A/N: Hiya, Cardinal fans! Time for another installment of College Baseball TMI. You're seeing this thanks to the kind people who make up Stanford TMI. We tip our hats to the best TMI in the business, Stanford TMI. We're your hosts, Biff Roberts and Rob Bifford. The college school year is winding down, the college baseball regular season has concluded, and the NCAA Division I Tournament is well underway (in the story) to determine who makes it to the Men's College World Series in Omaha. Before we get into all of that we wanted to take a minute to talk about something else that is almost upon us, in addition to the tournament. And that is the professional baseball draft that begins next Monday, June 3 and concludes on Wednesday, June 5. Players who are, at least, 17 years old and have graduated from high school but not attended college are eligible for the draft, as are those who have completed at least one year of junior college. Players attending four-year colleges are eligible to be drafted after completing their junior year (year three) or turning 21 years old. As you can see, promising high school players who aren't selected right out of high school can attend a junior college (2-year school for our non-US fans) before transferring to a full four-year college. That way, they can make themselves draft eligible each year until they're selected, hopefully. The combination of the postseason NCAA tournaments, professional baseball draft, and the beginning of the summer baseball league seasons makes June a particularly exciting time for both the college players and the fans. There you have it, folks! Next time we'll be talking about those summer baseball leagues. Until then, this is College Baseball TMI wishing the best of luck to all of the teams taking part in this year's tournament. I'm Rob Bifford. And I'm Biff Roberts. Good-bye for now.
A/N1.5: Based on the information in the A/N above, Daniel Shaw, Mac Henderson, Bobby Malcolm, and Carlos Gomez would be draft eligible as seniors. So would Rodger Mason since he is a junior. Chuck's situation is unique. He's only 19, but as a graduate student, he would be draft eligible even though he's only completed one year of grad school. The restrictions against being eligible to be drafted only apply to undergraduate students. It's not a consideration for him, though, because he told everyone that he intends to stay in school until he finishes his degrees. Morgan, as a freshman, is definitely not eligible for the draft this year.
Disclaimer: When I opened my wallet to buy ownership of Chuck, it was so empty that it created a draft. That's because I make no money from Chuck. No ownership and no money. That just Chucks. Don't look at me that way. It's summer and it's hot.
Chapter 42 – Anticipation
Monday June 3
It was supposed to be an epic showdown. That's how the people in the media were billing it, at any rate. The reality was a little different. Stanford was playing their fifth game in four days. Fresno State was playing their fourth over the same span. Both teams' pitching was a bit thin, to say the least. That meant victory for either team would be determined by the remaining arms available in their pitching corps. Pitching by committee would rule the day. Stanford would play as the visiting team after being the home team in the game the previous night. Luckily, the game started just after 7pm, so the weather was perfect for the coming battle.
The Cardinal bench was in high spirits, having weathered the ordeal of the losers' bracket and winning last night's elimination game. Morgan was in the middle of the carrying on which didn't surprise Chuck in the slightest. His bearded friend would call out "Mortal Kombat!" and chant the game's theme music every so often, much to the delight of the other players on the bench. At least until Coach Casey put a stop to his high jinks.
"Grimes, if you don't cut it out, you'll be running poles until Bartowski's grandkids have grandkids. You got me?" Casey growled.
"Eep!" Morgan squeaked. "I hear you, Coach. Loud and clear." A number of the players and even some of the other coaches began to chuckle at the exchange, but the former Marine's growl silenced them before it could go too far.
"Outstanding!" the conditioning coach grunted. "Now, watch the game and cheer on your teammates. You might be out there before it's all over." Morgan gulped and wisely kept quiet. Coach Casey's comment would prove prophetic.
Fresno State had gone to their second pitcher of the day in the top of the fifth inning in an effort to slow down the Cardinal batters. The Bulldogs had pulled ahead in their half of the fourth inning when a two-run home run by their catcher, Carter Bins, put them on top, 5-3.
Whatever they hoped to accomplish by switching pitchers, it didn't work. Stanford punished the new pitcher, Kevin Larson, to the tune of three walks, a single, a double, and a two-run home run for a total of six runs, retaking the lead, 9-5 and sending ten men to the plate in the process. Their efforts also chased Larson from the game before the final out of the inning, forcing Fresno to put in their third pitcher to get the last batter. It was early on during this lengthy half inning that Graham sent Chuck and Morgan down to the bullpen. Evidently, it was time for the friends to face another challenge.
Sarah had been keeping a watchful eye on the Stanford dugout, so she immediately saw when the mismatched pair emerged and began to jog along the right field foul line.
"Here we go again," she grimaced.
"What?" Carina asked, vaguely upset that her friend and interrupted her wordless flirting with a handsome guy in the next section over.
"They're sending Chuck and Morgan to the bullpen again. Look," Sarah pointed.
"So soon? After he pitched just last night?" The redhead asked.
"He only threw ten pitches. That's almost nothing," Dr. Beckman said from behind the pair. "Relief pitchers do it all of the time. I expect that Graham and Bradbury are giving Chuck another little test. A few batters or a couple of innings. Maybe a certain number of pitches. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see."
Stanford followed suit in the bottom of the inning when they replaced Jacob Palisch with Zach Grech. The new reliever looked good. He gave up a single, but it was sandwiched between two five-pitch strikeouts. Zach almost made it out of the inning cleanly before Nate Thimjon, the Bulldogs' right fielder, powered a 2-2 curveball over the left field fence for a two-run home run, cutting the Cardinal lead in half, 9-7. Graham called on Chuck to put a stop to Fresno's rally. Sarah and the rest of the Backers held hands and held their breath.
"… Bartowski is facing first baseman Zach Presno. There are two runs in and two outs. Nobody's on. Batter's ready. Pitcher's ready. Gets the sign. Here's the windup. And the pitch. Ball! That four-seam fastball was just a bit outside. Grimes throws it back and puts down a new sign. Bartowski takes a deep breath and nods. Sets. Winds. Throws! A strike! Another four-seamer. It might have been even faster than the last one. Presno just watched it go by. Now the count is 1-1. Everyone is ready. Another sign. And another strike! Presno swung on that fastball and just missed it entirely. It's 1-2 and Chuck's ready to go again. Here's the next pitch … Strike THREE! Yeah boy! Bartowski threw his bad boy curveball and froze Presno completely. He thought it was going to be a ball! Fantastic! That's the end of the fifth. Looks like Grimes will be up first in the top of the sixth …"
The crowd cheered as the local boys jogged off the field. Sarah whistled out the breath she'd been holding and sighed.
