Here's a wee story I'v set up after the gang have got Annie back. There are a LOT of really good stories happening out there just now! Hope you enjoy it.P.S I own nothing but this story.
In the CENNSA facility, everything had started off so impatiently slow. Without warning a tornado swept in and destroyed everything in its path, their essence of normality, their family.
George was doing what he did best; moving on and forcing all unpleasant feelings into a lockable box. There was too much to think about…believing there was a cure for the 'curse', Tully...Mitchell. No, he did not want to know what Mitchell had done, that was can of worms definitely not to be opened anytime soon. Mitchell, well he was completely hollowed out now. Just sat and simmered in a concoction of blood lust, guilt and rage.
Annie would have wanted George to bring back some normality. He got a job, their new house, though it felt like nothing could ever be the same again. The only thing keeping them going was the determination to get Annie back. Failure was not an option.
When George didn't keep himself busy, Annie's 'suicide note' would ring in his ears, a constant reminder of how shit a friend he had been. If he allowed recent memories to resurface, if he caved in, the dreams of Annie's screaming form being dragged into a black nothingness would replay constantly. It was up there with some of the scariest moments of his life. He should have known his best friend was lonely and desperate, how could he have been so blind?
He never did tell Mitchell about her goodbye tape. It would probably drive Mitchell literally over the unstable edge he was already clinging to.
Now, he stood in the living room of their new cottage home with Mitchell and Nina, mouth open, all eyes on Annie. They did it, they actually got her back.
And here she stood, their Annie, in the present, arms wrapped tightly around her; grey hood pulled up, head twitching back and forth as she examined every detail of her surroundings. She seemed so unsure of everything, almost lost.
Silence filled the room like a thick blanket. She looked haggard, exhausted and run down. Her unusually dull form was frayed at the edges, and her hair clumped around her blank face.
George was chilled to the bone as he studied her expressionless face, and yet her eyes were wide, panicky and unfocussed, frantically darting about.
This wasn't the Annie he knew. Their Annie would crack inappropriate jokes about their damp living conditions and provide a smile that would shatter all problems into the next millennia. If she would just smile, he would know everything would be ok again.
He watched her touch the few items scattered about the room, the armchair, a red jumper; she almost made an inaudible 'um' noise.
.The silence was becoming unbearable and George coughed unnecessarily to break through. His eyes felt red raw from all his celebratory tears and he tried desperately to sound calm, "Annie, do you know what happened? You're back now, it's ok".
Her scanning eyes suddenly stopped and focussed on George, face remaining passive. She opened her mouth but no sounds emerged, as though she had forgotten how to speak.
George sputtered as Annie continued to absorb her surroundings, occasionally glancing towards Mitchell.
George rubbed the bridge of his nose, unsettled by Annie's odd behaviour, speaking aloud to no one in particular, "Why isn't she speaking? Annie always talks; it's impossible to shut her up, she talks and talks…" He just needed someone to say everything is ok.
A gentle squeeze on his arm reminded George that Nina was right beside him. His inch high private eye had pulled together the pieces into finding Annie. She spoke reassuringly, "He said it might take her a while to get used to things, she just needs some time baby".
Annie picked up the discarded newspaper lying on the table, briefly looking over the front page.
George took the moment to look over Mitchell, just at his side. He noticed Mitchell's hands kept reaching out to Annie, itching to touch her, but he shoved his hands into his trouser pockets in doubt.
She was wary of Mitchell. He held back, and George new all Mitchell wanted was to hug the life out of her, but he let her settle.
Mitchell's raspy voice called out her name, startling George. As Mitchell stepped forward, Annie visibly stiffened, stepping back and dropping the paper to the floor. Her uncharacteristic rejection crumpled Mitchell back as though a physical blow had hit him. George was completely miffed by it all and similarly took a step backwards.
Annie closed her eyes and her forehead crinkled into delicate lines of worry, breaking her frozen face. She stepped forward and suddenly hugged George, who did not respond at first from the unexpected movement. Of course he returned the hug and warm tears slid down his cheek. She wasn't cold, before she always left a chill, but today she felt normal.
Releasing the hug, Annie stood before the window, running her hand against the cool glass, leaving a clammy palm imprint. George allowed Nina to tug him over to sit on the couch.
He couldn't remove his gaze from his two friends: Annie staring out the window and Mitchell watching her intensely. Whatever had happened between them previously would be dealt with the next day. George would overhear a massive argument between the pair, echoing from upstairs. Well, he could mainly here Annie shouting. Mitchell responded at first, but obviously knew better. He'd never heard them engage in such a heated debate before. After hours of silence upstairs, they were fine, having resolved whatever the hell they were arguing about. George only caught random words or names, and he was positive "Herrick" was mentioned at some point.
George's eyes were glued. There was some sort of connection between the pair, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Mitchell ran a tired hand over his face and Annie finally turned, eyes more focussed, less searching, looking into Mitchell cautiously. All hostility had washed away, as Mitchell inched closer, hesitantly raising an arm to pull her hood down and gently pushed a strand of Annie's hair from her eye.
George knew he should avert his gaze from this private moment, but he couldn't. Annie made a 'hum' noise in response to Mitchell's touch, which encouraged him to pull her into a tight embrace. Mitchell buried his head into her hair, which slightly muffled his crying. If George didn't hold such a close friendship with Mitchell, he would be uncomfortable with his openness.
The pair remained entranced for a while. George felt Nina gently stroking his head. Later, Nina would have her turn. He'll find Nina sobbing apologies into Annie's embrace while Annie coos her to hold no responsibility. For now, it's the boys turn.
Mitchell lifted his head and allowed Annie to guide him over to the couch, where she sandwiched between the two, squeezing George's hand, while Mitchell played with the moonstone ring on her right hand.
Over the next few days, following their argument, George would study the interaction between Annie and Mitchell with curiosity. He would notice Mitchell always watches Annie, in a non creepy way and would never lose physical contact, always with an arm wrapped around her waist. He would notice the playfulness; the little things like Annie fixing Mitchell's hair (George vividly remembers Mitchell stating in the past that no one touches the hair). Mitchell was never the clingy type before, but it seemed oddly natural for the pair. As he ponders these thoughts to Nina, she will laugh at him for being cutely oblivious to the 'signs', as she called it. Much high pitch stuttering followed as George put two and two together.
Until then, Annie's lips twitched into a tiny, sad smile, and the tears came as she finally crumbled, shell broken. All George can do is hold onto her as sobs racket her fragile form.
Tears now finished, Annie wipes her face with her cardigan sleeves, looks about and produces a genuine smile, "Oft, we'll need to do some serious decorating here".
He can feel his heart jump with happiness as he realises now, they can all start to heal.