A/N: So, those of you left hanging on that cliff from the last chapter, I hope this can make up for it somewhat. I know that "can we take a walk?" is analogous to "we need to talk", but at least from Sarah's perspective, it's not that kind of conversation. For Chuck however...

Warning: There is a rather high… "pollen count" in this chapter. Those with allergies might want to have some tissues handy. ;)

Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck


Chapter 11

"Chuck, can we… can we take a walk?" Sarah asked, he voice shaky and looking more nervous than he'd ever seen her.

"Um, yeah. Sure. Let me grab our jackets." Chuck pulled their jackets from the coat closet and helped Sarah on with hers, then put his own on. Chuck called out to Ellie, letting her know they were stepping out for a while before following Sarah outside. They made their way down the driveway and onto the sidewalk. Chuck knew that Sarah had been struggling with something since yesterday, but he hadn't wanted to push her. So, rather than question what was wrong or what he could do to help, which was his normal instinct, he opted to remain quiet, waiting for her to take the initiative.

After a block and a half of walking and fidgeting with her fingers, Sarah finally let out a huff. "I have a few confessions to make. The first one is… I met Morgan yesterday." Sarah just left it at that to see if Chuck could pick up the inherent problem in that.

"Oh, yeah? Where did you see…. Oh shit!" he hissed out, his hands going to his forehead as he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Yeah…." she concurred. "And I… I handled it kinda badly."

"How… how 'badly'"?

"Let's just say that your mom and Ellie know everything," she admitted with a wince.

"They what?! Ev-everything? Like 'everything' everything?"

"Yup. When they challenged me about how your closest friend had never heard of me… I just broke down. I… I didn't want to lie to them anymore and once they knew the truth, I was certain they would never approve of us being together," she continued, looking down at her feet as she fidgeted with her fingers. "So, I did the only thing I could think to do. I…. I ran."

"You… you ran? Like, literally?" he asked, finding it hard to believe.

"I lost it. I just…. I grabbed my stuff, said I was sorry and bolted." Chuck stared at her, wide-eyed, in silence. "I didn't get very far before Ellie caught up to me. I'm sorry Chuck. I… told her everything. I had to. When I saw the disappointed looks on their faces, it broke my heart," she sniffed, quickly wiping a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. Chuck moved in close, putting his hands on her elbows, bending down to try to look her in the eye. Sarah looked up at him with an appreciative smile. "I'm OK. It was tough, but in the end, it was a good thing. She understood. She wasn't happy, but she understood. I think the fact that she felt partly responsible went a long way to defusing some of her anger. We both had a good cry and hugged it out."

"That's...that's great. Right?" he asked, looking uncertain.

Well, we went back and we explained to Morgan and Alex that the reason we hadn't told anyone was because you didn't want to jinx it. You … we didn't want to get their hopes up if it wasn't going to work between us. I told them that I ran because I was scared and overwhelmed about gaining their approval. Not entirely a lie…"

"Wait. What? Seriously? You think they don't approve of you?" he questioned.

"Well, not so much after I told them I'd been lying to them about dating you, coming into their home on false pretenses and that I was a-"

"A what?"

"That's… that's the second thing I needed to talk to you about," she stated, stepping out of his grip and starting to walk down the sidewalk. Chuck followed, walking shoulder to shoulder with her.

"Chuck, there's something I need to say. It's… it's not easy and to be honest, I'm terrified of what it will mean for… for us."

"Wow. That… that sounds really serious. I hope you know you can tell me anything," Chuck assured her, his hands in his pockets as they walked.

Sarah nodded, her lips pulled into a tight smile and her gaze focused on the ground in front of her. "Thanks, but this may go beyond the 'anything' you had in mind. I told you before that I had a bad past, but I never told you exactly what that entailed. Partly, I was ashamed, but mostly, I was afraid. Afraid that you wouldn't see me the same way anymore."

Chuck stepping in front of Sarah again, stopping her in her tracks as he gently took her hands in his. "Sarah, you don't have to tell me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but if it's that painful for you, then I don't need to know. I know who you are right now, and that's all that matters."

Sarah looked up at him through her lashes, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "God," she sighed, shaking her head. "You always know just what to say. And while I wish it was that easy, this isn't something you can let me off the hook for. Before this… relationship can go any further, there are things you need to know." Sarah squeezed his hands and gave him a sad smile. Gesturing with her head to follow, she guided him down the sidewalk once more.

"I told you that I left with my father when I was young," she began, walking hand in hand with Chuck. His touch gave her comfort and strength; strength that she would need to get through this. "I was seven and my dad was always going on "adventures", or so he called them. He was fun and exciting and didn't have much use for things like 'rules' and 'structure'. It seemed perfect. What little kid wouldn't love to eat ice cream for dinner and stay up as late as they wanted?" she asked rhetorically, thrusting her free hand out in exclamation.

