1:30 A.M.
February 18th, 2519
Eavesdown Docks
planet Persephone
It was 1:30 in the morning. Malcolm Reynolds, Chuck Bartowski, and Bryce Larkin were hammered. Well and truly hammered.
"Thish ish ridiculoush," Chuck slurred. "I fall in love, and Bryshe freakin' Larkin showsh up to take her away again."
"I'm sooorrrry, Chuck," Bryce replied. "But thissss one's not my faullllt."
"He'sh right, Shuck," Mal Reynolds chimed in. "Shoundsh like dish ish doesh Fulcrum fuckersh."
"Well, it shtill leavesh me with a fucked up choish," Chuck grumbled. "I either leave Kaylee and break her heart, or I abandon my friendsh and family."
At that moment, Jayne Cobb and John Casey entered the room, arms around each other, holding large bottles of… something… and singing the ballad of Jayne Cobb.
"Looksh like they really took to eash other," Mal said.
"Yeah, onshe Cashey convinshed Jayne that the N Esh A washn't entirely evil," Chuck replied, his head drooping till his forehead touched the bar.
At that moment, there was a squeal of tires outside the bar. Seconds later, Zoe Washburne and Sarah Walker entered.
"What the hell?" Sarah said upon seeing Chuck, Mal, and Bryce. "Are you all drunk?"
"They're not the only ones," Zoe remarked, pointing toward Jayne and Casey, now on the stage. She winced as a bass line kicked in – Casey had found "Baby Got Back" in the DJ's collection and convinced him to put it on for karaoke.
Sarah grimaced as Casey and Jayne started singing about big butts and the like, but turned around when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
Bryce was standing behind her. "Were you driving my Transh Am again, woman?" he asked, giving her the gimlet eye.
"Yes, I was. You need to go back to Serenity and go to bed," Sarah said, a tone of annoyance in her voice. "I need to see Chuck and Mal."
"Preshent," Chuck said with a drunken smile.
"And accounted for – hic," added Mal with a hiccup.
"Unbelievable," Sarah muttered under her breath. She turned to Zoe. "You want to deal with this? I'm not sure I can handle these two in this situation."
"Not a problem," Zoe replied. She turned to the bartender and asked for two pitchers of ice water. Pitchers in hand, she walked up to Chuck and Mal and doused them both.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
"SON OF A BITCH!"
Chuck and Mal both leapt to their feet, the freezing water chasing some of the alcoholic cobwebs from their heads.
"Okay, you two drunken jackasses need to listen, and listen good," Zoe snapped. "Kaylee's missing."
That got Chuck's attention. "What?!"
Mal just had a shocked expression on his face.
"Yeah," Zoe said. "She took the… the… what's it called, Sarah?"
"The Herder."
"She took the Herder at 8:00, said she was going to find you guys. We haven't seen or heard from her since."
"Shit, shit, shit," Chuck said frantically, running for the door.
"Get in the back seat, Chuck!" Sarah shouted. "We need a sober driver AND navigator!"
Chuck and Mal squeezed into the backseat of the Trans Am, Sarah and Zoe jumping in the front. "Where do you think she might have gone?" Sarah asked, turning to Zoe.
"I'm not really sure," Zoe said. "I… I don't…"
"Earth-That-Was Antiques," Chuck gasped, a flash of inspiration running through his head.
"Where is it?" Sarah asked.
Chuck gave her directions, and a few minutes later, the Trans Am was parking in front of the store, behind the Herder. The lights in the store were off, and the front door appeared to be locked.
Kneeling in front of the door, Sarah quickly picked the lock. She opened the door, gun drawn, and was about to go in –
"Sarah, let me do it, please," Chuck said gently.
She stepped back reluctantly, and Chuck stepped into the store. He could faintly hear music in the back of the store – the Beatles again. Following the music to its source, he entered an area set up to look like a living room in a back corner.
An ancient iHome was playing "Hey Jude" from an equally ancient iPod. Kaylee was curled up, asleep, on a La-Z-Boy.
Chuck gently sat down on the La-Z-Boy and touched Kaylee on the shoulder. "Kaylee," he said softly.
She stirred, opened her eyes a little, and smiled when she saw Chuck. "Hi," she said.
"Why'd you run away, Kaylee?" Chuck said.
"I… I don't really know," she replied. She started to say something else, but her face crumpled and tears began to run down her face.
Chuck gently pulled her up to a sitting position, and wrapped his arms around her, just letting her cry.
