Hey gang! Thank you for the reviews :) I always reply to every single one, so this is an extra thanks to the guests who I can not reply to.
We have now arrived at a big moment, several actually in the restoration of Charah's relationship as you will see this chapter.
I know Sarah's life doesn't have much of a plan right now. But trust me guys. I have the plan. My vision for the story will all begin to become clear very shortly :)
Also, there's a little ice between the two right now and dialogue is limited because they're both nervous and reserved for different reasons which will begin to be explained in the coming chapters. Luckily, I'm qualified enough to break it. Hang in there with me!
Word Count for this Chapter: 12,988
All Roads Lead Back Home
Chapter Seven
Five days since the beach
It is early morning in Los Angeles and Sarah is awake and she is now beginning her third day back in her home shared together with her husband. Though she is not presently feeling as if she is sharing it with him right now. Rather, in her mind, she is feeling as if she is merely a guest of his. Sarah just can't seem to shake the feeling from her mind that it feels wrong for a husband and wife to be sleeping in two separate beds under the same roof. She may not be his wife right now. But it's beyond evident that Sarah already has a strong attraction to him again. And she's also certain that his feelings towards her are infinitely more powerful as he can remember the whole five years of being with her. If they didn't like or were at odds with each other then separate beds would be understandable. But on the contrary, everything that has taken place between Sarah and Chuck since Sarah arrived at the beach attempting to find herself five days ago has been nothing short of perfect.
Sarah has now just departed the master bedroom from where she had slept alone last night. Not that she had done much sleeping, as she had been restlessly tossing and turning throughout most of the night. And it is safe to say that her restlessness hasn't left her in the best of moods nor the most approachable of people to be around this morning.
On exiting the room, she begins to head straight for the kitchen, noting on her way that the bathroom seems to be presently occupied.
Good. Hopefully it will give me some time to wake up and snap out of this foul mood that I'm feeling right now. I know he told me that I'm not a guest, but in every sense of the word, that's exactly what I am right now. I'm just his guest. I came back to him to see if we can rebuild what was taken from us. I know it has only been a few days since I reconnected with him again. But those days have been perfect. How can we rebuild what we lost, if he is refusing to let me back in and expose himself to me once more?
Sarah has now arrived in the kitchen and she immediately proceeds to make herself some much needed coffee…
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
A short while later
Chuck has just finished showering and has changed into some lounge wear. He hadn't slept very well last night. He had managed to stay inside of the guest room the whole night. He had wanted to return to the sofa again, but he didn't want his wife to notice his grief that he is presently experiencing if she were to encounter him again as she had done the previous night. She is going through a lot right now and the last thing that he wishes to be is a burden to her, or she might decide it's too much and take off. There is nothing more that Chuck would love than to be sleeping next to her in their bed once more. But he can't shake from his mind everything that had occurred when she had returned to him as Quinn's agent and when she had considered him her enemy and he tried to connect their toes as they always did only for her to give him the cold shoulder. He's scared to sleep together with her again, in fear of his memories of his wife tainting and remembering her differently than how she was before Quinn had captured her.
Chuck now begins to depart the bathroom and on doing so he notices the door to their bedroom now opened and a smile immediately forms on his face on likely being moments away from seeing his wife for the first time this morning. Walking slowly, he pauses at the door to their bedroom and he peeks his head inside the room to see if she is still in there, to which she is not. He then continues out and back into the hallway once more until he lands in the kitchen of their home. Pausing briefly, he glances around until he finds the destination of his wife. She's presently sitting at their dining table with a mug in her hands and facing in his direction. His smile forms once more at the sight of her and he departs the kitchen slightly, as he then pauses to a stop as he moves to lean into a block of foundation of their home.
He watches as she notes his presence as she glances at him and it also doesn't go amiss that she doesn't seem to replicate his warm facial expressions to her.
"Good morning," he declares lovingly to her, his smile still formed.
Is it? I feel terrible. I slept much better the night before.
"Hi," she responds in a distant tone.
"Did you sleep well?" he asks sincerely with his continued smile.
"No," she replies in a kind of tone that causes his smile to now fade on sensing that his wife may have woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning.
"Me neither," he then says softly.
He waits briefly for her response and to see if she has any intentions of engaging in conversation with him right now but she doesn't respond causing him to become slightly nervous.
Hmm. She seems a bit moody this morning. Has she just had a bad night or is there an underlying reason for her abrupt nature with me this morning?
"Is everything ok?" he then asks, softly.
He watches as his wife seems to get a bit visibly agitated by his presence right now.
"Can you stop asking me silly questions at this hour of the morning, Chuck?" she replies to him bluntly.
Hearing his wife's bluntness causes him to do a double take. She's behaving pretty detached and quite coldly with him this morning. This is the first time since before the beach that he hasn't felt a positive vibe from her.
"I'm sorry if I have done something wrong," he says accompanied with a sympathetic smile.
He watches as his wife pauses and she gazes at him. "Chuck, I'm sorry. I don't mean to bite your head off I just haven't slept very well and I've got out of bed the wrong side this morning," she admits as he then watches as she takes another sip of her coffee.
He nods his head acceptingly at his wife's words before trying one last time to perk up the mood by engaging in humour with her instead.
"I'd better not say anything more and I will stay out of your hair then. Or else you might decide to impale me like you did an alarm clock many years ago. Heh," he says humorously but his humour disintegrates on watching as his wife immediately spits out her coffee and she starts to choke for a brief moment.
On recovering enough, she asks, "What did you just say?"
Chuck's eyebrows immediately start to frown in confusion over her question to him. He was only making a light joke.
Wow, she really did get out of bed the wrong side this morning! Be careful, Chuck!
"What? What did I do, what did I say?" He then asks in puzzlement and shock on replaying in his mind what he had just said to cause her outburst and he can't think of any reason for it to provoke a reaction.
"Chuck, what did you just say?" she repeats furthering his confusion.
"I said I better be careful or you might decide to impale me like you have other things previously when waking on the wrong side of bed in the morning?" he says as his nervousness begins to increase ten-fold over his wife's present erratic behaviour with him right now.
"So I've done it before?" she asks and he nods his head affirmatively in complete confusion.
"Yeah, why?" he asks.
She responds immediately to his latest question to her, "It's been on my mind for a few days. I have these strange things on my mind that I can't make any sense out of," she admits and his curiosity suddenly explodes through the roof over these 'strange things' that she has just stated to him.
"May I please enquire as to what those things are?" he enquires as he then moves to take a seat opposite her at their dining table.
She nods her head as he then begins to wait as he studies the facial expressions of his wife which are that of puzzlement as she likely digs out the answer to his question.
"Apple fruit juice, sizzling shrimp, an impaled alarm clock... It probably sounds stupid," she admits causing an instant trademark Bartowski grin to light up his face.
"Heh, Sarah, those are actual living memories with a story behind all of them!" he says passionately as his deep loving smile continues.
He watches as his wife then does a double take.
