CHUCK VS. THE JILL RIDE
SUMMARY: Sarah and Jill must team up and work together in order to save and protect Chuck – which leads to some interesting conversations and confrontations. This story takes place some time in the second half of season two of "Chuck."
DISCLAIMER: I don't own "Chuck."
CHAPTER 8 – Burgers with Pickles – Especially Pickles
They checked out of the motel and got on the road about an hour later. Sarah said she didn't feel like driving and asked someone else to take the wheel. Chuck volunteered and took the keys. Jill dashed to the other side of the car and quickly got into the front passenger seat to sit by Chuck. Sarah didn't even try to beat the brunette to that spot. Wordlessly and without a glance at the pair, she got into the back seat.
And as Chuck drove the whole morning, she kept silent. Jill, however, felt like talking. Talking a lot. Which meant talking a lot with Chuck. Sarah looked at how animated and upbeat Jill was. Evidently, she can tell that something is wrong between me and Chuck, Sarah lamented. That and how the morning had gone weighed down on her as she stretched out and lay down in the back seat.
She wished for sleep. But it never came. She kept thinking about everything Chuck had said. How he started talking with Jill, how he didn't feel that he could talk to her, and everything else just kept replaying in her mind over and over again.
The rational, logical side of her understood why Chuck did what he did. As angry and as hurt as she was, she did understand. He wanted someone to talk to, he needed someone to talk to.
She understood, at least she kept telling herself that she did. But dammit, why didn't he say something to me? Why didn't he tell me what he was going through? Why did he have to go to Jill?
And were you there for him so that he could say something to you or did you not have any files for him to look at and see if he flashed? Maybe it was because you so coldly and cruelly shot down his invitation to spend some time together at the suburbs house. Or maybe because he saw you kissing Cole Barker, a voice inside her head chastised.
But why did he have to go to Jill? WHY JILL? Was part of the reason as some sort of way to get back at her for the way she had treated and acted toward him those times, knowing how she hated and despised Jill, Sarah wondered. No, it couldn't be that. Chuck wasn't like that. He just needed someone to talk to and who else knew about his spy life. He was right. There was no one else.
Way to go CIA, Sarah berated herself, you just had to be professional, didn't you? You just had to hide your feelings behind that professionalism and in so doing drive Chuck right straight to Jill. Would it have been so unprofessional to really listen to what Chuck was saying about the situation with Morgan that time and to express some sympathy and to talk to him? Would it have been so unprofessional to say that you were sorry and try to comfort him? Couldn't you have set aside that professionalism for 30 seconds of your life to do that? Would that have been so hard to do?
But she had later apologized about that whole thing. She had explained to him that she didn't understand because she had never had a friend like that. She had apologized and he understood. He had told her that yes she did have a friend like that and gave her a loving look that made her heart race. He had understood.
Oh yes, he understood, the voice went at her again, he understood he needed to find someone else to talk with about personal matters and feelings, someone not so callus and robotic.
AARRRGGGGHHHHH! She wanted to scream in rage. She wanted so badly to punch or kick something. NO! She wanted so badly to punch or kick Jill! Why did that brunette bitch always have to sneak into Chuck's life when she and Chuck were going through a rough patch or when something happened to cause them problems? Why did things always happen which enabled Jill to gain the upper hand with Chuck? Sarah almost hit the car seat in fury but managed to stop herself.
She had to fix this. She was determined to fix this because Jill was not going to get Chuck. No way was she going to get Chuck! No way in hell! Damn brunette! she thought, along with other colorful metaphors to describe Jill. She tried to calm down and think. Think about what she could do. And that led her thoughts back to Jill.
In spite of how she much she hated Jill, what she said made sense. She would have to fight and work for Chuck. And in order to do that, she needed to fix this. But how? How could she fix this? She thought back to Chuck saying about how his life in the spy world had never been about what he wanted. So what he does he want? He wants you! And you want him! So put on a bikini and get him! the voice ranted at her. She wondered if that would work. Well, Jill was driven off for a while after I appeared in my undergarments and robe in that hotel room with Chuck, Sarah thought. So it might work.
