A/N: I think this is the end of this one. I think I've left it open to explore this universe further, but it feels kind of right to end it here. I want to thank you all for reading, following, reviewing, PM-ing me over this one. It's been one of my favorite CA fics to write so far, but I'm looking forward to getting back to canon!

Chapter 22

"It's Christmas," she whispered, her body entwined with his. He really didn't want to move from this embrace. Usually he woke first, but his already confused circadian rhythm was still even more out of whack from the ICU. He moved toward her voice. His hand found her mouth, her hair. He yawned and pulled her even closer to him. Finally, his eyes blinked against the darkness. He freed a hand to reach for his face. Nothing. Still. Always. He felt totally ridiculous every year when though for a moment that some sort of miracle might have happened, but not ridiculous enough to stop hoping that it would.

"Yep," he yawned again, ready to come back to her. "What time is it?"

"It's early. Sun's just coming up."

He digested this for a second. "I don't want to get up yet."

"I haven't heard anyone else moving."

"How long have you been awake?"

She yawned now. "A little while."

This was usually his thinking time, not hers. She was more of a night owl. "You okay?"

She nodded against him. "Fine."

"That's usually a red flag word," he astutely pointed out.

She gave him a low chuckle. "Not today. I really am fine."

"Penny for your thoughts." He wasn't totally oblivious. This all had to add up to something.

"You're not ready to go back."

"W-why do you say that?" he stammered. He hadn't expected to be the subject of her contemplation.

"Well, are you?"

He had to give her that one. He shook his head. "No. I have that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach creeping back in. The only time I ever felt that way at the Agency was before I left for my last tour. I'm almost afraid of what might happen if I go back. I might miss something, and I can't even begin to think what that could mean for you or national security or worse."

"Then don't go back." She sounded so matter-of-fact. "You have more time. Take it. Go talk to Arthur and Teo. It makes all the sense in the world for the three of you to move forward with the consulting firm. Or stay here for a while. Or go to California with Max and Sam. Honestly, Auggie, I don't know exactly what you need, but it isn't the CIA right now."

"But you do." He realized she was giving him permission to leave, but she was in no way saying that she'd go, too. "You need to be there."

"I'd like to tell you that I don't, but I loved being back. There are still good things for me there. I need to explore that. Even without you, as hard as that is to imagine."

"I understand. And I haven't given you enough credit or support, and I want to change that."

"Auggie." She played with his hair, brushing it off his forehead.

"No, Annie. Seriously. I'm sorry that I'm pushing my insecurities on you. I function really well within the known, but when I have to step outside, it's almost like starting at square one. I don't want to have fear and anxiety and doubt, but sometimes I can't help it, and I hate it, and I hate that I'm making you a part of it."

She lightly caressed the edges of his face. "This is such a small part of who you are."

"But it's all I can think about."

She continued running her fingers through his hair, his head now in her lap. "I don't know how to make this easier for you, but if I could, I would."

"I know you would. And I love you even more for wanting to, but I'm going to have to do this again." He sighed. "On my own."

"I know."

His brow furrowed. "And I'll be leaving you on your own."

"I'll be fine."

"You'll be amazing." He managed a grin. "Probably running the place before we know it." He felt her skin form goose bumps beneath his fingers as he said this. She didn't answer right away, but instead reached forward and kissed him before she slipped out from beneath him and out of the bed. "Where are you going?"

"It's Christmas. We have to see if Santa came." She headed into the bathroom as he sat up in the bed, shaking his head for a second before he swung his legs over the edge of the bed to follow her.

By the time they made it downstairs, there was coffee. Muffins were baking in the oven, too. Rhett and Ruth busied themselves in the kitchen, looking a bit more affectionate than Annie had ever realized them to be. Ruth greeted them as they entered the room and took seats at the bar. Rhett slid mugs of coffee across the tabletop.

"How long have you been here?" Annie asked. They must have slipped in sometime during her conversation with Auggie.

"Not too long," Ruth smiled. "But they expect us to bring food. It's kind of become our thing."

"Have you talked to Troy or Brendan?" Auggie asked.

"Not yet. Are Max and Sam downstairs?"

"Yeah, but I don't think they're up yet," Auggie revealed. "Should we wake them?"

"Not yet," Ruth decided. "It will give us a little time."

"For what?" asked Auggie.

Annie smacked his arm. "For the four of us to talk."

"Oh. Right." He could almost imagine the look on Rhett's face.

Ruth and Annie both rolled their eyes at their men. Neither of them had spoken to one another yet. "That means you two, as well," prodded Ruth, touching Auggie's hand as she shot a look at her husband.

Rhett smiled tightly. "Ruth knows I suck at small talk. She's trying to make me more social in public."

"We're not public, though. We're your family," Auggie pointed out.

Rhett shrugged. "I don't have a lot to say."

"Well, I do." They turned to see Leah enter the kitchen.

"Where's Troy?" Rhett asked.

"Unloading the car. The kids are playing in the snow. I knew there would be coffee. And scones?"

"Muffins," revealed Ruth.

"That'll do." Leah took the seat beside Annie.

