Authors Note: this is my first ever fanfic… so please excuse if some characters are out of character etc. R & R so I can get better. I will start with quite short chapters probably… tell me if you want them to get longer.

Summary: a bit of CWDA, my favourite type of fic... but all is not quite as it seems

Disclaimer: much as I would love them to, none of the characters belong to me.

Charlie plugged in his headphones and straddled his bike; he stuffed his mp3 player into his pocket, only to take it out again to select a song. He had been so distracted recently and his head was pounding. He silently cursed himself for not paying more attention. After pressing shuffle he again tries to manoeuvre it into his pocket amongst his phone, notebook, chalk and all sorts of different writing implements and paraphernalia. He made a mental note to phone Don when he got home; he wanted to speak to his brother before the FBI agent left for more training. His head started to hurt even more as he started pedaling, and by the time he reached the first set of traffic lights between CalSci and the Craftsman he felt like his brain was going to implode. He shook it off as stress and overwork and told himself to get some sleep, before pedalling on

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Don took one look at himself in the mirror and turend to Colby:

"I'm off, can you finish up here"

"Yeah… and Don? Get some sleep, you look shattered."

" I am"

Colby laughed and headed back to the bullpen to clear up the mess from the day's work. It had been a hard case, 5 murders and no leads for at least a week. They had finally got the guy with help from Charlie. He turned to the boars and began to wipe off the complicated algorithms and equations that only the whiz kid could understand.

The phone rang and Colby casually strolled over to it, after the fifth ring he picked up.

"Yes… No he's just… yes…yes…yes absolutely"

Colby put down the phone and stood for a few seconds in shock, before springing into action, picking up his cell, and speed dialling 1.

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Don was about to turn the keys in the ignition when his phone let out a loud ring, and he nearly jumped out of his seat. He just about kept hold of the phone, and quickly pressed the answer button.

" Eppes" came his automatic reply.

"Don" Colby sounded too serious, but Don just threw it off as his own Paranoia, and waited for Colby to carry on.

"Don…" Colby's voice seemed to falter this time, and suddenly Don was panicking.

"Colby! What is it?" The panic in his voice was evident, and he fought with himself to stay in control.

"It's Charlie, Don, the LAPD just called after they ID'd him, hes on his way to the memorial hospital now, they said there was an accident, they wouldn't say anything else to me, get your dad, I'll call Amita, and Larry… and Don?"

Don didn't answer so Colby carried on

"…Don't panic, and if you need anything, call me!"

Don hung up, and put his emotions in his pocket, he needed to stay strong for his family now, but he was finding it difficult not to descend into frustrated sobs.

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Charlie felt… well he wasn't sure exactly how he felt, he was in pain, that was for sure, but he didn't know how to feel about that pain.

Pointless things seemed to take up all the space in his brain, like how he had left his FBI pass on his desk at CalSci, and however much he tried to push them out, they just bustled back in again, and stuck like glue. He was so caught up with this that he wasn't aware of the EMT's checking him over, or the collapsed lung that was stopping him from breathing. He wasn't even aware of the metal pole that was jammed into his leg. He was too busy worrying about his pass, and about how he had lost one of his shoes.

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