Annie had five minutes to consider the news from Henry while she drove to Auggie's apartment. In that time, she decided that it was unlikely Auggie would be hiding something so big from her, especially after his emotional confession the week before. If he was lying to her, still, she wasn't sure she could continue with the relationship. On the other hand, she couldn't imagine ending the relationship that held her together for so long before it was sexual.

She walked up to his apartment and leaned her head on the door before putting in her key. As she rested there, she heard a woman's voice. Her heart stopped.

Quickly, she put her key into the lock. She pulled the door open only to see the door to the emergency exit in Auggie's kitchen swing shut. Without stopping to talk to Auggie, she ran to the emergency exit and pushed it open just in time to see a dark head of hair drop out of view. She was about to run forward when two strong arms wrapped around her waist.

"LET GO OF ME!" Annie shouted as she tried to peel his arms off of her.

"Annie, wait, let me explain." Auggie pleaded, without letting go.

"There's nothing to explain. Henry already told me." She continued to fight.

"Annie, please, I didn't know."

She turned to face him, still trapped close to his body. "Why should I believe you?"

Auggie let go and she stepped away. "Because it's true."

"I thought you were telling me the truth. I trusted that you told me your secrets. Yet I just came home while your dead wife ran out the back door. Give me a reason, Auggie. Why should I trust you?"

"Annie, she was here when I got home. It's the first time I have spoken to her since the morning of the day I thought she died in 2006. I promise you."

Annie tried to breath evenly as Auggie impatiently waited for her reaction.

"Please, Annie."

"How many times am I going to have to find out your secrets on my own, Auggie?"

"Annie, I would have told you about this as soon as you got home! You can't be mad that I haven't told you about something that I literally learned about at the same time as you."

Annie leaned against the countertop, trying to clear her thoughts. She stared at Auggie, who looked like he was on an emotional cliff. "It's too coincidental."

"Not from what she told me. Henry was pushing her out of hiding. He's looking for any wedge that he can find, and I don't want to give him that victory. Please, Annie. I know how this looks, and I understand that it looks very bad. Stick with me, just for the evening. Just while I go talk to Arthur."

"Arthur?" Annie asked.

"I really need to talk to Arthur, and I think his answers will help you believe me."

"Fine." She walked straight to the door, not giving him any time to have second thoughts. Auggie quickly grabbed his cane - still assembled from when he got home, and followed.

Neither of them said a word for the drive to the Campbell home. Auggie opened his mouth to start to say something a few times, but no words would come out. Annie was in no mood to hear anything he wanted to say.

"We're here." She said curtly as she turned off the car.

Auggie made no move to get out. "Please trust me, Annie."

"I'm here with you, aren't I?" She asked before opening her door. Auggie did the same, and was comforted when she came around and brushed his hand. He wasn't taking anything about her for granted.

Annie stared at Auggie as she rang the doorbell. His jaw was set, and he looked like he was prepared for battle.

The door opened. "Annie, Auggie, what are you doing here?"

Annie looked at Auggie, expecting him to explain. Instead he just stood there with a look of deep concentration.

"Auggie?" Arthur asked.

Auggie responded by punching him in the face.

"AUGGIE!" Annie shouted, stepping over to him. she wasn't sure if she was going to try to hold him back, or protect him if Arthur tried to reciprocate.

"What the hell was that for?" Arthur asked from just out of reach.

"I know about Helen." Auggie explained.

"Oh, Auggie." Arthur's voice held pity.

"I can't believe you. Playing me like that, in so many ways." Auggie was practically spitting the words.

"You never should have found out, Auggie. She intended to remain dark forever."

"I should have been read-in."

"Why? To compromise her mission? You know damn well that when somebody decides to go that dark they have to cut all connections."

"But she could stay connected to Teo?" Auggie replied.

"He's not exactly in the light." Arthur replied.

"I fucking grieved for her!" Auggie shouted. "I believed what I saw. For the past seven years I accepted that your son was responsible for the death of a woman that I loved, and the whole time it was a theatrical sham put on by the Campbell family. Fuck you, Arthur."

Annie expected to see sympathy, but Arthur only glared back. "I can't help it if you get too emotionally involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Auggie growled.

"Exactly what I said. It was a cover marriage, and you ended up treating it like a real lifelong commitment. She never wanted that. She came to me looking for a way out. I hope Annie never has to do the same."

"Leave Annie out of this."

"Then why is she standing right here?" Arthur asked.

"I needed to know the truth." She replied. "Auggie, we should go."

"You're right." He replied, then used his cane to walk back to the car without her help.

"I sure as hell hope you are as into him as he is into you." Arthur said to Annie before she followed.

Auggie was already sitting in the passenger seat when she got into the car. "I hope you are still willing to give me a ride home."

"Yeah." Her voice was soft. He tried not to interpret it as sympathetic.

After they had been on the road a few minutes, Auggie quietly asked "Do you believe me now?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think I broke his nose?" Auggie asked, his tone was serious.

"No. Probably going to turn into a nasty black eye."

"I hope so."

They rode in silence a little while longer. Auggie leaned his head back on the head rest.

"I thought I lost you." He said.

"You came very, very close." Her tone was definitely not sympathetic, but lacked the bite that concerned him so much.

"It's not going to be the same." He said.

"Do you want her?" Annie dared to ask the question that had been bothering her ever since Henry gave her the news.

"No." The answer came quick and strong. "But is it too much to ask that I talk to her? We didn't have much time before you showed up today."

"I don't control what you do." Annie responded as she pulled the car into a parking space.

Auggie clenched the folded up cane in his hand. "You do now. If it means losing you, I won't talk to her."

"I trust you." Annie said.

"I don't take that lightly." Auggie responded.

Annie stared at him. "You're doing pretty well for a guy that just saw a ghost."

Auggie swallowed. "I'm not doing as well as I look."

Annie reached over and took his hand. "You've been here for me through a tough spot the past few days. I'm here for you now."

"Thank you," Auggie replied. He got out of the car and waited for her to walk around.

When she brushed his hand, he used the connection to pull her around and into a kiss. It was a kiss that tried to communicate love, possession, and apologies. He wanted her to know that he appreciated her trust, that he wanted her more than any of his previous loves, and that he wasn't waking any of it for granted. But he couldn't help but notice that, while she didn't turn him away, she didn't respond with the same emotion.

I never noticed the emergency door near Auggie's fridge before. Some people hde asked for some other scenarios. So this was a try at that, while sticking to my feeling that Auggie really doesn't know.