A/N: I OWN NOTHING.
Don woke up before the sun had fully risen above the horizon. That, in it's self, was a bitch! The case they had just closed the day before was one of the longest in his career. Maybe it was just because his brother had come too close to danger for his liking. He had lied about him being off the case to keep Charlie out of harms way and his brother had went behind his back to continue working it. Putting himself in danger when Russian mob men came to his class room, then again when they came to the house. That time dad had been home.
Maybe it was because his brother had betrayed his trust when he said he would stay off the case then didn't. Maybe it was because not only did he endanger himself, he endangered their dad too. But the more don thought about it the more upset and mad he got. Why couldn't he just listen to him and do as he's told!
He got out of bed and headed to the shower. Maybe a hot shower and coffee was what he needed to wash away this bad mood he woke up with. The case is over, his family was safe. No need to dwell.
By the time he got out and dressed his mood improved to a slight irritation. He made his was to the kitchen and pressed start on his coffee machine. As he sat down to wait he noticed his phone flashing, indicating a voice mail. Picking it up, he opened it and pushed the button to play.
"Hey don, it's Charlie. Well, you already knew it was me, ha, my bad. So anyway, I was wondering when we were heading out." Shit, Don said quietly to himself. He had completely forgotten about his plans to go hiking with his brother. The case threw everything else from his mind. "I've got my bag packed so i'm ready to go. Call me back."
"Damn it!" he cursed again, then got up to make his first cup. He had promised his brother this would be a day for them. Now, with his irritation toward his brother, all he wanted to do was go to work. He placed his empty cup in the sink then turned to leave. He called Charlie back on the way in. "Professor eppes" Charlie answered "Hey Charlie, its me Listen, I'm sorry to do this but I have to go in today. I've got to work on a few cold cases that have had a few tips." The lie rolled off his tounge easily but left a nasty taste. "Aww, come on Don! This is going to be awesome! You promised!" Don knew his brother was upset but his whine was not helping his mood so his voice came out clipped. "Yeah, well I guess neither of us is good at keeping promises huh." He heard a small intake of breath on the other line. God he felt like shit for lying to his brother but he just did not want to deal with him right now.
"Yeah, ok" Charlie said in a small voice. "I canceled my classes but I can go in and work on some papers." Don tried to ease his guilt, "Look hey, how bout we try another day."
"No" Charlie says, "I mean yeah sure. Listen I gotta go. Good luck on your cases." he said quickly before hanging up.
Don sighed, closing his phone and tossing it in the seat next to him. Nothing he could do now. So, he drove on to his office, leaving his problems with his brother behind him for now.
*NUMB3RS*
An hour later found don at his desk, going over cold case files to ease the guilt he was still feeling over Charlie. He knew he needed to clear the air with his brother so he decided he would call him and plan lunch. He knew Charlie knew he had lied. He was a world wide known genius after all. He just had to hope he would forgive him and understand his reasons. As he was reaching for his cell phone his office phone rang. "Eppes"
"Agent Eppes?" The voice was female and she sounded young. "Yes, who is this?"
"My name is Alex Ray. Your brother is my advanced mathematics professor" At the mention of Charlie he sat up straight.
"I was suppose to meet with him in his office to discuss a paper I'm writing but...I called the police, but I remember he told me his brother Don worked with the F.B.I. so I knew I had to call you" Don's unease was growing and when she said police he got up and started grabbing his weapon and badge. "What happened Alex!"
"When I got to the door it was locked. I looked in the window of the door and professor Eppes was with a man. I think he was a student. When I looked closer.. the guy had a gun pointed at the Professor"
Don dropped the phone and ran out of the office toward his car. He called megan and told her to get the team and make their way to Calsi. As he drove he called L.A.P.D and asked to be put through to the officer in charge. He didn't have to wait long. "This is officer Hernandez."
"This is Special Agent Don Eppes with the F.B.I. Can you tell me what's going on?" Don sped through traffic trying to keep calm while the image of someone pointing a gun at his brother was burning behind his eyes.
"F.B.I.? what does the feds want with...Eppes. Your relationship with the victim?"
Dons blood ran cold. "Victim" he choked out.
A sigh on the other end. " I'm sorry I have to tell you over the phone Agent Eppes. The perp was Louis vance. Apparently Dr. Eppes had flunked him last semester and since then he has dropped out and he held Dr. Eppes responsible. We arrived as the first shot was fired. " Dons grip tightened on the phone. "Louis was shot when he exited the office, after raising the gun to fire at my officers. Your brother suffered two Gun shot wounds. One to his stomach and One to his chest. He was still fighting when they loaded him in the ambulance. I'm sorry Agent Eppes."
