Thank you for all the reviews. Nearly 450 is a blessing that only the strong and family-like fan base of Chuck can accomplish. Thank you for everyone who has stuck with this story throughout the incessantly (although I feel it was absolutely necessary) long time before Chuck and Sarah got together. Thank you for each and every review that helped give me motivation and inspiration to continue. I won't name any specific people that greatly helped, because all of you have and I don't feel like anyone thinking I'm bias ;) *winking face*. Without your help, this story would've fallen flat and faded to the background chapters ago. Chuck will always live on in our hearts and in fanfiction. The great characters, the great storylines (except for Fedak's ideas), the amazing love story, the comical hysterics, the breathtaking action, and every part of the show have given us something in life. When Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak were joking about someone coming up with a Chuck movie script ten years down the road, they should've answered him with fanfiction. Because there are some amazing stories on this site that could easily compete, if not top, some of the movie and television stories that somehow make millions of dollars. I bet any author on this site could make a reasonable movie idea if they really put their mind to it. We all know that whoever thinks up this Chuck movie script ten years down the road was a big Chuck fan who may've wrote some fanfiction in his/her younger days. This is starting to get long and I'm spiraling worse than Chuck Bartowski staring at a nude Sarah Walker, if he was actually talking when she got nude; otherwise his jaw would just drop and he would be speechless. So, thank you everyone and if you skipped this entire author's note, I completely understand.

I do not own Chuck.

December 23, 2004

Chuck steps into Leader's inconspicuous Honda Accord's passenger seat. "So," Leader unnecessarily decides to make small talk, "how're things with the lady?" He smirks naughtily.

"Fine," Chuck answers dismissively; the untraceable phone burning a conscious hole in his pocket while the camera feels like a blazing snake emerging from his chest. Soon, you'll be locked up just like the rest of Fulcrum, Chuck thinks enthusiastically as a way to tough out the next few days.

"Whatever," Leader shrugs apathetically, "Roark wants us back at Black Rock. It seems he has some more news to tell us."

"Lead the way."

December 23, 2004

"We're here," Leader announces as he steps into Roark's office in Black Rock with Chuck in tow.

"Good," Roark grins brightly as he looks over his few dedicated agents before him. "It looks like our good doctor, Jonas Zarnow, has finished creating the Intersect."

How? Chuck questions with widened eyes. His dad said that Zarnow couldn't do it by himself. Maybe dad was wrong, Chuck's mind argues with himself.

"Tomorrow night, we're going to upload all our agents with the Intersect and we'll take over this world!" Roark shouts victoriously.

"Shit," Sarah grumbles from watching the live feed of Chuck's jacket from the safety of her hotel room. She is rather impressed by the range the camera works and is almost jealous of the NSA's resources compared the CIA's hidden camera only recording when in a range of one hundred yards. "This is not good. We need to give this tape to Beckman right now."

"I'm already on it," Casey states from his seat next to Sarah.

"You think they can get a team ready in time?" Bryce questions curiously.

"I really hope so," Sarah responds grimly.

"Isn't this wonderful?" Roark exclaims. "Preparations are already under way for the upload. Our plans to turn Anderson will have to be put on hold until we upload all of our agents with the Intersect."

December 24, 2004

Chuck hated spending the night inside the bunker, but he has finally realized that this is the same base that they revived him and tortured Jesse in. Remembering that fact has caused sickness to rise within him, but he was able to keep it down. He has mostly just sat around while holding onto the untraceable phone in his pocket. Luckily, he wasn't patted down or anything so the phone is still safely on vibrate in Chuck's side pocket.

Finally, after all preparations have been finished, Leader informs Chuck, "We're heading upstairs for the light show," he smirks jokingly, knowing the Intersect will be flashing before their eyes similar to the way a light show would.

"Uh, sure," Chuck responds when he feels the phone finally vibrate in his pocket, feeling like an explosion. "I need to go to the bathroom real quick," he excuses himself quickly. "I'll be there in a sec."

"Fine, just hurry up," Leader responds dismissively.

