a/n: sorry it's been ages since I posted something! I blame college haha. Thankfully, I have a bunch of new holiday-oneshots to post during the upcoming season, so now you all can look forward to that. Please review and enjoy the oneshot!

Disclaimer: I do not own Covert Affairs. Nope. Not mine. Sorry.

Falling

"Are you sure this is safe, Annie?"

"Of course I am. Lots of people do this."

Auggie turned in Annie's direction to shoot her a dubious look, "I don't know about this. Ice skating is dangerous. And did I mention I'm blind? I think I'll just fall."

"Everyone falls a few times at first. I know I did," Annie chuckled and skated over to Auggie, "Come on, I'll hold you up, okay?" she suggested. She held her hands out. Auggie hesitated a moment, then reached out and gabbed her hands.

"Alright," he took a very small, tentative step from the snow onto the ice, "Just don't drop me, okay?"

"I won't, I promise," Annie gave him a reassuring smile as she led him out onto the pond, "You're very safe with me."

"What do I do now?" Auggie asked. He gave Annie a questioning look.

"Just take a few steps, sort of like you're walking, but push off after each one," Annie tried to explain. She skated a quick circle around him.

Auggie listened to the sound of her skates sliding smoothly on the ice.

"Like this?" He gently pushed off with his foot.

"Yup, that sounds right. Just like that."

Auggie gave Annie a small smile as he sped up his pace a little, "This isn't so hard aft—whoa!" he suddenly lost his footing. Annie quickly reached out and grabbed his arms to pull him back up.

"Thanks, Annie," He smiled as he got his feet back under him.

"No problem," Annie smiled and let go of Auggie, "Like I said, everyone falls once or twice. Now let's try again, but without my help."

Annie then skated a little ways away from Auggie and called out for him to follow. Auggie followed the sound of her skates slowly. He took a few awkward steps across the ice. As he got a little more comfortable, he increased his pace again.

"See," Annie said as Auggie came to a stop a few hundred yards in front of her, "you just needed to give it a few tries, that's all. You're doing a great job."

Auggie grinned and pushed off gently towards the sound of Annie's voice, "I guess you were right. Maybe I won't fall again," he said. But as he neared his target, he realized his prediction wasn't going to be coming true. Auggie felt the blade of his skate land crooked, and a moment later he was falling forward.

Reacting on instinct, Auggie reached out and grabbed for something that could stop his fall. His blindly searching hands found Annie's sweater and gripped it tight, just as Annie tried reached down and wrapped her arms around his waist to catch him.

"Are you okay, Auggie?" Annie asked. Auggie nodded and turned his head to face up at her. When he did, he was surprised to feel Annie's face not far from his own. They were so close that their noses touched. This caused them both to blush a deep crimson.

"Um," Auggie stood up and pulled Annie up with him, "Maybe I should, uh, try it on my own again."

Annie looked over her shoulder at the expanse of ice, then back at Auggie. With a small smile she tightened her arms around his waist.

"You know, Auggie," she said as she reached over and grabbed his gloved hand and laced their fingers together, "If it's okay with you, I think I'd rather have my student stay here with me. You can practice again later."

Auggie smirked and turned his head in the direction their joined hands, then back towards Annie, his smirk fading into a soft smile.

"Yes, Ms. Walker. Anything for my beautiful teacher."

Annie just laughed.