"He did great, Sarah," Ellie smiled, giving her arm a squeeze.
"I know, but it's still nerve-wracking watching him pitch. Will it ever get easier?" the blonde wondered.
"Probably not," Ellie shook her head, smiling sympathetically.
"Thanks," Sarah grumped, giving her friend a flat look. The brunette shrugged and chuckled.
The game ended like the previous game had, in a pitchers' duel. Chuck pitched three more full innings throwing 36 pitches in the process. When they put Little in for the last inning, Chuck hadn't given up any hits or walks while earning three strikeouts. Fresno State used three more pitchers to keep Stanford from adding to their tally. Jack Little took care of the last three Bulldog batters with three straight strikeouts. It was over. The final score was 9-7. Stanford had triumphed! The stands erupted, raucously cheering and clapping.
"We're going to the Supers!"
The team rushed the field and dogpiled next to the pitcher's mound. Players and coaches were hugging each other once the dogpile broke up. It took a number of minutes before the Cardinal players could organize themselves for the final handshake line with Fresno State. When that ritual was concluded, the Stanford players migrated closer to their dugout, behind which the majority of their fans had been seated, to continue the enthusiastic celebration.
Having forgotten Casey's warning, Morgan stopped just short of the low wall surrounding the field and shouted, "MORTAL KOMBAT!" When he began to chant the theme song as loudly as he could, other players and a number of the fans still milling around in the stands laughed and joined in. In short order almost everyone under the age of 40 was laughing and chanting along.
"Idiot," Casey grumbled with a frown. "My princess is dating that moron."
"Mmhm," Graham murmured and nodded. Then he began to quietly hum the theme, too, with a big closed-mouth smile on his face. Casey snorted and shook his head but began to hum along with his boss.
The game had ended around 10:40pm, but the team was still celebrating their victory as the clock approached midnight. Even though showering and policing the locker room was taking much longer than was normal, the coaches didn't chastise anyone for their exuberance. Why would they? It was well deserved. The players stayed focused and played hard. They gave it everything they had until the last out was recorded. And they came away with the victory. The coaches made sure things didn't get out of hand but allowed their charges time to blow off some steam. When he felt it was time to rein the boys back in, Graham yelled for attention. The room instantly got quiet.
"I'm glad you all are enjoying yourselves. You deserve it," he nodded. "Just remember that we have the Super Regionals this coming weekend against Mississippi State. In Starkville. Their home turf. That's a heck of a long way away from our base of support. We'll fill you in on the travel arrangements tomorrow, once they're finalized, but we'll have to fly out on Thursday so we can recover from the trip and get some practice on their field on Friday. That means only two days left to practice here. You can bet your asses you're going to work for the next two days. Keep that in mind. If you want to continue to celebrate, it's up to you." He pointedly looked at his watch. "You also know what I think you should do." With that comment, the players sobered and got on with cleaning up, even if there were a few grumbles.
Before he and Morgan could go meet up with Alex and Sarah, Graham pulled Chuck aside.
"Go on, Morgs," Chuck encouraged his friend. "I'll catch up." The friends shared a look, then Morgan left to find the girls. "What's up, Coach?" Chuck asked, even though he thought he knew what Graham wanted to talk about.
"Come with me," the head coach waved toward his office. When they arrived, Chuck saw that Bradbury and Casey were waiting on them. "Come in and shut the door," Graham ordered. Chuck closed the door and turned to look at the three coaches. "I won't beat around the bush or waste your time, Chuck. We know you have … someone waiting on you." All four men smiled. "We've talked about it amongst the staff and with your doctors after your last recheck this morning. Everyone is in agreement. You've healed enough and worked hard to get back in shape. Yesterday's and tonight's performances on the field prove that." Coach Graham looked him in the eye and nodded. "We think that you're ready to go play in the Cape this summer." Chuck was both happy and sad. His mixed emotions left him looking stunned. The coaches misunderstood his expression and moved to shake his hand.
"Congratulations!" Bradbury smiled at Chuck's expression, pumping his hand vigorously.
"Don't look so surprised, Bartowski," Casey glared affectionately(!?). "You've earned this," he growled, shaking the pitcher's hand, in turn.
"You'll be playing on the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, along with Larkin." Graham told him. At Chuck's troubled expression, the coach held up his hand. "He'll be living with a different host family, Chuck. I promise." The three coaches all grinned at his relieved expression. "Forget about Larkin. Get up there and show 'em what you've got, Chuck. Just like you did all season here," Graham grinned, giving Chuck a pat on the back.
"I'll do my best, Coach."
"I know you will, son. Otherwise, you wouldn't be going."
Chuck grinned crookedly, thinking more about what he was going to say to Sarah than what his coaches were telling him right then. On their part, the three coaches chuckled at his continued surprise, once again misinterpreting its cause. He wasn't figuring out how to share good news with his girlfriend, he was worried about how he would tell her what he thought she would think was bad news.
When Graham sent him on his way, Chuck hurried outside to find Sarah waiting for him. Alone. It was her turn to surprise him, speaking before he had a chance to say anything.
"Morgan came out and told us that Graham wanted to see you. I guessed the reason," she said, matter-of-factly. "I told them to take off, thinking that you might want to talk to me … um … privately. Is that OK?" She chewed on her lip and looked up at him.
He signed and nodded, pulling his lips between his teeth and reaching out for her. Once their hands were joined, they began to walk back to the dorm. He still didn't know how to break the news to her.
"I can tell by the look on your face that they're sending you to the Cape this summer," Sarah said, trying to keep from frowning. "Right?"
Chuck blew out a breath and nodded, pursing his lips and twisting them to the side. "Yeah. I'm sorry, Sarah," he said, feeling the need to apologize after deciphering her expression. They walked for a little bit, each lost in their own thoughts, while Sarah sorted her emotions out. Eventually, she broke the silence.
"Don't be sorry, Chuck. This is something you've dreamed about doing for a long time. Longer than you've known me," she smiled sadly. Then she stopped walking to reach out and gently squeeze both of his biceps. "It does make me sad. I won't deny that." He looked down, ashamed. She tugged on his arms to get him to look at her again. "But what kind of girlfriend would I be if I asked you to give up on one of your dreams for me? I love you too much for that." She pulled him in for a tight hug.
"You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" Chuck murmured. "I don't deserve you."
Sarah took a step back so she could look him in the eye. "See? There're three things wrong with those statements." Chuck's eyes widened slightly as he waited on her to explain. "First, you absolutely do deserve me. Just like I deserve you. So, cut that out. Second, my name isn't Gunga Din. It's Sarah. Your Sarah. Third, I'm not a man. I thought you'd have figured that out by now. Guess not." Now, she was grinning. So was he.
