"The Difference a Year Makes" is sort of a sequel to my two previous stories, "Flight 642" and "The Zhukov Connection." I like to imagine what Annie and Auggie do on their off time, when they're not chasing bad guys and concentrating on hand-to-hand training in the gym,so this story includes slice-of-life arcs as well as a little suspense and some adventure. Auggie and Annie can't help themselves ... they are always going to find adventure.
This story was well on the way to completion before Auggie met Parker and Dani invited Annie to move back into the guest house. I've chosen to ignore those developments in this fan fiction.
I own nothing of Covert Affairs except an appreciation for the work the entire cast and crew does to bring the stories and their characters to life on our television sets on Tuesday nights.
Chapter 1 – Getting Settled
The warm days of fall were beginning to cool along the East Coast, and Annie Walker was enjoying the crisp air blowing through the open windows of her new apartment. It was the weekend after Halloween, and Annie finally had made time to unpack the remaining boxes of her belongings.
Annie stood in the middle of the sparsely furnished but comfortable living room and surveyed her new surroundings. Her "new place" was feeling more like home now that she had unpacked her personal treasures and had added some accents from the decorator shop she'd discovered in the neighborhood shopping area.
The furniture she'd chosen was much like herself … stylish, warm and comfortable with just a touch of whimsy. She liked the way the room had come together and she was proud of herself for taking the extra time to research the furniture details that make life easier for the vision impaired. She was careful to buy tables with rounded corners and had arranged the room so there was nothing that Auggie could bump his head on.
Annie remembered Auggie's first visit to the newly furnished apartment, when she stood at the front entrance with Auggie and described the apartment layout. She followed Auggie through the space giving him a commentary on the design and placement as he became comfortable in the space. Auggie had to work very hard at suppressing as smile when he realized her furniture choices were made with him in mind.
Annie hadn't discussed furniture with him, except to make a point that she had found the perfect sofa for snuggling and watching movies. She'd also told him she had purchased a table that had extensions so that she could have six people sit at the table.
"Well," Annie asked, "do you approve? You won't be too uncomfortable when you spend time here, will you?"
"Annie, I think I'll be just about as comfortable here as in my own place, when I'm fully acclimated," Auggie said with a smile. "You know, don't you, I'm pretty comfortable when I'm with you … no matter where we are."
Giving him a hug, Annie said, "I know … I feel the same way about you."
"Then why didn't you accept my offer to move in with me when Dani asked you to move out of the guest house?"
"Time's not right. I need to live on my own … really on my own for a while."
Auggie nodded his understanding.
Annie's daydream remembering Auggie's exploration of the apartment was interrupted by her personal cell phone ringing. She reached over to the table, picked up the phone and frowned when she saw the name pop up from her contact list. Her heart sank a little, worried the call could be bringing bad news.
Taking a deep, calming breath, she answered, "This is Annie."
"Annie, this is Amanda Anderson. How are you this evening?"
The tone of Amanda's voice was light, happy and friendly. Apparently there was no crisis in Glencoe. Annie let out her breath, smiled and curled up on her new sofa for a visit with the woman who might eventually become her mother-in-law.
"I'm fine. Just unpacking a few personal things and tidying up. Auggie's working tonight, so I took advantage of his being busy to put my new place in order," Annie explained. "What's up with you and Fred? Everything OK?"
"We're great, Annie. I wanted to touch bases with you and Auggie about the possibility of your coming out to Glencoe together for Thanksgiving. I tried to call Auggie on his personal cell, and when he didn't answer or call me back right away I knew he was probably working," Amanda explained why she was calling Annie.
"Then, I thought it would be better to call you first to see what your plans for Thanksgiving might be," Amanda admitted. "I think I might have a better chance of getting him home for Thanksgiving dinner, if you could get away, too. Am I right?"
"I don't know," Annie said, "it depends on our work schedules. I know he enjoyed the Memorial Day visit … well you know … except for the Zhukov business … and we both had so much fun when we were there for Cynthia and Aaron's wedding. Oh, we still talk about how great that party was."
"Would I be causing any problems with your family, by asking you to come out, too?" Amanda asked not wanting to turn into a meddling mother-in-law before there was even a marriage.
"I always have dinner with my sister's family, but my parents don't come up for Thanksgiving. They like to come for a longer time over Christmas to enjoy more time then with the girls," Annie explained.
"Well, I've left a message with Auggie. It will be interesting to see whether or not he mentions it to you, won't it?" Amanda giggled. Auggie didn't realize it at this point, but he was helpless because his mother and Annie were conspiring to get him to go home for Thanksgiving.
"I'll sneak up on the subject with him," Annie whispered, "and I'll mention it to Joan."
"Thank you, Annie. We miss both of you. Please try to come."
