A/N: Thank you for all the amazing feedback, which is extremely gratifying. If you like Chapter 8, please take a moment to review, follow or dare I say it….favorite, the story.
Chapter 8 has some adult content, again, nothing overly explicit or graphic, hence the "T" rating.
As always, a special thanks to Nevr. Not sure how he finds the time to write while pre and beta reading for so many….Thank you Nevr!
I don't own Chuck or make any money from writing this story, but I believe the person who does has been taken by extraterrestrials who are currently probing him to determine why he has not done more with such a fantastic property.
Chapter 8 – When Worlds Collide:
Thursday 1 December 2011 – 10:45 Eastern Standard Time
Fort Meade – NSA HQ
At precisely 10:45, Sarah and Carina exited the secure elevator and waited for Beckman's assistant to let them into her office. This morning they were to receive their new assignment, classified as top secret. Both women were excited to learn about what they would be doing, but Sarah's excitement was slightly tempered by last night's events and the desire to hear him whisper in her ear or to feel his strong hands on her. Now she would need to concentrate on keeping the blush and the giggles from resurfacing during the meeting.
"The Director will see you now," Mary said to them, but as Carina started to move, Sarah stopped for a moment to look around.
"What's up Blondie, you OK?" asked Carina
"Yeah…yes…yes. I'm good. I just thought I smelled something familiar. Never mind…let's go."
"Walker, Miller, good morning. Please sit." Beckman greeted the two partners with a smile. "I have an important assignment for you…."
Over the next 10 minutes, Beckman talked about the hacking attacks, and the need to have a specialist who could address the security vulnerabilities. She then went on to explain some of the troubling developments at the CIA, the coincidental deaths of some senior people in the intelligence community, including the heads of the CIA and the NSA, under seemingly ordinary circumstances. Of course, Beckman made it clear that she did not believe in coincidences and had deep concerns about what all of this could mean. The common element to the various sources of concern seemed to always gravitate back to SPECIAL Agent-In-Charge Daniel Shaw, how they all seemed to be linked to the cyber threat. The more the three women discussed the current circumstances, the more it appeared that Shaw was at, or near, the epicenter of the coming storm.
At precisely 11:00 am, a small green light on Beckman's desk console flashed on. Beckman pushed a button on her phone. "Send him in, Mary."
"Walker, Miller, I would like to introduce you to Chuck Bartowski…." and for a moment, the world just stopped spinning as the two partners in the room froze in place with eyes bulging and mouths agape.
XXX
"You can go in now, Mr. Bartowski," said Mary with a little flirt in her voice.
"Thank you, Mary." Chuck then paused for a beat and turned to her. "New perfume?"
Mary could not suppress her light blush. "No, Mr. Bartowski," she replied with a smile.
Chuck returned the smile, opened the door, and froze dead in his tracks.
Beckman looked on as Chuck stood and Walker, and Miller just sat there staring at each other with surprise and confusion on their faces.
The awkward pause was broken by Beckman. "OK….anyone care to tell me what exactly is happening here? Anyone? Will one of you please speak? Or do we need to try this all over again?" said Beckman with an increasing edge in her tone.
"Uh…Sorry Director….my apologies…." stammered Chuck, "I think we are all just a little surprised to see each other this morning."
Beckman was not sure precisely what Bartowski was stammering about, so she calmly added, "Elaborate, Mr. Bartowski…now please."
"Yes, ma'am. Of course," replied Chuck. "We coincidentally met last night at a restaurant in Baltimore. I was waiting for my table, and Agents Walker and Miller, who happened to arrive just behind me, were also waiting. We struck up a conversation, and while chatting, my table became ready, so I invited both Walker and Miller to share the table with me, instead of waiting. They agreed, and we had a pleasant dinner together." Chuck stopped there, leaving out any further details for fear of his life and possibly the career of Agent Walker.
"That is correct, ma'am," added Carina, sensing that her partner was still processing the scene. "We obviously did not discuss anything work-related, so we are quite surprised that the gentleman who wound up inviting us to dinner last night just walked into this meeting."
"I see," said Beckman. "How was the food, Walker?" she focused on Sarah, who had remained quiet thus far.
