Disclaimer: I don't own Community. Duh doy.

A/N: This is the first fan fiction I have written in years, so I want to thank crittab for beta-ing this story for me and helping me work up the courage to post it. Many thanks to robert3A-SN who graciously allowed me to borrow from "Not That Kind of Annie" which very obviously inspired this story. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Chapter 1

The debate against City College had arrived again, and after having beat Jeremy "Soul Patch" Simmons soundly three years in a row, Greendale was excited for the opportunity to do so once more. As a school with basically nothing outstanding about it, the fact that they could win in this one thing made it a huge draw for the students. The dean had gone all out for it, reminding everyone about the "dean-bate." Jeff shuddered as he remembered too many drunken phone calls where the disturbing man referred to him as "dean bait."

Annie had been diligently preparing for weeks and even Jeff had been moved to do a little work. They knew that Simmons would try to up his game yet again. He had even gone so far as to practice at Greendale, so that he could negate the home field advantage. Jeff and Annie found this incredibly odd (especially as he didn't actually say anything during these "practices," just stood on the stage looking pensive), but they knew that together they were unstoppable. They had both promised themselves to put all existing romantic tension aside to prepare for this debate with unparalleled focus.

"Are you sure this is necessary, Annie?"

"Jeff, Simmons is coming here almost every day now to 'practice'," she exclaimed with air quotes as they walked. "We need to observe him. Even if he's just sitting there, any clue that we can get to his true intentions can help us out in the debate!" Jeff sighed.

"Fine. But if we start making this a regular thing, you're going to have to bring me a coffee too." Annie just smiled and sipped on her mocha, pleased that Jeff was giving in so easily.

"I will," she promised, setting her drink and book bag on the bleacher. She pulled out a notebook and pen (crucial to any reconnaissance mission) and looked across the gym to see Simmons staring straight back at them. His obedient sidekick/lapdog had accompanied him and appeared happy to read a magazine while the strange man did, well, whatever it was he was doing. For a fully thirty minutes, he didn't move, and his unwavering stare was remarkably unnerving.

"Do you think he wanted us to be here so he could psych us out?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know. It could be some sort of Zen focusing technique, but I feel like your explanation is more likely."

"Well then how about we get out of here. Obviously, we're getting nothing out of this and he's unlikely to do anything else as long as we're here. It's about time to meet the group to go over the History paper anyway." She sighed and nodded clutching her notebook, devoid of any actual notes to her chest. "Milady," he asked with an extended hand, shooting her his most charming smile.

"Milord," she replied with a giggle. And so they walked arm in arm from the gym.

"You two look pleased with yourselves," Britta remarked as they entered the study room beaming.

"We just spent half an hour spying on Simmons, and he's got nothing," Jeff said, sliding into his chair.

"Yeah, he tried to play some mind games on us, but we're above that," Annie added, straightening her shoulders. Britta smiled indulgently.

"Well, I'm glad. But you've still got a few days to go before the debate and this history paper is due tomorrow. We need to go over what everyone's got." Annie reached down before a look of frustration crossed her face.

"What's wrong, Annie?" Shirley asked in her sweetest voice.

"I left my bag in the gym. Let me run get it real quick, and I'll be right back. My section's all finished-promise!"

"Okay, just be quick! We need to get a move on!" Jeff shouted after her as she ran out of the room.

She quickly made her way back to the gym and stopped short when she realized what was going on.

"Simmons! Get away from my stuff!" The wheelchair-bound man had his henchman rifling through Annie's bag, no doubt looking for her debate notes.

"You dirty little cheat! I can't believe you!"

"All's fair in love and debate, little Annie," he shot back, not even trying to hide his amusement.

"Ugh! Give me my stuff!" She grabbed her bag out of the lackey's hands and then paused to pick up the coffee she had left as well. "Too bad you're out of luck, Simmons. I don't keep my debate prep in this bag anyway, so I hope you're ready to get your butt kicked!"

"Ooooh, Annie Adderall said she's going to get me! I'm sooooo scared!" His nasal sarcastic tone grated on her nerves almost as much as the use of her old nickname.

"Grow up, Simmons!" She stomped out of the gym muttering almost curses under her breath. By the time she made it back to the study room she had cooled off a little, but was waiting for an appreciative audience for her outrage.

"Simmons was looking through my bag!" She yelled as soon as she entered. Jeff barely looked up from his phone. And the rest of the group was obviously in the middle of some sort of fight, something about the American versus British versions of Inspector Spacetime.

"He what?" Jeff asked.

"I left my bag in the gym where Simmons was 'practicing,'"

"Again with the air quotes?" Jeff interrupted. Annie ignored him.

