Blythe Bartowski sat in her living room in the big LaZBoy chair and read her book. The front door opened and closed.
"Mom, is that you?" she asked.
"No it's Aunt El. Your Mom will be coming shortly. She wanted to grab the bags before coming in." her aunt Eleanor told her.
"Oh alright then." Blythe said, closing her book.
"What book are you reading, Bly?" she asked. Blythe lifted up the cover of the book she was reading and Aunt Ellie gave a strange sharp gasp.
"What is it Aunt Ellie?" Blythe questioned looking at the cover of the book. She didn't think there was anything unusual about the book. She read them all the time. She looked at the big bold, red words, The Spy Who Saved The World…Again.
"It's nothing, honey. Just kind of shocked; your father used to read those kinds of books as well. Has he gotten you to read Star Wars yet?" she asked.
"No ma'am, but I am soon." Blythe replied, smiling up at her aunt.
"Im home!" her mother, Sarah Bartowski, called from the foyer.
"Hi, Mommy, Im glad you're home! I have been waiting to tell you about what happened at school today. This one kid, Abbey, was looking at my binder where I have all the family photos and she was like 'Your dad looks familiar. Did he ever work with my Mom?' and ya know her Mom works for the FBI and I told her that no he hadn't, he had always been a technician, but she was SO certain. It was strange." Blythe said, helping her mom and aunt unload groceries.
Sarah gave an uneasy glance over Blythe's shoulder towards Ellie. "What is it you guys? Is there something I don't know?" Blythe asked suspiciously.
"No, honey, go on into your room and let Aunt Ellie and I get ready for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow." Sarah said, kissing her daughter's head.
"Sure Mom." Blythe replied and walked up to her room.
Blythe sat on her bed daydreaming about the next day. It was a tradition to get together with all of her "family". It was usually her Aunt Ellie, Uncle Devin, her cousins(Toddy[Todd] and Mary), Uncle Casey (her mom and dad's friend) , Uncle Morgan and Aunt Alex (her Dad's best friend and his wife who is also Uncle Casey's daughter), Big Mike and Ms. Bolonia, and sometimes Jeff and Lester would come over (but that's if they weren't drunk). Thanksgiving was a big thing at their house. It brought everyone together and was also an excuse to over eat.
After Thanksgiving, that night, Blythe, her mom, and her dad would all set up the house for Christmas. Unfortunately, this year her dad, Chuck Bartowski, would not be able to help them. He had to work late at his shop, Tech Me. He was always working late now a days or he was up in his in-house-office. Blythe never knew what he was doing in there but she was pretty sure it had something to do with locating people because whenever she went in there she saw lots of maps and "Missing Person" flyers. Her dad was the smartest man she knew though, and she admired that in him. He was also dedicated to whatever he did. He truly was amazing.
But lately he had been missing out on a lot of family things because of his hobby and his work. Over the last year and a half her father had missed some of Blythe's art galleries, several of her play performances and even most of her singing recitals. Each night he would promptly come home with a bouquet of lilies, tell her he loved her, hug her, and promise to be there next time. She never truly believed him though. Each time she would accept the flowers graciously, hug her father, tell him she loved him, and then smile as she walked to her room. There she would cry herself to sleep for have honestly hoped he would be there and getting her hopes up, but also partially for knowing he never would be there anymore. Her mom would come up to tell her goodnight and kiss Blythe's head telling her that everything would be alright. It was almost like a routine now.
It wasn't that her dad was a bad father, he was just busy. In many ways she knew her dad was one of a kind, but it never stopped the pain of his absence. Blythe had noticed that since her 13th birthday her dad and she had grown a bit distant. She suspected it was because she grew closer to her mom and that he felt she needed her mom a bit more than she needed him. But that wasn't the case. Blythe loved her father and she knew that they were quite alike in many ways. They both loved history and they loved watching the news. They loved the same books, the same shows, and they had the same since of humor, but it never seemed to click. Because Blythe was an only child and had no one to spend time with usually, her dad tried being like a brother to her sometimes. The problem with that though was they tended to get in a lot of "disagreement" ending in her mother separating them and calling them her two little kids.
Most of the quarrels are based for idiotic reasons but it cannot be helped. Blythe and her father's heated arguments are always constant. The days of peace when they don't fight are truly miracles. Blythe usually describes her father as hard headed and strong and him with her. For some reason though it seemed that lately the arguments were getting more and more frequent. It was so easy to start them though, and they always ended in someone slamming a door. Sometimes if her Mom wasn't home Blythe would tell her dad "how it was" but it never seemed to work correctly. He would always say "You are the daughter and I am the father, see the difference?"which annoyed Blythe to no end because she didn't see how It made a difference.
