Disclaimer: Don't own Numb3rs!

A/N: squee Thanks for reviewing! Don't worry there will be Don/Terry but it might take awhile before they get their act together. Please remember that I do not know much about LA and some info may be inaccurate. The Don and Charlie's ages may be inaccurate. (Please don't kill me!) I hope you enjoy!

Evening Lingers

Alan stood there with his mouth opened not believing that his daughter was right there in front of his eyes. How long had it been since he last saw her? Since he last heard her voice? Jamie looked at him expectantly.

"Dad? Are you going to let me in?" she asked softly with a trace of mischievous smile. Alan came to his senses and ushered her in.

"Jamie…I'm so glad to see you," he said. He beamed at her and Jamie could feel her heart drop a little lower than it already was. Her head shot up when she heard footsteps. Charlie had come out from the kitchen.

"Dad? Who was-Jamie!"

Jamie's eyes roamed over her brother. She cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms. There was something different about her brother but it wasn't very obvious. Perhaps it was his posture and how more relaxed he looked. Maybe it was that twinkle of confidence in his dark eyes. She gave him a little smile.

"Hey," she greeted him. Charlie had braced himself for her coldness but it wasn't as bad as he had expected. He nodded and smiled.

"It's been a long time," he replied. Alan put his arm around Jamie's shoulders while she nodded slowly.

"Yeah well…"

Alan threw his hands up in the air.

"What are we standing here for? I'm hungry! You hungry, Jamie? Of course you are, come on let's eat!"

Jamie stopped.

"No, uh, Dad. I just wanted to stop by and say hi. Um, I have to get back anyway. Um…work and stuff…you know," she said backing away from the kitchen while fiddling with her long hair. Alan frowned.

"But you're here and that well that doesn't happen very often. Can't it wait? I mean, I've got pasta and it's still hot, you know. Well, it might be all gone since Don is here and well, you know how he is when he's hungry…Jamie, please?" Alan said. Jamie's eyes widened a bit at the mention of Don. Charlie silently pleaded with her but all three of them turned when they heard Don stepping into the hallway.

"Hey, what's going…on."

Charlie could swear that he saw daggers flying toward each other. Alan looked at both of them nervously. Even he knew that his two children were not on best terms. Heck, Jamie and Charlie weren't even on best terms. The tension grew so thick that Alan could barely breathe. Well, gotta fix that. He clapped his thighs with his hands and cracked a large smile.

"Well, Don! Look who's here! She was just going to join dinner," he said excitedly. Jamie shook her head.

"No, Dad. I'll be interrupting. I just wanted to say that I heard you left me a message…I wanted to say…thanks. I mean, I completely forgot my birthday," she said with a small laugh. Alan crossed his arms.

"That's because you work too hard, young lady. I swear, you three are exactly the same. And what's this nonsense about interrupting? Is she interrupting, you two?" he asked Charlie and Don. Charlie grinned.

"Course not."

Don paused before answering.

"No. Join us, Jamie."

Both Jamie and Charlie stared at their older brother.

"Um…okay," she replied. Her father dragged her by the elbow and brought her into the kitchen leaving Don and Charlie alone. Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Don asked knowing fully well what his brother was thinking about. Charlie just clapped him on the shoulder and walked into the kitchen. Don sighed and put both of his hands on his face. Well, this evening would certainly be interesting. He went back to the kitchen.

He stopped at the doorway and put his arm up against the wall. He rubbed his face gently as he surveyed the scene. Jamie was laughing along with Alan while Charlie took out another plate. Alan joked about his younger son and Jamie chuckled.

It all fit.

Like it was supposed to be but it would never stay that way. Maybe it was partly Don's fault but it was Jamie who left her family to work at a stupid (prestigious, yes but stupid nonetheless) news magazine company in New York. He had promised himself that it wouldn't bother him but it did.

Alan cleared his throat.

"Do you plan on joining us?"

Don started.

"Uh yeah. I'm-I'm hungry."

And so they sat around the table like always except this time the missing link was back.

"Jamie! Come on, you have to come out of your room sometime!" Don called through his sister's door. He could hear muffled sobs.

"Leave me alone!" the seventeen year old girl shouted. Don sighed and looked at Charlie. Charlie shrugged but concern was apparent in his eyes.

"It's been three days! He's not worth it, Jamie," Don told her, "Listen, would you like me to beat the crap out of him?"

The door creaked opened. Charlie and Don stared at their sister. There was no other way to say it. She looked terrible. Jamie didn't even bother to change out of pajamas and her hair was falling out from a horribly made bun. Her eyes puffed out and the bags under them were darkening by every second. Immediately the two brothers reached out to hug her.

The three of them embraced each other while Jamie cried on their T-shirts. Jamie closed her eyes. It had been so long since she had seen them. They were in college or busy with their career. She brought them close and she wished they would never have to leave.

"Dad called us," Charlie whispered. Don ruffled her hair.

"He's an ass, Jamie. Nothing more."

Jamie laughed bitterly.

"No kidding."

She stepped away from them and wiped her face.

"Thanks, you guys. For coming. I – yeah."

"Well…it is statistically shown that siblings-" Charlie blocked his face as Jamie slapped him playfully while Don laughed. He put his arms back down.

"-care about each other's well being," he finished. Jamie grinned and gave him a hug. Don clapped his hands.

"How about we go bowling? Unless you'd rather go back to your room and cry to death because Charlie and I can just go by our-"

Jamie jumped.

