Beautiful as You Chapter 7 – I wasn't going to write another one but there would be too many saying otherwise. So, I plan to have this be the final chapter – thanks for the ride. Let me know what you think. Mssupertigz
Ch 7
Sarah sat nervously in the backseat of Casey's car holding an unconscious Chuck in her arms as Casey sped back to Castle. They debated whether to take him to the hospital but Sarah remembered Chucks saying that if his sister found out it would be a much bigger problem. A problem that they weren't ready to deal with. Sarah caressed his face as she watched his eyes twitch back and forth and his breathing ragged, then seeing almost no movement at all. Casey took regular glances at the rear view mirror at the two of them trying to get back to Castle as fast as he could. Not sure if that would help them or not.
East LA
Rueters hobbled out of the room still fearing to tell 'him' that he was too late. He fumbled and dialed. The voice on the other end was harsh. Reuters spoke. "Larkin's dead."
"The traitor, he deserves to die." The man on the other end spoke out loud. Rueters held his side after Larkin finally hit him, with a shower of bullets.
Rueters walked out to a dark alley as he put his phone in his pocket and held his hand firmly on his abdomen. His team pulled up and he got in. They saw all the blood.
"You need to go to the hospital." The driver spoke.
"No, just drive." As Reuters laid back in his seat.
They drove for awhile coming up to a vet clinic. "Pull over here."
Rueters saw someone coming out of the clinic and as the car pulled up he got out and aimed his gun. "We're closed." The doctor spoke.
"Well open up."
The doctor who was very shaken, opened the door. Rueters laid on the table. The doctor took a look and saw the damage. "I don't have anything to really numb the pain." They came to a consensus and the doctor began to remove the bullet. The doctor cleaned up and feared for his life. But whether it was because Rueters had lost so much blood, he spared the man's life and walked out.
Rueters grabbed a drink and turned when he heard his phone ring. He answered. "Hello?"
"I assume your fit to continue."
"Well, yeah."
"Good, so where are we? If Larkin is dead."
"He's dead."
"What about the key?"
"Not on him."
"So it was used?"
"Yeah."
"Was it activated and destroyed." Reuters explaining.
"Destroyed?"
"Mr. Busgang we were too late."
"I told you not to say my name."
"I'm sorry sir. Not thinking straight. I have lost a lot of blood after Larkin shot me."
Busgang had no empathy. "Is there anything left?"
"Not sure, they still have lots of Agents there. Even that Major Casey was there snooping around."
"Why is he there?"
"Not sure why he's in LA."
"Find out. If the NSA is there then Graham and Beckman might have there hands in this as well. That would explain why Larkin betrayed us."
"So what do we do now?" Reuters keeping the conversation going.
"Make sure that if it was destroyed we get our hands on the console and we will start again."
"But Larkin is dead so what about our leads." Busgang cleared his throat. "That person is still out there and we won't stop till we have them, we have the research, we can rebuild a new one. We are not done with this, I will not let Orion win again."
Reuters spoke one last time. "What about Scorpios?"
"It's a go. Let them all know we are ready to move forward. Like I said I am not letting Orion win even if he has Langston Graham and General Beckman on his side."
Casey carried Chuck inside and laid him down on one of the cots under the stairs as Sarah went into triage mode and set up some electrolytes through an IV. She wiped a tear trying to focus as she went a head and inserted a line into Chuck's arm. Casey paced back and forth trying to get a hold of Beckman. When he returned he looked at Chuck, who was still unconscious, looked down at Sarah. "Beckman will be here in the morning." Sarah gave him a worried look as he squeezed her shoulder. "Will you be alright?"
Sarah nodded. Casey tried to give her a reassuring smile as he turned to leave. "I am going to head back and take care of things." He stopped and stood still for a second, not sure of what had happened or why it happened. He backed away again then headed up the stairs. Sarah sat beside Chuck with the sounds of Castle keeping her company. She watched him intently till she gave into the tiredness, eventually snuggling in beside him.
Chuck woke up startled not knowing where he was. The last thing he remembered was staring at his hand as it was being scanned. He looked at his surrounding and saw the IV pole then who was in his arms. He tried to smile as Sarah snuggled in his arms. He saw that her cheeks were stained but as he moved to kiss the top of her head, the pounding started up again making everything hurt even as something simple as blinking. He slowly removed his hold and the IV for whatever reason was in his arm and got up, that's when he finally realized that he was in Castle. He braced himself as he stood up by holding onto the walls of Castle as he made his way to the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror looking at his reflection. His eyes were swollen and his head continued to feel like a spinning wheel. He noticed that his senses were peaked as he was able to hear sounds that he couldn't hear before. He heard the venting systems fans start up and the slight tapping that he knew was not anywhere near him. Those noises didn't scare him but when he heard his heart beat that scared him.
He turned on the water and the sound of the running water was amplified. He leaned into the sink splashing some cold water on his face. As he looked up, he wondered what, did he just do.
Sarah sat up and called out his name searching Castle for him. Chuck slowly walked out of the bathroom hearing his name, meeting Sarah's face. He saw the worriedness in her eyes. Casey had returned and hurried down the stairs at the same time hearing Sarah call out Chuck's name. Chuck looked up at the both of them as fell to his knees. He looked up. "Guys I know Kung Fu." Casey helped Chuck up not sure whether to laugh or take the statement seriously. He helped him to a chair and sat him down, as Sarah grabbed some water. Chuck smiled slightly. "Do you have any aspirin?"
Sarah backed up and walked off coming back with the first aid kit and pulled out a bottle of aspirin. Casey sat down still skeptical at what he just heard. Sarah pulled up a chair and sat beside him. "Honey what do you mean you know Kung Fu?"
She knew Chuck loved the old classic Kung Fu movies as she had sat in on a few of them with Morgan. He looked at the two of them. "I can't explain it. My head is spinning and I seem to know stuff that as of yesterday I didn't."
"Like what?" Sarah grabbing his hand.
"Top secret stuff, names dates." Chuck relayed some intel.
"Now at this moment a General Stansfield…former alley…. anyways last week you guys intercepted some blueprints of a hotel. Then the CIA found a file of schematics of a bomb in Prague. The bomb is in that hotel."
"What do you mean Chuck, this is very serious accusation." Casey leaning in.
"Casey, I know, but that is what I know. The General will be speaking soon and somewhere in that room there is a bomb and I bet a handful of Serbian demolition experts."
