Title: A letter
Series: Goodbye/Hello 12/?
Author: Chymom
Word count: 1,954 words
Characters/Parings: Colby/Charlie, Don, Alan and OC's. (There is a secret person but they won't be named for a few more chapters. But one of the characters is not my own.)
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Any and all episodes of Numb3rs maybe talked about within.
Summary: Sharon finds something what is it? Does it help in the case if so how?
Disclaimer: I do not own Numb3rs, the people, places, or things you know.
Beta: Aliceinked and myself
A/N: There is a line that I browed from another show in this chapter. If you can tell me the line and/or what show it's from then I will answer any question you have on these stories. I will tell you the show in the next chapters' authors note.
Goodbye/Hello
End of chapter eleven: A starting point
"Don, Rae is upstairs why don't you go lay down beside her for a few minutes. I know that she misses you. She asks about you every time she sees one of us." Charlie spoke from his husband's side.
"Alright for a moment, I miss little one as well." Without a glance back he slowly made his way up stairs." However his mind was changed for him as he walked in the door. Lying on his childhood bed was Rae holding tight to the bear that he had gotten her for her last birthday. She looked so angelic when she slept. But, now this little angel had tears on her checks.
"Oh, little one don't cry. I'm going to bring mommy home to you as soon as I can!" He whispered in her ear before kissing her head and walking back out the door. With his promise in mind and nothing else Don once again headed to his second home his office.
Chapter twelve: A letter
Unlucky for Don his promise was taking long to full file then he had hoped. Another week had passed since his heart had broken at seeing his almost child crying in her sleep. Sam had been right Chelle's case wasn't the only one on his desk and since they couldn't prove that her being taken was related to an FBI case they had to turn it over to the local LAPD which was Mike's office. While Mike kept looking hard he had other cases that he had to work. Michelle's case wasn't going anywhere and after a few weeks Mike had to pull some of his officers to other jobs.
The night Sharon had yelled at him and seeing Rae had changed him. He no longer left his office unless he had to. If he could find sleep at all it was at his desk and that hadn't been much. The dark bags under his eyes told anyone who looked at him.
However something else had happened that night that Don himself had no idea about. Alan was standing at the bottom of the stairs as Don had spoken to the sleeping child. He had heard every word that his son had said. Hearing the heavy foot falls that told him his son was coming out of the room Alan had quickly moved towards the dining room. This action hiding that he had been listing and that he was watching his son. As he watched his son leave that night a dangers thought popped into his mind.
'Son, I love you! I know that you're close to this family but, I don't want to loss you to yourself. I don't want to think about the many ways I could loss you but to yourself is not one of them.' He had no idea how close his mind was to the truth that night.
When another week passed and only seeing his oldest when he dropped by the office Alan had, had enough. With his mind made up he quickly garbed his jacket and headed for his front door. He only made it to his car door as Sam and Sharon greeted him.
"Alan, I'm not sure if this means anything or not. I was cleaning things up around the house. I had been doing things here and there to keep busy when I found this." Sharon said as she handed Alan the now opened latter.
"We weren't sure if it would help find her or not." Sam spoke from her side.
"This will help more than you might think. May I keep this?"
"If you think it will help then by all means keep it." Sharon said as she took Sam s strong hand in her own before leaving to return to school.
Arriving at the FBI sometime later Alan was greeted by his oldest son running out the door past him.
"Dad, I can't talk right now! Sorry." He had yelled nearly running into his father.
"Dad, can I help you?" Colby asked a few minutes later as Alan approached his desk.
"Did you get a big break in a case?" He asked as Colby followed him into Don's office.
"No"
Sitting a plate of Don's favorite food onto his desk he asked his other son. "Then why on earth did Donnie almost run over me to get out the door?"
"Director White was on the phone with him a few minutes ago. That's all I know." Colby spent the next few minutes answering his father in law's questions before heading back to his own desk to get something done for the day. As Alan was heading out the door the child he had come to see was reentering it with a clouded look on his face.
"Son, can we talk?"
"Sure dad, I need some air anyway." Once they reached a bench out of the prying eyes of most passersby's Alan pulled the latter out of his pocket.
"Sharon and Sam came by to see me. They found this and wanted to know if it could help bring Michelle home?" It took him a minute to take the latter from his father. After a few deep breaths to calm down his anger and a few rubs to clear the frustration out of his eyes with his shaken hands he opened the folded latter.
Rae,
I LOVE YOU! You know that if I could I would be with you right now instead of you reading this letter. I want you to keep in mind that nothing that has happened to me or anyone of us is your fault. You have done nothing wrong.
Please don't let what ever happened to me change you in any way. My love for you is eternal and as long as you breathe will always be with you. I may not be on this earth to see it but, I want to watch you find someone who loves you, get married, and have children. My wish is for you to have the life that I couldn't give you.
