A/N: Things are coming to a head. I have to admit that I'm having a lot of fun with it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Chuck or any of the associated characters. I receive no compensation for this work, blah, blah, lawyer speak, blah, blah, zzzzzzzzzz.
"Glass Castle. Secure" Sarah heard the Professor say. This time she was calling him from her own secure phone, but unlike his, her battery issue had been resolved.
"Walker. Secure." She said, maybe a little smugly into the phone.
"What the fu-"
"Doctor, please don't finish that sentence." Sarah interrupted, her tone making it clear that despite the 'please', it wasn't a request.
"Agent Walker, I do not know how I've wronged you, but I cannot imagine why you would jeopardize my career as well as blow the lid off such an important recruitment center."
"Don't kid yourself, Doctor." Sarah said, amused. "You aren't the be-all end-all of CIA recruitment activities. I would be surprised if they didn't already have someone else code-named to take over your activities there at Stanford. As to your career, well that's what this call is regarding. This is a courtesy call Professor; you'll be getting a follow up from your handler as well for verification. The CIA feels that your recruitment activities are interfering with your research. You're being transferred to Langley to head up a new project. Codename - Intersect. Congratulations, Dr. Fleming. You're being promoted. The downside is that your academic career is effectively over, after having falsely accused a student of cheating. I'm afraid there's no way to keep that off the public record."
"I was fu-"
"This is twice I've warned you, Doctor." Sarah said with dangerous heat in her voice. "Do not make the mistake of thinking I will warn you a third time." On some level, Sarah thought she was maybe being too hard on Dr. Fleming, but something about the guy just set her teeth on edge and she found that even the sound of his voice irritated her. She had no patience for his whining about this situation. You're in the CIA, put on your big boy pants and deal.
The Doctor cleared his throat. "I apologize, Agent Walker." He said, sounding nervous. He knew who she was. "I was going to say, I was coerced into doing that to Mr. Bartowski. I was ordered. I genuinely liked that young man. He was brilliant. He had amazing potential. I disagreed with Agent Larkin's assessment, but I had no choice. I did as I was ordered." Maybe that was what bothered her so much; the fact that he disagreed with Larkin. He'd thought Chuck should have been put on the forced recruitment list with no regard for what it might mean for him.
"Unfortunately, Doctor, we can't put the genie back in the bottle. In a few short weeks you will be so wrapped up in your research that you will have forgotten all about Stanford and Mr. Bartowski. Focus on that. Later today we're going to be having a meeting with The Dean of Stanford University. I expect you to have already handed in your letter of resignation and a statement of full disclosure regarding the events surrounding Mr. Bartowski by the time I arrive. You are exposed, but the CIA has your back. We can appease Stanford by covering the cost of the settlement with Mr. Bartowski which will also indemnify you from further legal action." Sarah paused here to make sure he understood the lengths the Agency was going to in order to protect him. "The Agency is expending significant resources to protect you here Doctor Fleming. I want to make sure you appreciate that fact. We realize you were ordered by Agent Larkin to do this, but you still broke protocol by not contacting your handler. You knew full well that Agent Larkin was not authorized to interfere with your relationship with your handler, field agent or not. Loss of your academic credentials is the price you have to pay for that Doctor." Sarah let her voice take on an ominous tone. "Rest assured Doctor, it's a price significantly lower than others have paid for lesser actions against the Agency. Have I made my self completely transparent to you today?" Sarah could help but 'twist his nipples' as Director Graham had so eloquently stated to her yesterday.
"Yes, Agent Walker, completely." He said nervously.
"Good. I'll see you this afternoon. I'll be acting as an agent of the Tanaka Foundation who wish to retain your expertise to run a new research facility in Virginia." Sarah disconnected the call.
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Sarah felt like she was stepping into her last role as a Clandestine Officer as she stepped into the Dean's office at Stanford School of Science and Technology. She was welcomed warmly by Dean Roberta Johnson, a taller than average, dark haired woman in her late forties with a formidable demeanor. "Ms. Walker, welcome to Stanford. I wish it could have been under different circumstances. Please, have a seat." She motioned to an over-stuffed leather upholstered chair positioned around a large coffee table, surrounded on all sides by similar chairs. Only one other chair was currently occupied, by Dr. Fleming. He seemed a little uncomfortable as she took the chair next to him, rather than the one indicated. She looked at the Doctor and showed him her teeth while she was momentarily facing away from The Dean. An observer might have said she smiled at the Doctor, but in a rather more predatory than friendly way. The Doctor smiled back, looking rather pale.
"Yes, I wish that were the case as well, Dean Johnson." Sarah said smoothly as she sat and turned to face The Dean.
"Professor Fleming has tendered his resignation, effective immediately, but this situation with the student from 5 years ago; it puts Stanford in a tough spot. The schools is financially responsible for his actions. I understand you're here to negotiate on his behalf."
"Yes, Dr. Fleming is the leading researcher in a field that my employer is interested in developing further. We know that Stanford has a pre-existing relationship with The Tanaka Foundation?" Sarah asked.
