Alright here's the latest. Sorry for the delay but I had a really tough time with this segment and was lacking muse for awhile. Luckily it seems to be back. Thanks so much lipamo, Bookworm (loving all the updates and your most recent new fic too!) and Indigo! I missed you and am so glad you got caught up. :D Also Chicleebear I'm glad I caught your interest! Here goes nothing.
After Quinn settled down and clammed up, started smoking in an effort to avoid discussing what had happened, realizing he'd have better luck conversing with Calvin, Brody went back inside.
Seeing J.J alone in the living room he chewed his lip, wondered where Farrah had gotten to.
"Hey, J.J. Where's-"
"She went to put on her pajamas.", he answered with a frown.
"She's been upstairs a really long time though!"
"Hey, if she didn't take an hour to get changed I'd think there was something wrong with her.", Brody smiled, sitting next to the boy on the couch.
"Girls are weird. Except for Farrah I mean. She's cool."
"Yeah, she is.", he said in agreement. After a beat he spoke again, switched subjects.
"Listen, J.J. Earlier in the kitchen, after the pitcher broke. I wanted to apologize. I hope Quinn and I didn't upset you."
"Quinn?", J.J asked.
"Sorry. Peter...er. Pete. Quinn's his last name so that's what I call him."
"Oh."
"But anyway, neither of us wanted to make you feel bad."
"It's okay. When you and him were talking outside Farrah cheered me up."
"Yeah? What did she do?"
"She got out this stupid joke book. Kept telling me the same one over and over again until I laughed at it.", J.J smirked, getting a laugh.
"Well I'm glad the two of you are getting along. Farrah could use a few new friends. Friends that aren't grown-ups anyway."
"Like that Quinn-Pete guy?"
"Yeah.", Brody nodded. "I was just curious, what did you think of him?"
"He's awesome at Kumba War. I never played with anyone that good before."
"Yeah he kicked my as...butt, pretty good.", he edited, getting a grin.
"He says bad words and tries to cover them up too."
"Yeah, we're all a bit guilty of that. But I was wondering, when you two were talking in the kitchen what did you think..."
"He kinda scared me a little.", J.J said softly. "Not like he used to, but still."
"By he, you mean the guy you told him about who..."
Trailing off when he nodded, Brody chewed his lip, switched gears slightly.
"I understand though about Quinn. He used to scare me sometimes too. But I've gotten to know him better and he's not too bad a guy. He's really protective of people he cares about. I know he's helped out Farrah and her mom a lot.", he said honestly.
"Is that Farrah's mom? The lady in the picture?", J.J asked, pointing to a framed one on the sofa table of Carrie tickling Farrah in the backyard.
"Yeah, that's her. Carrie. She adopted Farrah not that long ago."
"She's pretty. She looks really nice."
Nodding, Brody swallowed back the lump threatening to form in his throat.
"She is.", he said, seeing J.J still looking intently but sadly at the picture.
"My mom used to tickle me like that."
"Yeah?"
"Uh huh. She used to call me her ticklemonster.", the boy said sadly.
"You know Farrah told me about her, about your mom. I'm so sorry J.J."
"I miss her a lot."
"I understand. There's still days I miss my mom a lot too.", Brody admitted.
"Your mom died?"
"Yeah. I was a soldier and she died when I was overseas."
"That's sad."
"Yeah. It was."
Seeing the pained look on his face, now J.J figured he'd switch subjects.
"So you were a soldier? Like you fought in wars and stuff?"
"Yeah. For awhile I did."
"Is that how you got that scar on your hand?", the boy asked, pointing as Brody glanced down.
"Sort of.", he answered, then caught a look at J.J tugging his shirt sleeve again.
Feeling his stomach knot, Brody tamped down his repulsion over the situation and figured he'd take an opportunity here. Thinking the two of them having marks in common would allow him to try and get some answers from the boy.
"I have other ones too. Other scars. I got hurt a lot."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I did. When I came home, the woman I was married to before I left saw the ones on my back and stuff. She got really upset."
"My grandma got upset too."
