Hi everybody,

finally it's done! Enjoy the second part of the 'Stalker'-stories.

Disclaimer: I don't possess 'Numb3rs'!

A special thank you to starfishyeti for her beta-skills!

The stalker part 2

by elessar73

*** 1. chapter : Underneath the surface ***

Don ran across the Cal Sci campus, calling out Charlie's name, but he didn't answer. When he reached his brother's office, he found it abandoned. There was a trail of rose petals across the floor. He followed the trail and it led him back outside the building and towards the parking lot where he found Charlie sitting in his car. Charlie's face was covered with blood and he wasn't breathing...he wasn't breathing! Don tried to open the door, but it was locked. He stared inside; helpless thousands of lifeless roses filled the inside of the car. He could smell their scent through the closed door. He rammed his fists against the window, screaming Charlie's name and suddenly Charlie was gone. Don squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again he was standingin a hospital, or more precisely in the morgue of a hospital. He looked around, but nobody was there. "Hello!" his voice sounded strange in his own ears. He walked across the room, attracted to a door on the far end. When he reached it, he risked a glance through the small window in the middle of the door. What he saw made his legs crumple. He crashed to the ground, tears streaming down his face, his breathing was shallow and rapid. 'Charlie! No! I was supposed to keep you safe, it couldn't be true. Charlie!' He tried to get a hold of the door knob, but he couldn't reach it. It was too high, he had failed Charlie! Charlie!

Don woke to the sound of his own scream. 'Charlie', he whispered. His hands clenched the sheets of his bed as he squeezed his eyes to banish the memories. Sweat run down his face, his breath came out in gasps and his heart was racing. Thank god he had decided to spend the night in his apartment and not on his brother's couch. He had no idea how to explain his nightmares. These dreams had been torturing him for weeks and he just couldn't get rid off them. The first time ever since he had woken up in a cold sweat and the name of his brother on his lips he had checked with the psychiatric ward to see if Mary Clark was still behind bars. To Don dismiss Mary Clark had been settled in psychiatry out of town. The clinic for nervous diseases which had a separate high security unit for convicts was situated in the Nappa Valley, one of the nicest spots in the region. Just the picturing Mary Clark sitting safe and sound amongst the beautiful vineyards had made Don almost go crazy. But after he had checked the environment on his own he had relaxed. The security level of ' Sun Valley' was high standard and Don couldn't find a flaw in the security system. And as long as Mary was out of his sight he could put up with her being where she was, at least he tried. Don smirked-, by now the orderlies were probably thinking that he was the one who should be in therapy. Just the thought of the woman who had tried to kill his little brother made him nervous and somehow vulnerable. Just a few months ago he had come way too close to losing Charlie and he wouldn't let it happened again. He was just wondering how to accomplish that goal.

It took him sometime to get his heartbeat back to normal. Don took some deep breaths and tried to relax. His hand instinctively reached for his cell phone. He flipped the device open and the display lighted up. The light stung his weary eyes. He squeezed them shut for a brief moment. Opening them again they grew wide with surprise when he realized that it was just 1:35 am. 'That may not be the best time to call the psychiatric ward-, although I've done it before.' Don fought with himself. He knew that he was acting stupidly, if Mary Clark had managed to break out, he and his team would be the first to know about it. On the other hand... Don dialed the number he knew by heart and waited for the call to go through. He heard the first ring and hung up. 'Stupid..' He called himself slamming the phone shut and placing it back on the nightstand. Don rubbed the palms of his hands across his forehead considering what to do next. Sleep wasn't an option, the nightmare had left him bright awake. 'I may as well check on Charlie.' Knowing his brother he was sure Charlie wouldn't be asleep by now. A faint smile played around the corners of his mouth. Don came up to a sitting position in his bed and rested the back against the headback to get himself comfortable. The agent grabbed the cellphone back again and dailed Charlie's number.

