Chapter 22
A/N: So yesterday I posted a new fanfic about a dream I had. I got many responses, PMs, DMs, and other contacts. 1. You guys seem to enjoy that one. 2. Sarah vs The Life Unexpected isn’t going anywhere. I’ll let you in on a secret, when I’m having a bad day, this story, it helps me through it. Not being on winter break, the updates will definitely slow, but this story, it’s what I need, so have no fear.
A/N 2: 183 reviews…good brown gravy you guys like this story. So last chapter I struggled with including Molly. I wrote it two different ways, but Molly, hands on hips screaming, fix it, just wouldn’t leave my mind, but I also knew if I did, I had to deal with the fallout. So that’s what this is, the fallout. I know it seems like I’m giving everyone a happy ending and putting them together, but there are some characters in the show…that’s just not who they are. This is one of those times. I’m going to give him the best ending I believe he can have. I may have said too much all ready. I hope you enjoy Ch 21, Daddy’s girl
A/N 3: I went back and reread the first chapter before writing this, because I thought something was there, and it was, I need you to watch her, raise her, like you tried to me, before Dad ruined me. We need to deal with that, don’t we… (I apologize for the length. Power loss due to ice was a real possibility but I wanted to get something up.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck, I do have a daughter, and yes, I am wrapped around her little finger.
“I need to talk to Bryce,” Chuck said to Sarah.
“I don’t know, Chuck,” Sarah replied. “There was that one time you two talked, you punched Bryce, twice.”
“I’m not planning on punching him, but I have to say some things to him, and I don’t know if I can with you there,” Chuck replied.
“That settles it,” she said. “I’m there. You say whatever you have to, but I can’t have you beating up a NSA or CIA agent.”
“Wait, pretty boy is an agent?” Jack asked. “So copface is a cop?”
“No, he’s former NSA, but not a cop,” Chuck answered.
“Same thing,” Jack said. “So, how about you let me watch Molly for a bit and you go straighten up pretty boy.” Chuck and Sarah shared a look.
“I don’t know,” Sarah began. Chuck took her hand. Sarah shook her head. “I thought I was the more open of the two of us,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Family can make you do weird things,” Chuck said grinning. Bryce walked by, and Jack got up to take Molly. Chuck stepped outside. “Bryce, we need to talk.” Bryce turned to argue it was late, he was tired, and whatever other excuse he could think of, when he saw Chuck’s face. He walked into the conference room.
“Chuck, I messed up,” Bryce began.
“Save it, Bryce,” Chuck said. “Save it, shut up, and listen. Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong. Sarah is not, has not been for five years, and will not be an agent any more. Bryce, she has a child. Even without me, she has a child, a child that is adopted and does not have her natural parents. There is a worry there, you cannot understand. There is a worry there that one day, we,” he said pointing at himself and Sarah. “Are going to leave her. There is a worry that everything she is fighting for will be gone, and she’s only five, Bryce. You didn’t hurt me, you didn’t hurt Sarah, you hurt Molly, and that, Bryce Larkin, is unacceptable. You don’t know Sarah. You knew a façade that Sarah put up. You don’t know this funny, passionate, charming, warm, loving, incredible woman that I do. You know what she chose to show you, and she only showed you the exterior. You’ve never seen the interior because you have never looked past the surface. Now you have to stop this. Not for me, not for Sarah, but for Molly.” Bryce nodded.
“Bryce, you need to leave,” Sarah said. Bryce’s face fell.
“I’m really sorry, Sarah,” he said. “I was hoping we could work together again.” Sarah shook her head.
“No, not like that,” she said, a little frustrated. “I’m about to jump him, and for your sake, you better leave.” Bryce’s eyes got wide. She shrugged, spun Chuck towards her, and Bryce fled.
“Well played,” Chuck said. He looked in her eyes and saw a whole lot of emotions. “Why Mrs. Charles,” he said going to his Texas drawl. “You look like a hungry cyote, and I am your dinnah.”
“Rwwr,” she said, throwing him on the table.
}o{
“You alright there, Chuck?” Jack asked as they started into the house. Sarah hid her grin.