"Really? I just thought that they were insignificant?" she queries and he immediately vehemently shakes his head.
"No, quite the contrary. If you'll allow me, can I just grab some refreshment briefly, and I'll tell you all about it in a moment?" he asks.
He watches as she then nods her head acceptingly in response to his question before replying, "Sure."
He smiles in response before replying, "Thank you. I'll be right back."
She nods her head once more and he takes that as his leave as he moves to stand up once more and he hurriedly begins to head for their kitchen because the quicker he makes his drink, the quicker he can share more stories with and refresh his wife's memory of their past time spent together. Opening the refrigerator, he removes some orange juice before closing the refrigerator door. On closing it, he moves slightly, as he opens up a cupboard and retrieves a glass out of the cupboard. On retrieving the glass, he places it down on one of the kitchen surfaces before picking up the orange juice carton, opening it and pouring some of its contents into the glass. Normally, he'd return the juice back into the refrigerator but his mind is so occupied right now with the upcoming memories he's about to share with his wife as he then picks up his glass of orange juice as he then proceeds to quickly walk back to their dining table and he moves to sit back down opposite her. On sitting, he raises the glass to take a gulp of the juice until he now begins to feel refreshed enough to begin the conversation with her.
"Ok, which story do you want to hear about first?" he asks as a loving smile forms once more.
He then waits briefly as she starts to contemplate his question.
"The alarm clock, because that's what you started with."
He nods in acceptance. "Ok, well... Where to begin..." he pauses as he begins to think back to his time spent together with his wife five years ago. "It all goes back five years ago. Do you remember at the beach when I told you about the bomb that didn't turn out to be a bomb?"
She nods and he watches as a smile forms on her face for the first time today.
"Yeah. Our first kiss," she then admits causing an instant wide loving grin to return to his face once more.
"Yeah," he says softly. "And also you threatening to shoot me to stop me from getting blown up. I won't let you ever forget about that," he pauses briefly, as the husband and wife gaze warmly at each other. "But moving on, we kiss and then everything I told you about the pretending from you that it didn't happen and when things got awkward once we found out Bryce was still alive and everything else I told you about a few days ago."
She nods before continuing the conversation, "Yeah, I can remember everything you told me about that point in our life."
He nods. "So yeah, you decided to refuse Bryce's offer to leave with him and you stayed with me. Now bear in mind that you only told me about what happened with the clock much later, so I didn't actually see it happen."
He pauses and she nods in confirmation.
"But you woke up the very next morning after deciding to stay with me and you were feeling awful as you'd not slept all night. The decision you took to stay with me and to not leave with him must have been playing on your mind all night and you were disturbed awake by an alarm clock and because of how pissed off you were in that moment, you threw a knife at it and impaled it to shut it up," he declares with a wide grin and he watches as his wife begins to snicker.
He then continues. "Our bosses weren't happy that you turned up late to work that day but myself and Casey were attempting to cover for you,"
"Casey covered for me?" she interrupts his story telling and he nods his head affirmatively, his loving smile still formed, which she returns on hearing his words to her.
He continues. "Sarah, Casey didn't show his feelings easily but he cared and still deeply cares about the both of us. I'd even go as far as to say he loves us, but don't ever tell him I told you that or he'd kill me,"
She interrupts once more, "Chuck, he'd have to get through me first,"
On hearing his wife's protectiveness of himself, if at all possible, his loving grin extends further. Though he's not sure if she is joking with him or if she is serious, but if her facial expressions were anything to go by, then he'd say that she was being deadly serious in what she has just said to him.
"Sarah, I was just playing. Actually, I'm not so sure…" he pauses on actually taking the time to think about what his friend would do to him if he found out that he was going around telling people that he loves them. "So anyway, after the seduction mission on the boat after I lost one hundred thousands dollars we made up and I bought you an alarm clock as a Christmas gift as I had noted the impaled alarm clock in your room but I didn't know why you did it at the time."
He watches as a wide loving grin strong enough to match one of his own forms on her face. "You're funny," she declares lovingly and he continues his loving smile at her.
"Well, I try to be, heh," he states as he then moves to pick up his orange juice and takes another gulp once more.
"You've gotten me better Christmas presents than an alarm clock though, right?" she asks flirtatiously and he immediately starts to snicker whilst nodding his head affirmatively in response to her humour.
"Of course! Who do you think you've dealing with?" he retorts and he watches intently as a mischievous look begins to form on his wife's face.
"A n..."
He quickly interrupts her. "Don't say it. Please," he pauses as he begs as he moves his hands into a praying position at the table. "I'd like that number to stay at one thousand and not have you do that any more to me."
On hearing his declaration, she smiles adoringly at him before replying, "Finish the story then. Or I will."
He laughs briefly at her threat before replying, "Ok! Ok! Hold your horses! Well, I'm kind of glad you just threatened that actually, because the very next part of the story is a big relationship moment for us and I don't need any encouragement to tell you how besotted you were with me. You asked Casey one to one if he just wanted a normal life."
He watches as she frowns briefly in puzzlement. "Why did I ask that?" she asks as he continues to grin adoringly at her.
"Because we had kissed and you were imagining us together as a normal couple," he informs her and they pause for a brief moment as they burn an intimate gaze at each other.
"How did you find out? I can't imagine doing that unless I knew one hundred percent that only Casey would hear what I had to say." she asks.
He nods his head in agreement. "You told me once we were official. Everything that you had to hide from me you pretty much told me it all once we were together and it made me so happy," he admits as he fondly begins to recall those memories that he had, had with his wife.
They continue their smile and their eye contact that they hadn't broken from each other since Chuck had returned with his orange juice.
"I'm glad we got together. After everything we'd been through, to get to have each other. It wouldn't have been fair if we hadn't," she admits and he nods his head as he continues to gaze lovingly at her.
"Sarah, it's not past tense. You still have me. And you always will so long as you want that," he declares.
She smiles at him once more. "I know," she then replies and they pause briefly as Chuck takes in her chosen words to him before she continues further, "So did anything else happen in that moment on that mission?"
A perplexed look forms on Chuck's face as he dips into his memory bank once more before his wide grin returns on recalling further information.
"Yeah! I blew up Casey's Crown Vic," he chuckles causing Sarah to snort with approving laughter.
"No way!" she says in amazement on recovering from her laughter and he nods his head.
"Yes way," he pauses to laugh and she smiles affectionately at him. "By the way, you made him allow me to do it."
"How?" she asks him with a wide smile.
"The bad guy fired off a missile that was heading straight for some kind of yacht which actually had Morgan onboard. I managed to reset the homing device but then the missile changed course and began heading right back to where it launched from which is the boat that we were on. I demanded the GPS coordinates of his vehicle to reprogram the missile and he wouldn't give me them and you said something like: GIVE HIM THEM CASEY! Heh."
He watches as his wife snorts with laughter once more causing his adoring smile to remain shaped.
"Poor Casey," she replies and he nods his head in agreement.
