Numb3rs Fic: Feels Like Home Part 1/?
Over the summer I watched the first three seasons of Numb3rs. I even watched season 3 twice. In a row. Ever since then my brain has been a busy little place with a story that centers around these people. Also, I'm pretty sure that it's gonna be het! I know right!?!? What the F!?!? How exactly does a girl like me deviate from her slashy obsessions to write het!?!?
Also, this is a WIP. If you aren't a fan of those, I feel ya! I'm not going to promise that it will ever even be finished, but I felt that if I wrote it down maybe it would stop keeping me awake at night! Problem with that is, every time I go to put pen to paper (for real. I'm kinda old school like that) my brain goes blank!!
Title: Feels Like Home Part 1/?
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pairing/Characters: All main Numb3rs characters including Megan (I'm not ready to admit that she's gone!) plus a few original characters. My muse makes me think that there will be some love in here somewhere. I'm just not sure where yet. I think that he's keeping it a secret!
Summary: When a loved one shows up in LA will Don, his family and his team be able to protect her from the life that she's trying to leave behind?
Rating: I'm not really sure how this whole rating system works, so I'm gonna say given the Warnings that I've provided, you should probably be at least old enough to vote if you want to read this story.
Warnings: Adult Themes. Abusive Relationship. If you are at all sensitive to these things, please don't read.
Spoilers: Everything up to the end of Season 4, I suppose
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a notebook and a pen.
Author's Note: All mistakes are mine, as this story has not been beta'd by anyone other than me. Mostly because it's the first piece of fiction that I've written in about 10 years and I'm really nervous about posting it! So if you are the sort of person who offers comments, I implore you to be honest about what you think! If it's poo, please feel free to tell me! I'm going to put on my thick skin for this!
Don Eppes was finally finished work for the week, case closed, paper work filed, an actual weekend on the horizon. He planned to start it out with a few beers and a game on TV with his brother and dad.
He parked in the driveway of his childhood home and as he approached the front of the house he noticed a dark haired young woman sitting on the front steps, head bowed, hugging the travel bag sitting on her lap.
"Can I help you?" When she looked up at him with innocent green eyes, he was suddenly struck with an image of a seven year old girl with long curly blond hair tied into messy braided pigtails. "Gracie?" he asked.
"Hi Donnie," she responded.
He instinctively moved toward her, now noticing her very pregnant belly hiding behind the bag she was holding.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but you don't look like you're in any shape to be traveling," he said gesturing toward her belly. He couldn't quite place the look that flashed across her eyes, but it gave him a feeling of unease. Hoping that she might be willing to open up to him he lightened his tone and asked, "What're you doing here, kid?"
"Don, I'm in a bit of trouble, and I didn't.....I didn't know where else to go." She whispered voice cracking, obviously on the verge of tears.
He crouched down in front of her, cautiously taking her bag and setting it on the porch with one hand and taking one of her hands in his with the other. "Legal trouble or personal?"
Releasing a long breath she replied, "Personal."
Don let out a long breath of his own and pulled her up. "Why don't we go inside and talk about it?"
"I've been sitting here a long time thinking about knocking, but I wasn't sure if I was welcome here anymore after so many years."
"Gracie, you're family," Don said as if that explained everything; and to her it did. Those words hung in the air between them for a moment; as the moment faded Don opened the front door, calling out to his father and brother as they walked through it.
"In here!" Alan called from the kitchen.
Beside him Don heard Grace softly gasp, he looked down at her, "It feels just the same," she mumbled; a slight smile ghosting across her lips.
"Can you come out here? Bring Charlie." Don called back to his father.
Don went back outside, bringing in the bag that was still sitting on the step and closing the door when he re-entered the house. As Charlie and Alan came into the main room he protectively wrapped his arm around Grace's shoulder and said "Look who I found sitting on your step."
Alan and Charlie both stopped; looking at the woman standing beside Don. Don dropped his hand to the small of her back, applying just enough pressure to cause her to step forward slightly.
Grace looked up, nervous eyes meeting those of the men standing in front of her. "Hi," she whispered.
As if that word broke their trance both men rushed forward and before she knew what was happening Alan was was hugging her as if he could give her every hug that she'd missed for the last fifteen years; and she hugged him back just as fiercely as her swollen belly would allow.