Ok, so my computer crashed big time. It's virtually brand new. So I take it to store. Huge delay. They tell me all my data is lost and I need a new hard drive. They tell me I have a new hard drive come and collect my dataless computer. I turn up, take morning off work, only to discover that the new hard drive has crashed. I beg for a new computer, if I have no data what's the point? They tell me they've saved all my data so just wait for the new repairs. Angry and tired of fighting I just wait. Finally computer is returned, seems to have data but it's only an appearance of data, programs need to reinstalled..blah blah blah…how could I explain to the techs what they're doing, leaving me hanging unable to post? Finally, here it is…the last chapter. I hope it satisfies despite the tardiness. I re-read other chapters and sometimes I realize I jump around a bit on sentences making it difficult to understand what I'm talking about or whose perspective it is, hopefully I can rectify that tendency in this one. If you're still reading…then thanks and enjoy (hopefully)

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"Agent. Please. Keep still." The paramedic was trying his best to administer relief to the agent but they were fidgeting so much it was becoming impossible. He had one last resort for these type of patients – the BIG needle. He pulled out the oversized pricker and waved it in front of the uncooperative agent. "Actually, you might need this."

It worked a treat. The medic laughed at how much a prop he used to teach kids basic lifesaving skills came in handy. The agent's auburn tresses planted themselves on the pillow on the gurney and he was able to wheel her inside the ambulance without any further problems. Mind you, she had a few words to say about it…

"God, you people. Do you understand what it's like to have a partner. First you separate us and now you won't let me see him."

"Mam, you've been shot. You've lost a lot of blood, if we don't get you to hospital soon it will be your partner who will be worrying about you. This is no picnic. You've done a lot of damage to yourself, and I take your health seriously, even if you don't."

"I didn't."

The paramedic reached for an oxygen mask from inside the ambulance and pulled it over her face. The pretty agent's last comment was a bit tangental. "Huh?"

"I didn't do this to myself. A bullet and a crazy woman caused it. I did nothing to myself."

"Oh right. Sorry. Forgot I was dealing with the FBI and not the general public. You guys are so damned literal. Don't cuff me for the mistake."

Megan winced at the comment. The fire brigade had to be called to get them out of the basement area. Score 1 for the firies. Then to add insult to the FBI's injury, one of the sexiest firefighters had to pull out a very large pair of bolt cutters to remove the handcuffs on herself and Don. Megan hadn't realized how tight they were until they had been removed and a tingling sensation trickled from her wrists. She wasn't sure if it was the relief of being free or the relief that Don was safe, but Megan had forgot herself, and Larry, and caught herself flirting with the hunky fireman.

While Megan had been prodded and poked and freed, Don had been swamped by a number of people crowding him. So many bodies blocked her view she wasn't even sure Don was still there. She had been whisked out of the basement fairly quickly leaving Don in the basement without knowing his prognosis.

"Agent. Agent Reeves? Megan?" The words faded into the sound of the siren as the ambulance sped away from the crime scene. Her job done, Megan let the drugs warm and dull her body and she felt no need to respond to any more questions of the paramedics.

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"Don?" Charlie had charged into the basement, slipping past several SWAT members who tried to stop him. It was one of those moments he was glad he was short.

An array of people crowded Don so that he couldn't see him. Charlie looked briefly across to Megan and could see she was being looked after by the medics. David was standing behind her, overseeing, but Megan didn't seem to notice. She was bleeding from her shoulder and she was almost glowing white from the paleness she exhibited.

Charlie felt a pang of guilt that he was about to ignore Megan but he desperately needed to know what state Don was in. Squeezing his body through the throng of people he made it to a spot where he could see his brother's body. Don's head remained out of sight but he could see blood on his hands and over his clothes. He closed his eyes and gulped before checking the concrete underneath; there was no pool of blood and Charlie sighed with relief.

An arm found Charlie's shoulder and dragged him closer to finally see Don's face. It was Liz who had pulled him and he smiled a thanks at her. He then looked down at Don and flinched. His head wound had bled profusely, dried blood made it impossible to tell how bad the injury was. One medic was shining a light into his eyes while another was administering an IV.

"Don, Charlie's here." Liz's voice was soft but strong, concealing any of the fear she clearly had been feeling.

