Warning: Some language in this chapter.
Chapter 4 – You're Gonna Go Far, Kid
Cast of Characters
Kirk Acevedo as Agent Peter Leamas
Joshua Alba as Miguel
… You're getting better all the time
… And turning all against the one
… Is an art that's hard to teach
… Another clever word
… Sets off an unsuspecting herd
… And as you step back into line
… A mob jumps to their feet
… Now dance, fucker, dance, man, he never had a chance
… And no one even knew, it was really only you
Chuck looked up from his desk as he heard the grating dissonance of Emmett Milbarge's voice calling to him and pulled out the earbuds from his iPhone out of his ears.
"Yes, Emmett?"
"Chuck. Round up your herders. I want to talk about the new install policy."
"What new policy," Chuck rebutted.
"The one that Big Mike and I just came up with. So round 'em up, cowboy," Emmett said with a smug smile and an exaggerated motion as if he was lassoing in a cow. Chuck frowned at the assistant manager as he sauntered away, inordinately pleased with himself.
Sarah sat at the table in Castle, filling in her report on the Laszlo incident. Her pen was poised over the line questioning the asset's performance in the latest mission.
Sarah's eyes went wide as she suddenly felt Chuck's fingers on her own wrist and the next thing her mind could comprehend was that she was lying flat on her back, quickly accompanied by the sound of the door opening.
"Chuck," Sarah croaked out as she turned to see him running across the parking lot just as she heard Casey moving towards her.
She hadn't mentioned his attack in the Orange Orange to the General before and she was hesitant to put it in the report now. She had just barely managed to keep Chuck out of the bunker this time. That was because he knew how to defuse a bomb. If they learned he had combat skills….
Sarah sighed, setting her pen down and rubbing her eyes. He had taken her completely by surprise. Not only had she never expected Chuck to attack, but she never thought he would attack her. It was so unlike him. She was just happy that no one had seen him do it.
Sarah's eyes snapped open as she glanced upstairs. She did a quick mental evaluation of where the cameras were located and the views they had of the floor. Letting out a soft curse, she realized it was only a matter of time. Beckman would review those tapes eventually and she'd see what Chuck had done.
Her eyes shot to the screen as the General came online.
Speak of the Devil, Sarah thought before addressing her out loud, hoping that the sound of fear in her voice wasn't noticeable.
"Agent Walker, I wanted to let you know that Chuck has been cleared by the FBI but he will have to go through the hiring process, including top secret security clearance."
Sarah forced a smile, trying to keep her tone light.
"Ma'am, Chuck is this country's top secret, does he really need to go through top secret clearance?"
"Procedures, Agent Walker," Beckman replied exasperatedly. "Speaking of, I'm still expecting your report from the last mission."
"Working on it now, General."
It took a moment for Sarah to realize the General signed off without comment about the video. Just a matter of time, Sarah thought again and glanced at the clock before picking up the phone.
"Petey? It's Sarah Walker. Yeah, it has been a long time. Hey, I need a favor. Ha, you're a funny guy. No, you owe me one. Remember Times Square? Yeah, the thing with the poodle. Thought you'd remember that," she said with a smile. "Look, I've got… an asset who I think is a good candidate for Cyber Division. And time's critical on this. How fast could you turn the gears on bringing him onboard?"
Sarah talked on the phone and worked on her plan while staring at the clock, wishing she could make it stop or even turn back like the chubby little Asian guy on that show Chuck makes her watch on Mondays. She smiled as she thought how the little guy often reminded her of Chuck. A little geeky- sorry, nerdy- with a big heart and being an unlikely hero.
"Sorry Pete. Yeah, I heard you," Sarah sighed, trying to push aside the stray thoughts of her asset and his heroism, and instead focus on doing what she could do to be his hero.
… And now you steal away
… Take him out today
… Nice work you did
… You're gonna go far, kid
Chuck pulled the ear buds back out as the assistant manager started pacing in front of the line of Nerd Herders, a satisfied grin on his face.
"It has come to Michael's attention that some of you are using your offsite installs… for nefarious purposes."
His effete, wrathful gaze then turned on Jeff's bloodshot eyes and Lester's shifty gaze as he stood before them.
