Okay so here goes nothing. This chapter was tough for me to write, it jumps a bit and leaves a few things unsaid/some gaps, but I promise things will be filled in in the next few updates. Hope you're willing to stick with me until then.
Thanks so much to livulmann and bookworm1986 for the reviewage (and their awesome fics that I'm chomping at the bit to see updates of :D), Also I have to give a shoutout to indigo's series of one-shots, Better The Devil You Know because they are just too freaking fun to read. :D

Anyway, enjoy and please comment!

Sitting at the counter of the diner, Carrie was alternating between drumming her fingers and checking her watch, then her phone for the time as she waited for Quinn. About to switch up the routine and sip some coffee, she realized the cup was empty and swore under her breath.

"Here, honey."
The waitress said, reaching for the pot of decaf.

"What? You're saying I'm not worthy of the real shit? Goddamn decaf's all I deserve?"

"Goddamn decaf's all you need at this point. Look at you! You're wound tighter than a spool of thread."

"I'm wound just enough, thank you. Now may I have the coffee I paid for, please?"

"Well so long as you said please.", the waitress snorted, shaking her head.
"I'm just concerned about you, honey."

"Yeah well don't be.", Carrie snapped, then sighed. Looking to apologize only to see the waitress had taken the hint, moved away from her.
"Shit.", she groaned. Stirring some sugar into her coffee and hoping it hadn't been spit in.

When her phone buzzed she grabbed it, to see it alerting her about three voicemails.

"Miss Mathison this is Dr. Carlin calling about your results from the tests we ran two weeks ag-"

Deleting it she rolled her eyes, played the next message.

"Carrie, it's your sister. I just found out about your checkup you had awhile back and have your lab results in my hand. Now I know why you haven't returned my calls the past two weeks! I can't believe this has happened but regardless you need to call me so we can discuss-"

"Not at this fucking moment I don't."

Deleting the second message she warily played the third.

"Hello Carrie. This is Dr. Addison. Your sister asked me to call so we could set up your first appointment with-"

"Jesus Christ."
Hanging up she hid her face in her hands, let out a groan.

"Still no word from our dark haired friend?", the waitress asked as Carrie frowned, looked up.

"I thought you'd decided to ignore me."

"Well the breakfast rush is over. You've got my full attention."

Rolling her eyes Carrie stirred her coffee again.

"I'm surprised your friend's running so late. He's made all your little meetings here the past couple of weeks. Most of the time he's here before you."

"It figures. The day we're supposed to finish formulating, finalize everything he's fucking nowhere to be found.", Carrie spat, running a hand through her hair.

"Well, he's a man after all.", the waitress shrugged.
"But you two have been in cahoots over something. All cozied up in that booth day after day. What, you two planning on getting away? Someplace romantic?", she asked with a gleam in her eye as Carrie snorted.

"Hardly."

"I don't know. He's a handsome one. And you've definitely had a kind of glow about you lately-"

"Don't say that.", Carrie ordered as the waitress shrugged again, walked off.

Hearing someone at the door Carrie spun around on the stool.

"Finally! Where the fuck have you been?"

"There was bumper to bumper traffic. Jesus. How long have you been sitting here?"

"Awhile.", she grumbled, taking her coffee over to the usual booth where Quinn sat across from her.

"Before we start may I say for the hundredth goddamn time I don't think this is a good idea?"

"May I say for the hundredth time I don't give a shit?", Carrie snapped as he rolled his eyes.

"Quinn, this plan is a necessity at this point. And you promised me you'd have my back, fucking be there. But if you want out, fine. Leave. Exit the same way you entered."

"I was planning on that unless you know a better way out of here.", Quinn said, seeing as there was only one entry door to the diner. Carrie simply glared.

"Damn it, Quinn! I don't-"

"Look I'm not planning on bailing. I just want you to think about things. We start this and there's no going back for you. You're putting every fucking thing on the line, I-"

"I understand. I'm completely entirely aware. Rest assured."

