A/N: Last chapter Sarah told Chuck why she had wanted to run away with him and why the rejection hurt so much. He hadn't known about the Red Test before.
This chapter, he continues to woo her with notes and gifts and she agrees to go for a meal with his sister. Brave woman!
Thanks for reviews. I really appreciate them.
Once again, JohnnyRayChandlett pre-read this and offered invaluable input.
No Beta, again.
Disclaimer: I neither own, nor make money from Chuck.
Prove Yourself
Chapter 6 – Early birds
The next morning, Sarah wakes when her alarm goes off. She's set it to do so, five minutes earlier than normal.
She leaps out of bed and rushes to the door. Looking through the peephole, she sees nothing. He's not here yet.
She grins. Today I will catch him!
She opens the door, intending to go out and wait for him. She didn't know which direction he'd come from, so intends to walk to the other side of hallway and slide down and wait for him. However, with the door open, she sees a piece of paper on the floor, next to a jar, just outside.
Sighing, she opens the paper up and reads the note.
Early?
Here are the worms
Picking up the jar, she sees it full of jelly worms. The sort that she had seen Ellie make last Halloween.
That phrase, "The early bird catches the worm." So, she's the bird? She knows that decades ago, that had been British slang for young women. Is that his reference? And does this also mean he's the worm? Or is it just about the phrase itself? Chuck thinking she is the worm and he's early, catching her? After their conversation yesterday, could he be trying to add some boldness and even some frivolity?
I'm just overthinking this! Shaking her head, she takes them inside.
She brews her morning coffee and, while she waits, contemplates what has just happened. He was expecting her to come out and had prepared for that. How did he know?
She doesn't remember giving any indication that she wanted to catch him. Nor had she questioned how he was doing it or even why he was doing it. He might understand me and my thoughts better than I assumed.
While in this state of contemplation, she absentmindedly opens the jar and takes one out. She pops it in her mouth. She doesn't realize what she's done until the strong orange taste makes itself known. She pays attention then. The flavor is not too sweet or too sour, but just right. It reminds her of the French liqueur, Cointreau.
Who made these? Ellie of Chuck? Did they use Cointreau? If it was Chuck, when did he make them?
Too many questions! And she won't be able to answer any until she sees him.
She can't wait to see him. To answer the questions, of course.
He's grinning when she picks him up and he just sits and grins all the way to the park. As she pulls up, she turns to him and asks her question. "Who did it?"
That obviously isn't the question he was expecting. He stumbles over his reply. "Wh-who did what?"
She grins, knowing what he was thinking. About placing the items outside her door and the note. The fact that he was caught out by her question, the words in it, suggests that it isn't him that placed the items there at all. Someone else did it. I'll file that fact.
To enable him to answer, she elaborates. "Who made the worms, Chuck?"
He looks both relieved, confirming her other suspicions, but also embarrassed. He replies, bashfully, "Me."
She'd expected him to say it was Ellie, but is not too surprised. He can do anything, after all.
"Thank you, Chuck. I really like them."
He looks surprised. "You already tried one?"
She grins. "Yep."
He grins too. "I wasn't sure you'd like them, but hoped you would."
"Well, I do," She looks at him briefly., then decides to say more. "That was sweet, Chuck, but not too sweet. And not too sour, either."
She can hear him chuckling, but quickly gets out of the car. He does the same.
She tries to look serious, although she's struggling. "No ice cream today, Chuck. You wouldn't want to make me fat. Or would you?"
He stumbles, then realizes she's teasing him.
"I'd have you, whatever." His straight face and response make her stumble. Have me! What does he mean by that?
She shakes her head to clear it of thoughts she shouldn't be having.
"Come on. Let's run." With that she takes off.
The day's run went well. He was definitely getting fitter. Daily, which was surprising. Maybe the Intersect was helping in some way.
As they sit resting on a bench at the end, Chuck turns and asks, "Are you okay to come for a meal with Ellie and Devon on Friday, Sarah?"
That sends her into a panic. Friday is only four days away! Am I ready to face his sister yet? She'll ask questions about our time away, about my feelings for Chuck.
I can decide about life and death in combat in a split second, but four days to face "his" family is much too short a preparation!
Chuck can obviously see the panic rising. He takes her hand in his. "Sarah, I told them I was away at a conference, not with you. That, when I returned, I messed up with you. Lost you. We just have to stick to the story that we are reconnecting again. I assume that's right."
She looks at him. He's right, of course. She grips his hand. "Okay, Chuck, but…" she tails off. She doesn't know how to ask. It is not something she ever does. It will show such weakness. Vulnerability.
He grips back. Softly, he asks, "What is it, Sarah?"
She swallows. It's not terrible needing to ask for this. She steels herself. "Chuck, I'm still very sensitive about the rejection. I won't be able to cope if they question me. If they think I have hurt you."
He instantly dismisses that. "They won't think that, Sarah."
She glares at him and snaps, "Don't be so dismissive, Chuck! If your sister senses anything is wrong, anything, she'll dive in with questions, probing questions, maybe even accusations. It's what she does."
