Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Numb3rs or the characters therein. Any character appearing in this story is fictional and should not be associated with any other person- real or imagined.

Author's note: I made changes to Melinda's educational background in Ch. 18, as well as added an MRI, nothing major but thanks for the heads up. The therapy and all in this chapter are from research. Since all TBI is individually treated, I took the liberty of picking what worked for the story. We are coming full circle to chapter one. Finally.

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Charlie was busy paying for another ten pizzas, the sound of loud music at his back preventing him from hearing the total cost. Handing the guy a couple hundred dollar bills, he grabbed the food and walked away from the stunned young man, who quickly pocketed the money and ran for his delivery car. Charlie made his way to the nearest table, weaving in-between the gyrating bodies of former task force workers, all who were gleefully dancing and eating their way through the late afternoon celebration party at the now-defunct headquarters. All the desks and chairs were shoved up against the walls, while the computers, fax and copy machines were shut down. Above the large makeshift dance floor, bright balloons clung to the ceiling, framing a red and blue banner that cheered "Congratulations! Jimmy and Bob". Back in the kitchen, Larry was making another batch of homemade ice cream, keeping up a continuous chat with Bob, with whom he was politely debating the benefits of their individual styles of goggles.

After spreading out the pizzas, Charlie went to the kitchen, looking for Jimmy. He saw him bent down near the sink, emptying a bag of ice into a large plastic tub over two cases of soda pop. When Jimmy straightened up and tossed the bag aside, Charlie quietly slid up to him, placed an arm affectionately around his shoulders, and then slipped a plain white business envelope discreetly into the other's front shirt pocket. His young student immediately realized what he had been given and pulled it out, shoving it back at him.

"You know I can't take this, Professor Eppes, not after everything that you did for me."

Once Charlie confirmed with Megan that it was Bob and Jimmy who had been responsible for identifying Don, he knew that he would have a problem getting either one of them to accept the reward money. He decided he would have to make it so they could not refuse it. So, first he bought a cashier's check in the amount of two hundred thousand dollars and wrote it out to Jimmy Nicholson; he figured Bob would be less reluctant to refuse the money if he saw that it was in his grandson's name. Next, he avoided talking about the reward, instead thanking Bob and Jimmy, and then telling them he would like to throw them a little party to express to them and the other task force workers his gratitude for all their hard work. The last part was to do what he had just done, which was to slip the money to Jimmy when he and his grandfather were off guard. It had almost worked.

Bob stepped away from Larry and stood supportively behind his grandson. "Me and Jimmy already discussed this. There is no way either one of us is accepting that reward, now that I know how you saved him from losing his college money."

Charlie refused to give in, tossing the envelope back to Jimmy, who reflexively caught it. "It's a cashier's check written in Jimmy's name, so I can't take it back. The only one who can cash it is him." He smiled when he saw the twin frowns that grew on the faces of the men, each one of them chewing his lower lip thoughtfully. Though over sixty years separated the two, it was obvious from their facial and body expressions that they were related. "Look, I have to pay you the reward, otherwise I wouldn't be a man of my word, and I would be dishonoring the Eppes' name or something like that. If you don't feel good about using the money, you can always donate it to a charity. In any case, I won't take it back."

Bob was the first one to cave. "Jimmy, I think the professor is right. We can donate most of that money to charity, and you can still keep some back in case an emergency comes up, like you forget to file your grant papers again." When his grandson started to protest, Bob cut him off. "There is no use in arguing with a stubborn man, and right now you've got two of them to contend with- both me and your professor. I'm only asking that you keep the check for now and think about what we've said." Jimmy relented, folding the envelope into his back pocket, and then he and Bob each grabbed a handle on the tub of soda and ice, taking it out to the still-active party.

Relieved, Charlie sat down near Larry, dipping his finger in a bowl of melting ice cream and bringing a small dab of gooey sweetness to his lips. His miraculously turned-on-and- charged cell phone began to twitter as he licked the tip of his finger. Seeing the number belonged to his dad, he excitedly clicked the phone open.

Charlie had chosen to have the party this day because it had been exactly one week since he and his father had visited Harvey Johnson. Trusting their attorney, Charlie thought the celebration would serve a twofold purpose; first, to thank his workers, as well as Jimmy and Bob, for everything they had done concerning Don, and second, to give himself a private jubilation for when he would receive the news that his dad had been granted conservatorship of his brother. Only, it was after five o'clock and he was just now hearing from his father.

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Alan was surprised but pleased to hear his youngest son answer the phone.

"Did he do it? Are you his conservator?"

"Yes, Charlie. We just left the court house. I am officially conservator and I have permission to make all decisions regarding his mental and physical health, and his financial affairs."

