Ch. 14

A/N: The last chapter was not the end. Clearly, as you are all reading this. Yes, Sarah rescued Chuck. But, where's the fluff? We promised you fluff, we will get fluffy. Eventually, but seeing as how there are only a handful of chapters left we will transition fairly quickly.

You know that NSA/CIA rivalry that the show hyped? Well, it's alive and well (at least in FanFic). Also up in this chapter, Chuck and Sarah get to spend some time together. The last to chapters featured a lot of action. This one's not exactly fluffy, but it's trending that way. Except for the part with Casey. Casey and fluffy just don't go together. Now, peanut butter and chocolate, on the other hand, are a natural combination. Just remember...Chuck and Sarah are not the greatest communicators.

As the SUV sped out onto the highway, Sarah leaned forward. "Get us to the base infirmary. The professor struck his head during the egress from the facility. We need to get him checked out, ASAP."

Sarah wanted to just slump back against the seat and wrap Chuck up in a hug. Their brief hug in the Fulcrum computer lab had left her desperately wanting more. She was mesmerized by the emotions that had played out across Chuck's face. He was so open, so easy to read. She focused on his eyes. Back on campus, she had thought that they were unremarkable. Nice and friendly, but unremarkable. But up close, she was struck by how warm they were as he held her gaze. She could see flecks of amber and gold mixed in with the brown, something that she had never seen before.

But she could see other things that she had spotted countless times before, in countless targets throughout her CIA career. Fear, disgust, and, most of all, horror.

In her mind, she could hear Roan speaking, "Charles Bartowski, I would like to introduce you to Langston Graham's Enforcer, the Ice Queen, Sarah Walker. Purveyor of death." She sighed. Hell, she didn't even know how many kills were on my hands now that she'd just added a minimum of six more, although the tally from the grenades and C4 was likely far higher. After the Red Test, she had worked had to compartmentalize the memories of the kills. They were locked away from her memory, even from herself.

Casey's voice in her earwig broke her out of her depressing litany of thoughts. "Walker, we heard the explosion and gunfire. We are breaching the building now that the fire has been knocked back some. Report."

His commanding voice cut through the haze of her thoughts, refocusing her on the mission. "Bartowski is secure." She grinned, ok, so she was not totally focused on the mission. She was sure that Casey was grumbling about her not referring to Chuck as 'the package' over comms. "We're returning to the Base to get Chuck checked for a potential concussion. No other known injuries. Among friendlies at least."

She let out an exhale. "The operation appears to have been headed up by Ted Roark. He was demanding that Chuck provide him with an Intersect for Fulcrum. I gave him something else instead. You won't need to read him his Miranda rights."

Sarah reached out, grabbing for Chuck's forearm, needing the contact to ground her against the memory of killing Roark. She was stunned when he switched her grasp to take a hold of her hand. She was more stunned by the warmth that immediately bloomed at the point of contact. Given the shocked look on Chuck's face, he must have felt it too. If you want that skin to stay warm instead of cold and dead, focus on the mission. But when Chuck gave a slight squeeze, she closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the contact.

For his part, Chuck was awed by the connection between them. It was unlike any he had ever experienced in his lifetime. It struck him that she wasn't speaking to him. The relief that he felt was immediate. She hadn't taken on a Fulcrum base all by herself. Although, they still wouldn't have stood a chance even if she was solo. But, she had nearly died due to him. Chuck had no interest in envisioning a world in which there was no Sarah Walker. I'm so far gone. I was worried she would be upset with the hug in the computer lab, but she doesn't seem to want to let go of my hand. Which is a good thing, because otherwise I would be freaking the hell out right now. Just the thought of a world without Sarah makes me want to puke. Sarah caught his eye and gave him a slight nod. Then she held on tighter.

Before either spoke again, the NSA vehicle turned into the Marine Corps base, heading immediately to the base Infirmary. The NSA agent pulled to a stop in front of the ER. Their hands still tightly clasped together, Sarah pushed Chuck out and through the entrance doors, before turning a confused professor/CIA contractor down a side hallway, disabling a door alarm and slipping him out the side of the building.

}0{

"Report, Major." Beckman glared at the screen. "And if you don't want to be a Captain come morning, your report had better explain how you managed to lose custody of Professor Bartowski!"