After a few minutes, she finally came to a stop. "I'm sorry," she sniffled. "It's just… I know… I know you have to leave, Chuck, and every time I think about it, I feel like I die a little."
Chuck felt like an icy hand gripped his stomach and started twisting. He was at a point where he couldn't stand the pain he was causing Kaylee. But what was he supposed to do?
"Come on," he whispered. "It's time for us to go."
Zoe drove Chuck and Kaylee back to Serenity in the Herder, while Sarah and Mal drove back in the Trans Am, stopping to pick up Bryce along the way. When they reached the ship, Chuck helped Kaylee to her quarters, and was about to go, when she whispered, "No, Chuck, please stay."
And so he did. He held her as she softly cried herself to sleep. Though Chuck would never admit to it, a rather significant amount of tears found their way out of his eyes as he fell asleep as well.
12:00 P.M.
February 19th, 2519
transport Serenity
Eavesdown Docks
Chuck woke up with the worst hangover he'd had since New Year's Day. It took him a moment to realize that he was in Kaylee's quarters. He also realized – no Kaylee. Then he saw the note she'd left him.
Chuck – I took the Herder out to Shepherd Book's old monastery to go pick some strawberries. It always calms my mind and my spirit. Hope that's okay with you. Love you.
Chuck closed his eyes and bowed his head, trying to will away the guilt that was building within him. It ate at him, like a cancer of his soul.
With a heavy sigh, he lifted himself from Kaylee's bunk and climbed the ladder to the hall. Taking a left, he headed to the crew mess, always a certain source of coffee.
When he entered the mess, he saw perhaps the last person he wanted to see – Sarah. Not that he didn't want to see her, but he was dreading the decision that he was going to have to make in part because of her.
Sarah turned when she saw him come in. "Morning, sunshine," she said with a small smile.
"Mrnng.," Chuck grunted.
"Hangovers can be a bitch," Sarah remarked, not unsympathetically.
"'Specially when you get a bucket of ice water dumped on your head," Chuck grumped. Filling a mug with straight black coffee, he flopped down in a chair at the table.
Sarah looked up at him, stopped working on her report for a moment, and closed her laptop.
"Chuck…" she started. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was about to say.
"Chuck, if you don't want to go back…" She paused and closed her eyes. "If you don't want to go back, you don't have to. I won't judge you, and I'll make sure nobody tries to come make you come back."
Chuck slowly looked up from his coffee and met Sarah's eyes. He had a look of shocked disbelief on his face. Without a word, he stood from the table, walked to the other end, gently lifted Sarah from her chair, and embraced her in a bear hug.
She lost it at that point. "I… I just want you to be happy," she cried. "You're getting what I've always wanted, and I... I don't… I can't make you go back and have to work and be an analyst and have to deal with Fulcrum and all that back in L.A…"
Sarah realized she was babbling and stopped. Chuck pulled back a little and looked down at her.
Echoing something she had said what seemed like ages ago, Chuck softly said, "Sarah, it never felt like work to me."
Pulling her back in to him, he held her for a little while longer, and then said, "I'll let you know."
Picking up his coffee, he walked out of the mess, leaving Sarah alone with her laptop and everything running through her mind.
February 21st, 2519
Chuck finally made his decision on the 21st. However, the only person he told was Kaylee. They went for a drive far out of Utopia City, and when they came back, they headed into the ship holding hands.
Sarah's heart sank a little when she saw that, but she reminded herself of what she had told Chuck. It was his choice to make, and his alone.
At 6:00 on the morning of the 22nd, Serenity received a signal from the Utopia Planitia Shipyards, telling them that repairs were completed on Enterprise, and she'd be ready to go around noon.
Most of the crew headed over there fairly early on – Bryce, Sarah, Casey and Tweedum in the Trans Am; Inara, Mal, Zoe, Jayne and Lorenz in Inara's shuttle. River and Simon had to stay on the ship for obvious reasons, and Kaylee and Chuck hadn't yet emerged from Kaylee's quarters.
Bryce remarked on that on the drive over. "Where is Chuck?" he asked. "I haven't seen him all morning."
Sarah braced herself for the onslaught as she told them the truth. "I told him he didn't have to come back."
However, instead of the barrage of outrage she expected from the three men, she just got quiet "Oh"s and "I see"s.
When they reached the shipyard, they were in for a shock. Utopia Planitia hadn't just repaired the Enterprise.