They're family was based off of communication and family time. They always talked to one another and tried to spend time with each other. Her parents would tell Blythe pretty much everything because they knew she was an intelligent girl and they never held her back…mostly.
Sitting there in her room Blythe looked up to her desk. There right in front of every picture or material on the desk was a large picture. The setting was outside in Aunt Ellie and Uncle Devin's backyard. The two people in the picture weren't looking directly at the camera. Instead they were looking at each other. The young girl had her hair down covered in a beanie hat. She had a long orange scarf around her neck and she was wearing a sweater that was bright blue with stitched glasses all around it. There was a picture of a nerdy looking face and the caption read "I'm a Nerd". The young girl's jeans were a bit muddy on the knees as if she had fallen in the grass one too many times, and she had. The older man's wavy curls were messed up and sticking out in random places but his large smile showed that he did not care. His white button down shirt had a grass stain on it and his tie was askew. His old worn out converse were fraying at the edges as he tried to grab the young girl who was running off with the football. Both people seemed to be enjoying themselves and as Blythe remembered…they had been. She and her dad had been playing football-both failing miserably as they both weren't the best coordinated- when Blythe had grabbed the ball from her dad's hands and tried to run off. That is when he had grabbed her and Mom had taken the picture.
They had both fallen to the ground and erupted in laughter. That was one of the most amazing days Blythe had ever had with her father. That night on the couch Blythe was watching a documentary on the Titanic and its sister Britannica when her dad had sat next to her and held her like he had when she was a little girl. "I love you Kiddo" he had told her. "I love you too Daddy" she had replied. She had fallen asleep laying on her dad that night and he had carried her to her room. When she woke up the next morning her dad had made pancakes. She walked in the kitchen and her mom was making homemade orange juice.
"What's the occasion?" Blythe had asked.
"Nothing special, honey, we just thought it would be nice to have a family breakfast." Sarah had said. Her dad winked at her and motioned her over to him.
"Yes Dad?" Blythe had asked.
"I have a surprise for you." He said motioning her close. Blythe had leaned forward and gave a cry of shock when Chuck dabbed his finger into the syrup and placed a nice drop onto Blythe's nose.
"Daddy! No fair!" She had cried and dabbed her finger into the bowl to swipe it across his cheek. He laughed and tried to lick it off.
"Alright you two, if you don't stop we won't have any syrup for the pancakes!" her mom had said to stop them. Chuck had looked at Blythe and they erupted in laughter again.
A tear began to form in Blythe's eye as she wished that those times would still be here and that things hadn't changed. Everyone was so busy lately and there was no time to see anyone. Even Blythe's best friend, Jainey, whose parents were divorced got to see her parents more often than Blythe got to see hers.
Sarah called upstairs to Blythe, "Blythe Honey can you go up into the attack and get me the box with the special dishes?"
"Sure, Mom!" she replied.
Blythe wiped away her tears and walked up to their attack. She couldn't remember exactly where the box had been put last year so she would just have to rummage around. She looked around and found a pile of boxes she was sure was where it was. As she was moving the boxes over she saw a box titled "The Old Life".
"What's that?" Blythe asked aloud, knowing no one would answer her question but feeling the need to ask it anyway.
Well I guess I'll just have to figure it out myself she thought. Blythe pulled open the box and starred at its contents. It just seemed to be a bunch of files and certificates. There were also a few medals. She lifted up the first certificate
To Agent Charles Bartowski
For a supreme excellence in the line of duty and saving his partners in the line of fire.
Congratulations Agent and thank you for your bravery
General Diane Beckman NSA, CIA
Blythe dropped the paper. She began to shake. Does this mean what I think it means? Was Daddy a….spy? Then what about Mommy, and if Uncle Casey was their partner…is he a spy too? What is going on?
She lifted the next certificate and it was listed "Special Agent Sarah Walker Bartowski" and the next was for "Agent John Casey". This was just getting weirder and weirder for Blythe. She took out the one with her mom's name on it and placed it on the ground before she closed the box. She was determined to get her answers. Blythe found the box with the dishes and grabbed it. She was honestly stronger than she appeared to be. Grabbing the certificate she walked downstairs.
"Here's the box you wanted, Mommy" Blythe said, placing down the box. Blythe picked up the certificate to examine it once more.
"What do you have there, Blythe?" Sarah asked her.
"I was hoping you could tell me…Agent." Blythe said.
"What…What are you talking about?" Sarah asked nervously. Blythe handed her mom the certificate and stared at her.
