Don't own Chuck

That evening in Acapulco the four of them Alex and Morgan with Kat and Casey started out walking towards the restaurant that Alex and Kat picked out earlier. They started from their hotel in Playa Icacos then walked around the bay into town. Already the sun was setting out on the bay and the last rays of light were dancing on the ripples of the waves that lapped up on the shoreline.

"Oh Morgan isn't this romantic," said Alex as she hung on Morgan's arm. "Aren't you happy to be here with me?"

"Yes of course," said Morgan as Alex put her head on his shoulder. She looked up and saw his eyes had welled up with tears which she took as tears of happiness and joy. However, what they were they were tears of pain from his sunburn. Her hanging on his arm and plopping her head on his shoulder sent wave after wave of pain.

"Thank you Morgan for this," she whispered in his ear as she leaned into him. They heard Casey clearing his throat behind them. "Yes Dad, we know you're behind us. By the way you look rather dapper in your suit and so do you Morgan."

"See that Casey we look dapper," said Morgan as he sucked up the pain. John just grunted back. "So what can you tell us about this restaurant? I've never been to a buffet where you have to dress up in formal attire."

"And you still won't because there is no buffet," said Alex. "We're almost there," she said as she pointed to a barge restaurant tied up to a pier. Standing on the pier was a man in a tux checking names off in an appointment book.

"This looks like it's going to cost more than ten dollars," said Morgan without realizing he was talking out loud.

"Morgan," said Alex as she broke free. "Don't ruin this please. Do I have to remind you why we're here because you ignored me earlier?"

"I think you just did but okay I'm sorry you're right. We owe you guys this," said Morgan. "Isn't that right John?"

"That's right the Troll and I talked this over and this evening is all about you guys. We want you to know that whatever you want we're game," said John as he slapped Morgan on the back then he held Morgan back as the women went to talk with the maître d' about their appointment.

"Come here Troll… let's do this if I shove you off the brow as we walk onboard you'll fall in the drink then we can get out of this and we can go back to the hotel where we can get room service."

"No John… no you already roasted me now you want to drown me," said Morgan. Casey saw they were within earshot of the girls and he had to get Morgan to shut up in a hurry so he wrapped his arm around him and covered his mouth.

"Close your trap if you know what's good for you," said John. "We're coming move along Troll and keep quiet."

"What's holding you two up? Come along and you might find you even like it. They have a Mariachi band that goes from table to table serenading."

"Watch your step Grimes," said Casey. "You need to be careful it would be a shame if you slipped and fell in the bay."

"Yeah, really wouldn't it Casey," said Morgan as he put Alex between him and Casey. "I think I can make it without incident as long as you're next to me."

"Oh Morgan that's so sweet of you to say," said Alex as she kissed him. Casey started to move in but Kat pulled him back.

"John, leave the kids alone," said Kat as she pulled him along to the table. Casey looked back at Morgan and gave him a 'I'm watching you' sign. "John, let them be and come sit down."

As they sat down the Mariachi came to their table and began playing. John was annoyed as he tried to keep an eye on Alex and Morgan and they played in front of them blocking his vision. He started to get up to look over the top but Kat pulled him back down.

"John, I told leave the kids alone. You know if I didn't know you were just overly protective of Alex I'd be angry at you for ignoring me."

"Who me? I don't ignore you I'm right here," said Casey as he looked around the Mariachi to see Morgan and Alex finally walk over.

"Oh no, well John then what are you doing right now," she said as Morgan and Alex sat down at the table. The waiter came over and handed them menus.

"I'll give you a chance to look over the menu then I'll be back," said the waiter. "Maybe you're like to start out with an aperitif?"

"Yeah, I'll have a Corona," said Casey. Alex and Kat ordered a bottle of wine then the waiter turned to Morgan. He looked at the prices written in the menu suddenly he had a hard time putting two words together

"These prices… these prices are they in pesos," said Morgan as he pointed at the menu. "I think I'll have a glass of ice." The waiter looked at him. "Do you understand English? I said a glass of ice." The waiter walked away but he kept glancing back at Morgan until he disappeared. As soon as he did Morgan pulled out a grape soda and popped the tab.

