Author's Note: I'm excited to bring you an update. Let me know what you think! :)

Chapter 16

Return to Routine

Back at the rehab center a week later, Annie was settling back into the routine there. Auggie stuck to his word and started staying at the rehab center in Annie's room. The rehab facility was more than accommodating to Annie and Auggie's special request. They provided a small twin sized bed for Auggie to sleep in, kept extra towels in their bathroom, and made sure all of the staff knew who Auggie was so that they could understand why he was there. They tried to keep things out of the hallway that he could run into, they always told him of any changes in the facility's furnishings, and made sure all of Annie's therapists knew that he would be coming with Annie to sessions.

None of the therapists minded that Auggie came with Annie to her sessions, most even included him in the sessions. Marcus taught Auggie the exercises he was having Annie do to strengthen her arms and core and showed him how to use the equipment that helped Annie to stand. He also helped Auggie familiarize himself with the facilities' gym so that he could help Annie when she went to exercise. She used a standing frame to keep circulation going in her legs. Auggie was very helpful to Annie when it came to the exercising. He was very encouraging and even thought of additional ways for Annie to strengthen her arms and core. Of course, he checked with Marcus before having Annie try anything new.

The Wednesday following Annie getting back to rehab, Annie and Auggie followed the routine they had started and went to the facility's gym after dinner. Auggie once again insisted on staying with Annie while she worked out instead of working out himself. He held her feet in place while she did sit-ups, spotted her as she did bench presses and pull-ups, and cheered her on as she did curls and other exercises with the dumbbells.

After an hour in the gym, Annie was sweating as much as she used to when she and Auggie worked out before the shooting. Annie felt good about the workout routine they had started. It felt awesome to feel like she was taking steps in the right direction to getting something back from her old life. Auggie felt satisfaction as well seeing Annie in her element. He could see a little spark coming back to Annie, a spark he had feared had been lost.

After the gym, Annie took a quick shower back in her room, while Auggie checked in with Joan. Joan had been very accommodating to allow Auggie time off to help Annie. She only requested that she be kept in the loop on Annie's well-being and mental capacity.

As Annie came out of the bathroom, Auggie was getting off the phone with Joan.

"I will let her know. Thank you again Joan. Talk to you tomorrow." Auggie said just before tapping his phone twice to end the call.

"Was that Joan?" Annie asked rolling herself to the desk chair Auggie sat in.

"Yes. She has good news." Auggie said turning the chair into Annie's direction.

"Well, what is it? Or are you going to make me guess?" Annie asked playfully.

"She is coming tomorrow AND she's bringing a surprise with her. She wouldn't tell me what, but she did say it would cheer you up."

"Hmmm, I'm not sure what it could be, but I'm excited to find out. Oh, and just so you know, I don't necessarily need "cheering up" anymore. I finally feel like my life is going to be okay, Auggie. And I couldn't feel this way without you." Annie said as she rolled over to where Auggie sat and placed her hand in his. "Thank you for supporting me."

"Anytime." Auggie replied as he squeezed the hand he still held. "What do you say we head to bed though? 6am will be here before we know it."

"How did you convince me that getting up early to go to the gym is a good idea?" She asked as she rolled a little closer to him sitting almost knee to knee with him, putting her free hand on his left knee.

"I won't reveal my secrets." Auggie quipped as he covered the hand that was now resting on his knee. This felt more intimate than they had ever been before.

"Oh, I have my ways of getting you to talk." Annie retorted without missing a beat.

"Do your worst Walker, I'm a solider, remember?" Auggie smiled a sly smile as he winked in her general direction, always surprising Annie at how close he came to making actual eye contact.

Annie just smiled. She had missed this. Just hanging out with him, it felt almost normal to just be sitting around chatting. Of course, the wheelchair was new, but the conversation felt normal. The banter between them as if neither of them had a care in the world as they discussed things they had talked about hundreds of times before.

"6am it is." She said as she removed her hands from his and turned her chair to head toward the bed.

"Oh, I'm going to ask Marcus about some martial arts moves I want to practice with you. You think you're up for it?"

"Umm, Auggie, I don't know." She whispered hesitantly.

Suddenly Auggie became ever aware of Annie's self-esteem issues. "It's okay, Annie." He said, getting up from the chair and putting on hand out to feel his way over to her. After finding her, he leaned down in front of her, so he didn't tower over her as he spoke. "Annie, we won't do anything you're not comfortable with. I just know Martial Arts and street fighting were important training aspects before you were shot; I thought maybe you might want to try it again. I won't ask him if you don't want me to."

"Let me think about it, okay." Annie put her hand on his shoulder, secretly grateful for the simple gesture that was him leaning down to speak to her. The idea of fighting while in a wheelchair seemed impossible for Annie now. It had only been a few months since she had been shot and the idea that she might need self-defense skills baffled her now. Who would ever want to hurt her now? She was useless to the CIA like this, so the number of times she would be in dangerous situations in her life now would be greatly diminished.

"Okay, fair enough." He said as he patted the hand on his shoulder and then stood. "I'm going to shower and then go to bed. Do you need anything?"

"No, I think I'm good. Thank you for asking though. I'm just going to hop into bed and read while you shower." She replied. She now knew that his asking if she needed anything wasn't because he thought she was helpless to get it herself, but instead was a courtesy that he would have extended anytime they were together.

….

The next morning when the alarm went off, Annie shot up and twisted on the bed as if to jump out of bed like she would have before being shot. But instead of jumping out of bed, she instead fell out of bed onto the floor

Auggie's eyes were wide awake in an instant and he was up out of bed the same second. "Annie?" He said cautiously afraid to move.

