Okay so here's the latest. Forgive the opening fluff. Still muddling through here, but have some stuff coming up that'll lead into some more intense/unexpected stuff, and then some (hopefully) really unexpected stuff. Have a twist or two planned to move into the next stage of the story. (next stage... oy. *facepalm* *smacks head on keyboard repeatedly*)
Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been patient with me and miraculously stuck with me so far. Here goes nothing.
Once Brody found a way to jimmy the door lock (old cabin, older lock, not too difficult), got back inside, after quickly sneaking into the kitchen, he saw Carrie knelt by a still sleeping Farrah.
Looking up, appalled he'd gotten back inside so fast, quickly and quietly Carrie ran to beat him to the bathroom. He slipped past her though and locked the door, giving her a taste of her own medicine.
"Damn it, Brody! BRODY!", Carrie hissed.
"Let me in there or I swear I'll-"
"Shh! Are you trying to wake up Farrah?"
"I'm trying to get into my own bathroom!"
"You can, if you do one thing first."
Letting out a snort she shook her head.
"Are you serious?"
Rolling her eyes she groaned, ran a hand through her hair.
"Fine. What?"
"Get the corkscrew."
"Excuse me?"
"Get the corkscrew, and take your time."
Too caught off guard by the request to argue it, frowning Carrie went over to the kitchen, grabbing the corkscrew from the drawer. Looking over she saw Farrah was still asleep, but Calvin was awake and looking for food or companionship or both.
Bending over she petted him, rubbing his ears before giving him a treat and a catnip mouse.
"Here you go. Don't go too wild."
Walking back to the bathroom, knocking she turned the knob only to find the door no longer locked.
Jazz softly echoed out of her phone resting on a shelf with the speaker volume blared, and Brody was in a tub of bubbles up to his chin. The bottle of wine was on the floor on the side of the tub.
"Oh shit. You have got to be..."
"Care to join me?"
Eagerly Carrie grinned. Locking the door, she draped her damp shirt over the radiator by his pants before slipping into the bath. Giggling as she submerged herself in the suds.
"Hey, what the...get back here! Carrie!"
Brody sputtered as she surfaced on his side of the tub, her back pressed against his chest.
"You're all sudsy.", he snorted as she rolled her eyes, kissed his cheek.
"You know I'm starting to think Farrah's the grown up in your house."
"Don't! She already thinks that."
"Seriously though, between this, the lake, the racing, running through puddles like idiots just now."
"Would you rather we start waving a gun around?", Carrie scoffed.
"Point taken."
"I'm just trying to relax like you suggested. I do that by having fun."
"Hey, I'm not objecting. The past year I've barely smiled and now I'm running around with you laughing, getting yelled at.."
"Threatened with a shotgun.", she smirked as Brody uncorked the wine bottle, handing it to her.
"Thanks."
Taking a healthy swig from it she handed it back.
"Nice that we get drunk after acting like lunatics."
"Hey, watch it.", she scoffed as he bit his lip.
"Hey you know I-"
"Don't. It's alright. Again, been called worse."
"Hey, don't get used to that, okay.", Brody said, brushing his lips on the top of her head.
"I'll be damned if anyone calls you anything."
"Oh so what, you're my protector now?"
Taking from her tone she didn't care for that, he switched gears.
"Partner in crime sound better?"
"Much."
Grinning she kissed him as he set the wine bottle on the side of the tub.
"Goes better with our adjoining cell deal too.", she teased but saw his eyes cloud over and was afraid she'd killed the mood. Sensing her worry he shook his head, kissed her again. This time more passionately before she pulled back, nuzzled his neck and nipped at his chest while her hand traveled down his abs and lower still.
"Carrie...", he murmured, taking hold of her face to kiss her again. He was tempted to take over, flip her under him but she took control, moved on top and then with him. They took it slower then they had outside. The door was locked and they had no reason to rush, only speeding up when they were close.
She unraveled first and he followed, breathing her name under the kiss before she collapsed against his chest. Closing her eyes as he rubbed her back, ran his fingers through her hair.
His eyes were getting heavier too, but when he felt the water start cooling he knew it was time they make a move.
"C'mon, I think our stuff's dry by now."
Helping her out of the tub, they dried off and dressed, then brought the remaining wine out onto the porch.
It was after midnight and they were both beat, but neither of them were willing to admit it.
Sitting down in one of the porch chairs, her in his lap, his hand absentmindedly stroked her hair as she curled up on his shoulder. Watching the rain as they finished off the wine,
Feeling her go limp, start to drift off Brody slowly went to stand, bring her inside but she shook her head.
"No..don't. Just stay-",
"You're falling asleep."
"Yeah. Feels good."
"You'll feel better inside. Off this fucking damp porch.", he sighed but she didn't move a muscle.
"Carrie..."
"You feel good.", she murmured, eyes still closed as she curled up more against him.
"Stay."
Not having it in him to even try and deny her that, he shifted to a comfortable position in the chair, still holding her tightly.
"Okay, love. Okay."
...
The next morning, seeing the sun even though her closed eyelids Carrie groaned, slowly squinted to see they were on the porch. She was in his lap, the wine bottle was at their feet. Slowly her mind clicked back to the lake, the chasing, the tub, and despite her worsening headache she couldn't help but smile.
