A/N: We've reached the holidays at the Bartowski and the Burton/Walker households. Fair warning! Food will be mentioned. All of it can be googled. I did it and had to eat snacks while I was writing. You have been warned. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Celebrate. Look back and reflect. Look forward and hope. You might want to read the last part of the chapter in your best Peter Falk voice. Because that makes it better. Just saying.
Disclaimer: St. Patrick's Day has come and gone (as I write this). I didn't get any lucky charms of Chuck ownership and there wasn't a pot of Chuck gold at the other end of the rainbow. Yeah, I know that sounds like whinging, but I do get a lot of Chuck stories to read on the FF site which are … wait for it … magically delicious. And I'm OK with that.
Chapter 21 – (There's No Place Like) Home for The Holidays
November 23
Chuck took one last look to his left and caught a final glimpse of the famous Hangar One at Moffett Field. He knew that it had been built back in the 1930's to house one of the Navy's airships, the USS Macon, and, so, was one of the largest freestanding structures in the world. There was a museum on site that we wondered if he could convince Sarah to visit with him. Smiling at the thought, he turned his attention back to the Bayshore Freeway, Route 101, and contending with his fellow drivers. Morgan was in his regular shotgun seat fiddling with the playlists Chuck had created. They were heading back to Burbank, together, for their week-long Thanksgiving break, but most of Chuck's mind was focused on thinking back on the last seven days.
Today was the eighth day since his date with Sarah. He resisted calculating the hours and minutes, but only just. Their date had been amazing. Amazing! They'd held hands for the first time. Held hands! She'd pulled his arm around her shoulders and snuggled into him in Mr. Dixon's taxi. They'd held hands for the entire walk back to her suite. He'd held Sarah Walker's hand! Talking and laughing the whole time. At her door, they'd hugged some more, before she took his hand, again, more than once. Then she kissed him. She kissed him. Kissed. Him. On the cheek, for sure, but, still, she kissed him. And his brain hadn't betrayed his heart like he'd feared. Sarah kissed him and he hadn't lost it. Well, true, he had frozen in wonder and awe, but his brain hadn't melted. OK, just a little, but he'd survived that, no problem. Even now, with no effort at all, he could still feel her lips on his skin and the tingle where they'd touched his cheek. Chuck couldn't stop himself from reaching up and brushing the spot with his fingertips, humming contentedly. And Morgan noticed.
"Sarah on the brain there, big guy? Do you need for me to drive, Chuck?" his friend teased. "Or is there enough grey matter left over after Sarah to navigate our way home?" Morgan grinned at his friend.
Chuck just shook his head. "I'm fine, Morgs. There's more than enough up here," he tapped his temple, "for me to drive and think about Sarah." The shorter man gave him a dubious look. "Besides, you have no room to talk. We hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot after you gave Alex a good-bye kiss that you were whining about missing her." Chuck grinned.
"I was not whining," Morgan protested. Chuck's eyes got big and he gave his friend a 'really?' look and snorted. "OK. OK. Maybe I did whine a little bit, but come on, Chuck. It's going to be a whole week apart and we haven't been apart for more than a few hours since we started dating." He gave his oldest friend a sad pout.
"I hear ya, buddy. It's strange for me, too. It's the first time I've missed a girl in my life," Chuck admitted, shaking his head again. Morgan stared at his friend.
"I forgot about that for a minute, Chuck. I'm sorry. It must be really tough for you," he apologized. "Being your first time and all."
"Well, it does mean seven days without conducting any experiments with my lab partner, so yeah. Not good scientific practice," Chuck replied.
Morgan's face wore a smirk when he shook his head and snorted. "Still going with the lab partner thing, huh, bro?"
"Of course, we are. Why wouldn't we?" Chuck protested. "We are lab partners. Sarah is helping me figure stuff out. Stuff, I must point out, that I have no interest in you helping me figure out," he gave his bearded friend a good stink-eye.
Morgan made a placating gesture. "No problemo. I hear you loud and clear, Chuck. If you two want to be lab partners, that's entirely your business and no one else's."
"Yup, it is," Chuck smiled. "Don't forget, either, that it's a long walk to Burbank from here," he cocked an eyebrow at his shorter friend, grinning to lessen the sting of his teasing.
Morgan gulped, nonetheless. "Got it. Got it, Chuck. I'll … ah … just chill and listen to the music for a while." He figured his friend was only fooling around, but he didn't want to put that theory to the test. Alex had discussed her perception of Chuck and Sarah's relationship with him on a number of occasions, but he knew, full well, that Chuck was having to experience an entire lifetime worth of social interactions in only a few weeks. That was a lot to process, even for Chuck. The car grew quiet, apart from the music playing. Chuck used his friend's silence to go back to reviewing everything that had happened post-kiss. What a week!
It had started when he and Sarah had taken their after-dinner walk on Saturday. He'd had a practice game all afternoon and the CATS had been immersed in working on their typical end of term projects. Both he and Sarah had been looking forward to their walk so they could relax a little. As they had walked along, hand-in-hand, Sarah had suddenly gotten a little animated.
"Chuck!" she'd exclaimed. He'd looked at her wide-eyed. "I totally forgot to tell you that Dr. Beckman told me last week that our fund-raising was up over fifty-two thousand dollars. You need to thank your parents for us. If it wasn't for you calling them and them reaching out to their friends, I don't know where we would be right now. Thank you, so much, for doing that," Sarah had gushed, letting go of his hand and giving him a side hug as they walked along, before taking hold of his hand again. Chuck had tried to hide his unease, but she could feel it in the way his grip on her hand changed. "What is it?" The concern she'd felt had been mirrored in her voice.
"Yeah, about that," he'd drawled. "I need to tell you something. About those donations," he had begun, hesitatingly.
"Tell me what?" she'd asked, looking up at his soulful brown eyes.
"I … uh … I didn't just call my parents and ask for their help," Chuck had said, steeling himself to finish what he'd started. "I gave some money, myself, directly. Well, directly through my company," he'd finally revealed.
"How much? Why didn't you tell me?" Sarah had tried to keep the hurt and disappointment out of her voice, but hadn't been totally successful. Chuck had picked up on it, too.
"I'm giving a number of small amounts that will eventually total fifty thousand dollars. Mom and Dad promised to really talk to their friends and raise their fifty thousand, too, and not just give it themselves," he'd admitted. "I just wanted to help and I didn't think about anything beyond that. And I didn't want you to keep me around just because I'd done it. I didn't do it to gain any advantage or have anyone think better of me, either," he'd hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry for letting you down. Again." Her eyes had widened in surprise.
"Oh, ba- … um … Chuck, that's so sweet. You didn't let me down. Far from it. I know that you wouldn't have done it to gain some advantage. You're not like that. I'm only a little disappointed that you didn't tell me the other day when you were telling me so much else about yourself," Sarah had squeezed his hand and smiled at him.
"I know and I should have told you then. I was so focused on giving you your birthday presents that I just ran out of time," he'd shrugged. "I was going to tell you last night, but you … ah … kinda changed my game plan," he'd grinned.
Sarah had beamed at him. "I'm not sorry about that in the least." He'd blushed a little and they'd both laughed at her honest admission.
Chuck smiled to himself as he recalled their shared moment. The rest of the week had been fairly normal. Seminars, tests, and baseball for him and classes and Songbirds practices for Sarah. Along with their after-dinner walks, of course. Normal, that is, until Wednesday and walking back to the dorm with Sarah and the CATS after dinner. They hadn't been talking about anything in particular when Chuck piped up and asked the girls a question.
