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Colby walks into the living room, glancing over as Charlie stands roughly five feet away from the door. “Are you going to get that, Charlie?”
“I don’t.... I mean...” Charlie looks at Colby and runs a hand through his hair.
“Charlie, you need to talk to Don. You know he sent Amita packing. She’s no longer at CalSci. She’s left the country. But it is killing your dad to know you and Don aren’t on speaking terms anymore. You don’t have to like him. You don’t have to get along with him. But you will have to learn to be civil to him, because what happened last week at the Bureau cannot happen again.” Colby approaches Charlie and wraps his arms around him. “Larry and Megan are coming, as are David, Nikki, and Liz. Your dad will be there and you know he won’t let Don say anything bad to you.” Colby nudges Charlie forward, not letting go completely. “Go answer the door.”
Charlie takes a deep breath, nodding as he starts for the door. “Hey Colby?”
“Yeah?” Colby raises an eyebrow.
“I love you.”
Colby grins and heads for the kitchen. “I love you more.”
Charlie rolls his eyes and opens the door. “Don.”
“Hey Charlie. Can I come in?” Don licks his lips.
Charlie takes a step back, gesturing for Don to enter the house. “All I really want to know, Don, is why?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry, Charlie. I really don’t know.” Don sighs and walks into the living room, Charlie following him. They both settle into their usual spots, Don leaning forward, elbows on his knees. Charlie settles back into his chair, scowling at his older brother.
Don buries his hands in his hair. “I know I screwed up, big time. I not only cheated on Robin, but I did it with your girl. I didn’t love her, and I have no excuse. I have no fucking reason. It was stupid and it cost me my girlfriend, the respect of my agents, my father’s respect, but most importantly? It cost me my brother. I know it was stupid. The stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t care about the rest of that, but it is killing me to know that I could lose you from my life forever.”
“Why did you send her away?”
“Because I didn’t love her. I couldn’t love her. She was a mistake, one I will spend the rest of my life trying to undo.”
Charlie glances up when he hears the door open and close. He licks his lips when he sees Larry and Megan standing in the doorway, hanging up their coats. Larry turns and pauses. “Oh. We seem to have interrupted.”
Megan hooks her arm through Larry’s and waves at Don and Charlie. “Come on, Larry. Let’s go see what Colby’s up to in the kitchen.”
“Oh. Yes. I need to make sure he’s made some white foods.”
Charlie starts to speak, but Megan has Larry pulled into the kitchen too quickly for him to actually say anything. He licks his lips and turns back to Don. “I don’t know that I can ever forgive you. I’m in a better place, though, and maybe I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t slept with Amita.” Charlie frowns. “But that doesn’t mean what you did was okay.”
“No. It wasn’t okay. I screwed up, and I cost you your girlfriend. I cost me mine. I understand how badly I screwed up. I just want a chance to make it right. Will you let me make it right?”
“You can try.” Charlie glances up as the door opens again and David, Nikki, and Liz walk in, Ian Edgerton following behind. He gets to his feet. “Ian?”
“Heard Granger was making food, and that he is actually a decent cook.” Ian eyes Charlie and nods, then glares at Don. “Also, maybe, I heard that my favourite Professor was having some trouble and I wanted to see if I could... “help”.” Ian grins as he stares down Don.
Charlie smiles a little. He’d been surprised by the support from Don’s team, once they’d all heard about what had happened between Don and Amita, but he’s not as surprised by the support from Ian. “I don’t think I need that kind of help, but thank you. Colby is in the kitchen, making... something. I don’t ask, and he doesn’t tell.”
Ian nods. He shoots a final fulminating glance at Don before he follows Don’s team into the kitchen. Charlie sits back down and looks at Don, scowling when he sees his brother smiling. “You’re smiling when the third best sniper in the world just threatened you?”
“Smiling because I’m happy to see how much you’re loved. You never needed Amita, so why did you persist? Why ask her to marry you?” Don sobers, eyebrow raising.
