Chapter 8

So You Didn't Really Fall Off the Jungle Gym?

Don squatted next to Charlie again, set to ask his brother if he was all right. Before he got the words out, though, Charlie looked at him in absolute terror. "I can't see Fenton, Don, I can't," Charlie said. "I…I can't remember, I don't know exactly how, but I'm convinced he had something to do with Jessica's step-father breaking my arm, right before she disappeared…" He paled, realizing what he had just said, and shrunk back into his chair, away from Don's grip on his arm.

Don ignored everyone else in the room and just squeezed harder. "Talk," he commanded. "Tell me. When you came home that day, you said you had fallen off the jungle gym in the park."

Charlie swallowed hard. He looked for a moment at Frank, and suddenly felt an unbearable weight on his chest. Maybe, if he had told the truth all those years ago, this young boy wouldn't have that look in his eyes, now. He looked back at Don, his eyes at once pleading for forgiveness and compassion from his brother. "D-Dad and Fenton were in a charity golf game. Fenton set it up, and he came for the weekend.

Mom and Dad asked him to stay with us, but he said he was staying with his brother, Jeff." The plea moved from Charlie's eyes to his voice. "So he had to know, don't you see? I can't remember…but I know he was staying there that weekend, and I know I went over on Saturday morning to help Jessica with her math homework. We were going to go to the park when we were finished." Charlie's voice broke, and he looked away from Don. "It was the basement. We went down to the basement to find Jessica's roller skates." When he looked back at Don, his eyes had taken on a blank glaze, and his voice was remote. "Her step-father was down there, working on the water heater. He got angry…I think…I remember him hitting me, over and over. We tried to run, but he chased us up the stairs and threw us back down…that's when I broke my arm…"

Oswald made a noise of disgust and moved closer to Charlie, but stopped walking when the professor looked up at him, jerking as if to escape approaching disaster.

Don closed his eyes. He believed Charlie. He had seen the bruises, been awoken by the screaming nightmares, Charlie hadn't acted "normal" for a year, clinging to Don every chance he got. It had annoyed Don, then – he didn't understand. If Charlie had told him someone had hurt him…. Oh, God, if Charlie had only have told them!

The problem now, was, it wasn't exactly something he could arrest Fenton for – possibly knowing about child abuse, unfortunately, was not a crime. He sighed, and spoke gently, his hand still on Charlie's arm. "I'm so sorry, Charlie. I'd give anything if I could make it so that if never happened. No wonder Jessica ran away." He held Charlie's gaze for a long moment, then finally half-stood and dropped heavily into a nearby chair. "I don't really see a way we can avoid going home. You know how Dad feels about Fenton. Besides, if he was really part of what happened to you, I want him to fry. If what Frank says is true, I want all the evidence on him that I can get, so he never sees daylight again!"

Don had raised his voice, and Charlie visibly flinched. Don forced himself to calm down and think like an FBI agent, instead of a brother. Surprisingly, it worked, and it wasn't long before he had a plan. He started with the simplest part first, and looked at Oswald. "I think you can help with this. You up for it?"

Oswald nodded enthusiastically. "Hell, yes."

Don smiled grimly. "Good. I need to talk to Colby, but if it's okay with him, I want you to spend the night with him tonight. I'm not sure what time I'll have to call you in, and it'll save time if you're together. You can fill him in on some of the background, too." Frank suddenly looked a little sick, and Don tried to reassure him. "I can't do this on my own, kid, the team has got to know. They're good people…and, I'm sorry to say…most of us have heard worse, in our time." Frank shrugged silently, and Don turned to his brother again. "Charlie, I want you to take Frank home. Prolong it as long as you can. Get gas in the car, whatever. Grab a soda with Frank, or something. Make it as late as you can. I'll distract Dad, somehow." Charlie had paled even further, if that was possible, and was shaking his head. Don reached out to touch him again, gently. "I promise you, Buddy, you will never be alone with that man." Don suddenly pulled his hand back and snapped his fingers. "I've got it! Dad said that Fenton is stopping to pick up Joe to bring him as well; he wants to spend the weekend with his brother. I'll suggest to Dad that the four brothers all go back to my apartment! Dad will try to talk us into staying at the house, but I'll tell him the Brothers Eppes want to introduce the Brothers Hardy into some L.A. nightlife, or something. Listen, Charlie, it's your house – do I have your permission to plant listening devices in the guest rooms?"

Charlie was having a tough time following. For one thing, Don was almost in stream-of-consciousness mode. For another, Charlie was still almost paralyzed. "Huh?", he asked.

Don shrugged. "Not sure it's gonna pay off, but it's worth a shot. Fenton might make a phone call, or something…and I'm not sure which room Dad will put him in."

Frank was relieved Joe was getting away from Jeff so quickly; almost giddy at the prospect of seeing him; grateful beyond words that Don was going to get them both away from Fenton tonight; and terrified that something was going to go wrong. He knew his father was only bringing Joe to use him as leverage and force Frank's cooperation. In his plethora of emotion, he managed a small squeak. "My brother's coming?"

Don finally looked at Frank with more than a cursory glance. The kid loved his brother. He had endured all kinds of hell to keep him safe, and was no doubt ready for more.

He was starting to like this kid.

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The other team members were waiting, even though it was after hours, by the time they all came out of the conference room. Charlie was staggering a little, like a colt on new legs, and Colby regarded him with concern. "You okay, Whiz Kid?"

Don rested a hand on Charlie's back and answered for him. "He's fine. Thanks for waiting, guys – we've got a major breakthrough in the case. Oswald, you stay here with me for right now; Charlie, you and Frank don't have to listen to this again. Remember what I said – take your time getting home."

