Chapter 3: Wounds

Sarah entered Chuck's room through his open window and locked it. It was faster than picking the lock on the front door. She knew that he was alone. Ellie and Devon were still at the hospital.

He was collapsed on his bed, presumably asleep. It gave her a moment to collect herself. She had been unprepared to see Chuck's torn up face outside the store. It had made her see red in the worst way.

She chastised herself. Had she been thinking, she could have used the incident to have Casey re-assigned. But instead, she had lost her cool and attacked him in the parking lot. The loss of control upset her. It was foolish.

Chuck shifted position with difficulty and he groaned softly. She focused on him. He didn't move. But he must have felt her presence, because he spoke.

"Get out."

She frowned, but she was not surprised by his response. Things were never easy between them, and this was no different. She exited his room.

A few minutes later, she returned with towels, a wash basin, plastic bags and ice. She silently walked to his bedside. Her eyes traveled over him, while she took in his condition. She sat beside him.

His left eye was swollen shut, and his right eye was obscured by a large swollen gash on his checkbone. He attempted to look up at her. But the vision in his right eye was hampered by the large lump under the gash. He was forced to turn his head at an odd angle to view her.

It made her eyes flash with anger. With more emotion than she would have liked, she pleaded with him.

"Chuck, let me help you now. You can hate me later. Please." She was practically begging, and they both knew it.

Chuck accepted with a nod and she silently started her ministrations. She dipped the towel into the water and gently cleansed his wounds. They didn't speak. The only sounds that permeated the room were of sloshing water and his quick intakes of breath, when she touched a particularly wounded area.

It was late afternoon and the room turned dark. She was forced to reach across him to turn on the lamp. As she leaned in, she became aware of the proximity of his lips to hers. She had a sudden urge to taste him. His lip was split; and she knew it would taste coppery. She leaned closer, but realized that her kiss would hurt him. With a shake of her head, she moved away.

She unbuttoned his shirt and pulls him into a prone position. She removed his bloodied button up and undershirt and laid him back onto the bed. Normally, Chuck was modest; and even though she had slept with him for their cover on numerous occasions; she had yet to see his chest.

But this late afternoon, his modesty was not evident. His chest was bared for her. Her eyes drank him in. He was more defined than she would have guessed, and she couldn't stop herself from running a hand across his chest. He shivered in response. It's an intimate moment, and she can't help but be pleased by his reaction.

She returned her focus to her task. She washed his neck where ugly purple bruises marred his skin. Then she gently prodded his abdomen looking for sore spots. A sharp breath focused her search to his left side. She frowned as she looked for swelling that would indicate internal damage. Inspecting his side carefully, she was satisfied that there was only bruising. She continued with her ministrations.

She leaned close to him again as she grabbed several plastic bags off his nightstand. Her eyes locked with his partially viewable eye. His eyes normally communicated his every mood and thought to her. But at that moment, his lone eye was just an unreadable dot on his swollen face.

It pained her. She planted small kisses on his brows, in an attempt to replace the silent communication lost between them.

She returned to her work. She grabbed the trays of ice and dumped them into several plastic bags. She placed them strategically over his wounds.

When she was done, she sat and contemplated him for awhile. He needed stitches for his gash, but it wasn't urgent. Seeing no more that she could do for him, she laid down next to him. She encircled his waist with her arms and snuggled into him.

She whispered into his ear, "I'm sorry."

Chuck doesn't respond, but doesn't move away either. She knows that he hasn't forgiven her. But he's willing to take comfort from her. It was enough for now. She was more than willing to stay cocooned with him in his bed.

They laid in silence. She was content to hold him while he slept. There was a noise at the window that made him stir. She extracted herself from him, in an effort to usher away the invasion. But it was too late.

He whispered, "I don't want to see anyone."

Chuck escaped into the bathroom and she looked behind the curtains.

It was Morgan.

'You guys locked the window. It's a lot harder to get in that way."

Sarah tensed. She was unwilling to share Chuck.

Trying to keep her tone light, she sighed, "Morgan, go home. It's not a good time."

He ignored her plea.

"I can't believe Casey went postal on Chuck in the breakroom. The guy should have been fired, instead of suspended. I can't believe Chuck lied for the goon. The nerd herders said Chuck's face looked like a mac truck hit it."

Morgan attempted to slide the window out of its track, but Sarah blocked its movement.

"Sarah, you don't understand, I'm family."

She frowned and tried to compose an acceptable response.

"Morgan, it's been a really trying day. Chuck's hurting and so am I. I know you're family, but we need some time alone."

Morgan regarded Sarah for a moment. He took in her bruised knuckles and her devastated face. He decided to leave. He turned, but looked back towards her.

He remarked, "We got a new guy at the store today."

Not understanding, she shook her head in puzzlement.

"He saw some blond girl kick the ass of a guy in the parking lot. He thought the guy was an employee. It was Howie's first day... and he doesn't know anybody. But he thought he recognized the green shirt. I thought it was kind of weird, considering all the fighting going on."

Sarah gulped, but didn't react to his inquiry. She replied, "Go home, Morgan."

She pushed back the blinds and took a deep breath. She tried to absorb the ramifications of being seen fighting with Casey.

Chuck came out of the bathroom and laid back down. She immediately returned to their embrace.

Sensing that something was amiss, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"The real world." He shifted in an attempt to see her face.

"I lost my cool today, and I confronted John in the parking lot after you left. We were seen and I'm afraid my cover might have been compromised."

He remained silent, but leaned back onto his pillow.

Sarah sighed. It was time to return to reality.

"We can't stay here. Morgan knows about my altercation and your fight. When your sister gets home, she'll want answers. We need to leave."