Disclaimer - I do not own Homeland. That pleasure belongs to Showtime. No copyright infringement or money making scheme intended. This is purely for reading enjoyment.

A/N Crossfire - Missing scene tagged on to the end of the episode. This episode was moving and so sad.

"So?", Jess stares at him expectantly.

Brody shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know why they bothered leaving a message at all - it was so vague."

Brody can feel Jess staring at him and it isn't helping his agitation.

"For goodness sake Brody, what did they say?"

Silently wishing himself to calm down, he made a show of washing the apples to be cut up. It wouldn't do to snap at her. He really needed time to think.

"That someone from the Veep's office wants to speak to me."

"That's it?", Jess asks in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's it."

"Did the say when they'll call back."

"No."

"And you have no idea what it is about?"

Brody gripped the glass he was drinking out of so hard, it's a miracle he didn't break it. Setting it down before he did just that, he answers Jess, "No. Guess I'll find out when they call back."

"Ok then. I guess we will", suspicion lacing her tone. Though Brody thought that was because she suspected why they might be calling rather than him already knowing for certain why they're calling…at least he hoped so.

"Brody…BRODY!"

"Shit, Jess. What the fuck?"

"You wandered off on me…looked like you were somewhere far away."

Brody moved forward on instinct. He knew where she thought he was and she wasn't quite right, but not wrong either. "Hey, I'm right here. I was just thinking about what they want. That's all." Seeing that she doesn't seem entirely reassured he pulls her in for a hug and holds her there for a while. It strikes him that he just can't help it. The lies. They tumble out of his mouth without him even thinking about it. Out they come, fully formed. When the hell had he learned to do it so well? He'd been a terrible liar as a kid. His mother never seemed to be done giving him a clip round the ear.

"I wish we could take this into the bedroom", Jess says smiling. "But unfortunately I promised Dana she could come with the girls to the cinema tonight."

"Well maybe we can pick it up when you get back", Brody replies suggestively. He made a mental note to make sure he was sound asleep.

"Chris has had his dinner and is working on some art project for School."

Brody nods his head in acknowledgement before becoming startled.

"How long will you be?", he asks trying to hide the fear in his voice.

"Can't wait, Sergeant Brody, huh", Jess says teasingly. "We'll be back by 11pm at the latest. Jess puts her arms around him and pulls him in for a long kiss. "I promise. Catch you later, Sergeant."

Brody is stock still with shock though Jess probably interprets it as something else. He hears her shouting on Dana and saying goodbye to Chris.

"You and your dad have fun."

The realisation hits Brody, "fuck."

"You, ok dad?"

Brody looks up to find Dana standing there.

"Yeah, just remembered I forgot the jar of pickles off the shopping list."

"Right. Well, if I were you, since they're mom's favourite, I'd play the sympathy card and tell mum you did get them, but the jar got smashed in your fight."

Brody laughs, but then abruptly stops, looking at Dana raiding the fridge before she leaves. When the hell did she get so good at lying?

"See you later, Dad."

"Have a nice time", he shouts to her retreating back, exiting the kitchen.

"We will."

The sound of the front door banging shut is the cue for his panic to set in. Not ten minutes ago, he wanted Jess to shut up so he could think, but now he found he didn't like all the thinking time. His head was so messed up.

"Dad", Chris's voice calls out from the sitting room, both a blessing and a curse. He'd have to go and see what he wants which means distraction.

"Daadd!"

"Give me a minute", Brody shouts back at him. But, the last time he was alone with Chris, he'd been such a mess, he had spent 5 hours hiding in the corner of his room leaving Chris alone. He couldn't do that again.

"What is it, Chris?"

"Do you think this looks ok?", Chris asks handing Brody the paper.

Brody stares at the drawing in disbelief and finds himself swamped with emotion. He takes it all in.

"Is it terrible?"

Brody hears the self-doubt and fear in his son's voice. He looks down to find Chris staring up at him with a pleading look on his face.

"No, Chris. It isn't terrible. I…I just…" Brody sits down next to Chris, "where did you learn to draw like this?", Brody asks taking in the sketch of the four of them. "It's fantastic."

