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.

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[neverwrongagent]

She slept well with him, comfortable being held even when he started snoring. She did elbow him once, but not hard, then she fell back into a deep sleep. At least until her bladder woke her. Deeply annoyed, she worked her way out from under his arm and took care of business, grumbling the whole way.

Rather than get back into bed, she settled at the room's little desk and worked on lists of things they had to do. That included a list of furniture to buy which left her slightly overwhelmed.

[posterboymarine]

He was okay with her absence, initially. Then, when she didn't return, he woke up and looked around for her. Seeing her at the desk, he sat up a little bit. "You okay?"

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded, finishing what she was writing before turning back to him. "Just awake. I sleep funny." He only needed to watch when she stopped sleeping, not the odd waking moments. "You sleep okay?

She got up and went back to bed, sliding in with him and cuddling close. "Hmmm, warm man. Very nice."

[posterboymarine]

He snuggled her in close, then kissed the top of her head. "Yeah. Could use a little more, though, before breakfast and our drive."

[neverwrongagent]

She whimpered softly at the idea of getting into the car again for anything. It was necessary, there were things they had to do, but the idea was horrendous. "I want a week where we go nowhere. No car. Only outside on our own property." She looked at him. "You naked."

[posterboymarine]

"Have to make this trip so we can do that, baby. Then no more car rides for a little while." Scratching her back, he kissed her shoulder. "I'll even drive. You can look at the scenery."

[neverwrongagent]

She wasn't happy about it at all, but she nodded. "Better to get it done. All done. Then we can settle." She pulled back and looked at him. "I'm serious about that week. Just us. Naked." She licked her lips. "Happy."

[posterboymarine]

"I believe you." He pulled her close and kissed her gently. "Happy. Just us."

[neverwrongagent]

That surprised her a little and she pulled back to look at him. "I hope you do." She nuzzled at his jaw. "You're what I have to believe in. What I want to believe in."

[posterboymarine]

The curse of wanting to believe in such a broken man was that you were doomed to travel a bumpy road. He nuzzled her, then kissed her again. "Let's sleep a little more, okay?"

[neverwrongagent]

They were both so much more broken than they could admit, although they'd told each other most of it by then. She nodded slowly. "Sleep is good." She tucked her face against his neck and sighed softly. "Just want to be settled." Which meant more than moving in, of course, and wouldn't happen until well after she wasn't pregnant anymore. She had trouble thinking of it as 'after the baby was born.'

[posterboymarine]

"So do I, baby. So do I." He nuzzled close and closed his eyes. He was asleep again a few moments later.

[neverwrongagent]

She took longer to sleep, but that was only because she wanted to watch him looking so peaceful. Once she knew he was out, she let herself touch him lightly, fingers trailing over his jaw and shoulder. He was so solid. So real.

Finally she groaned and curled against him, closing her eyes. She fell asleep slowly, but slept deeply.

[posterboymarine]

He felt guilty about waking her up when he did, but the promise of breakfast got her moving. They had a lovely morning visit with Darcy, who asked all kinds of questions about their previous day. Brody appreciated that she remembered them and was again generous with his tip.

As he promised, he drove them out to Carrie's contact and when they got there, they still had to wait some for the documents to be finished. But they were promised that the Reynolds had an excellent credit history and that their documents would stand to scrutiny. The first test of that came in buying a new vehicle, which they did a few towns over from their new home. The sedan's trade-in was not what Brody would have hoped for, but they still had enough cash to cover the difference.

After swapping everything from their car into their new, used Escape, they set off back to town and their temporary home.

[neverwrongagent]

She found herself squirming in the car, turning back to look at the back seat. The car wasn't new, but it was clean and perfectly maintained enough to feel new. That only heightened her sense of starting new things. She kept touching low on her belly, looking confused. Finally she gave up with a low grunt. She needed to stay in the moment and it wasn't working so well.

They'd gotten a lot accomplished and it should have lessened her tension, but it just didn't. She hadn't been worried about these details. "Have to find a doctor."

[posterboymarine]

He reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Would you like to look today? We could call around."

[neverwrongagent]

She blinked at him for a long moment, then shook her head. "Fuck no, please. I need to stop moving, stop thinking or you're gonna have a seriously crazy woman on your hands." She laughed weakly. "Crazier." She turned her hand in his, squeezing back. "Thanks, though."

[posterboymarine]

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Tomorrow, then, babe. Hopefully we'll know about the house by then."

[neverwrongagent]

She groaned loudly. "That would make a difference. Today would be better." Much better. She looked back at the seat again, then shook it off as best she could. "Big house to fill quickly. Not that we really need much. Bed...beds. Couch. Kitchen things. TV." Yeah, she was going to freak out soon, she could feel it. "I'd kill for a drink."

[posterboymarine]

He licked his lips then started looking for a pull off. He found one that was a bit off from the road and pulled in, shutting off the truck and turning toward her. "Maybe there will be a message today." Then he reached over and lightly touched her face, forcing her to look at him. "You don't need a drink, babe. I don't need a drink. We have what we need."

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "We have it right here."

[neverwrongagent]

That wasn't fair. Not just that he said it, but that he took the time to said it properly and touch her during. She shuddered at the kiss, but she nodded. "Don't need it, but it sure would be nice." She shrugged some. "But that's off the table now. If the doc says no sex, I'm going to kill someone, just so you know."

[posterboymarine]

He laughed softly as he nodded. Then he glanced at the backseat, then back at her, a grin spreading across his lips. "Wanna break it in?"

[neverwrongagent]

She looked back at the seat and sputtered loudly. Given what she'd just been thinking, she wasn't at all sure she could manage it. She looked back at him, though, and the grin was enough to make her willing to try. "I'm going to develop a thing about cars." She leaned over and kissed him gently. "And you."

[posterboymarine]

He grinned more broadly, then leaned in to kiss her again, not nearly as gently as she had kissed him. "Already have a thing for you, so we'll be fine."

[neverwrongagent]

His expression cracked her up, but it didn't stop her from unbuckling her belt and working her way into the backseat. She made a point to waggle her ass at him on her way past. The back was roomier than she thought and she sprawled to one side, wiggling more. "A thing for me? I like that."