Right Place At The Right Time

Right Place At The Right Time
Author’s note
Chuck has gone back to Echo Park, leaving Sarah alone at the safe house. She’s beginning to feel trapped by her new situation. A fellow female agent tries to befriend her and help put her at ease. Sarah even gets a new makeover, and while it helps for a little while, it doesn’t change the resentment she feels or the emptiness of not having Chuck with her. A new secret is revealed, and Sarah spends a little time playing with some of her pretty little things.
As always, I don’t own Chuck. I’m simply having fun with characters I’ve come to enjoy. If you have the time, I’d really appreciate it if you left a review. I genuinely enjoy reading your thoughts and opinions about the story. Never be afraid to say what you feel. If you notice something I could add or improve, please let me know. I have no problem going back and editing a chapter to make it better.
Chapter 6
Pretty Little Things
With a renewed sense of purpose, Chuck began the drive back to his apartment, back to the small world he shared with his best friend Morgan, back to the place he had always considered his safe haven. Only now it no longer felt quite the same. Something had changed in his life, and it wasn’t simply because Sarah had entered it. It was everything that had come with her. The danger, the uncertainty, the FBI, the murders, and the realization that the comfortable routine he had always known had vanished almost overnight. Somehow, in the span of barely more than a day, his entire world had been turned upside down.
As the miles rolled by beneath his tires, his thoughts refused to settle. Sarah’s story replayed in his mind over and over, each retelling making him feel even more sympathy for her. She had spent her life being manipulated by the people who should have protected her, only to witness something no seventeen year old should ever have to see. The more he thought about everything she had endured, the more determined he became not to let her face it alone.
His memories drifted from one moment to another with startling speed. He remembered finding her terrified in the food court, their drive to his apartment, the quiet conversations, the nervous laughter in the car, the warmth of her hand in his, and the awkward but unforgettable kiss they had shared before being separated. Every memory brought both comfort and pain. He was heading home, yet home suddenly felt incomplete without Sarah beside him. He had no idea how long it would be before he saw her again or what obstacles the FBI might place between them. Those questions lingered in his mind as he continued the drive toward Burbank, watching the California highway stretch endlessly ahead while hoping that every mile carried him one step closer to finding a way back to her.
The moment Chuck walked out the front door, Sarah’s world seemed to come apart. She had never imagined that someone she had known for barely more than a day could become so important to her, yet somehow he had. In the middle of the fear, the uncertainty, and the violence that had consumed the last thirty hours, Chuck had become her anchor, the steady presence that kept her from being swept away. Without him beside her, the darkness she had been holding back began creeping into every corner of her mind. She felt as though she were standing alone at the edge of a deep abyss, desperately searching for the one person who had made her believe she could climb back out.
A heavy feeling of dread settled into her bones. She glanced toward the two FBI agents stationed inside the house, neither of them paying much attention to her beyond the occasional watchful glance. She wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and cry until there were no tears left, but she refused to give them that satisfaction. They were strangers, and strangers would not see her break. If she had learned anything growing up, it was how to hide her emotions when people were watching. Chuck had been the rare exception. Around him, the walls she had spent years building had begun to crumble almost without her realizing it. Now those walls were slowly rising again.
She reminded herself that she had spent most of her life relying on no one but herself. Depending on another person had never been an option, and perhaps she had been foolish to believe it ever could be. If Chuck was gone, then she would have to survive the way she always had, by thinking ahead and staying one step ahead of everyone else. Her eyes drifted back toward the agents. They might have been professionals, but they were still people, and people made mistakes. Sarah had built an entire life around recognizing those mistakes and taking advantage of them. She wasn’t naive enough to believe the FBI would simply let her walk out the front door, but every place had an entrance, which meant there had to be a way out. All she needed was time, patience, and an opportunity. Sarah Walker had always managed to find an escape when one existed.
Trying to distract herself, she walked over to the shopping bags the female agent had brought earlier. Without much care, she emptied everything onto the living room floor and began sorting through the clothes with the tip of her foot. Shirts, jeans, sweaters, undergarments, shoes, and toiletries spilled out in a colorful pile around her. As she examined each item more closely, she slowly realized that the clothing was surprisingly nice. The fabrics were soft, the styles were modern, and every piece looked as though it had been chosen with care. She had never owned clothes like these before. Most of what she had worn growing up had been secondhand or whatever happened to be available at the time. For a brief moment, she found herself wondering what Chuck would think if he saw her wearing them, and despite everything weighing on her heart, the thought managed to bring the faintest hint of a smile to her face.
