After he got Carrie to the lounge, Brody felt a pang of guilt leaving Farrah by herself. But he figured she was sleeping comfortably, and per Maggie's instructions Carrie needed to do the same, in a bed and not in a chair. Unfortunately she didn't even look content to sit down.
"You're not even going to try and sleep, are you?"
"If I could I would.", she sighed. Pacing back and forth like a caged tigress.
"Can you try and sit at least?", Brody asked pleadingly as she scoffed, arched a brow.
"Well I was going to sit with Farrah and you fought me on that, so.."
"Hey..hey. You can go back in with Farrah if you need to. You can go sprawl out in the middle of the hallway with a pillow. I just want you to get some rest, Carrie. Your sister told me..."
"I know what she's told you!"
"Okay..so you know I'm siding with her on this. Farrah's been through too much to see you sleep deprived and on the verge of another-"
"Okay..okay. I get it.", Carrie snapped but then bit her lip, nervously turned to face him.
"I really scared you, didn't I?"
"Yeah. You did.", Brody admitted.
"But I don't matter here. Farrah does. Just try and relax now for her sake."
Sighing, Carrie reluctantly perched on the foot of the bed.
"I wish her bed was bigger. And that chair by her bed? They ought to make people sit in it when they're being interrogated.", she snorted before catching herself, letting out a sigh.
"Jesus, here I am complaining. I should just be glad she's here. That she's gonna be alright."
"She will be. This is a great hospital. One of the best."
"Well they did let you past the front desk.", Carrie smiled softly.
"Did I tell you I'm really glad you're here?"
Squeezing her hand, Brody shifted closer to her.
"Did you ever think it would happen?", he asked softly.
"Did you?"
"Honestly no, I didn't."
"You underestimated me?", she asked, arching a brow playfully.
"Carrie I knew you'd try, I knew you'd do whatever it took to get the future you imagined for us. I did. I just never expected that-"
"Hey, it's okay." she smiled at his rambling.
"I'm not trying to give you a hard time."
"You're not?", he teased skeptically, getting a swat on the arm.
"No, I'm not. I knew you weren't responsible for what happened. In spite of everything, I knew. But proving it?"
Trailing off she ran a hand through her hair, stood up.
"Getting Hadad to confess, even after he did there was so much shit to sort out. There still is."
"What do you mean?"
"I still have to clear your name, Brody. We have the admission on tape Hadad planted the C4. I've got documents and flash drives I stole from his house to back up his words. We have proof, but even once we go forward with it, there's still a long way to go to putting your life back together. But we've come this far. Trust me, I'm not giving up."
Seeing the quizzical look on his face she frowned.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you're baffled I kept my promise to you. Like you don't care that I have. Jesus, don't you care about getting your life back?"
"What are you talking about?", Brody asked incredulously. "I have it back."
"Excuse me?"
"Carrie I'm back here with you, and you believe me. You know now I wasn't responsible, without a doubt. You have your proof. You won't hold a fucking gun to my head because you're unsure. That's all I needed from you."
"Okay, now you're the one that's being crazy!", Carrie scoffed.
"Why? Carrie I'm happy. I'm settled down, working. I'm back with you! That's more than I could've fucking hoped for."
"What about being cleared for a crime you didn't commit? Jesus Christ, Brody I have proof you're innocent! We come forward with that and you can stop hiding. Stop being confined to one city block, one shitty apartment."
"Hey my apartment is just fine.", he said defensively as she looked on wide eyed, totally shocked.
"I can't believe this. You're settling for this? Resigning yourself to looking over your shoulder the rest of your life?"
"Don't you get it, I don't need to anymore. Saul knows you're right about me otherwise he'd have dragged me off the second he came into my apartment. I haven't been cuffed yet. Between you, the imam and Zahira, I'm protected."
"You're delusional!"
"I'm safe, Carrie. I finally have some fucking peace."
"Well you'll find even more of it when you're proven innocent!"
"Carrie, you know fucking well I'm no innocent.", Brody said bitterly.
"Yeah, I do.", Carrie sighed, lowering her voice as she sat back down on the bed, squeezed his hand.
"But the one crime they've traced back to you isn't your crime, Brody. Do you actually believe what those fuckers on that tape and the news were saying? Do you believe you're guilty?!"
"I'm guilty of plenty. You knew that before anyone else."
"So what is this some sort of penance? Self imposed exile? You have a masochistic streak I don't know about?"
"I'm not being a masochist. I'm being practical. Even if you do go forward with your proof, I still put on a goddamn suicide vest, Carrie. One I had every intention to trigger. They have my fucking tape to rebroadcast on every news channel if I come forward. Even if I'm not technically a terrorist.."
"You're not.", she said as Brody shook his head, sighed.
"You interrupted me. The entire country sees me as one. I'm the new face of fucking Al-Qaeda. No amount of proof can take back my fifteen minutes of goddamn infamy, Carrie. Even you can't save me from that.", he said solemnly, the defeat in his eyes contrasting the fire in her's as she dropped his hand, stood up to leave.
"Again, you underestimate me."