She can get very protective, very quickly. If she feels I'm threatened, she becomes scary Annie and everyone backs away.

"Be careful out there, Auggie, this guy is dangerous." Joan's voice vibrated in my ear and I rubbed my ear in a way I hoped was normal.

"Don't worry, Joan, I've got this."

"It's been a while since you've been in the field."

"Doesn't mean I've forgotten what to do. But I'm curious...there were plenty of men who you could have chosen and you chose the blind guy who technically isn't an operative anymore?"

"I trust you, Auggie, and just because you're blind doesn't mean you aren't a good agent. I'm just telling you to be careful."

"I know, I know. Does Annie know about this yet?"

"No. And I'd like to keep it that way."

"I don't like keeping things from her, Joan."

"I know, you can tell her afterwards."

"She won't like that, either," I sighed. Joan had called me into her office almost as soon as I had gotten to work that day, asking me to go undercover for the day to get a suspected terrorist out in the open. Apparently, this guy met with men and men only otherwise Joan would have sent Annie.

I shifted in the uncomfortable chair of the diner I was sitting in and tapped my foot impatiently. He was supposed to meet me over half an hour ago and he still hadn't arrived. I picked a little at the sandwich I had ordered to keep my cover but I wasn't that hungry. According to our reports, he had always been on time for meetings, but now it seemed that I was proving that report wrong.

"Mr. Wilkins?" I started at the voice behind me and turned quickly.

"Yes?"

"Sorry I'm late, traffic is horrible around here."

"Tell me about it."

"I wasn't aware that you were..."

"Blind? Yeah, I get that a lot when I meet new people."

"Sorry. Now, I understand that you have information about a way into Langley and you are...kind enough to share?"

"I wouldn't say kindness is the main motivation."

"You would like something in return."

"Why wouldn't I? This is sensitive information that you need."

"How much?"

I pretended to think for a moment. "Fifteen hundred."

"That's not a bad offer."

"It's a low bid for the information I have."

He was silent for a moment. I thought he was considering my offer but then I felt something cold against my side.

"You played a good terrorist, Mr. Anderson."

"What are you talking about?"

"You of all people must understand how wonderful technology is. I have a little device strapped to my arm that reads through every voice I'm near. And it just so happened to connect your voice to a Mr. August Anderson of the CIA. It's illegal technology, yes...but what sort of terrorist would I be if I didn't have the dirtiest toys?"

Well, crap. That's probably something the CIA should look into...

But I had bigger situation. The cold sensation on my side shifted a little and I realized then that it was the barrel of a gun.

"You can either come with me now, quietly, or I can shoot you right now. It's your choice, Mr. Anderson."

As I took a deep breath, I was really hoping that Joan was already working on my escape plan.

Joan's POV

"Shit!" I threw down my headset and went to work on sending out an extraction team for Auggie. I just hoped that he could hang in there until help arrived.

"Joan?" I looked up quickly to see Annie standing in my doorway. Great...

"Yes, Annie?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong. Just a mission that went a bit...um...awry."

"Oh. Well, have you seen Auggie? I have a question for him."

I looked at her carefully, hoping she didn't see the worry in my eyes. But I always forget that she's one of the best spies I had and he expression soon became panicked.

"Joan...where's Auggie?"

"He's um...he's..." She walked forward until she was practically leaning on my desk, her fierce gaze burning holes into my skull.

"I won't ask again, Joan. Where is he?"

I sighed. No use trying to keep it from her now. "He's out in the field. I sent him to try to bring this terrorist out into the open and it worked. Until he figured out that Auggie wasn't who he said he was."

I waited for it. There was a small pause, a little intake of breath and then -

"What!?"

"Annie - "

"You sent him out there alone!? Why didn't you send me? Is he okay? Where is he?"

"I've sent an extraction team. Right now he's...a little tied up."

"Oh my God. I'm going out there, where is he?"

"Annie, you are not going out there. It's too - "

"Don't you dare say it's too dangerous!" She was furious now, he face turning redder by the second. "My boyfriend is out there and he's in danger! I'm going in!"

She stalked around my desk and I backed away fearfully. I had never seen her like this. The only other time she was ever close to this was when Auggie and Parker where captured by pirates. However now, I suppose, the stakes were higher for her.

She leaned over my computer and read the address. "Betsy's Diner. I can get there in five minutes."

She turned on her heel and practically ran out of my office.

