Fic: In Love & War, Chapter 7 (Numb3rs, David / Ian, Don / Martin)
Title: In Love & War, Chapter 7
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
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Doorbell rang as soon as David had closed the door to Caroline’s room. He went to the front door and pulled it open before the bell rang again.
“Hey.” Bobby greeted awkwardly. “Bad timing?”
“No, just keep your voice down. I finally got the kid to go to sleep.”
“Isn’t she a little old to be tucked in?”
“Yeah, but she’s got this phase going on. She’s sure that if she goes to bed alone, we’ll all be gone when she wakes up. Come on in.”
“Thanks.” Bobby walked in and David closed the door.
“You want coffee?”
“No, it’s little late for that. Is Ian here?”
“Should be back soon, he had to run some errands.” David gestured at the couch. “Have a seat.”
Both men sat down and an uncomfortable silence took over. Finally David forced himself to talk.
“So… what’s going on with you?”
“Nothing interesting. I just wanted to show some moral support.”
“Thanks.” David turned his eyes to the floor. “Actually… I wanted to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“I wanted to apologise. I think I overreacted when you told me about the witness protection.”
“It’s alright.” Bobby settled more comfortably against the couch cushions. “It’s a big thing.”
“Yeah, but I really should have known that… I should have taken it better. I deal with this kinda stuff al the time, I shouldn’t have gone off like that.”
“You got your own circles and I got mine. And I have to keep low profile and be careful, so…”
“I know that.” David tilted his head back to bang it softly against the wall behind the couch. “I should know that. It’s no excuse, but the first thing that popped up in my head was that if they found you they could do something to the kid.”
”Yeah, that’s…” Bobby cleared his throat and paused. ”I agree, were from two different worlds.”
”Not so much anymore. Not so much at all.” David started laughing. ”We shouldn’t be at all. A guy in the witness protection and a fed, isn’t that a match made in heaven?”
”Don’t forget an ex-sniper and a kid.” Bobby giggled. ”Add a wacky neighbour and you got yourself a good premise for a sitcom.”
”I think Colby said that too… or Charlie... Or Don…” David’s laugher subdued and his gaze returned to the floor. ”Caroline asked why haven’t come by anymore.”
”What did you tell her?”
”That you’ve been busy.”
”What about Ian?”
”He`s been kicking me to make amends.”
”Literally or figuratively?”
”Figuratively.”
“Gotta make sure when we’re talking about Ian.”
“Yeah…” David agreed. “Ian should be back soon. You wanna stick around?”
“Sure.” Bobby kicked his shoes off and stretched his legs. “Is that coffee offer still good?”
-----------------------------------------
“Finally, I was about to order a pizza-” Don snapped his mouth shut when he saw Martin walk in. He seemed completely exhausted, dark shadows under his eyes and a five a clock shadow that was getting closer to eight thirty.
“Sorry. Long day.”
“I thought you had just some stuff about your trip.”
“So did I, but things never go the way you’d expect.” He dumped his coat on the floor and slumped down on the couch. “Good news, bad news and something in between.”
“About David and Edgerton?”
“Them too. Gleeson talked to the kid’s biological father on the phone.”
“How did it go?”
“Better than she expected. He didn’t even know there was a child, the mother had told him she had an abortion.”
“So he didn’t know she gave up the girl.”
“Yeah. He was named as the father in the birth certificate, but he never gave up his parental rights. Didn`t even know he had any. He was really angry.”
“I’d be too.”
“Angry enough to sign his parental rights to David and Ian just to get back at her. And giving up the baby without informing the father doesn’t really do her any favours when the hearing starts.”
“Isn’t that all good news? Or is there more?” Don sat down next to him.
“There’s more.” Martin tilted his head back, letting it lay against the backrest. “I got a call from my parents.”
“Something bad?”
“Bad or good, I’m not sure which. They finally heard from Joanna. Or actually from the Child Protection Services in Gainesville.”
“Why were they calling them?”
“Joanna’s been arrested and charged for aggravated assault of a police officer. Because of her history and previous misdemeanours, they consider her a flight risk, so she’s been denied bail.”
“Not exactly a surprise.” Don stated. “She’s been all over the map for years.”
“Yeah, and she doesn’t have ties to the area. She’s my sister, but even I wouldn’t let her out. She remains in custody for now, that’s why the CPS called my mom. Her kid’s going to live with her for now, they’re working to get a sped up hearing so they could be granted a temporary custody.”
“I didn’t even know she had a kid.” Don commented.
“Neither did I. Or our parents. She’s been avoiding all of us so long, I don’t know if I would even recognise her if I saw her.” Martin forced himself up and headed to the kitchen.
“Which one is it, a boy or a girl?”
“Boy. About five years old.”
“What about the father?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. Apparently she lived in some kind of a commune for a while, the kind that travels around the country, following whatever they follow.” Martin walked back into the living room with an energy drink in his hand. “Like a needle in a haystack, and I don’t even want to think about that aspect.”
“How did your parents take it?”
“Mixed feelings. They got a new grandkid, who doesn’t even know them.”
“How long is she gonna be in custody?”
“Probably not that long, but with her priors… they’ve all been small stuff, but there a lot of them. This time she’s not going to get away without jail time.” He twisted the cap off the bottle and took a sip. “I didn’t even know she had a previous record.”
“What kind of small stuff?”
“Nothing this serious. She looses her temper and lashes out. Vandalism, broken windows, one battery.”
“That’s not good. If she’s already been convicted of battery…”
“They’ll consider more severe sentence this time, because she has a history of violent behaviour.” Martin leaned forward on the couch, bracing his elbows on his knees. “I just… I just want to take the next plane there, tie her down and talk some sense into her.”
“That`s probably what your parents are doing.”
“Yeah. I feel bad for them. Cath lives close to them in San Diego, but I’m not sure how it will work out.”
“At least it’s not a small baby.” Don comforted. “It can walk and talk and doesn’t need diapers.”
“My parents are both over sixty. They’re strong and healthy, but they shouldn’t have to worry about little kids.”
“You’re not…” Don’s mind was rushing from one unfinished thought to the next. “You’re not planning…”
“What?”
“You’re not gonna… offer to take the kid here?”
“What?” Martin looked sincerely stunned. “Where did that come from?”
“You just sounded like you were-”
“No. We’ve talked about this, we’re not daddy material even on temporary basis.”
“Good, because that would have been like some trashy made-for-TV-movie.”
“I’m worried, but it doesn’t mean I could do the job any better than they can. Maybe I could go there for the weekend when I get back from Britain.”
“Good idea." Don agreed. "And you’re an uncle now. Again. Isn`t that a good thing?”
“It is, but he has no idea who I am. I could just as well send you there in my place and the kid wouldn’t know the difference.” Martin took a long sip from his energy drink. “How bout it?”
“What? I’m not gonna impersonate you!”
“I mean we could both go there for the weekend. My mom`s always asking when you’re coming for a visit.”
“I don`t have any plans, so my weekend`s free if we don`t get a big case.”
“Maybe we could take the kid to the Sea World or something like that. Get to know him.”
“And see the dolphins?” Don asked hopefully.
“You and the dolphins… Yes, we can go see the dolphins.”
“I just like them! You like cats, I like dolphins. Each to his own.”
Chapter 8