Drabble Series: Stuck Inside, (#17 In Another World, #124 Ivory Tower, #105 Prison, #20 Surface)
Title: Stuck Inside
Prompts: February 2008 Rewind - In Another World, Ivory Tower, Prison, Surface
Author: starlettmalfoy
Characters: Don, Charlie
Rating: R
Word Count: 4x100
Warnings: Character death.
Disclaimer: I don't own the show Numb3rs or the characters and am not profiting off of this.
Summary: AU. Brothers in crime get too comfortable, get caught, and pay the price.
Author's Note: Written for numb3rs100. I didn't originally intend to write this at all. I keep looking at it and asking myself what I was on. But, I post what I write, so here it is. I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with it, but I do like it. Please be warned that there is character death. And I'm sorry! My muse made me do it. I didn't want to do it. I hate character death. ::sniffles:: It's very AU, obviously, and the basic idea is the nice ol' one of Don and Charlie as criminals instead of the other way around. Enjoy.
Caught (#17 In Another World)
Don cursed and grabbed for his gun, pushing Charlie out of the way. Not fast enough, the figure appeared in the doorway, training his rifle at Don's head, finger caressing the trigger lightly.
"Drop it, Eppes." The voice was laced with pompous authority. Don wanted to sneer at it. Instead, he lowered the gun and tossed it to the side. Always watching, he could see his brother slink away to the shadows from the corner of his eye. As the man cuffed him and read him his rights, Don remained silent. He knew that Charlie would take care of everything.
Rescued (#124 Ivory Tower)
Charlie scowled at the men in front of him and made a few sharp gestures. They followed his unspoken command quickly, without hesitation. The wall against Charlie's back was rough and cold. The loaded pistol in his hands was heavy, but real.
Charlie checked his watch for the fourth time before he heard the quiet shuffling of feet. His men rounded the corner, Don between them, and Charlie let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. They had been too comfortable, too sure that this wouldn't happen to them. Never again, Charlie vowed as he hugged his brother.
Walls (#105 Prison)
Business went about as usual, but Charlie could sense something was wrong. Don tried to hide it from him, but Charlie saw the signs. Don didn't sleep, not really. What little he did eat didn't seem to be enough. And more than once he would catch the older man staring off into space, a haunted look in his eyes.
"We should stop this." Charlie barely caught the whisper. "We can't though, can we? We're trapped in this world, no matter what. No going back."
Charlie held Don as he shook, and wondered what his parents would think, if they'd lived.
Freedom (#20 Surface)
The bullet had been meant for him.
Tears stung his eyes as the hot, sticky liquid gushed out from between Don's fingertips. He tore another strip from his ruined shirt and pressed it against the hole in Charlie's chest. It was stained red in seconds.
Charlie's eyes fluttered, his mouth trying to form words as his heart slowed, blood filling his lungs. Finally, Don reached down with an anguished sob and closed Charlie's eyes.
His gun tasted like freedom. The surface of the muzzle was warm under his tongue. He closed his eyes and knew he would see Charlie soon.
Prompts: February 2008 Rewind - In Another World, Ivory Tower, Prison, Surface
Author: starlettmalfoy
Characters: Don, Charlie
Rating: R
Word Count: 4x100
Warnings: Character death.
Disclaimer: I don't own the show Numb3rs or the characters and am not profiting off of this.
Summary: AU. Brothers in crime get too comfortable, get caught, and pay the price.
Author's Note: Written for numb3rs100. I didn't originally intend to write this at all. I keep looking at it and asking myself what I was on. But, I post what I write, so here it is. I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with it, but I do like it. Please be warned that there is character death. And I'm sorry! My muse made me do it. I didn't want to do it. I hate character death. ::sniffles:: It's very AU, obviously, and the basic idea is the nice ol' one of Don and Charlie as criminals instead of the other way around. Enjoy.
Caught (#17 In Another World)
Don cursed and grabbed for his gun, pushing Charlie out of the way. Not fast enough, the figure appeared in the doorway, training his rifle at Don's head, finger caressing the trigger lightly.
"Drop it, Eppes." The voice was laced with pompous authority. Don wanted to sneer at it. Instead, he lowered the gun and tossed it to the side. Always watching, he could see his brother slink away to the shadows from the corner of his eye. As the man cuffed him and read him his rights, Don remained silent. He knew that Charlie would take care of everything.
Rescued (#124 Ivory Tower)
Charlie scowled at the men in front of him and made a few sharp gestures. They followed his unspoken command quickly, without hesitation. The wall against Charlie's back was rough and cold. The loaded pistol in his hands was heavy, but real.
Charlie checked his watch for the fourth time before he heard the quiet shuffling of feet. His men rounded the corner, Don between them, and Charlie let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. They had been too comfortable, too sure that this wouldn't happen to them. Never again, Charlie vowed as he hugged his brother.
Walls (#105 Prison)
Business went about as usual, but Charlie could sense something was wrong. Don tried to hide it from him, but Charlie saw the signs. Don didn't sleep, not really. What little he did eat didn't seem to be enough. And more than once he would catch the older man staring off into space, a haunted look in his eyes.
"We should stop this." Charlie barely caught the whisper. "We can't though, can we? We're trapped in this world, no matter what. No going back."
Charlie held Don as he shook, and wondered what his parents would think, if they'd lived.
Freedom (#20 Surface)
The bullet had been meant for him.
Tears stung his eyes as the hot, sticky liquid gushed out from between Don's fingertips. He tore another strip from his ruined shirt and pressed it against the hole in Charlie's chest. It was stained red in seconds.
Charlie's eyes fluttered, his mouth trying to form words as his heart slowed, blood filling his lungs. Finally, Don reached down with an anguished sob and closed Charlie's eyes.
His gun tasted like freedom. The surface of the muzzle was warm under his tongue. He closed his eyes and knew he would see Charlie soon.