “there’s the smile I love so much.” The both of them settled back into their bed, but this time Teagan rested her head on Charlie’s chest as he massaged her scalp, lulling her to sleep. Charlie could see that Teagan was slightly resisting the sleep befalling her, so he moved to gently massage the spot in between her eyebrows. It was an odd place to massage, but Teagan’s dad once shared that when she was little and had nightmares, this action would calm her down and put her back to bed. It worked without fail and Charlie kissed her head before settling himself into the pillow. Maybe tomorrow he would ask Savannah to come over with wedding catalogues and help Teagan start thinking about the wedding. As his tired eyes closed, he found comfort in knowing that tonight was a big step. Teagan opened up for the first time in a long time and he hoped that this was not a one time thing, but a beginning.

Like perfect porcelain

[gaemkyuu]

The Proposal

Warnings: none!  A/N: Third  installment to the Teagan Valencia Series!  A fluffier chapter because the next one is going to be intense... like woah, ‘that was unexpected’ intense. Disclaimer: This is a FICITONAL writing piece on Charlie Gillespie. In no way do I claim or declare that Charlie’s portrayal is accurate to real life. I do however, own Teagan Valencia :)

Masterlist

The Teagan Valencia Series: The Meeting  / The Fight / The Proposal / The Present / The Recovery / The Future

The Proposal

“Cut! Alright let’s do touch up and we will run that scene one more time”

Kenny’s voice brought Teagan back to reality. Charlie and Maddie were laughing and wiping their tears as the make up team came for touch ups. Owen and Jeremy stood in their positions waiting to repeat the scene and complimenting the two leads. Teagan caught Charlie’s eye and he blew her a kiss from where he was standing, which caused Maddie to wave enthusiastically at me, and a “HI TEAGAN!” from Jeremy and Owen. She smiled and waved at them, Maddie spontaneously breaking out into a small dance where she kept flipping her hand in the air. For a moment, Teagan was confused, until she pointed to her own ring finger then back at Teagan. A smile came to her face as she remembered the high they were all riding from the weekend.

***

Charlie shuffled around the foyer of the hotel lobby. Charlie did get nervous from time to time, but the nervousness, excitement and, oddly enough, fear was eating him alive.

“Dude it’s going to be fine” Owen placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder to help calm him down. Charlie gave Owen a nervous smile.

“How’s my bowtie? My hair okay?” Charlie rushed to look into the reflective surface of the wall beside him.

“Charlie you look fine. Plus, she isn’t going to care about what you’re wearing. Your plan is full proof!” Jeremy held him by both shoulders and tried to help ease his nerves.

“Were you this nervous when you were proposing?” Jeremy chuckled and nodded his head releasing Charlie from his firm hold.

“Absolutely, but I knew I had to do it. I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else” Charlie smiled at the nostalgia that crept onto Jeremy’s face reminiscing on the day he proposed to Carolynn. “Everything is going to go exactly how it needs to go. Now, take a deep breath. You don’t want her to catch on too early do you?”

“Better breathe quickly. Here she comes!” Owen whisper-shouted to the two leaving them to approach the staircase that the girls were descending. Being the southern gentleman he was, he offered an arm to Maddie as she descended the last few steps.

“I will never understand how girls in the movies make it look like walking down stairs in heels is the easiest thing in the world!” She scoffed, gladly taking Owen’s hand in hers. Savannah and Tori giggled behind her, being used to wearing heels on more than one occasion. The staff at Netflix were throwing a formal evening party to celebrate the success of Julie and the Phantoms. The series had been a hit! This meant that the production budget was increased and so were the possibilities of the show. The entire cast and production crew, old and new, were invited to the event in LA as they were close to starting the filming of season 2. Naturally, Charlie brought Teagan as his date, while Jeremy brought Carolynn. The rest of the Julie and the Phantoms cast decided not to bring someone else as their plus one, but everyone knew it was going to be an amazing night. Everyone was dressed in their evening best and Charlie was surprised at how well everyone cleaned up, but he wasn’t prepared to see Teagan and Carolynn descend the staircase last. Charlie could tell you were nervous when Carolynn whispered something to help ease the tension in your shoulders. Teagan wore a modest high neck a-line floor length emerald gown with a beaded bodice that faded into the bottom half of the dress. She wore her hair in a simple elegant side bun with soft curls framing her face, making her look more radiant than ever. Charlie was glad that she got ready with the other girls because although she looked absolutely stunning, he could still tell that it was Teagan. Her makeup wasn’t too overpowering, but wasn’t too simple either, and her dress complimented her beautifully.

 “Charlie?” her voice brought him out from his day dream and admiration. “Is it too much?” she bit her lips slightly, an action that made Charlie’s heart swell but also tempted him to take you back to the apartment for an evening between the two of you.

“What? Are you crazy? You look stunning!” He kissed your cheek gently, placing his hand on the small of your back. “You make me look like an attendant” he chuckled. Charlie almost felt sheepish standing next to you in his black suit and bowtie. 

“Nonsense, you’re handsome as always” she kissed him on the nose, wiping off some of the lipstick that rubbed off on your nose.

“S’excuse me! The limo is waiting!” Maddie interrupted their flattery exchange, and with a smile Charlie extended his arm out to Teagan, escorting her to the limo with the rest of the group. That evening was filled with laughter and smiles as everyone dined and danced the night away. However, the night didn’t end when everyone left the event to go galavanting on the Malibu beach at midnight. At this point, nobody cared about dirtying their clothes as everyone was too lost in the fun and was comforted in the fact that Owen reminded us of drycleaning. They cherished each other’s company as the girls walked barefooted on the sand with shoes in hand, the guys with their suit jackets over their shoulders. As everyone played “What are the odds” on the beach, Teagan watched Charlie quickly dash into the wave to quickly dash out, now half wet. Teagan watched a brief moment of panic cross his face, to relief wash over him, and nerves reach his eyes. As Owen declared a giant game of tag, Teagan sat out on a big piece of driftwood, Charlie joining her. His mind drifted to when he had asked her father for her hand in marriage...

***

Charlie’s palms were wet with sweat and his body was buzzing with nerves. He took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell alerting the residents of his presence. Teagan’s mom answered the door, a slight look of surprise and confusion on her face at the man at their front door.

