Looking up to see Brody was already gone, Carrie forced herself not to be upset by it. Worried for him. She assumed that he'd assumed after Farrah's outburst it'd be best to get out of the way, give them some space. She just wished he hadn't slipped out the door as easily as if he were Calvin. It was rather unsettling.
"Come here, Farrah. Come with me.", she coaxed, taking her by the hand and over to the couch. Farrah obediently sat down, legs folded under her, but picked a place on the carpet to stare down at.
"Sweetheart, it's just the two of us now, okay? It's just us. Just you and me. We should try and talk and sort things out before we go home. Make sure everything's okay."
"Are you..you okay?", Farrah asked nervously, so soft Carrie couldn't hear her at first.
"I'm fine, Farrah. You have my word I'm fine. I'm gonna stay that way too."
"It..it not hurt?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Nick..when he..to your arm.", Farrah said nervously, with more fear in her eyes than Carrie had seen in a long time.
"Farrah, Brody didn't do this to me on purpose. I need you to know that."
"But he say-"
"I know what he said. But I also know he did this accidentally, without even realizing it. He had a nightmare, honey. Just like the ones you and I have."
"He get them too?"
"Yeah. He does. Last night I heard him yelling and crying out in his sleep, even out here I heard him. So I went over to his room to wake him up. Like I do with you."
"But I not hurt your arm when I..."
Sighing Carrie shook her head.
"Just hold on for a second and let me explain, okay?"
"Okay."
"Brody had a dream last night that someone was trying to hurt me. Trying to take me away from him. He didn't open his eyes when I came in his room but he felt me holding his hand, so he grabbed onto my arm. Like, the way I did with you at the parade or when we'd go to the marketplace together. I'd hold on so we wouldn't lose each other."
Nodding Farrah met Carrie's gaze.
"Nick afraid he lose.."
"Yeah. He held onto me tightly. But he's strong and left behind a mark."
"Like the man with boots did to me?", she recalled. Looking at the near faded out mark on her wrist as Carrie did the same thing. Working to keep her anger in check at the thought of that cretin laying a hand on her little girl.
"Farrah, why didn't you show me that before now?"
"I..I don't know. I'm sorry." Farrah sniffled as Carrie slipped an arm around her.
"Don't. Don't apologize, okay? I understand. You thought Brody hurt me the way the man hurt you."
Nodding the girl curled up in her lap.
"He didn't though, honey. He didn't. I know that's how it looked but, no. Brody would never hurt me like that on purpose. You remember he ran after those men in the clearing after what they did, right?"
"Yes.", Farrah nodded as she wiped her eyes, pulling back slightly to look at her.
"Brody's a good man, Farrah. He's made a lot of mistakes but he cares about you and he cares about me. He just had a nightmare last night. We've had a lot of those the past few days."
Carrie sighed bitterly, wishing with everything in her that wasn't the case.
"But nightmares over now?", Farrah asked innocently. Getting a hug in return.
"I'll do whatever I have to to make sure they are, okay?"
"Okay."
Nodding the girl tried to pull back but had trouble.
"You still need hug?", she asked getting a nod.
"Yeah. Is that okay?"
"It okay."
After a few moments they finally pulled apart and Carrie was set to broach the subject of Brody, her and Farrah going to find him, mend fences when her phone started buzzing. Not thinking to check the caller she grabbed it off the table, answered.
"Hello?"
"Carrie..it's me."
"Saul?"
"Well, at least you still know the sound of my voice."
"Look, I'm a little busy right now. Can I call you back?"
"I've called you eight times. How the fuck are you still busy?"
Rolling her eyes Carrie sighed impatiently.
"I'll be at Langley tomorrow."
"Good. I'd like you to bring someone with you."
"Saul, no. You can come by the house to see Farrah but I won't-"
"I'm not talking about Farrah. It's Brody. Can you bring him by at ten?"
"That depends. Should I take him to interrogation bunker one or three?", she scoffed. Nodding for Farrah to play with Calvin as she stood up, went over to the kitchen.
"Carrie..."
"Because I know two is set aside for that arms dealer Quinn's interrogating. I wouldn't want him to have to pull his knife on two suspects at the same time. That's a lot of theater for one fucking cell."
