Can you believe it? I'm actually on schedule with my update this week. :o) Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter - much appreciated as always.

Auggie's thoughts on riding are taken from an interview I read with the Norwegian rider Anne C. Ore just before the Paralympics in London last year. She lost her sight as a teen and is one of Norway's top para-dressage riders. She also competes with sighted riders, with good results. She said in the interview that when she's on a horse it's one of the few times she doesn't depend on a cane or holding on to someones arm; the horse is her eyes and she feels very independent when she rides.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other character borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and characters.

-Chapter 7-

"Auggie!" his mother exclaimed when she opened the front door. "Since when do you use the front door? Or ring the door bell for that matter?"

"Well, I wanted to make a good impression on Annie and I know how you feel about visitors in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Mom, meet my girlfriend Annie Walker. Annie, this is my mother Carol."

"Nice to meet you Annie," Carol said with a warm smile as she shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you too Mrs. Anderson. Thank you for letting me come here today."

"Our pleasure. We've always had an open house for our sons and their girlfriends. Come on in," she stepped aside and gestured for them to enter. After she closed the door behind them she turned to Auggie. "Everyone is in the living room. I'm going back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner, so you'll have to introduce Annie to the rest of the family."

"Okay Mom." Carol patted his arm and headed back to the kitchen while Auggie helped Annie take off her coat and hung it in the closet for her.

"Ready?" Auggie asked her after he'd hung his own coat beside Annie's.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied, nerves evident in her voice. Auggie wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. "Don't worry. They'll love you."

"Whatever you say…" Annie said as she let Auggie lead her into the living room. They were barely over the threshold before Auggie's brothers greeted them both warmly. Auggie was on the receiving end of several bear hugs.

"Sheesh guys, you're acting like I've been lost for years or something. Behave, I don't want you to scare off my girlfriend."

"Hey, you've been a stranger since you moved to Northbrook; you've barely been home. Most of us haven't seen you since my birthday," Eric stated.

"School's been keeping me busy. This is the first full semester I've taken on since I lost my sight and even though I'm getting pretty good at Braille studying still takes more time than it used to."

"Yet you managed to find time to hook up with Annie."

"We're in a couple of classes together and one of the professors paired us up for an assignment. That's how we met. We became friends and things just developed from there. It's not like I went barhopping to pick up girls," Auggie said defensively. He felt a bit annoyed with his brother.

"So, Annie. Auggie said you're from DC?" Eric turned his attention to Annie.

"Well, I don't know exactly where I'm from. I grew up as an army brat and we lived in several states and countries before I graduated high school. But I transferred from Georgetown to North Shore this fall."

"I see. Where does your family live now?"

"My sister lives in Georgetown with her husband and two daughters, Mom lives in Atlanta with her new husband and Dad lives in San Fransisco. They're scattered and the only one I keep in regular touch with is my sister. I lived in her guest house last year."

The inevitable question about why she'd chosen to transfer to North Shore came up and Auggie gave a brief version of the story. Annie was still a bit shaken from the incident with Ben and wasn't really ready to talk about it, so she was grateful that Auggie did it.

The rest of the day was filled with the Macy's parade, a huge meal and the Thanksgiving Day football game and it was late in the evening when Eric dropped Annie and Auggie off outside his building.

"Wanna come upstairs?" he asked when he heard the car pull away from the curb.

"Sure. I'd love some you and me time."

"Awesome," Auggie said as he unlocked the front door and opened it. When the reached his apartment Annie curled up in what had become 'her' corner of the couch and Auggie went into the kitchen to grab a couple of beers. He offered one to Annie and she took it with a grateful smile.

"Thanks Aug. And thanks for today; I had a wonderful time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know Thanksgiving at our house can be a bit chaotic and overwhelming."

"I loved it. I've always dreamed of having big family gatherings like that, but since I really don't know much of my family and my parents are like mortal enemies it's usually just me, my sister and her family and one of our parents."

"Growing up I sometimes dreamed about being an only child, or maybe just one brother, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. My brothers were a great support after my accident, especially Eric."

"I got the feeling that you two are close."

"Well, he's the one that's closest to me in age, we were pretty close growing up. He was the one that got me to realize that life without seeing was still a life worth living. I'm grateful that he had the guts to give me a kick in the ass when no one else did."

"Was he the one that made you go back to school?"

"I have a strong feeling he was behind it, Mom's way too protective of me to have come up with the idea to make me move out. Sometimes when she comes over with my groceries I get the feeling she'd prefer to have me back home, but she seems more relaxed about it after we became friends. Especially after you helped me out when I was sick a while back."

"Isn't it a mother's prerogative to worry about her children?"

"I guess so."

"I'm really looking forward to Saturday by the way." Audrey had invited them to go on a ride and they'd bot accepted.

"Me too. It's a bit cold outside, but not too bad. We'll just cut the ride short if we feel like our toes are about to freeze off."