"Wait a second. Don't you dare go without me!"

She went inside and closed the door behind her. Don and Charlie gave each other a high-five.

Don looked up at the pearly moon. The cool air tickled his arms pleasantly and he had to admit that the symphony of the crickets fit the night well. It was hard nowadays to find peace but that was what he loved about his father's house. He jumped slightly when he saw Charlie step next to him.

"It's a half moon. It's also called a quarter moon because it completed one of the orbit around Earth and only one quarter of the moon's surface is visible from Earth."

Don nodded.

"I like it. The half moon, I mean," he clarified.

"What were you thinking about?" Charlie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You've got that 'I'm thinking' look on your face," he answered. Charlie looked over his shoulder and through the sliding glass doors. Jamie was helping their father with the dishes despite his protests.

"Just about the past. Do you remember that Mike guy who broke up with Jamie?" Don asked. Charlie nodded.

"Yeah, him I didn't like. I remember both of us going back just to cheer her up," he said reminiscently.

"Yeah. We came back for her. Why didn't she ever come back for Dad?"

"I can't answer that, Don. Only Jamie can. I still can't believe that she actually stopped by," Charlie said amazed.

"Yeah, who knew?"

The silence was broken by the crickets' song and the buzzing of the fireflies.

"Hey, Don. If this um woman came up to you and let's say kiss you on the cheek…um what do you do?"

Don raised his eyebrow while Charlie blushed.

"Is this woman possibly Amita?"

He blushed even more.

"Possibly. Yes. Quite possibly."

Don smirked and faced him. Well, well, well. His brother was growing up.

"Personally, I would ask her out considering you've guys known each other for awhile. Aw man. You have a girlfriend and where am I?"

Charlie nudged him in the ribs.

"What about Terry?" he asked innocently. Don froze but then shook it off.

"Oh come on, Charlie. There's always a chance where we might be in a situation where lives are at stake. If we let our emotions to rule our actions, there's bound to be a mistake."

"So you do have feelings for her?" Charlie asked. Don's forehead wrinkled.

"I never said that."

Charlie knew that tone of his and also knew that it meant that the conversation was officially over. He nodded and went back inside juggling his thoughts about Amita. Don stared at the half moon again except an image of a blonde haired woman kept drifting into his vision. Don inwardly groaned.

This was the last thing he needed.

"How long are you planning on staying?" Alan asked his daughter. Jamie put her hair behind her shoulder before putting a plate in the dishwasher.

"Um not for very long. I just need some stuff and then I'll leave again."

Even with her back turned she could still sense her father's disappointment. She wished she didn't have to do this but after calling Fitzgerald and apologizing there was no turning back.

"Oh. Well, maybe until then you can stay with us until you have to go. I mean, this house is certainly big enough. We have an extra room," said Alan hopefully. This hopefulness reached and clenched her heart. She wasn't sure how much more she could take. Tears welled in her eyes. I've cried more these two days than I ever have in four years. Her back was still facing Alan and she looked through the kitchen window to see Charlie and Don talking to each other.

"Jamie?"

Jamie turned.

"Yeah sure, Dad. If it's okay with you," she said shakily.

Terry swallowed her wine slowly and let the taste melt on her tongue. Her thoughts traveled on thousands of different waves and somehow they all involved her partner, Don. She cursed herself for bringing it down to this. The relationship had been over ten years ago and she had even forgotten about him for a while. The date at the Laundromat had no doubt lingered during the exchange of wedding vows with her ex but it disappeared in a snap. Then they were to work together. Now that was something she didn't expect.

It was good to see him again and no one could ever say that they didn't work well together. The interaction between them was different now. More formal, and more focused on work. She didn't expect to fall in love with him all over again.

Terry leaned back into her couch and watched Lucille Ball stuff chocolate into her mouth.

"It's never going to work out, Terry. You know it."

"But we could try."

"Do you really think it'll work?"

"No…" she whispered and rested her head on Don's chest.

He was right of course. It would have never worked out and they had broken it off mutually. Her thoughts kept rolling.

Ring. Ring.

She brought her cell phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

Terry sat up and grit her teeth. Then she just let it go.

"What do you want?" she asked resigned to her ex.

"Okay this is your old room. So you can stay here. Your desk is still there if you need a place to work."

Jamie smiled and nodded. Alan smiled back.

"I'm glad you're staying with us," he said.

"Me too," Jamie replied honestly. Alan nodded.

"Well, do you need a ride back to the hotel to get your stuff back?" he asked. Jamie shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine. I can take a taxi."

"Nonsense. Don will take you. I don't really trust Charlie driving."

"I heard that, Dad!" said Charlie from the living room. They both glanced towards the room.

"Well, Don? Will you take her?"

Pause.

"Sure."

The drive was uncomfortable. The two siblings refused to look at each other and unless words were needed they said none. Jamie tapped her fingers on the window in order to keep the tension from getting too high. She sighed and then took a deep breath.

"So will you let me interview you? Or why don't you just let me observe you? So I can see how everything works."

Don kept driving but Jamie knew he was thinking. Thirty seconds later Don spoke up.

"Fine, but on one condition."

Jamie raised both her eyebrows.

"What's that?"

"Don't cause trouble."

Jamie let a grin escape and she leaned against the passenger seat.

"It's a done deal."

A/N: I know it's pretty short but I really needed to show how the family worked. I thought this was the best time to do it. Please review. I would really like to see what everyone thinks and any type of feedback is welcomed. Thanks for reading!