Casey looked at Sarah. Sarah gave a slight nod. Casey got up pulling out his phone. "This is Major John Casey, we have a situation." Walking off.
Chuck and Sarah waited and listened. Sarah lowered Chucks head to her shoulder and kissed his forehead.
Casey returned after making the phone call. An hour later agents entered Castle. Chuck and Sarah stood up as Casey turned to talk to them. The agents continued to talk to Casey. Chuck stood seeing Casey return. "General Stansfield was rushed into safety and the bomb diffused."
Chuck leaned over placing his hands on his knees. Casey repeated what he had said. "The General is safe and the bomb was diffused. There were a small group of Serbian demolition experts there as well and they were apprehended."
Sarah smiled slightly at hearing the news but Chuck wasn't much into celebrating. Sarah looked at him. "Chuck tell us what Bryce said to you."
Chuck sat down again. "He told me that there's a thing called the Intersect that my dad I'm guessing created."
Sarah and Casey looked at each other. Sarah looked at him trying to understand. "And you know this for sure?"
"When I was 8, I snuck into my dad's office and played with his computer stuff. He was an engineer and very smart but he wasn't a father to Ellie and I. When my mom left he stuck around for around awhile but he left and I haven't heard from since till Bryce mentioned him before he…"
Chuck paused and choked up a bit. "Bryce said that this persons name is Orion and he created it, and was trying to keep it out of the hands of people like Scorpios. Bryce didn't say what this thing was, all he said that it was called the Intersect. He gave me a key and told me to destroy it. He died and then I looked at console. I walked over to it and inserted the key. On the screen it said activate or destroy – then a hand scanner came on. Then I remembered what my dad told me after I pressed a button on his system. Even then a ton of pictures came up on the screen and my dad told me that what I saw made me special. And again, earlier when I turned the key and activated it, the same type of images came on but this time it was much more intense - I saw stuff that I shouldn't have seen and I know stuff that I shouldn't know. I can see why Bryce wanted it destroyed."
Casey looked at him. "So why did you upload it then?
Sarah looked at Casey. Chuck got up. "I need some air."
Chuck struggled upstairs and inhaled the fresh air. Sarah followed. Chuck walked out to an empty parking lot. In a tearful tone he heard Sarah ask him. "Why Chuck?"
With pain in his eyes. "I don't know. For weeks I have been searching for this thing and wondering when they were going to come for me, and for what reason. But knowing they wanted me and seeing all the people who died because they weren't the one."
"And you are!"
"That I don't know but now that it is destroyed they won't be coming for me. There's nothing to come for."
Sarah tried to fight back her tears. "Chuck this makes you a much larger than life target and they won't stop coming for. Knowing that you are the one who for whatever reason and only God knows why you are still standing."
Chuck looked at her. "That I what I can't understand, why those other people didn't and I have."
"Did you ever think of what was going to happen after you turned the key. You and me?"
Chuck looked at Sarah. "You don't get it. I don't get it. But if this started years ago and I am still here, I need to know why. If Bryce didn't want them to have it, and he tried to keep me safe, this thing safe then I have to keep it safe."
"No Chuck, Bryce was trying to keep you safe by not having you go through this. Bryce was trying to prevent this from happening. What I see, he didn't want you to have it either."
"You don't know that!"
"Chuck! You uploaded this thing and who knows what else and we definitely don't know what it will do to you mentally. Chuck you were unconscious for hours. And by the looks of things your still not doing great. Was it worth it!"
Chuck looked at her and took a deep breath. "I guess you will never know."
Chuck took off down the parking lot hearing Sarah call out his name. Casey walked out of Castle. "We need to go after him." Sarah freaking out.
Casey drove the neighbourhood and came up empty. Casey drove Sarah back to Castle. "You better go and get some sleep. Beckman will be here in the morning."
Sarah knew she couldn't get any sleep if Chuck was still out there. She drove back to Chuck's house but a voice told her go to the beach. Sarah made a u turn and headed towards the water. She pulled up and got out and saw him sitting facing the ocean. Her heart skipped a beat. She took her boots off and carried them towards Chuck. Chuck didn't look up as Sarah sat down. "How did you know that I was here?"
"Just a hunch."
"I guess being here is becoming a habit."
"Chuck I'm sorry."
"No, I should be sorry but I don't think that what I did was exactly wrong?"
Sarah rested her head on his shoulder.
"Beckman will want to know why."
"And you?"
"Chuck I can see why you would upload it, but I'm scared at not knowing what it can do to you mentally."
"Sarah, if my dad created this, he wouldn't have created some thing that would cause harm to anyone. My dad wasn't a dad to us but he wouldn't."
Sarah slid her arm into his. Chuck rested his head on hers. "Can we go home?" Sarah smiled and got up. Chuck got up and dusted off the sand on his jeans.
Sarah drove Chuck back to his place and waited till he was settled then drove back to her hotel, showered, and hopefully get some sleep. She planned to go back a little while later, giving him some time alone, but truthfully she needed to be alone to think this through, she didn't sign up for this. Sarah entered her shower and stood under the water and literally cried. She had never been a crier but this, this she didn't know how to deal with this. She remembered hearing stories about the CIA doing 'testing' and what happened to those who were 'willing participants' and she feared what if 'those things' happened to Chuck. Her heart sank as she fell to her knees.
Chuck tossed and turned as he relived the events that happened earlier. He sat up in a sweat, his heart pounding. He sat back into his pillow literally alone staring at his room. 'What did you do Chuck?'
Hours later
Chuck snuck out his bedroom managing to dis the CIA agents roaming his apartment complex. Slipping out of the Morgan door he headed to the Hayes building. He walked the floors, making frequent shoulder checks just in case, still seeing where all the carnage had occurred and then he stopped just before the white room. He looked cautiously inside just in case Bryce's body was still there - but thankfully it wasn't. All Chuck saw was just a smeared blood stain. Chuck walked up to the console and ran his hands over it. The key was still in the slot. Chuck crouched down and instantly saw images of its make up, a helix style component, all the bells and whistles as if he was the blue print. Chuck surprised himself that he knew how it was made, all the bits and pieces of what he was seeing made sense now as it didn't when he was eight years old. He didn't know why he knew those things, he just remembered them. As Chuck continued to sees images that he couldn't explain he finally made the connection to what Fleming was trying to do.
