Don't own Chuck but I do have Chuck on the mind.
ZERO DARK THIRTY ECHO PARK
It was still dark out but through the darkness one household was awake. The lights were on in the Bartowski home and there was movement inside. The silence of the night was broken as a Nerd Herder, a Ford Kai pulled up on the street. A bearded man got out and made his way past the bird of paradise flowers in the courtyard, past the fountain with gushing water to Chuck and Sarah's front door.
"Hey, little buddy, thanks for giving us a ride to the airport? I realize it is awfully early."
"No problem Chuck even if I'm being side lined."
"Morgan, Beckman didn't' mean anything by it. She had to asses the mission and assign the best qualified people to the right assignment. Don't take it so personal," insisted Sarah.
"No, I'm over it," but his tone indicate not. "Besides I want to have time to talk to Alex without Casey being around."
"Really, Are things getting serious?" asked Chuck
"They already are but Alex wants to take it slow. She said she wants to wait until she knows what she wants to do with her life."
"That sounds responsible," said Sarah.
"She even mentioned wanting to volunteer for the Peace Corps. Chuck, I know but I'm ready for the next step."
"Little Buddy is she?
"Maybe I could impress her, you know? Sarah can I borrow your Lotus, just for one evening."
"Morgan you're a friend but I'd have to kill you."
"Chuck how about your Aston?"
"Morgan, remember what happened to my father's car when we took it out after school without telling him? Do remember meeting Bubba?"
Sarah looked bewildered at the two of them so Chuck continued. "We took my father's car and he didn't know. As usual he was working on one of his inventions, well, he went out couldn't find it and asked Ellie if she knew where it was. She covered for us and said no so unbeknownst to her he called the police. I guess you get the picture. The police pulled us over neither of us had ID. Morgan decided if we held out the police would let us go and so we spent the night in jail with Bubba."
"Hey, you can't hang that on me the police just pulled me over for no reason."
"It could have been because you couldn't see over the dashboard and kept running off the road."
"It wasn't my fault that the seat wouldn't raise. Okay if no the car how about the bike?"
"Morgan, you don't even own a motorcycle license"
"I know Chuck but I could just sit on it and look taller."
"Morgan, we got to go Sarah let me take those."
"No, sweetie, you're still healing. Morgan keys."
"Man, you're not even going let me drive my own car."
"Little Buddy, give her the keys or-"
"I know she knows a thousand ways to kill me, but you two are already killing me you're just doing it slowly."
Morgan continued to whine as Sarah drove to the airport. It got so bad one time that she thought about doing a brake test but she remembered just in time that Chuck was still healing from the warehouse incident. Pulling up at curb Chuck gave in, "Okay, you can drive the Aston but if you break it you pay for it."
"Thanks, you're a real friend by the way is it gassed up?"
"Bye Morgan," said Sarah "Next time we take a taxi. I don't care how much it costs."
"I'm with you, but I think we can afford it."
"Sweetie that was nice of you to trust Morgan with your car? I wouldn't have done it."
"I'm not worried; he can't drive a stick. He'll never get it out of the garage. Burbank is safe so shall we can go save the world."
Chuck and Sarah entered Bob Hope airport in Burbank. Chuck hated airports and flying in general; however, this airport was small and gave a sense of being friendly. It's small size also meant check-in was fast and going through security was relatively easy. Sarah, as a spy, like small airports because it was easier to get around controls and checks. Larger airports meant tighter security and modern up to date equipment. Homeland security always had their eye on the high profile targets which for Sarah was okay team Bartowski could take care of the smaller ones.
"Do you want to stop as Peet's for coffee or tea?"
"No, I want to sleep on the flight and I think you should too because we are going to lose time traveling west to east. I realize the flight is early but this was the only way we could have time enough to see Ellie."
"I could've hired a jet to take us you know. You could even have flown it."
"Maybe next time Sweetie. That would've been nice but I'm a little out of practice in the cockpit. Love, we need to keep our heads down with this nameless organization around we don't want to attract to much attention. On missions now we must be as ordinary as possible."
"I'm still glad we went with first class even though I had to pay the difference, Carmichael Industries can afford it. What do you think about if I call Hannah in our Paris office and have her meet us in Rome? That will save me from having to to go in April to see her."
"But I want to go to Paris."
"I do too but it rains a lot in the Spring and it could still be cold. I was thinking about a third honeymoon in June or July?
"Sweetie you are becoming quit the jet setter, but if something happens then you'll miss her and she will come for nothing. With your past record with her it probably would send the wrong signals."
"You're right. I wouldn't want that. She's hard working and reliable it would be hard to replace her without our business suffering."
"Should I be jealous."
"Love, I only have eyes for you. Why don't we go to the First Class lounge and relax."
"Sounds good. We could mengal to stay awake I really want to sleep on the flight so I'll be awake to talk with Ellie.
