Revelations

By MySoapBox

Chapter 8: Propositions, Part I

Sarah didn't realize how hungry she was until the waitress brought out her meal. For some reason linguine and shrimp had never tasted so good. Chuck and Charlie must have agreed because for the next few minutes they all ate in silence.

Half way through a hamburger, Charlie asked, "So your old partner was the one who helped us get settled in that apartment in San Gabriel? I remember that place. It had a pool."

Sarah chuckled. "Yes. You loved the water."

"Yeah, I remember learning to swim in that pool." Charlie furrowed his eyebrows trying to remember. "Didn't you teach me, Dad?"

"No," Chuck shook his head, "I wish I had, but I wasn't with you in San Gabriel."

"It was Uncle Morgan," Sarah supplied. "He came down every Saturday that whole summer to babysit you. I had to work and Ellie put in a full shift at the hospital on Saturdays. Morgan stepped in to fill the gap."

Charlie paused between chews and a goofy grin crossed his face. "Uncle Morgan, man, he sure is great, isn't he?" Charlie glanced between his parents. "Does he know? About, you know…"

"Oh, no," Chuck said, "I mean, he knows a little, but not the whole story. Mom told him that I hacked in to a high security government computer and when they found out, we panicked and ran. Once we turned ourselves in, the government hired me to find weaknesses in their computer systems, and that is why I was gone for so long."

Charlie nodded and turned his attention back to his plate. "So what happened next?" he asked, smothering a fry in ketchup.

"I started to work at a non-profit. It wasn't much, but it paid the bills," Sarah said.

"This was before you became a lobbyist?"

"Yes, that didn't happen 'till much later, but it certainly got me thinking in that direction. It was a group that worked for victims rights."

"My mom," Charlie mused, "always out to change the world."

Sarah blushed. "Not change it, just make it better. I needed to do something and…it helped me not miss your father as much." She exchanged glances with her husband. "And of course I had you." She smiled at Charlie.

"So Dad, what were you doing?"

Chuck sighed. "I was working…and missing you two. I hoped that once I finished the new Intersect computer they would let me go, or at least let me see you guys once in a while…."

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The casual observer would think that the room looked like a NASA command center. On one wall large black computers hummed and blinked in colored lights. Another wall was covered with monitors showing graphs, logarithms, and line after line of programming code. Chuck sat hunched over in the middle of all this technology, paging through one of many notebooks he had filled while guiding himself through flashes on various aspects of the Intersect. One small black and white monitor, different from the rest, sat in front of him on his desk. The screen showed a black and white grainy view of the side of an apartment building and part of a parking lot.

Chuck anxiously glanced up at the screen. It was 7:45. Usually he would have seen them by now.

The door opened behind him. "No day dreamin' on my watch. Get to work, Chuckles," Casey barked. "The General wants to have diagnostics run on phase five by Friday."

Chuck waved him off without turning around. "I know Casey, I know. Tell him that the "Asset" is working his "asset" off. This isn't exactly rocket science you know," he said tossing down his pencil in frustration, "it's infinitely more complicated."

"Leave the whining for someone who cares. Just make sure you get it done."

"You know Casey," Chuck said spinning around to face him. "I would work much better if I was able to talk to my wife, or maybe even visit her once in awhile. It's been over six months and sitting here day after day thinking about her is a driving me crazy."

"Get it back in your pants, Bartowski. You have a job to do. You're safe and she's safe. That was the deal. Remember, phase five by Friday." Casey left and the door closed loudly behind him.

"Thanks for the pep talk," Chuck grumbled to himself. He glanced up to the black and white monitor just in time to see the small figures of a woman and a little boy making their way towards the parking lot."

"There you are," he said, his whole face breaking into a grin. "You're getting bigger and bigger every day," he said in a sing song voice, touching the image of the little blond boy with his finger. And the woman, she was smiling as she loaded the boy into his car seat. As she closed the passenger door, Chuck saw her slip on her sunglasses. Even on the grainy monitor he could see that she was beautiful. She took the driver's seat and a moment later, the car pulled away.

Chuck looked up toward the ceiling and ran his fingers through his hair. He thought after time, that it would get easier, that he would stop missing them so much his chest constantly ached and his arms always felt empty. But if anything, it had gotten harder. Seeing them every day on the monitor was sweet torture. But at least he knew they were safe; safe and happy. That's what he had wanted, right?

He turned back to his work. Sifting through his notebooks he found the brown one that was a little more tattered than the others. He turned the worn pages to find his last entry. He picked up a pen and wrote the date. Next to the date he wrote, "7:49 a.m.: SB and CB exit parking lot. Well and happy." Chuck sighed and tossed down the pen and notebook. Only nine hours and twenty five minutes and Sarah and Charlie would be coming home. Only nine hours and twenty five minutes until he would be with his family again, if only for a few seconds.

