Chuck vs The Courtyard Bench Chapter 101: Gondor Calls For Aid, a chuck fanfic

Chuck vs. The Courtyard Bench

Well, here's what happened in the previous chapter: Bentley interviewed Lizzie's defense attorney Mahommed Zamir and let's just it got considerably intense as the award-winning documentarian didn't back down in her line of question. The interview with Zamir eventually moved back to the interview with Detective Lau who Bentley found out how the 10-year veteran of LAPD was able to get Lizzie to talk. Unfortunately, she became highly erratic believing that her parents hired Lau and immediately asked for a Lawyer. Meanwhile, Sarah assured Chuck that Bash At The Bench is in good hands as it will be a team effort when it comes to show itself. So, what happens in this chapter? Here are the who, what, where, when, why, how's? Who does Sarah compare Chuck to when it comes to him being the supposed face and leader of the Bartowski Brigade? What did Chuck say to the Bartowski Brigade that he felt was true when he went live? Where did Sarah find aid when she needed additional help for the show? When did the surprise appearances happen that caused Chuck to be completely surprised? Why did Sarah hug one of the Rockstar Rebels? How did Chuck react when he saw someone who technically was considered the 1st Rockstar Rebel? Read and find out! I hope you enjoyed the read and leave a comment to share your own thoughts on this particular chapters. As always, reviews are awesome.

Again, if you enjoyed reading my stories and left a comment, I truly appreciate it. Please continue to do so as it gives me the incentive to write more chapters.

I don't own Chuck.

Gondor Calls For Aid

XXX

The Present

"Dr. Woodcomb," Bentley paused as she looked directly at Ellie sitting across from her. Ellie's husband, Devon, was sitting right beside her as the award-winning documentarian continued speaking. "Did you know what your brother was going to say let alone know what was going to be planned for Bash At The Bench?" she inquired, with a sense of curiosity.

"No," Ellie shook her head. "Whenever he addressed the Bartowski Brigade it was usually spontaneous and organic, especially when he interacted with the Rockstar Rebels. That's the beauty of it all."

At that point, Devon chimed in. "That's what makes Bash At The Bench so awesome. It's Chuck's ability to roll with whatever happens during the show."

"Plus," The oldest Bartowski sibling paused before she continued. "On that day, we all worked together in hopes of doing Chuck proud." Afterwards, Ellie smiled as she reflected back on that particular moment in time. "The moment he went live the entire hospital erupted in celebration. It was loud." she further added.

A few seconds later, the interview cut from Ellie and Devon to Chuck and Sarah.

Chuck nodded. "It sounded like the Ride of Rohirrim minus the horns being blown," The nerd briefly paused to see if Bentley recognized the movie reference. Apparently, she didn't. Unfortunately, that didn't deter Chuck one bit, unlike the documentarian's comparison of Spock to Yoda. "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. The moment after Theodon, King of Rohan, arrived and gave a rousing speech to his army before facing off against the Orc army at Minas Tirith."

"The Bartowski Brigade considers you their King Theoden, babe." Sarah stated, proudly smiling. "And everybody loved your speech. It was very moving and memorable."

Chuck thought about it for a moment before he responded. "I'm flattered," He shrugged his shoulders in a humble manner. "But my speech to the Bartowski Brigade paled in comparison to King Theoden's since the opposing side was twice as large and certainly outnumbered them. Yet, they fought anyway despite the odds stacked against them."

Sarah shook her head after she heard what her husband said. "I was there amongst the Bartowski Brigade, Chuck," She reached over with her right hand and placed it on top of her nerd's left hand. "They hung on your every word and even got incredibly emotional after you went live."

"Really?" Chuck responded, looking and sounding absolutely surprised.

Sarah nodded. "Plus, there was a buzz of anticipation going around that you were going to make an appearance.

There was a moment of silence before Chuck spoke. "Alex." He shook his head.