Don could barely breath. His brother was shot because he gave someone the grade he thought they deserved? The bastard being dead was barely a small comfort. "What..."he cleared his throat, tried again. "What hospital?"
"Ciders Siani"
Don hung up the phone then did a U turn, heading in the direction of the hospital. "Hang on buddy, I'm coming. Please just hang on."
*NUMB3RS*
Don sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room while his dad paced in front of him. That phone call was the most painful he had ever made. He had barely been able to get Charlie's name and the hospital out before he was too choked up and his dad hung up after saying he was on his way. When he got there his dad had sat him down and as best he could tell him what happened. By the time he was done his dad had gone white and stood quickly, starting his pace. That was an hour ago. They were still waiting on news of Charlie, who was in surgery. Dons team was at Calsi, trying to put everything together for him to get the whole story.
"It's my fault" he said quietly, unaware he had spoken the words aloud. His dad stopped and turned to him. " What's your fault Don? Some...psyco came after your brother and hurt him! Not you!"
Don looked at his dad, the tears he had tried to hold back spilling down his face. "He wasn't suppose to be there! We were suppose to be hiking at big bear today! He wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me!" He drew in a shaky breath. " I was mad at him...He didn't stay off the case like he said he would. He could have been hurt! You could have been hurt! He could never listen. When he called me...I lied! I told him I had to go in today to work cold cases! I was still mad at him! God.." he gasped in breath, "it's my fault! I hurt my brother!"
Alan bent in front of Don, wrapping his arms around his oldest son. " No Donnie, it's not your fault! You couldn't have known something like this would happen." He pulled back but kept a firm grip on his shoulders. " You are not to blame for this!" Don nodded as the elevator doors opened, revealing his team. He gave his dads arms a squeeze then helped him to his feet. "Any news on Charlie?" Megan asked, her voice thick with concern.
Don shook his head, " Nothing yet. He's still in surgery. What did you find out?"
Colby spoke first, " As far as we can tell it's just as Hernandez said. Vance was flunked out of school shortly after flunking charlies class. When they went to his apartment they found pictures of Charlie on his wall, all with targets on his forehead." His jaw clenched as he said the last part. "He blamed Charlie for everything."
Don nodded his head, then looked at the ground. Megan was watching him when she was hit with recollection, " He wasn't suppose to be there." She said softly, though Don heard her. He closed his eyes tightly so no tears could escape. He looked up to answer her then looked past her, to the elderly doctor headed their way. "Charles Eppes" He said. Don walked up with his dad. "I'm his father, this is his brother. How is he?" The Doctor looked between both men sadly, "I'm so sorry. We did everything we could to save him". "No" Don said, loosing feeling in his legs and falling to the ground. David rushed forward to help him down gently while megan went to his dad, silently putting her arms around him for support. "His lung had collapsed when he was brought In. Between them filling with blood and the wound to his stomach, There was nothing we could do"
Don was unaware of the shaking that his body was going through. Unaware of is father sobbing in Megan' arms. Unaware of David and Colby by his side, trying to bring him back. He was only aware of one thing. He had lied to his little brother and now he was dead. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he had killed his baby brother.
*NUMB3RS*
5 DAYS WITHOUT CHARLIE
Don stood by the newly dug grave side. His father on his right, his team on his left. He didn't hear the words being spoken, didn't see anyone else in the crowd. All he could see was the brown coffin that was his little brothers resting place. He didn't remember the past few days. They all blurred together. He stayed at his apartment, his only companion was the bottle of liquor he had always by his side. He rarely slept, Nightmares of Charlie plaguing his mind. Charlie looking at him with hate filled eyes. his chest and stomach covered in blood. "YOU KILLED ME DON! YOU COULDN'T GET PAST ONE MISTAKE I MADE AND YOU KILLED ME FOR IT!" Don would always wake up with tears streaming down his face, his pillow soaking wet, evidence of his crying long before he woke up.
