Okay here's the latest. Setting up for some stuff so be patient with me. Thanks so much bookworm, indigo, epicstelena, shockey, and to my guest for the reviewage. I promise things won't get too much bleaker, but thanks for sticking with me through it. More to come soon.
"Okay so tell me again, what do I do to get past these guards?", Brody asked as J.J rolled his eyes, took the controller from him.
"Pete did this in like two seconds.", he muttered under his breath as Farrah shot him a look, hit him on the arm.
"Nick play fine too!", she snapped.
"Farrah no hitting, okay.", Brody warned, but snuck his arm over the couch, behind J.J to high five the girl, getting her giggling as Anita walked in, looking nervous.
"Grandma, is everything okay?"
"Yes, mijo. I just need you and Farrah to pause the game. My friend told me to put on channel two, see something on the afternoon news."
"Hey guys, why don't you go make some popcorn or something.", Brody suggested as Farrah shrugged, slid off the couch and went over to the kitchen while J.J paused the game, used the remote to switch back to the channel guide before handing it to Anita.
"Gracias mijo.", she said. Waiting until he was out of earshot before switching on the news.
"Anita, mind telling me what this is all about? I-"
"Shh, shh.."
"In local news, an apparent altercation at a Virginia mental hospital has left two patients in critical condition at St. Mary's hospital. The staff are not releasing the names of the patients involved in the assault, but this news is cause for concern for the prominent Lawson family of Philadelphia. 30 year old Dominic Lawson, heir to the family's publishing company fortune, has been receiving in-patient treatment at Virginia State Psychiatric ever since his very public breakdown eight months ago..
"Hey Grandma, do we have a bigger bowl to make popcorn in? This one is too-"
Eyes wide, the too small bowl dropped to the floor as J.J sprinted down the hall to his bedroom
"Dios mio, J.J? J.J!", Anita called, running to catch him as Brody flipped off the TV then slowly, shakily sat on the couch. Fear filling his gut. He knew panic was useless but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very off.
"Nick?"
Frowning, Farrah walked back in the living room and also felt like something was going on. Something she didn't like. Especially when she didn't see her friend, just the bowl he'd been holding.
"Where is J.J?"
"Anita and him just had to talk about something in private, brat. It's okay.", Brody said, managing as much of a smile as he could for her sake if no one else's.
"C'mon, let's find that other bowl."
Picking the one up off the floor, he followed Farrah over to the kitchen only to hear his phone go off in his back pocket. About to answer, he heard Anita call for him.
"I'll be back in a second, Farrah. Make sure Calvin doesn't try and eat the popcorn."
Cutting over to the hallway, Brody frowned seeing Anita pacing and muttering outside of J.J's room.
"Anita, what-"
"Esta ridiculo! Esta ridiculo! El foto del hijo de puta esta en mi television! En mi casa!"
"Okay, I only took one semester of Spanish a long time ago so-"
"I need you to speak with J.J. He needs to know that he will be safe here. He is afraid, seeing that bastard on the television. He is afraid he will return and take him. I tell him he will not but he will not listen to me! He does not believe me!"
Seeing how distraught she was Brody swallowed hard, put an arm around her.
"Look I don't know what good it will do but I'll try talking to him and do what I can. Only thing is-"
"What?"
"I want to go to St. Mary's and suss out what happened with this altercation. See if Dominic is involved, if he's not."
"Carrie is also a patient at the facility, yes?"
"That's another reason. It'll just put my mind at ease if I get over there. You understand, right?"
"Yes, but..."
"Anita, what is it.."
"No, I am ashamed to ask it."
"C'mon, you can tell me."
"I do not have friends in this building and, I do not know how comfortable I feel being here without..."
"I understand, look...I want you to call this number for me, okay?",
Brody said, scribbling it on the palm of her hand with a green pen from his pocket.
"What is this, green ink?"
"Hey it's visible, right?"
"I suppose.", Anita frowned.
"The guy's name is Damon, he works at the mosque with me. Zahira and the imam have known him for years. Farrah adores him. Tell him you're a friend of mine and ask him to come by, look after you and the kids until I get back or all this bullshit blows over. He worked a short shift today, he'll be happy to do it."