The shoes were brand new, and everything carried that unmistakable scent of fresh fabric and unopened packaging. Sarah gathered the clothing into her arms and carried it into the bedroom that had been assigned to her. She carefully folded each item before placing it neatly into the dresser drawers. The shirts that would wrinkle easily were hung in the closet, and the two pairs of shoes were lined up side by side beside the bed. It was the first time in a long while she had owned clothes that actually felt like they belonged to her, and despite everything happening around her, she appreciated the small gesture more than she wanted to admit.
Once she had finished unpacking, curiosity got the better of her. She walked over to the windows to see how securely the house had been locked down. At first glance they appeared completely ordinary, fitted with nothing more than standard window latches. For a brief moment she wondered if the FBI had really been careless enough to trust simple locks. Then she noticed the thin wiring running discreetly along the frame and the small magnetic contacts mounted near the edge of each window. The moment either window was opened, an alarm would undoubtedly sound somewhere in the house or at a monitoring station. She let out an exasperated huff, realizing her brief moment of optimism had been misplaced.
She knew she was beginning to sound like a stubborn twelve year old who had been told she couldn’t have her way, but she didn’t care. The frustration was real, and it continued to build with every passing minute. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she stared at the open doorway, her thoughts drifting immediately back to Chuck. The anger she felt toward the FBI for forcing him to leave grew stronger the longer she sat there. They had taken away the only person who had made her feel safe in years, and she wasn’t ready to forgive them for it.
As she sat alone in the room they had assigned to her, Sarah quietly wallowed in her own misery. She knew she looked exhausted and unhappy, and at that moment she simply didn’t care. All she wanted was to be left alone with her thoughts, even though those thoughts were becoming more painful by the minute.
About twenty minutes later, a soft knock came at her bedroom door.
Sarah barely looked up. “Leave me alone.”
Instead of walking away, the female FBI agent slowly opened the door and stepped inside carrying a small shopping bag. She offered Sarah a warm, understanding smile before closing the door behind her.
“Sarah, I’m not your enemy,” she said gently. “If we’re going to be paired up together for a while, let’s try to make the best of it.”
She walked over to the bed and emptied the contents of the bag onto the bedspread. Out tumbled a small hair coloring kit along with several packages of makeup, brushes, and a few other beauty supplies.
“I was wondering if you’d let me give you a little makeover,” the agent continued. “I know it won’t solve everything that’s happened, but sometimes making yourself feel a little better on the outside helps lift your spirits on the inside. Besides, it’ll give us something to do while we’re stuck here together. What do you think? Just one woman helping another. You might even like the results.”
Sarah didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she quietly looked over everything spread across the bed. She picked up one item, examined it for a moment, then carefully set it back down before reaching for the next. She continued until she had handled every single item at least once.
Finally, her hands settled on the box of hair color.
She stared at it thoughtfully, her fingers gently tracing the picture on the front as she considered the agent’s offer.
Sarah picked up the hair color box and studied the picture on the front.
“So… is this the color my hair is going to turn?”
The agent smiled. “I believe so. Well, I should probably say I hope so. What do you think? Want to give it a try? If it doesn’t turn out the way we want, we can always try a different shade another time.”
She paused before adding, “I was also hoping you’d let me show you how to apply a little makeup. Nothing over the top, just enough to enhance what you already have. You have a beautiful face, Sarah. What do you say? Trust me.”
Sarah looked at her suspiciously. “I don’t know. Are you trying to trick me or something?”
The woman laughed softly and shook her head. “Why would I try to trick you? That’s not what this is about at all. I just figured that if we’re going to be roommates for a while, we might as well act like roommates.”
Sarah set the box back down and rubbed one of her eyebrows while thinking about how awful she must look after everything that had happened.
“Okay,” she finally said. “But if Chuck calls, I need to talk to him the moment he calls.”
The agent smiled warmly. “Deal. Now come on, let’s get started.”
For the next little while, the two of them played makeover. The agent carefully colored Sarah’s hair, then showed her how to apply a light, natural amount of makeup that complemented her features instead of hiding them. By the time they were finished, the frightened teenage girl who had first arrived at the safe house had begun to resemble a confident young woman.
