Fic: Reasons & Consequences, Chapter 2 (Numb3rs, Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger, Don Eppes / Martin)
Title: Reasons & Consequences, Chapter 2
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger,
Don Eppes / Martin Fridegord
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
NUMB3RS Main List
Reasons & Consequences, Chapter 1
“You wanna try again?” Charlie grinned, waiting to see if Helen had finally had enough of her stand-up rehearsals. She could stay on her own two feet as long as someone supported her, but on her own she fell down to her butt. Just like she had done now.
Charlie straightened his legs and groaned. A baby blanket on the living room floor was not exactly the most comfortable spot. His eyes wandered to the TV, where the current headlines were racing on top of the screen. One of the headlines caught his attention.
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“I’m done.” David announced and shut down his computer. “My report’s done.”
“You don’t need to rub it in.” Colby groaned and kept tapping his own keyboard.
“I do, and I got plans for the weekend too. We’re taking Caroline to the Zoo. Apes, lions and cotton candy.”
“Have fun and go before I throw something at you.”
“Everyone ready?” Don came from the break room with a stack of papers and an empty coffee cup.
“Yeah, I need to get going.” David pulled his coat on. “We’ll leave as soon as I get home. It’s a two hour drive.”
“Aren’t you even going to welcome me back before you leave?”
All three men turned to see who was talking. Megan leaned against the partition screen and grinned. Colby was the first to recover. He pulled Megan closer for a tight hug.
“Welcome back. You are coming back, right?”
“Starting next Monday. I just came to see how everyone’s doing.”
“Everyone’s doing good.” Don took his turn with the hugs. “What about you? Are you feeling well?”
“Yeah, better than I have in a while. I had my psych exam and physical tests last week and they cleared me for field work.” She smirked. “What’s the situation here? Anything I should know about?”
“Not really.”
“You and Martin?”
“Together.”
“You and Ian?” She turned to David.
“Still together.”
“I’m not even gonna bother asking you.” She said to Colby. “Are you all leaving already?”
“Yeah, I need to get going.” David took his bag and headed out. “But it was great to see you.”
“You too, have fun.” David left and Megan sat down on his desk.
“If I’m keeping you, just say so. I don’t mind.”
“I’m not in a hurry.” Don grabbed a chair and sat down. “Martin’s in Colorado, he wont be back until tomorrow. They had some problems with the flights. Their plane had some flaw, so their group is flying on a smaller plane from Colorado Springs to Denver and then they`ll take a flight to L.A.”
“So you’re a Friday bachelor. We could all go for couple drinks. We could call Charlie and ask if he would like to come too.” Megan suggested.
“I don’t think he’s coming. Liza has some evening classes, and we try to get Helen accustomed to one babysitter. Charlie read that it should make kids feel safer.”
Colby explained. “We could all go back to the house. Get some beers and catch up.”
“That would be nice.” Megan agreed. “Are you done?”
“In ten minutes.”
She leaned over his shoulder to see the computer monitor. “Your typing hasn’t improved much.
“I’m not slow, I just try to avoid typos.”
“I can wait.” She sat down behind Colby and Don joined him. Colby tried to continue his writing, but finally he had to turn around and give them a murderous glance.
“This is hard enough as it is, stop reading over my shoulder.”
“I wasn’t doing anything.” Megan smirked.
“Me neither.” Don agreed. “Just keep going.”
“Don!” Charlie’s voice echoed through the half empty office. He was rushing from the elevators, carrying Helen in a baby carrier. He looked like he had run all the way from the lobby, and his curls were flying to every possible direction.
“I thought you were home.” Colby gave him a worried look.
“Don….” Charlie tried to speak, but he was too winded.
“Take a deep breath, buddy.” Don advised.
“You…” Charlie looked at Don. “You haven’t heard.”
“About what?”
Charlie gestured him to follow him to the break room and snapped the TV on. He surfed through the channels until he found the news channel. A large weather map filled the screen.
“Weather reports, Chuck?”
“Don, I’m not sure how to say-” Charlie paused when he realised Don’s eyes were now fixed on the TV. The Weather map was gone, replaced by a wobbly video footage of rescue vehicles.
“What’s going on?” Don asked carefully.
“There’s a storm front moving over Colorado.” Charlie took a shaky breath. “A small aircraft went down somewhere in the mountain area.”
Chapter 3