"Yes, of course. We've hosted a number of guest speakers from the Tanaka Foundation here at Stanford over the years. I myself have spoken at their headquarters in Osaka as well on several occasions."
"Yes, well, Dr. Fleming has been in conversations with the Tanaka Foundation to help build and run a new research facility in Virginia, but he felt he needed to clear up this one dark spot on his tenure here at Stanford; This false accusation against a student for cheating. Dr. Fleming has made it clear that the student who originally made the charge was adamant regarding Mr. Bartowski's cheating, however Dr. Fleming didn't want the authorities to pursue Mr. Bartowski for the legal ramifications associated with scholarship fraud, so he handled it internally with Mr. Bartowski. The student who made the original accusation has since recanted, and now Dr. Fleming feels it necessary to set the record straight."
The Dean gave Dr. Fleming a withering stare. "It's wonderful that Dr. Fleming feels this way now, but as I mentioned this puts Stanford in an untenable position. If he had simply followed the rules then, the accusation against Mr. Bartowski would have been shown to be without merit. As it is now, Stanford could be liable for damages should this Mr. Bartowski decide to sue us. In that instance, the University would have no choice but to peruse Dr. Fleming in return. He could be found liable for civil if not criminal proceedings. Since this was a deliberate act by a staff member, our insurance will only indemnify us up to one hundred thousand dollars. Anything above that would have to come directly from our annual budget, and any settlement offer would have to start at around five times that amount, given the time that has transpired, and the subsequent loss of income suffered by Mr. Bartowski for never having received the degree he was entitled to."
"Dean Johnson, Stanford University is a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Certainly, there is room in your budget to account for an expenditure such as this. When the roles are reversed, and a student is found to be cheating, the school does not hesitate to pursue financial damages against the student as it pertains to scholarship funds."
The Dean didn't seem fazed by the argument, which was to be expected. "Be that as it may, Stanford's position here is that we will not be held to account for Dr. Flemings ill-advised actions." She said firmly.
"Yes, I see your dilemma." Sarah paused for a moment, then asked, "Do you mind if I make a call?"
"Please, be my guest."
Sarah pulled out her phone and dialed a pre-arranged number. Upon hearing the call connect, she began reciting a script in fluent Japanese. They knew that Dean Fleming was also fluent in Japanese. "Hello. This is Sarah Walker. Yes, The Dean is concerned about the financial exposure the school has with the student in question." She paused and listened to the scripted reply, also in Japanese.
"Yes, the Dr. is most aggrieved that his actions have led to this outcome." She said looking at Dr. Fleming. "Unfortunately, the University is not prepared to bear the financial burden of his actions. They feel bound to reciprocate in kind with the Doctor for any settlement they might be forced to make." She listened to the reply. "Yes, that is correct. Am I authorized to make the offer regarding a settlement proposal that was discussed?" She listened. "I will make the offer to the Dean. Yes. Thank you. Good-bye." Sarah put her phone away and looked at The Dean. "Dean Johnson, in an effort to expedite a settlement so that the Tanaka Foundation can begin construction of the new facility, we are prepared to set aside one million dollars as part of a settlement offer with the student Mr. Bartowski. Does this meet with your approval?"
The Dean practically glowed with approval. "Yes, it does. In that instance, we shouldn't even have to file a claim with our insurance." Sarah could almost see her spending the money that remained if they were able to bully Chuck into taking a low-ball offer and felt the need to clarify things.
"To be clear, the Tanaka Foundation wants this matter resolved expeditiously. We're hoping a meeting can be arranged for early afternoon tomorrow. If funds were to remain after the settlement, the Foundation would have specific requests as to it's usage." Sarah added. She could see a brief shadow of annoyance pass over the Dean's face, but it was gone in an instant.
"Yes, of course. Stanford values its relationship with the Foundation. That is a reasonable request." The Dean replied.
"So, it is understood here that Mr. Bartowski will receive a settlement offer of up to one million dollars and also receive his degree, back dated and to include the Summa Cum Laude recognition that he was entitled to at that time?"
The Dean nodded. "Yes, that is correct."
"And that as part of this settlement agreement, a further agreement is entered into absolving Dr. Fleming of his actions as it pertains to Mr. Bartowski?"
"Yes, speaking on behalf of Stanford University, we accept those terms."
"That's wonderful Dean Johnson. I very much appreciate your forthright manner in dealing with this issue." Sarah said.
"It's always a pleasure dealing with a representative of the Tanaka Foundation." The Dean said politely. "And if I might add, Ms. Walker, your Japanese is quite crisp. Do you mind if I inquire as to your schooling?"
"Not at all. I received my B.A. from Harvard." She said, with just a hint of arrogance in her smile.
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"This is Coburn." The gruff voice said on the other end of the line.
"Special Agent Coburn, this is Agent Walker, CIA." Sarah said. "I think you were told to expect my call?"
"I was, Walker. It's not every day the SAC of a major metro FBI field office gets a call from the Deputy Director himself. I was told to offer you every courtesy. Consider me not hanging up on you right now the full extent of that courtesy. With that said, what exactly can the FBI do for the CIA today?"
