Chapter 11
A/N : I know what you’re thinking…it’s been over a week, and Grace is going to murder me…well, it’s okay, because I’ve been working on something else…yep…you do know what it is….I need to finish Aces before I drop another fic, but….(smirks evily)(I’ve been spending way too much time with Steampunk . Chuckster) We have a story here that has been progressing nicely, but the comments all seem to want this story to head in a certain direction, one I frankly wasn’t suspecting so quick, but, I do like to keep people happy, so let’s keep it moving…Ch 11, Crazy in Love
Disclaimer: I don’t own Chuck, but I sure enjoy writing him.
Chuck was shaking his head and smiling, not believing his life. He found himself doing that a lot the past few days. Ever since he gave Sarah that charm bracelet and let it slip he had considered proposing to her, Sarah was…different. She had been becoming more affectionate as their relationship progressed, but now….now she had no chill in anything. Sunday afternoon they went grocery shopping and when they were checking out, she picked up a bridal magazine. Chuck just lifted an eyebrow and chuckled. She smirked at him, and while holding his stare, she grabbed a second one and bought them both.
She had called him Mr. Walker several times, and to get even, he decided to call her Mrs. Bartwoski…that had been a spectacular failure. She got a smile on her face that he didn’t even know how to describe. Emma didn’t even bother hiding her laughter at him, and Molly was happier than ever, her two parents were there, loving her, and that’s all she cared about.
Dinner Saturday night had been interesting. Morgan was panicked the entire time, worried his two women might fight over him…his words.
“Dude, what if during dinner they just begin brawling over me, I might be banned from the house and I couldn’t deal with that,” Morgan said, very worried.
“Morgan, I feel pretty safe promising you don’t have to worry about that exact scenario,” Chuck replied, keeping his face as straight as possible.
“You’re always welcomed in my and Chuck’s home,” Sarah added, giving Chuck a look to make sure he caught what she was saying. He rolled his eyes, but slipped his arm around her shoulders.
“But, it’s Emma’s house.”
“What are you expecting, a huge food fight for the right for your hand?” Chuck said. Morgan’s eyes about popped out of his head.
“I wasn’t but now I can’t stop thinking about it, thanks!” he said disgustedly, and walked off.
“He should be your best man,” Sarah said, grinned and followed after him. Morgan was very surprised both women practically ignored him all night, but Chuck did notice Carina would glance at Morgan every time she thought he wasn’t looking.
Chuck thought Monday would calm things down. He was so wrong. Every time that day he was near Sarah, all she would do was stare at her fourth finger on her left hand.
“Something wrong with your finger?” Chuck asked, knowing he shouldn’t but not able to take it anymore. Sarah looked up at him with the happiest smile on her face.
“Yes, it’s bare, don’t you think we should do something about that?” Chuck gulped.
“What would you like us to do?” Chuck asked. Sarah’s smile grew, it was at that moment Gertrude Verbanski walked in, saving Chuck, or so he thought. He fled her office and crashed into Casey who was watching nearby. He took a look at Casey’s face and couldn’t help himself. “Casey, you and Gertrude…is there something there?” Casey scowled at him, looked around, and lowered his voice.
“Some years ago…” he began, very uncomfortable. “She took my gun as a souvenir.”
“Wait, Gertrude took a memento of her conquest of you?” Chuck asked. As soon as he saw the look on Casey’s face he knew he had made a mistake. “That just wasn’t nice of her.”
“It was very nice of her,” Casey said, with a look on his face that Chuck didn’t think any amount of brain bleach would ever get rid of. Chuck winced.
“You know how you hate me sharing…I now understand, and I’m sorry, so sorry,” he said, fleeing. He went and found his daughter, knowing she would help him be in a better mood. Carina had her. “Hey, you two, what are we working on today.”
“Oh, Sarah was having me working with her on different words,” Carina replied with a smirk.
“Daddy, I’m gonna wear a pretty dress,” Molly said. Chuck picked up his daughter and held her, smiling.
