I have no claim to Chuck but I do admit to being a Chuck-a-olic
0800 CIA Headquarters Langley
"Come in Mrs. Bartowski, Please."
"I go by Walker," answered Sarah walking into a drab almost aseptic government office. There were no windows so the lighting was artificial and so were the plants. There were a number of bookshelves with books "probably to give a false sense of intellectualism," she thought.
"Please sit," said the man behind a desk. She noticed there were a number of objects placed with extreme order almost as if they had been measured to fit their location. "mental note OCDC."
"Director what can I do for you? I was told to come straight in."
"Yes, I want you to look at this," he handed her a folder. "I realize that you've only been back with the company a short while but you are uniquely qualified for this operation."
She opened the fold mark top secret and inside was the photo of a woman. There was an air of something familiar but she knew she must have met her somewhere. She turned the page and there was Chuck's picture.
"What is this?"
"It's a mission. The woman is Jill Roberts. She is or was Chuck's old flame."
Sarah suddenly felt a bolt of pain in her head as she lost focus for a bit, "Yes, she escaped when we were taking down the Ring."
"Ah, so you do remember her. General Beckman said you might. Anyway we believe she has been in contact with Chuck and we want you to bring her in."
"But I don't have a cover."
"You have the best cover. You do want to be in the agency?"
"Yes."
"Good you'll be leaving for Burbank. There you'll met your new partner Agent Lyn Cusson. She's been on station for a while and will bring you up to speed when you arrive. Any questions?"
"No, Sir."
"Good, the agency considers Bartowski an important potential asset. We can't afford to lose him to some skirt."
"P.A.N.T.S.", Sarah said but she didn't know why.
"Yes, run and get packed. You're dismissed."
She felt a knot in her stomach and she noticed she was perspiring as she boarded the plane at Reagan International. She felt strangely nervous but excited too at the possibility of seeing Chuck again. Memories faded in and out as she thought about how they had parted. Chuck asking her to trust him and she telling him that she needed time. His face, his tears and it was my fault. 'What am I doing?" she said out loud.
"You're flying to Burbank on the red-eye," answered General Beckman.
"What, where did you come from?"
"Miss Walker, if I may call you that, I am coming to make sure you don't screw this up. We're trying to bring Chuck back as the intersect. Hell, he was worth more than any of you other spies put together. It seems his brain is uniquely configured to hold the intersect without becoming brain damaged. But you screwed all that up when you bailed on him and he won't talk to any of us anymore."
"General I don't, didn't know…."
"No you didn't. The man's brain might be strong but his heart isn't. Now shut up and get some rest. We hit the ground running if this Jill person is after Chuck she needs to be taken out of the equation as soon as possible."
Sarah tried to sleep but all these emotions kept flooding her, her sense of emotionless detachment that had served her so well before was gone. This was going to be hard but she knew it had to be done. Besides she would be able to see Chuck again, "her Chuck." Did she really say that? Then like a flood gate she remembered saying P.A.N.T.S, personal artifacts not to be shared.
Arriving at Bob Hope airport the General and Sarah went their separate ways but not before the General admonishing her that she wanted daily updates. Sarah watched as the General was greeted by agency car and a man in a white coat carrying a red rose. She found her partner waiting for her outside in a dark SUV with darkened windows.
"Agent Lyn Cusson?" Sarah asked extending her hand.
"Hi, please come this way. I'll have your bag taken to your hotel room while we make a drive by.
"Sounds good."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chuck woke up on the couch that had become his bed not that he needed one. He didn't sleep anymore just catnapped because sleeping meant dreaming and his dreams were his nightmares. On the coffee table in front of him was his laptop and three bottles of Johnny Walker – two dead soldiers and a half to finish. However, today was different, today was the beginning or the end there could be no other option. After taking a shower he dialed Morgan.
"Hey Buddy, how's it going?" …. "I know I haven't been in touch." .. "Where am I at? Across the courtyard in the apartment. I know I locked the window but …" "Listen let's meet for lunch. I was thinking about a sandwich." …. "No not Subways. You know were." … "Yeah, say about 12:30." … "See you there and say hi to Alex."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A floral truck eased up outside a deli and parked. Inside communications equipment was humming as a technician was tweaking frequency bands.
"Crap," he exclaimed. "Someone has sound proofed the windows we're not going to get any sound Boss."
"Do we have a visual?" Replied Agent Cusson.
"Yes, do you want me to take a bug in?"
"Is the target already inside?"
"Yes, he's sitting at the back table facing the door."
"No hang tight. He made the last guy." Turning to Sarah who was staring at Chuck in the monitor. "I don't know how he did it but the last guy we sent in he just walked up to him and gave him chapter and verse about his life with the company then told him to leave. What can you tell me about him?"
"Oh, what, Oh nothing, nothing. I was assigned to watch over him for the last five years. He was some kind of asset." Sarah was briefed that she could never mention the Intersect project to anyone unless they already knew. Looking up she noticed in a monitor a plumbing truck parked behind them. "Looks like we got company," she said pointing to it when all of a sudden the van door came flying open and in that moment everyone drew weapons, everyone except Sarah. She was cursing herself for being distracted when the man from door called her by name. The sun was blinding her as it shone in over the giant man's shoulders.
"Sarah? What the hell are you doing here? Put down you guns federal agents."
"Casey is that you? What are you doing here?"
"I bet the same thing you are."
Their conversation was cut short when the tech yelled, "Boggy coming down the street."
"Move over," yelled Casey as he jumped inside and slide the door shut. "Just like old time"
In that moment Sarah had a memory flash of all the times they were in a van like this and as the images flash she mutter "stay in the van Chuck." Everyone else in the van looked at each other but Casey he had a big grin across his face. As she was flashing she started to remember all the vans when a warning light came on in her head.
"Shit! Casey we used this van before."
Casey looked in the side mirror, "It's the bearded troll."
"Who? By the way the name is Agent Cusson"
"Grimes, Morgan Grimes. He's Chuck's best friend."
"Think he'll make us," asked Sarah.
"No I don't think so."
They watched Morgan stroll up to the one van then bend down and tied his shoe. He seemed very nervous fidgeting with a piece of paper and even dropped it next to the van they were in and bumped his head as he got up.
"Numnuts," growled Casey.
Grimes looked around "Casey?" He said. Sarah pointed a disapproving finger at Casey to be quite. Grimes shrugged his shoulders and crossed the road. "That man must be my curse. How can such a lug have such a beautiful daughter?" They continued to observe him as he talked to himself walking across the street until he entered the deli. In the window the saw him wave to Chuck then go over and sit down at his table.
"I'd already have deep six him if my daughter didn't love him so much."
"Casey, you never change," replied Sarah. "You know you like him too."
"How are you anyway Walker or is it Bartowski?"
"I wish I knew."
"You know that nerd in there still loves you. Well let's address the elephant in the room. Hell, you're the reason we're all here now." But before she could answer he continued. "Why the hell are all of you here anyway? I was told the NSA was going to provide security and bring in a certain rouge agent in."
That's our orders too," spoke up Cusson.
"You know this watching from a distance isn't going to work," fired off Casey.
"You got a better idea?"
"Well I –" Sarah interrupted. "John, who is that with them? I think I know her."
Picking up agent Cusson's binoculars and at the same time pissing her off which was his intent, "You should know her that's Lou. One of Chuck's old flings He saw her after he dropped you not that at the time you were really with him. You were too busy making doe eyes at Shaw."
"Shaw, the traitor?"
"Some people's traitors are other people's patriots," said Cusson. Casey just grunted and said, "Yes. You know you could really pick'em Larkin, and Shaw but Chuck, Chuck was different. Listen you don't have to believe me you're the one who said it, but that's water under the bridge now."
"Suspect on the move," yelled the Tech."
"John ride with us if you want," said Sarah.
"Thanks partner."
"But that's not protocol," stated Cusson.
"Let's get a move or we're going to miss him. Hey, he's getting in my Lotus. What? I'm going to kill him."
"You're the one who taught him how to drive it," said Casey as the van pulled out limping.
"Boss we got a flat."
"What! How?"
"Grimes," growled Casey. "And my van?"
"Looks like they got one too."
"Hey, the Lotus is backing up." They looked up as the Black vehicle speed up along side with Chcuk and Morgan both laughing inside.
"Roll down your window," yelled Chuck. When the driver tried to ignore them Chuck dialed a knob on the dash and the van was filled with the sound of hiss and static. "Now that's better," Chuck said with a voice that echoed through their surveillance equipment. "I suggest we meet," looking down at his watch, "say in about two hours at Castle that will give you time to change your tires."
Casey grunted and Sarah picked up a knife as they watched the car quickly becoming a black dot then disappearing from sight.
I don't own any rights to Chuck just fond memories
OUTSIDE OF CASTLE TWO BLACK SUVS PULL UP INTO THE BUY MORE PARKING LOT
"Look over there," one of the agents points, "It's the Lotus."
"Hold up let's talk to Beckman before we make the meet," said Sarah as she sends a text message from her phone.
"Need to be given permission," said Casey.
"Protocol"
"Now we follow protocol."
A voice calls over from a monitor "Children, I understand you've met up with Col Casey and in the name of interdepartmental cooperation you will be working together again. I understand Chuck has asked for a meet."
"Yes, General," answered Sarah.
"I also understand you've had some car problems."
"Well I wouldn't say problem."
"Let's just leave that at good counter espionage." She shook and mumbled 'Morgan Grimes." Casey grunted and Sarah looked down at the ground. "Well I suggest that you don't screw this up. Do I make myself clear?" The monitor went blank before they could answer.
"Well that went well," said Casey.
"Yeah," Sarah agreed.
"Listen, why don't Agent Walker and you Col Casey go in and talk with Chuck," said Cusson. "If we all go in we'll just scare him off."
"Yeah, we don't want that," replied Casey. "Look at his family history. Both his parents left him when he was a child and if anything the Bartowskis know how to do is hid."
"So wire up and head out."
Sara was dreading this with her whole being. But what Casey said she had read in an after action report. In a certain sense she knew that would be exactly what Chuck would do because that would be what she would do. He might love his sister but it would be that same love that would cause him to run because running would keep her safe. Her reasons would be a little different because in running she could avoid having to face her emotions but this was one that was running like a freight train straight at her and there was no dodging this one. It was like taking a bullet, you know you're going to get hit you just hope it doesn't hurt too much or it hits anything vital – like the heart.
As they came to the door of Orange, orange it opened. Casey's first reaction was to reach for his gun but Grimes who was standing there spoke up in a high pitched falsetto voice. "Slow up there partner. We're all friendlies here."
"I don't know about that. Grimes you going through puberty again," barked Casey.
"Hey, don't blame the messenger. You know you really need to get new vehicles. Are they still as cramped inside? I bet you miss my snacks?"
"Shut up," Casey grunted.
"Where's Chuck?" asked Sarah.
"I'm glad you asked because-"
"Morgan I've got a gun."
"Right, well he's down below but hey guys this is the first time I've seen him in over a month. He even locked his bedroom window. Listen he's in a dark place."
"Walker you should've put a bullet between his eyes. It would've been more humane."
Sara didn't answer Casey but she couldn't help but agree. But how could she agree, she couldn't even remember him. There were bits and pieces but could she found her future on an uncertainty. "No," she said to herself like a mantra. What she did was right but she couldn't help but think was it right for Chuck.
As they came into the control room they heard the count of a video game machine and the music of Rush blasting away.
"Chuck," yelled Casey. "Chuck cut the music."
"Oh, hey Casey." Chuck turned and saw Sarah and he stopped in his tracks. He wanted to say something but words wouldn't come to him. Words were like peanut butter that sticks to the roof of your mouth the long silence was broken by the sound of Missile Commander, "game over".
"Right, please have a seat," as Chuck tried to recover pointing to the conference table. He still hadn't acknowledged Sarah's presence verbally. "Please."
"Let's cut to the chase, why have you called us here?"
"Okay, one second there Casey," he said as he typed on a keyboard then hit enter. Outside in the SUVs there was a high pitched squeal then radio silence and on a monitor in front of them came on General Beckman.
"Diane, you look quite lovely."
"Thank you, Chuck but let's turn to the matter at hand. We have intel that says you are in danger and we are here to offer you protection."
"Protection, from who? Protection from you or from I don't know, Jill Robertson."
"Chuck has Jill been in contact with you?", barked the General. "Col Casey take Chuck in custody." Casey got up and drew his weapon. He didn't know why because this was Chuck but much to his dismay Chuck drew a Gluck 9mm and pointed back it at him.
"Easy Casey," said Chuck.
"Looky here, who's got their big boy pants on. You won't use that."
Sarah drew her weapon and pointed it at Chuck. It felt wrong so terrible wrong but she was a trained spy and this is what trained spies do.
"Sarah, I should have known," said Chuck. "Let's make this easy," he said as he turned his gun on himself. "If I am out of this equation then there is nothing left to fight over and my family, friends have nothing to worry about. Death solves all problems."
"Stand down," yelled the General. "I realize you're stressed Chuck."
"You only come to me when you need me. The well has run dry."
As the General and Chuck were speaking for a moment Sarah was somewhere else and she heard voices around her but she wasn't present. She lowered her weapon as the name Alexei Volkoff came to mind and an image of Chuck in BDUs. As quickly as the flash had come it went and she looked at Chuck with sad eyes.
"Wait Chuck, tell us what you want and the General will see what we can do."
"First I want only a two man-person guard team. If I am to be the bait Jill won't show up if sees me covered with agents. By the way, Jill hasn't contacted me but you really need better firewalls General."
Sarah and Casey looked at each other when Chuck mentioned the two man team.
"And who would you like to man I am sorry person this team," the General asked raising her eyebrow.
"I'm glad asked Diane. Why my lovely trigger happy wife and her equally trigger happy partner and my friend John Casey."
"Chuck you know I know over a thousand ways to kill you," said Sarah
"I've heard that promise before. Well, that's my demand or I can vanish and in about thirty years you might find me but remember my father came looking for me. I have or Sarah and I have no children so do the math."
"And Ellie," asked Sarah "or Baby Clara."
"It is nice you remember them but my presence only puts them at risk and if there is one thing we Bartowskis know how to do that is sacrifice," and as Chuck said this he looked straight into Sarah's eyes and for a moment she felt his pain, pain she had caused.
"I don't think that is such a bad idea," said a voice off screen.
"Roan is that you," asked Chuck.
"Yes my boy," he said as he walked in the camera shot wearing a white bathrobe holding a red rose in one hand and a martini in the other. "I have been listening and I really don't see the problem. Casey, Sarah you both have covers there and Chuck seems to want to cooperate so why not I have to ask?"
"Way to go but I'm probably scarred for life now but okay buddy."
"First Roan, this is my team and I make the decisions. But okay I am reinstating team Bartowski for now and as for you Roan you've been a very naughty boy."
"General.., General…, Diane..."
"What Chuck?"
"The monitor's still on."
"Oh, Ooh dismissed."
"Chuck this isn't going to work," said Sara. "You can't make me, us love you."
"Who said make? By the way Casey the gun wasn't loaded, see," pulling out the clip. "See. You know I don't like bullets." Pointing the pistol at the video game Chuck pulled the trigger and the gun went off killing Missile Commander. It died sputtering "Game over."
