Title: Commitment Issues
Word count: 570
Author: Freekydisaster
Characters/parings: Don/Colby
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Not any on this post.
Spoilers: Any espoused from season one to present could be talked about.
Summary: Don thought his commitment issues were only with women. Was he wrong?
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NUMB3RS characters.
Beta: chymom
Author notes: This is my first NUMB3RS fic so I would appreciate all feedback.
In response to NUMB3RS All Day October lines challenge on livejournal. The lines are from Uncertainty Principle. Season One, Episode Two.
Don: Please don't do this
Charlie: Don't do what? You don't even know what it is that I am doing.
Don: Actually I do. The thing is I don't think that you do.
[Commitment Issues]
Don sighed as he paced his living room, one hand raking through his short black hair. His other hand pressed against his hip. He didn't even know what had got him so agitated or why he was reacting like this. What had happened today could have happened to any member of his team. The case had been as good as solved, all they had needed to do was go and arrest the guy. It hadn't even been considered that the man would be armed or even prepared with traps as they moved through the abandoned warehouse.
The door to his apartment opened and he froze as he saw Colby stood in front of him. Don's eyes closed as he remembered the object falling onto his lover, he could still feel the fear rushing through him as he realized that he wouldn't be able to save him. He had seen the pain on his face as he'd lain under the weight, his breathing getting slower as he found it a struggle and he knew that he needed to end this. He needed to say goodbye to his partner before they fell in too deep.
"Colby..." He started to say but froze as the man took off his coat and he saw that the buttons to the shirt were barely done up, this in turn revealing a purple chest. A lump formed in his throat as he found himself thinking over what could have happened to Colby today.
"Please don't do this." Colby whispered as he moved over to him as he had watched Don struggle for words, his eyes misting with tears that he was too proud to shed. He caressed his lover's cheek gently and wasn't surprised when Don's mood suddenly changed to anger.
"Don't do what?" He demanded to know. "You don't even know what it is that I am doing."
"Actually I do." Colby calmly responded not wanting Don to think that his anger was having an effect on him even though he could sense that was what Don wanted it to have.
"The thing is I don't think that you do." He challenged.
Don's hands clenched into fists as he moved towards his lover, "I nearly lost you today." He growled angrily. "I couldn't even do anything because this stupid affair is a damned secret!"
"You didn't nearly lose me." Colby promised as he closed the few meters that separated them.
"You're thinking of the worst case scenarios like you always do and you don't even care who you're pushing away in the process! That's what I'm afraid of you doing because I don't want to lose you." The desperation in Colby's voice caused Don to look up, his eyes misty with tears again because he could see that Colby actually knew him better than he thought he had originally.
"Please don't let me do it then." He whispered to his lover and Colby stared at him, amazed that Don was so willing to hand over his power. Don had always been someone to want to hide his emotions, keep them locked away. He pulled his lover against him, not caring about the shooting pain that darted across him, and pressed a loving kiss to the flesh of his neck.
"You can't lose me that easy." He promised gently before closing his eyes. He was happy to stand there with his lover knowing that nothing had changed this time.