Happy Thursday from Frankfurt….and welcome to Chapter 25 – Settlement. I hope you enjoy it.
Last chapter, Ted Roark finally met his demise at the hands of the very person he hired to go after President Walker. Roark's unexpected execution led to a high speed car chase through the streets of Washington, as Hugo Panzer made a run for it. Panzer's plans were foiled when Gertrude Verbanski cut him off, resulting in a gun fight. Unbeknownst to Chuck, It was Sarah that saved Gertrude from Panzer, and it was Chuck who in turn saved Sarah from Panzer after her attack.
The puppet master is no longer, but there are still questions to be answered. What about Volkoff? What about Langston Graham? What about Bryce Larkin? There is a lot to unpack for the American people, so Jack Walker needs to make some decisions on what could be the defining moment of his presidency. And what about Sarah and Chuck….where does all this leave them? Read on and find out.
A huge thank you to klipdoctor and CliffM for their exceptional help in converting my drivel into something readable. Thanks Gents!
Finally, and as usual, I don't own Chuck or profit in any way from writing this completely AU story.
Valkyrie and Her Invisible Shield
Chapter 25 - Settlement
Date: Sunday, 9 January, 2022
Time: 22:30 EST
Location: Washington D.C. - White House, Oval Office
As the crime scenes at the Naval Observatory and at the edge of Georgetown became overrun with hordes of men and women in colored windbreakers emblazoned with various letters, Jack and Sarah were separately whisked back to the White House. For Casey and Chuck, however, it had taken several hours to get things settled at the two locations. Once statements were taken and interviews completed, both men released their respective scenes to the supervising FBI agents and made their way to the White House to debrief.
Jack had locked himself in the Oval Office to wait for Casey and Chuck. He told himself it was for the de-briefing they needed to have, but a part of him wanted to avoid Emma until he had some back up. He was nursing a fresh glass of Bourbon poured directly from a sealed bottle as Chuck and Casey entered the Oval Office. "Sit down, boys. Drink?"
"Thank you, Sir, but not on duty," Casey responded for himself and Chuck as they sat on the couch opposite the President; a somewhat uncomfortable quiet filled the space as the men considered the evening's events.
Unsure what to do, Chuck spoke out, breaching protocol. "Jack, I wanted to kill that bastard with my bare hands, and I feel cheated. My only consolation is he got his, and the woman I love and her family are safe now. In the end, it's really a good trade and one that I can live with. Are you okay with that, Jack?"
Jack looked at the younger man and gave a small smile. "You're right, son. It's a very good trade and one I can live with, too. I can also live with knowing that my daughter picked a pretty good man to love."
"Thanks, Jack." Chuck smiled.
Casey asked. "Now, Mr. President, what do you want to do about this mess with Roark? I'm thinking cardiac arrest. He has no family, and given that the middle of his chest has two massive holes in it, cardiac arrest isn't inaccurate."
"Or we could go with lead poisoning….?" Chuck's comedic timing cut through the stress in the room, and all three men suddenly broke out in a hearty laugh.
As their laughs subsided, Jack spoke. "How about we go with the truth. Roark made his protective detail stand down so he could secretly meet with an assassin he hired to kill me and my family. There was some kind of a disagreement, and Roark was killed. We have evidence of him attempting to assassinate me, and the breadcrumbs Chuck here has been leaving for the DoJ will make everything transparent. This way, we have no cover-up and no risk of something coming back to bite us in the ass later."
"One thing bugs me, though…." Chuck let his words hand in the air.
"What is it, Chuck?" Jack asked.
"Well, I can't figure out why Panzer would risk coming back here to do this. Verbanski's team almost had him near the cemetery, and he knew it, so he left town. We managed to track him to the greater Baltimore area, but he knew or suspected we tracked him electronically, so he goes dark. Only a few hours later, he comes here to kill Roark. The disagreement scenario makes no sense. Neither Panzer nor Roark would ever want to meet face to face, especially with all the visibility and security here. He was sent here. It could have been by Volkoff, but Volkoff needed Roark to make the Oil and Gas play work, so there's someone else we need to identify because that person, whoever he or she is, just had the Vice President assassinated."
