Don't own Chuck

The sun was out now and the rains had cleared as Agnes Greene slept soundly in her warm comfortable bed. However, her peaceful slumber was broken when she received a phone call. She jumped out of bed thinking that it was her missing secretary. Getting up rapidly her head began to spin and her mouth tasted like cotton but she didn't think anything about it she only had to get to the phone. Reaching the belligerent device she answered it only to find it was her Chief of Staff.

"Oh it's you Eddie," she said half asleep the sunlight streaming through her window told her she'd slept through her alarm. "Gez what time is it?"

"Time for me to call to see where you're at, your driver called me when you weren't out front. I'll tell him to go get a cup of coffee and come back."

"That's a good idea and have him bring one too. Let me changed and I'll be right down. Has Ms. Bloom showed up yet?"

"No she's officially AWOL…" The Admiral cut him off.

"We say UA. She's UA, 'unauthorized absence' not AWOL. The Army uses AWOL, 'absent without leave' article 86 of the UCMJ.

"Whatever if she's gone another day after twenty-four hours we can call the police. I don't suppose you went over to her place last night."

"Eddie, truthfully that's none of your business remember who's the boss here. You work for me not the other way around."

"Yes Ma'am, well I also called to tell you Senator Daniels dropped by for you in person. He was not happy that you weren't here but I told him you were called out of the office. He said he was looking for your bullets for today's sub-committee meeting…"

"Oh Crap those are on Bloom's computer. I've got a copy here. Just tell him I'll bring them to him when we meet to start the hearings. If he asks where I'm tell him I'm meeting with a major contributor who wants to donate to the party."

"I think I can spin that but it would be even better if it was true and we could swing some of the campaign funding his way."

"Who says this is BS? Tell him and we'll see what we can work out. I've got to run I'll go straight to the hearings. You can meet me when we break for lunch and you can brief me then. Oh bring me a Subway, six inch hearty Italian with black forest ham, Swiss cheese and the works with extra jalapeno."

"Got that though might I suggest for everyone else on the panel you forgo onions today," said Eddie as he took notes.

"Yeah you're probably right and have them use light mayo I have to watch my weight. I have an image to up hold. Bye, I've got to run and get ready." She hung up then quickly dialed Bloom's number and like the calls before it went straight to voice mail.

"Crap where are you?" she said as she hung up. "Who can I call? No one," she answered herself. Bloom had been her handler and she had introduced her to Izad and Vyacheslav but that was it for people she actually knew in the Hydra food chain. She ran the team in Pasadena but even there Hydra put in Martha as the Managing Director's secretary and her onsite trouble shooter. However, Martha seemed to drop off the map after her cover was blown. As Agnes finished getting ready she realized everyone was gone and now she was alone, alone for now until Hydra found a way to contact her which she was sure they would.

She was headed out when she found the floor humid by the door. That was odd because she had made it home before it started raining. Then she saw it, a manila envelope, sticking out of her bag. Opening it she found a Sat phone with a note, 'keep this with you at all times I'll be in touch'. Instead of a signature there was something like a doodle that looked like a curly line that became three upright lines obviously a Hydra symbol.

"Crap, they'd been here," she thought to herself as she looked around the living room but her alarm hadn't gone off which meant they were in and out without her knowing. This was unsettling but they left the phone which meant she was still in play. This also meant she still had purpose and power but it was also a message to her that they could get to her whenever they wanted. She jumped when her doorbell rang then opening the door she found her driver standing there with coffee in hand for her.

"Ma'am I'm sorry but we need to run if you're going to make the Capitol by noon. The traffic is always a bear around there."

"Then let's go," she said as she slipped the phone in her bag then took the coffee. She took a sip hoping it would help her wake up. As she got into her limo she couldn't help wonder when Hydra would contact her. Her first request would be to do something about Daniels. He was old enough and with all his stress he was a good candidate for an early heart attack. Greene left home oblivious to the events that had happened during the night.

