I do not own Numb3rs

"Tara McDavid, 29," Colby was saying as Anna took in the scene. "Shot from behind. Her husband Chad was standing in front of her. Bullet went through Chad's shoulder and hit Tara."

"So the wife most likely wasn't the target," Anna said. Colby nodded.

"Looks that way," he said. Anna glanced over where the husband was being looked at by a paramedic. The man looked completely devastated. He had not seen this coming. She felt slightly ill as she imagined what his reaction would be when he learned that his wife had taken a bullet meant for him. And he would have to be told. Their shooter had left them something this time, a live victim.

"Anna," Don's voice called her from inside the house. "You're gonna wanna take a look at this." She moved into the house and followed her brother into a small den.

"I'll be damned," she said. The entire room was decked out in purple and gold, the colors of the Baltimore Ravens.

"It's like a shrine," Colby said in awe. Every piece of furniture in the room held the emblem of the Ravens.

"This guy put some serious money into this room," Don observed. "Look at this, framed Jersey's for Flacco and McGahee. Those don't come cheap."

"The question is," Colby said. "Which one was from Baltimore?"

"The husband," Anna said holding up a football. "Autographed by Ray Lewis. To Chad, my number one fan."

"Superbowl 35 MVP," Colby whistled. "This dude was more than just a fan."

"The whole rest of the house is decked out in Black and Gold," Megan said joining them.

"Steelers married to a Ravens fan?" Anna said thoughtfully. "That's like a Capulet marrying a Montague." Megan raised a brow at her.

"Father, two older brothers, and a son," Anna said tilting her head. "You think I can just drown them out when they talk?"

"Definitely the same guy," Ian said entering the room. "Found the place he fired from. Same as the last five."

"The profile has changed," Anna informed him. She showed him the football. Ian nodded.

"He missed his target."

"From what I got from the husband, his wife had just stepped out of the house when the shot was fired," Colby said.

"All the previous shootings have been a head shot till now," Megan said.

"The wife threw him off his game," Ian said. "All the other victims were alone. He lines up his target, gets ready to take the shot…"

"Then all of a sudden there's the wife. He jumps, his shot goes awry…" Anna continued.

"He hits his target in the shoulder and kills the wife," Ian finished giving her a knowing look. Anna felt her face flush. They used to finish each other's sentences all the time. It had annoyed the rest of the team to no end. She shook her head at the memory.

"Don, we have to assume that our shooter knows he didn't kill his target."

"Already on it," Don said pulling his cell phone out. Anna felt his eyes on her as Don called David at the hospital and told him to make sure that Chad McDavid was not left unguarded.

"I can't believe she's gone," Chad McDavid wept into his hands. Anna felt the familiar pang of sorrow in her heart. This was the worst part of her job. She hated speaking to the victims loved ones.

"I am so sorry for your loss, Mr. McDavid," she said. The words always sounded terrible. She was sorry for his loss. Was that supposed to make this man who had obviously loved his wife feel better. She must have had a hundred people say it when her mother died. She had wanted to scream at them. She sucked her breath in and continued.

"Mr. McDavid," she said slowly. "You were from Baltimore originally? We saw your den when we looked in your home." He nodded.

"Yeah," he said sniffing. "I, uh, lived there when I was a kid. Tara and I met in college. We…" he paused to give a small laugh. "We met in a sports bar during the game at Heinz Field. She was sitting at the bar in a Bettis Jersey screaming at Stewart to get his shit together. My buddies are screaming and cheering for the Ravens and all I'm doing is watching this crazy blonde. Our parents called our wedding 'the Hatfields and the McCoys."

"Must have been fun during the AFC championship game last year," Anna said sending a small prayer of thanks to her father for always having football on all the time. Chad laughed a little.

"We had a bet," he said fondly. "I had to reshingle the roof in a Roethlesberger jersey." He smiled a little then began to cry again. Anna had a feeling the black and gold was never going to be taken down.