Charlie shot him a grateful and silent glance, nodded, and headed for the elevator.

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Charlie filled up his car with gas, and drove to the nearest McDonald's. He was still shell-shocked, and also had a nagging feeling that what he couldn't remember was the most important part of all. He didn't even notice the irony when the formerly-silent Frank had to order for both of them.

They had been nursing sodas and ignoring a side of fries for almost an hour when Charlie's cell trilled. Neither of them had spoken in all that time, and Charlie jumped, then fumbled in his jacket pocket. He flipped the cell open in dread, recognizing his father's ring tone. "Y-y-yes?"

"Charlie?" Alan sounded a little confused. "Everything all right? Don told me you were in a conference room with a witness – since when do you do the interrogations?"

"Maybe later," Charlie said, surprised himself when he heard the words. That made no sense at all.

Apparently, Alan agreed, and now concern crept into his voice. "What? Son, are you all right? Where are you?"

With gargantuan effort, Charlie tried to pull himself together. "No. I mean, yes. I'm sorry, Dad, I'm just a little distracted. I'm fine. Frank and I stopped for a soda."

Alan chuckled a little. "Maybe you'd better let him drive home. Are you grading papers, or something?"

Charlie couldn't, for the life of him, muster a chuckle. "I'll be careful," he insisted, weakly.

Alan chuckled again. "I should hope so. Listen, Charlie, I called because Fenton and Joe are here. They'd like to see Frank. Oh! And Don just got here, too. I have enough beer and wine in the house for the adults, but since you're still on the way home, could you stop at the store and pick up some soda, maybe some ice cream?"

Charlie must have given the right answer, because Alan signed off cheerfully. Charlie was anything but cheerful when he looked across the table at Frank, however. Frank was no idiot. In spite of the fact that he knew this was coming, his heart sank. "They're here already," he whispered.

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Joe sat nervously on the couch, pretending to be reading one of the books he had picked up off the coffee table,but carefully watching Fenton. He was nervous because Charlie and Frank hadn't come home yet.

Don sat on the other end of the couch, Alan was in his recliner, and Fenton had pulled up another chair from the dining room. "It's surprising how old he is now, isn't it?", teased Alan, indicating Don with a tilt of his head. "Both the boys went and grew up on me. I'm very proud of both of them, as you must be of Frank and Joe. Don and Charlie have even been working together, the last few years!"

"Indeed?", smiled Fenton, resembling a Cheshire cat.

Alan smiled happily. "It's wonderful to see. Oh, and you'll have to meet Oswald, while you're here. Maybe we'll have a barbecue tomorrow and invite him over, or something. He's a young friend of the family, and he and Frank have been spending a lot of time together. You remember, I told you…"

"Yes," Fenton interrupted, stealing a stony look at Joe, "the young man who was able to make Frank talk. I certainly do look forward to meeting him."

"Charlie and Frank shouldn't be much longer," Alan said. "I asked them to stop at the store." Before he could continue, Don stood, excused himself and headed up the stairs. Alan figured there must be something in his old room he needed. Or maybe he had to use the restroom. He smiled at Don's back, and then looked back at Fenton. "I know you said you could only stay one or two nights, but I'd be happy to have Joe spend the rest of the summer with his brother, if he wants. I miss having two boys in the house."

"Well, Joe?" Fenton asked, nodding slightly as if to say it was okay. Anyone else would have missed it, but Joe always looked for it before he said 'yes' to anything, even though the prospect of staying with Alan – and away from Fenton – nearly made him shout for joy. Joe nodded slowly, and smiled shyly at Alan. "I'd like that," he admitted, scared to death that as soon as he said it, his father would forbid it.

Don trudged back down the stairs. "Dad," he said gruffly, "the door was unlocked again when I got here. How many times do I have to tell you how unsafe that is?"

Alan laughed. "I had just let Fenton and Joe in," he hedged. "Oh, Don, you should have seen Oswald's face this morning when he came to pick up Frank and found the door unlocked. He really let me have it – you would have been proud!"

Don noted the apprehensive looks Joe kept aiming towards Fenton – and also that the book he was pretending to read was upside-down. After hearing Frank's and Charlie's stories, he was worried about Joe, too. The Joe Frank had described; the Joe that Don remembered, was not subdued and frightened, like this one. He had to make sure he got him, and Frank – and especially Charlie – out of here, tonight. At least the listening devices were placed.

As if thinking of his brother had somehow conjured him into existence, the front door opened cautiously and Charlie entered slowly, followed by Frank. Don could see the tension in his shoulders and hear the reluctance in his voice, but hopefully, no-one else noticed. "Dad," Charlie said softly, shifting a 24-pack of soda in his grip, "don't you ever lock a door?"

Alan and Fenton laughed heartily, having just heard the same from Don, and Fenton stood easily. "Charlie," he greeted. "It's good to see you again." His eyes flitted to his eldest son. "Frank. You're looking quite well. Your mother and I have missed you."

Frank froze in his tracks, unable to look away from Fenton, unable to move, even though he longed to grab Joe and run out of the house. The bag of ice cream slipped out of his hands and thudded on the floor.

He wondered if he would ever breathe again.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews this far. It's going to get into some of Charlie's past, Frank's past, and into some "interesting" stuff. I think you'll be surprised at the next chapter.

I'd like at least five reviews before I post the next one up. I know you people are reading, and just not reviewing.

After this, I'll leave the review count at that – whoever reviews, so be it.

THANKS TO FRAIDYCAT MAJORLY – SHE SPENT A LONG TIME WORKING ON THIS.