A/N: Chuck's about to find out some stuff, so is Sarah, and Chuck is about to find out how Sarah feels about it. (HINT: IT'S ME!)
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.
"I'm kinda busy trying to get us not killed," Chuck said in a sing-song low voice. "Besides it's a really long story. Like… really long."
"How about you summarize it for me, so the former CIA agent knows exactly what it is I need to do to save your cute ass," Sarah insisted.
He stopped typing and turned to her. "You think it's cute?" She pressed her lips together and gave him a look, making him clear his throat. "Um, right."
"What's going on over there?" The man with the gun asked.
"Trying to explain to my girlfriend why I know about ten million dollars," Chuck replied. He turned to her. "That is okay, that I call you that in public, right?"
"Why would it not be?" Sarah asked, her hand taking the dish that Chuck had handed her from the open cupboard, over which his laptop was sitting on the counter.
"Well, I was involved with ten million dollars-" Chuck began.
"You were involved with nothing!" The man spat. "You stole that money! It belongs to us, and my boss."
"Uh, it was literally the Robertson's money," Chuck said, turning back to the man with the gun. The man took the gun off Sarah, returning its aim back at Chuck. "And besides, if your boss is so big and bad, why isn't he here?"
"Mr. Chang is taking care of other business," the man with the gun said.
"What is more important than ten million dollars?" Chuck asked. The man blinked. "NOW CASEY," Chuck yelled, as he grabbed Sarah, and pulled her down. The door burst open, and Casey unloaded his gun into the armed intruder.
"Clear," Casey said. Carina and Zondra entered behind him. Chuck and Sarah stood up from behind the counter.
"How the hell did they get here that fast?" Sarah asked.
"Been rumors for days someone was gonna make a move," Casey said with a shrug. "Bartowski sent me the code that he was in trouble. Luckily, I was at the bar with Carina, and Zondra was working. I told them you two were in trouble."
Sarah looked at Chuck. "I think it's time for that summary I didn't get earlier." Chuck started to open his mouth. "And by think, I mean if you don't tell me right now…" She trailed off, and the look on her face spoke volumes.
"Ever heard of Pirhana?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded. "Hi," he said with a wave, and a weak smile.
"Okay," Sarah said, nodding. "Do we need to call this in?" she asked, turning to Casey. Chuck was stunned at how she was taking this. That's when he remembered.
"Molly," Chuck said, panicking.
"Gertrude has her," Casey said gently. Chuck took a breath, and felt Sarah's supportive hand on his shoulder, rubbing it. He looked over at her, and saw no anger, only support. "Time to come home for a while, Chuck."
"Great, I gotta live with Curls," Carina said, smirking.
"He has more ownership of Robin's Nest than you do," Casey said, shrugging.
"So, what am I gonna have to do to keep my quarters?" Sarah asked in a low teasing voice.
Chuck turned to her, shocked. "Wait, I tell you I'm Piranha, and that's what you're worried about?" She chuckled at him. "You're seriously not worried, or concerned, or want to lock me up?"
"I mean, if you want to be in handcuffs… I'm not into that sort of thing, personally, but I'd make the effort for you," Sarah said with a shrug, and then giggled at the look on his face. "Chuck, I told you, I'm about now. I don't care who you were, I care about who you are. And apparently, you are someone that will do anything for those you love."
"Yeah, I will, and I do," Chuck said, looking her in the eye. Sarah smiled at him. "ELLIE!" he said, his eyes wide.
"Uh, she and Awesome were…" Zondra looked away and then back to Chuck. "Well…"
"Oh, Jesus," Chuck said. "They are okay?"
"They are with Gertrude and Molly, at Robin's Nest," Zondra told him. "Which apparently, I'm moving to as well?"
"Need everyone accounted for," Casey said. "I'm going to call this in to Beckman. You pack up," he said pointing at Chuck. "And you watch him, while he does," he said to Sarah.
"Come on, Chuck," Sarah said, pulling him to the bedroom. "We get to go through your drawers."
"Not so loud, you'll make Zondra jealous," Chuck muttered, heading to the bedroom to pack.