"Blythe…Honey. We need to talk, but it's going to have to be when your dad gets home. I'm sorry…we didn't want you to find out this way. Ellie, can you take Blythe into the living room and sit her down please while I call Chuck and tell him he needs to come home a bit early?" Sarah asked turning to Aunt Ellie.
"Sure can. Come on Blythe lets go see what's on television." Ellie said, leading Blythe to the living room.
Blythe was in a daze. She wasn't sure it was a good idea to bring up the certificates. She wished she had just kept her mouth shut and let it go, because she got the feeling nothing would be quite the same anymore. She got the feeling that her dad would not be happy about Blythe's finding out….what had Blythe just found out? That her parents were spies? No that can't be it, Mom and Dad…spies? That is ridiculous!Spies are in fictional action stories. That only happens in movies with, like, James Bond and stuff. That's Mr. and Mrs. Smith kind of stuff. That is completely impossible! But…then again… Blythe remembered back to some of the off things about her parents. Her dad would look in the stores and be so NERVOUS. Countless of times Blythe had found random passports as a kid with other people's names on them and thought nothing of it. Her mom's speed and fabulous reflexes…it all made since now. Wow.
Blythe could just make out the conversation her mom was having on the phone with her dad. He probably had answered in his usual manner when he is at the shop ,"Thank you For calling Tech Me, Chuck speaking, what can I do for you today?" and mom had said, "Chuck, honey, It's time."
"What's time? Dinner isn't ready for another day." He had most likely said because Mom had replied,
"No not dinner Charles! It's time for THE TALK…with Blythe?" and Daddy probably freaked out and said,
"THE TALK, what talk? Birds and the bees, Since when is my daughter thinking about boys?" to which I heard mom chuckle and reply,
"No, Chuck. It is not THAT talk. The code black cat, in other words the secret is almost out, and you need to come home ASAP before your daughter's mind over reacts. You know her well enough to know she will not let well enough alone until she gets her answers. She's just like her father in that way." To which Dad probably laughed nervously and said,
"I'll be one my way in a few minutes. Sit tight and keep her calm, we don't need her mind wandering off to those imaginations of hers, and I'm not the only one she gets its from, Sarah. I love you, see you soon" and then I heard Mom hang up so I'm sure he was on his way.
"Blythe, your dad is on his way home. Do you want to call Uncle Casey or should I since I know you were listening in and can probably catch him up. He needs to be here as well. Ellie are you calling Devin, Morgan, and Alex or am I?" Mom asked us walking into the living area.
Aunt Ellie pulled out her cell phone and began to dial Uncle Devin's phone number. I grabbed the house phone to call Uncle Casey.
"Casey here." He said in his deep, gravely-ish voice.
"Uncle Casey? My Mom wanted me to tell you she needs you here ASAP. She says it's 'Code Black Cat'."
Uncle Casey chuckled a bit, "So you've finally seen the things lurking in your house right in front of your eyes eh, kid? I told them not to leave things lying around if they didn't want you to know just yet. You're a smart kid and you're not dense. Alright tell Sarah Im on my way? Have Morgan and Alex been notified?" he asked me.
"Yes Sir, Aunt Ellie is calling them now. See you soon Uncle Casey! Love you!"
"Eh, Love you too kid." He said *click* That's just how Uncle Casey was…
"Is Uncle Casey on his way?" Blythe's mom asked. "Yes Ma'am. He said he will be on his way. He also called you and Dad idiots…"
"Yes, he does tend to do that a lot. " she said and chuckled.
Blythe heard a car door slam and feet walking up the drive way. "Dad's home!" Blythe hollered from the living room.
"I'm home everyone!" Chuck hollered from the foyer. "Yes Daddy, we realize this." Blythe replied from the couch, now reading her book again.
"No need for the snide remark young lady. You aren't going to welcome your good ole' dad?" he asked coming in and kissing her head.
"Welcome home, Daddy. How was work?" she asked
"Busy…as always. Mrs. McClintock says hello and told me to tell you her son Jason is coming home and wants to meet you." He said.
"Oh, thank you for the message. Mom and Aunt Ellie are in the kitchen. We're waiting on Uncle Casey, Uncle Morgan, Uncle Devin, and Aunt Alex. " she told him.
Chuck nodded and walked into the kitchen. He hugged his sister, kissed his wife, and sat down on a bar stool to wait for the rest of their "team".
When everyone had gotten there they sat Blythe down in the living room and basically circled around her. Sarah sat to her left and her Aunt Ellie sat to her right.
