Coming Home

Dropping down beside him, and disregarding the pull of her ribs, Terry lifted Charlie's head off the concrete floor and into her lap. The poor man looked like he hadn't eaten in at least 2 days and was looking extremely weak. There was a scabbed gash on the side of his head and what looked to be a rather large goose egg on the back. He looked up at her tiredly, eyes widening when he recognized her face.

"Terry?"

"Yeah, Charlie. We've got you," she said, settling his head in her lap and waiting for the ambulance. The other agents had the rest of the kidnappers pinned down, including Dannacher, and it left Terry to stay with Charlie.

"Terry, 'm tired," he said, his body already relaxing.

"I know, Charlie, just stay with us for a little while longer, okay?" Terry pleaded, already pulling out her phone to try again. She didn't want him falling asleep with no food in him, regardless of how exhausted he was. It gave her reason to go digging in her pockets for the energy bar she usually kept there.

"Okay, Charlie, munch on this for me," she unwrapped the bar for him and held it up to his mouth. Greedily he took a bite and swallowed it. She laughed softly as she placed his hand around the bar.

"Eat slow, Charlie," she advised wisely. Another agent poked his head in.

"Agent Lake? We've got them all rounded up and cuffed." Terry nodded.

"Get them into the car. Come and get me when the EMTs get here," she instructed. The agent nodded and paused in the doorway.

"Should we be notifying Agent Eppes?" Terry nodded.

"When Dr. Eppes is on his way to the hospital, I'll call the family," she answered. "Right now, let's focus on getting him out of here." The agent nodded and went to look for the rescue personnel. She took a better closer look at the younger Eppes brother and almost winced as she looked over the bruises and scrapes from his time in captivity.

"Ma'am?" A paramedic was standing over her.

"Couple of bumps to the head and bruises and scrapes," she told them as they crouched down to look at the man. "Doesn't look like there's anything life threatening."

"We're still going to put him on a stretcher and take him in, just to make sure there's nothing internal." Terry nodded as they carefully lifted Charlie out of her lap. Caleb was beside her, holding out hand to help her up.

"Going to the hospital?" She nodded.

"Yeah. I have to call Don and let him know we've got Charlie." Caleb nodded, wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulders.

"You did good, Lake."

"I did well, Haynsworth," she corrected, nudging him. She'd loved her time back in LA and her colleague had been a big contributor to that enjoyment. Of course, the fact that he'd stayed her 'brother' since her first assignment really helped to ease the temporary transition. He smiled as they walked out to the SUV and climbed in. They drove to the hospital going over the case notes for any finishing touches.

"How are the ribs?"

"Stinging. Listen, I don't want to do the interrogation," she said confidently. It didn't mean she wasn't going to be in observation, she just didn't trust herself in the same room as the men that had kidnapped, and hurt and Eppes and ripped the hearts of his family to shreds. Caleb looked surprised.

"You sure?" Terry nodded.

"I'm not suicidal," she joked. Caleb looked out the windshield when he spoke again.

"Terry… What's with you and that family?" In the length of her TAD, all of three weeks, a lot had changed. She wasn't sure she was ready to plunge into the complicated relationship that was her and the Eppes family.

"Don and I dated in the Academy," she said by way of explanation. It was easier than telling the whole truth.

"Then we worked together up until about two months ago. We ended up keeping in touch… and here we are." Her statement was a double entendre as she pulled into a parking spot at the hospital. The two stepped out but Caleb didn't follow her.

"I'm going to head back, see if I can get a move on those interrogations. You going to be okay?" Terry smiled.

"Great. I'm just going to call Don and his dad before I go inside. Thanks." He smiled.

"Hey, if you're up for it later, want to get a drink with me?" Terry had seen this coming for a while.

"Rain check? There's a lot going on right now, a lot I have to sort out." Caleb nodded in understanding.

"I hope you decide to come back, Terr," he said, a moment that surprised her. He was gone before she could formulate a reply. Instead she punched Don's number on speed dial.

"Eppes."

