A/N: Chuck traveling has been mentioned a lot so far, now let's see how he's faring.
Thanks to those of you that reviewed the last chapter on Chuck and Sarah's daughter Gwen, another totally new OC. Again, not so many reviews, but I wasn't too surprised. Those that said how much they liked this format really made me feel it was a good idea.
MyNameIsJeffNImLost again beta'd for me. Correcting and Americanizing, of course, but the help on travel in the States was really invaluable, too. As usual, any mistakes found are all mine.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck or the lyrics I have used, but, as always, recommend listening to the songs; this one is well known.
After You, Christmess
Chuck
I'm driving home for Christmas
Oh, I can't wait to see those faces
I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah
Well I'm moving down that line
And it's been so long
But I will be there
I sing this song
To pass the time away
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
It's gonna take some time
But I'll get there
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights all around
But soon there'll be a freeway, yeah
Get my feet on holy ground
So, I sing for you
Though you can't hear me
When I get through
And feel you near me
(Driving in my car)
I'm driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
I take look at the driver next to me
He's just the same
Just the same
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights all around
I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah
Get my feet on holy ground
So I sing for you
Though you can't hear me
When I get through
Oh, and feel you near me
Driving in my car
Driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories
I take look at the driver next to me
He's just the same
He's driving home, driving home
Driving home for Christmas
"Driving home for Christmas"
Chris Rea
Why. oh why. did he agree to go to Tokyo, just before Christmas? He knew why, of course. Only he knew enough to represent his company and do that presentation. Damn it!
Selling off Carmichael Industries had enabled he and Sarah to invest in their new startup company. Bargames, purveyor of low cost, but exciting games. They are now in their thirteenth year and the business is thriving and he gets invited to conferences around the world, which he loves. This one had seemed a great opportunity to visit a country he'd never visited.
That had backfired when his flight back was canceled. The problems then started building up, when the next flight landed in a storm at Chicago. The connecting flight was grounded by the snow storm that settled on the city. In fact, Chicago's O'Hare airport canceled all outbound flights.
If it wasn't for his need to get home, he'd have stayed at his sister's house, seen their kids, maybe even visited Ellie and Devon at the hospital.
That couldn't happen. He was desperate to get home. He hadn't seen his lovely wife and kids for over a week and misses them terribly. And he knows Sarah would miss him so very much.
So, he had to get out of Chicago by land, at least part of the way home.
He checked on flights from other cities and found that Indianapolis was still running normally. They didn't have flights as frequently as O'Hare normally did, so there wouldn't be a flight until midday tomorrow, but he had to get there first.
Everyone else seemed to have the same idea, so all the buses were fully booked for that day and the next. He had to drive.
Getting a rental was not possible for that day either, so he had to stay at the airport before his car was ready the next morning.
H's a Californian who had lived in Florida for the last fifteen years. He isn't used to this "winter" weather and the trouble it causes!
Telling Sarah had been awful. He could hear the disappointment in her voice. God, how he hates to disappoint the love of his life!
He had assured her he would get home as soon as possible. He didn't promise anything other than he would be home for Christmas. He wasn't going to tempt fate!
Now he is thankful for that caution!
Getting out of Chicago had taken most of the following day. First, getting the car, which was delayed being returned. Then he was stopped in stationary traffic.
By the time he reached Indianapolis, he'd missed all the flights for that day. There would be one at midday the next day, but all seats were booked. He hadn't thought about that, but if he had, he would have booked one a day earlier, anyway. Being so close to Christmas and with flight disruption further north, everything seemed to have gone to hell for him.
He extended his rental and decided to continue driving. He was too tired to just keep going, so booked a room in one of the hotels near the airport. At least that was possible.
Another upsetting call with Sarah followed. He knew she trusted him and she knew everything he was telling her was true, but she was obviously upset at the delay. He was too, so much that he didn't think to ask to talk to the kids before their miserable call ended.
To clear his head, he lay and brought up happy thoughts of his married life, focusing on the years since the two of them had reconnected. They were so in love, it had been glorious, even before Maire arrived. When she did, they felt complete. She was a bundle of joy that represented how much they loved each other. Gwen had been the same, then Kathryn and finally Liam, their first boy. Chuck loves them all, but much as he does, he still loves Sarah the most. His angel. The woman who had saved him from his miserable existence. She is still the most beautiful woman on Earth, breathtakingly so. Yes, Maire will probably rival that and Gwen and Kathryn too, but for him, none of them would be able to compete with the incomparable Sarah Bartowski. Of course, she is not just stunningly beautiful, she is also so smart and loving towards him and their wonderful children.
He drifts off with a smile on his face, thinking of all of them.
When he wakes the following morning, he's refreshed and ready to drive. He opens the curtains and gapes at the view from his room. The snow has caught up with him! Worse than that, traffic would be a logjam again!
