I don't own Numb3rs. I miss the show greatly though. This is my pathetic attempt at a fanfic for the show. It's not exactly great but I had an inspiration. I'm still working through it too so reviews are a source of weather or not I should continue.

There won't be any pairing slash or otherwise in this. I know. I'm trying something different.

Don Eppes sighed as he stared at the picture of his little brother on his desk. He was beginning to really miss his brother's rambling lectures. He felt a shiver race down his spine as his thoughts flooded back to the day two months ago when things had been normal.

Dinner with Nikki, Liz, David, Colby, Larry, Amita, Charlie, and his father Alan had been going well until Charlie got a call from someone. Phone records showed it had been a colleague who was well known at CalSci for his work in some field or another. The conversation had sounded important from what Don could hear. Charlie was animated as always and had sounded eager to go and kick some math into high gear for kicks.

Larry was serving his homemade ice cream when Charlie said he had to go. Amita offered to go with him but he insisted she stay and enjoy herself. As Don thought about it, he was once again surprised that the two hadn't gotten married. Amita apparently had been the one to leave Charlie at the altar but they seemed able to fall into their usual partnership. It was like romance just could not happen between them when things were calm. She had really tried to insist that she could probably help but Charlie had been adamant. He wanted to do this on his own.

He left promising he'd been back soon. He never did come back.

The first twenty-four hours had been Don's usual critical time window. He had kicked and screamed for the higher ups to let him handle the case and he had been surprised when they agreed. He'd worked every angle he could afford to think of finding absolutely nothing. Phone records had only led him to the colleague who had explained why he'd called Charlie. Don had sent search parties out to go over Charlie's usual routes only to learn they'd found nothing.

Nothing but Charlie's empty car.

The car had been abandoned with no sign of struggle anywhere on it. Absolutely nothing at all. There were no leads but the higher ups had all made it very clear; Charles Eppes was not just a consultant. He was one of their best assets. They wanted their asset back and they wanted him back now. However, Don had noticed something far more primal as he worked on the case until he really couldn't put any more time into it.

Charlie wasn't an asset to the people who helped try to find him. He was one of them. He was a brother in arms whose weapon was a shroud of protection and good luck. He watched as the men and women who still checked into the case every time they could began to look disappointed in themselves for not being able to find anything new. Without leads, the case would stay at the dead end it had rooted itself to. No leads meant that there would be no head way.

Missing posters with Charlie's picture were hung up in almost every cubicle in the bullpen to Don's amazement. He hadn't noticed how many people in the Bureau knew and liked Charlie. He wanted to thank them for looking for his little brother but he couldn't help but feel like if he did he'd jinx their already dismal chances.

He sighed as his thoughts turned dreary once more and he trudged away to the conference room to stare at the scattered files again. He wanted to know what was happening to his brother but at the same time, he wanted to avoid knowing at all costs. He couldn't stand the fact that he'd lost his little brother so easily. What had happened to his typical overprotection? Why hadn't he insisted that he take Charlie to see his friend? Why hadn't he done something? If he had done something, would Charlie still have been taken or would he have been able to stop the abduction? So many questions rolled about in his mind and he couldn't help but want to tear his hair out in frustration. He hadn't even noticed that he'd scattered the files to intentionally make it look like Charlie was still there.

He yanked his thoughts from the picture to look at the recent case he had been given. Life still seemed to go on without Charlie and it disappointed him that it did. He didn't feel like there was a reason for the world to keep turning until Charlie was home safe again. He had to know his brother was safe before he felt things were alright.

His father was slightly catatonic; he simply wandered through the house, tearing up when he saw something that reminded him of Charlie. Amita had buried herself in work; work that was going absolutely nowhere. Millie and Larry were trying hard to keep them both in reality when they too were suffering. Larry lost someone he could speak to and Millie lost someone who was very close to her in many ways – donation drives and a great intuitive mind she could challenge as a superior. She'd been forced to get Marshall Penfield to sub for Charlie until further notice and according to her, Penfield was doing well enough but Charlie was a better professor. Penfield was also trying to do what he could to help but he just didn't have the same respect Charlie had. Don's team seemed stuck in any case they got thanks to their lucky charm being gone completely. The next thing Don had noticed, he was neck deep in cases he couldn't get a grip on.

The one he was working on presently was one of a fugitive prisoner who'd managed to escape during a move to the jail. Don had called in Ian Edgerton just to have fresh eyes on at least one case and the sniper had yet to arrive. His fingers skimmed over reports that told of the guards' point of view of what had happened, eye witness accounts, and what security cameras had caught. None of it was leading him anywhere though. He would have had Charlie on figuring if the car crash had been intentional or something. Nothing was getting done because they had been forced to figure things out the traditional way.