'You were trying to find me all along. They knew that Orion, my dad created this. Fleming you were trying to find me before they found me. But who is Scorpios?'
Chuck wiped a tear when he heard a familiar voice call his name. "Does she know your here?"
"No."
Casey took a knee. "What you did was admirable but also stupid."
Chuck sort of laughed. "Yeah, I guess I wasn't thinking." Chuck looked behind him.
"Bryce?"
"Yeah Bryce, they took his body to the morgue. It's now up to the CIA on what they will do with his body. Not sure if he had any family."
Chuck looked back at Casey. "Not that I know of his parents died but that could have been a lie."
"It could but we can find out for sure."
Casey needed to get Chuck out of the building as the floor was still being investigated by the CIA. Chuck waited till Casey was preoccupied and slipped out wanting, needing more answers. He hailed a cab and despite his head spinning and feeling like he was in a fish bowl he asked the driver to head to the city morgue. Chuck paid for his fare and snuck around the back. He tried the door but it was lock. He waited and saw an in as a body was being dropped off. He followed the party into the back door and headed down the hall. He slid to a stop where he saw the coolers, he also saw agents guarding the door. He walked up to the first agent and they asked him why he was there. In seconds Chuck had knocked the first pair of agents. Chuck closed his eyes slightly as if blinded by a bright light and they too were then on the floor. Chuck shook himself and looked at the two agents on the floor. He doubled checked to see if they were still breathing.
He looked at his hands and as impressive as it was it scared the living daylights out of him. He pulled the two agents out of view and walked in and scanned the doors. He found one not labelled and opened the door. He pulled out the slab and saw Bryce's thick brown hair. Chuck took a moment before he pulled him out completely. They hadn't processed him yet as he was still fully clothed . Chuck looked at his friend trying hard to understand why? Why him, and why he was to be protected. He needed answers and Bryce wasn't going to give them to him. Chuck slipped his hands into his pocket, maybe he left him something, he hoped that he had left him something. He adjusted his jacket as he continued to talk to him. He checked Bryce's inside pocket and found a piece of paper.
Chuck hoped that it was it meant to be found and Bryce knew that he was going to find it. Or he thought he was going to give it to him in person. Chuck opened the piece of paper and didn't flash. He turned to look at Bryce but felt dizzy. He backed up holding his head then collapsed.
Sarah was too tired to sleep, too wound up to sleep. So when she got a call from Casey saying that Chuck might have gone to the morgue, she got dressed and grabbed her keys. Sarah arrived and saw the back door entrance. She jimmied the door and snuck in and headed down the hall seeing the two agents on the floor. She checked their pulses and grabbed her gun, fearing seeing Chuck down on the floor as well. Gun raised she entered the cooler and saw Bryce's body on the slab and Chuck lying in the floor. Sarah fell towards Chuck on the floor and instantly caressed his face, he slowly came too. She thought that this was all over.
Chuck nursed an extra strong cup of coffee, hoping that it would calm the pounding in his head. He wore the outfit that Sarah had gotten him the day A.C.E. opened up. He stared at the piece of paper he took from Bryce's jacket. He took a sip and heard in the distance comps and voices. Sarah looked up from browsing a magazine just to kill time, seeing Chuck stand up. "She's here." Sarah looked up to see no one till Casey walked in. "Beckman is here."
'How did he know she was here?' Sarah got up and fixed her skirt as she too was dressed for the occasion. She hadn't seen Beckman since she first arrived in LA months ago. Sarah knew that this wasn't one of those 'Hey how are you doing, good to see you let's go for coffee type meetings, this was one was of national security.'
Sarah took Chuck's hand and squeezed it, hoping to give him the sign that he was going to be okay. He raised their hands and kissed hers. Sarah smiled and walked the few feet to the meeting room. Chuck walked in as Casey introduced him to Beckman.
"General Beckman, Chuck Bartowski."
The little red head turned to face the talk dark handsome young man, that she only had the privilege to talk to via video conference. She eyed him seeing some resemblance of 'him' but she kept that to herself. "Chuck, General Beckman." Casey turned to sit down.
Chuck nodded then let go of Sarah's hand to shake the General's hand. They took their seats and as Chuck rolled his seat closer to the table, Beckman started talking. "Mr. Bartowski."
"Chuck, is fine."
Beckman looked at him and knew that formality of names was to show who was in charge but seeing the look on Chuck's face, she made the exception.
"Agent Larkin as we know was here to make sure that you Chuck were protected."
Chuck nodded. "That's what I hear."
"He was undercover for a long time trying to find out about a possible leak within the CIA. There were rumors that a small group of ex CIA agents and a few disgruntled ones were working together to take down the present regime. One of engineers who was working on a special project for the last 20 years, finally was seeing some positive results. We, then were in the search for someone to take on the role, the job, to fulfill the requirements that were set up. We had searched our own agency, and recruited men and women who met the criteria and were successful in the candidates that we found. But word got out that these individuals were being recruited and trained based on this special project. That's when Agent Larkin was asked to head this group. He was recruited while you two were at Stanford. We didn't know at the time that he was also your roommate. So when we got the new list of possible recruits and your name was on it. Bryce was asked to make sure that you weren't given the opportunity. He even planned to have you expelled from school so you weren't eligible to be part of this. But that changed when we began to hear about a group called Scorpios.
Sarah looked at Chuck and she knew that something was going on and she didn't want to alert Beckman. Sarah sat up in her chair and quickly asked a question. "General, who was Bryce working with?"
Beckman diverted her eyes away from Chuck allowing Chuck to have a moment. Chuck's eyes rolled back and then focussed within seconds. Sarah looked at him. He nodded slightly as Beckman answered Sarah's question.
"Bryce was asked to look into the name Scorpios and do what he could to bring them down. The deeper he dug the more he found out that they too were looking for the 'one'."
"The 'one'?" Sarah sat back.
"The Intersect as we were calling it was created as a teaching tool to allow an agent who had uploaded its intel, to become a super spy. But it had its faults in that only a few people could handle the amount of intel. So when the list got out, and we were still looking for the right person, Scorpios was also hunting down the names on the list and doing what they could to find the one before us, and if they weren't the ones they were killed. But once again your name Chuck came up again. They were going through the list and Bryce had to make the call. He was told that if it came down to Chuck being the last one standing he had to destroy the Intersect. We knew that 20 years of research would be gone and intel, but for some reason Chuck's life was worth it. So now we are here and the Intersect is not destroyed and all our intel is."
