Okay so here's the latest. This chapter turned out longer than I expected but I had a lot to say in it. As far as the way it leaves off, an explanation is forthcoming. Thanks so much CSI Encyclopedia, Shockey, EpicStelena, lipamo & Bookworm for the reviewage. Much much appreciated. More to come soon. :)

Three Days Later

Sitting up in bed when she heard the door open, Carrie smiled, set the book she was reading down on her nightstand.

"Hey!"

When he gave her a small smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, Carrie's quickly faded.

"What is it? What's wrong?", she asked. "You were here to see Faber, right? Did something happen? He was supposed to be discharged today, wasn't he?"

"No, Faber's fine. We had a long talk."

"About what? Is it why you're upset?"

"Who says I'm upset?", Brody scoffed as Carrie shot him a knowing look, arched a brow. Rolling his eyes he plopped down at the foot of the bed, reached to squeeze her hand.

"Faber just confirmed something that Jessica told me the other day."

"What?"

"She said that Lauder's been coming by their house in Charleston. Shitfaced. The last time it happened she was by herself with the baby. He was ranting, raving, practically foaming at the fucking mouth. Jess was scared to death. Locked herself and Violet in the bedroom."

"Jesus.", Carrie breathed, absentmindedly cradling her belly. "Did she get a restraining order?"

"When Mike and Chris drove up here it was partly to tell Lauder that if he didn't back off they'd be forced to."

"Did they? Before the car accident?"

"Mike said yes. And told me Lauder didn't take it well. He just started going off again."

"About what?"

"About me.", Brody sighed as Carrie bit her lip, bowed her head.

"Fuck."

"Look, I don't care what he spews or tries to pull on me.", Brody said bitterly. "I don't want him going after you or God forbid, something he says getting back to Farrah, I-"

"What's he saying about you?", Carrie cut in, trying to sound more angry than fearful.

"Nothing specific yet. Mike just told me to be prepared."

"Great. He reminds you to uphold the fucking Boy Scout motto. Some help.", she snorted.

"What can I say? The guy made it to the Eagle Scouts."

Rolling her eyes at his smirk Carrie shook her head. Already starting to set up a plan of how to deal with Lauder if need be.

"Well look, whatever he pulls or tries to pull we'll deal with it. I'll be out of here for the rehearsal dinner, the wedding. If Lauder tries something between now and birthday weekend, I'll find the fucker and give him a piece of my mind. Maybe my fist too.", Carrie smirked.

"Carrie..."

"What? I was half joking about the fist.", she said, not getting so much as a smile.

"Brody-"

"I don't want to talk about it, Carrie. I'm tired of-"

"What? Telling me about things that could pose a threat?"

"He was a threat to me. I can deal with that. But I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you talk about going after him!"

"I can take care of myself!", Carrie snapped as he shook his head, rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I know that. I do. But between Lauder's mean streak and your blood pressure, I just assume you don't take care of him. Okay? Is that too much to fucking ask?", he asked as she snorted, smiled slightly in spite of herself.

"Like I told you. I was half joking about the fist."

When Brody sighed again she shifted closer, twined their fingers.

"Look, you and I both know what Lauder is capable of."

"Yeah, so does my fucking leg.", he scoffed.

"I'm not taking what Faber relayed to us lightly. Lauder is a credible threat, I-"

Seeing the amused way he was looking at her, Carrie snorted, frowned at him.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just your talking about relaying, threats. Feels like I'm back sitting across from you in that boardroom at Langley."

"Brody..."

"Hey. If you knew what I was thinking sitting across from you in that boardroom at Langley...", he said suggestively as she smirked.

"What's to say I didn't?", she retorted, getting him laughing.

"But anyway, Lauder showed his hand already. He came after you before, proved his fucking point by rendering you unconscious. He may have been out for your blood but he already got it! Unless he's more vicious than I thought, I-"

"I don't think he wanted me dead, wants me dead. I know though he's a dangerous fucking drunk."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"I thought that was just what you called me." Carrie pouted as he laughed, exasperated, rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

"Well Lauder's more dangerous. And more of a drunk. And even if he doesn't want to fucking kill me he'd love nothing more than to see me decimated."

