Note: This was supposed to be a one-shot, but I guess it's a two-shot now. I think Auggie's tattoo inspired me. Well that and the response to the first chapter. It was nice to see how many people loved the story. This chapter might lead to you all wanting more answers. I sort of have an idea for a 3rd/final part, but…I'm also stuck on something at the same time. So I don't know if there will be a 3rd part unless I get inspired or if someone wants to let me bounce creative ideas off of them.

Scars

Auggie Anderson heard everything.

Even the sounds people tried to hide.

Whispers ran rampant throughout the CIA after his missing wife finally made her reappearance.

When Annie first strolled into the DPD, all eyes followed her. She didn't seem like the typical newbie, Auggie later heard.

She walked with confidence.

She had that hardened look in her eyes agents received when they saw too many of life's horrors.

The men drooled when they saw her pretty face and long legs coming in their direction. They backed off when they saw the dangerously determined look in her eyes and sparkling ring on her left hand.

When she walked into Joan's office without even a knock- they were shocked. Everyone knew Joan Campbell ran DPD, sometimes with an iron fist if you pissed her off.

This new woman had guts.

The agents all watched Joan's office, knowing fireworks would launch. Just when Joan started to shut the blinds on the glass walls of her office, the agents saw Auggie enter.

The shouts were clearly heard, but what they heard from Annie didn't make sense.

Not too long after Annie and Auggie flew out of Joan's office, the whispers started to circulate. It didn't take long for them to get back to Auggie.

Some agents read the limited preview of Annie's file and found she was recruited right out of the farm for a top secret mission in Sri Lanka two years ago.

Auggie was shocked his wife had a file. He remembered searching for her in the system after Sri Lanka. He was sure Joan and Arthur had something do with keeping her file secret.

He immediately checked the file himself, even after talking to Annie. The file had nothing Annie didn't tell him herself, which wasn't much.

His talk with Annie in the courtyard was not the full explanation he expected and hoped for. Instead she reiterated what was in her file and told him he didn't have high enough clearance to know the details of the mission.

Auggie felt he deserved to know more. He knew how the agency worked, but this time he wouldn't abide by the rules.

This was his life!

It was now the day after he discovered his wife also worked for the CIA.

Auggie sat in his office. The latest whispers had already reached him. It seemed people were speculating why Annie's file had been updated to Annie Anderson instead of Annie Walker.

It didn't take long for them to guess Annie and Auggie were married. This idea didn't make any of the single CIA women happy and they hurriedly tried to gather proof to dispute it.

Whenever they tried to talk to Auggie about it he found something else to do. He didn't want to talk about Annie with any of the office vultures.

He definitely didn't want to answer why he didn't wear a ring.

He wasn't sure if he would ever wear his wedding ring again. His wife held in a lot of secrets. He knew her mission was classified, but he wasn't sure if he could trust her again.

He knew he was being a tad hypocritical. In the CIA you had to keep secrets for a living, but could you blame him for being irrational?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the familiar sound of kitten heels across his office floor. A second later a warm aroma reached his nose.

"Coffee at your 10 o'clock," she said. Her voice was unsure.

After their talk yesterday he told her he needed space to process things.

Instead he spent the whole night tossing and turning in his bed, wishing she was there. She had only been in his apartment once and already she left an imprint.

"Thanks," he simply said.

He was secretly touched by her small gesture. He was going to need coffee to deal with his nosey co-workers. He had a feeling he was going to be getting the blunt of the inquiries considering they didn't know Annie very well.

When he heard her shifting on her heels, he decided take his headphones off and stop pretending to work.

"So…where did you stay last night?" he couldn't stop himself from asking her.

"Danielle's," she said. At his look of confusion she explained, "Yeah, it's my sister. She actually lives here too. She's married with two little girls."

"I had no idea," Auggie lied. That wasn't exactly the truth. He'd once contacted Danielle to ask about Annie. He didn't mention being married to her little sister. When he heard Danielle's explanation, he lost it.

"Yeah, she was shocked to see me," Annie said.

She ignored when Auggie mumbled under his breath, "Weren't we all…"

"Well…she wants to catch up," Annie went on, ignoring the awkwardness with her husband. "She offered to let me stay in her guesthouse."

Auggie didn't like this idea at all. He wanted to protest.

Instead he asked, "How did you explain where you were for 2 years? It's not like you can say you were undercover for the CIA."

"It wasn't that hard," Annie said. "She has always seen me as her spoiled and flighty sister. Plus, the CIA sent her and my parents post cards while I was gone. They simply assumed I was traveling the world again."

"Glad to know you've become so proficient at lying," Auggie sarcastically quipped. This was the same line Danielle fed him.

Back then, he hated his wife for leaving him to travel the world. He spent too many lonely drunken nights at home, envisioning her around the globe with other men.