Rae, you mean the world to me! There is nothing and I mean nothing that I wouldn't do to keep you safe. Since I can't be with you listen to what Don tells you to do. He loves you almost as much as I do.
Don't hide from life, live your life!
Marco Polo,
Mommy
After the months in the hospital Chelle had made a will. In it she had listed Don as Rae's care giver should anything ever happen to her. If in the event something had happened to him before or at the same time as herself Colby and Charlie were going to take care of Rae for her. She had talked to Colby and Don about this but, hadn't spoken about it to anyone else.
"Give this back to Sharon. Have her put it in the same place she found it. She won't need it." Don's emotionless voice told him as he took the note once again before watching his over worked and underfeed son head back into the FBI building.
Sitting there Alan thought back to the day he had come here to give Donnie his mother's ring. He had known for some time that Michelle was the one his son seemed to be looking for. After the last time Alan had given them some room to find their own way. But, with this time it showed how quick things can change. Cancer may have taken the woman he loves from him but, they had two wonderful children and many wonderful years before that. Right now Don and Michelle had heartache only. If no when Michelle was at home he was going to lock the two of them in his bed room if he had to until they admitted their true feelings for each other.
While Alan headed home Charlie was thinking of a way to try and help his big brother. Coming up with no leads once again on Michelle he thought back to the last time he had really looked at Don. He remembered how thin he looked, how hunted his eyes looked, and how heavy the bags were under his eyes.
"Don, I'm going to head out to get a bit. Why don't you come with me? We won't be gone half an hour." Charlie asked as he walked into the small office that most of the time went unused by his brother.
"I need to finish this up. I'll get something in a few then head home for some sleep." Don didn't bother to look his fidgeting brother's eyes as he spoke.
"I was told months ago. A good night's rest will bring the facts to your sight." No reply was forth coming. As he was about to open his mouth once again only this time the pull of a pair of arms around his waist stopped him.
"Angel, we can't force him to do anything. We need to trust that he knows his limits." With still no reply forthcoming the couple left their brother to his work and headed out the door.
As the doors to the elevator closed Charlie spun around on his husband and hit his chest. Before he could ask what he was hit for he got his answer.
"Cole, you know that he won't go home after that one paper. We both know that he hasn't been home in over a week. You have been bringing him changes of clothing and putting them in his locker. Dad and I have been bringing him food that sits on his desk untouched until it's tossed or someone else eats it." Charlie was in his lovers face at this point.
"Look all I can do is point out to someone when I think they're about to do something stupid. Unfortunately I can't spot them from actually doing it." Colby said as the doors opened and the couple left the building. Entering the car Colby could see that he needed to make a stronger point. Taking a page from his lover's book he spoke into his angels eyes.
"Think of it this way. You work on P vs NP at times right?" Charlie nodded his head his eyes not losing contact.
"Michelle is Don's P vs NP. He knows that there is a way to find her he just hasn't found it yet." A light popped on in his lovers eyes at his words before his lips felt another pair on them. The kiss was short but held more meaning then the quick kiss's they had shared in the last few days.
Upon arriving at the house Colby and Charlie had both fallen into bed. There peaceful slumber was disturbed early the next morning by Colby's phone.
"Hello" The sleepy agents voiced answered.
"Uncle Colby, is daddy with you?" Rae's shaky tear filled voice begged.
"No, Rae. Don's at the office." Colby had taken a guess that she had meant Don. It didn't take long for Charlie to shoot out of bed at hearing both his brother and Rae's name in the same sentience.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No Rae you have done nothing wrong. Why do you ask?"
"Daddy won't answer the phone. I tried his cell and his office. He won't pick up either one." This time she couldn't hold back the major flow of tears as they left her eyes and entered her mouth.
"Here talk to Uncle Chuck a minute please." Colby handed his lover his phone as he took his lovers from him. Colby tried both numb3rs as well. Not getting an answer. Without thinking about anything else Colby quickly dressed and retrieved his own phone.
"Rae, honey Uncle Chuck and I will head into work. I'm sure he fell asleep and is coming in soon if he's not there when we get there. I'll make sure you know he's safe alright?" Getting a very shaky OK he hung up the call and headed out the door.
"Cole, I don't like this!"
"Nor, do I Angel, Nor do I!"
"She has known when Don's been hurt before or about to be hurt for that matter."
"Yes she has. But, there is a first time for everything."
He told his lover as he let his foot fall a bit heaver on the gas.
A/N: Will they find Don alright and at work? What does Rae do next? How do Colby and Charlie keep their word to let her know what is going on?
Thank you to everyone who has read this, commented, and let me know what you think should happen next. Hearing from you gives me ideas along with the information about what the story is leaving out.