}o{
A little while later, at Robin's Nest, the group gathered in the living room. "I think it's time everyone here knows what's going on," Casey began. He paused. "Yes, bearded gnome?"
"Why am I here?" Morgan asked. "And Anna? And how long am I here? What about work? What about-" Morgan trailed off as Casey's growl grew louder. "How about I shut up and let you explain?"
"If I may address Morgan's worries?" Sarah asked. Casey nodded. "It may be my fault that you and Anna got pulled into this, and that this Chang character even found Molly. I'm sorry," she said, turning to Chuck and Molly. "Please don't hate me-"
Sarah got no further, as both Chuck and Molly pulled Sarah into a Bartowski hug.
"Awesome," Devon said, in his booming voice. "And I guess I'm here because… you need a heart surgeon."
"My sister likes you… a lot," Chuck began, grinning at the blond man. "And I like you… but not the same way she does." Devon smiled. "We don't want to leave anyone on the outside that Chang could target." Chuck turned to Sarah. "We're not mad or upset, but I hope this does explain why we have been so cagey on so many things."
"It does," Sarah said. "But is there any way you can please tell me what is going on?"
"Long story short, my parents were killed-" Molly began.
"Molly," Casey said, gently. "This story starts a lot earlier than that, and no one here but Gertrude and I knows it." Chuck turned to Casey, confused. "No, Bartowski, not even you." Casey looked extremely uncomfortable. "Maybe you better sit down, and Walker, hang on to him, because he's about to hear some stuff." Chuck stared at Casey, but slowly sat. Sarah sat on one side of him, and took his hand, and Molly sat on the other.
"This all started at Stanford, the night Piranha died," Casey began. Chuck's eyes went wide. "Chuck was working on a root kit. Now if you don't know what that is… well… it's not important to the story. It's an amazing piece of technology that only someone as smart as Bartowski could build." Sarah rubbed his arm, proud of him.
"That night, he hacked into both the CIA and NSA databases, with the intent to get some code, and no one knew about it, except one person: Orion." Casey paused.
"Orion?" Chuck asked, a little freaked out, and his eyes narrowing. He glanced at his sister, who had the same look of shock on her face.
"John," Ellie said. Chuck swore he saw Casey gulp. "Are you sure about what you just said? Are you absolutely sure it was Orion?"
"Who's Orion?" Devon asked.
"It was the name my father used when he was creating different computer programs," Ellie said. "Mom told us he was dead." She paused. "That was before she took off and left us."
"He's not dead," Casey said gently. Chuck felt Sarah's hand squeeze his. "He watched, as Chuck broke into those two systems with ease." Casey was silent a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. "The way he told me, there was so much pride in his voice…"
"Let me for a minute," Gertrude said gently to Casey. Casey nodded. "Your father, scared you would get into trouble-"
"Scared you would ruin his operation," Casey blurted out. Gertrude gave him a look, and he held his hands up.
"He's not wrong," Gertrude admitted, turning back to the group. "He wanted to frighten you, wanted to scare you. He… he did something stupid."
"He faked his death, or had mom tell us he was dead, so what could be more stupid?" Chuck asked. Ellie snorted.
"He tried to use CIA psyops on you," Gertrude told him. Chuck looked at Sarah.
"What the hell did he do," Sarah blurted out. Chuck saw the look on her face. He knew that look: it was a look of a woman that would do anything to protect someone. His mother had it, his sister had it. And while both had been made when someone had threatened or hurt Chuck, this was different. This was the look of someone who would never let anyone hurt him again, if they could help it. This wasn't protecting him because he was property. This was protecting him because he was loved.
"That night, as Chuck slept, Orion hacked his computer, and had it softly play, over and over, that they knew," Gertrude told them. Sarah's eyes went wide. "It was on a low decibel level. Orion was trying to get Chuck not to hack anymore. What he didn't realize was that he was putting absolute fear into Chuck." She sighed. "Chuck got a call from his professor the next morning, wanting to see him." She looked away.
"Oh shit," Sarah muttered.
