So my first Covert Affairs fic. I guess I just couldn't help myself, I absolutely love Annie and Auggie together. Just a cute exchange between Annie and Auggie.
Just a side note, I'm not sure if Annie told Daniel a lot about Ben or even his last name but I'm just going on that assumption for this story.
Anyway hope you enjoy it!
It was a breezy fall evening at the Tavern. The Friday night atmosphere set the place abuzz with laughter and talk from young men and women settling into their weekend. It was in such a place that Auggie Anderson and Annie Walker sat, talking and joking over a couple of beers. Their conversation had been light as they bantered back and forth. Auggie had just been in the middle of telling a joke when a young business man, sitting at the table next to them, let out an exclamation.
"Ben! Ben! Hey man, how's it going?" The Ben in question was a similarly dressed man who turned towards the sound of his friend and walked over to the table next to Annie and Auggie. With a smile he shook his boisterous friend's hand.
The exchange had not been more than 30 seconds but it was enough time for Annie to look up attentively and then slouch back in her chair when she noticed the man was of no connection to her. This break in conversation did not escape Auggie's notice. The tech ops agent turned to his friend.
"Annie, you okay?"
"…yeah" Annie said looking away from her friend.
"Are you thinking about Ben?" Auggie inquired quietly. There was a long pause of silence and Auggie feared he may have probed her too soon. He was about to apologize when he heard Annie shift, turning to him, as she rested her elbow on the table.
"You know" Annie started, chin in hand
"…it seems so stupid that I still have those knee-jerk reactions when I hear his name. I tell myself that he's gone. Disappeared. Again. And even if he still loves me I can't be that girl. The one who puts it all on the line only to be met with empty space after he's left again. I can't keep holding on to someone who isn't there. And yet when some happy drunk guy calls out to his friend in a bar I can't help but look up and wait for a split second" Annie finished her piece sighing slightly. Auggie, always an attentive listener, waited patiently until she finished. As she sat back, sipping her drink, he spoke.
"Annie, it's normal to miss him. Even to feel that sense of anticipation when the irrational part of your mind is working. Believe me, I know. After Tash and I…broke up, I thought I heard her everywhere. Annie, you're an amazing operative and an even more amazing girl. Take time to move on but not so much that you lose yourself and you're left hanging onto a ghost" Auggie reached out and gave Annie's hand a comforting squeeze.
"Hm. Yeah…" Annie paused, chewing over his words.
"Thanks Aug. You always know what to say. How do you do that?"
"What can I say? I'm just that good" Auggie replied jokingly. There was a beat of silence and then Annie spoke.
"You know, it probably wouldn't have worked out anyway. Even if Ben and I got to be together" Auggie tilted his head in question. Smiling, Annie scooted her chair forward.
"When Dani and I were younger we had a pretty good method of deciding if a guy was a good match for us or not. We used it as a test from elementary school to college, and even after I guess" She paused, a small smirk on her face.
"Huh…a test to tell if a guy was good for you. Well I'm intrigued; do tell me more Miss Walker"
"Well, back when we were young we figured a guy would be perfect for us if his last name…went well…with our first name" Annie paused, watching her friend's face. Auggie broke out in a smile and started laughing.
"What? You did the whole tack on his last name to mine? Like to see if you could be 'Mrs. So and so'? That's your method?" Annie swatted Auggie's arm.
"Hey don't mock what you don't know. It actually worked pretty well." Auggie gave her a disbelieving stare.
"In second grade a boy in my class, Scott Markowitz, asked to be my valentine. I told him I'd think it over- of course at that time it actually meant I had to consult Dani to see if it was cool or not-" Auggie chuckled in response.
"Anyway, Dani told me to make his last name mine to see if it still sounded okay. So instead of Annie Walker I pictured Annie Markowitz. Not such a good ring to it-"
"You turned the poor guy down because of his last name? Harsh" Auggie interjected.
"No…well, yes. But listen. I said 'no' to Scott and so he proceeded to ask Sheila Ross the same thing. Unfortunately Sheila agreed and when it came around to Valentine's Day Scott gave her a box of candy hearts. But instead of candy, he filled it with these disgusting little beetles. Poor Sheila started sobbing when she reached inside. Turns out Scott was actually trying to be a tough guy and prove that boys were cooler than girls and girls were gross and had cooties"
"Oh, ouch" Auggie said.
"Yeah, exactly"
"So wait-" Auggie sat up straighter. "This incident proved to you that your method was sound?" Annie smiled.
"Well…that and a few other ones throughout the years, on both Dani's part and mine; definitely saved Dani from going to Prom with a total jerk. The guy ended up getting plastered at a pre-party and then throwing up all over his date". Auggie grimaced.
"So that brings us back to-" Annie cut him off. "When I came back from traveling, I told Dani about Ben. She may buy my Smithsonian cover, but she's still my sister. She could tell something had happened. I told her about Ben- not everything of course, but enough. Including the part where I woke up to well…no one. Anyway, when I finished she talked about how he wasn't worth it. Gave me the 'What kind of guy would leave you' speech.- the usual comforting words. And then she said 'And you know? "Annie Mercer"? Doesn't sound right'". Annie smiled, recalling the moment. "I've started thinking about that now. Maybe she's right. Maybe it ultimately wouldn't have worked 'cause we just wouldn't sound right" Auggie nodded in understanding. After a pause he spoke, smirking slightly.
"So what would sound good? Annie…Sheehan perhaps?" Annie hit Auggie's arm, laughing.
"Conrad? Ugh no! Sounds terrible anyway. Maybe…" Annie paused "Annie Wilcox" Auggie made a disgusted face and started faux gagging.
"Okay calm down, I was just kidding" Annie said giggling at the prospect herself.
"Never in a million years, please" Auggie said.
"Don't worry that won't happen, trust me" The rest of their night continued in upbeat conversation and laughter; thoughts of past loves and hurt receding into the backs of their minds. As the Tavern slowly emptied for the night, Annie offered Auggie a ride home.
As the pair pulled up to his apartment building Auggie got out. But instead of going inside he felt his way around to the driver's side window. Annie slid the glass down and waited expectantly. Auggie leaned into the window and moved his face next to hers so his mouth was at her ear.
"You know…just a heads up, I think 'Annie Anderson' has a nice ring to it" He pulled back but not before leaving a ghost of a kiss on her cheek. Then he turned around and promptly walked into the building.
Annie sat still for a moment, shocked. Did Auggie Anderson just hit on her? Her best friend Auggie? As Annie pulled into reverse and headed home she couldn't help thinking that 'Annie Anderson sounded…almost, well, perfect.