"Idiot you forgot to take the one out of the camber. I'd expect something like this from Grimes not you."
"Chuck, Chuck are you alive," said a panic Morgan running in. "I forgot to take the round out of the chamber."
"It's okay buddy," replied Chuck "just speak up I think I'm going to be deaf for life. Wait Sarah I've got something for you. Here these are your keys."
"Chuck I can't."
"You don't want to blow your cover Walker, I mean Bartowski," said Casey. "Chuck's a gentleman, right."
"Sure I'll take the sofa. I don't sleep much in the bed anyway.
"Chuck, Okay."
"I guess I'm in the guest room," said Casey. At that Grimes turned and made himself disappear.
"No actually you'll be staying in your old apartment since Grimes has move out and it with…. Oh, I'd better let him explain that."
"If he moved in with my little girl we'll be going to a funeral. Grimes where are you?" Yelled Casey as he went hunting for the bearded man which left Chuck and Sarah by themselves.
"Chuck are you really okay with this?"
"I get to be with you even if it is only fake"
"I don't see as how this is going to help you."
"This is and isn't for me. Besides this is how we started as a fake couple."
Like two magnets with each word they spoke they moved closer and closer together. Sarah could smell Chuck's cologne over the gun powder and it was intoxicating. She felt a flash and in her mind she could remember them shopping on Rodeo drive and she picked out that sent for him. "I see you're still wearing that cologne by Valentino that I bought for you."
Chuck's eyes lite up, "You remember that? Do you remember why?"
"Yes, because I told you that I found it sexy on you."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Did we get a hit on the location?" asked a female voice.
"No Mama their firewall kicked us out but the signal was coming from close by."
"Good tap into the Satellite feeds and see if we can spot any unusual activity. It's time we bring some hurt back on our friends. There is no room for error and anyone who questions my orders, well let's just say I wouldn't want to be them.
Chapter 2
I don't own any rights to Chuck just fond memories
OUTSIDE OF CASTLE TWO BLACK SUVS PULL UP INTO THE BUY MORE PARKING LOT
"Look over there," one of the agents points, "It's the Lotus."
"Hold up let's talk to Beckman before we make the meet," said Sarah as she sends a text message from her phone.
"Need to be given permission," said Casey.
"Protocol"
"Now we follow protocol."
A voice calls over from a monitor "Children, I understand you've met up with Col Casey and in the name of interdepartmental cooperation you will be working together again. I understand Chuck has asked for a meet."
"Yes, General," answered Sarah.
"I also understand you've had some car problems."
"Well I wouldn't say problem."
"Let's just leave that at good counter espionage." She shook and mumbled 'Morgan Grimes." Casey grunted and Sarah looked down at the ground. "Well I suggest that you don't screw this up. Do I make myself clear?" The monitor went blank before they could answer.
"Well that went well," said Casey.
"Yeah," Sarah agreed.
"Listen, why don't Agent Walker and you Col Casey go in and talk with Chuck," said Cusson. "If we all go in we'll just scare him off."
"Yeah, we don't want that," replied Casey. "Look at his family history. Both his parents left him when he was a child and if anything the Bartowskis know how to do is hid."
"So wire up and head out."
Sara was dreading this with her whole being. But what Casey said she had read in an after action report. In a certain sense she knew that would be exactly what Chuck would do because that would be what she would do. He might love his sister but it would be that same love that would cause him to run because running would keep her safe. Her reasons would be a little different because in running she could avoid having to face her emotions but this was one that was running like a freight train straight at her and there was no dodging this one. It was like taking a bullet, you know you're going to get hit you just hope it doesn't hurt too much or it hits anything vital – like the heart.
As they came to the door of Orange, orange it opened. Casey's first reaction was to reach for his gun but Grimes who was standing there spoke up in a high pitched falsetto voice. "Slow up there partner. We're all friendlies here."
"I don't know about that. Grimes you going through puberty again," barked Casey.
"Hey, don't blame the messenger. You know you really need to get new vehicles. Are they still as cramped inside? I bet you miss my snacks?"
"Shut up," Casey grunted.
"Where's Chuck?" asked Sarah.
"I'm glad you asked because-"
"Morgan I've got a gun."
"Right, well he's down below but hey guys this is the first time I've seen him in over a month. He even locked his bedroom window. Listen he's in a dark place."
"Walker you should've put a bullet between his eyes. It would've been more humane."
Sara didn't answer Casey but she couldn't help but agree. But how could she agree, she couldn't even remember him. There were bits and pieces but could she found her future on an uncertainty. "No," she said to herself like a mantra. What she did was right but she couldn't help but think was it right for Chuck.
As they came into the control room they heard the count of a video game machine and the music of Rush blasting away.
"Chuck," yelled Casey. "Chuck cut the music."
"Oh, hey Casey." Chuck turned and saw Sarah and he stopped in his tracks. He wanted to say something but words wouldn't come to him. Words were like peanut butter that sticks to the roof of your mouth the long silence was broken by the sound of Missile Commander, "game over".
"Right, please have a seat," as Chuck tried to recover pointing to the conference table. He still hadn't acknowledged Sarah's presence verbally. "Please."
"Let's cut to the chase, why have you called us here?"
"Okay, one second there Casey," he said as he typed on a keyboard then hit enter. Outside in the SUVs there was a high pitched squeal then radio silence and on a monitor in front of them came on General Beckman.
"Diane, you look quite lovely."
"Thank you, Chuck but let's turn to the matter at hand. We have intel that says you are in danger and we are here to offer you protection."
"Protection, from who? Protection from you or from I don't know, Jill Robertson."
"Chuck has Jill been in contact with you?", barked the General. "Col Casey take Chuck in custody." Casey got up and drew his weapon. He didn't know why because this was Chuck but much to his dismay Chuck drew a Gluck 9mm and pointed back it at him.
"Easy Casey," said Chuck.
"Looky here, who's got their big boy pants on. You won't use that."
Sarah drew her weapon and pointed it at Chuck. It felt wrong so terrible wrong but she was a trained spy and this is what trained spies do.
"Sarah, I should have known," said Chuck. "Let's make this easy," he said as he turned his gun on himself. "If I am out of this equation then there is nothing left to fight over and my family, friends have nothing to worry about. Death solves all problems."
"Stand down," yelled the General. "I realize you're stressed Chuck."
"You only come to me when you need me. The well has run dry."
As the General and Chuck were speaking for a moment Sarah was somewhere else and she heard voices around her but she wasn't present. She lowered her weapon as the name Alexei Volkoff came to mind and an image of Chuck in BDUs. As quickly as the flash had come it went and she looked at Chuck with sad eyes.
"Wait Chuck, tell us what you want and the General will see what we can do."
"First I want only a two man-person guard team. If I am to be the bait Jill won't show up if sees me covered with agents. By the way, Jill hasn't contacted me but you really need better firewalls General."
Sarah and Casey looked at each other when Chuck mentioned the two man team.
"And who would you like to man I am sorry person this team," the General asked raising her eyebrow.
"I'm glad asked Diane. Why my lovely trigger happy wife and her equally trigger happy partner and my friend John Casey."
"Chuck you know I know over a thousand ways to kill you," said Sarah
"I've heard that promise before. Well, that's my demand or I can vanish and in about thirty years you might find me but remember my father came looking for me. I have or Sarah and I have no children so do the math."
"And Ellie," asked Sarah "or Baby Clara."
"It is nice you remember them but my presence only puts them at risk and if there is one thing we Bartowskis know how to do that is sacrifice," and as Chuck said this he looked straight into Sarah's eyes and for a moment she felt his pain, pain she had caused.
"I don't think that is such a bad idea," said a voice off screen.
"Roan is that you," asked Chuck.
"Yes my boy," he said as he walked in the camera shot wearing a white bathrobe holding a red rose in one hand and a martini in the other. "I have been listening and I really don't see the problem. Casey, Sarah you both have covers there and Chuck seems to want to cooperate so why not I have to ask?"
"Way to go but I'm probably scarred for life now but okay buddy."
"First Roan, this is my team and I make the decisions. But okay I am reinstating team Bartowski for now and as for you Roan you've been a very naughty boy."
"General.., General…, Diane..."
"What Chuck?"
"The monitor's still on."
"Oh, Ooh dismissed."
"Chuck this isn't going to work," said Sara. "You can't make me, us love you."
"Who said make? By the way Casey the gun wasn't loaded, see," pulling out the clip. "See. You know I don't like bullets." Pointing the pistol at the video game Chuck pulled the trigger and the gun went off killing Missile Commander. It died sputtering "Game over."
"Idiot you forgot to take the one out of the camber. I'd expect something like this from Grimes not you."
"Chuck, Chuck are you alive," said a panic Morgan running in. "I forgot to take the round out of the chamber."
"It's okay buddy," replied Chuck "just speak up I think I'm going to be deaf for life. Wait Sarah I've got something for you. Here these are your keys."
"Chuck I can't."
"You don't want to blow your cover Walker, I mean Bartowski," said Casey. "Chuck's a gentleman, right."
"Sure I'll take the sofa. I don't sleep much in the bed anyway.
"Chuck, Okay."
"I guess I'm in the guest room," said Casey. At that Grimes turned and made himself disappear.
"No actually you'll be staying in your old place Grimes and Alex have moved out …. Oh, I'd better let him explain that."
"With my little girl there's going to a funeral. Grimes where are you?" Yelled Casey as he went hunting for the bearded man which left Chuck and Sarah by themselves.
"Chuck are you really okay with this?"
"I get to be with you even if it is only a fake"
"I don't see as how this is going to help you."
"This is and isn't for me. Besides this is how we started as a fake couple."
Like two magnets with each word they spoke they moved closer and closer together. Sarah could smell Chuck's cologne over the gun powder and it was intoxicating. She felt a flash and in her mind she could remember them shopping on Rodeo drive and she picked out that sent for him. "I see you're still wearing that cologne by Valentino that I bought for you."
Chuck's eyes lit up, "You remember that? Do you remember why?"
"Yes, because I told you that I found it sexy on you."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Did we get a hit on the location?" said a female voice.
"No Mama their firewall kicked us out but the signal was coming from somewhere close by."
"Good, tap into the Satellite feeds and see if we can spot any unusual activity. It's time we bring some hurt back on our friends. There's no room for error and anyone who questions my orders, well let's just say I wouldn't want to be them. Now, let's get to it.
Chapter 3
LATER ON AT ECHO PARK
"Sorry about the mess," said Chuck as he led Sarah inside disappearing into the bedroom with her bag. Sarah felt a little over whelmed when she walked in. It was a place that she thought she remembered like a house she had seen in a movie or like a word on the end of your tongue but it just won't come to you. It was a warm and happy house. The rush was so great that she had to sit down and take it all in. Sitting there she noticed a blanket rolled up at the end and empty Scotch bottles on the coffee table.
When Chuck returned he found Sarah starring at their wedding picture and much to his surprise she looked up and asked, "Chuck were we happy?"
"Yes, oh yes. We had our problems, mainly I had the problems. You kept telling me not to spiral. You were my ground."
"Chuck I don't know what you expect but – "
"I don't expect anything. I'm just happy to have what I have." Then there was a long period of uncomfortable silence. Finally Chuck asked, "Would you like to eat?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to go out or get something delivered?"
"I'm really tired can we eat in?"
"Sure how about a vegetarian pizza, no olives?" He remembered how I like my pizza thought Sarah. Who is this man that knows her so well? Looking at the photos around the room she noticed that they were all of a happy couple with big smiles. Could this be the same Sarah Walker, the spy? Spies don't fall in love she thought and was she still a spy or she thought?
When the pizza arrived they sat and ate in silence each on the opposite ends of the sofa. Chuck tried to play video games and sleathfully watch Sarah. Of course she knew he was watching her but for now she thought it best to just pretend like nothing was going on.
"Well, it's been a long day so I think it's about time to hit the hay."
"Yes, Chuck but I feel bad about taking your bed."
"You mean our bed I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that but don't worry about it. I'm used to the sofa."
"But really, we're both adults you can sleep on your side and I can sleep on mine."
"Maybe in a few days but for now I think this is best. If you want to take a shower first go ahead I'll give you first dibs on the hot water."
"Thanks, but I think I'm just going straight to bed." Sarah retreated to the bedroom and sat on the bed. From there she could hear Chuck moving around straightening up. These were familiar sounds, sounds, almost comforting. Looking around the bedroom she had the strange sensation of déjà vu. She a cold chill went up her spine when she picked up the hair brush from the dresser top and noticed the blond hairs in it. She opened each of the drawers and much to her surprise she could remember what was in each one. There was an order here, her order. In the back of one she pulled out an envelope and she let slide out on the night stand its content. It was an old charm bracelet. This was Chuck's mother's she remembered it and a landslide of emotions that went along with it. She blast she felt was so great that she fell back on the bed holding the bracelet up. The moonlight reflect off of it as she fell into a hypnotic slumber, scents from bed filled her, intoxicated her. As she slept she dreamt, she dreamt of trains, of passion, of sex, and most of all Chuck.
As day broke the sunlight came through the window shining in her eyes waking her up. She didn't want to get up. She felt strange she felt the afterglow of the night before. Groggily she got up "Chuck," she called first in a low voice. When she got no answer she listened but there was no noise. Now she was wide awake. "Chuck!" She jumped out of bed and ran to the living room to find Chuck gone.
"Shit!" Running barefooted to Casey's she banged on his door. "Casey, have you seen Chuck?"
"No, you two were supposed to be together. Don't tell me you lost the idiot." He ran to grab his tablet and turned it on. "Here his locator says he's, well he's in your Lotus."
"What? I'm going to have to hurt him."
Casey smirked. "Let's go check this out." The two walked over to Sarah's car after she stopped to retrieve her shoes. Sarah opened it up to find Chuck's locator watch on her seat with a single red rose and a note.
"What does the note say?" asked Casey.
"You know where I am. I'll be waiting." Read Sarah and looking at it she realized. "I do know where he is. Casey, I'll let you know when I have eyes on him."
"Make it soon or I'll have to call Beckman."
Frowning at that prospect Sarah got in and drove off. "Way to go numnuts," said Casey watching Sarah drive off because Chuck had told him what and where he was going. It was the only way Casey would have let him go.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Pulling up to the beach, Sarah could see the waves breaking as they crashing like a herd of wild stallions and a salt water mist hanging in the air. The sea gulls were screaming over head like white and gray kites suspended in the sky. And there, there on the sand sat a man looking out to sea. He was waiting and watching. Watching life pass in front of him like a Captain without a ship, or a ship without a sail.
"Chuck what were you thinking?" Yelled Sarah. "You had me worried."
"Why?"
"Because I, we couldn't find you."
"I told Casey." Butthole she thought he didn't tell me. "Here," he offered her a coffee. "Double espresso and an extra straw to chew on."
"I don't chew on straws," She protested.
"Yes you do. I got so jealous when Shaw kept bringing them to you." Crap he thought I shouldn't have mentioned Shaw. "Sorry."
"Don't be because I don't remember him."
"Probably for the better he only tried to kill you, us three times."
"And I dated him? Why?"
"Well he wasn't always bad, none of us truly are."
