Chapter 10

I don't own Chuck.

Thanks for all the reviews, I'm glad you are enjoying the story.

Sara woke up later than usual for her. She guessed it was mid morning at least from the amount of sun that filtered in through her closed eyelids. She refused to open her eyes though and just tried to enjoy the moment she found herself in. She was draped over Chucks side, her head on his chest. She listened to the slow steady beats of his heart and for a moment she was completely at peace.

Eventually she couldn't lay in the bed any longer and she carefully extricated herself from the bed. Chuck sleepily tried to roll over and pull her back to him. But an unconscious Chuck was no match for a fully awake agent and he merely ended up spooning a pillow. Sara quietly had a shower and then made her way to the kitchen. After the coffee finished she took it and her breakfast out onto the back deck. She was enjoying a cup of coffee and a bagel when her phone rang.

"White secure"

"Reynolds secure, how's our boy?"

"I'm not really sure. I think the last month has been tougher on him than we realize. I'm honestly a lil worried about him. You know that he kept the sidearm you gave him? A month ago he was scared to hold a gun much less carry one."

Reynolds grunted in approval, "He's growing up. He wouldn't survive in this life like he was. You know he's going to have to change in some ways. You know there is no other way. Beckman was ready to throw him in a hole after he did it to himself again. And the only reason she's letting the two of you fly is because of his change in status. And I wouldn't plan on her staying okay with it. One slip up and one or both of you are gone."

"I know. So did you manage to get clear of things out there?"

"Yeah, I'm heading out to the country to start making arrangements for the last delivery. Sounds like it could be a couple of weeks though. Wonder woman has to hit a certain phase of her training before she can fly."

"Understood, call if you need any assistance."

"Roger that, Reynolds out. Oh and for gods sake get the kid a decent piece, those Beretta m9's are crap."

"I've been thinking about getting a new one myself, a girls gotta accessorize ya know. I'll take him shopping with me."

Sara heard a grunt before the connection closed. Sara leaned her head back only to find herself looking up at a freshly showered and shirtless Chuck with a towel draped over his shoulders. Chuck smiled as she visibly jumped, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah that was just Reynolds checking in. Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a while."

"Hungry?"

"Starved actually." As Sara was getting up he cut in, "You don't have to get up and make something. I'll just grab some cereal."

"Nope we have to get you used to your new eating habits. 5 or 6 meals a day with plenty of protein. We are going to start you off with whole eggs, whole wheat bagel, some grapefruit, and water or coffee."

"But I like cereal." Chuck tried to pout.

"Its part of your training. I need you to trust me on this."

"Well at least your not making me have one of Awesome's shakes."

Sara smirked, "Not today at least, you start those on Monday."

Chuck groaned.

After breakfast Chuck took a stroll around the house. The decor was all CIA issue like the last house had been. Only instead of the newlyweds theme this was all tailored to a couple that was still building their lives. "So why didn't they issue us a dog this time?"

Sara replied, "I didn't really know if you would want one. We still don't know how long we will be here I was not sure if you would want one. If you get attached to one and then we have to leave or go deep cover or something like that. I couldn't call and ask you either. I love dogs, I haven't had one in a really long time. But I wasn't sure how you felt about them anymore, you haven't had one since I've known you. I'm rambling aren't I?"

Chuck smiled, "Yes you are. I'm getting the feeling you wouldn't mind a dog."

Sara smiled shyly, "No I wouldn't. But it would have to be a CIA trained dog, I can't stand undisciplined animals. And then what happens if we get attached and have to leave?"

Chuck shrugged, "That's pretty simple, Ell loves dogs. Only reason we haven't had one is because we were in an apartment."

Sara gave Chuck a megawatt smile, "I'll make the call and see what's available. Why don't you go get dressed, we will need to do some shopping. There are some other things I want to pick up while we are out."