Sarah stared at her reflection in the mirror, almost unable to recognize herself. The first thought that entered her mind wasn’t what anyone else would think. It was what Chuck would think. She wondered if he would find her beautiful. In truth, that was the only opinion that mattered to her. Everyone else’s could wait.
For the first time in days, Sarah felt herself relax. She quietly returned to her bed, her hand brushing against the small box she had hidden inside the pillowcase after digging it up from beneath the tree. Curiosity finally got the better of her. She wanted to make sure everything was still there exactly as she had left it.
The box was no bigger than one a small child might use to store tiny treasures, plastic jewelry, and little trinkets, yet it held everything Sarah valued most in her life. If the day ever came when she had to disappear and start over without her parents, this little box represented the beginning of that new life.
Slowly, she unlocked it and carefully lifted the lid. Everything inside was still neatly organized, with barely enough room left to add another keepsake. She gently spread the contents across the bedspread, taking care not to damage any of the precious mementos she had collected.
The first item she picked up was the passport her parents had arranged for her. She had no idea if she would ever need to use it, but simply holding it brought her a small measure of comfort. It reminded her that, no matter how frightening things became, she had another identity and another path waiting for her if everything in her life ever fell apart.
Next, she picked up four tightly banded rolls of cash that her mother and father had quietly given her over the years. They had never explained exactly where the money had come from, only that it was meant for emergencies. As she held the rolls in her hands, she could hear their voices as clearly as if they were standing beside her.
“You might need this one day, darling,” her father had told her with a reassuring smile.
“And don’t spend it now,” her mother had added. “It may come in handy if you ever have to go on the run and your father and I aren’t there to help you.”
At the time, Sarah had thought they were being overly cautious. She had laughed it off, unable to imagine a situation where she would ever need to disappear or survive on her own. Looking back now, she realized they had been preparing her for exactly this moment.
The memory brought another rushing back. She could see both of her parents sitting with her at the kitchen table, carefully explaining where they would meet if they were ever separated and couldn’t contact one another. They had gone over the plan so many times that she could still picture the map spread across the table and hear every instruction they had given her.
A sad, humorless laugh escaped her lips.
This was far beyond being separated and arranging a meeting place.
This was being completely on her own.
She gently set the rolls of cash aside and continued sorting through the small keepsakes she had collected over the years. Each one carried a memory of a happier time, and most had been gifts from her father. They weren’t valuable to anyone else, but to Sarah they were priceless reminders of a childhood filled with love, laughter, and parents who had done everything they could to prepare her for a future they had always hoped she would never have to face alone.
She never really knew whether the little treasures her father gave her had been bought honestly or stolen during one of his schemes. At this point, she supposed it no longer mattered. What mattered was that he had placed each one in her hands with a smile, telling her they were special, and because they had come from him, they had become precious to her heart. She carefully sorted through them until she found a small birthday card her mother had given her the year before. She remembered reading it over and over again, each time feeling loved, each time believing that maybe things would somehow get better. As the months passed, though, that warmth had slowly faded beneath disappointment, lies, and the life her parents had dragged her into. Her eighteenth birthday was less than two weeks away, and she already knew she would probably be spending it alone.
She opened the card and silently read the familiar words once more.
“Jenny, happy 17th birthday, my little baby. You’ll always be in my heart. Each year that passes is another year that I love you more. You’ll always be my special little girl. I love you always. XOXO, Mama.”
Sarah closed her eyes and pressed the card gently against her chest, holding it there for several long moments as memories washed over her. Eventually she laid it carefully beside the other keepsakes and reached for one final item. It was a small felt pouch tied shut with thin drawstrings. She loosened the strings and tipped the contents into the palm of her hand. A large brooch slid out, catching the light the instant it appeared. It was far more valuable than anything else in the package. A massive gemstone sat proudly at its centre with what appeared to be an old family crest engraved beneath its polished surface. Surrounding the jewel were intricate carvings of tiny birds worked into the gold, while delicate braided patterns formed an elegant border around the outside of the brooch. Even without knowing its history, Sarah could immediately tell it was an extraordinarily expensive piece, something that seemed completely out of place among the modest keepsakes that meant so much to her.