The service was ending and people were departing. Him and his dad stayed by his little brothers grave side, as if waiting to wake up from their never ending nightmare. He was unaware of Megan coming up behind him. "Don, let me take you home. I'll drop you and your dad off on my way in." Don shook his head, not looking away from charlies grave. " No, I want to stay. But please take my dad home. He needs to rest." Alan turned and grabbed Don in a hug so tight he was sure if his body wasn't numb, he would be in pain. Don squeezed back tightly before letting him go. He watched as Megan led him to her car. Turning back, he looked at Charlie's grave and collapsed next to it. Finally letting his tears fall freely as he sobbed for the brother he had lost. ""I'm so sorry buddy" His sobbing escalating as he spoke. "We should have been hiking through Big Bear with you telling me your latest algorithm you worked on for how fast we could get to where we were going. And I would be pretending to listen!" His body was quaking from the pressure of the sobs going through him.
"I should have been there for you! I should have protected you!" He laId down next to his brothers grave, wanting to be close to him once more. "I'm so sorry buddy! I let you down! I'm so sorry Charlie. I'm so sorry." He continued to sob until his body gave out on him and he slipped into unconsciousness, one hand over his baby brothers resting place.
10 DAYS WITHOUT CHARLIE
Don sat in his living room chair, drunk. That was his new usual. He drank his days away to escape the pain he felt. He had found himself talking to Charlie as though he were right there next to him. "So Megan keeps trying to get me to go back to the office. I can't Charlie. I can't go back to work and pretend that everything is ok. It's not the same without you there. Dad hasn't left the house. I call to check on him and he just sits with the phone to his ear, like he doesn't know what to say. I don't either. You held us together Charlie." He cried as he said his brothers name. "You made us a family and I took you away from us." His sobs increased. "Why didn't I just go! Why couldn't I just let you know how much you mean to me and dad!" He took another long pull from his whiskey, then closed his eyes. " Why couldn't I tell you I loved you more often! I should have been a better older brother to you! Im so sorry Charlie" He said, drinking heavily again, praying for oblivion. "I'm so sorry Charlie!"
? DAYS WITHOUT CHARLIE
"I can't do it anymore buddy. I can't go on without you! Dads just a shell of his old self. He just stares into space. He doesn't even know i'm there! The office let me go, took my badge and weapon. That's fine, I can't go back to that. I'm too unstable without you holding me together...I need my baby brother here to hold me together. But you can't come back. Your never coming back." Don looked down for a second then reached to the right of his chair, grabbing his 9mm Glock he kept in his nightstand. Holding the cold metal in his hands, he looked up to the ceiling, as if he could see Charlie through it. "You can't come back to me. So I have to come to you! I know dad will be fine. He has many people looking out for him. I know you left me the house so I changed my will and left it and all of my stuff to him." He sighed. " I know he will be upset that I couldn't cut it, but I know he will be fine. I left a message with Megan to check in on him for me. Shes smart. She's probably on her way here now." He moved the gun closer, as if studying it. So I guess this is it buddy. I know your up in heaven writing on gods chalkboards, telling me don't do it. And I know I wont be meeting you at the gates. But buddy, I don't mind. I know I may at least have a better chance of seeing you.
He brought the gun up as he said " I love you buddy. I'll see you soon Charlie." He brought the gun to the side of his head, a picture of charlie on the table the last thing he saw before smiled slightly and putting a bullet in his brain.
*NUMB3RS*
Don awoke so suddenly he jerked to the left and fell off his bed. Looking around he realized he was inside his bedroom at his apartment. He got up slowly and looked around, trying to remember what happened to have woken him up so violently. He glanced outside and saw the sun barely over the horizon. "What the hell?" He had a weird feeling of deja vu. Had he done this before? Shaking his head he made his way to the shower, the sense of repeating himself strong. He took his hot shower then dressed and made his way to the kitchen. He pressed the start button on his coffee machine then sat down at his table. He felt like he had done all this before. He looked around and noticed his cell near him. He opened it and hit the play button when he noticed he had a voicemail. " Hey don" He heard his brothers voice and his eyes widened as he remembered the dream that had seemed so real. Him lying to his brother. His Charlie taking the lie, him hearing the hurt in his voice. The call saying his brother was in a room with a student with a grudge. Finding out his brother had been shot. Charlie dying on the operating table. His funeral. Drinking, talking to his dead brother, the gun, the good bye.
His eyes were wet with tears as the images played before his eyes. All the feelings he had felt came strong to him as he heard his baby brothers voice asking him to call him back. He drew in a breath to steady his nerves. He hit the replay button once more just to hear his voice again, letting it wrap around him. His brother was alive, really alive! His eyes shot open as he slammed his phone shut, grabbed his phone and keys, and ran from his apartment to his car. He had to get to Charlie's. He had to see him for himself.
