Chuck VS Unemployment
Notes: This is set (by request) between Seasons 3 and 4, we know from cannon there are a few months between Chuck finding his father's underground lair and the beginning of Season 4. This will also include a reference to something from Chuck VS The Love Scenes.
***555***
"I'm worried about Chuck," Sarah said as she stared out the binoculars at yet another potential meeting of Alexei Volkoff and a known associate.
"Why?" Casey grunted out the word.
"He's not working, he sounds distant and weird when I talk to him on the phone. I haven't seen him in, God, nearly 10 days and I'm afraid he's spiraling," Sarah sighed and dropped the binoculars.
"I liked it a lot more when you didn't have any girlie feelings," Casey frowned.
"Shut up," Sarah snapped.
"There she is," Casey nodded with a smile.
"I'm serious, I think Chuck is depressed."
"He's been through a lot," Casey shrugged.
"I know, first he thought he killed Shaw, he was just getting over that and then Shaw came back and killed his dad, God, poor Stephen," Sarah frowned.
"Chuck is the most emo human being on the planet, of course he's depressed, but he promised Ellie no more CIA and let's face it, that woman is scary."
"Ellie is not scary," Sarah said, although not very convincingly.
"She hit me with a frying pan," Casey protested.
"I so wish I could have seen that," Sarah snorted.
"Well, if this lead fizzles like the last 3 I can ask Beckman to at least let us stop home before heading off on the latest wild goose chase," Casey offered.
"Thanks, Casey," Sarah smiled, he knew if Sarah asked Beckman would assume – rightly – that Sarah just wanted to see Chuck, but if the request came from Casey it might be more well-received.
Sure enough Volkoff sent another lackey to the meet and they had nothing to show for their 48 hours in Helsinki. By the time the CIA got them back to Los Angeles it was nearly 1:00 am and Casey waved a tired good night to Sarah in the courtyard. She hadn't talked to Chuck in two days and she wanted to really surprise him.
She snuck in to the apartment silently, but almost immediately it was as if she knew Chuck wasn't there. The apartment was missing his energy, his aura even though he could very well just be asleep. Sarah moved to the bedroom and opened the door quietly and sure enough the bed was made and empty. Sarah moved to the room down the hall and listened at the door trying to catch the soft sound of Morgan's snores, but there was silence. Taking a chance Sarah cracked the door open and found his room equally vacant. Odds are wherever Morgan was, Chuck was with him.
Sarah tried Chuck's cell but it went right to voice mail and she was too tired to investigate any further. She stripped off her clothes, took a quick shower and crawled in to her bed, the bed she shared with Chuck, the bed that still smelled like Chuck and fell asleep with her head on his pillow.
The next morning Sarah had a text from Chuck:
Sorry I missed your call, Morgan and I were bored so we took a road trip to Arizona to some old comic book store he always wanted to visit. Mostly bad motels and fast food. Where are you? Miss you. Love, Chuck
Sarah stretched out in the bed, mad at herself for trying to surprise him, mad for assuming he'd be sitting at home waiting for her like a puppy dog. She knew if she told him she was at home he would feel bad for being away so she replied:
Had a night off and thought I would try to catch you. Have fun on your road trip! Is the motel like Barstow? Love, Sarah
Her phone beeped but the new message wasn't Chuck, it was Casey.
Flight in an hour.
Sarah remade the bed and tried to erase any evidence of her having been there and was off with Casey to Ecuador within the hour. Two days later she got a text from Chuck:
Just got home from Arizona and crawled in to bed, it smells like you. I miss you so much. Love, Chuck
Sarah smiled in the back of the surveillance van, she needed to see her man.
***555***
A couple days later Sarah was enjoying a couple hours of R&R and she tried to reach Chuck.
"Hey," Chuck answered quickly.
"Hey, it's so good to hear your voice," Sarah smiled.
"I almost dropped the phone in the sink, I wanted to answer it quick in case you were in a hurry," he babbled and she just closed her eyes and let his voice wash over her.
Sarah was back at the hotel, another fruitless mission leaving her frustrated professionally and a boyfriend she hadn't seen in almost a month making her a different kind of frustrated.
"I'm glad I caught you, you have a few minutes?"
"For you? Of course. How are you? You safe?" Chuck took his beer and moved to the couch, happy that Morgan had gone out with his mom.
"I'm safe, unless boredom is a threat. This is the mission that just won't end," she blew out a breath and crawled on to her bed.
"I went out to dinner with Ellie and Awesome last night," he changed the subject from work.
