Disclaimer: I don't own anything Numb3rs, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.

Chapter 44: Telling Everybody Else and Being Ready to Duck For Cover If Necessary

Well.

Telling the parents had been more or less a success, save for the whole, Mother promptly passing out after jumping to the wrong conclusions.

Now came the challenge, telling a certain older brother, who also happens to be a highly efficient FBI Agent.

To add to the anxiety, Charlie had convinced Colby that he'd go tell his brother... by himself.

" Charlie, I don't think it's a good idea for you to tell him by yourself, you sure you don't me to be there?" Asked Colby as he and Charlie sat in his silver Four Runner infront of the CalSci building.

" I'm sure Colby, don't be such a worry wart, I should be the one to tell him before dad lets it inadvertently slip. Besides, if things go south, you won't be there for him to shoot. Besides that, you can tackle Megan and David." Said Charlie with a quirky grin on his face.

" Well thank you for being so considerate, I feel a whole lot better now." Muttered Colby, his voice laced with sarcasm as Charlie chuckled at his expense.

One of the things Colby couldn't figure out was how Charlie could be so calm through all of this. This was a life changing turn of events, they were getting married, they were comitting to spend the rest of their lives together, Colby was scared, he was excited, he felt like wanting to dig a hole and hide in it.

Throughout this, Charlie was the quiet pillar of strength. He seemed so at peace while Colby was a chaotic mess of panic.

Colby was so wrapped up in his worried musings, he was totally caught off guard when Charlie yanked him to the side by his tie.

Then, all rational thought left Colby's brain as a soft, warm mouth covered his own in a deep, loving kiss. With a low growl, Colby returned the kiss with full ferver, one of his hands instinctively snaking up to cup one of Charlie's stubbled cheeks.

All too soon, they pulled apart, but their faces were still close enough to have their breathes ghost over eachother's lips.

" I'd make you feel better anytime... Buttercup." Smirked Charlie before he abruptly turned and got out of the car before Colby could react.

With a cheeky grin and a wave at Colby, Charlie turned and headed into the building.

" Hey no fair, I didn't call you Baby." Called Colby before he started chuckling and pulled away from the sidewalk, driving away to another day at the office, and another day working with his future brother in law, who he also happened to be deathly afraid would reach for a weapon of some kind the moment he found out about this future.

Charlie walked into his office and collapsed into the chair behind his desk.

He had forty-five minutes before his first class of the day, he now sat contemplating a fateful meeting for lunch with Don later that day. He was so wrapped up in the different scenarios palying through his head, he didn't notice Larry walk into the room and take a seat in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk.

Larry smiled as he watched his young friend, oblivious to his pressence, lost in his own thoughts.

" Good morning Charles." Said Larry, finally breaking the silence and getting the young, curly haired man's attention.

" Oh! Hey Larry, I didn't see you there." Said a startled Charlie.

" Oh, not to worry Charles. May I be so bold as to ask, what's on you're mind?"

" Oh, it's nothing, just me and Colby are getting married." Said Charlie with a straight face and a normal tone.

" Oh." Said Larry the gravity of the words not yet registering.

That lasted for about a second.

" Wait a minute, did you just say, you and Agent Granger are tying the knot?" Asked a now bewildered Larry.

" Yeah, the question was popped a week ago." Answered Charlie.

The two of them lapsed into silence before Larry regained his voice.

" Well... It's obvious that you said yes... This is just... Wow." Said Larry.

" Yeah, it is." Said Charlie with a grin from ear to ear.

Larry couldn't help but smile back, his young friend was absolutely glowing with happiness.

" Well, I guess I'll have to go find you guys a wedding gift, and a date for the ceremony, by the way, when is it?" Asked Larry.

" It's all still up in the air, we haven't even told everyone yet, besides you, only my dad, and Colby's parents know." Answered Charlie with a nervous grin.

" How are you going to tell a certain older, FBI Agent brother of yours?" Asked Larry.

" I'm meeting him for lunch today, Colby's gonna tackle telling Megan and David. Divide and conquer." Said Charlie as he shifted nervously in his seat.

" Well... Good luck with that my friend." Smiled Larry.

" Thanks, I get the feeling I'm gonna need it." Said Charlie before started chuckling.

