Let's pretend that housing developments are right next to some warehouses in DC...I feel like that could happen. XD This one got a little long...I don't know what happened.

She trusts very easily. Which is a good thing and a bad thing.

"I just can't believe it."

Annie had been repeating the same line over and over for the past couple hours as I rubbed her shoulders through the rough blanket they had draped over her shoulders.

"There was no way you could have known, Annie. She was good."

"I trusted her. I believed in her and then she went and...why?"

That was a new one. "I don't think we'll ever know why." I sighed.

"...they killed her, didn't they?" she asked. I nodded.

"They said she was caught in the crossfire."

"Bullshit." Annie scoffed. "They gunned for her so that they wouldn't have to deal with a traitor."

We sat in silence for a moment. Annie was still shaking from being wet and sitting in the cold air so I rubbed her arms harder, halfway wishing that the paramedics would force her to go to the hospital just to make sure she was okay.

"Hey." I looked up at Emily's voice. "Joan says the two of you can go home whenever you want. And that Annie can take the week off...if you want." She added.

"How are you Emily?" Annie asked.

"What?"

"How. Are. You?" Emily didn't respond right away but I heard her shuffle over and sit next to Annie on the back of the ambulance.

"Not great."

"Is anyone?" Annie whispered.

"Emily! Annie!" Barber's voice fluttered over the commotion happening around us and suddenly he was by my side. "Are you guys okay?"

"Physically? Yeah."

"Emotionally?" He asked.

"Not so good." Emily responded. He stepped around Annie and I and I assumed he sat by her to comfort her. They had been pretty much inseparable since the costume party.

The cold hard metal of the ambulance was making my butt numb, but I stayed glued to Annie, rubbing her shoulders and nuzzling my face in her hair. Suddenly, she stopped shaking.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"Jared's here."

"Did he know...?"

"No idea. He's talking to Joan."

I personally knew Jared from when I had to redo my training. He was one of the assistants who personally volunteered his time to help those who had been injured during duty. I'm disheartened to say that I wasn't the worst there. There was a man who'd lost his hand, a woman who'd seen five of her teammates die and only recently had regained some mental stability. It wasn't until then that I realized that the CIA mostly took more than it gave. I had only recently gotten a handle on living while blind and Jared had actually seeked me out after a couple of weeks. Apparently he had a brother who was born blind so he knew how hard it probably was for me. At first, I expected him to pity me, just like the rest. But he didn't. He made me do things by myself and he only allowed me to grab onto his arm when we went to new locations that I had never been to before. He kept my head in check and didn't treat me like I was any different.

In short, he became one of my best friends.

He was the one who begged Joan to allow me to be a handler. He persuaded her to realize that I could still be great help, even behind a computer. Joan didn't need much persuading, but his pleading did help. After I was settled in he'd visit me almost every day to just talk and sometimes go out for lunch.

If I was honest with myself, I probably wouldn't have gone back to the CIA if it wasn't for him. And as I held onto a shivering Annie, I'm so glad he did what he did.

Jared had had an operative under his supervision named Amy. She was a seasoned agent and she was incredible. Only Annie came close to her records.

Though I suppose Annie was top dog now.

Annie and Emily had met her when Jared and Amy had a case that needed more than one agent. I hadn't seen much of Amy, since handlers never really paid attention to any operative but their own. Joan had assigned Annie and Emily to Amy's team and that was the day that Barber was officially designated as Emily's handler. He was so proud and Annie told me that neither of them could wipe the smiles off their faces. They were tasked with taking down an arms dealer that was rumored to be selling his last shipment of stolen arms in a warehouse in DC. Jared, Barber, and I fitted them with equipment and it had only been a couple hours ago that they had set out for the warehouse. I remember that Annie had taken an immediate liking to Amy. Amy was kind to her and treated her like an equal and for the month that they worked together it was like they were best friends.

So when they reached the warehouse and Amy turned her gun on Annie, I could only imagine Annie's shock and horror. Amy had shot, but Emily pushed Annie to the side and they chased her out to the back of the warehouse. That's where the dealer was really waiting, on the other side of a fence, in the backyard of some poor unsuspecting citizen who was out of town. Annie and Emily chased her over the fence, but a well trained team started firing, prompting both of them to jump into the citizen's pool for cover. Our team was quick so the dealer and his team didn't get far, but most of our efforts went to keeping the neighbors in their homes and reassuring them that it was a routine stop. It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy to convince them, and it wasn't easy hearing the little clicks of silencers going on guns. It wasn't easy hearing from Joan that one of the targets was hit. And dead.

She had been rouge from the beginning and did a good job of hiding it. I didn't want to think of what was going through Jared's head right now, as he had worked with her for years. That would be like if one day Annie suddenly went rouge and I was left to pick up the pieces.

