Don't own Chuck

Chuck and Sarah went back to their apartment after the dinner. She could tell something was eating at Chuck and it wasn't Mary's roast. He was there sitting next to her on the sofa but his mind was off somewhere else. She could almost hear his brain at work like an image from the intersect that was played and replayed he was thinking and rethinking the same thing over and over again.

"Sweetie," she said in a soft tone, "give me your hand. Look me in the face. You know I love you and I can tell when something is bothering you. Will you tell me what the matter is?"

"Nothing, nothing really I'm just not feeling very well, maybe an allergy or something."

"I thought we had an agreement not to lie. Does this have something to do with cheesecake?"

"I know it sounds petty but yes. It felt like a she shot me again but this time I wasn't wearing a vest. The worse thing was she was oblivious to what she did and I feel like a jerk for being this way."

"I don't think you're a jerk and I can kind of understand. Sweetie, remember what I told you about Jack and not having expectations so I can't be hurt. Maybe that's what you should do?"

"That doesn't always work, does it?"

"No it doesn't but that's why I'm here," she said as she kissed him on the forehead, then on the nose and finally on the lips. "No matter what, we need each other so please don't shut me out. We can help each other."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you but I'm glad you're here."

"Ditto, straight back at you," she said smiling as she imitated what he would have said. "You know we're going to have set us surveillance?"

"I know, you gave in too easy when Mary made her speech about being on guard duty. I could almost hear Colonel Jessup from A Few Good Men."

"Chuck, she's your mother."

"I know the woman who gave birth to me and I share genes with but who doesn't really know a thing about me."

"Chuck get some sleep. I'll wake you up when Casey gets back then we can divide the night watch."

"I don't know if I can I feel so spun up and confused. I've got all these mixed emotions going on. One thing I'm happy about is that Casey isn't here or I'd have to hear him spout out about female emotions."

"Maybe but if you want I could use your dart pistol on you."

"No thanks being shot by my mother was traumatic enough and besides I don't want to set a family precedent."

"I've got an idea," said Sarah as she pulled Chuck's head over, "lay your head down on my lap and listen. Do you hear our baby?" Chuck nodded. "Now close your eyes and stay still."

It wasn't long before Chuck was fast asleep. Sarah couldn't help but feel moved as she looked down on his sleeping face. There were so much different yet so much alike sometimes it scared her. She got up quietly lifting Chuck's head and gently putting it back down on a pillow. After getting up she wrapped a shawl around herself picked up her pistol and went outside. Walking outside she found Mary sitting by the fountain under the moonlight. She waved for Sarah to come over and sit next to her.

"Doesn't this remind you of that night we spent together in Alexei's compound?"

"The sky and the moon yes but I think we have more than one square meter and the weather here's much warmer."

"Maybe for you, you should be tougher with Charles?"

"What do you mean?" Sarah made a mental note to sweep the apartment for bugs.

"He's not a spy. He's a boy playing spy."

"Mary, I don't that's fair. Chuck is every bit a spy as you or I."

"You see that's love speaking that's what got Charles' father killed and me sent off for twenty years. I know he's disappointed in me and I can't say I blame him."

"Mary, I wouldn't go that far. I don't think Chuck is disappointed with you. Actually I think he doesn't know what to think. I don't want to get in the middle but you're here for a while then you're gone. There just isn't enough time to build a relationship."

"Building relationships aren't easy in our line of work. The people we work with either they're our mark or they get killed. Sometimes I used to think it would've been better if I were the one who was killed."

"Are you talking about Stephen?"

"I can see why Chuck fell in love with you. You're beautiful and smart. Yes, we had a special love that was, was as passionate as it was short. Two children we had together, two. Then I get sent off. Chuck was nine going on ten and Ellie was twelve. Then twenty years later I show up on their doorstep and find out I'm a widow. As I said sometimes I wish I'd been the one that was killed because I really don't know if I am alive or just a ghost that walks through my children's lives ruining everything they've built."

"Don't say that it's not true," Sarah said as she pulled Mary close to her.

"But it is and this is something I will have to bear. Sarah you have to promise me you won't tell Chuck. He's got enough to worry about with you and the baby. Please I don't want to burden him down with me. It's not fair."

