Chapter 1
Chapter Text
Chuck sighed, tossing the clipboard back to the Nerd Herd desk.
He was running on a few hours of sleep; he, Sarah and Casey had several missions back to back, and yet, his Buy More job wasn't going anywhere. If only he got a paycheck from the missions, he could at the very least go down to part time.
Currently, he staring at the call log on his cell phone.
Last night's mission was a last minute one, and he was supposed to have plans with Ellie. A brother-sister dinner that she's been trying to plan for them for weeks. Something they used to do twice a month. But these days, he was lucky if he managed to give her one every six weeks.
Except this one he promised to be there.
By the time he'd gotten home last night it was well past three o'clock in the morning, and Ellie was asleep.
He sighed, guilt twisting his chest as he re-read the texts from her last night, asking where he was, missed calls, voicemails that hurt to listen to.
It was the last text that he couldn't tear his eyes away from, though.
I miss you.
Chuck tossed his phone on the desk. He rubbed a hand over his face.
He'll make this right.
Tonight, he'll order her favorite everything, and he'll make it up to her.
But he had a horrible feeling that another mission was going to drag him away from it like they always did.
It would just be so much easier if I could tell her the truth.
The phone at the desk rang, and Chuck let out another breath before answering. "Buy More Nerd Herd, how can I help you?" he asked in bored monotone.
"UPS," said a man on the other line. "Can I get someone to sign for these packages? I pulled up to your loading dock, got quite a few of them. TVs, by the look of it."
Chuck's brows lifted. "I thought we already got the shipment for—" But Chuck just rubbed his tired eyes. He barely paid any attention to the Buy More all week; he could have forgotten easily. Chuck sighed. "Nevermind. I'll be right there."
Chuck hung up the phone, and headed back toward the loading dock. On his way, he caught sight of Casey dusting a few consoles with the feather duster that reminded him that he needed to get a picture of that, as well as Morgan switching around every price sign Emmett was putting up for the sales displays while his back was turned.
Oh, why couldn't one of his jobs be normal?
The door fell shut behind Chuck as he walked into the loading dock.
It was silent. Usually the delivery people would come in first to ensure the packages were going to the right place—they didn't need another Large Mart incident. But there didn't seem to be anyone here. He poked his head around the storage cage. "Hello?" he called.
He was about to check outside when he heard the distinct, metallic cock of a gun behind him.
Chuck froze.
"Turn around. Slowly."
He did.
The moment he saw the man, he felt the Intersect almost buzz to life, like it did every time he flashed.
Agent Thomas Bradford.
Fulcrum.
The flash ended as abruptly as it started, the information hitting him with the familiar, strange sense of deja vu it always did.
Flashes will never become a normal feeling.
It left Chuck with a feeling of dread that he hasn't felt with many flashes.
This man felt like an unstable bomb.
Chuck's heart beating fast in his throat, Casey's name on the tip of his tongue. "Uh," stammered Chuck. "That doesn't look like a TV," he gestured nervously to the gun.
The man standing behind him was dressed in a UPS uniform, the gun aimed at his chest. He smiled grimly. "Chuck Bartowski," said the man, drawing out his name as he flicked his eyes from Chuck's nametag, back to his face.
"Look," tried Chuck, fear trailing down his spine. "I'm just an employee, I—"
"Perhaps Chuck Bartowski is," said the man coldly. "But Charles Carmichael?" The smile disappeared, and Chuck's blood ran cold. "You've caused Fulcrum a lot of trouble." he said, emphasizing Fulcrum in way that seemed to hold some other meaning.
Chuck swallowed. Hard. "Trouble? Me? I… I didn't—Look, uh, do you think this is something you and I can work out together? You know, man to man? Or, UPS guy to—"
"Shut up."
"Shutting up," mumbled Chuck with a nervous smile. Eyeing the gun nervously, and wishing he could hit the panic button on his watch without the Fulcrum agent seeing, he attempted to stall. "Look, we, uh, we don't have to go that far, do we? Huh?" His heart slammed against his ribs, right where his gun was pointed. The man's finger poised on the trigger.
Where the hell is Casey when I need him?!
"We've had an eye on your team's movements for quite a while. So I'm going to ask you one question," he said lowly. "And your life depends on giving me an answer." A beat of silence passed, and Chuck was certain the man could hear his pounding heart. Then: "Who is the Intersect?"
Chuck went rigid.
Stall, stall, stall…
"I… I don't know," he tried. "I'm just an analyst, I swear, I don't know anything," stressed Chuck. "I just stay in the car, that's all I—"
"You know what?" said the agent suddenly, brows narrowed with something akin to fury. "It's not worth it." And before Chuck could say anything else, he fired.
The bullet whispered through the silencer, and white-hot pain ripped through his abdomen. Chuck cried out, staggering backward into the wall of the storage cage. Crimson rippled across the white shirt and his hands flew toward it.
Blood.
Lots of blood.
Woozy at the sight of blood, shock spreading, Chuck's legs gave out and he fell to the floor. He blinked through the haze of agony but the Fulcrum agent was gone.
Blood.
Pain.
"Chuck!"
Morgan's voice.
Chuck's heart froze for a completely new sort of horror.
"Chuck, man! Wednesday-Friday Surf-and-Turf, if you know what I—"
"M-Morg—" stammered Chuck but even his name alone was too hard to get out.
"Holy… holy shit," said Morgan suddenly, and Chuck felt hands gripping his shoulders. "Dude! You're… bleeding!"
Chuck's mind raced. The gunshot wound had nearly all of his attention but he was coherent enough to realize he needed to protect his cover. "C-Cut myself," he managed to choke out, giving a shaky smile.
"Wh-what do you want me to do?" asked Morgan shakily.
"Casey," Chuck gasped out.
"Don't you need a… a d-doctor or something?"
"Casey," Chuck repeated, pain turning his voice into a growl. The pain spiked again and he screwed his eyes shut, his hands firmly pressed against it in a hope that Morgan wouldn't see what truly injured him.
"Okay…" Morgan shifted. "That's a.. lot of blood… I'll get Casey. Hold on, buddy."
Sneakers pounded away and Chuck blinked heavily, exhaustion falling over him like a heavy, thick blanket. He didn't know how long he waited there when more footsteps came running in.
More hands on his shoulders. A slap to his cheek tore his eyes open.
"Shit. Morgan, call 911."
Footsteps ran away.
Another slap. Chuck didn't remember closing his eyes that time.
"Bartowski!"
Chuck opened his eyes. Casey's face swam into view. And he looked…
Scared.
"Ca…" Chuck couldn't form the word. The pain was just too sharp.
"Dammit, Chuck, what happened? How did you get shot?"
Blackness encroached on his vision. "Fulcrum... UP…S… Bradford," was all he could force out.
"Damn." Rustling. "Walker, get down here. Bartowski's been shot." Pause. "Bad."
Chuck tried to formulate something else to say when pain exploded inside him. Someone was pressing down on the wound and Chuck nearly screamed.
He tried to find his voice.
But before he could, his entire world finally became black.
Casey watched Chuck's eyes shut. His hands were pressed hard over the gunshot wound and he removed one and shook the younger man.
Nothing.
"Dammit, Bartowski!" he hissed under his breath.
Blood now saturated his nerd herd shirt. What once was white was crimson. The blood was pooling onto the floor under his knees.
"Don't you die on me, Chuck," he muttered, wondering if the tightness in his chest was his fear of losing the Intersect or the person who'd slowly become his friend.
The loading dock doors burst open.
"Casey, wh—" Sarah froze, stopping rigidly at the sight of Chuck on the floor. "Oh, my god, no," she whispered, dropping to her knees, cupping Chuck's cheek. "Chuck?"
"He's out," said Casey. "But he's alive, fine for the moment. Should be fine if the idiot Grimes called for the bus already." He gave her a serious stare. "We should preserve his cover. Grimes said Chuck told him he had a nasty cut. Seemed to believe him."
Sarah slowly tore her eyes away from Chuck and she swallowed hard. She nodded. She got up and looked around the storage cage until she located a packing knife. Every shipping box was already cut open. She grabbed a box anyway, and used the razor to leave a jagged cut at the end of the box as if Chuck had accidentally used too much force and sliced his stomach.
She cleaned the razor of her prints, added Chuck's fingerprints to it, then covered it in the blood inching along the floor. She dropped it between where Chuck had fallen and the box still on the table. It wasn't completely believable but with the circumstances and the very low IQ of the store it should work.
She returned to Chuck's side just as Morgan burst through the doors, with most of the staff of the Buy More at his heels, and a team of paramedics.
Casey gave Sarah a nod and he stood up as the paramedics came. He advanced on the group of idiots trying to get a view of the action and made them retreat with a glare and a growl.
One of the paramedics looked stunned. "They said this was a—"
Sarah quickly stood up as the second paramedic bent to put pressure on the wound. As Casey distracted the nerds she took out her badge. "I'm CIA, so is he. This is a gunshot wound and a matter of national security that we cannot blow his cover. This is a nasty cut that hit an artery." She gave them a stern look. "Yes?"
They looked at her and then each other. "Yes, ma'am."
They loaded Chuck onto a stretcher and Sarah let herself into the bus. She looked at her asset—her friend—her—
Her breath hitched. She put a hand on his arm, her thumb stroking it gently.
Please be okay.
Chuck sighed, tossing the clipboard back to the Nerd Herd desk.
He was running on a few hours of sleep; he, Sarah and Casey had several missions back to back, and yet, his Buy More job wasn't going anywhere. If only he got a paycheck from the missions, he could at the very least go down to part time.
Currently, he staring at the call log on his cell phone.
Last night's mission was a last minute one, and he was supposed to have plans with Ellie. A brother-sister dinner that she's been trying to plan for them for weeks. Something they used to do twice a month. But these days, he was lucky if he managed to give her one every six weeks.
Except this one he promised to be there.
By the time he'd gotten home last night it was well past three o'clock in the morning, and Ellie was asleep.
He sighed, guilt twisting his chest as he re-read the texts from her last night, asking where he was, missed calls, voicemails that hurt to listen to.
It was the last text that he couldn't tear his eyes away from, though.
I miss you.
Chuck tossed his phone on the desk. He rubbed a hand over his face.
He'll make this right.
Tonight, he'll order her favorite everything, and he'll make it up to her.
But he had a horrible feeling that another mission was going to drag him away from it like they always did.
It would just be so much easier if I could tell her the truth.
The phone at the desk rang, and Chuck let out another breath before answering. "Buy More Nerd Herd, how can I help you?" he asked in bored monotone.
"UPS," said a man on the other line. "Can I get someone to sign for these packages? I pulled up to your loading dock, got quite a few of them. TVs, by the look of it."
Chuck's brows lifted. "I thought we already got the shipment for—" But Chuck just rubbed his tired eyes. He barely paid any attention to the Buy More all week; he could have forgotten easily. Chuck sighed. "Nevermind. I'll be right there."
Chuck hung up the phone, and headed back toward the loading dock. On his way, he caught sight of Casey dusting a few consoles with the feather duster that reminded him that he needed to get a picture of that, as well as Morgan switching around every price sign Emmett was putting up for the sales displays while his back was turned.
Oh, why couldn't one of his jobs be normal?
The door fell shut behind Chuck as he walked into the loading dock.
It was silent. Usually the delivery people would come in first to ensure the packages were going to the right place—they didn't need another Large Mart incident. But there didn't seem to be anyone here. He poked his head around the storage cage. "Hello?" he called.
He was about to check outside when he heard the distinct, metallic cock of a gun behind him.
Chuck froze.
"Turn around. Slowly."
He did.
The moment he saw the man, he felt the Intersect almost buzz to life, like it did every time he flashed.
Agent Thomas Bradford.
Fulcrum.
The flash ended as abruptly as it started, the information hitting him with the familiar, strange sense of deja vu it always did.
Flashes will never become a normal feeling.
It left Chuck with a feeling of dread that he hasn't felt with many flashes.
This man felt like an unstable bomb.
Chuck's heart beating fast in his throat, Casey's name on the tip of his tongue. "Uh," stammered Chuck. "That doesn't look like a TV," he gestured nervously to the gun.
The man standing behind him was dressed in a UPS uniform, the gun aimed at his chest. He smiled grimly. "Chuck Bartowski," said the man, drawing out his name as he flicked his eyes from Chuck's nametag, back to his face.
"Look," tried Chuck, fear trailing down his spine. "I'm just an employee, I—"
"Perhaps Chuck Bartowski is," said the man coldly. "But Charles Carmichael?" The smile disappeared, and Chuck's blood ran cold. "You've caused Fulcrum a lot of trouble." he said, emphasizing Fulcrum in way that seemed to hold some other meaning.
Chuck swallowed. Hard. "Trouble? Me? I… I didn't—Look, uh, do you think this is something you and I can work out together? You know, man to man? Or, UPS guy to—"
"Shut up."
"Shutting up," mumbled Chuck with a nervous smile. Eyeing the gun nervously, and wishing he could hit the panic button on his watch without the Fulcrum agent seeing, he attempted to stall. "Look, we, uh, we don't have to go that far, do we? Huh?" His heart slammed against his ribs, right where his gun was pointed. The man's finger poised on the trigger.
Where the hell is Casey when I need him?!
"We've had an eye on your team's movements for quite a while. So I'm going to ask you one question," he said lowly. "And your life depends on giving me an answer." A beat of silence passed, and Chuck was certain the man could hear his pounding heart. Then: "Who is the Intersect?"
Chuck went rigid.
Stall, stall, stall…
"I… I don't know," he tried. "I'm just an analyst, I swear, I don't know anything," stressed Chuck. "I just stay in the car, that's all I—"
"You know what?" said the agent suddenly, brows narrowed with something akin to fury. "It's not worth it." And before Chuck could say anything else, he fired.
The bullet whispered through the silencer, and white-hot pain ripped through his abdomen. Chuck cried out, staggering backward into the wall of the storage cage. Crimson rippled across the white shirt and his hands flew toward it.
Blood.
Lots of blood.
Woozy at the sight of blood, shock spreading, Chuck's legs gave out and he fell to the floor. He blinked through the haze of agony but the Fulcrum agent was gone.
Blood.
Pain.
"Chuck!"
Morgan's voice.
Chuck's heart froze for a completely new sort of horror.
"Chuck, man! Wednesday-Friday Surf-and-Turf, if you know what I—"
"M-Morg—" stammered Chuck but even his name alone was too hard to get out.
"Holy… holy shit," said Morgan suddenly, and Chuck felt hands gripping his shoulders. "Dude! You're… bleeding!"
Chuck's mind raced. The gunshot wound had nearly all of his attention but he was coherent enough to realize he needed to protect his cover. "C-Cut myself," he managed to choke out, giving a shaky smile.
"Wh-what do you want me to do?" asked Morgan shakily.
"Casey," Chuck gasped out.
"Don't you need a… a d-doctor or something?"
"Casey," Chuck repeated, pain turning his voice into a growl. The pain spiked again and he screwed his eyes shut, his hands firmly pressed against it in a hope that Morgan wouldn't see what truly injured him.
"Okay…" Morgan shifted. "That's a.. lot of blood… I'll get Casey. Hold on, buddy."
Sneakers pounded away and Chuck blinked heavily, exhaustion falling over him like a heavy, thick blanket. He didn't know how long he waited there when more footsteps came running in.
More hands on his shoulders. A slap to his cheek tore his eyes open.
"Shit. Morgan, call 911."
Footsteps ran away.
Another slap. Chuck didn't remember closing his eyes that time.
"Bartowski!"
Chuck opened his eyes. Casey's face swam into view. And he looked…
Scared.
"Ca…" Chuck couldn't form the word. The pain was just too sharp.
"Dammit, Chuck, what happened? How did you get shot?"
Blackness encroached on his vision. "Fulcrum... UP…S… Bradford," was all he could force out.
"Damn." Rustling. "Walker, get down here. Bartowski's been shot." Pause. "Bad."
Chuck tried to formulate something else to say when pain exploded inside him. Someone was pressing down on the wound and Chuck nearly screamed.
He tried to find his voice.
But before he could, his entire world finally became black.
Casey watched Chuck's eyes shut. His hands were pressed hard over the gunshot wound and he removed one and shook the younger man.
Nothing.
"Dammit, Bartowski!" he hissed under his breath.
Blood now saturated his nerd herd shirt. What once was white was crimson. The blood was pooling onto the floor under his knees.
"Don't you die on me, Chuck," he muttered, wondering if the tightness in his chest was his fear of losing the Intersect or the person who'd slowly become his friend.
The loading dock doors burst open.
"Casey, wh—" Sarah froze, stopping rigidly at the sight of Chuck on the floor. "Oh, my god, no," she whispered, dropping to her knees, cupping Chuck's cheek. "Chuck?"
"He's out," said Casey. "But he's alive, fine for the moment. Should be fine if the idiot Grimes called for the bus already." He gave her a serious stare. "We should preserve his cover. Grimes said Chuck told him he had a nasty cut. Seemed to believe him."
Sarah slowly tore her eyes away from Chuck and she swallowed hard. She nodded. She got up and looked around the storage cage until she located a packing knife. Every shipping box was already cut open. She grabbed a box anyway, and used the razor to leave a jagged cut at the end of the box as if Chuck had accidentally used too much force and sliced his stomach.
She cleaned the razor of her prints, added Chuck's fingerprints to it, then covered it in the blood inching along the floor. She dropped it between where Chuck had fallen and the box still on the table. It wasn't completely believable but with the circumstances and the very low IQ of the store it should work.
She returned to Chuck's side just as Morgan burst through the doors, with most of the staff of the Buy More at his heels, and a team of paramedics.
Casey gave Sarah a nod and he stood up as the paramedics came. He advanced on the group of idiots trying to get a view of the action and made them retreat with a glare and a growl.
One of the paramedics looked stunned. "They said this was a—"
Sarah quickly stood up as the second paramedic bent to put pressure on the wound. As Casey distracted the nerds she took out her badge. "I'm CIA, so is he. This is a gunshot wound and a matter of national security that we cannot blow his cover. This is a nasty cut that hit an artery." She gave them a stern look. "Yes?"
They looked at her and then each other. "Yes, ma'am."
They loaded Chuck onto a stretcher and Sarah let herself into the bus. She looked at her asset—her friend—her—
Her breath hitched. She put a hand on his arm, her thumb stroking it gently.
Please be okay.
Chapter 2
Chapter Text
Awesome sighed.
It was nearing the eleventh hour of his shift at the hospital. Already he was three surgeries in. He could feel the fatigue setting into his eyes and into his muscles. It was nearing the afternoon now and he can't even remember when he got here. It didn't help that Ellie spent most of yesterday evening upset that Chuck had chosen last minute plans with Sarah over a dinner with her. Again. Ellie had tried to get a brother-sister dinner with him several times in the past month, but something always seemed to come up. As they always seemed to with Chuck these days.
But fatigue be damned; he was a surgeon and this is the life of them. He saved lives on a daily basis and even if that screwed his sleep schedule—and a date night or four thousand—he was okay with that.
Speaking of which, he promised Ellie a date night, an attempt to cheer her up. She was off work today and he would be home soon enough to make her dinner and even some pecan pie. Throw in her favorite movie (one he did not consult Morgan on) and it was a perfect night. She certainly couldn't handle another promised dinner plan to be canceled, so he hoped nothing would push it aside.
He leaned his back against one of the reception desks to take a breather before his inevitable next patient. He had no scheduled surgeries for the rest of his shift so his workload relied on people coming in and needing to be sewed back together again.
He was about to get up to get some coffee when the doors to the OR wing burst open—the clear precedings of his next surgical puzzle—and he straightened immediately, ready for action.
He wasn't called Awesome for nothing.
Three EMTs were wheeling in a gurney and trading medical phrases between each other, of which he caught, bleeding and severed artery.
That was his cue.
"Who's the working surgeon on this floor," asked the male EMT to their receptionist.
She pointed to Awesome at the same time he stepped up.
"At your service," he began, "what do we ha—"
His words died in his throat as he saw the man lying on the gurney.
It was Chuck.
So still and so pale and there was so, so much blood. One of the female EMTs had her hands pressing a gauze pad over his stomach to stem the flow but it wasn't doing much.
"Holy—" he managed to get out, his breath knocked from his lungs. "Chuck—"
The male EMT did a double take. "You know this man?"
"He—he's my brother-in-law," said Awesome, even though he and Ellie weren't married yet and Chuck technically wasn't his brother-in-law yet, it just came out.
"Well," said the EMT, continuing to wheel Chuck through the next set of double doors that led to the OR. "Get a surgeon ASAP."
"I am a surgeon," snapped Awesome, following them.
Chuck, oh my god, it's Chuck.
Shock was setting in.
There's so much blood.
A firm hand clapped on his shoulder and yanked him back.
Awesome fought it. "Let me go, that's my—"
"—brother-in-law," said a familiar voice. Awesome watched Chuck disappear through the OR doors as his chief of staff said, "You're not operating on him, Devon. I already sent Tony."
Awesome jerked against the grip again, desperate. "No! Henry, I can save him just let me—"
Henry turned him around and gave him a hard look. "Under no circumstances will you be operating on a member of your family."
"But—"
"You're too emotionally attached, Devon! You know that kind of liability and you agreed to it the moment you were brought on board at this hospital. If you go near that room, you're fired."
Awesome stared at him with a mix of anger and panic.
So much blood.
Henry's gaze softened. "You're tired, Devon. And you're scared. That doesn't help his chances. You let them do their work because that's what's best for your brother. Got it?"
Your brother. Awesome had three brothers of his own blood, but it has never sounded so right than it did now.
And somewhere in his mind he realized his boss was right, that he wasn't concentrating or thinking straight.
Because that was Chuck.
"I'll give you an update as soon as I can. Just let them work."
He left Awesome standing alone, staring at the doors.
Just then, the other doors burst open.
Awesome whirled around to see Sarah standing just outside of the swinging doors. She was pale and had panic in her eyes.
Awesome was beside her in milliseconds.
"What happened? Why is he bleeding?" he demanded.
Sarah blinked in shock at the sight of him, seeming to process his presence and his questions at once. It took her a moment, but she said, "I—he was at work. He cut himself with a knife."
There was so much fear in her eyes.
"I saw," he said quietly. "What was his blood pressure?" At her blank expression, he went on, "Did you see it on the monitor in the ambulance? Did you see anything?"
She shook her head. Her eyes sparkled suddenly, threatening tears.
"I—no, I didn't. It… happened so fast."
"They just took him in now," said Awesome. "I can't operate on him because we're related," he growled out half-heartedly. "But Tony's a good guy, a good surgeon. He'll fix Chuck up in no time."
And it was true; Awesome was relieved to hear it was Tony. He and Tony were friends. He and his girlfriend had even gone on a few double dates with himself and Ellie.
Oh, god.
Ellie.
"Sarah," he said, and she lifted her head from where she stared after the doors Chuck went through, looking like she was torn from a daze. "I need to go home and… talk to Ellie." There was no way he was telling her something like this over the phone.
Sarah swallowed and nodded.
Awesome started taking off his lab coat. "We'll be back soon. Can you.. stay here? With him?" he asked.
Sarah nodded. "Of… of course."
He looked at her sadly. She'd always seemed so put together when Chuck would bring her around. It was weird seeing her so… lost.
"The waiting room is this way, I can lead you there," he said gently. He lightly put a hand to her back and led her back through the doors to a more open room, where several people were sitting around with newspapers or books.
Sarah sat down. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked softly.
Awesome felt his heart clench. He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure of it."
He wasn't, but it made her face warm the slightest bit.
As a surgeon he was taught to never tell anyone those words, never to predict a good outcome, and never to promise it. But this was Chuck. Awesome wouldn't accept a world where he couldn't promise that.
He left her then, heading toward his locker for his keys, wondering how the hell he was supposed to tell Ellie.
"General."
The screen had flashed on before she'd been ready, and Casey watched her eyes flick to the camera. She was on the phone with someone but at his look she hung up without a word.
"What is it, Major Casey?"
"The Asset's been shot." said Casey. He put the Castle remote down on the desktop and cleared his throat.
Her all-business expression morphed into shock. "What?" Then, "Is he dead?"
It no longer phased Casey to hear the living status of humans spoken in the same tone as "Is it raining outside?" but for some reason, this time it did.
"Chuck is still alive," he said. "At least he was when he was admitted. Agent Walker is waiting for information there."
Beckman removed her glasses. She sighed sharply. "How did this happen?"
It was less of a question and more of an accusation. One that Casey took personally. "It was… a mistake. One I take full responsibility for. A Fulcrum agent found him at the store, I didn't..." It's a little hard for him to get that out. "I should have been there."
It took Beckman a moment to reply. "Half responsibility," she said finally. "Agent Walker is just as much his handler as you are, Casey." Another sigh, and maybe something almost human passed through her eyes. "Let me know as soon as you get an update. And in the meantime, find that Fulcrum agent, Casey."
He gave a fractional nod, and the screen snapped to black.
He pulled out his gun, loading it, flicking his eyes to the monitors that were racing through CCTV footage, following the license plate of the van the Fulcrum agent took off in.
Finding the son of a bitch who shot —and possibly killed, he thought with a coldness—Chuck was his one and only priority.
Orders or not.
Awesome opened the door to the apartment and walked inside.
Ellie was sitting on the couch watching some cooking show. She looked up as he entered. There was still a furrow in her brow that was there all last night, and Awesome realized she was still upset with her brother.
His chest hurt.
"Hey," he said, swallowing hard. Took a breath. Braced himself. "El… Chuck—"
Her eyes turned back to the TV, her expression hardening. "Chuck, what? Has more excuses for standing me up again? Well, I don't want to hear it."
Awesome shut his eyes. Tried again. "No, he—"
Something changed in Ellie's face, and she muted the TV. "Wait." She looked at her watch, and back to him. Tilted her head quizzically. "I thought you didn't get out for another two hours."
"I didn't," he said distantly. "I mean, I do, I mean, I was supposed to—"
Ellie turned off the TV. She finally seemed to notice something was up. "Honey, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?" Doctor Ellie was suddenly on her feet and walking toward him.
"I'm okay," he said quickly. "I…"
How was he supposed to tell her?
"Devon, you're scaring me," she said slowly. Her eyes burned into his, searching. "What's wrong? Why are you home early? Did something happen at the hospital?"
He took a breath. "Okay. I don't really know how to say this, El…" He looked at her. "Chuck got hurt."
Her brows shot up. She obviously wasn't expecting it to have to do with Chuck. All her annoyance with her brother was gone in a flash. "Chuck? What are you talking about? What do you mean he's hurt? Hurt how?"
Awesome blinked at the rapid questions. "He was being wheeled into surgery when I left. Apparently—"
Ellie made a small squeak. "Surgery? For what?"
"He was at the Buy More and he cut himself on something," he finished.
"On what?" she asked.
"Sarah said… something at work?" Did he get that far in the conversation?
"Where did he cut himself?"
"Lower abdomen."
She looked at him with an intense stare, the same one she used when she was trying to figure out if he was lying about having done the laundry. "Wait, he cut himself and is in surgery? Why does he need an operation?"
Awesome gave half a shrug. "I… don't know. I guess it was a deep cut. All I saw was…" He trailed off.
Ellie was rigid. "What? All you saw was what, Devon?"
"Blood." He swallowed hard. "A lot of blood."
That made Ellie hesitate, knowing that if he thought it was a lot, it was a lot. And enough to make him this pale was bad.
"Did you hear..?"
"They wouldn't give me anything," he said with slight annoyance. "I wanted to be in the room. I don't know any details."
Ellie picked up her sweater—her lucky sweater— from the couch. "Let's go."
Sarah drummed her fingers against the plastic arm rest of the waiting room chair. It's been at least half an hour. The room was empty except for her—seems no one else had a loved one in critical condition.
She stuttered at the wording in her thoughts.
Friend. A friend in critical condition.
She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.
An asset.
Her asset, who was shot and bleeding out. She was his handler dammit and she let an armed enemy walk right up to him and shoot him point blank.
Some voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she's had assets in the past that have gotten hurt and sometimes killed, but none made her feel as much as Chuck.
No one has made her feel anything quite like Chuck.
"Sarah!"
Sarah snapped out of her daze. She looked over to see Morgan rushing into the room. He was panting and out of breath. "Morgan?" she asked hollowly.
"I pedaled as fast as I could!" he huffed out. He bent over his knees to catch his breath. After a few seconds he asked, "Is Chuck okay?"
"I don't know," said Sarah honestly. "He's in surgery."
Morgan sobered up a bit. "S-surgery?" he asked in a small voice. "H-he needed surgery? Wh-What about like stitches or something?"
Sarah bit her lip. His innocence made her miss hers badly. "I… I guess it was worse than that."
Morgan ran a hand through his hair and collapsed into the chair next to her. "But it was just a box cutter!"
"Even the worst conditions can be caused by very simple accidents," said a voice to their left. A doctor walked through the doors.
Sarah shot to her feet. "Is Chuck alright?"
She gave Sarah a calculating look. "The woman who spoke to the paramedics?"
Sarah knew what that meant. The CIA agent who spoke to the paramedics? She nodded.
"Please come this way."
Sarah looked back at Morgan. "I'll be right back."
He looked like a lost puppy. It actually hurt to see.
Sarah followed the doctor into an empty room.
"How bad is it?" asked Sarah the moment the door closed.
"He's lost a lot of blood," said the doctor, and Sarah waited, rigid. "The bullet tore an artery and broke two ribs." She sighed. "They've managed to stop an internal bleed quickly enough but it will take time to see his reaction to the transfusions."
Sarah shut her eyes, letting out a breath, feeling no better now than she had. "Thank you," she said anyway.
"I will keep you updated on his status," she went on. "But we're treating it as a…" She looked at the clipboard in her hands. "Packing knife injury?"
Sarah nodded. "It's a matter of national security and the Official Secrets Act that this stay between you, the paramedics and the doctors in that room."
The woman nodded, seeming slightly intimidated by that, but trying not to. "Understood." she said.
Sarah thanked her again and the doctor left her alone in the empty room. Sarah checked to make sure the door was fully closed, then pulled out her cell phone and called Casey.
"He's still in surgery. They're saying it's too early to tell." she told him before he had a chance to speak.
A slight pause, then: "There could be worse news." There was an emotion in Casey's voice, and it surprised Sarah a little. She was used to hearing the man's robotic-like responses. And here, he almost sounded worried. Up until now she didn't think he had that emotion. Or many at all, really.
"Tracked the Fulcrum agent," said Casey, and Sarah realized the fuzzy background from his line was from driving, at apparently quite the speed. "Caught the license plate going east. He took out the store's security cameras and hacked the CCTV four blocks around, but not ours. We got his facial recognition. Chuck said his name was Agent Bradford."
Sarah nodded, feeling her chest loosen a little. "Do you have a team to cut him off if you—"
"I've got six."
Sarah smiled.
Casey had never called more than three backup teams, for anything.
"Try to keep him alive," she said, the words half-hearted, shaped by her orders and not her interests.
"No promises."
That made her grin, until she remembered where she was, and why she was here.
The expression faltered.
"I'll keep you updated," she said, and hung up. Sarah took a moment to compose herself—or, uncompose herself—to resume her role as the scared, worried girlfriend.
Which wasn't hard at all to fake.
Sarah walked back into the waiting room, and relayed the update to Morgan.
The two of them sat side-by-side in silence.
And suddenly Sarah was missing Chuck. His rambling in a panic-inducing situation, his determination and courage that always came out of nowhere.
She could really use some of that now.
She could really use him right now.
But what if he didn't make it through?
She felt a hot tear run down her cheek and, surprised, she hastily wiped it away.
She hardly ever cries.
Another came.
She let herself cry, however.
It was good for the cover.
Awesome sighed.