"Well, you can login to your FBI required filings database and lookup a report to start with. File number CharlieIndiaBravo0091." She said. She heard typing in the background. She waited a few moments while he brought up the report and read it.
"What moron filed this? Were they drunk or stupid?" Agent Coburn grunted in annoyance.
"Neither. It's a bogus claim. They were required to file it but didn't want it to see the light of day."
"Well in that case they did an exceptional job." He continued reading for a few moments. "Yeah, this report's a piece of shit. No supporting documentation, no notes from the required hearings. Jesus, they even redacted the name of the accuser? Ballsy. Somebody had it in for this Bartowski, huh? What'd he do, boff the Dean's wife or his daughter?"
"Does it matter?" She asked.
Agent Coburn grunted apologetically. "No, just curious." He said still reading the bogus report. She finally heard an amused grunt. "Ouch, Stanford's going to have to pony up on this one. What do you think, Walker, mid six figures?"
"More, I suspect. Plus, his Diploma, signed, sealed and delivered." She said happily.
A surprised grunt. "Well miracles do happen. In this one rare instance, the FBI would be very happy to help the CIA and also grease the wheels of justice. Is Stanford expecting our call already?" He asked.
"I imagine the ink on their preliminary offer to Mr. Bartowski is drying as we speak." Sarah said smiling.
An unidentifiable grunt at that. "Tell your boyfriend to expect a call from our in house council in the next couple of days."
"My boyfriend? What-"
She was interrupted by another more highly amused grunt, not quite a laugh. "Mr. Charles Irving Bartowski is employed as the Nerd Herd Supervisor – whatever the hell that is – at the Buy More in Burbank, California. California Driver's license photo matches that of his Stanford student ID. Same stupid grin on both. I see here that debit cards in the name of both Sarah Walker and Charles Bartowski were used in multiple places along the PCH this past Sunday and then again in Carmel on Monday and Tuesday, then Tuesday afternoon and evening in reverse along the PCH towards LA. If I overlay a timeline on each of these purchase instances, it has an astonishing level of overlap. Did you have a nice trip with your boyfriend, Agent Walker?" An actual laugh this time. "You do realize we are the Federal Bureau of Investigation, right, CIA?"
"Ok, Coburn. You got me. I'm helping my boyfriend who was falsely accused of cheating at Stanford and denied the degree he worked for years to earn." Sarah said plainly. No sense denying it at this point.
"Don't get your lady feelings all bent up, Walker. I got not problem with you helping right a wrong, even if it is your boy-toy. We Fibby's like to view righting wrongs as our job over here. Seems like it would be a nice change of pace for a spook like you. Bartowski was defrauded, that much is clear, and Stanford seems to agree. So, good on you for looking out for yours, Walker." The last grunt seemed more final.
"I have one additional request Agent Coburn?" Sarah asked.
A grunt she took to be inquisitive.
"Can you expedite the call back for Mr. Bartowski to tomorrow morning with an afternoon meeting for resolution? I honestly don't want to wait the weekend for this."
"It will take making some calls, but I can task a rookie with that. So yes, we can manage that."
"Thank you, Special Agent Coburn. As much as it pains me to say it, I owe you one." Sarah said resignedly.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about CIA, but you have yourself a nice day." Coburn chuckled. He grunted a good-bye and hung up.
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"Switchboard. Code in please." The operator stated.
"Walker, secure. Designation Bravo Uniform Romeo Tango Oscar November Niner Eight"
"Verifying." There was a pause on the line. "Thank you, Agent Walker. How can I help you?" The voice asked.
"I need to be connected Agent Bryce Larkin, secure if possible, unsecured if not." Sarah stated simply.
"Please hold." The operator said, and the line went silent for several minutes. She knew it could take a while for them to find him and it was always possible he was dark, on a mission and unable to receive calls. She suddenly heard a series of tones on the line, then a man's voice.
"Larkin, secure." The voice said, sounding curious.
"Walker, secure." Sarah replied. She waited for a moment.
"Agent Sarah Walker?" The voice asked, sounding surprised. She was a known entity within the community of field service agents. She was several years his senior as a Clandestine Officer. He understood she outranked him, by a fair margin.
"Yes, that is correct." Sarah replied, not exactly sure how she wanted to proceed.
"Well, either my star is on the rise, or I'm in trouble for something." He said with a chuckle. "What can I do for you Agent Walker."
Sarah laughed a little as well, at the joke Agent Larkin made. The saying "star on the rise" had something of a dual meaning for field agents in the CIA; either you were up for a promotion, or you were dead. In the latter instance, it would mean a star was going up on the wall to commemorate your sacrifice. Either way, your star was 'on the rise'. "First off, Agent Larkin, let me preface this by telling you that this conversation has been approved by Director Graham. Second, this is going to be a very… unusual call. For both of us. It's actually a personal call, not a… work related call. The first half anyway."
"But approved by Director Graham." He stated simply, knowing that in itself was unusual.
"Yes. I guess you could say I've earned some… leeway as it pertains to this specific… situation."
