Numb3rs
Title: Time
Author: Numb3rsfan
Warnings: None
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: This is the sequal to Assassin.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, wish I did, but that honor goes to another.
Summary: Things are not as simple as they seem when Charlie goes back to the hospital to schedule the surgury to take care of his heart murmur.
Chapter One
The sun rose over Pasadena, blanketing the homes in his warmish glare.
As the neighborhood woke up for the morning, so did activity in the Eppes home.
Lights came on, men woke up and breakfast was cooked. It was just like any normal day, except that it wasn't.
Don Eppes trudged down the steps and entered the kitchen where Alan stood, preparing the morning meal.
When everything was ready, Alan placed a plate full of pancakes infront of Don, as well as a bottle of pancake syrup.
Don just sat there, staring at the food, not really wanting to eat it.
Alan sat beside his son, also staring at the food, not really having an appitite to eat.
Don raised his eyes to the morning paper, which sat open, on the dining room table.
He already knew what would be on the morning headline.
Local Mathematician dies from unknown tumor
And right below the headline would be a picture of Charlie, his baby brother, smiling at the camara.
He would be looking so happy, so carefree, when in all actuallity, he would be lying dead in the hospital morgue, having died on the operating table when the doctors had begun the surgury to take care of his heart murmur.
Don really missed Charlie, but today espicially today because today was his birthday. Charlie would have turned 31 today, if not for that dang tumor!
Looking over at his father, Don saw Alan push the food away before he stood and walked into the kitchen.
Don quickly returned his attention back to the paper as he shook his head.
This couldn't have happened, Charlie couldn't be dead! Things weren't supposed to happen that way! It was a nightmare, it had to be!
A lite pressure on his arm woke Don up from a somewhat sound sleep.
His vision quickly cleared to see Charlie standing over him, an amused look on his face.
"Charlie?" Don asked as he sat up and stretched out his back muscles, which had cramped up during the night.
"Dad wanted to make sure you were up before 1 o'clock." Charlie said amused as he watched Don's face pale slightly.
Reaching over, Don snatched the LCD clock and gazed at the time, which only read 9:25 a.m..
Don glanced back up at Charlie, who started to chuckle.
A scowl crossed Don's face as he placed the clock back on the dresser and stood up.
"Oh, funny man, eh?" Don called after Charlie.
Charlie just shook his head and left the room, heading downstairs.
Once Charlie was gone, Don allowed the small smile to fade from his face as the dream he had just had came rushing back to him.
'Least it was just a dream and not reality.' Don thought as took off his wrinkled, white shirt and replaced it with a tight, blank, shortsleeved shirt.
Next went the long legged pants, to be replaced with a pair of shorts, which he hardly ever wore except around the house.
Since Don had taken this one day off to be with Charlie and his father, Don didn't want to be stuck in a suit, not since the tempature outside was supposed to be 105 degrees, at least!
Next, off came Don's tie, which he folded up and placed in his dresser drawer, and last but not least, Don leaned down and picked up his office shoes, which were actually a kind of tennis shoe, since his job required the use of some long lasting footwear, Don had to be prepared!
Don stifled a yawn as he trudged to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.
He looked a little pale still, but the color was returning to his face.
His eyes were slightly red, but hardly noticeable.
Other than that he looked ok, except for his full head of bed hair and his beard, which was going to be annoying him the rest of the day unless he shaved it off.
In minutes, Don had the water running and his comb out. Quickly he watered down and combed out his hair, before he dried it, styled it, and then sprayed a small amount of hairspray on to his hair, to keep it the way he liked it. Next, he shaved off his beard, finally managing not to knick himself this time!
With that done, Don turned off the water and headed downstairs where Charlie was sitting at the table, injoying a nice bowl of cereal.
Upon closer inspection, Don discovered it was that cereal that was supposed to take like the Reese's Buttercup, which actually didn't!
Don remembered when he had first tried that stuff, it was awful and he had barely been able to get down his one bowl of it!
Walking into the kitchen, Don went to the cabinet and took down a cereal bowl.
Next he went to the pantry where the different cereal boxes were.
He looked over the selections and quickly chose his favorite one. The one that tasted like Oreo's.
Taking the box inside, Don poured a bowl full before he grabbed the milk from the fridge and filled the bowl.
Grabbing his bowl, Don went to the drawer and took a spoon and placed it in the bowl.
He then turned and headed out to the dining room.
Setting his bowl on the table, Don pulled out a chair and settled down into it.
Charlie watched his brother settle himself into the chair.
"What's the matter with you?" Charlie asked.
Don glanced at his brother slightly as he took a bite of cereal.
After swallowing his first bite, Don chose to answer Charlie's question.
"Nothing's wrong buddy, just had a bad night."
Charlie nodded his head and turned back to his cereal.
After a few more minutes of silent eating, Charlie spoke again.
"Are you going to the hospital with me?"
"I can if you want me to, buddy." Don replied.
Sitting up straight, Charlie said, "I don't care. It's your day off."
"Well, Dad said he needed a little help with the yard work this morning.." Don began.
"That's ok Don. Stay here and help dad. I shouldn't be gone long." Charlie said.
His mind already filling with mathmatical stats on which road would get him to the hospital the fastest.
Finishing his cereal, Charlie walked to the kitchen and placed the bowl in the sink before he turned and headed upstairs.
Minutes later he came back with brushed teeth.
Don watched his brother head out the door, and called after him, "See ya later, buddy."
The door slammed shut right after Don finished speaking.
Charlie walked down the steps and walked towards his new car, which was a Chevy Impala.
A month ago he had traded in his other car for this one, which got better mileage and was more reliable than most cars.
Getting in, Charlie started the engine and snapped on his seatbelt.
Next he flipped on the radio, tuning to his favorite station, before he backed out of the drive and headed towards his doctor's appointment.