"Annie!"

"You can't stop me, Joan!" The entire department stopped and looked at the steaming agent grabbing her jacket and keys from her desk and stomping out the doors.

"I know I can't, but be careful!"

I didn't know if she heard me. Instead, I headed back to my office and read the encouraging note on my computer that the extraction team was on its way.

I didn't think they'd get there before Annie, though.

Auggie's POV

"Let's think about this. You're really going to shoot a federal agent in the open? You won't get away if you do."

"I'm a fast runner."

"People here have seen your face."

"As you know, I'm also a very good hider."

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I had heard static coming from my ear piece and a couple voices, but I had no idea what they were saying. I was surprised this guy hadn't even found my earpiece yet. Suddenly, Joan was back in my ear.

"Don't worry, Auggie, I've got a team coming."

So now I knew that people were coming for me. The real question was - will they get here in time?

"Any last words?"

"Yeah. Why the hell is that always the last thing anyone asks before they kill someone?"

"Don't ask me. I just do the shooting."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and a couple shrieks from other patrons. The gun got pushed hard into my side, but the holder let out a little grunt himself.

"I swear, if you don't pull that gun away from him, I will shoot you where you sit."

No, oh God no. Annie.

"A fierce personality. I like that in a woman."

"Put. The. Gun. Down."

"Not a chance."

"Get out of here, Walker." I said through clenched teeth. She wasn't supposed to be here. She wasn't supposed to be in the line of fire right now.

"Not a chance, Anderson."

We knew better not to use each other's first names, but I just wanted to scream out her name and tell her to run home.

"You seem to be very close for coworkers. I didn't know you actually made friends in the CIA. Aren't you all a little too stuck up for that?"

"You're outnumbered. There's more coming and then you'll have no choice but to give up. So either you come quietly, or you'll be taken away kicking and screaming."

"I'd rather do that than give up on my mission."

Great. A guy with a massive ego. This wasn't going to be easy. He was silent for a moment, and I wondered what was going through his mind.

"Why didn't you come with the rest of you team? I don't believe it was because you were just close by."

"I'm a faster driver."

That's an understatement.

"No. There's more. Much more."

No one spoke and I could hear the quiet sobs of people who were crouching under tables, frightened by the showdown that was occurring. I felt awful - these people shouldn't have to go through this. I begged silently for the team to get here quickly so they could get everyone out safely.

"You obviously care for her."

I whipped my head back to him and put on the most passive face I can manage.

"What do you mean?"

"Put your gun down. This is your last warning." Her voice shook a little with anger and I wanted nothing more than to hug her and soothe her worries.

"When she came in, your face had a look of utter shock and fear on it. You don't want her to get hurt."

My palms began to feel sweaty. If he hurt Annie...

"Why don't I give you a little incentive to come with me, then?"

The cold gun left my side and I could only guess that he was swinging it toward Annie. She let out a little gasp and I heard a scream by a nearby patron.

"No!" I let out a guttural cry I didn't even know I had in me and surged forward, hitting him off his stool and onto the floor. The gun went off. The screams were deafening. My earpiece was driving me crazy, with Joan's voice yelling in my ear.

"Auggie! Auggie! What happened!"

"Stand down! Stand down!" The team was here. They pulled me off of him and stood me up.

"Annie...Annie!" I spun around, straining my ears to find her voice.

"Mr. Anderson..."

"Where's Annie? Annie!" Someone held me back and started to push me to where I assumed an ambulance was waiting.

"We need to get you checked out, sir."

"No, where's Annie. I need to find Annie."

"We'll find her, sir. I promise."

"No...Annie!" I fought against him and I was surprised when I almost knocked him over.

"Mr. Anderson, please!" There was a new voice, but I didn't care. I had to get back into that diner and get to Annie.

"They're arresting him now, it's okay." The new voice said.

"That's not why he's - "

"Annie!" I fought against the arms holding me back harder. The two voices were silent for a moment and I kept fighting until I felt a small prick in my arm.

"I'm sorry, sir. We'll take care of you."

My head became fuzzy and my words became slurred. My legs gave out and I assumed it was the two officers by me that caught me.

Suddenly, my eyes slid shut and all the noises around me drowned into a black abyss.

The Next Day

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

What the hell?

Beep.

I shifted my head a little and moaned at how heavy it felt. I moved my fingers and forced my eyes open.