"How did he do it? He said the courts would only grant you an emergency hearing if it was a matter of life and death?"

"No, specifically there had to be a life and death medical decision to be made. Wang wrote a letter about something concerning brain surgery for Don and the success of the operation determining whether he would live or die. He swore that Don was too mentally incapacitated to make the decision for himself. Johnson did some kind of twisting of the facts and Wang's words so I could be made conservator. Our attorney is pretty sneaky, Charlie. He says it's the way he always gets emergency conservators put into place."

"So, when do we get to see Don?"

Alan hated what he was about to do to Charlie, but he felt he had no choice. He had read all the psychological and physical reports that had been performed on Donny; he had also talked to Dr. Wang before calling his son, having faxed the doctor a copy of his guardianship papers from an office in the courthouse. Alan knew that Donny was not in the mental condition that his brother would expect him to be in. Even though Charlie had heard Bob's description of 'special', Alan did not think he had actually accepted what the old man had said, as Charlie had been talking about nothing else for the last week except having a homecoming dinner for Don, and how it would be great to catch up, and he was going to take a leave of absence at work so they could spend time relaxing together, doing things like playing baseball and Frisbee golf. Naively, Charlie thought simply getting his brother back home would erase any problems that he might have picked up over the past two months.

In addition, Alan was concerned about how his eldest son would feel when he started regaining his memory. He was certain Donny would feel ashamed and embarrassed that he had been manipulated and controlled by Dr. Thompson, and that these feelings would be worse if he knew his brother had witnessed his submissive behavior. Dr. Wang had assured him that the liquid on Donny's brain was only temporary, and that, with help, it might drain rather quickly. Alan hoped that Charlie would not have to see his brother until he was completely healed both mentally and physically; he ignored the fact that he himself was not accepting everything that was being told to him, as Dr. Wang had also said it might take months for Donny to be completely rehabilitated. In consideration of Donny's relationship with his brother, Alan decided it would be best if he went to see him alone, even though it would break Charlie's heart.

"I am on my way there now. I have to get there before eight o'clock or I won't be able to speak to him."

"Give me the address and I'll meet you there."

"Charlie, I can't. I'm sorry, but I need to see Donny alone."

Alan tried to ignore the whining sound that came through his phone. "But I miss Don, and I need to see him. It's not fair, I've worked harder than anyone, and now you're keeping him from me."

"I know, Charlie, lord knows Don would still be missing if it hadn't been for you. But the doctor doesn't think he should have any unnecessary visitors at this time, so I have to base my decisions on what is best for your brother, no matter how much it may hurt you. Please understand."

Alan wasn't certain, but he thought what he heard through his earpiece was the exact sound a cell phone would make if it were slammed against a wall.

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"What the hell did that bitch do to you?" kept running through Alan's head as he stood next to Donny's bed. He had been disappointed when he was delayed in traffic and arrived after his son's scheduled bedtime, but at least Dr. Wang was allowing him to see and touch Donny for himself. After tucking the blankets lovingly about his son, Alan used the meager glow of the bunny nightlight to take in the room in which he had been staying. Hospital bed, nightstand, and one arm chair comprised the furniture, while a door set in the left-hand wall led to a full bathroom with a large whirl-pool tub. In the back wall of the room, another door was opened into a small recreation room. Alan went inside and turned on the light, stepping across to the toy box set in the corner. He opened the lid and took stock of the toys inside- large cars and trucks, oversized building blocks and legos, some action figures along with a complete train set that had yet to be taken out of its box.

"Mr. Eppes," Dr. Wang coughed from the doorway behind him.

Alan shut the lid and, after flicking off the light, left the room. The doctor had walked ahead, and now beckoned him from the hallway, but his need to stay near his son kept him locked in place. Wang projected a demanding whisper across the room to him, "Really, Mr. Eppes, we need to talk. You can come back here and spend the night with your son. While we're at my office, they will set up a cot for you."

With the promise of returning to his son tucked into his heart, Alan gave Donny a slight kiss on the cheek and followed the doctor to his office.

Wang sat behind his desk, pulling several files from his cabinet and placing them open in front of him. "I know you have read both Donny's mental and physical evaluations, and I want to assure you again that his prognoses are good. It is now important that we decide on a plan of action in order to begin treatment." Alan nodded his head in agreement; he was emotionally and physically exhausted from the court proceedings that day, as well as from the relief of seeing and feeling his son. "Before we begin making those plans, I must address an issue that tends to be delicate, but nevertheless it must be discussed. Your son has government insurance, which will only cover the minimum costs in treatment. Our facility does not offer the minimum type of treatment, so our prices tend to be much higher. My superiors require that all bills are paid before admittance; I waved that requirement because I believed your son needed to be placed immediately upon his arrival here. Now, however, I need to tell you the costs that you must personally cover as co-payment, for I believe that will be a factor in our determination in how to proceed." Wang gave Alan a ball-park figure for his son's continued care at the institution.