They chatted for a little while longer and then they went to bed. Annie borrowed one of Auggie's old t-shirts to sleep in and within minutes of their heads hitting the pillow they were fast asleep; Annie's back was against Auggie's front and he'd wrapped his arms around her. It was as intimate as they'd get for now; they'd decided to take their relationship slow and neither of them were ready to take the relationship to a more intimate level.

Annie watched in awe as Auggie moved around his uncle's stable; it was obvious it was familiar territory to him and he got his horse ready with just minimal assistance. When she'd met him outside his apartment that morning she'd been surprised to see him wearing a fleece sweater, a down west, pair of well-worn full seat breeches and winter riding boots. For some reason she hadn't expected him to wear proper riding gear.

"You've done this before," Annie said from the stall across the aisle as Auggie secured the bridle on his horse and made sure all the straps were adjusted correctly.

"This is something I could do with my eyes closed before. I spent a lot of time in this stable growing up, so I know it like the back of my hand."

"Makes me feel like a clutz," Annie said. "My meager experience obviously can't measure up to you and your super-rider niece."

"It's just a ride on the trails around the farm Annie. You'll do just fine."

Before she could say anything else Audrey came down the aisle with Thunder in tow.

"Hey guys. Ready?"

"Good to go. Lead the way Audrey," Auggie said as he gathered the reins and followed the sound of Audrey's horse out to the courtyard outside the stable. Annie followed behind them.

Auggie was thoroughly enjoying himself as he followed Audrey and Thunder down the trail. It had hit him a while back that when he was riding he didn't think much about that he couldn't see. The horse was his eyes and avoided obstacles for him. He actually found kind of empowering to know that he could still control the big animal under him, despite his disability. He remembered the first time he'd been on a horse after he'd lost his sight; he'd been scared shitless, but Audrey had been very persuasive. He was grateful she'd persuaded him to get back in the saddle.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Annie said as she came up next to him.

"I am. What about you?"

"I'm having a great time. And I'm re-discovering several muscles I didn't remember were there. I'm not sure I'll be able to walk normally tomorrow."

"You're not alone in that department. It's been a while since I've been on a horse, so I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow too."

"I have to admit I was kind of surprised to see you in full riding gear."

"I used to insist on riding in jeans, but after I worked here for a summer during high school; riding several horses a day, I realized that full seat breeches are the most comfortable option. Not the most manly pants around though."

"You wear them well," Annie assured him, with a slight teasing tone to her voice."

"Thank you Walker," he replied with a laugh. They rode in silence for a while until Audrey suggested they should head back. On the ride back Annie said she felt confident enough to do a gallop stretch and Auggie felt the adrenaline cursing through his body as they flew down the trail. When he approached the curve he knew was coming Audrey told him to slow down to a trot and then a slow walk. They let out their reins and let the horses cool off for the last bit before they were back at the stable.

Audrey drove them back to Auggie's apartment and they headed upstairs to shower and change. After they'd both showered they ended up in a rather heavy make out session on Auggie's bed. He had a feeling Annie had left a hickey on the side of his neck.

"Annie, tell me the truth; is this a hickey?"

"Mhmmm… I'd stick to collared shirts for a few days if I were you," she relied in a slightly flirtatious tone, kissing the hickey softly.

"Thanks for that."

"Or you could always wear a scarf."

"Do I look like the scarf-wearing type?" he scoffed.

"Says the guy that just wore full seat breeches in public. Seriously Auggie?"

"That's different. Breeches are sports equipment; like shin protectors for soccer players or a tennis racket."

"Yeah yeah... Keep telling yourself that."

"Whatever you say Ms. Walker. I think you appreciated the view..." Auggie's tone was flirty and he winked in her general direction.

"You got me. Collared shirt it is then. It's not that bad Aug. It'll be gone soon."

"I'm just glad this happened after we spent Thanksgiving with my family. Showing up at a family gathering with a hickey is awkward."

"I can imagine your brothers would get a kick out of that."

"No shit. I made the mistake once, while I was in high school. Thought I'd never see the end of it; they gave me hell for it for weeks. Anyway; what do you want to do tonight?"

"Tavern? It's been a while since we've been there."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'm sure it's pretty quiet there tonight, it usually is on the Saturday after Thanksgiving."

"Yeah, the crowd there seems to be mostly college students and I guess most of them are at home, celebrating with their families."

"That or they're preparing for their finals."

"Or that. We really need to study tomorrow, so we shouldn't have too much to drink."

"I know, I just think a change of scenery would be nice."

"Agreed. We'll grab a bite to eat, have a couple of beers and head home early."

"Deal."

I struggled a bit with this chapter and I'm really lost on where to take this story next. If you have any ideas - please share them with me! No promises for when the next chapter will be up, hopefully the muse will come up with something over the next week. Fingers crossed! ;o)