"Blythe, honey, do you have any idea what we are about to tell you?" her Dad asked.
"Sort of, well…not really, I mean I presume that you are agents since that is what it said on the certificate and also that the NSA and CIA have something to do with this, but other than that I am clueless."
"Well…there is no easy way to say this to you…but Blythe, we are spies. Well I am. Your mother had to retire when she had you, which she does not regret at all, of course." Chuck said.
Blythe blinked a few times. She stared at them all, looking around at her family, "Yeah…right. I'm not fooled you guys. You can all stop joking and tell me what's really going on. It's the witness protection program, right?"
"No Blythe…this is honestly true. We are spies. Well, Uncle Casey and Aunt Alex and I are. Aunt Ellie, Uncle Devin, and Uncle Morgan are just part of our old team. We didn't want you to know because once you knew you would be in a world of trouble. Even though we are considered retired spies we are the most wanted because we were good at what we did. Your mom and Uncle Casey were some of the best. I was an asset to the CIA and NSA because my brain."
"Your…brain?" Blythe asked.
"Yes dear. I have in my brain something called the Intersect. It is basically a big giant computer that holds this country's entire highest kept secret which is why I am most wanted. The bad guys could use you to get to me, which is why we wanted it to be a secret, but we know you're not dumb. We knew you would find out eventually…we just didn't want it to be so soon." He said
Blythe sat there a moment trying to digest all she had heard. This is insane! They honestly are…spies? How is that even possible? Well….I guess it is possible.
"So…Daddy, how am I to be affected by all this exactly? I mean what is someone gunna be triggered 'Oh she knows! Alert the media! Call out the red ninjas to abduct the child! She knows!'?" Blythe asked in mock horror. Uncle Casey smirked and gave a light chuckle. He was darn proud of "that kid" 's humor.
Chuck smiled at his daughter, "No, Honey, it just means you need to be more careful. You will have to have your cell phone on you at all times and Ill have to watch you."
"Daddy," Blythe questioned, "Is this why you've been shacked up at work and in your office?"
"Yes. I have been working on this case for over two years trying to catch these criminals. They are Russian spies. Bad Russian spies. They are the ones I am most afraid will take you. This is why we didn't want you to know. The less you knew the less you were in danger, but I guess we couldn't hold it off any longer. You really are a bright young lady. I don't know if you really know how proud I am of you, but I also need you to know…that watch I gave to you last week has a tracking device in it that only I or your mother can activate. I knew this day would come very soon so I wanted to take some extra precaution. Better safe than sorry,right?" Chuck said and gave his daughter a kiss on her head.
"Blythe, Its late. You should get off to bed. Tell everyone goodnight and be sure you get your outfit ready for school tomorrow." Sarah said, giving Blythe a kiss and a hug.
"Goodnight every one thanks for being here through this…interesting…event." Blythe said and gave everyone a hug.
The next morning Blythe got up and put on her school clothes, did her hair, brushed her teeth, put on her boots, put on her large coat, and grabbed her back pack. She hurried down the steps and Sarah met her in the kitchen. "Daddy left already, Mom?" Blythe questioned.
"Yes, he did. He had to have an early start." Sarah replied, handing Blythe a plate of strawberry waffles with butter and syrup.
"Oh, yum! My favorite breakfast." Blythe exclaimed.
After finishing her orange juice and waffles Blythe stood up and kissed her mom's cheek. "Goodbye Mommy, I love you."
"Goodbye, Sweetie, Have a wonderful day!" Sarah hollered as Blythe ran out the door to catch her bus.
When Blythe got to her bus stop her friends were mumbling about their bus driver, Ms. Cole.
"I hear she got fired…"
"No, I heard she quit…"
"I heard she got in a wreck and went to the hospital…"
Blythe shook her head, "You guys! Ms. Cole won't be driving us, then?"
Blythe's friend and bus mate, Becky, shook her head, "No, we have a sub today."
Just then the bus clanked up to the children. A large man with a beard sat in the driver's seat. As each child got onto the bus they smiled and said "Good Morning". The man just peered at them, quizzically.
"Gee, I wonder what HIS problem is." Becky questioned, sitting next to Blythe.
"I'm not sure. Not very friendly is he?" Blythe observed.
After a few minutes, Blythe realized the bus driver was not going their normal route. Apparently other children noticed as well.
"Hey! Hey mister…"
"This isn't the right way…!"
"You're going the wrong way! School is back that way!"
The bus driver looked in his big mirror, "No? Okay I will turn around."
He had a hint of accent. Russian? Blythe thought. No, that must just be a coincidence.
