When Don pulled up to the house, Charlie was still asleep. He was debating letting him sleep, and trying to get him into the house with his dad's help. But the doctors had wanted Charlie to wake up every few hours, to make sure his head was ok, and to take his medication with some food and drink.

They had been given antibiotics to give Charlie along with some Tylenol for his head. But they had emphasised Charlie had to eat and drink regularly, he would need it to keep his strength up. And if he was going to keep throwing up, he needed to stay hydrated.

It was a lot to remember, but Don was determined to stick to every word of it.

Getting out the car and going to the passenger door, Don opened it and gently shook Charlie; "Hey buddy. Wake up, we're home."

Their dad was already home, preparing for Charlie's arrival.

Charlie's face scrunched up and a hand came up to rub his eyes. For a moment, he looked like a little kid as he looked at him.

"Don?"

"Yeah chuck, we're home. Come on." He gently gripped Charlie's arm and helped him.

Charlie's legs buckled, and Don had to wrap his arm around his back to keep him upright; "Woah you ok chuck."

"Don't call me that." Charlie growled but it came out very weakly, and it was then Don noticed Charlie was shaking.

"You think you can make it to the door?"

Don didn't know what happened. Charlie seemed fine earlier like he was getting better, now he seemed worse again. Now he understood the doctor's warning.

"Don." Charlie warned right before he doubled over and threw up.

"Oh it's ok buddy." Don offered rubbing his back.

The front door suddenly open and his dad rushed out; "Don? Charlie? Oh my god." He ran over; "Charlie are you alright?"

"It's ok buddy." Don said helping him straighten up and lean against the car.

"Dad?" Charlie mumbled, trying to focus on his dad and brother, but everything was a little blurry.

Touching his son's forehead, finding it too hot, Alan shared a glance with Don.

"Come on Charlie. Let's get you inside." Don said taking command and leading him towards the front door. Alan taking the other side.

They got Charlie inside and set him down on the sofa.

He swayed slightly, blinking rapidly.

"Dad can you get some water?" Don asked before kneeling down in front of Charlie.

"Hey buddy?" Don said trying to catch his eyes.

Charlie finally focused on him and smiled; "Hey Don."

"Hey Charlie. You feel ok?"

"Feel woozy." Charlie grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut; "Sick. Everything spinning. Tired."
Don could see the effort to get home from the hospital really took it out of Charlie. Man he was really sick.

Charlie started to lean back against the sofa, his eyes closing.

"Ok Charlie. Charlie." Don said quickly helping him sit up; "I know you want to go to sleep but I need you to stay awake for a minute."

Alan came back with the glass of water and Don pulled the bottle of pills out of his pocket. He hoped that if Charlie took the pills now, and got some water in him, it would stay down whilst he slept.

Getting his antibiotic and Tylenol pills out, Don held them out in hand as he held out the water.

"Ok buddy. Time to take your pills."

Charlie paused looking at the pills and glared; "No."

"No?" Don repeated his eyes widening, and he looked at his dad; "It's not really a suggestion Charlie. You need them."

"No." Charlie whined; "Make everything fuzzy."

"I know Charlie." Don sighed, really not looking forward to having to fight with Charlie right now; "But you need them if you're going to get better."

"No!"

"Charlie..."

"Charlie if you take the pills you can then get some sleep ok?" Alan said diplomatically.

Charlie glared at Don, but shakily took the pills and downed the glass of water.

He shoved it back at Don and was already closing his eyes.

"Charlie." Don snapped.

"What?" Charlie huffed.

"You need to just stay up for a minute longer and let the pills go down. Or they'll come back up."

Charlie grumbled something that Don knew wasn't nice, but he opened his eyes and stayed awake for a minute longer.

Then he fell fast asleep. Alan just covered him with the blanket and followed Don into the kitchen.

"Why does he always have to fight with me?" Don huffed shoving the glass into the sink.

"He's not well Don. He's not thinking clearly."

