Chapter 8
It had taken Orion four days to set everything up. He had gone back to his cabin in the middle of nowhere and spent nearly fifteen hours a day working on his theory. He wasn't one hundred percent sure it would work, but he was sure he hadn't missed anything. Now all they needed was to get everyone here to run it. With any luck, he'd have the young man back to his reality and have his son home.
Slowly, he climbed the stairs back up into the cabin's main room. He touched the control to close the trap door and then went to the desk that held his computer and sat down in front of it and began to type in the message he was sending to Eleanor. Once he had it composed to his liking, he sent it and then leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Soon he knew he'd get his reply and then within hours, they'd be here. Then with luck, he'd get things back to normal. He let his mind drift as he began thinking of his son and the events in his life that had brought him to the life he now had as a spy...
Chuck was sitting in 'his' trailer on the lot and half dozing as he waited for the next call. He had been thinking all morning about how he hadn't flashed on anything and wondering if he still had the intersect or if it had transferred to Zac. If it had transferred, he wondered if he was dealing with it? He remembered how unsettled he'd been when he'd first downloaded it from that email Bryce had sent him, and how out of place he'd felt at first. He could only hope that it was helping the actor if he had to go on a mission. He wondered how Casey and Sarah were handling it? Surely they knew that he wasn't there... right? As he thought about it he began to wonder if they missed him? Then it hit him...what if they didn't know it wasn't him? What if they thought that Zac was him? What if Zac thought he could be a spy? He frowned as he thought of it. Could he fool his friends? He probably could since he was an actor. But certainly his friends and family would see it wasn't really him... right?
As he thought of his family, he began to get a lump in his throat. He missed them all a lot...And Sarah, he really missed her. He knew that he had been hopelessly in love with her the first time he had laid eyes on her when she had walked into the Buy More and up to the Nerd Herd desk. Surely she'd know it wasn't him? What about Casey? In the last few years, they had become closer and he now trusted the big man with his life, even if he still liked to call him a moron. And Ellie? She would certainly know the difference, she had practically raised him. She would know it wasn't him.
There was a knock on the door that pulled him out of this train of thought and he rose to open the door. He was met by a face he wasn't sure who it was, but he remembered seeing him on the set. He smiled at the man hoping he'd tell him it was time to get back to work, as he was not wanting to continue his thoughts.
"Zac, sorry to bother you, but I wanted to let you know that they are having a problem with the lighting and there's going to be a delay, so they wanted me to tell you that you will not be needed back till after lunch break."
Looking at his watch, the man continued
"So it looks like you've got a little over three hours free...enjoy."
He turned and headed towards the next trailer. Chuck sighed. He was used to more activity and this sitting around waiting for things to be set up was getting old. He thought to himself that he was glad he wasn't an actor in real life...how boring it was. He shut the door and looked around the spacious trailer. What now? He still had two hours till they brought in lunch. He went back and sat down on the oversized couch that took up one end of the trailer. Maybe he'd read for a while. He picked up the worn paperback sitting on the table and began to flip though the pages. It was obvious it had been read many times, as the pages were worn and slightly yellowed with age. He settled back and rested his head on the pillow and began reading about a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
It didn't take long for the book to slowly drop to his chest as he drifted off to sleep.
Ellie had received her fathers message and replied back that they would be there in a couple of hours. She and Devin had bundled up Clare and were just going over to get the others when there was a knock on the front door. Devin answered and saw Morgan standing there. Morgan looked relieved as he said
"Hey, man, have you seen Chuck? He doesn't answer his phone, and he hasn't shown up at the Buy More for over two weeks now, Big Mike is having a cow, says he's not putting up with Jeff and Lester anymore with out Chuck's help."
"Uh..."
But before Devin could continue, Ellie came to his side and looked Morgan straight in the eye and said
"Not now Morgan, we haven't got time..."
She grabbed Devin by the arm with her free hand and shifted her daughter on her hip as she went out the door,followed by her husband. Across the courtyard, the door to Casey's apartment opened and Casey came out and walked up to the trio and said
"We're ready..."
He then looked down at Morgan and grunted and said
"What are you doing here?"
Morgan tried to stand as tall as he could and looked at the man he knew as one of Chuck's handlers and said
"Big Mike sent me to get Chuck...said he didn't care if he was sick...that he needed him at the store to deal with Jeff and Lester..."
Casey grunted and said
"Well, I suggest you go back and tell Big Mike that Chuck is still sick and can't be there today."
As an afterthought he grabbed Morgan's green shirt at the neckline and drew him closer and continued
"I also suggest that you keep those two morons in line till tomorrow...understand?"
He let go of Morgan who straighten out the neckline of the green shirt he wore and said
"You're going on a mission right? Come on guys, I can help."
He looked from one to the other. Then he saw the door to the apartment open and Sarah and Chuck walked out, but neither seemed dress for a mission. He ducked around Casey and went to Chuck and said
"Hey buddy, you going on a mission? Aw come on, I can help...you know how much I want to help?"
