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Chuck slowly walked away from her. He had just broken a sweet young lady's heart. He hated to do it, but it had to be done; he didn't love her. No, he only loved one woman, and he had to get her back.
His heart was heavy, not only because of the way he had treated Hannah, but because of the shocking events that had happened earlier that day. She had told him—she told Shaw—her real name. How could she do that? After all they had been through, he knew she still had feelings for him; he could see it in her eyes. So, how, or a better question, why, would she do it?
Chuck made his way down the stairs of Castle. He had seen Sarah's Porsche parked out front, and he felt there was no time like the present to get things started. As he walked closer, he could hear voices. He recognized both of them quickly: it was Sarah and Shaw. He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but he needed to know just how far along they were.
Sarah set down several bags and said, "So, now that the Ring knows you're alive, it looks like you're gonna be down here for a while, so I bought you that. It's a crock-pot. They're practically giving them away at Buy More. And just so you know, the Castle is outside of Bamboo Dragon's delivery radius."
Shaw smiled and said: "Thank you... Sam."
And then Chuck saw it. It wasn't Shaw; no, it was Sarah who leaned in and started the kiss. Chuck's heart fell to his stomach, and he felt physically ill. He began to slowly back up just to get away, and then he backed into some equipment that set off a series of beeps. Chuck quickly quietened them, but when he looked back up, Sarah was staring at him. Chuck turned and walked toward the stairs and walked away.
Sarah started after him when Shaw gripped her arm and said, "Let him go, he will be alright."
"No, I need to talk to him. I need to explain." And she pulled away and went after Chuck.
Chuck had made it to the middle of the Orange Orange before Sarah was able to stop him. "Chuck, wait!" Sarah called to him.
Chuck stopped and slowly turned around. He looked into Sarah's eyes, and he was startled by what he saw. He did not see sadness or affection. He saw... Was that anger? The sight of it shocked something deep in Chuck. Why is she mad at him?
"What do you want, Sarah?"
"What were you doing here? Spying on me? How dare you?" Sarah said with a sharp edge.
"I beg your pardon? I don't care who you are, Agent Walker, you don't get to talk to me like that, not anymore." The force of his words surprised Sarah, and she actually took a step back. Chuck continued, "Yes, I did come here to see you. I thought we needed to talk, but I saw you were busy. And anyway, you are the one chasing after me."
Sarah took a deep breath and calmed herself. She hadn't really meant what she had said; she was just embarrassed from getting caught by Chuck. But why was I embarrassed? she thought to herself. Sarah walked closer to Chuck and said, "Talk to me, Chuck."
" 'Talk to me, Chuck'... 'Talk to me, Chuck'... How many times have you said that to me, and I just opened up and told you my whole life story? But lord forbid I say 'Talk to me, Sarah.' All I would get is you staring at me with a grin on your face. Not once have you ever volunteered anything about yourself to me. Hell, I have even begged, but nothing. Well, I did get something: I get a pencil stuck in my picture if I try to show any interest in your past. But you tell a guy you have known for six weeks your real name, something so personal. I don't understand, Sarah. Explain it to me. Did I not mean anything to you at all?"
Sarah did not answer; she just looked at Chuck in shock. Chuck, seeing that she was not going to join in the conversation, continued, "I know I hurt you when I left you at the train station in Prague, but you are mad at me for not wanting to run away from my family, you are mad at me for wanting to do good in the world. You're mad at me for treating you the same way you treated me for two years. Am I sorry I hurt you? Of course, I am. I never wanted to hurt you, but I had to do what I thought was right."
Chuck started pacing, and he was getting angrier; all the emotions of the past years started to boil to the top. "How dare you be mad at me?" he blurted out. "You came into my life, and just took over. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without getting prior permission! And you insert yourself in my life and act as my girlfriend, you are with me all the time, you kiss me, show me how nice it would be to be with you, and then don't expect me to fall in love with you? Damn, Sarah, I am only human."
