Title: Numb3rs Exposure
Rating:PG
Crossover: Numb3rs/Northern Exposure, set season 5 of Numb3rs, which makes it approximately 14 years since the end of Northern Exposure. Time moves as in the real world.
Genre: het
Pairings: Don/Robin
Characters: Don, Robin, Maggie, Shelly, Ed, Holling
Word count: 800 (4x200)
Prompt: numb3rs100 136 Resemblance, 31 Mix-up, 29 Encounter, 138 Reunion
Spoilers: general season 5 of Numb3rs, all of Northern Exposure
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Own nothing, not being paid
A/N: Thank you to Cha Oseye Tempest Thrain and anniehow for the beta.

Summary: "Wow." Maggie shakes his hand marvelling at how much Don resembles Joel. "You look a lot like someone I used to know."

1. Resemblance

Maggie's passengers arrive on time, walking slowly towards her and looking very cold in their layers. When the man and the woman, Don Eppes and Robin Brooks, start to get closer she realises that there's something familiar about him. The name isn't, but the face definitely is.

They come closer still and Maggie can hear him talking to the woman, and with his voice and his face—although not his hair; his hair is shorter, nicer, fashionable for the time—she realises she's looking at a ghost from her past.

"Fleischman?" she says in surprise. "Joel? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Sorry?" Joel says and he's stepping near enough for her to register that he's not Joel, can't be. He's about ten years too young and the way he holds himself is completely different to Joel.

"Don Eppes," not-Joel says, putting his hand out to shake and giving her a smile. "And this is my girlfriend, Robin Brooks."

"Wow." Maggie shakes his hand marvelling at how much Don resembles Joel. "You look a lot like someone I used to know. Don't have any relatives named Joel Fleischman do you?"

"Fleischman." Don pauses, thinking. "Not that I know of."

2. Mix-up

"Wow, Dr Fleischman, what are you doing here?"

Don's hit by a whirlwind of energy disguised as a woman about his own age.

"Shelly, he's not Joel," Maggie says from behind them as Robin tries not to grin. Maggie had warned them about the reception that Don might receive.

Shelly removes her arms from around Don and steps back slightly.

"Oh." She stares at him sceptically. "Are you sure? Because you sure look like Dr Fleischman."

"Don Eppes," Don says. "And I'm not a doctor."

"Oh, okay then. You don't happen to have a twin do you?"

"Shelly, next order is up!" the old man calls from behind the bar.

"Coming, babe!"

As Shelly hurries away Maggie gestures for them both to take a seat in a booth.

"I'm really sorry about this," Maggie apologises. "Joel having been the doctor and Cicely being so small..."

"It's okay," Robin replies, rubbing a hand up and down Don's arm. "I'm sure he can cope."

Don's answering smile is mischievous. "Being molested by pretty women for a week? I'm sure I can."

Robin hits him on the arm in retaliation.

"Joel? That you?"

Maggie grimaces in apology.

"He's not Joel!" several voices answer.

3. Encounter

"Hi, Dr Fleischman."

Don looks up from his lunch at the man who has sat down next to him. While amusing at first, having everyone think he was someone else is starting to get annoying. Robin isn't helping by happily looking through town photos that included Joel Fleischman, or by the questions about whether Don's hair was ever like that.

"I'm not Dr Fleischman."

"Yes you are, it's just that the other Dr Fleischman was Dr Fleischman first. You're both Dr Fleischman."

The man flashes Don a broad smile as he nods and Don tries to sort out the logic of what has just been said. He's starting to get the idea that this town and all the people in it are rather strange.

"Hi Ed," Shelly says as she comes over to their section of the bar. "The usual?"

"Ah, yes please," Ed replies.

"No One Who Waits today?" she asks.

"No, he's here," Ed says, gesturing to the empty chair beside him, "but he's already eaten."

"Oh, okay then," Shelly says and walks off.

Don is definitely right: these people are really weird.

He picks up his plate and rejoins Robin and the photos. At least Robin's sane.

4. Reunion

"I thought she was his daughter."

"Yeah, so did I," Don agrees as he turns onto his side. "But it looks like they've been together a long time."

"Mmm."

Robin snuggles against his chest, pulling his arm around her.

Don slips off into sleep.

He's on a plane sitting opposite himself. His other self has bad hair.

"I can't believe that you voluntarily went. I mean, considering how hard I tried to get out, the fact that you'd go there for a holiday; are you insane?"

"It's nice here," Don defends. "The people are a little weird, but it's still nice."

"Yeah, sure, try being stuck there for four years. You won't think it's so nice then." The bad hair version of him looks off to the side before looking back. "Is O'Connell still there?"

"Yeah," Don replies. "Her and Chris—"

"Chris. She's with Chris. That's just great. And he's still alive? Because—"

They both look at Death, standing in the aisle.

"Don't worry about him, he just likes this plane," his other self says as he stands to let Death past him to the window seat.

Don wakes up. He is starting to look forward to going back home.

--FIN--