The look on his face was like a puppy dog and he looked pleading at Sarah. She looked at Casey who was now right behind him, the look on his face was ready to do some harm to Morgan. She caught his eye and shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to see Morgan hurt and she knew Casey was at his last straw. She glanced at Ellie and Devin and was glad when they both came over and Ellie said to Morgan
"You know, Morgan, we could really use you're help."
Casey just rolled his eyes and grunted even louder as he looked at Ellie. But she just continued as Morgan's face lit up
"You could really help us by going back to the Buy More and keeping Big Mike occupied so Chuck wouldn't have to worry about the store."
She raised her eyebrows at him. He thought a moment and then a sly smile crossed his lips as he nodded
"Yeah, I can be you're contact back at the store...I can keep Big Mike occupied and..."
Now Sarah pitched in and said
"Great Morgan...do you think you could do that for us?"
She gave him her bright Sarah smile that always seem to get to him. He looked at her and said
"Sure Sarah...anything to help you and Chuck take care of business."
He sided up to Zac and said
"Han Solo to the rescue!"
Casey only grunted louder and rolled his eyes again at the moron and gave him a small shove towards the parking lot and his bike that he had left leaning against the corner of the building. They all breathed a sigh of relief as Morgan got on the bike and began to peddle back to the store, humming the theme to Star Wars as he went.
It had taken them about an hour and forty five minutes to get to Orion's cabin and now they were all down in the secret part of the basement. Zac was standing and looking at the weird contraption that was hooked up and seemed to be giving off a hum. He wasn't sure he really wanted to go through with this. He did want to return to his life and right now that was the only thing that was keeping him grounded. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sarah smiling at him. He tried but failed miserably at returning the smile. It was obvious he was scared of what was about to happen, she could see it in his eyes.
"Don't worry Zac, if anyone can do this it's Chuck's dad. I know he'd do nothing to hurt either of you."
Zac just nodded but he couldn't take his eyes off the equipment in front of him. It still worried him. Steven saw the look on Zac's face and came over and also laid a hand on his shoulder and said
"It will be okay, I won't do anything that would harm you. It may not be pleasant, but no permanent harm will come to you or my son."
He patted his shoulder and went to check on the connections. Now they all came and stood next to the young actor and said how much they had enjoyed meeting someone so much like their Chuck. He tried to smile but only managed a weak grin.
"Thanks it was good meeting you all too."
He saw the genuine smiles on there faces and heard the grunt from Casey, who was only slightly grinning. At last he looked at baby Clare as she gave him a toothless grin. She thought that he really was her Uncle Chuck and he really grinned at her as he walked over to the baby who was nestled in the car seat she sat in. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek as she giggled and held out her hands to him. He took one and began to wave it a bit as he said
"Good bye little one...you'll soon have your real Uncle back...I hope."
She just gurgled at him, smiling that toothless grin at him. He straightened up and turned back to the others. Ellie had tears in her eyes as she said
"Good bye Zac, I hope you have a happy life."
She took him into a bear hug and rocked him for a moment as she would Chuck when he was troubled. Then she let go and smiled at him. Devin shook his hand and bid him good bye. He turned to Casey and Sarah and just looked at them. They had done their best to help him through this and he was grateful. He held out his hand to Casey and waited for the older man to shake his hand. After a moment, he did and grunted to him
"See that you get more sleep...no need to be going off into some other reality."
Then as Casey shook the hand of the actor, he placed his other hand on his shoulder. He then turned away and seem to clear his throat. Now Sarah also took him into a hug and lightly kissed him on his cheek as she said softly
"I hope you have a good life...and I hope you'll finally tell her you love her."
She had moved back to see his face and he didn't disappoint her. The look on his face was priceless and he began to blush and then softly he said
"How did you know?"
She again gave him that smile that could light up the basement and said
"You have a habit of talking in your sleep...that night...you said a lot that I'm sure you haven't voice out loud to her. Don't let her slip through your fingers, Zac, tell her how you feel."
He just stared at her for a moment and then he nodded and again she place a soft kiss on his cheek and whispered in his ear
"Good luck."
Again he nodded and then turned to Orion and said
"Okay, I think I'm ready."
Steven nodded and took his hand and also shook it and said
"I want to say it's been a pleasure to meet you and I also hope you have a good life."
He guided him over to the chair and Zac sat down and waited for the inevitable. It took a couple of minutes to hook everything up and when it was done, he felt like Frankenstein. He heard the sound of that hum get louder and soon it seemed to be too loud. He suddenly felt a tingle of what seemed like electricity and then suddenly he felt to shock and he looked down and thought he saw a glow envelop his body, like a blueish white glow. He looked up and saw the people and saw the look of amazement on their faces. Then he really felt a big bolt and his eyes got wide for a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head and his head lulled to the right and he lost consciousness.
Orion had seen the change and knew it had worked. The man now sitting in the chair was his son. He rushed to him and disconnected him and took his head in his hands and turned his face to his and said softly
"Charles...Chuck can you hear me?"
