Bottom of the Ninth

Summary: AU. Chuck is on the verge of achieving his life long dream of making it to the major leagues and Sarah is becoming reacclimatized with the harsh reality that is her life while on leave from the CIA. Sometimes the thing you never see coming is the one thing you need the most, it's the bottom of the ninth, who are you playing for?

A/N This is an AU story with the characters we all know and love. There will be elements from the show in play and there will be a lot of things different from the show. This story will be fun but at the same time it has some more angst-ridden undertones that will play throughout. I am in graduate school so I cannot promise frequent updates but I will do my best to get at least one out per week. With that I hope you enjoy, please read and review. Oh and Wreck 'Em Tech!

A few notes you may need if you are not familiar with the MLB:

Arlington, Tx- Home to the Texas Rangers

Frisco, Tx- A town inside the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and home to the Rangers AA team the Frisco Roughriders.

Ahh yes the required disclaimer saying I clearly do not own Chuck yadda yadda yadda well you get the gist.

July 28th 4:00 PM

Frisco Roughriders Facility

It's funny how people become things they never could have imagined, or that anyone around them could have ever predicted. Chuck was an awkward lanky child, all arms, legs, and nerd. However, that did not stop him from becoming one of Encino's most loved and well-known citizens. His nerdy tendencies may not usually cater to popularity, but his arm certainly did. He lost his mother at a young age to cancer and his dad was always a squirrely character leaving him and his sister by the time Chuck was in high school. His dad may have not always been around but he did leave Chuck with one thing, the love of baseball. It was an odd pairing, Chuck a kid who seemingly had little coordination or athletic ability, became a baseball prodigy. This is what had the 24-year-old version of himself currently sitting in a hot tub smiling off in the distance as he thought back to what brought him to this point in his career. His dream was so close. He was a high level prospect in an up and coming organization, the Texas Rangers. Sure he grew up a Dodger fan but beggars can't be choosers and he had grown to love the Texas organization over the past few years. Plus, its late July with September call-ups coming up and word on the street is Chuck has a chance to be apart of the minors brought up when rosters expand. So yeah this is what had Chuck smiling like an idiot and led to him getting swatted with a towel in the back of his head by a teammate.

"Bartowski what's she like?" Asked fellow pitcher Tanner Scheppers or "Schep" as his teammates and coaches called him.

"What are you talking about Schep, what's who like?" Chuck said while throwing the towel back at him.

"The girl you're fantasizing about, by the look on your face she's a good one." He said with a wry smile.

"Ha you're right she is a good one, no, she's a great one. She's a girl 50,000 plus pack the house for almost every night to see, she's a girl that so many wish they could have but she never gives the time of day, she's a girl I have wanted for so long and she's a girl I might finally be able to get, this girl, yeah she is my dream." Chuck said while staring off into space in a state of complete focus.

"Damn man you got it bad, so where's she at?" Schep asked.

"Arlington man, she's in Arlington, Texas." Chuck answered before getting out of the tub and heading to get ready for today's game. Schep gave him a knowing smile back and a couple dreamy nods of his own because he new this girl too, this girl was the same one they were all chasing, this girl was the Major Leagues.

July 28th 7:00PM

DFW Airport

Dallas, Tx

She is twenty-five now and has not seen her mom in five years. That's because five years ago the CIA recruited her during her sophomore year at Harvard. She shot up the ranks and soon became the CIA's top agent, meaning mission after mission after mission with little down time and certainly no time to see her family. That of course was by design since the CIA wants their agents to have as few emotional ties as possible. Sure they would never admit that but Sarah did not get into Harvard because she was stupid, she understands what they want, what they need her to be and she is okay with that. In fact, she loved the idea of becoming a different person and leaving her past behind her, that was why they recruited her in the first place. That was until she took a bullet in her abdomen that landed her with a month leave from the agency to recover. She honestly had planned on staying in D.C. but for some reason she found herself on a plane to Texas. She grew up moving from town to town, city to city, but the last stop on her merry go round of a childhood was a small town outside of Dallas. After doing some digging Sarah surprisingly found her mom was still there so that's what brought her to where she was now, walking through baggage claim at DFW airport.