Chuck speedily walks to the restrooms and steps inside. After quickly checking that it is empty, he flips the phone out of his pocket and to his ear. "Sarah?" He whispers conspiratorially.

"Chuck," Sarah responds shortly, "you need to get out of there. The strike team isn't a team. It's an airstrike."

"What do you mean?" Chuck whispers tersely.

"Beckman is going to bomb Black Rock in eighteen and a half minutes and counting," Sarah quickly informs Chuck. "You need to get out of there now, and hide. You're still wanted for murder."

"What?" Chuck argues angrily. "Did she get the video footage of Black Rock and Fulcrum's new plans with their Intersect?"

"Yes, but she still doesn't believe us," Sarah sighs sadly. "I'm sorry, Chuck. But please just get out of there first. I can't lose you."

"How am I supposed to just leave?" Chuck asks indignantly. "I'm not exactly their must trusted agent."

"I don't know, but you need to, Chuck. You need to get out of there as soon as possible."

"Okay, okay," Chuck sighs reluctantly. "I'll find a way."

"Good. I love you."

"I love you, too," Chuck ends the call and hides the phone back into his pocket. He glances at his watch to see the time.

8:04pm

That gives me approximately seventeen minutes to get out of there; Chuck sticks a post-it note to his brain. He steps out of the bathroom to an assault on his vision by Leader. "Whoa," Chuck flinches back.

"Roark doesn't want anyone to miss this," Leader responds. "Let's go."

"Yea, alright," Chuck follows Leader up the ladder and out of the base. Leader directs him into the old worn down theater booth where Roark, Zarnow, and Vincent are standing. Chuck glances back down at his watch.

8:07

Chuck watches the gleeful look on Roark's face as he introduces Chuck to Zarnow. "Charles, this is Dr. Zarnow," Roark introduces kindly. "He's one of the original technicians of the Intersect… and now the creator of the Fulcrum Intersect." Chuck and Zarnow shake hands. "This is a good man," Roark pats Zarnow on the back. "He's a hard bargain, but a worthwhile one in the end."

Chuck nods as he looks past Roark and Zarnow to the glass windows glaring upon the movie screen. Chuck notices the swarm of red luminosities coming from the multitude of cars parked in front of the screen with their convertible tops down. Vincent carries the Cipher Zarnow created and plugs it into the computer connected to the projector.

"I better slip out and give a whole crazy enthusiastic speech," Roark states joyously. "You know how it is. I got to hype up my future of running this country." Roark hurriedly walks out of the room and across the parked cars towards the screen. Chuck again looks down at his watch.

8:10

He scrambles his vast brain for ideas on how to excuse himself from the room. He already used the bathroom excuse for the phone call so that is out of the question, but what other possible reason could he use? A light bulb flashes over his head as his eyes widen with discovery. He sneakily slips his hand into his pocket and using his memory, he finds his way to the ringtone section and presses play.

The Mexican Hat Dance echoes through the room and all eyes dart to Chuck with confused and annoyed gleams. "Oh," Chuck jumps up as if he didn't know it was coming, "that must be me." He pulls his phone out of his pocket.

"Don't answer it," Vincent orders calmly.

"But it's my girlfriend," Chuck pleads as he glances over at Leader with a puppy dog pout.

"Don't care," Leader responds. "Shut that annoying crap off."

"Fine," Chuck sighs despondently and turns off the annoying music. He puts his phone back into his pocket and checks his watch.

8:12

Shit, shit, shit, Chuck panics in his mind. Vincent pulls out his phone and walks out of the room for privacy.

Roark walks along the small raised sill just below the screen and walks to the center with a microphone attached to his cheek. "Welcome," he spreads his arms out openly. "I see you've all found your way. Good," he projects through the speakers just below his feet, "you've all been selected by Fulcrum to be the next generation of Intersect agents. More capable than any computer. More efficient than any spy in history. Welcome to the future," he pumps his fist excitedly. "Can you dig it?"

A few of the cars honk their horns ecstatically while the others hesitate to join the group.

"Whoa," Roark acts offended as he throws his arms up in the air. "That's not the response I was hoping for." He reaches into the bowels of his throat and shouts, "can you dig it?"

