Authors: This is a total AU ending to episode 4X6 inspired by a line in Epona3's fic Revelations (Chapter 2). It goes AU during the final meeting between Rossabi and Annie and would kind of have to be the end of the series….and it has spiraled out of control, if you guys like it it could be multi-chaptered.
"Annie, come in and sit down," Agent Rossabi looked grim.
"Let me say something first," Annie was flustered and terrified.
"Just come in and sit down," he nodded to a rolling chair beside his desk.
She sat and folded her hands in her lap like a chastised school girl.
"You may be a complete and utter pain in the ass Walker, but I don't peg you for a cold blooded killer. I don't want to know the story, you spooks have plenty of stories and I don't want to know any of them. I am giving you a choice," his voice was quiet and calm in the cool room.
Annie didn't dare speak she just nodded her head.
"You turn yourself in. I can work a self-defense angle, we can try to plea bargain, but the death of a high ranking CIA lawyer isn't going to be hidden in the press, you will lose your covert status and anyone who helped you will be subject to the same," he bit his lip and watched her eyes blink furiously.
"You said there was a ….choice," she choked on the last word.
"Disappear and I'll make sure no one else is implicated. I'll give you 24 hours. Walk in here by 5:00 pm tomorrow or disappear. I am turning the report in tomorrow at 5:00," he slid the folder towards her.
She opened it and there on the first page was her photo, her driver's license photo of all things, clipped to a sheet of what she could only assume were DNA results.
"Thank you," she said quietly and contritely.
***555***
Annie got all the way to Auggie's and up the stairs before she broke down. Once she started crying though she couldn't stop. Auggie made his way across the room and down to the floor where he gathered her in his arms.
"Sshhh, sshhh," he repeated over and over, "what happened?"
Auggie assumed whatever happened was bad, but here she was in his apartment and not a federal jail.
"Is this place clean?" she whispered.
"You mean have I vacuumed recently?" he furrowed his brow.
She shot him a look and for once was annoyed he couldn't see her reaction, so she pinched him instead.
"Yes, recently swept in fact," he confirmed.
Annie laid out the offer Rossabi made earlier.
"Where do you want to go?" Auggie decided for her as he got to his feet and grabbed his laptop.
"I don't know, I hadn't decided….I almost made this decision once before and I couldn't. I couldn't leave Dani and the girls….and you, but Joan is pregnant and if there is a trial both she and you would be implicated…" she couldn't keep the tears from streaming down her face.
"Well this time you only have to worry about Dani and the girls and once we're settled we'll find a way to let them know you're safe," Auggie was babbling and typing a mile a minute, but Annie was stuck back on the first point.
"You'd come with me?" she said in awe.
"Of course," he stopped typing and it was suddenly silent.
"Auggie, I couldn't ask you to give up everything, to just leave," she was speechless.
"I told you the night it happened that I was not going to let you hang out on your own on this, and I meant no matter what," he turned on the stool and she made her way between his legs to wrap herself around him.
"We've only been together a month Auggie," she laughed mirthlessly.
"Have we? It seems to me we have been together forever, or at least for the past 3 years. The other night when you referenced the first day we met it all flooded back at me, every time we talked or laughed or touched or conspired for the past 3 years. I love you Annie and I won't let you walk away from me," he found her face with his hand, he wiped the tears from her cheek.
"How do we do this? I know how to go underground short term, have never really thought about it as a long term option."
"My first question still stands, where do you want to go?"
"Remote tropical island too predictable?" she smiled.
"Not if we find the right one. There are islands that aren't even on maps where a couple thousand dollars can buy you a house with a coconut tree."
"I have access to $50,000 and obviously we have clean passports and fire power," she stepped out of his arms and began pacing.
"Money won't be a problem and neither will transport, I can have a private plane ready to go with 2 hours notice," Auggie shook his head.
"Ever? Money won't be a problem ever" Annie queried.
"Well we might have to find part time work eventually, but I think we can live pretty well for quite a while," he shrugged.
"How rich are you Auggie?" she teased.
"Rich enough to keep us in coconuts for a while," he smiled.
***555***
Annie opened the burner phone Auggie had in the safe. She dialed Danielle's cell and really hoped her sister answered.
"Hello?"
"Dani it's me," Annie was vibrating with anxiety.
"Hey, I didn't recognize the number," her sister sounded so happy and care free.
"I need you to promise me something. When we hang up from this call you will destroy your cell phone, cut the SIM card up and destroy it, do you understand?"
"Yes," Danielle said very solemnly.
"I have to leave DC, for a very long time. You are going to hear in the news about some terrible things I did, it is not the whole story and I am being given a chance to get away, to make it right."
"Annie, you are scaring me," Danielle was glad to be alone in the house.
"I don't want to scare you, I just want you to know that I am safe and not alone. It may be a long time before you hear from me again and that is the hardest thing about all of this. I love you Dani and I love the girls so much, please try to keep any of the news from them. Tell them I am fine and I will reach out again when I can."
"You're not alone?" Danielle confirmed.
"I am not alone," Annie looked over at Auggie still working on the computer.
"I love you Annie.'
"I love you too, remember what I said, destroy the phone," and with that Annie hung up.
"You OK?" Auggie finally said when there was no indication Annie had even taken a breath since she hung up.
"No," she said honestly.
TBC…