She knew the brooch had to be expensive, but that was never what mattered to her. She simply thought it was beautiful, another sparkling addition to her small collection of shiny, pretty things. She had never given much thought to where it had come from or what it might mean to the family it had been taken from. To Sarah, it was nothing more than a keepsake. She had no idea that this single piece of jewelry carried a history far greater than she could imagine.
It had been taken during one of the cons she had worked with her parents in Florida. Her mother and father had spent months ingratiating themselves with a wealthy family, while Sarah, using the name Jenny, had been instructed to befriend their teenage daughter. She had done exactly as she was told, slowly building trust until she was welcomed into their home as a friend. The con lasted a little over three months before everything came to an abrupt end. Her parents packed up overnight, and the three of them fled across the country, eventually settling in San Diego. Sarah never questioned the sudden move. She assumed it was simply another one of her parents’ schemes. She never realized they had been running because of her own sticky fingers, or that the seemingly harmless brooch she had slipped into her pocket had been so valuable that its disappearance had sparked a relentless search for both her and her family.
Even now, sitting safely inside the FBI safe house, Sarah had no idea that the brooch was one of the biggest reasons she was under protective custody. She carefully placed the jewelry back into the small velvet pouch, pulled the drawstrings tight, and returned it to the box before gathering the rest of her keepsakes and arranging everything exactly as it had been.
Just before locking the box again, her mind drifted to the one item she still carried on her person, the one thing she had lied about. It was something she knew the FBI would almost certainly want, yet she had refused to hand it over. She wasn’t entirely sure why she had held onto it for so long. It wasn’t as though it held any personal value to her. What mattered was that someone had trusted her to keep it safe, and she wasn’t convinced that giving it to the FBI would actually accomplish that. She still didn’t trust any of them enough to believe they would always have her best interests at heart.
They claimed they were protecting her, keeping her away from the people who had murdered her friends. Then again, were they ever really her friends, or were they simply criminals she had become entangled with? The more she thought about it, the less certain she became.
Sarah looked toward the closed bedroom door one more time before reaching down into her sock and carefully removing the small object hidden against the side of her shoe. She had only taken it out once, when she showered, and then immediately tucked it back into place. It had remained there ever since Mikey handed it to her at the mansion.
She remembered trying to give it back to him.
“No,” he had told her. “You keep it for now. If it becomes important, I’ll ask for it back. But for now, Robert can’t know about it.”
She hadn’t questioned him. At the time she hadn’t known any better, and Mikey had earned enough of her trust that she simply accepted what he said. Since then, the little flash drive had stayed hidden, tucked securely against her ankle with every step she had taken over the past several days.
Holding it between her fingers now, she turned it over slowly. It didn’t look like much, just an ordinary flash drive no different from thousands of others. She had no idea what was stored on it, and until this moment she had never been curious enough to find out.
After staring at it for several long moments, she finally made her decision.
She gently placed the flash drive inside the box with the rest of her precious keepsakes. The instant she let go of it, a surprising sense of relief settled over her. It was no longer hidden on her body, and somehow that made her feel safer.
As she closed the lid, another memory flashed through her mind. She saw the blood, the bodies, and the horrifying carnage she had witnessed only days before. The images disappeared as quickly as they had come, but they left behind a familiar ache in her chest.
Sarah locked the box, slid it back inside the pillowcase, and gently patted the pillow as though she were placing a protective spell over it, silently hoping no one would ever discover what was hidden inside. Only then did she rise from the bed, glance once more toward the bedroom doorway, and quietly step back into the stillness of the house.
She was needing something to distract herself before her thoughts consumed her completely, Sarah returned to the living room and sat down with the FBI laptop. She resumed looking through the photographs and mug shots Director Graham had left for her, even though she already knew it was mostly a waste of time. She had agreed to cooperate, and for now she intended to let them believe she was doing exactly that. If nothing else, keeping herself occupied was better than sitting alone with her fears.
After several minutes, her curiosity shifted from the photographs to the computer itself. She wasn’t an expert with technology the way Chuck clearly was, but she knew enough to navigate a computer and expected she would eventually find a way onto the internet. Instead, every attempt was met with another restriction. Every browser, every connection, and every possible avenue to the outside world had been locked down.
Sarah looked up from the screen toward the two agents stationed nearby.
“Excuse me,” she asked, “is there a reason I can’t access the internet?”