"Ma'am, our tactical response team was positioned just outside of the subject property. At 22:30 hours we heard an explosion, followed by the sound of gunfire. Upon entering the building housing the movie projector and concession stand, we located an access tunnel that was not on the building plan submitted to the City of Barstow. We subsequently discovered a large underground facility. The building was engulfed in flames, but the smoke indicated an emergency escape tunnel."

Casey paused, mentally working out how to address what happened next. "While we were mopping up the Fulcrum base, Professor Bartowski was taken to the Infirmary at the Marine Corps base to evaluate potential head trauma. The NSA agent dropped off the professor and Agent Walker at the entrance to the ER, parked his vehicle and went inside to meet them." Beckman was still glaring through the monitor, causing him to look to the side.

"But he didn't meet up with them inside, did he? Because Charles Bartowski was never admitted to the infirmary. Was there any indication that Agent Walker was operating with Fulcrum? Are we dealing with a rogue CIA agent?"

"Not a chance, ma'am." Casey straightened up his shoulders. "Agent Walker appears to be completely compromised with the professor, but she lived up to her Ice Queen moniker. She eliminated over a dozen Fulcrum agents, including the apparent ringleader, Theodore Roark."

"And there was no information about what triggered the initial explosion and fire?"

"No, ma'am," Casey stoically replied, half a beat too slowly. "All of the personnel under my command were accounted for at the time the detonation and gunfire were first heard. No NSA personnel entered the building until I gave the command."

"I see," Beckman said with a prim nod. "Any information on the current location of Professor Bartowski?"

Casey stood ramrod straight, realizing the loss of the ass…Professor by a member of his detail meant that the responsibility ultimately fell on himself. "I have started a search for Agent Walker and Professor Bartowski. We are questioning all of the infirmary personnel and reviewing all security footage from the exit gates."

Beckman heaved a sigh. "John, do you really think that is going to get you anywhere? Walker was the CIA's top deep cover operative under Director Graham. She's likely got a half a dozen identities on her that even the CIA knows nothing about, with even more stashed at safety deposit boxes around the world. And Chuck Bartowski's talents with a computer are second to only one man on the planet- his own father. Combining Walker's and Bartowski's skills would mean that it would be next to impossible for anyone to locate them, unless or until they want to be found."

"Tell me, just how is your investigation into their whereabouts going?" She popped up a single eyebrow, as though challenging Casey to prove her wrong.

Casey's posture sagged, only by a millimeter or so, but Beckman spotted it and had to fight off a grin. "We established that they rented a vehicle at the base. But the computerized paperwork and the security footage is gone…as is the GPS tracker on the vehicle. Apparently, Walker wanted to keep Bartowski nearby. She had disguised herself, but the employee of the car rental company remembered a 6' 3" man. It's hard to disguise height. We put out a BOLO…"

"We won't find them unless they either want to be found, or we get extremely lucky. While I have nothing against luck," Beckman continued, "I refuse to bank on it for success." She reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a burner phone.

"Hello, Mary. Before we lay down a dragnet over all of Southern California to locate your son, is he secure?" Beckman listened for a moment before nodding and saying her goodbye. "Major, you can continue with the search for Walker and Bartowski. But, I wouldn't waste your best people on it. I suspect that they will be found when they want to be found."

}0{

Sarah glanced over at the sleeping form of her (not so) secret admirer. Sarah had headed northeast for a while, sticking to the side roads, while Chuck had used a laptop to loop any traffic cameras they came across. He had fallen asleep not long after they had reached Bakersfield. She knew that he needed the rest, so she had steered herself on back roads from Bakersfield up to Carmel-By-The-Sea. It avoided potential surveillance, and prolonged the time for her to study her professor up close. Soon enough, she would have to share him with others.

After pulling into the parking lot for Mission Bistro, Sarah sat for a moment running her fingers through his curls, careful not to wake him. He needed the rest…and she needed the feel of his curls in her hands. She had been shocked by contact with him. First the hug. Then the electric connection that had flowed between their joined hands. And now the total contentment she felt at running her fingers though his hair. Such a simple act, but one she had never experienced before.

