FIC Bailout
Title: Bailout
Characters: Auggie Anderson, Annie Walker, Emma Chandler, Jackson Michas
Fandom: Covert Affairs
Series:
Written For:
Prompt: Coda for episode 304 “Speed of Life”
Summary: Auggie thought he could count on Annie, but maybe not. In the end, he calls the one person he can always count on to bail him out when he gets into trouble.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Episode 304
Warnings: Um. Emma is protective of her boy. Auggie lets himself be bullied by her. Annie is at a loss.
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me. Emma was supposed to belong to me, but really doesn’t belong to anyone, not even Auggie. Not making any money off this.
Author's Note: So I really, really wasn’t happy with the way Annie treated Auggie in this episode. And then Emma started bitching about how badly Auggie was treated. Honestly I’m impressed she hasn’t hunted down Parker and shown her the error of her ways. Thanks go to whogeek for looking this over and also to illfindmyway for letting me randomly spam her. Hope y’all enjoy!
Emma tightened her grip on her purse strap then took a deep breath before marching up the steps of the police station. Inside she headed directly for the desk sergeant, figuring she'd start there and work her way up until she got what she wanted. "I'd like to speak with whomever's in charge of the fight at the tavern," she informed the man at the desk.
"That would be me," another voice answered before the sergeant could. "And you are?"
"Emma Chandler. I'm here for August Anderson."
"And why exactly do you feel you can just demand him?" the officer replied.
"Is there somewhere else we can have this conversation? Rather than the middle of the hallway? And am I allowed to know who I'm speaking with?" Emma responded.
"Jackson Michas," the man answered. "And yes, this way please." He escorted Emma into a room just off the hallway then repeated, "Why should I turn Anderson over to you?"
"Why was Auggie the only person arrested?" Emma responded. "The other man pushed him. And started the altercation."
"Anderson assaulted him with a bottle and the other man is pressing charges."
Emma nodded. "I'm sure you'll agree there are extenuating circumstances with Auggie's situation though."
"Because he's blind?"
"And a veteran."
The officer regarded her for a minute. “I had noticed that and while normally that would allow him some…special thought. He assaulted a man with a glass bottle.”
“From what I understand he was just defending himself. You’re talking about a man who reacts badly when threatened. I’d say that man got off pretty easily.”
“And I should just let him loose on the population with not forethought?”
“I never said that.” Emma crossed her arms. “Auggie is normally much more controlled. Clearly something happened and from the voicemails I got when I got back to town; the other people he normally has for support weren’t around.” She tugged on her ponytail. “I get that you can’t just outright release him. But can I put up a bond or something? Or can he be released into my custody?”
“He’s been to court already and bail assigned. He just had no one to post it for him. If you’re willing…”
“Point me in the right direction,” Emma replied.
By the time she finished filling out all the paperwork and signing what felt like more paperwork than when she had joined the Army, someone had escorted Auggie out to her. She dropped the pen onto the last page and spun towards him, saying, “Auggie!”
“Emmie!” Auggie reached towards her and Emma completed the motion, gripping his forearms until he was steady and then pulling him into her arms. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Yeah.” She pulled back and looked him in the eye, as much as she could. “You run and I’ll hunt you down myself,” she threatened.
Auggie gulped. “Um. Not the best place.”
Emma patted him on the arm. “I think Officer Michas and I have an understanding now.” She turned back to the police officer. “His effects? And I assume there’s a notation on when he needs to be back at court in his paperwork?”
Michas handed an envelope across to her as he nodded. “Everything’s written down there. Including the name of his public defender from the hearing.”
“Thank you for everything,” Emma said as she took Auggie’s elbow to guide him out of the station.
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“This isn’t my apartment,” Auggie commented as he opened the door and Emma handed him his cane.
“Yes, because I’m absolutely taking you back to your apartment so you can do more damage to yourself or others,” Emma responded. When Auggie didn’t move, she added, “Move your cute ass, Anderson.”
