Her hands slowly traced the scars across his chest, each one a visible memory of the hell he had suffered. His body told a thousand stories, a living testament to the cruelty that was his world. The burning log fire cast a soft glow across the cabin, forcing out the darkness that was threatening to encroach. This was their escape; a place where the chains of the real world disappeared and the only thing that mattered was them. In one another they found a peace that had eluded them for far too long. They were haunted, haunted by the things that they had done, by the things they had seen. He belonged to someone else, in someone else's arms, but for that moment he was hers.
Estes' voice was an unwelcome droning in Carrie's ears. She was tired, everything was fucked up – hell, even Brody's daughter was killing people. The CIA was a poison; it infected everything, it destroyed lives then covered up the evidence. Too many innocents were getting caught up in the battle. How many deaths was Estes alone responsible for? Saul and Quinn were discussing ways to find Nazir, one man who had inflicted so much pain – especially on the person who was sat opposite her. Brody's face was blank; his eyes were a different story. They were locked firmly onto the floor, the eyes of a man who was trapped in the past.
Her anger was irrational – she knew that, yet it did little to ease the fury that had consumed her. It was impossible for Brody to of known about the ambush, his calls and meetings were being constantly monitored, but she needed someone to blame, someone to scream at. They had such a destructive relationship, turning to one another to vent their frustrations when everything else had turned to shit. She hadn't intended to fall into his arms, his words weren't meant to absolve her rage, yet his presence made the world fall away. They deserved one another. He had two children with the wife he was cheating on and Carrie was in love with a terrorist – it was all so fucked up.
Nazir was right in front of her, talking to her, keeping her hostage. It was the most surreal situation she had ever been in. All along he had been right under their noses, hiding in the country that was so desperately hunting him. The little light that filtered in through the windows highlighted Nazir's cold face; his eyes were burning into Carrie's as he spoke on the phone, his tone mocking. Her survival depended entirely on Brody; if he chose not to comply with him she was dead. At least she would find out if Brody did care about her. It was a cruel irony.
The peaceful silence that had captured Carrie's house was a welcome relief. She didn't want Estes' thanks; his respect meant nothing to her. The tyrant who had commanded her entire life was gone; after so many years she was finally free. Her mind drifted to Brody; she wondered how he felt – would he be relieved or saddened. Nazir had become both Brody's tormentor and saviour, the man who had twisted every belief he held, had turned him into a traitor to his country. A knock on her door disrupted her thoughts and pulled her back to reality. It was Brody. His shoulders were slumped, yet his face was the softest she had ever seen; a small smile painted his lips as his arms enveloped her. A small ounce of hope trickled into Carrie. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that everything would magically be ok, but the future didn't seem quite so bleak. Maybe they would find a way out together.