"Uhm…It was amazing…." Sarah stumbled slightly, getting the words out while Carina did her best to crush the laughter inside her. "Crab," added Sarah a beat late… "ma'am….new crab place…on the harbor in Baltimore, I mean…."
After the awkward introductions, the meeting settled down, and Beckman covered the details of the assignment making sure everyone understood their responsibilities and obligations, including the upcoming training that would be conducted by Major John Casey, the leader of Beckman's Special Actions team. The rest of the meeting went smoothly, however, Beckman was having some trouble judging how the assignment was received by Bartowski, Walker, and Miller because their individual "tells" seemed to be all over the place. She would get to the bottom of this later. Right now, Chuck urgently needed some of her time.
"Walker, Miller, please plan to join Mr. Bartowski in his conference room for lunch today at noon so you can further discuss how you intend to work together. But just to be clear, Mr. Bartowski is one of the most important resources we have at the NSA. Given the concerns we discussed earlier, his continued safety and security are a national security matter and classified beyond top secret. You may collect your mission orders from Mary. Dismissed."
"Thank you, ma'am," Sarah and Carina responded in unison as they stood and left the office.
"Anything else I need to know about those two, Chuck?" inquired Beckman with a raised eyebrow.
"No ma'am….we are all good on that one," replied Chuck.
For the next 10 minutes, Chuck told Beckman about Jill Roberts, the connection to Fulcrum, the connection to Stanford, and stressed that his biggest concern was that Orion's link to the NSA, and the identity of the Piranha had been discovered.
"OK. Here is what I think," said Beckman. "They don't know you are the Piranha, and they have no idea about the special projects you have been doing for us. I also seriously doubt your emergency cover as Carmichael is blown. It just would not happen this fast unless you were careless, and I don't see you as careless. I see a different angle here that worries me, though. Orion Cyber Security Systems has been landing contracts with most of the federal government's largest intelligence and law enforcement agencies to provide the hardware, software, and advisory services that protect their technology infrastructures and their deepest darkest secrets. Let's say you wanted to paralyze those agencies for some reason…who would you need to have in your pocket?" asked Beckman while looking at Chuck carefully.
"Geez….Diane," Chuck froze. "Me….they need me, and access to Orion's systems….mainly our product designs and the data on our network including our encryption algos….but really they need me," responded Chuck.
"Exactly," replied Beckman. "So, what do we do about it?"
"I may have an idea, Diane…" offered Chuck.
"Good. I'll immediately put a tail on Ms. Roberts. In the meantime, I will need you to be spending more time here until we clear up a few things. Going forward, you will take Walker and Miller with you wherever you go, including your travel to and from California, which means you will need to work out a good cover story for having the two of them around all the time, perhaps as employees….. I will also keep your office up here for you, and you will keep the restricted access card for parking and access to this floor. I think we will also give Orion Cyber Security full access to the Citation X and flight crew as a special compensation arrangement to be paid by the NSA so that you can move where and when needed more quickly and securely. Now I have some calls to make to put all of this in motion. Let's get together again at 3:00 to discuss your idea for Jill Roberts…..Oh, one last thing. Let's get your training in Florida done at the start of January. I don't want to waste any more time on that. I have some arrangements to make, so if you will excuse me….."
"OK, Diane. I'll let Morgan know I am taking some personal time in January. And thanks," said Chuck as he got up and left Beckman's office.
XXX
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, Walker and Miller were trying to pull together a bunch of puzzle pieces that seemed to have no business with each other.
"OK, blondie…who the hell is this guy?" Asked Carina, "None of us have ever seen him or heard of him before, and the next thing you know, the Director assigns us to protect him, Casey, that scary guy from Special Assignments to train him…and you know what those guys do right? But that's not all. He has a private office on the Director's secure floor, and we are told he is one of our most important resources…It's like he's James Bond or something ..."
Sarah looked far away the entire time Carina spoke, then softly added, "You are wrong about one thing Carina….we have seen him before." A blush rose on Sarah's neck. "He's the VIP they shut the gym down for," causing Carina's diet coke to go up to her nose as she caught the full meaning of Sarah's comment. Sarah laughed at Carina, seeing the cola dripping from her nose, but then her expression suddenly changed as she was furiously trying to fish something out of her pocket.
