Mending Fences
Written for the fanfic100 prompt: Friends
Title: Mending Fences
Character(s)/Pairings: Colby, David
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A rough reunion...
Author’s Notes: I feel like the friendship of David and Colby is very important and I am sure that all of the hurt, betrayal and anger would have culminated into what I wrote here.
Spoilers: End of season 3, beginning of season 4
Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with Numb3rs...sad.
Colby was lying on the hard bed in the hotel with the television on, but he wasn’t watching it. He had it on for the noise only. His attention was focused on the object that was in his hand. He held the delicate band between his fingers and turned it this way and that, watching as the diamonds in it sparkled.
This little trinket that had meant so much to both of them was all that he had left of Callie. He held his phone in his other hand, praying over and over that it would ring. For the past two days he’d been trying to call her. Even if she didn’t want to talk to him, he needed her to know that he was thinking of her and that he was sorry. Each time he called, he left a message, holding on to a small hope that she might listen to it and call him back…he’d even left his room number just in case.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Colby sat up instantly. His heart pounded as he looked around frantically for a place to stash the ring. He shoved his phone into the pocket of his jeans and slipped the ring into his duffel bag before running his hands through his hair and taking a deep breath before opening the door.
A mixture of surprise and disappointment danced across his features as his heart sank. It wasn’t Callie…it was David. His mind raced to the last time that he saw him, holding Callie in his arms and he had to fight the jealousy that swept over him. The two men regarded one another in silence a moment before Colby finally uttered, “David…”
He held up his hand and stated, “Just meet me outside. I’m parked near the side entrance.”
With this, he turned and stalked down the hallway before Colby could even react. He stood there for a moment, as if trying to figure out what had just happened before he slipped into his shoes and headed down the stairs. He pushed the bar on the door and stepped outside into the late afternoon sunshine. David was leaning against his car with his arms crossed and as Colby walked towards him, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
Colby shrugged, “As well as can be expected.”
There was an awkward pause and then he spoke again, “Don told me you saved my life…”
Before he could finish, David interjected, “Is it true you are coming back to the team?”
Colby studied the man before him, trying to gauge his mood…why he was here. “Well, that’s the plan.”
David frowned, “Did you consider that some of us might not want you back on the team?”
It was Colby’s turn to scowl, “David, look…I wanted to tell you…but you know I couldn’t…I just couldn’t.”
David shook his head again, “You know what? It doesn’t even matter because I don’t know who you are anymore. No one knows who you are. You’re just a stranger with a familiar face as far as I am concerned.”
Colby replied, “That’s not fair. I’m the same person I was…”
David’s voice rose, “You lied to us, Colby. You pretended to be our friend…my partner…Callie’s lover, for God’s sake! All for this…this…assignment you were on!”
Anger rose up in Colby then, “It wasn’t like that!”
David put his hand up, “Just save it. It’s not like anyone can believe a word you say. For all I know, you’re still a spy on another assignment.”
Colby retorted, “If you didn’t want to listen to my side of things, why did you even come here?”
David took a step closer to him and stated, “I came here to tell you that you’ve caused enough damage. Go home, Granger. Have you even considered for a moment in that selfish head of yours what seeing you is going to do to Callie?”
He reached out and shoved Colby, “She deserves better than you.”
Colby moved to regain his balance and asked, “How is she?”
David looked at him then in disbelief. “How is she? How is she?”
In the next moment, Colby’s head rocked back as David’s fist solidly connected with his face. Instinctively his hands came up, but David once again moved in before Colby could collect himself and yet another punch was successfully delivered.
This time, he shook his head and moved to dodge the next blow as he spat his own blood out onto the ground. He looked to his friend and pleaded, “David…don’t do this.”
Now enraged, with his adrenaline pumping, David surged forward, this time pelting Colby’s stomach and ribs with jabs. Each time he hit him, he yelled out in fury, venting as he went along. Colby blocked as many of his shots as he could, but the next strike was an unexpected uppercut that sent him to his knees.
“Get up!” David angrily yelled.
Colby’s head was reeling, but he pushed himself back up onto his feet and swayed for a moment before David resumed his attack. Colby warned him to stop multiple times, but after getting nowhere, he knew he was going to have to start defending himself.
Soon, they were both tumbling across the parking lot, each having their turns of advantage before the other would gain control and get in some good punches. David roared as he took over and wrapped his hands around Colby’s neck. Colby grabbed onto David’s arms and tried to loosen the grip, but was unsuccessful.
