A/N: Again I apologize on the cliffhanger the last chapter was left at. This is the second part of what was a looonnnggg chapter 10, but as it seemingly grew exponentially; I figured I would either have to edit, excise, or simply find a place to split it; splitting seemed the best option. If it has been awhile since reading the story; you have not read Chapter 10. Please push the previous chapter button right away as this chapter will probably not make any sense, well any more sense. Thanks for those who have chosen to stick with this story; even more to the ones that review as all feedback is welcomed. I did give an identity to one of the two NSA Agents Jill knocked out, one that perhaps those fans of JAG may enjoy. There will be a conclusive end to the story… eventually… but we are getting there. This is now my longest story in terms of chapters and words; also my most viewed story which is a slight surprise.
Chapter 11
The long black hair sprawled across the bottom few steps had Sarah cry out, "Chuck!" He appeared in her view a moment later kneeling beside the downed figure carefully trying to move her hair from her face when they could both see blood dripping from her body. Chuck turned and vomited at the sight. Sarah once again felt caught in the middle of something as she stopped to inspect Chuck's ex, but found herself drawn to look over to give at least a cursory exam of Chuck as he waved Sarah off while pointing at the crumpled heap. Sarah took a quick study and recognized the look on Chuck's face from her own past. Thankfully, for Chuck's sake, there was a steady pulse and Sarah could see the shot was a through and though in the shoulder. The problem was the angle of Roberts' neck was not quite normal and when Chuck had regained enough composure to try and help; Sarah had to yell at him not to move her.
Sarah hated herself for a moment as she observed Chuck's reaction to her demand, but knowing she was losing him to the worst recesses of his mind and the only directions he seemed to follow were the ones delivered in an authoritarian manner she stayed in that mode until they were able to stabilize Roberts for transport. Sarah chose to stay with the unconscious Fulcrumette while Chuck checked on the two agents that were supposed to guard her. A minute later she saw Chuck support one of the agents onto a chair, accept an icepack and place it on his head while calmly breathing. When Sarah looked back Chuck had gone for the other agent, and could soon hear a belligerent, caustic string of words. Sarah watched as the two appeared with Chuck at the side and slightly behind warily watching the agent whose hands were occupied with two different areas of his anatomy.
Once the agent identified the crumpled body at the edge of the stairs; he rushed over with clear intent etched on his face. Chuck attempted to stop the agent, but a low blow and hip toss found him sprawled on the floor. The agent rushed over to exact some retribution when the cold metal muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead stopped him in his tracks. The cold look from the Valkyrie in front of him told him there were two outcomes; either he leaves in a body bag or substantially more injured than he currently is; as he was well aware of the earned reputation of the woman in front of him. That sobered the agent and the anger momentarily left his body and while Walker showed she recognized that, her stance remained unchanged. She chose to use this opportunity for her eyes to scan behind the agent and when they came back to meet his, he realized his lifespan was measurable in seconds. Somehow this thought relaxed him and offered up a muted, "I'm sorry."
The agent brought his eyes back up to see the action had delayed the execution, but it was apparent that alone was not going to be enough for a stay of it. The disgruntled initial look the agent gave after Sarah stated she wasn't the one owed that 'weakass' apology left him in a quandary at his next step as it had always been enough before. The look changed to disbelief as Agent Walker laid out her plan as to what he could do to initially show his penance; either he could slap himself or she would followed by a growl that echoed through the room. All three men in the room and even the one incapacitated at the top all felt their bladders loosen a little from the noise. The agent in trouble took a look back at their respective partners and with a reluctant nod, slapped himself. Chuck and the other agent offered cursory glances while trying to ignore the sight in front of them as they began to move while Sarah demanded, "Harder," twice. An indignant huff followed by an order he start and finish his report before he sought medical attention, unless there was something more injured then his pride were the only audio cues in the room for a few moments. Hearing the agent walk off, Chuck and the other Agent were both now seated and offering all attention to her. While the other agent regarded Sarah with an acknowledging nod that her punishment given was deserved in his opinion and held no ill feelings. Her look changed to show sadness as Chuck chose not to return her look.
The 'special' paramedics arrived along with a security detail. Once 'Leader' was removed, the EMT's performed a quick exam and offered the obligatory good news and bad. The initial prognosis for Jill to survive was positive due to the actions that were taken. The bad was that she needed to go to a facility that offered far more than their mobile hospital can provide and that Westside was the best option available. Chuck's head lifted with that bit of information and Sarah caught his eyes for a moment, but couldn't quite identify what was going on, although she held a strong suspicion. As she watched them secure Roberts to a gurney Sarah led them to the 'service' elevator. She wasn't surprised to find that Chuck had followed them and she tried to keep him within her view, noting the pained look as the paramedics loaded her in and pressed the button to bring her up. They brought the other agent to the surface as he was also placed in the 'ambulance'; which appeared on the outside as a medium sized moving truck, for precautionary purposes after he admitted to feelings of dizziness and nausea.
They headed back down and Sarah brought them to a table where they both sat in silence for a minute. Chuck was still sitting while his brain was still attempting to process everything that has just happened, but not succeeding. He watched Sarah get up and head to a room that had been adopted as the guest office. He tried to guess what that conversation would include, but that only seemed to add to the maelstrom Chuck's mind currently was in. When he felt Sarah's presence he looked up and was shocked to see how tired she appeared. Sarah registered his look as something wrong with her and as she tried to turn away he lightly grasped her hand and began to rub the back of it with his thumb. When she shyly turned around Chuck's look was one of reverence, Sarah blushed and smiled before asking, "Are you all right?"
Chuck in trying to avoid the silence offered back, "I'm a little surprised you didn't have them inspect me as well. I am a little embarrassed. He tossed me around like a rag doll." He paused and offered a smile to Sarah's obvious concern, "I'm sore, but no real injuries."
Sarah stared at him while he answered and was apparently satisfied as she helped leverage Chuck up and as they headed back up a different set of stairs to keep Chuck from having to step over the relatively small amount of blood at the bottom of the normal entrance with their hands interlocked she whispered to him, "Actually with Ellie on duty, I figured anything that is a hangnail or above will have you fitted for a body cast within the hour."
As Chuck's mind was still racing with all the other stimuli, it took a minute for what Sarah said to fully register; leaving her to mull why she even attempts humor when the outburst of earnest laughter brought a smile to her face. They had climbed inside the Porsche when Chuck's laughter subsided into a sob. At Chuck's insistence they headed to the hospital instead of Casa Bartowski to decompress. Thanks to Sarah's lead foot they made it to the hospital to see Jill unloaded and the other agent hop out denying he needed any further care. While they did not see Ellie, the Registering Nurse recognized the younger Bartowski sibling as she watched him lead a statuesque blonde to one of the private waiting areas and whimsically thought they made an attractive couple.
