Urban
Legends, A Numb3rs Fic
Title:
Urban Legends
Author: Krisdae
Pairing: None, although it may
seem like Charlie/Amita to some. They are intended to just be
friends.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The latest "Urban Legend"
hits close to home when Amita is attacked. Can Charlie and Don find
out the truth?
Feedback: Is better than Chocolate.
Warning:
This story does contain situations involving possible date rape.
Although not depicted in detail, this may bother some.
Chapter one
Charlie paced while he waited for Amita. He hated hospitals, had hated them since long before his mother got sick. The white walls, the echoing corridor, the sterile feel of the waiting room made Charlie sick. Hearing the constant pages for doctors, listening to children cry, some from exhaustion, some from pain, knowing that everyone in that room waited to hear about a loved one… and he was sure the old man in the corner was praying in Yiddish. Who in LA prayed in Yiddish anyway?
Amita may not be fighting for her life, but waiting to hear the results was terrifying to Charlie. It seemed like his worst nightmare because Charlie knew he could have prevented it. Had he just listened to Amita a couple of weeks ago, maybe this would have stopped before it had gotten to someone he cared about. But as usual, Charlie had been focused in his own world. His bubble, as Don called it, and hadn't even really paid attention to the strain in her voice…
"But, Charlie, there's something not adding up. Sharon isn't the first girl I've heard about."
Charlie continued to write on his chalkboard, "Amita, you said yourself you don't really know Sharon that well and it could have been a bad night for her. She may have had a few too many drinks. And she tested clean the next day, right?"
"Yes, she did. But, you could ask your brother."
Charlie shrugged, "This kind of thing isn't really in Don's
area."
Amita grabbed Charlie's arm and forced him to actually look at her. "But you could still ask Don. See if there's something out there that could cause her to… act out of character—"
Charlie nodded, still seeing his equations flash over the image of Amita. "All right, Amita. If it will make you feel better, I'll talk to Don about it and see if he's heard anything."
Amita smiled. "That's all I ask."
But Charlie hadn't asked. He'd gotten caught up in Don's latest case and hadn't thought it was important. After all, these kinds of things happened to strangers, people that Charlie didn't know. Not someone he was close to, not someone he cared about. And really, what kind of drug could go in and out of someone's system so quickly that it didn't show up when they were tested?
Amita was silent as she drove them back to her apartment. The doctors had examined her and informed her that she had not been raped. Her blood showed almost no traces of alcohol and no foreign substances. Anything that had happened the night before had happened with her consent and without the influence of drugs or drink.
Charlie was at a loss. He wasn't exactly the one people went to with problems. After knowing Charlie a short time people realized that he preferred numbers to people and that he had no clue how to deal with a crises. Not that Charlie didn't care, but he couldn't handle situations that were not defined and logical.
Amita pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car. She didn't move or say anything. Finally, Charlie broke the silence, "Do you want me to stay with you?" His voice seemed loud and flat in the quiet car and Amita jumped as if she hadn't realized he was still there.
She turned to Charlie and he saw pain in her eyes. "That depends, Charlie. Do you believe that I was coerced into having sex with a total stranger last night or do you think that I don't know myself as well as I think I do?"
"I believe you, Amita, because I know you." Silence descended on the car again. "Do you want me to call Don? Maybe he can help."
Amita shook her head. "Right now I just want to take a long shower and be alone for a while." She pulled her keys from the ignition and got out of the car, Charlie following. As they neared his bike, she stopped. "Thank you for coming with me, Charlie."
"Of course, Amita," Charlie replied, wishing he could do more for her. As he rode home, he vowed that he would speak to Don as soon as possible. If anyone could help figure out what happened to Amita, it was his big brother.
TBC...
