Title: Boundaries

Author: Takada Saiko

A/N: This is one of those fics I'm starting and thinking 'I'm going to regret this because I really don't have the time, but am going to write it anyway.' Oi. A warning, if you read 'Hindsight is 20-20' just know that I will not be updating as regularly as that one… I have classes now and that takes up a good chunk of the day. It's just… after ep 1x07 the other day, Tash has been buzzing around my head. It's a good chance that it's going to be AU to an extent, just because I get the feeling that next week Annie may find out that Arthur has been searching for Ben, just from the previews. Also, there's a quick oneshot amongst the 'Dream Sequence' shots that I was working through for some of this story.

Timeline: Follows Communication Breakdown

"falling out of love can breach your world

and the boundaries of your friend's worlds"

Tokyo Moon by Windmill

Boundaries

Chapter one.

Auggie Anderson was a creature of habit. Not by nature, though, but by necessity. That's one thing that he hated most about the Liza Hearn op that he ran. She invaded his habits. She came and went nearly as she pleased, and he had to pretend to be thrilled by it.

This week he knew for sure that she was on assignment elsewhere. She would not be invading him, hoping for a quick romp before or after work, and he would not have to come up with yet a more clever way than last to get around her questions and try to out her sources. He really was liking this less and less with each passing day.

The disgust in Annie's voice when she'd found out hadn't helped any either.

That was another problem entirely. Auggie sighed to himself as he stretched out on his couch and groped on the table for the remote that controlled his stereo system. Mingus met his ears and he almost groaned as he turned to burry his face in the decorative pillow. Why, after so many years of enjoying the jazz artist, did his music now remind him of a certain blonde operative?

He allowed his mind to wander to her as his fingers danced across the buttons, looking for music that might suite his dampened mood better. His emotions had been run through lately and he was nearly at his wit's end. Closure with Tash was not what he'd expected it to be and there was a sense of unfinished conversation hanging between he and Annie that loomed with such a ferocity that the easy talk that they usually fell into had fallen by the wayside for the past week since the initial declaration of trust after the wrap up of Tash's case. There had been no casual drinks at Allen's Tavern, no chatter at work, and even their usual banter seemed forced and uneasy. Auggie hated it. It left him feeling cold and hollow in a time that he could have really used Annie's bubbling personality and the pep talks that she'd become amazingly good at in the recent times.

A knock at his front door shook him out of his thoughts and he rolled off the couch and moved towards the door, asking who was there once he laid hands on the large, sliding door.

"It's Annie," the familiar voice called and Auggie felt something in his chest grip.

He unlocked and slid his door open. The smell of Jo Malone Grapefruit hit him as if he hadn't caught the scent in ages. He breathed it in and felt a small smile tip the edges of his lips upward. "Annie. What a surprise." He moved so she could come in.

Her steps were hesitant, as if she weren't sure how to read his expression and words. When he'd slid the door back into place he heard her give a half sigh-half snort of frustration. "This has to end."

Auggie stood silent. That could go so many ways. "You're… going to have to be more specific on what 'this' is," he managed when he felt he could speak without sounding like a small child waiting for the verdict from an angry father over some wrongdoing.

"This, Auggie!" She may have given a wide sweeping motion, but Auggie couldn't be sure. When he didn't respond she moved closer to where he stood, but never touched him. "You're my best friend and we haven't even…" Her voice trailed off and hitched.

When Auggie was certain that she didn't mean she was ending any sort of association with him – the worst possible scenario that had crossed his mind upon her words – he reached out and finally found her hand. When he pulled her closer he could smell the alcohol on her breath. It was not overbearing, but apparently she'd been shifting through some of the same thoughts that he had that night. "Annie," he whispered, feeling as if anything louder might shatter something in them both. "We should talk."

She nodded and he could almost feel her eyes tracing every line of his face. After a long moment they moved to the couch that Auggie had previously occupied and he clicked the music back to Mingus and quieted it.

Annie laughed quietly at the choice and smiled. "Auggie, you really are my best friend… I guess my only friend outside of my family nowdays."

"What, you and Jai aren't buddy-buddy anymore?" Auggie asked before he could help himself. He was pretty sure that with as much as Annie loathed Liza, he felt that way or more towards Jai for possibly the same reasons.

"I'm still pissed at him for not trusting you with the Natasha hack incident," she answered honestly. Silence fell between them for a moment before she sighed. "Auggie, things have been different."

"Things usually are different when people find out things about each other that they never would have guessed," Auggie answered quietly.

"But I really do trust you. I don't want to be angry at you."

"Then don't be."

"It's not that easy." Annie took his hands at this and he could feel her breath hot on his face. She was leaning so close that he could almost taste her. "It's not…"

"Then talk to me, Annie," Auggie growled, frustration bubbling. "That's been the problem. You've never had an issue throwing any and every problem my way, but what's the hold up when it has to do with me?"

"I don't want to lose you!"

"You won't!" Auggie hadn't meant to yell back. He could feel her muscles tense and she let go of his hands to wipe at tears that were building in her eyes. He sighed, feeling like a real jerk. "Annie, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No it's not." He reached a tentative hand towards her face. When he found it he cupped her cheek and leaned in so their foreheads rested against each other's. "I've been an ass."

"Yeah," she laughed through her tears.

"Forgive me?"

She didn't answer him at first, but also didn't move away. The silence started to make Auggie feel uneasy again. He'd been a jerk, he'd admitted it, and things would go back to normal, right? Annie wasn't the type to hold grudges, at least not against him. He was about to open his mouth to speak up when she leaned forward and her lips pressed against his. It was quick and sweet, leaving him wanting more when she pulled away.

But she did pull away and Auggie imagined her face bright red as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Auggie," she managed, stuttering through the sentence. "I've been drinking some tonight, and Danielle and I were talking a little about it and I knew I couldn't just call and… And now I'm rambling. I'm sorry."

A smile spread across his face and before he knew it they were kissing again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her into his lap. It was sudden and he knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that these were all the emotions raging from their somewhat tiff that had stretched on for the past week involving Liza Hearn, his impromptu trip to Canada with Tash, and everything in between, but that didn't really matter as soon as Annie's lips touched his.

A knock came at the front door and Annie pulled back suddenly. "Ignore it," Auggie murmured as he reached for her again, but the knock came louder, more frantic.

"Auggie?" a familiar, Russian accented voice called from the hallway. "It's Natasha. Please let in!"

"What's Tash doing back here?" Annie asked, her voice not quite accusing as she crawled off of Auggie.

The tech op frowned slightly as he sat up and stood from the couch. "I have no idea."

A/N: So, there's the first chapter. Remember, reviews feed my addiction, cookies feed the plot bunnies. =D