"If you want word to spread fast, she's the person to go to." Sarah stated.

Chuck breathed out an amused chuckle. "Gondor calls for aid." softly recalled the nerd, quoting the movie reference. "Yeah," he nodded. "When in doubt Alex will make sure to light the beacons."

"In this case," Sarah uttered, chiming in. "The people she lit the beacons for alerted the Bartowski Brigade of Westside Medical Center." she added, proudly smiling. She was proudly smiling because she finally watched the Return of the King with Chuck and absolutely loved it, especially that particular scene in the movie. That and Two Towers before they watched the 3rd installment.

The nerdy couple were sharing an amusing moment between the two of them concerning one Alex McHugh until Bentley cleared her throat. It certainly got Chuck and Sarah's attention as they turned their attention towards the documentary filmmaker.

"I know it's been 6 months," Bentley looked directly at Chuck. "But do you remember what you said after you went live?"

After Bentley asked that question, Chuck sat there for a moment and thought back on what he expressed to the Bartowski Brigade on his return to Bash At The Bench that got everyone considerably emotional. "Well…"

6 Months Ago
Friday - Bash At The Bench

For the past 10 minutes, Chuck sat as comfortably as he could in his hospital bed while he spoke from the heart to his ever so faithful Bartowski Brigade. He gave thanks and told his fans that he truly appreciated not only the cards, but the gifts that were sent to the hospital. When it came to the cards, he made it a point and called out all the kids by name from the children's hospital that created get well cards for him. As for the gifts that were sent to him he thanked everyone from the bottom of his heart because much of the gifts were sent from overseas, which left the nerd absolutely speechless. In any case, after taking a brief pause in his speech, he continued on not really knowing how much of an emotional effect he really had on everyone who was watching him speak live on the Nerdy Nerfherder and Fuzzball YouTube channel.

"Morgan once told me I'm not only the face, but the fearless leader of the Bartowski Brigade," she shared. Chuck paused and briefly thought about what his bearded best friend said. A few seconds later, he resumed speaking to the fan base. "To be perfectly honest, I never saw myself as the face of the Bartowski Brigade or your fearless leader," he revealed, shaking his head. "I simply saw myself as a guy who did his best in giving the one thing," The youngest Bartowski sibling briefly held up his left index finger in front of iPhone. "Cancer takes away from not only those awesome kids, but their parents as well who are equally as awesome." The nerdy host turned unfortunate patient paused once again before he expressed two defining words. "Their smiles. You've helped make that happen and because of that I applaud all of you. You guys should be congratulated too," Chuck pointed directly at the iPhone screen with his left index finger. "You deserve this more than I do."

After he said that, Chuck's attention from his iPhone was suddenly averted to his right towards his hospital room window. The reason he directed his attention towards his hospital room window was that he not only heard what sounded like a massive rumble, but actually saw the windows rattling because of it as well. A massive rumble he presumed was happening within the main epicenter of the courtyard of Westside Medical Center.

"I know that was you guys, wasn't it?" Chuck uttered, expressing his trademark toothy smile. "I never get tired of it. Awesome to experience even though I'm not there in person and on that stage. I'm there with you all in spirit."

The Present

"It seems you've never truly realized how much of an impact you've made, Chuck." Bentley pointed out.

Chuck shrugged his shoulders in response. "I'm actually surprised how much of an impact I've made over the years."

Bentley arched her right brow. Afterwards, she leaned forward expressing a quizzical look on her face. "Could you elaborate further?"

"I try my best to keep the focus on where it should be," insisted Chuck. "The Rockstar Rebels," he noted.

"Very commendable of you," responded Bentley, giving a respectful nod towards Chuck. "But don't you want to be in the spotlight? I've read articles and watched a lot of positive things about you. You're considered practically a hero, especially with the kids you call Rockstar Rebels. Why not soak it all in?"