"I'm not going to lie Agent Walker, I'm very intrigued." Larkin replied seriously. "You're obviously having some difficulty finding your voice on this. Let me just say that whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I can handle it."
She had to admit, he was good. Very smooth, putting her at ease. He was a good agent, maybe even a great one. Sarah laughed a little. "Oh, I have no doubt of that Agent Larkin, I've read your file. You've done some good work."
"Thank you. That feels like high praise for an agent who's never even met Director Graham."
"You're welcome." Sarah was starting to feel like she was stalling. "Agent Larkin, I'm going to say a name and it's going to throw you for a bit of a loop." There was silence on the line, so she went for it. "Chuck Bartowski." She said slowly. The pause on the line dragged out for several long seconds but she was going to wait for him to respond.
"Well you don't disappoint, Agent Walker. You make a bold statement then you deliver in spades." He said finally. His voice was even but she detected a hint of something – regret maybe? Sadness? "So, the fact that you said 'Chuck' and not 'Charles or Charlie' tells me you're not pulling this name off a report. And a few moments ago you said this was a personal matter. What exactly about Chuck would you like to discuss?"
Sarah took a deep breath before continuing. "What you did… for him… at Stanford." She very specifically said 'for' instead of 'to'. "You did the right thing. I wanted to tell you that personally. I believe you did the right thing. I'm not going to say I understand how difficult it was because obviously I have no idea." There was a very long pause on the line, but she could hear him breathing.
"Agent Walker, I appreciate this call but if I was to tell you how confused I am right now, would you promise not to put it in my file?" He asked with a forced laugh.
"Bryce, could you call me Sarah for the duration? This really is all off the record. At least until we get to part two?"
"Of course… Sarah." He said.
"Bryce, you've obviously heard of me. I know my reputation. How do they refer to me at Langley?"
He only paused for a moment. "You're the Ice Queen. Director Graham's 'wildcard enforcer' is another term I've heard."
"Yeah, I think he coined that one himself." She said rolling her eyes.
"So, Sarah, I have no idea how you found out about Chuck, but I can't believe you've just called me to tell me that the most difficult thing I had to in my life to that point was the right thing to do. I betrayed the best friend I've ever had. Before or since. I felt like I had to do it to save his life, but I've often wondered if I was underestimating him. People tended to do that with Chuck."
"You're right about all of that. That's not the only reason I'm calling. And people do underestimate him, me included." She paused for a moment. "I met Chuck just a short while ago, under circumstances completely unrelated to the Agency. We're in a relationship. I'm leaving the Agency and he's a big part of the reason why." There was another long pause on the line, but she could hear him making various sounds like he wanted to say several different things but couldn't pick one.
He found his voice after a few moments. "I'm sorry, I just needed a minute there. That was a lot to take in. I think I'm building a picture in my head now. He told you about Stanford and you followed up. It wouldn't take much to unravel everything. I'm just a little blown away at the truly bizarre convergence of circumstances with all of this. Chuck just can't seem to get away from the CIA. Can I ask you what happened to Chuck? I could never bring myself to check up on him after… well, just after." He said.
"Bryce, I'm not going to lie. It broke him a little bit. Not just the getting kicked out thing, but the way things ended with his girlfriend at the time, Jill."
"Shit." She heard Bryce say with a heavy sigh. "I was afraid of that. I knew the one-two punch of getting kicked out and losing Jill would be a lot to take."
"I have to admit, the Jill part is still confusing to me." Sarah admitted.
"Well, since this conversation has been cleared by Director Graham, I guess I can tell you that Jill was recruited at the beginning of senior year. I was assigned as her handler. When I explained that Chuck was going on a forced recruitment list and told her my idea, she agreed. It broke her heart. She cried for two days. She really was in love with him. But she'd made the commitment to the Agency at that point and was planning on breaking things of with Chuck after graduation anyway."
"Oh, shit." Sarah said. "It's so obvious now. I can't believe I didn't make that connection sooner."
"Well, in your defense, it sounds like you're pretty close to the situation. If you're in a relationship with him, you wouldn't necessarily be looking for ways to excuse the bad behavior of previous girlfriends. Forests and trees, you know." Larkin said kindly. "So, what exactly did happen to Chuck?"
"Well, the truth is, not much, which is probably what you were afraid of. He moved back in with his sister and went back to his job at the Buy More."
"Wait, five years after Stanford and Chuck is still a fucking Nerd Herder?" Larkin asked incredulously.
"Well, he's the supervisor, but yeah." Sarah said, starting to feel a little defensive for Chuck. "That's how I met him."
"You just randomly met Chuck at the Buy More while he was working?" Bryce sounded dubious.
"I know it's hard to believe, given everything else, but yes. That is exactly what happened." Sarah said, remembering. "Is your phone an Intellicell?" She asked.
"No, I gave that piece of shit back and demanded a different model. I must have lost a half dozen batteries and missed an important call that almost got someone killed." Bryce said, irritated.
"Well, I kept asking for a new phone and I kept getting a new Intellicell. I finally tried to fix it on my own by stopping in at the Buy More one day while I was out for lunch. Chuck was the one who helped me. He made an impression. Plus, he fixed the phone in like 15 seconds." Sarah said, still impressed.
