A/N: Since Charlie Eppes is my very favorite character on 'Numb3rs', I thought it would be fun to give him a girl who loves him. If you don't like pairings or 'ships, just skip this one. To those of you who do, I hope you enjoy. :)
Rated: R - this is NOT for the kiddies adult situations some violence
Disclaimer: I do not own NUMB3RS, or the characters. I just like to play with them. I promise to put them back, even Charlie. :) Jordan and Riley are mine, and purely fictional.
Song used in story is: "Chasing Cars", by Snow Patrol. I don't own it either. But I sure do like it. :)
NOTE: This story is not intended to upset or offend anyone who has ever suffered from/been victimized by a hurricane. This is not intended to make light of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, or Hurricane Andrew, or any other hurricane, for that matter. I am a Florida native, and I have seen my share of hurricanes. 'Nuff said.
Many, Many thanks to the very best beta editor... the AWWESOMME Antoinette! You ROCK:)
This 3rd Charlie-Jordan fic.
Thanks to elysium1996. You da best:)
Charlie Eppes lay on his stomach in front of the television, grading papers. He was oblivious to the program, and to the sound of his wife Jordan calling his name.
Jordan said Charlie's name again, but as usual, he was in his own world. Jordan walked up to him, and lay down onto the floor next to him. Charlie didn't notice. Jordan reached over and pulled one of Charlie's unruly curls back from his eyes. He looked at her in surprise.
"Hey," he smiled at her. "I didn't hear you."
"I know. You never do." Jordan kissed his nose.
Charlie frowned. "I'm sorry. It's not deliberate. I just get so..."
Jordan stopped him by putting her finger over his lips. "It's okay. Don't apologize for that, okay?" She smiled at him.
Charlie pushed his papers out of the way, as she rolled over over onto her side, and looked up at him, smiling. He leaned down to kiss her, when suddenly he heard his dad's voice.
"Why do I always find you two like this?" Alan Eppes asked them, as he located his misplaced newspaper.
Jordan started to laugh. Charlie looked up at his dad. "Your timing, Dad, as usual..."
Alan interrupted. "Well you could always go into your bedroom."
Charlie grinned. Jordan blushed, but kept laughing.
Alan winked at Jordan, tucked the paper under his arm, and walked in to the kitchen to make coffee.
She grinned back at her father-in-law. Jordan was an only child, and had lost her parents in a car accident only five months after marrying Charlie. Though she missed her parents, Jordan loved her new family with all her heart.
Suddenly, a squeal and the sound of running feet announced three-year-old Riley's presence as she ran into the room. She saw her daddy on his stomach, and quickly ran over to straddle him and sit on his back.
"Oof." Charlie groaned. He looked at Jordan. "How come she never gets on you?"
Jordan snickered. "'Cause I'm the Mommy, that's why." She grinned at him.
Riley bounced up and down on Charlie. "Horsey! Go, Daddy!"
Charlie grinned, and got up on his hands and knees. Jordan sat up, leaning against a chair and watched.
Charlie crawled around for a few minutes, then leaned back so Riley could topple off into a giggling heap. Charlie crawled over and sat next to Jordan, putting his arm around her.
"You never told me why you were calling me." Charlie told her, and looked at her questioningly.
"Well, I was just thinking. We've been married five years, and we haven't done anything, just the two of us, since our honeymoon. I was thinking about it, and was wondering what you thought of maybe us slipping off somewhere..." she smiled, "alone."
Charlie smiled, and leaned back and thought a moment. "How about a week long trip to Florida? Just the two of us." Charlie grinned at her. "It will be a week-long 'math date' though. I got an invitation to be a guest speaker at a lecture series in Miami next month. I'll be at the university a lot for maybe three days, but we'll have plenty of time for other things, too." His dark brown eyes sparkled.
"Really?" she grinned, getting excited. "That sounds great! But what are we going to do about Riley?"
Charlie snickered. "I'm sure Dad will be happy for a chance to spoil her for a week without us interfering."
Jordan laughed. "Oh goody. Let the spoiling commence."
A month later...
Jordan was almost finished packing. She was very excited. They would be leaving in the morning for their week long "math date". She thought longingly of being all alone with Charlie. Drinking mai tais and watching the sunset. She sighed happily.
Charlie had found them a small cottage with a pool in Coconut Grove to stay in. Jordan thought it sounded so romantic. She made a mental note to pick up extra camera film. Lectures or not, this was going to be a fabulous week.
Jordan finished packing, and looked at the clock. 'Charlie should be on his way' home, she thought.
Charlie was standing in the university lounge, watching the small television. The weather was on. The meteorologist showed a tropical storm down in the Caribbean. Charlie frowned. He wondered if going was still a good idea. He flipped open his cell phone and called his house.
"Jordan, have you watched the weather? There is a tropical storm in the Caribbean!"
Charlie heard laughter. "Jordan? Maybe you didn't hear me?"
"Yes, I heard. Charlie! I'm from Georgia, remember? Those are so common, it's ridiculous. Half of them dissipate, or go off into the Atlantic, or whatever. Please don't freak out about this. I've lived with them most of my life. I always ignored them unless they got to be big, and 'then' only if pointed in our direction."
"I'm not freaking out. I'm... just... ummm... wondering if I should call Miami and reschedule."
"Don't you dare. It's fine. If it was a category 3 or higher, heading towards Miami, that would be different. But gosh, don't worry about this, okay? Please?"
Charlie smiled. "Okay. I'm on my way home. Do I need to pick up anything on the way?"
"Umm, nah, all I need is some more camera film. But I'll pick some up when we get there."
"Okay. See ya in a few minutes." Charlie flipped his phone closed and headed to his car.
Alan Eppes smiled down at his daughter-in-law. Jordan was trying hard not to cry, as she hugged and kissed her little Riley. She stroked Riley's tiny face. Riley snuggled her mother, then was ready to get down and run. Charlie walked in the door, and Riley jumped down from her mother's lap and made a beeline for her daddy. He scooped her up and hugged her. "Hi Baby."
Riley scowled. "I'm 'not' a baby. I'm a big girl."
Charlie laughed. "I know."
He set her back down on her feet. She pushed her little pink glasses up on her nose, and looked at Jordan. She shook her head, with her dark curls bobbing around her face. "Mommy, you sad?"
Jordan smiled. "No, Honey, I'm not sad. But guess what? You're going to get Grandpop all to yourself for a few days. You're going to have 'special' Grandpop time. You're going to have so much fun! Isn't that great?"
Charlie squatted down next to Jordan and smiled at his daughter. "That's right. You are such a lucky girl."
Riley didn't look convinced. "Where you gonna go?" Her bottom lip quivered.
"I'm going to be at another school for just a few days. Mommy is coming with me. Then we'll be right back home. Okay? And guess what? We'll get you a surprise too. But you have to be a good girl for Grandpop, okay?" He gave her a big smile, and tousled her hair.
"A surprise?" Riley looked interested.
"Mmm Hmm." Jordan confirmed. "We love you so much, so we will hurry up and be home in just a few days. We'll call you every day, okay?"
"Mm-kay," Riley agreed. She narrowed her dark brown eyes. "Are you going right now?"
"No Honey. We'll go in the morning. We'll be back in just a few days though, okay?" Jordan tried to sound cheerful.
Charlie gathered Riley into his arms and cuddled her. He kissed his daughter, and looked over at Jordan with sad eyes. He tried to smile at her reassuringly, but his eyes gave him away. Jordan welled up with tears. She wiped at her eyes. "Stop it, dang it." She smiled at him.
Charlie laughed softly. "We'll be back before you know it."