It took far too long for the shock to leave Ellie Bartowski's face when she found Jill Roberts placed down in front of her. She closed her eyes and allowed her medical training to take over as she was told of the symptoms and events. It was clear X-rays needed to be taken and a blood sample for the anesthesiologist to determine what could be given, as surgery seemed to be a high probability. Without looking at her 'patient' she ordered for those items that needed to be done and called over the other on-call ER doctor to state they needed to switch patients. After already taking care of the man who walked in with the patient strapped to the gurney by sending him up to a room to be observed for the night; the other doctor reluctantly agreed, but gave a look that he would need answers later. The sudden lull and lack of a patient to focus on allowed Ellie's imagination to start. Taking a deep breath she headed to ER1, where Jill was, when the other doctor stopped her and said he agreed with everything she had done. They were just waiting for the word back from the lab; if they were to take her to surgery prep or a room to wait for her to wake and then begin preparations. After hearing of the patient's identity and 'relation to Ellie' the doctor also concurred with her decision to exchange. Although he had only met Chuck a few times he completely understood and observing the nervous energy begin to consume Ellie he told her it was about time for her break.
Ellie tried to smile at her friend as he told her to go on her break, but it fell short. She made her way to the front desk to make sure Chuck hadn't come in with an injury and was ushered elsewhere. Just because the last time he had come in with Ellie on duty; a sprained ankle ended with him leaving with a hip to toe cast. She still scoffed at the claim she had overreacted. A nurse then told her that he and a blonde woman went off to the corner waiting room. Ellie thanked her and allowed for a full breath of relief that the both of them were ok. However a number of questions as to how this all transpired started to act as an itch that needed to be scratched. Knowing she had to get the actual answers before her mind casually filled them in led to the forceful strut she took to bring her to the waiting room. When Ellie arrived at the doorway the sight before her stopped her dead in her tracks.
The two were sitting next to each other with their arms wrapped around the other; Sarah's head was resting on Chuck's shoulder. Both were clearly emotional, and despite that itch, Ellie had a feeling intruding on this moment would be horrifically wrong. However, she couldn't find it in herself to pull away either. Neither noticed Ellie staring at them as the two were in their own world for the moment; Sarah would lift her head at something Chuck would whisper; she would whisper something back while running a hand through his hair which noticeably calmed him. Until there was one thing he said that caused Sarah to go still before she lovingly placed her hands on the sides of his face and forced him to look at her while she responded. She let go of him completely and appeared to inch away from him before he grabbed her and started to cry into her chest.
This brought back a painful memory for the doctor; despite how dramatic and fatalistic the betrayals of Larkin, Roberts, and Stanford were; Chuck never cried. He internalized everything and although Devon insisted he probably waited until both of them were out of the house to let it out, Ellie had her doubts.
One month after their mother had left; Chuck's optimism that she would return was completely eliminated. Ellie heard him lightly knocking on her door, teary eyed begging for his sister to at least try to forgive him for breaking the charm bracelet and not to leave him as well. She could not recall how long she held him, alternating between assuring she would never leave him, and that their mother did not leave because of the charm bracelet. Ellie was a little surprised at how much that memory still affected her. She was about to wipe away the stray tears that appeared when she saw their positions were now reversed. Shame started to creep in, watching something so intimate and despite witnessing something so innately beautiful, it was also apparent there was something intrinsically sad passing between them. Ellie left them knowing that while some questions were currently unanswered, far more important ones were.
Even with the talk the three had later when they went to find her; Ellie could easily spot that they had somehow gotten even closer, but there was still something keeping them from truly being happy. Despite the strength of their connection Ellie couldn't help but worry as she could sense there were still obstacles in their path and her mind wandered as to what they could be.
Larkin had to choose just that moment to reappear; coming back from the grave like some schlock horror film villain; or as if you could ever ascribe anything Biblical to that Prince of Darkness, instead of Lazarus he would be Lazerass. It was a fitting name for the douche bag, although just the thought of him was now making her regret that Danish from the vending machine. The only apparent reason for his 'resurrection' that she could come up with was to continue disrupting the lives of two people he went out of his way to harm for simply his personal amusement. While the two on the couch must still be reeling from whatever Larkin managed to do with what limited time he interacted with them. It just had to be followed up immediately with 'The Wicked Bitch of Stanford', Jill Roberts. The name alone caused a painful surge of energy running up and down her spinal column. 'Just when they clear one hurdle'… she was able to keep that thought in the back of her mind knowing she still had four hours left on her shift.
As Ellie survived the rest of her shift and made it home; after a large glass of wine she spent an hour in the bathroom crying about why it seemed like the two people in the world most deserving of any type of break couldn't get one. When Devon came home and found her; he brought them back to the living room and after hearing the problems could only offer that at least they had each other. A viewing of When Harry Met Sally, a pint of Haagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream, and the big spoon position did not completely curb the worry she held for her brother and Sarah as the soon to be Awesome's lay in bed. Somehow her mind resolved nothing could be done at the moment and she was able to get some restorative sleep.
Chuck had never felt that comfortable in the general ER waiting area. His empathy towards the people; both the injured and those waiting, always overwhelmed him the times he went to wait for Ellie to finish off her shift. One of the nurses observed this and showed him the room he and Sarah were in now. He was unsure how they got in the positions they found themselves in, but even if, at first glance, it logistically appeared uncomfortable Chuck found himself relaxing. However, his brain/mouth filter seemed to have disappeared as he just kept on whispering all sorts of disparate questions and relaxed further as Sarah somehow answered them. It didn't seem to matter what she said, he would swear one of her answers was 'Pineapple', but her voice was the redemptive salve for his troubled soul. He had no idea why the question of 'why would she do everything she did to save Jill' sent a collective chill through the two of them. The subsequent cupping of his face while staring at Sarah's saddened azure eyes captivated him until her lips moved and his focus was moved entirely on them.
"Chuck, while I know and somewhat understand when you have griped about what the spy life has taken from you. I think that if you look at it from a distance, it has also given you a number of things that are positive." She swallowed and offered a small smile before continuing, "However there is one thing that I swore to myself on that first morning at the beach. If I allowed all of this to overburden you and take away your humanity I would never forgive myself. I know I haven't done a good enough job at that, but self-preservation is the strongest instinct for a successful spy."
