This chapter is a little different. I am venturing into unknown territory with this chapter. I am really interested to know your feedback on this one because it is different from the other chapters in a lot of ways. You'll see what I mean.

Once again I would like to thank Aoife and Naill for their help.

This chapter takes place during the episode entitled Chuck vs. The Imported Hard Salami


The Prince and the Guardian

Bartowski Home

Spring 2036

Today was a quiet day, a day of rest and relaxation. Her 20 year old twin sons, Liam and Levi had left the preceding day. Liam went back to college on the other side of the country while Levi returned to his job at a National Park. Her daughter, Kayla, had made plans to go shopping with a few friends after class. As a junior in high school a few years back, Kayla decided to take her requisites at a local community college, which had be a relief for Sarah. Her son's leaving home and being so far away had been hard enough and Sarah hadn't wanted to have to say goodbye to her daughter just yet.

Sarah usually went with Chuck, Morgan, and Casey - when Casey was around - to meet a new client but she had passed when Chuck asked her to come. She told him that the house needed to be cleaned after the boys passed through, to which Chuck raised a knowing eyebrow.

Sarah liked her home neat, clean, and organized. She used her boys as an excuse, and though dealing with two teenage boys had its challenges, it was her daughter who was the messy one. Sarah hadn't thought that raising a daughter would be as difficult as it turned out to be. She expected Kayla to be more like the stereo typical girl. During her pregnancy Sarah often dreamt about what it would be like to do the girly stuff she never got to do herself. While there were plenty of those opportunities, Kayla turned out to be an interesting amalgamation of her and her husband.

Kayla bore a striking resemblance to Sarah. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a smile that could light up even the darkest of rooms. She was also very much a tomboy. She could hang with her older brothers when they played basketball, football, or soccer, that is until their physical strength outmatched her desire to be included. She was tough as nails though and had taken a few self defense classes her Aunt Grimes taught.

She also had her father's technological skills, and his affinity for gaming. She challenged and often beat the all the boys, her father included, in whatever video game was being played. And she took great pride in that.

Despite all of that, Kayla was still a girl and prone to emotional outbursts. Sarah learned early on that when Kayla was emotional all she could do was to be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. Though Sarah didn't fault her dad, she wanted to be there for Kayla in a way that her dad never was for her.

It was 3:47pm and Sarah was on the couch reading a book. Suddenly she heard the door open, saw Kayla walk through and forcibly close the door behind her. Sarah watched as Kayla paused for a moment, leaned back against the front door, took a few long and labored breaths before shooting up the stairs into her bedroom and slamming the door shut.

What was that about? She's supposed to be out with friends. Something is obviously wrong. Maybe I can help.

Sarah and Kayla had a special kind of relationship. Sarah had always been able to talk to her, to speak her language. Sarah took it hard during her junior year when it looked as though Kayla was going to follow in her brothers footsteps and leave home. Emma had helped Sarah see that although Kayla would always be a child in her eyes, children grow up and leave home. She explained that it was hard for her to watch Sarah leave and not know when she was coming back, but that she had to. In order to do that, the mother/daughter relationship had to move from a parent/child status to one of mutual friendship. And though Sarah tried, she had to rely on her mom to help her through that difficult process. Emma was always just a phone call away.

Sarah put her book down, made her way up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Everything okay, honey?" An uneasy silence emanated from the room as Sarah stood there and waited for her daughter to respond.

"Go away, mom!" Kayla yelled back angrily.

Sarah couldn't even if she wanted to. "Can I come in?" Sarah felt the hurt and pain through the silence on the other side of the door. The silence was her cue to come in. Sarah gently opened the door only to see her daughter sprawled across her bed, face down in her pillow.

"What do you want?" Kayla turned around and looked at her mom.

She had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, cheeks flushed and damp. Sarah's heart broke for her. She never got used to that. No amount of preparation had adequately prepared her for the almost overwhelming emotions that seeing her children hurt created. Seeing Kayla like that stirred within her the motherly instinct. All she wanted to do was to wrap her in a cocoon, to shield her and protect her from this world, the world that could be so very cruel.

Kayla sat up on the bed and Sarah walked over and joined her. Sarah put one arm around her shoulder, pulled her in closer, and gently kissed her hair. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Jeremy! He said he'd be my date for Spring Fling but now he wants to go with some new girl he just met," she told mom in-between sobs.

Sarah leaned her cheek down and rested it on the top of Kayla's head. "It's okay. Can't you-"

"And I don't even know why I care so much." Kayla's chest heaved up and down as she tried to catch her breath.

Sarah immediately knew what was going on. She had heard this story before. It was, after all, the story Chuck told her about Lou. "Are you sure?" Sarah asked softly.

"Sure of what? That he wants to go with this other girl? Yeah! He made that very clear."

"No, honey." Sarah chose her next words carefully. "Are you sure?" Sarah emphasized the question.