Frowning curiously at the wired look she was giving off, the way her hand had been shaking since they'd sat down, Quinn leaned back in the booth, stared her down.

"What? What the fuck are you looking at?"

"How much coffee have you had?"

"What kind of a question is that?", Carrie snorted.

"Alright then, how much have you slept?"

"Enough?", she answered, getting a look that made her roll her eyes, cross her arms.
"I napped for awhile next to Brody last night. Four hours. Maybe five."

"How much longer is he gonna be out? It's been two weeks already."

"The head injury sustained was more severe than Maggie thought. That's why he's been sedated so long. But she says his recovery looks promising, he's progressing. That I just need to be fucking patient.", she lightly laughed, wiping her eyes.

Seeing the pained look on her face, Quinn was about to switch subjects before she did.

"She kept repeating that, reiterating, expecting it'd help me relax but it was a wasted effort really. I shut my eyes but barely slept."

When he looked on, still too curiously she frowned.
"Is there a reason you're fixating on my fucking REM cycle?"

"Because now that you've roped me into this madness we're partners, Carrie. We've been working together at this for two weeks now and you're not some goddamn mystery anymore. I know when you're on and I know when you're not yourself. You're not yourself. You look completely strung out and-"

"Strung out?"

"Your goddamn hand hasn't stopped shaking since we sat down."

"Like I told you already I'm just jumpy, jittery. Too much coffee. I don't think I needed the extra jolt."
Sighing she pushed the cup away from her, thinking that would be enough to resolve the issue. It wasn't.

"This is way past too much caffeine. For Christ's sake, I haven't seen you this on edge since that day at Brody's apartm..."

Frowning, remembering what Saul and Virgil had told him on the ride to the mosque that day, what he could expect to see from Carrie when they arrived, Quinn's jaw clenched.

"Carrie...are you-"

"I'm fine, Quinn. I'm fantastic, just leave it alone. That's all I ask."

"Sorry, I can't do that."

"Why the fuck not!"

"Because part of that partnership I mentioned is having each others backs. We can't do that if you're holding out on me, especially about your goddamn general state of being. You think I'd trust you to go in the field armed right now?"

"We aren't in the field, we're in a fucking diner! And I'm not armed in case you were asking."

"I wasn't, I-"
Exasperated, Quinn groaned, rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"For fuck's sake..."

Biting her lip, knowing for the sake of everything she had planned she couldn't afford alienating him, sighing Carrie rested her arms on the table, leaned forward as he reluctantly met her gaze again

"Quinn, I'm still the same person who came to you with this plan two weeks ago. Nothing has changed! I'm only slightly on edge, energized."

"You're acting like Farrah after Virgil gave her that fucking bag of Pixie Sticks."

"So I'm enthusiastic, can you blame me?!"

"Enthusiastic? About what, clearing Brody by sacrificing yourse-"

"I'm not sacrificing anything!", Carrie snapped.

"Look when all is said and done, this will make complete sense. I'm certain of that."

"Yeah? Well I'm certain you're holding out on me. You've seen firsthand how I feel about that sort of thing."

Rolling her eyes Carrie picked up her butter knife.

"Will this suffice or do you want the server to bring a fucking steak knife?", she asked, handing it to Quinn as he swore, set it down.

"You are a piece of work, you know that?", he groaned as she snorted, leaned back in the booth. When he remained serious though she went solemn.

"Quinn, what we're doing is of the utmost importance, you understand? You told me before that by being the person I trusted the absolute least, that I could trust you the most to help me. I'm holding you to that!"

"So let me get this straight, because we aren't fucking or because I'm not a father figure to you I'm not allowed to give a shit?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Carrie, if Brody or Berenson were conscious right now, you'd be dodging them left and right, going behind their backs, or you wouldn't be doing this at all. But because you're only dealing with me, someone who's not the love of your life or your goddamn mentor, you think you're entitled to do whatever you have to. And I'll just nod and smile and go along with it. Whatever fucking risk it poses to you be damned."

