A/N: I can finally post after spending a couple days recuperating. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next instalment up before I leave again. Or the site goes down. Whichever.

Chapter 7:

Charlie wove his way through the crowds of people in the emergency department, searching for a familiar face. There had been a pileup on the 405 but he was sure most of those congesting the corridors were family members or concerned citizens, not walking wounded. Pushing past a group of teenagers loudly marvelling at the way the entire incident had progressed, he finally reached the duty station.

"I'm looking for my brother," he told the woman behind the desk. She rolled in her chair to the nearest monitor without looking up. "Name?" she asked, fingers poised over the keys.

"Don – Don Eppes."

Her eyes flitted over the screen. Pointing to an area off to the right, she replied, "Down there. Exam room six."

Charlie barely acknowledged before he hurried down the hallway toward a closed door with the Roman numeral 'VI' posted next to it. He glanced at the light over the door. It was off, indicating the room was free to enter. He knocked once and then pushed on the handle.

Megan was standing next to a tall bed. On the bed – and apparently extremely unhappy about it – lay Don, his face a mask of barely-controlled rage. He seemed about to say something to Megan, but broke off upon seeing his brother.

"Hey, Charlie," Megan greeted him warmly. "Thanks for coming."

Charlie stepped into the room, glancing over at her. "Hey." Turning to Don, he asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing," he growled, throwing an arm over his eyes.

Megan gave him a long-suffering look. "Right," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She addressed Charlie. "We've been telling him for the past three days to get some rest. To put something in his stomach other than stale coffee." Don made a disgusted noise deep in his throat. "Well," she added, "It looks like it finally caught up to him."

Charlie waited for her to elaborate. When she didn't, he asked, "Am I supposed to guess?"

"Nothing happened, Charlie!" Don replied loudly. Megan put a hand on his shoulder, which he immediately shrugged off. "Don't you have a class to teach or something? There's no reason for you to be here!"

Turning as if to leave, Charlie was halted by Megan's hand on his arm. She nodded at him and crossed to the door. "I'm going to step outside for a minute while you two chat, okay?"

Don lifted his elbow and peered out at her. "Find me some damn papers to sign while you're out there," he commanded. Megan rolled her eyes and eased the door shut behind her. In the silence that followed, Charlie studied his brother carefully. He'd been so wound up in his own affairs over the past two days that he'd failed to notice the strain in Don's features, or the tension coiled in him like a tightly wound spring. "How are you feeling?" he whispered tentatively.

Don heaved a sigh and let his arm drop. "Like an ass," he confessed. "Sorry for yelling at you, buddy." Charlie could easily see the dark circles under his eyes. "I guess I just overdid it."

Pulling up a chair, Charlie sat and placed his hand on Don's arm. "Want to talk about it?" he asked. When no answer was forthcoming, he withdrew his hand and laced his fingers together in his lap. He noticed, too, the slight transparent cast to Don's skin. Veins stood out on his arms, and not just because of the extra fluids going into them. Two bags labelled 'glucose' and 'saline' hung from the IV tree beside the bed, linked together – and to Don – through slender tubing.

"You're dehydrated and malnourished," Charlie observed.

Don glanced at him briefly. "I thought your doctorate was in mathematics," he muttered.

Sighing, Charlie said, "I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, Don."

"Then just what are you trying to do?" Don sat up suddenly, propping himself on his elbow. He squeezed his eyes shut as he was hit by a wave of dizziness and nausea. Charlie stood to help ease him back down onto the pillow. Once the spell had passed Don breathed, "Wow."

Charlie pulled the blanket up to his chest and then stepped back. "I promise," he said quietly. "I'll argue with you later if you want. Just relax, okay?"

Don gave him a calculating look out of the corner of his eye. "You call Dad?" he asked.

"No." Charlie shook his head. "Should I have?" Instead of responding, Don merely grunted. "Megan phoned me and I dropped everything to come down here."

Don turned his head sharply. "What did you do with the kid?" he asked.

"Her name," Charlie answered coldly, "Is Emma. Not 'the kid'." He stared at Don, his expression softening somewhat as an idea occurred to him. "Don, are you jealous?"

"Don't be stupid. Who the hell would I be jealous of? You?" He snorted. "That's just…" he trailed off. Charlie bit back a response and waited. Don stared up at the ceiling. "…Ridiculous," he said finally.

"Yeah." Charlie agreed quietly.