Kayla pulled away from her mom. "What do you mean?" She eyed mom curiously.

Sarah gave her daughter a knowing look.

"Yeah, he's my best friend, mom."

Sarah deepened her look. Because they spoke the same language, Sarah knew that was all it would take for Kayla to get what she was really asking.

Kayla thought for a moment. "Um, I-I , um...I've never thought of Jeremy like that but, yes? No? I don't know." She was getting frustrated.

"Maybe you should-"

"I should what, mom? Tell him. What exactly would I say?" Kayla fired back. "Hey, Jeremy, I think I like you but I don't know," she mocked with a hint of sarcasm. "Besides, what do you know about it? You and dad are like this...this perfect married couple."

Sarah knew better. She knew that the road she traveled to get here with Chuck was a long a rocky road. Most of their troubles were front loaded however, so their kids didn't know much about their troubled beginning.

"Kayla, honey, I know you think that your dad and I are perfect for each other and while that might be true, we didn't have a very good start."

Kayla squinted her eyes and cocked her head. "Really? What do you mean?"

Sarah took a deep breath in. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret but, but it has to stay between us."

Kayla shook her head and eagerly awaited this big secret to be revealed.

It's okay. I know I can trust her. Plus it might help her. "Well," Sarah paused and drew another breath before continuing. "You know the bed time stories your father and I told you when you were younger? Specifically The Prince and The Guardian tales?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Uh, well, parts of those tales are true." A smile hung across Sarah's face as the words rolled out. "The Prince was your dad, and I was...I was the Guardian."

A contemplative silence grew outward from Kayla. She was working out the details, trying, guessing at which parts were true and which were fabricated.

"Let me start with The Prince and The Poisoner. Remember that one?" Sarah asked her daughter.

"One of my favorites. The Prince saved his sister from the Poisoner, the Guardian shot him and then lied to the Prince. I knew she loved him and wanted to be with him." Kayla's face lit up. "I get it, mom. You loved dad but you lied to him...and then you kissed him when you thought you were going to die, didn't you?"

"Yes I did. I kissed your father." The memory of that moment washed over her. Her body reacted like it had just happened. She caught the scent of his deodorant mixed with the cool dampness of the salty air. Her fingers felt the minute beads of sweat against the back of his neck as they curled inward remembering the force with which she held onto his shirt collar.

Sarah didn't want to get lost in the memory, not with her daughter beside her.

"But, sweetheart, that wasn't in the Poisoner's story."

"It's the next one, I know. But they are easy to put together. It just made sense." Kayla smiled.

"Yes. Yes I did kiss your father," Sarah repeated.


San Pedro

Dock 14B Northwest Pier

Present Day

Sarah and Chuck had to use a couple of crowbars to pry open the front part a one large wooden crate. Once pulled away the wood fell to the ground and hit the cement floor with a thud exposing what was inside.

They walked around and stood in front of a large cylindrical metallic container with a timer attached to the front. All the intel they had gathered, including Chuck's flash, indicated that this was a bomb.

So this is it.

The two of them looked at the bomb. Their demise loomed in front of them. Their death's wouldn't be the result of some toxin that slowly sucked the life from them. No, it would be in a fiery chemical explosion if they couldn't disarm the trigger attached to the timer.

Like the first night all over again.

Sarah rushed over, knelt down in front of the timer and took off the number pad below the display and examined the wiring. But her rudimentary understanding of bombs and how they were wired held no answers for her.

Chuck told her that he didn't flash and had nothing for her. She responded by telling him to go and get to safety while she would stay behind and try to diffuse it.

"No. I'm not leaving you here." Chuck turned to face her.

"Go. That's an order," Sarah threw that statement at him with a touch of anger.

"No," Chuck told her defiantly.

Sarah got up, drew her gun, and walked over to within a few feet of where he stood.

"I said go." She clicked the safety off and pointed the gun at him.

"Oh, I see. So you're gonna shoot me to prevent me from being blown up? That's a great plan," he retorted.

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"Actually I consider this a rare moment of courage. I don't know where it's coming from. I guess you just bring out the worst in me," he explained.

Sarah clicked the safety back on and returned her gun back to its proper place. She took a few small steps toward him. "And you in me."

At that moment they heard a continuous high pitched beeping sound coming from the bomb. They looked over and saw the timer.

Ten seconds.

They turned back to face one another.

Nine. Eight. Seven.

"It was nice knowing you," Chuck told her.

Six. Five. Four.

Sarah's life may not have flashed before her eyes but she was filled with several thoughts as her life was drawing to a close. What are these feelings I am having for him? Are they real? I have to know if they are.

Three. Two. One.

Chuck closed his eyes.

It's now or never.

Sarah reached up, put her hands on his cheeks, stood on the tips of her toes, and pressed her lips to his.

