A/N: Happy Sunday everyone, and welcome to Chapter 7 – Departures.
The last chapter was an emotional roller coaster for both Chuck and Sarah, as the realization of their mutual attraction strengthened, only to be shattered by Sarah's attempted kidnapping and her discovery of Chuck's secret mission. And while a despondent Chuck has exiled himself to London, an equally despondent Sarah Walker is getting some tough love from Emma. Thankfully Guber has been taken out of the game, but does that mean the threat to the Walker family is over? And what about Chuck and Sarah….can they come back from this? Do they even want to try? It's complicated…
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and find a minute or two to follow, favorite, and or review.
Thanks to Nevr for pre/beta reading, and of course, I don't own Chuck or profit financially from writing this completely AU story.
Valkyrie's Invisible Shield
Chapter 7 – Departures
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 13:30 GMT (08:30 EST)
Location: 33 Nine Elms Lane, London UK – U.S. Embassy
Chuck sat quietly, waiting for the Special Investigations team leader to arrive. Yesterday evening had been a blur. It was a complex mix of adrenaline-fueled actions and emotions, and he was still struggling to come to terms with the decisions he had made in the heat of the moment. Decisions that moved him away from Sarah Walker and placed him an ocean away in a small and dingy conference room in the basement of the U.S. Embassy in London.
Yesterday, he had left the hospital in the Taurus and headed to the apartment to pack his things. Within 20 minutes of arriving, Casey had called with his new orders. He was booked on the 11 pm Virgin Atlantic flight to London and instructed to go to the east side heliport and wait for the First Lady's arrival. As soon as she landed, her helicopter would be repositioned at the General Aviation terminal at JFK, awaiting further orders, and Chuck could hop a ride on it. He was there when the First Lady arrived but stood quietly with a group of agents while she was ushered into a waiting Suburban. He then grabbed his bag, jumped in the helo, and, within a few minutes, was at JFK. A Port Authority police car was on the tarmac when he landed and gave him a lift to the departure gate, where Chuck bypassed security and went straight onto the plane. Usually a good sleeper on airplanes, Chuck spent the entire seven-hour flight trying to make himself comfortable as he replayed the rather one-sided conversation with Sarah in his mind. The hole in his chest showed no mercy or sign of abating.
He had been met at the gate at Heathrow by a member of the U.S. Embassy and escorted through passport control like someone carrying diplomatic status, then wordlessly driven to the U.S. Embassy, where he continued to wallow in his thoughts. He was trying desperately to convince himself that the outcome, though bitter, was for the best when his thoughts were interrupted.
"Special Agent Bartowski, welcome to London. I'm Lou Palone, and I lead the Special Investigations Team on this op. Very happy to have you on board."
Palone was petite but well-proportioned with chestnut-colored hair she wore in a tight ponytail and an easy smile. Her posture showed physical confidence and strength, and her eyes showed intelligence. She was very pretty.
"I'm glad to be here and happy to help. And please call me Chuck," Chuck responded with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Ok, Chuck. And please call me Lou. John Casey briefed me on what you did in New York. Very impressive. I am also aware that you were originally recruited into the Treasury for your computer skills and your ability to use those skills to track down counterfeit and illegal money movements. I think those skills will come in handy as the money trail is probably how we will figure out who is behind this scheme." Lou took a seat and pushed a file over to Chuck, who picked it up and started scanning the pages as Lou watched him.
"This is everything we have on the investigation so far, and I'm afraid we have not made much progress. There was some noise in the streets, and your events of last night validate the threat, but nothing more….so far. Having said that, now that the attempt to kidnap Sarah Walker has been thwarted, we might pick up more noise."
The mention of Sarah and the attempted kidnapping struck him surprisingly hard, causing the ache in his chest to spike, but he pushed the feeling down. "Thanks, Lou. I'll go through the file carefully and come back to you with any questions or ideas, but first, I need to get something to eat and figure out where I'm going to bunk while I'm here. My orders were pushed through in a hurry." Chuck looked up from the file. "I also desperately need coffee."
A seasoned investigator, Lou Palone, noticed the minute changes in Chuck's expression. He'd obviously been through a hell of an evening and must have been exhausted, but she was curious about the micro-expression she saw because it wasn't fatigue. She filed the observation in the "solve later" file she kept in her head and invited Chuck to follow her on a quick tour of the facilities, including the coffee room.