"Oh, I know that, Sarah," Chuck nodded. "I may be inexperienced with girls … um … women," he corrected. Her lips curved into a small smile. "But I do know a woman when I see one. And you are definitely a woman."
"Prove it," she challenged, trying, unsuccessfully, to look serious.
He did. Pressing his lips to hers and molding her to his body with his strong arms and large warm hands. The kiss quickly deepened, each trying to reassure the other after his announcement. The emotions spiraling through her coupled with the delicious feeling of his body against hers had Sarah nearly swooning. That's why she was surprised and more than a little disappointed when he pulled back with a soft whimper.
"Is something wrong, baby?" she asked, having a good idea what caused her boyfriend to end their latest kiss. Her blood and her emotions were racing through her body on parallel paths. It took her a moment to collect herself before she could focus on Chuck. She guessed that he was feeling the same way.
"I … uh … I need to … um … I need to stop, Sarah. I'm … I'm sorry," Chuck was stumbling again, like he had when she'd first met him. His embarrassed shame was clear for her to see. It hurt her to see him beating himself up. Sarah's heart ached with her love for him. Her concern for him, somehow, cooled the longing that had been pulsing in her.
"Don't be sorry, sweetie," Sarah whispered to him, gently running her fingers over his repaired forehead before stroking both sides of his face. Cupping her hands along his jaw, she raised his chin, so he was looking at her. "I remember that we talked about this back during our first walk together. I also remember what we talked about after being at Ellie's two Saturdays ago. I understand. I do."
"I'm sorry for letting you down. Two times tonight," Chuck grumbled.
Sarah lightly smacked his arm before retaking his hand and pulling him along toward Roble Hall. "Stop that," she 'tsked' at him. "You're not letting me down at all. You've told me that you're working on dealing with your concerns about us and I trust you. We'll figure out how to deal with you being away over the summer. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
"Yeah, we will. Thanks, sweetie. Together we can figure out almost anything," he smiled. Sarah nodded.
"Are your sessions with Dr. Dreyfus still helping you with your memories and … um … your concerns about sex?"
"Yup!" Chuck chirped and nodded, then went on. "He said that no one can really predict what will happen when we … ah … when I … you know." She nodded, holding her breath. "He said that part of it was just having faith." Sarah raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Don't you have faith in me, baby?" she asked, trying not to let the hurt she suddenly felt reach her voice.
"Geez, Sarah. That's not it at all," he said, turning to catch her eye and shake his head. "I trust you with my life. Recent experiences proved how wise a decision that is."
She smiled warmly. "Then what's wrong? I don't understand." But she did understand or thought she did. It had to be him, his memory of having such a bad episode.
"I have absolute faith in you. I don't have any faith in myself. My stupid brain," Chuck groused, tapping his temple with his free hand. Sarah quietly sighed. She'd been right. Sadly.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Chuck. It's less than a month since you got out of the hospital and only a little longer since you woke up. Give yourself time to heal. Get your memories and emotions all sorted out. Put all of this behind you. As much as you can," she quickly added when she saw the look in his eye. "You've been dealing with this all your life. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. And when you do put it behind you, watch out! You'll be mine, baby. All mine," she couldn't keep the saucy grin off of her face. Chuck had been looking at her with admiration, but her last statement caused him to laugh. She could feel the tension bleeding off of him. Good. She wanted him. Not just his body. Him.
When Chuck quickly sobered, she could tell he was thinking about something. He didn't make her wait.
"I think I'm going to buy a house," he said. "Want to help me decide which one?" Sarah was surprised, happily so.
"Try picking one without my help, buster, and see where it gets you," she responded, throwing a little stink-eye his way.
"Great! We'll have to figure out a time to look. I've already looked at two sets of houses online at the realty office and narrowed them down to just the ones that I think look promising. As soon as we can both make time, we'll have to arrange some in-person viewings."
"Sounds like a plan, baby," Sarah said, excitedly. Her and Chuck alone in a house together was definitely something that got her full endorsement.
Wednesday June 5
Chuck pushed back from the desk in his lab and stretched. His muscles protested from being in the same position for such an extended period of time. The pops and cracks he could actually hear coming from his shoulders and back signaled their own distress over his protracted labor. It had been a very busy, and very crazy, couple of days, but he was finally ready.
He'd finished the last of his write-ups the previous evening after practice. Then he'd reviewed them all between breakfast and his meeting with Dr. Dreyfus earlier in the day. Chuck had taken the papers with him to his session and delivered them to his advisors via a circuitous route on his way to having lunch with Sarah. Like always, they had a good time eating together and, like always, the time they spent together was too short. After lunch, he pulled out his laptop and sent electronic copies to each of his advisors to back up the physical copies they already had, before heading over to spend the afternoon practicing baseball.
Sarah had accompanied him to his lab after dinner. She was feeling pretty exuberant because all of her professors had informed their students that they were waiving their finals. Carina and Zondra had gotten the same news. Amy was the only unfortunate roommate who had any finals and only one, at that. Her solitary final would be administered on Friday, the first day of finals, then, she too, would be free. The foursome was already making plans for one last celebration over the weekend while Chuck was off in Mississippi. Whether there would be multiple celebrations or one long one hadn't yet been determined.
Sarah was able to curb her mounting excitement about graduation by distracting herself with her tablet and phone. She knew Chuck had to spend the evening putting the finishing touches on his plan to disassemble and store each of his research projects. His groan caused her to look over at him from her place on his couch.
"All done, sweetie?" she asked a little too brightly for the lateness of the hour, squirming in her seat to stretch her own muscles after sitting for so long, no matter how comfortably.
Chuck groaned through another stretch then shook his head at her with a snort. "You're entirely too bouncy for this time of night, Sarah."
"That's me! Bouncy," Sarah smirked, shimmying her shoulders to show him how bouncy she could be. The strangled noise he made caused her to smirk harder. His reactions made her feel so sexy and desired. That's why she knew he'd be able to overcome his fears. Their mutual attraction. Her expression softened into an inviting smile when her boyfriend got up and made his way over to her, but when he didn't sit next to her, merely held his hand out, her smile drooped into a frown. "Not going to sit with me?" she pouted. "Am I too bouncy?" Visions of teasing him in the future danced in her head. She blinked her eyes and tried to focus on the present.