"Of course she did, it's because she cares about you and doesn't like seeing you hurt.", Brody said. "You know, Quinn didn't like seeing it either. He told me he felt sick after seeing what happened to your arm."
"It only happened once!", J.J exclaimed, then bowed his head. "Maybe twice.", he said softly, shifting on the couch before Brody shifted so they could face each other.
"Stuff like that should never happen, J.J. Not to kids just because an adult couldn't handle himself.", Brody said, his voice calm but gravely serious. Biting his lip J.J glanced up, blinking back tears.
"He was really nice! He...took me to Phillies games with Mom and we'd play soccer! After she died he kept coming over. But if I didn't do what he asked me to he'd get angry. He'd be mean to me."
"What happened to your mom doesn't excuse what he did. And nobody can force you into doing something if it hurts or scares you. Not grown-ups, not anyone."
Jaw clenched Brody forced himself to calm down, breathe, keep his rage in check. Refusing to frighten the boy more than he already was.
"Look, believe it or not it's good you talked to us about things. If you stick around, Quinn and I can try and keep tabs. Make sure nothing happens to you or your grandmother."
"She's scared he'll find us. Find us out."
"She doesn't have to be, okay? If he does we'll try and help you both. I promise.", Brody assured as J.J climbed onto his lap, hugged him.
"Hey, it's okay. It's okay.", he said, patting his back as Quinn walked back inside, then stopped short in the kitchen. Seeing him over the boy's shoulder, Brody froze, went to say something but the sniper turned, walked away before he had the chance.
Waiting until J.J calmed enough to pull back, Brody heard someone on the steps, then saw Farrah come in the living room in her blue pajama pants and purple and silver hoodie.
"I dressed! We make popcorn?"
"Sure.", Brody said, grateful for the suggestion.
"How about you guys pick out a movie while I'm making it and you two can watch it until J.J's grandma gets here. That sound alright?"
"Sure.", J.J said, then raced to the cabinet to try and find a movie before Farrah did.
After Brody got the popcorn started, made, bringing the bowl in the living room along with paper towels, he made sure the kids were settled before tracking down Quinn. Seeing him on the staircase twirling another cigarette between his fingers.
"Hey! I told you earlier-"
"Jesus, I'm not going to light it.", Quinn snapped.
"Look, J.J just wanted to talk and I happened to be there, I-"
"Brody it's fine. Really I don't give a shit."
"Don't you even want to know what he told me?"
"No, not particularly. I actually just want to get the fuck out of here."
Rolling his eyes he went outside only to have Brody follow him.
"For Christ's sake, I don't need an escort!"
"Just wait a second, okay. Wait!"
Reluctantly turning towards him, Quinn lit the cigarette he was holding, took a long drag before exhaling, making sure Brody was met with some smoke.
"Nice. Really fucking nice, can you just let me talk?"
"If I don't put some goddamn money in the meter I'm gonna be towed."
"You coming back?"
"Lower your voice, damn it. The whole neighborhood doesn't need to hear us."
"You didn't answer me, are you coming back?"
Not getting an answer, fairly sure what Quinn's was anyway, Brody rolled his eyes, shook his head.
"Really? You're fucking willing to up and leave the boy in there you just made yourself sick worrying over?!"
"Made myself sick? Fucking Christ. Blame that on the pint of vodka that was in my stomach.", Quinn scoffed, regretting with everything in him he hadn't parked closer to the townhouse.
"It wasn't just that and you know it.", Brody said knowingly. "Damn it, Quinn. Since the second you saw him you've been ninety nine percent convinced your own flesh and blood is sitting inside that house!"
"My flesh and blood who I waived any rights to when I changed my goddamn name!", Quinn hissed, getting up in his face hoping to intimidate and get him to back off. But Brody wasn't backing down.
"So what happens now then? The abusive prick who fucking laid hands on him gets those rights instead?!"
"Anita has rights. She won't let anything happen to him."
"You're saying a seventy something retired librarian's more capable of protecting him than a goddamn sniper!", Brody asked in disbelief.
"Look, I know how much shit's been thrown at you tonight. I get you want to just drive back to your house, get so drunk you pass out and pretend none of it ever happened. But that boy in there is scared for himself, his grandma. He needs someone, damn it!"
