Title: Batach
Author: Beth Pryor
Rating: T
Summary: Finally, Annie's first day back ends. She has to go somewhere until it's time to come back to the office. Post 5x01. Canon.
Disclaimer: Covert Affairs and its characters belong to the USA Network.
Batach
Somehow she made it through those next few hours in the DPD. She'd plastered a concerned but confident look on her face and accepted the hybrid "welcome home, so glad you're safe, we need revenge for this" sentiments from her former and current colleagues. When it was an acceptable time to leave, she didn't stop to check in with him, though. He sat at his desk, headphones in place, head bent in determination. Someone had replaced the monitor she'd heard that he'd trashed earlier. She stared at him through the glass like she knew he could often sense and hated, but she couldn't play that Annie for him again tonight. Besides, it wasn't like he'd be packing it in anytime soon, anyway. This one was personal for him, even more than the rest of them. He didn't notice her, or at least gave no indication of her presence outside his door.
She had to get out of there. Calder made sure she had a car. When she pulled out of the parking lot, she drove fast, finally in control of something during this shit storm of a day. It required every bit of control that remained within her to turn east and back to the District instead of cutting out for anywhere else.
Her safe flat was untouched and, very much in safe flat style, empty. She hadn't thought about that before she arrived. As she stood in the stark kitchen, Annie took stock of the evening's prospects. She was inexplicably hungry. Even though she'd barely eaten all day, she thought tired would have won out by now. But adrenaline was counteracting glucagon along with everything else that went along with being wide awake and wired. She couldn't call for delivery, and shopping nearby wasn't smart, either. She grabbed her bag and keys and secured the door on her way out.
Her nearby options were limited, and Auggie's was not one of them. She hadn't planned to return to the motel near Wolf Trap where she'd spent the past two nights, but she could. Something closer would be preferable, though. She sat too long at the corner stop sign. The honking from the car behind her spurred her into action, and she turned impulsively toward a third possibility.
She didn't know how to make the necessary contact, and she didn't want to ask Auggie how she could. This distance was good for him. She realized now that she still hadn't heard back from Dr. Gohen, but it had been late there when she'd called. Auggie didn't need to know about all of that yet. Or ever. And if for some reason he did, she wanted to make sure she was well clear of him first. She really didn't want to be responsible for his next wrong decision.
He'd looked so great today. But, God, when didn't he? If possible, his body was even leaner and firmer than she'd remembered. It appeared the only questionable decision he'd made since she'd been gone was the haircut, and it wasn't like she could even blame that one on him. And it really wasn't even bad, per se. She just liked it a little longer. Maybe they were both making better decisions.
She'd keep telling herself that. She'd told him he could trust her. It's wasn't a complete lie. She didn't plan to let him down; she just couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't. She tried not to think about things she couldn't control and kept driving.
When she arrived at her destination, she spent another 15 minutes looking for unrestricted street parking before she approached the building with her knapsack. One more change of clothes was all she had with her, all she had to her name right now, no matter which name she chose to use. She wasn't sure what her next move would be if no one answered the door. Or if someone unexpected did. She crossed her fingers as she pressed the buzzer. A moment later, the voice came from above, somewhat surprised at first. She breathed her thanks to the air around her as he invited her in.
"Neshama. Come up."
The lobby door clicked and she opened it. She didn't know if this was the smartest decision for her, but she wasn't worrying about that now. That would be a full-time job if she did it properly. And she didn't have nearly enough time for anything else if they were going to get to the bottom of this breach before more agents died.
But the Agency didn't get her anymore tonight. She stopped in the lobby to wait for the elevator. Her stomach grumbled and she thought back to their safe flat meal in he'd made for them in Switzerland all those years ago after he'd stitched up her shoulder. She really hoped he'd cooked.
FIN
A/N: Batach is one of several Hebrew words for trust that seemed to fit this meaning best.