Chuck was disoriented. What had happened? Where was he? He wasn't in the trailer anymore but someplace that was darker. Had he been captured on a mission and now in the hands of the bad guys? He tried to shake his head to clear the cobwebs out, but someone was holding him still. Who? He heard a voice and was aware that he knew it. It was his...father?
"Dad?"
He was groggy and not sure who else was there but he was sure his dad was here. He heard a chuckle and his father said
"Yes Charles, its me. You're home again and safe."
"Home?"
Suddenly it all began to come back to him. He had changed places with an actor who looked just like him and he... He opened his eyes and saw his father in front of him. And he got the biggest grin on his face as he wrapped his long arms around his father and hugged him. After a moment he said
"Dad, you'll never believe what happened to me..."
Before he could continue, he heard a familiar grunt and turned to see his 'family' there
"Guys...guys you'll never believe the weird dream I had. I had changed places with this other guy who was an actor and he played in a show about...us. It was weird and they were spy's and they stopped the bad guys each week. They even looked like us and acted like us...well almost and then I even got to watch the show on TV and let me tell you that it was a hoot watching them do all the things that spy's are suppose to do...Casey, you'd really like the actor who played you...even grunted like you, and the actress that played you Sarah was just as kick-ass as you are and well..."
He didn't get to finish his long winded story as Sarah took him in her arms and gave him a big bear hug and just ran her fingers through her Chuck's hair and said
"Oh Chuck, its so good to have you back...I...we all missed you."
Now Chuck pulled back and looked at her and said
"You mean it wasn't a dream?"
Now Casey just snorted and the rest of them shook their heads. He looked at his father and then said
"Oh Boy..."
Zac seemed to be floating on air. He wasn't sure where he was but it felt right. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was lying down on...the couch in his trailer...his trailer? He lifted up to his elbows and looked around. It was his trailer and he seemed to be laying down on the couch. What time was it? He looked at the clock that hung over the counter.
In what was considered a kitchenette in these trailers it had a microwave on it and a small coffee maker next to it. There was also a full size refrigerator next to the door. The clock stated it was ten fifty five and since the light was streaming in the window, it must be morning. He didn't remember coming in to work this morning and he didn't remember which show they were on. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. What had happened? As he thought, he began to remember an alternate life. One where he had switched places with...Chuck? It had to be a dream right? Was he really in an alternate reality? The more he thought about it, the more the memories came back. It was real and he had met the real people that they just portrayed. There really was a real spy world out there somewhere and they all had counterparts there. He suddenly laughed out loud at the possibilities. He was still laughing when a knock came to his door. He got up and answered it and found Yvonne standing there. He suddenly got the biggest, goofiest grin on his face as he looked at her. She truly was beautiful and at that moment he knew he had fallen in love with her and that he would do anything in his power for her. She looked up at him and got a smile on her face and he saw something in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. Was Sarah right? Did she also have feeling for him? His smile became broader as he said
"Yvonne..."
Her heart just did a flip flop as she looked at him. He was so handsome and she loved it when he really broke out in his wide smile. His nose would wrinkle and the joy in his eyes was breathtaking. And the way he had just said her name...
"Zac, I just came to invite you to eat lunch with me...they think we should be ready in a couple of hours so we should have some time to eat and talk..."
She let her sentence end with a note of longing in her voice. Zac's heart also did a flip flop as he stepped down to join her. He looked deep into her eyes and said
"Sure, it would be a pleasure to join you."
After a split second, he took her hand and together they walked towards the tent the cast and crew used for meals, lost in each others presence and not noticing the looks and smiles that came there way.
Chuck and Sarah sat by the fountain in the courtyard in each others arms enjoying the night and each other. They had talked a bit about what had happened and now they were just enjoying their closeness. After a moment Sarah said
"I hope Zac is enjoying a moment of closeness with the actress whom he was so smitten with."
She turned and looked at Chuck and continued
"He told me how much he likes her and how he wants to get closer to her."
Chuck smiled and said
"Oh, I think it might work out."
He had a bit of mirth in his voice as he said it. Sarah looked at him and said
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Well just that the guy that plays Casey told me that Zac had a huge crush on Yvonne and that he better do something soon, so I figured that he needed a little push, so I just helped him a bit."
Now he was smiling widely and looking at Sarah. She looked back at him and said
"What did you do?"
"Oh not much, I just invited her out to dinner and we had a long talk. I found out she feels the same way about him but has never told him and I might have given her a kiss...But..."
Before he could finish, Sarah had placed her finger to his lips and said seductively
"So you just sort of helped it along huh?"
She leaned in and gave him a soulful kiss. He responded and they were in an embrace for a few moments. When they pulled out for air, she said with a smile on her face
"And I forgive you for that kiss..."
Chuck grinned and once again went in for the kill.
The End
A/N Hope you all liked it. It took me long enough! I just couldn't figure out how I wanted it to end. But I think it ended well. Again thanks to all who read and reviewed. Reviews are like gold to the writer. And to those who just read thanks and I hope you enjoyed it.