"You were saying," Rhett prodded as he passed her a coffee mug, hoping whatever revelation she was planning would get him off the conversation hook.

"Wait for Troy." Auggie sensed they may need back-up.

"It's okay. He already knows." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Oh my God," Rhett exclaimed, now way more involved than he'd planned to become. "Just tell us."

"Tell them what," Troy asked as he entered the kitchen, no children in tow.

"Well, first, can you tell me where my children are?" She asked as her husband dropped the bags he was carrying on the kitchen table and pulled up the fourth barstool.

"They're in the front yard. Maeve is in charge. And the front gate is closed."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ruth pushed. "Your kids are fine. Now what were you about to tell us?"

"Well, we're gonna do it again. Anderson number four will be making his or her appearance in June. And given our track record, probably her."

The others reached around to hug and congratulate Leah and Troy just before Ruth pulled the muffins from the oven. When she turned back, she looked like she was about to burst. Rhett brushed the back of her hand with his but didn't say anything.

"Um, Ruth," Annie asked. "Are you okay?"

She beamed. "I am. I feel kind of silly, and I wanted Leah to go first with her news, but we, um, have some, too." Rhett moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "We'd never really planned for it to happen, and I'm probably way too old, but we're expecting, too."

Leah was the first one to leave her seat and move around to embrace her sister-in-law. The rest followed. They were still in the middle of the second round of hugs when Brendan and Dana arrived. They boys remained in the yard with the little ones.

"What's going on?" Brendan asked as they entered the kitchen and surveyed the scene. Almost at the same time, Max and Sam materialized from the downstairs bedroom.

Max shrugged. "We just got here."

Auggie turned in the direction of his other two brothers. "Leah and Ruth just told us that they're both pregnant. Anything you want to add, Dana?" He smiled, imagining the surprise on his sister-in-law's face.

"Um no, but that's so exciting!" she exclaimed as she crossed the floor to join the others. After her initial congratulations, she found a place beside Auggie and elbowed him playfully. "I guess that makes you guys next."

Auggie tensed a little but tipped his head toward Max and Sam. "They're getting married first."

"Ah, true," Dana agreed. Eyes turned now toward Max and Sam, still making their way over to the others. "Are kids in the plans?"

"Eventually," Max confirmed but also deflected with a wink at Sam as he accepted his own cup of coffee, but he left it at that.

Small, fractured conversations took over then. Jim and Gwen joined their kids in the kitchen. Not long afterward, Eamon and Emmett brought the girls in from playing in the snow. They removed their wet clothes and accepted goodies from their aunts before pulling the grown-ups into the living room and toward the tree and the presents.

After they'd distributed the gifts, the Andersons found themselves sitting around the living room, a fire in the fireplace, exploring their new presents. Auggie occupied himself with his gift from the family exchange – a Rubik's cube with textured tiles. In addition to the objects she'd picked up while shopping with the girls, she'd also found him "lie detector" cuff links, thinking he'd enjoy the inside joke. He'd laughed as he ran his fingers over the tiny arrow that pointed to "lie" or "truth" stamped into the metal. Finally, he couldn't wait to try the tequila shot glasses made of Himalayan salt.

"This is really great," he smiled just a bit as he ran his hands over the surface of the Rubik's cube.

"We thought you'd like it." She revealed as she snuggled closer to him on the couch. She was already wearing the blue sweater and the bracelet he'd chosen for her.

"Thanks," he affirmed. "It was all really thoughtful."

She leaned back against the couch and his body followed hers, his head finally resting in the curve of her neck. Her fingers played in his hair as she surveyed the room. Max and Sam had taken up residence on the rug in front of the fire. Althea and her new set of Legos had cozied up to them. The older girls were waiting for Troy to assemble something for their dolls that appeared to have arrived in a million pieces. Troy had wizely deputized Rhett, who was now carefully scouring the instructions. Leah, Ruth and Dana were huddled together on the larger couch, gathered around Dana's tablet and nursery plans for Ruth. Eamon and Emmett had given up on indoor activities and convinced their father to join them for a game of HORSE in the backyard. Jim and Gwen simply sat back and took it all in, and with good reason. It was a lovely scene.

Auggie stirred beside her. She turned to him. "Do you want a drink? More coffee?"

He shook his head. "No. I think I'm going to join the guys outside for a minute."

"Do you want me to go with you?" She asked, knowing the snow was fairly disorienting for him, and the entire family's cold weather gear was mixed with his in the foyer.

These things also crossed his mind. "Sure. At least to get out there."

They stood. Annie removed her new sweater and bracelet. They found his coat and boots in the foyer. She slipped into hers as well as he headed out to the front porch. When she joined him, his phone was to his ear. She waited as he left his message.

"Hey, Teo. Merry Christmas. Hope all is well with you, Arthur, Joan, and the little guy. I don't want to intrude today, but in the next week or so, we should talk. I have some ideas that I think that you and Arthur and I should discuss. I'll talk to you soon. Bye." He turned to her as he stashed the phone in his pocket. "Ready?"

"Sure, but I think the real question is 'Are you?'" He smiled and shrugged as their arms entwined. They made their way down the porch steps and headed around back to find Brendan and the boys.

FIN