Drink It Off Your Mind, a numb3rs fanfic

Disclaimer: Don't own Numb3rs or anything that goes with it. So, there is no reason to sue.
A/N: Just a bit of a follow up on the story "Anniversary". I hope that you can understand all the words that are said. -chuckles nervously-
Name of the story is from the song "Broadway" by the Goo Goo Dolls.

Don woke up to a pounding. He didn't want to get up, but the pounding wouldn't stop. He opened his eyes and stared at the red lights on his clock, telling him that it was just past 2 am. Don sighed and got up.

He trudged to his door and looked out the peek hole tiredly. Charlie? What the hell? He was worried. Why would Charlie show up at his apartment after 2? He opened the door and smelt the alcohol right away.

"Donnie!" Charlie yelled, stumbling into Don's apparent. "Di'ya know tha' all th' bars close af'er 2?"

"No. I didn't know that."

"Well th' do!" Charlie waved his hands in the air, trying to make his point. "Let's dwink!"

Don raised his eyebrows, "No, Charlie. I think you've had enough to drink."

"Nu-Uh. I 'ave not!" Charlie started walking to Don's fridge.

"Charlie, Come and sit on the couch. You don't need any more beer." Don tried to keep his voice both commanding and soft.

"Bu' thi' is my firs' beer tonigh'." Charlie protested as he grabbed a unopened beer.

Don took this time to really look at Charlie. His hair was a mess, his clothes were stained with all kinds of thing and right by his mouth was ... Don sighed, "Charlie, Where did you throw up at?"

"The Ha'way!" Charlie answered happily.

Don rubbed his forehead, "Alright. Charlie, I'm going to be right back. I'm going to go and clean up your mess." He started towards the door and he when he got there he looked back at Charlie before leaving his apartment.

Charlie was frowning and Don could tell that he was having a hard time getting the beer open, "S'upid beer."

Don walked outside, but left his door open so that he could hear Charlie if something happened. Making his way to the vomit in the hallway he sighed. He did not want to clean it up. He should make Charlie clean up his own mess. Don stopped and thought about that. By the time Charlie would be able to clean it up someone will have complained and the janitor or someone would have cleaned it up. He sighed and set to work at cleaning it up, hating it the whole time.

Don was on his way back to his apartment when he heard a crash from inside. He ran and dropped everything on the inside of the room and made his way to Charlie.

Don stared at Charlie for a second. What had happened was apparent. When Charlie couldn't get the beer open, he got made and broke it on the counter, making beer go everywhere.

And now Don watched in horror as Charlie tried to clean up the mess by picking up the pieces of glass with his hands, cutting himself. "Charlie!"

Charlie jumped and hiccupped at the same time, "'Onnie! Ya' scared me!" He had dropped all the pieces of the bottle on the floor and he forgot about them. He started muttering to himself and he turned to the fridge again, he grabbed another beer which only made Don sigh in frustration.

"Charlie. Put the beer back."

"No."

"Put it back."

"No."

"Charlie, How about you put it back for now, and then when I'm done cleaning your hands you can drink it?" Don suggested, knowing that before anything he needed to clean Charlie's cuts.

Charlie mulled the offer over, He nodded and put the beer on the counter, "A'right, 'Onnie." He swayed. "But I get th' beer la'er."

Don nodded, "Sure. Just come into the bathroom with me. We've got go stop the bleeding."

"Bweeding?" Charlie asked, confused.

"Yes, Charlie. Your hands are bleeding."

Charlie looked down at his hands skeptic, "Wow! You' righ' 'Onnie!"

Don practically carried Charlie into the bathroom and he had Charlie sit on the toilet as he got out the bandages.

"'Ello! M'name isshuck."

Don sighed as he wrapped Charlie's hands. Charlie's words were slurring together.

"Youname?"

"Well, Chuck. My name is Don. And you know me."

"I do?" Charlie cocked his head to the side, studying Don.

"We're brothers."

"We're bwofers?"

"Brothers. Chuck. With an r and th not an w and f." Don lead Charlie out of the bathroom. "And I think it's time for you to sleep."

Charlie shook his head, "'Rinkwif me'onnie!"

"No. You've had enough."

"'Ave Not!" Charlie pushed himself out of Don's grasp, causing him to run into and over the couch.

Don rushed to Charlie's side to make sure he was alright.

Charlie was sitting on the floor on the other side of the couch with his knees pulled in and he seemed to be crying. "Charlie! What's the matter?"

"Not gonna tal' wifou! Beer now, pweeze!"

"No. Something made you want to drown yourself in alcohol. Tell me what it is." Don said with force.

"Don' wanna tal' wifou! You is s'upid." Charlie stated as a fact.

"Tell me why you are crying."

"M'not cryi'g, 'onnie. You seein' fin's." Charlie wiped some of his tears away, "See? M'not cryi'g."

They sat in silence for a length,

Charlie broke the silence first, "Beer now, pweeze!"

"No. You came here instead of home for a reason."

"F'th' beer!"