"His name is Damon?"
"Damon Weston. He's a great guy, you have my word about that. He can keep an eye on things here until I get back."
"I do not like being babysat, but I would feel safer..."
"That's all that matters, okay? And for what it's worth he's not too bad looking a babysitter either.", he smirked getting a sly grin in return before she went somber again, looked at the shut bedroom door.
"You know though J.J does believe in and trust you. He loves you, Anita. I think he's just afraid now that you're in danger too."
"Believe me, if that bastard comes here, to kill him may be a sin, but I will punish him to the point that he will wish for death.", Anita hissed before going over to the kitchen.
About to knock on J.J's door, Brody heard his phone buzz once more and ignored it. Knowing his voicemail would have to wait until this conversation was over.
...
Ready to throw his phone in the trash at the ER entrance, seeing as Brody wasn't picking up, Quinn continued to pace back and forth until the ambulance pulled up, parked and the EMT's ran to open up the back, lower the ramp.
Dominic had already been brought to a room, and as much as Quinn wanted to run in to disconnect the tubes giving him oxygen, painkillers, he knew it wouldn't be much longer before Carrie was brought in and seeing her was top priority. Once seeing her on the gurney that feeling tripled.
"Carrie, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine, I promise.", he assured, running over and taking a grip on her hand.
"Wh..where the fuck is-"
"I just called his cell, he's on his way. Brody will be here soon, I promise."
Her face contorted in a mix of pain, guilt and pure fear Carrie shook her head.
"Quinn, what if something happens, what-"
"Carrie, relax okay. You're stressed out, you're not thinking clearly."
"If anything happens it's my fault. It's all my fucking fault..fuck!", she cried. Curling up on her side as she clutched her stomach. Squeezed her eyes shut against tears as they brought her into a room.
Still holding Carrie's hand, Quinn caught a look from one of the orderlies.
"Sir, excuse-"
"I'm not leaving.", he snarled. "She's fucking petrified something's wrong. Someone should be with her."
"Are you her husband?"
"I'm a friend. And I'm staying until the father gets here."
"The doctor will be in shortly. You can sort it out with him."
"Shortly? We're in the E.R, goddammit!"
Feeling Carrie's grip tighten on his hand Quinn looked down as she curled up in a smaller ball on her side, let out a whimper.
"Carrie...", he sighed, sitting in the chair by her bed as she looked at him wide eyed.
"This isn't fucking right. I...it's not, fucking happening again, it can't! I-"
"Carrie enough of that. You're not going to miscarry. The baby and you will be fine. As soon as Brody gets here he'll say the same thing."
"How the fuck do you know?!", Carrie spat. "You and Brody aren't doctors and you weren't there! I was. I remember every fucking thing that happened, fuck!", she cried.
"Shhh, easy. Take it easy.", Quinn said as the nurse came in the room.
"Alright Miss Mathison, let's see what the problem is."
"What the problem is? She's fucking doubled over from cramps and you're asking what the goddamn problem is!", Quinn growled as the nurse went to insert an IV.
"This will just pinch for a second, honey.", the older woman soothed, brushing Carrie's hair off her face.
"What are you giving me?"
"Just something for the pain. It should be starting to take effect."
After a few moments Carrie nodded, let out a slow breath as the nurse checked her vitals.
"Good, good. Now the ultrasound machine for this floor's in use right now but we'll bring it around as soon as the doctor's available to see you."
"Is Dr. Addison here, or my sister?", she asked.
"Maggie's on her way, Carrie. I called.", Quinn said.
"And Dr. Addison's in surgery now, but Dr. Hennessy's on call. She'll be in soon. Right now I just want you to take slow breaths and try and relax, alright?"
Nodding, after Quinn thanked the nurse and she left, Carrie glanced up at him looking guilty and exhausted.
"How are you feeling?"
"I just want to know if the baby's alright.", she said hoarsely, wiping her eyes.
"Soon, Carrie."
"I can't lose it, Quinn."
