NEVER GIVING UP ON A GOOD THING

by mssupertigz

What if the bomb and their first kiss were just the end of one thing and the beginning of another? Two separate events with major life alternating consequences. Would this, disbelief, unfounded circumstance allow, Sarah to heal, forgive and would she fight to remember him at all costs.

7. Chapter 7

Woah, here we go. Will Mary finally come clean and will this be enough to satisfy Chuck?

Chapter 7

Mary watched from across the room and finally sat down. Sarah took Chuck's hand and forced him into the living room. Andy sat next to him and Sarah sat to his right. Casey leaned against the hearth with one hand holding his glass and the other near his gun. Just in case of course.

"Are you ready to come clean?" Chuck spoke with confidence as he looked at his mom. Andy never bothered to look at her mom but looked at Chuck. "I want to know why or what the heck happened in my room?"

Chuck turned slightly and looked at Andy. "They are called flashes or that is what I call them. When a certain command is given and executed, it expels images like a fast moving picture and I am able to take in all those images at a very fast pace. Most of the images are intel, very top secret stuff, names, faces and others are random fun facts or trivia. What you saw earlier was similar but it wasn't like the rest it was more of a place to start."

"Did dad do this?"

Chuck smiled a straight smile. "Dad created the original Intersect, that's what he called it. He created it years ago and since then I have always to some degree had the Intersect. The last one was a year ago when a former friend and CIA agent Bryce Larkin sent me an email containing all the CIA's files. That is when Sarah and Casey came to protect me."

"But you passed out."

"It seems to go that way. Sarah and Casey weren't with me the first time I uploaded the file. They came days later."

"You said Bryce Larkin?"

"Why?"

"Dad first met him about five years ago and then again a year ago. He and I were in town and he met a man."

Andy grabbed her phone and showed them a photo. Chuck took the phone and looked at the picture then showed Sarah.

"Yeah that's Bryce."

Casey walked towards Chuck and took a glance. "What were they talking about?"

"I didn't hear, but when dad came back to the car, he seemed anxious than usual and then he drove us home. He told be to be ready for anything and months later, all of this happened. So dad created a machine that people want and will fight for. And because of this machine mom and dad had to choose to leave you and Ellie to keep you safe and the other big secret is that you have all this stuff in your head and dad is missing because of it."

"Yeah, that's why but there's more, right mom? I know that you have been threatened and that a man name Volkoff could be behind this. It looks like dad was fearing this for some time?"

"You weren't supposed to be looking into this. That info was not to be found."

"Found? I think that I had the right to know that my family was being threatened and because of it I am to play dead."

"It's safer that way. No one is supposed to know that the Intersect still exists, especially that my son had it or that he was suppose to be recruited to the CIA, which would sound a lot of alarms. Bryce was asked to make sure that you didn't get involved but because you had the brain capacity and were very smart Stanford was going to recruit you and we couldn't have that happen. If Stanford wasn't looking into recruiting and you were just a regular student we would be fine. Bryce wouldn't have sent you the Intersect." Mary looking at Chuck.

"So you agreed with Bryce's plan to have me kicked out of Stanford, which ruined my life. Then on top of it I got involved in the CIA anyways."

Mary paused. "Yes."

"You said that the info wasn't to be found? What did you mean?"

"Your dad had set up a default in case something happened to him but because he was taken so quickly I didn't know whether or not he had activated it. And I didn't know that when you went back to LA you'd go to the cabin. I thought that it had been torn down years ago."

"I found his system a month ago and as far as I was concerned I got no where. But it had to been set anyways? Andy said that a beacon came on weeks ago. Almost the same time I found the system at the cabin. Between fiddling with that and today it must have opened the files and with that made me flash.

Chuck looked at his mom and she knew that it was time to come clean. Chuck sat back and listened while Sarah and Casey looked at each other with a common nod to leave the room. Chuck looked up at Sarah as she got up. She let go of his hand and kissed him. "You got this!"

