Chapter 10

A/N: Y’all seem to be enjoying this one.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Chuck

They sat there on the side of the fountain, a silence between them. A good one. Chuck could feel something in the air between them. He didn’t know what it was, and he knew she was feeling it too. It was…new…different. He looked over at her, thought about asking her something, and turned away, giving a little head shake and a smile.

“I said you could ask me anything,” Sarah reminded him.

“Yeah, but this isn’t in the files, and frankly is none of my business,” Chuck said, looking back at her.

“Ask anyway,” she said with a shoulder bounce. A playful grin crossed her lips. “I mean, I’m not saying I’ll answer, but you can ask.”

He grinned at her. “I was going to ask, what you were thinking just then.”“Hmmm,” she hummed. “Yeah, that is none of your business,” she said softly, smiling the whole time. He chuckled. “But I’m going to tell you,” she added. Chuck sobered up.

She lifted her head, and took a deep breath. “My whole life has been about taking, destroying. My dad and I…we took. We took from people. Be it money, trust…” she trailed off and looked away. She turned back but didn’t look at him, she kept looking straight ahead, as if she made eye contact with him, she wouldn’t be able to go on. He started to put his hand on hers. To comfort her. That was all, but, he realized he didn’t know her like that, and began to pull his hand away. He found he couldn’t, because her hand had found his and was holding on tight. He squeezed it. That was what she needed in that moment to continue.

“In the CIA, it was always about…dismantling,” she said, a slight disdain in her voice. “A Cartel, a government…a life.” There was shame on her face. “I get it, we saved lives but…” she trailed off, not sure what else to add.

“It was always about…well…taking apart,” Chuck offered. She nodded, still not looking at him. As though she might break down if she did. “You did good though.”

“I know,” Sarah said. “Doesn’t change what it was.” Chuck gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked at him, her eyes fighting tears, a soft smile on her face. “And, I want to be totally honest, while Dad and I have every intention of building a life, and helping people with this farm…we don’t have the best track record.” Chuck couldn’t help but laugh.

She locked eyes with him. “And, now…now we’ve found you,” she said softly. Chuck didn’t even realized he had swallowed. “We’ve found you, someone I can trust to build with. It may not be pretty. Neither of us know a thing about this.”

“I’m telling you, I’ve seen a lot of videos, we can,” Chuck said softly, a kind smile on his face, giving her hand the gentlest of squeezes.

“Oh, I believe you,” Sarah said.

“You believe we can do this?” Chuck asked, a little surprised.

“No idea,” Sarah said with a shrug, making him laugh. “But I believe you believe we can, and right now…you have no idea what that mean that someone believes in me that I can do something good. Build something.”

“Sarah, I think I do have an idea about someone believing in me,” Chuck told her. She tucked her head and looked up at him through her lashes. There was a shyness there that Chuck thought might make his heart explode from happiness. “Thank you.”

“When I say it’s my pleasure, I hope you believe me.”

“I do,” Chuck told her, giving her hand the gentlest squeeze. She returned that squeeze. “I do.”

}o{

Some time ago, in a place that doesn’t exist or if it does you’d be shot knowing the location.

Zondra looked through the files, stopped, looked up at Bryce, looked back at the files, and then back to Bryce. “Gaez…Amy?”

“Yup,” Bryce told her. “All done at the behest of Graham to get Sarah out of the CAT Squad.”

“But,” Zondra said, and looked back down at the file. “The Director of the CIA….”

“Evil,” Bryce told her. “And, if we save Sarah like this, all it does is buy her time.”

Zondra was quiet for a moment and then finally asked the million dollar question. “Why?”

“She doesn’t love me,” Bryce said softly. “She…thinks she’s supposed to love me.” Zondra watched Bryce. “I’ve already made an enemy of the person I loved most in this world, and now…” he let out a deep breath. “Why not make an enemy of the person I love second most in this world?”

