Numb3rs 1. Algebraic K-theory

"It's only for a week or so Charlie, just trust me, okay?"

At this Charlie groaned, whether it was a physical or emotional pain was difficult to say. He ran a bruised hand through tousled hair and frowned for a short time, struggling to process this information through the cloud of morphine, then;

"Fine, okay okay, he can stay. Two weeks tops! IL be back at CalSci by then and I can't explain a bodyguard to my students..." Charlie agreed, reluctantly. Cutting his eyes periodically to the third man in the room. His designated 'body guard'.

At this Don gave a toothy grin. "Great Charlie thank you buddy, y'know it's more for dad than anything, he's just really worried about this shooter-"

Alan choose that moment to quietly enter the hospital room. The young FIB agent silenced himself abruptly and gathered his jacket to leave. He patted his brother briefly on the leg and stood. "Take my seat dad I've gotta get back to the office" Then Don nodded once toward the man in the corner and walked out the door.

After a short returning nod to Don, Agent Edgerton observed the room silently from his corner, as the Eppes patriarch assumed the single seat, adjacent to Charlie's hospital bed.

"How are you, my boy?" He directed at the mathematician.

Charlie's face soften from his earlier expression of confusion to regard his father with care. "I'm okay dad, really," his brown eyes connected with his fathers as he urged him to understand "I'm honestly just tired." Lie "The doctor even said I can be discharged in a few days." Alan nodded and turned his attention to one of the many papers he had carried in under an arm.

"Uhuh yes I know, your fine, Dons fine," he turned to the agent leaning against the corner wall, in partial shade "and you Ian?"

The infamous shooter quirked his lips "oh just fine Mr Eppes".

"See Charlie we're all fine, I'm just keeping you company, there's no harm in that surely." Once again Alan lowered his head to his newspaper and the room was plunged into a comfortable silence, save for the beeping of medical equipment. In minutes the young brunette was asleep. He snores, Ian noted.

"I hear you'll be staying with us for a while then agent Edgerton?" Alan called softly, without turning his head from the sports section.

"Yes sir, Don has appointed me to keep an eye on Charlie until his investigation comes to an end."

"Oh really? I didn't know you were so close to this case" the older man mumbled, seemingly absent, but the sniper was well aware that this man was, smart, capable and highly protective of what was left of his family, particularly his youngest son. Alan was testing his loyalty.

Ian could respect that. From the little time he had spent in Alan's presence the agent thought that he could grow to like the oldest Eppes. "I'm not, but Don had a few favours left to cash out with me, the professor here as well." The agent commented, weighing his words. "Figured it couldn't be too hard to walk Charlie around for a few weeks. And watch out for this shooter."

Alan turned to look at him. They held gazes momentarily, the air was heavy, then Alan released a chuckle, "not too hard huh? Good luck with that." Approval granted, apparently, Ian thought. He noticed the older man turn to the sleeping brunette with concern plastered on his face, the agent followed his gaze.

Honestly, Charles Eppes looked awful. He lay prostrate on a hospital gurney covered in wires. His usually olive toned skin was sickly pale and sticky to touch. He wore no shirt and the bed covers had been pulled up over his shoulders, to his neck but one could see the bandages poking out from underneath.

Ian hadn't seen the bullet wounds himself but he had heard that, although none were fatal, there had been extensive damage. The professor must be in more pain than he's letting on to his family, Ian thought. After all Charlie had only been admitted a week ago. The healing process had barely begun. Ian knew first-hand how difficult bullet wounds could be in recovery, he allowed himself to hope for an easy recovery for the professor and a quick capture for agent Eppes.

With a bit of luck this could be an easy and restful assignment for him, after all this was a favour and he was technically on vacation. Then again Ian Edgerton never said no to a challenge and the Eppes brothers had a reputation.


	2. Brill–Noether theory

The next day found Charlie eating raspberry jelly from his hospital bed surrounded by his friends and agent Edgerton.

Larry, Don, Megan and Amita sat close around him chatting animatedly, telling him how pleased they were to see him alive and well. They caught him up on their day to day lives, while the agent sat still and silent in his shadowed corner.

Charlie knew that this was the ultimate spot for his body guard to place himself, he could view the entire room and anyone who entered through the door. He was far enough away not to disturb the path of doctors coming and going, yet, not so far that he would still be able to reach Charlie's bed, in the event of an attack.

The youngest Eppes assessed his 'protector'. He was older than Charlie that much was clear, older than Don he was sure, yet still young and strong. Long sinuous muscles stretched tight under his shirt, though the agent was not large, he was an obvious threat. Danger roiled off this man like a strong smell. 'The bastard son of Clint Eastwood and Yoda ' Colby had said, at this Charlie giggled.

"What's so funny Charlie?" Asked Amita easily, with a laugh of her own.

He flushed, shook his head at her and she took it to mean the laugh was unintentional. Morphine related. _It probably was_, Charlie thought.

He went back to his jelly, attempting not to tangle his spoon in all the wires, and his assessment of the room. It was all that was keeping the professor from thinking about how itchy his chest was, how tired he felt and how much he hated hospitals. The smell if ammonia, errant noises of unhappy patients, cold and professional nurse hands waking him up at night. He sighed.

As far as Charlie could tell no-one seemed to really notice agent Edgerton, after initial pleasantries and brief, very brief, introductions the tracker had just settled, still. He seemed both at ease and assertive and managed to just be, in a space. Charlie envied this, as currently it seemed as though, his bones we're fit to walk out on him. Always nervous. Except at the black board, covered in chalk, headphones on.

Edgerton, who had seemed aware of Charlie's assessment of him but had remained still and silent as the mathematicians eyes calculated , looked up now, his black eyes Locked with Charlie's chocolate brown.

Ian raised one brow in question and crossed his arms. Charlie's face burned, before Ian turned away once again, as if nothing had happened. He appeared unconcerned, there was no sign of anger or judgement. _Though perhaps_, Charlie thought, _he seems more interested in the view of the hospital garden through the window_.

His presence, although an interesting distraction to the current situation, only served to put Charlie further on edge. He felt exposed. In front of this capable man. Accomplished and talented. Hunter, tracker and sniper. But, worse than that. From his brothers world.

The mathematician wished again that it could have been someone else, someone he didn't know or even David or Colby. Even though they worked with Don they had accepted him. Charlie trusted them.

Having the agent sit and stare was bringing up memories that he would rather just stay buried. But weak and tired and drugged. Charlie had little choice but to let them come. It was still only the second day, the young Eppes thought, with another sigh. Returning his attentions to warm laughing friends, once again.


End file.

Numb3rs, Friendship, Romance