#numb3rs imagines

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Broken Street Lamp

Don Eppes x Reader

Words: 4128

Summary: When she’s mugged walking at night from work, the reader tries to hide the attack from her fiance and his family. 

Notes: This show just snuck up on me and now I’m in love. And not even with the character I thought I’d be. (Don’t get me wrong, I adore Charlie) But what can I say? I have a thing for protective and emotionally complicated older brothers. Let me know if there are any other Don Eppes fans out there because I’d love to know what you think! 

Warnings: Assault, robbery, hurt and comfort plot

More Crime Drama Imagines Here

-

When the mechanic called to tell you that your car wouldn’t be ready until next week, you didn’t think much of it. You could take the train with the rest of the five o’clock crowd. But when your boss gave you a new assignment at the last minute, five turned into five-thirty. Five-thirty turned to seven. Seven became ten. Suddenly, walking the six blocks to the subway station didn’t seem like such a good idea. You could practically hear your fiance fretting over you walking alone at night, so you called him in the hopes of having him pick you up. But at the sound of his voicemail, you realized you were being ridiculous. 

Don’s paranoia was rubbing off on you. 

You gathered up the last of your work and turned off your desk lamp, casting the already darkened office into an inky black. Your eyes adjusted with the help of the street lights peeking through the blinds and you made it to the elevator with minimal bumps into desk corners. The elevator was being repaired, which meant climbing down four flights in the stuffy stairwell. Stepping into the LA night wasn’t much better.  

The building your firm worked in was on a quieter street than most at this time of night. Maybe it should have been calming after the chaos of your case, but instead, it made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. You shivered despite the heat and started walking. 

Usually, this area was well-lit, but a block down, a street lamp flickered on and off, giving the path an eerie quality. You thought about switching to the other side of the street, but the stubborn logical part of your brain refused to give in to the irrational fear. 

You should have switched sides. 

Keeping your hand on your cell, almost praying for Don to call you back, you kept walking, getting nearer and nearer to the flashing light. Just before you passed beneath it, it turned off. 

Plunged in a few yards of darkness, you took a few faster steps to return to the light, forcing yourself not to full-out run. 

You were another block down when a dark-clad arm reached out from an alley and wrapped around your throat. 

A hand was on your mouth before you could even think to scream and the arm was swiftly replaced by a switchblade. 

“Empty your purse,” the hooded figure growled. 

You could only see the bottom half of his face. White, dark stubble, bad teeth. You tried to focus on anything you could, but your mind was racing from the fact that there was a blade pressing into your throat until it drew blood. 

“I said empty your purse, bitch!”

“O-okay.” You held your breath, dumping the contents of your bag into his waiting hand. As you moved, you caught the metal of your engagement ring in the light. You flipped your hand around to hide it from him. 

He cleaned out your wallet and took your phone. You imagined it ringing from a call from Don. 

What if you never saw him again? 

It was then the question entered your mind. 

Was this man going to kill you? 

“Give me your watch,” your assailant ordered. 

You unclasped the Christmas gift from Don’s dad and shoved it into his palm. He pushed you harder against the wall, crushing your chest and scratching your neck against the brick. You clenched your fists to try and redirect the pain. He must have thought you were preparing to strike, so he hit first, his fist colliding with your ribs. 

“Don’t you move, bitch, don’t move!” He screamed. The knife cut deeper and you felt a small trickle of blood on your neck. 

“I’m not, I’m not, please,” you pleaded, “I’m sorry, please.” 

Your car was in the shop. That’s all. 

How does this happen?

“Give me your ring.”

“W-what?” 

He hit your side again. “Give me your goddamn ring!” 

The man didn’t wait for you to move this time. He jerked your hand down, straining your shoulder, and nearly broke your finger tearing off the ring. 

It was Don’s mother’s. 

Such a stupid thing to think about now. 

He put his hands on your shoulders and shoved you to the cement before taking off, vanishing as quickly as he’d appeared. 

For a while, you couldn’t move. You just laid against the metal wall of a dumpster and tried to remember how to breathe. 

After that, you ran. You couldn’t even bear to take the subway, the thought of descending those dark steps clouding your mind with more images of your hooded attacker taking more than your items. 

You just ran. 

-

Don didn’t know what time it was when he finally made it home, but seeing your keys on the hook set his worried mind a bit more at ease. He’d been working on a case all night and had missed your call. When he tried to call you back, everything went to voicemail. 

“Y/N, honey?” He called into the apartment. The lights were off, but you didn’t usually go to sleep until he got home, despite him constantly telling you not to wait up for him. With no response, he threw his jacket on the couch and opened the door to the bedroom. 

You were laying in bed with your back to the door, seemingly asleep. Maybe you’d finally listened to him and went to bed without him.  

Don got undressed and climbed into bed, kissing your shoulder gently so he wouldn’t wake you up. 

Listening to his movements, you stared at the wall, trying to keep from crying loud enough for him to hear. 

-

His day, just as busy as the last, thankfully ended earlier. Especially since he’d gotten a call from his father reminding him that he and Y/N were supposed to cook dinner at the house that night. Don just hoped that you would have some kind of clue as to what to make. 

You were gone before he even woke up, leaving a simple note saying you wanted to get some work done before everyone else arrived. It was odd. Adding onto the fact that you never returned his call from the day before or offered any explanation for why you’d called him at ten o’clock in the evening, he wondered if you were doing alright. He couldn't think of anything that might have upset you, but maybe something had happened at work, hence why you were spending more time there. He tried calling you to check in around lunch, but like the previous night, no answer. 

Whatever was going on, he’d hoped to talk to you before dinner, without the obnoxiously curious ears of his relatives listening in. But when he arrived at Charlie/their father’s house, he found you were already there, hands buried in bread dough and surrounded by the smell of pasta sauce. 

“Hey. I was wondering when you’d get here,” you greeted, sounding out of breath. You’d been doing well enough covering your nervous state around Charlie and Alan, but as soon as your fiance walked in the door, you knew you’d have to work a lot harder. “Sorry I started without you, but the animals are getting hungry out there and I didn’t want to keep them waiting.” 

You kneaded the bread into the counter with a touch more aggression than was probably needed. 

“You know it’s not really my strong suit anyway,” Don chuckled. He moved behind you, laying his chin on his shoulder and his hands on your waist. “This looks great though. But will the bread be ready for tonight? I thought it had to sit for a while or something.” 

“Oh, I’m just making some for tomorrow since the sauce didn’t take as long as I thought,” you shrugged.

“Well, that’s…” He kissed your cheek. “Nice of you.” 

He went to the fridge and opened a bottle of beer, checking around to make sure his brother and dad weren’t around to eavesdrop. 

“Sorry I missed your call last night,” he started, his tone revealing more inquiry than his words. “I was totally swamped with work.”

You hit the dough again. “So was I. I was just calling to explain why I was so late, so no worries.” 

He took a swig from the bottle. “You haven’t been calling me back.”

“Right.” Your shoulders tensed. He noticed. “I dropped my phone when I was unlocking my car. Stupid, right? Totally busted now. I’ll have to get a new one.” 

“Huh.” He took another drink. “I thought your car was in the shop?” 

You poured the finished pasta into the awaiting sauce. “Dinner��s ready!” 

Doing your best to ignore Don’s concerned, questioning looks, you mixed the pasta and returned to the dough, putting it in a bowl so it could rise. Alan entered the kitchen, thus ending Don’s attempt to get any real answers from you. 

“Smells delicious!” Your soon-to-be father-in-law cheered. He eyed his son. “I take it you didn’t have much to do with it.”

“She didn’t give me the chance!” Don defended. 

Charlie joined the merry group and you hoped the multiple participants would distract Don from your inability to stop shaking. The four of you headed to the dining room with you carrying the parmesan in one hand, your plate of hardly any food in the other. You tried to take a deep breath to calm down, but it just sent a sharpness through your ribs. 