"He filled my head with pipe dreams and lies about my mother. My dad… he was a conman, a grifter. He would go from town to town, taking great delight in separating 'suckers' from their money. I didn't know what it was at first. He made it seem like a game, like playing make believe. As I got older, I began to suspect that what he was doing was wrong, but of course, my dad was great at lying or spinning the truth in his favor. So, I helped him. I helped that man swindle and cheat his way across the country. Some of the people he cheated were bad people that probably deserved what they got. But, there were also many good and decent people that he conned out of their life savings with the promise of a brighter future for their families." Sarah paused, swallowing thickly, trying to keep her tears at bay.

Chuck just listened intently, not interrupting, allowing Sarah to get this off her chest. He was definitely surprised to hear the truth about Sarah's father, although it made sense, given what he'd discovered in her duffle bag. When she paused, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, trying to impart his encouragement for her to keep going. At feeling his hand tighten around hers, she flashed a timid smile before her expression became sullen again. They had come to a cross street and Sarah pulled them to a stop.

"Chuck, I did these things. Horrible things. I ruined people's lives. Even when I knew it was wrong, I still did what my dad wanted. He had this power over me that I couldn't break free from. I kept telling myself that he was all I had in this world, so I just kept going along with it. It was all I knew. He had groomed me as a child to be just like him and convinced me that there was nothing else for me. That I would always be a conwoman, a criminal."

"Sarah-"

"Please. Just let me get this out," she pleaded, holding up a hand to stop him. Staring at his chest, she continued. "I didn't have a regular childhood. I didn't have friends, I didn't go to school. Everything I learned, I learned from him or from books. It wasn't until I was seventeen and he was running a long con that I got to go to high school. He manufactured a school transcript for my fake identity, just so I could get close to kids with rich parents. Eventually, the con backfired, but I was able to get a high school diploma out of the deal before we had to run," she shrugged, huffing in frustration. "A lot of good it did me. I couldn't even use it because it was under the name of somebody that didn't exist."

Chuck was processing all she had said, wishing so badly that he could have known her then and somehow been there for her. He wondered if one of the identities he found was the one she was talking about. In his head, he ran through the IDs he'd found and he recalled a school ID. "Jenny Burton," he murmured absentmindedly.

Sarah gasped, her head snapping up to look at him. Her face turned ashen as she took a step back, pulling her hands from his. "Wh-what did you say?" she asked, her voice quivering. It was then that Chuck realized his mistake, wincing as he turned to look at her. "You… how..?" she breathed out, her heart racing.

"Sarah, I can explain. I… I knew about … y-your past. Well, not in detail, but I kinda put some of the pieces together," he rushed out, holding his hands up as if to try to calm her down. Sarah's breathing quickened and her eyes grew wider as she took another step back. "Rebecca, Katie, Elana... Jenny. I found them by accident; your IDs. I didn't want to say anything because I figured it was part of the past that you didn't want to talk about." Sarah's mouth opened and closed several times, but she couldn't form any words, as a lone tear streaked down her cheek.

"I'll admit I was freaking out a little bit when I saw them, and a lot of things went through my head. Was… was this all a lie? Was it some kind of honey trap to get at my money? Was it just a case of a desperately lonely man falling victim to a breathtaking woman with a beautiful smile?" Sarah was shaking her head vehemently, her face scrunched in anguish as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Chuck stepped forward and took her hands, holding them tightly.

"But then I remembered all that we'd been through. How we met, all our conversations and all the time we spent together. If you just wanted my money, you could have easily taken it and left. All your actions told me that, while that might have been in your past, it wasn't who you are now. At least not with me. I didn't say anything because… because I trusted you. I trusted that when you were ready, you'd tell me. And… and here we are," he ended, his shoulders slumping slightly as he gave her a weak smile.

Sarah stared up at him, her cheeks wet and bottom lip quivering. "How… how long did you know?"

"The other morning when you were in the shower and asked me to get your shampoo. I searched in your duffle and I apparently picked the wrong pocket. That's when I found them. I felt pretty guilty, like I was invading your privacy, which was another reason I didn't say anything," he admitted, looking contrite. "I didn't want you to think I didn't trust you or that I was snooping or something."

"You knew all this time and…" she trailed off, searching his eyes. Realization overcame her and her eyes grew wider. "You asked me to be your girlfriend even after finding that out? Why? How… how could you still want to be with me when I'd lied to you?" she asked, her words getting stuck in her throat.

"But you didn't lie to me. You never denied that you had a bad past. You even got angry when I tried to give you my credit card, telling me how easy it would be to 'fleece' me. Did you leave some things out? Sure. We all do that. Nobody wants to air their dirty laundry in the first couple of days of a relationship."

