A/N: I know it took way too long for this chapter...again, but a flame caught my attention and made me feel really sad, then I remembered I'd said I would disregard them, so I did. I know my grammer ain't the best, but I is a Newfounderlander, lol!

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Alan sat at the bed side of his youngest son, who still hadn't waken yet. Charlie's curls were plastered against his forehead with sweat. The mathematician had just been moved to the recovery are in the Burn Unit.

His son's hand lay limpy inside the larger one of his father, who clasped it tightly, praying Charlie would awaken. It had been a relief when Dr. Imhoff had told him they'd successfully weaned him of the ventilator, but as for waking up, that was up to Charlie.

Charlie's head moved a little to the side, immediately catching Alan's attention. He swept the curl's off his son's forehead and whispered, "C'mon Charlie, wake up son."

A soft moan was his answer, Alan reached over quickly and pressed the call button and leaned expectantly over the younger man, "C'mon Charlie." He squeezed his hand and was rewarded with a weak squeeze back.

"Mr. Eppes, is there a problem?" A pretty young nurse asked quietly.

"He's waking up!" Alan announced excitedly as Dr. Imhoff appeared behind the nurse.

"Alice, go get 15mg's of morphine," Dr. Imhoff told the nurse hurriedly and looked over her patient carefully. Morphine would make Charlie disoriented and drowzy, but it was the only pain medicine strong enough that they had on hand for his injuries. There were several indicators he was close to waking up, his eyelashes were fluttering and he kept moaning quietly, "Mr. Eppes, keep talking to him, it may have been helping him. It will give him something to focus on."

Alan nodded and spoke gently to his son, "Charlie, wake up. I need you to open your eyes, okay? Don't give up. Charlie, wake up and no you can't have five more minutes," he hoped the joke would wake Charlie up, and he heard a soft mutter from his son.

"Hurts," he mumbled and a tear squeezed through his tightly closed eye and he clasped his father's hand into a deathgrip. A moment passed and Charlie opened his dark brown eyes, but one seemed to be a bit clouded over from the gasoline damage.

"Where does it hurt Charlie?" Dr. Imhoff asked gently and Charlie's eyes darted to her in a confused expression, "It's okay. I'm your doctor."

"My back," Charlie moaned and his eyelids started to droop as the pain overtook him.

"No, no. Stay awake Charlie," Alan pleaded as Charlie's hand began to slack, "Charlie no!"

Charlie shook his head a little and struggled to stay awake and whispered, "Sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault, just try and stay awake okay?" Alan reassured him softly as Dr. Imhoff checked him over thoroughly. Charlie was laying on his stomach, his face turned to the side. The doctor checked the bandages and it looked like the graft was taking well. Finally she had some good news.

"Well, by the looks of it, the graft is taking. There's still a chance his body could reject it, but it gets lower with time," Dr. Imhoff gave Alan a small grin and the worried father sighed with relief.

"Graft? Dad, what's she talking about? Where's Don, I had a dream and he was talking to me, something about a procedure...Dad?" Charlie's fear filled eyes searched his father's for information and didn't like the sad look he gave him. It was the longest sentence he put together since waking up and it took a lot out of him.

"Charlie... Don donated some skin to you. You needed it so badly and Donnie just wanted to help you. He's in the ICU right now," Alan told him as softly as he could.

Charlie didn't reply for a moment, then whispered to himself, "I'll always be part of you..."

"Son?" Alan questioned, unsure who his son was taking to.

"In my dream..." he took a second to regain his strength, "he told me that." Alan could see tears forming in his son's eyes and found some on his own face.

The nurse Alice came in with the morphine and Dr. Imhoff silently put it into Charlie's IV. She didn't know how to react to what was happening to the two men.

"Code Blue Room 43 ICU!" the alarm sounded throughout the hospital and Alan recognized the room number right away.

"Don," Alan whispered.

"No," a similar, but much weaker one came from Charlie. From his father's voice, he gathered what was going on, "just no."

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Fifteen Minutes Later...

"Mr. Eppes?" Dr. Imhoff came into Charlie's room after having rushing out when the code was called.