“Well, I can’t wait to see it,” Chuck said, munching on her cheek making her giggle.
“I get to be a flower girl,” she said. Chuck turned toward Carina, with slow shock covering his face. Carina shrugged. “Rina’s gonna be a bedsmaid.” Carina gave Chuck a look. He shook his head.
“I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole,” he muttered. Carina punched him in the arm. “What is her obsession?”
“You, you nerdy moron,” Carina said, shaking her head. “She gave it all up for you, and now that she thinks her, and I can’t believe I’m about to use this word, it already shows how much you nerds have infected me, endgame, is obtainable, she’s pulling out all the stops.” Chuck grinned. “You haven’t seen them all yet.” Chuck’s face fell, and Carina smiled.
“I have no chance,” he muttered, with a mix look of worry and anticipation on his face.
“I hope you’re happy, God knows you make her happy,” Carina said. Chuck couldn’t help but pick on her.
“Carina Miller, are you approving of this?”
“No, I am not, but if she’s that dead set on it happening, then at least I know it’s with a great guy, an amazing father, and one that’s not so hard on the eyes,” Carina replied.
“Easy, you’re gonna make Morgan jealous,” Chuck said, laughing. Carina’s face fell, but as luck would have it, that’s when Ellie walked in.
“I’ve been looking for you two,” she said. “Chuck, I’ve decided, I want to talk to mom, no arguments.” Chuck nodded, knowing that there was no reason to fight hurricane Ellie…he would lose. She turned to Carina. “And you…you do know that Morgan is amazing, right?” Sarah walked in, wondering what was going on. “Sure he can be a little obsessive, but he’s a good guy, one that will treat you like a princess…literally. I mean he will call you your majesty if you let him. Sure he has issues with working.”
“He’s been tearing it up around here,” Sarah said. Ellie nodded.
“He’s a nerd,” Ellie continued.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Sarah said, not even hiding her look at Chuck. Chuck shuffled a little uncomfortably.
“And, he will make you his world, that’s both good and bad,” Ellie finished.
“He’s not as bad as Jeff…Jeff would smell your hair.” Chuck thought about it. “You know, Jeff would probably smell anyone’s hair.”
“I need to never go to that Buy More,” Sarah said. Ellie turned to her.
“You have no idea. It’s like a zoo,” Ellie said to her.
“When she used to come in and they’d see her….it wasn’t pretty. She was the most attractive woman most had ever seen,” Chuck explained. “And the things they said…for God’s sake didn’t they realize she’s my sister?” Chuck shuddered. Ellie shook her head.
“Sarah, I need to speak to my mom, and I want to look at those magazines,” Ellie said, throwing Chuck a look. He shook his head as he watched them go.
“Betrayed by my own sister,” he said. “OWW!” he yelled, where Carina had smacked him in the back of the head.
“You are the stupidest smart guy I know,” Carina said, her eyes blazing. “Let me ask you something, Bartowski.”
“Oh, crap,” he muttered.
“Oh, crap is right. Do you love her?” He nodded. “Are you going anywhere?” He shook his head no. “Are you going to be there for those two until your dying day?” He nodded. “Then why in the hell shouldn’t you get married?” Chuck had no answer. “That’s what I thought. Guess what Chuckles, there’s no ‘How to Handle When the Love of Your Life Leaves Without Telling You About Their Child Because of the Government Agency She Works for for Dummies.’”
“I would think that book would have a very narrow audience,” Chuck replied. Carina stared at him.
“It’s a defense mechanism, isn’t it?”
“The jokes, oh yeah, otherwise I’d just lock myself in the bathroom and cry all the time,” Chuck replied. “Sooooo, any idea what kind of ring a certain someone might like?”
“Yeah, one from you,” Carina replied. Chuck nodded.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said. He hurried off, Carina shaking her head at him and grinning. Chuck stopped by Sarah’s office. She was holding Molly, talking to Ellie. “Having a sisterly chat?” he asked, winked and walked off. The squeals down the hall made John jump.