"How? All he would possibly have on you is fabricated bullshit. I cleared you off the bombing. And if he says anything about Tom Walker, he was as involved with Nazir as you were. Unless there's some deep dark secret you somehow still managed to keep from me, I-"

"There's nothing, Carrie.", Brody cut in. "You believe me, right?", he asked, hoping he didn't sound as anxious and desperate as he felt.

"I do! I...I do, Brody."

Fingers still twined she traced the scar on the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Look, in spite of everything, even my so called better judgment, I do trust you, okay? If only because we're both so fucking done with secrets that we have no reason to let new ones form between us."

Getting a nod she continued.

"So if you tell me that Lauder's got nothing on you, I'm going to believe that."

"Okay. Good.", Brody said, relieved.

"What I'm really wondering is what bullshit he'll manage to come up with about you on his own."

"Yeah. Me too." Shaking his head he moved so he was leaning against the bed pillows. "I want to think that we're making too much of it, but..."

"But you don't.", Carrie finished, curling up on his shoulder as he nodded, swallowed hard.

"And I'd rather be a Boy Scout then get blindsided again."

"Same here.", she said as he laughed, frowned curiously at her.

"You'd rather be a Boy Scout?"

"Yes. Would've beat selling those cookies door to door when I was ten."

"You did that? Wore one of those little vests with the patches and-"

"Yes.", Carrie groaned. "And I fucking hated it too.", she said as Brody laughed, held her closer.

"Why'd you do it then?"

"My mom signed me up. She found out about the game of chicken on the tracks and completely lost it. She hoped I'd rid myself of that group of friends."

"Did it work?"

"Not at all.", Carrie smirked before going somber. "You know she's been on my mind lately. A lot."

"Well given your condition it makes sense.", he said, rubbing her belly.

"It would be easier if I could just hate her like Maggie. Just write her off."

"You don't want to do that.", Brody said solemnly, shaking his head. "It's not easier, Carrie."

"You know that from experience?", she asked curiously. Sitting up to see his eyes that were now avoiding hers.

"My mom and I had to move all over the country because of my dad when he served. New house near a new base. Like clockwork every couple of years. When I was a teenager I just got fucking sick of it. Leaving all my friends just to be the new kid at a new school. The day before we moved to Virginia, he asked if I wanted to go out back, play soccer with him in the yard. I said no. I holed up in my room, I didn't speak to him the entire car ride, or even at the base the following week when he loaded out. The last time I saw him we didn't say two words to each other."

"Shit.", Carrie murmured.

"Because I decided to be a stupid kid, my dad died overseas convinced that I hated him. If you think that was easy to live with when I was trapped in that fucking hole in the ground..."

"It couldn't have been. I..I'm sorry, Brody.", she said sincerely, sitting up slightly as he looked on.

"But what? C'mon. I know you've got a rebuttal to all this.", he said. Not angry so much as not surprised about it.

"There's a big fucking difference between my mom and your dad. You lost him because he was serving, doing something meaningful. My mom just left. Not because of something honorable or out of a sense of duty. She fucking walked out on us. And it would be easier to hate her than always wondering in the back of my mind if she's ever coming back.", Carrie said bitterly Brody he nodded.

"Hey, I understand. I do. I just know even if it's easier to hate it doesn't mean it's good for you. I mean shit, between what I just told you and everything you already know about me, I know from which I speak."

"I know.", she nodded, reaching to rub his shoulder, the nape of his neck.

"You know I never told anyone about how I left things with my dad. Jessica doesn't even know the whole story."

"No?"

"No. She doesn't. It wasn't as if I didn't trust her. I just knew it would make her upset. She's sensitive..it would've..."

"Yeah.", Carrie said. Curling back up on his shoulder her left hand came to rest on his chest. "But thanks for telling me."