"Having other people fill in forms for the both of you when you're off getting drunk," Emmett attempted to snarl, but sounding more like a petulant child. He then turned a narrowed gaze on Chuck, who was trying to not freak out. "Or going God knows where."
He then glanced at Anna and muttered under his breath, "Or doing God knows who."
Emmett smirked and started pacing again, trusting that he had his employees pissing themselves, which, in Jeff's case, was just a matter of time.
"So the new policy will be that you check in with me when you arrive at your install. I'll request to speak with your customer so that I can ensure that you're both there," he said pointedly to Jeff and Lester.
"I'm… not sure that's necessary, Emmett."
"Why's that, Bartowski," Emmett questioned with a predatory gleam in his eyes, turning to look at Chuck. "I have to make sure everyone's where they're supposed to be. Or… are you trying to hide something?"
Chuck smiled nervously.
"N-no. Not me. What could I have to hide?"
"What indeed," Emmett retorted. "Policy starts today."
Chuck frowned as he watched the assistant manager stride away, glancing over as his bearded friend hopped up on the Nerd Herder desk.
"Man, Big Mike is becoming Big Brother."
"I think it's more like Big Emmett," Chuck grumbled, pulling up the list of calls on his computer. "Thoughtcrime is death."
Morgan's eyes widened as he looked around.
"Don't worry, Chuck. I know what to do," Morgan said, causing his friend to look up at him in concern.
"Morgan… what are you…?"
"Hope lies in the proles, Chuck," Morgan said in a conspiratorial tone. "Hope lies in the proles."
"Moron, line 1."
Chuck looked up from his computer to glare at the disembodied voice of John Casey coming over the PA system. Shaking his head, he picked up the receiver.
"Nerd Herd, this is Chuck. How may I help you?"
As he started writing up the install request, he noticed through his peripheral vision someone step up to the counter.
"I'll be with you in just a moment," Chuck stated, quickly jotting down the last of the details of his assignment.
"Now, how can I help you," he said amiably, the smile wavering as he focused on a couple of men dressed in dark suits with sunglasses. He'd seen enough of the type to recognize a G-man when he saw one.
"Chuck Bartowski," the shorter man asked with a Jersey accent. He had pock marks on his face from what looked to be a really horrible case of acne when he was younger. His suit was a little rumpled and his crooked tie didn't really lend the same professional air that Chuck was accustomed to when dealing with government operatives. Maybe he was actually with organized crime.
"Uh…" Chuck began, glancing around to find Casey. "Yeah. That's me."
Chuck's eyes widened as the man reached into his jacket, revealing the handle of a gun. His eyes then narrowed in confusion as the man pulled out a card instead and held it out.
"I'm Agent Peter Leamas with the Federal Bureau of Intelligence, Cyber Division. We saw your resume and wanted to see if you'd be interested in interviewing for a position with us."
Chuck looked at the card in a stupor and then back up at Agent Leamas.
"Um… wow. I… are you sure you've got the right Chuck Bartowski," he asked and then laughed nervously. "Well, of course you do. You're the FBI! And… how many Chuck Bartowski's can there be? I mean, it's not exactly a common name like Smith or Brown, is it? I imagine you'd have a lot harder time trying to track down a Chuck Brown. Or a… sorry, I'm rambling."
Agent Leamas smiled good-naturedly and pointed to the card.
"I'm sure you'll need some time to think it over. That's got my work and cell numbers on there. Call me anytime if you have questions, Chuck. I look forward to working with you."
"Uh… yeah. Thanks," Chuck answered as the two agents turned to leave, passing Casey as he headed to the Herd desk.
"That the Feds?"
"Okay, either they have G-man stamped on their heads, which… they kinda do, or you guys knew something about this. Did you or Sarah recommend me for Cyber Division?"
"Me? Recommend you for a real job," Casey smirked and Chuck frowned at his snide comment.
"Sarah then," he replied, sliding off the stool and stepping out from behind the desk.
Sarah sat on the counter of the Orange Orange bouncing gummi bears off the nearest tabletop and trying to land them in the cup. So far, despite all their elasticity and rubbery goodness, she was finding that gummi bears didn't make very good projectiles for indirect fire. But she had grown tired of tossing them straight into the cup, so bouncing seemed like the most logical way to escalate this game to something challenging. She looked up as the door opened and smiled as her asset walked in.
"Chuck! You on lunch?"
