A/N Didn't mean to cause a riot with 2 cliffhangers in a row! As promised - happy Auggie and Annie :) From here - happier exploration into how they're going to build and maintain a relationship with Auggie's public role and Annie still going out on missions

Disclaimer: They aren't mine.

Annie stumbled out of her room in the morning to find Auggie sitting at her kitchen table drinking strong black coffee and smiling slightly for some unknown reason. She sat down next to him and poured herself some coffee. She took a deep breath in and approached the pink elephant in the room directly.

"You were right. I'm not happy with David." Auggie's turned to face her, his eyes full of compassion.

"I know." His usual confidence was back. He sounded so sure of himself. In a way it was comforting, knowing that he was still willing to be her rock.

"I just don't really know how to get out of the relationship at this point, he's been there for me through a lot." She wasn't quite sure why she felt that she needed to make excuses for her relationship to Auggie. She didn't owe him anything, she just wanted him to understand.

"It's okay Annie, I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you. Always. Even if it takes me forever to convince you to truly forgive me for the way I treated you." She could feel her emotional walls crumbling into dust. No matter how much she had tried to convince herself that Auggie didn't care about her she had always known deep down that he did. It was that knowledge which made her eyes fill up with tears as she whispered,

"I forgive you." Auggie's head turned away from her as he frowned slightly.

"You've said that before and your actions said otherwise." She put her hand on his arm and rubbed it gently with her thumb. She wanted him to know that she was sincere about this.

"No, this time I really mean it Aug. You're the only person who's been honest enough to talk to me directly about David. Really the only person who knows me well enough to see through me when I try to pretend I'm happy. I'm still hurting, but I know I've hurt you too."

"You know, if you need some help getting rid of David I know some people..." Auggie smirked at her happily. She hadn't seen this lighthearted side of him in far too long. She hadn't realized how much she was missing it. She punched him playfully.

"Don't you dare set your congressional hit squad on him August Anderson or you'll have ME to deal with." He laughed and she couldn't help the smile that made it way across her face. It was a smile that lit up her eyes for the first time in months.

"I've missed you Annie Walker." He really had. So much more than she realized. It had been a physical longing that never left, no matter how elegant the company he had each night was.

"I've missed you too Auggie." Maybe everything would go back to being right with the world. Annie felt a sudden urge to go shoe shopping for some new season Louboutins. She looked at the time and almost groaned. After the eventful night they had had she was not looking forward to a full day of translation. She looked at Auggie smiling at her genuinely and realised that maybe it wouldn't be so bad with him back on her speeddial.

"So...work?" Auggie did groan.

"Ugh. Hangover. Work is the last place I want to go right now." He knew it was his own fault though. He shouldn't have had that last glass of rum.

"I can think of a few things which might make it better." Annie smiled flirtatiously, knowing he would hear it in her voice. Auggie's response was to run his hand up her arm to her face and pull it close to him.

"Oh really? I'm listening intently." He whispered, knowing from the sound of her heart speeding up that he was making her nervous. Not that she would ever show it of course. She whispered back in reply,

"I could tell you, but, then I might have to kill you, and that would be such a waste of those good looks and charm." She thought he was good looking and charming. He could live with that.

"You know Annie, you're quite the heartbreaker." They do say that every joke has an element of truth in it. That one had many levels of it. His smile faltered for a second as he remembered that she still had a boyfriend and he couldn't be this close. He pulled back but kept smiling as he thought that she would probably break up with David soon.

"Oh, I know. It's a talent. But I get the feeling you've broken a few hearts yourself Mr. Anderson." He should probably send apology letters to those women he had used to try to forget Annie. He had just been in such a dark place that nothing seemed to matter.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" His irritated tone was negated by the way he couldn't stop smirking at her in delight.

"I can get away with it 'cus you know I love you." He knew she was joking, but hearing those words coming from Annie still made his heart leap into his throat.

Auggie reached in the direction of Annie's voice to find her shoulders and pulled her into a bear hug.

"That's the last time we fight, are we clear?" His voice was husky with emotion. She leaned into his hug pulling him as close to her as possible as she lay her cheek on his shoulder.

"Crystal clear." He released her from the hug just long enough to put his arm around her shoulders as they made their way out the door for work.