A/N: So what are we gonna do about Cole?
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
"This is claptrap. What married man would be okay with his partner and her ex being as close as these two are!?" Cole basically screamed halfway though the first-run read.
Chuck stood there beside Langston. "Has he been married?" Chuck asked softly. Langston gave Chuck a look. "Because that sounds like someone who has been hurt by a spouse."
"No, he hasn't," Langston replied. "At least not any marriage we know of."
"See, it's this crap why I would never get married," Cole continued. "You must have plans for her to leave my character. Don't look at me like that, you all know I'm right." Cole looked around the room, and locked eyes with Chuck. Chuck was trying to control the look on his face, but it was impossible. "You don't agree?"
"It really doesn't matter if I agree or disagree," Chuck replied. "I'm not the writer or the actor, so what I think doesn't play in to this."
"How can he trust her begin that close to an ex?" Cole insisted. "You think she's earned that trust, is that what it is?"
"No," Chuck replied. "What I see is a man that is scared to trust people. You don't 'earn' trust." Chuck used finger quotes. "You just simply trust, and if you get hurt, that's part of it. You make yourself available to those you love, to those you want to spend the rest of your life with. I'm not judging you, please don't think that. You are welcome to live your life however, but this character, as written by the writers...Paul, I believe?" The writer that was listening nodded. "Paul Evans loves his wife, he trusts her. She told Paul that she has a platonic relationship with her ex-husband. They are at two different places in life, and their separation was amicable."
"It's bollocks!" Cole disagreed.
"No, it's what this character believes," Chuck insisted. "I don't know you Mr. Cole, but I think you're used to being the main character on the show or movie your featured in. You aren't the main character in this story. This is Zondra's story…or more importantly Michelle's, the character. This is about her life with everyone. Her husband, ex-husband, her work, her daughter, her soon to be granddaughter….You're not the star. I know there are some shows that name the main character and it's really about the main character and the love interest, but on this show…you're supporting cast."
"What the hell do you even know about TV?" Cole snapped.
"Nothing, but you did ask me my opinion," Chuck pointed out.
"My mistake!" Cole retorted.
"Okay, let's all take a break," Sarah said, stepping between Cole and Chuck. She looked at Chuck, questioningly, and he realized she was worried about his anxiety. He gave her a smile and she grinned at him. She turned to Cole. "Take the day. Let me figure out what to do."
"Rewrite it," Cole began.
"No," Sarah said. "Let me figure out what to do." Cole glared at her, shook his head, and left.
Chuck was watching Arik Armstead, the six foot nine inch, two hundred and ninety pound defensive tackle for the San Fransisco Forty-Niners, who had been cast as Zondra's ex-husband. "Langston, I know I don't know much about acting, but I know doubt when I see it, and Arik is thinking this is his fault."
"Shit," Langston swore.
"What if Z and I run lines with him the rest of the day since he's here, if he wants to, so he can at least get comfortable working with Zondra?" Chuck offered.
Langston gave Chuck a long look. "That would work." Langston paused for a second. "You don't have to do that."
"I know," Chuck replied with a shrug. "But if this will help Arik, Zondra, and Sarah…." He shrugged again.
"What about Cole?"
"What about him?" Chuck asked, making Langston snort with laughter. "I wonder what happened in his life to make him feel that way?"
Langston was silent for a moment. "Have you thought maybe it's that most people feel that way, and many would say your a fool for just giving someone your trust?"
"I have," Chuck replied. "But to live that other way…how do you ever let someone in?" Chuck snorted. "Not that I have a whole lot of people in my life."
Langston didn't say anything for a moment. "You know what would probably help?" Langston asked after a few minutes. "If you would record your run-throughs it would probably help Arik to study them afterwards."
"That's a great idea, but how do we do that in this room?"
"Use the set," Langston said. "Go talk to Zondra and Arik about it."
"Thanks, Langston," Chuck said, and headed over to them, Langston watching him the entire time.
"I know that look," came the Australian accent behind him. Langston just grinned. "You're up to no good."
"Who, me?" Langston asked, never turning as Sarah came up beside him. "Your friend has guts."
"All he did was tell the truth," Sarah replied.
"Not many people have told Cole the truth during his life," Langston pointed out. Sarah nodded. "Learn some things?"
"About Cole? Absolutely, things I probably should have known before I dated him."
Langston was quiet for a moment. "We both know that's not what I mean." Sarah turned to Langston, shock on her face. "Sarah…"
"Langston, don't," she said softly. "We both know my world would swallow him whole."
"Huh, I didn't hear you say that you weren't interested."
"It doesn't matter," Sarah insisted. "Wait, actually it does matter." Langston lifted an eyebrow. "If I do care about him, then I need to do what's best for him, and that's not be involved with him…romantically."
"Uh-huh," Langston replied. "So you're just gonna stay away from him during shooting?"
"No, we're going to be friends," Sarah told Langston. Langston sputtered laughter. "What? You don't think men and women can't be friends? Chuck has been just friends with Zondra for years."
"Chuck and Zondra don't have feelings for each other," Langston replied. Sarah started to speak, but Langston shook his head. "Sarah, you do what you want…you always do." She couldn't help but give a wry smile at that. "But keep in mind…the heart wants what the heart wants and sooner or later….it's gonna win."
"He's just so different than anyone else I've ever meet. It's just a crush…an infatuation."
"Uh-huh," Langston replied. "Listen, go home, get your head on straight, and we'll deal with Netflix tomorrow."
"I need to fix this."
"Tomorrow," Langston said gently. "You learned things today that shook you up, and you need to be your best tomorrow when you deal with them."
