A/N: I apologize for this being so late.
I had to do a rewrite.
I was getting too far away from my style and it was driving me loopy.
So this is what happened, I'm not sure where it came from.
It's kind of just- Gah. I don't know, you'll find out.

I'm still in dire need of suggestions for Christmas presents and what you would like to see in a sequel.
I hope this chapter is better than the last xD
Anyways, thanks for the lovely reviews that you've all been sending my way.
Each one is so inspiring I just can't say how much you guys mean to me!

Alright, enough of this, I've been listening to way too much sad music.
Oh and I'm going to try to post every two weeks from now on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Covert Affairs. If I did, the seasons would be longer. Obviously.

'When I make a deal it's so I can steal all yours
When I'm stormin' thru turnin' black to blue I'm yours
When I check you off nearly every box I'm yours
I'm awake to this you turn on and shit I'm yours

I hope
I glow...'

-Fay Wolf, Yours

Yours

He couldn't be sure of what woke him up exactly – obviously not the sun – he figured that it must have been his internal clock telling him it was time for school. The feel of her beside him tugged a smile from his mouth and he rolled over, burying his face in her hair. The way Annie smelled was cataloged in his brain and he was positive that he would never forget it; grapefruit, lavender, sweet-mint toothpaste and that subtle smell that could only be described as Annie Walker. He could do this for the rest of his life. Gently he kissed her neck, only receiving a small sleepy moan in return. Damn, girl could sleep.

Auggie flopped back on the bed, eyes wide open, one arm trapped beneath Annie's weight – then he realized something. It was the first time that he'd woken up without even considering the fact that he couldn't see. The idea twisted in his stomach. On one hand, he was moving on, living again, and on the other – well – he was moving on. Did that mean he was getting used to seeing nothing, forgetting what he was missing out on every day? God he hoped not. He didn't think that he could deal with that.

With a groan he slid his arm out from under his girlfriend, sat up and stretched his arms over his head. There was no way that he was going to be depressed – for lack of a better word – that day. No, he was going to enjoy himself. A grin on his face, he grabbed his cane from the nightstand and unfolded it, between his busted lip and the bruise on his hip he wasn't going to take any chances for the sake of his pride.

Christ, he was getting used to it.

"You're up early," Corrine's voice greeted him softly as he pulled the bedroom door shut with little more than a bump.

"I could say the same of you," he smiled. "Why are you up-"

"Shh," she hushed him, her fingers entwining with his, "Everyone else is still asleep. Let's talk outside."

The morning air was crisp, prickling across Auggie's skin like an electrical current. As Corrine slid closed the glass door that lead to the balcony, Auggie used his wicked cane skills to find one of the metal chairs and plopped himself into it. The thing was like a block of ice and he winced. This was just an amazing idea. Sarcasm intended.

"So, what woke you up," she asked.

He could hear another metal chair scraping across the balcony floor.

"I don't know," he answered, vaguely wondering what time it was and if the sun was coming up yet, "Just woke up, my body's still thinking about school or something. You?"

"Mm. I was too warm in that bed. It's like it was trying to swallow me or something."

That was just so Corrine. He could hear the flick of her lighter, the smell of tobacco following soon after. He didn't cough, not anymore, sometimes he actually enjoyed the smell of cigarettes but maybe because that smell was her and no matter how the definition of the term had changed between them, he still loved her.

"So you're back with Conrad," Auggie asked casually.

"Mm."

"How'd that happen," Auggie grinned, "Last I heard you were making out with a certain Indian boy-"

"Are you really going to berate me with that right now," she drawled.

"I'm not berating you but I would like to know why it is that you were cheating on one of my best friends with a sleaze like Jai!"

"You are and I don't appreciate it, don't get aggressive with me because I will stop talking to you altogether. It's your choice."

Their voices rang out at the same time and ended abruptly, silence enveloping them almost immediately. For several moments they hung onto the silence, Auggie trying to keep his temper under wraps. Until then he hadn't realized that he was still that annoyed with her. His emotions had been doing that lately; conning him into a false sense of security and ambushing him when he least expected it.

"Sometimes I do things that I don't understand," Corrine said, "I hate it when I do and know it's stupid while I'm doing it and I still can't stop it. I just get these feelings- I don't know- There are times that it feels like no one can see me so I do things that will make them see me."

"Why don't you just talk to someone," Auggie argued, clearly not understanding, "Oh, I don't know, like me?"

"Wow. You really don't get it," she replied with incredulity, "You're too wrapped up in your girlfriend to see me August. But it's okay, new and shiny things are always hard to look away from."

"Whoa now," Auggie shook his head, "Don't try to pin all of this on me. You never come to me, Cory, but when you finally decide you need to expand your pity party and you do call me, I'm always there. So don't even try that one."

"You're right," she said with a soft laugh.

They fall into another silence. A pattern of togetherness that only they can decipher.

"Are you happy," he asks quietly, "With Conrad?"

For the longest time she didn't answer, so long that Auggie was beginning to wonder if she'd fallen asleep on the incredibly uncomfortable chair.

