Runner Up P1

NOTES: True Confessions – I knew about the Hayley character long before the season started, but I also don't know very much about her and her motivations. I quickly dubbed her a single white female stalker type (well I had kind of hoped she wasn't white, but I digress). She has been dubbed #Crayley by some clever folks on twitter and this is my fantasy of how this seemingly innocent casual sex might get our beloved heroes in some hot water….

This is a post ep to 5X03 and contains no known spoilers for anything other than the idea that Hayley might not just disappear as we all hope and the preview for next week where Annie appears to meet Roger #bringdonuts.

***555***

The ringing of the phone bore its way into Auggie's skull despite what Hayley was currently doing with her hands. He was still leaning against the kitchen counter, her small frame pressed full against him, her lips on his, but then the phone squawked out her number.

"Sorry," Auggie said as he found her shoulders and pushed Hayley back a step, an audible pop when their lips separated.

He felt along the counter to find his real phone, the giant antique Roger had given him hidden away.

"Hey," he said trying to control his breathing.

"Hey, sorry to call again," Annie said, her voice sounded hollow, she seemed so lost these past few calls.

"It's OK, you know that," he smiled despite himself.

"I'm scared," she all but whispered.

"Of what?" his voice was sharper now, more on alert.

"Myself," she admitted.

Auggie visibly relaxed, she wasn't actually in imminent danger, but despite that she was talking. To him. He was not letting this moment pass.

"Well, you are pretty badass," he laughed and realized he was so relieved she was talking to him he actually didn't care what she said.

Non-verbal communication is tough for a blind guy. You never really know if your signals are being heard and understood, but Auggie turned back to where Hayley was waiting for him to finish his call. He managed to locate her purse and the papers that started the whole thing and collected them with the phone cradled against his ear.

He gave Hayley his best impish smile, as if to say, 'work never ends', and held the items out to her. She took them, her own astonished look lost on the man she was in the middle of seducing. Had he really just dropped her for a phone call?

Once the stuff was in Hayley's hands, Auggie found her shoulder and led her towards the door with an 'I'm sorry' shrug. Before she knew it, Hayley was on the wrong side of a closed door.

"You just getting home?" Annie said as she heard the loft door.

"No, someone was just leaving," he said truthfully.

"I'm sorry, I can…."

"No, no it was nothing," he said just loud enough for Hayley to catch it through the door.

"I'm sorry I was so short with you on the phone from Venezuela. I'm not sure what's wrong with me," Annie sighed and flopped on to her new bed.

"You're getting your feet back under you Walker, it's normal, you feel like you have to prove yourself. And you did. You found Borz, you got some actionable intel. I have a lead on the Postman FYI," Auggie mentioned as he retrieved the beer he had been drinking earlier.

"Really?" she sat up, her voice brighter.

"Nothing concrete, an old contact thinks he dug something up. I'm meeting him in the morning."

"I'll go with you," she offered quickly.

"OK, but fair warning, this guy isn't big on social graces or surprises so don't be offended if you end up waiting on the sidewalk," Auggie grimaced remembering his very brief visit to Roger.

"I'm not easily offended," Annie huffed, she sounded more like herself.

"What happened in Venezuela Annie?" Auggie caught her off guard.

There were so many things she could tell him: she had a heart condition, Ryan McQuaid was more competent and charming than she imagined, so she went with the one that was the least emotionally confusing.

"I had to interrogate Borz…." She said although she knew he already knew that.

"And…." Auggie didn't want her to stop but he didn't want to corner her either.

"I might not have been entirely ethical about it."

"Extreme times," Auggie said solemnly as he sat on the couch and thought of Charlie Schinderman and the 11 others who died in Chicago.

"When are the times not extreme for me?" she said as she curled on her side.

"From day 1 Annie you were set up to be in the line of fire, guess we can thank Mercer for that, but it is what it is. This is your career and you came back to it," Auggie laid it out despite the lump in his throat that she came back for the job and not him.

"I don't know how to do anything else."

"That's not true. You could live and work almost anywhere in the world Annie, you could be free of this," as he said it occurred to him that she really could. She could even have the intrigue and adventure, she would be scooped up by a private firm like McQuaid's anywhere in the world.

Why did Annie come back to DC?

"I missed…." She stopped herself, she couldn't say it yet.

"Yeah," he let her off the hook, but the smile was evident in his voice, she didn't have to actually say it.

"What time is the meet tomorrow?" she asked with a yawn and a stretch.

"Nine, hey could you do me a favor? Could you get some donuts?" Auggie asked with a grin.

***555***

Hayley slid on to the bar stool, the same place she had picked up Auggie previously and waited. She figured he would show up looking for her. She was a little put off that he rushed her out the door, but he clearly wanted her.

Hayley assumed it was Walker on the phone, she knew Auggie was running point on her mission. Hayley had read Annie Walker's file, she knew the two of them had worked together for years and she had even heard the recorded declaration of love the day Annie went dark in Frankfurt.

Despite all that, Auggie was drinking alone and more than receptive to her suggestion they relocate to his place. He'd be back, if not tonight, soon. Walker could have his attention for now, but we'll see how long that lasts after Hayley is firmly situated in his bed.

TBC…