"The Embassy has a couple of small guest rooms in the basement, so you can stay here if you like, but my team has a house ten minutes away by car. It's much more comfortable, and we have a spare bedroom you are welcome to use. Your choice, of course, but I think you'll be more comfortable at our place." Lou then changed the topic of discussion again. "We have a daily update at 3:00 pm where we go through everything we have individually turned up. And assuming you want to stay with the team, I'll take you to the house after we finish. No need to decide this minute, but why don't we get you something to eat. I'm partial to sandwiches for lunch, but the Nine Elms Tavern is just a ten-minute walk from here, and I'm sure you could use the fresh air." After a brief walk in the surprisingly sunny London weather, Lou and Chuck settled at a table. A few minutes later, two people joined their table.
"Chuck, I'd like to introduce you to the rest of the team." Chuck stood and was introduced to Annabelle Wu, a diminutive woman of Asian descent, and Michael Tucker, a barrel-chested black man who looked more like a beat cop than a special investigator. The four exchanged pleasantries and kept the conversation suitable for a public place. After lunch, the team would return to the embassy, where they would get Chuck caught up on aspects of the investigation that hadn't made it into the file he'd read earlier.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 13:30 GMT (07:30 EST)
Location: Savoy Hotel – The Strand, London UK – Suite of Daniel Shaw
"Yes," Shaw answered the phone with a single, emotionless word.
"What the fuck happened, Shaw?" Volkoff's heavily accented voice raged through the phone. "You assured me delivery, and if you fucked me, I'll cut off your fingers and feed them to my fucking fish while I make you watch, then I'll have you raped and killed."
"Alexei, what are you going on about. I have not heard anything, and I…." Shaw was abruptly cut off.
"It's not on the news, but a well-placed source told me that there was a failed attempt to kidnap the President's daughter in New York yesterday and that one kidnapper is dead, and the other is in custody. I didn't pay you twenty million for failure." Volkoff's voice was calmer yet carried even more menace.
"Alexei, please. Relax, these things can happen in this business, but contingency plans are always in place. Let me sort out what really happened, and I'll get back to you shortly. There is no need to get…." Again, Shaw was cut off.
"You have seventy-two hours. Seventy-two….after that, the President is out of the way, or my twenty million better be back in my bank account. Seventy-two hours, Shaw." The line went dead.
Shaw replayed the conversation in his mind. Volkoff had said two kidnappers. One was obviously Gruber, but the other? It was probably Heather He had arranged for her to support Gruber, but beyond that, he had yet to learn if Gruber pulled in any additional resources. He pulled out his phone and dialed Gruber's mobile. No answer and no voicemail. He then called Heather Chandler's phone. She picked up on the 4th ring.
"Hello?"
"Heather, did my friend contact you?" Shaw asked.
"He did. Monday, I think it was," Heather responded as the FBI team with her was signaling her to extend the conversation.
"And?" Shaw was getting frustrated.
"And what? That's it. He called me on Monday, gave me a bunch of instructions, and told me to wait for his call. It's been three fucking days, and I haven't heard from him or seen one fucking penny. I need to get paid, so…." Shaw cut off the call.
Heather sounded ok, but something was bugging him about the tone in her voice, and you didn't survive long in his business if you didn't trust your instincts. He thought for a moment and made another call.
Lieutenant Frank Mauser was stationed in the 10th precinct, which covered the west side of Manhattan from 43rd Street down to 14th Street. Mauser's office and patrol area were far from Sarah Walker's place of work or residence, but he was incredibly well-connected within the NYPD. Besides, Shaw had yet to learn where Gruber might have planned to take action. In fact, Shaw didn't even know if Gruber had actually made the attempt on Sarah Walker.
"Mauser," the call was immediately answered in a brusque tone
"I understand President Walker's daughter was almost kidnapped yesterday. What can you tell me?"
"Call you back." Mauser's short answer was followed by the dial tone. Ten minutes later, Shaw's phone rang.
"What do you want to know?" Mauser asked.
"Give me everything you have."
"The attempted kidnapping was made at about 7:00 PM outside 9 West 57th, in mid-town Manhattan. The target was a female mid-twenties and unidentified. Speculation at the scene was that it was Sarah Walker, the President's daughter, given that she works at that location and that the scene was immediately secured by a team of Secret Service people. The cops dispatched from the Mid-Town North precinct were kept away from the scene and told to manage a security perimeter, though local FBI was permitted access. NYPD was only given access after the Secret Service guys cleared out. Apparently, there was a dead male, presumably one of the kidnappers, and the Secret Service took away a female in handcuffs." Mauser paused for a moment before editorializing a little. "There is no media noise on this, but my guess is that something is going to break soon, and the media will be all over it. Do you need me to do anything?"