"Wow. I expected it to be expensive, but not that much. Is that monthly or weekly?"

"Ahem, uh, that is daily."

Alan was suddenly alert, his exhaustion slipping away as he began to do the math in his head. He still had some money left from the sale of his business, but the time Donny had already spent at the institution would be taking a big chunk out of that, not to mention what he had spent to obtain guardianship. Charlie might be able to contribute, but the money from his consulting jobs had been spent on Don's ad campaign and the reward he had given out. At the prices that Wang had quoted, he figured Don could stay at the most a few more days.

"I can write you a check for the time Don has been here, and for the cost of three more days' stay. Beyond that, my family just can't afford to keep him here any longer."

"That is understandable Mr. Eppes, though it would be preferable if he could stay here during the course of his recovery."

"Dr. Wang, I can not express to you how grateful I am for the treatment you have given Donny. I don't know how well he would be doing if he had been taken to the state hospital. But we just do not have the funds; isn't it possible for me to take care of my son at home, while you continue to treat him as an outpatient?"

"I do not usually see patients outside of my facility. However, Donny's case interests me, so I am willing to set up a cost and payment plan that you can afford; in exchange, I would ask for your consent to my publishing the results of his treatment in a professional magazine, your son's identity remaining anonymous, of course."

"Let me think that over."

"Very well, then, please let me know as soon as possible. Other than the physical and psychological monitoring we are conducting, most of the care we have given for Donny can be provided at home. After all, before he came to us, to all appearances he was functioning within his limited capacity in the environment of Dr. Thompson's home. As for treatment, I am of the belief that most of Donny's physiological problems stem from the excess intracranial fluid that is forcing pressure on his brain. We could drain this fluid through a shunt in his head, which would run underneath his skin to drain into another part of his body. There, the body would simply absorb the liquid. The second method is what I prefer, that is the use of a diuretic. The liquid settled on his brain is cerebrospinal fluid, which is continually made and drained or reabsorbed by the brain. The diuretic will limit the production of the fluid, and the brain will absorb the excess liquid. However, in order for this to be successful, Donny would also need to limit his intake of liquids..."

"And Donny is currently on a liquid diet," Alan finished for the doctor.

"Yes, the bottles are a problem. If not for that diet, who knows, the liquid might have been absorbed into the brain by now. Donny needs to get back on solid food for nutritional purposes, likewise. So, the bottles must go."

"You will not receive any opposition from me."

"It is not your opposition that I am concerned about. Donny is firmly set into the routine that Dr. Thompson set up for him; he becomes overly emotional when we have tried to deviate from it in the least. He cries, pouts, hides, and visibly shakes. When he first came here, we thought he was very obedient to the nurses. Through the observations of staff, we have come to the conclusion that he is actually being very obedient to the dictates of Dr. Thompson; to all other directions, he tends to be oppositional. For this reason, we have continued his acquired daily routine, but it will be up to you to teach him to accept modification of it. This task will become easier if the reduced pressure on his brain allows him to regain his fine motor skills, coordination, and memory as I predict. As he sees he can perform more tasks, he will want to be and will become more independent. I must emphasize, Mr. Eppes, that this will be a full-time job. You are not going to be able to do this by yourself. Are there not other family members or friends upon whom you can rely?"

Alan thought about Charlie. He had been resolute in not wanting him to see his brother in his current condition, but if Donny was to receive care at home it could not be avoided. Alan knew he would need to prepare Charlie by giving him the reports he had received about his brother; maybe then he would understand just how difficult Donny's condition was.

"I have a younger son, as well as some friends of Donny who would probably offer to help."

"Fine. Now, as for other treatment, I think Donny should work with an occupational therapist twice a week to work on his fine motor skills; one of those days will be aquatic therapy to increase his muscle movement as well as his strength and coordination. He will also need to see a speech/language pathologist to increase his ability to express himself and, most importantly, to chew and swallow. I will set the initial appointments for you, and then you can proceed from there."

Alan nodded his head in accession.

"I believe that most of Donny's current behavior is not a result of the pressure on his brain. I believe it is psychological, that Dr. Thompson took advantage of his lack of memories and replaced them with her own. As Donny begins to regain his memory, we can assume there will be conflict between his prior knowledge of self and his current beliefs about who he is; the anxiety we see him exhibiting may actually be a symptom of that process already occurring, and his resistance to that change. We believe that if he receives proper emotional support in a structured environment, he will be able to work through that conflict and the man he once was will fight and gain control of his heart, body, and mind. As these changes will occur, we will need to monitor both his physiological and psychological progress; those appointments you can make at my front desk. I anticipate that he will need psychotherapy to come to grips with what was done to him, but we will see to that at a later date."

