I know several of you are eagerly awaiting an update on "The Volunteer". I'm sorry, but the muse has taken a bit of a left turn this week. I hope to have something for you soon.

Be warned; this story is VERY much an AU story. Auggie is not blind, he's a paraplegic, in a wheelchair. The idea for this story was triggered by an encounter with an old friend of mine earlier a few weeks back. We'd lost touch and I had no idea he'd broken his back in a skiing accident a few years back and was now in a wheelchair. Turns out he's got a new job and he moved back to town. We've been rekindling our friendship lately and his attitude and positive take on life reminds me of Auggie.

I think that a very important part of Annie and Auggie's relationship is her acceptance of him and his disability, treating him like an equal, rather than someone 'special' and it's one of the things I hope to explore a bit in this story.

Okay, enough rambling from me. I'm really nervous about posting this one, but I hope you like it. :o)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Auggie, Annie or Covert Affairs. Just my own storyline.

August "Auggie" Anderson - Computer engineer at Murphy Software. Paralyzed and after a skiing accident three years ago. Works from his home in Tyson's Corner, just outside Washington DC.

Anne Catherine "Annie" Walker - Travel writer and translator. Works freelance. Rents an office in Tyson's Corner. Lives in her sister's guesthouse in Georgetown.

-Chapter 1-

Auggie checked the time. 12:30 pm. He'd been so immersed in the project he was working on that he'd forgotten to take breaks and he felt a slight pounding in the back of his head. He realized that he needed something to eat and some fresh air. He released the brakes on his wheelchair and headed for the front door. He paused briefly to grab his wallet, keys and iPhone from the table by the door before he left his house and headed for the café a few blocks down the road. The ten minutes it took him to get there meant getting some much needed fresh air. As he entered the café he sighed. The place was crowded; and there was only one free table, way in the back. He realized getting there would be virtually impossible for him. For a second he considered ordering something to go and just eat in the park across the street, but as he scanned the room for the second time he stopped; the pretty blonde he'd had an eye on since she'd started coming in regularly a few months back was sitting alone at a table at the front. In a spur of the moment he turned his wheelchair and headed toward her table.

"Excuse me," he said as he reached her table, he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. She put the newspaper she was reading down and looked at him with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I sit with you? This place is crowded and the only free table's way in the back. Getting back there is virtually impossible for me." Auggie felt a tinge of embarrassment as he asked. He never liked to admit the limitations his disability gave him.

"Oh, not at all. Let me get this chair out of your way," she said as she moved the free chair so Auggie could get to the table.

"Thanks," he replied with a grateful smile. "I'll just grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee, I'll be right back."

Auggie turned and headed back to the counter where he ordered his regular large black coffee and a Club Sandwich. As always the waitress handed him his order on a tray and he placed it on his lap and headed back to the table. When he got back there he placed the tray on the table, positioned himself and secured the brakes on his wheelchair with practiced movements.

"I guess should introduce myself. Auggie Anderson," he said with a smile as he extended his right hand across the table after he was all settled in.

"Annie Walker. Nice to meet you Auggie," she replied with a smile.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you. I appreciate it," he said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"No need to thank me. I don't mind the company; I like meeting new people. To be completely honest I've seen you here before, but I've just not managed to work up the courage to approach you."

"Oh really?" Auggie said with a smile, cocking his eyebrow. He wasn't about to admit that he'd had an eye on her for a while as well.

"Mhm…" Annie nodded fervently and took another sip of her coffee. "I think you're cute."

Auggie couldn't believe his ears. Annie found him attractive?

"Really?" he asked, slight disbelief lacing his voice.

"Yeah, I mean you gotta be aware of the fact that you're not exactly hard on the eyes."

Auggie laughed. He'd never thought of himself as especially handsome, but he was aware that his looks weren't exactly against him. Ever since his accident his wheelchair seemed to be what people noticed about him, everything else seemed to fade into the background. That Annie hadn't mentioned his disability once intrigued him.

"Okay, there's no right answer to that one," he said with a self-conscious chuckle. He decided to fess up. "I guess I should admit I've had an eye on you for a while too."

"You have?" It was Annie's turn to be surprised.

"Yeah, but I haven't been able to come up with a feasible excuse for approaching you 'till today."

"Good thing the place was crowded today then," Annie said with a smile. "Do you work in the area?"

"Sort of. I live about 10 minutes down the road and work from home. I come here for lunch a couple of times a week when I feel the need for some fresh air and stretching my legs, so-to-speak."

"What do you work with?" Annie asked.

"I'm a software engineer."

"Really? I wouldn't have pinned you for a computer geek."

"Oh? Why not? I'm not nerdy enough?" Auggie said with a small laugh.