“Christ!” Casey yelled. “What did you do, Bartowski?”
“I messed with their lady feelings,” Chuck said, grinning.
“That’s a dangerous game, Chuck,” Casey said.
“So, tell me something, Casey,” Chuck began with an idea in mind. “Say there was a house that was in foreclosure,” he began. Casey snapped a look at him. “What?” Casey shook his head.
“I swear it’s like you’re all sharing lady feelings,” he said. “Come with me, kid.”
}o{
A little while later the two pulled up at the house next door to Sarah’s.
“What are we doing here, Casey?” Chuck asked. Casey just smiled. Chuck saw the sold sign on the property and his face fell. Casey just kept smiling as he unlocked the door. Chuck was in shock, he was even in more shock when he saw Sarah’s dad inside.
“John? Is this the schnook?” Jack asked.
“Yeah,” Casey replied. “He was about to ask me how to go about buying the house.” Chuck looked shocked. “Oh come on kid, I’m a spy.” Chuck nodded. Casey handed Chuck a set of keys. “So, this is your’s and Sarah’s, it’s a package deal. We can talk about money later.”
“No, it’s paid for,” Jack said. Chuck turned to look at him. “I was a part of what ruined you getting a chance to be a dad. I was never really a dad, so I’m trying here to make things right, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right by both of you. So you know both Emma and Sarah give their approval.”
“Two things then,” Chuck said. Jack nodded. “I’d like to marry your daughter.” Jack smiled.
“You just made my daughter and granddaughter very happy,” Jack replied.
“Second thing, you have a skill set I could use,” Chuck said, grinning. Jack didn’t look real thrilled. “I want to surprise your daughter.” Jack grinned.
“I like you, Schnook,” Jack said. “I like you a lot.”
}o{
“Everything okay?” Sarah asked, sticking her head into Chuck’s office.
“Well, if it wasn’t before it’s sure better now,” Chuck replied. That got a look from Sarah, the you’re up to something, but I like it. “What?”
“Nothing, you’re just awful playful,” Sarah said, grinning. “You’ve left a couple of times in the past few days, and I’m not checking up or anything, I just wanted to make sure everything is alright.” Chuck turned and grinned at her.
“Afraid all the marriage talk is making me run out every so often?” Chuck asked. Sarah looked slightly sheepish.
“I may have gone overboard,” she said. Chuck shrugged.
“I don’t know of any guy who’s in love with an amazing woman that talks about how she wants to spend the rest of her life with him who’d be upset by that,” Chuck replied honestly. Sarah’s eyes got huge in surprise. “You okay?” She nodded.
“How do you do it?” she whispered.
“Do what?”
“How do you know the thing to say that just melts me?”
“It’s a talent…and a curse,” he lamented, looking like he was in deep thought. She punched him in the shoulder. “And, there it is, spousal abuse.”
“You have to be married for it to be spousal abuse,” she replied sticking out her tongue.
“Tomatoe, to mat toe,” he replied, kissing her on the cheek and walking out of his office knowing he had won that one.
“Bartowski, you’re going to get it,” she said breathily.
“I’m counting on it,” as he fled, Sarah right behind him.
}o{
Chuck stood there, his hand in Sarah’s. Emma had Molly because they both thought it best if a child not be in the room, specifically if Chuck had another outburst. Chuck was wondering why Gertrude was there, but Sarah told him they needed to talk about her. She was standing close to Casey. Not too close, but close. Ellie was a bundle of nerves, and Morgan was watching her, concerned. Carina was watching Morgan, watching Ellie, and if Chuck didn’t know better, she was jealous. The countdown began and the screen came on. Why it was a split screen and why Graham was there, Chuck didn’t know.
“Mom,” Ellie said softly as she saw her beside Beckman.
“Ellie,” her mother replied. “Son.” Chuck nodded. That’s all he had in him.