"No….wait, yes. Get me the name of the female they arrested, and tell me what they sequestered at the scene. Use only this number." Shaw grimaced as he considered the information. It now seemed likely that Heather had been arrested, his call had likely been recorded, and a trace attempted. He was comfortable that his encrypted phone couldn't be accurately tracked, but it still unnerved him. He would need to silence Heather Chandler and ensure no one found incriminating evidence on any of the phones. He also needed to pay attention to the clock, as his seventy-two-hour window would close precipitously fast if he didn't get moving.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 08:30 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – White House Oval Office
"Sir, the Vice President is on the phone for you. You have ten minutes before the Speaker of the House is scheduled to arrive," Margie Bannister announced before transferring the call.
"Ted, Good morning," Jack Walker greeted his Vice President. "How was Chicago?"
"Forget Chicago. I understand someone tried to kidnap Sarah. Is she all right? Is there anything I can do?" Ted Roark asked, sincerity coming across the line.
"Thank you, Ted. Everything is fine, and Sarah is fine. Nothing to worry about," Jack replied coolly.
"Oh, thank God. If you need me in D.C. sooner, I can leave Miami early and be back by this afternoon."
"Thanks, Ted, but there is no need. In fact, I wanted to ask you to attend the Governor's conference in Las Vegas this Saturday. I had planned to be there to speak, but I need to stay in D.C., so I'll have my speech sent to you and let them know you will be my stand-in."
"Of course, Jack, whatever you need, but are you sure I can't be more helpful to you in D.C.," Roark asked again.
"Thanks, Ted. But we are good. Everything is fine. And thanks for covering Vegas. Gotta go. The Speaker is at the door, and you know what a pain in the ass he can be. Thanks again, and travel safely." Jack hung up the phone and started to look at the papers on his desk. He thought it was kind of Ted to call, but something was bugging him about the call. There was no doubt that Ted had learned what happened from his Secret Service detail, so that wasn't unexpected. Then it hit him. It was what Ted Roark didn't ask. He didn't ask any questions about who was responsible. Jack reflected on that for a moment, then let the thought go. Roark was a politically driven choice as a running mate, theoretically bringing voters from states where Jack Walker had less recognition. In truth, Jack couldn't stand Ted Roark and trusted him even less. Roark was slick, blindly ambitious, and cast a lecherous eye toward Emma on more than one occasion. The fact was that Ted Roark was a pig. Perhaps not asking a question any normally concerned person would have asked made him a thoughtless pig, but that is as far as Jack's thoughts went before there was a knock on the door announcing the next meeting.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 08:45 EST
Location: Plaza Hotel – 768 Fifth Avenue, New York – Emma Walker's Suite
Emma was finishing her coffee before heading to the Hospital to pick up Sarah. She had spent several hours with Carina last night and, over a few glasses of wine, got a better picture of what exactly had transpired between her daughter and Special Agent Bartowski. Carina had been hesitant to be fully open for fear of getting Chuck into trouble, but Emma convinced her that she was only interested in helping Sarah and that nothing could challenge the enormous debt she owed to Chuck Bartowski for saving her daughter's life. She recalled the conversation and one thing in particular that Carina had said as their "couples" weekend progressed. It was about the sparkle in Sarah's eyes, something Carina had not seen in a very long time. That and the fact that, according to Carina, Sarah was visibly depressed when Chuck left. Carina had quietly marveled at how Sarah and Chuck looked at each other over the course of the weekend, and in her opinion, Sarah was a goner, even if she wasn't fully aware of it herself. Emma thought about Carina's insightful comments and thanked the heavens that Sarah had such a good and caring friend.
At precisely 9:00 am, there was a knock on the door. It was Gertrude Verbanski letting the First Lady know the motorcade to the hospital was ready. Emma finished her coffee, grabbed her coat and purse, and walked out the door.
"Athena is on the move," Verbanski spoke into her communicator as the First Lady's detail formed a protective circle around her and escorted her to an already waiting elevator. Moments later, the doors on the Suburban closed, and the motorcade sped towards New York Presbyterian, where Sarah Walker had been given a medical release and was now waiting to be picked up.