"Chuck, this isn't just dirty laundry! I'm a cri-" Sarah stopped herself, looking around and then moved closer to speak in a hushed tone. "I'm a criminal. How can you just ignore all of that?"

Stepping even closer, Chuck released her hands and placed his hands on her cheeks, forcing her to look him square in the eye. "Because, Sarah, we forgive the ones we love. That's what we do. Just because you may have done some bad things in your past, doesn't make you a bad person. And I believe, with my whole heart, that you're a good person, Sarah Walker. If you weren't, then you wouldn't be this upset about it," he concluded, holding her gaze.

Sarah stared at him, her mouth agape. They continued to look into each other's eyes until Sarah finally let out the breath she'd been holding. "What… what did you just say?" she asked breathlessly.

"I said… we forgive the ones we…" Chuck stopped, realizing then what he'd said. His first instinct was to backpedal; to explain away his misspoken words. But, the more he considered it, the more he realized he hadn't misspoken. In fact, he'd never been more certain of anything. So instead of spiraling, he stood up a little straighter, setting his shoulders back with confidence. "We forgive the ones we love. And I do. Love you. I know it may seem foolish to say that when we've only known each other for such a short time. I thought I knew what love was once, but what I feel for you is so much more. I don't expect anything from you, but I want you to know, no matter what you've done, I know in my heart who Sarah Walker is and I love that woman; regardless of the name she uses."

Sarah barked out a sob and launched herself at Chuck, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him within an inch of his life. For his part, Chuck was startled but quickly wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground. They kissed for a long moment before Sarah pulled away slightly, letting out a wet chuckle with her forehead pressed against his.

"So… you don't want me to leave? You're not going to break things off with me now that you know?" Sarah asked timidly as he set her back down on her feet, but didn't let go.

"I've just finally found you. There's no way I'm letting you go," he confessed, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "I just realized, I kind of interrupted your story. You don't have to continue, but I'm happy to listen if you need to get it off your chest." Sarah stared at his lips for a moment before silently nodding. Giving him one last kiss, she stepped back and wiped at her cheeks. Chuck wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side and the two walked and talked as they made a circuit of the neighborhood.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sarah felt immeasurably lighter after talking with Chuck about her past. She hadn't told him every detail, but she'd given him the highlight reel of all the horrible things she'd done during her career as a grifter with her father. Chuck wasn't at all judgemental, just as Ellie and Mary had predicted. He listened quietly, occasionally asking a question, but mostly he just let Sarah tell her story. When she'd finished, he didn't say anything. He just wrapped her in a strong, comforting hug and kissed the side of her head.

They entered Ellie's cul de sac, quietly walking hand-in-hand, a contented smile on Sarah's face. As they neared the house, Sarah noticed a car parked in front of the house. "I wonder who's here. That's not Morgan or Alex's car is it?" she asked, pointed up ahead to the black car.

Chuck swallowed thickly, trying to keep his voice even. He just hoped that his hand wasn't sweating so much that Sarah would notice. "Uh, No. No, that's… that's Ellie's car. Yeah. She normally parks it in the garage but she must have gone somewhere." Sarah gave a quiet hum, nodded her understanding. As they drew closer, Sarah looked the car over, noting how shiny it looked.

"That's really nice. She seems to take good care of it. Is it new?" Chuck cleared his throat, nodding in the affirmative.

"Yeah. Yeah, pretty new," he said, trying to remain calm. "So, ummm… there's something I wanted to show you," he stated, trying to change the subject.

"Sure. OK. What is it?"

"Well, you see… it's not here, exactly."

"Okaaay. So where is it … exactly?"

"Now see, that's the thing. It's umm… it's a surprise." He saw Sarah take a breath and knew what was coming, so he rushed ahead to cut her off. "An-and I-I know you don't like surprises. At least you said that a few blocks back," he said, gesturing with his head behind them. "But I… I really need you to just trust me. I can imagine that's not an easy thing for you, but -"

"OK," she answered quietly.

"...but I wanted it to- Wait. OK?"

"Yeah," she nodded, pulling Chuck to a stop at the foot of Ellie's driveway. "Chuck, you trusted me when you had plenty of reasons not to. It seems only fair that I show you the same trust that you've shown me. But just so you know, I do trust you. Completely."

Chuck stood there blinking in surprise, not knowing what to say at first. "Wow. Thank you. That-that couldn't have been easy, and what I'm going to ask next is really going to put that to the test." Sarah's brow furrowed and Chuck gave her an apprehensive smile. "Since it's a surprise, once we get in the car, I need you to cover your eyes. Like-like with a blindfold or something. Otherwise, it will ruin the … well, the surprise."

Sarah gave him a skeptical look, worrying her jaw back and forth. "Does it really mean that much to you?" she asked, looking up at him through her lashes. Chuck's expression turned serious and he nodded. "Alright. This isn't exactly the reason I pictured why you'd want me in a blindfold, but I'm willing to step out of my comfort zone for you," she teased, earning a choking sound from Chuck that made her giggle.

