What If?

Part 3

By: Montez

Authors note: Final part to my three-part alternate scene. If you have read any of my other stories, I love to play with people's emotions. Don may seem out of character in this, but do we really know how he would react if Charlie was ever really hurt? This is how I'd want him to.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my story and another HUGE THANKS to FraidyCat for the Beta services. You are wonderful!!

Don jumped slightly at the sound of the doctor's voice. Alan rose from his spot next to Don, extending his hand to shake the doctors, but Don was the one who spoke.

"How…How's Charlie?" His voice was hoarse from the emotion he was trying to contain. The doctor regarded both men for a moment; he also noticed the two men in suits stand as he entered the waiting area.

Alan answered the unspoken question in the doctors expression. "Family friends."

The doctor nodded in understanding, "If you gentlemen will follow me we will discuss Charlie's condition somewhere more private." The four men, Alan, Don, David and Colby, followed the doctor to a small room nearby. Only Alan and Don entered; David and Colby remained in the hall allowing the doctor the discuss Charlie's condition with his father and brother in private, but wanting to remain close to see how their friend was. Inside the room Alan and Don silently took their seat. The doctor took a spot directly across from them. "Charlie is in stable condition. He hasn't regained consciousness; until he does we aren't giving him any pain medication. The blow to the forehead, as I understand it, was sustained in an automobile accident?" The doctor paused.

"It wasn't an accident!" Don nearly growled, his emotion taking over the control he would normally have. The doctor was acting as if this was an everyday occurrence. Okay maybe it was an everyday occurrence, but it was one for Charlie. Did this doctor understand how totally wrong this whole situation was? "He was shot at…he was shot! Are you going to tell us about that?!"

The doctor looked with sympathy at the young man as he watched the father place a hand on his son's arm, "Donnie," Alan whispered.

"I know it looked bad," the physician continued, "but fortunately it was only a grazing wound. There was no penetration of the skull, He was very lucky…" Don wondered for a second what Charlie might say about 'luck' playing into it. "We are concerned with the concussion he sustained, which was complicated by the shock of the gun shot wound. We're hopeful he will regain consciousness within a few hours. Once he wakes up we will be able to further assess his condition, but pending any other complication he should recover with little problem."

"So he should be all right?" Alan asked, wanting to make sure he was understanding correctly.

"His injuries, considering, are minor. So, yes, from that aspect, he should be." The doctor tried to be reassuring, hoping he wasn't offering false hope in the wake of his patient not yet being conscious.

"Can we see him?" Don's voice had changed from the anger of just moments ago, to the sound of exhaustion and underlying fear.

"We've moved him out of the trauma area to one of the ER recovery rooms. Again, once he's awake and evaluated we will know if he will have to be admitted for further observation, but yes you can sit with him. It will be good that when he wakes up it is to familiar faces." The doctor rose and stepped toward the door. Opening it he saw Delores nearby and called her over. "Delores would you take these gentlemen to room 113?"

"Of course." came the calming voice that had patiently reassured Don in the waiting room, then had directed Alan to his eldest.

Turning back, to look again at the men in the room, the doctor directed his next words their way. "If you have any questions, please have the nurses call for me." With that the doctor left the room, passing Delores who now held the door.

"If you gentlemen would follow me." She smiled warmly. Not only looking at Don and Alan, but glancing at David and Colby as well. Allowing them to fall into step she saw Alan start talking to the younger men, but her attention was drawn to Don's face; it still seemed filled with pain and guilt. She so hoped he would soon let go of that. As she walked the group down the hall she thought again hoe she enjoyed this part of her work, taking families to their loved ones in the recovery area. These trips came to much happier endings, then some to which she had born witness. As she neared door 113 she turned. "Here it is. If you need anything, please let me know," Delores smiled.

Alan smiled gratefully as he spoke to her, "Thank you very much, for everything." He then turned into Charlie's room.

As Don passed her, Delores stopped him with a hand on his arm. His worried eyes looked at her. "You let go of that guilt," she whispered, "your brother needs you--not your guilt. You take care of him and he'll take care of you." She smiled reassuringly as Don regarded her with a slightly confused look. She turned and walked away as Don passed through the door.

