Disclaimer: I don't own this.

Annie Walker knew a bad day at the office. But she felt they were getting worse, and the degeneration was wearing on her. By the end of the week, her back was aching and her shoulders gave an ominous crack every time she arched it.

She decided to skip heading to Auggie Anderson's apartment. He was at work late anyway- some urgent intel had prompted an all hands Tech Ops meeting, and Annie's aching body and empty inbox told her it was time to head home even if it meant going alone.

As soon as she got home, she went upstairs and drew a bath. After her long soak, about half a tub of body butter and a face peel, she felt sufficiently pampered. She didn't engage in these girly comforts often, but when she did, she reveled in it. She put on her comfiest pair of sweats and a thick, soft, made-for-November crewneck and settled into the couch in Danielle's nearly empty house. She checked the home phone for messages, and there were none- not even from Danielle, which was odd- but she was slightly relieved. No one to answer to, no one to interrupt her rare break from her daily life.

But her solitary bliss was short lived. Two minutes into her DVD and six spoonfuls into her pint of Ben and Jerry's, her cell phone rang. She groaned, but saw that it was Auggie- if there was one person she would invite into this moment, it would be him.

"Good evening, sugarplum," Annie answered with the relaxed cheerfulness that reflected her mood.

"Annie, you need to come to Langley. Immediately. I'm so sorry." His voice was urgent

"What's this about?" She was sufficiently shocked out of her good humor. "Auggie?"

"Annie, I'm so sorry… It's… you have to come to Langley."

"How soon? I'm not dressed-"

"Now, Annie, it doesn't matter, don't even change, just get to the office."

"Okay." She said, and he hung up. She knew better than to ask questions, to think whether this was important. She saw that it was, and was past protesting. She snapped off the TV, hurriedly stuck the ice cream back in the freezer, and headed to her office as fast as she could- only stopping to grab her shoes, keys, and coat.

Langley at this hour was strange. It was equal parts bustling and abandoned, brightly lit and quiet. She pushed passed the front doors and almost made it to the turnstile entrance when she realized she had not grabbed the coat she'd worn to work today, but her trench coat, instead- so she was without a passkey. She mentally kicked herself and audibly groaned in frustration. She then pulled her phone out to dial Auggie.

"Where are you?" He said by way of answering in the same tone of urgency from earlier that night.

"The lobby- but I forgot my ID."

He didn't falter. "Wait there."

Annie shoved her hands into the pocket of trench trench coat and leaned against a column. She stood in the lobby for another minute- tapping her foot and avoiding eye contact with the guard.

She was relieved when she heard footsteps coming towards her, but was surprised to that it was Joan, carrying a file under her arm, with Auggie on her elbow.

The two exited the turnstile and stood silently in front of her for longer than she cared.

"Well? You dragged me here at this hour, what is it?" She had been patient enough up until this moment.

"Annie…" his voice carried love and concern, mixed in with a tone that she didn't recognize and couldn't read. Her stomach did flips, and while she never let it show, she was beginning to get nervous. "Let's sit down. Joan's going to read you in, and I'm going to be here, for you."

Joan gave a nod and led them over to a small table by the main security desk and offered them each a plastic chair. She cleared her throat and opened the file in front of her, sliding a picture across the table towards Annie.

"You know Michael Brooks?" Though, it was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes…" She gaped, staring at the picture with awe and confusion. "He's my brother in law."

The picture showed his NSA identification.

"You may not know that he was the former Secret Service foreign intelligence liaison."

"Mike… He's a business man."

"He was, for a time. Up until a little over a year ago he was living civilian life- of course, under the supervision of the Secret Service and the NSA- but he's been staffed out on an interagency covert operation in LA."

"What op?" She surprised herself that that was her first question.

"It's above your clearance, Annie, but I had to read you in on that to tell you the rest."

Auggie chose this moment to take her hand and squeeze it. She thought for a second about pulling it away, but decided instead to turn to Joan and ask "What's the rest? And does Danielle know about all of this?"

Joan shifted in her seat, and her gaze deferred to Auggie.

"Annie, Danielle's in a coma." He says in the low, cracking voice that anybody delivers bad news. "Her recovery is a possibility but not a likelihood. Mike was abducted, we think he's being held hostage. He was taken from the house, and in the struggle, Dani was badly injured."

"What about the girls? What about Katia and Chloe?" Annie let her voice crack for the first time in what felt like years.

"They're okay, they're at a slumber party."

"That's where they are now? When did this all happen?"

"Just a few hours ago. We didn't want to call you in until we had confirmed the intel."

"We have to find Mike. We have to get him back for them, we have to find the person who did this to them, immediately, Joan, you have to tell me why and how and help me save him-"

"Annie, our best people are on it." Joan stopped her. "The NSA's best people are on it, same with the FBI, the Service and every cop with a walkie talkie's on the lookout. It just can't be you. I read you in on Michael Brooks because I knew you'd find out soon enough. But come tomorrow morning, they're going to be two little girls at their neighbor's house wondering where their mom and dad are. You're the legal guardian. You've been officially released from government duty until Mike is found or your sister has recovered."

She gulped, and looked to Auggie, whose hand was still clasped tightly around hers. She felt like she had been hit by a train, completely blindsided and crushed.

"I'm here for you, Annie, in any way you need."

"No, not any way. You can't drop everything and come with me to California."

Auggie opened his mouth to speak, but was just as soon cut off by Joan.

"Yes, he can."

"I can?" Auggie asked in disbelief, his voice laced with cautious hope.

"Yes. The op will live without you. You two better get going, you have tickets on a flight to California leaves in 3 hours." She collected her file and left, disappearing back into the innards of the Agency. Annie hadn't felt like this much of an outsider in all her time here.

Annie, accompanied by Auggie, returned home, changed, packed a bag and drove to long-term parking at Dulles. All the while, she replayed this surreal disaster over and over again in her head.

This was bad, worse and messier than anything she had felt or seen during her near five years in covert ops. But she knew there was only one thing to do now- protect her nieces.

TO BE CONTINUED

Reviews super welcome. I will be updating this story as soon as I possibly can and if people respond will likely continue. Thank you for reading and have a nice day.