Fic: Old & New Secrets 2/2 (Numb3rs, Charlie / Colby, Don / Martin, David / Ian)
Title: Old & New Secrets 2/2
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger,
Don Eppes / Martin Fridegord
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
NUMB3RS Main List
Chapter 1/2
Notes:Some things about this chapter won`t make much sense if you haven`t read
the Epilogue of Choices, Worried and 2 Guests.
Don was changing out of his workout clothes when the doorbell rang
“Wait a sec!” He yelled and pulled a pair of jeans and a T-shirt on. The doorbell rang a gain. “I’m coming!” He pulled the door open. On the other side Steffy grinned widely.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Don paused. “What are you doing here?”
“Your manners are getting worse and worse.” She walked in an looked around. “Nice place.”
“Thanks. It’s Martin’s place, actually.”
“I should have guessed. The bureau pay doesn’t stretch that far. But I’m sure you pay for your upkeep, one way or another.”
“Steffy-”
“Quinn send these.” She pulled few files from her bag and gave them to Don. “He’s handling the prosecution on the Roberson case. He wants you to refresh your memory before you take the stand.”
“Thank you, and if that was all….”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“Frankly…. Yes.”
“Thant’s no way to treat your old chums.” Steffy giggled. “That guy really has you in a short leash. But I guess he want’s his moneys worth.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Come on, Don. This whole thing is so easy to read. I’ve known you for along time, and you never had any interest in men. Now suddenly you’re moving in with one and playing his arm candy in a black-tie event…. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out.”
“Steffy, I’m gonna say this as nicely as I can. Get out.”
“I hit a nerve didn’t I? What does your benefactor do if he caughts you in female company? Cancel your pocket money?”
Don was just about ready to start yelling when they heard someone twisting a key in the lock. Charlie marched in and stopped to look at the two occupants.
“Since when do you have a key?” Don asked.
“Martin gave it to me for emergencies.” Charlie shrugged. “Did I interrupt something?”
“No, she was on her way out.”
“Nice to see you again.” Steffy smirked. “I’ll see you later, Don.” She waltzed out and Charlie gave Don a weird look.
“She’ll see you again?”
“Don’t even ask…. Are you ready to go?”
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“What are you doing?” Ian asked and placed several cartons of take-out on the kitchen table. “You look like Charlie when he’s in his math haze.”
“I was thinking….”
“About what?”
“Megan. I called her and…. Something’s going on.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Something’s not right about her, but I have no idea what it is.”
“It’s been a week since that car crash and the baby thing. No wonder she’s little bit off.”
“No, this is something else.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know! It’s right there under my nose and I can’t figure it out. And Colby
said the same yesterday.”
“Maybe it’s about the baby.” Ian suggested. “Even if she didn’t want it, that had
to be a big blow.”
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“I think this is it….” Charlie checked the map of the cemetery. “The year fits and they all look like they’ve been deserted.”
The tiny slot of the cemetery was isolated from the rest of it by an old hedge. There was only few graves, all of them covered by overgrown greenery. Charlie leaned down to pull some weeds off.
“This is it.”
Don came closer and read the engraving. He took the bunch of flowers they had picked up on the way and placed it in front of the stone.
“Doesn’t really look that nice when the whole is outgrown….” Charlie commented.
“Yeah…” Don sighed and crossed his arms across his chest. “You wanna stay
for a while?”
“Why?” Charlie didn’t look at him. “Thing are just like they were before. Nothing’s changed.”
“You think…. I mean…”
“Do I think mom knew?”
“How did you guess?”
“I wondered about that too. You know how much it cost to keep a kid in a nursing home?”
“No.”
“A lot. Dad couldn’t have hidden it. Mom had to know.”
“And she didn’t tell us anything.”
“Don.” Charlie turned around and started walking back to the main area of the cemetery. “Mom came back, they stayed together and they were happy. Let’s just leave it like that.”