A short time later found the two of them heading towards the local shopping area. Chuck had opted to drive saying that he wanted to get to know the area. Sara conceded with a smile knowing how boys are with their new toys. Did some mundane shopping before heading over to the pet store. Chuck knew this was a big deal when Sara scoffed at the thought of going to one of the major chain pet stores like Petsmart. No they had to go places like Bark and Bath and Pet Palace Productions. He couldn't bring himself to get mad at her though. Not even when she took nearly an hour to pick out the dog tag and get it engraved. She showed it to him with a twinkle in her eye that he was not used to seeing.

Chuck read the tag and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Your kidding right? That's his name?"

Sara chose to laugh, "Yeah when they got to him on the list I just had to choose him. You don't mind do you? He's a doberman I guess that's a little stereotypical considering what we do. But they are really good dogs, very active so he can go on your runs and bike rides. Plus he will protect you which I have to admit I like the idea of."

Chuck smiled, "That's fine babe, I trust you to pick us out a good dog. The name just caught me off guard that's all."

Sara replied, "Are you sure? I can pick another one if you want."

Chuck held Sara's hand, "I'm sure." Chuck began laughing as he finished though, "But I swear if that dog ever sends me an email he's going straight to the pound."

Finally they made it to their last stop a sporting good store. Sara helped Chuck pick out some things that would help him with his training. They picked out a bike and arranged to have it assembled and delivered. They made their way to the back of the store where there was a door marked "Employee's Only" with a guy loitering nearby. He asked Sara, "Find everything you need?"

Sara flashed him her CIA credentials and he pointed through the door, "You'll find everything else in there."

Chuck looked really confused but followed Sara into the back of the store. They went down a short hallway then entered a room that had most any kind of firearm you could think of. Sara waved her hand around, "We needed to get you something better than that crappy Beretta you brought home. Look around and find what you like. I prefer a Smith & Wesson 5906 personally but everyone is different."

Chuck spent the next hour testing out the feel of lots of different weapons. He eventually settled on a Springfield Armory XDM Bi-tone in .40 caliber. "I like this one."

Sara looked it over, "That's a nice gun. I still haven't made the jump to polymer frames though so I guess matching his and her guns are out for right now." Sara put it back in the case and set it along with some ammo in the cart."

Chuck smiled, "So any other shopping we need to do? Need a couple of landmines for the house or something?"

Sara looked like she was thinking for a moment, "Nah then I won't have anything to shop for next week."

Chuck groaned.

Sara and Chuck had one of those wandering and aimless couple conversations as they drove home until it was interrupted by Chuck's phone ringing. He looked at the screen and saw it was Ell calling him, "Hey there sis." Chuck answered cheerfully.

"Hey little brother, how are you?"

"I'm in horrible shape. Sara has been dragging me around shopping for hours. I'm not sure I can stand up to this torture much longer. A few more minutes and I might spill all my secrets. OWWWWW"

"She just smacked you or pinched you right?"

"Uh huh she's being mean."

"Nope she's just being a woman little brother."

"So what's up or did you just call to talk a bit?"

"I wanted to invite you two over to dinner. Kind of an apology for you having to do what you did last night and I need to talk to Sara."

"You sure your ready for that sis? Don't get me wrong I love the idea, just wanna make sure you get whatever time you need and whatever time you and David need."

"Well you guys won't be staying the night." Chuck heard Devon ring out in the background, "Join me in the shower babe?" Ell quickly wrapped the call up, "Gotta go, just come on over when you get home we will order pizza." The call ended.

Sara gave Chuck an inquiring look and Chuck said hesitantly, "Sis wants us to come over for dinner. I know you were planning on cooking that lobster stuff and she kinda hung up on me for 'shower time' before I had a chance to explain that."

Sara waved him off, "It's too late for me to start the Lobster Thermidore this evening anyways. I'll just make it tomorrow. Besides getting our family back in sync is more important than impressing you with my culinary skills."

They got back to the house and unloaded everything. Sara found Chuck staring at the case for his new gun, "Nuh uh Ell's got a strict no guns in her house policy. I don't even take mine over there. Luckily she's never said anything about my knives."

Chuck laughed, "You know I was afraid to cop a feel on our first few kisses because I was afraid of cutting myself."