Chuck looked at her. He pointed to his head.
Beckman's mouth dropped. "So it's not on some external drive or file?"
"No, I…" Chuck started to talk.
"No, General we believe that Chuck uploaded it into his brain." Casey spoke up.
Beckman didn't know a lot about the Intersect herself but she knew its potential but this changed things, knowing that Orion's vision of a human intersect actually had become a reality. She looked at the three. "Major a phone please."
Casey got up and led the General out of the room. Chuck and Sarah stood up. They watched the little red head pick up the direct line to DC.
Sarah looked at Chuck. "You had another flash?"
"Yeah, on Scorpios. But that's not important right now." Chuck looked at the red head and glared at her lips. "She talking to a Langston Graham?"
Sarah looked at him. "What?" Chuck looked at Sarah.
"I can read lips."
Sarah took a double look at Chuck as he continued to stare. "She just told him that I uploaded it and that there is no external drive. She wants to speak to Orion?"
"And?" Sarah wanting more information.
"My dad."
Chuck turned to face Sarah as Beckman walked back in.
Before Beckman could say anything Chuck asked her. "My dad, is Orion isn't he?"
Beckman pulled her suit jacket down and stared at Chuck.
"Chuck you and Major Casey will head to DC in the morning where we will follow up on this and proceed to the next step. Until we know what this Intersect does you are under the watch of the U.S. Government. Go and get your affairs in order and a car will drive you and Major Casey to the airport first thing in the morning."
Beckman gave Chuck no time to respond as her eyes were directed to the door. Chuck walked out as Casey followed. Sarah started to head out too. "Agent Walker a moment."
Beckman watched her like hawk seeing what she was going to do and how she was going to react to staying back.
"Agent Walker, you will remain here in LA and finish up your reports, putting together all your notes on Mr. Bartowski. All your surveillances and personal reports on the last few months."
Sarah looked at her. 'How could she put together her reports when she wasn't keeping any?'
Beckman looked at her and knew that there wouldn't be any but she had to keep her focussed on the job and not on her feelings for him. She had to keep her far away from him as she could, to keep him both safe.
"Agent Walker you understand your assignment?"
Sarah stood tall. "Yes General. I do." Sarah fighting back a response.
Chuck headed over to A.C.E and informed his employees that he was taking some time off. He even got Morgan to take a few shifts. Casey told him to plan for a few weeks and then go from there. Chuck packed his bags and looked around his office. He had only been open for a few months but his dream was taking off and going where he had only dreamed of it going. He stared at the photos on his desk and wondered what he was going to say to his sister. He heard Casey. "You ready to go?"
Casey dropped Chuck off at home and walked in with him. Casey was waiting for Chuck to say something. "What right does she have? I mean I'm no ones property. I did what I thought was best and now I am told to go to DC and that I am to be watched like I am the criminal. What does say about this group Scorpios."
Casey looked at Chuck. "What do you mean? Scorpios isn't a person?"
Chuck looked at Casey. "Yes and no. Scorpio is one of the most misunderstood signs of the zodiac. Because of its incredible passion and power, Scorpio is often mistaken for a fire sign. In fact, Scorpio is a water sign that derives its strength from….."
"Don't care Chuck, the short version."
"Okay, Beside it's distinctive venomous sting. Scorpions lie in wait and strike when least expected. Life is a game of chess for these calculating water signs, who are constantly plotting several steps ahead in order to orchestrate an eventual checkmate. Scorpions simply knows what they want and aren't afraid to work hard and play the long game to get it. They never show their cards and their enigmatic nature is what makes them so seductive and beguiling…On a bad day, we can see their relentless desire for control. Power-hungry, controlled by their egos."
"So they are not to be trusted?"
"If they are CIA and they wanted to make a regiment of super agents, maybe that is why Beckman has got her medals in a twist. But that still doesn't give her the right to…"
"Chuck she can do whatever she whatever she wants, you're lucky that you haven't been tossed in a bunker underground somewhere."
Chuck walked off towards his room and grabbed his suitcase. He smiled as he hadn't seen it since he got back from Paris. He opened it up and saw a receipt from the cafe that started this all. He sat down and remembered that day as if was yesterday. He slipped the receipt back in suitcase as a reminder and grabbed a photo of Sarah and slipped it into one of the side pockets and got up and walked to his closet. He grabbed what he thought he needed and tossed it into his bag. He walked across to the bathroom and came out and tossed those items into his suitcase. He walked into the living room and rolled his suitcase next to the door. Casey stood there. "We have one more stop, before we leave in the morning." Chuck was too tired to care. He grabbed his coat and followed Casey.
Sarah slammed the door of her hotel. "How dare I be benched. I didn't do anything. I need to be with Chuck. She knows darn well I don't have any reports on Chuck. Sarah slammed and tossed whatever she could around her room then sat down on her bed." Beckman's speech rang through her head. "Right now your not his girlfriend you are an Agent who now has orders to stay here till we figured this out."
Sarah wanted to throw something. But looked around the room and she had nothing left to throw. She thought maybe a knife at the wall would help.
She got up and looked out the window, she needed to see him. She needed to tell him that she loved him and this wasn't going to stop them from being together.
She grabbed her jacket and headed to the door as she swung it open there stood Chuck. She fell into his arms as he kissed her. He walked them back in kicking the door closed. They continued kissing. "We don't have much time."
Chuck whispered "shh."
He tossed Sarah's jacket as Chuck took his off. Chuck looked at her and held her face in his hands and looked at her. He placed soft kisses on her nose, fore head, cheeks then her lips. He grabbed her shirt and pulled it out of her jeans and as he spread his fingers allowing him to run his whole hand over her skin as he took her shirt, his touch, her skin went to memory. He took her bra off as he cupped her breasts. Sarah grabbed his shirt unbuttoning most of the buttons then giving up and pulling it up and over his head tossing it behind him. Chuck pulled her close as their bodies touched. Chuck watched as Sarah undid his belt and as he slid out of his jeans he laid Sarah down pulling hers off laying on top of her. Sarah caressed his chest as he came close to her. Her touches went to memory and her kisses were extra long, to reach that tingly feeling. Sarah rolled Chuck onto his back as Sarah straddle him. She paused slightly and looked at him. "Chuck."
