Chapter Twenty Two
Alan opened the door as he heard the car pull into the drive way, he resisted the urge to run to his boys. They sat silently for a few seconds, looking at each other. Charlie smiled and Alan watched as Don leaned forward and hugged him.
Once out of the car they both noticed their father waiting on the porch, Don strode straight up to Alan and wrapped his arms around his father.
"Thank you"
"Oh Donnie"
Alan reinforced his embrace and held his son. Don was quietly weeping into Alan's shoulder. Charlie approached them both and placed a hand on each of their back's. Alan pulled away after a few minutes and held Don's face in his hands.
"Are you ok?"
"I think I will be now."
Don hugged his father again, pulled away and wrapped his arms around Charlie.
"Who says we're not a hugging family"
Charlie pulled Don closer, all the while rubbing his brother's back.
"Ok boys, come on, or the neighbours will begin to talk, I have steaks on the grill for you both"
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Megan pulled up outside the Eppes residence. They were all looking forward to having Don back at the office, even if it was only for light duty. It was still going to be so good having his presence around them again. As she made her way to the house Megan kept replaying the phone call Charlie had made the week previous.
"It worked Megan, it worked so well."
"You know Don better than most Charlie. Trust yourself more, you made the right decision, went on your gut instead of the numbers"
"Actually Megan there's an equation in the garage I can show you when you pick Don up next week, I've written out how you can quantify…"
Megan had stopped listening and had instead focused on the relief and joy which Charlie's voice seemed marinated in.
"Hello? Don you ready for work yet?"
"As soon as my father let's go of my jacket I'll be ready"
Megan stood smiling at the scene before her, Alan was attempting to help Don put on his jacket, Don was attempting to do this task himself, he may have more use of his arm but he still wasn't strong enough to fend off an attack by Alan Eppes. Charlie was darting about behind them trying to collect all his books for school, all the while moaning about too many bodies fighting for the bathroom and how this was what it was like when he was younger.
"Seeing as this is my house now I should be the first one into the bathroom in the morning"
"Seeing as I'm your father Charlie I'd think you would have allowed me the first turn"
"Are either of you injured?"
Both shook their heads at Don.
"Then that settles it, I'm the first."
"Yeah but bro, please don't start every morning with a forty five minute shower."
As Megan pulled in to the FBI car park Don turned to her.
"Thank you for helping Charlie, for helping me"
"Anything I can do Don. Have you been back to the grave?"
"Yeah, Charlie drove me back there on Monday. It's so peaceful. You chose the perfect spot you know"
"It's the most beautiful part of the cemetery. I thought any little girl would love to gaze out from there"
"Any closer to finding her?"
Megan turned her sad gaze to Don and shook her head. He nodded, took a deep breath and exited the car.
"Hey Don, good to have you back!"
"Hey David, how are you?"
"I'm good, we've tried to keep up with all your paperwork, but as you can see…..well."
Don looked at the piles of files on his desk. Old cases, new cases. Paperwork requiring his signature. He felt very tired all of a sudden.
"Don, how are you doing?"
"I was fine Colby, seeing all this though"
Don raised his eyes to his desk.
"Well then, how about you start the day easy, with a coffee?"
Don followed Colby into the small kitchen. David sidled up to Megan.
"How is he?"
"He's good. Think he's just glad to be back here."
"Until he saw that paperwork"
"Yeah" laughed Megan.
"Do you know who's going to be doing that paperwork?"
Don placed his cup on his desk and sat. Regarding the three with a devious smile.
"Oh no man, we have cases we need to be doing"
Colby backed away, trying to put as much distance between himself and the paper mountain.
"I have to help Colby with a case Don so I guess, I'll leave you with Megan"
"Oh no you don't"
Megan watched helplessly as David and Colby walked away quickly. Don held up his broken right hand, waved it in the air for a second to gain full effect.
"I'll dictate and you type"
"Amita was right you know"
"About?"
Megan pulled up a chair and sat down, opening the first file.
"It's always the girls that get stuck with the typing."
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Megan watched as Don cradled his left arm to his chest. It was a little after four and for the past hour she had watched him grow more tired, the slow movements were her final push. She walked up to his desk, picked up his jacket and stood over him.
"Think you should call it a day Don?"
He looked at her, trying to hide his tired eyes with a smile.
"Ok, I'm not going to argue, I'm beat"
"Well, this is the most you've done in so long. It's going to take time. There's no need to push it on the first day."
"Save that for the second?"
"How about we work on pushing it when we're in the teens?"
Megan drove them back to Charlie's house, they had been talking about old cases with dried up leads when Don turned the conversation to Bruton.
"What did the DA say about the case?"
"It's tight Don, he's going away for a long time. If he makes it that is."
"What do you mean?"
"You weren't told? There was an attempt on Bruton's life. Seems he stepped on a few too many toes over the years, there's a lot of people looking for revenge"
"What happened?"
"He was beaten to within an inch of his life in the shower room. They broke both his arm's. Seems that someone held quite a grudge, they just needed him all wrapped up, easy to find, before they launched their attack. The warden has him in a secluded area in the infirmary. I'd be surprised if he made it to court."
"Wish I could say I was sorry for him"
"Really?"
"Ok, I'm glad I can't say I'm sorry for him, but I want him to stand trial for what he did."
"Either way he's paying Don."
"Not enough though"
"There's no news on Jessica."
"I didn't expect there to be. I guess we'll never know who she was"
"But at least she'll be remembered Don"
"Now you sound like my father"
"Wise people do tend to sound alike"
"Yeah ok Reeves, just remember you're typing for me all week. My own personal wise PA. Maybe I could add this to your job description?"
"Just remember I can take you out with one punch Eppes, injured or not"
Don squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.