Chapter 8

After Charlie was able to reign in his emotions; he looked at everything in the room except Andrew Cosmos.

"Charlie, you know how you're really good at math." Andrew Cosmos addressed his embarrassed looking patient.

"Yes," Charlie answered cautiously. He somehow managed to look directly at the doctor.

"Well, I am that good with hearts." The serious looking cardiologist stated.

"Yeah me!" Charlie exclaimed as he raised his arms in a mock cheer.

Andrew Cosmos could not help himself; he laughed.

He had yet to set up the perimeter fence that kept him from getting too close to his patients; young or old. That he had not done so was quite disconcerting to Andrew. It was the step he took right after introductions. Always. And then Charlie Eppes ended up at St. Vincent's Cardiac Care Unit.

The voice of his possibly most upsetting patient broke into Andrew Cosmos' thoughts.

"What else do I need to know?" Charlie questioned. He had started the inquiry strong, but his voice wavered toward the end.

"When the biopsy is completed I will be inserting an intra-aortic balloon pump that will help boost your blood flow." The cardiologist explained. He watched as his young patient's eyes grew wide. Andrew felt like he had just clubbed Bambi.

"When?" Charlie asked in a near whisper. He was down to one word questions.

"I'd like to try and get it done within the next hour or so." Andrew explained. He took note that Charlie had yet to blink. "It all depends on how fast we can get things arranged and moving."

Andrew could see that the young man was hanging by his fingertips. He tabled the need for a more detailed discussion to take place after the biopsy results came back. The physician sincerely hoped they would have a totally different discussion then the one Andrew felt he was going to have to give the young man.

Andrew was rushing the biopsy. He honestly feared what the results would reveal: inflammation caused by permeation of giant cells (abnormal masses produced by the fusion of macrophages). The cardiologist would wager his BMW that inflammatory cells had already caused heart muscle cell destruction and that they were behind the natural rhythm disruption in Charlie's heart

The cardiologist feared a diagnosis of GCM (Giant Cell Myocarditis) which would be the worst result that Andrew could lay on Charlie Eppes. A rare disease that has only been reported 300 times since 1905. In Andrew's long medical career, he had only assisted on one GCM case; involving a 63 year-old man. That case had an outcome that Andrew did not want for Charlie Eppes.

Andrew refocused to find his 28 year-old patient looking at him like Charlie had no doubt that Andrew possessed the knowledge needed to correct whatever was going wrong.

Before the physician had an opportunity to reel in the young man's expectations: the exam room door swung open. The doorway was then filled with the large frame of Miles Jacobs, RN.

"Listen Mountain Man," an ominous sounding voice could be heard coming from somewhere behind Miles Jacobs. "I told you twice now," the voice growled "that the front desk cleared me to come back here."

"I'm sorry, but he wouldn't take no for an answer." Miles announced to Dr. By-the-rules Cosmos. He continued to use his bulky frame to block the doorway.

A look of sheer relief flooded Charlie Eppes' drawn face. Andrew Cosmos instantly knew the identity of the person behind the towering staff member.

"Don?" Andrew Cosmos inquired.

"Don!" A smiling Charlie answered. .

"It's okay Miles." Andrew stated.

However, Miles Jacobs did not look at all convinced, but he stepped aside anyway.

A compact dark-haired, intense looking man made his way around Miles Jacob. He gave the imposing man who had blocked his way an "I've got your number" look before entering the room.

Don Eppes failed to take notice of Andrew Cosmos; his full attention was directed at Charlie.

The intense look that Charlie received from his approaching brother instantly made him feel uneasy. He forced a smile.

Don was at first relieved to see his brother. Then he saw the smile. His brother was smiling. Charlie was not unconscious, seemingly not in pain, and definitely not hooked up to life-support. All scenarios that Don had played in his head during his drive to St. Vincent's at breakneck speed.

"What the hell Charlie?" Don announced in a tightly wound voice. He crossed the room with purposeful strides.

Andrew Cosmos wheeled his stool back in order not to get run over by an approaching Don Eppes.

"I'm sorry." Charlie automatically responded.

"Yeah, well you should be." Don snapped back.

The cool, controlled sound of his brother's voice started to wear on Charlie. He much preferred it when Don just flat out yelled. At least then Charlie could accurately gauge just how much he had pissed off his brother.

"Dad was freaking out when you didn't call." Don revealed. "He reamed me out for not knowing your precise whereabouts." The older man fumed. "In a call that my team overheard. So yeah, thanks for that too Charlie."

Don seriously wanted to place both his hands around Charlie's neck and squeeze the self-absorption out of his sibling. He let his frustration get the better of him (something that always happened during Charlie run-ins) and Don misplaced the reason why he drove at a break neck speed to St. Vincent's.

