"Alright, as requested. A peanut butter, grape jelly, banana, and marshmallow fluff sandwich. Blech."
Carrie grimaced, not able to hide her disgust at the combination as she set the plate in front of Farrah. Grinning the girl thanked her. Started eating her lunch.

"If that doesn't tide you over until dinner we'll stop somewhere on the ride home."
"Nick drive back with us?"
Frowning Carrie sat at the table, started poking at her salad.
"I don't know actually. A friend of his gave him a ride up here. I'll ask when he gets back."
"When he be back?"
"I'm not sure.", she shrugged. Spearing a crouton with her fork.
"After lunch though we should start packing, okay?"

Finishing off her lunch even though she wasn't all that hungry, Carrie got up and wandered out onto the porch. Calvin followed her and she scooped the kitten up, held him close before looking at her watch. It hadn't been as long as she'd thought but it had still been awhile since Brody left.
Him taking off was bad enough, but him taking off without resolving things with Farrah was eating away at her. All she wanted was to turn back the clock to this morning and hide that damn bruise better.

"Carrie?"
Her thoughts interrupted she turned around.
"Hey. You finish your lunch?"
"Yes."
"Crusts too?"
"Crust too.", Farrah smiled sheepishly, moving to join her on the porch. Her smile faded though seeing the intent way Carrie was looking out at the water.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, honey. Why?"
"You keep looking down there. But Nick not there anymore."
"What do you mean, anymore. When was he down there?"
"Before lunch. When you were talking, on phone."
"When I was talking on the phone you talked to Brody?"
"Yes.", Farrah answered, leaning against the porch rail.
"I walk over and say sorry. For beating him to pulp."

At that Carrie had to stifle a laugh.
"Farrah, you didn't do that."
"I know!", the girl grinned.
"It was a joke."
"But you two talked. You're friends again?"
"Yes."
"Good. That...that's good."
Relieved, Carrie sat down in one of the outdoor chairs. Handed Calvin to Farrah.
"It is? You not mad?"
"No. I'm not."
"So he be back soon, yes?"
"Knowing now you two made up. Yes.", she said confidently.
"I know he'll be back soon."

...

Brody had taken the trail to the waterfall, and even after climbing down to explore the base of it he kept walking. He hadn't been able to spend this long outside since he'd returned to the States, and figured he'd soak up as much sun and calm from the woods as he could.
But the main motivation for turning his quick walk into a lengthy hike was avoidance. Even though he and Farrah had made up, even though Carrie had assured him repeatedly she was fine, he couldn't get those marks on her wrists out of his mind. They looked like the bands Nazir's zip ties had left behind, and that alone was enough to make him lose his breakfast.

Slightly winded from all the walking, he sat down on a tree stump, caught his breath. He'd prayed earlier, now he just wanted to sit and think. In spite of all the drama they'd been caught up in this weekend, the yelling and the interrogating and the goddamn Nazi's resurfacing, it had started out as nothing short of perfect and cemented what he already knew.
He couldn't go back to a life of hiding and hair dye. Not now, what with promising swim dates and real first dates to the Mathison women back at the cabin. If he couldn't have a future with them he wasn't interested in pursuing one at all.
Feeling more clear headed and focused now, ready to head back he went to stand only to hear snickering, feel a sharp pain at the back of his head, and see everything fade to black.

...

After struggling to open his eyes, Brody struggled to figure out his surroundings. He was sitting in a chair, not bound or tied up but his left leg felt like it was on fire. Pain shot through it at the slightest movement. Squinting down at it he realized the cause, a nasty looking wound a few inches above his knee. It hurt for him to even look at it, and he couldn't help thinking of the Gettysburg tailor impaling himself on that goddamn stake in the woods. Had he done the same thing? If so who brought him here instead of leaving him to rot? One name came to mind.

"C...Carrie..", he muttered. Keeping his eyes open enough to let them adjust this time. Hoping to see her, but his stomach rolled seeing someone else.

"Well, look who finally woke the fuck up. You always did like to sleep in. I remember I'd be up at the crack of dawn with Tom, you and Faber would still be snoring your fucking heads off."
"L..Lauder? What..the fuck..where are...how the fuck did you..."

"Had some help. My buddy Jake did most of the leg work. Ha, get it. Leg..."
Half laughing, half slurring Lauder drained the last of his beer, then tossed the can aside and uncapped his flask.
"Glad he came along. My nephew wasn't too keen on my plan. Decided to go and hole up in the truck instead of helping me out. Got stoned on me.", he glowered in the boy's general direction.

Trying to turn, see this boy he was looking at Brody winced at the effort. Between his leg and his head he was in too much pain to see straight. But knew he had to get the fuck out of here, away from his drunken, possibly gun toting former friend.
"L...Lauder. Fuck! You shot me in the leg? Figured that was the only way I'd stick around, have a fucking thing to do with you?"
"Eh, wish I could take credit for that but c'mon Brody. Does that look like a bullet wound to you? With all your training you ought to know the difference."
Lauder scoffed as Brody looked down at the injury again. Even if it wasn't caused by a bullet, it sure felt like he'd been pumped full of lead.

"You always were pretty bright. You'd have to be to be fucking recruited by terrorists. Blow the goddamn CIA sky high."
Rolling his eyes Brody shook his head, but regretted it when it throbbed.

