A/N: I'm ba-ack! I know it took forever and a day but between school and my muse deciding to leave me, it needed to take this long
I just hope I didn't lose my audience…eek!
Chapter 14
"Charlie, man, tell me that you have something for us" David said by way of greeting to the youngest Eppes.
"I have something for you" Charlie responded smiling while walking into an empty conference room, save for his brother
"Thank God" David Sinclair said collapsing into a chair next to the already seated Don
"Hey guys, anyone care to bring me up to speed" Colby Granger responded suddenly appearing
"Colby, just in time- as always" Commented Megan giving her friend a little squeeze on the shoulder as she passed to take her seat "We were just about to hear the solution Charlie has for our current case"
"Darn, we have a major case?" Colby asked taking the case folder that David slid toward him after collapsing into a chair "I haven't even been back from vacation for twenty four hours"
"Well hopefully, you won't have to worry about it" Charlie said addressing the room (more than just Colby) "I did a pattern analysis and discovered something that I thought might be a clue- they all visited this building in the last week leading up to…" Charlie trailed off as he glanced at the images he had on the screen: the four victims and then building in which they had all visited "Well, they were all at this building"
"I thought we checked that angle" David supplied with a confused look on his face
"We did. Are you sure buddy?" Don asked. Charlie, however, just glared at him for accusing his math of being wrong "Thanks buddy" Don said standing up and clapping his brother on the back "Ok- David, Megan you two go to the building. Colby start pulling up employee lists and cross referencing, see if there are any names on more then one list"
"So how did we miss this?" David asked shaking his head while standing to gather his coat
"I don't know" Megan replied passing by "I'm just glad that Charlie caught it"
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"Hello Charles" Larry greeted as he entered Charlie's office
"Hey Larry, what are you doing here on this fine Saturday?" Charlie asked then finished writing the sequence of numbers on the chalkboard
"I should be asking you the same" Larry quipped than seated himself in the chair behind Charlie's desk
"I am here because I need to get some lesson plans done. You, sir, however have not answered the question of why you are here" Charlie responded. Larry was silent for a moment then quietly asked
"Charles, may I borrow your brain for a moment?"
"Of course Larry" Charlie said replied taking seat on his desk
"I wanted to ask you if you knew what was going with Amita" Larry inquired. Charlie's eyes went wide
"Why? How is she acting?"
"She seems to be a little short tempered but also quite sullen" Larry replied. He studied his friend for whom he's known for seventeen years "What did you do to her?"
"Ugh. I didn't do anything to her…directly"
"Charles" Larry used his warning voice, the one Charlie knew so well back in Princeton
"Well, I got a phone call from Alli" And Charlie noting Larry's confusion corrected "Professor Allison Arlen"
"Oh the one you ran over"
"Hush. You asked, I'm telling" Larry held up both hands as a sign of surrender "So I got a phone call last night and she was upset- she had gotten into a fight with her mother. So, I boldly gave her the option of explaining to me why she was upset over the phone or in person"
"You invited her to your house?!"
