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 laughed roughly. "Yes, they are." He read over her list and nodded. "A couch, not easy chairs? Good choice."

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded. "Need to be able to curl up together. In front of the fireplace at least." The family room by the kitchen was smaller, but she figured they'd be there more than the formal living room. Still, she liked the idea of the big pieces. She shrugged a little. "Just want to be comfortable."

[posterboymarine]

He rolled onto his side and wrapped an arm around her waist, his head on her belly. "Comfortable is good. Laying with you in front of the fire, I'm looking forward to it."

[neverwrongagent]

She caressed his head lightly, letting her fingers trail down to his cheek every so often. She found herself smiling softly. "It's a date." That made her smile a little more broadly. "We're going to be so normal. Isn't that odd?"

[posterboymarine]

He snorted softly. "Yeah. As normal as a bipolar pregnant woman and a Muslim ex-terrorist can be."

[neverwrongagent]

To her credit, she managed not to laugh or smack him. She did smirk some. "I don't know, we haven't met the neighbors yet. You never know." She shrugged slightly. "Small towns can surprise you."

[posterboymarine]

He rolled his eyes at her, then kissed her belly. "There is that, I suppose. We might have aliens for neighbors." With his head on her belly, he closed his eyes.

"I should shower." He was not ready to get up.

[neverwrongagent]

She put her hand on his shoulder, pushing very slightly to indicate she was no more inclined to let him up. "Stay. I'll go with you in a little while. If you want." When she was sure he was staying, she sighed softly. "Aliens could be nice. Maybe they know how to build force fields."

[posterboymarine]

He stayed, shifting to get closer to her. "I do want, so when you are ready..."

He nuzzled at her, kissing her belly again, then sighing softly. "FOrce field. Now there's an interesting idea."

[neverwrongagent]

She laughed softly at the kiss. "Wouldn't it be nice? Big one around the house, little one around the baby when it learns to walk. We should get on that." She had a sudden image of a fair haired child wrapped in bubble wrap and she giggled. "Maybe not."

[posterboymarine]

"Might be useful." He continued to kiss her belly, just enjoying the contact. Hopefully it would help her some, too.

[neverwrongagent]

Being touched that way was a double edged sword. The sweetness of it, the tenderness, was calming. But the reminder wasn't so much. She knew the better she accepted, the easier it would all be, so she took a deep breath and forced herself to relax in his arms. "You are real. That's hard to adjust to."

[posterboymarine]

"I'm very real, warts and all, baby." He shifted so he could touch her face, running his fingers over her lips. "And we ran away together. Like we are 16 or something."

[neverwrongagent]

She nipped at his finger, before she answered. "You would have left 16 year old me by the side of the road long ago." Unmedicated and all. "But I sure was cute." That was also true, all wide eyed and intense. She nuzzled at his hand. "And seriously, uhm, adventurous."

[posterboymarine]

"Define adventurous." He kissed her belly again, then teased her lips. "And I bet you were cute. You're cute now."

[neverwrongagent]

She rolled her eyes. Slender, blonde, with big eyes, she knew she was 'cute.' It was useful as all get out, really. "I was the one who drove fastest, pushed the line at railroad crossings, slept with older men. Much older men." She shrugged. "You know, stupid shit."

[posterboymarine]

"Some things you never grow out of." He nuzzled her belly, then finally shifted and pulled her down to lay next to him.

[neverwrongagent]

She smacked his shoulder as he got settled. "Thanks. Really." She cuddled close, bringing a leg up over his. "I no longer race trains." Of course, she did all kinds of other stupid, reckless things, like sleeping with men she was investigating. Or running off with them. But that wasn't the point at all. "Really, I'm very boring."

[posterboymarine]

"You are the most boring person I know, yes." He nuzzled her neck, then sighed happily. "I'm going to take a nap. Be my pillow?"

[neverwrongagent]

It took work, but she resisted pinching him somewhere sensitive. Instead she shifted so she could kiss him, then adjusted so he could put his head on her shoulder. She rubbed his arm gently. "Sleep, babe. I'm sure I'll follow you." She probably would, once she knew he was asleep. "Happy dreams."

[posterboymarine]

He knew that sleeping right after a run was not the best idea, but their schedules were screwed up anyway. So he tucked in close, groaned softly, and closed his eyes. "I love you," he whispered as he dozed off.

[neverwrongagent]

She heard him, but she waited until she knew he was well asleep before she repeated the words. She wasn't afraid to say them, she was afraid of how she'd say them. And hearing herself she was glad she'd waited. Her voice, soft as it was, was filled with need and confusion. She knew she'd have to get past that.

With a low sigh, she snuggled a little closer and closed her eyes. She needed sleep, too, badly.

[posterboymarine]

He slept soundly, tucked in against her. Her familiar scent and the clean exhaustion from his run gifted him with a dreamless sleep. Even his waking up with slow and effortless, and not in the least bit painful. It was downright pleasant, waking up with her in his arms. Peaceful.

[neverwrongagent]

She didn't sleep nearly as well. It wasn't her fault, really, or his. It was their unborn child's. The dream was pure confused hormones, something she'd be able to process much later, but which meant nothing while she was having it. She was in the house, now filled with furniture, and a baby was crying. She searched the whole house, but she couldn't find it. The longer she looked, the more panicked she became. In the end, she was twitching and whimpering in her sleep.

[posterboymarine]

He was awake for her dream, and made soothing noises in her ear. His hand rubbed her arm and he watched her to see if she needed to be woken up.