Auggie knew that if he didn't answer Annie's calls, she would eventually end up at his apartment. So on her eighth try, he picked up.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"Hi," Annie responded. "I didn't think you'd answer."

"I haven't felt sociable."

"I get that." Annie responded. "I thought we could get dinner and catch up. I could bring something to your place, if you don't feel like going out."

"Actually, I need to get out of here. Pick me up, let's go to your place."

"Everything okay?"

"Yep."

"I'll be there in a half-hour."

Auggie was waiting in front of his building when Annie arrived with Thai takeout. As they drove, Auggie rolled down his window and held out his hand, feeling the wind.

"Would you prefer to go somewhere like Allen's?" Annie asked.

Auggie looked toward her, as if snapped out of a trance. "No," he answered, unnaturally calm.

They rode in comfortable silence the rest of the way.

Annie led Auggie into her apartment and he dropped her arm to explore on his own. She raced back to his side as he quickly made his way around the perimeter.

"One booby trap." She explained, reaching for his hand. He quietly let her lead him a step to the right, and place his hand on the heavy bag.

Annie smiled while Auggie figured out what it was. He nodded with a look of serious concentration. "That would have been surprising."

"The kitchen is just ahead. Not many doors in here."

"Great."

Annie watched him explore. His movements were slower than normal, less thorough than when he had previously introduced himself to a new place. "Table is over here. I'll get us drinks."

Auggie heard Annie walk back and forth, gathering glasses and plates. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Wine?" She pushed a bottle into his hand. He held his other out for the corkscrew.

Auggie walked to the table and uncorked the wine. He sniffed the open bottle. "Glasses?" He asked.

"At your two."

Auggie filled the glasses and took a sip. It was a bold, flavorful wine that warmed his insides as it went down. "Nice choice," he commented.

"Thanks," She replied as she sat next to him and took the glass from his hand. In return, she pushed a bowl of food in his direction.

They ate in silence for a moment. Annie watched her former lover, cataloging the changes.

"Arthur said you quit your day job." She said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," he responded.

"But he never told me why you changed your mind about working at McQuaid."

"Working for my ex's current lover didn't sit well for either of us."

"He's not my current lover." Annie corrected.

Auggie paused a moment and shrugged. "There were other reasons."

"Word on the street is you are starting your own company."

"Hope you guys aren't paying your researchers too much for that sort of intel. Incorporation documents are hardly confidential."

"Who's in on the deal?"

"One man shop. Why, are you looking to jump ship?"

"Mmmm, I don't know. Depends on your health insurance policy."

"I haven't thought that far ahead."

"How far have you thought?"

"I hacked into Bank of America's Board of Director accounts, moved money between them, and sent a full report to the CEO. The next day I got a sole-source contract to fix the problem at a value that would pay my bills for a year. I'll have it done in two weeks."

"Sounds like a good business model."

Auggie shrugged. "I'll get by."

"What do you have in mind for the other 50 weeks of the year?"

"Take things as they come."

"I don't believe it. You have to have some sort of plan."

"With our lives, it's best not to make plans."

Annie took a bit, thinking about all of the things that had taken a priority over plans in her life.

"So, you and McQuaid..."

"I decided that I couldn't do this job and have emotional attachments."

"Well at least you are consistent."

Annie put her hand on his. "I miss you." Her thumb rubbed on his skin.

Auggie looked toward their hands. "It's best not to have emotional attachments."

"You've never believed that."

"My perspective has changed a bit, recently."

"I understand." Annie said, pulling her hand back.

"I doubt that."

Auggie was staring right at her. His look was cold. All of the humor gone from the expression that had once charmed her.

A moment passed, then Auggie started to fidget. "Bathroom?"

She gave him directions and watched as he closed the door behind him before she got up to put away the dishes. Auggie had hardly eaten, but they had gone through most of a bottle of wine.

He emerged looking slightly more relaxed.

"Feel better?" Annie asked.

Auggie used the sound of her voice to find her in the kitchen, facing the sink. He leaned close to her ear. "Yeah."

The word was almost a growl, causing Annie to catch her breath as she turned back toward him. Before she could respond, he met her lips with a kiss.

It was a violent, rough kiss, and her reaction was to fight. It was possession, anger, frustration. Her only involvement was to try to push him away.

But it was Auggie. She pulled away and saw his eyes, the loose curls framing his face. She suddenly remembered all the comfort she had in his arms.

She met him for another kiss, letting him know that whatever they were doing, they were doing as equals.

He met her with enthusiasm, pushing her onto the counter. She yelped in pain, but he didn't back up. So she pushed him back, into a wall. She saw him wince from the impact, but immediately straighten. He caught his breath.

"You okay?" Annie asked.

Auggie laughed a breath. "Yeah."

He felt her come close and reached out. He caught her arm and pulled her toward him, forcefully. She took deep breaths in his arms, neither moving toward him or fighting.

Then something within both of them snapped, and they met in another kiss.

He pulled up her shirt while she unbuttoned his pants. They left a trail of clothes on the way to her bed. It was frantic and violent, with unspoken frustration being released by both.

When it was over, Annie was fighting to catch her breath. Auggie didn't seem to notice as she leaned over him to get her medication from the night stand. She took a deep breath as the nitrates worked into her system.

"You made my heart stop, Auggie."

His eyes widened. "That was an attack?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

She took one more deep breath. "Yeah."

He closed his eyes and leaned back. "Good."

They both recovered for a moment, then Auggie sat up and ran his hand over the comforter.

"What do you need?"

He hand landed on his shirt. "I'm going to go on home."

Annie started to object, but she couldn't. She knew that what they had just done was wrong. It wasn't the passionate love-making they had, before. It was sex. They had filled each other's need. Pillow talk would only make it more complicated.

"Hold on, I'll grab your pants."

She padded across the room and got to the pile of denim. When she picked up his pants, something fell to the floor. She stared for a moment at the small plastic bag.

"Here you go." She said, handing him his pants, socks, and shoes.

She watched as he pulled the clothes over his long, lean frame. She watched as he stuck his hands in his pockets to find his phone and wallet. He did well to hide his expression when he realized what was missing.

She stepped close and pulled on his hand. "This fell out."

He closed his fingers over the baggie and braced for the lecture while walking to get his cane.

"Thanks for dinner." He said, then raced toward the door.

"Auggie, wait."

He stopped, jaw clenched.

"I don't know what's going on, but I know that you have always been there for me, even when I didn't deserve it. Let me help you."

"I'm fine." He said, then opened the door and walked out.