Casey nodded in agreement. "I agree, although we still need to get Volkoff. The good news is that we know where he is and can get to him, thanks to you, Chuck."
Casey's phone rang unexpectedly, given the hour. "Excuse me, Sir. It's DNI Beckman." Casey stood and took a few steps away.
"Casey."
"Casey, Beckman. What the hell happened? I'm getting wildly different stories from the two crime scenes and multiple investigating agencies." Diane Beckman's tone was all business.
"Just a moment, General." Casey looked to Jack Walker, who nodded affirmatively. Casey then went on to explain their intended raid on Roark's residence, only to find he had been killed by Hugo Panzer. He then went on with Chuck's theory, asking if the NSA's people could go through all the phone logs out of the V.P.'s office and residence and all the different burner phones they had been finding in his office. The general agreed, and they would start looking at the data logs immediately. Casey then turned to the President and shared his conversation with the DNI.
It was almost midnight when Casey excused himself, leaving Jack and Chuck alone in the Oval Office. The two men sat quietly for a minute, letting the events of the day dissolve, when Chuck once more broke the silence, giving Jack a wry smile. "It's been a hell of a day, Jack, but if you don't mind too much, I want to add something to it."
Jack looked at the younger man and leaned back into the couch while letting out a breath. "Go on then. Lay it on me, Chuck."
"I'll apologize for this being a less-than-ideal moment, Jack, but I've given the matter a lot of thought, and even though Sarah and I have only been together a short time, I know with absolute certainty that she's the one for me." Chuck took a deep breath and pushed on. "I'm going to ask Sarah to marry me and would greatly appreciate your blessing."
Jack looked at Chuck carefully for a moment, then smiled. "Chuck, I've never seen Sarah happier. You have my blessing, but I'm sure you know you don't need it. I may be the President, but Sarah will do what she wants whether I approve or not. And if I were to even suggest I didn't approve, not only would Sarah never speak to me again, but I'm pretty sure I would need John Casey's entire team to protect me from Emma." Jack stood to shake Chuck's hand, then pulled him into a hug. "Welcome to the family, Chuck. Take care of my little girl. And remember that I'm still the Commander in Chief, and if you screw this up, I'll have you strapped to a Tomahawk missile and fired into North Korea. Are we clear, son?"
"Crystal clear….dad." Chuck grinned as he returned the hug, then shook Jack's hand again as they separated.
Their moment was interrupted by Emma and Sarah entering the Oval Office from the side of Jack's private office, and Emma did not look particularly pleased.
"Chuck, why don't you take Sarah upstairs so I can have a minute with Emma?" Jack winked.
"Of course, Jack. Sarah?" Chuck held his hand out for Sarah, which she readily accepted, and together, they left Jack and Emma alone in the Oval Office.
Emma watched the two walk away and turned to her husband, ready to tear him a new one. "Jack…."
Emma's mouth was suddenly assaulted as Jack stepped up and pressed his lips to hers. As he deepened the kiss, he felt her anger slowly ebb. He pulled back a little and whispered in her ear. "It's over. Roark is dead, and Chuck took out the hit-man. But that's not the best news of the night!"
"Is it really over, Jack?" Emma was wide-eyed, disbelief evident on her features. "How? What happened?"
"We were on our way there to arrest Roark, but the man he hired to kill us killed him instead. And we almost ran him over as he escaped. Chuck chased him and eventually caught and killed him."
"So you were never really in any danger?"
"No, honey. I wasn't. Not even for a second. Besides being in an armored car and having my vest on, I was surrounded by Casey and his team the whole time…I promise."
Emma pulled back to gauge Jack's expression as he spoke. "Wait, you said it wasn't the best news. What do you mean? What happened that could be better than that bastard dead and on a cold slab?" The expression Emma wore now was a mixture of excitement and curiosity. "Well, Jack?"