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Sarah reached over and put her hand on Chuck's and turned to Charlie. "Once we got settled at our new place our life fell into a certain rhythm. You would go and play with D.J. while I worked during the week. Thursdays were my days off, so we'd go the park, or to the beach.

"I started going to a gym three days a week, right after work. I met a woman there about my same age. She was tall, statuesque really, with short black hair. Her name was Nicole. We always were at the gym at the same time. You know, one of those people who you see over and over. We were the only women that did free weights and one day she asked me to spot her. We made fast friends after that."

"What did you tell her, you know, about Dad?"

"I told her that he was overseas on business, you know, it was just small talk. She said that she was divorced, so we spent a lot of time talking about how much we missed having a man around. It was nice to feel like I had a friend. Other than Ellie, I hadn't had a girl friend for a long time.

"I guess my spy skills were pretty rusty because when she invited me out for a girl's night I didn't suspect anything…."

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Sarah had not had this much fun in a long time. After dropping off Charlie at Ellie's, she and Nicole had met for an early dinner followed a sappy chick-flick, that Sarah really hadn't wanted to see, but was surprised by how much she enjoyed. They were wrapping up their evening by enjoying a little dessert before Sarah had to pick up Charlie.

Sarah dug her fork into her chocolate cheese cake. "I'm going to have to do an extra hour in the gym on Monday to work this off."

"You? No, way," Nicole retorted. "You look fabulous! How much have you lost since you started? Ten pounds?"

Sarah was pleased someone noticed. "No, I haven't really lost much. The weight is just shifting from fat to muscle. At least I hope that's what's happening."

"Totally," Nicole said. "I bet you could out press any woman in that place, and most of the men, for that matter."

Sarah smiled appreciatively. "I could never beat you at the leg press. What are you doing now 450?"

"500," Nicole answered and took another bite of her apple pie. After a comfortable silence Nicole's face grew serious. "Sarah, can I tell you something?"

Sarah was caught off guard by the sudden shift in mood. "Sure, anything."

"Don't freak out, but I haven't been totally honest with you."

Sarah had heard the words 'don't freak out' enough, that hearing them come out of her friend's mouth got her attention. It wasn't just the words though. It was something about the way Nicole's whole countenance had changed when she said them, like she was just acting a part in a play and this was a new scene. Sarah tried to calm the bells and whistles going off in her head. This isn't spy world after all, she berated herself. It's probably just girl talk stuff; you're just so rusty you don't remember.

"Oh?" she said, revealing only mild interest.

"I don't work for a legal firm. I don't know how to type. And I don't lift weights just to relieve stress."

"Okay," Sarah said confused, "so what do you do?"

"I work for an organization - for a group of people that want to make this country a better place for everyone." Nicole looked into Sarah's eyes meaningfully. "A group of people that is very interested in you."

Sarah instinctively reached for her gun, remembering too late that she didn't carry one anymore, a condition of her presidential pardon. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to disguise the flinch of her hand by scratching her back.

Nicole's eyes seemed to take in Sarah's actions, but her expression didn't reflect anything but amusement. "Sarah, we've been friends for several months now. I don't want to play games. I know all about you – that you're rogue CIA."

Sarah felt her blood run cold, but she kept her face calm, uninterested. "Like I said, Nicole, you must have me confused with someone else. I'd better get going."

Sarah pulled some money from her purse and threw it on the table, as she did the other woman grabbed her by the wrist. Her grip was very firm. "Don't go," her voice was sincere, not threatening. "I'm here as a friend…to make you an offer."

"I'm sure I'm not interested in anything you have to say," Sarah said coolly while she calculated the best way to take this woman down without drawing attention to herself.

"Even if I can promise you that you can be with Chuck again?" Nicole said. Sarah's eyes widened. "That's right, you and your husband and your son can all be together again. And we will keep you safe. I promise you that."

Sarah yanked her wrist from Nicole's grip. Could it be true? Was there a way that she could have Chuck back in her life again? That they could be a family? Of course it was a fantasy but Sarah's curiosity was piqued. She slowly sat back down. "I'm listening."

"I know the US Government betrayed you. They put out kill orders on your husband, and then on you when you tried to protect him. Execution orders, Sarah, without cause, without trial. That doesn't sound very constitutional to me. And it doesn't sound like a very fair reward for all the years you two gave to their service."

"What's your point?"

"Your husband isn't working overseas, Sarah. He is a prisoner of the CIA. He is being held without bail, with no chance at parole. He's on the government's chain-gang, Sarah, and when they are done using him, do you think they will just let him go? You've been in the business a long time, what has your experience shown you? When he's done his time are they going to just let him walk free? You know as well as I do how those people operate. This time will be no different. They betray everything that you and I believe in."