"And when I went back to get it, he and his minion were going through it looking for my notes for the debate!"

"Did they find any?" Jeff asked nervously. "Because if so—"

"No, I don't bring my notes with me to school, especially not with Simmons lurking about."

"Yeah," Abed said. "She works on them at home most nights. She stays up late studying for the debate and then falls asleep during special movie time," he added with a slight edge. It didn't help Annie's case that his statement was punctuated with her taking a big gulp of her coffee, loud enough to make a distinct chugging noise.

"You're not overdoing it, are you Annie?" Shirley asked concerned.

"No, I promise I'm not. I'm really not getting enough sleep at night, so I am pretty tired most of the time, including special movie time. I'm sorry, Abed, I guess I didn't realize I'd been dozing off so much."

"It's okay, Annie. It's sort of expected for your character to get wrapped up in school work every now and then." They shared a smile as the tension slipped away.

"This has been a crazy week, anyway. The debate and now this paper. I'm perpetually on aspirin just to stave off the stress headaches." As if to demonstrate, she deftly popped off the cap of a bottle of off-brand Excedrin and took two with another swig of coffee. She swallowed with a satisfied sigh, met by a table full of raised eyebrows. "What? I'm not exceeding the maximum recommended dosage!"

"Look, we know you're doing your best, but maybe you should relax a little. Best to take one thing at a time…starting with this paper which is due tomorrow," Jeff interjected. The group seemed to snap to business mode, and Jeff smiled at how for once, he had been the one to get the group back on task.

Despite their best efforts, by the time they were to part ways for the day's classes, the history paper still wasn't finished. Annie, who had perked up considerably after having finished her coffee, proposed that they meet up again that evening. Her suggestion was met with groans, but no one could come up with an alternative.

They met in the cafeteria for a late lunch, but the group was in a collective funk. Abed had received a bad grade on a film project resulting in doubt of his own artistic vision. Troy and Britta had gotten into a heated argument about the supposedly inherent homoeroticism of football and now weren't talking. Shirley had an uncomfortable run in with one of the members of her former study group, and Pierce had sat on his balls (again). Jeff had found a gray hair, and despite her newfound alertness, Annie's headache had come back with a vengeance. To make things worse, no one had an amusing anecdote or minor crisis to lighten the mood.

Fifteen minutes had passed in silence as they picked at their food, when the alarm on Annie's phone shook them out of their introspection. Annoyed as they were by the interruption (especially since the ringtone was from High School Musical, though no one would own up to knowing that), they let it slide.

"Sorry, I set my alarm for when I could take some more aspirin." They nodded lethargically and watched as she absentmindedly washed down another two pills with her Diet Coke. Having sat through quite possibly the most boring lunch ever, they left for their afternoon classes early, almost giving the impression that they actually wanted to be there.

By the time their evening study session rolled around, everyone's moods had improved. Britta and Troy had made up, Abed's project received positive reviews from a different professor, and a very attractive guest lecturer had hit on Jeff. Even Annie, with her persistent headache, seemed to be bouncing off the walls, ready to conquer the history paper. By the time her annoying ringtone struck again, prompting her to take another two pills, the group was in too good of a mood to mind.

The study session progressed much as it always did. Jeff made snarky comments. Britta tried to insert discussions of major social issues into every topic. Troy and Abed, obviously having not moved on from the morning's contentious conversation, sneaked in jibes at the American Inspector Spacetime. Pierce alternated between calling Jeff gay and dozing off. Shirley shared anecdote after anecdote about the cutest thing Ben had done today, and Annie compulsively color coded every line of the relevant chapter of the textbook. It wasn't until halfway through their session that Abed noticed something strange.

"Annie, are you okay?" He asked looking at her strangely. She did seem to have the slightest sheen of perspiration on her forehead and was absentmindedly scratching at her forearm.

"Huh? No, I'm fine, Abed. It's just kind of hot in here don't you think?" She looked around the room for confirmation and found none. Undeterred, she began fanning herself with one of her folders. "Also, I think maybe I accidentally used the wrong detergent," she said as her free hand itched the arm that was fanning her. "I have really sensitive skin, and if I use the wrong kind, kablooey!" she shouted almost manically. "Rashes all over the place." Abed didn't look convinced and her increasingly erratic behavior was garnering more concerned looks. "I mean that has to be what it is right. I mean it is pretty hot in here. You know I'm just going to take this sweater off." She began fumbling with the buttons on her cardigan until, fed up, she ripped it off almost violently, sending buttons flying across the table. She was down to her camisole, exposing much more skin than usual, and even the lavender straps of her bra were visible. Jeff's eyes widened as he reached for her arm.

