Author's note: The music that I used to write this chapter with was from The Rolling Stones song "You Can't Always Get What You Want!". I do appreciate any reviews you wish to provide. Please be constructive with any criticism or praise.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck. All of the characters belong to whomever. I own the plot and theme in this story only. All errors are mine, just like in life. ^(
BTW: This just came to me from this song, probably sucks so you can enjoy it if you can or not. ^)
Remember: Though I lurk in the shadows I see all, remember all, bug all and occasionally turn on my night light to make sure I don't step in it all. HAHAHAHA DOH!!!!
Looking out at multitude of people all dressed in their finest clothing. In the beginning these parties had seemed so fun and exciting. Now it was just another assignment. The only difference was that she was not with him but with Shaw.
Pouring another glass of wine, Chuck could overhear the Duke tell Sarah, "You are a very good looking couple. You look made for each other."
Something that Chuck could not deny if he had to be honest. Really, what was it that Sarah could possibly see in him other than playing the part of the 'Hero'.
'I mean really! She never did mention that she was still in love with him, just that he was changing,' Chuck thought to himself.
Now he was the waiter instead of the pretend boyfriend. One more failure to add to his long list it seems. 'Why do I keep making the wrong decision! Why, Why, WHY!' he ponders.
I saw her today at a reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
A blur of blonde hair could be seen in the crowd of dancers on the floor. Gliding, swirling, blur of pure grace with the smile of an angel.
Smiling at the Bond want a be Shaw, while the man she wanted to run away with stood there and watched for a second time. It had been bad enough with Bryce but this was worse.
For someone that had lost his wife to The Ring, Shaw sure seemed to have gotten over it pretty easy. Chuck was sure that he would never be able to recover if Sarah were to die. There is not way to erase the pain of someone you truly love leaving this world before you do.
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
It was at that precise moment that Chuck turned to get away from the scene before him, bumping into someone and grabbing them to keep them from falling. Before Chuck could realize it he had grabbed them with both hands dropping the wine bottle, but he had managed to keep the person from falling.
Looking down at the wine bottle, Chuck was trying to think of how to get the wine out of his pants while apologizing to the mystery person.
Reaching down to pick up the bottle with one hand Chuck said,"I am very sorry about bumping into you." He had picked up the bottle and was rising back up when he hear the reply.
"I appreciate you keeping me from falling but you can remove you hand from my breast now," the young lady said with a bit of amusement in her voice.
Chuck jumped straight up, yanking his hand back to his body with a look of terror on his face. Embarrassed beyond words, he was trying to say sorry but it just kept coming out," I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, I don't know what I am but I am very very sorry Ma'am! I didn't mean to touch you there, not that there is anything wrong with you breast but. Never mind I will just go out and find a hole for me to bury myself in now if you don't mind," Chuck babbled while trying to get his legs to move.
She just laughed at the multiple shaded of red Chuck was turning, finally letting him off the hook. "You're a funny man, yes a very funny man indeed.", while looking straight into his eyes.
With those words ringing in his ears, Chuck bolted for the kitchen to try and compose himself. Just before he entered the kitchen door he heard, "Nice going moron. You're supposed to be watch out for the Dancing Duo, not feeling up some strange woman. I noticed that she was a brunette as usual Chuck." Casey ended with a amused grunt. Chuck never got the chance to see the Blonde head snap towards his direction as he was already pushing his way through the door.
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was gonna meet her connection
At her feet was, footloose man
When Chuck finally came back out from the kitchen, his eyes were drawn to a certain Blonde with a glass of red wine in her perfectly manicured hand. He always noticed the French nail manicure that showed off her long fingers.
Suddenly his view was blocked by a dark headed man. It was the other half of the couple, the stiff backed Mr. Shaw was there putting the moves on her. It seems that her secret agent man was a ladies man after all.
Well it's not like Shaw was the one that screwed up in Prague. Nope that honor went to a one nerd boy by the name of Chuck Bartowski. Yep Casey was right, he is a moron.
