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

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[fakes_death]

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]

"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]

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]

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]

"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]

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]

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]

"It wasn't just--" She could feel herself choking up and the lump in her throat made it hard for her to speak. The quietness in his voice made her look up at him and the expression on his face nearly broke her heart.

She needed him to understand everything that had happened, how it had happened. "When Lena showed up at Danielle's, he tried to push me out of the way. He tried to save my life again." She caught Clay's eye. "That half-inch to the right? If he hadn't pushed me, she would have hit my heart."

Another pause as she suddenly found herself unable to say anything. "Clay."

[fakes_death]

"Annie," he paused to put his fork down, "I mean it. If he hadn't loved you and you hadn't loved him? We wouldn't be sitting here picking through breakfast at," he looked at the clock, "a quarter to one in the morning."

Then he smiled just a little, "You aren't the only woman I've loved. I'd be stupid to think I'm the only man you have. We have pasts."

That didn't make it any easier to hear though.

[freshoffthefarm]

"I know, but there's something else you should know."

Her own smile was soft, bordering on tender. "You're the only man I've loved like I do. Ben and Simon were intense, fast, hot... you're different, too. You're the only man I've known I can count on for anything at any time. I've always loved you, no matter who else was there. I need you to know that."