A/N: CQ: That last chapter…that wasn't fluff.
DC: I know, right?
CQ: You got any more?
*DC grins*
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
Sarah squinted at paperwork in front of her. She had put off entering Jeff's workorder paperwork into the system for a few weeks now, for fear of what it might say, or even what he might have written. Each employee was supposed to do their own, but Sarah found it easier to just do Jeff's, rather than having to constantly help him, and smack his hand when he went to touch her hair.
"Product was returned because initial repair failed. When product was opened, a cheese sandwich was found inside," Sarah read. Sarah stopped, opened another window and looked at the original repair ticket. A quick search told her that Jeff himself had completed the original repair. "Makes sense… he opened it up, fixed it, put his sandwich down, closed the product, and left it inside," she groused.
"Any chance you can help a guy fix his phone, Darlin'," a voice asked from behind her. She froze. Shutting her eyes, she prayed for strength, and that the voice notbelong to who she feared it might. She slowly turned to see the grinning face she did not want to see, holding up an older model cell phone.
"That is quite an older model, sir. Perhaps you would be better off upgrading," Sarah offered. Innately, she knew he wouldn't listen, but she could always hope maybe today was her lucky day.
"Nah, I like the old school stuff better," the man said with a shrug.
"There are always pagers," she told him. He gave her a flat look. She sighed, held out her hand, and he handed her the phone. "That is an older model, Mr…" She gave him a pointed look, encouraging him to fill in the implied blank.
"Mr. Burton, but you can call me Jack," he replied with a grin.
"Of course you're Mr. Burton," she replied, rolling her eyes. Jack looked a little sheepish. "I haven't seen an Intelicell in months."
"Think you can fix it?" Jack asked.
"I don't fix them, I just help with customer relations," Sarah told him. Jack leaned forward, intrigued. "I work with nerds, Mr. Burton. They are amazing at fixing technology, but terrible at talking to most people… at least, most nerds are," she added softly.
"So, where's the one that you were on stage with?" Sarah turned slowly to look at Jack. "Imagine my surprise when Bobby Marks called me, and told me to check out a YouTube video with you on it, and some schnook, singing. How deep are you in on this con?"
"It's not a con," she hissed at him. "I am out of that life."
"Oh come on, kid," Jack chided. "Like you went clean after I left?"
"How would you know anything about what I have or have not done?" she nearly spat. "Where have you been?"
"I was in jail," Jack said with a shrug. Sarah stared daggers at him. Jack's shoulders slumped. "When I got out, I figured you didn't need me anymore."
"I'm your daughter!" she reminded him softly but fiercely. "You were supposed to protect me, you were supposed-"
"I left you money!" Jack said. Sarah shook her head, turned, grabbed the papers and put them in front of him.
"If you will sign here, we will fix the phone within twenty-four hours," Sarah told him in her best customer service voice. "You are always welcome to call and check on the progress of your repair at any time. Just give them this workorder number, located here," she told him, pointing at the referenced digits.
"I ain't got a phone… how the hell am I supposed to call?"
"Even when you had one, you didn't," Sarah reminded him.
"Don't be like that, angel," he nearly begged. Neither of them noticed someone stopping to listen to their conversation as Jack pleaded with her.
"You left me," Sarah reminded him.
"Have dinner, tonight, with me, please?" Jack grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a name of a restaurant on the paper and a time. "My treat."
"Fine," Sarah told him. "But I have to be home by 9, there is no give on that."
"Got to see your boyfriend?" Sarah glared at him, and he held his hands up defensively. "Got it, touchy subject. See you tonight." He turned and headed to the door, leaving.
Neither of them noticed the employee scurrying off to Big Mike's office.
}o{
Sarah was in the back, in the cage, trying to figure out what this latest note of Jeff's meant, and examining the computer it referenced. She heard the door slam open.
"Walker, what in the hell is wrong with you?" Big Mike yelled.
"I'm working at the Buy More?" she offered. "I'm doing Jeff's paperwork?"
"Better you than me," Big Mike said, nodding. He shook his head, reminding himself to get back on track. "What the hell are you doing to Bartowski? Trying to kill him? I've got the big brass of the Buy More trying to find your replacement-"
"Wait, you're firing me?" Sarah asked, straightening.
"What?" No, are you even listening to me?" Sarah narrowed her eyes, and Big Mike cleared his throat. "Although, I am reminded communication does require two people, and perhaps I have not communicated properly to you-"
"Big Mike," she said, trying to stop the spiral.
"Those fools don't trust anyone, and Chuck is having to do everything," Big Mike spat out, quickly. "He's running himself ragged fixing their messes, and that boy is the star of the show."