Zondra was quiet for a moment. “When…when you say loved…”

“Yeah,” Bryce answered. “Loved…still do. Love like…yeah.”

“Oh,” Zondra said nodding. “So…what you had him kicked out…”

“He’s not like me,” Bryce said.

“Bi?” Zondra asked.

Bryce snorted. “No, he’s not, but that’s not what I meant. I….I know who I am and I’ve made mistakes, and I thought I was protecting him. I thought…I thought I was doing the right thing. Thing is, I need his help.” Bryce was staring off into the distance, Zondra watching him. “Sarah isn’t like you, Chuck isn’t like me. They both need to heal, and…they’re probably the person who could help the other the most.”

“And Lindsey?” Zondra asked. Bryce turned to her slowly. “I know about her.” Bryce cleared his throat. “I had to make sure I did something where I couldn’t back out of this plan.”

“So you slept with her?” Zondra asked. “Just to make sure I’m clear, to make sure you didn’t back out of your plan, you slept with another woman?”

“I didn’t trust myself to do what was necessary…again,” Bryce said. “Do you know how much it hurt what I did to Chuck?”

“I bet it hurt Chuck more,” Zondra said.

Bryce looked her dead in the eye. “I know,” he said softly. “I see his face every time I close my eyes. I see him in the frat house as they walk him out. I know it did.”

“Oh,” Zondra said. “Okay.”

“So you understand?” Bryce asked.

“Oh, God, no,” Zondra told him. “What you did is messed up in ways that five years of therapy probably can’t straighten out, but we are where we are, and your plan, going forward, is solid. But just so we’re clear, if you try and have sex with me, I will stab you and enjoy it.”

“Didn’t you last time?” Bryce pointed out.

“OK, more than last time,” Zondra said. And with that, she left the room.

“Not sure that’s possible,” Bryce muttered. “We still need to take care of Ryker,” he said to himself. He reached over and pulled up a file, and stared at the glare of the face of the man who the folder held the contents of. “I need a sniper.” Bryce chuckled. “Chuck would say you have a jaw of granite.”

}o{

Chuck stood in front of the Buy More, Sarah by his side. “Do you need to do this alone?” Sarah asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“No,” Chuck said, shaking his head. “I’m just…conflicted.” She gave him a confused look. “Oh, I’m leaving, and going to work with you, but…this place was my home in my darkest hours.”

“I understand that,” Sarah said. “In fact, if I’m honest…” She trailed off.

“Do not say Bryce did the right thing that got you fired,” Chuck pleaded.

“He didn’t….” She said, but she looked away. “I don’t know…I don’t know if I would have had the strength to just walk away.”

“I get it,” Chuck said, nodding. “That’s why, if it’s okay with you, I’d like you here.”“Emotional support person?” Sarah asked.

“I was going to say baggage handler, but let’s be honest, emotional support Sarah has a better ring to it,” he admitted as they started walking in. She was laughing, and grabbed his nearby arm as support as they walked. Chuck noticed but didn’t flinch. They shared a look and she took her hands away, smiling shyly the whole time. They walked up toward the Nerd Herd desk. No one noticed them. All the white shirts were gathered around, and Big Mike was there as well.

“Why so many viruses?” Big Mike asked as they approached.

“My guess, these losers are broke,” Anna replied, shrugging. Big Mike gave her a look. “Look that girl off of American Pie made a million dollars in an hour on only fans.”

She paused for a second. “If I’m honest, if I could pull my nipples and show my butthole for an hour for a million dollars, I’d do it too,” Anna added, shrugging her shoulders. A customer walked by, gasped.

“Lady, I’d do it for a hundred grand,” Morgan said, trying to take the heat off of Anna.

“What would God say?” the woman asked, absolutely mortified by Morgan.

“Ma’am, have you seen me?” Morgan asked, gesturing to himself. “If I made a hundred grand doing that, I’d call that a miracle.” The woman’s mouth dropped but no words came out.