"Auggie!" Joan's voice reached my ears and I felt a warm hand slide into mine.

"Jo-Joan?"

"I'm glad your awake. We were worried about you."

"What...what happened?"

Quickly, everything came back to me. The diner, the terrorist, the gun...Annie. I shot up, elicting a little gasp from Joan, and strained my ears for her voice.

"Annie. Where's Annie?"

"Auggie, she's okay. She's alright." She pressed on my chest to get me to lie back down but I wouldn't have it. My head spun and the noises in the hospital seemed even louder but I fought to hear anything of her. Her voice, her heels, her breathing.

"Where is she?"

"She just went to go get some coffee. She's been here all night with you.

As Joan spoke, the scent of grapefruit hit my nose. She had been here.

"What - "

"Auggie!" I heard someone rush into the room and suddenly her arms were around me, squeezing tightly. My entire world slowed down then, finally falling back into place.

"Annie." I breathed. My arms snaked their way around her and I pulled her farther onto the bed with me.

"I'll leave you two be." I waved a little goodbye to Joan and then heard her heels walk down the tile hall.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Annie sniffed. I felt something warm land on my shoulder. I pulled away a little bit and wiped at her face.

"No, you shouldn't be crying. I don't like it when you cry." She sobbed again and threw her arms back around my neck.

"I couldn't find you and then they told me that they had taken you away in an ambulence and I thought...after the gun went off that you...oh, God, Auggie, I was so scared."

I hugged her harder.

"I wasn't shot, sweetie. Just tranquilized apparently." She pulled away.

"Yeah, I know. I ripped them a new one for that."

"Oh boy, you didn't turn into scary Annie, did you?"

"Damn straight, I did. They have no right to tranquilize my boyfriend. Why did they do that to you?" Her fingers traced my face and I grabbed her hand as I kissed her fingertips lightly.

"I was...going a little crazy."

"Over what?"

"I couldn't find you," I grabbed her face gently and leaned my forehead against hers. "When that gun went off, I thought you had been shot. I was so scared when you didn't answer me..."

"How could you not hear me screaming for you?"

"How did you not hear me screaming for you?"

"Touche."

I pulled her up carefully until she was laying right next to me. Suddenly, a thought came to my head.

"Please tell me he just shot a wall and not someone who was in the diner."

"He shot a wall. The bullet went right over my head."

I blanched. "He was close to shooting you in the head?"

She must have noticed that she made me uncomfortable because she started rubbing my chest.

"He would have shot me in the chest...if I hadn't ducked."

"You ducked."

"Yeah."

"And missed a bullet that went right by your head."

"Yeah."

I let out a little exhaused laugh. "Only you would have that luck. Wait, if you knew the bullet went right over your head, why did you think I had been shot?"

"I didn't know it went over my head until later when we were cleaning the scene. They made me stay there for a while and that's when one of them found the hole in the wall. It wasn't until then, and when they told me that you were resting at the hospital, that I stopped freaking out."

"I'm sorry," I kissed her forehead lightly.

"Yeah. Don't you ever do something like this again."

"I probably will go undercover some other time, Annie."

"I know you will. Just don't do it without me knowing about it...and monitoring it. Promise?"

"Only if you promise not to go guns blazing into a situation without any backup. You scared the hell out of me Annie."

"Ditto."

I laughed with her and I could feel her heartbeat against my chest. My eyes started to feel heavy again and I realized that the tranqulizer probably wasn't completely out of my system.

"Get some sleep, Auggie. I'll be right here."

"I know you will." Between her heartbeat and the warmth of her body, my heart began to come down from it's racing speed and I was able to close my eyes and relax comfortably. It hit me that I would probably never bounce back if I ever lost Annie. My heart couldn't take that strain. I hugged her tighter and laid my head in her hair.

I knew then that I couldn't lose Annie.

I couldn't lose my Annie.

She was a piece of my heart and if I lost her, my heart would break into a million pieces.

And you can't put a puzzle back together without all the pieces.

Phew, this one was a long one! But it was fun to write! We're getting closer and closer to a big milestone. ;)

Plus, BIG NEWS. Apparently, Disney Incorporated, THE DISNEY, is coming to see the show that my high school is putting on. They and some other company are flying in to see it and then we're test piloting some of their new musicals. Am I excited? ABSOLUTELY. WHOO!

Anyway, I hoped you liked today's installment! Please, read, review, and enjoy! :D