"Do you want me to go with you?" Auggie asked as Annie fidgeted with a file folder on his desk.
"No, I'm sure eventually, when I am, you know, we'll have to have a meeting all of us to discuss my case load and stuff. For now, I will talk to her alone. I appreciate the offer though," she squeezed his shoulder and her heels clicked away.
"Annie in trouble?" Barber asked a minute later.
"No, why?" Auggie asked although she certainly could have found trouble in the past 60 seconds.
"She was headed towards Joan's office and she looked a little terrified," Barber reported.
"Nothing to worry about Barber, she's fine."
"So she didn't accidently throw any other CIA moles off of a bridge?"
Auggie turned toward Barber with 'the look' on his face.
"Too soon?"
"Yeah," Auggie sighed.
***555***
"Come in," Joan called.
"Morning Joan, thanks for seeing me," Annie started nervously.
"Have a seat. Did you have a nice vacation?" the DCS asked honestly interested.
"We did, thanks," Annie smiled broadly.
"I am jealous really, I would kill for a long tropical vacation. Don't have kids if you like vacationing with your husband. Anyway, what did you come in for?" Joan asked not realizing she was on the right track.
"Auggie and I want to have kids," Annie laughed.
"Oh, well, disregard my vacation comment then. You may want to consider closer to home with a baby though. Are you pregnant?" Joan asked bluntly.
"No, at least I don't think so but I could be I guess. I stopped taking my birth control pills when I went to Lisbon."
"OK, we should consider the possibility in your assignments though and you should keep an eye on the situation," Joan said not unkindly.
"Is this a bad idea professionally? Not that that is a deal breaker, I am asking your advice."
"No. Annie you have seen a lot of action, but I told you on your first day that most officers don't. You were recruited for your language skills and you have proven to be a brilliant analyst and critical asset manager. There is a lot you can do here that does not involve you getting thrown down a flight of stairs or shot at," Joan assured.
Annie just nodded, a sad smile on her face.
"You enjoy the getting shot at part," Joan stated.
"A little," Annie admitted.
"It is a change of lifestyle, motherhood. You will be amazed how your priorities shift; I think you will find your longing for adventure will shift to a longing for a full night's sleep."
"Thanks Joan, I appreciate your support."
"It will be harder to insert you as a call girl with a baby bump," Joan smirked.
"Auggie might be OK with that actually," Annie rolled her eyes.
"You two will be good at this, you are good partners, always have been, this is just a different type of mission," Joan grinned as Annie stood and left.
***555***
Annie woke up the Friday after returning from Niue to the achy bloated crampy feeling that she had for many years associated with her period. She shuffled down to the kitchen to find her husband already dressed for work.
"Early meeting?" she asked.
"Yeah, 7:00, I called the car service though so you could sleep," he smiled and pushed his coffee cup in her direction.
"Thanks," she smiled, "I'm not pregnant by the way."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Hey, no stress remember, when it happens it happens," he found her hand and pulled her close, the heat from his body actually made her feel better, a giant hot water bottle of sorts.
"I'll be along shortly, see you soon," she kissed his cheek and headed up to take a shower.
***555***
"Hey," Auggie swung by her desk around noon.
"Hi there," she smiled up from her work.
"Since I came in early I am actually going to leave early. Don't suppose you can leave at 5:00?" he asked hopefully.
"I wish, I pulled the evening shift on the Eastern European desk. I came in on time and I am here until 8:00," she shuffled some papers on her desk.
"I can certainly find work to do, or I can go home and cook you dinner like a good husband."
"You are such a good husband," Annie reached for his dangling hand and linked her index finger with his.
"I'll say good bye before I leave," he promised as he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
Yep, he was a great husband.
***555***
Annie made it home by 8:30, tired and still a little crampy, but off the duty roster for the weekend and anticipating a homemade dinner. She noticed the majority of the lights were off in the condo, but that wasn't unusual when Auggie was home alone. Any concern that her husband ditched her for beers at Allen's dissipated when she opened the front door.
First she heard the low rumble of bass from a favorite Coltrane album and then she smelled something unbelievably delicious. Her mouth was already watering from the smell when she saw her husband standing in the kitchen, well-worn denim slung low on his hips and a tight grey tee shirt made her mouth water more.
"Honey, I'm home," she called sarcastically.
"Hi there," he turned with a smile from the pan he was slaving over.
Annie noticed an empty wine glass next to a bottle of Chardonnay, the slightest condensation indicating the chill on the wine.
"Is this for me?" she tapped the glass with her nail as she noticed his own glass by the stove.
"Yes, I figured we could have a 'you're not pregnant at the moment' dinner, indulge a little," he turned down the stove and grabbed his own wine.
It was then Annie noticed the brie and French bread sitting on the island.
"Mmmm, expensive French wine and cheese, not only are we not going to have these while I am pregnant, we won't be able to afford them when the kid shows up," Annie grinned but dove into the snacks.
"We've got cheese money, don't you worry about that," Auggie chuckled.
"What else do you have up your sleeve?" Annie said around a mouthful of creamy brie.
"Raw oysters. I shucked them myself and only needed one band aid," he held up his injured finger as proof.
"Awww," Annie cooed and kissed the tip of the injured finger before moving past him to find the tray of oysters in the fridge.
"It was worth it, I may have sampled a couple while I worked," he shrugged.
"This is all very sweet," she deposited the tray of oysters on the counter and then slid into his arms, kissing him softly.
"What can I say? I'm adorable," he returned the kiss.
"You really are," she agreed pulling him closer.
***555***
"Dessert?" Annie asked hopefully as she mopped up the end of the piccatta sauce from her plate.
"I was going to get something from the bakery, but I thought you might just want to mainline chocolate, there is some good Mexican chocolate in the fridge," Auggie smiled as he finished his wine.
"Are you trying to win the sensitive man of the year award or something?" Annie laughed.
"I know you Walker and you can say all you want about not caring about timelines and whatnot, but you like to win at things and I know you are slightly disappointed that you aren't pregnant yet," Auggie shrugged.
"Maybe a little, I don't like failing," she blew out a breath of relief that her husband knew her so well.
"We haven't failed yet and god knows I am game for trying as often as we can, no matter what Friends told you about sperm counts."
"I know, the rational part of me knows. It would have been awesome to make the baby in Niue though, special."
"It's always special Annie, the fact that we are here like this, is special. We fought really hard for this life, every moment of it is special."
TBC…