AN1
Who Dares Wins
Chapter Nine: The Proposition
Tuesday, 23 October, 2007
London
United Kingdom
Chuck and Sarah come to a stop from their short walk outside a bar together in the West End of London. This bar was on the doorstep of where Sarah grew up, and, once turning eighteen and old enough, she had visited it many times during her years before joining the army. Since joining the military five years ago, however, Sarah hadn't been able to return much. Her deployments with the Royal Green Jackets had kept her away. And, when not deployed, the RGJ Garrison was in Bulford, Salisbury, more than one-hundred miles from London.
"This bar is nice. But it's not as nice as the ones in Cheshire," Chuck joked as he entered, following Sarah.
Sarah glanced behind herself to smile at him before responding, "Yeah, it is. I used to come here a lot before the army."
"Wow, a real drunkard, huh?" Chuck joked, and Sarah swatted Chuck's arm.
"Watch it!" Sarah warned with a loving smile.
"Sarah, I'm getting a little concerned with your drinking activities. You seem to be asking me out daily since joining the Reg. You're becoming a bad influence on me," he confided in her, pushing the joke.
Sarah narrowed her eyes, and she pointed her finger at her teammate, "Chuck, it was you who asked me out the first time! You didn't take no for an answer, and you even told the whole team I didn't want to go, plus, you asked me to come the second time too, after Manchester!" she complained.
Chuck suppressed a laugh before responding, "Boy, do I regret that now."
Sarah shook her head, now recognizing that Chuck was just winding her up. "Shut up," she commanded with a smile as they then walked up to the counter of the bar.
"So, what are you having?" Sarah asked, retaining her smile.
Chuck's eyes widened at her question. "You're even buying! Wow, that's a first!" he declared with a wide grin, and Sarah shook her head at her teammate's continued teasing towards her.
"Chuck, you brought me here. It's the least I can do. You're not buying any of the rounds," she stated with a warm smile that Chuck returned.
"Well we can't have many anyway," Chuck reminded her, holding her gaze.
"We could always stay here and drive back early. My mum's house has four bedrooms. You could take a guest room," she suggested.
He shook his head. "Sarah, Jill would skin me alive," he declared, and Sarah laughed softly and nodded her head.
"You're right. I'm sorry. That was selfish. Perks of being single," she responded, and he nodded with sadness.
"Boy do I miss being single!" Chuck joked, causing Sarah to giggle.
"Your relationship can't be all that bad, though. Or you wouldn't still be with her," Sarah declared, and Chuck nodded.
"Sarah, it's not, at least not for me. I'm fine with, and I understand her frustrations. It can't be easy to date people like you or me. I know I wouldn't like it if the shoe was on the other foot and I would probably behave as Jill is behaving with me," he admitted.
Sarah nodded. "Chuck, I doubt you would be behaving like she is, but I can imagine it's not easy. I wouldn't like to date a soldier if I wasn't a soldier either," she admitted.
Chuck nodded. "Nor me. I think she's close to leaving, to be honest."
She smiled, sympathetically. "I'm sorry."
He smiled at her. "Sarah, don't be sorry. If she moves on, I'm cool with it. If she stays and can accept me for who I am, then I'm cool with that too. If it does happen, then it's just not meant to be," he responded as he shrugged it off.
She nodded at his response. "So, what are you having then?" she asked, changing the topic to a happier one.
"I'm having whatever you are having," he responded, and they shared a warm moment.
"In that case, vodka martinis then," she replied, grinning.
Chuck laughed before responding, "Sarah, we're in the SAS, not MI6."
Sarah giggled joyfully. "I became the first female in the Regiment, so why not go for the jugular and become the first female secret agent," she joked and a full grin formed on Chuck's face.
"I always fancied myself to have a bit of a James Bond thing going on actually. I might switch jobs too so we can become partners," he replied as he raised his eyebrows at her, and Sarah giggled again.
A short while later
Chuck and Sarah began to depart from the bar, and they spent a few short minutes walking until they arrived back outside of Sarah's mother's where their two cars remained parked.
"Well Sarah, I wish we could have stayed longer, but if we had drunk too much and got caught driving whilst drunk, then we are RTU'd, and if we are late back in the morning, Chris would be all over us like a bad rash," Chuck declared, and Sarah nodded, and she began to laugh sweetly.
"You're right. Do you ever wish you were just a normal guy with a normal relationship and a normal job where you could drink as much as you wanted and go wherever you wanted?" she asked with a warm smile.
He shook his head before responding, "No. Do you?"
She also shook her head as she replied, "Nope."
On receiving a response from each other, they shared approving laughter.
"Are you ready to head back then?" Chuck asked.
Sarah nodded. "Yep."
"We can try to stay in convoy on the way home, but I doubt it's possible the entire three hours. You have a sat-nav, right?" he asked.
"Uh-huh," Sarah replied with a nod.
"Well, I guess this is goodnight then. It feels so weird saying that when we still have another three-hour drive ahead of us."
"You're right, it does," she admitted. "But just in case we don't talk any further tonight, goodnight, Chuck."
"Goodnight, Sarah," Chuck responded, and they shared a warm smile before they climbed into their cars, and they began their long journey back to Hereford…
O-x-O-x-O-x-O
Four days later
Saturday, 27 October, 2007
Stirling Lines
Hereford
United Kingdom
"YOU! IN THE BLACK COAT! STOP!" Sarah commanded as she trained her sights onto the spine of the woman she had just commanded to stop.
"TURN AROUND!" she commanded, but the woman ignored her request.
"I SAID TURN AROUND, OR SO HELP ME I'LL PUT ONE THROUGH YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU STAND!" Sarah commanded once more. And by now, her entire team were now also training their sights on the woman their teammate Bryce had just let pass...
A few seconds ticked by, and Sarah was becoming very nervous when slowly, the woman began to turn around. She was a few metres away from Sarah, Bryce, Chuck and Cole and also a few metres away from the vetted civilians over on the sidewalk in safety.
On turning, the woman began to show her nerves by her body language and expressions, when suddenly, she raised her hand, and she squeezed the trigger in her hand which detonated her explosive device and blew her and everyone around her into a million little pieces...
