The Time Between by Jestana, Challenge #3: Secrets

[jestana.livejournal.com]

Title: The Time Between
Pairing/Characters: Megan Reeves, Larry Fleinhardt (pre-anything)
Rating/Category: PG for vague graphic imagery
Word Count: 994
Spoilers: For In Plain Sight and very slight one for Toxin
Summary: Megan visits Larry in his office.
Notes/Warnings: My first Numb3rs fic. I adored their interactions in Toxin especially. Other fics.


The Time Between
She came to a stop in front of the door the secretary had said was his. The room number was correct and his name was on the plaque beside it. Yet, now that she was here, the courage that had carried her this far began to fail her. You're an FBI agent, Megan. Doesn't that count for something? Before she could think herself out of it, she raised a hand and rapped her knuckles on the frosted glass window set into the door. When she didn't get an immediate response, she knocked again, this time on the wood and louder. "Dr. Fleinhardt?"

"Come in!" His voice floated to her through the door, sounding distracted.

Turning the knob, she let herself into his office. Larry was seated at his desk, his shoulders hunched as he scribbled with a felt-tip pen. The office itself was pleasantly cluttered, like Charlie's in a way, but not quite the same. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she cleared her throat. "Dr. Fleinhardt."

"Just a moment, please," he replied, holding up one finger as he continued scribbling away. Smiling to herself, Megan clasped her hands behind her back and waited patiently for Larry to finish whatever he was doing. Though she hadn't known him for very long, she knew him well enough to realize that it was best to let him finish what he was working on at that particular moment in time. Rather like dealing with Charlie when he was working on a mathematical problem, except not quite. She was distracted from her thoughts by his voice, "There, now, what can--Oh! Agent Reeves! My apologies."

"It's all right, Dr. Fleinhardt," she assured him, even as he stood and cleared one of the chairs in front of his desk of the papers occupying it.

He gestured for her to sit down. "No, no, it's not all right. A lady should not be kept waiting."

"Ah, but genius waits for no man, or woman," she reminded him, sitting down.

His cheeks flushed and he turned to clear the other chair, setting the papers on his desk, right on top of whatever he'd been working on. "I'm flattered, of-of course, but still, you should have sat down while you were waiting."

"There were no seats available and I didn't want to move anything in case I moved something I shouldn't have," she explained, smiling.

He waved the concern away as if it were some pesky bug. "No, no, no, you don't need to worry about that sort of thing. I'm always moving things around and forgetting where I put them anyway, so you wouldn't have been doing any more damage than I would myself."

She laughed, amused by his frank revelation. "I'll certainly keep that in mind."

"Enough about me," he continued, bobbing his head to acknowledge her comment. "How are you?"

Her smile faded as she remembered the events of the past few days. Most especially the image of Agent Gallagher's corpse on the stretcher after she'd killed him. She banished the image and raised her eyes to meet Larry's questioning ones. "I'm not doing as well as I'd like, but I came here to thank you."

"Thank me?" He stared at her, hazel eyes wide with feigned ignorance. "For what?"

She smiled at his attempt at acting. "For the flowers. They're lovely and smell wonderful."

"F-flowers?" he repeated, shaking his head. "I didn't send you any flowers."

She reached over and patted his arm. "I'll let you in on a secret, Dr. Fleinhardt."

"S-secret?" He cleared his throat. "What sort of secret?"

She leaned towards him. "You're the only person I know who would send me flowers in an attempt to make me feel better about losing someone under my command. It would never occur to anyone else."

"I-I-I hope you don't mind that I did s-send you the flowers," he managed to stammer out after staring at her for several moments, having apparently decided there was no point in trying to deny it after she'd guessed.

She shook her head, patting his arm again. "Of course not. Why else would I come to thank you for sending them?"

"That's a good question." He smiled at her for several moments before dropping his gaze to the battered sneakers he was wearing. "Actually, I was wondering if you w-would like to go get a bite to eat?" He glanced at her hopefully. "You'll finally get a ride in my car."

Megan was prevented from answering by the ringing of her cell phone. Sighing, she flipped it open. "Reeves."

"Hey, Megan, I hate to cut your lunch hour short, but something's come up and we need you back here," Don's voice answered, sounding anxious.

She glanced at Larry, who was slouched in his chair, apparently fascinated by the way his fingers bent and flexed. Reluctantly, she nodded, even though she knew Don wouldn't be able to see it. "Right, I'll be there in ten."

"Great, see you." Don hung up, leaving Megan to listen to the sound of dead air until she closed her phone.

Regretfully, she turned to Larry. "I'm sorry, Dr. Fleinhardt, but duty calls."

"No, no, I understand." He sat up straight in his chair and Megan was sure she saw a flash of some emotion in his eyes. "I'm s-sort of used to it b-by now, since Charlie's been helping."

She nodded, smiling ruefully. "Anyway, I need to get going." A sudden impulse made her add, "Perhaps we can take a rain check on getting a bite to eat?"

"Y-yes, that would be very nice." He nodded, standing when she did. "I'll see you, and good luck on the case, whatever it is, Agent Reeves."

She smiled as he walked her to the door. "Thank you, Dr. Fleinhardt. I'll see you."

He nodded and watched as she walked down the hallway, her skirt swishing around her knees with each step.

End