"Mary you're putting me in a difficult situation we have a not lie policy. I won't tell him but if he asks I'm not going to lie not for you or anyone."

"That is a difficult policy give that our work is built on lies but I guess that will have to do," Mary said as she pulled out her handkerchief and blew her nose. "I could always shot you but I'd have to wait until after the baby is born."

"I could do the same thing but I wouldn't have to wait." Sarah finally got Mary to laugh.

"Have you divided the watch yet?"

"No, I was waiting on Casey but what about what you said before after dinner?"

"I knew you were just playing along."

"How? I didn't say anything?"

"I know I just asked myself what I would have done at your age. Go back inside to your husband I'll take the first watch and wait for John and don't protest or will both just lose sleep."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

DAWN THE NEXT DAY

"Chuck, Sarah," called Mary, "here I made you both lunch. It's not much just a couple of sandwiches, tuna on rye. Your favorite if I remember."

"Thanks Mom," said Chuck then looked towards Sarah and made a face of disgust, "but I usually take Sarah out for lunch. You and Hartley could eat them if you want? I'm sure their his favorite too."

"I'm sorry I should've asked first," said Mary looking down at the ground. Chuck had the same feeling he had the night before.

"No thanks," said Sarah trying to help out. "Chuck and I will be working through lunch so we needed to take something with us, right Sweetie?"

"Right," he said realizing she was helping bail him out, "I was just saying that I usually take Sarah out but today, today I forgot that we'll have to work hard for you guys and probably have to work through lunch."

"You know Charles your mother is quite amazing with mayonnaise," said Hartley

"Oh, really," said Chuck thinking he now knew how Morgan felt when he had to listen to Big Mike. Images burnt into the brain not cool, not cool at all.

"Yes Charles I've never seen anyone who makes making mayonnaise look so easy."

"Thank you for that correction," said Chuck then turning to Sarah he whispered, "at least he didn't say sexy."

"Sweetie," said Sarah standing by the driver's door of the herder, "get in the car."

"You know Sarah, Stephen had this 1968 Ford Mustang he special ordered. He never let me drive it. It's nice to see Charles learned to share his toys."

Sarah looked to Chuck for a translation but he just shrugged his shoulder indicating he didn't have a clue. Pulling out of Echo Park a black Escalade followed them. Sarah was the first to notice it in the mirror because they violated one of the cardinal rules of tailing always give a thirty yard cushion.

"Guys I think we've got a tail. Chuck, call Casey and have him come up behind them. I'll let him follow us."

"So we'll have a tail on a tail."

"Sweetie, just call."

"Sarah do you think that's wish," said Mary. "Not that I want to tell you how to do your business but what if he's got friends waiting for us ahead?" Sarah hadn't thought about that she had been too busy thinking about setting her own trap and the fact that Mary was right made her even more upset with herself. Mistakes like this is what gets you killed which meant getting in touch with Casey even more imperative.

"Chuck you got in touch with Casey yet?"

"No the phones aren't working I'm not getting a signal." It was times like this that she wished she had her Lotus with its speed and maneuverability she'd made that escalade eat dirt.

"Just pull over up ahead," said Chuck, "Mom, you and I get out. Sarah you stay in the car. Don't argue it'll take you time to get out and besides if we need to take off in a hurry you need to be behind the wheel. Mom wheels and engine are our targets not the people inside."

"Charles I can't be blamed if a few shot go high."

"Mom if the windows are bullet proof you'd just be wasting ammo that we don't have. Okay on the count of three." Chuck counted down and they executed his plan. It went perfectly. Both Mary and he got out and hit the engine block as well as flattening both front tires then jumped back in. Sarah sped away as the escalade was left spewing steam and water.

"It would have been nice to grab one of them," said Mary. "We could've had a nice conversation about where their base was and who they were either before or after we broke their knee caps."

"That won't be necessary nor is it condoned under the current administration. I guess you've missed a few presidents. If you want to know who they were I flashed when I stepped out of the herder. Those men back there were from the bratva which makes me worried," said Chuck looking at Hartley in the rearview mirror, "who you two have coming after you."

"Chuck this could change everything with Beckman. We need to talk with her as soon as we get in."

