A bunch of songs Chapter 1: Flame Trees, a chuck fanfic

The Flame Trees – Cold Chisel

A Chuck Song Fic.

A.N. After being gobsmacked by Brickroad16's epic "Collide," I thought I might have a shot. The song is good, hope I can do it justice.

I don't own Chuck et al.

Music: Steve Prestwich

Words: Don Walker (no relation)

Kids out driving Saturday afternoon pass me by
I'm just savouring familiar sights
We share some history, this town and I
And I can't stop that long forgotten feeling of her
Try to book a room to stay tonight

The phone call turned Sarah's life upside down. No warning at all. Leave home (and she did think of it as 'home'). Go to the other side of the continent. She'd only just begun to be comfortable with the feelings she had for him. She'd even begun to see that one day she could leave the CIA, to have a life. With him. She even (deep in her heart of hearts) acknowledged that, that day could be closer than she thought.

One goddamn phone call, and it was over. The longest, most successful (and rewarding) period of her career (and life) was over. Sent across the country, and then to God knows where, and for how long. Should she quit? Find him? What if they killed him? Can't think that way. Would they ever see each other again? Would he even speak to her?

She was still driving through the city. Their city. They'd had a mission in that building. Another, posing as a couple on the dance floor in that hotel. He danced like a white boy, but he loved it when she danced. With him; said it made him look good. She wouldn't let the tears flow. Not yet.

Trust doesn't come easy in her line of work. Doubly more so with Sarah. And yet he began to break her barriers down almost immediately. Him and his stupid Star Wars and Klingons.

Number one is to find some friends to say "You're doing well
After all this time you boys look just the same"
Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
Settle in to play "Do you remember so and so?"
Number three is never say her name

Morgan used his special (and very own private) door into Casa Bartowski. "Dude, come on man. Get up."

Chuck barely raised his eyes. Morgan continued "Come on man, we gotta go to work." Morgan was worried, ever since she'd … No. Don't even think of her. She left him. Chuck was his responsibility now.

Chuck was a mess. Worse than he'd seen before. He wouldn't do anything. He would work at the Herd desk, but it was all on autopilot. Being Chuck, naturally it was brilliant. But Morgan knew the real Chuck. Brilliant was only average for Chuck.

For Morgan, being Morgan, to be worried was a sign that the situation was really bad. Chuck would usually be the one to notice the slightest hint of a problem. Morgan had to trip over it. Often more than once. Ellie was a help (of course), but it was the Chuck and Morgan show. Morgan would do what he could to help his best friend.

"Come on, dude. You and me, after work. Pizza, Call of Duty and as much caffeine as our systems will allow?"

"OK" was the wane response. It was a sign. A start.

Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

"There's been a change in the Intersect project" began Brigadier General Bekman, "We've had to shut it down. It's become unstable. Civilians." The last word left a bad taste in her mouth. Especially that one civilian at heart of it all. "I've taken the CIA out of this. NSA agent Casey will close things up. This project should have never reached this situation."

"General, can nothing be salvaged?"

"The Intersect is unstable. We are reliably informed that…. the Intersect will never work again."

But Ah! Who needs that sentimental bullshit, anyway
Takes more than just a memory to make me cry
I'm happy just to sit here round a table with old friends
And see which one of us can tell the biggest lies

The Nerd Herd desk was a nightmare. Why did every girl in Burbank suddenly reminded Chuck of her. He would constantly be caught out by a girl in the corner of his eye. Her hair, her scent, her eyes seemed to assault him all day. Everything but her.

After what seemed eons, he tried to look for someone else. No one compared to ….. Oh, God, it's that stupid song. It's stupid because it was true.

Dear, God, he was one dead dog away from living a Country Music song.

Work. Sleep. He tried to drink, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't his ….. idiom. See, even Python was hollow. Games did nothing, they just filled in time. He knew Morgan was trying, and he knew he should appreciate it. He just felt …. Nothing. There was nothing left.

And she was probably with Bryce. Right now.

There's a girl falling in love near where the pianola stands
With her young local factory out-of-worker, holding hands
And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay

Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field
In our day

They worked so magically as a team. Naturally it was shaky at the start. They had no reason to trust each other. Sarah smiled fondly, not after the way they'd met. God, she loved the way he'd found the way to make things work. The way he kept trying to find the real her. He was the glue holding them together at first. The tiniest bit of information, and he could see it all, the mission (and her).

She worked hard to keep it professional, he just flared right up whenever he saw her. It was flattering, of course. And he kept pushing at the walls she built. No, push was wrong. He walked through them like they weren't there. Well, sort of. It did take some time. A girl could get a reputation otherwise.

Sarah was the planner. She ended up finding ways to work closer together. It was all professional of course.

Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around

Casey looked down at the body. He'd make a clean kill. His victim's last words had almost been apologetic. Maybe Casey was fed up with this. He was good at his job. He'd heard the others whisper. Was he burning out? True, killing didn't feel like it did when he started. That was normal, wasn't it?

It wasn't like he really liked the moron. Him and his girlfriend. Where ever she was at the moment.

A General says frog. A Major jumps. That's the way it works.

Anyway, things would back the way they should be. This computer, Intersect shit …. He didn't like it.

Sarah checked the image sent to her phone. The Mark. That was him over there. "Piece of cake" she said to herself.

And walked into the Burbank Buy More. Changing lives in that instant.

"Stop the presses. Who is that? Vicky Vale!"

"Vicky Vale. Vicky Vale. Vick, Vick, Vicky Vale …" He dropped the phone, and Sarah and Chuck locked eyes for the very first time.

A.N. Be honest, you picked that from the start, didn't you? I had to have a shot, though.

Humour me; drink about four beers (or Mo-Hee-Toes) and listen to the song. You will identify.