"I'd like to say yes," she answered thoughtfully, the distance clear in her voice, "But when I'm being honest, I don't know. When I'm with him, I'm fine. When I'm alone- well, that's a new monster entirely."

"Just so you know," Auggie started, weighing his words on his tongue, times such as this needed to be treated with great care because the slightest hint of something else could break her, "Even though I'm with Annie and I plan to be for a long time, I'll always have time for you-" he trailed off and in the silence noted the weight that hung above them, "-Which means, no more excuses for pulling shit to get my attention. That ship has officially sailed."

"Alright, alright," she laughed and it warmed him like a summer breeze.

It was rare that she laughed like that, honestly, whole heartedly. That laugh never made an appearance when there was an audience, so Auggie treasured each and every one because – when she allowed herself that laugh – it meant that everything really was okay, at least for the time being.

"I'll always be yours, August Anderson," she said so softly he wasn't sure that she'd meant for him to hear it. "No matter what you think. I'll always be yours."

oOo

The lights of the TV flickered across her face, the sounds of it washing around her like an old, familiar blanket but she wasn't paying attention to any of it. Annie and Auggie were tangled on the couch together with her mostly in his lap and his arm wrapped just beneath her breasts. Every contraction of muscle in his arm sent a thrill through her. Internally she giggled at herself, she couldn't remember a time that she'd been so horny.

She laid her head back against his shoulder and forced herself to stare at the TV, concentrating on the way the characters moved across the screen. Honestly, she had no idea what was going on and frankly she was almost positive that she'd missed too much to catch up. All she knew was that there was man with fez holding a mop, talking to a crying man in a roman suit. Yea. There was no way on this planet she was catching up.

"Is anyone else hungry," Stu asked hopefully.

"Are you hungry, Stu," Auggie asked like a mother hen, his voice rumbling through her chest. "You want me to make you a sandwich?"

"Hey, I'm serious," Stu said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm starving, my stomach eating a hole in itself and soon you'll be able to see right through me."

"A little dramatic, don't you think," Auggie grinned, making Annie giggle. "I get what you mean though, I'm hungry too."

"I was just going to say that," Conrad intoned, looking suddenly quite alert.

"His stomach's been grumbling for a good hour now," Corrine sighed, "I'm surprised he didn't say anything sooner. He's such a baby when he's hungry."

"It's true," Conrad admitted, "But this show is a riot! I guess it was enough of a distraction. "

"And you never believed me before," Auggie shook his head. "You people should start listening to me more often. Blind guy or not, I have excellent taste in television."

"That and you're a geek," Jamie chuckled, earning a scowl from his older brother.

"Poor Auggie," Annie cooed, "So underappreciated."

Placing a hand on his chest, she kissed him square on the mouth and enjoyed the way his eyes rolled back and slid shut as she did so.

"So we should go get dinner," Corrine said, "Then after that we can get in line for the concert. Alright everyone, let's get our in-public clothes on and head out."

Without any hesitation, Annie hopped off of Auggie's lap and pulled him off the couch, eager to get him in the bedroom alone. He followed her willingly. Once their door was closed, she pulled him into her and stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck. He laughed, looking down towards her, his smile all trouble.

"I don't know what was in your Kool-Aid," he grinned, "But I like it."

Annie maneuvered him onto the bed and promptly took her place on his lap with her legs wrapped about his waist. All she could think about was the way he smelled and the way he felt beneath her and the way he looked at her and- it was just too much. Using her weight on his shoulders, she laid him back and pressed her mouth against his forehead, nose, cheeks, mouth, and eyes. Her lips hovered just above his eyes, lashes tickling her mouth. This was what she wanted, what she'd been craving.

In one magical movement, he flipped her over, his weight crushing against her hips in the most desirable way. Nimble fingers had her shirt gone so quickly that she didn't remember it happening and without her realizing, his knee had managed to part her legs. She could feel him hardening against her and their kissing had become rhythmic despite their desperation. Auggie pressed his palms against her hipbones and-

"Auggie, Annie," a voice called, preceding three hard knocks on their door, "Pick up the pace, I'm hungry."

"Damn," she muttered breathlessly, they'd been so close.

Auggie's head rested against her shoulder and she could feel him steadying his breathing. She chuckled.

"Figures."

"What figures?"

"It figures," she said, pushing herself to sitting, "That we have a weekend together and now we can't even- you know-"

"Doesn't it though," he smirked, "I've gotta hit the bathroom, you should change."

As Auggie scurried off the bathroom, Annie grinned. Their weekend wasn't over yet.

oOo

The crowd rushed around him, encasing him in a sea of sound and movement. The feeling was disorienting in the same way as vertigo. Without sight to ground him, it felt like he was floating around with the voices that he couldn't discern and it made him feel seasick. Auggie wrapped his arms more securely about Annie's waist, using her as a tether to stay grounded. And he'd thought the crowds after school were bad.

"You okay," Annie asked, leaning her head back against his chest. "You seem a little anxious."

"I'm fine," he answered quickly.