"Truthfully, I'd rather not." answered Chuck, shaking his head. "If I soaked in all the positive hype that was said or written about me in blogs, other YouTube channels, or whatever I'd end up becoming a completely different person. That's not who I want to turn out to be. I want to be known and be the type of person who always stays grounded." he firmly proclaimed. "If I ever got a big head because of all the constant publicity coming my way I'd get slapped in the back of the head by Ellie."

"Don't forget Molly." chimed in Sarah.

"Her too," nodded Chuck. "They both keep me humble in more ways than one."

"Speaking of keeping yourself humble," Bentley reiterated. The way she said that sounded like she was shifting gears concerning the topic at hand, which was exactly what she was doing. "Is it hard to stay humble when you know a number of celebrities took part in Bash At The Bench."

"It was all Sarah's doing." Chuck retorted, pointing to his wife.

"Like I said, it was a team effort," Sarah emphasized. "All I did was light the beacon and they answered the call." she added, expressing a soft smile.

A few seconds later the interview with Chuck and Sarah cut to the celebrities in question who sat across from Bentley in front of the blue courtyard bench. Heather Chandler and Michael Bublé.

Both were getting mic'd up before they were interviewed by the host of the widely popular show Nationwide Community Spotlight.

XXX

"Thank you both for being here," welcomed Bentley. Her attention to both individuals was directed towards Heather. "Ms. Chandler, I would be remiss if I didn't ask you about the unfortunate break up with your now ex and co-star of "We'll Always Have Omaha", Steven Pollak. Do you care to comment?"

Heather responded with a polite smile. "All I will say is that Steven and I have continued to remain friends. I wish him my love and all the best for his success as he has done the same for me. Our personal lives haven't affected our professional working relationship," The actress who gained notoriety in her portrayal of the youngest Chief Administrator of Joan of Arc Memorial Hospital, Katrina Omaha, paused for a brief moment before she continued speaking. "Especially since we've been greenlit for season 2."

"That's awesome to hear," responded Bublé. He clapped his hands after hearing the news from Heather. "My wife will be thrilled to hear that news knowing how season 1 ended on a cliffhanger." Afterwards, he leaned over to his right towards the actress. "Any scoop on what's in store for season 2?"

A smile was expressed on Heather's face. "Are you a fan of the show as well, Michael?" she inquired.

"I had to go back to watch the first 3 episodes of the show." Michael responded. "I actually got invested after my wife wanted me to watch episode 4 with her."

"The episode where Katrina and Brody meet in their own unique way. He was late and in a rush to see his niece who is going through cancer treatment. His arrival caught Katrina's attention, especially since he was carrying a guitar case with him." Heather shared, recalling the episode in question.

Michael nodded. "Katrina was dead set on kicking him out with the help of her Head of Security, Cobb, but once she saw the reason he was there," The musical crooner expressed a soft smile. "Let's just say Brody made a significant impact on her after watching the group singalong with the kids." he added, raising his eyebrows.

The moment shared between the actress and singer was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a clearing throat. The source of the clearing throat was Bentley. After getting their attention, she spoke up.

"Pardon the interruption," apologized Bentley. "I'm sure fans of 'We'll Always Have Omaha' are looking forward to the now highly anticipated 2nd season after your announcement, Ms. Chandler. I'm glad it was announced in this documentary. However," She briefly paused before resuming the interview. "Let's switch gears and focus back on Bash At The Bench shall we. More importantly on what happened to Chuck."

"I learned of his attack on the news," nodded Heather. "I was on set and immediately called Sarah. We reconnected because of the show, and it was something we both truly needed." she furthered added. "In any case, I canceled any scheduled plans related to work to be by my friend's side during her time of need. No questions asked."

"Same here." acknowledged Bublé, giving a slight nod. "I met Chuck at a Hospital Gala 2 years ago and we ended up bonding over the movie Revenge of the Nerds. A solid friendship was made then, and I showed up for my friend."

