How Things Change 1/1

Author: Alicia

Rating: K to K+

Summary: Agent Cooper's thought on the way out of town.

A/N: This is my first Numb3rs fic but not my first fic. You'll probably get more from me b/c I'm trying to get in the habit of writing daily since I'm going to be teaching it next school year.

Feedback is welcome but not required.

Disclaimer: I don't own them. CBS and other do. I'm making no money off this.

Cooper's Suburban

Highway 170 North

Billy Cooper couldn't believe it had finally happened; he was relieved a job was over and he could head out. What was amazing was the fact it happened while he was working a case with his former partner, Don Eppes.

Of course, he'd had other partners but none had understood the job like Don did. Don had loved the challenge of trying to outfox fugitives on the run. Don could read a file, get inside the head of a fugitive, and just know how to find him. How many agents would even consider that an escaped wife killer would visit his victim's grave. He hadn't thought of it.

When he found out he was going to LA he'd been thrilled. He'd have a chance to catch up with Don. Unlike most agents, Don hadn't left because of burnout. Majority of agents left in less then 2 years, Don left after 4 years and it had nothing to do with burnout. He took the SAC position in New Mexico when his mom first got sick. He didn't think he needed to be in LA but he needed to be reachable. That was the bad thing about working fugitive squad is you could be unreachable for weeks on end, made it hard to have a family life or even much of a social life.

While he'd been sorry to hear the Don's mom had died, he figured that meant he had a good chance of talking Don into coming back. Then he'd met David, Charlie, and Alan. That was when he'd started to think Don wouldn't want to come back.

The final straw had been when they'd caught McDowd. When Don was on the squad McDowd would have ended up more than unconscious, he'd have ended up with at least his jaw wired shut. That and Don's concern for the witness convince him that as much as he might long for a return to the old days it would never happen.

Don had changed into someone who had a life and would probably be a family man at some point. While he was thrilled for his friend, Billy couldn't help but feel sorry for himself.