"How are they?"
"Good, Ellie's still really sad."
"Of course. How about you? How are you?"
"I'm OK," he said lamely.
"I don't believe you," Sarah said with a smile in her voice.
"I've been better," he conceded.
"I wish I was there."
"You have an important job," Chuck said in his always understanding way.
"They tell us this guy is important, but either he is messing with us or he isn't as important as Beckman thinks. I'd rather be with you," Sarah grunted softly, she had been hanging with Casey too long.
"Well I wish you were with me too, but one of us has to work," Chuck sounded down again.
"OK, subject change. What are you wearing?" Sarah changed her tone but ended with a giggle.
"Ha ha."
"I'm wearing your Arcade Fire t-shirt…and not much else," she teased.
Sarah could hear Chuck swallow.
"Where are you?" his voice was husky.
"I can't tell you that," Sarah said sadly.
"I mean are you in…bed…?"
"I am in fact in bed," Sarah figured she could admit that, Chuck knew spies didn't always sleep at night so being in bed wouldn't risk pinpointing her time zone.
"Oh Sarah," Chuck leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, he could see her.
They had only been living together a little while before everything went to hell, the nightmares and Shaw and his dad. His poor dad. It hadn't been very long but Chuck loved having Sarah in the apartment, her pretty clothes and her girlie lotions and treacherous shoes. She was very self-contained, she hadn't really even unpacked or spread out, so used to living out of suitcases and hotel rooms her whole life.
"I want to hold you," Sarah admitted, it was a big admission for her to indicate want.
"Yeah," Chuck agreed.
As much as he loved making love to Sarah, it was those moments in bed where they would just hold one another, their hearts matching rhythm their breath in unison that he felt most peaceful. For Sarah to mention that same feeling of closeness made him miss her all the more.
"Walker!" Casey's voice boomed through the adjoining door and the phone line, "Got a tip!"
"Dammit," Sarah ground out.
"You have to go," Chuck said, it wasn't a question.
"I love you," Sarah said it so easily now after struggling to get it out early.
"I love you too, be safe."
***555***
Sarah had no idea if Casey did it on purpose or if he really misfired, but he clipped a civilian. Sarah thought he might have done it intentionally to get them the hell off the assignment for a few days. In any case they were in DC and knowing the government and its snail-like pace they were bound to be there for a few days at least.
While they were still in the air Sarah called Chuck asking if he could fly out, join her while she waited for Casey to be cleared. He was booking a flight before she could finish her sentence. So now Sarah waited at arrivals at Reagan National watching the sea of passengers for the tall dark and curly head of the man she loved.
She knew the moment he saw her as his face changed, his whole face smiled at her and she felt herself relax.
"Hi," he pulled her into his arms, dropping his messenger bag at their feet.
"Hi," her voice was suspiciously watery.
Chuck held her tight, not caring if anyone noticed them.
"Did you check a bag?" she pulled back and kissed him quickly.
He wasn't satisfied with the quick kiss and insisted on another, slightly longer but still palatable for public.
"Yes," he turned them towards baggage claim, "I was uncertain how long I was going to be here."
"I have no idea how long we will be here, Casey will be in meetings for at least a couple days. I might need to give a statement, but mostly I am just waiting for him and I thought you could help me bide the time," she shrugged one shoulder.
"Well I didn't bring any games and I just have the one book I was reading on the plane…." He began and she was confused, "so I don't really know how I might possibly entertain you…" he winked at her as he reached down to grab his suitcase from the carousel.
"I've missed you so much," she looped her index finger through a belt loop on his jeans and tugged him close, he let his body bump into hers more than was really necessary and Sarah's eyes sparked blue.
"Cab?" Chuck croaked.
Sarah just nodded and headed for the cab stand.
The hotel was down by the White House, a nice boutique hotel used by the CIA for its discretion, they even had a few agents on staff. It had a well-appointed lobby with dark wood and burgundy furnishings; it looked like someone's wealthy grandfather's study. Sarah had checked in already so she led Chuck through the lobby pausing as they approached the small bar.
"Are you hungry?" she thought suddenly, knowing he wouldn't have eaten on the plane.
"Not hungry enough to spend another minute in public," he said honestly.
"Right," Sarah smiled and proceeded to the elevator.
The quirky little hotel had actual keys still and Sarah had to try twice before she could get the key in the lock, that might have been because Chuck was pressed up so closely behind her she could feel his every breath.
"First," Chuck said as he closed the door behind them, "a proper kiss."
