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

[freshoffthefarm]

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.

Comments

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay hoped she knew he was serious and she was just playing it off as a joke. If he didn't get a call he'd be very upset.

"I mean it. The time doesn't matter."

[freshoffthefarm]

The seriousness of his statement became obvious and she stopped teasing. "You're being serious? You want me to call you at three o'clock in the morning if that's what time I get in?" She furrowed her brow again. "That'd be a little--- late. Or early, depending."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"If that's the time you get in, that's the time you call."

Clay didn't care what time it was, knowing for a fact that Annie was safe was worth losing some sleep over.

[freshoffthefarm]

"Okay." She squeezed his hand once before pulling hers back. "I'll let you know when I'm back. Promise."

She finished her coffee and sat back in her chair, just enjoying their time sitting in the same spot, even if it was in a crowded cafeteria. Then she decided to say something else. "I'll miss you."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

That simple sentence meant more to him than he ever thought possible, "I'll miss you too."

Clay was being quiet, savoring their last coffee date until Annie got back.

[freshoffthefarm]

The smile she gave him was beautiful and she ducked her head immediately after flashing it at him. "Thank you."

A moment later, she sat upright and lifted her cup. "I have to get back upstairs, read the rest of the report, get things in order before I go home and pack..."

She trailed off apologetically.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"I'll talk to you soon."

[freshoffthefarm]

It wasn't the most romantic goodbye, but she placed her hand on his shoulder as she passed him by, lingering for only a moment -- then she was gone.