Chapter 3
A/N: Remember when I told you in Chapter 1 I was afraid this might bomb…the last chapter was why. Either you’re going to be mad, or you’re going to understand that Sarah was in a no-win situation. Did she do the right thing? Did she do the wrong thing? Was there a right answer? Here’s what we know, Sarah loves Chuck, Chuck loves Jenny, and Jenny is Sarah. We all hate Orion. So now what, as several of you asked. Well, find your Haim CD (you should get one if you don’t) Ch 3, Want You Back
Disclaimer: I don’t own Chuck, but I do have the Haim CDs
“So, just to get this out there so there is no confusion,” Chuck began, and then paused, as Molly made herself comfortable in his lap, looking up at him, with a smile on her face. Chuck couldn’t help it, he reached up and brushed her hair with his hand. Molly leaned against him, sighed, and closed her eyes, content. Chuck looked at Sarah, who was on the verge of a breakdown.
“She’s yours,” Sarah said. “If you need a test or something to prove it, I understand.” Tears were in her eyes. “I’m not expecting anything, just so you know. I made this terrible decision and I am prepared to live with all the consequences.” Chuck studied her.
“Two things,” he said, preparing himself. “One, are you really prepared? Two, what do I call you?” Sarah lost it, and the next thing she knew, Chuck pulled her into him.
“I don’t deserve you,” she said, through sobs. Molly reached up and hugged Sarah. Emma was watching it all, on the verge of tears herself.
“I don’t ask this to be cruel, but do you think I could get your contact information this time?” Chuck asked. Sarah laughed. She looked up at him and smiled. Chuck reached behind him, pulled out his wallet, and pulled something out. He pulled out the letter and looked at it. He offered it to Sarah. She took it, unfolded it, saw it, and the waterworks began. She held it up to her mother, who came over and looked at it. Emma began to cry as well. Chuck’s phone went off, he pulled it out of his pocket, and looked at it. “Uh, this is my ride.” Sarah nodded, gathering herself.
“Maybe if you have time tomorrow you’d like to come over and see Molly?” she asked. “And, it’s Sarah,” she added. She reached for his phone, hesitantly. He handed it her, and she put in her number, the agency’s, and Emma’s. “We’re all in there,” she said, handing it back.
“I’d love to see Molly,” he said.
“Anytime you want, I’m not keeping you away any more,” she looked up at Emma, as something hit her.
“He’s fine,” Emma said. Sarah let out a breath, Chuck was confused.
“It’s my dad, and he’s a huge part of what happened, that I will explain. I promise, you deserve all of this,” Sarah said. Chuck nodded and looked down at Molly.
“I have to go, Sweetie,” he said. She reached up to hug him.
“Go home, with me,” Molly said. Chuck had tears in his eyes and Sarah was just flat crying at this point.
“It’s not my home, Sweetie,” Chuck explained.
“Mommy and Gwammy will let you stay,” Molly explained. Chuck gave her a sad smile.
“I’m so sorry, Pumpkin,” Chuck said, and he started to the door. He got there, paused, turn around and came back. He walked right up to Sarah and took her free hand.
“I have to say this, and I’m sorry if it hurts, because I don’t mean it to,” Chuck said. “I love Jenny Burton, I don’t know if I know Sarah Walker.” Sarah nodded, understanding. “However, we are not done,” and he turned to Molly. “And we, Pumpkin,” he said, and leaned in and gave her a raspberry on the cheek making her squeal. “Are never done.” Chuck looked at Sarah, and kissed her on the top of her head. “We’ll talk,” he said, and he left. Emma watched him go and then watched her daughter and her granddaughter. Sarah turned to her.
“See, I told you I made too many mistakes for us,” she said. Emma smile a knowing smile.
“I never heard him say that,” she said, thinking. Outside, Chuck got in the car with Morgan.
“Thanks, Buddy,” Chuck said softly.
“Rough install?” Morgan asked.
“You remember me talking about Jenny Burton?” Chuck asked. Morgan rolled his eyes.
“Remember?” Morgan asked. “That requires you not to talk about her so that I could forget her.” Chuck gave a small grin at that one.
“I found her,” Chuck said softly. Morgan’s eyes got huge.
“Dude!”
“She has a kid,” Chuck continued. Morgan nodded.
“This isn’t a deal-breaker, right?” Chuck looked at Morgan and shook his head no.
“No, Morgan, it’s not a deal-breaker,” he said.
“Good, Ellie would be disappointed in you if it was,” Morgan said. “I would understand, but I’m proud of you.”
“Especially when it’s my kid,” he said softly. Morgan’s eyes got wide again and he made a U-turn.