"No," he replied with a smile, looking at the floor and tabletop covered with gummi bears. "Looks like you've been busy."
Sarah rolled her eyes and jumped off the counter, causing her body to move in such a way that sent a jolt of pleasure coursing through Chuck's body. Quickly followed by a flush of embarrassment.
"Right. I've had one customer all week. You have no idea how bored I am," she replied, having missed his attention to her movements.
"Oh. I've got some idea," Chuck said with a wry grin, brushing a few gummi bears off the table and into his hand, so as to avoid looking at her for a moment. "So… I had an interesting visit just now."
"Uh-huh," Sarah replied innocently, picking up the broom and starting to sweep up.
"Agent Peter Leamas, FBI Cyber Division. Said they saw my resume and wanted me to apply for a position."
"Wow. That's great, Chuck," she replied, trying not to smile, as she swept up the candies.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
"Cyber Division? They pursue hackers, online sexual predators, internet fraud…."
"I meant, would you know anything about them coming to see me?"
"Oh! That," Sarah replied with a grin, turning to face him. "Maybe."
"Sarah? Me working for the FBI? Are you for real?"
Sarah looked up at him and gone was the smile, in its place was a new look. One he couldn't quite place.
"Do you have a bachelor's in computer technology," she asked, holding up a finger to enumerate her point.
"Um… yeah. Thanks to you."
"Can you deal with viruses and hackers?"
"Well… yeah. It's my job to-"
"Do you not want to protect this country from terrorists, hackers and other threats? Do you not want to protect our children from online predators," she asked, holding up a third finger.
"Our children?"
"America's children," Sarah quickly amended, not meeting his gaze. "Don't you want to make a difference? Or do you want to remain a Nerd Herder for the rest of your life?"
"Okay… that… was a little below the belt. I don't want to stay at the Buy More…."
"Then at least consider it. You have a rare gift, Chuck," she said, meeting his gaze again with a look in her eyes that made his hopes soar. "You're meant for better things than the Buy More."
Chuck smiled and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek before heading back to the Buy More. He wasn't entirely sure yet what the meaning was behind her new mask, but he was going to call it 'the girlfriend.'
"The great thing about the Two Phase Plan is not that one is obliged to play a part," Morgan explained to the gathered Green Shirts and Nerd Herders. "But that it is impossible to avoid joining in."
"Morgan… what are you talking about," Miguel, the newest Green Shirt, asked.
"I'm talking about persecution, mi hermano latino. I'm talking about sexual repression," Morgan exclaimed. Fernando looked suddenly nervous, like he was about to be the center of attention.
"I'm talking about censorship! Big Emmett is trying to take away our God-given right to drink on company property," Morgan exclaimed and Jeff nodded solemnly.
"Big Emmett is trying to take away our God-given right to goof off and not get work done," Morgan declared and Lester shook his head sadly, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.
"Big Emmett is trying to take away our freedom!"
"Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two makes five," Jeff said with passion.
"Four, Jeffrey," Lester corrected.
"If that is granite, all else floats."
Jeff's statement was followed by looks of confusion, a few snickers, and a grunt.
"Let's… ignore Jeff…."
"More often" Anna asked.
"For the moment, and just return to what I was saying. Emmett's taking away the liberties of the Nerd Herders. That's where it starts, my brothers. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper. At the top with a small thing that loyal peons wouldn't make noise over."
Morgan shook his head wearily, slumping into a chair next to Anna and completely aware that he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. He quickly closed his hand around the bag of chips he was carrying, lest Jeff make that literal.
"After I heard this awful… faith-shattering news, I was just devastated. We have placed our faith in the Man all these years…"
Miguel cleared his throat.
"Or hours… and to what end? Have our freedom taken away? How could they do this to us? How could Big Brother become a Big Bother? My faith was shaken, I'm sad to say," Morgan said with a lump in his throat, smiling gratefully at Anna as she rubbed his shoulder in response to his lamentation. "So I asked myself, WWCD. And the answer came from the man himself, my brothers. Thoughtcrime is death."
Morgan reached into his bag and pulled out The Book.
"I want you all to join our Brotherhood, my fellow proles. We have to show Big Emmett that we are free men-"
"And women," Anna said.
"And gorgeous women," Morgan amended. "Today is the first day of our perpetual war against BuyMoria."