"Chuck that's you the perpetual optimist."
"Yeah, maybe. I even shot him once."
"I didn't think you liked bullets or shooting people."
"I don't and it was the only time."
"Why, what was so special?" Chuck got silent and watery eyed starring out to sea trying to regain composure. It was then that Sarah had a flash of her on a bridge in Paris as Shaw trying to throw her in the Seine. "Oh you did it to save me."
Chuck turned to look her in the eyes, "Yes, do you remember?"
"Chuck I won't lie things are coming back but I just don't know."
"Sara you once told me here that I didn't have to believe you I just had to trust you and everything would be okay. I'm now asking you the same thing. Can you trust me?"
"Yes Chuck, I think I can."
"Good I have a chocolate croissant for you then I have a surprise."
"Chuck the croissant is appreciated but I hate surprises."
"I know and I also know why. You can't be disappointed if you have no expectations but you only have to wait a little."
"How did you know?"
"You told me."
Sarah was totally taken aback by this. Who is this Charles Irving Bartowski that he should know her so well. Probably she had to admit better that she did herself.
With Chocolate on the corner of her mouth she asked, "How did you get here anyway?"
Chuck took a napkin out of the bag the croissant had been in and wiped her mouth. "Over there," he pointed to a black k series BMW bike. As they were talking they both eased into each other slowly almost without perception like two planets their gravity pulled each other together and they kissed.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't want to take advantage," said Chuck as he tried to pull away.
"I'm not," replied Sarah. This geek is a really good kisser she thought and the way he did it she knew this was not the first time this had happed. She was also finding that she hoped that it wouldn't be the last either.
"Now for your surprise," announced Chuck. "Close your eyes," he whispered in her ear. But as she closed them she felt him jump up and run.
"Where are you going?"
"You got to catch me if you want it."
"Mr. Bartowski I know –"
"Yeah, I know a thousand ways to kill me but I only know one way to love you and that's with my soul." He teased back as he ran for his bike. Putting on he helmet he started up by laying rubber on the asphalt. Giggling like a school girl Sarah ran for her lotus and the chase was on.
Chuck was soon on the highway and Sarah was close behind. Chuck was laying the bike down low and punching in the curves. Sarah was a little concerned when she saw from behind his foot peg kicking up sparks but he seemed to know what he was doing. Panic sank in as she realized where they were at. She couldn't believe it when Chuck pulled over in front of her mother's house.
"Chuck," she screamed jumping out of her car. "What and how did-"
He cut her off. "I know you don't remember but we took down your old hander. You stabbed him and he's dead now so your Mom and Molly are okay."
See looked up at her childhood home and saw her Mom standing there with this little girl attached to her leg like a monkey.
"Mom, Mom," yelled Molly. "It's Sarah. She's home."
"Yes, go say hi sweetie." Sarah grabbed up the little girl on the fly as she ran to her. "How are you my little monkey?"
"Fine," and gave her a big hug around the neck cutting off the circulation for a few minutes. "Can you stay for lunch?" Implored the child.
"Now, your sister is a busy person. She'll stay if she can."
"Well, can Chuck give me a ride on his bike?"
"You know we've talked about that and he knows –" Chuck cut her off "A thousand ways to kill me. Must be a family trait," he said winking at Sarah. "So Molly no bike until you turn twenty-one. But who's for ice cream? I'll leave you and Sarah to get caught up while Molly and I walk down and get some ice cream. Sarah rocky road okay?" He knew her favorite flavor she thought.
"Okay, sure." Sarah's curiosity about this man was taken to a new heights. Just how much did he know about her.
"Hi, Mom"
"Hi , Sam" Then after a long period of uncomfortable silence. "You want to come in for some tea?'
"Sure."
Sitting down at the kitchen table Sarah's mother reached over and took hold of Sarah's hands. "I know what happened honey. Chuck told me everything and I am so sorry for you."
"I don't know what to say. I don't."
"You don't have to. You know Chuck loves you a lot. He's been here helping out with Molly and me. He helped me with my pension."
"What pension?"
"You know the pension for mothers of CIA operatives who are injured in the line of duty."
"Oh that one," Sarah played off because she knew nothing like that existed.
"Sarah I hope you don't mind me butting in but I have to tell you Chuck loves you."
"I know but he loved the old Sarah I don't know if that Sarah is still me."
"Well I wouldn't wait too long that boy is hurting and you're not doing him any good making him hold on."
"I know but-"
"You know your father he was and is a con man and as he always says you can't fool a con if you –"
"You know all the cons," Sarah finished.
"Right," continued her mother "And Chuck, he's real. Just think about what I've said. There back now."
After ice cream Sarah and Chuck say good bye and got ready to head back home.
"Chuck you're not driving back on that two wheeled death trap. Get in the car."
"But what am I supposed to do with it?"
"Leave it, I'll have someone bring it home tomorrow."
"Okay but you'll have to take me out tonight."
"Take you out? Aren't you tired enough?"
"No, besides Mrs. Carmichael we have business to attend to at the El Compañeros." Chuck could tell he said something wrong by the way Sarah looked at him then he remembered the Mrs. Carmichael. 'Sorry about that but I just wanted, need your okay on some business transactions. You are actually half owner" The fact was she liked being called Mrs. Carmichael and her reaction was from the fact that she did like it.
"Sure, but you're picking up the tab."
"Deal."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Alpha team, bravo target has been seen downtown close to the First Nation. Reposition Satellites on my mark and begin uploading feed."
"We got target acquisition. Eagle one what should we do?"
"Alpha and bravo teams stand down for now. We have to take the bundle can't leave any dominoes standing, read me."
"Roger that."
"Roger eagle on, standing down and tracking.
Chapter 4
I don't own Chuck. Thanks to television programming I seem to have a lot of free time on my hands.
Sarah and Chuck pull into the parking lot next to El Compañeros. The Bartowskis get out of Sarah's Lotus decked out to kill. Sarah has heads turning as the couple enter the restaurant.
"You're going to get arrest," said Chuck jokingly to Sarah.
"What for?"
"You're giving all the guys whiplash."
"Reservations," asked the hostess.
"Carmichael," replied Chuck.
"Oh yes, table for three Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael this way. Your friend left message that they would be here soon but that they were running a little late."
"Is Morgan joining us," asks Sarah as they made their way to their table.
"No, we're meeting someone else. Our new head for European expansion project, Paris actually. I'm, We're taking Carmichael Industries international."
Sara couldn't help but feel a little perplexed after what Morgan had told her when they first had meet. This certainly didn't sound like someone who had locked themselves away for over a month living on Scotch. But as she thought it was odd but Chuck hadn't mention much about his best friend Morgan.
"Who are we meeting then. I mean what's his name?"
"It's not a he but a her. Here she is now. Sarah this is Hannah. Hannah this is Sarah.
"Sarah we've already met. Remember." Hannah could see Sarah's perplexed look. "Oh I'm so sorry. It's your memory." Sarah looked at Chuck to try and tell what was going on.
"Yes," said Chuck. "But she's getting better."
"Chuck told me about your amnesia and the car accident. I'm so sorry."
"Yes, it has been difficult."
"Well let me see if I can scare up some drinks," said Chuck. "I'll be right back, okay."
"Thanks," answered Hannah. "But I can't stay and eat I still have a whole closet to pack and my flight leaves early tomorrow."
"Okay, here's your portfolio. Sarah please sign here and here as vice-president. Okay good and now how about Martinis all around." Both women agreed and Chuck disappeared behind a group of mariachi to find the watering hole.
After a long period of silence Hannah asked, "Chuck told me about your accident. How are you doing?"
"Okay but there are still things I don't remember, like you."
"Probably for the better, I can't say we were good friends."
"No then what were we?"
"The truth, I was chasing after Chuck and he was chasing after you."
"Where was I in all this chasing? Was I chasing after Chuck too?
"Well I don't know. I saw you with this other guy. He was good looking, muscular, dark haired. He gave off this bad boy aura truthfully the opposite of Chuck. I was surprised when Chuck told me that you married him. I mean I really thought you were out of his league."
"Well, I guess I wasn't."
"Yes, and thanks for the job. I don't know if Chuck ever told you but we met on his way to Paris. He was so funny like a school boy on a field trip. We spent the whole trip talking about the Eiffel tower. He was so excited about being able to visit it. But when we landed he had to turn around and go straight back home. Do you know if he ever got a change to visit it, the Eiffel tower?"
"Yes, yes we did," answered Sarah but the truth was she couldn't remember if they did or didn't. She felt sad thinking that Chuck had done a lot for her but had she really done anything for him? Everyone was going on how great Chuck was for her and by now that was obvious but did she ever do anything for him to repay that kindness.
"Here is Chuck," said Hannah
"What? Oh yes."
"Here we go ladies."
"A toast," said Hannah "to one of the loveliest if not most unlikely couples I know." They all drank but Sarah noticed Chuck's eyes watering up and the way he looked away to regain composure.
"Well I can't get you to stay," said Chuck.
"No, I am really sorry but I do expect you to conference call me all the time and you will still be coming in the spring for a facilities tour."
"Wild horses couldn't keep us away."
Hannah got up and said her good byes then disappeared in a growing crowd of customers.
"She seems nice," said Sarah.
"Yes, she is."
"Are we now hiring your old flames?" The words slipped out of Sarah's mouth by accident.
"Are you jealous?"
"No, no, not at all, I just don't understand what she is going to do for you in Paris."
"Well Hannah is a highly recommended financial broker and expert IT tech. Carmichael Industries is moving into cyperprotection and analysis. We are moving away from the traditional hands on espionage and moving into the digital age high tech era. This was actually your idea that I am bring to fruition. The corner stone was the agreement that we signed with Verbanski. I suppose you remember Gertrude, Casey's special person."
"Special what? I can't see the Colonel with anyone. Spies –"
"I know spies don't fall in love. Despite everything and everyone we did."
"Chuck."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"I don't know what you want me to say?"
"Let's dance."
"Dance?"
"Yes, Sarah Walker couldn't resist a dance floor."
"I do like to dance."
Chuck took Sarah to the dance floor and it was as if their bodies were made of one material. They were like two parts of a puzzle that fit perfectly together. They danced so much and for so long that they forgot to eat. At the end Chuck was rattling on in his usual nervous babble when Sarah looked into his eyes and asked, "shut up and kiss me."
This kiss was different full of passion and fire. It was like an opiate, a drug that she could become addicted to. The music was loud and there were people all around them yet in that moment it was as if everything had dissolved away and it was just them under a moonlit night the perfect end to a perfect evening.
"Mr. Bartowski," she whispered in his ear. "I think it's time you take me home."
"Sure, if you want to."
"I do," answered Sarah looking deep into his eyes.
"You know you're beautiful." He wanted to say that he loved her but wasn't sure how she would react. "Let me get our things from the cloakroom and we can go."
"Don't keep me waiting mister."
Chuck walked back out to the check in girl to get their coats when Chuck noticed a group of what looked like neighbourhood tugs walking around Sarah's car. Glancing back he could see that Sarah didn't have a clear view of him so he decided to go out and make sure there was no trouble.
Walking towards the young punks Chuck started to size them us. Quickly he picked out the leader and headed towards him. "Hey, guys you like my wife's car."
"Yeah dude this is your wife's. What she got to go to get somethin' like this. I bet she's real good, huh."
"Listen I'd appreciate if you didn't-" The man cut Chuck off by drawing a chrome-plated Smith and Wesson semi-automatic 9mm.
"Give me them damn keys." By the time he made his demand Chuck had gotten up close, close enough to react and he flashed. He side stepped the pistol and right hand brush block with his left he applied pressure to the elbow with a twisting action that cause an arm lock. He then brought the assailant's gun arm down towards his own foot and the gun fired removing two toes. The man screamed in pain as he dropped to the ground holding his bloody foot rolling in agony.
"Come on," yelled one of the gang members as he charged Chuck with the other two following in. Chuck gauged the closest one and gave him a spinning heel kick. It was so violent when it landed against the man's face there was an audible cracking sound. Everyone realized that the man's jaw had just been broken. On seeing this, the other two assailants hesitated which allowed Chuck the opportunity to execute two spinning back kicks landing them in their solar plexus respectively dropping both. Chuck regained composure adjusting his tie and brushing off his shoulders, I haven't done that it a while he said to himself, as he walked back into the restaurant to collect Sarah.
Casey was standing by the water fountain when they got back to echo park.
"Were have you two been all decked out?"
"Just dinner and a dance but come to think we never ate," said Chuck.
"Yeah, I'm still hungry."
"If you want I can whip us all up some pancakes," offered Chuck.
"No thanks," said Casey. "Chuck, Beckman just called and said she had some intel she wanted you and me to run down."
"What about Sarah," asked Chuck.
"Beckman didn't mention Walker I mean Bartowski or whatever." Casey had a habit of getting tongue tied over names.
"Casey people do have first names," reminded Chuck trying to defuse an awkward moment to which Casey responded by grunting.
"It's okay," said Sarah. "I've got some things I need to do at Castle. But let's get those pancakes cooking I'm famished. Not to mention my feet are a little sore."
"I think I can take care of both," said Chuck.
As they started to disappear into their homes Casey yelled back over, "Walker a minute."
"Sure, Chuck I'll be right in." Casey and Sarah watched as Chuck closed the door.
"What are you doing Walker?"
"What do you mean?"
"Listen I like you. You were a great partner but what are you doing with Chuck?"
"I'm doing my job Colonel."
"Chuck isn't your job. The intersect is and when all of this is over is that poor sap is going to have to go back to mourn for his wife."
"I think you're exaggerating. I don't see –"
"That's the problem you don't see. Listen you know me as a hard ass and up until I worked with you two I was, no family, no friends because I like you were taught that they make us soft and soft is what gets us killed. But you two taught me that it doesn't have to be that way that I can open up and now I have a lovely daughter and a hot kickass girlfriend in Gertrude. What I'm trying to say is don't hurt him anymore than he already has been. It's not right."
"Why does everyone think I'm going to hurt Chuck?"
"I don't know maybe because since you came back you tried to blow him up, kidnapped his sister at gun point and kicked his but around a house."
"But that was different I didn't know."
"And what did Chuck do for you, he took a bullet that would've killed you. You know Chuck worships the ground you walk on and the idiot doesn't think he deserves you."
"That's not true any woman should be as lucky to have a man like Chuck."
"But Chuck doesn't want just any woman Sarah." This was the first time she could recall Casey using anyone's first name combined with his tone she felt a knot tightening in her stomach.
When she got in Chuck had already laid out the table and was plating the second pancake.
"Wash your hand. I put extra butter and syrup on yours. After all that dancing I don't think we need to worry about calories. What do you say?"
"Sure, sure," she answered still thinking about what Casey had said. They sat down and ate with easy. Chuck told jokes and teased Sarah. She responded through laughter and some protest.
"Chuck, Mom mentioned you helping with her pension. What is that all about?"
"Well, I knew that you didn't remember about us taking down you old hander so you wouldn't be contacting her and the first time I went over I got her banking info. I saw how deep in debt she was so I set up a special trust fund for her and Molly so that your Mom thinks the agency is sending her money. I thought that was the only descent thing to do. I'm sorry if you're upset about they needed to be taken care of."
