Immediately following this...

[freshoffthefarm]

While Webb went downstairs to find food for the two of them to nibble on in bed, Annie took the opportunity to go into the bathroom and strip out of the clothes she'd put on temporarily when they'd gotten home from the office.

Her breakdown had given her an incredible headache which the nap had only dulled slightly, so she took a painkiller from the medicine cabinet over the sink and then turned on the shower. Though it didn't always help, the water was a calming influence on her and she stepped into the warm water with a sigh.

She didn't stay in there long, just enough to wash her hair and let the water stream down over her shoulders to loosen the muscles. It was a place of reflection for her and as she thought back over why the intern's touch had sent her into such a panic, it wasn't hard to remember why - Yuriy's control at the end had been thorough. Why she'd thought she could handle such another deep cover assignment...

No, she knew why. Because she'd done one similar six years earlier.

One hand traveled over the scars in her chest lightly before she reached to turn the water off. It wasn't something she'd ever really discussed with Clay, though she'd had plenty of opportunity. She always figured he'd seen the reports and never said anything because he didn't want to know the details. In reality, she knew better: he wasn't the kind of man to pry into the details.

As she dried off with one of their fluffy towels, she came back into the bedroom with it tied around her body. She caught sight of him sitting there with a tray of various items from the kitchen and smiled tenderly before taking a t-shirt of his out of his drawer.

Dressed again, more or less, she crawled onto the bed on the other side of the tray and sat cross-legged.

"Looks good."

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[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

When Clay got to the kitchen he threw his original plan of making something simple or cleaning out the fridge for dinner out the window. Instead, he decided to make Annie an array of breakfast food. It took a little longer than he anticipated but when he was done, there was a very nice meal on the tray to be carried upstairs.

Much to his surprise Annie wasn't done getting dressed so he set the tray down and got changed for bed. When he heard that it looked good, well Annie got a big smile.

"Thank you." Then he started to eat his breakfast-for-dinner.

[freshoffthefarm]

Reaching over, she lifted a piece of bacon and bit into it, her bliss showing on her face. "Tastes good, too."

She shifted on the bed again, getting more comfortable, before picking up one of the napkins and wiping her hands. Then she looked at him and shook her head.

"It was kind of a long day, wasn't it?" Lifting her water bottle, she took a drink. "Are you okay?"

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"A very long day," Clay affirmed. Annie had it worse than he had, she had to relive everything that happened to her in Eastern Europe.

"I think I should be asking you that question. I'm just worried about you."

[freshoffthefarm]

"I know you are," she said quietly, a rush of guilt racing through her as she looked down at the bed spread.

Flattening herself on the bed, she picked up a fork and picked at the eggs there, determined to eat, even if she felt her appetite fading as their minimal conversation went on. "I know I was a wreck at work and I'm sorry I made a scene. Even if that's not what you're worried about," she said before he could say anything, "I'm still sorry. It's--"

Annie took a deep breath and took a bite, shaking her head. "It's kind of complicated. More than Europe. More than... more than Yuriy. That's... that was his name."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay raised an eyebrow at Annie's explanation that 'It was complicated.' What in their lives wasn't at this point? Then as she went on, he wisely kept his mouth shut, instead of telling her to eat first. From what it seemed, Annie was finally talking, and he was going to listen.

He leaned back a little, while still eating, and asked his next question, as broad as he could make it, "What happened?"

[freshoffthefarm]

"In Europe?" She wasn't sure what he was asking and gave a shrug as she lifted another bite with her fork. "What didn't happen?"

She took the bite, then set the fork down, shaking her head. The entire story was so convoluted that she wasn't sure where to begin. To say it was complicated was really a compliment to the situation at hand and she sighed.

"Do you remember--" Of course he remembered. It was a stupid thing to say. "Back when I was working for Lena."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

That didn't sound good at all. But he'll leave it for now. Besides, he hated asking questions that were too probing. It brought him back to his years as an interrogator. The last thing he wanted Annie to feel during all of this was interrogated.

"Of course I remember." And not just because he was worried sick for her but because he knew of the aftermath.

[freshoffthefarm]

"It was another op like this one." It came out rapidly, almost as if she didn't say it right away, she might not say it at all. "Long term, undercover... but I stayed at Langley and just traveled to where I needed to be."

She swallowed hard and looked down at the tray of food, picking at it lightly until she removed a grape from the bowl of fruit. "Lena'd asked me to do it-- part of her grand plan, but. It was exciting. New. Fun. All the autonomy I'd wanted since I'd joined the Agency and then..."