"I know I know." Don sighed rubbing his face; "I just...I hate seeing him like this. Not being able to do more."

"I feel the same way."

"Hey you hid all the electronics right?" Don said quickly pointing at him.

Alan held up a hand nodding; "Charlie's laptop, his phone, the house phone and TV remote are all hidden. I've even locked the garage and hidden all his notebooks."

"Good."

"Do you really think that's all necessary? I mean you saw him. He's not exactly stable enough to do any work?"

"Yeah well I wouldn't put it past Charlie right now. Being told he can't work, who knows how he's going to react."

"Hmm. So I prepared your old room for you with some clean sheets. I set Charlie's room up too, but I guess we'll let him sleep down here for now and move him later."

"Yeah," Don checked his watch; "The doctors said to wake him up every four hours so we got some time. I'm going to take a shower ok?"

"Sure thing I'll watch him."

As Don was showering, he couldn't help but think about Charlie. What was he saying about where they would be if they hadn't started working together? It left a bad feeling in his gut. He'd never thought about it really but maybe he should. It was true that after their mom died, Don moved back home to be close to Charlie and dad, but they still hadn't been close. It took time. He visited them now and then, but only out of obligation, it wasn't until Charlie started working cases that the two of them started to break through their tension and come close again.

If they hadn't, maybe they would still be distant. Don hated to think of that possibility. Especially, because he was the one who pushed Charlie away in the first place.

As kids they were fairly close, but as they got into high school the tensions grew. Because of Charlie needing extra tutoring and attention, and being smarter than Don, it just brought up a lot of issues. Like their parents favouring Charlie, Don having to look after Charlie and himself. When he went to college, he chose one far away from Charlie on purpose. Taking a job just as far away. They barely spoke for years, being practically strangers.

It just got worse when their mom got sick. Don came home, but Charlie pulled away from all of them. Doing that stupid math problem, P vs NP or whatever. He never even saw mom when she was sick. Don hated him for it, and could never understand.

He still didn't really. But he did get Charlie a lot more than he used to.

He was mad at Charlie for a long time, but in time he forgave him. Came to understand in some twisted way, it was just too hard for Charlie to deal with. He and mom had been closer than the rest of them, and losing her was just too much for Charlie to face. Math always held a solution, there was always an answer, but mom's illness there just wasn't one. You couldn't control it, so Charlie focused on something he could control.

Don was just glad Charlie promised he wouldn't go down that rabbit hole again. He got obsessive sure, and look where he was now. But Don knew it would never get as bad as it had been.

Don just had to make sure he never lost Charlie again.

0o0o00oNumb3rs0o0o0o0o

A ten year old Charlie sat on the sofa swinging his legs, as he was reading an advanced math textbook.

"Come on Donnie. You need to focus. Let's do this again." His dad's voice echoed from the dining room, causing Charlie to look up and listen.

"Dad! Please, I'm never going to get this." Don whined, and there was a thud that followed.

"I know it's frustrating but you have to persevere Don. You will get it, you just have to try."

"I am trying!"

"Wait I have a math book that might help." There was the sound of a chair scraping and his dad leaving.

"Don? You alright honey? "That was their mom, it made Charlie smile at her voice, and he slowly slid off the sofa, leaving his book there, to creep to the dining room. Watching as mom headed over to Don, as he had his face in his hands.

"It's ok honey. You can only try your best." Mom gently caressed Don's head, and he smiled shyly at her; "You'll get it. I know you will. I believe in you."

"It's not fair. Why does Charlie just get this instantly, and I find it so difficult?"

"You're just different Don. Your minds work differently."

"He's better than me." Don said angrily throwing a pencil on the table.

"Oh no sweetie." Mom pulled a chair out and sat down, and Charlie pressed himself to the doorframe to watch; "He's not better. And you're not worse. It doesn't matter whether he gets maths quicker than you, all that matters is the type of person you are. And who you are is a kind, smart, funny, tough, amazing boy. Your father and I love you both equally and that will never change. It's just...Charlie just needs special care. Do you understand?"