"Is something wrong? You sound like it's very important you talk with her."
"No, not really I'm just not a morning person you know that." Chuck left his questioning at that but he only half believed what his wife had told him. He hoped that when they got to Chicago he would get down to the bottom of it either from Sarah or his sister. A female bond had grown between the two that made Chuck a little jealous although he would never admit it.
"I think they've just called our flight now. It's written up on the board South-Eastern Flight 2285 from Bob Hope Airport (BUR) for Chicago O'Hare (ORD) depart Gate A4 now boarding. I can't find my boarding pass I must've lost it."
"No you didn't I have them both come on Sweetie fly me to the moon."
Chuck continued, "And let me play among the stars...In other words, I love you."
"Mr. Carmichael you're such the romantic."
"When I'm near you Bebe."
"Please no Sonny and Cher that didn't end so well."
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Morgan was excited after he dropped Chuck and Sarah off he had Chuck's blessing for the Aston so all he had to do was drive out to Castillo del Sol and pick it up then he could drive home to Alex in time for breakfast and boom. Today was the day. However, somewhere before sunrise an almost inaudible sound was heard over Burbank. Some say that it sounded like a wounded Coyote others compared it to a sick cow but the truth be known Morgan had just gotten in the Aston and was greeted with the stick. That was pretty much what he thought about it too.
"Crap, I never get a break. I feel like that little black chick with the stupid egg shell on its head. Well, I'm not going to let this get me down. No, way man today is the day the first day of my life and all that other crap. We still can do this." Morgan said to himself as he got back in the Nerd herder. Looking at his watch, "I can still get back to Alex for breakfast."
Morgan drove back home making good time. There was only a little traffic on the I-5 because of construction. But because of the hour there was light traffic so he was soon pulling into his drive. Morgan and Alex had moved out of Echo Park when Casey came back partly because the house was Casey's although technically it was a CIA safe house and because they wanted something on their own that was theirs. One of the reasons Morgan wanted to move but never told Alex was he was sure Casey had bugged the place with video cameras everywhere. Just the thought of Casey watching them make out made Morgan shutter not only reduce his life expectancy, besides that just wasn't right anyway you looked at it. The neighborhood they chose had certain advantages along with a particular house next door with a white picket fence and red door, Echo Park in the Suburbs.
Morgan parked the Nerd herder in front of the garage and was walking to the house when he noticed the lights were on inside.
"Good Alex is up. I'll fix breakfast and then, wait what am I saying I can't fix breakfast. They don't teach breakfast at the Benihana school. That's what I get for going to night school if I had got to one during the day I'd be okay. A couple eggs can't be difficult anyway," Morgan muttered to himself as he opened the door.
"I'm home," said Morgan bright and happy but a bit nervous.
"We're in the kitchen," came the reply.
"We? Who's here?" Morgan asked to find Casey in their kitchen wearing an apron standing over the stove with a skillet in his hand.
"Quit the sight there Big Guy do you mind if I take a picture?"
"Do you mind if I punch you in the head."
"Now, now guys play nice. I told Dad last night he could drop by since I knew you were going to take Chuck and Sarah to the airport early. Dad doesn't have to fly out until late this afternoon so I thought we could hang for a bit then we could take him too. That's okay Morgan because I could take him by myself if-"
"No, no that's quit alright," looking up at the ceiling and around, "I didn't have anything plans."
"Thanks Morgan, you're the greatest," with that Alex gave him kiss on the cheek."
"Troll how do you like your eggs, with their gooses cooked or burnt until their dead."
"Over easy will be fine, thanks."
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SOMEWHERE IN THE SKY OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Carmichael couple were trying to relax on the flight to Chicago the first leg of a flight that was to take them around the world. Chuck although the President and CEO of Carmichael Industries had spent very little time out of Burbank other than on missions. He had learnt that spying and sightseeing really didn't go hand in hand and he was quickly becoming an expert in airports.
"Have you been to Italy before?" he asked Sarah.
"A few times. I've been to, let me see, Venice, the canals smelt bad and I ended up in one trying to retrieve a flash drive. I was in Florence and almost got shot on the Pointe Vecchio. I was in Siena there I had to push an enemy agent under a horse during the Palio to save the consul but I got trampled too. I broke two ribs that day but all in all I came out better than the other guy. But this is my first time to Rome and Naples."
"So we are doing firsts together." Chuck wanted to say again but he didn't want to keep reminding Sarah of her amnesia.
"Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael," interrupted a flight attendant. "Our flight has so few passengers we would like to move the ones in couch up here so we don't have to walk back and forth the whole flight. Is that alright with you?"
"Sure," said Chuck "What do you say Bebe?"
"Sure, I'm for anything that makes you guys comfortable. I've been there walking back and forth down aisles murder in heels."
