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Prompt #26: Juvenile - They bickered like kids with crushes, but when push came to shove, they grew up fast.

Words: 916

Annie Walker was mad.

With good reason. After a joint CIA-MI5 mission in Barcelona, Auggie had gone off on her in his office yesterday, scolding her about flirting with her British contact. She'd gotten angry right back, not understanding why he was going overprotective big-brother on her from across the ocean. It had gotten so bad that Joan had to step in and break it up, sending Auggie home early and Annie back to her desk to search through newspapers. They'd said nothing to each other when he left, and he hadn't come in that morning.

She scowled as she angrily stomped down to the cafeteria. Her fellow employees subtly moved to clear out of her path, easily reading her expression and not wishing to feel her wrath.

It was better that he hadn't come in today, she thought. August Anderson, that high-handed, holier-than-thou, hoity-toity, smug bastard who -

"Annie!"

Her inner Auggie cut-down was interrupted by the shout behind her. Annie looked over to see Clara racing over to her side with a look of pure terror on her face. "What is it? What's wrong?" Annie asked.

"You left your phone up on your desk, and I recognized the phone number for the hospital so I answered and - " The younger woman's voice cracked, so she cleared her throat and started again. "It's Auggie. He got hit by a car."

Her insides felt like they'd been submerged in ice water and stabbed with knives. She could only say one word: "When?"

"An hour ago. He's in the ICU." Clara held up her keys. "I'll drive."

"I can't believe you did that!"

"Did what?" Auggie asked calmly.

"You said something to Ian that made him treat me with kid gloves for the entire mission!" Annie accused hotly. "Now what did you say?"

His eyes flashed with anger. "I told him not to screw around with you because he's got a history of sleeping with his coworkers!"

Annie gave an indignant gasp. "How dare you!"

"I was looking after you, Annie!" Auggie said in his defense.

"Don't take the moral high ground, mister! You've charmed your way through most of Langley's female staff!"

"I at least had the decency not to get involved with a fellow spy! Unlike you!"

Annie bristled at his tone. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You really wanna go there?"

"Yeah, let's go there!" she shouted.

"Fine!" he yelled. "Simon! You knew he was a FSB spy, the best, and you fell for him anyway!"

"And what about you?" Annie fired back. "You proposed to a girl after only four months of dating her, but you wouldn't read her in on what you do!"

"That's not the same thing!"

"Of course it is!"

It kept cycling through her mind, that last argument with Auggie, as she waited with Clara in the hospital waiting room. Annie buried her face in her hands as she fought to keep her tears at bay. Such a stupid argument, and it was the last thing he'd heard her say. She'd said such hateful things, and now Auggie was in the hospital.

Clara rested her hand on Annie's shoulder. "He'll be fine," she said. "The boss is a tough guy." Annie nodded mutely. A long pause stretched between them before Clara cleared her throat. "You know he was jealous, right?"

"Jealous?" Annie repeated, looking at the younger tech in surprise. "Why?"

"Near as I can figure, because he likes you more than you think he does." Clara shrugged. "My best friend is the field agent I handle, and he was the same way for a while. Anyway, we got in a big stupid fight about it just before he went on a mission, and I wasn't his handler for it." She shivered, as if the memory still terrified her. "The op went sideways, and he went communications dark for forty-eight hours. I got someone to let me man the line, and I sat there for those two days. Longest two days of my life."

Annie knew just how scary that situation was, having been on both ends at one time or another. "And when he re-established contact?"

Clara gave a dry bark of laughter. "First thing he asked was for me to make a Starbucks run. Caramel macchiato, extra shot of caramel. God, I nearly reached through the phone line and strangled him." She chuckled again. "Anyway, we realized just how stupid we'd been, arguing over something so pointless about something we both knew was pointless."

The doctor suddenly appeared, ending the conversation. Clara stepped out to make a phone call, and Annie walked into Auggie's room. Her best friend was sitting up and smiling tiredly. "Hey there, Walker," he whispered.

"Hey Auggie," she murmured, walking up to his bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I hip-checked a car." He chuckled. "Should've looked both ways before crossing."

Annie's laugh was sharp with relief. "Yeah, what were you thinking?" she scolded. Her hands reached out to hold one of his. "Don't scare me like that ever again, okay?"

"Never again," he nodded.

"I'm sorry, Auggie."

It was a testament to their friendship that he didn't even have to ask what for. He merely squeezed her hand and said, "Me too."

Awwww, making up! So cute!

SEASON FINALE WAS AWESOME! WHO'S EXCITED FOR OCTOBER 16th?

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