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The night before Chuck spotted a van with about four Hydra agents waiting down the street from Greene's house. It couldn't be an accident that they both were there waiting for Ms. Bloom to appear. Bloom had become a loose end that needed to be tied up and the Potomac was deep in parts.

"Sarah, we've got a problem," he radioed but got nothing. "Casey, can you hear me? Someone answer?" He looked back at their car and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Probably just the rain he thought. He could've and probably should've gone back to get Sarah but he didn't. Instead he fished out of the trash a dry pizza box then pulled his hat down over his face.

"Hey what does this guy want," asked the driver looking at Chuck approaching with a pizza box in hand. "Did one of you jerks order a pizza on a stake out?" But before they could answer there was a knock on the van door.

"Sorry buddy…" one of them started to say as Chuck tossed the box in and darted the two in the back. The driver tried to draw his gun but Chuck was able to get him first. However, that gave the passenger time to get out and jump on him knocking his dart gun out his hand as they both went rolling on the wet ground. They both got up at the same time the man went for his piece but Chuck was able to kick it out of his hand but in doing so he exposed his back. The man delivered two quick jabs to Chuck's kidneys. He fought off the pain and deliver a left spinning back fist followed up with a right hook both landed knocking the man off his feet.

"You're pretty good," said the man as he spit blood and teeth, "but not that good." He pulled a boot knife and charged stabbing and slashing. Chuck jumped back out of reach then stepped inside blocking the arm landing an elbow into the sternum and hammer fist to the groin. As the man went down the twisted the arm dislodging the knife then delivered a strike to the man's arm. The elbow made a loud crack as the man screamed in pain. Then Chuck kicked him in the face to finish him off.

"I'd say good enough," said Chuck as he dragged the man back to the van then secured everyone. Grabbed one of their radios then headed back to the car. He tried another radio check but again nothing out of either.

"Is something wrong with your radios?" said Chuck as he got into the car. 'I've been trying to raise both of you. We've got a problem there's a van of Hydra agents parked at the end of the street. It looks like they're waiting too."

"You're soaking wet. It's not raining that hard. Oh Chuck, you took care of them by yourself, didn't you?"

"I tried to call you two for backup but got nothing. What was I supposed to do let them get away or in this case let them take our target? Casey you can call in afterwards and have them picked up. One guy might need his arm set he got a little dinged up."

"Roger that," said Casey. "Why do you think they were here? Do you think they were here for the Admiral or waiting for Bloom like us?"

"Could be both," said Chuck as he sneezed. "Stuck in the mountains in freezing cold and where do I catch a cold."

"Here wrap this around you," said Sarah as she pulled a blanket from the back seat. "We can't run the engine or…"

"I know someone could spot us. I'm sorry if I caused you to worry. I never wanted to hurt you that you have to know."

"I know Chuck but… well you did. I love you that will never change but…" Sarah started to say when Casey radioed in.

"Look alive in there. We've got movement in the alley. I think it's our perp you should have a visual as she comes out." Suddenly the radio Chuck took off the Hydra agents squawked then they heard a voice.

"Team leader target acquired lining up to take the shot." Chuck looked over at Sarah then they both broke from the car running towards Bloom. Sarah drew her Smith and Wesson looking at the buildings across the street for their shooter but she didn't see anything.

"Back in the alley," yelled Chuck waving at the woman but with the thunder and rain she couldn't hear anything. Then finally when she did it was too late. There was a flash of light from inside a darkened apartment and Ms Bloom went down on the pavement.

"Target down team leader eagle returning to the nest," Chuck heard over the radio. They couldn't leave her in the middle of the street so Chuck grabbed the body while Sarah got her bag then they went to the Hydra van. They laid her out in the back.

"I forgot something in the car. You can examine her I'll be right back," said Chuck then he took off before she could ask him any questions like what was it he forgot. Sarah could tell he was up to something but didn't know what.

"Chuck, where are you going? What did you leave in the car?" radioed Sarah but it was his turn to be unreachable. "Casey, can you hear me? Keep an eye out there's another shooter round here somewhere."

"Roger that, I'm moving to get into a better position, right now you're out of my visual. I assume our target is down."

