Author's note: I know I said "Lost Memories" was going to be my last post-Trust Metric story but last night this idea came to mind and I had to get it down before I exploded. I hope you like but if you don't, that's okay. There's no Colby-whump but there is angst and it's mainly focused on Colby and Don.

Warning: un-betaed.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters.

FBI Headquarters: Washington D.C.

Colby sat at in his cubicle at the FBI headquarters in DC. He's been here for two months now and it was working well for him. His partner, Henry 'Hank' Jamison, was an older, more experienced agent. He was good and Colby knew he could learn a lot from the man but he was different to David. In fact, the entire team was different to Don's team. There were no drinks after a case or talks about dates. Everyone had a family to go home to…everyone except Colby. This was a good team but Don's team felt like family. He wondered if he would ever get that feeling again.

Colby closed his file and grabbed his jacket. It was late and everyone had left already. Once again he found himself thinking back to the day he asked Don if there was any chance he could come back to the team. "I don't see that happening, Colby. You reported on us for two years. How are we supposed to trust you again?" Colby remembered how those words almost caused his lungs to constrict. He remembered how his mind went blank and he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. "I understand," was all he said before walking to his table and packing away his things. There wasn't much to pack. They had cleared his table for him already. He remembered how Megan had walked up to him with a sympathetic look, her hand running up and down Colby's arm. "I'm going to miss you." She said. It was meant to comfort him but it didn't because it meant she was already letting him go. She wasn't going to fight for him and if she wasn't going to, nobody else would. David didn't even look at him. Colby picked up his box and left that office. He never turned around.

FBI Headquarters: Los Angeles

Don read the file on his table but he wasn't comprehending the words. The head of the FBI was pushing him to find a replacement for Colby but he hasn't been able to find someone to fit the team. He tried out a few, however none worked well with any of the current team members. He looked over at the empty chair next to David's and wondered if he was wrong to dismiss Colby. He remembered the disappointment on Colby's face when he told him he couldn't trust him to be on the team. Don wondered why he was so quick to make that decision, why he didn't take some time to think about it?

Megan walked up to him with a file. "Hey Don, I've been looking at this case and it looks like the…" She frowned after realising Don wasn't even listening to her. "Don!"

Don jumped a little. "Sorry, what?"

"Are you okay?" Megan asked, concerned as she looked at the empty seat Don was staring at.

"I'm fine. What were you saying?"

Megan sighed, Don wasn't the only one missing Colby. She hated that she didn't do more to keep Colby with them. "This case we're on, I think we need to call D.C."

"D.C?" Don took the file, scanning it. "They have an outstanding warrant for Ethan Rickards arrest."

"Yeah, but they never found him."

"That's because they didn't have Charlie." Don boasted. "Get D.C to send…" He stopped. This could be his chance to rectify a wrong and close a case. "You know what? Call them and tell him I'll be personally escorting their fugitive into their holding cell."

Megan blanched at that. "You're going there yourself? We have prisoner transport teams for that."

"Yeah, I know but DC's been after this guy for a while. I should do it. Make sure he gets there."

Megan narrowed her eyes at him. "You think you can do a better job than a team?" Don shrugged. "You're full of crap and you know it." Megan said bluntly. "You know what an idiot you've been and now you want to go get Colby back."

"What's this about getting Colby back?" David came out of the break room and heard the last part. "Are we getting Colby back?"

"Do you want Colby back?" Don had to admit that part of the reason why he didn't accept Colby's request was because of David. He knew David took Colby's supposed betrayal the hardest. He didn't want the tension on the team so he let Colby go. He didn't know he would be regretting it so soon.

David nodded. "Yeah, I do. He did what he had to do to get a job done. I'm can't say I wouldn't've have done the same if I was in his shoes." He grimaced, "I was wrong to act the way I did."

Don smiled, "Good, then I'm going to get him back."

Colby Granger walked into the office that day ready to take on one of the six cases he had opened. He had to admit, he wished Charlie were here with his numbers and equations to help him solve a few cases. The team in DC had heard about the genius Mathematician he worked with. He told them stories. Colby was amazed at how much he picked up from Charlie, considering he always felt confused whenever Charlie's mouth was moving. "Hey Granger," That was another thing he didn't like about his office. Everybody used last names, like using first names would be too personal. "You've got a visitor."

Colby turned in his chair to find his partner standing with someone he never expected to see again. "Don."

Don smiled, a little awkwardly. "Hi Colby."

Jamison looked between the two when they didn't talk beyond their greetings. "Okay. I will leave you to it." He rolled his eyes as he sat down at his table.

