It Changes Everything

“You better treat him right,” Don said out of the blue.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

Don and Colby were alone in the break room and it was late
in the evening.  The FBI office was quiet
and dark.  Only David and Megan were
still there and they were across the office in the conference room.

Startled, Colby said, “What?”

“If you hurt him, I will make your life a complete misery.”style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Don’s voice was matter-of-fact.

Sweat broke out on Colby’s forehead.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “What are you talking about?”

Don looked at him, his eyes steady.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Charlie, my little brother, the person
you’ve been sleeping with for the last few weeks.”

Colby took an involuntary step back.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “I don’t know what you mean.”

Don gave him a half-smile. 
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to beat you
up.  I’ve learned a lot about Charlie
since then.”

“How did you find out that he was coming to my place?” Colby
asked with a mixture of anxiety and relief. 

“I’ve known for weeks.” 
Don leaned back against the counter. 
“You don’t think I’d let him disappear every night without knowing where
he was going?”

“But, but you promised, Charlie said.”

“I promised not to follow him.”style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Don said. 
“I didn’t have to.”

“Oh?” Colby thought they’d been so careful.

“I knew the moment Charlie walked in the house with a shave
as smooth as a baby.”

Colby blinked, then smiled
sheepishly.  “Didn’t
think of that.”

Don smiled then his face grew serious again.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Charlie is more important to me than my job,
my reputation, my life.  Do you
understand?”

“Yes,” Colby said simply. “Because he’s
that important to me.”

Don studied Colby’s face for a moment then nodded.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Okay, just so we’re clear.”

There was a moment of silence then Don said, “You’ve been
good for him, you know.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  The first few days after the kidnapping we
were really worried about him.  He wasn’t
getting any sleep and his wound wasn’t healing. 
Then he suddenly started to improve.” 
Don’s lips quirked.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Would never have guessed
it was because he hooked up with you.”

“He said he couldn’t sleep except when I was there.”

“I had the hardest time keeping my dad from going crazy
about Charlie’s nightly disappearances. 
But when Charlie started looking better, he calmed down a little.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Still, I think he’s convinced class=GramE>it’s Amita.”

“Or some other female,” Colby added.

“Yeah,” Don said wryly. 
“Boy, is he gonna be surprised.”

“I bet,” Colby said uneasily.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Not looking forward to that.”style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He shook himself.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “No hurry though.”

“Dad’s gonna catch on eventually,” Don warned.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “He’s not stupid.”

“No,” Colby agreed. 
“Not with you two as his kids.”

Don inclined his head, acknowledging the compliment.

“We haven’t, you know,” Colby blurted.

“Haven’t what?”

“Hooked up.”

“Oh come on, don’t try and tell me that you and he haven’t—“

“Broken ribs,” Colby reminded him.

“Oh.  Oh!”style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Don began to laugh.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Poor Colby!”

“It’s been completely innocent,” Colby grumbled.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Driving me crazy.”

Don laughed harder, stopped, looked at Colby’s face and
began laughing again.

“He’ll be worth the wait, you know,” Don said between
laughs.  “He’s a sexy minx in bed.”

Colby groaned at the reminder that Don and Charlie and David
had slept together.  “Has everyone had
Charlie but me?”

“Just about,” Don said. 
His laughter trailed off and he wiped his eyes.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

Don’s face sobered and he looked at Colby for a long
moment.  He checked that David and Megan
had their backs to them then stepped closer to Colby and gave him a soft kiss
on the lips. 

“Once again,” Don said quietly.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Charlie gets everything I want.”

He picked up his coffee and walked out of the room, Colby
staring after him.