It had to have been traumatic for him…she knew it had been for her, in her worry for what had happened to him. Him being kidnapped, then held at gunpoint as they forced him to work on a device that was designed to help Fulcrum overthrow the government…it was probably his worst nightmare, now that she knew who his mother was.

From what he had said before succumbing to sleep, he had been discretely sabotaging the code to keep it from working. She was quite proud of him for that. But she was also terrified at the thought of what could have happened to him if Fulcrum had discovered that fact before she was able to save him. The thought of him being tortured by Fulcrum made her want to hunt down the leadership of the shadowy organization for even the risk, unrealized as it was, of torturing Chuck.

Then there was the ordeal of the rescue. It wasn't Sarah's first time infiltrating (and blowing up) an enemy base. But she doubted that he had much prior experience with flashbangs, fragment grenades and C4. She gave him full marks for keeping his composure after she blew up the base and killed Roark. But she also knew that time was their enemy right now. They needed to get some food and then get moving again. Anyone not personally vetted was a potential threat.

Chuck had been looking out of the window at the restaurant, watching a hummingbird flit from flower to flower. "It's an Anna's Hummingbird. This region is one of their main breeding sites in California."

Sarah had no control over the soft smile that graced her face as she watched him enraptured by nature. Maybe they didn't need to leave just this second. "Studying ornithology? Going to branch out from the world of computer science?"

Chuck blushed, but never took his eyes off of the graceful bird. "No. Well, yes I did read up on some of the wildlife indigenous to this area. But it was just curiosity. I wouldn't presume to call myself an ornithologist."

Wonder, that was it. Sarah recalled a lecturer from her junior year at Harvard who had started the semester with the quote from EB White, "Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder." Chuck approached each moment not just on the lookout, but actively searching for a sense of wonder. Not merely searching, but often finding it. That was what made him so extraordinary.

Even after being kidnapped, threatened with pain or death if he didn't cooperate, he still found the wonder in the world. Even after witnessing her killing Fulcrum operatives and their boss, he found the wonder. He was still seeking out wonder anywhere in the world he could find it. It was one of the things that she found so extraordinary about him.

The fact that Roark threatened Chuck made her want to revive the man just so she could kill him all over again. Repeatedly. She kept her face impassive, but her stomach churned. She was beginning to see the stark differences in them. He sought out wonder. She sought out retribution-Roark, the rest of Fulcrum. She couldn't stop the thought that shot through her mind. He would be better off, to be with his family, so that her violent past didn't destroy his sense of wonder.

Chuck's attention was now split between the hummingbird and his rescuer. He had picked up on a tightening around her eyes. Her face appeared perfectly calm, but he could tell from her eyes that she was struggling internally. He had no idea what had triggered her mood shift, but wanted to ease her pain. She was even more amazing in person than through the lens of a surveillance camera. And he was far too aware of the fact that he would soon be way off of the grid, while she returned to her classes in Palo Alto. His sense of joy from watching nature dimmed at the prospect of being separated from her.

After splitting their meal of Sand Dabs and a Fire Burger, they reluctantly climbed back into the car. Carmel had such a relaxed atmosphere in a truly gorgeous environment, both thought that it would be an incredibly romantic spot to enjoy in each other's company. Neither, however, was brave enough to give voice to this thought. He reasoned that having that spot as a first date might be setting the bar a little high if he was then lucky enough to get a second date.

Between the delicious food and the beautiful vistas as they made their way south on Route 1, there was a relaxed, companionable silence in the car. Sarah was starting to believe that the wonder in his eyes when he looked at her was still there, despite what he had witnessed at the Fulcrum base. It took Sarah several miles to realize that they were once again holding hands over the car console. After glancing briefly at their joined hands, Sarah looked back to the road, her only reaction being to hold his hand a little tighter as she reveled in the warmth from where their skin made contact.

After passing the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, Sarah pulled into a roadside lookout so that they could stretch and admire the view. For the final leg of the journey, Chuck took over the driving. Continuing south on Route 1, he exited onto Nacimiento-Ferguson Road, driving east a couple of miles into the Ventana Wilderness area. He finally turned off onto an unmarked dirt road that weaved into the forest for a bit before ending at a distressed looking gate with a rusted lock and US Forestry Service sign that had seen better days.

