Don't own Chuck
Today was the day Sarah was sitting in her OBYGN's office with Chuck. This was the day that her doctor Gwen was going to tell her what their baby was. Chuck had been saying since he found out that it was a girl. When asked how he knew he just said he did. But today with this ultrasound they would know for sure. The jell was cool and Sarah felt the pressure from the probe as Gwen moved it across her stomach slowly. Sarah looked at the light in Chuck's face, it was like Christmas day. He sat next to her squeezing her hand listening to their baby's heartbeat.
"Wow that's fast," said Chuck.
"Sweetie I don't want to complain but my hand is turning blue."
"Oh, sorry but wow that's fast."
"It's normal, nothing to worry about," said Gwen her doctor, "However, junior here isn't cooperating. He or she just won't turn around for a peak. Must be like her father a bit shy."
"You said she," Chuck picked up on what he wanted to hear.
"Sorry but I guess Chuck you've got me saying she too. I know you really wanted to know but I can't say"
"It's alright Sweetie we've waited this long we can wait a little longer. I know you're disappointed but it really doesn't matter, does it?"
"No you're right of course but it's just well I wanted to know." She heard the disappointment in his voice but there was little that could be done. The baby just didn't cooperate.
"I know me too," she said as she got up and got cleaned off before getting dressed. Chuck walked back out with Gwen trying to get her to place a bet on either boy or girl but she wasn't budging.
"Come on Gwen if you were a gambler where would you place your money blue or pink?"
"Chuck, it doesn't work like that. If I tell one thing and it's another then you go out and buy all these baby things only to find out I was wrong. No, I can't and I won't. It's just unprofessional."
"I know but let's pretend it does work like that where would you put your money?" They disappeared into the outer office when Sarah's phone rang she looked down at the screen and saw a photo of General Beckman.
"Yes General, you called? … Where am I at? Today I had a checkup with my OBGYN and we're just getting finished. …. Chuck is in the other office, do you want me to get him? …. Yes, ma'am I can but I don't understand why you want me to go to Castle by myself. You know I don't keep secrets from Chuck. …. Very well I'll be there within the hour." Sarah finished getting dressed and met Chuck still trying to get Gwen to talk.
"Come on Sweetie we need to go. Gwen has been patient enough, don't you think?"
"If I had just a little bit more time I know I can make her crack."
"Chuck, Gwen is my doctor not some nefarious villain to be interrogated under a lamp and beaten with a rubber hose."
"We can do that? Okay I know that look. I was just kidding. So you want to run home it's late."
"No I need to run by Castle to pick up something. Why don't you wait for me in the Orange, Orange and order us some Rocky Road. It always helped me when I feel down and I think you could use a pick me up."
"Love, you always know what I need even when I don't. I never get tired of saying I love you."
"I love you too."
"You know in a certain sense it's only fitting that our baby be a little mysterious just like her mother," Chuck said as he got in their car and leaned over to kiss her. "Okay then it's Orange, orange."
"You realize that I'm letting you drive my car temporarily."
"Then I need to give you a reward for letting me drive," he said as he leaned back over and kissed her again before pulling out.
They got on the Five North and considering the time of day the traffic was light. After taking the exit for Burbank Boulevard the hung a left at the first light then it was a straight shoot in.
"Okay, place our order and remember to leave me some," said Sarah
"I can't promise anything," said Chuck. She gave him a glance back as he watched her disappeared in the back.
"Boss what will it be," asked the girl behind the counter. "The usual? Small, medium or large?"
"Make it the usual in a medium, please and for here." He waited while the waitress filled his order and as he stood next to the registrar as the door opened. He heard the bell above ring and saw out of the corner of his eye a woman coming inside with a ball cap pulled down over her eyes. Just another late evening yoghurt lover he thought.
"Evening Mr. Bartowski," said a familiar voice standing next to him. It was all he could do not to show the shock that he felt like having ice water dumped on you.
"Jill? What are you doing here? Don't you know you're still wanted? There's no statutory limit on treason."
"I know Chuck but I need your help."
"What? No, I can't I'm married and we're expecting." How was he supposed to crunch five years of information into one sentence and more important why did he feel he had to.
"Chuck remember, I helped you with your father when I didn't have to and now I need your help. I'm at the Sheraton Universal. Come to the same room I think you remember the number?."
"Jill this is a bad idea." He felt tongue tied and just spoke words not really knowing if they made sense.
"Chuck you're the only one who can do this for me that I trust. Please Chuck I'm counting on you. It's a matter of life and death."