"Yeah..." he then replies and a brief silence ensues between them.
"So what about the fruit juice?" she then asks him and his adoring grin forms once more.
He pauses briefly before responding, as his mind begins to recollect the next memory of their time spent together. "Um, this mission took place a few years later and not too long before our wedding," he pauses to allow his wife to process his information to her and to recollect further. "The CIA were trying to replace our team with a new and improved team. They didn't like our or my results rather and my performance as the intersect so they uploaded it into other agents. It turns out, they weren't the best, and that we were and still are, the A Team."
He watches as her loving smile to him continues. "Where does the juice come into it?" she asks and he chuckles briefly.
"Well basically, there was a nuclear bomb set to go off and the B team couldn't defuse it," he pauses. "So the A team was called in, at Casey's request as it turns out he had been leading this new team behind our back and I ended up defusing the nuclear suitcase bomb with none other than, yep that's right, apple fruit juice."
On Chuck finishing his story, he watches as Sarah bursts into laughter as a look of amazement forms on her face.
"So not only was we stopping bombs with computer porn viruses but we're also defusing nukes with apple fruit juice?" she asks in amazement and he nods affirmatively with complete and total happiness present on his persona.
"Wow, that's not very conventional," she states humorously.
He nods.
"No, but Sarah, that's why we were the best, because our methods were unconventional," he declares as the husband and wife then enter into approving laughter over his words once more.
"What about the sizzling shrimp?" she enquires and he chuckles lovingly once more as he starts to recall another fond memory of his time spent with his wife.
"Our first stakeout," he admits and pauses briefly to dip into his memory bank once more. "It was during our mission when we turned the Chinese agent in exchange for helping her brother who had been taken by triads. Basically, me, you and Morgan had all gone out to eat sizzling shrimp together. Morgan loves it. Anyway, I flash on the Chinese agent and that's when our mission begins. I screw it up in a trademark way but like I said a few days ago, I recover it. But anyway, I regressed, on our stakeout of the club ran by the triads, I order sizzling shrimp and it's delivered to our stakeout van," he pauses as he watches fondly as his wife bursts into laughter.
"Oh Chuck, you doofus!" she states adoringly to him causing him to chuckle.
"It's better than being called a nerd again I suppose," he admits humorously and she grins at him.
"You know, there's more to the sizzling shrimp if you want?" he then asks.
"What is it?" she asks cute and affectionately.
"I was on my final mission a few months after Prague before becoming a full agent. I was on a stakeout together with you and I brought along music, champagne and none other than yes, you guessed it, sizzling shrimp."
"Wow. Nobody throws a stakeout like Chuck Bartowski," she declares warmly and he starts to chuckle approvingly in agreement.
"Oh you bet your life they don't," he states proudly as he finishes before then moving to take another much needed gulp of his orange juice.
"Are there any stories about Orange Juice?" she jokes causing him to almost spit out the juice as he begins to laugh.
On recovering, he starts to shake his head as he replies, "Not that I can recall."
The husband and wife then enter into a short moment of silence, though they continue their gaze at each other from where they are seated opposite each other.
"Wow, Chuck, I really am speechless. I thought those things were just insignificant items," she admits.
"Sarah, in our life, nothing is insignificant. Anything as silly as it may seem, as soon as you think about it please tell me, ok?" he asks and she nods her head.
"Ok," she agrees.
"Now all of this conversation has made me hungry. Would you like to eat breakfast together?" he asks with a loving smile. His mouth is actually hurting from smiling so much. After the brief abruptness of his wife earlier, the rest of however long they have been speaking to each other has been perfect.
He watches as a similar loving smile forms on his wife's face before she replies, "Sure."
Chuck smiles at her a final time, before the husband and wife then stand up as they head to their kitchen to decide what to make and eat together…
A short while later
Chuck and Sarah have now finished eating breakfast together and are now talking once more over yet another morning beverage.
"Sarah, if you don't want me to come with you to tonight's appointment I understand even though I so desperately want to be there with you for support. To be honest with you, I'm just so happy you accepted my offer of help yesterday and anything else is really is just a bonus," he declares sincerely.
A wide smile forms on Sarah's face as she starts to fondly recall her husband's kindness the previous night.
He has every right to be in that room right next to me.
"Chuck, I'd like you to come," she declares lovingly to him.
She then watches as a wide smile forms on her husband's face once more causing her to feel instant satisfaction and happiness that she has elated her husband by allowing him to come with her.
"Really?" he asks softly.
She nods her head.
"Yeah," she admits.
"Sarah, thank you," he declares affectionately to her.
"You're welcome," she responds as they continue to share their loving smiles with each other.
"I should probably leave for work now, though. It's really quite late in the morning and I'm sure you have things to do yourself today," he declares.
She nods her head.
"Yeah I do. I'll see you tonight then," she declares affectionately.
"Yeah. I'll be back home about 3:30pm. That will give us ample time before the appointment," he pauses and she nods her head.
"I really enjoyed this morning, Sarah." he then says to her.
A smile forms on her face once more on hearing his declaration.
"Me too," she admits as they walk together towards the exit to their apartment.
On arriving at the door, Chuck turns and they move to embrace together for a long moment before they begin to part from each other and they begin to smile at each other for a final time as they start to say their goodbyes.
"Bye," he says affectionately.
"Bye," she replies with her loving smile still in place.
She then watches as he opens the door to their home and he begins to depart and she moves forward slightly to take up the position that he had formerly been in and she watches as he turns back to look at her and they gaze at each other a final time, before he turns once more and he disappears from view…
A short while later
Chuck has just arrived at work in the best mood he has been in for a long time. The morning he has spent together with his wife has him feeling on cloud nine. Though he's not sure what caused her initial abruptness but he's sure there is an underlying cause to it but he was too happy to dig into what that actually was right now.
On arriving in the vicinity of his best friend Morgan who is also present at work, he stops dead as he greets his friend warmly who is looking at him and they smile fondly at each other. "Hey, Morgan,"
"Hi, Chuck," his best friend replies in the same warm tone.
"I'm sorry I didn't call you last night man like I promised. I was busy with Sarah, I'm sorry," he admits.
He watches as Morgan nods his head.
"Chuck, it's fine. Until Sarah either gets her memory back, or falls in love with you again, I would expect nothing less than to be second on your priority list. Heh," he replies sincerely causing Chuck to smile fondly at his best friend once more.
"Thank you, Morgan. So then, let's get started with our plans," Chuck states and Morgan nods his head as the two friends get started on their day…
Ninety minutes later
Chuck and Morgan have been planning on how to rebuild the presently defunct Carmichael Industries for the past hour and a half and they are locked in conversation together when they are abruptly interrupted as a message flashes on screen.
It reads: Hey Chuckles. I'll be in contact soon. Carina.
On reading the message, a wide smile forms on Chuck's face.
"Yes, Chuck! We're back in business baby!" Morgan declares proudly causing Chuck to chuckle approvingly in response.