“Where are we going?!” Chuck yelled, grabbing on the handle bar as car horns blared.
“To see my, nephew, niece, which is it?”
“Niece, her name’s Molly,” Chuck said. “And, turn around. I need to go home and talk to Ellie.”“You need to talk to Ellie,” Morgan said, giving Chuck a look. “That bad?”
“Jenny knew where I was the whole time and never told me,” Chuck said.
“How do we feel about that?” Morgan asked.
“She didn’t tell me why, she didn’t get a chance, but what good reason can there be?” Chuck asked. Morgan turned the car back around.
“We need Ellie,” Morgan said, and the rest of the drive was in silence
}o{
Simi Valley, Ca, home of Emma, Sarah, and Molly
“Sweetie, why don’t you get some sleep?” Emma asked. Sarah had been quiet ever since she got home.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever sleep again,” Sarah said. “I made such a mistake. I let Graham tell me..Oh no, Graham.” She picked up her phone and went in the other room.
“Graham Secure,” Graham said.
“Walker, Secure,” Sarah said.
“Sarah, is everything okay?” Graham asked.
“No,” Sarah whispered.
“You told him?” Graham asked, his voice not betraying the emotion on his face. He was past caring what Orion wanted.
“He found me, by accident,” Sarah said. “I told him about Molly, and I’m going to tell him all of it.”
“Understood,” Graham said. “Sarah, if you need to, call me and I’ll explain my part.”
“Sir?” Sarah said, confused.
“Sarah, this has gone on long enough,” Graham said. “Your father’s record is expunged, and if he needs to talk, or yell at me, tell him to feel free. You two deserve your chance.”
“I’ve missed that chance,” Sarah said. “I’m just hoping for Molly to have one.”
“Sarah, has he said that?” Graham asked gently. “Chuck Bartowski is many things, but one who holds a grudge…that doesn’t seem to be in his makeup.”
“I made him do to Molly what his father did to him,” she said.
“No, I did,” Graham reminded her. “And, Chuck didn’t leave by choice.”
“Regardless, I made him miss two years of her life,” Sarah said.
“I gave you orders,” Graham said.
“I didn’t have to follow them,” Sarah said. Graham sighed.
“A piece of advice, Sarah, you can do your best to fix the future or fixate on the past,” Graham said. “Make it your mission to win him back, and the poor guy doesn’t stand a chance.”
“I’m not going to seduce him,” Sarah replied, the fire in her waking up.
“Did I say seduce?” Graham asked. “Did you seduce him at Stanford?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Then win him back, take care Sarah,” Graham said, and ended the conversation. Sarah came back in the room with her daughter and mother.
“What is it, Honey?” Emma asked.
“I want him back,” Sarah said. “Or I want him, or whatever. I want him in my life, however he’ll let me be.”
“You’ve watched him ever since, haven’t you?” she asked. Sarah nodded. “What are you willing to do for him?” Sarah looked at her mom. Tears were in her eyes, but so was determination.
“Anything,” she said.
“Sarah, you haven’t told him about your child, your over two year old child. You were with him using an alias, and you haven’t told him the truth about your family, the CIA, or anything, do you know how long it could take?” Emma asked.
“I don’t care,” Sarah said. “He saved me from going down a long terrible road. He gave me one of the best weekends of my life. He gave me a wonderful daughter, and I love him. What else is there? What else compares? What else am I supposed to do? How far mom? I can’t go far enough.” Emma nodded, tears in her eyes.
“Take a nap,” Emma said. “I’m going to go out, get a few things, it could be a bit. I’ll take Molly, and when I get back, we’ll work on getting Chuck back.”
“Dada come home?” Molly asked upon hearing Chuck’s name.
“Would you like that?” Sarah asked. Molly grinned and clapped. “Me too, Sweetie.” Sarah went to bed, and Emma took Molly on her errand.
}o{
Echo Park
Chuck and Morgan came in the door, and as usual, Ellie began to threaten to run Morgan out, but took one look at Chuck’s face and knew something big was going on. She took one look at Chuck, and pointed for him to sit.
“Summarize, Morgan,” Ellie said.
“You sure, Ellie?” Morgan asked. “This is huge.”
“I’m a doctor, we just rip the band aide off,” she replied.
“Okay,” he said, not sure this was the right thing to do. “Chuck just found Jenny Burton, and our boy has been a father for a little over 2 years and he didn’t know it.” Ellie’s eyes got wide.
“Have you seen them?” Ellie asked softly. Morgan shook his head.
“No, I turned back in traffic to go meet my niece,” he said, ignoring the look Ellie was giving him. “But he told me to come here, because he needs to talk to you. He wanted to talk to you.” Ellie’s eyebrows raised.
