Warning: The same as every chapter, this deals with rape BUT there is nothing graphic and nothing actually written but this might make some people uncomfortable. If you don't like please don't read.
Authors Note: Ok, so I'm being about as speedy as a turtle with this story. I do apologise for that. Most of the slowness was down to my simply forgetting to sit down and write it, I've been trying to focus on a screenplay I'm working on, but there has also been a few mishaps with certain problematic computers and immune systems; you can tell it's finally reached winter in the UK as everyone is now ill. I hope all you Americans had a fun Thanksgiving and didn't stuff yourselves too much, after all, not too long till it all happens again with Christmas. Oh, is anyone else having any problems with uploading documents onto here? Anyway, here is, a rather short chapter and I really will try to get the next one up sooner.
Thanks: ButtercupHarmony for once again being a wonderful beta.
To everyone for waiting around for this as it's taken me WAY too long. And for all the wonderful reviews, they really are great to read and I do try and take on board any suggestions to improve the writing :-).
Disclaimer: I wish they were mine, they're just too pretty to not want around, but alas they are not.

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Chapter 6

Don knocked on the door to Larry's office. For the first time since he found out about Charlie's attack he wasn't nervous. Don wondered if he'd used up all of his strength already, and if so how was he going to be any use to anyone; on the other hand, maybe he had gone into shock. Either way Don didn't feel nervous about this conversation, he didn't really feel anything; the shock was beginning to look ore and more likely. Maybe he should be preparing what he was going to say but Larry was a grown man, a highly intelligent if slightly weird grown man and he just didn't have the strength, or desire, to draw this out any longer than was necessary.

When he heard the call for him to enter Don opened the door and made his way in. Larry sat at his desk in a parallel of Charlie's earlier position. Don noticed that the student that sat on the other side of Larry's desk looked more than slightly grateful for the interruption. Knowing that he himself understood even less of Larry's subject than he did of Charlie's, he felt for the kid.

"Ah Don! What a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you today?"
"Hey Larry. Can I have a word with you please?"
"You can have several. But if you wouldn't mind waiting outside for just a second I'll be right with you."
Don nodded at the shorter man and stepped back out of the room, closing the door behind him. After a few minutes Larry exited his office and, as Don had done, shut the door.
"I've left Melissa with some problems to think on so we have a few minutes before I need to get back. As I'm sure Charles has made you aware that we've come once again to the season of trying to get the students up to exam standards."

After the conversation he'd just had with Charlie and knowing the day he still had to come, Don wasn't in the mood for small talk and didn't answer. In stead he ushered Larry into an empty classroom, closing the door behind them. He seemed to be closing a lot of doors today, he really hoped that didn't turn into a metaphor and bite him in the ass.

Larry looked at his friend's older brother. He was aware of the fact that Don hadn't replied to his statement decided to move straight on with the conversation.
"From the expression on your face and your reticence to talk I'm assuming this isn't a social call and therefore I must ask the question of what I can do for you Don?"

Don looked Larry in the eye. This was the man who had helped Charlie through what had to be the toughest time in his life. Don didn't have the time or energy to sugar coat what he was about to say, and he wasn't sure that Larry would have the inclination hear it either.
"The man who raped Charlie is back in LA and we believe he's going to strike again."

Larry staggered back slightly with the shock of what he was hearing. He hadn't known what he expected Don to say but that hadn't even been on the list of possibilities. He realised that Charles' rape had probably been the start of their friendship, something he wouldn't wish to loose for the word, but as he had become closer to the younger man he had wished more and more that it could have started differently. He began to worry and the damage this could do to his young friend. He also began to go through a list of the people in Charles' life that this might affect, he found the list to be longer than it had been before, and full of people who he himself had grown to care about very much.
"Excuse me?"

Don decided that perhaps he'd been a little too abrupt and decided to explain, even if only briefly, what had happened. He really shouldn't have started the conversation like that, that wasn't fair. Maybe his earlier feelings of anger at Larry had accidentally popped out? Ok, now he was thinking too much like Megan. He really didn't want to analyse this situation; however the opposite meant feeling it, something he appeared to be unable to do at this time.
"Look I'm sorry I'm being so blunt but it's been a tough day and it's only 3:00pm. To shorten a long story we've caught a case concerning a man who's been raping young men at colleges around the country for the past 20 years. We believe him to be the man who raped Charlie and yes we all know about that."

There was silence as Larry started pacing around the room. Eventually he stopped moving and spoke.
"Does Charles know about this?" Larry, arms hugging himself, looked at Don; worry clear on his face.
"Yes."
"Oh dear."
Larry resumed his pacing. It was beginning to make Don dizzy. He decided to get to his reason for being here.
"Look, Larry, I'm going to need your help supporting Charlie through this. He trusted you before so I'm going to assume he'll trust you again."
"Of course, if there's anything I can…"
"And Megan, she's going to need some support too, as much as she's probably not going to admit it."
"Naturally. You have my full support on this, for whatever it's needed."

Don looked closely at Larry who was trying to look reassuring for Don. He felt like a small amount of the burden he'd been feeling had been lifted off of his shoulders. It had been, in a way, hard for him to come to Larry for help. After all, hadn't he just been feeling hurt that Larry had been there the first time round when he hadn't? Luckily he had realised that if Charlie felt comfortable with Larry in a way he didn't with Don, that Charlie should be allowed that. He would have to deal with his own feelings later. For now he just had to get Charlie through this. Of course, he hoped that Charlie would come to him and not Larry; but he just wasn't willing to risk it.

"That's good to know. Look, I've got to go, I just needed to……..I needed to know that there was somebody not on the case who would be there for Charlie."

Larry nodded at this. He agreed with Don that there should be someone who was going to be there purely for Charles's mental health and not for the good of the case. But he wasn't overly sure that Don should be on the case; that any of them should for that matter. He knew that all the agents had become close to the mathematician and he didn't feel it was right for them to be put in this situation, surely they wouldn't think clearly with these emotional ties. Oh well, these were not his affairs. Being there to support his loved ones was.

Don turned away from Larry and to the door but didn't move."Thank you….. for helping Charlie before I mean. I don't think I can repay you for that."
"You'll never have to." Don nodded his head slightly and started to leave the classroom. He had made it to the door when Larry called to him.
"Don!" Don stopped but once again didn't turn back to the physicist.
"Yeah?"
"If you should need any help I'd not be averse to lending a willing ear to yourself as well as the aforementioned people. Just so you know that." This time Don did turn around. He looked hard at the professor before giving a quick nod of thanks and leaving the room.

As he exited the building and walked into the open air Don couldn't help take in the students all around him. Some where chatting with friends, some rushing to class, a few were sitting on the walls eating. They were loud and happy, completely oblivious to the danger surrounding them. He looked closer at them. There were so many slim brown haired young men. God they were all targets; all of them. And so far they had no way of knowing who the rapist would attack. For the first time Don realised that they had to solve this case not just for Charlie, but for the future victims as well as the previous ones. He was beginning to feel again. He had to distance himself from this case or he'd never be of any help; but it was good to know that his emotions were still there. As he looked around one more time he saw his younger brother standing next to his car. Yes, he had to distance himself, but not yet, not until Charlie's interview was over. Once that was done he would become a professional FBI agent again. But until then he simply could not become detached again, it wouldn't do either him or Charlie any good. He made the decision then and there that someone else was going to have to perform the interview. With this clear in his mind Don put on his sunglasses and made his way over to his car.