“We apologize, Sarah,” the female agent said calmly, “but we have strict instructions not to allow you any form of outside communication. That includes access to the internet.”
Sarah stared at her in disbelief.
“So exactly how am I supposed to keep in touch with Chuck?” she asked, struggling to keep the frustration out of her voice. “I don’t have a cell phone. I obviously don’t have access to a computer. How am I supposed to speak to him?”
Neither agent answered.
“Did anybody at least think about giving Chuck the number to the landline here?”
She looked from one agent to the other before letting out a bitter laugh.
“Go ahead and shake your heads no, because I already know the answer.”
The silence that followed told her everything she needed to know.
Sarah looked back at the laptop, forced herself through a few more photographs, and then, unable to contain her frustration any longer, snapped the screen shut with more force than necessary. She shoved the computer across the table in an angry burst, sending it sliding several feet before it came to a stop. The two agents exchanged a quick glance, neither of them appearing surprised by the outburst.
Without saying a word, the female agent walked over, picked up the laptop, and gently placed it back in front of Sarah.
“We understand you’re upset, Sarah,” she said in a patient voice. “This isn’t an ideal situation for anyone. We know that. But while you’re here, you need to maintain some control over your emotions.”
Sarah folded her arms tightly across her chest but remained silent.
“In time, your boyfriend will be able to contact you,” the agent continued. “Right now, however, you need to remain completely off the grid. That means no communication going out and no communication coming in. Those restrictions are in place for your protection.”
Sarah stared at the woman for several long seconds before finally speaking.
“Well, that’s just bullshit.”
The words came out sharper than she intended.
“That makes me a prisoner, not a voluntary witness.”
The female agent didn’t react.
“Like I said, Sarah, I understand your frustration. These restrictions are only temporary.”
Sarah knew arguing any further wasn’t going to accomplish anything. Whether she agreed with the rules or not made no difference. The FBI was going to do things their way, and for the moment she had no choice but to accept it. She leaned back in her chair, folded her hands in her lap, and silently began wondering how long “temporary” was really going to last.
Sarah was so overwhelmed by her situation that she threw both hands into the air in exasperation.
“So what exactly am I supposed to do while I’m here?” she asked loudly. “Sit around until it’s convenient for all of you to continue your investigation?”
The two agents exchanged another glance before the female agent answered.
“We can certainly help keep you occupied. We have board games and card games available. If you’d like, we can also arrange to have a video game console brought in.”
Sarah looked at her for a moment before answering.
“Yes. I want a PlayStation.”
“Very well, Miss Walker.”
The agent reached for a notepad.
“Is there anything else you would like?”
Sarah thought for a moment.
“I’ll need some games for the PlayStation. I’d also like movie channels on the television, and I want books. Audiobooks too.”
The female agent nodded as she wrote everything down.
“Very well, Miss Walker. If you make us a complete list of anything else you would like, we’ll submit the request and do our best to have everything brought here as soon as possible.”
“Fine.”
Sarah pushed herself to her feet, walked over to the couch, and dropped onto the cushions with a frustrated sigh. The room fell quiet again as her thoughts drifted back to the one person she wanted beside her.
Chuck.
She replayed every moment they had shared over the last day. She remembered the shy smile on his face when he had admitted he wanted to be her boyfriend and how nervous he had looked while asking if she would be his girlfriend. No one had ever asked her something so simple yet so meaningful. It had been the happiest moment of her life.
Then her thoughts wandered to their first kiss.
It had been awkward and uncertain, with neither of them really knowing what they were doing, but to Sarah it had been perfect. She could still remember the warmth that spread through her body the instant their lips met, the rush of excitement that made her heart race, and the strange feeling of electricity that seemed to pass between them. The memory alone was enough to bring a genuine smile back to her face.
She found herself thinking about all the little conversations they had shared during the drive to San Diego and back again. Chuck had talked about his best friend Morgan with endless affection, describing him as loyal, hilarious, and completely incapable of taking life too seriously. He had spoken just as fondly about his sister Ellie and the close relationship they shared, and even when he talked about his parents, there had been warmth and admiration in his voice. Listening to him speak about the people he loved had given Sarah a glimpse into a family life she had never truly experienced herself.