Don's dark and crusted head lolled to face Charlie and Liz. His lips parted but no sound escaped. Don blinked as if in slow motion and then smiled. "I've a brother…Charlie…same name. Genius. You'd like him."

At this moment the medics lifted Don onto a gurney and the crowd parted to allow them thoroughfare out of the basement. Liz held on to Charlie's shoulder and gently pulled him back into herself. "You're lucky. He thought I was his piano teacher. Not sure he was too fond of her."

Charlie wanted to smile but couldn't. Liz sensed the pain Charlie was feeling. "He's going to be OK. Once he comes to his senses. If he comes to his senses."

Charlie looked into Liz's deep eyes and finally smiled, "Not sure he ever had any senses."

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Larry's tired figure walked into the dark room and gently touched Alan's shoulder. "Fancy seeing you here."

Alan smiled and stretched. He'd been sitting in the most uncomfortable chair beside Don's bed for a few hours now. At least his previous stint in hospital had prepared him and he had brought a cushion from home this time. "Larry. How's Megan?"

"Good. Good. She's resting. Bullet went clean through. Some damage. She'll need a bit of physio to be right again but nothing that can't be fixed. I am beginning to think she's unbreakable, although there were moments there when I felt she could have been as fleeting as a comet, reliable but crumbling."

"Well I think the only thing crumbling around here is this old man's bones."

"How's he holding up? I'm not entirely familiar with concussions but I can't imagine being hit on the noggin twice would be all that…desirable." Larry collapsed in the chair next to Alan and drew his hands up under his chin as though praying.

"They've done every test under the sun. There's a bit of swelling so we need to wait until that subsides before we know if there's anything…" Alan adjusted himself in his seat, displaying his discomfort at the next thought, "…permanent."

Larry smiled at Alan and placed one of his hands on his shoulder. "The only person I know who has a harder head than Don is his brother. Speaking of, where is Charlie?"

"I don't know actually. I dozed off and he was gone. Never was one for hospitals."

Larry's eyes seemed to apologize and it made Alan feel like he needed to clarify.

"I don't blame him. It's how he copes. Even though they have opposite ways of dealing with things, it's for the same reasons. Charlie can't bear to see anything suffer, can't bear to think he can't control something. Don, well he goes even further by not wanting people to see him suffer. That's where Charlie differs. If he's sick, trust me, you'll know it."

Larry laughed and Alan smiled. Don slept, unaware he was being talked about.

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Her body is soft. I remember it being soft. Warm, smooth and soft. I miss it. I see it wrapped in linen and soak up the smell of her. It smells of peaches and…fire. Burning flesh. An image of Liz, still…prone. I'm scared. So scared.

Don's eyes flash open with fright. It's dark and some of the shadows swim into shapes of monsters and evil. The fear he woke up from is still there and his breathing and heart rate are elevated.

"Shh, here."

A cool ice chip softly melts on his lips and somehow manages to calm him. Slowly his eyes adjust to the darkness and he sees the figure seated beside him.

"Liz."

"Shh."

"I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as you will be. Getting yourself captured and clobbered twice."

"Sorry. I…just…"

"It's OK. I forgive you. Just don't let it happen again. Starting to suspect you're just trying to test your team on its detective skills."

"Not sorry about that. I'm sorry about…" Don found it difficult to get the words out, not really unusual of course, but this time he wanted to say them, "…the explosion. The way I reacted."

"It's OK. I can't really hold you responsible for reactions."

"Yes, yes you can. I knew I was wrong. I was just so scared. If anything happened to you. I'd…I'd die."

"So you thought you'd set about trying to do that twice. In future, how 'bout you send me flowers. Or even better, a six pack, nothing says 'don't die' like a six pack."

Internally Don was smiling but, due to the extreme pressure emanating from his head, externally he just looked blankly at Liz.

"Aw c'mon. I'm not like those other sissy girlfriends you've had. I can really bust your balls and that makes for thirsty work."

Don licked his dry lips before asking, "So we good then?"

Without thinking Liz dished out more ice chips to Don and answered his question. "We're good. I'm good. You, I'm not so sure about."

"I have a headache. That's all. Nothing to write home about."

"Hmm. You've got a hard head. Doctors say you are lucky to not have permanent damage. So stubborn you won't even let brute force crack the thoughts of Don Eppes."