"I don't even know what to say to that," Chuck admitted, watching Sarah walk away from him toward the house. Sarah laughed and then turned to look over her shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"Just so you know, my safeword is 'apples'." The look of shock and embarrassment that came over Chuck had Sarah laughing so hard that she had to brace herself on the front porch, gasping for breath.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thirty minutes later found the two of them in Ellie's car, cruising down the interstate. Chuck was holding Sarah's hand, trying to offer her some reassurance, knowing that she wasn't very comfortable with being blindfolded, on top of not knowing where they were going.

"So why are we taking Ellie's car again?" she asked, turning toward Chuck, even though she couldn't see anything.

"Well, this car has a lot more trunk space, not to mention a back seat."

"Oooo. So you're saying we're going to be taking advantage of the backseat?" she asked, teasingly.

Chuck snorted, beginning to grow accustomed to her teasing. Since their talk, she'd seemed more open and, dare he say, flirtatious. He liked it, even though he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. "Noooo," he drawled. "I'm just saying that my Audi isn't very practical. That, and it's a little flashy. I'd prefer not to draw a lot of unwanted attention where we're going."

"We're not going someplace… seedy are we?"

Chuck barked out a laugh, squeezing her hand in his. "No! Of course not. I'd just rather not be driving around in a car that, in retrospect, makes me look like I'm trying to prove something… or ... compensate for something," he murmured. It was Sarah's turn to bark out a laugh, but as she sobered, she realized that Chuck wasn't laughing with her.

"You know I don't think that right?" she asked, though he didn't respond in a way that she could feel or hear. "You are so far from being 'that guy', Chuck. What I see is an amazing guy who finally came into some money and wanted to treat himself to something fun for once. You don't have anything to prove to me," she added, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Well, thanks, but let's hold that thought. You may change your mind once…" he stopped talking so suddenly, she could actually hear his mouth snap shut. She had a pretty good idea what he was about to say, but rather than make light of it, she decided to cut him some slack.

Pulling their joined hands to her lips, she kissed the back of his hand. "I'm not worried," she said, smiling in the hopes that he was looking her way. "Although, I am a little concerned about what people will think when they drive past us, seeing me with a blindfold on. I mean, I could be abducted against my will."

"Are you? I-I mean, here against your will?" She could hear the concern in his voice and feel his hand in hers growing clammy. She rolled her eyes, though the blindfold obscured it, chuckling to herself at how worried Chuck was that he was doing or saying too much or taking advantage of a situation. It was completely unnecessary, but the fact that he cared so much only served to add fuel to the inferno growing inside her that burned for this man.

"Oh yes. Help. Help," she stated in a dry, drawl tone. "I am being held here against my will. A handsome, caring man has whisked me away to parts unknown, forcing me to hold his soft hand and listen to Christmas music. Whatever shall I do?" She was able to keep up the act for only a moment longer before she snorted, giggling at her own joke.

"Alright. I get it. I'm being kind of an idiot. I just… I don't want-"

"I know, and believe me, I appreciate it more than you know," she declared, squeezing his hand. "If by chance you do or say something that makes me uncomfortable, I'll tell you. Deal?" She waited for a moment, waiting for some kind of response. She thought she could feel him moving, but it could have just been the motion of the car. Gripping her hand tighter, she allowed him to pull her hand toward him. She felt his soft lips press against the back of her hand, forcing her to hold in the whimper that tried to escape.

"Deal," he uttered, his warm breath blowing against her skin. Pulling her hand from his, she felt for his cheek, caressing it with the backs of her fingers. Sarah felt him lean into her touch, making her beam uncontrollably. She then traced down his shoulder and arm until she found his hand, pulling it to her and holding it in her lap, with their fingers intertwined.

The rest of the trip took nearly forty minutes, which were mostly spent in comfortable silence. Sarah held Chuck's hand, listening to the Christmas music on the radio and the "whoosh" of cars going by. She was nearly lulled to sleep when the car came to a stop and Chuck put the car in park.

Chuck blew out a long breath. "OK. We're here. Now, please, I want you to keep an open mind. You can take off the mask." Sarah was a bit hesitant, the "keeping an open mind" comment didn't really set her at ease. Nevertheless, she carefully took off the sleep mask that Chuck had put on her as her blindfold, taking a moment to let her eyes adjust to the brightness.

Squinting and blinking, she looked around to see that they were parked in a residential neighborhood. It wasn't quite as nice as the one they'd left, but it seemed peaceful enough, and the yards and homes were well maintained. She didn't recognize any of it, so she turned to Chuck with a quizzical look.