A soft knock on the door of the conference room caught his attention and he looked up from his papers to find Ian Edgerton smiling at him in a friendly manner. He stood to shake the sniper's hand and welcomed him as enthusiastically as he could. His mind was still on Charlie. Nothing he did could pull him away from his thoughts and worries for his brother.

"Sorry for the mess," he said not really bothering to try to listen to how he sounded. Ian however noticed the weary sounding worry in his voice but kept his mouth shut. He was sure he'd figure it out sooner or later and was far more worried with how sick Don looked. It was like he hadn't gotten any sleep or food in a few months and it was really showing.

"No problem," Ian replied as he gazed over the clutter of papers and files. He couldn't make heads or tails of it and had a feeling Charlie had been allowed to ransack them to make his equations as usual. "I really don't mind. What have you got on the Cornel case?"

Don looked at him as if the name meant absolutely nothing to him. Ian waited as Don seemed to filter through his mind and watched as confusion turned into realization. The looks on Don's face alone were enough to make Ian worried. It wasn't like Don to simply forget who he was chasing. Not when Don had training in fugitive recovery before working in the LA branch of the FBI. Ian watched as Don seemed to shake himself back to reality and nodded as if to reassure himself that things were alright when they apparently weren't.

"Not much," Don said somewhat stiffly. "I don't have…much."

Ian's eyes narrowed but he nodded anyway. Something didn't sound right to him but again, he wasn't going to say anything until he was sure. He breathed through his nose calmly and sighed resolutely; watching Don the entire time while making sure he looked like the poster boy of calm and level headed thinking.

"Alright," he replied. "Let's go over the files together and see if I can help."

Don nodded and handed Ian some of the files. Both men sat down and searched through the images of the crime scene and through the witness reports. Ian found himself done faster than he'd expected and his gaze fell back on Don. He was completely out of it. He wasn't paying attention, his eyes only flitting over the papers. Ian shifted in his seat uncomfortably. This wasn't the Don Eppes he knew. What the hell was going on?

"Hey Don," Colby sighed as he entered the room, David and Liz following him in shambling steps. All three looked dead tired as if they hadn't slept last night. Ian waved at them, not bothering to try to smile. "Hey Ian," Colby added once his eyes focused on Ian. It took longer than it should have.

So it's not just Don huh, Ian thought. This seems like it's getting serious.

Liz and David flopped into chairs as Colby threw his jacket onto the back of another. He settled a bit more gracefully than the other two but his head sank to the table, cushioned by his folded arms. He groaned softly as he rolled his shoulders. Ian couldn't help but stare at them all. He didn't understand what was going on but it was apparent that he had to learn soon.

Nikki entered soon after, her eyes not focusing on anything or anyone. She simply let herself fall into a chair near David and robotically reached for files to pass to Liz and the other two males. Don didn't even bother looking up, his eyes showing he was lost in another world. Ian watched as they all just stared at the papers without seeing anything on them. No wonder they had nothing. They weren't paying attention to anything but what was in their heads. That was dangerous enough but from what Ian understood from the files was that Cornel was a nut and was also a nut who liked guns – powerful ones.

"I'm going to get coffee," Ian declared suddenly causing the others to jump. "Anybody want some?" He watched their eyes as they glazed over and they all shook their heads.

Right. They all need a boost of some kind, he thought sarcastically as he stood to leave. He didn't really want coffee. He wanted an escape. The fact no one else wanted the bitter drink made it easier for him to simply wander about without any destination in mind. What the hell is wrong with them? Did this guy shoot one of theirs and it's not in the reports yet? Man, I can't wait to see if Charlie has any-. His thoughts cut off as he nearly passed Don's desk. He couldn't believe his eyes. Was he really seeing what he thought he was? He snatched the paper that had caught his eye and stormed back to the conference room.

"What the hell is this?" he bellowed as he reentered the conference room, the paper in hand. He slammed it down before Don and glared icicles at the agent. "What the fuck is that Don?"

Don stared at the image on the paper before shoving it away as if it were about to bite him. "None of your business Edgerton. You're here for this case." He waved at the clutter again and stood to leave. "I'm getting something to drink. Keep working everyone."

There were a few blank nods but Ian had seen them all snap to attention when he'd yelled at Don. He'd felt their eyes boring holes into both him and Don as he bellowed at the agent. Once Don left, he snatched the picture up again and shoved it their faces without moving.

"What the hell have I missed?" he hissed softly, his tone poisonous. They all flinched, their eyes no longer tired and blank. They all seemed unable to speak though and he snarled in an animalistic way as he slammed the picture down again. "Fine, don't tell me! It's not like he's a friends of mine like he is for you!" He stormed out of the room and punched the elevator call button as if he was pounding a nail home. As soon as the doors chimed open, he was inside the car and was attacking the button for the first floor.

His eyes moved up in time to see Don watching him, sadness and grief painting his face, as the doors slid closed.

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