-O-
"Ms. Walker, your wheelchair," announced the senior nurse as she walked into Sarah's room.
"Thank you, but that will not be necessary," Sarah responded casually.
"Ma'am, it's hospital policy, and with you being a lawyer and all, you know this is what we need to do, so please." The nurse smiled pleasantly.
Sarah looked carefully at the nurse, a stout woman in her late forties or maybe early fifties, with eyes that suggested the woman had seen it all. Sarah smiled back pleasantly. "Of course. You're right. I didn't mean to sound dismissive." She then walked over and sat down just as Emma Walker, flanked by Gertrude Verbanski, entered the room.
"Good morning, Sarah. How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Emma bent down to give Sarah a hug.
"I'm fine, Mom. Thanks. I managed to get a little bit of sleep, but other than feeling a bit tired and the bruise on my chin, I feel perfectly normal." Sarah's eyes were downcast as she replied.
Emma smiled affectionately at her beautiful daughter as she recognized what was happening. "I'm glad you feel better, sweetheart. Now, let's get you out of here and back home so you can rest." Emma stood and started to walk toward the door, with Verbanski speaking into her communicator and the nurse pushing Sarah along in the wheelchair. As they exited, Sarah saw Morgan Grimes standing at his post, but neither made eye contact. Sarah wasn't sure what to say to Morgan, and Carina had told Morgan to give Sarah some space. As they moved into the hall, the security team, including Morgan, formed a perimeter around the women as they transitioned from Sarah's room to the waiting motorcade. When they reached the vehicles, Sarah's doctor and the nurses who had tended to her were standing there to wish her well and say goodbye. After a brief round of thanks and hugs, Sarah boarded one of the Suburbans and left the hospital grounds. Moments later, the motorcade turned south on York Avenue, surprising Sarah.
"I thought we were going home," Sarah said to Emma.
"We are, sweetie. Your home is the White House, and that is where you will take a few days to recover. Dad spoke with Douglass yesterday and explained the situation. He will have all your work forwarded to you in D.C., and as soon as you feel up to it, you can get back to work, but I'm afraid that until we sort out the threat that is out there, you will need to stay in D.C. Once things get back to normal, you can come back to New York, but we will insist you have a detail to protect you." Emma watched Sarah closely as her chin dropped at the mention of the security detail. Emma would get to the bottom of things, but not in the SUV. Once they were safely in the White House, she wouldget in a room with her daughter, lock the door, and not let Sarah out until they had settled a few things. As the motorcade pulled up to the east side heliport, Sarah saw Carina waiting with two bags.
"Carina is a good friend to you, Sarah. She has packed a bag for you, and she's coming with us for a few days before heading to her parent's place in Maine for Christmas. They exited the black Suburban and made their way to the Sikorski Sea King helicopter that would be designated as "Marine One," when the President was on board. The three women and the key members of Verbanski's team boarded the helo as their luggage was loaded, and within a few minutes, the turbines had fully spooled up, spinning the rotor to take-off speed. After clearance from the New York ATC and a thumbs-up signal from the ground crew, the Sea King gently lifted off the ground and executed a pirouette of 180 degrees while holding a steady hover. Once the helicopter was pointed in the required direction, the pilot pulled up further on the collective and pushed the cyclic forward, accelerating the bird along the East River in a southerly direction, gaining speed and altitude. Sarah looked out the window, but there was little joy in seeing the New York skyline in the window today. She closed her eyes, knowing they would land on the White House lawn in less than two hours.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 10:00 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – White House – John Casey's Office
"Casey."
"Special Agent Casey, this is Agent Ratner with the FBI's technology task force in New York. A short while ago, a call came through on the mobile phone of the deceased assailant. We did not answer, but we did pick up the calling phone's identification number. The ID number tells us the phone is capable of encrypted communications, but only with another encrypted phone. So while the exact location of the phone is untraceable, unless they are talking to another encrypted phone, we can listen in and record the conversation." Ratner paused to catch his breath. "Less than a minute later, Heather Chandler's burner phone rang, and we had her answer. We have a tape of the conversation and have tracked that call as well. Both calls originated from the same phone and were made from London, England, but we do not have a more precise location. The good news is that while we can't track the U.K. phone's exact location, now that we know the I.D. number, we can specifically look for any other calls that phone makes or receives."