10 minutes later he pulled up to the front of the old craftsman house both he and his brother had grown up in. He got out and ran to the front door, throwing it open and stepping inside. His dad, his cheerful smiling dad, peeked his head around the corner. "Whoa Donnie! Wheres the fire? Breakfast isn't even ready yet!" He laughed while disappearing into the kitchen again. Don looked around but didn't see his brother. He was turning to head up the stairs when his brother came to view at the top. He had his pack hung over his shoulder and was decked out in his hiking gear. But all Don saw was the fact that his brother was standing in front of him, looking very much alive!
"Hey don! I didn't expect you here so soon! I'm still trying to get my things togeth..." the rest of the words were cut off as don ran up the stairs and grabbed his brother, pulling him to him tightly and holding him so close, as if afraid if he loosened his grip even slightly, his baby brother would disappear again. Charlie was caught off guard by his brothers embrace momentarily then wrapped his arms around him and returned the embrace.
They stayed that way for a few minutes then Don pulled away slightly, needing to see his brothers face. Charlie was shocked when he saw tears running Don' cheeks. "Don, what's going on? Are you ok?"
Don looked at Charlie and laughed slightly, still holding him. "Oh yeah buddy! I'm more than ok now! Im great!" He pulled Charlie to him again for one more hug then released him, staying close.
Charlie wasn't convinced. "Don, what's up. You got me worried."
Don looked at his brother, not sure how to word it. "I had a dream about you buddy. I can't...I can't talk about it just yet. But.. you weren't here! I let you down. I..." Don took a deep breath, "I love you buddy! I can't tell you about it yet. It's too fresh. But please know, I love you and i'm so glad your my brother!"'
Charlie was stunned. He had never seen him so unnerved. He grabbed Don's hand and gave it a good squeeze. "Don, you could never let me down. Your my brother! I love you and i'm always going to be here for you! Just like you've always been there for me. Your stuck with me! He said laughing."
Don smiled at his brother, giving his hand a squeeze of his own, then letting it dropped. "That sounds great with me buddy!" Charlie smiled then, "I need to put this in the car then get my other bag. We're still taking my car right?" Don laughed, feeling his fear of the nightmare slipping away. "Yeah buddy, your driving. But I'm paying for gas! No arguments!." Charlie walked down the stairs, throwing a "Yeah, ok" over his shoulder as he went. They both knew they would bicker about that later.
Don stood there smiling for a second before another thought hit him. Pulling his phone out he dialed David. "Sinclair"
"Hey David, it's Don. Listen, I need you to run by Charlie's office and check on things for me. Make sure you have your gun ready."
David was confused. "Huh, what are you talking about?"
"Please David" His voice cracked slightly. "Please just take Colby and go check it out for me. And have your gun ready. Call me if you find anything."
Something about his boss' voice had him agreeing and leaving for Calsi with Colby.
Charlie was stepping back inside as he shut his phone. "Where's your bags Don? And your outfit?
Don looked down at himself then back at Charlie, a sheepish look on his face. " Umm, yeah, I was in a hurry to get here and didn't really think about it. You'll have to drive me back to my place before we head out."
Charlie laughed, " Or, I could just drive out and let you spend the day with nothing!"
"Oh no, chuck, your taking me by my place. And we're staying the weekend! We need that. More time for just us as brothers."
Charlie smiled, " A weekend? Yeah, that sounds perfect! And don't call me chuck!"
The boys walked toward the kitchen, each one throwing pitiful nicknames back and forth.
Two hours later they were on their way to Big Bear, just the two of them. He was slightly unnerved after the call from David saying when he walked into Charlie' office he found a man with a gun pointing at him demanding to see Professor Eppes. After Colby managed to unarm the man, they took him down town and got his story. The story of Professor Eppes flunking him and therefor ruining his life. He let David handle it as he knew, without anything actually happening, that he would have a conflict of interest with this man and the case. As they drove he looked at Charlie, looking happy and care free, explaining his latest algorithm he wrote for the time it will take them to get there, and his predicted number of fish he would catch based on the known breeding of salmon at the lake. But for once Don, who sat beside his brother drinking in the sight of him, and knowing how close he had been to losing him, paid attention to every word that he said.
THE END
A/N: this story just came to me as I was watching the show. I hope you enjoyed it!
Notes:
I rewrote this chapter and had some more added or some removed. I will be adding another chapter to this focusing on the boys hike together. I hope you enjoy!