Disclaimer: Standard still applies.
A/N: Gah. I don't like cake.

"I want Cake!" Charlie voiced loudly.

"Charlie. Cake is not something you can have for dinner." Alan said, "We will be having meatloaf."

Charlie groaned, "I don't want meatloaf! I want cake!"

"We are not having cake for dinner." Alan said sternly, "But we might be able to have some for dessert."

Charlie smiled, "Yay!"

"But you have to eat all the food from your plate before you get any cake." Alan said nonchalantly as he started making the meatloaf.

Charlie sighed and got off the chair and made his way to the living room. He sat down and looked at what he had been working on.

Picking up the crayon he continued to write the math equation. Hm. No ... we need a different color. He put down the blue crayon and picked up the red one. Yes, much better.

Don walked in and watched Charlie. His hair was covering most of his face and his tongue stuck out of his mouth just a little bit as he worked hard on something. Don walked over to see what it was and when he looked, Don smiled to himself. Even though he was acting like a child, he did the most advanced math.

Don sighed and went into the kitchen and found his dad making diner. He groaned, "Aw. Meatloaf?"

Alan chuckled, "You sound like Charlie. Though he stated that he wanted cake - not meatloaf."

Don smiled, "Cake does sound good."

"Don't go and get idea's in his head. You both are going to eat the meatloaf before I give anyone any cake." Alan scolded his eldest.

Don laughed, "Alright. Alright." He paused, "Are we supposed to give Charlie is medication?"

Alan nodded. "I think we are." He looked at the clock, "And it's time. Donnie, will you give it to him for me?"

Don nodded, "Alright." He grabbed as many pills as was needed and walked into the living room where Charlie had last been seen by him.

"Charlie?"

Charlie looked up from his paper and crayons. "Donnie?" His voice was small.

"Hey, you need to take these." He handed Charlie the pills and a glass of water.

Charlie stared at the pills. He looked up at his brother, eyes wide. "There are so many."

"Well, you don't have to take them all with one swallow. Take a few at a time." Don suggested.

Charlie nodded and did as he was told. When he was done he handed Don the empty glass as the doorbell rang out.

"I'll get it!" Charlie yelled as Don put the glass up. "Hallo!"

Megan smiled at Charlie, "Hello. May we come in?"

"We?"

Megan nodded, smiling. "Larry's here too."

"Larry!" Charlie smiled happily. "Larry is my friend."

"I know that, Charlie." Megan said, a little disappointed that Charlie was not better. "May we come in?"

"Oh!" Charlie moved aside as Megan walked in, soon followed by Larry.

Megan and told Larry some of what Charlie had been like, so that Larry wasn't coming into the house totally unaware. But neither of them knew the full extent of Charlie's child-like behavior.

Charlie was quickly back at his paper writing with his green crayon.

Don walked into the room after he put the glass up and smiled, "Hey, Megan. Larry." He nodded to the two of them.

Megan nodded back, "I said that this morning I would be back to check up on things."

"I'm glad you did." Don said as quietly as he could.

Larry sat down in a chair across from Charlie and picked up a stuffed bear.

Charlie stopped writing and stared at Larry.

Don and Megan watched the two of them. Larry staring at the bear, and Charlie staring at Larry, who seemed to not notice the stare of his friend.

"Larry?" Charlie asked after a length.

Larry quickly looked up, startled, "Charles?"

Charlie couldn't help it. A smile spread across his face and he started giggling.

"Charles?"

Charlie's giggles soon became laughs.

Larry was never that good with young kids and even though this was his friend, he didn't know what to do. he looked at Don and Megan for help.

Don put his hand on Charlie's shoulder, "Hey, Charlie. Stop laughing."

Charlie gradually stopped laughing and he smiled up at Don, "Larry called me Charles."

Don nodded slowly, "He always does."

Charlie's mouth opened, then closed. He nodded. "Yeah. But it's funny."

"Funny?" Don asked, raising an eyebrow, "I fail to see how that is funny."

Charlie shrugged, "N' I never really thought it was funny till today." he nodded, moving closer to Don, "Donnie?" He whispered.

"Buddy?" Don whispered back.

"Larry's got Archie."

"Do you want Archie?"

Charlie nodded.

"Tell Larry." Don said, "You want Archie, you've got to ask Larry for him."

Charlie pouted and turned toward Larry, who had heard the whole conversation even though they had "whispered".

"Larry?" Charlie asked, timidly.

"Yes, Charles?"

"May I have Archie?"

Larry scrunched up his face, "Who is Archie?"

Charlie pointed, "The bear ..."

Larry nodded, handing the bear over to Charlie who clung to it. "Charles, are you the one who drew the pi symbol on him?"