"Thank you." Don said quickly after finding his voice again. He wasn't sure what was going to happen once he saw Colby but he wasn't expecting his cold expression. "Can we talk?" He gestured to the lift, indicating he wanted to talk outside the building.

Colby clenched his jaw, tempted to ignore this man standing in the office. "I have a very busy day." He was surprised his voice came out calm.

"Do you have time for a coffee?"

"No."

"Oh." Don wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't expecting Colby to be so short with him. He really didn't think this through.

"Granger, just go. We have no leads for the cases yet. I'll run the names, you go have a chat with your old boss." Jamison nudged his head, telling him to go.

Colby sighed. He didn't even know Jamison knew who Don was. "I'll be back soon. This shouldn't take long." He got up and walked straight past Don to the lifts.

Don sighed and followed. This was not how he pictured his reunion with Colby to be. He got in the lift, mentally groaning that the lift was empty.

They stood there in silence as the lift took its time reaching the ground floor. Eventually, he decided someone had to start talking and seeing as that was partly why he came here, he should be the one to do it. "So how's DC treating you?"

Colby didn't look at him. "Fine."

"They've been keeping you busy, huh?"

"Yeah."

Don sighed, "Come on, Colby, is this really how it's going to be?"

Colby clenched his fist and spun on him, making Don take a step back, "I'm…"

ding

The lift door opened, revealing a busy foyer. Colby visibly calmed himself before stiffly walking out of the lift. Don followed, unsure of what just happened. He didn't expect Colby to be so angry.

Colby stormed out of the building, straight down the steps and across the road to the park. He would've kept walking if Don hadn't grabbed his arm to stop him. "Colby, wait!" Colby glared at him, then looked down at the hand gripping him. Don quickly let go and backed away. "I'm sorry."

Colby closed his eyes, trying to push down the anger. He didn't want to be angry. He thought he'd put this all behind him. It's what he's been trying to do for the past two months but seeing Don just made him realise how much he resented being rejected by Don and the team. He never considered himself someone to hold a grudge. He thought he understood why Don did it. It was his fault after all. He took the assignment and should've been ready for the consequences. Clearly, he didn't understand and he wasn't prepared. "Why are you here, Don?" He asked when he was calm enough to talk without screaming.

"I have a case." Don said, knowing he was giving the easy answer first. "We caught a guy that your office has a warrant for. I was escorting him here."

Colby smirked, "So you flew across the country to gloat? To tell me how great the team is doing without me?" He shook his head and headed back towards the building. "Next time just call and we'll send someone to collect."

"No!" Don grabbed him again, but this time he didn't let go. "I wanted to talk to you."

Colby yanked his arm out of Don's hand. "Did it you even occur to you that I might not want to talk to you?"

Don sighed, shaking his head, "No."

"Of course not, why would you give a damn about what I wanted? You didn't even give it a seconds thought when I asked if I could stay on team." Colby was starting to lose control again. "I wasn't even worth a second of your time to think about what I asked!" Don opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn't realise how badly he had hurt Colby that day. He hadn't even thought about how Colby felt. "I worked with you for two years. Two years, Don!"

"I…" Don sighed, "I'm sorry."

Colby shook his head, "Just go back. I'm happy here so just go home and don't come back." He turned to walk away.

"Colby, please…"

Colby spun back around again. "Did you think those two years were easy for me? Do you know how many times I wanted to tell you what I was doing? I gave everything to that damn assignment! Everything!" He was screaming now and he didn't care. "I didn't tell you because I couldn't, but I never lied to you about who I was. I worked my butt off on every case! All of that was real and if you and David and Megan can't see that then maybe I was wrong about all of you. Maybe I really don't belong on the team." This time Don let him walk away, for now anyway. He knew he couldn't leave DC until he made things right with Colby.

Don sat on a bench in the park. His mind went over Colby's words again and again and again. How did he not see the damage he had done when he told Colby he couldn't stay? All this time he had told himself that Colby was better off here in DC but he was wrong. Not only was Colby suffering but for two months, the team had been feeling like something was missing…someone was missing.

He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there for until Colby's partner, Jamison, came up to him holding a hot dog. "Have you had lunch?" He gestured to the hot dog stand by the fountain. "Johnny's Hot Dogs; best in town."

Don looked at his watch. Two hours had past without him knowing. He gave Jamison a sad smile, "No, thanks."

"Your loss." Jamison shrugged and sat down next to Don. "So what did you say to Granger, because he's up there looking at his files but I know he's not reading them? I know because if he were reading them, he'd be making calls to see if he can come up with a lead. He's really good at his job."

"I know." Don nodded.

