One Week Earlier

"You did a good job today buddy," Don smiled at his little brother.

Charlie beamed but tried to hide it. "Really?" "Yeah, that guy's going away forever. If you hadn't have figured out that his brother was hiding him, we'd be stuck."

Again Charlie tried to suppress a grin. "Yeah, well it wasn't really that hard for me. Although I can see where you would have had trouble."

"Shut up," said Don giving his brother a playful shove. "You need a ride?"

Charlie looked around, "looks like it." He started following Don out of the FBI headquarters, "so what'll happen to his brother, Dylan?"

Don looked down, "well he'll be charged with aiding and abetting but it's not nearly as bad as what his brother's facing."

"I guess," Charlie mumbled.

This switch in attitude did not go unnoticed by his older brother. "Something on your mind Charlie?"

"I guess it just doesn't seem fair that he's getting in trouble."

"Charlie he was hiding a murderer. I mean Ben Trevor killed twelve people two of them were just little kids."

Charlie got defensive, "I know that Don but Dylan didn't do it. He just wanted to protect his brother. He was looking out for family."

Don' voice quieted, "I know how you could feel that way but you've got to understand—."

"I do understand!" Charlie saw the shocked expression on Don's face and regretted snapping. He tried again, softer, "I do understand. All I meant was it's unfortunate that he has to pay too."

Don nodded in agreement, "it is but he brought it on himself."

By now they had reached Don's car. Don got into the driver's seat and just as Charlie was about to get in his side a figure approached them.

Charlie stopped dead in his tracks, his hand glued to the slightly open door, his feet cemented to the floor.

Don's blood froze in his body and his heart pounded against his chest. The man in front of them was Dylan Trevor and in his right hand was a small shiny pistol.

Don attempted to get out of the car.

"Don't you move," Dylan shouted. "I swear I'll kill you both now sit down!" Don did as he was told and sat back down in his seat.

Don was focused on Charlie but couldn't meet his eyes because Charlie was mesmerized by the gun pointed at him.

Don tried to hold steady. Under the seat so Dylan couldn't see he found Megan's number on his cell phone and hit send. He knew that his team were still upstairs and prayed that they'd get there fast.

He barely heard a female voice say, "Don? Hello?"

Don seized this opportunity and found his voice. "Dylan, what are you doing in the parking garage of an FBI headquarters with a gun? Do you really think that's the smartest thing to do?"

Dylan turned the gun on him, "I told you to shut up! Just shut up."

Don tried again once Dylan pointed the gun back to Charlie. "Dylan listen there is no way you're going to walk out of this place if you shoot someone."

Dylan grinned at him, "Oh, I'm not going to shoot just anybody just him." He gestured towards Charlie.

"Look you don't have to do that. It's only going to make it worse on you."

Dylan laughed, "probably but I'm betting it won't be nearly as tough on me as it'll be on you. Or him for that matter," he said pointing again at the frozen Charlie. "Maybe now you'll know how it feels."

"No one killed your brother. No one killed Ben!" Don regretted yelling and would continue to regret it for the rest of his life because that all too familiar bang rang through the air and his brother fell to the ground with a sickening thud, just as Megan, David, and Colby came around the corner.

Colby slammed Dylan into the ground knocking the gun from his hand. David ran to assist him.

Megan fell to Charlie's limp form. Don shook himself back to life and spun around the car as fast as he could to get to Charlie.

He gaped when he saw his baby brother. Charlie was lying on his back eyes staring up at nothing, dead unseeing eyes and just above them was a perfect tiny bullet hole. The blood came from the back of his head and formed a thick crimson pool around his head. Charlie's dark curls became matted with the sticky warm liquid as it slowly crept its way to Don's shoes and soon teardrops fell.

TBC

Authors Note: Well there's chapter two. Thanks so much for reviewing. I will have two or three more chapters for this story then I promise when and if I write another Numb3rs fic I will not kill Charlie. R&R thanx.