Chapter 16
Song Recommendation – Drive-In – Beach Boys
A/N1 – Time for a second first date, or a first second date, or a second real date, or who knows what date, real or cover date, this is.
A/N2 – Thanks to my pre-reader. Kookykrumbs gave me some great feedback on the entire story. It helped a ton to get feedback from a woman’s point of view, so much so that I added six more chapters because she made me do it. If you like the story, it’s largely because of her. If you hate the story, then it’s my fault.
Disclaimer – Unfortunately, I don’t own Chuck.
Chapter 16 – Off the Clock
Maison23
Burbank, CA
The sun hung low over Burbank when Chuck pulled up outside Sarah’s apartment at Maison23 in Ellie’s 1968 Ford Mustang, which he’d borrowed for the night. He climbed out, trying and failing to hide the grin that had been plastered across his face all afternoon.
Sarah opened the door a moment later, wearing jeans, a crème colored sweater, and a leather jacket. Her hair rested loosely on her shoulders, moving gently in the evening breeze. She raised an eyebrow the instant she saw him smiling. “What?”
Chuck shrugged innocently. “Nothing.”
“I bet you’ve been smiling like that since you called this afternoon.”
“I have not.”
“You have.” She folded her arms. “You’re planning something.”
“Maybe.”
“Chuck…”
“Nope. It’s a surprise.”
She laughed. “You know I hate surprises. I could probably get it out of you.”
Chuck smiled. “I know. That’s why I’m keeping the surprise very simple.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes. “Simple?”
“Simple for you. Extremely complicated for me.”
A moment later, Chuck said. “You could interrogate me as Ellie does.”
“I could.”
“You could threaten me.”
“I’ve done that before.”
“You could even use puppy-dog eyes.”
Sarah smirked. “I don’t use puppy-dog eyes.”
Chuck looked at her.
She sighed dramatically. “Fine. I occasionally use puppy-dog eyes.”
He opened the passenger door with a flourish. “Just trust me.”
Sarah climbed in. “I do.”
Those two simple words warmed him more than the California sunset could ever do. Chuck had spent years wondering whether Sarah would ever choose him when there was no mission requiring her to stay.
Hearing her say that she trusted him, because she did, made the evening feel even more important.
As they drove across town, Sarah looked curiously out the window. “So…”
“So?”
“Any hints?”
Chuck shook his head. “Nope.”
“Please?”
“Nope.”
“Indoors or outdoors?”
“I’m not answering any more questions.”
She smiled. “You enjoy this far too much.”
“Yes, I am.”
For several minutes, they drove in companionable silence before Chuck spoke again, “When I was in high school, Morgan and I used to do this a couple of times every summer.”
Sarah looked over. “This?”
“You’ll see.”
XXXX
Finally, he decided to give Sarah a few clues about where they were going.
He smiled at the memory. “We didn’t have much money, but the drive-in was cheap. We’d scrape together enough for tickets, buy one giant popcorn we’d both pretend wasn’t stale, and mix a box of Milk Duds in the popcorn, and then spend half the night watching old movies.”
It wasn’t glamorous, but that’s part of why I remember it. Morgan and I could forget about everything for a few hours. We could just be kids.”
Sarah listened quietly. “You and Morgan probably talked through every movie.”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“I can’t imagine.”
“We rated monster attacks.”
“You had a rating system?”
Chuck nodded seriously. “Scientific.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“Scale of one to ten, Godzillas.”
Sarah laughed. “You two really were impossible.”
“We still are.”
She smiled softly.
“I’ve never been to a drive-in.”
Chuck looked over at her. “Then tonight we’re fixing that.”
Sarah smiled. “You seem very determined to make up for lost time.”
“Maybe a little. So I thought I’d take you to one tonight. There is an old 1950’s sci-fi movie marathon tonight.”
He knew pieces of her past. The constant moves, the cons with her father, the years of training that followed, but hearing it phrased so still tugged at his heart. Chuck understood that he couldn’t give Sarah back the childhood she had missed. What he could do was make sure the years ahead contained moments she would never have to explain away as part of a cover.
XXXX
Castle Cinema Drive-In
Burbank, CA
A few minutes later, they crested a small hill, and the enormous white movie screen came into view.
Sarah’s eyes widened.