He was relieved to hear she hadn't left him of her own free will, but he couldn't erase his bitter feelings of the last 2 years. At the same time he wanted to hug her and never let her go.

He was at war with himself.

After a short pause, he said "I have to get back to work…have fun at Danielle's."

"Auggie, maybe we can," Annie started.

"Working Annie," Auggie cut her off. "You should know how important the work we do for the CIA is."

Annie sighed in disappointment. "Auggie, you know I would tell you about the mission if I could…"

Actually he didn't, but Auggie simply ignored her. "I'll talk to you later, Annie."

He automatically felt regret when he heard her heels clicking away.

He couldn't stop his anger.

He was angry at his wife, even though he knew it wasn't all her fault. He wanted to find Jai Wilcox and punch him, but the bastard was off on op. He was also angry at Joan and Arthur Campbell, but they employed him.

He felt like he couldn't trust anyone.

He wanted to quit the agency. It destroyed his life for 2 years!

He froze.

He realized he was still continuing to let the agency destroy his life.

He pushed Annie away, all on his own. He grabbed his laser cane and went to find his wife.

At times like this, he wished he still had his sight. He didn't want to ask his co-workers about Annie. They would use it as an opportunity to grill him.

When heard a slight cough behind him, then a tap on his shoulder, he felt tempted to ignore it.

Then he heard Stu's hesitant voice say, "Sir…if you're looking for Agent Walk—Anderson, she went to the ladies room."

Auggie turned and offered the man a genuine smile. "Thanks Stu."

He then headed in that direction.

The sound of tears greeted him as he slowly opened the door. The familiar smell of her perfume was in the air. He was in the right place.

"Annie," Auggie softly said.

Annie looked up in surprise. She quickly wiped her tears. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Auggie, do you still want to divorce me?"

After a few seconds of silence, Auggie said, "We need to have a real talk this time, and not just about what's missing in your file."

He used his laser to locate her position and then grabbed a hold of her hand. "Let's go. We're leaving early today, whether Joan or Arthur like it or not."

A short time later they were in Annie's rental car heading toward Auggie's apartment. The ride was quieter than their cab ride the night before.

Annie wasn't sure what to expect when they finally entered his apartment, and then his bedroom.

Auggie moved around his room as if he'd forgotten Annie was there. She sat on his bed, watching as he grabbed a change of clothes from his dresser.

He tossed her the top from a pajama set and kept the pants for himself. "Change into that," he told her.

She caught the top in surprise. She looked down at it in confusion.

When she looked up Auggie was changing out of his office clothes. He unbuttoned his pressed white shirt. He turned until his back was facing her and shrugged his shirt off.

She noticed a new tattoo on his back. Military, she thought. She hadn't noticed it last night, too concerned with feeling him against her after so long. She was tempted to kiss it. So she did.

Auggie's shoulders tensed when he felt her hands on them. He bit back a groan when he felt the gentle press of her lips on his back.

"You always were a distraction," he reluctantly pulled away from her. He added, "This time we will talk."

She went to sit on the bed, smiling to herself. She couldn't help it if her sexy husband made her forget they were technically arguing. She especially couldn't resist him after spending 2 years separated from him.

Her smile disappeared when she noticed yet again he no longer wore his ring. Could that mean there were other women in his life? She couldn't blame him if that were the case, this was her rational side speaking. Her irrational side vehemently disagreed.

She could deal with other women flirting with Auggie, but she couldn't stand the thought of him being with someone else.

Auggie hadn't bothered wearing a shirt. He pulled on the pajama pants over his black boxer briefs.

"Aren't you going to change?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts. He hadn't heard her move.

He walked over to her still form and pulled her up from the bed.

She felt wooden in his arms. He frowned, wondering what changed her playful mood.

He took initiative and helped her change her shirt. He preferred getting her undressed, but he avoided that line of thinking. Focus.

He felt satin and lace, then her warm skin when he took her shirt off. This would have been fun if they didn't have more pressing matters to discuss.

He also felt something else. He hadn't felt this last night.

Toward the center of her lower back he felt the edges of ragged, raised and blistered skin. It contrasted with her usual smooth skin.

He paused in wonder, and then a frightening thought came to him.

Annie shivered when his hands came near her lower back. She quickly pulled the pajama shirt on. She stepped away from Auggie and pulled off her slacks.

When he heard her pants fall to the floor, he led her to his bed. He didn't waste time pulling her into his arms and wrapping them under the blankets.

"I missed this feeling more than anything," Annie said. She turned and snuggled her face into his neck. "Just lying here with you…"

Auggie's thoughts were still on his wife's lower back. "Annie…I know you can't give me any details, but what did they do to you?"

She stilled in his arms. "They?"

"When you were undercover…you were discovered weren't you?" he asked, he unconsciously started stroking her back.