“Yeah, I somehow wrenched my back earlier,” Chuck said, not looking at Jack.
“Probably getting so animated telling off Bryce,” Sarah replied, fighting the grin. Jack looked at her and shook his head.
“I’m still you father,” was all he said. Chuck opened the door and headed inside, when it dawned on him, there was a small problem.
“Chuck,” Emma said. “Do you mind taking the trash out, and not bringing it in?” Emma turned and left the room. Jack and Sarah shared a look.
“Granny doesn’t sound like she missed you,” Molly said. Jack reached down and ruffled her hair.
“We just have a special way of showing each other how we feel,” Jack replied. Sarah gave Jack a look.
“Dad, a friendly heads-up, just be honest with Molly, she’s a lot tougher than you think and she can see through a scam quicker than anyone I know,” she told him. Jack nodded. Chuck walked away to give them some time. He found Emma in the living room.
“Emma, I’m sorry, I should have thought,” Chuck began. She shook her head and smiled at him.
“Chuck it’s your house,” she began. Chuck shook his head.
“Emma, it’s our home, you included,” he reminded her. She smiled at him. “He’s in real trouble this time.”
“He’s always in real trouble,” Emma said.
“Two million in trouble,” Chuck countered. Emma’s face fell. She stood up and walked into the kitchen, Chuck following.
“Jack!” she bit off. He whipped around to face her, knowing that voice. “You can’t keep doing this.”
“Em, you don’t understand,” he began.
“No! You don’t understand. These two,” she said pointing at Chuck and Sarah. “Have built an amazing life, and you can’t come in here and disrupt everything. You can’t just show up, do your thing and take off. Jack, you’ve wasted your life, and you have every opportunity now to be a part of something. A part of something you told me you wanted.” Jack looked down, ashamed.
“Mom,” Sarah began. Emma whirled on Sarah.
“No, not this time,” Emma said to her. “You protect him, make excuses for him, and then let him walk all over you. I am your mother and I’m supposed to take care of you. That’s what I’m doing. I want him to be a part of your life, but he’s not going to hurt you like he did in the past.” Sarah hugged Emma.
“Mom, I love you,” she said softly. Jack looked like he wanted to flee.
“There’s a place here for you, Jack,” Emma said. Jack grinned at her, and she shook her head. “No, not with me like that. You made your choice, and I moved on.”
“Are you happy?” he asked. She smiled and nodded.
“Yes, he’s a good man,” Emma replied. Jack nodded.
“Charlie, you’ve been the man for my family I couldn’t be, thank you,” he said offering Chuck his hand. Chuck shook it. “I think it’s time I get going.”
“No, Dad,” Sarah said. “We can fix this.” Jack studied her for a moment, and then nodded.
“Okay, we’ll fix it, and then I’ll get out of your hair,” he said. “Some place I can sleep?”
“There’s some guest rooms downstairs,” Chuck said.
“Come on, Jack,” Emma said, taking his arm. “Let’s make you as comfortable as possible.” The three headed down stairs. Molly came over to Sarah.
“I’m going to fix it,” she said to Sarah.
“What exactly are you going to do?” Sarah asked.
“I’m going to get Granny and …what do I call him?” Molly asked.
“I guess whatever he’s comfortable with,” Sarah replied.
“Grandpa,” she decided. “I’m going to get them back together,” she said, proudly.
“Molly, stop.” Molly’s mouth dropped. “It’s not your job to fix people. I understand you gave me a push, but I was ready. I understand you gave Chuck a push, but he was ready. I don’t know if those two will ever be ready. Your granny is very happy with Ted, and Dad…I don’t know if he can ever be happy with someone. He thinks love is for suckers, and while he’s never told me, I’ve always wondered what kind of home he came from. All we can do is be here for him, do you understand?”
“Granny and Grandpa won’t get back together?” Molly asked, with tears in her eyes. Sarah shrugged.
“I won’t say no, but I doubt it, Honey,” Sarah admitted. “I told you I’d always tell you the truth.” Molly nodded. “As for me and Chuck, you have to trust our love for each other. He may have to do things in his job that involves him having dinner with women, that doesn’t mean he’s cheating or is in love with someone else. Same goes for me. I know you’re scared. I know that you think you’re going to get left again, but do you think either of us would do that? If something happens between Chuck and I, and I cannot imagine a scenario except on some crazy TV show, that could happen, we would both still love you.”
