Chuck Versus Fulcrum

Chapter Eleven

Hundreds of government personnel congregated outside the abandoned firehouse.

They had sealed off a five-block perimeter to accommodate the CIA, NSA, National Guard, and support teams. There were medical staff on hand for injuries, tech support for communications, and local law enforcement directing traffic outside the perimeter. It was organized chaos, and Major John Casey had rarely felt so at peace.

Casey rested in the driver's seat of the Crown Vic, with the door open and his feet on the ground. The car was evidence, yes, but once they were done dotting the i's and crossing the t's, he was reasonably certain it could somehow manage to fall through the cracks.

Casey leaned over and opened the glove box. He found a box of Cuban cigars inside. "Too bad you were a traitorous prick, Dillon," Casey said under his breath. "I get the feeling we could have been friends." He pulled out a cigar and lit it, looking over at Bartowski.

Casey felt something unusual as he watched the younger man directing the NSA and CIA agents to the entryway for the facility. There was an entire battalion of the National Guard on hand, standing ready to invade the facility and arrest the Fulcrum agents and leaders. And there was Bartowski, telling them all where to go and what to do.

Casey tried to identify the feeling that the sight generated. It wasn't something he was familiar with. Finally, after a few moments, he figured it out.

It was pride. He was proud of Bartowski. The kid had come a long way since Casey had first met him. This plan of his had been genius. Crazy, to be sure, and Casey had been crazy to go along with it; but it was genius. And Bartowski had come up with most of it in the span of a few seconds back at the old bank.

The kid had taken on everything the spy world had thrown at him, and somehow managed to not become a burned out old husk, like…

Casey cast his eyes down and tapped the cigar, dropping a few ashes on the ground. Well, like some people he knew. And who could say? Maybe there was some hope for guys like… that.

Casey stood up and approached Chuck just as he was finishing up with the agents in command. The Guard was moving into position, and it was time to fall back and let them work. Chuck took a few steps away, meeting Casey. They stood face to face for a moment, neither saying anything. Casey took a long draw on his cigar.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know that, Bartowski?"

Chuck grinned. "Right back at you, Major," he responded. They both turned to look at Sarah, who was watching the commotion from a distance.

Casey spoke in spite of himself. "Listen, Bartowski. Maybe… maybe it's not such a bad thing to get involved. Maybe it makes you remember… what's important."

Chuck started to respond, then decided not to push his luck. "Maybe," was all he said.

"Well, I've got a mountain of paperwork," Casey said, fishing in his pocket. He pulled out a set of keys for the Suburban and handed them to Chuck. "Why don't you give Walker a ride home?"

"How are you going to–" Chuck started to ask, then saw the old Crown Vic in the background. "Ah. So, you finally going to let me off the hook for blowing up your other one?"

"Not a chance," Casey said. Chuck laughed. They looked at Sarah again.

"Well, go on, get it over with," Casey said. Chuck smiled and walked towards Sarah.

"Chuck," Casey said. Chuck stopped and turned back. "Nice work today." Chuck looked a little stunned, and whether it was from the compliment or the use of his first name, he gave no indication. He just gave a small wave, and started back towards Sarah.

Casey stood, watching him go, feeling proud. He thought of Ilsa, and wondered where she was in the world. Maybe there was hope after all.

XXX

Sarah watched the agents and the Guard flow into the tunnel entrance. It was going to be a huge undertaking, making all those captures and arrests. She was glad she hadn't been put in charge.

But, she thought, what if the person in charge is with Fulcrum? What if half those agents are? What if it leads to the lawyers and the judges, and the rich men in mansions who pay for the lawyers and the judges…

Sarah shook her head. She couldn't think about it. She had to take it one step at a time. She had to trust who she could, and keep vigilant. She could do it. She knew she could.

A voice came from behind.

"Hi."

She wanted to turn around, lean into him, close her eyes and press herself against him, let him protect her from all the uncertainty and the liars. She wanted him to hold her so tight that she'd forget everything she'd seen in the last two days, and fill in her memory with bright details of everyday events. Movies, vacations, dinners with family and friends.

But now, more than ever, she knew she couldn't do that. Even though they had dealt Fulcrum a major blow, there would be others waiting to take the place of the agents they'd capture. There would always be someone…

"You okay?"

Sarah finally turned around to face Chuck. "I'm fine," she said.

"Yeah, you look ready to take on the world," Chuck said, running a gentle finger across the bruise on her cheek. The comment took on a double meaning, given Sarah's recent thoughts. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Ugh," she said. "I forgot about that. I must look like hell."

"You look beautiful."

Sarah stared at him. "You saved me," she said. "It's supposed to be the other way around."

"Figured you wouldn't mind a change of pace," Chuck said.

Sarah smiled slightly, and looked down. "Chuck," she said.

"No, wait," Chuck interrupted. "I want to tell you something. Something I've been meaning to tell you since you came to me at the BuyMore."

Sarah thought back to that moment. It seemed like months ago.