Jack smiled and gave his wife a peck on her forehead. "Chuck asked for my blessing to ask Sarah. I said no, of course…." Jack started to laugh as Emma swatted him on the arm.
"Did he really? Oh my God…..I'm so happy for her." She gave her husband a hug and a kiss before running off with her phone in her hand.
"Emma, wait. Where are you going? It's midnight, who are you calling?"
Emma stopped a few feet away and hit a pre-programmed number on her phone. A moment later, she started whispering, then pulled the phone away from her ear. A glass-shattering squeal could be heard from clear across the room as Jack looked on, mystified.
-O-
Date: Monday, 10 January, 2022
Time: 09:45 EST
Location: 9 West 57th Street, New York City Offices of Dunmore, Bradley, and Caine
Roark's assassination, followed by the death of Hugo Panzer, meant that the threat to President Walker and to Sarah was no longer really relevant. Of course, Volkoff was still free, but he certainly wasn't the puppet master. And while there was still an open question around who might have ordered Panzer to kill Roark, it felt like that was more of a defensive move than an offensive one. With the threats seemingly gone, Sarah had agreed with Chuck that she would return to work in N.Y. without a protective detail while they figured out how to move forward as a couple no longer constrained by an imminent threat.
They had spent what was left of Sunday night holding each other closely, and in the morning, Chuck accompanied Sarah to Reagan International, where she caught the early shuttle to New York's La Guardia airport. She was at her desk by nine-fifteen, leafing over several legal documents, her focus regularly breached by thoughts of the man she had left in Washington, D.C.
She paused her work to pick up her phone and dialed.
"Bartowski"
"Hey you."
"Hey, yourself. The flight was okay?"
"Super easy. I was in the office just a little after nine, so it's all good. Unfortunately, I have a pile of stuff to go through, but I keep getting distracted by thoughts of a sexy special agent I know."
"Oh? You'll need to introduce me sometime…." A warm chuckle came across the line. "I miss you already, Sarah."
"I know. I miss you as well, Chuck. More than you can imagine…."
"Sarah, I'm sorry, but I need to go. Your father is holding a press conference. I love you, and I'll call you later."
"I love you too, Chuck."
Sarah took a moment to look around her office. She looked at all the things she had felt were important and realized that these were not the things that mattered in the grand scheme of things. She also knew that her father had promised Chuck some time off and any job he wanted, so they would definitely need to have some time to discuss all of that. She smiled as she considered all the possibilities a future with Chuck held. Her musings were interrupted by a colleague knocking on her door.
"Sarah, the news conference is starting. We have it on up in the Conference room."
-O-
The cameras were fixed on the blue podium bearing the seal of the President of the United States as a well-dressed woman approached the microphone and spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States."
Jack Walker appeared from the left side of the stage, his expression somber. He placed his hands on both sides of the podium and waited a beat, making eye contact with several of the more prominent reporters in the room. Whatever ideas the press corps may have had about this morning's unexpected news conference, it quickly became apparent that this would be serious. Something significant.
"Good morning." Jack Walker paused again, closing his eyes for a moment before continuing. "I have several things to share with you, the American people today, and none are particularly good. Truth be told, I'm so shocked by what has transpired that I very seriously considered burying the truth to avert a potential constitutional crisis."
"Last night, while the Secret Service attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Vice President Roark, he was discovered murdered in the pool house of the Vice Presidential residence at the Naval Observatory. The person who appears to have murdered Vice President Roark was pursued and ultimately shot and killed in a firefight with members of the Secret Service near Georgetown." The press corps gasped as the words came from Jack Walker's mouth. The only other sound was their pens scratching paper as notes were furiously scribbled onto countless notepads.
"The arrest warrant for Vice President Roark was for a litany of crimes, chief among them conspiracy to commit kidnaping, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted murder." Suddenly, there were shouts from the press corps demanding to ask questions about the shocking news, but Jack Walker raised his hand to quiet the room before continuing.