The sign outside the drive-in said:
Movies Under the Stars Since 1958*
The Best Seat Is in Your Car*
Tonight 1950’s Sci-Fi Triple Feature*
The Blob/Them/Invasion Body Snatchers*
Rows upon rows of cars stretched across the lot. Classic convertibles sat beside aging station wagons and modern SUVs. Families with unfolded lawn chairs beside pickup trucks. Teenagers leaned against hoods, sharing milkshakes. Children raced across the grass with glow sticks while parents tried unsuccessfully to slow them down.
The warm evening air carried the smells of buttered popcorn, grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and fresh-cut grass. As twilight settled in, the giant screen glowed softly against a sky turning shades of orange, purple, and deep blue.
Chuck pulled into a spot near the middle. Sarah slowly turned in her seat, taking everything in. “This is different.”
Chuck smiled. “In a good way?”
She nodded. “It feels like stepping into another time.”
“It kind of is.”
She continued watching families laughing together. “I understand why you wanted to come.”
XXXX
Sarah watched in silence for another moment. She wasn’t studying the crowd for threats or memorizing exits. She was watching people enjoy themselves, and slowly realizing that she was allowed to be one of them.
A little boy darted between the rows of cars carrying an oversized box of popcorn while his older sister chased after him.
Nearby, an elderly couple settled into folding lawn chairs, sharing a blanket that looked as though it had accompanied them to the drive-in for decades. Teenagers posed for pictures beside polished classic cars while parents unpacked coolers and sleeping bags for children who would almost certainly fall asleep before the final movie.
“It’s comfortable,” Sarah admitted quietly. “Nobody’s trying to impress anyone. They’re just here to spend time together.”
Chuck followed her gaze. “That’s always been my favorite part. The movies are almost an excuse. People come because it’s a chance to slow down for a few hours.”
Sarah smiled thoughtfully. “Growing up, evenings usually meant packing another suitcase or learning another fake name. I never imagined families could have traditions like this.”
“Then we’ll borrow a few traditions,” Chuck replied. “Some deserve to be kept alive.” He nodded toward a weathered station wagon a few rows away where three generations sat together, grandparents in lawn chairs, parents leaning against the hood, and children wrapped in blankets in the back. “Maybe that’s why I always liked this place. For a few hours, everyone forgets about work, deadlines, and everything waits until tomorrow.”
Sarah slipped her hand into his before they started walking again. “Thank you for bringing me,” she said softly. “You’re giving me memories I never knew I wanted.”
Chuck squeezed her fingers gently, saying nothing. He knew some moments didn’t need clever jokes or grand speeches.
Watching Sarah experience something wonderfully ordinary was more rewarding than any perfectly planned surprise could ever be.
Together they headed toward the glowing concession stand, disappearing into the warm summer evening surrounded by laughter, music drifting from car radios, and the quiet excitement of a night that neither of them would ever forget.
Chuck glanced down at their joined hands as they walked. The gesture had become so ordinary that it almost made him emotional. They had spent years pretending to be a couple. Now they didn’t have to pretend at all.
XXXX
They wandered toward the concession stand beneath glowing neon lights.
The menu looked like it hadn’t changed since the 1960s. Chuck ordered the largest popcorn available and two boxes of Milk Duds.
Sarah stared at the enormous tub. “That’s dinner?”
“Absolutely, whenever Morgan and I come here, we always order the same thing because it’s tradition.”
“What about nutrition?”
Chuck added two hot dogs, nachos, a pair of sodas, and a box of chocolate-covered raisins, and told her. “Now we have a balanced dinner.”
She laughed, “You’re hopeless.”
Chuck grinned. “You knew that already.”
Sarah shook her head, but she was smiling. “Yes. I did.”
“It’s tradition.”
She accepted her drink. “Then I suppose traditions should be respected.” Chuck smiled because he knew exactly what she was doing. Sarah was quietly collecting pieces of his past and turning them into pieces of their present and future.
XXXX
Back at the car, Chuck tilted the front seats back slightly so they could sit comfortably.
The first feature began as darkness settled over the lot. The familiar opening music made Chuck grin.
The giant screen illuminated the rows of cars, and for a few minutes the entire drive-in seemed to settle into a shared silence. Chuck looked over at Sarah and saw the faint glow of the screen reflected in her eyes.
Sarah watched the screen for a few moments before quietly watching him instead. Chuck’s expression was completely different from the one she saw during missions. He looked younger, almost carefree, and she realized how much she liked seeing him this way.
He noticed. “What?”