"I'll let you know." Annie said. "Talk to you later. Bye."
Annie sat for a while staring at the statue on the coffee table thinking how she would approach the subject of going to Illinois for Thanksgiving. She smiled her devilish grin and thought, "I have a little time, so I can wait until he's not exhausted and distracted."
Annie decided she'd let Dani know there was a possibility she wouldn't be in D.C. for Thanksgiving. Dani listened to Annie's explanation: "Dani, Auggie's mom just called me to invite me to go to Glencoe for Thanksgiving. You wouldn't be too disappointed if I weren't here for Thanksgiving dinner, would you?"
Dani smiled. "I'll miss you. But, oh my gosh! Mrs. Anderson called YOU? That's significant. It's big."
"Well, it's not definite, yet. So don't go giving away my seat at the table until Auggie agrees to go," Annie laughed.
"Auggie hasn't agreed?"
"Not yet. He's working late tonight and he doesn't have his personal cell phone with him," Annie explained. "When Amanda couldn't reach him earlier this evening, she called me. She really wants him home. She even went so far as to tell me they miss me!"
Dani laughed. "That is desperate. Guess she's realizing that you two are a package deal. Just how serious are you two?"
Annie's gaze drifted and her mind wandered. "Well, we're serious. Neither one of us sees anyone else."
Dani couldn't suppress a happy giggle.
"Not THAT serious," Annie chuckled. "Don't start polishing the punch bowl and planning a reception menu."
"OK," Dani retorted. "I'll make sure I know where the punch bowl is, though."
"And Auggie calls me incorrigible," Annie said as she ended the call.
Auggie was wrapping up a 15-hour day and the lack of food combined with the intensity of the situation had created a throbbing in his head. Through the early evening, several of Auggie's team members had offered to bring him a sandwich and coffee, but he'd declined because he was so focused on helping his operative.
A young officer had been sent to Parma in northern Italy to make a simple brush pass. The pass went fine, but the person who the information was handed off to was abducted. The young officer, Jason, fresh out of training at Camp Peary had to be talked through the rescue.
Auggie hadn't worked with a newbie like Jason since Annie Walker had charged into his ordered life almost two years ago. But, Annie was always full of solutions and had a rock solid intuition in dealing with her circumstances. Annie's intuition wasn't mystical; it was the result of her powers of observation and innate understanding of human nature and reactions. Auggie coached Annie. He never had to tell her every move to make.
Intuition and problem solving on the fly were not Jason's strong points, and the ordeal had exhausted Auggie. But, after Jason had almost panicked, he got his head on straight, listened to Auggie and the team members, and managed to rescue the abducted Polish operative. The young woman had a long trip back to Poland, because she was taking a detour to the U.S.
Auggie read the Braille output from his computer with his right hand while unconsciously tapping his forehead with his index and middle fingers. Sarah, one of his team members, leaned against the door frame to his office and asked, "Headache Boss? Would you please let me bring you a turkey sandwich and a bottle of flavored water?"
Auggie pulled his headphones down around his neck, swiveled toward Sarah and through a wide, genuine smile asked, "Did Annie put you up to that?"
Sarah stammered and her cheeks reddened. "Uh … well … before she left the office she said you wouldn't let her get you anything to eat, and she asked me to be sure you had everything you need. It's been crazy tonight, and you've worked harder than the rest of the team. You made sure we all got a break, but didn't take one yourself."
"I appreciate that, Sarah, but we have Jason and Luiza on their way back safely, so I think we all need to call it a night. I'll get a bite when I get home," Auggie said.
It was just after 10 in the evening as his team members were clearing off their desks and shutting down the computers. The tense conversations from earlier in the afternoon had turned to relaxed teasing about plans for the rest of the week and how exhausted everyone was. Auggie listened and smiled as he realized his team had developed a great working camaraderie.
Auggie picked up his phone and called Annie. "Hello," she answered groggily.
"Did I wake you, Walker?"
"Nope. I was just relaxing with an adult beverage and watching MSNBC. Doing homework to see what's happening in the world that might affect my world in the morning. Wanna spend the night here?" she asked sincerely but seductively with a smile in her voice. "You have three shirts, two pair of jeans and plenty of tee shirts and boxers to choose from."
Auggie wanted to see Annie, but he hesitated.
"I have some leftovers in the fridge. I can warm up roast beef and mashed potatoes for you."
"Now that, Walker, is an offer I will not refuse. It will be nirvana to spend the night with you AND a plate of roast beef. See you in a few."
Auggie pressed the receiver button and speed dialed his car service. "It's Auggie Anderson. Can you pick me up at the front entrance? Thanks, I'll be waiting."