"I was just thinking about a documentary that I saw years ago," he'd said, gaining the full attention of all four women. "It was about the history of popular music down through the ages. Being around y'all with your singing and dancing reminded me of seeing it back then."
"Yeah?" Sarah had asked.
"Well, it talked about how music and dances could be controversial to the established norms," Chuck had continued. "Like how the waltz was frowned upon and even banned in some places because religious leaders thought that it was vulgar and sinful due the people dancing holding each other so closely and moving so fast."
"OK?" Amy had chimed in, with a questioning look in her eyes.
"They went on to talk about other dances and music like the cancan, the tango, and others, including more recent ones like the twist in the 60's. Not all of them got banned or anything, but they certainly seemed to generate controversy."
"I'm with you so far, Chuck," Sarah had commented. He'd grinned at her uncertainly and paused to scratch his ear.
"It wasn't only dancing; they talked about people's reactions to music, especially, in more modern times, women's reactions to music," he'd hesitated and the CATS had collectively given him a 'go on' look.
"Like women swooning at Frank Sinatra concerts in the 30's and 40's. Or screaming and crying during Elvis Presley or Beatles concerts in the 50's and 60's. Women throwing their panties on stage at Tom Jones concerts, all the time from whenever up to now." The girls had all grinned at him.
"Is this your way of asking us to throw our panties at you when you're playing in a baseball game, Chuckles?" Carina had teased.
"What?" he had been confused. "No! Of course not! Why would I want you to do that? And why would you consider doing it?" he'd shaken his head. "No. I'm just confused by it, that's all." The CATS had chuckled.
"I think I know what you're talking about, Chuck," Sarah had said. "You're wondering why people, particularly young women, have that kind of response to certain music in certain situations." He'd nodded his head at her observations. The older CATS had giggled. "Don't laugh. We actually had a lecture about that very thing in one of my psych classes," she'd admonished her friends. "We learned that it had very little to do with attraction and sexual urges, unlike what people had always assumed. They did a few studies at McGill University in the early 2000's where they played snippets of music for volunteers while they scanned their brains with an MRI machine." Sarah had had everyone's undivided attention, particularly Chuck's. They'd even stopped walking to listen to her explanation. "I won't bore you with all of the technical details, but they discovered definite biochemical changes when people hear music that they like. The screaming, crying, and fainting is due to brain activity and the interactions of our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and their impact on our tear ducts and blood pressure, hence the crying and fainting. There's more, but I think that's enough. Why were you thinking about it, Chuck? When did you see that documentary?"
"It was a long time ago. I was eight, but I hadn't experienced any of the things they were talking about in it and, like I said, hanging out with y'all reminded me of it," he'd shrugged.
"When you were eight? Why didn't you talk to your mom about it? Or Ellie? She would have been the perfect age to talk about going crazy over music," Zondra asked.
"Remember, back then Ellie and I weren't really on speaking terms. And Mom," Chuck had shrugged, "well, I did ask, but she told me that she hadn't studied that phenomenon. So, I was on my own."
"What did you do, Chuck?" Sarah had asked, her amusement evident on her face.
"What else? I experimented," he'd reported. "A few weeks after I'd seen the documentary, they were showing The Music Man on TV, again."
"And?" Sarah had prompted, smiling.
"And, the first time Shirley Jones came on screen, I took my underwear off and threw it at the TV screen. Nothing happened, so I didn't get the point of doing that," he'd confessed.
"WHAT?" Sarah had yelled as she'd started to laugh. The older CATS had already begun to double over, holding their sides.
"I … can … just … picture … eight … year … old … Chuck … tossing … his … tighty-whities … at the … TV," Carina gasped out between fits of laughter. "Oh … My … God! … Chuckles!" She had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"There's more," Chuck had started to smile in spite of himself.
"MORE?" Amy had yelped. The girls had started laughing harder.
"Yeah, more," he'd continued. "At just that moment my mom walked in and saw me with no pants on. She took one look, turned around, and walked out of the room again. I heard her say 'even I don't want to know what's going on' as she was leaving."
"Oh, Chuck!" Sarah had shaken her head as she'd laughed even harder.
"And I still don't understand it," he'd huffed in frustration, smiling.
"Curls, you're a piece of work," Zondra had continued to laugh, but she'd been holding her sides like they were hurting after her laughing so much.
When Sarah had reached out to Chuck to lean on him while she laughed, he'd finally started laughing along with them.
"Don't you even think about throwing your tighty-whities at us when you see us perform, Chuckles," Carina had scolded him.
"I wouldn't do that, Carina," Chuck had protested. "Besides, I wear boxers now." With that admission, they'd all devolved into another fit of laughter. People walking by had been taking notice of the noisy scene, until, that is, they saw who was doing the laughing. Shaking their heads and smiling, the other students had continued on their way.
Chuck blushed and smiled recalling their laughter at his antics. Then he sobered and frowned slightly. He hadn't seen Sarah since their walk Thursday evening. The CATS had all left for their break Friday afternoon while he and Morgan were still at baseball practice. He didn't begrudge them getting an early start on the holiday, but he couldn't help missing Sarah. He had talked to her Friday night, but talking on the phone wasn't the same as talking and seeing her in person. It was going to be a long week.
Sarah missed Chuck. She hadn't seen him since Thursday evening's walk. It was Saturday, now, and that was too long a time to go without seeing him. Sure, they'd talked the previous evening after she and Carina had completed their two-car trek back to San Diego and Coronado. She'd loved talking to him, but it wasn't the same. He'd promised to load his own video chat software onto her laptop as soon as they got back to school, so they could see each other when they were apart and were talking. She'd wanted to call him as soon as she got home, but their phone conversation had to wait until after her interrogation.
She'd barely gotten in the door yesterday, before her mother and sister practically tackled her, demanding information about this new boy … er … man in her life. Sarah had been more than happy to recount everything about Chuck since she'd first met him up to the previous evening and their last walk together. Well, maybe not every little detail. After all, there were some things that a girl wanted to save just for herself. Jack had come in part way through her story to hear, with his own ears, about her mysterious and amazing 'lab partner'. Molly had scoffed in disbelief, more than once, during Sarah's retelling, but Emma had just looked stunned. Jack may have given her a funny look when she mentioned the part about them being 'lab partners', but they all ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the pictures that she'd shared. Emma had said he was easy on the eyes, while Jack had grinned and snorted and Molly had just groaned.
"That's an amazing story, sweetie. What a unique person he must be. I can't imagine what his life has been like. He's got to be a very strong person to be as kind and caring, as you say he is, despite all of the challenges he's faced," Emma had commented.
"Oh, he is, Mom. All that and more," Sarah had beamed. Her mother and step-father had shared a knowing look.
"When do we get to meet Mr. Wonderful," Molly had snarked.
"I don't know. Sometime soon, I hope, maybe over Christmas," Sarah had mused. "We do have three weeks off, you know. Plenty of time for him to come down for a visit, unless he's busy with family stuff. Or something for one or more of his degrees. Or baseball," she'd sighed. "He's only up in Burbank. Not all that far away." She'd gotten a far away look in her eyes.
"Eww. Gross. Gag me," Molly had made an exaggerated face and stuck out her tongue trying to get a rise out of her older sister.
"Hush, Molly," Emma had admonished, but she'd had a smile on her face because she'd seen that Sarah hadn't paid any attention to Molly's teasing. She'd been too busy daydreaming about Chuck.