Annie groans, but then laughs despite herself as she pushed herself into a sitting position on the floor next to the bed.

"I'm okay." She said as she reached up to turn the alarm off.

"What happened?" Auggie said as he walked over her bed. Accidentally hitting her leg with his foot as he searched for her. "Sorry." He said sheepishly as he sat down next to her.

"Hey, it's all good. I didn't feel a thing." Annie joked. "I guess I forgot about my legs not working when I woke up and I went to get up as I used to. Gravity and momentum put me on the floor."

"Are you okay?" Auggie asked as he felt for her, finding her arm and grasping her wrist.

"Yeah, I think so. Kinda a funny thing to happen I guess. I guess I'm more embarrassed than anything. Sorry to wake you so suddenly." Annie said moving her arm that Auggie still held to her lap. "I hate to ask, but could you, ummm- Would you help me back up to the bed? I can do it myself, but-"

"Say no more, just tell me what to do." Auggie replied as he stood up from where he sat.

"You're just going to put your arms under my legs and behind my back. I'll grab around your neck and then lift me."

"Easy enough." Auggie said as he lifted Annie effortlessly into the air.

Annie's breath caught as he cradled her in his arms, so close to him, in such a typically intimate position. She found herself momentarily lost in his eyes that she was now inches from. It seemed like an eternity for Annie since she had been able to meet his eyes in this way. Impossibly they seemed to lock onto hers as she tightened her grip around his neck. She studied his features as the seconds passed, becoming drawn to his lips. As she moved to lean forward she felt his warm breath on her skin, drawing her in. As he took a step forward to keep his balance Annie wanted his lips on hers, but forced herself to stop before she allowed her lips to meet his, not wanting to ruin the friendship she required for support right now.

"The bed is right here, just a foot from where you are now." Annie whispered as Auggie carefully used his leg to feel for the bed. As he found it, he slowly brought Annie to the bed until he felt his own arm meet the edge of the bed and released her legs, but kept the other arm on her back until her arms released from around his neck.

"Thank you Auggie." Annie said as she reluctantly released him from her grasp. She was unsure if Auggie had felt anything during that moment or not, but she certainly had.

"No problem, Annie. I'll lift you out of any tough spot you find yourself in, physically, mentally, or emotionally." Auggie stated cryptically. "Now, hop to it missy, we have a date at the gym."

"Yes sir!" Annie replied secretly excited that Auggie had just said "date". Shaking her head she thought Annie Walker, get your head right, this is Auggie, not some school yard crush. He is your best friend and right now, is not the time for new relationships.

"I've got the bathroom first." Auggie said grabbing his gym gear as Annie pulled her wheelchair close to the bed to transfer to it.

"Hey, no fair!" Annie called out as he hastened to the bathroom. "I would have already been done if I-." But Annie just laughed it off as she transferred to her chair. Wheeling herself over to the dresser she got out a pair of gray sweatpants, a blue tank top and fresh underwear. She had to admit, staying on a routine was very good for her. Now that she was on a routine, she was having less "accidents". As she sat waiting patiently for Auggie to emerge from the bathroom, she remembered back to the first day she had been back at the rehabilitation center. She had decided to take a nap once they unpacked and had gotten settled. When she woke, Auggie politely informed her that he thought she needed her sheets changed. Of course, Annie was completely mortified, but Auggie had simply told her not to worry about it. He understood how these things happened. Luckily, Auggie did not insist on helping her himself. Instead a nurse came and helped Annie get to the bathroom. While she changed her clothes, the nurse quickly removed the evidence of the accident. Since then, Annie had been much more careful about keeping to a strict sleep, meal, and exercise routine.

She was enjoying this arrangement more than she wanted to admit. Basically living with Auggie had been awkward at first, but they had made it work. Auggie took the top drawer of the dresser, since it was the hardest for Annie to reach anyway. Auggie's bed was in the corner of the room out of the way. She was impressed with how easily he acclimated to the room. He never needed his cane while inside the room now, only when they were walking around the facility, and even then, usually, he walked with his hand on her left shoulder as she wheeled herself around, telling him if he needed to move behind her if someone else was coming up the hallway.

Once they were both ready for the gym Annie grabbed her gym bag that contained water bottles and towels for each of them, their phones, and now Auggie's cane. Placing it on her lap, she offered Aggie sighted guide by giving him the usual hand touch, which he took, following his arm up to her shoulder. As they headed out to the hallway, they found it deserted as usual. Not many of the residents were up this early and the staff didn't have to be on site until 7:30am.

After their work out they went back to Annie's room. Each showered and prepared themselves for breakfast. Annie's morning physical therapy and counselling session had been rescheduled for another time since Annie was expecting a visitor. Annie looked forward to seeing Joan and was even more excited to find out what kind of surprise she had for her.

At breakfast, Amber and Seth joined Annie and Auggie at what had become "their table". It was a lot easier for Auggie if they were able to go to the same table each time. This allowed for him to be able to function in the cafeteria more independently.

As they sat at the table, Annie was distracted by thoughts of Joan's visit and what her surprise could be. She wasn't sure what it could possibly be, but she hoped it had to do with a future with the CIA or information about where she would be going after leaving the rehab center. Auggie had told her that Joan would help find her a place to live when she left, but Annie had not expected results this soon.

After they finished their meal, Annie and Auggie headed towards the entrance of the center to wait for Joan to arrive. As Annie rolled down the halls, with Auggie a step behind her in their modified sighted guide, as they came down the hallway approaching the receptionist's desk Annie thought she could hear Joan's voice.

As she turned the corner, Annie heard Joan say, "We're here to see Annie Walker. She's expecting us."

Annie looked towards the desk and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Joan standing there with the last person on Earth she expected to see right now.