They stared into each other's eyes and the turmoil was evident in both and they could see the visible cracks in the walls surrounding the other's heart caught in whether to repair or demolish. Sarah moved her hands away as she was trying to figure out what exactly was happening as she felt she was losing the control she craved, but soon Chuck buried his head into her chest and she could feel him crying before hearing the sobs and the moisture hitting her shirt. After a while in doing her best to comfort him, she felt this burst of emotion that she was completely unfamiliar with, Sarah bluntly uttered out, "I thought I lost you when I heard the shot."
Chuck was feeling the weight of holding back everything lighten as he was crying. The fear of embarrassment ceased, but he was unsure as to the limit of what Sarah could absorb bounced around in his head as he heard her tearful admission. He quickly ran through the scenario with a less emotional eye and moved so he could confirm that he heard exactly what she said. It did not take long to see she had said it and was lost with how to deal with what she admitted. Chuck did his best to reassure Sarah that she did not lose him and more importantly should not feel shame in admitting her fears to him. As he whispered this to Sarah, a familiar scent hit Chuck's nose which was followed by the soft sound of their room's door closing. Chuck put that to the back of his mind as there were more important matters at hand and after a few minutes he apologized for once again not just staying in the car.
Sarah looked up to him and it surprised him at that moment she was more beautiful than he could ever recall and with his malfunctioning filter quickly vocalized his observation. She looked at him suddenly convinced he had a concussion, but his eyes denoted simply the sincerity of his thought and not the onset of a concussion. She wondered once again how it was possible for him to be perfect. Not a perfection that aligned with everyone's version, but no other person had made her feel human, let alone want her to be human and accept her immeasurable flaws as though they weren't. Throughout her life nobody else could accomplish even one of those tasks and Chuck did all three regularly. Chuck was flabbergasted as she gave him the awestruck look that he reserved for her.
The words she shared allowed his awestruck look to shine forth, "Chuck that is another thing I was able to deduce from our first night together, as you stupidly ran to where the bomb was. No matter what you try to do to convince yourself that you are not; you are a hero… You're my hero." Sarah barely whispered the last sentence, but from the tightening around her torso and the feel of his head begin to shake she lifted his head off her shoulder and when they connected he could see her eyes once again burn brightly as she continued, "I told you once before that even though nobody else may ever know, I did know. I just hope that you have gotten rid of any lingering Bryce 'Fucking' Larkin negative comparisons and if you think there is any category you fall short of him in other than being a bastard. I will take strong offense to it… no matter who the idiot is that says it, including you." She emphasized that with a sudden light push to his shoulder, but somewhat amused from his response being merely that quirky grin she just sighed, "What am I going to do with you?" She then placed her head back on his shoulder and wondered how it could possibly fit there so comfortably; as she once again wrapped her arms around his torso.
The agent left at Castle had written his report, and as the effect of the Enforcer's glare began to diminish his bruised ego started to grow back. Thinking back to all the humiliations he had to suffer back in his days where he was once the self-appointed 'Golden Boy of the CIA' to where his station was now, subjugated to be the whipping boy of Graham's pet project. As he submitted his report his enlarged ego took control, with the help of four fingers of scotch he liberated from the Major's locker, and demanded to discuss a matter with the General. Knowing this was a priority assignment and possibly his last shot at working his way back up, he convinced himself she would want to know when some CIA skirt chose to act as the authority, over her in an NSA op.
He was a little surprised at the ease of connection and it continued as there were three people visible on screen. Recognizing the other two, the agent stammered through the obviously sound reasons he felt that the call was necessary in conjunction with the report. When his rambling came to an end the disappointed faces evident on all three started the realization he may have finally committed occupational suicide with this call.
The degrading grunt from Casey left little doubt as to his thoughts as he grunted he was on his way to reviewing the footage and hoped the report matched what he would view. Agent Montgomery seemed to entirely dismiss him as he exited the screen; the only acknowledgement Montgomery was still there was an offer if the General 'wanted one' which the agent presumed was liquor. With the other two off screen that initial realization was confirmed by the look of disdain from the General. He could swear it was like watching an old cartoon as the steam built up, her face turning red and puffing up, before finally exploding.
"You had one fucking job and since you obviously don't have the mental capacity to remember it; I will remind you. Your job was to simply watch out for Agent Carmichael and make sure no harm comes to him. You didn't need to interact with him. All you had to be for all practical purposes was a g-d damned chaperone. So what do you decide to do? Sucker punch him while he was trying to prevent you from killing our best, direct source of Fulcrum intel in a number of years. I can see your mouth twitch, but understand unless what comes out is more eloquent than the Emancipation Proclamation it will only bury you further. I am shocked Walker didn't dispose of your sorry ass right then. I'm fairly certain I would not have spared you. Pack whatever you have immediately, besides the Rum, Scotch, and Vodka; as I will not aggravate her anymore by your presence when she returns. You have one last chance of exhibiting any level of skill as I expect you to report to me at 0730 tomorrow morning. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt because of your name and assume you understand the implications if you aren't here. Get out of my sight!" The connection was ended.
The agent took a moment to reflect on his choices and knowing he had a Fed Ex pilot who owed him decided he would show up in DC well before the deadline. While he made the call, he did soberly realize Walker was definitely right about at least one thing and grabbed a loose piece of paper. Clayton Webb may be a number of things, but he certainly knew when he actually was to blame for something as he quickly wrote out, 'Hey Kid, sorry I caught you off guard earlier today. I am known for my quick reflexes, so hopefully in the future you will take this as a lesson in not underestimating your opponent. If you find yourself in DC, look me up and I'll let you buy me a scotch.' He looked it over, nodded his approval and left it on the table as he made his way out of Castle.
In DC Roan just finished mixing an exceptionally dry martini, placing one on the General's desk even though she had told him no. Beckman offered a soft chuckle to Roan's amused look; she explained, "Do you think I should have told him I'm strongly considering Walker's initial choice of punishment even before encountering him; of castration?"
Roan swallowed quickly recognizing one of his few sins, the wasting of alcohol, was severely tested as the sight gag of spitting out liquid was on the verge of occurring, "My dear General," Roan choked out to the General's amusement, "I can think of two, well perhaps in this case three, things that a male agent holds dear. Presenting that potential result to him, especially him; would virtually guarantee his disappearing. While nothing about him or his career has been remarkable. It is a sad way for the legacy of his lineage to end. I do recall him from one of my first classes and it was apparent even then; the shine of his name fueled grandiose plans from those blinded by it and privileges his abilities couldn't come close to deliver upon. While your speech was harsh, I did appreciate the fact that you stuck up for Charles." He finished with his come hither smile before taking another sip of his drink.
