freshoffthefarm | [AU] ... from the 'meet at a different time' meme

After two years at the Agency, Annie's job hadn't gotten any better (or worse). Sure, it had it's downsides - namely, being shot at (or being shot), but the biggest one had to be the Agency parking lot.

She could never, ever find a parking spot.

Of course, the morning that she'd gotten up early and proceeded to spill coffee on her first outfit, had to jump start her car and then fill a tire with air? She managed to get behind the chatty son-of-a-bitch in the compensation car at the guard shack. She sat there, plotting the ways to key his car without actually getting caught and then he'd moved on.

Smiling at the guys in the shack, she showed her ID, waited until they'd looked under her cars with mirrors, and then picked up the pace on the way to the agent parking lot.

It just wasn't her morning.

The short cut she took through the visitor lot took her right past the spots in front for all the diplomats and the Agency hotshots. She didn't see Mr. Compensation trying to adjust his parking until she'd plowed into his rear bumper.

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The warmth of his car, combined with the knowledge that she was finally home, added to the fact that she was beyond exhausted all meant one thing.

By the time he pulled into her driveway, she was curled against the door, asleep.

He pulled into the parking lot on the side of the building and parked his car in a visitor space before trying to wake up Annie.

"Annie," he said at a quieter than normal volume, "You're home. Time to wake up."

He planned on walking her up to her apartment, just to make sure she was all settled in for the night. Ops like the one she'd been on were hard to come back from.

The quiet tone of his voice finally broke through the fog of her brain and she pushed herself to a sitting position.

"Thank you," she said, trying not to yawn. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Her smile was apologetic as she reached for the door handle.

"It's okay," he said trying his best to be comforting. "I know how tired these things can make you."

He got out of the car before opening Annie's door and getting her bag out of the back of the car.

"Mind if I walk you upstairs?"

Annie reached for her bag, now more happy to be home than ever. His offer, however, struck her as more personal than professional. The very tired part of her wanted to say yes, the rational part of her, what was left, tried to give him an out.

"It's late. Very late. Isn't your wife going to wonder where you are?"

"If I had one she probably would. It's really not a problem, unless it makes you uncomfortable."

His offer was more personal than professional, but he had a feeling if asked, Annie would just say he was worried about her driving home alone.

"If you'd like to, I won't stop you."

Loosely translated to: please do. She led the way up the short flight of stairs to her apartment, then unlocked the door. Glancing at him over her shoulder, she wasn't sure how far he wanted to go, so she left the door open in case he wanted to come in.

She shed her jacket right away and winced visibly at her reflection in the nearest mirror. "I need to take a shower."

Clay followed Annie into her apartment and closed the door behind him. "Where would you like me to put your bag?"

He wondered if he should offer to stay until she was done in the shower, but figured that doing so was a little too personal for two people who barely knew each other.

Whether he offered or not, she stepped into the bathroom without waiting for him to leave. As far as she was concerned, that was why doors were invented.

"Just next to the door," she called, starting the shower and peeling off her clothes. "I'll deal with it in the morning. If you want one-" At three in the morning- "there's beer in the fridge. I think."

Then she was in the shower. Nothing was going to stop her.

Clay put Annie's bag by the door and waited in her living room for a few minutes before getting himself a glass of water. He was worried about leaving her alone tonight.

CIA operatives were supposed to be able to compartmentalize what happened on missions, but deep cover operatives like this were different. He knew that from his own experiences, and he always hated coming home to an empty apartment.

Twenty minutes later, Annie emerged from the shower cleaner, and more tired, than before. She skirted around the corner dressed in just the towel, then got dressed in her room.

Five minutes later, she entered the living room dressed in yoga pants and a tank top, her hair in a ponytail. She smelled like lavender and mint. The smile she gave the man in her livingroom was all gratefulness as she joined him on the couch.

"I can't remember being so exhausted," she confessed quietly, her head falling back against the couch.

Lavender and mint was a much nicer thing to smell like than days of Eastern Europe and airplane.

"Was this your first one of these?"

He knew the answer, as he'd read her file over the past six months, but he figured talking about it might help her.

Talking would likely help, but not while she was falling asleep while sitting up.

In fact, she was a little amused at the question. "You're telling me that you didn't look at my file at all over the last few months?" She let her head roll to the side to look at him, still smiling. " I thought you'd do it after I hit you."

"I looked, but only after I sent you on this mission. Joan was right, you're good."

Clay smiled a little after she looked over at him, recognizing she was beyond exhausted. "And you should go to bed."

"Thanks," she murmured, eyes closed and a smile on her face. "And so should you. It's late and that suit can't be comfortable."

It would dawn on her much later that she might have said inappropriate things.

"Don't worry about it," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, then wrote his home and cell numbers on the back.

"If you need anything, give me a call, okay? You aren't going to bother me."

Opening her eyes againn she nodded as she took the card, though she knew she'd never use it. She had her own chain of command to follow, technically.

"Maybe we can do coffee," she said, sliding his card onto her coffee table and standing so she could walk him to the door.

"I'd like that."

They'd already done that once, but a second time that isn't agency sponsored would be nice.

When he made it to the door he looked over at her again, "If you'd like a ride to get your car, let me know."

It was after all, his offer that left her car at Langley.

"I can take a cab or call Jai, my partner," she told him, waving off his offer. "But thank you for driving me home, Director."

She gave him another tired smile and reached for the door handle.

Clay nodded in response, "Goodnight Annie, and Clay's fine."

As he walked back down to his car, he hoped that Annie would get a good night's sleep uninterrupted by whatever she may have seen while on that mission.

[AU] ... from the 'meet at a different time' meme

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