Auggie glared in the direction of her voice, but heaved himself out of the car. By the time he made it up to the front door, Emma had it open and guided him inside. “I’m not staying,” he informed her.
“Keep telling yourself that. You want something to eat?” she called back. “You might want food for your lecture.”
“I wasn’t planning to give a lecture,” Auggie replied.
“You’re getting it, not giving one,” Emma responded. “Food? Either pick now or I’ll pick for you.”
“Whatever, Emma. I’m really not hungry.” Auggie found a kitchen chair by memory and feel and dropped into it. “So on a scale of one to ten, how pissed are you?”
“At you?” She moved over, wrapping her arms around him and dropping a kiss on top of his head before going to see what she had in the way of food. “About a four, maybe a five, because it was stupid for you to get into a fight. At Parker? She definitely gets a ten. Annie gets a five bordering on a six.”
“Well I’m glad to know that I rate the lowest on your pissed off o’meter,” Auggie cracked.
Emma slammed the soup can down on the counter. “Auggie, this is not a joking manner. You could have seriously hurt that man or vice versa. What were you thinking? Or is the point that you weren’t?”
“I was thinking that the woman I love had just left me and when I called my two best friends neither of them were there for me!” Auggie yelled. “And I get why you weren’t there and it wasn’t exactly your fault, but Annie just blew me off!”
Emma went back to attacking the soup can, trying to figure out what she wanted to say next. “I’m not even going to touch the Annie subject because I’m more pissed at what she did. And putting her job above you is one thing, but not showing up at all is completely different.” She dumped the soup into a pot and turned to face him. “You and I have a whole ‘nother problem. One where you drank enough-in public mind you-that you weren’t in control of yourself enough to know your surroundings.”
Auggie put his head down on the table and told the top of it something.
“What was that?” Emma cupped her ear. “I’m sorry. The table is not translating for you today.”
Raising his head enough so that she could understand him, Auggie snapped, “Your sarcasm is not appreciated. I said I didn’t really give a damn what happened to me.”
“Oh, Auggie.” Emma wrapped her arms around him, pulling back until his head rested against her breasts. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, running her fingers through his hair as she waited for him to relax into her hold. “Do I need to call Doctor Peters?”
Auggie synced his breathing to hers, until he felt himself relax in her hold. “No. No. You don’t need to do that. I’ll be okay.”
“If you change your mind…” she trailed off, pressing a kiss to the top of his head again.
“I know. Can we. Is it okay if we. Emmie, I just want to go to bed and sleep. But I don’t want to sleep alone.”
Emma tilted his head so she could look him in the eye, not that it really mattered. “Just sleep. Right?”
“Yeah. I just. I need…”
And she understood. It was the same thing it always was. When Auggie’s emotional world was upset, his physical world suffered and he clung to people that were familiar to him. Parker had upset his balance by leaving him and then the fight and now he needed to cling to something familiar and comforting. She had never minded being that for him. She just couldn’t be everything. Unlike Parker, she would never leave him though. “Of course,” she soothed. “Do you want me to go up with you? Or is it all right if I lock up and then join you?”
“I’m okay to go get in bed. If you didn’t move anything.”
“Nothing has been moved. But take your cane,” Emma added as she released him to head upstairs. She worked really hard on keeping her house; at least the rooms Auggie tended to go into, friendly to him and knew he shouldn’t have a problem navigating to her bedroom.
Once he was out of the room, she considered the soup for a minute, finally putting the lid on it and shoving it in the refrigerator. Glancing around the kitchen, she decided there was nothing else she could do for now. As she was heading towards the door to lock it, the bell rang. “Emmie? Who is it?”
“I’ll deal with it, Augs,” Emma called back. “Stay up there.” There was a murmur of something back in response, but it wasn’t clear enough for her to actually make out what he said. Emma rolled her eyes, figuring that Auggie had made himself a blanket burrito and was hiding from the world.
Opening the door, she sighed when she saw who was on the other side. “You know, if I have to pick someone I did not want to see tonight…you were second on the list.” Crossing her arms, she demanded, “What do you want?”
