Work Text:
Miscalculation
by IrenaAdler
Through the window, Don saw Charlie crouching by the koi pond. Charlie's shoulders were hunched and tight, as if he was afraid of a blow.
It was inevitable. Once Charlie had started working with Don, it was inevitable that, at some point, Charlie would make a mistake. Not in the math, of course, but in interpreting the data, asking the right questions, seeing the overall pattern. The last time Don had seen Charlie like this was with the Prep School Boys, when Don had gotten shot. That time, like this one, Charlie's math had collided with reality and it had gotten messy. No one had been killed this time, but Megan had been forced into hand-to-hand combat with a brute of a man. That Megan had subdued the guy while only getting bruises and a hyper-extended shoulder seemed little consolation to Charlie. He'd gone from smug to shaken in one instant. He'd seen Megan's arm in its precautionary sling and turned white. Then he'd come home and gone to the koi pond. At least he hadn't disappeared into the garage.
Don pushed open the door and walked out. He crouched next to Charlie, putting his hand on Charlie's back. Charlie flinched.
"It wasn't your fault, buddy," Don said. "Keyes was good at pretending to be the poor, helpless victim."
"I should've noticed it, the math should've shown it," Charlie mumbled.
"People aren't math."
"Yeah, math doesn't lie. Doesn't say it's one thing then pull a gun on you."
"No," Don agreed.
They watched the koi in silence. Finally, Don said, "You coming in for dinner?"
"Gonna serve Keyes on a spit?"
Don smiled. "A whole chicken, but we can call it Keyes if you want."
Charlie's lips twitched into a faint answering smile. "Okay, but I'm gonna do the carving."
end