Look out for the <>!

"Please can you stop singing? Goodness dad," I chuckled to my father as he pushed me in a wheelchair down the hall of the hospital after getting lunch in the cafeteria.

"In Mullingar that night, I rested limbs so weary, stated by Daylight, next mornin' light and Airy, took a drop of the pure, to keep my heart from sinkin'...." dad continued to sing.

As soon as he walked through my hospital room door this morning, he had been in a good mood. Now he was singing to me and I have no idea how he got on this kick but I wanted it to stop. I felt my cheeks grow red as we pasted a group of nurses who stopped talking to look at us. "Ok, I don't know you," I said, knowing that I was unable to run from him.

"Come on Annie, this is a fantastic Irish song. When I was in Dublin, there was this pub that would have folk song night twice a week."

"And that song should say there. People are looking, dad. Please. I'm already an eye sore," I begged as I tapped the chair.

He stopped and walked in front of me with a frown. "You are not an eye sore," he said suddenly turning very serious.

I was too. It had been three days since everyone came to visit me and I just managed to get out of my bed last night. I looked like a mess, with my greasy hair in a loose up do and bags under my eyes. It looked like I hadn't slept in weeks even though that was all I did. I was bruised and broken. Right now, I was an eye sore and the wheelchair didn't help, let alone my father singing. I laughed cynically. "Don't lie. I've seen my reflection in the mirror."

He brushed my untamed hair behind my ear with a sigh. "You're still beautiful. You've just been through a lot," he said then pulled out his phone. He checked a message then smiled at me.

It was good news whatever it was. "What?" I asked eagerly.

"Guess who's checking out early."

I smiled back at him. "Me."

He nodded. "Lets get you back to your room. I'll sign the paperwork then we can leave," he said and started to push me back to my room.

He dropped me off in my room and went off to file the paperwork. I looked around my room that was full of flowers and notes. Ever since I woke up, this room started to look less like a hospital and more like a normal room. It looked livable, with my blankets from home in a clump on the bed and my computer on the night stand.

Within two hours I found myself in the passenger seat of my blue mustang. I looked over at my dad who was driving, unhappy that no one would let me drive. They all said that I had no strength for that. So I had no choice but to ride shot gun. "Dad? Now that MIA is being disassembled, does that mean you are here to stay?" I had been dreading this conversation, fearing his response. However, I knew that I had to have it.

He looked at me and smiled sadly. "I'm the lead of the operation of taking them down."

I should have known. That meant he had to leave. "You're not staying."

He shook his head as if I was slightly wrong. "I'm going to be traveling a lot. But I'll still come back often. And I was wondering, could I stay with you when I'm in town?"

I smiled at him. That was a silly question to ask, since it was his home. It was his money that was used to buy it years ago. "It's your house too."

He stated sadly as if he was ashamed. "Not anymore isn't."

He was right but in some respects he was dead wrong. Yes the house was in my name but he was the one that made it a home to begin with. "You're always welcome to stay."

He smiled at me then looked back on the road. "This is a nice car you have."

"And it's not yours," I said and smiled lightly at him.

He looked hurt for a second. "Ouch. Annie, you'll need a driver for the next few weeks, remember that."

I didn't want a reminder of that. "Ok. Maybe it'll be on rent to you for a bit."

He smiled, happy with my response.

There was a few minutes of silence as we drove home. "Grandma told me that I have to take a month off of work. Is this true?"

"Yeah..." dad's voice trailed off, keeping he's eyes on the road.

"That's so long. Can you please make it shorter?" I begged him.

"I did, she at first said four months," he said as he pulled into the garage of our house.

I wanted to protest more but now was not the time for it. I didn't need a month off, give me a week and I would be good to go. But our car ride was over and I just wanted to be home and enjoy this moment for now.

He shut off the car he cupped my cheek with a smile. "Welcome home." He had been dying to say that to me.

I smiled as I looked around the garage. I was finally home. It felt like I hadn't been here in ages. "Thanks," I said and opened the door of the car. I looked at the cement floor and swung my leg out of the car. In a second dad was by my side, looking worried. "Remember, no wheelchairs."

He frowned at me but remained silent.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself out of the car and with dad's help, I walked slowly into the house. The smell of something sweet and a candle burning made it feel exactly like home. I turned on the lights and there, in the kitchen to surprise me was gram, Auggie, Mara.

I smiled at all of them. Now I know why Auggie was too busy to see me today. They knew for a while that I was checking out today. That was why dad was in such a good mood when he got to the hospital. "Busy, hu?" I asked Auggie with a smile as I took a seat at the table, unable to hold my weight any longer.

He smiled with a shrug. "We were, with this." He sat down beside me and kiss me softly. "Welcome home, Annalise."

I leaned into him as he pulled me close. I was home. I did it.

"Lovely, now that you had your moment, lets have cake," Mara said as she plopped a 3 layer cake on the table in front of me.

I smiled. She was an expert of ending Auggie's and mine moments. "Did you make this?"

"Of course. You always forget, my parents aren't the only people that can cook," Mara winked as she started to cut it. She handed me the first piece and I started to eat it.

Spices danced in my mouth as I chewed. It was exotic and delightful all at once. "Did you put cardamom in this?"