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you might find
You get what you need
Oh yea-ay (hey-hey-hey, oooh)
Back at his duty of looking for people to flash on, Chuck was looking around the room when he noticed the brunette that he had fondled earlier. A bit of red ascended his cheeks when his eyes landed upon her face.
There she was looking at him and smiling again. 'She must think that I am the biggest idiot in the world. Still laughing at his stupidity and enjoying it" filled Chuck's thoughts. He turned to walk in the opposite direction and avoid her if possible.
Half an hour later Chuck was about to finish up with this waiter ordeal, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Someone not wanting to wait for him to finish pouring this sap's wine, Chuck figured.
Carefully turning around, he took the person's glass and filled it without looking and started to move on to the next person. Another tap on the shoulder but a bit harder this time.
Chuck said, "One moment please.", finished pouring the glass in front of him and turned back to see what they wanted now.
"Thanks for the wine, but I just wanted to make sure you had recovered enough from our earlier mishap. Though the bright red did match nicely with your tie. " a beautiful woman replied. Her smile radiated with warmth that he had been missing for quite some time now.
"Well you know how we waiters like to please." Chuck shot back.
"No, not really, but I wouldn't mind finding out first hand." She divulged with a sultry tone. "My name is Crystal and you would be?"
"Charles, but my friends call me Chuck."
They spent several minutes talking and before Chuck knew it, they had set up a date for tomorrow.
And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singin', 'We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't, we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse'
Sing it to me, now
Chuck was surprised that Crystal was such a down to earth type of person. He had expected her to be an 'high maintenance' type of woman.
He was completely surprised to learn that she also like walks on the beach. A good drama, comedy or romantic movie. But he loved that she actually like being a homebody and cuddling on the couch.
There seemed to be a problem with Crystal tonight. She was hyper and seem to have something on her mind.
"Okay, what is it Crystal? You know you can talk to me right?" Chuck declared.
"Is there something wrong with me? Am I not pretty enough or maybe I bother you Chuck?"
"What! What are you talking about? Your beautiful and kind and make me feel special when we are together. What are you asking such silly questions Crystal."
"Because you have not made even one attempt on me since we have been dating Chuck. The first date it was nice to be with a gentleman. The second date it was nice but had me wondering, but now it is the third and I have needs too you know. I want to feel loved and be loved by someone worth my time."
"You think that I am worth your time? I just thought that we would take our time is all."
"I'll should you what taking my time is really all about Mr. Charles Bartowski." she asserted while pulling Chuck down on top of her and kissing his lips.
Soon Chuck was beyond rational thought as the shadow of two lustful shapes were slowly making their way towards the back bedroom. Neither to be seen for the rest of the night.
(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
You get what you need
Ooh baby, yeah, ooh
Slowly thought came back to Chuck as he awoke with the smell of Channel number five invading his senses. The feeling of sweet release from the pent up stress of years of frustration left him, but a sadness was there in the corner as well.
Chuck felt guilty that he had been with Crystal, when he did not actually love her. He loved another and always would. He could feel her starting to awaken and closed his eyes not really knowing what to do now.
"It's okay Chuck, I know that you're awake. I can hear your heart going a mile a minute, so calm down. It was just sex not like we took marriage vows or anything."
"Sorry, I am not used to doing things like this. I mean that I have done this before, but … I think I will just shut up now."
Laughing at his rambling she uttered, " Men and their lack of knowing what to do the day after. Just relax Chuck, you could say that we are friends with benefits in a way. I enjoy our time together and you are more than most men. You are well worth knowing and being with. So lets just enjoy or time together and if it goes anywhere, then all the better. But lets just take it one day at a time for now."
"I can do that and thanks for letting me know where we stand. I am sorry to say that I haven't been with a woman in a while so I am a bit rusty."
"No, I am not buying the rusty part after last night." she affirmed with a smile, "not rusty at all. But maybe it was fluke, so lets try that again. Just to make sure."
