They drove up in two cars, each stuffed to the brim with 'necessities,' if you counted holiday decorations and Christmas presents as necessities, which Ellie, of course, did.
"I think I figured out why your sister wanted us to tag along," Casey jeered. "We're cheaper then a rental truck," His voice was rough, but his eyes were sparkling, the fight from the day before seemingly forgotten.
Chuck smiled and leaned back in his seat. They traveled together more than a lot, but this was nice. They had been listening to 'oldies' stations the whole way up (Casey every so often tapping the wheel and singing along) and taking in the scenery. It was mostly woodland by now, though from time to time they'd pass some small village.
It was near dark by the time they reached the cabin. The sun was already setting in a colorful glow and the moon could already be seen in the sky. As they got out of the car, he looked down at the unfamiliar crunch of snow beneath his feet, before taking a few steps and further scanning the landscape in front of him. The land was rocky, but thick with trees and he could see some water in the distance. Likely a river, but he wasn't sure. Still, there was something missing.
"I thought you said we were somewhere near civilization?"
Ellie came up to him, "We are. The town is somewhere down that road," She pointed, before stepping away and towards the cabin. Chuck followed her. As he did, he noted that the kids were running around like mad, thrilled at the snow in a way only born and bread LA kids could be.
"And they said there is a small lake and some camping ground a few minutes from here. We got to be careful Amanda and Ethan don't wander-" As the door swung open, she stopped. Slowly, taking a few steps in, she turned about, smiling. "Oh! It's prefect!"
"Nothing but the best for you, babe," Awesome dropped the bags he was carrying and came up beside her. Hugging her close, he kissed the side of the head.
Chuck walked past them with a smile. He saw Casey darting in and out of each room, exploring the place. He was about to ask him how he liked it when Casey turned around and quickly passed by him to go back outside. There had been a strange expression on his face. He frowned a moment, before ignoring that and looking around himself. It was cozy. The main room was exactly what you'd expect, warm and intimate with a wilderness feel. The room didn't have much light, minus one window that looked onto the view outside and then there was the couch, a few well used chairs and the customary fireplace. A few pictures of deer and furry things adorned the wall and there was a… television. Chuck nearly did a gig at the sight, even if the thing looked like it dated back to the 1970s. The living room area opened right onto an eating and kitchen area. It seemed to have all the basics and a table that would fit the six of them, but no more.
"Bet the hiking is great around here," Awesome said picking up the bags and walking in a manly fashion, towards a bedroom.
Casey, who was back, grunted at him and he dropped yet another load off from the car, before heading back outside. Chuck on the other hand wondered why anyone would hike, let alone in the snow.
He knew that he should be helping unload the car, but being curious, he followed Casey's earlier example and checked out the bedrooms. He ducked into each room. The first two rooms were exactly alike and the third door lead to a bathroom. He was going to the forth door, when he noticed it.
"There are only three rooms," he said in shocked amazement.
Ellie walked up to him and whispered, "Stop playing coy, Chuck, we know. It's fine," She jerked her head to the right, "The last room is yours. I want to be close to the kids."
Chuck went to protest, but Ellie was already distracted and walking away. After pausing uncertainly for a moment, Chuck entered the room. Exactly the same. Exactly, down to the one bed. Casey walked up behind him.
"It's fine," Casey murmured, nudging passed him and throwing a suitcase down onto the bed.
"You sure?"
"Yeah," he said throwing it's twin on the bed on the bed as well, "Not like we haven't sleep in the same bed a bunch of times before."
Chuck nodded, but they both knew that this was different.
"I'm starting to think you're right about Ellie thinking we're together though."
Chuck gave him a small 'are you serious' tilt of the head, before seeing his amused smile and punching him in the arm. To that, Casey only laughed, before heading back out the door.
Chuck left the room, going to help, when he saw Casey and Ellie talking.
Ellie was glancing around. She let out a huge sigh, pushing her hair back, "Where to start?"
"Finish getting these cars unloaded," Casey said.
"And one of us needs to go to town to pick do some shopping. You think the market is still open?"
"Of course. It's a tourist town. Why don't you let me and Chuck do that? We'll finish unloading and then head off. You're the one who need to unpack most of this anyway."
"Don't remind me," She left out a breath and smiled, before kissing his check, "Thanks, you're the best."
Casey jerked his head in a 'I know' fashion and went out for another load. Sometimes, it still awed Chuck how comfortable those two were together.
When they were finished unpacking the cars, Ellie was surrounded by boxes and bags and suitcases. It was decided that Chuck and Casey would do as much shopping as they could, because no one wanted to be making constant runs to market. This was vacation, even if Ellie made things more complex than they needed to be.
