Okay so here's the latest. Don't really care for the abrupt ending here but I needed the cut-off point. Also this chapter was one of those that was easy to picture in my head but impossible to get down on word document. Hoping I communicated things well, if not next chapter should detail things more. Anyway, thanks so SO much indigo for the feedback, and Bookworm for that and your fics! They've all been fantastic reads. Hope this update somewhat is.
Once arriving at the courthouse, Brody could've sworn he still heard that same suspicious sound even after Maggie stopped and parked the van. Unfortunately he'd made the mistake of saying so, prompting Frank to ask him to do an inspection himself.
"Dad, it's freezing outside!", Maggie protested, pulling Frank aside.
"Hey what's the harm in him taking a quick look under the hood?"
"Carrie's going to want him with her in the courtroom!", she hissed, getting Frank swearing, rolling his eyes.
"She's going to have us there! What the fuck does it matter if Red over there's late getting inside. He's making sure that decrepit old van doesn't kill us!"
"I'm not going to discuss this with you right now. Especially not here! I-"
"Maggie it's fine, really.", Brody said. When she went to say otherwise he held up a hand shook his head.
"I'm serious. Look I'll take a quick look under the hood and I'll be in the courthouse in five minutes.", he assured, then moved to help Carrie out of the car.
"You sure you're okay with this? I promise I won't be long."
"Fucking Christ! Look just stop stressing okay?!", Carrie snapped, brushing off his help as she slid out of the backseat.
Once standing she smoothed out her skirt. Shook her head as she turned to face him.
"Brody, I just need to be sworn in, then sentenced. And so long as things are settled today in a timely way, that's structured, set up so there's no surprises, I..I'm terrific."
"You swear it?"
"Yes! For Christ's sake.."
Rolling her eyes she, arched a brow, raised her right hand.
"I solemnly swear that I can take twelve or so steps that way..", she sighed, pointing the short distance to the sidewalk.
"Then through the front doors and detectors, unchaperoned, straight to the courtroom, without causing chaos or creating a fucking circus."
Shaking his head Brody suppressed a laugh.
"Okay, if you insist."
"I do.", Carrie said firmly.
Wanting to lean in to kiss her, but feeling Frank's glare boring into the back of his skull, Brody settled for squeezing her hand instead.
After everyone walked over to the courthouse, he turned his attention to the car where he heard the same shuffling, rustling sound. Only it didn't seem to be coming from under the hood so much as the rear of the vehicle.
Frowning, he was about to open the trunk when his phone went off in his pocket. Fishing it out he answered, heard a panicked sounding "Dad" on the other end.
"Dana? What is it? What's wrong?"
"I was downstairs with Ruby and Josie after you guys left and Farrah was still upstairs, but when I went to the guestroom to check on her, she..."
"Dana, easy. Just tell me what happened, okay?"
"We can't find her! We searched the entire house, the yard. I..I don't know where the fuck she went!"
Running a hand through his hair, Brody began pacing the lot. Getting looks from Max, Quinn and Virgil after Danny dropped them off, went to find a parking spot.
Not seeing them though Brody kept cursing, pacing. Too panicked to even think.
"Hi Brody.", Max greeted, tapping him on the shoulder as he jumped, glared.
"For Christ's sake, Max! What the..why the fuck did you sneak up on me like that!"
"I..."
"Look I'm an ex-Marine trained in fucking combat! Sneak up behind me without warning and I could kill you!"
"Sorry.", Max shrugged as Virgil came up behind, smacked him upside the head.
"Dad! Are you still there? Dad!", Dana screamed through the phone.
"I'm here, baby. I'm here. Look just, just keep checking the house, the neighborhood. I'll make some calls. We'll find her though, don't worry."
"Find who?", Quinn muttered as Brody hung up.
"Brody, what the fuck is going on?"
"Is it Carrie? Did she take off?", Virgil asked.
"No. No, Carrie's inside."
"Farrah."
Shaking his head, Quinn paced, ran a hand over his mouth before speaking again.
"What happened? Where is she?"
"We don't know. Dana and Maggie's girls were watching her but she took off."
"Son of a bitch.", Virgil spat as Quinn pulled out his phone.
"Who are you calling?", Max asked.
"A goddamn singles hotline, who do you think?", Quinn snapped. Before dialing 911 though his ears perked up. Hearing the same sound that had bothered Brody earlier.
"What the fuck was that?", he frowned. Along with Virgil who approached the van, shook his head.
"Virgil, what?", Brody asked.
"Unlock this fucking thing, won't you?"
Fumbling for the remote Brody did as asked. When the trunk unlatched, popped open he nearly jumped seeing Farrah pop out too. Throwing a blanket off herself as she sat up.
"Farrah?! How did you-"
"C'mon. Like you never tried the same shit at her age.", Virgil snorted, scooping Farrah up and out of the trunk.
"Right? Maxie and I used to do this all the time."
"No we didn't.", Max mumbled as Virgil glared, set Farrah down.
"Milady...", he grinned.
"Thank you, Virg.", Farrah giggled before catching Brody and Quinn's glares. Shrugging sheepishly, she smiled at them.
"Farrah? What are you doing here!", Brody sputtered as she went serious, climbed back into the trunk and grabbed something out from underneath her blanket. After jumping back out she held it out to show them.
"Carrie forget drawing. I bring it!"
"Farrah, you showed me that drawing a week and a half ago.", Quinn sighed.
