I know I haven't uploaded a story in a reaaaaaaaaaally long time. But here I am now. So, ENJOY AND REVIEW! Note: George Madison is a character of my own, who - in this story - is Don's mentor from his days in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque...
"Hey", George Madison says
"Hey.", his apprentice, Don Eppes, replies, gazing at a picture.
"What are you looking at, man?", George asks
"Oh, nothing, just a picture."
George looks at the picture. "Mmmm, just a picture. If I had to make a guess, I would say in that picture is you and your kid brother."
Don sighed. "Alright. Yes, it is me and my brother"
"Missing him?"
"As much as I hate admitting it."
"Why would you hate to admit it?"
"It's just … he's the genius in the family, you know, and during my childhood, my parents sacrificed a lot for him."
"And you were left out."
"Yeah.", Don sighed again. "But despite this, I protected him from bullies and, unfortunately, there were a lot of them."
"I can imagine.", George said sympathetically
"Most of the detentions I got were for him. And for some weird reason, I didn't seem to mind"
George huffed, smiling. "This weird reason is called love, man. I can tell you love your brother more than anything else in this world."
"How well do you know me.", Don said, looking out distantly
"So well that I know you would take the next flight to Pasadena if you found out so much as a scratch was inflicted on him."
Don looked, then, at the figure of his brother at the picture and smiled. "Yeah, I would."
Present Day...
"And that's pretty much the story.", Don said at dinner to the whole team and his family.
"Oh, Donnie. I always knew that was the case.", Alan said
"I'm sorry.", Charlie told Don
"Sorry? Sorry for what, buddy?", Don asked, frowning
"I mean … you were left out and that was because of me and my brains.", Charlie replied, looking sad
"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for, okay? If I wanted to, I would have their attention. But I didn't. Because you did have a great future ahead of you. And I'm glad I did."
"Ohhhhhhh.", the room echoed
"I'm still sorry.", Charlie said
"Look, I'm going to say this only once: Stop apologizing or I promise you, afterwards, I'm bringing Scrabble out."
Charlie slanted his eyes and looked at Don. "You wouldn't"
"Wanna try me?", Don grinned
"You're evil.", Charlie said, looking at Don with the same slanted look.
Colby couldn't help but start laughing. Soon, everyone – including the brothers – started laughing at the mock argument they just witnessed
2 hours later...
"Well, that was an interesting dinner.", Alan said
"Couldn't agree more.", Charlie said
"I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight."
"Night, Dad.", Don said
"Goodnight, Dad.", Charlie said
Alan walks up the stairs and closes the door
"So…", Don started
"So…", Charlie started too
"I guess it's just the two of us, now.", Don said
"Yeah, it is.", Charlie said
After a minute of silence, Charlie starts again
"Don.", Charlie says
"Yeah?", Don says
"Please, sit down, I want to tell you something.", Charlie continues
"What is it? Did something happen?", Don says, getting into big brother mode, as he sits down.
"No, no, nothing of the sort. It's just I want to tell you a story.", Charlie says, as he sits down, too
"Okay.", Don says
"Alright. So here it goes…"
Pasadena, 20 something years ago...
"Suitcase?"
"Check."
"Ticket?"
"Check."
"Coat?"
"Check."
"Water for the journey?"
"Check."
"Money and gas?"
"Check. Look, Dad, I've got everything, ok? Don't worry. It's not like I'm going to Afghanistan.", 21-year-old Don says as he was preparing to leave to go to Fugitive Recovery in Albuquerque.
"Feels like it.", Alan replies
"Charlie?", Don asks
"Upstairs. He's coming in a minute.", Alan says
As if on cue, 16-year-old Charlie comes down.
"Hey, buddy.", Don says, smiling
"Hey.", Charlie says with a sad look on his face
"What's up?", Don asks, worried
"Nothing.", Charlie says, head down.
"I am going to go bring you the keys to your car, son.", Alan says, leaving
"It isn't nothing, bro. Wanna tell me what this is about?", Don asks, sympathetically
Charlie doesn't reply, only hugs his brother as tightly as he can.
"I don't want you to go.", Charlie says
Don, then, wraps his arms around his little brother's shaking form.
"I have to go, buddy, you know that.", Don says pulling back and bending down to his brother's height.
"Don't be scared. I'll always be right here.", he continues, touching Charlie's heart.
"What if you get hurt? I mean... there are bad guys out there.", Charlie says fearfully
"I won't get hurt, don't worry.", Don replies, stroking Charlie's cheek, who hugged him again.
"I love you.", Charlie says
"I love you, too, buddy.", Don says
Their eyes were glistening with tears and they both wouldn't let go.
Finally, Don pulls back and is stroking Charlie's cheek again.
"I love you very much, buddy, I want you to always remember that."
"Don't worry, I already know you do.", Charlie says, smiling
"Good.", Don says smiling, too.
He gets up, pulls his brother closer to him and kisses his forehead. Then, Alan comes and gives Don his keys.
"Be careful, son.", Alan says
"Will do, Dad.", Don says as Alan pulls him in a manly hug. Then, he pulls back and Don starts leaving. As he is out the door, he turns around and yells.
"Hey, Chuck!"
"Yeah?", Charlie responses
"What is it you had told me before I left for college?", Don continues
"I'll be thinking about you.", Charlie says, at the verge of tears
"Me too, bro. Me too.", Don finishes, as he touches his own heart.
He got into his SUV and left.
Present Day...
"That night I cried myself dry thinking about you. I was thinking all things that could happen to you."
"Charlie." Charlie looks at Don "I love you, ok? You know that."
"I know.", Charlie says "It's just ... the possibilities of..."
Don cuts him off "Don't worry, I'm always careful. Nothing is going to happen to me."
"You better.", Charlie huffed, still disturbed.
After a minute or two, Don starts talking.
"We should go to bed, don't you think?", he says
"Yeah, I agree.", Charlie says
As they both stand up and head for the stairs, Don puts his arm around his brother's waist, pulling him closer and Charlie rests his head on his big brother's shoulder.
THE END
Do you see that button underneath? You know you want to press it. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it. So, remember REVIEW!