“Because it’s what was expected of me.” Charlie glances around the room and sighs. He focuses on his hands, wondering how they got here from him being angry with Don. “Because it’s what Dad wanted. It’s what Mom would’ve wanted. A daughter in law, and possible grandkids. Never mind that I wouldn’t want to inflict my problems on some poor unsuspecting kid. Never mind that I never really wanted a wife. A girlfriend was fine, but... I don’t really want marriage.”
“Is that why you chose Granger?”
“It’s not like that, Don.” Charlie lifts his head, frowning. “Colby... He completes me in ways I didn’t think were possible. We don’t... It’s not about marriage or not, or kids or not... It’s just...” Charlie sighs. “How do you do this? How do you always make me feel bad about myself?”
“I don’t mean to. I just meant... You can’t legally marry Granger.”
“Actually, they can, if they wanted.” Both Eppes boys look up in surprise at their dad. “It’s legal. Has been. It was legalized in June of 2008, put on hold in November of that same year, then Prop 8 was repealed and it was legal again after June 2013.” Alan stands in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “It’s also legal for gay couples to adopt.” He focuses on Don. “Donnie, how could you?”
“It was the biggest mistake of my life, but, Dad, I don’t owe you any explanations. The only person I owe those explanations to is Charlie.”
“And you!” Alan turns to Charlie. “How could you think that I would want you to marry someone you didn’t love? Or give me grandchildren if it wasn’t what you wanted?”
“Because that’s all you ever talked about. Don and I having wives and babies, and how happy it would make us to have what you and mom had.”
Alan walks into the living room and sits in his recliner, breathing out hard. “I never meant... I never meant for you to marry someone you didn’t love, Charlie.” Alan shakes his head. “I only meant... Your mother was everything to me. She was the love of my life, and she gave me you and Donnie and that’s all I ever needed. I want you and Donnie to have what we had, because what we had was love. This house was full of love. That’s all I wanted for the two of you. That’s all I want. Yes, I would love to be a grandfather someday, but if that never happens, I would live with it as long as you are happy. You too, Donnie.”
Don nods, glancing over at Charlie. “Since you didn’t love Amita... I... Do you love Granger?”
“Colby and I...” Charlie looks between his dad and his brother. “I love him. I love him like Dad loved Mom. I never wanted marriage, until Colby.” Charlie bites his lip and glances over his shoulder towards the dining room. “I still don’t want children, at least not biological children. I don’t know if my genius is hereditary, but I don’t want any child of mine growing up the way I did.” He looks at his father. “You and Mom were great, but... No one should have to go to college and have their mother be their dorm mate.”
Alan smiles. “I could be happy with adopted grandchildren.”
Charlie smiles back, then looks at Don. “I don’t know if I can ever forgive you, but you’re my big brother and I love you and I don’t want a life without you in it.”
Blinking, Don nods. “So... Can we try to move on?”
His smile widening, Charlie gets to his feet. “Let’s go see what Colby is making for dinner. I’m sure it’s going to be delicious. He’s a fantastic cook.”
“This I have to see,” Don says, clasping his hand on the back of Charlie’s neck. “Can he really cook?”
“Yeah, he’s good. Like as good as Dad is.” Charlie smiles at Don, and then over Don’s shoulder at his dad. Alan beams as he follows his boys into the kitchen where everyone is busy either preparing food or getting dishes ready.
Soon, everyone is moving into the dining room, sitting at their usual spots as Colby and Ian bring in the fried chicken and mashed potatoes, with Charlie and Don following with green bean casserole and a bowl of gravy.
Everyone falls silent for a moment, watching Don and Charlie. Larry sits next to Megan, smiling at the Eppes brothers. “Well, Charles, Alan, Don, it looks like the Beatles were right after all.” He says nothing else as he starts dishing himself up food.
Alan laughs at the confused expression on everyone’s faces. “All you need is love,” he says, completing Larry’s thoughts as he too digs into the food.