He looked cross-eyed and cleared his throat, but sadly shook his head. "It's nearly midnight, Sarah. By the time we get back to the dorm, it'll be past midnight. The flight tomorrow leaves at just after 12 noon. The bus to the airport leaves at 9:30 am. I would like nothing more than to spend some time with you on this couch, but I can't." Chuck shrugged when she relented and grasped his hand. He pulled her to her feet and gave her a quick kiss.
"I want more of those, Mr. Science," she narrowed her eyes. "Don't think you're getting off that easily."
Turning back from locking the lab, he smiled. "I'm well aware of my kissing duties, Miss Walker."
"It's a good thing. That's why I keep you around after all," she teased. His faux affronted look just made her giggle. She was still giggling when they left the building together.
Friday June 7
The CATS were taking a break from being on the dance floor. It had been a whirlwind day for the four friends. Amy had taken her only final earlier that morning. When she'd gotten back to the suite, they'd all gone to lunch together, then spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool down the street from Roble Hall. Being there brought back some specific memories for all of the CATS.
"Too bad Chuckles isn't here doing one of his workouts," Carina pouted behind her sunglasses. "That would make this afternoon so much more interesting." Seeing the look on her bunkmate's face made her chortle.
"Hardy-har-har, Red. You're so funny," Sarah grumped. She knew she shouldn't give Carina what she wanted, but she couldn't help it. She missed Chuck, even if it had only been a single day. Apparently, it showed on her face.
"Better get used to it, Sar," Zondra said, joining the conversation. "Curls is going to be gone for a long time this summer."
"I know, don't remind me," Sarah frowned. "Twice as long as we were separated over the holidays. At least."
"Don't be sad, Sarah. Remember that the first time you saw each other back then was New Year's Eve. And we all know what took place that night, don't we?" Amy smiled.
"The first KISS!" the elder CATS squealed, laughing.
"I know. I was there," Sarah said flatly. She very much remembered that night and those first kisses. And all of the ones since then, too. Sarah didn't say what she was hoping would happen when Chuck got back from Massachusetts, but she didn't have to. Her friends already knew.
After the pool, they showered and got dressed up for dinner and a night of dancing. Maybe a few drinks. Maybe more than a few. Sarah had volunteered to be the designated driver over her friends' protests.
"I have no wish to drive the porcelain bus tonight, ladies," she'd told them. "I'll chance one drink on my fake id and that's it." She hadn't said anything about only drinking it when the other three starting making toasts. There was no way she was going to do anything stupid that might derail her plans for the future.
Now, they were sitting around a table, cooling off, and allowing their feet some respite. The CATS all loved to dance, but their shoes made it a challenge if they danced too long. All of them knew that they'd be back out there sooner or later, no matter what. The clock was ticking. Graduation was just over a week away.
"I'ma muss this," Amy began.
"Nuh-huh," Carina wagged her finger drunkenly in the shorter blonde's face. "No talkin' like tha' tonight. Thass fer next wikend. Nope! Tonight's fur fun 'n happinoose."
"Happinoose? What's a happinoose?" Amy tried to reason out.
"A happinoose is a moose tha' gets ta spen' tha' night ridin' wit' Red!" Zondra slurred. "Hi ho happinoose away!"
"Shuddup, Z," Carina grinned. She drew in a breath and looked at Sarah. Knowing what was coming, Sarah piped up.
"Who wants to dance some more?" she asked.
"Meeee!" Her friends chorused.
"C'mon then," Sarah commanded. She grabbed two of the nearest hands and pulled her roommates back to the dance floor. Carina may be drunk, but she was right. Tonight was time for fun. The tears would come later.
Sunday June 9
It was over. Just like that. The season was over. No amount of yelling at the TV or fussing over what Big Mike was saying on the radio would change that. Sarah was stunned. She and the CATS were sitting in Roble Hall's common area with a bunch of other people. Ellie and Devon had accepted their invitation to watch the baseball team do battle, alongside almost all of the Songbirds. Even a good number of the ChoirBoyz were there. Ellie switched back and forth between looking at what was being shown on the TV screen and looking wide-eyed at Sarah, who was doing the same thing. No one could believe it.
Stanford had lost the best-two-out-of-three series against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. No, they didn't lose. They were beaten. Soundly. In the first game on Saturday, the final score was 6-2 in favor of the host team. The final score in the second game, just concluded, was 8-1. For the two games, Miss. State scored a combined fourteen runs on twenty-three hits while Stanford could only muster three runs on thirteen hits in the same time span. The Bulldogs pitching was just more effective. More strikeouts and fewer walks combined with fewer hits kept the Cardinal players off the bath paths. And everyone knows that you can't win if you can't score runs and you can't score runs without runners on base. Damn!
"Look on the bright side, Sar," Zondra said, trying to cheer her young friend up. "Curls won't be going to Omaha so he'll be able to be here for graduation."
Sarah frowned and shook her head. "I never wished for that to happen. Never wished that they'd lose so he could be there to watch us graduate. Besides, that's only true if Graham doesn't put him on a plane as soon as the team comes back to Palo Alto."
"That won't happen, Sarah," Ellie told her. "Chuck still has to dismantle his lab and that will take him a few days. At least, that's what he told me before he went to Starkville." She grinned. "Something tells me that it'll take him just long enough so that he won't be able to leave for Cape Cod until after your ceremony."
"That'll work," the blonde nodded. "Hope you're right, Ellie." Her tentative smile turned into a frown. "I just wish Chuck wasn't so far away. He must be feeling pretty crappy right about now. I want to hug him so bad; I can't stand it."
"Tell us something we don't know," Ellie teased but hugged her brother's girlfriend sympathetically.
Almost on the complete other side of the country, Chuck was mindlessly following his teammates in the traditional post-game handshake ritual. He was mouthing the expected words to the Mississippi State players, "Good game and good luck in Omaha", but his mind was whirling with a kaleidoscope of thoughts and emotions.
He'd pitched in both games. Just four batters and fifteen pitches over two thirds of an inning in the first game. In the second game, Graham had turned Chuck loose and allowed him to face nineteen batters over four and two thirds' innings, throwing sixty-two pitches in the process. His arm was sore from the work over the last two days, but he was otherwise feeling fine. And the cold sleeve he currently had on his arm would go a long way to soothing his achy muscles. Graham and Bradbury were both happy with his performance and so was he. They reaffirmed their decision about him going to the Cape and he agreed that he was ready. The Yarmouth-Dennis coaches would limit his pitches and innings for a couple of games. If there weren't any issues, they'd let him go longer and throw more pitches after that. It was going to be fun and he was looking forward to it, despite knowing that he'd miss Sarah terribly. Tempering his excitement over what the summer had in store was the scene directly in front of him.