"Yeah, well I don't feel lucky. I feel like a giant stepped on my head. You look good though."

"Hey, hey hey there buddy. You're still concussed. Megan filled me in on all your ramblings and let's just say, there's a few that can and will be used against you."

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A soft breeze rippled the water and sent the fish diving for cover. Charlie removed the lid of the fish food and littered a small amount of the surface. He sat back on is legs and watched the koi swim back up to the surface in search of the food.

"Thought I'd find you here."

Charlie didn't turn around to respond to Amita's voice. "Statistically, finding me somewhere within my own home was never going to be a long shot."

"No. Not even at a time when most normal people are at a hospital visiting their injured brother."

A sigh escaped Charlie's lips and he stood up to face Amita. "He's coming home this afternoon. I don't see what the problem is."

"That's fine Charlie. Don understands. You put all your energy into finding Don, I guess it seems strange to not want to reap the rewards of finally having him back."

"I didn't find him to…"

Amita brought her fingers up to Charlie's lips and shushed him with them. "He gets it. I just wanted to make sure he understood that, despite his genius brother's inability to enter a hospital, it was actually that same brother who is responsible for finding him, on all occasions."

"It wasn't just me."

"No, it wasn't but you never gave up on him. Do you know how incredibly attractive that is. I'd hope if I was missing, or in trouble, you'd be there for me."

"No Amita, don't ever hope you go missing."

"Charlie, I said if I did. Of course I don't hope to…look all I hope, well all I realize, is that you are loyal and unrelenting. Which makes you both sweet and sexy at the same time. You're a contradiction of terms."

Charlie walked across to the backdoor step and sat down. He fiddled with the fish food and Amita realized he was thinking about what he wanted to say. She knew enough to remain quiet until he formed his thought enough to share it with her.

"It's like. I could see all the scenarios in my mind. The math was there telling me one thing but this time…this time my math meant nothing. I couldn't convince anyone of it because I couldn't use it for any real purpose. The one time. The one time. My brother needs me and I, just, I couldn't deliver."

Amita rested her arm around Charlie's shoulders and gave him a light hug. "I think what you're feeling is less the frustration of not being able to get the math to show you the solution, but more the fact you kind of went into a space that Don normally occupies. I saw Charlie. No matter what, you never gave up believing in your brother. Never. Don had part of his life taken away, no memory of what he did or didn't do and you held on to his dignity for him. That's not math Charlie, that's inexplicable human connection. This one time Charlie, you were there for Don more than you could ever know. Truly."

Charlie looked up into Amita's eyes and smiled. "Have I told you how fond I am of you?"

"Not in the last day or so. C'mon." Amita stood up quickly and held a hand out to Charlie.

"What?"

"Well, it's only about an hour before your house becomes an infirmary. Let's get jiggy with it."

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"Easy."

"I'm not a cripple dad."

"Coulda fooled me."

"It's a concussion. Practically gone. Nothing wrong with my legs."

"Rubbish. You're still recovering from the last time you went missing. I see you wincing from your ribs. You'll do as you're told."

"I'm not 5 years old."

"Again, coulda fooled me. That poor nurse, the grief you gave her. Honestly if she had been able to discharge you earlier do you really believe she wouldn't have?"

"Don't start. She was nice as pie when you were there, minute you're gone she was pricking and prodding me and, I might add, she was rude. Orders were barked at me. I'm an FBI agent."

"And a very good one. But terrible with women. It's called nagging Don, and it's the only way women can get men to think about more than one thing. You're occupied with a headache so getting you to think about wiggling toes or reading anything for tests meant nagging was required."

"Whose side are you on?"

Alan didn't answer as he had finally managed to help Don from the car to the door and inside onto the lounge throughout the conversation. He had successfully kept the conversation going long enough for Don to not realize he wasn't in his own apartment. Or so he thought.

"Tomorrow, I'm outta here tomorrow."

Alan had planned for that response also. "That's a shame, I'm having all your team over for a barbeque tomorrow. Shame you'll miss out. You haven't seen Megan since the incident have you?"

"Great I escape the rusty claws of one crazed maniac only to fall victim to being held prisoner by my father."

