ICEBREAKER - Part II

Disclaimer: all characters belong to Dan Harmon & NBC

A/N: For the sake of a minor joke, I ignored some logic that Jeff or the Dean may've moved between seasons 4&5.

"Are you coming, Jeff?"

His shoulders dropped as he turned away from the door to look at the young woman. She stood by the lockers; her focus on what was inside her briefcase. He hadn't noticed exactly what she was wearing earlier or how her hair had been styled. Jeff forced his eyes to blink as he gazed at her tight ponytail hairdo accompanied by a smart pant suit with billowing white blouse. She then straightened up and her determined cheeks soon caught up to her detached expression.

"Jeff, are you coming?"

Something had changed. He wasn't looking at an upset Annie, or a tired Annie; not even the Annie that hit raw nerves with poignant speeches that he last witnessed just one week before. This Annie was new to him, and she scared him more than all the other Annies combined.

"I have to leave now, Jeff. So if you're not coming with me, I guess I'll just see you tomorrow."

"No," Jeff took one step forward on purpose and another by accident. He'd forgotten about the whisky. Jeff leaned against the lockers to steady himself. Annie's car keys rattled in her left hand as she checked the phone with her right. Jeff smiled at her. "Are you nervous about something?"

"I'm just waiting on a phone call about a possible part-time job. Nothing all that—" she looked up at him. "You're ready to leave then?" She pocketed her phone, but held onto the keys. "My car's just outside. Duncan got me a good spot." Annie stepped to the side and walked away.

Jeff kept close to the lockers as he followed her down the corridor and then shuffled out the door. His land-legs regained their stability when his shoes hit the concrete outside, but he didn't catch up to Annie's brisk pace until she stood waiting at her car. It was only eight parking spots from the entrance. Jeff tapped on the car roof when he reached the passenger door. "This is what your student-teacher thing gets you?"

Annie shrugged. "It's one of the perks."

She opened her door and then reached over to unlock the passenger side door. Jeff did his best to not look at her billowing blouse through the window. He opened the door and climbed into the snug passenger seat. "It's a bit—"

"There's a thing under the seat," Annie said, pointing at the floor. She turned the ignition on and wound down a window. "Sorry, there's no air-con. It needs fixing but I don't have the money yet."

"That's fine," Jeff pulled the lever under the chair and relaxed his long legs. He then knocked his head on the roof. Jeff winced, "Better for the environment."

Annie laughed and turned her head to look behind the car. She glanced at the rear-view mirror and then put the car into reverse. The car backed out of its space slowly. Annie turned the car around and then drove towards the exit.

Jeff glanced at Annie. "So what's the job?"

"Library assistant," Annie replied, keeping her eyes on the road.

Jeff had expected more than that. He had always expected more than that. He'd expected a lot from Annie over the last five years and she almost always lived up to those expectations. And when she didn't, it had been because Jeff had forgotten what she meant to him. Or, rather, he had ignored what she meant to him and pursued a relationship with someone he could barely stand to listen to without interrupting with a snide remark. But Jeff loved to hear Annie talk; he loved to hear her talk to him. Something had definitely changed. It wasn't just her new hairstyle or her closer parking spot. Why wasn't she talking to him now? Why had they barely seen each other in the week since they saved Greendale? Why did he have to learn about the student-teacher thing from Duncan?

He decided to ask a question out loud instead. "So, what are the hours?"

"Weekends mostly," Annie shrugged. "Some night shifts. It'll depend on my availability during the week. They say they're flexible."

Jeff nodded, thankful she gave him more information to sift through.

"So you'll be staying on at Greendale then?"

"What?" Annie glanced at him and then back at the road. "Of course," she replied with a smile. "At least until I see a reason to leave. That place keeps me grounded," Annie chuckled. "My time away after graduation proved that. It's just not keeping me afloat financially, so I need to find something that will. The library job might not be my dream, but it'll help me get there. So will Greendale."

Jeff grinned. "I agree," he caught her quick look back at him. "And I'm glad you're staying. Greendale needs you." He caught the eye roll too, and it was then that he realised there was more to her withdrawal than just figuring out her next career move. Jeff looked ahead and thought over his next statement.

"Here's your building." Annie stopped the car near the entrance. "Can you walk?"

The tone of her voice suggested she'd shut down from him again. Jeff knew he needed to get the emotions in play if anything was to get sorted out that night. The components were there, and they had worked perfectly a moment before; the mainframe just needed a reboot. A blast of human…

Jeff twitched at the door slam and stared at Annie's small frame orbiting the car. She opened his door and gestured for him to get out. Jeff fumbled with his seatbelt and eased his legs onto the pavement. He noticed Annie's briefcase near her feet and listened to the jangling of her car keys while she helped him stand. Jeff put his arm around her shoulders, but she spun around and locked his side of the car. Annie picked up her briefcase and put an arm around Jeff's back. He leaned into her just enough to make her think he was less steady than he'd appeared.

"Thank you, Milady."

Annie paused, but she gave no verbal response. Her expression was hard to decipher at that angle, but Jeff waited for her to sense his eyes upon her. It wasn't until they were in the elevator that he noticed her lips quivering. She blinked and a single tear slipped down her cheek. Annie turned her head to the side. Jeff put his hand out, but moved it away when she stepped back. The elevator opened and Annie walked into the hallway. She looked back at Jeff holding the doors open.

"Have you got your keys?"

There was no sign of the Disney face now. Jeff pulled the keys out of his pocket and Annie grabbed them before they slipped out of his hand.

"Watch it, or you'll have to stay at the Dean's place tonight." She pointed at the narrow gap in the floor. Annie sighed and walked towards Jeff's apartment. She unlocked the door, muttering, "And that'll just validate his story."

Jeff stopped by the door marked 203. There was an immediate gasp and the sound of someone hitting the floor. Jeff rolled his eyes and entered his home. Shutting the door, Jeff gazed around his empty living room. The kitchen and dining areas were also Annie-free but the door to the bathroom was open. Jeff walked towards it at a leisurely pace, listening for any indication of the activity within.