"You're not exactly the stereotypical geek. You're too fit and dress too well." Annie blushed a bit as she realized she'd just admitted she'd paid attention to details like his attire and physique.

"You really have been keeping an eye on me, haven't you?"

The last comment caused Annie's face to go completely red. Auggie laughed.

"Well, what about you? Do you live in the area?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

"No, I live in Georgetown. I've rented an office out here for the last few months. I'm a freelance writer and translator, for the past few years I've been writing travel pieces, which has given me the opportunity to travel a lot."

"That sounds pretty cool," Auggie said, trying to swallow the tinge of jealousy that crept up on him. After he graduated college he'd planned on travelling, but Murphy Software had recruited him and he'd moved to DC to work and immersed himself in his work. A few months later his accident had happened and his plans had been drastically changed.

"It's not as fun as it might sound. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love to travel, but travel for work isn't always fun. It usually means flying coach, staying at cheap hotels and running around like crazy, trying to cover as much as possible in a short time. It's not as glamorous as it sounds and it sure isn't the same as going somewhere on vacation."

"Isn't that the way it is? We tend to think some things are so much more fun and glamorous than they really are."

"I guess so. I'm hoping to get more translation assignments and cut back on the travel a bit. I'm getting fed up with spending more time travelling than at home."

They chatted for a few more minutes while they finished their coffees and Auggie checked the time and realized he was running late for a conference call.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I had such a good time that I lost track of time. I've got a conference call in fifteen minutes, so I've got to get back to my office. It was nice meeting you Annie."

"Nice meeting you too Auggie. Maybe we'll run into each other here again," Annie said as she placed her newspaper in her tote and got to her feet. Auggie was already out on the sidewalk by the time Annie reached the door.

"I sure hope so," he said with a wink as he turned around and set off down the street in an impressive speed. Annie couldn't help admiring his toned upper body.

When Auggie got back to his house ten minutes later he was mentally kicking himself for not getting Annie's phone number. He'd realized his mistake when he was about halfway home, but he didn't have the time to turn back. He also realized that by the time he'd get back to the café she'd probably be back in her office and he only knew that it was 'just around the corner'. Annie was different than the girls he normally hooked up with; she was intelligent and funny, and she didn't seem to care about his disability.

His social life had been pretty low key for the past three years. A generous insurance payout following his accident had allowed him to buy the spacious single-level house on a big lot in Tysons Corner and his employer had allowed him to work from home. He had a few friends, but he mostly communicated with them through Facebook, Twitter and some emails. They were all scattered across the country, so they rarely saw each other in person. Most of his family lived in the Chicago area and ever since his accident the relationship had been strained. He kept loosely in touch with a couple of his brothers and his parents, but it was mostly out of courtesy for birthdays and Christmas. With a sigh he turned into his office and settled in behind his desk. Hopefully he'd run into Annie again at the diner the next time he went there to have lunch. Just as he secured the brakes on his wheelchair the phone on his desk started ringing. He pushed the thoughts about Annie out of his head and picked up the receiver and answered the call, forcing his mind to go back into work mode.

The following week Auggie went down to the café for lunch every day, but to his disappointment he didn't run into Annie once. When he returned to his house after lunch the Thursday after he first met her he let a heavy sigh escape his lips. He went into his office and settled in behind his desk again, opening Outlook to see what had dumped into his inbox during the hour he'd been out. He scrolled down past a few internal memos he'd get to later and then an email from his boss got his attention. It was highlighted as important; the subject line read "New assignment", nothing else. Auggie opened it and started reading.

To: August D. Anderson ( )

From: Arthur Campbell ( )

Subject: New assignment

Starting Monday July 25th you will be working with a translator on adapting our latest software for global markets. I'm very happy to tell you that we've managed to hire one of the most renowned translators in the business. Ms. Walker has excellent references from her previous employers and is native fluent in German, French and Spanish.

Ms. Walker will arrive at your residence 9 am Monday morning and you're expected to have a workspace set up for her in your office. If this isn't an acceptable arrangement for you we'll set up an office for both you at our D.C. office. As you know the offices are fully wheelchair accessible and you'd get your own assigned parking space. Let me know your decision by the end of the day.

Arthur Campbell, CEO Murphy Software

Ten minutes later Auggie read through the email from his boss for the fifth time. It still staid the same and wasn't thrilled about what he was reading. He realized he didn't have much of a choice in the matter; Arthur didn't leave room for argument in his message. Auggie quickly decided that he preferred having this Ms. Walker come to his house. The thought of commuting in and out of D.C. every day was not appealing, especially since he had no timeline on the project, except that he was well aware that it would be a major one and that it would take several months.

