A/N: Hey all! Sorry this chapter has taken so long. I have a SERIOUS case of writers block with all of my stories, and I'm trying to lift the psychological rock blocking my brain. I promise I will update as quickly as I can, but I'm also graduating college at the end of the month, and things are getting crazy. Just bear with me. I love you all! Enjoy this chapter of one of my favorites :)

-Charahfan44


October 17th, 2003

Chuck was used to working long days, especially after Barker quit the company. Chuck was twenty-three years old, and already the owner of a multi-million-dollar tech company. The days went by fast, sometimes even causing him to forget what day it was.

"Howdy, stranger." Sienna's voice at the doorway made Chuck look up from his paperwork.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Wow, what a welcome." She laughed. "Did you forget we had plans?"

"Oh, uh, of course not." He tried to sneak a peek at his calendar.

"Dinner reservations at six." She walked up to his desk, closing the calendar. "It's now seven."

"I am so sorry." He rubbed his face in his hands. "Work has me on overdrive." He sighed.

"I figured." She smiled. "So, I brought dinner to you." With a snap of her fingers, four waiters stepped into the office, bringing trays of food with them.

"What?" He looked up at her.

"I bought the restaurant for the evening." She smiled. "Isn't money just great?"

"I-I don't know what to say." Chuck stammered.

"Say you'll turn off that computer and eat with me." She held out her hand.

"I have a lot to do here..." He trailed.

"Wrong answer." She smiled once more. "Come on, Chuck, live a little."

"I guess I will." He smiled back.

"Still not what I'm looking for."

"Of course I will." He replied, taking her hand. They ate a full three course meal, starting with elegant salads followed by premium steaks, and an apple crumble for dessert. "I can't possibly eat another bite." Chuck dropped his fork on the plate, sitting back sluggishly.

"Good?"

"Fantastic." He smiled at her. "I'm sorry I've been so M.I.A lately."

"I get it, you're busy."

"I'm not too busy for my beautiful girlfriend." He said, trying to charm her. "I promise we'll get away as soon as I'm done with this software update proposal."

"I don't know what that means, but okay." She laughed. "I'm thinking Maui."

"A trip?"

"You said 'getaway'."

"I meant from the office." He replied.

"Chuck, I own a private jet. Might as well use it." She joked.

"I don't know if I can go anywhere right now. Would you settle for a nice movie night on my couch?"

"We've been doing that." She whined. "Remember when we talked about me showing you the world?"

"Hawaii is in the US." He laughed.

"Okay fine, let's go to Greece."

"Sienna…" He trailed. "I like you a lot, but I have a lot of work to do."

"I get it."

"You've never worked a day in your life, how would you get it?" He replied, unaware of what he had just said.

"That's what you think of me?" She stood up.

"What? No, that's not what I meant."

"Sure it is."

"Running a business is hard enough, but doing it all alone is worse."

"Sure."

"Sienna." He grabbed her wrist. "I love you."

"What?"

"I love you, and I think you're amazing." He kissed her softly. He wasn't quite sure why he said it, but he needed to say something to make up for his comments.

"I love you too." She smiled, hugging him.

"So, am I forgiven?"

"Only if you say yes to Greece." She looked up at him with big brown eyes.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"I could use a vacation."

"You're the best." She kissed him, putting all she had into it. In that moment, everything felt off. Chuck stood there, holding his girlfriend, thinking of Kate.


Present Day

Dad and I made a tradition of visiting a Go-Kart track every month, in order to keep some fun. Even when he was the busiest, he still made time to race me on the track. I didn't really understand at first, but soon realized that he wanted to have something for us to have as "ours". Even when he and mom were together, she would never tag along.

"Wait, I don't get it." I frowned, putting on my helmet.

"What?"

"You didn't love Sienna, but you told her you did anyway?"

"Yeah." He shrugged.

"Why?"

"I don't really know. I mean, I thought I was going to have those feelings for her at some point."