As lonely as she felt in that moment, those memories wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. They reminded her that somewhere out there, Chuck was thinking about her just as much as she was thinking about him, and somehow that thought made the empty house feel just a little less lonely.
Then the memory of Chuck holding her came rushing back. She could still see the way he had looked into her eyes with such unwavering promise before gently cupping her face in his hands and kissing her with a tenderness she had never experienced before. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had been feeling in that moment, but if this was what love felt like, then Chuck had given it to her without asking for anything in return.
When the kiss had finally ended and they rested their foreheads together, sharing those final quiet words before he walked away, a warmth had spread through her that no one else had ever made her feel. It wasn’t simply comfort or happiness. It was something much deeper, something that settled inside her heart and refused to leave.
From that moment on, she never doubted that Chuck would find his way back into her life. His words hadn’t sounded like empty promises spoken to make her feel better. They had come straight from his heart, and she believed every one of them. For now, that belief had to be enough.
Sarah let out a slow sigh, one filled with equal parts commitment and disappointment. She swallowed hard, pushed the memories gently aside, and brought her thoughts back to the present moment.
The refrigerator is fully stocked, but if you have any favorite foods, we’d like to know so we can make sure they’re available for you.”
Sarah looked at Natalie with a weary expression. “You’re making it sound like I’m going to be here for quite some time. Am I still being transferred to Burbank, or was that just your boss telling us something he thought we wanted to hear without ever intending to follow through?”
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” Natalie replied apologetically. “That’s something you’ll have to discuss with Director Graham. We haven’t been given that information.”
Sarah took a slow, deep breath and let it out, feeling more defeated than ever. Every answer seemed to lead to another question, and nobody appeared willing or able to give her the information she desperately wanted. Without saying another word, she turned and headed toward the basement door. As she descended the stairs, she continued examining every corner of the house, instinctively searching for any possible means of escape. The basement contained two small windows set high into the foundation wall, but one glance told her they were useless. They didn’t open, and each pane was reinforced with wire mesh embedded inside the glass. She let out another frustrated huff before giving up on the idea. Whoever had chosen this house had clearly thought about security.
Nearly two hours later Sarah climbed the stairs and returned to the main floor, her workout having done little to burn away the frustration bottled up inside her. The male agent was gone, replaced by nothing more than an empty chair. Natalie sat quietly in another chair with a book resting in her hands. She looked up as Sarah emerged from the basement and offered her a small, polite smile.
“Everything all right, Sarah? Is there anything I can get for you?”
Sarah brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face. “No, but I am getting a little hungry. What about you? Can you eat?”
Natalie closed her book and set it on the table beside her. “Of course. I’ve been assigned as your live in agent, so it looks like we’ll be sharing this house together for the foreseeable future. We might as well make the best of it.”
“Yes, I do know how to cook,” Natalie replied with a small smile, “but I won’t be doing all of the cooking. From this point on, let’s look at each other as roommates, not just as an agent and an asset.”
Sarah considered her words for a moment before giving a small nod. “Fair enough. I owe you an apology for my behavior earlier. I’ll try to do better. But, Natalie, know one thing. I will give you and the FBI a reasonable amount of time to let me contact Chuck. If that time comes and goes and I still haven’t spoken to him, I will make everybody in this place absolutely miserable.”
Natalie couldn’t help but smile. “Fair enough. Like I said, Sarah, we’ll try to be roommates.”
Sarah took a few steps toward the kitchen before stopping and glancing back over her shoulder. “ Can I call you Natalie.”
Natalie’s smile widened just a little. “ Yes Sarah, I would like that, but only if you feel comfortable with it.”
Sarah nodded once before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving Natalie alone in the living room. She leaned back in her chair, picked up her book, and settled in for the evening, already hoping this assignment would be over sooner rather than later. Protective details were part of the job, but babysitting frightened witnesses was never the kind of work she enjoyed. At least Sarah appeared to be calming down, and perhaps living together for a while would make things easier for both of them.
Standing alone in the kitchen, Sarah rested her hands on the countertop and closed her eyes. The house felt far too quiet without Chuck’s voice filling the rooms. She silently pleaded with the only person who had ever made her feel truly safe. Please, Chuck, come back to me. Please find a way to get me out of this. I never thought it was possible to need someone after knowing them for only a day, but somehow you’ve become the one person I can’t imagine being without. Please don’t forget about me.