Now, she was sitting on the bed, looking mindlessly out the window in her childhood bedroom. He was becoming so open with her. Ever since he'd finally come clean about his past and what he had to deal with, Chuck kept coming up with more to tell her. Like him confessing about giving the Songbirds money. He'd been so concerned about them taking it the wrong way that he'd kept it hidden, just like he'd kept himself and his life hidden all those years. Sarah couldn't imagine living your life repressing so much of yourself. It hurt to think of him living like that for so long. So alone. But her sadness lasted only a moment before she remembered his crazy story about throwing his underwear at the TV. Oh my God! She hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. He was just so logical and innocent. She could picture it in her mind so clearly. There was something that he didn't understand, so, of course, he'd conduct an experiment to try and figure it out. It was exactly like his original approach to them hugging and doing all of the other couple things. Naïve and unaffected. He'd blushed after telling them his story, but she thought it had more to do with their shocked reactions and their laughter than him being embarrassed about it. Part of her couldn't believe that he wasn't teasing them, especially after that comment he made about wearing boxers, but, no, he was just that plain-spoken and honest. She'd wanted to kiss him so badly right then. Every time she felt she was getting a handle on him; Chuck would surprise her with something else and throw her for another loop. He kept her on her toes. Sarah knew she was just beginning to scratch the surface with Chuck. Each incident and each little piece of information that helped fill in the picture puzzle that was Chuck Bartowski also made her fall for him even more. He was a challenge, for sure, but his sweet thoughtful kindness made it all worthwhile. How had she gotten so lucky to find such a wonderful guy? Her Chuck. And he was her Chuck. Just like she was his Sarah, even if he hadn't said those actual words to her, yet. She could tell that he had feelings for her. His every look, gesture, and word showed it to her. Sarah knew she owed it to him, and herself, to help him figure those feelings out. And she knew that she owed it to him, and to herself, to share her life story with him, including the painful parts. Especially the painful parts. Her thoughts drifted back to a happier moment when she'd taken the chance and boldly kissed him on the cheek after their date. He hadn't had any issues, even if he was surprised and a little hesitant. Sarah could still remember the tingle in her lips when they'd brushed against his warm skin. All she wanted to do was kiss him again, but she'd been afraid to push it and decided to wait to see what he would do. Sadly, his habitual caution prevented a repeat performance. That was something for her to work on when they got back to school after the holiday. She brightened when she recalled her entering the suite and telling her roommates about the date and the kiss. They weren't able to contain their squeals of delight. Not then and not a little later when she offered them the desserts that Chuck had been so thoughtful to give them. She giggled at what happened the next day when Chuck had asked about them.
"What did you think about the desserts we brought y'all last night? I could hear you squealing over them when I was walking back to my room," Chuck had asked.
"Is that why you thought we were squealing, Curls? Because we were so happy to get a couple of desserts?" Zondra had asked, incredulous.
"Sure. Why else would you be squealing?" he'd wondered.
Carina had rolled her eyes and snorted, "Why indeed, Chuckles? Why indeed?"
"Well, to be fair they were pretty wonderful," Amy had grinned and shaken her head.
"Don't ever change, Chuck," Sarah had said, squeezing his hand.
"Speaking of wonderful, Curls, when are you going to let the rest of us come along to your secret place?" Zondra had teasingly asked.
"It's not a secret, Zondra. It's right in downtown Palo Alto," Chuck had replied. The girls, including Sarah, had grinned at each other and shaken their heads. He just didn't get it, but he would. Sooner or later. "As for when we can all go there together? That is a question, isn't it? Hmmm?"
Sarah's smile faded as she came back to the present and checked the time, calculating that Chuck (her Chuck) and Morgan were still driving home to Burbank, so she couldn't call him. Well, she could call him, but Morgan would hear the conversation and Chuck was busy driving, so those two things combined to prevent her from having the kind of conversation she wanted to have with him. He was smart and could do a lot of things, but she wanted his undivided attention. Was that so wrong? She groaned. It was going to be a long week.
November 25
The cloudless blue sky made for a brilliantly sunny day as Sarah pulled into the Water and Sports Physical Therapy parking lot. It was her first visit home since leaving for school back in September, so it was also her first chance to visit the office and offer her thanks to Dr. Richmond and all of her staff. Sarah was convinced that their recommendation letters had been what put her over the top and gained her acceptance into Stanford's PT program. Even though it was only Monday, she'd called ahead to make sure they were open during the holiday week. Heather Chandler had answered the phone and Sarah had taken the opportunity to make a lunch date, so they could catch up after she'd had a chance to talk to Justine.
Dr. Richmond set her straight as soon as the staff had gathered and they began to talk. "Thank you for your appreciation, Sarah, but you're wrong. You put yourself into PT school. All we did was report all of the things you did, yourself, and all of the care and consideration that you gave the patients, the actual people, you came in contact with. The so-called bedside manner is as important to physical therapists as it is to medical doctors. You've already got that part down cold. Once you learn the technical side of it, you'll be a great therapist. I'm not the only one who sees it. We all do." Sarah looked around at the other people in the room and blushed when they all smiled and nodded.
"I'll do my best to live up to your high opinion of me," she said, humbly.
"Pfft. You'll do great at school and be great once you get out. Forget about it. Now, let's get to the important stuff. Who is this wonder guy you've met? Your mom says that you have pictures," Justine teased, arching her eyebrows saucily.
"Mom," Sarah twisted her lips to the side and shook her head.
"Yup, mom," Heather confirmed, nodding and grinning.
"So, let's see. Quit stalling," Justine demanded, laughing.
"If I must," Sarah feigned reluctance when she'd like nothing more than to brag about her Chuck.
"You must," Heather pushed to general laughter. Sarah pulled out her phone, brought up her pictures, and joined them.
November 28 - Thanksgiving
Chuck was in trouble. It had been building all week, since he'd gotten back on Saturday. He couldn't help it; he was grouchy and grumpy. And it wasn't just him, either; it was Ellie, too. As the week had gone on, she'd been getting more on edge and snappish with everyone, not just him. Neither one of them gave it much thought. Falling back into old habits and patterns of behavior was too easy. His workouts with Morgan multiple times each day had served as a ready distraction, as had his standard journal reading habits. He'd even taken to logging into the Stanford library website and reading through some of their digital collection of pertinent works to fill some hours. Chuck had also spent time with his numerous hobbies he'd been forced to leave behind when he went off to Stanford. Even with all of that, he'd found time to grump at his family. As had Ellie. It all came to a head that morning at breakfast.
"Could you please pass me the syrup?" Chuck asked Ellie.
"You can reach it with your ape arms, can't you?" Ellie snapped, focusing on her own meal. Mary glared at her, while Stephen tried to hide his grin. They both knew what was going on.
"I could, but I thought that you might be able to hoist it onto your little shrew shoulders and scamper it over here, so I wouldn't have to reach across the table," he snarked. Their father failed to hold in his snort, but their mother had had it.
"Enough! Stop it! The both of you!" Her two children looked at her sheepishly. "For two such smart people, you sure are dumb sometimes."
"What are you talking about, Mother?" Ellie asked in her most officious voice.
"Shut it, missy," Mary retorted with a tone that caused Ellie to close her mouth and swallow nervously. "What I'm talking about is how the two of you are missing your boyfriend and your lab partner," the look she gave Chuck made it clear what she thought about that, "and you're taking it out on each other. Now, stop it! Go call them or text or whatever. I don't care, but figure it out. Then come back and you'd better be prepared to keep a civil tongue in your heads. Your dad's sister and her husband are going to be here soon, along with your cousin and you will, both, be on your best behavior." She intoned.
