Chapter 4: Back to Work

A/N: I do not own Covert Affairs or anything affiliated with it.

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It had been almost three weeks since her breakup with McQuaid and this was to be her first day back at Langley. Joan had insisted on a complete medical workup and asked Annie to start seeing a psychologist. Reluctantly, she had agreed. Anything to get her old life back, she had thought.

Annie strolled through the doors of Langley for the millionth time but it felt like the first. She remembered that day so well. The day she met Auggie would always stick out in her mind. She had thought it ironic at the time that she was being led through Langley for the first time by a blind guy but she had soon learned not to underestimate him.

She made her way to her new home on the fifth floor, where Joan was heading up her new task force. It had quickly been nicknamed the JCD, Joan Campbell Department. She had laughed when Barber had revealed that little tidbit to her. It didn't have an official name yet, as it was technically an off-book section of the building, but Annie thought the nickname would suit it just fine.

The elevator opened up to reveal a setup very similar to that of the DPD with some minor changes. Annie had never seen so much tech crammed into such a small area. She smiled as she realized that Auggie had probably had something to do with that. As she stepped off the elevator, everyone, including Joan, stopped, looked at her, and started clapping.

"I think they're happy you're back, Walker."

Annie turned to her right to see Auggie standing there in his pinstriped white dress shirt and black dress pants holding his laser cane with another of those coy smiles on his face. He looked so damned sexy all the time.

Smiling, she replied, "I'm happy to be back too. Why don't you show me around, tour guide?" She wrapped her arm around his and let him lead her though the new office area.

"Well, since you're not blind I assume you can see all the upgrades I convinced Joan we needed?" he stated as they walked around the perimeter.

"Yes, I can. I thought you might have had something to do with that. What does all this stuff do?"

"Most of it connects directly into Hummingbird so we can track not only our potential threats better but also our operatives and assets. There are very few places on this planet I won't be able to find you the next time you get into trouble, Walker." He grinned in her general direction, trying to keep things light even though he had brought up something they had yet to discuss.

She hadn't told him where she was for those four months yet. She planned on it, it was just so hard to tell him and they were still trying to get back to where they were before Henry Wilcox. She desperately wanted him to trust her again and she feared telling him that would deter him from regaining that trust.

"You never needed much for that before, Auggie. You always managed to get me out without much tech help."

"Oh, that's what you think, is it? Do you think this thing is a magic wand or something?" He waved his cane around in front of them as he referenced it. "You, little missy, are not simple." Stopping suddenly in a far corner of the office he turned to her and placed his free hand on her shoulder and turned more serious. "I don't plan on ever losing track of you again, Walker."

Her eyes closed at the feel of his hand on her, even in such a chaste manner. She put her hands on his arms, "Auggie, I don't plan on making you lose track of me ever again. I don't want either of us to go through all that again."

His hand traveled up to her cheek and rested there for a moment before they both remembered that they were at work. She took his arm again and prompted him to continue the tour.

Several minutes later, they arrived at his office. Unlike at the DPD his office was not made of glass but had real walls and a door even. "Wow, Auggie, I guess you've moved up in the world, huh? Real door and everything!" Her voice was a near giggle. He loved hearing her so carefree again, almost like she was before.

"Yeah, I guess I graduated didn't I?" He patted the wall.

She paused in thought for a moment for blurting out, "Auggie, do you think I could come over tonight so we can talk?"

The look of shock was evident on his face but he still replied with, "Sure, Walker. I'll make sure to stock up on beer." Then, that smile again. God, how was she ever going to think straight around him?

"Thanks, Auggie. Around seven-ish?"

"Sounds good. See you then, so to speak."

Always with the blind jokes. She hoped that part of him would never change. The fact that he could make light of it so much signified to her that even though he would never be happy about it, he had made his peace with the fact that he was blind. At that moment, Barber came up behind them and announced that Joan wanted them in the bullpen for a mission brief. "Right there, Barber." Auggie responded. They turned and walked arm in arm as they done so many times before. Annie hoped they always would. Tonight's conversation would probably have a huge bearing on whether tomorrow they would be arm in arm or on opposite ends of the floor. She hoped the former.