“He wants to talk to me?” Ellie said slowly. She sat. “This is big.” Morgan nodded. “Sit, Morgan, you’re part of this.” Morgan sat. “Next time you need to not only go back, but get pictures. Good job though.” Morgan smiled.
“Next time, El?” Chuck asked, an eyebrow raised, and a small grin on his face. “I don’t really plan on doing this whole scenario ever again. I’m going to see them tomorrow and I’ll get pictures then, and I’ll invite them to dinner,” he said, making Ellie smile at predicting her requests. “El, what do I do?”
“Why did she leave?” Ellie ask. Chuck shrugged.
“We didn’t get that far, but she promised to tell me everything,” Chuck said. “I am going to be a part of my daughter’s life, but I have a problem, I make $11 an hour, so how am I going to contribute, live an hour away, and have to take on an extra job?”
“Is she asking for money?” Ellie asked, her hackles raising.
“No, just the opposite, she said she wants me to be in Molly’s life and wants nothing from me,” Chuck said.
“But you can’t do that,” Ellie said, proudly grinning at her brother.
“I had no idea El,” he said, tears in his eyes. “I did to Molly what Dad did to us.” Ellie came over and put her arm around Chuck. He leaned into her, and cried. Morgan looked at his friend, feeling helpless.
“You didn’t know, Chuck,” Ellie said, rubbing his back. There was a knock on the door. “Morgan, would you?” Morgan nodded, got up and went to the door. He opened it.
“Is this where Chuck Bartowski lives?” the woman asked, holding a baby.
“Dada!” Molly yelled, causing Chuck to raise his head.
“Uh, Chuck,” Morgan said. “I thought Jenny was your age?” Chuck came over, and Molly reached for him. He took her, and she hugged him.
“Come in Emma, and please ignore my friend, carnival freaks found him in the dumpster,” Chuck said.
“But, they did raise me as one of their own,” Morgan said, extending his hand. “Morgan Grimes, Chuck’s best friend.
“Emma Truffaut,” Emma said, “Sarah’s mother..er..Jenny…but she goes by Sarah now,” she said sighing. “I’d tell you more, but it’s Sarah place to tell it.”
“I understand,” Chuck said. “Emma, this is my sister Ellie,” he said, introducing the two.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Emma said. “Is your boyfriend here?” Ellie’s and Chuck’s eyebrows raised. Emma grinned.
“Sarah has kept eyes on you over the years,” she said. Chuck’s eyebrows raised.
“What is she, a spy?” he asked, chuckling. Ellie was playing with Molly, who was loving it. Chuck turned around and saw the look on Emma’s face.
“She is the head of Truffaut Industries, but what she did in her prior life…again that’s a discussion you two should have,” Emma said. Chuck thought for a second.
“That makes so much sense,” Chuck said. “The name, she didn’t exist at Harvard,” and then he realized what he said. Chuck shrugged. “We all have our talents.” He thought for a second, and his face fell. “I was just a mission,” he said dejectedly. Emma shook her head.
“Listen,” she said, getting Chuck’s attention. “What she felt for you, wasn’t a mission, and honestly, you saved her.” Chuck looked at her, and then lowered his head.
“How could she just leave?” Chuck said. “How could she just leave after she found out she was pregnant and not tell me about Molly?”
“Chuck, there is nothing she regretted more, but it wasn’t her choice,” Emma said. “May I sit?”
“Where are my manners, of course you can sit,” Ellie said. Emma sat, as did everyone else. She looked directly at Chuck. “Chuck, to a certain extent she was blackmailed. She was told her father would go back to jail if she saw you.”
“Me?” Chuck asked. “Why me, and for that matter why was she assigned to me?”
“I have no idea, and that’s a conversation you two need to have,” Emma said. She took a deep breath. “But, there’s a conversation we need to have.” Chuck looked nervous, and Emma smiled. “Chuck, don’t worry, everything’s fine. I think it’s a shame you’ve lost out on all this time with your daughter, so I have an idea that might suit everybody.” Chuck raised his eyebrows. “I need an IT person.” Chuck grinned. She pushed a piece of paper over to him. “This would be your starting salary, and no, that’s not what I paid Lester, but he hadn’t proved himself like you have.” Chuck opened it, and looked at it. His mouth dropped. He looked back at her. “Sarah has some business sent her way from her former boss,” Emma explained. “We have plenty of clients.
“I have a counter offer,” Chuck said. “I keep the salary of $11 an hour, and the rest goes towards Molly’s back child support.” Ellie never looked prouder of her brother. Emma’s smile threatened to break her face.
“While I appreciate that, it’s not necessary,” Emma replied.