The General nodded and allowed herself to take a sip of the expertly portioned drink while she began to look over the report. Placing the glass down and pinching her nose brought Roan's attention away from pouring his second and left the mini bar to see Diane offering him the piece of paper. After reading it he was unsure of the problem and so she iterated it, "Do you think they are on their way here, or at the hospital?"
Roan initially shrugged his shoulders, "I think it depends on what Casey discovers reviewing the tape." He saw his General attempt yet pause to reach for the phone a half dozen times, before she instead chose to slam back the rest of the drink. Roan knew the atmosphere in the room was going to be dark until Casey returned or she actually made the call to Walker making his only viable option to remain absolutely quiet unless she called upon him.
Sarah was lightly dozing when she heard her phone ring; a quick look up to Chuck signified he had also fallen asleep. She gave an apologetic look for waking him, which he brushed off with a sleepy smile. He couldn't control the guffaw after Sarah pulled out her phone and mouthed 'Beckman'. She gave a punch in the shoulder and gave a quick glare until she realized there was nobody else around that required the silence and said, "Sorry," out loud. The third ring had Sarah tap answer, and right after she gave the General a salutation she asked Chuck if he wanted to check on the status of the two patients. As his look paled she patted him on the leg before getting up and walking to the other end of the room, having an idea that the General would be displeased with them not being airborne.
Sarah's instinct was correct as she offered her report. Although the General was generally happy with the outcome of thwarting the plot at the hotel, the apprehension of 'Leader', and even the optimistic initial outlook presented for Roberts gave the General time to concoct ways that her subsequent and necessary care could be used as leverage for further information. However the fact they were not on the plane headed to DC simply eluded her. Sarah attempted the parts of the story again emphasizing the reasons and Chuck could hear and see the frustration start to creep in as the General still just could not understand. It took Casey entering the room, hearing Walker's strained voice and the General's retort of 'Chuck needing some big boy pants' for the Major to speak out.
"Walker, relax for now and take care of Chuck. I expect you guys to fly in tomorrow unless there is a turn for the worse." He could imagine the flash of a smile gracing Sarah's face as they disconnected and allowed a small smile to escape before allowing his stoic façade to return. He took a deep breath while Roan held his, but slightly turned his chair for a better angle to witness this; as Casey turned to face the furious General.
Casey held up his hands, "I think I've gotten to know the both of them pretty well and even though you may be both women I still recognize a pissing contest and insulting the nerd is not a winning strategy. She took care of Leader upstairs while Roberts and Bartowski faced off in Castle. Roberts had Agent Dumbass's pistol while Chuck just had a tranq. Roberts obviously is not proficient at recognizing side arms as she didn't recognize it as such. Bartowski kept it on her throughout and fired at the exact right time. Roberts moved her gun from Chuck to the door, but eventually had her gun held to the entrance after establishing to herself Chuck wouldn't shoot. Once the tranq hit, she pulled the trigger; from what I could tell it ricocheted back off the stairs hitting her in the shoulder. She lost her balance and her head and/or neck struck the edge of the stairs …hard. I could not get a clear shot of her on the stairs, but Chuck thought she was dead and that he killed her. Actually, I know he'll feel guilty even if that bitch recovers fully because that is who he is. He is not a killer, but he is a protector. You can try and beat that innate compassion out of him, but he did not sign up for this. Despite doing pretty much everything we've asked with getting absolutely nothing in return, well except an aborted assassination attempt. He is still out there helping us when he has absolutely no reason to." He was going to continue his diatribe when he felt Roan's hand upon his shoulder.
"Major, I think you've made your point, and for the record I concur with your observations." Beckman offered a surprised glance of betrayal to Montgomery, "General, from what I've gathered a good portion of the team's success is because Charles is not a spy. It isn't as though I don't think he would make a good spy, he probably could be excellent. I am not sure the benefit outweighs the cost. Also no matter how formidable I know you are in any contest, well… I don't think this is the proper time for my opinion." He offered his strongest look to back up his words as Casey's exclamation of an assassination attempt was fueling a rage he hadn't felt in quite some time.
The disappointment was evident on his face and Beckman was surprised once again that she was affected by it, but managed to hold her composure as she looked at Casey and stated since the two weren't going to be here until tomorrow he could report back here at 1200. When he stated he would prefer to be here by 0730 for Agent Dumbass they both exchanged a smile and nod. Saluting both the Major wished them a good night before exiting the room. The frown reappeared on her face as she turned to Roan. He shrugged his shoulders, but didn't soften his countenance.
Roan chose to break the silence by asking if they were going out for dinner or if he should be ordering in. At her question of where; he stated Ambar was one that was highly recommended and thought the Eastern European menu should contain some old favorites. She asked for a half hour to get through the paperwork she currently had and knew was forthcoming from the day's events. Roan lifted her hand and kissed it before exiting the office allowing her to return to her work uninterrupted.
Sarah felt a sense of relief from Casey backing her up and she had a strong belief that he was sincere and not playing her to more easily earn back her trust. Also, that he may have been more insightful than she ever thought as he somehow seemed to understand why Chuck couldn't be on that plane and why she would not force him to do anything he wasn't ready for. The smile she gave to Chuck as she approached surprised him considering the tone she was just using and as he scrunched his face trying to guess what happened she ended right back next to him sitting down and leaning against him.
"Ok, know that I would never call you mercurial," Sarah raised an eyebrow at that and Chuck struggled to continue, "Um… well…" Sarah placed her hand on Chuck's and shook her head with a smirk on her face, "What happened right at the end? For a second I was thinking of what I was going to tell Ellie because right now I have to think she…"
The look on Sarah went to one of great concern; she placed her fingers on Chuck's lips before she started to speak, "I should have realized that was going through your head, but no. As you probably guessed the General and I have strongly different opinions as to where the place you needed to be was. I know if we were on the plane you couldn't concentrate. When we got there and you were still concerned about Jill's welfare; and subsequently, unfairly blaming yourself while assuming absolutely every horrible possibility for that woman. We would have difficulty to be able to accomplish whatever this situation is that has a stick up the General's panties." Chuck started to shake his head when Sarah said 'unfairly blaming' and although extremely funny the mention of the General's undergarment started to cause his brain to go into meltdown. Sarah saw Chuck begin to drift and unaware to the cause she grabbed his chin, "No. Did you force Jill to injure the two agents, take one of their guns and point it to where I would be?" Chuck tried to roll his eyes, "No. I want to hear your answer right now how that is your fault and don't placate me."
