Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, I just play with the Characters for a bit.
Characters: Don, Charlie and Alan
Feedback: Feeds the Muse

A Little Deception

Don checked his messages. The one from Charlie stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Don get over here and don't let Dad see you. Meet me in the garage. It's important."

Don tried calling his little brother, but all he got was his voice mail. His fingers massaged his aching forehead and then he waved Megan over. "Think you can wrap this case up? Charlie's got a little emergency and I need to go see what I can do to help."

"Sure, we've got your back. Not that much left anyway. Get out of here already." She patted his back and turned around and took charge of the investigation. Don missed the smirk on her face as he quickly jumped into his SUV and drove to his brother's house.

Despite the traffic, he drove in a record time to Charlie's house. Now just one little problem to solve, what excuse for being here this early in the afternoon. His dad was on the front porch with his partner, Stan. Good thing I can tell white lies, but what will he believe? Taking off his watch and stashing it in the glove box, he carefully opened the door and stepped down.

"Donnie, is everything alright? Charlie isn't here, if your looking for him." Alan explained.

"No, I think I left my watch over here last night. Just doesn't feel right without it, so I thought I better do a quick search." He prayed his father didn't see through the ruse and felt like he was once again in high school. Quickly he walked inside and headed into the garage.

Alan waited for a bit and then went upstairs and pushed Charlie's bedroom door open. "Charlie I asked you for one simple thing. Your timing is way off, by two hours. For some reason he is out in the garage searching for his watch. You better have him back at 4 or your dead meat!" In a huff he turned and left.

"Show time and I don't think it will be that difficult to convince Don that something is wrong with dad" He flipped his cell phone out and called Megan. "Hey, you sure it won't be a problem…good, just got to confiscate his cell phone and we are all set. If I keep him off balance he won't realize anything is going on till it is too late. Be here at 4:00. Thanks." He disconnected the call and put the cell phone into his pocket.

By the time he stepped into the garage his brother was fuming. Charlie had overheard his brother's last message and winced because he was going to have to face it head on. It's for your own good. Time for a little payback. First objective, turn off his cell without him noticing. "Thank God, you're here. I'm worried about Dad…he's been really secretive lately…appointments…I think he's seeing a Doctor about something. You're the one that has the people skills, what do you think we should do? Everything came out in a rush all designed to throw his big brother off balance and it worked better than he had planned.

Don sank into the couch, forgetting about his cell and Charlie snatched it up and hid it in his jacket's pocket for now. Feeling it was better to keep his brother off kilter, he continued. "Dad's been really cranky lately, and tired. He's been going to bed early, that's why you missed him last night. We need to get him to see a doctor…it might not be anything more than he is pushing himself too hard." Charlie was a little surprised when Don buried his face in his hands and didn't move. He took advantage of the distraction to turn off his brother's cell.

Don felt his world was falling apart. First his father had wanted him to take him to the doctor and they were waiting for the report. His father's words seemed to be haunting him now.

"Don't let Charlie know. I don't want to tell him till we are sure it is something. It's probably nothing…maybe I shouldn't have asked you to come with me." Then the nightmare diagnosis, "I'm sorry, but it's cancer. We caught it early…"

Don felt unbalanced and fought to keep breathing. His eyes were wet with moisture as he wrestled to keep his emotions in check. Once he was sure he could keep it together, he looked up to see Charlie handing him his cell phone. He slipped it in his back pocket.

Charlie couldn't believe how easily he had gotten away with turning off Don's cell. But then he took a good long look into his brother's eyes and was shocked to discover that tuff g-man was on the verge of tears. "Look, maybe it was a mistake to get you involved…I'll figure it out. I'm sure everything is fine, I'm just being paranoid."

"Stop it, we both know why we can't let this go. Let me think about the best way to approach the subject, okay.

"You look really beat, why don't we…." Charlie wasn't prepared for Don rushing out of the garage. Rushing to follow, he felt his plan going up in flames. Man, Dad's gonna kill me!

Don raced toward his father but as soon as his eyes caught Stan staring at him, he did a one eighty. "Look, tell Charlie I'll talk with him soon." Once he sat in his SUV, he couldn't move just stared ahead not really noticing anything.