Aunt Kay was his dad's oldest sister; six years his elder. She, along with Uncle Lee and their cousin Kyle, was the only relative that lived close by. Their schedules were normally so busy that the two families didn't have as much a chance to get together as outsiders might think, given their close proximity. Having them over for Thanksgiving was a treat. Uncle Lee was always good for stories about the studio and the 'divas' and 'prima donnas' and the 'wannabes' that he had to deal with every day. Kyle was the youngest of their four cousins and the only one not married and out on their own. He was on the road a lot, only home on rare occasions, and his travels made for more entertaining stories. Things were lively with Aunt Kay and her crew in the house. The traditional roast turkey extravaganza that was in the early stages of being prepared would only add to the lively atmosphere. That is, until the post-meal, turkey-induced tryptophan comas took over.
"Mooomm," Chuck groaned. "My breakfast will get cold."
"Don't 'Mom' me, mister. I don't care if your breakfast does get cold. You want to act like children then I'll treat you like children," Mary replied while biting her cheek to keep her own laughter in check. Both parents were delighted that their children had found someone to care about, even if they were still learning how to go about it. And that was annoying. After the two younger people left the room and were out of earshot, Mary and Stephen gave in to their mirth.
"Those two have it so bad, I swear," Mary chuckled, smiling at her husband.
"I seem to remember two other people back in the day that could've given them a run for their money, dear," Stephen grinned at her in turn.
"What do you mean? Back in the day?" she faux grumped. He just barked out a laugh, loving her all the more.
As they walked toward their rooms, Chuck turned to his sister. "Sorry, Ellie, for being such a butt all week," he apologized.
Ellie nodded and gave him a sheepish look of her own. "I know, Chuck. I'm sorry, too. Mom's right. I do miss Devon. A lot. I shouldn't have been taking it out on you. It's not your fault. But doesn't it feel good, though, to care for someone that much that it affects your whole life? Maybe even love them? I've had boyfriends before, but I've never felt something like this," Ellie said tentatively, biting her lower lip.
"You're right. I do miss Sarah. I have missed her since I last saw her last Thursday. Talking on the phone just doesn't cut it. I do care about her. A lot. I like her a lot, for sure. But love? I don't even know what that is," he shrugged, trying, like always, to process it all. Ellie nodded her agreement and understanding.
Oh, little brother, you've still got a lot to figure out, Ellie thought. But I'm not worried, Sarah will help you with that, I'm sure. They parted ways so they could make their latest calls to their beaus, admitted or not.
December 25 – Christmas Day
Christmas was always a festive affair at la Casa de Bartowski. When Stephen and Mary had purchased and refurbished the building, they'd made sure to have a high ceiling in the living room, which they used to their advantage when picking out the family's Christmas tree. Majestic was the word Chuck would use to describe the Fraser fir. Well rounded and tall without any of the bald spots that had given the older couple fits when they were first married and taking their initial forays into holiday merry-making. The rich pine scent it gave off was a constant reminder of the holiday season and climes colder than southern California. Fully decorated, their tree would have been at home at the North Pole. A fact that cheered Stephen as he looked forward to resuming the Christmas Eve traditions of cookies, milk, carrots, and all the rest for his eventual, hoped for, grandchildren, now that his own children had long since outgrown such activities.
The tree wasn't the only decoration in the house. Not by a long shot. There were real pine garlands strung on any surface that allowed it and a few that didn't, with the aid of artfully hidden hooks and staples. Snowmen, Santa Clauses, and reindeer were liberally distributed around available spots, as were nativity scenes of various sizes and styles. Extra Christmas balls, snowflakes, and stars hung in windows and from rafters, some were even hanging from lamp pulls. Strings of lights added their twinkling to the enchanting displays. Stephen had even placed mistletoe in strategic places to be able to sneak kisses with his missus, both public and private. Although, the private locations may have provided him with opportunities to do more, even if he denied it. Chuck and Ellie knew better, but Mary wasn't telling.
After the tree, itself, pride of place had to go to the model train layout in its traditional spot beneath the tree. Chuck was just seven years old, when he engineered the pegboard platform which supported the huge tree and provided a place to construct the layout, while hiding the wiring underneath for more safety. The layout and trains had originally belonged to Chuck's grandfather back in Pennsylvania. Chuck's great grandparents had been tenant farmers, in south central Pennsylvania, who moved from one farm to the next trying to make a living. Consequently, his grandfather had had a very short childhood without much in the way of toys. The few that he did have, he'd built himself from cast-off wooden egg crates or wooden cheese boxes. Soon after he'd returned home from World War II, one of the first things he'd done to treat himself was to buy some Lionel trains and track, which he added to over the years. It had been a beloved part of his own father's childhood helping his father (Chuck's grandfather) put up and wire the track and fit together the scale buildings before placing all of the scenery around the layout. The best part had been, at Stephen's telling, running the trains around the layout and imagining all of the amazing places the trains were visiting in his young dreams. Chuck's birth had prompted his grandfather to ship the entire collection, inside of a handmade wooden trunk, clear across the country, so Stephen could share his childhood passion with his newborn son. Chuck loved the entire collection because it meant history, family, and continuity to him. It only came out at Christmas, so the trains were an essential part of the holiday for him, but the other things meant more, especially during those years he'd spent away from home. He also knew that, in time, the set would become his and he wondered if, one day, he might be sharing it with his own son or daughter.
Holiday music was playing on the sound system and delicious smells filled the air. Before any presents were opened, breakfast had to be made and consumed. Meal preparation was an all hands on deck affair, which the large kitchen helped facilitate. Stephen was at one stove on pancake duty. Ellie put her budding medical skills to work slicing fresh fruit. Mary made two kinds of muffins, blueberry and apple cinnamon. Chuck as at the second stove handling the eggs, bacon and sausage, and fried potatoes with onions. The latter dish made use of some of the Vidalia onions sent by Mary's parents, Gommy and Granddaddy, in Georgia and was prepared in an iron skillet that had been passed down to his mother through four generations of her family. Needless to say, it was well seasoned and added to the wonderful flavors of what Chuck was cooking. He happened to have the best nose in the family, so he was responsible for picking out and brewing the coffee choice to accompany their traditional Christmas morning breakfast feast. When Ellie was done with the fruit, she offered to help Chuck at the stove, which he gratefully accepted. After their hiccup during Thanksgiving, their relationship had gotten back on track and was continuing to improve.
"Thanks, El," Chuck said. "The eggs are at the critical stage and I was worried that the potatoes and onions were going to burn. You taking them over saved me from the Wrath of Mom," he grinned, before yelling in his best William Shatner voice, "Moooomm!" Ellie laughed and snorted at his antics, much to her embarrassment and the delight of her younger brother.
"Keep it up, bub," his mother teased, "I can always make you some lumpy cream of wheat if you don't like what we're having." How she could glare and grin at him at the same time was a mystery.
"Oh no, not at all, Mom," Chuck said soothingly. "I'm perfectly happy eating what we're preparing. Even if Ellie does burn the potatoes," he smirked.
"Hey!" Ellie pouted, before shoulder bumping her stove-mate and smiling.
"OK, you three, less goofing around and more cooking. Papa Bear is hungry. Nobody gets any presents until Papa Bear gets fed," Stephen lectured while he waved his pancake spatula in the air like a conductor's baton. His pronouncement was greeted with boos and chuckles, but everyone did focus on their tasks. The meal preparations were quickly completed. All four of them helped to carry trays and serving dishes to the table, so that they all could enjoy the food together.