Sarah rounded the corner of the couch and nudged Andy to come with her. Andy wanted to stay but Sarah didn't give her the chance. Mary got up and moved to the chair next to Chuck still giving him his space. Mary took a few breaths and started talking. "When I finally left I was about four months pregnant with Andy and your father and I had been threatened, I guess the bad perks of the job. But when the job started to hit home and put you in danger, your dad and I had to do something about it. Volkoff was one of the men that worked with your dad. He failed to listen to reason therefore experimenting on himself and for the power he gained. He used your dad's research and made it his own and selling secrets, names and identifications. He developed an infatuation with me that went beyond friendship on his part.

Right before I left I was in your father's study and working on some mission reports when Volkoff came in. I knew him as Winterbottom, Hartley, he changed his name to Volkoff because he said it made him more of a man. He tried to kiss me and when I pushed him away he hit me so hard I fell and hit my head." Chuck looked at her. "There was blood everywhere." "The baby?"

"No Andy, was ok but what he said and done we knew it wasn't safe. I asked for a leave just to get us out of LA but because I was considered one of the best they denied my request. So your dad and I decided to leave or least get me and the baby out of there, then he wouldn't come after you two."

"Did he know that you had other kids?"

"Not that we know of, you two were usually at school and we made sure that work didn't come home with us except this one time, it was a big mistake. When we had a plan in place somehow the Orion files and everything he had worked on became public knowledge and people mostly head hunters came out of the wood work to get their hands on the intel. Which forced us to make the hardest decision of our lives. I was already over here and it had been a year or so gone till your dad got here. By then Ellie was almost 13 and you were almost 10. Your dad came home one day and found the house broken into." Chuck looked at his mom. "I remember that day, he told us we couldn't go inside. It was days before we got our stuff back and dad put us in one of those long-term hotels." Chuck lowered his head. "He said that he was going to get groceries to make pancakes… (long pause) he never came back."

Mary reached over the arm of the chair. "It was only supposed to be temporary but the threats stopped and the people we had looking out for you said you two were doing amazingly well." Mary saw the look on Chuck's face. "I know what your going to say."

"Do you mom! Anyone would tell you that El and I were doing great. We had to show that – if we didn't we'd be sent to foster care or even split up. I lost count of how many times El had to lie about where you were and how many times we had to ask the lady next door to vouch for us and pretend that she was our Grandma. And how many times we went to school hungry and tired because there was no food and we were too scared to sleep sometimes. We had Esther who was our fake Grandma ask the front desk about who was paying for the room and the owner said he didn't know and he didn't care as long as the room was paid for. Then that stopped too and Esther took us in till Ellie got a job at 15 and was able to make some money. I started a paper route and odd jobs, mowing lawns and fixing computers. Between the two of us we had enough to rent a small place. A one bedroom bachelor suite. Ellie finished high school and got a scholarship to go to University and with that was able to live near campus which helped. I rode my bike to school and took the bus when the weather was bad. Every holiday and achievement we celebrated alone. We even had our own Mother's Day."

Mary looked up with wonder.

"The day you left and didn't come back was the first day we were on our own. Dad was there but not really, and now I know why so when he left it didn't hurt as much. But when you left it was different because you always came back no matter how long you were gone. YOU CAME BACK and it was like old times – you never missed a beat."

"I'm sorry."

"Those words mean nothing anymore. Then to find out that you and dad stayed here and raised Andy like a normal family while your other children were left in LA to fend for themselves. Then 20 years later you decide to finally make an appearance and I get blown up, fake my death, leave my sister without a brother. Then to find out that the same men who were after you years ago, are back and coming for me because of what my dad made, and what my ex friend Bryce sent to me. I don't know if I should be happy or concerned."

Chuck was about to get up. "Son, Chuck please sit down." Chuck sat back down. "You have the right to be angry, confused and everything else. But your dad made that choice to leave to keep you two safe. If we weren't there, then they wouldn't be looking for your dad's work. The Intersect was only part of it, but the possibilities were endless with what it could do and if it got in the wrong hands then….Volkoff wanted your dad to build him a new program that would allow a simple algorithm to be used along with it the Intersect files, it could then be manipulated, allow you to hack into any spy organization etc. Just like you, you're able to flash on intel and Volkoff believes that it could do more which unfortunately it can."