“A miracle,” Anna began, reading the definition from her nearby tablet. “Is an extraordinary, often supernatural, event that defies natural laws and is typically interpreted as a sign of divine power. It signifies a wondrous event or accomplishment, often involving divine intervention, healing, or provision. The term also commonly refers to a highly improbable or extremely lucky event.” She gave Morgan an apologetic look. “I mean…”

“No, that’s why I said it,” Morgan replied. The woman shook her head in disgust and walked off.

“I’d do it for five dollars,” Jeff threw in. Everyone turned to him. “I mean, I’d pay anyone five dollars to watch me.”

“Jeffrey,” Lester said, trying not to roll his eyes, and pull the half-baked man away from the others. “We’ve talked about this.”

“And this is what you’re going to give your two weeks for?” Sarah asked, giggling. She spoke at her normal voice because no one had been paying attention to them. But anything involving time off, or quitting…it was like a beacon for Big Mike.

“Two weeks?” Big Mike said, looking up and seeing Chuck and Sarah. He sized them up and walked over to them. “You’re giving your two weeks, Bartowski?”

“I am,” Chuck began, but Big Mike looked past him to Sarah.

“You will pay him fairly?” Big Mike asked.

“I will, not as much per hour, but food and lodging is included,” Sarah said.

Big Mike made a hmm, noise. “What about insurance?”

“Yes,” Sarah said. Chuck looked surprised.

“Dental?” He leaned in. “Vision?”

“Yes to both,” Sarah said. Both men look impressed. “I had a government job with good benefits in the past, I get it.”

“What about mental health? This boy’s got a lot of problems upstairs if you know what I mean,” Big Mike continued.

“Hey!” Chuck said.

“Son, your momma and daddy left you, your best friend destroyed your academic career right before you were to graduate from Stanford and you’ve been hiding here for five years? Come on, I don’t need no degree to know you ain’t right in the head.”

Chuck looked over at the other nerd herders. They all looked away except for Morgan. Morgan had a pained expression on his face. Anna reached over and turned Morgan’s head away. “Sorry,” he mouthed as he looked away.

“Well,” Chuck said, a little stunned.

“His insurance will cover any of that, but,” Sarah said, leaning towards Mike, making him lean back. “We have a big bonfire at night. We sit around it, look at the stars, and just talk.” Big Mike was nodding. “I’m not saying that will heal all that’s right, but sometimes you just need to talk and know someone is listening. Really listening.”

“You do,” Big Mike said. He stuck out his hand and Sarah shook it.

“What the hell is going on?” Chuck muttered.

“So,” Big Mike said after vigorously shaking Sarah’s hand. “Someone bring me the schedule!” Morgan brought Big Mike the tablet. Big Mike took it, looked at it, turned it upside down, flipped it over and then flipped it over and looked on it’s back.

“Here,” Chuck said, flipping it back over and hitting the power button making it light up. “They moved the button in the last update.”

“That’s why I like you,” Big Mike said, looking at the screen. Sarah gave Chuck a smile that Big Mike couldn’t see. Chuck grinned at her.“Here,” Anna said, handing him the paper schedule while deftly taking the tablet out of Big Mike’s hands.

“Thank you,” Big Mike said, looking at the schedule.

“Like trying to watch a new born horse walk,” Anna mouthed to Sarah. Sarah used all her training not to crack up. Anna began to do things to the screen. Chuck saw she was pulling up the master schedule.

“So, you’re giving your two weeks,” Big Mike said. He pulled out a pen and marked Chuck off the schedule.

“Big Mike?” Chuck asked.

“We have to use your vacation and sick time,” Big Mike said. “What do you have two…three weeks?”

“Well,” Chuck began, scratching the back of his head.

“Holy shit,” Anna breathed.

“So more than that,” Big Mike said. He began to flip the paper forward a month.

“Not even close,” Anna said. Big Mike flipped again. “Keep going.” He flipped two more months. “Another.” Big Mike widened his eyes.

