A/N: Time for Charlie to meet his daughter.

Chapter Five

"Nikki. Liz. Could you give us a few minutes please?"

"Sure Don," Liz answered, "we'll be right outside." Liz pushed away from the window and held the door for Nikki as they left the room.

As Don opened his mouth to speak, Charlie decided to beat him too it.

"Dad, I'm so sorry. This was all my fault. Those men were after me. I got everyone shot." Charlie paced over to the window, standing with his back to the room.

"What are you talking about Charlie? What men were after you?" Alan sounded confused and Charlie knew he had no idea what he was talking about or why he looked so dejected.

Charlie made no move to turn around, or to answer Alan. He couldn't bring himself to explain this to his dad. He could see Don's reflection in the window and knew that Don was going to come to his rescue, once again.

Don explained everything to Alan. Charlie just stood and stared out the window. When he reached the part about Amita and the baby, Robin walked over to Charlie and put an arm around his waist. She pulled him to her allowing his head to rest on her shoulder. By the time Don was finished, Alan was looking at Charlie with concern.

"Charlie, come over here and sit with me a minute."

When Charlie didn't move, Alan tried again. "Charlie. Please. Come over here. I need to talk to you."

Robin took Charlie's hand and led him over to Alan, snagging one of the chairs on the way. She pushed Charlie down into it. Charlie hadn't looked up at Alan but was studying his own feet.

"Look at me Charlie." When Charlie didn't respond Alan repeated. "Look at me Charlie." Slowly Charlie lifted his head, but couldn't quite meet Alan's eyes.

"Charlie, none of this is your fault. No one is blaming you, except you." Shifting awkwardly in the bed, Alan tried to sit up a little higher. Robin immediately walked over and raised the head of the bed for him.

"Thanks Robin, that's better."

"Now Charlie. I don't blame you and neither does Don. I know that Amita will not blame you and from what Don just told me, Colby pulled you down to protect you, so there's no way he'll blame you. So please, stop this and go see you daughter before she gets any older."

Finally looking at Alan, Charlie relaxed a little. He'd been so sure everyone would blame him the way he blamed himself. He couldn't have dealt with that, and the numbers in his head had been trying to take over, the way they had years ago when his mother died. "Dad. I was so scared. I could have lost all of you." Charlie moved over and sat on the side of Alan's bed. Taking his father's hand in his, he continued, "Amita told me that if I had to choose between her and the baby, I was to choose the baby."

Unable to meet Alan's eyes any more, Charlie said what was really upsetting him so much. "Dad, how can I face either of them knowing that I would have chosen Amita over the baby. I couldn't live without her dad. She means everything to me."

"You didn't have to make that decision Charlie. The emergency room staff made the decision to take the baby and I believe that Amita will pull through the surgery. So stop beating yourself up about something that you had no control over and go see your baby. Now."

"Come on Charlie, let's go see your daughter." Robin took Charlie's hand and started to lead him from the room. Charlie was feeling so much better. His dad was right. He'd not had to make that decision, so he needed to let it go.

"Do you have your phone Charlie?" Don asked.

"Yes." Charlie replied with a puzzled look.

"Good. Then I want to see pictures when you come back. Okay buddy?"

"Sure Don. I think I can do that." Looking back at Alan before he left, Charlie continued, "so you'll want pictures of your granddaughter too I guess?"

"Damn right Charlie. I bet she's as beautiful as her mother."

Charlie followed Robin to the nursery. Nikki and Liz followed a few steps behind. They stopped at the nurse's station, then were lead over to where "Baby Eppes" was lying in a bassinet. The two agents stayed by the nurse's station and watched. The nurse picked up the baby and handed her to Charlie.

Charlie looked into his daughter's eyes and fell in love. They were so like Amita's that he found tears running down his face as he kissed her forehead.

Robin reached out and wiped away the tears, then asked Charlie for his phone. "I'll take some pictures while you hold her."

After a number of pictures with Charlie holding his daughter, Robin then took some more after he placed her back in the bassinet.

As they stood there looking down at the baby, a nurse approached them. "Professor Eppes? Your wife's surgeon is waiting to speak to you in your brother's room. He's asked that you return there."

Fear sprang to life in Charlie's mind. "We'll go back right now," he said as he turned and hurried out of the nursery, Robin and the two agents not far behind him.

TBC