All the cars honk their horns and flash their headlights enthusiastically.

"Yes!" Roark approves joyously. "Can you dig it?" His voice echoes a few times as the cars continue to honk eagerly.

Roark makes his way off the stage to join Chuck, Vincent, Leader, and Zarnow in the projector booth. "How was that?" Roark asks curiously. "Did it get the juices flowing?"

"Very well done, sir," Vincent answers approvingly. "Very tasteful."

"Thank you," Roark nods happily.

Chuck checks his watch for the umpteenth time.

8:19

Crap, Chuck panics further.

"The Intersect is loaded and ready," Vincent inform Roark.

"Great," Roark enthuses. "Start the countdown."

Vincent presses the 'y' key on the keyboard and a three minute countdown begins.

"The program will begin in three minutes," a monotone male voice projects from the speakers.

Chuck feels the sweat lubricating his body as time dwindles down. "Um…" he nervously speaks up. "I kind of have to go to the bathroom."

"It can wait," Roark responds quickly and gleefully. "You don't want to miss all the fireworks."

And I don't want to be killed by them either, Chuck muses, worried more about the airstrike than the Intersect upload. "But I really need to go."

"You went not more than twenty minutes ago," Leader demands of Chuck. "You can wait."

Shit, shit, oh shit holes, Chuck freaks out mentally; this is bad. He quickly turns off the camera in his jacket so whoever watches it isn't affected by the Intersect.

The countdown drops to 3… 2… 1…

Chuck shuts his eyes as tight as he can as the computer hums to life and the images project onto the movie screen. Everyone watches as the images flash by their eyes, except for Chuck. He doesn't want to have a refreshed Intersect in his head. He already has one and doesn't need another. He listens calmly until he hears the computer power itself down a minute later. He hesitantly peeks an eye open to see the movie screen blank and the computer monitor displaying the words 'Intersect Upload Complete.' Chuck reluctantly glances down at his watch as he doesn't really want to know what time it is.

8:23

Shit, the airstrike is going to hit any second, Chuck's brain scrambles. I need to get out of here now!

"Wow," Roark sighs in awe, "what a rush." He glances back at his agents. "What a rush," he echoes again in an awed whisper. "I," he steps over to a folder that holds some files that should be in the Intersect, "I gotta flash." He looks over a few pictures and nothing happens. "I'm not flashing," he worriedly states. "I'm not flashing!" Hostility seeps into his tone. "It's not working!" He turns to Zarnow with pure anger.

"Um… there must be some kind of glitch," Zarnow worriedly responds. He knew he didn't know how to make the Intersect as his sole purpose was to filter the multitude of images. He was hoping he could be long gone before Roark used the Intersect. "I can fix it but I'll have to take it to the lab."

"No more labs!" Roark threatens angrily. "A deal is a deal! You get no money and you're dead!"

"No, wait," Zarnow begs for his life.

"Shoot him," Roark demands of Vincent when the ground starts to tremble. "What the hell is that?"

A missile descends from the sky like a sign of god's anger as it impacts the movie screen. The screen lights up into a horrific inferno as the ground tremors more forcefully. Everyone panics as another missile crashes down onto the parked cars of the Fulcrum agents.

"Shit, run!" Roark shouts hastily as he heads for the door. Another missile impacts just next to the booth and all of them fall to their knees from the quake. Chuck looks around for the best exit when he sees Leader unconscious as he was thrown against a wall, and Roark run through the door and outside.

Chuck quickly follows him down the stairs. He sees Roark head for the blue spring pony to enter Black Rock, but Chuck knows the hailing bombs around them are specifically made to penetrate into that bunker. As Roark steps up to the blue pony, a missile explodes fifteen feet away from him; throwing him back towards Chuck and onto the ground.

"Ted, this way," Chuck helps the dirtied and ashen Roark up onto his feet. Chuck helps Roark stumble his way to Leader's Honda Accord. Chuck gets in the driver door and Roark gets into the front passenger seat.

"Go, go, go!" Roark demands worriedly.