“You did say I could only have vacation if I found someone capable of doing my job,” Chuck gently reminded him.

“That’s on me,” Big Mike said muttering. “So your last day will be here, where I’m going to need you to come in for four hours-”

“Uh, Boss,” Anna said as gently as she could, butting in. “He’s going to have a lot more accrued sick and vacation time during the time he’s on vacation…and sick time.”

“Of course,” Big Mike said, beginning to look flustered.

“You know what, this is beneath you,” Anna said, gently taking the paper away from him. “Why don’t I handle this and you go take care of managerial things.”

“Son, you know I respect you, but I have to respect the position I have,” Big Mike told Chuck.

“Absolutely,” Chuck agreed. “Yes.”

“Also,” Big Mike said, turning to Anna. “You’re now in charge of the Herd.”

“That is not fair,” Anna protested.

“You made yourself indispensable, Bartowski warned you,” Big Mike pointed out. “Son, appreciate you,” he said to Chuck, shaking his hand. With that, he turned and headed toward his office, whistling.

Anna shook her head, did some more to the tablet. “So, how about this is your last day?” she said, as she switched screens and sent herself a note to clock Chuck in for four hours that day.

“Anna,” Chuck began.

“How many times have you worked in the back and not clocked in because we didn’t have the hours?” Anna asked, giving him a look.

“It’s who he is, isn’t it?” Sarah asked.“It is,” Anna said, nodding. “You will take care of him.”

It wasn’t a question. Chuck knew Sarah was a trained CIA agent. He didn’t think Anna had any training, and for a second, he SWORE he heard whistling like you hear in an old western just before a gun fight broke out.

“He’s one of the good ones, isn’t he?” Sarah asked.

“No,” Anna said. “He’s the best, and I loathe him for it.”

“I understand,” Sarah said nodding.

“I don’t,” Chuck cut in.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Anna told him, never taking her eyes off of Sarah.“And yet it does,” Chuck countered. Anna slowly turned toward him and locked eyes with him. “Annnnd, maybe it doesn’t,” Chuck admitted.

“I’ll protect him,” Sarah said. Chuck gave her a look, but she was ignoring him. There was…something in her voice…he didn’t know what it was…well, he thought he might, but….well, that wasn’t possible. At all.

“Gonna need his new address,” Anna said, handing the tablet to Sarah.

“Is this how women felt when they were negotiated for back in the day for their dowry?” Chuck muttered.

“Like you’ve got a dowry,” Anna countered.

“You’re not wrong,” Chuck admitted. Sarah handed the tablet back to Anna. “Uh, my checks will still be direct deposited, right?”

“Yes,” Anna said, rolling her eyes, annoyed.

“I don’t know why you’re mad at me because you got a promotion,” Chuck told her.

She gave him a look. “Do you know what kind of kinky fantasies Morgan is going to have now that I have power over him?”“He’s a green shirt,” Chuck argued. Anna raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, I was trying.”

“Is he going to be a problem?” Sarah asked, legit worried.

Anna laughed. “A problem? Yes. The kind I like?” She walked off, laughing.

“Trust me, she can handle him,” Chuck told her.

“I bet she can,” Sarah said. “I bet she can.” She looked at him. “So, time to talk to Ellie?”

“Yeah,” Chuck said. “And I have to pack. And find a car.”

“You can ride with me in the truck and we can put everything in the back of the truck,” Sarah told him.

“Okay,” Chuck said nodding. “We’re doing this.”“We’re doing this,” Sarah said. She winked at him, turned and headed out. He followed. They were doing this. And that totally meant the farm, and nothing more. No siree Bob. Nothing more. Not. A. Thing. “Bryce, what in the hell have you gotten me in to?” He muttered to himself. He shook his head. This wasn’t Bryce’s fault. This was his choice. He smiled. Best choice he had made in a while.A/N: More soon.