"Look at your call display some time," she snapped. He chuckled, knowing she hated it when he answered his phone with that, knowing exactly who it was. She couldn't help the smile that flitted over her face at his chuckle. She'd worked hard to get him to come to terms with Charlie's disappearance. It had taken forever to get that sound from him.

"What's up, Terry." She took a deep breath.

"We've got him, Don. Charlie's at the hospital."

"What?"

"Charlie's safe at the hospital. I'm just outside about to go in. I thought you should know." Then things started to click in his head and she knew she was in for it.

"You were on the case. You got temporarily reassigned for that case."

"It was part of it, yes. I couldn't tell you." She crossed her fingers and toes hoping he'd understand.

"You and I need to talk, Miss Lake." She sighed, thankful he wasn't angry with her, just annoyed. He knew how the job worked just as well as she did.

"Just get your ass here. You're brother should be out of his check up momentarily. I'm not going to ask him anything about what happened until tomorrow."

"Thanks, Terry." She smiled.

"Always. Do you want to call your dad?"

"Yeah, on my way to the hospital. Let me know of any news."

"I will. See you in a bit." She clicked off, turned off her phone and walked into the hospital.

Don found Terry in the waiting room, her head back against the wall. He'd stopped to pick up his father on the way and both were anxious to hear about Charlie's condition.

"I called Amita. She should be here momentarily," Don said in greeting, taking a seat beside her. Terry smiled, though it was forced and painful. Charlie could be so dense sometimes.

"Ribs?" He didn't need to ask if they hurt. She grimaced.

"Yeah. Probably pulled on them a little too hard. It'll pass, I just took Aspirin."

"You should probably get them re-bandaged."

"Don, drop it."

"You're hurt…"

"Family of Dr. Eppes?" Alan was beside the doctor in a minute, guiding him over to Don and Terry, who had immediately stopped their bickering.

"He's fine. We're going to keep him here overnight for that bump on his head, but other than that he's going to need some recovery time with full meals and good sleep," he said. Both Alan and Don relaxed substantially at the news their beloved family member was going to be all right. Terry took the talking into her hands.

"Can we see him?" she asked. The doctor nodded and Terry stood with Don as the doctor led the way to Charlie's room.

"I'm going to wait for Amita," she said, hanging back. The Eppes men nodded and Alan continued but Don came back, brushing a kiss to her cheek that weakened her knees.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear before jogging after his father. "And get those ribs checked!" Terry smiled and affectionately shook her head as she reclaimed her chair to wait. It wasn't long before the black-haired woman came charging through the hospital doors. Terry rose to greet her.

"Amita, he's going to be just fine. Doctors say he's got a heck of a bump, but he'll be up an about in no time." Terry watched the other woman visibly deflate in relief.

"Can… Can we see him?"

"Don and Mr. Eppes are in there now," Terry responded as they walked off down the halls. Don and Alan were still by Charlie's bedside when Amita and Terry walked in, the former rushing to his bedside much faster than any normal student should. Terry and Alan exchanged knowing glances as she stepped up beside Don.

"Amita," Charlie said, sounding surprised.

"Thank God you're okay," she said, hands on his bed, but not touching the professor.

"A little sore and hungry, but physically I'm apparently fine." Terry tugged on Don's sleeve as she smiled an indication to leave the two alone. Don followed somewhat reluctantly. He sagged against the wall just outside.

"I can't believe you never told me you were assigned Charlie's case," he said softly. Terry blushed.

"I'm sorry. No one knew but the team I was working with, my director and your director. It was pure luck the other case I was down here for tied into this one." She knew she was starting to babble but she wasn't exactly sure if Don was mad at her or not. It made her nervous.

"David didn't know?"

"He thought I was down to bring you back to the land of the living," she confessed, looking at the floor. She felt him shift before she saw his shoes in front of her.

"Terry?" Reluctantly, she looked up.

"I'm glad you came," he told her, the raw honesty in his eyes shocking her. "I needed it." She played with her hands for a few moments, still unable to pull her gaze away.

"I had to do it," she blurted finally before she could stop herself.

"Had to?" Terry looked down again subtly refusing to answer his question.

"Answer me, Terry. Why did you have to come?"