Annie looked up at him, obviously haunted.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"And then, all of us in the appropriate departments with "Director" in our titles were called to a meeting in the Seventh Floor conference room very early on a Saturday morning and were presented the evidence. Arthur let Lena run the briefing. Annie Walker was, by all accounts, guilty of treason."

He sighed remembering that day. The look on Joan's face and his complete silence. All of it was a disaster.

[freshoffthefarm]

It still stung, the idea that she could be guilty of treason of all things. Hearing him say it made her heart pound all over again and she nodded once.

"Right. But there was a man. I mean, of course there was a man, but..." She took a deep breath. "I loved him. A lot. He wasn't what I'd been told, what all the intelligence led me to believe. He was..."

It was odd, talking about Simon after six years. She'd simply never done it. "He was different."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Her admission almost made Webb choke on his eggs. Annie was in love with Simon. Of course she was. Why else would all of that happened? How else could it all be so convincing?

"How different?"

[freshoffthefarm]

"He..." She paused and thought back, aware that things weren't the same now as they had been back then and a small smile came over her face. "We were in Cuba. I was there to find out about a cellular relay that he had, he thought I was there for vacation, but..."

She ducked her head and sighed. "His handler was there. He told Simon that I had to go, that I wasn't who I said I was and Simon-- He killed him. He killed his handler to save my life."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay's quiet response surprised even him, "Then I'm glad you loved each other."

The look on his face said she should continue.

[freshoffthefarm]

In the morning, Annie woke before the sun had come up and looked up to see Clay still asleep. She knew full well that he'd wake up as soon as she started moving, but it didn't stop her from trying to be as gentle and quiet as possible when she pulled herself out of his embrace.

She had a small headache, but it was to be expected from the small amount of sleep and the breakdown she'd had the day before. Sitting up on the bed, she was careful to avoid the tray she'd left on the floor earlier in the night and she picked it up before heading out of the room.

Downstairs, she took care of the dishes and washed all the counters before starting coffee and looking outside at the darkness in the backyard.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay did indeed wake up when Annie left their bed, but he tried not to let on, just in case she was going to be back. When he smelled coffee, he figured it was time to join her downstairs. He even fought off the urge to get dressed first and headed right into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Annie."

[freshoffthefarm]

"Morning," she said, though she didn't turn from the back doors where she was still staring at the back door. The calmness she was feeling was evident in her posture and her tone of voice. "I love this house. I've always loved this house."

She finally turned to look at him, a soft smile on her face. "I've always loved you."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

Clay put his arms around Annie's waist and pulled her back into him just a little, doing his best not to disturb her view too much. "I love you too, always."

It was just as much of a promise as he'd made when they'd gotten married.

[freshoffthefarm]

She nodded. "I know."

Annie waited another minute, until she heard the coffee finish percolating, before she turned in his arms and looked him over. "Look at you, you're not even dressed. I'll get the coffee."

Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she stepped around him to get cups out of the cabinet.

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"I'm full of surprises." He knew Annie knew he rarely left their bedroom without getting dressed. Today though, she was more important than his clothing.

He leaned back against the counter and watched Annie pour the coffee and wondered if she knew just how much he missed her while she was gone.

[freshoffthefarm]

"Constantly," she agreed with a quiet smile as she poured, then turned with his cup. Pressing it into his hands, she lifted her own to her lips. Coffee, black, was apparently back on as she'd gotten used to it without all the sweetness as she'd been away.

She caught him looking at her and her brows furrowed, even as her smile softened. "What's on your mind?"

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"I was thinking about how much I missed you." It was simple, to the point, and completely true. "I've missed everything about you. Even how you make coffee in the morning."

He took a sip out of his mug, foregoing the usual cream and sugar, to watch his wife in their kitchen.

[freshoffthefarm]

To hear him say it in such simple terms, so early in the morning, Annie felt her heart soften even further and she gave him a very tender smile. "I make coffee just like anyone else does, Clay. With a coffee pot."

When he didn't add cream or sugar, she tilted her head. "No sugar?"

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"Not this cup. Maybe the next one."

Annie made coffee like Clay made breakfast. It was normal to everyone else but to them it was something special. Just something between the two of them.

"I was watching you."

[freshoffthefarm]

"Watching me?"

Annie took another drink of her coffee and gazed into the cup without taking for a solid minute before taking a second drink. "I'm not going anywhere, Clay. I'm better after last night."

Looking up at him, she widened her smile. "Thank you again for that."

[fakes-death.livejournal.com]

"You watch me in the kitchen I watch you. That's all."

Clay put his coffee cup on the counter and put his arms around Annie's waist, "You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad you're feeling a little better." He wasn't going to give her the 100% yet.

"I meant what I said, if you need my help with anything. Just let me know. I'm not going to see you any differently."