ext_62116 ([identity profile] umbralillium.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] numb3rsflashfic2006-08-08 07:50 pm

Joker by dollydani (Challenge #21: Behind the Scenes)

Our Most High Moderator, Spikedluv, said there was no limit to how many stories we could write, so ya'll are gonna be inundated with Benji!fics over the next couple weeks.

Title: Joker
Pairing/Characters: Charlie/Amita (unrequited); Alan, Ben, and Charlie Eppes, Larry Fleinhardt, and Colby Granger
Rating/Category: PG-13/Gen
Spoilers: 2x03 Obsession
Summary: Benji is a bit of a joker when it comes to his brothers.
Notes/Warnings: I don’t know what made me think of it, but Benji insisted that I write it and, apparently, his wish is my command. -_-;;; Mentions of violent behavior. I tried to slip Benji into the story without making his addition too obvious. Jes said I managed it, so I guess it’s okay.

Joker


Ben charged down the stairs, his messenger bag in hand, barely glancing over at Charlie and Larry working on something at the dining room table as he passed on his way into the kitchen. Moments later, he was back in the dining room. "Um, is there a reason why there's no cereal in the cupboards?" He asked.

"We needed the cardboard," Charlie answered absently as he made some adjustments to the model spread over the entire table.

"I can see that," Ben murmured amusedly. "What's it for?"

"Oh, just something for the Skylar Wyatt stalking case," Charlie replied, his mind still focused on the model.

"Stalking? You mean like letters or dead bunnies?" Ben asked, leaning against the cupboards.

"Closer to 'dead girl' than dead bunnies," Charlie explained, finally looking up at Ben. "But letters were a part of it."

"I see," Ben said, straightening. "Well, I guess I'll just have to grab something on campus. Later, guys."

"Bye," Charlie and Larry said in unison.

*

Ben smiled to himself as he made his way across the CalSci campus, heading towards Charlie's office, his book bag slung over his shoulder in an effort to appear inconspicuous, though he doubted any CalSci student would have books about Greco-Roman Architecture or Queer Art. When he reached Charlie's office, he checked the doorknob and found it unlocked. Poking his head through the crack, he looked around and sighed silently when he saw that Charlie wasn't there. He stepped into the room and closed the door, his smile appearing on his lips. As he crossed the short distance to the rolling chalkboard, he pulled a pink envelope out of his bag. He started to set it on the wood tray below the chalkboard then paused. "Tape," he muttered, turning towards Charlie's desk. Spotting the tape holder under the edge of a stack of folders, he gently eased it out, tore off an inch-long section then wedged it under the folders again. After attaching it to the envelope, he moved back over to the chalkboard and smoothed the tape onto the chalkboard. With a self-satisfied grin, he left the way he came in.

*

Ben looked up from his studying at the knock on the front door. With a sigh, he got up from the dining room table and answered the door. "Hey, Colby," he greeted with a smile, stepping back so Colby could enter.

"Hey, Ben, is Charlie around?" Colby asked, stepping into the house.

"Yeah, he and Dad are out in the garage," Ben answered, leading the way.

"So, what are you studying?" Colby asked as they passed the dining room table.

"At the moment, lesbian and gay literature before the 1960s," Ben replied, pushing open the kitchen door.

"They had lesbian and gay literature before the '60s?" Colby asked with grin.

Ben laughed. "Yeah, check out Oscar Wilde or Walt Whitman, man."

As they crossed the backyard, Colby replied, "I'll do that, thanks."

"Any time," Ben said, opening the garage door. "Hey, Charlie? Colby's here."

Ben stood back, by the wicker sofa as Colby, Alan and Charlie exchanged greetings.

"So, Don sent me down here to check and see how the handwriting analysis was going," Colby explained.

"I was just telling my father that we failed to have the FISH program take into account that the shape of an individual letter varies depending on where it's placed in a word," Charlie answered. "You write an 'O' differently if there's an 'S' in front of it," he elaborated as Colby nodded. "Accounting for that, I found some interesting things about these letters that we didn't expect."

"Alright, what was that?" Colby asked.

Ben shifted some stuff on the couch and settled into the free cushion, hiding a smile as he watched Alan find the 'love' letter. "Oh, hey, look at this, this letter is an original. Charlie, they let you handle actual evidence?"

Charlie quickly reached out for the letter. "Give that to me."

"Tho-those shouldn't be originals," Colby interrupted. "You should only have copies."

"Actually, that's not one of Skylar Wyatt's letters," Charlie put in.

Ben stood and grabbed the letter from Alan's hand. "I know, it's addressed to you," he lifted the letter to his nose and sniffed it. "Is that lavender?" He asked with a grin.