“I’m glad you’re all here, we need to talk about Mr. Bartowski,” Beckman said.
“Excuse me, who the hell are you, and what do you want with my brother?” Ellie said, protecting her brother/son like always. Chuck looked at her, grateful for her.
“I apologize, Ellie, I am General Beckman of the NSA, in the other screen is Director Graham of the CIA, and I was talking about your father, not your brother. I think we’ve messed with his life enough,” she said truthfully. Ellie nodded. “We may know what is wrong with your father.” Ellie and Chuck exchanged a look. “Have either of you ever seen anything like this?” Beckman put an image of the governor on the screen. Chuck and Ellie both gasped.
“Why would you want to know about that?” Chuck blurted out.
“That’s a governor, Son,” Mary said. “It’s supposed to keep the Intersect from messing with your mind.” Chuck’s eyes got very big and Ellie turned to him.
“Let’s say….it….broke,” Chuck said, trying real hard to appear nonchalant.
“That would be bad,” Mary replied. “His brain could be frying.” Chuck closed his eyes and started to just collapse, but two sets of hands had him. He knew exactly who they were. “What’s wrong?”
“Mom, I broke mine and swapped it with dad,” Chuck said softly, nearly crying. He lifted his head, tears in his eyes. “I screwed up dad.”
“NO!” Ellie yelled. “No, you didn’t!” she insisted.
“She’s right, Chuck!” Sarah agreed. “I don’t know a thing about this Intersect, but if he had it in his brain then why didn’t he have other safeguards.”
“Because his safeguard was in Russia,” Mary said. Everyone turned and looked at her. “But I have one question, why did you have a governor?” Chuck looked sheepish. After all, she was still his mom, and she could still give that mom look.
“I may have accidently seen something on one of his computers and told him about it,” Chuck said.
“It’s called porn, you idiot,” Casey said.
“Cool it, Casey,” Sarah said. “It wasn’t porn.” She turned to Chuck. “It wasn’t was it?” she asked softly.
“No, it was some program but I was having headaches so dad and I shared his special watch until he had me one made. Then I broke it and swapped them when he was asleep. He never knew. He disappeared shortly thereafter and I never wore it again after that.” Mary looked stunned. “I’m so sorry, Mom.”
“Never mind about that, there’s something more important, how are you?” she asked. The look on Chuck’s face was indescribable. After all these years, his mother, was checking on him. He wanted to be so angry but he couldn’t.
“I mean as good as I can be knowing I made Dad crazy,” Chuck replied.
“Son, he was crazy long before you came along, I mean the headaches?” Chuck shrugged.
“As I got older they went away,” Chuck replied.
“What happened when you went through puberty?” Mary asked. Ellie snapped her fingers and nodded.
“So if this program went into his brain, as his body grew-” Ellie began.
“His body, specifically his mind, adjusted to compensate for the change,” Mary finished.
“So his mind truly is built to hold this thing,” Ellie said, astonished.
“OH, HELL NO!” Sarah said, making everyone jump. “My soon to be husband is NOT, I repeat NOT going to get some government computer program put in his head, do you understand me?” Ellie was vibrating. Chuck turned to Ellie.
“Please for the love of God, don’t squeal, we’re in confined quarters and you might kill us all,” Chuck said.
“Chuck, I know we’ve had problems but you could have told me,” Mary said.
“Well, it’s not exactly-” Chuck began.
“He’s got cold feet, I’m working on him,” Sarah said.
“He will not be the Intersect, Sarah, I promise you that,” Mary said. “And welcome to the family.”
“Do I get a vote in any of this?” Chuck asked. Casey snorted a laugh.
“Listen you two, I know our family has had issues, but we might be able to save your father,” Mary said. “Do you know where that governor is?” Chuck nodded. “Okay, I’m coming there in a few days to get it, and I have an idea. Ellie you’re the neurosurgeon, I may need your help.” Ellie nodded. “We have a lot to talk about, and God knows I never was good at it, but you all deserve answers, but we have to help your father.”