It was nearing the eleventh hour of his shift at the hospital. Already he was three surgeries in. He could feel the fatigue setting into his eyes and into his muscles. It was nearing the afternoon now and he can't even remember when he got here. It didn't help that Ellie spent most of yesterday evening upset that Chuck had chosen last minute plans with Sarah over a dinner with her. Again. Ellie had tried to get a brother-sister dinner with him several times in the past month, but something always seemed to come up. As they always seemed to with Chuck these days.
But fatigue be damned; he was a surgeon and this is the life of them. He saved lives on a daily basis and even if that screwed his sleep schedule—and a date night or four thousand—he was okay with that.
Speaking of which, he promised Ellie a date night, an attempt to cheer her up. She was off work today and he would be home soon enough to make her dinner and even some pecan pie. Throw in her favorite movie (one he did not consult Morgan on) and it was a perfect night. She certainly couldn't handle another promised dinner plan to be canceled, so he hoped nothing would push it aside.
He leaned his back against one of the reception desks to take a breather before his inevitable next patient. He had no scheduled surgeries for the rest of his shift so his workload relied on people coming in and needing to be sewed back together again.
He was about to get up to get some coffee when the doors to the OR wing burst open—the clear precedings of his next surgical puzzle—and he straightened immediately, ready for action.
He wasn't called Awesome for nothing.
Three EMTs were wheeling in a gurney and trading medical phrases between each other, of which he caught, bleeding and severed artery.
That was his cue.
"Who's the working surgeon on this floor," asked the male EMT to their receptionist.
She pointed to Awesome at the same time he stepped up.
"At your service," he began, "what do we ha—"
His words died in his throat as he saw the man lying on the gurney.
It was Chuck.
So still and so pale and there was so, so much blood. One of the female EMTs had her hands pressing a gauze pad over his stomach to stem the flow but it wasn't doing much.
"Holy—" he managed to get out, his breath knocked from his lungs. "Chuck—"
The male EMT did a double take. "You know this man?"
"He—he's my brother-in-law," said Awesome, even though he and Ellie weren't married yet and Chuck technically wasn't his brother-in-law yet, it just came out.
"Well," said the EMT, continuing to wheel Chuck through the next set of double doors that led to the OR. "Get a surgeon ASAP."
"I am a surgeon," snapped Awesome, following them.
Chuck, oh my god, it's Chuck.
Shock was setting in.
There's so much blood.
A firm hand clapped on his shoulder and yanked him back.
Awesome fought it. "Let me go, that's my—"
"—brother-in-law," said a familiar voice. Awesome watched Chuck disappear through the OR doors as his chief of staff said, "You're not operating on him, Devon. I already sent Tony."
Awesome jerked against the grip again, desperate. "No! Henry, I can save him just let me—"
Henry turned him around and gave him a hard look. "Under no circumstances will you be operating on a member of your family."
"But—"
"You're too emotionally attached, Devon! You know that kind of liability and you agreed to it the moment you were brought on board at this hospital. If you go near that room, you're fired."
Awesome stared at him with a mix of anger and panic.
So much blood.
Henry's gaze softened. "You're tired, Devon. And you're scared. That doesn't help his chances. You let them do their work because that's what's best for your brother. Got it?"
Your brother. Awesome had three brothers of his own blood, but it has never sounded so right than it did now.
And somewhere in his mind he realized his boss was right, that he wasn't concentrating or thinking straight.
Because that was Chuck.
"I'll give you an update as soon as I can. Just let them work."
He left Awesome standing alone, staring at the doors.
Just then, the other doors burst open.
Awesome whirled around to see Sarah standing just outside of the swinging doors. She was pale and had panic in her eyes.
Awesome was beside her in milliseconds.
"What happened? Why is he bleeding?" he demanded.
Sarah blinked in shock at the sight of him, seeming to process his presence and his questions at once. It took her a moment, but she said, "I—he was at work. He cut himself with a knife."
There was so much fear in her eyes.
"I saw," he said quietly. "What was his blood pressure?" At her blank expression, he went on, "Did you see it on the monitor in the ambulance? Did you see anything?"
She shook her head. Her eyes sparkled suddenly, threatening tears.
"I—no, I didn't. It… happened so fast."
"They just took him in now," said Awesome. "I can't operate on him because we're related," he growled out half-heartedly. "But Tony's a good guy, a good surgeon. He'll fix Chuck up in no time."
And it was true; Awesome was relieved to hear it was Tony. He and Tony were friends. He and his girlfriend had even gone on a few double dates with himself and Ellie.
Oh, god.
Ellie.
"Sarah," he said, and she lifted her head from where she stared after the doors Chuck went through, looking like she was torn from a daze. "I need to go home and… talk to Ellie." There was no way he was telling her something like this over the phone.
Sarah swallowed and nodded.
Awesome started taking off his lab coat. "We'll be back soon. Can you.. stay here? With him?" he asked.
Sarah nodded. "Of… of course."
He looked at her sadly. She'd always seemed so put together when Chuck would bring her around. It was weird seeing her so… lost.
"The waiting room is this way, I can lead you there," he said gently. He lightly put a hand to her back and led her back through the doors to a more open room, where several people were sitting around with newspapers or books.
Sarah sat down. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked softly.
Awesome felt his heart clench. He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure of it."
He wasn't, but it made her face warm the slightest bit.
As a surgeon he was taught to never tell anyone those words, never to predict a good outcome, and never to promise it. But this was Chuck. Awesome wouldn't accept a world where he couldn't promise that.
He left her then, heading toward his locker for his keys, wondering how the hell he was supposed to tell Ellie.
"General."
The screen had flashed on before she'd been ready, and Casey watched her eyes flick to the camera. She was on the phone with someone but at his look she hung up without a word.
"What is it, Major Casey?"
"The Asset's been shot." said Casey. He put the Castle remote down on the desktop and cleared his throat.
Her all-business expression morphed into shock. "What?" Then, "Is he dead?"
It no longer phased Casey to hear the living status of humans spoken in the same tone as "Is it raining outside?" but for some reason, this time it did.
"Chuck is still alive," he said. "At least he was when he was admitted. Agent Walker is waiting for information there."
Beckman removed her glasses. She sighed sharply. "How did this happen?"
It was less of a question and more of an accusation. One that Casey took personally. "It was… a mistake. One I take full responsibility for. A Fulcrum agent found him at the store, I didn't..." It's a little hard for him to get that out. "I should have been there."
It took Beckman a moment to reply. "Half responsibility," she said finally. "Agent Walker is just as much his handler as you are, Casey." Another sigh, and maybe something almost human passed through her eyes. "Let me know as soon as you get an update. And in the meantime, find that Fulcrum agent, Casey."
He gave a fractional nod, and the screen snapped to black.
He pulled out his gun, loading it, flicking his eyes to the monitors that were racing through CCTV footage, following the license plate of the van the Fulcrum agent took off in.
Finding the son of a bitch who shot —and possibly killed, he thought with a coldness—Chuck was his one and only priority.
Orders or not.
Awesome opened the door to the apartment and walked inside.
Ellie was sitting on the couch watching some cooking show. She looked up as he entered. There was still a furrow in her brow that was there all last night, and Awesome realized she was still upset with her brother.
His chest hurt.
"Hey," he said, swallowing hard. Took a breath. Braced himself. "El… Chuck—"
Her eyes turned back to the TV, her expression hardening. "Chuck, what? Has more excuses for standing me up again? Well, I don't want to hear it."
Awesome shut his eyes. Tried again. "No, he—"
Something changed in Ellie's face, and she muted the TV. "Wait." She looked at her watch, and back to him. Tilted her head quizzically. "I thought you didn't get out for another two hours."
"I didn't," he said distantly. "I mean, I do, I mean, I was supposed to—"
Ellie turned off the TV. She finally seemed to notice something was up. "Honey, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?" Doctor Ellie was suddenly on her feet and walking toward him.
"I'm okay," he said quickly. "I…"
How was he supposed to tell her?
"Devon, you're scaring me," she said slowly. Her eyes burned into his, searching. "What's wrong? Why are you home early? Did something happen at the hospital?"
He took a breath. "Okay. I don't really know how to say this, El…" He looked at her. "Chuck got hurt."
Her brows shot up. She obviously wasn't expecting it to have to do with Chuck. All her annoyance with her brother was gone in a flash. "Chuck? What are you talking about? What do you mean he's hurt? Hurt how?"
Awesome blinked at the rapid questions. "He was being wheeled into surgery when I left. Apparently—"
Ellie made a small squeak. "Surgery? For what?"
"He was at the Buy More and he cut himself on something," he finished.
"On what?" she asked.
"Sarah said… something at work?" Did he get that far in the conversation?
"Where did he cut himself?"
"Lower abdomen."
She looked at him with an intense stare, the same one she used when she was trying to figure out if he was lying about having done the laundry. "Wait, he cut himself and is in surgery? Why does he need an operation?"
Awesome gave half a shrug. "I… don't know. I guess it was a deep cut. All I saw was…" He trailed off.
Ellie was rigid. "What? All you saw was what, Devon?"
"Blood." He swallowed hard. "A lot of blood."
That made Ellie hesitate, knowing that if he thought it was a lot, it was a lot. And enough to make him this pale was bad.
"Did you hear..?"
"They wouldn't give me anything," he said with slight annoyance. "I wanted to be in the room. I don't know any details."
Ellie picked up her sweater—her lucky sweater— from the couch. "Let's go."
Sarah drummed her fingers against the plastic arm rest of the waiting room chair. It's been at least half an hour. The room was empty except for her—seems no one else had a loved one in critical condition.
She stuttered at the wording in her thoughts.
Friend. A friend in critical condition.
She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.
An asset.
Her asset, who was shot and bleeding out. She was his handler dammit and she let an armed enemy walk right up to him and shoot him point blank.
Some voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she's had assets in the past that have gotten hurt and sometimes killed, but none made her feel as much as Chuck.
No one has made her feel anything quite like Chuck.
"Sarah!"
Sarah snapped out of her daze. She looked over to see Morgan rushing into the room. He was panting and out of breath. "Morgan?" she asked hollowly.
"I pedaled as fast as I could!" he huffed out. He bent over his knees to catch his breath. After a few seconds he asked, "Is Chuck okay?"
"I don't know," said Sarah honestly. "He's in surgery."
Morgan sobered up a bit. "S-surgery?" he asked in a small voice. "H-he needed surgery? Wh-What about like stitches or something?"
Sarah bit her lip. His innocence made her miss hers badly. "I… I guess it was worse than that."
Morgan ran a hand through his hair and collapsed into the chair next to her. "But it was just a box cutter!"
"Even the worst conditions can be caused by very simple accidents," said a voice to their left. A doctor walked through the doors.
Sarah shot to her feet. "Is Chuck alright?"
She gave Sarah a calculating look. "The woman who spoke to the paramedics?"
Sarah knew what that meant. The CIA agent who spoke to the paramedics? She nodded.
"Please come this way."
Sarah looked back at Morgan. "I'll be right back."
He looked like a lost puppy. It actually hurt to see.
Sarah followed the doctor into an empty room.
"How bad is it?" asked Sarah the moment the door closed.
"He's lost a lot of blood," said the doctor, and Sarah waited, rigid. "The bullet tore an artery and broke two ribs." She sighed. "They've managed to stop an internal bleed quickly enough but it will take time to see his reaction to the transfusions."
Sarah shut her eyes, letting out a breath, feeling no better now than she had. "Thank you," she said anyway.
"I will keep you updated on his status," she went on. "But we're treating it as a…" She looked at the clipboard in her hands. "Packing knife injury?"
Sarah nodded. "It's a matter of national security and the Official Secrets Act that this stay between you, the paramedics and the doctors in that room."
The woman nodded, seeming slightly intimidated by that, but trying not to. "Understood." she said.
Sarah thanked her again and the doctor left her alone in the empty room. Sarah checked to make sure the door was fully closed, then pulled out her cell phone and called Casey.
"He's still in surgery. They're saying it's too early to tell." she told him before he had a chance to speak.
A slight pause, then: "There could be worse news." There was an emotion in Casey's voice, and it surprised Sarah a little. She was used to hearing the man's robotic-like responses. And here, he almost sounded worried. Up until now she didn't think he had that emotion. Or many at all, really.
"Tracked the Fulcrum agent," said Casey, and Sarah realized the fuzzy background from his line was from driving, at apparently quite the speed. "Caught the license plate going east. He took out the store's security cameras and hacked the CCTV four blocks around, but not ours. We got his facial recognition. Chuck said his name was Agent Bradford."
Sarah nodded, feeling her chest loosen a little. "Do you have a team to cut him off if you—"
"I've got six."
Sarah smiled.
Casey had never called more than three backup teams, for anything.
"Try to keep him alive," she said, the words half-hearted, shaped by her orders and not her interests.
"No promises."
That made her grin, until she remembered where she was, and why she was here.
The expression faltered.
"I'll keep you updated," she said, and hung up. Sarah took a moment to compose herself—or, uncompose herself—to resume her role as the scared, worried girlfriend.
Which wasn't hard at all to fake.
Sarah walked back into the waiting room, and relayed the update to Morgan.
The two of them sat side-by-side in silence.
And suddenly Sarah was missing Chuck. His rambling in a panic-inducing situation, his determination and courage that always came out of nowhere.
She could really use some of that now.
She could really use him right now.
But what if he didn't make it through?
She felt a hot tear run down her cheek and, surprised, she hastily wiped it away.
She hardly ever cries.
Another came.
She let herself cry, however.
It was good for the cover.
Chapter 3
Chapter Text
The entire car ride to the hospital was silent.
Ellie could hardly breathe.
Anything that made Devon as pale as he was now wasn't good. He was more optimistic than most medical professionals when it came to medical complications, definitely more than she was, but that could easily have to do with her tendency to overthink, well, everything.
Which she was absolutely, one hundred percent doing right now.
Her mind was spinning endlessly, supplying horrifying scenarios of what might happen to Chuck…
And it certainly didn't help that the last (several) messages Chuck had received from her, she'd been upset with him.
"Ellie," said Devon softly as he pulled swiftly into the hospital parking lot. "He'll be okay."
Another tear fell down her cheek. How can he always read my mind? "But what if he isn't? Devon, what if…"
"Don't go there," he said gently.
Too late.
They both practically ran on their way through the hospital. Every time a doctor or nurse recognized them, a look of pity washed over their faces. Ellie ignored them, trying to stop the burning in her eyes.
Once they made it to the OR waiting room, Ellie spotted Morgan sitting in one of the chairs. "Morgan!" she called.
He snapped his head up, and he looked like a lost puppy.
"Where's Sarah?" asked Devon.
"She's talking with a doctor," said Morgan, gesturing off to a closed door.
"In private?" asked Devon with a raised brow, and it made Ellie's heart beat faster. That wasn't normal protocol.
But they didn't need to wait long; just then, the door opened and Sarah walked back into the waiting room.
"Sarah!" cried Ellie, voice just barely edging on hysteria. "Morgan said you were talking with Chuck's surgeon; what did they say? Is he okay?"
"They said," said Sarah unevenly, "that he lost a lot of blood, and something about hitting an artery."
Ellie let out a sharp breath, echoing Awesome's. Morgan looked lost at the words, but paled even more from Ellie and Awesome's reactions.
"They also said," continued Sarah, looking shaken and slightly intimidated by Ellie, "that it'll depend on how well he reacts to the transfusions."
Ellie couldn't stop the tears anymore.
She let them fall, her worry breaking a sob out of her chest.
There was no way to know right now, and to imagine losing Chuck—her little brother, her family, her best friend—was too much to take.
Awesome quickly took her in his arms, pulling her gently to his chest. He held one hand to her head, and with the other, rubbed her back with his thumb and whispered, "He'll be okay, El. He'll pull through."
She shut her eyes, unable to help the tears.
For over a year now, she's felt like she's been losing Chuck.
She can't lose him for real.
She just can't.
It was a long two hours until they heard more news.
Two hours of Ellie voicing her fears to Awesome in between tears.
Two hours of Sarah staring unseeingly at the doors to the operating room.
Two hours of Awesome harassing his coworkers for news—any news—of how Chuck was doing, but always coming up empty.
And two hours of Morgan being rigid and quiet, so much so that Ellie had nearly forgotten he was there.
The minute Awesome sat back down from another unsuccessful harassment attempt, the doctor who'd spoken alone with Sarah came back out of the double doors and all four of them jumped to their feet.
"Is Chuck okay?" demanded Ellie. She grabbed Awesome's hand as she pleaded with the doctor, "Please, Jen. Just tell us."
The doctor—Jen—smiled tiredly. "He pulled through."
A collective sigh of relief from all four of them.
"He's reacting well to the transfusions." she said. "The, er…" A half-second look toward Sarah that Ellie didn't quite understand. "...knife hit a really unfortunate area. It caused quite a complicated clean up."
Ellie let out a breath.
At least Chuck was okay.
"You can see him in a little bit," she said with a grin. "He'll be fine, El," she said, taking in Ellie's distress.
Awesome pulled Ellie right to his chest again and Sarah watched, enduring the rare sense of emptiness inside her.
Morgan sat back to the chair, face just a little too pale.
Something stirred within her and Sarah put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up.
"He's okay," she said quietly.
He smiled a little and nodded.
With a whisper that she'd be back, Sarah excused herself from the waiting room, looking overcome with emotion. Ellie understood the feeling, and it made her glad to know Chuck had someone who loved him as much as Ellie did herself.
Ellie gratefully took the tissue that Devon handed her, and wiped more fresh tears. Even with the news that he was going to be just fine, the liquid emotion was likely to burn trails down her cheeks for the rest of the day.
She was fully ready to chastise Chuck the moment he woke up for being so careless with knives and making her panic. At the same moment, however, she was going to hug him so tightly and remind him once again just how much he means to her and how damned much it would hurt to lose her only real family left.
"I don't get it," she said out loud, shaking her head, the question nagging at the back of her mind.
"What?" asked Devon, sitting next to her.
"Morgan," she said instead, aiming her words at the younger man sitting stock-still in the chair a few away from hers. He looked up with surprise. Ellie asked, "What was Chuck even doing with a knife?"
"I don't know," said Morgan after a second, looking like his mind had been on a similar subject. "I mean, I coulda sworn I opened those boxes earlier this morning." he said faintly. "Maybe we got in another shipment?" He shook his head. "But no one's ever had a problem with the knives before. No one's ever had any kind of accident." He looked up. "I mean, Jeff and Lester work there. If someone was going to do something like this, you'd think it would be one of them." He paused before adding, "Or me."
"He makes a solid point," mused Devon with a frown.
"Well," said Ellie finitely, "Chuck's never opening another box ever again."
Devon gave her a slightly odd look. "Ever? What about cereal?"
Ellie glared at him. "Not now."
He held up his hands in mock surrender.
Casey smiled grimly.
His entire body was rigid behind the wheel of the Vic, and he was pushing seventy.
Just ahead of him was the van Chuck's shooter took off in.
And just ahead of the van, about half a mile down the one way road, were three cars parked in an NSA blockade, guns drawn and ready.
Casey gunned his car, the engine growling just as Casey did, yanking his wheel to strike the back of the van, sending it skidding, crashing on its side.
Haphazardly throwing the Vic in park, Casey grabbed his gun and kicked open the door.
The Fulcrum agent was climbing out of the broken passenger window, bleeding from a cut on his forehead from the crash. He ran, twisting around with his own gun toward Casey. But he was far too slow. Casey felt a blast of satisfaction as he aimed and fired, the bullet striking the agent's shoulder—unfortunately non-fatally—and sent him to the ground with an agonized grunt.
Two other NSA agents approached him quickly, taking his gun and hauling him off the ground.
The agents held him, both grasping one of the struggling agent's arms, and Casey walked dangerously up to him. He glared at the agent, every ounce of hatred that for the first time was far past the fact that this man betrayed his government and his country.
This was personal.
He stopped inches away from the agent, eyes glowering, his finger itching to pull the trigger on the man about ten more times.
"Agent Bradford," growled Casey.
"Do what you want to me," he growled right back, almost enough anger to match Casey's. "I got what I wanted." A grim smile. "I killed who I wanted."
Casey felt familiar red-hot fury boil his blood.
Because Chuck's fate was still up in the air.
And he was quickly finding that if Chuck didn't pull through…
Something very foreign suddenly hurt his chest.
He let the anger build, slamming the muzzle of his gun under the agent's chin, forcing his head up. The agent gasped, but held Casey's glare. "Why'd you shoot him," he demanded. When he said nothing, Casey shoved the gun against him harder, and cocked it.
"I was in one of the highest-ranking flanks of Fulcrum," he snarled. "One mistake, because of that bumbling non-agent, Carmichael. I was the running the operation with the Black Widow. She and the team were captured, I wasn't. I underestimated that idiot, and Fulcrum demoted me to the bottom of the damn barrel." His eyes narrowed. "Carmichael got what he deserved," he spat.
Revenge.
Chuck was shot, and possibly killed, for petty revenge.
As much as Casey forgot—or pretended to forget—that Chuck didn't ask for this life, he was fully aware of that fact.
He didn't deserve any of this.
Least of all for it to potentially take his life.
"Well," said Casey in a voice dark with the promise of hurt, "be assured, that you will get what you deserve. I will make sure of that, personally," he growled, every emphasis punctuated with another jab of the gun. He removed it from under the agent's chin, telling the two NSA agents, "Get him in a holding cell. I'm not done with him." They started to drag him away, but Casey said, "Wait."
Then, he promptly punched the agent across the face, with so much force it nearly knocked him out of the agents' grip.
Casey watched them drag the agent away, his chest burning with more than the physical exertion.
The hand holding his gun was shaking.
Just then, his phone buzzed.
He picked it up after half a ring.
"He pulled through," came Sarah's voice through the phone. "Chuck pulled through, he'll be okay."
Casey shut his eyes, that hurt in his chest easing the slightest bit.
And it felt so… so strange to…
Feel.
He attempted to shake it off, glad no one could see him when he let loose the smallest of genuine smiles. "Roger that."
"And the Fulcrum agent?"
"In custody," said Casey, watching him get thrown in the back of an NSA vehicle, rather gracelessly. "Unfortunately still alive," he added.
He heard a release of breath from her. "Good. Keep him… mostly that way."
Another slight grin. "Looking forward to it. Everything under control there?"
"I've briefed the doctor," she confirmed. "And Chuck's family and Morgan believe that it's the knife injury. We'll have to doctor some reports to sell it to his sister."
Casey nodded, making a mental note to send one of the teams on that right after he hung up. "Bartowski's just going to have to be careful now," he said. "That wound is a bullet wound even to the untrained eye."
They hung up simultaneously, and Casey stood in silence for half a second.
Chuck pulled through, he'll be okay.
That was the strange feeling running through him.
Relief.
He got back in his car, feeling just a little lighter.
After talking with Casey, it took another half an hour for the doctor to allow Chuck visitors. Sarah waited until Ellie returned to go in herself after a verbal nudge from Morgan.
Chuck was as pale as the sheets he lay beneath. Sarah felt her heart break a little at the sight of him, feeling it sink guilt's teeth into her chest.
She lowered herself into the chair beside his bed and, hesitantly, took his hand. It's for the cover, she told herself, again, but every bone in her body knew she was lying.
"Chuck?" she asked in a choked whisper. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be in the hospital for a gunshot wound. He didn't deserve to feel that kind of pain. His family didn't deserve to worry about him.
He didn't deserve this life.
He didn't deserve for her not to be there to protect him.
That was her job, damnit.
"You're gonna be okay, Chuck," she found herself saying. "We caught the agent who did this and…" Anger rushed up her spine so quickly it stole her breath. She breathed out. Opened her eyes. "You're gonna be okay. Because I'm never going to let this happen to you again."
She stroked her thumb over his hand, feeling a hot tear trail down her cheek.
And even she knew it stopped being for the cover a long, long time ago.
Chuck woke to pain, and a voice.
Someone was talking, or rambling more like it.
"...and I know I can be overprotective and go all crazy-big-sister on you," the voice was saying, "but I just care about you and I miss having you around all the time, and I—"
Chuck gained a little more consciousness, feeling a harsh discomfort somewhere in his stomach. He might have groaned, and he felt a hand take his.
"Chuck! Chuck, can you hear me?"
Chuck hesitated; he suddenly recognized that voice.
His ascent to reality sped up and he opened his eyes. A white room blurred into view, and then more familiarly, he saw Ellie's face leaning worriedly over his.
Chuck looked at her in confusion. "El?" he managed.
She smiled. "Yeah, it's me, little brother. You had us really worried, you know that?"
Chuck screwed up his face deeper in confusion. "Why?"
Ellie's face fell a little; she seemed to think he'd remember. "You got hurt," she said quietly. Then, Big Sister kicked in: "Do you have any idea how scared I was when they told me what you did? How could you do something so dangerous?"
Chuck blinked. Hurt? When did he—
Memories flooded in all at once. He saw the storage cage, saw the Fulcrum agent, then—
The agent shot him.
He had been shot.
Ellie knew?
Oh no…
"I didn't… want to do it," he said, his voice still raspy. He had to explain his spy life to her now?! How on earth… "El, you… gotta understand. I didn't want to do it. It just kind of happened and I never wanted to be a sp—"
"That's it," said Ellie shaking her head, tightening her hold on Chuck's hand. "I'm suing that stupid store. If you're saying they forced you to cut open that box and hurt yourself so badly then—"
"Wait, box?" repeated Chuck. What is she talking about?
Ellie just looked at him even more worriedly. "Chuck, did you hit your head when you fell?" She gently started feeling his head and Chuck tried to shake her off.
"Uh, no—I jus'—"
"Chuck?"
Chuck opened his eyes. His heart jumped before he even saw her.
Sarah walked into the room with two coffees in her hands. She quickly put them down on a table and rushed to his side. "You're awake!" she stopped herself at the side of the bed, then flicked her eyes toward Ellie, then leaned over him to hug him and kiss his cheek. Chuck felt a tingle run down his spine.
Ellie smiled at him and squeezed his arm. She seemed to sense the major I-want-to-be-alone-with-Chuck vibes radiating from Sarah, and with incredible reluctance, Ellie said, "I'm glad you're okay, Chuck. I'll… be back in a minute."
She got up and, slowly, left the two of them alone.
"Are you feeling okay?" asked Sarah gently.
"More confused than anything…" he said. "I… did I get… shot?"
Sarah's face fell a little. She nodded, lowering her voice. "The bullet hit an artery, and broke two ribs. You… you lost a lot of blood."
Chuck just stared at her, trying to fathom it. Shot. He'd been shot.
"I'm sorry," said Sarah quietly, so quietly he almost missed it.
Chuck looked up. "For what?"
Sarah looked at him in disbelief. "I should have been there. I should have… protected you."
Chuck swallowed, still trying to wrap his head around it all, but more than anything he hated seeing her so upset. He gave her that crooked smile of his, trying to make her feel better. One of them should. "It's all right. I'm still here, right?"
It didn't seem to make her feel any better. But she shook it off a bit and looked over her shoulder toward where Ellie went. She turned back to Chuck. "Before she comes back, you should know your cover. You were at the Buy More cutting open a box with a packing knife and you lost control, stabbing yourself by accident."
"Oh," said Chuck. "That's what Ellie meant." The moment he was shot was a complete blur, but he could remember fragments, and a part of the memory where he told Morgan he cut himself.
Sarah nodded. "We can't do anything about the scar yet, not before you heal some more, but the CIA has plastic surgeons that can erase the scar once you're healed, and give you a facsimile of a knife wound scar."
Chuck's brows shot up. "And… how do they do that?" he asked tentatively.
Sarah smiled sadly. "It's an intricate tattoo, in essence."
Chuck swallowed hard. "Needles?"
Sarah squeezed his arm, smiling a little at his almost comical expression. "You're not awake during the operation, Chuck. You don't feel a thing."
At this point he should know how intricate spy agencies get. Erasing things as if they never existed.
"Hey!" said a voice floating into the room. "Chuck!"
Chuck smiled tiredly. "Hey, Morgan."
Morgan sat in the chair Ellie had vacated. "Damn, I'm glad you're okay!"
"That makes two of us," said Chuck with a weak laugh, followed by a wince as something twinged painfully. He felt Sarah's grip on him tighten just a little.
"Man," breathed Morgan, shaking his head. "I had no idea how dangerous opening those boxes were! I've been opening those every single day for years and always lurking around the corner, sudden death waited." He shook his head to himself and Chuck and Sarah simply… witnessed his monologue. "Well, I'm not taking that for granted ever again, I'll tell you that much."
"Buddy," said Chuck. "I just made a stupid mistake. You'll be all right. I shouldn't have been in such a hurry."
Morgan rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just weird, though," he mumbled. "I thought we already took care of that shipment. I did it this morning. We didn't get another. What were you trying to—"
Chuck and Sarah shared a look, but were saved by an Awesome-shaped bell.
"There he is," said a voice by the open doorway. The three occupants looked up to see Awesome and Ellie returning to the room with some food. Both of them—actually, all four of his family— looked exhausted and worn. Chuck's face fell a little. It made him wonder just how close a call it was. He hated that he made them worry.
"Hi, Awe—Devon," said Chuck.
"Good to see you awake, bro," said Awesome. "You gave us a major scare. I didn't know how life threatening the Buy More could get."
Ellie swatted him with her hand and the mood dropped significantly. Chuck swallowed. That answers that question.
Chuck forced a smile. "I'm okay now," he said. "Sorry I worried everyone."
Ellie sat back down in the chair she vacated and took his hand. Her concern was bright in her eyes but there was a warmth in them—a love. Despite him being the worst brother in the history of ever… he still had the best, most caring sister in the world. And that meant more to him than anything.
The best, most caring sister… who almost just lost him.
He needed to get the Intersect out of his head.
He was beginning to have more reasons to do so than secrets in his head.
The entire car ride to the hospital was silent.
Ellie could hardly breathe.
Anything that made Devon as pale as he was now wasn't good. He was more optimistic than most medical professionals when it came to medical complications, definitely more than she was, but that could easily have to do with her tendency to overthink, well, everything.
Which she was absolutely, one hundred percent doing right now.
Her mind was spinning endlessly, supplying horrifying scenarios of what might happen to Chuck…
And it certainly didn't help that the last (several) messages Chuck had received from her, she'd been upset with him.
"Ellie," said Devon softly as he pulled swiftly into the hospital parking lot. "He'll be okay."
Another tear fell down her cheek. How can he always read my mind? "But what if he isn't? Devon, what if…"
"Don't go there," he said gently.
Too late.
They both practically ran on their way through the hospital. Every time a doctor or nurse recognized them, a look of pity washed over their faces. Ellie ignored them, trying to stop the burning in her eyes.
Once they made it to the OR waiting room, Ellie spotted Morgan sitting in one of the chairs. "Morgan!" she called.
He snapped his head up, and he looked like a lost puppy.
"Where's Sarah?" asked Devon.
"She's talking with a doctor," said Morgan, gesturing off to a closed door.
"In private?" asked Devon with a raised brow, and it made Ellie's heart beat faster. That wasn't normal protocol.
But they didn't need to wait long; just then, the door opened and Sarah walked back into the waiting room.
"Sarah!" cried Ellie, voice just barely edging on hysteria. "Morgan said you were talking with Chuck's surgeon; what did they say? Is he okay?"
"They said," said Sarah unevenly, "that he lost a lot of blood, and something about hitting an artery."
Ellie let out a sharp breath, echoing Awesome's. Morgan looked lost at the words, but paled even more from Ellie and Awesome's reactions.
"They also said," continued Sarah, looking shaken and slightly intimidated by Ellie, "that it'll depend on how well he reacts to the transfusions."
Ellie couldn't stop the tears anymore.
She let them fall, her worry breaking a sob out of her chest.