"Mr. McDavid," she said clearing her throat.

"I don't know who would want me dead," he said. Anna's eyes widened.

"I'm not naïve," Chad continued. "I know that shot was meant for me." Anna swallowed.

"Mr. McDavid," she said. "Do you know this woman?" She showed him a picture of Denise Young. Chad looked at it a long time.

"No," he said. "I've never seen her before.

"Her name is Denise Young," Anna said. "She was killed a few days ago. We think the person who killed your wife may have killed Miss Young as well." Chad shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Doesn't ring a bell." Anna pulled a folder out of her bag.

"What about any of these people?" she asked. She showed the pictures of the first five victims. Again he shook his head.

"No," he said. "I don't know them." Anna watched his face. There was nothing to suggest he was lying. The doctor came in at that moment which Anna knew was her cue to leave.

"If you think of anything," she said handing him her card. "Anything at all no matter how insignificant."

"Agent Graves," Chad said through clenched teeth. "Please find my wife's killer." Anna nodded and left the room. Don and David waited for her outside.

"He's not lying," she said. "He didn't recognize any of the other victims."

"What's the connection?" David said. "It can't just be Baltimore.

"Well, whatever the connection one thing is for certain," Anna said. "Our shooter has been thrown off his game, which complicates this whole mess much much more." Don's phone rang at that moment.

"Yeah Charlie," Don greeted his brother. "Right, we'll be right there."

Anna's fingers drummed impatiently on the desk as Charlie went through his long winded explanation of what he had found. She allowed a quick glance over to where Ian stood with his back against the wall. Like her he had the appearance of listening to Charlie's every word but she could tell his mind was elsewhere.

"So if you look at all of our victims," Charlie said. His tone said he was coming to his point. "The age they are now and the age they would have been when they lived in Baltimore you will see that…they all lived in Baltimore at the same time." He wrote it on the board. 1994.

"Fifteen years ago," Megan murmured. Charlie wrote it out on the board.

Denise Young-----7

Ben Rogers-------9

Amy Kent---------19

Rachel Mandano---8

Gary Chesterton--12

Chad McDavid(Tara)-14

"All our victims lived in Baltimore fifteen years ago," Charlie said. Anna was on her feet staring at the board.

"There's such a difference in the ages," she murmured. Nineteen to eight."

"There's nothing to suggest that these people knew each other," Don said. "Different age groups, different backgrounds, living in totally different cities."

"What happened in Baltimore 15 years ago?" Ian thought aloud.

"Let's dig a little deeper into these people's lives," Don said. "Find out everything you can about them fifteen years ago."

"What could a Georgetown freshman and an eight year old foster child possibly have in common?" Colby wondered aloud.

"That's what we need to find out," Don said. Anna jumped as her phone rang. She shot Don an apologetic look and stepped outside to take the call.

"Anna Graves," she said. "What!" They all watched as Anna's posture went rigid and her face tensed.

"Okay, okay, yeah, yeah, I'll be right there. Tell him I'll be right there," she hung up the phone and came back into the room.

"I need to go," she explained.

"What's going on?" Don asked. He knew it had to have something to do with TJ. Anna's face only ever looked that tense when her son was involved.

"TJ got into a fight at basketball practice," Anna said grabbing her purse. Surprise shown on the faces of all present, except Ian.

"TJ? Fighting?" Colby said in disbelief.

"Nngh!" Anna waved her hand saying she either didn't know or they shouldn't ask. She glanced at Don.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," he said patting her shoulder.

"Call me on my cell if we find out anything," she said as she ran out the door.

