Don stood in the doorway of the hospital room. Charlie sat on an exam table with a doctor putting stitches in his hand. Charlie just stood straight ahead. The night's events were finally sinking in.
"Don!" Don turned to see Megan walking towards him. She was followed closely by David and Colby.
Don turned back to Charlie, "I'll be right back, okay buddy?"
Charlie didn't respond. This concerned the older Eppes but he didn't have time to deal with it just then.
He went into the hall. Megan met him halfway.
"Don what happened? Are you guys all right?" Megan was sounded out of breath.
"Somebody shot him. I don't really know…it doesn't make any sense."
David and Colby exchanged glances but stayed quiet to follow Megan's lead.
"Slow down. Who shot who?" Don took a shaky breath to get himself in leader mode.
"Charlie and I got to the house and a car drives by and opens fire. Somehow one of the bullets hit my father."
Megan gaped. 'Alan Eppes has been shot? No! That doesn't make sense.'
David and Colby were no less shocked. "You're father," breathed Megan.
Don swallowed, "yeah, my father."
David spoke up, "how is he?" Don
Don shook his head. "I don't know. They took him back about 45 minutes ago and we haven't heard anything yet."
They all nodded in sympathy. "Where's Charlie," asked Megan.
"Oh, uh," Don gestured to the room behind him, "he's getting checked out by the doctor."
"Why?" His team gave him a look. " He's all right. He just cut his hand. He'll be fine." 'Physically.' He added.
"Look," he continued, "I need to find out why someone would target my family and I need to find out now."
"Eppes?" A doctor came around the hall. Don looked back into Charlie's room. He hadn't heard. He took the doctor by the arm and led him far from his brother's earshot.
"Is he dead?" Don couldn't believe those words came out of his mouth.
"No, no. He's a very lucky man. We removed the bullet. The bullet nicked an artery but we were able to repair it."
Don visibly relaxed. "So he's okay?"
"For the most part. The shock was quite hard on him. His age didn't help. He's still unconscious. That worries us. You can see him if you'd like."
A voice came out of no where "what's going on?" Charlie stood a couple of feet behind them.
The doctor repeated what he'd just told Don. Charlie took it all in rather silently.
Don looked around to see Colby gesturing him.
"Charlie look I've got to go to the office." He gave his brother's shoulder a quick squeeze.
"But Don. It's late and stormy."
Don turned back towards Charlie, "I'll be fine and I'll be back as soon as I can."
Charlie began to boil, "don't you want to see him?"
"Of course I do but I also want fine who did this and make them pay."
"I understand that but tonight? Right this second you have to go?"
Don groaned, "Charlie--."
"Our father almost died tonight. We almost died tonight!"
"You think I don't know that? I'm leaving now to make sure it doesn't happen to him again. Or you. Just stay here with him all right? I just—I have to go."
Don waved off any further objections his little brother might have had to throw at him.
Before Charlie could get another word in, and he had plenty of them, Don was gone.
Charlie couldn't believe what just happened. It would be ironic and somewhat amusing had the situation been less critical. Don had freaked. Don was running. Don didn't want to deal with this. Much the way Charlie didn't want to deal with his mother.
At the moment Charlie felt the anger and hurt that his family felt for him not too long ago.
Suddenly Charlie felt the familial responsibility fall on him. It was a burden that Alan and Don had shared but Charlie had never experienced.
His dad was injured. His brother was gone. He was on his own.
TBC
Author's Note: Again, with the muse, sorry. Just bear with me here people. I did have to add more to it. It was way too short. I know that they both probably seem a little OOC right now but I just thought it would be interesting to see Don freak and Charlie be a little more grounded. Role reversal. Anyway, R&R please. Thanx buds!