Don stopped just inside the door and stared at Charlie. His unnatural stillness still frightened him. There was fresh gauze around Charlie's head and instead of an oxygen mask obscuring his face, it was a nasal canal that fed extra oxygen to his seemingly sleeping brother. Don also took in the heart monitor and pulse ox clipped to his brother, but to Don's relief nothing else. Alan had already made his way to Charlie's side, touching a wayward curl not tucked under the bandage. The goose-egg knot was clearly visible, as an array of colors showed what soon would be an impressive bruise. Don approached the other side of the bed relieved to finally be able to get closer to his brother, noting the rise and fall of his chest, totally unaided.

Don gently took Charlie's hand, much like he had in the ambulance and held it, just looking at his brother. He had been so afraid when those doors in the ER separated them that he'd never see Charlie alive again. However, now he could breathe a little easier. He wasn't totally relaxed as Charlie still hadn't awoken, but at least he was confident he would not loose his brother today.

David and Colby had stood near the door, relieved to see Charlie alive, but cautious not to intrude on the family's moment. David approached Alan, as it seemed Don was still absorbed. Gently touching Alan's arm, David spoke, "Alan, we're going to go and see if LAPD has any leads yet," Glancing at Don, David continued, "Tell Don we'll stop by in the morning."

Alan gave David a nod, turning toward the agent, friend, who had brought him to his sons. "Thank you David," He included Colby in his glance. "And you too Colby, for everything." David gave Alan's back an encouraging pat as Colby and he silently left the room.

Alan watched his eldest son for a few minutes. He knew the boys had been at odds the last couple of days since Charlie's interview. He assumed that factored into why Don was looking so despondent. He had laid into his brother rather harshly for what seemed like something minor, but knowing Don the way Alan did he was sure behind the fear and worry Don was holding on to guilt as well. Alan spoke softly.

"This wasn't your fault Donnie."

Without taking his eyes off his brother Don cleared his throat and spoke quietly. "I heard it all and I couldn't help him."

"What?" Alan's insides felt cold. Surely Don did mean what Alan was fearful he was meaning. That somehow he knew what had really happened to Charlie.

"I had just hung up the phone with him and he called back within minutes." Don took a deep breath, looking at his father; sadness and pain filled his eyes. "When I answered it sounded like d…dead air," He stuttered slightly, "then I kept hearing the ramming sound, I heard his voice in the distance, then the crash." Don closed his eyes recalling every detail he had heard. "Then…Then I heard the gunshot." Opening his eyes again, he seemed to be pleading with his dad to understand what he was experiencing. "God dad, I heard someone shoot him and I couldn't stop it." Don's voice broke as Alan saw a single tear roll from his eldest's eyes. He came around the end of the bed and took Donnie in his arms, comforting the son he could. Pulling back Alan tried to fathom what it must have been like for his son to hear his little brother going through such a horrifying experience, knowing the protectiveness Don could exhibit when it came to Charlie. They fell silent as Alan crossed back to Charlie's other side. Each pulled a chair up to their respective side of the bed. Alan sat watching both sons, while Don sat holding his brother's hand, waiting for him to wake up.

A few hours passed. Nurses came in periodically to check on Charlie. Alan dosed in the chair, but Don was unable to sleep. The echo of the gunshot replayed in his head. Don still held onto Charlie's hand, occasionally squeezing it gently hoping for a squeeze back. Sometime around 4:30am he got that squeeze.

Don stood quickly, trying not to wake his father, and leaned over Charlie. "Charlie?" he whispered, "Can you do that again? Can you squeeze my hand again Buddy?" Don was rewarded with another squeeze, only stronger. Don noticed a frown come over his brother's features. "Hey Buddy, can you open your eyes?" Movement was seen as Charlie tried to comply with his brothers request.

"Hurts," Charlie choked out.

"What…what hurts?" Don whispered again, having a good idea what it was as he reached for the call button.

"Head…" Charlie groaned.

"Can I help you?" came the soft voice of the nurse who had answered the summons, waking Alan in the process.

"My brother's waking up," Don glanced at the door, also noticing his father stirring. "He says his head hurts."

"Charlie?" Alan asked, watching as Charlie still struggled to open his eyes.

"I'll send someone in." The nurse reassured.