"Members of media have been made aware of certain allegations involving Vice President Roark's activities, and the Secret Service, together with the Department of Justice, are uncovering details and incontrovertible evidence that Vice President Roark was indeed doing exactly what was suggested by the whistleblower who leaked the information. In fact, it has now become clear that Vice President Roark was masterminding a complex plot to remove me from office for the sole purpose of lifting sanctions placed against a Russian pipeline company in which he secretly held a significant stake. His initial attempts to force me from office focused around the kidnapping of our daughter Sarah, and using her to force my resignation….after which Roark would ascend to the Presidency." Jack paused.
"The exemplary work of the Secret Service foiled both attempted kidnappings and resulted in the death of several international criminals associated with this plot, both here and in the United Kingdom. Frustrated by the failed kidnapping attempts, Ted Roark intended to kill me and my family by hiring an assassin, the one killed last night. That plan seemed to involve launching missiles at the presidential limousine while I was in the car with my family. Again, the Secret Service disrupted that attempt at the last minute. Finally, yesterday afternoon, Vice President Roark attempted to take direct action by lacing my drink with a significant dose of Digitalis, which would have induced a fatal heart attack in minutes. Here is the complete video of the attempt, which again, thanks to the Secret Service, we were prepared for."
Jack stepped back as two large video monitors came to life, showing in exquisite detail the entire conversation between Ted Roark and Jack Walker, including the parts relating to Sarah's romantic involvement with Special Agent Bartowski of the U.S. Secret Service, and Roarke secretly pouring a vial of clear liquid into the glass he offered the President. The videotape ended with the two FBI Agents detailing the evidence collection.
"The American people have the right to a full accounting of what has transpired, and I have directed the Attorney General to establish a regularly scheduled series of press conferences to disclose all the evidence that can be shared as it is being uncovered." Jack paused for a moment before his closing statement.
"Finally, given that my family and I were the intended targets of this plot, and therefore the intended victims, I think it is appropriate to refer your questions to Special Agent John Casey, who heads the Presidential Security Detail, as well as its investigative team. Special Agent Casey will hold a press conference later today to clarify what we knew, when, and the actions taken." Jack paused again, scanning the room and making eye contact with several reporters. "As a husband and a father, I am indebted to the brave men and women of the Secret Service for all they have done to protect us, and as President of these United States, I am proud of the work they have done to protect our constitution and our government from enemies, foreign and domestic. May God bless each and every one of you, and May God bless these United States of America." The cameras followed as Jack Walker turned and walked off stage, closing behind him the defining moment of his Presidency.
-O-
Sarah was well aware of the President's news conference and knew her father had intended to hit things head-on, so she was hardly surprised as she considered her father's statements. What did surprise the hell out of her was the video of Roark attempting to poison the President and the accompanying audio, which publicly outed the romantic relationship between Sarah Walker and Special Agent Charles Bartowski of the Secret Service. Sarah was so stunned by what she was seeing and hearing she failed to notice that every eye in the conference room was fixed on her.
"Okay, everyone. Back to work, please." Douglass Bradley's voice brought Sarah's focus back to the present. "Sarah, if you have a moment?"
"Of course, Douglass." Sarah followed the firm's Managing Partner to his opulent office and settled into the comfortable settee as he sat across from her. He leaned comfortably back in his chair and crossed his legs, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Sarah, I had no idea what you were dealing with. I am so sorry." He took a moment to rub his patrician chin. "Are you okay? Had I known, I would have given you an extended leave of absence or lightened your caseload."
"I'm fine, Douglass. More importantly, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your flexibility and support through all this craziness. Honestly. Thank you, Douglass." Sarah smiled appreciatively.
Douglass continued, "I imagine that with all you have been through, you probably need a little time off to get yourself settled….it's nothing to be ashamed of, Sarah, and I can promise that doing so will have no impact on your performance assessments or your career track." Douglas reached over and patted Sarah's wrist in a grandfatherly fashion. "I mean it, Sarah. Things like this can impact your mental well-being, and it's crucial to acknowledge and deal with the stress before it consumes you from within."