"But where does the money come from?"
"Alexei Volkoff"
"Who?"
"Yes, it was a wedding present to the both of us."
"I thought we arrested him."
"We did but it turned out he was not the man everyone thought he was. Let's just say that it was a very complex and complicated mission and leave it at that."
"It sounds that way."
"Oh by the way, I just got word on the answering machine that Ellie and family will be visiting the end of the week," said Chuck as he was filling the dishwasher.
"Oh, Ellie, oh my God she must think I'm the world's most evil person."
"No that would have been Aleister Crowley."
"What?"
"No she doesn't. She's over the gun in the face ordeal. If fact I told her you were here and she wants to talk to you. She has some sort of new idea about how to help you regain your memory or at least let you access some of it."
"Are you sure about this? I could stay in a hotel while she's here if it's a problem Casey is across the way."
"Sarah you're spiralling."
"You're right."
"Sarah, Ellie thinks of you as her sister. You know for a long time it was just the two of us then Captain Awesome came along and we took him in."
"But he didn't point a gun at you."
"Listen there are things I've seen of Awesome's that are awesome and have scared me for life. I'm luck to have someone like you in my life."
"Are you Chuck because it seems to me as if all I've ever done was cause you heartache."
"Don't ever say that," putting a finger to her mouth. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me. After Standford and Jill I was just existing. I could never ever have thought of being with let alone having anyone as loving as you in my life."
"Chuck spies don't love.-"
"I know but we did. What good is it Sarah to save the world but lose your soul."
"Chuck I don't know what you want me to say?"
"Don't you see, I don't want you to say anything. I want you to feel. Because if you don't feel then our relationship would be false and our love would be too. Maybe we should just go to sleep now."
"Chuck do you want to come to bed with me," asked Sarah.
"I do but I won't not until you're ready. The sofa is fine for now."
Sarah retreated into the bedroom and Chuck went about putting things away in silence. Sarah sat on the bed again thinking. If Quinn were still alive she would go Medieval on him beginning with removing superfluous body parts. Sarah could only hope that Quinn was burning in the everlasting flames of hell. Sarah had suffered physical pain but she was blessed in that she could not remember. Chuck, Chuck on the other hand had to relive his lose every waking day of his life. Some men go mad on less.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gold team – "target's residence confirmed."
"Gold team," Eagle one – "begin laying the net. I want all the targets taken down at the same time. I want to hit them so hard they don't have time to react. They're not going even know what hit them.
"Roger that, Eagle one."
Chapter 5
Don't own Chuck but I do miss the show.
ECHO PARK 0900
"Wake up sleepy head," called a strange but familiar voice. Sarah had been dreaming and in her dream she had been in this radiant white dress surrounded by a radiant glow. She felt so warm so happy. She felt well like a princess and this was what was so puzzling, Sarah Walker felt like a princess. She had never considered herself the princess type but here in her dream she was. There was another bizarre sensation, one that she had never truly felt before. She felt she was home.
"Who? What?" She said reacting to the intrusive voice and went for the knife under her pillow. Before Chuck could stop her, Sarah threw the knife across the room at his alarm clock and impaled it. The poor thing made a metallic twang as the blade hit home.
"Well, that one is officially dead."
"Oh, I'm sorry Chuck," Sarah said as she pulled herself up in bed. "I'll buy you another one this morning."
"Don't worry I have a closet full of them back at castle. You know you're not a morning person."
"Yeah, kind of comes with the business. Most covert activities are done late at night."
"Right, well Casey has already been by so I'm going over and we're leaving. I just made some fresh coffee and there are two chocolate croissants in the microwave that I made for you."
"Made?" She replied teasing.
"Okay, warmed up. My culinary skills have only reached past the two minute setting of the microwave, but in time I think I can manage to reach boiling water without burning down the house."
Sarah looked at him with her big blue eyes and said, "Thank you." There was a long period of silence as they just starred at each other each trying to guess what the other was feeling. She felt his gravity pulling and he felt her attraction She wanted to say more but the words wouldn't come out. She long to say more, her whole body ached to say more, but she just couldn't.
The awkward moment was broken when Casey barged into the bedroom. "Bartowski get a move on it. We're burning daylight."
"Right Casey. I don't know if you know this and evidently you don't but there is this modern invention called a doorbell. It is usually used to announce that people want to come into other people's homes so that the owners of said homes don't get a heart attack or perhaps shot the unintended guest as an intruder."
"Shut up idiot, let's go. What's going on here anyway. Did I miss anything?"
"I think that is a little too much information," answered Chuck to which Casey replied with a grunt.
Sarah stretched and yawned in bed as she heard the door close. She felt lazy and just wanted to lounge around for a while. She got up took a shower and with no one around she walked around the house with only a towel wrapped around her. When she went into the kitchen there was a permeating smell of coffee and it was so inviting especially after her relaxing shower. The warm water beating over her body had been so soothing but now she needed something to perk her up. She reached up and grabbed a mug but not just any. Fishing in the cabinet she reached for an old chipped one in the back. As she was pouring her cup she suddenly realized what she had done. What was so important about this cup she asked herself? Then like an electric shock like the one you get when rubbing up against a wool sweater she saw it in her mind an relived it tis time.
"Here you can use my cup," said Chuck "This was the cup my father drank from the day he left. I found it on the counter and I kept it hidden. Ellie doesn't even know. She tried to throw it out once but I kept it safe. So here, you're keeping me safe you can keep this safe too."
She came out of her day dream to find a pool of coffee on the counter top because she had let her cup over flow. "Crap," she exclaimed putting away the coffee pot and reaching for a kitchen towel to clean her mess up. As she was cleaning she couldn't help but think that this had been different from her other memory flashes. The ones before had been images or like watching a movie but in this one she had lived it, and most important she had felt it.
After cleaning up her mess she rinsed the kitchen towel in the sink and as she looked up she saw her reflection in the window. For a moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. She noticed that the woman she was looking at was smiling and the reflection she saw in the window glass was the same image as those she had seen in the pictures in the living room. Did she dare hope that this was some sort of sign?
"Ellie, we have something to talk about now," Sarah whispered to herself.
Sarah jumped in start when her phone started to ring and vibrate, dancing across the table top. Looking down she saw that it was Agent Cusson on a secure line.
"Lyn what's up?" Asked Sarah.
"Are you alone," asked a female voice on the phone.
"Yeah, Chuck and Casey are out running down leads from Beckman and I'm going by Castle in a little while."
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Don't know yet I'll have to wait until Chuck gets back to make plans but Beckman should know all this. It's in my daily logs. Isn't she keeping you in the loop?"
"Oh, yes but I guess she's busy with everything at the downtown headquarters."
"But she's not there. Don't you know? I shouldn't say anything but she met up with Roan Montgomery at the airport and I think they went to do some off the book surveillance, if you know what I mean."
"Oh really, Good for her. Well then I won't bother her."
"Probably for the better. What are you up to anyway?"
"Nothing much just running down leads and surveillance work. You know the usual spy thing. Well Sarah I got to run."
Sarah looked at the phone for a while thinking how odd that conversation was but in the end just shrugged her shoulders and got ready for she had one stop to make before Castle. It was one she dreaded but it was one she had to make.
XXXXXXXXXX
Sarah pulled up in her lotus outside of Orange orange and looked over at the Buy More. It looked the same as she had seen it. There were some things that just never change in life and that was the Buy More, if you could call that a good thing.
"Okay Sarah," she said to herself "suck it up and let's get this over with." She made her way across the lot and as the automatic doors opened she was hit with a strange odor a mix of new electronic products and the sweet fresh smell of baked bread, "Subway" came to her mind but more than that this was a place she remembered maybe the first clear memory she had had. As she made her way down the aisles she noticed the home video area and in a flash she remembered sitting on the couch watching a movie but she wasn't alone Chuck was sitting with her explaining the film. What was it? What was the title then like through a cloud of fog "Return of the Jedi." She could hear Chuck's voice but what was he saying. Then she heard it, "I feel like Luke Skywalker in a sense."
"Why?" she heard herself ask.
"Luke never got to know his parents really and he was set on a mission that was bigger than he was."
"Chuck, Luke didn't have team Bartowski nor did he have me." He move close to kiss her and she felt it. She felt his lips. She felt it all, his hot breath on her, his scent filling her nostrils and his arms enveloping her. Her knees felt so weak that she had to steady herself. "Wow, what was this," she asked herself.
Finally after navigating her mine field of sensations she arrived at her destination, the manager's office. Opening the door she found Morgan inside with a black marker drawing glasses on an Indian looking rock singer on a poster. The band's name was Jeffster and the poster read, "Jeffster's World Tour after their unprecedented success in Germany, liked by both men and women Jeffster: Tokyo, Amsterdam, Payneville, Kentucky".
"Morgan," Sarah said as she tapped him on the shoulder.
"What," he answered jumping in start dropping the marker and cap on the floor. "Who, oh it's you Sarah. I wish you and Casey would stop doing that. One of these days you're going to give me a heart attack and then it will be funny. I want to see you at my funeral but technically I wouldn't be able to see you because I would be -"
"Shut up Morgan!"
"Okay I'm shutting up but I was just saying-"
"Morgan, I need to talk with you."
"Sure Sarah anything. What do you want? I can give you a family discount or a reduced price?"
"Morgan, you know I'm a trained assassin."
"Shutting up."
"What's up with Chuck?"
"That' a good one, up chuck."
"Morgan," she said grabbing him by the collar.
"Hey, the clothes," Morgan said straightening out his Buy More vest. "Sarah I can't tell you much because I don't know much."
"But you're his best friend?"
"Yeah, I used to be but he hasn't said anything to me for over a month. He's been civil but every time I suggested we do or go anywhere he always has an excuse."
"But you've been friends since school. You were there the day his Mom left."
"Yeah, hey you remember that? What else do you remember?"
"Things are coming back to me and I don't know how the fit together. It's like looking at a puzzle on a table. You see all the pieces but you don't know how they fit together."
"But you're remembering that's got to be good. What does Chuck say?"
"I haven't told him because I don't want to get his hopes up."
"But Sarah you got to tell him. I love Chuck like a brother but one of his big problems and yours is you two don't communicate your feelings to each other. It is like when you first moved in with him. You lived out of your suitcase and you refused to put your clothes in the closet"
"That's not true they're there now."
"They are there now. Chuck kept telling you it was okay to leave them in your suitcase but then he asked everyone else if we thought you had second thoughts about moving in."
"How did it end?"
"You came back after a mission where you two were forced to talk it out and you put them in."
"Okay but what's going on with you two?"
"Well, Chuck won't admit it but I think he blames me in part for what happened to you."
"Why? You didn't make Quinn do what he did to me."
"I know but if I hadn't shot my mouth off at Aspen about being the intersect then we wouldn't have come on Quinn's radar. I do miss my buddy."
"That's not fair. Listen, I'll talk with Chuck and try to get this fixed."
"Thanks Sara, you are a true friend," Morgan said as he gave her a hug. This too felt right she thought. "I promise not to flatten anymore tires. Cross my heart."
"Morgan, what were you doing with Chuck at Lou's anyway? What's her story?"
"Oh Lou, yeah that I do know. You see Chuck felt sorry for her after well the Bartowski team got her sausage connection cut off and she was fined by the Department of Agriculture. She nearly lost her business license when Chuck stepped in. He floated her an interest free loan and got her out of hot water with the FDA. That was the reason we were meeting over there. It was Lou who insisted she give back the loan and wanted to thank him in person. She even promised not to spit in his sandwich."
"Chuck did all that?"
"Yeah, and she even has a Bartowski sandwich on the menu. Some kind of Reuben but you know I really don't like sauerkraut. Well, it's not that I don't like sauerkraut. I actually do like sauerkraut but it gives me gas and working in my office here in the Buy More well I can tell you, oh buddy, it can be bad. Sarah, Sarah," Morgan looked around but Sarah had left when he started ramble.
"Okay, Chuck it's time I do something for you." Sarah said to herself as she got into her Lotus and headed back to the Mall. When she arrived she pulled into a familiar parking spot in front of Lou's Deli.
As she walked in she heard a ring sound from a bell attached to the top of the door. Inside was full of clients asking for sandwiches made to order. Strange smells and aromas of exotic spices filled the air. Behind the counter were three people filling the various orders quickly and efficiently. It looked as if the three were one as each seemed to finish the other's work without pause or reflection. It was then that e a minuet brown hair girl with large brown eyes noticed Sarah.
"Boys, can you take over for a bit I need to talk to the lady," Sarah heard Lou say. Then she walked over and held out her hand, "hi Sarah."
Sarah realized that she hadn't thought this situation through and was at a loss as to what to say.
"Hi," she answered shaking Lou's hand.
There was a period of silence and Lou recognized Sarah's hesitation. "Oh, you don't remember me do you?"
"Well, truthfully no."
"Chuck told me about your car accident." Sarah couldn't help but wonder how many people had Chuck told. She thought if this was not what Morgan had talked about before.
"I'm sorry if I just dropped in but I wanted to do something special for Chuck and I was talking with Morgan-"
"Oh Chuck's little friend. Not that I should say anyone is little." They both laughed. "I met him the other day."
"Yes, he told me that you had a special sandwich that Chuck liked and since I was about I thought I would get him one. You know as a surprise."
"I'd be happy to," said Lou. "Boys one Bartowski special extra mustard, extra pickles."
"Right away Boss," one of them answered.
"Let's sit down and talk while they're putting together your take out." They moved over to a table in the corner. Sarah instinctively choose a chair with her back to the wall and direct line of sight to the door and emergency exit. "How is your recovery coming? That must be awful."
"Yes, it is but I we are taking it day by day."
"Oh I see. Is that why you're not wearing your wedding ring?" This was the first time she had really thought about it as she stared down at her bare hand. She couldn't help but think how many other people had noticed but hadn't said anything.
"No, I lost it in the accident," which she thought to herself wasn't exactly a lie. Lou went on telling her basically everything that Morgan had said and finally one of Lou's employees walked over and handed Lou Chuck's sandwich.
"Here you go," said Lou. Sarah offered to pay but Lou refused. "By the way I have something else for Chuck," Lou continued. She left and came back with a large envelope in her hand. "This is the money I tried to give Chuck the other day but when he left he forgot it on the table."
Sarah took in and looked inside it could have easily been well over a hundred thousand dollars then she handed it back to Lou, "I'm sure he didn't forget it. Lou be good," and with that Sarah picked up her order and left.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ECHO BASE THAT EVENING
"I need some asprin," said Chuck when he walked in.
"Do you have a headache?"
"I've been cooped up with Casey all day in that van. 'Bartowski, you idiot.' Chuck said doing a imitation of Casey, which made Sarah laugh.
"Maybe I can do something about that. Sit down over here." Chuck sat at the table and Sarah came up behind him and started giving him a neck massage."
"Oh, yes this is good. Thanks Babe." The word babe just rolled out of his mouth and it was only afterwards did he think about what he had said. "Thanks," he said again trying to correcting himself.
"Well I have a surprise for you." Sarah pulled out Lou's sandwich and put it in front of him.
"So you've been to Lou's."
"Yes, and we had a good talk."
"And can I guess what the topic of your conversation was?" Chuck asked as he reached around and pulled a knife from the butcher block. "Here take half," he offered.
