Chapter Text
Malibu, Night
Alan pulled up to the front of the house he’d seen for eight seasons. It was strange to finally see its entirety from the outside. Noticing the car in the driveway, he decided to park on the curb. He reached for his flip phone and opened his contacts. ‘To think I won’t get smartphones till four years from now.’ He reached the contact he’d been hesitant to call. Charlie Harper. He could feel the echoes of the original Alan in the back of his mind. They had few options for cheap residence since Judith kicked them out of the house. With a sigh, he dialed. The phone rang. As he remembered, Charlie did not pick it up.
The answering machine prompted. “Hey, it’s Charlie. Do your thing when you hear the beep.”
Alan sighed. It was best to keep it straight. “Hey, Charlie, it’s your brother, Alan. I know you’re probably busy, but please reply when you can. Things haven’t been going well for me. My wife, Judith, threw me out. I won’t lie. It’s hit me hard. I’ve been reconsidering life choices."
The phone clicked, signaling that Charlie had picked up. “Oh. Hey, Alan. I’m sorry to hear about that. So, where are you gonna go, to a hotel?”
“As much as I would like to, I can tell my finances will be harsh for a while if things end up in court.”
“Wow.”
Alan rolled his eyes, knowing Charlie was busy with a house guest. “I was hoping that I could stay with you. Not for free, of course, but until things get better.” He could already feel the echoes screaming at him for even offering to pay.
On the other line, Charlie did a double take. Getting rent out of Alan was a surprise but a welcome one. “Well, yeah, I guess you could stay here. Okay. I’ll see you when you get here.”
The call ended, and Alan could hear Charlie enjoying himself upstairs. With a sign, he reclined in his car and did his best to sleep the night away. This was his life now. It was best to make the most of it.
The Next Morning
When Alan woke up, his watch read 08:25 AM. Raising his seat, he noticed that the car from last night was gone. ‘As good a time as any, I suppose.’ Alan walked to the front door after pulling into the driveway and parking. He looked down at his attire. When he left the house, he found a solid blue button-up shirt and didn’t bother tucking it in on the way out.
He wouldn’t lie. It was a little nerve-wracking to meet the actual Charlie Harper in person. Steeling himself, he knocked on the door.
When the door opened, he finally met the man himself. He was an exact match for Charlie Sheen back in 2003. Granted, he was still wearing a white T-shirt, red boxers, and socks.
Charlie Harper rubbed his eyes, struggling to focus on the figure at the door. “Oh. Hey, Alan.”
Alan Harper rubbed the back of his neck, a familiar nervous gesture. “Good morning, Charlie. May I come in?”
Charlie blinked, trying to clear the sleep from his mind. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” He stepped aside, allowing Alan to enter before sitting on the couch. “Again, sorry about getting kicked out.”
“Thanks. I appreciate letting me stay,” Alan said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Charlie nodded blankly. “Yeah. Yeah. Just to make sure I didn’t mishear, you offered to pay rent?”
“Yup. We can discuss the details later, but it’ll be me mostly. Depending on Judith, Jake will be with us every other week or so.”
Charlie stared at him, processing the information. “Jake?”
Alan chuckled at his brother’s confusion. “My son.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “Oh, yeah, teenagers are pretty sophisticated these days.”
Alan rolled his eyes with a smile. “He’s 10.”
“Ah…”
“If I know my son well enough, he’ll be okay with the separation.”
“Really? I’d be lying if I said you and I turned out fine with what happened to Mom.”
Alan rubbed his neck, a familiar gesture. “Jake is… unique. He cares only about things that interest him.”
Charlie smirked. “Just like his uncle.”
Alan smiled, then gestured towards the second floor. “I noticed you had company over when I drove here last night. I figured I’d just sleep in the car till she left and you had fun.”
His brother laughed. “And I thank you for that. She was a sweet piece of ass.” He narrowed his eyes, trying to recall. “I think her name was Lana.”
'Laura,' Alan corrected in his head with a sigh, slumping into a chair. He thought about the future and the situation with Judith. “For what it’s worth, you were right.”
“I’m glad you finally said so." Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Right about what?”
“I married too young. I may not regret having a kid, but I do regret who I had it with.”
“I did tell you Judith was kind of a bitch.”
Alan remembered the countless arguments and the way Judith treated him and Herb. “You did, and it finally settled in last night.”
“That so? What do you plan on doing now?”
Alan frowned, contemplating. “I want to leave the life I had with her behind. I don’t suppose you have any good divorce lawyers?”
Charlie smirked. “I got a book for ‘em. Friendly tip: Have them on call if you go on a binger in Vegas.” He got up and stretched. “Look, you and Jake can have the guest rooms. I’ll grab some sheets.”
Alan smiled a rare, genuine smile. “Thanks, Charlie. This means a lot.” He got up himself. “Are you hungry? I’ll cook us up some breakfast.”
Charlie chuckled at the offer. “Sure. I got some bacon and eggs in the fridge. I'll mix us up some drinks.”
Alan felt optimistic as the two brothers walked to different rooms. Despite everything, he believed things would turn out okay.