He didn't turn his eyes down towards her for fear that he may get sick. This whole thing seemed ridiculous to him, this reaction he was having. After all, Annie was in his arms, Jamie was at arm's length to his left and he could hear Stu right behind as he filled someone's ears with WoW advice. Still, he felt queasy. Maybe it was the volumes of pizza he consumed at the pizzeria for dinner or maybe it was some of that old anxiety creeping up again. That damn subconscious is always out to get you.

The thought that his cane might help had crossed his mind, perhaps having some sense of autonomy would ease his stomach but he also didn't want to ask Annie for it and he didn't think it necessary to announce to everyone around him that he couldn't see. In other words, his pride dismissed the thought.

"Auggie," Jamie said, "You sure you're alright, you look kind of sick?"

"Jamie," Auggie sighed, turning to his brother and regretting the movement immediately, "I've already said that I'm fine, okay?"

"Sure."

He'd been snapping at Jamie a lot lately and he wasn't sure why.

The crowd pushed forward and Annie slipped out of his arms, instead taking his hand and tugging him closer. All he wanted was to get inside and find a table, he didn't give a damn how close to stage they were. Someone knocked his arm and he was forced to drop Annie's hand. The cane was probably a good idea, people would be less likely to push him around if they knew he was blind. When Annie didn't grab his hand right away, he felt that familiar twinge of panic ignite in his stomach. He snuffed it out, there was no reason for that.

"Jesus," Annie huffed, making Auggie smirk, "New Yorkers are pushy!"

This time she linked elbows with him and laced her fingers through his as a precaution. Together, the mob of people moved down the sidewalk and around the bend. It was a strange feeling and for some reason it reminded Auggie of one of those kids stories where everyone was led unknowingly into the belly of a beast. What a happy analogy. There were stairs down and Auggie used Stu's shoulder for support; in big crowds like this, he didn't trust impatient bastards not to push and he wasn't a fan of stairs as it was.

Finally, they made it into a small, stuffy building and Auggie could hear the groupies onstage doing a sound check. At last he felt some excitement for this venture. The group found a rounded booth and Auggie slid in after Stu with Annie slipping up next to him. It was a relief to be off his feet and out of the cold. Damn did he sound old or what?

"Are you excited," Annie asked as she shed her coat, the smile evident in her voice.

"Yea," Auggie grinned, feeling in considerably better spirits, "I'm ready for the music part of this thing. Is there anywhere to get drinks around here?"

"Mmhmm," came Corrine's voice, "I've got that taken care of."

"God Corrine," Clare moaned, "You didn't spike anything did you?"

"Hah," Conrad laughed, "Clare's got you pegged already Corrine, you're getting predictable."

"Hush," Corrine retorted, sounding offended, "I'm never predictable and no, I didn't spike the drinks- or did I?"

"Well," Auggie smiled, taking the drink Annie pressed to his hand, "We'll find out soon."

With that he downed half his drink which tasted mostly like rum and somewhat like coke, somehow he was sure it should've been the other way around.

"Hear, hear!" Corrine called, followed by the sound of clinking glasses.

This was the life.

oOo

Annie noticed how the other couples had slithered off into the darker corners of the room and she couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. They were leaving for home once the concert was over and she and Auggie hadn't really had a chance to be together. She sat up from her lounging position on her boyfriend and stared at him for a few moments, he seemed sleepy but incredibly content, especially when compared to his earlier tension. There was no doubt that he was a little drunk, after the shots of tequila – which Annie had refused – and several coke and rum concoctions that Corrine had nearly poured down his throat. Still, she wanted him to kiss her – to be with her.

"You alright," he asked and she realized then that he was staring at her too, almost.

"I want you," she stated bluntly, surprised by her own words.

"I swear, if we weren't in public, I would take you up on that," he grinned devilishly.

But he didn't understand. She meant those three little words in such a way that was so much more than how they sounded. There was not one little part of him that she didn't want and these sudden feelings had her reeling. But that happened, didn't it? On those nights that you're up so late that you question everything and the very fabric of your skin seems surreal. Tonight it was Auggie that perplexed her. At that moment, it felt like they were meant to be together, that no matter what happened in the ever-dawning future they would be together even if real-life tried to subtly tug them apart.

It seemed like time was slipping away, every moment that passed was a moment lost and she would never have it back. Without another thought, she climbed over him so that each knee was on either side of his hips, their faces just inches away.

"I just want to be with you," she whispered, she was so closer now that she spoke against his lips.

It's funny how the meaning of a phrase can change in a matter of hours from something beautiful to something life changing.

His kissed her soft and sweet, his warm eyes closed; long fingers brushing back her hair. In a gentle way he splayed his hand on the small of her back just beneath her shirt. He went no further, sensing that this was different. They stayed like this for a long time, letting the smooth notes of brass and wind slide across their skin like silk.

"August," she breathed, liking the taste of his name on her tongue.

"Yes, Annie?"

"I just wanted to say your name," she smiled.

He smiled too, words unnecessary.

There was something about that night that they both understood. It could be said that innocence was lost and knowledge was gained, time passed that could never be retrieved but a memory was created that could never be forgotten. And the ignorance of the world around them remained.