She peeked open her eyelids while still pretending to be asleep on the back seat. She gazed at Chuck and Jill. They talked so easily and freely right now. They were just like…just like a normal couple, Sarah thought bitterly. And that made her feel all the more miserable.
It's all happening all over again, she lamented. He's going to want normal again and Jill is right there all ready for him. It was still painful to think back to that time, a few months ago, when Chuck broke up with her because he said that she would never be normal. And then Jill came back into his life and he started a new relationship with her. She could easily recall how hurt and upset she constantly felt from watching the two of them together and seeing Chuck so happy with another woman. And seeing him now and knowing that he had been talking to Jill for a while hurt just as much, if not more. Chuck had needed help, had wanted help and had not come to me, she thought bitterly. And whose fault was that? that voice accused, you practically drove him to Jill. And now….
Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized that Chuck had called her name.
"What?" she asked as she opened her eyes and sat up in the seat.
"Are you hungry? We were thinking that it was time that we got something to eat," he said.
"Fine," she replied without enthusiasm.
"We thought that we would get some hamburgers and eat them on the go," he continued.
"Fine."
She could see him looking at her in the rearview mirror. His eyes were filled with concern. For a brief moment that look of concern gave her some hope. But she said nothing, turned away and stared out the window.
About 10 minutes later, they spotted an eatery on the side of the road with a sign of "Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, & Chili." Several cars were parked alongside the place and people were seated at picnic tables situated around the stand and eating. Chuck pulled the car nearby.
"OK," Jill said. "What does everybody want?"
Chuck and Sarah told her what they wanted on their hamburgers and off Jill went. A little while later, she returned carrying a bag and some plastic bottles of water and soda. She got in the front passenger seat and put on her seat belt. Chuck started the car and then drove on.
Jill handed out the drinks and then dug into the bag and pulled out one wrapped bundle. "One cheeseburger," she said as she held it out for Chuck. "Do you want me to drive so that you can eat without interruption or would you like me to feed you?"
"If you'll just unwrap it, I can eat it just fine, thanks," he replied.
"No problem!" Jill said brightly. She removed the wrapping from the burger and then arranged the paper like a plate with the burger in the center. She then leaned over and was about to place it in his lap, but Chuck intervened, held out his hand and took it.
Jill looked a little disappointed but said nothing. She then reached into the bag and pulled out another wrapped hamburger. Sarah leaned forward from the backseat expecting Jill to hand her that bundle. But instead Jill unwrapped that burger and placed it in her lap. She spent a while arranging and rearranging the burger on the paper, taking her time and making no effort to hurry.
Sarah gritted her teeth. The aroma of the hamburgers filled the car and made her stomach rumble with hunger. But she had no intention of letting Jill in on her impatience. And she was most definitely not going to beg for her hamburger.
Finally, Jill got her eating arrangements done and reached into the bag for the third burger. Without a glance backwards, she handed the bundle toward the back seat. Sarah took it quickly, not trusting Jill to try and drop it. She unwrapped the paper and immediately took a bite and chewed. It tasted good but something was missing. It didn't taste just right. She lifted up the top bun. No pickles.
"No pickles!" Sarah said out loud.
"Yes, that's right, no pickles, just like you asked," Jill replied and continued eating.
"I said extra pickles not no pickles," Sarah complained.
"Oh…sorry. I thought you said no pickles. My mistake," Jill said. Then she took a bite of her burger. "Mmmmmmm, these are delicious!" she said as she smiled at Sarah in the rearview mirror.
Sarah started to make an angry retort but stopped. She would not let this woman win. Staring defiantly at Jill's eyes reflected in the mirror, Sarah took a big bite of her burger and chewed. "Yes, they are!" she said as she smacked on her burger loudly.
So intent were the two in their burger standoff that neither had noticed that Chuck had slowed down the car. It was only when he made a U-turn and sped up that they realized that something was up.
"Chuck! What are you doing? Where are you going?" both spurted out.
He didn't reply. He raced the car down the road back to the food stand and pulled alongside it. Without a glance or word to either woman, he got out of the car and ran up to the stand. Jill and Sarah exchanged looks. "What's he doing?" Jill asked.
"I don't know," Sarah replied. She looked back at him, trying to figure out what was going on. A few minutes later, he trotted back toward the car, appearing to have accomplished whatever he had set out to do.