"Annie, calm down, what's going—her pulse is racing and she's sweating," he said to the group.

"There are a few possibilities." Abed chimed in. "She could be experiencing a panic attack, a severe allergic reaction, hypoglycemia—do we know if Annie is diabetic?"

"Actually," Troy interrupted, his tone unusually serious, "this situation is uncomfortably familiar." It took only a moment before they realized exactly what he was insinuating. Jeff looked physically pained as he processed the possibility.

"Annie, this is very important. Look at me." Her eyes had since begun darting around the room wildly. "Look at me, Annie." He reached out and turned her face to him. "Have you taken anything? Anything maybe to help with debate prep. Even a little? We won't be mad. I promise." He used his most soothing voice as he gently held her hand, rubbing soft circles with his thumb. Even as he tried to calm her he could see her eyes moving more and more frantically, darting about the room as if something was eluding her.

"It's happening again," she whispered as she began to shake. "I can tell. They're coming." She yanked her hands away from Jeff and curled into a ball in her chair. Rocking back and forth, she cried out, "They're coming, and I didn't do anything. I didn't invite them! I promise I didn't!"

"You know, this is the first time she's had any symptoms of Adderall use. She hasn't been extra focused or awake or anything lately. She's been obsessed with school and overworked but no more than usual," Abed said, maintaining his matter-of-fact tone despite the situation.

"How would you know?" Pierce shot back.

"I did research on Adderall addiction and abuse before Annie moved in with us. She may be conventionally attractive, but she's still a recovering addict. It was important to me that I be able to detect the signs of any drug use, just in case. If Troy's right, she's exhibiting signs of an overdose. We need to secure her while someone calls an ambulance."

"On it," Pierce said pulling out his phone. The group split their focus between Annie's mutterings and Pierce's attempt to call 911, most doubtful that he wouldn't end up calling a pizza place or phone sex line by accident instead. When he managed to actually get a dispatcher, they were suitably impressed and relieved that they could return their full attention to Annie, who had stayed in her seat, rocking and mumbling.

"They're coming. They're coming to get me. They're coming to get all of us. We have to hide!" Troy finally leaned over.

"Who's coming Annie? Is it the robots? Don't worry, we'll—"

"I've been locked up again!" She screamed jumping out of her chair. "I'm back there, with the hoses and the grabby orderlies. This is a prison!" Shirley and Troy were both crying, while Britta and Jeff looked on in fear. Pierce seemed equally lost, and Abed just sat watching with wide eyes and the slightest hint of uncertainty. "Let me out!" She ran full tilt at one of the windows, crying and banging on the glass through the blinds. Having heard the story of her last episode, Jeff followed quickly behind her. He crossed the room in long, swift strides but could not reach her before she managed to put her fist through the glass. She drew it back, pulling the shades with it, and watched fascinated as the blood ran down her arm. She reached for the window with her other hand while Jeff pulled her away and still managed to slice it deeply on the jagged edge.

"Come on, Annie, come back to me," he begged her, trying to get her focus.

"I need to get out," she continued murmuring. She found a pencil on the floor next to them and despite her wounded hands, grabbed it tightly and began driving it into the floor. "I'll dig my way out. That's the only way. Just like the movies. They can't keep me here forever." The pencil broke piece by piece until the splinters left were too small to use. Jeff's arms wrapped tightly around her, pinning her own to her body and restraining her frantic movements. She tried to claw at the worn carpet with her hands, breaking fingernails and leaving tracks of blood in the brief instances of contact.

"Annie, please," he wrapped his arms around her, pinning her own to her body as she twitched back and forth. A crowd had gathered outside, summoned by the noise of the glass breaking and staying for the complete train wreck happening before their eyes. While no one really liked the so-called "Greendale Seven," no one disliked Annie, who despite her overly ambitious ways, usually went out of her way to be nice to people. They watched in shocked silence. No one laughed.

Tears clouded her vision as she continued twisting and turning to get out of Jeff's grip. He held on tight and refused to let go. "I'm here, Annie," he whispered in her ear. She visibly shivered. "I've got you, ki—" He stopped himself. What did she want to hear? Not kiddo, he could do better than that. Then it hit him. "I've got you, Milady." It seemed like that was the magic word, because she relaxed quickly.

"Milord?" She asked sinking into him. It seemed he had been waiting this long to exhale. Now, in this position, they could be cuddling on the floor. He could be wrapping his arms around her as he made a joke. It could be almost anything but what it was.

"I'm here," he replied smiling. "You're safe now."

"Help me," she whimpered, the tears falling more freely than ever. "I need you to help me. I'm so afraid. Will you protect me?"

"I will always protect you."

"They're coming to get me, just like before! I don't want to lose you!"

