Alright on with the next update. This is on the shorter side but it's leading into some stuff so take as you will. Thanks muchly Bookworm and also Terzima for the support. Proper PM replies are forthcoming. :)
Swallowing hard, after getting Maggie's assurance that she'd stay put for awhile longer in case he needed reinforcements, Brody trudged upstairs, knocked softly on the shut bedroom door. Judging it was Farrah's because of the flower cutout hanging on the door knob.
"Farrah? It's me. Can I come in?"
"No!", Farrah yelled back.
"Look, the imam and Zahira are expecting us. We have to help them get the picnic set up."
"I not ready!", she cried.
"Are you dressed?"
Not getting an answer Brody tried again.
"Farrah? Are you dressed?"
"Yes.", she grumbled.
"Good, then I'm coming in."
Turning the knob, finding it locked, Brody bit his lip to keep from swearing. Knowing yelling, or yelling at her, would make the situation worse, he reached into his back pocket. Grinning when he retrieved a lock pick he'd forgotten to give back to Quinn after last night.
Once jiggling, freeing the knob, Brody made his way inside Farrah's room, waving the pick to indicate how he'd done so.
"Your friend Pete gave me this. It came in handy."
Turning around he jammed the pick through again, breaking the lock as Farrah gasped, stared at him.
"No more locking your door, okay? You can close it, but locking anyone out is done as of today. And be honest, Carrie wouldn't have let you lock yourself in your room either.", he said, arching a brow as Farrah turned away, arms crossed as she sat on the foot of the bed.
Meanwhile Brody surveyed the space, looked at her prayer mat facing the window, smiled at the stuffed animals and assortment of furry and fluffy pillows on the bed. When his eyes landed on Marvin on the floor, his smile faded as he bent down, picked him up.
"What happened to Marvin?"
"He fall.", Farrah said softly, grabbing the moose from him and setting him on her nightstand.
"You remember the day I gave him to you? With the muffins?", Brody asked.
"We were at the hospital, you asked if I could come back to your house, see your room?"
Getting a nod he continued.
"It's a really nice room. You've got good taste."
"Thank you.", Farrah sniffed, hugging her knees to her chest.
"So, you almost ready to go? You're all dressed.", Brody noted, sitting next to her before leaning over, loudly sniffing her shoulder.
"You smell clean."
"I not ready yet."
"Why not?"
"My braid!", Farrah cried, picking it up off her back and holding it up.
"It no look good."
"Hey, I think it looks great.", Brody complimented as she shook her head, flopped down into the sea of pillows by her headboard.
"If you want though I could try fixing it for you."
"You not know how.", Farrah sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"Well lets keep this between us but I'm a pretty fast learner.", Brody said playfully.
"You could teach me if you want."
"Carrie know how without teach.", Farrah cried as his smile faded.
"Yeah, Carrie knows a lot, doesn't she?"
Reaching over he gently rubbed her shoulder and to his surprise she didn't shy away.
"Brat, I know I'm not Carrie. She's prettier. Smarter than me. Her hair smells like flowers. Doesn't look like a clown wig.", he deadpanned, getting a half smile.
"We're not the same. And I know I can't be her for you. I can't replace or try to do everything she can, and I'm sorry. I wish you didn't have to miss her so much. I miss her too."
Getting emotional himself, he kept rubbing slow circles on Farrah's back until she sniffed, turned to look at him.
"Yes?"
"Yeah. Of course I do. I love Carrie. Just as much as you do. And she knows it. 'Cause she asked me to do one thing for her when she was away. She asked me to take care of you.", Brody said, reaching for her face and thumbing a tear off her cheek.
"I made Carrie that promise, Farrah. And I'm gonna keep it."
Blinking back new tears, when Farrah shook her head and shook him off, hid back in the pillows, Brody stood up, swore under his breath. Pacing a bit, running a hand over his face he took a deep breath, spoke again.
"Look, you and I have to be at the community center in twenty minutes. So if you're not downstairs in ten I'm gonna have to come back up here and carry you to the car.", he said, calmly but firmly.
Walking out, closing the door not all the way behind him he saw Maggie standing nervously on the landing.
"How'd it go?"
"She barely said two words to me. She locked her fucking door!", Brody spat, shaking his head.
"Damn it. I'll talk to her about that. She has no business playing with locks."
"Oh it's okay 'cause I just broke it. Jammed a lock pick in and just left it there.", he laughed bitterly.
"I wrecked the goddamn door in a rented townhouse. I was forced to do that! Jesus fucking..."
"If it's any consolation her landlord is a really good guy. I-"
"What the fuck made Carrie think this would be a good idea!"
"Hey, easy with the barking, okay? She can probably hear you!", Maggie hissed, taking his arm and walking him down the stairs to the foyer.
Sitting on the bottom step Brody sighed, leaned forward to finger invisible prayer beads.
"What's that? Nervous habit?", Maggie asked, leaning against the railing.
"Kind of. Just when I'm stressed and don't have my prayer beads."
"Prayer beads? I...oh.", Catching on she crossed her arms.
"I'm sorry for barking, I just. This is a disaster. It hasn't even been a day and she's crying, locking her door. Next thing I know she's gonna try and run off to the circus."
"Well the carnival doesn't pass through til the summer so, I wouldn't worry yet."
Getting a look Maggie sighed, sat next to him on the step.
"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to joke you off this ledge. Like you said it's only been a day. Things aren't doomed, Brody. Far from it."
"I can't braid her hair.", Brody sighed, looking ashamed.
"Well that doesn't make you the scum of the earth.", Maggie laughed lightly as he shrugged.
"I can go up and fix her hair. Get her ready to face the world. Or at least come back downstairs."
"Okay, thanks.", Brody said solemnly.
"Look, I know I questioned Carrie's decision to let you take care of Farrah-"
"Hey, you questioned right."
"You interrupted me."
"Sorry. Carrie's not fond of that either.", Brody said, giving her a sheepish smile.
"I know. I know my sister pretty well. And I know I shouldn't have doubted her about this. She did it because she trusts you. And I don't think she'd ask if she didn't know you could handle it."
"You know Carrie was my handler at the CIA, right? It didn't stop her from asking the impossible of me.", he scoffed.
"I didn't say it would be easy. But it's not impossible. Surviving eight years of torture, a rep as a bomber? That's impossible.", Maggie reminded.
"A six year old shouldn't bring you to your knees."
Glancing up at her Brody shrugged, managed a small smile.
"I know. But she just might."