Chapter 8 The new accounts clerk

Chuck was walking out of the manager's office when he noticed one of the shoppers checking the shelves between the said office and the nerd herd desk. He didn't pay much attention until he spotted that one of the items in her shopping basket had fallen out and landed on the floor near him. Instinctively he stepped over and bent down to pick the item up for her, unfortunately for him the shopper heard the noise and she too had reacted. She was a bit quicker than Chuck and as she went to stand upright again she managed to head butt Chuck in the face with the back of her head. Both parties reacted with shock and fright. The shopper realised what she had done and let out a loud "oohhl".

Chuck stood up holding his nose, he pulled his hand away and noticed that it was bleeding and he had blood dripping through his fingers. The shopper very quickly grabbed a tissue out from her handbag and start fussing about Chuck's bleeding nose. Chuck raised his hands up to stop the shopper from pinching his blood leaking nose, looked straight into her eyes and stared with an instant recognition.

Sarah on hearing the commotion came rushing out of her office with a knife concealed behind her back. The shopper stood back after Chuck pushed her hands away had just notice movement out of her peripheral vision. Seeing the blond CIA assassin rushing in her direction she panicked and jumped forward and grabbed Chuck around the waist trying to bury herself in his chest. She had her head slightly covered by her arm as she burrowed into his ribcage.

The gulf between Sarah and Chuck vanished in a second as Sarah grabbed Chuck's assailant and quickly had one arm forced behind her back and as for the other arm, well Sarah had used a wrist hold that Police use to restraint suspects.

"Don't hurt me, don't hurt me" was the plea from the woman involved.

Sarah quickly and efficiently had her bundled into her office and out of sight of the showroom. Chuck follow as quick as he could only to be stopped by a slamming door with again hurt his nose. He forced the door open and could see that Sarah had the woman up against the wall and frisking her. Once Sarah decided she was unarmed she released her and then turned her attention to Chuck.

When Casey came barging through the door he found Sarah attending Chuck's nose and the woman cowering in the corner.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the cowering woman whimpered.

Casey's face was flushed and if he could huff stream then he would have. His appearance had kept the traumatised woman still until he raise his finger and pointed at her, he gave a quick glance at Sarah trying to aid Chuck's poor nose then he indicated for the woman to sit in the spare chair next to the wall. Reluctantly the woman moved out of the corner and onto the chair. She pulled her knees up to protect herself while passing glances at Casey and Chuck.

Chuck had to break the ice, the tension in the accounts office needed to be released

"It's not funny."

Casey looked backward and forwards at the two in a confused state.

"Don't you know who she is Casey?" Chuck asked him.

Casey shook his head, he then moved the two paces forward to spin around next to woman's seat and then he clamp his big left hand on her right shoulder.

"Owwl, That hurts, ease up the pressure." She whined.

Chuck pulled the bloodied tissues away from his nose, to test if he was still bleeding.

"It's OK John. It was an accident, she didn't mean it."

Casey relaxed the pressure but he kept a firm hold on her shoulder, she wasn't going anywhere so he asked her a question.

"Jill Roberts, What in hell are you doing here?"

"I'm the office temp. I was told to report here today."

Morgan came in after he heard the commotion, he saw that Casey had a firm hold on a woman that Morgan recognised. He had rang an employment agency and asked for an account clerk and that agency had sent along Jill Roberts. Of all the people in the world to have walking into their store was Jill Roberts.

"Jill?" Morgan was puzzled, "Oh this can't be right. I asked for an accounts clerk"

"That's me. I'm the accounts clerk!"

Morgan wasn't too pleased, he knew the damage she did to Chuck's confidence and mental wellbeing. He thought she was toxic to his best friend. He needed Chuck to be on his game and thought that Jill may send him spiralling.

"I didn't realise that you could do accounts."

"Morgan, I used to have to write up detailed submissions for scientific grants, I had to include all costing and projections of funding. Compared to what I used to do this should be straight forward."

"That may be true but I haven't forgotten of what you did to Chuck. You practically destroyed the man. I hate to think what would have happen I wasn't around to pick up the pieces."

"I'm sorry."

Morgan gave the woman an incredulous look.

"I'm sorry. I was so much younger then, I thought I had the world at my feet and everything would just roll my way. I had several offers across the country, I was selfish and thought Chuck would get in the way. He would hold me back.

Morgan heard the woman's confession, he was dumbfounded and went to say something but thought better of it.

"Please Morgan, I need the work. I have bills to pay. I can't work in my chosen profession anymore. I've been shut out of applying for any research jobs because of what happen. I really need this. I promise I won't be any trouble."