I do not own Chuck.
/
"He's losing it," a doctor in a room monitoring Chuck says. "Get in there." A large man walks down a hallway and types in a password on a number pad. The door opens to a padded cell that is bleach white all around. Chuck is sitting there, rocking with his knees between his arms.
"Sarah?" He screams out in pain. "Sarah!" Tears are forming underneath his eyes. "SARAH!"
The large man pokes him in the neck with a sedative. Chuck immediately starts to calm down.
"Sarah?" he lowly calls out. "Sa…rah…" He falls into a forced slumber. The large man walks out, securing the door properly.
The doctor brings up a computer screen with an older redhead. "General, he is getting worse. This is the third time he's lost it this week."
"What does that mean?" Beckman barks.
"We cannot keep him stable for much longer. We've tried nearly everything and nothing seems to work."
"Well," Beckman pinches her nose in annoyance, "You said nearly. What's left?"
"Well, we don't know if it is going to work, but—"
"Get on with it," Beckman growls impatiently.
"Uh, okay," the doctor shivers in fear, "Dr. Matthews believes if we bring Agent Walker in, she may be able to stabilize him if she still has feelings for him."
"That is strongly against regulations," she angrily states. She doesn't want to agree to it, but if it is the only way to get the Intersect operational again, she may have to do it. The Intersect has been inoperable since he was put in solitary confinement four weeks ago.
"I understand, ma'am," the doctor carefully treads forward, "but he refuses to eat or drink without using an IV. This could be the only way to get him operational again."
Beckman winces and hastily stares down the doctor. "I will see if I can approve a relationship and see if Agent Walker is even willing to accept." The short General ends the transmission before the doctor can give his approval, not that it matters.
/
"Director," Beckman calls, "the Intersect is still inoperable as you may know."
"Where are you going with this?" Graham asks annoyed. There has always been a hidden angst between the two of them.
"Well, we've tried every logical way of making him functional, but nothing seems to work."
"Yea?" Graham is getting impatient.
"We believe Agent Walker could have a chance of getting through to him. Getting him operational and functional."
"Are you asking me to force my best agent to have a relationship with Bartowski?"
"Precisely, but it was clear she had feelings for him and if she still has them, then maybe she will be willing to do this."
Graham rolls his eyes in frustration. He knows that they did care for each other more than just professionally. "I will see if she is willing to give up everything for a fake relationship," Graham explains angrily as he ends the transmission.
Graham slams his fists against the desk in front of him. "This is preposterous!" He presses the button on his phone to talk to his assistant. "I need to get a hold of Agent Walker."
An hour later, Graham's phone rings. He picks it up.
"I have Agent Walker on line 1," his assistant informs him.
"Thank you," he responds as he ends the call. He presses the Line 1 button.
"Agent Walker," Graham starts.
"Yes, Director?" She asks with a monotone professionalism. She vowed to never fall in love again. She has buried her emotions so deep that nothing gives her happiness, sadness, relief, or fear.
"Do you remember the Intersect Project?"
"Yes," she pauses for a second. "Charles Irving Bartowski," she breathes out as emotion slowly seeps into her voice. "Is this an evaluation of my previous mission?"
"No, this is nothing like that. As you know, we kept him under close watch for his protection but he has been un-operational since. Do you still have feelings for him?"
"What?" Sarah was taken aback from the blunt question. She is confused as she slowly feels sadness for what happened to Chuck. She recovers her composure, "My relationship with Mr. Bartowski," she would rather call him Chuck but suppresses it to keep her professionalism, "was more than just professional, but I never compromised him or let it interfere with my job."
"Cut the crap," Graham boldly states. "Just answer my question."
"Yes," she states simply, worried where this is going.
"Are you willing to have a sanctioned relationship with him?" He is met with silence as Sarah is appalled by the question. She is in total disarray. She never expected the agency would ever do something like that. "Sarah?" Graham calls, not hearing anything on the other line.
"Sorry, Director," she calms her breathing, "Is this an assignment or for my own pleasure?"
"Both," he states simply. "He is not functional and we believe you may be the key."
"How is he?" She asks humbly as she shows the first signs of emotion since Chuck's abrupt departure.