“Is Auggie here?” Annie asked. “Is he okay?”
“I’m sorry but now you want to know how he is? Now it fits into your schedule? Nice of you to bother now when he could have used a friend in the last twenty-four hours. I’m glad to know where he rates in your life. If you need him, you just need to crook your little finger, but god forbid he actually need you!”
Annie blinked at the vehemence in her voice. “What are you talking about?”
“Auggie had one phone call and needed help. Clearly he couldn’t count on you. If you want any other information, you’ll have to wait and see if he decides to talk to you.”
“He’s my friend, too,” Annie protested.
“Really?” Emma asked. “I couldn’t tell from your actions the last few days. If Auggie had called needing me, I would have dropped everything and gone to him.” She held up her hand when Annie started to protest. “And I get that you had a work thing, but you waited hours to try to call him and then just left a message. Really? That’s a great friend you are there.”
“I was working on some other stuff…and then I had some personal things I had to deal with,” Annie defended herself.
“Maybe you should stop and think about what’s important.”
“My friendship with Auggie is important!”
Emma just stared at her for a minute. “You know what? I can’t deal with you tonight. Go away. Go home. I don’t really care what you do, but get off my door step. I’ll talk to Auggie when he’s awake and feeling less…well when he’s awake and see if he’s willing to talk to you.”
“And if I demand to talk to him now?” Annie asked.
“You forfeited that right when you blew him off,” Emma replied. “Go. Away.”
“Em-mie!” Auggie yelled. Emma turned to see him standing at the top of the stairs, hanging onto the banister. “Let her in,” he said quietly.
“You’re supposed to be in bed,” Emma reminded him.
“You aren’t quiet when you get upset. Just…” He waved a hand. “Let her in. And bring her up here.”
Emma stepped back to allow Annie entrance to the house. “You upset him. At all. And I’ll physically remove you. Got it?”
Annie nodded in reply, then watched as Emma locked up. “I understand you don’t want…”
Emma held a hand up. “Just. Don’t. If I had my way, you’d be gone, but it’s what Auggie wants.”
“Do you always do what Auggie wants?”
“No, I don’t. But I try to do what’s best for him.”
Auggie was already back in the bed when they reached the room. “Welcome to my…well actually it’s not my boudoir. It’s Emma’s, but well…” He tried for his customary smirk, but it fell a little short.
Emma leaned over, pressing her forehead against his, and saying something too softly for Annie to hear. He nodded in response, gripping the edge of her shirt for a minute. When she straightened back up, she motioned to a chair across the room. “You can bring that closer if you want.” Grabbing a t-shirt that was at the bottom of the bed, she moved around the furniture as she began to strip off her clothes; changing into the shirt. “It’s up to you what you tell her,” she explained to Auggie as she slipped into bed behind him.
As Auggie snuggled into Emma’s embrace, Annie dragged the chair closer to the bed. She watched as Emma ran a hand through Auggie’s hair, pressing his head back against her chest until he relaxed his body against hers. “Look I don’t know what happened, but I was dealing with some stuff and I had a really bad day,” Annie started before he could say anything.
A bitter laugh escaped from Emma and Auggie’s hand closed reflexively around her arm. “You had a bad day?” she demanded. “I just bailed Auggie out of jail!”
“I. You what? Why was Auggie in jail?” Annie asked.
Auggie’s grip tightened on Emma’s arm. “No. You may not punch her, Emma.”
“That’s really not fair, Aug. You’re killing me here,” Emma replied with a pout.
“Do you think it’ll be that easy to take me down?” Annie argued.
Emma glared at her over Auggie’s head. “I think I won’t be as easy as you think.”
“Emma. Enough,” Auggie said sharply.
Emma shut her mouth with a click, but didn’t release Auggie. “I called you earlier. And you told me you were busy,” Auggie said quietly. “And I needed you there. You keep telling me we’re best friends, Annie, but it seems like it’s when it’s convenient for you. I get work, but where the hell have you been? I know it didn’t take all day to finish up with work.”