"According to Sarah," Bentley briefly paused and peered down to read her notecards. "She lit the beacons to call out aid for Gondor..."

"And Rohan answered." Bublé instantly chimed in, expressing a smile.

"I actually understood that reference." Heather mused, getting the attention of Bublé and Bentley. "Anyways, Michael and I helped Sarah in any way we could for Bash At The Bench since it was the first time Chuck wasn't technically there."

6 Months Ago
Bash At The Bench

"I got a chance to speak to Chuck before he went live," Heather announced, center stage. She stood next to Sarah with Bublé standing on the other side of the Chief Operating Officer. "And he's doing better and getting stronger. Although he was disappointed in not being able to be physical out here, you all got to see and hear him. I was blown away by how loud it got out here when he went live."

Afterwards, the courtyard crowd erupted in loud cheers and applause for making their presence known for their beloved nerdy host. Once the cheers and applause subsided, Bublé spoke up.

"Chuck knows the positive energy the Bartowski Brigade has been sending out means a lot," he uttered, addressing the crowd. "It's giving him strength. In a way, it's like you're all raising your arms up in the air and making one huge spirit bomb." Bublé stood there for a moment and saw a number of blank stares/expressions in the crowd. He immediately explained what he was trying to convey. "It's a reference from a Japanese anime called Dragon Ball Z. It was during the Buu Saga. I'm sure there are some anime fans out there. Raise your…"

"Michael," Sarah quickly interjected, getting Bublé's full attention. "Let's hold off on that for later." she firmly added, giving a momentary look towards the popular singer. Afterwards, she stepped forward knowing Bublé was also a passionate nerd just like her husband and directed her attention to the courtyard crowd. "We can't wait to share with the Bartowski Brigade to experience what's planned for the show now."

Bublé was briefly silent before he responded. The reason he was silent was because he nor Heather didn't actually know what was going to be planned or actually discussed with the both of them. So, they were just going to follow Sarah's lead.

"You're absolutely right, Sarah," nodded Bublé. His attention on the beautiful blonde was directed to the Bartowski Brigade. "You're going to love what we have in store for you guys!" he proclaimed, pointing to the courtyard crowd.

After he announced that, the courtyard erupted in celebration, which led to Sarah making an announcement of her own.

"We're going to take a short break," Sarah took a step back and stood by Bublé. "I'm going to start off the show with a song. Mr. Michael Buble here will be singing with me." She leaned over to her left and bumped him with her left shoulder.

The Present

"What was it like being put on the spot like that, Michael?" questioned Bentley. "Did you feel that weight of the pressure suddenly placed on your shoulders?" she further added.

"As a performer," responded Bublé. "You have to be able to adapt and just roll with the unexpected. I," He paused for a moment and briefly glanced at Heather. "We didn't have any idea what our roles were. Yet, we both knew one thing."

"What was that one thing?" wondered Bentley.

Instead of Bublé responding, it was Heather who answered Bentley's question.

"We didn't want to fail Sarah, the Bartowski Brigade but most of all," Heather slightly paused and took a quick breath. "Chuck."

"Lucky for me," Bublé chimed in. "I actually knew the lyrics to the song that I was going to perform with Sarah."

XXX

6 Months Ago
Friday - Bash At The Bench
Chuck's 5th Floor Private Room

Chuck was sitting in his hospital bed watching on television his fiancé Sarah standing center stage with Michael Bublé. After a few seconds, his finance signaled Jeff and Lester to being. Beforehand, shared with the Bartowski Brigade that the song that she was going to perform with Bublé was sung by two legendary singers. Those two singers were Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song, 'When You Believe', was the main theme to the movie Prince of Egypt. She also provided the reason she chose the song because it represented prayer and faith, especially during unbearably scary times. It's those times we don't understand and end up not only worrying about but are fearful of. At that moment, Chuck knew Sarah was talking about how own faith was spiritually tested for those 2 and half days as she started singing the 1st set of lyrics.

