A month had passed since Chuck's Intersect had been unlocked and removed. Chuck had been moved to a stand-alone rehab facility to continue his physical training but, unfortunately for the new couple, Sarah was no longer allowed to stay the night with him. Instead, a new routine had to be found for their family. Ellie and Sarah would leave around the same time every day; Ellie to her dad's house to continue working on the removal program for the Volkoff, or Agent X as she later learned it was code named, Intersect, and Sarah to the rehab facility to encourage Chuck as he continued with his physical therapy, and keep him company. The women would then return home around the same time and have dinner together, unless Ellie had plans.
Chuck had come a long way with his physical therapy, he wasn't steady enough on his feet yet to walk unassisted but had recently graduated from the parallel bars to a set of crutches. Although, he still tired easily so he also still had his wheelchair. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, his physical therapist had informed him that he would be released within the next day or two to continue his therapy in an out-patient facility.
Upon hearing the news, he and Sarah discussed what their next step would be. It was decided that until Chuck was cleared to return to work, even if it was just light duty, they would hold off on getting their own place and continue to live with Ellie. There had been some discussion about what they wanted to do about their collective jobs, both at the CIA and their respective cover jobs. Morgan had come by the week before bringing a 'get well' card from the BuyMorons as well as a request from Big Mike to let him know the moment Chuck could return to work. Seems that the interim Assistant Manager was also given the Nerd Herd to coordinate and control but was having great difficulty herding the nerds.
When Chuck had heard this, he told Morgan to inform Big Mike that it might be a while before he could return, if he did at all. He also sent along recommendations as to whom should take over as the interim supervisor knowing there was a good possibility that whoever was selected would be THE Nerd Herd Supervisor. Naturally at the top of the list were Skip and Anna; Skip had a remarkably similar skill set to Chuck only instead of being expelled the often-silent man had dropped out of MIT after finding the courses were not challenging enough for him, and Anna had learned diplomacy and leadership at the knee of her Taiwanese Ambassador father, although her tact could use a little finesse at times.
Although neither Chuck nor Sarah knew what they wanted to do career wise, they did know they didn't want to go on active missions once Molly was with them. This meant that if they wanted to stay with the company, they had a few options before them. Sarah could teach at the farm, be a chief of station, or even be an ambassador herself. Chuck could ask to be assigned to the Intersect project to continue his father's work and make sure that the host candidates would be able to wield the power of the Intersect without becoming a complete sociopath or psychopath, there was also a minor possibility of the Intersect causing psychosis in a less-than-compatible host. He could also teach tech classes at the farm, even join a counter-cyberterrorism team. Both could also take a lateral move and become analysts. While all these options were appealing, nearly all would require them to relocate to DC or an international station somewhere.
Chuck had numerous options outside of the CIA, considering he held a bachelor's degree from Stanford having double majored in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. He could work for any number of tech companies or even start one of his own, he could also decide to pursue graduate school, earn his masters or even PhD and teach. Sarah, herself had earned her bachelor's degree in Linguistics with minors in Romance and Slavic languages, and could work as a translator pretty much anywhere from a publishing house to the U.N. If she likewise pursued a graduate degree, she also could teach at a secondary or collegiate level. Simply put, whether they stayed with the company or not, the world was essentially their oyster.
Needless to say, they had some big decisions ahead of them, not the least of which was integrating Molly into whatever paths they decided on. Above all things, they knew they needed to provide a safe, stable, and loving environment for the little girl, where she could thrive and meet her full potential. With all that there was to consider, they had mutually decided to take things one step at a time. The first step would be completed the day Chuck was released to return home. The next step would be for Chuck to complete his out-patient program so that he could be back to his full strength. After that, or perhaps concurrently, find and deal with Ryker. They also were aware they might be pulled into Orion and Mnemosyne's Agent X Intersect removal project.