"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength," Lester said with a self-assured smile.
"And we're the strongest people in the Buy More," Jeff replied with that same confidence.
"Burbank Buy More, Assistant Manager Emmett Millbarge speaking, how may I help you?"
Emmett's eyes lit up as he received the first phone call from the new policy.
"Ah, thank you for calling us, Miss Calhoun. And Skip Johnson is there now? Yes, yes. Good. Well, thank you, ma'am. May I speak with Skip now?"
"One moment," Lester said in a falsetto voice, pushing the button to transfer the call to Skip's cell, smiling all the while.
Morgan nodded his head and bumped fists with the Indian Nerd Herder. Lester looked down as the phone rang again.
"Anna?"
"Yeah, I'm pulling up to the store now. What's the order?"
"For Morgan, sizzling shrimp and any grape or fruity drink they've got."
"Not fruity," Morgan griped. "Grape soda. Do bring grape soda, or do not. There is no fruity drink."
"Whatever Moda. For Jeffrey, Kung Pao Cat."
"Do you mean chicken?"
"He said cat," Lester replied with a dour expression. "But his tastes buds are so burned out that he can't tell the difference. Get him the chicken."
"Right."
"And I'll have anything kosher."
"Um… it's Chinese. I don't think it's kosher, but I'll ask. You going to call Big Emmett?"
"We've got you covered, sister," Lester replied and smiled as he dialed Emmett's number again. "Mister Millberg? Oh sorry, Mulebarge. This is Carl Craft at the Rossom Corporation calling about your employee, Anna Wu."
Morgan smiled and nodded at Miguel.
"Time for Phase Two."
When Ellie came home, she was surprised to find Chuck pulling his suit out of the closet.
"Taking Sarah out somewhere nice?"
Chuck turned and smiled at his sister, laying the suit on his bed.
"No. I've got a job interview in Washington."
"Wow Chuck," Ellie replied with astonishment. "That's great! Does Sarah know about this?"
"Yeah," he replied with a grin, returning Ellie's hug. "She's kinda the one who set it up."
Ellie's excitement was quickly replaced with the somber realization that her little bird may be leaving their nest.
"So… Washington? That's far away, isn't it," she stated.
"On the other coast actually," Chuck replied, taking Ellie's hand again. "But the interview's in Washington. Hopefully, I'll be able to work out of the division here in LA. Assuming I get the job."
Ellie looked immediately relieved, as she sat down on the edge of Chuck's bed and smoothed out the wrinkles in his suit.
"You'll get it. What company?"
"Uh," Chuck trailed off, wondering if he could tell her. The job wasn't exactly classified. It had nothing to do with the Intersect. As Sarah had said, he had the qualifications for the job. It was a position that could've been his years ago, in a different life.
"Government actually. FBI Cyber Division."
At Ellie's excited squeal and jump into his arms again, Chuck's grin was wide and relieved. Until then, he hadn't realized just how much of a toll constantly lying to Ellie had been. It was a godsend to be able to share something real with her.
When Chuck was a senior in high school, he took his first airplane ride. He didn't remember much of it. He remembered staring out the window, brooding as he listened to the Downward Spiral CD and wondering why his dad had left them so suddenly.
Today, Chuck sat looking out the window as the plane began to take off and clutched the hand rests. He had been far too preoccupied to be nervous on his first flight. Today though, his nervousness already started at sweaty palms due to the upcoming interview and skyrocketed to muted, girlish screams as the 400 ton aircraft left the Earth.
"This… is… not… natural…" Chuck moaned as he watched the ground speed away from them.
"It's perfectly natural," Sarah reassured him, carefully prying his fingers off the armrest so she could hold his hand. "Airplanes are made to be in the air. They're actually sad when they're on the ground."
"They're sad," Chuck repeated with a grin, turning his attention away from the disturbing sight of the quickly disappearing ground and the shuddering of the plane. "Why are they sad?"
Sarah returned his smile, glad she could take his mind off of his fear. A role that she was becoming more accustomed to the longer she spent on this assignment. A role she was quite content to be in.
"Because they're called air-planes. Not groundplanes. Sitting on the ground, they're not doing what they're meant to."
"Where'd you come up with that," Chuck asked, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his.
"My dad," she answered, shifting her grip on his hand so that their fingers were interlocked.
