Okay here's the latest. Sorry for the delay in getting this out. Life caught up with me a little bit. This chapter is kinda laying groundwork/leading into some stuff. Also just gonna mention, I drew inspiration from the mental hospital scenes/some characters introduced in early S3 for the faces that appear in this chapter. If anyone was wondering. I really liked one of them, and really disliked another so that's communicated here a little bit.
Anyway, thanks muchly for the reviewage EpicStelena, Shockey, Bookworm (looking forward to catching up on your fics!) and also indigo sorry to keep updating and setting you back, but I hope you had a chance to catch up. (as I plan to do with Fargo! ;)
Here goes nothing. More to come soon.
After barely ten minutes in Saul's room, Mira politely suggested that Carrie step out, get some rest, right before a doctor came in and demanded that she leave. Reluctantly Carrie nodded, exited the room as Brody came down the hall.
"So, how did it go?", he asked curiously, only to see her chin quiver and eyes well up. "Hey.."
Pulling her close, more than a little concerned at her crying, Brody swallowed hard, fearing the worst until she lightly laughed, sniffed, pulled back.
"What's going on, Carrie? What happened?"
"Nothing. He...he's awake. He's okay. He fucking squeezed my hand."
"Well if that's the case then what's with all the waterworks?", he asked, thumbing a tear off her cheek.
"Like I'm supposed to know?" Shaking her head she shrugged, wiped her eyes. "I think crying is just my default setting now."
"I'm pretty sure exhaustion is helping out with that too.", Brody said knowingly. "Shit. If you're half as tired as I am you'll fall asleep before we get to the room."
Nodding, she simply leaned against him as his arm eased around her shoulders.
"C'mon, we should go." Slowly heading down the hallway, when Brody leaned closer, started whispering suggestive things they could do to pass the time in the elevator, giggling, Carrie turned slightly to nip at his ear. Made a few suggestions of her own only to hear footsteps and a throat clearing nearby. Turning to look ahead of them she froze.
"Hi Carrie.", Abby greeted warmly.
"Abby, hi.", Carrie smiled, then frowned curiously at the gray haired man she'd walked in with.
"Dr. Harlan.", she said politely but coolly. Not sure why the chief psychiatrist at the mental hospital had felt the need to pay her a visit.
"Brody, this is Abby Reynolds. From the hospital.", she introduced.
"Nice to meet you.", Brody smiled, shaking Abby's hand. "Carrie's told me a lot about you."
"Likewise.", Abby chuckled.
"And this is Dr. Harlan.", Carrie said as Brody frowned, greeted him in not so polite a tone. Something seemed off about this man. He just couldn't put a pin on what.
"Ah, the infamous Nicholas Brody.", Dr. Harlan said as Carrie's eyes iced over. Sensing her change Brody tightened his arm around the small of her back. Knowing if this guy was a hospital bigshot they ought to keep things civil. Or try to at least.
"I guess that's pretty accurate.", he shrugged. "So I take it running into the two of you here wasn't a total coincidence."
"No. I'm afraid we're here on more than a social call.", Abby said, biting her lip.
"We were sent in to do damage control. Over the unfortunate situation regarding Mr. Lawson.", Dr. Harlan said, getting Carrie shuddering involuntarily. Before a half dozen or so questions occurred to her to ask.
"Abby, what happened to Nicki?", she asked as the doctor frowned.
"Carrie, Ms. Reynolds is not permitted to-"
"She saved my life!", Carrie snapped. "Nicki saved my life. I think I have a right to know what fucking happened to her."
"She was released, Carrie.", Abby said, ignoring Dr. Harlan's glare.
"Miss Reynolds..."
"Doctor, I've been at Virginia State before you even had your medical license. I won't tell you what drugs to prescribe, if you don't tell me how to be a liaison for my patients.", she said firmly, getting an admiring look from Brody.
"Nicki was released just an hour or so ago. A court order came through not long after you were admitted. She went home with her family."
"Good, that...that's good.", Carrie said sincerely.
"However we didn't make a special trip to discuss Nicolette's case. Rather we came to discuss Carrie's.", Dr. Harlan interjected after Abby's phone went off and she quickly excused herself.
"What about it?", Brody asked suspiciously.
"That she's free to be discharged as well. At least from this facility. There's a transport van out front that will bring her back."
Frowning, Carrie shook her head, scoffed. "Dr. Hennessy told me I was supposed to stay overnight for observation."
"I can vouch for that.", Brody chimed in. "I was in the room when she told her.", he insisted.
"I'm guessing then that you were also in the room to help her hospital stay turn into one at a cheap motel.", Dr. Harlan said snidely as Brody frowned, scoffed.
"What the fuck are you getting at?"
"I have sources. A nurse who I asked to check in on the patient reported she saw you two in, as she delicately put it, a compromising position."
"Shit.", Carrie muttered as she crossed her arms, bowed her head in shame.
"You only brought this on yourself, Carrie."
"Hey!", Brody growled.
"It's Mathison. Miss Mathison.", Carrie spat.
"Look, Doctor. I understand your reasoning and if it makes you feel better, I'll leave right now. But throwing Carrie in the back of a van at this hour just to drag her to another hospital seems a little fucking extreme.", he pointed out.