“Charlie? What are you doing here? Come on in!” she ushered him in quickly as the rain had began to fall outside, giving him a big hug as he entered. Like any good host, she brought him to the table and insisted he sit, momentarily leaving him to grab a cup of tea and snacks from the kitchen. “I didn’t expect company anak! Sorry about my clothing”

“You look fine Mrs. Valencia!” he smiled, trying to hide his nervousness and thanking her as she placed home baked filipino snacks in front of him with a cup of green tea. “These look delicious!” he enthused as he took a bite, and he probably would’ve enjoyed them more, if his stomach wasn’t so busy doing summersaults.

“So how are you? What’s going on?” Mrs. Valencia had a way of soothing Charlie with her motherliness. She reminded him of his mother at times and that brought him comfort. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”

This was the big weekend that Teagan would officially be moving to live with Charlie for good in LA. She had gotten the promotion she had worked hard for and Netflix offered her a bigger role with the marketing team in the US. When Teagan was first promoted, she would fly down for weeks at a time but it quickly came up in conversation that it didn’t make sense to pay rent for a place she barely lived in.

“I-uh wanted to surprise Teagan a day in advance, but she doesn’t know I’m here yet” at this information, Mrs. Valencia cocked an eyebrow, now curious and slightly suspicious of this secret visit. “Is Mr. Valencia home too?” Charlie knew the man was retired and rarely left the house without his wife. She nodded and went to fetch him which felt like an eternity to him as he sat there in the silence of their dining room. His leg began to bounce restlessly and he played with the snack in front of him until he heard footsteps approaching. He took a deep breath as Teagan’s dad walked into the room.

“Charlie! What are you doing here?!” her dad’s voice boomed in the house moving to give him a hug. Charlie gave him a hug and a smile as well, sitting down in his original spot, while he father sat across from him and her mother in between the both of them. “I thought you were coming tomorrow?”

“I wanted to surprise Teagan and uh talk to you two, actually” he felt the nerves rising in his throat and started to fidget in his seat. He could see Mrs. Valencia perk up and become excited, but he could also see Mr. Valencia become serious, the big smile now disappearing. “Teagan and I have been together for three years and you have an amazing daughter.” He hated how his voice was shaky and that he was stuttering, but still he persisted. There was no backing down now. “She has been the best thing that has happened to me and I know that I haven’t always been the best for her, but I can’t see my future without her” For some reason, the more the thought about Teagan and how much he loved her, the stronger his voice felt. “She has made me a better person and I’ve been so blessed to have her a part of my life. So before I take your daughter to come live with me in LA, I wanted to ask the both of you a question about a decision I have been ready to make for a while.” Charlie sat up straighter. “I love Teagan more than words can explain and I know how much it would mean to her that I ask you both before asking her” He took a deep breath.

“Do I have your blessing to ask Teagan to be my wife?”

The silence was thick and tense. Mrs. Valencia was tearing up, looking at her husband. Mr. Valencia folded his hands in front of him, bowing his head. 

“Do you swear to take care of my daughter, no matter what?” Charlie didn’t know he was holding his breath until Mr. Valencia asked him this question.

“On my life sir” and with a nod, Mr. Valencia sat back in his chair, a happy but sad smile on his face.

“You have our blessing”.

***

“Y’alright?” Teagan looked at him with light concern in her eyes, interrupting him from his thoughts.

“Yeah why?” Charlie chuckled but avoided eye contact, sending Teagan warning signs that something was up. Teagan eyed him carefully in silence as he looked onwards to his friends running around. She then noticed that occasionally her friends would glance over to them in their game of tag. Maybe they knew something that she didn’t?

“Nothing... It’s just... You seem tense and I don’t think I’m the only who notices” she expressed nodding her head over at their friends. Charlie shifted weight from side to side and chuckled softly to himself. Teagan was going to drop the topic but quickly changed her mind when Charlie’s face adorned a deep pensive seriousness. Teagan began to worry that something heavy was bothering him.

“You know I tell you everything right?” Charlie looked her in the eyes and she desperately tried to read the man to find some sort of comfort to her increasing worry. She nodded and he grabbed her hand in his taking a deep breath, steadying himself. “Do you trust me? Because what I have to tell you will radically change things for our future”. His eyes expressed a worried sincerity and Teagan began to think the worse. Had he cheated? Was he breaking up with her? But things had been so good! Or was there something more?

“Charles Jeffrey Gillespie, tu m'inquiètes. What’s going on?” she started to wring her hands together, a nervous tick that came out when her anxiety started rising. Charlie knelt in front of her between her legs, looking down taking a deep breath. When he looked back up at her, his eyes seemed glossy and watery and hot needles started to prick at Teagan’s skin as her heart rate increased. He held her hand in his and took another deep breath, opening and closing his mouth a few times.

“I don’t know how else to say this without coming flat out and saying it. I want you to know that I love you with my entire being and there is no one else on this earth that I would rather be with. You accept me despite my major flaws and you forgive me even when I don’t deserve it. I am truly grateful that you are the person for me” Teagan’s face remained frozen, bracing herself for whatever news had gotten her boyfriend so distraught. She was so focused on his words and his every breath, that she didn’t notice their friends creeping up on them with their phones out, filming. She didn’t notice Charlie reach into his damp pocket to pull out a small damp box. She didn’t notice him open the box and present it to her. She felt utterly confused when Charlie smiled at her with misty eyes and said “Will you do me the honour of being my wife and marry me?”

Immediately, tears came rushing out of Teagan’s eyes, emotions crashing into her in waves. All she could do was utter a “Yes”, hold his face in her hands and kiss him. The cheer of their friends erupted at her reply as the two of them kissed. Charlie broke the kiss to place the ring on her finger, kissing her hand and looking at her with pure love in his eyes. More tears came to her eyes as she realized the ring on her hand was the same ring her grandfather had used to propose to her grandmother and the same ring that her father had used to propose to her mother. Charlie gave her a knowing smile and stood up with her, laughing as she smacked him on the chest before hugging him.

“I thought you were going to tell me something really bad! Tu m’as inquiété! Sérieusement!" she laughed and chastised through the tears that were slowly coming to a halt. As they hugged, their friends came closer and approached them, offering their hugs and congratulations. No one could ruin the happiness present on the beach that evening as the both of them began their journey towards Mr. & Mrs. Gillespie.