"You won't lose us, Annie. Not ever." She turned quickly to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he sat. He hugged her closer, rocking her back and forth. They continued in this vein for some time, until she suddenly leaned back and looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "You have to let me go!" She screamed and struggled in his arms. Jeff clamped down on her to keep her from running away. "They're coming for me, and if you're with me, they'll get you too! I have to go." She cried, wriggling free of Jeff's arms. She began running toward the door, but was intercepted by Britta.

"Annie, I can't let you go any farther." Britta seemed determined and had settled her feet into a wide, solid stance, but Annie was not to be stopped.

"Get out of my WAY!" She threw Britta from the door with an unexpected amount of strength. But when she opened it, the dean was on the other side. While it was not unusual for the dean to show up in costume (in fact, anything else would be unusual), his poor timing in deciding to promote the mechanical engineering class's Battle Bots showdown would be lamented for years to come.

"What the dean is going on here?" he asked as he surveyed the half-destroyed room. He moved as if each joint was a hinge, and though the silver paint on his skin made him look more like the Tin Man than a robot, the effect on Annie was the same. He noticed her standing directly in front of him, wearing significantly less clothing than usual with blood dripping from her hands and an almost catatonic expression on her face. "Annie, are you alright?" She took several progressively deeper breaths then screamed at the top of her lungs. She ran for the other exit where Troy and Abed were waiting for her. Looking back and forth between the two doors, she finally settled her gaze on her bag sitting on the table. She took a flying leap and slid across the wooden surface before reaching in and pulling out a sharp pair of scissors.

The oxygen might as well have left the room.

"Annie," Jeff began slowly. "Annie, put down the scissors. Everything's going to be okay, just drop them."

"You can't protect me from this, Jeff." The group watched as they understood her fantasy. She was protecting her friend from the enemy. Sacrificing herself. If it had been real, it would have been beautiful. As it was, they could only watch in fear as she waved the sharp implement around with no concept of reality. She turned to the dean who seemed to be at a loss for words. "You got me last time. You chased me down and controlled me. But not this time," she cried. "I'll kill myself first! I will!" She held the scissors with trembling hands, pointing the blades at her stomach. "Then you can't have me. I'm in control. For once, I'll decide what happens to me!"

"Annie, no!" yelled Shirley. "Don't do it!" The group took turns pleading with her to drop the scissors, when Jeff noticed Abed sneaking up behind her. He added to the yelling to keep her distracted as Abed drew nearer. Then, in one swift movement, he reached around Annie and wrenched the scissors out of her hand. He couldn't help but notice the shallow cut it made across her stomach, but he had to admit the damage was less than she might have done to herself.

"Abed, why?" Annie cried out. She looked furious, but Abed smiled.

"So you know my name now?" Annie looked confused.

"Of course, Abed. I—" Her words stopped as her legs failed her and she collapsed on the ground. She looked up at the ceiling. "It's spinning. Everything's spinning." Seeing her small and vulnerable on the ground, Jeff made his way to her quickly.

"It's going to be okay, Annie. We've got you." He cradled her head in his lap and lightly brushed her hair out of her face.

"Jeff? I'm scared." Her voice sounded small and almost child-like. Her bloody hands clutched at her chest, as if she wanted to tear her own heart out. Slowly her eyes closed, and Jeff began to panic.

"Annie wake up! Wake up, Annie! Stay with me!" He yelled and slapped her cheeks, anything to get a reaction. Her eyelids fluttered, and her eyes didn't focus. He watched as lips he was intimately familiar with formed a small pout.

"I'm tired, just let me sleep for a little while longer," she mumbled. She could vaguely register wet drops falling from Jeff's face onto her own but couldn't lift her hand to wipe them away. She wanted so badly to see his face right now. She struggled to see it, but everywhere she looked was covered in a haze.

"No, Annie. You've got to be awake now," he urged, his voice thick with emotion. "We still haven't finished the history paper. And what about the debate, huh? You're not gonna let Simmons get the best of you, are you?" Her laugh in response was pathetic. He cupped her face tenderly as she finally let her eyes slide shut. The last noise she heard was Jeff begging her to stay awake and screaming for someone who knew CPR. All in all, if she had to go, she didn't mind that his voice was the last thing she would hear.

Only moments had passed after her descent into unconsciousness when the paramedics swooped in. As they lifted her onto the gurney and asked questions, Jeff couldn't stop his hands shaking. Abed was the most alert of the group and was thankfully able to give them rapid-fire answers to every inquiry. The assembled hordes parted as they pushed through, and Jeff thanked every god that may or may not exist that they didn't argue when he insisted on riding to the hospital in the ambulance.