Ugh, sorry to anyone keeping up with this that this update took forever. Trying to forge ahead to the next plot point I've been anxious to get going on (have a few twists/reveals coming into play and some familiar faces showing up too) Just taking me a bit to get there, hope you can stick with me until then.
The next morning Brody woke up, stretched, then looked at the clock on the wall. It was early. He had enough time to go outside to pray, get started on breakfast, take Farrah on her promised swim date. He was hoping by the time they had to leave things would be smoothed out between him and Carrie. He couldn't bear it if there was still lingering tension between them. Even after last night.
What happened between them hadn't come as a complete surprise, but Brody knew there was more to it than her 'missing him'. All he could think was how those words were their code back when she was strictly his handler. How last night felt more like their spied on fucking in the motel room. Like her last ditch effort to keep him from running off the rails.
He'd run off them and then some back in the clearing. And was kicking himself for letting it get to that point. It had set them back and now they had hours at best to make things right again. Brody told himself though he would. He had to. It was about his only way of hanging onto that fucking peace he'd been so desperate to get hold of in the first place.
Getting up he stretched again, made the bed, then made his way to the front only to hear clanging sounds and muttered swearing coming from the kitchen.
"Agh, fuck!", Carrie spat, turning away from the waffle iron dripping batter to the blender dripping smoothie. The lid hadn't been fastened tightly enough.
"Hey...hey!"
"Oh! You're up."
"Yeah!", Brody exclaimed, moving to clean up the blender mess, almost bumping into a cutting board loaded with fruit.
"Maybe that's a good thing.", he scoffed.
"You know if you wanted to help with breakfast you should've just said something."
"I was up, figured I'd get started on it. You going to sue me?", Carrie scoffed, brushing past him to get back to the stove, right as the waffle iron started smoking.
"Carrie are you sure you don't need any...whoa!"
Turning the heat off while she rolled her eyes, turned back to the other counter top Brody rolled his eyes, pressed his index finger firmly into her upper back.
"Alright, c'mon. Let's go. We're going.", he sighed, ushering her out of the kitchen.
"What the...Brody! I was blending back there!"
"And you'll be able to when you get back. Though I saw something called wheat grass on the counter? May want to leave that out.", he snorted.
Once they were out on the porch she whirled around, glared at him while he looked on dumbfounded.
"You mind my asking what the fuck you were doing?"
"Handstands.", she spat.
"Handstands. Okay, so you weren't trying to demo the kitchen our last day here."
"I told you! I was awake. Thought I'd get a head start on-"
"I thought you'd just want a quiet morning, chance to sleep in. You were up before Farrah was."
"Well insomnia's a bitch. What can I say?"
"I don't know. I can say though that I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
"For yesterday. Going off the rails like I did, denying it. Pretending nothing was wrong. You saw through all of it but I still...I just shut you out even more."
"Brody..."
"You didn't deserve that from me. And you shouldn't have to keep reminding me we're okay. I know we're okay."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I do."
When he reached over, held her face Carrie went to rest her hand over his but caught herself. Turning her head to kiss his palm before he leaned in to kiss her. It went from sweet to passionate before she forced herself to pull back.
"I wanted to do that last night but you ran out so fast I missed my chance."
"I had to get back to Farrah. Didn't want her to wake up when I wasn't..."
"Yeah. I figured. It's fine. She needed you with her. Vice versa."
Nodding she leaned against him while his arms slipped around her waist, pulled her close.
"I wasn't expecting to wake up and see you at the foot of the bed though. You really missed me that much?", he asked teasingly as she bit her lip.
"Yeah. I did.", she answered solemnly.
Still holding her Brody looked out at the water, enjoying the quiet before breaking it.
"I wish we could just stay here. It wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
Shaking her head Carrie backed up, frowned up at him.
"Brody..."
"Just think about it for a second. I'd still be cabin boy. Still do the laundry, cleaning, cooking if you let me. Though now there'd be two ladies of the house to contend with. And that damn cat..."
"Brody."
"No, I know. He's family now. I understand. I'd adjust."