Sarah listened intently and carefully, considering his wise counsel. "Douglass, if I'm being honest, the events since just after Thanksgiving have caused us to consider our priorities and what is really important in our lives. And you are right; the immensity of what happened is only now becoming apparent to me, and I have been speaking to someone about it. Having said that, I think you know that I do not make rushed or haphazard decisions regarding my career and work. I love being a part of this firm, and the work is actually a nice distraction that keeps me from thinking about what might have happened." Sarah paused momentarily to consider her next words. "I also suppose that since my relationship with Special Agent Bartowski is now a matter of public record, you should know that we had agreed to take a few weeks of vacation at some point to think about those bigger questions, but with everything coming to a head, we have not yet discussed when we might do that." She smiled. "But thank you just the same."
"Sarah, you are family, and you will always have a place here if you want it. And let me know whenever you need to take some time, and we'll make it happen. No muss, no fuss…. Okay?" Douglas once again patted her wrist. "Now get back to work kiddo. I have some calls to be on."
"Yes, Sir." Sarah smiled and headed back to her office to tackle the mountain of files on her desk. She sat down and thought about her evening plans for dinner with Carina at Sparks Steakhouse, where everything really started for her and Chuck, and felt the warmth in her chest for a moment before opening the file on top of the stack.
-O-
Date: Wednesday, 16 February, 2022 (five weeks later)
Time: 15:00 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – John Casey's Office
"Enter," Casey's gruff voice boomed through the door.
Chuck opened the door, walked in, and extended his hand to greet his boss. "Looking good, Casey. I was surprised you managed to take a vacation to the Grand Cayman in the middle of this whole shit-storm. Hope you you got in some good diving!" Chuck grinned.
"I got to mix a little business and pleasure, and both were extremely satisfying, thank you. Take a seat, Bartowski." Casey studied the younger man. "How did the meeting with the doctor go?"
"It was fine. I'm recovering well, and though the range of motion of my left shoulder might never be 100%, it will be good enough to return to service in another week or so." Chuck's response lacked enthusiasm, which Casey instantly recognized.
"Okay. So your body is almost ready to get back in the game….I mean, chasing down that two-hundred seventy-pound German assassin weeks ago told me you were ready, even if not at 100%. Where's your head at?" Casey paused, sharpening his focus on Chuck. "More importantly, where is your heart, pal?"
The two men stared at each other quietly until Chuck straightened and broke the silence.
"Boss, I'm going to ask Sarah to marry me, and to be honest, while I have loved this job and working for you more than anything, Sarah has become the most important thing to me and my future. I've been struggling with this decision for the last few weeks, wanting to see what the doc said before making my decision, but I just can't subject Sarah to the demands and risks of this job. I want to be there for her, to protect her, and eventually to start a family with her. As much as I love it, this job isn't conducive to any of those things." Chuck stilled himself, waiting for Casey to push back.
"Well," Casey scratched his chin pensively. "I knew I would lose you to a Walker at some point. I just guessed the wrong one. But for what it's worth, Chuck, Sarah is more than worth it, and I'm sure you two will be great together."
"Thank you, Casey. You don't know how much that means to me." Chuck smiled as he relaxed a little, the conversation having gone better than expected. "I'm happy to stay on until the end of March so I can help with any transitional work you may need done, especially now that we're all done with Roark and his plans."
"Tell you what, Bartowski, how about I accept your resignation and reassign you to the New York Field Office until your last day." Casey smiled. "Consider it an early wedding present."
"I don't know what to say…." Chuck was at a loss as he was surprisingly overcome with emotion at the gruff man's act of kindness.
"Don't say anything, Bartowski. You might cheapen the moment with your damned lady feelings. Just say thank you, get your skinny ass out of my office, and make sure I have your formal resignation on my desk before 17:00 today. Now get out!" Casey growled, but Chuck could see a shine in the man's eyes.
"Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" Chuck stood and once more extended his hand.
"You can tell me about your plans another time, Bartowski." The two men shook hands, and Chuck turned to leave. As he reached the door, Casey spoke again, this time with a softer voice.
"Chuck," He paused as Chuck turned to face Casey. "It's been an honor, Chuck."
"The honor was mine, John." Chuck turned and left, closing the door behind him.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 17 February, 2022
Time: 09:50 EST
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. – The White House Residence.
Chuck sat in the residence library, waiting for Jack and Emma. He had asked to meet with Sarah's parents to discuss his future with their daughter and his own future, something Jack Walker had taken a keen interest in. He took a deep breath, reflecting on the events of the last five weeks, which had been a blur of seemingly endless depositions and interviews as the FBI and DOJ were putting the finishing touches on the cases. As directed by Jack Walker, John Casey and the seniors at the DoJ had been providing weekly updates to the media about the investigation's numerous findings.
The numerous revelations about Langston Graham were not shared in the weekly press briefings. General Beckman personally took charge of driving the secret internal investigation into all of Graham's sanctioned and unsanctioned activities. The breakthrough happened when an "anonymous" hacker uncovered a dormant off-site server that had regular handshakes with Graham's home computer. The discovered files shed new light on Graham's relationship with Shaw, Panzer, and Larkin. The evidence was as damning as it was incontrovertible, so it was disappointing that Langston Graham wasn't going to see any jail time as he died in an unfortunate diving accident while on vacation in the Cayman Islands, just days before an arrest warrant was to be issued.
The same was not true for Volkoff, who had been covertly taken into custody by members of Seal Team Four well within Venezuelan territorial waters just the previous week. Volkoff's case was particularly interesting because the DoJ struggled to determine whether it was more just to try him and then put him in jail in the U.S. or send him to Russia, where President Putin had labeled him an enemy of the State and demanded Volkoff's immediate extradition. The threat of facing Putin's criminal justice system made Volkoff extremely cooperative, and as a result, more money launderers, human traffickers, and drug runners were identified and expected to be rounded up. Even Larkin was eventually tracked down in Mallorca, Spain, falling for a honey trap organized by Lou Pallone. All the loose ends had been tied up in a lovely bow, and everyone got what they had coming to them…. Chuck was more than happy with that.
His musings were interrupted by a confident knock on the door, which opened as Emma and Jack Walker entered hand in hand. Chuck stood to shake Jack's hand and then turned to receive a warm hug from Emma.
"So, Chuck, what can we do for you?" Jack asked with a grin as he sat beside Emma and found her hand with his.
"Well, Jack. A couple of things. The first is that I spoke with John Casey yesterday afternoon and have tendered my resignation, effective the end of next month, which he very kindly accepted. For the remainder of my time with the Secret Service, Casey has allowed me to be placed with the New York Field Office to be closer to Sarah. "
Emma was shocked. "Resignation?" Emma asked nervously. "What are you going to do, Chuck? I mean, Jack can give you any job you want in the government and…." Emma was rambling a little, caught off guard by Chuck's surprise announcement.
"Emma, it's all fine, and I'm very excited about the future. I wanted you both to know I am starting my own software company. I reached out to Microsoft, and while I wouldn't sell them my software, I agreed to license some of ADIE's capabilities for a set of very specific applications. For that, I will receive an annual licensing fee, which is substantially more than I can make in government service…even if I were the President! Plus, I get a percentage of the gross revenue from the products they sell that utilize my software, not to mention a bunch of options in Microsoft stock. In the meantime, I'll start developing my own products and services. I'll need to go to Washington State for a few weeks to work through the technical elements, but the contract is done….and before you ask, no, I did not involve Sarah or her firm in this. I want it to be a surprise."
