Chapter 4: Take Out
It's about 8:30p when Carrie hears the doorbell ring. Margo lays quietly in the Pack-N-Play's bassinet and Carrie opens the front door to Quinn standing there with a bag of Indian and bottle of wine.
"About time – I'm starving."
"You're welcome," and he raises his eyebrows. Carrie, never one to mince words.
They walk into the kitchen, Quinn places the items on the counter and then heads into the living room to look for Margo. Spotting the Pack-N-Play across the room, he heads for it.
"There she is," and he gazes down at the sleeping baby.
"Don't touch her, she just went down."
Carrie meanwhile unpacks the take out and begins to prepare the plates of food. Quinn returns to open the wine and pours two glasses.
"You swear to me you're not nursing, right?" he asks as he hands Carrie her glass.
"Yes, and even if I were it's none of your business."
He shrugs and raises his glass. "Welcome back." And they clink their glasses and take a sip.
They carry their plates to the couch and settle in. They talk about Carrie's first week back until their glasses empty. When Carrie fills them again the conversation shifts to Margo.
"And you like Hanna?"
"Yeah. I mean what's not to like? She's here by 6:30a, watches Margo all day, and starts dinner. It's great."
Silence fills the room again. Quinn pushes his plate forward and leans back into the couch, resting his opened arms on its back. Carrie watches his body relax, his muscles softening around his face and shoulders. She smiles at him.
"I miss you," she tells him gently. "I mean, now that we're not working together as much. We had a good run together."
Quinn looks to her and wonders if her statement is strictly work-related or if it's personal.
"I think Dar has intentionally kept us apart," he suggests.
"What? Why?"
Quinn sighs. "The night in the parking lot with Franklin. He saw me hesitate."
Carrie furrows her brow and looks confused. "I don't understand - what are you talking about?"
Quinn pulls his arms forward off the back of the couch and grasps his hands together, the tension returning to his body.
"He ordered me to take the shot and I hesitated. Someone in my position, with my training…" he pauses. "I let my personal feelings get in the way of the assignment."
Carrie had not ever stopped to think about Quinn's position that night. She was so focused on Brody and proving his innocence that she never once considered what Quinn had gone through. She sits back in silence on the couch, glances across the room and tries to recall the events of that night. Quinn had not been assigned the role of sniper originally, but he ended up behind the gun. He was in her ear as she walked through the parking lot, first urging, then begging her to stop. She remembers getting hit and hearing his voice again, only this time more desperate "pick her up for God's sake." He was beside her in the truck, wrapping her wound. My God, she thinks. Carrie looks at him again, biting her lower lip, sorrow and regret washing over her face. She struggles to find the right words to respond.
"Quinn…I…"
"Forget It, Carrie."
She continues looking at him. He reaches and grabs his wine glass and throws back whatever remains in a final gulp.
Carrie shifts her body and moves closer to him on the couch, then takes his hands in hers. His hands are warm and rough. Quinn turns his head to meet her eyes and bites his lips to stifle the ache inside him.
"I'm sorry," she says gently and lets her apology sit with him for a moment. "I wasn't thinking clearly that night…I didn't realize..."
Margo begins to stir, allowing Quinn the opportunity to break away. He turns his head toward the Pack-N-Play and pulls his hands from Carrie's grasps.
"She's waking up," he says hopefully.
Carrie may be starting to understand him now, but he was not ready to put himself out there again for her. He knew she was still in a very fragile place, still recovering from Brody and in the midst of learning how to be a mother. The last thing she needed was any confusion about where their friendship stood.
Carrie sits stunned as she watches Quinn rise and head towards Margo. He reaches into the Pack-N-Play with both hands, leans over her and gently lifts her to his chest. His face once again softens and he gently rocks her. "How's my girl?"