Many nights we prayed
With no proof, anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now, we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could, whoa, yes

Although Chuck was sidelined from hosting his own online show, he was completely transfixed on Sarah. Why? For the nerd, he actually felt every emotion expressed in the words of the 1st set of lyrics of the song because she lived through the nightmare of his attack. In his mind, it wasn't just the emotion that seamlessly conveyed what she was feeling as it was the way she just stood behind the mic stand with her eyes closed. Both her hands holding the mic.

The way she stood there at center stage took Chuck's breath away because she looked like an absolute angel up there. He couldn't help but express his trademark toothy smile as he saw Sarah's eyes open. Afterwards, she turned her head and directed her attention to Bublé who was standing to her left. As he joined in on the chorus of the song with Sarah, the sound of the courtyard crowd's applause was heard on television by Chuck.

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve?
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

Oh-oh-oh
Mmm, yeah

Once the chorus ended, there was a brief pause before Bublé started the 2nd set of lyrics. For Chuck, it was weirdly different listening and watching the opening Bash At The Bench courtyard performance instead of actually being outside on stage doing it himself. It was a thought that he quickly shrugged off as he was about to watch and listen to Buble continue with his part of the song.

In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer bird
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My hearts so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speakin' words
I never thought I'd say

Bash At The Bench
Courtyard-Westside Medical Center

Speaking of the outside courtyard, Buble was keeping his part of his performance subdued instead of being more vocally expressive with the lyrics to the songs. Plus, he wanted to match Sarah's melodic flow even though his style of music was considerably different. Fortunately, his voice blended beautifully with his singing partner for the day, which the courtyard acknowledged with their continued cheers and applause of support. In any case, after the contemporary crooner finished the 2nd set of lyrics, Sarah joined him in the chorus of the song.

There can be miracles
When you believe (When you believe)
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill (Mmm)
Who knows what miracles you can achieve? (You can achieve)
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see the way, get through the rain
A small but still, resilient voice
Says, help is very near, oh (Oh)

It was at the start of the 3rd set of lyrics to the song that Sarah's emotions were getting the better of her as she removed the mic from the mic stand. Fortunately for her, she was able to hold it together as the tears flowed down her cheeks. In her mind, it would have been easy to become enveloped in the tight, painful grip of losing Chuck. A tight, painful grip that was difficult to break free from, especially after the horrific attack on Chuck that happened last Friday afternoon. For her, it was the longest 2 and half days of her life as a dark, emotional, as well as storm was brewing inside of her. However, despite the mental and emotional pain she was going through, she listened to the still, small voice knowing God was in control. It was her faith in God that she prayed to Him to watch over the man she loves, and He did. It was truly a miracle that Chuck didn't suffer any significantly major spinal injury, Sarah thought to herself. It was that though in which she reached up with her left hand to wipe away the tears from her face. Afterwards, she and Bublé eventually reached the final chorus of the song.

There can be miracles (Miracles)
When you believe (Boy, when you believe, yeah)
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill (Hard to kill, oh, yeah)
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve (You can achieve, oh)
When you believe somehow you will (Somehow, somehow, somehow)

Now, you will (I know, I know, know)
You will when you (When you)
Believe
You will when you (You will when you)
Believe
Just believe (Believe)
Just believe
You will when you
Believe

As the song neared its end, Sarah and Bublé still kept it subdued but at the same time added a few runs that weren't considered over the top. When the last 4 lyrics of the song were reached both individuals simply stood behind their mics/mic stands and softly sang together in a harmonious blend of two different styles mixing well together. When they sang the last word of the song there was a brief moment of silence in the courtyard. The faint echo of the word 'believe' gradually faded until it was replaced by the sudden celebration of applause by the Bartowski Brigade voicing their enjoyment for another spectacularly stellar performance. Of course, the one who seemingly enjoyed it the most was Chuck as he celebrated the performance laying in his hospital bed proudly clapping his hands together as a viewer. However, at the same time, he yearned to be physically standing on the stage with Sarah and hug the woman he loved with all his heart.