The Cardinal season was now over. That meant this had unexpectedly turned out to be the seniors' last college game, whether they were drafted by the pros or not. Chuck saw that realization creep up on the older players. He watched them tearfully hug each other and the coaches. A big part of each of their lives had come to an end. They were amateur baseball players no longer. Chuck had some idea what they were feeling having had similar poignant milestones as he moved from youth team to youth team as he outgrew each age group. He also knew that this particular milestone was different. Not just a transition to an older age group league, but an ending. One that he and everyone else watching knew they too would face at a point in the future. The tears pricking the corners of his eyes were for those players who were leaving and for his future self, both.
The seniors who played regularly, Shaw, Henderson, Malcolm, and Gomez had all been drafted. As had junior Rodger Mason. But not by any west coast teams. Shaw was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the third round. Mac Henderson went in the same round, just a few players later, to the Colorado Rockies. Chuck hoped Mac would be able to pitch successfully at Coors Field when he eventually reached the majors. It was a real challenge for pitchers to be effective in the Mile High City. The Toronto Blue Jays took two Stanford players, Carlos Gomez in the fifth round and Bobby Malcolm in the seventh. Rodger Mason got the call from the Cincinnati Reds. Chuck was happy for all of them. For those guys, they were getting the chance to continue to play as professionals, a chance to chase their dreams, but for all of the other seniors, graduation and regular jobs or graduate school loomed just around the corner. Chuck was thinking so deeply that he didn't notice his roommate come and stand beside him.
"Man, this sucks," Morgan whined. "Those guys beat our butts. And the seniors are done. Just done." He wiped his hand down his face.
"You're right, buddy. It does suck," the tall pitcher agreed with a nod. "One day that'll be us. Our last game. Go out with a win or a loss. In the long run it won't matter. It'll be over either way." Chuck frowned.
"But not today. At least not for us, right?" Morgan asked.
"That's right." Another nod. "Enjoy it while we can."
"Exactly," the catcher smiled, bringing his hand up to pat his tall friend on the shoulder. "That's one of the reasons I'm going to Alaska this summer. Grabbing the gusto while I can."
"You sure it's not so you can go there and make friends with Bullwinkle?" Chuck teased. "What would Alex think of that?"
"Ha ha. Funny. Or not so much." Morgan waved a hand in front of himself. "I'll be lucky if I make it through the summer alive. Remember Alex and I still have to tell a certain someone about some new living arrangements." He looked around quickly to make sure Casey wasn't nearby. Chuck sucked air in through his teeth and looked at his friend. "Yeah," the shorter man said worriedly. The tall grad student worried about what the coach would think about their decision. He knew it was their mutual decision. He also knew that Alex and her mom would keep Morgan safe long enough to convince Coach Casey to agree.
Chuck's mind was already focusing on other things. He would have to make his travel plans now that he knew when he would be leaving. Going to Cape Cod couldn't happen until after he'd gotten back to Stanford and taken care of packing up his lab. And seeing Sarah graduate. That was a huge deal and he was so happy that he'd have a chance to take part in her success. And meet her family. That would be interesting. She had already met his family while he was in the hospital, so it was only fair for him to meet hers. Somewhere in there, he had to get a chance to give her the things he had for her. He had no idea, yet, how he would accomplish that task. A lot depended on Mr. Krass being able to complete his work by the upcoming Friday.
Thursday June 13
Chuck had been swamped ever since he got back from Mississippi. Their bus rides and return flight had taken most of the day Monday leaving him too unmotivated to go work in his lab, as he should have done. Instead, he and Morgan took Sarah and Alex out for a late dinner. The two couples had as good a time as they could. Morgan would be going home to Burbank in the morning before flying to Anchorage the day after. He was going to join the Glacier Pilots. There were five teams in the Alaska League, three of them located in Anchorage. The Pilots were one of those teams. His friend was in for an interesting summer. When the friends parted, Chuck made sure to offer some final advice to his friend.
"Whatever you do, don't make Rocky mad. Squirrels may be small, but they can be vicious," he murmured, nodding sagely.
"Got it," the shorter man grinned. The two women were shaking their heads at their boyfriends' behavior.
"You had to be there," Chuck shrugged.
"I'm sure," Sarah snorted. Turning to Alex, she continued, "Good luck with telling your dad."
"Oh, don't worry about him," Alex made a face and waved off Sarah's concern. "Mom and I can take care of him, no problem." Both women laughed.
After hugs the friends went their separate ways.
Chuck and Sarah had spent Tuesday and Wednesday morning visiting houses that Chuck had put on his short list. He would hit the gym then shower before they met up for breakfast, after which they'd head to the first address. There was enough time to tour two houses each day and still allow Chuck to make his sessions with Dr. Dreyfus. The sessions this week were especially important since they would be the last ones done in person until Chuck got back from Massachusetts. They would use video conferencing over the summer. Still effective but not the same as being in the same room.
Chuck was busy the entire afternoon and well into the evening, each day, working in his lab. Taking a break only to eat dinner with Sarah and the CATS before heading back to his work. Dismantling each project required meticulous attention to detail and he felt he needed to do it alone. Hiring research assistants in the fall would be great and go a long way toward helping him manage both his research and his time more effectively. The worst part about being so busy was that he didn't get to spend nearly enough time with his girlfriend.
Now, it was Thursday. Chuck and Sarah had followed the same pattern that they'd established over the prior two days. Workout, shower, and breakfast before traveling to meet the realtor at one of Chuck's potential houses. They'd seen four houses so far. Each one was nice, but each one had things that either one of them or the other, sometimes both, didn't like. None of the houses had been rejected outright yet, but none had felt like the perfect house either.
They drove to the address he had memorized and met Lydia Salstein in front of the fifth and final house. It was located in an area known as Old Palo Alto. Over the years many department heads and other professors had made their homes there due to the area's proximity to Stanford's campus. This particular house was due east, as the crow flies, of the football stadium. It was the biggest of the five he'd selected for his short list. It was also the most expensive. But most importantly, it was his favorite. He hoped Sarah would feel the same way. Her first reaction was promising.
"Oh, Chuck! It's beautiful!" Sarah exclaimed when they got out of his car. Lydia Salstein had been waiting for them at the end of the driveway. Her welcoming smile broadened when she heard Sarah's comment.
"I'm glad you feel that way, Sarah. I think it's a beautiful house, too," Lydia agreed. When she'd met her client's stunning girlfriend two days ago, her first thought had been lucky guy, but after observing the two of them interacting, she'd amended her initial impression to lucky guy and lucky girl. The couple complemented each other perfectly with their impressions of each house flowing back and forth. They were a team where the members just happened to be adorably crazy about each other. Putting her focus back on the couple, she watched them quietly discussing their thoughts.