"Here's you ice cream, Rocky Road, Boss" said the young waitress giving Jill the once over. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah thanks. Here you go just keep the tip," said Chuck as he passed the waitress a twenty then turned back to Jill, "Listen I just don't know what you expect from me."
"To be the same Chuck I knew and cared about. Chuck, please, just come tomorrow, and come alone!"
"Can I take your order?" asked the waitress to Jill.
"No thanks I changed my mind. But I have to say the Rocky Road looks good." Then she turned to leave but stopped at the door. "Chuck, prove to me they haven't changed you." The door closed behind her as she left.
Chuck smiled at the perplexed waitress then took his order back to a table and stared out the window into the night but the only thing he saw was his reflection in the glass along with the memories of Jill, Bryce and Stanford all playing like a film in his head.
"Crap," he said to himself because he knew he would go and there was nothing he could do to stop himself.
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IN CASTLE
Sarah made her way down the metal steps into Castle her shoes clanked on the metal plating and as she neared she could hear the muffled voices of Casey talking to General Beckman. This made her even more suspicious as to why she was told to come alone and she really didn't like it. The situation brought back memories when she was told to lie to Chuck to bring him in so that Casey could tranq him because Jill Roberts had escaped. That was a name she hadn't thought about in a while.
"Yes, General I concur," said Casey as she came into the room.
"I concur to what? I'd like to know why I was asked me to come in without Chuck."
"Agent Bartowski, Sarah I just received some alarming news that well Jill Roberts had been sighted in Burbank."
"Crap," she said remembering that she had just thought about Jill could it have been some sort of premonition.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, no continue General," said Sarah. She didn't want to tell the General that she had just been thinking about the woman.
"Jill Roberts was reportedly seen at LAX this morning arriving on a flight from Zamibia. I don't have to remind you that Zamibia was a hot bed for ring activity and after the arrest of Dr. Martin Kowambe his brother Luther took over as minister of health. Rumor has it that Dr. Roberts is now employed by Luther Kowambe and is working on evolutionary and genetic research. The scope of that research is believed to be related to the Rings' Intersect Project and even though the Ring is no more there are still enemies like Hydra who would love to get their hands on this.
"Okay, I see the threat but I don't understand why you don't want Chuck in on this? He is the intersect."
"Because Ms. Bartowski in the Colonel's words she'll shine her big brown doe eyes are him and he'll follow her like a puppy dog. Am I right in my quote Colonel?"
"I think that's unfair especially after everything Chuck has given to this cause not to mention his own family's sacrifice. Might I remind you that it was Chuck who arrested Jill after the assault on Castle and it was he who got her to turn on Fulcrum."
"He was the one who let Dr. Roberts out of the holding cell so that she and Leader could assault Castle and in that infiltration she escaped by somehow cutting her ankle bracelet." Sarah knew exactly what had happened. Chuck had confessed to her the truth a long time ago but that wouldn't help his credibility now. "I'm sorry Sarah but my mind is made up. Chuck is not to be told but I want him watched closely in case the subject makes contact. Colonel I want you to organize a recovery team to be placed on standby. Agent Bartowski I want you to keep a close eye on Agent Bartowski."
"General, you realize you're asking me to spy on my own husband?"
"I realize that is there a problem?"
"I'm agreeing to this only because I want to prove to you both that this is totally ludicrous."
"Whatever the reason just get it done. Beckman out."
"John I can't believe you're going alone with this ridiculous plan. Where does Beckman even get an idea like this that Chuck would be, well seeing Jill."
"You mean stepping out on you or spreading his assets around."
"Very funny, I see you're in quite the dilemma you've got Gertrude on the one side and Kathleen on the other. You having trouble figuring out which side to butter your toast."
"Neither Kathleen or Gertrude are traitors. You have to admit that you're looking a little well rounded these days and if Chuck's getting a little lonely, well he is a man, isn't he."
"Casey. I want you to know that everything is still good between us maybe not in the conventional manner but besides that's none of your business. I realize you weren't around Kathleen when she was pregnant so I don't think you can understand."
"Hey, let's not make this personal. Don't shoot the messenger."
"Not make it personal! You two are asking me to spy on my husband. How can this not be personal?"
"I feel for you but duty first so buck up. Besides if you're right then no big deal and if she does try something we'll be there to help him out."
"And that's the only reason I'm going along with this. What kind of bug do you want to use? We can't use our standard type because he'll find it and that would be a disaster."
"What for your no secrets, no lie deal? What an idiot idea for spies."
"I don't think I asked for your opinion."
"Here give him this," said Casey as he handed her a Mont Blanc pen.
"What a pen? Like he doesn't have any? Is this some sort of stupid joke?"
