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 nodded and stood with her. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, then collected their trays. "Let's drop these off, then take a walk. No one will think anything of that."

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded. Let them see them, see things looked fine, then they'd get more time alone. She waited just inside the door when he dumped the trays, watching the other guys with a small smile. Then they were outside again where she felt instantly better.

She didn't say anything until they were almost back out to their spot between the trees. "I've been thinking about this for a while."

[posterboymarine]

He didn't get as much ribbing this time, for which he was glad. He did, however, have to take a moment to tell the sergeant that he would be back by lights out.

He was fine with the silence, but when she spoke, he looked at her hard. "How long?"

[neverwrongagent]

She groaned loudly. "Too long. I didn't like the first draft. Liked the second less. This one?" She shook her head. "It's got holes large enough to drive a truck through. And we don't like trucks. Trucks are bad."

[posterboymarine]

He laughed softly. "Nope. Trucks are no good at all."

[neverwrongagent]

She grinned back at him. "Small, anonymous cars. Motels. Finally..." She shrugged. "I'm not quite sure what. "A cabin by the lake eventually. Somewhere."

[posterboymarine]

"I have nothing, you know. I can't help." He pulled her closer and wrapped his arm over her shoulder. "They'll look for me."

[neverwrongagent]

She shrugged. "They'll look for me, too." They would. But only for so long. "If they're convinced all we want is out, they'll stop. Eventually."

[posterboymarine]

"You think they'll stop before I'm dead?" They were fairly deep in the woods and he stopped to face her. "I'm a liability."

[neverwrongagent]

She shook her head and told him the honest truth. "The minute they can discredit you, and me, completely, we're no danger." She licked her lips and looked at the ground. "We're no value any more."

[posterboymarine]

"I'm pretty sure most of the US wants my head for blowing up the VP's wife and son..." He rested his forehead against hers and sighed softly. "And you..." He shrugged. "I'm not saying I won't go. I'm just trying to be honest with you about how this looks."

[neverwrongagent]

She shook her head. "Despite your devastating good looks, none of them will remember you in another news cycle or two. People are marvelously short sighted that way."

[posterboymarine]

He smiled at her compliment, then kissed her. When he pulled back, he started them walking again. "So, what's your plan?"

[neverwrongagent]

Her plan was a nebulous wish they were gone, but once she started talking, it got clearer. "Simple extraction. You in the woods, my on the other side. Then we go from there to...And I haven't quite worked that out, but I don't want to have to go too far." She looked at him. "Ever wanted to live in...Nebraska?"

[posterboymarine]

"Nebraska?" He smiled. "Might be fewer people in Wyoming, but not by much." He stepped closer, pressing right up against her. "ANd when?"

[neverwrongagent]

She shook her head. "Wyoming? Really?" She shrugged. Supposed to be pretty. "We could do that." She touched his cheek lightly. "All I care is that it's safe and I'm with you." They could drive until they saw somewhere nice for all she cared. That was the joy of staying at home.

[posterboymarine]

After he leaned into her hand, he nodded. "When are we leaving?"

[neverwrongagent]

That took more thought. She wanted to say they should go that night, but she had nothing prepared. Not for both of them. That's what fucked them up in the first place. "I need a few days to move money, get an ID for you. Then some maps." She shrugged. "Couple days. We shouldn't wait."

[posterboymarine]

He nodded again. "I trust you. But I know they want to go soon."

[neverwrongagent]

I trust you. Well, that was enough to take the wind right out of her sails. The only way to keep going was through actual planning. "Three days. That's as long as we can push it."

She thought for a long moment. "Two. And you have to decide where we're going."

[posterboymarine]

"Two days." He leaned in and kissed her deeply. It was the only way he could avoid telling her they were probably going to die or get caught. He had to trust her.

[neverwrongagent]

She operated on the theory that they were not going to go out in a blaze of glory. If she thought that, for an instant, she would freeze. And she couldn't freeze or she'd be wrong. "We can do this."

[posterboymarine]

"We can." He kissed her again. He needed the confirmation as much as she did. "We will."

[neverwrongagent]

She pulled him back into the kiss for a long moment. When she pulled back, she smiled faintly. "Pick a place. So we at least have a direction when we go."

[posterboymarine]

"West. Nebraska is a good start." He swallowed. He would lose his family. He had already lost them, really, but now he would never get them back.