Sara laughed back, "And now?"

Chuck gave Sara the Bartowski eyebrow dance, "Some things are worth risking life and limb for."

Some time later Sara and Chuck finally make it over to Ellie's house. David answers the door and waves them inside, "Just how far away were you two shopping?" Then David notices the look on both of them and offers Chuck a high five, "Afternoon Delight.... very awesome bro."

Chuck blushes but still smiles and high fives David, "Thanks I think." Chuck looked around, "Where's Sis?"

David motioned to the kitchen, "She's in there getting some drinks."

Chuck headed that way, "I'll give her a hand, why don't you two order the pizza?"

Chuck entered the kitchen and just sort of awkwardly stood there for a moment looking at Ell, she stared back at him as well. Chuck opened his mouth a few times to say something but each time he closed his mouth. Finally he just said, "Hi sis"

"Hello little brother."

"How are you?"

Ellie shrugs, "I'm holding it together. That's an improvement though."

"How do you feel about a brother sister hugging situation?"

"I'd really like that."

Chuck and Ellie hug for a long time. Ellie talks softly during the hug, "I was so scared. I didn't know if you were okay. She told me I couldn't contact you under any circumstances. When I tried to call you from the hospital once it said that your number was disconnected, then John told me not to try that again. I worried that you had been killed or taken underground. You were free of all of this. Dad helped you get free of it. And then she sucked you right back into it."

Chuck stiffened up and pushed Ellie away, "No sis you don't seem to get it. I chose this, not because of her but because it was the right thing to do. Being with her is only a bonus."

"Bullshit, she's the governments whore and she has you wrapped around her finger. Getting you to do whatever they want. Don't you see?"

Chuck spat out his last words, "All I see is that you don't understand and your being to stubborn to try and understand. Call me when you really want to act like my sister."

Chuck stormed out of the kitchen and eventually out of the house with only Ellie's words following him, "Can't you see, she's just manipulating you! Wake up Chuck! Look at her! Girls like that don't fall for guys like you! Your just a...." Her words were cut off when Chuck slammed the door behind him, the windows shaking from the force.

Sara had heard Ellie as she started to raise her voice. When she started yelling Sara stood up instantly, her protective instincts for Chuck kicking in. But when Ellie started trying to belittle her feeling for Chuck she struck a nerve. And when she started trying to turn Chuck away from her Ellie didn't have a clue what kind of mistake she had made.

Sara looked at David with an intensity that made the man physically step away. Sara told him in a cold and authoritative manner, "Go with Chuck, and don't come back until I call you."

David looked at Sara and without thinking he said, "Don't hurt her please."

Sara's voice was even colder when she replied, "If I wanted to cause her harm your presence would not stop me, Now go."

It took David all of 5 seconds to realize he really didn't have a choice. She was a trained CIA bad-ass and she looked pissed. But he was also confident that she wouldn't cause Ellie any serious harm. So he hoped for the best and walked out the door after Chuck. He found him sitting in a chair on the front porch with a six pack of bottled beer beside him. David took a seat beside him, "Got one of those for me?"

Chuck shrugged, "Sure if you want, but there's a 6 of your favorite in the fridge if you prefer."

A moment later David returned with his beer and popped the top on one, "If that girl hadn't just scared 5 years off my life I might sing her praises for having my beer stocked. She really doesn't miss a beat does she?"

Chuck gave a half hearted laugh, "No she doesn't, she's an amazing woman. And without trying she always seems to remind me of it. It's a little daunting at times. Especially for a guy with a shaky self esteem to begin with."

David gripped Chuck's shoulder, "She loves you man. I'm not sure of a lot of things these days, but that's one thing that I am sure of. I just hope she doesn't hurt Ellie...."

Chuck smiled, "That's one thing I'm sure of, she wouldn't hurt Ellie. Not physically at least."

The two men enjoyed a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Then they passed a little time with pleasant conversation talk of old times, talk of the future, and talk of Chuck's upcoming training. Suddenly a black SUV pulled into the driveway. A man in a standard issue G-man suit stepped out of the truck, "Charles Michaelson?"

