Celticgina said something about writing a follow-up to this previous prompt, Overflow. I wasn't planning on writing any of these prompts to have any kind of continuance with one another, but I did realize that this one was a little short and kind of left you guys hanging so… breaking my rule once can't hurt. XD

Similar to before, I'm using prompts to get out more characters I don't utilize frequently. I like these prompts simply because I get to work out more characters and take liberties. It's a fun little challenge.

$4$

Theme: 2. News; Letter

Why are these lights so bright?
Did we get hitched last night?
Dressed up like Elvis
Why am I wearing your class ring?

- "Wakin' up in Vegas," by Katy Perry

Joan set down her mug of coffee, settling into her chair and settling her thoughts into all things work related. Which wasn't to say there was ever a moment in her life that she wasn't thinking of something work related, but the second she was behind her desk everything save for her people in the DPD was forgotten. Arthur liked to say she was a master at compartmentalizing. She liked to think he was right.

Checking her inbox, she briefly skimmed over the multitude of interoffice memos, notifications and general useless fluff that cluttered her otherwise neat computer. Nothing was amiss or out of the ordinary… until she reached her last e-mail.

She read it. And then read it again. And then scrolled to the bottom of the screen to make sure there wasn't some kind of a note to explain it was all hokum. No note.

Inhaling slowly through her nose and exhaling with equal control through her mouth, Joan stood up, smoothing the material of her red wraparound dress against her thighs.

She walked across her office, hand going out and grabbing the doorframe for leverage so she could lean out and quickly scanned the bullpen. "Walker," she barked, her pale eyes zeroing in on the young blonde agent. "In here, now."

She didn't miss the way Annie's face immediately began to redden, nor the way Auggie sat up straight in the tech ops department. Those two were always attuned to one another way beyond any normal level of agent and handler.

Joan sat down at her desk once more, watching as Annie slowly walked into her office, her face aflame. "Shut the door," she instructed, picking up one of the files Arthur had left on her desk to overlook.

Annie did as she was told, but the second she turned back around she opened her mouth… but no sound came out. She tried again, flabbergasted, and still nothing happened. Deciding it was probably neatest to put one of her best agents out of her misery, Joan glanced up at her and said, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Annie's soft brown eyes went big and wide, so Joan continued, "Perhaps it has something to do with this notification I just received via e-mail?"

Her eyes shot to the side and down, looking away and clearly making a poor attempt to salvage some excuse and save herself and maybe con her way out of the office. It wasn't going to work.

"Any reason in particular you've decided to put in a name change for… Anderson?" Joan asked, her arched eyebrow her only facial giveaway.

Annie went redder as she said, "A-about that-"

"There wouldn't happen to be another man with the last name Anderson that I don't know about, would there?" Joan said, cutting her off. When Annie made another stuttering noise, she added, "I assumed as much."

Folding the manila shut, Joan appraised Annie carefully. "So you and Auggie got married?" she said, smiling slightly. "Spur of the moment?"

"Something like that," Annie mumbled, shifting her weight in her heels. "Listen, Joan-"

Yet again, she cut Annie off. "Before you assume anything, be aware that I'm not going to make any attempts to prevent this from happening. This is your life, Annie," she said clearly. "And far be it from me to lecture anyone else on the pitfalls of relationships." After all, Arthur had left his wife for her…

Annie quirked a smile for about a second before remembering the situation she was in and dropping it.

"Now I highly doubt you two will be taking off work for a while, but if you ever do, allow me to say Cancun is lovely in April," Joan said, smiling.

Grinning, Annie nodded. "Thanks."

"Now, that will be all," Joan said, returning back to her files. "Close the door on your way out."

Hearing the door open and close, Joan returned her gaze to the e-mail on her computer screen. Even in the CIA, not all news is bad news.