Fic: In Love & War, Chapter 9 (Numb3rs, Don / Martin, David / Ian)
Title: In Love & War, Chapter 9
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
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
“Well?”
“Sinclair…” Don tried to resist the urge to grab David’s head and shove it into a woodchopper. “I’ve said this five times. My phone’s right here, if it rings you don’t need to ask if it’s rang. And stop pacing, you’re getting on my nerves!”
“I can` keep still.” David paused and grabbed a picture frame from the shelf, twisting it around in his hand. “And don’t say I’ll smudge up the glass. I need to keep my hands occupied and the other alternative is my gun.”
“I wasn’t gonna say that.”
“Thanks.”
A sudden loud, high scream made them both jump up. Ian rushed into the living room from the kitchen, his bloody hand wrapped into a small towel.
“What did you do?” David dumped the frame back to the shelf and pulled Ian’s towelled hand closer to take a look at it.
“She did it again.” Ian hissed and tired to avoid looking at his hand. “That demon cat from hell is not going to give up until she kills me.”
“It’s just a scratch.”
“It was waiting for me! It was an ambush.”
“It’s a cat, not a paid assassin.”
“She does that every time I come to this house!”
“Well, they do say animals can sense evil…” Don chuckled and bit his lips to prevent it from growing into a full-out laughing fit.
“Really funny, Eppes.” Ian shot him a lethal glare. “If that cat was fully-grown, it would have mauled me like a mountain lion.”
“She’s a kitten. Sometimes she makes a puddle on the floor, sometimes she scratches the couch, sometimes she scares a big bad sniper who screams like a little girl-”
“Keep going, Eppes, and I’ll skin that cat and make a pair of gloves from it.”
“She’s too small for that, and it looks like she can defend herself just fine.”
“First aid kit’s in the bathroom.” Martin stated from the door and walked in. “You’re bleeding on the carpet.”
“Well?” David practically tackled him. “What did they say?”
“It’s over.” Martin dropped his briefcase to the couch and sat down. “She’s agreed to drop the case.” He peeled off his coat and tore his tie open. “We got the paperwork to the family court before they closed at six, so yeah… it’s over. She’s not contesting the adoption.”
The announcement was welcomed with a short silence. Everyone slowly soaked up what he had said. Finally David let out deep sigh and slumped down on one of the armchairs, looking like his limbs were about to fail him.
“I can’t believe it’s over.”
“Charlie called me when I was driving here, so they already know. He said there will be an impromptu celebration when you come to pick up Caroline and Bobby`s on his way too.” Martin looked up and gave him a tired smile. “And I wasn’t supposed to tell you that, so act surprised.”
“Yeah, I… Thanks.” David nodded. “Seriously. Thanks.” He turned to beam at Ian. “Wanna go get her right now?”
“I’ll borrow the towel.” Ian lifted his hand that still wrapped in a bloody towel. “Let’s go get our girl. Eppes?”
“If I know Chuck, there’s cake involved.” Don stated. “I’ll be there.”
David leaped up and practically bounced to the door. Ian gave Martin an unreadable look.
“Fridegord?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re probably my favourite target right now.”
“How many of your targets are still alive?”
“Just you.”
Ian turned around and followed David out the door.
“Probably the weirdest compliment I’ve ever heard.” Martin commented and slouched against the backrest. He closed his eyes and took few deep breaths.
“You okay?” Don sat down next to him and wrapped his arm around the man’s shoulder. “You look like you could fall asleep right about now.”
“Yeah. You know that feeling when you know you did the right thing under the circumstances, but it still feels bad?”
“I get that at least once per case. You did the right thing.”
“For David and Caroline and Ian and probably even for the girl`s mother. I just hoped we wouldn’t need to go this far. I told that woman and her lawyer we would release the information about her if she continued to pursue custody. I know Caroline is better off with David and Ian, I don’t doubt that...”
“But?”
“But I couldn’t find another way, and… and I don’t like that. I don’t like that I had to go so low to win.”
“You would have used other ways, but there wasn’t any other way to handle it without going to court.”
“I know I said that, and I know I was right. Both Caroline and her mother can keep their new lives and that’s the best possible outcome for both of them, but I…”
“What?” Don asked carefully.
“I’m disappointed in myself.” Martin stated. “I’m not even sure why, but I am.”
A cellphone started to ring in the pocket of his coat and he reached down to pick it up from the floor.
“Hello. Yeah, I’m home. The papers were filed today.” He covered the receiver with his hand. “Gleeson.”
“Tell her to send herself some roses, she did well too.”
“Did you hear that? Charlie’s having a little party to celebrate. What do you mean?” His mouth fell open and his face seemed to turn white. “What? When? You mean after… What were you thinking?”
Don could hear incomprehensible voice explaining in the other end of the line, followed by a loud click as the caller hung up. Martin snapped the phone shut.
“What was that?”
“Gleeson.” Martin repeated and leaned forward, rubbing his face furiously with this palms. “I should have seen this coming.”
“What? Did that woman change her mind?”
“No. Miss Bergen didn’t change her mind. Papers have been filed, it’s done.”
“Then what was that?”
“The age of the web. News can spread like wildfire.” Martin turned to look at Don. “Gleeson waited until they dropped the case and then she leaked the information to the press. Tomorrow it will be everywhere.”
“That’s… well… that’s her problem, not ours.”
“It is!”
“Press could have dug it up all by themselves, and-”
“They weren’t supposed to. Case is over, they had no reason to dig deeper. I told her we would keep this to ourselves if she backed off and now it will be all over every paper that’s been writing about the custody fight.”
“But that’s…” Don tried to select his words carefully. “She has no one to blame but herself. If she can’t live with her own actions, that’s her problem. Gleeson just told the truth. ”
“Airing someone’s dirty laundry is not the same as telling the truth about them.”
“Okay, but you can’t expect me not to gloat a little bit. Not to mention Sinclair or Edgerton.”
“I don’t, but…” Martin rubbed his temples. “I think I’ll have an early night.”
“You don’t wanna go to Charlie`s?”
“I’m not exactly in the mood to celebrate.” He pushed himself up from the couch and walked to the stairs.
“I can stay if you-”
“No.” Martin sighed with a small smile. “You don’t need to. I’ll take couple aspirins and a long bath and calm down a bit.”
“You want company?”
“You don’t want cake?”
“Chuck will have leftovers tomorrow. I’ll drop by for breakfast.” Don rummaged through one of the lower cabinets and pulled out a small basket. He tore off the ribbon and the cellophane, pulling out several colourful bottles. “I remembered we got a bath oil set from your mom last Christmas. I’ll sweeten the deal and throw in a backrub too.”
Chapter 10