"I agree. Are you two sure neither of you know why these people want you? This has got to be more than money. Did Alexei have any dealings with the brotherhood?"

"Of course you can't operate an organization like Volkoff Industries in Russia without having some sort of dealings with them. But it was more a mutual respect than an actual working relationship."

Arriving at the Buy More parking lot they entered Castle through Orange, orange because of the hour it was still closed so they got in without any problems and without being seen.

"Welcome Ma barker and her gang," said Casey as they entered.

"Casey what are you talking about? We need to get Beckman up right away."

"Oh, she wants to talk to you too and also with the Wild Bunch."

"Agents Bartowksi and yes I'm talking to all of you plus guest," said General Beckman from the main monitor in the Castle conference room. "I've been on the phone for over an hour with the State Department reassuring them that our agents had nothing to do with the ferocious attack on a Russian consulate vehicle this morning in Burbank. I've had Colonel Casey this morning expunging all video camera footage of the incident plus take down anything about it on the internet."

"But General I flash on them. They were bratva."

"That maybe but this is supposed to be a clandestine operations office. A shootout at high noon isn't clandestine. You're just lucky no one was injured or that the Russians didn't press charges."

"General, Chuck is right what were we supposed to do. We were being tailed and our communications systems were jammed." Now that Sarah was replaying the incident in her head she remembered Chuck saying that there was no signal. Crap, she let Mary get to her and over reacted.

"Agent Bartowski S., Sarah, do you have something to add?"

"No, General I was just rethinking the incident."

"Well, I probably would have done the same thing," said General Beckman beginning to cool down. "But you need to use better judgment in the future. Chuck, I'm afraid you're too close to this. However, because this has nothing to do with the agency I can't say anymore than be more careful I might not be able to pull your bacon out of the fire the next time."

"But General we-" Sarah put her hand over Chuck's mouth.

"Is there anything else?"

"No General," said Sarah, "we hear what you're saying and we'll use better judgment in the future."

"Very well Beckman out."

"Chuck you're just like your father you don't know how many times I wanted to do that to him. He just always had to have the last word no matter what. Back in our day we had an Admiral in charge. Your father had this ability to get the poor man so worked up. He had the poor man's fleet always at General Quarters. The only problem is that for the most part your father was almost always right."

"Yes, Charles your father was extraordinary. One of the most brilliant minds I've ever known as well as my closest and dearest friend. He had a way of explaining things that made the most complicated scientific principles look easy. They just don't make them like him anymore."

Sarah couldn't help but notice something odd. Mary went over and took Hartley's hands up in hers and for a moment they just stood there in silence as they both remembered Stephen.

"Could this be their secret," she said.

"No the bratva is no secret," said Chuck. "They're the Russian mafia but I still am having trouble figuring out what they have to do with this. They usually specialize in extortion, kidnapping or drugs and prostitution but contract killing doesn't sound profitable enough for them. There's something here I'm missing."

"Sweetie why don't we go for a walk through the Buy More and then go get a yoghurt at Orange, orange. It might help you clear your head."

"Sounds good but I'm a little tired of yoghurt. But I could get a cup of coffee and stay with you. Mom do you mind if we leave you and Hartley here with Casey just for a little while?"

"No, go ahead. I wanted to ask John if he would show us the weapons he has in the armory."

"Okay, right this way. Mrs. Bartowski are you sure you're Chuck's mother?"

"Casey, I heard that." Chuck turned to Sarah, "All I need now is to find out that Casey is my long lost brother then I will shot myself."

"Well Mr. Bartowski, why don't we use Morgan's office again but lock the door this time?"

"Here, now? Are you sure?"

"Unless you want to drive home and leave Casey alone with your Mother and Hartley."

"As much as that sounds like fun I think there's something in the Geneva Convention against that and the state of California has a law against cruel and unusual punishment. What about the cameras? That's all I need for my mother to see us from Castle."

"Taken care of I disabled them when we were talking to Beckman."

"You little minx you. You had this planned."

"You're the one who said they need to clear their head." Sarah took Chuck by the hand and led him to the Buy More manager's office.