Smiling Chuck added, "Well, I don't want to be a fluke so I guess we had better make sure." Both slowly slid under the covers, producing moaning, kissing, growing sounds filling the air.
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standin' in line with Mr. Jimmy
A-man, did he look pretty ill
After a dismal day in the field, Chuck was standing in like to have a prescription filled for pain-relievers filled for Sarah. She had taken a nasty fall because the intersect had failed Chuck when they needed it the most. She was bruised and a red welt was standing out on the left side of her face, which made Chuck feel even worse.
Chuck felt responsible for Sarah's condition and was pampering her in her room. After giving her two pills, he had tucked her in for the night. He was watching over her and had fallen asleep in the chair.
Sometime during the night, he had the greatest dream about him and Sarah. But when he awoke in the morning, he was back to reality. She was not his anymore and he would have to life with his stupidity for the rest of his life.
Since Sarah was still asleep, he felt that she would be fine now and quietly tiptoed to the door and left before doing something else he would regret.
We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was 'dead'
I said to him
It was a sunny day and Chuck had meet Crystal at Santa Monica beach just to relax. The had a cherry Ice and looked out over the surf.
She could tell that there was something bother Chuck, but she was waiting for him to bring it up. As much as Chuck could talk, he could get stuck on not knowing how to explain himself at times and this must be one of those times.
"Crystal, you know I like you a lot right? I mean we have been dating for a few months now."
"Yes Chuck and you know I like you as well, but what are you trying to get at."
"As much as I like you, I just don't want to lead you on. I mean I have never said that I love you and I want you to know I may never be able to either."
Crystal looked out at the waves crashing on the shore quite some time before she spoke. "Chuck, I know that you love someone else and I have from the start, but I don't love you either. I do like you a lot but love is hard to get over.
I never told you this before but I had a fiance and we were to get married. We went out on a hike one day on a trail that we had been on many times. On a perfectly sunny day, we were just talking when an skunk jumped out from some bushes. My fiance was startled and jumped back, but he tripped on a rock and fell down just a few feet into a ditch. His head struck a rock and he died instantly.
As you can see, I was very much in love as well and I am not over it. I don't know if I ever will but that doesn't mean that I don't want to be with someone like you Chuck. You make me laugh and remind me of better times. That is all I am really looking for, so if it doesn't work out. Well we will still be friends. I will be your friend always Chuck, that much you can count on."
"I will always be your friend as well Crystal, but I had to let you know. Now that we are clear on that point, I think I need to spend some time thinking over my life. I am not sure how long it will take, but I hope that is okay with you."
"Friends to the end Chuck, of course it is okay. Just you had better come to me if you ever need to talk and I will do the same with you."
Putting his hand out, "It's a deal." Crystal took Chucks hand and gave it a mighty shake before pulling him in for a hug and a kiss.
They remained there for some time just enjoying each others company before they went back out into that harsh world.
(You can't always get what you want) well no!
(You can't always get what you want) tell ya baby
(You can't always get what you want) no
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, mmm!
Mmm! you get what you need
Ooh yes! Woo!
Chuck spent many more days working with his partners. He watch as Sarah and Shaw seemed to become closer, but never letting on how much it hurt him.
His control of the intersect came and went, but it never failed him when he needed it any more.
Ooow-ooh! You get what you need
Yeah!
Ooow, babe!
Ooh, yeah
Chuck spent many more days and hours now at the beach. Crystal would join him at times and at times he would be there by himself.
Days grew into weeks and weeks into months. It was now six months later and the crew as maybe breaking up.
Casey and Chuck would be sent out on missions without Sarah and Shaw. When the mission called for it Sarah and Shaw would pose as a couple while Chuck and Casey would back them up.
Chuck would usually call Crystal over after these missions and though Casey would needle Sarah about it, nothing usually happened between Chuck and Crystal. Nothing but talking that is, but there were points that one of the other needed a bit more than just talk.
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands
Say it!
It had now been two years that the team had broken up. Chuck had become a spy, much to Casey's delight. But with becoming a spy so did the loneliness that came with it.