"But you weren't over Kate yet."

"No, I wasn't."

"That's pretty messed up, dad." I said.

"I know. Just goes to show you that you shouldn't say something that important unless you mean it." He explained. "Life throws plenty of curve balls at you, and sometimes you just can't dodge getting hit."

"But sometimes you can get yourself out of the game entirely. That way there's no chance of the ball coming anywhere near you." I replied.

"When did you get so smart?"

"Mom asks me the same thing." I laughed. "I'm just growing up, I guess."

"You guess? You're practically eighty."

"I wouldn't go that far." I rolled my eyes. "I'm just saying, you could've broken up with her."

"I did eventually."

"Yeah, but I mean right then and there. She sounds like she was becoming too needy."

"She could be your mother." He raised an eyebrow.

"She doesn't sound like mom."

"You don't think so?" He asked. The expression on his face was throwing me off.

"Are you admitting that she is?"

"I'll tell you more after the race." He made sure our helmets were firmly placed over our heads, and we got into our cars. I always made sure to get the red one, because it had better drifting power. I won without much of a battle, and I knew dad was going all out.

"Ha! That's number five." I said excitedly, taking my helmet off.

"Yeah, yeah." He shook his head, doing the same. "You down for some nachos?"

"Always." I replied. We ate slowly, enjoying the day together. "So, after you told Sienna that you loved her, what happened?"

"You just can't wait, can you?" He laughed.

"It's hard. There's so much to figure out!"

"So you do think she's your mom?"

"I don't know now."

"That's the point." He laughed.

"Why can't you just skip to the end?"

"I can't tell you all at once, where's the fun in that?"

"I thought it would've been easier."

"Oh yeah?"

"I thought I would know who she was right away."

"We've only gotten through two women."

"So you and Sienna broke up right after that?"

"Not exactly."

"Dad!" I whined. "You're killing me!"

"It's complicated." He looked at his plate.

"I know."

"There's a difference between knowing and understanding." He looked up at me. "I need you to understand."

"So continue and I will." I nodded.

"Okay, let's see..."


October 20th, 2003

Only a few days had passed since Chuck had blurted the three most coveted words in any relationship, and already Sienna was taking everything to a whole new level. She constantly sent him messages, and booked trips through to the next year.

"So, next year we're going to the Maldives." Sienna was in bed next to Chuck, on her brand new Apple laptop.

"Uh, sounds nice." He forced a smile.

"Sounds nice?" She looked away from the computer. "It sounds amazing."

"Right." He nodded slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Just tired."

"Chuck, I know when you're tired." She shut her laptop. "And this isn't it. Talk to me."

"I just think maybe all of this is moving really fast."

"You're the one who said you loved me."

"I know, but-"

"But what?" She cut him off.

"Nothing."

"No, please, say it." She folded her arms.

"I think we should take a few days to get our heads straight."

"A few days apart?"

"Yeah."

"You're breaking up with me?" Her voice cracked.

"No, it's not like that at all." He tried to cover it up. "I just have a lot going on, and I don't want you to think I'm blowing you off."

"You should've started with that." She said softly.

"I know, I'm sorry." He kissed her quickly. "I'm an idiot."

"Thank you for admitting it." She smiled slyly.

"Keep looking at those tickets, and I'll call you tomorrow." He pushed the covers off the bed and climbed out.

"What? Where are you going?"

"If you only want it to be a few days, I have to get started now."

"You can't stay one night?"

"If I stay, we both know I won't leave tomorrow." He pulled his shirt over his head. "It'll go by quick, I promise." He walked over to her, giving her one final kiss before leaving. He drove to the office, wanting to get some work done before the day was completely over. He didn't see any cars in the parking lot when he pulled up, but noticed an office light on as he walked into the building.

"Hey, Mick." He greeted his head security guard. "Is someone here?"

"The new gal." The gruff man responded.

"Amelia?"