There was no way to know right now, and to imagine losing Chuck—her little brother, her family, her best friend—was too much to take.
Awesome quickly took her in his arms, pulling her gently to his chest. He held one hand to her head, and with the other, rubbed her back with his thumb and whispered, "He'll be okay, El. He'll pull through."
She shut her eyes, unable to help the tears.
For over a year now, she's felt like she's been losing Chuck.
She can't lose him for real.
She just can't.
It was a long two hours until they heard more news.
Two hours of Ellie voicing her fears to Awesome in between tears.
Two hours of Sarah staring unseeingly at the doors to the operating room.
Two hours of Awesome harassing his coworkers for news—any news—of how Chuck was doing, but always coming up empty.
And two hours of Morgan being rigid and quiet, so much so that Ellie had nearly forgotten he was there.
The minute Awesome sat back down from another unsuccessful harassment attempt, the doctor who'd spoken alone with Sarah came back out of the double doors and all four of them jumped to their feet.
"Is Chuck okay?" demanded Ellie. She grabbed Awesome's hand as she pleaded with the doctor, "Please, Jen. Just tell us."
The doctor—Jen—smiled tiredly. "He pulled through."
A collective sigh of relief from all four of them.
"He's reacting well to the transfusions." she said. "The, er…" A half-second look toward Sarah that Ellie didn't quite understand. "...knife hit a really unfortunate area. It caused quite a complicated clean up."
Ellie let out a breath.
At least Chuck was okay.
"You can see him in a little bit," she said with a grin. "He'll be fine, El," she said, taking in Ellie's distress.
Awesome pulled Ellie right to his chest again and Sarah watched, enduring the rare sense of emptiness inside her.
Morgan sat back to the chair, face just a little too pale.
Something stirred within her and Sarah put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up.
"He's okay," she said quietly.
He smiled a little and nodded.
With a whisper that she'd be back, Sarah excused herself from the waiting room, looking overcome with emotion. Ellie understood the feeling, and it made her glad to know Chuck had someone who loved him as much as Ellie did herself.
Ellie gratefully took the tissue that Devon handed her, and wiped more fresh tears. Even with the news that he was going to be just fine, the liquid emotion was likely to burn trails down her cheeks for the rest of the day.
She was fully ready to chastise Chuck the moment he woke up for being so careless with knives and making her panic. At the same moment, however, she was going to hug him so tightly and remind him once again just how much he means to her and how damned much it would hurt to lose her only real family left.
"I don't get it," she said out loud, shaking her head, the question nagging at the back of her mind.
"What?" asked Devon, sitting next to her.
"Morgan," she said instead, aiming her words at the younger man sitting stock-still in the chair a few away from hers. He looked up with surprise. Ellie asked, "What was Chuck even doing with a knife?"
"I don't know," said Morgan after a second, looking like his mind had been on a similar subject. "I mean, I coulda sworn I opened those boxes earlier this morning." he said faintly. "Maybe we got in another shipment?" He shook his head. "But no one's ever had a problem with the knives before. No one's ever had any kind of accident." He looked up. "I mean, Jeff and Lester work there. If someone was going to do something like this, you'd think it would be one of them." He paused before adding, "Or me."
"He makes a solid point," mused Devon with a frown.
"Well," said Ellie finitely, "Chuck's never opening another box ever again."
Devon gave her a slightly odd look. "Ever? What about cereal?"
Ellie glared at him. "Not now."
He held up his hands in mock surrender.
Casey smiled grimly.
His entire body was rigid behind the wheel of the Vic, and he was pushing seventy.
Just ahead of him was the van Chuck's shooter took off in.
And just ahead of the van, about half a mile down the one way road, were three cars parked in an NSA blockade, guns drawn and ready.
Casey gunned his car, the engine growling just as Casey did, yanking his wheel to strike the back of the van, sending it skidding, crashing on its side.
Haphazardly throwing the Vic in park, Casey grabbed his gun and kicked open the door.
The Fulcrum agent was climbing out of the broken passenger window, bleeding from a cut on his forehead from the crash. He ran, twisting around with his own gun toward Casey. But he was far too slow. Casey felt a blast of satisfaction as he aimed and fired, the bullet striking the agent's shoulder—unfortunately non-fatally—and sent him to the ground with an agonized grunt.
Two other NSA agents approached him quickly, taking his gun and hauling him off the ground.
The agents held him, both grasping one of the struggling agent's arms, and Casey walked dangerously up to him. He glared at the agent, every ounce of hatred that for the first time was far past the fact that this man betrayed his government and his country.
This was personal.
He stopped inches away from the agent, eyes glowering, his finger itching to pull the trigger on the man about ten more times.
"Agent Bradford," growled Casey.
"Do what you want to me," he growled right back, almost enough anger to match Casey's. "I got what I wanted." A grim smile. "I killed who I wanted."
Casey felt familiar red-hot fury boil his blood.
Because Chuck's fate was still up in the air.
And he was quickly finding that if Chuck didn't pull through…
Something very foreign suddenly hurt his chest.
He let the anger build, slamming the muzzle of his gun under the agent's chin, forcing his head up. The agent gasped, but held Casey's glare. "Why'd you shoot him," he demanded. When he said nothing, Casey shoved the gun against him harder, and cocked it.
"I was in one of the highest-ranking flanks of Fulcrum," he snarled. "One mistake, because of that bumbling non-agent, Carmichael. I was the running the operation with the Black Widow. She and the team were captured, I wasn't. I underestimated that idiot, and Fulcrum demoted me to the bottom of the damn barrel." His eyes narrowed. "Carmichael got what he deserved," he spat.
Revenge.
Chuck was shot, and possibly killed, for petty revenge.
As much as Casey forgot—or pretended to forget—that Chuck didn't ask for this life, he was fully aware of that fact.
He didn't deserve any of this.
Least of all for it to potentially take his life.
"Well," said Casey in a voice dark with the promise of hurt, "be assured, that you will get what you deserve. I will make sure of that, personally," he growled, every emphasis punctuated with another jab of the gun. He removed it from under the agent's chin, telling the two NSA agents, "Get him in a holding cell. I'm not done with him." They started to drag him away, but Casey said, "Wait."
Then, he promptly punched the agent across the face, with so much force it nearly knocked him out of the agents' grip.
Casey watched them drag the agent away, his chest burning with more than the physical exertion.
The hand holding his gun was shaking.
Just then, his phone buzzed.
He picked it up after half a ring.
"He pulled through," came Sarah's voice through the phone. "Chuck pulled through, he'll be okay."
Casey shut his eyes, that hurt in his chest easing the slightest bit.
And it felt so… so strange to…
Feel.
He attempted to shake it off, glad no one could see him when he let loose the smallest of genuine smiles. "Roger that."
"And the Fulcrum agent?"
"In custody," said Casey, watching him get thrown in the back of an NSA vehicle, rather gracelessly. "Unfortunately still alive," he added.
He heard a release of breath from her. "Good. Keep him… mostly that way."
Another slight grin. "Looking forward to it. Everything under control there?"
"I've briefed the doctor," she confirmed. "And Chuck's family and Morgan believe that it's the knife injury. We'll have to doctor some reports to sell it to his sister."
Casey nodded, making a mental note to send one of the teams on that right after he hung up. "Bartowski's just going to have to be careful now," he said. "That wound is a bullet wound even to the untrained eye."
They hung up simultaneously, and Casey stood in silence for half a second.
Chuck pulled through, he'll be okay.
That was the strange feeling running through him.
Relief.
He got back in his car, feeling just a little lighter.
After talking with Casey, it took another half an hour for the doctor to allow Chuck visitors. Sarah waited until Ellie returned to go in herself after a verbal nudge from Morgan.
Chuck was as pale as the sheets he lay beneath. Sarah felt her heart break a little at the sight of him, feeling it sink guilt's teeth into her chest.
She lowered herself into the chair beside his bed and, hesitantly, took his hand. It's for the cover, she told herself, again, but every bone in her body knew she was lying.
"Chuck?" she asked in a choked whisper. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be in the hospital for a gunshot wound. He didn't deserve to feel that kind of pain. His family didn't deserve to worry about him.
He didn't deserve this life.
He didn't deserve for her not to be there to protect him.
That was her job, damnit.
"You're gonna be okay, Chuck," she found herself saying. "We caught the agent who did this and…" Anger rushed up her spine so quickly it stole her breath. She breathed out. Opened her eyes. "You're gonna be okay. Because I'm never going to let this happen to you again."
She stroked her thumb over his hand, feeling a hot tear trail down her cheek.
And even she knew it stopped being for the cover a long, long time ago.
Chuck woke to pain, and a voice.
Someone was talking, or rambling more like it.
"...and I know I can be overprotective and go all crazy-big-sister on you," the voice was saying, "but I just care about you and I miss having you around all the time, and I—"
Chuck gained a little more consciousness, feeling a harsh discomfort somewhere in his stomach. He might have groaned, and he felt a hand take his.
"Chuck! Chuck, can you hear me?"
Chuck hesitated; he suddenly recognized that voice.
His ascent to reality sped up and he opened his eyes. A white room blurred into view, and then more familiarly, he saw Ellie's face leaning worriedly over his.
Chuck looked at her in confusion. "El?" he managed.
She smiled. "Yeah, it's me, little brother. You had us really worried, you know that?"
Chuck screwed up his face deeper in confusion. "Why?"
Ellie's face fell a little; she seemed to think he'd remember. "You got hurt," she said quietly. Then, Big Sister kicked in: "Do you have any idea how scared I was when they told me what you did? How could you do something so dangerous?"
Chuck blinked. Hurt? When did he—
Memories flooded in all at once. He saw the storage cage, saw the Fulcrum agent, then—
The agent shot him.
He had been shot.
Ellie knew?
Oh no…
"I didn't… want to do it," he said, his voice still raspy. He had to explain his spy life to her now?! How on earth… "El, you… gotta understand. I didn't want to do it. It just kind of happened and I never wanted to be a sp—"
"That's it," said Ellie shaking her head, tightening her hold on Chuck's hand. "I'm suing that stupid store. If you're saying they forced you to cut open that box and hurt yourself so badly then—"
"Wait, box?" repeated Chuck. What is she talking about?
Ellie just looked at him even more worriedly. "Chuck, did you hit your head when you fell?" She gently started feeling his head and Chuck tried to shake her off.
"Uh, no—I jus'—"
"Chuck?"
Chuck opened his eyes. His heart jumped before he even saw her.
Sarah walked into the room with two coffees in her hands. She quickly put them down on a table and rushed to his side. "You're awake!" she stopped herself at the side of the bed, then flicked her eyes toward Ellie, then leaned over him to hug him and kiss his cheek. Chuck felt a tingle run down his spine.
Ellie smiled at him and squeezed his arm. She seemed to sense the major I-want-to-be-alone-with-Chuck vibes radiating from Sarah, and with incredible reluctance, Ellie said, "I'm glad you're okay, Chuck. I'll… be back in a minute."
She got up and, slowly, left the two of them alone.
"Are you feeling okay?" asked Sarah gently.
"More confused than anything…" he said. "I… did I get… shot?"
Sarah's face fell a little. She nodded, lowering her voice. "The bullet hit an artery, and broke two ribs. You… you lost a lot of blood."
Chuck just stared at her, trying to fathom it. Shot. He'd been shot.
"I'm sorry," said Sarah quietly, so quietly he almost missed it.
Chuck looked up. "For what?"
Sarah looked at him in disbelief. "I should have been there. I should have… protected you."
Chuck swallowed, still trying to wrap his head around it all, but more than anything he hated seeing her so upset. He gave her that crooked smile of his, trying to make her feel better. One of them should. "It's all right. I'm still here, right?"
It didn't seem to make her feel any better. But she shook it off a bit and looked over her shoulder toward where Ellie went. She turned back to Chuck. "Before she comes back, you should know your cover. You were at the Buy More cutting open a box with a packing knife and you lost control, stabbing yourself by accident."
"Oh," said Chuck. "That's what Ellie meant." The moment he was shot was a complete blur, but he could remember fragments, and a part of the memory where he told Morgan he cut himself.
Sarah nodded. "We can't do anything about the scar yet, not before you heal some more, but the CIA has plastic surgeons that can erase the scar once you're healed, and give you a facsimile of a knife wound scar."
Chuck's brows shot up. "And… how do they do that?" he asked tentatively.
Sarah smiled sadly. "It's an intricate tattoo, in essence."
Chuck swallowed hard. "Needles?"
Sarah squeezed his arm, smiling a little at his almost comical expression. "You're not awake during the operation, Chuck. You don't feel a thing."
At this point he should know how intricate spy agencies get. Erasing things as if they never existed.
"Hey!" said a voice floating into the room. "Chuck!"
Chuck smiled tiredly. "Hey, Morgan."
Morgan sat in the chair Ellie had vacated. "Damn, I'm glad you're okay!"
"That makes two of us," said Chuck with a weak laugh, followed by a wince as something twinged painfully. He felt Sarah's grip on him tighten just a little.
"Man," breathed Morgan, shaking his head. "I had no idea how dangerous opening those boxes were! I've been opening those every single day for years and always lurking around the corner, sudden death waited." He shook his head to himself and Chuck and Sarah simply… witnessed his monologue. "Well, I'm not taking that for granted ever again, I'll tell you that much."
"Buddy," said Chuck. "I just made a stupid mistake. You'll be all right. I shouldn't have been in such a hurry."
Morgan rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just weird, though," he mumbled. "I thought we already took care of that shipment. I did it this morning. We didn't get another. What were you trying to—"
Chuck and Sarah shared a look, but were saved by an Awesome-shaped bell.
"There he is," said a voice by the open doorway. The three occupants looked up to see Awesome and Ellie returning to the room with some food. Both of them—actually, all four of his family— looked exhausted and worn. Chuck's face fell a little. It made him wonder just how close a call it was. He hated that he made them worry.
"Hi, Awe—Devon," said Chuck.
"Good to see you awake, bro," said Awesome. "You gave us a major scare. I didn't know how life threatening the Buy More could get."
Ellie swatted him with her hand and the mood dropped significantly. Chuck swallowed. That answers that question.
Chuck forced a smile. "I'm okay now," he said. "Sorry I worried everyone."
Ellie sat back down in the chair she vacated and took his hand. Her concern was bright in her eyes but there was a warmth in them—a love. Despite him being the worst brother in the history of ever… he still had the best, most caring sister in the world. And that meant more to him than anything.
The best, most caring sister… who almost just lost him.
He needed to get the Intersect out of his head.
He was beginning to have more reasons to do so than secrets in his head.
Chapter 4
Chapter Text
"Home sweet home," said Awesome as he opened the door to Ellie's and his apartment.
It's been two days since Chuck was shot, and he was finally dismissed from the hospital.
Chuck followed Awesome in, with Ellie on his one side, and Sarah on his other. Sarah was doing a fantastic job of looking like she was holding his arm out of intimacy, when she was actually holding a good portion of Chuck's weight.
For a gunshot wound like his, it's normally a longer stay in the hospital and a wheelchair trip home. But this situation was a little different.
"I have to leave already?" asked Chuck when Sarah and Casey visited him early that morning. "I… I can't really even sit up yet," he admitted.
"Because Ellie and Awesome believe that your injury is less dangerous than it really was, someone with a lesser injury wouldn't stay as long as someone with a gunshot wound like this one," Sarah had explained sadly. "It's for the cover."
"Normally no one would question an extended stay," Casey had muttered, "but since your sister and Doctor Doolittle are, well, doctors, can't slip it past them like that. They might ask questions."
So, here he was, Sarah keeping him from completely falling over. Ellie had set up the couch with pillows and blankets and snacks on the table. Chuck smiled when he saw it. She really is the best.
Sarah helped him over to the couch and lowered him down gently. His abdomen burned but he did his best to keep it out of his face. The less Ellie could question, the better.
"How are you feeling?" asked Ellie, standing by the coffee table, looking at him expectantly. "Can I get you anything?"
"I'm okay, El," said Chuck with a smile. "Just… tired."
"That'll fade over the next day or two," said Ellie, sitting on his other side. "The blood loss will really deplete your energy, but it should be coming back very soon. And the stitches will come off in a few weeks. How's the pain?"
Chuck exchanged a quick glance with Sarah before saying, "Uh, it's… uh… better." He cleared his throat a little.
"Well," said Ellie, "we should be checking those stitches every few hours to make sure they don't get infected." As fear chilled Chuck's veins, Ellie sat up. "Want to lift your shirt really quick? I can check for you."
Chuck shot Sarah a nervous glance, and he could see it reflected in her eyes. This is going to be harder than we thought. "Y-You know, El," said Chuck shakily. "I got it. I think I can handle it. Thanks, though, sis."
"But do you know what to look for?" asked Ellie with furrowed brows and clear disappointment.
Encouraged, Chuck said, "Yeah, totally. The doc briefed me and Sarah on it right before we left."
He felt Sarah tighten a grip on his arm. "Yeah, he did. And I'd love to be there for Chuck, I can handle making sure the stitches look all right."
Ellie's disappointment deepened, and Chuck tried not to think about how excited Ellie always got when he was hurt, even if it was only so she could help him feel better. "Ellie," said Chuck, putting a hand on her arm. "You're doing so much for me already. We got this one."
She let out a long breath. "Okay, fine. It's just that I am a doctor and you can take full advantage of having a sister as a—"
"Ellie," came Awesome's voice as he walked back in the room. "If they want to use the stitches as an excuse to remove some clothing, let 'em."
Chuck and Sarah both let go of each other and felt the awkwardness roll over them as Ellie said, "Devon, gross. That's my brother."
She and Awesome moved into the kitchen and Chuck sighed. "That was close," he whispered to Sarah.
She sighed too. "Do you want to stay with me until you're better?"
Just the thought made his heart spike in speed. But he shook his head. "It would make Ellie feel awful. I'd rather take the risk and not completely upset her. And besides," he added, "you know she'd show up every half an hour with soup or something."
Sarah's lips twitched. "She's a great sister."
Chuck smiled, looking toward her. "I know." His smile faded a little and his hand ghosted his injury.
Sarah seemed to understand. "I won't let anyone hurt you again." Again was spoken quieter, like it was hard to get out.
"Sarah," said Chuck earnestly. "I don't blame you for this. I don't even blame Casey." That was an attempt at a joke but it didn't fall humorously. "Look," said Chuck, "so far you've saved me from dozens of life threatening events. You're the best handler I could have asked for. If we really need to blame someone, I blame Bryce for getting me into this mess in the first place."
Sarah couldn't help a sad little laugh at that.
"Though I'm glad it brought us together," said Chuck. But when he realized together could mean more than he intended, he quickly amended with, "Together as friends. Colleagues. Uh, y'know, fellow Burbank residents. That kinda together…"
Sarah just rolled her eyes. "Well, you should be back on your feet soon. You might have to get back to work a bit quicker than someone with a gunshot wound would," she said quietly, "But we'll help you." A pause. "Well, I'll help you."
Chuck laughed, then winced. Sarah's hold tightened on his arm. "I'm okay," he said. "I keep forgetting not to laugh."
"Guess I chose the wrong time to start being funny," quipped Sarah dryly.
"Right," said Chuck with a smile. "Our first 'date.' That was your thing. You weren't funny." His smile widened. "I must be rubbing off on you."
Sarah lightly swatted Chuck on the arm, but couldn't quite hide the grin herself.
"All right, listen up!"
The dozen or so Buy Morons quieted the chatter a bit at Big Mike's bellow. They were in the storage cage, which had since been cleaned up after Chuck's 'accident'. There was hardly any sign that there had even been an 'accident' thanks to the NSA.
Morgan was among the group, standing with Lester, Anna and Jeff.
"Now," said Big Mike, "as we all know, one of our own was involved in a packing knife accident."
"I was involved in a real knife accident," said Jeff aloud. "Cut off a toe. No one held a meeting."
"You weren't at work," said Morgan.
"And it wasn't your toe," added another disgruntled voice.
"All y'all, shut it!" yelled Big Mike again, and everyone did. He picked up a packing knife. "To get HR off my ass, I was told to hold a safety meeting. So, naturally," he held the knife out toward Emmett. "I got someone else to do it. Emmett, take it away."
Emmett took the knife and Big Mike nodded. "Don't let anyone bleed out," said Big Mike firmly, at which Emmett nodded, seeming to take that quite seriously.
After Big Mike left, Emmett surveyed the crowd. "Chuck Bartowski," he said with a hint of disgust, to which Morgan glared at him, "is going to make a full recovery… and unfortunately that means he will return." He ignored the negative comments shot his way. "He has proven," he said over the mutters, "that any minimum wage cog on the wheel can find a way to accidentally kill himself on one of these safety-conscious knives." More mutters, and Emmett raised his voice. "Now, let me demonstrate the correct way to open one of these packages." He chose a box and tried to open the top seal, but had trouble with it. It was clearly his first time trying to open a shipment box.
"Ten bucks he stabs himself," said Anna.
Lester turned toward her. "Twenty. You're on."
"I'm in," said Jeff. "Does it count if I just stab him?"
At the same time Lester said, "No!" Anna said, "Yes."
Morgan rubbed his face.
He missed Chuck already.
Chuck sighed from the couch, watching the fourth Sci-Fi movie he's watched in a row on the TV. Sarah had decided to spend the night, despite Chuck's assurance that he was fine. The Fulcrum agent was in custody, and that was a relief in of itself. In few words, Casey had told him that it was something about revenge. Chuck hadn't even been worried about that possibility, that he could piss off a bad guy enough to become a target that had nothing to do with the Intersect. He'd swallowed hard and both hoped that he hadn't pissed off any other bad guys, and moving forward swore to himself he'd try to stay in the car at all times.
That bullet almost killed him.
He'd been trying not to think about it, but it still snuck into his mind every quiet moment, and every pain in his abdomen.
And after seeing how he terrified Ellie, and even Morgan and Awesome…
He couldn't do that to them again.
He couldn't risk the outcome being… worse than what happened this time.
But something else he couldn't quite stop thinking about, the reaction that surprised him the most, that touched him, was Sarah's.
Her face was still practically colorless, her body rigid. Even when no one else was looking, when it was just the two of them alone in the room.
And Chuck couldn't quite figure out how much of it was for the cover and how much was for…
Him.
His mind kept running to that kiss, right before Thanksgiving last year. Before Bryce ruined it (what didn't he ruin?).
Then, the kiss they shared during the Black Widow mission.
"You heard her. I'm just an asset."
"Trust me. The lady doth protest too much."
Chuck sighed.
All these secrets in his head, and the only secret he wanted to know was how she actually felt about him.
"Can I get you anything?"
Chuck blinked at Ellie's voice as she walked around the couch, looking at him expectantly. He felt nervousness flit through him, and unconsciously pulled a pillow over his injury as a reflex. Sarah had been at his side all day long; this was the first time Chuck was alone with Ellie practically since he woke up. Sarah was outside getting out an overnight bag from her car that she apparently carried with her everywhere.
Chuck looked at the full table of snacks, the four blankets on him, and the five piled on the floor, and all the comic books from his room on the chair.
He looked at Ellie. "I don't think there's anything left to get," he joked.
"Do you need another pillow?" she asked. "Or do you want it fluffed?" She started to round the couch to fluff but Chuck quickly held up his hands.
"No, no, no…no fluffing necessary," he said, giving her a smile as she looked disappointed. "You've been great, Ellie. Thanks. You're the best sister a guy could ask for." She smiled. "But I'm okay. You don't have to go crazy," he said with a grin.
She sighed, sitting on the couch next to him. "It's just…" She looked at him, and Chuck could see the worry in her eyes. "I was really scared."
If it wouldn't have hurt to move, Chuck would have put his arm around her. He settled for placing his hand over hers. "I'm okay, El."
Her brows creased. "Okay. Just… promise me you'll never do anything dangerous again."
Chuck felt something painful stir in the pit of his stomach, and it had nothing to do with the gunshot wound. Guilt swam through his veins, making his heart beat faster.
Ellie stared at him, waiting.
Chuck hesitated. "I…"
"Ready for bed, babe?"
Chuck breathed out as Awesome came to his rescue. He poked his head in from the hallway.
Ellie sighed. "Be right there," she called. She stood, then looked back at Chuck. He fought a wince. Don't ask it again, don't ask— "Do you need help getting to bed?"
Phew.
"Uh, no," said Chuck, moving to get up. "I think I've got—" Except he really hasn't tried getting up on his own yet, as even earlier—and quite embarrassingly—Sarah helped him walk to the bathroom—so the moment he was off the couch…
...he was on the floor.
Luckily he landed on the uninjured side, but that didn't stop the other side from twinging sharply. Chuck sucked in a breath.
"Chuck!"
Two sets of footsteps ran for him, and Chuck painfully got himself to his knees. He smiled through a wince. "I'm good, I'm good—just, ah, got up too fast, that's all—"
Ellie knelt next to him, worry written all over her. "Chuck! Be careful!"
"I'm okay," said Chuck again, meaning it, as the pain began dying down.
"Let me help you," said Ellie.
"I've got 'em, babe."
Awesome reached down a hand on Chuck's other side, and Chuck reluctantly took it. Awesome lifted, helping Chuck to rise up on his knees, then he slipped an arm under Chuck's arms to slowly help him to his feet.
Chuck had to admit; it was a relief not to have to walk by himself. Considering he technically shouldn't have even left the hospital yet. "Thanks, Awe—Devon," said Chuck.
Awesome walked him to his room, gently setting him down on his bed. "Need anything, bro?"
Chuck tried to catch his breath. "No," he said, "No, I'm okay. Thanks."
Awesome nodded, about to close the door when Sarah returned.
He bid her a goodnight as well, and Sarah closed the door behind her. Looking at Chuck hesitantly, she asked, "Did they see anything?"
"Nope," said Chuck with a sigh, leaning back against his own pillows. "Dodged a bullet there." He froze at his own words, but more so at the look on Sarah's face. If possible, she lost more color. "Ah," he tried, clearing his throat. "I… I mean, no. No problems."
She managed to compose herself after a second. She swallowed, nodding a little. Sarah let out a breath, sitting in bed beside him. And it would never not make his heart beat faster to have her so close. "Sarah," he felt himself say. "You don't have to stay. I'll be all right. Casey caught the guy, and I'm… I'm okay."
She looked at him, meeting his eyes. Usually he couldn't read much of anything in her eyes, for they were always guarded. But now… he could see every emotion running through them. Fear. Worry. Guilt.
She smiled a little. "I know. But I…" If Chuck wasn't mistaken, a touch of shyness touched the words. "I want to stay."
Chuck felt himself smile too.
"Besides," said Sarah. "You do need someone to dress that injury in the morning. And I am trained in field medicine." She winked, and leaned over to click off the light.
Chuck stared at the ceiling, all too aware of how close she was, and knowing that she was closer to him now than she was the last time they did this.
On the other side of the bed, Sarah blinked at the darkness, listening to the sound of Chuck breathing, alive, okay beside her.
All too aware of the four knives and gun on her, not a wink of tiredness, she planned to keep it that way.
"Is he okay?"
Awesome nodded as he walked in his and Ellie's room, where Ellie was sitting in bed, reading.
"Mission complete," he assured her. He approached the bed, staring into space for a moment.
"What's wrong?" asked Ellie.
Awesome's brows kneaded. He lifted his head. "The knife just hit an artery, right?"
Ellie sat up. "Yeah." Her brows shifted. "Why?"
"Chuck's in a lot of pain," said Awesome. "He was out of breath by the time he got to his bed. They said he lost a lot of blood but there was no organ damage, no internal bleeding. The cleanup was minimal. You and I both saw the report." He shook his head a little in awe, remembering it. Both the report and x-rays showed just what they'd been told; the knife managed to hit an artery. However, for a knife to get that deep, avoiding his ribs? "Chuck managed one of the most unlucky, craziest knife wounds I've ever seen. But even so…" He looked at her. "Shouldn't he… not be in that much pain?" Awesome's treated a few people with knife injuries, usually the same type as Chuck's; accidents. They usually go home the same day, and might limp at the very least.
Chuck's injury lost him a lot of blood, which definitely explains his fatigue and poor sense of balance, but Awesome's seen that grimace, that wince.
It's not from knife wounds that only hit an artery.
And from the fact that Ellie had the same furrow in her brow, and Awesome saw an old medical textbook in her lap, she was as stumped as he was.
"I was wondering that too," said Ellie, biting her lip, closing the book. "But Chuck's always been, well, fragile. He's never done anything remotely dangerous. He did stay on crutches in middle school a lot longer than he needed to, and he loved Band Aids as a kid. Though that could have had more to do with the superheroes on them." she mused, brows furrowing more. "Maybe he has a lower pain tolerance than most people or something."
Awesome crossed his arms. "Yeah, that makes sense I guess." He winced. "Did we just call your brother a wuss?"
Ellie looked horrified. "No, no! He's just… he's Chuck, he's… he's not the… toughest… But I've never had a knife injury and neither have you; all injuries affect people differently. Maybe it's healing in an uncomfortable place."
"Yeah, you're right." He climbed into bed and kissed her. "We'll keep an eye on him. I think we should take a look at it tomorrow."
"He only wants Sarah to check the bandage," said Ellie with a little disappointment, and a touch of hurt.
"Well," said Awesome, "he's not exactly in a condition to put up a fight. And I'm sure you can take Sarah, she doesn't look very tough," he joked, and Ellie gave him a flat look. Seriously, he said, "We're going to make sure it's healing properly whether he wants us to or not."
Ellie smiled.
Awesome smiled right back.
"Home sweet home," said Awesome as he opened the door to Ellie's and his apartment.
It's been two days since Chuck was shot, and he was finally dismissed from the hospital.
Chuck followed Awesome in, with Ellie on his one side, and Sarah on his other. Sarah was doing a fantastic job of looking like she was holding his arm out of intimacy, when she was actually holding a good portion of Chuck's weight.
For a gunshot wound like his, it's normally a longer stay in the hospital and a wheelchair trip home. But this situation was a little different.
"I have to leave already?" asked Chuck when Sarah and Casey visited him early that morning. "I… I can't really even sit up yet," he admitted.
"Because Ellie and Awesome believe that your injury is less dangerous than it really was, someone with a lesser injury wouldn't stay as long as someone with a gunshot wound like this one," Sarah had explained sadly. "It's for the cover."
"Normally no one would question an extended stay," Casey had muttered, "but since your sister and Doctor Doolittle are, well, doctors, can't slip it past them like that. They might ask questions."
So, here he was, Sarah keeping him from completely falling over. Ellie had set up the couch with pillows and blankets and snacks on the table. Chuck smiled when he saw it. She really is the best.
Sarah helped him over to the couch and lowered him down gently. His abdomen burned but he did his best to keep it out of his face. The less Ellie could question, the better.
"How are you feeling?" asked Ellie, standing by the coffee table, looking at him expectantly. "Can I get you anything?"
"I'm okay, El," said Chuck with a smile. "Just… tired."
"That'll fade over the next day or two," said Ellie, sitting on his other side. "The blood loss will really deplete your energy, but it should be coming back very soon. And the stitches will come off in a few weeks. How's the pain?"
Chuck exchanged a quick glance with Sarah before saying, "Uh, it's… uh… better." He cleared his throat a little.
"Well," said Ellie, "we should be checking those stitches every few hours to make sure they don't get infected." As fear chilled Chuck's veins, Ellie sat up. "Want to lift your shirt really quick? I can check for you."
Chuck shot Sarah a nervous glance, and he could see it reflected in her eyes. This is going to be harder than we thought. "Y-You know, El," said Chuck shakily. "I got it. I think I can handle it. Thanks, though, sis."
"But do you know what to look for?" asked Ellie with furrowed brows and clear disappointment.
Encouraged, Chuck said, "Yeah, totally. The doc briefed me and Sarah on it right before we left."