"Anytime."

Kissing her forehead, Brody was content to curl up, take a nap with her and hope Abby wouldn't interrupt. As soon as he shut his eyes though he heard a knock, and saw the door open a crack but quickly shut again.

"Damn it."

"Quinn?", Carrie muttered, sitting up.

"Listen if you two are working up to something in there just let me know now. I don't have to do this today."

"Do what today? Look just get in here! I'm not having this conversation with a door between us."

Rolling his eyes he walked in the room, shut the door behind him.

"What are you doing here, Quinn?", Brody asked.

"I think the better question is where the fuck have you been?", Carrie snorted. "It's been weeks since you even visited. Saul was convinced they sent you back to the Venezuela desk and didn't bother telling us."

"Are you kidding? Galvez would miss me too much.", Quinn smirked. "Besides, I'm actually starting to put down some roots here."

"I doubt the soil around here is taking kindly to that.", Brody scoffed, met with looks from them both. "What? It was just a joke."

"Yeah. And a shitty one. Don't quit your day job.", Quinn retorted.

"What do you mean, roots?", Carrie asked.

"I mean I got a two bedroom apartment. Bought furniture that doesn't need inflating. Even though J.J didn't object to the air mattress."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, those things are actually comfortable, I-"

"I'm not talking about the fucking air mattress!", Carrie exclaimed. "I'm talking about J.J. He's actually staying with you?!"

"On a trial basis. A few nights here and there. We're seeing how it goes."

"Holy shit, Quinn.", Brody laughed. "So you and Anita...you must have told him the truth!"

When the sniper's face went solemn he frowned, looked curiously.

"So wait, J.J doesn't..."

"Anita wants to tell him on her own terms."

"Yeah? When?!", Carrie snorted.

"Carrie..."

"It's been how many weeks since they arrived? Jesus. If she hasn't said anything to him by now I doubt she'll-"

"It was the only way she agreed, damn it!", Quinn snapped, cutting her off.

"Quinn, look. I know it's rocky but the longer you keep this up. You're not gonna be easing J.J into things so much as lying to him about everything. He's a smart kid, he'll read into it.", Brody said.

"And c'mon, you're honestly okay with how things are progressing? The last time you talked to us you were ready to go forward with the DNA test!", Carrie reminded. "Look, I know this is personal and you're gonna handle it your own way. I just didn't think pussyfooting around was your style."

"Who fucking said it was?", Quinn scoffed.

"Hey, what about putting a deadline on it. Tell Anita she has two weeks to tell him herself otherwise you're going to step in.", Brody suggested, getting an agreeing nod.

"If she doesn't before this rolls around..."

Handing Carrie the rehearsal dinner invite he'd gotten from Maggie, Quinn arched a brow.

"I'll tell him that night."

"Good. Then I'll get to finally meet him.", Carrie smiled.

"He thinks you're pretty, you know.", Brody piped up as she turned to face him.

"What?"

"He saw a picture of you and Farrah at the house. He said you were pretty."

"Well. Already more of a gentleman than his dad.", Carrie smirked as Quinn scoffed.

"Hey!"

"When we met you made a not so subtle quip about my being crazy. And told me you were the one running things. As far as first impressions go your's pretty much sucked.", she snorted as Brody laughed, getting a look out of Quinn.

"Well Farrah wasn't too fond of me at first either and look at us now.", he retorted as Carrie rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of Farrah, apparently she kicked your ass at a light saber war."

"Like you would've let her lose. It's Farrah, for Christ's sake.", Quinn scoffed before checking his watch.

"Look I have to get going. J.J's spent the night at a friend's house and Anita asked me to pick him up, watch him tonight. I just stopped by because Galvez asked me to bring the invitation by for you. And Saul. He and Mira were invited."

"Sounds like it's going to be quite the gathering.", Brody said as Carrie went to put the formal invitation next to the save the date card on her nightstand, only to see the turquoise card was gone.