Only bruised, according to your hospital visit that day, but still painful. 

“Honey, are you-” Don put a hand between your shoulder blades, leaning in so only you could hear. “Are you feeling okay?” 

His hand inched upward, toward the scratches on the back of your neck, hidden beneath your unseasonal turtle neck, which concealed the marks from the knife on your throat as well. 

“Yeah.” You jerked away. “Of course.” You gave him a smile and a kiss and took your seat across from him at the table. 

The turtle neck was a fashion choice that had not gone unnoticed by your dinner dates. Given that you were in L.A. and it was July, everyone couldn’t help but raise a brow and the dark fabric inching all the way up your throat. 

“Are you cold, Y/N?” Charlie asked. “Because I can turn the heat up if you need-”

“No, no I’m fine,” you lied. You could feel the sweat on your back just sitting there. “Just ran out of clean clothes, so I got stuck with this.” You tried laughing it off but could feel Don’s gaze grow more suspicious by the second. 

“I bet I’ve got some old t-shirts around here somewhere,” he suggested, probing your reaction to try and catch your lie. Your eyes flicked over at him. The corner of your mouth twitched, just slightly. A tell he’d come to recognize. “They aren’t great, but I’m sure they’d be more comfortable than that straight jacket you’ve got on.” 

“That’s okay,” you gulped. “Really. I just want to eat.” 

You grabbed your fork with your left hand. Alan caught a glimpse of your hand. More importantly, he saw the lack of the ring. You quickly put your hand in your lap and reached for your glass of wine. 

While the other three ate in a silence growing with tension, you pushed your food around your plate. Every time you swallowed, you could feel the blade pressing into your skin. Every time you moved, the soreness in your ribs almost made you wince. You knew you couldn’t keep this up for much longer- not with all three Eppes men looking at you with questions in their eyes- but you tried nonetheless. 

With still half of your meal untouched, you stood up and poured the rest of your wine down your throat. 

“I’m going to clean up,” you said. You ducked back into the kitchen, staying near the door when you heard the Eppes boys start to talk. 

“Is she… okay?” Charlie asked. 

“You noticed that too, huh?” Don sighed. His fork clinked against his plate. “I have no idea what could be wrong. As far as I know, things are going well at work, and her family is all healthy. I don’t know, guys. But she does seem off, right?” 

“Well,” Alan started, his tone giving away what you were afraid he’d bring up. “Did you do anything, Don?” 

“Come on, Dad, don’t you think I would have figured that out?” He huffed, taking another drink of his beer. He gulped. “Why do you ask?” 

Alan exchanged a look with his other son, glances at the kitchen door, and back to his oldest. 

“Don, she, uh, she isn’t wearing her ring.” 

You froze. 

Please drop it. Just drop it. Don’t…

“She’s what?”

“Maybe she just took it off to make dinner and forgot, but I saw the way she looked when I noticed,” Alan sighed. “I really think something’s wrong.” 

Charlie coughed, his math brain combatting with the part of his brain telling him to shut up. 

“I could put recent events into an equation-”

“If you turn my relationship into a set of numbers, I will make you eat your chalk, Charlie I swear to God,” Don snapped. 

You couldn’t take it anymore, them turning on each other because of your secrecy. The kitchen door swung open again and you stood before them with your arms crossed to hide your shaking hands. 

“I got mugged,” you blurted. All heads turned to you, eyes widening and Charlie’s mouth falling open. You ran your fingers through your hair and held it up for them to see the bruising around where your ring should have been. “So, yeah, Don didn’t do anything wrong. The ring was stolen. Along with my watch, my wallet, and my phone.” Reluctantly, you glanced at Don. “Which is why I haven’t called you back.” 

You took a deep breath and grimaced, finally letting the pain show. Your hand went to your chest. Don’s face contorted, his arms tensing, ready to spring into action. With all three of them still watching you, hot tears began to blur your vision. 

“You know what, I think I will go change,” you said through trembling lips. “Upstairs right?”

You bolted before anyone could respond. 

Don didn’t hesitate to follow, leaving his brother and father in shocked concern. 

Once you’d made your way to Don’s old room, you tore off the turtleneck and, despite being out of sight from the others, refused to let yourself cry. You distracted yourself by looking through drawers, but they were all empty. 

The door opened slowly and Don stepped inside. 

“I’m sorry,” you said, starting to pace in front of the dresser with its drawers all pulled open. “I didn’t want to tell you. Especially not like that.” Your voice cracked and you covered your mouth with your hand to hide the cries. 

Don stood there, frozen as he took in the sight before him. The skin over your ribs was a deep purple on the right side and there were marks on the back of your neck like you’d been forced up against a rough surface. And your neck had a thin red line, just starting to scab over, stretched across your throat. 

You kept pacing, afraid that if you stopped moving, you’d just feel trapped again. 

“Y/N,” Don said softly.

“I went to the hospital. They said everything would heal in no time.” 

“Sweetheart-”

“It could have been worse,” you reasoned with yourself. “I know that. It could have been so much worse. I mean, I’m here, right? But I don’t feel like I’m… Like I’m still…”  Your breathing caught again, stuck between the pain in your chest and your sobs. 

When Don put his arms around you, you let him, burying your face in his chest as you cried. He sat on the edge of the bed, bringing you into his lap.

“I didn’t want you to find out,” you cried. “I didn’t know how- or-or what to say.”

“It’s okay, baby,” he soothed. He pulled back, dark eyes looking into yours. “Just talk to me.” 

You both stayed like that until you’d taken a few deep breaths and stood up. Don found a box in the closet with a bunch of his old baseball jerseys. It was nice to cover the bruises, but you couldn’t help but trace the line on your neck, feeling Don’s eyes doing the same. 

“The mechanic called me last night and said they couldn’t return my car until next week,” you said. “I didn’t think it was a big deal until I didn’t get done at work until late.” You saw the question in his expression so you answered it. “It was around ten.” 

Don’s face fell. “That’s why you called me.” 

“I thought, if you were off work, you could swing by and give me a ride, but as soon as I realized you were still busy, I figured I could just take the subway. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” You wiped away more falling tears. 

“I didn’t answer.” Don ran a hand down his face. 

“It’s not your fault, Donnie.” You took his hand in yours. “I’m sure you could ask Charlie all about the statistics about this kind of thing-”

“I don’t want any damn statistics, I wanna find the guy who hurt you,” he snapped. You pulled your hand away and he exhaled. “I’m sorry.” 

You moved to the window, fingers toying with the hem of the jersey. It felt more and more ridiculous the longer you stood there. Your fiance’s childhood bedroom, his college baseball jersey, and a knife mark across your neck. 

“I keep wanting to find ways to blame myself,” you whispered, running a finger across the glass. “I try to tell myself I should have just left earlier, or gone a different direction, or called you again.” You turned back around, the sight of heartbreak in his eyes making you cry all over again. “But then I just think about how I thought he was going to kill me.”

“Hey, don’t go there,” Don said. He crossed the space between you, brushing away your tears with his thumb. “It’s like you said, right? You’re here. You’re with me. And I’m going to be with you. Always.” 

You nodded and, this time, pulled him to you. Your lips brushed against his lightly, as if just to remind yourself he was there. Don tucked a hair behind your ear, letting his arms fall around your waist. 

“So what do you want to do? If you want to go down and make a statement, I’ll be right beside you. If you want, I can look into it. I’ve still got a couple of favors I can call in with the LAPD…”

“Honestly,” you blew out a breath, “I just want to sleep.” 

“Okay.” He kissed your forehead. “You want to just stay here? Maybe I can convince Dad to make some of that hot chocolate you love.” 

“I don’t want to-” You yawned. “Impose.” 

“Are you kidding?” He gave you a small smile. “I’d be surprised if they let us leave.”

The comment pulled a quiet, but well needed, laugh from you and you didn’t even notice the soreness in your chest. 

