Rampage Revisited

By RascalFlattsS

Summary: A different take on what could have happened in Rampage season two. Contains spoilers for Rampage. Read at your own risk!

Disclaimer: Do not own Numb3rs.

Chapter 1: Sometimes You Hear It

Charlie Eppes never heard it.

One moment he was explaining an equation to his brother, Don. He was using the analogy of two dog chained at the opposite ends of the yard…

The next thing he knew there was a gunshot. Outside there was a man, holding an agent in a headlock, holding a gun. He pointed it in their direction and fired. The bullet soared through the glass and landed in his whiteboard, right in the middle of his equation. The bullet drew an invisible line separating him from his brother.

Don quickly leapt across the distance, grabbing Charlie firmly and pushing him down while screaming, "GET DOWN!"

Once Charlie was on the ground, Don pushed him over until he was under the table. "Get down!" He said as he grabbed his gun and ran out the door.

Charlie stayed on the floor. He wanted to scream for Don to stay. He didn't want Don to go out and get shot by that crazy gunman. He wanted his brother to stay here in the room with him where Charlie could see that he was safe.

The gun continued to go off. Charlie could feel the bullets flying by him up over the table. My computer! Charlie thought quickly. All my work is on that computer-if it gets destroyed, Don's case will be over! I have to save it!

Charlie glanced around looking for the shooter. He had his back turned to him. As quick as lighting, Charlie jumped up from underneath the table. He reached upwards and grabbed the laptop off the table. YES! He had a hold on the laptop and was scrambling back to hide underneath the table. He almost made it back under when he saw the shooter turn around and the gun went off.

He never heard the bullet.

He never heard the bullet that hit him in the chest.

The first thing Charlie felt was unbelievable pain. It was the worst thing he had ever experienced. It felt like his chest was on fire. He fell on top of his laptop on the floor.

Charlie wanted more than anything to pass out-to escape the pain but he couldn't. He clung to consciousness only because he needed to know what happened to Don. He needed to know that Don was okay. As long as Don was okay, that was all that mattered.

Charlie continued to lie on the floor, listening to the gunfire go off. The numbers began to run through his head. How long it would take for the wound to bleed out? How long it would take before he died? How much more time did he have left? The numbers continued to run through his head and for the first time in his life, Charlie begged them to stop. As much as he loved math, he didn't want it to be the last thing he thought of.

After a few minutes, Charlie heard the most beautiful sound ever. Silence. There was no more shooting just dead quiet.

Charlie knew he should have stayed laying flat on the floor but he couldn't. He needed to know that Don was alive. He needed to know that his brother was alright.

Slowly Charlie propped himself up on his elbows. He gritted his teeth and pushed up. The pain flared through his chest. Despite the pain, Charlie continued to push himself up on his knees. His head was spinning. He felt a wave of nausea hit him. He wanted to pass out but he fought it. He stood up, his legs shaking. He was barely able to keep standing. Somehow his stubbornness pushed past the pain and he walked out the door.

Charlie stumbled the hall. He clutched his laptop tightly to his chest. He wasn't a hundred percent sure why he was carrying it but he tried not to think too hard. All he had to do was get to Don. He just needed to see Don.

People were running past him, screaming and crying. No one gave him a second glance. No one noticed that his shirt was stained with blood.

Charlie turned the corner and saw Don, Megan, Colby and David standing above the shooter, who was lying on the floor handcuffed. Charlie let out the breath he was holding. They were okay. Don was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

Charlie continued to shuffle towards Don. His feet seemed to falter with every step that he took. But yet he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He needed to get to Don.

Don had pulled out the guy's wallet and was looking the driver's license. It said Alec Schane. What on earth would possess Alec Schane to enter the FBI and just start shooting?

Don caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned. He saw Charlie standing off the side, clutching his laptop to his chest. His face was deathly pale, his eyes wide in shock and he seemed to be unsteady on his feet. Don could have slapped himself. He had left his brother alone in a room with a gunman shooting. Poor Charlie was probably scared out his mind in some kind of shock.

Don walked over to his brother and gently touched his arm. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Charlie didn't say anything but just continued to stare at him with large eyes. Don grabbed the computer and pulled it forward and began to examine his brother for any injuries. He was horrified when his hand brushed up against something wet.

"Oh my God," whispered Don. He looked at Charlie. They locked eyes for a moment for Charlie's eyes rolled back in his head and he started to fall backwards. Don quickly had a hand behind his back, catching him before he hit the floor. The laptop fell from Charlie's grasp and landed on the floor with a hard bang.

"CHARLIE!" he screamed as he held on to Charlie. Megan, David and Colby looked up from Schane to see Don holding Charlie. Their faces were filled with horror. Megan and Colby raced forward towards Don while David stayed with Schane.

Colby reached the brothers first. He grabbed Charlie's arm. "C'mon Don, let's get him on the floor." Don nodded and together they lowered him to the floor.

Quickly Don ripped off his dress shirt, leaving only a white t-shirt on underneath. He pressed it up against Charlie's wound. Charlie groaned and did not regain consciousness.

"I'm sorry," whispered Don. "I'm so sorry Buddy. But I have to stop the bleeding." He looked up at Megan. "Where's the ambulance?"

"It's on its' way," she answered. "How's he doing?"

Don didn't speak. He looked at Colby. Colby looked up at Megan and David. "Gunshot wound to the chest. It looks bad. He's lost a lot of blood."

Megan paled but nodded. She turned back to her phone, telling the ambulance that they needed to get here, now.

David turned and rolled Schane over so he was lying face up. Schane had three gunshots wounds and was barely hanging on to consciousness. David grabbed a hold of Schane's collar.

"Why did you have to shot him?" David asked him in a low and dangerous voice. His voice was full of anger. "He's a mathematician! He was no threat to you! I swear to God if he dies, I'll kill you!"

With one hand still carefully applying pressure to the wound, Don brushed a wayward curl off of Charlie's face.

"Just hold on Charlie," Don said softly, not even bothering to stop the tears from running down his face. "You're going to be fine. We are going to get you to a hospital and everything is going to be okay. Just hold on, Charlie. Just hold on."

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A/N: Cliffie karma strikes again!

Sorry for an errors. I blame it on lack of sleep. But hey! It's part of being a college student-I think.

Please R&R! I always loved reviews!