Approaching the ticket booth at the entrance to the fair, Carrie was about to grab Brody's phone and call Maggie before he stopped her, nodded to a picnic table at the edge of the lot.
"What the...Farrah?"
Quickly they walked over, concerned seeing Farrah curled up in Maggie's lap, her face hidden in her shoulder.
"What the hell happened?" Brody asked as Carrie took a seat on the bench, rubbed the girl's back.
"Farrah?"
When she opted to stay quiet, Maggie cleared her throat.
"Well we were really excited to check out the tent we saw, but even though we talked about the lines and the crowds...I think being around all of it-"
"I no want to get lost," Farrah said softly, shifting off Maggie's lap to sit closer to Carrie.
"Maggie, Brody, how about you two get in line for the tickets," Carrie hinted as Brody frowned.
"Hey, hold on a second," he said, crouching down so he was eye level with her and Farrah.
"Look brat, it's totally fine by me if you want to leave. You're not up to this and we can all get in the car right now. Head on back to the motel. I-"
"Brody."
Off the look Carrie was giving them, standing up Maggie grabbed Brody's hand, pulled him to his feet.
"Just come find us when you're ready," she said as he shook his head skeptically, but followed orders regardless.
"Nick say we go back to the motel. We go?" Farrah asked.
"Well, we can if you want. I know I told you earlier that we could if you were scared, but-"
"There is but?"
"But I think Brody was right before. It would be a lot easier to have fun here than back at the motel."
"We watch cartoons though at motel. And I draw. That is fun, too!" Farrah replied as Carrie rolled her eyes, smiled in spite of herself.
"Well alright, since you're arguing. Acting way too much like me already...", she scoffed as Farrah giggled.
"I'm going to give you what I need from anyone who tries to convince me that I'm wrong."
"What?"
"Irrefutable proof. Hard evidence. A visual confirmation if you will."
"Visual?"
"Stand up here, please," Carrie instructed. Patting the picnic table, she used it to push herself up and into a standing position. Only to see Farrah still seated, her jaw on the ground.
"I...I stand on top of table?"
"If you'd rather that I be the one with eyes on-"
"No, I do it. I get eyes!" Farrah exclaimed, scrambling on top of the table before jumping to her feet. The sun blocking her vision she squinted, shielded her eyes with a pout.
"My eyes can't see," she grumped as Carrie smiled, reached into the side pocket of her shoulder bag.
"Here. This might help."
Handing a drawstring pouch to Farrah, the girl opened it then gasped.
"Binoculars!"
"That's right."
Unfolding them she grinned, held onto them like they were made of glass.
"You...you use these to spy?"
"Sometimes. Just hold them in front of you," Carrie instructed, reaching up to adjust the focus.
"Now, let me know when everything starts showing up clearly," she said, only to frown when the girl snickered.
"What?"
"Your finger show clearly," Farrah laughed. Smirking, using her whole hand to block the lenses, Carrie got her giggling, swatting at her to fend her off.
"Here, just let me see them for a second. I'll focus them for real."
"Once you focus binoculars, may I wear?" Farrah asked, eyeing the neck strap that was attached.
"Sure. I know you'll be careful with them."
Looking through them once more to make sure they were set properly, Carrie handed them back to Farrah.
Her face lighting up she brought them to her eyes while slowly pivoting on top of the table, surveying the surroundings.
"So now that you've got eyes on, what do you see?"
"I see, cotton candy. Balloons, ticket line. Cars!" Farrah exclaimed as Carrie laughed, seeing the go kart track even without the help of high power magnification.
"Live action Mario Kart," she snorted. "Don't think we could set that up at the motel. What else do you see that you want to try and do?"
"There are games. Prizes! I win stuffed animals. And fish! Goldfish!"
"A prize for Calvin, too. Great," Carrie said with a smirk as Farrah lowered the binoculars.
"So, you have enough proof now?"
"Yes, I have visual confirm. Yes," she giggled before her face went solemn.
"But what?"
"We stay together? No get lost?" she asked as Carrie reached over, linked her pinky finger with Farrah's.
"Now do you believe me?" she asked. Nodding, the girl pulled her into a tight hug.
"Okay, good," Carrie said, hugging her back just as tight.
Once climbing down from the table, Farrah made sure the binoculars were secure around her neck before she took Carrie's hand. Walked with her over to Brody and Maggie who had just purchased the tickets.
"Hey, glad you made it," Brody said as Farrah ran up to him. Seeing the binoculars he arched a brow.
"They handing out prizes in the parking lot now or what?"
"We just needed some proof," Carrie shrugged. "Make sure this place was as fun as you made it out to be."
"I get eyes on," Farrah chirped.
"So when's her interview at Langley, Carrie. Next week?", a familiar voice piped up.
"DAN!" Farrah cheered, running at him as he scooped her up.
"Bet she's more impressive than half the suck-ups you've sat down with so far," Carrie smirked as Brody nodded in agreement.
"She's more impressive than all the suck-ups I've sat with so far," Danny sighed as Maggie walked up, kissed him.
"I thought you couldn't get away!"
"Quinn called. He told me he knows he's irreplaceable, but that if I valued my life I'd meet up with you guys since he couldn't."
"At least he sounded like himself when he talked to you," Carrie sighed.
"Something I should know?" Danny asked, setting Farrah down as Carrie grabbed the girl's hand, let her drag her off towards the tents.
