Distraction
Disclaimer: I do not own Covert Affairs.
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"Annie, ask me to do something else. Anything else."
Auggied slumped down on the ridiculously uncomfortable bench she led him to. "Thursday night dinners for a year. Premier tickets to the next Mingus concert. Something?"
"No. You're going with me to Danielle and Michael's renewals." When she saw the resigned look on his face she picked up a dress and went behind the curtain.
"I thought you said it wouldn't last."
"Of course, I'd say that. He broke my sister's heart. That puts him indefinitely on my black list. But she thinks he's changed. So, you're helping me choose a dress."
"And how exactly do you expect me to be of any help? It's not like I can tell you if something makes your butt look fat."
"Auggie!"
"As if such fabric existed." He amended soothingly.
"Jerk."
"Seriously, I'm about as useful as the rest of the poor saps in here." He gestured toward the other men nearby, no doubt dragged in by the woman in their life. "Less really, since I am not motivated by the hope of seeing any one of the parade of outfits you're trying on end up on my apartment floor."
"I am sending you a dirty look right now, Mister Cranky Pants." She pulled back the curtain and stepped out in front of him. "This is a dark blue Shimmer dress. Dark blue like the night sky and it shimmers like glitter." To his surprise, she took his hands and placed them on her shoulders. "Go ahead."
He raised a brow. "Are you giving me permission to feel you up in a department store?"
She rolled her eyes. "You see with your hands. Tell me what you think of this dress."
Since she didn't sound like she was joking, but not wanting to get slapped, he rubbed the material at her shoulders. "Sequins?"
"All along the front." She confirmed.
"Light's gonna bounce right off these. You'll cause a glare in every camera."
"So, that's a no?"
"You also jingle a little when you move. Like a maraca."
With a thoughtful Hmmm she stepped back behind the curtain.
"Annie, why am I here? Even if I could see, these dresses would probably all look the same." He said, after the 9th dress.
"You're my date to this thing, I want you to like what I'm wearing." She said it simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Auggie nearly smiled. "Then you should check out the bikini section."
"Only if you buy yourself a matching pair of Speedos."
She stepped out in time to catch the face he made and laughed.
"Annie, real men don't wear Speedos."
"I backpacked through Europe. Yes, they do."
"That's Europe. You'll never find that particular fashion monstrosity in my drawers." He stood up and automatically held his hands out. This time, she put them on her waist.
"Silk." He said, pinching the material between his fingers. "It's not black is it?"
She chuckled. "It's red. Latin summer, sunset red."
He drew his hand away, fabric still in hand, and he heard it swish. He moved back to rest one hand on her hip, while the other reached up to finger the string at her shoulders. He followed the line of her arm to her hand and laved his fingers through hers. Taking a step back, he raised their joined hands and twirled her.
Laughing, she took his hand and moved it to the small of her back and stepped flush against him. Soon they were both swaying to the song playing over the store's speakers. A Latin beat, for a Latin dress.
"I think we have a winner." He murmured. "Except…"
"Except?"
"Well, how's Danielle going to take you showing up looking better than her?"
She grinned. "The same way Michael does whenever I bring you over for dinner."
He laughed. "And now, Miss Walker, lunch. Payment for the indignity of holding your purse."
"Aw, but it totally matches that bright turquoise shirt you're wearing."
"Har Har."
They had lunch at an out-of-the-way diner, then ended the evening with Thai food, beer and a Bond marathon.
Auggie couldn't remember having a more enjoyable day. Then something occurred to him. All day there was a nagging feeling that he had forgotten something.
"Annie, what day is it?"
The way she stilled and said a little too casually, "Why?" Told him she knew.
Any other time, if it was anyway one else, he would have been furious. But because it was her there was gratitude, and he could only say in mock indignation, "That's why you stole my watch and made me go shopping with you?"
"It was all I could think of. " She studied him carefully. "You're not mad?"
He took a moment before answering.
On this date, ever year it all always came back to him. The grief, the frustration, the undisciplined rage that once consumed him. He succumbed to the carefully buried darkness that he tried so hard to pretend he had beaten, that it no longer scared him.
In the past, he usually took the day off and drank himself into a stupor, followed by a coma via extra strength sleeping pills. But today, Annie Walker showed up at his door, at the crack of dawn, and proceeded to draw him into a whirlwind of laughter, designer clothes and light. She knew. She noticed. She refused to leave him alone. With anyone else it might have been because of pity, but with her it was just…her.
Something warm moved through him and settled. He loved this woman. He wasn't sure yet of the form the feeling took, but it was there. He found her hand and squeezed it warmly. "I'm not mad."
He got up and headed for the kitchen and said over his shoulder. "But next time you take me to a mall, bikinis better be involved."
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Author's Note: I feel like we needed this after last night's episode. Also, a couple of you asked for a sequel to my oneshot Jealousy. I had another oneshot halfway done, and then I saw last night's episode and I've decided that a oneshot wasn't going to cut it. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and favorited my work so far. Stay tuned. ~pagedancer