“It didn’t. But I needed to meet Danielle. I thought I missed her and I… I needed that time with my sister,” Annie explained.
“Well, I’m glad you got it. I don’t begrudge you that, but I needed a friend and I thought you were planning to be there for me,” Auggie answered. “Now? I don’t know where we stand.”
“How did you end up in jail?” Annie asked.
Auggie snorted. “I was stupid. And that’s all you’re getting for now.” He rolled his head so it was resting against Emma’s shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but…”
“Guest room?” Emma questioned.
“Please?” Auggie asked and when Emma made a noise of assent, he added, “Thank you.”
Emma poked him in the shoulder. “Gotta give up your pillow for a few minutes then.” Auggie rolled out of her embrace, laying his head on one of the pillows. She slid out of bed, after pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’ll be quick,” she promised. “Come on, Annie.”
“It’s late. I should head home,” Annie stated as she got to her feet.
“Nonsense,” Emma replied, pausing to grab clothes out of a drawer. “I’ve got a guest room and you’ve clearly had a long day.”
“But you wouldn’t have offered if Auggie hadn’t asked,” Annie guessed.
“I don’t have many guests,” Emma explained. “It’s not actually anything personal.” She opened the door, motioning for Annie to proceed her into the room. “Do me a favor and stay put until I come get you tomorrow. I’d hate to shoot you on accident.”
“Is that a possibility?” Annie asked as Emma ducked out of the room.
“Maybe,” Emma called back.
“Is she settled?” Auggie asked when he heard someone come back into the room. “Emma?” he questioned when she didn’t respond. “What happened?”
“It’s fine, Auggie. She’s in the guest room for the night.” Emma crawled back into bed, snuggling up against him. “At some point you’re going to have to tell her.”
“About the fight? Or Parker?” he replied.
Emma ran her fingers through his hair. “Both. Either. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
Auggie linked his fingers with hers. “You’ve been there for me when I’ve really needed you. And you came when you could.”
Characters: Auggie Anderson, Annie Walker, Emma Chandler, Jackson Michas
Fandom: Covert Affairs
Series:
Written For:
Prompt: Coda for episode 304 “Speed of Life”
Summary: Auggie thought he could count on Annie, but maybe not. In the end, he calls the one person he can always count on to bail him out when he gets into trouble.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Episode 304
Warnings: Um. Emma is protective of her boy. Auggie lets himself be bullied by her. Annie is at a loss.
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me. Emma was supposed to belong to me, but really doesn’t belong to anyone, not even Auggie. Not making any money off this.
Author's Note: So I really, really wasn’t happy with the way Annie treated Auggie in this episode. And then Emma started bitching about how badly Auggie was treated. Honestly I’m impressed she hasn’t hunted down Parker and shown her the error of her ways. Thanks go to whogeek for looking this over and also to illfindmyway for letting me randomly spam her. Hope y’all enjoy!
Emma tightened her grip on her purse strap then took a deep breath before marching up the steps of the police station. Inside she headed directly for the desk sergeant, figuring she'd start there and work her way up until she got what she wanted. "I'd like to speak with whomever's in charge of the fight at the tavern," she informed the man at the desk.
"That would be me," another voice answered before the sergeant could. "And you are?"
"Emma Chandler. I'm here for August Anderson."
"And why exactly do you feel you can just demand him?" the officer replied.
"Is there somewhere else we can have this conversation? Rather than the middle of the hallway? And am I allowed to know who I'm speaking with?" Emma responded.
"Jackson Michas," the man answered. "And yes, this way please." He escorted Emma into a room just off the hallway then repeated, "Why should I turn Anderson over to you?"
"Why was Auggie the only person arrested?" Emma responded. "The other man pushed him. And started the altercation."
"Anderson assaulted him with a bottle and the other man is pressing charges."
Emma nodded. "I'm sure you'll agree there are extenuating circumstances with Auggie's situation though."
"Because he's blind?"