That prospect had also led to a discussion about whether or not Chuck should download the Intersect 2.0, or whichever version was available by the time he was fit enough mentally and physically to do so. They both knew that of all the candidates thus far, Chuck was the only one who could use it to its fullest extent. He had a rather unique brain and a natural skill, despite it not being fully recognized until the Intersect Team had been formed. His ability to adapt on the fly, analyze new data, and be one of the best spies without trying or training, was exemplary, and they knew that if he were to go through with the download, there was a good likelihood that Beckman would want him to be in the field. Of course, having the Intersect 2.0 would work well as an analyst, but there would still be the possibility that he would be put into a field analyst position where he might still be required to fully participate in missions without Sarah to protect him, assuming they had Molly with them by then.
For now, though, the focus was to continue on with the progress Chuck was making and hoping they would find a way to make their plans for the future a reality without having to sacrifice more than they were willing to.
Ellie had gotten the great news earlier that week that Chuck would be released to return home and had immediately told John. While they were glad Chuck would be home soon, it did present a potential issue. Neither of them had told Chuck that they were seeing each other, partly because Ellie was concerned about how the younger man would react to it so soon after learning about Dimitri. They were concerned he might not initially support or understand their relationship but were hopeful that Chuck would follow his girlfriend's lead and grow to accept it. They also knew that, no matter how or when he found out, it would likely be a shock to him. With the exception of the day his Intersect was unlocked, Ellie and John hadn't visited him together, so there was no opportunity for him to notice or analyze their interactions; the looks, the casual touches, and all the little interactions that couples have.
The news that Chuck would be home by that weekend had also led to them having to change their initial plans for the upcoming holiday. Despite it not really being something he normally celebrated, John had wanted to make Valentine's Day special for Ellie. He knew he could have easily gotten a reservation at a nice restaurant, perhaps even La Bella Rosa where they'd had their first date a couple months before, but he also knew nearly every other couple in the area would be trying to do the same thing. Considering this, he'd opted to plan a quiet, intimate dinner at his place, which also meant that moving up their celebration had been an easy adjustment to make.
He'd told Ellie to dress nicely and that he would pick her up promptly at seven on Wednesday night. He was so glad he did when she opened the door wearing a little black dress that skimmed her curves and was a couple inches above knee-length which she wore with a lace, short sleeved, bolero jacket and a pair of Louis Vuitton peep-toe pumps she'd borrowed from Sarah. The smile she gave him when he presented her with the bouquet of orchids, lilies, and amaryllis nearly took his breath away. Once she'd put the blooms in water, she joined him once more to be escorted over to his apartment.
The apartment had smelled divine when they entered, John had made a fairly simple meal of lemon garlic salmon with asparagus and baby potatoes which he'd pulled out of the oven to rest while he'd retrieved Ellie from her apartment. Handing her a glass of sauvignon blanc, he guided her to the table and held out her chair waiting until she was seated before plating up their dinner and returning to share the meal with his girlfriend. Ellie had praised the meal and clearly enjoyed every moment of it including the chocolate marble cheesecake he'd purchased for dessert. He'd never known anyone who could make eating cheesecake sexy, until that night in his apartment with Ellie. It was all he could do to not ravish her right then and there, but as his mother and baba had raised him to be a gentleman above all else, he held himself in check.
They later had retired to the living room to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. Knowing it was one of her favorites, and secretly one of his, he'd chosen Casablanca as their feature film for the evening. Ellie had kicked off her shoes so she could curl her legs up on the couch, about halfway through the movie, John had noticed she'd been absent mindedly flexing her feet and rubbing her calf with her free hand.
"Turn around," He murmured as they continued to watch the movie.
"Sorry?" She gave him a questioning look.
"Lay back against the arm rest and put your feet on my lap," John instructed, waiting for her to comply before gently massaging her feet, adding a little more pressure every so often until he heard Ellie let out a relieved sigh as the soreness from being on her feet all day drained from her body under his ministrations.