Chuck was running out of steam, and now he was really starting to regret everything he just said. "I don't know, Sarah, maybe it is time we part ways. Maybe I should just ask Beckman to assign other agents to train me now. I am sure you are tired of me, and I am so tired of feeling this way."
"No, I am not tired of you," Sarah said softly.
"Then what is it, Sarah? Tell me."
"You want to know why I told Shaw my real name?"
"Yes, I really would."
"I wanted someone, anyone, to know the real me. You, Chuck, have changed me so much, and I am remembering my old life, the life before the CIA, before I was an agent, and I am just now becoming comfortable with that. I would have loved to have told you all of this, but you are with Hannah now..."
"No... no, I'm not. We broke up. That is why I came here tonight, to tell you, to talk to you. So that is why you told Shaw? Because I wasn't here?"
"Yeah. I was trying to start a relationship with him; I thought it would bring us closer."
"Did it work?"
Sarah paused, looking at his earnest face. "No," she admitted. In that moment, a quiet clarity washed over her; she realized she was deeply in love with Chuck Bartowski. She had always known it, hadn't she? But now she was ready to do something about it. She looked in his eyes and saw his confusion, so she walked to him and crashed her lips to his.
Chuck was hesitant at first, but Sarah was unrelenting and would not release the kiss. Chuck then pulled her into his arms and kissed her back passionately. The kiss ended only for the need for oxygen. Sarah smiled at Chuck and said, "Samantha Lisa Simmons. That is my full real name. I am not afraid anymore, so anything you want to know, I will tell you."
"That is just it, Sarah, I don't want to have to ask, I just want you to tell me."
Sarah smiled and said, "I understand now. Here's something I just want to tell you... I love you, Chuck Bartowski."
"I love you, too, Sarah Walker. What about Shaw?"
"I'll tell him tomorrow. I just want to go somewhere and be alone with you. Let's go to my apartment, we can talk some more."
Chuck took her in his arms and kissed her, and said, "That sounds wonderful."
Shaw turned off the monitor and slammed his fist onto the table. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his round Ring phone. "This is Shaw. I have had a setback. I thought I had the Intersect and Agent Walker separated, but I think I have pushed them closer together... No, I don't think I will be able to turn Agent Walker now. I am very disappointed, I was looking forward to passing her around... I will eliminate Walker and Casey and capture Bartowski, and as soon as our Intersect is operational, we will eliminate him also... Shaw out."
Shaw stood there contemplating his failure when he heard the familiar sound of a slide being released on a handgun. Shaw turned and saw Casey standing behind him with his Sig P320 pointed right at him. Shaw quickly raised his hands in surrender, but Casey shot two rounds into Shaw's chest. As Shaw fell to the ground, Casey walked over to him and put another round in his head.
Casey then went to the monitor and initiated a conference call with General Beckman. "Col. Casey, what is the problem?"
"It has come to our understanding that Agent Shaw is a member of the Ring and was sent here to turn Agent Walker and capture Bartowski."
"Is this reliable intel? How did we come by this information?"
"I heard him talking on the phone."
"You heard him? Where is he now?"
"Lying dead in the corner. Could you send a cleaner crew? I'm tired and want to go to bed. Goodnight, General." And with that, Casey turned and left.
"Goodnight, Casey."
Sarah and Chuck lay entangled with each other in Sarah's bed. Sarah was on her fifth or sixth story about her childhood; once she had started, she didn't want to stop. Chuck was soaking in all the experiences she had had. Some were happy, but most were pretty tough. But Chuck listened to each one of them as he held her tight. Just as Sarah was starting another story, Chuck rolled over and was on top of Sarah, and crashed his lips to hers and kissed her hard.
When they broke the kiss, Sarah asked: "Are you tired of my past already?"
Chuck smiled and said, "No, I just thought we'd take a short break."
Sarah reached up and gently patted Chuck's cheek, saying, "You should always be careful what you wish for."
The End