"You see that house across the street?" Chuck asked, pointing through the windshield. "The one with the garland on the front porch railings?" Sarah ducked her head to see around the rearview mirror and took note of the house. Two houses down, on the opposite side of the street, was a modest, two-story home with white picket fencing around the yard and a large front porch. It was quaint and nicely decorated for the holidays, but otherwise unremarkable.

"Yeah. I see it. What's special about it?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"Well…" he paused, looking rather nervous. "That house belongs to a very nice woman; single, mid-forties. She's a kindergarten teacher, devotes a lot of her time to helping children and volunteering in the community. She's well liked by her students and co-workers. So, this Christmas, I was hoping to give her a very special gift. Something I'm sure she's been wishing for, for a long, long time." Chuck hadn't taken his eyes off the house as he spoke. Sarah looked at the house and back at Chuck, trying to figure out where all this was going.

"OK. So, what are you giving her? Is it in the trunk?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. When she looked back at Chuck, he held her gaze with a hesitant smile.

"It's you." Sarah sat back in her seat a little, completely taken aback by the comment. She regarded him, much like a dog who'd heard a peculiar sound. Seeing the look of utter confusion on her face, Chuck continued. "That house belongs to Emma Walker. Your mother."

It took a moment for the words to settle in because she was certain she'd misheard him. It couldn't possibly be true. After two long blinks, she shook her head, chuckling at the absurdity. "That… that's not possible. You don't… I never…" she stammered out, trying to make sense of it all. "I never told you her name was Emma. How… how could you possibly know that? Were...were you checking up on me? I-I thought you said you trusted me?" she asked, her tone growing cold. Chuck could see her eyes turn from cerulean to the swirling gray of a storm cloud. "But you didn't, did you? You went behind my back and contacted my mother?!" Sarah shouted, her anger and sense of betrayal growing. "How could you -"

"Whoa. Whoa," he rushed out, waving his hands in front of him to forestall her onslaught. "I didn't. I swear! It's not like that at all. I didn't call her or reach out to her in any way. She has no idea we're here. Please, just let me explain," he pleaded, his voice quivering. The fact that he looked so genuinely fearful gave her a moment's pause, gesturing for him to continue, but the set of her jaw and her flared nostrils clearly indicated she was not happy.

"Thank you." He swallowed the lump in his throat, blowing out a small breath to try and calm himself. "I remembered how you said you were heading to Modesto to maybe see your mother. Of course, all of that got derailed. So, I thought, being Christmas and all, and we were so close to Modesto, it might be a good opportunity to finally see her. And I know… I know that you likely have a lot of apprehension about that. That's why I didn't reach out to her. It wasn't my place to make that move for you. But, I thought that if you were here, could see her house, that maybe… just maybe, you might want to take that step."

Sarah blew out a breath and tilted her head to look up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and took a few cleansing breaths. Without opening her eyes she spoke. "That doesn't answer how you knew her name."

"Right. Right. Well, I went on the assumption that Sarah Walker really was your name, but I didn't know for sure at the time. Based on that assumption, I took some guesses on your age and I searched for birth announcements around those years. I used Modesto as my starting point, since you said that was where your mom lived. That's when I got a hit on Emma Walker. I searched the web to find images of her and I saw her staff picture on her school's website. You look so much like her, your eyes and your smile, I knew it had to be the right person. The bio on the school's website told a lot about her achievements and community involvement. It wasn't hard to do a whitepages search to find her home address here in Modesto." Chuck spared a glance over his shoulder at the house before turning back to look at Sarah.

Meeting his gaze, she studied him, peered deep into his eyes and she could see that he was telling her the truth. She felt a bit ashamed for jumping to the wrong conclusion, but she'd have to deal with that later. "So what was your plan? I just walk up there, ring her doorbell and say 'Hey Mom! Long time no see.'?" Chuck dropped his gaze to his lap, looking properly chastised. Sarah huffed in frustration, mostly at herself. "I'm sorry. That was… I just… I dunno, Chuck," she admitted, sounding small and vulnerable.

"I don't know either. But what I do know is that you want to have a relationship with her. If you didn't, it wouldn't scare you so much. I get that you're afraid that she might ... resent you or … or that she'd written you off once you left with your father, not wanting anything to do with you." Sarah's bottom lip began to quiver as tears pooled in her eyes. Instinctively Chuck took her left hand in both of his, squeezing it tightly.

"I'm sorry. That came out all wrong. What I'm trying to say is that, while those prospects might be terrifying, you don't have to face them alone anymore. I'm here for you, always. You get that, right?" he asked, holding her gaze. She didn't seem to be wholly convinced, so Chuck continued. "Sarah, I love you, and I want to be there for you, through the good and bad. I have to believe that your mother loves you too. You just need to give her a chance. Will it be easy? I'm sure not, but I think you both deserve a chance at happiness. You just need to be brave enough to take that first step."