"Sarah…" Someone said, or more whispered, behind her. As she turned around Sarah felt like she was dreaming. Her mom, Emma, was standing mere feet from her, her mom who she had not seen in over five years. It was not until that moment that Sarah truly realized how much she had missed her.

"Mom…." She gasped as she had a rare moment of raw emotion and ran into her mother's arms.

"Sarah honey, its you…I can't believe it, it is actually you." She held Sarah tightly seemingly afraid to let go, as if this was all a dream that would end at any moment. How could her daughter, that she was starting to believe she would never see again, actually be standing here? "I just I couldn't bring myself to believe it was actually you on the phone, not until I saw it, not until I saw you in person. It's you, baby its you."

Sarah was broken out of her trance when she felt moisture on her face. She was surprised when she realized it was tears, Sarah Walker did not cry. "Mom its me its really me." She wished she could tell her mom how sorry she was, how sorry she was she never called, how sorry she was she never wrote, how sorry she was she never came home. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Emotions were never her strong suit, then add in years of time with the CIA and she had developed a pretty tough shell.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity they broke their embrace and Emma somehow managed to regain enough of her composure to talk. "Well enough with the mushy mushy you must be exhausted let's get you to the house shall we."

Sarah smiled back. "Sounds great. Let me grab my bags and we can be on our way." Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all she thought, maybe Graham was right, maybe this is exactly what she needed.

July 28th 9:30 PM

Frisco, Tx

Roughriders Clubhouse

Okay so that start didn't quite go as planned. Chuck started off decent enough but the 4th inning unraveled beneath him and before he knew it he had given up four runs on 5 hits, including a homerun. He regrouped to pitch two shutout innings after that but the damage was done and his team could not pull out the win. So here he was once again in the tub, just this time instead of the relaxing warm tub he was in the cold tub for recovery. This was definitely Chuck's least favorite part of baseball but he knew it was necessary to help combat the injuries before they even had a chance to pop up and an injury was something he refused to let get in his way.

Chuck was soon broken out of his reverie when he heard his coach yelling his name. "Bartowski, office now." Crap Chuck thought, here it comes a reaming for letting an inning that never should have happened cost the team a game. Just when he thought he was on the right track he had to go and have a clunker of a game. All the sudden the pain of the cold tub was hard to leave knowing the conversation that awaited him in Coach Little's office. So reluctantly he drug himself out and headed to sit through the inevitably lashing, or "coachable moment", as Little conveniently liked to call them.

"Coach, you asked for me?" Chuck peeked into his office.

"Yes Bartowski take a seat we need to talk." He said with a tone that certainly did not help with the nervousness Chuck already had building in the pit of his stomach.

"Sir, I know I blew the 4th today I just didn't have control of my slider but I promise I will have it back together by my next start on Saturday." Rambled Chuck, figuring maybe he could soften the blow if he got the first punch in.

"Sorry Chuck but you won't be pitching that game on Saturday." Coach Little said looking Chuck dead in the eye.

"What? Coach I don't mean to sound insubordinate but please don't give up on me now. I can do this." He responded.

"Chuck, calm down son you really think we would let you go because of one bad inning? Heck four runs in one inning certainly isn't great but it happens, its baseball. Plus your defense did little to help you with those two errors." Coach Little said leaving Chuck confused as to what he was getting at.

Chuck scrunched his brow in confusion. "Okay so then why am I not pitching Saturday? Extra rest? Because I feel great sir let someone else have a day off I promise I don't need it."

Coach let out a small chuckle at this. "No Chuck not because you are getting extra rest, in fact I have a feeling sleep will be the last thing on your mind."

"Sorry Coach but I am a little confused here." Chuck was starting freak out, if he wasn't getting cut but he wasn't pitching his next start then what was his coach getting at?

"Son I need you to pack up your locker, the big boys called and they need some extra arms in the pen." Coach Little answered now letting out the grin he had been holding back the entire meeting. Chuck was one of those players that just managed to worm his way into your heart, even a tough guy like Little could appreciate it when a kid like Chuck got the call.

Chuck sat there silent, not because he did not have anything to say but because he simply could not believe what he just heard. No, no Coach could not have said what he thought he did, he must still be in the cold tub hallucinating from the pain. Yes that has to be it. So Chuck looked down, okay so he was not in water, he was in fact still in coach's office, who was currently giving him a very amused look.