"Hard, I'm looking her over right now. Get a cleanup crew in here right away we'll want all this gone by morning. You don't happen to have eyes on Chuck, do you?"

"No I thought he was with you," radioed Casey as he climbed down a fire escape then jumped over on top of an adjacent building. His body let him know he wasn't getting any younger.

"That's a negative, he said he left something in the car and hasn't come back yet. I'm done with the body fifty caliber through and through to the upper chest area. I've got her personals."

"Chuck probably didn't want to see any more gore and I can't say as I blame him. The massacre in the gorge was pretty brutal."

Sarah was talking with John on the radio and looking through Ms Bloom's personal belongings when the van door opened up. She expected to see Chuck but when she looked up there was a man standing there with a fifty caliber slung across his shoulder. Sarah went for her gun but the man swung the rifle around to shoot from the hip. Sarah was fast but he was faster but as he was about to pull the trigger Chuck appeared from nowhere. He grabbed the barrel raising it so it discharged through the roof of the van. The noise seemed to ring forever inside the van stunning Sarah for a moment.

"What the crap just happened," screamed Casey as he pulled up his Barret to look through the scope.

Chuck grabbed the rifle and threw the sniper over his shoulder breaking his grip on the gun. The man landed on his feet but was dazed the belt still around his head. Chuck held onto the weapon with both hands then smacked him in the face twice quickly stunning him even more. Then he side stepped him so their backs were to each other. Chuck dropped to one knee pulling the man off the ground stretching him across his back with the sling wrapped around his neck. There was a loud pop as the man's neck broke.

Chuck looked up through the pouring rain and saw Sarah standing there looking at him with her pistol in her hand. He released the rifle and the man slid off his back making a loud splash in the standing water. They both just stood there in the down pour looking at each other as the rain ran off them.

"Who are you?"

"The man who loves you."

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After the mission Casey drove the van to a black site where he could turn everything over to a team that was standing by. Neither General was happy about the outcome they had hoped to take Bloom alive but that wasn't what happened. They both waited at the black site for a full briefing from the Colonel. They all went to the morgue talking as they stood over a body bag.

"My God man, I thought this was supposed to be an easy snatch and grab. You people told me this would be a piece of cake so I didn't put anyone else on it. Now we've got handed this? What went wrong?"

"Chuck spotted this van of Hydra agents and neutralized them then when he came back to us Ms. Bloom came walking out of nowhere. Before we could get to her a sniper took her out."

"Why did Chuck have to come and find you two? You should have been covering him and Sarah should've been with him if not monitoring him too."

"There was a momentary break in our communications equipment but it wouldn't have made any difference."

"That explains Bloom and the other agents but what happened to the sniper? You said you didn't see him before he took out her," said the General pointing at the body. "How did he end up with a broken neck? Was that another momentary break in your communications equipment?

"He tried to shoot Agent Carmichael, I mean Sarah. Chuck took him out. If you know Chuck that's something you don't want to do if you don't want to take a dirt nap like what happened to our friend here," said Casey as he looked over at the other body bag.

"Colonel, we needed Bloom, I needed her for intel. Now I've got to go to the Senate hearing tomorrow and the only thing I've got for defense is Agent Carmichael coming through with what a magic act?"

"Tank, Chuck has never let me down and there's no reason to think he won't this time. You need to have faith and go get some rest before we have to report to Capitol Hill."

"I suppose you're right there's nothing I can do here. Colonel go home and get changed you'll catch pneumonia running around in those wet clothes. I'll see you all tomorrow at high noon on Capitol Hill. You know what Agnes did? She had her office call mine at four right before closing to tell me the hearing had been moved up. They were apologetic for the oversight, every one of them is a SOB in my book. She had them do it on purpose so I wouldn't be ready. Looks like they got their wish… Well like I said I'll see you on Capitol Hill if I don't cut my throat shaving."

"Yes Sir… I mean no Sir… I mean I don't know what I mean."

"Colonel, that's exactly how I feel," said General Thomas as he turned to leave. Diane walked with him to the door then opened it for him. She waited until she was sure he was gone then turned back to Casey.

