I do not own the Numb3rs characters

Chapter 39

Charlie was awakened early the next morning with the sound of a cell phone ringing on the nightstand near his head. Still groggy when he answered, he did not recognize the voice.

"Charlie, we got him."

"Got who? Who is this?"

"It's Bob and we got the hit man doing the killings for Pitts."

Charlie was awake with that comment. "You got him? How?"

"When Jeff told you it was a personal friend, we didn't have to dig too far. Jeff has apparently had an ongoing relationship with a CIA agent. That agent was highly trained in surveillance, getting into secured buildings, and spying. CIA denies he was a trained killer but we only have their word to go on. One of the guns found in his home has been positively identified as the one that killed both the Judge and Senator Atwood. There are plenty of items in his home that indicate he was the one behind getting into my home and my cell phone. There was also a tap on my home phone.

"You don't think its CIA behind this then?"

"No, I think the agent was acting with his own personal agenda and that being to assist Jeff."

"What about Leslie? Do you think she was involved?"

"No and the FBI did have to release her. She has an alibi that the FBI checked into and verified. She had been with the Senator of course but she had left him more than an hour before he was killed."

"I'm glad she was cleared. I don't know her well but I found it hard to believe she could kill like that. What about Kristen? Did you find her body?"

"No body, but we did find some blood in her apartment. It's hers. We have her computer and they are looking for the lists that she made up. We're certain that she did not make the disk at the NSA. Her computer was already checked there. Anyway the good news is that you are free to go back to your apartment. I do believe the threat to both of our lives is over."

Charlie thought of the man that Jeff had told him about. He didn't need to mention it now. Jeff gave the CIA agent too much credit. He hoped that was all there was to it.

After he finished the call Charlie got dressed and went to inform his father that they could leave. When Charlie went into Don's room to wake him up to hear the news, Don awoke with a start. He sat up and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"The NSA got the hit man and we are free to leave. How does you arm feel?"

"It did not need to be wrapped up at all but you know how Dad can be." The bullet had barely grazed his skin, but it did sting a little and had turned pink with the skin burn. Tell Dad we can make it back to the apartment by breakfast time."

Soon afterward there was a knock at the door and the agent in charge was letting them know that whenever they were ready, their driver would return them home. Charlie handed the belt to the agent with his thanks to whichever of them had made the donation.

The Eppes family wasted no time in getting out of there and returning to the apartment. Charlie's car had been washed and was sitting in his parking space. Alan made breakfast as soon as he was back in the larger kitchen.

After they ate, Don asked Charlie to drive him to the FBI building on his way to the NSA.

Charlie would make some changes to the program and there was to be a new team assigned on Monday. The changes were to insure that no information that may have been compromised by the two agents involved in other illegal activities, could be of any use. He didn't expect it would take him more than a few days. The program would remain secure after installation.

While Charlie was there he stopped in to visit the Tae Kwon Do instructor. He and Vic did set up time for one-on-one training, it would be morning sessions. Charlie decided to stay with the regular Tae Kwon Do class as well and to resume his weight training. He would drop the gun class though. With a slight schedule change, he could be out of the office by six in the evenings. He could run on his own in the mornings now before he needed at the NSA.

When Charlie returned to the apartment late afternoon, Don was already back. His father was making dinner and Charlie changed so that he could go to the gym. He had been looking forward to getting back on the treadmill.

While he was running he had on his ipod and again Don walked in and was not even noticed until Charlie finished his run. Don sat on the bench and waited.

"Hey Charlie, how'd the run go?" He really didn't need to ask. It was written all over Charlie's face.

"It was great. Dad send you down to get me? I know I was here longer than I thought I would be. I just need to do some cool downs."

"No, he's off in his culinary world. I came here to talk to you about something."

"Sounds serious. What is it?"

"Okay, now this is just an idea. The final decision is yours. I'm still looking at six weeks of being splinted with my wrist. At least three or four weeks for my fingers. The DC FBI needs me more than the LA office does for desk duty. They are for the most part, understaffed and I wanted your opinion on my staying another six weeks."