"When he called earlier to tell us he couldn't make it today, something in his voice," Brody said, getting wary looks from Maggie and Danny both.
"We think it might have something to do with J.J, but Carrie was pretty upset over it. She asked if I'd go and check on him later."
"You should go with him," Maggie encouraged as Danny frowned.
"Mags, if I know Peter Quinn he's not gonna be happy to see a whole freaking cavalry show up at his front door."
"You're saying that two men together constitute a cavalry now? Geez, give your gender an inch..." she scoffed as both the men stopped short.
"What?" she asked. "If Carrie had said that neither of you would've batted an-"
"Hey, look! Funnel cake! Anyone else want funnel cake?" Brody asked while getting the hell out of dodge as Maggie rolled her eyes.
"And after we had such a nice talk this morning," she scoffed.
"Care to fill me in about it later?" Danny asked. "After I go check in on Quinn?" he added, getting a smile as she slid her arm around him.
"If you think your cavalry will overwhelm him, maybe not. I mean you know the man better than I do, " she shrugged.
"I just don't want Carrie worrying, at least beyond her usual amount of worrying."
"Well, she doesn't seem too worried now. Check it out," Danny said, nodding to the booth where she and Farrah were getting their faces painted. Meanwhile Brody stood off to the side, studied the easel showing all the available designs.
"Brody, if you opt for full clown makeup I swear I'll refuse to be seen with you the rest of the day," Carrie warned.
"C'mon, the hair alone makes it a perfect-"
Trailing off at the look she was giving him, Brody rolled his eyes while Farrah requested purple glitter wings for the butterfly being painted on her right cheek.
"Fine, fine. What about a tiger?"
"You're kidding, right?" Carrie frowned, trying not to flinch as whiskers were painted on her cheeks.
"You're making your face look like Calvin's and you're judging me?"
"Farrah chose for me."
"Alright then, she'll choose for me too. Clown or tiger, brat?"
"Hmmm," Farrah pondered.
"Tiger. I vote tiger."
"Good choice," the makeup artist said, starting to paint Carrie's cat nose.
"Clowns are scary," Farrah shuddered. "No clowns."
"Alright then, it's settled. One tiger face, please," Brody said politely, sitting on a nearby stool to wait.
"Nice work," Maggie complimented as she and Danny approached the booth.
"I'm not used to seeing either of them sitting that still."
"Ha ha," Carrie scoffed.
"Well I'm almost done here," the woman said, finishing up the antennae on Farrah's butterfly.
"The two of you can start deciding on what you'd-"
"No, I'm alright, thanks," Maggie said.
"C'mon, Maggie," Carrie cut in."That was ages ago with the lady at the makeup counter."
"What was ages ago?" Danny asked.
"Maggie and the girls and I went to one of those department store makeup counters for Ruby's tenth birthday. We were gonna get dresses and makeovers, go out to dinner and a show."
"Carrie..." Maggie warned through clenched teeth.
"But the woman who did Maggie's face thought Maggie had a more adult evening in mind."
"You're serious?" Brody asked.
"The lipstick choice alone was just...you know I'm pretty sure we still have pictures."
"No, we don't. I burned them," Maggie hissed.
"Good thing I told Ruby to keep the negatives," Carrie said with a smirk as Danny smiled, then quickly went serious.
"So, yeah. Anyway, once we're finished here, how about we stop off for some food?" he suggested.
"You had that leftover pasta to bring to Langley for lunch."
"But there's kettle corn here," Danny said increduously.
"Yeah, let's head over to the concessions, guys. I'll come back later for the tiger face," Brody said, helping Carrie to her feet.
"Damn it, Brody. It's fine-"
"We gotta at least try and get some food in you, alright?"
"Okay, fine," she sighed, taking hold of Farrah's hand. "But I doubt anything is gonna seem in any way appetizing, at all."
"Seriously, Carrie. You can't tell me that kettle corn smell isn't-"
"Making me feel nauseous, because it is!"
Guilt sinking in for snapping, Carrie sighed, rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry, Danny. I didn't-"
"Nemo or Boo don't let Carrie eat," Farrah explained.
"Oh, crap. That's really a thing that can-"
"Yeah. At the place where I've been on assignment it's more manageable but the past couple of days, being away..."
When she trailed off, then swore after they reached the food stands, Brody moved to put his arm around her only for her to take off.
"For Christ's sake. Carrie?!"
Catching up to her, he stopped short when he realized what she'd jumped in line to order.
"What in the...you can't be serious."
"You think I ran over here for my health? Of course I'm serious," she scoffed, shuffling forward in line.
"Look, let me just go and find a backup while you wait. C'mon, there's an ice cream stand over there. Or chocolate covered bananas? Fried dough?"
"Brody, this is the first thing I've smelled in the past twelve hours that hasn't made me want to hurl. Just, c'mon. I...I have to do this thing."
"Do this thing? Do you even hear yourself right now?" he sighed as they reached the front of the line.
"Hi there, folks. What can I get for you?" a far too upbeat teenager asked as Carrie sighed. Shaking her head in disbelief she fought the urge to glare at her bump.
"I'll have two of...um-"
"Yes?"
"Two of your uh, specialty there. Alright?" she muttered.
"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that. What would you like today, ma'am?"
"Two deep fried pickle spears," she blurted out as Brody ran a hand over his face, fought back a laugh.
"Please."