Don looked at him sharply, but Charlie said nothing more. Returning his gaze to the spot over his head, Don muttered, "Yeah, it is."

Just at that moment there was a soft rap on the door. "Come in," Charlie called. The door opened slightly and Megan stuck her head in. "Everybody decent?" she asked, causing both men to smile. She pushed the door wider and stepped inside. "Good. Don, I spoke to the doctor. He's willing to release you…"

"Thank God!" Don said. Megan held up her hand. He paused in the middle of getting up. "But?" he asked.

"But," she continued, "I had to do some smooth talking. He'll release you on one condition: You go home with Charlie."

"What?"

Charlie nodded, looking at his brother speculatively. "Sounds like a good idea to me," he said. "You know Dad won't let you mistreat yourself. He's been watching over me for years."

"I'm not an absent-minded genius, Charlie," Don replied. "I don't need someone 'watching over me'."

Megan shook her head. "Given that you're in here, Don," she smirked. "I'd have to call you a liar." Don opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. "And he won't sign off on your medical, either."

In the process of climbing off of the bed, Don froze and gaped at her. "You're not serious," he said.

"I'm sorry," Charlie interrupted. "Could someone please explain what's going on here?"

Don ignored him. "You're serious!" Megan nodded. "For how long?"

"A week," she replied. "Maybe more."

Charlie rounded on her. "Megan!" he protested.

She answered, "The doctor won't sign a form allowing Don to go back to work for at least a week."

He turned back to Don, a grin spreading across his face. Don glowered at him. "What the hell are you smiling at?" he asked.

"A week," his brother chuckled. "Oh Dad is gonna love this!"

Don groaned. "Dad! What do I say to him?"

Megan tapped her chin thoughtfully with one slender finger. "Hmm," she mused. "How about: 'Dad, I got hauled off to the hospital today because I hadn't slept in three days and I haven't eaten in more than a week'?"

"That's not true!" Charlie protested. "Don was over for supper last night! He ate then!" He turned back to Don, who wouldn't meet his eyes. "Didn't you?" He looked at Megan, who glanced at Don and then shook her head. Charlie lowered himself into the chair. "You didn't eat?" he asked his brother.

Finally, Don muttered, "Not really. Had other things on my mind."

"Oh, Don," Charlie breathed. "What have you been doing to yourself?"

"Knock it off," Don grumbled, sliding his feet to the floor and standing unsteadily. "You sound like somebody's mother."

Charlie's head snapped up. He refused to be baited, though. He stood and walked over to the closet to get Don's clothing. "Here," he said, tossing the garments on the bed. "You'd better get dressed." Don merely glanced at him before picking up his shirt. Charlie looked pointedly at Megan. She was watching Don with some amusement. Upon seeing Charlie's look, however, she said, "Well I think I'll go see what's keeping that doctor."

A few minutes later the door opened and a nurse came bustling in. She quickly removed his IV, covering the puncture with an adhesive bandage before hurrying back out. Charlie waited until the door had closed before reaching up to untie Don's gown.

"I can get it myself." Lifting his hands to the ties, Don staggered and would have fallen over if Charlie hadn't grabbed him.

"Right." Charlie eased his brother down onto the edge of the bed. He unlaced the gown and pulled it off Don's shoulders. Picking up the shirt, he held it in front of his brother. "You want to do this?" he asked. Don looked at him balefully. "Okay. Hold out your arm if you can."

It took almost five minutes, but finally Don was dressed. His face was pale and drawn and he was gasping by the time his shoes were on – a task he insisted on doing for himself. He looked at Charlie sheepishly. "Feel like a damn invalid," he said by way of apology.

Charlie gave him a small smile. "You'd better take a minute before we go out, or they're never going to let you go." Don nodded weakly as he lay back on the pillow. Charlie lifted his feet up, crossing them at the ankles. At Don's puzzled expression, he explained, "Might as well make the pose look intentional."

Just at that moment, the doctor entered the room. "Agent Eppes," he began shortly. "Sit up for me, please."

Charlie carefully masked the concern he felt as he watched his brother draw upon a hidden reserve of strength to sit up normally and – apparently – effortlessly. He held his breath as the doctor checked Don over and pronounced him fit to leave. As he turned to leave, however, the little man said, "Very good, Agent Eppes, but you're not fooling anyone. I hope you don't have a secret aspiration to become an actor." The door drifted shut behind him.

Letting out his breath, Charlie looked at Don. "Let's go home."