A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and PM's I hope everyone is still enjoying this story. This chapter takes place near Chuck vs. The Nemesis
Huge thank you goes out to my beta, Gladius, thanks man, couldn't do this without you.
As always, I don't own Chuck and any similarities to any other stories on this site is purely coincidental.
Chapter 7 All Good on my End
{November 24th 2006 18:15 - 325lbs.}
{Ellie and Chuck's Apartment}
"Ugh. I'm getting so sick of this." Chuck thought if he had one more piece of lettuce or salad in general, he was going to puke. That's why the only thing he felt like doing was stabbing the helpless salad with his fork. He couldn't convince himself to bring the rabbit food to his mouth.
"Chuck I'm sorry." Ellie froze in place, her fears starting to creep back seeing the frustration in Chuck's face.
Chuck quickly looked up, seeing the eyes of his sister starting to swell with tears. He reached out a loving hand towards his sister. "I didn't mean it like that El. I'm okay really. Please stop worrying."
Ellie lowered her head trying with all her might to control the tears, it was no use. "I just want you to be happy."
"I am Ellie. I just, it's getting old you know."
"Why don't you call Sarah? She said to call anytime you were feeling like this." Ellie was willing to do anything to help her brother, even if it meant having someone else 'mother' him. Sarah was so good to Chuck and she had done an amazing job of helping her brother.
"You know you'll always be my big sis/mom? No one will ever replace that." Chuck needed to make sure Ellie knew how he felt. Yes Sarah was helping him through this, but Ellie was still a big part of his life.
"I know Chuck and I love Sarah so much for how much she's helping you. That's why I think you should call her."
Chuck was contemplating it for a moment. He really didn't want to bother Sarah every time he had an issue, but Sarah was very insistent when it came to this. As if reading his mind, Chuck's phone rang and sure enough…
"Hey Sarah." Chuck just smiled at Ellie as now his sister had such a change of emotion from sadness to excitement.
"I want us to go to the boardwalk tonight. I'm already on my way so I'll pick you up soon."
"Is this job related?" Chuck thought they might have another mission.
"Of course not. I just feeling like hanging out with you and we can get some exercise walking along the boardwalk."
"Okay." Chuck dragged the word out. "I'll hurry up and get dressed. See you shortly."
"Bye Chuck."
Chuck placed both hands on the table. "Well it looks like I'm going to the boardwalk with Sarah to get some exercise in." He could see how happy his sister was at hearing this. She already had an idea of what he should wear.
{* * *}
{November 24th 2006 19:30 - 325lbs.}
{Burbank Boardwalk Near the Beach}
"This is nice isn't it?" Sarah was clinging closely to Chuck, the chill in the air was evident and as always, she hadn't brought a jacket. "And might I add, you look really nice Chuck. You can really see the difference."
Chuck loved hearing her say that. This was one of those 'bad diet days' and being here with Sarah, listening to her saying just the right things, made him forget all about his eternal battle with the little green monsters. "I know I say it all the time but you looking pretty amazing tonight. And yeah this is nice." Chuck placed a warm hand on hers which caused her to cling even tighter to him.
"Some days I wish it could always be like this. It's so peaceful." Sarah really enjoyed this time to re-energize. Of course her present company helped.
The two walked in silence for the next few minutes.
"Okay Chuck, tell me what's wrong."
How does she do that he wondered? "Nothing's wrong, I'm all good." He was lying of course.
"Chuck, I know your all goods and that's not one of them." Sarah snuck a peak to look up at Chuck. She was giving him the look that he knew to obey.
"You're right." Chuck really wished she wasn't able to read him so well. Or for that matter, so easily get him to bend to her will.
"Am I ever wrong when it comes to you?" Sarah just smirked, knowing he had no defense.
"Fine. It's the diet Sarah. It's getting really hard to keep with it." Chuck didn't dare look down at her, his fear of her having a look of disappointment frightened him.
Sarah sighed. She was taking a chance here but she knew being on the current diet he was on was not going to be a lifetime sentence. The main purpose of such an extreme diet was to jump start him on this journey and Chuck was doing so incredibly well. He was already doing 45 minutes of cardio on the Elliptical and he and Casey love lifting weights together. "I tell you what Chuck. Give me one more month. We work our tails off to get you under 300 and then we transition to something more… manageable."
He cringed not knowing if he could do another month.
"For me Chuck? Please…" Sarah was really turning it up.
Another sigh. "For you, anything." He knew he couldn't put up a fight at all.
"Hey come over here." Sarah pulled him to the side of the board walk. They were close enough to hear the crashing of the waves as the moonlight reflected brilliantly off the blackened water. Sarah pulled out her IPhone and hit the camera app.
"Come over here I want a picture."
Chuck did not like having his picture taken. Never had but for some reason he felt like this was a moment he wanted to cherish. So he stood behind Sarah and obeyed her commands as she pulled his arms around the front of her.
Sarah leaned her head back, allowing Chuck to place his head over her shoulder. "Say Cheese puffs."