Jamison wiped his mouth with a napkin and turned to Don. "Did you know that he was supposed to be working with our top team here at DC?" Don frowned at him. "Yeah, he was offered the position but turned it down."

"Why?"

Jamison shrugged, "Apparently he wanted to stay in L.A but I guess that fell through and of course it was too late over here so he got placed with us until something else opened up."

If Don felt bad before, he felt worse now. No wonder Colby was so angry. Don didn't know he had turned down the DC position. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"You would have to ask him that. To tell you the truth, his talents are wasted with us. We don't handle the high profile cases." Jamison stood up. His expression turned serious. "I know what he did. He's a hero. He deserves better than this. Heck, he deserves better than you but I can tell by the way he talks about your team that all he wants is to be back there. He respects you and that brother of yours."

"He's not happy here?"

Jamison shook his head. "If he told you that then he's lying and if you believed him then you're an idiot." Before walking away he gave Don one more tip. "He likes to hang out at Dan's for a beer after work before heading home. It's on the corner of first and George."

Don watched Jamison walk away. Of course Colby wasn't happy. How could he be happy when he's been keeping all that anger in for two months? Don pulled out his phone and called Megan. "Hey Megan."

"Don, how's it going with Colby?"

Don leaned forward and rubbed his face. "Not good. We really messed up. I really messed up."

"That bad, huh?"

"Listen, can you hold the fort for me until I get back. I need another night to make things right with Colby."

"Of course. Call me if you need anything." Megan's voice was sympathetic.

"He's really hurting, Megan. I don't know if i can fix this."

"Just tell him the truth and hope that he's still the Colby we know and love." Megan advised.

"And what if he isn't. What if we hurt him too badly to forgive us?"

Megan sighed, "Then maybe the best thing we can do is leave him alone. We can't be selfish. We didn't give him a choice when we wouldn't accept him back, this time it has to be his choice."

Don nodded. "Thanks, Megan."

"Tell him I miss him."

"I will." Don felt so stupid. What did he expect to happen? That Colby was going be grateful that he came to ask him to come back? That he would drop everything and come home. How stupid can he be? He needed to do something substantial, something that would prove to Colby that the team needed him, that he needed him. Looking at his watch, he realised he had to get moving if he was to get the ball rolling.

Don took a breath before walking into the bar Jamison told him about. He was waiting across the road until he saw Colby turn up. He was relieved when he did but then wondered what he was supposed to say to get Colby to return with him to L.A.

He could see why Colby came here. It was similar to the bar the team frequented back home. It was a place where one could enjoy a beer without too much noise. He found Colby sitting at the bar, nursing a schooner. Sitting down in the stool next to Colby, he called out to the bartender. "Two beers, thanks."

Colby glared at him before finishing off glass. "See you tomorrow, Jack." He called to the bartender.

Don put a hand on his arm. "Please. Just hear me out."

Colby gave him a withered looked but he stayed. "Whatever."

Don sighed in relief, pushing one of the beers to his friend. "I'm sorry." Colby sipped the beer. "I thought I was doing what was best for the team." He waited for Colby to say something. When he didn't, Don continued. "And maybe I let my pride affect my decision."

"Decision?" Colby scoffed. "The word decision implies some thought being put in. I asked and you answered. There was no decision, Don."

"You're right." Don admitted, "I should've taken the time to think about it."

"Yeah, well, would've…should've…could've…they're useless words." Colby turned to Don. "You finished?"

Don shook his head. Not by a long shot. "Why didn't you tell me you turned down the position here?"

Colby glared at him. "Why should I have?"

"Because I would've…"

Colby scoffed again, "There's that word again; would've. You would've what? Felt sorry for me and let me stay?"

"Yes!...No!" Don stumbled on his words. What would he have done?

"I didn't tell you because I wanted you to want me to stay not because you thought I would be out of the job!" Colby shook his head. "This was a bad idea." He emptied his glass and pushed off the bar. "Thanks for the beer." He said sharply and then stormed out.

"Colby…" Don quickly paid for the beers and ran after his friend. "Colby…wait."

Colby didn't stop or slow down. Don caught up to him and tried to keep up with his angry strides. "Look, I know I screwed up. I wasn't thinking when I answered you then. I thought if I let you stay it would've been too tense. I needed a team I could…"

"Trust?" Colby stopped, "You don't trust me. I get it. You didn't have to fly across the country to tell me that. You made it very clear already." Colby rubbed his eyes. He was tired. Life after being a triple agent wasn't supposed to be like this. He took down a mole, an entire Chinese spy ring. He was supposed to feel like he accomplished something but all he felt was…disappointment. "I trusted you."

Don nodded, "I know." Colby told him that when he called him from the subway.