But Sarah wasn't fooled. The rust and faded paint camouflaged a reinforced steel gate. Also camouflaged were several security cameras that Sarah wouldn't have spotted if she hadn't been well trained. With a wink, Chuck went over to the Forestry Service sign. He unscrewed the sign, revealing a biometric scanner. A quiet thunk was soon heard, and Chuck swung the gate open. Sarah drove the car through before waiting for Chuck to climb back in after reattaching the sign and locking the gate behind him.

The rental car wasn't the best equipped to handle the rough dirt lane as they headed a mile deeper into the forest. Finally, they came upon a rustic looking cabin tucked into a small clearing. Next to the cabin there were two Land Rovers, parked under an oversized carport that was camouflaged. Unless someone knew exactly where to look, the hidey-hole would be impossible to spot from the air or the road.

Sarah parked in an open spot in the carport, but made no move to exit the vehicle.

"You, um…" Sarah gave him a soft smile. "I may want for you to signal the all clear so that Frost doesn't put a bullet between my eyes?" Chuck gaped at her. "She and I spoke when I took ov...um, when I joined the search for you."

It was Chuck's turn to smile at Sarah. "You took over the search? Why doesn't that surprise me? Plus, it explains how we were able to leave Barstow without an hours long debrief." He let out a quick laugh. "Not that I'm complaining. I don't think that I had it in me for a debriefing. I'm sure that someday we'll both be paying the piper for that little transgression." Sarah just bounced a shoulder, completely fine with any blowback from the IC over spiriting Chuck away. His safety was her priority, regardless of their priorities. And she hadn't vetted Casey, his team, or all of the personnel at the base.

"So, Chuck, what do I get for catching my secret admirer?" That smile is a pretty good reward. I wouldn't mind seeing that smile directed at me more often.

"After not only catching your admirer, but saving my life in the process, I'll have to think up something special." Chuck's smile was so broad that his nose scrunched up a little bit. Sarah had to bite down on her lip to stop from attacking him right then and there.

}0{

Chuck climbed out of the Subaru Outback, stretching to his full height. Sarah winced as she heard a symphony of cracks and pops from his joints. Sarah saw a flutter from one of the drapes by a front window of the cabin. She slowly exited from the driver's seat, but her pace had less to do with stiffness from the long drive, and more to do with the barrel of a long gun pointing at her from beneath camouflage netting on the crest of a nearby hill.

Sarah kept her hands away from her body but snapped her eyes towards the cabin as Ellie Woodcomb let out a squeal as she launched off the porch and into Chuck's arms. Ellie leaned back, grabbing Chuck's face in her hands. "You're really ok?" Chuck nodded, causing Ellie to gather him up in another bone crushing hug. Ellie abruptly released Chuck before sprinting to the other side of the car and delivering just as big of a hug to a stunned Sarah.

"El, try not to strangle Sarah. For one, she just literally saved my life. Second, it's been a long drive from Barstow."

Ellie just dismissively waved a hand in Chuck's direction while beaming at Sarah. "Thank you for saving my baby brother, Virginia."

The two women lightly laughed as Chuck groaned. "Baby, El? Seriously? And her name's Sarah." He paused, cocking his head to one side in confusion. "Where'd you come up with Virginia? I literally just said that her name is Sarah."

Ellie released Sarah from the hug, but kept an arm wrapped around Sarah's right arm, as though making sure that Sarah wouldn't try to escape. Sarah merely blushed as Ellie turned to her brother, "Ginny and I are old friends." Ellie then grabbed Chuck's arm and swept the two of them towards the cabin.

Sarah discretely glanced back over her shoulder and was relieved to see an empty hilltop. Evidently, Ellie wasn't the only Bartowski who was accepting of Sarah's presence in Chuck's life.

A/N 2: Poor Chuck, being subjected to an inside joke between Ellie and Sarah. Several reviewers picked up the reference to Virginia Hall the first time around. But anyone who wants to read about a real life badass spy, pick up a biography on Virginia Hall-there's one whose title is literally "Codename: Badass" (spoiler: not actually one of her codenames). More on Virginia after the epilogue. Mary, leaving quite the first impression on Sarah. Not a meet cute, but badass recognizes badass. And both of those ladies are pretty badass when protecting their men.