He felt Sarah tighten a grip on his arm. "Yeah, he did. And I'd love to be there for Chuck, I can handle making sure the stitches look all right."
Ellie's disappointment deepened, and Chuck tried not to think about how excited Ellie always got when he was hurt, even if it was only so she could help him feel better. "Ellie," said Chuck, putting a hand on her arm. "You're doing so much for me already. We got this one."
She let out a long breath. "Okay, fine. It's just that I am a doctor and you can take full advantage of having a sister as a—"
"Ellie," came Awesome's voice as he walked back in the room. "If they want to use the stitches as an excuse to remove some clothing, let 'em."
Chuck and Sarah both let go of each other and felt the awkwardness roll over them as Ellie said, "Devon, gross. That's my brother."
She and Awesome moved into the kitchen and Chuck sighed. "That was close," he whispered to Sarah.
She sighed too. "Do you want to stay with me until you're better?"
Just the thought made his heart spike in speed. But he shook his head. "It would make Ellie feel awful. I'd rather take the risk and not completely upset her. And besides," he added, "you know she'd show up every half an hour with soup or something."
Sarah's lips twitched. "She's a great sister."
Chuck smiled, looking toward her. "I know." His smile faded a little and his hand ghosted his injury.
Sarah seemed to understand. "I won't let anyone hurt you again." Again was spoken quieter, like it was hard to get out.
"Sarah," said Chuck earnestly. "I don't blame you for this. I don't even blame Casey." That was an attempt at a joke but it didn't fall humorously. "Look," said Chuck, "so far you've saved me from dozens of life threatening events. You're the best handler I could have asked for. If we really need to blame someone, I blame Bryce for getting me into this mess in the first place."
Sarah couldn't help a sad little laugh at that.
"Though I'm glad it brought us together," said Chuck. But when he realized together could mean more than he intended, he quickly amended with, "Together as friends. Colleagues. Uh, y'know, fellow Burbank residents. That kinda together…"
Sarah just rolled her eyes. "Well, you should be back on your feet soon. You might have to get back to work a bit quicker than someone with a gunshot wound would," she said quietly, "But we'll help you." A pause. "Well, I'll help you."
Chuck laughed, then winced. Sarah's hold tightened on his arm. "I'm okay," he said. "I keep forgetting not to laugh."
"Guess I chose the wrong time to start being funny," quipped Sarah dryly.
"Right," said Chuck with a smile. "Our first 'date.' That was your thing. You weren't funny." His smile widened. "I must be rubbing off on you."
Sarah lightly swatted Chuck on the arm, but couldn't quite hide the grin herself.
"All right, listen up!"
The dozen or so Buy Morons quieted the chatter a bit at Big Mike's bellow. They were in the storage cage, which had since been cleaned up after Chuck's 'accident'. There was hardly any sign that there had even been an 'accident' thanks to the NSA.
Morgan was among the group, standing with Lester, Anna and Jeff.
"Now," said Big Mike, "as we all know, one of our own was involved in a packing knife accident."
"I was involved in a real knife accident," said Jeff aloud. "Cut off a toe. No one held a meeting."
"You weren't at work," said Morgan.
"And it wasn't your toe," added another disgruntled voice.
"All y'all, shut it!" yelled Big Mike again, and everyone did. He picked up a packing knife. "To get HR off my ass, I was told to hold a safety meeting. So, naturally," he held the knife out toward Emmett. "I got someone else to do it. Emmett, take it away."
Emmett took the knife and Big Mike nodded. "Don't let anyone bleed out," said Big Mike firmly, at which Emmett nodded, seeming to take that quite seriously.
After Big Mike left, Emmett surveyed the crowd. "Chuck Bartowski," he said with a hint of disgust, to which Morgan glared at him, "is going to make a full recovery… and unfortunately that means he will return." He ignored the negative comments shot his way. "He has proven," he said over the mutters, "that any minimum wage cog on the wheel can find a way to accidentally kill himself on one of these safety-conscious knives." More mutters, and Emmett raised his voice. "Now, let me demonstrate the correct way to open one of these packages." He chose a box and tried to open the top seal, but had trouble with it. It was clearly his first time trying to open a shipment box.
"Ten bucks he stabs himself," said Anna.
Lester turned toward her. "Twenty. You're on."
"I'm in," said Jeff. "Does it count if I just stab him?"
At the same time Lester said, "No!" Anna said, "Yes."
Morgan rubbed his face.
He missed Chuck already.
Chuck sighed from the couch, watching the fourth Sci-Fi movie he's watched in a row on the TV. Sarah had decided to spend the night, despite Chuck's assurance that he was fine. The Fulcrum agent was in custody, and that was a relief in of itself. In few words, Casey had told him that it was something about revenge. Chuck hadn't even been worried about that possibility, that he could piss off a bad guy enough to become a target that had nothing to do with the Intersect. He'd swallowed hard and both hoped that he hadn't pissed off any other bad guys, and moving forward swore to himself he'd try to stay in the car at all times.
That bullet almost killed him.
He'd been trying not to think about it, but it still snuck into his mind every quiet moment, and every pain in his abdomen.
And after seeing how he terrified Ellie, and even Morgan and Awesome…
He couldn't do that to them again.
He couldn't risk the outcome being… worse than what happened this time.
But something else he couldn't quite stop thinking about, the reaction that surprised him the most, that touched him, was Sarah's.
Her face was still practically colorless, her body rigid. Even when no one else was looking, when it was just the two of them alone in the room.
And Chuck couldn't quite figure out how much of it was for the cover and how much was for…
Him.
His mind kept running to that kiss, right before Thanksgiving last year. Before Bryce ruined it (what didn't he ruin?).
Then, the kiss they shared during the Black Widow mission.
"You heard her. I'm just an asset."
"Trust me. The lady doth protest too much."
Chuck sighed.
All these secrets in his head, and the only secret he wanted to know was how she actually felt about him.
"Can I get you anything?"
Chuck blinked at Ellie's voice as she walked around the couch, looking at him expectantly. He felt nervousness flit through him, and unconsciously pulled a pillow over his injury as a reflex. Sarah had been at his side all day long; this was the first time Chuck was alone with Ellie practically since he woke up. Sarah was outside getting out an overnight bag from her car that she apparently carried with her everywhere.
Chuck looked at the full table of snacks, the four blankets on him, and the five piled on the floor, and all the comic books from his room on the chair.
He looked at Ellie. "I don't think there's anything left to get," he joked.
"Do you need another pillow?" she asked. "Or do you want it fluffed?" She started to round the couch to fluff but Chuck quickly held up his hands.
"No, no, no…no fluffing necessary," he said, giving her a smile as she looked disappointed. "You've been great, Ellie. Thanks. You're the best sister a guy could ask for." She smiled. "But I'm okay. You don't have to go crazy," he said with a grin.
She sighed, sitting on the couch next to him. "It's just…" She looked at him, and Chuck could see the worry in her eyes. "I was really scared."
If it wouldn't have hurt to move, Chuck would have put his arm around her. He settled for placing his hand over hers. "I'm okay, El."
Her brows creased. "Okay. Just… promise me you'll never do anything dangerous again."
Chuck felt something painful stir in the pit of his stomach, and it had nothing to do with the gunshot wound. Guilt swam through his veins, making his heart beat faster.
Ellie stared at him, waiting.
Chuck hesitated. "I…"
"Ready for bed, babe?"
Chuck breathed out as Awesome came to his rescue. He poked his head in from the hallway.
Ellie sighed. "Be right there," she called. She stood, then looked back at Chuck. He fought a wince. Don't ask it again, don't ask— "Do you need help getting to bed?"
Phew.
"Uh, no," said Chuck, moving to get up. "I think I've got—" Except he really hasn't tried getting up on his own yet, as even earlier—and quite embarrassingly—Sarah helped him walk to the bathroom—so the moment he was off the couch…
...he was on the floor.
Luckily he landed on the uninjured side, but that didn't stop the other side from twinging sharply. Chuck sucked in a breath.
"Chuck!"
Two sets of footsteps ran for him, and Chuck painfully got himself to his knees. He smiled through a wince. "I'm good, I'm good—just, ah, got up too fast, that's all—"
Ellie knelt next to him, worry written all over her. "Chuck! Be careful!"
"I'm okay," said Chuck again, meaning it, as the pain began dying down.
"Let me help you," said Ellie.
"I've got 'em, babe."
Awesome reached down a hand on Chuck's other side, and Chuck reluctantly took it. Awesome lifted, helping Chuck to rise up on his knees, then he slipped an arm under Chuck's arms to slowly help him to his feet.
Chuck had to admit; it was a relief not to have to walk by himself. Considering he technically shouldn't have even left the hospital yet. "Thanks, Awe—Devon," said Chuck.
Awesome walked him to his room, gently setting him down on his bed. "Need anything, bro?"
Chuck tried to catch his breath. "No," he said, "No, I'm okay. Thanks."
Awesome nodded, about to close the door when Sarah returned.
He bid her a goodnight as well, and Sarah closed the door behind her. Looking at Chuck hesitantly, she asked, "Did they see anything?"
"Nope," said Chuck with a sigh, leaning back against his own pillows. "Dodged a bullet there." He froze at his own words, but more so at the look on Sarah's face. If possible, she lost more color. "Ah," he tried, clearing his throat. "I… I mean, no. No problems."
She managed to compose herself after a second. She swallowed, nodding a little. Sarah let out a breath, sitting in bed beside him. And it would never not make his heart beat faster to have her so close. "Sarah," he felt himself say. "You don't have to stay. I'll be all right. Casey caught the guy, and I'm… I'm okay."
She looked at him, meeting his eyes. Usually he couldn't read much of anything in her eyes, for they were always guarded. But now… he could see every emotion running through them. Fear. Worry. Guilt.
She smiled a little. "I know. But I…" If Chuck wasn't mistaken, a touch of shyness touched the words. "I want to stay."
Chuck felt himself smile too.
"Besides," said Sarah. "You do need someone to dress that injury in the morning. And I am trained in field medicine." She winked, and leaned over to click off the light.
Chuck stared at the ceiling, all too aware of how close she was, and knowing that she was closer to him now than she was the last time they did this.
On the other side of the bed, Sarah blinked at the darkness, listening to the sound of Chuck breathing, alive, okay beside her.
All too aware of the four knives and gun on her, not a wink of tiredness, she planned to keep it that way.
"Is he okay?"
Awesome nodded as he walked in his and Ellie's room, where Ellie was sitting in bed, reading.
"Mission complete," he assured her. He approached the bed, staring into space for a moment.
"What's wrong?" asked Ellie.
Awesome's brows kneaded. He lifted his head. "The knife just hit an artery, right?"
Ellie sat up. "Yeah." Her brows shifted. "Why?"
"Chuck's in a lot of pain," said Awesome. "He was out of breath by the time he got to his bed. They said he lost a lot of blood but there was no organ damage, no internal bleeding. The cleanup was minimal. You and I both saw the report." He shook his head a little in awe, remembering it. Both the report and x-rays showed just what they'd been told; the knife managed to hit an artery. However, for a knife to get that deep, avoiding his ribs? "Chuck managed one of the most unlucky, craziest knife wounds I've ever seen. But even so…" He looked at her. "Shouldn't he… not be in that much pain?" Awesome's treated a few people with knife injuries, usually the same type as Chuck's; accidents. They usually go home the same day, and might limp at the very least.
Chuck's injury lost him a lot of blood, which definitely explains his fatigue and poor sense of balance, but Awesome's seen that grimace, that wince.
It's not from knife wounds that only hit an artery.
And from the fact that Ellie had the same furrow in her brow, and Awesome saw an old medical textbook in her lap, she was as stumped as he was.
"I was wondering that too," said Ellie, biting her lip, closing the book. "But Chuck's always been, well, fragile. He's never done anything remotely dangerous. He did stay on crutches in middle school a lot longer than he needed to, and he loved Band Aids as a kid. Though that could have had more to do with the superheroes on them." she mused, brows furrowing more. "Maybe he has a lower pain tolerance than most people or something."
Awesome crossed his arms. "Yeah, that makes sense I guess." He winced. "Did we just call your brother a wuss?"
Ellie looked horrified. "No, no! He's just… he's Chuck, he's… he's not the… toughest… But I've never had a knife injury and neither have you; all injuries affect people differently. Maybe it's healing in an uncomfortable place."
"Yeah, you're right." He climbed into bed and kissed her. "We'll keep an eye on him. I think we should take a look at it tomorrow."
"He only wants Sarah to check the bandage," said Ellie with a little disappointment, and a touch of hurt.
"Well," said Awesome, "he's not exactly in a condition to put up a fight. And I'm sure you can take Sarah, she doesn't look very tough," he joked, and Ellie gave him a flat look. Seriously, he said, "We're going to make sure it's healing properly whether he wants us to or not."
Ellie smiled.
Awesome smiled right back.
Chapter 5
Chapter Text
"It's looking good," said Sarah with a smile, replacing the bandage with a fresh one as Chuck held up his t-shirt, where he was sitting on the closed toilet in the bathroom. "You're healing well."
Chuck smiled and nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak as her fingers ensured the bandage was on securely.
"How are the ribs?" asked Sarah, tossing the gloves into the garbage can.
"Not gonna lie, still pretty painful," said Chuck with a wince, still feeling them twinge even just sitting.
Sarah smiled sympathetically. "A few more weeks, it'll get better. Trust me," she added, and it was Chuck's turn for a sympathetic look from what was obviously Sarah's own experience. She sighed. "I guess it's my turn for a shower."
Chuck brushed a hand through his wet hair, just glad that he'd managed the shower on his own. He wasn't as off balance today, so things were already looking up.
"I should probably leave then, right?" said Chuck, mostly joking.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
Chuck shot her back a grin, and left her to her shower.
He really couldn't have handled if he had stayed, anyway.
Sarah had just closed the bathroom door when he heard Ellie call his name.
"Chuck!"
He hesitated halfway to his bedroom where he was planning to wait for Sarah. "Uh, morning sis," said Chuck, giving her a grin he hoped didn't look as nervous as it felt.
She smiled back from the kitchen, saying, "I made breakfast! All your favorites!"
Chuck watched her move some bacon from the pan to a plate.
His stomach growled.
"I… Wow, sis, smells amazing," he said genuinely. "I'm… I'll wait until Sarah's done and then we'll—"
"There'll be plenty for her after," said Ellie. "You need to eat. Come on."
Chuck sighed.
Slowly he made his way to the living room. Luckily, Sarah had given him a secret stash of pain medication that the doctors wanted him to take, and he was just beginning to feel them take the edge off.
"You're looking better today," commented Ellie, following him and watching him carefully as if to catch him if he fell. "Feeling better?"
"I am," Chuck lied, giving her a smile he hoped wasn't too strained.
Ellie set the plate for him on the coffee table by the couch. Pancakes, eggs and bacon. It smelled amazing. Chuck smiled. He sat down gingerly. "Thanks, El," said Chuck. He took a bite, and it was heavenly. He ate slowly, still having less of an appetite than usual. Chuck flipped on the Sci-Fi channel to an old Twilight Zone episode he's seen about a hundred times. "Awesome at work?" he asked.
"He is," she confirmed.
"You working the night shift?" he asked. He never could keep up with their schedules.
"Actually I took the day off to stay home with you," she said with a smile.
Chuck tore his gaze from the tv. "You did?"
"Of course I did!"
"Ellie, you didn't have to—" began Chuck. "Sarah's gonna—"
"I know." She sat down next to him. "But I am your big sister, and this is my job." Chuck couldn't help but smile; without their parents growing up, taking care of him really had been Ellie's job.
"Thanks," said Chuck sincerely.
Ellie smiled, then said, "I know Sarah wants to be the one to take care of you, but can I please just check your bandages?"
Chuck felt cold sweep through him.
He hugged the pillow in his lap a little closer.
"Uh…"
"Just once," said Ellie. "I just want to look once and then Sarah can be your caretaker from then on."
Chuck felt his heart beat faster. He still heard the water from the shower going. Of all the times he needed saving. "I… I mean, Sarah just did," he said quickly. "She's doing great, and… and she really likes… nursing."
Ellie's brows shifted with curiosity at his lie, but she sighed with a little impatience. "Chuck, I don't like to play the Big Sister card, but I want to make sure you're healing properly. Devon and I are worried about you, and I just want to make sure. Then I'll stop pestering you, I promise." She reached for his shirt, but Chuck held the pillow tighter, shifting back toward the couch. The movement made pain spark in Ellie's eyes, and twisted Chuck's own chest.
Ellie grabbed the pillow, trying to tug it away. "Chuck," she said, in that motherly voice she hadn't used on him since they were kids. "Just let me see."
"Ellie, stop," whispered Chuck.
She can't.
She pulled at the pillow again. "Chuck, I just want to—"
"Ellie, just leave me alone!"
Ellie recoiled at Chuck's shout, and the look in her eyes nearly broke his heart. He immediately regretted the reflexive shout, and said, "Ellie—"
But, with tears in her eyes, she just stood, and walked out of the room.
He heard her bedroom door click shut.
Chuck shut his eyes.
Why did protecting his sister always have to end up hurting her?
He needed to get this damn Intersect out of his head. He was done lying. He was done hurting everyone.
He moved to stand.
Pain pushed him back down.
He was done hurting, period.
"It's looking good," said Sarah with a smile, replacing the bandage with a fresh one as Chuck held up his t-shirt, where he was sitting on the closed toilet in the bathroom. "You're healing well."
Chuck smiled and nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak as her fingers ensured the bandage was on securely.
"How are the ribs?" asked Sarah, tossing the gloves into the garbage can.
"Not gonna lie, still pretty painful," said Chuck with a wince, still feeling them twinge even just sitting.
Sarah smiled sympathetically. "A few more weeks, it'll get better. Trust me," she added, and it was Chuck's turn for a sympathetic look from what was obviously Sarah's own experience. She sighed. "I guess it's my turn for a shower."
Chuck brushed a hand through his wet hair, just glad that he'd managed the shower on his own. He wasn't as off balance today, so things were already looking up.
"I should probably leave then, right?" said Chuck, mostly joking.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
Chuck shot her back a grin, and left her to her shower.
He really couldn't have handled if he had stayed, anyway.
Sarah had just closed the bathroom door when he heard Ellie call his name.
"Chuck!"
He hesitated halfway to his bedroom where he was planning to wait for Sarah. "Uh, morning sis," said Chuck, giving her a grin he hoped didn't look as nervous as it felt.
She smiled back from the kitchen, saying, "I made breakfast! All your favorites!"
Chuck watched her move some bacon from the pan to a plate.
His stomach growled.
"I… Wow, sis, smells amazing," he said genuinely. "I'm… I'll wait until Sarah's done and then we'll—"
"There'll be plenty for her after," said Ellie. "You need to eat. Come on."
Chuck sighed.
Slowly he made his way to the living room. Luckily, Sarah had given him a secret stash of pain medication that the doctors wanted him to take, and he was just beginning to feel them take the edge off.
"You're looking better today," commented Ellie, following him and watching him carefully as if to catch him if he fell. "Feeling better?"
"I am," Chuck lied, giving her a smile he hoped wasn't too strained.
Ellie set the plate for him on the coffee table by the couch. Pancakes, eggs and bacon. It smelled amazing. Chuck smiled. He sat down gingerly. "Thanks, El," said Chuck. He took a bite, and it was heavenly. He ate slowly, still having less of an appetite than usual. Chuck flipped on the Sci-Fi channel to an old Twilight Zone episode he's seen about a hundred times. "Awesome at work?" he asked.
"He is," she confirmed.
"You working the night shift?" he asked. He never could keep up with their schedules.
"Actually I took the day off to stay home with you," she said with a smile.
Chuck tore his gaze from the tv. "You did?"
"Of course I did!"
"Ellie, you didn't have to—" began Chuck. "Sarah's gonna—"
"I know." She sat down next to him. "But I am your big sister, and this is my job." Chuck couldn't help but smile; without their parents growing up, taking care of him really had been Ellie's job.
"Thanks," said Chuck sincerely.
Ellie smiled, then said, "I know Sarah wants to be the one to take care of you, but can I please just check your bandages?"
Chuck felt cold sweep through him.
He hugged the pillow in his lap a little closer.
"Uh…"
"Just once," said Ellie. "I just want to look once and then Sarah can be your caretaker from then on."
Chuck felt his heart beat faster. He still heard the water from the shower going. Of all the times he needed saving. "I… I mean, Sarah just did," he said quickly. "She's doing great, and… and she really likes… nursing."
Ellie's brows shifted with curiosity at his lie, but she sighed with a little impatience. "Chuck, I don't like to play the Big Sister card, but I want to make sure you're healing properly. Devon and I are worried about you, and I just want to make sure. Then I'll stop pestering you, I promise." She reached for his shirt, but Chuck held the pillow tighter, shifting back toward the couch. The movement made pain spark in Ellie's eyes, and twisted Chuck's own chest.
Ellie grabbed the pillow, trying to tug it away. "Chuck," she said, in that motherly voice she hadn't used on him since they were kids. "Just let me see."
"Ellie, stop," whispered Chuck.
She can't.
She pulled at the pillow again. "Chuck, I just want to—"
"Ellie, just leave me alone!"
Ellie recoiled at Chuck's shout, and the look in her eyes nearly broke his heart. He immediately regretted the reflexive shout, and said, "Ellie—"
But, with tears in her eyes, she just stood, and walked out of the room.
He heard her bedroom door click shut.
Chuck shut his eyes.
Why did protecting his sister always have to end up hurting her?
He needed to get this damn Intersect out of his head. He was done lying. He was done hurting everyone.
He moved to stand.
Pain pushed him back down.
He was done hurting, period.
Chapter 6
Chapter Text
"Looks like this is the last day for the bandage," said Sarah, attempting a smile. They were once again in the bathroom, but this time he couldn't enjoy being close to her.
Chuck didn't know there was something more miserable than being shot, but there was, and it was the past two days.
Ellie hasn't spoken to him since their last… conversation.
And that was two days ago.
They occasionally passed each other in the apartment, she'd sometimes mention a greeting that was not welcoming in any way, but the tension was palpable.
And it was killing Chuck more than the bullet nearly did.
Any time he'd wanted to apologize, he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to say. She was going to need a reason, and he couldn't think of any he was able to tell her. It was absolutely destroying him inside.
Chuck had been mildly worried that Awesome would have approached him at some point about the injury, but though he seemed to take his fiancé's side in this, he'd more or less stayed out of it. Perhaps since his condition has been improving every day they weren't as concerned, which was the luckiest break. He and Sarah both seemed unsure how to handle the tension that everyone could feel in the apartment. But although Awesome held some short casual conversations with Chuck, he was just as civil.
Sarah sighed, leaning against the edge of the bathroom sink, reading the turmoil in Chuck's face. But she didn't necessarily have to; she'd been staying here for both the past two days and he hadn't been shy about how much it was tearing him up.
"She'll come around," said Sarah gently.
But Chuck picked up his head, that awful guilt and misery in his voice when he said, "Sarah, I've never yelled at Ellie before. Ever. I didn't even mean to, I just…" His eyes shut and he rubbed at them. "I didn't know what else to do."
He'd also hardly gotten any sleep, which hasn't helped.
Sarah put a hand on his shoulder, brows creased in sympathy. "You had no choice," she said softly. "You'd be putting her in danger if she were to—"
"I know," said Chuck, eyes shut. "But you… you should have seen the look on her face. I've never seen her look like that before. And because of something I said to her?" Chuck sighed. "How much more is the stupid computer in my head going to take from me?"
Sarah held his gaze, her brows still pulled together sadly, but she seemed unable to find words to say.
The bullet wound had lessened in pain over the past two days, but his overall suffering just seemed to be getting worse. "I can't lose her, Sarah." Chuck opened his eyes and said, "I have to talk to her. I have to fix this."
"What are you going to say?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But I have to say something. I have to try."
"Want me to come with you?" asked Sarah.
"No," said Chuck with another sigh. With a wince, he said, "Not that I don't appreciate it, but… I don't think you would exactly make things better… since, you know, I've been using you as the reason I won't let Ellie help me."
Sarah bit her lip, nodding with a wince of her own.
"I think it would be best if you… left," said Chuck hesitantly. "Not that I want you to go, but I—"
Sarah met his eyes, hesitance in hers.
"Look, the guy is in custody, Casey's been dealing with him for three days, and Ellie's done pestering me, and possibly done anything-ing me," said Chuck, face creasing with utter misery. "I'll be okay." he said with another sigh.
Sarah held his gaze for a long moment, seeming torn. But finally, she said, "Okay. But… just a few hours."
Chuck smiled. "Thanks."
Chuck's experienced more terrifying scenarios than he can count, and yet poking his head out of his bedroom to find Ellie felt like the most daunting mission yet.
He spotted her in the kitchen, cutting up some vegetables for what was mostly likely dinner. Awesome was working and Sarah had just left nearly thirty minutes ago. Chuck's spent enough time trying to prepare himself.
Now or never.
Taking a breath, Chuck walked down the hall.
As he approached the kitchen, he cleared his throat a little. "Hey," he said nervously.
Ellie didn't look at him, nor stop what she was doing.
Chuck sighed.
"Ellie… can we… talk?" he asked hesitantly.
She didn't stop chopping, and if anything, it gained a little more force, and Chuck suddenly worried he should have asked her when she wasn't holding a knife.
"Why don't you talk to Sarah," she said, glaring at the cutting board. "You only like sharing things with her, anyway."
Chuck felt his chest twist.
So far, so not good.
"Sarah went home a little while ago. I asked her if she could leave us alone to talk," said Chuck slowly. "I miss you, Ellie. And I'm really sorry about the other day. I just…"
"You just, what?" said Ellie, finally putting down the knife and turning to look at him. "Chuck, just come out and say it. You don't want me in your life anymore."
Chuck's brows shot to his hairline. "Wh-What? Of course I don't! I mean—of course I do want you in my life, Ellie, you have no idea how much I care about you and—"
"Well," she cut him off, her face hard with hurt and frustration. "Ever since you met Sarah, you never do anything with me anymore. You cancel plans with me all the time, you either have no excuse or you lie," Chuck winced, "and now you won't even let me help you with an injury that I am trained in caring for." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I have helped you with broken bones, sprains, cuts, splinters—I have helped you with all kinds of injuries, broken hearts, everything ever since we were kids." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Then Sarah walks into your life, and all of a sudden, I've been replaced."
Chuck felt his own eyes burn.
"Ellie, it's not like that—" tried Chuck, racing through his mind for a way to make this right. He'd been trying to for the past two days, but every excuse he could come up with for why she couldn't see his injury, and why their plans always get ruined came up blank.
"Yes, it is!" she shot back. "Look, I get that you really like Sarah. So do I. I'm glad you're happy," she said with a huff. "But I'm in love with Devon and I still make time for you." The words hit him hard and Chuck nearly flinched. "Because you're my brother and because I love you." The firm way she said it seemed to contradicted it a bit, yet it made Chuck wince all the same.
"Ellie," said Chuck, voice tortured. "It really isn't like that, I promise. You have no idea how much I want you in my life. And—"
"Then either let me see your injury," she said, arms crossed, "or tell me why I can't. And don't give me the whole 'Sarah likes nursing' crap. There is no reason why I can't look at it even once."
Chuck shut his eyes. "Ellie," he said painfully, opening his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just…"
Ellie looked at him with so much hurt, Chuck felt like being shot all over again.
"You know," said Ellie quietly, but the words hit Chuck like a physical blow, "I don't even know who you are anymore, Chuck." Chuck opened his mouth, trying to find words to say, but nothing came. There was nothing he could say. "But don't worry," said Ellie. "Message received. You don't want me in your life, then I won't be. Because I can't do this anymore."
With that, Ellie stalked out of the kitchen and she left, slamming the door shut.
"Ellie!" exclaimed Chuck, trying to follow, able to move slowly but he hadn't tried moving fast yet. He grimaced as it made his ribs twinge sharply. A hand to his abdomen, he followed as fast as he could, using the wall for support. "Ellie, wait! Just—"
But the front door opened again, and Chuck nearly breathed out in relief that she'd come back. "Ellie—" he began, but his words died in his throat.
Ellie had returned.
But she wasn't alone.
A man walked into the apartment, one arm wrapped around Ellie's waist, his other hand around her mouth, pinning her to himself.
She was struggling against the grip, eyes wide and terrified, trying to scream against the hand.
Chuck jerked his head to the man's face.
It hit him in an instant.
Agent Trent Barlowe.
Fulcrum team leader.
Chuck lost his breath.
Behind the man, four others walked in.
Chuck flashed on each of them, revealing their names and status as Fulcrum members, plus every scary little thing about them.
Chuck's head swam.
He stumbled, but suddenly his arms were grabbed by two of the agents, yanking him painfully upright. Chuck shook himself from the flashes, trying to jerk free but their grips held strong.
Fulcrum.
Ellie.
Two worlds that should never mix were crashing violently together.
Horrible fear stole his breath.
"Charles Carmichael," said the man holding Ellie—Agent Barlowe. "Or, is it Chuck Bartowski?"
"What do you want," ground out Chuck, trying to keep his fear out of his voice, and kicking himself for sending Sarah away. He jerked against the arms holding him, wishing he could hit the panic button on his watch.
Ellie was still struggling against Barlowe, but her attempts didn't look like they were affecting the man at all.
Chuck's heart pounded.
"Well," said Barlowe. "I wanted you, alive, days ago. Agent Bradford wasn't supposed to kill you. He had orders to bring you in," he said with a dramatic sigh, shaking his head. "Well, you know what they say. You want something done right, you have to do it yourself."
Chuck froze.
The agent that shot him.
He was supposed to abduct him?
Casey had said that Bradford spoke of shooting Chuck out of revenge.
Chuck felt himself flash back to the moment he was shot, to the hazy memory right before the bullet struck him.
"You've caused Fulcrum a lot of trouble."
The way he'd stressed Fulcrum, as if it was more than that.
It was personal.
"Who is the Intersect?"
Bradford had orders to bring him in.
"You know what… it's not worth it."
Chuck couldn't breathe.
They were looking for the Intersect.
Him.
"Look," said Chuck, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. "Just let her go," he said, eyes on Ellie, who was watching him with terrified eyes. "I'm the one you want."
Ellie made a distressed squeak at that, and Barlowe tightened his grip on her, making her wince with a muffled cry.
"Don't hurt her!" cried Chuck. "I'll do whatever you want, just please don't hurt her." He couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice.
Barlowe raised his brow. "Anything?"
"Yes, anything," said Chuck quickly, trying to fight the chill that swept down his spine at the implications that might have. "Just, please, let her go."
"Well if you'll do anything to ensure her safety, she proves quite useful." With a sick grin, he pulled a rag from his jacket, and pressed it firmly over Ellie's nose and mouth.
"Ellie!" cried Chuck, but the grips on his arms prevented him from moving.
She struggled for half a second more before falling limp in the man's arms.
Rage and fear twisted Chuck's chest horribly. "Ellie—!" He fought against the arms holding him even when it tore horribly at his injury.
"Don't worry," said Barlowe, nodding to something behind Chuck. "You'll be reunited very soon."
Before he could react, damp cloth was pressed over his own face, a sickly-sweet smell overriding his senses.
"Get them in the van. Before his handler returns."
Chuck blinked heavily, feeling weakness trail through him.
He blinked again, trying to fight it.
But he was already gone.
"Looks like this is the last day for the bandage," said Sarah, attempting a smile. They were once again in the bathroom, but this time he couldn't enjoy being close to her.
Chuck didn't know there was something more miserable than being shot, but there was, and it was the past two days.
Ellie hasn't spoken to him since their last… conversation.
And that was two days ago.
They occasionally passed each other in the apartment, she'd sometimes mention a greeting that was not welcoming in any way, but the tension was palpable.