"You okay there kid? Please don't ruin my chair it's a leather import."

Chuck finally seemed to find his words. "Coach, this is real right? You're not messing with me?"

"Chuck when have you ever known me to crack a joke? Especially when it has to do with our team." Little retorted still unable to hold back his smile. He had told many a kid through the years that they had been called up but kids like Chuck are why he enjoyed these moments so much.

"Wow, I don't even know what to say, what to do right now. Really me? Wow, this must be a dream." Chuck rambled with an unbelieving smile plastered on his face.

"Well believe it son because as of an hour ago you are now on the 40 man roster of the Texas Rangers. As I'm sure you are wondering, the reason they are bringing you up before the September call up date is they need bodies. They played a 17-inning game earlier today and used up the majority of their bullpen. They are in the stretch run of the season and can't afford to lose a game simply because they do not have any options out of the pen. I know you are used to starting but when they asked me who was ready to go, you were the first name on my list. Do me proud son."

"Coach I will, thanks for everything." Chuck began to leave before turning around. "Umm, where exactly do I go now? I have dreamt about this moment for what seems my entire life and yet somehow I have absolutely no idea where I go from here."

"Son from here you go home, you call your friends and family and you celebrate a little before getting your ass to Arlington tomorrow. From there, well the rest is up to you." Little gave Chuck a pat on the shoulder as he passed him to head out the door.

"Hey Coach" Chuck yelled after him. "I will never forget this moment, thanks for believing in me, I won't let you down." With that he headed to clean out his locker because tomorrow, yeah tomorrow he would be headed to the major leagues.

July 28th 8:00 PM

Emma's House

Coming back to the house you grew up in, or at least spent your high school years in, is so surreal. All Sarah could do was stare at the house in wonder, amazed at how it looked exactly the way she remembered it. The trees lining the drive, the tank off in the pasture where the horses grazed oblivious to the extra attention. It was simply peaceful and peace in her line of work was something she rarely, if ever, came across.

"So umm mom, I was surprised to find you were still here in Texas?" Sarah began fishing for answers as she grabbed her bags from the back of her mom's truck.

"Yeah you and me both honey but it just became home…just look at it." Emma looked off and Sarah couldn't argue with her, it was beautiful and she was happy for her mom. After the life her father forced them into it was nice to see her at peace with her life.

"So how about some dinner? I made your favorite…"

Before Emma could even get it out Sarah's mouth began to water. "Roast?" Her eyes lit up and Sarah could not have kept the smile off her face if she tried.

"I take that as a yes, come on let's get you inside it should be about ready." Emma grabbed one of Sarah's bags and led the way into the house.

An hour or so later her stomach was full and she felt like she was a kid again, sitting at her kitchen table enjoying a piece of hot apple pie after gorging herself on her mom's famous pot roast. Of course this only lasted for a few minutes, she was a spy after all and something felt off about the house. She couldn't quite put a finger on what it was but something was scratching at the back of her head. She was about to shake it off as her being overly paranoid when out of the corner of her eye she saw it.

Sarah walked over to the couch and in an instant went from completely happy to raging with anger. No, mom, no she couldn't have. "Mom…" Sarah let out sternly as she turned around to face her at the kitchen table.

Emma turned seeing Sarah's face and seeing the jacket she was holding, she knew what was coming. "Sarah honey before you start let me expl…"

Sarah cut her mom off before she could even begin the line of bullshit she was sure was about to come out of her mouth. "No mom, no. There should not be an explanation, how could you let him back in this house, in your life?"

"Honey you don't understand it's different now." Emma knew this conversation was inevitable she had just hoped she could start it on her terms. That was not going to happen now and she can't say she was surprised by Sarah's reaction.

"You're right mom, I don't understand. How could it be different, huh? How could he ever be different?" She was fuming. She had a strong urge to punch someone and was really regretting not packing her heavy bag.

"Sarah…I know you're mad. Trust me I was too, you just need to give him a chance honey."

