Title: Definition of Infinity
Authoress: Azzy Flynne
Summary: Charlie gets an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise that will no doubt change his entire life. But what happens when a case gone wrong threatens to take him away from everything he loves and cares about?
A/N: This is my first multi-chapter Numb3rs fic, so please be kind. Please R&R and let me know what I can do to improve. I really hope everyone enjoys this story.
Chapter 1: Unexpected Surprises
"What?" The word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it and Amita put her hands on her hips as she looked back at him.
"You heard exactly what I said Charlie," Amita told him quietly, lifting one of her hands to rub her face tiredly, "What we need to do is find out what the hell we are going to do about it. I mean, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind when we got together. I thought maybe someday, you know, but... oh hell I don't know."
"There are options," Charlie pointed out, as he motioned for her to sit on his couch. He ran a hand through his curly hair and sat in the arm chair across from her.
"I'm not getting an ab-" she began angrily, her eyes narrowed. How could he even think something like that? She knew it was an option for other people with valid reasons, but it wasn't one for her.
"That's not what I meant, Sweetheart...I know that you'd never do that," Charlie interupted her softly, "I just want us to think about this before we make any decision. The one we make will affect the rest of our lives." He moved from the armchair and sat next to her, wrapping her up in a soft hug, and smiled, "My Dad will be thrilled to say the least."
"Do you want to keep it?" She asked, returning the hug, "Because I'm pretty sure I do. It'll be a little bit of you and a little bit of me, all rolled up into one." She thought a little bit into their future if they decided to keep the life now growing inside of her. She pictured a two year old angel looking to be picked up by Mommy, with Charlie's wild curls, but definetly her nose.
"I have to admit, I'm a little scared at the prospect of me being a father," Charlie blushed a little and looked away from his girlfriend. Half the time he couldn't even take care of himself, how was he going to care for a child? "What if I'm a horrible parent?"
"Charlie, Charlie, Charlie," she tisked quietly, smiling at his fear, "I know you, you'll be an excellent father. But I mean, what about living arrangements? You have a house, so it'd be better if he or she lived here, but I'd want to be near my child, you know?"
"So it's for sure, we're keeping it?" He asked first and her smile told him the answer before she even spoke.
"If you don't want to, I will," she told him, a maternal spark in her eyes, "It'll be hard as a single parent, but I'll do it."
"I didn't say I didn't want to Amita," he soothed quietly, letting her lean on him, "I think I'd like being a father and I don't think my Dad would be opposed to you coming to live with us, you know if you want to."
"So you want to keep it?" She looked at him seriously and he hesitated before nodding.
"Like I said, the very thought scares me," he told her, breathing in the scent of her hair, "but I'm pretty sure it's thrilling me at the same time. Mixed feelings I guess, I just never thought this would happen. But what about us?"
"What about us?" She looked at him, uncertainty hiding underneath her eyes as she gazed into him, "I think this would serve to bring us closer together, don't you think?"
"I mean, how would it affect the baby if we were to... er break up?" He looked down for a moment and then back up at her as he waited for her reply.
"Do you really think we'll break up someday?" Her eyes turned desperately sad and she pulled away from his embrace, "Do you think it's some inevitable thing that will happen..."
"I don't want us to ever break up, but if there's something I've learned over the years...it does happen," Charlie sighed and the door to his house swung open before either one could speak further.
"Hey Chuck," Don greeted, then he saw Amita and smiled, "Hope I didn't interupt anything." He gave his brother a thumbs up, causing Amita to blush deeply, "Hey there Amita, what's happening?"
"Don't call me Chuck, Don," Charlie rolled his eyes at his brother, "Amita and I were having a discussion if you must know. And yes you interupted something."
"Sorry Chuck," Don just grinned at him, before it dropped from his face, remembering why he had come in the first place, "You wanna help me with something? I have a case and well, it's not going too well. The perp is taunting us with emails and we can't trace him. Everytime we find out where's he's been, he's gone somewhere else. Seems he's always a step ahead of us."
Charlie looked at Amita before answering so she whispered in his ear, "If we both try hard enough, we'll make it work. Now go save the day and then we can finish our conversation."
He smiled at her reassurance, "I'll see you later, okay Honey? My brother seems to desperately need my assistance."
"Take care Charlie, and ummm... don't tell the whole world... Your family is okay, Larry too," she smiled at him a little and almost laughed at the look Don had on his face. "I'll just drive home now okay?"
"Be careful Amita," he pulled her into a hug and kissed her, "I love you."
"Love you too," she looked as if she were about to cry. He actually told her he loved her, she had been waiting for those three words a long damn time. "See you later." She opened the door and left, leaving Don staring behind her.
"Alright Charlie," Don gave him a confused look, "What the hell is going on here?"
"Actually in about eight and a half months, my name is going to be Daddy," Charlie spilled his secret, a huge smile bursting onto his face, "Damnit I love that woman."
"Congrats Buddy!" Don draped an arm around his shoulder, "But about my case..."
"Yeah yeah," Charlie muttered good naturedly, "the case... Well what kind of crime is it anyway?"
"The best kind, a mix of financial data theft, bank robberies and neighbourhood stick ups," Don told him as he led him outside after he let his little brother grab his laptop. "It's like they can't make up their damn minds. The only thing linking them together is the robbers' signature and the fact it's all centered around money."
"What's the M.O.?" Charlie looked at Don and his brother just sighed.
"Those damn emails," his elder brother told them, "Always taking credit for what they did and taunting us. Basically asking us why we're too stupid to find them."