"Don?" Charlie whispered.

"I'm right here Buddy, you're okay now." Don was greeted with two big brown, pain filled eyes, as Charlie finally slowly opened them, meeting Don's.

"Sorry…"

"Charlie you've got nothing to be sorry about." Don was confused as to why Charlie was apologizing.

"Stupid…"

Charlie was interrupted, as the doctor, followed by the nurse came into the room. "Mr. Eppes, I see you have finally decided to join us." The doctor looked over Charlie's last set of vitals.

"Head…hurts." Charlie closed his eyes again, putting his hands on both sides of his head.

"I'm sure it does. You have a nasty bump that has caused you to have a concussion. You may also feel…" This time the doctor was cut off by one panicked word.

"Sick!" Charlie rolled to his side, still clutching his head, feeling as if it was going to explode, as the nurse quickly grabbed the nearby emesis basin just as Charlie got sick. Don reached to help support his brother, trying to whisper comforting words. Charlie moaned loudly as he finished and rolled back onto his back.

"We'll give you something for that," the doctor commented and as if by magic the nurse pulled a filled syringe from her pocket of anti-nausea medicine, injecting it into Charlie's IV then quickly leaving the room to retrieve the pain medication. "As I was saying, you'll possibly feel sick. We're also going to go ahead and give you something for the pain. Between the concussion and the medication, you'll probably sleep a while longer. Once you wake back up we'll evaluate you and hopefully send you home in a few hours." The physician smiled toward Alan, who had felt completely useless watching his youngest son get sick. Noting he was losing his patient to the pull of sleep, the doctor stepped back as the nurse returned with the pain medication, injecting it into the IV port. As she moved to dispose of the used syringe, the doctor turned glancing at Don and Alan. "He'll be out a few more hours. You may want to come back later or maybe at least get yourselves something to drink."

Watching as Don just returned to his seat beside the bed, the doctor turned toward Alan, who spoke. "Thank you doctor. Do you really think we can take him home later today?" For the first time since this ordeal had begun, Alan felt a fluttering of relief at the prospect of getting Charlie, and Don as well, back into the safety of the four walls of the Craftsman.

"I don't see why not. Once he's woken again, we will ask him some basic questions, evaluating his responses. Providing nothing presents itself then you could have him home at least by dinner, if not sooner." As the reassuring words hung in the air the doctor left the room.

Alan looked over at Donnie. "Son, do you want to get something, maybe stretch your legs?" Alan felt he needed a short walk as his old, tired muscles didn't take kindly to sleeping in chairs.

Don shook his head, "I'll stay with him. You could bring me some coffee if you want. I just need…" Don was stopped by his father.

"I know Donnie. I'll get you some coffee son." With that Alan left the room. A short time later, despite trying not to, Don allowed his exhaustion to overtake him as he fell asleep next to Charlie's bed.

121212121212

David and Colby returned around 10:00am that morning. Alan was next to Charlie's bed reading the paper, Don was still sleeping, rather uncomfortably, by the looks of it, in the chair on the other side of the bed. Charlie himself appeared to have gotten some of his color back, including the tie-dye effect his bruise was producing.

Alan looked up as they walked in. "How's he doing?" David whispered, not wanting to wake Don.

Alan stood, approaching where they had stopped, just inside the door. "He woke up about 4:30 this morning. They gave him something for the pain and he's been asleep since. They said when he wakes up again and they get a chance to talk to him, if all goes well, we'll get to take him home later today." Alan smiled tiredly, turning his attention back toward his sons.

"That sounds great," Colby remarked, glancing at Don. "How's Don doing?" It had both amazed and frightened Colby the night before to see his hard-as-nails boss become so shaken and distracted when they still hadn't known how Charlie was.

Alan let out a sigh as he looked sadly at his eldest. "He hasn't left Charlie's side." Alan looked back at David and Colby. "He said he heard everything over Charlie's phone."

David nodded, "Yeah we did."

Just then Charlie started stirring and Don jerked awake. The four men watched as Charlie's eyes darted back and forth under his closed eyelids. They also noticed his breathing become erratic as well as his heart rate began increasing.