"You have beer at your house."

"Finkin' tha' you 'rink wifme. Unli'e dad." Charlie voice was quiet.

"Charlie? This isn't the first time you got drunk like this, is it?"

"No." Charlie sighed and started rocking himself, "You' faul' ya'know."

"How is it my fault?" Don was baffled at the remark.

"Beer! I wan'beer!"

"No."

Charlie glared at Don through his glazed eyes, his voice was cold, "Bwrin' me a 'ukin' beer wigh' now, 'onnie."

Don swallowed, "No. You don't need it."

Charlie got up, "Fin'!" He made his way to the door and tried to open it, but unknown to the drunk genius, the door was locked. He tried for a minute before he gave up in sobs and sat down on the floor.

Don made his way to Charlie. His brother needed his help, even if he didn't show it.

"Get. Away. From. Me." Charlie did his best to form the words, saying them slow.

Don backed up as his phone rang. Who would be calling him at 2:something in the morning? He sighed as he picked up the receiver, keeping an eye on Charlie, "Eppes."

"Don." Alan said, "I didn't wake you did I?"

"No. I'm up." Don sighed into the phone.

"So, Charlie is there with you?"

"Yep."

"Thank god." Alan gave a sigh of relief.

"Dad? Do you know what is going on with Charlie?"

"W-Why do you ask?"

"Because he showed up at my house, drunk."

"I was afraid of that." Alan said, "Don, earlier today he got a phone call. I have no idea what it was about but when he hung up he went and drank all the beer in the fridge. When I asked him about he just yelled at me to mind my own business. Then he left."

"Pretty much the same here. Except I haven't let him have any of the beer. He is drunk enough."

"Don. I'm worried about him. He's been getting drunk and coming home late a lot more."

That got Don's attention, "What do you mean by a lot more?"

"Well, for about a year now, every few months he comes home drunk and then whenever I ask him about it he yells at me some more." Alan sighed, "Just take care of him."

"I will." Don hung up and stared at Charlie. He seemed to have passed out. "It's about time." Don muttered as he picked up Charlie and put him in his bed. He knew that Charlie's hang over would be horrible when he woke, so Don made sure his room would be as dark as it could get.

Don would be spending the night on the couch, check in on Charlie throughout the night.

Charlie woke up to a pounding. He didn't want to get up, but the pounding wouldn't stop. He opened his eyes and stared at the red lights on the clock, telling him that it was just past noon. He groaned and turned over. Wait. This isn't his bed. What the hell?

Why wouldn't the pounding stop? God, his head hurt. Charlie blinked, so if he wasn't in his bed ... where was he? Things looked so familiar. If only the pounding would stop.

The door opened suddenly and light filled the room. Charlie groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.

Don watched as Charlie threw the blanket over him. Don shut the door and sat down on his bed, "Charlie?" He asked quietly.

"Don?"

"I've got some aspirin for you."

Charlie sat up slowly and took the aspirin, then he looked at Don, "Shouldn't you be at work?" His voice was rough and quiet.

"I took the day off."

Charlie shook his head, immediately regretting it, "You shouldn't have."

"Charlie. You got plastered. I wanna know why."

Charlie licked his lips slowly, "It's all your fault, you know. Why I got plastered."

Don sighed, "So you said last night, but how Charlie? How is it my fault?"

"You put that stupid idea in my head."

"What idea?" Don asked softly.

"To get a life. To go and help people like mom would have wanted." Charlie answered, he seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"I don't understand Charlie." Don sighed.

"I can't take it anymore, Don. It doesn't help me anymore - it makes me worse. It makes me want to retreat into numbers, but the only way I can stop that from happening is if I get drunk and fog up my mind so that it doesn't work."

"Talk to me buddy. Tell me more."

Charlie rolled over, "No. I don't want to talk about it."

Don groaned, annoyed, "Fine. Don't talk about it. Just get drunk again. Maybe then you'll get arrested or public intoxication. Or maybe get into a fight and be seriously injured. Or maybe get into a car wreck." Don paused, "You didn't drive here last night, did you?"

Charlie closed his eyes, thinking hard, "N-No. I think I took a taxi."

"That's good to know." Don sighed, shaking his head."

About One Month Later

Don jerked awake to the sound of his phone ringing. He grabbed with a limp hand, "Eppes." He growled.

"Agent Don Eppes of the FBI?"

Don sat up, "Y-Yes. Who is calling?"

"I'm officer MacLain of the LAPD. Are you the brother to one, Dr. Charles Eppes?"

Don swallowed, "Y-Yes. What-?"

"Charlie has been arrested for public intoxication and for assaulting an officer."

"What?!"

"He is here at the station, if you'd like to pick him up." Maclain told Don simply.

"I'll be right there."

Don stared down at his brother who was snoring loudly in a holding cell. "Charlie!"

Charlie's eyes snapped open, "'Was jus' wes'ing m'eyes."

Don sighed, "Get up and get out of that cell."

Charlie got up on unsteady feet. "Where m'I?"