"What the...shit!"

"Carrie, what-"

"Nothing, just...I could've sworn I left it right there!"

"Left what. What are you talking about?", Brody asked, moving off the bed and over to where she was rummaging through the door of the nightstand, clearly frustrated.

"Fuck. I can't believe I lost it!"

"Maybe someone came in to clean the room, tossed it out.", Quinn suggested as Carrie shook her head.

"The staff know better than to throw out anything belonging to a psych patient. Especially a pregnant, hormonal one.", she snorted, wiping her eyes.

"Hey. We'll get you another card, okay?", Brody said, handing her a tissue as Quinn nodded.

"Yeah. I'll threaten Galvez into finding one at the house if need be.", he offered as she snorted, shook her head.

"Thanks but it's okay. It's just a fucking card, I don't know why I'm so upset about it.", Carrie sighed, wiping at her eyes.

"Look I'll tell you what. I have to get Farrah at the house next door to you-"

"Wait, the Hodsons? Why the fuck is she staying with them? They have that doberman that's bigger than she is!"

"No, not the Hodsons. The old woman that moved in not too long ago. Mrs. Lancaster. She has a cat. Farrah has Calvin.."

"And they bonded. Christ. She's not even seven and gets along better with the neighbors than I do.", she scoffed.

"Anyway, after I pick her up I'll see if she can give you a call. Let you talk to her for longer than ten minutes.", Brody offered, getting a watery smile.

"Yeah. I...I'd like that."

When she leaned in, kissed him, shaking his head Quinn got up from his chair as they pulled apart.

"Quinn, for Christ's sake-"

"Hey, I'm not taking any fucking chances.", he scoffed. Leaving Carrie's room he cut over to the lobby, out to the parking lot before jumping into his car. He arrived at the house on the early side, but saw J.J already sitting on the front stoop with his backpack.

When the boy saw the car pull into the drive he grinned, ran over. On instinct he went to jump in the backseat but Quinn shook his head, motioned for him to sit up front.

"I forget when you pick me up that I'm allowed to sit up front.", J.J smiled.

"Every driver needs a co-pilot. Don't forget to buckle up."

Pulling out of the driveway, Quinn drove back to the main drag.

"You have a good time last night?"

"Eh, it was fun until this morning. Everyone else wanted to sleep in so late and I was wide awake."

"Yeah, I don't like to sleep in either. So look, your grandma has to work late again tonight."

"She has to work late a lot.", J.J shrugged. "That means I stay at your place again, right?"

"Yeah, unless you want to sleep on a damn park bench.", Quinn quipped, getting a laugh.

"I don't want to sleep on a damn park bench. Can we get pizza again?"

"That depends. Are you going to ask for pineapple on it again?"

"But I like pineapple though!"

"We get it on half or not at all. Deal?"

"Deal.", J.J shrugged before smiling. "Can we go to the movies too? I want to see Guardians of the Galaxy sooo bad."

"Is that the one with the damn raccoon that talks?"

"Yeah! Please! You can decide what candy we get."

"Who said anything about candy? That shi...stuff, rots your damn teeth out.", Quinn scoffed, getting a look.

"Well those waffles you like at the diner have sugar too."

"Fine. We'll see the talking raccoon tonight and you get one damn box of candy. No pop though."

"It's a deal. Again." the boy grinned as Quinn turned right, wanting to take the shortcut back to his place by going down Carrie's street.

"Hey, we seeing Farrah?", J.J asked, recognizing the townhouses.

"Not now. Maybe tonight we can...for Christ's sake. What the...?" Frowning curiously seeing all the traffic, a crowd gathered on one of the lawns, Quinn slowed the car to a crawl, tried to figure out what was going on.

"Pete, what's going on? What's with all the cameras, I...hey, that's the lady from the news!", J.J exclaimed as Quinn shook his head, ran his hand over his face. Seeing now exactly whose lawn the crowd had collected on.

"Jesus fucking Christ..."