My Beautiful Doll

Chapter Twenty One

Charlie woke up with a jolt, his heart jumping so far in his chest he got a physical whiplash. He blinked in confusion, looking around. This isn't home...

A sudden groan beside him made him jump as he whirled around quickly to check what it was. To his shock, his father was on the floor, face scrunched. He was completely unconscious. Charlie reached out to examine him, letting out a sigh of relief when he realized that their father was uninjured. Charlie tried to shake him awake, but there was no response. Judging by the lack of injuries on the both of them, Charlie's raging headache, and the unfamiliar area, he guessed that they were both drugged and abducted. Dad might take a while to wake up. Then suddenly, everything started to fall into place. The house...the attack...DON! His mind caught up instantly as he jumped up, desperately looking around the room to search for his missing brother. Unfortunately, Don was nowhere to be found. Worst case scenarios popped up into his mind. For once, he regretted ever snooping into those case files since they helped aid him in his vivid imagination.

Charlie shuddered as he remembered how the former agent acted around his brother. The touching, the pet names, the loving voice. All were reminiscent of how lovers acted around each other. But the look on Don's face said it all. Charlie could see every inch of disgust and fear on his brother's face, ones that Don probably didn't notice he let slip. The things the man did to his brother, it made Charlie want to throw up. Especially when he wrapped his arms around his brother, toying with him before he forcefully put the ring on Don's finger. Charlie couldn't fathom how his brother managed to go through that alone with all his wits still with him, how he was still able to fight back despite the horrific scenario.

Don's strong, his mind tried to help him as he looked around the abandoned warehouse, trying to find a way out. This statement was undeniable truth. Charlie has seen it time and time again. Don goes through scenarios that should've killed him but somehow manages to emerge victorious and then still go to work the next day. But this time, he wasn't so sure. This isn't someone who wanted to kill his brother, this is someone who is in love with him. A drastically different scenario with its own different set of outcomes. Charlie was afraid that this time, his brother's strong will would be his downfall. Multiple statistics from studies about healing from this kind of trauma surfaced in his head, the numbers varying depending on the victim. He has to heal, Charlie thought with renewed vigour, there's no other option for him. They would all be there to help him, even if his stubborn brother tried to push them away.

But first, I need to get out of this place. During his search, he didn't find much. Nothing but stacks of crates. There were a few rusty pipes, but none that would be useful to them. At least Baker had the decency to put both him and their father on stacks of hay instead of on the cold concrete. He even left them with food and water. Charlie then tried to open the doors, but unfortunately they wouldn't budge. He could hear the bang of a straight object wedged between the door handles. Might not be the most effective security, but it would do in a pinch he thought ruefully. It seems that Baker has little confidence in their ability to escape. Knowing himself and his father, Charlie couldn't help but agree.

Charlie checked his pockets to see if the man had taken anything. To his surprise, everything was still in its place, including his phone. Taking it out, he was dismayed to see that he had run out of battery. Damn, I forgot to charge it last night. If Don was here, he would tease Charlie endlessly and then somehow create a plan that would get them out of this situation.

Thinking about his brother made Charlie's worry rise back again. As strange as it was given their history, Charlie sorely missed his brother. Their lives were so tangled into each other nowadays to the point where it would be rare to see one without the other. They've invaded each other's offices and workplaces, making their own space without even realizing it. Charlie had always hung around either the breakroom, the war room, or the space next to Don's cubicle, scribbling away as he chatted about the cases to his brother. Don always stood around the area near the door in front of the dartboard, fiddling with the various contraptions that Charlie had lying around while he shot out observations or theories. They've gotten used to each other's presence to the point where Charlie couldn't fathom his life without Don there, being a silent comforting presence.