Author's Note: This is the longest I've gone without updating this story since chapter 1. Sorry it took this long, but stuff happens sometimes. I said two more chapters, but now it's more like three (including this one).

On another note, today marks six months of my being on this site, and seven months since discovering such a thing as fan fiction of any kind existed. I know, I'm super-late to the party, which was only made more apparent by an article I just read over at Chuck This Blog, which talks about the end of Chuck (kind of a downer, that one). Anyway, I originally joined to be able to review, writing was not even an option I considered back then but here I am four stories in. I couldn't have imagined writing one, let alone four. Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, favorites, and just the support you've shown me in general. It's made it all worth it. Here's the chapter:


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Clara

Having recovered sufficiently enough, Chuck made his way out of the room to join the others. He found them still in his father's secret base. Ellie and Devon were explaining to Casey how they'd used her father's encrypted channels to communicate with Chuck and Stephen over the years without the NSA knowing. Sarah was at the bottom of the stairs looking around in awe. "Incredible, isn't it?" He began. "I lived here for years and never knew this was here." Sarah nodded. "Come on; let's see what's down here." Chuck grabbed her hand and pulled her along towards the others.

Sarah was surprised by the move but did nothing to free her hand; feelings long forgotten came rushing back and she remembered how much she enjoyed something as simple as holding hands with him.

"You guys done talking?" Ellie asked when they got near.

"For now," Chuck answered.

"And?" Ellie wanted a better handle on things, but she would settle for an understanding of where Casey and Sarah stood.

"And Sarah is going to be joining us for dinner."

"I see," she answered studying Chuck and Sarah's interlocked hands.

"Casey, what do you say? Care to join us?"

He had missed Ellie's cooking, and he did appreciate the offer given the circumstances, but he was still Casey, so he graciously responded, "Not like I got anything better to do," and shrugged. Chuck smirked at his response.

Ellie rolled her eyes at the gruff man. "That's fine, but right now, it's time for lunch. Come on Devon, help me make some sandwiches."

"See you guys upstairs," said Devon as he slapped Chuck's shoulder and went after his wife.

Ellie and Devon headed upstairs, leaving the three former teammates alone for the first time.

"So," Chuck said, looking between Casey and Sarah, "this doesn't feel awkward at all..."

Casey ignored him. "Listen Walker, it's done. Let's call it even and move on," he put his hand out. Sarah eyed him suspiciously. "Oh, come on. If I was going to do something, I would've done it the first time you attacked me."

"You'd better not try anything," she said as she moved to shake his hand.

The handshake and nod they exchanged brokered an understanding between the two and some of the tension in the room dissipated.

They fell back into their professional personas and went over whatever files they found until Ellie called them up for lunch.

They all sat at the table, and found that it was easier to talk with Ellie and Devon around.

They ate and talked about the beginnings of Team Bartowski up through when Chuck ran; Chuck's side of things they already knew, but hearing Sarah and Casey's perspectives, shed light on a few things that had always bothered Ellie about the whole situation. It seemed to her the only one she could really blame was Bryce Larkin, and she had already promised not to speak ill of the dead. She sensed the discomfort between the two when Sarah talked about her relationship with Chuck. She finally understood the old "it's complicated" excuse they'd thrown around so often back then. She also understood Casey's actions, once she knew everything. She wasn't ready to let go of every hard feeling she had toward these people; after all, they had screwed with her brother, but it seemed the three of them had a unique bond, they could understand Chuck better than she could and he'd need that understanding now that he was back. It also seemed like he and Sarah would finally have a chance to really be together; if it would make Chuck happy, she wouldn't stand in the way. Ellie knew how lucky she was to have a family and life she loved. After everything he'd been through, her brother deserved a chance at some happiness too.

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Clara walked into the dining room a few hours later, having woken up from her nap, the conversation turned towards superficial banter. Ellie and Devon went into the kitchen to clean up the dishes and check the roast she'd put in the oven earlier. Sarah and Casey remained at the table; Chuck got up and went to meet his niece in person, finally.