Curving Flagstone walkways from the sidewalk and the driveway met at the front door. The exterior was mostly stucco with some stone forming the covered front porch.
"Chuck, I really like the little seating area there," Sarah smiled, pointing at the flagstone path, bisecting the two curving walkways that led to a couple of wooden chairs and a table situated on more flagstones in the shade of two trees. "Curling up there with a cup of tea and a good book when the weather is nice will be so relaxing." Chuck just grinned and nodded, happy to see her enthusiasm.
The inside was even more impressive than the outside. While the main floor featured a living room on the left and the dining room on the right of the main entrance, the back of the floor was an open plan, family room on the left and a huge kitchen area with a breakfast bar on the right.
Walking around the kitchen, it was Chuck's turn to gush a little. "I really, really like the size of this kitchen."
"I figured you did, sweetie," Sarah grinned. "This could be a great place for you to work your culinary magic."
"Magic?" Ms. Salstein asked.
"Mr. Science over here went to culinary school last year during his free time," Sarah joked.
"You're kidding." Lydia said, sounding dubious.
"Nope," Sarah chirped. Chuck grinned crookedly and looked away, embarrassed at her praise.
"Do tell," the realtor shook her head. Yes, Chuck Bartowski was full of even more surprises than she'd thought last week.
Lydia led them out into the backyard. There were two patios with enough room for some nice seating, one off of the living room and the other just outside the family room. The backyard, itself, was small and had been turned into a practice putting green, complete with a number of different holes and the little metal practice pins, by the current owner. Chuck and Sarah shared a look. The backyard would be talked about. The entire yard was enclosed by a high privacy fence since, like a lot of places in California, the house took up most of the lot leaving just enough room for a modest yard and people were right on top of their neighbors. What outdoor space there was on the lot was liberally planted in trees, shrubs, and flowerbeds. There was even a vine-covered trellis that extended from the edge of the back patio along most of the back fence.
"It's so peaceful and serene back here," Sarah smiled. "If you couldn't see the second floors of the neighbors' houses, you'd almost think you were out in the country."
"Exactly," Lydia smiled.
"And it seems like it gets some good light, too, Chuck. I might be able to lay out here and work on my tan. It'll be nice not to always have to travel over to your sister's place, won't it?"
Hearing Sarah mention tanning at Ellie's, Chuck immediately froze. After a moment, he shook himself and visibly swallowed. When he looked at his girlfriend, she was grinning. He looked away to hide his blushing grin, she knew exactly what she was doing.
You may be taking small steps, Chuck Bartowski, but each of those steps is one step closer to me, Sarah thought to herself.
After walking around the outside a little longer, the trio went back inside and up to the next floor where three bedrooms and bathrooms were located. The master bedroom was spacious and had what Sarah thought was a huge walk-in closet. Even though Chuck hadn't said anything, she couldn't help but picture how many clothes and shoes would fit in the available space. Then she saw the master bathroom and couldn't hold in her gasp.
"I know, right?" Lydia grinned. Sarah just nodded, looking around the room with wide-eyed wonder. Chuck had been silent for a while, content to follow the two women and watch his girlfriend's reactions.
Dual sinks and a modern version of a clawfoot tub were perpendicular to each other. Between them was the door to a large shower. Big enough for two, she thought, biting her lips to keep from smiling. The real estate agent noticed anyway and winked. Sarah shrugged and suppressed the giggle that was threatening to bubble up. This house was looking better and better to her the longer the tour went on. When they left the master suite to check out the other rooms, Sarah pointed at the stairs going up.
"What's up there? The attic?"
"Yes and no," Lydia answered cryptically. "Let's go up there next." Chuck and Sarah followed her up the stairs to find a finished room and another full bathroom.
"Good grief!" Sarah exclaimed. "Another bedroom and bathroom? What would you use this space for, Chuck?"
"I was thinking I'd use it for my office. Maybe I could bring in a contractor and they could throw a wall up to create a smaller bedroom or office next to the bathroom and the rest of this space could be something else like a hobby room or something. Not sure really."
"Don't you think you'll need someplace to store stuff? You know, like a normal attic?" Sarah asked.
"Sure, but there's a basement here, too."
"A basement, too? You've got to be kidding me!" Sarah was grinning. Chuck didn't mess around when he looked for a house.
"Come on," the realtor smiled. "I'll show you." They went down to the lower floor to finish with the other bedrooms before returning to the ground floor. Lydia led them out to the two-car garage from the kitchen and down to the basement. The furnace and water tank were down there, but Chuck was right. There was enough space for him to store stuff, too.
"I could get someone to build some shelves. Maybe put in an additional freezer. Not sure. Just some ideas," he shrugged. He turned to Ms. Salstein. "This room is just under 16 feet by 13 feet, isn't it?" Chuck knew it was, but he was trying to keep the agent involved.
"Let me check," she said, flipping through the papers in her folder. Finding what she was looking for, she nodded. "Yeah, just under 16 by 13."
"Great, thanks," Chuck smiled. "Let's go back up." Once they were back in the kitchen, Lydia spoke up.
"Well, what do you think? Do you have any questions for me? Or do you want to revisit any of the rooms?"
"I'd like to talk with Sarah for just a bit, like we've been doing," Chuck requested.
"Sure, do you want to wander around here while you do that or go outside?"
"Do you want to see anything again, Sarah? Or are you ready to talk?" he asked.
"Let's go outside and talk, OK?" Sarah asked.
"Sure thing," Chuck nodded. He turned to the realtor. "We'll be back in a little bit." Lydia smiled when she saw them clasp hands as they walked out the front door.
"Well, what do you think, Sarah?" Chuck asked, giving her an expectant look. They'd walked out to the little seating area and turned their backs to the house.
"What you think is more important, but, since you asked, I think it's beautiful. I also think it's a lot of house," Sarah admitted. "Do you really think you need that much space?"
He shrugged. "Just for me? Honestly, no. But Mom and Dad could stay in one of the guest rooms when they come up here instead of in a hotel. If they wanted, that is. Other people, as well. During football season, those rooms might see a lot of use. Baseball season, too, maybe. I don't really know. I do like the location. Not too far from campus. It's on the same side of campus that you are, so driving back and forth wouldn't be too bad for us. And that kitchen … My goodness!" He laughed.
"There's something else you're not telling me, isn't there?" Sarah asked, sure he was holding something back. He rubbed his neck and frowned a little.