"Did you fly much," he asked, wondering if Sarah was going to open up the door any more than she already had.
"Some," she replied, looking past him and out the window. "We can always switch places."
Chuck sighed as she shut the door again. At least this time, she didn't slam it in his face. He'd at least gotten a peak inside.
"No. I'm fine," he said, looking down at their hands. He instantly regretted it as the action seemed to remind Sarah that they were still holding onto each other and she withdrew, crossing her arms over her chest.
"So, are you looking forward to the interview," she asked after an awkward pause, missing the pained look that briefly touched his eyes before Chuck went to looking out the window.
"I guess," he murmured, watching as the ground was getting further and further away, but not really seeing any of it. "I told Ellie that just because the interview's in Washington doesn't mean I'd be living there. Right?"
She smiled and nodded, shifting in her seat so she could look at him easily.
"That's right. Petey works out of the LA branch, so you'd be working with him."
"Petey, huh," Chuck questioned, smiling at her and wondering if he'd at least get another glimpse of the real Sarah or if she'd close that door again. "Friend of yours?"
"Yes, Chuck," she replied with a grin, tucking a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I do have friends."
"How'd you meet?"
Sarah shook her head and smiled ruefully.
"Ended up being a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing."
"You were fighting each other," he asked, filling in some of the blanks.
"Afraid so. I was tracking the same group he was. This was pre-9/11. It was one of those situations that, well…" Sarah glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, "the Intersect was created to prevent."
"So, out of curiosity," Chuck began with a sly grin. "Do you meet all your friends and partners this way?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, you pointed a gun at me when we first met. You pointed a gun at Casey. You pointed a gun at Carina. You pointed a gun at-"
"Funny," she retorted, punching him in the shoulder. "And for your information, Casey was trying to kill me and Carina was breaking into my hotel room."
"And me?"
"I had to control the situation," she said defensively. "If you ran, Casey would've shot you."
"So… you met Agent Leamas and you pointed your gun at him…" Chuck prompted with a grin. Sarah baiting wasn't as much fun as Casey baiting, but it was less dangerous. "What happened next?"
Sarah narrowed her eyes and Chuck gulped. He might have to reevaluate that less dangerous notion. Sarah had walked through the metal detectors at the airport, so he knew she didn't have any guns or knives on her. Or at least he hoped so.
"It's classified," she replied with a smirk. "All I can say is that Missy the poodle was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Sarah didn't have Chuck's flair for playful banter, but she knew that withholding information would drive him crazy. She expected by the end of the flight, he'd be bouncing around like a kitten with catnip, desperate to find out what happened to poor Missy.
Chuck didn't disappoint. Sarah had to deflect ten different roundabout attempts he made to find out more about how she met Agent Leamas and what happened to Missy. She smiled as they disembarked from the plane, Chuck a step behind her.
"Seriously, Sarah, how could she be trained to deliver explosives? This is a poodle we're talking about!"
"Quiet, Chuck," she whispered, suppressing a grin as she turned to face him. "People can hear you."
"Sorry," he replied, glancing at the stewardess and smiling nervously at her as he passed by. "Wonderful flight!"
"Thank you for flying Oceanic Airlines. Have a safe return trip."
Chuck frowned as he followed Sarah up the ramp, images of the fiery crash of flight 815 flashing through his mind.
"Hey Sarah, can we not take Oceanic on the trip back? They don't exactly have the best record. They say they have a 'Perfect Safety Record,' but-"
"It'll be fine, Chuck," she reassured him, nodding to Peter who was waiting for them at the gate. "Hey Petey."
Peter shook Chuck's hand and rolled his eyes at Sarah.
"Saved this broad's ass a dozen times and still she calls me Petey. Surprised you flew Oceanic. You're braver than I thought, Walker," Peter said with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"See!"
Peter just smirked and led the way through the concourse as Sarah glared daggers at the back of his head, Chuck doggedly espousing the virtues of driving over flying.
"Yes, we could've driven here," Sarah groused after a five minute exposition, "but it would've taken two days. You would've been late for the interview."
"Not the way you drive."
Sarah glared at Peter again as she heard a snort from him and noticed his shoulders shaking, trying to contain his laughter.
"Petey, I've got a gun."