Carina looked at Sarah and said, "What? Come on, Blondie…out with it."
"This…." Sarah said, holding up a business card. "He left me his card this morning. I glanced at it before putting it in my pocket, but it didn't really click….perhaps I might have been a little distracted ….but it just dawned on me that I know him," said Sarah.
"What are you talking about, Sarah?"
"A few months ago, when you and I were canvassing the big tech universities, I had a short call with him," Sarah said as she started to leaf through her notepad. "Yeah…here it is. Charles Bartowski. Full academic scholarship to Stanford, graduated at the top of his class with a double major in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and an All-American swimmer. Then got his Masters dehgree in both disciplines. We got his name from his Computer Science professor, who said Bartowski was by far the smartest kid he ever met and called him a prodigy in computer technology. An only child, both parents killed in a crash by a drunk driver. I called to interview him for the Piranha task force, but we had an abysmal connection on the phone and rescheduled for the following day. Then Beckman announced the death of the Piranha and told us to stand down, so I never called him back."
"You are shitting me," snarked Carina. "What are the odds?"
XXX
Mary accompanied Sarah and Carina to Chuck's office and closed the door at noon. Lunch was already set up in the connecting conference room, but Chuck had wanted to speak to Sarah privately before lunch and did not want to separate the partners in front of Mary.
"Uh…hi guys," Chuck stammered for a moment. "I'm sorry this morning was a little…uhm….awkward, but it was one of those things….coincidence or fate or whatever you want to call it. Anyway, I'm sorry if it made either of you uncomfortable."
"Chuck, you have nothing to….." Sarah started to explain when he raised his hand to stop her mid-sentence.
"Carina, if you don't mind, lunch is ready just behind that door, but I would like to ask if you can give me a moment alone with Sarah, please. We won't be long…I promise."
Carina smiled at both Chuck and Sarah and quietly left the office for the conference room, winking at Sarah as she left.
"Sarah…." Chuck started. "I am so sorry if this is uncomfortable for you. I hope you know that our time together last night was truly special to me and that I meant every word that I said. I know that being assigned to protect me is not something either of us could have foreseen and that you have a career to protect. So what I am trying to say is that if our change in circumstances means that you are uncomfortable having a romantic relationship with me, I will understand. I will be heartbroken, but I will always respect your wishes. Just know that whatever your decision, last night was the greatest night of my life." Chuck paused, hoping for a positive signal from Sarah, who just stared at him blankly.
"Sarah….you OK?"
"Uhm…yeah, I mean yes. Thank you for that, Chuck. I appreciate it. It's a lot to process, so I hope you don't mind, but I think I'm going to need a minute," Sarah said with a soft smile on her lips. Then she added, "We spoke once before a few months ago, you know….I called you to ask you some questions about a case we were working on, but we had a bad connection, so we rescheduled the call, but then the case wrapped up, and I didn't need to follow up."
"Oh my God…That was you…..I was wondering why you did not call the next day. I sat there waiting for your call at the scheduled time, and you stood me up. I felt rejected…" he gave her a warm and affectionate smile.
Sarah looked at him without saying a word for a moment, causing a brief but uncomfortable silence between them. "Why don't we get some lunch and we can pick this up later…..outside the office…."
'God, she is beautiful,' thought Chuck.
"Oh… OK….no problem, Sarah. Whenever you are comfortable. Let's have some lunch and talk altogether." Chuck's shoulders slumped a little, and he tried to push through a smile as this was not the answer he was hoping for, but then again, she didn't bail out either….perhaps there was hope. His shoulders straightened a little, and his smile widened as he moved around the desk to open the door to the conference room for Sarah. Suddenly, Sarah's body crashed into him, causing a thump as his back was pushed back against the door. Her hands cupped his face, and she pulled him in for a deep and sensuous kiss. Then, she broke the kiss without a word, opened the door, and gave Carina a wink as she entered the room, taking a seat at the table.
Carina had suspected the thump on the door was her partner assaulting the charming Mr. Bartowski, and her suspicions were confirmed when Sarah entered the room with a wink and a saucy smile on her lips…. This assignment would be fun, she thought, unless they get fired or killed in the process.
