Okay here's the latest. Thanks so much Bookworm for the kindhearted reviewage! More to come soon. :)
Turning down the hallway after having his last cigarette of the day, Nathaniel frowned, hearing muttered swearing and then seeing his son kicking at and hitting the side of a vending machine. Trying to retrieve a stuck bag of trail mix.
Shaking his head he lightly laughed, approached him. "You know, when you were a kid and your food went and got stuck in one of those, you'd try and shake the life out of that thing. Even when you weren't tall enough to reach the coinslot," Nathaniel recalled as Brody rolled his eyes. Gave the machine one last hit before walking away from it.
"What about your-"
"I wasn't that hungry anyway," Brody muttered, sinking onto a nearby bench.
"You finished all those discharge whatchamacallits? Get those papers squared away?" Nathaniel asked as he sat beside him.
"Yeah, I did. They prescribed me some pain meds. Said I should take it easy."
"So you decide to beat the living shit out of that machine?"
"There's not much else I can do until my cab gets here."
"Cab? C'mon now. I'll give you a ride."
"And then what? You drop me off at home and I sit on my hands? Be up all night wondering where the fuck Carrie disappeared to?" Brody said bitterly, leaning forward on the bench and wringing his hands. Copying his pose, Nathaniel sighed.
"Still haven't tracked Blondie down, huh?"
"Carrie, Dad." Brody corrected. "And no. But I'm not going to be the one looking for her anyway."
"What's that mean?"
"Her mentor Saul Berenson has a theory about where she is. But I'm not allowed to fucking know about it," he sighed. Reaching for the cigarettes between him and Nathaniel he removed one from the pack. Catching a look from him.
"Hey, they're gonna fucking yell at you if you try and light-"
"I'm not going to. Jesus."
Shaking his head he twisted the cigarette between his fingers.
"It's probably for the best anyways."
"What is?"
"My not being involved with the search."
"What the fuck makes you say that?" Nathaniel scoffed. "Anyone around here can see that you're concerned. That you love-"
"It doesn't matter," Brody interrupted. "If I was blameless in all this Carrie would've stuck around. She wouldn't have left my side until they forced her to."
"Son, I know-"
"She would've stayed with me, Dad. You don't know her. You don't know a fucking thing about her."
"I have a couple of ideas about her," Nathaniel muttered, getting a glare. "I'm sorry. What don't I know about Blondie?"
"That she's the most stubborn woman I've ever met. She's fucking fearless. If she wanted access to my room she would've gotten it, no matter what the doctors were telling her. She would've stayed until she knew for a fact I was better. But instead she took off to fuck knows where, and I know I'm part of the reason."
"That's a load of horseshit. Nancy's the only reason. Well, her and Blondie's fucked up impulses."
Met with another glare he sighed. "That came out wrong. I meant to say that she must have some tendency for doing this kind of thing. Taking off. Otherwise she wouldn't have had such an easy time of it."
"You're one to talk about taking off," Brody scowled as Nathaniel rolled, narrowed his eyes.
"Hey, I know you're upset and still have a right to be sore at me. But I'm trying here, son. I really fucking am."
Sighing, Brody looked down and away apologetically.
"I know you are. I apologize, I just-"
"Don't beat yourself up. S'alright," Nathaniel said, reaching over to pat him on the back. "Believe me, if your mom had split like this when she was pregnant with you, I'd have been a fucked up wreck."
Looking back at him, Brody bit his lip. "Sounds like you actually loved her."
"I did," Nathaniel nodded, taking the cigarette from Brody and putting it between his teeth. "What the fuck she saw in me though I'll never fucking know."
"Yeah. I know the feeling," Brody sighed before he heard footsteps, saw Abby approach them. Quickly he stood, met her halfway as Nathaniel followed.
"Abby did you hear anything? Did Saul-"
"No, honey," she sighed. "If there is any word Saul's keeping quiet about it. Even to me. He's made it clear he wants to handle this himself."
When Brody swore and strode away from them, kicked a garbage can over that was in his path, Abby bit her lip. Knowing better than to try and go after him.
"That prick son of a bitch. Where does he get off?" Nathaniel snarled. Tempted to pick up the garbage can and kick it over again himself. Rolling up his sleeves he went to step around Abby instead.
"Mr. Brody..."
"He's pulling this shit on my son and he's not gonna fucking get away with it, I-"
"Mr. Brody, stop it!" Abby scolded, blocking the older man's path. "Come here and take a seat."
"Yes ma'am," Nathaniel muttered, joining her on the bench.
"Now look, I've known Saul a long time. And he's been Carrie's mentor just as long. If anyone knows where to find her it'll be him."
"Look however I feel about Blondie she's pregnant with my grand baby. If anything happens to her or to that kid it's gonna put my boy in a world of hurt."