Charlie nodded as he picked up a crayon, as he bent back over his paper.

"What are you writing, Charlie?" Megan asked.

"A story."

Megan looked at the paper, she raised an eyebrow, "What kind of story? All I see is math equations."

Charlie sighed as he put down his crayon and held onto Archie tighter, "I'm writing a story through math." He rolled his eyes as if it was the simplest thing to understand.

"How are you doing that?"

Charlie shrugged, "I just do it."

"What is the story about?"

Charlie looked down at the floor as he answered, "Toby and Flynn."

The three others all looked at each other. They're faces showing confusion. "Who is Toby and Flynn?"

"A windmill and some blue silly putty."

Alan walked in, "Dinner is ready." He turned to Megan and Larry, "Will you both be joining us?"

"What are you serving?" Larry asked.

"Meatloaf."

Larry shook his head, "No. I think I'll go home and fix me something nice and white."

"And I actually have somewhere I need to be." Megan shrugged.

Alan nodded, "Alright. Well, come on boys. While it's hot."

Don heard the door open. What time was it? He looked at the clock beside his bed. "What is Charlie doing up at 11:47?"

Don was about to get up from his bed when his door opened and his listened the the pitter-patter of his brother's feet. Don turned over and sat Charlie's head peaking over the edge of the bed. "Buddy?"

"Donnie." In the darkness Don could see the tear stained face.

Don sat up, "Buddy? What's wrong?"

"It's scary." His voice was shaking.

Don noticed that if Charlie were holding onto Archie any tighter that the bear's head would pop off. Don made some room, "Want to sit and tell me why?"

Charlie made his way into Don's bed. "I don't like my room."

"Why not?" Charlie did not answer Don, "Why not?"

"Bad memory."

"Bad memory? What bad memory?" Don asked in the dark.

"I-I don't wanna be in my room by myself. Th-The monster ..." Charlie's voice cracked.

Don sighed, "Alright. You can sleep in here with me. The bed isn't big enough for the two of us though. You can have the bed and I'll sleep on the floor." Don got up to move, but he was stopped when Charlie grabbed his arm.

"N-No. Donnie, I don't wanna be alone. If you're on the floor then he could come again."

"Who is he?" Don asked, worried for his brother.

Charlie shook his head, "It's stupid. He's away. He'll always be away now. But the fear keeps coming, Donnie. Like a monster that hides under the bed. Then he stings, like a bee." He paused, shuttering, "All in a matter of seconds it starts. Then I wake up cold and alone."

Don sighed, understanding. "Buddy? This is your first night back in your room. I understand why you are scared." He ran his hand through his hair, "I guess you can sleep with me tonight. But tomorrow you'll have to sleep in your room. Understand?"

Charlie nodded. "I understand, Donnie."

Don sighed as he and Charlie got situated in the bed. "Good night, Charlie."

"G'Night, Donnie." Charlie snuggled into the bed with a smile on his face.

"I want Cake!" Charlie voiced loudly.

"Charlie. Cake is not something you can have for breakfast." Alan said, "We will be having pancakes."

Charlie groaned, "I don't want pancakes! I want cake!"

"We are not having cake for breakfast." Alan said sternly, "Anyway, You love pancakes."

Charlie sulked in the chair, "I don't love pancakes."

"What are you talking about?" Alan asked, "You always ate them. As many as your mom made for you. You ate all of them."

"Doesn't mean I liked them." Charlie mumbled, crossing his arms and slumping.

Alan turned to Charlie, "What are you saying?"

Charlie looked up at his dad with child-like eyes. "I don't like pancakes and I never did."

"Then why did you always eat them?" Alan tilted his head, wanting to know the answer.

"Mommy made them for me." Charlie hugged Archie, "I miss Mommy."

Alan felt tears sting his eyes. "Yeah. I miss her too."

"I want cake. Not as in pancake. I want real cake."

"No." Alan said forcefully.

"I want a pop tart then!" Charlie voiced loudly.

Alan thought for a moment, "Charlie. I don't think we have pop tarts. You haven't wanted one in years."

Charlie's smile fell. "Oh." He paused, "Do we have cereal?"

"What kind?"

Charlie thought about it. "Cookie Crisp."

Alan stared at his son, "I don't know if they make that anymore."

"I think they do." Don said, yawning and walking into the room.

"I want Cookie Crisp."

"I heard you before, Charlie." Alan said, simply, sighing. "We don't have any."

"But I want Cookie Crisp."

"I'll go to the store if you want, Charlie." Don said.

"Will you get me Cookie Crisp?"

Don nodded. "And anything else we might need."

"I'll make you a list." Alan said.

"Make sure you put Cookie Crisp on it."