"You set me up. You lied to me. You knew that if Dad thought you were with me it would buy you time." Don fumed.

In order to not act on any improper impulses (i.e. Strangling or at the very least taking a swat at Charlie) Don folded his arms across his chest and tucked one hand over and one hand under an elbow.

The annoyed man was happy to see that his brother at least possessed enough common sense to appear remorseful because if Don had seen one moment of smugness; he would have set his hands free.

Charlie felt each rolling wave of his brother's anger. He could not think of any way to quickly smooth things out.

Don watched his brother zone-out. The irritating habit always left Don searching for words. When Charlie refocused; an exasperated Don was ready and waiting.

"Back? Good." Don crossly exclaimed. "Dammit, Charlie I almost hung up on the call from Van Acker's office." Don jammed his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. He could not believe his brother was looking at him like he had morphed into the Big Bad Wolf.

"For a second I thought you were playing some freaking bad joke on me." Don huffed.

"I have never played mean-spirited jokes on you," Charlie replied. In giving his answer; Charlie unintentionally managed to sound highly insulted.

For the life of him; Charlie could not figure out why his brother looked like he wanted to pop him in the face.

If he had been able to stick to his carefully crafted timeline this whole scene with Don could have been avoided.

There were pronounced storm clouds swirling in his brother's dark eyes. A sure sign that forgiveness was not coming Charlie's way any time soon.

Andrew Cosmos slowly inched his way toward the two men. In the physician's eyes the older brother was being unreasonable. Andrew felt he had sat quiet long enough.

The doctor opened his mouth to speak.

"Right," Don replied mockingly. "Because lying and sneaking behind my back was so much more respectful."

Andrew was now seconds away from throwing Don Eppes out of the room.

The posted numbers ticked up significantly.

Throughout his career Andrew had seen many a family encounter start and end with physical violence.

"I'm sorry." Charlie apologized for the second time. He quickly shot Andrew Cosmos a look that stopped the physician in his tracks. Charlie turned his full attention back to his older brother.

Charlie got it; he had messed up, but he was finished with his brother having to call him out on it.

"I know I screwed up Don. My sole intention, though was to keep you and Dad from having to worry unnecessarily." Charlie paused to take a much needed breath. He tried to not think about how just speaking two sentences stole away his breath. It was suddenly important to Charlie that his brother understand that he had in fact thought things through.

"In theory, it all would have worked out and..." Charlie began.

"Holy crap, Charlie!" Don interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me there was a theory. That makes everything you did today, perfectly clear." Don sarcastically drilled his younger brother.

Charlie's actions had caused Don a major amount of embarrassment. A prideful man; Don hated to be embarrassed.

Hands on hips; Don waited for his brother's indignant reply.

However, the moment Charlie went to go on the offense; his heart constricted painfully. To say that it scared the hell out of Charlie was an understatement.

Charlie looked to Andrew Cosmos for help.

The cardiologist shot off his stool.

Don saw a pained expression filter across his brother's face. He witnessed Charlie putting a hand to the center of his chest.

The reality of why Don needed to be at St. Vincent's (the one that he had pushed away) came back to the forefront with a vengeance.

"Andrew Cosmos." The physician announced as he rushed past Don Eppes. "Charlie's cardiologist." He purposely positioned himself in front of Charlie as to block the young man's view.

"Charlie, I let you have input, but from here on out it's my show. I am scheduling Lanoxin®. I need you to try and relax." Andrew walked over to the wall phone, but not without first giving Don Eppes a very stern look.

"Lanoxin®. What is that prescribed for?" Don called after the doctor. He naively thought it had to be an anti-anxiety medication. Obviously the doctor thought he might push Charlie into an anxiety attack which Don deduced explained away the doctor's put off attitude. The doctor knew next to nothing about his relationship with Charlie. Don would find an appropriate time to set old Cosmos straight.

Andrew decided the overly opinionated man needed to know the seriousness of his brother's situation. He held the phone's receiver away from his ear, and announced:

Lanoxin® increases left ventricular ejection fraction and improves heart failure symptoms.

Don was stunned into silence. It felt like forever before he found the ability to speak again.

He turned back to his kid brother. The brother that he had been only too happy to put in his place.

"What is he talking about Charlie?" Don managed to squeak out. He needed Charlie to tell him that his doctor was over-reacting.

Charlie, however, had an urgent question of his own.

"Where's Dad?" Charlie asked. He thought his dad should have been here by now. Charlie really wanted to see his dad.

"He's not here yet." Don responded. The fight had gone out of Don. He wanted to tell his brother a thousand times over how sorry he was for being such an ass. "Dad's stuck behind an MVA on the 101. He'll be here soon."

Andrew completed his call and returned to his patient. The change in the man's attitude was a welcome relief to the physician.