"Look, Saul cares about Carrie and the baby too. She asked him to be his or her godfather! He doesn't want anything to happen and I'm sure he'll find Carrie and get her back safe and sound. He's got her and your son's best interests at heart, Mr. Brody. You have to believe that," Abby assured, getting a slight nod.
"It's Nate. I go by Nate."
"Alright then, Nate. You can trust me, Saul's got this handled."
"How can you expect me to trust you, I don't even know you."
Reaching out her hand Abby smiled, shook his. "I'm Abby. Abby Reynolds. And don't I look trustworthy?"
"You got a kind face and a good grip. I guess so," Nathaniel shrugged, managing a smile.
"Good. Now, speaking of handling things, maybe you ought to try and get a handle on your son. He keeps knocking over trash cans and people are gonna get nervous."
"Hey! He's pretty upset and blowing off steam, don't you think that's healthy? Cathartic or whatever it's called?"
"There's cathartic and then there's not solving anything and just making a mess!" Abby exclaimed, walking over to pick up the trash can as Nathaniel rolled his eyes, helped her out.
"Look, I heard about the impromptu therapy session in Brody's room. That it actually did him some good."
"It did. Til Nancy went and upset him," Nathaniel spat, throwing an old coffee cup back into the bin before sitting back down.
"Well, take that meddling little thing out of the equation then," Abby scoffed. "Take Brody to a meeting. Without her."
When Nathaniel shrugged, looked hesitant she gave him a look. "C'mon. At the very least it'll give him something to occupy himself instead of sitting at home fretting about Carrie."
"He is gonna do a lot of that. Fretting," Nathaniel sighed. Knowing deep down that Abby made a good point.
"I think there's a meeting tonight at Grace Church. I'll see if maybe I can get him to-"
"Good!" Abby grinned. "Good, I think it'll help him out."
When Nathaniel still looked wary she arched a brow. "C'mon, you just said I had a kind face and a good grip. I know what I'm talking about."
"Alright, I'll talk to him. But if I can't convince him..."
"Give me your cellphone for a second."
Frowning, taking it from his pocket he did as asked. Watched as Abby programmed her number into it.
"If you find him and can't convince him call me. I'll talk him into it."
"What if I can? Convince him."
"Then send me a text saying you were successful. We clear?" she asked, getting a nod.
"Yeah, we're clear."
After Nathaniel made his way down the hall Brody had walked down earlier, Abby returned to her office. Got some paperwork squared away before getting a text from Nathaniel saying Brody would attend the meeting. Relieved she dialed her phone, attending to her next order of business.
"Saul? How's it going?"
"Fine, I'm driving though so make it quick."
"I just wanted to tell you I got Brody to go to a support group tonight with his father. It's at Grace Church."
"Great," Saul shrugged. "Why are you telling me?"
"Because I think it would be a good place for you to bring Carrie after you track her down. If she's up to it that is."
"I was just going to bring her back to the hospital, Abby," he frowned, rolling his eyes when a car cut him off.
"Well if everything had gone off as planned, she'd be getting ready to go home for the weekend anyway," Abby reminded. "So unless things are really dire, her going to a support group can double as the group she attends here. I can swing that, Saul!"
"And I suppose you can't swing her attending a meeting that's not at Grace Church and doesn't include a disgraced ex-marine," Saul scoffed as Abby scoffed back.
"Well what point would there be in that?"
"Look. I get it, you're a romantic and want them together. But-"
"But nothing, Saul!" she said firmly. "Carrie and Brody in a room together where they're encouraged to communicate can only help Carrie, not hurt her."
"Well, that may be your opinion, but-"
"Saul!" Abby shouted. "I agreed to let you handle Carrie and get her back. But if you discourage anything or try to talk her out of her relationship with Brody. Shame her or try and start something, I will hunt you down and rip that beard clean off of your face!"
"Abby, for Christ's sake," Saul sighed. "Save the lecture. I've done more on behalf of Nicholas Brody for Carrie's sake than you'll ever fucking know."
"Well keep at it or I will make you pay."
Shaking his head he turned into the lot. "You're very forthcoming with the threats."
"I had a man twice my size in a headlock today. Don't you cross me."
"I wouldn't dare," Saul laughed. Parking his car he went through security, took the elevator and then turned down the hall to his office. Nodding and chuckling as Abby explained how she'd put Khan in his place, when he reached his office he saw the door was still open a crack.
"Abby, listen I'm gonna have to call..."
Trailing off, seeing the lights were dimmed and Carrie was sitting on his rug, legs folded under her as she wiped at her eyes, listened to music through her headphones, his smile faded all together.
"I'm gonna have to call you back."