NUMB3RS/Law and Order: SVU Crossover – "Flowers in a Jar"

Chapter Four

A/N:Thanks for the reviews. They're very kind. This fanfic is gonna be long, so just a forewarning (I've got an idea for chapter 11 already!). Just a warning, the chapter contains a few bad words. R & R much appreciated!

"Easy," Alan instructed, helping Charlie onto the sofa in the living room. "It's okay." Alan grabbed the ice pack he'd brought in, wrapped in a towel, and gently held it on his youngest son's head.

Amita walked down the stairs. "Charlie, what happened?"

"He hit his head on the counter," Alan answered.

"Oh, Charlie," Amita said.

"Hey…gorgeous," Charlie replied.

"What do you know?" Amita said, as Alan walked into the kitchen.

"My name is Charles Edward Eppes."

"Who is in your family?" Amita said, certain Charlie was fine (it was only "a minor injury," by Alan's standards).

"Donald Alan Eppes is my older brother. He works for the FBI with David, Colby, and Megan who is married to Larry and is pregnant. Alan John Eppes is my dad. He's retired but likes to volunteer. You're Amita Ramunjan, soon-to-be-Eppes, my fiancée. You work at Calsci with me."

"Good," Amita laughed. "Two more questions. Spell anomaly and conceited."

"You're kidding, right?" Charlie said, holding the ice pack on his head.

"Nope," Amita replied.

"Fine," Charlie answered. "Anomaly…a-n-o-m-a-l-y."

"Good job," Amita replied.

"Conceited. C-h-a-r-l-i-e-e-p-p-e-s, if you ask Larry."

"I guess that's good enough for me," Amita said. "Last question. Where did you propose to me?"

"When we were hiking at Arroyo Seco. It was a Saturday afternoon. We'd eaten at Pie 'n Burger before we left. We both had ordered the chicken pot pie."

"You passed the test," Amita said.

Alan came back into the room. "Well, Charlie, just to be safe, I want you to stay down here tonight, to avoid any more injuries. But I'll bring down your suitcase and laptop case. What clothes do you want to wear tomorrow? I'll bring them down here for you."

"My pi t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and my left black Converse Chuck Taylor," replied Charlie.

"Okay," Alan laughed.

"Good night, Charlie," Amita said. "See you in the morning."

As Alan and Amita went upstairs, Charlie fell into a deep sleep. He dreamt of Amita and the wedding they'd planned. Like the wedding of Alan's friend a few years ago, the Eppes-Ramunjan wedding was taking place in Charlie's backyard.

NUMB3RS

The next morning, Don Eppes' alarm clock rang at 6:30. He got up, quickly got dressed, and then packed, which he knew he should have done last night. He hauled his suitcase out to the black FBI SUV.

A few minutes later, he turned onto Hunter Street, where on Charles Edward Eppes was eating breakfast. "Charlie," Alan said, "I put your suitcase and laptop case next to the door for you." "Thanks, Dad."

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Door's open, Donnie!" Alan said. Don walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Don."

"Hi Dad, Chuck."

"Don, it's Charlie."

"Yeah, I know."

"Muffin, Donald?" Charlie joked.

"No thank you, Charles."

"Hey, Don, will you come here for a sec?" asked Alan, as Charlie and Amita

drank their coffee.

"Sure, Dad, what is it?" Don asked as he followed his father into the basement. "I'm helping Larry paint the babies' room today as a surprise for Megan and I was wondering if you'd help me carry Charlie's old dresser to my car so I can give it to Larry as a gift."

"Sure, Dad."

The two Eppes carried the dresser up the stairs.

"Hey!" Charlie said, "What are you doing with my old dresser?"

"I'm giving it to Larry for the babies."

"Oh, okay," Charlie said, relieved.

After Alan and Don put the dresser into Alan's car, they came back inside. "You ready, Charlie?" "Yeah," said Charlie, grabbing another muffin. "Here, Don," said Alan, throwing a freezer size Ziploc bag of muffins to him. "For you and your friends. There are blueberry, chocolate chip, banana nut, and banana-chocolate chip."

"Wow, Dad, thanks."

"Sure, and Don, don't forget Charlie's suitcase."

"Okay."

"I can get my laptop case, Don. My iPod's in there."

"All right, Charlie."

"Okay, see you guys in a few weeks," Alan said.

"Bye, Dad," the boys said in unison. As they headed out to the SUV, Don told Charlie about the other two agents they'd be working with, as well as the NYPD cops.

The first agent Don told Charlie about as they drove was Marie Shaw, a young forensics expert. She went to a local college, and was the cousin of the singer from Styx, Tommy Shaw. The second wasn't really an agent, but more of a self-proclaimed techno-whiz. She'd gone to MIT and interned at the NSA for a year. Cryptography and coding were her specialty. Charlie thought here name, Dr. Grace Barnes, sounded oddly familiar.