“I should probably go talk to them,” you said. 

“Only if you want to. I can go down if you want to get some rest.”

You shook your head. “I’ll be okay.” 

Don nodded and laced his fingers with yours, leading you back downstairs. 

Charlie and Alan had moved to the living room, though both remained on the edge of their seats. Charlie nearly jumped up when he heard two pairs of footsteps descending the steps. 

“Hey, Charlie, it’s okay for us to crash here, right?” Don asked, hand still holding onto yours. “We’re both pretty exhausted.” 

“He means me,” you said, holding up your free hand. You noticed their worried expression and felt another round of guilt go through your head. “I’m sorry about before. That wasn’t really the best way to tell you guys what happened.” 

“Y/N, are you…” Charlie started to ask but found himself unable to finish. You didn’t need him to. 

“I will be.” You gave Don’s hand a squeeze. “Thanks, Charlie.” 

“You know what?” Alan stood. “Why don't I make us all some of that hot chocolate you helped me make, hm?”

Don glanced over at you and chuckled. “What did I say? Hot chocolate.”

“That’d be perfect, thank you.” You pulled your hand away from Don’s, looking mournfully at your bare finger. “And Alan?” He turned in the doorway. You took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about the ring.” 

“Oh, honey,” Don sighed, wrapping an arm around your waist and gently pulling you to him, kissing your temple, “we aren’t worried about that.” 

Alan nodded. “We’re just glad you’re okay.” 

“Come on,” Don said, leading you to the sofa where you could lay with your head on his leg and his arm still protectively draped over you.

While you still felt the shadow of that blinking street lamp hanging over you, it was a comfort to know you had someone who would walk you through the dark. 

-

Things did get better. When you explained what happened to your boss, he was more than willing to give you some time off to recover, though it was Don’s idea to take off work. You were pretty sure it was just so he could keep an eye on you. 

And you knew it wasn’t your fault and, with the help of much convincing from you, Don knew there wasn’t anything he could have done. Though, you could still see the way the guilt weighed on his shoulders when he walked into a room. 

You were at the house, marveling at some of Charlie’s work in the garage when your fiance got back from a case he’d kept very quiet about. 

“So what’s this again?” You asked, pointing to an equation on one of the boards hanging from the wall. 

“I’m glad you asked,” Charlie grinned. “I’ve been helping Don with finding where a serial killer’s ‘home base’ is, so to speak.” 

“I’ve heard of that. Geographical profiling, or something like that right?”

“Right. I’m using the locations of all of the attacks and…” He trailed off, looking behind you. 

“Hey guys,” Don greeted, leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. 

“Hi, honey. Charlie was just showing me some of the stuff he’s been working on for your cases,” you beamed. 

“That’s great,” Don said. His eyes flicked over to his brother. He cleared his throat. 

“Ah,” Charlie exclaimed, understanding, “right. Well, I have to go do… something else… in the living room.” The younger Eppes darted off, his brother shaking his head in his wake. 

“Do I want to know what that was about?” You snickered. 

Don stepped closer, the intensity of his gaze making you start to worry. 

“What is it?” 

“Do you remember how I said I had some favors I could call in at the LAPD?” He asked. Don pulled a box out of his pocket. “Well one of them paid off.” 

“Don, is that…?” You gasped. 

He opened the box, revealing the ring he’d proposed to you with just months before. His mother’s ring that she’d told him to give to the woman that made him whole. There was no doubt in his mind that that woman was you. 

“We are able to find the guy,” he explained. “Apparently, there have been muggings in that area pretty frequently in the last few weeks. He was too stupid to realize staying in one spot was a bad business move. And luckily he hadn’t pawned this yet, so…” 

Don slipped the ring onto your finger and felt a small part of the weight lift seeing it where it belonged. 

“I know that this doesn’t make anything better or change what happened,  but I wanted to make sure you got it back,” he said. 

You laid your hands on either side of his face. 

“Thank you.” 

You kissed him until you had to pull back to breathe. 

Don smirked. “Well, now that's taken care of, I am treating us all to dinner.” He wrapped an arm around your shoulders and you leaned against his. 

“Don’t tell me you’re cooking?” 

He laughed and lifted your hand, kissing each finger and ending on your ring finger. 

“Pizza.” 

You smiled and found his lips again with yours while the light of the garage cast reflections from the diamond around the walls.

“Sounds perfect.”

[sun-ni-day]

Numb3rs 5x23 Angels and Devils

[sidleyparkhermit]

for the word finder game, because i am very annoying but think i am very clever: "all" "use" "math" "every" and "day"

all (from magnetic reconnection ch.3, aka the time travel fic)

It was only much later, seated on the futon surrounded by notes and paper plates, warmed by the cozy fire in the fireplace, that Charlie really noticed how Larry had kept the conversation going nonstop at all the moments when Charlie should’ve stepped in to help pay for the food.

use (from magnetic reconnection ch.3, immediately before the previous excerpt)

The moment he hung up the phone, Larry resumed their conversation from yesterday, pulling notes out of his slim briefcase and making use of the available flat surfaces — which mostly meant the big Japanese futon mattress on the floor, because the desk in the corner was completely covered with books and papers already.

math (from then a miracle occurs)

The thing with Charlie was not some pervy secret that he needed to have a complex about. No one was coming to his door with pitchforks and hemlock if he acted on his feelings for a 30-year-old tenured math professor.

every (from the case is altered, the terror three-way bodyswap fic with eventual irving/bridgens/peglar) (which is not, however, the set of three people who get bodyswapped)

What was happening was so mysterious I could not guess at it — myself still being half-absent, as when one is woken from the very deepest of sleep and for a suspended moment barely remembers what it is to be human — but since this man spoke to me like a friend who believed he had every reason to be here, I would respond in kind and ask him for help, as I would ask a reasonable friend.

day (from then a miracle occurs. couldn't find this one in the singular anywhere, except in the chapters of magnetic that I already posted on AO3)

It was his first stop after recovering his ability to do things like walk in gravity — a process that had eaten up more days than he’d like. Rationally, he knew he was doing very well for a man who’d joined the space program at 50; still, he was impatient.

[sethizah]

I have a fixation on old TV series and there is one that, because of the fandom and its incredible stories, I have developed a special affection for. But for about 3 years now there's been no one writing anything...everyone abandoned it :( and now there are only new A/B fics which aren't really my taste since the series is about 2 brothers. So, imagine my happiness upon finding more than 30 (old) fics that I've never read. Oh this is going to be wonderful 😍 #numb3rs

[twig-gy]

[id: tags reading ‘#imagine meeting the god your ex was trying to make you worship and he’s the most pathetic lonely sad wet dog in the world #and he looks at you like you’re the most special wonderful intelligent person in the world #he stares at you with total adoration. he clings to you like glue and you cling back. he loves you. he loves you and he can’t leave #and he never would and he’s so. so broken. #and the ‘prophet’ who ruined everything is here too. but different. you see yourself in him. you see a mirror in his horrible sad eyes #and you can’t help but love and pity them. #/sad emoticon/ #and then you take it upon yourself to destroy the two people making them so sad.’ end id]

from an rb of this post by @s4fety-1n-numb3rs

[bullet-prooflove]

Could you do an nsfw for Ian Edgerton using j, k, p, and r pretty please? 🥺 I just started rewatching NUMB3RS and I forgot how hot he was ...

OMG Thank you so much, I love Ian and I don’t get much of a chance to write about him. He is so attractive!

Joker:

Initially it starts as just sex and Ian brings the same intensity into the bedroom that he does to everything else. He’s very domineering, it’s about taking what he needs and then leaving you absolutely ruined in the sheets,

As things develop into more, he starts to relax a little, show vulnerability. His playful side comes out and he brings that wry sense of humour into the bedroom. He gets a little more playful, there’s a lot more smiles and laugher.

