Okay here's the latest. Not much movement but I'm setting up for some stuff, bear with me. Thanks so so much Bookworm for the reviewage! Take as you will, more to come soon. :)

Opting to stay in the car, drive on the dirt roads until she found him, even thought it was nighttime and there was hardly any lighting in the area, Carrie managed to make him out.

Parking close by, she walked up the grassy slope to where Brody was standing. Making her way past the memorials and headstones, she cleared her throat so as not to startle him.

"Hey."

Slowly Brody turned, looked at her in awe.

"How did you-"

"You left a trail," Carrie said, holding up her phone. "I told you to use road maps."

Seeing the pain in his eyes that he was doing his best to hide from her, Carrie wondered if she had overstepped by coming here. Brody hadn't told her where he was going. He hadn't even mentioned that his mom was buried in West Virginia when they'd crossed the state line. She felt like she was intruding on a private moment, like she ought to turn around and jump back in her car.

"I'll leave you alone though. I...I can go."

"No, it's okay."

"Brody, I-"

"For Christ's sake, Carrie. You just tracked me all the way here from the motel," Brody sighed. "Besides, it's late. I should've started to head back already."

"It's okay," Carrie assured. "It's not like either of us could sleep anyway," she snorted, then got a better look at the headstone. Reading the inscription she chewed her lip, spoke. "Her name was Lila."

"Yeah," Brody nodded.

Nodding back, Carrie crouched down in front of the grave, removed something from her purse.

"Carrie, what are you-"

"Did she like sunflowers?" she asked, glancing back over her shoulder at him as he nodded, softly smiled.

"Yeah. They were one of her favorites."

"Okay. Good."

Setting the bouquet down at the base of the headstone, she held out her hand, nodded for Brody to help her up.

"How did you..." he frowned, doing as asked. "Where did you get-"

"There was a community garden not far from the motel," Carrie answered as she stood. "When I found out you were here, I stopped," she said.

Reaching over she squeezed his hand, but he only held on for a moment before letting go. "We should go," he said softly.

"Brody, I-"

"It's fine. You should get back."

"You don't want a ride?" Carrie frowned. "The motel's miles away from-"

"I can walk. It's fine," Brody said defensively, stepping around her. "C'mon, I'll get you back to the car."

Shaking her head Carrie followed, too tired and perplexed by things to argue with him right now. Following him to where she'd parked, she let herself into the car.

"Are you sure I can't drive you back? It's late. It's dark, I-"

"I'm a big boy, Carrie," Brody snapped before sighing. "I just want to clear my head. That's all."

"Okay," she sighed. When he went to walk off through she reached out the window, grabbed his arm.

"Carrie..."

"Just be safe, okay?"

"I'll be fine, Carrie. Go get some sleep, okay?"

Nodding, Carrie reluctantly let go of her arm before rolling the window back up, driving back to the motel. Doing her best not to think about the fact that the father of her unborn child was walking ten paces behind her car.

Once reaching the motel she realized he wasn't ten paces behind, more like eighty. And unless he was jogging he wouldn't return for awhile.

Cursing herself out for letting him fucking walk, after letting herself in her room, changing into his flannel shirt she curled up in bed, switched off the bedside lamp. She didn't even hear him when he let himself into her room a half hour later, grabbed a cushion off of the corner arm chair.

Waking up about two AM, Carrie groaned, got up to use the restroom only to nearly step on something, or someone.

Crouching down she shook her head, swore when she saw him curled up asleep on the fucking floor.

Going from worried to full on fearful for him, knowing the last time he'd done this he'd been in the throes of PTSD and flashbacks and fuck knows what else, Carrie bit her lip. The encounter with Nathaniel had triggered something in him. She was sure of it. And the fact she'd pushed for the meeting between them made her feel sick to her stomach.

Knowing though all she could do was focus on the here and now, reaching onto the bed for the extra blanket folded at the foot of it, she covered Brody up with it, tucked it around him.

After standing again, finally using the damn bathroom she crawled back into bed, buried her face in the pillow and tried to block all the bullshit out. Get some much needed fucking sleep.

...

Stirring, his eyes cracking open Brody realized he'd slept on the floor and that at some point during the night Carrie had gotten up, covered him up with a blanket.

He'd wanted to come back to her room last night so if she was awake or happened to wake up, she'd see him. Wouldn't be up all night stressing out over where he was. But once getting to her room, he couldn't bring himself to disturb her. Not when his sleep had been disturbed enough for the both of them.

Nightmares, the worst of which he'd had in awhile, had plagued him to the point that he couldn't shut his eyes, felt the need to go for a long walk. He couldn't bring himself to try and curl up in bed next to her. Petrified that he'd grip and bruise her arm again or worse in his sleep. But wanting to be close he resigned himself to sleeping on the floor beside her bed. It hadn't been as uncomfortable as he thought. After his hike to the cemetery he'd been exhausted and had slept soundly.

As soundly as she seemed to be sleeping right now. Not wanting to risk waking her Brody quietly got up, tiptoed outside and cut over to his room. Packing up his bag he showered and dressed, brushed his teeth. By the time he finished, came back Carrie was starting to come around.

"Hey," he said, perching at the foot of the bed as she sat up, frowned.

"You're dressed. Fuck, what time is it? How long did I sleep?"

"You're fine. It's still early. I just wanted to get a jump on packing."

"I can see that," she said, seeing her duffle packed in the corner and a change of clothes on the dresser that he'd folded and left out for her.

"We should call the hospital," Brody said solemnly. "We should go to the hospital actually."

"Okay. We can head back," Carrie nodded, trying not to look as upset by the thought of it as she felt.

"After we drop you off I'm gonna head back up to the cabin for awhile. At least until the press gets tired of me and sets their sights on someone else."

"That could take fucking forever, Brody."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going back until things settle down," he said stubbornly. "I mean shit, the thought of them hounding the hospital, the mosque, Farrah, because of me?!"

"Okay, I get it. I...I get it," Carrie interrupted, biting her lip before speaking again. "She called me last night. Said you gave her my number, told her to."

"Yeah, I did."

Tearing up she reached over, squeezing his hand in a silent 'thank you' before giving him a sad smile. "She says she and Quinn and J.J are fine. She just really misses you."

"Carrie, I can't..."

"I know, I know," she sighed as Brody nodded, let go of her hand.

"I'm gonna go check us out. My stuff's in the trunk already but I'll bring your bag out too. Meet me at the car, okay?"

"Okay. Sure."

When he went to stand up, leave, Carrie quickly rolled out of bed, moved to block his path.

"For Christ's sake, Carrie, what-"

Looping her arms around his neck she kissed him, moved back enough to look at him.

"This is all going to work out, Brody. You have my word."

Nodding, avoiding her eyes he pulled back, rubbed her shoulders.

"Okay."

"What, you don't believe me?"

When he didn't answer, backed away Carrie swallowed hard, knowing that he didn't deep down. Not one bit.

"Brody..." she whispered.

"I'll meet you at the car, okay?" he sighed as he grabbed her duffle and slung it over his shoulder, walked out before she could say another word.