[gaemkyuu]

The Present

Warnings: Mentions of sexual assault/rape, but not overtly descriptive.  A/N: As much as I like writing fluffy pieces or glimpses in time, I really wanted this series to have some sort of progression. A lot of the feelings and emotions that are in this piece was taken from personal experience or the experience of someone close to me. In no way do I claim that all experiences are similar to the one disclosed in this piece of fictional writing. Disclaimer: This is a FICITONAL writing piece on Charlie Gillespie. In no way do I claim or declare that Charlie’s portrayal is accurate to real life. I do however, own Teagan Valencia :)

Masterlist  *now taking requests ;)

The Teagan Valencia Series: The Meeting  / The Fight / The Proposal / The Present / The Recovery / The Future

***Please note that sensitive topics are addressed in the writing and may cause discomfort or trigger readers. If subjects such as non-consensual sexual engagement, rape or sexual assault cause discomfort, please refrain from reading the story.

The Present

“Cut! That’s a wrap on this scene, great job everyone! Let’s break for lunch” Kenny announced to the crew. He smiled at Teagan releasing a big sigh. As awesome as this all was, it could still be tiring!

“You’re doing a great job Kenny. Seriously, I can’t wait for the second season” Teagan gave Kenny a hug from behind his chair.

“I should be giving you a giant hug Teagan!” Kenny stood up from his directing chair, moving his way to Tegan. “Congratulations on your engagement!” He gave her a big bear hug. “Now let me see the ring!” Teagan showed her his hand and he inspected the ring gleefully. Although they had gotten engaged two weeks ago, this was their first week filming and the first time Kenny saw her since the night of the party.

“I told you I had good taste Kenny” Charlie came over and wrapped his arms around my waist, perching his chin on my shoulders.

“Honey, you didn’t pick out the ring, you just picked it up” Teagan joked as Kenny released her hand. Turning to give Charlie a quick playful peck on the lips, Teagan saw the playful smirk kneeing he had a clever come back.

“I’m not talking about the ring, I’m talking about the person” he smirked kissing her back playfully. “Are you joining us for lunch?” His eyes hopeful.

“Well since you can’t leave the set for a birthday lunch, I guess so” she dramatically sighed acting like she was disappointed.

“Hey! I’m taking you out for dinner! Remember? Birthday dinner?” Teagan’s dramatic façade broke and Charlie realized he fell for it. “Sometimes I wonder why you're not the one in front of the camera”.

Charlie kissed her on the cheek and led her to lunch with the rest of the cast. As usual Maddy already had the designated brownie plate that both of them shared from and Savannah was able to join them as she finished in hair and make up. Everyone had a fun time chatting and hanging out at lunch but they had to continue filming. Charlie, Owen and Jeremy had to go get touched up and a new wardrobe on, but he left Teagan in the company of Booboo and Savannah, as Maddy went to go take a nap. 

“Hey Savannah, we are going to need you and Maddi on set soon” the three of them jumped at the sudden interruption from the new Production Assistant. His eyes piercing and intense staring at Teagan. “I’m James the new Production Assistant and you are?”

“I’m Charlie’s fiancé, I’m just visiting him on set today.” Teagan smiled back politely despite feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. She came to understand that this was the new PA that kept coming up in their group chat. It was no secret that a majority of the cast who had interacted with him felt slightly uneasy. Owen had been changing in the wardrobe trailer when he “popped out of nowhere and scared the living shit” out of Owen. Jeremy had been sneaking onto the set to take a nap in Julie’s infamous bed when he found James lurking around in the dim lighting. There were a few other stories that Teagan remembered, but she waved it off as James being misunderstood as he was new to the cast.

“Oh yeah! Sure! I’ll go get Maddi” Savannah stood up quickly getting ready to film.  

“Well ladies, it was a fun lunch, but I’m done on set and need to head over to a photo shoot” Booboo smiled collecting their lunch mess and glancing at his watch. “Which starts in an hour, shit. I better get going. Happy Birthday again Teagan, I wish I could be there tonight!”

“Don’t worry about it Booboo, let’s take a raincheck” Booboo gave her a big hug and waved them goodbye. “Hey I’ll come with you since I’m going to hang out in Charlie’s trailer” she stopped Savannah getting out of her chair too. “As much as I love watching him act, I know he has the Switch in his trailer and I want to play Mario Kart”

Savannah giggled at her friend and the two of them noticed James still standing there. “I’ll go grab Maddi if you want to let Kenny know we are on our way” Savannah smiled at the PA, who simply gave a curt nod, never taking his eyes off of Teagan. The two girls waited until he was no longer in their line of sight before moving towards the trailers. “Between you and me, I heard he’s being let go at the end of the week”

“What? Why?” Savannah looked incredulously at Teagan, shocked at her response. “Okay, I know he’s kinda weird and freaking people out, but what if it’s because he’s new?“

“He was hired last minute because of some pregnancy complications our actual PA Sarah had. She was cleared by the doctor to come and work yesterday, but she won’t be able to be here until the end of the week. We told Kenny we would much rather have her here and not James” Savannah shuddered as she said his name. Teagan didn’t know that he made everyone feel this uncomfortable.

“Who hired him?” She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because someone had thought he was a good fit. There must have been some sort of misunderstanding!“

“Netflix kinda threw him in since it was so last minute! He’s from Vancouver, so it made things easier” Savannah shrugged stopping in front of Charlie’s trailer. “Now go relax birthday queen, we’ll come get you in a few hours when we’ve wrapped and we can get ready at my apartment!”. 

Teagan smiled and hugged her friend, entering the trailer shortly after. She was greeted with the familiar scent of pine and cologne, just like Charlie. His trailer was neat, save for the sweater or shirt tossed here or there, and his acoustic guitar propped up against the couch. She opened his fridge pleased to find it stocked with water bottles, knowing well that Charlie mostly drank from his blue hydro flask to reduce the amount of plastic in the environment. After grabbing a bottle, she headed to the couch of the trailer where she plopped down and grabbed his Nintendo switch. She played a couple rounds of Mario Kart, drinking water when she felt a sudden sleepiness descend her. Putting the switch away, she took off her shoes and clothes opting to wear Charlie’s orange hoodie and black sweats for her nap. Glancing at the clock, she realized she had about two hours before they would start wrapping up for the day and thought a little cat nap wouldn’t do any harm. Plus, Savannah knew where she would be in case she didn’t pick up her phone. With that Teagan drifted off to sleep on the couch.

