N is for New Revelations
Disclaimer: I do not own Numb3rs or any of its characters nor do I make any profit from them.
A/N: This takes place after the season 5 finale. Written for the Summer 2009 Alphabet Fic Challenge at fanrush.
SPOILERS for One Hour, The Fifth Man, Disturbed, and Angels and Devils
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Don felt a searing pain as the knife ripped through his skin and plunged deeper into his chest. Just when he thought the pain couldn't get any worse, he felt the knife tear back through his body as his attacker pulled it from his chest.
He didn't remember falling to the ground but somehow he ended up on the cold unforgiving concrete trying to breathe. He tried to see where Nikki was but he couldn't concentrate on anything but the pain, let alone move.
"Don! Nikki! You two okay?" He heard David yell through his earpiece.
No, not really. Don thought. He couldn't find his voice to answer David.
Minutes later, or was it seconds? Don didn't know which. He noticed Colby coming to a halt next to him. Don felt Colby's hand on his neck, checking his pulse.
"Don! Open your eye!" Colby yelled as he pressed his hands onto the bleeding wound on Don's chest. Don moaned and rolled his head towards Colby.
"Come on, open your eyes Don! You need to stay awake!"
Don dragged his eyes open enough to see Colby staring down at him. He moaned again when Colby readjusted his hands to keep them from slipping.
"I know it hurts man but I have to stop the bleeding."
"How is he?" It was David speaking this time from somewhere off to his right.
"Still conscious but he's losing a lot of blood. He needs to get to a hospital soon. How long 'til the paramedics are here?" Colby asked as he once again readjusted his hands.
Don didn't hear David's reply. He was too busy trying to breathe. It hurt so much, more than anything he had ever experienced before. He could hardly breathe; each breath he took sent fiery pain through his lungs and chest. He was sure he was going to die.
Don needed to tell Colby to let Charlie, his dad, and Robin all know that he loved them, that it was going to be okay. He took as deep a breath as his tired lungs would allow and opened his mouth to speak.
"T…Te…"
"Hey don't talk Don! Just keep breathing. The paramedics will be here in less than 2 minutes. You're going to be okay. Just keeping breathing Don." Colby said as he pushed down harder on the wound.
Don was about to try again, he need to say this. He started to cough as he opened his mouth again. He felt a warm liquid trickle out the corner of his mouth. There was the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. Not good. Don thought.
"Hey Don!" He must have let his eyes close because Colby was yelling again. Just leave me alone Granger.
"Don, you need to keep breathing. The paramedics are here. They are going to get you fixed up man. You're going to be okay Don. Just hang on."
Don could feel new hands on his body, prodding him and sticking needles in the backs of his hands. He felt himself being lifted onto a softer surface. He closed his eyes, someone, one of the paramedics he assumed, slipped an oxygen mask over his face as they stared moving.
Next thing he knew, his gurney came to a halt and he was jostled into what he assumed was an ambulance.
Don heard one of the paramedics yelling at him to stay awake but he was too tired and in too much pain to care. Don allowed himself to drift off into blissful unconsciousness where he couldn't feel the pain.
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Don was standing in the bathroom in his apartment. Robin was asleep in bed so he had the bathroom lights on dim, just bright enough so that he could see his reflection in the mirror.
He was clad only in his boxers. He stood staring at the pink scar that ran across his lower chest and upper abdomen he brushed his fingers across it. It has been six weeks since his stabbing. Don remembered initially waking up in the hospital with his dad by his side.
He had felt so tired yet relieved that he was alive. When he woke up it took him a few minutes to realize where he was. When he bumped his dad's hand he had felt relief that he wasn't alone.
Shortly after he woke up Robin appeared in the doorway. She rushed over to him and gently leaned over to kiss him. He could see that she had been scared and beside herself with worry but the relief was evident on her face when she saw him awake.
It wasn't too long after Robin arrived that his doctor came in to check on him. She had explained his injury and course of treatment to him and then went into recovery time. A week on leave, then a week on desk duty, half a day for the first day or 2, and then after his week on desk duty he would be reevaluated and it would be determined if he could go back to full duty or if he needed another week of limited duty.
Thankfully he had been allowed to return to full duty after his week riding the desk. He wasn't cut out for a desk job.
While he was still recovering, he had spent a lot of time thinking about his life, his faith, and his future. While Don was still recovering and David was in charge of the team, Don had thought about his conversation with Dr. Bradford about everything falling apart if Don wasn't there to stop it.
His time away, along with his time exploring his faith, had made him realize that even if he did fall, no one would be able to replace Don Eppes. Sure there would be another agent to step in but that agent wouldn't be able to take his place in life. Don felt needed and he realized that he would always be needed by someone, whether he knew it or not.
Don had also spent a lot of time thinking about his future. He thought about the things he was missing out on like a settled life, someone to always come home to, a family of his own. He realized that settling down and starting a family were something that he had always wanted. Don had always thought he and Robin had a special relationship, a relationship that was different from all his previous ones and that she was 'the one'. He decided that he was going to make things more serious with her. And maybe in the near future he would follow Charlie's footsteps and propose.
Don was finally at a place in his life where everything felt right. He was close to his brother and father, he had a good relationship with Robin, and he was finally happy with the way things were. Don credited his injury and time away from work with his new found view on life. He wouldn't go as far as saying that being stabbed was a blessing in disguise but it had definitely made him realizes many things about himself and his life and because of those revelations he was a changed man.
"Hey." Robin's sleepy voice roused Don out of his thoughts.
"Hey, what are you doing up?" Don asked as he laid down beside Robin and propped himself up on his elbow so he faced her.
"I should be asking you that." Robin replied.
Don kissed her gently, "I was just thinking."
"It looked like some pretty serious thinking." She traced his jaw line with her finger.
"Yeah, it was."
"Care to share the thoughts of the dark and mysterious Don Eppes?" Robin teased.
"I was thinking about the future." Don said quietly as he combed his hand through her hair.
"Oh yeah? What do you see in the future?" she was curious now.
"You and me," Don leaned over to kiss her again, "living happily ever after."
"Hmmm," Robin smiled, "I think I like that future." She kissed him back.
Don rolled onto his back and pulled Robin over to him so her head was resting on his bare chest.
"I love you." He whispered as he began to relax enough to fall asleep with Robin in his arms.
The End