He then replies, "I still think we need more than three as a team but we'll decide that in the coming days."
He watches as his best friend nods his head in agreement before replying, "High-five it right there, buddy," he says as he raises his hand and Chuck moves to high-five together with his best friend...
A short while later
"I'm gonna head and get some dinner now and probably pop in on Alex for a short while, Chuck," Morgan declares and Chuck nods his head.
Chuck then replies, "Ok, buddy."
"Do you want anything, Chuck?" Morgan asks and Chuck shakes his head no.
"I'm fine, buddy. I'm super busy with these plans on the kind of cyber-terrorism work we can undertake if or when we shift Carmichael Industries into that line of work," Chuck replies informatively.
Morgan nods his head. "Ok, man. I'll see you soon, Chuck," Morgan says.
Chuck nods his head as Morgan then departs leaving Chuck alone to continue to map out his plans for his company…
A short while later
Sarah has just returned from a late morning jog, though it is now afternoon, as it had just turned 12pm. She has just arrived at the apartment complex containing her home that she is accustoming herself to once more and she is at the fountain when she's alerted to the door of Chuck's friend Morgan opening. She pauses and she watches as the short man says goodbye to his girlfriend.
Hmm. I need to have a few words with him. I'm still a little sore with him over this iou note and his former attempts to block my intimacy with Chuck that Chuck has told me about...
She pauses stationary in wait until the door shuts and she notes as Morgan notices her presence and she watches as he attempts to hurriedly speed off but she is too quick for him and she dashes after him and catches up with him before grabbing him and launching him into a wall.
On expertly pinning him in place she says, "We need to have words, Morgan," and she watches as he audibly shrieks in fear and he averts his glance away from her.
"Sarah, I'll do anything to make it up to you! Stealing it was wrong but I kinda needed it, heh," he says in a way that winds Sarah up and she grabs and scrunches his face causing him to shriek once more.
"And my attempts to elope!" she shouts into his scrunched up face in her hand.
"But Sar," he tries to protest her words but she cuts him off.
"Ok, Morgan, well this is how you're gonna make it up to me for what you did. You're going to tell me everything about what Chuck is saying about our situation right now. Plus moving forward, I need you to become an inside man for me. Can you do that for me, Morgan?" she asks.
She watches as he then nods his head, which is still being squished by Sarah.
"I can do that. But Sarah, can you please release my head?!" he begs and Sarah complies on hearing that he has agreed to help her, though she's not too impressed with how easily he just sold out his so called best friend.
"You're not supposed to make it easy, Morgan. You sold him out easily," she then says with distaste and watches as he immediately begins to chuckle.
"Hell yeah I did! Sarah, if it helps Chuck to get his wife back, then I will do ANYTHING and that includes selling my best friend out, heh," he states bluntly and on hearing Chuck's friend's bluntness, Sarah does an instant double take. That wasn't the response that she was expecting, that's for sure...
"So speak up then," she then states.
She watches as he nods his head.
"What do you want to know?" he asks.
She responds, "Chuck is tripping on eggshells around me right now. Do you know why?"
She watches as he nods his head once more before he then replies immediately.
"Yeah. He's afraid of you leaving him."
Sarah nods her head. "I assumed as much. It's making me feel very uncomfortable," she admits.
"Sarah, I've already told you this before Quinn captured you. You're a pretty big catch. It's understandable why Chuck is nervous of you leaving him. Quinn is a douche for what he did to you but you have forgot all memory of Chuck thanks to him and he's afraid of the future."
Sarah immediately starts to respond before having chance to think about what she is saying.
"Morgan, I get that, I do. But how can I get to know him again once more if he won't let me in?" she asks but on realizing what she just did, which is confessing her inner thoughts to a stranger, she enters into a state of shock over how easy that just was.
Did I really just confess to Morgan how I feel? I haven't even told Chuck that yet...
She doesn't have any time to hold an inquisition into her slip of the tongue however, as Morgan has already started to respond, causing her to drop her inner thoughts and to listen to him once more.
"You need to go out on a date with him. It's the only way you can get to see the real Chuck. The Chuck that you fell in love with," he states factually.
Sarah takes a moment to process Morgan's words.
He's right. I was thinking it myself just yesterday… But how can I get him to feel comfortable enough to ask me?
"But how can I get him to ask me when he's so uncomfortable to even kiss me?" she pauses, as she realizes that once more she has opened herself up to Morgan Grimes of all people.
"Leave it all to Uncle Morgan and you two will be going at it like rabbits again in no time," he states as he begins to chuckle which causes an immediate feeling of distaste for Sarah.
"That's gross," she replies disgustedly on a stranger openly talking about sex with her.
"Not as gross as the grape soda I just had. Heh, that was disgusting. It was so not at the right temperature," he then replies causing an immediate look of confusion on Sarah's face.
My work here is done.
"Goodbye, Morgan," she declares as she begins to move out from Chuck's friend's proximity.
Though she then pauses and turns to face him as he starts to talk to her once more, "Well, I think that was a very productive chat, Sarah. And be assured, Uncle Morgan is on the case. You can thank me later. Heh."
Sarah nods her head at the short man, before turning away and continuing to walk until she enters her home once more…
A short while later
Chuck is still focusing on the task in hand which is planning out the future for Carmichael Industries when he notes Morgan returning to the building. He pauses from his plans to engage in conversation with his friend instead.
"Good lunch?" he asks and he watches as his friend nods his head.
"Great lunch! The grape soda was ruined though, Chuck," his friend replies in despair.
Chuck laughs before responding, "That's not good, buddy."
"Damn right it's not, Chuck. But more importantly, I had a nice chat with Sarah on the way back here," he states and a strong look of intrigue forms on Chuck's face on hearing his friend's latest words. He is now VERY interested in engaging in conversation with his best friend.
"Oh?" he asks.
"Yeah. I probably shouldn't tell you but who am I kidding, of course I am going to tell you! Chuck, Sarah is feeling very uncomfortable around you, man."
Chuck processes his friend's information before responding, "What did she say?
"She told me that she feels like you're tripping on eggshells around her and it's making her uncomfortable as she doesn't know how to deal with it. Sarah is a big catch, Chuck. For want of a better analogy, you need to throw her a bone! And a very big one! You can't get her to love you again if you don't open yourself up to her and allow her back inside," he states.
Chuck sighs deeply as he processes his friend's words to him.
"Morgan, I want Sarah Bartowski, my wife. I don't want Sarah Walker, my girlfriend. I can't pretend to be her boyfriend again when I will only now consider myself her husband for the rest of my life." he then admits with a sad smile.
He watches as Morgan nods his head.
"I get that, Chuck. I do. And it must be hard for you man. But a girlfriend is better than nothing at all," he pauses and Chuck takes a big gulp on hearing his friend's words. "If you don't give her something, Chuck, then she's gone and you will be left with nothing. You need to ask her out on a date and allow her to get to know you again, Chuck. She can't become your wife again until she learns how to love you again. It's unfair of you to expect her to resume wife duties immediately when she can't even remember marrying you. Throw her a bone, Chuck."