Once he got to the car, he went to the back seat, where Sarah sat, and jerked open the door. Both Sarah and Jill stared at him, puzzled and wondering what was going on.
He said nothing. He simply raised his right hand to Sarah. Both women looked down at that hand.
Pickles.
A little plastic container of pickles. All sliced up and all ready for stacking on a hamburger. On Sarah's hamburger.
Wonderful, green, tasty pickle slices, Sarah thought. The sight caused a big grin to break out on her face. She looked up at Chuck.
"Can't have a burger for my girl without her pickles, now can I?" he said with a smile.
They were just pickle slices. Yet what he had just done made Sarah feel as if he were giving her diamonds. Not to mention his use of the words "my girl" and Jill's angry look that Sarah could see out of the corner of her eye. All of it made her heart and pulse race.
Sarah reached out with her hand and placed it over the container so that the tips of her fingers rested on his hand. She left her hand there and gazed lovingly into his eyes. And for a few seconds, the conversation they had this morning and all of the things that she found out faded away. She felt so touched. My God, the man just gets me some pickles and that makes me quiver all over, she thought. Heat started to rise in her as she wondered for a moment about how she would feel if he did certain other things for her. She took the container from his hand.
"Thank you," she said softly while still staring lovingly into his eyes.
"Any time," he replied with equal love in his eyes.
He hesitantly pulled away, shut her door and returned to the driver's seat. He started the car and then got back on the road. Jill had remained silent through the whole scene and now seemed upset. She had stopped eating her hamburger. Half of it remained, yet, she didn't eat any more and just sat and stared out the window as Chuck drove.
Sarah placed the pickles on her hamburger and then took a bite. She could honestly say that it was the best hamburger she ever had in her life.
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Tired, exhausted and worn out from spending all day driving, the trio checked into a motel late in the evening to rest. They found one that didn't look too run down or decrepit. Each time they had checked into a motel, they made sure to do it differently to avoid patterns. Sometimes one of them or two of them would go and check in. This time Chuck went into the office alone, got a room and then came back and parked the car near the door to the room. He grabbed what they had been calling "the bathroom bag," the snatchel that contained soap, shampoo, hair brushes, toothpaste, tooth brushes, blow dryer and other items for the bathroom. Sarah grabbed a few weapons while Jill carried a bag of clothes. They skipped unpacking anything else, merely wanting to get into the room and crash. They were that tired.
Chuck unlocked the door, reached in and turned on the light and then stepped aside to allow the two women to enter. Sarah went in first and glanced around the room. It was clean with two full size beds, a chair and table, a TV on top of drawers and the bathroom. She immediately went to the bathroom and checked it. It too looked clean and there was a window for an extra exit if needed.
The shower looked inviting. As usual after spending all day in a car, Sarah felt grimy. She glanced back at Chuck and Jill. They too probably felt the same and wanted to bathe.
"Mind if I take the shower first?" Sarah asked as Jill closed, locked the door and put the chain on it and closed the drapes.
Chuck shook his head, said "No, go ahead" and then plopped down in the chair and leaned back and rested his head against the back of the chair. Jill said nothing but shook her head in reply.
Sarah got the bathroom bag and dropped it onto the sink counter and shut the bathroom door.
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About 30 minutes later, Sarah emerged, feeling a lot better with the grime and sweat from the road washed off. Jill immediately jumped up from the bed she was sitting on and went to the bathroom and shut the door.
Sarah glanced at Chuck. He was still sitting in the chair, only now, his eyes were closed. He appeared to be asleep. She walked over to him, sat on the arm of the chair and leaned a little toward him
"You OK?" she asked.
He sighed. "Yeah…just tired." She put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him against her. He wrapped one arm around her and sighed again. She started stroking the back of his head and as he leaned back into that, their eyes met. He smiled at her but then frowned, lowered the arm he had wrapped around her and pulled away from her.
No, no, NO! She was not going to allow anything to ruin this moment, their moment. She gripped the back of his head and turned him back to her.
"Chuck?"
He let out another sigh. "Sarah…I'm…I'm sorry about talking with Jill. I—"
She pressed a finger to his lips and shushed him. "Chuck…later. Not here and not now."