Sarah jolted awake as she drew in a sharp breath, and she began to pant, now feeling very tormented and distressed. The nightmare in Sarah's sleep had caused her to sweat profusely, and the bed in her quarters was soaked right through. She immediately began to sit up, and she threw the covers away from her, as she continued to pant in an attempt to end her torment and disorientation. Sarah had had a nightmare every single night for almost two weeks since she and her team confronted the terrorists rampaging in London around the area of London Bridge.
Sarah moved to stand, and she checked the clock in her quarters that read: 04:00. On completing her task, she gathered some things from her quarters, and she headed to the barracks' showers to attempt to clear her mind and freshen herself up. Departing from the barracks' showers sometime later, she changed into a pink long-sleeved shirt and black pants, and she headed to the on-base cafeteria to begin her long day...
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
Later that morning
Chuck was awake, and he was well into the beginning of his day inside of his two bedroomed semi-detached home. It was a Saturday, and with Mobility troop not presently being on immediate standby, Red Team had the weekend off. For most of today, Chuck planned to help Sarah to move into her new apartment. Sarah had purchased numerous flat-pack pieces of furniture, and in addition, her mother and sister were bringing Sarah's more personal belongings over from London tomorrow.
Chuck had offered to help Sarah despite her best attempts to refuse his offer. Chuck had successfully managed to convince her by telling her he needed to get away from Jill for the day because she had been on his back ever since he drove Sarah to London. When he had returned home after helping her that night, Jill could smell the two vodka martinis that he had consumed. They had gotten into a heated argument about his promise to return straight back to Hereford.
Whatever Chuck appeared to do at the moment seemed to rile and agitate his girlfriend. At every opportunity, she provoked confrontations with him if he didn't drop everything in his life and put her first. Quite simply, he was exhausted by her toxicity shown towards him in recent months, and if Sarah hadn't have relented to his offer of help, he would have gone to a bar, or he would have attempted to link up with one of his other teammates instead. Chuck would much sooner help a teammate move into her home than go to a bar or to hang out with his other teammates and friends. He understood and knew, however, that Sarah wasn't good at asking for help, but thankfully, she had relented after a few minutes of urging…
Showered, breakfasted, and changed into a navy blue shirt and jeans, Chuck headed downstairs as he prepared to depart to head to Sarah's new apartment. He foresaw another imminent confrontation with Jill when he tells her momentarily that he was going to help Sarah for the entire day. He briefly considered whether he should just sneak out without saying anything, but that would only make matters worse. Arriving downstairs, he headed into the kitchen and dining room. His gaze connected onto Jill. She was facing away from him.
"I'm heading out," he declared.
She turned to face him. "Where are you going?"
"To help Sarah move in. To be honest with you, I'd sooner be anywhere else than be around you right now. All we do is argue. I'm already in one of the most stressful jobs in the world, and I'm getting sick of the petty disagreements that I DO NOT need whenever I come home..."
"You've been spending a lot of time with her," she said.
Chuck nodded his head, and he threw his hands into the air in defeat. "Oh, here we go again. What is it this time?" he asked, and he paused to shake his head in frustration. "Of course, I'm spending time with her! She's my new teammate, for heaven's sake!"
"Are you sure that's all she is? If you're not driving her to London and going to a bar together, then you're helping her move in and house-hunting with her."
"Oh, Jill, don't start! I've had enough of this crap from all of the lads!" he shouted at her as he breathed out a deep sigh in continued frustration over Jill seeking to argue at every given opportunity. He was sick of quarrelling with her, and he felt like he had no further fight left in him for this relationship, and he was feeling very tempted into ending it right here and now.
"Oh, so they think it too, do they? Then it is definitely happening!"
He instantly shook his head in disgust of the accusation she had just made towards him. "How dare you accuse me of something so disgustingly offensive!" he fumed in anger. "You know what, Jill? I don't have time for this! I'll see you tonight!" he said as he stormed off out of the kitchen and into his hallway.
"Don't bother at my expense, Chuck! Stay the night with her if you want!"
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Chuck pulled his car to a stop just outside of his teammate's new home. With how aggressive he had driven here, he was surprised that he hadn't had a serious accident along the way and the tires of his car certainly were not too happy with him right now, their screeches of complaint when he had first departed his home a stark reminder of that. To Chuck, it was now evident beyond all doubt that he could not continue this toxic relationship with Jill, and that he would need to end it as soon as possible before he ended up having an accident that could get him killed at work. As an SAS soldier, you needed to possess an awful lot of resilience and grit and determination, and by God, he required an abundance of that right now with Jill's continued behaviour towards him and towards his life in the military. If Chuck were just a normal guy without the resilience built up from his eight years in the army, he would have cracked long ago. Jill had been behaving like this with him for the past full year now. Sure, he was away from home a lot, and he enjoyed spending time with his comrades, and he always would do so long as he was in the army. But Chuck had been in the military long before he had met Jill. Five years longer, in fact. When Jill had pleaded to move in with him, she knew who and what he was. She had told him that them moving in together would be beneficial for their relationship. Well, that was just not true. Jill's moving in with him had tombstone piledrived their relationship and Chuck now knew the reality that their relationship would likely end very soon.
Chuck departed his car, and Sarah was already waiting for him in the parking area. He then locked his car, and the two teammates walked, and they met each other halfway.
"Hi," she greeted him with an affectionate smile.
"Hiya," he responded, and he was unable to hide the sadness on his face because of his events just earlier with Jill.
A sympathetic smile formed on Sarah's face as she asked him, "Are you ok?"
He shrugged at her question to him. "Do you fancy a roommate?" he then asked with a faint smile, and she continued to gaze warmly at him.
"That depends if it's you or Jill. One of you, sure, the other, less so," she joked, and he nodded his head acceptingly, and he laughed at her joke briefly.
"Ooh, you're warming to me already. A few days ago you said you could never apartment share with a scouser. Next week, we'll be sharing toothbrushes," he joked, causing her to laugh.
"Ok, I no longer want to share my apartment with you," she replied with a wide smile.
He immediately hit his forehead with his hand. "I should keep my mouth shut. Just when things were going good," he retorted, and she began to nod.
