Author's Note: Here is chapter 7. This chapter, thanks to review, is what I think to be my best so far. One reviewer asked for more detail and I provided it. As a result this chapter is significantly longer than the previous chapters. If interested, I have also created another story in which I bring in a character from another show. I've only wrote Annie's POV right now, but the next chapter in that story will be the other show's character.
Annie had been in the hospital for about one week in total. Everyday seemed the same to her. She slept most of the day. There was little else she could do. Her legs didn't work and every movement of her torso pained her. She would wake up each time the nurses checked her vitals, changed her bandages, or provided her with medications. She had no regular visitors except her former CIA boss Joan. Annie did not want Joan to come, but Joan insisted on checking on her at least three times a day and at least one of those was always in person Joan, quite frankly scared Annie. She was a fierce woman who, as Annie had experienced, could be quite cold. But Annie knew that under the CIA callus was a compassionate woman who really cared about her employees. Annie knew that she would never work for Joan again and that her CIA days were now behind her, but a small part of her was glad Joan insisted on checking in on her. Auggie had not called or visited since he told him to leave four days prior. While Annie missed her best friend more than she would admit, she didn't need him or his pity.
The only other visitors had been the CIA investigators, who wanted to know what had happened to put her in the hospital. She told them everything she knew. She and Simon had been discussing their plans for Simon to turn himself into the CIA. He was a wanted man, but he had a lot of valuable information that he could provide them. That morning, they had discussed running away together, but Annie thought better of it at the last minute telling Simon that wasn't the right thing to do.
Annie never heard any gunshots, she told the investigators. She only saw the intruder point her gun at Simon and pull the trigger twice, then at her. As the first bullet entered her chest, Annie thought in an instant about the knife block just a foot or so from her. In the instant between shots, she turned to grab a knife, only to be shot in the back. Which she now knew had left her paralyzed. The intruder was none other than her CIA boss at the time, Lena Smith. Before Annie woke up, no one knew that Lena was the person who had done the shooting. Apparently, the crime scene had been made to look like Annie had shot Simon at the same time Simon had shot Annie. Annie did not know Lena's reasons for shooting them. According to Joan, Lena claims to have had evidence of Annie being a traitor and giving secrets to Simon. Of course, that was not the truth, but given Annie's current medical situation, she was not allowed to leave the hospital to defend herself formally in front of the panel that would decide her fate.
Annie remembered being shot, waking after a few seconds or minutes of unconsciousness (she wasn't sure how much time had elapsed), seeing Simon near her on the ground, calling Auggie for help and waking up in the hospital three days later. She gave the investigators every detail she could down to where they landed in her kitchen, what clothes she, Simon, and Lena had been wearing, where Lena stood as she made the shots, and what she saw while lying awake on the floor as she spoke to Auggie. She now knew that Simon had died instantly from his wounds and that she had lost a good amount of blood at the scene of the shooting.
She did not know what evidence Lena had against her and it seemed Joan was not going to tell her. Perhaps Joan suspected the accusations to be true? Or perhaps the career CIA woman was not willing to take the chance of it being true despite her own personal feelings for Annie. Either way, Annie knew there was only one person she could get information from about this. But she didn't want to call him. She was not going to give in to her ultimatum she had issued.
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Auggie knew that all the evidence against Annie had to be fabricated. He did not have the clearance to know everything they had on her, but he knew enough to know it was seriously convincing many of his superiors. Joan was unable to tell him much of anything. He was not certain if she was unable or unwilling to help him understand what evidence they had. He didn't imagine Joan could possibly think the allegations against Annie were true, but he also knew she was not one to take risks like that.
Auggie had been working 18 hour days since the day after he was forced to leave his best friend's bedside. Joan was very concerned about the head of her tech department. He was looking wearier by the day. She wasn't sure how much longer he could go on like this. But what could she do? Her suggestions for him to go home early and rest only made him angry.
While Auggie was still very concerned for Annie, he couldn't and wouldn't force her to accept his support. He knew that she would need someone, but he also knew she couldn't call her family members until she was officially exonerated of all treason charges. And if she was found to be guilty, well, he couldn't think about those consequences. The thought of his best friend in federal prison for a crime he knew she hadn't committed was too much for Auggie to think about. At least not without becoming extremely angry with his superiors for thinking they could be true.