Teagan didn’t expect to wake up on the floor of the trailer with both arms restrained to the leg of the desk. Confused for a moment, she found herself restrained like a hostage in a movie, her hands tied with heavy and thick rope and a cloth restraining her mouth. Looking around, she recognized she was still in Charlie’s trailer and thought this was a cruel joke that her friends were playing on her. To her horror, she realized it wasn’t a prank when she saw James shutting the blinds and locking the trailer. She took a deep breath to scream, but quickly stopped when James noticed that she was awake, unsheathing his pocket knife.

“You're so pretty” he whispered, drawing close so that he was inches away from her face. She watched tensely as his eyes scanned her face with this crazy look in his eyes. “If you scream I will hurt you” he whispered as he untied the cloth muffling her mouth. Teagan was too afraid to say anything as James started to laugh. “You did it James, you got a pretty one” he smacked his head twice dropping the knife by Teagan’s foot. As he paced the trailer muttering to himself, she tried to inch the knife slowly to her with her foot, but this caught her captor’s attention. “Oh no you don’t!” he lunged for the knife as Teagan tried to kick him away, her leg getting nicked in the scuffle.

“Help!” she cried, but was quickly muffled by one hand on her mouth, the other holding the knife pressed up against her throat.

“I told you not to scream!” he yelled at her. Teagan began to cry in fear as she realized the man was mentally unstable and out of control. “Now I don’t trust you!” he gagged her with the cloth that was previously muffling her pulling at her hair in the process. Teagan tensed as he pressed the knife back to her throat. “I’m serious. I will cut you if you scream” he threatened holding her jaw with his free hand, forcing her to look at him. As more tears began to fall from her eyes, he cooed and shushed her hoping that she would stop. “Stop being sad. You aren’t pretty when you’re sad. I can make you happy. Let’s do that!” she trembled as his face lit up as though he had come up with a brilliant idea. He suddenly stood up and smacked his head again, muttering to himself incoherently. Teagan had no idea what to do. If she made a ruckus someone might be able to hear her, but the man in front of her might act on his words. She winced as he bumped the leg that he nicked.

“Did I hurt you? Oh no... Dammit you’ve damaged the merchandise James... You made her ugly! No. no. I can fix it. I can fix it” Teagan watched as he cursed at himself, dropping down to her side, yanking off Charlie’s sweats. The cut wasn’t deep by any means, but it was there and about two inches in length. However, it left Teagan pant less on the floor of the trailer with James staring at her half naked form, hands shaking as he drew nearer to her. Teagan knew what was to come as she struggled against her restraints and he pinned her legs down, approaching parts of her body she only let Charlie touch or see. Tears started to flow freely from her eyes as she protested through her gag, shaking her head no and trying to yell for help. James didn’t care anymore that Teagan had become vocal again, as he was too focused on indulging his own fantasies. Teagan cried out desperately and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing for this whole thing to go away. A banging on the door interrupted both of their thoughts as they froze. James terrified that he had been caught and Teagan hopeful that someone had come to end this. 

“Teags! It’s Owen, open up! You alright in there?” 

Teagan realized this was her only chance to end this and she screamed the loudest Help she could despite being gagged. She was sure Owen wouldn’t be able to make out what she was saying, but the fact that it was a scream would have alerted him to something important. The banging on the door became steady and stronger as if he was trying to break the door down. They could hear him screaming for help and speaking to someone over the phone. Quickly a commotion began to gather outside the trailer and James paled.

“This is all your fault! You stupid bitch! I told you to be quiet” he slapped her hard across the face, a burning sensation residing in her cheek. “You were supposed to be quiet!” he slapped her again on the opposite cheek, but this caused the back of her head to hit the leg of the desk that restrained her hands. A ringing in Teagan’s ears overcame all of her senses and she couldn’t focus on anything else. She felt him roughly cut her restraints and drag her to a standing position, but she couldn’t stand. She felt dizzy and nauseous at the sudden motion as the ringing in her ears started to subside. James held the knife against her throat, his back to the wall waiting for people to break into the trailer.

With a final bang, security was able to bust the door open, two of them filing into the tiny trailer, Owen standing behind them. There was Teagan, a knife being held to her throat, a swollen cheek, her underwear discarded on the floor and the orange hoodie preserving whatever parts of her body that it could. She felt the knife press into her neck as James and the security officers yelled back and forth at one another. She could feel a sharp stinging sensation and warm liquid languidly make its way down her neck. The yelling intensified and so did the pain. Teagan could barely hear Owen’s attempts to comfort her and assure her over the noise. She couldn’t understand what was happening, but James’ body tensed and convulsed, pushing the knife slightly deeper into her for a moment and then collapsing to the floor. In a rush of motion and bodies, the two security officers rushed to James’ shocked body on the floor and Owen rushed to Teagan, quickly untying the pink hoodie that was a part of his costume to help cover her up.

“Teagan! Teagan look at me, are you alright?” Owen’s voice snapped her back to reality as his soft anxious blue eyes searched hers.

“...Owen?” his name came out as a tremble followed by a fresh stream of tears as she lunged into his chest. He caught her and held on to her just as tight as she held onto him. Owen’s heart broke as she held onto him for dear life. He picked her up, never letting her go and moving her out of the trailer as the security guards handled the rest. As Owen exited, the small crowd of castmates and crew that had gathered in the alley gasped at the sight of Owen and Teagan. Savannah rushed over to throw her jacket over her legs to help Owen’s pink hoodie, giving her soft rubs on her back as she sobbed into Owen’s chest.

“Teagan?! Teagan! Oh my god, what the fuck happened?!” Teagan’s face came out of hiding as she heard Charlie’s voice. Their eyes met as Charlie sprinted over to her, pushing people out of the way. Owen quickly handed Teagan to Charlie, both of them crying and Kenny arriving at the scene with Maddi. Sadness befell their faces at the scene, but Kenny quickly took charge and started dispersing the crowds, giving orders to others to help remedy the situation. Teagan sobbed uncontrollably in Charlie’s arms and he offered as much comfort and solace as he could. The paramedics soon arrived and Charlie had no choice but to hand her over to them, but he followed the paramedics to their van with Owen and Savannah in tow.

