GREEDY
What would have happened if Auggie didn't hit Clark over the head with a beer bottle. In this story Jai isn't dead.
K+ rating for fear.
I don't own any part of CA.
Annie/Augies & Annie/Eyal
"No, this guy doesn't get a pass just because he's blind" Clark said ready to have fight.
Auggie stood up, "You're right, but I do get a pass because it was 8 years ago this week that I lost not just my sight but my entire unit. My fiancé left me this morning. No, not just left me, but had her bags packed and a cab waiting when I woke up. And my best friend who should be here drinking with me is instead out there saving the world again and I'm stuck behind a damned desk."
Clark was shocked and stopped talking long enough to process what the blind guy said. "You're right dude, you do a get pass for that." Clark sat down and ordered them both beers. The girl that was the start of all this, shook her head and left.
They sat there for an hour just drinking and talking. "Let me get this straight," Clark said. "Your fiancé left you and your best friend is a hot blonde?"
"Beautiful blonde, so I have been told. Yep."
"And you haven't banged your friend yet but you keep track of her men and do your best to stop them getting together?"
"I don't do that. I just make sure they are good men. She has terrible taste in guys when not choosing best friends."
"Dude, you told me 10 minutes ago that you keep making sure she has appointments that interfere when she has a date. That's keeping them apart. You just don't want to share. You are a greedy bastard."
That startled Auggie. Is that what he had done? Did he purposely keep men away from Annie so she would be available whenever he wanted to hang with her?
"Oh man, a bodacious blonde just walked in!" Clark said. "Oh she looks like…Oh man she is checking me out. Do I have anything in my teeth?"
"Want me to punch you in the mouth to find out? Hello, blind guy here!"
"Yea sorry. Oh! She's coming over."
Auggie could detect a familiar click click click of heels. He took a deep inhale to find grapefruit in the air. That is a sound and smell I recognize. He turned to face her. "Well, Miss Walker. Won't you join us?"
Clark was dumbfounded. "How do you know it's her?"
Annie and Auggie said together: "Some call it a sixth sense, but I prefer to think of it as a fifth." And then they burst out laughing.
When they stopped laughing Auggie introduced them. "Miss Annie Walker this is Clark…. I don't know you last name."
"Clark Michelson. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you. You guys look like you are out of beer. I'll get the next round, unless you are ready to leave Auggie." Annie was looking around the room and spotted Jai and Reva having a drink together in a quiet corner. Annie smiled at their picture. Go Jai. Go Reva.
"He's not leaving. He said he was waiting for his best friend who is out saving the world again."
"Out saving the world, huh? Maybe the world of art." Clark looked a question at her. "Yea, here I am, the bests friend. Auggie? Going?"
"Nope. I haven't passed out yet. You driving tonight?"
"I guess so. I'm going to get a soda and I'll bring back some more beer. Looks like it is going to be a long night." She left to get the drinks.
"Dude, THAT'S your best friend? And you haven't touched that yet? Are you gay or something?"
Auggie laughed. "No, she thinks of me as her friend and I'm keeping it that way."
"Why?"
"Because…because…I have never had such a good friend. I've had friends but she and I connected the first day I met her. We have been co-workers and friends ever since. It means more to me to have her in my life that way. If we got together, that would change, maybe for the worse."
"So, you being the greedy bastard that you are, are going to keep her in your life, but not think of her life? Dude, if she looked at me the way she looks at you, I'd never let go." Clark looked over to where Annie was waiting for the drinks. His voice turned serious "There might be a problem."
Auggie's head snapped up; she looked at him in a special way? What way?
But that wasn't what Clark was talking about. "Someone is trying to mess with your girl." Auggie smiled. He knew Annie could handle herself.
Annie was back in a few minutes with the drinks. "Jerks! Dumb college drunks."
Clark leaned over to Auggie "You are one greedy bastard."
Annie heard the comment and looked at them. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing" Auggie stated cutting Clark off.
