Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs.

Chapter Two

When Colby rang the doorbell to the Craftsman, he was in a good mood.

At least he was trying to be in a good mood. He needed to keep up pretenses so nobody would see that something was wrong. Megan might see right through him, but she hoped she didn't.

Colby hurt so much. He didn't want it confirmed that his mother hated him, and it had been.

The door opened to Millie. "Come on in," she cried. Colby put on his mask of happiness and went inside the house. He sighed as he saw David and Don laughing. Of course they were laughing. Colby wasn't invited to do anything.

"How are you doing?" Alan asked.

"Fine," Colby lied. Alan could clearly see that something was not right with Colby, but he wasn't going to push the issue.

"I'm hoping we get drunk tonight," Megan called.

"I think you're already drunk," Don told her. Megan glared at him.

"I think he's right," Larry said to his girlfriend.

"I don't like you," Megan whined.

"She's totally and completely drunk," David explained to Colby.

"Larry and Megan were at the CalSci party with us earlier," Amita explained. Colby nodded.

"It was a cool party," Charlie said.

"I'm sure it was," Colby answered.

At 5:30, Alan's dinner was ready. Colby sat down on the end, so nobody would have to sit next to him. Who would want to sit next to him anyway?

"I'm so tired," Charlie whined.

"What are you tired about, Buddy," Don asked.

"It's been a long day," Charlie said.

"You went to a party at CalSci where Megan got extremely drunk," Don pointed out.

"I'm not drunk," Megan complained.

"I think you are," David told her.

"Everybody eat," Alan cried. Everyone around the table listened to him and began to eat. Colby sat back and ate, listening to the conversations around him. Nobody said a word to him, except for David once. He had only asked for food though. Colby sometimes wished that he had stayed dead on the boat. It would have been a whole lot easier.

After dinner, Amita and Millie began to wash the dishes. Megan looked like she was ready to pass out.

"I'm taking her back to her apartment," Larry explained.

"Why don't you just put her in Don's old room," Alan asked.

"I'll do that," Megan cried.

Larry smiled at his extremely drunk girlfriend and herded her up the steps.

"I love you," Megan sing-songed to Larry.

"I love you too," Larry said.

Colby smiled at the two. He was happy they had found love. Megan and Larry were meant for each other. Colby would never admit, but he thought that Megan and Larry were soul mates.

"What are you thinking about," Don asked him.

"Nothing," Colby told him.

Don and Charlie got out the Scrabble board and began playing with that.

"I'm going to win," Don told Charlie.

"I'd like to see you try," Charlie said.

Larry came down the steps and joined in on Charlie's side. And because the teams weren't even, Millie joined Don.

David sat on the couch and started watching a football game.

"Are you okay," Alan asked Colby. He had noticed that something had been off with him the entire day, and Alan wasn't sure why.

"Of course," Colby lied.

"You don't look fine," Alan pointed out.

"I'm fine," Colby said again, this time rather defensively.

"Let's go into the kitchen," Alan said as Amita sat down next to David.

"Okay," Colby said and followed him.

"What's wrong," Alan asked.

"Nothing," Colby lied.

"Colby, I can tell when something's wrong. I haven't known you that long, but I know that something's bothering you."

Colby stared at the floor for a few minutes.

"My mom banned me from going home," he finally explained.

"Why," asked Alan.

"She said she doesn't want a traitor in her home and she doesn't want to see me again," Colby explained.

"Why would she say that," Alan asked him.

Colby shrugged. "She hates me. I deserve it anyway. Everyone hates me."

"Everyone doesn't hate you," Alan said.

"Yes they do! David and I haven't been back to our normal friendship. Megan just keeps analyzing me. And everyone else is just being nice to me because they have to!" Colby cried. With that, he dissolved into sobs.

Alan came forward and gave him a hug. "You are not hated," Alan whispered.

"Yeah, Colb. If we had known you were feeling this way, we would have talked to you about it," Don told him.

"When'd you come in," Colby cried.

"We were listening the entire time because we noticed something was off," Amita said.

"Colby, your mother is just being stupid. You don't deserve what she's doing to you," Charlie said.

"We love you and nothing changes that," David told him.

"Do you mean that," Colby asked. The group nodded.

After his friends talked to him, Colby realized his fears were irrational. He had a better Christmas Day.

He talked to his mother once after that, and explained everything. She listened, but still refused to allow him home.

Alan and Millie became Colby's "parents" for him.

Colby was best man at David's wedding, and David returned the favor when Colby Granger and Liz Warner got married.

Colby was the godfather to David's first son, Colby Donald Sinclair (Cole).

David was the godfather to Colby Granger and Liz Warner-Granger's son, David Joshua Warner-Granger (DJ).

Colby never regretted his mother disowning him. He always returned to the Eppes house for the holidays, especially after Alan and Millie married, Charlie and Amita married, and Don and Robin got married.

The End

This was originally going to be three chapters, but I cut out one chapter. The Liz and Colby marriage? I noticed the chemistry last episode, and became a shipper. I still like David/Colby though. It'd never happen in canon, though. Stay tuned for my next story and read Mariah's Problem.