Charlie plucked it from Ben's fingers. "Yes, lavender."

Colby's cell rang and he shared a grin with Ben. "Nice, Charlie," he said, grabbing his phone off his belt and checking the display. "I gotta take this, I'll be right back."

"So who's it from?" Alan asked as Colby stepped outside.

"Who the hell knows, it's not signed!" Charlie replied irritably.

"Not signed?" Alan replied.

"Since when does a college professor receive anonymous fan letters?" Ben asked as he settled back into the couch.

Charlie shot Ben a disbelieving look. "Are you kidding? Richard Feynman was a stud," he pointed out. "He got marriage proposals by the dozen. Einstein was a true sex symbol."

"Charlie, don't you think that's from Amita?" Alan asked softly.

Ben winced and looked away.

"Actually, uh," Charlie started. "No, because I already compared it to her writing."

"Ohhhh," Alan said sympathetically.

*

"I can't retrofit a 1931 car with seatbelts," Larry protested as he, Alan, Ben, and Charlie walked along a pathway on the CalSci campus.

"Why not?" Alan asked.

"Because it's not authentic to the period," Ben put in.

Larry pointed at Ben. "Exactly."

"Well, I know that," Alan answered. "What I meant was: it's authentic to this period."

Larry made a frustrated noise as Charlie added, "It's totally physics, Larry. I mean without a seatbelt, you could get hurt if you get in a minor accident."

"Yeah, well, if I'm in an accident in that car, I hope I don't survive," Larry replied.

"Yeah," Ben added, shuddering at the mere thought.

"Right," Alan said skeptically.

"Look, it's a love affair, me and that car," Larry explained. "With affairs of the heart, you, you know sometimes common sense gets thrown out the window."

"Yeah, or through the windshield," Alan replied wryly.

"Speaking of affairs of the heart," Ben said. "Did you ever find out who sent you that anonymous note?" He asked Charlie.

"Oh, yeah, I was wondering about that," Alan said excitedly.

"Ditto," Larry added.

"No, not yet," Charlie answered on a sigh.

"I think we should run a handwriting analysis against the school's records office," Larry offered.

"You know what," Charlie said, slowing to a stop. "I've decided I don't need to know."

"Oh, yes you do," Alan encouraged.

"Whoever it was, they chose not to sign it," Charlie returned. "Maybe because they're not ready to tell me."

"Well, I think that's very wise," Larry opined. "Let your life retain some mystery."

"Yeah, besides," Ben inserted with a grin. "You don't know what to do about the girl you already know about."

Charlie frowned and hit Ben lightly on the shoulder. Ben made an exaggerated ‘ow’ face as the quartet continued on their way.

*

A few days later, Ben was getting nervous; Charlie had stopped next to his chair at the dining room table while he was studying earlier and had stared at a page of hand-written notes for a few moments. Then, a sly grin crossed his lips for a moment before disappearing as he turned and walked into the kitchen, leaving Ben to stare after him. The rest of the day, Ben kept looking over his shoulder, expecting Charlie to do something in retaliation for the planted secret admirer letter.

He was even more nervous now because Dad was out with some of his buddies and Don was working on a new case, so Ben and Charlie had the house to themselves for the evening. As Ben was coming out of the bathroom after his shower with just a towel around his slim waist, he heard the second stair down creak. "Charlie?" He called uncertainly.

A dark figure stepped onto the landing, a ski mask concealing his features and a butcher's knife clutched in his right hand. He made a menacing noise and stepped towards Ben.

"Shit," Ben muttered whole-heartedly as he backpedaled down the hall towards his room. "Listen, take anything you want, just don't hurt me."

His would-be attacker just kept coming towards him.

Ben whispered curse words under his breath as he turned and sprinted for his room, the man's footsteps pounding in his ears. Ben bolted into the room and tried to close the door, but his attacker got his foot between the door and the doorjamb and forced the door open. Ben fell backwards onto the carpet, his towel finally coming undone as he crab-walked backwards until he backed into his bedside table, silently cursing the fact that his cell phone was across the room on his desk, charging. "Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God," Ben murmured as the black-clad man crouched over him and brought the knife down in a glinting arch. Ben squeezed his eyes shut and cringed away.

When it finally registered that nothing had happened, Ben opened one eye warily. A familiar face grinned down at him, curls in wild disarray. "Charlie! You fucker!" Ben yelled, his other eye opening so he could glare at Charlie as he slumped down onto the carpet, wincing slightly when the stiff fibers made contact with bare skin.

Charlie laughed and handed Ben his discarded towel. "Payback's a bitch, little brother."

End.

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