"Oh, I would give anything to see a playback of that." Bryce said chuckling. "He was always so nervous around women in college and his nervousness went up exponentially with how pretty a woman was." Bryce said. "Not to speak out of school, but descriptions of you often coincide with your nickname, when it's invoked."
"I've been dealing with that for a long time. You're not telling me anything I didn't already know." Sarah said simply.
Bryce chuckled at that information. "No doubt. Anyway, I hope I get to hear more about you guys someday." He paused for a second, his voice taking on a deep, melodramatic quality. "The best CIA field agent in a generation, the notorious Ice Queen, feared by terrorists and arms dealers the world over, protector of the American Way of Life… Seduced by a Buy More Nerd Herder." He laughed harder and Sarah couldn't help laughing with him.
"That was good, Bryce." Sarah said after a few moments, amused. "I totally get now why you and Chuck were such good friends. You're both giant nerds!" She said laughing again and heard Bryce laugh with her. "The crazy thing is, that ridiculous movie intro you just did is not far from the actual truth." She paused to catch her breath. "And, that leads me to the other reason for this call. Chuck and I are in a pretty great place with each other, but I know that not getting his degree really weighs on him."
She paused for a moment. "Again, I want to be clear here - Graham has signed off on all of this and the dominoes are falling as we speak. It's already in motion. The accusation of cheating against Chuck is going to come out as fraudulent. As you can imagine, the report Flemings filed with the FBI was terrible. The official line is that an Agent with the FBI stumbled upon the report, did some checking and determined that fraud was actually committed against the student in question and the school is liable for not following their state charter as it pertains to cheating accusations.
An FBI lawyer is going to be contacting Chuck tomorrow. Stanford is going to offer him a settlement, along with his back-dated degree. He was on track for Summa Cum Laude at the time, so that's going to be in there as well. But here's the catch; I'm going to tell him the how and why of your involvement, and I guess Jill's as well."
"Holy Shit, Agent Walker! Some of this stuff is code-word level secret! How in the name of God did you get the Director to sign off on all this?" Bryce asked disbelievingly.
"I can't talk about that," She said simply. "He agreed willingly, no duress if that's your concern. Suffice it to say that the Director and I go back a long time. He recruited me, was my mentor in a lot of ways. The point is that Chuck is going to finally know why things happened the way they did and who was involved. He might be upset, but you know Chuck, Bryce. Once he understands things, he'll forgive you. It's just who he is."
"You know it's not that simple, Sarah." He said quietly.
"Yeah, I know." She sighed. "I just wanted tell you before things came out, which they will tomorrow. And I wanted to say thank you, I guess. I was in a pretty bad place before I met Chuck. I didn't realize how bad. Officially, I'm just taking an extended leave, but I don't see a future with the Agency after… well, just everything. You know how it is. Meeting Chuck when I did, the way I did was…" Sarah paused for a moment, thinking about their crazy timing. "Well, it was sort of perfect. For both of us, in a lot of ways." She laughed. "Can you believe he figured out I was a government agent the night of our first date but never mentioned anything until days later?"
Bryce laughed. "Yeah, I was always a little freaked out that Chuck would notice things about me after I was recruited, and he did, he just didn't have enough information at the time to put it all together. That was just one of the ways people underestimated him. He was always more observant than anyone realized. It's one of the things that's kept me second guessing what I did. But he likes people too much, always wanted to see the good in them, give them the benefit of the doubt, to a fault. It's a good quality in a person, but a terrible one in a field agent."
"I agree with you Bryce. I think you did the right thing for Chuck." She said honestly.
"I appreciate the call, Sarah. And I guess, you know, good for you. You could do a hell of a lot worse than Chuck Bartowski for a boyfriend." He paused for a moment. "Uh, one other thing?"
"Yeah?" Sarah asked.
"What happens with Fleming?" Bryce asked. "I'm mean the guy was a tool, but I did put him in a pretty tough spot. What happens to him in all this? He's the one with the most exposure."
"Well, as far as Stanford is concerned, he's out. He has to go, and his academic career is over. But the Agency is doing right by him and covering for the settlement with Chuck. Apparently the Doctor is working on some groundbreaking new technology. He's being relocated to Langley and getting a research grant for his work. Something to do with encoded images and new teaching methods. I don't know. You want to know about that stuff, talk to Chuck." Sarah said.
"Christ, the encoded images project. It always comes back to that. I was read in a little and it scared the crap out of me, the potential for good and bad. And that's where Chuck scored through the roof. Before him, no one got above a seventy percent ranking, then he comes in and hits ninety-eight" He said.
"Well, now you've got me curious about that project, but I'm not read in and I don't want to be." Sarah said.
"You're instincts are correct there, Sarah. Like you said, talk to Chuck. He understood at a low level what the implications were." He paused for a moment. "Wow talk to Chuck. I think the reality of that just hit me. It's strange to think that could even be an option now. You know, after so long thinking I would never be able to. He was a really great friend and doing that to him… well I think it broke me a little bit too. It made me a better field agent, but in this context, that doesn't say much for how field agents have to live."