Not sure how Brody was remotely comfortable twisted up in that chair all night, knowing he certainly wouldn't be when he woke up, careful not to disturb him she stood and dragged another chair over, propping his feet up on it. It wasn't much but at least he had some space to stretch out.
Kissing the side of his face she quietly walked back into the cabin, and saw Farrah petting Calvin on the bed.
"Hey, you sleep well?", she asked, shutting the door before sitting beside her on the bed.
"Yes. No bad dreams. Where is Nick?"
"He fell asleep on the porch. Before he wakes up though, how about we grab some trail mix and water and take a walk. I can show you the clearing with the wildflowers before it gets too hot."
"Calvin come too!"
"I think he'd rather stay here and sleep. Am I right?", Carrie smirked as the kitten mewed, curled up in a tiny ball on the bed.
"C'mon, let's get out of here."
Taking the same trail they had yesterday to the waterfall, Carrie couldn't help laughing as Farrah insisted on navigating them herself. Using a hand drawn map from one of Maggie's notebooks.
"Okay we go...here. No. Here!", she corrected as she turned right and went twenty steps forward, only to walk off the trail and right into a large shrub.
"No! You in wrong spot!", she yelled, hitting it in frustration.
"Farrah, are you sure I can't be in charge of the map?"
"No. It my job."
"Alright, you be in charge of the map, but let me help you get your bearings here."
Rolling her eyes she scooped the girl up, put her back on the trail before Farrah pointed, gasped as she ran towards something.
"Hey! Wait for me!", Carrie yelled, following her only to see her stopped in front of a large deer. Luckily sans antlers.
"Carrie! Look at-"
"Shh. Shh, be quiet and keep really still."
Silently they both stood, watched the deer nibble on a leaf before it made eye contact, then ran off in the opposite direction.
"Wow!"
"Yeah I like them too. Just don't go running ahead like that on me. You scared me."
Looking up apologetically Farrah reached up, squeezed Carrie's hand as they walked.
It was quiet aside from the birds and the light breeze rustling the tree leaves. The calm was working wonders for Carrie's headache and had done wonders for her nerves. Everything seemed to melt away up here. Part of her wished they could just stay.
But she was snapped from her reverie when she heard a shotgun being cocked. When it went off Farrah jumped and Carrie frowned, went tense. Technically the clearing was half on their property, and none of it was considered hunting grounds.
She remembered her dad tussling with some drunks over that very subject, when they had gone on a hike and out of nowhere, heard a shot and then saw a deer being dragged. Carrie had been just a year older than Farrah, and had worn the same frightened look the girl was right now.
"It's okay honey, it's fine. I'll take care of this."
"But.."
"Don't worry. We're allowed here. They aren't."
Walking in the direction of the laughing and slurring, Carrie cleared her throat at the three men staggering around the clearing. None of whom looked sober enough to be within a foot of a firearm.
Farrah followed her, and when she saw the flowers being crushed under the boots of the big looking men, her jaw clenched and she darted past Carrie towards them.
"What the-"
"You stop! You crush them.", she scolded. Bending down she tried to pick some of the daisies around their boots.
"Excuse me little girl, I think you ought to leave.", one of the men sneered.
"No! You leave. Leave flowers alone.", Farrah ordered, looking up as he bent down.
"Listen you little brat-"
"Only Nick call me brat!"
"You think you can talk to me that way!", the man half snarled, half slurred as he gripped Farrah by the arm, only to feel a sharp blow, then a tight grip on his own.
"Hey what the-"
"Get the fuck away from her, now.", Carrie growled.
"What the-"
"I said move, asshole!", she barked as the man backed up, then caught himself and put a condescending smirk on his face.
"Well, who's this big girl..."
"Shut up. Not only is half this clearing on my property, the hunting grounds are across the lake."
"Listen sweetheart, you're not gonna tell me where I can use my gun."
"And you're not going to traipse around here shitfaced with it."
Disarming him before he could even realize what she'd done, the man shook his head and looked at her viciously.
Making Carrie more angry than fearful as she rolled her eyes, removed the bullets and put them in the empty trail mix bag.
"Get out of here, with your friends, and I won't press charges for trespassing.", she said simply, handing him back the weapon and the bag of bullets.
"Look, I don't like being told what to do."
"And I don't like dealing with fucking morons first thing in the morning."
"Hey...hey! What's going on over here."
A balding man asked, sauntering over with a shotgun in one hand and a flask in the other.
"Ah, nice of you to join the party.", Carrie spat.
"Look, whoever is the least wasted of the two of you can be the leader. Just get out. Trail is that way."
"Yes. Get out!", Farrah chimed in as the balding man frowned, made a move towards her but Carrie stepped in between them, getting him glaring.
"Hey she pipes up again and I'll put her goddamn scarf someplace els-"
Kneeing him in the groin, not even content seeing him just doubled over, Carrie struck his nose with the heel of her hand. The blows left him incapacitated on the ground, bloodied, but she had to fight the urge to finish the job.
"Any of you try following me? Expect the same.", she promised, taking Farrah by the hand as she turned to leave, only to feel an all too familiar object press into her upper back. Swallowing hard she took deep breaths, her mind racing to think of the best way to disarm him.
"I thought I told you I didn't like people fucking with me.."