Sarah stared into his eyes, seeing the warmth and love exuding from them. She was overwhelmed by the fact that there was someone in her corner, someone to be there for her, someone that loved her. He loved her. Just knowing that, she felt like she could fly if he asked her to. She wanted to say those words back to him, he needed to know that he was not alone in this either. Although, the prospect was terrifying; allowing herself to be that vulnerable with someone. Despite that, she knew that she loved him too, but now was not the right time or place to confess that. Instead, she allowed that feeling of love and support to buoy her, giving her the courage she needed to finally follow through with this challenge before her. "I can do this," she said, trying to psych herself up. "I can do this," she repeated, sounding even more confident.

"I know you can. Just go up there, introduce yourself and let the chips fall where they may. No matter what, I'll be right here. Unless you want me to go with you?" he asked, looking hesitant.

Sarah contemplated it for a moment, but she decided that she needed to do this alone. "No. I should go alone. I don't want to drag you into the middle of anything." Chuck was about to protest her comment, but he let it go, nodding in response. Taking a deep breath, she blew it out slowly. "OK. Wish me luck," she said, giving him a weak smile.

Chuck leaned forward, giving her a quick kiss. "Good luck. I'm right here if you need anything. Oh, and take your time." Sarah nodded before stepping out of the car. Walking around the car, she looked up and down the street, but there was no traffic to be seen. In fact, not a single car had driven by since they'd been parked there. Making her way to the other side of the street, she walked down the sidewalk, staring at the house as she approached.

When she reached the driveway of her mother's house, she froze in place. All those fears were beginning to overtake her, her mind playing out the horrible scenarios in her head. She contemplated turning around and running back to the car, but she didn't want to disappoint Chuck, especially after all he'd done to get her here. She was frozen with indecision for a long while. Sarah was so wrapped up in her head that she didn't hear him approach from behind. Without a word, Chuck slipped his hand into hers and gripped it tightly.

Startled, Sarah snapped her gaze to meet his. He smiled down at her, giving her a reassuring nod and then turning to face the house. Squeezing his hand, she leaned against his shoulder for a moment before standing upright and beginning to walk toward the house. Climbing the few stairs to the porch, they stood a few feet from the door. Letting go of her hand, he placed his hand on her lower back, as if giving her a gentle physical, as well as emotional, shove. She gave him a hesitant smile and nodded before stepping up to the door. Sarah's hand lifted to press the doorbell but hovered there as she battled with her fears. The battle won, she pressed the button and took a step back, clasping her hands together in front of her.

After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality just a few seconds, movement could be heard in the house. The sound of the deadbolt and then the doorknob turning caused fear to course through Sarah as she held her breath, waiting for the door to open. Slowly, the door opened to reveal a woman, several inches shorter than Sarah, but undeniably similar in many features. Sarah sucked in a ragged breath at the sight of her mother.

"Hi. Can I help-" The words died on the older woman's lips as she gasped, her face turning pale as though she'd seen a ghost. A shaky hand went to her lips as she stared at Sarah, studying her in disbelief.

"S...S-Sarah?" she asked at just above a whisper, her eyes teeming with unshed tears. Sarah took in another ragged breath, nearly at the verge of tears herself, as she silently nodded.

"Hi, Mom," she choked out, then bit on her bottom lip to keep from breaking down completely. There was a long moment of silence that fell between them before Emma took a tentative step toward her. Sarah matched her mother, moving ever so slowly closer. That was all the momentum that was required. Emma rushed at her daughter, wrapping her in a crushing embrace, letting out a single, wailing sob as she clung to Sarah with all her might. Unable to contain herself any longer, Sarah broke down, sobbing against her mother's shoulder, holding her tight.

For his part, Chuck could only step back and watch the tearful reunion unfold. He couldn't help but become overwhelmed with emotions, knowing what he did of their heartbreaking story. He tried to avert his gaze, feeling awkward. Sarah had needed him for support, but he couldn't help feeling like he was intruding on this special moment.

For several long minutes, the two women simply held one another and cried. They cried for the years lost, the milestones missed and the heartache they'd both endured. But, mostly, they cried with joy. Sniffling, taking in quivering breaths, both women slowly pulled apart. Emma held on to Sarah's arms, looking her up and down, still in complete shock that her daughter was standing in front of her after almost twenty years.

"H-How…. How are you here?" Emma breathed out, looking at Sarah in wonder. Sarah sniffed, raising a hand to wipe away a tear. She then jumped slightly, remembering that Chuck was behind her. When she turned, Chuck was standing at the edge of the porch, wiping at his own cheeks with the back of his hand.

Sarah had to chuckle to herself at how amazing and caring Chuck was, so empathetic and not afraid to show his emotions. "Mom, this is my boyfriend, Chuck." She said it with such reverence, such pride. Not only did she take great joy in being able to admit to the fact that he was, truly, her boyfriend, but she never believed she would ever get the chance to introduce a boyfriend to her mother; something that most daughters would take for granted. She turned back to her mother, not bothering to hide the smile on her face. "He helped me to find you. He's the reason I'm here. Chuck, this is my mom, Emma."