"But I bought it for you," Sarah protested.
"One sandwich is way too much for me and besides you have to try it."
"Wow that is good," Sarah exclaimed as she bit into it. She pulled a chair over next to Chuck's and placed her hand on his leg. "I need to talk to you I went to the Buy More today and talked with Morgan."
"Oh and what did he have to say?"
"He thinks you've been avoiding him. He thinks you blame him for what happen, is that true?"
Chuck's face went pale and he stopped eating. "It's not that I blame him because I don't. The intersect he had in his head was defective. It's just when I see him I think of our last five years together that have been ripped from me." Chuck's voice began to tremble. "I see him with Alex and they're so happy."
"You mean happy like we used to be?"
Chuck open his mouth but words wouldn't come out and all he could do was look down at the ground and nod yes. Sarah felt so sorry for him. She could see his pain because it was written all over his face. Chuck mustered up a thin voice, "We had so many plans together: the company, the house with the picket fence. Gone, all gone too soon gone." Sarah pulled his head to her breast and he cried a flood of tears. Tears that he had longed to release and now the flood gates were open and they were pouring out.
Sarah gently kissed him on the head then whispered in his ear. "I had some memories come back today."
"Really," he asked looking up at her with his watery eyes.
"Yes, I know it's not much but maybe with time."
"Yes, yes," said Chuck. Her words were like a life saver being tossed to a drowning man. Now he had hope. Now he could go on. "Let's call Ellie," Chuck suggested.
"She'll be here in a couple of days and trying to get Devon and Clara together for the trip could be exhausting for her. Besides any tests she will want to run she'll have to do here. So for now let's not bother her. Now, Mr. Bartowski your wife would like to go to bed."
Chuck was dumbfounded he didn't know what to do or say. "Are you sure?" He finally asked.
"Yes."
"Sarah I don't want to say no to your offer but why don't we just sleep, sleep together for now. I don't want you to get me wrong but sex just complicates things and right now we need simple."
"Okay," answered Sarah but she couldn't help but think about all the other men she had known and how they couldn't wait to jump on her but this nerd wanted her but he was willing to wait. He really respected her and loved her.
They set around for a little longer talking and laughing holding hands and caress each other. It felt so right. Sarah was Chuck's moon and now she was in his orbit. Chuck couldn't help but compare Sarah's eyes to two oceans of wonder. He knew he loved her from the moment she walked into the Buy More and now it seemed he was giving a second chance. This time he wasn't going to let anyone or anything like the intersect get in his way.
Silently they got ready for bed. Sarah changed in her nightgown in the bedroom with Chuck. He watched her as she disrobed and with each article of clothing she removed more bare skin she showed. He knew that body. He knew that soft skin. He knew the scent of her golden hair. This was his glimpse of paradise lost and now found for she was truly an angel for him.
"Aren't you going to get ready?" She asked teasingly.
"Yes in a bit. I'm just admiring the view."
"I'm going to take my make up off will I find you awake when I get back?"
"You have to ask." After she left he put on his pajama and turned down the bed. When she returned they both got in and turned out the lights. But sleep wouldn't come. They just laid there not saying a word just looking into each other's eyes, mirrors of the soul they stared into. Chuck was sure he could feel Sarah breathing and soon he was counting each breath, one in, one out like rhythmic waves lapping up on a golden beach. As he counted his eyes became heavy and at last he slept. It was a deep sleep, a restful sleep, the first true sleep he had had in over a month.
Chapter 6
Don't own Chuck.
ECHO PARK 0900
Sarah and Chuck woke up facing each other in bed. The first thing Chuck saw when he opened his eyes was Sarah the most beautiful creature on God's green earth and she was there in bed with him. She looked so peaceful and radiant that he didn't want to wake her. Was this real he had to ask himself or had he died and gone to heaven. A cliché he knew but that was how he felt. His prayers were answered and the embodiment of his love was lying next to him.
"Hello Beautiful," said Chuck as Sarah opened her gorgeous blue eyes.
"Hi Sweetie," Sarah answered. "How long have you been awake?"
"Not long."
"Why didn't you wake me?"
"I didn't want to."
"I haven't slept so soundly since well I can't remember."
"Me too," replied Chuck. There was a loud coughing sound from the door way and much to their dismay Morgan, Alex and Casey were there starring at them. Sarah and Chuck reacted by pulling up their bed covers.
"Guys," protested Chuck, "this would be kind of cute if it weren't so creepy. You know we're not the Waltons."
"What are you guys doing anyway?" asked Casey.
"Dad," said Alex. "Do I need to draw you a picture."
"Out, everyone out now!"
"Chill Bartowski, don't get all worked up or you're going to bust something. By the way Chuck you're with Walker today, I've got to run some personal errands. I've got Grimes and Alex coming over this evening so I thought I'd break out the old beast grill. If you two are around drop in and have a couple of steaks."
"It's good you're getting to know better your future son-in-law Casey but Sarah and I are going out of town for some wine tasting. If you want I can bring back some wine."
Casey responded with a grunt then rethinking, "that might be good with the steaks but I'd prefer something with a little more kick."
"Bang for your bucks? Well we are going to go to a little place I know outside the city. Don't worry we won't go far."
"Walker you keep an eye on the idiot don't let him out of your sights."
"Don't worry Casey I've got this mission covered," Sarah replied as she wrapped her arms around Chuck.
"Good," said Casey "keep up the good work I think."
Finally the hoard left leaving Chuck and Sarah alone. Sarah ran her fingers through Chuck's hair and kissed him softly on the neck. Chuck truly thought he was dreaming. This can't get much better he thought.
"So Sweetie are we really going wine tasting?"
"Yes, I know the perfect place but we have to get a go on it if we're going to be back for Casey's barbeque."
"And if we drink too much?"
"I think we can find something to keep ourselves busy until we can drive back. What do you think?"
"Oh, I have a few ideas," she replied as rolled on top of Chuck and covered his face with kisses. Chuck couldn't help but think that he finally had Sarah back. She had finally come home and not just home but home to him.
The couple got up and had breakfast toasted bread covered with jam that they feed each other getting more on their faces then in their mouths. "We really have got to go," said Chuck.
"So you really want to go?"
"Take my word on it you're going to love it. Just let me get a shower and we're off." While Chuck was in the shower Sarah's phone rang.
"Who's it?" asked Chuck a little annoyed not wanting their day to be ruined.
"It's a secure call from Agent Cusson."
"Cusson who?" said Chuck
"I'll explain later just let me get this and we're out the door I promise."
"Lyn I was going to call you Chuck and I are going to," Sarah yelled back at Chuck. "What's the name of the place we're going?"
"Casa del Sol, it's right outside Burbank in Los Angeles county."
"Did you hear that? Good, Did I let General Beckman know? No. Yes she might want to send a follow along vehicle. You know she's with Roan Montgomery. What? You think she might want to come? I should invite her. Crap no I won't tell Chuck he's got his hopes built up. Bye."
Chuck came out drying his hair with only a towel wrapped around him. Sarah stood there for a while admiring his lanky body and his deep brown doe eyes.
"You know dressed like that we may not go anywhere mister."
"As much as that sounds appealing to me we need to get a move on it."
"I need to phone General Beckman while you get dressed and then I swear we'll be out the door." Sarah said to herself, I'll tell Chuck about Beckman on the drive down that way it won't be a surprise if she comes and we can still enjoy ourselves when we get there.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SOMEWHERE IN THE DARK
"Alpha team," said a mysterious voice "targets are on the move confirm identities before extraction. Lethal force is to be avoided but permitted if necessary all other teams respond."
Delta team, "roger."
Bravo team, "roger."
"Eagle," Alpha team reported, "identities are confirmed awaiting orders."
"Eagle to all teams go!, go, go"
Delta team, "roger go."
Alpha team, "roger go."
Bravo team, "roger go."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ECHO BASE
Casey had just got his fire going and was about to throw on the steaks he had marinated all day. "You see Grimes," he explained, "it's all in the marination. This recipe I learned in the orient while hunkered down fifty miles north of the DMZ with only sewer rats to eat. You take one part soy sauce, one part rice vinegar, an equal about of sugar add crushed garlic and put your meat on. Then you wait twelve hours or more before putting on the grill. You keep the left over sauce and baste your meat as you grill it. Those were some mighty fine rats. Almost makes your mouth water."
But Morgan wasn't paying attention to Casey his attention was drawn to a crop duster who seemed to be off course and headed straight towards them.
"Hey, Big fellow but is that plane supposed to fly over inhabited areas?"
"What Morgan?" Casey looked up, "Oh crap." Before they could react the plane spread the whole neighborhood with a grey gas and everyone and everything began to drop. Mrs. Nelson who lived down the block had been out walking her dog both she and the dog dropped over on the sidewalk. Casey tried to fight it off by holding his breath because he knew if he could hold out for a few minutes the gas would dissipate but he couldn't. He felt himself slowly fading out. The last thing he remembered was a blurred vision of men in hazmat suits and being levitated.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
SOMEWHERE IN THE DARK
"Eagle Echo Park secured. Extraction completed, no casualties, returning to base with targets in tow."
"Roger that. Do we have enough gas for another fly by?"
"That's a negative. Had to use all of it because of atmospheric conditions."
"Alpha team you'll have to make the extraction without Bravo or Alpha teams."
"Alpha team, Roger that and the use of lethal force?"
"Same as before, only if necessary. I want these people alive so they can suffer got that. Alpha team Eagle will meet you on site for extraction assistance. Eagle out."
"Roger that Eagle, Alpha out."
"What did they do to her?" asked a man sitting next to Alpha team leader.
"I don't know and I don't want to know. I just wouldn't' want to be them. Now pipe down and put your game masks on we're going to go in hot." However, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on. This was the first time Eagle had been personally involved in a mission, let alone an extraction.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
CASA DEL SOL
Sarah's Lotus pulled into a long gravel driveway with vineyards lining both sides that seemed to go on for miles with a Tuscan style villa set at the end with circular turnabout in front and a fountain bubbling with water and fish in the middle. It was something like the house she had seen the other night on television. There was nothing to watch so Chuck had rented an old movie the Grapes of Wrath she thought.
"Oh Sweetie this is lovely."
"Isn't it, look over there is Beckman and Roan. Let's say hi so we can disappear."
"Remember Love I'm still on mission so try to play nice."
"Always Babe. Afternoon Diane, Roan. How do you like it here?"
"Mr. Bartowski I have to admit it is quite charming."
"Yes, Charles it is truly breathe taking."
"Here we go," Chuck said as a waitress approached them with glasses of wine. "Our home is your home," Chuck said lifting his glass in a toast.
"What do you mean Love?"
"We own this?" Sarah looked around bewildered. She figured from all the money Chuck had given away that there had to be some hidden fortune but this, well this was too much. "How?"
"Diane here was kind enough to unfreeze our assets so I have been doing a little diversification and when I saw this I knew I, I knew we had to have it. I will show you why in a bit. General, Roan" Chuck said turning to each of them. "The wine tasting starts up stairs in an hour if you want make yourselves at home and walk around the gardens." Taking Roan aside Chuck whispered to him, "There is a nice gazebo on the south lawn with a view that one would die for. Why don't you take Diane and on the way their after you clear the villa at your ten o'clock will be a red rose bush in bloom."
"Thank you Charles you are a true gentleman and scholar"
"What can I say I've learned from the best," to which they touched glasses.
Meanwhile the women were talking. "What do you think they are talking about?" asked the General.
"I don't know."
"You and Chuck seem, how should I put it, very casual today."
"Yes, we sleep together last night."
The General almost gagged on her drink. "My God, I don't need to know all the sordid details."
"No, it wasn't like that we just sleep together, in the same bed. I might have wanted more but he wanted to wait. It was, he is great."
"Well, I'm happy for you Mrs. Bartowski and if you don't mind me saying it it's about damn time you come around."
"Yes it is," Sarah answered but it hadn't fallen on deaf ears that the General had called her Mrs. Bartowski for that was who she really was now, Mrs. Charles Irving Bartowski.
"General," Chuck interrupted. "I think Roan has something he wants you to see." Then he turned to Sarah. "Love, do you want to go in and get ready?" The two couples parted ways as the General and Roan set off to find the Gazebo but not before they reach it Roan cut off a rose for Diane. "Roan you are the Romantic," remarked Diane.
"Why did the General liberate your our assets?" enquired Sarah. "She doesn't seem like the type who would do something for nothing."
"Well that's true. Let's just say I did a few jobs for her."
"No wet work I hope."
Chuck laughed, "No nothing like that just some hacking, decrypting and other odd jobs when she needed my skill sets."
"Mr. Carmichael you are a mysterious man. Exactly how much money do we have?"
"The truth, I don't even know," quickly changing the topic, "Look over here I want to show you this." They walked over to a large aquarium in the middle of a hall. "See them. Do you know what they are?"
"Pufferfish, right?"
"Yes. The little one with what looks like a beard I call him Morgan and the big one is Casey. You know why?"
"I have no idea. Casey doesn't care much for fish. I give up."
"Watch this." Chuck pecked on the glass and the fish blew up like balloon. "Now do you see the resemblance?" Sarah thought she was going to pee on herself as much as she laughed. "I think they're getting ready to start up stairs," said Chuck. "So we should make our way. It's not polite to keep our guests waiting." The couple made their way up a carpeted staircase into a large open room. Looking around there were two doors at the opposite end that seemed to lead off to some sort of veranda. In the middle of the room were a series of tables with waiters standing next to each one with an open bottle of wine.
"Babe, let me do the honors." Chuck poured two glasses. This particular bottle comes from Burgundy in France the home of Chardonnay. Chardonnay is a white wine with a terrior or oak flavor light body with a notable acidity. Do you taste that?" Sarah nodded yes. "Now try this one. It is the same wine but it is grown in northern California. The different climate changes the flavor and smell." He puts the glass under her nose and fans it. Do you smell that? Now taste. It has a green plum almost apple flavor." Again she nods but with a look of wonder now on her face. "Lastly, this one, this we grown here. Again see how the taste and aroma are different. There is a hint of tropical fruit."
"From sultry climates," Sarah whispered in his ear.
It was then that they noticed the whole room had gone quiet and everyone was staring at them. Chuck turned a little red from embarrassment but quickly recover.
"I think you can take it from here," Chuck said to the Maître. "We also have a wonderful cabernet. Please continue. Babe follow me there is one more thing I want to show you," he said as he took Sara by the hand and Chuck led his love out the opposite door. The view literally took Sarah's breath away. Through the door was a covered veranda with arches supported by Tuscan columns that gave off to the southern lawn and the vineyards beyond.
"Sweetie, have I ever been here before? It looks so familiar," asked Sarah.
"No, but we have been somewhere similar. Do you remember?"
Sarah looked up at him with a radiant face, "Yes, I do. We were on mission. There was a missing chip we had to recover. Then you were going to propose to me but I had to go away."
"Yes, yes that's right. Well not exactly but yes that's right. Sarah Bartowski, there is something I want to ask," Chuck said as he got down on one knee and took her hand.
"Yes, Chuck," she answered with trepidation in her voice.