Chuck pauses in deep thought on hearing his friend's stark revelations.
"You trust me, right?" Morgan then asks and Chuck immediately begins to nod.
"Of course, Morgan, you know I do" he declares.
"Then take her out on a date. Go to the most lavishly expensive place that money can buy and then woo and sweep that woman off her feet exactly how you did all those years ago and blow her mind…"
An hour later
Chuck is now preparing to depart from work. It had been a short day, but Sarah's upcoming appointment with the best neurologist in the country was the most important thing today. If being honest with himself, the anticipation has been on the forefront of his mind the entire day which has resulted in him not being very productive in his plans.
"Remember, Chuck. Throw her a bone," Morgan states to his friend.
"Morgan, I'll try. I don't know how to deal with the situation we are in to be honest with you," he replies.
"You can do it, Chuck. Just trust me. In one or two weeks from now, you will be saying to me: Morgan, you are my saviour. Heh," he finishes as he starts to laugh which causes Chuck to do the same.
"I won't be able to see you tonight. I don't know how long we will be at the hospital and we could have other plans," he states.
"It's ok, Chuck. Good luck tonight," Morgan replies.
"Thank you buddy," Chuck replies as they move to embrace...
Chuck and Sarah's apartment
For most of today, Sarah's stomach has been feeling unsettled. She knows that it stems from the uncertainty of tonight's appointment with the doctor. Not knowing what to expect when she is there. She wants to get better, obviously. But she is not going to go into the appointment tonight and expect the doctor to wave a magic wand. Sarah has never believed in any of that nonsense. She's a firm believer that if you want something in life, you do it yourself. Even if Sarah doesn't recover her memories of Chuck, she doesn't need them anyway. She doesn't need her past memories to be with him. Because the reality is that they are already creating new memories together.
Sarah is lounging on the sofa wearing jeans and a blouse when she hears activity outside their home. She snaps her gaze at the door and she watches as Chuck enters. On Chuck entering, Sarah moves to stand up to greet him as a smile forms as she gazes at him, and she watches as he smiles right back at her.
"Hi. I told you I'd be early," he declares as they continue their loving smiles.
"I didn't doubt it," she replies affectionately.
She watches as a mischievous look forms. "Not even a little?" he asks playfully.
"Nope," she replies with a wide smile.
"Heh," he pauses. "Sarah, I'm feeling so nervous. My stomach feels so uneasy." he admits.
Hearing his admission causes her to laugh, as she is feeling the exact same as him.
"That's how I'm feeling too, Chuck," she admits.
"Do I have time to shower and change into something else?" he asks.
She nods her head. "You have plenty of time, Chuck. The hospital isn't far, right?" she inquires.
She watches him shake his head. "About ten miles. It's near Beverly Hills."
She nods. "So you have plenty of time," she says soothingly.
He grins. "Ok, great!"
A short while later
Sarah and Chuck are now both ready and they are now preparing to depart their home to head to Los Angeles Neurology Center where Sarah will be assessed by a neurologist which is a doctor specialising in the nervous system. It is important to bear in mind that Sarah can't ever disclose what has caused her amnesia, because it's confidential government secrets and highly classified and it would land her or Chuck in jail faster than you can say Jack Robinson. But tonight should provide clarity for the young couple and at the very least give them a map to plan out the road ahead for them both.
Sarah is trying her best to calm her nerves, but in vain and she senses that her husband is feeling the same as her right now. She decides to engage in conversation with him to see if it will help to ease them both.
"Chuck, I need you to do me a favour," she asks.
"Anything," he replies immediately.
"Please don't go into the appointment expecting them to wave a magic wand. They may not be able to fix me and don't kid yourself with false hope, ok?" she asks softly.
He nods his head. "Ok," he agrees.
But just like her attempts to get him to be himself around her yesterday, she notes once more that he doesn't seem to register her words. The poor guy is probably thinking that after tonight, Sarah will have all of her memories back and thus they'll return immediately to how they were before Quinn had captured her.
"Are you ready then?" he asks and she nods as they start to depart but she pauses to take his arm and he turns to look at her once more.
"One more thing, Chuck, she pauses. "don't freak out..."
A short while later
Chuck and Sarah have just arrived at the neurology hospital that Sarah will be assessed in tonight. Sarah is paused stationary inside the main reception and she is gazing at the back of Chuck as Chuck is presently engaging in conversation with the receptionist at the desk as he confirms all of the details for the appointment he had made for Sarah the previous night.
She continues to wait idly for a minute or two until she watches as Chuck turns away from the desk and begins to walk over to her once more.
"All confirmed and booked in," he informs her with a smile and she returns the gesture.
"Ok," she replies nervously and he seems to sense her nerves, as she can his, as he moves to take her hand with his own.
"I'm nervous too, Sarah. It will be ok," he says reassuringly.
She smiles warmly at him. Be strong for me Chuck, I will need your positivity to feed from tonight.
"Let's take a seat," he then says and she nods as they walk hand in hand towards the waiting area before moving to take a seat next to each other.
The couple then sit in silence for a few minutes as they both begin to take in their present surroundings and to attempt to keep their anticipation under control. The hospital is quite busy with activity and there are numerous people sitting waiting along with Chuck and Sarah and there is much more activity with people moving around all over the area and the receptionists engaging in face to face and phone dialogue.
Sarah starts to scan her glance around other people waiting for appointments in an attempt to distract herself from her nervousness right now as she notes a young woman sitting on her own next to her. There are also a middle aged couple, an elderly couple and a little girl sitting on her own with a doll in her hand and a book next to her. She doesn't look in the best of places emotionally right now.
Sarah's distraction works, as her feelings of nervousness leave her and are instead replaced with warmth for the girl she presently looking at. She begins to wonder if it is the girl herself who is here to be seen, or her parents.
Where are her parents?
Sarah then shifts her glance to her husband momentarily, and she can see him likewise intently watching the young girl on her own and looking very sad. Sarah then rotates her glance around the waiting area once more and it appears that most people are paying attention to the young girl who looks ridden with grief.
And what happens next, takes Sarah by complete surprise as she snaps her attention back onto her husband who had started speaking to her.
"Can you please excuse me? I would like to see how she is and to see what's wrong and if there is anything I can do to make her feel better," he says softly.
Sarah gulps hard. She doesn't trust herself to reply to him in fear of displaying strong emotion towards him because of his heartfelt words to her so she nods her head and smiles warmly at him.
"Thank you," he breathes softly and they gaze at each other until he turns his back on her and begins to walk the short distance to the young girl facing opposite. Sarah continues to watch and study the young girl now accompanied by her husband more intensely than she ever has studied something before.
"Hi," she hears Chuck say to the young girl no older than five in a warm, soothing voice.
"Hi," she hears the girl respond in sadness which breaks Sarah's heart and melts her strongest of walls.
"I'm, Chuck," she then hears her husband say in his continued soothing tone.