Chuck opened his mouth and nothing came out. He tried once more and after failing to say anything attempted his puppy dog eyes to worm his way out of the situation. Sarah sighed and stood up, Chuck followed suit with a skeptical look on his face until she said, "Since you are not going to talk about this. We should probably find your sister and see what's going on. I'm sure she is worried sick about where you are when blah blah was wheeled in here."
Chuck forced a smile at Sarah's refusal to say Jill's name, even though she had just said it, albeit in a far more serious context. "You're right. Although I think she may have found us and decided to not disturb us."
"Oh," was all Sarah could muster. While she could look at many of the top assassins, the most vile power brokers, or even waltz into the cantina in Mos Eisley with a droid and laugh at the lot of them; Ellie Bartowski brought out a reaction the superspy was unaccustomed to.
Chuck realized this and whispered to her, "You shouldn't be embarrassed whether Ellie found us or not. In fact if she did she'll probably give you a hug. I just want to prepare you."
That comment confused Sarah up to the point where they were able to find Ellie and she promptly latched onto Sarah tightly, before speaking a word, promising a girl's night for the two of them. Sarah chose not to ask what that entailed as Chuck's older sister looked at her with pride and Sarah shyly ducked her head unsure why she deserved that look. Chuck couldn't help but smile at Sarah's reaction; however the reason why they were at the hospital and knowing that all these emotions had Sarah both frayed and exhausted; forced him to end the moment between the two and ask about Jill.
Ellie's instant reaction of putting a hand to her forehead put both on high alert that something went wrong or that their EMT's missed something vital. "Sorry, no, she is in surgery right now. From all signs the spinal cord appears intact, but there are cracks in the C2 and C3 vertebrae. Unless they discover something the prognosis is a complete recovery, but she will likely have to wear a halo for at least a few months… I have to ask what happened and why is one of the people who was watching Larkin's room now pacing around the OR waiting area?"
Sarah quickly answered that with a harried look accompanying her quickly stating, "Everything happened so quickly. It is difficult to know where to start. Well first there was the shot… ohh, the officer said we weren't supposed to even talk about it between ourselves… something about colluding our stories… Ellie, it wasn't a fun time."
Ellie simply nodded her head and just barely held back the urge to hug Sarah once more as she turned to look at Chuck who was just staring at Sarah with a goofy look on his face brought a smile back to the weary doctor's face, "All right little brother; while I'm sure Sarah did the best she could to make sure you're ok. I probably have enough time to offer a professional opinion." Ellie grabbed her brother's arm to Sarah's amusement and shushed him just as he could voice his protest, "Does anything hurt?"
Chuck unable to lie when Ellie used that particular motherly tone reluctantly and softly offered up, "I fell on my butt during the altercation, it is a little sore, but you are not looking at it."
"Chuck, you could have damaged your coccyx." Watching Chuck's embarrassment and flustered attempts to say anything amused the two watching him; to a point until Sarah hugged him. Ellie joined in the festivities without saying a word until Chuck began to feel embarrassed again. Ellie pulled away, "I was only talking about your tailbone and I will choose to take you at your word about that, but I will be keeping an eye out if you are still struggling with it. You need to sleep on your side tonight and take some acetaminophen when you get home. However, I still will take a look at the rest of you." Chuck acquiesced knowing the interim between their arrival to now had her worried about his well being. He was surprised they hadn't moved yet and found Ellie trying to catch Sarah's attention until finally she announced, "You're included in my rendering of a professional opinion, Sarah. There's at least one cut I see and I'm not going to let you get away with any excuses."
Sarah attempted a look to quell Ellie's determination; that seemed to only make the doctor more steadfast. She looked to Chuck for any help, but was rebuffed by his smirk. Sarah's shoulders dropped and simply fell in line as they made their way to the vacant ER station.
After the two were examined and allowed to escape with just the one cut as the only item garnering Ellie's attention. Chuck surprised Sarah when he said to his sister they were heading out east as Sarah's father needed her and she wanted to show him a few of the sites. Ellie surprised her as well by accepting this with a smile, it turned sad for a moment, but in spite of her little brother potentially being as far away as they probably ever have been in their entire lives. Sarah could glisten there were mixed emotions running through the scrub garbed woman, but she waved them both out after they agreed they would call as soon as they arrived and would take some pictures. Just as the two were about to pull the curtain open, Ellie informed them of the room number the man who came in with Jill was in. Sarah quickly thanked her and reiterated Ellie's demands of their trip before they headed to the elevator.
They recognized the plainclothes agent surreptitiously guarding his fellow agent and nodded his approval before they entered the room. The agent was in the bed with a laptop furiously typing away; his concentration was so focused Sarah gave a cough to signify he had visitors. The agent held up a finger and about fifteen seconds later he looked up, "Oh, Agents Walker and Carmichael; I just finished up the report and sent it along. Since the doctors all share the opinion I at least have a pre-concussive situation I figure I may as well get the paperwork out of the way. Don't worry; Webb deserved everything you threw at him." He stopped and gave a slow shake of his head, "We've been partners off and on for two years now and he's just gotten worse. I hope he chooses to hang 'em up after this; otherwise I have to officially put in for a new partner."
Hearing the name caused Sarah to blink in confusion, "Clayton Webb? He was a possibility for Director when it went to Graham. Was the blood that bad between them that he pushed him to the NSA?"
The agent launched into a long story that more than answered 'yes' to the two questions. He talked about his unexpected fall when a full review of his cases showed his success was largely due to two JAG lawyers. With his success rate drooping and blood alcohol rising, even his high powered connections abandoned him. This left him a choice to walk away, be stationed at a remote outpost in Australia, or take the only offer on the table, the NSA. Initially they worked quite well, but an op that went bad due to poor intel caused a shift and they were soon stationed in San Diego. He later discovered Webb had put in the transfer for the both of them to put him closer to those JAG lawyers, well one in particular who was gorgeous with dark hair and eyes. Chuck and Sarah were putting the pieces together as he told of the horrific Christmas reunion Webb plotted. The agent then spoke of similarities between the lawyers and the two spies in front of him. He ended with wishing that Roberts' first name was Sarah, than he knew he had to chain Webb to something to keep him away from her.
The two stood there speechless after that soliloquy, Chuck because he had checked out of the talk when the 'presents' were revealed and while Sarah could easily relate in terms of dealing with a bad partner; just the thought of briefly reliving the nightmare of her pairing with Larkin caused a slight opening in the box she deposited all of those memories. The agent repeated his apologies and his insistence his report did not contain the 'sad story of Clayton Webb'. After wishing the agent good luck on getting that new partner, they could see him open up his laptop to start on that request. After a look at the other they wordlessly agreed they needed to check on the Fulcrum operative before leaving.