Chuck walked over to him, "Yeah that's me."

The man pulled out a clipboard, "I have a delivery for you, your partner called it in. I just need to see your ID and have you sign for it." Chuck pulled out his drivers license and handed it over. The man deadpanned, "No sir your other ID." Chuck grinned, "Oh yeah" and handed over his CIA credentials. After reclaiming his ID and signing Chuck followed the guy to the back of the SUV. He opened the door and let a young yet mature Doberman out of the back. He also handed Chuck a small book, "This is a handbook detailing the more advanced hand commands. We will have a trainer come out every six months for refresher training. He will respond to the common commands vocally though. Things like heel, sit, stay and the like. Any questions?"

Chuck shrugged, "No I don't think so, at least not right now."

The man nodded, "If you think of any just call the kennel and you can speak with a trainer. Good Day."

With that the man left as Chuck led the dog to the house he waved David inside as he entered with the dog. Chuck found the collar and attached the name tag and registration tag before putting it on him. David spoke up, "Man that's a big dog, I've heard that breed can be a little aggressive."

Chuck dismissed the comment with a wave, "It's an undeserved reputation. They excel as guard dogs due to their nature. But its loyalty and protectiveness that makes them so good, not aggression."

David nodded, "I guess that makes sense." He called the dog over with a whistle and started to pet him. "So what's your name boy?" David look at his name tag and then looked at Chuck with a weird look on his face. "Your kidding me right? That's his name?"

Chuck laughed, "Yeah that's his name. I wonder how much longer the girls are going to take, Sara has been looking forward to his arrival with an excitement I've never seen her have before."

David shrugged, "Dunno. But I do know that I'm not interrupting them."

Chuck brought David and the dog back out on the porch. Chuck drank and went through the dogs handbook, David drank and played with the dog. Eventually the calm quiet was broken when David's phone rang.

Sara whirled around as soon as the door closed behind David. She took slow graceful steps towards Ellie, her eyes locked on the woman. She looked like a tigress stalking her prey. Ellie began to back away, tinges of real fear showing on her face. Then Ellie found herself in the corner of the kitchen. Ellie realized she had no where to go and with nothing to lose she opened her mouth to stand her ground.

Sara cut her off before she could speak though, "I'm going to tell you a story. Some parts of this story I haven't even had the guts to tell Chuck about yet. I will be intentionally vague in parts but only where the details don't really matter. I want you to understand just how right and yet just how wrong you were earlier. You made the comment that girls like me don't fall for guys like your brother."

Sara sighed, "Your right, girls just like me don't fall for guys like your brother. Your brother is an amazing man and no matter how hard I try I can't get him to see it. He's like no one I've ever met before. I tried not to fall for him..... I tried so hard. He deserves so much better than me."

Ellie didn't relax but her stance started to become slightly less aggressive as Sara continued, "My mother died when I was very young. I ended up with my father. His chosen profession was a con man. He was always moving us around and changing our identities. I haven't gone by my birth name since I was around 4 years old. Not only did I live with a criminal but he trained me to be just like him. I took part in his con's most of my life. When I was in high school he conned the wrong people and the only way he could live was to go to jail. It was at that point that the CIA recruited me."

Sara poured two glasses of wine and handed one to Ellie before she continued, "I was what they consider an ideal recruit. People like me have nothing outside the agency. So we take on the agency as a surrogate family. We lose our self in trying to impress our family. For my kind the mission is always first. I did things that slowly stripped away my humanity and forced me to lock my emotions away in a box. I have seduced, stolen, betrayed, used, killed, and many other horrible words in the name of the mission for the greater good."

This time Ellie refilled their glasses, "I never really knew I was missing out on anything. I had a flawless career, not a single black mark on my record. I even thought I found love out there. My partner was Bryce Larkin. We worked together and had a relationship for years. Then all of a sudden my life out there fell apart. I was told that Bryce was a traitor and sent her to investigate your brothers connection to him after he emailed him the intersect."