"I thought everything was going to be fine when I woke up at the hospital. I was alive and that meant you trusted me enough to come after me."

"We did."

Colby shook his head, incredulously, "No, Don, you didn't. Clearly, you didn't because if you did we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I would still be on the team."

"Colby." Don was begging now.

"I know I disappointed you, but you disappointed me as well." Colby started walking again. He was done talking.

Don ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Why was this so hard? Just tell him the truth. Don sighed, just tell the truth. "We need you back!" Don called out to him. Colby stopped. He'd been waiting to hear those words everyday since he left L. A, but there was only so long he could wait before he gave up hope. Don walked up to him. "We tried to replace you but it never worked out. Ever since you left there's been a void in our team and no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't fill it." Don took Colby by the shoulder and turned him around. "I can't take back what I did then I can only try to fix it now. I need you back on my team. I'm asking you to come back with me. It's what I want, but that's not what's important. What's important is what you want." Don reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope. "These are transfer papers and a one-way ticket back home. The director has already authorised your return." He pressed the envelope to Colby's chest. Colby looked down at it, slowly, he took it in his hand. "I'll be waiting at the gate in the morning. I hope I see you there but if I don't…well, it'll be my loss and something I will regret for the rest of my career." He gave Colby's shoulder a squeeze before walking away. Megan said, it had to be his choice. Don's done all he can; it was up to Colby now.

Colby looked at the envelope in his hand then up at the man walking away. He let out a breath and tucked the envelope into his pocket. He walked aimlessly through the streets, wondering what he should decide. The envelope in his jacket pocket felt like it was trying to burn its way into his chest. What should he do?

Airport

Don sat in the waiting area outside the gate. He looked at his watch, his heart sinking with every minute that passed. "This is the final boarding call for Southwest Airline flight 293 to Los Angeles." Don didn't want to get up. He stared down the walkway, waiting for Colby to appear but he didn't.

"Sir, we are about to close the gates." A pretty airline staff smiled at him sympathetically. She probably thought he was waiting for his girlfriend or something.

Don sighed and nodded, getting up to leave. I guess Colby made his choice. He wondered if he would ever forgive himself for letting Colby go.

"I'm one minute late and you were going to leave without me?" Don closed his eyes in relief at that voice. He quietly chuckled as he turned around. Colby stood there with an overnight bag, smiling his typical crooked smile. Don missed that.

"I was going to ask the pilot to hold the flight." Don answered turning Colby's smile into a grin.

"Sirs, we need to close the flight." The pretty attendant smiled at them, giving them a knowing look.

Don pointed between him and Colby, "We're not…"

Colby frowned at how uncomfortable he looked, then looked at the girl. "Oh…" It dawned on him what the girl was thinking, then grinned. "Time to go, honey." He threw his arm around Don, and took his boarding pass, handing them to the girl. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's times like these that makes working here worth it."

"Wait…we're not."

"Let's go, baby." Colby turned Don and pushed him towards the flight.

Don groaned but he was still grinning. Colby could do whatever he wanted as long as he was coming back with him. "I'll make you pay for this, you know?"

"I'm sure you will." Colby grinned, hefting his bag over his shoulder.

"Is that all you have?" Don asked, a little worried his return was only temporary.

"I'm having everything sent back."

"Good."

Los Angeles Airport

Colby was surprised when he disembarked the plane to find the entire team, including Charlie, Alan, Larry and Amita waiting for him. Megan threw herself at him. He had to brace himself so that they didn't fall over. "I missed you so much!"

Colby smiled, "I missed you too."

She pulled back. "I am so sorry."

Colby shook his head. "It's okay."

Megan smiled sadly, "It's nice of you to say so, but it's not. It will be though because you're back."

"How did you know I would come back?" He looked at Don, as each one took turns welcoming their friend back. "I didn't see you make any calls."

Don shrugged, "I'm as surprised as you are."

"We didn't know." David was to last to welcome their teammate home. He stood in front of Colby. "But we hoped…I hoped. Welcome back, Colby."

Colby gave his crooked smile. "Thanks. Its good to be back."

"Come here." David pulled his friend and partner into his arms. "I'm sorry." He whispered in his ear.

Colby gave his back a pat. "I know."

Don couldn't stop grinning as he watched his team and family walk away together. Megan gave him an amused look. "What did you say to him to get him to come back?"

"I took your advice and put the ball in his court." Don smiled. "Do you know what he told me when I asked him what made him decide to come back?" Megan looked at him curiously. "He said, in D.C he was a part of a team. Here, he's a part of a family."

Megan smiled and wrapped her arm around her boss's waist. "A dysfunctional family."

Don laughed, "They're the best kind."

The End.