"Yeah, I'm right there with you, Bryce." Sarah cleared her throat and took an a more official tone. "So, Agent Larkin, now that we've cleared that matter up, we can move on to part two of our discussion. Director Graham has an assignment for you."
"I'm all ears, Agent Walker." He said evenly.
"In your dealings with any other government field agents, NSA, DEA, FBI – have you ever heard the codename, 'Fulcrum'?"
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Sarah had to admit that her deep breathing exercises were coming in really handy recently, and while her heart rate was even and steady, she was still nervous. She had been very busy working on Chuck's behalf the last two days, uncovered an astonishing array of information and set into motion a series of events that was going to change his life. She was really starting to see the implications of what this was going to mean for him. She walked into the Buy More and saw him there, sitting behind the Nerd Herd desk, working diligently on the computer in front of him, his tongue poking between his lips, his brow furrowed in concentration. She stopped for a minute just staring at him, wanting to etch him into her memory. Just seeing him helped calm her nerves. This was Chuck. He knew she was in the CIA. She had approval from her boss to explain to him what happened and why. He was in for some serious shocks but, it would give him so much insight into what happened. She found herself suddenly irritated as a green shirted man with a smarmy smile stepped in front of her, breaking her reverie of Chuck, asking if she needed any help.
"There's only one man here who can help me." She said, looking over the shoulder of the man, still watching Chuck. She thought offhand that he might be the one who'd berated Chuck that first day after the situation with the ballerina.
Chuck glanced up and saw her just as she moved around the anonymous Green Shirt and started walking toward him. She knew it was coming before it happened, but it was still so amazing to watch; a smile bloomed on his face that seemed to encompass his entire being, to tell the world how happy he was in that moment because he saw her walking toward him. That smile was for her and it filled her with light. She couldn't help but smile back at him in return and hope it had a similar effect on him that his had on her.
They hadn't seen each other at all since she'd dropped him off the previous morning, though they had spoken on the phone the previous evening. He came out from behind the desk and they embraced, sharing a passionate kiss that was completely inappropriate for any kind of work environment. And neither of them cared in the least.
"Hey, you." Chuck said, breathing a little heavy as they pulled apart.
"Hey yourself." She said smiling, her arms still around his shoulders. "You were right the other night; we totally leveled up our kissing game." She gave him another little peck just because she could. "Listen, I have a lot I need to talk to you about. Is there any way you can get out of here early?" She asked hopefully.
He stepped back, looking disappointed. "Uhg, God I wish there was, but we're really backed up. Big Mike kind of let the Nerds run rampant while you and I were off.." He blushed a little. "On our vacation. They really didn't get much work done over those five days."
She was disappointed but she didn't want to push the matter and worry him unnecessarily. "Ok, that's fine, we'll just have to take a little time to talk before we go to your place for dinner tonight."
Chuck got a concerned look on his face. "Is everything ok?"
She stepped up to him and put her hands on his face. "Chuck, everything is fine. I just have some information to share with you. One thing I can tell you right now is that I'm officially on sabbatical with my job." She smiled as she remembered him using that phrase with Morgan. "I basically gave my boss notice today that I can't go back to my… previous job. I told him I quit, but he sort of refused to accept that. He told me to take six months off to think things over, like a paid vacation, and if I need it, I have another six months off after that. He also told me I have other options available to me that I might not realize, that don't include anything related to what I was doing before."
Chuck's smile lit up his face. "Sarah, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" He leaned in and kissed her again and they both got a little lost in the excitement of the moment.
Someone coughed loudly nearby, interrupting that moment, and Sarah looked around. She noticed with amusement that all the employees and a couple of customers were staring at them. The employees were actually gaping openly, while the customers nearby were trying to be surreptitious and failing.
The cough had come from a wild-eyed man with crazy thinning hair flying in all directions. Sarah wondered if the man was somewhat unbalanced but also noticed that he was wearing the white button down shirt and ridiculous grey polyester tie that marked him as a Nerd Herder. He had walked up next to Chuck and had a strange expression on his face.
"I swear to God, Jeff, if you try to sniff her, I will end you." Chuck said dangerously.
The man looked startled and moved away mumbling about sniffing whatever he wanted.
Sarah had to stifle a giggle. "Oh my god!" She whispered. "Is this what you have to deal with on a daily basis? I know you said some of them were crazy, but that guy looks genuinely unbalanced!"
"Yeah, well that's just Jeff. I guess I'm sort of inured to it. It's worse when he and Lester start feeding off each other's vibe and fall into a feedback loop of insanity." Chuck said. "What's even crazier is that when Jeff gets out of his own way, he's actually an amazing technician, very highly skilled if you can believe it. Like when Jeff gets into a zone, he puts me to shame."
Sarah laughed. "Ok, I don't believe that for a minute."
"It's true, though." Chuck said seriously. "It doesn't happen often, but it's all the more impressive for its rarity."
Sarah shook her head. "Ok, enough of that. Don't stress about the other things I want to talk to you about. Just get your work done and we'll talk when I pick you up." She said calmly. "I'm going to do a little shopping, maybe pick some wine for tonight? Any particular style I should be looking for?"