Kinky:

I would say although Ian’s more dominant, he’s used to conventional sex. He’s more about positions originally as there hadn’t been much space for him to explore. He really enjoys watching the two of you, in a mirror, the reflection of the French windows, he just loves seeing the two of you together, knowing you’re his.

You’re a bit more experimental, whispering in his ear why don’t we try this and Ian is happy to oblige, I imagine he learns a lot from you in that respect. Ian’s version of sensation play is drinking a cold beer and chasing all over your body with chilled lips and a heated tongue.

I think your both into breath play a little, nothing two extreme but Ian’s hand on your throat at the right moment, gets you off like nothing else.

Ian’s a bit of a talker.

“You like that don’t you sweetheart, gonna come for me aren’t you?”

Place:

For Ian camping outdoors, getting to spend the night with you in the woods, looking up at the stars is perfect. He likes to make love to you in front of the campfire and fall asleep to the sound of the forest.

Ian doesn’t feel comfortable in hotel rooms or luxury spaces like that so stays at places like that are a firm no. He’s flexible on B&Bs if it’s for something special like your birthday and he’s taking you wine tasting.

When he stays at your place he always leaves the French windows ajar because you have woodland at the back of your house and he enjoys being close it, however due to his paranoia, he’s always sleeping between you and the door.

Restraints:

Ian is more likely to use his body to restrain you, his hands pinning yours above your head, his hips sinking into yours. He likes you vocal so there’s never any gags involved, he also likes to look into your eyes when he fucks you so no blindfolds.

Ian hates being out of control. He dislikes being restrained and anything that goes along with it. You get the sense that something happened to him during his time in the military that he isn’t ready to tell you yet.

[altschmerzes]

Did you ever watch Numb3rs? I feel like you would enjoy the vibe.

yes!!! i did!! and you're right, it was totally up my alley, you got me in one XD honestly a piece of media that will forever have a soft spot in my heart for many reasons but particularly for its portrayal of jewish characters and a like. soul searching arc for a character that brought him to connect more strongly with judaism. also an absolutely top shelf sibling dynamic. mwah. beloved.

(one of the lost media things that haunts me most is the unaired pilot where gabriel macht played don eppes. i want to see it so bad. he's one of my fave actors and i'd be FASCINATED to see his take on don, though rob morrow did a great job and i can't imagine it being anyone else)

[hummingbird-of-light]

Round 3: Second story for @badthingshappenbingo ~

Title: Caution! Wet Floor

Fandom: Numb3rs

Character(s): Larry Fleinhardt, Don Eppes

Relationship(s): Larry Fleinhardt & Don Eppes

Rating: G

Words: 593

Prompt: Arm in a Sling

Warnings: Broken Bones, Accidents

(You can also find this story on AO3)

~ Caution! Wet Floor ~

"I just can't believe it. I just can't believe that such an incredibly embarrassing accident has happened to me of all people. What will my students say?"

With a pained expression, astrophysicist Dr. Larry Fleinhardt rubbed his injured arm, which was lying in a triangular bandage wrapped in a sling around his shoulder. It was a first aid measure that Don had taken. The temporary splint only had to hold until they reached the hospital.

"Well, they'll probably say that you went all Fleinhardt," Don replied, a hint of a grin on his face. Larry gave the agent a dirty look.

"Don't start using my name as an adjective! It's quite enough when Charles does it. I expect better from his older brother, so – ouch, ouch, ouch!" One wrong move and Larry's arm hurt indescribably again. He squinted his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Don looked over at him and gave him a sympathetic smile before looking back at the road. If traffic in Los Angeles continued to be this slow, it would be an eternity before they reached the hospital.

"I'm sorry, Larry. I didn't mean it like that. And it would be better if you tried to sit still and not get too excited."

The professor had a tendency to gesticulate wildly during his tirades, which was not a good idea in his current state.

Larry sighed heavily and leaned his head back into the headrest of the car.

"I know, I know. Oh, if only I'd remembered that Wednesdays are always the day they clean the corridors! Then this bloody arm fracture wouldn't have happened in the first place," he complained.

"Maybe next time you're on your way to a lecture, you should just not have your nose buried in a book, but focus on your surroundings. That can be really helpful."

Larry heard the mischievous undertone in Don's voice very clearly and once again he glared at his friend.

"Donald Eppes," he said in a warning voice and the agent shrugged his shoulders.

"What, I'm just saying."

Larry simply shook his head and mumbled a quiet "No respect" to himself before the two men remained silent for quite a while.

The silence was only broken when Don suddenly couldn't hold back a laugh and snorted.

"What's so funny, young man?" Larry demanded to know, his eyes narrowed suspiciously and Don waved his hand away.

"It ... it was kinda funny. The way you slid along the freshly mopped floor, trying to find your balance. Almost like a cartoon."

For a moment, Larry felt annoyed at Don's sudden burst of laughter, but then he imagined the image that had presented itself to the his best friend's brother as he had turned into the corridor.

A small, elderly man in a floral shirt, slithering through the corridor like Bambi across the frozen lake and eventually falling to the floor, only to slide on belly first.

The physicist couldn't help but smile. It had certainly looked very amusing.

"Sorry, sorry. I ... No, it wasn't funny at all. You're hurt. I shouldn't laugh about it," Don quickly apologized, but Larry only shook his head.

"It is all right, Don." He patted the driver of the car on the knee before laughing himself. "Who knows ... Maybe the story will even get an honor roll entry in my students' yearbook."

"Oh, I'm quite sure it will, Larry. After all, you're one of the best professors CalSci has. If you're not a celebrity, who is?"

Both men laughed and suddenly the pain was only half as bad.

[electricsakura16]

Meet Kimchi, based on my imagination involving an ATHF with traits of Freda and Tabitha (Master Shake's previous girlfriends).

Facts:

Her full name is Kimberly Brutananadilewski, goes by Kim for short and is nicknamed Kimchi.

She is obnoxious and short-tempered, but is obviously more understanding and has potential trust and care for her friends and even Ramen and Abigail (OC I currently own).

She is female and goes by She/Her pronouns

Around Master Shake's age

She is Pansexual and Biromantic

Obviously looks forward to Abigail and wishes she could be like her

She and Carl sometimes get into scuffles with eachother

First met the Aqua Teens when she was caught sulking in the streets

Loves Y2K Aesthetic

Her nickname "Kimchi" comes from her likeness of said Korean side dish

Truly loves Master Shake, Would later become his love interest at the end of Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters

She likes McBling and Pink Colors

Her chore is washing Carl's car

She and Carl raised on their own eversince their mother disappeared and then their father (Sad)

She owns a pink cellphone in the past seasons, she would later use a pink smartphone in the later seasons (even on Season 12)

She uses typical slangs such as "Oh my god" and "Gross!"

She once had an ex-boyfriend.

Relationship Chart:

Carl Brutananadilewski - Older brother

Master Shake - Close Friend/Crush, Later love interest

Frylock - Friend

Meatwad - Friend

Burgen - Friend

Ramen - Best Friend

Abigail - Looks forward to/Wants to be her

Dr. Weird - Hates

Steve - Acquaintance

Mooninites - Alright with

Plutonians - Alright with

Suninites - Alright with

Bubble Gumellia (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friend

Tulip (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friend

Mr. Signals (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friend

Wi-Flora (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friendly Towards

Saturnians (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friendly Towards

Paintette (by LilyPinkyBunnyUwU) - Friend

[kitkatpancakestack]

KITKAT YOU WATCHED NUMB3RS?!!!???? i've never met someone besides my mom who also watched that show

AKDJSKS Listen sometimes I'm not convinced any of us watched it and that it was a collective fever dream. Idk what it was about that show but I was fucking hooked. Just imagine little tweenager me sneaking off to watch Numb3rs, logged onto ff.net at all hours of the night. I always say spn was my first fandom obsession but I'm a LIAR and a FAKE bc Numb3rs is RIGHT THERE. Don and Charlie were my number ones 😌 looking back, I should have known my weird obsession about emotionally-distant-siblings-who-are-not-actually-all-that-emotionally-distant and would do anything for each other was priming me perfectly to make spn my entire personality for like 10+ years sjdjsksdj

[crazyk-imagine]

GIFS I

Gifs I don’t want to lose :)

Top Gun + Top Gun: Maverick

The Dog fight Scene

More of the scene

More dog fight scene

Hangman & Coyote

Hangman and his darts

Bob in the sky

Hangman during the dog fight

The one time you see the other pilots

An adorable duo

Fritz during the dog fight

Bob’s move

“Hangman in costume”

“College Jake”

Yale in the sky

TGM cast

Bob

Bob and Mickey in college collage

Top gun as troubled birds?