"I'm, Abigail," she hears the young girl reply, as a wide smile forms on Sarah's face in watching before her own eyes the loving and deeply heartwarming moment between Chuck and the young girl.
"That is a lovely name. And why are you here today, Abigail?" she hears Chuck reply as she continues to zone out and watch and listen intently to the dialogue between the girl and Chuck.
"My daddy is sick," she hears the girl reply and Sarah's breath catches as she begins to gasp in sorrow and shock.
"Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear that," she hears Chuck reply compassionately.
"I want to be able to help him get better," the young girl replies as Sarah feels her eyes now begin to gloss.
"You are helping him by thinking of him now. I'm sure he can feel your loving thoughts," she hears Chuck reassuringly say.
"Thank you," the young girl then replies.
Sarah then watches as Chuck's glance shifts onto the doll that the girl is holding right now.
"What's that you have there?" she hears him ask.
She watches as a bright smile then forms on the young girl's face before she hears her reply, "My favorite doll."
"Ooh, can I look at it?" she then hears Chuck say and she watches as the young girl nods her head as a lone tear now starts to escape from Sarah's eye over the actions of her husband and she watches as the young girl then begins to hand the doll into Chuck's hands.
"Thank you. I can see why it's your favorite. And who purchased you this beautiful doll, Abigail?" she hears Chuck ask.
"Daddy," the young girl replies fondly.
"And what's that you have there?" she then hears Chuck say as he points to the book.
"My favorite book. But I don't feel like reading it," the young girl admits.
"Can I read it to you?" she hears Chuck say and she watches as the young girl nods her head and hands the book to Chuck who then moves to sit down on the floor of the waiting room as he crosses his legs and places the book onto his leg and Sarah watches as he begins to study it. Sarah is now feeling like she is just a few milliseconds away from bursting into tears and if she wasn't trained in hiding her emotions, that's exactly what she would be doing right now.
"Oh, Goodnight Moon, huh?" she then hears Chuck ask.
"It's my favorite," the young girl says as Sarah notes the young girl in a happier mood than before Chuck had approached her.
"I like it too. But don't tell anybody," she hears him reply as a huge smile forms on Sarah's face before her attention is disturbed and she shifts her glance onto the lady sitting on her own next to her.
"Is that your?"
"Husband," Sarah interrupts and finishes before the lady can come to her conclusion.
Sarah continues her gaze at the young woman next to her and they share a smile.
"You must be so proud of him,"
More than I can even begin to tell you.
"I am," Sarah states proudly with more pride felt towards somebody than she can ever remember feeling, the raw emotion still present on her face as she shifts her gaze back to watch Chuck as he begins to read the story while shifting her glance to the woman next to her from time to time.
"He's so good with children," the young woman declares admiringly.
"He is," Sarah admits as she continues to shift her glance between Chuck and the young girl and the young woman opposite her.
"You found a good one. I wish I could meet somebody like that," the young woman declares.
Well you can't have him. He's all mine.
"I did," Sarah replies proudly with the sparkle still in her eye…
A few minutes have passed and the young girl's father has just returned from his appointment and Chuck had now stood up from where he had been sitting on the father returning to his child.
"Thank you for looking after her for me. She's too young to understand and I didn't want to have her in the room in fear of upsetting her. I asked the receptionist staff if they could keep an eye on her and they told me that you'd been looking out for her," she hears the father say to Chuck.
"I get it. It's no problem at all. We had a lot of fun, didn't we?" she hears Chuck ask as he shifts his glance between the young girl and her father.
"Yes, thank you," the young girl replies with a beaming smile.
"You're welcome. I hope things improve for your family," she hears Chuck say as he continues to shift his glance between daughter and father.
"Thank you. And for you too," the father replies.
"Thanks," Chuck replies and Sarah watches as the men shake hands before Chuck turns to the young girl a final time.
"Goodbye, Abigail," she hears him say.
"Bye, Chuck," the young girl replies.
She watches as he smiles at them a final time from the sideways position that he is presently in before he then turns to face her again and by god Sarah gives him an adoring smile of her own. She continues her stare at him as he then returns to her.
"Is everything ok?" he asks softly on seeing the raw emotion present on her face.
"Everything is perfect," she replies gleefully, as she moves a hand up to rub her eye.
You're perfect… I couldn't have wished for anybody better to marry. You have the kindest of hearts. If I wasn't so scared of displaying my emotions and sharing my feelings with others, then I would be telling you this right now...
She watches as grins at her, before he moves to a seat next to her once more and she immediately takes his hand to connect it with her own.
A brief moment of silence passes, and she then looks at him as Chuck starts to talk once more.
"I'm sorry I was so long," he states sincerely.
"Chuck, don't you dare apologize for what you just did," she warns him with a vibrant smile as she affectionately squeezes his hand tighter that is holding onto her own and she gazes lovingly into his alluring, chocolatey eyes...
A few minutes later
Because they had arrived early, it has only just turned 5:30 and right on cue, Sarah's loving gaze on Chuck is interrupted as a middle aged man in scrubs arrives in her immediate vicinity. She gazes up at him from where she is seated and notes his badge that states Dr Jake Williams, MD. Her nervousness immediately begins to build once more on being moments away from her appointment.
"It's Sarah, I take it?" he asks and she nods as she smiles warmly at him.
"And Chuck?" he then asks as his glance shifts to Chuck who moves to stand up, followed quickly by Sarah.
"I am," Chuck replies.
"It's good to meet you," the doctor replies as he moves to shake Chuck's hand, followed by Sarah's.
"I'm Dr Williams but please, call me Jake. I'm the leading neurologist at this facility and I will be your consultant today," he informs them and Sarah and Chuck nod their heads.
"Ok then, if you'd like to follow me?" the doctor replies as he extends out his arms in the direction that he wishes them to follow.
Chuck and Sarah then begin to follow the doctor a short distance, they glance at each other briefly, in nervousness. Arriving finally outside of a door, the doctor speaks once more
"Here we are then," he states as he begins to usher Chuck and Sarah inside the consultation room.
The three adults then move to take a seat, with Chuck and Sarah next to each other and the doctor a short distance away.
Chuck immediately reaches out for Sarah's hand, and she quickly returns the gesture as they look nervously at each other once more and try to control their minds as their grip on each others hands becomes tighter.
Thankfully for the young couple, the doctor quickly begins to speak to them.
"So then, how may I help you today, Mrs?" the doctor pauses to allow Chuck or Sarah to respond to his question. He's aware that the young couple infront of him is married, but that she can not remember her husband right now.
Sarah watches as Chuck rotates his gaze between herself and the doctor, before he then painfully starts to speak, "Walk..."
But he is immediately interrupted as he shifts his gaze back at Sarah.
"Bartowski," she says but pauses, as she watches him burn a gaze right at her "Sarah Bartowski."
On finishing, she looks at him once more and she watches as an almighty grin begins to form and she returns a weaker version of her own right back at him.