Chuck finally gave his mom a sincere look, not of anger but of clarity. "So that is why Bryce stole it and sent it to you. If we could control who had it then it wouldn't be used as a weapon or whatever else he wanted to use it for. Your dad called it Sandwall."

Chuck flashed and held his head. Mary got up and sat beside him and rubbed his back. Sarah stepped into the hallway and looked into the living room and saw Mary sitting with Chuck. Casey stepped in behind her. "It looks like he flashed again."

Sarah brought her hand to her face. "Well Mary needs to see that, to show her that it takes a huge tole on him." Casey nodded and stepped back into Andy's room. Sarah watched Chuck till she saw him take a breath, it was a sign she knew he'd be okay. She rejoined Andy. Andy looked up when she saw Sarah return. "So its awfully quiet in there, maybe it's a good sign." Sarah smiled.

Andy looked at Sarah and Casey. "So you guys were hired to watch my brother right?"

Casey sat down. "At first no. We, I was sent to retrieve the file that was taken, thinking that it was a file like on an USB or external drive. I had no idea that it was what it was and that it could be uploaded or programmed to be imbedded in a person. So when we found that out – our orders changed to a role of handler and protectors I guess. Sarah's role was handler – training and teaching Chuck to be independent and work with the CIA on missions and hopefully become a spy that could use what he had for good. I was there to keep him safe from everything else. He's family and when we thought that he was dead – it hit us pretty hard. But don't tell him that. He'd get all mushy and clingy." Sarah looked at him. "Come on Casey admit to Andy that you like having Chuck around and that he has grown on you." Casey gave the girls a smile and a grunt. The girls laughed.

Chuck came out of the flash. "Sandwall Military Op, the mission that they wanted me on. Sarah and I found that out by mistake actually."

"Well that is when Volkoff got word and started looking into it again. So Bryce came to visit us about 6 years ago when he started at Stanford and they had recruited him. And when he showed up and told us that they had a new student arriving and his name was Chuck Bartowski your dad put all of this into action."

"How did Bryce know about you and dad?"

"I was informed of the new recruits by a friend and we started talking and we heard that Bryce was going to be in the area so your dad wanted to meet him. Your dad asked Bryce to look out for you and he didn't say why at first, but Bryce agreed. Six months or so Bryce returned."

"Yeah Andy said that he had shown up again."

"This time he told your dad that they wanted him for the Omaha project with was the Sandwall Military Op based on your test scores. So Bryce acted on a request by your dad to prevent that from going any further."

"So that makes sense why he had me kicked out of Stanford." (Chuck knew why but hearing it again and hearing the other side, Bryce's side, how could he hate the guy.)

"It was our way to have control over it. Bryce convinced a Professor Flaman."

"Flemming."

"Right Flemming to go along with his plan."

Chuck looked at his mom and things were starting to make sense. But he still had questions. "So they took dad because."

"I am guessing to get information on who had the Intersect as word got out that it was stolen, taken from the DNI and if they found you. Your dad finally gave in."

"They beat him?"

"It would be the only way that your dad would give up your location. With out that they would still be looking."

"I wouldn't have to play dead."

"So when your dad went missing I went and tried to locate you. I was able to get some chatter on a mission that you were on and Andy and I flew to LA to intercept. We saw you and Sarah heading into a warehouse and we also saw Yari, who I knew had to work for Volkoff. So Andy over heard Yari and his men talking that the contents inside were only there to scare you and not harm you. But Andy heard that the one fitting the bill, wanted you with a pulse but the agent they didn't care. Unfortunately the bomb went off and you were hit and so was Sarah. Andy took you before they could, got you safe. Returned with another body, made sure Sarah was take to safety then we flew here."

"So why would I flash the other day when Andy's computer got working again?"

"You said that there was one similar to hers in the cabin?"

"Yeah."

