Full Circle P12

Notes: Thanks to those of you that commented on this fic, it was a tough one for me.

"I don't really want to bring up Barcelona again," Annie began as she traced random patterns on Auggie's chest.

"But…." He led her, stilling her hand so he could concentrate on her words.

"One thing I said there is still true Auggie, you are my best friend, and I don't ever want anything that happens between us to change that," she shifted in bed and looked up to gauge his reaction.

"I know Annie, I agree. I think we took for granted that our friendship could survive anything."

"I was so jealous of Parker though and a friend, a real friend, would not have felt that way," Annie admitted.

"You are human Annie, I was jealous a lot too."

"Yeah?"

"Mostly of Eyal, but yeah," he shrugged.

"You know I don't have feelings for him, right?" she repeated her words from previous conversations.

He smiled.

"Seriously though, Eyal and I flirt, but we never, ever," she slid her leg up along his and shifted her body on top of his to illustrate what she and Eyal had never done.

"Yeah, it was more than this though," he stroked her back, stopping at the curve of her hips.

"You're jealous of his field work," Annie stated with understanding.

"I am jealous that he can rush in and save you when I can't. And if we are being honest I worry that one day you are going to want that kind of man more than me."

"I know that is a hard thing for you to admit Auggie and I am so grateful that you are willing to share it with me, it means a lot that you feel strong enough to say the words out loud. I also know that my actions, especially with Simon, do not lend a lot of credibility to what I am about to say, but I want you Auggie. I want my best friend and the smartest man I know. I have every faith that we will find our own share of adventure, we certainly have already, but even if we are never in the field together again, if you are always there in my ear and here when I come home that is more than I feel I deserve."

"Well, sometimes I feel you deserve more than me."

"We are quite a pair," Annie laughed.

"Like an O Henry story we are," he grinned.

"See, that right there, makes me want you so bad," she shimmied up his body and kissed him soundly.

"Vague literary references turn you on? You are like a flower Annie Walker, always unfolding…." He teased and rolled her under him.

***555***

"Hey Annie," Barber greeted as Annie entered Tech Ops.

"Hi Eric! Do you have that flash drive Auggie asked for?" she smiled.

"Just finishing the download," he said as he clicked a couple keys and popped the drive out of the USB port.

"Thanks," Annie took the drive.

"He's back on Monday right?" Barber asked.

"He is, I might have to tie him down to keep him out of here over the weekend," Annie laughed.

"I'm sure you can find a way to keep him amused," Barber said and realized his mistake when Annie blushed furiously.

"I meant like movies and a walk around the neighborhood…."Barber flailed.

Annie laughed and turned to leave nearly running right into Calder.

"Glad I caught you," he said as he escorted Annie from the office.

"What's up?"

"How are you?"

"Fine," Annie strung out the word curious where he was going.

"How's Auggie?"

"Also fine."

"Are you guys, you know? Together?" Calder seemed visibly pained by the conversation.

"Yes," Annie said confidently.

"OK, please fill out a C&C. Normally I wouldn't push it, but the lines get blurry when your handler is your boyfriend is your emergency contact is your sister's agency liaison, you get the idea. As much as we can have documented on you two the better if something happens."

"Will he still be my handler? You weren't too keen on that in the beginning."

"If I learned anything this past year it is that you two are going to work together whether it is sanctioned or not, so I might as well keep it on book," he shrugged dejectedly.

"Thank you Calder."

"You're welcome, just try not to look so adoringly at him all the time."

"I'll do my best," Annie smiled and turned to head home.

***555***

Annie slid the loft door open, her arms full of bags and a suitcase trailing behind her.

"Little help here," she called out hopefully.

Auggie was just finishing setting a couple of places at the table and turned to alleviate some of the load. He took the large handled bag that smelled like their dinner which allowed her to shift the wine to her crooked elbow before it fell to the floor.

"Hi," he greeted her with a quick kiss.

"Hi," she repeated the quick kiss.

As Auggie only had one hand occupied with bags he reached for her hip after the second kiss, drawing her closer, kissing her deeper. Annie had enough good sense to know which of her bags she could drop without catastrophic results and dropped her purse and a bag from the drug store with some shampoo and conditioner in it so she could reach for Auggie, the wine still safely trapped against her body.

"Dinner?" he asked and in that one word Annie heard Auggie had conflict in whatever answer she gave, he could really go either way.

Annie walked them back towards the counter, Auggie felt it approach and pulled the bag of food up and settled it safely there, Annie deposited the wine there as she continued to kiss Auggie playfully. Once their dinner was secure she walked him back towards the couch, both her hands free to roam over his chest.

"Can I have you for a first course?" she asked as she pushed him onto the couch and straddled his lap.

He smiled against her lips.

"I thought you got spring rolls?" he teased.

"We can have the spring rolls if you want?" she hooked her thumb toward the kitchen and moved to get up.

"I want you," he said suddenly serious.

She kissed him then, no longer playful, but with all the love and passion she could summon.

"You have me," she said as she pulled him down on top of her on the couch.

Cold Thai food turned out to be pretty tasty, especially when fed to you by a nearly naked man.

***555***

Annie puttered around the kitchen wearing nothing but Auggie's shirt. She put the food away and washed the couple utensils they used, poured more wine.

"Auggie, I know we have talked more these past few days than we ever have before, but I have just one more thing to say," she brushed his wine glass against his hand.

"What's that?"

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. I sat here in this exact spot and begged you to choose between me and Langley, told you I wanted our lives outside the office to be more important than our lives at the office and then I acted exactly the opposite. I couldn't do what I was asking you to do. It took me a long time to realize how awful that must have been for you and I am truly sorry," she sunk to a crouch beside the couch where he sat.

"I understand Annie, I appreciate your apology, but I understand. I might actually be the only person who does," Auggie admitted.

"The hope that you would forgive me helped me survive," she said honestly.

"I realized something this past month or so working with Nick. You aren't him anymore, you are not a rookie Annie, you are an incredible Operative and I need to stop handling you like a rookie, that is going to be hard for me and harder still since I love you so damn much," he grinned.

"I can't promise I won't make rash and possibly dangerous decisions and I hope I am never faced with the kind of decision I made last year again, but never ever do I want you to doubt that my decision reflects on us. I do promise that I will tell you everything I can, even the things you might not want to hear," Annie offered.

"Heart to hearts require talking?" he reached for her then and pulled her up next to him on the couch.

"Heart to hearts require talking," she agreed as she kissed him.

The End