"Jesus, will you just shut up for a second!", she laughed, exasperated as her smile faded.
"Sorry."
"We can't stay, Brody. You need to go back for the imam, Zahira. They've been good to you. And I need to get back to getting you your second chance."
"Carrie.."
"Hey, I'm not arguing with you about this. And don't go throwing that 'Carrie, you've dealt with enough drama lately' line in my face. I was dealing with drama from fucking terrorists before we even met. This kind doesn't quite compare."
"Carrie.."
"I'm not going to hide, Brody. We're not."
"Okay, okay..I know."
"Okay. Good!", she emphasized.
"Carrie? Nick?!". Farrah yelled as Calvin mewed, scratched at the door.
"Coming Farrah.", Carrie yelled back. Leaning in she kissed Brody on the lips.
"It's like you said, we're okay.", she assured as he nodded. Deciding for his own sake to take her at her word. Squeezing her hand he didn't drop it as they went inside.
"Okay I'm going to take care of this.", he insisted when they reached the kitchen.
"You go and see Farrah, pet Calvin, I don't know."
"No, you go see Farrah and pet Calvin. I started this, I'm going to finish it."
"Carrie.."
"Move it, Marine.", she demanded.
"Okay, okay. Don't get testy."
Going to the living room he saw Farrah sitting on top of the made bed, giving Calvin a belly rub.
"Hey. Calvin looks like he's loving life right now."
"He happy.", Farrah grinned.
"He like it here."
"Yeah I know how he feels."
Smiling he pet the kitten behind the ears.
"You not quiet today."
"Yeah. Carrie said you thought I was tired or sick or something yesterday."
"You not smile right.", she said knowingly, as Brody looked on surprised and impressed at how observant she was. Though it shouldn't have been much of a shock with Carrie raising her.
"I was just upset yesterday after everything that happened in the woods."
"Yes. Carrie get hurt.", Farrah said softly as he slipped an arm around her.
"I know she did. And it never should've happened. But it's over now, brat. Carrie's fine. You know she's running around in the kitchen right now trying to make breakfast?"
"She is?"
"I tried to stop her but she kicked me out. So, let's just set the table and hope for the best, okay?"
...
Taking a small sip of her smoothie Farrah smiled, looked up at a nervous looking Carrie.
"It good!", she said as Brody took her at her word.
"I agree. Not half bad. Even without the wheat-grass.", he teased getting a glare.
"What is wheat..wheat grass.."
"Not sure but it looked pretty gross. Don't ever let her have you try it, okay?"
Nodding Farrah drizzled more syrup on her waffles, but then gasped, looked up in alarm.
"Carrie! You get call!"
"When? From who, honey?"
"It was Bear. He leave message.", she said as she stood up, ran over to the sofa table.
"I write it. He want you to call back before he becomes even older, crankier man."
Rolling her eyes Carrie groaned, catching Brody's eye. Meanwhile, remembering she had to feed Calvin Farrah ran to the kitchen.
"You should get a hold of him, you know. It could be important."
"Or it could be another lecture, sermon. Guilt-trip because I'm not behaving the way he wants me to."
"Well I haven't worked a paying job in awhile, but aren't you supposed to listen to your boss?", he asked as Carrie glared, stabbed a strawberry with her fork.
"My office is the same size as his."
"Okay fine, Saul's not your boss but he is your mentor. Not to mention one of your closest friends. Is he really someone you want to write off over a lousy debate?"
"Lousy debate? It's over you and all the reasons he can't stand you!"
"Well I can't stand me either half the time. You haven't written me off yet."
"Hey, I make no promises."
Rolling his eyes Brody ate the last of his waffle, then reached over and stole the last strawberry off Carrie's plate. Popping it in his mouth he got a glare.
"You realize you're not helping your case, right?", she scoffed.
"It's okay. The berry was worth it."
"Ugh, you are such.."
"Hey think of it this way, the more I bug you now, the less Saul will tomorrow when he starts in on me. Just trying to help you out here."
"I don't need that kind of help.", Carrie smirked, standing up to clear her plate right as Calvin jumped onto the table, pounced after the cuff on her shirt sleeve. His claw snagging the fabric.