Dr. Wang opened a file and pulled out some papers, handing them to Alan.

"That is Donny's current schedule. Over the next few days, you can spend your time here practicing it while rebuilding a relationship with your son. It will not be the one you had before his current condition, but he does need to accept that you will be his primary caretaker in order for him to have a successful transition from the institution. When you take him home, it would be best to follow his routine for the remainder of the week. By Monday, however, you will need to start him on soft, solid food and toss the bottles. He will also begin the diuretic at that time, and I will prescribe him pain medication, as he tends to have headaches. Any other changes will either occur naturally or by following the suggestions of his therapists. Do you have questions for me at this time?"

"What about this rabbit, Buddy? Should I toss him, too?"

"From careful questioning, we have determined that Donny does not suffer from the delusion that the rabbit is real. It is apparent that he was isolated while with Dr. Thompson and developed the habit of talking to the toy out of the desperate need to be social. As he has had more interaction with my staff, his tendency to talk to the rabbit has decreased. He also seems to use the rabbit as some sort of protection, but from what we have not been able to determine; it might simply be protection from change, as clinging to the toy seems to help him to adjust to new situations and environments. In addition, Donny continues to have nightmares and the presence of the toy tends to calm him down. This is important, as he kicks out his feet and throws his head back in response to whatever he is dreaming, which risks further injury to his head. I can prescribe a sedative, but even this does not always prevent the flailing of his limbs. Do not dispose of the rabbit; as with many of the behavioral changes he needs to make, he will need to do that on his own and in his own time."

Dr. Wang told Alan it would be best if he went home and came back with the required necessities for staying at the institution for three days. During his stay, someone would need to take the time to set up a room at his home with Donny's bedding and clothing. A nurse would visit the following day and see if any other changes needed to be made to his environment.

Thanking the doctor once again, Alan went home to pack an overnight bag and to talk to his youngest son.

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When Alan entered his front door, he was greeted by a sullen and angry Charlie, who was sitting on the bottom of the stairs, effectively preventing anyone from ascending. He had his arms crossed, his back stiff and gave his father a look of determination.

"I am going to see Don," were the first words out of his mouth.

"Just a few more days Charlie."

"No, I want to see him today. I am not going to change my mind. If I have to break into that place I am going to see him."

Alan squeezed in next to his son, pressing their shoulders together as he sat. He clasped his hands in front of him and stared at the floor.

"Charlie, Don is not well. He really needs to stay at the institute, but it is too expensive. I could look for another place, but the doctor says we can take care of him at home and receive outpatient services, so that is what I have decided to do. But it will take both of us working full-time for several weeks or several months or maybe a year; the doctor seems to think it will be the lesser of the time, but we need to be prepared. I think you should take whatever time the university allows you, but not to catch up with Don or spend time relaxing. Your brother needs you to help take care of him, and I need you for emotional strength."

Alan wrapped an arm around Charlie and leaned into him. "If you want your brother to come home, you need to allow me to work with him the next three days- alone. A nurse is going to come by tomorrow with some things for Donny's room, and she'll be making some suggestions about changes we need to make. I need you to be here to get the house ready for Donny. Three more days, that's all I'm asking you. Please."

Charlie still had his arms crossed, but with his shoulders hunched and his back curved; they had taken on a protective stance rather than a demanding one. Swallowing, he told his dad, "Okay. I'll wait three days, but not one day- no, not one minute past. I can do this, for Don." He looked pleadingly at his father, "But Larry wants to see him, too. I'm sure Megan, David, and Colby are also wondering how he's doing. If he's well enough to come home, can't they see him? Or at least Larry; it would feel good to be around the table like a family again."

"I think it would be better if Don just stayed in his room for awhile, until he gets better."

"You mean locked up like Dr. Thompson had him?"

Alan was stung by Charlie's words, because he hadn't thought about it that way. He had planned on keeping Don in his room full time, only bringing him out for his therapy and doctor appointments. For some reason, he felt that keeping him out of sight would protect him, but that is what Dr. Thompson had done, and it hadn't protected him-Donald Eppes- but it had protected the image she had made him into, keeping it firmly in place. Changing his mind, Alan smiled and gave Charlie his permission for a 'celebration' dinner to welcome home Don. "But only you, me and Larry, his other friends can see him later. Nothing elaborate, just dinner. We gotta eat anyway, right?"

"Thanks, I just want my family back, and I think Don does, too."

Alan's smile faltered. You need to read those reports, Charlie, because the family Don might want does not necessarily include you and me.