"One second," said Chuck as he took his tie off and hung it on the door knob. "That will keep Morgan out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

BACK DOWN IN CASTLE

"See John if you take it apart like this and place your pieces in a clockwise pattern you can put it back together faster if you're in a hurry. Say a group of enemy hostiles decide to suddenly storm your position or your mark suddenly appears and you have to drop him in a hurry."

"Mary are you sure you're Chuck's mother? I mean I've heard of babies being mixed up at hospitals."

"No, I'm sure. I know his phobia against guns. He doesn't remember it but when he and Ellie were little their father was away at Langley. I had to make a drop and I couldn't find a baby sitter so I had to take them along. It was supposed to be easy just pass and grab. I left Ellie in the car listening to music and Chuck was in the stroller. Like I said it was supposed to be in and out. Supposed to be. I went to the place and picked up a briefcase and put it in the stroller and was heading out when two KGB agents showed up ahead of me and opened fire."

"What happened?" asked Casey.

"I dropped both of them and pushed the stroller away as fast as I could. You can't imagine how I felt. I could feel the stroller get hit twice before I got them. But as I was rushing with the stroller I heard Chuck crying so I knew he was still alive then when I got back to the car I pulled him out. He was safe and sound not a scratch."

"How? You said the stroller got hit twice?"

"The briefcase was metal so it deflected the shots but I don't even want to think about what it must've sounded like for him inside so I can understand if has this thing against guns now."

"Wow, now that's a story almost as good as some of mine in the jungles of Honduras."

"You know I wouldn't mind hearing some," said Hartley.

"John one of your cameras is out," said Mary watching the feed from the store.

"That's the one to the manager's office but I can see it from the outside. If the manager gets taken that would be an acceptable lose." Casey was panning in when he saw the tie on the door knob and realized it was Chuck's. "Oh something's wrong with this one too it won't focus. You two stay here and I'll go check."

Casey went upstairs first he removed the tie then he picked the lock and smiled as he left. "Yoghurt, hum I wonder what flavor?" he grunted to himself.

"Sarah did you hear a Casey grunt? I swear it was a number three sinister and mischievous."

"Speaking of mischievous you're not going to get off that easy."

"Yes ma'am your wish is my command," Chuck said as he kissed her on top of Morgan's desk. Then suddenly the door opened and Morgan came in.

"Christ, Morgan!"

"Chuck, Sarah not again. I'm not looking I swear. Chuck you should've locked the door."

"I did," said Chuck as he tried to put himself together.

"No see it wasn't," said Morgan as he opened the door wide again.

"Morgan close that door now and get out." Morgan stepped out and stood outside the door talking through it.

"You know Chuck you should've put a shock on the door knob or something."

"What is it with you men and socks?" asked Sarah half giggling over the situation.

"Morgan I put my tie on it? And what are you laughing at Mrs. Bartowski?"

"I was thinking what it would've been like if your mother had walked in on us." Chucks started trying to picture it in his mind and began laughing too.

"Guys are you descent? Can I come in?"

"Come in Morgan," said Sarah, "Where's Alex and Vivian?"

"Alex is over at Orange, orange and Vivian is in the Buy More."

"Why didn't you take them down to Castle?" asked Chuck as Sarah was wiping lipstick off his cheek.

"Vivian didn't want to go down because she said it was too crowded and Alex is pissed at me because I've been paying too much time to Vivian so she's avoiding me by hanging in Orange, orange."

"Morgan, Alex isn't upset over Vivian," said Sarah. "She upset because you don't pay her enough attention."

"You want to hear what else happened to me last night when Casey came over he saw Vivian in this outfit I swear it wasn't only see-through it also magnified and well he got the wrong impression."

"Little Buddy I would say you're luck you're not eating lunch through a straw."

"I need to learn to communicate better with Alex I guess."

"Morgan what did you say?" Morgan had given him and idea. It might be nothing but it would offer him information that he needed.

"I need to learn to communicate better with Alex. I think I'll go over right now after I go down to Castle and get a flak jacket but that would mean I'd have to see Casey maybe I'll just risk it."

"Morgan, you're a genius," said Chuck as he kissed him on the head. "Come on Love I've got an idea."

"Chuck by love you mean Sarah right?"

"Bye Morgan."