However, just as Chuck was going to say his famous line he saw a group of people dressed in black with ear pieces being led by a similar dressed woman.
"Sarah who's that?" Chuck asked getting back up.
"What, who oh her that's agent Cusson, Sara replied with a tone of puzzlement. "I guess she's here to brief General Beckman.
Chuck flashed. The intersect in Chuck's head took apart the face of Cusson and reassembled it with different one and when he saw the name in his head he knew his plans were ruined. "Sarah I don't want you to freak out but that woman is not CIA. Her actual organization isn't in the intersect but her real name is Evelyn Shaw and I don't think she's here to sample wines."
"The Intersect, Chuck what are you talking about? And who is Evelyn Shaw? Is she related to Daniel Shaw?"
"I really don't have time to get into this with you. I know you're going to be mad but trust me when I say we need to get out of here."
"What about Beckman and Roan," Sarah asked only to see them being led away at gun point."
"Sarah do you trust me?" Chuck found a piece of cord on the veranda and attached it in a slip knot to one of the columns. He then secured himself and grabbed Sarah around the wait. "Are you with me Babe?"
"For life," she replied "but I still think I'm mad at you."
"We'll settle that later." Then they leaped off the balcony just as a large group of men dressed in black holding automatic weapons erupted on the veranda. Landing Chuck popped the cord and the line fell. "Sarah knife," he asked. Sarah detached a knife from her garter and threw it to him. With the knife he cut off a section of the cord and secured a small vase to the end.
"We need to make it to the barn and we'll be safe," said Chuck.
"But Beckman!" However, as Sarah spoke a black SUV with tinted glasses sped away.
"It's too late for them but if we get to the barn we'll be able to do something."
Just then five huge men in black suits came rushing around the corner of the villa blocking their escape route.
"Don't they come in any other size," remarked Chuck.
"Chuck I left my gun on the veranda in my bag." It was then that Chuck flashed. He contorted and wrapped the rope around himself then like a bullet he hurled it out with the vase attached to the end. Each time he flung it out it hit a bull's eye making a loud cracking sound as bones broke. One after one their assailants fell none of them able to get off a shot.
"Come on the barn is right over there."
"Chuck you and I need to talk."
"Game face Babe," but from the tone he knew he was in deep kimchee.
Chapter 7
Don't own Chuck.
OUTSIDE AN OLD SEEMINGLY ABANDONED BRICKED WAREHOUSE DOWNTOWN
Not far away Chuck and Sarah are standing around a silver Aston Martin making battle plans.
"Chuck, have you been able to get comms up?"
"No, they've got some sort of jamming device. It's blocking all frequencies."
"How about hacking into their system?"
"They've got a closed loop so until we get in I won't be able to get any intell plus the outside of the building has got some sort of protection against infrared scanning so truthfully we're going in blind. This is a suicide mission."
"But if we do nothing-"
"I know, we lose everyone."
"Any suggestion?"
Sarah actually asked him for his advice he couldn't believe it. The Sarah from five years ago would've gone in with guns blazing and with a devil-take-care attitude shot up the place. His Sarah, Chuck's Sarah now was asking his advice. He couldn't help but believe that his wife was finallyhere.
"I guess we could launch a two prong attack. I'll go for the roof and shut down the jammer while you enter from either the front or rear. Personally, I think the rear would be better because they will probably be waiting for us in the front unless the know that we know they will be waiting in the front so they will be waiting in the rear. Unless-"
"Chuck I get the idea. Okay you take the roof and go for the jammer then try to hack their system. I'll set charges around the entrance to use as a diversion and come in from the rear. You'll also need to contact Miramar and get those predators put on hold. It wouldn't be bad either if we had an updated ETA on the CATs."
"I talked with Carina just before we lost comms. She said she had the pilot kick in afterburners and they would be here as soon as possible."
"Good Sweetie," she said then she gave him a kiss. "Okay Chuck weapons check. You know I wish you would take a real gun."
"I know Sarah but you know how I feel about bullets and guns. Besides I have my new automatic tranq gun. I'll be safe just you be too."
"Okay, Kevlar on," as Sarah put her vest on she noticed that both vests had their names embroidered on them and hers read Sarah Bartowski in gold. Chuck noticed her rubbing her hands over the embroidery.
"Too much?" he asked.
"No, no," she replied. "It's perfect." She reached out and kissed him as hard as she could. "Okay, Love game face."
They parted making their separate ways to the warehouse under the cover of night. Little did they know or suspect that video cameras had detected them and deep in the dark recesses of the warehouse Evelyn, her henchmen, and the Bartowski team were watching their every move.
"No, Chuck. No, Sarah run away," yelled Morgan as he tried to get up from his chair only to be pushed back down by the female Greta.
"Hey, leave him alone," yelled Alex only to receive a slap across the face from one of the male Gretas. Both Casey and Grimes stood up in protest, but Evelyn drew a Beretta 9mm and pointed it at Alex.
"I think we all need to calm down and enjoy the movie or I'll start shooting people in the head. I think I'll start with this one."
"Okay, okay, Grimes sit down you moron."
"There you go, good old Casey, true to the end," retorted Morgan upset because Casey had called him a moron in front of Alex.
"Now boys and girls let's get back to the fun."
On the monitor there was a bright light that came from the inside of the front of the warehouse at the same time about six men in black flew out of line of sight. Then the monitor panned to the rear to see Sarah roll in from an open window shooting five more with a suppressed pistol.
"Yeah, way to go girl," screamed Morgan. "Hey, Elvira how many henchmen you got so we can keep a head count? By the way didn't you promise popcorn? I could also use a grape soda, extra ice."
"Mr. Grimes before you keep talking you might want to look at Colonel Casey's face. Do you want to end up the same way?"
"Well, on Casey anything would be an improvement, but you see at the Buy More their health plan doesn't cover plastic or cosmetic surgery. Can you recommend one cause-"
"Greta shut him up."
"Okay, shutting up. Zipped my mouth. Not another peep," said Morgan as the female Greta placed her strong hands on his shoulder. "Ouch! Hey, lady I got a girlfriend."
Just as Morgan was about get bodily harm done to him the monitor panned up to the roof. There they saw Chuck planting what looked like a charge close to an array of antennas and just as he was about to leave four men appeared out of the dark. They didn't have a chance. Chuck performed a carte wheel, a complete 360 and tranq'ed all four, dropping them before they could react let alone reach their weapons.
"Well, I think that clears up any doubts about Bartowski and the intersect," said Evelyn coldly. "General, I've got an idea. How about a little wager, your intersect against say two of my Gretas?"
"You're mad. I don't bet against people's lives."
"Oh, but you do. You're in the military every time you deploy troops you're risking the lives of countless fathers and mothers."
"Those people are patriots. They are heroes who have vowed allegiance their country and take up arms to defend it."
"Isn't Chuck the same or did someone make the decision for him. Don't answer that we both know the answer." She then picked up a radio and spoke into it. "Let them both in but I want the girl taken prisoner."
After Sarah noticed that following her initial encounter with the men in black suddenly they seemed to becoming fewer and fewer.
"Chuck," she said talking into her phone watch. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm here Bebe."
"Have you noticed that there seems to be fewer and fewer enemy agents?"
"I'm still on the roof. I'm about to tap into their security cam feed." It was then Chuck saw with horror that Sarah was surrounded. "Get out, get out Love your-" before he could finish she was taken.
"Give it up Walker," said one of the men. She jumped out of hiding and was going to fire but before she could get off a shot one of the male Gretas hit her from behind and she dropped like a rag doll. The security feed Chuck had tapped blinked and Evelyn's face came on.
"Mr. Bartowski, Chuck surrender and nothing will happen to Sarah or your friends."
"If you harm any of them-"
"Chuck don't make idol threats; it's not becoming of the intersect. I have a proposal of a sorts where you all walk free, Sarah and your friends, a wager that I have with General Beckman. Come down and we can discuss it or I can," she turned the monitor towards a Greta who just walked in carrying Sarah. "I think you get the picture. By the way loose the guns and vest not that tranq guns can't help you anyway."
"How pathetic," said one of the drone Gretas.
Chuck dropped his assault rifle and unbuckled his gun holster. They made a dull thud as they hit the roof top. A plan he thought as he climbed down the ladder, I need a plan he continued to think as he walked down the long corridors, descending farther and deeper down. His mind wondered for a second and something came to him, something he had read at Standford a translation of Dante'e inferno, the sign over the gates to hell, All hope abandon you who enter here. Had hope abandoned him, no Sarah was alive and he was going to see to it that she stayed that way no matter what he had to do.
"Welcome Chuck," said Evelyn as he entered. "You don't mind if I call you Chuck, after all you were a close personal friend of my husband's or do you prefer Charles?"
"My friends call me Chuck so you can call me Charles."
"No need to be nasty. I'm glad you could make it. You see all your friends are here."
Chuck looked around the room searching for Sarah. He found her standing near an opposite door with a male Greta next to her having regained her senses. The rest of the group was sitting behind a desk with guards behind them. Evelyn was pontificating near where Sarah was standing.
"Chuck the vest."
He pulled on the Velcro tabs and let it drop to the ground.
"It would have helped you much anyway. Here's the deal. You against two of my Gretas in combat, the winner takes all. If you win your wife and friends go free and if you lose well you won't have to worry about them because you'll be dead. Those are my terms."
"Chuck, don't," Sarah implored as tears started flowing.
"Bebe, if I have to choose I'll always choose you. Okay let's get this going I accept."
"Good this ought to be good." Evelyn took up position next to Sarah and continued explaining. "On the walls behind you will find double-edged jian swords,"
Morgan interrupted, "the gentleman of weapons."
"Yes, Mr. Grimes, Chuck pick one and we can begin."
Chuck picked up a few and examined them. He wished he had paid more attention to those Shaw Brother films that Morgan liked to watch like Have Sword Will Travel. He looked for strength, flexibility and balance until he found the right one.
"Hurry up Mr. Bartowski we're getting tired," Evelyn nodded at the Greta next to Sarah and he immediately seized Sarah by the throat.
"Okay, let's dance." Chuck flashed. He stood in the middle of the room and performed the ritual salute to both Gretas and his friends.
In a moment the fight was on. Blades were flashing like lightning bolts: stabbing, slashing, cleaving, deflecting. The whole thing would have been beautiful if it hadn't been so deadly too. Morgan was sitting on the edge of his chair, "Go Chuck, you've got this. Remember Crouching Tigers!" But Casey noticed early on that while the Gretas were out for blood, Chuck was using the backside of the blade to strike, stinging his opponents more than hurting them.
"Chuck," yelled Casey "take this." Casey broke free from his captures for a moment and threw Chuck a pill. The laudanol, he had palmed before when he pretended that his legs had gone out from under him. Chuck didn't ask what it was because he already had a good idea from the way the Gretas were behaving. He grabbed the pill in mid-air and swallowed it as he deflected a sword blow. Sarah noticed an almost immediate change in her love, his eyes seemed spent but his reflections and speed almost doubled. As before the Gretas where hammering on him brutally, but now, now he was attacking back. Both Gretas lunged simultaneously but Chuck deflected the thrust from the female and gave a side thrust kick to the male sending him sailing across the room into the wall, close to where Evelyn was standing.
Sarah's eyes were rivers of tears and as she met Chuck's, and she read his mind she knew what he was going to do. "No," she cried but all she could see was him mouth the words, I love you. In that instance the female Greta thrusted her blade at Chuck from behind but instead of avoiding the strike he took it. He took it so that he could launch his sword like a missile towards the Greta hold Sarah. Chuck's sword hit home making a loud thud, killing the man instantly. Sarah punched Evelyn in the face and took her gun firing a round that hit the other male Greta in the back of the head causing blood and brain matter to fly over Chuck and the female Greta. Chuck in his turn grabbed the blade that protruded from him and twist backward breaking the blade. Then with the strength he had left Chuck grabbed the female Greta and embraced her impaling her on the protruding blade. Chuck stood there with the Greta stuck to him. He thought he heard her say, Lu Dongbin before he felt her body shake violently then the emerald green eyes she had went dim.
The whole room erupted in chaos. Casey, Grimes and Roan broke free and quickly subdued the other guards, Sarah ran over to Chuck and yanked the now dead Greta off of him. Chuck collapsed to the ground and all Sarah could do was cradle he head in her lap and stroke his hair. Tears came down, she cried so much that she couldn't cry anymore. "Hold on baby," she kept imploring "hold on, please don't leave me." Then in a thin almost inaudible voice she hear Chuck say, "never let the bad guy get away."
"Don't worry Chuck, we'll find her. I'll find her and make her pay."
The rest of the evening was like watching a movie on fast forward. The CAT squad arrived and then back up CIA agents. Everything was a moving around Sarah and Chuck but they were oblivious to it all. Finally a gurney was brought in and to Chuck was taken to a CIA hospital. Sarah went with the ambulance dressed in black BDUs covered with Chuck's blood. She had to be there, she had to be with the man she loved and she would move heaven and earth to be by his side.
Sarah remembered very little of the drive to the hospital just the sounds of sirens and the flashing of lights. When they arrived a nurse tried to block her way from following the gurney so Sarah threw the poor man over her shoulder onto the hard deck with a loud boom.
"Bartowski," she heard from over her shoulder, "stand down. Are you going to kill Chuck's doctors before they have a chance to patch him up?" said Casey. "Sorry about that," he continued as he helped the nurse back up. "She's got her female feelings in a tail spin. You're working on her husband. If you got bad news I'd recommend you send someone else." The nurse quickly disappeared.
Sarah dropped in a chair in the waiting room, putting her head in her hands, she started crying again. Morgan had just arrived. He stopped by Sarah and Chuck's place to have Alex gather Sarah some clothes to change into.
"Come on, he's strong. He'll pull through. He has to" Morgan put his arm around Sarah and pulled her into him. "Go ahead and cry. It'll make you feel better that's what I told Chuck when his mom left."
Looking up with two bright red orbs, "did it help?"
"No, but that's what everyone says to say. Here I brought you a change of clothes. Don't worry I didn't go through your intimates. I had Alex pick everything out."
"Thanks Morgan," Sarah said "you are a good friend of mine."
"Yes, I am and if there is anything you need just yell."
"Oh, Crap I should call Ellie," said Sarah. "She'll want to be here."
"Hold up," said Casey as he sat down on the other side of her. "Let's wait to see what the Doctor has to say. Ellie is supposed to be here day after tomorrow anyway and if there's need, well I've got some buddies, SEAL types, who live around Great Lakes. They owe me a favor or two from our days down in Panama. Besides you might get her all worked up and what can she do all the way back there?"
"Casey, its all my fault."
"Hey, don't say that," said Morgan.
"But it is. I left him here all by himself. I was thinking all about my own problems and I left him. Everybody left him. Casey you went on with your life with Gertrude and Morgan you went off with Alex. Ellie left with Devon to Chicago. Nobody was here for Chuck and I'm the one most guilty because I took a vow to love, honor and cherish him."
"But Sarah you couldn't remember," reminded Casey.
"No, don't you see apart of those vows was also in sickness and in health. I've failed as a spy and worst I've failed as a wife." This realization was like a huge weight being dropped on her and she didn't know how she could live with it.
Suddenly, a man in a white coat appeared in the waiting room, "Mrs. Bartowski?"
