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

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded slowly, pushing back the part of that she'd had a hand in. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and sad. "And I won't let them send you into yet another hell. What? A third? No way."

[posterboymarine]

Given that she was the one they'd sent in to get him to agree to this whole thing in the first place, his initial thought was to call her on it. But she was trying. And that was far more important then laying the blame, as tempting as it was.

"You don't appear to have much say in it."

[neverwrongagent]

She'd have taken the criticism, but not for long. It didn't move them forward. He could yell at her for it later. "I can say all I want, and I do, but that doesn't mean anyone gives a fuck what I say. I'm kind of used to that, but now it matters."

She exhaled slowly. "Do you want to know my new plan?"

[posterboymarine]

"I'd love to hear your new plan." He took another bite, then busied himself clearing off the bed. He was listening, he just couldn't sit still.

[neverwrongagent]

"We leave." She licked her lips. "I come up with some lame ass excuse why you need to be out of here and we never come back." She met his eyes. "We run. Together."

[posterboymarine]

"We were going to run together last time." It wasn't that he was discounting her idea. He was considering it. But she had to know what they were getting into. "Last time I ran I ended up traveling in a cargo container and hooked on drugs. And that was with a full escape plan in place. What happens this time?"

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded slowly. "I didn't come. I got caught up and trusted the people I sent you to. I..I fucked up and you paid the price." She couldn't keep the pain from her voice, but she didn't wallow in it. "I won't do that again."

[posterboymarine]

He had to look away again. "It's hard, Carrie, being out there like that. I don't want you to get hurt." Especially if it was only to protect him from what he had coming to him.

[neverwrongagent]

Her expression hardened. "Because seeing you get hurt, or killed, wouldn't hurt me at all. Yeah. Right." She turned away from him with a small growl. "I wouldn't be alone. We wouldn't be alone."

[posterboymarine]

He sighed, then reached over for her, taking her hand in his. "We shouldn't talk about this here."

[neverwrongagent]

She turned her hand in his, squeezing it hard, then got to her feet. "Yeah. But we have to really talk it out. Now." If they faltered, they were done.

[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?"