Auggie needed to know more about the charges against Annie. He only knew that she was being thought of as a traitor. Auggie hated that he didn't know for sure what Annie was working on when all this happened. Neither of them worked for the DPD when Annie was shot, but he was sure it was related to what she was working on. Maybe she had remembered something about the morning she was shot that could help clarify some things. He knew there had been a guard placed at her door, he assumed to keep someone out since Annie could not get up and walk out of the hospital. He smiled to himself as he thought of just how many times she had done just that.
"Annie, you can't just leave. They have to discharge you." He would tell her.
She would simply reply "I'm fine, they've bandaged me up, given me medicine. I'm good to go." He would chuckle and make her promise to seek medical help if the pain got worse or whatever wounds she had looked infected.
Of course, that was then and this is now. Now she literally could not get out of bed, at least not on her own. He knew that his best friend was never going to be the same. But she was still that-his best friend. He couldn't leave her alone to deal with this. He would fight his way back into her life. She would overcome this. She would lead a different life, but she would not stay in bed the rest of her life. She was still Annie and he would make sure she didn't lose herself.
Auggie shuddered to think what was in store for her. She would no doubt have months of exhausting rehabilitation ahead of her. He remembered his own rehab experience and knew she would need support. He had closed everyone off while he went through rehab and regretted it later. He did not want Annie to go through the same experience he did. Rehab requires a lot out of a person. It is taxing on a person physically, mentally, and emotionally. Of course he knew her experience would be different, but he knew one thing for sure, she couldn't do it alone. And now he was resolved to not allow her to.
Auggie now had two resolutions to commit whole heartily to. The first was to find out more about the charges against Annie. The second was to force, if necessary, Annie to accept his friendship.
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Annie received news that the next day she would be going under the knife again. This time for them to remove the bullet fragments still lodged in her back. There were risks though. In addition to the usual risks of any surgery, Annie could also become more paralyzed than she already was. Messing around with the spine always proved to have great risks. She was worried that the worst would happen. She decided that there was only one solution. She had to talk with someone about her fears. While she knew there were people on staff that she could have the doctors refer her to, she did not trust any of them. She had already had to talk with them about the shooting and the inevitable depression that came with the sudden disability. She had been able to give them all the "right" answers. The CIA training she received at The Farm had enabled her to become an excellent deceptionist. Of course, they looked right through it all, not believing that she had accepted her paralysis after just a few days. She was now on anti-depressants despite her protests that she was not depressed.
She would never admit it to them, but she was quite depressed. Her whole world had now changed. Not only was she different, but everyone and everything around her was different. Everyone was treating her differently. Everything she did was different than before. Going to the restroom now required that she call a nurse or use the bedpan which right now, still required a nurse be called. She had nothing left of her previous self. Well, only one, but she had sent him packing. She refused to accept his pity. He was her handler and now he felt he "had to" help her. She was not going to be his charity case.
Suddenly, Annie's phone began to ring. She had asked Joan to get her one the day she woke up and Joan had gladly done so, just happy to finally be of some help. Annie knew that her previous phone was part of the crime scene and therefore, not going to be released back to her anytime soon. It was a good thing she was used to changing phones frequently. She had always memorized any phone number that was important to her and as she went to dial his number, her phone began to ring displaying his number on the screen. Auggie was calling her.
"Hello." She answered.
"Hi Annie. I'm coming to visit. I wanted to let you know, but I'm not going to be told no, so let whoever you need to know that I'm coming. I know you've told the nurses to not let me in, but I won't accept that this time." Auggie stated as if he had been practicing what to say. She didn't have time to speak until he was finished. She was glad to hear from him.
"Okay Auggie. I will let the nurses know you are on your way. I will see you soon."
And just like that, the line went dead. The man really never did know how to properly end a conversation over the phone.
Just a couple minutes later, Auggie entered her room. Annie had not expected him to be there so quickly. She had immediately told the nurses that she had a visitor coming, but had not taken any other steps towards preparation for his arrival. She was currently wearing green and brown lounge pants and a brown tank top. Joan had brought her some clothes and personal items when she went to get her a phone. Annie was grateful for Joan's help, but again knew it was out of pity for "poor Annie". Annie had not brushed her teeth or hair today. The nurses usually insisted on helping her with these things when they helped her out of bed and into a wheelchair a couple times a day, but seeing as it was still morning they had not been by yet. She did not have the strength to transfer to a wheelchair by herself and she also was afraid to try. She knew she could easily cause the surgical scar to reopen if she slipped and fell. She simply had to accept their help, but they didn't seem to pity her, in fact they always seemed to want to push her further than she thought she could go.