TG and TGM teachers

Icemav

Bob and Fanboy as besties

Shock

Bob, Fanboy, and Coyote

Dagger Squad

Rooster @ Hangman

Hangman @ Rooster

Bob’s hair

Kermit and Lewis

Things associated with BB

The Squad

Brad

Quarter of the dagger squad playing jenga

Mav and Rooster

Mav runs to Rooster

Rooster learns Mav is insane

Bradshaw boys // B Boys 

Goose Goose

Anthony as Goose

Iceman, Maverick, Goose, and Slider

Iceman

Iceman being Iceman

Wolfman and Hangman

“Nerd” boys being proud of Nat

Glen

Cleaned up Dagger Squad 

Sassy Bradley

Edit

Should have been a real pic in the movie

Wolfman and Hollywood

Slider and Iceman

Top Daggers

Fanboy and Payback

Wolfman and Hollywood

Dramatic Hannix

Hannix

Sad Hannix

The cast 

Butts

Everybody Wants Some!!

Finnegan with his cowboy hat // Cowboy hat

Finnegan dancing // more dancing

Finnegan // Pt. 2

Finnegan and the bull

Finnegan and Coma dancing

Supernatural

Richard Speight Jr fangirling

Jensen *tsk tsk*

Gag reel

Dean

The cast and their hair

Dean stealing candy

Dean cleaning himself 

Funny post

Dick Hunter

More Dean

Alternate Dean’s

Swat Supernatural 

Dean

Sam and Dean

Dean

Devotion

Jonathon and Glen 

Glen in devotion

Glen in his uniform

Glen in his whites

Narnia

Lucy and Peter

Tiktok song

Dialogue

Susan w/ Eliza H lyrics

Pevensie Ages

Small timeline

Viva la Viva w/ Peter

Sad times w/ Peter

Moodboard series

Hamilton lyrics x Narnia peeps

William Mosley gifs // Pt. 2

Narnia book remodel

Peter edit

Parallels

Merlin

Merlin

Merlin and poetry

Merlin curses

Arthur’s love language for Merlin

More Merlin

Gwaine

More Gwaine

Merlin edit

Arthur

Arthur accpeting magic (what we deserved to see)

Non Merlin watcher comments

Rupert Young being cocky

Merthur

Break my heart // Pt.2 

Arthur learned the truth 

Edits

Merlin

Arthur messing with Merlin

Arthur defying his Father

The End

Locations 

Arthur undressing

BBC Merlin

BBC Merlin

Funny

Interesting 

Bridgerton

Kanthony

Character develpment - Anthony

The family dancing

The family

Mentions of the sting

Stranger Things

Equipped Nancy

Eddie

Nancy and Eddie

Platonic Soulmates

This is music

Ted Lasso

Jamie 

More Jamie

Some more Jamie

Jamie 

Jamie

Sleepy Jamie

More Jamie

Lot more Jamie

(Don’t judge me) Jamie

Character development

Jamie (cold upstairs, hot downstairs)

Jamie

Parallels

Jamie

The strings

Character arc

Cartwheels

Roy

Jamie

Cuteness

Dance Dance

Pass the ball

Dance dance again

Fist bump

Beard and Roy

The Richman Way

Lasso dance

The end

Uncle Roy

Jamie

Birthday

Jamie knows Roy

Progress

After the poster

More progress

Jamie being mature

Last practice

Jamie and Sam

Jamie

Ted and Rebecca

Jamie 

Jamie and Sam 

You missed a good one

Wizard of Oz

Father and Son

Jamie

Will and convos

Sassy trio

Tears

The Fashion Police

Team fines

Jamie and Dani

Facts

Jamie

Sweaty Jamie 

Triple Frontier

The boys

Makes me cackle

How I imagined the end in One Shot

The main four

Santi

Frankie

Will

More Will

Benny

More Benny

“After” the movie Benny

Menacing walk Benny (future unwritten scene?) 

AU Will 

Marvel/ DC

Zemo dancing

Bucky

More Bucky

Not Bucky but fits the vibe

Misc

Willard dancing

Willard and Ren Dancing

Marko, Paul, Dwayne, and David

Lindsay embarrassing Flack

Shane and Ryan through the years

Shane and Ryan

Ryan

Salem Saberhagen Icons Pt. 1 // Pt. 2

Salem Saberhagen

Chris Knight deleted scene

Chris Knight

Black Phone

Leatherface (2017)

Numb3rs “date night”

Eric saves Jack

Monk

The boys and Lassie

Benny icons for My babysitters a vampire

Bowers gang

(Book) Stan Uris

Stan and Ritchie

IT

Harry potter

Fred and George being adorable

Now you see me

Bohrap

Queen commentary

Tom Hiddleston is a real life prince

James Diamond

Kira Yukimura

Fic edits

BTR vibes

Glen Powell

P & P Trivia

Know your Leatherface

Drew in the puppy interview

Rafe obx 3

Lewis 

“College Student”

Art History meme

Deadpool

American Psycho

Shower AP Scene

AP Lines

Rafe

Phil Dunster

Dungeons and Dragons 

Aemond Targaryen 

Ken talk

Behind the scenes - HOTD - AT

DPS things

Wolf transformation

The toast

Aemond T

[fandom-imagines-stories]

One is the Loneliest Number

Don Eppes x Reader

Words: 4527

Part Three of Three

Summary: Having pushed each other away, Don and the reader contemplate whether or not the risk relationships pose in their lives is worth the pain they’ve experienced before. Things get even more complicated when she must go into protective custody. Charlie steps in to help. 

Notes: For this last part, I really wanted to do something a little different and not use the villain from the last two episodes. I thought having something more connected to the reader rather than Don would be a good way to get a conversation going for the two of them. But who knows, maybe I’ll bring these two back and revisit Nicholsen. I’ve had so much fun writing this series. 

More Don: HERE 

-

You heard the shots and started running. 

The shot echoed through his head as he sprinted across the courtyard.

You couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of your heart in your ears. Every step seemed like another gunshot ringing through your head. 

He pushed through the sea of people running in the opposite direction, trying to see over the crowd. Another shot rang out and someone around him screamed. He called out your name like he already knew. 

You made it past the desk without having to check in. They didn’t even look at you. They all just looked at the horrifying scene as it played out on every security screen, haunting you with every image. You watched him fall to the ground. You watched the blood. 

He saw the pool of blood before he saw you. It seemed to flow like a river, spreading across the sidewalk and coating his feet as he kept running. 

You fell to the carpet beside him- laid out beside his desk and choking on his blood- a bullet hole where his throat should have been. 

He fell to the ground beside you, your cold eyes directed up at the gray sky. He pulled you into his arms, letting your blood stain his skin and mix with his tears. 

You screamed until you couldn’t breathe. 

He screamed until his lungs gave out. 

You woke up gripping sweat-soaked sheets, gasping in the cold night air. Rain pelted the fire escape, pinging against the metal and your memory. 

Don woke up, shooting out of the bed, reaching for the bat he kept next to his nightstand. But there was no one there. Nothing but the sound of the rain on his window pane. 