Charlie had finished the cool downs and sat on the bench. He smiled a big smile. "Sounds fine with me Don, but I think that Dad is more the reason than the DC FBI. He can be a little overbearing, believe me I understand that. You are a little helpless when it comes to a lot of things like even opening a beer bottle. It's those easy open containers that are your downfall."

Don looked too relieved for Charlie to miss that he guessed correctly with the dependence on their father. "He's really great Buddy and I don't mean to look like I don't appreciate what he does, but I think I would lose my mind with six weeks of it. You on the other hand are not the least bit coddling, so I should be fine."

Charlie smiled. He couldn't help but think that he used to think the same thing about Don. Then his expression grew serious. "I think that would be a great idea. I mean you did get injured saving my life. The apartment would be too lonely with both of you gone." His voice was just above a whisper as he added, "And I would miss you too much. It's really past time that I let go of the hurt. I can stop blaming you now for not being perfect.

Just two weeks ago, I still thought that this was the answer to all my problems. Leaving home, coming here, being on my own and really just escaping. I'm not sure that we could have fixed our relationship if you had not come here. By the time I get back home it will probably be after the first of the year. That would have made the separation and the hurt more lasting. You did good Don. It was a good plan. You always were smarter than me. You just never knew it."

Don laughed. "Yeah right Charlie. I did it all out of desperation and don't you believe otherwise. I didn't have a plan and I didn't have a lot of faith that it would work. I did have a lot hope though. It could have a lot to do with my fear of losing you forever. You are my only brother after all. And then I get here and you have three close calls with death in four days. Well four if you count each of those shooters. If there is one thing I've learned since that fight we had, it's how much I stand to lose without you in of my life."

Charlie had tears in his eyes. "Yeah, definitely smarter." He threw his arm around Don's shoulder and Don put his arm around Charlie and pulled him in for a hug. "You're my best friend Don and I really do mean it when I say I don't know where my life would have taken me without you back in it but I'm glad I won't have to find out."

"So what do you say Charlie that we make a pact? When things get bad again, we agree to both step back and take our time. We talk it out and before any major decisions are made while we're fighting, we talk them over. Face-to-face, even if there's a lot of yelling involved."

"Agreed and I promise to not resort to violence if you won't listen next time. I'll just yell louder."

They both laughed. "Buddy, you really should consider hiring a bodyguard when I do leave. I have never seen anyone who needs one more than you do." Don stood up. "Okay let's go see what Dad's cooking that has taken him from the real world."

Alan had made all of Charlie's favorite foods and had a few soft foods thrown in for good measure. Charlie really couldn't have taken another bite by the time he left the table that night.

After dinner when they were all sitting in the living room, Alan turned on the TV and turned the channel. At first neither son noticed since they had been talking about what Bob had told Charlie that morning on the phone. But suddenly Don flew out of the chair and turned the TV off. Alan and Charlie looked at each other in confusion.

Charlie was the first to speak. "What happened?"

"What happened? Didn't you hear it?" Don pointed to the TV. "Don't you hate that sound?"

Don was clearly upset and Charlie was not sure what to say.

"Sorry Don, I wasn't paying any attention to the TV. What did you hear?"

"Never mind it was nothing." But Don walked right out the front door.

Charlie looked at his dad. "What's he talking about?"

"I'm not sure. I wasn't listening to the TV either."

"What was on?"

"Baseball." It dawned on Alan at the same time that Charlie was able to figure it out.

Charlie closed his eyes. "Oh course Dad. How could we have not noticed that Don was having a problem dealing with that?"

"You know Charlie, he has had some nightmares and I could usually hear him calling for you. Once I heard him say he was sorry. Usually he ended up waking himself up with his own yelling and then telling me to go back to sleep. By morning, I forgot all about it."

"Dad, please don't mention this to him. He won't want to talk about it and I'll make sure that I approach the subject carefully."