"Oh Morgan, what are you doing? You can't bring that here," said Alex. "Put that away here comes the waiter."

The waiter came back placed their drinks in front of them then placed Morgan's glass of ice in front of him. Then he turned and left shaking his head.

"Troll, what happened to WWCD?" said Casey. The women gave him a puzzled look. "What would Chuck do?"

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What would Chuck do is he and Sarah got everyone onboard their Learjet then took off heading up across the border with Canada heading east. Once they got at cruising altitude Chuck walked in in back to check on everyone. Sam and Molly were playing cards while Emma sat next to Bunny who was asleep in her car seat.

"How is everyone back here," asked Chuck. "We're at our cruising altitude of 35,000 feet and traveling at 400 knots. I was wondering if anyone wants to come up to the cockpit and see how you fly a plane?" There was a round of me's from both girls.

"Shush," said Emma. "Bunny's asleep don't wake her up. If you go up front don't get in the way and listen to Chuck and Sarah."

"I'm sorry," said Chuck. "I should've realized the way the girls would react. Okay let's go and afterwards I think you'll find ice cream in the galley." Chuck gathered the girls together. "Emma is there anything I can get for you?"

"No thank you I'm fine back here," said Emma as she yawned. "Oh I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from."

"Let me take the girls up forward then I'll come back and watch Bunny so you can get some rest. Don't tell me you don't need me to, because I'm going to do it."

"Thanks Chuck," said Emma. She turned to look out the window and before long Chuck was back sitting next to her.

"I'm back. I left the girls with Sarah she's showing them the controls. Molly and Sam are sitting in the co-pilot's seat. You should see them they look cute up there."

"Thank you Chuck for giving Sarah all this," said Emma as she reached over and took his hand. "I've always worried about her growing up with my mother and Jack."

"I want to give her this and more because she deserves it. I love her and I'll say it again because it felt good to say I love her."

"I know you do, Chuck," said Emma as she yawned again. "Oh I more tired than I thought I was. Well if you're here I'll rest my eyes for a little while," said Emma. It wasn't long before she dropped off and was sound asleep. Chuck got up pulled down a blanket from an overhead bin and put it on her. As he sat down he looked over at Bunny who was awake watching his every move.

"Shush your nana Emma is asleep," said Chuck. Bunny held out her hands so he picked her up and held her. She nestled up in his arms making him feel warm inside.

"Your nana Emma was thanking me for what I gave you mother but from where I'm looking she's given as much if not more back to me. You being one of them." Bunny reached up and caressed his face. "I'm glad we decided to go on this trip together. It's going to do us all good. Yes, it will," said Chuck as Bunny started goggling and laughing.

"Oh did I doze off," said Emma as she yawned and stretched. "Oh Bunny's awake. I'll take her if you want?"

"No I've got this. If you want to do something you can check on Sam and Molly they've been in the cockpit for a while. I would've gone and checked on them but I had my hands filled."

"Sure no problem I need to get up and stretch my legs anyway," said Emma. She got up and started walking forward while Chuck stayed in his seat playing with Bunny.

"How's my baby girl," said Chuck as he held Bunny up to him. She giggled then slapped him up across the cheek. The little hand made a loud whack when she hit him. The sound of the whack made her laugh so she whacked him again and laughed even louder. Chuck put her back in her car seat before she whacked him again.

"You're just like your sister," said Chuck as he laughed. Sarah walked back with Molly and Sam both had ice cream in their hands.

"She's like who," said Sam as she and Molly came walking back into the cabin eating ice cream. Before he could say anything Bunny whacked him again in the face then giggled.

"Way to go sis."

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In Langley things seemed to be at a standstill making the General even more anxious to find something. The Major was pressing the IT department trying get them to glean intel from the tablet he obtained at the police station. But surprisingly they had a number of protocols and firewalls in place making it difficult for them to get in. However, resolution and persistence finally paid off.