She looked brand new again. They'd completely repainted her. "Enterprise" had been repainted in bold black block letters below the cockpit windows. The American flag, instead of being the normal straight, blocky flag seen on US aircraft and spacecraft, had been repainted to look like it was flapping in the wind.
NASA's old meatball logo was painted proudly in bright blue on the vertical stabilizer. Finally, somebody with a flair for the dramatic had painted a maroon swoop that started at the leading edge of the wings and flared up to about halfway up the vertical stabilizer, and a light gray "United States of America" adorned the cargo bay doors, almost like on Air Force One.
Casey stood up out of the Trans Am. "Now that's a damn patriotic sight right there," he said happily.
Despite the swell of patriotism the sight of the shuttle inspired in the Americans, their work was quiet. Inara and Zoe carefully loaded Lorenz into the shuttle and got him strapped into the bunk in the cell. Simon had induced a coma, and put him on an I.V. drip to keep him in the coma until he reached medical facilities on Earth.
Bryce supervised the loading of the Trans Am into the cargo bay of the shuttle. Tweedum carefully clambered up into the cockpit to begin pre-flight. The crew of Serenity and the Americans began to make their good-byes to each other. Jayne and Casey were in the midst of a bone-crushing handshake when the Herder pulled onto the airfield.
The doors opened. Kaylee stepped out of the driver's side, Chuck out of the passenger's side. He had a small duffel bag over his shoulder – all the possessions he'd come to have while he'd been in the 26th century, including Shepherd Book's Bible and history book.
He walked up to the group. "So, I realized something," he began.
"I could stay here. I've fallen in love. The woman of my dreams is here in 2519. When I leave, she'll be heart broken.
"But my home is in the 21st century. That's where my family is. My friends. My duty to my country.
"When I stop and think about Ellie, Captain Awesome, Morgan, and what a big part of their lives I am… even when I stop and think about you, Sarah, and you, big guy," he said, pointing to Casey, "I realize that if I stayed here, they and you would all be utterly devastated. It would be selfish of me, and I can't do that to all of you."
Casey opened his mouth to make a snarky remark, and then, reconsidered and closed his mouth.
"Besides which," Chuck went on, "the Enterprise only has half a pilot, and because of the Intersect, I know how to fly her.
"It's time to go home."
Kaylee stepped back a little as Sarah came up to Chuck. Without a word, Sarah hugged Chuck tightly. After a moment, she let go, and said she'd be on the shuttle.
"You're a good man, Chuck Bartowski," Casey said in a strangely soft voice, heading for the shuttle.
Bryce looked like he didn't know what to say. He just said he'd see Chuck onboard and headed for the shuttle.
The crew of Serenity approached Chuck to make their good-byes.
"You were a great addition to our crew, Chuck," Mal said, his voice catching a little. "I wish we could keep you around."
Zoe hugged him and said good-bye. Inara hugged him, and as she did so, she whispered, "Thank you for being so wonderful to Kaylee."
Chuck hugged her a little harder for that, and then Inara moved on. Jayne grabbed his hand in a rather forceful shake. "Best of luck to you, buddy," he said.
Once they had all said good-bye, they boarded the shuttle and left. Kaylee and Chuck were left alone, standing by the Herder.
"I guess this… this is good-bye," Kaylee said, her eyes shining with tears.
"I'll never forget you, Kaylee Frye," Chuck whispered, not trusting his voice. "You're absolutely wonderful… and I love you."
"I love you too, Chuck," she said softly, embracing him. She pulled back, and kissed him one last time. Then she broke it off.
"You better get going," she said.
Chuck, still holding her right hand in his left, gave it a final squeeze, then let go and headed for Enterprise. As soon as he was inside, the hatch was shut and the stairway was rolled away.
Kaylee watched as the shuttle taxied to the runway. She stood there and looked on as the engine ports began to glow, and Enterprise began to roll. It built up speed, and then left Persephone, heading off into the sky.
By now, Kaylee was all cried out, so with a sigh, she got into the Herder, started it up, and headed back to Eavesdown Docks.
2:39 P.M.
shuttle Enterprise
Enterprise was in orbit around Persephone. Tweedum had told Chuck that the shuttle had to make three complete orbits in order to build up enough speed to head out of the shuttle's gravity well and engage the jumper.
The orbits gave Chuck time to familiarize himself with the controls. As they came over the terminator and prepared to break orbit, Chuck noticed a glint of sunlight on metal off to the starboard side.