Auggie entered her room cautiously. However, he did not knock, just walked in. The nurses had not tried to stop him and he had shown his CIA badge to the guard at her door. He swept his cane from side to side until he found the bed. Placing both hands on the bed after folding his cane and placing it at the foot of the bed he stood there until she spoke to him.
"Hi Auggie, it is good to see you."
Auggie was a bit taken aback by her pleasantry. He had expected the same hostility that she had thrown at him the last time he was there. He was ready for that, which is why he still stood and had braced himself on the bed.
"Annie? Why the sudden change of attitude? I had expected anything, but that. I didn't come to argue with you, but I had expected it would come to that."
Annie stifled a chuckle as Auggie spoke, she had been extremely rude to him and she really shouldn't expect him to know any differently. He couldn't see that she didn't have an angry look about her. He couldn't see that she was actually very happy to see him. He had expected to have to fight for her, but right now, while she was ashamed to admit it, she needed him.
"I'm sorry I was so hateful Auggie. You didn't deserve that. I'm glad you called. I had picked up the phone to call you as the phone rang. I had a selfish reason for calling though…."
Auggie was glad to hear her normal voice again. He did not like when she yelled at him a few days back, while he had to admit he found "Angry Annie" sexy, it was usually targeted at someone else and he was the friend she was venting to, not the cause of the anger. Auggie knew that he had called her to insist that she let him visit, that he be allowed to continue to be her friend and help her through this challenging time in her life. But why was she going to call him? And what was this about her being selfish? Auggie did not say anything as she paused to find the words she wanted to say.
"Auggie, I- I need help." She spat out as if she had ate something foul tasting. As she spoke these words, Auggie moved his hands on the bed attempting to find her hand. She placed it on the bed a few inches from where he searched and allowed his to hold it firmly once he located it.
"Annie, that is why I am here. I am here to offer you whatever you need. Support, friendship, guidance, help, anything." He was glad to be holding her hand right now. He was glad she was willing to accept his help. But now he wondered what she thought she needed that only he could provide.
"I know Auggie. I just don't want your pity."
"Annie, what makes you think I would pity you?"
"Auggie, its all I've seen from anyone for days. It's the 'poor woman, she going to be stuck in a chair all her life' or 'oh, I have to help her" mentality. You can't see the looks and probably don't realize that you're giving it." Annie stated without hostility. Auggie was relieved that she no longer seemed angry with him.
"Annie, I do not pity you. If my face is displaying anything it is compassion or empathy. I understand better than most what you are going through. I've been where you are right now. No, I did not lose my ability to walk, but I did lose my ability to see. I understand more than most people what you are going through now and what you will go through in the next few months. But, Annie, I do not now, nor have I ever felt pity for you. I am sad that you have been hurt and I understand your loss. However, I do not feel the hopelessness for you or overwhelming desire to help you that is generally associated with pity. I have been on the receiving end of pity and vowed a long time ago never to bestow that feeling on others. I am here to support you through this process, give my help when you want it and ask for it, and most importantly offer my continued friendship. But Annie Walker, you will not get rid of me again."
"Auggie, I'm not sure. I can't stop myself from feeling like everyone around me only feels sorrow for me and what I've lost. But right now. I need you. I need you to be here when I wake up from surgery tomorrow. I'm scared that I might wake up more paralyzed than I already am. The doctor had warned me that it could happen. Auggie I don't want to do it alone."
"Annie, I will be here before, during, and after. You don't have to be alone. You never have to be alone. I am here for you in whatever capacity you want. But Annie, I'm not going anywhere. You can't push me away. You will want to and I will give you space when needed, but Annie, I won't stop talking to you, being here for you, and helping you as much as I can."
For now, Annie would accept his help. She was still not sure that his help was coming from anything other than a weird sense of loyalty he felt towards those operatives that he handled while they were in the field. But for now, she needed him and she would take advantage of whatever it was that caused him to be here with her.
