Numb3rs

Dice

Chpt3

Threshold

This causing our father to shift uncomfortably as I am derailed sharply:

"Family is the most important thing to Don and you know that Charlie."

His features serious as I retain the drift:

"It is but underneath all that FBI karma. There is a fragile withdrawn individual and the statistic he cannot beat is the catalytic detrimental impact my life has on his."

The statement folding as I get a sharp rebuke:

"Being father, to you both I think Don would say otherwise and your still holding something else back son."

As I sigh deeply my head bowing before slowly and carefully reaching out. Touching my brother's brow as I let the words fall:

"Mathematically he's on the last roll of the dice and there is nothing I can do to bring him back to us."

The light in the room fading as I move my hand slowly away from Don's brow finishing my statement:

"Ninety-five percent don't survive the type of shot he received in the first place, a further three percent don't make it this far and of the two percent that do make it.

They are left damaged for life dad."

As I now turn away from both of them. The fading light splintering the room deeper into darkness as the one individual, along with Don who I have looked up to since I was knee high speaks his own mind:

"Charlie whatever trigger you are on your brother's life deep down he's thankful for it and fight me all you want to but I'm well aware of the memory you, are not wanting to mention."

The words causing me to flinch hard as I turn back the next words taking me by surprise:

"You are hard to understand Charlie but Don is even harder at the best of times and it is the common denominator between you."

His statement gathering force as I am now backed into a corner:

"He cannot pull through without your help Charlie so what do you say?"

Our gaze merging to one as I bit my lower lip my gaze buckling under the strength of that look as our father slowly turns the tide:

"Don has his own reasons for not telling me what happened that day when he was twelve years old Charlie and right now you are not for telling me.

The part you left out way back then. Which I am kind of used too from the two of you anyhow considering the truth about a certain camping trip about a year later and you were not actually lost either.

However this it is important now for the same reason for it was your mother who saved his life then Charles."

With the strength of the statement taking me aback as I withdraw stammering the only comment which comes to mind:

"Yeah that she did and it was also his first visit to a hospital too dad."

Allen Eppes gaze now lingering painfully on his unconscious eldest son as he draws his own conclusion:

"You think history is repeating itself or more to the point third time unlucky Charlie?"

The pitch causing me to flinch once more as I add to it:

"It's more than that and you know it. Plus the FBI therapy three years ago only took him so far dad."

With it being the wrong thing to say as I am nailed to the point for it:

"Maybe his shrink would do better than we're doing now Charlie?"

The words causing me to gasp tears coming to my own eyes and the underlying fact he is most likely correct in his own judgment. As I slowly turn back to Don expecting him to somehow speak for me and he's unable to.

Our father knowing my own thoughts better than my-self as I shackle my emotions, keeping that old memory at bay for now replying off beat:

"History does not repeat itself precisely but you are right about third time unlucky for it is no myth dad."

The tone hitting harder than intended as I watch our father take his eldest son's hand his words etched:

"Donne has not got long left Charlie and you are dodging the point in the way your brother usually does."

His head rising to look me directly in the eye a trace of anger showing on his features as he lets go of his eldest son's hand. With neither of us getting any further a distinctly familiar female voice rebounding of those words:

"Maybe if you both stopped having such heated discussions in front of him you might actually start increasing his odds gentlemen."

The beautiful features giving her unique smile and an individual who I myself am more than surprised to see here. For she is woman who had left the FBI behind some time ago even though she is someone my older brother trusts like no other.

With it being Megan seeing the look she now sends to Alan Eppes one I can read immediately as I put two and two together:

"You sent for her dad?"

His nod folding back to the patient who remains oblivious to all with Megan catapulting both our emotions:

"Charlie I've been working with Don's team for the last day and I would have come anyway for your brother's sake."

With something in those last words and the hint of what is in her eye. Revealing something more and to one thing. My brother has never managed to hide very well that deep down Megan Reeves had always been some sort of anchor to him, one which not even Robin can touch.

As I meet this strong woman's eye her own gaze dropping to the unmoving form of the FBI agent she had worked under as she reads my thoughts:

"His team needs him and like me they've already came to the same conclusion I have but I don't need to spell it out to either of you do I?"

The un-personal tone hitting hard the emotion showing in Megan's hazel eyes as I look quickly from my father to Don:

"It's an inside job of the highest degree and you are still looking for a name to top the list?"

This causing a smile of sorts with Megan playing of our father:

"We've narrowed the field a little but Don's made plenty of enemies especially within the FBI but we could do with his little brother's help.

Plus it might help, offload what you do not want, to discuss with your father Charlie."

Megan starting to sound a lot like, Amita as I think about the two individuals outside the door of this room who have been there for him, as Don has been to them in the past and have furthermore become. The personal guard's to this hospital room.

As I give a full smile looking my brother's way:

"Is it that obvious Megan?"

This causing a further nod from both my father and Megan as I look to my father my tone turning back to serious:

"I'll come but the cards are in my brother's hands for it is his past which is catching up on him now and the only hope.

Is the one thing which has kept him alive till now and maybe that is not even enough to safe him dad."

My words petering out, my gaze drifting to the broken skin, the remnants of the bullet wound that can be seen clearly on the handsome still features as my eye drifts to Megan. Seeing how shaken she looks by the image in front of her too.

As I turn back towards him, letting that old dark memory filter back through temporarily my brown eyes falling back for a second to our father. To what he's asking of me that he's not going to let his eldest son die like this.

That we both know that this is not how Don would want it to end either as I grip my brother's slack hand again taking the positive from that old memory which keeps haunting me know. From both our childhoods as I speak solely to him:

"Hang tough and it's you who needs to tell some home truths to dad first big brother."

My hand giving a gentle squeeze before letting go aware that it's made no difference at this moment as I monitor the equipment, taking in the sounds that tell me. How near we are to loosing, him completely as I turn slowly away from him.

Megan handing me Don's personal folder as I swallow hard my eye drifting back as I reach the door aware that Anita and Larry are here to for him. My father looking far, older than his years at this moment as the splintered light touches my brothers features.

His soul out of reach at this moment as I become more aware of the sheets of black and white in my hand. What holds the imprints, the clay and defining factors of his life - for it is also what I have left unsaid to our father - and the underlying fact that numerically time is no longer on my brother's side…

That's he already crossed the threshold that few ever make it back from….

TO BE CONTINUED