Charlie Salinger quotes from Party of Five

Charlie

Why is everyone so sure that I must be a mess without Daphne....? Over is over, and we're a family. Why cant people just accept that?

Kirsten

'Cause we care about you.

Kirsten

It's like finding out that I can't have children all over again.

Charlie

Kirsten, don't.

Kirsten

Only it's worse this time. 'Cause at least before it was just nature. Now there's someone to blame.

Charlie

Everything Griffin's been saying about Ned, and this whole-- Maggie says it's true. Ned used to hit her.

Bailey

You're kidding.

Charlie

I can't believe it either. I can't believe how stupid I've been.

Bailey

So, Griffin's been--

Charlie

Right. The guy's got a problem.

Bailey

You damn right, he's got a problem, so let's go. Let's go down there.

Charlie

My thought exactly.

Claudia

I'm coming too.

Charlie

No, you're not. No, stay here with Diana. Wait, wait, wait. Someone's gotta pick up Owen.

Bailey

Call Sarah, she'll do it.

Claudia

[about Ned] What are you guys gonna do?

Charlie

We're gonna talk to him.

Bailey

We're gonna kill the guy.

Julia

Who the hell do you think you are?

Charlie

Julia, please. Just get your stuff, we want to take you home.

Julia

I am not coming with you.

Bailey

Julia, pack your stuff, we'll talk about this at home.

Julia

This is my home.

Bailey

Julia, you can't lie to us about this anymore, okay? We know what's going on.

Julia

No, you don't. Like you said: I don't get a vote in your lives, you don't get a vote in mine.

Bailey

This is not about a vote, this is about keeping you safe. So just pack your stuff, and we'll talk about it later.

Julia

I don't want to talk about it later.

Charlie

Julia, please. Come on, come with us.

Julia

Ned and I are working this out, okay? He's getting help, he's seeing someone, I'm going to work this out, Charlie, I'm gonna make it work. Shocking, but true. I'm not quitting on him.

Charlie

That guy beats women! Alright? It's not your problem to work it out.

Julia

No, it is. Because he loves me.

Charlie

If he loved you, he wouldn't be hitting you.

Julia

No. No, he does love me.

Charlie

You've all said enough. I mean, yeah - I hated to give up all of that stuff - the designing, Seattle, a million different things. But I did it. I gave it up and I stayed in that house and I did the best that I could. And now, the first really good thing that comes along, the first thing for me, that I actually take - my little girl - and you wanna punish me for it. Why? Because I actually wanted a life for myself?

Claudia

Charlie, no one is saying...

Charlie

And you don't realize that you guys are all I've got now. Everything else I let go. So this - all of you turning on me like this - it's not just Owen you're taking away.

Claudia

She likes you Charlie, but she thinks that you don't like her back. Now who's gonna stick around for that?

Charlie

Okay, if that's how she felt, which I'm sure it's not, why would she keep it a secret?

Claudia

I dunno. But if you felt that way about her, why would you keep it a secret?

Bailey

[about Kirsten] Do you love her?

Charlie

Of course I do.

Bailey

Is she having any doubts?

Charlie

No.

Bailey

Then how can it be too risky jumping into a relationship that you both want?

Charlie

I'm gonna need a best man, someone I totally trust.

Bailey

Best man. Charlie, don't do it, don't do that. I'll drive you nuts. We'll be at each other's throats.

Charlie

Bailey, listen to me, I know what I want, all right. I want the perfect wedding. I want to walk down that aisle and I want to know someone who cares, like, way too much made sure that there's not one doily out of place. Now, who else can give me that besides you?

Charlie

Did they say something?

Kirsten

No. I mean, nothing new. I mean, you know how he's felt since I got sick.

Charlie

Yeah, but that was three years ago.

Kirsten

Right. He knows that. And he promised he wouldn't bring it up.

Charlie

He had to promise? What did he have to promise not to say?

Kirsten

Daddy! Mommy!

Oh, sweetheart! Oh, [giggles] will you look at you. You are glowing. Will you look at her, Gene? Is she not lit from within?

She's lit.

Hello, Charlie.

Charlie

Good to see you.

[they hug] You, too. Gene?

Charlie.

Well, [laughs] this is a happy occasion, isn't it? Gene. Gene?

Kirsten

Oh, why don't we go get the baggage? Um, because we're parked in a read zone, So you know what? We, um... Better move it.

Uh-oh. Okay.

[to Charlie] He's a little bit off. You see, that airline beef bourguignon just kind of bogs him down. But he just finished saying how happy he is.

We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments. To add our best hopes to the words that unite these two in marriage, and to joyously serve as witnesses...

Charlie

I, Charlie, take you, Kirsten, to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health...for richer or for poorer,

Kirsten

...in joy and in sorrow. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

...our love for each other. By these vows, the joining of your hands and the giving of these rings... I now declare you to be husband and wife. Congratulations.

Charlie

[they kiss while band plays music, guests applaud and cheer] Down the aisle. Down the aisle.

Charlie

Hey.

Kirsten

Hi.

Charlie

What are you doing out here?

Kirsten

Just thinking... It's just... I know that I would be happy with any baby we shared. I know that. But I have this dream, this fantasy... Where we have a baby who has your eyes, and my nose, your laugh... [both chuckle] And cries like me. Well, it's just a dream. The reality... is... Remember when I was sick? Cause the funny thing is... I mostly don't. I know you do. I know that in some ways that it was harder on you than it was on me. And I know that I can dream about all kinds of things... But that's what's real.

Kirsten

Hey.

Charlie

Hey.

Kirsten

Is Julia okay?

Charlie

Yeah, she's fine. It was just a minor sprain.

Kirsten

Was Owen mad that I left early?

Charlie

No, no, he's fine. You know I, uh, I realized tonight that, um, I come from a really big family.

Kirsten

You just realized that?

Charlie

No, not exactly, but... I forget sometimes, you know, Just how lucky I am.

Kirsten

Charlie...

Charlie

I was just thinking. I don't want Diana to miss out on that because... I was afraid.

Kirsten

Look, don't do this to me if...

Charlie

I'm not. I'm not. If having a baby like this is what you want, and you're ready for the risks, I'm ready, too.

Kirsten

Happy Birthday.

Charlie

Yeah. You know, I was looking at Griffin lying there, lying in that bed. Not too long ago, that was me.

Kirsten

I remember.

Charlie

And I promised myself that if I ever got out of there alive, I wasn't gonna waste time on the stuff that doesn't matter. I'm gonna quit teaching, Kirsten.

Kirsten

Charlie...

Charlie

Yeah, the factory pays more, and we need that money.

Kirsten

Yeah, but you... you love the teaching better.

Charlie

That's not what matters now. What matters the most to me right now is making this baby. The rest of it... It'll come in time. Stuff I always dreamed about, the designing stuff, it'll come.

Kirsten

Are you sure?

Charlie

Yeah. The funny thing is, I am. There's just been so many times that... I mean, when Mom and Dad died and I had to put my whole life on hold. When you went away, when I got sick... I kept just having to trust fate, you know? And if I just held on, the things that I wanted would come back to me. And they always did. And they will again. If I just hold on, they will again.

Charlie

We throw Owen a bone. We name the baby Stuart, but we give him "Nick" as a middle name, so that's what we'll call him S. Nicholas Salinger.

Julia

Aren't you worried people are gonna call him "Snick"? "Snick Salinger"?