Disclaimer: I don't own anything Numb3rs, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.
Chapter 25: A New Friend and An Early Morning Conversation With One John Granger
Dinner that evening had been a surprisingly quiet affair. James sat repeatedly thanking Charlie for taking care of Lily and allowing him a few hours of sleep.
After dinner, Charlie and Colby called it anight and headed upstairs for bed.
" Good night you two." Called Deborah with a small wave.
"'Night Momma." Called back Colby.
" Goodnight."Added Charlie as he followed Colby up the stairs.
When they got to their room,Colby collapsed face first onto the bed. He let out a tired groan as he felt Charlie gently pull off his shoes and socks.
" Baby, you are an angel." Sighed Colby, eliciting a soft chuckle from the other man.He then felt the matress sag under additional weighed beside him as Charlie got on the bed.
Colby felt a happy smile spread across his face as he felt Charlie place a warm his to the back of his neck. Colby turned onto his back and pulled Charlie on top of him.
" You were amazing with Lily today." Smiled Colby.
" You saw me?" Askeda startled Charlie.
" Well... we saw you, me, Momma, and Violet. Bumble-bee even took a few pictures." Said Colby, sending an apologetic grin up at Charlie's stunned visage.
" What is it with you guys and taking pictures without asking?" Asked Charlie in mock indignance as he rolled off of Colby and sat cross-legged on the bed with his arms cross and his back to Colby.
Big mistake.
Colby lashed out and his dexterious fingers found Charlie's unguarded ribs and armpits.
Charlie let out a squeak of shock before he began to struggle futily against Colby. Within seconds, Charlie found himself pinned to the bed, breathless, with the man he loved looming over him with a fire slowly growing in his green eyes.
Charlie was definitely going to forgive Colby for his spying.
Two hours later...
Colby smiled as he watched his lover sleeping peacefully beside him, his back to Colby's front. they'd made love tonight, being as quiet as they could as not to disturb the rest of the house. Charlie slept with Colby's arm wrapped possessively around his waist, a content little smile of his face. Colby pressed a soft kiss to Charlie's cheek before settling down beside him and following him into sleep.
Morning...Just before sunrise...
Charlie's eyes fluttered open and blinked away the last tendrils of sleep. Charlie slowly turned to see Colby sleeping peacefully beside him. With a tender smile, Charlie stealthily got out of bed and creeped into the bathroom. He quickly showered, cleansing himself of the remnants of last night. After he was done, he quickly dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a plain white T-shirt, over which he he pulled on a dark blue hoodie. he quickly tied his sneakers and quietly left the room. He noiselessly krept down the stairs and out the front door into the crisp morning air.
It was wonderful outside, perfectfor a walk. Charlie stretched his body up towards the sky before he set out on the trail thatled to the stables, maybe he'd spend some time with Sugarplumb.
He made it up to the stables when he heard a loud neighing sound behind the corner. Cyclone, that wild stallion.
Charlie cautiously turned the corner of the stable and gazed at the proud animal prancing around the corral, pawing restlessly at the dirt.
Charlie slowly made his way over to the corral and leaned against the thick log, simply admiring the beautiful creature it held.
Cyclone seemed to sense he had a visitor and stopped in his restless movements to gaze at the stranger leaning against his corral. Curiosity seemd to get the better of the stallion as Cyclone tentatively made his way over to the human.
Charlie remained stock still as the untamed horse slowly walked up to him. Man and horse stood facing each other, simply staring. After an eternity of just staring, Cyclone slowly stretched his long neck forward, his muzzle slowly reaching out to sniff at the stranger. Charlie remained still as he felt Cyclone's warm breath ghosting over his face.
This stranger smelled nice was what Cyclone decided as he continued his exploring. Jerking a little when he noticed Charlie's hand slowly come up for him to sniff at.
Cyclone knickered softly as he rubbed his velvet soft muzzle against Charlie's fingers. Charlie slowly gained a little confidence and slowly ran his hand up the front of Cyclone's face, reaching behind the stallion's ear to scratch at the area.