Auggie had already been up and working for a couple of hours when the doorbell rang. He pulled up the surveillance camera stream on the computer screen in front of him. He was surprised to see Annie from the café standing outside his front door. Then it hit him; she'd told him her last name was Walker and she'd mentioned working as a freelance translator in addition to writing. Because Arthur hadn't mentioned Ms. Walker's first name he hadn't connected the two. A smile spread across his face as he headed for the front door. Maybe the coming months wouldn't be so bad after all. Auggie unlocked the door and opened it.

"Annie! Or do you prefer Ms. Walker?" he asked with a grin. She looked as surprised as he'd felt when he saw her on the screen.

"Oh my God! I can't believe this," she exclaimed.

"Small world I guess," Auggie said as he moved back a few feet to allow Annie to enter. "Come on in."

"No kidding! I was so nervous when I drove over here today. If I'd known the mysterious Mr. Anderson that insists on working from home was you it would've saved me lots of nerves. I pictured an old grumpy guy," Annie said as she walked inside with a wheelie bag in tow. She closed and locked the door and turned back to Auggie. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks. Follow me, I guess we should get set up in the office," he said as he headed down the hallway.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A couple of hours later Annie had her things set up on the spare desk in Auggie's office. To his relief Annie didn't seem to be the chatty type, at least not while working, when he'd turned his attention back to work, she followed suit and dove into her work too. They worked in comfortable silence and it was almost 1 in the afternoon when Auggie realized he was starving. He looked over at Annie. She seemed to be deeply focused on her work.

"Um Annie?" he said, a bit hesitantly. He didn't want to interrupt if she was focusing on something.

"Yeah?" she looked at him with an expectant look on her face.

"Are you hungry? I know I'm ready for lunch."

"No that you mention it, I'm starving. Café?"

"Nah, follow me," he said as he pushed away from his desk and headed out of the room. A few moments later they entered his big, well-equipped kitchen.

"Wow, this is some kitchen. Looks like you have every toy available in here."

"I actually like to cook, so when I adapted the kitchen to my needs when I bought the house I splurged on a few things. I don't use them as much as I should though. I rarely have company over and cooking big meals for just me is kinda ridiculous."

"Well, what's for lunch?" she said as Auggie pulled out a drawer that turned out to be a refrigerator and started rummaging through it. He pulled out several items and placed them in his lap and brought them with him to the counter opposite of the refrigerator.

"I grilled some chicken breasts and made a batch of Caesar dressing last night. How does Caesar salad sound to you?"

"Sounds delicious," Annie said with a smile. "Anything I can do to help?"

"You can wipe off the table out on the patio and set it," Auggie said as he pointed toward the sliding doors at the end of the kitchen. "Everything you need should be in the drawers to the left of the sink. Use the pasta bowls, they work for salad as well."

"Okay, got it," Annie said as she headed over to the sink and grabbed a washcloth. Auggie turned his attention back to prepping the salad.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"How did you end up working from home?"

"It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement when I returned to work after I finished my rehab. There was a bit of a wait for my adapted car to be delivered and Arthur allowed me to work from home for a while. Then it was clear that I was just as efficient working from home as when I came into the office every day Arthur allowed me to keep working from here."

"Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Sometimes it does. I go into the office for meetings from time to time, or I participate via Skype or phone. I miss is the social part of going to work from time to time, but at the same time it's great to not have to drive to DC everyday. I also have the freedom to adjust my schedule as I want, it's not like I have to be in the office from 9 to 5, although I usually am. I try to be structured and keep work hours and off hours separate."

"I know what you mean, working freelance can be a bit lonely at times, but at the same time I like the freedom. Everything has its pros and cons I suppose. I love the freedom that comes with freelancing, but I miss having co-workers and the predictability of full time employment."

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I remember right after I started working from home I loved not having to dress up every day, but a rather awkward Skype session with Arthur and a couple of other guys in the office changed that."

"What happened?" Annie's curiosity was piqued.

"I'd overslept and because putting on pants takes a bit longer from me than a person with working legs I just put on a dress shirt and figured my lower body would be disguised by my desk. Unfortunately I'd left a thumb drive with the project we were discussing on the desk you're using so I had to go get it. It was pretty embarrassing when I backed away from the desk, revealing I was wearing a dress shirt and boxers."

"Seriously? I would've been mortified."

"I was. Especially when Arthur ended the call with 'Anderson, put on some pants next time, okay?'"

Annie burst out laughing and it only took Auggie a few seconds to join in. The apprehension he'd felt when he woke up that morning was washed away, instead he was looking forward to working with Annie for the next few months.

So, I know this is very AU, but I hope A&A aren't too OOC. Is this a story you're interested in reading more of? I have a second chapter in the works, it's pretty much ready to publish. A third one is well under way in my mind and some of it is written down already.

If you like (or dislike) please let me know in a review :o)

As always; as long as it's constructive criticism is welcome!