This is spying. Isn't it FUN?

[neverwrongagent]

Brody attending the meeting Walker had so casually mentioned turned into a three ring circus. More than one person involved was convinced the whole thing was a wild goose chase, including Carrie occasionally. If she hadn't seen Walker as up close and personal as she had when they were first rescued, she could have been convinced. Maybe sending Brody to a regular meeting for returning vets who were also Muslim was just a kind of fuck you from a man who felt he'd been betrayed by a brother soldier. Or it could be something much more sinister. The problem was, no one could really figure out what that sinister was supposed to be. Carrie continued to maintain that Brody had no idea what was going on.

The questions Brody faced right after the meeting ranged from if he knew any of the people there already to how was he planning to overthrow the US government. When the questions headed that way a majority of the time, Carrie called foul and got Brody out of there. With full understanding of the irony involved, they had decided that the cover that would work best with his family was that he was working with other vets on integrating back into the world. Carrie would have felt a lot worse about that if it was just being used to cover up them fucking around. She still felt pretty shitty about it given how much stress it was putting on him.

They took their own cars back to her place. She got there before him and immediately opened a fresh bottle of wine, leaving a full glass on the counter for him, then she went upstairs to change into something decidedly less official looking.

Comments

[posterboymarine]

He kissed her again. "No food allergies? Nothing like that? I'd feel bad if I accidentally poisoned you."

[neverwrongagent]

She shook her head very seriously. "I'm remarkably easy to look after." She licked her lips, knowing what a huge lie that was while still being sort of the truth. "When I let someone, that is." There, that covered the gaping hole. Mostly.

[posterboymarine]

He nodded. "Letting someone is hard, I know. You know I don't like it, either. Rather take care of someone than be taken care of."

[neverwrongagent]

She gave him an odd look. "You let me take care of you all the time." The night they met they'd taken care of each other, after a fashion, and she'd been holding his hand as best she could for some time.

[posterboymarine]

He laughed softly at that. "See, you're good at taking care of someone, at least. And I'm good at letting someone take care of me. Time we try reversing that, don't you think."

[neverwrongagent]

Except in the loosest, most professional way, no one had ever called Carrie good at taking care of people. She was too focused on work. She felt a flash of guilt because even though she was as attentive of him as she was because she loved him, work was so tied up in it all.

Still, the idea that he might take care of her was really nice. "Well, I know you give good back rubs."

[posterboymarine]

He laughed at that, those memories close to the surface for him, too. "I try, anyway. Easily distracted."

[neverwrongagent]

She shrugged, lightly, grinning right back at him. "Whatever gets the muscles relaxed." She touched his cheek, drawing him into a kiss. "Back rubs, quiet meals purchased together, long naps together. Then lots of wild sex. I think we have a plan."

[posterboymarine]

He had to laugh, after the kiss. "Sounds like it. It's good to have plans." Not that their plan addressed the elephant in the room that was Walker and that relationship.

[neverwrongagent]

She wasn't going to address her work or his family directly that night. Not unless she absolutely had to. Instead she nodded firmly. "Simple plans are the best. Less to go wrong, more flexibility."

[posterboymarine]

He nodded. "Agreed." Then he was back to kissing her. That seemed the best idea.

[neverwrongagent]

She was a little surprised by how sweet kissing him was, by how content she was to curl against him and lightly brush her lips over his. So intimate, so delicate. She found herself smiling broadly.

[posterboymarine]

He caught her smiling and winked at her. It was nice. It was calming, peaceful even. The blanket fort helped, of course. But mostly it was the company.

Let's do the Time Warp again!

[neverwrongagent]

Out of respect for his still healing body, Carrie made them move to the bed proper when it became clear they were going to pass out in the fort. She promised him that next time they'd bring at least an air mattress so they wouldn't have to move. She slept well curled against his back, but woke before him and slid out of bed to make a pot of coffee.

When the coffee was ready, she took her cup out to where she could look at the light over the lake. She stayed where he could see her easily if he looked out.

Buahahahaha

[posterboymarine]

He slept peacefully almost right up until she got up. Once there wasn't a solid reminder against him, his mind decided that it would float off into his fears. He twitched and whimpered for a little while before jerking awake with a shout.

It took him a moment to process his location, then he panicked trying to find Carrie.

[neverwrongagent]

The shout carried through the clear morning air and Carrie understood what it was immediately. She'd heard it more than once. Hot coffee spilled on her hands before she dropped her mug in favor of hurrying to his side. Avoiding nightmares was part of why they'd come to the cabin.

She came up onto the porch, calling his name.

[posterboymarine]

Having gotten himself well and truly worked up, he was on his feet and heading for the door when he saw her. He deflated upon recognizing her, sinking to his knees as he tried not to shake.

[neverwrongagent]

She went right to him, going down to his level immediately and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Didn't leave. I promised I wouldn't." It was hollow comfort, she knew, because reality wasn't the issue in moments like that. She kissed his cheek and petted him, more than willing to stay right there until he was calm.

[posterboymarine]

He hung onto her for a few minutes, just trying to catch his breath. Then he chuckled roughly. "Downside to sleep... dreams. No sleep, no dreams."

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded against his cheek. "Yeah. Not really fair, is it." She pulled back slowly and met his eyes. "Awake now and it's gorgeous out there. Wanna get some coffee and sit by the water with me?" Being outside, in nature, might help him feel more settled.

[posterboymarine]

He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Let's do that." Being outside sounded like the best idea in the world.

[neverwrongagent]

She kissed him quickly, then sent him out onto the porch while she got them coffee. They held hands while they walked to the dock and she sat with her head against his shoulder. "I love this view. It's barely changed since I was a kid."

[posterboymarine]

He drug himself outside and groaned softly. Such highs and lows were enough to break a man and he was having to fight to keep it together until he was awake.

Then she was holding his hand and just being close, exactly what he needed. By the time they were sitting down, her head on his shoulder, he was a bit more settled and able to actually respond like a human being. "It's nice. Calming. Peaceful."

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded. "Peaceful." That was the best word for it. Just being with him helped that. The surroundings helped more. She looked more at their hands than at the environment. He was still shaky, but she could feel that changing. She exhaled slowly. "How do you deal with it at home?"

[posterboymarine]

Glancing at their hands, he shrugged. "Mostly, I don't asleep. When I do, it's alone, during the day, when no one is around to freak out."

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back. "I have a corner all picked out and I wait it out there."