Chuck sat up. "I love you and that will never change, tomorrow is not important right now, it's you and me."
"But when will you be back?"
Chuck held his hand on the back of her head and brought his lips to hers. He continued to kiss her. "I love you too." Chuck held her close wanting tonight to last as long it could but they only had till morning. Sarah moaned into his neck as she held him close their bodies moving as one. Sarah dragged her fingers down his back as he kissed her neck then rolled her onto her back. Sarah slid her hands down his back and cupped his cheeks wanting to feel him even more. Chuck leaned on his elbow to look at her. He caressed her face and whispered into her ear. "I love you. And I'm sorry for all of this."
"I love you too."
She raised her head to meet his lips. "No more talking."
They continued to make love waking up to the sun breaking through the window.
Casey knocked on Chuck's apartment door as Sarah answered. They had arrived only minutes earlier as it was hard to say goodbye back at the hotel. Chuck grabbed his suitcase and turned to face Sarah. "Move in with me?"
"What?"
"Move in here, they can't do anything, if you are living here. And I can't be there knowing that you're alone in that hotel."
"But I will be alone here."
Chuck grabbed her hand. "No I will be here."
Sarah looked around. He kissed her as Casey grunted. "Let's go Bartowski."
Sarah held his face close to hers. "I love you."
"I love too."
He gave her his keys and walked behind Casey and disappeared.
Sarah turned and closed the door. Though Chuck wasn't there he was right he was there.
Sarah had finally rolled away the last of her bags and stuff into Chuck's apartment and she started to feel at home. She placed the bag of groceries on the counter and took out the milk and eggs and tossed them into the fridge. She grabbed a beer and sat down on the couch. She stared at the phone, she needed to hear his voice and even Casey had been quiet. Which wasn't a good sign.
DC
Chuck and Casey were escorted to an undisclosed facility and Chuck feared that this place was that bunker that Casey had told him about. But Chuck had Casey beside him, making him feel a bit better. Chuck stood nervously as they waited for the elevator to reach the main floor. Casey looked at him. "You got this."
"You think so?"
"You have been holding up this far?"
"Yeah, but that was stuff that I had done when I took Flemings class, if I wanted to go back to school to do exams then I would have."
"They are trying to find a base line. This is new to them too?"
"Why would it? They created it, or my dad did, but every time I mention his name people clam up and look the other way."
"Would you want to be the one to answer questions to something that for years was just an idea and maybe some day become reality, then have someone like you still standing when those others weren't so lucky? And if your dad did create this then maybe he had his reasons. But again the fact that you uploaded it and that Bryce did what he could to keep you from it, and Sarah and I were assigned to watch you and now we know why, just blows my mind. If I had to pick someone to have these secrets inside their heads I'm glad its you."
"Thanks Casey it means a lot." As Chuck reaches to give him a touch.
"Keep it in your pants Bartowski."
They both laughed as the doors open their laughter turned serious, when they saw two men staring at them.
"Follow us." The taller one spoke.
Chuck and Casey entered the elevator and instead of going up they went down. Chuck feared the evitable bunker.
Chuck was sent to a room and as the door closed he saw Casey walk away. "He'll be fine Major, you can stay out here."
Casey kept his eye on the door a few feet away but for Chuck the window to the hall gave him no hope of ever getting out of this in one piece.
Chuck finally sat down and adjusted to the quietness. His head also calmed down a bit.
LA
Sarah grabbed his jacket and slipped her hand inside his pocket putting her car keys away as she closed her door of her car. She had been wearing a lot of his shirts and jackets just to keep him close, today was the jacket he wore when she last saw him. She walked into the coffee shop and grabbed a coffee. She ordered her coffee and pulled went for her money and pulled out some cash and a piece of paper. She paid for her coffee then slipped the paper back into her pocket and walked over to A.C.E doing her regular check in, then headed inside Castle. She put her coffee down and took out the piece of paper. She sat down looking at it. It had a set of numbers on it. Sarah knew she had to start looking into this if she was ever going to see Chuck again.
DC
They watched from the other side of the mirror as Chuck stood up knowing that something wasn't right. They had watched him scan the room for a several minutes always coming back to the wall in front of him. They went quiet. Chuck walked up to the window and ran his hand over it. He knew that wasn't a solid wall. He bent down seeing a faint red light. He stood up seeing the mechanics of the room and the floor that he was on. He banged on the wall. "I don't need you, you need me. So, what is it going to be?"
Chuck stood back as the room went dark. Chuck could heard the door open and he could feel that he wasn't alone. In seconds hand were on him and he felt the punches and kicks. He counted six maybe seven people came inside, they knew were he was but Chuck figured that they wearing night goggles and well trained, to move in so quickly. Chuck felt the next punch but instantly he had a maneuver and took out the first guy, then the second. Chuck tossed the third across the room hearing him hit the window wall. The fourth guy screamed when his wrist cracked and Chuck knocked him out. The next three guys were able to grab Chucks arms adding a few more punches. Chuck heard the cocking of a gun and twisted his hips slightly moving into a kicking motion that knocked the man's goggles off. Casey came around the corner seeing a man fly through the window. He ran towards the door and entered the room as the lights came on and Chuck karate chopping the last guy. Casey hopped over the guys on the floor moving towards Chuck. Chuck leaned on his knees then grabbed the chair and swung it throwing it at the wall. The wall, which was made of glass, shattered. Casey looked passed the broken window to see a room with a camera and Chuck sliding to the floor. He looked at his bloody hands then looked at the men who were either still lying on the floor or were being taken out by men and women in white coats.
"You need to see a doctor." Casey looked around counting the men.
"There were seven. I noticed that there was, I saw something shinning through the wall and I yelled at it and in seconds the room went dark and I was attacked. After a few hits, I mean really good hits, I knew they had night goggles on and that there were seven guys who came in." Chuck repeating himself.
"You did this?" Casey looking at him.
"I did tell you I knew Kung Fu."
"Yeah you did but this was more than Kung Fu. You literally took out seven men at once."
"Not until I took a few hits myself."
Chuck tried to stand up as Casey helped him to his feet. Chuck walked out holding his side. He looked back at the room and the broken glass and what or who stood behind there. Casey took him down the hall.
Beckman walked out of the far room. "You satisfied?" Her look was as stern as her voice.
