Series:
Numb3rs
Season: Pre-season
Part: 1/1
Rating: K
Disclaimer: Well, we all know that I don't own NUMB3RS
and its lovely characters. I just borrow them from time to time
because I love them. A/N: THANK YOU Lady-Nocturne for
beta-reading this story! Summary:
G is for Grounded.
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Margaret Eppes looked down at her youngest son with disappointment. "Charlie, consider yourself grounded as a punishment for making such a mess," she told him sternly.
"Being grounded is no punishment for him," Don told her, outraged. "He never leaves the house. How come Charlie always ends up having what he wants, even when he screws up? That's not fair! What did I ever do you?" he asked his mother.
"Donnie…" his mother began, taken aback by her oldest son's sudden outburst.
"Oh, forget it," Don cut her off, before turning on his heel and storming through the doors of the kitchen.
Margaret had gotten used to seeing Don clam up and repress his feelings over the course of his teenage years; she had almost forgotten how hot a temper he could have at times. Her eyes met Charlie's again. Her shock and sadness was mirrored in his own.
"Charlie, please clean up your mess and then go to your room," she instructed him.
He started to make his way out of the kitchen, but stopped before going through the doors. He looked back at his mother.
"What did Don do to you?" he asked innocently, wanting to know this as much as he wanted to know the answer to any other question.
Margaret held back tears. "Go, Charlie."
He went through the doors.
Finally alone, she let the tears come. As she was trying to protect one son, she was alienating the other. Don was right, it was not fair. They had asked so much of him already – forced him to mature and become self-reliant so young.
Margaret just did not know what else to do.
0000
Charlie found his older brother in the living room, calling his girlfriend.
"Hey, Kathy! It's Don. I was wondering… Did you do your homework?" Charlie waited as his brother listened to Kathy's answer. "Would you mind if I came over to your place? We could do it together… Yeah, anything's good to get out of this house…. Sure, I could help you with your English, if you help me with my Trigonometry… Charlie, uh-uh… Don't even go there! Okay, I'll see you then. Thanks!"
Don hung up the phone and then turned around. He was a bit surprise to see Charlie standing behind him.
"I could help you with your Trigonometry, you know."
"Don't you think you did enough for today, Chuck?" Don remarked, angrily.
"Don't call me Chuck! That's not my name," Charlie reminded him, offended.
"Whatever. Tell Mom and Dad not to wait for me for dinner." Don picked up his backpack, which he had left by the front entrance. "And stay out of my stuff while I'm gone," he told his younger brother before closing the door behind him.
Alone in the living room, Charlie bit back tears. Don was right. Being grounded was no punishment for him. If he had it his way, he would never leave the house – unlike his brother, who could not wait to get away from it and from Charlie.
What Don did not know, however, was that Charlie considered having his older brother mad at him as the worst punishment of all.
0000
The
end. A/N: Okay, short and sweet. Well, short anyway.