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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Webb was already up and in Annie's kitchen making coffee. He showered and dressed in everything but his tie and suit jacket. The last thing he wanted to do was disrupt Annie's morning routine enough that she'd be late for work.

Seeing that Webb was gone from her bed only caused Annie a moment's worry. After all, he had brought a suit with him to her apartment, so she knew he hadn't had to go home to get a new one. That meant he was--

Yes, she heard the coffee pot percolating in the kitchen and the familiar scent of coffee going made her smile as she threw back the covers and stood to join him. Seeing him (mostly) dressed for the day made her smile, even the entire scene was incredibly domestic. He managed to look put together and extremely dapper no matter what he was, or wasn't, wearing.

Leaning in the doorway much like he had the previous night, she gave him a slow smile. "You know, if you do things like this--" And she motioned toward the coffee pot before pushing off from the door jamb to find herself a mug in the cabinet above the dishwasher, "-- I'm going to have to keep you around for a while."

He did know her coffee weaknesses, after all.

"I doubt I'll mind much." Clay doubted he'd mind at all.

After a brief stint of opening and closing cabinet doors, he found two coffee mugs and filled them both, managing to get the ratios of coffee, cream, and sugar perfect in both.

Coffee was more an art than a weakness for Webb.

He handed one of the mugs to Annie before picking his up and taking a sip.

Like always, Annie's first drink was accompanied by closed eyes and a happy smile. "Perfect. This is perfect."

She took another drink, then opened her eyes to look at him. "You're perfect."

Clay knew he was far from perfect, but the ease with which she said that left him at a loss for words. He couldn't think of anything else to say other than, "Thank you."

Anything he'd say after that would sound completely hollow and he didn't even think Thank you was the appropriate response, just the one he could come up with at the time.

Stepping close, she lifted her chin for a quick kiss and then sashayed off toward her bedroom. "I have to get dressed. Be right back."

She set her coffee cup on her dresser while she went about finding an outfit that was appropriate, sneaking sips along the way. Once she was ready, she stepped into her shoes and took her cup back out to the kitchen.

"What time do you usually go in?"

"I'm usually at my desk by nine."

He couldn't help but look Annie over in her work clothes. He had to admit the shoes made the outfit.

"We have a department meeting at ten."

She watched as he looked her over, a smile of pure amusement appearing as his gaze reached her head again. "Do I meet with your approval?"

"You do," Clay said with a smile.

Annie looked fantastic and he was going to tell her so, "You look great."

His compliment made her grin and she set her cup in the sink before turning back to him.

"Nine sounds good, but the rest of us minions and peons have to be in around eight-thirty," she told him matter-of-factly as she reached for her purse.

Clay downed the rest of his coffee before getting his vest, jacket and tie. "I'll leave with you, then."

Stopping at the door, she placed a hand on his waist and paused in her rush to leave on time.

Annie took a breath and looked up at him, a small smile appearing on her face. "Last night was really incredible and having you here when I woke up was..." She thought about it for probably a moment too long. "Nice."

To avoid any extra awkwardness, she kissed him.

Clay returned Annie's kiss, doing his best to not mess up her makeup, "I thought so too, about all of it."

Then he put on his vest, draped his tie under his collar, and shrugged on his jacket then grabbed his bag so Annie wouldn't be late.

Taking the hint, she opened the door and waited until he was through it before she locked up and pulled her own jacket on.

"I'm not sure exactly, but if you're interested, I should have a break around eleven, like usual." She said it as she headed for her car.

"Then I'll see you at 11."

Clay walked around to his car, and stashed his bag in the trunk. As far as he was concerned, everyone in the office is going to think he spent his evening alone, in his condo.

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

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