Your frantic eyes scanned the room, convincing your brain that it was just a dream. It wasn’t real. 

Don laid back down, turning over but finding nothing but an empty bed to hold. 

You were alone. 

He was alone. 

-

They caught him. More specifically, they killed him. Pete Nicholsen went down two weeks after the shooting at the school. After everything with Don…

You’d tried to focus on teaching. You told yourself that it would be better. You wouldn’t be as distracted. It was easier this way. For both of you. 

Still, not so much as a phone call? 

It hurt more than you wanted to admit. 

How could you be so stupid? 

“Come on, Y/N,” you muttered to yourself. “It wasn’t exactly the same situation. Cut yourself some slack.” 

The bottom drawer of your desk mocked you with what you knew was inside. As you reached for it, a voice made you pause. 

“Long day?” Amita knocked on your doorframe and stepped into the office. “No offense, but you look exhausted.” 

“Gee, thanks,” you laughed, forgetting the object in the drawer. “Did Charlie send you to check on me?”

“Can’t I just be concerned about the well-being of my friend?” Amita took the seat across from you. “He mentioned that you’ve seemed a little down the past few weeks and I wanted to see if you were okay.”

“I’m always okay, Amita, but I appreciate the concern.” 

“‘I’m always okay’? Really,” she said, shaking her head. “God, you sound like Don.” 

“Ah, the elusive FBI big brother. I’ve heard his quite the character.” You kept your eyes on the wooden surface in front of you so she couldn’t see the pain in your gaze just from hearing his name. 

“I thought you guys knew each other?” She prompted. “Charlie seems to think you got on pretty well after the lecture.”

“Yeah, well our schedules and everything don’t really allow for budding friendships I guess.” 

Or relationships. Or feelings. 

Or love. 

The whining tone of your voice made you sound as pathetic as you felt. You grabbed some files from your desk that you honestly hadn’t looked at in days and placed them out in front of you. 

“I’ve actually got a lot I need to do tonight before I go home, so…” 

Amita’s lips formed a line. She nodded. “Right. I’ll leave you to do that then.” As she got up to leave, a pang of guilt shot through your head. Just because you were mad at yourself didn’t mean you had to be mad at the world. 

“Hey, wait,” you sighed. She turned around. “Maybe we could get coffee tomorrow or something? I know I’ve been kind of distant lately, but I’d like to spend more time with you and Charlie.”

“That would be great.” Amita gave you a small smile and left. 

You set the files back down and ran a hand over your face, reaching again for that bottom drawer. 

The ring glinted up at you in the lamplight, along with the shattered picture frame under it. A lying smile laid beneath cracked glass. 

Maybe it was better that Don broke things off when he did. 

Maybe you were just better off alone. 

And maybe, one day, you would actually make yourself believe that. 

-

“Now get it done!” Don screamed, slamming his hand on his desk and turning his back on the team. 

It was like he was angry at the world. From snapping at the team to the agitated way he was after they got Nicholsen, Don was different. And he was making work awkward as hell for everybody else. 

He was pouring himself some coffee, thinking about a lot of things, none of which had anything to do with the case he was on, when he was suddenly not alone anymore. 

“Alright,” Megan said, closing the door behind her. “What’s going on?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“You just yelled at all of us for the past ten minutes for not being able to get a warrant that you know we aren’t going to get.” She poured herself a cup. “You aren’t a bully Don, but you’re pissed off at something. I just don’t think it’s us.” 

“And I don’t think it’s your place to question me, Agent Reeves,” he snapped. 

She took the blow without flinching. “I’m talking as a friend, not a fellow agent. I just want to know if you’re okay.”

“I’m always okay,” he answered without thinking. 

Megan rolled her eyes. “Right.” 

Seeing that she wasn’t getting anywhere, the junior agent returned to her desk. 

Don’s shoulders fell as he leaned on the table, running a hand down his face. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He knew that he was letting his personal life collide with work, the opposite of what he wanted to happen when he ended things. He took a deep breath, finished his coffee, and went back out to the team. 

The office was buzzing and it wasn’t over his previous outburst. The TV screen gave an explanation. A federal prosecutor was found dead in her garage. It might have been written off as a suicide, but, as the newscaster put it, clear messages were left at the crime scene regarding Attorney Lannister’s court case on Mario Treble, a big name in organized crime. 

But that wasn’t what Don noticed. 

There, in the background, a police officer was talking to a woman clearly in distress. 

“Isn’t that…” Megan started. 

Don’s eyes were glued to the screen and he spoke only loud enough that she could hear. “That’s Y/N.” 

-

You tried to keep from shaking. After a career of looking at crime scene photos, you never imagined that this is what it felt like to be first on the scene. 

Jules was your friend. Seeing her hanging like that… 

Just thinking about it almost made you sick all over again. You just sat on the hood of a cop car with the stupid shock blanket that the paramedics gave you for what had to be hours. You watched them wheel the body bag out of the garage, the squeaking wheels echoing through your head so you couldn't focus on anything else. You just saw her face, blue and twisted and terrified. You didn’t see the SUVs pull up or hear the car doors slam. You couldn't see anything but that black body bag until someone stepped in front of your view and suddenly you were looking into dark, worried eyes. 

“They told me you weren’t hurt. Are you hurt?” Don asked, crouching down so he could get a better look at possible injuries. 

Don. 

For a minute you didn’t care that you’d walked out of his apartment two weeks ago. You didn’t care that he’d broken your heart. You didn’t care that you’d spent the last couple of weeks beating yourself up over letting yourself fall in love again. You didn’t care because he was here. 

You stood up, blanket falling to your feet, and threw your arms around him. 

He stood, surprised for a second, but wrapped you in his embrace quickly, grateful that you were okay. 

“I came over to go over my testimony and-and she was just… hanging there,” you cried. “Her notes were all over the floor like someone had gone through them and the card was sitting there on top and-”

“Woah, slow down.” Don pushed away, brows furrowed. “Card? What card?” 

You blinked, remembered where you were and who you were with, and took a step back. “The King of Diamonds.” Running your fingers through your hair, you tried to think.

  “What does that have to do with Lannister?” 

“Playing cards are a trademark for Mario Treble,” you said. “It’s a message to let him go.” Tears welled up in your eyes again. “Jules told me this was a major case, but I never thought that… oh my god, they really killed her.” 

Don picked up the shock blanket and put it back around your shoulders. “Come here,” he soothed, pulling you back into your arms. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I’m going to figure this out.” 

“Hey, Don!” Colby called from the garage. “You should come take a look at this.” 

The team leader lingered, keeping his eyes on you. 

You took another step back. “Go. You’re of more use there than with me.” Maybe you didn’t mean for it to sound as biting as it did. Maybe you did. 

Don nodded, stone-faced, and walked away. 

He joined Colby, who was looking up at the beam that Jules Lannister had been strung up from. 

“What is it?” He asked. 

“Did Y/N mention anything about playing cards?” 

“Yeah, she said something about there being a King of Diamonds on top of the files. It’s apparently a signature of this guy Lannister was prosecuting,” Don said. “Why?”

Colby pointed up. “Because I think they left more than one message.” 

Don craned his neck to get a better look. There, taped to the beam, was a Queen of Hearts card. 

“Does that say what I think it says?” Colby grimaced. 

Don’s heart dropped. He clenched his jaw. 

“She’s next.” He reached for his phone. 

“What’s the plan?” Colby asked.

“First, I’m getting her the hell out of here.” He dialed his brother’s number. Don turned back, watching you across the driveway with a lump in his throat. The other line picked up. “Hey, Charlie, I need a favor.”

-

Someone handed you a mug. It warmed your hands. Someone asked if you wanted something else. You thought you shook your head, but you weren’t sure. It didn’t feel like you could move at all. You blinked, trying to process the motion around the room. 

Charlie sat down in front of you. 

