Author's Note: Enjoy! That's all I'll say for now.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Covert Affairs or its characters.

Two weeks after waking up from surgery and almost being killed by Lena, Annie was finally allowed to leave the hospital. Joan was helping her out by escorting her to the Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Center in Richmond, Virginia. The alternative was to allow the hospital to transfer her there. Annie preferred it this way. As much as she hated not being able to take herself there and having to depend on someone else, at least it was someone she knew. While there, she would build her strength, learn how to live as a wheelchair user, and see a counselor daily. Annie was struggling to think of all the overwhelming tasks she was about to be faced with. The last two weeks had been very hard on Annie. She had started some physical therapy, but the process was very slow since her heart was still quite weak and she was still recovering from the two bullet wounds and surgeries.

Auggie had spent every moment he had away from work at the hospital with her. She found this determination to see her through this endearing, yet at the same time annoying. His cheerful outlook on this devastating situation was agonizing for her to accept. She did her best to stay positive when he was around, but it was difficult keeping up the façade. It was becoming hard to let the depression that threatened to overtake her to envelope her into its grasps. As she sat in the car heading to the rehabilitation center, Annie recalled an incident that had occurred between her and Auggie, an event she regretted.

Annie had been to her first physical therapy session. It had been brutal and extremely frustrating for someone who had once been in tip top shape. Auggie had gone to the session with her in order to encourage her through the process. The therapist had been apprehensive about letting Auggie sit in on the session, but Annie had seemed to be comfortable with in, so he let Auggie stay.

Throughout the session Annie was supposed to be working on strengthening her arms and core during the first part. During the second part, Annie was trying to keep her legs strong using various types of equipment that held her up as the therapist moved her legs for her. The whole session only lasted thirty minutes, and only twenty of that had been spent doing actual exercises. However, the exercising had Annie sweating within a couple minutes of starting the exercises and left her breathless, exhausted, and ready to quit. Throughout the session, Annie was, to say the least, less than positive towards the exercises and her therapist.

As they were eating dinner later that night, Auggie started in on her.

"Annie, today, during your physical therapy, you sounded like you didn't want to do the work. You know you have to go through this? You know you don't really have an option, right?"

"Yes, Auggie, I know. I have to work my ass off to get my strength up to where I can use a wheelchair, transfer myself from a wheelchair to a car or bed, and basically live life without using my legs. I understand I have to keep my legs in shape so that if I regain the ability to walk I can do so without having to build the leg strength if that miracle occurs. I know that I have to remember to move these useless legs so that blood circulation continues. Can't have a blood clot forming and killing me can I? I know Auggie. I know all of this. Can I please have a moment of self-pity-just a moment to complain?" Annie tried not to get worked up as she spoke, but sarcasm was coming through more and more with every word.

Auggie lifted his hands in mock surrender and replied in his usual joking manner, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, don't take your frustration out on me. I'm on your side, remember. I'm sorry I said anything, but you know I'm right. I know this rehab stuff seems pointless, but trust me when I say, you will be grateful for it later." Fury once again threatened to overtake Annie. Was he really comparing what he went through to this? Yes, it was traumatic for him. Yes, it was horrible for him to go through. But this was completely different.

Angrily Annie replied "You've had five fuckin' years to deal with your disability and from what you've told me, it wasn't easy for you to accept at first. Can't you just give me at least a month or so to wrap my head around everything before lecturing me about what I have to do, should want, or feel?" Annie stopped her speech as she began to feel her heart pounding in her chest and her breathing was starting to become shallow. This had been happening a lot when she got excited. As she stopped talking, she saw just now harsh her words were for Auggie. It was like she had slapped her best friend in the face. Nonetheless, she didn't want or need his help right now and she sure as hell didn't need his pity. The two barely said two words to each other the rest of the evening.

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As Annie sat in the passenger seat of Joan's car deep in thought, she suddenly realized Joan was calling her name.

"Annie?" Joan said questioningly. They were half way through their almost two hour trip between Georgetown University Hospital and VCU Rehabilitation Center.

