Discliamer: These characters in no way belong to me... sniff

I wander around the house briefly saddened by the condition it's in. After mom got sick no one's really had the strength to clean. For only a moment I stop, realizing how absurd it is to go see my ailing mother at this hour of the night.

I know that Don and dad will be in there, sleeping restlessly in chairs or blankets on the floor, but for me it's different. I haven't seen her since she first came home. When the doctors said that she only had a week or two to live, they sent her home.

I was confused and angry. I kept asking why they were sending her home and why they weren't helping her. I asked so many times to my tired brother that he snapped. Whipping around and pushing me to the wall he screamed "They're sending her home to die Charlie! They can't help her and they want her to be comfortable when she DIES!"

I wake up, my whole being shaking from the recollection of such horrid events. Of course it had only gotten worse from there, but remembering Don's hateful voice was painful. I'm distinctly aware of the smell of bacon from downstairs, but I'm not hungry.

I get up slowly, arching my back to knock the kinks out from another bad night sleep. Dad walks in, frying pan in hand and grins at me. "I'm in a bacon mood, how 'bout you?" I shrug and stand up.

"I need a shower." The words are out of my mouth before I can even think and dad stares at me for a second.

"Suit yourself; it's not every day that I fry up some grade "A" pig, so if you change your mind I'll make some extra." He leaves without a second thought and I head to the shower.

Once in I let the hot water burn my skin a heated red. Classes are resuming today and most of the kids will be new. Sure, some old faces will present themselves, but mostly I won't recognize anyone. Probably because when I start my brain at work on math, not much can penetrate the barrier. Most kids I won't even learn the names of.

I wait another few minutes before getting out and dressing in a loose white dress shirt and jeans. I was never big on dressing "up." Don had told me that once but I could only muster a laugh at the comment. It was true.

"Whew, school is back already, huh," Dad says rather than asks and elbows me. I can't help but smile.

"Yeah, nothing like the thrill of teaching." Dad stares at me for a second, a serious look plastered on his face. "What?"

"You're serious aren't you? I was trying to figure out if you were joking or not." He sits down and unfolds the paper.

"What's so funny about teaching?" I ask, utterly puzzled.

"It's not teaching, son, it's how there can possibly be a "thrill" in it." I laugh and start to get my papers together.

"You're sadly mistaken, teaching has plenty of thrills." I glance at the clock, surprised. "That's the time?"

"No, the clock fell last night and broke, it's been stuck like that," Dad says knowingly from behind the newspaper.

"If the clock broke last night then why is it ahead? Shouldn't it be behind… a lot?" He looks up at the clock, amusement shining through his eyes.

"Oh, yeah, that's the time."

"Darn!" I run out the door not even bothering to say bye. I'm ten minutes late, on the first day!

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I dash into the classroom probably making the biggest fool of myself and skid to a halt in front of my desk. Panting I turn to the class and see the giggling expressions of more girls then I can count. Should I be flattered or scared? Maybe only woman are interested in math these days.

"Um, I…" I stutter, not sure of what to say. In all of my years teaching here, I've never been late. I've also never had so many girl students. "Ladies," I finally begin. "I'm Professor Charlie Eppes." Eager hands reach for books ready to take notes.

Turning to the board I begin. Yeah, teaching definitely has a thrill.

The door to my mom's room creeks open as I rest my hands on it. Dad is sitting in a chair brought from downstairs and Don is kneeling by the bed, head resting against the soft sheets.

They're both sound asleep. I look to my mom and I don't see her. No, it's not her. In her place rests a frail old woman, skin tinted an odd color with boney hands gently pressed to her chest.

I turn from the room, suddenly nauseated. A lump in my throat causes my breath to hitch and my mind to spin. I let one stray sob out and run as fast as I can from the room. I don't stop there. I run from the house too. My feet bring me to one of my only and best friends. Larry.

He answers the door and I am surprised that he's awake. Before he can get a word in I throw myself into his arms and cry. The haunting images of the woman that should be my mother ran through my mind over and over again.