“We do have a lot to talk about,” Ellie said, steel in her eye. Her mother recognized the look and nodded. Graham quickly turned off the feed, thankful no one had cussed him or destroyed any of his furniture. Beckman went to sign off.
“Congrats you two, you deserve all the happiness,” Beckman said. “And, Sarah, Chuck will never be the Intersect as long as I have anything to say about it,” and with that, she cut the feed. Sarah smiled at Chuck, gave him a peck on the lips, and nearly skipped out of the room. Chuck shook his head and turned seeing everyone else standing there, looking at him.
“What?” he asked. Ellie grabbed his shoulders.
“What are you waiting for? I’ve listened to you whine about Jenny Burton for sooooooooo long!” Ellie said, starting at him like he had lost his mind.
“Dude, she’s right,” Morgan agreed. “You love her, go ask her.” Chuck looked at Casey and grinned.
“So, you all want to join my little plan?”
}o{
That’s how Chuck found himself downstairs with his girls the next day, shaking his head. His loves of his life were dancing…at least that’s what he thought was happening. Beyonce’s Crazy in Love was playing on the radio, and Sarah had Molly, swinging her around, singing along. When he walked in the room, she looked right at him, singing, It’s the way that you know what I thought you knew, It’s the beat my heart skips when I’m with you.
“I hate to break up this new Destiny’s Child auditions,” Chuck said, getting a laugh from Sarah. “But, I need to borrow you two for a minute.” Sarah looked at Molly.
“What do you think?” Sarah asked, winking.
“I think he’s going to kiss you,” Molly replied. “He likes kissing you,” she said softly.
“That’s okay, I like it when he kisses me,” Sarah replied just as softly giving Chuck a smirk. He shook his head and headed out the door, his heart doing flips and flops. They went across the yard to the new house, Sarah giving him a strange look.
“It’s okay, I know the owner,” Chuck said. Sarah schooled her features and Chuck had his head where she couldn’t see the smile on his face. Chuck unlocked the door, and Sarah put Molly down. She ran inside.
“I love this house,” she said.
“Me too, baby girl, me too,” Sarah admitted, looking around. “It looks beautiful.” Chuck was grinning at her as she turned back.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said. She gave him a look.
“You’re up to something,” she said. Chuck nodded and led her inside. She stopped as she looked at the picture that hung over the fireplace of the three of them they had made a few days ago. Chuck put a set of house keys in her hand. “I thought we might try living by ourselves for a while,” he said, her turning toward him, in shock. “I didn’t want to go too far from Emma since she had to raise Pumpkin for a bit.” Sarah’s mouth was hanging low. “Now, I need you to be calm, because I’m a little nervous,” he said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out a box, and sinking down to one knee. “Sarah Walker, Jenny Burton, or whatever you want me to call you. I have loved you for so long, and it took a whole lot of people to make me realize that I’m never going anywhere so why am I waiting. Would you please do this poor nerd a favor, and marry me before I screw up the best thing that has ever happened to me?” Chuck found himself on the floor again, having been tackled by a blonde blur. “Is that a yes? How’s our insurance? I think we took out my other kidney.”
“Yes, you magnificent nerd, yes I’ll marry you, now shut up and kiss me!”
“Ma’am, there’s a child in this room,” Chuck protested. Sarah waggled her eyebrows.
“She has to go to bed sometime.”
“Oh boy!”
A/N: Are we happy now? Okay, I know nothing about the Intersect, obviously, but what else makes sense that it didn’t drive Chuck crazy as a kid with that download? If you hate that explanation I get it, but it’s all I really got. Hey, if you’re reading Aces, there’s a chance you’re a chapter or two behind because it didn’t pop back up to the top the last time I updated it…Until next time….By the Way, Thin Ice, Ch 6…Ya’ll ain’t ready for it….I promise…if you’re not reading it, GO DO IT!
DC