Chuck versus The Last Wish

Chapter 18 – Mindcircus

They were still lying in bed the next morning when Sarah spoke. “I had a dream.”

Chuck’s expression immediately grew serious. “Again?”

“Yes… But this one was different. At first, it was the same. Cold. A dark alley. Cobblestones. I could hear water running… and that man.”

Chuck didn't interrupt.

“Then suddenly, you appeared.” She looked up at him. “You were dressed as a waiter.”

Chuck’s chest tightened.

“You took my hand… and everything changed.” A faint smile touched Sarah’s lips. “You brought me into a bright hotel room. I was lying in a bed. You were sitting beside me… looking at me like…” She fell quiet for a moment. “Like you were really glad I was alive.”

Chuck stared at her, his voice catching in his throat. “Sarah… this… this actually happened.”

Sarah watched him, confused. “What do you mean?”

Chuck let out a disbelieving laugh, his eyes glistening. “You’re remembering!”

“It was just a dream.”

He slowly shook his head, shifting closer on the mattress. “No. It wasn't a dream, Sarah. It was a memory.”

Sarah's brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely!” He took her hand and squeezed her fingers. “Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that? I can tell you what happened that day. Why I was there… and why I was looking at you like that.” He paused, catching her eye. “But we have time. Let's have breakfast first.”

Sarah considered that. “The story isn't going to run away?”

Chuck laughed. “I promise. It'll wait for us.”

“Then… breakfast first.”

“Wise decision. I tell stories much better on a full stomach.”

XXXXXXXXXXX

Chuck pulled on a t-shirt and padded barefoot into the kitchen. “Okay… grilled cheese. If there’s ever a morning when a person truly needs melted cheese, this is it.”

Sarah followed him with a smile. “Is this some kind of special Bartowski therapy?”

“No, this is science. Cheese makes the world a better place. At least according to me.”

Sarah leaned against the counter while Chuck buttered the bread. “Need some help?”

Chuck looked up. “Sure. Could you slice the tomatoes? They’re in the fridge.”

Sarah pulled out the cutting board and a knife. She sliced them into thin, even pieces with quick, precise movements.

The pan began to sizzle as Chuck placed the sandwiches inside, the rich smell of butter slowly filling the kitchen.

Sarah closed her eyes. “Smells good.”

“Right?” Chuck nodded proudly. “That’s the secret recipe.”

“Butter and cheese?”

“Lots of butter and lots of cheese.”

Sarah snorted. “Now that’s classified.”

Chuck grinned as he flipped the sandwiches, the golden-brown bread giving a satisfying crunch beneath the spatula. “Coffee?”

“Yes.”

While Chuck wrestled with the coffee maker, Sarah instinctively reached into the upper cabinet and pulled out two mugs. She didn't realize what she'd done until she set them down on the counter.

She hesitated, looking up at Chuck. “I don't even know… how I knew which one was my favorite.”

Chuck simply smiled at her. Deep down, he knew this was another little victory — a tiny detail that gave him overwhelming hope.

Sarah poured the coffee into the mugs. For a moment, the kitchen fell quiet—comfortable, easy, and completely natural.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Along with the sandwiches and coffee, fruit and orange juice made their way onto the table. Sarah settled beside Chuck and took a bite.

“This is good,” she said around the mouthful.

“Told you.”

They ate in silence for a while, until Chuck finally spoke.

“So, Sarah, I’m pretty sure you remember this. It happened a couple of years ago…”

He began telling the story, while Sarah listened intently, holding her coffee mug in both hands. He started with Prague, but quickly skipped ahead to the laser room, then to how they discovered an organization called the Ring, whose members believed Devon was some kind of super-spy.

“I have no trouble believing that. Devon really would make a good spy.”

“Captain Awesome, the super-spy!” Chuck grinned, then continued; the lightness in his voice faded.

“The man you saw in your dream was Daniel Shaw, a special agent with the CIA.”

“The man I saw in my dream?”

“Yes.” Chuck nodded. “Traitor, double agent, and murderer. He was part of our team for a while. Then he turned against us.”

Sarah looked confused. “But why would he do that?”

“He broke.” Chuck paused, considering how much of the story he should tell her. “He kidnapped you in Paris, drugged you, and tried to kill you. Casey and I went after you and rescued you.”

“You dressed up as a waiter.”

Chuck's smile immediately returned. “Exactly.”

A silence followed.

“You shot him.”

“I’m not happy about what happened,” he said quietly. “But I’m very happy you remember it.”

The conversation settled, and Sarah turned toward the window as late-morning sunlight flooded the living room.

Chuck followed her gaze, then smiled. “You know… I was thinking maybe that was a little too much all at once.”

Sarah looked at him. “Maybe.”

Chuck turned his mug between his hands. “What would you say to leaving all of this behind for a few days? No CIA, no terrorists. Just… a little getaway.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Where?”

Chuck smiled. “There’s a cabin up in the mountains. It used to belong to my dad. It’s quiet. Nobody bothers us up there. I think you’d like it.”

Sarah studied him, then slowly nodded. “Okay.”

Chuck laughed. “Great. Then we’ll pack… and I promise, this time there really won’t be any terrorists.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Sarah’s mouth. “I’ve heard that one before.”

“Fair.”