"When this hospital proves incapable of responsibly caring for our patients, we aren't left with many alternatives.", Dr. Harlan said calmly, but his tone and smug look made Brody feel anything but.
"Responsibly caring for...if it hadn't been for your hospital's lack of fucking attention to patients who hit call buttons, you could've avoided this entire situation in the first place. That frankly put you and your staff in compromising positions!", he bit back as Carrie shot him a look.
"Brody, please. I don't-"
"And instead of coming here to do damage control by shaming your patients, you maybe ought to consider contacting a lawyer. A woman in your care was harassed and injured on your watch. If that's not grounds for a fucking lawsuit-"
"Frankly, with your pasts you may want to avoid appearing in a court of law voluntarily.", Dr. Harlan snorted as Brody shook his head in awe.
"What the fuck is your problem? Is this the way you talk to people you treat? People in general?"
"Brody!" Carrie cut off, as she stepped ahead of, put a staying hand on his shoulder.
"Look, if you think I'm just gonna stand here, take his condescending bullshit-"
"He's an asshole, I know.", Carrie hissed. "But calling him out on it isn't going to do any good or make my fucking stint with him go any easier!"
"Well, seems you are making progress.", Dr. Harlan piped up as Brody whipped around, ready to punch him in the windpipe. Luckily Abby returned before he could attempt to.
"Is everything alright over here?", she asked.
"I was just telling Dr. Harlan I'll go back to the facility tonight.", Carrie relented, exhausted and in no mood to debate this any further as Abby frowned.
"What do you mean, honey? You're not going anyplace."
"Wait, Dr. Harlan just said-"
"You're not under the care of Dr. Harlan. His unit, yes. But your psychiatrist is Dr. Winters and I'm your liaison and advocate. I'm the one who best represents your interests as a patient.", Abby explained.
"And as a patient you have undergone emotional and physical distress at Virginia State Psychiatric. As has your unborn child.", she said as Dr. Harlan shook his head, turned coolly towards her.
"Miss Reynolds, the patient was remanded to my unit within the facility by the court. I also was requested to treat her by a superior at the CIA."
"What difference does that make?", Brody interjected, getting a glare from the doctor.
"Excuse me?"
"Carrie's not with the CIA. So unless this superior has a say in the life of a civilian, you don't have a leg to fucking stand on."
"Which 'superior' was it?", Carrie asked as Dr. Harlan swallowed hard, shrugged.
"I'm not at liberty to say.", he covered.
"Fucking Lockhart. It's him, right?", she scoffed, already sure of the answer. "Jesus. Power mad much? The son of a bitch thinks he can just swoop in to fill Saul's seat. Doesn't give a damn that Danny's already sitting in it."
"Wait, Carrie...", Brody frowned, turning towards her. "If you're in the private sector then how-"
"I'm still on administrative leave, Brody.", Carrie answered quietly. "After Saul got shot everything got chaotic. And terminating anyone is a long process. Meant a lot more red tape than the higher ups were prepared to deal with." she sighed as Dr. Harlan looked on smugly. His features hardened though at Brody's glare.
"How much hold does the asshole have on you, Doctor?", Brody asked. "Signs your paycheck so long as you're keeping tabs on her?"
"Again, I'm not at liberty to say-"
"Yeah because you're not supposed to say anything. You're just some shill of his assigned to supervise me. Make sure I don't step out of line.", she spat, then looked at him with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. Having gained a second wind.
"Too bad what you're doing isn't going to work. Saul Berenson, the superior to your superior, is alive and awake. If anyone from the Agency has the least bit of authority over me anymore it's my co-deputy director."
"Exactly.", Abby grinned, approaching the group. "And as of ten minutes ago, he appointed me to act in his behalf.", she said, as Carrie looked at her in surprise.
"I don't understand, why-"
"After your first round of ECT, Mr. Berenson asked me to keep an eye on you. That's why I was appointed as your advocate at the hospital, and why I requested a transfer to this facility. Along with yours."
"Are you serious?"
"Saul's insisted. Besides, it's in my own interests to protect you from whoever this schmuck is working for.", Abby snorted as Brody laughed. Amused now that Dr. Harlan was the furthest thing from it.
"And before you get testy with me, a judge has already signed off on everything. Here's documentation."
Handing him a file folder, Abby smiled. "Also if you could make sure Carrie's file, personal items are sent here it would be appreciated."
"I-" Met with a sweet smile from the brunette, and satisfied smirks from the blonde and the redhead, shaking his head Harlan took the file, then took out his phone.
"I need to speak with some colleagues about these, developments. Will you excuse me?"
"Gladly.", Brody snorted as he glared before turning around, walking to the double doors.
"Please tell me that's the last we'll see of that prick.", he sighed as Abby shrugged, rubbed Carrie's shoulder.
"How you doing, honey?", she asked.
"I'm okay. Just wish I could get some air."
"Well we can arrange that. It's a gorgeous night. Why don't you go out on the grounds before you turn in."
"Is that okay?", Brody asked.
"For a little while.", Abby smiled, getting grateful smiles from them both as they thanked her, headed to the side exit of the hospital.
"Just do me a favor, you two. Please?"
"Anything.", they said at the same time.
"Keep it clean!"