Fic: Last Chance, Chapter 9/9 (Numb3rs, Charlie / Colby, David / Ian)
Title: Last Chance, Chapter 9/9
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger,
Don Eppes / Martin Fridegord,
David Sinclair / Ian Edgerton
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
NUMB3RS Main List
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
“David?” Charlie came back from the living room, grinning widely. “You’re not planning to leave anytime soon, right?”
“Are you kicking me out?”
“No, I’m just warning you that your kid’s found a comfy spot, so you may have some problems trying to get her to leave.”
“Translation, please.”
“She and Martin are currently busy composing a two tone snore-symphony.”
“He’s still asleep?” Don wondered. “Must be the meds.”
“I left them plates in the fridge.” Colby continued clearing the table. “They can warm them up when they wake up.”
“Great.” David out his empty beer bottle on the table. He was already three bottles ahead of others, and his speech had began to turn into a slur.
“I think this is the right time to take your car keys.” Colby fished the keyring from the other man’s pocket. “I’m not letting you drive like that.”
“I don’t feel like driving anyway. You’re a good guy, Granger. You don’t lie….”
“Thanks.”
“Charlie’s a good guy, Charlie doesn’t lie….”
“Okay.”
“Don’s a good guy, Don doesn’t lie….”
“David.”
“Martin’s a…. Who am I kidding, the guy is a frigging saint. I think he kills puppies at night time…. No one’s that perfect….”
“David, maybe you should try to get some sleep.”
“Sleep’s a good guy, sleep doesn’t lie….”
“You can sleep in the guest room.”
“Guest room’s a good-”
“Stop that.”
“You know who lies….?” David let out an uncontrollable fit of drunken giggles. “Ian lies. Remember when…. He said he didn’t know his kid…. All lies.”
“What do you mean?”
“I went through his drawers.” Another giggle fit. “He made me act like some hysterical housewife…. But he lied so I was right….!”
“Right about what?”
“Pictures and school reports and unofficial messages from the Boston office. He kept an eye on the kid for twenty-six years, and he lied about it.” The thought seemed to clear his head a bit. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He said they didn’t have actual contact.” Charlie interrupted. “Maybe it was just easier to keep an eye on him from afar.”
“But why didn’t he tell me?”
“I don’t know. You have to ask him when he gets back.”
That caused another fit, but this time it wasnt giggles. It sounded like a mixture of drunken laughter and sobbing.
“That’s the thing. I don’t know if he’s coming back. I asked when he’s coming back and he didn’t answer me…..”
“Okay, I think it’s time get you to bed.” Charlie gestured Colby to help him, but David shooed them away.
“He didn’t answer me. If he doesn’t come back-”
“David, he’s coming back. You’re here and Caroline’s here.”
“What if he leaves? He has the custody of the kid, not me. If he leaves, he’ll take her with him. He left his job, why would he stay here….?” The slurring was back and his eyelids drooped.
“Colby?” Charlie tried to grab the half passed-out man as he started to fall off his chair. Colby grabbed David by his arm and pulled him to his feet.
“I got it.” He escorted David out of the kitchen.
“Maybe I should get going.” Don got up. “I could use some rest too.”
“Who doesn’t?” Charlie grimaced. “You can sleep upstairs if you want.”
“With a sentimental drunk? No thanks.”
“I could get some mattresses and put them on the floor.”
“And I would wake up with a crick in my neck.”
“You’ve spent night in worse places. Or so I’ve heard.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I know someone who was in the academy with you.”
“Who?”
“She wasn’t in the same group as you.”
“Who?”
“You probably don’t even remember her-”
“Chuck. Who was it?”
“Carrie-Ann -”
“Parson?” Don finished. “I remember her. We had one memorably night on the floor of the training room.”
“Apparently it was memorable for her too.”
“She told you that?”
“Yeah. According to her, you couldn’t get it up and then you passed out after singing "Staying Alive" off the note for few minutes.”
“She’s lying!”
“Most of the student were celebrating the end of the physical training course and you all got drunk.”
“That part is true.”
“And you promised in front of the whole group that you could make her word turn. But the only thing that turned was her stomach.”
“That wasn’t about me!”
“Keep telling yourself that…. Anyway, I ran into her when I gave my lecture in Quantico. She’s a firearm instructor.”
“Can we move on if I agree to sleep in the guestroom?”
“Yeah.”
“You wanna drag Martin up there too?”
“No, better let him sleep where he is.” Charlie chuckled. “We got the whole house full.”
“That’s not a bad thing.”
“No, it’s not. It’s nice.” Charlie let out a deep sigh. “After all the stuff that`s been going on lately, it’s nice to have a lot people here. Kinda comforting.” He grabbed his keys from the counter and headed to the back door. “I think we put the extra mattresses to the garage.”