Running away from home. Just like kids.

[neverwrongagent]

Briefings with Saul were getting more and more tense. Carrie could feel the strain on all of them as a real, palpable thing. Beside her, no one had ever had much faith in Brody, which was largely her fault. How could she explain her change of heart without explaining it was exactly that. What was harder was not telling him about how bad it was. Every time she was vague it was a physical pain.

The final straw was a heated conversation about what they would do if he were found out, revealed to be on a mission. They had escape plans, but it was clear very few people in that room gave a damn if they worked. Or if they even existed. She'd been through hell for the man they were dismissing like so much dross and all because... She wasn't that sure why because at this point. It was about Saul, really, and she knew that. That's why when he made a passing comment that made it sound damn like he'd made his decision and Brody didn't figure into it at all, she felt her stomach lurch so badly she almost had to leave the room.

She didn't go to him that night, that would be stupid. She waited a day, all of which was spent wondering when she would throw up. She got there late, just before dark, and sat back to watch the men finish up before meal break. He looked good. Better than when she saw him last, even.

Comments

[posterboymarine]

He fell asleep snuggled up against her. And it really was sleep, not passing out. It wasn't dreamless, but there were no real nightmares this time, either. He whimpered her name in his sleep, then snuggled closer and kissed her shoulder. That was the limit of his sleep interruptions.

It was kind of nice.

[neverwrongagent]

She heard him, kind of, but didn't wake. If they could get even two nights a week like this, they'd do fine. They'd get more over time. When she woke, she turned slowly so she didn't wake him. Lying on her back, she closed her eyes and contemplated what they needed to do.

It was pretty simple. Find a motel. Find a house. Her runaway money was enough for a solid down payment on something small. Then they'd have to find work so they could eat. That was fine. Their papers were clean as could be, which helped. And they should probably swap out cars someplace far from town. But that could wait a bit.

"Brody?" She shoved him a little.

[posterboymarine]

His eyes fluttered open and he smiled at her. "Is it time?" He shifted to kiss her, then moved to get up.

[neverwrongagent]

She made a vague grab for him, not getting anything more than a light pat on his ass. She whimpered her discontent with that, but she still got up and headed straight to the bathroom. Might as well get going. Otherwise she was going to drag his ass back to bed.

"I want a big breakfast we can eat on the road." She intended to feed him while he drove and she called real estate agents.

[posterboymarine]

He smirked at her whimper, then got himself dressed. When she came out of the bathroom, he gave her a long kiss. "Not bagels, I hope."

[neverwrongagent]

She pouted at him. She liked bagels. No that they could easily get the real thing out in the wild west. Still, she nodded. "Rye bread?" Actually that sounded good. Maybe with an actual vegetable on it.

She gave him a quicker, but no less heartfelt kiss, then went to dress for the road. When they landed for real, she was walking everywhere.

[posterboymarine]

"Well, that's not really breakfast food, but okay." He consolidated their bags and went out to load up the car. He saved his trip to the head for right before they left, giving him a chance to make a last pass before they got on the road.

[neverwrongagent]

Once they got a place, she'd show him just how good rye could be for breakfast with a sandwich her father had taught her as a child. She was still thinking of all the little things they could do once they got settled while she paid the room bill and got settled in the car.

She looked over at him and smiled. "One more day." Not even, really, but by the time they got settled, it would be. Plus they'd want to drive around the town and get a feel for it.

[posterboymarine]

He brushed his fingers over her cheek and nodded. "One more." Then he got them moving, looking for a place they could get some breakfast to do.

[neverwrongagent]

Almost back to the highway was a decent looking diner, somewhere that might have real food they could still get to go. She left him in the car, parked out of the way, and went in with a list of things to get including their thermos filled with coffee. She came back out with mini pancakes, sausages, sandwiches for later, and the coffee.

"I'm starting to like small towns."

[posterboymarine]

While she was in getting food, he was looking through the guidebook. He looked up when she got back in and smiled. "Why?"

[neverwrongagent]

She handed him his coffee and let him taste for himself. Then she gave him the food. It had been reasonably priced and the smell had her stomach growling the whole walk back to the car. "I'm gonna get fat." She thought about that for a minute. "I mean...beyond what we already expect."

[posterboymarine]

He started to laugh, shaking his head as he started the car. "Not bad." Then he eyed her. "You'll be fine. You get plenty of exercise."

[neverwrongagent]

She looked at him funny, considering they'd been stuck in the car for days, then cracked up and smacked his arm. "Yeah, great for the cardio-vascular health." He was going to pay for that later. "I'm going to have to find a doc, too."

She groaned. "That'll be fun. Just thrilling." Telling a new doc about the pregnancy was no big deal. Her mental issues, now, that was always fun.

[posterboymarine]

"Hey! What'd I say?" He leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "It'll be okay. I'll go with you."

[neverwrongagent]

She shook her head. Of course he would. No matter what he thought of himself, he was that kind of guy. "Lots of exercise? The only exercise I get is spinning my wheels."

She petted his head when he leaned over to kiss her. "I know you will. I know."

[posterboymarine]

"That's not the kind of exercise I meant." Still, he let it drop after that. When you have to explain the joke, it stops being funny. Even he knew that.

He got them on a state highway and pointed in the right direction. "So, what's in the bag?"

[neverwrongagent]

She grinned at him. It was all so astoundingly normal. From the bag she pulled out one of the muffin sandwiches she'd ordered for him. Cheese, sausage and egg. All fresh and hot. She handed it to him with a flourish, then dug in for her one with no cheese. "There's another with ham for you."

[posterboymarine]

He unwrapped it and took a bite, then grinned. "Good choice. I guess you don't have to get out and walk now."

[neverwrongagent]

She rolled her eyes at him. He'd never do that over something that simple. Not that she wouldn't put it past him on a really bad day. But then she'd probably do it to him in the wrong mood. "You are so sweet to me." She chewed daintily on her food, wanting it to last and to not upset her stomach at all.

[posterboymarine]

He chuckled, then turned his attention to actually driving. She had real estate agents to call, he had traffic laws not to break.

[neverwrongagent]

She let herself finish eating and got most of her coffee down before starting her calls. There were three agents she wanted to touch base with and she was honest with all of them that she was calling the others. Best to see them at their competitive worst right from the start.

It was deliriously odd telling them each a different story about who they were. The nice young lady who asked about kids got the news about Carrie's condition. That was particularly strange to stay out loud. The older man who sounded brusque heard that they were moving because of Brody's new job. A job that they'd need to find pretty quick. She thought the last woman was about her age and Carrie liked her best. When she heard Carrie's request for water, she was quick to say she had a couple new properties on a lake that she could take them to right away.

When she was finally off the phone, she groaned thickly. "I already know which one I pick."

[posterboymarine]

Brody heard Carrie's side of each of the conversations, trying not to provide color commentary or mock them. It was hard. So once Carrie put down the phone, he gave her a long look.

"The middle one, right?"

[neverwrongagent]

She gave him a look, checking that he was kidding. "Oh yeah. It was the way he listened." She rolled her eyes. "Last one almost clapped when I asked about the water. I get the feeling she's having trouble moving them. Kind of far out of town." Which sounded perfect to her. "Normally I'd say her last, but I'm in no mood to play games."

[posterboymarine]

"Then her first." He trusted that she'd gotten an address, since she'd been writing. "She had any hotel recommendations for tonight?"