"I heard that as 'thank-you and I really do want to catch up with Megan so I'll stay'. Say what you want and I'll hear whatever I please. That'll work nicely. Why hadn't I thought of that earlier." Alan mumbled the final part out as he walked into the kitchen.

Don sighed on the couch and looked at the remote lying on the coffee table. It was only a foot away but did he have the strength to make a grab for it before Alan came back?

"Here."

A hand appeared out of nowhere and handed the remote to Don; it was Charlie's.

"Hey buddy. I didn't hear you coming."

"Sorry. Amita's helping dad prepare food in the kitchen. Thought I'd warn you. Not sure how hungry you'll be, you know."

"yeah."

Don just looked at his brother. He could see the discomfort radiating from him. Amita had visited Don in the hospital and told him everything Charlie had done. He was going to have a few words with his team when he was back. If anyone was going to ignore Charlie's hunches in the future it would be him. Of course Charlie would deny he ever had hunches.

Charlie sat in the chair opposite and stared down at the floor. "Look, Don…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm lucky to be alive they say. I say I'm lucky to have a brother like you. That day, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry. End of story."

"I was so scared. I thought…I dunno," Charlie choked on his emotions but continued, "…I did question myself. I thought maybe they were right. Maybe you were dead. And then when I worked out Sophie Field, well, she was out there and you…"

Don winced without Charlie seeing and leant forward, he put his arm on Charlie's and smiled, "I understand. It's OK. We're OK. It's all good."

"I can't even begin to know what you went through."

"Hey Chuck, neither can I. That bi…Sophie Field made sure of that. Spared me a lot of pain actually."

"So how you dealing with this whole being a victim thing?"

"A lot better now she's captured. And it helps that Megan is a victim too. I still have my pride. Sophie Field took down 2 agents, well not counting her husband etc. I think I can live with that. She's a monster. No one could have stopped her."

Charlie looked across at Don, despite his injuries he looked brighter than he'd seen in a long time. Nothing had been right since the drug case. A small shiver went down his spine when he thought about how close Liz, Colby, Megan and Don had all come to losing their lives in the past month. "Why do you do it?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you do this? I mean, even if you didn't die, your friends could have. I really don't see how this can be worth it. Dad and I were so scared. I don't think I will ever get the images of you that night on this floor outta my head. Why do we have to go through this?"

"Because it's something I'm good at, we're good at actually. If I didn't do it then maybe worse would have happened to us, who knows. It's not like this happens every day. You know what it's like, months go by and it's boring white collar fraud upon white collar fraud, then a violent crime pops up and it's as if, this urgency, this buzz to do some real good, serve some justice, well it all just clicks and you forgot about yourself. You forget about the impact on your family because you think about the family affected. It's not perfect but it's how it is and if I can do that, if I can help people find their loved ones, the way you helped find me, you understand how worth it that is."

"Yeah." Charlie looked down at his feet. He understood. "But dad gets so damned social after these things happen. Do you know how many ribs he bought for the barbeque tomorrow?"

Don smiled. "Do you know how many ribs Colby can eat?"

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David was the first to arrive officially. Don was sure his father had suspected that Liz had stayed the night but he couldn't be sure so he'd never mentioned it. She'd snuck in after dark like a teenager. Don was sleeping on the couch so it was an easy enough ruse. Problem was the couch only really was good for one person so it seemed convincing that she'd dropped by first thing after work because she looked so tired.

Liz was still catching up on her sleep when David arrived. Alan rushed him into the kitchen and straight into an apron to help with the cooking. Amita found it really amusing until Alan gave her the ribs to coat. "How many people are you expecting?"

David looked at the ribs and then across to Alan, "Actually I should have mentioned, I'm a vegetarian."

Alan dropped his spatula and stared at David. "Since when?"

"Since that last case. Going to an abattoir, you get a new perspective."

Alan grumbled under his breath something incoherent and then forced the salad chopping duties on David. "Surely a vegetarian can have a rib every now and again. Covered in marinade, why it's barely discernible as once living flesh. Besides, if they had barbeques set up in abattoirs, those smells, those juices floating around, it might make for a more pleasant atmosphere."

David stared at Amita in horror, who just laughed and continued cooking. David decided to change the subject. "So where's Charlie?"

"Oh he's out in the garage." Amita responded.