"Yes?" He asked quickly, his eyes darting to the doctor.

"I'm sorry that you were worried. We were quite full in the ICU today and had Don sharing a room with another patient. Don's fine so far. As for the medication we have him on... it seems to be working. He's awake now and we're taking him back into the Recovery Room," Dr. Imhoff informed him, grinning as she told him the good news.

"Thank goodness," Alan sighed, relieved. Charlie didn't speak, but he had a small smile on his face. During the last fifteen minutes, his father had filled him in on the events he'd missed. He had been just as worried and felt a little bit guilty.

Dr. Imhoff looked at him for a second and knew what his next question would be, "You can see him as soon as he's settled in. In about ten minutes."

Alan smiled and turned to his youngest son, "Charlie...I'm going to get Larry and Amita to keep you company, then see your brother, alright?"

Charlie nodded silently and watched as his father exitted the room, not long later, Amita came into the room...alone, "Where's Larry?"

"He had to leave, I hope you don't mind," she answered him and Charlie heard the emotion she was trying in vain to withold.

"I'm gonna be okay Amita, you don't have to worry anymore," Charlie whispered soflty and saw the shadow of the tears she'd been crying.

"How can you say that, considering your laying there on your stomach, half out of it because of the morphine. Charlie, we almost lost you," she blurted as fresh tears streaked her cheeks.

"I'm still here and... I'm not giving up," he told her gently, taking small breaks every few words.

She sat down by the side his face was directed and took his hand, ignoring the awkward position it warranted to do so, "Charlie, almost losing you, it tore me apart," she sniffled a little before continuing, "I was just so scared."

"I was scared too, Amita. I don't think I can wait anymore, we've been playing this game for far too long," Charlie was beginning to tire himself out with all the talking and fell silent once again.

"I agree, but Charlie, no long conversations until your all better okay?" Amita told him, realizing she shouldn't have stressed him like that since he only woke up a short while ago.

Charlie nodded and was content just holding her hand.

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Alan stood at the edge on Don's bed, his eldest son was laying in a similar position to his youngest. The skin had been harvested off Don's back, so bandages were covering his back as well. Don shifted quietly in the bed and asked, "Dad."

"Yes Donnie, it's Dad. How are you feeling?" He asked and Don gave a small groan.

"Like I just got hit by a truck, and someone dragged a cheese grater over my back," Don deadpanned, he was serious. Whoever said recovery from graft donations was hell, they knew their stuff.

"Donnie, thats not what I wanted to hear," Alan said as he dragged a chair over the side of the bed.

"Sorry, Dad, but it's the truth...how's Charlie?" Don asked, thoughts immediately going to his brother. No matter how much they fought and argued, Don cared more about his brother than any petty fight. If he could go back and redo all of those fights, he'd do it differently. He'd be there for his brother, knowing now that was all Charlie really needed.

"Better, the doctor says the graft is taking and he woke up a little while ago." Alan told his son and saw him wince.

"What day is it?"

"Two days since the procedure first started, there was a complication, but it's okay now," he answered, trying to avoid the topic.

"Oh... but you said Charlie's alright?" Don asked again, giving Alan the third degree.

"He's fine, Don. After you and he have healed up a bit more, they'll let one of you will visit the other," Alan informed him gently.

Don nodded his head slightly and a small smile found its way to his face, thins were going to turn out alright by the sounds of it. He could only hope it continued this way.

"Donnie? Charlie mentioned something... a dream..." Alan trailed off and Don's smile grew a little bit smaller.

"Yeah I know," Don answered and Alan didn't push. Whatever it was, it was between the two of them and he hoped it would only strengthen their bond.

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A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know a little bit of irony that hit me today, literally. There I was sitting at my coomputer typing a hospital scene (the one with Charlie and Alan) and a short while later I was at the hospital. Yeah my cat flipped for no reason and attacked me. It makes me sad, we may have to put him down and we for sure can't keep him, I'm terrified of him. You have to have been there to see it, he was completely feral. Anyway please review! The last chap/epilogue will be up shortly.

Didn't really like this chapter, but I had to get it out.

Q of C