As the driver turned around, the children began to smell a foul smell.
"What…what is that, Becky?" Blythe asked.
"I don't know… I think Koran James has a tuna sandwich, maybe it's that?" Becky replied.
"Yeah….maybe" Blythe said.
As the smell got stronger, Blythe began to get tired, groggy. Her eyelids got heavier and the sounds around her got dimmer. I'll just take a small nap… she thought.
When Blythe woke up she felt a rough material binding her wrists behind her. She felt very uncomfortable. She fluttered her eyelids opened and gasped. She wasn't on the bus. She was in a dark, smelly, room bound to a chair.
She looked down and noticed her legs were tied by rope. She realized her hands must be tied by rope.
This is not good…not good at all. What happened on the bus? What happened to those kids? What is going on? Blythe had no idea what was going on but she had a very intense sense of danger.
Then she felt a sticky liquid on her brow. She tried to move her wrists but they were too tightly bound. She sighed and looked up, trying to think. She saw a mirror, old and cracked, above her. She saw her distorted reflection in it and gasped. Above her eyes, on her brow and forehead was a large gash. It was drying now. She had sticky, crimson blood dried in her hair, and it caked her face. She also noticed a fresh bruise on her left cheek and a few scratches along her neck.
Oh. Oh who is going to find me? Who is going to know where I am? Mom and Dad probably think I'm at school all well. They aren't going to know I'm gone until they get home and I'm not there. What if I die before they get here in time? What if they don't even come for me? Oh, Daddy, Daddy…If there was any a time I needed you, it would be now. Tears began to stream down Blythe's face. They were hot and felt like acid, staining her cheeks.
Just then she heard a noise, like footsteps. They began to grow louder and louder. They had to be a man. They sounded far more heavy than a woman's footsteps. From the sound the person or persons must be fit, because there was a heaviness but also a quickness to their steps.
She heard a mumbling, concern in their tone and confusion. Apparently who ever had her hear wasn't the leader in this charade, because they didn't seem to know what to do with her.
"Young lady? Are you awake now?" One of them, a younger man than the man on his side, said. He had glasses on. Glasses dude, she decided to call him.
"Yeah, I'm up. Who are you? Where am I? What happened? What do you want from me?" Blythe questioned. Her voice was dry and her throat hurt.
"You will learn these things in time, young one." The other man said. He had a scar down his cheek. I'll call him, Scarface.
"Don't you see her, Andrick? She is terrified." Glasses dude mumbled to Scarface (Andrick)
"You are too soft, Grigori. You do not belong in this business. You are but a boy. Now hush. Kirill will take care of the brat." Scarface (Andrick) mumbled back.
"Excuse me, but what business is this exactly, and I am NOT a brat." Blythe replied.
Glasses dude (Grigori) looked terrified, "Hush, little one. You must wait for Kirill. We cannot say much. We are here only to keep you here." Scarface (Andrick) gave him a look as if to say 'Shut up you twit'.
"Well, can I get a glass of water? My throat is a bit dry, and if your point, which I'm presuming it is, is to ask me questions, I'm going to need my full voice." Blythe said.
Scarface (Andrick) gave Blythe a stone cold look, "Grigori, go fetch the girl a glass of water."
It was then that Blythe noticed Scarface (Andrick)'s eyes. They were like a warm honey color. His accent, Russian, was the same as that of the bus driver. This must be the bus driver, minus the beard. He was the one who had done this to her. Blythe began to fill in the gaps in the puzzle. Whomever this Kirill was, he was the leader. He had probably paid these men to get her here. They must be the criminals who were after her father, and they must have taken her as a hostage to lure her dad to his death.
This can't happen. Dad can't come here. He'll die! I can't let him come. If I have to die, then I'm okay with that. Dad can't die! He can't! Blythe thought. Her mind was her worst enemy right now.
"Here is your water, little one." Glasses dude told her, placing the glass on a table Blythe had not noticed beside her.
"Uh, I need my arms to be untied so I can drink this." She said.
"You problem child! Fine, I will untie you for a moment-but I will have my eye one you. Make no tricky business. I will shoot you, no matter Kirill." Scarface hollered, untying Blythe's wrists. Anger management much?
The cold water felt good going down her throat. She gulped it down in a matter of second, all the while batting her eyelashes cutely at them. When she was finished she asked for another glass.
"You menace! Fine I will fetch you another glass-but not because I take orders from the likes of a little twerp, but because Kirill will want you to have your voice to answer questions."
Grigori stood with Blythe as Andrick went to get her some more water.