"Yes?" Annie shook her head and looked at Joan. She was grateful that Joan did not seem to make a big deal about having to help her. Her former boss had seemed to take on almost a motherly role for Annie. There was still a lot that Annie needed help with. Annie still could not transfer herself from her wheelchair to other seats without the assistance of someone. Not only did she not have the energy to do so, she also did not have the strength. Sitting in a hospital bed for basically a month had robbed Annie of her muscle tone.

"Annie, are you okay?" Joan asked with obvious concern in her voice.

"I'm just great Joan." Annie replied sarcastically. She didn't mean to be rude, but it wasn't exactly a question she liked replying to lately. Of course she wasn't okay. She had been shot, she was in a wheelchair (that she might never get out of), and she was currently dependent on someone to help her with everything-and what's worse, she wasn't sure there would ever be a time when she didn't need someone's help.

"Annie, you know what I mean. Please don't push me away like that. I'm here for you." Joan replied in her usual stern manner, but this time, there was something else behind it. Compassion perhaps.

"I know Joan, I'm sorry. This is just hard. I never thought my life would be this way. I mean, I can't go to the bathroom on my own. I can't dress myself. I can't even defend myself against someone trying to kill me. I just can't wrap my head around why all this is happening to me." Annie lays her head back on the seat and takes a deep breath.

"I wish I could help you understand. I don't know why Lena tried to use you to take the fall for her actions. I don't know why she shot you. I don't know why she wanted to kill you. But I do know that you can continue to have a successful, fulfilled life, even from a wheelchair. I know things will be different for you now, but Annie, you have to stay positive." Joan replied calmly. Annie could see that it was hard on Joan to see her in pain. She and Joan really had been able to get closer throughout this process. It had been Joan who had captured the fleeing Lena the night she had tried to kill her in the hospital.

"Thank you Joan. I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I'm sure Auggie would have some witty cleaver comment about it all, but I just don't know how to deal with this. Auggie uses his sarcasm to help him with his disability. I don't know how to deal with this yet. It's going to take time." Annie was relieved that Joan and Auggie were there for her. She needed someone. She hated to admit it, but she did need someone. She would no longer be the strong independent CIA spy she once was. One thing was certain, however, she was glad that she was finally not considered a traitor against her country.

The CIA had finally realized that it was Lena who had been selling secrets to the Russians. Lena had not confessed to anything, but Joan had found the cobbler who had made the passport that Annie had used to get to Cuba and the cookie delivery man had remembered seeing the exact same vehicle make and model that Lena owned in the vicinity of the crime the morning Annie was shot. The cobbler had been more than willing to give up evidence of more of Lena's crimes than the CIA knew about in order to save himself.

A content silence fell between them and remained the rest of the trip as they both considered what was ahead for Annie. Joan thinking about her career and relationship with Auggie, with Annie thinking about what daily life was going to be like from here.

Upon arriving at the rehabilitation center, Annie was shown around the facility while Joan filled out paperwork. As Annie was coming back with Nathan, a staff member who had been showing her around, Joan had finished all the paperwork necessary. Nathan showed Annie and Joan to the room she would be staying in during her duration at the center.

The room was a very spacious, almost like a one bedroom apartment. The bed was located in the center of the wall to Annie's right and was low to the ground. There was a table beside the bed that she would use as a nightstand. On the wall adjacent to the door, was a three drawer dresser and a loveseat sized couch. Then to her left was a desk in the corner. Lastly, near the entrance to the bathroom was a round table with two chairs under it. This room reminded Annie of her dorm room from college, except much bigger.

Annie liked the room. She had been unsure what to expect. To her relief, she was not going to be spending the next few weeks to a month in a 'whole in the wall' room with poor lighting and impossibly small living space. This room was large enough for her to move around freely in her wheelchair without a chance of hitting things, the bed and chairs were low enough to the ground that she could easily transfer from her wheelchair to them, well, if they had the strength (which Annie did not have right now), and most importantly, the bathroom was accessible to her.

Aside from a few accessories it contained, the bathroom looked like your everyday typical bathroom. The floors were a nonslip material that would prevent Annie from slipping as she transferred to the shower seat or commode. It contained a pedestal style sink with grab bars on either side, a typical commode again with bars on either side, and a shower that had a hose style shower head with an attached seat. Annie was not looking forward to the enviable time she would have to spend with someone learning how to take care of her personal needs that occurred in this room. She had already spent too many humiliating moments with nurses at the hospital taking care of those needs; she could not see how it would get easier.