Anna's head was spinning. What could her son have been thinking? Punching another kid? She taught him better than that. He couldn't have picked it up from the guys, they knew very well her thoughts on aggressive behavior and would never encourage TJ to fight. The video games he played? No, she made very clear that video games were not reality. She pulled up in front of the school and made her way to the office. It hadn't changed much from when she wandered these halls as a student. The same pea green formica and uncomfortable looking chairs with rust colored cushions. Even the secretary behind the desk with spectacles on her nose and hair in a bun. She hadn't spent nearly as much time in the principal's office as Don had but she'd done her time. Seated on one side of the room was a boy TJ's age, who was sporting a split lip. A stout woman in her mid-forties sat beside him. She could only assume that this was the boy's mother. The woman glared at her and Anna could not resist moving her hand so that her jacket slid back just enough to show her gun.

"Mrs. Graves?" Anna looked up and saw TJ's principal coming from his office. By the way he was dressed Anna knew this had to be the principal.

"Agent Graves," Anna corrected. "You must be Principal Rowling?"

"Yes," he said. "Please come on back." Anna shot the older woman a final glare and followed the man to his office. Her son sat across from the desk sporting a black eye and staring at the floor.

"What in the name of God happened?" Anna said tilting her son's chin up so she cold examine his eye.

"Apparently," Rowling said sitting down, "TJ here got into a fight with Troy Deebus, the young lad you saw outside with the fat lip. There were harsh words exchanged and TJ threw the first punch."

"I see," Anna said. "Did he tell you why?"

"He's been quiet about why. TJ?" TJ stared at the floor.

"TJ?" Anna said firmly. "TJ answer the question. Why did you hit Troy?" TJ sighed.

"There's another kid on the team," TJ said. "Peter Owens. Troy's always making fun of him because Peter's got two dad's. Today, Peter missed a couple shots and Troy said he played so lousy cause he's limp wristed, and that's what happens when you live with fags." Anna felt her temper rising. What the hell did they teach in these schools?

"So I told Troy to knock it off," TJ said. "And Troy said he wasn't gonna take orders from someone who had a whore for a mother. That's when I hit him. I know I shouldn't have. I know you always told me that you shouldn't resort to violence but he made me so mad I just couldn't…" Anna was at a loss for words. She sometimes forgot that even in a city as liberal minded as LA there were still plenty of people out there who were very old fashioned when it came to family.

"TJ," Rowling spoke now. "I understand that you would want to stand up for your mother. But I cannot allow you to fight with another student. Now normally, fighting would be grounds for suspension." TJ hung his head.

"However," Rowling said. "Considering the circumstances. Two weeks detention and a week's suspension from the basketball team." TJ nodded, taking his punishment like a man.

"And Troy Deebus?" Anna asked. "Surely you don't allow your students to be harassed by other students."

"I can assure you Agent Graves," Rowling said. "Mr. Deebus will be dealt with. This isn't the first report of harassment we've had." He stood and held out a hand.

"Thank you for coming down." Anna shook his hand and put her hand on TJ's shoulder. She didn't say anything as they got into the car. It wasn't till they got onto the road that TJ spoke.

"Are you mad at me?" Anna smiled a little. She reached over and ruffled his hair.

"I can't say much for your method's," she said. "but I'm proud of you for sticking up for Peter. Just no more fighting. Okay, if you have a problem you use words not fists. I don't want you fighting, you got me?"

"I got you," he said.

"Good," she said. "Now let's get some ice on that eye. You look like the opening scene from Road House."

"What?" TJ said wrinkling his nose. Anna sighed.

"Man I'm getting old," she laughed.