"Okay, and that's awful for Chuck, but what does it have to do with me?" Sarah asked.
Big Mike stared at her. "Maybe you just don't get it." Sarah narrowed her eyes at him again. "Sarah, you're their manager. They trust you. Next tour, you're on the road with them."
"…Next tour?"
"Yes, Sarah. They're a damn hit," Big Mike said, shaking his head. "They are playing in places with five… seven… even ten thousand people." Sarah's eyes widened. "Good, you understand. Now, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO BARTOWSKI!?" Sarah took a step back, shocked. "That boy is crazy about you. That boy would do anything for you, and you're out here gallivanting around with some older man?"
"Wait, what?"
"I have my people, Sarah," Big Mike told her. Sarah gave him a look like she didn't believe him. "I do," he said, pulling up his pants. "Fine, it's Harry Tang. He's a damn snitch, but for once, I'm glad he's here. He saw you with that older man out front, and he said that you are going on a date with him tonight."
"Oh God," she muttered.
"So you don't deny it?"
Sarah looked up at the ceiling, her shoulders slumped. She knew this wasn't Chuck's fault, but part of her still wanted to blame him. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have to deal with this foolishness. If it wasn't for him, she would bottle up her feelings and not have to deal with this insanity. But because of him, she did care what people thought.
She looked at Big Mike. "I am not denying what Tang saw. But his conclusions are idiotic."
"You are having dinner with this man?" Big Mike asked.
"I am having dinner with my father, yes," Sarah told Big Mike.
Big Mike cleared his throat, embarrassment coloring his features.
"My dad's a conman, and thinks I'm here for Chuck and the band. My dad thinks I'm here to use Chuck, which is the furthest thing from the truth."
"And what is the truth?"
Sarah chuckled. "The truth? The truth is, I need to get Chuck away from me. Because if I don't, I will mess him up."
"I have news for you Walker. You have already messed that boy up, but in the best way possible," Big Mike told her. Sarah blinked, trying to process what Big Mike was saying. "Before you got here, that boy left to go plead with a woman to give him another chance. Because of you… because of you, Walker, that boy is now out there singing in front of thousands of people, not hiding in a damn Buy More. You have messed him up, and he will never be the same. But you have done it, and made him a better person."
"I was a CIA agent, Big Mike. I've done unspeakable things. On top of that, I am the daughter of a conman. And he deserves better than that," she said softly.
Big Mike snorted. "So, you think he deserves to be trapped here for the next five years or so, wallowing in his own misery, hiding from the real world?"
"No!" Sarah replied.
"Well, if he hadn't have met you, I'm pretty sure that is exactly what would have happened."
"You can't know that," Sarah argued.
"I'm pretty sure of it," Big Mike said with a shrug.
"How could you be?"
"Just am," Big Mike said. "I've known that boy for a long time. The point is, you're good for him, and he's good for you. Now get out of here, and go have dinner with your dad."
"Thanks, Big Mike," Sarah said. She turned and left the cage, heading to her locker to get her stuff.
Big Mike looked around. "Hell, I deserve better than this," he groused, turning and heading back toward his office.
}o{
Sarah came home, frustrated. Her father still thought she was running a con, and no matter what she said, she couldn't convince him otherwise. She opened her laptop, and looked down at her phone. He had called twice, and sent a text.
The text read simply: I'm sorry, I miss you.
She had sworn she wouldn't reply. She swore it. And even after she had hit send on the text that read, Miss you, talk when you get home, she redoubled her promise that she would not do this to him. He had to get away from her.
Her dinner with her father tonight proved that.
"Good evening," she heard Chuck say from the computer. She looked up at the screen, and couldn't help but smile. "Thank you all for coming out tonight, and all the love you have shown us on this tour." He cleared his throat, and looked down at a piece of paper. "I'm supposed to tell those of you that are at home, or even here, that there are still some seats still available on the tour, and to check the link in the description of the video on the YouTube channel."
He cleared his throat. "Well that was awkward." The audience chuckled. "Tonight, I feel like singing about love." Sarah shut her eyes, and shook her head. "People try and fight love, they try to ignore it. But it's there. It's there, and it won't stop, no matter how hard you try." He picked up his guitar. "Tonight, instead of fighting it… listen." He looked right into the camera and gave a soft smile.
Sarah blew out a breath. He was killing her. He was actively killing her via a YouTube video. She shook her head, smiling… it was who he was, and she loved him for it.