"I can stop her…"
She scoffs at that. "No, you can't, Chuck! She has you wrapped around her finger. Tell her not to ask about it. If she does, I'll leave. Tell her, very clearly, that we are trying to decide if we can get back together and that we don't want to talk about it, at all."
He nods. "Okay, Sarah."
She looks at him to make sure he does understand. He seems to. She then talks about the other thing that is bothering her about this. "Chuck, I also don't want anyone else there. Not Casey. Not Morgan. I don't want them seeing me so vulnerable either. I know this sounds pathetic, but my ego and professional standing are at stake here, Chuck. If either of those guys are there, I won't be able to stay. You need to make Ellie understand that."
He looks surprised. "But…"
She cuts him off. "No buts, Chuck. If they are already invited, then I'm not coming. Are they?"
He looks down at their hands. When he looks up, he admits, "Both of them."
"Then I'm not coming." She lets go of his hand, gets up and starts to walk away.
Suddenly, he's in front of her, holding his hands up, placatingly. "I'll stop them, Sarah. I can persuade them both to stay away."
She snorts. "Really?"
"I will and I'll tell El that this is a step towards us getting back together, so no other distractions. Please, Sarah."
She looks into his imploring eyes. Desperate eyes. She knows she shouldn't give him this hope, when it will probably not happen, but she gives in. "If you can keep them away. But if either are there, or if either turn up after me, I will leave."
He beams. "Thank you, Sarah."
She is back at her hotel when she receives a text from Chuck.
Neither will come on Friday
Then another text follows it.
xxx
She stares at her phone for a minute, looking at both texts. Then she realizes she should reply, at least to the first one. She types it out.
Thank you
She hovers over the letter 'x' for several seconds, then decides she is being stupid not doing this. She taps the letter once and sends the text.
Then she thinks she's done the wrong thing. She should have left that out, just said 'thank you,' but it's done now. She snorts. Maybe he'll see it as a first step to more x's , or even to real kisses.
She then spends several minutes thinking about kissing him. She knows she really want to do that. Why don't I just let it happen?
She can't answer that one. The fear of rejection seems more and more unlikely to be realized.
The next four days go as expected. Notes and gifts, followed by training that seems to be getting easier for him each day.
On the fourth day, the day of the meal with Ellie and Devon, Sarah decides to talk to Casey before she goes there.
She hasn't seen Casey for several days. Not since she was ordered to train Chuck. They'd arranged that she would see him in the mornings and he, in the afternoon. He was focusing on weapons training and surveillance techniques. He didn't have to do anything. She was the one told to train him, but he'd volunteers two hours a day for this.
Sarah was going to wait that day for Casey to arrive, but saw he was there when she and Chuck got to Castle from their run, so as Chuck went for his shower, Sarah walked to Casey.
"Casey, can we talk for a minute?"
He looked up from the pistol he was cleaning. "For a minute."
She smiles at that. "Casey, I'm going for an Ellie grilling session tonight."
"I know."
"Any idea of the reception I'll get?"
He looks at her for a while, then says, "You'll be okay. He might get a grilling, though."
"Why?"
"He confessed to her he'd lost you. Screwed up. If she questions you, it'll be to find out how."
"Oh."
"I was glad when he asked me not to come. I don't want to watch that."
She smiles at him. "Thanks, Case."
He grunts and turns back to the pistol.
She has spent the afternoon trying to decide what to wear. She knows this is stupid. She's eaten with them so many times before.
Somehow, this feels different. It will be in a different apartment, as Ellie and Devon moved out of the old one recently, but that's not all that's different.
The cover relationship used to be the best part of them being together. Being with these two, made her feel part of the family. Welcome. Now she feels like an outsider looking in. Just like she had at the start.
She knows, from what Casey said, that Ellie will try to pull her back in again, make Chuck be with her, but is that right? Should they be 'back together'?
They never really were 'together' before, but now they feel even less so. Sure, she's falling for him again, but at the same time wary of being hurt. Again.
Maybe her nervousness is also because they are in this 'holiday' period, so not really working and therefore there's no need for the cover? No, that's wrong. The cover can't just be switched on and off around holidays. The cover, needs to be in place again before the missions start again, or at least progress towards it.
She needs to do this for the sake of the cover, again. Shit!
She hated the cover. Chuck hated the cover. The only people that liked it were either those demanding it (now just Beckman) and the family and friends that believed it was real. Shit! Shit!
All this is true, but she also knows that, in her heart of hearts, what she wants is for this to be a real relationship. The one that both she and Chuck had wanted, before Prague.
He's saying he wants that again. Maybe he does, but maybe he is deluding himself again and her. God, I wish I could see into his brain!
None of this is helping her. All she needs to do is select something casual, put on some light make up and go.
She shakes herself out of this trepidatious state and grabs a blue blouse and skinny black jeans. These will do.
As she walks up to the door of their apartment, Chuck opens the door of their old apartment, now his. He walks over and joins her. She's already knocked. She turns to him and murmurs, nervously, "Please support me this evening and, if I bolt, cover for me."