"Thanks,"said the flight attendant though she thought Sarah had been a model and she was talking about walking on the catwalk. However, what Sarah was talking about was one of her previous covers a flight attendant on a long flight to South America to get close enough to retire a Capo of a Bolivian drug cartel.
The flight attendant that they had talked to disappeared behind a curtain and soon passengers started to file in sitting behind and around them. Suddenly, Chuck flashed.
"Well, this is going to be an interesting flight," said Chuck.
"Why, did you flash?"
"Yes, that man behind us is Mario Strangoletti a member of the DeMambro family. He is currently under witness protection and the man next to him is Kenneth Dillion, a U.S. Marshall. They are on their way to Chicago so that Strangoletti can testify before a grand jury."
"So the Marshall is?"
"Yes, Marshall Dillion, the clichés just keep flying. But at least we're not flying to Dodge City."
"Sweetie go to sleep."
Just as Chuck was about to doze off the same flight attendant came, "Excuse me, can I get you something?"
"What? No, no thanks well maybe a glass of water."
"Sweetie if you drink too much water you know what'll happen."
"But I read that on a flight you should try and stay hydrated,"
"Okay but let's switch seats. I'll sit on the inside that way when the inevitable happens you won't have to wake me." The couple changed positions and Chuck drank his water. Like clockwork or in this case water work Chuck got up to find the facilities. The laboratory up front was occupied and had been occupied for a while. Chuck had observed an elderly man go in with what looked a very angry expression on his face but judging from the time the man was spending inside he thought he must have been mistaken and probably the aft laboratories would be safer.
Getting up he woke Sarah, "where are you going?" she asked groggily.
"Don't worry Love, I'll be right back."
"I told you not to drink that water," she replied as she returned to sleep.
Chuck made his way down the aisle past the galley where two flight attendants were chatting one had her back to him and the other one facing him was the one who had offered him the water. She nodded her head as he passed by acknowledging his presence.
"The laboratories are at the back of the plane," she said. He couldn't help but wonder did it look that obvious that he need to go. Arriving he found that there were two restrooms one on each side of the plane marked WC as he went in he noticed the Marshall and Mr. Strangoletti were walking towards him. They probably drank too much water too he thought. When Chuck got out he was greeted face to face with Marshall Dillion.
"Hi," Chuck said. "I see you're packing, Sky Marshall?" The Marshall's glock was in a shoulder holster hanging out in plain sight.
"No, U.S. type but you probably don't want to come up on anyone and ask them if they're packing on a plane. It may not be too healthy."
"Yeah you're right but out like that a bad guy would have to be pretty dump, don't you think?"
"Reckon you're right," replied the Marshall
Reckon? thought Chuck this is never going to finish. Chuck offered the Marshall his hand, "It's nice to meet a real marshall. I just want you to know as president of Carmichael Industries we are proud of the service you guys do. If you don't mind I'd like to offer you a drink."
"Well, I thank you but you see I'm on duty."
"Oh, well maybe when we get to Chicago. Here take a business card," Chuck offered him a card. "My company is out of Burbank if you're ever in the neighborhood just give me a call. I'll even send a driver to the airport to pick you up."
"Thank you but it really isn't necessary."
"Listen you guys put yourself out there every day it's just right that a grateful nation say thanks." Chuck couldn't help but think of all the times that they had saved the world and not one thank you. Well Beckman did kind of say thanks but he wasn't sure if she really meant it, spiraling, he was spiraling again. Strangoletti exited the restroom and the three men made their way back to their seats.
As they passed the galley, "If you can't drink let me offer you something, you want a soda, peanuts, pretzels?"
"Sir, they're free," said the flight attendant turned around. It was then Chuck flashed. This was the first time Chuck had seen her, she had been in the rear of the cabin when the plane took off and had her back to him when he passed before but now she was looking straight at him. Now the intersect had flashed.
"Sir, Are you okay? You don't look so well."
"No, no fine. Maybe a little gas, you know the altitude and everything. I think I'm going to sit down now." Chuck made a quick retreat leaving the Marshall and the flight attendant a little confused.
Sitting down he woke Sarah up, "Wake up, wake up, Huston we have a problem!"
Sarah woke up almost instantly, instead of her normal slow pace, she understood from Chuck's tone of voice that something was wrong.
"Chuck what is it?"
"I just flashed on the second flight attendant, Mary Jason. The only problem is her name isn't Mary Jason but Marta Bass, fromer ring agent and hitman, person for the DiMambro family. However, that isn't all you see that monitor on the front of the cabin that shows that little plane flying north-east, we aren't. If that were true the sun would be coming in from the other side of the plane. We are traveling south-east towards Mexico."
Sarah looked at the monitor and then looked around, "You're right. You know what that means the cabin crew has to be in on this too."
Sarah and Chuck looked at each other and smiled, "You thinking what I'm thinking Chuck asked?"
"First Bank of Macau," Sarah answered.
"You remembered, I love you."
"I love you now let's hijack a plane."