Okay thanks so much to eyesdown, livulmann, indigo and Heatherlina for the reviewage! (thanks for the follow too, glad my story caught your interest! :D). Here's the latest, forgive the cliffhanging at the end. I'm heading into a segment I'm finding really tough to write for a lot of reasons but, the way I plotted out this story means there's no avoiding it. Anyway, I'm working on it, hopefully it'll be up and running soon. In the meantime take this as you will.
"Okay pick your poison. Rocky Road or Mint Chip."
"Chocolate!", Farrah cheered.
"Or choose one that's not listed.", Quinn groaned. Seeing the sign the vender had put out only listed the two flavors.
"Actually I think I can scrounge up some chocolate. Give me one second."
The twenty something redhead said, smiling sweetly at Farrah and Quinn both before going to the back of the truck.
"So, you've talked to me about plans you've got with Mischa, about the cat."
"Calvin!", Farrah corrected.
"Sorry. Calvin. But I still don't know what had you blue at the house earlier."
"I tell you I not blue! I tan!", Farrah exclaimed, pouting as the woman handed over two chocolate cones.
After paying her Quinn took a still sullen, scowling Farrah by the hand, to a bench not too far away where they could sit.
"Alright, I won't bug you about your being blue anymore tonight. Are we friends again?"
Shrugging Farrah rolled her eyes, then looked up at Quinn with an exasperated smile.
"Yes. We friends again."
"Good.", Quinn said, thinking he ought to hold off on this line of questioning. At least for tonight anyway.
There were almost to the bench when Farrah let out a squeal, dropping Quinn's hand as she darted off.
"Jesus, Farrah! What the f-"
"Bear!", the girl cheered. Running to the other entrance to the square to greet a weary looking Saul. Frowning, Quinn jogged to catch up to them.
"Bear, Pete buy ice cream!"
"Well, how nice of Pete to do that."
Saul said as he stooped to her level, getting a shrug from Quinn.
"You want some too?"
"I think I can be persuaded.", he smiled. Kindly but tiredly as Farrah turned to look up at Quinn, tugged at his shirt.
"Pete I need money."
"Hey, I already sprung for two cones."
"But Bear wants..."
"Here, Farrah. If the girl gives you change you can keep it.", Saul said, handing her a ten dollar bill.
"Yes?", the girl chirped, getting another nod before she took the money. Grinning she threw her arms around Saul tightly, kissed his cheek.
"Thank you, Bear."
"You're welcome Farrah."
Saul said, standing back up as Farrah darted back to the vendor, catching a look from Quinn.
"That kid really loves you."
"Yeah well, the feeling is mutual."
"This is what, the first time you've seen her since she and Carrie went to the cabin?"
"What are you getting at?", Saul asked gruffly.
"Just that you keep going after Carrie like you've been, you'll be lucky to see Farrah on holidays.", Quinn scoffed, getting a glare.
"You think for one second I'm enjoying what's happening?"
"No, but I think it'd serve you well to back off of Carrie a bit. Cut her some slack."
"Like I haven't done just that for over a decade.", Saul scoffed.
"I know. She's a blind spot for you. But Brody is Carrie's blind spot. That's been established."
"What's your point?"
"So each time you throw Brody, what he's done, in her face you're reminding her how much she missed because of him. With Carrie that's the equivalent of stabbing her in an open wound."
"Any wound she has with Brody's fucking self inflicted.", Saul said bitterly.
"Well when that wound heals, when she recovers from all this bullshit, and she will, keep treating her like you are and she's going to want nothing to do with you. She'll cut you out, Saul. Is that really what you want to happen?", Quinn asked knowingly as Saul looked on, agitated but paying attention.
"You need to move past everything with Brody. Goddammit, he's already hung himself! The guy's so fucked up he's running from his best chance of being cleared. Eventually Carrie will realize he's past saving. But she has to come to that conclusion on her own. You force it on her, you'll just force her away, Saul. Fuck, you're already halfway there."
"Quinn, fourteen years is a hell of a long time to wipe away completely."
"Don't be so sure of that. Push Carrie once more about Brody when everything's this raw, and watch what she does."
"I know what Carrie does.", the older man bit back.
"I know more about her than you'll ever fucking know."
"Well, that being said you're being pretty cold towards her."
"Christ, Quinn. I had no idea you were this protective of her."
"She doesn't need protecting.", Quinn said curtly.
"But it occurred to me she could use a friend. Someone objective enough to see her side, who's not just zeroed in on destroying the man she loves."
"I'm not fucking zeroed in on-"
"Yeah? Then why did she confide in me that night instead of you?"
"What night? Confide in you about what?", Saul frowned as Quinn rolled his eyes, wished he'd kept his mouth shut.
"Note the word confide.", he spat.
"Is it about Brody, Farrah, what?"
Not getting an answer, agitated, Saul took Quinn by the arm and sat him on the bench, then sat beside him.
"If something is going on with Carrie I have a right to know. She's my goddamn second in command."
"It's not going on anymore if that's what you're worried about."
"Peter.."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Quinn went on to explain why Carrie had taken off for those two weeks. He felt guilty (an unusual sensation for him), sharing something so personal that Carrie had told him in confidence, but he figured the end justified the means. If he told Saul this much, maybe he'd stop raking her over the coals about Brody, or at least understand better why she was so attached to him, even still.
Seeing the look on the older man's face, Quinn realized he'd accomplished that and then some.
"I can't fucking believe...why didn't she say anything?"
"Because you were having a goddamn breakdown yourself. She didn't want you stressed over her on top of everything else."
"Christ, I have to talk to her."
"Yeah, what are you going to say?", Quinn challenged.
"'I'm sorry you lost Brody's baby but if you'll excuse me, I still have to track down then tar and feather his ginger ass?'", he scoffed.
"Why did you bother telling me if you didn't want me to confront her?"
"So that when you decide to wage a full on war with Agent Orange, Carrie's still in the back of your mind. It'll prevent you from hurting her more than she's already been hurt."
Nodding, still disbelievingly Saul sighed, looking more fatigued if it was possible.
"Well, thanks for filling me in."
Slowly he stood up right as Farrah came running over with his ice cream,
"Bear, I get you chocolate with sprinkles! And I keep change."
"Thanks Farrah, but I'm about to get going."
"But..."
Looking on confused as Saul gave her a hug, told her to keep the cone for herself and walked off, Farrah turned to Quinn. Frowned at him.
"Pete why did he leave?"
"I think he remembered something he had to tell Carrie."
"Oh.", Farrah said sullenly, taking a few licks from the second cone before offering it to Quinn.
"No thanks. I'm set."
Shrugging she walked over to toss it in a nearby trash can, only to hear something that made her ears perk up.
"Farrah, what...?"
"I thought I hear something.", she muttered. Turning in the direction of the sound, a familiar tune being hummed.
Getting to his feet Quinn went alert, feeling in his gut that something was off. Looking around his jaw clenched as he figured out the cause.
"Farrah..."
Walking up he put an arm around her shoulders, guided her away from the bench.
"C'mon, it's time to go."
"But..", the girl frowned, looking behind her only to see the source of the sound.
When she spotted him she smiled, but Quinn kept her walking, preventing her from trying to get any closer.
He was ready to carry her out of the square if he had to after seeing who was unnervingly close by.
"Pete!", Farrah shouted, protesting in Arabic. Quinn somewhat understood her but kept walking faster, practically pushing her towards the path that led to the parking lot.
Realizing that Khaliq's smile faded and cursing he rolled his eyes, picked up his pace.