Fic: Choices, Chapter 6 (Numb3rs, Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger, Don Eppes / Martin)
Title: Choices, Chapter 6
Fandom: Numb3rs
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
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Don slumped down to an armchair and loosened his tie.
“Is everyone gone?”
“Pretty much.” Charlie sat down to the opposite side of the coffee table. “Megan’s
still outside. She wanted to rest her legs before going home. This was a really
long day.”
“Yeah….. Do you think she’s okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, she’s just been little…weird lately.”
“If she has something to tell you, she’ll tell you.” Charlie leaned back and let
out a deep breath. “Did you see how aunt Irene attached herself to Larry?”
“For a while I thought he was about to start screaming. Where’s everyone else?”
“David and Ian are in the backyard with Megan, and Colby’s in the kitchen. He’s
packing the leftovers. You and Martin will get a doggie bag to take home.”
“Speaking of taking stuff home, did Martin tell you about his suggestion?”
“No.”
“He wants me to move to his place.”
“Are you gonna do it?”
“I already said yes. His place is a lot nicer than mine.”
“Don, a junkyard is nicer than your place.”
“Anyway…. I’ll be saving a lot of money in rent.”
“Is that the reason you agreed?”
Don grinned. “No.”
“Good.”
“It’s weird…..”
“What’s weird?”
“This was different from when mom died. Dad was there and you were there
but… It just feels different.”
“Having Martin here?”
“Yeah.”
“I know. I have the same thing with Colby.”
“That’s different. You and Granger are like… an old couple.”
“You’ve been with Martin…. How long? Eighteen months? Or nineteen? You’re
way past the testing-the-waters phase.”
Don was quiet for a while.
“Don? Did I say something?”
“No… I just started thinking. You ever tell Granger that thing?”
“That thing?”
“The Three Word Thing.”
“Aren’t you little old for that expression?”
“The loving thing.”
“You mean do I tell Colby I love him. Yeah, and he tells it to me. Why do
you wanna know that?”
“Martin says that to me.”
“I know, I’ve heard him saying it.”
“That’s the whole thing. He says it like it’s no big deal.”
“Is it?”
“It is!”
“Translation: You haven’t said it.”
“We just got together, it’s too early.”
“Don, I’m gonna say this as clearly as I can. You are not a hot, new couple.
You’re a who’s-cooking-and-don’t-leave-your-dirty-socks-on-the-floor couple.”
“Dirty socks? You must be talking about Don.” Martin commented when he walked in.
“That wasn’t hard to guess…” Charlie chuckled.
“Yeah.” Martin agreed. “David and Ian are about to leave, they’re taking Megan
to her place.”
“You want to leave now?” Don asked.
“Up to you.”
“I could stay a while.”
“Okay.” Martin sat down on the handrest of Don’s armchair.
“I’ll go check on Colby.” Charlie said and got up. “If I don’t keep an eye on him
he’ll make the caterer cry. Again.” He went to the kitchen, where Colby was
standing next to a tall pile of fried chicken pieces and what was let of the salmon.
“Meat or fish?”
“Never say fish if you`re on an airplane.” Charlie commented. “Did you do something
to the caterers?”
“No, they went to collect the dishes.” Colby took a look at Charlie. “How are
you doing with this?”
“Well…. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say. I was tired after we came from the
cemetery and now everyone’s been fed and we’ve talked to people whose names
I can’t remember and now guests are gone and…. It’s been a long day.”
“Well, everything’s almost done. You can go get some rest.”
“I don’t think I can sleep. I’m tired but I can’t sleep.”
“You want some fish?”
“Why not….” Charlie took a fork and sat down next to the serving platters. “This
is pretty good. I couldn’t get anything down when the guests were here.”
“Is Don still here? I put away some of those for him and Martin.”
“He’s still there. Ian and David are about to leave.”
“I got something for them too.” Colby took a full paper bag from the fridge. “I’ll
be right back.”
“Okay.” Charlie swallowed a mouthful of fish. “Colby?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. Try the chicken, we got enough of that for a week.” Colby smirked
and left.
TBC