"So let it be you then!", Quinn snapped back.
"You and Carrie and Farrah can be a fucking surrogate family for him. The goddamn Brody Bunch."
"Nice, you come up with that all by yourself.", Brody snorted.
"You know we don't even know officially if J.J's even mine. But if he is, or isn't...don't fucking try and make him my Issa. My Farrah. I'm incapable of that, Brody. I have no business playing Daddy to any kid."
"You think Carrie didn't feel the same way? You think she wasn't scared shitless at having to be a mom?"
"Carrie didn't have a choice. Farrah had no family left."
"Well what if something happens to Anita? What happens then, J.J goes into foster care? Gets cared for by some other monster who hits him? How could you live with taking that kind of a chance when he could be right inside that house?!'
"I don't know, Brody! How did you live with taking a chance in a fucking suicide vest! Strapping a goddamn bomb on when you had a wife and two kids waiting for you in your house!". Quinn retorted as Brody backed up, bowed his head.
"Don't you dare preach to me about being any kind of a dad. You may have been granted a goddamn do-over with Farrah and the one on the way, but don't tell me you did a thing to deserve it. The damage you caused your first born? Your only son! That's fucking irreparable.", he spat, shaking his head.
"At least I'm not selfish enough to open J.J up to that kind of pain. At least I'm not putting him in a position where he'd have to depend on me, look to me for guidance only for me to break him in the worst fucking way. The way you did."
"Yeah? Well what about the way J.J's stepdad did?", Brody challenged.
"I mean so long as we're talking about monsters. You and I both know what I'm capable of, what about him though? Or is the thought of that boy being that fucker's punching bag so awful you can't even bear to talk about it? Can't even think how petrified he is at that bastard coming back for him. How he has nightmares about him night after night. Because he does. I mean if anyone should fucking know...", he laughed bitterly as Quinn looked at him, stony-eyed.
"That fear doesn't have a chance at going away until J.J knows one hundred percent that that monster who hurt him, won't ever do it again. So you can waste time blaming yourself, coming after me, the cops, or you can do something, Quinn. If you can't be there for that boy as any kind of a dad, at least you could be there for him as a good shot."
"What are you getting at? I drive to Philly with my rifle in the trunk? Find a rooftop across from his house in the middle of the goddamn suburbs? Shoot the bastard between the eyes?", Quinn asked incredulously.
"Listen if you don't, I will. You're not the only one here with sniper training. And I've gone to worse lengths on behalf of a kid.", Brody reminded as Quinn scoffed, rolled his eyes right as a car turned onto the street.
Certain who it was, swearing Quinn jogged over behind some trees, content to stay put in the shadows until his almost mother in law left.
Not up to questioning him Brody called for J.J to come outside, then walked down the porch steps to greet Anita who was exiting her car. Her grandson at his heels.
"Grandma!"
"My sweet boy.", Anita smiled, hugging him close as Brody walked up.
"Thank you so much for looking after him. Was he any trouble?"
"No. He's a good kid. Really."
"Nick, is Pete still here? I want him to meet my Grandma.", J.J asked as Brody chewed his lip. Getting a curious frown from Anita.
"Who is Pete? I thought you only had Farrah to look after."
"Anita, it's not important. He's just-"
"He plays Kumba War, Grandma! He's really good!"
"Mijo, please. I want to hear from Nicholas who this man is.", Anita said, eyes narrowed.
"He's just a friend of mine, Anita. He brought pizza over and played video games with the kids. I invited him over to help out."
"You invited a strange man over to help watch my grandson?"
"I apologize, Anita. It's all my fault. I..I should've cleared it with you, I-"
"Brody it's alright.", Quinn interjected, slowly approaching the group.
"Hey listen, you don't have to..."
"No. It's alright, Brody. Can you excuse us for a second.", he asked as J.J frowned, looked between the tense looking adults before Brody took his hand.
"C'mon J.J. Farrah's gonna want to say goodbye.", he said, walking the boy back to the house as Quinn swallowed hard, looked the glaring woman in the eye.
"Hi, Anita. It's been a long time."