“You’ve seen this before.”
“Dozens of times.”
“You look like you’re twelve.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was”
XXXX
As “The Blob” unfolded on screen, Chuck occasionally whispered commentary. “I always rooted for Steve McQueen.”
“You know how it ends.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Sarah smiled. “No, it doesn’t.”
Halfway through the movie, Chuck reached into the popcorn without looking. His fingers brushed Sarah’s. They both stopped. She looked down at their hands.
Then up at him.
Neither of them moved.
Chuck smiled. “I was trying to be respectful.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “For how long?”
“About twenty minutes.”
She laughed. “That sounds about right.”
Finally, Chuck intertwined his fingers with hers. The moment wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the opposite. After years of uncertainty, holding Sarah’s hand felt like something Chuck had always been meant to do.
“I was building suspense.”
“Were you?”
“No.”
She laughed quietly. “I didn’t think so.”
XXXX
The movie faded into its closing credits as people stretched their legs between features.
Chuck turned toward her. “So…”
“So?”
“Still having fun?”
Sarah nodded. “I don’t think I’ve watched ten minutes of the movie.”
Chuck blinked. “You haven’t?”
“I’ve mostly been watching you.”
He laughed. “Why?”
“Because every time something ridiculous happened, you smiled before it even happened.”
“I know all the good parts.”
“I know.”
She leaned closer. “I like watching you remember.”
For a long moment, neither of them said anything. Chuck gently brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Sarah leaned into the touch almost unconsciously.
Their foreheads rested together. The kiss that followed was slow, tender, and completely unhurried.
No urgency, no cover, no missions, and definitely no danger.
Chuck didn’t need to fill the silence with a joke. Sarah didn’t need to find an excuse to look away. They had both become comfortable enough with each other to let a quiet moment exist.
Just two people who no longer had any reason to pretend they didn’t belong together.
When they separated, neither moved very far.
Chuck smiled, “Hi.”
Sarah smiled back, “Hi.”
“I’ve wanted to do that all evening.”
“I noticed.”
Chuck smiled sheepishly. “Was I that obvious?”
Sarah leaned closer. “Only to someone who has been watching you for years. You’ve glanced at me instead of the screen at least a dozen times.”
“I wasn’t counting.”
“I was.”
He laughed. “You were.”
“I was curious how long you’d last.”
Chuck leaned in again. “This long.”
She met him halfway; the second kiss lingered much longer.
When it finally ended, Sarah rested her head against his shoulder while their fingers remained intertwined.
XXXX
The second movie, “Them!” played across the screen. Neither paid much attention. The movie became background noise while they traded stories, questions, and small memories. Each story seemed to reveal another piece of each other.
Instead, they talked quietly about their childhood. Chuck described building blanket forts with Morgan, watching Saturday morning cartoons, camping in the backyard with Ellie, and learning how to ride his bike.
Sarah listened carefully, smiling at every story.
When Chuck asked about her childhood, she hesitated. “There wasn’t much that stayed the same.”
“You moved a lot.”
She nodded. “My father always had another con job. Another identity. Another reason we couldn’t stay.”
Chuck squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry.”
She looked at him. “I used to think everyone grew up that way.”
“And now?” Chuck asked.
“Now I know I missed a lot.”
Chuck squeezed her hand. “Then let’s not spend too much time thinking about what you missed.”
Sarah looked at him. “Let’s make what comes next count.”
Chuck smiled gently. “Yes, and we’ll keep having firsts together. First drive-in. First mini golf.”
She laughed, “You’re making a list?”
“Oh, definitely. We’ve got years to do whatever you want to do together.”
‘Years.’ The words slipped out naturally, and neither of them corrected it. Neither of them wanted to. There was something wonderfully uncomplicated about the idea of spending years together.
For once, the future didn’t sound like an operational plan. It sounded like a life.
XXXX
During the intermission between the second and third movie, everything was quiet. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. The sounds from the intermission snack bar commercials drifted through the speaker while the occasional laughter of nearby families rose and fell with the warm evening breeze.
Chuck glanced around the drive-in and smiled. “You know,” he said softly, “I used to think nights like this were just… normal. I never realized how lucky I was until I met you.”
Sarah looked at him curiously.
“Not because my life was perfect,” Chuck continued, “but because I had people to share it with, like Ellie and Morgan. Even when things were hard, there was always someone beside me.”