"Charles?" He asks his voice quiet and gentle. He puts his hands on my back and leads me to his couch; making sure to close the door behind us. "What happened? Oh God," He whispers, staring out into space as a false realization hits him hard. "She's g-gone?"

I can only keep crying. As soon as this is all over I know I'm going to look like a fool. I should be crying over her death, but instead I'm just now starting to cry over her illness.

"Is he really sleeping?" Don asks dad as we all sit around the table. Yeah, I was sleeping until the image of my mother caused me to arouse. My plate still full lies next to me and my head rests in my arms.

"He just started classes today, and apparently there's this thrill in teaching that I'm just now hearing about." Dad says through mouthfuls of the delicious whatever we're eating.

"There're some thrills of being an FBI agent but you don't see me face down in my…" Don stops and gazed awkwardly down at whatever is on his plate. I watch him through a crack between my arms, still pretending to sleep.

"Sushi." Dad supplies proudly.

"EW!" My head flies up and I recoil from the disgusting dish. My chair leg catches on something instead of sliding back and I fall to the ground.

"That's disgusting." Don says, getting up to help me. "What made you want that?" He helps me up; his head still turned to dad.

"Well, I have a new girlfriend." I sit back down and whisper a kind thank you to Don.

"That's good. What? Is she a fish?"

"Actually Don, if dad's girlfriend would be a fish she would most likely oppose eating her own kind." I say grimacing at my dish.

"Yeah, but don't fish eat fish?"

"Not all fish."

"Oh… But" Don begins as he pokes the dinner with his fork.

"She's not a fish!" We both turn to Dad. "She's Asian," He says a lot more quietly.

"In all fairness, if she's not here right now then why do we have to eat this?" I could hug Don, but still my hunger was down to a minimum. So even if the food on the table was something I liked, I most likely wouldn't have eaten it. But at least this gives me an excuse.

"Come on guys, I'm going to invite her to dinner tomorrow and I want everything to be perfect!"

"You mean we're having this tomorrow?" I shout, considering staying late at work. Dad looks down.

"Yeah, I won't be able to make it tomorrow with work and stuff," Don says stiffly.

"Me t…" Before I can finish, Don's phone rings. He checks the caller ID and then with a flip of his hand, answers.

"Eppes," Dad and I become silent. "Where... Now? Nothing I can't miss out on…Yeah, I'll be right there." He hangs up the phone and stands up.

"Who was that?" Dad gives me a look.

"Charlie, don't be rude." He pauses for a second then turns to Don. "Who was it?"

"Terry," Don half says and half sighs. "Turns out there has been a murder. Really close to here actually. So lock the doors and be careful." My hand slips from my chin and jams into my eye. I recoil and knock a few forks off the table.

"N-near here?" I rasp rubbing my eye and trying to pick up the unlucky utensils. Don only smiles.

"Don't sweat it buddy, they've got the best agent on the case." I look around.

"What, you?" I ask jokingly. He stares at me dryly.

"Very funny," He gets a jacket and walks to the doorway. "I'm serious, keep it safe guys." Dad nods and shoos him away.

"Now, what's so wrong with my Asian girlfriend?" He asks as he sits down again. I only laugh.

"I'm so sorry." Larry whispers to me patting me on the back once I finally stopped crying. I pull away from him and look into his eyes. He's crying too and now I feel even worse.

"Larry," I say sheepishly. "She hasn't died yet." I sniff and wipe furiously at my now burning eyes.

"What," He sits up more, getting comfortable. "Then why…?" I look down and he tilts his head to see my eyes.

"You know how I told you that I haven't been able to bring myself to see her," He nods at me.

"You saw her." He finishes. "Illness really eats away at one's appearance and I'm sure that it must've been surprising and even shocking to see her…"

"No!" I shout standing up. "That wasn't her, Larry that was someone else. Some one is taking my mom away from me and I can't stop them! Please…" My voice turns quiet and hoarse. "Help me; I don't want to lose her." Tears are slipping from both our eyes as he searches for something to say.

"There's nothing that anyone can do now, Charles."

To be continued…

I'm sorry if everyone is OOC, I'm not good at keeping the characters the same as shows. I'm sorry about the sushi thing. I'm sure a lot of people like it… I don't…