Acknowledgements:

Omi as always
The BTN8rs - with apologies
The Numb3rs dot org crew - since I did the whole alphabet inspired by their challenge

Disclaimers:

"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend" - Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I do not own any Numb3rs characters nor do I have any rights to
anything related to the TV show Numb3rs. I plead fair use and claim
only my own writing and characters.

Charlie sat in the dean's office between his parents, fidgeting in the uncomfortable chair as one would expect a tired and nervous twelve year old to do.

His mother laid a hand over his and he stilled momentarily at her reminder, trying to stay on his best behavior as the dean droned on.

"MIT has accepted young scholars for years now, in fact we have special housing arrangements for our students who are still minors during their undergraduate studies. In your packet you'll see that we'll be touring the Glastonbury dormitory tomorrow morning..."

By the time they got out of the meeting Charlie was a bundle of energy looking for an outlet, any outlet.

Margaret gave him five dollars and asked him to run over to the nearby student store to get them some juice to drink.

As he tore off, she noticed Alan looking around them and down at their packet.

"What are you looking for?"

"The Glastonbury dorm isn't that far from here," he said, getting his bearings.

"So? We'll see it tomorrow."

"Sure, but by then it'll be polished up for us. I want to see what the kids' environment is really like."

When Charlie ran back, happily out of breath, they headed to the dorms together.

No one stopped them, probably because they had a young person with them, and they managed to get into the heart of the dorms.

Margaret and Alan stood shocked as two boys played Nerf football in the hallway wearing nothing but swim trunks, a girl ran past them giggling as a laughing boy chased her and a voice that was probably that of the resident advisor boomed from behind a closed door, "Goal! It's a goal!"

Charlie was delighted up until his parents marched him out of there, scowling.

"I don't care what it takes, Alan," Margaret said in a terse whisper, her jaw clenched. "Our Charlie is not going to MIT and wherever he does go, I'm going with him. I don't care if we have to get an off campus apartment, I am not putting my baby into... that... that..."

"It's all right, dear," Alan soothed, resigned. "I understand."