"Excellent," Casey responded, expecting that to be the end of the conversation, but Ratner interrupted him.
"That's not all, Sir. Once we knew what to look for, we picked up another call from the same phone. This one went to the switchboard at the 10th precinct in N.Y. It was a very short call, but ten minutes later, a call was placed from a burner phone to the number in London. The call lasted less than two minutes, but while we don't know who owns the burner in N.Y., we know the number and can track its location if it is used again. One more thing. We found a metro card in the deceased's wallet, and over the last three days, the two common stops are two separate stations near the location of the attempted abduction, and the other is at the 116th Street station on the Lexington Avenue line. The timing of access suggests that he was staying in the area. We passed the information to the New York investigative team, and they are canvassing and looking at surveillance videos."
"Good. It's possible he may have had a safe house in the area, but it's more likely he camped out at a flea-bag, pay-by-the-hour hotel where nobody asks questions. But we should also check Airbnb. I have no idea what name he might have used to book but start with the Van Zandt identity he used to enter and fly across the U.S. and cross reference that with anyone who checked in on the 13th. And Ratner, good work. Thank you. Please send everything to me here, and I'll get it to the team in London." Casey closed the call and then checked his watch. It was 3:00 pm in London. He dialed a number and waited.
Chuck and Lou's team had returned from lunch and led Chuck to a different meeting room that had been appropriated for the investigation. The room's whiteboard had many notes in dry-erase pen and was partially covered by a multitude of Post-it notes. The team was about to start getting Chuck up to speed when Lou's phone rang.
"Palone."
"Casey. I have some intel for you."
"Just a moment, Sir. I have the team here, including Bartowski, so let me put this on speaker." Lou put the call on speaker and placed the phone in the center of the table. "Go ahead, Sir."
Casey spent the next few minutes providing the team with everything he learned from the FBI and promised to send the full details as soon as he received them. Casey was finishing his comments when Chuck spoke up.
"Casey, Chuck here. I have an idea."
"I'm listening, Bartowski."
"Does the 10th precinct have cameras in their main spaces?"
"I don't know, why?" Case inquired.
"Well, cops work regular shifts, and we know this person received a call through the switchboard at 8:30 am local time, and 10 minutes later, a call from near the precinct originated from a burner to the London number," Chuck continued.
"Ok, Chuck, I'm with you," Casey answered.
"So, if they have cameras, let's call the burner phone at 8:30 tomorrow morning, and assuming the guy is in the precinct and hasn't already dumped the phone, we might be able to see who answers. I know it's thin, Sir, but so is everything else we have." Chuck waited and struggled to subdue a yawn. The jet lag was hitting him.
Across the table, Lou Palone gave Bartowski an appraising look. 'Smart, good-looking, and already a hero. I wonder if he's attached?" Lou thought to herself and smiled at Chuck.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 11:50 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – White House Residence
The flight from New York to D.C. had been smooth, as was the landing. On arrival, Jack Walker had come out to greet his daughter with a hug and a kiss.
"Hey, princess. I'm so glad you are home safe and sound. I'm really sorry we were less than honest with you, and I hope to make up for that, but I am so thankful that we had those men there for you."
"Thanks, Dad. I know you did it for the right reasons, and I should have been a little more open minded to the potential risks. I'm sorry I gave you and Mom a scare, but I'm ok. I promise." Sarah smiled a little weakly at her father.
Jack kissed Sarah's forehead again before stepping back a little. "I heard Bartowski was the guy who stopped the kidnapping. I want to say thank you. Can you introduce me?" Jack looked at the members of the Secret Service as they positioned themselves on the lawn.
Sarah took her father's hand and led him to Morgan Grimes. "Dad, this is Special Agent Grimes. He was part of the detail that covered me in New York."
"Special Agent Grimes, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for watching over my daughter and keeping her safe." Jack extended his hand to Morgan. "And where is Chuck Bartowski?"
"It is my privilege to serve, Sir," Morgan replied. "As for my partner, Special Agent Bartowski, Sir, He has been reassigned, Sir."
