Inspired by a throw-away of WillyNilly23.
...
Auggie was familiar with the small button you could push to release more morphine. He had been offered the release many times, while laying in a hospital bed. This was the first time he gave in and pushed.
It didn't get rid of the pain, but at least it kept him from staying awake to hear Annie talking to Ryan in the hallway.
...
Joan was there. Her perfume was the first thing he noticed. She would want to talk. He pushed the button again. Their conversation was brief.
...
Auggie had been offered an Oxycodone script many times, but never filled one. When Joan came to drive him home from the hospital, the paper the doctor had handed him that morning was in his back pocket. As soon as she stopped worrying over him at his apartment, he walked to the nearest pharmacy to get it filled.
...
He had been offered time off to recover from many missions, but never accepted. This time, he informed Langley that he would be taking the all of the offered leave.
...
Auggie was sitting on the couch, listening to music at volumes a little too loud, when he remembered. The memories came with emotions. He felt his watch. Three hours and forty-six minutes was close enough to four, so he pulled the bottle from his pocket and swallowed one of the tiny pills.
The emotions receded quickly, leaving Auggie enveloped in a sense of warmth, not having to face anything for another three hours and forty-six minutes.
...
After two weeks, he had a follow-up doctor's appointment. He didn't ask for more meds, but the doctor asked if he needed them. He barely recognized himself when he answered in the affirmative. He also didn't care.
...
Annie stopped by unannounced. He couldn't remember when he last took a pill, but it couldn't hurt to take one off-schedule. That's what he told himself as he swallowed the small pill before opening the door.
...
After three weeks, Auggie knew he was going too far. He was supposed to return to work soon. He was probably only taking the painkillers out of habit. He occupied himself by going to the gym, then rewarded himself with one pill. It was only to help him get to sleep. In the morning, he convinced himself that he was still in pain. It wasn't time to give up, yet.
...
Barber noticed that Auggie wasn't himself, but who would be, after all the man had been through? Barber had taken over the Tech Ops responsibilities in his boss' absence, and never handed them all back. They worked as equals, with Barber picking up the slack for a change.
...
Joan could see Auggie through the glass walls of both of their offices. She wondered if he even noticed how frequently he was taking the medicine.
...
Annie finally talked Auggie into meeting her at a bar after work. They had both changed. There was a silence between them that had never existed before.
"I finally got to travel to Djibouti." Annie said.
"What was going on there?" Auggie asked.
Annie opened up her mouth to answer, then realized that confidentiality agreements kept her from explaining. "Company Christmas party." She lied.
Auggie nodded. "I thought it was odd that you were going to tell me."
"I want to. I miss working with you."
"I'm sure McQuaid has all the resources that you need."
"It's not the same."
"Well, everybody changes. You even said that you don't need me anymore."
Annie stared at him a moment. "You remember that?"
Auggie laughed. It wasn't the laugh she remembered. His face didn't smile like it used to. "It was our last conversation before shit hit the fan. I may have let it cross my mind a time or two."
"I regretted saying that."
"It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters."
"Why? So we can continue to be friends? As though I don't know how every inch of your body reacts under my tongue? As if each of those locations doesn't have a corresponding sound that you make, escalating as you are more aroused? I'm done with pleasantries, Annie. You and I don't work together, we don't sleep together, and we very rarely drink together. Why does your regret over a conversation we had months ago matter?"
"Because we are friends." Annie annunciated each word.
"Could have fooled me." Auggie snipped.
"What do you want?"
Auggie turned up his glass, draining the clear liquid. "You invited me out. What do you want, Walker?"
"I wanted to offer you a job, but it's clear you aren't interested."
Without another word, Annie walked away.
...
Auggie hated that Joan kept her office in the open floor-plan, the way Calder had arranged things. Privacy now required more effort than just closing a door. The two of them ducked into the open conference room.
"Yes?" Joan asked.
"McQuaid sent Annie to offer me a job yesterday." Auggie figured he would cut to the chase.
"McQuaid sent her?" Joan asked. Something in her tone tipped Auggie off.
"You knew?"
