Disclaimer:I do not own Chuck just the OC characters mentioned in this story. Thank you PJ Murphy for being awesome in this and Happy New Year. Last story of the year.
December 31, 2039
Chicago, Illinois
11:55 pm CST
Revelers danced joyfully in the streets ready to ring a new decade despite the cold, laughing as they threw confetti in the air. Liam chuckled at their optimism and cheerfulness, oblivious to the darker aspects of life. The covert operative who recently finished a very perilous mission that involved protecting from the shadows the head of government of this country. With nothing to do except wait out until the clock strikes midnight he sat on a bench in Washington Square Park that faced the famous Newberry Library. The park was a historical landmark that natives of the city still referred to it as Bughouse Square.
"I thought I might find you here, Pasteur," said a familiar voice, calling him by one of his aliases. His partner and official boss, Edward Qiu, took a seat next to the amnesiac young man. It was tough at times trying to remember who he was and where he came from, whether he had parents or siblings or even where he grew up. He had dreams about it, though. Vivid images of laughter and carefree feelings.
"We did good today," his boss reminded him. "The Chancellor is safe and all is right in the world."
Liam exhaled. "Ninety-two years since the death of Al Capone, Chicago had been consistently ranked the least corrupt city in the country and the best place to do business for the last nine years."
"It is why we opened the first office here after the old regime perished, so to speak," Qiu said, referring to the Buy More. It felt like a lifetime ago that it was a simple electronics store chain, but now it had evolved to something that worked everyday to benefit humanity.
Qiu smiled and pulled something out of his coat. "I brought booze. Thought it would appropriate," he said as he showed Liam the very expensive bottle of bourbon.
On an electronic billboard across the street, Liam saw a face. He knew who it was, mainly because it was hard not to know the person. It was the Dr. Eleanor Woodcomb, who was due to be speaking next week at the library. The famed neurologist was a Nobel Prize Winner in medicine in for her work in the regeneration and repair of nerves that allowed for many kinds of applications, chief among them being the return of the ability to walk. But Liam felt like he knew her personally. He blinked a few times, trying to remember where he knew her from, but all he could before six years ago was a blank.
"In two hours we have to be on a red-eye to jolly ole England," Qiu reminded him. "Many former Ring operatives have been seeking shelter in the British isles."
"Like rats," Liam grunted.
"You know what? Let's not talk about spies, secret societies or the damn weather. It's almost midnight; let's toast on it." Opening the bottle, he handed it to Liam, who smiled and took a swig of it. Liam handed it back to Qiu who took a drink of his own.
Three miles north in the suburb of Shermer, the Bartowski and Woodcomb families were ready for the New Year. Chuck looked around the upstairs porch of his sister and brother-in-law's home, which was quite spacious. In thirty seconds it would be 2040 and a start to what he hoped would be a very good year. He had his arm around his lovely wife of twenty-eight years. Along with the celebration of the New Year, his eldest son, Steven, had gotten engaged to his longtime girlfriend Lara.
"Just thirty seconds," Chuck grinned. All the guests watched as the fireworks exploded in the night sky with varying colors of red, blue, green, yellow, magenta, orange, teal, and gold making for a wondrous display.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!" They counted down in chorus.
"Happy New Year!"
Chuck and Sarah shared a loving lip lock as the fireworks flew in the sky.
"Happy New Year," he grinned at his wife.
"To a great and happy year," Sarah replied, caressing his stubble. In both of their minds, they thought about their darling Liam and if he was doing okay after his disappearance six years ago. Hopefully in this New Year he would return to them. They could feel that he was alive somewhere, a thought that kept them going.
THE END