"And a veteran."
The officer regarded her for a minute. “I had noticed that and while normally that would allow him some…special thought. He assaulted a man with a glass bottle.”
“From what I understand he was just defending himself. You’re talking about a man who reacts badly when threatened. I’d say that man got off pretty easily.”
“And I should just let him loose on the population with not forethought?”
“I never said that.” Emma crossed her arms. “Auggie is normally much more controlled. Clearly something happened and from the voicemails I got when I got back to town; the other people he normally has for support weren’t around.” She tugged on her ponytail. “I get that you can’t just outright release him. But can I put up a bond or something? Or can he be released into my custody?”
“He’s been to court already and bail assigned. He just had no one to post it for him. If you’re willing…”
“Point me in the right direction,” Emma replied.
By the time she finished filling out all the paperwork and signing what felt like more paperwork than when she had joined the Army, someone had escorted Auggie out to her. She dropped the pen onto the last page and spun towards him, saying, “Auggie!”
“Emmie!” Auggie reached towards her and Emma completed the motion, gripping his forearms until he was steady and then pulling him into her arms. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Yeah.” She pulled back and looked him in the eye, as much as she could. “You run and I’ll hunt you down myself,” she threatened.
Auggie gulped. “Um. Not the best place.”
Emma patted him on the arm. “I think Officer Michas and I have an understanding now.” She turned back to the police officer. “His effects? And I assume there’s a notation on when he needs to be back at court in his paperwork?”
Michas handed an envelope across to her as he nodded. “Everything’s written down there. Including the name of his public defender from the hearing.”
“Thank you for everything,” Emma said as she took Auggie’s elbow to guide him out of the station.
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“This isn’t my apartment,” Auggie commented as he opened the door and Emma handed him his cane.
“Yes, because I’m absolutely taking you back to your apartment so you can do more damage to yourself or others,” Emma responded. When Auggie didn’t move, she added, “Move your cute ass, Anderson.”
Auggie glared in the direction of her voice, but heaved himself out of the car. By the time he made it up to the front door, Emma had it open and guided him inside. “I’m not staying,” he informed her.
“Keep telling yourself that. You want something to eat?” she called back. “You might want food for your lecture.”
“I wasn’t planning to give a lecture,” Auggie replied.
“You’re getting it, not giving one,” Emma responded. “Food? Either pick now or I’ll pick for you.”
“Whatever, Emma. I’m really not hungry.” Auggie found a kitchen chair by memory and feel and dropped into it. “So on a scale of one to ten, how pissed are you?”
“At you?” She moved over, wrapping her arms around him and dropping a kiss on top of his head before going to see what she had in the way of food. “About a four, maybe a five, because it was stupid for you to get into a fight. At Parker? She definitely gets a ten. Annie gets a five bordering on a six.”
“Well I’m glad to know that I rate the lowest on your pissed off o’meter,” Auggie cracked.
Emma slammed the soup can down on the counter. “Auggie, this is not a joking manner. You could have seriously hurt that man or vice versa. What were you thinking? Or is the point that you weren’t?”
“I was thinking that the woman I love had just left me and when I called my two best friends neither of them were there for me!” Auggie yelled. “And I get why you weren’t there and it wasn’t exactly your fault, but Annie just blew me off!”
Emma went back to attacking the soup can, trying to figure out what she wanted to say next. “I’m not even going to touch the Annie subject because I’m more pissed at what she did. And putting her job above you is one thing, but not showing up at all is completely different.” She dumped the soup into a pot and turned to face him. “You and I have a whole ‘nother problem. One where you drank enough-in public mind you-that you weren’t in control of yourself enough to know your surroundings.”
Auggie put his head down on the table and told the top of it something.
“What was that?” Emma cupped her ear. “I’m sorry. The table is not translating for you today.”
Raising his head enough so that she could understand him, Auggie snapped, “Your sarcasm is not appreciated. I said I didn’t really give a damn what happened to me.”