Chuck looks under the steering wheel and pulls off the panel just under the ignition tumbler. He doesn't know how to hotwire a car, but he's seen it in movies plenty of times. All it takes is the sparking of two wires… or something like that.

"Come on!" Roark insists as he sees the projector booth light up in a fiery inferno from the missile that just directly contacted it.

"I'm trying," Chuck responds tersely as he suddenly feels a flash course through his brain.

A 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500 in a sleek silver paint with two black stripes down the center.

A file on Wendell "Phoenix" Gaines, a car thief who stole over fifty cars.

His technique on forging the red ignition cable with the blue battery cable.

A 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra GT500 in a sleek silver paint with two black stripes down the center.

Chuck blinks rapidly on having learned a skill form the Intersect. He never thought that would be possible as he quickly follows the instructions of the flash and sparks the red cable with the blue cable. They spark a few times until the car rumbles to life. "I got it!" Chuck shouts happily as he fuses the two cables to hold together.

"Good, now go!" Roark demands hurriedly as another quake rocks the wailing earth.

Chuck presses his foot all the way down and the car lurches forward with haste. Chuck quickly turns around and drives onto the street as the earth shakes in pain from the swarm of missiles crashing down on it. Chuck swerves onto the paved road and away from the base. He glances in his rearview mirror to see the smoke and blaze from the remnants of Black Rock just before a carpet airstrike blankets the entire base in multiple mushroom clouds of yellow and orange.

"How the hell did that happen?" Roark demands as he slams his fist against the dashboard. "That was all I had!"

"I saw Vincent talking privately on his phone," Chuck muses unsurely, having noticed Vincent take a call while Roark was giving his speech.

"That two-timing son of a bitch!" Roark slams the dashboard with both fists; denting in the black plastic. "I'd kill him if he wasn't already blown to pieces! Thank god for you, Chuck," Roark sighs reverently as he pats Chuck on the shoulder. "You've turned out to be a most trustworthy agent."

"Thank you, sir," Chuck nods as he sees some lights in the distance slowly grow with luminesce. "Looks like there's a motel up ahead. I think we should stay there for the night. We can rest up and plan on what to do for the future."

"Good idea, Chuck," Roark nods affirmatively. "My suit is all tarnished and everything," Roark looks down at his burned and torn suit. "I like that about you," Roark pats Chuck again. "You're a thinker. You're not just some grunt who does what he's told."

"Nope, I'm sure not," Chuck responds as he pulls into the motel. "Maybe I should get the room," Chuck stares Roark up and down. "You might get some odd stares."

"Good idea," Roark stays in the car as Chuck steps out.

Chuck walks into the lobby of the motel and steps up to the desk. "Hi, how may I help you?" A woman in her late forties with reddish orange hair asks sweetly.

"Yes, I would like a room with two beds, please," Chuck responds sincerely.

"Sure," she smiles brightly. "Will that be card or cash?"

"Cash," Chuck pulls out a few bills from his pocket.

"Great! That'll be sixty a night."

"Here's sixty," Chuck hands over three twenty dollar bills that he pulled out of the stack of bills he had on him.

"Thank you," she exchanges the cash for the key to the room. "You'll be in room six and checkout will be at noon."

"Thank you," Chuck pockets the key and steps away from the desk. He pulls out the burner phone that Sarah gave him and presses redial. After the third ring, Sarah picks up.

"Hello?" She asks cautiously because she doesn't know if maybe Chuck was held captive and they were using his phone.

"Sarah, it's Chuck," he sighs with relief. Just hearing her voice heightens his spirits immensely.

"Chuck," she is nearly reduced to tears after not knowing if she will ever hear from him again.

"I'm okay," Chuck starts out, knowing she must be worried about him. "I'm at a motel a few miles west of Black Rock," Chuck explains.

"I'll be there in an hour," Sarah responds. "Just stay where you are."

"Sarah?" Chuck realizes she hung up because she was in such a hurry. He pockets the phone and heads out to Roark, who is standing by the car.

"Well?" Roark questions with a shrug.

Chuck dangles the keys in front of his face. "I got a two bedroom room."

"So I have to sleep in the same room as you?" Roark jokingly complains. "You better not snore."