He pulled her in tight and kissed her deeply, bending her back just enough to arch against her. His tongue sought, and was given, entrance and he smiled as Sarah nipped at his lower lip.
"Good," Sarah nodded as Chuck stood her back up and they took a breath and looked at each other.
Chuck looked a little thin, his shorter hair made him look older, but good – Sarah liked his hair like this until she went to run her fingers through it and there was just so much less. Sarah looked amazing, Chuck thought, she had a little sun across the bridge of her nose and her hair was curly and loose. Sarah broke first, tilting her head to the side and sucking her bottom lip between her teeth she reached out and tugged the hem of Chuck's polo.
Before she could do anything further Chuck scooped her up and carried her to the big fluffy looking four poster bed.
"This is fancy," he said as he laid her down and stretched out over her.
"It will certainly do for our purposes yes, but we could be in a tent in the woods Chuck and I would enjoy this just as much," she promised as she helped him out of his clothes.
Chuck started slowly and gently and so sweetly it nearly broke Sarah's heart, but she had missed him too much for slow.
"We'll do slow later," she promised as she rolled him under her and took a little more control.
A couple of hours later the sun had set outside the sheer curtains and Chuck and Sarah were completely tangled up in each other.
"You awake?" she asked in the dim room.
"Yeah," he kissed the top of her head.
"You OK?" she looked up and saw his eyes, his gorgeous eyes, were a complex mix of sad and happy.
"I feel a little adrift," he admitted.
Sarah untangled their legs and pulled the sheets up to cover them as she leaned up on the pillows next to him.
"That's to be expected Chuck, you've been through a lot."
"I know," he nodded.
"Losing your dad…."
"I didn't lose him Sarah, I got him killed," Chuck said bitterly.
"Shaw killed your father Chuck, not you."
"I might as well have pulled the trigger myself," he said sadly.
"Your dad was a great man, Chuck, but he knew what he was doing, he knew about this life long before you did. He made decisions…" Sarah didn't want to throw Stephen under the bus to make Chuck feel better.
"I know," he spared her and kissed her forehead, "he wasn't completely innocent."
"Shaw is a sociopath," Sarah muttered.
"I don't want to talk about Shaw or my dad, not when we don't know how much time we have together. I want to talk about how happy I am to see you, to hold you….to kiss you," he illustrated that last one and just as he was about to roll her off the pillows his stomach growled loudly.
"Ready for some food?" Sarah arched an eyebrow at him.
"I'm not really keen on wearing pants, so that limits our options," he leaned down to nibble on her collar bone.
"Well, you can't gnaw on me. How about I get something delivered?"
"Room service?" he looked towards the phone.
"Sort of, I know the concierge, he works for us. What do you feel like? Pizza? Burger?"
"Mmmmm, burger," Chuck was practically salivating.
"Usual?" she asked and he nodded happily.
Sarah reached across him, allowing him access to her bare stomach which he kissed with a smile, and grabbed her phone. She texted the concierge who said he would be happy to nip out and get something so she texted their order.
The knock at the door came just as Sarah pulled her sweater on twenty minutes later.
"Perfect timing," she glanced back at Chuck who was still gloriously naked in the big bed.
"Be right there," Sarah called and grabbed her wallet, she took a few bills out that would be more than enough to cover the order and opened the door a crack.
"Hey Walker," the concierge held up two fairly large Shake Shack bags, "hungry?"
"Yep," Sarah smiled and traded the money for the food, "thank you!" and with a wink she closed the door.
"How much food did you order?" Chuck grinned as he finally slid out of bed and found his boxers.
"Maybe too much, but I'm hungry after all the…" she flung her hand towards the bed.
Chuck blushed, he actually blushed after everything he had just done to her body, at the idea that she had worked up an appetite having sex with him. Chuck distracted himself by moving the furniture a little and determining they would be most comfortable sitting on the floor, backs to the couch eating off the low coffee table, that pile of greasy food was not going to be eaten in bed.
Sarah flipped on the TV and found a rerun of Friends to tune out to as she and Chuck divided up the burgers, fries, onion rings and milk shakes she had ordered.
"Are we going to the gym later?" Chuck joked and Sarah just waggled her eyebrows at him as she munched a fry and laughed when he blushed again.
"You underestimate how much I have missed you?" she poked his bare thigh with her toe.
"You look beautiful," he said softly and she knew she must be a rumpled mess, but she felt beautiful when he looked at her.
"Want a fry?" she held up the box and he took a few with a grin.
The End