Along the way, Owen had explained how he had come to find her. It turns out that Owen wasn’t needed for the final shots of the day, so he went to find Teagan before changing. Savannah had mentioned that Teagan had gone to hangout in Charlie’s trailer, so naturally Owen made his way over. He didn’t expect the muffled sounds of desperate screams and cries to intensify as he neared Charlie’s trailer. He knew something was wrong, but the door was locked, and after confirming that she weren’t doing something else, he began to yell for help and try to break the door down. As one team of paramedics checked on Teagan, Kenny asked the other team to check on Owen as he used physical force to break the door down with the security team. Therefore, he wanted to make sure Owen didn’t hurt himself in the adrenaline of it all. The entire time Teagan sat on the stretcher and gurney, covered with a blanket, Charlie held onto her hand tightly. Her tears subsided but everyone could tell she was still shaken. The rest of the cast members who were still on set were escorted to their vehicles and told to return home for the day. Filming had to come to a halt until they were cleared to run again. 

“Mrs. Valencia, I’m going to need you to confirm some details of your assault so we can properly attend to you” the female police officer spoke to Teagan with an apologetic looking female paramedic at her side. “Sir, we are going to have to ask you to let us speak to her privately” 

Charlie kissed her forehead and went to let go of her hand, which Teagan protested.

“No please. He can stay. Please, I need him” her voice initially came out strong and desperate, but fell to a quiet whisper as she finished speaking. The police officer made eye contact with one another and then with Charlie, who returned closer to her side.

“Very well. Mrs. Valencia, did your assailant force any penetration on you?” the police officer got right to the point, staring deeply into Teagan’s eyes. Charlie tensed, preparing himself to hear the answer he didn’t want to hear. Teagan hesitantly shook her head no. “Did he force himself upon you that can be considered sexual assault” she bowed her head, ashamed of what she was admitting, and softly nodded. “I’m sorry Mrs. Valencia, I’m going to need you to tell me a little more than that” the police officer looked at her apologetically, knowing fully that this was a difficult conversation to have. “We need to have a verbal confirmation.”

“It was just his fingers. No kissing or anything more” Teagan whispered, her eyes filling with tears once more. The police officer thanked her and nodded to the paramedic who finished cleaning her cuts and bandaging them up. Charlie held her hand the entire time, rubbing soft circles on her back. After the paramedic was done, she gave the two of them a moment alone.

“I’m so sorry Charlie” Teagan whimpered, crying all over again. She bowed her head in shame and embarrassment, feeling hopeless and defeated.

“Teagan, look at me” and when she refused to lift her head, he placed a finger under her chin to lift it. Teagan looked at his eyes full of determination, anger and conviction. “Don’t you ever apologize for what happened to you.” his voice was stern, unwavering despite the emotions he felt inside. “None of this is your fault. Don’t think for a second that you are responsible in some way shape or form.” His eyes bore an intensity that Teagan only saw when something upset him, in which she couldn’t blame him.

“Do you still love me?” she tried to be strong as she spoke, but her tears got the best of her. Charlie’s eyes suddenly became soft, concerned and worried. She couldn’t bear to look at him as she felt that he may have been disappointed in her.

“Of course I do Teags. Nothing could ever change that.” her tears softly fell down her face as Charlie pulled her in for a tight hug, peppering her with kisses. “I’m so sorry Teags, you must have been so scared” he rubbed her back hoping to provide more comfort and assurance. “I’ll love you no matter what. This doesn’t change anything, Mrs. Gillespie” the last part of his comment made her chuckle through her tears and pull away to look at him. “I can’t promise you and say things are going to be the same from here on out, but I can promise you that I’m not leaving you. Ever.” He had hoped that his eyes conveyed his commitment to her and she confirmed this with a gentle kiss on his lips. Charlie was careful to kiss her back knowing that she was still in pain from the assault.

This was a hurdle that they were going to face together. Teagan knew deep down that this event had caused serious damage and she couldn’t quite come to terms with what happened. However, she knew that Charlie was going to be with her and oddly enough, that was all she needed right now.

[gaemkyuu]

The Fight

Warnings: none...unless couples fighting make you uncomfortable, then there’s that. A/N: Second installment to the Teagan Valencia Series! It’s not as fluffy as the first part, but it gets a little fluffy at the end. Humor me as the Proposal is fluffy and makes my inner teenager giggle. I’ll post the next installment later in the week :) Disclaimer: This is a FICITONAL writing piece on Charlie Gillespie. In no way do I claim or declare that Charlie’s portrayal is accurate to real life. I do however, own Teagan Valencia :) 

Masterlist  

The Teagan Valencia Series: The Meeting  / The Fight / The Proposal / The Present / The Recovery / The Future The Fight “But Julie! You don’t understand! Would you just listen?!” Teagan never ceased to be amazed by Charlie’s acting. The man was truly passionate and put his heart and soul into everything he did. Hearing Charlie’s voice break and tears spring in his eyes, brought her back to the moment where Charlie and her really questioned whether or not being together was the best thing for the both of them... ***

After wrapping up season one of Julie and the Phantoms in Vancouver and the holiday season, Charlie found himself back in LA and Teagan back in Edmonton. She had recently gotten employed by Netflix Canada on the promotional team as an intern, hoping she could work her way up the ladder. She didn’t expect the workload and the hours to be long, but the pay was worth it. Afterall, she had been saving to pay for the numerous flights she was making back and forth from Edmonton to LA. She didn’t always get time off and even when she did there was still some work that she needed to do. It wasn’t different for Charlie either, as he was often knee deep in other projects and endeavours that he was passionate about. Both were doing their best to be supportive of the other, but they slowly started feeling the distance impacting them. 