About forty miles ahead, Chuck could see Serenity rising out of Persephone's atmosphere. "They're coming to see us off," Captain Tweedum said softly.
Sure enough, a moment later, River Tam's voice came over the radio. "Serenity to Enterprise," she said. "Smooth sailing… and we'll see you around the galaxy."
"Copy that, Serenity," Tweedum replied. "Thanks, and we'll make sure to send a postcard."
They could hear River laugh over the radio. "Good luck with that."
Chuck gently turned the control yoke to the right, causing Enterprise to break orbit and head out into space. A moment later, Tweedum said, "Jumper is prepared."
Chuck looked at Serenity one last time. "Let's go," he said.
transport Serenity
The crew had gathered on the bridge to see Enterprise off. "Serenity to Enterprise," River said, keying the microphone. "Smooth sailing… and we'll see you around the galaxy."
Kaylee pressed her face against the glass, trying to see if she could see Chuck through the cockpit windows of Enterprise. No such luck.
"Copy that, Serenity. Thanks, and we'll make sure to send a postcard."
That caused laughter throughout the bridge. Even Kaylee allowed herself a small chuckle.
"Good luck with that," River replied with a laugh.
As they watched, Enterprise turned away from Persephone. A silver glow began to build around the shuttle, and then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone.
Silence filled the bridge of Serenity for a moment.
"Alright," Mal finally said, breaking the quiet. "Time to get back to work."
8:22 P.M.
January 3rd, 2008
shuttle Enterprise
in orbit over Earth
"That's definitely Earth," Chuck said when they popped out of the jump.
"Yeah, but when?" Bryce said, the first time he'd spoken since they lifted off from Persephone.
"Only one way to find out," Tweedum said. Keying the radio, he said, "Houston, this is Enterprise. How copy?"
"Enterprise, this is Houston, welcome back," came the distinctive voice of General Beckman.
"Copy, Houston," Tweedum replied. "What's today's date?"
"Today is Thursday, January 3rd, 2008. You've only been gone for five days."
"Not bad," Tweedum muttered. "Ah, Houston, request landing instructions."
"Enterprise, you are instructed to land at Edwards Air Force Base."
"Copy," Tweedum replied. "That makes it easy."
Re-entry and landing were totally uneventful. Chuck and Tweedum landed the shuttle with no problems. Tweedum had given instructions to have an ambulance standing by, and so it was there to take Lorenz to the base hospital as soon as they landed. Over Tweedum's protests, he was piled into the ambulance as well.
Chuck, Sarah, Casey and Bryce were sequestered in a remote part of Edwards for a week. They were all thoroughly debriefed, Chuck most of all.
Finally, on January 10th, the NSA and CIA decided they'd gotten enough out of the agents, and told them they were free to go. Needless to say, there was a little bit of maskirovka that would have to occur, sneaking Chuck into Northridge Medical Center in the dead of night and making it appear that he'd had a miraculous recovery. An MRI at the Edwards hospital had determined that Chuck's healed injuries from his crash onboard Serenity would be sufficient to convince the casual observer that he had, in fact, been in a horrific accident.
The CIA sent a jet to take Chuck, Sarah, and Casey from Edwards to Van Nuys Airport. Bryce would be departing separately, in the Trans Am. Before they left, though, Bryce took Chuck aside.
"You know," he said, "I thought that I had to sacrifice a lot to go under and chase down Fulcrum."
He paused. "It was nothing compared to what you did. I don't know if I could've left her behind."
Bryce shook Chuck's hand. "I like to think of myself as a good man," Bryce said. "But you're definitely a better man than I, Charles Irving Bartowski."
"Thanks, Bryce," Chuck said quietly. "I'll see you around."
Bryce nodded, then got into the Trans Am and burned rubber.
A few hours later, Ellie, Awesome and Morgan came bursting into room 42 at Northridge Medical Center, overjoyed to see Chuck awake and in decent shape. Sarah stood by as they were reunited, a sad smile on her face.
On the morning of the thirteenth, Casey woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. On the way back to his bedroom, he was surprised to look out the window and catch a glimpse of Chuck standing out in the courtyard.
Opening his door, Casey walked out to Chuck. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm alright," Chuck replied. "Just doing a little star-gazing."
Casey nodded. "Okay. Don't freeze yourself."
Chuck laughed quietly. "I won't."
"Good night, Chuck."
"Night, Casey."