"Hey! What the-"
"Calvin get down, you have food!", Farrah scolded, walking up as Carrie stood up.
"He claw you?", she asked nervously only to notice marks under the frayed cuff. Nearly dropping the cat she caught Brody's attention.
"Hey what's-"
"It's nothing! Just sit back down, both of you.", Carrie said sharply.
Shaking her head, the girl's eyes watered but she kept a brave face on.
"I get Snoopy bandaid.", she said, running to the kitchen as Carrie turned, went to go after her.
"Farrah, wait. Farrah!"
"Carrie, what? Did the cat scratch you that..."
Catching sight of the bruises right as she went to hide them, Brody's jaw clenched.
"When the fuck did...yesterday?"
"I..I don't..."
At the quiver in her voice, the way she wouldn't look him right in the eye he bowed his head. Overwhelmed with the worst kind of deja'vu.
"Let me see.", he said gruffly.
"Brody.."
"Let me see, damn it!"
Shaking her head sadly she held her wrist out.
"Mother fucking..."
"Don't, okay! Don't. I'm fine. You didn't-"
"Last night. That's when it happened, right? Last night?"
"Damn it, I don't-"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't remember!", she yelled. "You woke up and you didn't remember a thing that happened. I wanted it to stay that way!"
"So you figured fucking me would accomplish that?"
Her eyes icing over at the remark, she took a deep breath to keep from snapping.
"You were having a goddamn nightmare, Brody. I heard you yelling in your sleep. I ran in the back room and you were begging in Arabic for someone not to hurt me. Telling them to leave me alone."
"I should've left you alone.", Brody said bitterly. Shaking her head Carrie walked up, went to touch him but he flinched, backed and turned away from her.
"Jesus, you didn't know what you were doing! That you were even doing it. You really think I'm going to punish you? That I'm going to run away in terror?", she scoffed. Before noticing he hadn't made a move to argue back, or made a move at all. He just stood still, defenseless. Taking her harsh tone and words like they were blows.
Realizing it she shook her head and walked over, took a steady grip on his trembling hands,
"Look, if you haven't scared me off yet you're not going to. You were someplace else last night. You were afraid, you panicked. It happens. I know too fucking well that it does.", she sighed bitterly.
"Honey it was just a bad dream, that's all."
Even though she was reassuring him, somewhat calming him down Brody couldn't take his eyes off her wrist.
"I'm so sorry. God I'm so sorry."
"Shhh, don't.", she coaxed, bringing his hands close to her face, kissing them gently.
"I know you. You never meant to hurt...it just happened."
"What happened?", Farrah asked nervously. She'd been standing nearby and heard Brody apologizing, heard Carrie say he didn't mean to hurt and her brown eyes went wide, then went angry.
"Farrah, I-"
"What happened?!"
The girl shouted, taking Carrie aback. Brody looked just as stunned but didn't feel in a position to say or do anything as Farrah ran to stand between them.
"Nothing, Farrah. Everything's-"
"You say he hurt!", she interrupted.
"Honey no, I didn't say-"
"And you say sorry! You...you hurt her? You hurt her too?"
Looking down as Farrah stared him down, furious and betrayed and teary eyed, Brody stood frozen in place. Too stunned to speak. Taking his silence as an answer Farrah ran at him, started hitting at him with tiny fists wherever she could reach.
"Farrah, Farrah stop! You don't-"
"You hurt her! You..you like men with boots! You..you hurt her!", she cried as Carrie took hold of her from behind, held the girl close as she squirmed, kept shouting at Brody in every language she knew.
"Shh, shh just stop. Just stop, just stop." Repeating herself over and over Carrie kept holding Farrah until finally she heard her. After she stopped struggling she started crying.
"Shh. Shh."
Turning her around, the girl hid her face in her shoulder and Carrie hid her's in her headscarf. Trying her best to keep from crying too at the situation. Everything going from good to bad to downright ugly, again.
After she pulled back, dried her eyes, she was set to look up and mouth an apology, anything that would be remotely reassuring to Brody. Only to see he was already gone.