Teagan had been down for a long weekend to visit Charlie, but knew she couldn’t completely unplug from work and spend time with her beloved. Sitting at brunch together, very little conversation was exchanged as Teagan had gotten a very important email from Head Office about a potential opportunity for her to move up in the company. This meant an increase in wage and the potential to be relocated to LA. Charlie, however, was out of the loop and quickly became annoyed with Teagan being distracted that led to an explosive conversation in the vehicle on their way back to his apartment. “It’s not just this time Teagan! Every time you come down for a “visit” you’re never really here!” Charlie slammed the front door to his apartment shut as they walked through.  “Says the person who always has to be on set or some interview or some shoot! I’m trying Charlie! I really am!” Tears flooded her eyes, the frustration that she kept to herself began to bubble over. “I’m not an actor or a celebrity or an influencer Charlie! I have a lot of work that I have to do, but you wouldn’t understand that would you? You show up for a picture and you make twice as much as me!” “Don’t turn this around and pin it on me Teagan. I’ve worked hard to get here.” Charlie's voice became dangerously quiet as he approached her. “That’s not what I’m saying Charlie-”“It’s not my fault that you don’t put nearly as much effort into this relationship as I do! What’s the point if you’re not going to try?” The words cut through her like a hot knife through butter. “You don’t think I’m trying?” she whispered, scared that she would lose her composure. “You could’ve fooled me” Charlie scoffed, plopping down on the couch, leaving her standing at the kitchen counter. A thick and heavy silence filled the space between them, as her tears threatened to fall down her face. “Fine. Say I’m not trying Charlie.” her voice was louder this time, albeit shaky, trying to maintain her composure. “The amount of overtime I work to afford plane tickets down... the countless times I told my family that you had to cancel coming for a visit because of work, when in reality you never planned to come visit me... The nights I spent alone in my apartment missing you while seeing you post pictures with other girls at a party... Yeah, I guess I’m not trying Charlie” She wished she could’ve walked away from Charlie with grace, but all the emotions that she had been harbouring began to pour out as she broke into heavy sobs and sank to the kitchen floor. Charlie, alarmed at her sudden breakdown, rushed over to her as she sobbed into her knees. He kept trying to get her to open up, but she tensed every time he tried. She could barely hear him over her sobs, frustration and sadness.  Teagan hadn’t been completely transparent with her situation back in Edmonton. Early on in their relationship, Teagan realized that her job as a retail manager wasn’t going to afford the numerous plane tickets she would be buying to see Charlie. With his unconventional schedule, he rarely had time to come visit her in Edmonton, but she could be a little more flexible and see him. Teagan had made the decision to move into a smaller apartment with cheaper rent downtown Edmonton in a neighbourhood that her parents thought dangerous. She began to decline the invites from her friends and family to go out to dinner or to the clubs. Being new to the Netflix company still meant she was at the bottom of the payscale, which paid the same amount as her retail job, but being in a position where her expenses were growing. She would go on shopping trips with friends, but never bought anything. Friends and family began to criticise Charlie for taking advantage of her and making her spend all the money, in which Teagan was quick to defend him. It didn’t help that her mother expected her to be the traditional filipino housewife that she was. The both of them were already feeling the strain of the distance, that Teagan couldn’t bring other problems into the relationship. If they were struggling this much just because of distance, what more if Teagan confessed her behind the scenes. She didn’t want to risk making things worse, so she kept quiet about these details, mentioning very little to Charlie and always wanting to know about how he was and what he was working on. “Teags, look at me please?” his voice was softer now. “Teagan, talk to me please?” She slowly lifted her head, not ready to make eye contact with him. Charlie kissed her forehead and held her face in his hands, forcing them to look into each other’s eyes. She could see the intensity in his eyes. He was all together apologetic, embarrassed and heartbroken, but she could tell he was searching her eyes hopefully. He wiped away another tear that rolled down her face as Teagan took a deep breath, steading herself for what she wanted to say next would be difficult. “It’s been so hard without you. I didn’t want to tell you anything because I already felt like we were struggling... I thought that it would only make things worse...” her voice tired and sad. Charlie’s heart broke further seeing the normally bubbly and optimistic woman so defeated. To see her this way felt odd and unsettling, as though Charlie never wanted to see her this way again. He pulled her into his embrace, which she gladly accepted.  They sat there for a moment or two in each other's arms, no words exchanged between them.  Charlie moved Teagan so that she sat in between his legs, back to his chest, as he leaned against the wall of the kitchen island on the floor. His arms stayed firmly wrapped around her and she rested her head against his chest and shoulder. “I didn’t mean what I said. I just felt so frustrated and I took it out on you. I know you’re trying, but like you said, it’s been hard.” He peppered her head with soft kisses, not knowing how to bring spirit back into his lover. She sniffed quietly, wiping a tear away with her hand. “Are we holding onto something that’s not meant to last?” His body tensed behind her and she felt the tears spill over once again. Teagan braced herself for what she felt was the inevitable goodbye of this whirlwind of a romance. Optimistic Teagan couldn’t exist in this moment as she felt exhausted and broken down. Pessimistic Teagan braced her heart for the impact of Charlie’s response. But it never came. Instead, she was met with soft lips meeting hers in a gentle kiss. Charlie had shifted positions in order to kiss her, giving them both the response that they needed. They didn’t need to speak as their actions spoke louder in the moment as their kiss intensified. What was meant to be soft, gentle and innocent quickly became passionate, needy and desperate. This new found intensity brought a simple kiss on the kitchen floor to the walls of Charlie’s bedroom, filling their afternoon with each other. In the early evening, as they rested in each other’s arms, basking in their emotions of what transpired, they began to discuss boundaries and goals that they would work on moving forward. Both were determined to make this relationship work and if it meant putting tangible expectations in place, so be it. To break up would mean to simply give up on each other, but they both knew that they were strong headed and convicted in their commitment to one another. It was after that fight that Charlie knew he wanted Teagan to be more than a girlfriend.

[gaemkyuu]

The Future

Warnings: none!  A/N: This is the last part! I hope you’ve all enjoyed my mini series with my own character. I’m debating if I should add one last one with a child in the mix, but I want to know what you want! Send me a message or leave me a comment! Requests are open :) Disclaimer: This is a FICITONAL writing piece on Charlie Gillespie. In no way do I claim or declare that Charlie’s portrayal is accurate to real life. I do however, own Teagan Valencia :)

Masterlist *now taking requests ;)

The Teagan Valencia Series: The Meeting  / The Fight / The Proposal / The Present / The Recovery / The Future

The Future

“Teags? Baby you gotta get up now... Teags, come on. I can’t let you sleep in any more. Plus, breakfast is here and you need to eat before things get crazy” 

Teagan snuggled into her pillow a little more, groaning at Charlie’s soft voice that disturbed her slumber. She was never a morning person, but she knew today she had to be. After a solid year of planning, the countless hours she spent at Bridal expos with Savannah and her cousin and all the tedious decisions her and Charlie had to make, their day was here. She rolled over to face his side of the bed and opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight and the beauty before her. Charlie was smiling, familiar twinkle in his eyes that she often saw when he was excited.