"Not good," Graham modestly replies, "he is but a shell of himself. He is still in there, but barely."
Graham hears what sounds like a sob, but disregards it. "What do you need me to do?" She asks, professionally, trying not to let the emotion affect her.
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Report to Langley at 1600 hours. You are doing your country proud."
"Yes, sir." The conversation ends and Sarah is in disarray. She did promise she would save him, but Graham makes him sound horribly shattered or clinically insane. She partly blames herself for it, so she has that encouragement and the promise to save him to sway her answer.
/
Chuck slowly comes to as he realizes the room he is in. He looks around and sees the glass window in the door. He stares through it and feels a longing to get out. He walks back to the middle and sits down.
"I want to talk to someone?" He calls out, hoping someone could hear him. "I want to know how my family is!" He is met with silence and it angers him but he knows there is nothing he could do. "Is Sarah okay?" He asks before the silence becomes defeating and he sits there, in defeated silence.
After a few minutes, the door opens and he turns around to see who it is. "Sar—?" He looks at the door hopeful, but realizes it is just a doctor. His look instantly changes to disappointment and gloom.
"It's just me Mr. Bartowski," Dr. Matthews sincerely says. He is holding some food and gently places it down as he studies Chuck.
"My name is Chuck! Mr. Bartowski was my father," he angrily jokes.
"Alright Chuck. I brought some food if you're hungry."
"What is it?"
"Chicken Caesar salad."
"I will not eat that."
"What will you eat then?"
"Medium-rare hamburger with extra pickles," he smirks.
"You will in-fact eat it?" The doctor asks condescendingly.
"Yes." The doctor heads for the door.
"Wait," Chuck humbly says. "How is my family?"
"They are doing fine."
"And Sarah?"
"The last I heard is that she is on a mission that I have no specifics for."
"Thank you, but what does my family think happened to me?"
"Sarah informed them that you decided to move to Europe to start a new life and leave everything behind, as per her request."
Chuck smiles thinking that Sarah couldn't tell them he was dead. "Thank you." The doctor nods. With that, the doctor leaves with the salad and after securing the door, he makes sure a burger is ordered with Chuck's preferences.
/
Thirty minutes later, Matthews walks in with a burger exactly as Chuck wanted it. "I have a burger, medium-rare with extra pickles," he informs Chuck as he steps into the room. Chuck actually flashes a smile, which is such a rare occasion lately.
"Thank you," he calmly says as he harmlessly takes the burger from Matthews. Matthews flinches slightly. It makes Chuck snicker because he would never hurt anyone. Matthews watches Chuck as he looks so delighted to eat the burger.
"Are you willing to test the Intersect on a few images?" Matthews asks as sincere as possible, trying not to sound intruding.
"Good luck with that," Chuck laughs. "That thing hasn't worked in ages."
"Please," the doctor pleads in a friendly manner, "just take a look at these pictures."
"Alright," Chuck hesitantly agrees. "Just leave them there and I'll take a look after I finish eating." He says in between bites.
"Thank you," the doctor leaves the folder on the floor by the door and locks Chuck back in.
Chuck finishes his burger and looks over at the folder. He walks over to the folder and picks it up. He looks at the first image. Nothing happens. He tries to concentrate but still nothing happens. He angrily slides that image out of the way to another one. This goes on for the rest of the images as he cannot flash on any of them.
"Any flashes?" Dr. Matthews' voice blares on the P.A. system.
"Sorry," Chuck answers dejectedly, "nothing."
"We'll keep trying."
"There's no use. I just can't. I don't know why. There must be something wrong with me."
"Don't give up on yourself."
"Why not? Maybe it is because I'm like a government experiment!" Chuck starts to get angry.
"Please, Chuck. Your country cares about you."
"No they don't. They just want me for the damn Intersect. They could care less about me as long as the damn computer in my head works!"
The doctor sighs into the P.A. system and Chuck grins knowing that he won the argument.
/
Sarah Walker steps into Graham's office. Graham is sitting there expectantly with Beckman on a screen next to him.
"You wanted to see me, Director?" She asks, not surprised by Beckman listening in.