Jack smiled widely. "That is amazing news, Chuck. Congratulations! Let me know if the U.S. Government can be one of your first customers." Jack winked at Emma, who had calmed herself visibly. "What else you got?"
"Jack, you promised me a two-week vacation, and I intend to take you up on it. I want to spend a few days in New York with Sarah and then take her to Shaka Caye in Belize for a week. It's been a long and difficult winter, and I thought a small private island with a beach and warm sunshine might be a good way to start the rest of our lives. And while you both know that I intend to marry Sarah, I intend to make it official by proposing to her while we are there." Chuck reached into his jacket pocket and produced a beautiful three-stone diamond engagement ring in a platinum setting.
"Oh my!" Emma gasped. "It's absolutely breathtaking, Chuck. She'll love it," Emma gushed.
"Thanks, Emma. I love her more than anything, and I want you both to know that there's nothing I won't do to ensure her happiness." Chuck almost flinched as Emma practically launched herself at him and hugged him tightly.
"Oh Chuck, our Sarah is a very, very lucky girl." Emma was holding back a tear. "We couldn't be happier to have you join our family." Emma paused for a moment. "Have you told Ellie about all of this?"
"Not yet. I wanted you to know first, but she and Devon are next on the list. Then I need to get Sarah to take two weeks off from work." Chuck replied with a grin.
"Don't worry about her taking vacation time, Chuck. Tell me when, and I'll make it happen, but you need to call her Chuck. Call her right away. I'm sure she's been chomping at the bit to get away with you." Jack added. "And not that I think you'll need it, but good luck, son."
"Thanks, guys. I won't call, but with Carina's help, I've organized a little surprise for her." Chuck pulled both Jack and Emma into a group hug. "I need to get going. I have a few more things to arrange, so if you'll excuse me, I need to catch a train."
"Go get her, Chuck!" As they separated, Jack slapped Chuck on the shoulder, and Chuck headed for the door.
-O-
Date: Thursday, 17 February, 2022
Time: 19:50 EST
Location: 210 East 46th Street, Manhattan – Sparks Steak House
As the taxi came to a stop, Carina reflexively grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her out of the cab. Then, inexplicably, Carina darted back into the taxi as Sarah stared at her wide-eyed.
"What the hell, Carina? What about our dinner?"
"Have fun, Sarah!" Carina laughed as she closed the door, and the cab sped off, leaving Sarah standing alone in the cold.
"Given that your friend deserted you, perhaps you would care to join me for dinner?" Sarah turned to the familiar voice and saw Chuck standing by the door of the steakhouse.
"Chuck!" Sarah screamed in joyful surprise as she leaped up to embrace him and meet his lips. "What an amazing surprise. I didn't think I'd see you for another week or two."
Chuck returned the kiss, then leaned his forehead against hers. "I've missed you so, Sarah. How about we get out of this cold and have a nice romantic dinner. I have a lot to tell you." He smiled warmly as he took her hand, led her into the restaurant, and allowed the hostess to lead them to the Lilac room, a private room set up with a table for two.
Once in the room, Chuck took Sarah's coat and handed it to the hostess, then pulled Sarah's chair out for her before sitting across the intimate candle-lit table for two.
"Uhm, Chuck?" Sarah winced. "I know what this place costs….even without the private room, so while this is an incredibly romantic gesture, can I please pay for dinner?"
"Nope. It's all taken care of." Chick smiled. "In fact, I've taken the liberty of ordering for us so we can enjoy the meal, and after, we have many things to discuss. Chuck had no sooner stopped speaking when the sommelier arrived with a 1985 bottle of Opus One. After the requisite tasting and carefully filling both glasses, the sommelier left Chuck and Sarah in their private room.
Chuck raised his glass as Sarah stared at him wide-eyed.
"Chuck, are you crazy? That's like a five hundred dollar bottle of wine and….."
"Sarah.…" Chuck interrupted. "It's all taken care of. Let's just enjoy the moment."
"I know, Chuck, but…."