Chuck cleared his throat, stepping up and extending his hand to shake Emma's. "Ms. Walker. It's truly an honor-" Chuck was cut short when Sarah's mother pushed his offered hand aside and pulled him in for a hug. "OK, we're hugging," he said with surprise, returning the woman's hug.

Pulling back, looking a bit sheepish, Emma apologized. "I'm sorry. I just got a little carried away. Swept up in the moment I guess."

"Oh, hey. No. I come from a long line of huggers," he reassured her, waving her apology away. "Listen. Umm… I'm sure you two have plenty to talk about. I can just go wait in the car."

Sarah looked panicked, grabbing for his hand before he could step away. At the same moment, Emma interjected. "Nonsense. Both of you, come inside. Please. I can put on some coffee and we can sit. That is…" she paused, looking at her daughter with apprehension, "if you can stay for a bit."

"I'd like that a lot," Sarah confessed, nodding and giving her mother an appreciative smile. Relieved, Emma ushered them into the house and closed the door. Taking their jackets and hanging them on the wall mounted coat rack in the small foyer, Emma then led them into the living room.

"I'm sorry the place is such a mess," she apologized, rushing to nervously straighten the magazines and books on the coffee table. "I don't normally get company." Looking around the home, it was neat and clean, certainly nothing to be ashamed of by any stretch. Before Sarah could say anything, it was Chuck who was the first to comment.

"Ms. Walker, you have such a lovely home," he confessed. The way he said it wasn't flattery, it was genuine, which was Chuck in a nutshell.

"Oh, well. Thank you. That's very kind," she replied, looking pleased. "And please, call me Emma. Have a seat. Both of you. I'll go make us some coffee." She paused before leaving the room, having difficulty taking her eyes off her daughter; almost as if she was trying to memorize her features. Sarah guided Chuck to the couch and they both sat. Once Emma had left the room, and Sarah could hear noises coming from the kitchen, she turned on Chuck.

"Don't you dare leave me here alone," she demanded, her eyes pleading.

"O-Okay. W-why? You seemed to be off to a good start at least. I mean, she certainly seemed more than happy to see you."

"I… I don't know what to say. I've thought about this moment, what I'd say to her if I ever got the chance, but now that I'm actually here I… I don't know if I'm ready to hear the truth. What if it's as bad as I've imagined, or worse? What if my dad hadn't been lying? What if she never came for me because she just didn't want me? If-if that's the case, I think I'm better off not knowing."

"OK. Stop right there. Listen to me," he stated firmly, turning to face her on the couch. "The look on her face when she saw you, all that crying, that was not the look of someone that would have casually tossed you aside. I have no doubt that she loves you. Just give her a chance. Alright?" Sarah seemed hesitant, so Chuck softened his gaze and took her hands in his. "I think you'll find, if you give people the chance to explain themselves, you just might find the answers you're looking for."

Sarah melted just a little, understanding the parallel he was drawing between her and her mother and Chuck giving her a chance to explain her past to him. As usual, he was right. Things weren't always as they seemed, or as we feared them to be. Her past had made her jaded, but that was because of the company she kept. When you surrounded yourself with liars and cheats, you shouldn't be surprised when they turned their trade on you. But Chuck and, she assumed, her mother were nothing like those people; like her father.

"Here we go," Emma said in a sing-song tone, as she set a tray on the coffee table. There were three mugs of steaming coffee, along with a bowl of sugar and three spoons. "I-I'm sorry. I don't have any milk or coffee creamer. I just used the last of the milk this morning and I haven't had a chance to get to the store. If-if you need, I can-" Emma stopped her nervous rambling when Sarah placed a hand on her forearm.

"Mom… it's OK. This is perfect. Thank you." Sarah held her mother's gaze, trying to impart to her some small reassurance. She could tell that her mother was just as nervous as she was, trying to deal with the shock of it all. The older woman blew out a small breath, giving Sarah a nod and a tight smile. Emma sat down in a wingback chair adjacent to Sarah, as the three took their mugs and sipped their coffee.

"So, um… you're a kindergarten teacher?" Sarah asked, trying to steer around the real questions on her mind but wanting to break the awkward silence.

"Oh. Yes. For about fifteen years now. I love it. It's challenging at times, but so rewarding." Emma's face lit up when she spoke about her job. Sarah felt glad for her mother but she couldn't help but feel a little envious that she didn't have that in her life. At least not yet.

"What about you? What is it that you uh…. Do?" Emma asked, trailing off a bit toward the end, looking apprehensive. Sarah could guess at what gave her mother pause, likely fearing that she had followed in her father's footsteps. While that had been true, it wasn't any longer. Still, she didn't have much better news to share, given that she'd just been let go.

