Nixie
Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs characters, not profiting, blah blah blah, you all know the drill.
A/N: Sorry this took me so long to post! Things have been hectic lately with the holidays fast approaching and I'm technically grounded from the computer but my dad works til the evening so I'm all by my lonesome—He'll never know the difference—besides it was an unjust punishment for something that I shouldn't have been punished for so there! Anywho this chapter, once again, is all for dramatic effect—certain aspects may be inaccurate. Constructive criticism welcome and appreciated.
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Chapter Eight: It's my life (Bon Jovi)Don woke abruptly in the morning, feeling that he'd been run over by a truck. He slowly sat up on the edge of the bed, stretching his neck and wincing at the sore muscles. Once he'd fallen asleep, he'd slept hard. 5:06—the red digital letters glared at him from the alarm clock and Don tried not to groan aloud.
He sat in silence for several minutes, attempting to figure out whether he should even bother trying to go back to sleep. Don let his mind meander until he decided on a course of action. Don grimly picked up the phone—it was the cowardly way out but it had to be done, now or never…
Charlie's cell phone would be turned off at this time and Don wouldn't have to worry about his brother picking up—he was going to leave a message and then turn his phone off—if his brother or his father were angry at him, he didn't want to have that particular conversation over the phone. So, the easy way, although not necessarily the right way, was to play a tricky game of avoidance. Might as well get it over with and maybe they'll be cooled down by the time I get back, Don thought as he hit the speed-dial button for his brother's phone.
Hi, uh, this is the cell phone of Professor Charles Eppes, please leave your name, number, and a message and I'll get back to you…
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Alan stood at the counter in his kitchen preparing breakfast when he heard his youngest son's rapid thudding steps coming down the stairs. He frowned; Charlie didn't have anywhere he needed to be, so logically he couldn't be late…
Just then Charlie bounded down the remaining stairs, with what can only be described as a flustered expression plastered obviously on his face, carrying his cell phone in an apparent death grip.
"Dad!" Charlie exclaimed as he practically slid into the kitchen.
"What is it?" Alan asked, concerned and confused, "What's the matter?"
Alan watched, his anxiety increasing as his son started and stopped speaking several times, unable to make a coherent sentence. Well he's in shock about something, the older man figured. Finally Charlie made a sound of frustration and began to press buttons on his cell phone. Then, to his father's surprise, he handed the phone to Alan.
"Listen."
Alan held the phone up to his ear in puzzlement, and grew even more worried when he heard Don's voice. His surprise and puzzlement quickly turned to shock, as he listened to his eldest make a confession, left hesitantly and honestly on the cell phone of his younger brother.
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Uh, hey Charlie…it's Don…I hate leaving messages but um…it just seemed the best way to do this…I uh…wasn't completely honest about why I had to go to New York and uh…since I'm coming back, I figured I had better let you know what the truth is…and be sure to let dad listen to this or tell him yourself…whatever…I uh…well there was this woman I knew…kinda…about seven years ago…I uh…had a …relationship…of sorts…with her and she was…she wasn't mentally all there and she was recently busted for being involved in a human trafficking ring and they had a witness…a little girl… they were trying to find her father and Miriam…the woman…gave my name…and I uh had to go to New York to see if this girl was my daughter or not………She is Charlie…this little girl she's mine and she's …she doesn't talk…yet…she was neglected…left alone a lot…I have custody of her now and we're on our way back to L.A. now…um…my phone is going to be turned off until I get there…I uh…don't want to really talk about his over the phone at all but I wanted to at least give you and dad a head's up…Well…that's it I think…that's all of it… I should be home in a week or so…Nixie…Phoenix and I…My daughter and I are going to do a little sightseeing on the way home…for her… and I uh………I love you guys………bye.
Click.
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Alan sat down heavily on the nearby chair as a flood of emotions overcame him. Charlie sat down quietly beside him as his father struggled internally with wave after wave of various emotions. They sat in a dazed silence for along time, each thinking their own separate thoughts until the silence was broken.
"I can't believe Don didn't tell us sooner…" Alan spoke almost wonderingly. Charlie shrugged.
"I'm surprised," the young professor began, speaking slowly, "but then again I also had no clue that at one point Don was pretty much engaged to a woman—he's left me out of the loop before…" Alan looked at his son; he detected the hurt in Charlie's voice and he could feel his brow furrow.
"Charlie, he would have told you—he just never had the chance to when your mother got sick and then after that, Don didn't see it as being important…"
"I know, I know…" Charlie spoke, waving his hand dismissively in the air. Silence.
"We're avoiding the main issue here." The older man said, breaking the tenuous quiet.
"Yeah…" Alan's youngest made no move, and no other comment.
"He went through all that by himself!" Alan exclaimed suddenly and Charlie started, surprised by the sudden sound. "He shouldn't have gone through that alone!" Charlie's father continued oblivious, "He should have called us—we could have gone and helped him—that's no small decision! And he agonized and made it all on his own…"
"He chose to make the decision alone, it is his life…" Charlie interjected, pointedly, but Alan forged on.
"We're his family Charlie and we should have been there—we should have been there…" Alan sighed and placed his face in his hand. His son, his eldest son, of whom he was so proud went through a difficult ordeal—sitting and waiting to find out whether or not he had a child and whether or not to shoulder the responsibility—and Alan wasn't there to help him through it…
"It's not your fault, dad" His son's voice was soft, "You can't be there for him all the time and for whatever reason—Don chose to make this decision on his own and now he's bringing back a new member to the Eppes family—the grandkid your always nagging us for…"Charlie joked, trying to ease his fathers' tension. Alan chuckled and met his youngest son's eyes.
"Did you try calling him?"
"Left three messages." Alan shook his head slowly and then seemed to make up his mind about something.
"Let's clear out the back room—we don't need all that stuff anyway—convert it into a bedroom—if Don is going to take care of a child then he's going to live here where we can help—whether he likes it or not!" The older man rose with purpose and Charlie followed behind him, not sure whether to smile at his father's newfound purpose or to frown in worry for his AWOL brother, who had in tow a small girl who just inherited the name 'Eppes.'
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A/N: this was a tricky chapter—please R&R!