Sarah caught herself before she nodded in agreement. Even though everything Nicole said was true, she knew that the best con man always told two truths to lace one lie.

"Think about it, Sarah. Is this the kind of country you want to live in? Corruption at every level, total disregard for Citizens rights?" She leaned in. "Like the rights of a son to see his father and the rights of a wife to be with her husband? And they do all this, not for the betterment of the whole, but for their own personal agenda?"

Sarah couldn't help but to think of the night she packed her bags knowing that she had to take Chuck and run. She remembered feeling utterly betrayed by the organization that had been her home and family for the last ten years. That's why she turned her back on them because they had turned their back on her.

Sarah clenched her fist in anger. It was unfair what the CIA had done to her and to Chuck and Charlie. They had ripped her family and her dreams apart for their own purposes. They had used her; sold her on a lie, demanded her loyalty, and when she didn't comply, they had tried to destroyed her. Now they were going to do the same to Chuck.

Nicole must have sensed her reaction because the smile she gave Sarah now was almost predatory. "We need people like you, Sarah. We need good agents who see the bigger picture, agents that don't want to be puppets in their schemes, agents that want to clean out the corruption and make this country a safe place where all its citizens receive their God given rights."

This time Sarah nodded, and she did not disguise it. "I hear what you are saying, but I'm a mother now. I'm out of the game and it has to stay that way."

"We all have families, Sarah. We are doing this for them, to make this world a better place for our children and grandchildren." Nicole reached out and put her hand on Sarah's. In doing so she captured Sarah's eyes with her own. "We have safe places - whole communities - that are under our continual protection, in the US and overseas. You and Chuck and your son can be together. If you work for us, you will be free and safe, I promise."

Sarah pulled her hand away. "How is that possible? You said yourself that my husband is a prisoner."

"We have our ways, as you well know. And people who possess special skills, like your husband, would be worthy of our resources and protection. Unlike the CIA, we know how to be loyal to those who join our cause."

Sarah shook her head slightly, as if breaking this woman's spell. "While that sounds really nice, I know it's not that simple."

Nicole leaned back. "I understand. It's a lot to take in at once. But promise me you'll think about it." She reached in her handbag and pulled out a business card. "Call me when you're ready to hear more."

Sarah looked at the card but did not reach for it.

Nicole leaned in and spoke softly. "Look, one morning you're going to wake up and realize that your son grew up without his father. On that morning, Sarah, you're going to wish you took the card."

Sarah glanced around nervously. The image of a fatherless Charlie came unbidden to her eyes. Controlling the trembling in her hand, Sarah reached out and took the card. She shoved it deep into her pocket as she stood from the table.

"I'm sure we'll be talking again soon." Nicole smiled, the predator replaced by the friend, and turned back to the last few bites of her pie.

Sarah turned her back on the table and quickly walked from the restaurant. By the time she reached the parking lot she started to run. She couldn't get away fast enough. But all the running in the world couldn't cool the burning of the card in her pocket and it couldn't cool the dreams that had rekindled in her heart.

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"That woman, Nicole, she was part of that group, what was their name - Leverage?" Charlie asked.

"You mean, Fulcrum," Chuck supplied.

"Yeah, them, the group that had been doing all those bombings."

Sarah nodded. "She was. And they wanted me to join."

"But you didn't, did you?"

Chuck turned to Sarah, and Sarah just stared at her glass as she swirled the ice around and around.

"She…" Chuck began, but then Sarah put a hand on his knee to silence him.

"Charlie, you need to know before deciding to join the CIA, that once you are in that life, things are never, never that simple."

If you like this story or any of the others I've written I would love it if you would pop over to the Chuck boards on this site and nominate them in the Awesome Awards for Excellence in Chuck Fanfic. Even if you don't want to nominate my stuff, that's okay, just get over there and nominate your favorite writers and stories. You can enter nominations until May 3rd. You can get to the Chuck boards by clicking on "Discussion Forums" on the upper right of the main Chuck stories page. Choose the first forum and the nominations will be the top post on the board.

As always, many thanks to my beta Sharpasamarble. He continues to keep me on the right track.

This chapter is short (for me anyway) because the chapter I wrote this week got so long with each editing that I decided to post it in two parts. I should be posting the second part soon. I told a few of you that there were only a couple of chapters left in this story, but as seems to often be the case, my characters have surprised me. Specifically Sarah, who has decided to go a little different way then I had originally outlined. Since she is the one with the guns and Kung Fu moves, I guess this story is going to be stretching out a little bit longer.