A gurgling sound emerged from Blythe's stomach. Grigori smiled, trying not to laugh at the child.
"You must be hungry, little one. I will go fetch you some food."
A voice from the shadows near the "door" stopped him, "That won't be necessary, Grigori. The child will have lunch with me in a few moments. I already told cook to prepare something. Leave us please."
"Yes sir." Grigori said meekly, eyes on the ground as he walked out the room. Blythe got the sudden image of a scared little puppy running away from his master with his tail between his legs.
As Grigori left the room Blythe waited to see the man who had spoke, but when he stepped forward he was not the man she had expected. Then again she wasn't really sure what she expected. She supposed she had thought he would look somewhere between a mafia man and an old man. Instead he kind of looked like the Karate Kid-Ralph Maccio. He was tall, dressed in black suit pants and a black button down. His black hair was slicked back and he had very blue eyes. He looked young, somewhere around the age of her father.
The man smiled as he watched her observe him. While the man watched Blythe observe him, he observed her. He noticed her calm exterior, her poker face showing no fear, her firm eyes, and he could almost hear/see her brain gears turning as she tried to decipher what to say or do next.
"I know who you are…" Blythe said, breaking the long silence between the two.
"Ah, do you now, luv? Then who am I?" he asked, smiling at her. Not in a mean way but an amused way, as if she was entertaining him.
"You're Kirill. You want to ask me questions about my father, but I am sorry to disappoint you, I have none of your answers. My father is very secretive and I don't see him much."
"Well the first part you have correct, for I am Kirill, but I do not wish to ask you the questions you presume I am going to ask you. I want not to ask you questions of your father's case, for you see I am what the case is about and obviously I should know about myself. I took you here to ask about your relationship with your dad. Also to lure him here, but, you're a clever girl so I presume you already knew that."
"I did."
"So I thought. Well I will ask you questions while we eat some food. I am positive that you are hungry."
Blythe looked at him, trying to decipher if he was the kind of man who would want to poison her as torture for her dad, or if he was genuine In giving her food. As if reading her mind, Kirill told her he would not poison her, that it was against his will and religion. Looking into his eyes, she saw he was being truthful, so as "cook" brought in a plate of chicken and mashed potatoes, Blythe ate with great exuberance.
"Blythe, I would like to ask you about your father, and in turn tell you a little about me."
"Okay, I see no harm in that, what would you like to know?" she asked, before she realized how bizarre this scenario seemed. Here she was about to have a nice civil conversation and lunch with a man who wanted, and probably WOULD, kill her father.
It's not that her father was meek. By no circumstances was he meek, but her dad never seemed to be the ninja type to her. She had always seen her dad as a geek, a nerd, and a dad, not a "Mr. Fix-It" or ninja superhero. Her dad had mentioned something that morning about having special talents but Blythe figured he was trying to show off. Now her mom was another story. Blythe could totally see how her mom/best friend, Sarah, could be a totally awesome super secret agent ninja. Her mom had that build, that strength , skill, and speed.
The more she thought about she didn't exactly know why her mom and dad were together except by love. Her dad was a major definition of nerd. In fact if you looked that word up in the dictionary you would most likely see her father, along with Uncle Morgan's, picture right there next to it. Sarah on the other hand was nothing like that. Sure her mom was a bit of a geek the way she danced around in her pjs in the living room with Blythe and talked about books and movies like it was a whole new world, and laughed at the silliest things, but her mom was above all things a knock out. Her mom was gorgeous. She had blonde hair and pretty eyes. In any other world it would be Prom Queen/ Head Cheerleader meets Head Of the Chess Club/AV Team. Although from the way her dad and mom talked, Sarah hadn't always been that way. She had also been a geek in her time.
Blythe shook her head realizing she was off track in her thoughts. Her parents weren't bad people. They were the greatest parents, despite the fights and arguments and the fact that she rarely saw her dad. He was usually there when he needed to be. Sometimes, most times, she felt a bit unwanted around them though whenever her dad was with her mom. It was like they were teenagers again. Her dad always wanted to be with her mom, always kissing and hugging on her. While that was grand and all and meant they would never get a divorce, it also meant Blythe usually felt nauseous around them. It was either nausea or a tiny feeling she wasn't wanted by her father. She got that feeling a lot. While she knew full well that you were in a way supposed to love your spouse more than anyone else, her mom always told her she loved Blythe even more than she loved Chuck.
She knew Chuck loved her, and she knew that she was important to him, but she tended to get concerned when all her dad thought about was her mom. Where was HER special gift on Christmas? Where was HER rose on her birthday? Yes, she was his daughter and Sarah his wife, but she did want sometimes to feel special when it came to her father.
