Lay Over Part 1 of 2

Post 4X10

It was almost 2:00 am on a random Wednesday about 6 weeks after Annie had "died" dramatically in front of most of her coworkers. Although worried for her constantly, Auggie had played the part of grieving boyfriend, displaying the requisite anger and sorrow to quell suspicion.

He had read Barber and Hollman in on everything except the simple fact that Annie was still alive. That she was helping them too, at a far greater risk than her job.

"Man, why is there soy milk in here?" Barber grimaced as he fixed his 5th cup of coffee of the evening.

"Don't drink that," Auggie warned.

"No fear of that," he shuddered.

"It's really old," Auggie admitted.

"Want me to throw it…."

"No!" Auggie stopped him.

Hollman was trying to get Barber's attention, to clue in the big guy that he should really let go of the soy milk thing. Finally Barber put 2 and 2 together.

"Oh man, Auggie, I am sorry, but spoiled non-dairy, really? I bet there is something else around here to remember her by," Barber's voice softened.

"Not really, Calder gutted the place when he did the sweep, she hadn't been here much right before, she was away and we had fought," Auggie genuinely choked on the at last word, angry with himself for giving up even one night with Annie over their ridiculous fears of commitment.

"You know, I knew something was up, when we were here before, you weren't yourself," Barber started in and Hollman actually stood to jump into the fray when Auggie's cell rang.

It announced an unknown number. At this hour he hoped it was only one person.

"Hello," he said formally.

"Hey," her voice was soft and warm.

"Yes," he replied.

"You're not alone?" her voice was sad suddenly.

"Correct, but I can make that happen. What do you need?" he turned , he hoped, away from his friends.

"To see you?" she sighed.

"I wish that were a possibility," he continued.

"I'm downstairs, back stairwell," she revealed.

"How?" he tried not to change the tenor of his voice.

"Luck, can you get rid of your company?"

"Yes," and he hung up.

"Who was that?" Barber asked as he sipped the coffee.

"Some eyes on the ground in Europe, he checks in early morning his time," Auggie held the phone up with a sigh.

"Do you sleep at all Auggie?" Hollman asked concerned.

"Not much, but I will sleep like a baby when Henry Wilcox is back in Federal prison. You guys should sleep though, you still have to keep up Langley appearances," Auggie tried to rouse them to their feet.

"You sure man, we can keep you company?" Barber was truly worried about Auggie.

"Yeah, it's fine, now that this guy called I can grab a few hours sleep before I have to put on a happy face for the powers that be at Langley," Auggie rolled his eyes for effect.

"OK," Barber nodded slowly, "as long as you get some rest."

"I promise," Auggie held his hand over his heart.

The guys packed up their gear and headed out. Three minutes later Auggie heard it, the tap-tap-pause-tap against the back emergency door. He pressed the bar and swung the heavy door open and suddenly she was in his arms.

He held her so tight against his body, giving and receiving energy in every spot that they touched.

"You're here," he said with awe.

"Can we talk?" she whispered against his ear and he had to fight the surge of desire that swept over him.

"Yes, I have a top shelf interference system going, if they were still listening in here they don't hear much more than static and some occasional jazz, I figure a lonely blind guy doesn't make much noise," he managed to get out the words between kisses.

"That's going to change tonight," she laughed.

"There is nothing I want more, but first please, tell me how you are," he led her to the couch, never letting go of her hand and her arm, one hand moving from her hair to her cheek.

They sat practically on top of each other, just needing to be near, to touch, to feel the other one.

"I'm fine," she assured as she brushed his hair back, "but you need a hair cut."

"Your hair feels different," he replied with a frown.

"I dyed it," she admitted, "it's temporary."

"So is your visit I assume?" he asked with no accusation.

"I have a flight at 9:00," she said.

He knew better than to ask where, grateful she took the chance to see him.

"Can you sleep on the plane?" he asked not willing to waste a second they have together.

Instead of answering verbally she kissed him, long and sweet and deep. Her hands skittered down his tee shirt to the hem and stole under the fabric, cool and light against his skin.

Although he feared breaking the spell, that she might vanish as quickly as she arrived he didn't want to waste time on the couch.

"Bed?" he growled when her fingers abandoned his torso and slipped into the back of his jeans.

"Yes please," she answered politely and stood her knees actually weak from kissing him.

***555***

The first time was frantic, the negative emotions working their way out, the fear and anxiety manifesting in a nip that was more like a bite, a caress that was more like a brand and a touch that was more like a clutch. It was clearly what they both needed and the process worked, it seemed to purge the negative as if they released all the stress with their orgasm leaving them sweaty and sated, but calm.

Annie wasted little time on recovery though, she just shifted her approach. From aggressive and forceful to tender and delicate. She kissed every inch of Auggie, paying particular attention to those spots she had left a mark earlier. When she was done he did exactly the same thing, cataloguing every inch of her away for however long he would have to wait to see her again.

By the time he was kissing down her calf, nuzzling his stubbled chin along her lithe ankle he was ready for her again, his body wanting her even more in tenderness and love than he could ever want her in fear and anxiety.

The hours passed too quickly, they shared each other's bodies and aside from the loving words of direction or pleasure said very little to one another. As the light in the room changed Annie sighed.

"I have to leave soon," she whispered.

"I know," he stroked her tangled hair back, "take a shower I will make you something to eat."

She kissed him again and crawled over him, grabbing her bag and slipping into the bathroom. Auggie put his jeans back on and padded down to the kitchen, grabbing eggs and cheese and butter and planning to fill her with protein and fat before sending her back out. He actually hummed while he prepared the eggs and toast, a fresh pot of coffee going. He was startled out of his reverie by a knock at the door.

Auggie slid the door back, his body shielding the room from whoever was there.

"Hey man, sorry, did I wake you?" Barber announced himself.

"No, what's up?" Auggie tried to play it cool.

"I left a flash drive here and figured you wouldn't notice it so I thought I would grab it on my way in, it has something I need for the DST run through this morning," Barber explained and Auggie could sense his shift to enter the apartment .

"I'll grab it," Auggie said in a voice that indicated Barber was not welcome.

"It would be a lot faster for me," Barber reasoned to his blind friend and then he heard it.

"Were you getting in the shower?" Barber began putting pieces together.

He could hear the shower but also the sizzle of food and the smell of coffee and toast being prepared.

"Who's in the shower Auggie?" Barber asked and was suddenly yanked through the door.

"I just left here 5 hours ago, how did you have time to pick up a woman? Are you really ready for a woman, you are not in a good place," he continued.

"Eric, you have to trust me and just take the flash drive and go," Auggie tried to look him in the eye.

"OK man," Barber nodded and swallowed the concern as both men heard the water shut off.

Auggie couldn't stop what happened next, Eric moved to grab the flash drive from the coffee table as a still dripping Annie emerged, wrapped in a towel, from the bathroom just within Barber's line of sight.

"Coffee ready?" she asked before the scene in front of her registered.

Auggie's stomach lurched as Annie froze and Barber audibly gulped. There in front of him was Annie Walker, she looked a little different, but it was clearly her, alive and seemingly no worse for wear, her skin pink from the shower, her eyes wide.

TBC…