" Well, I don't believe it." Came a hushed but deep voice from behind Charlie.
Charlie turned to see a very astonished John Granger standing a little farther down the trail, his green eyes wide at the sight of the City Kid and the Wild Horse he was petting. Charlie gently stepped away from Cyclone and with a soft knicker, the horse slowly walked over to the pile of hay at the other end of his corral and started munching on it.
Charlie battled to fight down the urge to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. Instead, he swallowed his anxiety and looked John Granger square in the eye and gave him a hesitant smile.
" Good Morning Mr. Granger." Said Charlie hesitantly.
" Umm... Good Morning Charlie." Said John when he found his voice again.
An awkward silence passed over the two men before John spoke.
" What are you doing up this early?" Asked John.
" I thought I'd come out here for a walk, maybe even catch the sunrise if I'm lucky." Answered Charlie with a nervous shrug.
Another pregnant silence followed before John spoke again.
" Mind if I join you for that walk?" He asked, awkwardly.
Charlie was momentarily stunned before he began to nod his head.
" I'd like that." He said quietly as John slowly walked up to him and the two of them set off down the trail into the woods.
The two walked in silence before Charlie spoke suddenly.
" Not a day goes by Colby doesn't think about you sir."
John felt a jolt that went straight to his heart upon hearing these words. He gazed at the young man walking beside him with sad eyes.
" How do you know that?" Asked John skeptically.
" I catch him staring at the pictures he keeps of all of you in his apartment and... You can always tell when someone you love is hurting... badly." Answered Charlie with a sad smile.
After a pause, John shook his head as he spoke.
" What about your family, how do they feel about you... being who you are?" Asked John, hoping he'd here a story similar to how things had been between him and Colby.
" I told my family a few weeks ago and I am blessed to have them. They accepted me, and told me that they loved me no matter what, that I was who I was and that... I'd always be their baby." Smiled Charlie.
" A few weeks only?" Asked John.
" Yeah, sue me, I'm a strange breed." Smiled Charlie, to his delight heeliciting a chuckle from John.
The two of them walked on in comfortable silence before John spoke.
" Everybody's taken quiet a shine to you Charlie Eppes." He stated.
" What about you sir?" Asked Charlie.
" You are a real down to earth person in my eyes. I'll like you more if you stop calling me sir, the name's John." Smiled John.
"Thank you sir... I mean John." Grinned Charlie, glad that he was on the senior Granger's good side.
" I don't know what to do about the state my relationship with my son is in." Sighed John as they walked on.
" I kept my true self hidden from all the people closest to me because I was afraid they would turn away from me but, a promise I made to my dying mother and being lucky enough to meet someone like your son helped me come out to everyone. No one turned their back on me and Colby, they accepted us both." Said Charlie.
" What's your point?" Asked John.
" My point is, you two should talk, no matter the outcome. I mean... you not still mad at him are you?" Asked Charlie, putting on his best puppy-dog eyed face.
John felt his pride melt with one look into those innocent dark eyes.
" No... I stopped being mad a long time ago. Dumb pride's what's kept me from making the phonecall. Believe me, I've sat next to that phone a dozen times and each time, I let pride stop me." Sighed John.
" Well, now you don't have to make a phonecall, you can talk to him face to face." Said Charlie quietly, burying his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.
" Are you sure your only 30, you sound more like a centuries old sage." Said John with a smile as he watched his young companion chuckle softly.
" So... are you both going to talk more than one word to each other?" Asked Charlie seriously.
John Granger sighed.
" Yes... I will have that talk with Colby."
" Thank you Charlie." He added.
" No problem sir... I mean John." Said Charlie quietly as the two of them headed back down the trail, with the Sun already greeting them with a colorful early morning sky.
" By the way, did you really throw several kitchen appliances at Colby that day?" Asked Charlie.
" No... I only threw a blender at him, the rest were kitchen utensils." Answered John Granger, dead-pan.
Charlie burst out laughing, he could see where Colby got his sense of humor from.