"Mr. Eppes perhaps you should wait for your father, where he'll be able to spot you easily." Andrew Cosmos waited for the older man to take the hint.

Don did not move.

"Charlie, I'm sorry for coming on so strong." Don apologized. He had no apologies for the doctor. Don was not a fan.

"It's okay." Charlie automatically answered.

Andrew Cosmos (a younger sibling himself) wanted to tell Charlie that no it was not okay to let an older sibling chew you out for their own benefit. He witnessed Don Eppes reach out and latch onto two of his younger brother's fingers.

Andrew thought that there might be a slight chance that he had misjudged Don Eppes. The jury, however, was still out.

The room went oddly silent when a staff member came in to administer the Lanoxin®.

Charlie noticeably flinched when the staff member jabbed him with what felt like a small harpoon.

Don gave Charlie an encouraging smile.

It did nothing to help with the pain at the injection site, but Charlie appreciated his brother's gesture.

Andrew Cosmos walked with the staff member to the door; giving her instructions he wanted to see implemented.

"Is Lanoxin® the only treatment Charlie needs for now?" A worried Don inquired of the cardiologist. The expression on the older man's face unsettled Don.

"I have to undergo a heart biopsy." Charlie announced. He felt the need to rescue his brother from being overwhelmed with details (like Charlie had been earlier).

Don paled. Charlie immediately tried to make the procedure sound less ominous. "He (Charlie pointed to Andrew Cosmos) is just taking a small sample."

He held up his thumb and forefinger and allowed a sliver of light to show through. Charlie was a firm believer in the use of visual aids as a teaching tool.

The fragile reconstructed foundation of Don's world shifted ever so slightly.

After its first direct hit; Don accepted the news of his mother's declining health with stoic acceptance (as if he had any other choice). When she died the foundation very nearly collapsed.

Don was not going to allow another direct hit to occur.

He strode over to the door, grabbed the handle, and yanked it open. He roughly announced. "Charlie, let's go."

The unanticipated request left Charlie confused. He actually thought, "Go where?"

The off-the-wall request angered Andrew Cosmos.

The physician watched in amazement as his severely ill patient looked as if he was actually contemplating how he might be able make it off the exam table.

Andrew pointed a long finger at Charlie and barked, "Do not move."

Charlie froze. He was thankful for the intervention.

Andrew Cosmos hustled over to the waiting Don Eppes. The physician was for once grateful for the three inches and forty odd pounds he carried. Don Eppes was a man not familiar with having to take "no" for an answer.

Andrew Cosmos looked down and in a low voice stated, "If you ask again: we both know he'll try." The physician paused. "He's going to fail. Don't do that to him."

Don's hand slid off the door knob. He looked past the doctor's shoulder. Charlie was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"I'm sorry." Don hoarsely whispered. The lump lodged in his throat was making it impossible to say anything else.

"Let's go in the hallway and talk." Andrew patiently suggested.

Don could only manage a nod of his head.

"Charlie," Andrew Cosmos called out, "Your brother and I are going to leave for a couple minutes. A staff member will be coming in shortly to assist you. Get to self-administering."

A worn-out Charlie gave the physician a thumbs up.

Don Eppes was once again an unmovable force. He blocked the doorway.

"Is my brother in pain?" Don questioned in a hostile sounding whisper.

Andrew Cosmos calmly offered the agitated man an explanation, "Charlie only opted for a light pain medication. To help take the edge off. She'll make sure that he has self-administered."

"My brother was sitting there in pain? Why the hell didn't you remind him." A bewildered Don questioned.

A petite staff member wormed her way around the two men.

"Because Charlie made it abundantly clear that he would not self-administer until he spoke to either you or his father. Trust me, I was not going to allow him to wait for your father." Andrew Cosmos answered.

Andrew started to steer Don Eppes into the hallway.

"Don!" Charlie suddenly called out.

Andrew Cosmos watched the smaller man straighten his frame before turning to face his brother.

"Yeah, Charlie," Don answered.

"I'm going to be moved out of here soon." Charlie commented. He was convinced that he was not going to see his father.

He loved his old man, but Charlie was not about to go through a heart biopsy without the aid of some heavy duty meds.

"Charlie," Don comfortingly replied. "I'll bring Dad to wherever you land. I promise bud."

"Okay," Charlie replied.

He managed a smile for his latest caregiver. Charlie was up to half a football team in medical personnel. The numbers were adding up and not in a good way for the exhausted man.

Don made it out into the hallway, but not before taking one more look at his brother as Andrew Cosmos closed the door.

A/N: Hope I caught all mistakes. If not apologies in advance. In the midst of a kitchen renovation and attempting to keep a 110 pound Lab/Shepard big baby from losing its mind.