"Yeah, you should," she said, holding her warm glance.
Chuck moved his hand up to his lips, and he mumbled, "Zipping it now."
"Good boy," she laughed back at him, and they continue to share a warm glance.
"Seriously though, Chuck, are you having problems at home again?" she asked sympathetically, and he nodded affirmatively.
"I've had Cruella de Vil on my back once more. Nothing new there," he declared as Sarah's sympathetic smile remained.
"You don't deserve this, Chuck. And I feel terrible because I know it's because of you helping me ever since I have joined the team," she declared as the two teammates continued to gaze at each other.
"Sarah, don't feel bad. It's not your fault. If you'll excuse my French, she's just being a right spoilt and stuck up little bitch right now."
"Chuck, that's putting it kindly," she replied with her continued warm smile.
He nodded his head with a wry smile, and he breathed out one final despondent sigh over his extreme relationship difficulties. "Enough of her. What time is the furniture delivery?" he asked.
"About an hour," she responded.
He winced. "Dang, you don't have anything in the apartment. What are we going to do for an hour?"
"Do you fancy a brew?" she asked.
He nodded, and they shared another smile before he stated, "But Sarah, there isn't even a kettle in there, at least I didn't notice one when we were here a few days ago."
She nodded. "You're right. There isn't one."
"Actually, Sarah, there's a huge Tesco superstore a few minutes away. It's like five minutes walking, and I'm sure you need the exercise as you'll never keep up with my fitness levels without it," he joked, and he chuckled as he watched her shake her head disapprovingly as she knew he was winding her up again.
"You mean you need it to keep up with mine!" she fired back.
"We'll soon see who has the best endurance. I'll race you there!" he retorted.
"But that's not fair! I don't even know where it is!" she protested, and he chuckled approvingly.
"You had better keep up then!" he retorted back as the two teammates departed through the open driveway and they headed to the supermarket together.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Sarah and Chuck came to a stop on the main road just outside of Sarah's new apartment block. They were carrying around ten shopping bags between them. Whilst at the shop, Sarah had to purchase numerous items such as bed linens, bathing items, groceries, a toaster and in addition to those items, Sarah had also purchased a kettle, coffee, tea, milk and some mugs so that they could have their brew together.
They then walked up the open driveway and then up the Victorian era pathway until arriving at the main entrance housing the apartments. Sarah took out her new keys, and she entered inside the premises for the first time as a tenant and Chuck followed on behind her.
"Sarah, I still want to live here instead of you," Chuck joked, and Sarah slanted her head behind herself to glance at Chuck.
"Don't start that again! Besides, I have already agreed to apartment share with you because I feel bad for you," she responded laughingly.
"Sarah, then I insist on having the master bedroom," he continued the joke.
"Watch it, Chuck!" Sarah warned as she glanced behind herself once more as the teammates arrived outside the door of Sarah's apartment.
With the keys still in her hand from the main door, she moved her hand up to the lock, and the door clicked open, and she entered into her new home for the first time as its tenant, and she walked deeper into the entrance hall, and Chuck closed the door behind them. On completing their actions, Sarah turned to face him.
"Ahhh, home sweet home. Time for me to put my feet up. Sarah put the kettle on," he joked to her with a wide grin.
"What's wrong with your own hands?" she asked as a grin seeped through her lips, and she gazed into his eyes, and she shook her head once more of his teasing towards her.
"I'm saving them for the upcoming tasks! God, I hate flat packs! Why'd you have to be so awkward and buy them?" he asked jokingly.
She suppressed a laugh before responding, "Chuck, I could have done them myself. You didn't have to give your day up."
He began to smile. "Sarah, I was just playing. I would sooner be anywhere than inside my own home right now," he admitted.
She nodded her head, while also returning his smile. "Let's have that brew then," she said.
He nodded as the two teammates then entered into Sarah's kitchen and living space.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Sarah and Chuck departed from the main door of the two-story apartment building, and they headed over towards a large IKEA delivery van that was waiting outside for Sarah to take delivery of her new furniture. The two teammates spent the next few minutes along with two of the delivery men carrying all of the items that Sarah had purchased into the entrance hall of her new home. Sarah had been to a local IKEA a few days ago, and she had purchased a glass table for her lounge, a two-seater sofa, two beds, one wardrobe, a dining table and chairs, two bedside cabinets, two bedside lamps, one set of chest of drawers and a bookshelf. On completion of lumping all of the items of furniture into her apartment, the two delivery men departed, leaving just Chuck and Sarah inside of her apartment once more.
"That is a lot of flat packs!" Chuck declared in amazement and Sarah giggled.
"Yeah, and I'm only half done with my furniture purchases!" she declared.
"Women!" Chuck retorted jokingly with a shake of his head in mock disgust as they began to carry all of the furniture out of the entrance hall and into the respective rooms that the furniture would be placed and assembled in.
On completing their tasks, they walked into the master bedroom together as this room was the primary room needing assembly first so that Sarah could sleep here tonight. They spent the next few minutes as they removed the wrapping from the mattress and the base of the bed and on completion, they moved to stand the mattress idly against the wall.
They then spent the next few minutes assembling the bed before Sarah paused her actions, and she moved to stand. "Do you want another coffee?" she asked him with a warm smile while gazing down at him from where he was still assembling the bed.
He paused from his task to glance up at her. "Oh, I see how it is. You get out of the grafting to make the drinks instead," he teased.
Sarah giggled at his playfulness. "You know me too well," she declared.
He began to nod as he laughingly stated, "You bet I do.
She smiled before asking, "So, are you having one, then?"
He nodded as he jokingly replied, "Yes, please. I'll have the same again if you can remember it."
She winced at his joke. "Now who's being the mean one today?"
"Payback's a bitch, Sarah," he declared, and she suppressed a laugh.
"You'd better be careful. Or else I might just slip some poison in your drink whilst I'm out there," Sarah retorted playfully, and Chuck's eyes immediately widened.
"Sarah, I no longer want a drink," he declared truthfully.
Sarah giggled. "That's too late because you've agreed to have one now."
"Sarah, I think I need a break to rest my muscles. I'll help you make it!" he said as he made an attempt to stand up.