“Don said he’ll be here soon.” 

You nodded. 

“Are you sure you don’t want anything else?” 

You nodded. 

“Can you actually hear me or are you just nodding because you want me to leave you alone?” 

Finally, a small smile graced your lips. Your dazed eyes met his.  “Loud and clear, professor. Thank you.” You took a sip of the coffee he’d given you, letting it pull you further out of your trance. 

Charlie took a deep breath. “It’s been a while since we’ve talked, hasn’t it?”

“We see each other every other day,” you teased. 

“Yeah, but that’s just class stuff. We haven’t really, you know, talked talked since… well, since Nicholsen came to campus that day.”

You tensed and set the mug down. 

“I don’t know what you mean, Charlie.” 

“Listen, it took me a long time to… adjust after I started working with the FBI,” he said. “I don’t think I ever fully adjusted to some of the stuff we deal with.”

“It isn’t that.” 

He looked at you with soft, inquisitive eyes. “Then what is it?”

The door opened before you could fumble for an answer. 

“Don,” Alan greeted from the kitchen table. 

“Where is she? Is she okay?” His voice was urgent, panicked. The images from his dream had flashed through his mind the entire ride here.

“As okay as she can be,” you answered bleakly, standing up and meeting him under the archway. “Hey.” 

“I’ve got Megan and Colby talking to Treble at the prison and we’re getting something worked out for protective custody.”

You crossed your arms. “Protective custody? For who?”

“There was another card, Y/N.” Don’s dark eyes met yours. “Queen of Hearts.” 

Alan and Charlie exchanged a look. 

You took a step back, crossing your arms. 

“You think that they’re coming after me?”

“The card had ‘she’s next’ written on it. I’d say the chances are pretty high that means you.” He tossed his jacket onto the table. “I’m just waiting on the call to take you to a safehouse downtown.”

“I can’t go to a safe house,” you exclaimed. “We have to figure this out. Find who killed Jules and how to stop them from holding up the trial. How are we supposed to do that from a safe house?” 

He held up a hand. “We aren’t doing anything.” 

You stepped up to Don and all his protective machismo and put your hands on your hips. “Well, I’m not going to sit around while Jules’ killer is still out there.” 

Charlie gulped, storm warnings going off in his mind. 

Don glanced at his watching family members. “Come with me,” he said, taking you by the arm, and leading you into the kitchen. 

A wave hit Alan and he felt a little stupid for not seeing it earlier. 

With the kitchen door closed behind you, Don crossed his arms, fuming. 

“I thought you were smarter than this.”

“Excuse me?”

“Y/N, you teach criminology for a living,” he scoffed. “How often does it work out for the victim who refuses protection from someone like Treble?” 

You wanted to argue. You wanted to scream at him for more reasons than one, but the growing ache in your chest told you he was right. 

Don’s face softened. “Hey, listen, I get it. Jules was your friend and you want to get this guy. I want to get him too.” He stepped towards you. “But you aren’t thinking right now. You know that the safest thing you can do is work with me here.” A hand reached for yours. “Please.” 

“It was a mistake. Please. Do you know how this will look?” 

You took a step back. 

“I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

“Fine.” You voided your voice of any emotion but indifference. “Do whatever you think you need to, Agent Eppes.” 

You pushed back out the door. 

Don’s hand fell back to his side. 

-

Megan took you to the hotel, giving you little glances the whole drive. 

You didn’t say anything. 

The city blurred by outside of the window, the radio droning in the background. It looked like it was going to storm again. 

Your nightmare flashed through your head with the lightning. 

“Treble, obviously, isn’t talking,” Megan said, breaking the silence. “But Colby thinks he might have a lead.” She looked at you sympathetically. “We’re going to stop this guy.”

“Yeah,” you muttered, turning back to the cool glass of the window. “Let’s just hope it’s before any of you get killed in the process.”

“Y/N-”

“How much further is this place?” You interrupted, your voice flat and detached. 

Megan sighed. “Ten more minutes.” 

The car fell silent again. 

-

Don paced relentlessly as Charlie demonstrated how to apply something Don couldn’t focus on enough to understand to something else that didn’t seem like it was going to help at all. 

“That’s going to take too long,” he said, cutting Charlie off mid-sentence. 

Everyone in the room turned to him. 

“Don, I assure you, this will work in helping us know where Treble is going to instruct his men to strike next,” Charlie explained. 

“We already know where he’s going to strike next.” Don tossed the file with your name on it down on the table in front of his brother. “We need to know how to stop him, not study him.”

Frustration rippled across his tense shoulder blades, anger tightened his jaw, but beneath it all, fear filled his eyes. 

Charlie looked at Colby and David. “Can I have a minute, guys?”

Both were more than happy to avoid whatever hurricane Don had in him and hurried out of the room. 

Don’s brows drew together. “The hell are you doing?”

“Go to her,” Charlie sighed. 

“What?”

“Go. To. Her.” Charlie set down his marker and crossed his arms. “You’re going to keep boiling over until you do, so go see her. Talk to her. Do what you need to do so that you can think about this more clearly.”

“Are you saying I’m not doing my job?”

“No, I’m saying that you are being an idiot, Don.”

Don took a furious step towards him. 

Charlie moved to the other side of the table holding up his hands. 

“Look, I might not know everything, but I’m pretty good at putting variables together,” he said. “So get over yourself and go.”

Don’s mouth twitched and for a second, Charlie thought he was going to punch him. But instead, Don grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and stormed out of the room.

Charlie let out a sigh of relief. 

Finally.

-

You couldn’t sit still, despite the pile of work you’d brought with you, all you could do was pace in front of the windows, curtains drawn in case Treble managed to hire a sniper. That’s what Megan said anyway. 

She was sitting on the couch pretending not to analyze your every move like you were a cat trying to escape. 

“You should try and get some sleep,” she said, flipping through a newspaper. 

“Could you sleep if someone put out a calling card for your death?” 

She shrugged. “Fair enough.” 

Her walkie-talkie beeped and Don’s voice came through the static.

“Hey, Megan, I’m here to relieve you for a couple hours,” he said.

You froze.

He added, “Colby wants you to take a crack at getting one of Treble’s men to talk.”

Megan glanced up at you. She picked up the device. “Okay, boss.” She went to the door. 

You stuck to the window, arms crossed and heart pounding. You didn’t turn around when the door clicked open. You didn’t turn around when you heard his voice. 

“Thanks, Megan.”

“I’ll be back in a couple hours,” the junior agent said, giving her boss a questioning look. She muttered, “I hope you know what you’re doing.” 

Don frowned and stepped inside. 

Megan closed the door behind her. 

“Hey,” he said. 

You still didn’t turn around. “Agent Eppes.”

“Y/N-”

“I’m doing what you wanted, aren’t I?” You huffed, shoulders tight and eyes welling up. “I’m here. Instead of looking for who did this to my friend, I’m here.”

“You’re safe.”

“Am I?” You finally whipped around to face him. “Megan told me to stay away from the windows in case they have a sniper. A sniper, Don!”

“It’s just a precaution. You know that.” He ran a hand down his face. 

You sighed, letting your eyes fall to the floor. “I know.” 

Don stepped toward you. He shifted uncomfortably. “Look, Y/N…” He blew out a breath. “Can we talk?”

“If it’s about my safety, I don’t want to hear it.”

“It’s about what happened with the Nicholsen case.” 

Your eyes met his. Your heart stopped. “Don-”

A loud crash cut you off. 

Don rushed over to you, pulling out his gun. 

“It came from the bedroom,” you whispered, huddling close to him. “There’s a balcony with glass doors. That must be it.”

A flash of black and gunshots rang over your head. 

Don kept you behind him, ducking both of you out of the way. “This way. Go!”

He led you back toward the back entrance of the room. 

It burst open before you got there. One of Treble’s men stepped through, aiming for your chest and firing. 