The movie was nearly over when she felt his hands drift up to her calves, she couldn't control the deep moan that escaped her lips or the flush that graced her cheeks when he gave her that coy grin of his as he added more pressure while slowing every movement to an agonizing pace. Eventually the massage turned more teasing as she felt his hands venture further up her leg to caress her knee and thigh until he reached the hem of her skirt. As the credits began to roll, John reached over, taking her hand in his and pulling her up to a sitting position and then onto his lap, pressing soft kisses along her throat and jaw.
"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He'd hummed against her throat, "Those little noises you make are enough to set a man over the edge, Eleanor."
"You started it," She smiled at him before leaning in and pressing a warm kiss to his lips, "And I really can't complain, I'm long overdue for a massage."
"I think I can help with that," John smiled at her, setting her on her feet and standing himself. Taking her hand, he led her up to his room, opening a drawer, he pulled out one of his old, worn in, PT shirts and handed it to her. "I don't want to wrinkle your dress." He explained simply, "I'm going to go get a few things while you get changed."
Ellie nodded and watched him leave the room before shrugging off the bolero jacket, tossing it over the chair he kept in the corner of his room. She then lowered the zipper that ran along her side and pulled it up and over her head before tossing it onto the chair as well. She caught sight of herself in the mirror that hung on the back of his door, considering the black lace bra and panty set she'd worn that evening. She hadn't even expected the night to get to a point where he might have cause to see it, she just liked how pretty it made her feel. After a moment more, she reached around an unhooked the bra, leaving it with the rest of her clothes. She'd given a brief thought to pulling on the shirt he'd given her but knew it would be easier for him to massage her bare back rather than try to do so over the shirt.
Pulling back the sheets, she slid into the bed, the soft feel of the Egyptian cotton practically sinful against her bare skin. Resting against the headboard, she pulled the sheet up to cover herself as she waited. Luckily, the wait wasn't long, she'd let out a giggle at the ridiculousness of him knocking on his own door before opening it. He was carrying a hand towel and a bottle of her favorite scented lotion.
"Did you get my lotion from my apartment?" She arched an eyebrow at him.
"No," John shook his head, "I just noticed the small tube you keep in your purse for when your hands are dried out from all the washing and sanitizing you do at the hospital. Figured it couldn't hurt to get some to keep here for you."
"That's very thoughtful of you, John," Ellie smiled up at him.
He shrugged and gave her a small smile, "Lay down on your stomach."
Ellie nodded and did as she was instructed. The sharp intake of breath that came from the man as he pulled down the sheet to reveal her bare back made her smile, and the soft whimper he'd let out when he saw the lacey panties she'd worn, turned her smile into a grin. "Like what you see, John?"
"You are testing the limits of my patience, woman," She heard his gruff voice as his breath tickled her ear, "A lesser man would think you were aimin' for something adorning yourself with frippery such as this," His finger trailed just beneath her waistband along her lower back sending a thrill of goosebumps up her back.
"Would it be so bad if I was?" She gave him a coy smile over her shoulder only to receive a low growl in response, "John, what have I told you about using your words?"
"Ellie, there are no words to describe what I'm seein' and feelin' at this moment," John pointed out.
Ellie heard the sound of a cap being popped open followed by the sound of someone working lotion into their hands for a second before she felt the cool sensation of lotion being rubbed into her back by John's capable hands. She was pleasantly surprised to find she didn't need to give him any direction, he seemed to know as if by instinct where all her problem spots were and just the right pressure to use to ease the tension or pain. When he was done with her back, he turned his attentions to her legs thoroughly massaging any remaining tension from her calves and thighs before allowing his hands to drift north once more.
"May I?" She heard his soft inquiry as she felt his fingers hook under the waistband of her panties. At her nod, he lowered the fabric enough to get a bit more access to her glutes so as to relieve any remaining pressure on her sciatic nerve.
By the time he was done, she felt as if she had melted into his bed. She also noticed that, although the massage was done, he was still running his hands softly over her back, occasionally drifting over her sides, causing her to sigh when his rough fingers grazed against the side of her breast, and goosebumps to run down her spine when he paired the action with a soft kiss to the juncture of her shoulders and neck.