Over the next two hours, Chuck, Sarah, and Carina discussed the scope of their respective roles and responsibilities and the cover setups. It was agreed that Sarah would join Orion as Chuck's Executive Assistant. Her extensive language skills would help sell the cover as Orion was already interested in pursuing overseas contracts. The position would justify having Sarah traveling with Chuck wherever he went. Carina would be hired a few weeks later as a security investigator. Carina was a natural at reading people and was well trained in interrogation and investigative procedures. In her role, she could also justifiably travel with Bartowski to support client risk assessments and advisory work. Once they were both on the payroll, they would become office friends and eventually agree to share an apartment near Chuck's to keep overwatch on him. The plan was a little loose, and it was expected that some adjustments might need to be made depending on circumstances, but the individual roles were plausible. And who would deny that Chuck Bartowski and Morgan Grimes, two nerds who were also rising tech entrepreneurs, would hire the hottest women they could to be around them all the time?
After lunch, as Sarah and Carina were walking back to their desks, Carina turned to Sarah and asked, "What did he say when you told him you actually spoke on the phone a few months back?"
Sara blushed. "He wanted to know why I stood him up…It was sweet…."
Carina chuckled. "Just be careful, Blondie…" she added.
Sarah heard the concern in her friend's voice and started to think about the ramifications of her situation. On one side, becoming involved as a protector could be an inherently bad idea. Could she still perform her duties without hesitation or question if the relationship went south? Bartowski was not an employee or an asset, so there was no rule against dating, and if the mission required her to be constantly close to him, then being in a real relationship would be much more effective than posing as an employee…..otherwise, how could one justify being together away from work functions….. Sarah's fundamental problem, however, was that Mr. Bartowski completely pulled the carpet out from under her feet, and for the first time in her life, she felt a longing she had never felt before. She struggled to understand how easily her brain malfunctioned when he was near and how empty she felt when he left her apartment that morning or when they separated after lunch. She reflected on her previous romantic engagements, and nothing felt like this….nothing made her feel so flustered…and being honest, what Bartowski did to her last night in the throes of passion pretty much broke her. The more she thought about him, the more she was convinced he felt the same way. She was trained to read people for a living and saw clearly what his eyes were telling her last night…and today, which was impossibly intense. She recalled the words he whispered in her ear as he left, and a shiver crept up her spine. She then realized she was completely hooked and needed her fix. She discarded the negative thoughts about her parent's relationship and started considering what fulfilling a committed relationship with Chuck Bartowski might look like. She smiled inwardly, feeling a sense of optimism about what the future might hold for her and him, and she made a decision. She would talk to Chuck about some changes to the cover story….maybe having a girlfriend AND hiring her would be a story that played well with Beckman….
XXX
The afternoon meeting with Beckman was a challenge for Chuck as he had to work extra hard to keep thoughts of Sarah Walker out of his head while proposing how to protect himself, his partner, and their business from Jill Roberts and Fulcrum. This was a little tricky, as they needed to ensure that they did not tip their hand about Roberts while making sure she could not hurt them. Overall the discussion went smoothly, and Chuck managed to hide any momentary lapses in focus reasonably well…at least Beckman did not call him out on anything, which was good. Beckman then had some other news for Chuck.
"Chuck, in the interest of your safety and security, I've made another decision. The NSA will be amending its contract with Orion. As you are a key person in safeguarding our technology, we are establishing a requirement that you maintain a publicly visible security detail. For that purpose, the NSA will provide you with the services of Major Casey, who will be your driver and personal bodyguard, while we keep the roles of Walker and Miller covert. Casey is already on his way to California and will procure an appropriate vehicle to drive you around in. He'll pick you up at the airport on your arrival tomorrow and take you to your work. Casey will establish the covert protection protocols for Walker and Miller. Mary has already made their arrangements, and the two ladies have been directed to go pack and finalize any personal matters before they relocate to the west coast and train in January with you and Casey at the facility in Florida. Now get to Morgan, and let's put the Jill Roberts plan in motion."
As Chuck left Beckman's office, he was trying to manage a bunch of different emotions and worries at the same time giving his face a perplexed appearance.
"Are you alright, Mr. Bartowski?" asked Mary as he passed her desk.
