Chapter 31: Project

Thank you everyone for your patience with me while I work through this story. I know the last two chapters were short and long overdue, sorry about that! But I thought after the intensity of the last several chapters we needed a bit of a break from all that. I hope you're still reading and enjoying. Review either way, I won't mind as long as you're kind! :D

Auggie walked into Joan's office the next day extremely determined.

"Auggie? What wrong?" Joan asked from behind her desk. "Is Annie ok? I noticed you weren't here when I got here this morning. You guys work things out?"

Auggie allowed the laser of his cane to tell him where the chair was in her office, even though he knew exactly where it was from memory, and sat down. He was so nervous he needed all the help he could get. "Yeah, we're fine, Joan. Thanks for asking. But Annie's not. Joan, she's convinced that her therapist has done something to her while she was hypnotized yesterday. And she thinks the Belenko's were behind it. And honestly, Joan, after what she did last night I'm inclined to believe her. In all the years I've known her I've never seen her act the way she did last night. She was so..." He ran his hand through his hair. "Annie is irrational, impulsive, passionate, but never illogical. Nothing I said to her seemed to get through whatever had been... programmed in her to believe." Auggie continued on telling Joan about the events of the previous night. The fight, Annie kicking him out, his coming back and finding her on the floor. He only left out the extracurricular activities segment of the story, though he was sure Joan was smiling at him when he mentioned carrying her to the bedroom.

Joan stood. "I don't know what we can do based on simple suspicion, Auggie, but we'll look into this Dr. Russell, ok?"

"Thanks Joan."

"In the meantime, keep her away from this as much as you can, please? I want her and your babies to be healthy and happy. It's kind of hard to do that if she's constantly endangering herself."

"Couldn't agree with you more, Joan. Thanks again."

Back at home, Annie was pacing the living room floor. She hadn't had nothing to do in years. She didn't know what to do with herself. When Auggie had left that morning he had made her promise not to do anything stupid, but the urge to do something, anything, was almost too much to bear. She stopped pacing, picked up the throw pillows on the couch, fluffed them and put them back. After pacing for a few more minutes she repeated the fluff motions and sighed.

Damnit, Auggie. You know I can't just sit here and do nothing! She thought. Falling down onto the couch with a plop, she held her head in her hands. Normally, she would have sought out her counselor in times like this but with recent events being what they were, well, she didn't think that wise. It was becoming easier and easier for Annie to not trust anybody anymore.

Reaching into her back pocket and pulling out her phone, Annie thought seriously about calling Danielle. She hadn't spoken to her in weeks. She didn't know most of what had happened to her, least of all the rape, and Annie wasn't sure she wanted her to know. But, at the same time, Danielle was the one person outside of Langley she knew she could trust. Danielle had always been her rock, her center, her shoulder to cry on, her voice of reason when she was about to do something stupid. Like right now.

Before she had the chance to make up her mind, however, her phone made it up for her. It buzzed and came up with Danielle's picture, signifying her incoming call.

"Danielle! I was just about to call you."

"Annie! I haven't heard from you in so long. I was beginning to worry..."

"No, no, Danielle. I'm ok." Even to her own ears, Annie knew she didn't sound convincing of that fact.

"What's wrong?"

Annie sighed. "You know me too well."

"Yeah, now answer the question."

"Oh Danielle, I wish I could tell you everything but I just can't. But, this is what I can tell you. I guess I should start with the fact that I'm having twins."

"Wait, what? Twins?!"

"Yeah. I think they're girls. Though we can't really find out for a few more weeks."

"Oh, wow. Annie, that's so wonderful."

"Yeah, Auggie's been amazing. He's been there for me lately with some things that were hard on both of us."

"You're not going to tell me what, are you?"

"No. Not right now anyway. It's still something we're working through. But I can tell you that I'm currently on a forced leave of absence from work."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. My boss literally kicked me out the door and said don't come back." Annie giggled.

"Maybe that's what you need right now. Even if it's not what you think you want."

"Yeah, I know. It's just so hard. I was sitting here in our living room contemplating what to do because I don't have a clue. Danielle, I have nothing to do."

"Sure you do. Surely you guys haven't set up the babies' room yet have you?"

"Well, no."

"Well there you go. Project. Something for you to focus on that isn't work. Plus, it's for the benefit of your babies."

Annie smiled. She knew Danielle would have the answer. She always did. "You may have just saved my sanity. Thank you."

"Anytime. Annie?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."