The Call

With a groan, Don reached for his phone, smiling apologetically at Lauren. Apparently, whoever called him just wouldn't get the hint that he didn't want to be disturbed. Probably, it was the office.

Or, he thought glowering as he read the display, it was an annoying pain in the ass little brother. Charlie better hoped this was important. Probably wanted to tell him that he finished the equation he had been working on for Don, not that it was that important that it couldn't wait 'til morning and Charlie should know that. Briefly, he considered to simply cut the call off, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. While it wasn't unusual for Charlie to be up all night, he rarely called this late. So it could be important.

"Sorry, gotta take this," he told Lauren with a sigh and moved away from their table to have some privacy.

Not that he mistrusted Lauren - but he had just met her. This was their first date. And Don was too much of an agent to let a stranger know too much of his personal side. It just wasn't safe. Of course that didn't leave that much conversation material so he had to find other things to talk about - or even better, things to occupy them that didn't require talking at all. It usually worked well enough. Then again, perhaps that was why he usually only went on a couple of dates.

Shaking his head, he finally answered the call. "This better be good, Charlie."

Silence met him and Don frowned. "Charlie?"

Another long pause of hearing nothing. Don was about to hang up, thinking that Charlie had probably just forgotten to put in the key lock again, when finally, his brother's voice came through the line.

"Don."

"Yeah, what is it, Chuck?" Don replied, impatiently.

"Uh... I... uh... Can you come pick me - up?" Charlie answered slowly, his speech slightly slurred.

Don's frown was back. "Are you drunk, Charlie?" he wanted to know, suspiciously. Charlie rarely drank, mainly because he simply couldn't hold the liqueur. But from time to time, Charlie did go out, drinking a little too much. And once or twice, he had called Don to come pick him up. Now was so not a good time for that though.

His brother giggled. "Nope... sadly not. Sure wish... I were. Where was... I?"

Don's frown deepened. "You wanted me to pick you up."

"Oh... Yeah, right. So you'll... come?" Charlie asked hopefully.

Shaking his head, Don glanced back at the blond beauty he had left at their table, silently cursing his brother. "Now's not a good time, Charlie. Can't you take a cab?"

Again a long pause. "I could probably," Charlie finally replied, still unusual slow, still slurring his words a bit. "But then, I'm not... sure I can... make it out... by... myself." Another little pause in which Don's eyes snapped away from his date, focusing back on his brother. What had Charlie just said? "And I... I think they... took my... wallet."

His date totally forgotten, Don tightened the grip on his phone. "What? Charlie, what are you talking about?" With growing fear, Don quickly added the things he had learned together and came to a more than just a bit disturbing conclusion. "Are you hurt?"

Silence.

"Charlie!" he bellowed.

"Not so loud," his little brother whimpered and suddenly, his voice sounded awful weak. Why hadn't Don noticed that before?

"Are you hurt?" Don repeated himself, telling himself to stay calm. When Charlie didn't answer again, his fear grew. "Charlie," he warned, in a low voice this time.

"Some," Charlie finally answered hesitantly.

His heart tightening painfully, Don forced himself not to panic and sprung into action. Within a second, he had his keys in his hand and was already sprinting towards his SUV.

"Where are you?"

"Uh, home... No! - No... Office. In front of my... office. I was... leaving for home," Charlie slowly told him, the confusion in his voice alarming Don even more.

Speeding out of the parking lot, Don headed North, towards CalSci, careful to not lose the cell phone that was pressed between his ear and shoulder. As soon as he could, he moved it quickly to his speaker phone so he could concentrate on driving. The rational part of him acknowledged that he should call for an ambulance. But that would mean to end the call with Charlie and he found himself unable to do this, to cut this only connection to him while he was hurt and vulnerable. Besides, Charlie sounded as he was going to pass out and it was also important, to keep him talking.

Right.

"Okay, you were leaving. What happened then?" Don wanted to know, as much for himself as for keeping Charlie talking.

"Dunno. - Pain... Someone attacking me from behind - blows - kicks... Think I passed out then," Charlie replied, each word taking more time to be spoken.

Pressing down hard onto the gas, Don flipped on the siren. The loud sound couldn't compete with the hammering of his heart though.

"I'm on my way, Buddy," Don promised his little brother, forcing himself to sound calm, reassuring. "I'll be there in a little bit. How hurt are you?"

No answer.

"Charlie?" Don nagged, not able to keep the panic out of his voice this time.

"N... Not so bad, Don. - Hurts though," Charlie tried to calm his brother's fear. "Everything's just a bit fuzzy right now... No need to worry, though... Bro."