She shook her head as she moved to push him back down. "No, Chuck, you just stay comfortable right there. I won't be long," she said as she continued to giggle, and he began to mumble nervously as she departed the room. She then headed into her kitchen, and she flicked on the kettle while she began to wash out the two coffee mugs, and she waited until the water boiled before she began to make coffee for herself and for Chuck.
On completing her actions, Sarah returned into the master bedroom with the two coffees, and she glanced at Chuck while observing that he had just finished assembling the first item of the dark, Sarah's new king size bed.
"The bed is ready, Milady," he declared with a wide grin, and she smirked.
"Thank you. You can go now. I won't be needing you any more," Sarah retorted with a wide smile, and he moved to put his hand on his heart.
"Now who's being the mean one?" he asked.
"That would be me. Though you should drink your coffee first before you go," Sarah laughed as she extended her arm and her hand that was holding his coffee towards him. She then watched with great interest as he took the mug out of her hand and he raised it to his nose as he began to sniff it for any sign of poison and she suppressed a laugh once more.
He then began to move to take a sip of the coffee before he immediately paused from his actions and he began to choke as he moved his free hand up to his face to grip hold of his throat.
Sarah shook her head as she began to laugh, sweetly at the actions of Chuck as the two teammates then continued on with their furniture assembly.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
After more than an hour, Sarah had just finished assembling her flat-pack chest of drawers and Chuck was still assembling her new wardrobe.
"I finished before you," she declared with a wide grin, and he paused from his assembling of her new wardrobe to glance over at her.
"Yeah, that's because it's half the size!" he shot back, and she snickered approvingly at his words as Chuck continued on with finishing the wardrobe whilst Sarah began to assemble the bedside cabinet...
A short while later
Chuck had just finished the assembly of Sarah's new wardrobe, and Sarah had also completed the assembling of her new bedside cabinet.
"Let's have a break," Chuck declared, and Sarah nodded as she stood up from where she was kneeling on the carpet to assemble the cabinet, and they headed into her kitchen together. They then proceeded to make and share sandwiches for the next thirty minutes. They had to stand eating them because the dining chairs came already assembled, however, the dining table was still boxed up and it still needed assembly separately. Once they had finished their lunch together, they were about to head towards Sarah's new living area to continue assembling furniture such as the bookshelf and glass table when they paused in place as Chuck's phone began to ring. Chuck moved his hand into the pocket of his jeans to retrieve his mobile phone, and he glanced at Sarah briefly and then at the screen to ascertain who was calling him.
"It's Cole," he declared to her and Sarah nodded as the two teammates shared a smile before Chuck answered the call of his best friend.
"Hi, Chuck," Cole greeted his best friend warmly once the call had connected.
"Alright, mate?" Chuck replied, warmly to his best friend.
"Yeah, I'm great, mate. How about yourself?" Cole asked.
"Yeah, I'm good. I'm just helping Sarah move in," he declared as he glanced at Sarah, and they shared another warm gaze.
"Oh yeah? Is it ok if I come round with Sophie? I would love to see her new place," Cole asked.
Chuck glanced at Sarah once more before he asked, "Cole is wondering if he can come over with his fianceé to see your new apartment?"
A loving smile formed on his teammate's face, and she nodded her head affirmatively as she declared, "Sure, that's fine."
"Yeah mate, no problem at all," Chuck then informed his best friend.
"Great. What's the address, Chuck?" Cole then asked.
"It's in Victoria Court. It's the same building as the old eye hospital. They refurbished it," Chuck stated.
"Ohhh, that's right in the centre! Yeah, I know exactly where that is. We'll be over soon, Chuck," Cole said, warmly.
"Smashing. See you then, mate."
"Yeah, see you in a bit, Chuck," Cole said, and Chuck disconnected the call, and he began to glance at Sarah once more.
"You will love Sophie. She's local to the area, and she's a down to earth girl," Chuck declared, and Sarah smiled at him.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Arriving outside Sarah's new apartment, Chuck and Sarah welcomed Cole's arrival along with his fianceé.
"Alright, Cole?" Chuck warmly greeted his best friend once more, and he shook Cole's hand as they shared an affectionate grin.
"How's your weekend so far, Chuck?" Cole asked his best friend.
"It started off rubbish with Jill on my back as per usual, but it's perked up since arriving here," Chuck declared, and his best friend and Sophie both began to smile sympathetically at him.
"Is she giving you an earful again?" Sophie asked as she moved to hug and kiss Chuck whilst Cole and Sarah shook hands with each other at the same time.
"Yeah. I don't know how much longer it can continue before I demand that she packs her bags and moves the hell out of my life," Chuck admitted, and his best friend and Sophie smiled sympathetically at him once more.
"Chuck, you deserve better than her," Sophie declared sincerely, and Cole began to nod in agreement with his fianceé's words.
"You do, Chuck," Cole then verbally agreed.
"I know," Chuck admitted with a nod of his head.
Cole then began to introduce Sarah to his fianceé. "Sarah, this is my lovely fianceé, Sophie," he declared, and the two women moved to embrace.
"Hi, Sophie," Sarah greeted her with a loving smile.
"Hi, Sarah," Sophie responded, returning Sarah's warm smile.
"Chuck was right, you are lovely," Sarah declared, and Sophie smiled as she shifted her glance between Sarah and Chuck.
"Oh, he said that, did he?" Sophie asked affectionately, gazing at Chuck.
"Mh-hmm," Sarah responded warmly with a nod of her head.
"I love Chuck like the brother I never had. He's the sweetest guy I've met," Sophie declared in response to Sarah as she gazed right at Chuck.
"And make sure that's all it is too," Cole joked causing the other three adults present to laugh together whilst Chuck also shook his head in disgust at the offensive joke.
"Cole, how could you think so little of me? I'd sooner step on an IED than hurt or betray you, you bastard!" Chuck responded affectionately to his best friend, and they shared a loving grin once more.
"Language, Chuck!" Sophie warned him disapprovingly, and she scolded his army tongue.
"Sorry," Chuck laughed as the group of four all then entered inside the two-storey apartment building together, and they headed on up to the first floor, and Chuck followed Sarah back inside of her apartment with Cole and Sophie following in behind them.