"Yes, I did! However, if you want me to finish anytime soon you have to be quiet. So I was surprised that I asked and even more surprised that she accepted. She was at my house within forty minutes. She gave up some of her…history to explain why the fight with her mother was so rough. Well, that recount got her upset and she cried herself to sleep. I couldn't very well leave her outside, so I carried her upstairs to my room. I was just explaining what happened to my inquisitive father when there was a knock at the door"
"Amita" Larry supplied as things started clicking into place
"Yeah, Amita. She came to tell that she had gotten a teaching position as Harvard" Charlie paused here as it sunk in all over again "The thing that's keeping her from making the decision is me apparently and she wanted to talk to me about it. Unfortunately, that was the moment that Alli decided to wake back up and come downstairs. Amita looked horrified for a moment. She stressed that she needed to talk to me still and then kinda stormed out"
"Oh Charles" Larry commented
"Alli looked like she was so uncomfortable. To make matters worse, I'm finding myself more and more attracted to her"
"How does that make matters worse?" Larry asked quite perplexed
"Well, it makes it harder to choose. Allison is so not like any other girl I've liked. However, I can't forget Amita just like that. She's going to Harvard and she's waiting on me…Larry, I've waited so long to have the opportunity to be with Amita and now that it's here…"
"There's another woman and if you don't chose Amita…"
"I'll lose her for three years- at the very least" Charlie said sighing
"I'm sorry Charles" Larry said comfortingly while laying a hand on his friend's shoulder
"Yeah me too"
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"Explain…now" Zoë exclaimed as she watched Alli sheepishly approach her
"I swear I have a good explanation" Alli said falling onto the bench next to Zoë
"And that would be?" Zoë queried
"I was with Charlie" Alli answered then braced herself for her friend's inevitable outburst
"OH MY GOD!" Zoë screamed causing a woman walking by with her child to become startled
"Shh! Could you have been more loud?" Alli hissed gesturing wildly
"Of course I could get louder but no changing the topic! You HAVE to spill! Come on give it up woman"
"So, I went home for dinner last night and Rachael started pestering me with questions about my day because I hesitated when she asked me the first time. I caved and told them about Charlie and my hesitancy to start a relationship with him. Then my mom asked me if-if I was still hung up on John" Zoë made a sound of anger but remained silent so to let Alli finish "I stormed out of the house and cried in my car. I tried you but you were busy. Then I tried Charlie before I thought about it. He asked me what was wrong. He sounded so protective and concerned for me that that I lost it- again. He told me that I can either tell him why I was upset over the phone or to drive over to his house and tell him there"
"Aw!...sorry continue" Zoë gestured then put her hand over her mouth
"So I decided that I was going to go to his house. When I got there, it felt…right. His brother is so sweet and his father is definitely a charmer too. I was relaxed instantly. Maybe that's why I told them about John. When I reached the end, I was crying. I- wow, I still can't believe I did that- I climbed on his lap and ended crying myself to sleep. When I woke up I was in his room"
"He carried you to his bed?! That is so…romantic"
"Yeah, it was. However, when I walked downstairs I saw that he was speaking with another woman who seemed VERY displeased to see me. I think that woman was Amita"
"Ouch"
"Yeah, so needless to say I was uncomfortable. I attempted to leave but Don caught me at the door and brought me back towards where everyone had gathered. After reassuring me, Charlie invited me to stay for a movie…and a few beers. So I ended up getting a little intoxicated and it was proclaimed I was unfit to drive, so I stayed the night. On my way to the bedroom however, I may have gotten sick and passed out on the toilet"
"Oh, Alli" Zoë managed to get out before she erupted in laughter
"Yeah well anyway, before I passed out I remember that Charlie held my hair" Alli paused a moment "I had a nightmare in the middle of the night. I was back at my old house and John had gotten in. H-he shot and killed Charlie, then shot me" Alli shuddered at the remembrance of feeling Charlie's blood on her hands, Zoë laid a hand on her friends shoulder and urged her to continue "What I thought was me getting shot was actually Charlie shaking me awake because he somehow heard me in the throws of the nightmare. He soothed me and stayed with me until I was asleep again. When I woke up I was hung over. Don and Charlie split my breakfast, then you called and I left" Alli made the quick decision to not mention the kiss she gave Charlie (even if it was only on the cheek)
"I'm being completely serious when I say that it sounds like you've found yourself a good one"
"Yeah, I have. The thing is though- I really think that he has this BIG thing for the girl Amita"
"And your point is?" Zoë asked
"That if it comes down to a choice between her and me, I don't know if he'd want to be with me"
"Now who's getting ahead of themselves" Zoë pointed out recalling her friend's words from the day before
"Well it is a thought. I've wanted to be with him for so long, I don't know if I want to get closer to him if I can't be with him"
"Yes you do. You've dreamed about being close to him. I know that you're unsure about all of this but just think, if he was this caring and kinda romantic and you weren't dating think what it's going to be like when you do"
"Oh Zoë" Alli replied then Zoë gave her a big bear hug
A/N: Ok so lame ending but meh, I needed to study for my last final. Review because it makes me happy inside (ok and on the outside too)