After a brief moment of shock she felt him respond. Both their hands pulled each other closer, their bodies leaned in towards one another's, as they shared several long and passionate kisses. Every other sound in the warehouse dissipated. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of their kisses.

When the passion of that moment died down Sarah slowly pulled back. She kept her eyes on him and let go of his shirt collar, which she had grabbed to keep him close, and let herself fall flat footed against the ground.

Sarah glanced over at the timer and saw that it read 00:00:00. She looked back to Chuck. Why didn't the bomb go off? Are we still alive? It was...is real. Why did I kiss him? I shouldn't have done that.

She tried to compose herself. "Well, the good news is we're alive. And the bad news is that this is kind of an awkward moment right now." Sarah's breathing was labored as she talked. She was still trying to catch her breath.

"Completely comfortable on my end."

Sarah was speechless. It had felt good to release that tension, that energy. It was real, those feelings she had for him. Now she knew. But what were they exactly? What did they mean?

"Just saying," Chuck added.

Sarah looked lost, as if she had just turned a corner into unfamiliar territory.


Bartowski Home 2036

"Mom. Hello? Anyone home?" Kayla waved her hand in front of her mom's face.

"Huh, what?" Sarah suddenly returned to reality.

"You were, um, you were staring off into space. Like you were in your own little world. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's just that every now and then I get these..." Sarah saw concern on her daughter's face. "Never mind." She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"Ooookaaaay...So what you're saying then, is that I should...kiss Jeremy?"

Sarah loved her daughter and was constantly amazed by how smart she was. But every now and then there were moments and statements, like the one she just made, that reminded Sarah that Kayla was still a child that needed a parent to guide her into adulthood.

"No, no," Sarah almost laughed at the question. "For us, your dad and I, well for me anyway, that kiss made me realize that I had feelings for your dad. I didn't know exactly what they were but I knew from that moment on that I cared about him very much. But it wasn't until we were honest with each other that it worked out."

Kayla was glued to her mom, soaking up every word. "So what are you saying, mom?"

"Find some subtle way to test the water, to figure out how you feel first. If you like him. Then talk to him. But, sweetheart, be patient. You have time. Don't rush or try to force things. If it's meant to be, then you will get there." Sarah grinned as she talked to Kayla. Though it was an acquired skill that Sarah thought she still hadn't mastered, giving advice about boys to their daughter was one of the small dreams Chuck had made come true. She was glad he had found her, the real her that she thought she had buried never to be seen again, and would not let go.

"I will mom. Thanks."

"Anytime, kiddo." Sarah opened her arms and let Kayla lean in to her. The warmth of the hug made all the trouble and worries seem meaningless.

When they let loose of each other Kayla looked at her mom. "Now, about these tales. Tell me more. Who's The Captain and is the King's Advisor real? Oh, oh, what about the Evil Knights and the Circle? Did they really try to kill you?" Kayla gasped. "Don't tell me you dated dad's best frie..."


Bartowski Home 2036

Later that evening

After an enjoyable dinner, Kayla spent the rest of the evening out with some friends. Meanwhile, Chuck and Sarah nestled together on the couch and watched one of Sarah's favorite movies. This particular movie Sarah had bought for Kayla when she was still a baby but, there was something about the voice of the leading male character that seemed so familiar to Sarah that she found the voice oddly comforting.

This would be the perfect time to tell him. It'll be like a fairy tale, like the one we are watching. I want him to know that I remember.

"Chuck, honey, I think you should know something."

"That you love me." It was more of a playful statement than a real question.

"Well, yes, of course I love you." Sarah tilted her head up from his chest and they gave each other a few quick kisses. Sarah drew a contended breath, closed her eyes, and smiled. She could feel his eyes upon her. "But that's not what I was going to say."

"Oh?" Chuck continued to look into her.

"I remember." She glowed with excitement. "I remember our first kiss at the docks. The one you told me about. Our first real kiss."

"That's great, baby," he replied enthusiastically. "It was amazing, wasn't it? At least I thought so."

"It was." Sarah nodded in agreement before continuing. "I was talking to Kayla when it hit me. She's having boy problems again and I was trying to help."

"Did your advice work better than last time?" Chuck quipped.

"Ha ha." She mocked laughter.

"Jeremy troubles, huh?"

"How did you know?"

"Come on, babe. She's been in to him for a long time. Probably doesn't even know it herself." Chuck knowingly smiled. "You know what they say. Like mother, like daughter."

Sarah lifted her head off his chest, eyed him curiously, and playfully slugged him in the shoulder.

"Ooww. What was that for?" He rubbed his shoulder pretending to be in pain.

Sarah shot him a gaze that said, 'You know', and smiled whimsically.

As they settled back into the movie Sarah spoke up. "There is one more thing. She knows that parts of the Prince and the Guardian Tales are true."

Chuck's eyes bugged out.

The television responded as if cued by Sarah.

"...Don't freak out!" Rapunzel told Flynn Rider.