An hour later Annie excused herself to use the restroom. Unbeknownst to her, she was watched as she made her way through the bar.
On her way back she was stopped again by the same drunk college guys from before. "Really?! Just leave me alone."
"I think you want to come party with us." He said as he grabbed her by the arm.
She coldly looked at him, "remove your hand from my arm before I removed your hand from your arm." Her voice carried over the crowd and grabbed Jai's, Reva's, Auggie's & Clark's attention.
"Auggie man, those same jerks are messing with Annie again. One of them grabbed her." Clark started to move toward the group, just as Jai did. Reva had her cell phone out and was recording everything that happened. Auggie, who was very drunk, stood up but lost his balance and had to sit down again. "Auggie, this isn't good. There's another guy coming up behind Annie."
Before anyone else moved, the first thug stopped moving and started to wince in pain.
A slightly accented voice said "You should let the lady go. It's not nice to be this bothersome. So before I have to do something that will cause you extreme pain, before she has to do something to cause you extreme pain, release her arm and go away." The thug nodded and was released. The thug moved to hit the accented man but was not fast enough. He found himself face-planted into the nearest table before anyone could even blink. Jai, Reva and the bouncers were there quickly. Reva showed them the video of what happened and after that the bouncers escorted the group of thugs out the door.
"Sorry to ruin your date again guys." Annie said to Jai and Reva.
"No problem Annie. Isn't the first time, probably won't be the last time. Trouble seems to follow you. But if we have to be interrupted, at least Reva was smart enough to video it. Saves a lot of time dealing with the police. She's smart that way. " Jai smiled at Reva and put his arm around her. "But we are going to leave before more trouble shows up." Reva was blushing as they returned to their table, paid their bill and left.
Auggie was listening to this whole conversation. Jai and Reva? When did that happen?
Annie turned to face the man who had helped her out. "EYAL! I am so glad that you are here. Not just because you came to my rescue. What are you doing here?" The smile lit up her face and before she could think too much about it, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a hug.
Surprised but pleased, Eyal returned the hug. "I'm on vacation!"
"No way! Really, what are you doing here?"
"Honest, I'm on vacation. I needed a break and I thought, 'what is Annie doing'. So here I am; saving you. Again."
"Come on. The least I can do is buy you a drink."
"At least" he said as he followed her, his eyes taking in her every move.
As they moved back to the table Clark leaned over to Auggie "Dude you got competition. She is into him."
"Not for long" Auggie stated.
"Greedy Bastard!" Clark said with a smirk.
As Annie and Eyal arrived at the table, introductions were made.
"How do you two know each other?" Clark asked.
"Business. Auggie and I work for the Smithsonian. Eyal works for the National Museum in Israel. We have come across each other a few times."
"And what about that Indian guy? He work for the museum as well?"
Annie just shrugged and moved the conversation along. "Those guys were such jerks. I really thought there was going to be trouble. Well, more trouble than there was." Annie smiled at Eyal and with a high pitched voice and fluttering eyelashes, "My hero."
Eyal laughed, "What about my drink? I thought you were buying?"
"I am" She signaled to their waitress to bring another pitcher of beer, another glass and another soda for her.
"You're not drinking?"
"No. I'm the driver tonight so enjoy. I'll get you back to your hotel nice and safe." The imagery was not lost on anyone at the table.
The timber in his voice dropped and he watched her closely "will you tuck me in to?"
"Ok Walker, I think I'm ready to leave." Auggie announced out of the blue as he stood up; a determined look on his face.
"Um…No." Annie answered and Auggie's eyes widened. "I ordered another pitcher and Eyal just got here. I can get you a cab if you want, but I'm staying for a while." Auggie dropped back into his seat as Annie leaned back into her chair and noticed that Eyal had his arm protectively draped on the back of her chair.
Clark saw the look on Auggie's face, noticed the non-verbal communication between Annie and the new guy and said as he chuckled into his beer, "greedy bastard".