"Annie, do you want me to stay the night so I am already here for you in the morning before they take you back for surgery?"
"That would be great. I have some things I wanted to ask you."
"Good, I have some things I want to ask you as well."
For hours, they talked. Auggie settled into the same chair that he had called home for the days after Annie first arrived here. This time, Auggie was more hesitant to hold onto her hand. He didn't want her to think he was only doing it to be nice to her. Really he only did it to feel connected to her. It was something he had always liked to do when having long conversations with someone. It made him feel more linked to the person he was talking with since he could not see them, but for now, he would take cues from her. He leaned against the bed and put his elbows and forearms crossing each other, while Annie sat in her bed. They were only interrupted a couple times by nurses bringing them dinner, upon the insistence of Annie, Auggie was given dinner as well and once for evening medicine dispersal. It seemed the nurses were happy to see Annie sitting up in bed. They had been having trouble getting her to sit up and move around. She did not understand the point of moving legs that did not work anymore.
Annie told Auggie all of the details about the morning she was shot. Auggie was most shocked by the revelation that Lena was the shooter a week ago. He informed Annie that she was the one leading the investigation into the allegation that Annie had committed acts of treason. Neither of them knew what evidence Lena had presented against Annie. Given that Annie could not go defend herself, they both worried she would be found guilty of the charges.
Auggie now had another source of information to go to for information: Lena Smith. He could not believe that she was the shooter. Why would she shot Annie? Annie seems to think it was because Lena suspected her of treason, but that simply was not protocol. Auggie knew from the crime scene investigators that it had appeared that Simon and Annie had shot each other. But Annie's account was very different. He had to hope that her account would hold up despite any evidence placed there by Lena. He now understood why there was a guard posted at Annie's door.
"Annie, did you know there is a guard outside your door?"
"Ummm, no I didn't know that. I haven't exactly left this room in a week and when I did, I was unconscious or too drugged to remember. Why is there a guard outside my door? Do they think I'm going to go somewhere to escape the charges against me?"
"I'm not sure. Only doctors, nurses, and specified CIA personnel are allowed in to see you. Joan knows about your paralysis, although, they are keeping it "need to know" around the office. But as you were talking, I wondered if they think Lena might come to try to finish the job she started so you won't be able to insist that, despite the evidence, she shot you."
"Maybe that's what it is. I'm not a traitor. And I'm certainly not leaving this room anytime soon. I don't have the strength or ability to transfer from the bed to a wheelchair yet on my own. Depending on other people to do things for you is very frustrating. You're lucky you never had to."
Auggie grimaced at her last statement-if she only knew. He had been very dependent on others when he first went blind. He didn't know how to dress himself, find the restroom, shower, or even feed himself. He had to relearn how to do all of those things without sight and now, she would have to relearn how to do everything without the use of her legs.
He simply let her statement go for now. It was getting quite late and he knew the 8am surgery would go more smoothly if she was well rested.
"I think you should rest Ms. Walker. You have an early morning appointment with the surgeon that I intend to make sure you keep."
"Har har Auggie, what do you think, I'm gonna walk out on ya?"
"Hey, it wouldn't be the first time you've walked out of the hospital before you should have."
Annie laughed out loud at this, "Touché Auggie. No worries, I intend on being a good girl. But, could you- well- will you hold my hand tonight like you did when I first got here?" Her pausing and hesitation made Auggie smile. Of course, he would be happy to hold her hand. He slowly felt his way on the bed until he found her right hand. As he held her hand, she used the bed remote to lower the bed from the slightly angled position she had been sitting in so that she could get into a better sleeping position (not that she had gotten used to sleeping on her back yet).
"Of course Annie, whatever you need. Now get some sleep Walker, you have a big day tomorrow." Auggie settled in beside her.
That night, Auggie sat in the chair to the right of Annie's bed holding her hand all night. He knew he would wake up sore the next morning, but he didn't care. Annie seemed to sleep peacefully all night and he never let her hand go.
So, what do you think? Is this chapter better than previous? Please review, but most importantly, enjoy. I'm trying to decide how I will start the next chapter. So if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to give them. Our friend Annie has a long road ahead of her. Oh and I have NOT forgotten about Lena, she will play a factor in either the next chapter or the one after. Obviously, my timeline if different than the show's on the whole "treason" issue. But again, it will come into play. Thank you for reading.