Sarah walked to her mom and grabbed her arm. She turned it over and pointed at a scar near Emma's elbow. "A chance? Give him a chance to what? Give you another one of these?" She then turned around and lifted her own shirt to show a burn mark on the small of her back. "Or how about a chance to give me another one of these?" Sarah said defiantly as her eyes began to tear up from anger and spite.

Emma sat in silence. How do you respond to that? She made a futile attempt to grab Sarah's arm and pull her into a hug but Sarah was having none of it. She didn't know what to do or what to say and the look on Sarah's face broke her heart. How could she make her understand?

Sarah turned around looking her mom dead in the eye, "The amount of hatred in that man's heart can't be forgiven, it can't be forgotten, and it most certainly cannot change."

With that Sarah left the house feeling emotions she had worked so hard to forget. How could her mom let him back into her life? They had spent the better part of their lives moving from place to place to get away from the poor excuse of a man that is her father. All the terrible acts she had both witnessed and experienced, and her mom just let him back in? How? Why would she do that? I guess that explains why she stayed in Dallas. God this was all her fault. She left her alone, she left for the CIA and he walked right back into her life. She had to fix this, she wouldn't, she couldn't, let him ruin their lives again.

July 28th 11:00 PM

Woody's Bar and Grill

"To rattlesnakes and condoms two things I never fuck with!" Yelled out a skinny Indian looking man.

Chuck gave Lester a perplexed look before downing his shot. "Alrighty Lester thanks for that." Chuck turned to his sister and just shook his head with a laugh shrugging his shoulders. Lester was a co-worker of his best friend Morgan and normally Chuck would be opposed to hanging out with him but tonight not even outlandish comments like that one could bring him down. This time tomorrow he would officially be a big league ball player.

Ellie grabbed her own glass and raised it, "Okay my turn. To my brother, who found a way to achieve his dreams despite everything life put in his way. I love you little brother and I cannot begin to explain how proud of you I am. Aces Charles, you're aces." With that she reached over to give him a teary eyed hug before downing both their shots. Ellie, ever the mother figure, certainly wasn't going to let her brother get drunk the night before he made his first appearance as a Ranger.

Chuck hugged his sister back knowing exactly why she took his shot. She was always keeping him in line. "Thanks sis, I would not be here without you. Without all of you." He said as he raised his glass to toast all of them for sticking behind him to this point.

"Chuck, which was better, hearing you were called up or the night we first stumbled upon the old VHS Star Wars tapes in your dad's closet?" Morgan said with a twinkle in his eye. "I know one thing that was a night I will never forget, you only have your first time once you know." The bearded fellow continued to ramble on oblivious to the ridiculousness of his last statement.

"Morgan it's a close call man it really is but I think I have to give today the edge." He said laughing at the mixture of disgust and annoyance on his sisters' face. But Chuck knew Ellie secretly had a soft spot for his best friend because, while she never has understood their nerdy tendencies, Morgan has been with Chuck through it all. When the Rangers drafted Chuck out of Stanford three years ago, his sister found a job in Texas and followed. Morgan did the same, for him it was an after thought because wherever Chuck was so was he that's just how it worked with them, Hans Solo and Chewbacca.

"Fair enough, on that note who's ready for another round!" Morgan yelled to the already tipsy group who answered with a round of high fives.

Chuck stood up before Morgan had a chance to head to the bar. Chuck may not yet have a big league paycheck but he still made more in the minors than the $10/hr Morgan made at the Buy More. "I got this round buddy, this is my treat to you guys for helping me every step of the way." Cheesy as it was, it was the truth their group was an odd bunch but they truly made him into the person he is today.

Before she knew what she was doing she found herself at a local sports bar on the edge of Dallas. It looked harmless enough, the walls were standing and it wasn't milling with cops so that was good enough for Sarah. Plus she was pissed and if she couldn't punch someone like she wanted, a few whiskey and cokes should do the trick. So there she sat, already working on her third, fourth, fifth...she honestly wasn't sure how many she had downed so far tonight but she didn't care. She was also doing her best not to give in to her urge to punch someone by knocking out one of the many slim balls that kept hitting on her. The more alcohol she had the harder this urge was to resist.

She rolled her eyes and turned her stool around as the TV was yet again playing reruns of an earlier baseball game. Being in the CIA gave one little time for interests of any kind, especially sports, so she could really care less about seeing the same highlights fourteen-thousand times in one night.

