A/N: Hey kids! Chapter 3 is here! I tried to make it longer than the last, but no promises. Updates soon and thank you all for so much attention. Love the reviews, they make me smile ( smiles). Please stay tuned, as Auggie is destined to throw some more punches.

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Covert Affairs.

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On Monday morning, Auggie sauntered in a little late. He was having a problem finding his favorite vest, and it was only after he bumped his forehead on the shoe rack that it seemed to fall from the sky (or a very broken hanger.) So, with a deep blue knot on his head, he walked in 30 minutes later than usual. And Joan was waiting, tapping her heel like an angered mother hen.

"Auggie, you've had us worried." She said with voice as silken as ever. He smiled, making the cut in his mouth smart again; but not too violently.

"I'm sorry, Joan. I had a little trouble this morning." She looked at him in fearful apprehension. He lifted his wily bangs back to reveal his injury and she scoffed in relief.

"Rouge shoe rack," he said, letting the hair fall back into place.

"Oh, Auggie. Go ahead and get to work. I'll send someone to give you the specs on the meeting." He headed towards his office and went to sit down. Rolling forward in his chair, he went to slide his hands to his keyboard but something stopped him. Pressing his palms against it, he realized that it was a sizable box, smooth and still in its factory taping. Auggie rose out of his chair and ran his hands over the top. He was sure he wasn't expecting any deliveries. As he ran his right hand over, it met a folded piece of paper.

Great, he thought cynically, someone left me a handwritten note. Yet, his fingers found the raise lettering of braille and he felt a rush of relief as he read his name. Opening the paper, he ran his index and middle finger over the text.

Dear Auggie,

I know you don't like the smell of burnt cheese that much. So, I got you a little something to help with your bagel toasting needs. Go get 'em, Tiger!

Love,

Annie

P.s. I kind of snuck into your office to use your braille printer before you came in this morning. Hope you don't mind. Sideways winking smiley face.

Auggie laughed to himself, re-reading the last few lines. Oh Annie, you're full of surprises. He moved the box off of the table and set on the floor next to him. He'd make a toasted sandwich for dinner tonight to coronate his new present.

"Hey, Auggie." Jai said, poking his head in the office.

"Yeah?"

"I heard you got into a fight."

"Did you now?" Auggie was less than thrilled about this exchange. He didn't hate Jai as a person; he hated him as an operative. He only disliked him as a person.

"You were at a café or something and a couple of punks came up to you and you clocked one in the face. Or so I heard."

"What about it?" Jai was silent for a moment, his eyes looking about the office. Why was he in here? Auggie was sort of his friend-wasn't he?

"Nothing, I just wanted to know if it was true. Nice toaster…?"

"Thanks. Annie bought it for me."

"Annie did?" Auggie rolled his tongue over his teeth, trying to suppress his anger at Jai's disbelief. Like Annie couldn't care about him enough to buy him a toaster. Or maybe it was just the toaster in question. Jai didn't understand it.

"I did." She said, walking into the office and touching Auggie's shoulder, her flawless smile not wasted on Jai. He nodded to her, noticing that she was wearing blue today. God, she did look good in blue.

"Well, I'll see you later. Gotta do something." Jai looked at the pair, Annie's sweet hand on Auggie's shoulder. Jai felt a sickly feeling clamp into the base of his stomach with serrated teeth. He didn't want to admit it was envy, especially envy of a blind man, but it was there and right now it was small. A little prick.

Auggie turned towards Annie and coyly grinned. "A toaster."

"It's red… and I think it suits you."

"Red was my favorite color."

"It still can be." Auggie's mouth dropped slightly, eyes so wide. She placed a kiss on his cheek, ruffling his hair.

"You're kind of marvelous, August Anderson." Annie sauntered out of his office, leaving him speechless. What was this? All of this; what did it mean? He picked up the toaster and ripped open the box. Through the Styrofoam and plastic wrappings, the toaster felt smooth. He wondered if it was actually red; about all she had said. It was so much to absorb. And their kiss in the park, over Keats. Auggie knew he had to do something special for her. Find out how far all of this was really going to go. If it was nothing but flirtation, he was used to that. And Annie still didn't know about what she had said that night. He would have to really think about this.

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"To the Tavern," he had said, but they had actually gone to his house so that he could change his clothing first. Wednesday. Hump Day. It was a day that just begged for drinks and Annie was not going to argue with his suggestion. But, he was taking an awfully long time picking out his clothes.