"Malbec is the way to my sister's heart." Chuck said with a grin.
Wanting to put a positive spin on their conversation, Sarah took advantage of the opening he gave her. "I'm going to pick up something that will affect your heart, too." She said breathily. Three, two, one.
"Aaaand there it is." She laughed. Chuck put his face in his hands and shook his head. "Gimmie a smooch, Blushy Blusherson!"
Chuck suddenly wrapped his arms around her and planted his lips on hers. A few customers had been watching them but when the kissing started, they just shook their heads and moved on. As Sarah kissed her nerd, she couldn't care less who watched.
She heard another cough and broke off the kiss, laughing. "Is it just me or do people cough a lot around us?" She asked amused.
"Yeah, right?" Chuck agreed. "What's up with that?"
Sarah looked up and saw Morgan standing nearby, looking pleased with himself. "Yeah, I told you guys you were going to have a great time! Remember? After you asked if he was free, all flirty like? Right? And I told you, nothing but time! And look at you here now all cute and kissy together. You're the MAN, Chuck!" Morgan exclaimed, holding his hand up for a high-five.
Chuck just shook his head at him.
"What, no? Just gonna leave me hangin? Ok, that's fine. It's fine."
"Morgan, I can only assume that there is a dire national emergency that would prompt you to interrupt me at this particular moment?"
"Oh, yeah, Big Mike is on the warpath. Seems like Tang ratted you out for being all kissy-face with your girl here. Hi, Sarah, by the way. Hi, it's good to see you again, after like a week."
Sarah laughed. "Hi Morgan."
"BARTOWSKI!" They herd someone bellow.
Chuck whipped around. "Yeah Big Mike?" He yelled back.
"Keep it in your pants until the end of your shift! You got it?" Big Mike didn't seem to care about the shocked looks he was getting from customers as he yelled across the store.
"Absolutely, Big Mike." Chuck said, stifling a laugh.
"Just two more hours. You think you can handle that?"
"Yes, sir, Big Mike!"
"Good! Now in the meantime, don't you have nerds to herd?" He shouted, making a lassoing motion over his head.
"Yes, sir!" Chuck said, but Big Mike was already closing the door to his office.
Sarah burst out laughing. "Oh my god, this place is like some crazy sitcom! Everybody is so effing nuts!"
Chuck shook his head ruefully. "Yes, that is my life. Laugh tracks and despair."
"Ok, seriously, I'll see you in a couple of hours." Sarah said giving him a quick peck on the lips.
"Ok, see you then."
Sarah started walking out of the store and saw Chuck give Morgan his high-five after all and she couldn't help but smile.
She was still somewhat nervous about the conversation she needed to have with him and wondered how it was going to affect their night with his Sister and Captain Awesome. Canceling wasn't an option. They could never be that cruel to Ellie, who was apparently besides herself with anticipation at meeting Sarah. And she still needed to apologize for sneaking him back to her hotel Tuesday night when Ellie was expecting home home, wanting to talk about his week and his whirlwind romance.
She walked across the large parking lot from the Buy More to the shopping mall proper and stopped in to a Winestyles store to purchase the wine, and as a distraction for herself she went to Victoria's Secret. She had way more fun than she thought she would and ended up buying more than she planned but couldn't wait to see Chuck's face when he saw her in it. Just the thought had her insides clenching in anticipation.
She was browsing a couple of other stores just killing time until she needed to pick up Chuck when she spotted the reflection of a man she'd seen outside at least two other stores. She fought down a moment of panic wondering if the Buy More was one of the places she'd seen him, but quickly realized it wasn't. The Buy More was a satellite store in the outer ring of the large shopping mall complex, and she'd walked from there. She knew no one had followed her as it was probably a good quarter-mile walk across the width of the shopping mall parking lot, and it would have been obvious if someone was walking behind her even at a distance.
He'd been sitting on a bench outside the Winestyles store reading a paper. She'd made a mental note because who reads the paper anymore? Who brings a paper to the mall? He would have been a lot less conspicuous if he'd been playing on a phone. She'd also seen his reflection in a mirror while inside Victoria's Secret. He'd been wandering around a kiosk in the middle of the mall.
While she was watching his reflection in the window, wondering who would have sent him and why, wondering where exactly he'd picked up her scent, a woman walked up to him with several bags and kissed him on the cheek. He took the bags from her and they started walking the opposite direction, holding hands. Neither of them ever looked in her direction.
Sarah exhaled explosively, not realizing that she'd been holding her breath. "FuckFuckFuckFuck." She said to herself quietly, not sure where this sudden panicked feeling was coming from. She had to be certain she wasn't being followed, so she kept an eye on them from a distance. The mall traffic was light, with bright afternoon light streaming in from the skylights above, so it was easy to keep them in sight. When they left the mall, she went up to the glass doors, watched them get into a newer model Mercedes and drive away.
She understood now. The thing with the paper. A trained agent would never make that mistake. Even if a paper had been sitting there, they wouldn't have picked up, instead would have played with their phone, like she'd thought to herself. Reading a paper these days in certain environments was calling attention to yourself. She wasn't being followed. They were just a couple out shopping together.