"Tell him it's a present from you or Beckman or I don't care who. But if you give to him, he'll carry it. If you don't it'll end up in the pocket protector and he'll have it on only when he's in the Buy More."
"I can't believe you two are having me risk my marriage by using a stupid pen."
"We both know you're exaggerating."
"What's Sarah exaggerating about," asked Chuck. Somewhere during their argument he had walked in. "I'm sorry but I got tired of waiting so I came down and brought you your share of the Rocky Road before it melted."
"Thanks Sweetie," Sarah said as she took the cup from him.
"So what does Casey think you're exaggerating about? Let me guess you told him about not being able to tell the sex of the baby yet."
"That's right," said Casey. "I was telling her that it really doesn't matter."
"Sarah Love I know you were trying to make me feel better but I could tell you were disappointed too. But we'll find out next time and like you told me it really doesn't matter. What's this?" Chuck picked up the pen of the desk."
"Beckman sent it over for you," said Sarah feeling like a jerk but Chuck began to laugh.
"What's so funny?" asked Casey. "You want to let us in?"
"Oh, sorry but Love didn't I tell you I used a pen like this when I broke into the vault at Langley. I put a bio sampler in it that took the General's DNA. It wasn't easy to put that in such a small place and have the pen still work. I guess this is some sort of joke." Casey nodded his head.
"Well Sweetie, I've got everything together let's go. You can drive and I'll eat."
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ECHO PARK THE NEXT MORNING
Chuck was up early as he was not sleeping very well. He had dreams about Jill then he thought about cheaters and cheaters never slept so he did what came natural. Sarah didn't sleep any better she had dreams about Beckman and Casey ordering her to do things she didn't like or understand so somewhere around five she gave on sleeping. She felt Chuck get up but decided not to say anything and to just lie there but then a familiar smell filled the apartment – pancakes.
"Sweetie, you couldn't sleep?" She asked. Whenever pancakes were involved things were serious.
"Yeah, I had a bad dream and had trouble going back to sleep so I decided to cook for you. I hope I didn't wake you."
"Well it would be hard not to wake me if you're cooking for me but I was having trouble sleeping too. Is there something bothering you that you'd like to talk to me about?" Now Chuck was on the spot he had to say something but he could just blurt out that he met Jill at half past five in the morning.
"It's Morgan you see. Yes, it's Morgan. Hypothetically speaking or dreaming as the case may be, say he was to see Carina."
"But Carina's in England on mission with Cole."
"I know but we're talking hypothetically and dreaming at the same time if Carina were to say drop by out of the blue without any warning should Morgan, now remember we're talking about Morgan here, tell Alex."
"I don't know I guess it depends what they talked about and why she came to see him." Sarah felt terror inside was Chuck saying he met Jill and if so how could she not tell him about Beckman.
"And if Carina didn't say much but told Morgan to come and to meet her alone."
"Well, I think that Morgan would be in a dilemma but he should know that…" Suddenly the doorbell rang and the door opened up.
"Come on in Casey," said Chuck.
"What? I rang the doorbell. Hey you guys got any milk? I need some for my Wheaties to breakfast of champions. I smell pancakes."
"Yeah I was cooking some for Sarah you want some? It's no problem all I have to do is thin out the batter and make more."
"Sure thanks," said Casey as he came close to Sarah and whisper. "You were about to break cover."
"Was not," she whispered back. "Sweetie, I think John needs his to go."
"No I'm fine," he said as she kicked him. "Well on second thought we got in a new shipment of beast misters I need to get out on display."
"Big Guy, you need to make time to eat. You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But here you go. It was supposed to be an eagle but I'm afraid it looks more like a chicken."
"Thanks, I'll get the plate back to you later. I'll see myself out and again thanks." Sarah waited until Casey was gone.
"So you were talking about your dream about Morgan and Carina."
"Oh never mind it was stupid probably just that mix of Rocky Road and pizza last night. I should've known better and so why are you up so early."
"I don't know just things I guess. You know wondering if everything is ready for our baby. I keep going over a checklist I have in my head and sometimes I guess cause myself to worry but I have you and you are all mine and that's enough for me. You are all mine?" Chuck almost choked himself on his coffee spilling in all over his white shirt.
"What kind of question is that? Of course, I am. Do you have any doubt?"
"I'm sorry it came out wrong I was just trying to say that I trust you. Maybe that's what Morgan should remember."
"But that was only hypothetically and I was dreaming but I know he knows. Besides I would also remind Morgan the two things a good relationship is based on."
"Which are?"
"Trust and well something else."
"Trust and what?"
"Sex, remember we're talking about Morgan here."