Auggie powered down his equipment, stowed his laser cane, and grabbed his folded cane out of its drawer and headed to the front entrance to wait for his ride. By now the building was practically empty, so he didn't unfold the cane as he made his way confidently to the entrance. Once outside, he opened the cane and walked to the edge of the driveway where he waited only a few minutes before he heard a car in the drive.
The car stopped in front of him and he heard the whir of the window being lowered before Bill's familiar voice called out, "Mr. Anderson, my front door is at your 12 o'clock."
Auggie smiled and nodded as he took a couple of steps to the curb and held out his left hand to locate the door handle. Once settled in, Jim asked if he were headed home or to Annie's tonight. Auggie smiled and said, "Annie's. There's a plate of roast beef and mashed potatoes waiting for me there."
"Here we are, Sir. The main sidewalk is at your 12 o'clock. Do you need any assistance?"
"Thanks, Jim, I'll be fine. You have a nice evening …. What's left of it. And, will you please stop with the Sir and Mister Anderson. Call me Auggie. Mister Anderson is my dad."
Jim laughed and said, "Yes, Sir … I mean Auggie. It's just I was a PFC, and I know you were an officer. It just doesn't feel right calling you by your first name."
As Auggie opened the door to step out of the car, he turned to Jim and speaking barely above a whisper, "That was then. This is now. Please call me Auggie."
Annie watched for Auggie from her living room window, but she resisted the temptation to go out to meet him. She waited until she heard his cane and footsteps in the hall before opening the door and throwing her arms around him. "I clearly need to work really late without you more often, if I'm gonna get that kind of a welcome," he said as he returned the hug and their lips met in a passionate, but brief kiss.
Auggie draped his arm over Annie's shoulders and walked with her into the kitchen where he smelled the aroma of warm, welcoming food. "Let me warm your plate a little more. I fixed you beef and potatoes with a little gravy and there's a serving of glazed carrots, too. Do you want a glass of milk or a beer to drink?"
"I think I'll have the adult beverage," he said as he folded the cane and stashed it at the end of the kitchen counter near the refrigerator. He gingerly made his way to Annie's new table with its four upholstered chairs.
"Beer, 12 o'clock."
"Thanks," he said lifting it in a toast. "You gonna join me?"
"I will when your plate is warmed," Annie said as she stirred the sliced beef a little and checked the internal temperature of the potatoes and carrots. "This seems to be warm enough," she said as she put the plate on the table. "Potatoes at ten, carrots at two and beef at six. There's a little gravy on the beef and potatoes."
Auggie picked up his fork and took big bite of roast beef. It was late and he was tired, but his smile could have lit up the room. Annie joined Auggie at the table with her beer. "You seem to be enjoying my leftovers."
Auggie nodded, swallowed and said, "Yeah, this sure beats the leftover pizza I have in the fridge at my place."
As Auggie ate, Annie asked, "Was it a rough operation?"
"Things didn't go as planned," he explained. "But we got it turned around and everyone's safe. How was your evening?"
"I ate dinner and finished unpacking some little personal items and I … well I … umm … I talked to your mother. She called."
"Mom called you? Is everything OK at home?"
"Everything is fine. She couldn't reach you, so she called me. She wants us to go to Glencoe for Thanksgiving."
Auggie and Annie both took swigs of their beer. Annie was quiet, letting Auggie process what she'd told him. "What did you tell her?" he asked cautiously.
"I told her it would depend on our schedules and we didn't know this far out what they would be. She said she'd left a message on your cell phone, so you might want to wait to see what that says before you call her back."
Auggie closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he said anything else. "If we could both get away from the office, would you want to go to Illinois for Thanksgiving? Would that cause a problem for Dani?"
"I talked to Dani about the possibility of my not being here for the holiday. She said she'd miss me, but she understands if we decide to go to Illinois. My folks won't come until Christmas," Annie said quietly.
Auggie asked, "Did she say when she wanted us to come or how long she wanted us to stay?"
"No, I think that's up to us," Annie answered. "She did make me feel good when she told me she missed both of us. I know she misses you a lot. I could hear it in her voice."
"We'll see what kind of a mood Joan is in tomorrow. If it's a good time to talk to her, we'll see if we can both be away for a few days around Thanksgiving," Auggie said as he polished off his late supper and beer. "Now, is there another beer in the fridge?" he asked holding up his empty bottle.
"Sure," Annie said. She wanted to ask Auggie what had just happened. He had no hesitation about going home. She pulled two bottles of beer out of the fridge thinking, "I didn't see that response coming."
"Ready for another cold one?" she asked as she pressed the napkin wrapped bottle into his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Let me rinse off the dishes, and then we can get comfortable with the news or a movie."
Check back when the update is posted to see how the plans to go to Glencoe develop. Thank's for reading. Hope you enjoyed it half as much as I enjoyed writing it and playing with the characters.