Title: Had To Be With You

Author: SleepingBeautyAtNight

Fandom: Numb3rs

Pairing: Don E., Robin B.

Rate: T

Genre: Romance/Humor (one shot)

Words: 1568

Summary: Robin is in Portland for a trial. On the day of their anniversary, Don surprises her.

Disclaimer: all Numb3rs characters belong to CBS

Author's note: please read before you continue reading

This FF is set in season 6 during Robin's long absence for a trial (before S06E11, Scratch).

Another fluffy Don/Robin fanfiction… I promise that next time I will be dealing with something different (I was thinking about the Eppes-trio).

But for now, enjoy this one!

Fic unbetated.

R&R!

The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

'I hate to be where she is not, when she is not'

Robin wasn't able to concentrate on her work on that day. It was a day out of court for her, which meant that she should have been reviewing some files in preparation for the trial, but her mind was definitely somewhere else. It was a mild day of April and it was the day of her and Don's anniversary, but she was in Portland and he was in LA.

'Life is unfair' she thought to herself while trying unsuccessfully to concentrate on her files.

She sighed and stretched on the chair she was sitting on in the office she had been assigned when she arrived in Portland about three months before. She took a sad look at the calendar where she had circled the presumed date of her return in red: about two more months to go. Two months sounded like an eternity to her.

She missed Don very much. She missed him in every single moment of day and night. She couldn't help thinking constantly of him. They called each other at least two times every day, but that was not enough. She missed his physical presence, the solidity of his body. She missed the opportunity to brush briefly against him or to exchange a furtive look with him while working together on a case. She missed everything about him. That feeling was slowly killing her day by day.

And being apart on the day of their anniversary made it even worse.

She stared out of her window. She realized that although she had been staying in Portland for quite a while she hadn't been interested in going sightseeing in the city because she had been too concentrate on her feelings to mind her surrounding.

Robin checked her clock and decided that Don should already be at work at that time. She imagined him entering the office, taking off his jacket and sitting at his desk sipping his coffee…she closed her eyes and her mind focused on his lips pressed to the cup he was drinking from, zooming like a camera. She went on with her fantasy remembering the softness of those lips meeting hers halfway when he came back home after a rough day to find some solace in her arms before sliding under the sheets of their bed together and…

'Hey, Brooks! How about a cup of coffee?'

Robin's eyes snapped open immediately, she jumped in her chair because of the surprise and looked startled and disappointed in the direction of the voice that had dared to interrupt her daydreaming so abruptly. She mentally cursed and rolled her eyes in exasperation when she recognized the owner of that voice. Steve, a layer like her. He was her age, tall, lean and fair-haired. He came from Chicago and he thought to be both the best layer of the States and a terribly charming man. And he liked her. He had clearly shown his interest in the past weeks. Robin hated him and simply couldn't stand his presence. She had to admit that he was a really good layer, but he definitely wasn't her type. She had politely turned down any kind of invitation that he had made to her and she had also mentioned her boyfriend in Los Angeles with purpose, but he kept on asking her to join him for a coffee, a dinner and even on more explicit occasions…

'You don't have any chance buddy, I'm sorry'

She sighed lightly and declined his invitation once again.

'Sorry Steve, I don't have time now. Excuse me, but I have a phone call to do…'

She said reaching for her phone to call Don, but to her surprise her mobile started ringing in her hand and she smiled happily when she recognized his ID on the screen.

'Hi, Don! I was just about to call you!'

''morning sweetie! How's going?' he cheerfully asked her

'Fine…Well, not exactly'

'Why? What's up?' he asked with concern

'I miss you' she answered sadly

'I miss you too, babe. Oh, and by the way… happy anniversary!'

'Thanks. Happy anniversary to you too. But I have the feeling that today isn't going to be a great anniversary day for us'

'What makes you think that?'

'Well, you know…being in two different cities in two different states on the day of our anniversary wasn't exactly the way I had in mind to celebrate it'

'Who said that we cannot be together today?'

She was caught by surprise and she didn't know what to say

'What do you mean? We both have to work today, you told me that you were going to have a stressful week at your office and…'

'Robin?' he interrupted her

'Yes?'

'Stop talking and look at the door' he said suppressing a little laugh

She remained in silence with her mouth half open, she slowly turned her head towards the door of her office and almost dropped her mobile because of the shock. She couldn't believe her eyes: right there in front of her was her boyfriend, standing at the threshold and leaning against the doorpost. He closed his mobile and gave her one of his disarming and heart-warming smiles.

She continued to stare at him, speechless and unable to move.

'Are you going to hug me or do I have to wait here until tomorrow?' he asked with an amused tone in his voice.

A big smile appeared on her face. She got up from her chair and almost run to him, right in his arms.

'Don! What are you doing here? she asked hugging him tightly.

'What do you think I am doing here, Counselor? I'm here to spend the day of our anniversary with my girlfriend'

She raised her head from his chest to look at him

'You told me that you had to be at work today'

'I had, but I realized that I had something more important to do today' he paused for a while, then he looked in her eyes and caressed one of her cheeks while adding 'I had to be with you'.

Then he slowly lowered his head to meet her lips and kissed her. She immediately reacted to the kiss and kissed him back, pressing him to the doorpost and letting her hands roaming freely on his broad and well-built chest. He entwined his hands in her soft hair. Their kiss became more and more passionate.

After some time, Robin began to hear people laughing and whispering around them. She reluctantly broke the kiss and saw the small group of people gathered in the hallway staring at them kissing each other like teenagers. Steve was there too, a jealousy expression on his face.

She flushed hard and whispered

'Uh, Don…'

'What?' he asked breathless

She tilted her head towards the intruders

'Oh'

They separated and looked away in embarrassment.

The group of curious started gradually to dissolve. Steve was one of the first to leave, without saying a word.

Once everyone had gone back to his own previous activity, she cleared her throat and said

'Let's get inside'

She took his hand and they entered her office in silence. Then Don spoke again

'I don't like him'

She decided not to doubt of his trained agent's skills asking him about who he was talking about or how did he even know about Steve. She had never mentioned him to Don. Instead, she simply replied

'I don't like him either, you don't have to worry about that'

'Still, I don't like him. Besides, you should have told me'

'There's really nothing to say. He asks and I say no, that's all'

'Do I have to use my gun or my interrogation skills to dissuade him?' he asked raising an eyebrow

'Believe me, that's not necessary. The show he had assisted to before should be enough to convince him that I don't wanna be with no one else but you'

They both grinned to each other.

'So, how long are you staying?' she asked

'Unfortunately I have to be back in LA on Wednesday morning. I have a flight booked for tomorrow late evening. Sorry, I really would have stayed longer but bad guys do not allow me to stay away for a long time'

'I know, don't worry. I'm happy you are here now, thank you for coming. I love you' she said stepping closer to hug him and they shared a brief but intense kiss.

This time he broke the kiss for first and asked

'So, are you done here? I would like to take you to the Japanese Garden and wherever you would like to go'

She smiled happily at him

'Good idea. I haven't visited the city yet but I have often dreamt of visiting it with you. Let's fulfil my dream!'

'With great pleasure, Madam' he said offering his arm to her 'I am here to fulfil every kind of dreams you may have' he added winking at her

She eyed him slyly and grabbed his arm.

'Let's go Milord, I have lots of places I want to show you…'

'Just remember that we have to be downtown by nine this evening: I have a reservation for dinner in the best Italian restaurant of Portland'

'Then we have to hurry up!'

And they went out of the office building in the sunlight together, laughing and smiling happily to each other, ready to enjoy their anniversary day.