"So, Don," Charlie said, "did Dad tell you about last night?"

"No," Don replied, helping his brother into the SUV. "What happened?"

"I hit my head on the counter, and Dad and Amita got to play doctor."

"My god Charlie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's just because of these darned crutches. Do we have to pick up anybody else?"

"Yeah, I told the group I'd pick them up."

"Okay," Charlie said, turning on his laptop.

"Don't tell me you're working."

"Yup."

A few minutes later, Don pulled up to David's house. David came out of his house, threw a tennis ball to his dog, and walked over to the SUV. After placing his suitcase in the back, he got in and sat next to Charlie.

"Hey, Charlie. What happened to you?"

"I went hiking with Larry and Amita and broke my ankle and a few toes."

"Ouch," David replied.

As the three men rode along, Charlie entered grades onto his laptop, and David and Don talked about the hockey game, warning Charlie not to bring any math into the conversation.

Colby and the Fleinhardts lived on the same street, so Colby had walked over to Larry's that morning. As Don pulled up to the house, Larry handed Megan Fibonacci and went inside to get her bag for her. Colby put his army green suitcase in the back and hopped in and sat next to David.

"Broken ankle and toes," Charlie said, not looking up from the screen. "Are you psychic or something, Charlie?" "No," he said, looking up now. "You know I don't believe in that crap."

"Oh, right, whiz kid," Colby said.

As Megan sat in the front passenger seat, Larry put her bag in the back, took Fibonacci from Megan, and leaned into the window area. "Hey, Charles," he said. "How're the toes and ankle?"

"Exactly the same. Covered with the always stylish and sexy cream cast." Larry laughed and Fibonacci barked.

"All right, see you in a few weeks, Larry," Don said.

"I love you, Megan," Larry called out.

"I love you more!" she said back, and with that, the group was on their way to the airport.

On the way, Charlie continued to enter grades, Colby listened to Styx, Kansas, and The Who on his iPod, David read The Da Vinci Code, Megan slept, and Don just drove.

About half an hour later, Don pulled into the parking lot of the Los Angeles Airport. "Hey guys," Don called out, "we're here!" "Well, that didn't take long," remarked David. "Hey, Colby?" said Don. "Yeah?" "Grab Megan's suitcase and I'll grab Charlie's."

As they walked into the airport, Don informed them that they'd be going to gate 515. Don led the group through the airport. Colby followed Don, followed by David, Megan, and Charlie, bringing up the rear.

The group put their bags on the security belt, as well as Charlie's. Don went through security first. The security sensor went off. Don took his gun out of its holster and went through again.

This time, the jean-FBI polo-ADIDAS-wearing FBI agent remained silent as he walked through security, though the security guard was still a bit suspicious. Don held the rest of the group's guns as they walked through. The security guard looked at Charlie apprehensively.

"You with them?" he asked Charlie.

"Umm, ye-yeah," Charlie said.

"Got any weapons on yeh?"

"Do you consider crutches a weapon?" Charlie said. "Then, no, I have no weapons. I only consult for them."

Charlie went through security, grabbed his laptop case, and continued with the group. "Got any weapons on yeh?" Don said, imitating the guard. David and Colby laughed.

Just then, an airport vehicle came screaming towards the group. "Don! Watch out!" screamed Colby. The vehicle's breaks squealed to a halt, nearly missing Don's shoelace.

"Hey, Ronnie!" Don said.

"You know this guy?" said David.

"Yup," replied Don. "Charlie and I went to high school with him." Megan, David, Colby, and the Eppes brothers climbed in.

"Charlie," said Ronnie, "you haven't changed a bit! You still a math bitch?"

Charlie looked embarrassed. "He's now using his math skills as a professor at Calsci and consulting for the FBI," said Don. "And I'm engaged to be married, don't forget," Charlie added.

"No way! The kid who beat me and Don at chess when he was 7 is gonna be a married man. Congrats!"

"I thought you only needed two people for chess," said David. "The player against Charlie receives a partner," Don said as Ronnie drove them to their gate. "As a safety, one player against Charlie… that's like walking into a bear cage walking reeking of steak and chicken," said Ronnie with a laugh.

"Who's the lucky lady, Charlie?"

"Amita Ramunjan. She's a recent employee of Calsci. I've known her for a few years."

"The name sounds familiar. Didn't she win that Martin prize thing a few years

ago?"

"Ummm, Milton Prize, but yes."

"Well, have a great trip," Ronnie said as he pulled up to the gate.

"Thanks!" the group said in unison, heading towards the plane.