"Well I'm pretty sure I'm far from stupid," Charlie chuckled a little bit, "And I know you are as well. We'll get those idiots." He climbed into the passenger's seat of his brother's SUV, "Give me some data and I'll try to work something out for you."
"Math Magic is just what we need right now," Don smiled at him little brother, before asking, "So what's going to happen with you, Amita and the baby?"
"We decided to keep it," Charlie gave his brother a little smile, and let out a deep breath, "I'm scared I won't be a good father, but there's only one way to find out. Amita will probably end up coming to live with me and Dad... and well yeah. I feel like throwing up and jumping for joy... all at the same time. I love Amita, and I love the little life she's carrying, I'm just...scared."
"I can understand that," Don bit his lip and looked at his brother, "I've been in a similar situation...except my girlfriend at the time went and had an abortion shortly after telling me. My God, Charlie, I'll tell you now, that broke my heart."
"You never told me that Donnie," Charlie mentioned softly and Don just shrugged. He really wished he knew what his older brother was thinking, what was going on in his mind."
"It was when I was in Quantico, training for the FBI," Don told him quietly, "We weren't really talking at the time. I guess now just seemed as good a time as any to tell you."
"I'm glad you did Donnie," Charlie put a hand on his brother's shoulder for a fleeting moment, "Who knows, you might get another chance at it."
Don just looked at his little brother for a moment as he started the vehicle, "Maybe, but I don't think I'll ever forgive Penny for doing that to me..."
Charlie gave him a small comforting smile and sighed, unaware that someone had been watching the two of them the whole time.
"What do ya say we send Eppsie a new email?" One man asked his partner, grinning slyly, "We haven't done anything new? Let's see if he can stop us before we do. Give him a little hint so to speak?"
"As long as you make sure he'll never find out in time... I'm not against it," his partner said quietly and pointed towards the computer, "What do you have in mind?"
"He's got a family..." the first man smiled as he said the words, "A father and a brother...according to my sources, the brother's going to be a father soon." He sat down at the computer and began to type out the email.
Dear Lead Agent Eppes,
What in life is more important than money? If you can figure that out, you will know our next move... just ask XXVIIIVVIIXXVIIIVXVIIIXXXVIIV.
He clicked send and smiled at his partner, "Lets see him figure that one out in time."
"What was it anyways?" He asked quietly, looking at the mess of a message. He didn't know where his buddy got it or what the hell it meant.
"You'll see in time, as will Special Agent Eppes," he grinned at his handiwork and chuckled to himself. Now we have somewhere to be. I'll just call my contact for information and everything shall work out perfectly. Agent Eppes won't know what hit him."
"I'm not sure I even know what's going on," his partner scratched his head lightly in confusion, "But you've always been the brains of this operation, I trust you explicitly."
"I know," he grinned, thinking about his plan, "Don't you worry, I have everything figured out."
"You always do," his partner gave him a smile, trusting his friend not to steer him wrong.
"Charlie," Don told his brother quietly as he got up from the computer, rolling his head to stretch the tired muscles, "We got another email, this one hinting towards their next move. Think you can figure out their code?"
"Dumb question Don," Megan smiled and gave him a little nudge as Charlie got right to work, tap tapping away as he thought at the same time.
"It's a code composed entirely of Roman Numerals," Charlie spoke as if neither of them had said a word, "I'll write up an algorithm to predict the right groupings to find out the numbers they stand for. Then it should automatically come up with the deciphered message for you."
"How long will this algorithm take you Charlie?" Don asked his little brother urgently and his brother grinned, not even looking up from the computer.
"Not long. This code is actually fairly simple, you should have your answer in maybe a half hour," he told him as his mind wandered to Amita, "After I set it up, I'm going to go check on Amita. The algorithm will run itself and the computer will beep when it's ready."
"Alright Charlie," Don clapped a hand on his little brother's shoulder, "Glad to know I can always count on you Buddy."
He gave his brother a smile, "Thanks Don." A few minutes later he stood up, "I'll go see Amita now, you call me if anything comes up. For example if they send you another email. I'll just call a cab, see ya bro."
"Bye Charlie," Don grinned at his brother and as he did, something within his gut told him to drive Charlie to Amita's, but he shoved it away, figuring it was just his cynical mind playing tricks on him, "Be careful."
"You bet," Charlie waved as he ran out of the room, carrying his laptop with him. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. Something told him to get out, to ask Don for a ride, but he pushed it away... it was nothing. He stepped out of the building not long after and hailed a cab.
The taxi driver rolled down his window, "Get in and tell ma where ya need to go."
"574 West 13th street," Charlie said casually and leaned back in his seat, "I'm just glad I didn't need to wait long for the cab ride."
"That's cause I was expecting you," the driver smiled at him through the rearview mirror and it was then Charlie realized they were heading in the opposite direction of Amita's apartment.
"You're going the wrong way," Charlie commented quietly as he reached for his phone. He knew he should have listened to his gut and now he was in trouble for ignoring it.
"I know," the taxi driver chuckled a little bit, "Give me your phone, I don't want to have to hurt you... but I won't hesitate to. I have strict instructions my friend and I have to follow them."
Charlie tossed his cell phone into the front seat and swallowed the lump in his throat, "What is this about?" He reached for the handle of the door but realized it had been broken off.
"All in due time," the driver said quietly as he made a sharp left turn, "All in due time."
A/N: Please hit the button and drop me a review. It would be so darn appreciated. I hope to have another chapter for you soon.
--Azzy--