He'd never admit it, but Don Eppes actually did have a lot in common with his brother. They both loved sports, albeit for different reasons; they were both obsessed with food, they both adored their nephew, and they would both overprotective of their baby sister. But most of all, neither of them could let go of a puzzle once it was before them. Right now the puzzle that Don was stuck on involved his sister and a certain tracker. All this stuff that Ian knew about Anna that he didn't, it was as though there was this gap in history where his sister had had a whole other life. So much of what Ian had told him seemed to have such a huge effect on who she was now. He glanced up from his computer screen to make sure she was nowhere in sight. As her boss he was perfectly within his rights to look into her records. As her brother, however, he had never exercised that right. He pressed a few keys and there it was. His sister's entire career in the FBI. Her record was impeccable. She really was as good as she said she was. He finally found the record he'd been looking for. First National Bank. Armed gunman with six hostages. Don ran a hand over his eyes. From this report, nothing in the world could have made him go into the bank. Even though what she'd done had been stupid he couldn't help feel the slightest bit of admiration for his sister. He read her psych evaluation. The shrink had cleared her for duty, declaring her to be shaken but not suffering from any post traumatic stress. There was a note saying that Agent Graves seemed to have learned from her mistake and would be unlikely to repeat it. Don ran a hand over his mouth. There was something that just wasn't adding up for him. He glanced at the date that the incident had occurred and something in his mind clicked. He did a little more digging and found the approval documents for her transfer to New York. His stomach dropped as he saw the date. He closed out of the screen and went to find Charlie. He was in the conference room, chalk clicking away trying to come up with some kind of connection between their sniper victims.

"Hey," Don said coming into the room and closing the door. "You got a sec?"

"Sure," Charlie said setting down the chalk and stretching his back. "I'm not getting anywhere with this. What's up?" Don waited till Charlie was facing him.

"Have you noticed Anna's been acting kind of weird lately?" Don asked. He didn't want to come right out with his theory. He needed to ease into it.

"Weird how?" Charlie asked. Don ran a hand over his hair.

"Like, not herself. It just seems like ever since Ian arrived she's been kind of tense and nervous." Charlie shrugged.

"Well Ian can make people nervous. He's kind of intimidating." Don shook his head.

"Have you ever know anyone to be able to rattle our baby sister?" Charlie thought for a moment.

"Now you mention it?" he said. "Not really." Don nodded.

"From what Ian was telling me earlier, it sounded like they were pretty close. He said she was his best friend."

"Edgerton said that?" Charlie said. "Wow."

"I was looking at some of her records," Don said slowly. "Ian told me about this hostage situation in a bank. That's how Anna got that scar."

"The one on her side?"

"Yeah," Don said. "It happened nine years ago." Charlie's eye widened and Don could see the look in his eyes. The same one when he had figured something out.

"Nine years," Charlie said.

"I looked at the paperwork from when she transferred to New York from D.C. Charlie, Anna would have been about five weeks pregnant when she requested the transfer." Charlie ran a hand through his hair and put his hands against the table.

"Don," Charlie said slowly trying to wrap his mind around what his older brother was trying to tell him.

"What's the only thing she's ever told us about TJ's father?" Don said. Charlie sighed.

"Some guy in Washington," Charlie muttered. "But that doesn't mean…."

"I know," Don said. "But if you think about it, it makes sense doesn't it."

"It does," Charlie agreed. "So what do we do?"

"Right now nothing," Don said. "I mean there isn't any proof that I'm right about this. And if Anna hasn't told Ian it's not our place to do it."

"So what," Charlie said. "We just sit back and brood on this."

"We let Anna make her own decisions," Don said. "I mean TJ's her son. We can't tell her what to do. All we can do is be there for her and support whatever decision she makes." Charlie sighed again.

"I suppose your right," he said. "Okay, mum's the word." He turned back to his board and picked up his chalk.

"You know," Charlie said with a small smile. "It kind of does make sense."

"Oh yeah," Don said. "How so?"

"Think about it," Charlie said. "Who are TJ's biggest heroes?" Don grinned.

"Clint Eastwood and Yoda," Do said chuckling.

"I don't know why we didn't figure this out before," Charlie said.

"Yeah," Don said. "Should have been obvious the first time I played one on one with the kid and he called me a punk and asked me if I felt lucky."

"What about the time I told him I'd try to fix his bike and he told me 'Try not, do or do not.'" The two busted out laughing and didn't stop for twenty minutes.

Thank you to my Dad for all the information on Ravens and Steelers!!!