Part 3

Annie returned to the kitchen of the main house to find the dishes done and a note from Danielle:

"Showering off the red-eye. ~D"

Annie had to laugh at her sister's aversion to airplane air, considering how much time Annie spends flying around the globe. Retreating to the guest house Annie decided to tidy up a bit before the inquisition began.

As soon as she walked into the main room, her stomach fluttered and her heart sped up a little. She could hear Auggie's voice in her ear and feel his hands skimming up the side of her body. She closed her eyes and he was everywhere.

"Wow," she forcibly shook her head to focus on the task at hand. With every intention of making the bed she lifted one of the pillows Auggie used and hugged it to her chest. It smelled like him and she sunk down onto the bed and curled into a contented ball of girlish goo.

"We are not going anywhere until you tell me everything," Danielle interrupted her for the second time that morning, but this time she proffered coffee.

Danielle took the arm chair and Annie stayed curled up in the bed.

"I do not kiss and tell," Annie sipped the coffee.

"Yes you do, remember Tommy Dennehy?"

"I was 13, it was my first kiss!" Annie laughed.

"Well before we get into the salient details, what has been going on with you two since I went back to California? When I left you were basically living together, he was here more than he could have been anywhere else on the planet."

"He was pretty amazing. I think he got it in a way no one else did, no offense. He had lived through something similar and ultimately far worse since he wasn't able to fully recover from it. He knew when to be there and when to step back."

"Are you saying I smothered you? Because I know I am a smotherer."

"Danielle, you were wonderful and I needed some smothering too, but I needed to know I would come back from this and Auggie gave me that. He doesn't talk about Iraq much, but last year he shared with me what happened to his unit. That was when it started, when my voice started to change when I talked to him. Everything I adored about Auggie was solidified in that moment. It turned from silly flirtation to love. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let go."

"Why didn't you?"

"I'm a chicken? Work? I don't know. I was still living a lie, it didn't seem fare to roll Auggie into all of that. I was starting to come to terms with telling you about the Agency and honestly, I didn't think back then that Auggie felt the same way."

"And then he met Parker?"

"Exactly. I was worried about that from the start. She was the sister of a guy who died in his unit, so I worried he was transferring some sorrow or guilt or something, but they seemed to work together."

"You told me she reacted even worse than I did to the CIA thing," Danielle whispered the acronym and Annie smiled.

"That was what she used any way as a way out, I don't know for sure. I can't be objective as there is absolutely no way I can see walking away from Auggie, not his job and not his disability."

"You two have quite the little routine. You are really good at assisting him without it being a big deal."

"It came easy. Our boss told me he never let anyone really assist him before, so he either is comfortable with me or he is getting lazy."

"So Parker left, what held you back then?"

"I was wrapped up in a case and then I got shot and then I was in a little trouble I had to get out of and we just kept missing each other. I was away and Auggie saved my ass and he asked me to come home so we could talk, but I had to finish the mission. That was weeks ago and last night he decided it was time to talk…"

"Only there wasn't much talking?"

Annie didn't have to answer, the blush spoke volumes.

Danielle was torn between torturing her little sister and the relief and joy that Annie seemed so happy. Instead of poking her with innuendo she quietly sipped her coffee until Annie started talking.

"It was everything I have ever wanted, it was surprising and romantic and silly and emotional and fun and good. It was really really good," Annie was definitive on that last point.

"Uh huh," Dani continued to sip her coffee.

"I thought I knew every look on Auggie's face and every tone of his voice. I had felt his hands on me more than most people out of necessity. I have pinned that man to a mat in the gym countless times, but last night was like a whole new world."

"If you start singing I will die," Danielle was starting to regret letting Annie talk so much, it appeared the floodgates were open.

"You wanted details, you got 'em sis. When I joined the agency Auggie was a bit of a legend with the ladies. The blind guy thing really worked for him, I saw it in action on more than one occasion. It was way more fun experiencing it firsthand last night. The man is skilled."

Now it was Danielle's turn to blush.

"OK, stop, I don't actually want the details. This was more fun when you were the uncomfortable one."

"Well as great as it was it is not going to be all romance and flowers…" Annie was cut off by a knock at the door.

"Annie Walker?" a man holding a large bunch of flowers asked.

"OK, that is freaky," Danielle gasped.

Annie signed for the flowers and walked back in stunned.

"I just left him 90 minutes ago….how? You know what, when it comes to Auggie I have come to realize he has a friend everywhere. I don't know why I am surprised."

"Well so far it certainly seems like all romance and flowers," Danielle argued.

"Our lives are not easy Danielle, work is a challenge on a good day. I am paid to keep secrets, not the best way to start a relationship," Annie's mind wandered to the folder on her coffee table.

"Auggie understands that way better than any other guy though. You should cover it in your talk."

"Yeah, we need to have that talk..."