And it was killing Chuck more than the bullet nearly did.
Any time he'd wanted to apologize, he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to say. She was going to need a reason, and he couldn't think of any he was able to tell her. It was absolutely destroying him inside.
Chuck had been mildly worried that Awesome would have approached him at some point about the injury, but though he seemed to take his fiancé's side in this, he'd more or less stayed out of it. Perhaps since his condition has been improving every day they weren't as concerned, which was the luckiest break. He and Sarah both seemed unsure how to handle the tension that everyone could feel in the apartment. But although Awesome held some short casual conversations with Chuck, he was just as civil.
Sarah sighed, leaning against the edge of the bathroom sink, reading the turmoil in Chuck's face. But she didn't necessarily have to; she'd been staying here for both the past two days and he hadn't been shy about how much it was tearing him up.
"She'll come around," said Sarah gently.
But Chuck picked up his head, that awful guilt and misery in his voice when he said, "Sarah, I've never yelled at Ellie before. Ever. I didn't even mean to, I just…" His eyes shut and he rubbed at them. "I didn't know what else to do."
He'd also hardly gotten any sleep, which hasn't helped.
Sarah put a hand on his shoulder, brows creased in sympathy. "You had no choice," she said softly. "You'd be putting her in danger if she were to—"
"I know," said Chuck, eyes shut. "But you… you should have seen the look on her face. I've never seen her look like that before. And because of something I said to her?" Chuck sighed. "How much more is the stupid computer in my head going to take from me?"
Sarah held his gaze, her brows still pulled together sadly, but she seemed unable to find words to say.
The bullet wound had lessened in pain over the past two days, but his overall suffering just seemed to be getting worse. "I can't lose her, Sarah." Chuck opened his eyes and said, "I have to talk to her. I have to fix this."
"What are you going to say?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said quietly. "But I have to say something. I have to try."
"Want me to come with you?" asked Sarah.
"No," said Chuck with another sigh. With a wince, he said, "Not that I don't appreciate it, but… I don't think you would exactly make things better… since, you know, I've been using you as the reason I won't let Ellie help me."
Sarah bit her lip, nodding with a wince of her own.
"I think it would be best if you… left," said Chuck hesitantly. "Not that I want you to go, but I—"
Sarah met his eyes, hesitance in hers.
"Look, the guy is in custody, Casey's been dealing with him for three days, and Ellie's done pestering me, and possibly done anything-ing me," said Chuck, face creasing with utter misery. "I'll be okay." he said with another sigh.
Sarah held his gaze for a long moment, seeming torn. But finally, she said, "Okay. But… just a few hours."
Chuck smiled. "Thanks."
Chuck's experienced more terrifying scenarios than he can count, and yet poking his head out of his bedroom to find Ellie felt like the most daunting mission yet.
He spotted her in the kitchen, cutting up some vegetables for what was mostly likely dinner. Awesome was working and Sarah had just left nearly thirty minutes ago. Chuck's spent enough time trying to prepare himself.
Now or never.
Taking a breath, Chuck walked down the hall.
As he approached the kitchen, he cleared his throat a little. "Hey," he said nervously.
Ellie didn't look at him, nor stop what she was doing.
Chuck sighed.
"Ellie… can we… talk?" he asked hesitantly.
She didn't stop chopping, and if anything, it gained a little more force, and Chuck suddenly worried he should have asked her when she wasn't holding a knife.
"Why don't you talk to Sarah," she said, glaring at the cutting board. "You only like sharing things with her, anyway."
Chuck felt his chest twist.
So far, so not good.
"Sarah went home a little while ago. I asked her if she could leave us alone to talk," said Chuck slowly. "I miss you, Ellie. And I'm really sorry about the other day. I just…"
"You just, what?" said Ellie, finally putting down the knife and turning to look at him. "Chuck, just come out and say it. You don't want me in your life anymore."
Chuck's brows shot to his hairline. "Wh-What? Of course I don't! I mean—of course I do want you in my life, Ellie, you have no idea how much I care about you and—"
"Well," she cut him off, her face hard with hurt and frustration. "Ever since you met Sarah, you never do anything with me anymore. You cancel plans with me all the time, you either have no excuse or you lie," Chuck winced, "and now you won't even let me help you with an injury that I am trained in caring for." Tears gathered in her eyes. "I have helped you with broken bones, sprains, cuts, splinters—I have helped you with all kinds of injuries, broken hearts, everything ever since we were kids." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Then Sarah walks into your life, and all of a sudden, I've been replaced."
Chuck felt his own eyes burn.
"Ellie, it's not like that—" tried Chuck, racing through his mind for a way to make this right. He'd been trying to for the past two days, but every excuse he could come up with for why she couldn't see his injury, and why their plans always get ruined came up blank.
"Yes, it is!" she shot back. "Look, I get that you really like Sarah. So do I. I'm glad you're happy," she said with a huff. "But I'm in love with Devon and I still make time for you." The words hit him hard and Chuck nearly flinched. "Because you're my brother and because I love you." The firm way she said it seemed to contradicted it a bit, yet it made Chuck wince all the same.
"Ellie," said Chuck, voice tortured. "It really isn't like that, I promise. You have no idea how much I want you in my life. And—"
"Then either let me see your injury," she said, arms crossed, "or tell me why I can't. And don't give me the whole 'Sarah likes nursing' crap. There is no reason why I can't look at it even once."
Chuck shut his eyes. "Ellie," he said painfully, opening his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just…"
Ellie looked at him with so much hurt, Chuck felt like being shot all over again.
"You know," said Ellie quietly, but the words hit Chuck like a physical blow, "I don't even know who you are anymore, Chuck." Chuck opened his mouth, trying to find words to say, but nothing came. There was nothing he could say. "But don't worry," said Ellie. "Message received. You don't want me in your life, then I won't be. Because I can't do this anymore."
With that, Ellie stalked out of the kitchen and she left, slamming the door shut.
"Ellie!" exclaimed Chuck, trying to follow, able to move slowly but he hadn't tried moving fast yet. He grimaced as it made his ribs twinge sharply. A hand to his abdomen, he followed as fast as he could, using the wall for support. "Ellie, wait! Just—"
But the front door opened again, and Chuck nearly breathed out in relief that she'd come back. "Ellie—" he began, but his words died in his throat.
Ellie had returned.
But she wasn't alone.
A man walked into the apartment, one arm wrapped around Ellie's waist, his other hand around her mouth, pinning her to himself.
She was struggling against the grip, eyes wide and terrified, trying to scream against the hand.
Chuck jerked his head to the man's face.
It hit him in an instant.
Agent Trent Barlowe.
Fulcrum team leader.
Chuck lost his breath.
Behind the man, four others walked in.
Chuck flashed on each of them, revealing their names and status as Fulcrum members, plus every scary little thing about them.
Chuck's head swam.
He stumbled, but suddenly his arms were grabbed by two of the agents, yanking him painfully upright. Chuck shook himself from the flashes, trying to jerk free but their grips held strong.
Fulcrum.
Ellie.
Two worlds that should never mix were crashing violently together.
Horrible fear stole his breath.
"Charles Carmichael," said the man holding Ellie—Agent Barlowe. "Or, is it Chuck Bartowski?"
"What do you want," ground out Chuck, trying to keep his fear out of his voice, and kicking himself for sending Sarah away. He jerked against the arms holding him, wishing he could hit the panic button on his watch.
Ellie was still struggling against Barlowe, but her attempts didn't look like they were affecting the man at all.
Chuck's heart pounded.
"Well," said Barlowe. "I wanted you, alive, days ago. Agent Bradford wasn't supposed to kill you. He had orders to bring you in," he said with a dramatic sigh, shaking his head. "Well, you know what they say. You want something done right, you have to do it yourself."
Chuck froze.
The agent that shot him.
He was supposed to abduct him?
Casey had said that Bradford spoke of shooting Chuck out of revenge.
Chuck felt himself flash back to the moment he was shot, to the hazy memory right before the bullet struck him.
"You've caused Fulcrum a lot of trouble."
The way he'd stressed Fulcrum, as if it was more than that.
It was personal.
"Who is the Intersect?"
Bradford had orders to bring him in.
"You know what… it's not worth it."
Chuck couldn't breathe.
They were looking for the Intersect.
Him.
"Look," said Chuck, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. "Just let her go," he said, eyes on Ellie, who was watching him with terrified eyes. "I'm the one you want."
Ellie made a distressed squeak at that, and Barlowe tightened his grip on her, making her wince with a muffled cry.
"Don't hurt her!" cried Chuck. "I'll do whatever you want, just please don't hurt her." He couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice.
Barlowe raised his brow. "Anything?"
"Yes, anything," said Chuck quickly, trying to fight the chill that swept down his spine at the implications that might have. "Just, please, let her go."
"Well if you'll do anything to ensure her safety, she proves quite useful." With a sick grin, he pulled a rag from his jacket, and pressed it firmly over Ellie's nose and mouth.
"Ellie!" cried Chuck, but the grips on his arms prevented him from moving.
She struggled for half a second more before falling limp in the man's arms.
Rage and fear twisted Chuck's chest horribly. "Ellie—!" He fought against the arms holding him even when it tore horribly at his injury.
"Don't worry," said Barlowe, nodding to something behind Chuck. "You'll be reunited very soon."
Before he could react, damp cloth was pressed over his own face, a sickly-sweet smell overriding his senses.
"Get them in the van. Before his handler returns."
Chuck blinked heavily, feeling weakness trail through him.
He blinked again, trying to fight it.
But he was already gone.
Chapter 7
Chapter Text
"Chuck! Chuck!"
It felt like his mind was rising from thick mud, his ascent to reality slow and painful.
Or maybe that was just the radiating pain in his abdomen.
"Chuck, wake up!"
Suddenly, he recognized that voice as Ellie's, and he felt a strange sense of deja vu, from the last time he woke from a drug-induced sleep, when he'd been in the hospital. But the doctors definitely hadn't used chloroform.
Chloroform.
Memories crashed into him, and his eyes snapped open.
Fulcrum.
Ellie.
"Ellie!" he gasped.
He was lying on cold concrete. His eyes snapped open, the room blurring slowly into view.
He was in a room no bigger than a large closet. Cement floor, walls and ceiling screamed of underground. There was a single door across from him. No windows.
Chuck's gaze stopped immediately on Ellie, who was on her knees a few feet away. "Ellie!" He jerked up, ignoring the pain in his midsection from the bullet wound, but was suddenly yanked back with a painful tug on his wrist.
He looked, seeing a pair of handcuffs around his left wrist, securing him to a lone, vertical pipe against the side of this wall. His heart pounding, he looked helplessly at Ellie, who was out of reach from him by a few feet. Now he could see that Ellie was secured to the wall in the same way.
The sight of her like that hurt.
Tears were in her eyes, and some of her makeup had run. "Chuck," she choked out.
"Are you okay?" asked Chuck breathlessly, the urge to run to her, protect her, get her the hell out of here, was overwhelming.
She looked at him incredulously. "Okay?! No, I am not okay!" she exclaimed in a choked whisper. "We were just kidnapped by crazy people!"
It was unnerving to see Ellie so afraid; Chuck could count on one hand the amount of times he's seen her look the way she did now. And the last time he saw it was the day their father never came home.
Chuck jerked on the handcuffs, but they didn't budge. He knew he should have asked Sarah or Casey for a crash course in lockpicking.
Why did the CIA and NSA never think it was a good idea to train him somehow?!
His heart raced.
He needed to get them out of here.
Dammit, where were Sarah and Casey when he needed them?
If something happened to her…
He couldn't even entertain the thought.
The door suddenly opened.
The Fulcrum agent—Barlowe, Chuck recalled with a horribly sinking feeling— smiled at the sight of them. "Have you made yourselves comfortable?"
Chuck jerked to his feet, and Ellie did the same. The cuffs kept them within a foot of the wall, but allowed them to reach their full height, connected to identical vertical pipes that led to the ceiling.
The door shut behind Barlowe, and he held a gun in his hand.
Chuck swallowed.
Hard.
Fear like none other raced through him.
Ellie.
"Please, just let her go," said Chuck, desperate fear consuming him. "It's me you want—"
"Chuck!" exclaimed Ellie. To Barlowe, she said, "You have the wrong people. I'm just a doctor, and my brother just fixes computers—"
Barlowe's eyes flicked to Chuck, a smile playing at his lips. "Yes, he does have quite the cover story going."
"It's not—" began Ellie, but Barlowe cut her off.
"Oh," said Barlowe, amusement twisting his smile. "She doesn't know."
"Just let her go," repeated Chuck, but his words were just a whisper.
To Ellie, he said, "Your brother is a government asset working undercover for the CIA." Chuck's blood ran cold.
"You're crazy!" said Ellie.
"Ellie—" began Chuck, terrified she'd provoke the man into hurting her.
Heaving an irritated sigh, Barlowe looked at Chuck. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a long time," he said with a dangerous lift of his brow. "We learned you were roommates with Bryce Larkin, as well as part of the team involved in retrieving the cipher for the new Intersect." Something sinister in his eyes, Barlowe approached Chuck, the gun loosely held in his hand like a casual threat. Chuck felt himself back into the wall. Barlowe smiled at his fear, and said, "I thought we could get some information out of you. However," he said, the change in his voice something far more than just sinister, "after seeing just how nuts the CIA and the NSA went to keep you alive and protected after you were shot by my agent?" That sick smile grew, and horrible, cold dread began trailing down Chuck's spine. "I think you know more than just information about the Intersect. I think," he said, as Chuck could hardly breathe, "that you know the information… in the Intersect."
Chuck went rigid.
Barlowe raised a brow dangerously. "It's you, isn't it?"
"Th-That's preposterous," said Chuck, barely having found his voice around the fear. "I'm just an analyst—"
Barlowe suddenly stepped away from Chuck, and instead, approached Ellie.
Chuck's heart stopped.
Ellie backed into the wall, and Barlowe suddenly pressed the muzzle of his gun to her forehead.
A tear fell down Ellie's cheek, a small sound escaping her, and Chuck felt his chest burn. "Ellie!" He jerked toward her, but the cuffs held him back. He yanked hard enough to feel them cut, his heart beating furiously. He felt utterly helpless. "Don't," he whispered desperately. "Please, don't hurt her, I'll do whatever you want, just don't—"
"I'm going to ask you a question." interrupted Barlowe, turning to look at Chuck, but the gun never left Ellie's forehead. "Answer it correctly, and she lives."
Ellie let out a terrified gasp.
Chuck couldn't breathe.
"What," said Barlowe, eyes drilling into Chuck, "is Harvest Run?"
It struck him in an instant.
Details of the mission.
Agent profiles.
Dozens of confidential files, sinking into his memory like he wrote them himself.
Chuck shut his eyes, the flash heavier, longer, deeper than most.
He kept his eyes shut even after it ended.
Dread was consuming him, realizing what the man wanted.
Somehow, Barlowe knew that information was in the Intersect. And if Chuck answered him, he was confirming that he was, in fact, the Intersect.
But if he didn't…
Ellie.
His mind was made up instantly.
Opening his eyes, defeat rolling through him heavily, Chuck met Barlowe's narrowed eyes. And taking a shuddering breath, Chuck reluctantly answered his question.
"It was the initiation mission that formed the deviated branch of the CIA to fight tomorrow's battles today," said Chuck hollowly. "Fulcrum."
Barlowe's lips curled with a smile that was both wicked and awed. "It is you," he breathed.
Chuck tried not to feel the fear seizing his chest, only focusing on the gun still to his sister's head. "You said you wouldn't hurt her," he said through a tight voice.
Barlowe turned his gaze back to Ellie, who was staring at Chuck, eyes wide, the expression torn between a look of utter shock and terror that rolled another tear down her cheek.
Barlowe hesitated, the gun still to Ellie's head.
Then, he said, "Fine."
He removed the gun.
Chuck breathed out in relief.
"A human Intersect," said Barlowe with that ugly smile, staring at Chuck with that terrifying sense of awe. "Incredible. And as the one to bring you in, I'll be granted whatever rank I please." He opened the door, turning back to say, "We'll have you shipped out to the main facility by morning. You're still my little secret. I'm not risking anyone bringing you in but myself. And then, every Fulcrum agent will know who the Intersect is. You will have nowhere to run from us, handlers or not." He nodded his head to Ellie, who was still staring at Chuck as if he was a ghost. "I will keep your sister alive; she'll even get to come. It seems like the easiest way to get you to cooperate. At least… for now." He shook the gun for emphasis, and Chuck felt his eyes burn.
With that, Barlowe left, the door slamming shut behind them, leaving them in terrifying, chilled silence.
The moment the door shut, Chuck jerked against the chain. "Ellie! Are you okay?!" he asked desperately, pulling against the cuffs so hard his wrist nearly bled.
Ellie leaned against the wall, shutting her eyes. She nodded hollowly, looking nothing short of traumatized by the gun.
Chuck has never felt more pain in his life than now.
They needed to get out of here. He pulled and jerked, but the chain simply wouldn't give.
Chuck dropped his hand in defeat, helplessness coursing through him.
"How did you know that?"
Chuck snapped his gaze back to hers.
She was looking at him, eyes still filled with that shock from before. Her voice hollow, she asked, "How did you know?"
Chuck's chest tightened. "Ellie…"
"Chuck, what the hell is going on?" she demanded, tears back in her eyes.
Chuck screwed his eyes shut.
Full disclosure.
Chuck took a breath, hesitantly meeting her eyes. "Because… because it's… true," he said painfully. He breathed out. "I… I'm a government asset and I work with the CIA and the NSA. We're here because of me." Before she could say anything, he braced himself and said, "I… I wasn't injured by a knife last week," Chuck went on heavily, speaking the words he'd tried so hard to keep from her all week. "I couldn't let you see it because… I was… shot," he admitted, the words so quiet they were almost a whisper. "An agent who works for… for these people, he cornered me at the Buy More, and… well, he..." Taking another breath, he lifted the bottom of his shirt, and pulled the bandage aside.
Ellie's eyes widened.
Even feet away, she could see it clearly.
Chuck saw the recognition in her eyes.
She tore her gaze from the wound, back to Chuck's eyes.
Utter disbelief shone in her eyes.
Chuck dropped his shirt, his chest tight.
"You—" began Ellie hollowly. "It's true?"
Chuck swallowed.
Nodded.
If possible, her eyes widened with more disbelief. "You're—what? A spy?!" she said incredulously.
"Y-Yeah," mumbled Chuck hollowly. "More or less…"
She shook her head a little, shutting her eyes with overwhelm. "How… how is that—how is that even possible?" she asked, looking at him.
"It wasn't by choice," said Chuck quickly, desperately. "I… I sort of… fell into it."
"How do you fall into being a spy?!" exclaimed Ellie, tears back in her eyes.
"It… it started about a year ago–" began Chuck, but Ellie cut him off.
"A year?!" echoed Ellie. "A year? You've been a spy for a year?" The disbelief and incredulity deepened in her eyes.
"It… it started on my twenty-eighth birthday," said Chuck, stumbling through the words. "I… I got an email from Bryce—"
"Bryce?" echoed Ellie. Her eyes flicked to the door, then back to Chuck, and Chuck remembered that Barlowe mentioned Bryce. "Wait… what does Bryce have to do with all of this?"
"He was recruited into the CIA in our junior year at Stanford," said Chuck, words tumbling out. "I—I didn't know until recently. But he sent me this email out of nowhere. And I opened it, and…" Chuck hesitated, remembering the moment that, more times than he can count, wished he'd simply deleted it. "There were all these… pictures. They were… different, though. They were encoded with secrets. If you see them, then whatever information was stored in the photo gets… like… branded into your memory. I saw thousands of them," said Chuck hollowly. "The next thing I knew, I was remembering things that I shouldn't have known." He hesitated, somehow feeling like this part of his life has been far longer than just a year. "I only learned later that all those secrets were government secrets," Chuck went on, voice defeated. "Bryce stole them from the CIA, destroyed the computer and sent them to me. Now… I'm the only person in the world who knows all these secrets within the CIA and the NSA." He took a breath. "That computer is called the Intersect. And… it's me."
Ellie stared at him in utter shock.
"Right after it happened," said Chuck, "the CIA and NSA sent agents to find where Bryce sent the secrets and they found out it was me. I've been stuck in this world ever since, as an asset until they can figure out how to get it out of me."
They were both silent for a moment.
When Ellie looked back at him, tears were once again in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, voice laced with hurt.
But there was an emotion Chuck hadn't been able to read in her eyes.
He saw it clearly now.
Betrayal.
He felt sick.
"I couldn't," he said desperately. "If I did, you would have been in danger. I… I couldn't tell anyone."
Ellie held his gaze, letting his words sink in. A different kind of hurt colored her eyes. "You've had to keep it to yourself? All this time?" she asked in a small voice.
Chuck felt the loneliness of that fact seep into his chest.
He nodded.
Slowly, Ellie sank to the ground, her handcuff chain clinking on the pipe. She pulled her knees to her chest, looking more than a little overwhelmed with the information.
Chuck followed, sitting against his own wall, wishing he could reach her, hug her, something.
Finally, after all this time, his secret was out.
Chuck couldn't even count how many times he's wanted to tell her the truth, to get the disappointment with his job and his life out of her eyes.
But he would give anything for her to not have found out like this.
After a moment, Ellie met his eyes. "So Sarah doesn't even know?"
Chuck hesitated.
"Uh…" Chuck cautiously met Ellie's waiting gaze. "Well, um, Sarah… Sarah's um…" He winced. "Sarah's one of my… handlers," he said awkwardly.
If Ellie had looked shocked before, it was nothing compared to her expression now.
"Sarah?!" she echoed in utter shock. "Sarah is a spy?"
"For the CIA," said Chuck, face still drawn in a wince.
Ellie looked utterly speechless.
"My other handler is… Casey," said Chuck hesitantly.
Ellie's brows shot up. "Casey? John Casey? Creepy, stalker, our neighbor John Casey?!"
"They've been watching and protecting my every move ever since I got the Intersect," said Chuck. "The deal was that I had to help them on missions, too. Since I know all of their secrets, I can ID agents, like… the one who took us. I… the information comes to me in a sort of… flash," he said, still feeling the lingering headache from the last one. "The people that took us—they're called Fulcrum. It's this corrupt branch of the CIA… they want the Intersect just as much as the CIA and NSA do." Chuck sighed, pain and hopelessness twisting his chest. "It's all my fault that we're here, Ellie. I'm so sorry."
"But you said that your… handlers…" She said awkwardly, seeming unable to say their names in this context, "watch your every move. So… are they… coming to save us?" she asked with a horribly hopeful look in her eyes.
Chuck winced. "Well… that's just it. Back home, I asked Sarah to leave us alone, and… she left." He was still kicking himself for that. "Even with the security footage, I don't know if they managed to follow the van to where we are. Fulcrum took my watch off at the house, and that and my phone are the only GPS Sarah and Casey have on me." He knocked his head against the wall with frustration. "Ellie, I'm so sorry," he said, eyes burning. "I never meant to drag you into this. I never, ever meant to hurt you. And even when I was trying to protect you, I hurt you." His eyes shut at the memory of a few days ago. "Like this week—I'm sorry I yelled at you, I… I didn't know what to do," he said, shutting his eyes. "And every time I canceled plans with you for some mission that I couldn't tell you about—" began Chuck.
"I'm sorry," interrupted Ellie suddenly, a tear falling down her cheek. "Chuck, if I had known—" She shut her eyes. "I made you feel like you were the worst brother in the world." She opened her eyes. "All the times you told me to just let it go… I'm the worst sister in the world."
"Ellie," said Chuck, pained. "You are… you are everything to me." A tear burned down his cheek. "I meant what I said at home. I need you in my life."
"I do, too," she said, another tear sliding down her cheek before she wiped it away. She hugged her knees.
Chuck took a breath, holding onto as much hope as he could. "But Casey and Sarah are the best," he said. "If anyone can save us… it's them."
"Chuck! Chuck!"
It felt like his mind was rising from thick mud, his ascent to reality slow and painful.
Or maybe that was just the radiating pain in his abdomen.
"Chuck, wake up!"
Suddenly, he recognized that voice as Ellie's, and he felt a strange sense of deja vu, from the last time he woke from a drug-induced sleep, when he'd been in the hospital. But the doctors definitely hadn't used chloroform.
Chloroform.
Memories crashed into him, and his eyes snapped open.
Fulcrum.
Ellie.
"Ellie!" he gasped.
He was lying on cold concrete. His eyes snapped open, the room blurring slowly into view.
He was in a room no bigger than a large closet. Cement floor, walls and ceiling screamed of underground. There was a single door across from him. No windows.
Chuck's gaze stopped immediately on Ellie, who was on her knees a few feet away. "Ellie!" He jerked up, ignoring the pain in his midsection from the bullet wound, but was suddenly yanked back with a painful tug on his wrist.
He looked, seeing a pair of handcuffs around his left wrist, securing him to a lone, vertical pipe against the side of this wall. His heart pounding, he looked helplessly at Ellie, who was out of reach from him by a few feet. Now he could see that Ellie was secured to the wall in the same way.
The sight of her like that hurt.
Tears were in her eyes, and some of her makeup had run. "Chuck," she choked out.
"Are you okay?" asked Chuck breathlessly, the urge to run to her, protect her, get her the hell out of here, was overwhelming.
She looked at him incredulously. "Okay?! No, I am not okay!" she exclaimed in a choked whisper. "We were just kidnapped by crazy people!"
It was unnerving to see Ellie so afraid; Chuck could count on one hand the amount of times he's seen her look the way she did now. And the last time he saw it was the day their father never came home.
Chuck jerked on the handcuffs, but they didn't budge. He knew he should have asked Sarah or Casey for a crash course in lockpicking.
Why did the CIA and NSA never think it was a good idea to train him somehow?!
His heart raced.
He needed to get them out of here.
Dammit, where were Sarah and Casey when he needed them?
If something happened to her…
He couldn't even entertain the thought.
The door suddenly opened.
The Fulcrum agent—Barlowe, Chuck recalled with a horribly sinking feeling— smiled at the sight of them. "Have you made yourselves comfortable?"
Chuck jerked to his feet, and Ellie did the same. The cuffs kept them within a foot of the wall, but allowed them to reach their full height, connected to identical vertical pipes that led to the ceiling.
The door shut behind Barlowe, and he held a gun in his hand.
Chuck swallowed.
Hard.
Fear like none other raced through him.
Ellie.
"Please, just let her go," said Chuck, desperate fear consuming him. "It's me you want—"
"Chuck!" exclaimed Ellie. To Barlowe, she said, "You have the wrong people. I'm just a doctor, and my brother just fixes computers—"
Barlowe's eyes flicked to Chuck, a smile playing at his lips. "Yes, he does have quite the cover story going."
"It's not—" began Ellie, but Barlowe cut her off.
"Oh," said Barlowe, amusement twisting his smile. "She doesn't know."
"Just let her go," repeated Chuck, but his words were just a whisper.
To Ellie, he said, "Your brother is a government asset working undercover for the CIA." Chuck's blood ran cold.
"You're crazy!" said Ellie.
"Ellie—" began Chuck, terrified she'd provoke the man into hurting her.
Heaving an irritated sigh, Barlowe looked at Chuck. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a long time," he said with a dangerous lift of his brow. "We learned you were roommates with Bryce Larkin, as well as part of the team involved in retrieving the cipher for the new Intersect." Something sinister in his eyes, Barlowe approached Chuck, the gun loosely held in his hand like a casual threat. Chuck felt himself back into the wall. Barlowe smiled at his fear, and said, "I thought we could get some information out of you. However," he said, the change in his voice something far more than just sinister, "after seeing just how nuts the CIA and the NSA went to keep you alive and protected after you were shot by my agent?" That sick smile grew, and horrible, cold dread began trailing down Chuck's spine. "I think you know more than just information about the Intersect. I think," he said, as Chuck could hardly breathe, "that you know the information… in the Intersect."
Chuck went rigid.
Barlowe raised a brow dangerously. "It's you, isn't it?"
"Th-That's preposterous," said Chuck, barely having found his voice around the fear. "I'm just an analyst—"
Barlowe suddenly stepped away from Chuck, and instead, approached Ellie.
Chuck's heart stopped.
Ellie backed into the wall, and Barlowe suddenly pressed the muzzle of his gun to her forehead.
A tear fell down Ellie's cheek, a small sound escaping her, and Chuck felt his chest burn. "Ellie!" He jerked toward her, but the cuffs held him back. He yanked hard enough to feel them cut, his heart beating furiously. He felt utterly helpless. "Don't," he whispered desperately. "Please, don't hurt her, I'll do whatever you want, just don't—"
"I'm going to ask you a question." interrupted Barlowe, turning to look at Chuck, but the gun never left Ellie's forehead. "Answer it correctly, and she lives."
Ellie let out a terrified gasp.
Chuck couldn't breathe.
"What," said Barlowe, eyes drilling into Chuck, "is Harvest Run?"
It struck him in an instant.
Details of the mission.
Agent profiles.
Dozens of confidential files, sinking into his memory like he wrote them himself.
Chuck shut his eyes, the flash heavier, longer, deeper than most.
He kept his eyes shut even after it ended.
Dread was consuming him, realizing what the man wanted.
Somehow, Barlowe knew that information was in the Intersect. And if Chuck answered him, he was confirming that he was, in fact, the Intersect.
But if he didn't…
Ellie.
His mind was made up instantly.
Opening his eyes, defeat rolling through him heavily, Chuck met Barlowe's narrowed eyes. And taking a shuddering breath, Chuck reluctantly answered his question.
"It was the initiation mission that formed the deviated branch of the CIA to fight tomorrow's battles today," said Chuck hollowly. "Fulcrum."
Barlowe's lips curled with a smile that was both wicked and awed. "It is you," he breathed.
Chuck tried not to feel the fear seizing his chest, only focusing on the gun still to his sister's head. "You said you wouldn't hurt her," he said through a tight voice.
Barlowe turned his gaze back to Ellie, who was staring at Chuck, eyes wide, the expression torn between a look of utter shock and terror that rolled another tear down her cheek.
Barlowe hesitated, the gun still to Ellie's head.
Then, he said, "Fine."
He removed the gun.
Chuck breathed out in relief.
"A human Intersect," said Barlowe with that ugly smile, staring at Chuck with that terrifying sense of awe. "Incredible. And as the one to bring you in, I'll be granted whatever rank I please." He opened the door, turning back to say, "We'll have you shipped out to the main facility by morning. You're still my little secret. I'm not risking anyone bringing you in but myself. And then, every Fulcrum agent will know who the Intersect is. You will have nowhere to run from us, handlers or not." He nodded his head to Ellie, who was still staring at Chuck as if he was a ghost. "I will keep your sister alive; she'll even get to come. It seems like the easiest way to get you to cooperate. At least… for now." He shook the gun for emphasis, and Chuck felt his eyes burn.
With that, Barlowe left, the door slamming shut behind them, leaving them in terrifying, chilled silence.
The moment the door shut, Chuck jerked against the chain. "Ellie! Are you okay?!" he asked desperately, pulling against the cuffs so hard his wrist nearly bled.
Ellie leaned against the wall, shutting her eyes. She nodded hollowly, looking nothing short of traumatized by the gun.
Chuck has never felt more pain in his life than now.
They needed to get out of here. He pulled and jerked, but the chain simply wouldn't give.
Chuck dropped his hand in defeat, helplessness coursing through him.
"How did you know that?"
Chuck snapped his gaze back to hers.
She was looking at him, eyes still filled with that shock from before. Her voice hollow, she asked, "How did you know?"
Chuck's chest tightened. "Ellie…"
"Chuck, what the hell is going on?" she demanded, tears back in her eyes.
Chuck screwed his eyes shut.
Full disclosure.