"I like the style of this building," Sophie declared.
"Yeah, I love Victorian buildings," Cole said in agreement, and Chuck nodded, whilst Sarah smiled at them both.
Sarah and Chuck spent the next ten minutes giving Cole and Sophie a tour of her new apartment, and on departing the master bedroom, Cole said, "I want to live here too."
Chuck laughed, approvingly at his best friend's declaration.
"Not you as well!" Sarah said as she shook her head.
"Chuck's been winding me up all week saying he wants to live here. He even tried to coerce the estate agent into letting him move here instead."
Sarah's response caused Chuck to burst into laughter, and Sophie and Cole quickly did the same.
"Good man," Cole mouthed approvingly to his best friend, and Chuck nodded as he continued to chuckle over his winding up of Sarah all week long.
"That's not nice, Chuck," Sophie replied tongue-in-cheek.
"I know it's not!" Sarah replied with a straight face.
"But Sophie, you should hear the things she says to me!" Chuck protested, and he began to think back to everything that Sarah had playfully said to him all week long.
"I'm sure you deserved it," Sophie said with a loving smile.
"I thought you liked me," Chuck replied as he pouted and frowned his eyebrows in feint hurt.
"I do, but girls stick together," Sophie declared as she shifted her gaze between Chuck and Sarah.
"You bet we do, Sarah said approvingly, and Chuck watched as the two women shared loving smiles.
"Cole, let's go and get drunk. I don't want to be around these two any more," Chuck declared and began to nod in approval.
"Sounds like a great idea, Chuck," Cole then said, and Chuck pointed his finger at his best friend, and he nodded approvingly at his response to him.
"Cole, you had better be kidding right now! Because we're heading on a romantic evening tonight," Sophie complained, and Chuck couldn't help but snicker as his best friend's fianceé began to glare evil daggers at his best friend.
"Sorry, Sophie, the engagement is off. I have decided you can't be with him any more," Chuck declared, and he tried his best to hold in a laugh which threatened to erupt.
"Steady on, Chuck!" Cole protested, and Chuck was now unable to fight off his laughter any longer.
"Cole, you're supposed to back me up, man," Chuck declared as his lips creased in sadness once he was able to stop laughing. "Why is it always me that gets left alone and nobody takes my side?"
Sarah and Sophie started to laugh, as the group of four all entered into Sarah's open plan kitchen and living room once more.
"I wish I could offer you both a drink, but I don't have much, yet, I'm afraid," Sarah declared remorsefully.
"It's fine, Sarah. We weren't staying long anyway. I just wanted to see your new place and to have you meet Sophie. Sophie has been really interested in you and your accomplishments in becoming the first female to serve with us in the Regiment," Cole declared as the four adults all shared a loving smile towards each other over Cole's words.
"He's right. You're an inspiration to every woman on the planet, Sarah," Sophie stated.
Sarah began to beam Sophie a loving smile. "Thank you. It was backbreaking work," she said.
Sophie nodded. "Oh, I can imagine. I'm sure you must feel very proud of yourself," she said as Chuck and Cole remained idle as they listened in to the loving exchange between the two women.
"I do," Sarah said as the two women held their loving smiles.
"Maybe in ten years from now, there will be a lot more than just one," Sophie stated.
"I hope so because I hate feeling like the odd one out. One girl, hundreds of men," Sarah said as she began to laugh and Chuck, Sophie and Cole began to share the laughter with her.
"I can imagine how hard that is," Sophie retorted as her loving smile continued, and Sarah, Cole and Chuck all began to nod with Sophie's opinion.
"Well. I guess that's us then. We'll leave you to resume your flat pack assembly," Cole stated.
Chuck nodded. "I'll probably call round and see you both tomorrow."
"I really look forward to that, Chuck," Cole said hospitably, and the best friends shared a loving grin once more.
"Me too. And you'll stay for dinner," Sophie demanded.
Chuck shifted his glance onto Sophie, and he nodded before responding, "Absolutely."
"Great," Sophie said affectionately, and Chuck shared a smile with his best friend's fianceé once more.
"I'll see you at work on Monday, Sarah," Cole stated.
"Yeah. Bye, Cole. I hope you both have a lovely evening," Sarah said, and Chuck nodded his head in agreement.
"Thank you," Cole said, warmly.
"Sarah, it was lovely to meet you," Sophie said.
"And you," Sarah retorted.
"We'll show you out," Chuck declared, and Sarah, Cole and Sophie all nodded as they began to depart Sarah's kitchen, and they entered into the entrance hall of the apartment followed by them exiting the apartment, and they descended down the stairs until they finally exited the apartment building together.
Chuck moved to hug Sophie goodbye. "Goodbye, Sophie. I hope you have a great night. Enjoy yourselves," he declared.
"Thank you, Chuck. You too," Sophie said affectionately, and Chuck nodded as Sophie and Sarah then embraced, while he moved to shake his best friend's hand.
"Have a good night, Cole, mate," Chuck said affectionately mid handshake with his best friend.
"Thanks, Chuck. I'll see you tomorrow," Cole replied in the same tone, and Chuck nodded as Cole and Sophie began to depart away from Chuck and Sarah, and the two teammates watched on as one of their other teammates and Sophie entered into Cole's car, and they waved them off as they departed from the property.
With their teammate disappeared from view, Chuck and Sarah began to head back inside the apartment building once more before they then entered inside Sarah's apartment. Because Chuck and Sarah had already assembled the master bedroom, there was still the guest bedroom, the living area and the kitchen yet to be assembled. Chuck followed Sarah inside of the guest room when suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks with her back to him, and he paused along with her because otherwise, he would have clattered right into the back of her and gotten a nasty bump.
"You know what? I don't want to do any more assembling today. I want to get drunk instead," Sarah declared on now turning to face him.
Chuck quirked his eyebrows at the sudden suggestion from Sarah as they still had a lot left to assemble such as the second bed in this room, another bedside cabinet and a glass table, a bookshelf and the dining table out in the rest of her apartment.
"Are you sure?" he asked apprehensively as he still felt there was a lot of work to do, and he wanted to help her with it.