Joan spent a couple hours with Annie until Auggie came after lunch.

When Auggie arrived, Annie showed him around her room allowing him to explore it on his own after she lead him to it. They were going to have to work on how they could perform their usual sighted guide technique for allowing Annie to guide Auggie places. For now, he either held to her wheelchair or placed his hand on her shoulder and walked beside her as she told him when he would need to get behind her as they approached other people, doorways, or narrow passages.

Around 8 O'clock in the evening, Auggie left for an hour or so to get dinner. While he was gone, Annie took the opportunity to settle herself in by unpacking. Joan had went to her house and got her clothes, toiletries, and other personal items. As she put things away, she was grateful for the ease she found in moving around the room. Everything was on a level that she could reach from her wheelchair without straining.

Nathan came to check in once while Auggie was gone and administered her nighty medication before he left. He was surprised at how her mood had changed since her arrival that morning. To him she had seemed jaded and bitter. This new Annie seemed positive and determined. It was a change in her he hoped would remain through her time here.

When Auggie arrived back at the center, he was appreciative of Annie's change in mood as well. Auggie would be sleeping on the couch tonight. Before he allowed himself to settle in for the evening, he wanted to make sure Annie had everything she needed. Annie did have a favor to ask of him, but she was not sure how to ask him.

"Annie, what is it? I can tell from the three sighs you've made from the desk that you want to say something. Just say it." Auggie finally asked around 10. They had been chatting for the last hour about the case he had been working on and the latest office rumors Auggie had to share.

"Well." Annie started biting her lip as she thought of how to ask him. "It's a question I'm pondering not a statement."

"What is it, Annie?" Auggie replied straightening himself in his chair.

"I hate to ask Auggie, but can you help me? I'm still not strong enough to move to the bed by myself. Would you mind? I can ask Nathan if you can't." Annie asked hesitantly

"Annie, I'm surprised at you, of course I can. Just tell me what to do; I don't want to touch anything I shouldn't accidently." Auggie said suddenly embarrassed at the thoughts that have come to his mind, especially when the fact remained, that he absolutely would not mind exploring her body.

Auggie shook these thoughts from his mind as walked over to where he knew the bed was as Annie wheeled herself parallel to it. Auggie felt for the bed from where Annie sat in her wheelchair to make sure he knew the distance between the two.

"Okay, all I need you to do is lift me straight from my wheelchair to the bed. I can do the rest once I get in the bed. You will lift me by putting one of your arms under my legs and the other one the small of my back, about the point where I was shot. Don't worry, you can't hurt me, I don't feel either of those areas." Annie instructed him as he put his hands on the arms of her wheelchair and searched for her legs.

"Annie, are you sure I won't hurt you? You won't know if I do or not since you can't feel. I don't want to cause you any pain."

"Auggie, I'm fine. Both wounds are healed enough that there isn't a chance they will reopen unless I fall. So the only thing you have to worry about is dropping me, so don't do that." Annie teased.

"Oh ha ha Annie, way to make me nervous." Auggie retorts in his usual teasing manner.

Of course, Auggie easily lifted Annie from her chair to the bed without any problem.

"Wow, Annie, I don't know how much you weighed before you were shot, but I'm almost certain you have lost a lot of weight." Auggie stated seriously as he held Annie over the bed momentarily.

As Auggie sat her down on the bed, she replied "yeah, it's the hospital food. Eating that for almost a month will take the weight off anyone." Annie answered him in a playful manner.

As Annie wiggled herself into a semi-comfortable position in the bed, Auggie made his way back to his make shift bed for the evening. They said their good nights, settled in and waited for sleep to overtake them.

As Annie allowed herself to relax she thought about the journey she had before her and she was certain that her time at this place would be educational, torturous and enlightening. She was also certain that she did not want Auggie spending day after day there with , but surely she was finally starting to accept her fate. Accept, maybe, but that did not mean she was not still incredibly depressed about what it meant for her life now.

Author's note: Thoughts?