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Prompt #12: Homeless - When she showed up on his doorstep, he immediately pulled her inside.

Words: 817

It wasn't often that someone knocked on Auggie Anderson's door at eleven o'clock at night. Then again, it wasn't often that he went through the police ringer to cover for his best friend as she tried to save the world once again. Drained both physically and mentally, Auggie wanted to do nothing more than collapse on his bed and sleep for a few days straight.

He thought about ignoring the caller. Play dead, so to speak, and let the person just walk away. It certainly had worked before for him. But something made him edge closer to the doorway to try and discern who it was.

He heard a sob. One brief, almost stifled sob. Only one person he knew would be in front of his door trying not to cry. The door's locks were unlatched and the last obstacle between Auggie and his guest was opened wide. "Annie?" he asked, smelling her grapefruit smell and hearing her sob and hoping - no, praying - that she wasn't hurt or, God forbid, in serious trouble. "Annie, what's wrong?"

"Auggie." She sounded confused, hurt, and on the verge of a complete breakdown. "I - I didn't know where else to go."

He didn't wait to hear her explain further. One arm reached out, and when he found her shoulder, he pulled her against him in a crushing hug. "It's okay," he whispered against her hair. "It's okay. I got you, Walker."

Somehow he managed to get her inside, locking the door behind him. She was in no condition to talk yet, so he led her to the couch and helped her to sit. When she was settled, he made his way to the kitchen and filled two glasses with water. The hard liquor could come later, but for now, he wanted Annie sober while she sobbed.

When he got back, her crying had subsided into hiccups and the occasional sob. He held out one glass to her, which he felt her take. Hearing the springs of his sofa squeak with her weight, Auggie carefully sat down beside her. Part of him, the spy part, burned to know what made her come to his apartment at eleven at night. The other part, the friend part, waited until she was calm enough to tell him herself.

Presently Annie started to speak. She told him how she'd told Danielle to not come home without telling her why, how Danielle was waiting for her when she got home. How she came clean to her sister about being a covert agent for the CIA. How Danielle had, or all intents and purposes, taken it badly. How she had given Annie the ultimate sign of banishment - ordering her to move out ASAP.

Auggie let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Oh god, Annie, I'm sorry," he said in a heartfelt tone.

"She barely gave me time to empty out my safe," Annie said softly. "She just kicked me out, and I - I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"Well, you know you're always welcome here." Auggie reached over and covered her hand with his. "You sound tired. Want to go to bed?"

Immediately her voice changed from pitiable to nervous. "You don't have to make up anything, I can sleep on the couch."

"What kind of host would I be if you went to work with a bad back?" he said. "It's okay, you can sleep in my bed. It's got clean sheets on it."

"I'm not kicking you out of your own bed, Auggie," Annie stated, showing her steel for the first time since she arrived.

He snickered. "If you'd let me finish, I was saying that we could share it. We're both adults, I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem."

He could practically hear her blushing in embarrassment, even if he hadn't he couldn't miss her stammering. "I - well, y - I mean, you and I - we - "

Auggie sighed, trying not to smile. "Relax, Annie. I'm first and foremost a gentleman. I promise to keep my hands to myself."

There was a beat of silence. For a second, he was afraid that she had left and waited to hear his front door slam shut. He wouldn't blame her; what he proposed was close to impossible for them, even at their level of friendship. There were hidden feelings, at least on his side, that made his offer more loaded than a typical friendly offer should be.

Annie's voice was soft as a dove's coo. "Okay then." Another breath, and she added, "Thanks, Auggie."

He smiled at her. "What're friends for?"

Just a tag for the season two summer finale, "World Leader Pretend."

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