"But I—"
She shushed him again. "Not here and not now," she repeated. She motioned toward the bathroom door. "We will have this talk when we're alone and will not be interrupted. Later, not here and not now, OK?"
He nodded. "OK. It's a date."
"A date?" Sarah asked with a grin and an arch of her eyebrows.
"A date," he repeated.
She pulled on his shoulders so that he was pressed against her side again. It wasn't being in his arms but right now she would take what she could get because she needed to touch him and feel him touch her. So she not only sat down close to him and leaned against him but also put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer again. She wanted and needed this contact after he was so sweet about getting her pickles for her hamburger. She needed to know that he had done that for her. Not because he felt guilty or because he thought he owed her, but for her and just for her. And she needed to know that they were OK and that they would be OK. His arm came around her again and he gently pulled her closer to him and leaned his head against her side. YES! Sarah thought ecstatically. She sat there, enjoying every second of the contact. And all too soon, it ended as they could hear Jill finishing in the bathroom and about to come out.
Jill stepped out about a minute later. "OK, your turn now Chuck," Jill said.
"Thanks," Chuck replied as he walked toward the bathroom.
Sarah eyed him the whole way. Time to work and fight for you. So you're not sleeping on the floor tonight, she vowed silently to herself.
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Chuck emerged from the bathroom feeling cleaner and more refreshed but still tired. All he wanted to do now was sleep. And it seemed that Sarah and Jill felt the same way judging by the lights having already been turned off and both in their respective beds. But then he noticed that while Jill appeared to be sleeping, Sarah was awake and sitting up on the other bed and watching him. She seemed, he thought, to have been waiting for him.
He smiled at her, strolled over to one side of the bed, grabbed one of the pillows in one hand and was reaching to get a blanket to set up his bed on the floor when Sarah gripped his wrist and stopped him. He looked at her, wondering what she was doing.
"You are not sleeping on the floor," she said softly. Her hand still gripped his wrist, not allowing him to move the pillow any further nor allowing him to move away.
"Look, it's OK, I—"
"You are not sleeping on the floor," she repeated. Her voice was still soft, just above a whisper. But it had a commanding tone in it, emphasizing that what she said was not open to refusal or negotiation.
And before he could reply, she grabbed the pillow he held and took it from him and placed it on the bed next to the other pillow. She then pulled the sheets and blankets down. Then she grabbed both of his wrists with her hands and gently pulled him into the bed. She lay him down, then curled herself up against him and reached down to the covers and pulled them over the two of them.
"Can't have my guy sleeping on the floor now, can I?" she said with a smile.
She rested her head on Chuck's chest and fully enjoyed the feel and scent of him. He felt wonderful. He said nothing but wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She almost breathed a sigh of relief at finally – finally – being in his arms. She couldn't believe how much in the past few days that she wanted to be held by him, to feel him and to be close to him.
Leaning against each other on the chair earlier was nice. But this, this – being wrapped up in his arms and lying against him in bed – was heaven. She surprised herself by clutching him tighter and trying to burrow her head further against him.
I needed this. I really, really needed this, she thought.
She was also relieved – so relieved because they were OK. And they were going to be OK. As much as she hated to admit it, Jill was right about fighting and working for a relationship with Chuck. And she had every intention of doing so. Chuck was hers and was going to stay hers.
Sarah stroked his chest. And he stroked her hair. As her hand wandered across the T-shirt that he wore, she wondered what it would be like if the T-shirt wasn't there and she could rub his skin. Her hand strayed further down his chest, to the flap of the shirt. She contemplated sliding her hand under it and onto the bare skin of chest. She wanted to. She had no doubts about that. But should she? She glanced over at the next bed. Jill had her back to them and seemed to be asleep. Why not have a little fun? Sarah pondered. We can't have a lot of fun but we could have a little fun.
But then she moved her hand back up to his chest, away from the shirt flap. No, not now. Definitely not now. Not while she is here, Sarah thought.
She glanced up at Chuck's face. But soon Chuck, soon…very soon, she vowed.
END CHAPTER 8
NOTE: Anybody catch the brief Star Trek reference? Hint: it's from one of the Star Trek movies.