"Really," Chuck exclaimed, looking shocked. "How'd you get it on the plane?"
"I'm a spy, Chuck," she retorted quietly, with a smirk. "It's what I do."
"Do you have one of those plastic pistols," Chuck pressed, much to Peter's amusement. "Or if one of your regular kinds, how'd you get it pass the metal detector? Did you do that little side flip thing, like Otto West?"
Both Sarah and Peter shot curious looks at Chuck, both feeling they should know the individual he was referencing through their experience in the intelligence community, but both were drawing a blank.
"Y'know… Kevin Kline's character in a Fish Called Wanda," Chuck explained without needing a prompt. "Fierce Creatures was pretty good, but it really didn't have the fun of the first one. Plus, no Otto."
Sarah shook her head and sped up to fall in step with Peter as Chuck lagged a little behind.
"I just wanted to thank you again for this, Peter. It means a lot."
"Let's see, not only do I get a brilliant new recruit into the division, but I also get to be the agent that brings the Intersect onboard. Sarah, I'm golden!"
Sarah smiled and glanced at Chuck as he caught up with them.
"So we're even?"
"Yep. That definitely makes up for Missy."
"Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that," Chuck piped in and Sarah had to suppress a grin. "How did a little poodle get involved with this bomb threat?"
Peter glanced at Sarah, caught her winking at him and nodded.
"Sorry, Chuck. Classified."
Sarah and Peter smiled at each conspiratorially as Chuck threw up his hands in frustration.
Chuck rubbed his hands on his pants for the third time since they'd walked into the secretary's office, waiting on the Assistant Director to see them.
"Nervous," Peter asked quietly, smiling.
"No," Chuck replied softly. "Maybe. A little."
"Nothing to worry about, Chuck. You've got a clean record and a four-year bachelor's degree. We'll need you to get a TS/SCI clearance. To do that, you'll have to pass a series of SSBIs conducted by the OPM. You'll also have to pass a PFT. That's all."
"Boy. The government sure loves its abbreviations."
Peter chuckled at that and clapped a hand onto Chuck's shoulder.
"You'll do fine, Chuck," Peter said as the secretary let them know that A.D. Skinner was ready to see them.
"Skinner? Really," Chuck asked as he stood. "Do you know Agents Mulder and Scully?"
At the secretary's blank expression, Chuck exclaimed, "C'mon! Has nobody here seen an episode of the X-Files? It was huge!"
"Well, there won't be any Cigarette Smoking Man in here," Peter assured as he opened the door.
"See, I'm glad somebody here knows what… I'm… talking about…" Chuck trailed off as he saw the Assistant Director.
"Mister Bartowski, thank you for coming in. Please, take a seat," Skinner greeted with a smile, gesturing to a chair.
"Hey, he looks a lot like David Duc-" Chuck began to whisper but was cut off.
"Shh. Not now," Peter interrupted as they took a seat.
"So, how'd it go," Sarah asked as Chuck exited the J. Edgar Hoover Building.
"Great," Chuck exclaimed, talking animatedly as they stepped into the rental car. Sarah smiled to herself. When Chuck became enthused about something, you couldn't help but be swept along with him. "Did you know that the Assistant Director of the FBI is a dead ringer for David Duchovny?"
"Who," Sarah replied, keeping the grin from her face. Chuck looked at her sharply as she took the turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue, his eyes narrowed.
"You're teasing me," he replied with a knowing smile. "I know because you have a tell."
"I don't have a tell," she huffed.
"You do," he grinned, looking out the window.
"So," she prompted when he lapsed into a comfortable silence.
"So, what? Am I going to reveal what your tell is?"
"No," she smirked. "Because I don't have one. Are you going to tell me how it went? Other than commenting on AD Duchovny."
"Okay. H-How about over dinner?"
"Are you asking me out on a second date," she asked warily after a long beat, taken aback by the turn of the conversation.
"Well, I figure it's either a third first date, a second second date or a first third date," Chuck replied with his trademark grin, attempting to make her smile and his own grin losing a bit of its strength when his attempt failed, his nervousness rocketing. He was glad he at least managed to keep his voice from cracking when he asked her out to dinner.
"Chuck," Sarah began and Chuck felt his heart clench. He knew that tone and he knew which objection she was about to voice.
