Chapter 6 - Black tie

Hey guys,

finally chapter 6. I spent the last weeks and weekends away from home more or less. First I was in Amsterdam and then in Berlin. The day before yesterday I saw a Pink concert and I am really impressed by her.

Have fun reading and don't forget to review it!

~ Grace

What happened last:

Auggie wore a genuine smile as he walked into the bathroom. He proceeded with his routine. He lay in bed and couldn't help but think about what happened that day.

At the same time in Annie's room, she lay awake too. She thought about everything Auggie told her and everything he showed her through his nonverbal behavior. She hoped she could get him out of his hole. He was a normal person, just one with a disability. He was a handsome man and more important to her, he had a nice smile, witty humor, and a kind and gentlemanlike nature.

They had been training for over an hour. Annie was more tired than she thought she would be. Auggie wasn't even breathing hard. He'd shown her some nice moves and taught her some hand-to-hand combat. Annie wasn't untalented; she was just a little bit untrained. They walked up to the changing rooms and parted, each wearing a small smile on their face.

Auggie thought a lot about the hour he'd just spent with Annie in the sparing room. He showered and put on his work clothes, a grey sweater and some tight jeans which showed his butt off. He wasn't a fashion guy but he still wanted to look good.

He retrieved his cane out of his locker and then walked with his bag slung over his shoulder up to the elevators. As the door opened he heard someone yelling so naturally put his cane between the doors to wait for the yelling person.

"Hey, Auggie! Wait up!"

"No problem; this is the advantage of having a constant companion- it comes in handy when you need someone to hold up the elevator," Auggie replied with a mischievous smile. "You're fast, Annie. I didn't think you'd be ready so quickly. Do you want to stop at Starbucks?" Auggie asked Annie. "Tab's on me."

"Sure, Auggie. You seem to be a coffee junky!" With that, she intertwined her arm with Auggie's.

Auggie was surprised by that move of Annie's but he enjoyed it. Annie was treating him like a normal human being. Even if their start was a little rocky they now seemed to be on the same page.

They walked up to the barista and ordered their favorite beverages, a grande black coffee for Auggie and a tall café latte for Annie. Auggie paid for both, and then Annie started to hook her arm again with Auggie's.

"Uhh Annie, this isn't a good right idea now. I don't want to risk falling in front of coworkers. If you have my arm hooked up I can't hold the cup and the cane," Auggie told Annie, his head hanging low and blushing.

"Sorry, Auggie. I didn't want to make you risk falling. If you want to, you can use me for balance." Annie spoke the last sentence as fast as a jet.

"If you don't mind Annie, we can change our arm positions, so that we can walk side by side again, but I might slow you down then," Auggie suggested and Annie pulled her arm out. As they readjusted, they started to walk.

As they walked into their division, Joan walked up to Auggie and Annie's shared office.

"Morning to both of you," Joan greeted them. "Annie, I emailed you a document which I need translated as fast as you can. Auggie, my computer isn't working. Can you look into it now?" Her tone implied that Auggie didn't have the choice to say no.

"I'll just put my bag away and boot up my system. Then I will take a look at your problem. Ok?" Auggie asked, then walked up to his desk, laying his bag onto his chair and pushing the button.

Joan waited, leaning on the door frame. She appeared really unnerved. Both of them walked into her office and Joan immediately closed the door.

"Please have a seat, Auggie." Joan pointed to the lounge chairs in one corner.

Auggie walked up to one of the red chairs and took a seat.

"How was your evening?" Joan asked, with a knowing smile of what had happened.

"The usual, up to the arrival of Annie and a hot Pizza," Auggie answered with a smile.

"That's good, Auggie. Did I see you training her in hand-to-hand fighting? How does it come that you train her?" Joan asked sincerely interested.

"Oh that's easy. She asked me to work with her, and one thing led to another," Auggie said with a small smile.

Auggie told her what had happened during the visit from Annie and how he answered her questions. He talked animatedly. Joan sensed his excitement and hoped that the connection between them would develop into something more. Auggie was far too often alone. In her eyes, he was an example of a man who you have to know and have to love. If she was honest with herself, she would have chosen him if she hadn't already been married to her husband, Arthur. Auggie was an attractive, fit man, and besides that, he possessed many characteristics that she appreciated, as practically every woman would.

"I have something I want to talk to you about, Auggie. I would like for you to attend a charity party in two weeks from this coming Friday. We got the invitation after Arthur and I had already booked ourselves a weekend in a hotel by Tahoe Lake. You are the next in the chain of command, so that leaves you to attend this function. You can bring a plus one if you like, by the way. Do you understand?" Joan asked, clearly leaving no room for negotiation.

"You know that I haven't spent time in the public like that since the bombing, right?" Auggie queried. "I don't even know if I have something appropriate to wear."

"Come on, Auggie. You know you look like James Bond when you wear a tuxedo. I'm sure you have one in your wardrobe. This discussion is ending now. You will go for sure!"

With a red face Auggie just nodded.

"You're dismissed. Go and work," Joan said with a big smile, thinking she did something nice for her favorite coworker, and she wished secretly, he would ask Annie to go with him.

Auggie walked up to his office. He seemed to be in some kind of an inner fight. As he passed through the door, he closed it.

"Annie do you have a moment?" he whispered more than spoke.

"For you Auggie, I will always have a moment," she said, hoping they would be more than just friends soon enough.

"I have to attend a formal function for the agency. Do you want to come with me? It's a black tie event on the Friday two weeks from now." Auggie looked up at her nervously, showing his vulnerability more than ever.