Today was the day!

“What’d you get us for breakfast?” he chuckled, kissing her on the nose, not surprised that she cared more about the food than getting up and getting ready for their big day. 

“Well, you’re going to have to put some clothes on and meet me on the balcony to see. You get five minutes” she groaned at his conditions and pulled the blanket over her head, not wanting to leave the warmth of the bed. Grabbing her phone off the nightstand, she saw that it was 7am and with a big sigh she got up and threw on a hoodie and sweats. She followed the scent of her nose into the living room of their hotel room, shivering a bit as she felt the cool air from the balcony come through. The view of the mountains from their balcony was breathtaking and adding Charlie while he softly played his guitar made it even better. Teagan wished that she could freeze time to just soak in this moment, capturing the image in her memory, but she knew they were on the clock now. She padded softly over to Charlie, kissing his lips quickly before taking a seat at their table for two. He had arranged the table with everything that was previously on the room service trolley, including the small arrangement of flowers in a slim glass vase at the center of their table.

“Well this is sure fancy! Thank god for room service, no?” she smiled lovingly at him as he rested his guitar on the side of the table. He grimaced at his placement and went to move his guitar to a more secure location, eventually deciding to run it into the suite, placing it on the couch. She giggled at his antics and as he hurried over back to her.

“I mean, seeing as we both love food and most people hate us when we’re hangry, I thought a nice, big, but healthy, eggs benny would be the perfect fuel for the start of our day” he smiled brightly, running his hand through his hair as she took a sip of coffee. He offered her both of his hands across the table and she placed her hands in his, both bowing their heads and saying a silent grace before beginning to eat their meals. As they sat and ate their breakfast together, they enjoyed the calmness of their environment briefly discussing what their respective schedules would be like that day. The two had made a point that they wanted to start their big day together. The entire event would be busy, but having a moment together to enjoy their last meal as an engaged couple was probably one of the best decisions they had made for their special occasion. However, this moment couldn’t last forever as Charlie’s phone started ringing and a loud knock at the door signaled the end of their breakfast. Charlie opened the door as he answered his phone, smiling at Savannah and Teagan’s cousin Michelle as his silent hello, continuing his conversation on the phone.

“It’s Wedding Day! Good morning our beautiful bride!” Teagan smiled at the excitement her two maids of honor had as they rushed in to give her big hugs. “You all ready for today?” Savannah asked, her giddiness radiating through her smile.

“Let’s do this!” Teagan smiled, getting up from her seat picking up the plates from their breakfast, the other two girls helping her. Charlie caught her waist after she put the dishes on the trolley and pulled her close as she giggled at the sudden action. He started to tickle and kiss her as she helplessly fought to get out of his grip. “Charlie! Come on! That tickles! No fair!”

“Just one last kiss as your fiancé?” he pouted, turning her around to face him. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, giving him a kiss, but he quickly deepened it. “I’m going to go to Owen’s room to get ready. Everything’s already over there. You gonna be okay getting ready here?”

“Leave her with us Charlie. We’ll take care of everything!” Michelle smiled, reassuring the groom. Charlie opened his mouth before Savannah interrupted him. “Call you if we need anything. We know!” and with one more quick peck and a hug, Charlie slid out the door. “Alright miss, you got 30 minutes to shower before the hairstylist, makeup artist and photographer arrive. The other girls will be over with snacks and sangria in about an hour! Hop to it!”

The next few hours were a blur. After Charlie left, Teagan did shower and get into her bridal robe for the rest of the morning. True to Savannah’s words, she was swept away to get her hair and make up done while the photographer took pictures of her getting ready. Teagan’s sister, Charlie’s sister Megan and Teagan’s childhood friend showed up right on schedule with her bridal gown and the other bridesmaid dresses. In a whirlwind of hairspray, powder and camera flashes, wine glasses were toasted, music played softly in the background and Teagan’s mother showed up to help her put her wedding dress on.

Meanwhile, Charlie was playing rock band in Owen’s suite with Jeremy and Charlie’s brothers, snacking and toasting the occasional alcoholic beverage to one another. Eventually the boys got ready and headed over to the ceremony location making sure everything was fine. Charlie was grateful that Teagan had suggested hiring a wedding planner and coordinator as he had no idea what still needed to get done. However, the planner had everything under control and simply used their muscles to help move a couple things around, eventually shooing them away to a small room as guests started arriving.

Teagan shared soft tears with her mother as she put on the finishing touches on her outfit, buttoning up the last buttons on her dress and placing the veil on her head. They both cried a little harder when her father entered the suit to see his daughter all dressed up. After a few teary moments and a touch up here and there, the group took a few photos and headed down to the lobby of the Fairmont Whistler where their limo awaited.

As the music at the ceremony began, Charlie took his cue, with the help of the planner that is, to head down the aisle with his parents at his side to the altar. As each couple walked down the aisle and lined up on either side of the altar, Charlie eagerly searched for his bride. He smiled and high fived their ring bearer and flower girl as they made it to the end of the aisle and into their seats and as the crowd rose, the music pausing for a moment, Charlie knew it was time. As the music played, his eyes lit up as his bride and soon to be wife appeared at the top of the aisle. Teagan locked eyes with him and held his gaze as she floated down, her parents at either side. For the both of them, it felt like an eternity had passed until Teagan arrived at the altar, the both of them hugging her parents and quickly taking their places in front of the officiant.

Just like that, the ceremony began without a hitch and it went perfectly. They completed wedding Traditions in the Filipino culture for Teagan’s family, with a few clumsy moments with Charlie. Teagan had insisted that if Charlie was uncomfortable with the traditions, they could leave it out of the ceremony no problem, but Charlie always loved learning about her culture and thought it would make the ceremony that much more special to include it. When it came time for the vows, Owen passed Charlie a folded up piece of paper and with a deep breath he prepared to read it. But for a moment he paused, reading over the first few lines and then crumpled it up, shoving it into his pant pocket, the crowd laughing at his actions.