There's a time and place for everything, for everyone
We can push with all our might, but nothing's gonna come
Oh no, nothing's gonna change
And if I asked you not to try
Oh could you let it be
I wanna hold you and say
We can't throw this all away
Tell me you won't go, you won't go
Do you have to hear me say
I can't stop lovin' you
And no matter what you say or do
You know my heart is true, oh
I can't stop lovin' you
"Jesus, Chuck," she muttered, playing with her shirt collar. "You're not even trying to hide things tonight." He was telling her that he was fully aware of what he was doing. He was making it crystal clear how he felt, and asking her not to throw it away. She knew she should throw it away. That voice, still in its locked room, was yelling that she should, that she should run. But Sarah wasn't listening to the voice. She was listening to Chuck sing to her, because that was what he was doing, tonight.
You can change your friends, your place in life
You can change your mind
We can change the things we say
And do it anytime
Oh no, but I think you'll find
That when you look inside your heart
Oh baby, I'll be there
Hold on
I'm holding on
Baby, just come on, come on, come on
I just wanna hear you say
He was holding on. He was holding on for them both. She knew that's what he had been doing the entire time. The entire time she tried to push him away, he just held on. And he was there in her heart. That she had no question of. But if she loved him, wasn't she supposed to let him go?
"But haven't I?" she asked herself. And that's when it hit her: She had no hold on him, no claim. And yet here he was, wanting to be with her, in spite of her crazy.
I can't stop lovin' you
And no matter what you say or do
You know my heart is true, oh
I can't stop lovin' you
Oh, I'm twisted and tied
And all I can remember
Is how hard we tried
Only to surrender
She had tried and tried to convince him that they were wrong for each other. But the thing was, she loved him. And like some weird emotional bloodhound, he had known. She had surrendered to it. She had surrendered to the fact she loved him, and he loved her.
And when it's over
I know how it's gonna be
And true love will never die
No, not fade away
It wouldn't die, would it? She let out a huff. She had tried to kill it, make it fade away, and all it had done was fester and grow.
I can't stop lovin' you
And no matter what you say or do
You know my heart is true, oh
I can't stop lovin' you
And I know what I got to do
Hey ray, what you said is true
I can't stop lovin' you, oh
Oh, I can't stop lovin' you
"Good night," he said into the camera.
"Good night, Chuck." She was silent for a moment. "I love you."
}o{
For the next four days, she worked at the Buy More, watched Chuck, and tried to convince her father that she was out of that life. God, what a damn mess. And that blasted Chuck Bartowksi… Before him, she would have just ignored her father, but now, she had to protect Chuck from him. She was so tired, and had no one to talk to.
She looked down at her phone, and the message she had typed. It seemed she wouldn't listen to herself, no matter what.
Hey, you've been amazing, and I'm not asking you to call, or message me. In fact, don't. But if somehow tonight, you could sing something and let me know I'm not alone. I've been dealing with some stuff and without you here to talk to, it's… it's not been easy. Don't call, don't text, just sing me something if you can.
She shook her head. She was finding herself insane and tiresome; how the hell did he not? She hit send, then stared at it. A moment later, she got a thumbs-up emoji reply. She put her phone down before she responded, because then she would have talked to him, and she couldn't.
She shouldn't… right?
}o{
"Good evening," Chuck said, sitting down in front of a keyboard. "Tonight, I have had a request from a friend. Life… life is a lot, sometimes. We all have things in our lives that are hard, that are our personal battles. We have to fight those battles – alone sometimes – but that doesn't mean that we are, in fact, alone. We have people, and sometimes you need to be reminded of that. Tonight, you aren't alone. There's someone out there that is in your corner, and that's what this song is about.
He began to play the intro and then sing.
Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you
Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new
Flashback, warm nights almost left behind
Suitcases of memories, time after...
Sometimes you picture me, I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said
Then you say, "Go slow", I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
She was gob smacked. So much of her life had been about her going, and doing, and being on her own. And now, here he was, telling her that he was there.
If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
Here she was, lost, and yet… somehow, there he was for her. Was that not love? Wasn't that what love was? Tears began to slowly fall down her cheeks.
After my picture fades and darkness has turned to gray
Watching through windows, you're wondering if I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
The instruments began to play for a short break. All she could do was sit there, and realize that wherever she went, he was there for her. Not because he wanted something… just because that's who he was. He would catch her.
You said, "Go slow", I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after
Time after
She reached over, and closed the lid of the laptop. She pulled out her phone and texted him two words.
Thank you.
She sat in the windowsill, looking out over the city, thinking about Chuck Bartowski, her father, and what love really was.
a/n: Today's music includes Can't Stop Lovin' You by Van Halen and Time After Time by Cindy Lauper