"Auggie, what's taking you so long?"

"Euh…it's sort of complicated."

"Complicated how?" Annie moved toward his bedroom. There he was, 3/4th's of the way dressed in a very handsome suit. His tie was awkwardly limp and around his neck; his fingers kept fiddling with a stubborn cufflink in the shape of a Tetris piece.

"Auggie, when you said drinks, I thought-"

"I know. But, it's not what I really meant. Can you help me with this?" Annie took his outstretched wrist into her hands and placed the cufflink in properly before moving to the other. Annie eyed him cautiously as she did this, noticing how drawn his brow looked, almost as if he felt unsure of himself.

"What is all of this, Auggie?"

"I just…" he sighed, messing with his bowtie. Eventually, his frustration made him abandon the act, "I just thought I'd take you out to eat. Somewhere nice. If you don't want to go, its fine-"

"No, Auggie- I do. I just… I dunno. I'm shocked."

"Good shocked, or bad…shocked?"

Annie bit her lip pensively, "Good shocked…. But, I've nothing to wear."

"Au contraire, ma cher." He purred, pointing to the box on the bed.

"I'm told it's a lovely shade of midnight blue." Annie pulled the silken gown out with a gasp. It was perfect, almost like a dream.

"Auggie, this is insane! How much did this cost you?"

"Nu-uh. Not going to disclose that information." Annie kissed him on the cheek and went to the bathroom to change. Slipping into the dress, she felt like a princess, spoiled beyond belief. Auggie had gone above and beyond anything she had expected and now she was standing, draped in his affection, and she didn't know what to say-what to do. She threw her hair up into a messy yet elegant bun and joined a now dressed Auggie for a night out.

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The restaurant, by the name of Night Music, has no disclosed location. Because Auggie had blindfolded her and had not let her hear the address given to the cab driver, she was in awe and unsure of where in the greater D.C. area they were. This, however, did not bother her when they got out of the cab and Auggie let her take the scarf off of her eyes. It was opulent, designed like a Moroccan nightclub. Very Casablanca. The hostess, dressed like a belly dancer (tastefully of course), showed them to a corner table with a little folded sign on it; "Reserved, Anderson." Annie picked up the place card and smiled at it fondly. Auggie found the chair after a few moments, insisting to the hostess that he was fine. He pulled it out and gestured to Annie. She smiled, touching his arm meaningfully before taking her seat. As he settled in across from her, Annie let the piano player's dancing fingers relax her tensed muscles.

"This is beautiful, Auggie," she said after a few moments of lilting melodies. He smiled at her, breathing easier now that they had arrived. It was such a pivotal moment for him. If this date went well, everything between them would be changed and set. He already knew how she felt, and he was sure she knew how he felt to some extent. Now, it only needed to be said allowed.

"I thought you'd like it. I hear that the decorations are particularly enchanting."

"You heard right, good sir." She raised a glass to him, but neglected to realize how silly it was to do so. The waiter came by and after Auggie ordered some wine and both of their meals, he raised a glass of his own.

"To Annie, a woman for whom I am left speechless." She lightly touched her glass to his and took a ginger sip.

"Auggie, you didn't have to do all of this. Really." He held out his hand and after a moment, she took it and he place the other hand on top.

"Annie, I'm always honest with you and I intend to keep it that way," he took a moment, his sightless eyes wandering the air above her head. She was starting to find this quirk adorable.

"I really like you, Annie. More than I would have admitted at first. I think it was because, to sum it all up nicely, I was scared of what would happen if I let myself feel that way for you. After 'Tash, and all you've been through, I didn't think it would be wise. But, after the past few days, I felt you needed to know. You don't have to feel the same way. I mean, it would be really nice if you did-! But, I'm not going to force you."

Annie inclined her head downward. She had kissed him already, hadn't she? And it was nice. Really nice. But did that mean she had to pursue this? Part of her wanted to, looking into eyes that could not reciprocate. Yet the emotion that came from them, the pleading he was not verbally expressing, it was almost heartbreaking.

"Auggie, it's scary….trying to love again… and I'm not sure I'm ready yet…."

"I understand," he said, crestfallen.

"But…. I like you too. And I want to try this. Would it be okay to try?"

"Annie-,"he breathed, near elated, "That would be more than okay."

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Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

DeMuerte