"Can't keep anything from you, can I?" he pouted before smiling crookedly.
"Nope," she grinned.
Suddenly serious, he looked at her. "It's a place of my own, Sarah. A home. A home of my own. I haven't really had a home like that since I went away to Boston." He shook his head. "Don't get me wrong. Mom and Dad are great. Our house in Burbank is wonderful, but it hasn't felt like my home since I left that first time. I've been living away from it in other places for a while." Reaching out, he took her hand. "But here. In Palo Alto. At Stanford. With you. I feel more at home than I have for a long time. And I just want a place here that's mine. Not a dorm room or student apartment that someone else controls. My own place. A place where we can just be together without all of the rest of it. Can you understand that? Is it OK that I feel that way?"
He'd done it again. Spoke from his heart. "Oh, Chuck! I understand completely. I want to be able to be alone with you, too!" She threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly to emphasize her point. Pulling back, she tilted her head at him. "You gave me some looks while we were in there. What's on your mind, sailor?" He giggled.
"I like the house a lot, but there are some things that I want to change. Like putting some shelves in the basement for better storage."
"What else?"
"The kitchen," Chuck began. "I don't like the dark wood. At all."
"Yeah, that doesn't thrill me too much, either. So, whatcha thinking about doing, Mr. Science?"
"I'm thinking about having it redone. Make the hanging cabinets white. Light marble countertops with honey oak cabinets and drawers below. Same for the breakfast bar and the family room space, so it all blends. Put in a big stove. Like six burners where I can really go to town." She grinned at the excitement she heard in his voice. "Add a butcher block island in the middle. You always need more space than you think you do. A professional grade refrigerator, too. Really trick it out. Nice big dual sink. Separate sink around near that space under the stairs. And that space can be an additional pantry until we're over twenty-one. Maybe then we can turn it into a wine closet or liquor cabinet or something. Possibly set up a wine cellar in part of the basement, too. You'd like that wouldn't you?"
Sarah beamed. She really liked it when he talked about the two of them being in the house together. "Sure, but we might have to put guards around the house once the CATS find out about it." They both giggled. Then Chuck sobered and looked at her.
"I'm not asking you to move in, Sarah. I know that isn't fair to you, Carina, and Zondra. You can't leave your friends like that. And I don't want to put any pressure on you. I love you too much to do that to you," he apologized with a shrug. "Besides, I've got some stuff to figure out before all of that anyway." Now he blushed.
She leaned in and kissed him again. "I know that, sweetie. And you're right. Carina and Zondra are depending on me to pay my part of the rent. But I do intend to spend a great amount of time with you and you can't talk your way out of that, buster. No matter what you say." She grinned and gave him a peck on the lips.
"Far from trying to get away from you, sweetie, I want to spend as much time with you as I can. No dorm stuff or roommates looking over our shoulders. Just you and me."
"I like the way you think, Bartowski." Sarah smirked until he kissed it off of her face. We both know it's only a matter of time, baby, before we're sharing a house together. Once they finished their kiss, they walked back inside.
"I'd like to get a contract on this house, Lydia," Chuck told the agent. "How soon can you draw up the necessary papers since I plan on buying it outright?"
"I can have them ready before close of business today, if that's OK?" The realtor smiled.
"Great! Give me a call when they're ready. Once the papers are signed and you have a down payment, I want to have an engineer give it a good going over. Then we can get the other stuff underway like the title search and the title insurance."
"Of course," Lydia nodded.
"Sarah and I discussed some changes we'd like to make once the sale is finalized. I've got some contacts in the contracting world, but if you know of anyone with a top reputation for both quality and speed, I'd love to hear about them," Chuck said.
Sarah was surprised at how quickly and confidently her boyfriend was discussing the particulars of the purchase. Being all business-like and legal. She flashed on him dressed in that suit of his, standing in front of a courtroom. No, No, NO! Do NOT think about that! She admonished herself. Not now!
Noticing the look on her face, but not its cause, he smiled. "I've had to do real estate deals before, Sarah. And have remodeling work done, too. For my business. House stuff is new to me, though." She nodded.
"Why am I not surprised?" She snorted, causing all of them to laugh.
"I definitely have information about some wonderful local contractors who should fit your requirements, Chuck. I'll have all of that ready along with the paperwork later today," the agent smiled.
"Wonderful!"
"The only thing I still need to know is what are you planning to offer for the property?" Lydia asked. She had hopes and didn't want to get ahead of herself.
"Oh, that. I'll pay what they're asking," he shrugged.
"Really? No negotiating?" The realtor was incredulous.
"Nope," Chuck shook his head. "I'm content with that price."
"OK," Lydia said, trying her best to contain her excitement. "I better get going on this paperwork." She gathered her belongings from the kitchen counter and they all walked out together. After she relocked the house and replaced the key in the lockbox, she turned to the couple. "I'll give you a call, Chuck, as soon as everything is ready."
"Could you please email a copy to my lawyer?" he asked, giving her the necessary address.
"I'll be glad to," Lydia said enthusiastically.
Chuck and Sarah, both, thanked her and shook hands. Sarah waited until they were a couple of streets away before giving voice to the question she was dying to ask.
"How much?" She wanted to know, not sure if he would tell her. He did tell her and she couldn't believe what he had just agreed to pay. The fact that her boyfriend didn't seem fazed at all was maybe the most surprising thing of all.
Chuck and Sarah made it back to campus in time for Chuck's session with Dr. Dreyfus. Following that, they had lunch with the CATS. The couple shared a quick kiss before Chuck decamped to his lab to push ahead with the cleanup. The real estate agent called him just before 5pm. He texted his banker and his lawyer to standby before racing back to the dorm to grab his car and drive to the realty office downtown. Once there, he was quickly ushered into a conference room. Lydia was waiting on him.
"Hi, Chuck," she greeted him. "Ready to make a deal?"
Chuck grinned, recognizing the reference. "I sure am!" They shook hands. "I've already notified my banker and my personal attorney, so they're standing by."
"Great!" Lydia smiled. "Get them on the phone and let's do this." Chuck nodded and proceeded to make the necessary phone calls. With the two men on a joint call, they discussed the particulars of the deal. He read through the entire contract at his usual speed and verified that his attorney had as well. Knowing that he was always meticulous in his business dealings, neither man offered any objections. Satisfied, Chuck signed the necessary papers. Mr. Malloy got the bank account information from Ms. Salstein that he would need to wire the down payment. He would take care of it first thing in the morning when the two banks' wire transfer departments reopened. Mike O'Donnell, Chuck's attorney, took charge of organizing the title search and title insurance. The lawyer also promised to get in touch with an engineer who would give the house a detailed inspection as soon as wire transfer was complete and the deal was binding.