Prof. Charles Eppes sat hunched over at his desk and stared at a picture in front of him. His dark eyes were glistering with tears. The young man sighed deeply. "Amita," he whispered in a silent voice caressing the photo lightly. Finally he dragged his view away from the image of the woman he loved so deeply. But Amita had chosen to live without him. If she could do so he could as well. Determined he rose to his feet. With the back of his hand he wiped away the last tears, took the picture and turned towards a box standing in the far corner of his room. The young man had spent a good part of the day to sort through his belongings. He had selected all the items that belonged or remembered him of Amita and had stuffed them into a box. Charlie kneeled down and opened the box. A smile slipped across his face when he saw the teddy-bear on top of the stuff. He had given it to Amita on their first anniversary. He had taken Amita to a fancy restaurant and later that evening they had gone to the beach to sit arm in arm in the warm sand and had listened to the sound of the sea. At that time they had promised to love each other forever. Charlie swallowed down the tears that start to threaten him again. It was just then that Charlie recognized that he had the bear pressed tight to his chest. He stroked the soft coat with his fingertips and kissed him at the top of the head. 'Goodbye Amita!' He placed the bear and photo in the box and shut it. He would sent in to India. He couldn't stand to be near those things anylonger. He had to carry on. And he would. The request he got from Prof. Rubenstein to help him on the mathematical side of his new physic-project would give him the opportunity for that. The sound of his cellphone distracted the young professor from his dreams about new possibilitys. He reached for his phone.

"Eppes,"

"Hey Buddy," The voice of his brother made Charlie grin, but soon concern took over.

"Don, are you okay? And Dad?" In a nervous gesture he rubbed his eyes. Don noticed the fear in his brother voice at once.

"Yes Charlie, everything's just fine."

Charlie let out a deep breath. "So, what's up." He wondered why his brother called him in the middle of the night.

" Uhm," Don searched for the right words. "I just wanted to hear your voice, I guess."

"O-kay, "Charlie couldn't shake off his concern completley. "So you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I just couldn't sleep and thought..."

"Thought what Donnie?" Charlie sat down at his desk again awaiting his brother's answer.

"Nothin' Charlie." Don decided it was better to change the subject " Have I waken you up? "

"No, I'm still at CalSci."

"Charlie-, it's in the middle of the night. What are you doing there?" Now it was Don's turn to be concerned.

Charlie didn't miss the change in Don's tone of voice, but he couldn't do much to soothen him.

"Just some sorting..." Charlie answered clipped.

"I see." Reluclantly Don slipped the object. Obviously his brother didn't want to say more about it.

For awhile the two brother's sat in silence. They found comfort in the knowledge that the other was on the other line.

"So something more I can do for you?" Charlie finally broke the spell of the silence.

"No...I think I can go to sleep now." Don said in a weary voice. " You should go home too, Buddy."

Charlie grinned sheepishley. "Yes Sir." He said in a teasing voice. "I'm ready to leave."

"Okay, drive careful and good night." Just before Don hung up, he heard his brother's voice again.

"Oh Don, before I forget - we're scheduled for dinner tomorrow."

Don frowned and strained his brain. Finally he remembered. " Oh yeah. I'll be there."

"Okay, good night."

The brother's hung up the phone. And while Don slipped back into his bed Charlie packed his purse and headed for the parking lot.

The parking lot laid in darkness. Clouds covered the sky and hindered the light of the moon and stars to light up the night. The conditions were perfect for the person hiding behind a tree nearby. Dressed in black she fused with her surroundings completley. Green eyes were focused on the blue Prius. A single red rose was attached at the the view of it made the observer smile. 'I'll get you Charlie.' The sound of approaching steps dragged her out of her ponderings.

Charlie Eppes reached his car. A frown build on his forehead when he noticed the rose sticking behind the windshield wiper. A shudder ran down his spine and his breathing increased. Memories of the assault against him just a few month ago appeared clearly in his mind. 'That's impossible. Don would have told me when something is up.' His dark eyes scanned every corner of the parking lot convincing himself that he was alone. He took in a few deep breaths to calm down. His hands were shaking when he reached for the flower. The young man grabbed it with just his fingertips and throw it on the curb. ' Forget it.' Charlie got in his car and drove home.

Hate sparkeling eyes watched Charlie when he dismissed the flower. The woman clenched her hands to fists to keep the rage waving through her body abay. 'We're not done yet, Sweetie.' An evil grin distorted the face. 'You'll always meet two times, Charlie Eppes.'

TBC