The sensation of not being able to breathe brought back memories of Afghanistan and then of more recent events when he’d fought for air. David was right…Callie didn’t care about him anymore and seeing him was only going to cause her pain and anger. More than anything in the world he wished to see her face again…her smile…to hear her voice.
He stopped fighting then and after a few seconds, David seemed to notice. The look of pain and remorse emanating from his former partner’s eyes was enough to distract him from his task and for the first time since the fight broke out, he was shaken back to reality. He took a deep breath and loosened his hold on Colby’s neck and breathed deeply as he moved away from him, sitting down on the concrete.
Colby didn’t move…he stayed where he was, looking up at the sky and feeling the blood of his various wounds trickling over his face. His head pounded and his throat was raw as he rasped, “I don’t want to live without her anymore.”
David looked over and watched Colby’s chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath and he couldn’t deny that he heard the anguish in his voice. Even still he had to try and fight the anger that was welling up inside him once more. “Tell me one thing Granger. Was she a part of your game…your assignment?”
Colby shook his head and his voice was gruff with emotion when he next spoke, “Everything with Callie was real…”
David paused as he considered those words, “And me? All those times we talked…got each other’s backs? What was that?”
Colby turned his head then so that he could look at David, “Aside from Callie…you’re the only friend I’ve had in a really long time. I screwed up…I wasn’t supposed to let myself get close to anyone. I knew why I was here…I guess after a while I just got tired of being lonely and pushing everyone away. I guess everyone else would have been better off if I had just kept it that way.”
David was quiet as he mulled over these words and tried to decide whether or not he was sincere. After a moment, he stood to his feet and then dusted himself off. He then turned to Colby and reached out his hand to him.
Colby lay still for a minute longer and David stepped closer, “Come on, man.”
Colby took his hand and David pulled him to his feet. Colby regarded him suspiciously and winced when David pat him on the back. David sighed, “Let’s get cleaned up and go have some beers. We have a lot to talk about.”
Colby offered a smirk, “Does that mean you’re done kicking my ass?”
David smiled for the first time since he could remember, “For now. We’ll see how things go.”
Colby gave him a look that said “fair enough” and the two headed back inside to begin the process of mending their friendship.
Title: Mending Fences
Character(s)/Pairings: Colby, David
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A rough reunion...
Author’s Notes: I feel like the friendship of David and Colby is very important and I am sure that all of the hurt, betrayal and anger would have culminated into what I wrote here.
Spoilers: End of season 3, beginning of season 4
Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with Numb3rs...sad.
Colby was lying on the hard bed in the hotel with the television on, but he wasn’t watching it. He had it on for the noise only. His attention was focused on the object that was in his hand. He held the delicate band between his fingers and turned it this way and that, watching as the diamonds in it sparkled.
This little trinket that had meant so much to both of them was all that he had left of Callie. He held his phone in his other hand, praying over and over that it would ring. For the past two days he’d been trying to call her. Even if she didn’t want to talk to him, he needed her to know that he was thinking of her and that he was sorry. Each time he called, he left a message, holding on to a small hope that she might listen to it and call him back…he’d even left his room number just in case.
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Colby sat up instantly. His heart pounded as he looked around frantically for a place to stash the ring. He shoved his phone into the pocket of his jeans and slipped the ring into his duffel bag before running his hands through his hair and taking a deep breath before opening the door.
A mixture of surprise and disappointment danced across his features as his heart sank. It wasn’t Callie…it was David. His mind raced to the last time that he saw him, holding Callie in his arms and he had to fight the jealousy that swept over him. The two men regarded one another in silence a moment before Colby finally uttered, “David…”
He held up his hand and stated, “Just meet me outside. I’m parked near the side entrance.”
With this, he turned and stalked down the hallway before Colby could even react. He stood there for a moment, as if trying to figure out what had just happened before he slipped into his shoes and headed down the stairs. He pushed the bar on the door and stepped outside into the late afternoon sunshine. David was leaning against his car with his arms crossed and as Colby walked towards him, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
Colby shrugged, “As well as can be expected.”
There was an awkward pause and then he spoke again, “Don told me you saved my life…”
Before he could finish, David interjected, “Is it true you are coming back to the team?”
Colby studied the man before him, trying to gauge his mood…why he was here. “Well, that’s the plan.”
David frowned, “Did you consider that some of us might not want you back on the team?”