Present

"He actually clapped?" smiled Bublé. "That's awesome to hear." he further added.

Bentley nodded. "That's what Chuck told me."

"That's high praise." Bublé retorted.

"Really?" responded Bentley. "You've sung with the greats like Streisand, Tony Bennett," She paused momentarily. "I'm surprised to hear that coming from you."

"Although he and I come from two different forms of entertainment in the area of music," Bublé paused before he continued on. "We respect each other's craft when it comes to singing and being a performer," he shared, acknowledging Chuck's singing talent.

"I see." nodded Bentley, once again. Her attention averted from Bublé to Heather. "So, what did you end up doing after their performance, Ms. Chandler?"

"It was something fun and absolutely memorable that involved the kids." answered Heather, expressing a soft smile.

"What was it?"

"A play that they put together and costumes were part of it. Ellie, Devon, Alex, Morgan and myself were included." he described. "It turned out the play had a script that the kids only knew but the adults didn't."

"So, the adults had to basically improv through it?" questioned Bentley.

Heather nodded. "Everybody had a blast," She breathed out a soft chuckle. "That's all that mattered."

"Indeed," responded Bentley, expressing a smile. "Thank you both for your time in being able to sit down for this documentary."

"Sarah lit the beacon, and we answered the call." Bublé stated, briefly glancing over to Heather.

Speaking of Heather, she nodded as well.

The interview with Heather and Bublé cut to Bentley standing in the studio and facing the camera.

"After we return, I'll be speaking with two teenagers responsible for putting together a performance that brought past Rockstar Rebels back to the Bash At The Bench stage. You don't want to miss it."

XXX

"So," started Bentley. She looked at the two teenagers who were sitting across from her in front of the blue courtyard bench. "Who initially came up with the idea of having past Rockstar Rebels singing together?"

"It was me." responded Cherice, slightly raising her hand. She's not wearing her nasal cannula this time, but it's hanging behind the back of her chair along with the oxygen tank that's attached to it. "I know I got into my lady feelings as The Colonel would say when you interviewed me last time."

"It's understandable," Bentley nodded, expressing a soft smile towards the teenager. "You and all the Rockstar Rebels consider Chuck your big brother."

"He's more than that!" Cherice quickly jumped in.

The teenager who still sported the same converse sneakers was a bit embarrassed because of her sudden outburst. It caused Cherice to sink back in her seat. That led to the other teenager who was sitting next to her bff to speak up.

"I think what Cherice was trying to say," Molly stated. "He's not just a big brother to them. In their eyes, he's also a hero." she firmly added. "The both of us put our heads together and started brainstorming ideas to show how much of a hero Chuck is to not only me but all the Rockstar Rebels." The youngest Wexler sibling turned her attention from Bentley to her bff. "Isn't that right, Cher?"

Cherice was hesitant at first to respond because of her unintentional outburst. However, after some nonverbal encouragement from Molly she finally straightened up in her chair and responded.

"Molly's right." she nodded. The idea we ended up going with ended up being way awesome that we ever could have imagined." she further conveyed.

6 Months Ago
Bash At The Bench
Main Stage

"This song goes out to my brother-in-law," announced Molly into the mic. She looked into the camera when she said that. "Even though you aren't my brother-in-law just yet." the 15 year old grinned.

"It's an old song by Mariah Carey from the 90's," shared Cherice, speaking into her mic. Afterwards, she briefly glanced over at Molly. "The both of us weren't even alive back then."

Cherice's comment warranted amused laughter and chuckles amongst the courtyard crowd. A few seconds later, a number of kids began appearing behind the two teenagers. They were being led by a nurse that was assisting Alex. It took a moment before all the kids were situated in place. It wasn't long before Molly and Cherice turned back to the courtyard crowd.

