[MEME] -- #5, the AU from Hell

[freshoffthefarm]

[From here, as requested by fakes]
--

It was an op in Vegas, which was so weird since most of her domestic ops stayed in the DC Metro area, and Annie had done her job well. The extra babysitting had been extra annoying (when wasn't it?), but he'd come along to visit an old friend... or so he'd said.

She hadn't seen hide or hair of him during her mission, but when she went to have a drink in the bar at their hotel late the night before they were supposed to leave, she found him sitting in a dark corner. When didn't he sit in dark corners, really, but she rolled her eyes and put a smile on her face to join him.

Their breakup and subsequent dealings had been difficult, and after that State Dinner, she'd gone out of her way to keep her distance from him as much as possible. That didn't mean they couldn't enjoy a drink or two (or seven) while in Vegas.

Unfortunately--

When Annie woke to the pounding in her head, she almost couldn't open her eyes. When she finally managed, she ignored the immense nausea she felt and peered at the walls in the hotel room she was in. She hadn't been given this nice of a room, not on the Agency's dime, no. This was something else. Turning, she caught sight of a man's head and her eyes widened, causing the pounding to pick up and she clenched her eyes shut again with a groan.

Clapping both hands, right over left, on her head, she felt something heavy and lifted them again almost immediately. Seeing the wedding ring set on her left hand, she gasped.

"Oh, my God."

Comments

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if I'm interested in it or afraid of it." Joan upset was something he'd done his best to avoid it during his entire career.

"Eleven at Starbucks sounds great. I'll talk to you tonight and see you then."

[freshoffthefarm]

"Bye."

She gave a tiny wave over her shoulder as she walked out the door and into the hot summer night in DC. It didn't take her long to retrieve her car and head home.

Once there, she removed her rings and put them in her safe, along with the rest of her documents from the trip. Then she got ready for bed before calling Clay.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Webb spent his ride back to Alexandria contemplating how he was going to tell his mother that he got married to Annie in Las Vegas and came up empty. There was no romantic story and no memory of what actually happened. He supposed the best way to do it was the truth right from the start.

When he got home, he got ready for bed, and answered the phone when Annie called, "Glad you made it home okay, Mrs. Webb."

[freshoffthefarm]

"You're never going to get tired of saying that, are you?" Her tone was teasing, but she wasn't upset, obviously.

Tucking her feet under her sheets, she settled in and turned out the light next to her bed.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"No, I don't think I ever am going to get tired of it."

Nine months ago he was sure that he'd never have a shot, now this.

"Feel good to be home in your own bed?"

[freshoffthefarm]

It gave her a ridiculously happy thrill to hear him say it since, nine months earlier, she didn't think she'd ever have a chance.

"It really does. I think that morning is going to come way too early and tomorrow is going to be way too long. I'm probably going to pack a bag and stay at your place after dinner, if that's okay?"

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

He agreed with her assessment of the following day. It was going to be entirely too long and entirely too exhausting since he anticipated having to field questions about what happened in Vegas.

"That's just fine." They were married after all.

[freshoffthefarm]

"Okay," she said, "then I'll see you tomorrow."

Annie paused for a brief moment, then added as an afterthought, "Goodnight, Mr. Webb."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay chuckled a little, "Goodnight, Mrs. Webb. See you at eleven."

And with that he hung up the phone. At least coffee dates were back on.