Chapter 23
I don’t own Chuck
“You okay?” Chuck asked as Sarah came back inside after getting Chuck’s eczema prescription from Susan.
“I’m fine,” Sarah assured him. “I have been in many situations with people that I’ve had to lie to before, I promise she got nothing from me.”Chuck gave her a sad smile. “Sarah, I meant are you okay?” He paused, and then pointed to his heart with all four fingers and his thumb. “In here.”
She didn’t say anything for a second. She opened her mouth a few times to say something, but couldn’t get the words out. Chuck held his arms out, and a second later, he wrapped them around her, as she stumbled into him, her face pressed against his chest. “I trusted her,” she said softly.
“I know, and you don’t deserve that,” Chuck told her. “I promise, Sarah, I’m going to do everything in my power to never break your trust again.”
“I know,” she said softly, holding him tight. She didn’t say anything else, but her shoulders softly shook and he felt his shirt slowly grow wet.
}o{
It was several hours later that the door opened to the house, and he stepped outside. Chuck had gone to bed and he thought Sarah had. He lay there in bed, tossing and turning, when he heard the door to the outside softly open. She was sitting on the porch, in the dark, in the swing, wearing his dress shirt. He didn’t pack a dress shirt, so how she had one…. He had brought a blanket with him, knowing that she might just need one. He gently laid it over her bare legs, and sat down beside her, and swung with her, not saying a word.
After a minute, she lifted up the blanket near him, scooted as close as she could get, and tossed it over him. She laid her head on his chest, and the two swung, neither saying a word.
}o{
Several hours later, she awoke, in her bed. She didn’t remember getting there, but she was quite sure she knew how she did. She got up, went to the bathroom, and instead of returning to her room, peeked inside Chuck’s room. It was early morning, and she watched him for a minute before making a decision. She crawled in bed beside him. She watched him for a moment, and then snuggled up against him. She was asleep in seconds.
}o{
Now
“So, was there a moment you figured it out?” Susan asked. Chuck and Sarah looked at her. “You know, that you were it for each other.”
“I’m not really sure,” Sarah said.
“Oh, Sarah,” Chuck said, chuckling. She looked over at him, curious. “It was the day you brought us my eczema cream,” Chuck told Susan. “It was like it just…hit us, you know. We had each other. We could trust each other.” He looked over at Sarah. “There’s a song,” he continued, talking to Susan, but never taking his eyes off of Sarah. “And for the first time, I really realized what the lyrics meant.”
He sang softly.
Who will you run to when it all falls down?Who’s gonna pick your world up off from the ground?Who’s gonna take away the tears you cry?Who’s gonna love you baby as good as I?
“It was her,” Chuck said to Susan. “We both realized that we were that person for each other.”
“We did,” Sarah agreed.
}o{
Then
He woke, feeling her holding him tightly. He squeezed her shoulders, lowered his lips to the top of her head, and gently kissed her. As he lay back, she pushed herself up and looked him right in the eyes. She leaned in and kissed him gently. “Thank you,” she said softly, as she pulled away. “God, it hurts, Chuck. I thought she was different.”
“I’m so sorry, Sarah,” he replied, rubbing his hand down her back, trying to comfort her. “Are you hungry? Can I make you breakfast?” She shook her head. “Coffee?” She chuckled. “What?”
“You trying to seduce me there, Buddy?” she asked.
“No, just letting you know I’m here.” She nodded and leaned back, letting him get up. He started to get out of the bed when her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. “I love you. I’m sorry for what we went through.” She looked up at him, locking eyes with her.
“I love you,” he replied. “And I’m sorry as well. To be fair, some of it was just the suckage of the CIA, and some of it was us.” Sarah nodded. “But, Sarah,” he said gently. She locked eyes with him, and he couldn’t help but grin. “We’re together now, so….worth it.”
“Worth it,” she parroted.
}o{
She emerged from her room some time later, showered, hair in a ponytail, a look of determination on her face. Chuck handed her a cup of coffee. She took it from him, took a sip, and nearly moaned. “Thank you,” she said softly. He wrapped an arm around her back and kissed her softly on top of the head.
“You’re welcome,” he murmured.
“So, what’s the plan?” Chuck’s eyes widened from her question. “You have a plan, I know you, Chuck.”
“Okay, I ran the picture of the man through facial recognition,” Chuck told her. “Both he, Peter Wilcox, and Susan work for a private security firm, and the picture of the child resembles the child of these two.” Chuck pulled up the site and showed her. “Meet Nancy and Peter Wilcox,” he told her. He pushed a button and pulled up a birth certificate for Rebecca Wilcox, Nancy and Peter’s daughter.
“Think Nancy knows Peter is using their child in this thing?” Sarah asked.
Chuck grimaced. “Either answer is not good,” Chuck admitted.
“What now?” Sarah asked. Chuck turned to her, looking worried. “Just say it, whatever it is.”
“I think it’s time to bring in some help on this one,” Chuck told her.
Sarah sighed. “Casey?”
“Casey,” Chuck replied.