She had less trouble staring down cold-blooded killer than she did Don Eppes and this moment was no different. How could she tell him that she hadn't thought of her husband once since she'd hung up the phone with David three weeks ago? How would she explain to him the feeling she had when he wrapped his body around her for comfort and warmth? How could she tell him she came for him?

His hands were rubbing her arms, a movement she hadn't seen. She'd left the bullet-proof vest she was wearing when the rescued Charlie in the SUV and had removed her dirty jacket as well, leaving her in the comfortable white tank top and thus her arms bare. Her knees all but melted at his hands and she had to forcefully tell them to keep her standing at least for a little while longer.

"Terry?" Then the answer hit her.

"I wouldn't be a very best friend if I wasn't there through the hardest times, would I?" She thought she saw something that resembled disappointment flit across his face but he hid it quickly enough that she wasn't confident in her observation. She had to get out of there, fast.

"I'm going to head back to the bureau. I left Haynsworth on interrogation and he can get a little out of hand." Both of them were able to see through the excuse but she needed to get away from him, from his proximity and the power he held over her. She poked her head back into the room to talk to Charlie.

"Thanks Terry," he said sincerely. She smiled affectionately.

"No problem. Try not to get yourself into trouble like this again, huh? You mean a lot to your family." Then she was gone.

When Caleb saw her at her desk he knew something was up. Was she seriously planning to return to Washington after this case? She'd be mental if she was and giving up something he knew mattered to her.

"Hey Lake." He could never understand exactly why they always called each other by their last names, but it worked for them and he wasn't going to question it.

"Hey."

"You look like your favourite toy was taken away. Want to talk about it?" She looked up at him as he sat in a chair he'd pulled up.

"Nah. Thanks for the offer though. How did things go?"

"They all lawyer-ed up pretty quick. We'll keep trying though." He paused. "Doesn't matter anyway. The evidence we've got is pretty conclusive." Terry couldn't help smiling at their success

"Still…" Caleb nodded.

"A confession would seal it in court. It's why we keep trying." Terry nodded, looking back down at the paperwork for the case piled up on her desk.

"You going back to Washington?" The question surprised her, not so much the question itself but who it was coming from.

"I've got a week to finish up all this paper then I head back," she answered, still not meeting his eyes.

"Ever thought of coming back?" Terry smiled fondly.

"A couple of times. I was happy here." Sensing this was about to get serious he ushered her into the elevator and around the corner to the small café there. She was lost in her own world most of the way/

"You were saying?" All he'd wanted was to be away from closely listening FBI ears. The last thing she needed was rumours about the office without any of them being true.

"I was happy here," she repeated.

He knew he was stepping into dangerous territory when he asked, "then why did you go?"

Terry didn't answer. He took a deep gulping breath.

"Why did you run?"

"Run? What gives you the idea that I was running?"

"If you were really happy, you wouldn't have left."

"My husband wanted to try again…"

"Terry, you were separated from him for almost four years. You had to know it wasn't what you wanted." She hung her head, loving and hating this man at the same time. He knew too much about her. Since their first case, they'd been close. It was an instant sibling connection that both ended up cherishing when Caleb's mother passed away and Terry's father had a heart attack, even if her father had made it through.

"What did you do your last night in LA?" His words brought her out of her reverie.

"What?"

"Three months ago, Terry, what happened that last night? Did you think about moving away to Washington? Did you wonder what was going to happen? Did you look forward to seeing your husband again?" The last night, before Don, she'd agonized over the move, worried about what was going to happen and…

Didn't look forward to seeing Andrew again.

Instead she'd spent the night reminiscing about her time in the FBI and reacquainting herself with her old Academy days as well. In more ways than one. She blushed as she remembered the night. She focused again to find Caleb grinning at her.

"Exactly what I thought. You don't want to go back, Terry."

"I can't stay here."

"You're being ridiculous."

"I can't do it, Caleb." The fact she called him by his first name silenced him more effectively than the conviction in her voice.

"I can't stay here and watch."

"So be a part of. Make the first move." She smiled sadly.

"I go back to Washington in a week. That's it." Then she left.