"Hi, Clara," he knelt in front of his niece.

"Hi," the five year old hesitantly replied.

"What's the matter? I'd thought you'd be happy to see your uncle in person?"

She leaned in and whispered, "I'm not supposed to know you. Remember?"

Chuck was confused for a moment before he did remember. "Oh! Yes, you're right; and you did a great job sweetheart, but the game is over. You don't have to pretend anymore."

Clara was still a bit skeptical. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Did you win?" She asked, brightening up a little.

"Of course I did," he said with a wide smile. "I had you on my side. They never had a chance."

"Hmmm," she said, scrunching her brow together. "I don't think they were very good. They took so long and still didn't find you. I bet I could find you, and fast too." She finished with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, you think so?" Chuck couldn't help the smile stuck on his face; his niece was quite the confident child. "I guess we'll have to find out."

"Can we play?" Clara asked excitedly.

"Sure, but we'll have to ask your parents first," he responded, unprepared for what he unleashed.

"Mommy! Daddy! Can Uncle Chuck and me play Hide and Seek!" She yelled to her parents in the kitchen.

Chuck winced from the pain the high-pitched yelling brought to his ears. "Clara, I didn't mean right this moment. We could've walked over to them."

"Why? This way is faster," she replied completely convinced of her answer.

Before Chuck could say anything else, Ellie appeared in the dining room. "Clara, what did we say about the yelling?"

"I forgot," she said, looking innocently at her mother.

"Right; just for that, you don't get to play with Chuck tonight."

"But Mommy!" Clara started to protest.

"No, Clara, and if you make a big fuss, you'll have to wait longer. Besides, your Uncle just got here. He's tired and he needs to rest," Ellie said, not backing down. "You do want him to have lots of energy to play with you, don't you?"

"Yes," she said, with a resigned pout on her face.

"Good, now it's almost dinnertime. Help me set the table?" Ellie smiled down at her daughter. Clara nodded. "Hey, you can play with Uncle Chuck tomorrow before nap-time, okay?"

Clara ran to her mother and gave her a hug with a big smile on her face.

Chuck, now standing, saw the scene play out between mother and daughter. A sad smile occupied his face. He was happy for his sister and everything she had built for herself; but seeing it in person just accentuated how different their lives had turned out. How far removed he had become from who he used to be. His years in exile had caused him to become uncomfortable with simple human touch. He used to thrive on personal interaction; he remembered not being able to shut up half the time. In the short time he'd been back, he found that he preferred to keep to himself; he only talked when he absolutely had to, and it took a large amount of self-control not to squirm when Ellie, then Awesome hugged him. He'd always wanted a family. He wasn't sure he was capable of having one now, but he didn't get this far to not even try. He knew he had issues to overcome, but being home again, they didn't seem insurmountable.

Ellie looked over at her brother and returned his sad smile. She couldn't help but pity him a little; though she knew he was anything but pitiful, he was a strong man to be able to get through what he'd been through. Still, the mental image she had of her little brother lingered and it was hard not to compare it to the Chuck that stood before her these many years later. The disparity between the two was saddening. She walked over to him and pulled him close. "Don't worry, Chuck. You have plenty of time. You'll be fine, you'll see."

"Thank you, Ellie." He was thankful that Ellie still believed in him, but he couldn't take any comfort from her embrace, so he just stood still until she broke it off.

Sarah overheard the exchange between brother and sister, her heart sunk. She knew what Chuck felt when he saw the Woodcombs interact. Somewhere along the line, something within her changed. She wanted stability, love, a family and home of her own. She wanted everything she'd asked Casey about years before. She knew she had finally taken the first step towards that, earlier in Chuck's room, but they had a long way to go.

There was a knock at the door. The locksmith had come by and installed a new lock to replace the one Casey and Sarah had broken earlier.

Chuck didn't think twice about it and went to answer the door.

"Oh my god... Chuck?" Morgan's eyes went as wide as saucers and immediately collapsed.


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Author's Note: Next chapter should be out much faster. Oh, and, two more chapters left in this first arc, but the story is not done...