"If it had to do with anything that your father was working on he must have programmed it and set the wheels in motion, maybe Andy would have eventually figured it out."

"You think he knew that one day it would come to this?"

"Maybe, he set up a fail safe program that not just anyone could figure it out."

"Andy doesn't have the Intersect does she?"

Mary laughed. "No just you."

She took Chuck's hand in hers. "I don't expect you to understand or try to forgive us but we did what we thought was the best at the time and as the years went by – maybe we were selfish and liked the life we had – we didn't want to come back and say hey we're home. We can't take back the last 20 years but we can move forward. All that I am asking is that you be open to find it somewhere, someday forgive me to forgive us."

Chuck noticed that she subtlety wiped a tear but she failed to see how many nights he had cried himself to sleep or heard Ellie crying in the bathroom so she wouldn't show him that she was hurting. Mary got up and walked off. He watched her and wasn't sure if they were done talking and everything was out in the open or that it was start. 'Like she said – she wanted me to be open for change.' Chuck got up and grabbed his jacket and left.

Sarah saw Mary walk by and walked into the hall. "Mary?"

Mary turned around. "He's one special guy." "He is." Mary walked to her room and closed the door. Sarah walked into the living room to find it empty. She saw that his coat was gone. She grabbed hers and headed outside. The sun had come up over the mountains and finally there was some heat. She walked down the path and saw him standing on a small bridge overlooking a small creek. She stepped on the bridge and walked up to him placing her hand on his back. "So how did it go?"

Chuck stayed quiet for a long time then turned and brought her close. Sarah held him tight and felt that it had a different feel to it. It was an embrace that said please don't leave me. Sarah waited till Chuck's body relaxed then Chuck stood up and looked at her. Sarah kissed his cheek then his lips. Chuck leaned on the railing holding Sarah's hand. "I guess it went okay, some things were explained."

"So she told you why she left?"

"Yeah but I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"Even if Ellie and my life was in danger, no matter what, wouldn't you have taken your kids with you?"

Sarah thought about her dad. "Chuck when my dad left and when he came back it wasn't the same. The only thing we had to do, when we were together were those petty con jobs and when I went back to my mom, it was like my mom wasn't there. And I reminded her of my dad, stubborn, independent and by the time I was in high school and they arrested my father and I joined the CIA. It wasn't the same nor will it ever be, no matter how much I wish it would have. We can't tell our parents that what they are doing or did is right or wrong and we can't solve their problems either, so instead of trying to find an answer, distance was the answer. It's also an excuse but also a solution. You may never forgive her and that is up to you, but whatever you decide, you need to remember that something good came out of this."

Chuck looked at Sarah. "You and me?"

Sarah leaned in. "Very much but." Sarah tilted her head. "Andy, you have a sister who thinks you're the world, she never asked for this and she has dreamt of meeting you as well as keeping this secret because you were her older brother. She is a mini Chuck."

"She is isn't she. Go to her." Chuck started to walk.

"You and me?"

Sarah walked up to him and kissed him. "Chuck Bartowski, I am never giving up on you or us. I love you."

"I love you too."

Chuck kissed her as Sarah left this time giving Andy a high five on her way down. Sarah waited and watched the siblings stare out at the small creek.

"You okay? You and mom were talking for a long time."

"Well twenty years, there would be a lot to talk about."

"Did it make sense?"

Chuck looked at his sister. "How old are you again?"

"Almost 18."

Chuck laughed. "Honestly no, but you have figured out by now, this family isn't normal."

"Long time ago."

They both laughed. "But mom's explanation, you happy with it?"

"I don't know cause I only can relate to my side of it and I have to stick up for Ellie as well. We had nothing but we stuck together and that is all we know. Yeah we wondered where mom and dad were, especially when I got involved with the CIA. I thought about looking for them a hundred times and hundred times I talked myself out of it because I didn't want to know the answers."

"And now? You have the answers."

"I do but I have a lot more questions as well, but no matter what I ask, the answers will always be that my parents left Ellie and me."