"Police station. Officer MacLain is letting me take you home. And no one is pressing the assault charges." Don paused, "I know you aren't going to remember this conversation tomorrow, but apparently you told them why you got drunk and they understood some. Why won't you tell me."

"'Coz yer 'onnie." Charlie stated matter-of-factly.

"Because I'm Donnie? That's why you can't tell me?"

Charlie nodded with a smug grin, "N' I can'ave 'ou feewin' guil'y fer me ge'in' all dwrunk." Charlie paused, "'Onnie?"

"Yeah, Chuck?" Don asked, leading his brother to his SUV.

"I fink 'm gonna go sweep now, 'm real 'ired."

"Can you wait until you are in the vehicle?" Don asked, annoyed.

"Maybe." Charlie swayed. He started giggling, "I 'most fell!"

"Yeah..." Don said with a shake of his head. "I'm definatly taking you home."

Charlie's face crumbled, "Bu' then da'ill see me n' 'e'll tell 'er n' then she'll ge' mad again."

Don thought about this. Take Charlie home, Dad finds out, he tells "her" and "she" gets mad. Again. "Who is she?"

"Bef. Th' hot nurse-gwil." Beth. The hot nurse-girl. Alright. His current girlfriend.

"Well, I'm taking you home anyway."

"Ya s'oul' take me ta ge' more dwrinks!"

"No. You are going home. Anyway, you said that you were tired."

Charlie nodded, "'m."

Don helped Charlie in the SUV. And by the time that Don had gotten in his seat, Charlie was snoring loudly. "Why are you doing this to yourself, Charlie?" Don asked, knowing he wasn't going to get an answer.

Alan heard the door open and he turned to see his eldest carrying the limp form of his youngest in. "My God! What happened?"

Don dropped Charlie on the couch, who didn't make a sound, "He was arrested."

"What?!"

"Public intoxication and assaulting an officer - though on the latter they are not pressing."

Alan's eyes grew, "What?!" He sat down, "I'm so worried about him, Don."

"Me too."

That damn thump was becoming more and more familiar. He groaned and rolled some, falling off the couch with a thud. "Ow." He rubbed his side where he had landed. He got up slowly and looked around. Home. He was at home. Ah, not home. Fuming with anger he went to find his brother. "Don?" he asked in a normal voice, trying not to cause more to his current headache.

"Sleeping beauty woke up." Don said walking into the living room, after hearing his name.

"You take another day off of work?"

"You bet your ass I did." Don sighed, "Just for this moment."

Charlie stared at Don in fear, "W-What moment?"

Don's eyes were hard and unforgiving, "You got arrested last night."

"Oh." Charlie's eyes fell to the ground. "She wouldn't have wanted that." he closed his eyes and leaned back, "She wouldn't have wanted any of what happened last night. None of them would."

The anger in Don disappeared, "Who? Charlie, Who?"

Charlie licked his lips, "Well. I can't really hide it anymore." He paused, "Mainly because I think I told the police why I got drunk." Charlie blinked a few times, getting the tears under control.

"Yeah. But they wouldn't tell me, and Beth won't tell either."

"Ah, Beth." Charlie sighed, "Yeah. She's been asking me to tell you and Dad why for so long now."

"So, tell us." Alan said, walking into the room.

Charlie took a breath, "It hurts so much, when they die. Alissa died yesterday. The time before that was Lex."

"Who's Alissa? Lex?" Alan asked, confused.

Don sighed, knowing. "You' faul' ya'know." "It's all your fault, you know. Why I got plastered." "N' I can'ave 'ou feewin' guil'y fer me ge'in' all dwrunk." It was his fault. He had told Charlie to go out and do something that would make Margaret proud. So, Charlie started volunteering at a Children's Cancer Ward. "Alissa and Lex are two kids who had cancer."

"Oh." Alan said, "I see now." He turned to Charlie, "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"Thought that maybe you would make me quit going to see the kids." Charlie answered quietly.

"Why would we make you stop? It makes you happy everyday. I am sorry that you did choose to help cancer patients - but that was you're choice." Alan answered, "I would never make you stop something that you love so much."

"Charlie, just stop getting drunk. I don't care if it fogs up your mind. You need to find a different way to stop the numbers." Alan stared at Don, how did he know that Charlie was getting drunk so that he could stop the numbers. "And I know that it still helps you. Everyday that you go and see them, you are happier than I've ever seen you. These kids are helping you, and I know that these kids love you. It would break their hearts if you quit going to see them."

Charlie sighed, "But, I need to do something. I know that I shouldn't get drunk, but what else can I do?"

The three of them were quiet for a moment, then Alan smiled, "I've got a really simple answer for that, Charlie." The two son's stared at their dad. "Why don't you go and spend more time with the kids who are alive and maybe mourn with them."

Don nodded, "See, that's a great idea. And it's a simple solution." The looked at his younger brother, "You think you can do that?"

Charlie shrugged, "I can try it."

The three of them shared a smile.