"Sure."

"Thanks." Chuck nodded, walking over to the elevator and stepping inside. He pressed 25, and waited until the elevator stopped. He stepped out, loving the quiet sound he heard.

"Mr. Bartowski." The brunette came around the corner, colliding into Chuck.

"Amelia." He coughed.

"Sorry." She looked down at the papers she dropped. "I didn't realize anyone else was here."

"I just got here." He smiled, helping her pick up her things. "You know, you don't have to be here this late, you're already hired."

"I know." She laughed. "I get more things done when it's quiet."

"I know exactly what you mean."

"Besides, I have a lot to catch up on."

"That you do."

"I think the new software update is a bad idea." She blurted.

"What?" Chuck hadn't been expecting a comment like that. "You are talking about the one we're releasing in five days, right?"

"I know it's almost ready to launch, but I think we need to hold off. On the test runs, there have been major problems. Bugs, freezing issues, and crashes we can't afford."

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"Get our techs on it, and upgrade it."

"Upgrade the first version?"

"I get it, it sounds crazy." She pushed her glasses back into position on her face. "But I know what I'm talking about. You hired me as your chief software designer for a reason."

"Your contract technically doesn't start until this download is finished."

"I know."

"I'll go over the numbers and re-evaluate my decision." He scratched his forehead.

"That's all I'm asking." She nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she was off. Chuck sighed, making his way to his office. He knew that work had taken over his life, and he wasn't quite sure how to stop it.


Present Day

"Have fun?" Mom met us at the front door of the house. She seemed to be extra happy today, and I didn't want to know why.

"Yeah, I beat him bad." I laughed, looking at my dad.

"See you in a few weeks." He gave me a kiss on my head before I entered the house.

"I have a favor to ask." She stopped dad before he could leave.

"Uh, sure."

"I'm going to be out of town next week, and I was hoping you could watch her."

"That shouldn't be a problem." He nodded.

"I didn't know you had a trip," I added. "It wasn't on the calendar."

"It's a spur of the moment thing." She shot me a look. "Thanks."

"I'll see you next week then." He smiled at me once more before mom closed the door.

"You just had to say something." She rolled her eyes at me playfully.

"Where are you going this time? Australia?"

"It's not a work thing." Her voice was quiet. She quickly made her way into the kitchen, trying to avoid me. But I was her daughter, and I attacked things head on.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not for work. It's personal."

"You're with someone?" I stopped walking. I'm pretty sure she sensed it, because she stopped too.

"It's not like that." She frowned, unable to keep eye contact. "It's not serious."

"I don't understand."

"I know."

"You can't."

"I am."

"But what about dad?" I asked.

"Dad and I are separated."

"But technically you're still married." I snapped back.

"Not for much longer." The words left her mouth before she could catch herself.

"What?"

"I shouldn't have said that..." She trailed.

"But you did, and now you get to explain." I demanded.

"We were going to tell you together."

"Tell me what?" I could feel the lump in my throat rising.

"We aren't getting back together." She made sure to look me in the eyes this time. "We just recently talked about it, and we decided together."

"And how long were you going to wait to tell me?" The tears rolled down my face without warning.

"Not very long, I promise." She extended a hand out to me, but I refused it. "Don't shut me out."

"Why? You shut me out." I spat.

"That's not what's happening, and you know it. You can be mad all you want, but we are going to discuss this together as a family."

"No we aren't. You're going to run off with a stranger and leave us here." I didn't know what I was saying at this point.

"Come here." She opened both arms. "That wasn't a suggestion." I sulked over to her, letting her wrap her arms around me. She held me for a few minutes, letting me cry it all out.

"I don't hate you."

"Well thanks for that." She let out a small laugh, releasing me. "I hope that you never hate me."

"I don't think I could." I wiped my face.

"Good." She smiled, pushing my hair back. "You know you can always talk to me. About anything."

"I know." I hugged her again, not wanting to let go.