"I can trust you guys to buy something other then beer and chips, right? Milk, bread, a couple bottles of my favorite wine," She smiled as they nodded.
"We won't come back, until the backseat is loaded with crap."
"Oh and check out what the town has to offer," Ellie shouted after them as they left.
They got back in the car and drove off to town. This time they drove in silence taking the view in. Chuck could tell Casey rather liked the area.
'It's not really roughing it," Casey commented at last.
"Ellie doesn't want to rough it. She wants the charm of a Rocky Mountain Christmas, but the perks of heat, running water and television," he said that last two words with extreme happiness, before going on, "And speaking of heat," he turned on the seat warmers, "That's better." Casey laughed at the happiness that caused Chuck. "Best invention ever…. after television, computers and those sandwich makers that toast sandwiches real good."
"Yeah, to hell with the seatbelts and even the wheel. It's the butt warmers that we really need."
They glanced at one another fondly, before settling into a silence again. Chuck usually wasn't comfortable with silence and there had been many of times he made a fool out of himself to fill it, but with Casey it was alright. He couldn't quite grasp as to why, it just was. Still old habits were hard to break and it wasn't long before he was chatting again.
"You sure you're okay with the sleeping arrangements?"
"We're both adults," Casey replied dryly.
"It hasn't stopped us from going there before."
Casey's hand tightened on the wheel and with his jaw set, he gave Chuck a pleading look for them not to go there. Chuck swallowed and sank into his seat.
Even with all the promises of them not sleeping together they had slipped up the once and on an occasion much like this. It had been a weekend in Vegas, just to unwind, before their next mission. Casey liked gambling, which at first surprised him, but upon thinking about it, it seemed just right. Chuck realized that many of the things that would lead one into a high stakes poker game was what would lead one to want to actually want to be a spy. The risk, the bluffing, the high.
Chuck never gambled much, because even now, he had a face that people could easily read. So when he got bored with the safety of the slots, he had headed over to watch Casey play. Casey had kept his hand safely from Chuck's revealing eyes, but there had been excitement anytime Casey had done well. By the end of it, Chuck had been a grinning idiot and they had withdrawn, before the other players finally turned on him (rather than Casey).
They had gone back to their room in a bit of a high. That old affection they fell into from time to time emerged and laughs had become touches and touches had become kisses and for the first time kisses had become love making. It was one of the best nights of his life. He thought about it more then he should and the words Casey had said… he could never have doubts for John's feelings after that night.
Chuck glanced over and gave him a bitter sweet smile, one which the other man returned, before he concentrated on the road again. The man, for all his toughness, was a romantic at heart. A big old mushy one at that. But most importantly, Chuck had known he was beyond sincere. There had been nothing empty about anything said or done that night.
"I like this place," Casey said tapping his ring against the wheel as his eye darted across the landscape.
"Yeah," Chuck replied dully, "Should be nice."
But his mind was now on 'the morning after'. It had broken both their hearts, when Casey asserted that they couldn't be together. Chuck protested, but understood completely the reasoning why. Long gone was the naive Chuck of yester year. He had seen the consequences of the upper management thinking you were 'too close' and he hadn't seen Sarah since.
As they drove into a little town, they passed a bunch of small shops. Some had Christmas lights up, but it was mostly home made decorations hanging about. Looking around Chuck said, "Oh Ellie, will love this. Plays right into her Christmas mountain getaway theme."
Casey huffed, before parking in front of what looked like the local market. It was the ma and pop sort, the kind you just didn't see much of these days. They went in and loaded up on food that Ellie would find expectable and sneaking in some treats that she wouldn't, before heading over to a liquor store they had seen down the block. When they entered, Chuck blinked. It wasn't much smaller then the market had been.
"Bet they do well with all the yuppy doctors vacationing up here," Casey said with a smirk.
Chuck was about to nod, seeing his point, before a man broke in, "That we do," the man smiled, "But it keeps the family well fed and clothed so I ain't complaining," He looked them up and down, "What can I do for ya?"
"My sister asked me to pick up a couple bottles of wine," Chuck said. "Red, if you have it."
"Of course we have it," the man said with amusement, "Any preferences?"
"Red, err… she gets the kind with the black label and the grapes on the bottle."
"Right," the man said humming to himself, a little annoyed.
"Nothing too cheap," Casey added, cheering the man some.
"That's what I like to hear. How many?"
"Three or four will do, for now."
The man smiled again and went around the store and picked up a few bottles, before bringing them over to the register. Chuck and Casey followed him over. As he packed the bottles away he chatted, "I picked out some popular favorites. If she likes one, make sure you get a look of at the label so you know which."
They both nodded, though Chuck was sure the man was aiming his comments at him.