"I guess." Don mumbled.

"I'll just check on your father." Mom stood kissed Don the head and walked out.

Charlie watched as Don dropped his head to the table with a thud and groan.

"Don?" Charlie said quietly as he crept closer.

"What do you want Charlie?"

"I want to help." Charlie said sliding onto the chair beside Don and reached for his math's homework.

Don lifted his head and glared; "No Charlie!" He slammed his hand on the paper making Charlie jump; "I can't let you do my homework anymore. Mum and dad already grounded me twice for that, and they'll kill me if I let you do it again."

"But...I can help."

"I don't care. God Charlie can't you just leave me alone? You're so annoying. Smart ass." Don grumbled snatching the paper back and turning his back on him as he started scribbling angrily.

"Sorry Don." Charlie slouched, tears forming in his eyes as he slid off the chair and walked away.

0o0oo0oNumb3rs0o00o0o0

"Charlie? Hey Charlie? Wake up."

Charlie snapped his eyes open startled, and blinked to see his adult brother Don leaning over him staring at him strangely.

"You ok?"

"What?" Charlie murmured moving to sit up as he rubbed his face, wondering where that dream came from.

"You were talking in your sleep. You ok?" Don held out a glass of water to him as he sat on the edge of the coffee table.

"What was I saying?" Charlie said taking the water and sipping it shakily. He felt like singing with relief at the cool soothing water easing his sore throat.

"I'm sorry."

Charlie frowned at Don.

"That's what you kept saying over and over as you tossed and turned. 'I'm sorry,' 'I'm sorry.'" Tilting his head Don studied Charlie; "What were you dreaming about?"

"I...don't remember." Charlie lied, a shivering wracking his body as he fumbled for the blanket to warm up.

"Here let me." Don reached over and pulled the blanket up.

Charlie watched him and then stared at Don hesitantly, finding his niceness a little strange.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You feel ok?" Don reached over and touched Charlie's forehead; "Dad's just getting the thermometer, but you still feel too hot."

"I don't know." Charlie said staring into space, unable to shake the dream. It had been so vivid.

"You ok Charlie?" Don narrowed his eyes, finding he seemed a little off.

It was that moment their dad walked in with the thermometer.

"Here you go son." Alan said softly as he popped the thermometer in Charlie's mouth and waited for the result. Then he lifted it to his face, his mouth setting in a thin line.

"103.5. Still very high." Alan looked worriedly at Don.

"You think you're up to trying to eat something?" Alan asked his youngest.

Charlie blinked turning to look at his dad for the first time; "What?"

"Are you hungry Charlie?"

"I don't know."

Charlie was really out of it.

"Ok well let's see if you can ok buddy."

It was like Charlie was sleep walking the rest of the day. He was awake, but he acted like he was asleep.

They managed to convince him to eat something, although it took a while. Charlie taking little bites, and then playing with his food. After that Charlie got some sleep again.

Don tried to find things to do, to keep busy. He watched some TV, read the paper, but mostly he just watched Charlie sleep. Every now and then Charlie would toss and turn, mumbling something like he was having a nightmare, and Don reached out to reassure him. Then Charlie just fell back asleep.

Don couldn't help but wonder exactly what Charlie was dreaming about.

Later that night, Charlie threw up dinner and seemed to worsen even more.

They got Charlie up to use the bathroom, and helped him to his bedroom. He seemed to be more relaxed in his own bed, but his fever was still fairly high, and his pain evident.

Don and Alan were beside themselves with worry over the next couple of days. Just keeping a close eye on Charlie, trying to get him to eat, drink and sleep. But he was still really delirious, and kept throwing up.

Thankfully, Charlie's cut wasn't infected again, and his bruises seemed to be healing. But his concussion and flu were getting worse.

They agreed to shift off sleeping to watch Charlie. To make sure his fever didn't get worse overnight. When it came to Charlie, it was always seemed to get worse.