Chuck took a breath, hesitantly meeting her eyes. "Because… because it's… true," he said painfully. He breathed out. "I… I'm a government asset and I work with the CIA and the NSA. We're here because of me." Before she could say anything, he braced himself and said, "I… I wasn't injured by a knife last week," Chuck went on heavily, speaking the words he'd tried so hard to keep from her all week. "I couldn't let you see it because… I was… shot," he admitted, the words so quiet they were almost a whisper. "An agent who works for… for these people, he cornered me at the Buy More, and… well, he..." Taking another breath, he lifted the bottom of his shirt, and pulled the bandage aside.
Ellie's eyes widened.
Even feet away, she could see it clearly.
Chuck saw the recognition in her eyes.
She tore her gaze from the wound, back to Chuck's eyes.
Utter disbelief shone in her eyes.
Chuck dropped his shirt, his chest tight.
"You—" began Ellie hollowly. "It's true?"
Chuck swallowed.
Nodded.
If possible, her eyes widened with more disbelief. "You're—what? A spy?!" she said incredulously.
"Y-Yeah," mumbled Chuck hollowly. "More or less…"
She shook her head a little, shutting her eyes with overwhelm. "How… how is that—how is that even possible?" she asked, looking at him.
"It wasn't by choice," said Chuck quickly, desperately. "I… I sort of… fell into it."
"How do you fall into being a spy?!" exclaimed Ellie, tears back in her eyes.
"It… it started about a year ago–" began Chuck, but Ellie cut him off.
"A year?!" echoed Ellie. "A year? You've been a spy for a year?" The disbelief and incredulity deepened in her eyes.
"It… it started on my twenty-eighth birthday," said Chuck, stumbling through the words. "I… I got an email from Bryce—"
"Bryce?" echoed Ellie. Her eyes flicked to the door, then back to Chuck, and Chuck remembered that Barlowe mentioned Bryce. "Wait… what does Bryce have to do with all of this?"
"He was recruited into the CIA in our junior year at Stanford," said Chuck, words tumbling out. "I—I didn't know until recently. But he sent me this email out of nowhere. And I opened it, and…" Chuck hesitated, remembering the moment that, more times than he can count, wished he'd simply deleted it. "There were all these… pictures. They were… different, though. They were encoded with secrets. If you see them, then whatever information was stored in the photo gets… like… branded into your memory. I saw thousands of them," said Chuck hollowly. "The next thing I knew, I was remembering things that I shouldn't have known." He hesitated, somehow feeling like this part of his life has been far longer than just a year. "I only learned later that all those secrets were government secrets," Chuck went on, voice defeated. "Bryce stole them from the CIA, destroyed the computer and sent them to me. Now… I'm the only person in the world who knows all these secrets within the CIA and the NSA." He took a breath. "That computer is called the Intersect. And… it's me."
Ellie stared at him in utter shock.
"Right after it happened," said Chuck, "the CIA and NSA sent agents to find where Bryce sent the secrets and they found out it was me. I've been stuck in this world ever since, as an asset until they can figure out how to get it out of me."
They were both silent for a moment.
When Ellie looked back at him, tears were once again in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, voice laced with hurt.
But there was an emotion Chuck hadn't been able to read in her eyes.
He saw it clearly now.
Betrayal.
He felt sick.
"I couldn't," he said desperately. "If I did, you would have been in danger. I… I couldn't tell anyone."
Ellie held his gaze, letting his words sink in. A different kind of hurt colored her eyes. "You've had to keep it to yourself? All this time?" she asked in a small voice.
Chuck felt the loneliness of that fact seep into his chest.
He nodded.
Slowly, Ellie sank to the ground, her handcuff chain clinking on the pipe. She pulled her knees to her chest, looking more than a little overwhelmed with the information.
Chuck followed, sitting against his own wall, wishing he could reach her, hug her, something.
Finally, after all this time, his secret was out.
Chuck couldn't even count how many times he's wanted to tell her the truth, to get the disappointment with his job and his life out of her eyes.
But he would give anything for her to not have found out like this.
After a moment, Ellie met his eyes. "So Sarah doesn't even know?"
Chuck hesitated.
"Uh…" Chuck cautiously met Ellie's waiting gaze. "Well, um, Sarah… Sarah's um…" He winced. "Sarah's one of my… handlers," he said awkwardly.
If Ellie had looked shocked before, it was nothing compared to her expression now.
"Sarah?!" she echoed in utter shock. "Sarah is a spy?"
"For the CIA," said Chuck, face still drawn in a wince.
Ellie looked utterly speechless.
"My other handler is… Casey," said Chuck hesitantly.
Ellie's brows shot up. "Casey? John Casey? Creepy, stalker, our neighbor John Casey?!"
"They've been watching and protecting my every move ever since I got the Intersect," said Chuck. "The deal was that I had to help them on missions, too. Since I know all of their secrets, I can ID agents, like… the one who took us. I… the information comes to me in a sort of… flash," he said, still feeling the lingering headache from the last one. "The people that took us—they're called Fulcrum. It's this corrupt branch of the CIA… they want the Intersect just as much as the CIA and NSA do." Chuck sighed, pain and hopelessness twisting his chest. "It's all my fault that we're here, Ellie. I'm so sorry."
"But you said that your… handlers…" She said awkwardly, seeming unable to say their names in this context, "watch your every move. So… are they… coming to save us?" she asked with a horribly hopeful look in her eyes.
Chuck winced. "Well… that's just it. Back home, I asked Sarah to leave us alone, and… she left." He was still kicking himself for that. "Even with the security footage, I don't know if they managed to follow the van to where we are. Fulcrum took my watch off at the house, and that and my phone are the only GPS Sarah and Casey have on me." He knocked his head against the wall with frustration. "Ellie, I'm so sorry," he said, eyes burning. "I never meant to drag you into this. I never, ever meant to hurt you. And even when I was trying to protect you, I hurt you." His eyes shut at the memory of a few days ago. "Like this week—I'm sorry I yelled at you, I… I didn't know what to do," he said, shutting his eyes. "And every time I canceled plans with you for some mission that I couldn't tell you about—" began Chuck.
"I'm sorry," interrupted Ellie suddenly, a tear falling down her cheek. "Chuck, if I had known—" She shut her eyes. "I made you feel like you were the worst brother in the world." She opened her eyes. "All the times you told me to just let it go… I'm the worst sister in the world."
"Ellie," said Chuck, pained. "You are… you are everything to me." A tear burned down his cheek. "I meant what I said at home. I need you in my life."
"I do, too," she said, another tear sliding down her cheek before she wiped it away. She hugged her knees.
Chuck took a breath, holding onto as much hope as he could. "But Casey and Sarah are the best," he said. "If anyone can save us… it's them."
Chapter 8
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Three hours earlier
Sarah's knuckles were white on the wheel of her car, every instinct in her wanting to accelerate even faster, but she forced herself to maintain the thirty yard cushion.
Her heart pounded in her chest so hard it hurt, and she could only thank god that she hadn't actually left when Chuck asked her to.
She'd left the apartment complex, but snuck into Casey's apartment to monitor the surveillance. She just still couldn't shake the paranoia of being away from him.
Sarah had thought the paranoia was brought on from the guilt of letting him get shot, but now she realized it was because somehow she knew something was off.
Chuck might even call it a Spidey sense.
She'd seen the Fulcrum team take him—and his sister, which was a concern all on its own—but there were too many agents to take on herself. She'd have been killed in seconds, or she'd have gotten Ellie killed. Ellie was collateral; Sarah could only hope Fulcrum wouldn't soon find no use for her. As far as Sarah was concerned, Ellie's rescue was just as vital as Chuck's.
Though it had physically hurt to keep herself from going to Chuck's aid at the apartment, at the very least, she now had the element of surprise. Fulcrum assumed she'd left him unprotected; they wouldn't expect to have been followed.
Sarah had just pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket to dial Casey when it buzzed. She answered it in half a second, not for the first time wondering if she and her partner had a telepathic connection at this point.
"Chuck's been taken," said Sarah before he could speak, her eyes glued to the van Chuck was in, jaw tight with guilt that burned hotter than ever.
"What?"
"Chuck asked me to leave, I was monitoring him from your place. A Fulcrum team took him. And his sister." She took an almost-shuddering breath. "I'm thirty yards behind them, track my GPS. We'll need backup."
She heard running from his line, and the slam of a car door. "On it. Ten minutes ago, Bradford was killed mid-transport to the holding facility. Sniper took him out."
Sarah's breath caught as dots connected, recalling the conversation between Chuck and the agent who took them. "The Fulcrum agent who took Chuck, Bradford's superior, Barlowe. He said that Bradford wasn't supposed to shoot Chuck; they wanted him alive."
"Dammit."
If Sarah wasn't mistaken, she heard the same anxiety she felt in Casey's voice.
"Get another team," said Sarah firmly. "Or three."
"Roger that."
She hung up, her hand returning to her white-knuckled grip on the wheel, her fingers shaking.
Sarah followed the van for nearly an hour before civilization began fading away.
She was only lucky that dusk was approaching. She'd had to hang back further away and shut off her headlights, but just when she was afraid she'd lost sight of them, she saw it.
A small building loomed ahead, looking like it was some sort of energy plant.
Clever.
She watched the van disappear into a garage that closed the moment it was inside.
Sarah stopped her car and grabbed her gun, cocking it as she got out of the car.
On any other mission, she would wait for backup.
But she couldn't wait for Casey.
Not this time.
She scanned the building, looking for a quiet way in, eyes catching a ladder leading to the roof on the far side of the building, with a single agent manning it, who was puffing boredly on a cigarette.
She clung to the shadows and ran toward it.
Sarah caught the agent completely off-guard, grabbing him in a chokehold, cutting off his airflow until he slumped against her. She patted him down until she found a keycard.
Dragging the man into bushes not too far away and handcuffing him to a branch of the tree, Sarah ran back and took the rungs of the ladder, the keycard between her teeth.
There was one agent on the roof, and once again using the shadows for cover, Sarah took him out the same way as the agent below. Cuffing this man to a pipe. Sarah grabbed his keycard as well. The ID cards might get flagged, but hopefully having two different ones will buy herself enough time to get in before it set off any alarms.
She let herself into the door on the roof, leaving it propped open slightly, just in case. The stairwell was quiet and ominous. She took a breath, starting down the stairs, fingers tightening around her gun.
She would not let them hurt Chuck again.
That was a promise she would die keeping.
Chuck was a spy.
A spy.
Ellie's head was spinning.
Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she couldn't stop trembling with fear. The gun to her head would give her nightmares for years to come. She has never been more terrified than she was now—it was only second to when Chuck had been in emergency surgery.
Her eyes were on her brother now, and she couldn't tear them away.
Because he was a spy.
And he'd been a spy for a year.
"What are you going to do with your life?"
He'd hesitated at her question, taking a breath before saying, "Secret agent."
"See, this is what happens when you sit in front of the TV set too long."
She blinked.
They'd had that conversation only a few months ago.
He had told her the truth, and she hadn't even thought anything of it.
Chuck.
Chuck was a secret agent.
And from what he told her, not just any secret agent—he was some enigma, someone so important both good agents and bad agents would kill for.
For the past year, her brother, the same one whose most dangerous activity had been playing Call of Duty too long—she'll never forget prescribing him eye drops for the strain of too many all-nighters with Morgan—was now an agent. Someone who dealt with killers and criminals and the United States government.
The hurt was still coursing through her. He never told me.
But she could see it here in his eyes, and in hindsight, every single time he'd lied to her.
It had killed him not to tell her.
"Why won't you talk to me?"
She's lost count how many times she's asked him.
"It's… complicated. Can't we just leave it at that?"
He'd had to keep this all to himself.
Chuck, the same Chuck who told her everything.
Who'd had to tell her everything, and who went to therapy for years when she wasn't enough.
She was running through every single moment that didn't add up, that didn't make sense.
His disappearing on Mother's Day last year—the first Mother's Day he'd skipped out on.
The anguish in his eyes when he'd tried to explain himself…
…but couldn't.
So many things suddenly made sense in an instant, in horribly vivid clarity.
For one, Chuck's strange friendship with John Casey.
Casey, who was both their neighbor and worked at the Buy More, which Ellie had once thought maybe Chuck had mentioned to him that there was an open position when he'd moved in, to explain how it happened simultaneously. Not that John Casey looked exactly like retail material. And all the time Chuck spent at his apartment, the carpools to work…
Everything made so much sense.
So much crazy, never-would-have-believed-it-in-a-million-years sense.
The only other thing Ellie couldn't wrap her head around no matter how much she tried was Sarah.
Sarah Walker was a spy?
Thinking about it now, the timeline of Casey moving in and Chuck meeting Sarah did go perfectly hand-in-hand, but… Sarah? Sarah looked nothing like a government agent. She looked exactly like… like someone who would sell frozen yogurt.
Sarah and Ellie hadn't had many one-on-ones, but on all the ones they'd had, Sarah had seemed a little unused to being social, maybe a little self-conscious at times, but an undercover spy?
All this time?
Ellie tried to picture Sarah as a spy.
John Casey wasn't hard to picture as a spy—the harder picture was imagining Casey working for the good guys, if anything.
But Sarah?
It was almost like trying to picture Chuck as such a thing.
"Ellie…?"
Ellie looked up at Chuck's hesitant voice. She'd definitely zoned out, her mind racing with just a bit of overwhelm, and Chuck was looking at her nervously.
She had more than a million questions, but that would have to wait. All she wanted to do was go home. The desire to be safely wrapped in Devon's arms was painful.
Devon.
Her heart skipped.
How long has it been since they were taken?
Was he home from work?
Did he know they were gone?
What if they never got out of here?
Her tears sprung back to her eyes.
Before she could reply to Chuck, there was a thud outside the door.
Both she and Chuck whipped around. Ellie's heart jumped in her throat.
The door clicked and began to open.
Ellie crawled backward as far as she could, and she braced herself until—
Ellie and Chuck froze.
Ellie's eyes widened.
It was Sarah.
The moment Sarah saw them both, relief washed over her face. Chuck began to say something, but she put her finger to her lips.
Then, she dragged in a body.
Sarah pulled in either the unconscious or dead body of a man, and looked out of the door as if checking the coast, before closing the door again. She gracelessly dropped the man's body in the corner, and all-but ran to Chuck.
"Chuck!" she whispered, grabbing him in a hug tighter than Ellie has ever seen from either of them. "Are you okay?!"
"Sarah," gasped Chuck, hugging her back with his free arm. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"
Sarah pulled back, quickly working on the handcuffs around Chuck's wrist. As she did, she turned to Ellie, concern etched into her brows. "Ellie, are you okay?"
Ellie blinked, utterly stunned.
She hadn't been able to picture Sarah as a spy before, and she still can't now, seeing it right in front of her. "Sarah?" she found herself whispering in shock.
Sarah winced a little. She managed to unlock Chuck's cuffs. As he got himself to his feet, Sarah quickly approached Ellie, unlocking her handcuffs. "I… I guess this is a lot to take in," she said with a winced smile. "We'll explain once I get you two out of here."
Ellie swallowed, very happy with that plan.
Her cuffs were unlocked, and Ellie quickly got to her feet, just for Chuck to grab her in a crushing hug. "Ellie!" She hugged him back just as tightly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I'm so sorry."
"Chuck, we gotta go," said Sarah, and Chuck released Ellie, but kept a firm grip on her hand, that Ellie returned just as tightly.
"Is Casey here?" asked Chuck.
"He's… on his way," admitted Sarah. "I came in alone."
"Sarah," said Chuck quickly, dropping his voice. "They know. That I'm… the Intersect." Ellie felt his hand tighten around hers.
A grave look fell over Sarah's eyes. Setting her jaw, with a certain kind of dangerous resolve that Ellie would never expect from her, Sarah said, "Stay quiet and stay behind me."
Chuck nodded, tightening his grip on Ellie's hand, and Ellie's other hand held Chuck's wrist.
Sarah nodded at them, as if checking if they were ready, and she pulled a gun from the back of her waistband.
Ellie froze in shock.
Sarah.
And a gun.
Sarah was a spy.
God, if this was a dream, Ellie wanted to wake up right now.
Slowly, Sarah opened the door a crack, peering out. After a second, she said, "Clear. Let's go."
Ellie felt Chuck's already tight grip on her hand tighten even more, and he whispered, "It'll be okay. I promise."
Ellie met his eyes, seeing something so… so strong. So unlike the brother she's known her whole life. So… un-Chuck. Their whole lives, it was she who had held his hand during the hard times, who had talked him down from nightmares, who had fixed up his cuts and bruises.
And now, here he was, healing from a bullet wound he managed to handle without her, holding her hand through one of the scariest moments she's ever had.
"Ellie," whispered Chuck, tugging on her hand. She blinked, seeing Sarah a few feet in front of them, heading down the hallway. Swallowing her panic, Ellie followed, holding tightly to Chuck's hand as he pulled her along, following closely behind Sarah.
The hallway was all gray cement and endless silence. It was cold in every context of the word.
Suddenly a man walked around the corner, freezing a few yards ahead of them.
His mouth opened to yell as his hand reached for the gun at his side. Ellie's heart pounded, and she felt Chuck push her firmly behind him.
But before the man even reached his gun, Sarah was running, jumping on him, her arms crossing tightly in a chokehold around his neck. He struggled to throw her off to no avail, and slowly slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Shock was beginning to not be a strong enough word for everything Ellie's witnessed today.
Sarah quickly got back to her feet, whispering, "Come on. I have an exit on the roof."
Walking faster, Sarah led them toward a door at the end for a stairwell.
But suddenly footsteps sounded from the stairs, as if more than one person was descending them.
"Is there more than one roof?" asked Chuck nervously.
"Dammit," hissed Sarah. She tried the closest door to her, but it didn't budge. There was a keypad next to it. Sarah whipped out what looked like an ID card. She waved it over the device but nothing happened. She tried another ID card; still nothing. "Dammit!"
"Maybe—" began Chuck, turning to look when he suddenly went rigid, and Ellie could only describe his reaction as a very strange sort of seizure. He'd had the same episode when they were locked in the room.
Gasping, Chuck said, "The key pad!" The footsteps were louder now, nearly upon the hallway as Chuck hurriedly said, "I just flashed; the code is 53834."
Without hesitation, Sarah typed in the code. It glowed green and the hiss of a lock hitched, and she yanked open the door. "Quick!"
The door led to what looked like the atrium of the building; the size of a large warehouse. There were no agents in sight for the moment, but it didn't stop the crushing hold Ellie kept on Chuck's hand.
"What now?" whispered Chuck to Sarah.
"I'm improvising," she whispered back, hand tight on her gun. "Stay low."
They'd only snuck quietly a dozen yards when a loud alarm went off. Buzzing that rang Ellie's ears and flashing red lights above each doorway suddenly erupted at the same time Sarah cursed.
Doors crashed open, and yelling sounded over the alarms.
"There!" cried a yell, followed by a gunshot that shattered a light right above the three of them.
"Get down!" cried Chuck, covering Ellie with himself as glass rained down on them.
Sarah kicked over a shelf, using it for them to take cover. Ellie grabbed onto Chuck as they both covered their heads, and Ellie watched with wide-eyes as Sarah rose and fired shots, barely avoiding ones that almost hit her. By the sound of a few grunts around the room, Sarah's shots met their marks.
The gunfire ceased for a second, and Sarah quickly said, "Let's go!"
Chuck pulled Ellie to her feet and held her close to him as they ran through the maze of the room, seeing a doorway ahead of them. They ran for it.
Sarah turned her head as they did, and Ellie saw her eyes widen.
Not a moment later, she was tackling Chuck—as well as Ellie—to the ground, just as a gunshot went off.
They hit the ground behind the cover of another shelf, and Ellie's eyes shot wide. "Chuck! Chuck!"
Not again, not again—
But Chuck was unhit, looking worriedly at Sarah, whose hand was pressed to her side, her face in a grimace.
"Sarah!" breathed Chuck.
"It just grazed me," she said through clenched teeth. "Let's—"
"One more move and you're all dead."
The three of them froze, and panic lit like a fire in Ellie's chest as the agent—Barlowe—angrily glared down at them, standing in front of the doorway they'd tried to get to.
"Now, get up," he commanded.
Sarah got to her feet, one hand to her side, her other still tight around her weapon. Chuck pulled Ellie up, pushing her firmly behind him.
"Drop the gun, Agent Walker," snarled Barlowe, "or I'll give you a wound to match the one you've already got. And it won't be a graze."
With extreme reluctance, Ellie watched Sarah drop her gun. She kicked it to Barlowe, who picked it up. "That's a good girl," he said with a terrifying grin. "What a day for me," he said arrogantly. "The Intersect, and a CIA agent, all mine. Just wait until Fulcrum finds out I have everything they've been looking for," he drawled, flicking his eyes toward Chuck, "and I've taken out one of the CIA's top agents."
Sarah glared at him.
Ellie clutched Chuck's hand so tight it was sure to break.
Barlowe aimed his gun at Sarah, smiling something utterly evil. "Goodbye, Agent Walker. I'll take good care of him."
All three of them froze, dread consuming each of them.
Then, a gunshot fired.
Ellie flinched at the same time Chuck did, her eyes unable to look away, only to see Barlowe jerk, then crumple to the floor.
And standing behind him in the open doorway was Casey, still-smoking gun held high, rage in his eyes.
Suddenly, the roar of doors slamming open, glass shattering and yells and shots firing erupted in chaos as what looked like a small army stormed inside.
Chuck, Sarah and Ellie once again took cover behind the fallen shelf, and Chuck smiled. "It's okay," he said to Ellie, "the cavalry's here!" He let out a breath of relief as the gunfire ceased, the Fulcrum agents either taken out or surrendering to the NSA agents. "Told you they were the best," said Chuck breathlessly.
Casey approached them once silence descended. He looked at Sarah, whose hand was now red with blood where she pressed it against her side. At his questioning look, Sarah said, "Just a graze; I'll be fine."
"It could have killed you," said Chuck, worry bright in his eyes.
Sarah smiled a little. "Better me than you."
That statement seemed to hurt both of them at the same time.
Chuck helped up Ellie, grimacing with a hand to his own abdomen. "You're safe now," he said, pulling her to his chest. "We're going home."
Ellie shut her eyes, hugging him back, never more grateful to hear the words.
Three hours earlier
Sarah's knuckles were white on the wheel of her car, every instinct in her wanting to accelerate even faster, but she forced herself to maintain the thirty yard cushion.
Her heart pounded in her chest so hard it hurt, and she could only thank god that she hadn't actually left when Chuck asked her to.
She'd left the apartment complex, but snuck into Casey's apartment to monitor the surveillance. She just still couldn't shake the paranoia of being away from him.
Sarah had thought the paranoia was brought on from the guilt of letting him get shot, but now she realized it was because somehow she knew something was off.
Chuck might even call it a Spidey sense.
She'd seen the Fulcrum team take him—and his sister, which was a concern all on its own—but there were too many agents to take on herself. She'd have been killed in seconds, or she'd have gotten Ellie killed. Ellie was collateral; Sarah could only hope Fulcrum wouldn't soon find no use for her. As far as Sarah was concerned, Ellie's rescue was just as vital as Chuck's.
Though it had physically hurt to keep herself from going to Chuck's aid at the apartment, at the very least, she now had the element of surprise. Fulcrum assumed she'd left him unprotected; they wouldn't expect to have been followed.
Sarah had just pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket to dial Casey when it buzzed. She answered it in half a second, not for the first time wondering if she and her partner had a telepathic connection at this point.
"Chuck's been taken," said Sarah before he could speak, her eyes glued to the van Chuck was in, jaw tight with guilt that burned hotter than ever.
"What?"
"Chuck asked me to leave, I was monitoring him from your place. A Fulcrum team took him. And his sister." She took an almost-shuddering breath. "I'm thirty yards behind them, track my GPS. We'll need backup."
She heard running from his line, and the slam of a car door. "On it. Ten minutes ago, Bradford was killed mid-transport to the holding facility. Sniper took him out."
Sarah's breath caught as dots connected, recalling the conversation between Chuck and the agent who took them. "The Fulcrum agent who took Chuck, Bradford's superior, Barlowe. He said that Bradford wasn't supposed to shoot Chuck; they wanted him alive."
"Dammit."
If Sarah wasn't mistaken, she heard the same anxiety she felt in Casey's voice.
"Get another team," said Sarah firmly. "Or three."
"Roger that."
She hung up, her hand returning to her white-knuckled grip on the wheel, her fingers shaking.
Sarah followed the van for nearly an hour before civilization began fading away.
She was only lucky that dusk was approaching. She'd had to hang back further away and shut off her headlights, but just when she was afraid she'd lost sight of them, she saw it.
A small building loomed ahead, looking like it was some sort of energy plant.
Clever.
She watched the van disappear into a garage that closed the moment it was inside.
Sarah stopped her car and grabbed her gun, cocking it as she got out of the car.
On any other mission, she would wait for backup.
But she couldn't wait for Casey.
Not this time.
She scanned the building, looking for a quiet way in, eyes catching a ladder leading to the roof on the far side of the building, with a single agent manning it, who was puffing boredly on a cigarette.
She clung to the shadows and ran toward it.
Sarah caught the agent completely off-guard, grabbing him in a chokehold, cutting off his airflow until he slumped against her. She patted him down until she found a keycard.
Dragging the man into bushes not too far away and handcuffing him to a branch of the tree, Sarah ran back and took the rungs of the ladder, the keycard between her teeth.
There was one agent on the roof, and once again using the shadows for cover, Sarah took him out the same way as the agent below. Cuffing this man to a pipe. Sarah grabbed his keycard as well. The ID cards might get flagged, but hopefully having two different ones will buy herself enough time to get in before it set off any alarms.
She let herself into the door on the roof, leaving it propped open slightly, just in case. The stairwell was quiet and ominous. She took a breath, starting down the stairs, fingers tightening around her gun.
She would not let them hurt Chuck again.
That was a promise she would die keeping.
Chuck was a spy.
A spy.
Ellie's head was spinning.
Her heart was beating a mile a minute, and she couldn't stop trembling with fear. The gun to her head would give her nightmares for years to come. She has never been more terrified than she was now—it was only second to when Chuck had been in emergency surgery.
Her eyes were on her brother now, and she couldn't tear them away.
Because he was a spy.
And he'd been a spy for a year.
"What are you going to do with your life?"
He'd hesitated at her question, taking a breath before saying, "Secret agent."
"See, this is what happens when you sit in front of the TV set too long."
She blinked.
They'd had that conversation only a few months ago.
He had told her the truth, and she hadn't even thought anything of it.
Chuck.
Chuck was a secret agent.
And from what he told her, not just any secret agent—he was some enigma, someone so important both good agents and bad agents would kill for.
For the past year, her brother, the same one whose most dangerous activity had been playing Call of Duty too long—she'll never forget prescribing him eye drops for the strain of too many all-nighters with Morgan—was now an agent. Someone who dealt with killers and criminals and the United States government.
The hurt was still coursing through her. He never told me.
But she could see it here in his eyes, and in hindsight, every single time he'd lied to her.
It had killed him not to tell her.
"Why won't you talk to me?"
She's lost count how many times she's asked him.
"It's… complicated. Can't we just leave it at that?"
He'd had to keep this all to himself.
Chuck, the same Chuck who told her everything.
Who'd had to tell her everything, and who went to therapy for years when she wasn't enough.
She was running through every single moment that didn't add up, that didn't make sense.
His disappearing on Mother's Day last year—the first Mother's Day he'd skipped out on.
The anguish in his eyes when he'd tried to explain himself…
…but couldn't.
So many things suddenly made sense in an instant, in horribly vivid clarity.
For one, Chuck's strange friendship with John Casey.
Casey, who was both their neighbor and worked at the Buy More, which Ellie had once thought maybe Chuck had mentioned to him that there was an open position when he'd moved in, to explain how it happened simultaneously. Not that John Casey looked exactly like retail material. And all the time Chuck spent at his apartment, the carpools to work…
Everything made so much sense.
So much crazy, never-would-have-believed-it-in-a-million-years sense.
The only other thing Ellie couldn't wrap her head around no matter how much she tried was Sarah.
Sarah Walker was a spy?
Thinking about it now, the timeline of Casey moving in and Chuck meeting Sarah did go perfectly hand-in-hand, but… Sarah? Sarah looked nothing like a government agent. She looked exactly like… like someone who would sell frozen yogurt.
Sarah and Ellie hadn't had many one-on-ones, but on all the ones they'd had, Sarah had seemed a little unused to being social, maybe a little self-conscious at times, but an undercover spy?
All this time?
Ellie tried to picture Sarah as a spy.
John Casey wasn't hard to picture as a spy—the harder picture was imagining Casey working for the good guys, if anything.
But Sarah?
It was almost like trying to picture Chuck as such a thing.
"Ellie…?"
Ellie looked up at Chuck's hesitant voice. She'd definitely zoned out, her mind racing with just a bit of overwhelm, and Chuck was looking at her nervously.
She had more than a million questions, but that would have to wait. All she wanted to do was go home. The desire to be safely wrapped in Devon's arms was painful.
Devon.
Her heart skipped.
How long has it been since they were taken?
Was he home from work?
Did he know they were gone?
What if they never got out of here?
Her tears sprung back to her eyes.
Before she could reply to Chuck, there was a thud outside the door.
Both she and Chuck whipped around. Ellie's heart jumped in her throat.
The door clicked and began to open.
Ellie crawled backward as far as she could, and she braced herself until—
Ellie and Chuck froze.
Ellie's eyes widened.
It was Sarah.
The moment Sarah saw them both, relief washed over her face. Chuck began to say something, but she put her finger to her lips.
Then, she dragged in a body.
Sarah pulled in either the unconscious or dead body of a man, and looked out of the door as if checking the coast, before closing the door again. She gracelessly dropped the man's body in the corner, and all-but ran to Chuck.
"Chuck!" she whispered, grabbing him in a hug tighter than Ellie has ever seen from either of them. "Are you okay?!"
"Sarah," gasped Chuck, hugging her back with his free arm. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"
Sarah pulled back, quickly working on the handcuffs around Chuck's wrist. As she did, she turned to Ellie, concern etched into her brows. "Ellie, are you okay?"
Ellie blinked, utterly stunned.
She hadn't been able to picture Sarah as a spy before, and she still can't now, seeing it right in front of her. "Sarah?" she found herself whispering in shock.
Sarah winced a little. She managed to unlock Chuck's cuffs. As he got himself to his feet, Sarah quickly approached Ellie, unlocking her handcuffs. "I… I guess this is a lot to take in," she said with a winced smile. "We'll explain once I get you two out of here."
Ellie swallowed, very happy with that plan.
Her cuffs were unlocked, and Ellie quickly got to her feet, just for Chuck to grab her in a crushing hug. "Ellie!" She hugged him back just as tightly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I'm so sorry."
"Chuck, we gotta go," said Sarah, and Chuck released Ellie, but kept a firm grip on her hand, that Ellie returned just as tightly.
"Is Casey here?" asked Chuck.
"He's… on his way," admitted Sarah. "I came in alone."
"Sarah," said Chuck quickly, dropping his voice. "They know. That I'm… the Intersect." Ellie felt his hand tighten around hers.
A grave look fell over Sarah's eyes. Setting her jaw, with a certain kind of dangerous resolve that Ellie would never expect from her, Sarah said, "Stay quiet and stay behind me."
Chuck nodded, tightening his grip on Ellie's hand, and Ellie's other hand held Chuck's wrist.
Sarah nodded at them, as if checking if they were ready, and she pulled a gun from the back of her waistband.
Ellie froze in shock.
Sarah.
And a gun.
Sarah was a spy.
God, if this was a dream, Ellie wanted to wake up right now.
Slowly, Sarah opened the door a crack, peering out. After a second, she said, "Clear. Let's go."