"So, how can I help you today then, Mrs Bartowski?" the doctor replies warmly.
"Please, call me Sarah," she pauses and the doctor graciously nods his head at her. "I've had an accident at work. I can't disclose those confidential details to you due to the nature of my job," she pauses once more and he nods his head in acceptance "but I have lost all memory of the past five years of my life."
"I see. And can you remember anything at all from the past five years?" the doctor enquires.
"Small things. I have talked at length with my..." she pauses briefly to build up the courage to say what she wanted to say, "husband about these memories and we have ascertained that I seem to remember things, if there is a trigger to remember them?"
"I see. And may I enquire as to if you are feeling any strange emotions towards your husband? I can understand if you are uncomfortable to share that with me or not, but please know that it is very important if I am to make an accurate diagnosis..."
Sarah watches as Chuck shifts his gaze from the doctor back to her instead.
"Yes I am. And I don't know why," she admits as her gaze shifts between Chuck and the doctor.
"Fortunately, Sarah, I can enlighten you with an explanation of that. Now obviously, I'll need to perform numerous tests on you today before I can definitively give you a diagnosis. But from what you have told me in that you are feeling emotions towards your husband. I can apprise you that memories and feelings and emotions are stored in two different locations," he pauses to allow his information to be digested by the couple before continuing, "Sometimes it takes a specific trigger point to bring back those emotions and your feelings towards somebody. Have yourself and your husband had any kind of trigger where you have reconnected emotionally together in recent days since this 'accident' that could have caused your emotions to come flooding back?"
Sarah pauses as she looks at Chuck and they both nod their head in unison before they both begin to mouth "the beach."
Their reply was muted but the doctor could just about make out what they both said together.
"I see, and what happened there at that beach if I may ask?"
Sarah pauses briefly in reflection. "Well, I had told Chuck that I needed to be on my own to find myself for a while... And I was just driving around until I kind of led myself to a spot that felt so familiar to my situation. We didn't meet each other for the first time at that beach, but it was the place where the first powerful memory of our relationship took place. Chuck came looking for me, and we reconnected emotionally with each other again and we spent a long time out there together."
Sarah watches as the doctor then nods his head. "That was the trigger point. And how intense are these emotions that you are feeling towards him?"
"Very," she admits and she watches as a wide grin forms on Chuck's face once more.
"Ok. Please bear with me while I gather some information to provide you both with. It will help to explain what I'm about to tell you."
Chuck and Sarah both nod their heads in acceptance as the doctor begins to collect some paperwork inside the consultation room before returning to his seat and handing out copies to them both.
The information on the paper, was a diagram of that of a human brain.
The doctor begins speaking once more. "So, our memories and emotions are stored inside completely different parts of our brain. The context of a memory, including information such as where the location of an event took place, is stored in cells of the hippocampus. While our emotions and feelings that we experience are found in the amygdala, as you can see in the diagram."
Chuck and Sarah begin to digest the doctor's information provided, while taking a moment to study the paperwork in their hands.
"Essentially, the emotions that you are experiencing for your husband right now are undoubtedly because of past times that you have spent together with your husband. Only that you don't know why you are feeling like this about him because you can not remember the memories having taken place. So we are going to need to perform some tests so we can ascertain what has happened for you to damage your hippocampus, but your amygdala may possibly be completely intact."
"Ok," Sarah agrees as she looks to Chuck for comfort and he smiles warmly at her and he reassuringly takes her hand once more.
"I will need to perform a scan of your brain so that I can see its structure and look for any kind of brain damage. After the scan, we'll return you to the waiting area and then once I've studied the results, I'll return to collect you and we can discuss them in detail. If that's ok?" the doctor asks.
Chuck and Sarah both nod their heads in acceptance...
Sometime later
Sarah and Chuck have just returned into the consultation room after Sarah's brain scan had taken place.
"I will give you both the good news straight away. Your brain appears to be completely healthy and I can't see any form of brain damage from the results of your scan."
On hearing the doctor's information, Sarah turns to look at Chuck and they smile lovingly at each other and a huge relief overcomes both husband and wife.
The doctor continues, "However, because there's no damage, I can't possibly see any cause for your injury. Now obviously, I'm not expecting you to reveal classified secrets to me. I'd be out of a job tomorrow if I did, but can I ask what line of work you have been involved in? Without that, I really would just be doing guesswork in attempting to give you an explanation or diagnosis."
"Government work concerning neurology," Chuck replies and Sarah glances at him for a brief moment before nodding her head in agreement.
"I see. Well because there is no sign of damage, I think there is a high chance that your memories are only suppressed and not permanently damaged. It's possible that you may well regain a large amount of them, in time."
"Will she make a full recovery?" Chuck asks and Sarah glances at him once more, before shifting her gaze back to the doctor to hear his response.
"Impossible to say," the doctor pauses to allow what he said to sink in before continuing, "It is very unlikely that every single memory that your wife has experienced in those five missing years will return. But I can quite confidently say that a large portion of them should. If there was any kind of damage to your wife's nervous system, I would be very worried and we would be along the lines of only ten or twenty percent of your wife's memory being restored at a best case. But because I can't find any damage, we're looking more along the lines of sixty or seventy percent. But please accept that this is just my estimation."
Chuck and Sarah nod their heads in acceptance.
"Will this be a short term or a long term issue for me?" Sarah then asks.
The doctor takes a moment in contemplation before responding, "I wish I could answer that conclusively but I'm afraid that I cannot. Obviously, we all hope for the best case scenario which is for you to recover a substantial portion of your memory in just a few months, but there is also a very real possibility that it could turn into years," he pauses to allow his information to register before continuing, "It is going to take a lot of time and a lot of trust in each other. However, I can see the love between the two of you. And I am sure that you will get through it together in time."
"We will," Sarah responds instantly with conviction she didn't even know she possessed as her gaze shifts between the doctor and Chuck and she smiles affectionately at the latter. She then watches as a wide loving smile begins to form on his face, and it's a smile that she is so quickly falling in love with again once more. She also watches as the doctor smiles warmly at the both of them.
"Might I also suggest that you attend a support group for amnesia sufferers. It might be a help to you both if you can see that you are very much not alone and it will offer you the ability to see how others behave and cope with the challenges that you will undoubtedly face in the coming months ahead," the doctor suggests warmly.
"I'm not sure," Sarah replies apprehensively at the prospect of attending a group that will undoubtedly be full of emotions and warmth.
"You don't have to. I'm just offering it to you as an option that may possibly help you. There are groups that run all of the time and I would like to provide you with the contact details. You don't have to follow through with it but at least you will have the information. You may not want to right now but you might decide in a week's time that it's something you might want to do and then you will readily have the information available."
"Thank you," Chuck responds as the doctor then moves to hand over the aforementioned information of the amnesia support group to Sarah, which she accepts.
"Well it was lovely to meet you both. And I wish that I could help you more than I have,"
"You've been great," Sarah interrupts him and she glances at Chuck who strongly nods his head in agreement with her.
