Return Of

A Lost Soul

Disclaimer: Because just about anything could have happened to Chuck after Stanford and this is one such take on that idea.

Summary: Five years after he ended up in the Foreign Legion, a lost soul makes his return home.

"Hi there, I uhh, I was wondering, is Ellie Bartowski on shift tonight?" Asked a man who had just come into the Westside Medical Hospital.

The long hair and shaggy beard on his face made him a little on the unrecognizable side and all was wet courtesy of the storm that was currently going on outside despite the fact he was wearing a poncho that had clearly seen some better days. The nurse at the desk stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Yes, she is."

The figure smiled. "Great! I, I know this is gonna sound strange but do ya think you could set me up in an empty room and have her meet me in there?"

"That doesn't sound strange, sir, it is strange." The nurse told him flatly and he chuckled nervously.

"Would it help if I said I'm her brother, returned at last?"

The nurse's eyes widened in shock over those words. "Chuck!? Chuck Bartowski!? That's really you under all that hair!?" She asked as she came from around the desk to stare at him in shock.

"Yeah, its really me." Chuck replied and not even bothering to ask how she knew of him.

As everyone who works at Westside had known of him thanks to Ellie talking about him a lot. And even though he didn't recognize this woman thanks to how long he'd been gone, he figured his sister still talked about him. Even if it was likely to be unhappy things considering he practically abandoned her due to his life having gone down the crapper five years ago. Sure, he left a letter but he still essentially abandoned her when he left to join the Foreign Legion to try and escape his pain that Stanford had caused him. Or, to be more accurate, the pain Bryce Larkin and Jill Roberts had caused him respectively. The nurse just smiled happily at him as several other members of the staff came over to where they were after hearing the name of Ellie's brother. "Okay, let's get you a room and we'll have Ellie come your way."

"You know she's gonna be pissed, right?" Asked one of the staff members.

Chuck sighed and looked at the man. "Yeah, I'm aware and I know I deserve it."

A short time later saw Chuck in the room he'd been set up in and part of him was nervous about this meeting as he hadn't seen his sister in a long time. Now yes, he had sent a few letters over the years but he had never heard back and it had hurt him. But he had figured he deserved her silence considering what he'd done. "Hello, I'm Doctor Bartowski." Declared a voice from behind him that he hadn't heard in so long.

Slowly, he spun around and the sight of his sister made him want to tear up. Ellie smiled at him but failed to recognize him. "H-Hi… Ellie." He said softly.

Her eyes widened as Ellie thought she heard her brother's voice from this man but it couldn't possibly be him… Could it? "How do you know my first name?"

The man gave her a sad look. "Other than the fact I'm your little brother, El?"

"I don't know what kind of sick game this is that you're playing, but you'd better stop before I call security." Ellie threatened unhappily.

"Ellie, this isn't a game, its me. Its your little brother, Chuck!" He told her earnestly and stepped up so she could get a better look at his face.

And to her stunned shock, once that happened, she realized he really was telling the truth. "Ch-Chuck!?"

"Yeah… Its really me."

Her eyes glistened as she covered her mouth with a hand and stared at her long lost brother who finally returned. "I'm, I'm so sorry, sis." He whispered to her.

And before either knew it, Chuck found himself slapped by her as she ran from the room, sobbing as she did so. Sighing heavily to himself, Chuck cursed in one of the languages he learned while serving in the Legion and chased after her. "Ellie, wait!

"Whoa, hold on there!" Declared a Blonde man Chuck vaguely recognized as he got in his way in the hallway.

The whole thing making Chuck scowl at him unhappily.

Authored's Notes: This could have ended in a happy way but I figured that wasn't likely to happen given how he handled things previously.