Perhaps the one good thing about the long story was that it gave enough time for not only the surgery to be completed, but Jill had already left recovery and was in her room. The guard outside stepped aside to let them in, but Sarah shook her head and asked where her Doctor was. They found him at the nurse's station explaining how delicate his hands were when Sarah's sardonic laugh disrupted any headway the surgeon was making. The downside was it made him irritable and any answers needing more than one word a struggle. When Chuck took over as the proverbial good cop in this now interrogation, the surgeon's attitude changed and relayed she should have full usage of all her extremities, they did fuse the two damaged discs together, but once healed she should have no problems maintaining a full life, unless she was a stuntwoman or somebody whose occupation and/or hobbies caused stress on their back or neck.
Making it back down to the lobby of the ER, Sarah looked at her watch and showed it to Chuck rather than telling him. They headed to the car and headed back to the Bartowski apartment. After a brief discussion where Sarah was hoping for a nap that the two of them could both use, Chuck instead wanted to pack his things and just get out of LA for awhile. Sarah could easily understand that sentiment and helped decide his attire for the trip and said that while there she would set up an appointment for him with the CIA tailor who actually does the James Bond movie suits. The grin she knew she would get from that piece of information was its own reward; the quick thought of Chuck in a perfectly designed suit was an extra gift Sarah had no problem accepting. They both agreed running into Ellie again could be problematic as the 'panicked Sarah' could not have that long of a shelf life as a reliable avenue to keep Ellie from the truth.
The ride to Sarah's apartment gave Chuck another opportunity to look at her as she focused her concentration solely on the road and he could see she was running on fumes. The trip to her room was surprisingly silent which caused Sarah to look over at Chuck at least twice in the elevator wondering what he was thinking about. As soon as they entered the room Chuck headed for the mini-fridge and a quick look inside showed two bottles of water, three opened cartons of yogurt, and part of a sandwich that he would swear was the one he and Sarah split last week. He grabbed the two bottles and offered one to her before saying, "You have to get actual food in here."
Sarah gave a confused look as she couldn't even remember what was in there. A quick look for her and she brought out the wrapped sandwich. Not noticing Chuck shaking his head 'no' she opened the plastic and after a whiff she suddenly remembered where and when it had come from and placed that and the yogurt containers into the garbage can. She looked at Chuck still not quite understanding why he said what he did.
Chuck noticed her confusion, "Sarah, with our schedule being completely irregular… I mean I know Ellie always has something available if we have a day like today. I haven't eaten since breakfast… I cannot imagine when the last time you ate was. I can tell you are ready for some sleep, but how about this: I assume the NSA plane is on standby, right?" Sarah nodded, "There will be food on it?" Sarah shrugged her shoulders, "Ok, we stop off at some mini-mart and pick up some supplies and since we have to fly out there anyways, we can eat and then sleep while we lose three hours of time."
Sarah started to nod, but stopped and shook her head. "Chuck, while I don't think Beckman would be stupid enough to try something… but I don't want to risk being fully asleep. I don't really sleep on planes anyways, but I might be tired enough to right now and I can't risk anything happening to you."
"Ok, we'll get some sleep now, but then we need to eat. You aren't the only person here who gets to worry and cannot comprehend how to make it through a day without you..." Sarah lightly blushed, kissed Chuck on the cheek, wiped away the small lip gloss smear, kicked off her shoes and without pulling back the comforter plopped down on the bed face first. She was asleep by the time Chuck untied his first shoe. Chuckling to himself, he drank the rest of the water in his bottle, poured part of hers into a glass and put the remainder back in the mini-fridge. He then went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth using his finger. He silently crept back to the bed, turning off the remaining light via the night stand, wrapped the comforter around Sarah; knowing her predilection to the cold, and hoped he wasn't sending another mixed signal by placing an arm over the comforter.
They were able to get a few hours sleep, both waking at around a little after 0600. Chuck woke first and when he tried to extricate his arm from on top of the comforter he found it was tightly gripped. That slight jarring was enough to wake Sarah up and after a quick glimpse of her alarm clock was puzzled as to why after that short period of sleep she wasn't grumpy. The heat she felt surrounded by answered that question, but then she saw her left hand out of the toasty comforter 'burrito' the rest of her body was in and latched onto Chuck's right hand. The ensuing giggle confirmed to Chuck she was awake and asking for his hand back quickly found her rolling back onto him.
There was a different fire in Sarah's eyes and Chuck was in the midst of an Animal House moment where he was being offered two highly different plans of action; like Pinto, one shoulder called him a 'pussy' before disappearing. Sarah noted the shift of his body language and offered a confused look which caused Chuck to begin to ramble. The ramble confused them both until Chuck took a deep breath. After turning his head to release it, to Sarah's amusement, he turned back and gave Sarah a short kiss. The smile on her face almost made him forget what he needed to say to her. "I love you."
She went wide eyed and was certain her brain had stopped working; although everything he did clearly sent that message, just hearing it with such resolve and certainty left her brain unable to respond. Chuck saw the recognition of what he said play out in her eyes. Once he was assured she was ready for more he continued, "I feel like such an idiot. I wasted years because of what blah blah did to me," Sarah giggled and felt something else she couldn't identify at his remembering one of the things she called Roberts to specifically avoid using her name.
Chuck's face sobered knowing he was soon going to hurt her and that was the last thing he wanted. "When I compare the two of you it is laughable how much more you mean to me. However, this past year has hurt me with the mixed signals you would give me." Sarah's eyes conveyed the truth of his statement and the sadness she felt because of it, but Chuck cupped her chin and forced her to look into his eyes which were yearning to display understanding and not resentment. "Sarah, I know you did what you had to, both in a professional capacity and more so to protect something you did not think anybody could understand." Her now glassy eyes were matched by a smile. Chuck had to close his eyes, but remembering her admission to him forced him to reopen them.
"Now, somehow the roles seem reversed and I am the one sending the mixed signals and I can understand why you had to do it in the last year. Which is why I am trying to let you know what I think is the most important thing right off the bat. I love not just a part of you, but all of you. Part of me wants to extend this out physically, but I think it is important for us to wait." Chuck saw the storm beginning to brew in Sarah's eyes and realized there was a finite amount of time for him to try and speak his point of view before she cut him off. "Last night I had a dream that we were in your shower this morning." Sarah calmed as she nodded her head with a little smile that gave Chuck the inclination she may have had one that was initially similar. "In the midst, you had a panic attack because something reminded you of Bryce." Sarah's eyes went cold and as Chuck tried to continue, her hand covered his mouth. Knowing a physical response to her action was the absolute last thing he wanted; it would be undoubtedly unsuccessful and if there was any harm to either the shame would fester into something that could easily derail them, possibly forever.