"Right. Guess he let a bit of work slide during these past few weeks."

"Ah no, he and Larry are making ice-cream Larry style. It may be Charlie's house but I'm still his father and there's no way I'm letting his science experiments in the house when there's perfectly good ice-cream for sale in every store around town."

The doorbell saved David from further cooking duties and he rushed off to let Colby into the house.

"Hey David."

"Shh. Liz." David pointed to the sleeping beauty on the couch.

"It's ok, not like I'm going to get much sleep anyway," came a tiny voice from the couch.

"Everyone here?" Colby asked David as he hobbled with his crutches towards the kitchen.

"No, waiting for Megan. Actually I'm not sure where Don is either." David sashayed straight out of the kitchen to the backyard to get Colby set up at a chair, and avoid the cooking duties.

Alan followed them with a few bowls of salad and answered David's question. "He's making himself pretty. Takes a bit of time these days. Not sure if he's also forgotten how to wash himself but it's likely. Still it's Charlie's water bill not mine."

At that moment Amita walked outside with the ribs and headed to the barbeque. Liz came yawning through the backdoor and grabbed herself a seat at the table.

"Guess these guys made you work the hardest huh, up all night at the FBI," Alan prodded.

David and Colby looked at each other and instantly knew not to say anything. Liz let out a breath, and yawned through her response to Alan. "No rest for the wicked."

"Indeed."

The conversation from the backyard filtered in through the upstairs bathroom and Don stood staring at himself. He was glad his ordeal was over but he wasn't entirely convinced he was ready for a team building day courtesy of his father. Even if he managed to stay awake the whole time, the constant subtext of not talking about the case would be exhausting. How he wished for a quiet beer and a hockey game right now, instead of a full on feeding frenzy.

Knowing if he didn't come out soon his dad would send someone up, Don unlatched the door and headed downstairs. As he landed softly from the staircase there was a knock from the front door. Don opened it tentatively and then swung it back with some force once he saw it was Megan.

She handed him a six pack of beer and smiled, "Assuming you can't have any of these yet."

"Says who."

"I don't know, modern medicine, the person in charge of your team who will be signing off on your fitness to return to work."

"That's blackmail Reeves."

"Oh no. Not at all. Blackmail would be threatening to post on the FBI intranet what a certain FBI agent thinks about Director Wright if you don't recommend me for a payrise. The words smelly and insincere come to mind."

"Ok now that's a federal offence. I could have you sacked for that."

"You could but I know you Eppes. You're desperately trying to remember what you did say during those cosy few hours in captivity we spent and I'm betting you're not getting many strikes."

Damn Reeves. Too profiley for my own good. "I'm guessing one thing I didn't say was thanks."

Megan was surprised and a little taken aback by this admonition from Don Eppes. "Don't worry about it."

"No, I owe you. According to the docs your attempts at keeping me talking helped. Now I'm not so sure they helped me, maybe they meant you, but thanks anyway."

"Like I said, don't mention it. Besides, I owe you too."

"For what? Giving you blackmail fodder?"

"No. Knowing that you'd made it away from Sophie Field once meant I didn't give up hope. You kept me going super-fed. We're square."

Don smiled. He had a great team. Maybe today wasn't going to be such a drain after all.

Don put his arm around Megan and walked her out to the garden. Seeing his whole team seated around the table laughing made him smile. They all raised a glass to Megan and Don "to the FBI."

Don grabbed for a beer but Alan was quicker and he handed him a juice instead. Don glared at his dad but accepted it. He chinked his glasses with everyone at the table and sat down next to Liz. "Where's Charlie?"

There was no need to answer as Charlie and Larry bounded into the garden with a metal vat that looked like it was steaming.

"Ice-cream everyone." Charlie called out.

"Charlie, we haven't even had starters yet." Alan grumbled.

Charlie looked at Larry. "But if we don't eat it now it'll melt," Larry cried.

Megan laughed and squeezed Larry. "Backwards dinner it is. Never known for anything to be conventional with you lot."

As the afternoon wore on Don sat back, mostly silent, enjoying the company. For a few hours he forgot about his injuries, he forgot about his ordeal, and he was glad he forgot. All he wanted to remember from here on in was moments like these. Moments where he didn't need to talk, he just had to be.