Thoughts of Sarah made his heart ache and his stomach feel unsettled. Shaw was making his blood boil, the attempted incursions made him nervous, and the double whammy of Jill Roberts and Fulcrum was terrifying him, but he pushed all aside for the moment.
"Yes….Thanks, Mary. Everything is great. All this is new to me, so it's just a lot to process all at once." He managed a soft smile and made his way to his office to call Morgan.
"Hey pal, it's me….yeah…everything is OK, and I will be back in Santa Monica tomorrow early afternoon. I'm going to be hiring a couple of more people to support the business. The NSA is modifying our contract to ensure I have a bodyguard whenever I am out of the office or away from home….no, you don't get a bodyguard…yes, I know we are partners. Still, the only reason they want me protected is that I am the tech guy and the only person that really understands the designs of our solutions….yes it will be an intrusion, but it's non-negotiable. We will talk all about it tomorrow, but in the meantime, here is what I need you to do….." Once Chuck finished with Morgan, he left the office to head back to his place to pack up. He had just arrived when his phone dinged, announcing a text message. It was Sarah.
GOT A MINUTE? – S
OF COURSE – C
NEED TO CHAT - UR PLC OK? – S
SURE – WHEN? – C
IS 20 MIN OK? – S
YES - C
Sarah was going to make this thing with her and Chuck happen, and it was either going to be incredible, or it was going to rip her apart….she thought about the SAS motto she shared with Beckman…."Who Dares Wins," and she was going to dare….
Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Sarah was standing there with a bottle of Chardonnay and a sly smile.
"Hi, Chuck…I thought we might talk about things a little," Sara said, popping the "k" in Chuck while she stared at him with a wolfish grin.
"Uhm…yeah…I mean, great….please come in…Sarah," Chuck stumbled. "Can I get you something to drink…."
Sarah held up the bottle and arched an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Ah….right…sorry…let me get an opener and some glasses." Chuck was starting to recover. "Please make yourself comfortable. I think I have some cheese and crackers as well. I'll be right back." He turned to head to his kitchen, unaware that Sarah had slipped off her shoes, and quietly followed him. He reached into the cupboard, grabbed two glasses, and set them on a tray along with the bottle opener and some crackers. Then he opened the fridge and crouched down to open the cheese tray and get the block of cheese, utterly unaware that Sarah had snuck right up behind him, as quiet and stealthy as a panther stalking her prey.
Chuck dropped the hunk of cheese on the floor and almost screamed when he closed the fridge door and found Sarah standing right in front of him. "Sarah….sorry…sorry about that. I was not expecting you there…." Chuck stuttered. "Just getting the crackers…..and the cheese…Uhm…and the glasses….."
"Am I making you uncomfortable, Chuck?" Sarah again popped the "k" and inched closer to him as he was slowly backing up from her.
"Uhm…no Sarah….I'm great…I don't mean I'm great, I mean I'm OK, or I'm fine….I mean no…not uncomfortable….just getting the cheese…and the crackers…."
"…and the glasses. Yes, I know, Chuck." she once more popped the "k" and continued her advance until Chuck's backside bumped into the counter, and he could back up no further. "Cause you seem a little nervous to me." She put both her hands on his chest, pushing her body into his. "Are you sure this is OK? I don't want to make you uncomfortable…."
Chuck was completely lost. It was the depth of the blue in her eyes, the scent of vanilla and wildflowers, and the feel of her body pressing against him that caused the animal part of Chuck's brain to tell the thinking part of his brain to fuck off and go get a smoke. He grabbed Sarah, spun her around, lifted her up on the counter, and pressed his lips to hers. Sarah returned his kiss hungrily as her hands gripped his shirt, pulled the fabric out of his pants, and started undoing his buttons without separating their lips. Once unbuttoned, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and began caressing his muscular chest as his shirt fell to the floor. Her legs were wrapped around his waist when she broke the kiss and whispered in his ear, "Chuck…."
"Bed….now…..yes, ma'am…." he mumbled as he lifted her off the counter and carried her to his bedroom while gently nibbling on her neck to the sound of her soft moans. Once in the bedroom, their pace slowed as they helped each other undress. There was no urgency and no rushing as the two took the time to fully explore each other's bodies. Sarah marveled at the strength of Chuck's physique. His shoulders were broad and powerful. His chest was muscular and well defined, as were his arms and legs, and his abs were flat. But it was the sparkle in his eyes that brightened everything around them. When he smiled, her heart fluttered.
