A/N: With Summer in full swing and the days settling into a routine, I should be able to post more often. Thank you for the reviews. I love that this story is generating traffic, and I love hearing your thoughts. I don't have any one beta my stories but I try to catch as many of the mistakes as I can. Please, overlook the ones I miss. The title of this chapter has two meanings. Both should be obvious.
Chapter 7 - Further Proof
45 Minutes Later: Still on the plane
"Sarah, we need to talk with Carina, and then take over flying duties." Chuck hated to disturb her from resting. She was curled up in front of him, and he was enjoying one of his little pleasures, being the big spoon, and enjoying the warmth generated by the back of her knees.
"Hmmm… I don't want to face reality yet, but you're right. Ok, let's go save our world, one painful conversation and file review at a time. Chuck, I'm really sorry about all that happened with Daniel and those months we struggled." She turned over and looked in his eyes, as she found his hand under the cover, the one that wasn't attached to the arm snaked under her pillow, and eventually wrapped around her upper back.
"I know, but I don't blame you. I hurt you bad, and I was too childish to communicate with you openly about everything. Plus, I wanted so badly to impress him myself… at first, you know before he started up with you… and before he turned against us… and before he tried to…"
"Sweetie, you're spiraling. Besides, we all thought he was a good guy, at first… you know before he…"
"Are you making fun of me, Mrs. Bartowski? "
"Maybe, or maybe I'm just trying to lighten the mood. I haven't eaten anyone recently so I need to start being funny."
Chuck smiled at her reference to their first date. Then he continued the original conversation.
"Looking back, I think that he used us both to isolate each other, so he could make me his personal weapon, and he knew that controlling you would control me."
"I know, Sweetie, we covered most of this before, we just never dealt with the feelings over the little things, well not little, but you know things like the name…"
"And Hannah in what you considered your home and bed." Chuck finished. "You know I just realized why you changed all the furniture on your side of the bed, and made me get a new mattress when you moved in with me."
"Just now? I thought you're a genius Mr. Bartowski?" Sarah teased as she got up and got dressed.
"Well when it comes to relationships and understanding beautiful women whom I'm lucky enough to have love me, I'm a bit on the sloooow side of life."
"Umph!" Chuck breathed out as the pillow Sarah held landed right across his mid-section.
"No more of that! You're wonderful and kind, and I think we're both lucky to have a love like ours. We're equally blessed. So new pact, no more lies, no more secrets, no solo missions, no more thinking we don't deserve the other, and no more holding back our feelings when we're hurting. Agreed?" She stood over him with her pillow cocked and ready to fire.
"Sure, just don't hit me again." Chuck laughed but was serious about the agreement, just not being afraid of being hit with her pillow. "Ok, let's go work."
Forward Cabin
Sarah broke the ice. "Carina, you said that Fisher stole mail addressed to Shaw?"
"Yes, it appears that Shaw still receives mail at the safe house being utilized by Kayla." Carina looked at both Chuck and Sarah. "Wow, I guess you guys worked that out. Not even a hint of discomfort in either of your eyes."
"Yeah, we did. Thanks for the talk." Chuck told her while thinking about their exchange in the pilot's cabin.
"Ok, then. Yeah, it seems that there may be a connection between Shaw, Kayla, and the other members of the Syndicate, and possibly Fisher." Carina stated in a matter of fact manner.
"Carina, what I'm about to tell you is beyond classified. We've received special presidential clearance to the Omaha project. We've got 48 hours to discover all we can from those files. We're relying heavily on Chuck's extensive retention rate." Sarah told Carina. Carina's eyes went wide with surprise.
"I hope that my ability to retain large amounts of information and the new Intersect will… you know intersect… and I will be able to flash on the raw reports rather than the redacted reports. If not, hopefully I can recall the raw report if all I see is the redacted report."
"What're you guys hoping to find?" Carina asked with her eyes squinted.
"We want to see if we can find out who the original players were, what the objectives were, and the plans they held for us, and the others who were effected by the project." Chuck stated while looking at his watch. "We only have a few minutes more, and then we must take over flying."
"Ok, guys. What is the plan for when we land?" Carina asked.
"Carina, do you still have a safe house in the area?" Sarah took over the strategy planning.
"Yeah."
"Good go there to stay. We want you to track down the Shaw – Fisher – Hart – and who knows whom else connection. Meanwhile, Chuck and I'll move to my safe house. We'll operate out of there when we're not in the DNI archives researching the Omaha files. We meet back 60 hours after we land and compare notes when we're secure in the air. Once, we land in Burbank we don't take any action until we brief Casey."
"Unless" Chuck stated as he jumped in to the plan. "We discover something that must be carried out in a time sensitive manner."
"Agreed. If that happens, we brief Casey in the air." Sarah nodded her head.
