Title: Into Dust 3/5
Author: scotsrock
Pairing: Don/Charlie
Fandom: NUMB3RS
Rating: R (subject)
Warning: Hints of rape and strong violence!
Word Count: 710
Disclaimer: Not mine. This is fiction.
Feedback: Awesome Author's Notes: Charlie remembers. Don moves into Charlie's house for a while.
It was a strange feeling to enter the house. It was more silent than ever before. Dad was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Charlie was sleeping on the couch. Don could see that it was a sleep disturbed by nightmares he didn't even want to know.
Don went to the bathroom, quickly and silently greeting his dad, and took a long hot shower. He let the water patter down on him, and he really hoped it would erase the dreadful last hours. The words of the assistant director were still ringing in his ears. Two weeks. But maybe it wasn't that bad after all.
He recalled Meghan's plea to find out what Charlie had gone through. They needed his statement. Don closed his eyes and looked up. The drops prickled on his face. He didn't know if he could discuss this topic with Charlie. He wasn't sure if Charlie was ready to talk about that. No, it was way too early. He needed time. Two weeks. That was all he got.
When Don finally came down to dinner Charlie was still asleep. His forehead was folded. Don shook his head desperately.
Darkness surrounding him. Something was wrong. What did they want? What was their goal?
A push from behind. He fell hard on the floor. Ropes around his hands. Suddenly a punch in the face, a kick in the stomach, a sharp object digging itself into the skin of his arms, face, chest.
He screamed. Pain. Unbearable pain.
He lay on the stomach. Laughing. Cold-blooded laughs everywhere.
Someone rose him to his knees. His pants went down fast. Panic. Heart beat fastened. Sweat on forehead.
He screamed once more. It didn't help.
Where was he? Did he left him here to die? Would they kill him? When would he come? Would he come at all?
"Don!"
Don sat down on the armchair next to Charlie and watched him in silence. This was the worst that could have happened. He had thought about it so often, but then had shoved the thought of it aside. Charlie always had an agent with him. But that had been during a case, not when Charlie was teaching at CalSci, unprotected, unguarded.
Don heard his dad coming into the room.
"You have found him very fast.", Alan said suddenly in a lower voice.
"Not fast enough.", Don answered and let out a long painful sigh.
There was no more time to talk on for Charlie's eyes sprang open with a jolt. He took in a sharp breath and stared upwards. Don at once knelt down beside him and seized his hand, squeezing it gently.
"I'm here, Charlie, I'm here."
Charlie didn't react.
Don shut his eyes tightly and looked away. He swallowed hard, his body shaking slightly. What if he did not remember him? But then Alan stroked Charlie's hair lovingly.
"Charlie, it's Don, your brother."
Charlie was awakening once again. Now his head turned and he returned Don's squeeze.
"Don.", he whispered, and suddenly Don felt Charlie's small arms around him. Charlie embraced him. "You came."
Don's arms were immovable. His whole body froze. Don felt it again. Anger. Fury. Rage. Hatred. It was increasing, the more Charlie held on to Don the more Don wanted to back away. To leave. Finally he had enough.
Don pushed Charlie away and stood up fast. He could not look into those numb and empty eyes again. He could not listen any longer to Charlie's suffering whispers. He could not endure Charlie's pain any more. He freed himself from Charlie's grip on his arm, grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the house.
Charlie's smile was gone forever. He would never look at Don the same way he had always done. Don wanted to hit something, or someone, very hard. It was all his fault. If he hadn't locked up Norton's brother... He should have thought about this. He should have considered the possibility of a revenge act. He should have put Charlie on everyday surveillance. He should have...
What was the point? Why did he do it? It was useless now that Charlie... It was not fair. In the end Norton had really achieved his goal. Don suffered. Charlie was in pain.
Both souls broken.