"Reassigned, eh?" Jack smiled as he leaned in, patting Morgan on the shoulder and whispering. "We'll see about that, my friend." Then Jack stepped back, took Sarah's hand, and, together with Emma and Carina, led them into the White House. As they entered, Carina looked back and gave Morgan a wink. Of course, Jack Walker had spoken with Emma and separately with Casey and was perfectly aware of where Special Agent Bartowski was and the likely reason, but a good politician only shows his cards once he has to.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 18:30 GMT
Location: Savoy Hotel – The Strand, London UK – Suite of Daniel Shaw
Shaw's phone rang. It was Mauser. After making a few calls, he got a tentative I.D. on the woman being questioned by the FBI about the attempted kidnapping. The conversation had been short, but once Mauser had conveyed the information, Shaw cursed out loud. He waited for a beat, then gave Mauser some instructions.
"Heather Chandler is a loose end I don't want hanging around. I need you to take care of it ASAP, and I'll double your usual fee if you can get it done within twenty-four hours. I also need to have all the electronic devices destroyed or wiped clean. Don't care how you do it." One hundred–thousand, tax-free, was an outstanding payday for Frank Mauser, so he promptly agreed and cut the call.
Mauser's phone was a burner but not encrypted, and given that his number was now known, his call was intercepted in real time and recorded. Agent Ratner called John Casey immediately and shared the recording. If they played this right, they would catch the dirty cop in the act and turn him.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 19:00 GMT (14:00 EST)
Location: 29 Landsdowne Gardens, London UK – London - Palone team temporary residence
By 7:00 pm, Chuck was exhausted. Tomorrow, they would meet with MI-6, and he needed to sleep and clear his head. The team drove to their temporary residence in two embassy vehicles that had been seconded to them. The semi-detached home was in an upscale neighborhood and just a ten-minute ride from the embassy. The house was adequately appointed with four separate bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a guest washroom near the entrance. Lou gave Chuck a quick tour, then led him to his bedroom. The room was small but clean, and the double bed seemed comfortable, though for a man of Chuck's height, perhaps a little on the short side. She then showed Chuck the nearest bathroom, which was next to Lou's room.
"Chuck, just make sure you knock because none of the bathroom locks work. Also, while we have a kitchen and it's reasonably well stocked, we usually order for delivery as no one wants to cook or clean."
With the tour over, Chuck decided he was too tired to eat. He thanked Lou for the warm reception and tour, then went straight to bed.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 14:00 EST
Location: Intercontinental Hotel – 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL.
Ted Roark wasn't expecting to hear any news related to his plan so soon, and he certainly wasn't expecting the news to be bad. The attempted kidnapping of Walker's daughter to force his immediate resignation had gone pear-shaped, and the specialist hired for the job, ostensibly the best in the world, was on a steel slab with his spinal column severed between the C-4 and C-5 vertebra of the cervical spine. Moreover, they captured his phone and a live accomplice. Whether any information found on their persons or their phones could be traced back to him was less of a concern, as he had Volkoff hire someone, who in turn hired someone, making it almost impossible to track this back to him. Still, he was furious that things didn't go smoothly and that Jack Walker kept him hop-scotching across the country, eating rubber chicken, and raising money to re-elect Jack Walker in 2024. He had already squeezed Alexei Volkoff earlier in the day, but perhaps he needed to take a more direct approach. He would give it twenty-four hours to think it through before launching his backup plan.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 16 December 2021
Time: 15:00 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – White House Residence
The President joined Emma, Sarah, and Carina for a late lunch before he was called away, leaving the three women alone.
"Sarah, why don't you and Carina go up to the library? I'll order some tea and cookies to be sent up, and we can talk." Emma smiled at Sarah, then gave Carina a discrete wink. As the two younger women excused themselves to head up to the private library in the residence, Emma spoke to a member of the wait staff, ordering some cake, cookies, tea, and coffee to be brought up. She then took a deep breath and made her way up the stairs.
Sarah and Carina were sitting on an overstuffed couch, their feet pulled under them, but neither was talking. Emma closed the door and took a seat across from the sofa.
"So, Sarah. Have you thought about what you really want?" Emma spoke gently with a loving smile.
No one spoke for a moment, and then Sarah said the wrong thing. "Mom, it's complicated…."
Emma waited a moment to allow Sarah to carry through with her thoughts, but all she did was exhale and slump back into the couch.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, did you say 'cop-out?' because that is what I heard."
"Damn it, Mom. It's not a cop-out. It's just that well….I don't know. It's just complicated." Sarah pushed back.
Emma smiled. "I see, so you only want simple, uncomplicated….easy. You think those are the things that will give meaning to your life?"
"Well, yes, Mom. I have enough complexity in my work. I want easy, simple and uncomplicated."