The Bartowski clan enjoyed a leisurely meal, including second helpings (thirds in Chuck's case) and lingering over their coffee and final bites of the fresh baked muffins. After topping off their coffees, they made their way to the tree with its skirt of presents. Due to the train layout being immediately under the tree, the presents were actually arrayed around the edge of Chuck's pegboard platform, so as to not disturb any of the scenery or other layout elements. Mary took her traditional comfortable chair while Ellie and Chuck shared the couch facing the tree. Even as he aged, Stephen insisted that he still fulfill his time-honored role of present distributor.
"Hats!" the senior Bartowski commanded. Each family member donned their own Santa hat emblazoned with their name to go along with this year's matching footie pajamas. This year's pj's featured Charlie Brown characters in winter scenes. "Now for the presents. Hmm? Who's first?" Stephen pretended to ponder which present to pick. He always gave the first one to Mary, but he'd used the same trick over the years to tease and torment his impatient children when they were little and Christmas was all about tradition, so he kept doing it, long after Ellie and Chuck clued into his methods. Finding the gift he was looking for, he presented it to his college sweetheart with a gentle smile. Mary giggled as she accepted it, opening the package with care. The box contained a necklace with matching earrings that she'd seen and commented on while window shopping with her husband during a night out a couple of months prior. She was touched by his thoughtfulness and his powers of observation. With the first gift duly presented, the others followed in quick succession, each being commented on and thanked for with happiness and appreciation.
The whole Christmas morning experience filled Chuck with warmth and brought tears to his eyes. Everyone saw them, but no one commented. They all knew what home and family meant to him after those many years that he'd spent away with only sporadic visits to ease the isolation and loneliness he felt in those faraway places. His present was mixed with his past and it brought both joy and heartache to most occasions. The old no-win situation may be in the past for the rest of the family, but it was fresh and raw for Chuck. With an effort, he focused his attention on his family and the happiness and support on their faces. He had every reason to be happy. This year had brought so much amazing change to his life. Stanford was turning out to be everything he'd hoped it would be and more. People his own age. Connections. When he'd stumbled upon the Songbirds, he'd discovered so many new things. Friends and fun. He'd found Sarah. She was his friend. His confidante and so much more. She meant so much to him. God, he needed to talk to her. To see her.
Sarah smiled at the post-Christmas present opening chaos. Torn paper and bows seemed to be everywhere. The Christmas tree stood proud and unaffected by the surrounding disorder. It was covered in an array of beautiful ornaments. Some of them were so old that they'd been brought over from Poland by the first family members to arrive in America. Lovingly preserved and carefully passed down through the generations, as were her mother's scrumptious family recipes. She patted her stomach in satisfaction. Her mom's traditional Polish breakfast was almost the best part of the holiday for her, second only to their traditional late afternoon meal. Breakfast had begun with drozdzowki z serem, literally buns with cheese or cheese sweet rolls, and pączek which translated as donut, but was really more like an American coffee cake, a sweet bread with a buttery crumb topping. The main part of the meal had been a one-pan Polish breakfast, similar to an English breakfast, that consisted of kielbasa, eggs, tomatoes, and mushrooms served over rough peasant brown bread. It all spoke of home, family, and comfort. Tradition. Especially, when coupled with the mix of Polish and English Christmas music playing on their sound system. Only two things kept the day from being perfect.
First, she'd picked up a nasty and persistent cold from somewhere which filled her with body aches and reddened her nose from all of the blowing she had to do constantly. Her mother had already promised to add kapuśniak, Polish sauerkraut soup, a surefire pick-me-up, to the evening meal. When she'd learned what her mom was planning for the later meal, she'd initially shivered. The chosen menu was the exact same one from her nightmare back in the fall. Sarah forced those thoughts away, determined to not let that incident ruin this day for her. That thought reminded her about the second thing keeping today from being perfect. Her Chuck. Or, more correctly, the lack of her Chuck. They'd talked every day over the break, but it wasn't the same, even using Chuck's video chat software. Seeing him and talking to him just didn't equate to being together physically so she could hold his hand and kiss his cheek. And talk to him face to face, of course.
Sarah had planned on him coming down for a visit over the break that had to be postponed indefinitely, pending her getting better. Even after repeated attempts to arrange a get together, one thing or another conspired to keep them apart, much to her chagrin and disappointment. She'd also missed out on opportunities to hang out with Carina, for the same reason, her cold or whatever it was. There was even that one time she missed when Zondra had come down to hang out with Carina and go dancing. The bright spot in her cold-induced misery was the New Year's Eve party that the CATS had planned to hold at Zondra's place. With the CATS jointly hosting, the LA area Songbirds were all invited, along with any of the out-of-town members who wanted to make the trek to Brea. There were some other people who'd been invited, but, most importantly, Chuck and Morgan were on the list. The two of them even volunteered to bring food to contribute to the cause. Thoughtful, as always. Sarah wasn't sure who all was coming; she did know that Alex was catching a ride down from Palo Alto when Amy swung by during her drive down from Dublin and planned on staying over at Lilly Onakuramara's house. It should be a fun time. IF she got better, so she could go, that is.
Her daydreaming was interrupted by a text from the man in question. Did she have time for a video chat? Did she ever! Was she feeling better? Why, yes! Yes, she was, Sarah giggled to herself.
New Year's Eve
Chuck was quiet during the entire drive to Zondra's house and Morgan, surprisingly, left him to his thoughts. He was anxious about seeing Sarah in person, after so much time. Or was it nervousness? Or anticipation? He wasn't sure. His mind was a whirlwind and had been since Thanksgiving. Things had been so crazy when they got back from the holiday. Sarah was swamped with end of quarter work and, then, finals. He'd had his regular insane level of activity, but with the added task of beginning the process of organizing the space his advisors had secured for the preliminary research he would be doing during Winter quarter in preparation of selecting his dissertation topics. In the end, his gateway tests to proceed with his research phase hadn't been difficult, but they had still taken time to complete. He and Sarah had had almost no time together, apart from dinner and some short walks, for the last two weeks of the Fall Quarter.
The Christmas break hadn't been much of a break for Chuck. Or for Sarah, for that matter. He'd been busy trying to do all of his Christmas shopping for his family and friends during those first days home. Sarah had refused to allow him to buy her a present and he had said the same, neither one wishing to put that burden on the other at this stage in their 'partnership'. Chuck wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do, but he had no choice except to follow her lead. Then it was time for Ellie and him to help his parents put up all of the Christmas decorations. Christmas was his parents' favorite holiday, so there were a lot of decorations and everything had to be perfect. It took a lot of time, enjoyable time, but time nonetheless. He and Morgan had to schedule their multiple daily workouts around all of the other holiday preparations for both families. It made for very busy days. Many of his evenings were spent talking with his father about potential dissertation research topics or discussing things at CIB Technologies with Vivian. He had good ideas of what he would be doing, but the coming months were the time to get everything figured out and tweaked. Chuck couldn't believe that he was entering the first stages of the home stretch, the end game, of all of his years of schooling. What little time he had left over, he spent either thinking about Sarah or talking to her on his video conference software.
That's how he knew that her break hadn't been any better than his. She'd had the same shopping trips and decoration duties. But Sarah had come down with 'the cold from Hell', as she put it. It had slowed her down and robbed her of chances to hang out with Carina and her other friends. It had robbed them of chances for him to drive down to Coronado to visit with her. Her doctor said it was going around and that a lot of people were similarly affected. The only treatment was the rest and plenty of fluids and wait it out method. All in all, her holiday had sucked. He knew she was finally starting to feel better over the past few days and, during their call earlier that day, she said she was definitely going to be coming to the party and that she expected to see him there. Chuck was looking forward to seeing her, but there was something else going on in his head that confused him. Was it in his head or in his heart? He didn't know and that was the reason for his conflicting emotional whirlwind.
