a/n: Been sitting in my documents for a while. Figured I might as well post it. As always, tons of thanks to my amazing, perfect, awesome beta cotedepablo911. She's a saint and a lifesaver. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this oneshot. Please leave a review on your way out! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own Covert Affairs. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Illusion

"Auggie, where are we going?"

Light brown sightless eyes sparkled mischievously as they glanced back over a broad, jacket-clad shoulder.

"It's a surprise, Miss Walker," the blind man teasingly responded, a grin splitting his handsome face. Annie eyed her companion dubiously, arms crossed tightly across her chest to ward of the cold chill of fall that permeated the forest. Halos of red and gold leaves topped the trees all around, a few falling loose and drifting to the ground. They crunched under Annie's rain boots as she trailed her more-enthusiastic male companion.

"Why does the surprise have to be outside?" she complained with a shiver, watching Auggie's back as he expertly weaved his way through the trees. It was apparent he had been here many times before.

"Because," Auggie sighed patiently as his eyes twinkled with mischief and laughter, "I couldn't exactly get it inside for you."

"And it couldn't wait until it was warmer out?" Annie asked. Auggie's response was loud laughter and quickly spinning around to face the blonde woman trailing closely behind him.

"Annie Walker," he said, reaching forward and grabbing her gloved hands, "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do," Annie immediately responded, squeezing Auggie's hands in return. The brunette man smiled softly.

"Do you trust that what I want to show you is entirely worth the cold?"

Annie made a show of deeply pondering Auggie's words, pursing her lips and tilting her head. When her silence and non-verbal charade produced an anxious look from Auggie, Annie couldn't help the giggles that bubbled up in her chest as she pulled the man into a hug.

"Don't worry. I will always trust you, Auggie," she whispered, burying her nose against the crook of his neck, "You know I do. But when we get home, you're in charge of helping me warm up."

Auggie's arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders and he rested his cheek against Annie's soft hair.

"Don't worry. I have a couple things in mind to warm you up," he had the balls to send her a not-to-subtle wink as he sent her one of his trademark smirks, making Annie blush deeply in response, "I love you, Annie" he told her softly. Annie grinned against his neck.

"I love you too," she whispered before cracking a large grin, "But I'll love you a whole lot more once we get back inside. So, on to your surprise?"

Auggie laughed again, grinning happily as he pulled away, holding Annie's hand tightly in his as he continued to accurately lead her through the woods.

"You're going to love this," he told her as they wound through the trees, "The view is fantastic."

"I hope so," Annie responded before her eyebrows knitted together in confusion at Auggie's statement, "Wait, how do you know the view's fantastic?"

"Oh, Well, I've been here before. Lots of times before. Before my accident too," Auggie grinned and leaned over to kiss Annie's check, "Trust me, it's beautiful."

"Good. Otherwise, I get to drag you through the cold for an hour."

Auggie just flashed her another trademark smirk. Annie followed him a little longer, until he expertly turned, leading them swiftly off of the trail.

"Where are we going?" Annie asked suspiciously.

"Trust me," Auggie told her once again.

Annie gave Auggie's back a flat look, but she stayed behind him as he expertly and accurately led the way through the denser trees of the forest proper. He didn't stumble once, as if he knew exactly where to place his feel. He had been here many times before, Annie realized.

Eventually he led them to a pair of towering pine trees, which he effortlessly slipped through, motioning for Annie to follow him. The blonde-haired woman hesitated a brief moment, glancing at the trees, and then followed after Auggie.

Her eyes went wide as she emerged into a wide clearing, dominated by a stream running through the center, and studded with mossy boulders and clusters of colorful wild flowers.

"Oh, Auggie," Annie whispered softly, taking in the sight with awe filled eyes, "This…it's beautiful. It's really beautiful."

"I knew you would like it," Auggie whispered in response, movingd over to stand beside his companion.

"I love it," Annie corrected. She smiled as she felt Auggie slip his fingers through her own, "Thank you, Auggie."

"Annie?"

"Yes, Auggie?" she asked, turning her head to look up at the brunette man.

"Annie."

Annie blinked in surprise when her name was said again, yet Auggie's mouth wasn't moving.

"Annie, wake up."

Annie sat up with a jerk, blinking her eyes and looking about blearily as the last wisps of her dream faded away. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Jai standing beside her. Her bafflement must have been clear on her face, because he smiled, and said, "You fell asleep at your desk. You're lucky I caught you before Joan did."

Annie blinked up at him.

"I did?" she asked. Jai nodded. Annie frowned.

"Is this something that happens often?"

Jai's response was a quick laugh.

"Not usually," he said. "I think it's because of your last mission. You just didn't get enough sleep is all."

"Oh," Annie said. Her brow furrowed thoughtfully for a moment before she added, "I had a strange dream while I was sleeping."

"Really?" Jai asked, "What was it about?"

Annie opened her mouth to answer, and then hesitated. She wasn't sure why, but she got the feeling that maybe her dream wasn't quite something she wanted to share with Jai after all.

"I…don't remember," she said instead, "I just remember that it was very strange."

"That's normal," Jai said, leaving Annie relived that he didn't press the issue, "Sometimes all you remember of dreams is their feelings."

Annie nodded mutely as Jai continued talking, saying that Joan was expecting Annie's mission debrief on her desk by the end of the day. Nodding, Annie gathered her things together and continued to write up her report. As she wrote, Annie looked down at her hand. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to focus on her dream, on Auggie's hand in hers.

A small smile came to her lips as she faintly remembered the feel of Auggie's warm palm against hers. She sighed a moment later before putting her pen down and getting up from her desk. There was something she needed to talk to Auggie about.