A Heavy Heart 19/20

Chapter Nineteen:

Alan slips inside Charlie's room silently just in case Don has fallen asleep. The sun rose while he was in the chapel praying and the soft light of dawn illuminates both his sons in a radiant glow.

Don sleeps with his head on Charlie's bed, his arm thrown across his little brother's torso in a protective and comforting gesture. This sweet unconscious act makes Alan smile but it's what he sees next that make him cry out involuntarily.

Even though his eyes are closed and the rest of him is still, Charlie's hand is ever so slightly moving back and forth over Don's back. He hears his father's voice and his eyes open.

"Dad," he whispers, smiling.

For a split second Alan can't decide what to do first: rush to his son's side, give thanks to god for answering his prayers or burst into tears. Somehow he finds a way to do all three at once.

"Dad..." Charlie protests weakly as his father pulls him into a tight embrace. "You'll wake Don."

"Wake him?" Alan cries out with joy. "Are you kidding me? Donnie, wake up! Charlie's going to be okay!"

Don wakes painfully, having only recently fallen asleep after being up all night. He rubs his eyes and takes in the sight of his smiling father wrapping Charlie in a bear hug.

"Hey... Go easy, Pop!" Don manages to chuckle.

"I just want to hold my little boy," Alan says, amidst tears of relief. "They wouldn't let me before!"

Charlie and Don exchange looks but Don can tell he's happy to be in his father's arms.

"It's okay, Dad. Really." Charlie's voice is much stronger than before and Don breathes a sigh of relief at how much better he looks than even just a short time ago.

Alan reluctantly ends the hug and gently lowers him back down onto his pillows. Unable to break the connection, Alan holds Charlie's hand in both of his own.

"You had us so scared, Charlie," Alan's voice cracks with emotion. "Last night..." He tries but he can't bring himself to say what happened.

Charlie squeezes his father's hand and reaches out for Don with the other. Don grasps his hand tightly and tries to speak as well but fails.

Charlie looks back and forth between them for a second or two before he figures out what they aren't telling him. "My heart stopped during the procedure, didn't it?"

Alan's breath comes in hitches and he struggles to get the words out but can't. Don finally confirms his suspicions with a quiet "yeah."

"How long?" Charlie addresses the question to Don knowing his father is incapable of answering.

"About a minute," Don answers, steadying himself with a deep breath.

Charlie nods. "Not enough time for brain damage then. Good."

"Good?" Alan erupts from his painful reverie. "Charlie, you died! How could that possibly be good in any way?"

"Dad, you know I didn't mean it like that."

Alan pauses for a minute to get his breathing back under control.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Charlie's face shows that he's not unaffected by anguish he knows he's put his family through. "Don too. This would have never happened if I'd taken better care of myself."

"You don't know that," Don tries to argue but Charlie just shakes his head.

"I've known for weeks I didn't feel right and I didn't do anything about it. If I'd thought about it though... If I'd taken the time to realize... How this might affect both of you..." This time it's Charlie who can't continue.

Don leans over and pulls his brother into his arms. "It's okay... It's all okay now. You're fine. Dad and I are fine. There's nothing to worry about anymore, right Dad?" Don turns to his father for support.

"Right, Charlie?" Alan responds.

"Right," Charlie answers as Don releases him. He stares up at his father and brother and reassures them with a smile.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Charlie turns to look at Don.

"I made a promise."