Luckily, Charlie caught up with his brother and climbed into the SUV. Carefully he placed his hand on Don's shoulder and found the courage to speak. "Don, please talk to me. What do you know?"

Don turned and faced his little brother. But he couldn't say it. It felt as if his world was crashing in front of his eyes. His baby brother didn't have to carry the burden yet. What would he do when he found out? Starting the vehicle, he backed out of the driveway and speed away. He didn't have a destination in mind; he just wanted to flee the truth for a bit longer.

Four fifteen and still Charlie hadn't brought Don back. Everyone had gone from being excited to beginning to worry. Where on earth were the brothers?

Alan wondered, Maybe, it wasn't such a bright idea to ask Charlie to be responsible of getting Don to his surprise party. I should have asked Megan…at least Don would have been here on time.

Charlie wondered what he could do to get Don to open up. He was really worried about him. The party would just have to wait. "Don, please talk to me…I'm not made of glass."

Don looked up seeing his baby brother for the first time. He didn't know how much time had gone by. Nor could he explain his emotions. So he didn't try. "Charlie, I've got some bad news. I don't know how to tell you this. You weren't supposed to find out yet. Dad wanted a second opinion before he told you. But Charlie…Dad may have Cancer."

There he had said it. The world got a whole lot smaller. Charlie sat stunned unable to speak. He needed a connection and without thinking he just got up and hugged his brother. For a moment neither spoke as they clung to each other for dear life.

Finally breaking apart, Charlie knew he had to get Don to the party. Then together in private they would deal with this nightmare.

"Don, I know this seems really bad timing…but everyone is expecting us. We have to go to the house. Just forget about this for a while and well deal with it latter tonight, okay."

Don nodded and get out his keys. The drive back was in eerie silence. He didn't remember getting out of the SUV or even opening the door. When everyone yelled surprise, it was just too much. He fainted.

Colby and David were fast on their feet and helped carry Don to the couch. Megan got a wet cloth and placed it on her bosses' forehead. Alan and Charlie hovered, taking turns calling out Don's name.

Alan smiled to reassure his son when he opened his eyes. "I understand you hate celebrating your birthday, but this is hardly the best way to get out of it, don't you think."

The tension didn't seem to disappear and before anyone could say anything Don raced out of the room and towards the Koi pond. Everyone started to follow but Alan raised his eyebrow, and spoke. "No, let me."

Reaching his son's side, he knelt beside him and cautiously touched his shoulder. "Don, what's wrong?" Then he waited.

"I told Charlie…he knows about the…Cancer." He whispered the last word as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You promised me…"

"I wasn't going to say anything but Charlie noticed. He brought it up today of all days."

Alan looked at the ground and then back up at his son. "Don, I got a call today. I tried calling you but your cell must have been turned off."

"What?" Don checked his cell phone and sure enough it was turned off. The turned it on and listened to the message. He expression changed from sad to one of anger. "I'm going to kill him."

"No you're not. Charlie didn't know. He was supposed to get you here at the party on time. Of course he failed his assignment, but he did occupy your thoughts. How was I to know he would try to trick you using my health as a story. But I don't have Cancer. It was a mistake. Not often a doctor gets a report on two different Alan Eppes. If they hadn't caught that our middle initial was different I might still be fearing the worse. I did try to tell you as soon as I got the call. Now can we go celebrate your birthday?"

"Charlie got payback coming…No Dad he does. But I won't collect on it tonight. I guess we could let him sweat it out for a bit longer." Looking at his father, he smiled. "Okay, so he finds out tonight. But not till after I blow out the birthday candles…agree."

"Fine…I suppose he does deserve a little worry time, but once you blow out the candles you let him off the hook, or I will. You understand."

Don started to walk back in the house but his father grabbed him and hugged him instead. "I always know that I can lean on you, but don't you forget you can lean on me too. Don't be so hard on your brother, he wanted to make your birthday special."

"You had to say it didn't you. But Chuckie's next birthday will be a day he won't forget for a long time."

"By the way...Happy Birthday, Son." Alan patted Don's back as they walked back towards a group of friends waiting to celebrate this special day.

Don smiled as he walked back into the living room allowing his friends and family to fuse over him. He wouldn't let his little brother suffer too long, but nothing said he wouldn't enjoy serving a little payback.