"Look, that kid has the genes of the human cockroach that is Nicholas Brody, not to mention yours. It's not going anywhere."
"You don't know that.", Carrie insisted. "I went through this before. I was cramping and went to the hospital and was in a bed like the one I'm in right now, and they fucking told me!"
"That was before, Carrie. There's no telling that's going to happen again."
"I told Farrah. Why the fuck did I tell Farrah?! She's expecting me to give her a brother, I-"
"And there's no saying she's not going to get one. You have to stop beating yourself up about something that may not have even happened."
"It'll break Brody's heart, I..he wants this so fucking much."
"He still could have it. You both could. For Christ's sake, you don't know what's wrong yet, if anything's still wrong at all. So just relax, close your eyes, let the meds do their job and wait for the doctor to check you out."
"You'll stay?"
"I'll stay right here.", Quinn answered, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb as she nodded. Her eyes getting heavier before they closed entirely.
Once Carrie drifted off he pulled out his phone, looked to see no missed calls or new texts from Brody. Furious, he sent off another rage filled text. Still holding her hand with his free one.
...
Ignoring the chiming from his phone, seeing as J.J was petrified to leave his arms, Brody continued to hold the boy until he was finally ready to be released.
"Listen, bud. I know seeing Dominic's face on the news upset you but I promise, you're safe from him here. That jerk isn't going to get within a mile of you, or your grandma."
"How do you know?", J.J asked, wiping his eyes.
"Because I do, okay. And I also let a friend of mine from the community center, Damon, know what was going on. He's really nice and has probably the biggest arm muscles I've ever seen. He's gonna stay with you and Farrah and your grandma while I go find out some stuff."
"What stuff?"
"It's not important, just some things I want to take care of. But Damon will keep an eye on you guys as long as he has to, okay?"
"Can Pete come over too?", J.J asked as Brody's phone buzzed again on the bed. Pushing it aside it landed on the floor, and the boy picked it up. Frowned as he handed it back to him.
"There's a message from Quinn. That's what you call Pete, right?"
Nodding, Brody swallowed hard, grateful J.J hadn't read the message since it was probably laced with colorful words. After he read it though, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach and he wished he hadn't seen it either.
"Nick? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, bud. I just..I gotta go okay?" Hastily exiting the bedroom Brody bolted to the closet and shoved his feet into his shoes, put on his jacket with trembling hands. Seeing him Anita frowned, walked over.
"Nicholas, is everything alright?"
"Anita, I..I have to go, it's important."
"Is it regarding-"
"Yes. Did you get a hold of Damon though?"
"I spoke to him, yes. He was at a coffeeshop just down the street and said he'd be here shortly."
"Good..that's good."
"What does he look like? I do not want to let some stranger in accidentally believing it his him."
Understanding her position but too frantic to think, Brody was fumbling to come up with a proper description of his friend before hearing a knock on the door. Opening it he could've kissed the man on the other side.
"Hey man, got here as soon as I could.", Damon said as Anita smiled, looked at the tall, muscular African-American man approvingly.
"Thanks Damon, I owe you. This is Anita Diaz. Her grandson J.J's in the next room and Farrah's in the kitchen."
"Hi Damon!"
"Was in the kitchen.", Brody corrected as Farrah giggled, ran to stand between the two men.
"Hey kid, how's it going?"
"Going good.", she shrugged, smiling bashfully at him as Brody struggled to zip his coat.
"Nick, are you-"
"Guard them with your life, okay?"
"Don't worry man, I got it covered.", Damon assured, getting a nod.
"I'll call and check in as soon as I can, okay?"
"It's cool, Nick. Take all the time you need.", he said as Farrah walked over, tugged on Brody's coat as he knelt down.
"Nick, what is happening?! Where-"
"Farrah I just gotta go to the mosque. It may take awhile though so I asked Damon to come by and help Anita out."
"You come back soon?"
"I'll try. But I'll call you as soon as I can, okay?"
Getting a nod and a hug, which Brody needed more than he cared to admit, after a moment he pulled back, kissed Farrah on the top of her head before walking out. Then running as fast as he could down the stairwell and to his car.