He eats breakfast as fast as he can, because he knows he needs to refuel himself. He also needs to refuel the car.
As he sits waiting for fuel, he curses himself. Why hadn't he done this the night before?
He finally gets out of the city by lunchtime. He eats the sandwich and drinks the Coke Zero he bought in the service station as he drives. He is not going to stop again.
Of course, that's wrong! He has to stop because of all the coffee at breakfast time and that soda!
Relieved, he gets back on the I-65 to continue the journey.
When he sees the red lights from all the cars in front of him, his heart sinks once again. He switches on the satnav that he hadn't expected to use. Yes, sure enough there has been an accident. Twelve miles of backed-up traffic was in front of him. Shit!
He isn't going anywhere for some time. He calls Sarah with the latest news. She sounds pissed off this time. "How does this keep happening to you?" she demands, as if it's his fault.
She slams down the phone before he can formulate an answer.
He's equally pissed off!
He switches on the radio. One cheerful Christmas song has just ended, thankfully. He is in no mood for happiness!
The next song perfectly matches his situation. Chris Rea's gravelly voice singing "Driving home for Christmas" makes Chuck laugh. He looks at the driver in the stationary car next to him. He looks just as pissed off! He will also be "driving home for Christmas!"
Chuck leans back into his seat and laughs and laughs. He knows he's a bit hysterical by this point, but he doesn't care.
He decides to sing along.
"
It's gonna take some time
But I'll get there
Top to toe in tailbacks
Oh, I got red lights all around"
God, had he got red lights!
He thinks of Sarah and the kids as the next verse starts.
"So, I sing for you
Though you can't hear me
When I get through
And feel you near me"
He so wants to feel Sarah near him. It's been so long since they last held each other. He knows where they'd head as soon as they could, as long as she wasn't still mad at him.
He turns to look at that man before he starts singing again.
"I take look at the driver next to me
He's just the same
Just the same"
The driver gives him as strange look. Chuck didn't care and just sang and sang.
"I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah
Get my feet on holy ground"
He wasn't religious, but being home with his loved ones is his holy ground.
"Driving home for Christmas
Driving home for Christmas
With a thousand memories"
His memories of his wonderful kids and his gorgeous wife are keeping him going.
As the song finishes, he realizes he is much happier than he'd been since he started this journey home. Within a couple of days, maybe three, he would be home with them.
When he gets there, he'll grab each of the kids and hug and kiss them. All of them, even Gwen who'll probably try to avoid it! The thought of that makes him smile. He knows Gwen loves it really. She's just trying to show how independent she is.
As if she knows he is thinking about her, Gwen's face appears on this phone. He answers the call.
The conversation is a tough one. He knows she isn't asking what to do, there is nothing she should do. She just wants to talk about it with someone. He knows she won't talk to Sarah because she is already up tight, so she called him. He is glad that she feels she can do that. Some kids don't like talking to their mom let alone their dad. He assures her that the boy should be alright as he is getting the best treatment, where he is.
They talk some more about him, then she tells Chuck about what's been happening to the rest of the kids and their mom.
After the call ended, Chuck thinks about that boy. Part of him worries about his own kids being at a school where drugs had reached fourteen-year-olds. He isn't blind to the presence of drugs; they were there in his high school too, but he hadn't been aware of them until he was a couple of years older than Maire.
He doesn't pay much heed to Gwen's worries that Jon may have been forced, which doesn't seem likely at that age. As he contemplates possible scenarios, it is far more likely that Jon had found the drugs in an older brother's belongings and decided to try them.
Chuck knows his girls are sensible, so neither of them would get involved in drugs. Gwen's call and concern was demonstration of that. He had been part of them being like that, making them aware of right and wrong, but nowhere near as much as Sarah; she was such a great mother, even though she'd doubted she would be.
As he focuses back on the other things Gwen had told him, he feels guilty again. Sarah needed him and he hadn't been there.
Maire would also have benefitted from having both parents with her after breaking up with her boyfriend. He knows Sarah would have comforted her, but he should have too.
He just needs to get home as soon as he can.
When he does, he'll be there for them all. Well, apart from the alone time he and Sarah need, assuming she's not still mad at him. God, he hopes she isn't! It has been so long since they have been together like that.
A/N: I have spent many years working away from home and on several of those have been stuck trying to get home for Christmas to my family; motorways always clog up making the journey much longer and very frustrating. The one time I was in central London trying to get home was the worst, listening to the radio hearing that every motorway out of the capital was three or four lanes of unmoving vehicles - pretty miserable when you haven't even managed to reach the one you need to escape the city. Thankfully, I've never flown abroad near Christmas, so not had that added stress. However, I do sympathize with Chuck's sentiments here.
So, the ever relatable "Driving Home for Christmas" by Chris Rea. I too have sung along with this one.
Next chapter we will see the youngest of the family, little Liam, age five.
A review here would be nice.