Fic: Something Old & Something New 1/3 (Numb3rs, Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger, Don Eppes / Martin)
Title: Something Old & Something New 1/3
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger,
Don Eppes / Martin Fridegord
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Numb3rs Main List
It happened early in the morning. Don was standing in front of his bathroom mirror
with his face covered in shaving cream. He heard the doorbell ring, a quick `I’ll get
that` and then some screaming. The first two were easy to understand, but the third
one made alarm bells ring in his head. He stepped out of the bathroom and saw
where the last noise had come from.
Martin was standing at the door, still partly undressed, with his arms around Charlie
and both men looked absolutely stunned.
“What’s going on here?”
“Don, why didn’t you tell me it was Martin?” Charlie giggled.
“I did tell you… You two know each other?”
“Yep.” Martin confirmed. “We’ve known for years. I remember the last time we
met. I was bending over, reaching for balls.”
“And then came the fight about the topping-issue.” Charlie added. Both of them
laughed, and Don looked at them like they had just gone mad.
“Sorry, inside joke.” Martin explained.
“Chuck, you better explain this to me, or I’ll pull your inside jokes outside.”
“Well…” Charlie took a deep breath. He was still winded from their laughter fit.
“The last time we met was last year, when CalSci organized that tennis tourna-
ment for their seminar guests. He was reaching for balls under the bench and
clonked his head on it.”
“And finally we decided to skip the whole game and go for a pizza.” Martin chuckled.
“We had a huge argument about the toppings and the right ratio between them and
cheese.”
“I still can’t believe it. It’s you! Don just said `Martin`, but he didn’t mention
your last name.” Charlie gushed.
“I still can’t believe this whole situation.“ Don looked like a grumpy kid who had
been banned from the playground. “How exactly do you know each other?”
“He used to handle some legal affairs for CalSci. But I thought you were living
in Dallas?”
“I was. I moved back couple months ago. I was going to get in touch, but I had
all sorts of stuff to take care of.”
“That’s fine.” Charlie beamed. “We gotta get together soon. You still go wall
climbing?”
“Anytime you got time.” Martin glanced at his watch. “I have to get going, but
I’ll call you. You still got that same number for your office?”
“Yeah, and I need to get going too.”
Martin leaped back to the bedroom to get the rest of his clothes.
“Chuck, did you come here at this hour just to hug and grope my-” Don paused
to think about it. “Well, mine anyway.”
“Don’t worry.” Charlie grinned. “I was on my way to work and I thought I bring
you the crime index summaries I promised.” He pulled few files from his bag
and handed them over to Don. “I gotta go, I’ll see you later.”
Charlie marched out of the door and Martin out of the bedroom.
“I’ll see you later.” He gave Don a quick kiss and walked out.
“Isn’t this nice…" Don grunted. "Everyone will see me later and I have no
idea what just happened.”
-------------------------------------------------
“Granger, are you getting anywhere with those warrants?” Don asked.
“We’re still waiting.”
“Good, I want to talk with you about something.”
“Okay…”
“Did Charlie ever tell you about his previous boyfriends?”
“Sometimes. Why do you ask?”
“Did he ever mention anyone called Martin?”
“I don’t think so… Why?”
“Just curious. Have you seen Megan?”
“She went to get some lunch. Did you notice what she’s been up to?”
“No. Something work related?”
“No.” Colby grinned. “Remember that personal add Charlie set up for her?”
“How could I forget…”
“She’s been writing to one of those respondents.”
“I’m guessing it’s one of those two guys, not one of the women.”
“It wasn’t really that hard to guess. Anyway, I caught her writing an e-mail
to that guy.”
“She’s full of surprises.”
“Yeah, and she said she will kill anybody who tells how she found the guy.”
“And she’ll do it.” Don grinned.
“She’ll do what?” Megan slammed a paper bag to the table and pulled out
some take out containers.
“She’ll be the magnificent co-worker who brings lunch?” Don put on his
innocent face. Megan gave him a long look.
“Do you really expect me to believe that?”
“Well… I was hoping…”
“And don’t try that innocent look, it doesn’t look right on you.”
“I could try-” Don was about to dive into the swamp of verbal malfunction when
his cell phone started ringing. “-try answering that.” He snapped his phone
open and headed to the break room.
“You told him, didn’t you?” Megan stated.
“Would you believe me if I said it just slipped out?”
“No.”
“Are you still going to feed me?”
“Yes, but I’ll collect the money from all of you afterwards.” Megan threw one
of the containers at Colby. He managed to grab it and took a sniff.
“You remembered my favorite.”
“It was pretty easy. You reminded me about it three times before I got out
of the building.” Megan took a pair of chopsticks and started eating.
After few minutes Don returned, but his fairly good mood was gone.
“Was that about the warrant?” Colby mumbled with his mouth full of steamed
rice. "It thought it would take few more hours."
“No… No, it was… something else.”
“Bad news?”
“Not bad, but…. I’m not sure.”
TBC