"Chuck, we've done enough for today. I have somewhere to stay tonight, and my mum and sister are both coming over tomorrow, and they would want to help with the rest anyway," she stated.
He nodded. "Ok. If you're certain it's what you want to do. I don't mind carrying on if you want to."
She smiled at him. "Chuck, I'm sure. It's the weekend and Cole and Sophie going out and having a good time tonight has kind of made me want to go out and do the same. If you want to that is. If you don't, I could always go myself," she said as they shared a smile.
"Sarah, it sounds like a great idea, and I want to come with you, but I'm driving," he protested half-heartedly because he kind of really wanted to go out and have a good time himself tonight after having had Jill down his throat for the entire week ever since he had driven Sarah to London.
"Chuck, you can leave your car here and get a taxi home. It's off-road parking, and I am allowed guests, so your car is safe," she suggested with her continued smile.
Chuck took a brief moment to consider Sarah's suggestion before a wide grin took shape on his face, and he nodded his head acceptingly.
"I take it that your facial expressions and the nod of your head mean that's a yes then," she asked him with her continued smile.
"Sarah, I would like to retract my former protest and to instead change my response to, I thought you would never ask," he said with a wide grin, and Sarah giggled as the two teammates quickly departed Sarah's apartment once more…
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
It was late afternoon, and Sarah and Chuck had just arrived outside of a bar in Hereford. On arrival outside of the bar, Sarah took in its appearance. The bar was not as classy as the one in Kensington that they were at together just four days ago, but it suited her just fine. Sarah's family were extremely wealthy, but she had always been a down to earth girl, and she felt more suited and more at home in less affluent places than those of her birthplace.
Chuck moved to open and hold the door to the bar for her, and she entered inside before glancing behind herself to look at Chuck to engage in conversation with him.
"Sarah, it's not as posh as the one we were at in London a few days ago or the ones in Cheshire for that matter, but it suits me just fine," he declared, and she gave him a loving smile.
"Chuck, I was just thinking the same. It's perfect," she declared, and he returned the loving grin to her.
The two teammates and friends made their way towards the counter of the bar, and they began to wait to order their drinks.
"So, what are we having then?" Chuck asked as they waited to be served.
"Chuck..." Sarah attempted to protest. Sarah wanted to purchase the orders for them both as a thank you for his helping of her today and just about every day since her first day in the Regiment a few weeks ago.
"Nope, Sarah, the first one is on me. If you're still insistent, then you can buy the next one. I'm just thankful that you saved me from having to be around Jill today because I can't take any more of her bullshit," he said, and she smiled in acceptance.
"Fair enough. But I'm buying the next," she declared with no room for negotiation in her tone, and he nodded and gave her a smile.
"I'm fine with that," he declared.
"Ok," she replied.
"So, what are we having?" he asked.
A wicked smile suddenly formed on Sarah's face as she gazed at her comrade and friend. "How about we continue where we left off a few days ago, and we order the same again?" she suggested.
A wicked smile quickly formed on his own face. "I like your thinking, Ms Bond," he said, playfully.
Sarah giggled as the two comrades and friends then ordered and were served two vodka martinis, and they collected their drinks before they moved to sit next to each other on two bar stools at one of the corners of the bar. Their chosen spot was pretty secluded, and it was out of the way of most of the other people in attendance at the busy bar, and it suited them just fine as they preferred to be in their own company just like almost everybody else in the Regiment.
"So, Chuck," Sarah started, and she waited until he met her gaze with her own and responded to her.
"Yeah?" he asked with a loving grin.
"Tell me all about yourself and about what led you to where you are today," she said as she smiled invitingly at him.
He nodded. "Sure," he started but paused to gather his thoughts before he continued, "Well, where to begin... I was born in Cheshire. My mother is a very successful investment banker, and she was born and raised in Cheshire like me herself. My dad is recently retired from the army after having served for thirty years, and they both met each other on a night out with their friends. My dad isn't from Cheshire, though. He is from Liverpool."
"So you are a scouser!" Sarah declared with a wide grin, and he chuckled acceptingly.
"Ok, half scouser. I'll give you that. But don't tell anybody or I would have to kill you," he replied, and she began to giggle as she continued her loving smile towards him.
"I'd like to see you try. But what about the rest of your immediate family? You have mentioned your sister a few times?" she asked and he nodded as she took a sip of her drink.
"Yeah, Ellie, she's a few years older than me, and she is engaged to a lovely guy. They are both doctors in the NHS. Actually, he's from around your neck of the woods too," he declared.
"Oh, which part of London?" she asked interestedly.
"Surrey," he replied, and she immediately quirked her eyebrows in utter confusion.
"Chuck, Surrey isn't even in London," she laughed, and he nodded his head, and he began to chuckle.
"I know, but I consider it to be!" he declared, and she shook her head in disbelief.
"You're weird," she declared warmly with a loving smile to him.
"So I have been told," he replied with a wide grin, and she continued to shake her head.
"What about you though, Chuck? You seem like an extraordinarily smart guy, so of all the things you could be, why the army?" she asked as she took another sip of her drink.
"Mostly for the adventure. When you spend the first sixteen years of your life growing up with your father and grandfather never shutting up about how wonderful and how adventurous and how brave it is to serve your country it kind of leaves a lasting impression," he admitted.
She smirked. "But you said your mum and your sister didn't want you to sign up?" she asked and he furiously began to nod his head, and she took another sip of her drink.
"God no," he said with a wide grin, and she laughed briefly.
"Your mum and sister are exactly like mine then," she declared as they shared a warm smile.
"Speaking of which, why don't you tell me about you?" he asked.
Sarah immediately turned a bit fidgety and slightly nervous at the prospect of talking about herself, which she had never found an easy thing to do.
"I'm not sure," she said apprehensively, as she gazed at him before she took another sip of her drink.
"Nonsense, Sarah, I told you about me, so tell me about you," he encouraged.
"Fair enough," she started, but she paused briefly to build up the courage to talk as they continued to gaze warmly at each other. "I'm a posh London girl, but I have never felt like I belonged around wealth and instead of being waited around on and doing all of the pompous things that rich people do, I decided to put my body on the line and to serve my country instead."
