Disclaimer - I do not own Homeland. That pleasure belongs to Showtime. No copyright infringement or money making scheme intended. This is purely for reading enjoyment.

A/N Some info to help with timeline.

Based on guestimates, I am going with Brody's execution being approximately early - mid May 2013 (cry) and Carrie's due date approximately sometime in the 2nd/3rd week of September 2013...

I have spent a lot of time messing about with the order of this fic. It has been doing my head in. Anyway, I have finally decided for better or worse...

I know you are all Homeland fans and implausability will be totally new to you! But, there will be an element of that here, particularly as relates to the CIA. I'm hoping that won't trouble you too much and you can enjoy the story anyway.

Constructive criticism is very much welcome.

Apologies for the long A/N and, if you haven't already given up because of it, thank you!

Please R & R

October 30, 2013

"Chris, Chris, CHRIS!"

He could hear someone shouting on him but couldn't see through the darkness who it is. Whoever it is, is getting closer, the sound of feet pounding on the ground, growing louder, indicated as much.

As he waited for them to catch up with him, Chris noted he felt better than he had in a long time. That was a strange thing to think.

"Chris", he heard a calm voice from close behind him, distracting him from his thoughts.

Chris turned around and smiled, he'd been waiting so long, but he had known his dad would come home eventually.

"Hi, dad", Chris greeted his father warmly.

"Hi back" came the reply with a smile, a real smile, nothing hiding behind it.

Chris stares at his dad, drinking in the sight of him. He had never seen him look better, but their worries were gone, they could be a family again.

"Come on" his dad prompts him.

"Where?" Chris asks.

"We're going for a run. Lets see what you're made of kiddo" his dad teases him.

He hated Hospital scrubs, they made his balls itch. Walking with purpose and hoping not to bump into anyone. He doesn't need anyone asking him any questions. Just because he looks like a Doctor, doesn't make him one.

"Turn left" Max instructed him.

"You said that 5 minutes ago and I'm still not where I need to be" Quinn growled back at him. His seemingly endless reserves of patience and calm had been vanishing throughout this op and, any he might have had left, vanished entirely with tonight's dramatics.

"Hospital corridors all look the same" Max explained.

"That might account for how Virgil ended up with you and his real brother is with your wierd parents" Quinn Scathingly offered back.

Virgil failed to surpress his laughter. Max narrowed his eyes at his brother wishing dearly to reach over and knock his dinner out of his hands and smile off his face.

Pushing aside his annoyance, he concentrated on getting Quinn where he needed to be.

"Turn left again and..."

"If you are making me go around in circles, Max, I swear I will..." Quinn ceased mid-threat as he became aware he was now in ICU. Unfortunately, coming towards him was a real Doctor. Ducking out of sight into the nearest empty room, Quinn watched as the Doctor entered another room, just a bit further up the corridor, marked "family room" and saw two of the people he was looking for.

They looked absolutely shattered and completely distraught, worry etched into the lines of their faces. Quinn could kill that idiot, Wilson. The stupid fuck was supposed to keep eyes on the kid, not fucking run him over! Christ, what a mess. As the Doctor led the two of them out of the family room, presumably towards where the kid was, Quinn noticed a third person in the room, Frank Mathison. Quinn knew the kid had been spending a lot of time at Frank's house, but hadn't expected to see Frank here. That puzzle would have to wait, Quinn needed to know what was going on with the kid. He picked up a book that which was sitting on the table and exited the room, walking straight towards them, head down, pretending to read, he banged right into the girl knocking her to the ground.

"Do watch where you are going" the Doctor with them angerly chastised him.

"Sorry" Quinn mumbled, helping her up and dropping a bug in her pocket at the same time.

Quinn left as quickly as possible, dumping the scrubs at the first opportunity and headed straight for Virgil and Max's van, to find out what is going on.

"I can let you stay with him for 5 minutes." Jess hears the Doctor say. Unable to speak, she nods her head in acknowledgement.

Beep...beep...beep...

Jess listened to the cold mechanical sound of the machine. Cold, it's how she felt. Was her purpose in life to have the warmth dragged kicking and screaming out of her until she was an empty shell? He was the victim of a hit and run. They didn't know if it was deliberate or if the driver was too scared to stop. Jess couldn't help but think it was deliberate.

Beep...beep...beep...

Dana hated Hospitals, hated the smell, hated the stench of fear throughout, something she was probably contributing to. Most of all she hated the feeling of being helpless and it seemed like they had been helpless for so long.

She pulled herself from her thoughts and forced herself to listen to what the Doctor was saying to her mum.

"It's really up to him now, there is nothing more we can do for him. He has to fight".

Dana feels the guilt attempting to drown her, she bolts from the room.

Frank looks up as Dana re-enters the family room and sees the tears streaming down her face.

No, no, no! Not Chris, please God, not Chris, Frank begs silently.

"Dana", he calls out to her but she doesn't answer, she seems frantic, making a grab for her bag and jacket.

He blocks the doorway, as she attempts to leave.

"Let me past" she demands, trying to push past him, but he doesn't budge.

"No. What's going on with Chris?", he needs to know.

"It's my fault. We were arguing about dad again and he ran out and..." Dana collapsed against him sobbing.

"The Doctor said they can't do anything else for him. He has to fight." Dana stuttered out through her tears.

Frank let go of the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding in. Chris was still alive. He nudged Dana back into the room and sat down next to her, letting her cry on his shoulder. There would be no point telling her it wasn't her fault right now. He knew that things were not great at home. Chris was angry a lot of the time. Frank noticed it even when Chris was at his house. He knew Jess and Dana's seeming indifference to what was going on with Brody, angered Chris. By itself, it was enough to cause tension, but added to the fact that Dana and Jess struggled with Chris wanting anything to do with his little sister and, the tension was through the roof.

Frank closes his eyes and does something he hasn't done in a very long time, he prays. He prays that Chris Brody will fight to live and that God will grant this family some peace.

...beep...beep...beep...

They had all taken a battering over the last few years, but life didn't seem to want to give them a break. He looked so vulnerable and helpless lying there. For the past few months Jess felt as if her little boy was slipping away from her. He wouldn't talk about what was bothering him. He was just angry all of the time. Jess feared what he may have gotten himself into.