"Sarah," Graham breathes heavily, "the Intersect—"
"Chuck," Sarah warns. Graham has never seen such a weathered agent changed by one minute person.
The Director shrugs and then continues, "Chuck has lost all realities of life and is not performing." He presses a button and Beckman immediately slides over on the screen as security footage of Chuck is displayed.
Sarah watches it with sadness and pain growing in her. She feels horrible, seeing him call out her name like it is the only thing he has left to hold onto before he falls into oblivion. She suppresses the tears that are welling up and the shudder that wants to come out.
"As you can see, the Intersect—" Beckman tries to continue, but again Sarah interrupts.
"His name is Chuck," she fumes, "you took an innocent civilian, the kindest person in the world and removed all his dignity. The least you can do is call him by his name."
Beckman sighs with a slight smirk on her face. "Chuck is in bad condition and we believe you could help him."
"I want to know all the details," Sarah tries to stay professional as all her emotion is emerging abruptly. "How long has he been in this condition?"
"A day after we placed him in an underground facility," Graham explains. "He was unresponsive to everything we tried and came to the realization that he would be safer in this room." He explains avoiding the words 'bunker' and 'cell' although that is what they essentially are.
Sarah shudders faintly. She quickly shuts her eyes as she shakes off the pain she is feeling. "Is he allowed out of the cell?" She asks, putting emphasis on 'cell' to call them on their bullshit.
"We were able to apprehend Fulcrum before they could get a hold of the data about Chuck being the Intersect," Beckman explains. Sarah's anger boils as she clenches her fists. "It is essentially safe for him to return to Burbank."
"What!" Sarah bangs the desk with her fist. "You've had him here even though there is no danger outside?" Her voice thunders with emotion and rage.
"Yes but," Graham tries to explain before Sarah cuts him off.
"How could you do that to him? He is a damn good person with a family and you just lock him in a cell for no real reason!" She is about to pace back and forth to release her anger. She could feel tears forming but pushes them back down as her irritation takes over.
Please," Beckman tries to act sincere, "Sarah, we have been holding him here because he is too unstable to be let into the real world." Graham gestures to Sarah to calm down calmly.
"If you can help him, heal him," Graham explains with modesty, "he could go back to his family and we could possibly reboot Team Bartowski." Sarah calms down and stares Graham down. After a few seconds of static filling the air, she clears her throat.
"If I help him, I want to be positioned in Burbank where I could keep close watch on him," Sarah explains her demands.
"That is expected," Beckman says, "Anything else?"
"I recommend Major Casey for this job if he is willing to accept."
"We will let the Major know once you are able to stabilize Mr. Bartowski," Beckman informs with confidence. They have been one of the best teams, albeit their eccentric technique.
"Oh, and an underground base that is safer than a Buymore home theater room," Sarah throws in.
"Evidently," Graham says with a slight grin on his face.
"Thank you, Agent Walker for your dedication to this country," Beckman sincerely states, knowing how angry Sarah is with their methods and doesn't want to provoke any anger from Sarah. Beckman disappears off the screen and that leaves Sarah and Graham standing there.
"Sarah…"
"Sir?"
"I know it must be hard on you, but you are my best agent and I want you to be happy," Graham is showing how much he cares about her. He did recruit her and train her himself. She is like his protégé and he has become a type of father figure and mentor to her. He wants what's best for his agents and if she wants a relationship, she could have one as long as it doesn't interfere with her job. In this case, it may be an asset to be so close to Chuck.
"Thank you," she softly says. She has never seen this compassion from Graham before.
"I know you can fix him and bring him back to his family," Graham sincerely says. "You are his only hope," he states boldly with conviction.
"Yes, sir," she exclaims with a breath of new life and hope. "When can I see him?"
"As soon as you want. He is at this address," he hands her a document that simply has an address and that is it. "You will have clearance by the time you arrive there. Good luck."
"Thank you sir," she smiles for the first time in weeks. She walks with a happiness that is growing inside her.
/
I hope you all like my M. Night Shymalan twist, lol. Should I just make all of this just in Sarah's dream? Just kidding. But seriously, I hope everyone is enjoying this short story. Please review because it shows how much you care about me.