“What if you lost your memory?” Molly asked.
“My heart would remember,” Sarah answered confidently. “Just like it would remember you.”
“Is Grandpa going to stay?” Molly asked. Sarah closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath, and then opened them.
“Probably not, and you know what, that’s his loss. Sometimes people don’t realize what they have, and until they do, they’re not ready to change.” Sarah pulled her in for a hug. “That’s what happened to me, you know?” Molly gave her a look, and Sarah smiled. “I rescued this beautiful baby and it made me realize what I was missing out on, and I made the best choice ever.”
“Are you sure?” Molly said, giving her a look. “What about choosing Chuck?”
“You got me ready for Chuck. If I had met Chuck then…I wasn’t ready,” she admitted. “It would have taken a lot, but I think we’d of figured it out eventually.”
“I love you, Mommy,” Molly said. “I just want you to be happy.” Sarah flashed her megawatt smile.
“Baby girl, you always make me happy.”
}o{
“Chuck, are you asleep?” Sarah asked in the quiet bedroom.
“Nope, just waiting on you to talk,” he said. She smiled into his chest where her head lay.
“I can’t save him, you can’t save him, no one can,” she said quietly.
“Oh, someone can, but it has to be his choice,” Chuck replied. Sarah sighed.
“I always thought I wasn’t good enough for him to come home,” she said. Chuck felt some dampness on his chest, but he didn’t say anything, he just listened. “It took a long time for me to figure out it was him, not me. I thought I was broken. I thought I wasn’t good enough for him to stay. If I had been a better con artist, daughter, or just a better person, then he would stay. I was wrong, but I took so long to figure that out. I’ll be honest, it probably took Molly. It took me understanding that parents make choices, and Dad…he just wasn’t a good dad. He did the best he could. He just didn’t have it in him. You know you’re were already more invested in Molly’s life before I ever met you than I think Dad was in mine.”
“Do you think he’s already gone?” Chuck asked. He felt her shrug.
“Maybe, but if he is, it’s his choice again, he knows he has family,” she said softly. Chuck squeezed the arm around her. “Thanks.”
“For what?” he asked.
“For being my baggage handler,” she said. Chuck kissed her forehead.
“Just part of the Chuck Bartowski experience,” he said, grinning. He felt the tears begin to flow from her, and he just held her. “No charge on dry cleaning the shirt either.” She barked a laugh, tears continuing to fall. They stayed like that, until Chuck noticed her breathing pattern change and the tears had stopped. “He was an idiot for ever leaving you behind,” he said softly.
“Glad some guy finally figured it out,” she mumbled, snuggling against him. “Actually, the right guy figured it out.” He smiled as they both drifted off to sleep.
}o{
After the morning routine, dropping off the kids, and arriving at work, the three made their way into the building. Chuck watched Sarah when she got up but noticed no surprise on her face when she saw her father. Emma had been watching him closely all morning, but never said anything. Chuck grinned when he saw Ted in the lobby as they walked in. He winked at Chuck. Chuck wasn’t sure where Emma’s and Ted’s relationship was or was going, but he suspected it was in much better shape than Emma’s and Jack’s ever was. The entire gang was in the conference room, and Beckman came on the screen. Bryce explained the entire situation to Beckman.
“Mr. Burton, I assume you have a plan?” she asked. Jack looked at Sarah and grinned. Sarah squeezed Chuck’s hand, and Chuck winced a little.
“General, I owe some men, some very bad men, two million dollars, and my daughter believes she has a plan to capture said men. General, for far too long I’ve put my family in harms way, and today that ends. I am surrendering. I am turning myself in.” Sarah’s jaw dropped and she turned to stare at her father. Chuck turned to Casey.
“I didn’t see that coming,” Chuck said. Casey just grunted.
A/N: I know it’s short, but I needed to get all that done. I hope to have the next chapter out early next week. Stay warm and safe. See you soon.
DC