"Sarah, don't. We've been doing this dance for over a year now. I'm… I've never known anyone quite like you. Lou, Jill, they don't compare. You're my kickass ninja girl," Chuck stated and warily watched a car that was passing nearby, missing the involuntary flush of pleasure that crossed Sarah's face. He didn't know what had gotten into him. Maybe he was flushed with the adrenaline of the interview. Maybe he was hyped about being in Washington D.C. But he was on a roll.
"I know you're afraid that crossing the line between asset and handler means we'll get too close. It'll put us at risk. But I'd never betray you, Sarah. Sure, FULCRUM could torture me and force me to confess the secret of Coca-Cola Zero, but they can't change the way I feel. They can't get inside you. They can't get to your heart."
It took a moment for Chuck to register that she said okay, because he couldn't hear her soft reply over the pounding of his heart. When it did sink in, his eyes widened and the brilliance of his smile returned. Sarah's eyes danced with mirth as she saw the boyish exuberance emanating from her asset. She knew she was compromised. That she should put in for a reassignment, but at this exact moment, all she cared about was the young man that had put his faith in her.
While Sarah made arrangements for pushing their flight back to the next day, Chuck made reservations at Filomena Ristorante in Georgetown. It was a little out of his price range, but as long as the new position came through, he figured he could afford it. Plus, it was Sarah.
Straightening his tie, Chuck smiled at himself in the mirror, reflecting on how things had changed. Almost two years ago, he had been standing in front of the bathroom mirror in his sister's apartment in an outfit his sister had picked out for him, working on a Buy More hourly wage, and preparing for a date with Sarah to the local Mexican restaurant. Today, he was wearing a suit for dinner at one of Washington's nicer establishments and being a potential recruit for the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
The best part was that Sarah wasn't going on a date with him for her mission. There was no hidden agenda. She said yes, because she wanted to. Adjusting his tie one last time, Chuck's smile widened at the thought of how his life had finally turned around.
Chuck stepped out of the elevator and glanced at the numbers on the wall before heading towards the room that Sarah was staying in. Adjusting the tie with one hand, he shifted his grip on the flowers to make sure they didn't slip due to his nervousness.
Knocking on the door, Chuck glanced down at himself and made one last adjustment to his tie.
"Hey Chuck," Sarah said with a smile, watching as he almost lost his grip on the flowers in his hand.
"Sa-Sarah," Chuck stuttered, his mouth suddenly dry as he took in the dress she was wearing. It reminded him of the one she wore with Bryce to the Van Hayes party except in that shade of blue that she always made look fabulous.
"You look… awesome," Chuck managed to get out and Sarah smiled softly as he grimaced at the use of the Devonism.
"Thank you, Chuck," she replied, touching his arm as she closed the door behind her, stepping out into the hall. "You're looking quite awesome yourself."
Chuck's easy grin returned and he stuck his elbow out in an open invitation. She smiled and looped her arm through his, walking towards the elevator with their arms linked.
"So Mister Bartowski, excited about your prospects?"
"I am, Miss Walker. I still need to do the whole physical fitness test, which… y'know, P.E. was a long time ago… but I think I've definitely got the running tests down," Chuck emphasized with a grin. "Plenty of experience with that over the last couple years!"
Sarah smiled and stepped into the elevator as it opened on their floor, nodding to the elderly couple inside.
"Good evening," Chuck greeted with a smile, checking that the button for the ground floor was already pushed.
"Good evening to you too, young man," the older woman greeted. "You and your lovely wife look quite charming."
"Oh! She's not my wife. We're… dating," Chuck nervously corrected and the woman blushed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! You just seemed so comfortable together. I assumed…."
"It's okay," Sarah stepped in, squeezing Chuck's arm. "Thank you. We're just going on a date."
"Well, you look just lovely, dear."
Chuck and Sarah stepped to the side of the elevator as it opened up on the ground floor, allowing the elderly couple to exit first.
"You two have a wonderful evening," the woman said as they parted ways in the lobby.
"You too," Chuck replied with a trademark grin as they got into the taxi and departed for the restaurant.
Sarah smiled as Chuck pulled out her chair for her.
"Thank you, Chuck," she said graciously, sitting down as he scooted in the chair behind her.
"You're welcome."
"Il benvenuto alla Filomena Ristorante," the waiter greeted as he stepped up to the table.