How did he feel about Sarah? He thought about her all of the time. Her eyes. Her smile. Her laugh. Every moment they'd had together. Every conversation. Every look. Every gesture. Every touch. Each time they hugged or held hands or kissed each other's cheeks. He'd been a little terrified the first time he kissed her cheek after one of their walks, not sure of what would happen. Happily, it wasn't any different than when she'd kissed his cheek, except for the feel of her warm, silky-smooth skin beneath his lips and the tingle he'd felt. Warmth and happiness filled him up from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. Their time apart was torture. He had an ache in his chest to go along with the one in his head. Not one of his headaches, but the realization that him replaying memories of her didn't compare in the slightest to being with Sarah in person. He went as deeply as he'd ever dared into his memories, short of losing himself in them, and it just wasn't the same. How he felt when he was remembering was a pale shadow of how he felt when Sarah was physically by his side. This was different than anything he'd ever experienced in his life before, good or bad. Did that mean he loved her, like Ellie talked about with Devon? He just didn't know. How could he? What he did know was that he missed her terribly and couldn't wait to see her. What would happen when he finally saw her? How would he react? What would he say? He didn't know any of that, either.
Chuck found the house with no problem, given Zondra's detailed directions and his own memory skills. She'd seen them drive up, so she came out and showed him the spot that had been reserved for him to park. As he and Morgan got out, Chuck threw her a questioning look.
"Why did I reserve a spot for you?" Zondra asked. He nodded. "Come on, Curls! People who contribute to the cause, get special treatment. You should know that!" she'd chuckled. When she caught sight of the two huge coolers and box he and Morgan hefted out of the trunk, her eyes widened in surprise. "You guys don't mess around. What all's in there, anyway?" Morgan smiled proudly and Chuck grinned.
"Tamales that I made from recetas de mi Madre y Abuela [my mother and grandmother's recipes]. There's homemade salsa, queso fresco, and the ingredients for me to make fresh Pico de Gallo." Morgan gestured to the box next to the coolers. "There's a steam pot in there to heat up the tamales, a cutting board for the Pico, and plastic plates and utensils, but I'll need a big burner on the stove for the steamer and Chuck will need an oven to reheat his stuff, if that's all right."
"Is it alright? Hot damn, Morgan. Of course, it's all right," Zondra snorted and clapped her hands excitedly. "I can't wait to taste what your Madre and Abuela taught you." Turning to Chuck, she gave him the eye. "What about you, Curls? Morgan says that you weren't just the tamale truck driver, so did you bring us some tasty goodies, too?" Now she was bouncing on her feet and grinning. Chuck gave her a mock affronted look.
"Of course I brought some tasty things. What kind of a mascot do you think I am?" he teased.
"The kind of mascot who won't wear funny costumes or a big papier mâché head," she pouted. Chuck laughed, recalling the wordplay from back in the Fall.
"I'll have you know that I brought a bunch of Cornish pasties and two kinds of southern fried pies, peach and apple," he beamed.
"Where'd you get the peaches? Aren't they out of season at the moment?" Zondra wondered. The trio was walking up to the front door, Chuck lugging one cooler and Morgan the other, while she toted the smaller and lighter box with the cooking supplies.
"We get a ton of them sent to us by my grandparents in Georgia every year, in a big insulated box that protects them and keeps them cool. Some get eaten during the summer, but we prepare and freeze the rest so that there are peaches ready for us to enjoy all during the off-season," Chuck answered. "I should say we enjoy them until we run out." Zondra cocked her eye at him and he shrugged. "Growing boy." She chuckled and held the door open so the two men could maneuver their burdens into the house.
"Continue straight on through to the kitchen. And get to work," she pointed, laughing.
"Oh, I see how it is," Morgan grumped with a grin plastered on his face. The brunette CAT nodded emphatically. He and Chuck started toward the kitchen when there were two excited shouts.
"CHUCK!"
"MORGAN!"
Both men hurriedly set down their respective loads and turned toward the women calling their names. Morgan was just able to prepare himself by the time Alex reached him and threw her arms around his torso and hugged him for all she was worth. His happy laughter, at seeing his girlfriend after so much time apart, was quickly muffled by the passionate reunion kisses the two of them shared. Meanwhile, Chuck had braced himself and was able to properly receive Sarah's unbridled lunge and fierce hug. He hugged her back, just as fiercely, surprised, and not, how wonderful it was to see and hold her in his arms. After a long moment of basking in each other's warmth, Sarah reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek which lasted for a while, too. Pulling back, slightly, she searched his eyes. When he smiled down at her and nodded his head, she relaxed. She relaxed even more when he gave her a kiss on her cheek, in return. They both grinned, looking at each other dreamily. Another successful experiment. But he'd shivered. What was that? Zondra cleared her throat, interrupting her revery.
"Sorry to break up this happy reunion, but these two have some work to do and they better be getting to it, pronto," she tried to sound and look stern, but couldn't keep from laughing. Alex and Sarah looked at their respective partners with anticipation.
"Morgs brought his homemade tamales," Chuck proudly reported.
"And Chuck brought Cornish pasties and fried pies that he made," Morgan chimed in as he nudged his friend.
"You guys!" Alex bobbed her head toward the two men and cocked an eyebrow at Sarah, as if to say 'look at these men of ours." Sarah smiled and nodded, but had a question.
"Where'd you learn to make Cornish pasties, Chuck?" she asked.
"I ate them a lot when I was studying in England. A number of places in Wellingborough, near Cole's home, served them, as did his favorite local pub. His wife showed me how to make them and I got pretty good at it," Chuck shrugged.
"That's so cool," she said. "I've got a second question. What's a fried pie?" she asked.
"It's a southern thing. Kind of like a turn-over, but they're fried in oil or lard, instead of being baked, like a normal pie. Mine are already cooked, but we can reheat them in the oven. There's some peach ones and some apple ones."
"Ice cream?" Sarah asked, hopefully. Chuck had to laugh at her puppy dog eyes.
"Of course, there's ice cream, I ain't no rookie," he declared and she laughed at his clowning around. "We can't get Mayfield Dairy ice cream out here, but we can get Blue Bell and there's enough in the cooler to put a scoop on each pie once we get them heated up."
"Goody, goody," Sarah bounced up and down imitating an eager child while she walked next to him into the kitchen.
Chuck leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I missed you, Sarah, so, so much," he smiled, trying to hide the fact that his brain was going a mile a minute.
"I missed you, too, Chuck. Sooo much," she smiled back at him, giving his arm a light squeeze.
Once they reached the kitchen, the two friends put water in the steamer and set it on the burner to heat up, while they got the oven warm for the pasties and pies. At the proper moment, Morgan put the first batch of tamales into the steamer and closed the lid and Chuck put ten pasties each on two trays to warm in the oven. They worked together to chop the ingredients for the Pico de Gallo.
"What kind of tamales did you bring, sweetie?" Alex asked.
Morgan proudly smiled, "The ones with the blue cross-ties are chicken, brown cross-ties for pork, and the red cross-ties for beef. They're from my mom and grandmother's recipes and they're all great." He waved his hand down his torso. "This body was built by these tamales," he grinned.
"And a wonderful body it is, too," Alex grinned salaciously. Morgan turned bright red, but leaned in for a long kiss which his girlfriend gladly reciprocated. People, who'd been drawn to the kitchen by the wonderful smells, chuckled and clapped. A few cheered.
