A/N: Hey all! Okay, so first, before I start rambling I really want to thank a couple of reviewers, I may or may not have PMed you, but I still just want to generally shout out.

Kittycat69: Thank you so much! I can't believe you said my fic is the "best one out there", that made my day and made me want to write this chapter.
Jade-angel5: Thanks! I really wanted it to be somewhat realistic and I'm really pleased you thought it was
lexipedia: haha, I've done that, believe me! Thanks for staying up just for my little story, I really appreciate it! Hope it was worth it. :)
the godsister: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it, I re-read your review this morning when I finally checked my email and I was like, y'know what, I will write that chapter today. :)

Okay, so back to the ramblings, this chapter is kind of sad and I took some liberties with Annie's past. There is hardly any Annie/Auggie, but it was a necessary chapter, I can't just up and get them back together. So enjoy, I hope it's worth the read.

Disclaimer: Not mine, yep, all rights go to more awesome people than me.

Annie hadn't spoken to Auggie in three days, she had called Joan and asked for a personal favor. To take some more time. Of course Joan had said yes, there wasn't any way she couldn't seeing what Annie had just been through. Auggie on the other hand went to work, hoped to hear Annie around the office and confront her, make her believe that what she heard wasn't true.

Annie walked into the DPD three days later and felt her stomach churning, there was no way she wanted to be stuck with desk work and see Auggie drifting in and out of his office all day. She had switched to flats that morning to avoid the sound of her heels and made sure not to apply perfume. She even used Danielle's shampoo and used one of her older jackets, making sure it was dry cleaned to smell nothing like her. She was taking every precaution, she wasn't exactly sure what signifiers were hers when it came to Auggie, he was a mystery. She just had to make it until her two o'clock appointment with Dr. Patel, take this meeting and hopefully get her papers signed, then she could ship off to some far away land and take a much needed break from Auggie.

She spent hours dodging him, including ditching her much needed cup of Starbucks because Auggie was headed up in her direction swearing to Stu that he heard her. Annie made a cut throat gesture to Stu and silently begged him to stay quiet, he did as he was told. Finally it was a quarter to two and she nearly jogged to the offices of Dr. Patel, thanking God she had made it through the day unscathed.

Seated in the all too familiar square armed chair Annie waited for the doctor to return and grant her passage back into her own job. She hoped.

"Annie," Dr. Patel sat across from her and opened her pad of notes like ususal, "early today." she noted.

"Mhm, I'd just like to get this over with," Annie confessed and crossed her legs.

"Alright, well let's start with this, I've been hearing some things around the DPD the last few days," Dr. Patel raised an eyebrow, "is it true that you've finished your relationship with Auggie when only three days ago you said he made you feel safe and loved?"

Annie's eyes narrowed, "yeah, well only three days ago I found out he was cheating on me."
"Cheating?" Dr. Patel's eyes widenened considerably, "how do you know for sure?"

"Becuase I called his place and his ex-girlfriend answered," Annie shifted uncomfortably.

"I see," Dr. Patel made a note, "and now how do you feel about him?"

Annie's shoulders dropped, "He cheated on me, I feel... betrayed."

"Strong word, betrayed," Dr. Patel's slight accent peaked through and she nodded, "you've felt this way before?"

"Yes," Annie's eyes were filling with tears.

"Tell me about that," Dr. Patel nodded.

"My dad left us," Annie murmured, "when I was twelve, and I guess I blamed my self for that one because..."

"Why?"

"I didn't try to stop him, I watched him pack a bag and take one photo of us and leave, and I didn't even ask him to stay," Annie murmured.

"As a young girl that was not your responsibility," Dr. Patel assured her, "in no way was it up to you whether your father stayed or went, he made the choice to leave,"

"I know that," her jaw hardened and then as the wheels in her head kept turning her face softened, she knew that but she didn't quite believe it.

"Alright," Dr. Patel nodded, "other than that time did you ever feel this way again?"

"Ben," Annie sighed, "he left me on a beach with just a note and I didn't see him again for over a year, he made me love him and then he left,"

"People seem to leave you, Annie," Dr. Patel noted, "do you feel its your fault?"

"I think that..." Annie sighed, "it's a factor."

"Okay," Dr. Patel jotted something down and looked at Annie again, "How about your most recent mission,"

Annie stiffened, "how about it?"

"What was going through your mind as that man held you captive?" she asked and Annie internally laughed, held her captive. That was a nice way to put it. Annie could think of better words: hostage, torture, attempted rape, abuse, pain, lonliness.

Annie looked up, "I thought I was going to die, most of what was going through my head was the CIA survival manual."

"Annie," Dr. Patel sighed in slight frustration, "Auggie was talking you through it, correct?"

"Yes."

"How did you feel about him hearing the experience?" the question caught Annie off guard.