"I don't," Chuck grins as he leads Roark to the motel room. He fondles the key to the door of room six until he slides it into the keyhole and rotates it. The lock retracts and the door opens to a dark quiet room. Chuck flips on the lights and scrutinizes the two queen beds with a wary eye. These dingy motels aren't exactly known for their hygiene. "Take your choice," Chuck gestures to the bed.

Roark bounces on the bed closer to the front door like a child excitedly testing the bounciness of the mattress while he ponders his next moves. "Look, we're not done yet," Roark explains as he stands back up. "If we can get to Washington, I may be able to find Anderson and still blackmail him to do what we ask." Roark looks over at Chuck with a hopeful expression. "We may've lost the battle but we can win this war."

"How do you expect we get to Washington?" Chuck questions. "We have the whole government out there looking for us."

"If we can get to my plane, we can fly there."

"Do you know how to fly?" Chuck questions skeptically.

"I always have my pilot on third speed dial," Roark answers haughtily. "He never asks questions and doesn't pay attention to news. He's trustworthy."

"Are you sure you can trust him?"

"Yea, just like I trust you," Roark answers honestly.

"Are you sure about that?" Chuck produces handcuffs from his jacket and grabs Roark's arms and places them behind his back.

"What're you doing?" Roark questions unknowingly as he feels the cold steel tighten around his wrists.

"I'm arresting you for treason and murder," Chuck responds coldly as shoves him towards the table.

"You're arresting me?" Roark breaks out into a fit of laughter. "You have nowhere to go," he continues to laugh maniacally. "Your government wants you for murder. They'll arrest you too," Roark lets out a thunderous laugh. "Oh boy, Charles, you are a funny man." He suddenly seriously states, "un-cuff me right now."

"That's not going to happen," Chuck responds as he forcefully pushes Roark against the table and pats him down for any possible weapons. "Just think of this as an early Christmas present for me. It is Christmas eve after all."

"Who the hell do you think you are? Turning on me?" Roark questions angrily.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced," Chuck smirks victoriously. "I'm Charles Bartowski…"

"Stephen's son? You're Orion's son?" Roark turns to look at Chuck with widened eyes.

"Isn't it funny how that works out?" Chuck responds patronizingly. "The person you trust the most is the son of the man you tried to kidnap…" Chuck punches Roark across the face. Roark spits out some blood to his side. "And no one threatens the Bartowski family," Chuck throws another right hook into Roark's cheek.

"Fuck you," Roark tries to spit blood at Chuck, but he sidesteps Roark and punches him in the gut. The breath rushes out of Roark's lungs and stomach as he cringes forward.

"And that was for my sister," Chuck states revengefully. "It really is fitting that you're finished by a Bartowski. My father helped make you a technological powerhouse. And I helped end you." Chuck cocks back his right fist as he builds his anger, revenge, and pride.

"I'll kill—" Roark doesn't finish as Chuck's overcharged punch slices through Roark's jaw and knocks him completely unconscious before he falls to the disgusting floor.

December 24, 2004

Sarah makes it to the motel that Chuck explained on the phone. She made sure that she wasn't followed by Casey or Bryce. They were at the apocalypse that was once Black Rock to make sure the airstrike was successful and there were no survivors. She slipped out in saying that she was tired as the time was rounding eleven at night. She walks over to door six as Chuck had instructed and knocks once.

Chuck peeps through the eyehole and eagerly opens the door. Sarah attacks him almost instantly as she clings onto him with her lips pressed to his. "I missed you," she says between kisses as he kicks the door shut and takes her to the bed. "I was afraid you were gonna get caught in the blast." She continues between kisses.

"Technically I was," Chuck responds, the kissing continuing as passionately as before. "But that doesn't matter now that I have you here, Sarah." Chuck falls onto his designated bed as Sarah straddles him from atop; their lips still molded to one another's.

"But you had a promise to keep," Sarah responds smugly as she lifts her shirt over her head, to leave her torso in just her bare dark blue bra.

"Yes, and a Bartowski never falls back on their promises," Chuck starts attacking her torso with miniature kisses as he roams her abdomen and chest. His hands find their way to her back and flick off the strap of her bra so he can kiss her most sensitive skin.