Ellie felt Chuck's already tight grip on her hand tighten even more, and he whispered, "It'll be okay. I promise."
Ellie met his eyes, seeing something so… so strong. So unlike the brother she's known her whole life. So… un-Chuck. Their whole lives, it was she who had held his hand during the hard times, who had talked him down from nightmares, who had fixed up his cuts and bruises.
And now, here he was, healing from a bullet wound he managed to handle without her, holding her hand through one of the scariest moments she's ever had.
"Ellie," whispered Chuck, tugging on her hand. She blinked, seeing Sarah a few feet in front of them, heading down the hallway. Swallowing her panic, Ellie followed, holding tightly to Chuck's hand as he pulled her along, following closely behind Sarah.
The hallway was all gray cement and endless silence. It was cold in every context of the word.
Suddenly a man walked around the corner, freezing a few yards ahead of them.
His mouth opened to yell as his hand reached for the gun at his side. Ellie's heart pounded, and she felt Chuck push her firmly behind him.
But before the man even reached his gun, Sarah was running, jumping on him, her arms crossing tightly in a chokehold around his neck. He struggled to throw her off to no avail, and slowly slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Shock was beginning to not be a strong enough word for everything Ellie's witnessed today.
Sarah quickly got back to her feet, whispering, "Come on. I have an exit on the roof."
Walking faster, Sarah led them toward a door at the end for a stairwell.
But suddenly footsteps sounded from the stairs, as if more than one person was descending them.
"Is there more than one roof?" asked Chuck nervously.
"Dammit," hissed Sarah. She tried the closest door to her, but it didn't budge. There was a keypad next to it. Sarah whipped out what looked like an ID card. She waved it over the device but nothing happened. She tried another ID card; still nothing. "Dammit!"
"Maybe—" began Chuck, turning to look when he suddenly went rigid, and Ellie could only describe his reaction as a very strange sort of seizure. He'd had the same episode when they were locked in the room.
Gasping, Chuck said, "The key pad!" The footsteps were louder now, nearly upon the hallway as Chuck hurriedly said, "I just flashed; the code is 53834."
Without hesitation, Sarah typed in the code. It glowed green and the hiss of a lock hitched, and she yanked open the door. "Quick!"
The door led to what looked like the atrium of the building; the size of a large warehouse. There were no agents in sight for the moment, but it didn't stop the crushing hold Ellie kept on Chuck's hand.
"What now?" whispered Chuck to Sarah.
"I'm improvising," she whispered back, hand tight on her gun. "Stay low."
They'd only snuck quietly a dozen yards when a loud alarm went off. Buzzing that rang Ellie's ears and flashing red lights above each doorway suddenly erupted at the same time Sarah cursed.
Doors crashed open, and yelling sounded over the alarms.
"There!" cried a yell, followed by a gunshot that shattered a light right above the three of them.
"Get down!" cried Chuck, covering Ellie with himself as glass rained down on them.
Sarah kicked over a shelf, using it for them to take cover. Ellie grabbed onto Chuck as they both covered their heads, and Ellie watched with wide-eyes as Sarah rose and fired shots, barely avoiding ones that almost hit her. By the sound of a few grunts around the room, Sarah's shots met their marks.
The gunfire ceased for a second, and Sarah quickly said, "Let's go!"
Chuck pulled Ellie to her feet and held her close to him as they ran through the maze of the room, seeing a doorway ahead of them. They ran for it.
Sarah turned her head as they did, and Ellie saw her eyes widen.
Not a moment later, she was tackling Chuck—as well as Ellie—to the ground, just as a gunshot went off.
They hit the ground behind the cover of another shelf, and Ellie's eyes shot wide. "Chuck! Chuck!"
Not again, not again—
But Chuck was unhit, looking worriedly at Sarah, whose hand was pressed to her side, her face in a grimace.
"Sarah!" breathed Chuck.
"It just grazed me," she said through clenched teeth. "Let's—"
"One more move and you're all dead."
The three of them froze, and panic lit like a fire in Ellie's chest as the agent—Barlowe—angrily glared down at them, standing in front of the doorway they'd tried to get to.
"Now, get up," he commanded.
Sarah got to her feet, one hand to her side, her other still tight around her weapon. Chuck pulled Ellie up, pushing her firmly behind him.
"Drop the gun, Agent Walker," snarled Barlowe, "or I'll give you a wound to match the one you've already got. And it won't be a graze."
With extreme reluctance, Ellie watched Sarah drop her gun. She kicked it to Barlowe, who picked it up. "That's a good girl," he said with a terrifying grin. "What a day for me," he said arrogantly. "The Intersect, and a CIA agent, all mine. Just wait until Fulcrum finds out I have everything they've been looking for," he drawled, flicking his eyes toward Chuck, "and I've taken out one of the CIA's top agents."
Sarah glared at him.
Ellie clutched Chuck's hand so tight it was sure to break.
Barlowe aimed his gun at Sarah, smiling something utterly evil. "Goodbye, Agent Walker. I'll take good care of him."
All three of them froze, dread consuming each of them.
Then, a gunshot fired.
Ellie flinched at the same time Chuck did, her eyes unable to look away, only to see Barlowe jerk, then crumple to the floor.
And standing behind him in the open doorway was Casey, still-smoking gun held high, rage in his eyes.
Suddenly, the roar of doors slamming open, glass shattering and yells and shots firing erupted in chaos as what looked like a small army stormed inside.
Chuck, Sarah and Ellie once again took cover behind the fallen shelf, and Chuck smiled. "It's okay," he said to Ellie, "the cavalry's here!" He let out a breath of relief as the gunfire ceased, the Fulcrum agents either taken out or surrendering to the NSA agents. "Told you they were the best," said Chuck breathlessly.
Casey approached them once silence descended. He looked at Sarah, whose hand was now red with blood where she pressed it against her side. At his questioning look, Sarah said, "Just a graze; I'll be fine."
"It could have killed you," said Chuck, worry bright in his eyes.
Sarah smiled a little. "Better me than you."
That statement seemed to hurt both of them at the same time.
Chuck helped up Ellie, grimacing with a hand to his own abdomen. "You're safe now," he said, pulling her to his chest. "We're going home."
Ellie shut her eyes, hugging him back, never more grateful to hear the words.
Notes:
a/n: Yay! Everyone's safe :) We've got some more sibling bonding and a bit of Charah coming up. I think maybe 2 more chapters of the story from here. Thanks so much to everyone reading, and for reviewing! It means so much!
a/n: Yay! Everyone's safe :) We've got some more sibling bonding and a bit of Charah coming up. I think maybe 2 more chapters of the story from here. Thanks so much to everyone reading, and for reviewing! It means so much!
Chapter 9
Notes:
I am so, so sorry about the wait. Real life got in the way and my muse evaporated for the longest time. But to make it up to you, I am posting this chapter and the next one (the epilogue) at the same time, so that you don't have to wait any longer for the conclusion. My apologies for the wait!
~cosette141
I am so, so sorry about the wait. Real life got in the way and my muse evaporated for the longest time. But to make it up to you, I am posting this chapter and the next one (the epilogue) at the same time, so that you don't have to wait any longer for the conclusion. My apologies for the wait!
~cosette141
Chapter Text
After the night Ellie had—kidnapping, guns, and, oh, right, the fact that her brother had been secretly working for the CIA—Ellie didn't think there was anything that would shock her anymore.
And yet, she found herself, Chuck, Sarah and Casey walking into the Orange Orange.
After they'd been rescued from that… wherever the place was, Chuck and Ellie were quickly led out of the building and into a car with Sarah and Casey, who had stressed that getting them "back to Castle" was their priority; their teams would handle the rest.
So, Ellie had sat in the backseat of the car next to Chuck, holding his hand tight enough to break it, half-wondering the entire trip if she would wake up from a horrible nightmare.
Chuck had talked to Sarah and Casey a bit, asking how they found him and Ellie, and some other things that, quite frankly, Ellie wasn't paying attention to.
She just wanted to go home.
But at her whisper of the desire, Chuck said they had to go to Castle first, whatever that meant.
It was when they pulled around the back of the frozen yogurt shop that Ellie was wondering if they all went crazy.
But now inside, Chuck led her behind Sarah and Casey, who walked straight to the freezer. They walked inside, meeting another door. Casey typed in a code, a red light flashed across his face, and that door hissed open.
"Welcome to Castle," said Chuck with a nervous smile at her, and Ellie couldn't help gaping.
The whole place was like a base of operations straight out of a spy movie. Monitors were everywhere, a dozen different rooms and things that looked like prison cells, and guns and weapons hung on a far wall.
Ellie barely kept herself from gaping.
This was underneath the frozen yogurt shop the whole time?!
"Ellie?"
Ellie felt herself snapped back to the present, seeing Sarah and Chuck staring at her worriedly.
"We're going to talk to Beckman," said Sarah softly, hand still to her injured side, gesturing to where Casey walked off to. To both Ellie and Chuck, Sarah said, "It's probably best if you're not there. Ellie knowing, and all," she added quieter. Chuck nodded, not looking all that disappointed to be missing it.
But Ellie suddenly noticed Chuck wince, a hand tenderly on his abdomen, and she kicked herself for forgetting about his knife wound.
But she paused, remembering it was a bullet wound.
"Chuck," said Ellie at the bottom of the stairs, hands out to steady him as he winced. "Are you okay?"
Sarah paused on her way to the conference room, suddenly concerned.
"Think so," he said, but when he removed his hand from where he'd been holding his side, it revealed a bit of blood on his shirt.
Ellie's brows kneaded. "You pulled some stitches," she said. "I can—" But she stopped herself, looking at him. "I mean, only if you wanted me to—"
But Chuck smiled through his wince. "Thanks."
"You can use the infirmary," said Sarah. "Chuck—"
"I know where," he said. But they saw Sarah's hand to her own side, and Chuck began, "But what about you?"
"It was just a graze," said Sarah with a reassuring grin. "Nothing that can't wait."
Before either of them could stop her, Sarah left, and Chuck sighed. But he led her down a hallway to the infirmary, Ellie hovering closely to his side.
The room was small but stocked with almost as many medical supplies as an operation room at the hospital. Helping Chuck onto the chair, Ellie found what she needed, and slipped on some gloves.
She carefully lifted the bottom of his shirt, wincing at Chuck's hiss where the material caught. "Sorry," she whispered.
And she paused there, feeling frozen as she saw more clearly what he had showed her earlier.
It was a bullet wound.
Ellie had treated several—they were usually the result of accidents, however.
This was no accident.
Someone had tried to kill her brother.
How did things go so quickly from healing cuts and scrapes to bullet wounds?
"Ellie…?"
Ellie shook herself a little. Chuck was looking at her worriedly. "Did I mess it up that badly?" he asked.
"Um, no," she said, shaking herself again. "No, it's… it looks all right." One of the stitches was pulled, but it looked like it was healing well. And Ellie suddenly realized that Sarah was probably almost as equipped to handle dressing wounds as she was.
Ellie worked in quiet, but not uncomfortable silence, until she'd bandaged it up again for Chuck. When she was done, Chuck sat up a little. "Thanks, El," he said softly. And after a hesitation, he added, "Are you okay? Seriously?"
Ellie sank to the stool in the room, wondering if she was.
"If there's anything you wanted to talk about…" said Chuck softly. "I finally can now."
Ellie looked at him for a long moment. She suddenly thought of all the times she'd asked him to talk, to tell her things. Of all the questions she had and the things that never added up.
"Mother's Day," she whispered after a moment, looking at Chuck, who was already looking concernedly at her, like he half-expected her to break.
Something like guilt and pain passed through his eyes.
"Last year, Mother's Day," said Ellie again, hollowly. "You said you were helping Casey, and I went to find you and…"
Chuck shut his eyes, letting out a weary sigh. Opening his eyes, he said, "A mission… went wrong. Sarah and Casey were abducted and… I had to help them."
"I went to Casey's! No one was there!"
Chuck had stared at her, absolute pain in his eyes.
"What, were you kidnapped?" she'd snapped, voice hurt.
"Me?" Chuck had said softly. "No…"
Ellie shut her eyes.
The next morning, Chuck had looked like he hadn't slept at all.
She'd thought it served him right, standing her up for his new friend and brand new girlfriend.
"Tearing up the living room," she said distantly, mind racing from everything that didn't make sense to their correct places in the puzzle. "Looking for some giant fish?"
"Mission," said Chuck softly.
Ellie took a breath.
"Ellie, are you okay?" asked Chuck, voice unsteady with worry.
"It's just… a lot to take in," she said. Shaking her head, she said, "Chuck, your life is at risk doing this. I almost just lost you twice in one week!"
Chuck grimaced. "I don't have a choice, El," he whispered, pained.
Ellie felt her brows crease. All she wanted to do was tell him to quit or force the US government to let him, but from the way Chuck explained the situation…
"Why did it have to happen to you?" asked Ellie, voice just as pained.
"I ask myself that every day," said Chuck with honesty. He sighed, biting his lip before saying, "Ellie, there's nothing I want more than to get this Intersect out of my head and get back to a normal life. But…" He hesitated, the smallest smile at the corners of his lips. "It led me to Sarah."
Ellie suddenly remembered what also didn't make sense. "You said she's your handler and your girlfriend? They allow that?"
Chuck paused, wincing again. "Sarah's not my girlfriend."
Ellie froze. "What?"
"We're not a couple," said Chuck, though the words seemed to hurt him. "We just… pretend to be."
Ellie gaped. "You what?"
Of all the things Ellie couldn't believe tonight, that was tied with Chuck is a spy.
"It's just for the cover," said Chuck, words that sounded worn and used too many times. "It's… it's so people don't question why I spend so much time with her. And all of our missions are disguised as 'dates.'" Shutting his eyes, he said, "It's all fake."
Ellie felt her mind race through all the times she spent with Chuck and Sarah. From holidays to casual outings to the nights that Sarah had spent the night. "But she came over and stayed with us and—" mumbled Ellie.
"Security breaches," said Chuck numbly. "Or just because we thought you and Awesome didn't buy it."
Ellie blinked. There was no way that was all fake. "Chuck," she said, watching the emotions in his eyes, remembering the hug the moment he and Sarah saw each other earlier tonight. "Do you love her?"
His head lifted.
He didn't say anything, but his eyes did.
"Chuck," said Ellie gently. "You and Sarah might have… have faked your status and your dates but… you can't fake the way you look at each other. The way she looks at you."
"Really?" he asked, something so hopeful in his eyes.
"Really," she said with a little smile. "That girl is yours, whether she admits it or not. No one can act that well."
Chuck smiled.
And Ellie's grew, because she's never seen him light up this way before. Not even with Jill, way back when.
She thought back to Chuck's birthday, when Chuck coined this all began. She'd thrown him a party in hopes that he'd meet a girl, and fall in love.
It seemed her wish had come true.
"But that's not all, either," said Chuck suddenly. "It's like… I obviously don't want to be dangled off skyscrapers and be shot at—" Ellie tensed. "And I can't wait for this to be over, but… Ellie, I've actually helped people. I saved them. Me. My whole life, the most I've been a hero is when I save the world in a video game." He shook his head a little, like he was still in awe of the fact. "It's just… I never thought I'd matter like that. You know?"
Ellie couldn't find her voice.
She and Devon often felt that way, that being doctors, saving peoples' lives gave them that feeling. Made them something bigger than themselves, made them matter to the world.
With all the dreams Chuck had in Stanford, the plans to go backpacking in Europe—she'd always known he'd wanted to make a mark.
And not that she wanted him to do so in something so dangerous, not to mention against his will, but the fact that he finally felt that way about himself…
It made her happy to realize that he finally was able to see himself for just as amazing as she always knew him to be.
"What?!"
Sarah and Casey couldn't help tensing at Beckman's exclamation.
They'd just finished recounting the events of the night, putting them into the shortest terms possible. But it didn't change the fact that, once again, they failed to keep Chuck out of danger. And this time, not only was a civilian put at risk—Ellie—but Chuck's cover with her was blown as well.
Things weren't exactly looking up.
That is, thought Sarah, holding the thick gauze pad to her side, except for the fact that both Chuck and Ellie were now safe and sound, as well as unharmed.
"All the Fulcrum agents who had any information about Bartowski are either dead or in our capture," said Casey robotically. He'd been stone-silent the entire ride home, and Sarah knew he had to be feeling just as much shame for letting it get as close as it did as she was. "In the midst of it," he added, "we've managed to recover plenty of Fulcrum's database and shut down their base of operations."
Beckman took off her glasses, letting out a weary sigh. She took a long moment, seeming to try to find words to say. Then, putting her glasses back on, she said, "The asset's sister," she said. "She's aware that he's both an asset for us and the Intersect?"
"In all fairness," said Sarah, "that part doesn't mean a whole lot to her."
Beckman sighed. "At this point of breaches, I'm tempted to shut down this operation and put them both underground."
Sarah's chest seized. "General—" she began, but Casey cut her off.
"General," he said, "with all due respect, it wasn't two breaches in security. It was one that we overlooked. And it's something that will never happen again."
The way he spoke the words felt like he was grinding each syllable into cement.
Sarah swallowed. Turning to the monitor, she said, "I was within yards of Chuck nearly the whole time. We can protect Chuck. I think we've proven that."
At the thought, Sarah felt the graze twinge a little in pain.
Beckman was quiet for a long moment. Then, "This sister. We trust her?"
"Yes," said Sarah at the same time Casey said, "Affirmative."
"Nothing like the asset's best friend?"
"If you're asking if she has brain cells, then yes," muttered Casey.
Sarah fought the urge to roll her eyes. "To be honest, General… her knowing is going to make things easier for Chuck. Might make the Intersect work better," she tried.
Beckman gave her a look, but let out another breath.
"One more chance," she said finitely, making Sarah let out a breath in relief. "One more chance. If there's one more close call, he's going underground."
Sarah practically felt Casey release the same relieved breath she had.
Beckman ended the call, and Sarah shut her eyes.
"Is that serious?"
Her eyes opened to see Casey's eyes on the gauze pressed to her side. "Minor graze," said Sarah.
He nodded. "I'll get to work on getting more security measures for Chuck's apartment and anywhere else that could use a tune up." The way he said it, a slight urgency in the words gave into just how worried he'd been all night.
Sarah nodded, hiding a smile that Chuck managed to get through to the most hard-as-steel agent she knew.
But Casey hesitated, his eyes flicking back to her side to her face, and said quietly, "Good work, partner."
He walked off, and Sarah felt herself smile, knowing that she was able to keep her promise.
She would never let anything happen to Chuck again.
Sarah found Chuck and Ellie in the infirmary to give them the good news that they could go home. Both looked exhausted and more than ready to go home. They weren't the only ones. It was a long day.
Chuck hissed a little, getting off the chair in the infirmary. Sarah was more than relieved that Chuck was safe, and that she could breathe again.
Ellie suddenly noticed the gauze pad to Sarah's side. "I can help you with that," said Ellie suddenly, standing, reaching for another pair of gloves.
Sarah blinked.
No one's offered her medical assistance before, outside of people who did so for a living.
It stunned her for a second to hear.
"I… no, Ellie, you don't have to—" mumbled Sarah.
"As my gratitude for saving my life, and Chuck's," said Ellie with a little smile, and Sarah felt herself biting her lip. Then, added, "I'm a doctor; it's what I do."
"Um, sure," said Sarah. Exchanging a look with Chuck, Sarah switched seats with Chuck.
"I'll…" said Chuck, clearing his throat, "I'll give you some privacy, then." With one more look back, he left.
Sarah hesitantly sat down, and let Ellie work on cleaning and bandaging the wound.
When she was done, Sarah sat up, giving her a smile she usually reserved for Chuck.
Before she met Chuck, aside from a few occasions with Bryce, all of Sarah's smiles were fake.
"Thanks," said Sarah.
But Ellie threw away the gloves she'd worn, and sat down on the stool. "I think that's what I should be saying to you," she said.
Sarah just shook her head. "It's my job to save my asset from a bull—"
"Not that," said Ellie, though she paused and said, "well, of course, that, but… I meant for protecting him all this time when I couldn't."
Sarah stilled, realizing the deeper reason why Ellie wanted her alone.
And it made her tense a little, because she was never good with the emotional things.
"I, um… it's my job," she found herself saying.
No matter how much more protecting Chuck has become.
"No, it's not," said Ellie softly, knowingly, and Sarah felt her cheeks heat up a touch. "You care about him. Not pretending, not fake, not as an 'asset' thing," said Ellie confidently.
Sarah didn't know what to say.
For once, she didn't think she could lie convincingly about the way she cared about Chuck.
But Ellie seemed to understand that it was uncomfortable for her, and said instead, "But, honestly… I promised I would look after Chuck ever since we were kids. I was his older sister," she said softly. "But to know everything he's been going through…" Her eyes shut, and Sarah felt her chest squeeze with empathy. Ellie's eyes opened, emotion shining through. "Thank you for keeping him safe when I couldn't. When I can't," she added, her eyes gaining a fear for the uncertain future.
Sarah found herself smiling a little. "Ellie… Chuck thinks the world of you. He's done so much to protect you, and lying to you… it tore him apart." She sighed. "He's really something amazing." she said, warmth rising in her chest.
"He is," agreed Ellie.
Finding their way back to Chuck, Ellie suddenly froze, realizing something.
Devon.
"Ellie?" asked Chuck worriedly.
"Devon," she gasped. "Devon's home by now and he's probably worried sick—"
Her heart pounded.
How was she supposed to tell him?
Would he even believe her?
"Ellie," said Chuck, shutting his eyes before opening them. "About that… you can't… tell Aw–Devon that I'm a… spy," he managed.
Ellie froze. "What do you mean I can't?"
"I mean," said Chuck, "that anyone who knows the truth about me, or any of this… is in danger."
Ellie felt her eyes burn. "But—"
"Ellie," said Sarah gently. "We just managed to keep Chuck from underground protection. And you, as well." Concern in her own eyes, she said, "Devon knowing the truth puts him in danger. You want to protect him, don't you?"
"Yes, but—"
"It hurts," said Chuck, his voice thick with emotion. "Lying, keeping things from people you love, pretending…" At the last word, she saw his eyes shift briefly to Sarah, in such a subtle move she didn't even think he meant to. He went on, "Lying to you, Ellie… it killed me." His eyes were suddenly brimmed with tears, and Ellie could see every ounce of pain he'd felt in regards to her. "Ellie," he whispered. "I had to keep you safe, regardless of… of how much it hurt. Because it was about you, not me."
Ellie felt her own eyes burn with tears, wondering how she could have missed this. How terribly he'd been hurting, and how much he'd been doing this for her.
After all the time she'd blamed him for not caring about her enough.
"I'm sorry you found out," said Chuck, wiping away a tear that fell. "I wish you hadn't, because I know how much you hate lying, and now you have to lie to Devon and I hate that I made you do that and I'm so sorry you know now and—"
But Ellie suddenly found herself shaking her head, raw honesty in her words as she said, "Well, I'm not."
Chuck looked up, eyes red. "What?"
Ellie took a breath. "I'm not sorry that I found out about you." Smiling a watery smile to him, she said, "Chuck… to think that I never found out, that you'd have to go on dealing with this alone, with… with thinking that I'm unhappy with you…" Her eyes burned hotter. "You and I are the only family we've ever had. And it's… growing," she said, with a slight smile toward Sarah, and the thought of Devon, "but it's still always going to be first and foremost you and me. And if I have to do this, lie for you…" She smiled past the hardship she knew would come with it, and took Chuck's hand. "Well, that's worth it to me. You are worth it."
Chuck simply looked at her in utter shock.
But he smiled, and he pulled her into a hug. "I love you," he whispered over her shoulder.
"I love you, too," she said right back.
When Ellie and Chuck got back home, they saw Awesome in the kitchen, pacing with his phone to his ear.
The moment he saw them, he hung up mid-sentence. "Ellie!" he exclaimed, walking quickly over. "I came home and you weren't here, and you were supposed to start your shift thirty minutes ago," he said worriedly.
Ellie exchanged a quick look with Chuck, a little panic in her eyes, but Chuck said, "I, uh, went to Sarah's," said Chuck, looking meaningfully at Ellie before turning to Awesome. "Ellie came to make sure—"
But before Chuck could finish the lie, Ellie swooped in, saying, "To… make sure the three of us were… good." She smiled a little, and Chuck's brows rose in surprise. Turning back to Devon, Ellie said, "We had some brother-sister bonding and… some brother's girlfriend-sister bonding." A little crease in her brow, she said, "We… lost track of time."
Awesome hesitated, looking from Chuck to Ellie.
Then, he smiled.
"That's…" he began, seeming to search for a word. "Awesome," he landed on, not surprisingly, but Chuck felt himself relax. To Ellie, Awesome asked, "So… everything's kosher between you three?"
"Yeah," said Ellie, smiling at Chuck. "We… really talked things out."
Chuck felt enormous relief in his chest.
"Phew," said Awesome. "Well, that constitutes an emergency if I'd ever seen one. You were lucky, though. I was about two minutes from calling the cops." With a nervous chuckle, he said, "I started thinking you guys were kidnapped or something."
Chuck and Ellie tried to laugh, but only made it to a winced smile.
"All right," said Awesome with a relieved exhale. "I'm going to bed. Glad the crisis is over." He kissed Ellie's forehead, and left for their bedroom.
Chuck and Ellie both let out a breath of their own.
Chuck's brows kneaded. "You okay?"
Ellie took a breath, seeming to think about it. Then, she turned to Chuck. "You're okay. So I'm okay."
Chuck smiled.
Chuck walked into his bedroom, flipping on the light, seeing Sarah sitting on the chair in the corner of his room.
He smiled, something tickling his chest at the sight of her.
But it faded, and he asked with sudden concern, "Don't tell me something else happened—"
"No," she said quickly, standing. "You're safe."
Chuck relaxed. Brows kneading, he asked, "Are you feeling okay? After…?"
Sarah smiled. "It was just a graze. Honestly, I'm fine." Smile fading a little, she said, "I'd have taken the whole bullet if it meant saving you."
The words suddenly felt a little more than what an agent would tell their asset.
Maybe Ellie was right.
The hope grew in Chuck's chest, but he still kept it at bay.
It was still Sarah.
He'd live on the idea that he and she were possible. For now, that was enough.
Chuck felt himself watching her, and reading the guilt in her eyes. She'd gotten worse at hiding her emotions the longer they'd worked together.
"You don't need to blame yourself," he said softly. "You know that, right?"
Sarah looked up, her eyes saying that she did not know that.
"You and Casey have saved me, like, a thousand times," said Chuck with a little reassuring smile. "So, no, I am not going to hold one mistake against you."
"But—" she began.
"I'm here, and I'm safe, and Ellie's safe," said Chuck with a smile. "You saved me. You and Casey have nothing to feel guilty for."
"I…" Sarah shut her eyes briefly, her fingers suddenly fidgeting a little, and he realized he's never seen her like this before. "I just… I can't lose you." she finished softly. Opening her eyes, she looked at him. "As an asset, or…"
She didn't finish, but Chuck heard what she didn't say.
And it made him feel speechless for a moment, because it was the first time Sarah had even inched toward the idea of them, ever since her agreeing to their—derailed—first real date a few months ago.
Damn, he had to get the Intersect out of his head.
But he wanted to ease her discomfort and take the hope, the realization that her feelings were there, even if she couldn't do anything with them yet.
"I feel the same," he said just as softly.
Sarah smiled, something almost a little shy.
A little beat of silence passed, and she swallowed. Then, "We, um… Casey and I haven't managed to put up any of the new security features yet. Would it be okay it—obviously for your protection, after what happened… I stay?"
Chuck felt like he lost the ability to speak for a moment.
But he shook himself, saying, "Uh—yeah, of—of course, if you… if you want," he stumbled through.
"If it's okay," said Sarah.
"More than," whispered Chuck. But shook himself again, clearing his throat. "I mean, yeah. That's fine," he managed.
Sarah smiled, something little at the corners of her lips.
And Chuck smiled too.
They both got into bed, sleeping with plenty of space between them, but Chuck still couldn't help the warmth in his chest with her near.
And he still couldn't believe that the most painful, terrifying day of his life had led to a life where he not only got his sister back, and rekindled their relationship… but also managed to get the answer to a question he'd been asking himself ever since Sarah walked into the Buy More with a broken Intellacell.
It was possible.
And he couldn't wait until it became real.
After the night Ellie had—kidnapping, guns, and, oh, right, the fact that her brother had been secretly working for the CIA—Ellie didn't think there was anything that would shock her anymore.
And yet, she found herself, Chuck, Sarah and Casey walking into the Orange Orange.
After they'd been rescued from that… wherever the place was, Chuck and Ellie were quickly led out of the building and into a car with Sarah and Casey, who had stressed that getting them "back to Castle" was their priority; their teams would handle the rest.
So, Ellie had sat in the backseat of the car next to Chuck, holding his hand tight enough to break it, half-wondering the entire trip if she would wake up from a horrible nightmare.
Chuck had talked to Sarah and Casey a bit, asking how they found him and Ellie, and some other things that, quite frankly, Ellie wasn't paying attention to.
She just wanted to go home.
But at her whisper of the desire, Chuck said they had to go to Castle first, whatever that meant.
It was when they pulled around the back of the frozen yogurt shop that Ellie was wondering if they all went crazy.
But now inside, Chuck led her behind Sarah and Casey, who walked straight to the freezer. They walked inside, meeting another door. Casey typed in a code, a red light flashed across his face, and that door hissed open.
"Welcome to Castle," said Chuck with a nervous smile at her, and Ellie couldn't help gaping.
The whole place was like a base of operations straight out of a spy movie. Monitors were everywhere, a dozen different rooms and things that looked like prison cells, and guns and weapons hung on a far wall.
Ellie barely kept herself from gaping.
This was underneath the frozen yogurt shop the whole time?!
"Ellie?"
Ellie felt herself snapped back to the present, seeing Sarah and Chuck staring at her worriedly.
"We're going to talk to Beckman," said Sarah softly, hand still to her injured side, gesturing to where Casey walked off to. To both Ellie and Chuck, Sarah said, "It's probably best if you're not there. Ellie knowing, and all," she added quieter. Chuck nodded, not looking all that disappointed to be missing it.
But Ellie suddenly noticed Chuck wince, a hand tenderly on his abdomen, and she kicked herself for forgetting about his knife wound.
But she paused, remembering it was a bullet wound.
"Chuck," said Ellie at the bottom of the stairs, hands out to steady him as he winced. "Are you okay?"
Sarah paused on her way to the conference room, suddenly concerned.
"Think so," he said, but when he removed his hand from where he'd been holding his side, it revealed a bit of blood on his shirt.
Ellie's brows kneaded. "You pulled some stitches," she said. "I can—" But she stopped herself, looking at him. "I mean, only if you wanted me to—"
But Chuck smiled through his wince. "Thanks."
"You can use the infirmary," said Sarah. "Chuck—"
"I know where," he said. But they saw Sarah's hand to her own side, and Chuck began, "But what about you?"
"It was just a graze," said Sarah with a reassuring grin. "Nothing that can't wait."
Before either of them could stop her, Sarah left, and Chuck sighed. But he led her down a hallway to the infirmary, Ellie hovering closely to his side.
The room was small but stocked with almost as many medical supplies as an operation room at the hospital. Helping Chuck onto the chair, Ellie found what she needed, and slipped on some gloves.
She carefully lifted the bottom of his shirt, wincing at Chuck's hiss where the material caught. "Sorry," she whispered.
And she paused there, feeling frozen as she saw more clearly what he had showed her earlier.
It was a bullet wound.
Ellie had treated several—they were usually the result of accidents, however.
This was no accident.
Someone had tried to kill her brother.
How did things go so quickly from healing cuts and scrapes to bullet wounds?
