Blind

Title: Blind 3/3
Chapter title: Confronting
Author: scots_rock
Prompt: # 023 Life
Pairing: Don/Charlie
Fandom: NUMB3RS
Rating: R
Word Count: 889
Disclaimer: Not mine. This is fiction.
Feedback: Awesome
Summary: 3 Years later Charlie talks to Don.
Warning for whole story: character death, incest, angst, sexual harassment, explicit language
Author's Notes: Think the obvious in case you don’t understand the ending. Hope you how it all turned out.


“I will not cry. I will not shout. I will stand here watching you sleep. I will be proud of you of what you have accomplished. I will look into all those faces and see your future.”

Charlie looked up from his little cards into the audience, into all those sad and tear covered faces.

“I will tell them that you have completed everyone. I will tell them how brave you were, how strong, how sensitive. I will tell all your secrets and I know you will hate me for that.”

He took a deep breath.

“But I will continue, I will speak on and I will tell them all about your achievements, about your courage and strength.”

I won’t tell them about us. I won’t tell them how you hurt me, how you managed to destroy my soul. I won’t tell them about your little secret you kept hidden inside yourself all this time, which you wouldn’t even tell me cause I wouldn’t allow it. I won’t do that. But I also won’t forgive you.

Charlie noticed that he hadn’t said anything for about two minutes. He heard coughs and suppressed sobs. He cleared his throat and finished the funeral speech. After that he walked down the stairs and took a seat next to Don’s grieving wife who held her little daughter tightly in her arms.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Sincere condolences, Charlie.”

“We will miss him.”

Charlie nodded, smiled sadly and shook hands. He was embraced and held tightly. Colby squeezed his shoulders, David didn’t leave his side and Megan could not stop crying. He wanted it to end already. He wanted to go home, to his empty home, and he wanted to lie down, close his eyes and never wake up again. But the funeral feast was about to begin. Strange that people called it feast. Everyone stuffed their bellies with food Charlie had paid for and organized. Don’s wife hadn’t been in the position to do that, so she had asked Charlie, the brother, the younger sibling, the only Eppes alive.

Charlie talked as little as he could, he avoided questions and people. He had not wanted the feast to take place at his house so he had rented a saloon. He saw Robin talking to her mother, to Don’s step-mother who had never actually liked Don. Charlie wanted to smash her face first and then throw her out.

He fled the feast two hours later. He could not bear all those faces who he only had seen on few occasions. He didn’t go home as he had planned before but went to the graveyard. Don’s grave had been already sealed, earth and fake green grass covered the coffin.

“I won’t forgive you.”, were the first words that were spoken.

“I know.”

Charlie looked up and saw Don standing in front of him smiling comfortingly. Black suit, white shirt, black tie. Elegant.

“I still don’t know why you did it.”, Charlie went on speaking.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s too late, Don.” Charlie shook his head slightly hiding his tears. “It’s too late.”

“I know it will sound strange... but I never meant to harm or hurt you.”

“You’re right. It sounds strange.”

“Back then I really tried to comfort you, it turned out different than I wanted to.” Don walked over to Charlie whose eyes were fixed on the gravestone. “You’re confused, aren’t you?”

“You can say that again.”, Charlie laughed bitterly still not looking at his brother.

“I’m not good at those things, Charlie.”

“I know what you wanna say.”

This was the last sentence that passed Charlie’s lips before he fell to the ground and buried his face in his hands. He cried hard, his sobs echoed on the graveyard, he almost could not catch his breath again.

“I have to go soon, Charlie.”

Don’s voice was balm for Charlie’s broken soul. It was deep, loving and gentle.

“I don’t want you to. I won’t let you!”

Don furrowed his brow and squatted next to Charlie. He wanted to lay a hand on his shoulder but he could not. So he just was there until his brother calmed down a bit yet it seemed that Charlie would never stop crying.

“What won’t you forgive me? I have to know before I leave.”

Finally Charlie looked into his brother’s worried face.

“I couldn’t allow you to say it. And I also wouldn’t allow myself to say it.” More tears, more pain, more sobs. “I couldn’t to tell you how much I love you.” Red swollen eyes, grief spoke through them. “I won’t forgive you kissing me. I won’t forgive you fucking me in room three years ago. I won’t forgive you making me fall in love with you. I won’t forgive you leaving me alone now when I need you the most.”

“Charlie.” Don exhaled sorrow vibrating in his voice. He stood up again and looked into the distance Charlie’s eyes hanging on each movement he made.

“I have to go, Charlie.”

“I know.” All of a sudden the pain was gone.

The younger Eppes came to his feet, approached his brother and kissed him gently on the lips. Don wiped Charlie’s tears with a thumb away while Charlie leaned into the touch. He locked eyes with Don and smiled softly.

“Let’s go.”




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Guess I watched too much Ghost Whisperer. Sorry. Hope you liked it nevertheles. *goes hiding behind couch*