"Chuck, when I found out that I had a brother and sister I was ecstatic. I always felt that our family wasn't just the three of us. Certain things that mom and dad did, like in the spring they would go out and be alone and then in the fall do the same thing. Then I found out that Ellie was born in the spring and you were born in the fall."

"When were you born?"

"Summer, August."

"There were other things that after I knew they didn't keep from me, school functions, you and Ellie going to University, Ellie becoming a doctor. But the only thing they kept from me was what dad created and what you ended up with. And when we heard that they had located you and dad was taken mom was like the mother lion and I had to step up to the plate. It wasn't the way I wanted to meet you."

"No, it was like oh by the way how did you two meet. Well my sister that I didn't know about pulled my body from an explosion and kicked some ass doing it. Then worked by butt off so I could be here today."

Andy's smile slowly faded. "Andy, thanks for saving me, saving Sarah. Even when you didn't have too."

"I'm glad I did cause you make the worst patient and hearing about Sarah I knew you had it bad for her and it made working with you bearable."

Andy' smile came back.

"Chuck, you may never forgive mom and I am okay with that and I can't say what Ellie will do, but I am glad that your my brother and that you were worth the wait."

Chuck for the first time held his baby sister in his arms.

That evening, Chuck and Andy settled in her room, focussed on finding their dad. Chuck went through her computer and wondered why it would have gone off like it did. "How did dad do this?" Andy get her laptop ready.

"I don't know, it was like he knew or anticipated what could happen and if scenario A, happened then these steps, were needed and if another scenario happened then

these steps would be followed."

"So why don't we do just that. Take each scenario and play it out."

Chuck looked at his sister. "I think that you are in the right direction."

Chuck took his dad's old files and gave Sarah and Casey the task to find out where Volkoff would have been or is since to 2000. Whether he was living as Volkoff or Winterbottom. Andy and Chuck took the task to figure out what the system at the cabin was all about and why when Chuck typed in the commands Ace's Charles and 1 and 11 they triggered the other flash. Chuck asked Andy to look into the path that their dad used hoping to get a map while Chuck decided to look into the uploads. As the team worked into the wee hours, Sarah came walking in seeing Andy sleeping.

Sarah crouched down beside Chuck. "Casey's gone to sleep and I see that Andy has as well."

"I'm not tired."

"I can see that, but this can wait for a little while, you've had a very emotional day."

Chuck stopped typing.

"I'm not tired."

Sarah got up and took his hand. Chuck walked over to Andy's bed and took her laptop and covered her up. Shutting off the desk lamp and closing the door. They walked up stairs to their room. Chuck started to take his shoes off and reaching for his shirt he stopped and reached for Sarah. Their lips met. It wasn't planned and that was what made it so special. Chuck laid Sarah down and pressed her down into the mattress. It was needed release of all the emotions that filled the day. Sarah was Chuck's outlet. No matter what was going on they could rely on each other. They became one and made love into the early hours but it was better than any sedative, it was love.

Sarah woke up first but didn't move from his hold. She watched Chuck breathe in and out knowing that he was starting to be at peace. She had known him for almost a year and not knowing about his parents was one of the factors why he had never gotten a good nights sleep, till now. Sarah closed her eyes and fell back to sleep only to be awaken by soft tender lips kissing her skin. Sarah kept her eyes closed as she was rolled onto her back and the love of her life was kissing every inch of her exposed skin. Chuck slid his arms around her lower back making her arch slightly then his hand sliding down her back side, cupping her thigh and making her whisper a 'Oh my.'

Sarah opened her eyes to his and raised her head to kiss him. His skin fell silky under hers. His movements made her take notice and her strategically placing her hands on various spots on his body made his back arch. It was quick but not too quick. Chuck lowered his head and kissed her lips as Sarah cupped his face. They made sure their ending was perfect and nothing was missed. Chuck buried his face in her shoulder as she rubbed his back. Something that she started to do and enjoyed after they made love.

Chuck and Sarah held hands as they headed towards the kitchen. They grabbed something to eat and chatted with Casey when the three looked up seeing Andy standing there with her laptop. "I think I know where dad is?"