Chuck closed his eyes and hoped this would work as the moment he opened them he also opened his mouth and licked her palm. Sarah quickly pulled her hand away and wiped it on the comforter while looking at Chuck with a puzzled look. He shrugged his shoulder, but quickly chose to begin talking again, "I am not comparing myself to him. I used to think after what he did to me I couldn't dislike anybody as much as him. From hearing what he did to you I hate that he is even breathing." Seeing concern now dominate her expression Chuck continued, "This isn't a part of losing my humanity, but knowing someone you cherish has been brutalized and I'm fairly certain you haven't told me the worst parts… have you?"
Sarah did not want to tell the truth thinking that Chuck would conclude she was just keeping things from him. Her obvious indecision on what to say made him continue, "Sarah, I am never going to ask you to talk about that, unless you need me to. However you probably should talk about it with somebody; I'm not suggesting a CIA shrink. Maybe we can find somebody together and after the procedure…"
Sarah had listened intently and was not judging Chuck until the last words came out, "Are you trying to say there won't be anything physical until I have had my procedure. You won't have sex with me unless I have a vagina… What if something happens or if there is a problem that won't allow the surgery to take place? At least give me the real reason Chuck; I deserve that much."
Chuck was flummoxed and was searching for something to calm her, when he realized that may just simply delay the items she brought up that he didn't know how to answer. "Sarah, I don't know why you want to hear the answer that you seemingly want me to give. If you are asking if I am ready right now to have a sexual relationship with you the answer is no."
Without allowing Chuck to say anything else Sarah rushed to the bathroom and locked the door. She heard the soft knock and call to her which she answered with the sound of the shower. The almost scalding water was a wake-up call; not only did eliminate all sense of tiredness from her it also forced her brain to emotionlessly parse through what Chuck had actually said and not read underlying meanings in it. Since they met whatever manipulations he may have attempted, they were done as a means to get to know more about her or to find what the feelings were that she actually had for him. 'Mixed messages' could be a massive understatement. She went back to one of the first things he said this morning about loving all and not just a part of her. She began to berate herself for not giving him the opportunity to explain and although last night she didn't dream of them being in the shower together, in fact for the first time in a while she did not recall having any dreams. She began to think what if something like that happened because in her dreams it was always perfection and how often did that happen in real life. He also had said 'we' in seeing somebody and not just her; he wasn't placing the blame solely on her. Despite how much that last statement hurt her, how did it compare to hearing there was nothing between them while under truth serum. She went through the remainder of her morning ritual trying not to think of what was waiting on the other side of the door.
When Sarah finished it took her the third time before she completely opened the door, unsure if they were nerves, or afraid if Chuck was now angry. The last thing she expected when opening the door was not finding him on the bed… panic immediately set in, thinking she had finally broken him enough to push him completely away. A despondent, "Chuck," left her mouth as she slowly made her way to the bed.
A few steps in she heard a muted, "Sarah," come from behind the door. Apparently Chuck didn't move from the area after knocking on the door. After helping him up, his comment about perhaps being closer to Bryce on the bastard scale than she previously thought was met with a stiff punch to his arm and dragging him back to the bed.
"I can't risk losing you," broke the interminable silence.
At first Sarah didn't respond, because she was sure she had said that; until she saw Chuck begin to pale waiting for an answer, "I'm sorry I was thinking that same thing and I thought I must have said it."
The relief washed over Chuck's face momentarily, "The last thing I want to do is hurt or disappoint you, because even though for some reason you don't think you have. You have done so much for me Sarah Walker. I'd really like to know your opinion on the matter; if I'm wrong say so and why. It may change my mind or may not, but all I can do is promise to listen intently on whatever you have to say."
Even though Chuck's look offered an initial comfort to Sarah, it soon turned into a smothering as she was trying to put together all the thoughts racing through her mind. She let go of Chuck's hand and got off the bed. Now standing Sarah turned around and with her eyes closed took a deep breath and had a small smile on her face s she opened her eyes once more. Chuck's mind immediately went to worst case option scenarios, until he saw the smile. If it was one of her 'I'm gonna so kick your ass right now' ones he would have put himself into the 'Morgan' and prayed the move was so unconventional it would give her pause. Instead it was the one where he would make sure she had a chocolate croissant when he assumed she would have had a really bad night.
"I'm not good at talking; and then about my actual emotions… I want to disagree with you, but you may be right. I would hate myself, if I hurt you and although I don't think I would ever do it…" Chuck tried to get off the bed, but Sarah signaled him to stay down. She took another deep breath and sighed, "If you are saying you don't want any physical contact with me, I can't do that." She afforded a glance to Chuck whose head was shaking and eyes silently begging to retort on that comment; Sarah gave another smile to that and shook her head once, "Ok, so you are talking solely about sex?" She saw Chuck give a single nod, "Where is the limit? I like just sleeping with you…"
Chuck could see the emotion begin to seep through and gave her a moment to see if she would continue. When he thought she couldn't he got up and cautiously wrapped his arms around her, "I also like just sleeping with you as well. However, I think 'just' isn't an apt word to describe it. I feel content and happy waking up and seeing you next to me. Do you want to go to the hospital or to DC? Regardless, I think we both need to get something to eat."
Sarah nodded and looked up into Chuck's face, "Sleeping with you makes me feel safe, part of it is in knowing that you are safe, but I also feel safe because you are there."
Sarah's stomach loudly grumbled as she finished and they both couldn't hold back the laugh. She pulled away from him and took out a t-shirt, jeans, socks, and underwear handed them to him and motioned him to the bathroom. He went in and prepared for the day and came out to find her finishing packing a standard travel-sized bag.
Sarah turned and said, "Chuck it is up to you, if you want to check in and see her progress. We will do that and stay as long as you want, but you do have to feed me first."
Chuck studied her for a second and knew she meant every word of that, "Thank you Sarah, let's get some breakfast, head over to my place, get me packed, and we can call to check on her before getting on the plane."
Sarah looked to make sure he wasn't placating her by doing this because of the phone call yesterday. Although there was something that he seemed to be holding back on, but he was sincere in what he said. She nodded her assent to the plan, zipped her bag and made a quick trip to the bathroom coming out with two plastic bags with various items. They left Maison 23 and took off on her porch to a little diner they went to after the morning on the beach.
