Disclaimer: We do not own any of the Numb3rs characters (sadly), but we own Ava, Bella, and Emma.

The Eppes Girls: Ava's Story

The shrill ringing of a cell phone startled Don Eppes awake. He reached over his girlfriend, Liz Warner, to answer it.

"Hello."

"Hey Don, it's David. Sorry about calling you on your day off, but there's been a bomb threat and shooting at a high school. The director's called for all hands on deck. I'm gonna call Liz after I'm done with you." Don sat up and got out of bed quickly.

"Nah, nah. I've got that. I'll handle getting a hold of her, and we'll see you in the office. Bye." He hung up and turned around to see Liz sitting up in bed, a worried look on her face.

"Something wrong?"

"They need everyone in this morning. There's been a shooting and bomb threat at one of the high schools." Don said as he started to head towards the bathroom to get ready for the day. Liz got up and wandered over.

"Ok, well, I'm going to get dressed and we'll head into work. Your car or mine?"

Don looked at her thinking. "Mine." He finally answers.

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Don and Liz entered the office together, and the rest of the crew gives them looks demanding an explanation for why they came together.

"What," Don said "I saw her in the parking lot and walked up with her?"

Megan spoke up "Guys the building has windows."

Don interrupted "Well yeah, I know that."

"We saw you get out of the car…the hug was a nice touch." Megan smiled. Liz and Don looked at each other. –Damn, guess they finally figured it out- they both thought with grins in place.

"Guys, don't we have a case to be worried about?" Liz brought up. Megan gave her a look. "Megan, details will come later."

"Liz…" Don groaned in her ear.

"Deal with it Eppes. It's a girl thing." Don shook his head and straightened up.

"What's the latest, guys?

"Two shooters at Donner High, 12 hostages taken." David replied as he started shuffling papers. Don's eyes grew huge. –Ava! Bella is gonna kill me! –

"Wait, Donner High?"

"What's wrong, Don?" Liz started getting worried.

"I have to go speak to the Director." Don took off towards his boss's office, leaving the team in his wake, confused and bewildered. They refocused and went back to the case.

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Over at the Director's Office

Don knocked on his boss's door and waited for acknowledgement. He quietly entered and stood in front of the Director.

"Can I help you, Agent Eppes?" Merrick looked up as Don looked down.

"I need to be pulled from this case, Sir."

"Eppes, you had better have a good reason why. I called for all hands on deck and my best agent is being asked to be pulled from the case."

"Sir, my youngest cousin goes to Donner High." Merrick grimaced.

"Does this mean I need to pull your team as well?" Don shook his head.

"They don't know my cousin. They've never met her, Sir." Director Merrick nodded his head and wrote something down.

"Tell Agent Reeves she's leading this one. Go be with your family, Don. And I hope your cousin isn't one of the hostages."

"Neither do I, sir. Thank you." Don nodded to his boss then quietly left the office.

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Meanwhile

"He's not picking up, Megan." Liz sounded worried as she listened to Don's voicemail pick up for the third time. "Don, it's Liz. Call me back as soon as you get this." She hung up and turned to Megan. Megan shook her head.

"Let's focus on the case at hand. I'll try to call him later." She placed her hand on Liz's shoulder. The younger agent nodded and turned back to the rest of the group.

"What's the latest?"

"Two attackers neither affiliated with the school district..."

"Are there security cameras there?" Liz cut David off.

"No," came the curt reply. The team turned around to see a very haggard-looking Don standing in the doorway. He wandered to a chair and sat heavily.

"Don, what's happened? Why did you have to see Merrick?" Questions kept coming at him. It started driving him mad, and he cut them off.

"Guys, I have a personal connection to the case. Megan's lead on this one. I have to find Charlie and my cousins." He stood up and wobbled. Liz and David caught him before he could fall and sat Don back down in the chair before going back to the group of agents. They were focused on the case, but occasionally, someone would check on Don. Soon Charlie, Amita, Larry, and two ladies joined him.

"Don, come to the house. There's not much we can do here." Emma tugged on her younger cousin's arm. Don jumped when his sleeve was tugged on. He stood up and looked at his family and friends.

"Has anyone heard anything from Ava?" Don asked. Charlie, Bella, and Emma all shook their heads. Don's head dropped and a sob escaped. Liz heard him and came over to the group.

"Guys, there's been a development in the case. Well, at least we've found out the names of the hostages. Aim I right to assume Ava Eppes is related to you?" She asked. Bella squeaked and ended up in Don's hug. Emma sat down with her head in her hands. Charlie leaned into Amita's embrace. Don looked around Bella's head, and then at his girlfriend.

"She's my cousin, Liz. What's her status?" he asked dreading the answer.

"I'm sorry, guys, but Ava has not been found by anyone. We believe her to be one of the hostages." Liz quietly said as she saw their reactions. Don let go of Bella. Emma and Bella hugged each other, Charlie looked lost as he held Amita, and Don…Don just looked like he was going to destroy something. Liz opened her arms and Don met her halfway. He tried not to cry, but Liz held him and told him not to worry about it. She finally broke down the last walls around his heart. He broke down in her arms. Megan watched the exchange between the two, but failed to notice Larry walk into the room.

"How are you holding up, Megan?" he asked quietly as he moved beside her. She jumped and turned to face him.

"Horribly at the moment. Thanks for asking." She replied as she turned back to the computer, focusing on sending the teams into the building.

"Anything I can do to help here?" Megan sighed at the question.

"Honestly, I'm not sure right now. Unless you can figure out what they're wanting to do with the kids." All of the sudden, Emma blew into the room, holding out her cell phone towards Megan and Larry.

"I might be able to. I just got this message from Ava." Emma said, shakily.

I'm fine. 12 hostages, 3 shot. 2 gun men.

Want $1 million and way out of US

"Shit. We need to get them out of there NOW!" Megan said. She dialed David and Colby up at the school with the new information she'd been given.

TBC...

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ShadowDanc3r: Don't kill us; we'll get the next chapter up soon. We hope...

Shadow: It's not my fault. I'm just the muse.

Danc3r: Right... glares at Shadow