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]

That was an excellent question and she waited to answer it until they were inside and looking at menus. "As long as we can, I think." They'd made eight hours the day before. If they could make ten today they would have about six the next. That left them a good part of the day to get settled wherever they decided to land.

[posterboymarine]

He checked his watch and nodded. "So until sundown, at least." That would give them plenty of miles. He went back to looking at the menu, trying to decide what would cause the least trouble later.

[neverwrongagent]

She looked at the menu, picked a burger for simplicity and set the menu aside. She was a little surprised that the incident with the trooper hadn't thrown her more. Things were going remarkably well. So much so that she could accept what happened was just what it seemed. Achingly normal. "We're making good time."

[posterboymarine]

"Better than we should be." Things were going too well. "We should switch cars."

[neverwrongagent]

Her eyes narrowed at him for a long moment, then she nodded. "Yeah. Not that I think he'll write that up at all, but still." She thought for a bit. Next half decent city they could stop and sell the one car, then go somewhere else to buy another. It would add a day to their travel time, though.

[posterboymarine]

He didn't want to add to their travel time. "Maybe just move off the main roads."

[neverwrongagent]

That would add to their travel time, too, but not in the same way. At least they'd be making forward progress. She nodded slightly. "That works. And never more than five miles over the speed limit."

[posterboymarine]

"And no bar fights with Nazis?" He winked at her, then finally decided on something to eat.

[neverwrongagent]

"What?" She pouted. "Spoil all my fun." And that had been damn fun, really. She sighed dramatically. "Fine. No poking the Nazis. If you insist."

[posterboymarine]

He rolled his eyes at her, then smiled up at the waitress when she came. She was the stereotypical diner waitress, right down to the smacking gum. Brody's smile got bigger. He ordered coffee and breakfast, certain now that the greasy spoon would deliver.

[neverwrongagent]

The waitress could have been pulled from central casting, which was a kind of relief. The more normal the better. She ordered a much lighter version of what he did. Then she asked if they could also get some bagels or something for back on the road.

[posterboymarine]

The waitress looked at the clock on the wall, then at them. "How 'bout sandwiches for the road. Ain't got no bagels. Truck's late." Brody nodded. Sandwiches were perfect.

Once she left, Brody turned back to Carrie. "Bagels. Where do you think we are? The big city?" The tease dripped from his voice and he reached out to take her hand.

[neverwrongagent]

She groaned at him. "They have bagels out here. Just not many and not real ones." Grocery store bagels would have to do for the foreseeable future. She tangled her fingers with his, squeezing slightly. "We are in the middle of fucking nowhere, which is where we're supposed to be."

She groaned again. "First thing, find decent food. Bagels. Coffee."

[posterboymarine]

He sipped the coffee in front of him and shrugged. "Better than Corp coffee." He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, lightly massaging. "You know, what you did earlier..."

[neverwrongagent]

She laughed softly. "I've tasted that. It serves it's purpose. Flavor is not it's purpose." Not even close." She pushed at her coffee a little, no longer eager to try it. "What I did? Earlier?" She grinned at him. "That thing I did?"

[posterboymarine]

"Yeah, that thing." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back, then each of her fingertips. "I enjoyed that very much."

[neverwrongagent]

She looked away for a second, grinning. "You did? That's good." She licked her lips. "Kinda enjoyed it myself. You make nice noises." And he twitched wonderfully. "Have to do that again when I can take real time."

[posterboymarine]

"Not before I return the favor. Maybe a unit on the end tonight." He squeezed her hand again, then pulled away as their plates were set in front of them. He immediately dug into his food, making happy groaning noises as he chewed.

[neverwrongagent]

Her plate wasn't as impressive as his, but when she took a bite, she made happy noises, too. Simple. Solid. Flavorful. She could get used to this. It took her a second, while she chewed to figure out his comment about a room. Then she blushed rather darkly. "I can do that. But I'm really going to expect you to keep your...end up."

[posterboymarine]

He smiled at the blush, then nodded. "I will." Then he set to eating, to simply taking a few minutes and being a regular, normal human being.

[neverwrongagent]

Being with him, alone with him, was usually her time to feel like a regular, normal human being. Mostly, anyway. More than usual. "Sooo...should we really get a house. Nice little cottage?"

[posterboymarine]

He laughed softly. "Yes. Yes we should. With no nearby neighbors." As much because he liked the idea of being able to have sex with her outside as because he would be able to pray without an audience.

[neverwrongagent]

She would have liked the first idea, very much, and the second.... Well, she didn't have the issues Jess had with it. Not even close. Anything that made him calmer, happier, was good in her book. "No neighbors. I'll put that on the top of the list." She thought for a minute. "Two bedrooms? Or at least one and an office. A little room to spread out."

[posterboymarine]

"Sounds perfect." He pushed back from his plate to sip his coffee. "And a boat house. That's the most important part."

[neverwrongagent]

She nodded. "So right on the water. On a river." Not on a lake where they might get blocked in. "I like the flow of it."

She finished her plate, then clutched her coffee close like she was guarding it. "It'll be nice. Peaceful."