Chuck smiled at his old friend and his new friend, but Sarah could feel the tension in him when she patted his arm. Why was he tense? Their hug and mutual kisses hadn't caused any issues, after all. Or was something else going on? Did he have something on his mind?
Morgan mixed the jalapeños and onions with lime and salt so they could marinate while he and Chuck finished with the tomatoes and cilantro. When the chopping was done, he added the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and set it aside while they waited for the pasties to finish reheating and the tamales to finish steaming. By the time fifteen minutes had passed, most of the party-goers had gravitated to the general area of the kitchen. There were cheers when the timer went off indicating the treats were ready for their impatient audience. Chuck's bearded friend looked around a little wide-eyed at all of the expectant faces before using some tongs to pull out a pork tamale and show everyone the best way to garnish it. He put it on a plate and opened the cornhusk allowing some of the steam to escape. After a moment allowing the heat to dissipate a little, he put on some of his homemade salsa, followed by some of the fresh Pico de Gallo, and finally sprinkled it with queso fresco. With an apologetic look at his girlfriend, he gave the first taste to the hostess. Zondra took one bite and moaned.
"We have a winner!" she smiled.
During Morgan's floor show, Chuck had taken his first batch of pasties out of the oven to cool. After Zondra had finished inhaling the tamale, he presented the first pasty to her for her judgement. After cutting it open and waiting a short while for some of the steam (and heat) to escape, she tried a bite. Another moan and another smile.
"Another winner!" Zondra proclaimed.
"Why does that pasty thing have that big crimped edge?" A voice in the surrounding crowd asked.
"They were first made for farmers and miners in England during the 17th and 18th centuries. Before that only the rich upper classes and royalty had eaten them. The crimped edge allowed the workers to eat the rest of the meal without getting it dirty. That was especially important to the tin miners since the grime they had on their hands was contaminated with poisons and ingesting any of it could make them sick or even kill them. When they reached the crimped edge, they threw it out," Chuck answered.
"Cool! Now how about you guys serve 'em up?" the same voice asked. The room erupted with laughter. Chuck and Morgan smiled and nodded, before proceeding to follow that request.
For the next long while, the two friends were kept busy cooking and serving tamales and pasties to the hungry party crowd. Alex and Sarah had been the grateful recipients of the second and third plates, adding their own moans and smiles to the general clamor. They also happened to gift the cooks with sweet, if somewhat greasy, kisses of appreciation for their efforts. Sarah was a little surprised at the perplexed half-grin Chuck gave her when she kissed his cheek. What was going on with him tonight?
By now the party was in full swing. Beca had shown up with Jesse Swanson and Benji Applebaum, the two ChoirBoyz, in tow. Lilly found her way to Benji's side with a shy smile. Amy and Carina had been in another part of the house with a couple guys that Chuck didn't recognize, but he served them all tamales and pasties with a smile. When the elder CATS voiced their own approval of the food, his smile grew to cover most of his face.
"Who knew that our mascot could cook?" Carina teased. "We might have to put him to work. I wonder if he does laundry, too?" the redhead bounced her shoulder. "I'll just have to check the mascot rulebook," she shrugged.
"I'd like to see that rulebook for myself, if you don't mind," Chuck gave her a flat look.
"You don't let me have any fun, Chuckles," Carina pouted. Sarah snorted and Chuck just twisted his lips to the side, shaking his head. When the assembled CATS chuckled, he joined in. He didn't see the look that passed between Alex and Morgan.
By this point, most of the tamales and pasties had found their way into the stomachs of the formerly-hungry party attendees. There were a few tamales left which Morgan kept warm under a damp towel, while Chuck's remaining pasties were on a plate covered in some tin foil.
"When do you want me to warm up the fried pies, Zondra?" Chuck asked.
"Why not let's wait until 10:00?" she said. "It's a bit over an hour from now. That way you can mingle and actually have fun for a while before we put you back to work. Does that sound good to you, Curls?"
"Yup. That works. Thanks, Zondra," Chuck smiled. Temporarily released from kitchen duty, he turned to Sarah. "Hi!" he said a little too brightly.
"Chuck, are you OK?" Sarah asked, concerned. She took his hand and gently pulled him out of the kitchen, trying to find somewhere a little less crowded and noisy so they could talk. When they passed the table with drinks, Chuck slowed down forcing her to, as well. "You haven't had anything to eat or drink since you got here, have you?" He shook his head, so she led him back to the kitchen in order to secure him one of his own pasties and a couple of tamales, after all he was one of the cooks, which she enjoyed doctoring just like Morgan had done. Smiling, she gave him the plate and a fork. "Eat. I can't have my lab partner passing out due to hunger on New Year's Eve. We just might have more experiments to conduct before the night is over," she smirked, but before he could take a bite, she grabbed his arm and propelled him over to the drinks table. "What'll you have, partner?" He chuckled a little nervously at her antics. Something was definitely going on.
"Is there punch or some soda? Something nonalcoholic? I'm the one driving tonight," Chuck asked looking around at the offerings.
"There is punch and it was alcohol-free at one point, but now …" She served herself a small sample and made a slight face. "Nope. Not anymore. Someone added in one or more extra things. It'll have to be soda. Are you OK with Coke?" she held up an ice-cold can.
"Of course. It's from my mom's hometown. Gotta represent," he chuckled. Sarah opened the can and found them two chairs, so he could eat and relax a little. She watched him tear into and devour the food, drinking half the can of soda in one long gulp." When he belched, she giggled. He grinned sheepishly.
"Hungry boy," he tried. Sarah just snorted. He smiled at her and shrugged, but he looked happier after getting some food in his stomach.
"Feeling better?" she teased.
"Much, thanks," he smiled gently which made her feel a little better, but only a little.
"Good. Now, do you want to tell me what's going on with you, tonight?"
"Who said anything is going on? I'm fine. Just trying to process stuff," Chuck looked around, clearly trying to escape her scrutiny. "Let's go visit. It's been three weeks since I've seen a lot of these people." Sarah looked at him wide-eyed. He wanted to mingle and talk with people? Now she knew for sure something was odd with him. Sighing, she followed Chuck when he got up to throw his trash away and grab another drink. Sooner or later, he'd tell her what was on his mind and she'd just have to be patient and wait. At least for a little while, but then she had to figure out how to get him to talk to her. She had plans for tonight and he was a crucial part of those plans.
They moved around the house from room to room, grabbing snacks and drinks as they went, mingling and talking to their friends and meeting other partygoers that they didn't know. People who knew Chuck pumped him for information about his opinion of Stanford's chances in the upcoming baseball season. Even though he had a scientific mind, Chuck was also a superstitious baseball player, so he wouldn't say much beyond offering vague positive hopes for Stanford's chances. Sarah smiled and shook her head when she witnessed the dichotomy in his personality. Zondra came and found Chuck at the appointed time, so he made his way back to the kitchen with Sarah in tow.
Once the oven was warm, it took about twenty-five minutes to reheat the foil wrapped pies. By the time they were ready, the crowd had gravitated back to the kitchen drawn by the enticing aroma wafting from the oven. Chuck had placed a second tray of pies into the oven about halfway through the reheating process on the first tray and when the first tray was warmed, he replaced it with another to keep the cycle going to please the waiting guests. As a tray cooled, he would plate a pie and Sarah would top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream before handing it over to the next person clamoring for a taste. It took a long time to get pies to everyone who wanted one, but Chuck and Sarah enjoyed working together to give the treats to their friends. The Songbirds led the way in praising Chuck (and Sarah) for their efforts.