"Hmmm, so like that useless jerk you were with for almost a year….simple, uncomplicated, easy. He must have given so much joy. Made life worth living."
"Mom! That's not fair. If that is what I want, who are you to tell me otherwise?" Sara's posture was stiff and her jaw hardened.
"Who am? I'm no one of consequence, obviously." Emma paused then sharpened her tone. "Sarah, you can do whatever you want….date whoever you want. But taking the 'easy' route is a cop out, and you know it. Was graduating at the top of your class at Yale Law easy? Was being captain of the basketball team? Was being the number one associate on a fast track to partner at your law firm easy? Those are the things you valued. The things that had real meaning to you. The things that put a smile on your face. Now go ahead and tell me I'm wrong."
Sarah reflected on her mother's words for an instant. "You're not wrong, mom, but this is different this is someone else, another person. So what I want, particularly after how I reacted, probably doesn't matter."
"Sarah, sweetheart. What are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of anything, Mom!"
This was obviously one of those times when the complex Sarah Walker needed to be challenged aggressively and Emma didn't hesitate. "Bullshit, Sarah! And you know it is! This is the only life you get, and yesterday it was almost cut short. I asked you what you wanted, really wanted. I didn't say you would get what you wanted. So stop being dishonest with me, and more importantly with yourself and spit it out, damn it!"
Carina was wide-eyed. She had never seen this side of Emma Walker. She looked over at Sarah, whose eyes hardened briefly before softening again. Sarah then lowered her chin as her eyes became glassy.
"I want to take it back. So much back." Sarah's voice was barely above a whisper as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Emma knew her point had landed hard, so she softened her tone. "Sorry, sweetheart, but you can't go back. All you can do is go forward. What do you really want, Sarah? Forget everything else. What would you put at the top of the list of what you really want, and be honest with yourself?"
"What do you want from me, Mom? You want me to tell you I felt something special for Chuck? Ok, you win. I didn't just like him, I….I absorbed him. He filled me, and when he left, I felt completely empty inside...like a part of me was suddenly missing. The thought of seeing him at Christmas filled me with a warmth and excitement I've never felt before. I thought about what a future with him might look like. What MY future with him might look like." Sarah's floodgates opened, and it all came out, shocking Carina as Emma leaned back in her chair and listened to her daughter lay her feelings bare.
"And then….and then he saves me. I wake up, and he is holding my hand, and I feel his warmth all over me. I get lost in his eyes, and my stupid Yale Law-educated brain starts to connect the dots and suddenly feel like I have fallen in love with a con man who was just doing his job. A con man who totally played me."
Carina's jaw was on the floor while Emma just raised her hand, signaling Sarah to stop.
"Say that again, Sarah," Emma asked tenderly.
"A con man who played me?" Sarah looked at her mother, confused.
"No, baby, the other part." Emma grinned as Sarah's eyes brightened the moment the realization finally hit her.
"I've fallen in love with him….?" Sarah looked away as she replayed the words in her mind. "Oh my, God….I've fallen in love with him!" Sarah clutched her hands to her chest as her expression shifted from shock to desperation. "Oh no….what the hell did I do? I sent him away….no, I kicked him away. Jesus….I ripped his head off for picking me up at the airport, practically assaulted him for trying to get my bag out of the trunk, and after he saved my life, I screamed at him to get out….he was in an impossible situation and I never gave him a chance to explain. What the hell is wrong with me?" Sarah sat there completely dumbfounded by what she had just summarized, while her mother just walked over and gave her a hug.
"I knew you would get there, sweetheart. I'm sorry I had to push you a little. And there is nothing wrong with you, Sarah. Quite the opposite. You are an amazing woman, who just got a slightly jarring wake-up call to not miss out on the rest of her life." Emma squeezed next to Sarah on the couch, gently stroking her hair.
The three women were sitting quietly, absorbing the significance of Sarah's emotional discovery, when there was a knock at the door.
"Carina, that'll be the coffee service. Would you be a dear and bring it in, please?" Emma pointed toward the door as Carina jumped up. Once the staff was thanked and the cart rolled into the library, Emma poured Sarah and Carina cups of tea while helping herself to coffee and a giant oatmeal raisin cookie. She took a sip of her coffee and then a bite of her cookie before looking at Sarah affectionately. "Sarah, dear, now that the hard part is done and you understand that you love him, what are you going to do about it?"