"This is the intel you wanted," said Dr. Fitzroy. "I thought I'd hand carry this up to you. But excuse me for asking why didn't you call Chuck in on this?"

"This is the way the General wanted to play this and Stanley the General doesn't want Chuck told so you need to keep this under your hat. That means you can't tell anyone not even Ginger."

"I get that but I still think it's a mistake cutting him out of the loop. However, you guys are operational no me."

"Stanley, don't push your luck with the General," said the Major as he took the folder and began to read through it. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, absolutely we were able to connect the dots that the police couldn't. If you need any further clarification you can find me in the labs," said Stanley. With that he left leaving the Major reading the report. The Major took it underarm then headed for the General's office.

"Is the General in," asked the Major as he walked into the General's office talking to her secretary, Connie. "I need to speak to her."

"She's in and I hope for your sake you've got good news, because I can tell you she's not in a very good mood. If you don't I hope you brought a flak jacket."

"I don't know if this is going to change her mood but I need to talk to her all the same. She needs to read this," he said as he waved to folder in his hand. He walked up to the General's door knocked then went inside.

"I hope you've got good news because if you don't you might as well leave. I need some right now because this investigation is quickly going nowhere."

"Well, I might have something," said the Major as he put the folder in front of her. "This is what our computer people got off that tablet I brought in from the police station…"

"You mean the one you stole," said the General looking over her glasses. She was still upset at him for breaking away when they visited the Crystal palace and for running a rogue op on his own. He felt like telling her he'd gladly mail the tablet back now that they didn't need it anymore. "So what am I looking at?"

"Fitzroy was able to take Detective Derrick's notes then he compared them to other reported break-ins and found a pattern. If you read here," he said as he flipped through the pages for her then pointed out the line. "It seems that these types of robberies occurred whenever the Grimaldi circus was in town. It could just be coincidence…"

"I don't believe in coincidence. With the evidence we found on scene and the crime lab report I think we've got enough to haul in their trapeze artists and see them swing in a cell."

"But they would be the obvious," said Roan sitting across the desk from her. "I knew this lady once who worked in a circus… Ah yes, her name was Lydia… Lydia the tattooed lady," he said smiling.

"Roan is there some point to your interruption," said Diane as she raised her eyebrow at him. "If it's pertinent speak up but if it's a trip down memory lane you can keep it to yourself." Beckman wasn't in the mood to hear about Roan's conquests even if it was for the agency.

"Sorry Diane but the point is even she had a little experience walking the tight rope. These circus people usually go back generations and have switched between acts or were raised in a family that did one thing but their children switched to do another. What I'm saying is you can't just go after the obvious culprits and risk tipping off the real criminals that you're after them."

"Agent Montgomery does have a good point," said the Major as he looked over the report with the General. "There are a number of people that could've pulled off this heist."

"Or all of them," said the General. "Remember there was enough to pass as the cleaning crew in that one building so we're talking about more than one perp here. But Roan is right we need to bring them all in and sweat them. Major, I want them brought here for interrogation."

"That won't be that easy. Shortly after the break-in at the Crystal palace the Circus picked up their tents then left for France to begin a European tour."

"Major, I need for to you to find out if this decision to begin a European tour was a spur of the moment decision or if it's been in the making for a while. If the former is true it could mean they're running but if the later is true, then they are going to Europe to make the drop."

"I'll get right onto it. From what I understand they left their animals here so I can send some men to talk to their handlers…"

"Just make sure they know to be discreet. Even if they aren't in on this they might call their friends telling them that there are people asking about them, just make it happen."

The Major turned and left the General's office. Roan got up then came over took the report then started reading it.

"You're welcome Roan," said Diane as she looked up at him from her chair. "If you didn't realize it I was reading that, but since you're looking at what do you think?"

"I don't think we can wait around for the Major to get back to us. Someone needs to go to France and track down this traveling troupe and arrange for a bag and tag."

"Roan, we can't grab the whole circus but if you can isolate the guilty parties maybe we can do something else. If we can recover the device they used to steal our data, then substitute it with a copy that we place a tracker inside we can grab the whole cell."