"You're probably going to be the guy doing the closing, Mr. O'Donnell, since I'm going to be busy on Cape Cod for the next few months," Chuck told the lawyer.
"I heard about that, Chuck," Mike said. "Congratulations, on recovering enough for you to go after all. That'll be a lot of fun."
"Thanks, it will be," Chuck replied. "I'd also like to move this deal along as quickly as we can. I've got some changes I want to make and they'll need to be done by the time I get back from Massachusetts. Before then actually, because I will need to furnish the place, too. I don't fancy sleeping on the floor," he chuckled. "OK?"
"Works for me," Lydia smiled.
"I'll make it happen, Chuck," Mr. O'Donnell agreed.
"Have you picked out a contractor yet?" Gary Malloy asked.
"Not yet, but Ms. Salstein told me she has the names of some suitable people in the area that she can give me."
"Sounds good," the banker responded. "Just let me and Mike know who you decide on and we'll get the ball rolling with them. But don't make any calls before I'm able to complete the wire transfer in the morning."
"That'll work. The next few days are going to be pretty busy for me anyway," Chuck agreed. "I'll wait to talk to the contractors until after lunch. We can set up a video conference as soon as everyone's on board and we have the engineer's report. Bring a big crew in and let them go all This Old House on things."
"Are you planning on making that many changes?" Mike asked.
"I don't think I want that many changes, but house remodel contracting details are one thing I haven't spent a lot of time studying. Sorry," the young man grinned. His comment drew chuckles from the others.
"No worries, we'll make it happen," the lawyer said. "Have we ever let you down?"
"Nope," Chuck admitted. "I'll leave it in both of your capable hands." They ended the call and he turned to the realtor. "So, tell me about these local contractors you know." She grinned.
Friday June 14
Chuck had gotten the call that he'd been anticipating when he'd been headed back to have lunch with Sarah after his last in-person session with Dr. Dreyfus until he got back from the Cape. Mr. Krass said the piece he'd requested was ready. Chuck promised to come and get it right after his meal with his girlfriend, sneaking off to drive downtown when she thought he was going straight back to the lab. Sarah and the CATS were busy preparing for their families to arrive that evening for the weekend's graduation festivities.
"It's beautiful, Saul. Just perfect. Thank you so much. I hope Sarah likes it," he gushed when the jeweler showed him the piece.
"It's something you're giving to her from your heart, Chuck. She'll love it. I promise you that," Mr. Krass grinned.
"I hope you're right," Chuck said absently, holding his purchase up so he could examine it better. "It really is wonderful work. Even the box is beautiful. Thanks."
"You're welcome. I'm glad you think so," the older man beamed at the praise. "You set us a challenge to get it done in time, but we did it."
"You certainly did," Chuck agreed.
As soon as they'd concluded their business and Chuck was back in his car, he sent a text. The response he got made him smile. He had all the pieces in place, except for Sarah.
After dinner, he got his chance.
They were walking out of the dining hall, preparing for their nightly ritual of sharing some kisses before he raced back to his lab dismantling.
"Has your family gotten here yet?" he asked.
"Not yet," she answered. "Their flight wasn't due to even take off until almost 8pm, so it'll be a while yet."
"Carina's mom, too?"
"Yeah, she's on the same flight. They're going to share a car to save a little money. Zondra's parents are coming in on a different flight since they're flying out of Los Angeles. They'll arrive a little bit later. At least everyone is staying in the same hotel. Mom got reservations for all four families at the Sheraton next to campus. Don't forget about Amy's mom and dad. She did that months ago. Other places were way too expensive for her tastes."
"Well, the main thing is they'll be here for the graduation events in plenty of time."
"Yeah, that's true," she agreed, then frowned. "The senior dinner tomorrow night is restricted to the undergrads who are actually graduating, but after four years, our parents all know each other, so they're planning on a group dinner somewhere. Mom didn't tell me. The stuff over the weekend is much more important and scheduled pretty closely together. I just wish you weren't still fighting with getting your lab packed up so you could spend time with everyone tomorrow and not just on Sunday."
"Me too, but it can't be helped. If I had more time, I could work around graduation and meeting your family," he admitted. "But with me flying out on Tuesday, I'm really under the gun. I'll be doing well to have it all done in time."
"You'll get it done," Sarah smiled, giving him a quick kiss. "I have faith in you." He smiled.
"That reminds me of something I wanted to ask you." Sarah's eyes widened with interest. "What are your plans for the drive back to Coronado on Monday? I mean, I know we're all caravanning back south, but is there any chance that you could make a detour and follow me to my house, so I could show you around la casa de Bartowski? Maybe eat dinner with Mom and Dad?" Chuck wondered, trying to not sound anxious.
"I'd love that!" she exclaimed. "How could I pass up a chance to visit Chuck Bartowski's mysterious lair. His Spider-Cave." He could hear the tease in her voice.
"It's Bat-Cave, Miss Smarty-pants, but we're not going there. Sorry," he said, sticking his tongue out at her causing her to giggle. "Is that a 'yes'? You won't be leaving Carina and Zondra in the lurch?"
"That's a 'yes', sweetie. And no, leaving Carina and Zondra won't cause any problems. They'll be busting their butts trying to get home as soon as they can, so they can have as much vacation as possible before trekking back up here."
"Fantastic! It's a date," Chuck grinned, leaning in to kiss her. "Now, I better get a move on or I'll be working in that lab until Christmas." After some more kisses, Sarah shooed him on his way.
He waited until he was alone in his lab to pump his fist and dance around. Now all of the pieces were in place. The only problem he faced was hiding his anticipation from his girlfriend until Monday.
A/N2: Chapter title comes from the song by Carly Simon. There are all kinds of anticipation in this chapter. Graduation and then graduate school for the CATS. Summer baseball. And something Chuck has up his sleeve. Hmmm?
A/N3: Stanford TMI – Commencement is a celebratory event where graduates are recognized en masse. The actual diplomas and other honors are conferred during individual department celebrations held at various times over the course of commencement weekend.
A/N4: Yes, the house in this chapter really exists right down to the practice putting green in the backyard. I won't say where the house is, but it is impressive.
A/N5: When WillieGarvin beta-reads one of my chapters, I'm always full of anticipation because his wise advice never fails to make that chapter better. Thank you, my friend, for over two years (and counting) of your friendship and stellar guidance.
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. Thank you to everyone who's followed or favorited this story, too. Your support means a lot to me.
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.