Acknowledgements:
Omi as always
The BTN8rs - with apologies
The BTN Chatters - for their support
Disclaimers:
"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend" - Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I do not own any Numb3rs characters nor do I have any rights to
anything related to the TV show Numb3rs. I plead fair use and claim
only my own writing and characters.
"You ready for this?"
Charlie stared up at the rock face before him, its sun bleached brown surface marred by tiny crags and crevasses. He'd climbed it dozens of times; he'd learned to rock climb on this rock.
He'd just never done it without safety ropes.
"You don't have to do this," Amita said, concern clear in her eyes. "If this is some macho..."
"I'm ready," Charlie interrupted, brushing past her to stand at the base of the thirty foot boulder.
He shook out his shoulders and arms and went to check his gear before it hit him that it wasn't there.
The nakedness of not having his safety harness on sent a wave of uneasiness though him and he looked up again at the behemoth he'd so easily scaled the week before in his harness.
Thirty feet seemed much higher from here.
He laid his forehead against the stone, feeling the warmth against his skin as he focused, taking long deep breaths.
He stilled for a moment then raised his hands, fitting them into handholds he knew almost from memory, and began his ascent.
His mind turned off, the numbers disappeared and all there was was him, the rock and the sky above.
His focus was so intense reaching the top was almost a surprise.
As he scrambled up the last few feet a sense of exhilaration filled him.
Standing on top of the rock he raised his arms over his head, pumping his fists into the sky.
"I did it!"