She gently hugged herself against the frosty October air, waiting for the soft click of the front door to confirm her solitude. A cursory glimpse through the window set the time to 6:58. Wandering listlessly to the patio bench, she allowed herself to drop down and wrap the woolly blanket carelessly tossed on the arm rest around her shoulders. No doubt Danielle had stolen a few quiet moments earlier in order to speak with Michael, without added ears.

Two lines.

The moment that damned purple test line began to darken… Jesus.

Two lines. Two stupid lines.

Two inconsequential lines. Two very consequential pregnancies. And yet…

Yet… No baby.

A crescendo of giggles – Katia's shrill squeal and Danielle's hectic chortle – managed to permeate the exterior, briefly interrupting her train of thoughts, and Annie couldn't suppress the small smirk tugging the edges of her mouth. Genuine laughter was infectious, despite the murky memories desperately trying to drown her, and Annie was resolute in her determination to remain on the happier side of her thought process.

No baby…

Tears threatened behind her eyes and she exhaled loudly.

"God help me," she murmured.

Then the car arrived, and with it, Auggie.

Her Auggie.

She smiled as he emerged from the passenger side, deftly unfolding his cane before leaning down to offer the driver some return quip and a mock salute. More banter bounced between them before Auggie waved and closed the door, remaining still for a brief moment as he listened to the fading exhaust. He turned to the house, effortlessly falling into the regimented sweep/step march now honed with a decade of practice. Annie's shy smile momentarily widened, her own demons quashed by the close vicinity of the only man in her life to have ever truly penetrated her carefully constructed faҫade.

If only she were able to crush his, rather than break in brick by painful brick.

His wall was still very much intact, confirmed by the sudden falling away of the usual devil-may-care guise so often adopted for the ease of others. Instead, Annie watched as he squeezed his eyes shut and let out a pained sigh. A second chill coursed through her.

The timing couldn't be any worse.

She swallowed the bitter lump threatening to choke her up, she tried to quell the rancid memories crashing against the back of her skull. Failure was likely to take hold.

She noisily raised herself from the bench. "Hey," she croaked.

Auggie stopped, the grimace dissipating. "Welcoming committee?" He gingerly stepped toward her, free hand outstretched. Annie locked her fingers with his as he mounted the steps to the porch, allowing him to pull her into a softly powerful cuddle.

She inhaled him, wishing somehow he would just envelop her completely, pushing baby firmly aside. As if on queue, Katia screeched.

"You've got a headache again," she whispered. "Don't dare try to deny it."

Auggie slowly exhaled, his hand mindlessly caressing her spine. "Busted." The retort was shallow, his earlier humour having completely vanished. He pressed her closer to him.

The stinging returned again, prickling her eyes, her nose, her throat. Damnit. Annie blinked repeatedly, inhaling deeply to distract herself. Of course he would pick up on it.

"Annie? What's happened?"

Another deep breath and she pulled herself back, slightly, just to tilt her head toward his. Sheer desperation wished for eye contact; that silent communication between soulmates. She cupped his face in her hands, instead searching him for indication of his pain. Deep circles had painted themselves blue-black beneath his unfocused eyes, wayward curls threatened to mar his attempt to feign eye contact. She lifted herself on her toes to put a soft kiss to his lips, closing her eyes, feeling a wayward tear trickle away. That resolve was fast crumbling. "Remember, last time. Your headaches?"

He released her, confusion, misunderstanding clouding his face. "Annie, there's nothing – I mean, it's perfectly normal. We've spoken about all this before. I don't – I honestly don't –"

"When we saw your neurologist." She choked on the word: "The mis –"

"Annie."

Danielle cackled again, briefly breaking the nearly tensile atmosphere.

"The miscarriage." She watched his face collapse as the word tumbled out.

He quickly pulled her close again, tenderly kissing the top of her head. "It's going to be okay."

Annie scoffed into his shoulder. "Big bad CIA operative can quite happily topple the world's assholes but can't quite keep her own baby alive."

Silence. A second kiss, longer in duration, deeper in intensity, crowned her. She broke away from him, turning to face the road, not wanting to have to gauge his reaction.

Out with it. "I'm pregnant, Auggie." She maintained a steady focus on the yellow corona emanating from the streetlight over the road.

"How – I mean, when – how far along?"

Annie shrugged. "I think about 10 weeks. Not very far. I'm going to the doctors tomorrow."

"Oh, Annie…" He paused, groping for her hand, squeezing her fingers. "Wow."

More laughter from inside the townhouse erupted, but died away just as easily. She parted her lips to speak but only a small squeak escaped. She swallowed and tried again. "But what if…"

Auggie stepped toward her, shaking his head. But Annie continued, desperate to put the unthinkable into words, to anchor it so destructively within him too. "…What if I can't –" His hand quickly found a path to her mouth, his thumb barely touching her lips, stopping her midsentence.

"Then we deal." He rested his cane on his chest, using his other hand to cup her face, forcing her to face him. He found the damp path caused by the rogue tear. "We do what we do best and we deal."

Annie rested her hands over his, nodding. He was right. He had to be right. She could deal. She had to. Perhaps his armour could encompass her, swallow up the uncertainty. Perhaps it was her turn to walk blindly into unfamiliar territory and turn it into home.

Another shrill shriek from Katia. Auggie nodded his head toward the door. "Sounds like they're having a good time at least."

"They found Monopoly. Well, I found it for them." She pulled his hands down from her face, once again breaking away from the comfort of his close proximity to gently shove the front door open. "I gotta' get back in. Show willing and all that."

"Do they know?"

Annie began to nod, but forced out a strangled Yes too. Her worst habit, still. She pulled the door open, relishing the indoor heat as it pricked at her skin. Auggie followed her, folding his cane and placing it on the small table beside the door.

He reached out for her, and she closed the distance. "I'm going to go out a limb here. Considering your family, I'm willing to bet, oh, a hundred bucks that it's a girl."

"I'm giving you such a dirty look."