He didn't think she'd ever answer until she whispered, "Yes…"

She took a breath, "…but I escaped Auggie. I knew I had to make it back to you."

Tears rose to the surface of Auggie's eyes. "I've been such a jerk…I'm so sorry Annie."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. His heart hurt for the pain she suffered at the hands of another.

"Auggie," her voice cracked. "If I could talk about it, I wouldn't want to. I don't like remembering the last two years. I don't like remembering how it felt to be without you."

"I won't force you to talk about it anymore," Auggie wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"One day I might have to…" she whispered. "He's still out there Auggie…he might come after me."

He felt chilled, hearing the fear in her voice. Joan and Arthur wanted to keep her undercover mission classified, but he would find out. He had to find out who wanted to hurt the woman he loved.

He wanted to push her for more answers, but instead she asked him a question.

"Auggie, why don't you wear your ring anymore?" she blurted out. "Is there someone else…I know I've been gone for 2 years…"

Auggie decided to be honest. "No…"

She was relieved until she heard…

"….but there could have been," he said.

"Oh," her voice came out so small he didn't recognize it.

"I didn't mean it like that Annie," he hurriedly explained. "I really wanted to be in the field again after my accident. I bugged Joan about giving me an undercover op."

He added, "She wanted me to get close to this hacker Natasha…look it doesn't matter what it was…I just I came close to doing it. I really wanted to be in the field again."

"So what are you saying?" Annie asked, backing away from him. "You pretended to be her boyfriend?"

"I talked to her. We were friends….we had a lot in common…if the situation was different I might have considered something," Auggie admitted. "But I backed off, angering Joan."

"You backed off because you developed feelings for her," Annie accused, feeling upset.

He shook his head. Natasha was not the issue for him. Even if he did what the CIA wanted, Natasha would have only been a non-permanent solution to forget Annie.

"You don't know what it felt like to think your wife left you to travel the world to be with other men! You don't know what it feels like to lose your vision and feel you have to prove yourself at the agency, Annie!" Auggie fiercely said. "You don't know what it was like here without you."

"I do know what it's like to be without you!" Annie said, tears streaming from her eyes. She rose to her knees on the bed. "And I do know what it's like to want to prove yourself…otherwise I wouldn't have taken that mission!"

"I know you do," he softly said, trying to calm himself. "But it's not the same."

"I know it's not," Annie said. She hoped he never knew her pain, and her heart broke for what he suffered. "It's just…you had feelings for her didn't you?"

"I'll admit, I did like her…but I told you last night Annie, I've never loved anyone like you," he said. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "The mission was not more important than you…even though you weren't here."

Annie wanted to comment that her mission wasn't more important than him either, but he interrupted.

He said, "What about you? Were you with anyone?"

"I wouldn't ever willingly be with anyone else," she finally said.

Auggie frowned at her phrasing. "What does that mean?"

"I've had some close calls. Some men didn't understand the meaning of no," she admitted. She quickly assured him. "It was nothing I couldn't handle."

He pulled her back in his arms. He wished he could look in her eyes to make sure she was telling him the truth. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting his Annie. "Is that all you can tell me?"

She snuggled back into his arms, not wanting to talk about it anymore. "I want us to start over again…can we please just start over?"

"Annie, so much has happened," he said.

"Is that why you don't wear your ring?" she asked again.

"I don't wear my ring Annie because it would have caused a lot of questions," he frankly said, "especially since I didn't have a wife around."

He added, "After you were gone. I couldn't deal with anything for a while, not even my family. It was hard keeping the secret of a lost wife and my career, especially after the accident."

"I saw your family," she told him.

"That's when you saw Jonah?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "He told me how to find you."

He lightly laughed, "Probably because Jonah is the only one I told we got married."

Annie looked up from her comfortable place near his neck. "Jonah knows we're married?"

"Yeah, I told him not too long after the accident. I was depressed and had a little too much Patron," he explained.

"I'm surprised he wasn't angry with me," she said.

"Oh, I'm sure he was," Auggie said with a devious smile. "But Jonah has matured since high school. He knows how much I love you."

He kissed her on the lips. "To answer your earlier question, no—I don't want a divorce."

Annie and Auggie talked throughout the day and night, only stopping once so Annie could call Danielle to cancel her offer to stay at the guesthouse. They had 2 years to catch up on, and Annie was dying to know how long Auggie had been in the CIA.

Auggie still had a lot of trust issues, but Annie was willing to earn it back.

When Auggie woke up the next morning he expected to find a repeat of previous occurrences.

His anxiety subsided as he felt Annie's long limbs entangled with his. Her breaths warmed his skin.

He squeezed her close. Feeling his body relax, he closed his eyes again for a few more moments of sleep. The outside world could wait.