FOR: Lizzie

Fandom: Numb3rs

Prompt: Don/Larry, Disagreement with Charlie

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"What is going on in here," Larry Fleinhardt, the ever spacey physics professor asked as he entered his protégées office.

"Nothing Larry," Charlie Eppes, the younger of the two Eppes brothers, answered his mentor's question.

"It doesn't sound like nothing Charles," Larry refuted, glancing between the two brothers who were standing nearly toe to toe with each other.

"Just a simple misunderstanding," Don, the older of the two brothers, answered, "I should be going."

Larry glanced once again between the two brothers before frowning. It was obvious that whatever had been said before he'd gotten there had hurt the youngest man in the room.

"Perhaps, I could be of some assistance," Larry tried again.

"I don't think so Larry but thanks," Don sent the older man a strained smile before turning a glare on his younger brother, "Tell dad, I won't make it to dinner tonight."

"Tell him yourself," Charlie bit back with an eye roll, "You know just because I don't agree with you, doesn't mean…"

"You know what, just shut up already Charlie," Don snapped, forgetting they had an audience, "I'm so sick and tired of your 'woe is me' act. You may know numbers but you know nothing about real life. Maybe if you tried using an ounce of that brain of yours you wouldn't be so utterly incompetent with everything else!"

"Alright, that's enough," Larry ordered, his voice stern. Seeing Don opening his mouth to say something he spoke again, "I said enough; I don't know what's gotten into you two but I do know it ends right now."

Don sent the older man a glare, "I have to get back to work."

"You need to come with me to my office," Larry disagreed, sending the younger man a look that reminded Don very much of his father. "Charles, I'll be back to check on you in a little bit. Will you be alright till then?"

"I'm fine Larry," Charlie answered, not wanting to show his big brother just how hurt his feelings were by his words. "Is it ok if I go grab a coffee?"

"Try tea," Larry advised, "Come straight back Charles. Don, if you'll follow me."

Knowing an order when they heard one Charlie left for a quick trip to the cafeteria for a mug of tea while Don silently followed Larry to his office.

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"You want to explain what happened?" Larry asked as he sat behind his desk, motioning for the younger man to sit on the seat opposite him.

"Like I said," Don replied, "it was a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding," Larry repeated, "one in which you thought it alright to tell your brother to 'shut up' and then call him incompetent? That's, of course, not to mention you insinuating that he was lying and dumb."

Don shifted his gaze to the windows, suddenly feeling all of ten and like he was being scolded by his dad.

"You wouldn't have liked it if your brother said those things to you, nor would you have liked it if he had said those things at your place of work," Larry lectured intently.

"You're right," Don agreed, still not meeting the older man's gaze, "There was a time and place for our disagreement and his office wasn't it. I'm sorry Larry."

"You'll apologize to your brother," Larry continued with a nod of acceptance to Don's apology.

"I'm not apologizing," Don disagreed, "He…"

"Does your father let you get away with treating your brother the way you did?" Larry demanded to know. "Maybe you need more of an incentive to apologies?"

Don gave him a confused look. Larry stood up and grabbed the ruler he had used more than once on the Charlie's backside.

"Over the desk, please," Larry instructed. Seeing a shocked look on Don's face Larry gave him one choice, "Either you can submit to my punishment or we can go and talk to your father. It is your choice Donald."

Don's face flushed as he did as Larry had ordered. He knew that going to his dad wasn't an option for he knew exactly what Alan Eppes response would be to his treatment of his baby brother.

Wielding the ruler with more expertise then Don had been expecting, Larry set to change Don's mind about apologizing. *Smack, Smack, Smack*

"Your behavior was atrocious and it will not happen again," Larry lectured, "I don't mind if you have a disagreement with Charles but the name calling and insinuating ends now. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes," Don managed to get out, trying his best to keep his tears at bay, not wanting to embarrass himself.

"You will apologize to your brother for the hurtful things you said," Larry ordered sternly, "Trust me when I say, I can keep this up a lot longer than you can."

The smacks continued and finally Larry started to target Don's sit spot, causing the tears that Don had been fighting to keep back to fall.

"Ok, ok," Don finally agreed through his tears, "I'll apologize!"

With a final harsh smack the spanking was over and Larry rubbed soothing circles on the normally stoic man's back. When Don had finally gotten his emotions under control Larry helped him stand.

"Go wash your face and tidy up," Larry ordered gently, "We'll grab you cup of tea and then we'll go see your brother."

"Yes, sir," Don replied, not willing to get on Larry's bad side again in one day.

As he walked stiffly to the bathroom to wash his face Don knew he would never look at the spacey professor the same again.

THE END

A/N: While I am still accepting prompts for those who haven't sent one or if you've sent one you may send a second, I am no longer accepting NCIS prompts. I've reached the limit with the prompts I still have to write. Please also note that I'm almost at 110 prompts so if you send one it will be a toss up on whether or not it gets written. I will let you know as I know! Thank you

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WRITTEN FOR: 6/15/11

WRITTEN ON: 6/19/11