He began to grin at her.
"Not very interesting, huh?" she asked as she gazed into his eyes.
"On the contrary! You truly fascinate me. It's none of my business, but I'm sure your family are very wealthy. Yet, you grew up as an amateur runner that could have turned successful and competed in the Olympics, and you then enlist into the army, and you now end up in the best Regiment in the world. I take my hat off to you, Sarah, truly," he declared with his continued loving grin, and she smiled right back at him.
"Thank you," she said as she continued her smile and her gaze onto him and she took another sip of her drink…
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Sarah had just been served their second round of vodka martinis, and she paid for them before collecting them, and she returned to the corner of the bar that she was sitting at with Chuck. She then moved to hand him his drink, and they shared a smile as she moved to sit on the stool next to him once more. If Sarah had her way, she would be purchasing the third, fourth and fifth round too.
She was enjoying every moment of his company today. Sarah had never met a guy like Chuck Bartowski before. If Sarah was looking for the perfect guy, then she was pretty sure that her friend and teammate was precisely that.
Frankly, she liked everything about him that she had seen from him in the time that she had known him so far. And during their time at the bar together, she'd already noticed several women glancing towards him, and she could see why. Chuck was tall, broad-shouldered, he had a smile out of this world, he was masculine looking, and he had a rugged face with a few broken bones from his eight years in the army. However, all of that was just his outside appearance. What appealed most of all to Sarah, was what was inside of him. He had done nothing but help her at every opportunity in the few weeks that she had known him. He easily had the kindest heart that Sarah had ever encountered, and she simply could not fathom why his girlfriend was treating him as poorly as she presently was. If Chuck's girlfriend continued to treat him as badly as she was, then Sarah was feeling quite tempted to have some strong words with her.
Sarah was very loyal towards her friends, and Chuck was quickly becoming one of her best friends. Actually, he already was the best friend that she had. Sarah didn't have many friends in life, because she wasn't the biggest of people persons. But she was ok with that. For Sarah, the only real people she had ever needed were her mother and her sister. Her father had passed away to cancer when she was nine so she was unable to grow up with her father, but the three Walker females shared a very loving and unbreakable bond, and that was all she ever needed in her life.
"Chuck, you can tell me to mind my own business if you want to. But I have to ask you something. Why are you still with your girlfriend after how she is treating you?" Sarah asked as she gazed into Chuck's eyes, and she took another sip of her second drink at the same time.
A faint smile began to form on his face, and he breathed out a deep sigh for a long moment. "I don't know. I wish I could answer that, but I don't have the answer to give you," he admitted.
"It's a toxic relationship, and you deserve far better than what you're getting from her," she declared sincerely with a warm smile.
"Sarah, it undoubtedly is a toxic relationship. I guess I've just allowed her to stay in my life in the hope that she changed back into the girl she was when I met her. But as each day passes by, I lose more and more hope that it will ever happen and I get closer and closer to telling her to pack her bags and to move on out of my life rather than continue to make it hell," he admitted, and she now began to sport him a sympathetic smile instead.
"Chuck, I'm not telling you what to do. I have only known you for a few weeks, but sometimes there comes the point where you have to cut your losses and let go," she stated sincerely to him, and he began to nod in acceptance of her words.
"I know. You're right," he admitted, and she held her sympathetic smile toward him.
"You're my teammate and my friend, and I'll be honest with you, I'm not very happy that every time I see you, you are in some kind of wound-up state because your girlfriend has said or done something to you. Never-mind you walking away from her, if she is so unhappy with you, then she should walk away from you rather than keep behaving like a nasty bitch towards you," Sarah stated, and he began to nod his head.
"But enough of me, Sarah. I am at the end of my tether with how horrible she has been treating me for the past year. I don't want to talk about her any more so what about you? Have you had many or any relationships?" he asked.
She smiled at his interest in her life before she admitted, "A few. But they were mostly just physical attraction relationships."
"You don't like commitment, huh?" he asked, playfully with a loving smile.
She smiled at his playfulness. "Chuck, I love the army too much to want to focus on a relationship instead. I will always put my career before a relationship. Because I feel like I have a purpose in my life right now, and it is the only time that I have felt like this. Before the army, I wasn't very content with who I was. I don't like nor have I ever wanted to feel like the stuck up rich girl that looks down on anybody with less than one million pounds in the bank."
"Sarah, I have never thought for one second that you are stuck up. You are really down to earth and so easy to engage in conversation with," he declared sincerely with a loving grin, and they shared a very cordial moment.
"I know. And that's why I like you," she said with an affectionate smile, and they took another sip of their drinks.
"Sarah, you have been really nice to me too. Well, aside from all of the hurtful comments that is," he declared with his continued loving grin.
"Chuck, I was just playing with you," she responded with a smile.
He nodded. "I know, and I'm joking too. They don't bother me. In fact, I love them. I really enjoy your company, and I have a lot of fun whenever I'm with you," he declared with his continued grin.
"Me too," she replied with her continued smile.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
A short while later
Sarah and Chuck were now on their third round of vodka martinis. She had also purchased this round for them both. It had taken some persuasion, but Chuck had only agreed to allow Sarah to purchase the round on the insistence that he be allowed to purchase the fourth one.
"Well, Sarah, I am really enjoying tonight. I can safely say that this is the most fun that I have had in a long time," he declared.
Sarah gazed into his eyes, and they shared an affectionate smile once more. "Me too," she replied as they continued their gaze.
"For a cockney, you're actually quite alright," he joked.
"For a scouser, you are too," she quipped back, and they continued their warm gaze as they took another sip of their drinks.
A short while later
Sarah was now on her fourth vodka martini with Chuck, and he had purchased this round for them both.
"Chuck, can I talk with you about something?" Sarah asked as she gazed into his eyes from where they were seated at the bar together.
"Sarah, you can talk with me about anything," he declared with a warm, inviting grin.
"Anything?" she couldn't resist but add in flirtatiously as she looked at him cutely.
"Anything," he replied as he looked at her the same way, and she giggled briefly before she turned serious.