"Ellie…?"
Ellie shook herself a little. Chuck was looking at her worriedly. "Did I mess it up that badly?" he asked.
"Um, no," she said, shaking herself again. "No, it's… it looks all right." One of the stitches was pulled, but it looked like it was healing well. And Ellie suddenly realized that Sarah was probably almost as equipped to handle dressing wounds as she was.
Ellie worked in quiet, but not uncomfortable silence, until she'd bandaged it up again for Chuck. When she was done, Chuck sat up a little. "Thanks, El," he said softly. And after a hesitation, he added, "Are you okay? Seriously?"
Ellie sank to the stool in the room, wondering if she was.
"If there's anything you wanted to talk about…" said Chuck softly. "I finally can now."
Ellie looked at him for a long moment. She suddenly thought of all the times she'd asked him to talk, to tell her things. Of all the questions she had and the things that never added up.
"Mother's Day," she whispered after a moment, looking at Chuck, who was already looking concernedly at her, like he half-expected her to break.
Something like guilt and pain passed through his eyes.
"Last year, Mother's Day," said Ellie again, hollowly. "You said you were helping Casey, and I went to find you and…"
Chuck shut his eyes, letting out a weary sigh. Opening his eyes, he said, "A mission… went wrong. Sarah and Casey were abducted and… I had to help them."
"I went to Casey's! No one was there!"
Chuck had stared at her, absolute pain in his eyes.
"What, were you kidnapped?" she'd snapped, voice hurt.
"Me?" Chuck had said softly. "No…"
Ellie shut her eyes.
The next morning, Chuck had looked like he hadn't slept at all.
She'd thought it served him right, standing her up for his new friend and brand new girlfriend.
"Tearing up the living room," she said distantly, mind racing from everything that didn't make sense to their correct places in the puzzle. "Looking for some giant fish?"
"Mission," said Chuck softly.
Ellie took a breath.
"Ellie, are you okay?" asked Chuck, voice unsteady with worry.
"It's just… a lot to take in," she said. Shaking her head, she said, "Chuck, your life is at risk doing this. I almost just lost you twice in one week!"
Chuck grimaced. "I don't have a choice, El," he whispered, pained.
Ellie felt her brows crease. All she wanted to do was tell him to quit or force the US government to let him, but from the way Chuck explained the situation…
"Why did it have to happen to you?" asked Ellie, voice just as pained.
"I ask myself that every day," said Chuck with honesty. He sighed, biting his lip before saying, "Ellie, there's nothing I want more than to get this Intersect out of my head and get back to a normal life. But…" He hesitated, the smallest smile at the corners of his lips. "It led me to Sarah."
Ellie suddenly remembered what also didn't make sense. "You said she's your handler and your girlfriend? They allow that?"
Chuck paused, wincing again. "Sarah's not my girlfriend."
Ellie froze. "What?"
"We're not a couple," said Chuck, though the words seemed to hurt him. "We just… pretend to be."
Ellie gaped. "You what?"
Of all the things Ellie couldn't believe tonight, that was tied with Chuck is a spy.
"It's just for the cover," said Chuck, words that sounded worn and used too many times. "It's… it's so people don't question why I spend so much time with her. And all of our missions are disguised as 'dates.'" Shutting his eyes, he said, "It's all fake."
Ellie felt her mind race through all the times she spent with Chuck and Sarah. From holidays to casual outings to the nights that Sarah had spent the night. "But she came over and stayed with us and—" mumbled Ellie.
"Security breaches," said Chuck numbly. "Or just because we thought you and Awesome didn't buy it."
Ellie blinked. There was no way that was all fake. "Chuck," she said, watching the emotions in his eyes, remembering the hug the moment he and Sarah saw each other earlier tonight. "Do you love her?"
His head lifted.
He didn't say anything, but his eyes did.
"Chuck," said Ellie gently. "You and Sarah might have… have faked your status and your dates but… you can't fake the way you look at each other. The way she looks at you."
"Really?" he asked, something so hopeful in his eyes.
"Really," she said with a little smile. "That girl is yours, whether she admits it or not. No one can act that well."
Chuck smiled.
And Ellie's grew, because she's never seen him light up this way before. Not even with Jill, way back when.
She thought back to Chuck's birthday, when Chuck coined this all began. She'd thrown him a party in hopes that he'd meet a girl, and fall in love.
It seemed her wish had come true.
"But that's not all, either," said Chuck suddenly. "It's like… I obviously don't want to be dangled off skyscrapers and be shot at—" Ellie tensed. "And I can't wait for this to be over, but… Ellie, I've actually helped people. I saved them. Me. My whole life, the most I've been a hero is when I save the world in a video game." He shook his head a little, like he was still in awe of the fact. "It's just… I never thought I'd matter like that. You know?"
Ellie couldn't find her voice.
She and Devon often felt that way, that being doctors, saving peoples' lives gave them that feeling. Made them something bigger than themselves, made them matter to the world.
With all the dreams Chuck had in Stanford, the plans to go backpacking in Europe—she'd always known he'd wanted to make a mark.
And not that she wanted him to do so in something so dangerous, not to mention against his will, but the fact that he finally felt that way about himself…
It made her happy to realize that he finally was able to see himself for just as amazing as she always knew him to be.
"What?!"
Sarah and Casey couldn't help tensing at Beckman's exclamation.
They'd just finished recounting the events of the night, putting them into the shortest terms possible. But it didn't change the fact that, once again, they failed to keep Chuck out of danger. And this time, not only was a civilian put at risk—Ellie—but Chuck's cover with her was blown as well.
Things weren't exactly looking up.
That is, thought Sarah, holding the thick gauze pad to her side, except for the fact that both Chuck and Ellie were now safe and sound, as well as unharmed.
"All the Fulcrum agents who had any information about Bartowski are either dead or in our capture," said Casey robotically. He'd been stone-silent the entire ride home, and Sarah knew he had to be feeling just as much shame for letting it get as close as it did as she was. "In the midst of it," he added, "we've managed to recover plenty of Fulcrum's database and shut down their base of operations."
Beckman took off her glasses, letting out a weary sigh. She took a long moment, seeming to try to find words to say. Then, putting her glasses back on, she said, "The asset's sister," she said. "She's aware that he's both an asset for us and the Intersect?"
"In all fairness," said Sarah, "that part doesn't mean a whole lot to her."
Beckman sighed. "At this point of breaches, I'm tempted to shut down this operation and put them both underground."
Sarah's chest seized. "General—" she began, but Casey cut her off.
"General," he said, "with all due respect, it wasn't two breaches in security. It was one that we overlooked. And it's something that will never happen again."
The way he spoke the words felt like he was grinding each syllable into cement.
Sarah swallowed. Turning to the monitor, she said, "I was within yards of Chuck nearly the whole time. We can protect Chuck. I think we've proven that."
At the thought, Sarah felt the graze twinge a little in pain.
Beckman was quiet for a long moment. Then, "This sister. We trust her?"
"Yes," said Sarah at the same time Casey said, "Affirmative."
"Nothing like the asset's best friend?"
"If you're asking if she has brain cells, then yes," muttered Casey.
Sarah fought the urge to roll her eyes. "To be honest, General… her knowing is going to make things easier for Chuck. Might make the Intersect work better," she tried.
Beckman gave her a look, but let out another breath.
"One more chance," she said finitely, making Sarah let out a breath in relief. "One more chance. If there's one more close call, he's going underground."
Sarah practically felt Casey release the same relieved breath she had.
Beckman ended the call, and Sarah shut her eyes.
"Is that serious?"
Her eyes opened to see Casey's eyes on the gauze pressed to her side. "Minor graze," said Sarah.
He nodded. "I'll get to work on getting more security measures for Chuck's apartment and anywhere else that could use a tune up." The way he said it, a slight urgency in the words gave into just how worried he'd been all night.
Sarah nodded, hiding a smile that Chuck managed to get through to the most hard-as-steel agent she knew.
But Casey hesitated, his eyes flicking back to her side to her face, and said quietly, "Good work, partner."
He walked off, and Sarah felt herself smile, knowing that she was able to keep her promise.
She would never let anything happen to Chuck again.
Sarah found Chuck and Ellie in the infirmary to give them the good news that they could go home. Both looked exhausted and more than ready to go home. They weren't the only ones. It was a long day.
Chuck hissed a little, getting off the chair in the infirmary. Sarah was more than relieved that Chuck was safe, and that she could breathe again.
Ellie suddenly noticed the gauze pad to Sarah's side. "I can help you with that," said Ellie suddenly, standing, reaching for another pair of gloves.
Sarah blinked.
No one's offered her medical assistance before, outside of people who did so for a living.
It stunned her for a second to hear.
"I… no, Ellie, you don't have to—" mumbled Sarah.
"As my gratitude for saving my life, and Chuck's," said Ellie with a little smile, and Sarah felt herself biting her lip. Then, added, "I'm a doctor; it's what I do."
"Um, sure," said Sarah. Exchanging a look with Chuck, Sarah switched seats with Chuck.
"I'll…" said Chuck, clearing his throat, "I'll give you some privacy, then." With one more look back, he left.
Sarah hesitantly sat down, and let Ellie work on cleaning and bandaging the wound.
When she was done, Sarah sat up, giving her a smile she usually reserved for Chuck.
Before she met Chuck, aside from a few occasions with Bryce, all of Sarah's smiles were fake.
"Thanks," said Sarah.
But Ellie threw away the gloves she'd worn, and sat down on the stool. "I think that's what I should be saying to you," she said.
Sarah just shook her head. "It's my job to save my asset from a bull—"
"Not that," said Ellie, though she paused and said, "well, of course, that, but… I meant for protecting him all this time when I couldn't."
Sarah stilled, realizing the deeper reason why Ellie wanted her alone.
And it made her tense a little, because she was never good with the emotional things.
"I, um… it's my job," she found herself saying.
No matter how much more protecting Chuck has become.
"No, it's not," said Ellie softly, knowingly, and Sarah felt her cheeks heat up a touch. "You care about him. Not pretending, not fake, not as an 'asset' thing," said Ellie confidently.
Sarah didn't know what to say.
For once, she didn't think she could lie convincingly about the way she cared about Chuck.
But Ellie seemed to understand that it was uncomfortable for her, and said instead, "But, honestly… I promised I would look after Chuck ever since we were kids. I was his older sister," she said softly. "But to know everything he's been going through…" Her eyes shut, and Sarah felt her chest squeeze with empathy. Ellie's eyes opened, emotion shining through. "Thank you for keeping him safe when I couldn't. When I can't," she added, her eyes gaining a fear for the uncertain future.
Sarah found herself smiling a little. "Ellie… Chuck thinks the world of you. He's done so much to protect you, and lying to you… it tore him apart." She sighed. "He's really something amazing." she said, warmth rising in her chest.
"He is," agreed Ellie.
Finding their way back to Chuck, Ellie suddenly froze, realizing something.
Devon.
"Ellie?" asked Chuck worriedly.
"Devon," she gasped. "Devon's home by now and he's probably worried sick—"
Her heart pounded.
How was she supposed to tell him?
Would he even believe her?
"Ellie," said Chuck, shutting his eyes before opening them. "About that… you can't… tell Aw–Devon that I'm a… spy," he managed.
Ellie froze. "What do you mean I can't?"
"I mean," said Chuck, "that anyone who knows the truth about me, or any of this… is in danger."
Ellie felt her eyes burn. "But—"
"Ellie," said Sarah gently. "We just managed to keep Chuck from underground protection. And you, as well." Concern in her own eyes, she said, "Devon knowing the truth puts him in danger. You want to protect him, don't you?"
"Yes, but—"
"It hurts," said Chuck, his voice thick with emotion. "Lying, keeping things from people you love, pretending…" At the last word, she saw his eyes shift briefly to Sarah, in such a subtle move she didn't even think he meant to. He went on, "Lying to you, Ellie… it killed me." His eyes were suddenly brimmed with tears, and Ellie could see every ounce of pain he'd felt in regards to her. "Ellie," he whispered. "I had to keep you safe, regardless of… of how much it hurt. Because it was about you, not me."
Ellie felt her own eyes burn with tears, wondering how she could have missed this. How terribly he'd been hurting, and how much he'd been doing this for her.
After all the time she'd blamed him for not caring about her enough.
"I'm sorry you found out," said Chuck, wiping away a tear that fell. "I wish you hadn't, because I know how much you hate lying, and now you have to lie to Devon and I hate that I made you do that and I'm so sorry you know now and—"
But Ellie suddenly found herself shaking her head, raw honesty in her words as she said, "Well, I'm not."
Chuck looked up, eyes red. "What?"
Ellie took a breath. "I'm not sorry that I found out about you." Smiling a watery smile to him, she said, "Chuck… to think that I never found out, that you'd have to go on dealing with this alone, with… with thinking that I'm unhappy with you…" Her eyes burned hotter. "You and I are the only family we've ever had. And it's… growing," she said, with a slight smile toward Sarah, and the thought of Devon, "but it's still always going to be first and foremost you and me. And if I have to do this, lie for you…" She smiled past the hardship she knew would come with it, and took Chuck's hand. "Well, that's worth it to me. You are worth it."
Chuck simply looked at her in utter shock.
But he smiled, and he pulled her into a hug. "I love you," he whispered over her shoulder.
"I love you, too," she said right back.
When Ellie and Chuck got back home, they saw Awesome in the kitchen, pacing with his phone to his ear.
The moment he saw them, he hung up mid-sentence. "Ellie!" he exclaimed, walking quickly over. "I came home and you weren't here, and you were supposed to start your shift thirty minutes ago," he said worriedly.
Ellie exchanged a quick look with Chuck, a little panic in her eyes, but Chuck said, "I, uh, went to Sarah's," said Chuck, looking meaningfully at Ellie before turning to Awesome. "Ellie came to make sure—"
But before Chuck could finish the lie, Ellie swooped in, saying, "To… make sure the three of us were… good." She smiled a little, and Chuck's brows rose in surprise. Turning back to Devon, Ellie said, "We had some brother-sister bonding and… some brother's girlfriend-sister bonding." A little crease in her brow, she said, "We… lost track of time."
Awesome hesitated, looking from Chuck to Ellie.
Then, he smiled.
"That's…" he began, seeming to search for a word. "Awesome," he landed on, not surprisingly, but Chuck felt himself relax. To Ellie, Awesome asked, "So… everything's kosher between you three?"
"Yeah," said Ellie, smiling at Chuck. "We… really talked things out."
Chuck felt enormous relief in his chest.
"Phew," said Awesome. "Well, that constitutes an emergency if I'd ever seen one. You were lucky, though. I was about two minutes from calling the cops." With a nervous chuckle, he said, "I started thinking you guys were kidnapped or something."
Chuck and Ellie tried to laugh, but only made it to a winced smile.
"All right," said Awesome with a relieved exhale. "I'm going to bed. Glad the crisis is over." He kissed Ellie's forehead, and left for their bedroom.
Chuck and Ellie both let out a breath of their own.
Chuck's brows kneaded. "You okay?"
Ellie took a breath, seeming to think about it. Then, she turned to Chuck. "You're okay. So I'm okay."
Chuck smiled.
Chuck walked into his bedroom, flipping on the light, seeing Sarah sitting on the chair in the corner of his room.
He smiled, something tickling his chest at the sight of her.
But it faded, and he asked with sudden concern, "Don't tell me something else happened—"
"No," she said quickly, standing. "You're safe."
Chuck relaxed. Brows kneading, he asked, "Are you feeling okay? After…?"
Sarah smiled. "It was just a graze. Honestly, I'm fine." Smile fading a little, she said, "I'd have taken the whole bullet if it meant saving you."
The words suddenly felt a little more than what an agent would tell their asset.
Maybe Ellie was right.
The hope grew in Chuck's chest, but he still kept it at bay.
It was still Sarah.
He'd live on the idea that he and she were possible. For now, that was enough.
Chuck felt himself watching her, and reading the guilt in her eyes. She'd gotten worse at hiding her emotions the longer they'd worked together.
"You don't need to blame yourself," he said softly. "You know that, right?"
Sarah looked up, her eyes saying that she did not know that.
"You and Casey have saved me, like, a thousand times," said Chuck with a little reassuring smile. "So, no, I am not going to hold one mistake against you."
"But—" she began.
"I'm here, and I'm safe, and Ellie's safe," said Chuck with a smile. "You saved me. You and Casey have nothing to feel guilty for."
"I…" Sarah shut her eyes briefly, her fingers suddenly fidgeting a little, and he realized he's never seen her like this before. "I just… I can't lose you." she finished softly. Opening her eyes, she looked at him. "As an asset, or…"
She didn't finish, but Chuck heard what she didn't say.
And it made him feel speechless for a moment, because it was the first time Sarah had even inched toward the idea of them, ever since her agreeing to their—derailed—first real date a few months ago.
Damn, he had to get the Intersect out of his head.
But he wanted to ease her discomfort and take the hope, the realization that her feelings were there, even if she couldn't do anything with them yet.
"I feel the same," he said just as softly.
Sarah smiled, something almost a little shy.
A little beat of silence passed, and she swallowed. Then, "We, um… Casey and I haven't managed to put up any of the new security features yet. Would it be okay it—obviously for your protection, after what happened… I stay?"
Chuck felt like he lost the ability to speak for a moment.
But he shook himself, saying, "Uh—yeah, of—of course, if you… if you want," he stumbled through.
"If it's okay," said Sarah.
"More than," whispered Chuck. But shook himself again, clearing his throat. "I mean, yeah. That's fine," he managed.
Sarah smiled, something little at the corners of her lips.
And Chuck smiled too.
They both got into bed, sleeping with plenty of space between them, but Chuck still couldn't help the warmth in his chest with her near.
And he still couldn't believe that the most painful, terrifying day of his life had led to a life where he not only got his sister back, and rekindled their relationship… but also managed to get the answer to a question he'd been asking himself ever since Sarah walked into the Buy More with a broken Intellacell.
It was possible.
And he couldn't wait until it became real.
Chapter 10
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Chuck walked into the Buy More, feeling himself sigh.
But this time, it was more of contentment.
It might not be where he wants to end up, but he was very nearly sentenced to living in an underground bunker—nearly both Fulcrum and CIA—and he was only that much more aware how thin the thread of his freedom was.
So, he walked up to the Nerd Herd desk, clocked in, and found himself smiling.
Right now, he'll take boring over the excitement of the last week.
"Chuck-o!"
Chuck looked up, seeing Morgan smiling at him. "Morgan," greeted Chuck with a grin of his own.
"First day back, huh?" said Morgan, shaking his head. "Wasn't the same without you."
Chuck smirked. He looked around a little, something seeming different in the store. It was only then he realized that there wasn't a tension hanging in the air. Looking at Morgan, he asked, "Emmett's not here?"
"Nah, he's out on sick leave."
Chuck raised a brow. "Sick leave? Why?"
"He cut himself on a packing knife."
Chuck's brows shot up. "Wait, seriously?"
Morgan grinned. "Cut his hand during the safety meeting. Left in an ambulance. I think he needed a stitch."
"A stitch? As in one single stitch?"
"He's seeing a specialist about it."
Chuck rubbed his temples, shaking his head.
Life back to normal, it would seem.
And yet..
He was perfectly okay with that.
"You sure you're okay, babe?"
Ellie tore her eyes from the door, from where she was lying against Devon on the couch. It was almost midnight, and the movie they were watching was nearly over.
Ellie hadn't any idea what the plot of the movie was; her head was still on Chuck. It's been a week since their… experience. But her mind had been on him the whole time.
Just a few hours ago, Chuck left, claiming in front of her and Devon that he had a date with Sarah.
But he caught Ellie's eyes when he said it, and Ellie read the truth right there.
There was some sort of mission.
Because Chuck was a spy.
Something she still couldn't quite wrap her head around, even though she'd seen it with her own eyes.
"Yeah," said Ellie distantly, answering Devon's question, tearing her eyes from the door.
Devon rubbed her shoulder. "Chuck's all right, El."
She tensed a little, surprised he read her mind. "I know," she whispered, not quite convinced.
Not until she saw him walk through that door.
"You know," said Devon, looking at her as he turned off the TV, mid-movie. "Ever since Chuck's accident," he began, and Ellie tensed even more, "you two have seemed… I don't know. Closer."
Ellie's head cocked, realizing that was certainly true. No giant lie hanging between them anymore.
"I'm not saying that what happened to him was a good thing," he said quickly, "but… I believe in silver linings. And I think we definitely found it in this one." He laid his head on the back of the couch, telling the ceiling, "I have three brothers." A faint, sad smile. "We weren't ever all that close. But when I met you, and seeing your relationship with Chuck… it's something special. I know that Sarah coming in made things harder…" Ellie's eyes fell to the floor, knowing it was more than just Sarah. "Sometimes things like this happen for a reason."
Ellie felt herself smile, his words calming the tension in her.
He kissed her head. "I've got to go to work in an hour. I'm gonna get some sleep in before I do."
He got up and left, and Ellie felt herself smiling.
Maybe things do happen for a reason.
"Ellie… as much as I hate this… I've saved people. I can't wait to get this damn thing out of my head, but… I never thought I'd, y'know, matter like that."
Maybe some things do happen for a reason.
Chuck had never once thought he was meant for anything, always thought he was just normal guy.
But after what Ellie's seen, he was anything but.
She wanted that Intersect thing out of his head as soon as humanly possible. But the fact that having it allowed him to see himself differently…
Maybe Devon was right.
Maybe that was the silver lining.
That, and the connection between Chuck and Sarah, that she was quite certain neither consciously knew was real.
And though the day she learned his secret was the scariest moment of her life…
It did bring them closer together.
Ellie smiled, her eyes back on the door
Chuck sighed tiredly, opening the front door.
It was almost three o'clock in the morning. Tonight's mission was a stakeout that quickly became far more than just a stakeout, and for the last time, it was never safe in the car.
Though the mission was a success, Chuck sustained yet another injury; Casey had thrown a Fulcrum thug against the van, hard enough to shatter the window Chuck was seated behind. He'd managed to cover his head, but his hand got minorly cut up. It wasn't a big deal, and he was done with worrying everyone. He ignored it until now, feeling it sting.
Intending to bandage it and collapse into bed, he walked inside.
"Chuck?"
Chuck stopped, seeing Ellie sitting on the couch with a mug of tea. She'd quickly put it down and got to her feet, looking tired but relieved.
"Ellie?" he said. "Did you… wait up for me?"
Smiling sheepishly, she said, "Kinda."
Chuck felt himself deflate a little. "El… you don't have to—"
"I wanted to," she said quietly.
"—worry about me," finished Chuck.
But Ellie smiled, a touch of sadness to it. "I just found out my brother's a spy," she said. "Give me some time to get used to it, okay?"
Chuck smiled. "Right…"
Ellie suddenly noticed his hand. Brows shooting up, she said, "What happened?!"
"I'm okay," he said quickly. "Really, just some broken glass and—" But he stopped himself, looking at Ellie. "Can you… help me with it?"
Ellie's eyes snapped to his.
Something so touched colored her eyes.
She nodded quick, and smiled. "I'll go get the first aid kit."
Chuck smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen table, and Ellie came back seconds later, sitting next to him. He put his hand out for her, and they were quiet as she dabbed at the small cuts with a Q-tip that burned with antiseptic.
Once bandaged, Chuck smiled. "Thanks, El."
She smiled too. A brief pause settled between them, before Ellie said, "So, what was the mission?"
Chuck blinked, stunned for a moment with the realization he had some freedom to actually discuss them with her. Minus details, but still…
It was something that felt so… nice.
"Something that should have been boring," he said with a sigh.
Ellie got up to make them another pot of tea, and she listened as Chuck told the brief story of the events of the mission, leaving out any details that might put her in danger.
She shook her head when he was done. "I still can't believe this is your life," she whispered.
"You and me both," agreed Chuck with a tired laugh.
Ellie shook her head a little, in a sort of wonderment. "You impress me, Charles."
Chuck smiled. "I really just stay in the car," he admitted.
She shook her head. "You've impressed me long before I knew your secret, Chuck."
Chuck smiled at the genuinity.
"And believe me," she added. "I know Sarah feels the same."
Chuck paused mid-sip. He looked at Ellie, something stirring in his chest. "You really think so?"
"I know it," she said with a grin. "She might not yet, or might not admit it yet, but believe me… she's yours."
Chuck smiled, warmth filling his chest. "Thanks, El." Standing, he said, "And, I promise. I will get this thing out of my head," he promised gently. "I'll be back to being regular-old Chuck Bartowski in no time."
Ellie stood too, cocking her head. "It's a little too late for that." Kissing him on the cheek, she smiled. "You're a hero, Chuck. Whether you believe it or not."
Chuck smiled. "And you're mine."
Ellie smiled too, bidding a goodnight, and Chuck watched her go.
And he felt just a bit lighter.
Chuck walked into the Buy More, feeling himself sigh.
But this time, it was more of contentment.
It might not be where he wants to end up, but he was very nearly sentenced to living in an underground bunker—nearly both Fulcrum and CIA—and he was only that much more aware how thin the thread of his freedom was.
So, he walked up to the Nerd Herd desk, clocked in, and found himself smiling.
Right now, he'll take boring over the excitement of the last week.
"Chuck-o!"
Chuck looked up, seeing Morgan smiling at him. "Morgan," greeted Chuck with a grin of his own.
"First day back, huh?" said Morgan, shaking his head. "Wasn't the same without you."
Chuck smirked. He looked around a little, something seeming different in the store. It was only then he realized that there wasn't a tension hanging in the air. Looking at Morgan, he asked, "Emmett's not here?"
"Nah, he's out on sick leave."
Chuck raised a brow. "Sick leave? Why?"
"He cut himself on a packing knife."
Chuck's brows shot up. "Wait, seriously?"
Morgan grinned. "Cut his hand during the safety meeting. Left in an ambulance. I think he needed a stitch."
"A stitch? As in one single stitch?"
"He's seeing a specialist about it."
Chuck rubbed his temples, shaking his head.
Life back to normal, it would seem.
And yet..
He was perfectly okay with that.
"You sure you're okay, babe?"
Ellie tore her eyes from the door, from where she was lying against Devon on the couch. It was almost midnight, and the movie they were watching was nearly over.
Ellie hadn't any idea what the plot of the movie was; her head was still on Chuck. It's been a week since their… experience. But her mind had been on him the whole time.
Just a few hours ago, Chuck left, claiming in front of her and Devon that he had a date with Sarah.
But he caught Ellie's eyes when he said it, and Ellie read the truth right there.
There was some sort of mission.
Because Chuck was a spy.
Something she still couldn't quite wrap her head around, even though she'd seen it with her own eyes.
"Yeah," said Ellie distantly, answering Devon's question, tearing her eyes from the door.
Devon rubbed her shoulder. "Chuck's all right, El."
She tensed a little, surprised he read her mind. "I know," she whispered, not quite convinced.
Not until she saw him walk through that door.
"You know," said Devon, looking at her as he turned off the TV, mid-movie. "Ever since Chuck's accident," he began, and Ellie tensed even more, "you two have seemed… I don't know. Closer."
Ellie's head cocked, realizing that was certainly true. No giant lie hanging between them anymore.
"I'm not saying that what happened to him was a good thing," he said quickly, "but… I believe in silver linings. And I think we definitely found it in this one." He laid his head on the back of the couch, telling the ceiling, "I have three brothers." A faint, sad smile. "We weren't ever all that close. But when I met you, and seeing your relationship with Chuck… it's something special. I know that Sarah coming in made things harder…" Ellie's eyes fell to the floor, knowing it was more than just Sarah. "Sometimes things like this happen for a reason."
Ellie felt herself smile, his words calming the tension in her.
He kissed her head. "I've got to go to work in an hour. I'm gonna get some sleep in before I do."
He got up and left, and Ellie felt herself smiling.
Maybe things do happen for a reason.
"Ellie… as much as I hate this… I've saved people. I can't wait to get this damn thing out of my head, but… I never thought I'd, y'know, matter like that."
Maybe some things do happen for a reason.
Chuck had never once thought he was meant for anything, always thought he was just normal guy.
But after what Ellie's seen, he was anything but.
She wanted that Intersect thing out of his head as soon as humanly possible. But the fact that having it allowed him to see himself differently…
Maybe Devon was right.
Maybe that was the silver lining.
That, and the connection between Chuck and Sarah, that she was quite certain neither consciously knew was real.
And though the day she learned his secret was the scariest moment of her life…
It did bring them closer together.
Ellie smiled, her eyes back on the door
Chuck sighed tiredly, opening the front door.
It was almost three o'clock in the morning. Tonight's mission was a stakeout that quickly became far more than just a stakeout, and for the last time, it was never safe in the car.
Though the mission was a success, Chuck sustained yet another injury; Casey had thrown a Fulcrum thug against the van, hard enough to shatter the window Chuck was seated behind. He'd managed to cover his head, but his hand got minorly cut up. It wasn't a big deal, and he was done with worrying everyone. He ignored it until now, feeling it sting.
Intending to bandage it and collapse into bed, he walked inside.
"Chuck?"
Chuck stopped, seeing Ellie sitting on the couch with a mug of tea. She'd quickly put it down and got to her feet, looking tired but relieved.
"Ellie?" he said. "Did you… wait up for me?"
Smiling sheepishly, she said, "Kinda."
Chuck felt himself deflate a little. "El… you don't have to—"
"I wanted to," she said quietly.
"—worry about me," finished Chuck.
But Ellie smiled, a touch of sadness to it. "I just found out my brother's a spy," she said. "Give me some time to get used to it, okay?"
Chuck smiled. "Right…"
Ellie suddenly noticed his hand. Brows shooting up, she said, "What happened?!"
"I'm okay," he said quickly. "Really, just some broken glass and—" But he stopped himself, looking at Ellie. "Can you… help me with it?"
Ellie's eyes snapped to his.
Something so touched colored her eyes.
She nodded quick, and smiled. "I'll go get the first aid kit."
Chuck smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen table, and Ellie came back seconds later, sitting next to him. He put his hand out for her, and they were quiet as she dabbed at the small cuts with a Q-tip that burned with antiseptic.
Once bandaged, Chuck smiled. "Thanks, El."
She smiled too. A brief pause settled between them, before Ellie said, "So, what was the mission?"
Chuck blinked, stunned for a moment with the realization he had some freedom to actually discuss them with her. Minus details, but still…
It was something that felt so… nice.
"Something that should have been boring," he said with a sigh.
Ellie got up to make them another pot of tea, and she listened as Chuck told the brief story of the events of the mission, leaving out any details that might put her in danger.
She shook her head when he was done. "I still can't believe this is your life," she whispered.
"You and me both," agreed Chuck with a tired laugh.
Ellie shook her head a little, in a sort of wonderment. "You impress me, Charles."
Chuck smiled. "I really just stay in the car," he admitted.
She shook her head. "You've impressed me long before I knew your secret, Chuck."
Chuck smiled at the genuinity.
"And believe me," she added. "I know Sarah feels the same."
Chuck paused mid-sip. He looked at Ellie, something stirring in his chest. "You really think so?"
"I know it," she said with a grin. "She might not yet, or might not admit it yet, but believe me… she's yours."
Chuck smiled, warmth filling his chest. "Thanks, El." Standing, he said, "And, I promise. I will get this thing out of my head," he promised gently. "I'll be back to being regular-old Chuck Bartowski in no time."
Ellie stood too, cocking her head. "It's a little too late for that." Kissing him on the cheek, she smiled. "You're a hero, Chuck. Whether you believe it or not."
Chuck smiled. "And you're mine."
Ellie smiled too, bidding a goodnight, and Chuck watched her go.
And he felt just a bit lighter.
Notes:
a/n: the end. :) I hope you guys enjoyed the story, and thank you so much for reading! :)
~cosette141
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