Chris blushes under the praise, but shrugging his shoulders answers, "I just liked to draw. GJ said…", Chris suddenly stops, shrinking into himself, head down as though he'd been given into trouble for doing something wrong.

"Chris", Brody speaks softly, but gets no answer at first. "Chris, it is ok, you know, you can speak about mom." Still getting no answer, Brody kneels down in front of Chris now and lifts his face up. Brody is startled to see tears.

"Chris, what's wrong?"

"It's not fair. She fought for you every day. She said you'd come home. She should be here!"

Brody does the only thing needed, he pulls his son into his arms and lets him cry like he was still a baby.

Once Chris had calmed down enough Brody made them hot chocolate, putting extra marshmallows on top of Chris's.

"So, what did GJ say then?", Brody asks, sitting back down next to Chris.

"She said…"

Brody nods his head encouragingly at Chris.

"She said, I was a natural and I got it from you."

"You're better than me by the looks of it."

Chris blushed again, but Brody was telling the truth. In fact he'd spoke more truth in the last 10 minutes than in the entire time since he had come home.

"When I started asking for you, GJ would always tell me stories."

"What about your mom?"

"She just cried."

Brody nodded his head. He understood.

"And sometimes would argue with GJ."

"What would they argue about?", Brody asked, curious.

"GJ telling me that one day you'd come home and encouraging me to draw for you. It upset mom to find my drawings all over the house. So, GJ bought me my own sketch set where I could keep my drawings."

Brody fights for control of his emotions, but manages to speak, "do you still have them?"

Chris looks at him surprised, but nods his head in answer.

"Can I see them?"

Chris wordlessly gets up and leaves the sitting room.

Brody looks up as Chris comes back in with his treasure held tightly in his hand. Nervously he hands it over.

Brody opens up the book in which Chris had collated pictures he had drawn and is startled to see so many. Clearly he hadn't stopped once his Gran had died.

The book mapped out his son's life. There were the drawings that were little more than scribbles from when he was really young. Then there were the drawings where clearly he was learning his letters.

Brody laughed and Chris looked at him anxiously. Brody pointed out a drawing to him, "did you inherit my spelling skills as well?"

"That was Dana's fault. She told me it started with K."

Brody laughed even more at the drawing which had been signed 'Kriss', in the messy writing of a child.

"Uh, huh. Blame your sister."

"I wasn't even at Kindergarten yet!", Chris protested.

They sat for ages looking through Chris's drawings and having fun. So much so that Brody was startled to find it was just after 10 O'clock next time he looked at the time.

"Right you, go get ready for bed."

"But dad…"

"It's bed time, Chris", Brody repeats in a tone that leaves no room for argument.

I'll put these back in if you go brush your teeth and put your pyjamas on.

Brody hates clearing up, but he knows Chris hates it even more and knew he'd jump at the chance to get out of it. The truth was Brody would have happily sat for longer, but bed time is bed time especially on a School night.

"Daaad!"

Chris's shout startles Brody and he drops some of the drawings over the floor.

'Shit', he curses himself, inwardly. "What is it Chris?"

"The toothpaste is nearly done."

"You better leave some for the rest of us. I'll get more tomorrow."

Brody bends down, picking up the drawings he had dropped. Lifting up the last one, his breath catches in his throat. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but he notices it now and it hits him like a ton of bricks. A little black haired boy playing soccer with a red haired man. It was uncanny. He stared at it for so long, he didn't hear Chris come back in to stand next to him.

"Mike played soccer with me all the time, but he sucks."

Brody faces his son, hoping his emotions aren't betrayed on his face.

"Mike's ok."

"No, dad. He sucks at soccer and anyway, I always wanted to play with you."

"Goodnight, Chris", Brody hands Chris back his drawings.

"Night dad", Chris takes his drawings and leaves the sitting room, but Brody has hardly any time to gather his thoughts when his son is back in front of him and hugging him tight.

"I love you dad."

"I love you too." Brody watches Chris leave the room and eventually hears his room door shut. All the emotions he had been holding in for Chris's sake fight for control. He loves his son. He knows he does. He's just spent a fantastic few hours with him, but he feels like the worst dad ever. Because all he can think of now is Issa and that horrible bastard who calls himself the Vice President.