"Alright. Mrs. Bartowski are you ready to fly the final leg and land this bird?" Chuck asked Sarah as he smiled.
"Only if you're me co-pilot, Mr. Bartowski." Sarah answered with a teasing but enticing tone of voice.
Carina made a gagging sound. "Stop I'm going to be sick." She then laughed as she went back to sleep chambers.
"Carina, clean sheets are in the small closet behind the door." Sarah called out.
"Ewww. I almost… you know what… thanks, but I think I'm going to stretch out on the couch back here." Carina stopped and turned into the back cabin area just outside the sleep quarters.
"Should we tell her?" Chuck whispered as they watched her change directions.
"Nope, this is a classic case of what she doesn't know can't disturb her." Sarah laughed remembering the last time they were on the jet together and alone.
-0-
Meanwhile in Burbank…
"Casey, Alex and I are going to have a cook out tonight. Would you like to come over and eat?" Morgan asked Casey as he started to climb the stairs to leave.
"I can't. Someone has to stay here and watch the prisoners. You go on and enjoy yourself, but not too much. I've got some more work to do here, and then I slide out to Subway for a moment."
What no one realized was that Casey was busy splicing surveillance video to ensure that his conversation with the Bartowskis was erased.
With Morgan having exited from the closed Orange Orange earlier, Casey decided to exit through the Buy More and out the back. Plus, he kind of wanted to see what renovations were being conducted and if there was a possibility they would discover the tunnels to Castle.
He poked his head of the employee locker secret door, and quickly moved through the break room, through the stock room, and out the loading dock door. As he entered the loading dock area he almost ran into Fisher who was just putting his phone in his pocket.
-o-
Moments earlier…
Fisher entered the detention cell of Kayla Hart.
"Ms. Hart, how're you doing this evening?" Fisher asked the woman who had her head on table in front of him.
"Who are you? What do you want? Why am I here?" Kayla rattled out a series of questions.
"Whoa. I can only answer one question at a time, Ms. Hart. I'm Agent James Fisher of the National Security Agency. You are here to give answers about why you are following Chuck Bartowski and his team. As for what I want? I want you to reunite with your husband. I want to help you get back together with Chuck."
"With Chuck, what are you talking about? Chuck was my nerdy neighbor. Ouch, what was that?" Kayla rubbed her neck where Fisher just stuck her with a needle. "What're we talking about?"
"We're discussing how 'life is too short to live without love'." Fisher replied.
"Where is my husband? You guys took Chuck from me and turned him against me. What do you want from us?" Kayla began crying.
Fisher just smiled and walked out. He quickly moved down the corridor, through the Buy More, and out on the loading dock. He then moved behind some stacked boxes and took out his phone and shot off a text message.
Serum works for approximately 12 hours, full effects fade after 20.
He waited for his phone to buzz, and then looked down.
Stay low and keep administering the drug. We need her to drive a wedge. I'll be there in 72 hours.
Fisher quickly replied.
Will do. I can't wait to c u
His phone buzzed right back.
Soon. We'll b 2gether and each have our revenge. Me on her, and you on him.
Just as Fisher started to respond he heard someone coming out on the loading dock.
"Oh! Hey Casey. Heading out?"
"No, heading to Subway. Come on let's head over, I'll buy." Casey motioned with his head.
"That's ok. I'll just head back inside, and…"
"No, I insist. Come on, consider it an order." Casey attempts to keep his voice semi-light but with enough force that Fisher will comply.
"Alright."
-0-
"Man, it seems like those flights get longer and longer." Chuck is stretching as the stand inside the private hanger.
"Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael, and Ms. Miller, we have the cars you requested ready. They're this way." One of the hanger assistants guided them to two parked rental cars.
"What? No Porsche or Lotus?" Chuck looked at Sarah and back at the cars.
"No, I wanted to fit in around DC, but still have some measure of style and performance. Hence, American made muscle cars." Sarah waved her hand over the cars.
There before them was a black 2012 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.
"I got dibs on the Camero." Carina called out us she walked up and opened the door to the car.
"Fine. We'll take the Mustang. Besides I like a good stallion." Sarah commented as she slapped Chuck on the rear. "Carina, text me or Chuck if we need to meet up early for any reason."
The spy couple and her best friend drove out of the hanger and made their way to their safe houses.
Almost an hour later…. Just outside of DC towards Columbia, Maryland
"Chuck, I hope this is but another event in our lives that proves the depth of my love for you." Sarah states as she opens the door. "No one has ever been here. No one. This is what the annual auto draft from my paycheck paid for. I purchased it about three years before I was assigned to you, and I paid it off just before Ellie's wedding. Now I just pay the annual taxes and insurance."
"Sarah this is amazing." Chuck stood in the entrance and immediately noticed the little bar area serving window from the kitchen, the open floor plan, and the stairs that lead to the bedrooms.