She nodded. "Just a pinch, to give it dimension."

I chuckled. She was always willing to push the flavors and it often tasted amazing. In a second life, I was sure she was a chief.

Mara handed out the rest of the pieces to everyone and started to eat around the table. We ate, chatted, laughed, and told jokes. For a moment, everything was perfect, it was like MIA never existed.

Breaking out joyous moment was Mara. She stood up from the table as she stuffed her phone in her pocket. "I'm sorry to eat and run but I have some work to get done."

"For MIA?" I asked her, hoping she would share. People were still so quiet about it. But I was begging for answers.

She nodded as she put her plate in the sink.

"What are you doing?"

She looked at my grandmother for help in silence.

"She has to go to London tonight. We got word that Fabien is getting treatment there," my grandmother spoke up.

I couldn't believe that he managed to get out after Toby shot him. "Thank you for your honesty," I said as I pushed the rest of the cake away from myself, suddenly losing my apatite. As long as Fabien was out there, I would never be fully safe.

"Annalise, please finish it. You lost so much weight at the hospital, we need to get you back to your normal size," dad said, as if he knew my normal size.

I looked at him, incredibly frustrated at him. He was acting like he was never gone. "As if you know," I snapped back as he winced, confirming I went too far. "Sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just not hungry," I said to him as if that would make it better.

There was a minute of silence as people tried to think of a conversation to talk about. But I knew everyone was only thinking about MIA. They were busy with that while I was stuck at the hospital.

"Annalise, I'll talk to you later. I have to go," Mara said and gave me a small hug. She quickly said her goodbye to the rest of the group then left.

We tried to bring back the lively attitude again but it was gone the moment gram mentioned Fabien. Finally Gram pulled out her phone with a frown. "I should go too," she said as she kissed my forehead. "It's good to see you out."

I forced a smile, knowing that my party was over. It was time for everyone except me to get back to work. I felt so useless. "Thanks," I said as I waved goodbye to her.

Dad followed my grandmother out the front door, I was sure to talk in privet. Within a few minutes he came back in and said, "I know when I'm a third wheel. You two have fun," he said then left the room again.

"Thanks dad," I said and smiled as he left the room. I heard the stairs creak and knew he was going up stairs probably to get ready for bed. I turned back to Auggie and smiled again. Finally we had a moment to ourselves.

<>

"You like him around, don't you?" he asked as he looked up at the ceiling as if he could see my father there.

I nodded. "I love him around. I finally have a dad back. I have everything I could ever want," I said and reached for his hand.  I coughed lightly then wiped my mouth, careful not to show the little blood that I coughed up. I remembered yesterday after the x-rays, the doctors explained that the poison permanently damaged my lungs, and I wasn't out of the woods just yet for lung infections, but Auggie didn't need to know about that.

Auggie smiled at me as he intertwined his fingers with mine. He brushed my hair from my face and smiled. He suddenly looked nervous. "I know this is not what we agreed upon but I saw this and knew it was for you," Auggie said then got up from his chair. He reached into his pocket then got down on one knee as he held out a box in front of me.

I felt my heart start racing as he opened the box in front of me.

"Annalise, I already asked your father and he gave me permission to ask you to be my wife. Will you marry me, officially?"

I smiled at him. I had so much I wanted to say but yet I was speechless. I nodded at him as he put the yellow gold solitaire diamond ring on my finger. I held it up to the light and it gleamed. It was beautiful.

"Almost losing you confirmed that I couldn't live one day without you, Annalise," he said and kissed my hand lightly.

I smiled at him and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you, August Ross," I said and kissed him.

He pulled out of the kiss and smiled. Breaking us from our moment was a buzz to his phone. Auggie sighed as he looked at it. It wasn't good news. "I should go."

I shook my head. I didn't want him to leave.

He chuckled and said, "I'll be back tomorrow. You're dads upstairs. I don't think I would win any brownie points with your father if I stayed the night."

I chuckled, it was the truth. I was starting to believe that I would always be my fathers little girl. But that didn't mean I wanted Auggie to leave.

He sighed as he got up from the floor. "Good night Annalise," he said and kissed me on my forehead.

"Goodnight Auggie."

But as soon as it was over there was a knock on the door.

"Did you forget your keys in the house again," I smiled as I opened the door expecting to see Auggie. But instead there was no one, but on the door step there was a photo attached to a note.

A cold gust blew through my frail body and I wrapped my sweater closer to me.  I reached down and picked it up and I saw that the photo of my and Toby at comic con. I closed the door. He was alive.

"Was that Auggie?" dad asked at the top of the stairs.

"Um, yeah. He forgot his keys," I lied still looking at the door making sure he didn't see my teary face.

"Ok."

I walked to the couch and unfolded the note to read.

"I'm sorry for all I did. I'll make this up to you. I will find Fabien and end him if that's the last thing I do. I promise.

Toby"

I wiped another tear from my face. Toby was alive and I wished him well, but I hoped to not run across him again. He hurt me in more ways then one. In many ways I did forgive him. But I just rather put him behind me. I needed to move on and not seeing him again was the best way for that. With a sigh, I put the letter it in my pocket and called it a night.