There were other spy women that would need the services of a one Mr. Charles Carmichael to complete a mission. But Chuck didn't see or hear from Sarah/Sam much after that.
Occasionally Sarah would pop in for some help or to help out, but it was far and few. Neither would give up much details of how things were going and Chuck wouldn't ask. He did not really want to know how her and Shaw were doing.
It was on one such mission with Casey and Shaw that Chuck ran into his worse nightmare. While hacking to a foreign governments computer system, a series of images flashed across the screen.
The images disrupted the coding that drove the intersect interconnects within Chuck's brain. This had put Chuck into a coma for several weeks until his brain would rewire itself. The problem was that he no longer had access to the intersect of its abilities. Needless to say, the NSA spent no time in releasing Chuck with a severance and a small pension to go along with it.
Their tests were conclusive that Chuck was no longer the intersect nor could he become one again. They just discarded him like a dirty dishrag, but that was fine with Chuck. He had long ago wished that he could be done with the spy life. The only real reason that he did it in the first place was because She had said he was a Hero. Some Hero.
(You can't always get what you want) yeah!
(You can't always get a-what you want) ooo-yeah, baby!
(You can't always get a-what you want)
But if you try sometime, you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
Some years later, Chuck had started a small surf shop down at Venus beach. The dream of a computer company had never come to bare any fruit. Besides Chuck didn't want the hassle in his life anymore, he had all the excitement he could handle during his spy days.
Now Chuck was content making enough money to pay for his extra needs like movies once in a while or a night out on the town. His dating life was off and on again. It is amazing how women want someone that doesn't really care to pursue them.
It was one of these perfect California sunny days that Chuck was out surfing. The waves were higher than normal due to a hurricane out in the Pacific somewhere and he was enjoying the challenge.
Chuck was in the zone when the tube closed in on him sending him bouncing along the bottom of the ocean floor. He was sure that this was the end when his line tied to the board got stuck under a large rock and he could not break loose.
'After all the crap I went through as a spy and now I am going to die from surfing, isn't life just a kick in the pants." Chuck thought to himself.
He could not hold his breath any longer and as the air left his lungs the sea water rushed in. The darkness of the ocean was closing in fast and his mind slipped into a peaceful lull.
Chuck's last thoughts were, "At least I went out doing something I loved. If you have to go, what better way to go, right God?"
Ooh, yeah!
Ooh, baby!
Woo!
Ah, you can't always get a-what you want
No, no baby
A jolt hit Chuck and suddenly he was throwing up the entire Pacific Ocean or at least it felt that way.
It took him several minutes to breath right again and several more before he felt like opening his eyes to see if he were dead or alive.
Slowly he opened his eyes and yep he must be dead Chuck thought. There is no other explanation for it that he could think of. That or God was playing a trick on him and he sure hoped that was not it.
He closed his eyes and counted to 10 and opened them again. Weird but it just can't been, but it must be.
"You going to be okay?" came the voice of his savior.
"I am now." Chuck conveyed. "Hi, I am Chuck and who do I owe my life to?"
"You can call me Sam."
"Well Sam, I owe you my life. It's not worth much, but I pay my debts."
"Good, you can start by taking me to lunch. I plan on collecting since I don't have a job any more."
His smile seemed like it would break his face, but he managed to hold it together. Chuck replied,"Well, I can't take you to lunch but how about dinner?"
"That is a start. I guess I can't always get what I want, but I will get what I need."
"What is it that you need Sam?" Chuck asked.
"Why you Chuck. You are all that I have ever needed." Sam revealed. "Now take me to dinner and lets not waste any more time."
Both smiled and Sam leaned in and kissed Chuck gently. Soft and forthright but with a promise of things to come. Life had come full circle for Chuck and love always finds its way back.
Chuck didn't know how she found him or why, but he was not going to make the same mistake twice. He was going to hold on to this precious gift that he had been given a second time. No walking away this time. Sometimes dreams do come true and this was one of those times.
The End.