"Not a baseball fan eh?" Said someone to her left. Great she thought yet another creeper trying to hit on her. But as she turned to tell him to save it something about him made her stop the pain inflicting words that were on the tip of her tongue.

She gave him a wry smile, "Not really, I mean just throw the ball already." She said trying her best to keep her anger to herself.

"I know right? Those pitchers sure know how to drag out a game don't they." He said with a smile so adorable that Sarah instantly decided it should be outlawed. Wait, did she really just think that? It must be the alcohol she convinced herself.

"Exactly, it's like if a yawn could yawn." She answered giving him her own smile back, unable to keep herself from staring back. Again this had to be the alcohol.

Chuck was positive he had never in his life seen eyes as beautiful as the ones he was looking into right now. They were like an endless pool of blue so full of emotion he wanted so badly to understand. There was sadness mixed with a hardness and resolve he could not even begin to imagine a girl like her could form. She was simply beautiful and he knew if he did not get out of there quickly he would turn into a puddle of goo and become the bumbling nerd that he was.

Lucky for him the bartender returned with the round of shots he had ordered and he turned his attention back to the girl. Ouch he thought at her last comment, if a yawn could yawn? Not that I ever had a chance to begin with but I certainly don't now, I'll just keep my current form of employment to myself he thought. He laughed and grabbed his drinks to head back to the table.

"Thirsty?" She asked raising her eyebrows at the 10 shots on his tray.

He smiled that ridiculously perfect smile again before answering her with a chuckle. "Very", he joked, "no it's a celebration of sorts….I got a promotion today."

"Congratulations." She said once again finding herself oddly captivated by this gangly man before her. Yep, has to be the alcohol she repeated to herself.

"What about you? News of your own?" He hesitantly motioned towards the abundance of glasses in front of her.

She looked down realizing what she must look like. It was clear to anyone she was here to drink something off. She gave him a small smile before throwing some money on the bar and standing up to head home. She couldn't be doing this, she couldn't be out getting drunk in a random bar, chatting with random guys, even if they did have the most amazing smile she had ever seen. Ugh no that right there, that's why she shouldn't be drinking, she can't be thinking like that. She was a spy for goodness sakes, sure she was on leave but that was no excuse to turn into a drunken bimbo. "Congratulations again, celebrate for the both of us will ya?", Sarah said with a distracted smile as she got up to leave.

Crap, Chuck thought, why did I say that, now I upset her. Yep look at her packing up to leave, way to go Chuck. He continued chastising himself for being the idiot he was when he realized she had said something and was headed out the door before he even had a chance to apologize. All he could do was smile and give her an awkward wave as she left. Despite the fact he had royally screwed this one up, and he would no doubt never she this girl again, he still could not hold back the giddy smile that adorned his face.

He walked up to the table and before he could even sit the drinks down his sister was all over him. "Who was that Chuck?" She asked with those beady excited eyes she always got when she started to go into cupid mode.

"Calm down sis, set down the bow and arrow, I don't even know her name. In fact, our conversation involved her talking about how boring baseball is and me inadvertently insulting her by the end soooo I think it's safe to say nothing is coming of that."

Ellie let it go but she knew the smile on her brother's face and it was one she hadn't seen in a long time. Regardless, he was probably right he most likely would never see her again but it was still nice to see her little brother happy. His dreams were coming true and tomorrow he would be wearing the Rangers red and blue.

A/N Okay so that's the first chapter guys. I hope you enjoyed it please leave me a review and let me know how you liked or hated it. I love Chuck and I love baseball so I thought why not combine them for a fun little story. I will incorporate things from the show where I see fit and obviously the spy world is still there with Sarah. The biggest change is baseball but Chuck will always be the nerd we know and love he just uses baseballs now instead of bullets…errr tranq darts. I tried to keep the baseball lingo as basic as possible but if there's anything any none baseball fans are confused on let me know and I will do my best to explain it for you. Again I am in grad school which means I have little free time but this is a fun story to write so I will do my darndest to get at least one update out a week. Anyway love you guys for reading, please let me know how you liked it, thanks! :)