"I'm putting our business card in. We're open extra hours this month. It's one of our busier times with the holidays and all." After he finished packing the bottles carefully, he pushed a few buttons on the register and said, " That will be four hundred and fifty-eight dollars."
Chuck's eyes went wide, as Casey laid the money down. He wasn't so sure Ellie would like that price. He personally was about to throw up over it.
The man handed the bag over to Casey, "How long are you guys up here for?"
"Few weeks."
The man nodded and took up a piece of paper and shoved in in the bag, "Towns has lots of holiday stuff running all month long. We're having a wine tasting. The tourist love it." He winked at them. "You and that sister of yours should stop by."
"Thanks. We'll try."
With that they left. After they got in the car, Chuck said, "You frigging insane spending that much?"
"We're in a cabin for three weeks. I think we'll be doing some drinking."
"That is what the beer is for and if you think four bottles of wine will hold Ellie over, your kidding yourself."
"Trust me, that isn't much. Besides, there are four of us paying and drinking."
Chuck looked at him skeptically.
"Look," he held his hands out before him, "If she has an issue with it, it's on me. Believe it or not I make a pretty decent living."
"Fine," Chuck pouted.
Casey gave him a half smile and reached over to run his hand through his curls, "It's a real turn on when you get so pissy."
Chuck arched an eyebrow, "I thought we were avoiding any getting 'turned on'?"
"That is unavoidable," He pulled away and started up the car, "But that is what jerking off is for."
Chuck broke out in a laugh, startled out of his 'pissy' mood, "You do that in the next month and all the will power in the world won't save us."
"Showers, Chuck, showers," With that, Casey started to roll the car slowly down the street, back to the cabin.
Feeling a it better, Chuck looked out the window, glancing from time to time at his would be lover and fighting the temptation to grab hold of his hand.
When they got back to the cabin, it was already dark and they got straight to unloading the car again. "Damn sense of daja vu, this is," Casey grumbled, though Chuck knew him well enough to know that he didn't mind.
When they got inside, the sight they saw wasn't the one they expected. They saw a clearly upset Ellie, sitting on the couch, head in hands. She looked like she was about to cry. Before he even got his jacket stripped off, he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Look," she pointed at the fireplace.
Chuck looked and didn't see the problem. "What?"
"Look again," she shrilled.
Chuck cringed realizing Ellie was having one of her overdramatic moments, but he was as clueless as before when he checked out where she was pointing again.
Casey had now joined them and was looking as well. "What?" he asked clearly confused as well.
"I told them no dead things. No deer heads, or bear skins or anything creepy. And look."
"Oh!" There were two small creatures on display.
Casey laughed and Chuck smirked, "What are those?"
"Chipmunks," Casey said.
The kids were looking up at them with wonder.
"Great, I have a stuffed Chip and Dale on my mantel piece."
"Just move them."
"I tried, man," Awesome joined in, "They're stuck."
Chuck looked over to Ellie, who looked miserable, "It's not that bad," She gave him a look, "It isn't. Look, would you rather go home?"
"No."
"So that settles it."
Chuck looked back to see Casey holding Ethan up so he could get a better look at them, "Which one is Dale?" he heard Casey whisper.
Both Chuck and Awesome laughed.
As Ethan reached his hand out and pointed, Ellie got tense and said, "Don't let him touch it!"
Casey smiled and put Ethan down. "We got your wine," he said calmly, clearly finding Ellie's freak out amusing.
She slumped, "Good, because I'll be needing it."
Casey rolled his eyes and shrugged knowing well that Ellie would be over this in a good hour. With that he slipped into their bedroom. Chuck watched Awesome trying to soothe his wife a moment, before following.
Entering, he saw Casey already laid out on their bed, hands behind his head. He looked relaxed, but his blue eyes were focused intently on him. Chuck tried to ignore the fact he looked good and a little more then inviting, but failed. Settling down on the edge of the bed, he said, "Noticed you didn't bring up the price of the wine."
"Didn't count on the furry creatures."
"Sure," he dragged out.
"She won't care, Chuck. Trust me. This is her dream vacation. She wants everything perfect."
"Including no chipmunks," he commented dryly.
Chuck smiled, resisting the urge to lay down with him and cuddle into his chest the way he had that one night. He looked around the room. Closet, dresser and score! There was a small tv in here too. He got up examining it. He laughed, "Oh god, it's one of those old vcr/tv sets. Got any tapes?"
"Can't say that I do," He paused, "Can't believe your still so focused on that thing, when we're on vacation."
"Trust me it was hard enough leaving my computer. No tv?" He shook his head, "Besides, once Ellie breaks out the board games, you'll be longing for other entertainment as well."
"That's what these are for," Casey held up a book. It was a bio on John Adams.
Chuck smiled, for some reason looking forward to this vacation more then ever.
TBC
