Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs but I wish I did.

(A/N: Some of this might be out of both Don and Megan's character on the show but I had to change them a bit to fit the story. If not, please tell me. Also, this story wouldn't have been possible if it were not for my friend Katrina and Need For Speed: Underground. Mass credit to her for this.)

Chapter 1: Dinner for Eight

Megan pulled into Charlie's driveway behind Don's black Suburban. Alan was having a 'female friend' over and expected both Charlie and Don to have a 'date.' Don had said that Charlie had invited Amita. He had complained over the course of three days that he didn't want to go and that he didn't have anyone to take. Colby had suggested that Don ask Megan, apparently as a joke. After work, Don had begged Megan to come. As she got out of her car and started walking toward the steps, Megan thought Not that he would need to beg me to do something for him. He knows I would do anything, well almost anything for him. Megan had made it to the front door and was about to knock when it opened. She smiled at the curly haired man standing in the doorway. "Hey, Charlie."

"Hey. Saw you walking up." Charlie stood aside and Megan walked through the threshold. She scanned the room for signs of anyone else. She saw Don sleeping on the couch and smiled.

"Why is he asleep?"

"Don't know. He just came in and crashed. Dad told me not to wake him up till you got here." An evil grin came across the younger Eppes' face and Megan realized he had yet to shut the door.

"Charlie..." Before she could tell Charlie not to do what she thought was going to happen, he did it. Charlie slammed the door shut hard. Megan looked back at the couch and Don shot up, upholstering his gun. Apparently, he thought it was a gunshot. Charlie and Megan laughed as he turned around and saw them standing there. He groaned and remoistened his gun. Charlie had managed to stop laughing to an extent but Megan hadn't.

Don stood up and walked over to Megan. He brought up his hand and put it over her mouth. "Hush." There was a hint of meanness in Don's voice that Megan hadn't heard before. She didn't stop laughing.

Charlie walked over and took Don's arm and pulled it down. He looked at Megan. "He's like this when he wakes up."

Don turned away and threw himself back down on the couch. He ran his hands over his face. "You would be too Chuck if you hadn't slept at all in six days."

Megan glanced at her friend. "And who's fault is that?"

Don grimaced.

Alan came out of the kitchen with an apron tied around his waist and an oven glove on one hand. "Great! Almost everyone's here." Alan spotted Don on the couch, half asleep. "Donnie, why don't you and Charlie set the table." Don slowly shook his head and stood up.

Megan followed the three Eppes into the kitchen. She turned to Alan. "Anything I can help you with?"

Instead of Alan answering, Charlie did. "If you can get the silverware, the Brothers Eppes would thank you."

She smiled. "Okay."

Ten minutes later the table was set and the food was almost ready. Alan had been pacing for nearly ten minutes before both of his sons urged him to stop. "Dad, it's going to be fine." Charlie said, attempting to calm his father. The doorbell rang. Neither of the Eppes men heard it. As Megan decided to get it she rolled her eyes.

"Hey Amita."

"Hey, Megan. I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I don't think Charlie and Alan knew until I came." She stood aside to let Amita in the house. Charlie came out of the kitchen with Don close to his heels. He smiled nervously.

"Hey."

Just as the oven timer went off, there was yet another knock at the door. Don started to get it when Charlie stepped in his way. "Fix your hair Jock. I'll get it."

Don glared at his brother but didn't say anything. He did as Charlie said. He glanced at Megan when neither of them heard speaking at the door. They walked over to where Charlie was standing, looking out the window. He turned to the agents. "Dad's gonna be pissed."

"Why?"

"Open the door."

He opened it. Colby and David was standing there. "Guys, I promised my dad no work tonight."

Colby smiled. "We know." He and David walked through the door way. As Don was about to shut the door, he heard a polite, "Excuse me." He reopened the door and saw a women around his father's age standing on the porch steps. "Is this the Eppes' residence?"

Don put on his best professional smile and nodded. "Yes, ma'am, it is."

Hearing Don's almost too nice words, Megan rolled her eyes. Colby and David laughed. They just loved it when Don was playing Mr. Nice Guy.

She watched Don step back to let the woman inside. He introduced himself. "I am Don." He pointed to the group standing behind him, scattered about the living room. "This is Megan Reeves, David Sinclair, Colby Granger, Amita Ramanujan, and my little brother Charlie." Everyone went around shaking hands with the woman as she introduced herself.

"My name is-"

"Catherine!" They all turned around and saw Alan carrying meatloaf and set it on the table. He spotted David and Colby standing on either side of his eldest son. "Donnie, can I talk to you please?"

Don looked accusingly at his friends beside him. Megan grinned and said, highly amused, "Busted." Don didn't reply and simply followed his father into the kitchen. "Donnie, I thought I told you no work tonight. You promised."

"Yeah I know. apparently David told Colby about your cooking and they invited themselves over. I swear I had nothing to do with their coming."

Alan shook a spatchula in Don's face and said, somewhat threatening, "That had better be the case, Donald."

"It is, Dad. I promise."

"Right. You're lucky I made enough for everybody." Alan walked out of the kitchen with Don trailing behind him.

"Dad, you always make enough for two packs of starving wolves."

Alan ignored him. "Come on everyone, food's ready." As everyone sat at the large table, he said, "I assume everyone has met?" They all nodded. "Well, let's eat."