“Oh, Auggie.” Emma wrapped her arms around him, pulling back until his head rested against her breasts. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, running her fingers through his hair as she waited for him to relax into her hold. “Do I need to call Doctor Peters?”
Auggie synced his breathing to hers, until he felt himself relax in her hold. “No. No. You don’t need to do that. I’ll be okay.”
“If you change your mind…” she trailed off, pressing a kiss to the top of his head again.
“I know. Can we. Is it okay if we. Emmie, I just want to go to bed and sleep. But I don’t want to sleep alone.”
Emma tilted his head so she could look him in the eye, not that it really mattered. “Just sleep. Right?”
“Yeah. I just. I need…”
And she understood. It was the same thing it always was. When Auggie’s emotional world was upset, his physical world suffered and he clung to people that were familiar to him. Parker had upset his balance by leaving him and then the fight and now he needed to cling to something familiar and comforting. She had never minded being that for him. She just couldn’t be everything. Unlike Parker, she would never leave him though. “Of course,” she soothed. “Do you want me to go up with you? Or is it all right if I lock up and then join you?”
“I’m okay to go get in bed. If you didn’t move anything.”
“Nothing has been moved. But take your cane,” Emma added as she released him to head upstairs. She worked really hard on keeping her house; at least the rooms Auggie tended to go into, friendly to him and knew he shouldn’t have a problem navigating to her bedroom.
Once he was out of the room, she considered the soup for a minute, finally putting the lid on it and shoving it in the refrigerator. Glancing around the kitchen, she decided there was nothing else she could do for now. As she was heading towards the door to lock it, the bell rang. “Emmie? Who is it?”
“I’ll deal with it, Augs,” Emma called back. “Stay up there.” There was a murmur of something back in response, but it wasn’t clear enough for her to actually make out what he said. Emma rolled her eyes, figuring that Auggie had made himself a blanket burrito and was hiding from the world.
Opening the door, she sighed when she saw who was on the other side. “You know, if I have to pick someone I did not want to see tonight…you were second on the list.” Crossing her arms, she demanded, “What do you want?”
“Is Auggie here?” Annie asked. “Is he okay?”
“I’m sorry but now you want to know how he is? Now it fits into your schedule? Nice of you to bother now when he could have used a friend in the last twenty-four hours. I’m glad to know where he rates in your life. If you need him, you just need to crook your little finger, but god forbid he actually need you!”
Annie blinked at the vehemence in her voice. “What are you talking about?”
“Auggie had one phone call and needed help. Clearly he couldn’t count on you. If you want any other information, you’ll have to wait and see if he decides to talk to you.”
“He’s my friend, too,” Annie protested.
“Really?” Emma asked. “I couldn’t tell from your actions the last few days. If Auggie had called needing me, I would have dropped everything and gone to him.” She held up her hand when Annie started to protest. “And I get that you had a work thing, but you waited hours to try to call him and then just left a message. Really? That’s a great friend you are there.”
“I was working on some other stuff…and then I had some personal things I had to deal with,” Annie defended herself.
“Maybe you should stop and think about what’s important.”
“My friendship with Auggie is important!”
Emma just stared at her for a minute. “You know what? I can’t deal with you tonight. Go away. Go home. I don’t really care what you do, but get off my door step. I’ll talk to Auggie when he’s awake and feeling less…well when he’s awake and see if he’s willing to talk to you.”
“And if I demand to talk to him now?” Annie asked.
“You forfeited that right when you blew him off,” Emma replied. “Go. Away.”
“Em-mie!” Auggie yelled. Emma turned to see him standing at the top of the stairs, hanging onto the banister. “Let her in,” he said quietly.
“You’re supposed to be in bed,” Emma reminded him.
“You aren’t quiet when you get upset. Just…” He waved a hand. “Let her in. And bring her up here.”
Emma stepped back to allow Annie entrance to the house. “You upset him. At all. And I’ll physically remove you. Got it?”
Annie nodded in reply, then watched as Emma locked up. “I understand you don’t want…”
Emma held a hand up. “Just. Don’t. If I had my way, you’d be gone, but it’s what Auggie wants.”