“I wish I had the perfect words to describe how much I love you or how amazing of a person you are, but there simply aren’t. I am eternally grateful for how much you have impacted my life. Before you, I was a chaotic mess that would be running around from thing to thing. I mean, I’m still a chaotic thing that runs around from thing to thing, but I now have someone following me, supporting me, reeling me in when I’ve gone off the deep end and occasionally engaging in the chaos with me. I remember feeling like absolute shit when I spilled coffee on you that day, but you were so kind and forgiving. You’ve never met me with anger and you’ve always shifted your life around for me. I knew what commitment was, but I didn’t understand until what it was until you came into my life. I’d always be off on some adventure, doing whatever it is that I wanted and I never knew that I wanted, needed, someone in my life until I left you in Canada after asking you to be my girlfriend. I know I don’t have the best timing, and I eat weird food that make my breath smell weird, but I vow to love you, cherish you and be with you even after life decides to separate us. There is no one else in this lifetime for me, other than you. Mahal na Mahal Kita” Teagan smiled and used the Kleenex Savannah had given her to blot away the tears, as Michelle passed her a neatly folded paper.

“I wish I was as good at winging it, but I’m not so I’m going to read mine” the crowd chuckled at her comment as she took a deep breath, steadying herself before reading. “Monsieur Gillespie, je t’aime. From the moment you spilled coffee on me, I knew that fate had brought you into my life for a reason. At first, I thought you were put into my life to force me to live a little and take a break from my life, but I was so wrong. It wasn’t until I was going through therapy, that I realized why you were a part of my life. I’ve always loved everything about you, from your adventurous side to your caring gentle side and yes, even your chaotic side that, at times, makes me want to kill you. But I didn’t know how much I needed you until I faced the biggest adversity I had ever faced in my life. Throughout my entire recovery process, and as I still recover from the trauma, time and time again you have shown me that I am worthy of love.” her voice cracked and she had to take a few deep breaths before continuing. “Even though I felt broken, ashamed and disgusted with myself, you continued to do whatever it took to help me feel like me again. Had you not been with me through the whole ordeal, I don’t think I would be standing here today, marrying you, as the happiest woman in the world. I vow to love you with every ounce of my being and I commit an eternity to loving you and supporting you. Il n’y a rien dans le monde qui peut enlever mon amour pour toi. Je t’aimerai aujourd'hui, demain, la semaine prochaine, pendant les mois qui suivent et toutes les années après ça.” As she finished, Charlie wiped away a tear that managed to escape his eyes and held her hand tightly.

In this moment, there was nothing that could take away the peace that befell both of their hearts as they vowed to spend their lives loving one another unconditionally. They exchanged their rings, sealed their commitment to one another with an “I do” and were officially pronounced Husband and Wife. As they walked up the aisle to  the main lobby area of the Nikita Lake Lodge, they giggled and stole a few kisses here and there before being joined by a photographer and starting their two hour photoshoot. Teagan’s parents interrupted their photos briefly to bring the two a snack and coffee from the Tim Hortons down the road, which the newly wed couple were grateful for.

As the reception drew nearer, the couple were ushered into the limo with the rest of their bridal party and were welcomed by Teagan’s hairstylist and make-up artist for touch ups. Everyone was quickly ushered into a small waiting room away from the main reception hall and they indulged in hot hors d’oeuvres and champagne, awaiting for their time to enter the reception. If Charlie and Teagan could have it their way, they would’ve celebrated like this for the rest of the evening, but they knew that there would be cries of outrage without a reception from both family and friends.

As the night drew on, they dined on delicious food supplied by the hotel caterers, occasionally interrupted by the clinking of glasses to steal a kiss from one another. They shared their first dance as a couple and Teagan smashed a mini cupcake in Charlie’s face when they cut their cake, but their favorite part was the toasts. Savannah kept her composure, while Michelle did not as both girls gushed over the newly wed couple and the memories they shared with the both of them. Owen went completely off script but Jeremy was there to help him get back on track for the both of them to deliver a great speech that had everyone doubling over in laughter, but also tearing up at the end. When the couple said their Thank yous, and wrapped up for the night, the part they had been looking forward to the most had finally arrived.

The dance floor, unlike most weddings, was full with people the entire night. Everyone had the time of their lives dancing and the newly weds were occasionally interrupted by their guests who wanted to wish them well and say their goodbyes. Owen did his signature Flash Dance jump with Charlie and Jeremy, while Maddie, Jadah and Savannah killed it when Beyoncé came on. Charlie and Teagan were honestly the happiest they had been in a long time, but the night had to wrap up eventually, and as much as they tried to help and clean up the reception, their bridal party forced them to go back to their suite.

Upon entering their suite, they were shocked to see that the entire place had been cleaned, as a  bottle of champagne on ice and a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries welcomed them on the counter. Teagan munched on the strawberries as Charlie popped the champagne pouring them a small amount in the champagne flutes. The tired, but happy, couple sat on the couch cuddling and sipping champagne in a comfortable silence, hand intertwined. As Teagan gave a big yawn, Charlie couldn’t help but smile before a yawn overcame him as well. 

“I really don’t know how couples have the energy to have sex on their wedding night. Like honeymoon I get, but man this was a long day!” Charlie burst out laughing at Teagan’s tired observation and kissed her on the forehead as he got up from the couch. He extended his hands out to her, offering her to help her up from the couch, knowing that a wedding dress wasn’t always the easiest to move around in. Charlie helped Teagan out of her dress, kissing her back softly as he undid every button sending shivers up her spine. When she was out of her dress, she quickly picked it up and hung it on the hanger it originally came with as Charlie undressed to his boxers and climbed in bed. As he flicked on the light of their bedside table and plugged their phones in, Teagan shut the main bedroom lights off and crawled into bed with her husband.

“So how does it feel to be Mrs. Gillespie?” Charlie wiggled his eyebrows at her, pulling her closer to him. She pondered for a moment, already knowing an answer, but knowing her fake hesitation would catch Charlie off guard. His smile faltered for a second, a little confused.

“Honestly? Pretty fuckin great!” He laughed at her response, kissing her on the lips. “How does it feel to be married to me?” Charlie paused a moment, eyes twinkling and grinning at her.

“Pretty. Fuckin. Great”