"Charlie?" Don tried to wake his brother as Alan pushed the call button. "Come on Buddy, wake up." Don gently, but firmly shook his brother's arm. They all jumped as Charlie shot up in bed, eyes wide with panic.

"OH GOD, HE SHOT ME!" Charlie yelled out as his hands went to his head and he moaned, pulling his legs up as if to curl into himself.

"It's alright Charlie, your safe now." Don touched his brother's arm as Charlie leaned back and curled onto his side.

Alan answered as the nurse's voice came over the intercom. "My sons awake." Hearing the nurse reassure them that someone was coming, David and Colby watched as Don tried to comfort Charlie.

Charlie opened his eyes, meeting the concerned eyes of his big brother. "I'm sorry," Charlie whispered, repeating his words from the night before.

Still as confused as then Don objected again. "Charlie, you don't have anything to be sorry for."

"Interview." Charlie spoke a little clearer, watching Don's face.

"No Charlie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come down so hard on…" Don was interrupted by the doctor.

"Well Mr. Eppes, how are you feeling this morning?" The doctor's cheerful voice immediately grated on Charlie's nerves.

"My head's killing me." Don flinched slightly at Charlie's choice of words as he watched his brother try and sit up. Alan found the button to raise the head of the bed.

"That's to be expected, you've got a concussion and with the graze wound I can only imagine. Now, before I give you anything for that I really need to ask you a few questions. If all goes well we can see about getting you on your way home soon." The physician watched as Charlie tried to nod, but winced at the motion.

"Okay, first…" The doctor started. "Can you tell me your full name?"

"Charles Edward Eppes." Charlie held the side of his head, hoping some external pressure would counter the internal pain.

"Good, do you know what year it is?"

"2008."

"Do you recognize the people in this room?" Glancing at the four other individuals the doctor waited.

Charlie closed his eyes a second, then opened them looking at Don, taking a deep breath. "That's my brother Don," Charlie moved his head slightly as he worked his way around the room. "That's David and Colby…work with my brother."

Don turned at that time as if just noticing the other members of his team, 'so much for all that FBI training Eppes' , he chastised himself as Charlie continued. "And my dad, Alan."

"Very good," The doctor commented as he finished making notes on Charlie's chart. "Well you're going to feel a little more tired than usual for a few days and it will take time for your headache to fully go away, but I don't see any reason you can't go home, as long as someone is with you."

"There will be." Alan piped up, grateful to be getting to take Charlie home. He was hopeful that Don would come as well.

"Excellent, I'll get the nurse to get his discharge papers ready." the doctor directed his final comment toward Alan as Charlie had laid his head back and closed his eyes. "I'll send a prescription for some pain medication. If his symptoms become worse bring him back immediately."

"Of course, thank you doctor." Alan held out his hand, shaking the doctor's, before the physician left the room.

Don stepped closer to David and Colby. "God guys, I didn't even see you come in." Don shook his head, still upset with himself for his lack of observation.

"Man don't worry about it." Colby responded, "We just wanted to check up on Charlie."

"Do you have any leads?" Don asked glancing back at his brother, thinking maybe Charlie had fallen asleep again.

"Nothing concrete yet," Colby spoke, "but we're checking. I thought I remembered seeing the truck described by witnesses last night on the security video from the parking garage."

"It wasn't the first time I'd seen it either," A quiet voice spoke from the bed.

All eyes turned to Charlie. "What?…What do you mean?" Don's voice was filled with concern as he stepped near the bed.

Charlie raised his head; opening his eyes, but not meeting his brother's gaze. "The other night," Charlie took a deep breath, "after the interview, I think…I think I was followed."

Don stared in disbelief. why would his brother not have mentioned that? "Why didn't you tell me?" Don asked, as the others in the room exchanged looks of confusion at the confession.

"You were already so pissed off about the interview I just…" Charlie shot a nervous glance at his brother, who he expected to look angry, but what was reflected in Don's eyes was hurt.

"Charlie, come on," Don spoke softly. "you can come to me about anything, you know that right?" Don had to admit it did hurt him to think his little brother couldn't or wouldn't tell him something as important as being followed and now because of it he had been run off the road and shot. Don turned and looked at David and Colby, while Alan watched silently trying to absorb what had just been revealed. "Why would someone go after him?" Don was sure the answer was staring him in the face but he was still trying to fathom what his brother hadn't told him.

