Fic: “His own personal telescope”, PG, (1/1)
Title: “His own personal telescope”
Author: JM
Beta: none
Pairing: none. Eppescest if you want to see it.
Characters: Charlie Eppes, Don Eppes.
Rating: FRC (PG)
Warnings: flashfic
Words: 450
Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: If I owned them, I’d better not say what I’d be doing right now.
Summary: It’s always there, every night, every time Charlie sits there and waits.
Crossposted
~~
Charlie looks at the clock with a concerned look on his face. It’s late, his father went to bed more than an hour before, but Charlie simply can’t manage to walk upstairs and do the same. He takes a glass of iced tea and a beer and reaches the small patio, sitting down with a sigh. It’s a bit uncomfortable, his father brought inside the cushions just before going to bed, but Charlie simply sits down and sips from his tea.
It’s not the first time he finds himself out there, and he knows it’s not gonna be the last. His gaze is captured by the sky above him, and he sees it, a star, much brighter than the others. It’s always there, every night, every time Charlie sits there and waits. And he loves watching it in its seemingly eternal stillness.
He knows it doesn’t work like that, but as soon as Charlie manages to get Larry’s rambling about universe and physics laws out of his mind, a little smile settles on his lips.
He likes it, it’s always there, no matter if Charlie sees it or not, no matter if there’s a cloud sheltering it, or a storm preventing him from staying out in the patio, nothing can change that the star will follow its path every night.
Charlie’s smile fades.
Albuquerque, a thick, dark cloud. Charlie can’t see through it.
Fugitive recovery, a nasty, gloomy storm. Charlie can’t even begin to think about fighting it.
Los Angeles.
He hears the noise of the engine cease and slow steps on the gravel. He doesn’t move, not even when a dark shape reaches the patio.
-Charlie, is that you?- The voice is soft and cautious and Charlie knows Don’s hand is ready to draw his gun.
-Couldn’t sleep.-
Don reaches him and sits on the chair next to him. Even in the dim light Charlie can see how drained Don looks, and he hands him the beer. Without a word Don opens it and takes a long sip, relaxing in the chair.
-The case’s closed.- Don informs with a sigh, and Charlie puts his glass on the small table between their chairs.
-You got him?-
-Yeah.- At those words Charlie relaxes back in the chair and rests his head against the back. -We got him.-
They don’t say anything for a few minutes, then Don looks over to his brother, just to find him asleep. He takes out his jacket and lays it on Charlie, a little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
-Thanks.- Charlie mutters somewhere between consciousness and sleep, and Don lets his smile widen.
Los Angeles, not safe, but home, Charlie’s own personal telescope. He can get as closer as he’ll ever be allowed to.
~
end