“Do you always do what Auggie wants?”
“No, I don’t. But I try to do what’s best for him.”
Auggie was already back in the bed when they reached the room. “Welcome to my…well actually it’s not my boudoir. It’s Emma’s, but well…” He tried for his customary smirk, but it fell a little short.
Emma leaned over, pressing her forehead against his, and saying something too softly for Annie to hear. He nodded in response, gripping the edge of her shirt for a minute. When she straightened back up, she motioned to a chair across the room. “You can bring that closer if you want.” Grabbing a t-shirt that was at the bottom of the bed, she moved around the furniture as she began to strip off her clothes; changing into the shirt. “It’s up to you what you tell her,” she explained to Auggie as she slipped into bed behind him.
As Auggie snuggled into Emma’s embrace, Annie dragged the chair closer to the bed. She watched as Emma ran a hand through Auggie’s hair, pressing his head back against her chest until he relaxed his body against hers. “Look I don’t know what happened, but I was dealing with some stuff and I had a really bad day,” Annie started before he could say anything.
A bitter laugh escaped from Emma and Auggie’s hand closed reflexively around her arm. “You had a bad day?” she demanded. “I just bailed Auggie out of jail!”
“I. You what? Why was Auggie in jail?” Annie asked.
Auggie’s grip tightened on Emma’s arm. “No. You may not punch her, Emma.”
“That’s really not fair, Aug. You’re killing me here,” Emma replied with a pout.
“Do you think it’ll be that easy to take me down?” Annie argued.
Emma glared at her over Auggie’s head. “I think I won’t be as easy as you think.”
“Emma. Enough,” Auggie said sharply.
Emma shut her mouth with a click, but didn’t release Auggie. “I called you earlier. And you told me you were busy,” Auggie said quietly. “And I needed you there. You keep telling me we’re best friends, Annie, but it seems like it’s when it’s convenient for you. I get work, but where the hell have you been? I know it didn’t take all day to finish up with work.”
“It didn’t. But I needed to meet Danielle. I thought I missed her and I… I needed that time with my sister,” Annie explained.
“Well, I’m glad you got it. I don’t begrudge you that, but I needed a friend and I thought you were planning to be there for me,” Auggie answered. “Now? I don’t know where we stand.”
“How did you end up in jail?” Annie asked.
Auggie snorted. “I was stupid. And that’s all you’re getting for now.” He rolled his head so it was resting against Emma’s shoulder. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but…”
“Guest room?” Emma questioned.
“Please?” Auggie asked and when Emma made a noise of assent, he added, “Thank you.”
Emma poked him in the shoulder. “Gotta give up your pillow for a few minutes then.” Auggie rolled out of her embrace, laying his head on one of the pillows. She slid out of bed, after pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’ll be quick,” she promised. “Come on, Annie.”
“It’s late. I should head home,” Annie stated as she got to her feet.
“Nonsense,” Emma replied, pausing to grab clothes out of a drawer. “I’ve got a guest room and you’ve clearly had a long day.”
“But you wouldn’t have offered if Auggie hadn’t asked,” Annie guessed.
“I don’t have many guests,” Emma explained. “It’s not actually anything personal.” She opened the door, motioning for Annie to proceed her into the room. “Do me a favor and stay put until I come get you tomorrow. I’d hate to shoot you on accident.”
“Is that a possibility?” Annie asked as Emma ducked out of the room.
“Maybe,” Emma called back.
“Is she settled?” Auggie asked when he heard someone come back into the room. “Emma?” he questioned when she didn’t respond. “What happened?”
“It’s fine, Auggie. She’s in the guest room for the night.” Emma crawled back into bed, snuggling up against him. “At some point you’re going to have to tell her.”
“About the fight? Or Parker?” he replied.
Emma ran her fingers through his hair. “Both. Either. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
Auggie linked his fingers with hers. “You’ve been there for me when I’ve really needed you. And you came when you could.”