"Well Diane, if you still don't want to bring Charles in on this then I don't see any way to do this without me going and doing it."

"Roan, I want you to be careful when you're over there. They haven't hurt anyone yet but even a rabbit will attack if it's cornered and thinks it's got nothing to lose… what I'm telling you is come back safe."

"Don't worry Diane I'll be back before you can miss me," said Roan. He laid the report back on her desk then caressed her check with his hand. "This is who we are," he said then he kissed her forehead. "I've got to run home and grab a toothbrush before I head out to Dulles."

"Report in when you get into country," she said as she watched him leave her office. She waited until she was sure he was gone then she turned to Connie. "Get me Colonel Casey on the phone right away. I've got a mission for him."

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Casey was shaking his head as he watched Morgan take out his grape soda and poured it in the glass of ice the waiter had brought him. Alex protested but Morgan had already done it so for all practical purposes the deed had already been done.

"Morgan, you can't bring your own drink to a restaurant. They serve drinks and please don't tell me you brought yourself a sandwich in case you didn't like what they had on the menu."

"Who me? No, I wouldn't do that," said Morgan as he quickly took his hand out of jacket pocket. "This was the only way I was guaranteed they'd have what I wanted to drink. Where's the buffet table? That walk over here made me hungry."

"You're always hungry. Idiot don't you remember they told you there was no buffet," said Casey as he sipped on his Corona. "Don't look now but the waiter is coming back. Does everyone know what they want?"

"Are you ready to order now?" asked the waiter. He looked over at Morgan and shook his head. "What would you like to start with? Maybe you'd like to start with a Gazpacho?"

"That sounds good to me," said Alex then she turned to Kat. "Mom how about you? Would you like to start with a Gazpacho?

"Okay, it sounds good to me," she said. Morgan and Casey both nodded so they all ordered the same starter.

"Okay so I've got Gazpacho for four now for the main course. What would you like? The Fajitas and the Enchiladas are good but most Americans order the Tacos and Burritos but the more adventurous try the Tamales."

"I'll have a Fajita, but I want it mild please," said Alex. Everyone ordered except Morgan who was taking his time looking over the menu again. "Morgan, the waiter is waiting for you."

"Yeah make a decision Grimes. It's only food not which wire to cut on a thermal nuclear device even if you got that one wrong too."

"You wouldn't happen to have any spring or egg rolls in the back would you?" said Morgan. He looked up from the menu only to see the look Alex was giving him. "Just joking," said Morgan but he really wasn't. "I'll have a tamale with Spanish rice, muchas gracias señor."

"De nada señor," said the waiter as he wrote down Morgan's order then took the menus away as he went to place their orders in the kitchen.

"Morgan, I didn't know you spoke Spanish," said Kat. "Did your mother teach you when you were a child?"

"You've just heard my full vocabulary of words I know in Spanish… well I know a few curse words. Mainly the ones my mother used to call me…"

"Something like El stupido," said Casey as he signaled the waiter to bring him another beer. The waiter nodded that he understood.

"Dad that's not nice," said Alex. "Morgan had a hard childhood and you shouldn't make fun of it. I know a little of what Morgan went through."

"Anyway John, it's Estúpido and yes that's one of the word my mother used to call me," said Morgan as he made a sad face at Alex.

"Oh, lean over here," she said then she kissed him. "I hope that makes you feel better."

"It's a good start," said Morgan. Casey broke his glass in his hand. Beer and glass went everywhere but miraculously he didn't get cut.

"Excuse me, I need to get cleaned up I'll be right back. Grimes, can you come with me for a moment I might need your help."

"I don't know if I can…" but before he could say anything else Casey grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out of his chair. "I'll be right back," he got out before John dragged him away.

"John, dude, are you all right? That glass broke in your hand and you're not cut. Wow that's pretty amazing. Now if you don't mind I need to get back to the table."

"But I do mind. Stop with the pity party or the next pity party will be for your next of kin," said Casey but as he was talking his phone rang. He took it out and it was the General. "Go back to the table and behave I've got to take this."