"I didn't ask for my son to get this, we agreed that he wouldn't have to be given this responsibility ever and that Agent Walker and Major Casey would continued to watch him and Bryce was to shut them down."
"Well that didn't happen, your son did exactly what we knew could have happened and now we have to deal with it before Scorpios finds out."
"They probably already know."
"That as it may be, we just saw what this thing can do and everything else he had proven and shown us. Your creation has be given a gift, that all of the people to take this on, it happens to be your son. Who, years ago survived his first time uploading the Intersect? And now we hope that he will be able to do, wonderful things, with this and will be willing to work along side of us. He was right, He doesn't need us, we need him."
Orion looked out at the room. His son was the human Intersect that was the easy part. The hard part was now he had to face his son.
Casey took Chuck to get checked out. Despite seeing the other guys Chuck got a few good hits of his own. Casey quickly pressed the button to the elevator preventing the entourage of agents to join them. Chuck bending forward stood up and saw the cell phone. "Make it quick. She's been calling." Chuck held his side and tried to smile. The elevators doors opened and Casey took a quick look and escorted him into a waiting room. Chuck sat down and quickly dialed. He hadn't heard from her in weeks. He put the phone to his ear and waited.
LA
Sarah juggled her keys to enter the apartment hearing her phone. She dropped her things and closed the door grabbing her phone. She saw that it was Casey, she feared the worst. 'Why would Casey be calling unless something went wrong?'
"Casey?"
"No baby, its me."
Sarah instantly teared up. She longed to hear his voice. But she knew something was wrong, his voice sounded weary. "Chuck what's wrong?"
"Got into a fight, banged up a bit and Casey thought I should call you. Well it's the first time that I had some time to breathe. So maybe getting into a fight was a good thing?"
"Why?"
"I don't know, I was put in a room and seconds later 7 guys came in and I was the last one standing."
Sarah wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "You took out 7 guys?"
"Yeah, you know when I said that I knew Kung Fu, well I also know how to strategically fight, very combat type of fighting. Like every move was choregraphed but the steps were in my head. I thought of what to do and in seconds I did it."
"And you still got hurt?"
"Yeah the initial hit, the room was dark and I assume that they had night vision goggles on so it took me longer to get the upper hand. When the lights went on they indeed had night goggles on and were heavily dressed in combat attire."
Sarah sat with her hand to her face, she needed to be there.
"Enough of me, tell me, how are you. I miss you."
"I miss you too."
"Where are you?"
Sarah smiled. "In your apartment."
"Our apartment."
"I like that."
Sarah curled up on the couch and switched ears. "So how is it going?"
"You haven't heard the screams."
"The screams?"
"Just kidding. There has been just tests and questions as to why and what else Bryce told me or didn't tell me. I thinking that they want me to say something different or mess up and that will make them feel better. I feel that I am walking on eggshells here. Beckman even has distanced herself bringing in that Langston Graham."
"He's my superior."
"Oh yeah right you mentioned that."
They both went quiet.
"I want to come home." Chuck held his side.
"I want you to come home too." Sarah slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the piece of paper. "Chuck I found a piece of paper."
Chuck looked up at who had walked in. "Chuck this piece of paper?"
Chuck froze, was he staring at a ghost?
"Chuck!"
"Dad?"
The call ended as Sarah tried to call him back but it went to Casey's voice mail. She dialed again.
DC
Chuck put the phone down and stared at the man who looked liked his dad but the years were good to him. Chuck held his side and tried to stand up. "Please rest, this won't take long."
Chuck sat back down on the bed. Casey stood in the doorway as Chuck raised his hand. "I'm good." He gave Casey his phone, you better call Sarah and tell her that I didn't mean to hang up on her."
Casey walked in and grabbed the phone. "You'll be okay?"
"Yeah."
Chuck took a deep breath. Casey walked out and redialed Sarah's cell.
"Walker."
"Casey what's going on?"
"Chuck's dad just walked in."
Sarah fell back into the couch. "I will have him call you as soon as he is done."
"Thanks."
The senior Bartowski walked the small room looking at his son. "It's good to see you."
"Save the small talk, what's going on here and where have you been the last 20 years?"
"In due time."
Chuck looked at him and didn't dare call him dad, but even Mr. Bartowski was too formal for this reunion.
"Now what? What does this all mean? And why did you have Bryce."
"Bryce yeah well."
"Bryce is dead because of this."
"He chose this he knew the risks."
Chuck stood up. "What risks? The fact that this was created in the first place and that I was the only one who could tolerate this amount of data. To keep me from getting involved and in the end I got here anyways."
"This, you weren't suppose to upload it, it was suppose to be destroyed so that they couldn't get their hands on it. But when we found out that your name was on the list of possible candidates, I had Bryce do what he could to make sure that didn't happen. I had made arrangements to have the Major and Agent Walker go to LA to keep an eye on you just in case."
"Why? What's the point of all of this? You spent 20 years on this, you left Ellie and me for this, just to keep it from me, to protect me and in the end it's still here in the last person you wanted to have it. A little ironic isn't it? Then you stand on the other side of that wall watching me."
"I had to see what you could do with it? The intel was good the application was never tested except."
Chuck looked at him. "Except when I was 8."
"I was surprised that you were able to handle that amount of data at one time especially being so young. Then word got out that the Intersect had been tested and the subject survived. A certain group of people felt that I had cheated them out of this creation when we had worked together on some of the initial schematics. So when they were getting close to finding out who it was, I, your mom and I made the decision to."
"To leave." Chuck cringed holding his side.
"You left because, they were coming after me?"
"We needed to keep you and your sister safe. They wouldn't stop till they found you. I went into hiding and your mom took a job in Europe. We hoped that one day we would come back and explain all of this but not this way. I even destroyed the early files on this called Sandwall."
Chuck's eyes closed. "Sandwall, that was the name of the mission, the one that would put the Intersect into action."
"Is it that fast?"
Chuck looked up. "Sometimes."
"Call me Orion or Stephen."
Chuck laid down as nurses came in followed by a doctor.
Chuck woke up seeing his ribs taped up and his hands bandaged. Casey walked in.
"You slept for an hour or so."
"Did they give me something?"
"Yeah."
"Orion?"
"Got called away."
Chuck tried to sit up. "Sarah?"
Casey gave Chuck his phone. "We can head back to the hotel if you want?"