Chuck was beyond mesmerized as he looked at Sarah in the fading afternoon light. She was perfect in every way. She was tall and lean with beautifully shaped legs that seemed to go on forever. Her breasts were firm and perfectly shaped for his large hands, and the full scholarship, summa cum laude Stanford graduate could still not find the word to adequately describe the utter perfection that was Sarah Walker's ass. But it was the shockingly deep blue orbs in the center of her angelic face that reached into his soul and made him weak.
They made slow and steady love for the next few hours, each taking time to pleasure the other and become familiar with each other's triggers and desires. Exhausted from their activities, they collapsed together, sweating and breathing heavily.
"Sarah, I didn't think anything could be as magical as last night, but I was soooo wrong….that was the most amazing…..intense thing I've ever experienced," said Chuck with his eyes closed and a contented smile on his face.
"Mmmmm," was Sarah's non-verbal response.
The pair stayed in bed holding each other without a sound for the next twenty minutes until Sarah lifted her head a little.
"Chuck, can you do me a favor?" she asked. "I need to put my car in storage tonight, so can you follow me there in your car and then bring me back here?"
"Of course, but don't you want to go back to your place to pack?" Chuck asked.
"Nope," Sarah said, popping the "p" for effect. "I'm already packed, and I'm staying here tonight." it wasn't a request.
"Ah…" said Chuck, "I'm usually a little faster on the uptake, but I have to admit that when I'm near you, my brain sometimes fails me. You staying here would make me very happy. Shall we get it done?"
"Yes, but I'm comfortable and warm now, and it's cold and dark outside," Sarah grumbled.
"Yeah….but the sooner we go out there, the faster we can get back here. Besides, I need to eat, and aside from cheese and crackers, I'm not sure I have anything in the kitchen," Chuck said.
Sarah gave him a mischievous smile that somehow Chuck's brain picked up on, and with his own evil smile, he whispered, "Well, I'm hungry now….." and he started to slowly kiss his way down her body until he felt her hands grab his hair and pull his head up.
"I love your enthusiasm and am impressed with your energy, but I need to eat too. Otherwise, all we'll be able to do all night is sleep." Sarah offered a coy smile causing Chuck to fly out of bed and run to the kitchen. He pulled the menu of a local pizza place from the front of the fridge, found the Chardonnay that was left on the coffee table a few hours ago, and popped it into the freezer, and took a moment to pick up the block of cheddar that was still on the floor and return it to the fridge. He then grabbed his phone and ran back to Sarah and the warmth of the bed they were sharing.
They ordered a large vegetarian pizza with no olives and a large container of minestrone soup to be delivered at 9:00 pm, which gave them plenty of time to drop off Sarah's car and be back in time for the delivery. The Chardonnay should be appropriately chilled by then, as well.
= ! =
Friday 2 December 2011 - 12:00 noon Eastern Standard Time
40,000 feet somewhere over Kansas
Carina had picked up Sarah and Chuck at his place and did her best to not poke fun at her friend and her new favorite bed warmer. They had parked the car and handed the keys to the woman at the reception desk who would hold them until the car was picked up. They were now at cruising altitude of 40,000 feet, somewhere over Kansas flying west at 0.90 mach, or roughly 670 miles per hour, comfortably ensconced in the luxurious cabin of the world's fastest private jet.
Carina was relaxed, stretching out in her seat, sipping on diet coke, while watching her partner sleep snuggled up against Bartowski while he typed away furiously on his lap-top.
"Hey, Curls…." she said in a soft tone, "she looks happy sleeping there snuggled up to you like that. I've only been working with her a few months, but I've never seen her this happy and relaxed."
"I hope so, Carina. She is amazing…..and I love having her curled up next to me like this," answered Chuck with a smile.
"That is terrific. I'm so happy for you both," added Carina. "Hurt her, and I'll eat your liver with a spork while you watch."
Chuck gave her a soft smile, "And I thought you were here to protect me," he chuckled, "and don't worry, that is not gonna happen…and by the way, I love you too, Red," and they both chuckled.