They took the time at the diner to start to decompress knowing that being in DC would not afford them the time to do so. Chuck could tell Sarah was still tired as her second refill of coffee she took with a minimum of sugar and cream. They found the apartment devoid of other people, which came as a belated relief to both of them. Chuck wrote a note to Ellie while Sarah grabbed the items in his closet that were versatile enough to handle different scenarios. Chuck grabbed his bathroom essentials and hopped back in the Porsche.
He was a little surprised as they stopped at the OO, as they made their way down Sarah explained she needed to pick up a few tools. One of them being a tranq pistol; Chuck tensed and gave a subtle shake of his head as he saw Sarah pack it. Sarah looked over the cover story letter from Buy More and sent it over for Big Mike to find it when he comes waltzing in, in a few hours. She looked over to find Chuck reading a piece of paper and promptly put it down when he noticed Sarah looking at him. He rushed over and started them up the stairs asking if she was going to leave her Porsche at the airport long-term parking. That took her mind off the piece of paper momentarily as she stated there was a place at the airport where she kept her baby where it would be well taken care of.
Chuck was astounded by the underground facility beneath the airport where they pulled in. Sarah had to take a minute to make sure the workers knew she has the mileage memorized and there are no scratches on her 'baby' and the hell they would go to would be a relief after what she would put them through. Chuck could hear a part of it and seeing the three men who could easily be mistaken for WWE wrestlers pale at her brought a knowing smile on his face. It was still there when she exited the small office and gave a push to his shoulder as she walked past him and grabbed the bag from Castle. She looked for hers and turned around to see Chuck carrying hers. They shared a look where she asked for it back and Chuck declined. Sarah shrugged her shoulders and made her way to the stairwell that led out to the private tarmac their plane was at.
Boarding the plane; purposefully Sarah made the call to Beckman wanting to keep it short. The General still left them in the dark as to why they needed to come out to DC, but did say it should just be two to three days. The two settled in with Chuck choosing the couch in the back and embarrassed Sarah a little as he patted the place next to him for her to sit. Sarah was a little relieved in there was only the pilot and co-pilot and not a steward. Granted it took a little time as the co-pilot explained the features of the plane and where the drinks and snacks were kept. After seeing where Chuck chose to sit, Sarah asked for a blanket. Thankfully the co-pilot chose not to even raise an eyebrow at the suggestion this could entail and upon handing it to her he explained the current weather patterns and approximate time of arrival. Sarah nodded and the co-pilot checked the exits and went into the cockpit. Hearing the click and lock of the door and feeling the Gulfstream G280 begin to move Sarah relaxed for a moment and looked over to Chuck who was unsuccessfully trying to hide his tension.
"Is it flying in general, the small aircraft or something else?"
Chuck looked over opened his mouth, but closed it with the only noise a small pop from his lips colliding. Sarah grabbed his hand and he did relax a little. "No, it's nothing about the flight… although now that you mention it…" Sarah shushed him by grabbing his lips and couldn't stop the giggle as he continued on for a few seconds after she had firmly stopped his communication from being intelligible. The huff was the key to Sarah releasing his mouth and Chuck took a second before quietly stating, "I almost killed her."
Sarah sighed, as her emotions were torn. She knew Chuck needed to let this undeserved guilt fully out, but she thought the best way was to share another story that she had only shared with one person, not even Graham knew the full extent; only what was in the report she produced, along with a copy of the autopsy. She nodded and since she could see they were in a waiting pattern to take off; grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around the both of them as she leaned into Chuck.
"Chuck, I'm guessing you have never heard of a Red Test, but it is, in essence, the final exam for the majority of the spies out there. The objective is to kill the target, who presumably has no knowledge that they have basically had a hit placed on them. I hope this doesn't change how you feel…"
"Diane, I beseech you; turn this off." The pleading look showed a sincerity the General had not seen in quite some time. Hearing the click he opened his eyes and despite completely understanding why he would do so felt something kick in her heart as he moved behind her to ensure the video footage was curtailed as well. The two shared an uncomfortable look that was ended by Roan clearing his throat. "I think I'll check on the Major and make sure he doesn't do too much damage to the former 'CIA Golden Boy'. Casey probably would have let it go until Webb called him a 'brutish oaf'."
The General nodded her agreement and Agent Montgomery held a look of sadness for a second before covering it up and walking to the door. He turned around and had a slightly pained look as he opened his mouth, but Beckman beat him to it by asking, "Do you think you can make a reservation at that café on H Street in about ninety minutes?" She offered a smile with that and it seemed to relax Roan a little.
"Of course, my General," he offered a smile back; turned and left.
The General took a deep breath and started on some paperwork for a few minutes, before turning to a briefing about a potential op. She wrote in the immediate problems in needing more reliable intel and offered a different tact. Placing that in her out bin she buzzed her secretary who quickly entered without a word offered a manila folder while taking her filled exit bin. A quick scan of the folder showed nothing urgent so she placed it back on her desk. This left her to stare at her computer monitor and while she did not have an interest per se in the details of Walker's Red Test; she was curious for some reason to see Chuck's reaction to it. After audibly uttering a curse at herself she opened the feed back up. What she found told her volumes, Chuck lying on the couch, Sarah on top of him with his hands wrapped around her on top of the blanket covering the majority of their bodies.
The peaceful looks on their faces is what the General could only concentrate on. For a moment she was back in a time and place she never wanted to revisit. The morning after the Berlin Wall came down. She knew it to be a watershed moment as she stared down at a sleeping Roan who had a similar look that Bartowski now sported. Beckman knew if there was ever a time and person to let down her walls that it was here and now. She was running an internal debate and when the side of sharing something 'real' with Roan won out she found her mouth saying, "Danka" to a cab driver in front of the Tegel Airport. The General buzzed her secretary to hold all calls as she took a moment to do what the young Diane did not allow herself to do, and she began to cry at what she could see what she lost that morning.
A/N: Holy Kleenex, Batman! I pretty much had every character in this chapter crying for one reason or another. Thanks for reading. I realize this chapter was long as well, but I hope it maintained your interest throughout. For those unfamiliar with JAG, I apologize for that off ramp I readily took. Clayton Webb could arguably be considered the Bryce Larkin of that show: he'd sporadically come in with a mission that should by all accounts leave them dead and exits with all characters irritated by him. Yet despite this the next time he is back they follow the same routine, also the two if them never seem to stay dead. I heavily edited the agent's telling of 'The Sad Story of Clayton Webb' as I have no idea if there are any Chuck fans who would also be interested in JAG. For those who are fans of JAG, I kept that portion of the story and if you want I can PM it to you. Just let me know you need to know what happened to Webb? Thanks again for giving me the reason to keep this story going.