"It is simple and nice." Sarah pointed to the non-descript furniture and decorations. There were no pictures of her or her life. It was simply decorated so that any one could live there.
"Sarah, you always said you never had a home. Yet, this is a home." Chuck looked at her.
"No, Chuck. This is a house. It is an occasional stop when I'm… was in the area, and it was a place I could store certain valuables. This close to DC and DNI headquarters no one would expect me to have a safe house or let alone store stuff here."
Sarah took his hand and led him upstairs.
"Here is the guest room, and here is my room." Chuck looked in both rooms.
"Sarah, why does the guest room lead to the balcony, and not your room?"
"Spy logic I guess. I didn't want my room with that vulnerable access point."
"Hmmm." Chuck smiled as he walked back into her room.
"Hmm what?"
"Just never thought that my Sarah would be scared to sleep near patio doors." Chuck knew he was teasing but he tried not to show it.
"I'm not scared Chuck, it's called being safe, prepared… you know being a spy." Sarah raised her eyebrows in indignation.
"Wow. I have seen that face since I told you 'no woman'." Chuck laughed.
"Keep it up! You're about to be my 'guest' here with all the privileges that come with being a 'guest' to include sleeping arrangements. Or you can be nice, and be my husband here with all the privileges that come with being my husband, to include sleeping and non-sleeping arrangements."
"That's not funny."
"Neither is you calling me woman. It wasn't funny then or now." Sarah started to leave when Chuck grabbed her and pulled her back for a kiss.
Chuck let her go and walked over to the wardrobe closet to see where he could put his clothes. He was shocked to find it empty.
"Huh, Sarah? Where are the clothes you kept here?"
"I didn't. I told you I never lived here more than a few days. I always lived out of a suitcase until you talked me into unpacking."
Chuck just smiled letting her words sink in. This place was special to her, but not as special as their home. If she never leaved here, what made it so special that she wouldn't let at least Bryce know about this place?
"Chuck, you remember we said no more lies, and no more secrets…"
"and no more solo missions, and no more holding our feelings back." Chuck interrupted.
"Yes. I've something I want you to see." She walked down stairs and down into a basement. There she opened a secret panel and punched in a key code, and a secret door opened to an underground vault and panic room. Chuck followed her into the secret lair.
"Here is everything you want to know about my childhood. Sam, Rebecca, Katie, and Jenny are kept down here. The code is Wa1t1ng4the1."
"Wait…"
"And I found him. Now do you want to stay here or go enjoy your husband privileges?"
"Husband. I vote husband." Chuck smiled from ear to ear, not just about the offer, but the room, the house, the baby… everything.
Later that night, with Sarah curled up in front of him, he lay spooning with her thinking about all the times they almost lost each other, and how special their lives were together. He thought about Longshore and how she said he was her guy. He thought about Shaw in passing. He thought about all the bombs and shots to vests. Of course, he thought about Quinn. However, as he drifted off to sleep, two times plagued his mind: the time Bryce told her, "We will always have Omaha.", and the time Forrest conducted the 49B.
-o-
On the other side of Fort Meade in her own safe house, Carina readied herself for bed. Climbing into the sheets she lay there deep in thought.
Why do I always pick losers? How did Sarah get so lucky to find someone as wonderful as Chuck? Not that I want Chuck, but surely there is someone more my type who is like him. I thought Fisher, but he is a freaking traitor. There is John but our age difference. I wonder how old John is anyways? Oh Carina, you now that the house and family is not for you. Liar.
With those thoughts she drifted off to sleep.
-o-
John Casey had set up two cots for him and Fisher. Morgan had just arrived from the dinner with Alex. "Hey John, what did you need?"
"Grimes, you, Fisher, and myself are going to take shifts watching the prisoners. We will operate two up, one down until the others return and we are ready to move forward."
"When will the others be back?" Morgan asked as Fisher walked in from the latrine.
"They've got a mission window of 48 hours from 0900 hours our time tomorrow. They will then fly back provided there is no need to follow any new leads." Casey answered.
"So we are looking at least 72 hours, or 3 days?" Fisher commented more than asked.
"Yes, so here's how this is going to work. I will take the first six-hour shift. Grimes, you'll pull the first three with me. Fisher you'll sleep the first three, and then relieve after that, we go six up, three down." Casey handed each of them a duty chart.
"So, I'm always up with one of you two?" Fisher asked.
"Problem with that?"
"No, just making an observation."
"Good, Fisher rack out, and Grimes put on some coffee. It's going to be a long few days."
A/N: Just a small teaser:
"Hey Sarah, we'll always have Omaha."
"Chuck, why do I have a sudden urge to go meet up with Bryce? I know he's dead, but it's almost as strong as when he left the Buy More that one day."