She starts unbuttoning his shirt as he kisses, suckles, and licks her ample breasts that missed his touch for so long. "I love you, Chuck," she declares as she stretches her head back from his tantalizing pleasure while her hands roam his bare furry and toned chest and abdomen.

"I love you too," he responds truthfully as he continues his pleasurable onslaught on her entire body.

December 25, 2004

Sarah feels the sun sprinkle her skin with warmth through the blinds into the motel room, but she still feels an unnerving cold. She slowly turns to meet the man she loves, who surprisingly isn't cuddled to her. She turns to see that Chuck isn't in the bed and his side is cold. "Chuck?" She questions softly. She hates the feeling of loneliness and it is occupying her at the moment. The shower isn't running and the other bed is empty. She notices there is a folded note on the table and slips out of bed with a tiny grin, thinking Chuck must've stepped out for some breakfast to bring back for her.

She saunters over to the table in her plain grey shirt and white cotton panties. She notices that her phone sits next to the note and there is one voicemail on it; his burn phone resting next to hers. She lifts the handwritten note and reads it.

Sarah,

Please listen to your voicemail.

Love, Chuck

She grins proudly as she picks up her phone and dials the voicemail. She waits for it to ring until the automated voice asks what she would like to do. She directs it to listen to her voicemail and listens to Chuck's message.

"Sarah, I love you," Chuck declares in a solemn tone. "You're the greatest thing to happen in my life. Everything that's ever happened was worth it because I met you and fell in love with you."

Sarah smiles reverently as tears sting her eyes. She's never heard someone profess their love so deeply.

"You have to know that you're the most important thing in my life," Chuck continues sorrowfully.

Sarah doesn't like where it is going as she listens more carefully.

"And that I'll always protect you. I'll always do whatever is in the best interest of your safety." Chuck sighs heavily. "That's why I have to leave. I have to leave you. I'm so sorry, Sarah," Chuck tearfully confesses. "But I have to protect you. You can't live on the run for the rest of your life. You deserve so much more than that. Please understand that I'm doing this for you."

"No," Sarah gasps as tears stream down her face and her lips quiver in heartbreak. "Chuck…"

"Sarah, I love you and always will. You'll always be my one and only. I'm sorry things didn't work out better for us. But I will always be treated as a criminal for Graham's murder." Chuck sighs again to change the subject. "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do," he confesses sadly. "You're never going to see me again, so please don't wait for me. Please live your life to the potential I know you have."

"Dammit, Chuck," Sarah angrily and tearfully slams her fist against the table; her car keys hopping off the table a few inches.

"You're the most amazing woman in the world. Sarah," Chuck fights the lump forming in his throat, "Merry Christmas. Your present is waiting inside the trunk of your car. I really wish things would've been different for us. I do, but I'll always love you, Sarah. Now and forever."

Sarah hears the automated voice asking if she wants to delete the message and she ends the call. "Dammit, Chuck! I would've gone with you! I love you! How could you do this to me?" She slumps into the chair dejectedly. "How could you leave me?" She wipes away the tears streaming down her face.

After getting dressed and making her way to her car, she pops the trunk and her eyes widen slightly at Chuck's Christmas present. Roark is sleeping in the trunk, curled up in the fetal position with his wrists cuffed behind him. She shuts the trunk and gets into the car.

December 25, 2004

She pulls up to the rubble that was once Black Rock where Casey and Bryce are watching over the NSA agents rummaging through the debris for any survivors or important pieces of technology. Casey and Bryce both walk over to her. "Where were you, Walker?" Casey asks expectantly.

"Nowhere," she walks to her trunk where Casey and Bryce join her. "Merry Christmas," she states indifferently and coldly as she opens her trunk and walks away. Casey and Bryce stare with widened eyes at Roark sleeping in her trunk with his hands bound behind his back.

Thank you all for being a large pushing point to this story. You're like the sixth man in basketball or the twelfth man in football (in America). So thank you all for being my audience, my fans, my supporters. None of this would be possible if it wasn't for you.

Please review.