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Saul sighed.
"My office should work just fine. And I want you two there at ten. Not ten after, half past. Either I see that fucker on the other side of my desk or there won't be another conversation between us."
"Jesus Christ, Saul. I don't-"
"I'm gonna go over his options, Carrie. The three of us are going to sit down and figure this fucking thing out. Move past it once and for all."
"But you said.."
"I know what I said. I said a lot of things. So did you. But if we don't try and get beyond it, the relationship we've built up the past decade won't amount to a goddamn thing."
"Saul-"
"And for the record I'm not doing this for your benefit. Or his. Or because I'm a useless sap of a romantic. I'm doing it because I have proof you collected staring me in the face. And if I ignore it I'll be the exact son of a bitch I've refused to be my entire fucking career."
"Saul, I don't-"
"My office. Ten 'o clock tomorrow or the deal's off. Sergeant Nick Brody's not running the goddamn show anymore. Are we clear?"
"Yes. We are."
"Good. See you then. And give Farrah a hug from me."
"I will. Goodbye, Saul.", Carrie sighed, hanging up.
...
After Carrie nodded to Calvin, went into the kitchen, seeing the kitten was asleep and in no mood to go chasing a catnip mouse, Farrah went out on the porch and saw Brody down by the dock. Thinking back on everything Carrie had told her, how it wasn't his fault, he'd just had a bad dream, would never hurt that way on purpose, swallowing hard Farrah made her way to where he was sitting. Walking up to tap his shoulder.
"What the...Farrah?"
"Hi Nick.", she said shyly as he turned more around to face her.
"Is everything okay? Is Carrie okay?"
"Yes. I..I wanted to talk to you. Say sorry."
"Farrah, don't.", Brody sighed guiltily as she bit her lip, arms crossed.
"I don't want you apologizing for one thing, you understand?"
"But I yell at you."
"I know. But you were scared, scared for Carrie. You felt like you had to protect her. You were protecting her."
"But you not hurt her on purpose! And I yell-"
"You thought that I had. It looked that way. But I'd never lay a hand on Carrie on purpose, Farrah. If I tried to she'd beat me to a pulp.", he weakly laughed as Farrah frowned, confused.
"Pulp? Like juice?"
"No. No, it's an expression. It just means she'd hurt me right back."
"Ah."
Nodding in semi-understanding Farrah sat next to him on the dock, looked at him apologetically.
"I sorry I beat you to pulp.", she said shyly as Brody stifled a laugh.
"It's okay. I'm recovering nicely.", he teased. But his face went solemn when her's did.
"Carrie say you have bad.."
"A bad dream? Yeah, I did. I thought someone was going to hurt Carrie. Take her away. That's why I held onto her. I know though, there's no excusing those marks.", he sighed bitterly as Farrah frowned, tilted her head.
"But they mistake marks. Not like men with boots."
"That's true I guess."
Brody shrugged, wishing though she didn't have this level of understanding at only six years old.
"Listen though, I told you earlier but I'll tell you again. If anyone tries to come after Carrie or come after you, they'll have to get through me first."
"Yes?"
"Yes. If anything happened to either one of you, Farrah I have no idea what I'd do.", he admitted, then looked at her nervously.
"You and me though, we're okay aren't we? We're still friends?"
"Yes, we friends.", Farrah grinned, then giggled as she climbed onto his lap, threw her arms around his neck.
Overcome by it all Brody smiled, watery eyed.
"Good..that..that's good."
Kissing the top of her head he hugged her once more before she turned around, looked out at the water.
"Listen, I know I said we'd have our swim date but..."
"It okay. Carrie talk to Bear on phone and he wants us home."
"He does?"
"Yes. Next time we swim date?"
"Sounds like a plan.", Brody smiled, standing up before helping Farrah to her feet.
"Listen, I'm think I'm gonna take a walk, okay?"
"I come too?"
"I think I'm just gonna go solo this time, brat. Besides I think Carrie might need some help packing up your stuff."
"Solo?"
"By myself. If that's okay."
"It okay, but be careful!", Farrah said sternly as he pinky swore he would, then walked off.