"You could've given it to Carrie long before now."
"I forget.", she said shyly, bowing her head and folding her hands behind her back. All Brody could do was shake his head.
"Farrah do you know how much you scared Dana and the girls? They went to see you in the guestroom and you were gone! They thought you got lost!"
"I not lost. I here!", Farrah grinned, but was met with disapproving looks from everyone. Aside from Max who was checking his watch.
"Aren't we supposed to be inside?"
"Look you guys go. I'll take Farrah in the van back to Maggie's.", Virgil offered but Farrah refused, shook her head.
"No."
"Farrah c'mon-"
"No! I need to give Carrie drawing!"
Seeing Brody's frustration, Quinn chimed in. Saying she didn't belong here today and Carrie had said so, but Farrah shrugged him off.
Trying his luck, Virgil tried convincing her to leave with him but she began protesting and yelling in Arabic.
"Okay. She's lost me.", he sighed.
"I can stay with her.", Max offered.
"Stay with her where, Max? On the courthouse steps? Underneath that fucking oak tree?", Virgil scoffed.
"No. Inside the courthouse. There's benches."
Texting Dana to tell her Farrah was with them, then seeing the time Brody swore under his breath. His take-charge military side starting to kick in.
"Okay we have to get a move on here. Max, stay with Farrah. Farrah? No wandering off. You stay glued to Max's side, okay?"
"Yes. I glue.", Farrah promised.
"Good."
"But I give Carrie drawing, yes?"
"We'll get it to her, okay? Now c'mon, let's go."
"Hold her damn hand, Max!", Virgil barked.
"Right. Sorry.", Max muttered as they walked to the courthouse. After Brody and Virgil headed up the steps, went inside, Quinn whipped around. Stared the younger man down.
"This time, she doesn't leave your side or line of sight for one goddamn second. Acknowledge."
Nodding, Max gulped.
"I..I acknowledge."
"Ow! Max! You hold too tight!", Farrah whined.
"Sorry."
Loosening his grip, he followed Quinn inside the courthouse. Still holding Farrah's hand as she turned, saw Danny by the water fountain.
"Dan!", Grinning she started waving as he turned around, stunned.
"Farrah what the..."
"Goddammit Galvez, move. We're already late."
Watching Danny disappear behind the doors, along with everyone else, Farrah's face fell and she tried to follow them but Max wouldn't let go of her hand.
Agitated, she started yelling at him in Arabic, only to get frowned at by some guards nearby.
"Hey! She can yell in whatever language she wants to!", Max shouted as Farrah moved to stand behind him. Sitting down on a bench nearby, they both glared at the guards who averted their eyes, embarrassed.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"What you do when you spy?"
"I um...I people watch."
"Yes?", Farrah asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah. I watch people and I take their pictures to show Quinn or Carrie."
"Pictures? You have cam...cam..."
"Camera?"
"Yes! Camera!"
"Uh huh.", Max nodded.
"You have it now?"
"Actually I just have this on me right now.", he said, pulling his phone from his pocket and putting it to the camera setting.
"I see?"
"Sure, just let me show you how to-"
Taking it from him Farrah held the phone out and grinned, pressing the button to reverse the camera and then taking a series of selfies.
"How did you figure out so-"
"It easy.", Farrah giggled. Moving closer to Max she got him in a few of the selfies and they both stuck their tongues out, made silly faces.
"Here, you'll like this too." Setting the camera to a binocular setting, Farrah watched, grinned as Max zoomed in on the guard's frowning face.
"Let me! Let me!"
Taking back the phone, Farrah turned it on a crowd of people entering the courthouse.
Zooming in on a pair of bright red high heels a woman was wearing, she giggled, called them pretty before focusing the camera on someone standing nearby. Then gasped.
"No...no, no! NO!"
"Farrah? What?", Max asked, trying not to panic as Farrah cowered behind him, making every attempt to hide from one of the people who'd just walked in.
When he asked who it was, not getting an answer he shifted closer. Told her to whisper the name or some clue to him.
"Pretend you're a spy. Just describe one thing about him to me.", he said, then pulled back after hearing her answer. Frowned at her.
"Boots? What does that even mean, I-"
"No! NO!", Farrah cried, scrambling off the bench when she saw the man heading in their general direction.
"Shit! Farrah? FARRAH!", Max yelled after her, running to catch up right as the courtroom doors opened.
"Farrah!", he yelled again as everyone in the courtroom turned, stood up at the commotion.
"What in the..."
Shaking his head Frank stepped into the aisle with Quinn. Meanwhile, Brody, Maggie and Erin, Carrie's lawyer, did their best to keep her seated.
"What in the fuck is your brother doing!", Quinn snarled as Virgil shook his head, ran over to find out along with Danny.
They both got to Max, but none of them could intercept Farrah as she ran at the man that just entered, started kicking him in the shins and screaming.
"What in the...ORDER! Order in this court!", the judge bellowed, banging his gavel.
"Remove this child from my chambers at once!"
"I apologize for the disturbance, your honor.", Erin said as Maggie looked guiltily at her, all the while praying Danny or Virgil or someone had gotten Farrah under control.
Meanwhile Brody had an arm around Carrie's shoulders. Trying to keep her from self destructing, and/or chasing Farrah down herself.
Shaking him off though, when Carrie turned and stood, got a better look at who Farrah tried to attack, she was completely stopped in her tracks.
"Motherfucking shit..."