Sarah remained quiet, absorbing every word.
“I’m not looking back because I wish I could be a kid again,” Chuck said. “I’m looking back because now I get to share those memories with you… and maybe someday we’ll make new and even better ones.”
Sarah’s eyes softened. She realized that Chuck wasn’t trying to replace the childhood she had lost.
He was inviting her to create something new with him, memories that belonged entirely to them. “I think we’re already doing that.”
Chuck, unable to think of a better answer, gently kissed the top of her head. Sarah closed her eyes for a moment and allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of his shoulder beneath her cheek.
XXXX
By the time the last movie in the triple-feature began, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” many of the younger children had fallen asleep in the backs of cars. The drive-in had grown quieter.
Sarah curled up beside Chuck beneath a shared blanket he’d quietly packed before picking her up. She tucked herself closer, surprised by how natural it felt. There was no reason to stay alert tonight. Chuck was beside her, and she trusted him completely.
She looked at him with amused suspicion. “You planned for this.”
“I might have.”
“You brought a blanket.”
“I did.”
“You really thought of everything.”
Chuck shrugged. “I wanted tonight to be special.”
“It is, thank you.”
Chuck smiled. “Good. Because I have a feeling this is only the beginning.”
Sarah leaned against him. “I hope so.”
She kissed him again, this time lingering until the movie became little more than flickering light reflected across the windshield. When they finally separated, Sarah smiled against his cheek. Neither was in a hurry. They had nowhere else they needed to be.
For several blissful minutes, they forgot there was a film playing at all. They enjoyed being together. While stealing kisses between whispered conversations, Chuck slid his hand up, found the hem of her blouse, and slipped his fingers underneath, cupping her soft skin with his warm hands against her ice-cold body.
Sarah melted into him as they continued to make out. They laughed against each other’s lips whenever either of them realized another scene had passed unnoticed. Chuck eventually rested his forehead against hers, his hand still resting warm against her side.
XXXX
At the end of the movie, Chuck said, “So…”
Sarah asked, “So?”
“Worth the surprise?”
Sarah smiled with unmistakable affection. “Definitely.”
She stole another quick kiss. “And for the record… I think teenagers had the right idea.”
Chuck grinned. “The making out?”
She laughed. “Yes, the making out.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
She playfully nudged his shoulder.
Chuck started the car. Sarah reached across the console and found his hand before he could put the Mustang into gear. Neither of them said anything. They didn’t need to.
XXXX
The roads were nearly empty as Chuck drove her home beneath a sky full of stars. Neither felt the need to turn on the radio. The quiet between them had become comfortable, filled with everything they had already said and everything they were still learning about each other.
Sarah watched the lights pass outside her window. “I think this is my favorite date so far.”
Chuck looked over. “Better than miniature golf?”
“You let me win.”
“I did not.”
“You missed an eight-inch putt.”
“I was distracted.”
“By what?”
He smiled. “You.”
She laughed. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“So, I’ve been told.”
“You’ve never been able to fool me.”
“Good thing.”
She reached across the console, found his hand, and intertwined their fingers once more. “That’s OK, I like you anyway.”
Chuck glanced over with a warm smile. “Anyway?”
She squeezed his hand. “OK, I love you anyway.”
‘Love.’ For a moment, Chuck couldn’t find any words. He grinned so broadly his cheeks hurt. The rest of the drive home passed in comfortable silence. Chuck kept one hand on the wheel and the other holding hands with Sarah. Neither needed to say anything else. The night had already given them something far more valuable than a perfect date: another memory that belonged only to them.
Chuck couldn’t find any words. Hearing Sarah say she loved him so casually, without fear or hesitation, still felt almost impossible. He had dreamed about those words for so long that reality seemed better than anything he could have imagined.
For Sarah, a simple evening at an old-fashioned drive-in theater became one of the happiest memories of her life. Not because of giant monsters. Not because of alien invasions. Not because of the movies at all, but because sitting beside Chuck beneath a blanket with buttered popcorn between them and stars overhead, she had finally experienced a small piece of the ordinary teenage life she’d never been allowed to have, and discovered that sharing it with the man she loved made it extraordinary.
End Chapter 16
E/N1 – If you’ve made it this far, then thank you for continuing to read my first really long story. This is the halfway point of the story for those who have been curious how long this story is. As I told some of you, this story goes beyond the five years the show was on TV. I just kept writing, and the story kept wanting to continue.