"Arthur mentioned something about a new cyber-unit. You haven't seemed as content as you used to be. I thought maybe being back around Annie would be good for you."
"You think I should leave the CIA?"
"I'm not saying that."
"But you recommended that Arthur send Annie to try to butter me up."
"Three years ago, that would have been my approach, but not now. Evidently that's what he did, though."
…
Auggie drank a shot of tequila as he waited for the knock at his door. When it came, he didn't bother asking who was there before opening.
"Punctual and handsome." Auggie quipped.
"I was surprised to hear from you." McQuaid responded.
"That's news to me, considering what Annie told me yesterday."
McQuaid surveyed Auggie's apartment. It was clean and tidy, but he hadn't bothered replacing the furniture that had been damaged in the attack. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Bullshit."
"I don't have time to bullshit you."
"She said she came to offer me a job. I'm assuming that she isn't starting her own company."
"I certainly hope not. It would be a huge loss for my company if that were to happen. I wouldn't expect you to want to leave the CIA, though."
Auggie leaned against the counter and sighed. "I think I need a change in scenery."
"I could get you an office with a window, if that's what it takes. Just come by tomorrow to discuss details."
"One detail first."
"What's that?"
"I don't want to work with Annie."
"I can't promise that you won't run into each other in the hallway."
"If I wanted to avoid her completely, I'd stay at Langley. I just don't want this to be me coming in to work with her, to be a part of her team or something."
"Considering I hadn't planned to offer you a job, I definitely didn't have a team in mind. But your skillset would be put to better use, I imagine, with our more military-focused operations."
"I would like that."
"Come by in the morning, and we'll work out the details."
"Sounds good."
…
A week later, Arthur called Auggie and asked for him to come in to finish working out some details. When he came through the front door, Annie met him, instead.
"Auggie," She called.
"Annie."
She walked up and brushed his hand, he didn't react. "I have to go meet Arthur." He explained.
"I know. Arthur was called away a few minutes ago. Ryan wanted me to tell you to come to his office, instead."
"He could have called."
"He was going to. I was in his office, and offered."
Auggie nodded. "I'll get on up there, then." He turned ninety degrees and re-oriented himself.
Annie thought about offering to walk with him, but turned away.
…
"Auggie, there's a seat at your two o'clock, about ten feet in front of you." Ryan welcomed.
"Thanks."
Ryan pushed a cup of coffee against the back of his hand. "Coffee."
Auggie took the cup and sipped. It was quality brew.
"So, are we good?" Auggie asked.
"You know we had to run a standard background check and urinalysis, as we do with all employees."
"So that plastic cup wasn't the McQuaid special urinal?"
"Auggie, you came back positive for opiates."
"I have a script for Oxycodone." Auggie explained.
"The concentration was pretty high."
"So what are you trying to say?"
"Auggie, why are you even still taking the Oxy? I was shot in the chest, and I didn't take it this long."
"That's between me and my doctor."
"So if I saw the script, it would be for the levels showing up in your test?"
"Am I being interrogated?"
"No."
"I assume the job offer is rescinded."
"This isn't about the job, Auggie. I know I don't know you that well, but I know what you've been through. I've seen many men go down this path. Men that had a bright future after their military career, throw it all away while they tried to dull the pain."
"You are right, you don't know me that well."
Auggie stood up and started walking toward the door. Ryan raced to his side, and grabbed his arm. Without warning, Auggie swung at him.
Ryan caught the blow, pulled Auggie's arm around, and had him restrained in a matter of seconds. The pull caused pain to shoot through Auggie's recent wounds.
"The drugs have made you slow." Ryan commented.
Auggie didn't respond. Ryan let go, and Auggie collapsed onto the floor, holding on to his injured arm.
"Arthur was supposed to have this conversation with you, Auggie, but he got called away. Joan has been worried about your well-being. Get cleaned up and come back to talk."
Auggie went home, took more painkillers, and iced his shoulder. Realizing there were only a few left, he called his doctor and left a message requesting another script.
When his doctor suggested he downgrade to Tylenol, he had another guy to call.