"He's coming over here." Annie whispered.

"Hey, are you both alright?" Jared's rough voice was quiet, and I could tell he was shaking. With anger or sobs though...that I wasn't sure about...

"We're fine. How are you?" Emily asked bravely.

"I'm...confused." He sighed.

"We all are." Annie agreed.

"The dealer is in custody. They'll be running a full investigation into Amy later, so you may be contacted with questions. All of you." He sounded like a robot that had been programmed to speak and my heart cringed with every word.

"Okay." Barber said.

"Even though this mission went south...it was a pleasure working with you all. Auggie?" I lifted my head and hoped that I was looking in his direction. "Could I talk to you for a moment?"

I glanced toward Annie and she gave me a little push.

"Go ahead. I'm okay." She sounded better so I rubbed her back one last time and pushed myself off the ambulance. Jared let me take his arm as he lead me over to the side.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He took a deep breath before continuing. "For dragging Annie into this. I should have seen what was happening with Amy and I should have never allowed this mission to happen and – "

"Jared." I interrupted him. "Like I told Annie, there was no way you could have seen this coming. She was a spy and a good one. She was just spying for different people."

"I guess. But either of them could have been seriously hurt – "

"I know. But it comes with the job. They could have taken a bullet from anyone, they knew that. We knew that."

"Yeah."

"Jared. I know you're hurt. But you'll get through it."

"How did you?"

"What?" I paused.

"When Helen...when she faked her death. How did you get over it when she reveled that she was alive? That she played with your heart?" His voice was deathly silent and hesitant, as if he was scared of bring up the subject. I stepped forward and found his shoulder with my hand, squeezing gently.

"It wasn't easy. I was hurt and I was mad. To be honest, I don't think I'm over it yet. She broke my heart and made me grieve for her when I shouldn't have had to. She ended things in one of the worst ways possible. Does that make her a bad person? No. Did I trust her when she was still alive after that? No. And now I realize...that I didn't love her. Maybe at the time I thought I did. But now, as I spend my life with Annie...I'm finally feeling what real love feels like. My heart was hurt and it was broken and she put it back together. To answer your question, it might take you years to get over it. But you will, someway, somehow. Maybe someone will help."

His rough hand covered mine. "She's good for you."

"Who?"

"Annie. She's changed you."

"For the better I hope."

A laugh escaped his lips.

"Definitely..." He didn't speak anymore, but he didn't let go of my hand. Suddenly, he took a shaky breath. "I loved her, you know."

"Amy."

"Yeah. I never admitted it...and now I'm kinda glad I didn't. I know now that she was cruel. That she was a traitor that she was...fake. Yet...I can't stop my heart from hurting."

"It's broken. Now you have to find the pieces."

"Think I could find someone to help me with that?"

"If I can...you can."

He laughed again, this time a little more carefree. Patting my hand, he took a step back.

"Go. She's waiting for you."

"You'll be okay? For now?"

"Yeah, for now. Hey, how about we get lunch again soon? I miss our chats, kid."

"You can't really call me kid anymore."

"I know. You're all grown. Doesn't mean I can't call you kid." Chuckling, I stuck out my hand.

"See you soon, Jared."

"See ya kid." He shook my hand twice, then walked away slowly. I listened to his retreating footsteps then made my way back to the ambulance.

"Are you okay?" Annie's voice reached my ears as I sat next to her again.

"Fine, why?"

"You two looked like you were having a life or death conversation over there."

"He just needed a friend, that's all."

"Oh," she leaned back against me, her head falling into the crook of my shoulder.

"Auggie, Fred's here if you and Annie want to head home. I don't want her driving." I jumped a little at Joan's voice, but nodded.

"Ready to go home, Annie?"

"Yeah." I wrapped my arms around her carefully and pulled her onto my lap, intending to help her to her feet, but she gripped me tighter.

"Want to carry me to the car?"

"Well aren't you a little needy one?"

"I just jumped into a pool and got shot at by a supposed friend. And I'm tired."

I laughed, expecting her to laugh with me and jump to the ground, but she didn't.

"Annie...you know I can't really carry you right? I could easily run into something."

"I trust you."

She snuggled deeper into my chest as I sat there, flabbergasted. I felt someone lean close to me and soon recognized it as Barber.

"I gotcha boss." Clutching Annie tight, I stood with Barber's hand lightly on my back. He maneuvered me through the throng of people and cars toward Fred's open doors. I placed Annie down in the backseat and patted Barber's shoulder lightly before crawling in after her. Barber closed the door as Fred started the car.

"Do you really trust me?"

Her breath was warm on my neck. "With my life."

Anyone remember her dream? ;) As always, please read, review, and enjoy!