"Thanks David. I'll see you then."
"Okay, Don. See you." Don flipped his phone shut and tossed it onto the side table.
"Who was that, Don?" Alan poked his head in from the kitchen.
"David. He'll be here in thirty." Don tossed over his shoulder, not bothering to turn his head. The game was just getting interesting. "They're up by five."
"Really?" The eldest Eppes shuffled forward, squinting at the television. "Ah, I can't see it without my glasses." Waving his hand dismissively, he tilted his head toward his oldest son. "That was David?" A nod. "What's happened?"
"What happened? Nothing happened."
Alan Eppes had not raised two sons without learning something. He could tell when one of them was hiding something from him, and right now his "Don alerts" were going off. Trying to play good cop bad cop against a special agent wasn't going to work. Not like when he was a boy. A change of tactics was needed.
He sighed and sat down in the armchair across the couch. Don watched him. Somehow Dad knows that I'm hiding something. Don thought of his emotionally wrung brother upstairs. I can't tell him.
"What's up?"
Alan shrugged. "I don't know."
Don narrowed his eyes. "There something wrong?"
"You could say that."
Don nodded slowly. "I guess so. Again, I ask. What's up?"
"You know." He pointed a finger at his son. "There's something going on with you."
"I think that some of my training has rubbed off on you." The agent's eyes crinkled in amusement and his lips quirked up.
Alan raised his eyebrows. Don was trying to avoid the subject. But the man Alan Eppes had not lived this far in life without dealing with a few difficult people. He was not going to be sidetracked from his purpose by his son.
After a moment of silence, Don sighed. "It's a difficult case we're working on, Dad."
"The robberies?"
"Chuck told you?"
"I called Larry and he told me. Apparently Charlie had needed an astronomical analogy for inspiration sometime last week. I've barely seen Charlie lately. So no, Charlie did not tell me." Alan couldn't help the edge in his voice as he spat out the last sentence. He wasn't angry, but concerned. His sons were both showing signs of stress, neither of them had visited with him, and they didn't invite Larry or Amita tonight. Larry hadn't seen Charlie since he had left for the FBI. There was something going on with his sons and he didn't know what.
Don's good humor faded and he grew serious. "Dad." Alan glanced up, already remorseful of the harsh tone he used. "Charlie is having a more difficult time with this case than the others. A new development in the case, that came up today, concerns only my team and Charlie." The two men locked eyes. The battle of wills commenced. "I didn't invite Larry or Amita because I thought that Charlie would appreciate that. The new development isn't something that we can or would talk about, Dad." Don's gaze was serious and intense. "Please, do not question any of us about that. If you need to know, we'll tell you. If not, then please just accept that."
Alan sat in stunned silence. This was far more serious than he had thought. Of course, he knew it was serious, but nothing like this. "I, ah," he cleared his throat, "I won't."
Don searched his face. Satisfied with what he found, he dropped his eyes and refocused back on the TV. "Dad!" He groaned.
"Huh?"
"They're losing!"
Alan laughed. The game that Don was watching was a rerun of the game last night. There was a temptation to bet on the final score. Nah. Alan shook his head. Don wouldn't have hesitated if the roles were reversed and Charlie was the one watching.
He wouldn't ask about this development, but there was no way that he would forget. He stood up again and began walking back to the kitchen. After all, those burgers weren't going to flip themselves.
Don listened as his father preparing the burgers, thankful that he didn't press the issue. I didn't lie, just omitted. A snide voice whispered back: that's basically lying. His lips tightened. It wasn't his fault that Chuck just had to have a secret life that no one knew about. Now they had to deal with it and the ramifications.
Speaking of Chuck… Where is he? He went upstairs at least twenty minutes ago. There was no sound from upstairs, though. A little uneasy but not very concerned, Don slipped off the couch and climbed the stairs. The old stairs creaked under his feet. Once he reached the top, he saw that Charlie's room door was closed. He hates it closed when he's inside. Then where did he go?
Where Charlie always went in stressful times. Don headed back down the stairs, slipping past his apron-clad father. The fresh air greeted him as soon as he opened the door. The lights were on, shining through the evening light. Memories floated up. Charlie, covered in chalk dust, waving his hands as he tried to explain his math. Charlie, eyes frantic, scribbling on the boards as he tried to solve a case. Charlie, sound asleep, as his body finally succumbed to the rest that had finally taken priority to the numbers.
He drew closer. The only sounds were birds chirping in the air. No click-clack of a chalk on board. Not yet, anyway. The door was pushed open. Don peered through, only to be struck at the oddity of what he was seeing.
Charlie was not scribbling on one of the many boards in his sanctuary. In fact, Charlie was nowhere near his beloved black boards. Chuck was hunched over the desk, clutching something. In his hands was a small square of paper. Equation? Note?
Chuck was completely still. His dark eyes were focused completely on the slip of paper. Don mentally debated if he should say anything or just leave or watch.
"You know, you could knock."
Don's eyebrows raised. "And you do?" Chuck smiled slightly.
"No. But—" he cut off Don's comment—"I do if the person is obviously trying not to be seen."
"You should try a little harder, Chuck. Wasn't difficult to guess where you went."
"Not everyone has an FBI agent as a brother."
"True." The two brothers faced each other. Do I ask him? Do I wait for him to tell me? Don had no idea what he should do. This was uncharted territory.
"Not now, Don." Charlie's strained voice broke through his musings. Don looked his brother in the eye.
"Why not?"
"Because I can't. I won't. I couldn't."
Don nodded slowly. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Gosh, Chuck. Don't look so surprised. I'm allowed to be a big brother every once in a while." Charlie smiled. "I didn't come out here to pester you. I came to let you know that the team'll be here soon."
"Really?" Charlie checked his wrist. No watch. "What time is it?"
"6:50."
"Oh."
They lapsed into silence. It wasn't tense, just quiet. A moment passed.
"We should go in."
"Yeah."
Silence again. Then Charlie straightened and walked to the door. "Don't want to be late to our own dinner."
"No, we really don't."
Two dark haired men left the garage and entered the house, unaware of the eyes following their every move.
So sorry about not updating! Chapter 14 is not done, and I have a huge writer's block. So, I figured that I might as well give you guys something. Better late than never, right?
Hey. I have an update that I want to tell you guys. It's going to be in my profile. You might want to check!