Chapter 8
Don't own Chuck.
OUTSIDE AN OLD SEEMINGLY ABANDONED BRICKED WAREHOUSE DOWNTOWN
Not far away Chuck and Sarah are standing around a silver Aston Martin making battle plans.
"Chuck, have you been able to get comms up?"
"No, they've got some sort of jamming device. It's blocking all frequencies."
"How about hacking into their system?"
"They've got a closed loop so until we get in I won't be able to get any intell plus the outside of the building has got some sort of protection against infrared scanning so truthfully we're going in blind. This is a suicide mission."
"But if we do nothing-"
"I know, we lose everyone."
"Any suggestion?"
Sarah actually asked him for his advice he couldn't believe it. The Sarah from five years ago would've gone in with guns blazing and with a devil-take-care attitude shot up the place. His Sarah, Chuck's Sarah now was asking his advice. He couldn't help but believe that his wife was finallyhere.
"I guess we could launch a two prong attack. I'll go for the roof and shut down the jammer while you enter from either the front or rear. Personally, I think the rear would be better because they will probably be waiting for us in the front unless the know that we know they will be waiting in the front so they will be waiting in the rear. Unless-"
"Chuck I get the idea. Okay you take the roof and go for the jammer then try to hack their system. I'll set charges around the entrance to use as a diversion and come in from the rear. You'll also need to contact Miramar and get those predators put on hold. It wouldn't be bad either if we had an updated ETA on the CATs."
"I talked with Carina just before we lost comms. She said she had the pilot kick in afterburners and they would be here as soon as possible."
"Good Sweetie," she said then she gave him a kiss. "Okay Chuck weapons check. You know I wish you would take a real gun."
"I know Sarah but you know how I feel about bullets and guns. Besides I have my new automatic tranq gun. I'll be safe just you be too."
"Okay, Kevlar on," as Sarah put her vest on she noticed that both vests had their names embroidered on them and hers read Sarah Bartowski in gold. Chuck noticed her rubbing her hands over the embroidery.
"Too much?" he asked.
"No, no," she replied. "It's perfect." She reached out and kissed him as hard as she could. "Okay, Love game face."
They parted making their separate ways to the warehouse under the cover of night. Little did they know or suspect that video cameras had detected them and deep in the dark recesses of the warehouse Evelyn, her henchmen, and the Bartowski team were watching their every move.
"No, Chuck. No, Sarah run away," yelled Morgan as he tried to get up from his chair only to be pushed back down by the female Greta.
"Hey, leave him alone," yelled Alex only to receive a slap across the face from one of the male Gretas. Both Casey and Grimes stood up in protest, but Evelyn drew a Beretta 9mm and pointed it at Alex.
"I think we all need to calm down and enjoy the movie or I'll start shooting people in the head. I think I'll start with this one."
"Okay, okay, Grimes sit down you moron."
"There you go, good old Casey, true to the end," retorted Morgan upset because Casey had called him a moron in front of Alex.
"Now boys and girls let's get back to the fun."
On the monitor there was a bright light that came from the inside of the front of the warehouse at the same time about six men in black flew out of line of sight. Then the monitor panned to the rear to see Sarah roll in from an open window shooting five more with a suppressed pistol.
"Yeah, way to go girl," screamed Morgan. "Hey, Elvira how many henchmen you got so we can keep a head count? By the way didn't you promise popcorn? I could also use a grape soda, extra ice."
"Mr. Grimes before you keep talking you might want to look at Colonel Casey's face. Do you want to end up the same way?"
"Well, on Casey anything would be an improvement, but you see at the Buy More their health plan doesn't cover plastic or cosmetic surgery. Can you recommend one cause-"
"Greta shut him up."
"Okay, shutting up. Zipped my mouth. Not another peep," said Morgan as the female Greta placed her strong hands on his shoulder. "Ouch! Hey, lady I got a girlfriend."
Just as Morgan was about get bodily harm done to him the monitor panned up to the roof. There they saw Chuck planting what looked like a charge close to an array of antennas and just as he was about to leave four men appeared out of the dark. They didn't have a chance. Chuck performed a carte wheel, a complete 360 and tranq'ed all four, dropping them before they could react let alone reach their weapons.
"Well, I think that clears up any doubts about Bartowski and the intersect," said Evelyn coldly. "General, I've got an idea. How about a little wager, your intersect against say two of my Gretas?"
"You're mad. I don't bet against people's lives."
"Oh, but you do. You're in the military every time you deploy troops you're risking the lives of countless fathers and mothers."
"Those people are patriots. They are heroes who have vowed allegiance their country and take up arms to defend it."
"Isn't Chuck the same or did someone make the decision for him. Don't answer that we both know the answer." She then picked up a radio and spoke into it. "Let them both in but I want the girl taken prisoner."
After Sarah noticed that following her initial encounter with the men in black suddenly they seemed to becoming fewer and fewer.
"Chuck," she said talking into her phone watch. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm here Bebe."
"Have you noticed that there seems to be fewer and fewer enemy agents?"
"I'm still on the roof. I'm about to tap into their security cam feed." It was then Chuck saw with horror that Sarah was surrounded. "Get out, get out Love your-" before he could finish she was taken.
"Give it up Walker," said one of the men. She jumped out of hiding and was going to fire but before she could get off a shot one of the male Gretas hit her from behind and she dropped like a rag doll. The security feed Chuck had tapped blinked and Evelyn's face came on.
"Mr. Bartowski, Chuck surrender and nothing will happen to Sarah or your friends."
"If you harm any of them-"
"Chuck don't make idol threats; it's not becoming of the intersect. I have a proposal of a sorts where you all walk free, Sarah and your friends, a wager that I have with General Beckman. Come down and we can discuss it or I can," she turned the monitor towards a Greta who just walked in carrying Sarah. "I think you get the picture. By the way loose the guns and vest not that tranq guns can't help you anyway."
"How pathetic," said one of the drone Gretas.
Chuck dropped his assault rifle and unbuckled his gun holster. They made a dull thud as they hit the roof top. A plan he thought as he climbed down the ladder, I need a plan he continued to think as he walked down the long corridors, descending farther and deeper down. His mind wondered for a second and something came to him, something he had read at Standford a translation of Dante'e inferno, the sign over the gates to hell, All hope abandon you who enter here. Had hope abandoned him, no Sarah was alive and he was going to see to it that she stayed that way no matter what he had to do.
"Welcome Chuck," said Evelyn as he entered. "You don't mind if I call you Chuck, after all you were a close personal friend of my husband's or do you prefer Charles?"
"My friends call me Chuck so you can call me Charles."
"No need to be nasty. I'm glad you could make it. You see all your friends are here."
Chuck looked around the room searching for Sarah. He found her standing near an opposite door with a male Greta next to her having regained her senses. The rest of the group was sitting behind a desk with guards behind them. Evelyn was pontificating near where Sarah was standing.
"Chuck the vest."
He pulled on the Velcro tabs and let it drop to the ground.
"It would have helped you much anyway. Here's the deal. You against two of my Gretas in combat, the winner takes all. If you win your wife and friends go free and if you lose well you won't have to worry about them because you'll be dead. Those are my terms."
"Chuck, don't," Sarah implored as tears started flowing.
"Bebe, if I have to choose I'll always choose you. Okay let's get this going I accept."
"Good this ought to be good." Evelyn took up position next to Sarah and continued explaining. "On the walls behind you will find double-edged jian swords,"
Morgan interrupted, "the gentleman of weapons."
"Yes, Mr. Grimes, Chuck pick one and we can begin."
Chuck picked up a few and examined them. He wished he had paid more attention to those Shaw Brother films that Morgan liked to watch like Have Sword Will Travel. He looked for strength, flexibility and balance until he found the right one.
"Hurry up Mr. Bartowski we're getting tired," Evelyn nodded at the Greta next to Sarah and he immediately seized Sarah by the throat.
"Okay, let's dance." Chuck flashed. He stood in the middle of the room and performed the ritual salute to both Gretas and his friends.
In a moment the fight was on. Blades were flashing like lightning bolts: stabbing, slashing, cleaving, deflecting. The whole thing would have been beautiful if it hadn't been so deadly too. Morgan was sitting on the edge of his chair, "Go Chuck, you've got this. Remember Crouching Tigers!" But Casey noticed early on that while the Gretas were out for blood, Chuck was using the backside of the blade to strike, stinging his opponents more than hurting them.
"Chuck," yelled Casey "take this." Casey broke free from his captures for a moment and threw Chuck a pill. The laudanol, he had palmed before when he pretended that his legs had gone out from under him. Chuck didn't ask what it was because he already had a good idea from the way the Gretas were behaving. He grabbed the pill in mid-air and swallowed it as he deflected a sword blow. Sarah noticed an almost immediate change in her love, his eyes seemed spent but his reflections and speed almost doubled. As before the Gretas where hammering on him brutally, but now, now he was attacking back. Both Gretas lunged simultaneously but Chuck deflected the thrust from the female and gave a side thrust kick to the male sending him sailing across the room into the wall, close to where Evelyn was standing.
Sarah's eyes were rivers of tears and as she met Chuck's, and she read his mind she knew what he was going to do. "No," she cried but all she could see was him mouth the words, I love you. In that instance the female Greta thrusted her blade at Chuck from behind but instead of avoiding the strike he took it. He took it so that he could launch his sword like a missile towards the Greta hold Sarah. Chuck's sword hit home making a loud thud, killing the man instantly. Sarah punched Evelyn in the face and took her gun firing a round that hit the other male Greta in the back of the head causing blood and brain matter to fly over Chuck and the female Greta. Chuck in his turn grabbed the blade that protruded from him and twist backward breaking the blade. Then with the strength he had left Chuck grabbed the female Greta and embraced her impaling her on the protruding blade. Chuck stood there with the Greta stuck to him. He thought he heard her say, Lu Dongbin before he felt her body shake violently then the emerald green eyes she had went dim.
The whole room erupted in chaos. Casey, Grimes and Roan broke free and quickly subdued the other guards, Sarah ran over to Chuck and yanked the now dead Greta off of him. Chuck collapsed to the ground and all Sarah could do was cradle he head in her lap and stroke his hair. Tears came down, she cried so much that she couldn't cry anymore. "Hold on baby," she kept imploring "hold on, please don't leave me." Then in a thin almost inaudible voice she hear Chuck say, "never let the bad guy get away."
"Don't worry Chuck, we'll find her. I'll find her and make her pay."
The rest of the evening was like watching a movie on fast forward. The CAT squad arrived and then back up CIA agents. Everything was a moving around Sarah and Chuck but they were oblivious to it all. Finally a gurney was brought in and to Chuck was taken to a CIA hospital. Sarah went with the ambulance dressed in black BDUs covered with Chuck's blood. She had to be there, she had to be with the man she loved and she would move heaven and earth to be by his side.
Sarah remembered very little of the drive to the hospital just the sounds of sirens and the flashing of lights. When they arrived a nurse tried to block her way from following the gurney so Sarah threw the poor man over her shoulder onto the hard deck with a loud boom.
"Bartowski," she heard from over her shoulder, "stand down. Are you going to kill Chuck's doctors before they have a chance to patch him up?" said Casey. "Sorry about that," he continued as he helped the nurse back up. "She's got her female feelings in a tail spin. You're working on her husband. If you got bad news I'd recommend you send someone else." The nurse quickly disappeared.
Sarah dropped in a chair in the waiting room, putting her head in her hands, she started crying again. Morgan had just arrived. He stopped by Sarah and Chuck's place to have Alex gather Sarah some clothes to change into.
"Come on, he's strong. He'll pull through. He has to" Morgan put his arm around Sarah and pulled her into him. "Go ahead and cry. It'll make you feel better that's what I told Chuck when his mom left."
Looking up with two bright red orbs, "did it help?"
"No, but that's what everyone says to say. Here I brought you a change of clothes. Don't worry I didn't go through your intimates. I had Alex pick everything out."
"Thanks Morgan," Sarah said "you are a good friend of mine."
"Yes, I am and if there is anything you need just yell."
"Oh, Crap I should call Ellie," said Sarah. "She'll want to be here."
"Hold up," said Casey as he sat down on the other side of her. "Let's wait to see what the Doctor has to say. Ellie is supposed to be here day after tomorrow anyway and if there's need, well I've got some buddies, SEAL types, who live around Great Lakes. They owe me a favor or two from our days down in Panama. Besides you might get her all worked up and what can she do all the way back there?"
"Casey, its all my fault."
"Hey, don't say that," said Morgan.
"But it is. I left him here all by himself. I was thinking all about my own problems and I left him. Everybody left him. Casey you went on with your life with Gertrude and Morgan you went off with Alex. Ellie left with Devon to Chicago. Nobody was here for Chuck and I'm the one most guilty because I took a vow to love, honor and cherish him."
"But Sarah you couldn't remember," reminded Casey.
"No, don't you see apart of those vows was also in sickness and in health. I've failed as a spy and worst I've failed as a wife." This realization was like a huge weight being dropped on her and she didn't know how she could live with it.
Suddenly, a man in a white coat appeared in the waiting room, "Mrs. Bartowski?"
Chapter 9
Don't own Chuck.
CIA HOSPITAL, BURBANK
Sarah walked into a hospital room carrying a brown bag. Opening the door she found Chuck sitting up in bed reading a Marvel comic book.
"Sweetie, you know you're supposed to be resting."
"I know but I started reading and I had to finish. Wow, that Spiderman is an awesome hero and he really does loves Mary Jane."
"I know another super hero that's pretty good too."
"Do I need to use my spidey senses to figure out who? Come here gorgeous I want to kiss you."
"Oh really? Are you going to hang upside down from your web?
"I just might. What's in the bag?"
"I stopped by Lou's and picked you up a Bartowski special."
"Great, the food here is, well hospital food."
"You're not going to have to worry about that anymore. I bumped into your doctor on the way in and he said they are going to dismiss you this afternoon. But I do have a bit of bad news."
"Can you cut please," Chuck asked as he pulled the sandwich out of the bag. Sarah reached under her skirt pulled out a knife. "You know that would be really sexy if not kind of scary too."
"I bet you say that to all they spies."
"Okay what is it?" Chuck asked as he took half and passed her the other. "Has North Korea launched a preemptive nuclear strike? Does the Ayatollah want to go on Dancing with the Stars? Does Mexico want Texas back?"
"No, silly Ellie had to delay her visit for a couple of day, because there was some sort of emergency in her hospital."
"Oh," Chuck replied with a sad tone.
"I know you're disappointed but it's only for a couple of days. Hey, Casey and Morgan are organizing another one of their world famous barbeques for your return this evening. I know you're going to be tired but we only have to pop our heads in if you want. It will cheer you up and you can hang with the Morgan."
"Sure, but all I want is to be with you."
"Chuck can we talk now about what happened back at the warehouse."
"Bebe, if I have to choose I will always choose you."
"Love, if I have to choose I will always choose you too."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ECHO PARK LATE EVENING
Chuck, with an arm in a sling, and Sarah walk through the gates at Echo Park to see on the opposite side of the courtyard Casey and Morgan standing around a grill arguing on the proper way to prepare and cook steaks.
