Megan had to physically restrain the normally calm and composed Don as he had become frantic, watching as the medics began to breathe for his baby brother. Both were horrified as one medic pushed a tube down Charlie's throat before the other one attached a bag to it.

"Charlie! Wake up! Come on kid, wake up!" Don pleaded, his voice cracking as his knees buckled under him in Megan grasp. Colby ran up and helped Megan lower Don to the ground.

The medics were working quickly, cutting away the math professor's sweater and attaching electrodes to his chest and a pressure bandage to his wound. Don's face paled to almost transparent when he saw the trauma to his baby brother. To Megan it looked like Don was either going to throw up, pass out or both.

The medics lifted Charlie to the cot, strapping him down and getting him on the move to the ambulance waiting downstairs.

"Don you're going with him," Megan said softly as she and Colby guided their boss to the elevator bank behind the cot. Once downstairs, Megan pulled Don along to the ambulance, starting to push Don into the back of the ambulance.

When one of the medics started to protest, Megan squared her shoulders, hardening her voice, "He's in shock, he needs to go with you guys and that's his brother."

The medic nodded wordlessly as Megan pulled Don in for a quick hug. "He'll be ok, Charlie is a fighter. We'll be there as soon as we can."

N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3N3

He was sitting where the nurse had planted him, in a chair in the corner of the waiting room by himself. She had been sympathetic yet firm, steering him to the bathroom to get his brother's blood washed off his hands and arms. She murmured condolences before heading back into the treatment room.

The elder Epps son was hurting, more than he had in a long time. Emotionally, intense guilt was washing over him. Physically, he felt just as bad. The pain in his head was so intense it was causing him to feel nauseated.

Don buried his head in his hands, tears falling freely. Alone with his thoughts, his heart was breaking. This is all my fault! He shouldn't have been there. I didn't protect him like I should have. Dad's going to be so mad at me.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting in one spot, when he heard, "Donny!"

His head shot up, his tear-filled chestnut eyes meeting his father's before his head dropped heavily back into his hands.

Don felt a hand on his shoulder before arms wrapped him in a comforting hug. Just that little bit of physical contact broke the emotional veteran agent. He began to sob uncontrollably and ramble.

"I'm sorry dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't keep him safe. I'm so sorry dad."

He heard Alan sigh before saying, "Donny look at me."

He looked up to see his dad wiping tears away as he made eye contact with his oldest son. "You didn't do anything wrong Donny, there's nothing to apologize for. This was not your fault. Some jerk shot up your workplace, your second home with your family. Charlie was hurt by that idiot, not you."

"But if he'd never been there he wouldn't be here."

"Maybe. But this could've happened on campus just as easily. You are not to blame son."

Don didn't say anything else, just ducked his head as fresh tears sprung to his eyes.

"Family of Charles Epps?"

Don's head shot up, he and Alan leaping to their feet. "Yes, that's us."

The doctor walked over, hand outstretched to the two emotional men. Alan and Don shook his hand as the doctor said, "All in all, Charles is very lucky. What we thought was a bullet was actually a piece of glass. It didn't hit anything major but it did cause some damage to Charles' colon and nicked his renal artery, which is why he was bleeding so heavily. We repaired the damage and he's resting comfortably."

"Can we see him?"

"We're getting him settled in his room then we'll let you in to see him."

The doctor turned to leave as Alan replied, "Thank you so much doctor. Thank you for taking care of my son."

"You're so welcome. I'll have a nurse come and get the two of you when he's settled."

Alan sighed in relief, scrubbing his hands over his face as he sat down. "Oh thank god. He's going to be ok."

When Don didn't respond, Alan looked up to his son. Don was standing stock still, his face white as a sheet.

Alan stood back up, looking his son in his eyes. Don's eyes were glassed over, staring at nothing. "Donny?"

It was that moment Don's eyes rolled to the back of his head, knees buckling underneath him as he collapsed to the ground unconscious.