"Don't sell yourself short there Lauder, I always saw you as bright. At least until you said that.", he growled.
"If I had been responsible for the explosion at Langley that day, do you really think I'd be back here? Just hours away from the scene where it happened? I'm innocent. I've got nothing to hide. And I bet you can't fucking stand it."

He grinned, getting increasingly surly as he spoke. Before being beaten into submission in captivity, he'd made a point of antagonizing his captors. Saying and doing whatever it took to anger them. At first it was to prove he wasn't broken. Later it was to get them to knock him out faster. He hated how this situation was forcing him to slip back into old habits, with a man he used to call a friend no less.

"Listen. You may be bright. But you're not as clever as you think. I know exactly why you're back stateside and I know who made it happen."
"You don't know shit."
"But Carrie does, doesn't she? She knows everything. And why wouldn't she? You've only been fucking her since your goddamn homecoming."

At this whatever smirk Brody had worn disappeared.
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.", he snarled, then forced his mouth to say the next sentence.
"That...that bitch, she illegally surveyed my house, Lauder! She scared the shit out of my daughter! Why the fuck would I have a thing to do with her?!"

"You mean why would you come to her defense?"
Lauder smirked, taking another swig from his flask as Brody paled.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you think? These woods aren't as secluded as you think. I've heard some stories. Over at our old bar as a matter of fact."
"From who, a bunch of useless drunks?"
"A bunch of useless drunks who placed your girlfriend at the clearing and you in your fucking camo cap running up right behind to protect her.", he sneered.

"I think it's all fifty shades of fucked up myself, but I guess a fugitive will take shelter anywhere he can get it. You've been shacking up at her cabin? Waiting around for her to drive up and visit you? The days she has off from rebuilding her work?"
Swallowing hard Brody went to answer but Lauder didn't let him.

"But hey, don't get me wrong. I'd look forward to her visits too. Saw her picture in the paper."
"You're about to cross a line there, Lauder. I sure as fuck wouldn't if I were you.", Brody growled menacingly.
"Oh, what? I strike a nerve?"
Shaking his head Lauder lowered himself into a beat recliner across the way from Brody's rickety chair.

"I was just complimenting you on your good taste, Brody. Pretty and can take damn good care of herself. Took on three drunks single-handed. I wonder how she'd hold up in prison for aiding and abetting. I mean, if she's fucking you she's got to be protecting your sorry ass."
"Look, whatever this is keep it between you and me. Alright?! Leave Carrie the fuck out of it!"
"I don't see how I can when I turn you in. The feds are gonna have plenty of questions and I'll have all the answers. I wonder if they allow conjugal visits when both parties are in prison."
Lauder mused as Brody bristled.

"Let me ask then, why the fuck haven't you already turned me in? Why'd I wake up in this shithole and not a holding cell?", he asked.
"I just wanted a chance to catch up with you, buddy.", Lauder sneered. Meanwhile Brody's leg went from throbbing to pulsating pain. Even without looking at the wound he could tell it was close to infected if not already.

"Yeah, you took a pretty hard fall. That trap nicked you good. I'd pour a little of this vodka on it, try and disinfect it but, dunno if I can spare it."
"For Christ's sake, Lauder. C'mon. You wouldn't leave a man behind.", Brody said knowingly.
"You were the last to ship out after I was captured. Even Faber left before you. You waited. You waited around for word on me. Figure out for sure I wasn't just MIA."

Shaking his head Lauder looked at him venomously, got up on his crutches and moved to stand right in front of him, reeking of booze and nearly shaking out of rage.

"I...waited.. for my.. friends. My goddamn brothers. I waited and I wished like hell I'd have been captured instead.
I wanted for the men I trained and served with. Not the fucking traitors that up and blew up anyone that got in the way of their goddamn brainwashing!"
"I wasn't fucking brainwashed!", Brody growled, but regretting the exertion he forced himself to take deep breaths.

"I wasn't.", he insisted, his eyes going from cold to pleading.
"Lauder, just give me a fucking chance. I..I'll explain. I'll tell you whatever you want to know, give you all your answers. And you can do whatever the fuck you have to with the information. Turn me in, land me in prison. Some bunker where I get a few square meals a day and not a shred of fucking daylight. I don't give a shit anymore. I'm tired. I'm tired of running and I won't. All I ask is that you don't go after Carrie. Leave her, leave the woman I love, out of it."

"Why? So she can clear your name? Pin that bombing on someone besides her cabin boy fuckbuddy?"
"She...she wouldn't. She wants to clear my name, she's tried to but she can't. She won't be able to. You'll get what you want. You'll put away the man that betrayed your friend. Your brother. The man that put a bullet in Tom's head. You'll get your justice. Just leave Carrie out of it. Please."

"So you fucking admit it then.", Lauder said, looking stony-eyed.
"I've been waiting and waiting for you to fucking say it out loud."
"I have.", Brody rasped. Watching nervously as Lauder moved closer, gripped the back of the chair he was in.

"Doesn't make one bit of it right." he snarled. Lifting his hand from his crutch just long enough to shove the chair and shove Brody out of it, before regaining his footing. Shaking his head disapprovingly at the man lying immobile on the ground, and slurring about him, Carrie, and adjoining cells before going to refill his flask.