"The Ice Queen." Sarah said. She blew out a rough breath. "How come when a woman is focused on doing the job that she wants done, she becomes the ice queen or worse?"
"Because you intimidate men," Langston told her, shrugging. Sarah stared at him. "What? You've never heard that before?"
"No, I have," Sarah admitted. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she walked off.
}o{
The camera cuts to the interview chair. Langston sits down. The producer speaks. "Why?"
Langston grinned . "I've worked with Sarah in some capacity or another for five years, and I have never seen her more shook then when she was around Chuck Bartowski." He shrugged . "Something had to be done…a little dirty and conniving." He leaned in toward the camera. "I can play dirty with the best of them." He leaned back and grinned…almost evily.
}o{
The scene cuts to the set.
"Okay, Arik, you are going by your real name, Chuck is playing Paul, and I'm playing Michelle, got it?" Zondra asked.
"Got it," Arik replied, heading out the door on the set.
"You ready?" Zondra asked Chuck.
"Yep, we're rolling," Chuck told her.
"Action," she said, grinning. She walked over to the kitchen counter. "Paul, how do you feel about tacos?"
"They are an extremely under-appreciated food," Chuck said, walking into the kitchen, walking up to her, giving her a one-arm hug from behind. She snorted as he let her go and headed toward the fridge. "I also think it depends on where you're from and what you see as a taco. Some people have never tried carne asada. Some people have never tried fish tacos. Some people have never tried Taco Bell."
"Ew," Zondra replied.
Chuck opened the fridge, pulled out a drink, opened it, leaned against the counter, prepared to drink, and paused. "See, you're making my point. You don't have to love all tacos, but let other people love what they love, don't be crapping on other people's yum." He raised the beer to drink, and then spoke again. "By the way, where did this discourse on tacos come from?"
"Well, I was thinking about making tacos tonight, and thought I was asking if you'd like some, but obviously I was wrong," Zondra replied.
"You should have just asked if I wanted tacos," Chuck said, smirking. Zondra wadded up a napkin and threw it at him, hitting him in the forehead. "I deserved that." Zondra chuckled. "What can I do to help?" The door bell rang. "Let me guess, answer that?" Zondra gave him a look that seemed to say, "What do you think?" Chuck sat down the beer, walked to the door, and opened it. He slowly raised his head to look up at Arik, and then spoke, never looking away from Arik. "Honey, did you order your own personal eclipse?"
"You're so funny," Arik said, laughing.
"Come in, just don't break the door frame if you can help it," Chuck told Arik, stepping away from the door. Arik brought a friendly hand down on Chuck's shoulder. Chuck winced. "Or break me, if you don't mind."
"Oh, hush," Zondra said, walking over to him, and giving the large man a hug. Arik straightened, picking her off the ground as if she were a small child.
"Careful, she might pass out from lack of oxygen," Chuck told Arik. Arik laughed and put Zondra down.
"I'm so glad you found you a good guy," Arik told Zondra. "Did I interrupt dinner?"
"No, we were thinking of having tacos," Zondra told him. "Would you like to stay?"
"I can run down and find a cow for you to eat on if you need a snack," Chuck told Arik. Arik turned to him. "I'm sorry, was that one joke too far?"
"No, man, you're good. I was thinking I could take you all out for dinner." He paused and grinned. "I'm sure they have a kids meal that you can eat."
Chuck laughed as it dawned on Zondra what Arik was saying "You did it?" Zondra asked in a hushed whisper.
"I did it," Arik told her, a grin on his face.
"DUDE!" Chuck said, making Arik turn to him, grinning. "DUDE!"
"Hug?" Chuck jumped up and Arik caught him, laughing his head off. "They gave you what you wanted?" Chuck asked as Arik put him back on the ground.
"Oh, they gave me everything I wanted…and five mil more in a bonus!" Arik told them. "It's a five year extension, I'm set, man." Chuck gave him a look. "Okay, fine, I've been set for a long time, but now…now I'm really set."
"Well, don't tell Riley, or she'll want a new car," Chuck told him.
"I've already bought her one," Arik told them, ducking his head.
"Arik!" Zondra said, slapping his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, she's my baby girl, and I'm always gonna spoil her," Arik said shrugging. "Now, let me take you two out to dinner."
"Why don't you two go," Chuck said. "This is a family thing."
"And you're part of the family, Paul," Arik told Chuck. "You are there for both of my girls…in ways I never really was." Chuck started to speak. "No, you are so good for Michelle and Riley. Thank you."
"They're good for me," Chuck replied. "Okay, if Michelle is okay with it, I'm in."
"Hell, yeah, let's go!" Michelle said, as the three headed out the door. Langston stood in the back, in the shadows, having watched the whole thing.
}o{
Later that night Langston picked up the phone in his office and made a call. "Fred, Langston Graham. Yes, this is about what you did. No, I'm not telling anyone, but remember how I said I'd take care of you, well, there's someone else I need to take care of and it's going to require your help. You should have some footage of a clip of a show and I need you to edit together all of the camera angles as if it was for TV, and send it back to me in an hour." Langston listened for a moment. "Well, I know you can actually do it in thirty minutes, sooooo…. Good, I look forward to you sending it back." Langston hung up. He sat in his chair, his fingers steepled together in front of him and smiled.
A/N: Well, well, well.
Next time:
"You looked me up," Langston said, not asked. "New company owner in Sarah, a first time Executive Producer in me…you must have questions."
"I do, but it's not my right to ask. Here's the thing, Sarah Walker trusts you." Langston nodded. "I trust Sarah Walker, ergo…" he trailed off.
"Trusting in this business will get you hurt," Langston pointed out.
"Yeah," Chuck said with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure she's worth the risk."