"I keep having nightmares, Chuck," she admitted, and Chuck's loving smile instantly began to fade.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm not surprised. Because I get the nightmares too," he admitted.
"Wow, I'm surprised," she stated.
He began to laugh briefly. "Why? Because I love a laugh and a joke? Sarah, we are human. I love this job, and I will never leave it voluntarily, but it does take a hefty toll on our mental well-being. If you ever need to talk, please do confide in me. I won't mock you or go around the base telling everyone you have nightmares," he declared sincerely, and she smiled as they shared another bonding moment together.
"You better not, or I would kill you," she said playfully.
He nodded. "Fair enough. But Sarah, this is a serious discussion. I want to listen to what you have to say. Please continue with where you started."
She continued to gaze at him, and she began to breathe out a short sigh.
"Chuck, ever since the bridge and everything leading up to it in the market and all of the casualties all over the floor and those armed police who were deceased that we saw, I have had nightmares every night and even when I'm awake I can't get it out of my mind either. Though I haven't thought about them until now because I have enjoyed every second of my day today," Sarah declared and a smile formed on her face on stating the last bit to him.
He returned her smile. "It gets easier, Sarah. I can promise you that it gets easier."
She gazed into his eyes as she asked, "How do you cope with it until it does?"
He smiled at her. "By confiding in others. Sarah, if you need to call me just to hear a friendly voice at any point in the day or night, then do it," he said in a heartfelt tone, and she did a double-take at his blunt sincerity because aside from her mother and sister, she was not used to people behaving like this with her.
"Really, Chuck? I don't think you or Jill would be too pleased if I called you at 4am like when I woke up this morning. You would probably kill me," she joked with a wry smile, and he briefly shook his head in disagreement.
"Sarah, from an honest perspective, I wouldn't be too happy with a phone call at 4am for a few seconds, but once my brain switched on and I woke up, I wouldn't mind it at all. And I don't care what Jill thinks. You are my teammate and my friend and if you need to call me at 4am to speak to somebody then please do not hesitate to do so," he declared in that same blunt, sincere tone that he had formerly used. What Chuck had just said was a bit overpowering for somebody who had spent her life living her life on her own with not much deep and personal interaction with other people. Sarah involuntarily began to shrug her shoulder as she filled up with deep happiness inside because what Chuck had just said to her may possibly be the sincerest thing that anybody had ever said to her in her whole life.
"Then the least I can do is to extend that same offer back to you. If you need to talk to me for anything then you can call me at 4am too," she said as she sported him an affectionate smile and he nodded his head as he grinned right back at her.
A short while later
Sarah had just finished her fifth and final vodka martini with Chuck. She wasn't sure how long they have been here together, but it had been at least several hours, and she had enjoyed every single second with her comrade and friend today, and she was sure that he was feeling the same way towards her. They weren't completely drunk, but they were well on their way to being in that state, and both teammates had decided to end the night in their present happy frame of minds that they were both in.
"Are you ready to head back then?" Sarah asked, and he began to nod.
"Yeah. I could drink more, but I don't feel like having any more. That would just be drinking for the sake of drinking," he stated.
She nodded her head, and she smiled vibrantly before stating, "I agree. Let's go then."
He nodded, and she took that as her cue to stand up from the barstool she had been seated at as the comrades and friends departed the bar, and they began the short walk back to Sarah's apartment.
"Thank you again for tonight, Chuck. I have enjoyed being in your company," Sarah declared to him as they continued their short walk back to her apartment.
"And I have loved every minute of being in yours too, Sarah," he replied with a warm smile, and she returned the facial gesture to him.
The two comrades and friends continued walking for just a few minutes more until they arrived outside of the driveway that housed her two-storey Victorian apartment complex.
"Well, here we are then," she declared on them both coming to a stop.
"Yeah, here we are," he said with a nod of his head.
Chuck and Sarah began to pause in silence as they gazed at each other for an extended moment before Sarah broke the silence between them. "Chuck... I don't do this very often. But… Do you want to come in?" she asked as she gazed at her teammate with a lustful smile.
He immediately froze all action and thought, and he remained like this for an extended moment as she continued to gaze into his eyes, and he stared right back at her.
"Sarah..." he started but paused. "I'm tempted. I am feeling so unbelievably tempted to accept that invitation right now. You are by far the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen in my life, and even that is an understatement, and, whoever gets to be with you is extremely lucky and blessed..."
"But?" she interrupted as she continued her affectionate gaze onto him.
"But I'm already in a committed relationship. Is it a happy one? No. Do I see it lasting the remaining months of this year? No to that also. But I'm a faithful guy, and I won't do that to her. I will always be a one-woman man, and I won't play around in any relationship. She may not be my woman for much longer, but I just can't do it to her, I'm sorry," he said as he began to smile consolingly at her, and she nodded in acceptance as a faint smile began to take shape.
"You're right. And I'm sorry for putting you in this position. It was a stupid idea, and I shouldn't have done it," she said, and her gaze lowered away from Chuck and down at the floor in shame and sadness.
"Maybe in another life?" he asked, and she raised her gaze to look at him once more.
She nodded. "Yeah, maybe in another life," she said, and the two comrades shared a faint smile with each other.
"Well, goodnight then. And once again, thank you for tonight, Sarah," Chuck said.
"Goodnight, Chuck," she replied as the comrades and friends paused to look at each other in silence for a final moment. Chuck then began to turn away from her to head to a taxi rank close by, and she began to sigh deeply for a long moment over what had occurred just moments ago. Sarah had never made an intimate approach towards a comrade before as she had just done towards him. She breathed out a final, long sigh in a mixture of shame, confusion, fear and sadness over the revelation before she began to head up the driveway and she quickly entered into her apartment...
End of Chapter
AN3 Next Chapter: We meet Morgan Grimes, and much, much more as Charah get back to work! Also, I wonder how Chuck and Sarah will behave around each other after what happened outside Sarah's apartment? I can't promise that you will find out the answer to that soon. Because it will all depend on whether people decide to engage with my story or not. If not, then the next update of Who Dares Wins will likely be many months from now, because I just can't continue to publish this story on a chapter-by-chapter basis without the readership here for me to do so.
Once more, I wish the very best of Happy Holidays to you all!