"Ha very funny Walker." But he couldn't help smiling, enjoying this moment.
"Oh my gosh I love it." Sarah turned her phone to Chuck. "Look how adorable we look."
While he didn't like his double chins, he had to admit, it was a really good picture. "Can you send me a copy please?"
"Sure and I know what my screen saver's going to be now." Sarah quickly went in to utilities and changed her screen saver to this photo. "See."
Chuck had to laugh, this was even a more playful side of Sarah that he'd never seen before and she sure could be playful. It might have been her trying to take his mind off things but for some strange reason, he thought it was more than that.
"I love it. Wait till Ellie sees it." Sarah was so giddy.
It didn't last however, as her phone started to ring. The picture of a not so happy John Casey appearing on her screen.
"What's up Casey?" She knew this wasn't good. Casey never bothered them especially when he knew they were going out.
Sarah couldn't help but hide the disappointment in her face as she disconnected. "Chuck we have to go." Sarah quickly pulled Chuck along.
"What's wrong Sarah?" Chuck quickly caught up to her to walk by her side trying to hear her response.
"We have a mission. There seems to be a possible terrorist arms dealer making a drop tonight. Casey said they need you there to flash on the leader to see if it's the guy the CIA has been after for the past two years."
Chuck didn't know if he liked the sound of that. "Okay, whatever you need."
She smiled as she looked to Chuck. Her hero.
{* * *}
{November 24th 2006 20:45 - 325lbs.}
{Burbank Docks}
Chuck and Sarah were running as fast as they could to the warehouse far away from the fire fight that was taking place two Warehouses down. Sarah was not thrilled taking Chuck along but she had no choice. Chuck had identified the arms dealer and then all hell broke loose. It was so bad that staying with her was going to be safer than staying in the car.
Chuck was surprised he wasn't more out of breath as they both broke into the warehouse only to be confronted by what looked to be a very large bomb.
"Oh. That's not good." Chuck said as he saw the timer counting down on the biggest bomb he'd ever seen.
Sarah's heart jumped in her throat as the two of them were now mere inches from the bomb. "Chuck you have to get out of here. NOW!"
Chuck took a step towards the door preparing to head out. He knew to obey that voice. However, when he noticed Sarah wasn't coming, he stopped. "Sarah, come on."
"I can't Chuck, I'm going to stay and try to disarm the bomb. Now go." She turned her attention back to trying to disarm the bomb. At least Chuck would be… "What the hell?" Sarah jumped as she felt Chuck's hand on her shoulder.
"Chuck you have to get out of here." Sarah was starting to panic, and she never panicked.
"I'm not leaving you." Chuck used the same stubbornness that Sarah had used on him over the past few months. Two can play at this game.
"Chuck this isn't a video game. You don't get a redo." Sarah had to turn her attention back to the bomb.
Chuck could see she was upset but he wasn't about to leave her. He knew he had to some how help her so he tried to flash on the bomb. "Come on flash." Chuck was trying to flash to see if he could help but he had nothing.
"You got anything Chuck?" She knew even if she wanted it, he would never be able to get clear in time. There was only 15 seconds left on the timer.
"Sarah I'm sorry." Chuck gently placed his hand on her shoulder once again. She instantly stood up to face him.
"You are so stubborn you know that?" She was face to face with him, realizing this was it. She tried to be angry but she just couldn't.
"Well I had a good teacher." Chuck reached out his hands to take Sarah's hands in his. "Thank you for everything Sarah." Chuck's emotions were pouring out of him. She really had changed him and even though this was the end, he would do it all over again just for a chance to have Sarah in his life.
8 seconds left.
Sarah held tightly to his hands as she closed her eyes, realizing that if she was going to leave this world, she was right where she wanted to be, with the person she wanted to be with. No regrets for the first time in her life… well there was one regre… She never finished as Chuck interrupted her.
Chuck looked at Sarah her eyes closed, she was so beautiful. Then he looked to the bomb, five seconds left. He just acted. "I love you Sarah Walker." Then he pulled her to him and kissed her with all the passion and love he had for her.
No regrets now Sarah thought as this is how she needed to go out and oh was it so sweet.
The kiss in the Buy More had nothing compared to this one. Near death make outs will always trump anything else, and Chuck was not disappointing. Matter fact it was a good 2 minutes later that the two broke the kiss each gasping for air.
Sarah finally opened her eyes, seeing those soft warm, loving eyes of the man who had changed everything for her. She then looked to the bomb and then back at Chuck.
Chuck really wasn't planning on being around this long. That was why he had confessed his feelings and took the initiative. But now that it was obvious they weren't standing in the presence of a bomb and the fact that they were both very much alive. It really made things complicated. "Well the good news Sarah is that were still alive. The bad news is this is kind of an uncomfortable moment right now."
Sarah was still breathing heavy from the passionate kiss and trying to process what just happened. "It's completely comfortable on my end." Sarah was still looking at Chuck, trying to keep eye contact with him. "I'm just saying."
