Annie was tired, she had been in debrief after debrief and called into numerous hearings in the aftermath of Chicago, the motorcade and Istanbul. It was finally coming to an end. A condition of her reinstatement at the CIA was that she would finally go into therapy. McQuaid was in just as many meetings and hearings as she was, sometimes they overlapped and were sitting side by side recounting their actions. A lot of it was sheer bullshit and formalities to get to the fine details that the policy makers needed to know in case they had to answer to the American public about use of funds. They kept their relationship professional in public and they denied any romantic involvement during the hearings to avoid any accusations of impropriety.
They initially spent a few working meals together to go over their testimonies with lawyers. He drove her home at least a couple of nights a week. They spent many nights on the phone talking. One night Ryan showed up at her door as she was giving her punching bag a work out. He said he had some questions about her version of events related to the day he met her at the National Arboretum.
"Were you followed?"
"I'm just as good at what I do as you are. NO, I wasn't followed. I parked three blocks away and paid cash for this take out so it just looks like I was out for dinner. And I don't care if anyone knows Annie. Everything is nearly wrapped up and I have some questions for you about work. Are you going to let me in?"
Annie opens the door wider, she's sweaty and out of breath. "I'm in the middle of a work out, but come on in."
Ryan enters and puts down the take out. He looks around and says, "You like to keep your place sparse huh?"
"You want to give me decorating tips or are you brave enough to hold the bag?"
Ryan smiles, he loves the way she talks back to him. He walks over to the bag and holds it. She's quite strong despite her heart condition.
"Ask away," says a curious Annie. "You came to ask me some questions remember?"
"I read your timeline. How did you know the flowers you received were from me? What made you go to the meet again if you knew it was me? And the fact that every agency was hunting for me didn't give you pause? Why? Was it because you had feelings for me?" asks Ryan.
Annie sweaty from her work out looks up at him and stops punching. She tosses him some pads to block her punches. She starts to hit at the pads, left hooks, right hooks, jabs galore. She's good and fast on her feet. They continue working out finally they fall into each other's arms after a rough session practicing hand-to-hand combat. They eat the take out on the floor laughing without any cares. It was the most relaxed either had been in a long time.