"Oh Jesus. Please don't tell me the public display you put on at the mosque was for anything more than show.", Carrie grimaced.

"Please don't tell me that because we're not boning I'm not allowed to give a fuck about you!", Quinn snarled.

"Quinn, I..."

"Because I do. I care. About you and Farrah and the fact that right now, if that girl saw you she'd-"

"She'd what? Be intimidated? Get the goddamn idea in her head that I'm not..."

"Not what, Carrie.", Quinn asked quietly as she bit her lip, bowed her head. She went to pick up her coffee mug again but he set his hand on her wrist, stopped her from lifting it.

"Why are you even asking? It's obvious you already know.", she spat as he shrugged, nodded.

"Yeah. I did see you after Farrah's kidnapping and you weren't exactly-"

"Yeah I know. I was there too.", Carrie snapped before biting her lip, toying with a sugar wrapper on the table.

"I'm not doing it loosely or lightly, Quinn. As of now it's needed, necessary."

"Necessary? You're going off your meds, Carrie. Risking becoming unstable. What about Farrah? For Christ's sake, have you thought about how she'll react to this? Do you care that she'll-"

"Don't fucking tell me I don't care about my child.", Carrie growled. Surprising even herself though at her tone, reaction, she sat back in the booth. Folded her arms protectively over herself.

"Why else would I even be doing all of this?", she muttered under her breath as Quinn frowned, shook his head in confusion.

"Wait, what are you trying to say? You're doing this for Farrah? That doesn't make any sense. She...wait."

When the alternative dawned on him he sat back in the booth.

"Shit. Fucking shit. You're..."

Jerkily Carrie nodded, refused to make eye contact as Quinn's eyes narrowed into thin blue slits.

"Did you just find out or was this just another secret you planned on keeping?"

"I suspected, but got a call confirming when I was sitting at the counter just now."

"Is it changing the plan any."

"No. It's not. Press conference is still scheduled for tomorrow at ten. We come forward with the proof, my statement, and those cocksucking cuffs can finally come off."

"And get put on your wrists?", Quinn scoffed as the waitress came by with his usual. Cutting the waffle down the center he plated half of it for Carrie only to glance up, see her hand clasped over her mouth.

"Look, if you want to yell at me for stating facts go ahead. No sense bottling it all up and-"

When she shook her head, got to her feet Quinn quickly stood up, followed her into the single stall restroom. Locked the door behind him he sighed, held her hair back as she vomited.

"So hey, if just talking about the plan triggers this in you what the fuck's going to happen when we're at the press conference?"

Unamused, Carrie shot him a glare as she stood up, rinsed her mouth out at the sink.

"I was half serious, Carrie. Look, I'm not one for signs but maybe no-name in there is trying to tell you to think about this scheme some more.", Quinn shrugged, looking at her semi-playfully as her eyes widened in surprise, then annoyance.

"You did not just fucking say that to me."

"Alright, obviously the warm and fuzzy hasn't kicked in with you yet-"

"It's not going to!"

"Fine, let's try logic then-"

"No, lets try you going along with what we've meticulously planned out the past two weeks, Quinn. Not giving me this bullshit about my being too emotional or compromised, not thinking clearly because I'm, I'm..."

Shaking her head she shook off the thought.

"I'm doing my job, Quinn."

"Carrie..."

"No! You told me you gave up a life with your son and his mother to protect them. To do your job. How is what I'm doing tomorrow not offering that kind of protection? Who the fuck are you to judge me for it?"

"I'm not judging you."

"You're not."

"No. I'm in no position to judge. What you're doing is admirable. But it's got me very afraid."

"For me?", Carrie asked in disgust.

"For you, of you. It's a combination of the two.", Quinn said, trying to sound casual but the look in his eyes gave him away.

"Quinn c'mon."

"Carrie, I'm serious. When this shit hits the fan-"

"You better duck.", Carrie shrugged, unlocking the bathroom door before Quinn sighed, followed her out.