{* * *}
{November 25th 2006 09:20 - 325lbs.}
{Chuck's Bedroom}
Chuck was grateful for the 'break'. Sarah and Casey were busy with handling the Arms dealer cleanup and the fake bomb, not to mention he had to recover from the ass chewing out he got from Beckman and Graham for putting the 'Intersect' in danger.
It was nice that Casey and Sarah tried to defend him and Beckman and Graham did acknowledge how taking down one of the CIA's most wanted was a great accomplishment. But apparently the Intersect was more important than anything else at the moment.
Chuck was kind of tired and really didn't feel like going into work today but he got up anyway. He wasn't going to miss a workout even if his trainer wouldn't be there. He would do cardio today and then go into work.
{* * *}
{November 25th 2006 10:15 - 325lbs.}
{Training Facility}
Chuck was 30 minutes into his 45 minute elliptical high intensity training when Sarah came storming into the training center, luckily it was just him today. Chuck took it the wrong way, thinking to himself that she realized what a mistake last night was. Oh she was pissed.
Sarah just stood in front of Chuck, hands on her hips, anger boiling over as she stared at Chuck.
Chuck tried to look away but man she was so intimidating. "Hi Sarah." Chuck was very timid.
"Guess what?" She blew a stray curl out of her face she was almost shaking with anger.
"What?" Chuck didn't know what else to say. Luckily he was sweating enough already from the workout.
Sarah shook her head; she was so pissed at that pompous ass Bryce and his demands. "That thing we thought was a bomb." Sarah almost forgot what she was mad about thinking about what happened in front of that bomb last night. "Well it turns out that it was a life support system. A life support system for our good friend Bryce Larkin." Sarah gritted her teeth.
Was she snarling Chuck thought to himself? He felt his heart drop at this revelation. "Bryce? He's alive?" A part of him was actually relieved. But he was also somewhat scared.
Sarah was so angry that Bryce was doing this to Chuck. Bryce was held up in a detention center and the only person he would speak to is Chuck. "We have that piece of garbage under custody and he says he will only speak to you."
"Sarah, why does he want to talk to me? You're his former partner, weren't you two in a relationship?"
Hearing Chuck say that just frustrated her even more, she stared at him, biting her lower lip now. She was already planning how she was going to put Chuck through the hardest workout of his life for that last remark. "You're coming with me right now." Sarah grabbed his arm, pulling him through the front door.
"Could I get a shower… never mind." Chuck knew to just go with the flow.
{* * *}
{November 25th 2006 10:45}
{CIA Detention Facility, Burbank California}
Chuck was so nervous and a lot of it had to do with the fact that Sarah was nervous. She did not want him anywhere near Bryce but she was ordered to by her superiors. They needed to find out what Bryce knew.
Chuck was walking through the hallway, Sarah still pulling him along by the hand. She hadn't let go of his hand since they got out of the car.
"Now listen to me, you don't go anywhere near him. You stay near the door and the minute you feel danger, you let me know and I'll be in there. Casey will be here too."
Chuck let out a breath that he had been holding for the last minute. They were standing near the door of the holding cell and all he could see was Bryce, bound to a chair, all in white with his head lowered enough that Chuck couldn't see his face. Chuck looked to Sarah for comfort and he knew she was worried as she did that adorable biting of her lower lip.
Sarah wanted so bad to go in there with him, but Bryce was very clear on his terms. No one in the room but Chuck.
She quickly had Casey fit Chuck with a bullet proof vest and if she had her way, he would be outfitted with full tactical gear. But apparently some people didn't feel it was necessary. But what the hell did they know?
"You ready?" Sarah was straitening his vest. She made sure to get the larger vest but she could tell Chuck was uncomfortable. Safety first though.
"I can do this." He tried to get that heroic burst but it was nowhere to be found. He sure wished he could be elsewhere right about now.
Sarah reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Just find out what he knows then get out."
Chuck shook his head in agreement. It was go time as he walked through the door.
Sarah and Casey were watching like hawks on the other side of the glass. Sarah was moving closer and closer to the door, ready to charge in at a moment's notice.
Chuck really didn't know how to react. He was alone in the room with Sarah's old partner. A partner that went rogue, who wasn't the same guy he knew from college; he had to convince himself. Chuck gave a little cough, letting the man know he was there. He turned towards the window, hoping to get strength from Casey and Sarah. He saw Sarah nod her head letting him know he was doing good.
Chuck slowly turned back around as Bryce lifted his head.
"Who are you?"
Chuck felt like his whole body was being attacked by tiny needles. "Hey… hey Bryce buddy… It's me Chuck."
Bryce cautiously turned his head to look at the source of that voice. "I don't believe you. What did you do with the real Chuck?"
Chuck still couldn't answer seeing the confused look on his former best friend's face. He nervously turned towards the two way mirror. Chuck could only say one word. "Sarah?"
A/N: I really think you're going to like my version of this episode in the next chapter. Look for it on Thursday or maybe Wednesday.