"Chuck, you and Morgan, have a standing invite to any and all parties any of us hold in the future," Zondra announced to the kitchen assembly. "As long as you guys bring tasty goodies like these, that is," she smirked to the general laughter in the room.
"How kind of you," Chuck mock grumped. His big smile gave away how pleased he actually was to be receiving such affectionate praise.
"I'm so proud and happy for you, Chuck," Sarah said when she put her arm around him and kissed his cheek, smiling at his blush.
By the time everyone had had a pie and the cleanup was complete, it was well after 11:00 and the countdown to midnight had begun. Sarah knew that she was running out of time, if she wanted to find out what was distracting Chuck so she could deal with it before the appointed hour struck. Gently taking his hand, and feeling the snap, she led him out of the kitchen and over to an available loveseat. Taking a seat, she pulled him down after her. She let go of his hand and took his other one. Chuck immediately put his freed hand around her shoulder. He seemed happy, but she could feel that there was some hesitancy in his touch.
"OK, Chuck, what's wrong? You've seen acting strange all night. If something's wrong, please tell me. Maybe I can help," Sarah looked at him through her lashes, biting her upper lip. She wanted to help him, but she had to know what he was dealing with first.
"Nothing's wrong, Sarah," he began, but stopped when she gave him an incredulous look. "OK. OK, it's not that something is wrong. It's just that … well …," she squeezed his hand in encouragement. "It's just that I can't get you out of my mind." Sarah's eyes widened and she held her breath. Could it be? "All break. Really ever since Thanksgiving, you're practically all I've thought about. I went so deep into my memories that I almost lost myself," he admitted. Now Sarah was worried.
"Oh, Chuck! Are you alright? It would just kill me if I hurt you in any way," she clutched at his hand in desperation.
"I'm fine, Sarah. Truly," Chuck soothed her. "It's just that I've never felt or experienced anything even remotely like this."
"Like what?" she probed.
"Like how I feel about you. How I think about you all of the time. About how you fill my head and my heart. I don't understand it all," he said, twisting and biting his lips uncertainly. Speaking of hearts, Sarah could feel hers beginning to beat faster and faster. It was getting close to midnight and she was almost out of time.
"What are you saying, Chuck," she asked, popping the 'k', flirtatiously, as she smiled at him, her heart hammering in her chest.
"What I'm saying is … um … I don't know what I'm saying," he hung his head in frustration. She reached out and lifted his chin until he was looking her in the eye.
"So, you don't know what you're saying," she confirmed. He shook his head. "Tell me what you're feeling right now. Can you do that?" Sarah asked softly. Instead of answering her, he stood up and pulled her up after him. Their private moment was interrupted by cheering. It was midnight. Looking around, they saw other couples kissing. Chuck spotted Alex and Morgan locked in a passionate embrace. He turned to Sarah and looked deeply into her eyes.
"I've got to do this. I've got to try. I have no idea what will happen, but, if I don't, it'll drive me crazy," he whispered, reaching up with both hands to cup her face.
Her eyes widened in realization. Was he going to? He pulled her toward him gently while leaning in to meet her halfway. He was! Oh my God! It's happening! Now! And he was going to kiss her! So much for her plans. His lips met hers. Just a press. Soft and gentle, but firm. Not tentative, at all. Chuck was really risking everything for her. Instantly, she did the same, putting her arms around him and kissing him back. They felt a tingle and, then, a pop. Maybe more of a boom. It didn't go unnoticed.
Other people in the room, at the entire party, honestly, stopped what they were doing when they felt some sort of pressure release, not knowing what it was until they looked around. Shocked looks turned to smiles that grew bigger the longer the kiss lasted. True, there was some concern on the part of people who knew Chuck's story, but their concern faded when it didn't appear that he was being negatively affected. Far from it, in fact.
Needing air, they finally drew apart, his eyes never leaving hers. After barely a breath, their lips crashed together again. This time the kiss deepened quickly. Sarah opened her mouth and her tongue licked out tentatively. Instinctively, Chuck's mouth opened and his tongue met hers, causing them both to whimper. Sarah's hands came up. One hand held his shoulder, while the other reached up to cradle his neck. When her thumb rubbed along his hairline, he hummed into her mouth. Chuck pulled her closer to him when one arm went around her back and his other hand combed into her hair, causing her to moan. As the kiss continued, Sarah's hand left his neck and found its way into his curls. When she lightly scratched the back of his head before tangling her fingers in his hair, his moan joined hers. More than a few eyes widened, along with the smiles, in the surrounding crowd. Chuck certainly didn't have a problem with PDA.
"Get it, Blondie," Carina whispered.
"Damn, Curls," Zondra grinned.
"Oh, buddy," Morgan smiled. Alex reached over and gently wiped the happy tears from her boyfriend's cheeks.
"Get a room!" a random voice called.
Chuck and Sarah ignored them all, completely immersed in each other.
Pulling back a second time, they smiled at each other. Sarah noticed that Chuck's tension was gone completely, along with his uncertainty and confusion. That's why what he said next confused and worried her.
"Sarah, I don't want us to be lab partners anymore," he said softly, but matter-of-factly.
"What? Why not?" she was alarmed. Realizing that he'd fumbled what he wanted to say, he gave her a quick peck on the lips and smiled, before continuing to speak.
"I don't want to be your lab partner. I want to be your boyfriend. And I want you to be my girlfriend. Is that OK?" he asked, widening his eyes and biting his lower lip in question.
"It's perfect,' she smiled.
"And I want to kiss you. Kiss you a lot," Chuck said with a hopeful smile. She thought it was a little saucy. It didn't bother her in the slightest.
"You'd better," Sarah replied with a serious expression that morphed into a smile when he moved to do as she wished.
They kissed, again, melting into each other. For a long time. Repeatedly. All in the name of science, of course.
A/N2: Chapter title comes from the song by many people. Perry Como's original and The Carpenters versions being the most well-known.
A/N3: There really is an article that discusses the brain's response to music. And all of the crying and fainting at Beatles concerts along with the impact of their clothes and hair. If you're interested, google 'Science Explains Why Girls Went So Crazy for The Beatles'. It's an article on the business insider website.
A/N4: I've seen Hangar One at Moffett Field from Route 101, much like Chuck, but it still had the panels covering its frame. Now, it's just the frame. On a side note, I also had occasion to visit the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst, NJ, site of the Hindenburg disaster, in the spring of 1976. The sister hanger to Moffett's Hangar One is still there, as well (Lakehurst was redesignated a joint base along with Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base in 2009). To give you an idea of the size of those hangers, the one at Lakehurst, in the mid-1970's, had a 2/3 replica of a modern aircraft carrier flight deck built inside of it that they used to train flight deck crews before their first deployment on an actual aircraft carrier. Back in the day, the hanger wasn't large enough to house the Hindenburg entirely, it stuck out of both ends. Impressive hanger and impressive airship. Horrible government behind the airship, though.
A/N5: Another chapter and another huge thank you to WillieGarvin for your beta efforts and valuable advice. This story wouldn't be what it is without your help. Thank you, my friend.
A/N6: Thank you for reading. Please drop me a PM or leave a review. Let me know what you think. For those of you who have left reviews or PMs previously, thank you. I appreciate each and every one of them.
A/N7: If you enjoy Chuck fan fiction here on the fanfic site, go over to Facebook and join the Chuck Fanfiction group that's there. You'll find nice folks who share your interest in our favorite spy couple. You are not alone.