Kirill cleared his throat to capture Blythe's attention.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Kirill. I was lost in my thoughts."
"It is alright, little one. I could read the story through your eyes. You don't see your dad much do you? Is he a bad father?"
"No! I have a really good dad. He just isn't around all the time and he tends to spend more time on the computer or with my mom than me. Despite his flaws, he is still my dad and I love him. What about you, Kirill? Are you a bad dad? I am sorry to say this but I find you a bit of a bad man for wanting to kill my dad. He is just trying to protect our country."
"Did it ever occur to you, madam, that maybe I did not want this for my life? That maybe it was all I knew and what I was born into? That quite possibly I didn't know there was anything better in life than this and by the time I knew I was too deep into this "game" I couldn't escape?"
"No, Kirill, It did not. But it makes a lot of since now that that could be a reason for all of this. I apologize. So, do you have a family?"
"Yes, little child, I do have a family. I have a loving wife and a daughter about your age. Her name is Avaya. She is as strong willed as you. You remind me quite much about her."
"That still doesn't explain why you must kill my father. You could just be civil about things."
"Miss Blythe, there are secrets in your father's brain that I cannot let him have. The only way to get rid of them is to kill him. I don't think you will ever understand, and that is alright. Please know though that I am not a vile man. I do not wish to do this but It Is something I must do. If I had a choice I believe I would've liked being friends with your father. From what I've heard from many sources he is a very good man and someone easily relatable to. He also seems to be someone I would like to consort with. Unfortunately I cannot do that. I believe our families would've gotten along well. I do not want you to be here when I kill your father. I will return you home to Agent Walker-Bartowski afterwards, of course."
A tear escaped Blythe's eyes as she realized when her dad came here today he was facing his death and it was all her fault.
"Chuck!" Sarah hollered into the phone, panicking because her daughter had not returned home and when she had turned on the news the bus crash was all over the news. The bus driver had looked strangely like one of the men Chuck was after. Pretty soon she had had everything pieced together.
"Sarah, what is it? What's wrong?"
By now Sarah was shaking, furiously, "Blythe, she is gone. She's been taken, Chuck! Kirill and his men have her!"
Chuck pulled the phone away to stare at it. His worst nightmare had come true. He was going to lose his baby girl if he didn't hurry.
"Sarah calm down. I'll have Ellie on her way while I contact Beckman to secure backup."
"Okay Chuck, I love you. I know you'll bring her back home, safe and sound. I love you. Be careful." Sarah said and hung up with a secure *click*.
As Chuck dialed the number of General Diane Beckman he thought of his baby daughter, and of all the things she must be feeling. She must be terrified and confused. It was all his dang fault! His beautiful daughter, that he and his loving wife had taken home wrapped in a soft pink blanket, his loving child who had clung to him on her first day of pre-k not wanting to leave him, his daughter with shining blue eyes that sparkled and glittered each time she talked about Star Wars or anything remotely considered nerdy. His baby girl that he loved with all his heart.
After he had gotten back up, Chuck closed his shop, locked it, and got into his car. He activated the tracker attached to Blythe's watch. Once he got the connection he sped off down the street to be hero for hopefully one of the last times of his life.
Blythe was full on crying now, thinking about all the times her father and herself had gotten into fights. She realized she really did respect her father. He was good to her, even she hadn't realized it most of her life. He was her rock when her mom wasn't around and let's face it, sometimes a girl just needed her dad.
Just as Blythe was about to say something to defend her dad and persuade Kirill to not kill him she heard a large crash from above her. Kirill looked as startled as Blythe did as they both looked up.
Her dad, Chuck Bartowski, stood there in a pile of broken shards of glass from the window above.
"Daddy!" Blythe hollered and ran to hug him tight.
"Blythe! Honey are you okay?" he asked squeezing her and kissing her head.
"I'm okay, but Daddy, you're in danger! Kirill thinks he has to kill you. Tell him he's wrong Daddy, that we can create peace." Blythe pleaded.
"I can't convince him of anything, honey. Now go in the other room, somewhere safe and wait for me."
"No, Dad. I am not leaving you!" Blythe hollered, suddenly feeling quite heroic.
"Blythe, please If you will not listen to your father, then please turn around." Kirill said speaking to the brave girl.
"Don't speak to my daughter as if she were your friend! How dare you! Blythe, close your eyes, honey." Chuck said to her and turned to fight the man.
Kirill made the first move, punching Chuck above the eye. Since he had a ring on it left a cut which was now bleeding pretty badly.
