(no subject)
"She left," Eric said, nearly startling Arica by his sudden entry.
"Who?"
"Brittany."
"I know. She took a few days off."
"No, she quit." He handed his wife the letter.
Arica quickly read over it, "But she told me she'd be back for sure in a few days."
"No. And it's partly my fault."
"This was her choice Eric. She made it, not you."
"Which means I'll be without a partner... again." He lays back on the bed and Arica sits next to him.
"We'll go talk to Michael tomorrow, okay? This will work out how it's meant to."
"How the hell can she just quit?"
"You tell me. You've thought about it before. You left the CIA and Vaughn without a partner."
"I just... part of the reason I came to CTU was for revenge... but part was because I do trust her and I wanted to follow her. I don't trust the CIA anymore... I'm not sure I can do this job anymore Arica."
"So now you're thinking of quitting?"
"You know it's something I've thought about for a long time. Maybe she's right... there are other things we need to be doing with our lives. You need a real husband who can be here. David and Liya need a father. The job keeps me from being much of either."
"And this isn't the time to be making those decisions. Wait until you talk to her again. Wait until you know the real reasons why okay?" Arica asked. "You have always enjoyed the job. Don't walk out on a whim."
He looked over at his wife. "I guess I'm just thinking out loud. But these thoughts and worries have been there since the twins were born... Hell, since we got married. I've got a wife and two kids. Other people can do this job."
"Three," Arica corrected him, smiling.
"Huh?" Eric was confused. "Three what?"
"Kids," Arica replied. "I'm pregnant."
Eric's jaw dropped. "That's great!" He sat up and hugged her. "I get to be a dad again!" He sobered a moment later. "I'm going to talk to Jack in the morning about taking some time off. I need some time to think."
"Well, make sure you do tell him that you and I will finish out the current case. We're not leaving in the middle of it. They need our help."
"Alright. We'll finish the case, then I'll take some time and you and I can talk about the options we have."
"It's really your decision," Arica said.
"No, it's going to affect you too. I want to talk about it. Maybe we can go talk to Darius about it."
"Why don't you ask God what He wants for us?" Arica suggested.
Eric still wasn't sure about all this God stuff, but since talking with Darius and Arica again, he'd been thinking more about it. "Okay," he replied. "But how will I know His answer?"
"Because you'll be at peace with whatever decision you make."
He thought for another long moment, then nodded. "Okay."
"Who?"
"Brittany."
"I know. She took a few days off."
"No, she quit." He handed his wife the letter.
Arica quickly read over it, "But she told me she'd be back for sure in a few days."
"No. And it's partly my fault."
"This was her choice Eric. She made it, not you."
"Which means I'll be without a partner... again." He lays back on the bed and Arica sits next to him.
"We'll go talk to Michael tomorrow, okay? This will work out how it's meant to."
"How the hell can she just quit?"
"You tell me. You've thought about it before. You left the CIA and Vaughn without a partner."
"I just... part of the reason I came to CTU was for revenge... but part was because I do trust her and I wanted to follow her. I don't trust the CIA anymore... I'm not sure I can do this job anymore Arica."
"So now you're thinking of quitting?"
"You know it's something I've thought about for a long time. Maybe she's right... there are other things we need to be doing with our lives. You need a real husband who can be here. David and Liya need a father. The job keeps me from being much of either."
"And this isn't the time to be making those decisions. Wait until you talk to her again. Wait until you know the real reasons why okay?" Arica asked. "You have always enjoyed the job. Don't walk out on a whim."
He looked over at his wife. "I guess I'm just thinking out loud. But these thoughts and worries have been there since the twins were born... Hell, since we got married. I've got a wife and two kids. Other people can do this job."
"Three," Arica corrected him, smiling.
"Huh?" Eric was confused. "Three what?"
"Kids," Arica replied. "I'm pregnant."
Eric's jaw dropped. "That's great!" He sat up and hugged her. "I get to be a dad again!" He sobered a moment later. "I'm going to talk to Jack in the morning about taking some time off. I need some time to think."
"Well, make sure you do tell him that you and I will finish out the current case. We're not leaving in the middle of it. They need our help."
"Alright. We'll finish the case, then I'll take some time and you and I can talk about the options we have."
"It's really your decision," Arica said.
"No, it's going to affect you too. I want to talk about it. Maybe we can go talk to Darius about it."
"Why don't you ask God what He wants for us?" Arica suggested.
Eric still wasn't sure about all this God stuff, but since talking with Darius and Arica again, he'd been thinking more about it. "Okay," he replied. "But how will I know His answer?"
"Because you'll be at peace with whatever decision you make."
He thought for another long moment, then nodded. "Okay."