She tried to shift to her side to grant him easier access, only to be stopped by his firm hand on her back. A moment later, the hand was removed, and she felt the soft sheet skimming up her legs, over her bottom and back until she was covered up to her shoulders. Taking care to keep herself at least somewhat covered, she turned, making sure the sheet covered her chest before sitting up. "Is there something wrong, John?" She asked.
"Nothing's wrong," He shook his head, "I just don't want to take advantage of the situation."
"John, come here," Ellie held out her hand to him and guided him down to sit on the bed beside her and made sure she had his full attention, "It's not taking advantage if I'm willing, which I most definitely am."
She reached out with her free hand and cupped the back of his neck, pulling him down to her for a searing kiss as the sheet fell to pool at her waist. It took John a moment before what was going on fully registered to him, but as soon as it did, he pulled her tight to himself, enjoying the feel of her smooth back beneath his fingers as he kissed his girlfriend within an inch of his life. It didn't take long until his shirt and jeans had been tossed in the general direction of the chair holding Ellie's clothes and he was under the covers with her, exploring every inch of her lithe body first with his hands then his mouth.
He rolled her over on her back and hovered over her, braced on his forearms as he let himself be drawn into her green eye which had abandoned their usual light shade when they'd started in earnest and were now a warm forest green giving her an ethereal look. "Ellie Faye, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."
"John," Ellie sighed, pulling him down for a kiss, "Shut up and make love to me."
He didn't have to be asked twice, quickly divesting them both of the last scraps of fabric separating them before reaching into his nightstand for the foil packets he knew were there. He knew no matter how many times they enjoyed such moments throughout their lives, he would always have this first time with her. She was his Ellie Faye, his Eleanor, and he swore to himself that he would spend every day of the rest of his life proving he was worthy of her.
The next morning dawned bright and early, and John had awoken to the feel of a very naked Ellie wrapped up in his arms. He reveled in how right it felt for her to be there beside him. He couldn't get over how beautiful she looked, hair mussed, and sated. Knowing he'd done that for her made a sense of pride swell deep within him and made him never want to let her go, not that he ever could. John didn't know when it happened, how, or why, but he knew it just as well as he knew his name, rank, and serial number; she was a part of him now, irrevocably.
John felt her stir in his arms, her face nuzzling into his chest a moment before she looked up at him with hazy eyes, "G'morning, John."
"'Morning Ellie," He hummed, pulling her close and pressing a soft kiss to her lips, "How'd you sleep?"
"Good," She smiled up at him, "You wore me out."
"That wasn't all me, Sugar," He pointed out, making her blush.
They lay in each other's arms content in the silence a while more before he heard the distinct gurgle of his girlfriend's stomach, "I suppose it would be foolish of me to ask if you are hungry," He chuckled.
"A little," Ellie giggled.
"You want me to bring you breakfast in bed or are you willing to join me in the kitchen?" He inquired, rolling onto his side to peer down at her.
"Hmm, tough decision," Ellie hummed playfully, "Why don't you go at least start the coffee and I'll be down in a minute to help make breakfast."
"A very good plan," He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before rolling over, grabbing his boxers, and pulling them on before retrieving his t-shirt from the chair and sliding it over his head as he made his way out the door and to the kitchen.
As promised, Ellie joined him a short time later, her long brown hair had been finger combed and secured back in a messy bun, and she was wearing one of his button-down shirts. He had a suspicion that his shirt was all she was wearing, but if they had any hope of eating in the next decade, he figured it was best to wait to test his theory until later. Instead, he poured her a cup of coffee, doctored it the way she liked before pouring one for himself. They then proceeded to make breakfast moving around his kitchen in the silent, but coordinated way, they had developed over their nearly two years of friendship and was improved throughout their two-month long relationship.
It didn't take long until they were seated at the table plates of spinach and tomato omelet with whole wheat toast and sliced fruit in front of both of them. They shared light conversation as they enjoyed their meal, and later on as they finished washing up, John found his moment to thoroughly test his theory.