Alright, episode reactions for Sad Professor. 1) When Joan said it was someone Annie knew, I was like "Hot Damn! They finally killed off Mercer!" Then I was disappointed. 2) Can Dani really be that oblivious? Auggie practically spelled it out for her.

Anyway, Huggles to Maddie for catching the Suits reference in Girl Time. As for my contest, Here is a hint, It directly relates to Half a World Away, and what color are amethysts?

This is a request from mrgelid who wanted more Annie/Joan. I hope you like it.

Arthur watched Annie through the glass walls of Joan's office. She was sitting inside, holding a bronze star tight in her hands. Annie had spent the past three days locked in the glass coffin, and showed no signs of leaving. Even Auggie wasn't able to get her out. Her eyes were rimmed in red, possibly from the sleepless nights, or fighting back tears, or maybe both.

Joan walked up, closing her cell phone. She had just taken a very important call from a close friend who had given her some advice on how to handle Annie in her emotionally fragile state.

"You know, its your own fault for telling her to take all the time she needed." Arthur said dryly.

Joan turned and looked at him with murder in her eyes. Without saying a word, she unlocked the door, slipped in, and locked it again behind her.

Annie?" Joan whispered.

The young agent gave her a slightly bleary smile. "He has...had no family, so they gave it to me instead.. I'm the closet thing to family, or so Arthur said." Annie scoffed weakly. "A couple of assignments together, and a two week long affair in the tropics." She hung her head slightly. "Yeah, thats real family there."

Joan wrapped an arm around Annie's shoulders, and cursed her husband for everything he was worth. He should have known better than to do it himself. He should have given it to her and let her break the news of Ben's death to Annie more gently. "I'll just say this, you probably knew him better than anyone. The only time I ever really saw him relax, was when he was around you."

Annie's face grew dark. "How do you know?" she snapped. "For all you people knew, he had a girl on every continent."

Joan's face remained impassive. She knew that Annie was just striking out in her pain. "Annie, he may have been a lot of things, but one thing is for certain. He loved you, deeply. With every fiber of his being."

"I know. Thats what hurts so much." Annie fell to pieces at that admission. The tears that she had been fighting for so long finally broke free. Joan simply held her as she cried. She knew from experience that sometimes the best therapy was a good, long cry.

When she finally regained control of her rampant emotions, she looked at her boss, slightly embarrassed. "I'm so sorry Joan."

She shrugged it off. "Its OK. Its best to let things like this out in the open, so lets talk about it. What did you mean by 'thats why it hurt so much'?"

Annie flushed, or at least Joan thought she did. Her cheeks were already bright with color from her weeping.

"He truly loved me, I know that, but after leaving me so many times, I couldn't do it anymore. It felt like he was taking me for granted. I told him that it was over, and then he..." Annie's voice broke before she could say it.

Joan nodded slowly. It was a story she had heard hundreds of times, in almost as many countries. It wasn't the loss of Ben per se, it was the guilt, and it seemed to be eating Annie alive.

"You don't blame yourself for what happened, do you?"

Annie looked down and shuffled her feet slightly. "I really don't know. Maybe?"

Joan gave her a sympathetic smile, and handed her a tissue. "That is perfectly normal, but at the same time, you have to think about it. Ben was usually reckless when it came to his missions."

Annie jerked her head up, anger flashing in her eyes. "So your saying that the whole thing was his own fault?"

"Maybe."

Annie burst out crying again. "What is the matter with me, why do I make such horrible decisions when to comes to relationships?"

Joan raised an eyebrow. This was news to her. "Like what?"

"Well Ben for one, then there was the fiasco of me dating Jai, then Dr. Scott...maybe I'm just meant to be alone."

Joan shook her head. "If that was the case, then Ben would be here holding YOUR star."

"Then why do I feel so guilty about his death?" she didn't even wait for Joan to answer. "Because its all my fault!"

Joan rolled her eyes, she was sick of coddling Annie. "You know what? Your right. It is all your fault. You broke up with him, causing him to be heartbroken and so wrapped up with how to get your back, he lost focus on the mission, which caused him to screw up and die!"

Annie was so shocked at this, she actually stopped crying. Joan had never acted this way towards her. "It wasn't my fault!" She snarled. "If he loved me so much then why did he leave me the way he did? Twice?" This time she started to cry angry tears, which soon dissipated.

"Its not my fault..." she whispered, her voice full of amazement.

Joan smiled and stood. "No its not. Annie, you know that this sort of thing happens. Not often, thank God, but it does happen. The important thing is that we learn from it. What Ben could not do in life, he can teach us in death."

"Patience." She said after noticing Annie's confused look. "He was an inpatient man in life, and his death teaches us the importance of it."

Annie smiled for the first time in three days, and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. "Thank you, Joan. I think he would have liked the idea of his death teaching something. Probably not what he wanted it to teach, but at least its something." She gave the older woman a hug, and started for the door.

Joan felt herself tear up slightly for the young Agent who reminded her so much of herself, ten years earlier. Annie was so resilient. It would serve her well in the coming ears.

Annie turned to back to face her one last time. "Arthur wants me to speak at Ben's ceremony today, what am I suppose to say?"

"Don't worry. You'll know what to say when the time comes."

Annie cleared her throat as she looked over the faces of her coworkers. Her eyes zeroed in on Auggie. "Ben Mercer was an incredible man, and though I only went on a few missions with him, I was able to form this opinion. Ben Mercer was a shooting star, blazing brightly through everything he did, but all too soon, he fell to earth. The brightest candle burns the quickest." When she was done, Annie stepped back and everyone clapped for her.

Auggie found her minutes later. "You OK?"

She shook her head, her blond curls whipping about her. "I wonder how many of them realize that my speech was pure crap?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Most of them. What about you?"

"Joan offered me the rest of the day off. I'm thinking of taking it."

You want some company? Or would you rather have some alone time?"

She brushed his hand with her own, and surprisingly he took it. "Only if Joan gives you the day off."

Joan felt her phone vibrate. She had a new text.

ASCUITO:Did it work ^^(vv)^^

JC: Yes. Tell Gibbs he's a genius.

ASCUITO: Will do. ^^(vv)^^

Annie finally fell asleep at roughly 11. She had lasted most of the day but had finally fallen apart again. She ended up crying herself to sleep in Auggie's arms. He waited for a few more minutes before untangling himself from arms. He made his way over to her window and looked out. Even though he couldn't see it, he knew what was buried out there. A small box, containing a simple pair of shell bracelets and a medal. All that was left of a falling star.

This was suppose to be mainly about Joan/Annie, but the bunnies kept sneaking Auggie in there. I tried to keep him at a minimum though, just enough to appease the bunnies. If the conversation between Annie and Joan sounds familiar, I watched the Gibbs/Abby scene from "Bloodbath". Hence the text from Abby to Joan.