Thai food and Shrinks

[fakes_death]

Clay got home from Langley about an hour after his usual time, thanks to his job and the line at his favorite Thai restaurant. He set the bag on the counter, and loosened his tie. Annie should be home any minute from one of her sessions with the Agency Psychologist

Comments

[freshoffthefarm]

When she walked in the door, Annie could smell the Thai food and it made her smile. She set her purse down on the table closest to the door and set the alarm behind her before stepping out of her heels and stretching. Then she went to go find Clay.

"Sorry I'm so late," she said by way of apology as she came around the corner into the kitchen. "The traffic was a little worse than usual, which is weird since I have no idea what so many people are doing out this late."

It was an attempt at normal conversation so that he wouldn't go on about her real reason for being later than normal in the first place. She really didn't like answering questions.

[fakes_death]

"It's alright." Since Annie told him the real reason for her lateness, there had been no more suspicions, only warm dinners and normal conversation, just like he promised. "I got home on the late side myself."

[freshoffthefarm]

"Because of food?" She was grateful that he didn't probe into her sessions with the doctor, simply because she was still working out her deeper issues with her op herself. It was difficult to keep anything from him, and though he was more than welcome to look into the facts of the mission, he didn't know about the intricacies and that made all the difference.

Still, she enjoyed a little bit of downtime when she got home and this was it. Picking up a stray vegetable here and there before giving him a kiss. "Hi."

[fakes_death]

"That's one of the reasons. I had something at lunch today that ran over." Apparently, it was harder to tell Annie that he went to the Agency Psychologist

He did return her kiss though, "Hi. I bought your favorite."

[freshoffthefarm]

"Really? Usually you have fairly tame lunches."

She said it around the kiss and then smiled at him, the first truly genuine smile she'd given all day. It showed, too, the way her face lit up just for him, even as she reached behind him to pick at another vegetable.

"I see that and I'm starving."

[fakes_death]

"Sit and enjoy," he said with a smile.

He'd let Annie eat first, then tell her about his visits with the shrink. She needed to eat, and if he told her beforehand she wouldn't.

[freshoffthefarm]

It didn't go unnoticed that he'd ignored her comment about his lunch, but she didn't want to pass up good, hot food. Especially since she was so hungry.

Dinners at the Webb house were usually filled with quiet talk about their days, but Annie didn't really feel like going into that, either. Instead, she said, "How would you feel about going riding this weekend?"

She knew it had been a while.

[fakes_death]

"I think that would be great." It had been weeks, actually, since he'd been riding.

Clay ate his dinner, actually enjoying it more than normal. He assumed it was because he didn't really get to eat lunch.

[freshoffthefarm]

When dinner was over, Annie pushed her plate away, happy with her day and the way it had gone. Plus, a fantastic dinner and she was a content woman.

"That was wonderful, thank you."

[fakes_death]

"You're welcome. I thought you'd like something a little different than usual." Clay'd been cooking lately. Then he got up and cleared the plates.

"How were things at the Doctor?"

[freshoffthefarm]

Her mood didn't shift so much as she blinked and her smile faded just a little as she stood to take their wine glasses out, too.

"It went okay," she said, her tone more guarded than she really wanted it to be. She poured herself another half-glass and lifted it to her lips. Pausing there, she added, "It's just talking, so I'm not sure how I feel after except kind of drained."

[fakes_death]

Clay nodded again and decided to just tell Annie what he'd been doing, "I went yesterday."

[freshoffthefarm]

She'd just started to take a drink when he spoke and her brow furrowed. Lowering the glass again, she tilted her head with a confused look. "Wait, what? You went to the Agency shrink?"

This was not what she was expecting to hear at all.

[fakes_death]

"I did. We have monthly meetings scheduled."

He was quiet for a second before continuing, hoping Annie didn't take this incorrectly, "I wanted to make sure I was doing the right things for you."

[freshoffthefarm]

Her first thought was that he was checking up on her but her rational mind fixed that before she could get upset; the doctor wasn't allowed to give away that information, not to the Director or her husband, even if it were the same man.

"You're afraid you were doing the wrong things for me?" She was still holding her glass tightly and looking at him as though he were crazy enough to see a shrink. "Clay, no. You're doing just fine. It's me. I'm the one with all the problems."

[fakes_death]

Clay would never dream of asking for that information even if the doctor was allowed to give it. It was Annie's business, and if she wanted to tell him, she would.

"I was worried I would make things worse or something. This wasn't a situation I ever anticipated working through." He was being completely honest, "And you don't have all the problems. This is something that effects both of us, so you're not going through it alone."