She thought a moment and then uncrossed her legs, deciding she disliked the position crossed them again. She shifted, watched Dr. Patel write something down and then said, "I wish he hadn't, because everytime he looks at me it's like I might break. As if... that day defines something in our relationship,"

Dr. Patel's brows furrowed, "Did he ever say anything to this effect?"

"N-no," Annie thought back but shook her head, "I don't know, but I... it was a very difficult experience and I wish it hadn't happened,"

"Does Auggie knowing about it make it real for you?" Dr. Patel asked.

Her eyes filled with tears again, "Him knowing makes it..."

"If he hadn't been listening, if that moment was only between yourself and your attacker, would you have brushed it under the rug and pretended that it never happened?" Dr. Patel leaned forwards.

"I," a tear slipped down Annie's face, "might have,"

"You've done that before?" she asked.

"Yes," there was no point resisting her questions now.

"Are you afraid that letting yourself love Auggie means letting him understand this part of you, that breaking it off with him might have been a bit drastic?"

"He cheated on me!"

"Do you know?" Dr. Patel asked, "Has he confirmed it, did he tell you to your face?"

Annie's features fell farther, "No, he... I guess he..."

"Annie, you are scared, and that's okay, but you need to admit that to yourself," Dr. Patel nodded.

Annie felt her body lightly shaking with nervousness and the reality of the situation, she took a breath and said, "I don't want to tell him,"

"Tell him what?"

Tears fell from her eyes in rapid succession but she never sobbed or choked her words, "Everything that's happened to me,"

"Why is that?"

"Because then he'll leave, just like every other," Annie's voice was but a whisper.

"How do you know that?"

"I just do,"

"Annie," Dr. Patel sighed, "is Auggie worth that risk?"

The room stilled and Annie took in a breath of air sharply, "yes,"

"Do you trust yourself with him?"

"Yes,"

"Then you need to talk to him and not like your past define where you go. If Auggie loves you, he loves every part of you. And the fact that he hasn't run from you since your ordeal last month suggests that he loves you more than you know." Dr. Patel jotted down something, closed her notebook and grabbed a white form from behind her. Writing something down on the sheet she appraised her small paragraph and signed the bottom. Folding it in half she slipped it into an eveloped, sealed it and placed it in her outgoing post basket on her desk.

"What's that?"

"That is saying you are cleared to work in the feild," Dr. Patel smiled, "Annie, you are an exceptional agent, and you trust your instincts which is key, the problem now is not you insecurities as an agent, it is your personal insecurities. Give Auggie a call," she gave a small smile, "try, or else you'll have regrets,"

Annie smiled, "I'll try,"

"Good," Dr. Patel nodded, "now, I would still like to have sessions with you, these will be optional, but I think seeing you once every other week would be really beneficial to your path going forward,"

Annie thought a moment, stood and nodded, "Okay,"

"Good," Dr. Patel smiled, pleased with herself, "you can schedule those sessions with Carol out front.

"Thanks," Annie nodded and left the room, knowing full well that tomorrow she would be back to working at the job she was so good at.

She pushed her way into the bathroom and cleaned off her tear stained face, picking up her cell phone she dialed the only number she knew by heart.

"Anderson," he answered, a little less enthusiasm in his voice than usual.

She opened her mouth to speak but a few tears threatened to spill over again and she feared her voice would falter.

"Hello?" Auggie asked into his end of the phone, "who is this?"

"Auggie," Annie's voice came, "it's me,"

"Annie?" Auggie's heart clenched as he heard her tear coated voice, "are you alright, what's going on?"

"I'm," she took in a breath to steady herself.

"Are you hurt, Annie?" Auggie asked, his voice thick with tension.

"No! No, I'm just... I just need to see you, I'm sorry," Annie sighed, "I jumped to conclusions, I got ahead of myself, I'm sorry,"

"Oh, Annie," he sighed, "I never meant to hurt you like that, it was all a misunderstanding, Liza was just asking for leads on an article, fishing like always,"

Annie laughed, "Auggie, please, can we talk, I need to see you, tell you something,"

"Annie, are you sure everythings alright?"

"It's not alright yet," she confessed, "but I'm working on it, and I'd like you to help me,"

She heard him sigh again and murmured, "Annie, I'm always here for you, you know that. When can I see you?"

"Tonight, come to my place tonight, I'll explain everything,"

"Okay, I'll see you soon, Annie, I'm sorry,"

There was a brief silence and for a moment he thought she had hung up on him. Finally she murmured, "I'm sorry I doubted you,"

"Annie, I," he started.

"Tonight, tell me tonight," Annie sniffled and whispered a goodbye.

When she looked in the mirror the woman who looked back at her was different than what she remembered, and she wans't so sure it was a bad thing.

A/N: Hola! So you've finished it! I hope you liked it!

There will be one more chapter coming up after this one called, "The Dog Days Are Over" which will finish out my Florence and the Machine-ish inspired story. Then after that will come the sequel which I already have planned, but no album to accompany yet, so I'll be sure to let you know when I figure it out.

Please review, it really makes my day!