"Sarah, please let it go. I promise. Everything is fine. Please relax." Chuck put his glass down and looked at the love of his life. "I can see you're not going to let this go, so while I had intended to get into this after dinner, I don't want you to stress, so…."
As he was about to speak, two waiters arrived with the first course.
"Saved by the bell." Chuck smiled. "I guess I'm going to get to stick with my plan after all." He chuckled before lifting his glass again. "To the woman I love more than life." He reached across and clinked the glass of a speechless Sarah Walker, who was suddenly wondering who this guy was and what had happened to her Chuck. After a moment, she snapped out of it and offered an embarrassed smile.
"I'm sorry, Chuck. This is all a bit overwhelming, and I apologize for my reaction. I didn't mean to focus on the cost of things, and I want you to know that while this is amazing, you don't need to do this for me. I'd be happy with a couple of hot dogs and a can of root beer." Sarah then raised her glass. "To the man I love more than life." She repeated her version of his toast, then stood, walked around the table with her glass in hand, and sat on his lap before clinking his glass and kissing him soundly.
The rest of the meal was as romantic and relaxed as it was delicious, and as the two finished their dinners, Chuck ordered a second bottle of wine.
"Now we can talk," he said as he leaned back in his chair and watched Sarah lean forward, place her elbows on the table, and rest her chin in her hands.
"Okay. Special Agent Bartowski…..talk!" Sarah commanded with a soft but serious expression on her face.
"Okay, but you need to promise to not say anything until I'm done, okay?"
"But…"
"Nuh-uh. No interruptions and no exceptions. Okay?" An adorable pout appeared on Sarah's lips as she nodded in the affirmative.
"Okay then. I've resigned from the Secret Service as of…."
"What? Chuck, you can't! You love that job…." Sarah fell silent as Chuck smiled at her and held his finger to his lips. "Sorry….sorry, Chuck. Listening now."
"As I was saying, I've resigned as of the end of next month. I have some vacation time set aside that I plan to use, and with your father's help, Douglass has agreed to let you slip away for two weeks of vacation starting Monday. Now. I want to spend the first week here in Manhattan with you doing some of the things we did on our first fake date weekend and a few more. Then next week, we're flying down to Belize, where we will stay in a luxurious bungalow on a private island." Sarah grinned and was almost shaking with excitement at the prospect of spending a week on a private island with Chuck. Then, she quietly held up her hand, asking permission to pose a question.
"Okay, Sarah. One question." Chuck laughed softly.
"Did my father put you up to all this, Chuck? The restaurant, the vacation, whatever you'll do after the Secret Service?" She asked in a soft voice, not wanting to sound unappreciative.
"No, Sarah. I did all of this because I love you. I resigned from the Secret Service to start my own software company. Do you remember my girlfriend ADIE? The one Microsoft wanted to buy?"
"Yeah," Sarah responded.
"I wouldn't sell them the program, but I made a deal to license ADIE for certain specific applications for which I'm going to be getting very handsomely compensated. In addition to the annual licensing fee, I get a piece of the gross sales of the programs they sell that leverage ADIE so, for the foreseeable future, including this dinner and our vacation, money is not an issue." He then leaned in and whispered in her ear. "And this does not include the twenty-seven plus million we have in the offshore trust." He then pulled back and resumed his normal tone. "Moreover, I can set the company up anywhere, including New York, assuming you wish to continue working at Dunmore, Bradley, and Caine. So, I know these are all huge questions, which is why I want to go away together and have some quiet time to discuss our future." Chuck smiled warmly and took another sip of wine. "Damn, this wine really is delicious!"
He put his glass down just in time for Sarah to sit on his lap again and pull him into a slow, deep kiss.
"Hmmm. This is an outstanding wine. Much better than hot dogs and root beer." Sarah whispered in his ear. "Almost as good as the dessert I plan on enjoying as soon as you get me out of here and into a bed." She felt Chuck shiver under her and smiled to herself. 'Two weeks with Chuck and no work, assassination, or kidnapping plot...wow.'