Don got you out of the way enough for the bullet to only graze your shoulder. Still, pain tore through your arm and you couldn’t hold back your scream. 

“Sonofabitch,” Don muttered, firing at the hitman. His bullet found its mark between the man’s eyes. 

Your arm wrenched back and you felt the metal barrel against the back of your neck. 

“Call your FBI friend off,” a voice growled. 

“D-Don,” you whimpered, chest heaving and arms shaking.

Don turned around, eyes widening at the sight of you at gunpoint. 

“Drop it, tough guy,” the man holding you ordered. 

“Treble isn’t worth dying over,” Don said, trying to get a lock on the guy holding you, but he was using you as a shield. 

“I said put it down!” He dug the gun into your skin. 

Don’s eyes locked with yours.

A tear fell down your cheek. You mouthed ‘I love you.’

His heart shattered.

“Okay, okay.” Don put his hands up, slowly laying his weapon on the ground. 

“You’re going to tell your bosses to let Mario Treble go.”

“So you’re willing to go to prison for the rest of your life for that son of a bitch?” You snapped. 

“Shut up.” He jerked your injured arm back. 

You cried out. 

“You aren’t walking out of this,” Don said. “Just let her go and we can work something out.”

“Tell your bosses to let Treble go, or your girlfriend’s brains are going all over the carpet.” 

“Don,” you cried, trying to keep your voice from cracking. 

‘I love you too’ he mouthed, making sure the hitman couldn’t see. 

The shot made both of you flinch. 

The gun against your neck clattered to the floor. 

“You okay?” Megan asked, holding the gun that made the final kill. “Don?”

Don let out a sigh of relief. 

You hit your knees, a terrified sob escaping your chest. 

Don pulled you into his arms without hesitating, careful not to hit your bleeding wound. “Megan, we need a medic. Y/N’s hit.”

“I’ll be okay,” you muttered against his chest. “I’ll be okay.”

“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” He kissed your forehead. 

Megan called it in.

-

They let you go from the hospital even though Don said you should have stayed longer. The whole way to Charlie’s house, he didn’t leave your side and you didn’t argue about it. He reminded you that you were safe now. 

That Treble was staying behind bars. 

It was your idea to go to Charlie’s. Neutral ground. And you couldn’t bear the thought of going back to your apartment alone. 

The ride over from the FBI building was endured in a tense silence. 

The words you said still lingered in your head and hammered through your heart. Well… almost said. 

“Don, I-”

“Listen, Y/N-”

You both started at the same time. 

Don glanced over at you, a silent instruction for you to go first. 

You took a deep breath. “My ex-fiance cheated on me with his TA.” Saying it now felt like a weight lifted off your chest for the first time in years. You exhaled. “That’s why I’ve always been a little… careful.” 

Careful was a nice way of saying guarded, but you knew he got the point. 

His hand reached over to hold yours.

You didn’t pull away.

“I’m used to bailing when things get serious because I’m terrified of losing the people who are important to me,” he admitted, running his thumb over your knuckles. “So I convince myself that pushing people away is better for everyone.” Don parked the car and watched you with those dark, serious eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you because of that.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my jerk of an ex sooner. I guess I made myself believe that if I pretended it didn’t happen, I could just move on.” You cast your eyes downward. “Jules was the one who helped me through it.” 

Don sighed. “Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

“She died because she was damn good at her job.” You shook your head. “At least she would have been proud of that.” 

You tried in vain to blink away tears. 

Don shifted in his seat to face you. “Hey-”

“I’m okay,” you choked back a sob. “I’m-”

“Come here.” Don pulled you to him, holding you like he had back in that hotel room while you cried. While tears of his own threatened to spill over. 

“I was so scared, Don. I didn’t want to die like she did. I wasn’t ready to-”

“I know, sweetheart.” He kissed your cheek. “I know.”

You pulled away, but your faces remained inches apart. “I meant it,” you said, voice lowered to a whisper. “And it wasn’t because I had a gun to my head and it wasn’t because I thought I was going to lose you all over again.” You stared into those perfect brown eyes. “I love you, Don Eppes.” 

Don paused as if making sure he heard you right. Then, he closed the space between you. His lips caught yours gently, holding his next words in every movement.

“I meant it too.” He kissed you again. “I love you, Y/N.” 

“Then let’s stop pretending we don’t.”

He laughed, finally smiling for what felt like the first time in weeks. “Yeah. Good idea.”

The two of you got out of the car, hand in hand, and you knew that this was what you wanted. What Jules would have wanted for you. 

“So does this mean I can bother you at work whenever I have to see Charlie?” Don asked, smirking. 

“Only if you bring me cold pizza or a turkey sandwich,” you smiled. 

Alan opened the door with Charlie beside him. They both looked at you and Don’s linked hands. 

“Well I’m glad that’s finally figured out,” Alan said. 

Don stopped, looking at both of them. “You two knew?”

“I did,” Alan laughed. “But it took your brother a little longer to figure it out.”

Charlie held up his hands. “My mind has been a little too occupied to realize my brother and my coworker are hiding a relationship.” 

You winced. “Yeah. Sorry, Charlie.” 

The four of you all laughed.

Don held you a little tighter. 

It wasn’t going to be easy. But neither of you would be alone. 

[theparadoxmachine]

When I was a teenager, the show Numb3rs, a crime procedural where an FBI agent and his younger math prodigy brother team up to solve crimes with math, was. my. shit. 

So you can imagine how excited I was when I recently found out that both Paul Michael Glaser and Antonio Fargas were in episodes in the 5th season. I don’t remember later episodes as well so I didn’t remember either of them but I did find the time to watch PMG’s episode and would like to give my spoiler-filled thoughts/synopsis.

If you’re going into the episode just for PMG, you will not have to wait long, because the episode opens with a voice over from him. He’s playing Brett Hansen, a billionaire hanging out with other billionaires in his office in a historic building he owns when a bomb goes off. Everyone flees, the FBI comes in, then a second bomb goes off and the building is condemned. There’s stuff about conspiracy theorists and white supremacists and a then unknown Josh Gad who acts as our red herring and yeah SPOILER but....our boy PMG was behind it. His character wanted to level the building to build high rise apartments in its place so he could get more money, but the city wouldn’t let him because it was a historically protected building, so he hired a white supremacist to bomb the building in order to damage it enough so it would have to be torn down.

Then there’s other stuff with the main characters like Don getting deeper into religion and his lawyer girlfriend being worried they’re drifting apart and Charlie and co. working on the science department’s yearly prank and Charlie being way too upset about his girlfriend Amita having been arrested years prior for holding a joint her date handed to her at a concert.

Honestly I was a little annoyed the show thought it was pulling a fast one with conspiracy theorist Josh Gad, as though his buffoonishly incompetent character had anything to do with bombing a building and evading the FBI. You mean the obviously corrupt billionaire was corrupt? You don’t say! 

Meanwhile, my mother, who loves historic buildings, finding out that her celebrity crush’s character destroyed a beautiful historic building for profit 

She was so mad

That being said, as much as I was dreading Paul Michael Glaser being the bad guy, I kind of got into it by the end. I wouldn’t have minded seeing him play a few more villains, that’s all I’m saying. And if you’re just dying to see PMG in handcuffs, this has that. The episode is from later in the series where the cracks in the writing are beginning to show, but if you’re a Paul Michael Glaser/Starsky and Hutch fan, it’s definitely worth a watch for him alone.

[theragamuffininitiative]

So last night I had a super angsty dream randomly about Numb3rs involving in-show trauma meeting my evil imagination's fresh angst, and I haven't watched any episodes in A While but big oof and basically the Janus List/Trust Metric arc is forever ingrained in my personal psyche. 😭

[firebirdsdaughter]

When Peter is in another show…

… And his name is still Peter.

[headcanons-fics-and-art]

Imagine: Charlie Eppes wearing a flower crown made of daisies.