"I'm uh… I'm between jobs right now," Sarah admitted, averting her gaze to her cup of coffee.

"I see. Well, this economy is hard on a lot of people. I'm sure you're a smart woman. You'll bounce back," Emma replied, trying to sound reassuring. The room fell into silence for a moment, the air heavy with all of the unasked questions. It was Emma's turn to fill the silence.

"What is it that you do Chuck?" she asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I'm a software developer," he answered cheerfully. Sarah turned to look at him, surprised that he'd pass it off so modestly.

"That's not entirely true," Sarah corrected, turning to look at Emma. "He owns his own very successful company."

"That's very impressive. Good for you," Emma praised, raising her mug in acknowledgement.

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal, really," he said, waving off the comment. "We don't make anything fun or exciting really. Mostly security software that we, in turn, sell to larger companies."

"Well, as long as you enjoy what you do. Being successful isn't always measured in dollars and cents. If you can get paid to do what you love, then that seems successful in my book," she declared, smiling at Chuck and her daughter.

Sarah looked around the room, taking it all in and looking for clues as to her mother's life. On the mantle above the fireplace were candles and a couple of pictures. One was a black and white photo that she recognized as her mother's parents; grandparents that had passed when she was too young to remember. On the opposite end was another picture, and when Sarah saw it she almost dropped her mug. Setting the cup down on the coffee table with a shaky hand, she stood and walked to the fireplace. She stared intently at the picture, gingerly picking it up and holding it firmly in her grasp. In the decorative frame was the same picture that she carried around with her in her bag wherever she went. This copy had been blown up to a larger size, and was in considerably better condition, but it was the same photo of her and her mother, smiling so brightly for the camera.

A tear dropped onto the glass of the picture, which Sarah tried to wipe off with her thumb. She turned to her mother, her lip quivering and tears streaking down her cheeks. "I have this same picture. It's the only one I have. You kept it?"

"Oh, God. Of course I did!" Emma exclaimed, rising from her chair to approach her daughter. "You're my daughter. That's one of the last pictures I have of you. Why would you ever think that I wouldn't keep that?" Sarah shook her head, her tears still falling.

"Dad… Jack," she corrected, "he used to tell me such terrible stories. He said that I'd disappointed you and that you didn't want anything to do with me. He told me that you'd started a new family and there was no place for me there," she choked out.

"Oh, baby girl," Emma sobed, pulling Sarah to her. Shaking her head emphatically, she tried to speak. "It's not true. None of it. I've loved you since the moment I knew I was pregnant with you." There was a long pause before Emma spoke again.

"I was working late and when I got home, Jack was gone. That wasn't unusual, but when I went into your room to kiss you good night…." Emma sucked in a ragged breath before she continued. "He took you from me. There was no note. Nothing. You were just … gone," she choked out. Pulling back just enough so that she could look into Sarah's eyes, she took her daughter by the shoulders and held her gaze.

"I looked for you for years. Police, the FBI, private investigators when I could afford them, I tried everything I could to find you. But your father was always on the move, always changing names. It was like chasing a ghost. Finally, by the time you were maybe ... thirteen, they'd all given up, I had no more money and had no other choice but to pray that you were at least safe wherever you were."

"That was you? He … he was running from you? I… I always thought he was trying to escape getting caught in a con or avoid people he'd stolen from. I never … I never thought it could be someone looking for… me. I… I didn't know. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't know." Sarah broke down, pleading for her mother's forgiveness, which only served to fuel Emma's heartache. The two embraced, Sarah resting her head on her mother's shoulder as the two swayed together.

Emma did her best to comfort Sarah, whispering soothingly in her hair, stroking the back of her head as she assured her that it would be alright. Some minutes later, the tender moment was disrupted by a rather loud trumpeting from behind them. When the two women pulled apart, they saw Chuck, still sitting on the couch, wiping at his eyes and nose with a tissue. Emma and Sarah let out wet chuckles before Sarah moved to join him on the couch.

"I'm sorry. I'm alright. It's just…" he trailed off, fanning his face in a vain attempt to halt his own crying. Sarah sat beside him and molded herself into his side, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping an arm around him. She sniffled into his shirt, squeezing this wonderful man that had done all this for her, made this reunion possible. To her surprise, her mother sat down opposite her and wrapped an arm around both her and Chuck, forming a group hug.


A/N2: Wow. It's kinda dusty in here… Alright, now that's out of the way, hopefully we can get back to our happy, feelgood Christmas story in Chapter 12.

Thanks for all the support for this story in your reviews and PMs. They mean a lot and I read them all, even though I may not have time to reply to them all. Thank you all so much. I'd love you keep hearing from you.

Until next time,

Joe