She is disappointed that the so-called Ice Queen is even considering this, but can't help it.
He nods. "I will, Sarah. You look lovely, by the way."
She smiles at him, "Thanks, Chuck." She then looks him up and down. "You look good too."
The door opens just after she says that. "You didn't have to knock. You know you can just come in." Ellie Woodcomb is standing there with her hands on her hips.
Sarah smiles at the woman she had started to think was her friend, before. "Thanks, Ellie, but it's been so long and, anyway, I've never been here, to this apartment."
Ellie gasps. "God, you haven't, have you?" She reaches forward, grabs Sarah by the wrist and pulls her into an Ellie hug, saying "Missed you."
Sarah hugs her back, thinking how much she needs this. "Missed you too, Ellie."
Ellie releases her from the hug and pulls her into the apartment.
Sarah sees Devon standing by the dining table. He looks up. "Hi, Sarah. Great to see you."
She's still being pulled along. "Hi, Devon. Dragged, but not kicking or screaming." She chuckles at herself.
Ellie snorts, but Devon grins and says, "Awesome."
Ellie looks at her husband. "Devon, can you help me bring the food through, please?" She then turns to Chuck who's followed them in. "Chuck, you sort out drinks."
Sarah grins. This feels like the old times. "Still organizing them, Ellie?"
Ellie grins back, "Have to."
Sarah has just taken her first mouthful of the delicious food. She can't stop herself, she hums and says, "I've really missed your food, Ellie."
"Ellie smiles and replies, "And we've missed you coming her and eating it, Sarah." She glares at her brother, who just looks down at his food.
Sarah has only taken two more mouthfuls before Ellie asks her first question. "So, he upset you, Sarah?"
Sarah drops her fork and starts to get up, probably looking like a deer in the headlights. Chuck placed his hand on her shoulder and leans close. "Please let me head this off, Sarah." She nods. He holds her hand and she sits, but looks down.
She can feel Chuck turn. His hand, like the rest of his body is shaking slightly. She then hears him talk to his sister in a cold, but calm, voice, that also expressed disappointment. "El! I told you not to talk about this. That it would upset Sarah. You did promise not to do that."
Ellie, obviously not used to this from her brother, is surprised. "I- I just wanted to get Sarah's point of view."
He hisses at that. Then, he asks in a calm, quiet voice, "So, you just broke your promise?"
Ellie didn't say anything. Devon was equally quiet.
Chuck continues, still in a calm and quite tone, "So, when I told you Sarah would leave if you did that, what did you expect?"
Ellie now sounded contrite. "I- I thought that was you overdramatizing things, Chuck."
He huffs, grips Sarah's hand, then almost replies to his sister, still in that cold tone. "Well, you saw her reaction, Eleanor. Please, no more."
Sarah hasn't looked up, but can tell Ellie has gone quiet. She has been getting tearful, listening to the exchange. She feels guilty for not interceding, stopping Chuck from talking like that, but she just felt so panicked again.
Chuck pauses for a minute, then drops to his knees by Sarah's chair. He takes her chin and pulls her face towards him. She looks into his eyes. She sees a number of things there. Sorrow, anger, determination, but the strongest being a plea, for forgiveness. She thinks this is probably for his sister's question, but it could, of course, be for Prague too. Please don't let go of my chin now or my head would simply fall down to the floor.
She offers a tentative smile. She whispers to him, "Thank you for protecting me, Chuck."
He smiles and leans forward and place a gentle kiss on her forehead, then whispers back, "I am sorry that happened, Sarah."
She nods and looks over to his sister. "I'm sorry, Ellie. We are trying to patch things up between us, but I am very delicate. I can't face talking about it. I need to put this behind me and forget about it." She looks at the older woman, trying to convey the impression that it won't ever be discussed.
Ellie looks remorseful. "I'm sorry I upset you, Sarah. I never meant to." She looks half sheepish and half malicious. How she managed that, Sarah had no idea. "I wanted to know what he'd done, so I could berate him for it."
Sarah snorts hearing that. She looks at the man next to her and grins at him. "Looks like I've saved you, Chuck."
He looks at her with a look that made her feel a bit shaky. "As always, Sarah."
The rest of the meal proceeds with no drama, just four people happily enjoying excellent food and drink. And each other's company.
When they leave, Sarah walks over to Chuck's apartment with him.
As they walk, Sarah says, "Thank you for persuading me to come tonight, Chuck. And for convincing me to stay."
"I'm so sorry for what happened, Sar-"
She cuts him off, grabbing his arm and pulling him round to face her. "Stop saying that, Chuck. You were wonderful in there." She lifts onto her tip toes and places a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, my hero of the night."
She drops back down and walks to her car, knowing he would be frozen in place for a while.
That makes her smile.
A/N: In this chapter, Sarah finally met up with Chuck's family and survived. Sorry to those that think Ellie is perfect; she's not, she's human too and often can't hold herself back from asking those questions.
Getting close to the end of the two-week break from missions now.
So, what do you think? Let me know in a review of PM on FanFiction.