THE ENDING OF THIS MISERY

Disclaimer: I do not own any NUMB3RS characters I am not that lucky and if this ever happened on the show well that would be very different.

Summary: Terry and Don leave for a case in Reno Las Vegas. Charlie and Larry go missing. Amita is pregnant, but does the father want it? David has a secret he's not telling either. Alan is going crazy because of the absence of his sons for his sons and someone strikes home while Don and Charlie are away.

Chapter 3: Don and Charlie

Charlie arrived at his home two hours after he left the university. Larry had taken him out for dinner and it was good but was glad he was home now. He entered the dark, inhabited home. The absence of his father scared him slightly; he was usually home by this hour. He could hear only the pumping thumps in his head it made the room slightly spin around him. He was tired and had a headache all he wanted to do was lay down, and go to sleep. He had forty exams to grade, and things to check up on and desperately did not want to do any of it. He removed his satchel and coat placing them into an armchair that was next to the front door. He slowly made his way through the living room and dinning room turning on all the lights. Blinding his eyes and hurting his head but continuing into the kitchen, he placed his keys on the table. Walking over to the answering machine and pressed the button.

"You have one message. Monday four p.m...

"Hey, Charlie this is your father I'm going to your grandparents I'll be back in a couple off days Charlie don't do anything to dangerous. Love you bye." The beep came and he pressed the delete button.

Charlie then walked across room, the floor squeaked slightly under his weight. He started the coffee pot sitting down; at the table, he closed his eyes and leaned back against his chair, and fell asleep rather quickly in his chair. An hour came and went as he slept silently.

He would have slept there all night but the phone woke him out of his dreams and made him move against his will. He got up and picked up the phone.

"Eppes" Charlie answered sleepily.

"Mr. Eppes this is Doctor Farr I got your results back from the scan you took the other day and would like you to come in and talk about it. I am not going to go into detail I would prefer to tell it to you in person. So when is the closest time that you could come in?" Doctor Farr asked business like.

Hearing that it was his doctor, he woke up and became full aware of his surroundings. He had gone in two months ago to take a CAT scan of his entire body; two months ago, he was having severe migraines, passing, and out spacing out. Currently for the last month, he had felt fine, no pains anywhere but they were slowly coming back and he had felt them this afternoon, they were starting to scare him.

"I could come in anytime till Tuesday." Charlie responded with a small voice.

"How about Wednesday, at nine a.m." Doctor Farr continued.

"Okay thank you." Charlie struggled out.

"Well I will see you the day after tomorrow then, good bye Mr. Eppes." Doctor Farr said.

"Bye" Charlie said softly and hung up the phone sitting down at the table. He was going to be fine he knew. He just had to have faith. Believe that God would not purposely do something to him or his family who had barely recovered from his mother death. He felt a jolt in his stomach making him feel nauseated he needed Don. He wanted and needed Don so badly now. However, he was not going to get him, and he knew that. Charlie would never think of asking him to leave his work especially since he had no idea what the doctor was going to tell him.

Then the question that had been haunting him ever since he got the scan done was asked. "What if I do? What if I am sick how am I suppose to tell people? How was he going to tell Don?" He asked himself. Placing his head between his, hands He taking deep breaths his thoughts turned to his mother two years prior she had been in this position. The doctor told her that she would be fine, after they did the surgeries and got everything done; they promised that she would be fine, but it was not true, she never made it. She was supposed to be alive today she was to be sitting her talking to him but she was not. Don and Dad were there for Mom, but he wasn't there for her he let her down. He let the rest of them go through the pain the heartache and torture of taking care of a dying mother.

He then and there decided not to let them do the same thing. If he was indeed, sick. I'm not going to tell them the results then if I die then I die, I die without them knowing. However, I am not going to make them go through this again.

He decided that he would call Larry bring him with him on Wednesday. Standing up he picked up the phone dialed Larry's phone number, he brought the coffee pot over to the table and refilled his mug. Taking a drink as Larry answered.

"Larry Fleindhardt" He answered hearing him made Charlie feel at ease.

"Larry this is Charles, listening I was wondering if you could help me." Charlie asked quickly.

"Another unsolvable question Charles? Do you want me to come over for this?" Larry asked casually.

"Um, you don't need to and I'm about to go to bed soon anyways. Therefore, I don't think so. Would you mind taking Wednesday off of work?" Charlie asked timidly

"Why?" Larry asked wondrously.

"I have to into the doctor's to get the results to a CAT scan I got done a couple of months ago and didn't really want to go alone so?"

"Yeah what time?"

"Nine a.m. are you sure?" Charlie asked tiredly

"Yes Charles you need me and I would never let you down." Larry stated proudly.

"Thank you. Oh and Larry there is just one condition."

"Yes"

"You can not tell Don or Dad or anyone for that matter. Okay?"

"Okay Charles I promise."

"Thank you, well I will see you then, I'm going to bed goodnight." Charlie hung up the phone, sat, and stared at it pondering on how it was made and how everything fit together. The phone rang a couple minutes later. Charlie shook his head and answered annoyed.

"Eppes".

"Hey Charlie." Said the voice he knew so well on the other end. He looked at his clock it was almost nine which meant he was probably at the hotel room with Terry.

"How's the case going?" Charlie asked trying to be interested but not caring.

"Its going great we are making a lot of progress. We have gotten some great leads and played them out and I think we are going to get them. Terry says hi." Don said his cell phone got fuzzy then stopped.

"Hey I'm really tired my head hurts so um unless you have something really urgent." Charlie not wanting to but knowing that he needed sleep he decided that Don needed to go.

"Well I just wanted to see how you were doing and check in with you." Don said simply.

"I'm fine besides this migraine that I have. Moreover, I really have to go okay. Love you, bye." Charlie said shortly.

"Bye, hope to see you in a few days buddy." Don said oddly. Charlie turned off the phone taking out his cell phone the turned it off and walking over to the cradle for his home phone he unplugged it now he could sleep as long as he wanted to. Leaving the room, he shut off the lights; and on his way to his bedroom, he shut off the rest of the lights. The room was dark and inviting to him going to his stereo turning on some quiet Josh Groban and listened as he quietly started singing.

I know you're gone

I watched you leave

I always thought

That it was me

You made it clear

With that, last kiss

You couldn't live a life

With maybe's and whatif's

When every boat

Has sailed away

And every path

Is marked and paved

When every road

Has had its say

Then I'll be bringing you back

Home to stay