A thousand red-tinged images flashing through his field of vision.
A Concise Oxford Italian-English Dictionary entry.
"Grazie a voi, quali sono le offerte speciali di oggi?"
Sarah's eyes widened in surprise at Chuck's question and the waiter looked a little uncomfortable.
"Ye-ah… can I take your drink orders?"
Chuck had a bewildered expression on his face as he stared at the menu, trying to figure out what just happened, so Sarah picked up with their drink order. Once the waiter started to move away, she touched Chuck's hand, drawing his attention to her.
"When did you learn Italian?"
"I haven't. I just…."
"Flashed?"
"I… yeah."
"Like you did with the bomb," she prodded.
"Y-yeah?"
"And in the Orange Orange? When you got the drop on me?"
"I wanted to apologize about that," Chuck expressed regretfully. "I don't know. I've been watching you fight for almost two years now. During the summers, it's oddly slow, but the rest of the year it's practically once a week. You'd think I'd pick up something from watching you fight, right?"
Sarah looked at him skeptically as he tried to smile charmingly but the smile faded as his heart wasn't in it.
"This is bad, isn't it," he asked wearily, having already considered the implications of these new aspects to the Intersect.
"No," Sarah said, unconvincingly. "It's just… unexpected. We'll figure this out, Chuck."
"And we'll be figuring this out, outside of a bunker. Right," Chuck asked hopefully, the tremulous smile returning to his face.
"I'm not going to let that happen," she assured, squeezing his hand. "So don't freak out."
"I'm not freaking out," he objected.
"Your palms are sweaty," she pointed out and smiled sweetly at him, her heart warming as his patented Bartowski smile returned in full force. "Don't worry, Chuck. Everything's going to be fine."
Sarah closed the door to her hotel room and leaned against it for a moment, closing her eyes. There were some nights she wished that Bryce had never sent Chuck the Intersect. Missions used to be so much simpler before him. She never worried about the health and feelings of an asset before she met him. She started to smile as she remembered seeing that same elderly couple, James and Anette, come into the restaurant but being turned away because they didn't have reservations. She didn't think that she could possibly hold Chuck in higher esteem than she already did, but when he invited the couple over to join them, rather than be turned away hungry, her heart melted. She loved him that much more.
Sarah's eyes opened quickly as she remembered Roan Montgomery's rules from Infiltration and Inducement of Enemy Personnel. Most importantly, induce feelings of desire and love, but never fall prey to them yourself.
Sarah sighed and pushed herself off the door. Slipping out of her high heels as she walked across the room, she went to her laptop and logged in. The images of Beckman from her office and Casey at Castle popped up.
"Walker, report."
"Chuck performed well in the interview, as expected. He needs to go through the physical testing, but I'm confident he'll get the position."
"Major Casey, work with the asset once they return to Burbank to make sure of that. I don't want this opportunity to be wasted because of the asset's… lifestyle."
Casey grunted before replying with an affirmative. Sarah held her breath, waiting for the other Chuck Taylor to drop.
"Keep me informed," Beckman replied before logging off. Sarah blinked a moment and looked to Casey, but he had already logged out. Frowning, she patched back into the connection with Castle.
"What is it Walker," Casey asked as he turned back around to the screen.
"Are we secure?"
Casey narrowed his eyes at her before pressing a button on the console.
"Yeah?"
Sarah opened her mouth and then closed it. She knew she was walking a dangerous line by not reporting this information. She also knew that Casey was a stickler for rules and regulations. He would never-
"I deleted the footage from the Orange Orange, if that's what's got your panties in a twist."
Sarah threw him an icy look for a moment before it melted to confusion.
"You didn't...?"
"No. I back my partners play. Knew you were gonna try and protect the moron. And… Chuck would go nuts in a bunker."
Sarah's eyes twinkled and a smile touched her lips.
"Knew you cared about him."
Casey growled and cut off the connection. Sarah laughed softly and flopped on the bed, closing her eyes. That twisting sensation in her gut was lessening. Chuck was safe. For now.
Special Guest Appearance: David Duchovny
A/N: So sorry for the long delay. Life's a bitch sometimes. I've already got a good start on the next chapter and hope to have more out soon. Thanks so much for the reviews.
A/N: So sorry for the long delay. Life's a bitch.