Blythe, eyes half covered by her half spread fingers, screamed, but it was like they had not heard her.
Blythe soon learned her first judgment of her dad, him not being a ninja, yeah…she was wrong. He was like Superman. He kept time with Kirill, and at one point even knocking him to the floor. Then he got up and kicked Chuck's feet causing him to fall. The fight went on, each man getting bloodier and bloodier.
Finally, Chuck made one of his last moves. He hit Kirill hard in his abdomen, causing him to lose his breath and crack multiple ribs it sounded like. Blythe's eyes widened as Chuck pulled a gun from thin air and pulled it on Kirill. He positioned it to face his forehead, execution style. Blythe could handle no more. She jumped up and ran to her dad's side.
"Daddy, please, do not do this. You're better than killing people. Turn him in, put him in jail, but he has a family! He can do better, you'll see."
"He has fed you lies, Blythe. This man is a killer. He is nothing good."
Kirill sat there silently, his eyes filled with guilt. He looked ashamed of himself, but he didn't look scared for his life. He looked ready to die.
"…but, Daddy. I know what I saw in his eyes was genuine. You taught me how to read people, and what I saw was true." Blythe whispered.
"Here, Charles, enough hesitation… I will pull my own trigger. Blythe, somehow write to Avaya. Let her know her father loved her more than the world." Kirill said and with that, snatched Chuck's gun with the swiftness of the wind and pulled the trigger, ending his life.
Blythe turned away from the horrid scene and buried her face in her dad's chest. He held her tight as they turned away. As the two walked out the room, tears dried on Blythe's face, she saw something from the corner of her eye. It was a piece of paper attached to the wall. She moved towards it and read the words : LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MISS BLYTHE.. it read. She gasped and knew he had this planned all along. That sneaky man…
"Blythe. Let's go, sweetie. Your mom is probably worried sick and I need to get to the hospital or something." Chuck said calmly. He lead her to a car where and Agent was waiting to take her home.
As Blythe sat in the car she realized today had changed her view of her dad. She no longer looked at him as the mean old ogre she had once thought him as. No that's not even right. She had never thought of him as that either, she had always loved her father, no matter how little she told him. She DID love him, she just tended to get a little hot headed at times. She realized one of the reasons he may have backed off is because she had grown up into a teenager, and he felt she needed her mother more now than she needed him but that wasn't true. She needed her dad more than ever now to know she was loved by him. She needed someone to help release the inner nerd in her that was there. She truly knew her father had more in common than they actually realized. They both shared a compassion and understanding for people. They both loved to make people laugh and could talk your ear off once you got them started. They were mostly one in the same, even thought Blythe was a lot more like her mom, she was still a heck of a lot like her dad.
She knew she loved him and knew he was a handsome man. He was her hero. He kept their family together most times and was a calming word or soothing hug when needed. He knew how to lighten the mood and knew how to deliver a joke at just the right time. He made them laugh when they really wanted to cry and you couldn't be mad at him for long for that very same reason. He was a good cook, not as good as mom but definitely good in his own crafts. He was master of the grill, man of the house. Yes, he was lazy, but when it was time to do things, he did them…mostly. He loved her mom more than words could say. He loved Blythe with all his heart. He was a Godly man. He was a people person and darn good at all of his jobs: a dad, a husband, a friend, a manager, a son, and a "brother". He was loved by many people, but the ones who knew him best were the ones who knew that when he was quite was when you better not mess with him, they knew he hated hurting people but he was stern. He was a good father who quite often got on his teenager's nerves, and while that wouldn't change for a while that was okay. He loved her for that. They taught one another things they couldn't learn without the other person.
As soon as Chuck got home that day, all bandaged up, Blythe ran to him, stopping short in front of him. A tear was in her eye. Chuck grabbed her and pulled her close for a hug, "What's the matter, sweet heart?"
"I am so sorry I haven't told you often enough, Daddy. I love you. You're my hero." She said and squeezed her father tightly.
He whispered in her hair, "I love you too,kiddo."
As Blythe pulled back from her dad she knew nothing would be the same between them, but that would be okay. They would have a much stronger relationship now, and quite possibly, both of them would grow from this. Later on at the table, Chuck told Blythe he was proud of her and that he would put her in karate because he knew that was something she had been wanting for a while. Blythe smiled up at her dad, thanking him, as Sarah, loving mother and wife, glowed with excitement that her family was back together again.
A/N This story is dedicated to my wonderful father, BDaddyDL. And Just to say I do NOT own Chuck Any of it.
Also, I want to give thanks to ArmySFC for all his help in this. Thank you again.