Sara sipped her wine as she recalled their first meeting, "You know the first time I met your brother he blew me off to help a little girl and her father. Me a trained CIA seductress.... and he walked away from me because this idiot of a dad screwed up and didn't record his daughters recital. Chuck commandeered the buy-more and helped the dad tape an impromptu recital."

More wine was drank, "I should have known I was in trouble on that first date. Your brother managed to make me, the perfect CIA agent, relax. That may sound like a good thing. And for any other person it would be. But in my work if you relax you die or the person your protecting dies."

Another bottled was opened and still Sara talked, "Then your brother and I began our two year long courting dance. It was a long uphill battle. So many things fought against us. In the beginning if Casey or the general or graham had gotten a hint of how I felt they would have reassigned me immediately and brought in a new agent to handle him. I was dealing with the loss of Bryce to begin with as well. Then we found out that Bryce wasn't dead."

Sara went on to recount every high and low of their roller coaster ride of a relationship. All the things that worked against them. Then she got to the day of Ellie's wedding. They were starting on their third bottle of wine and feeling absolutely no pain as Sara moved into the homestretch.

"The general tried to recruit chuck that morning. It would have been Bryce, him, and me as a team. But Chuck didn't know that. I told the General that he had to join for his own reasons or not at all. Chuck walked away from it all, and I was given my new orders. I would be leaving the morning after your wedding." Tears started to slowly fall. "He cornered me in the church and tried to talk to me about taking a vacation with him. I told him I was leaving with Bryce, even though I knew even then that I couldn't walk away from Chuck.

"You know the story of Roark and how he ruined your wedding and how Chuck saved the day and gave you your dream wedding. What you don't know is that I had told Bryce I wasn't going with him. And I was in the process of telling Chuck that I was giving everything else up for a life with him. Then I found out that Bryce was in trouble. I still loved Bryce even if I wasn't in love with him anymore and I just couldn't stand by, I had to go help him. And Chuck being Chuck he came along as well."

Sara's tears started to fall again, "Bryce was wounded and stuck in the intersect room. We sent Chuck away to go call in backup. But once again he didn't listen and did something stupidly heroic. God I love and hate him so much when he does that. But anyways he found a back way into the intersect room. Bryce gave a device to destroy it and even told him that I had decided to stay with him. But Bryce also told him about a very dangerous threat to the nation and even the world at large right before he died. Chuck knew that with the intersect he could help fight this threat. He threw away a chance at a normal life with me. The picket fence, 2.5 kids, PTA meetings, and all the trimmings."

Sara drained another glass of wine, "I never really told him how much it hurt that he threw all of that away. And I never will because your brother made the right choice, just like he always does. I'll stand by him, fight with him and for him, and support him in any way I can. I don't have any other choice. There is no life for me without your brother."

Sara stood with only the slightest waver to her step, "So where do we stand now?"

Ellie's response was simple, "With me asking for your forgiveness. God Chuck really wasn't lying to me all those times he told me your relationship was complicated."

Sara raised her glass, "How about we call it even for all the times I had to lie to you?"

Ellie toasted to the truce, "Lets not do this again okay?"

Sara nodded and dialed David, "We are finished, you two can come back over."

David hung up and stood, "Looks like they worked it out, that or she needs us to move the body."

Chuck laughed, "Well I guess I'll see you later, don't wanna leave him alone his first night here."

David shrugged, "Well your welcome to bring him over."

Chuck asked, "Well I didn't wanna make assumptions on your house but thanks I think I will."

Chuck jogged across the street, the doberman keeping pace easily. When he got to the house he opened the door and said, "Guess who's here dear?"

Sara's eyebrows raised, "Is he really??? Why didn't you bring him directly over? Isn't he beautiful?"

Ellie was completely confused, "Who's here?"

Sara looked at Ellie with this look of pure joy, "Bryce is here."

Ellie's brain misfired and she fainted dead away.

My longest chapter to date. Lemme know what you guys think.