It was Colby’s turn to scowl, “David, look…I wanted to tell you…but you know I couldn’t…I just couldn’t.”
David shook his head again, “You know what? It doesn’t even matter because I don’t know who you are anymore. No one knows who you are. You’re just a stranger with a familiar face as far as I am concerned.”
Colby replied, “That’s not fair. I’m the same person I was…”
David’s voice rose, “You lied to us, Colby. You pretended to be our friend…my partner…Callie’s lover, for God’s sake! All for this…this…assignment you were on!”
Anger rose up in Colby then, “It wasn’t like that!”
David put his hand up, “Just save it. It’s not like anyone can believe a word you say. For all I know, you’re still a spy on another assignment.”
Colby retorted, “If you didn’t want to listen to my side of things, why did you even come here?”
David took a step closer to him and stated, “I came here to tell you that you’ve caused enough damage. Go home, Granger. Have you even considered for a moment in that selfish head of yours what seeing you is going to do to Callie?”
He reached out and shoved Colby, “She deserves better than you.”
Colby moved to regain his balance and asked, “How is she?”
David looked at him then in disbelief. “How is she? How is she?”
In the next moment, Colby’s head rocked back as David’s fist solidly connected with his face. Instinctively his hands came up, but David once again moved in before Colby could collect himself and yet another punch was successfully delivered.
This time, he shook his head and moved to dodge the next blow as he spat his own blood out onto the ground. He looked to his friend and pleaded, “David…don’t do this.”
Now enraged, with his adrenaline pumping, David surged forward, this time pelting Colby’s stomach and ribs with jabs. Each time he hit him, he yelled out in fury, venting as he went along. Colby blocked as many of his shots as he could, but the next strike was an unexpected uppercut that sent him to his knees.
“Get up!” David angrily yelled.
Colby’s head was reeling, but he pushed himself back up onto his feet and swayed for a moment before David resumed his attack. Colby warned him to stop multiple times, but after getting nowhere, he knew he was going to have to start defending himself.
Soon, they were both tumbling across the parking lot, each having their turns of advantage before the other would gain control and get in some good punches. David roared as he took over and wrapped his hands around Colby’s neck. Colby grabbed onto David’s arms and tried to loosen the grip, but was unsuccessful.
The sensation of not being able to breathe brought back memories of Afghanistan and then of more recent events when he’d fought for air. David was right…Callie didn’t care about him anymore and seeing him was only going to cause her pain and anger. More than anything in the world he wished to see her face again…her smile…to hear her voice.
He stopped fighting then and after a few seconds, David seemed to notice. The look of pain and remorse emanating from his former partner’s eyes was enough to distract him from his task and for the first time since the fight broke out, he was shaken back to reality. He took a deep breath and loosened his hold on Colby’s neck and breathed deeply as he moved away from him, sitting down on the concrete.
Colby didn’t move…he stayed where he was, looking up at the sky and feeling the blood of his various wounds trickling over his face. His head pounded and his throat was raw as he rasped, “I don’t want to live without her anymore.”
David looked over and watched Colby’s chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath and he couldn’t deny that he heard the anguish in his voice. Even still he had to try and fight the anger that was welling up inside him once more. “Tell me one thing Granger. Was she a part of your game…your assignment?”
Colby shook his head and his voice was gruff with emotion when he next spoke, “Everything with Callie was real…”
David paused as he considered those words, “And me? All those times we talked…got each other’s backs? What was that?”
Colby turned his head then so that he could look at David, “Aside from Callie…you’re the only friend I’ve had in a really long time. I screwed up…I wasn’t supposed to let myself get close to anyone. I knew why I was here…I guess after a while I just got tired of being lonely and pushing everyone away. I guess everyone else would have been better off if I had just kept it that way.”
David was quiet as he mulled over these words and tried to decide whether or not he was sincere. After a moment, he stood to his feet and then dusted himself off. He then turned to Colby and reached out his hand to him.
Colby lay still for a minute longer and David stepped closer, “Come on, man.”
Colby took his hand and David pulled him to his feet. Colby regarded him suspiciously and winced when David pat him on the back. David sighed, “Let’s get cleaned up and go have some beers. We have a lot to talk about.”
Colby offered a smirk, “Does that mean you’re done kicking my ass?”
David smiled for the first time since he could remember, “For now. We’ll see how things go.”
Colby gave him a look that said “fair enough” and the two headed back inside to begin the process of mending their friendship.