But her mood was severely dampened, and she didn't understand why. She had spotted tails in the past and hadn't even broken a sweat, just lay in wait and sprung a trap at a time of her choosing. This time around her heart was racing, her palms were clammy. She felt like a rookie out for her Red Test.
She went into a coffee shop, got a cappuccino and sat at one of the tables while she once again ran through some breathing exercises. Within moments she had her heart rate back down and she felt herself level off. All good. She thought that she was probably just stressing out about all the earth shattering things she needed to share with Chuck.
Sarah dropped her purchases off at her car, not wanting Chuck to get a glimpse of the Victoria's Secret bags, and then walked to the Buy More. She'd gotten there a couple of minutes early because she wanted to see if she could sneak up behind him before they left. She came in behind a large man and woman walking together, then moved off down a side aisle. Just as she spotted him at the Nerd Herd desk, an elderly woman walked up and asked him for help.
She was disappointed but decided to watch their interaction. She was too far away to hear exactly what they were saying but could read lips and picked up a lot in their body language. It seemed the woman was confused about two different computer laptops, they were the same brand and they looked similar, but one was about three times the cost of the other. She watched as Chuck patiently explained why one was so much better than the other, and she saw the elderly woman laugh several times during their conversation and touch his arm. She saw Chuck laugh as well, genuinely enjoying helping her. His shift was mere minutes from being over and she knew he was excited to leave with her and start their date night, but he wasn't surreptitiously watching the clock. He treated the woman with respect, didn't interrupt her questions. He didn't lord his knowledge over her or think she was inferior because she didn't know about computers. He didn't resent her in any way or want her to move on and stop wasting his time. He was just being so.. Chuck.
As she stood there watching him in this candid moment, watching him be so perfectly himself, an awareness washed over her like slipping into a warm bath. This was why she'd been so completely freaked out at the thought having been followed. It wasn't the risk to her; it was the risk to Chuck.
Almost immediately after that realization, their week together spooled across her minds eye as she remembered everything from their first date forward; their conversations, their incredible sex, their astonishingly intimate lovemaking, their comfortable silences, his wonderful innate goodness that was now on display in front of her; It all combined in one perfect moment and opened her eyes to a truth that was so apparent, so ridiculously obvious that she wondered how she hadn't actually said the words out loud before this moment.
She realized she needed to say them now, actualize them. "I love him. I'm in love with Chuck Bartowski!" she said quietly to herself. Duh she heard her inner voice repeat back to her.
She heard a sharp intake of breath behind her and turned around slowly, already knowing who she'd see.
"Morgan, it's generally a bad idea to sneak up behind me." She said slowly, barely seeing him.
He looked at her wonderingly. "You're in love with my best friend?"
Sarah closed her eyes and let herself really feel it. "Yeah. I really am." She said softly, laughing. Oh, shit.
"Sarah, I'm so happy for you! Chuck has been my main man for over twenty years! He's the greatest guy on earth. Of course, you know that because you're in love with him! He's gonna be so hap-" It didn't feel like Morgan was ever going to shut up, so she put a hand over his mouth.
"Morgan." She whispered. "I know you're happy for your friend. But I need you to give us some time here. Let me tell him in my own way, OK?" She let her hand fall from his mouth.
"Of course. No problem. Mums the word… But I'm so happy for you!"
"So happy about what?" Chuck said from behind them. Sarah turned around slowly again and looked at the man who she would give her heart to. Had already given it to. She felt herself smile at him involuntarily.
"Hi, Chuck." Sarah said, through the sappy grin. "He's so happy for me because he knows I'm meeting your family tonight for the first time. Right Morgan?" She said, looking at him earnestly.
"You know it, Sarah. So happy for you. Both of you!" Morgan said, poking Chuck in the stomach. "Big step, meeting the family, right? Very cool, very cool." Morgan raised his arms and stretched, affecting a dramatic yawn. "Ok, I'm gonna go check out the media room, maybe catch a nap. You kids have fun tonight, OK? Ok." He shot at them with finger guns as he wandered off.
"He's an awkward little man. But he means well." Chuck said affectionately. He looked at Sarah and smiled. "Ok, I'm officially off the clock. Shall we?" He said, holding out his hand.
"Yes, lets." Sarah Walker took the hand of the man she loved, and she couldn't remember the last time she was this scared. That stupid damn phone caused all of this. I love that stupid damn phone!
A/N: Some of you probably realize that my Bryce Larkin shares very little in common with the show version other than a name. I hated Bryce in the show. I thought he was an arrogant, unrepentant little prick and I cheered every time Casey shot him. Of course, that's what the writers of the show wanted from us. When Sarah kissed him in Chuck's room on Thanksgiving (S1E10), I seriously almost stopped watching the show I was so angry. Again, we were supposed to be. We were supposed to feel Chuck's pain, and I guess kudos to the producers/writers for doing it so well. That is one of the things that's driving me so hard with this AU. I get to make it my own, not legally, but in my heart.