I totally lied to all of you without meaning to. After I posted the first chapter, my computer crashed. So, I will be using my mom's until I get my new one...after I graduate. So, FINALLY, here's chapter two!

Thank you for the response to the last chapter! All the views made me feel good.

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Vade Mecum (noun) – A book for ready reference, such as a manual or guidebook.

Season 4

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Auggie walked sluggishly to his apartment door after trudging through the short distance from the car to the building in the pouring rain. He was ready to dry off, snuggle with Annie, and go to bed. Maybe have some tequila, too.

He leaned back against the door after he slid it shut and listened lazily for sounds from his girlfriend. He smiled when he heard her voice.

"Okay. Yeah, I got that. Okay, now what? Yeah...okay...just a second...al-most...oh no!"

He wasn't expecting the sudden crash, though.

"Annie? Annie!" He dropped his messenger bag to the ground and carefully ran to where he heard her. "Annie? Are you alright?"

"Be careful, Auggie! There's a lot of wood pieces around the living – ouch." Her last word was quieter like she was trying to hide it. But with his superhuman hearing, he picked it up just fine.

"Are you hurt?" He slid his hand against a nearby chair and reached out his other to try to find her.

"I'm fine. Just landed kind of funky. Here, stay there," he heard her stand up, curse, and then fall down again. Auggie didn't wait to ask her this time. He started making his way around, lightly kicking the said wood pieces so he didn't trip, and then found Annie leaning against the couch. He knelt down and wrapped and arm around her to pull her closer.

"Where are you hurt?" Running his hands gently over her skin he searched for any sort of injury, and prayed that he wouldn't have to bring her out in the pouring rain to get her to a hospital.

"It's just – it's just my ankle. I twisted it when I fell," she gasped.

"Which one?"

"My right."

He moved slowly until he found the offending limb and skimmed his fingertips over the inflamed flesh. It was white hot under his fingers and he didn't have to check the other ankle to know that it was probably swollen to the size of a grapefruit.

"We need to get ice on that, now." Suddenly all business, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up onto the couch; careful not to knock around her ankle. He went around the couch the other way, as to not step on the wood, and brought her back a large bag filled with ice.

She hissed as he elevated her leg and placed the bag on her. Once he was satisfied that she was comfortable he sat on the floor and took her hand in his.

"How does it feel?" He asked lightly.

"I'll live. It's probably just a sprain," she squeezed his hand and he could even feel her smiling at him. "But thank you."

"What are you doing in here? What's with all this wood? And who were you talking to?"

Once he knew she was okay, all the questions rushed to his head. He felt her hand loosen and she gave a little nervous chuckle.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a little project."

"A little project? Annie, there's huge pieces of wood in our living room. What are you putting together? Or tried to put together...maybe I should get you a guidebook, "How to do Little Projects Alone for Dummies." There's your Christmas present." He got a light slap on the chest for that one, and he smiled, but he felt that she wasn't in a laughing mood at the moment.

"I told you, it's nothing, I just wanted to...yeah." She quickly got defensive and wrapped her arms around her chest. Auggie quickly realized that his joking attitude wasn't going to be well received so he drug himself onto the couch and under her so that she was leaning on his chest.

"What did you want to do?" His breath ghosted down Annie's light shirt and she shivered, delving deeper into Auggie's embrace. She placed her head against his chest and muttered something unintelligible. "What was that?"

She lifted her head and placed it on his shoulder instead, sighing as she realized she wasn't getting out of it.

"You once told me that you have so many records and books and other things that were just stacked in boxes because you didn't have a place to put them. So, I wanted to build you a large bookcase so that you could store them all in the open but you wouldn't trip over them. But even as a CIA agent, I couldn't understand the directions so I called Danielle because she just put one up for the girls. Turns out, it's not a one person job." She nuzzled her face in his chest again, obviously embarrassed. Auggie, who previously was rubbing calming circles on her back, froze and a large smile appeared on his face.

"You were going to build me a bookcase just because I mentioned that once?" He asked.

"Yeah. Stupid, I know, but – "

He cut her off with a deep kiss, pulling her even closer to him if possible. Once they broke apart, Annie looked perplexed at Auggie's mega watt smile.

"Why are you smiling so much?"

"You...you Annie Walker, are the most incredible, caring, loving person to ever walk this planet. And I'm so happy that you're mine and that I am yours." He gently kissed the top of head.

"I was just going to build you a bookcase...I don't think that warrants calling me the most incredible person on the planet," laughing she brought her arms up and ran her fingers through his messy and still damp hair. He just hugged her back and chuckled.

"Then how about we finish this bookcase?"

"That might be difficult..." she began.

"You could read the instructions, and I can build it. It shouldn't be that hard, I am a bit stronger than you." He winked and she giggled and kissed his cheek.

"All right, let's do it."

They quickly got to work and with their combined power they finished the bookcase and pushed it into an open spot in the living room. Sitting on the couch with two beers in hand, they admired their handiwork.

"Then you can put everything in tomorrow." Annie smiled and thought about what kind of things Auggie would place on the empty shelves.

"Well, I can think of one thing to put on there right now." He stood suddenly and walked to their bedroom. He came back with a picture frame in hand and placed it on the middle shelf. Annie pushed herself up and wobbled over. Auggie waited for her to see it for herself and when she did, she almost gasped aloud.

It was the picture that was taken of them the first day they met.

"How – how did you get this picture? I lost that phone, remember?" She looked up at him with tears silently gliding down her cheeks.

"I'm a tech geek and I wanted the picture at the time, so I got it off the phone before they took the Intel and destroyed it." He explained.

"So...you've had it all this time?" He was silent for a moment and then he nodded.

"But...you...you can't..."

"Doesn't mean I can't treasure the first picture we ever took together," he smirked and winked at her then looked wistfully back at the picture. "It's one of my favorites. Just because you're in it." After a beat of silence, Annie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

"I love you, Mr. Anderson." She said against his lips.

"I love you, too, Miss Walker." And they collapsed on the couch where he started massaging the areas around her still swollen ankle, which reminded him of something. "Annie, weren't you talking to Danielle when you fell? Has she tried to call you back?"

Her silence was all the answer he needed. Then he started to laugh and she laughed along and he couldn't help but allow the fuzzy feeling in his stomach to spread. Oh how far they had come, from that picture. A picture is worth a thousand words, and with Annie, he hoped he'd have trillions upon trillions of words to share.

I seriously wasn't expecting my computer to crash, I promise! So, I'm so so sorry! But I hope this longer drabble makes up for the crazy amount of days I missed! Please, read and review! Thank you! I hope you enjoyed!