Chuck nodded and slipped off the table. Casey gave him his jacket and they walked out.
Chuck laid down on his bed and finally dialed Sarah. Casey went out on the balcony and lit a cigar. Chuck dialed Sarah's number. Sarah answered instantly. "Chuck?"
"Yeah."
"You okay? Casey told me."
"I dreamt one day I would see my dad again and I figured that I would be so excited to tell him everything that had happened, tell him about Ellie, Stanford, A.C.E but I all I wanted was to make him suffer."
"What did he have to say?"
"The Intersect was mission that those involved I'm guessing didn't get a fair share and decided to go looking for those files and find the only person who had survived the initial upload."
"You?"
"Yeah, so Bryce was recruited and I guess he found out about me and agreed to keep me safe and far from this whole thing. He was suppose to destroy it so that they couldn't get a hold of it. In the end the one that wasn't suppose to be involved in it ended up receiving it."
"Did your dad tell you who these people were? Are they Scorpios? And I found a piece of paper in you jacket."
"You still have it?"
"I have it right here."
"What does say again?"
"It has a number on it and a name Sandwall."
Chuck jotted down the number and the name Sandwall and circled it. For he already knew what Sandwall was but the numbers he had no clue.
"I will look into it at this end and maybe you can see what you can find at your end. The less, others know about this, the sooner we can put an end to this. I better get some rest. Miss you, love you."
"Love you too."
Chuck put the phone down on the night stand and turned his light off. Casey walked in and grabbed his phone and saw the piece of paper. He headed back outside and dialed.
"Yes, this is Major John Casey. I need information on a file called Sandwall and any reference to the following numbers. Have the files sent to General Beckman as soon as possible and call me when this is done. Thank you."
48 hours later
Casey and Chuck walked into Beckman office and she seemed less than impressed to see her office full of files. "Care to explain?" As Casey walked in.
"Just going on a hunch and what I was given. Chuck found a piece of paper on Larkin and on it was the file name Sandwall and numbers, so I had your people look into anything that had the name Sandwall or the numbers that I gave them. By the looks of thing I guess it was the right way to go."
Chuck opened the first box of files. He looked up. "There's not that many boxes here."
Beckman gave him a stern look then sat down and rolled herself up to her desk. She then looked up. "This is your problem."
"Yes ma'am."
Casey turned and grabbed a pile and sat down. By noon they had the boxes looked at through. Chuck had only flashed a few times as everything he saw he already knew. So nothing really made any sense. There was no connection between Sandwall and Scorpios. Chuck closed the last box with the lid and walked up to Beckman. "Excuse me General."
Beckman looked up. "What do you know about Scorpios? Who is he or what is it?"
"It's not a what, but a who?"
Chuck sat down. "I was hoping that Orion would be the one to tell you this but Larkin was one of ours so I will tell what I know. When Orion first got here he had the research and intel that was the basis to what you have now in your head and he put together a team of researchers. They continued to gain strides in possibly making what they had on paper a reality. Your dad went back to LA and was working on the last part of his research when his data produced the results he had only seen on paper."
"And I."
"Yes, so when he came and presented his data and findings, one person decided that he had been robbed of the opportunity to cash in on this. Your dad had no plans to make money on this and even then when he knew what it could do and that you were the proof he needed he couldn't afford to let anyone else have it either. So he hid the data and research until recently when those individuals came looking for it again. His name is Howard Busgang. He was the second lead researcher under a man named Roark along with your dad, and another engineer named Hartley. The three agreed to let it go except Busgang, who felt that he was not given his share. He convinced Roark to go along with him leaving Hartley and your dad. We believe that they are behind Scorpios. And with what they know, they won't stop looking for it and now unfortunately come looking for you, if word gets out."
"But if the console is destroyed, the data is fried. The Intersects makeup can be duplicated but its original components can not. Orion, my dad had built it so that it couldn't be duplicated in it's entirety. Any additional systems would not have the same results as the original. What I went through years ago and what I went though now was like up grade and once that intel was uploaded its gone. So if Scorpios is planning to use the system or is creating a new one, there's going to be a lot of differences."
"And that is what I am afraid of. Making them or forcing them to keep looking for you. "
Chuck wasn't reassured at all. He knew that what he had just found out had to be destroyed. Chuck looked at Beckman and they agreed that all evidence had to be destroyed.
Chuck watched as Beckman tossed the items from the boxes into the incinerator. Chuck and Casey helped out, emptying all the boxes. Beckman also tossed in the video of Chuck taking care of the men in the room upstairs. Beckman closed the door. "There's nothing left that we hope connects you to the Intersect. But that doesn't mean that they won't come looking. Once they find out that Orion has a family it won't take long. We have tried to keep your existence here quiet but when agents are tossed out of a window, its hard to keep that sort of thing quiet."
"So, what do we do now General?"
"Come with me."
Beckman led Chuck and Casey back to her office. "We have seen what this thing can do and besides it still being full of surprises. It also has a lot of secrets and important intel that is beneficial to our nations security."
"I understand that General, but I am not planning to, I don't want to use it. But I uploaded it because I was told that I was a person that could make a difference, that I was special. But whatever decision you come up with, remember you need me, I don't need you."
Chuck got up. "I am heading back to LA, and you and your team, my dad can come up with a plan all you want and if they come for me they come for me. I can live with Casey and Sarah watching me just like we have been doing, but this time, I will know why and we will be ready."
Chuck got up and walked out. Casey was surprised that Chuck had walked out on the General. Casey slowing walking to the door. "I better go, unless you have something to say."
Beckman never answered.
Busgang walked in and saw Rueters waiting for him. "So where do we go from here."
Busgang looked at Reuters. "We are not done yet, got word that Beckman was doing some house cleaning in DC. That they have stopped looking for the one."
"So what does that mean?"
"Either they have found for themselves the one or Larkin's death has put a stop to them continuing. So we take advantage of this and move onto the next step."
"But we don't have the Intersect."
"No, but we will continue looking into Flemings list of recruits. We have another list and I want to meet with this person. Find her and bring her to me, from what I have heard she was in some of the same classes with Larkin."
Rueters got up groaning a little. "Any word on why this list was redacted?"
"No sir, this is what Larkin gave us."
"Well there has to be an original somewhere, I wished that I can remember where I put that piece of paper."
