Chapter 17

Auggie knew the drive to Rammstein would take them approximately 4 hours and 31 minutes. They left that morning, coordinating their departure in hopes that their arrival would be around the same time Calder landed at the airbase. Toward the end of the drive, Danielle was dozing in the front seat, and Eyal was driving, singing along and to a German folk station that was mostly white noise. Auggie had noted that the day before, Annie had limited herself to the opposite side of the Land Rover's mid row, as far away from him as possible. Today, she sat directly beside him, her leg brushing his, subtly tracing lazy circles against the palm of his hand.

It was a welcome change, and Auggie could almost imagine that the warm, fuzzy aura he had always associated with her, and had so often jested about, was finally returning. It replaced the heavy shadow that had taken over its place ever since she had been gone, and with it came a returning sense of normalcy. However, Auggie was not so naive to believe that everything could go back to exactly how it was before. It would be a long time before all the broken pieces they had accumulated could be put back together. But last night had been a start, and for now - for him - that was enough.

Her touch was warm, pleasantly searing like sunshine, even though he could hear the freezing winter rain against the glass of the window and feel the cold seeping in.

Auggie had woken up earlier that morning with his arm wrapped around Annie's waist, her back pressed against him, trying to keep her from falling off the too-small safe house couch. The steady rise and fall of her chest (so different from the restless sleep that had, much to his dismay, plagued her throughout the night) was a rhythm he had wanted to memorize. Perfect. Peaceful. The sound of her breathing had been the only sound breaking the morning stillness. He had only removed his hold on her to allow his hand to wander up her arm, carefully navigating around the stitches there, his fingers traveling with deliberate slowness toward dip of her collarbone, then the curve of her neck, letting them linger where he could feel her pulse. She had woken shortly thereafter.

Now, as she sat next to him, her proximity was teasing in comparison to how close she had been just hours ago. He felt her jolt when his hand finally ensnared hers, telling him she had not been paying as close attention as he had previously thought. She automatically wove her fingers through his and drew herself closer.

He was tempted to ask her if she was ok, but it seemed like a redundant thing to do given the circumstances, and with an audience in the vehicle he knew she was less likely to offer anything, in fear of worrying the others. Namely, Danielle. Even when he had first met her, Annie had always been viciously determined to protect her sister from the life of espionage she led. And in all actuality, the events of the past month further proved that Annie would safeguard her loved ones no matter what the cost - even if that meant sacrificing herself.

"We must be almost there."Auggie commented, squeezing Annie's hand, pushing the somber thoughts in his head as far away as possible. In a couple hours they would be on a plane back to DC, and hopefully the majority of this nightmare would finally be behind them.

"Twenty minutes, tops."The Israeli at the wheel confirmed. "We just passed through Niedermohr."

"The roads are getting worse."Annie observed, then clarified, for Auggie's benefit. "The rain is turning to snow again."

"Try learning to drive armored vehicles through mortar fire in the West Bank."Eyal chuckled. "German roads at the worst of winter? Cake walk in comparison. Besides, we're in town now, this is nothing."

"Maybe we'll be back in time to grab a beer at Allen's."Annie mused aloud, and Auggie, overcome by the nostalgia of her statement, could not help but grin.

"I was thinking some place nicer, actually,"he stated suavely.

Annie, not missing a beat, and just as charming, chimed, "Some place nicer?"

"Honestly,"Danielle, having woken up, interrupted, and Auggie could clearly hear the sound of her yawning and the pop of her shoulders as she stretched in her seat directly in front of him, "If you two were any sweeter, I think it'd make me sick."

Annie laughed at her sister; a genuinely amused, authentic laugh. The sound was musical and melodic. Light and airy. And Auggie loved it.

Eyal brought the Land Rover to a stop, at what Auggie assumed was a light or intersection of some sort. Danielle muttered something distasteful about the cold weather, and being ready to return to California where there was sunshine and palm trees. Annie settled back into his side with a contented sigh, her head resting on his shoulder. It was a noise she made far more often as of late, and one he could find himself quickly getting used to hearing it. His hand was still sufficiently tangled up with her own, and he ran his thumb over the flat of her wrist, savoring the smooth feeling of her skin. He smiled smugly when Annie shifted closer still.

He could have frozen that exact moment in time, and stayed that way indefinitely.

But then his phone rang, ruining the moment.

With a sigh he dug it out of the pocket of his leather jacket. He could feel Annie leaning over him to look at the screen.

"Joan."He told he told her, the ringtone already having given the caller's identity away. He double-tapped the smooth glass of the touch screen with two fingers before pressing the phone to his ear. The Land Rover began moving again, gaining momentum as it went.

"Hello?"

"Auggie! Where are you?"Joan's voice was panicked, and Auggie immediately grew alarmed.

"What's wrong?"Annie stiffened beside him, quickly catching the change in his voice.

Later, he would always remember two distinct things from that moment.

First, the sound; Annie's strangled cry of terror.

Second, the impact; the distinctive screech of tires, bending metal, broken glass, and the weightless sensation of his body as the Land Rover began to fly through the air.

A/N: Yes, I know I am evil, but we've already established the fact that I'm not sorry for it, ha! Anyways, as Cherith would have me say, "BOOOOOOOOOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!" ;)