"Yes you have. Thank you so much," Chuck says sincerely.
"It's no problem at all. This is what I am here for. If your symptoms for any reason worsen or you start to experience headaches or anything abnormal and you're concerned about anything at all then please do not hesitate to contact my assistant and we can either have a consultation over the telephone or you can arrange a further face-to-face consultation with me."
"Thank you," Sarah and Chuck both reply as they start to stand up together with the doctor.
They then begin to depart towards the exit and the doctor begins to show them out. On arriving outside, they begin to say their farewells.
"Good luck to you both and I hope that you enjoy your evening together if that is what you are doing," the doctor says softly and a smile forms on the young couple's face.
"Thank you, we will," they reply in unison as they then begin to depart away from the doctor. They continue walking for a short moment until they near the exit of the hospital when Chuck begins to pause and Sarah stops along with him.
"Sarah, you didn't have to do that earlier," he says on them stopping together.
Sarah takes a moment in pause as she attempts to understand his question in vain.
"To do what?" she asks him with a warm smile.
"You know," he pauses. "declare yourself as Sarah Bartowski."
She responds instantly. "Chuck, I did. I'm never going to get better until I can do something as simple as face up to the fact that that's my name. It's Sarah Lisa Bartowski." she repeats once more and she pauses briefly, primarily to see his reaction to her declaration and by god, it's better than she could have hoped as an affectionate grin forms and she can't help but smile back.
"Chuck, if I live in denial over what my name is, I'll never get over this and Chuck, I want to get over it," she stresses as she takes his hand together with her own.
She then watches as his loving grin continues. "Sarah, I want you to get over it too."
"You had better," she jokes causing him to chuckle which causes her to do the same.
"Or else what?" He replies playfully
"Or else I'll steal your chicken pepperoni recipe," she quips back.
"Ouch!" He pauses to laugh, "speaking of, do you want to go and grab some dinner together? We've not eaten," he asks.
"I'd like that, Chuck," she replies and her smile continues and they gaze at each other for a long moment more before departing the hospital together...
An hour later
It is late evening and Chuck and Sarah have just arrived back outside their shared apartment in Echo Park after grabbing dinner together. It is quite late so they both opted for something simple and they ordered cheeseburgers together, with Sarah sweetly requesting extra pickles on her portion.
Sarah enters into their apartment first and Chuck enters in after her and now that they are in the privacy of their own home with just the two of them, on hearing the door close behind her, Sarah turns to face Chuck who is carrying their dinner in a bag in his hand, and she moves in motion as she wraps her arms around his neck and stands up on her tiptoes slightly to connect her lips together with his own.
On separating for much needed air a long moment later, she smiles at him and he returns it in a stunned gaze.
"What was that for?" He asks cheekily and she loosens one of her arms around his neck as she swats his chest.
"For coming with me and for helping the girl at the hospital," she replies as her loving smile continues.
She watches him as a loving grin forms before he replies, "Sarah, I didn't do it for praise. I did it because I felt really heartbroken for her and I just wanted to make her feel better."
Hearing his declaration causes a sparkle to form in her eye.
I have never met a man as amazing as Chuck Bartowski before and probably never will...
"I know you didn't. And that's why I kissed you," she declares as they smile adoringly at each other.
"Can you let me go now?" he jokes and she smirks and nods her head as she releases him from where she had pinned him against the door and they head to prepare to eat together…
Chuck and Sarah are now eating cheeseburgers and fries together at their dining table.
Chuck pauses from eating as Sarah starts to talk to him.
"Chuck, talking is not easy for me," she pauses. "At least for the Sarah that I presently am. But I have a lot on my mind right now. Can we talk, about our situation?"
Throw her a bone, Chuck.
"Yeah," he agrees and pauses as they gaze lovingly at each other. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Oh gee, making me go first?" she retorts playfully causing him to chuckle.
"Someone has to," he fires back.
"Touché. Fair enough, I brought it up, so I should be the first to start," she pauses. "Chuck, I like you. I like you a lot. And I want this relationship to get back to how it was one day. But I can't be your wife right now, Chuck."
"Sar..." he attempts to interrupt but is stopped by Sarah talking once more.
"Chuck, please. This really isn't easy for me. Please allow me to finish?"
He nods in acceptance and remains silent.
"Thank you. Chuck, I know that you don't like it, but I can only be your girlfriend right now. We aren't even sleeping together so we certainly aren't husband and wife right now... And I don't know about you, but I slept horribly last night."
"I did too," he admits.
"So talk to me, Chuck? Where do we stand? Because I came back to see if we can repair what Quinn did to us but you aren't even treating me intimately as a girlfriend, nevermind a wife."
Throw her a bone, Chuck.
He nods his head. "Sarah, you're right," he pauses, as they stare deeply at each other. "I guess I'm scared to open myself up in fear of remembering you differently than how you were before Quinn took you. I know I'm not being fair to you in doing this. And I'm sorry," he admits with a sympathetic smile.
"So where do we go from here, Chuck? To get back to how we were before Quinn captured me?" she asks, as she continues to stare intimately into his eyes.
Throw her a bone, Chuck.
"Sarah, I would be a liar if I said I knew the answer to that. But you are right, I do need to do more." He pauses to take her hand. "I can't lose you and I accept that if I don't open myself up intimately to you once more then there's the very real chance that, that exact thing will happen. But god, we're so messed up right now, Sarah, and I don't know what to do to come through this," he admits as he enters into a brief depression.
He then watches as she smiles sympathetically at him and nods her head in agreement with his words, before she moves her free right hand to connect on top of his own one that is presently holding her left hand.
"We are, Chuck. But we can come through it, together, if it's what you want?" she asks.
A wide, loving grin forms on his face once more on hearing his wife's question to him. "Sarah, you're right. And I want that more than anything, believe me," he pauses, as he now moves his own free hand to connect onto Sarah's right hand as he then moves to lean over the table from where he is seated to get closer to her, which she does the same. "So how about this, would you like to go on a date together? It would actually be our fourth? I think first date, heh. Hopefully no NSA hit teams crashing the party. I'm rambling, aren't I?"
"Chuck, it's perfect. Thank you," she declares which causes the biggest smiles of the night from both husband and wife.
"Well in that case, consider yourself blown away again, heh, for the fourth time!" he declares and he watches intently as his wife begins to laugh approvingly, before reverting to her loving smile at him once more...
End of Chapter
Thoughts? Leave a review and let me know :)
Just the one missing scene this chapter. This was purely a tactical decision as I determined with how long the appointment lasted plus then getting dinner and talking together over dinner, by the time they would be ready for the phone call with Emma and Molly, it would be far too late and Molly would long be in bed asleep. So I'll have it at the beginning of next chapter, in the morning instead.
Quick question: Will Sarah attend the support group. Also, will Chuck go with her? Find that out soon! Not next chapter though!
Next Chapter: Chuck and Sarah's fourth? first date! See you all in a few days :)