"They were going to offer you a job, Chuck," Gertrude said gently. "They wanted you to be a TA and eventually teach there." Chuck looked away. Sarah put her arm around him, and pulled him close. Molly was glaring at the fireplace. "Your father had you so messed up with what he did… well…"
"He's the reason Chuck fled Stanford in fear, ended up here, and had a drinking problem," Casey said, standing. "I bawled his ass out, Bartowski. I begged and pleaded with them to tell you what he had done-"
"How the hell did you do that?" Ellie asked, standing. "Are my parents on this island?"
Casey glanced at Gertrude. "Should have let me tell this," Gertrude said. She turned to Ellie. "Yes. Yes, they are." Ellie nodded, turned, and stormed out of the house. "DON'T LEAVE THE GROUNDS!" Gertrude yelled after her.
"I'm gonna go check on her," Devon said, getting up and chasing after her.
"Dad, go with Sarah," Molly said softly.
"Where?" Chuck asked.
"To our place," Sarah told him. Chuck nodded, and the two left the room.
}o{
Sarah led Chuck across the compound to the guest cottage. He was on autopilot, with her leading him. All he could think of was all the nights he'd stumbled across this yard, to his bed, all because he was so scared, and wanted the pain and fear to go away. So, he drank. And he drank. And he drank. He was so tired of being scared, and now to learn this entire time it had all been a lie… that Casey had known…
"Sonofabitch," he muttered. She led him inside, and took him over to the bed, letting him sit. She pulled off his shoes, and gently laid him back. There was anger on his face like she had never seen. Tears were in his eyes; from pain or anger, she didn't know.
"Do you want to be alone?" she asked.
His head snapped toward her, and he sat up quickly. "God, no," Chuck said, desperation in his voice. "I've been alone for so damn long, because of a damn lie. And I don't begrudge Molly a thing for watching her. And-and I know you don't know that part of the story yet, but I could have had a life, I could have known people, but I was trapped…" he shook his head.
"They did you wrong, Chuck," Sarah said, sitting beside him.
He whipped his head to her, startling her. "Please don't take what I said the wrong way, like I wanted to have someone else in my life, or be in a relationship or something, because, Sarah… Sarah, I love you, and maybe this is too quick, but what you said is right, we only have so long. And there is no denying what I feel for you."
"I love you, Chuck," Sarah replied. "I'm just so sorry that you were treated this way, by your parents." She shook her head. "Who the hell does that?"
"Well, apparently Orion and the Frost Queen," Chuck began.
"What?" Sarah asked, stunned.
"Yeah, my mom is CIA agent, super-spy, the Frost Queen," Chuck said, shrugging. "She left us because of a mission." His shoulders slumped. "I mean, at least now I know it was my dad…"
"No wonder you worry about Molly," she muttered. She took his face in her hands. "I'm not leaving you, Chuck. You'll have to run me off."
"Why the hell would I run you off?" he asked. "You didn't bat an eye at me being Piranha. You didn't run screaming, knowing I'm an in-over-my-head father."
"I'm pretty sure that in-over-my-head part is what every father thinks," Sarah pointed out.
"Maybe," Chuck said, shrugging. "And when you learn everything… well, almost everything, about me," he paused, seeing her look. "I mean I learned things tonight, so I'm guessing more is coming, once someone finds Ellie…" he trailed off.
"That's fair," Sarah said. "But for tonight, you're done. You're staying here."
"I forgot my clothes," Chuck began.
"Don't need them," she told him, grinning. "I mean, that is…" she trailed off with a shy smile, and then cupped his face with her hands again. "As long as you're here, I'm going to protect you, and Gertrude and Casey have got Molly. And before you try to argue, that was what Molly suggested."
"Who's gonna protect me from you?" Chuck asked.
"Do you need protection from me?" she asked. Chuck shook his head. "Good. Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot to do. I need to make my boyfriend feel better, and get his mind off how shitty his parents are."
"And how are you gonna do that?" Chuck asked.
"Remind him how much he's loved," she said kissing him gently.
"That sounds nice, but how are you going to remind him?"
"I'm going to make love to him all night."
"I see," he said in a choked voice. "All… night?" Sarah nodded. "Well."
"Shut up and kiss me, Chuck."
A/N: More reveals next chapter. I have nothing else written to give you a preview. Reviews, PMs yada yada, they're all appreciated.