Don would have laughed at that - if he had felt anything like laughing. What he felt was rather closer to crying. "Already too late for that, Buddy."

"'m fine, Donnie," Charlie said quietly - and weakly.

Willing his car to go even faster, Don made a sharp turn that left the tires screeching.

"Call me Donnie again and I'll make you eat it back, Chuckie," Don attempted a playful reproach.

Charlie laughed dryly, then coughed, followed by a strangled groan. It was the first sound of pain that had escaped Charlie and it sent Don out of his mind with worry.

"No jokes, Donnie," Charlie finally rasped.

"Wasn't a joke," Don gave back, his voice thick though.

"Shouldn't have called Don." Don could hear his brother mumble. "Knew he'd be pissed."

Don narrowed his eyes. "The hell you shouldn't have!" he interrupted his brother.

Charlie sighed. "Didn't call... to worry... you. Just... need you... to help me... up. Get me... home. Sneak me... past... Dad."

His grip on his wheel tightened. "Sorry, Buddy, but that won't work. You're hurt, so I'm worried. And as soon as I'll get there, which will be in just a little bit, we'll get you straight to the hospital. And really, you of all people should know that there's no way for Dad to not notice that you're not your chirper self."

"'m no bird!" Charlie protested weakly. "Don't wanna go... to the... hospital. Not - necessary," he then whined, sounding just like he did when he was nine years old and had to be literally dragged to the hospital to get his broken arm set.

Don snorted and then sighed in relief when finally, the buildings of the university came in sight. "You'll let me be the judge of that. I'm pulling into the parking lot right now. Just a couple minutes more and I'll be with you, Buddy."

"Careful... don't... don't know how long... I... was out. Could be still... lurking... around, Donnie," Charlie warned him, his voice taking on a worried note.

"No need to worry about me, Buddy," Don reassured his brother, already flipping open the strap on his holster to keep his right hand at the but of his gun and proceeded with long strides towards the building that hosted Charlie's office, his jaw grimly set. He wished he'd run into Charlie's attackers. He truly wished they'd be so stupid to take it on with him. He longed to give them a piece of their own receipt. Hell, if he got them, there was no guarantee what he'd do.

But first he had to get to Charlie, get him to safety, to a hospital. Once his little brother was safe though...

He reached Charlie's wing without running into anyone. "I'm just around the corner now, Charlie."

No answer.

"Charlie?!"

Still not getting an answer, his sprint gained a spurt as his fear toppled once again. Not paying any attention to his surroundings anymore, Don rounded the corner. His eyes, already having adjusted to the darkness in the corridor, didn't take long to make out the slumped figure of his little brother on the floor, leaning against the door to his office, his head lolling down on his chest.

His heart stopping for a torturous moment, he propelled forward, falling to his knees beside his brother.

"Charlie?"

Carefully, he moved Charlie so that he leaned against Don's chest, his head now leaning against his brother's shoulder. His hand shaking a bit, Don reached up to lay his fingers onto his neck, searching and praying for a pulse.

"Charlie," he sighed relieved as he felt his brother's pulse beat strong against his fingers. Then, more forcefully, he called for his brother again. "Charlie!"

His eyes fluttered open and Charlie groaned. "Don?"

"I'm here, Buddy," Don assured him softly, tightening his grip - and loosening it immediately when Charlie let out another groan.

"Took you... long... enough," Charlie breathed, closing his eyes again.

"No, no, no, Charlie!" Don protested and applied a fracture more pressure, grimacing. "Stay with me, Buddy. I'm fairly sure you've got a concussion," he continued and proceeded to gently probe Charlie's head. It didn't take him long to find the bump on the back of Charlie's head, the yelp that escaped Charlie upon reaching it a dead give away as well. And by the stickiness of Charlie's hair around the bump, Don guessed there was blood as well. Shit. Definitely a concussion. "You've got to stay awake, Charlie," he told his little brother, not bothering to hide his concern this time.

"Tired, Donnie," Charlie sighed.

"I know, Charlie, but you have to," Don insisted, looking around. He needed light so he could better assess in just what a state his bother was. Charlie had to go to the next hospital, that was for sure, but he didn't want to move his brother and risk a permanent damage.

"Up to your... left."

Don turned back to his brother. "What?"

"The light switch - up to your... left," Charlie told him.

Not losing even more time, Don reached up, searching for the switch. There! Light flooded the corridor, causing the brothers to squeeze their eyes shut against the sudden brightness.