ECHO PARK
Sarah typed in the set of numbers again and had been looking into any sequence she could think of that would have these numbers in. She was getting tired and she wanted him home. She hadn't heard from Chuck in a few days and she was starting to worry. She pressed enter and up popped a prompt. On the screen was typed '1 or 11.' She tried to reboot her laptop but nothing helped. It still read 1 or 11.
Sarah laid back on the couch staring at the laptop. She dozed off thinking of Chuck. She woke up to noise in the courtyard. She grabbed her gun that was under the couch. She slouched as she headed to the door. She opened it slowly and stepped out. She had her gun raised and pivoted on her heels looking around the complex. She saw no one and headed back towards the door, when a soft voice called her name. She stopped in her tracks. "Didn't know that a woman holding a gun, wearing her boy friends t shirt and pajamas bottoms could look so hot."
Sarah lowered her gun and turned around. "Hey babe."
Sarah noticed agents reappearing then as Chuck looked around they slipped back into hiding. Chuck walked closer as Sarah came into view. Chuck looked over his shoulder. "Unfortunately they still are a part of the deal."
Sarah looked at him. "I don't care." She half ran half walked into his arms. Their lips met as Chuck wrapped his arms around her.
Chuck followed Sarah inside as they continued to kiss. Chuck broke the kiss. "Let me shower, then we can talk?"
Sarah nodded as Chuck rolled his suitcase into the bed room. Sarah closed the door, locked it and walked to the bathroom, hearing Chuck inside. She leaned up against the wall. 'He was home.'
Chuck came out feeling a bit better. Sarah had made him some tea and also had a beer sitting on the counter. He walked up to her and held her close to him. His arms held her tight bringing those memories real again. He kissed her softly. Sarah continued to enjoy his kisses but he seemed distant, he was home but his mind wasn't. He grabbed the tea and took her hand and headed to the bedroom. Sarah shut the lights off and joined Chuck in bed. Chuck sipped his tea then curled up under the covers. He told Sarah he loved her and turned the lights off. Sarah laid on his chest and covered up. "I love you too."
Weeks later
Chuck sat down on the couch having returned to A.C.E and working lots of hours just to avoid talking to Sarah about what went on in DC. Casey did his best to not interfere saying that it was up to Chuck to tell her what had happened, but from the looks of things Chuck had not told her anything. Sarah drove home hearing some of what went on and she wished he had said something to her. But what bothered her the most wasn't what went on in DC, but that he was so distant and that they had been together since he left. Casey told her that he had a clean bill of health but he still wasn't her Chuck.
She drove in and parked and walked up to the door, she had bought Spyro hoping that pizza and movie might change things.
Chuck looked at the coffee table and saw Sarah's laptop. He saw that it was running. He opened it up as Sarah walked in. He looked up. Sarah said "Hi."
"Hi, how long has this been on here?"
Sarah put the pizza down. 'At least he was talking to me?' It came up a few weeks ago, I was looking into those numbers and this came up. I tried to reboot it but nothing helped."
Chuck looked at her and read out loud. "1 or 11."
"Does that mean anything to you?" As Sarah sat down beside him.
Chuck looked at her and caressed her face. Then returned to the lap top. "It might sound weird but nothing makes sense any more. But my dad had this saying 1 or 11. It has to do with aces, they can either be a 1 or a 11 depending on what you are playing. Then he would say Ace's Charles." Chuck repeated the the sentence again. Then he started typing. Sarah looked at the lap top. Chuck typed Ace's Charles and pressed enter. Chuck feared that it was going to be another upload or something, so he covered Sarah's eyes. The screen went dark then lit up again. Chuck kept Sarah safe as the files came into view. Chuck released his hold as Sarah looked at the screen. "What is it?"
"It looks like…"
Sarah took the lap top and scrolled down. "It's names of every agent within the CIA and those who.."
Sarah scrolled down again. "There's a list for Scorpios, The Ring, Fulcrum?"
Sarah turned to Chuck. "What is this?"
Chuck looked at her. "You think that what I have in my head is big, this is much bigger. No wonder why Bryce had this on him."
"Did we just find out everyone who is…"
"I think that we maybe have come to an end and we can put this thing to bed."
Chuck looked at Sarah. "I'm so sorry that I have been distant since I got back, this is all so new and honestly I don't know how to deal with it but I can't ignore you."
"You haven't."
"Yeah, I have."
Chuck caressed her face as Sarah melted into his hand. Chuck leaned in and kissed her.
Sarah got up and reached for his hand. She walked them back to their room. She relished in the task of taking his shirt off, his jeans then watching him do the same to her. Sarah laid Chuck down on the bed as she laid across him. She caressed his face watching him enjoy every touch. She sat up looking at him as he eventually sat up looking at her placing kisses along the way. Their bodies started to react to them being together and things picked up. This reunion though a few weeks late it was worth it.
Chuck held Sarah close as the sun peaked through the courtyard. Sarah got up and straddle his legs. "Well Ms. Walker."
Sarah leaned forward. "Good morning Mr. Bartowski." Then kissed him hard.
Sarah dragged her hands over his chest as Chuck slid his arms around her rolling her over onto her back. "Wow."
Chuck smiled. "There's more were that came from. "I have lots of secrets inside my head, The Lindbergh baby, the formula for new Coke."
"What are you saying Chuck." Chuck looked at her "What I have always wanted to say, Sarah." Chuck leaned in and kissed her hard but he didn't respond, he just continued to kiss her. It was their time and nothing else was important. They made love again finally getting to the pizza that Sarah had got the night before.
Sarah gave Chuck the phone. "We won't be able to be us till this is over. You need to call Beckman and tell her what he have found."
Chuck put down his pizza and slid his hand down her leg taking the phone.
Sarah listened as Chuck relayed their findings.
Chuck put the phone down. "Casey will be here shortly to pick up your lap top, he will lock it up in Castle till Beckman can come and get it."
Chuck leaned back on the couch as Sarah slipped her legs down and rested her head on his shoulder. "Is this over?"
"Don't know."
"But I do know that I wouldn't have changed anything. Meeting you when I did changed my life. Nothing can compare to how much I love you and to tell you everyday how beautiful you are, makes me the luckiest person alive." Sarah looked at Chuck. "I'm the lucky one, my worst day became the best day of my life when I met you. You have shown me that even when life throws you lemons you make lemonade. And I know that having this happen to you, to us will change things, I can be reassured that our love will keep us together, no matter what.