"You know as a graduate from the Benihana school of fine cuisine-," Morgan was saying.
"Hey troll, I thought you never actually graduated."
"That's beside the point," Morgan continued. Gertrude and Alex were sitting at a picnic table near by listening each with an open beer admiring their men.
"Hey, here's the hero," announced Morgan.
"Here, here," says Casey raising a beer. "That was some piece of work. But we've got civilians here so Morgan but a sock in it."
"Who, the only person here who wasn't there is Gertrude."
"Idiot, that's who I'm talking about."
"Don't worry John. I've been on my fair number of missions I can't talk about. But if you want you can interrogate me."
"Huh, sure," Casey grunted with a smirk on his face. This was one of the few times that Casey didn't know what to say.
"We only have to stay a little while if you want," Sarah whispered in Chuck's ear.
Chuck looked back over at their place, "No we can stay and eat. Can you get me a beer? I'm going to duck in and get a jacket. I feel a chill."
"It doesn't seem that cold. Do you feel okay? Do you want me to get it for you Love?
"Yes and no, I'll get it. Besides I know the one I want. It's probably from being cooped up in the hospital. You know germs and all that."
"I hope you're not coming down with anything."
"No, no. Maybe I'll have an orange juice instead." Chuck left and went to his front door. Before going in he looked back at his friends and Sarah then he turned the door knob and entered the house slowly.
"Good evening," Chuck said entering.
"Evening," came a reply from the dark.
"Do you mind if I turn on a light?"
"Here," a reading lamp came on next to a chair. Sitting there holding a 9mm Beretta with a silencer was Evelyn Shaw. "We have some unfinished business Chuck."
"I see. Are you going to shoot me straight away or what?"
"I'm debating that."
"Well while you're debating, do you mind if I pour myself a glass of Scotch. Would you like one? I mean you're planning on killing me so why not grant a dying man one last wish?"
"Okay," she replied. Chuck walked over to a low cabinet and opened the doors. "Hey, No funny business or I'll end you here right now."
"Don't worry, watch." Chuck swung the cabinet doors open so Evelyn could see inside. Then he got out a bottle and two glasses. "Say when."
"No, you drink first," Evelyn said waving her gun. Chuck took a big swallow and passed the glass to her. He then poured himself a glass and walked over to the chair she had been sitting in and sat down.
"Please sit down," he invited.
"You're taking this awfully well," Evelyn said as she made herself comfortable on the sofa.
"What can I say, you've got me. You beat me. Isn't that what you want to hear?"
"I want you to grovel," she said as she drank from her glass. "I want you to suffer. I'm going to tie you to that chair and wait for Sarah to come and then put a bullet in her head. After that I'm going to go over to the odd couple and finish them along with those other women. Then I'm going to wait here until your sister arrives and I'm going to kill her along with her husband and baby. Then and only then am I going to kill you. I want you to go crazy with rage and know there is nothing you can do. Do you hear me nothing, absolutely nothing!"
"I think Morgan and Casey will have something to say about that."
"Those two, if they had an idea between them it would have died from loneliness."
"Do you mind if I ask if Quinn worked for you?"
"Well, yes but he was a wild cannon and I can't say I'm displeased with his demise. He was just another pawn on my chessboard."
"I see. Do you mind if I tell you a story since we're letting our hair down so to speak?"
"Sure, you're going to die anyway. Try to amuse me and I might consider killing you first."
"Okay, you see when Sarah first left me I was beside myself and I just couldn't sleep. I would lie in bed but my brain wouldn't turn off. I lay and I lay but nothing and my body kept getting weaker and weaker so I decided that if nothing else I had to rest it. You know what I did? I did what I do best I consulted the intersect. I found that if you use the right combination of drugs, like the venom of pufferfish you can paralyze the body while the mind can fully function."
Chuck looked at Evelyn and noticed a small change was occurring so he continued.
"Did you know that the venom of pufferfish is used in some voodoo rites? That it paralyzes its victims and some are actually buried alive because everyone around them thinks they are dead. But they're not. Can you imagine being burial alive with all your senses functioning but being unable to move. Shovel full after shovel full of dirt being thrown on the coffin and you there hearing each hit the coffin lid. Now I think that would make you mad. However, too much and slowly all your internal organs will become paralyzed until you have complete repertory failure. In other words you suffocate to death."
Chuck got up and walked over to Evelyn. He took the gun from her hand and laid it on the coffee table. Her eyes followed him but she couldn't move or speak.
"How? Do you want to ask? Simple, in your glass was the poison and yes I poisoned myself too that was why I sat down. It slowed down the poison's metabolization long enough for the antidote which was in my glass to take effect. Unfortunately for you it must be taken almost immediately and for you that train has already left the station."
Chuck leaned in close to Evelyn and whispered in her ear, "Remember family and friends are everything. Money, greed, and power are a dance with Satan. And he looks like me."
Chuck poured himself another scotch and went back to his chair where he sat starring at Evelyn as she transpired.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BACK AT THE BARBEQUE
"Sarah where's Chuck?" asked Morgan. "The steaks are up and they should really be eaten hot."
"He went home to get a jacket. He said he felt a chill."
"That's odd I don't ever remember him complaining about the cold."
Something that Morgan said caused an alarm to go off in Sarah's head. "Crap," she said as she threw her plate on the ground and ran back to the house. Casey and Grimes saw her run so they followed dropping plates of barbeque on the ground, shattering a plates and spilling sauce.
Sarah grabbed the door knob turned and flung the door open. It made a loud bang as it hit the wall behind. There she found the macabre scene of Chuck sitting holding a glass of what looked like scotch under a reading light starring at the now ashen face of Evelyn Shaw.
"Chuck what happened? What have you done?" Sarah asked kneeling down in front of him and in a thin trembling voice he told her of his dance with the devil. She took the glass from his hand then took both of them in hers and buried her head in his lap. Casey and Grimes were in the doorway close enough to her Chuck's confession.
"Sarah, I'll handle this," said Casey. "Come on Morgan we've some calls to make."
Gertrude and Alex went in and put their hands on Sarah but neither Chuck nor she seemed to recognize them. Soon a team of CIA agents descended on Echo Park. Evelyn was placed in a body bag and zipped up. A clean-up crew followed, they made the place look as if nothing had ever happened but it did and this was what was bothering Sarah. Had Chuck finally become Charles Carmichael? Had the man she loved been devoured by this dark world they lived in. She couldn't help but think about what her love had told her, "What good is saving the world if you can't save the one you love." No she was going to save him. She was going to make this right but she just wasn't sure how. Finally, she got up and walked outside. Chuck was still there sitting immobile in his chair. When she went out she was greet by Roan Montgomery.
"How's our boy doing?" He asked.
"I don't know. By the way, Chuck told me what you did for us and I wanted to thank you."
"It was nothing, but there is something I think you should know about how you got back in the CIA. No one really wanted you back and the Director was immovable but Chuck went to bat for you. He threatened to burn all his father's research and to expose the whole intersect program. There was talk of having Chuck shipped off to a black site but somehow he sent photo shopped pictures of the Director in an embarrassing situation with barnyard animals. I swear even his own mother would've thought they were real. It was thought if Chuck could get at the Director, well they let you back. I just thought you should know that you've got the catch of your life and you shouldn't let him get away."
"Thanks, I have no intention."
"Good, I've got to run. Diane, General Beckman is waiting for me at the airport." Sarah watched Roan leave but she was really thinking what she could do for her husband. Then almost like a flash from the intersect she knew.
Sarah went inside and took a doily from a table she put it on her head then she knelt down in front of Chuck and said, "I, Sarah Walker Bartowski do take you, Charles Irving Bartowkski as my lawfully wedded husband..." She continued on to recite the rest of her wedding vows. It was then that Chuck looked up at the love of his life and extracted from his pocket Sarah's wedding ring. He pulled her up as he stood up and recited his vows, placing her ring on her finger.
Sarah kissed Chuck and whispered in his ear, "I love you. I love you more than life itself."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A FEW DAYS LATER AT ECHO PARK
"Where is she?" asked a nervous Chuck.
"You just asked that. They'll be here soon."
"I don't know why I sent Morgan to pick up Ellie. He's probably going to get on her nerves before she gets here and he'll give Clara candy so she'll be bouncing around like a ball. Then there's Devon, well Devon is awesome so I don't see why he wouldn't be awesome now, but-"
"Sweetie, you're spiraling."
"You're right, you're always right. It's just Ellie was so cryptic on the phone about our scans. I wish she had said more so we could better be prepared."
"Love, she was practicing good OpSec. She was talking over an unsecure line so there was only so much she could say. You're making a mountain out of a molehill."
"I know, I know. Hey they're here." Chuck ran outside to greet Ellie as she walks in the courtyard. Sarah stayed a bit behind because she didn't really know how this meeting would go. The last time they were face to face she had a gun in her hand pointed at Ellie's head. However, Ellie picked up on Sarah's apprehension and after hugging Chuck went over and hugged her.
"How are you doing, Sis?" asked Ellie in a big bear hug.
"Fine thanks, hey I need to apologize for, well you know everything."
"Sarah Bartowski put all that out of your mind. All that happened wasn't you and I won't hear anymore of this. You're family and we Bartowskis take care of our own. Give me another hug both of you!" Ellie wrapped her arm around both Sarah and Chuck and squeezed. Finally, Chuck broke free from the bear hug.
"Let's go inside and talk," Chuck invited. "Where is my favorite niece and Captain Awesome?
"Awesome got sick on the flight." Explained Ellie. "He thinks he got food poisoning so he's lying down in the hotel and Clara is in the park with Morgan. I told him not to give her any cotton candy but I think I'm going to find one sticky baby. I thought like that we could have a little grown up time to talk."
Sarah and Ellie pulled up chairs at the kitchen table, "Want some coffee?" Chuck offered.
"Please," replied Ellie. "I'm so tired with getting ready to come here and emergencies at the hospital."
"And you Love?"
"No, I'm fine." Chuck put away the coffee pot and sat next to Sara. There was a long pause of uncomfortable silence then Chuck put his hand on top of Sarah's and turned to Ellie.
"So Sis give us the news. We're fine with whatever you have to tell us."
"Well Sarah, I've looked over your MRIs, CT scans and EEGs. I can tell you that both of you are healthy and there is nothing to worry about.
"But," asked Sarah.
"During your torture your brain was put under severe stress and your lack of memory was its way of protecting itself. The brain is, well, like this orange." Ellie picked up an orange from a bowl of fruit in the middle of the table then she took out a marker and drew a line dividing it after she continued explaining. "You see your brain is divided in right and left spheres. One side – the left– typically deals with practical things while the other side – the right - handles more metaphysical. Typically artists use the right side more than the other. The concept of memory being like a file that you can access whenever you want in a typical brain is incorrect. The brain reacts to stimuli that are provided through messages sent to it from the senses. These messages are transmitted via synaptic pathways. There are over a 100 trillion synapses in a normal brain that transmit electrical impulses. Different sense activates different parts of the brain and it is up to the hippocampus in the frontal cortex to integrate them into what we call memory so memory in its self doesn't exist but instead it is the result of a process. The problem Sarah is that your intersect was corrupt, it did reorganized your pathways and that corruption scrambled your synaptic connections. However, the brain has plasticity and with time I'm sure you be well again."
"Is that why when I first started remembering things were foggy then they became like watching a movie," asked Sarah.
"Yes, and as I understand it you're in the third and last phase where they become your own. This is the strongest phase because when they come they will come with all the emotions and feeling you had at the time you originally experience them."
"Chuck this may mean that Sarah may start crying or laughing for no apparent reason so don't think she's going insane. Little brother, it is good this means our Sarah is coming back. Oh Chuck I left out in the car some test results could you run out and get them. They are in a brown folder in the backseat next to Clara's doll."
"Sure, no problem," Chuck left but not without thinking that Ellie wanted to get rid of him. He knew his sister way too well.
"Sarah, I wanted to tell you this alone. As I said all this is for a normal brain but you and Chuck do not have normal brains, I shouldn't say normal because that would imply abnormal. Well you know what I mean."
"Ellie go on."
"Well the frontal cortex decides what goes in long term and short term memory. With the intersect the frontal cortex is changed so that when Chuck needs a skill set it reverse fires the synaptic pathways. It's like a car driving the wrong way down a one way street. The intersect has changed those pathways into two way street. When Chuck gets back I'll show his EEGs. You'll be able to see when I asked him to perform the Tiger/Crane form without "flashing" there is no brain activity because he doesn't know how. However, if I when I asked him to "flash" and do it you will see how his brain lights up. Then if you compare that EEG to the one I did on a kung fun master you'll see it's the same."
"Wow, it seems you've gone pretty far in your research in such a short time."
"Sarah, I'm motivated. However, now we need to talk about you. The problem with you is that the faulty intersect you got gave you all the information but your information highway was wrong. Remember my analogy before about the two way road. Well, you have the road but your map is wrong. Slowly your brain is figuring out those paths."
"What does this mean for me.? Asked Sarah. "Yes, what does it mean," said Chuck standing the kitchen.
"Sis, you should know I know you by now and I can tell when you're trying to get rid of me."
"No, it's good you hear this. Sarah you may "flash" in the future. You've got an intersect and your brain is finding its map so it could happen."
"Is she going to have the same problem I had with headaches and demensia? Will Sarah need a governor?"
"Good, you were listening before. No, I don't think so. Her brain is healing itself and actually I think it is a good thing because it will be able to naturally control the intersect or better the synaptic pathways it opens up. Remember the highway well your brain will also but up speed limits."
"Is that it?" asked Chuck.
"I wish there wasn't but I have something else you both need to know. As I said both of your synaptic pathways have been altered I believe these changes are now genetic."
"So what we're like dolly the sheep or are you saying that if we have children they will be born with little data ports in the back of their head that can be hooked up to computer portals like Matrix or that TV series Andromeda? Need a computer fix Harper to the rescue!"
"Sweetie," said Sarah patting him on the hand. "You're spiraling again."
"If you want my medical opinion," said Ellie and they both agree. "You two need a second honeymoon."
"Hey, Hey Bartowski male and female," said Casey who had just entered without knocking as usual. "Beckman wants us at Castle. By the way are you squeezing brains for breakfast now?"
"Thanks for that delicious image Casey."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LATER ON AT CASTLE
The whole team is sitting around a table listening to General Beckman speak from a monitor ovehead.
"Bartowksis, Doctor Bartowski informed me about your need for a proper honeymoon and I have to concur. How does a MSC cruise sound in the Mediterranean? Two weeks on the MSC Splendida soaking up sun and relaxing as you visit different countries and cities in the Mediterranean."
"You mean two weeks without a mission?"
"Of course not, from the data we uncovered from the warehouse we believe that Mrs. Shaw's organization, for a better name Hydra, has organized a meeting of high level agents to discuss the seizing of a ship coming out of the port of Lamacia, Smyria loaded with chemical weapons. Your mission is to discover their plan and thwart their activities. I needn't remind you that this is the first time we've had intell on this group so don't waste it.
Chuck and Sarah looked at each other and held hands. Chuck said, "Okay General, we can handle anything as long as we are together, right Bebe."
"As long as I'm with you, Sweetie."
THE END
TO BE CONTINUED Chuck vs Love Boat