Meanwhile, at the LA FBI Offices...

" Hey man, you seem more chipper than usual, what's up?" Asked David as he eyed Colby, who was making a cup of coffee.

" Well, it's a good day to be chipper." Answered Colby with a grin.

" Well, can we know the reason why?" Asked Megan as she walked into the breakroom.

Colby readied himself and with a look around to make sure Don wasn't nearby, he spoke.

" Guys, me and Charlie are getting married."

He watched as David's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and Megan's jaw went slack. The two FBI Agents stared at their friend and coworker like he was from another planet.

Then Colby felt all of the wind knocked out of him as a whirlwind by the name of Megan Reeves collided with him into a crushing hug.

" I'm sooo happy for you!" She squealed, very girly like.

Bewildered but glad, Colby returned the hug and when they pulled apart, David took her place, giving him a short hug and shaking his hand.

" I am gonna have so much fun with this. So, spill the beans already, how'd you pop the big question?" Asked David.

" Does Don know?" Added Megan.

" The Boss doesn't know yet, and I'll tell you how the question was popped later, right now heads up!" Said Colby quickly as he gestured to said Boss, who was heading straight for them.

The three of them scrambled and tried to act normal as Don walked into the breakroom for his morning coffee fix.

" Hey guys." He said as he reached for a mug.

" Hey Don." Answered Colby as he took a sip of his coffee.

" Hey man." Said David as he sent a knowing look Colby's way.

" Hey." Said Megan, with a smaller version of the mega-watt grin she'd been sporting when she'd first gotten the news Don was still oblivious to.

" So, anything new?" Asked Don.

" No, nothing special." Answered David.

Colby and Megan shook their heads to back him up.

" This is gonna be a long day." Thought Colby as he finished his coffee and followed his team-members back to their desks.

Some hours later...

Don and Charlie got out of Don's SUV and headed into the diner they'd agreed to have lunch at.

As they now waited for the waitress to come back with their orders, Don noticed how Charlie was fidgeting nervously with his napkin.

" Hey Charlie, what's wrong?" Asked Don.

" Don I... I don't really know how tell you this." Said Charlie quietly.

" Tell me what?... Is something wrong with Dad?" Asked Don, now becoming urgent.

" No, no Dad's fine, it about me and Colby." Said Charlie quickly.

" Oh... Well, what about you and Colby? Don't tell me you guys are breakin up or something?" Said Don, jumping to the same conclusions as Deborah Granger had yesterday.

" Why the hell does everyone think we're breaking up, we are NOT breaking up, we're getting married!" Said Charlie before he could stop himself in his exasperation.

The sound of a fork clattering onto the table informed Charlie of his inadvertant spilling of the beans.

" You guys are what?" Asked Don, his voice soft and uncomprehending.

With a small gulp, Charlie spoke.

" Me and Colby are getting married."

Don gawked at his little brother with wide eyes and an open mouth.

The two Eppes brother simply stared at each other for the better part of an eternity and were only pulled out of their mutual trance by the waitress who'd returned with their lunch orders.

" When did you guys... decide to do this?" Asked Don, ignoring his grilled chicken sandwich, his sole focus was the young man sitting across from him.

" A week ago, give or take a couple of days." Answered Charlie, his voice shaking slightly as he stared back nervously at his older brother.

" A week and you're telling me now?" Asked Don, exasperated.

" Who else knows?" He asked.

" Well, all of Colby's family knows by now, we called his parents yesterday and Dad happened to be standing in the hall when we gave them the news. I told Larry this morning at work, and Colby's probably spilling the beans to Megan and David right now. And now you know." Answered Charlie.

" I'm dead last on the list again huh?" Said Don with a quirk of his eyebrow.

" Well, more like second to last, I still haven't told Morgan Hays, the CalSci dean." Said Charlie, looking guilty.

" Oh, that's comforting." Muttered Don as he finally took a bite of his sandwich.

Charlie picked at his tuna-melt as met Don's stern gaze with a guilty on of his own.

" Does this mean I'll have to call ahead and tell Colby to duck for cover the next time you guys see each other?" Asked Charlie with a tiny smile.

Don smiled back before he spoke.

" Maybe."