"The song is called "Hero," Molly shared, expressing a smile.

Afterwards, she and Cherice exited in order to let the group of kids take center stage. There was a moment of silence before the background music started that was provided by Morgan. The courtyard crowd didn't have to wait long as they began to sing in unison.

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

After the 1st set of lyrics and the chorus was sung, there was a momentary pause. That momentary pause gave 3 individuals the time they needed and walked up inevitably standing at center stage. As all three individuals began singing the 2nd set of lyrics to the song together, the courtyard crowd not only applauded, but the online viewing audience as well, especially those who were in the hospital.

It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And that emptiness you felt
Will disappear

For Chuck, the 3 individuals who were singing on stage somehow looked familiar and couldn't quite figure it out until their names appeared on his television screen. Chloe "Little Hoss" Cartwright, Anthony "Bilbo Baggins" Bilboni, and Cassie Tremaine. All three individuals were former Rockstar Rebels who were now in their early to mid-20's. In his mind, even though it had been years since he had seen or even talked to them, the flood of memories returned to the point where he got incredibly emotional as all 3 smiled into the camera before leaving the stage.

It got even more emotional for Chuck, when another former Rockstar Rebel appeared on stage. Fortunately for the nerd, he knew who it was before the name appeared on screen.

"Monique Jordan." he softly breathed out.

Afterwards, his trademark toothy smile was expressed. It got even wider when an older Monique didn't sound hoarse at all when he interviewed her a while back. The hoarseness in her verse was gone and what came out of her mouth sounded absolutely beautiful as she softly belted out the 3rd set of lyrics.

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yeah
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time you'll find the way

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you

That a hero lies in you

Monique's voice completely floored not only Chuck, but Sarah as well. The nerd watched on television as the former Rockstar Rebel ran over to Sarah and hugged her after finishing the 4th set of lyrics to the songs. Afterwards, there were a couple more former Rockstar Rebels appearing on stage who continued to leave Chuck not only speechless, but teary eyed as well. However, the biggest surprise for the youngest Bartowski was when Joshua Rush appeared on screen. The same Joshua Rush who ended up blind because of a rare form of Retinoblastoma. That was the bad news. The good news was that he not only continually beat Chuck in Call of Duty, but will always be technically considered the first Rockstar Rebel.

In any case, Joshua was guided to center stage by Molly and Cherice as the group of kids behind them finished singing the two lines that were repeated before reaching the last 5 lines of the song itself. After the group of kids fell silent, a momentary hush blanketed the entire courtyard as Molly placed the mic in Joshua's left hand. Chuck watched with tears running down both his cheeks as Joshua Rush tried his best in singing the last 5 words of the song Hero.

"That a hero lies in you."

Afterwards, the courtyard crowd exploded rather than erupted in the loudest celebration that it actually caused Chuck's hospital room windows to rattle. The performances by all the past Rockstar Rebels certainly rattled the youngest Bartowski sibling in an emotional way. While he sat there in his hospital bed, he could help but think that in all the times he hosted Bash At The Bench, he never truly experienced it as a viewer because of how mentally wrapped up in the preparation and process of the show. Now that he experienced the show from the outside in he was given a much deeper appreciation for being able to just enjoy the show without worrying about something potentially going completely wrong brought him immense joy to his heart and soul. However, the joy he felt would gradually turn into a feeling of sadness because of the possibility that he won't be back hosting on the Bash At The Bench for quite some time until he's fully recovered.

XXX

NOTE: IT TOOK A WHILE TO FINISH THIS CHAPTER ARE I GOT A BIT OF WRITER'S BLOCK. ANYWAYS, HOPE YOU ENJOY IT AND LEAVE A COMMENT. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS BECAUSE ARE CONSIDERED AN INCENTIVE TO WRITE MORE! ANY MISTAKES OR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS ARE MY OWN! TIP OF THE HAT TO YOU ALL!