"Tell me about Chuck. Is he fit for duty? Roan told me he's having difficulty sleeping and is having nightmares."

"I think he might be suffering from a mild case of PTSD but I'm not a Doctor. I'll tell you what I know," said Casey as he told her about what Chuck did to Morgan and what he overheard in the car.

"Do you think he can hold it together at noon? Those people on the sub-committee and especially Agnes will be able to spot a wounded gazelle and if they smell blood they'll pounce then go for the throat."

"Don't worry, Chuck knows what's at stake here. He knows what he has to do to hold it together and he will. You just have to have faith."

"I do, but I'm not the one in charge anymore."

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Sarah and Chuck drove in silence back to the townhouse. The drive was relatively short even because at that time of the morning there was no one else out. The bad weather that had soaked them to the bones was beginning to let up but in its wake fog was starting to roll in. Pulling up the garage door opened up and they drove in.

"There's a shower in the bathroom off the living room we can take turns," said Chuck. "If you use the ones upstairs you might wake Sam up and Morgan's asleep in the guest bedroom. I can wait until you're done."

"Where are the towels?" asked Sarah as she went straight in leaving the door open and started running the water.

"I'll get them you can got ahead and get in," he said as he quietly went up above and took out towels and bath robes.

"Here you go. I'll leave them here in the sink. I'll wait outside just leave me a little hot water," said Chuck as he turned to walk out.

"No don't go. Close the door you'll keep the heat in and you can warm up. Chuck, when did you get this place anyway? We never talked about buying anything here…"

"I know I haven't been very good about keeping our pact. This happened by accident. Hannah recommended that we buy something in the DC area for visiting VIPs. She had a friend trying to unload this and the price was good. My intention was to surprise you with this on Sam's birthday and take everyone to the National Zoo but I guess I blew all that."

"Chuck, we're two in this marriage and you need to include me in the decision making. It's like you make the decisions and I've got to live with them. Remember we're partners, which means I get a say."

"I hear you and you're right. I'm sorry…"

"Chuck, I don't want you to be sorry I want you to let me in. What's going on with you? First you attack Morgan, then you take on a van full of thugs…"

"I wouldn't have had to take them on if you and Casey weren't talking about me behind my back. Now it's my turn to remind you about our pact before you deny it."

"I wasn't going to deny it. We're concerned about you is all. Chuck, I don't know how to tell you this but you've been acting… well odd since you've come back."

"How would you know you weren't even there when I arrived," said Chuck lashing out. "I'm sorry that came out all wrong. I don't want to argue, not like this. I'll just go upstairs and wake Morgan, Casey's going to be home soon and he will anyway."

"Chuck, don't go. Chuck, how do you explain what you did to that sniper? The Chuck I knew who worked in the Buy More would've never done anything like that."

"I don't know he might've if he saw a man pointing a gun at his wife. Casey was supposed to be covering you where was he?"

"Chuck, my partner was supposed to be with me to cover my back. If you hadn't left maybe things would've gone down differently."

"I really don't want to argue."

"Chuck, what was it that you forgot in the car? What was so urgent you had to leave your partner alone and almost got me shot?"

"I can't tell you right now. I'm sorry but I can't tell you and please don't insist because I won't tell you pact or not. You'll find out in a few hours if everything goes as planned."

"Chuck, you're locking me out again. Please let me in or I swear I'll take Sam and go back to California. Maybe it was a mistake to come here until your op was completed. Evidently, we're just in the way."

"No, no, you're not please don't go. I've got a lot of balls I'm juggling right now and if any of them fall I'm screwed in more ways than you can imagine. Some of what I'm doing… well isn't exactly legal and if it blows up in my face… There will be consequences and if I tell you then if you're asked you'll have to lie under oath."

"So I'd do that and more for you or don't you trust me."

"Of course I trust you. I love you and because I love you I will always choose you. I promise I'll tell you everything this evening if everything goes as I planned."

"And if it doesn't?"

"You'll be visiting me at Supermax."