“I haven’t done my part,” Chuck replied, crossing his arms. Ellie looked away, her hand was across her face, covering her mouth to keep laugh hidden.
“Okay, for six months,” she said.
“Two years,” Chuck said. “That’s how long I’ve not contributed.”
“Six months, Chuck, or nothing,” she said. Chuck looked at Emma and grinned.
“Well, that’s where she gets her stubbornness from,” Chuck said grinning.
“Uh, Chuck, if you leave the Buy More, how will you get to work?” Morgan asked. Chuck’s face fell.
“Part two of my offer,” Emma said. “I want you to move into the empty bedroom of my house.”
“Uh, I’m not so sure about that,” Chuck said. “Does Jen- uh Sarah know about this?”
“It’s my house, Chuck, and my granddaughter has been without her father way too long,” Emma replied.
“I don’t know,” Chuck said.
“Charles Irving Bartowksi,” Ellie said. Chuck turned toward her.
“Ellie I’d be living in the same house as Sarah,” Chuck said as if that explained everything.
“You two are adults, what you do is your business,” Emma said, with a grin. Chuck turned four shades of red.
“That’s kinda my point,” Chuck said, adjusting his collar. “Is it just me or is it hot in here.” He looked around and everyone else was enjoying him being uncomfortable. “Look, I don’t know her.”
“Yes you do,” Emma said. “She gave you everything that was her. Chuck, you know her.”
“Chuck, go pack a bag,” Ellie said. “You’re staying there until the weekend and then if you want to stay Devon and I are bringing your stuff.” Chuck’s mouth dropped. “Chuck, you wanted me to talk, and this is our talk, go be with your family. Raise your daughter. Spend the week, talk to Sarah, and then afterwards if you want to come back, we’ll talk, and I’ll see.”
“Ellie, you can’t do this,” Chuck said. Ellie raised an eyebrow and he knew he had messed up.
“Chuck, I can, I’m throwing you out,” Ellie said.
“Chuck, I’m with her,” Morgan said. “Do you remember how much you wanted your Mom and Dad back?” Chuck hung his head.
“What about Big Mike?” Chuck asked. Morgan waved his hand.
“Chuck, he knows every day he gets from you is a gift,” Morgan said. He picked up his phone and made a phone call. “Big Mike, Morgan. No sir. I’ll bring you a dozen in the morning. Chuck is being offered a job that make four times what he does, but he can’t give two weeks notice, and is worried. He’s right here, sir.” Morgan handed the phone to Chuck.
“Hello,” Chuck said.
“Son, you’re fired,” Big Mike said. “Good luck and if it doesn’t work out, there’s always a spot here for you.”
“Thank you, sir,” Chuck said. He hung up, got up, and went to pack. Ellie leaned in.
“What about Sarah?” Ellie asked, grinning.
“She told me she couldn’t go far enough to win him back,” Emma said. Ellie tried not to squeal.
“Family dinner, here,” Ellie said.
“Tomorrow night at my place?” Emma asked. Everyone exchanged phone numbers and addresses, including Morgan. Chuck walked out of his bedroom with his bag. Ellie stood up, came over, and hugged him.
“This is the right move, for Molly,” she said, hugging him. She whispered in his ear. “Give Sarah a chance to explain.” He pulled away.
“What can she say?” Chuck asked.
“She can say she’s sorry and made a mistake,” Ellie said. Chuck nodded. “Listen, it doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you end, and this, this could be a great ending.” Chuck nodded.
“You’re not letting me come back, are you?” Chuck asked. Ellie shook her head no and gave him a tight grin.
“Love you, El,” Chuck said.
“Love you, baby brother,” Ellie said. Morgan came over and hugged Chuck. The two watched Emma and Chuck walk out, Chuck holding Molly, they waved and the door closed. Morgan put his arm around Ellie.
“It’s hard to watch them leave the nest,” Morgan said.
“You’re touching me, Morgan, we have rules,” Ellie said.
“Right,” Morgan said, moving his arm.
“Chuck’s gone, it’s time for you to be,” Ellie said.
“Are you sure you’re okay and don’t need me to co-” Morgan began.
“OUT!” Ellie yelled, pointing at the door. Morgan scurried out the door. He stopped and looked back.
“Ellie, are they going to be alright?” Morgan asked, halfway out of the door.
“They need to talk, and then…” Ellie shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“You’re going to interfere if not, right?” Morgan asked. Ellie gave him a look. “Right, silly question.” He left. Ellie stood there in the empty apartment.
“Your damn straight I’m going to interfere if it doesn’t work,” Ellie said. “He deserves to be happy.”
A/N: Do we feel better? Resolved a few things, and yet left a lot unresolved. This is going to take some time. Until next time.
DC