"I think I know what you were talking about, now," Chuck continued. "And it's something I think about all the time. What if we had met walking down the street? What if I was just a guy and you were just a girl, and we fell… well, fell for each other. I wish it had been like that. I wish it were that easy."

Sarah felt a hitch in her breath. Chuck kept going. "But, it didn't happen that way. We met the way we met, and we are who we are. And it's because we met that way, it's because we are the people we are, that I got to see what an amazing person you are.

"I promised myself that if we got through this, I'd tell you how I felt, no matter what the consequences. No matter how much of a fool I made of myself. Well, here we are. We got through it. And I want you to know that I'm in love with you."

Sarah gasped. She knew, of course. Everyone knew. Hell, even Casey probably knew. But it was something entirely different to hear it.

"I'm in love with you, Sarah Walker," Chuck continued. "I have been for a very long time."

She fought every muscle in her face, commanded them to stay still, to keep from breaking into the biggest smile of her life. She couldn't let it happen.

She took a deep breath. "Chuck… I'm not going to lie to you. I care about you. I care about you so much. I've never felt about anyone the way I do about you."

Chuck smiled. Sarah winced as she continued, knowing what she was about to do.

"But everything that's happened here is because of how I feel about you. I was captured because I was too distracted to concentrate on protocol. I put myself in danger, but more importantly, I put you in danger.

"What would happen if we went ahead and let our feelings run loose? Sooner or later, we'd pay the price. Maybe we'd be walking down the street arguing over whose turn it was to do the dishes instead of paying attention to the world around us, and next thing you know we'd be surrounded.

"Now - especially now, after everything we've seen here, we can't take that kind of a chance. I know how much we both want this. But in the end, it's just too much of a risk."

Chuck stared at Sarah, an indistinguishable expression on his face. Sarah couldn't tell what he was thinking, or how he felt about what she'd just said. Finally, just when she couldn't stand the uncertainty anymore, he spoke. He began quietly and slowly.

"Sarah… I want you to know that the things I've done over the past 24 hours to find out where you were and to bring you back safely are things I never thought I was capable of doing. I think there's a good chance that I'll never tell you exactly what I've done, because I don't know if you could look at me the same way again.

"But I did them. I did them because the thought of losing you was so much worse than what I had to go through to find you. And if the situation arose again, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to take actions that were even worse. A hundred times worse."

Chuck took a step closer, and his voice grew stronger. Sarah felt her pulse race at his approach. "So, stand there and tell me, all you want; that it's a risk. Stand there and tell me that it's against protocol. Most importantly, stand there and tell me that it'll never happen, that it's impossible. Say it until you're blue in the face. It doesn't matter. I won't accept it. I refuse.

"Because I'm in love with you, Sarah Walker. And as much as you want to deny it, I know that you're in love with me."

Sarah's mouth dropped open.

"And finally," Chuck said, "if you want to talk about 'sooner or later,' knock this around in your head for a while."

Chuck stood right in front of Sarah, almost pressed up against her, and brought his lips right up against her ear. As he spoke, reducing his voice to a husky whisper, Sarah felt Chuck's lips brushing against her ear and went lightheaded.

"Sooner or later, you're not going to be able to deny it anymore. Sooner or later, there's going to come a day when you realize that all the rules, all the risks in the world, aren't enough to keep us apart. And on that day, I'll be waiting." Chuck brought his mouth away from her ear, and looked her right in the eye. Sarah's heart pounded. She had never, ever wanted anyone to kiss her as much as she wanted Chuck Bartowski to kiss her at that moment.

Chuck seemed to sense it. He smiled, the faintest hint of a smile, and stepped back.

"See you around, Agent Walker."

Chuck turned and walked away. Sarah stood, watching him go, electricity running through every inch of her body. Casey approached her.

"You all right?"

Sarah nodded vacantly, still watching Chuck as he slid into the Suburban and drove off. Casey looked around.

"Well, we should probably make sure you're not too badly hurt. Come on over to the ambulance, we'll have one of the medics check you out."

Sarah shook her head. "I can't do that."

Casey looked at her. "Why not?"

"Because if I move, I'll have an orgasm."

Casey's eyes widened, then narrowed into amused slits. He chuckled to himself and walked towards the waiting Crown Vic, puffing on his cigar.

"Best. Mission. Ever."

From the Epilogue:

"I want a name. As a show of good faith. Highest ranking government official actually working for Fulcrum. Tell me that, right off the bat, and you can eat."

Tommy looked down at the ground. He was planning on keeping the name in reserve; a bargaining chip for later in the game. It was his greatest asset, and he was going to have to use it for a tray of crappy food.

"I… I don't think I'm going to tell you that now," Tommy said, trying not to look at the food. His stomach growled, as if it were voting on the situation. "I think you need to give me more in return for that information."

Bryce nodded. "If that's the way you want it," he said casually, picking up the tray and opening the door to the basement.

"Wait!" Tommy cried. "I'll tell you."

Bryce turned around in the doorway and faced Tommy, waiting.

"I'll tell you," Tommy repeated. "But you're never going to believe it."