Awoken by a buzzing sound Carrie frowned, looked to her right to see Brody's phone vibrating at the far end of the pew. Shifting over, picking it up to silence it, she realized Farrah was trying to call and hurriedly answered.

"Nick! Josie ask if I want to stay and watch movie and eat ice cream with her but Mag say I have to call first so I call and I ask and-"

"Farrah! Honey, slow down, okay.", Carrie laughed.

"CARRIE?! Why you use Nick's phone?"

"It's a long story. I...it doesn't matter though, you have my word.", she sniffed. "How are you?"

"I good! Last week, at Pete's house, me and J.J, we fight! With...light sticks."

"Light sticks? Honey, do you mean glow sticks?"

"No! Pete say they from Star War."

"Star War...Star Wars? Oh, you mean light sabers?!"

"Yes! That is them!", Farrah cheered as Carrie smirked. Picturing Quinn running around in a backyard light saber duel with his kid.
"I win."

"You did?! Good job!", she laughed, but then frowned sensing even through the phone the girl wasn't thrilled.

"Farrah? Aren't you happy that you won?"

"No. I make J.J sad."

"Sweetheart, look. I know J.J's your friend and that he wanted to win, but don't apologize or feel bad because you did. Okay? If you played fair that's all that counts."

"You happy when you win fight with Nick?", Farrah asked curiously as Carrie's smile faded.

"Not really, no.", she shrugged before hearing Josie yell for Farrah across the house.

"I be there soon!", Farrah yelled back.

"Honey listen. Is Frank, is my dad there?"

"No. He out. I tell him though to call Nick's phone?"

"Yeah, that..that'd be great, sweetheart. Thanks."

"Carrie, I sorry but I have-"

"I know, go watch the movie, Farrah. It's fine. I love you."

"I love you too! Bye!"

When the line went dead Carrie wiped her eyes then stood up. Thinking by being up and awake she probably ought to get back to her room sometime tonight. On the walk to the elevator though, seeing a sign for Exam Room B she bit her lip, peered in the window.

Sure enough Brody was sitting in a chair in the corner of Chris' room, sleepily watching him sleep. Part of her wanted to go in there and clear the air and hold him. But same as she'd felt earlier in the lobby, she felt stuck. Trapped on the outside looking in. Only this time she was in a trap of her own making. Her own fears and doubts morphing into a full scale attack back in the chapel that not surprisingly put him on the defensive.

Shaking her head, kicking herself for letting it get to that point she headed towards to the elevator only to hear more buzzing, looking to see another call coming in.

"Hey, Dad.", she smiled.

"Hey! How's my girl? Those quacks in there had better be treating you right or so fucking help me..."

Hearing her sniff back tears on the other end, Frank's heart tore in half.

Meanwhile, having left Chris' room to stretch his legs, hearing Carrie's voice Brody paused before he turned the corner. Saw her sitting on a bench across from the elevator.

When he saw her wipe her eyes, heard the crack in her voice and who she was speaking to, guilt sank in and he sighed, shook his head.
Her being frantic but forthcoming about the bipolar and him yelling at her as opposed to consoling her. Of course she'd seek out someone who understood, would be sympathetic.
Not wanting to risk her seeing him eavesdropping, she'd seen enough from him tonight already, he quietly retreated back to Chris' room. Shutting the door behind him.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?", Frank asked.

"Well, I had a sonogram today."

"I know, your sister told me. So are things going well with my grandkid?"

"Yeah. For now anyway.", Carrie sighed. Knowing what she meant by that Frank sighed.

"Carrie, c'mon. You don't know for sure that he or she's gonna have what-"

"There's a fifty fifty chance, Dad. And I just blew up at Brody about it."

"Hey, if that fucker thinks he can just take a hike when he's gotten himself knee deep in this with you!"

"He didn't say that, Dad. He said we'd deal with it together if it happens. That he's not going anywhere. But Mom said she'd be gone only for ten minutes and look how that fucking worked out!", she snorted, wiping her eyes again.

"Sweetheart, you know my thoughts about Nick. Now he's not the fucking son I never had by any stretch, but he's also not one of the average assholes I'm used to seeing traipse in and out of your life. I know you love him and he seems to care quite a bit for you. But if you go into this with him expecting him to bail and break your heart he'll probably wind up doing it."

"But Dad-"

"Your mother did a number on all of us, I'm not denying that. But so help me, if you let her choice cost you a chance at being happy..."

Swallowing hard Carrie wiped her eyes again.

"I know. I'm just scared, Dad."

"I know you are.", Frank sighed sadly. "But, I have to ask. Did something else trigger all this in you? Besides my grandkid smiling for the camera for the first time?"

"Brody's son Chris was admitted today. He got into a car crash with his stepdad.", Carrie sighed.

"Jesus. Was he hurt?"

"Not that badly. But his behavior brought back some bad memories."

"Wait. You're not saying-"

"Dad, how old were you when you started, you know..showing signs?"

"You're making it sound like I turned into the fucking Incredible Hulk, sweetheart.", Frank snorted.
"Look, I get you're concerned. But I think you're reaching here."

"Look, if anyone fucking knows about this it's you and-"

"I know. I know. But just because you and I deal with it doesn't make us experts. And besides, look where you are right now. Your disease is frontburner, on your mind most of the time. It makes sense you'd be seeing indicators of it everywhere you look. Maybe this Chris is just a typical moody brat without a mood disorder."

"Maybe. You might be right, I don't...I don't know. All I know was how torn up Brody was about all of it."

"And after seeing that, you started thinking how he'll react down the road if your kid shows signs of something. There's no way of knowing that sweetheart, not unless you got a crystal ball. And it may be a logical thought to jump to, but I doubt jumping will get you anywhere good."

"So basically pursuing this would be-"

"Thinking it'd be a good idea to clear the fridge and set it on fire.", Frank said knowingly. "Unless you want to torch everything you've done so far."

"I'd just assume avoid that."

"Good choice. And you know if I were you, I'd share this with Abby and all those other whackjobs-"

"Dad!"

"Sorry. All those other folks you sit in a circle with, and once it's out of your system don't let it leave that room. No need to go making trouble where there doesn't need to be any."

"Hey, remember who you're talking to.", Carrie laughed.

"I'm talking to my little girl, who's only focus ought to be getting herself and my grandkid the fuck out of that place. And getting a good night's sleep."

"Okay, I...Okay. Thanks, Dad. I-"

"I love you too, sweetheart. Sleep tight."

After hanging up, slowly getting to her feet Carrie went to slip the phone in her pocket, go back to her room. But feeling the envelope still in her pocket she thought better of it, quietly made her way back towards Exam Room B.

Brody had conked out in the too small arm chair, that Carrie realized he'd moved between the door and the bed. The way it and he were angled, it looked as if he was trying to guard Chris as he slept. The sight was enough to make her melt. And tear up if she hadn't been so fucking sick of crying.

Careful not to disturb him, she quietly took his coat off the closet knob where it was hanging, then slipped the phone and the photo in the inside pocket of it.
Afterwards she knelt down beside the chair, brushed some hair off his face before kissing his bristly cheek. Gently enough so he didn't even stir as she stood back up, exited the room before quickly returned to her's.