"Maybe they saw the interview?" David spoke, noticing from the corner of his eye that Charlie recoiled at the reminder.

"Yeah and he doesn't shoot back." Colby added.

"I want someone on him 24/7, you got it!" It wasn't a question, Agent Eppes was making his appearance now and he wanted to make sure his team knew Charlie needed to be protected until this case was over. Both Agents nodded as Don spoke again. "I'll go home with him, but I want someone outside by tonight and with him when he returns to CalSci."

"I'll take care of it." David replied. "Colby and I will head back, see if anymore has come in about the truck." David looked at Charlie. "Don't worry Charlie, we'll track them down. You concentrate on getting better, we'll see you later." Charlie nodded slightly as David and Colby turned to go. David stopped, stepping back toward Don, "Here," David handed Don his truck keys back. "Might need these." Don took the keys without a word, but thanks flashed on his face as he watched his team leave the room.

The room was silent as the three Eppes men waited for the nurse to return with Charlie's discharge papers. They were each lost in their own thoughts; Alan, frightened for his youngest son, knowing now that someone could be after him. Concerned for his eldest who he knew was beating himself up for his comments about the interview that had in turn caused Charlie to not tell him that he had been followed. Charlie; sitting cross-legged, feeling confused and frightened at the realization that someone shot him because of that stupid interview. Confusion at the hurt, rather than angry, look he had gotten from his brother once he'd revealed he had been followed. Then Don; angry at himself for being so harsh with Charlie about the interview, so much so that his own brother felt he couldn't come to him about the previous incident of him being followed, only to have his little brother nearly killed the second time around. Don's mind again began to question if his brother consulting for him was really a good idea.

The discharge from the hospital and the following ride home was also made in silence except for the occasional, "you okay?" questions Don asked Charlie, who had his head resting on the seat with his eyes closed, as Don kept stealing glances in the rearview mirror, as if to keep checking that his brother was still there. They stopped for Charlie's prescription, then made their way home.

As Charlie entered the Craftsman Don followed closely. Charlie made his way to the couch and laid down. Alan continued into the kitchen to make them something to eat, as none of them had eaten since the previous day.

"You staying?" Charlie asked, eyes closed as he settled himself further into the couch.

"I'm going to try and catch some sleep, then head back into the office, see where the investigation is going." Don stifled a yawn.

"I wanted to tell you, but you were so angry. I just figured…I didn't see the point, figured it would upset you more." Charlie cracked his eyes open, looking at Don who sat on the edge of the coffee table facing Charlie.

"Charlie, God. Didn't want to upset me?" Don reigned in his angry feeling at, what he felt, was a level of stupidity on Charlie's part, as he remembered that he, himself, hadn't been understanding about the interview. "Charlie," Don leaned in slightly. "I was terrified listening to what was happening to you over your phone, knowing I couldn't do a damn thing to help you. Then when I heard that gunshot…" Don leaned back again, running his hand through his hair, "When I finally got to the scene and you were on the ground, so still…" Don's voice was just above a whisper, "I thought I'd lost you." His voice broke slightly. Charlie saw, for one of the few times ever, fear behind the tear-filled eyes as he looked at his brother. The pain of what Don was feeling and had gone through finally registered with Charlie. "Charlie, please, no matter what. If something like this ever happens again, if you even think someone is watching you or following you-tell me. I don't…I can't do this again. I really thought I had lost you." Don wanted so badly for his little brother to understand, no matter what, he wanted-he needed to be there for Charlie.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Charlie felt so inadequate saying that compared to the emotion-filled statement his big brother had just imparted on him. It just confirmed what Charlie knew deep down in his soul. No matter what he could always rely on his brother.

Don gave Charlie a reassuring pat on the arm before he moved over to his father's recliner. He needed to catch up on some much-needed sleep before returning to the office and tracking down the sorry SOB who had the nerve to take shot at his little brother.

A/N: I stop here; at this point the episode would continue as it did, with David shadowing Charlie and Don and Colby discovering the connection to the real-estate developer. Hope I didn't disappoint anyone with this. Just really wish they would have done more with that episode. Thanks for reading, you're all great!

Montez