"Turn off!" Charlie begged, his face lined with pain.

"Sorry," Don though denied his brother's plea. "Just keep your eyes closed." He gently eased Charlie to lean back against the door so he could take inventory of Charlie's injuries.

There were quite a lot. The little skin visible was already turning dark with bruises and there were some bloody scratches. His face darkening, Don pushed up Charlie's shirt to get a better look at his torso and cursed at the many big bruises forming there already as well. There wasn't much more to see superficially, but that didn't calm Don in the slightest. What there was more hurt internally was what made his blood run cold.

"Anything broken?" he asked, barely managing to not let his voice betray the fear and rage he was feeling.

The frown appearing on Charlie's forehead was the only thing that kept Don waiting patiently for an answer. "Think couple of rips… are broken," Charlie finally answered, his eyes still closed. "And the back… of my lower leg hurts… really bad, the… right one, but I… don't think it's really… broken. Sprained though… maybe."

Gritting his teeth, Don needed a moment before he could speak again, not wanting to risk his voice betray the absolute fury he was feeling and which was growing by the second.

Those bastards. When he got his fingers on them...

Battling down his forceful thoughts of revenge, Don remembered his phone, lying beside him. Taking it up, he noticed that it was still connected to Charlie's. He ended that call and pressed speed dial.

"What... you doing?"

He looked up to see Charlie watching him with his big brown eyes, hooded by pain though. "I'm calling this in," Don told him sourly, waiting for being put through to dispatch.

"No! Not... necessary!" Charlie protested.

Don gave him a hard stare. "You were attacked, Charlie. Someone has beaten the shit out of you. Hell, they could have killed you. And someone is going to pay for this. So I want this scene swept for any possible traces left by the bastards. But most of all, you need to get to the nearest hospital."

"Don..."

"No discussion, Charlie," Don interrupted whatever protest Charlie had wanted to make.

At last, dispatch put him through. "This is Special Agent Don Eppes, FBI. I report a 242, possible 217. Code 4, 901 N. California University of Science, Northern building, West wing, ground floor, office 029, Dr Charles Edward Eppes."

"All right, Agent, ambulance and a team is on its way," dispatch informed him. "ATA 7 minutes."

"Thanks." Don ended the call to grow aware that Charlie was staring at him startled.

"217?"

Don said nothing, just moved Charlie so that he was once again leaning against him. There wasn't much more he could do for his brother at the moment.

"Don... no one tried... to kill... me," Charlie said softly. "Just… scare me. Teach me… a lesson perhaps."

Don stared ahead. "We don't know that yet. This looks like more than just trying to give you a scare. Nor is this a simple mugging. And what lesson should they have wanted to give you, Charlie? For all we know, they only stopped and left when they thought you were dead. They for sure didn't seem to have held back." He frowned. "How many were it anyway?"

"Not sure," Charlie answered. "Three or four. And they'd be... stupid... to think... I was... dead... if they... wanted me... dead. Just had... to check... pulse."

"No one ever said that criminals have to be smart. A lot of them are really stupid," Don contradicted Charlie, forcing his hands to stay relaxed. Three or four. Four on one. Four on Charlie. He was so looking forward to get his hands on those assholes.

"True but... unlikely here at... CalSci," Charlie though pointed out.

"So what? Anyone can come in here, especially at night. Security here at campus really is a joke," Don growled. "You still working for Walker on those gang related crimes? Perhaps some of the boys took offence and came to stop you or for revenge. Can you give a description of the guys?"

"No. Came from... the back... Went down immediately... Cared more about... protecting myself," Charlie explained. "Don't think... were gang members... though."

"Don't worry, you did good," Don hurried to reassure Charlie. Unimaginable what would have happened if Charlie had put up a fight. Not that Charlie had had any chance at all with them hitting him from behind. Those damn cowards. "Why not gangsters?"

But Charlie just gave a tiny shrug that called for an immediate grimace. "Dunno. Can I... sleep now... please?"

Checking Charlie's feature, Don was alarmed to see that Charlie had paled considerably. Damn, where was that ambulance? Stroking back some loose curls from his brother's face, Don's fingers trailed down his neck to check his pulse again. It was still steady, but Don had the impression that it had weakened since his initial check.

"No, Buddy, not yet. Just hold on for a bit longer, okay?"

"'kay," his brother sighed, his body slightly trembling in Don's arms.

Pulling Charlie closer, Don willed the ambulance to hurry.


TBC!

(Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Hope you liked the second part as well. Four more to go. Soon, promise!)